Life As A McFadden

Project 52: 5/52 Steel

2012-02-06T09:27:00.001-05:00

Project 52: 4/52 Lines

2012-02-02T09:00:00.001-05:00

The McFadden World Right Now

2012-02-02T08:58:00.000-05:00

Well, the new year hasn't brought much in the way of activity for the McFadden crew. Currently, we spend our mornings relaxing or doing this:

(the way Brylee and Kai greet each other is by putting a finger up to their mouths and 'shhh'ing each other. It is adorable)

This is our view out of our window right now:

Unfortunately Brylee and I were 'stuck' indoors for a few days because my car's tires aren't snow friendly. But thanks to the greatness that is Cary and his parents, we now have a brand new set of all-weather tires on the Volvo and we get to go where ever we please...

Brylee loves eating the snow. She doesn't even like the snow ice cream...just give it to her straight. She's hard core!

Poor Cary has lost me to another thing besides just writing, which occupies a big chunk of my day...well, the chunk of my day that isn't by playing with Brylee...reading.

For Christmas I got a Kindle, and I loved the thing...so much that I accidentally broke it, 12 days into having it.

But for my birthday, I got the replacement Kindle, and this super awesome new cover that has a light in it.

In case you cannot see which stories I am reading by this picture, here is an idea:

I am on the 3rd book in this series:

(image found here)

I am reading this complete series: (and yes, visualizing Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as the characters...are there any other?!)

(image found here)

And finally, the series that I have managed to go through in just a bit over a week. Currently, I am reading the 3rd book, but it is a little harder to get through than the first 2. I am pretty addicted. This is the first set of books that I have really enjoyed since the Harry Potter series, so it feels good to be excited to read again. I can't wait for the movie!

(image found here)

And I always take recommendations!

The biggest change for the McFaddens coming up is that we got a new rental home, so we will be moving in less than a month. I need to now step up and start packing, but it is also a 'hurry-up-and-wait' game. We can't pack too much, and need room to store the boxes.

Of course, I'll be posting pics of the new place once we are in. It is already furnished, so we'll see how it goes living in someone else's stuff for a year...and then maybe (hopefully) on to another house...our own!

Project 52: 3/52 Dirty

2012-02-01T15:43:00.000-05:00

See the list here!

See my parent's photos here!

How Does A Certain Blogger Celebrate Their Birthday?

2012-01-25T07:44:00.003-05:00

My Hero (Well, One Of Them...)

2012-01-17T02:20:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to my favorite daddy, poppy, clown, pirate, boat, Santa, fencer, rock climber, #88 ice hockey goalie, Jumbo Dog, rat-trap car builder, goofball, pineapple malt maker, mini cooper driver, project 52 buddy, bungee jumper, band geek, knot expert, pootwaddler, reserve firefighter, star wars lover, banjo/guitar/ukele player, swinging on a rope to guitarzan, spike jones listener, gadget lover!!! (all of those except for 3 I have been alive for...)

did I miss anything?

I'll miss being able to celebrate with you and mom (my other hero) but we'll celebrate via Skype, k? Get that cake ready!

P.S.--I think someone has me beat at being his biggest fan. Any guesses? This girl ADORES him!!!

Poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy, poppy!

Five

2012-01-16T13:48:00.002-05:00

Five years ago tonight, I sat in a booth at 7 Salsas across from my newish friend, Cary. I say newish because we had known each other since September, talking here and there about home team events, and then eventually increasing to talking about little, and big, things.

This dinner was our first outing without any other people present, and we stayed and chatted until the restaurant closed, then went to our separate homes and chatted more via IM for about 3 more hours.

During that conversation, he said something along the lines of, "I think that was a successful 1st date." I was floored. I had started liking Cary earlier in January, but because he had recently come out of a serious relationship, he told me he was not looking for anything serious.

Well, needless to say, 5 years later, this 1st date was the last of our first dates, other than our 'first date as an engaged couple', 'first date as a married couple', or 'first date as parents'...

I love this man more and more all the time. The way he helps me be a better person, the way he loves our child, the way he tries to keep us, and our relationship, young. So much about him I love.

Here's to 5 years of the best times ever!

Project 52: 2/52 Snow

2012-01-15T18:31:00.003-05:00

Mount Washington:

And click to see my parents' photo here

See the list here!

Project 52: 1/52 Egg

2012-01-15T18:23:00.002-05:00

And click to see my parents' photo here!

See the list here!

Welcome To Project 52, Year 2!

2012-01-15T18:20:00.004-05:00

Here is the list for this year:

Week 1 – Egg

Week 2 – Snow

Week 3 – Dirty

Week 4 – Line(s)

Week 5 – Steel

Week 6 – Wire

Week 7 – Plug

Week 8 – Fall

Week 9 – Loud

Week 10 – Quiet

Week 11 – Smooth

Week 12 – Door

Week 13 – Green

Week 14 – Music

Week 15 – Plinth

Week 16 – Clean

Week 17 – Fire

Week 18 – Ice

Week 19 – Flexuous

Week 20 – Black

Week 21 – Rest

Week 22 – Architecture

Week 23 – Coil

Week 24 – Stop

Week 25 – Color

Week 26 – Eat

Week 27 – Eyes

Week 28 – Weapon

Week 29 – Edge

Week 30 – Up

Week 31 – Down

Week 32 – Intromit

Week 33 – Air

Week 34 – Miniscule

Week 35 – Luscious

Week 36 – No

Week 37 – Old

Week 38 – New

Week 39 – Tools

Week 40 – Bent

Week 41 – Blue

Week 42 – Windows

Week 43 – Scary

Week 44 – Abstract

Week 45 – Metal

Week 46 – Center

Week 47 – Texture

Week 48 – Vanilla

Week 49 – Level

Week 50 – Books

Week 51 – Christmas

Week 52 – Beginning

And I'm super excited because mom and dad are joining us this year!!! So be sure to check out their photos here!

10 Minutes To Bundle For 5 Minutes Of Play

2012-01-12T10:19:00.003-05:00

Today is the first snow of 2012, and we took advantage on our (slippery) patio...for about 5 minutes.

What I didn't get pictures of was Brylee going head over her (very small) slide, and us attempting to make snowballs to throw at each other (note: child does not want snow on her face...) and for Chester to chase.

And she shed her gloves, got upset because her hands were frozen, wanted to go inside, and then begged for a cup of crushed ice to munch on...using her hands...

Had Ourselves A Merry Little Christmas...

2012-01-05T07:42:00.000-05:00

Did everyone have a Happy Christmas? We sure did! Between travel, illness, and so many family meetings, I am so relieved to have this afternoon away from Brylee so that I can catch up...with the blog at least...

The first night we got to my parents house (after 2 flights), we went to Logan's Steakhouse for dinner (one of my favorite restaurants) and then home for this little surprise to go with Brylee's new black and white-themed room:

This kid LOVED having her own Christmas tree that she could touch all she wanted, and even took advantage by taking off the little ornaments and placing them back on throughout the time we were there. And her T and Poppy even gave her a special electrical cord that let her turn it on and off safely for her! What a great little surprise for her!

On Wednesday (our first full day there), Cary, Brylee and I went to Central Market where we picked up some tea for Brenda and then trekked over to Irving for my first visit to In-N-Out burger. Tasty, but somehow I don't see the greatness that it is, except for the nostalgia. But I know I would go berserk if Chick-Fil-A came here, so I can see why some were excited.

That evening, mom swung us by this really cool, decorated house that was in a town just outside of Lewisville. The owner of the house was outside, greeting his 'stalkers' and was incredible enough to hand out candy canes to the little kids that visited, and if they were young, or cute, enough, they got a little additional surprise; a little stuffed animal. Brylee got a cute little lamb!

Here's where the non-fun time occurred: On Thursday morning, starting at about 2 a.m., Cary was restless and then I learned later that mom became restless at the same time...turns out that they both had the chicken fried steak at Logan's, which leads us to think they had food poisoning. Blech!

So Thursday found Brylee and I out and about, going to the grocery store and just doing whatever we could so that mom and Cary could rest. Dad brought home lunch for me and Brylee that day while mom and Cary avoided food altogether. In fact, Cary claimed a fruit-only-forever diet that day...which lasted, well, a day. With him eating 1 orange...

Friday found both mom and Cary feeling better, so we attempted to go out briefly to the mall to find Brylee a casual Christmas outfit, but it was short-lived before we headed back home for them to rest more. It was also the day Cary, Brylee and I were to meet Brad, Faith, and Helen for our Christmas gathering, but Cary cancelled due to lingering nastiness.

Saturday found Cary feeling much better, which is good because it was Christmas Eve, and with a visit to Denton Square Donuts, church and then the Jarvis family gathering, he needed to to be healthy.

Too bad my dad wasn't. He ended up spending the day at home, sleeping and resting while mom, Cary, Brylee and I went to the pre-planned activities.

Two of three of the Christmas dresses that Brylee had this year...2 were donated, so no I didn't go overboard!!!

(she loved turning this Christmas tree on and off, too!)

The Jarvis Family gathering:

On the way home, we found this incredible house that was crazy-lit and 'danced' around with the music playing. So overdone, but yet so much fun!

Christmas morning found all feeling better, so we were happy and eager to open gifts. Cary and I actually jumped on Brylee's bed to wake her up, since we know she'll be returning the favor soon enough.

Santa brought Brylee a cute teddy bear and a Barbie, and she was spoiled rotten so with so many other gifts, including bath toys, a remote controlled car, learning toys, and fruit!

And starting here, you can see pictures taken with my NEW CAMERA!!!!!!!!! Oh, I am in love with this! It has so many excellent features, including settings for kids and pets, special effects, and even a simple touch-button video!

(I love how my NEW CAMERA captured her hair flying up as she is jumping...greatness for such a high-energy kiddo!)

(Look at the fun miniature effect, which blurs out everything surrounding the main focal point...so fun!)

No family gathering is complete without some silliness, including the breaking of a foot on the pug ornament I got my grandparents...silly Cary!

My aunt Amy got a fun toy for her phone:

And my adorable little cousin and his family (of course my grandparents and Bill) came over and had a great time with a delicious lunch, lots of gifts, and tons of laughter. So much fun!

December 26th brought us shopping, movies, and more shopping! One of Cary's Christmas gifts was a new coat because his leather jacket unfortunately got a rip in it, so I was going to get him a new one, but I wanted him to choose it. He actually went with a wool coat instead of leather, but only after going to 2 malls, catching a movie in between (Sherlock Holmes 2!) and going back to one of the malls to check to make sure it was still what he wanted...and I even walked away with a new coat of my own, too!

December 27th brought a busy, busy day!

First, Brylee's 2 year check-up, which didn't have shots, but did have bloodwork because the doctor was concerned about Brylee's lack of gaining weight. She wanted to make sure the tot didn't have liver, kidney, celiac disease, or even cystic fybrosis. The best treat of this whole thing is that Brylee was AMAZING while the nurses drew blood...not a bit of a struggle or crying until the last few seconds because by this time, the needle had been in her arm long enough. My big girl! (turns out the bloodwork is normal, and she is just a 'picky eater'...no surprise there!

We had lunch with Cary's aunt Peggy at Chili's, and the evening took us to the Galleria, where we met with Brad, Faith, and Helen for our postponed Christmas celebration!

We had intentions on ice-skating at the Galleria, but with a long line the entire time we ate, we decided to head over to Starbucks and do our gift exchange there.

To say the least, we are VERY spoiled by Brad, Faith, and Helen, with gifts like towel warmers, sleds, a vegetable slicer, and so many fun toys for Brylee, including a guitar and microphone...thank you guys for everything!!!

December 28th...I hate last days. I'm sad and cry-y all day, and the day flies by as well. But lunch at Fat Daddy's with both parents made it a little nicer...

And dinner at Spring Creek Barbeque...with ice cream for Brylee afterwards!

(more fun-effect pictures...)

Thursday, we got home from our crazy whirl-wind (?) vacation to see what Santa brought us here!

New Year's Eve brought us our gathering with Cary's parents, where we were spoiled...yet again...I got a KINDLE!!!

I need to gather all of the gifts together and take pictures to post, but many are being shipped from Texas, so we'll see what I can do for another post.

Until then, may 2012 bring you blessings that exceed your expectations!

It's The Holiday Season

2012-01-04T17:20:00.000-05:00

This is how we prepared for Christmas:

We attended a beautiful small town parade on the first Saturday morning in December:

(she was busy eating the M&Ms and Chocolate Chips while I attempted to decorate)

(and what's a beautiful Saturday without a little geocaching?)

And the same evening, Brenda and Gary joined us as we enjoyed a light parade in our little town, and then a little date night afterwards:

Project 52: 52/52 Fun

2012-01-01T07:36:00.000-05:00

This kid is the epitome of fun.

'Nuf said.

Happy 2012!!!!

Please Excuse The Delay...

2011-12-31T10:04:00.001-05:00

I miss my blogging, but lately I have found something that occupies my free time more: writing stories.

I am very thankful for the fact that my writer's block of 5+ years has gone away, and trying to take the opportunity to keep the writing flow going, in hopes to finish a story before it becomes another forgotten incomplete.

But I don't mean to be ignoring my blog, as it has been my friend for the last 4 years in keeping me doing something, and with intentions of having fun stories to share with Brylee as she grows, I want to get back on the wagon.

It's all a matter of balance. Balancing a family, a clean home, getting into a eating/exercise routine balance, and now also with the reintroduction of balance with writing (currently 2 stories and a family blog).

So, with this, I guess I am also including my New Year's Resolution (which includes more timely responses) because today is the last day of 2011 and the beginning of new opportunity all around.

Thank you 2011 for being so full of adventure, love, and fun for the Jarvis/McFaddens!!!

(and to many, MANY updates coming your way!!!!)

Project 52: 51/52 Three

2011-12-31T07:35:00.000-05:00

Taken with my NEW TOY!!! (More on that to come)

Project 52: 50/52 Metal

2011-12-25T07:34:00.000-05:00

This flashlight has been in the family for as long as I can remember...and as I was taking photos of it, I realized that it looks a bit like a light saber...

**Please excuse the lack of posting. I have much to catch up on, but as of right now, I am celebrating Christmas with my beloved family in Dallas. Stay tuned for tons of pictures and updates!!!

2011-12-15T19:36:00.001-05:00

4 years ago today I married my best friend and love of my life.

Everyday, he has made me laughed, which in truth is no easy task.

Every night, he holds me close as we fall asleep.

Some mornings he even gets up and takes care of our little tot, one of the symbols of our love.

He loves me.

And I love him.

I thank God everyday for this man; my better half; my amazing gift.

Project 52: 49/52 Favorite Spot

2011-12-15T07:33:00.000-05:00

This one was another hard one for me. How do I take a picture of my favorite spot, when I don't have one...or maybe I have too many?

Perhaps it at the Old Town Hall, where our playgroup is held:

Or at Beth's Cafe, where there are delicious sandwiches:

(photo courtesy of Cary)

Or perhaps, after this last week, going to LL Bean (open 24 hours a day! A rarity in Maine!) and seeing the beautiful Christmas decor:

Or Pat's Pizza in Bethel, where delicious pizza is served:

Wherever that favorite spot may be, here or in Dallas, I will most certainly say that it is wherever my 2 favorite people are!

Or, the funny side of me just wanted to add:

This one, right here!

Christmas Photo Attempts

2011-12-10T19:39:00.001-05:00

So many pictures I attempted to take, and while some of them are good, they were not chosen for one reason or another, being too blurry, can't see her pretty face, or maybe because Cary and I couldn't agree on the ones we liked.

We had a sort of theme going at one point, and then I abandoned that idea to try to get a good photo some other way. And the little one just decided not to cooperate anymore. Needless to say, I started getting cuter photos once more after I went route #3 and submitted the order for the cards.

But at least these will be here for all to enjoy!

(No, she is not choking herself. Jut holding a light up to her throat while staring into space...but love the huge eyes nonetheless!)

Funny thing is, now that I'm going through the pictures to edit this post, I'm seeing that some are not so bad...shame it's too late to change the order up!

Getting Ready For Jolly Saint Nick

2011-12-10T19:02:00.001-05:00

Getting into the Christmas spirit has been a little harder for me this year, with Cary and I dropping my parents off at the bus station the same day we decided to decorate. But since putting up the (live) tree and trying hard to get the perfect Brylee Christmas card picture, it has gotten a little bit more fun. And not to mention, it is only 15 days away!! 10 until we go to Dallas! And 7 until Cary and I celebrate 4 years of marriage. So much going on in this month!

After dropping off my parents, Cary, Brylee and I went to Wal-Mart where we attempted to get a picture of Brylee with this Santa...this is the closest we got. Poor kid (Santa). A teenager of unknown age, stuffed with pillows to give him filling...and he couldn't even sit up properly!

When we got home, we found a box 'hidden' by my parents for us to open, and this is all that we found inside. Great way to bring a smile to our faces on a sadder start to the day...

Despite all of our warnings not to touch the stockings, Brylee quickly learned that Snowmen, too, can crack...and even shatter a bit...

Daddy's little helper!

Our tree looked like this for a couple of days because we ran out of lights. I got to make a special trip to Wal-Mart a couple of days later to get more, and took my time looking at all of the other decorating possibilities

Our little Reindeer-In-Training

Finally decorating the tree! Brylee prefers the 'removal' method instead...

After Cary wrapped the tree with 6 strands of lights, I decided to check out and see if we wanted to try the 'blinking' look this year. I hope we continue to like it because I most certainly don't want to go back and change them all again anytime soon!

Project 52: 48/52 Family

2011-12-06T07:33:00.000-05:00

Brylee's Birthday

2011-12-05T14:15:00.001-05:00

How does this certain little toddler celebrate her birthday? All out, of course!

On Thursday night (the night before her birthday), I couldn't take it anymore, so Cary installed her forward facing car seats in the car, and we went out to N. Conway for dinner...Chinese! The waitress was really sweet, and after we ate, brought Brylee out a flamingo straw, a colorful fan and a lei. Apparently this Chinese place enjoys little kids! As soon as she found out Brylee was turning 2 the next day, she brought out another lei...one spoiled girl! And by a stranger, too!

On Friday, Brylee and I played with her (then mysterious) new sled and then went to the library for storytime. The day was pretty much relaxing with playing outside on the patio. When her daddy got home, we had dinner, dessert, and let Brylee open up a couple of her gifts: Dr. Seuss Memory and Jake And The Neverland Pirates CD. Oh the fun we had with the memory game that night!

On Monday, I took some cupcakes to playgroup for Brylee and her friends, which were happily received. She also received a little doll from her friend, Journey!

The 'big' party happened on the following Saturday (after Thanksgiving) when all of her grandparents were together. Brenda made a delicious strawberry cake, and then the gift time began!

Included in her gifts was a cute outfit, a Minnie Mouse doll, a couple of books, an ABC puzzle game, Elefun, Winnie The Pooh movie, a kitchen set, a Megablocks car, a tricycle, and an easel...

I think we may have to start limiting how many gifts she gets because our house is now full of toys, and it's not even Christmas yet!

Here's to another great year with a great kid!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-05T07:21:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving was an incredible holiday for us. Tuesday evening, my parents flew in for 5 days of fun and Brylee getting spoiled again...we are still working on the despoilification...

Of course, against mom's wishes for her Thanksgiving fun, Mother Nature had a big forecast of snow for Wednesday, predicted to start at midnight Wednesday morning...which we noticed as we drove into town after picking them up from the bus station in Portland...only to wake up to several inches of snow. Time to break in Brylee's new sled from her Uncle UB, Aunt Uffie, and Cousin Helen!

I love how she manages to always be in stripes, polka dots, and plaid at the same time. Only this girl can work it, too!

Wednesday was spent baking cookies (M&M and No Bake!), while Poppy entertained Brylee (and taste-tested the cookies), and Cary built a long-awaited fort outside:

After baking the cookies, we decided to head out to deliver cookies to people in the town (the ladies at the hair salon and the vet--who ended up being closed...so I got to enjoy their cookies!), and went to Beth's for lunch, where we teased poor mom endlessly about her ordering pizza. Pretty much went like this:

Mom: is their pizza good?
Me: yes, very
(She started ordering a turkey sandwich, and when I got onto her)
Mom: well, I didn't want to take up too much room in the refrigerator with the leftovers
Me: there's plenty of room. Get what you want
(She ordered the pizza. Everyone else ordered turkey sandwiches.
While waiting for the food, we said that it was her pizza that was taking too long. When we finally got lunch, we were eating, and I commented on how good her pizza was)
Me: I almost got pizza, too, except we didn't have room in the fridge for the leftovers.

Poor mom...

And after lunch, we headed home for Brylee to grab a nap while dad, Cary, and I went out to do a little geocaching.
Think we can find the cache in this snowy mess? You bet! (Ahem...I had found it before...sans snow, so it was up to Cary and me to help dad find it)

We went through town so that dad could find the R.A.T.S series that Chestmutt had hidden, and my favorite moment was R.A.T.S #1. We placed the cache in the parking lot that was the home of our favorite restaurant in town, which has since closed down (boo!). The parking lot had not been plowed, for obvious reasons, so we trekked through it, which went up to my knees. But dad also managed to find a gathering of snow that went up to his knees...

I also took the opportunity to make my first snow angel of the year in the once untouched snowy parking lot. Those are always so much fun!!!!

Once we got home, Cary took the opportunity to fix up his fort a bit more, and I got to get a picture of it from the patio above. I think it is awesome for a first fort!

Thursday morning started the turkey cooking and last minute preparations. Mom helped flavor the turkey (Cajun!!!) and helped prepare the Deviled Eggs, and eventually the Broccoli Rice Casserole (my favorite!!!!)

Our harvest for the day: Cajun turkey, Dressing (made lovingly by my in-laws!), Cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, broccoli rice casserole, dinner rolls, mashed sweet potatoes, and fruit salad.

And let's not forget the desserts! Blueberry, Chocolate, and Pecan pies, and of course, the cookies!

The after-the-meal workout for the grandparents. Brylee was in HEAVEN having all of them around!

The evening was complete with the Cowboy game, more fort-fun, and just a lot of snacking and resting...enjoying everyone's company.

Friday brought a gorgeous day, so Cary decided to take my parents out to the Portland Light Head. They had been here once before, but it was rainy and freezing, so it was a quick trip then. This day was perfect. The sky was blue, a hint of chill in the air...just enough to put on the jackets in the morning and shed them later in the day. We even got a chance to visit the museum, and Cary and dad got to do more geocaching

Saturday: more to come. Just enjoy the miscellaneous pictures here!

And Sunday brought us a teary (me) goodbye. I really hate saying goodbye to my parents. Such incredible people, and Brylee adores them so...makes it harder to say goodbye. But from the time we dropped them off at the bus station to the next time we get to see them: 22 days. Yay!

Hockey!

2011-11-29T19:21:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, November 12, Cary and I experienced our first AHL game in Maine--the Portland Pirates versus the Providence Bruins.

Before the game, Cary and I took the opportunity to go birthday shopping for Brylee, and then went to dinner at IHOP, where I attempted some exquisite pancakes: white chocolate chip peppermint. Oh my! So delicious, but I know that this is a try-once-per-holiday thing. Cary had pecan praline pancakes, which he also raved about.

As always, hockey is exciting and fun to go to--and the experience made even more fun when you sit at the boards...hence all of the pictures of close-up hockey players...I was determined to get a face-against-the-plexiglass-picture...and these ended up being the best shots.

This guy became my favorite 'player'...well, because the poor guy had to sit at the end of the rink, where his team entered and exited the ice. The benches were too small for him to even sit with his team!

The final score of the night was 4-2. I love the saying, "Never leave a hockey game", and this is why this is so true: the score was 3-2 with the Pirates in the lead. With 1 1/2 minutes left in the game, the Bruins pulled their goalie (not the guy sitting in the swivel chair) to allow a 6th man on the ice, but as the buzzer went off signalling the end of the game (literally), the Pirates scored an empty-netter, giving them a finishing score of 4-2. Go Pirates!!!

Hockey is the best, especially live! Can't wait to go again, and perhaps take little B with us. I think she might even enjoy the players slamming into the boards!

Go Pirates!!

Project 52: 47/52 Heaps

2011-11-29T08:28:00.000-05:00

Snow anyone?

Project 52: 46/52 Most Important Thing In Life

2011-11-29T07:50:00.000-05:00

Please forgive my blurry camera edges. The little guy is still holding on, and I'm not letting go!

So, how do you express the Most Important Thing In Life, when it is really not a physical thing that can be photographed?

How about by showing a picture of something that is very important to you, which is a true gift from Him?

Our amazing family at Thanksgiving. More on that to come!

A Peek Into Brylee's Future...

2011-11-22T11:03:00.000-05:00

2 short years and already we are trying to figure out Brylee's career path...poor kid...

So this are possibilities based on things we have seen her do. Ready for the list? Here we go!

Painter/artist:

Food critic:

Musician:

Teacher:

Driver's Ed teacher:

Fashion trender:

Mechanic:

Marine Biologist:

Meteorologist:

Music Producer:

Super hero:

Legendary character:

Or a singer:

So many possibilities, so many years to have to wait! No pressure though, Brylee. All we ask is to live life to the fullest, and keep us guessing on what you are going to do!

Brylee's 2 Years!

2011-11-18T08:52:00.000-05:00

Last year, I wrote Brylee a sweet note telling her how much she has changed our lives, and how much my love for her had grown over just a short year. That note still holds true today.

My heart smiles whenever I hear her voice squeak out "Mom-MI!" in the mornings as she stands (sometimes patiently) at the gate in her bedroom. Though that time in the morning has been really early lately (5:00 a.m. anyone?), I still love sitting down, wrapping up in a blanket together and cuddling while she drinks her milk and watch t.v. It is rare otherwise to get such cuddle time, so I will take advantage of it while I can.

Her vocabulary is extraordinary, thanks to her fondness of singing and learning new words from us. She will repeat anything we ask her to say, even though they might be a bit jumbled...but the smile on her face when we cheer her on is one of a kind.

Speaking of singing, this girl loves to sing at the top of her lungs with a decent playlist: ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Pat-A-Cake, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Happy Birthday, Happy Trails, and so many others...unfortunately, when it's at the top of her lungs, it's not pretty. If she decides to be a singer, the sooner we invest in voice lessons, the better in this case...

She loves to play with Chester, and will take the opportunity any chance she gets to pet him and play tug-of-war with him. Chester is incredibly patient, only twice getting tired of the extra attention (sometimes tail-grabbing) and gets sent downstairs. But her laughter warms my heart while throwing the ball. He thinks she's pretty cool, too, especially when there is food involved...

She has some good friends at her playgroup, and we are working on playdates and more one-on-one time with individual kids and their mommies...Unfortunately, at the same time, Brylee has become more 'aggressive', a little pushy and toy possessive. But I know all kids go through that stage, but I want to limit it as much as possible, because I know the kid...she is a strong individual and will need that training to understand the power of kindness and friendship.

The last few playgroups we have had to leave early, though, because she is just tired and cranky, and just wants to nap. Because we have had things going on literally 7 days a week, she and I are working on taking at least one or two days off to do nothing...even stay in our 'jammies' all day if we wanted to...

She loves to color, paint, glue...craft in general. She still loves to read books, and loves music. She has seen 4 movies, "X-Men: First Class" (drive-in movies where Kung Fu Panda was not working), "Winnie The Pooh", "The Smurfs", and "Puss In Boots". PIB kept her attention the best, but probably because she was just older when we saw it.

She is such an incredibly picky eater, and it is a daily struggle to make sure she eats something semi-nutritious. But we have had break-throughs with green peas, corn, and spinach...so glad that even just nibbles are staying in her mouth!

So, here's to another amazing year with our beautiful child who is growing so fast, so smart, and so independent. So hard to believe that it's been 2 years, even though it seems so much less sometimes...and so much longer other times...

We love you so much, little Brylee. Thank you for 2 great years!

The MisAdventures Of The Holiday Spirit

2011-11-16T15:58:00.001-05:00

Samaritan's Purse has been in action here in the Maine area for the last month, and Cary has been nothing but supportive to let me get into the spirit of giving, helping me with ideas to fill 2 boxes for some little boy and girl out there. Well, today was the day to be able to finish it off and turn it in, just before the deadline.

And just to prove to you how crazy this project has been today, I didn't even get any pictures!

Yesterday, Brylee and I went to the Family Dollar to finish up the boxes with soaps, toothbrushes, toothpastes, and hair things. We had a great time letting her get involved in making tiny decisions, like the cute hair clips that went into a little girl's box.

Let me back up just slightly:

One box was filled with playing cards, play-doh, puzzles, pens and paper. I personally think it was innovative, encouraging hours of playing fun with one or more people...and intentionally non-gender specific. Except we have to place labels on the box that say Boy or Girl. Nothing that says Either.

So the first box I decided would be for a boy, ages 5-7, because maybe it will inspire creativity and perhaps a little magician.

The second box happened unintentionally--by beginning with a purchase of a big stuffed teddy bear. If you spent $50 at Toys R Us, the teddy bear was $5. Easily done after buying all of Brylee's birthday gifts Saturday. So we decided some little girl needed to cuddle with a teddy bear, that will most likely be bigger than her...

So...all of this sounds nice and good, right? Here's where it got...'messy'...

The big, cuddly plush bear? Wouldn't fit into the biggest shoe box we had in our closet. It took a lot to close the top, and hopefully some weight will help flatten plushy until time to be opened. Or maybe re-boxed. I put a rubber band over it, but one broke, and the second seems stretched to it's limit. Let's hope that it doesn't take an eye out...

The box for the boy is not in the best of shape. It is falling apart at the seams, which I didn't really realize until I took them up to church today. Which started a little tape-me-up fix...which resulted in the breaking of the plastic tape dispenser...So the next person that goes into church looking for tape will find one with a broken, taped up dispenser which may or may not allow them to actually tape.

So, now on to wrap Brylee's birthday gifts, feel guilty that a little boy and little girl are getting shoe boxes that are less-than-decorative, over-stuffed, and falling apart. Perhaps I'll replace the tape dispenser afterwards.

It IS the thought that counts...right?

Happy Holidays!

Project 52: 45/52 Innocence

2011-11-15T07:49:00.000-05:00

With this Project, I once more turn to my favorite subject: the toddler.

As I was uploading photos from a hockey game Cary and I went to this last weekend, I came upon more of these. The funny thing is, I don't know if I recall when this happened.

Sure, she's had my camera...and probably the reason why it is not in the best of shape these days, but it sure does make a nice surprise to find after the crazy weird time we had last week...

Since I did not take these pictures, I will find another one that I DID take...

It is really heartbreaking to see your child cry*, but most of the time when I do make her cry, it's with her safety in mind...here, I made her sit down when she wanted to stand on the (wet) bathroom counter. I wanted to get a picture of her "Huckleberry" look, and she didn't cooperate. However, within seconds of taking the picture, she found a brush, makeup and a compact mirror to entertain her...no more tears!

*oddly enough, when she starts crying, I tend to laugh. Perhaps it's to keep me from having a melt-down? But while I'm laughing, I'm also comforting her...

Yep. Mom Of The Year, right here.

Project 52: 44/52 Letter Of The Alphabet

2011-11-10T07:27:00.001-05:00

'X' marks the spot, and 'Y' do you ask?

Halloween

2011-11-05T19:16:00.002-04:00

It started with a dream: to do good.

All we needed were the proper disguises

And then we became:

And Toy Titan!

Flying around to find ways to help others in need:

And hoping we don't get caught along the way:

Befriending people of all kinds:

Scarecrows,

Doggies, Monsters, and Butterflies! (and Skunks, and Pumpkins, and Spidermans, and princesses, and Baseball Kings!)

And more scarecrows!

Don't forget a stop at the local library to make more friends!

Pesky snow! You think you can ruin our day before Halloween?

Ha! We'll show you!
ROLL!

PUTT!

TOSS!

Another job well done! Back to the Toddler Cave!

Happy Halloween 2011!

Small Town Goes Neon

2011-11-03T18:38:00.003-04:00

October brings so much fun to Small Town! I love the fact that you hear about the events going on in town, as opposed to the aftermath. We knew about the Neon night a couple of weeks ahead of time, and we took full advantage of it, Cary buying glow sticks to make us really glow!

We went to dinner at Rick's Diner beforehand, where we met a cute couple and their little boy, Lincoln.

Ready? Set? Let's Glow!

Check out the super cool glowing balloons that my friend Megan and her little one, Journey gave out to their friends! Awesome effects!

Brylee the next day: still playing with the glowing stuff!

McFadden Fall Dallas Vacation Part 9 The End

2011-11-03T18:09:00.001-04:00

On Monday, mom took off of work and went to visit my grandparents that I hadn't seen during the trip. So good to see them, as it always is.

Lunch was with dad at Chipotle

Then a popcorn visit

And then once dad got home from work, we headed out to the mall for some playtime

The next day, I had an incredibly hard time letting my parents go. I was super nervous about flying by myself with Brylee, but the flight was in incredible blessing, the seat next to us unoccupied and Brylee sleeping 1/2 the flight. It was even so smooth that I forgot briefly that I was on a plane...yep...a sweet miracle.

And the best part about coming home? Seeing my love again!

McFadden Fall Dallas Vacation: Part 8 The Aquarium

2011-11-03T17:53:00.000-04:00

The final Sunday of our visit was spent the new aquarium at Grapevine Mills. I absolutely L.O.V.E. sea life, so this aquarium was a great way to spend our day...

And it took a lot of effort for me to cut down on all of the pictures that I was posting. So, best of luck to all who enter the picture zone!

At the end of the exhibit, there was a section where you could touch some of the critters. Of course I dove right in to touch them, but Brylee, as interested as she was, was a bit more hesitant to go in.

Until she was introduced to this critter: the Chocolate Chip Star Fish. I guess the name gave her the okay to touch.

And all I got was this blurry picture:

We also took a behind the scenes tour, which Brylee and T left because the tiny one was fussy from tired and food.

This is a shark's egg!

And after a great lunch and nap, Brylee got to make her traditional cookies!

Yum! :o)

Sherman Farm

2011-11-03T17:29:00.000-04:00

Oh how I love the fall!

And October 16th(ish) was definitely a day to prove the greatness of the season!

Cary, Brylee and I went to Sherman Farm, which is a great place set up for the season with animals, pumpkins, tractor rides, corn, food (including apple cider donuts!) and a corn maze!

Waiting in line for food:

Which way now?

Time to pet the animals!

And bounce on a giant balloon that Brylee loved so much, we did it twice!

Oh...and lets not forget the tons of pictures of the corn pit!

Say 'corn!'

Corn mommy!

Corn

And more corn! (No kernels were ingested during the play though we did find a few stray kernels in her diaper later!)

And now, to conquer the great Corn Maze!

Looks pretty ominous, doesn't it?

Brylee became our fearless leader half way into it:

The End!

Project 52: 43/52 Blue

2011-11-03T07:39:00.001-04:00

Tractor for sale...any buyers?

McFadden Fall Dallas Vacation: Part 7 Game Night

2011-11-03T07:22:00.002-04:00

Saturday was another fun-filled and busy day...

Starting with breakfast at IHOP--where our little child acted like a 2 year-old...and I left the restaurant a very flustered momma...thank goodness for grandparents that still see her as a good kid!

Next, she got a haircut!!!

And that evening? The must-have game nights! Oh how these things make me so happy! I love being surrounded by family and friends, playing games, spilling beverages, and just getting to talk to everyone!

Even though Cary was not there, he was most certainly there in spirit--especially when Amy opened a 2-liter bottle of DP and it sprayed all over her! I told Cary about that, and he said that we can blame that one on him. :o)

No crazy incidents happened this time like Granny's tire last time, but there were storms building up and coming for us...and I fell asleep with lightening and rain that night!

Confessions of the Not-So-Nerdy-But-I-Thought-It-Was-Back-Then

2011-10-31T09:27:00.000-04:00

This post is in honor of the latest Three Musketeers movie that just came out.

Cary and I saw this movie on Friday night, one weekend after it opened nationwide. I wanted to see it immediately, but Cary and I decided to make it a stay-at-home date night due to the really hectic schedule the rest of the weekend. Anyways, this really doesn't portray to the post, except for the fact that I FINALLY saw the movie, and truly enjoyed it...

The POINT of this post is that as I sat awake the evening after I saw it, I tried to figure out why exactly this movie was a must-see and from the moment I first saw the previews, I would elbow Cary and hiss "We have GOT to see this!" or "I can't WAIT for this movie!".

And then I remembered.

It wasn't because the 1993 movie was the ultimate movie EVER (though I did enjoy it...)

It also wasn't because I had read the book, though this book and another Dumas book have been sitting within arms reach for several years, the 3 Musketeers book having the 1993 Movie Poster on it (can I upgrade to this newer, cooler poster as the book cover?).

It is because, I, Jennifer McFadden once was a member of the elite fencing society.

And it began with dad receiving a couple of large, long boxes one day when I was in Middle School. As he excitedly opened the boxes, I saw 2 swords, 2 jackets, 2 masks...you get the idea. So I nonchalantly asked him why he had 2 of everything...to which he answered, "Well, you're joining me!"

I was dumbfounded. Suddenly I was being thrust (no pun intended) into a sport I wasn't so sure I wanted to participate in. But at the same time, I wanted father/daughter time, so I decided to try it out. And decided pretty quickly that it wasn't so bad.

Unlike the beautiful rapiers shown in the new movie, fencing has 3 swords, much more basic and made for the sport. And these are just noticeable basics I am pointing out. It has been too long to get into further detail, and I apologize if any of this is wrong...

The first is the Foil:

This is the 'beginner sword'. There are some major differences to this sword and the fencing style than the other 2, but here are the big differences I will point out: the size of the bell (cover) of the sword, and the target area. Foil's target area is the base of the body, excluding the limbs and head. This is a touch-point weapon, meaning you can't slash to get the point.

The second is the Epee:

The big difference in this that I'll mention is the bell is larger, more coverage on the hand, and the target area is the entire body. This one is also a touch-point weapon (I think I'm making that word up, but you should get the idea: you have to push the point of the sword into the body to get the count.)

When you are hooked up to electric fencing, the little tips push in just slightly to trigger the electronic box that you have indeed put the tip of the sword into your opponent.

Both of these swords are fine and fun, but I consider them the 'dainty' swords. The 3rd sword was what I loved and was what I would consider, good at.

The Sabre:

This is the 'aggressive' sword, at one time (the rules have changed I believe) allowing the opponents to run down the fencing strip at each other to 'slash' at them and receive the point. This sword is most notable by the extended guard that goes from the bell to the bottom of the handle. The target area is from the waist up, and yes, you can slash or touch-point.

I loved this sword, and I felt at home the first time I was trained on it.

Dad and I started at a fencing club that met inside a school gym and we were, for quite a while, the only Foil fencers there because we were new. But the more trained fenced Sabre, and dad and I would watch and get excited about trying it out. It wasn't until our coach was injured at his job and not able to attend classes at night that I bravely picked up the Sabre and began the training for what I was destined for.

Now, granted, there was no sword-slashing-while-flying-through-the-air type fencing, but I can guarantee that if there was a rope hanging from the ceiling, someone would have tried it. Before or during EACH meeting...until there were injuries.

The original fencing team we joined became a family, spending not only 2-3 times a week with them, but also going to dinner, Six Flags, and having parties with them. We were a great team. Until about 1 1/2 years into it, this particular club had to close. We then moved to another club; a more organized club that focused most training on Epee. This was because the owner of the club was an Olympic trainer for that sword. It was a great club, but they were much more serious about the sport than the original club was...

An interesting note though: dad and I are both left-handed, which gave us, and our club, an advantage. At tournaments, our opponents were typically not used to going against a lefty, and we could sneak in a moment or two of shock...but you should have seen the complete look of confusion on the judges' faces when dad and I fenced each other...they had to scramble around to get the best view of our hits! It always provided great stories for afterwards...

Another interesting note: as dad and I drove to our club in Irving, TX, (about 30 minutes from home), we would always listen to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and The Show Must Go On. The Show Must Go On is to this day one of my absolute favorite songs because of the time I got to spend with my dad.

I know I wasn't a prodigy or anything like that, but I was decent, getting 3 medals at one tournament, even after twisting my ankle. AND I kept my dad from getting 3rd place because I kicked his rear end in our bout. That was a moment of pride for me... ;o)

But I WAS good enough to be considered for the Junior Olympics (I decided against it because, oddly enough, I wouldn't have been able to fence Sabre against other guys, and felt I was too aggressive to go against other ladies. I had, after all, had all of my training against guys, and thought I would possibly hurt the others. Too bad I didn't try anyways...)

I was also good enough to be considered for a scholarship to NYU to train with an Olympic coach, but my SATS were not up to par (despite a 3.8 GPA through high school, I did not test well there), and I was at the time burning out on fencing and showing more interest at the time in rock climbing.

So many what-ifs. But at the same time, the path I went down got me an incredible life with my adorable family...but it does have me looking up if there are any fencing clubs around Small Town, ME...

My favorite note of interest in this longer-than-I expected post is this: I have recently learned that my niece, Helen, has joined the elite fencing society. She did this not knowing anyone else had fenced, and I had quit long before she was born (she is also Cary's brother's daughter, and didn't know her until she was six) and I am so excited to see her grow into it...if she continues (no pressure Helen!). I am one proud Aunt! :o) (picture to come)

McFadden Fall Dallas Vacation: Part 6 The Skits

2011-10-27T18:54:00.003-04:00

On Wednesday, the Clown skits started, leaving Brylee and I without a vehicle during the day. However, Poppy left the house at 8 a.m.(ish) and got home around 10:30 a.m., so it didn't leave us too long without a car.

Brylee even got to learn how to play 100-pin bowling on the Wii, and while holding her and demonstrating how to use the remote, she mimicked me and hit me in the eye--hard! I am thankful she didn't have the controller in her hand!

And while her Poppy got ready for the skits, she had to be in the bathroom and watch or goof off...

She was a bit shy again around Radio, but she wasn't completely freaked out. He tried several times to get good pictures of them together. This is one of my favorites:

Gotta post some pictures of what they were educating about:

The full gang, minus the sound dude, John: Model T, Ashes, Petunia, Embers, and Radio. This is Model T's, Embers', and Petunia first year on stage as clowns with the school skits, but they are far from new! Embers has been sound and puppetry for several years, Petunia has been doing clowning outside of school skits for a long time as well, and Model T was 1/2 of the sound/groupie help for the school skits for a couple of years. What a very talented group of people, and I must add that I am so proud of Petunia, Model T, and Embers for stepping out of their comfort zones and jumping up there on stage. They add a lot of character to the already super-talented Ashes and Radio!

Got a MissChief/Radio shot!

Wow!

MissChief with her 2 favorite clowns...and not just while they are in makeup...

My buddy Embers and me!

While waiting for the show to start, she sat calmly in her chair and said 'Tuwn it owf Wadio'...It's only a matter of time before she join her friends on stage, too!

The Post That Just Couldn't Stay Boxed Up

2011-10-27T18:29:00.003-04:00

Saw this on Pintrest and had to try it for myself.

Funny thing is, Brylee saw me putting it together, and wanted nothing to do with the inside of the box, but wanted to play with the 'technical' part of it all...that is why I call her my Gadget Jr....a.k.a. MissChief...

However, she had no problem sitting inside this box that was also upstairs...

A couple of nights later, this was the newest use for the box:

And the next night, it became a new instrument:

Then a coloring 'book':

And finally, she was ready to play inside it...as long as she had her trusty flashlight!

Good thing we have about 50 more of these babies laying around from our move...they might last until Christmas!

Project 52: 41/52 Sports

2011-10-27T15:31:00.003-04:00

Ok. Maybe not a sport, but we haven't been around any games or anything super sporty lately, except for watching the Rangers on tv. Go Rangers! Bring it home!!!!

Project 52: 42/52 Books

2011-10-27T15:30:00.002-04:00

And this is only about 1/4 of all of the books she has!

And Now A Word From Our Sponsers: Denton Square Donuts

2011-10-25T16:52:00.000-04:00

I moved out of state less than a year ago, but I have a new exciting thing to look forward to whenever I come visit (well, yes, besides my family of course...blah, blah, blah...)

It's called:

3 words to describe this unique concept: Oh My Deliciousness!

Just look at the delicious and crazy concoctions they offer:

From Fruit Loops, M&Ms, and Oreo to S'Mores, Samoans, and so many things in between! My favorites? The Pretzchocamel and Cinnamon Doughst!

Great atmosphere both up and downstairs, and they offer party packages. They even serve wine to help you wind down the evening after a crazy day. Check out their page on Facebook and watch your mouth water from curious delight!

And they even sell shirts, too!

Hope to see you there the next time we are in town!

McFadden Fall Dallas Vacation: Part 5

2011-10-25T12:04:00.001-04:00

Sunday was designated as the day to spend with Uncle Brad (UB), Aunt Faith (Uffie), and Cousin Helen (Goofy?)
Showing off her cute new outfit:

She had fallen asleep during the drive to Garland to meet them, so you can see the look on her face asking what had happened...She kept looking at Helen and saying 'hi', but when she saw her uncle, she would scoot as close to me as humanly possible and refused to look at him.

After a really yummy brunch, we went to Firewheel, where we found a choo-choo for Brylee to ride on. Helen was a good sport and rode with her.

This Sonic drink was an experiment for me that I still pucker up when I think of it: a Cherry Limeade Slushie. I love cherry limeades and grape slushies...but this limeade made into a slushie was too much for me...oh but I still love you Sonic!

I am still sad knowing that I didn't get a lot of time with Brad, Faith, and Helen, but I know that the time I did get with them was special and Brylee had a great time. She warmed up to her Aunt Faith quickly, and not long after that, she was best friends with Brad...possibly because he fed her ice cream...

Another note to add to this: while walking around Firewheel, we found a popcorn store where I treated Helen and Faith to some gourmet flavors (Faith got white chocolate and Helen got Dr. Pepper...which felt like it really fizzed in the mouth!), and I of course got my popcorn fixation...fixed...for a short time!

So glad that we got to spend some time with them! (and I miss you guys!)

McFadden Fall Dallas Vacation: Part 4 The Clowns!

2011-10-24T10:56:00.001-04:00

A big reason why my trip was planned late September/early October was so that we could attend the Lewisville Open House to be there to support the clowns and Lewisville Fire team in general. I used to go to take lots and lots of pictures of the clowns, and when Cary came along, it made life so much easier because he and I would go opposite directions, following the clowns around all day. Those were the productive days...before Brylee, which has since become the attention-stealer, even through a camera lens...

MissChief with the clowns!

Meet Model-T, 1/2 of the newest Lewisville clowns! Love this guy!

Pictures of hot dogs, just for my love, who wasn't there to enjoy them with us...

MissChief--a very appropriate name for this one!

She loved the boat and it took a lot of persuasion for her to come down. This below fireman was super sweet to show her around while I stayed on solid ground taking pictures.

4 generations of Jarvis' on the Bryan Jarvis!

After the event, Brylee sporting the new October Breast Cancer Awareness shirts the LFD sold. LOVE these!!!!

McFadden's Fall Dallas Vacation: Part 3

2011-10-22T10:30:00.001-04:00

We'll call the early part of the day, "Spa Day"...it was a bunch of relaxing and not doing much during the day.

Baby got stamped! She insisted on every limb being stamped, some twice!

And Cary might want to close his eyes during this part: mom decided to paint the little one's toenails. They matched!

Oh Sonic, how I've missed you and your delicious Strawberry limeades!!!

Uncle Bill came over to hang out for the evening, and we all went to Palios for dinner and then enjoyed a tasty treat at Marble Slab afterwards!

**I would like to make note that this was my 3rd night away from Cary during that trip, 3 out of 13...and I was really starting to miss him!!!

McFadden's Fall Dallas Vacation Part 2

2011-10-20T19:25:00.000-04:00

Thursday:

Brylee and I got to go to lunch with 3 dear people to me: my best friend from high school, his wife, and their adorable son, who is close to Brylee's age. Due to trying to just chat and catch up, I failed, yet again, to get any good pictures of them. I have failed as a picture-holic!!!

For dinner, mom, dad, Brylee and I went to Spring Creek Barbeque--yummy Texas bbq, oh how I've missed you!!! (this is a picture of my dad's plate. Mine looked rather boring compared to his, so his got the spotlight)

And then off to the mall it was so that Brylee and her grandparents could reunite with play area and play while I hunted down my Project 52 picture (and a little 'for your trouble' purchase...)

JCPenney already has up Christmas decorations...I think it is too early to have some up anywhere, but I was also kinda excited to see it...

Looks stormy out!

And we weren't kidding about the stormy part: not long after we got home, dad got called to the Fire Department to monitor the incoming severe storms that we got. Lots of lightening, but I know Texans weren't complaining...it had been a long time since they had seen rain!

Pictures Of The Fall

2011-10-17T17:26:00.002-04:00

To those who know me, it comes as no surprise that I love the fall. So much so, that it helped in my recovery from my last trip to Dallas (the fact I missed my family so incredibly much almost had me trying to see if I could extend my trip).

Cary and I spent our first date night in 2 weeks traveling the scenic New Hampshire Route 112, from Conway to Lincoln and going through the White Mountain National Forest. What an incredible night, including dinner at an old train station and some geocaching in the rain.

Here are some pictures I took from the mini road trip, all leaves, and lots of happiness to experience this with my Never-Ending!

McFadden's Fall Dallas Vacation: Part 1

2011-10-16T16:49:00.001-04:00

Our first day visiting Dallas consisted of traveling with a 5-star Oma and then staying at a 5-star home, complete with jewelry, sprinklers, flowers, and transportation to delicious food.

And once Poppy came home from San Antonio, more of this ensued:

Harvest Hills

2011-10-15T21:43:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago (Sept 24 to be exact...I think), Cary, Brylee and I went to Harvest Hills in Mechanic Falls to enjoy a pumpkin patch, which was so much more than just that.

Mazes, bounce houses, and animals, oh my!

And now, our adventure in pictures!

Brylee got a 'free' pumpkin with her admittance, and she loved the inflatable maze (which had wet ground) and the bounce house that had a slide. We attempted the corn maze, but due to the humidity in the air, we quickly wore out of it and ended up taking the exit that happened to be the entrance.

I love the fall!

Project 52: 40/52 Never Ending

2011-10-13T08:34:00.000-04:00

We've been together only close to 5 years, going on 4 years of marriage, but my love for this man is never ending!

Caption Of The Week XV

2011-10-08T16:38:00.000-04:00

Project 52: 39/52 Pets

2011-10-05T23:12:00.002-04:00

Ok. This may be considered cheating, but hey...it's my blog, my Project 52, my way!

I've taken old photographs to place on here for this project because you just can't get better pictures of any of these pets right now.

I've considered doing a History Of Pets post...or 2 or 20, considering as many pets I've had in my lifetime, but for now I guess I'll do a little teaser of the most current ones:

Chester:

Everyone knows the mutt. This is mine and Cary's first baby. We adopted him when he had been married for 6 months as 'birth control'. He has been an excellent dog all the way, and the day Brylee was due to come into our world (December 16, 2009), he started having seizures. He is now on medications twice a day, and we still get the stomach-dropping surprises every once in a while. Such an incredible part of this crazy McFadden world!

Athena:

This is my cat. My baby. The one who picked me in 2001. She had several names before sticking with Athena, first as Hera, since she was dumped at a vet's office where the clinic cat was named Zeus. But since I found that it was more appropriate to name her after Zeus' daughter given that Zeus was 25 years old, she was named Athena. Then adopted by a family which changed her name to Phoebe. But after being severely injured, they couldn't afford to pay for her surgery and was returned to the vet clinic where I worked, where we convinced the Doc to do surgery on her. Re-dubbed Athena, I took her home the evening before Christmas Eve 2001. She had to stay with my parents after getting married because Cary's and my apartment was too small (500 sq ft) to have a cat litter box. The smell would have taken over the entire house! These days Brylee goes around calling for "Meena"...

Ditto:

This was the cat I 'wanted'. We visited my family in Paris, TX one November 1st when I was in college. My cousin kept trying to get me to take her home, since she would be going to the animal shelter otherwise. That evening, mom and I 'convinced' dad to let us keep her, and one week later, mom and I made the same trip back to Paris, TX and picked her up, brought her home, and she has been a nut case in our family since. Pure energy used to run through this cat. But now that she is 14 years old, she has her occasional outbursts of energy, but mostly just likes to beg to go outside to lay in the sun. Oh, and though she was supposed to be 'my cat', she clearly chose my mom.

Vader:

Vader came into our lives when I was a senior in high school. For some odd reason, I had been wanting another black cat for several years because they are so beautiful. (The 'other' black cat was a cat named Toby we had when I was very young. More on that eventually...) This kitten was found at the rock climbing gym dad and I worked at by my dad and a friend who saved him from dogs one night. No one else could take him, so dad called mom and I one evening to tell us to 'think of a name for a black kitten'. Names were going through our heads like Black Velvet, Midnight, and even Snowball. Dad walked through the door, holding the tiny kitten and introduced to us, Darth Vader. This cat, however, has anything but the evil nature from his name sake. He is the only cat that Brylee can go up to and pet, and even pull on without getting fiesty, hissing, or swiping at. What an incredible cat. And he's diabetic...yep, another special needs pet...

And just to help us remember when, this is Spike Jones II. Spike was our really old iguana that died September 7, 2011, about 16 years old. He was our second iguana, 9th in the way of reptiles...if I counted correctly...We got him when I was a junior in high school, and from the beginning, he was not a lizard that liked women. So poor dad had the task of taking the majority of care of him. His name came from the famous comedian from the 1940's. Never heard of him? Oh you are missing something! Check his stuff out here. Though he wasn't much in the way of being a snuggler, he did like to escape his cage every once in a while, scaring the beegeebies out of me. One of the times, I looked for him EVERYWHERE. Every corner, nook and cranny in the house. I was gathering my thoughts on the kitchen table (I didn't want to sit on a chair or couch in case he was there), when I looked to the back door and saw him hanging on the vertical blinds! That created quite a laugh amongst our little family when I told them this.

Wow. This post really did get long, especially for a 'made up' Project 52. And we didn't even touch on Powder, Toby, Buffy, Smoki, Spunky, Pauly, Double Dots, Dice, Ralph, Hewie, Dewie, Louie, Waldo (or his 'girlfriends')...or any of the fish!!!

Until next time, don't forget to spay and neuter your pets! (And RESCUE!!!)

Gone But Not Forgetting

2011-10-05T22:35:00.002-04:00

Weird title...but I think I'll keep it for now.

Basically I wanted to say that I have been in Dallas for the last week, and staying quite busy. This evening was the first evening that I actually went somewhere by myself, and left Brylee at home with her 'T' for a bit. That was an hour...to go to Target and get Pull-Ups...yeah, I took my time.

I have been taking pictures here and there, pictures of our kid interacting with her grandparents (she's attached), of clowns, of boats, and more clowns. Which leads me to the fact that I have 5 cameras that have events of this past week on them.

My useful, 4 year old one's screen is now trying to go out on me, dad's super awesome Nikon has locked up during an update, and now I am left playing with both of my parents point-and-shoot as well as my phone's camera. It might take a little time to get them all together to be able to show to the world, or my 12 readers, but but I will try to start working on that now that the mornings find me without a car due to the clown skits that have started.

But for now, I am exhausted, fighting an all-day headache, and now trying to figure out the best way to collect all of the pictures of our fun week. But I will leave you with this:

Good night!

Project 52: 38/52 Candy

2011-09-29T21:04:00.001-04:00

Here you can tell the difference in cameras. The first picture was taken with my point-and-shoot camera, which is now over 4 years old, with quite a bit of wear and tear. Between dropping it, carrying it in pockets, baby playing with it, and 10s of thousands of photos, it is starting to show it's age.

The bottom picture was taken with my phone's camera. While this camera takes great shots, it is slow to respond, therefore I miss many great picture opportunities of Brylee or pets as they suddenly move as I press the button.

I love my point-and-shoot camera, but I am afraid it is getting close to meeting its end. If I want to continue taking pictures for everything (and I do mean everything), I need to figure out how to get the blur out of the bottom left and get it to work the way it used to.

And make it snappy!

Your Daily Inspiration

2011-09-26T18:35:00.001-04:00

A Week Of Prayers

2011-09-22T19:37:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week, I found out my little cousin, Ashton, was in the hospital with pneumonia. At only 5 years of age, he has been through so much in his little life, having dealing with cancer and the loss of his leg. I heard yesterday that he went into emergency surgery for a collapsed lung, and has since been in pain and bends over because of it, but when he does, he can't breathe. But this kid is a spunky little fighter, so our prayers are with him to get past this nasty situation.

Today, I learned that my mom's dad is now at the hospital due to chest pains. Now, these pains are unfortunately not unusual and has been in the hospital several times in the last few years. Last I have heard, he is doing ok, in good spirits, but being kept in the hospital overnight.

My family can't fall apart with me being so far away...it would be so hard to do 10 hours of travel just to get to them!!!

Caption Of The Week XIV

2011-09-21T20:30:00.001-04:00

**Make note of the straight up hair, too!

:o)

Brylee's 'Sick' Day

2011-09-20T14:09:00.001-04:00

Today is lazy day #2 for Brylee and me as she battles a runny nose. It is cold outside, and therefore, cold inside, so she is in her jammies and mismatched socks until I can figure out if there is a warmer outfit.

Last night also marked the second night of sitting up with her to read and try to get her to go back to sleep. The first night was not fun, as there was a lot of crying and frustration from both parties, but last night, aware of her not feeling well, I was a little more lenient with reading to her more books until she decided it was time to play. Finally, though, sleepiness kicked in, and she was out again until Cary's alarm went off at 7 a.m.

Other moms have been really helpful on Facebook with responses of how to help her feel better, as well as their current experiences (Brylee isn't the other one with 'allergies'...)

She is, however, in great spirits, so I'm not too concerned, except for the hard decision I face now: take a nap, or work on the desserts I have planned for tomorrow's playgroup???

Project 52: 37/52 Yellow

2011-09-18T09:38:00.002-04:00

Part of the charm of New England is no doubt in their homes. And some of the homes around us have the most crazy colors. Most of the time there are 2 colors (house and shutters/accents), but if you get really lucky, some homes have anywhere from 3 to 4 colors. And not just neutral colors, either. It is not uncommon to see pinks and purples, and even greens combined with blues.

And I said as I child that I wanted a purple house with pink polka dots. It may actually be possible up here!

So, back to the point of the Project. This week was yellow, and everytime we drive by this beautiful home in adjoining Small Town, I am caught by it's beauty and charm...and it's yellow door.

This is an inn that is for sale...too bad I'm a terrible hostess and would send such a beautiful place deeper than it probably already is! ;o)

Good-bye Writer's Block

2011-09-17T19:45:00.001-04:00

For almost 4 years now, I have written a blog. And I have enjoyed it immensely, but I have felt like something has been missing. Something I had before beginning this blog. I think I lost it not long after graduating from college.

Oh yes. Imagination.

I used to love to write stories, the ones with made up characters, made up scenarios, all streaming from my head. Movies and books inspired me. Pirates, witches and wizards, and even sports helped round out these stories that I created (and no, not all in one story...that would be a bit too busy!).

So lately I have felt stagnate with my mind. I haven't read a lot, I haven't sat down to do things for myself, like learn how to knit, or do much baking (I love to bake, but I can't decorate to save my life!), and I realize how much I miss me-time.

One Friday, Cary re-introduced to me a weekly writing idea: 100 word story. We've only done it once, but it got my creative juices flowing again. I have since started writing a bit more again, some adding to stories from several years ago, as well as some new.

The funny part about this post, is that I don't intend on sharing any of it with anyone...well, maybe Cary...someday...I am much too skeptical of my work to share aloud. But maybe I'll share some of the brief 100 word stories with everyone, maybe to give everyone a laugh.

Deja vu at 2

2011-09-17T10:48:00.002-04:00

My cousin Kim, on the left, has her own look-alike child. My other cousin, Erica, has a little boy; he doesn't look like her, but has some of her personality. :o) We'll see what happens with my other cousins!

Ok. I'll have to work on this a bit more as I am struggling to find a picture of Brylee that shows the resemblance that we had/have at the age of 2. Though I don't see me in her now (adult me) when I look at pictures of me at the same age, I am hit with a very deja vu feeling (is that possible?)

One thing I do realize though is that she has some amazingly piercing blue eyes that I would have loved to have had, as well as slightly lighter hair that will make her a breath-taking beauty that I never achieved.

Cary better get that bat ready!

Project 52: 36/52 Child(ren)

2011-09-14T13:39:00.000-04:00

I had the hard choice of adding a picture of the kids Brylee plays with at playgroup or not, but since I also want to be respectful to other moms and perhaps their desire to not put their kids pictures out publicly, I decided to put a picture of just my two little ones: the smiley one and the hairy one.

Chester is finally starting to realize that Brylee isn't so bad, since she can throw the ball and feed him. Here's to more happiness for both of them!