Maddie learns to spell her name

Maddie has known for a while that her name is spelled "M-A-D-D-I-E" and she's know for a while how do draw the letter M, but that's as far as we have gotten with her being able to write her name.  The other night we were working on it and she was LOVING it!!!  SHe did pretty darn good too!

Super pumped after she wrote her name!

Parent walker (or rider) for golf!

Last week it was Maddie and I's turn to accompany the little golfers.  We had a great group, and I've gotta say they were pretty darn good!  They play three holes.  They moved the Tee Boxes up for them and they play a scramble.  I was pretty impressed with them.  All three girls had a turn of having the best ball.  Maddie enjoyed the snack they get after they are finished.

Overanalyzing who got best ball here…it was funny!

Maddie's little friend Brigid was in her sister and mom's group behind us, so they got to chat a little along the way too :-)

Maddie's BIRTHDAY!!

Maddie turned 3 last week, and I'd say she had a good day!!  The day before her birthday the kids and I went to Chuck-E-Cheese for lunch and she had a blast.  We went there for her birthday last year and they ALL remembered it and suggested that are go back for her birthday again.
That night she wanted to have Andrew over for a sleep over.  Andrew got dropped off around 4:00 and they played their little hearts out until 8:30.  I put them both to bed in Maddie's room and within 15 minutes they were asleep and I never heard from them until the next morning.
I went and picked up Dunkin Donuts for the next morning.  The next morning (her actual birthday), we woke up and ate donuts.  Andrew got picked up and off we went to Westborough.  EVERYONE knew it was Maddie's birthday so we got plenty of extra attention at Westborough that day.  She played with Miss Nancy, had swim lessons, and then we stayed and free swam for a while.  That night when Mike got home she wanted CiCi's Pizza (YUCK!), but we instead went to Pizza Streat (same thing) in O'fallon as we had to drop a tent off to Jeff and Tracy for vacation.
I think Maddie had a stellar day!!!  And now she is THREE!!

 Chuck-E-Cheese…..
I had a picture of her and Peyton on the other side of the table, I guess she must have deleted it at some point when she was playing on my phone.

Playing games

The prizes

The sleepover begins….first up: light sabers

Then some ice cream….

good night sweet friends

donuts (and lightsabers, again!)

Birthday girl fun at the pool!!

Happy Birthday, America!

We finally made it down to the lake this year!  It took us until the fourth of July, but we made it!  We got down there Thursday night.  Mom and Dad were already there and we headed to Cookies for dinner.  We then headed back and went to bed.  The next morning we got up and headed to the boat.  We got caught in one HECK OF A RAIN storm!!!  It was raining so hard that it hurt!  When we got back to the dock Peyton said that she made some good life-time memories…..ones that she is gonna share with her kids some day.  HA!!  So I guess getting pelted by rain was worth it if it was a life-time memory for her!!
We headed in and took naps.  The Schuettes then got there and we cooked and ate dinner.  We then headed to Pontiac to watch their fire works.  It was a decent show and the kids enjoyed it!  The next day we spent ALL DAY on the boat.  Everyone had a good, good day!!!  Jack finally officially got up on skis and loved it!  All three kids loved the tube and couldn't get enough!  Once we got back to the house that night and ate dinner nobody wanted to go back out on the boat for Theodosia's fire works.  So we watched those form the deck….and it was just fine!!!!
The kids and adults had a great time and we are looking forward to our next trip down…..

This picture made me laugh.  We had to wait a little bit for a table at Cookies the first night, and I look over all three kids are "reading" the paper…...

 The beginning of LOTS of fun!

 Lots of skiing……….

Lots of tubing……..

 AND LOTS OF PLAYING…...

 And flipping…..

WCC Swimming 2015

Well swim team season has been wet and cold!  But it hasn't stopped them!!  The kids have had swim practice every day except two……and they've all been troopers!!!

Peyton has had a pretty solid season.  She swims consistently every stroke except breast stroke….that's not quite her gig, but she does very well in all the others.  She usually comes home with a  handful of ribbons.  Her and her friend Kate continue to be neck and neck on most races.  It's a friendly competition and they are always happy for the other one when they win.  They are good for each other.    This weekend is the championship meet so we will see how she does.

Jack has had a good season as well.  I'm super proud of him for all he has accomplished.  Swimming doesn't come easy to that boy but he works his tail off and has come a long way.  I explained to him at the beginning of the year that he had to move up in age this year.  Last year he got a participation ribbon every time he swam.  This year he had to bump up and they only give ribbons to the first three places.  I was realistic with him and told him he probably wouldn't win much for ribbons this year.  A few swim meets he opted out of and had some golf and wii time with Dad.  Then towards the end of the season he was ready to take on a meet.  HE WON A RIBBON!!!  He got a 3rd place ribbon and I was sooooo happy for him!!!  He was super pumped…..and it was well deserved.  This boy has worked hard and he actually enjoys it now.

And he is off……...

 Super proud of his ribbon….so am I!!

 Getting tagged in on a relay…..

And now SHE is off…...

Now for some backstroke…..

And now for some butterfly!  She loves to swim this stroke, but it sure does wear her out!