New Kitchen!

Once we got home Daddy spent all Sunday afternoon putting together the kitchen Madilynn got for Christmas...Here's the finished product! He did such a great job!

Madilynn is telling us that it's "hot"!

I think she loves it!!
Here's a picture from this morning after her bath. She decided she wanted "to cook" and then she told me she needed her apron on "to cook" - so cute!

TOO MUCH SNOW!!! I know I'm saying this a little early..after all there's still a good 2 more months of WINTER in Iowa...but I'm so tired of seeing it already. We (me and Madilynn) have been inside all week except for a short trip to the grocery store (with Daddy), due to all of the snow and COLD temperatures. Just so you know currently the temp is 0 and the wind chill is -24...pretty dangerous... So here's a picture of all the snow as of yesterday, but we got more last night. Let's just say the car is pretty much snowed-in now!

After our trip to the store we got this picture while Madilynn was still all bundled up...

One more Christmas...

The weather in Arkansas was great while we were there for Christmas...look there's no snow!!! Madilynn really enjoyed playing outside. Here's a couple of pictures of her playing ball!

We got one last Chrsitmas gathering in before heading back to Iowa. Daddy Gene and Ladonna made it to town and we were able to visit with them for a couple of hours before hitting the road.

Madilynn still likes her little rocking horse...

Christmas Day!

We spent Christmas Eve night at a hotel in order to have Christmas morning together as a family. We started out with breakfast (from Rick's bakery, we got the day before - yum!), we opened our presents from each other, then Daddy read us Luke 2 the story about Jesus' birth (the Christmas story).

Here's Madilynn with the apron I made for her! - Wow! I couldn't believe that I finished a sewing project and it turned out so cute!

Mommy got a new journal and pens
Daddy got a tray for his wallet and keys that I painted and put pictures of Madilynn on it..

Then we were off to lunch and visiting with Memaw, Pepaw and Uncle G. Here's Madilynn with the tree - I actually caught her standing still and smiling!

Madilynn got a big kitchen!! (I'll put up pics later of it put together once we got home)

Then we headed over to Nana and Papa and Ashlee's for dinner! Here's Madilynn with the tree again. But I'm going to have to do a better job next year of getting Madilynn's picture with the grandparents while we are there.

My parents got us these ice scraper mits from Eddie Bauer... I had never seen anything like it before and I thought it was just perfect for Iowa - haha!

I made this little sign for my mom's kitchen!

Here is my sister Ashlee with the plaque I made for her room!

Here's Madilynn with a new outfit from Nana & Papa - so cute!

Christmas Eve

We ended up leaving Iowa for Arkansas a couple days early (Friday the 19th) for Christmas break in order to dodge some snow storms. We made it to Arkansas safe and sound. We really enjoyed our time there and took full advantage of the warmer temperatures. We spent several days at the park with temps in upper 50's - low 60's. Madilynn really enjoyed her time outside. I did some baking and made my Christmas cookies. This year I made Peanut Butter blossoms, no-bake cookies, and these sugar cookies - YUM!

There were so many pictures to sort through, but here are some of my favorite. We spent Christmas Evc at my grandmothers house with all of my mom's side of the family. Here is a picture of us all - Mama (grandmother), Aunts, and cousins.... (need more boys - ha! currently only 1)

Family picture - Christmas Eve

Me and my cousin Asten and our girls!

My parents - watching everyone open gifts!

So cute - Madison and Madilynn (the great-grandkids)

Our 4th Anniversary!

Wow! What a journey it has been these last four years! We are thankful to God for our marriage, our family, and all He has blessed us with.

Our wedding day 12-18-04

August 2006

Feb. 2007

June 2007

August 2007 - moved to Iowa

Fall 2007

October 2008

December 2008

Here we are celebrating our anniversary (about a week early).

It has been an adventure and we can't wait to see what God has planned for us next!

Thank you to all of our family and friends for your love and support over the years! We love you!

Snow!

So, here's the snow that came yesterday....It snowed pretty much all day long, looks to be about 4-5 inches. The snow removal people came yesterday evening and pushed all of the snow from the driveway onto our yard you can see it piled up around the tree. We are supposed to get more snow/ice tomorrow and it could be a lot.

Well Madilynn and I got out this morning to run some errands. Yes, I drove in the snow (I wouldn't be driving if this happened in Arkansas), and it wasn't bad - no slipping. The roads are pretty much covered in snow though...

Anyways as we pulled out of the driveway Madilynn started saying "gasses, gasses" and I wasn't sure what she wanted, but she was insistant. Then I realized she wanted her sunglasses. The sun is out today and with it reflecting off of all the snow it was really bright. So I stopped on our street and found her glasses and tried to reach back and put them on her. They weren't on right, so they started falling and the picture on the left is what she looked like! It was so funny! Then after we were done and got back in the car I was able to put them on properly for the ride home. Here she is saying "cheese". By the time we got home she was asleep with the sunglasses on - guess they made it darker and we were driving slow!

Artic Tundra

For those of you in Arkansas I thought I should update you on the weather here in the Artic Tundra (how we refer to IA in the winter). When I got up this morning at 7 am the temp. was -4 with a wind chill of -26. Needless to say we (me and Madilynn) are not leaving the house. The high today is 3. They are calling for more snow tomorrow. News says 6-8in. of snow and the Weather Channel says 2-4in. so we'll see. Anyway it's freezing!!!!!!

Oh, but it was nice on Saturday and warmed up to 45 degrees and some of the snow melted. YAY!! (Last year we got no melting from Nov. till March)

We are thinking of you in warmer weather and can't wait to get back for Christmas. In the meantime we are trying to stay warm!

Here's Mommy and Madilynn yesterday before church in our sweaters!