Big Snow 2009

December 30th, 2009

 

(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.

Tradition continues

December 30th, 2009

Last year my mother-in- law had suggested starting a family christmas tradition of just getting together and enjoying a family day with a Christmas theme. Last year we went to Historic Ellicott City to a cool train garden then to dinner. This year we stayed a litle closer to home and went to the Bel Air Christmas parade. It worked out perfectly for me since I had to cover the event. We al met up and found a nice spot and while I went to work, occasionally  stopping back to snap a few pics of the munchkins enjoying themselves. Maddie got to see Santa go by then she and I walked just behind the sleigh to the park around the corner where Gramps took over and tried to talk Maddie into talking to the big man but she wasn’t having it. Afterward we went to dinner and enjoyed some good family quality time. There’s even some talk of making the parade our annual tradition, guess we’ll see next year !

Turkey Day 2009

December 26th, 2009

 

 

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 !!

Tricycle time

December 26th, 2009

 

     

(no kitties were harmed during the making of these images) On a nice fall in November Maddie was outside just running around enjoying the day and trying to get the hang of pedaling her tricyle around the yard. After a bit Maddie made friends with one of the little kitties and decided that he, the kitty, wanted to ride her bike. So the routine went: pick up kitty, carry him to bike, place him reasonably gently on seat, attempt to push kitty, Kitty jumps down almost immediatly and repeat about 30 times. The kitty took it REALLY well and never even made a peep let alone make a break for it and try to claw Maddie. After a bit kitty got smart and ran off leaving Maddie to ride her bike.

The Next Iron Chef

November 13th, 2009

Maddie cookin996 Maddie cookin25 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.

Eden Mill critters

November 5th, 2009

Maddie EdenMill233 Maddie EdenMill208 Maddie EdenMill178 (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 !!

Trick or Treat time

November 2nd, 2009

Maddie HalloWeb271 (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.

Reeelaxin

October 21st, 2009

Maddie nap320 Sunday’s Ravens game against the Vikings was just a bit to much for Maddie and stretch !!

BOUNCIN !! BOUNCIN !!

October 14th, 2009

MaddieBounce402 MaddieSwanFest259 (more pics on the Bouncin page) One of the beautiful things about my job is that I often have assignments that I can take family and friends along on. Last Sunday was a perfect example, a fall festival at Swan Harbor Farms. Kathleen and I got married there so it made it that much nicer to take the munchkin. Maddie had a great time, especially in the “bouncy house” as she called it. We stopped by the performer stage for a few minutes and got the “wheels on the bus” song embedded in my brain for the afternoon. Kathleen and Maddie wandered around for a bit while I gathered up a few photos for the papers. We made our way to the water and Maddie loved watching the folks drift around in canoes and sitting on the pier with mommy. The petting zoo was entertaining. Maddie saw goats, a pony, a bunny even a pot belly pig.

Just to Cute

October 7th, 2009

 Maddie field303 Maddie field390 Maddie field366 Maddie field308 Maddie field374 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.