It is so fun to see the growth in Madelyn’s piano skills.
It’s hard to believe it’s been almost two years since she started down this
musical path. I love to hear her progress as the notes get more and more
complicated. This process has definitely stretched her brain!
Madelyn’s friend, Isabelle, recently started lessons with
Miss Whitney, too, so it was fun to meet up with her family at the recital, and
of course, grab some pizza afterwards!
On October 6th, we had to say goodbye to the
sweetest dog ever, Chloe. Her health had deteriorated so much that she was not
able to walk or even eat. We put it off for a while, carrying her in and out of
the house, and even hand-feeding her. Ultimately, we couldn't continue to
let her live that kind of life. It was an extremely hard day for all of us.
These pictures were taken on Chloe's last day with us.
It didn't take Madelyn long to ask for another dog, a puppy
specifically. I kept telling her that I was not ready for another dog, and
surely didn't want a puppy. I explained to her how much work puppies are, and
that I was already tired. I just wasn't ready for that kind of commitment.
Then, my friend Nadine showed me some pictures of some
puppies from one of her clients and just wanted me to know that she
thought there would be a new litter soon. I laughed at her, telling her there
was no way on God’s green Earth that I could get a puppy.
Well, two months later, not only do we have a new dog, it’s
a puppy! Oh my!
I've been secretly watching the puppies grow, while trying
to convince Madelyn that I really was not ready for a dog. And lucky for me,
she believed me!
Here’s some pictures from birth to new home…
Mama and her Babies
Puppy Daddy - "Polar Bear"
Meet Bella!
Auntie Kristin and (Livvy and Owen) came with Christmas Eve to pick up Bella
All pooped out while waiting to meet her big sister.
I was excited for Madelyn to get this very special gift on
Christmas morning. Here’s the video of the surprise:
We had a great time playing with Bella Christmas morning!
“Auntie D” (as Madelyn lovingly refers to my friend, Donna)
took the trip with us to the North Pole where we once again got to visit with
Santa! This train ride is such a wonderful way to get the Christmas season
going. We enjoyed showing Auntie D around the train station, and I
think she enjoyed all the fun activities, too!
We have been enjoying several Childsplay performances, and
this one was probably the most anticipated of them all. Madelyn has really
gotten into Junie B Jones’ books, so to be able to see this Christmas story
come to life was a real treat. And to make the experience even better, Madelyn
got to invite her BFF, Isabelle! These two girls have always been so cute
together! And I would seriously take them anywhere! They are so polite and
well-behaved. Madelyn likes to think that Isabelle is her long-lost sister! ;)
We had quite a bit of time between checking out of the condo
before we had to be checked in at the airport, so we decided to venture over to
Cocoa Beach. I am so glad we took the time to do this! I would actually love to
spend a week here, enjoying the beautiful beaches and great food!
Although Downtown Disney was under construction, and a
little bit hard to make our way around the sidewalks, it was a nice way to wind
down after a busy week that included more shopping and eating of course!
We spent the morning enjoying rides, treats, and of course a
little shopping before we headed back to the condo around lunchtime to grab our
favorite Papa!
This truly was the highlight of my trip! I really never
thought I’d see Dad at an amusement park with my child. It’s really not his
thing, and well, his legs don’t work like they used to, so I was absolutely
overwhelmed with joy when he agreed to join us for Mickey’s Very Merry
Christmas Party in the Magic Kingdom!
During the Christmas parade, we met some very special friends who happened to have passes for the princess meet and greet, and these passes were the kind that got you right up to the front of the line - NO WAITING! Yippee!
You'd better take a closer look... that's Grammy & Papa in the teacup!
What an adventure! Madelyn and Duffy are fast asleep.
