Barn Park and Barn Cake

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Here are Trent and Adam "fully invested" in the BYU Cougars who were playing after Adam's little party. Cute Boys!






We had family over for a small get together to celebrate Adam's first Birthday. We took them to the Barn Park. It has traditional park equipment and also a splash pad. Julianne is enjoying the splashing. I love this photo of Madelyn because it is perfectly mid run-- neither foot is on the ground. Also notice the ominous clouds in the back. The clouds kept the temperature cool and the people away, but it was very pleasant to be out there.



So, here is his 2nd cake . . . this time my interpretation of a barn cake. Let's just say it involved a lot of red frosting. Don't you love how we are all helping blow out the candle?

Labels

Well, it only took me an hour to go through all my posts and label them appropriately. As there got to be more and more stuff on my blog, I decided that I needed to use labels so that I can find the things I want to find. It makes it kind of fun to see in a "nutshell" all the things I write about and then read by category. And I highly recommend using labels from the beginning so you don't have to go through what I just did. And now i am frustrated because I cannot get the labels to show on the bottom row. I have gone to Customize, Blog posts, and selected labels and they are not showing up. Any ideas on why fellow bloggers???????

edit : thanks to google I searched and found a site which told me to go into edit HTML and select revert widgets to default and voila . . . now the labels are ever present.

Happy Birthday to Adam!

Adam's birthday was Wednesday the 26th. I can't believe my baby boy is a year old. He sure is the cutest thing ever. He is so sweet and happy. I hope all the rest of the years can be as happy as this one! Doesn't looking at him just make you want to smile?

It's my interpretation of a train cake.

A Long Time Ago . . .

This is going to be my first "nostalgic post." Considering that blogging has pretty much replaced my journal efforts and scrapbook efforts, I figure reflecting back on past events is well within the realm of this blog . . . after all it is just what I am thinking about.

I remember checking the mail and getting my roommate assignment at BYU for my freshman year. I was going to be living in David John Hall in Helaman Halls. (At the time, this was the only newly renovated dorm hall anywhere on campus.) I applied for that hall because it had a bathroom between 2 rooms (called a suite) and not a hall bathroom like all the others. Despite all the "fun" stories I had heard about community bathrooms, I liked the idea of having my own. You could brush your teeth anytime and check up on your makeup whenever you wanted! And I liked the idea of "new". John hall was a nice red brick while all the others had awful yellow shutters. So John Hall is where I lived my freshman year. Room D-311. And my roomate's name was Jennie Kate, and she was from Texarkana . . . Arkansas. I remember calling her that summer and all I remember about the conversation is that I was going to bring an iron and she was going to bring the ironing board. (Now, why on earth that was on my list of priorities to discuss before going to college I have no earthly idea . . . but I did bring the iron, and she did bring the ironing board and directly across the hall from our room was the common room fully stocked with 1 or 2 of each!!!!).

We moved in. I moved in first because I was going to New York for the weekend before school started. I remember waiting in my room all by myself, just waiting to see if she would get there before I left. She did. I think we spoke for about 5 minutes and then she and her Mom moved in the stuff, and I left for the weekend.

Now I did have a fun time in New York, but it was a little hard coming back having missed all of freshman orientation. It seemed like everyone already knew everyone and I was a bit behind. So my advice to anyone who cares. . . go to orientation weekend!!!

Really, I don't know how it happened, but we went from being strangers sharing a room to great friends in a very short time. You always wonder how they group everyone, but I think I know why she and I were roommates. We were the only 2 freshman stupid enough to sign up for a 7 am class. Mine was everyday . . . Spanish and hers was just on Fridays . . . American Heritage lab. What were we thinking???? I think we thought that since we had gone to early morning seminary every day for 4 years that 7 am was practically sleeping in. So again, my advice to anyone starting college. . . Don't register for a 7 am class.

I'll write more later. . . it is midnight and I am sleepy.

Night Owl

Madelyn is a night owl. She loves to stay up late. She always has loved staying up late. From the day she was brought home from the hospital her preferred sleep schedule has been midnight to noon. Unfortunately for her, our family doesn't operate on those hours. If we can keep her awake all day (no naps at all -- even for just 2 minutes), she usually goes to bed by 8:30, but if she has had any sort of extra sleep during the day she feels entitles to stay up all hours of the night. It is not that she couldn't use the sleep, she just is not tired enough to settle down.

I know, I know, we should be tough with her, but see here's the problem. She is just so sweet. She senses when everyone else is asleep and then calmly comes down the stairs and asks if we will just hold her and hug her. She doesn't want to talk to you or interrupt your tv shows. . . she just wants to love you. And we are suckers for it . . . BIG TIME . . . especially her daddy!!!!

This photo is of her working her charm late one night.

And while we are talking about Madelyn, here are a couple of anecdotes.

Yesterday I asked her to put a puzzle away. She grabbed the puzzle and headed off. An hour later I find the puzzle on the bottom of the stairs (moved, but not put away). I said, "Madelyn, go put that puzzle all the way away!" She said, "I can't Mommy, it is giving me a headache." I started laughing and said, "It is not giving you a headache, now go put it away!" She said, "Oh, um, my tummy hurts me."

WHERE Did she learn the headache line?????

Also she has started hiding the fruit snacks. Today I bought 3 boxes at the store and now 1 whole box is empty. I expressed some concern over where they had gone and Catherine told me she saw Madelyn with them. I started searching her room and found them in her bedside table. I guess if she needs a midnight snack, she'll be ready!!!!

The Saturday morning chores

Adam has already started helping his Dad with the Saturday morning ritual. Trent washes both our cars every Saturday. Adam mostly gets himself wet and dirty, but I guess you have to start somewhere.

The Joy of Friends

Madelyn loves little Gym. Well, let me clarify. . . she loves little Gym when her 2 girlfriends are there to go with her. If they are not there she cries and doesn't want to do it at all. She reminds me of me. . . I'll do almost anything with friends (run at 5:30 am, dumpster dive at post offices for discarded Kohl's gift cards, try new recipes like English toffee over and over again until it is just perfect, etc. . .) Without friends I just want to cry too!!!