As the weather turns cold...

We had to do some shoveling of very wet and heavy snow on this morning.

Up North sledding with friends at their cabin.

Madison went to her first movie at a theater - Tangled

Halloween

A slice of our fall season

We visited Vino in the Valley for lunch and a walk around the vineyards with grandma and grandpa.

We planted another tree this fall, Madison had a great time digging a hole for the tree and then giving it a drink every day.

Jim ran a 5K race (first one in 4 years). He did great, mostly because he had such a great cheering section!

Madison went to a friends birthday for afternoon tea and took Zoe Bear with her.

Madison loves helping mommy make cakes and cookies. She is even allowed to use the mixers now.

Open house at the fire station.

Madison loved finding caterpillars in the field.

It has Halloween time again. Madison is going as a unicorn this year.

Going on a hayride at the pumpkin patch.

Look who is in the "witches brew"!!!

The hayride was the highlight of the pumpkin patch.

Video Clips from Michigan Trip

Driving the Tractor with Grandpa.

Running down Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Summer Trip to Michigan

We recently returned from a trip to Michigan. We stopped and saw the Mighty Mac (Mackinac Bridge) on the way. Madison got to splash in a waterpark AND in the straights of Mackinac).

Madison and David splashing in the yard!

Going down the slide together.

David's birthday party...gotta love that blue frosting!

How many guys does it take to put together a little red wagon???

Painting rocks with Grandma and Grandpa! This was part of Madison's "Camping Treasure Box" that she got from them. She thought it might have to be dug up out of the sand because that is where pirates bury their treasure boxes.

Climbing Sleeping Bear Dunes near Traverse City, yes they are bigger than they first appear.

Coming up the dunes.

How Madison made it to the very top!

Duluth Tall Ships Festival

We went to see friends in Duluth and to see the tall ships that had sailed into the harbor for the weekend. The biggest ship was the Bounty from the movie "Mutiny on the Bounty" and more recently "Pirates of the Caribbean".

We even found Captain Jack Sparrow wandering around looking for the Black Pearl.

Playing in a local fountain.



The Bounty (and Black Pearl, and probably in numerous other movies too).

Fishing Trip

We went fishing with some friends at a lake near their house and had a fantastic afternoon of fishing. Madison caught her big one on a leech within 10 seconds of casting it into the lake.

Madison with a leech.

Madison playing with the minnows while the other girls fished.

Splish Splash Slip-n-Slide

Madison got a slip-n-slide for the backyard to play on. It was lots of fun!

Elroy to Sparta Wisconsin Bike Ride

We went on a weekend trip to Wisonsin to ride the Elroy to Sparta bike trail. This trail is an old railroad track and goes through three tunnels. We had a great time biking and seeing the wonderful green countryside and farms. The tunnels were neat, and we needed headlamps to see in them. Two were about 1600 feet long and one was over 3000 feet long.

Madison had her lantern and was ready for a tunnel!

The tunnel was a little darker (and a lot wetter!) than she expected so she stayed in the bike trailer at the first tunnel.

Madison was more brave at the second tunnel and walked in this one, no water dripping from the ceiling in this one either.

Tunnel entrance.

Walking through the tunnel.

Being silly with dad.

She slept through the third tunnel.

BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!!

We celebrated birthday number 4 with a princess party and some friends over. They made princess wands and had a "jewel" hunt in the backyard. The Pinata was a lot of fun, some of the girls were a little timid hitting it at first, but you could tell that some of them know how to swing a bat!

Some Madison Pictures

Our flowers are growing already!
Madison taking pictures of her dolls.