Annual Frankenmuth Trip

Following Tradition, we made our annual trip to Frankenmuth earlier this month.  We visited Bronners and Zehnders as we do every December.  At Bronners Maddy picked out a nutcracker (I buy one every year) and a Little People's Nativity Set (so adorable).  Then at Zehnders we all enjoyed a chicken dinner while Maddy devoured the butter noodles...yummm!  Frankenmuth is always busy this time of year, however, I must say Bronners was extra busy...border line insane.  Maddy was hungry and tired and all the people was a bit much.  She calmed down at Zehnders, where she met Santa!

10 Months!

So Maddy's 10 month post is a little late (okay, very late), but that's just because the photos we took of her in her adorable onesie with stickers was stuck on our camera. Our computer was out of space and we couldn't download the photos.  However, we got a hard drive and I'm back in business! 

10 months has been very similar to 9 months, but the big thing this past month is Maddy has her two bottom teeth coming up (slowly, but surely)!  Also, Maddy has been practicing standing on her own and taking a step or two.  Very exciting!  She's still not a huge fan of eating, but she is trying more and more foods.  She seems to like peas (sometimes), she gobbles up crackers (most the time) and enjoys soup (usually)!  Some days she takes her bottles before her naps and bedtime, some days not so much.  She is very adventures now and loves opening the little cabinets on the kitchen island, and crawling as fast as she can while we chase her.

Gobble, Gobble

Gobble, Gobble!

Maddy celebrated her first thanksgiving relaxing at home!  Aunt Rachel was in town...so Maddy was beyond excited to play hostess for the day!

Aunt Rachel gave me my Christmas gifts early!!!

Aunt Rachel giving me tips on how to open gifts, since I've never done this before...

I LOVE BOOKS!



GiGi helping me open gifts from Aunt Rachel...
the sound of the wrapping paper is just too scary!



I just love Aunt Rachel and Uncle Jon reading to me!

  

Flashback Photos

Papa Charlie watching TV on Thanksgiving this year in our home (can you spot him?)

AND... 

Papa Charlie watching TV on Thanksgiving two years ago in our NC home!



Our turkey from the first Thanksgiving...(the first Thanksgiving we hosted, that is)



Chillaxing Around the House, Part 2

Life around here has been perfect. 
I can't think of another word, so I'll use perfect. 

Below are some photos of us having fun around the house...

Ready for dinner out with Auntie Birdie!

Daddy raked zillions upon zillions of leaves, & Mommy and I played in them!



Ummmm, okay, get me out now....

Chillin' with daddy...and plaing with my sippy cup (a.k.a chew toy).

Helping put up x-mas decorations (yes, this was from before Thanksgiving).

Oh yes, this is our puppy we had for a day.  I was indifferent, but Mommy thought is was too much with me...



Bye, bye...see you again when I'm older!

Life around the house has been pretty perfect, and having a pup around was just not so perfect.  So our trial run with an Old English Sheepdog was fun and left us deciding we'll try again when Maddy says, "Mommy, Daddy, Can I pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease have a dog?  I promise to help take care of it!"

The Norm

"Normal" days spent around the house...

Bath time is always fun (and yes, we still use the little tub and put it on the island counter...works for now!)

Story time...Little Quack, of course

Maddy loves Mickey Mouse on the big screen (don't judge!!!)

More Little Quack

Chillin' with Mommy on the sofa (while daddy plays with the camera's features)

Aunt Bebe comes to visit

Aunt Bebe, (aka the smart, beautiful, lawyer, little sis), came to visit for her belated b-day celebration!



Styling!



Birthday Martinis

Cousins at Polish Village

Boomba as big as Maddy's head (you can't tell in this shot, but it really was!)

Madeline's First Halloween

Madeline is a little young to appreciate Halloween, but that didn't stop us from taking her to Boo Bash in downtown Milford on Saturday night.  It was crazy crowded, and so we called it a day and went to the Mexican restaurant for dinner.  Margaritas are my kinda treat anyhow!

Pictures of our little lamb before we walked to Boo Bash

Arriving in downtown

Jon carved the scary pumpkin and I carved the adorable pumpkin with Maddy's hand prints for eyes!  Our pumpkins were so big and thick (from Eastern Market!) so we needed to scrape the insides for a while to make the pumpkins carve-able.  One of our little carving knives from the cheap Kroger carving kit broke, the other one did its job!

Yummy!  It has been a long time since we carved pumpkins.  Last year we were renovating and didn't have a kitchen.  We were rusty on cooking the pumpkin seeds and we were surprised how they dry out and cook rather fast.

And below is the cornbread muffins that accompanied our chili.  We had all the grandparents over for dinner on Halloween night.

We ended up taking Maddy to four houses just to say "Hi!" to our neighbors.  We did not take any candy, I figured it would look silly because she does not eat candy yet! 

Halloween is not one of my favorite holidays (there, I said it).  So, I was happy with how we celebrated it this year.  I figured Jon and I have at least another year or two before Miss Monkey demands crazy costumes, ridiculous decorations, mounds of candy and so on...



Picture of our friends over at our condo 5 years ago.  Oh how things have changed!