Monday, November 17, 2008

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."

"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on
the feelings, as now in October."
- Nathaniel Hawthorne


Our lives are so enriched as parents. There are days that go by so quickly I forget to sit down or eat lunch or swing outside. Its that last one that I usually miss the most. Madeleine LOVES being outside. Life is so busy sometimes with school and housework and Matthew's flight schedule that I forget how relaxing an hour outside pushing Madeleine on the swing can be. She is growing up so quickly and I hate to think I've missed a minute because the dishes just "had" to be done or laundry just "had" to be folded and put away. We took a ton of pictures this month to share with everyone. I love all of them, but its especially those we took outside where the sun hits her face just right and her eyes glitter atop those too cute dimples.





We celebrated Halloween at an assisted living facility in the morning with MOMS Club friend and trick or treating at Matthew's squadron (his work). Madeleine was delighted to see where Daddy works and the planes he flies. I liked touring the field too and seeing the Blue Angel planes up close and personal. Madeleine was a flower fairy and loved every minute in her costume. In fact, she asked if she could wear it to the grocery store today, but I assured her it was much too cold.






We were blessed with a visit from Matthew's parents after Halloween. Grandma Rita and Papa Ron stayed for the weekend and played with Madeleine to her hearts content. During their stay, we harvested the sweet potatoes we had been growing in our garden since we moved here. We had plenty of potatoes to make three pies and have a few left over for Thanksgiving! Matthew was certainly proud that he grew something we ate and I was proud it was actually edible.


Most of you know about my cupcake bakery dream. I'm regularly making cupcakes and trying new recipes out. I have a great assistant, Madeleine. I just had to include some pictures from our latest adventure with chocolate cupcakes and fudge icing. She usually has on clothes, but this was a special deal because chocolate isn't always so easy to remove.


We are finishing our Thanksgiving menu and welcoming friends and coworkers that will be here without family over the holiday. We love a big family Thanksgiving and since we won't be travel
ing home, we're doing the next best thing and having a big "not our family, but somebody's family" Thanksgiving.

Christmas is right around the corner and Madeleine is getting excited. Its great to see how each year she "gets it" a little more. Last weekend we were out having a family da
y at an outdoor shopping center and they were starting the season already with Santa. We ran into him walking down the sidewalk and Madeleine had her first Santa encounter. We've never been the parents to take our child screaming up to the big guy when she was a baby. We thought we should wait until she knew him and felt comfortable, because Madeleine doesn't trust just anyone. I think on Saturday she got a good feeling from him, because as we chatted with him on the sidewalk, he asked Maddie what she would like for Christmas and she began telling him all about it. Since then, she's told everyone about Santa Claus.

We hope everyone has a blessed and safe holiday season. We love all of you and we will be thinking of you as we are being thankful over our table in a couple of weeks.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

She is so beautiful and getting SO grown up. You are right, it does go too quickly!