Vacation and a Wedding 2014

Thursday, June 26, 2014
We are back from the Jones Family Vacation + a wedding 2014! All of us had a fabulous time in Michigan and can’t wait to go back.  

We spent the first day in Grand Haven and, sadly, it rained for most of the day. But in between storms, we were able to go strawberry picking and make it to the “Imagination Station” to play. The Imagination Station is the coolest playground EVER. Seriously, you could get lost in this thing! 

Day 2 we decided to head out to the beach despite the cooler weather and wet ground.  We enjoyed walking the pier to the lighthouse and feeling the sand. Maddie was hilarious, as expected: she was fine being in the sand as long as her shoes remained on.  Haha! Silly girl! She never has been a fan of the beach, but I am sure that will change as she gets older.  

After the beach, we drove the rest of the way up to Lake Houghton, MI where we would began preparing for and celebrating Vanessa and Steve’s wedding.  Over the next couple of days, we spent tons of time with family, including seeing some who we haven’t seen since our own wedding.  We also met lots of new family and we immediately fell in love with them all.  It was a sweet sweet time. 

Maddie slept better than expected in the hotel cribs, but she also likes climbing into bed with us in the middle of the night, too.  

Phil, Maddie and I did have a little time (again, in between rain storms) to drive up to what we call the phantom petting zoo.  Our GPS just did not want us to get there, but with lots of perseverance, we finally found our way and we are glad we did.  This was the coolest petting zoo ever with animals we had never seen before and other exotic ones we didn’t expect like monkeys! Maddie loved it and we enjoyed feeding everybody carrots. 

Saturday morning was spent preparing for the big wedding! I got my hair and makeup done at a local salon with all of the gals and then we headed out for pictures.  I didn’t have a chance to take many, myself, but I cannot wait to see the professional ones when they are ready. The weather couldn’t have been better and Vanessa and Steve were seriously STUNNING! Both of them! They make one beautiful couple. 

So, onto the ceremony.  Ok, this was one of the best weddings I have even been to.  I cried so much through the songs sung by Steve’s Uncle Lou, the flash-mob song by all of Vanessa’s brothers and Steve’s sister, but most of all, the vows.  Vanessa and Steve wrote their own and they were so touching and heart-melting. I am so blessed to have been a part of this big day standing by V’s side. 

The reception was equally as amazing as the ceremony and took place in a barn a little ways down the road. The food was to die for (Indian cuisine) and the scenery was just gorgeous. I only wish that we could have stayed longer (Maddie hadn’t napped all day and really needed to get home and go to bed before crashing, so we took one of the earlier buses back to the hotel). 

I was so sad that it was over the next day! It was just perfect. But, time flies, so Phil, Mads and I loaded up the car and headed back south.  We stopped in Holland, MI on our way and visited the Dutch Village.  It was so cute! Lots of demonstrations, dancing, cheese-making and beautiful picture opps all over.  

Maddie in the Dutch Wooden Clogs

But, even after such an amazing trip, we were happy to get home, see our dog and cats and sleep in our own bed later that night.  

In other news: Maddie is growing up way too fast! As of a couple weeks ago, she can count all the way to 10! I can’t believe it! It’s so funny how she gets more and more excited as she approaches the number 10 and then finally yells it out in triumph!She is picking up new words every day and we just can’t believe how much she retains and remembers for later use.  On the vacation, we pointed out an umbrella to her and we were shocked that, upon seeing an umbrella the next day, she was pointing to it and saying, “nella.”  She also just loves pointing out the parts of her body and I try to teach her a new part every day. Yesterday, I taught her neck and so whenever she points to it, I tell her, “That’s right” and tickle her neck.  Haha.  Her giggles are too much for me and I just can’t resist. 

I will say that I am getting very emotional recently when I think about the new baby coming. I am so excited to meet her and to add to our family, but I am also sad to leave behind the time when it was just me and Maddie (and Daddy, of course). This is a sweet season in my life and I want to cherish every moment. I just love this little girl with all my heart! 

Silly Maddie, The Baby's in Mama's Tubby

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Maddie has been such a silly goose recently! She is just way too much fun to play with and says the funniest things! I just love that when she thinks something is funny, she says, “so silly!” 

"So Silly!" 

This week, we brought the car in to get a new battery because it died on us when we were trying to leave the park one afternoon.  Thank the Lord that a mom that I knew from the library was there to rescue us! (We also were rescued again the next morning by Dave from our church who drove out to our house to jump our car out of the goodness of his heart. Have I mentioned how much I love our church and the  selfless people in it?). Anyway, we went to Car-X and there was a life-size cardboard printout of a superhero Car-X man.  Silly little Maddie repeatedly, over the course of the two hours we were waiting (::sigh::), would run up to the Car-X man and say “hi hi hi hi” and then run away. It was the cutest thing.  

Side note: we also made another trip to the petting zoo and the Children's museum over the past two weeks. 

We loved spending the time together as a family and Maddie loved the giant Lite Brite! 

Speaking of the cutest thing, Maddie takes the cake with that one, too.  She has been so cuddly and huggy and I love it so much! She thinks that in order to hug someone or something, she just simply needs to lean forward and put her head against it. She hasn’t quite figured out the arm-wrap part, yet.  So, it started with her hugging me and Phil and then it developed into her hugging Luka, the cats, her toys and stuffed animals and now all of the babies, cats and/or dogs that she sees in books, too.  She pretty much hugs everything.  Adorable! 

Maddie giving Luka a "hug"

But, I saved the best story for last! We had an ultrasound done a few weeks ago and were sent home with the DVD.  Phil and I have played it almost every night since we got it. Whenever Maddie sees the ultrasound on the TV, she runs to the screen and exclaims, “Baby! Baby!” She also will point to my tummy (i.e. “tubby” —> Maddie’s pronunciation. I try not to take offense) if we ask her where the baby is.  I am not sure how much she really understands, but we are trying to prepare her as much as possible for her sister who will arrive in October.  

Sweetness. 

That’s all for now. I just wanted to share those few little stories.