I am the big 2.....

....and that means one thing, PRESENTS!

Well I bet you have been wondering when I would update my blog again and include some photos. Well, I've been a little busy....I had to unpack boxes to find the cable to upload my photos....then, I had to find mom's camera that had the photos on it....and then, I had to find the computer. I'm telling you, moving isn't as easy as it seems. Let's go back 2 weeks, that's the the move kicked into "high gear."

The movers came on a Friday. You would have thought they were going to take everything from our house in CO, including the kitchen sink, windows, etc., and move it all to MN. The truck with 53 feet long and it stretched all the way across the cul-de-sac. Mom and Dad told the nice guys that we really didn't have that much stuff and inquired if they were packing a second house in it as well. Nope, just our house. It wasn't half way full when all was said and done. The movers left with all our belongings except what we needed for 1 week around dinner time on Friday. So we stayed in a hotel that night with the 3 dogs...amazingly, everyone slept well.

We took off on Saturday after lunch and drove all the way to IA. The drive really wasn't too bad. Mom and Dad claim they drove through the night but I don't really recall that portion of the drive and think they are kidding. Oh well, we invaded Grandma and Grandpa Kiefers house around 6:30 am on Sunday and camped out there until the following Saturday. I did pretty well and only asked mom a couple times when we were going home. I went to the park, visited Uncle Tom and his family, drove the John Deere tractor and watched some of the Iowa State vs. IA game (which Iowa State won...GO CYCLONES), and read some books, before heading to our new home in MN. Uncle Tom taught me how to make homemade grape juice and I sure thought that was fun. Aunt Mary made me work in the garden and I picked tons and tons of tomatoes.











Our furniture was supposed to arrive in MN on Friday but the moving company decided to wait until Saturday to come. Mom and Dad said I wouldn't be a good help to the movers, so Dad drove up and met the movers with Grandma and Grandpa G and then on Saturday Mom and I drove up. Let me tell you, a 5 hour drive to MN was much better than a 14 hour drive to CO. We arrived to a pretty unpacked house thanks to the help of Dad, Grandpa and Grandma G and Uncle John. They all worked really hard!!

Anyway, we've been settling into a new routine and navigating our way around the rental house. We're out of boxes, we had to be since Mom went to work last Monday and had to find her work clothes. Anyway, I got to stay home and play with dad this past week. I taught him how to feed babydolls, play dress up with baby dolls and play with stickers....I really like stickers....and I played trains with him on the Thomas the train set. It might be my favorite toy now...well, next to my shopping cart. Yup, I got a couple new toys because it was my BIRTHDAY!!!!!















I liked to tell everyone I saw, "I'll be two." For my birthday I helped Grandma frost my strawberry cupcakes and then everyone sang Happy Birthday to me and I opened presents...it was pretty cool. I like to think it was an Elmo birthday since I had Elmo plates and napkins....he rocks in case you didn't know!

How are Mom and Dad doing? Pretty well I guess. They looked a little tired last week and I'm not sure why. Mom started work and Dad stayed home with me during the day, but he claims he was working at night to get some stuff done. I guess the move may have added a wrinkle or two to mom and dad from fatigue and stress that comes with any cross-country move.

How is the rental property? Well it will work for now but Dad and Mom are meeting with a realtor on Tuesday to start exploring the area and homes....apparently this isn't going to be a permanent home.

And me, how am I doing? Well moving is tough no matter how old you are. I have done really well but every now and then I have a little break down and just need some time to cry. Tomorrow I am going to a new daycare....it won't be like Katie's house in CO, but hopefully I can make some new friends fast and get on their routine. I think I'm going to like MN. We went for a run by the lake near our house this weekend and then to a park. It was pretty fun. I always liked my runs in CO with the mountains nearby, but the lakes and trees (that have started to change colors) are equally as pretty. As Annie says, "I think I'm going to like it here." That's my attitude for now.

We're all taking it one day at a time and accepting that we're in a period of transition and no matter how you spin it, transition stinks at times.

The baby....yep, still cooking and set to make his/her debut around Christmas.

Until later,
Madeline

What will I miss in CO for awhile....this view out the kitchen window and throughout our runs of Pikes Peak...



PS. on a funny note, while I say we went for a "family run," it's really more of a modified run/walk...or in mom's case waddle....she's going to surpass the weight she gained when pregnant with me....I find that rather funny!

Change isn't a bad thing....

....I keep telling myself that. I know with this change I'll miss my park by the house, my first bedroom, my favorite daycare lady Katie and my friends, but mom and dad keep saying change isn't a bad thing. Sometimes through change, comes great opportunity. I'm not to sure about it yet, but I'm along for the ride and being the best sport I can. It all started about a month ago.....

...mom was having conversations with some nice people at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. They approached her with an opportunity that she and dad said was too good to pass up. It involved selling a house in CO and relocating the entire family to the Minneapolis, MN area.

However, the "opportunity" that comes with this move is a great career opportunity for mom, dad gets to work for the same company remotely and start his own business (a dream of his) and the chance to be closer to family....when I say closer, I mean closer! Instead of a 14 or 26 hour drive to see Grandma and Grandpa, I will now only be 6 and 12 hours from family....that's a really big difference to a 2 year old. It also puts us 3 hours from a cabin on a lake which has been in dad's family for a long time. I got to go for a boat ride there last year and I plan on practicing my fishing and water skiing skills there next year.....okay, maybe I'll start with trying to catch minnows.

I got to fly on a plane last weekend to see our new "home" and it was a pretty good trip. We found a place to rent for the first year, visited the zoo, went for some runs around lakes and saw a few friends. I convinced mom and dad I am not a restaurant kind of kid....I prefer eating at home in my own chair. Let's just say, I'll need a bit of remedial training before any important dinners in restaurants. I really liked all the trees, heck I made it a point to tell mom and dad all about them when I spotted one....and let me tell you there are thousands up there. I also saw fish, they were great! I wonder if mom and dad would let me have one?!

In the past month we have been really busy. The house went on the market and we got an offer in 5 days. Mom and dad say that is blessing because that's a big stressor to have from 16 hours away. We sold the pop-up camper, but mom and dad promised another one within a year or two because we had lots of fun with it. Then over the weekend we sold my swingset. They said it would cost more to move it than to get one there. Mom says Grandpa and Dad might be putting one together when we get to MN. I'm a little excited at the thought of helping them put it together. (sorry Grandpa, just a forwarning what you're in for the first weekend)

I think mom and dad are too calm right now about everything. I'm guessing it's all happening so fast that they haven't had time to react or really process everything. Mom jokes and says, "they say the most stressful times of your life are when you get married, move, start new jobs and have children.....I wonder if the stress is minimized by doing 3 of the 4 at the same time?" She and dad agree they will miss the beautiful mountain views, peaceful morning runs and all there friends. When they came to Colorado each of them were single and living life. They now say it's time for a new chapter as they leave married to each other, with 3 dogs, 1 kid (me) and yea, one on the way.

I've been a good trooper through it all really. I like to help pack boxes. Over the weekend I packed my "special" cupboards in the kitchen that I claimed as mine.

What else is happening? Well, I like to talk non-stop now. I am obsessed with Elmo, Airplanes, Trucks (any kind), Slides/Swings, and building towers with my blocks! I turn 2 in 2 weeks...I wonder what kind of cupcakes mom will make this year? I'm hoping for strawberry flavored ones!

Sorry for a long update, but it's way overdue. I promise I will put pictures up later. We have some that don't include boxes.

I better run, the moving truck comes on Friday and I have a list of things to do before then.

Love - Madeline

Better late than never...

...so it's been a month, but I've been busy.

I sure have been busy this summer teaching mom and dad all about summer time fun.
Did you know I had to teach dad how to swim at the pool by our house? He sure is getting good and I'm not too bad either....I can kick with the best of them and blow bubbles...sometimes from my mouth.

The park, well it's the hot spot by our house. Don't tell Dad, but there are a ton of cute boys there. Dad thinks I really love to swing and go down the slide, which is true....but the boys there are really cute.





Running....mom and dad take me for "family runs" on the weekend with the dogs. I love going for runs...mom and dad say it's tough work, but all I do is sit back in my jogging stroller and relax until we get to the park. That's why I love family runs, they always end at the park....remember, that's where the cute boys are



Zoo....we've gone to the zoo a couple times this year and I love it. All the animals are so exciting. I really love, Love, LOVE the elephants. The monkeys and lions are cool too...but the bigger the animal, the better. I wonder if I will get one for my birthday coming up in September?



Dress up....I love to play dress up with shoes. I have practiced wearing mom and dad's shoes a couple times, but geez, Dad's shoes are really heavy...I'm not sure how he lifts his feet when walking with them on...they really are that heavy!!! Anyway, mom's dress shoes are fun and make me a little taller. Oh well, my favorite shoes are my own....did you know I just learned how to put my shoes on all by myself. I'm becoming quite the independent little girl.



Books....I have been reading quite a bit lately....I LOVE my books. Mom and Dad read to me in the morning and at night. Right now I'm into my Madeline books. I have been reading to my dolls lately as well. Guess what my favorite book is? The pocket dictionary!!! I take it everywhere with me; in the car, to church and all around the house. Every night before bed I point out 2-3 words and Mom or Dad tells me what it means. I hoping to be on Jeopardy in 4-5 years.

Other than that, I'm doing pretty well.....oh yes, you want to know about Baby G. 2.0....well, it's still cooking...I talk to mom's belly button quite a bit since that's how you communicate with the baby...I would tell you if it's a boy or a girl, but I don't know what it is....Mom and Dad say they might not tell anyone the gender, especially me, because I can't keep a secret...it's not like I let the secret our on my blog..

Until later -
Madeline


(enjoying some corn on the cob...my new favorite food)


ps...one of my neighbor girls came by with a flyer for pet services....mom and dad thought it was cute and funny....check it out...yes, that's poop on it...she'll pick it up for you if you need..too cute!

It's all a big secret....so don't tell....

Let me tell you, having to keep a secret is really tough for a kid my age.
First off, I can barely remember what the secret is when someone tells me. Secondly, I can't articulate everything I want to say when I want to say it....so overall, keeping a secret is tough because most of the time I forget it! Anyway, there have been lots of secrets this year in our house.

It all started about 1 week before out big Out West trip. Mom and Dad learned some exciting news which meant we had to keep a secret from some relatives in Sedona, AZ....this was going to be tough, because they like to drink wine....and so do mom and dad...but we had a secret. Anyway, in Sedona about 5 bottles of wine were opened and consumed the first night. The entire time dad kept taking mom's glass and chugging her wine or switching her glass for his. I don't think he felt very good the next day when we went to the Grand Canyon. I'm not sure why he was stealing mom's wine....she usually really likes wine.

Then, after our Out West trip we immediately had to drive to Iowa for my cousin Hailey's baptism. Again, mom and dad reminded me to keep our news a secret and I really tried, but then we caved on Mother's Day and I signed the flowers for grandma from me and someone else. I guess I almost slipped on the secret. Really though, I think the secret was becoming obvious at that point.....grandma and mom usually drink lots of wine together and this time mom was only sipping very minimally on her glass. Grandma is a sharp cookie and was able to read between the lines.

Then I was told I had to keep the secret again when Grandma and Grandpa came to visit from Ohio. The first night I didn't say anything. Everyone had a glass of wine. Amazingly daddy poured the glasses and only gave mom about 2 Tablespoons which she worked on over the course of 4 hours. Then the next morning I decided I was done with secrets....they are just too tough to keep....so I put on my new shirt to show grandma and grandpa....can you believe they asked if I was serious? You make the call....here's a picture of me in it below.



So yea, I have had a really big secret this year....speaking of big, mom is getting bigger by the minute...it's funny. Also, I'm convinced everyone has a baby in their belly, the dogs, daddy, me, you and heck, even mommy. Yep, Mom has a baby in her belly and I think it's stuck in her belly button...that's where I talk into when I say hi to it.

Mom says it will make for a great stocking stuffer since my brother or sister is set to make their debut on December 24. Supposedly though, the baby will be here at least 1-2 weeks before then because the doctor says so. Anyway, mom and dad don't have any ideas for names this time....I suggested Noel, Hollie, Christopher, Nicholas, or heck maybe it's the next Jesus (I like to pronounce it with a spanish twist for accent).

So there, my secrets out. Don't tell mom or dad I shared it with you.....because it's their little secret.

Love - Madeline (aka...the "to-be" Big Sister)



PS. on a side note I am having so much fun this summer.....I have a new sandbox which came from a garage sale and a cool little tikes table which is just my size for coloring...by the way, I don't recommend eating the crayons, they just don't taste very good.

I like rocks....alot

It's been a crazy couple of weeks around here.

Grandma and Grandpa G. came to visit me. Mom and dad are really a sidebar to any visit from grandparents, I'm the important one here....really. Anyway, they brought me some really cool books which I had them practice reading multiple times. They sure are fun. We played in the yard and went to a brunch with bottomless mimosas....they all liked it. Oddly at the brunch, I got a mimosa, but mom told them to hold the champagne...so I guess it was more like straight orange juice. Anyway, it was fun. Grandma helped me plant herbs and some other shrubs....it was tough work. We played alot though and overall it was a great visit. From here, Grandma and Grandpa went to Minnesota to the cabin...without me...can you believe it?!!!



Then last weekend I took Mom, Dad, Elvis, Sadie and Dibs camping in our "new to us" (okay, it's used)pop-up camper. It was awesome. We tried to go near Denver since it was our first time out, but apparently it's really tough to get into campgrounds here, so we went to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. It only took Dad and Mom 2 hours to figure out how to get the water and electric to work....after 1 hour dad decided a beer would help...I think it did since he got it all working. The dogs loved camping and so did I! I got to go on lots of walks and picked up tons of rocks to add to my collection...because, I LOVE ROCKS!!!! The campground wasn't exactly the nicest since there wasn't a hint of grass, the playground was scary, the highway was really loud next to it and we were placed next to the dumpsters and the shower houses....and there were 20 empty spots all around us....to say the least, mom and dad had lots of good laughs!

(the pics below show me helping to pack...as you can tell I like playing dress up with my red shoes, my hat and in this pic my map)


(The next pic shows me playing dress up again...I have my PJs on but then I put a swim diaper on top of it...again, with my red shoes...mom and dad wouldn't let me play outside like this...party poopers)


(this pic is of Dad and I taking the big dogs for a walk...no, that is not our camper and truck in the background)



I started swim lessons and let me tell you I'm like a fish....I flip and flop and look like a hot mess trying to navigate the water. But the good thing is I loved it and can't wait to go back. I tried to teach dad how to blow bubbles and kick but it's apparent it might take a few more lessons for him to catch on too...he tried to blow bubbles and I tried to eat the water. We make a great combination in the water.
My teachers sings really dumb songs, even mom and dad agree....especially mom since she used to teach lessons...oh well.

I hit a growth spurt which is a good thing....except I outgrew all my clothes. So mom just ordered new clothes which she hopes will last through the summer. At least I finally hit the 20.5 lb. mark. I'm growing up. Speaking of growing up, I'm getting another hair cut and photo taken this week. Mom and Dad said they'll send everyone a picture update next week so you can see just how much I have changed.

Until then - have a great week -
Love - Madeline Rose

PS. Elvis, Sadie and Dibs would say Hi but they are tired from their run today and are napping.

(the pic below is Dad and I...you'll notice I will now wear my hearing device without chewing on it...mom and dad are pleased about this)

Call me Ms. Fix-it.....

Me again....Madeline that is....today, you can call me Miss Fix-it.....

It's been a crazy month around here.....you remember the previous blogs about our Out West adventures. Well, shortly after that (5 days later) we headed to Grandma and Grandpa Kiefer's house for my cousin Hailey's Baptism....you see, Mom and Dad are her Godparents, so we took a trip. I don't remember the drive there very much but I do know mom and dad were really tired the next day....they claim they drove through the night to get there....yea right...those guys go to bed early and never stay awake until 10 PM, so there's no way they drove through the night. Anyway, we got to Grandma and Grandpa's house in time for breakfast....it was the fastest 14 hour drive ever!

The Baptism went great. I was a good trooper and so was Hailey! I got to play with my cousins and had a really great time. When playing at Grandma and Grandpa's house I had a ton of fun playing bubbles with Cody, the dog, and also hauling out all of the yard toys.





But, as the title of the blog said, you can call me Miss. Fix-it. Here's why
1. I decided to help "paint" Grandma and Grandpa's fence. It looked dry so I used a bucket of water and a paint brush and worked really hard....it sure was tough, it kept soaking in....must have been a really dry fence.



2. Daddy was helping Grandpa haul mulch around with a Little Tikes Wagon and spread it around the yard. Well apparently Daddy got in a fight with the wagon and managed to break his nose....yes, on a Little Tikes Wagon....it's kind of funny (you can laugh)....anyway, he waited 1 week to go to the doctor to get it looked at....can you say stubborn?! I guess the Little Tikes wagon won the fight! I helped hold ice on Daddy's nose to fix it after he got the injury.



3. We got home from our trip and honestly, we were just happy to be home until......we saw a 35 ft. section of the fence had blown down in the high winds....fabulous...as yo ucan imagine, Mom and Dad were thrilled. So, after Dad put up the orange temporary fence and the dogs got caught sneaking through/under it a couple times and getting stuck in it as well....we got it officially fixed this weekend between all our rain...I think it turned out pretty nice...as you can tell, I helped out alot.








4. Should I mention that I stayed home on Friday when the workmen were putting our new window in....see, I really am a good help at home improvement projects.

Okay, I should go to bed....I have a fever tonight, so I need the rest before the week kicks off. Hopefully I can see my friends at daycare tomorrow if the fever drops.

Until later,
Madeline (aka Miss Fix-it)

Creepy and Crawly Little.....

....Caterpillar.

I saw tons of them and completely forgot to blog about it last night. Let me tell you, these little devils aren't the fastest things, except when they are falling from the tree to the ground (or in mom's hair). Anyway, at Zion National Park there were millions of caterpillars and tons of cocoons. Too bad I didn't get to see any butterflys.

Oh well, I was fascinated by the caterpillars until my finger was within an inch of them, then I was a little nervous they might jump and get me. So, I let mom and dad touch them and I just stopped and pointed out EVERY SINGLE ONE I saw.....and I saw a lot of them.

By the end I decided there were just too much and natural selection needed to come into play so......squish....I stepped on them and giggled....what a danty little girl I am!

Oh well, they were pretty cool. I'm trying to figure out how to get the video from my phone onto the blog so you can see me attempting to touch a caterpillar, pointing them out and then...squishing them.

ha ha - Love Madeline

April....

...wow, where did that month go???

Well, let's recap the big month. Mom and Dad celebrated their anniversary. It was pretty low-key, in fact they made a homemade pizza instead of going out to eat. They kept telling me they were waiting to celebrate on the big "Out West" trip. I had no idea what they were talking about, but trust me it didn't take me long to figure it out.

Pre-Out West Trip...
...so the night before the Out West Trip mom and dad were packing and laughing at how close the kids playing outside seemed to be. Then mom looked out the window to realize the kids were in OUR yard and we didn't know the kids....Dad went running downstairs to see what was going on and although the dogs appeared to love the company of the kids, dad seemed to startle the kids and got a good laugh at watching them try to climb the 6 ft. fence....oh heavens.


Out West Trip....
...Mom and Dad planned this CRAZY Out West trip covering 2,800 miles, 6 states and multiple popular landmarks and destinations. We left at 5 AM on a Wednesday morning and headed towards Sedona, AZ (our first destination). We stopped at the welcome center in New Mexico....if you go through New Mexico, you can avoid the welcome center...it's not very exciting. Aside from that, it was a funny day of travel....at one point while heading through some construction there were 2 cute birds sitting in the road looking at us...mom and dad thought they would move, but instead we felt a bump, bump and then saw in the rearview mirror what looked like a feather pillow exploded....apparently, they didn't move.









We visited Uncle Ted and mom's cousin Amy with her family in Sedona. It was a blast down there. I got to play on the coolest swing set ever while mom and dad enjoyed lots and lots of wine with the adults. Maybe too much wine....but it didn't stop us from visiting the Grand Canyon. Let me tell you about the Grand Canyon....it's a big hole in the ground....sure it's neat, but I don't need to return anytime soon. Sedona however, is absolutely beautiful and we'd like to return sometime to go hiking down there.










From Sedona we headed to San Diego, CA. The trip went well again. But at one point along the Mexico/USA border mom had to go to the bathroom, so dad pulled off at an exit with one, so called gas-station with a sign that read of "middle of nowhere AZ." Dad went first and mom waited in the car, when dad returned and said it was safe mom went in....she walked right back out. They lady denied her the bathroom because it was for paying customers only...dad handed her $5 and said to buy a pop and see if that would make the lady happy...thankfully it did. What are the odds?! We had the joy of also experiencing border patrol safety checkpoints along the trip. Thankfully, Dad (and us) passed with flying colors.

In San Diego we stayed in the Mission Bay area. It was beautiful, mom however, was not....she was so sick. Somewhere on this trip she got a nasty cold. This meant she actually spent a day in bed sleeping. Poor mom, so we tacked on a day in San Diego for site seeing. We went to the Zoo (which was amazing) and to the USS Midway, a retired Naval Aircraft Carrier. I got to play in the sand on the beach and dad thought it would be a great idea to put my feet in the ocean...he was nuts!!! it was FREEZING!!!!! Oh well, I touched the Pacific Ocean literally. By the way, I don't recommend trying to eat the sand...it doesn't taste very good.













From San Diego we headed up to Las Vegas, NV....I thought we were going to "win big" but apparently mom and dad had no interest in taking me to the strip...instead they took me to Hoover Dam. It was pretty cool. (should I tell mom and dad now or later I won't remember any of this trip when I'm older?)





From the Hoover Dam we headed to Zion National Park. Let me say this.....a MUST SEE NATIONAL park. Far more exciting than the Grand Canyon and absolutely beautiful. There is a tunnel you drive through that's very narrow, has no lights and is about 1.2 miles long. What a crazy experience, but so fun.



From Zion National Park we began our drive home. Mom and Dad took a week and a half off work for this and we all had a blast. I surprised everyone and only fussed once for 10 min. Other than that, mom and dad stopped every 3-4 hours so I could play on a swingset and use some energy.

Now, here's the twist to our travels....we are hopping in the car again next week, actually in 5 days to drive to Iowa. Mom and Dad are godparents to my new cousin Hailey and her baptism is next weekend. It's a crazy month of travel, but it should slow down after that for awhile.....

.....well, not too long...Mom and Dad got a pop-up camper from Uncle Tom and Aunt Mary in Iowa (we'll tow it back next weekend too) so they say we'll be testing it out soon....don't worry, the first test site is Chatfield...10 min. from home so not a long drive, but the dogs get to go on those excursions. I'm sure there will be some funny stories and photos from that.

As always - Madeline

When the cat is away.....

....the mice will play!

Daddy is out of town this week so it's just Mom and I to "hold down the fort." So you know what that means? PARTY!!!!! Mom says No, but we'll see if I can change her mind.

I've been a little under the weather lately. I have croup....and do you know what I think of croup? I think it stinks....no fun what so ever! I got it in a timeframe of 24 hours and had 103 temp along with, what felt like, hacking on a lung. I coughed so bad sometimes that I even threw up, which wasn't good because I'm small to start with. Speaking of being small, did you know I'm not quite 20 lbs yet. I'm hoping by next Monday when I go back to the dr. I'll hit the big 20 lb. mark. Wish me luck.

I better run, I'll make sure to update later this week. I keep hearing about a big road trip coming up in April to 7 different states including NM, AZ, UT, CA, WY, NV, and CO. I'll give you the scoop soon.

Madeline

VIsitors

We had company.

Uncle Tom, Aunt Mary, Katelyn, Caleb and Hailey came to visit. We had a ton of fun while they were in town. I showed them my favorite park 2 blocks from my house, then I took them to the Copper mountain so they could go snow tubing. While they were snow tubing I entertained Mom and Dad and played with Hailey. I really hoped I would get to snow tube as well, but you have to be 36 inches tall....and as we all know I am certainly NOT that big yet. On Sunday we went skiing....this time I got to participate and test out my new skis. They rock in my opinion. I am thinking next year I'll tackle the really big slopes all by myself...

Here are some pics of the weekend....by the way, I absolutely LOVED holding baby Hailey...I could have done that all weekend.