Labor Day Weekend

On Saturday we took a trip to the Omaha Zoo. We had so much fun! We spent several hours at the zoo and we didn't even get to see everything (an excuse to go back sometime!). Madilynn enjoyed seeing all of the animals. Here are some pictures from our day...

Madilynn wanted her Daddy. She was a daddy's girl all weekend.

Pointing to the fish





Petting the goats
Here are the gorillas. It was crazy being so close to these animals with just a piece of glass in between us. I guess this gorilla is stretching his legs.
This gorilla was funny he started picking his nose and then putting his finger in his mouth. Everyone was saying "Ew..gross"


On Sunday afternoon we took a bike ride at the park. About half-way through our ride we stopped where we could walk to a large pond in the center of the park. We had never gone to the water before, we normally just ride our bikes on the trail around the water. Madilynn enjoyed our time there and didn't want to leave. She liked throwing rocks into the water.

Here a some videos from our weekend. The first two are from Sunday at the water. And the last two are from the Zoo in the Aquarium. They had a tunnel that we walked through with the aquarium all around us. There were even sharks. That was a little crazy too, to be so close to the sharks and large fish with glass all around. Hopefully you'll be able to tell from the videos.

Big Girl!

Madilynn looks like such a big girl with her "meow" shirt on. I can't believe how much she's grown just this summer. She has grown a whole shoe size just this summer. She's enjoying these new shoes and I think they make her look so big.

Last Thursday morning I awoke to "mommy", and as I was getting out of bed my bedroom door opened and there was Madilynn (Michael was already at work). I couldn't believe she had gotten out of her crib and opened her bedroom door and mine.

So, Thursday evening when Michael got home he was so excited to transform her crib into a toddler bed. So here's the result...

I think Madilynn really likes her new bed and she has done really well adjusting to it. She's only gotten up once when I laid her down and I just put her right back to bed and she went to sleep. The real adjustment I think is for me. I think the moment her eyes open she jumps up out of bed and comes out of her room to find me. I guess before when she was in the crib she would lay there for a little while before she called for me.

Sunday afternoon was Michael's last soccer game of the season. It was such a beautiful day.

Here is Madilynn from this morning. When I got the camera out to download the pictures she started saying "Cheese". And I caught her..

Iowa State Fair

On Sunday we took a trip to the Iowa State Fair. We just couldn't miss it this year, even though me and Madilynn were sick on Thursday and Friday. We rested on Saturday and then decided to go on Sunday it was the last day.

They had a Children's Garden with a walk through tunnel for kids. Madilynn really enjoyed it. She ran through it 5 or 6 times. It was so cute!

The next few pictures were taken inside the Agriculture building. These are different varieties of Dahlia's some of them were so big. Very cool!

Here's one of the big ones up close

and here's the famous butter cow. It is all made of butter and it sits in a refrigerated case, you should've seen the line to go buy and see it. We just got a quick picture as we went by. They also had Shawn Johnson (from Iowa - gymnastics in the olympics) standing next to the balance beam all carved out of butter too. We didn't get a picture of that too many people.

They had an Animal Learning Center for children that had lots of different baby animals. We saw chicks, ducks, ostrich, sheep, goat, cow, and pigs. Madilynn got to get up close and pet them. She loved it!

Here's Madilynn petting a little duck.

Here she is looking at the moo moo's

And she got to pet the baby pig's they were so cute!
And guess what there was even a purell hand sanitizing station when we were finished. Then to round out the fair experience Michael had to find a fried snickers bar on a stick. Wow! Sorry I didn't get a picture of that one.

Here's Madilynn on the bus ride back to the car

She enjoyed it and she got to sit in a big seat!

Saying "cheese" for the camera again.

Sunday afternoon Michael had a soccer game we went towards the end of the game. Next week I'll have to get a picture of Michael playing to post. Here's Madilynn with the game in the background.

Here she is just hanging out! What a busy day!

Summertime...

Madilynn and Madison singing Itsy Bitsy Spider and ABC's

Madilynn enjoying a mini chocolate pie!

My aunt Melanie braided our hair. I think these pictures are so cute.

We took a trip to Bass Pro Shop....

Daddy and Madilynn with the big bear

I realized we hadn't had a picture together in a while,

so here we are on my birthday!

We were so excited to be able to spend our birthdays with family.

Madilynn helped me blow out the candles - practicing for her birthday soon!

Summertime...

These pictures are from June. I'm just playing catch-up since we've been out of town.

Madison and Madilynn having a snack!








Madilynn saying "Cheese" for the camera!

These are the flowers we grew from seed this spring they started blooming in late June.

Pink and white zinnia

Cosmos

Pink Zinnia

Father's Day

Sorry it's been so long since we've posted. Here are some pictures from our Father's Day!