Mad Gracie Photo Blog

(check out Big Snow 2009 page for more pics) A few weekends ago we got hit with a lot of snow, about 20 inches or so. It was actually nice to just hang out with the munchkin and see her watch the snow fall. After I went out to clear, or should I say try to keep up with the snow piling up in the driveway. We bundled Maddie up and headed out. She had a blast just walking around and letting the snow pelt her in the face. Kathleen showed Madeleine how to make a snow angle which was funny. She didn’t want to lay in the snow at first but after she did it was hard to get her to stop. After a half hour or so we headed back in to warm up and continue to watch the snow fall.

For several years now Robert and I along with various others through the years have made the annual Turkey Day trek to Jacksonville Fla. to visit my close friend Mike and his family. This year was Maddie’s first official Turkey trek. Maddie, myself, Kathleen and of course uncle Robert set out very early Wednesday morning and made the 14 hour journey. Madeleine did great on the way down and back with no major incidents to report. While we were in Fla. Maddie had a blast running around with Andrew and Nicholas. They went to the zoo and even did some Christmas shopping. As usual we all had a great time and the trip was to short but I’m certainly looking forward to many more Turkey Treks to come. Maybe even an extended trip to see the mouse a few miles south of Jax one year, who knows !!

Look out Bobby Flay and crew, chef Maddie is cookin up something for ya !! A few night’s ago Kathleen was trying to make dinner and Madeleine just wanted to be with her and wasn’t being shy about it. Being the resourceful young lady she is Kathleen got a chair and got Maddie to help her make dinner. As you can see she was all about it.

 (see Eden Mill fun page for more pics) A few weeks ago I had to go to Eden Mill Nature Center on a Saturday for a few Halloween photos for the paper. Kathleen was going lunch with some former co-workers so I took Maddie with me. We watched some volunteers carve pumpkins, took a walk to look at the “big water” as Maddie called it and explored the nature center’s critters and stuff. Maddie loved the critters, most of them were stuffed but there were some live fishies, snakes and what turned out to be her favorite, the turtles. I have a feeling Maddie will be spending a lot of time around Eden Mill with their great programs for the munchkins !!

 (more pics on the Trick or Treat Time page) Madeleine definitely got the whole Halloween thing a lot more this year. After some debate on a few different costume ideas Kathleen decided to go with a gingerbread munchkin costume she got from Eli’s mom Amy. We did a costume  test run around the house to make sure everything was in order and were ready to “rock & roll” as Maddie said. We headed to Aunt Kris & Uncle Jeff’s house to meet up with Aydan before heading out. Aydan was soooo cute and  a trooper with her hat in her Ladybug costume. After a few moments for the photo op. we hit the streets! Maddie was LOVING LIFE just walking around in her Gingerbread munchkin outfit. We really only hit two houses just across the street from Kris and Jeff’s. Grams & Gramps stopped by to join the fun too.

 Sunday’s Ravens game against the Vikings was just a bit to much for Maddie and stretch !!

      A few weeks ago we had the well dug in the field for what will soon become our new house. Maddie wanted to come and watch as my friend Steve got his well drilling rig onto the hill. While waiting she was just standing in the bed of my truck watching everything and grabbed my bicycle helmet. Of course I couldn’t pass up the chance to snap a few, eventually Steve got the machine into the right spot and Maddie just wanted to play in the dirt. It’s so much fun just letting her run loose to play in the field.