Not So Sure

I am really not sure what Garrett was doing in this picture. He kept looking up at the ceiling and making this funny face. I was able to actually capture it. Usually he just smiles at the camera. Whatever he was looking at must have been exciting!

I just thought this was a sweet looking picture of Madison. She looks so content and so much in thought. Of course there is bunny too. I don't know something about the picture I just really like!

Date Night

Madison and Dave went on a date tonight to see, "Happy Feet". Dave said it was an interesting movie, kinda strange, but if you ask Madison she had a blast. She even informed me that she got popcorn and a drink. She got in the car and said, "it was about penguins...three penguins...they dance" She must have really liked it cause then she said, "we need to buy it." I told her that we can't it isn't on DVD and than she said, "I will just go watch it...like everyday." The mind of a 3 year old, don't we wish it was that easy.
I really am glad that Dave and her get the opportunity to go on their little dates. She loves it every time no matter what they do. Going to the store is fun if she gets to go with her daddy all by herself! And the little break that I get it nice too although Garrett was with me and grocery shopping was a better experience with him, he doesn't move and he doesn't talk!

Gobble Gobble

Today we made Turkey Hats. Madison's friend Sydney was visiting us for the day so we decided to have a little fun and celebrate Thanksgiving, but also take the time to explain to the girls why we have Thanksgiving. Surprisingly Garrett loved his hat and wore it for a long time. He didn't even try to take it off. And if you click on the picture to enlarge it you will see Garrett smiling and showing off his pearly whites, which is the first picture we have captured of them!

Why we named our kids

So I have been tagged by my Aunt Pam to tell why we named our kids the names we did. Ours is pretty simple in the way but it takes us forever to come up with names especially boy names.

Madison Rae

We named her Madison because it was one of the few names that we could actually agree on. Dave would come up with a name and I would think about it and all I could think about was someone else I knew who was named that and many times there weren't good memories and impressions about that person so I just couldn't go along with the name. We saw Madison in a baby book and I had never really known anyone with that name and we both agreed on it. At the time we didn't know a lot of people who had named their girl Madison now on the other hand it seems they are everywhere, school should be fun. Her middle name is my middle name simple as that and we thought it sounded really good together.

Garrett Keith

We had a really hard time coming up with a boys name. We would look through baby name books write list of names and yet we couldn't agree on a single one or someone in our families already used the name. One night laying in bed I was looking through the book for the hundredth time and came across Garrett. I asked Dave and he liked it too. But we really didn't decide until the end of the 8th month that he would be Garrett. As for the middle name well that is Dave's middle name. He didn't want to name his son after his full name so we went with the middle name.

Well that's it nothing really exciting. Now I suppose I will tag, Angela P. and Angela A., and Dayna

Cake Baking Day

So today Madison and I decided to take a break and bake a cake. This went along with our preschool lesson today about how many and measuring things. What better way to have real life lessons than to bake a cake to show her what the lesson meant. Madison picked the colors.....pink and yellow and she was very specific that they had to be bright pink and bright yellow. She picked out a star tip for the borders and than for the middle she wanted to use the tip that can make hair on people and grass on cakes. WOW! She is very proud of her cake and promptly said, "I'm a good cake maker, right mom?" SHE IS A WONDERFUL BAKER!

Straight from Madison

The other day it was almost dinner time and Madison came up to me and our conversation went something like this.

Madison "I am hungry...how about some crackers you know the soft ones?"

Diantha "Sorry, it is almost dinner time."

Madison "But I am really hungry...it is okay"

Diantha "No Madison it is not okay....I don't think we have any left anyway and dinner is almost ready.

Madison "It is okay mom...I will see if I can find them.....I am a good finder......I can find things."

Madison proceeded to find her way to the cabinet and look for the crackers and low and behold she found the crackers, brought them to me and said...."see mom I am a good finder now can I have one?"

What am I suppose to say she was so proud of herself and her "finding" skills.

Take A Look

Just Take A Moment to look at all the neat things on the side bar!

Newest project

Just thought I would share the newest project I made. My mom and I found the unfinished magnet board in Utah and I finished it off and hung it in the kitchen. Sorry the lighting isn't the best. I thought the board turned out pretty darn good, if you want a better look you will just have to come and visit.

First Biscuit

Garrett had his first teething biscuit and absolutely loved it. He ate the whole thing and I was amazed how long it kept him busy until he finished it, which he was bound and determined to do. The look on his face as he ate said everything, "I am actually doing this by myself!" Afterwards well lets just say he went straight to the bathtub! He was a mess and it was everywhere but despite all the mess he will get one again!

Birthday Celebration

Dave turned 27 on Sunday, Novemebr 5, 2006. On Saturday night we went to Famous Daves with my parents to celebrate his birthday. The dinner we ordered actually came out on a Trash Can lid!! It was a fun dinner and to go to a restaurant with your name on it for your birthday well that is just...PRICELESS!

This last week (October 30,2006) my Grandma Neva Anderson passed away at the age of 69. She was a remarkable lady and a wonderful Grandma. The Grandma who always had treats in the kitchen when the Grandkids came over. The wonderful blessing dress and blanket that she made for Madison when she was born. I will always remember her and legacy she leaves with all of our family(8 children, 28 Grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren). She is in a wonderful place now and one day I know that I will get to see her again. I will miss her!

Hanging Out with Grandma and Grandpa

We all had fun this weekend hanging out with my parents for the weekend. Madison especially liked seeing her Grandma and Grandpa again, she says they are her best friends. Garrett doesn't really remember the last time we saw them a few weeks ago but he had a blast smiling and getting played with all weekend.

Playing around

I caught this face Garrett was making while playing in the leaves! I thought it was so cute to see his little tongue sticking out. Madison looks completely uncomfortable in her pic but she really was enjoying the leaves. Especially when she was trying to poke and tickle her brother(sorry no pictures had to intervene).

Hanging out in the Pool

The hotel we stayed at this weekend in Utah had a pool so we took the kids down to the pool for some fun! Garrett loved the pool and Madison, well she acted like she usually does, scared to death. She will sit on the steps and will venture in the water but only after you drag her in there. The only ppol she really likes is the spa and only because she is in control and can touch everywhere.

Lemon Anyone!

We went to dinner for Dave's Birthday this weekend, while we were in Utah and my dad gave Garrett a lemon! He sat there and kept eating on the lemon and every once and awhile he would get a good shot of fresh squeezed lemon juice! He didn't just have one either he had 3 of them I think and would have eaten more.

My First Ice Cream

Garrett got his first real experience of ice cream this weekend. He loved it! You would give him some and than he would taste it and than when it was gone he would start whinning and whimpering for more, give him more he was happy again.

Favorite Things

Today we talked about favorite things during our school time. I explained to Madison what it meant to have favorite things and we talked about how each person has different favorite things. Than I had her pick out a few things and than we walked around the house and took some pictures of what she says are her favorite things. I think she understood the concept fairly well because she didn't pick anything real strange. It was a lot of fun to see things through her eyes, some of the simplest things are her favorite.
Favorite things are:
Purple Bunny (Big Surprise)
Books
Her alphabet Letters
Hats
and M & M's

What I made for Dave

Just thought I would share with everyone what I made for Dave's Birthday this year. I took some of his old High School sport shirts and made them into a blanket. He has been wanting his own warm blanket because the one I had given him before I have confiscated back and I use that one=). So now he can have his very own.

Halloween 2006

Our little Princess, Snow White

Presenting, The Chicken!

We made it through Halloween this year, and actually we had a wonderful time. Madison loved trick-or-treating! Her excitement was so cute. Dave and Madison would run up to the door and she would ring the doorbell and than stick her pumpkin bucket way up in the air and exclaim...."Trick or Treat!" and than she would continue to talk to whoever was at the door no matter if they wanted to hear it or not. Very different from the Madison we know who won't talk to anyone til she knows you. I think that excitement made the difference. She kept saying, "still need more candy my pumpkin isn't full!" After awhile it got to the point that she couldn't hold on to it, it was weighing her down. I thought it was so cute to see them running up there together and her big smile! Garrett well the excitement was too much from the beginning because he slept in the car the whole time, fine with me cause I got to stay with him our overnight low last night was 9 degrees! Madison's costume had to be added too, a turtleneck underneath, big thick tights and she had to wear her coat. At first she didn't want to wear her coat but than after two houses she decided she was cold. Madison has also already been talking about what she will be next year and giving Garrett some ideas too.

Chore Chart

Today Madison and I made a chore chart, well she helped put it together. The whole idea is to really get her excited to help around the house(some days she is excited other days well lets just say she isn't too keen on the idea). Also to be excited to help and be apart of the family. Granted the chores on there right now are simple chores but she is only 3. It is really a simple format all she has to do is move the stars to the next column when the chore is completed. She is excited to get to start with the chores. I hope it continues to be that way. We will officially start
tomorrow...October 31, 2006. Hopefully it works, we will keep track of the progress she makes and after an establish amount of time we will see how well she did and reward accordingly.