BIG GIRL!!!

Madison Claire is officially 100% potty trained!  I can't believe it!  A few weeks ago, she came home and announced to Annie and I that she didn't want to take a nap in a pull up - just panties.  So we said "okay" and gave it shot.  That night, she said again - "no diapers, no pull ups, just panties".  I was a nervous wreck!  I knew for sure that I was going to be woken up at 1am by her screaming because she had peed in the bed.  I had a vision of having to change her sheets at 1am and was not excited about it.  BUT...we wanted to follow her lead so since she asked for it, we said okay, laid a towel down in her bed, and put her to bed...AND....SHE DID IT!  

The next morning, she woke up saying "Mommy, I need to go potty".  And that's it.  That was at least a month ago, so I think it's safe to say it's official.  She just decided she was going to do it and she did!  Little strong willed child (wonder where she gets that from - ha!) 

Here she is sporting her panties before bedtime...way to go Madison Claire!

Playoffs!

ECS finished the regular football season 7-3, with 1 region loss to SBEC.  They ended the season in a 3-way tie for first place, but based on the tiebreaker, ended up in third.  For the first round of the playoffs, we traveled to Nashville to play an old rival.  Without getting into the details, I'll just say this - this was a big game for us (and especially Ryan) to win.  Mom, Dad, Meredith & Ben came in for the game and Gary was there too.  Annie's mom kept the kids for me so I could enjoy the game.  It was such a fun game.  The defense was awesome - the first string defense gave up approximately 100 yards (which is really good for all of you who don't know much about football).  I won't say here what I really thought about some aspects of this game but suffice it to say, I am so proud of Ryan - for the man he is, the coach he is, and the character he displays on the field.  

Ryan's fan club

Me doing a "take that" move :)

Our friends Bobby& Kat

The next week, we played USJ and lost in double over time.  We beat them in a close game during the regular season, so knew it was going to be tough.  A few of our players had an "off" night.  The defense started slow, but held them to only 3 points in the second half.  Unfortunately, those 3 points came in the last seconds of the game and sent us into overtime.

It was a tough end to the season, but every season has to come to an end at some point, and this one just ended a little earlier than we would have liked.  We are thankful for our friends on the coaching staff and for the ECS community welcoming us so warmly this season.  The countdown to kick off vs. St. George in 2012 is already on....

Halloween

On actual Halloween night, we hit our neighborhood for some trick or treating.  Madison Claire was precious as the pink princess fairy and our sweet pea was adorable as well!  We had fun roaming the neighborhood and I had fun just watching Ryan and Madison Claire together.  Each year I think that I can't imagine loving Ryan anymore but seeing him be a dad to Madison Claire has got to be one of the best, most attractive, things!  I just fall more and more in love with him everyday.  It also makes me smile to think of my dad doing these things with me when I was little. I am so thankful that the "dads" in my life (you too Gary) are so active and engaged in showing love to their kids.  What a blessing!

The princess in her chariot

Trick or treat

Cutest sweet pea you ever will see!

That is a huge, movie size box of skittles - SCORE!

The princess and the nanny (could be a title of a movie)

Cinderella's slippers

My Day with Daddy

Madison Claire's day with daddy started with a trip to Howard's doughnuts - yum!  After that, they played in her playroom, rode her bike out in the culd-e-sac, and carved our pumpkin. 

That night, we went to the Fall Festival at Germantown Baptist church with our friends the Proctor's.  Madison Claire was a pink fairy princess and Mac was a sweet pea.  They were both A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!  Funny story - Madison Claire really likes grapes these days, and she kept thinking that Mac was a grape!  So if someone asked her what her brother was, she would say "grape!".  Then when we said "no", she would say "pea pod".  Too cute.

This was no normal church trunk or treat - it was a full out fall fest, complete with 100s of games, tons of candy, a rock climbing wall, bouncees, etc.  There were probably over 1000 people there...it was crazy!  Seeing Ryan with Madison Claire throughout the night was a memory that I will not soon forget.  It was precious.  He is such a great dad, and she is so fortunate to have a daddy who loves her so much. They were 2 peas in a pod the whole night.

The night ended with bedtime stories, prayers and hugs and kisses.  What could be better than that?

Vanderbilt Homecoming

I crashed Vanderbilt Homecoming for the class of 2001 with Julie & Rebecca and it was such a great weekend!  The 3 of us haven't been together at the same time for about 3 years, so we had a great time catching up and it felt just like old times!!  I am so thankful that God had plans for our lives to intertwine at Vanderbilt and be life long friends!

RBT and I outside of our old room at the AOPI house

GO DORES!

With Rebecca's friend Betty Ashton

Lunch at Pei Wei after our Birthday Extravaganza at Lululemon :)

While I was in Nashville, I also got to meet up with some other sweet friends that I hate not living right down the road from now that I'm in Memphis.

Calypso with Jenny & sweet Marlee

Bricktops with Jess

And of course...my little sweet pea :)

Big Girl Haircut

Madison Claire got her hair trimmed when we were in Nashville a few weeks ago.  Cheryl's stylist, Kim, was gracious enough to get us in at the last minute so she could pamper MC.  This haircut went much more smoothly than her first one!

Love her face in the mirror in these

My Big Backyard

A nice backyard is top of our list for our new house here in Memphis.  While we are looking for our own "big backyard" we've been enjoying our membership at the Memphis Botanical Gardens where they have an area just for kids called "My Big Backyard".  It's really great - these pictures don't really do it justice!  Madison Claire loves going and will often ask to go "to Garden" which sounds a little like "go to God" when she says it.  Here are a few pictures from a few of our trips!