Your Bedroom Makeover

I wanted something more "you", and you had Hot Wheels in mind.

I couldn't have agreed more.

You were dreaming of blue and lime green, like your first room.

We added a grey wall to save us from too much crayola blue:

(a terrible picture, but you get the idea)

You asked for a wall of Hot Wheel's flames:

(photo from the internet)

So we painted over this:

drew the outline in chalk:

and flames it is!

You wanted the Hot Wheel's banner on another wall:

but I thought it would be best to use (removable) canvas.

So we spent a day painting together.

ALL day.

(photo from the internet)

I changed the car in my painting to your FAVORITE 

Hot Wheels car, the green Twin Mill III.

(still not finished at 4:00p)

You have wanted your bunk bed converted to a single bed for months:

You decided when you saw the flames that you wanted to move

the bed across the room to the cool wall:

We moved the fish tank across the room to the other side as well,

hung the new drapes, the art, your clock, and voila:

Your awesome Hot Wheels Room Makeover! 

Finally, over.

Rocket Boy

Last weekend, you and your Daddy launched your first rocket together.

We went to a nearby park.

The launch was successful, and the parachute opened.

So you launched it again.

The rocket, and the dog! :)

Then you and Apple launched off.

Apple is a good launcher!

Then your Daddy launched you into a tree...

but he helped you down.

I remember my first rocket launch at a park

with my Dad and Brother when I was a kid.

I'm sure you'll never forget yours either. :)

Take One!

Oh my, "as you can see" you are SO incredibly cute!

When I downloaded all the stuff off my iphone yesterday I was SO surprised 

to find three little videos you made when you were on your own! 

YOU who are so uncomfortable when I turn on a camera. 

I try to record your adorable dancing in the living room,

or the amazing reading you do with all the expression and timing...

but you clam right up and everything changes. 

Well, you certainly weren't nervous when you made these,

one after another, alone in Miss Teri's van. 

You were ON! 

Here are some ADORABLE clips from the videos:

Celebration VBS 2011

Last week was VBS at your church, Celebration.

They call it Fine Arts, and the theme was Word Up.

You attended three one hour morning classes Monday through Friday.

You took a Spanish culture class called "Going Loco",

an art class, and Boomwacking. 

It was a CRAZY week, with afternoon and evening plans following

Fine Arts each day, but it was SO good for you.

On Friday night the 500+ kids and all their families gathered together

for performances and a celebration/party. 

This was your Boomwacking performance:

We are so proud of you for getting on stage and doing what you learned

in front of all those people.

And we thought it was extra special that they used your favorite:

A TOBY MAC SONG! :)

Jay Days

Your summer has been Jaymee filled. 

You've been living at pools in the heat.

She joined you in completing your bedroom make over.

You've shared soccer games, vbs days, and even pets! 

Nothing makes you happier than being with her. 

And since her whole family is like family to us

it's a blessing for me to be with them so often as well! :)

sweet nothings

We were at Abravo for a fancy lunch together. We decided to eat outdoors, because the weather we perfect for it. As you unrolled your silverware from their thick linen napkin you placed it on your lap and declared,

"It sure is nice of them to have these blankets outside for us."

We were cuddling and snuggling (and maybe chewing a little) when you looked me in the eyes and lovingly asked, 

"what if we could just swallow each other?"

Oh, I would eat you up if I could, too... my little tasty nugget! 

Strawberries!

It's that time of year. 

Strawberry pickin' time!

It's fun to visit here each year.

Although, I suspect this will be your Mader shoe's last summer.

Still, only one of our many to come!

I love picking berries with you. :)

Lifest '11

When your Dad and I learned that your favorite band and singer 

would be showing LIVE just an hour from our home, 

we were thrilled to make our first plans to take you to Lifest!

Toby Mac and Diverse City are IT for you right now. 

You listen ONLY to their CDs at home.

You insist we flip through our radio stations the entire time 

we are in the car, just to be sure they aren't on.

You know all the words to all their songs,

and you randomly sing lines from them all the time.

Seeing you see them at your first concert ever

was definitely one of the highlights of our summer.

The Caves

Your Dad found some caves on a motorcycle ride last weekend.

He came home and said, "we are going to see something. Take your camera."

He grabbed some hoodies and we piled in the car, expectantly.

We were not disappointed. 

They are beautiful, and we will return. 

We just keep uncovering great spots we never

knew about around here. :)

our girls

We have been counting the DAYS to Sarita's near arrival!

Fun bedroom makeovers are underway.
More paperwork is being filled out and piled high.
Appointments are being made and events are being scheduled 
for when she is HERE!


We are so ready to wrap our arms and life around her. 
Just 30 more days!!!
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And then there is Apple:

My sweet little muffin.
She is doing well in her puppy and obedience classes
with Uncle Jeff twice a week.

She is growing SO fast.
Her little legs are SO long
-sweet and clumsy-


Everyday is a struggle 
whether to cuddle her or to eat her up! :)

these crazy animals

I wrote this post for the week before our CATastrophy.
Although things are certainly not the same 
(as we are keeping Mia-our latest addition indoors 
while Ming will now always be outdoors)
it is definitely worth sharing all this animal action!
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Every morning I roll out of bed to let our pets out. 

And every morning, this is what it looks like:

I'm amazed at how these three get along. 

I mean, the dogs make sense... but the cat?

What cat goes out in the morning? 

And then lays and plays with the dogs in the yard? 

I love it.