Trendy Sporty

Madelyn is so trendy and she doesn't even know it. 

 

She often likes to put these soft hairbands around her wrist like bracelets.

Not just one, but as many as she can find.  Logically, they typically reside as a group in the same location, so she frequently sports a wristband made of a couple dozen or so of these hairbands. 

And it turns out looking like those sporty wristbands that "all the kids are wearing these days" (or so the Internet seems to indicate). 

Tea Party

My Curves team members organized a lovely afternoon tea event as a fundraiser for our Relay for Life team.  Madelyn got to enjoy some of the party too. 

You can't really tell from this angle, but there was a nice setup with flowers and a lace background for taking photos of our members with the daughters/granddaughters they brought.

Madelyn liked playing with this teapot. She had some "white tea" (milk) in a fancy cup and saucer, which she seemed to think was pretty exciting as well. 

Memorial Day-ish

We celebrated Memorial Day with the Winkel family on Saturday with a BBQ and lots of fun on this beautiful sunny day. 

Some family members gathered for a rousing game of TOLF (tennis ball golf--my dad created an 18-hole tolf course on his property and it is very fun).

While the adults played, my mom kept an eye on Madelyn, and took some cute pictures of her with the beautiful rhododendrons around their yard.

She saw a bee!

Then Grandma brought Madelyn out to see us in the wagon.  Madelyn always insists on the utmost in safety precautions. 

The poor little girl could hardly hold her head up. It was pretty hilarious.

She loves Grandpa's tickles!

Locker Room

We rarely get pictures of us actually swimming, because it's a challenge to bring the camera into the pool.  So here is a bit of fun Madelyn had in the locker room after a bit of fun at our local aquatic center.

Where's Madelyn? 

Here she is!

Yep. This is what we do for fun.

Singing Videos

Madelyn sings the ABC's

Madelyn sings Twinkle Twinkle

Purple I-seem

I-seem = Ice Cream

Madelyn chose the purple ice cream (Wild Mountain Blackberry flavor) at Tillamook Cheese Factory (what's a trip to the beach without a stop?)

In addition to the free cheese samples, intriguing factory observation, and delicious ice cream, Madelyn stood up by herself for the first time to get a taste of ice cream on the front lawn! 

Windy Beach

For our spur-of-the-moment beach afternoon, we headed to Oceanside, a tiny town near Tillamook that we've been frequenting lately.  First we had lunch at the only open cafe in town (the other one was closed). 

Madelyn knew it was windy, and was prepared to go out in her hood.

Strolling down toward the sand.

Beautiful ocean and a tiny bit of plumber crack.

I guess it's hard to see in this tiny picture, but Gary is flying our kite in the background. It's the orange speck in the sky.

Digging in the "sandbox."

Madelyn and I had fun jumping and splashing in the COLD waves.

One...Two...

...THREE!

Madelyn the Builder

We took a late afternoon jaunt to the children's museum to try out our new "membership" (we got memberships to our zoo, OMSI, and the Children's Museum through boonshoft.org for cheaper than one membership alone! Check it out, their reciprocal program works all over the country!)

We didn't have much time since the museum closes at 5pm.  For the first little while we battled with Madelyn who wanted to play in the water but refused to wear the smock to keep her relatively dry.  She just wasn't in a very good mood, unfortunately.

But we eventually got a little bit of play time in the featured Bob the Builder exhibit. Everything seemed thoroughly trashed from the abuse of thousands of tykes.  Madelyn built a rock wall, during which she correctly stated, "Magnets!"

Then we built another kind of "wall."

And that's nearly all we found to play with that still contained all of its components.  Thankfully we didn't pay $24 for our family's admission.  I know we'll get good use out of the whole membership. 

Cousins in the Sun

It was a beautiful day to spend at my parents' house after they returned last night from 3 weeks in Europe. I missed them, and I'm glad Madelyn remembers that she does actually have two sets of grandparents who love her!

Bryson pulling Jack and Madelyn with the John Deere

On the see-saw with Jack

And copying his daredevil move

Mother's Day Photos

There are very few photos in existence with Madelyn and me together. I am usually behind the camera, or we take pictures of her alone. So on Mother's Day, I attempted to organize a photo shoot at Grandma Bonnie house with all the girls. Dale and Gary did their best to capture a few posed moments.  Madelyn was not being "bad," per se, she was just so full of energy at the time that she didn't want to sit still. She was also not listening very well, and did not want to smile for the camera.  I admit I was losing patience (as were the others present), but that certainly did nothing to improve her willingness to cooperate.  After the ordeal, I am actually pleased with a few of our pictures, so here are some worth sharing. 

Petting Grandma's cat Tabby.

Can you tell she's a little squirmy? 

I'm beginning to lose patience, but at least Madelyn is looking at the camera.

Oops, Madelyn got a blade of the grass she was eating stuck in her teeth. 

By far the best of the two of us.

Back inside to cuddle up, she's happier lounging in my lap without the pressure to smile. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Pancake

We went to lunch at IHOP with my younger brother John while our parents are in Europe for three weeks. 

Madelyn got a happy face pancake, and got to drizzle on Go-gurt "hair."

This is the perfect breakfast for Madelyn!  And contrary to her solemn expression, she did love it. 

Duckpond

Today we took a burnt bagel down to a pond to which I was recently made privy and fed the ducks and geese. 

I love how Madelyn is chasing after this one to give it some bread.

One lady duck came up and ate right out of our hands.  She was a little snappy, but thankfully ducks don't have teeth, you know.

Happy to be here, despite the gray skies and wind. 

We got to see four baby ducklings too! Adorable, but not into our offerings of sustenance. They just kept scurrying away.