Everyone has a date….

Last Friday, everyone in our family had their own one-on-one "date."  Peyton got to go to Grandma Jeanne's, all by herself…..RIGHT UP HER ALLEY!  Maddie got to hang out with Miss Jessica all by herself at home…..right up her alley too, Miss Jessica lets her do all the fun stuff (like paint as much as she wants!!!).  And Jack got to go golfing and out to eat with just Mom and Dad.  I think it would be totally safe to say that everyone had an awesome night!!  I must add too, that I was having some MAJOR beginners luck on the golf course…..I was ummmm…..ummmm…..pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Mike and I both realized how "old" we are looking, after viewing this picture….kind of sad!

Peyton and Grandma got to learn to sew buttons and patches on Jack's scout uniform, rode bikes, and did girl stuff.  We have plenty of videos from them, just no pictures….

And here is Miss Jessica's report…..happy?  I think, YES!

A rare occasion....

It IS rare, but it occasionally happens....Maddie and Peyton get a long.  The two of them fight worse than any of them.  Lately though, they've found something they enjoy together: swinging.  

A great day to fly a kite....

Yesterday we were at grandma Jeanne and Mark's.  The weather was PERFECT, plus a little wind.  Of course grandma had a kite tucked in some closet.... Peyton and Mike went on out and got it up right away.....

Boy scouts…

And so it begins……BOY SCOUTS!  Jack is super excited and I think he really will like it.  Mike is going to try and help with his group as much as possible, which will be good too.  He has his "initiation ceremony," last week.  Not really sure if that's what it is called or not, so hopefully my ignorance is not offending anyone.  They had a trail hike and a bonfire.  Jack (and the rest of the Friedman's) had a great night!

My little scout all ready

finding fire wood to start the fire

a little help from Peyton

Maddie, monkeying around in the tree

doing boy scout stuff

and more…..

The last part of the "initiation"

Only at the Friedman House

I'd be surprised if there are many two-year old girls out there willing to light saber fight with big brother at 7:00 in the morning, in a leotard for gymnastics.....it definitely happens around here!  

I can't decide if this makes jack a good big brother or if it makes maddie a good little sister??

Dishwasher helper....

She really is like another kid....maybe even worse!  I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could find a picture of all three kids "helping" do dishes the same way.....

A child's dream come true - A new PUPPY!!

Mike has been on me for a couple years….."The kids need a dog…The kids need a dog…..The kids need a dog."  I, agreed, "the kids DID need a dog," I just wasn't quite ready for the mommy responsibilities of a dog quite yet.
I knew what kind of dog we wanted we were ready to pull the trigger, but I just wasn't ready to pull that trigger quite yet.  I kept telling the kids, "once Maddie is potty trained, we can talk about it."
About a month ago Jack babysat a lizard for his buddy.  We had the lizard for about a week.  When the lizard left, Jack cried himself to sleep for two nights because he missed the lizard.  Like the kind of cry that ripped the heart right out of his momma's chest.  SOOOOOOO, I immediately started making phone calls and finished up my research on these dogs and pulled the trigger.  We surprised the kids with a puppy!!!
They love her and we love her!!!  She's awesome and so so sweet!  The kids fight over who gets to play with her.  She loves to chase Jack and Maddie and use them for chew toys.  Maddie actually takes it better than Jack.  Maddie learned quicker than Jack did, to stop running or she will continue to chase and bite.  A lot their clothes have holes with them from Annie's sharp, little teeth.  Good thing I don't buy the expensive clothes, or we'd be in trouble.
Annie had a little set back last week.  She broke her leg when she was out playing the Peyton.  The entire family was devastated but Annie seems to be doing well and is not having any set backs with her cast…..so life is still good.
Annie had a few ROUGH nights in her crate.  She cried and cried and cried…..so much, that by the second night we ALL had noise machines in our rooms to drowned out her cries.  She's adjusting and doing MUCH better now.  I'd say she is 90% house broke.  She has even cried at the door a couple times to go out.
Here are tons of pictures of our new family member that we are totally in love with!!!


Meeting two of her family members…..two VERY, VERY excited family members!

 Meeting two grandmas….One that will probably love her and one that could probably pass on her…..ha!  Sorry Grandma Jeanne!

Playing with her one toy that she got to bring from her mommy.

Moving on and checking out the front yard.

 UH-OH….here comes the last new family member.  Maddie came down from her nap to a new surprise!!

 Sharing her binki!

Pulling weeds is SUPER fun when you are a 9 week old puppy!

 My new life….walking a puppy and a baby!

Too cute to not share.  Maddie was playing on her slide and Annie was right there with her trying to climb up it.  She actually made it further than I thought she would!

 Matching hair….where is Maddie and where is Annie???

AND…..here comes the sad, broken leg!!

 No cast goes unsigned!

Let's go truckin'….at the lake!

This picture was taken about a month ago but I just forgot to post it.  We have found it hilarious this summer at the lake that the kids are obsessed about riding in papa's old red truck at the lake.  They LOVE that thing….it's such an antique that it barely makes it up the hills.  But they don't care, they continue to want to ride.  When we had our friends and their three kids down to the lake last month, their kids were super pumped to ride in the truck too.  It was too funny not to snap and post.

Notice Maddie peeking her head thru the cab.  The kids were really shocked when I told them that this was my car when I was 16!  ha!!

Maddie's first Cardinal game

We took the kids to a game last night.  The big kids were REALLY into it... Maddie was really into it..... Until her belly was full!  Ha!  We lasted five innings, however, all but maddie would have loved to stay for more.  I love that the big kids are getting of age to understand and enjoy "the game."  Next time maddie might get herself a babysitter!  :-)