mike n jesy

Thanksgiving with the Otts and Daniels

2011-12-20T11:00:00.001-07:00

The Star Wars Fetish Begins!

2011-12-20T10:55:00.001-07:00

For Halloween, the boys insisted on being Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. This carried on into Madax's Star Wars themed birthday party. (It's easy to see where their obsession comes from... note the orginal star wars death star, millennium falcon and other toys.... straight from the 70's. Yes... they have been preserved for this very occassion!)

Lake of the Ozarks

2011-12-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

A little out of order... I know. Last June, we went of the Lake of the Ozarks with Michael's family. Fun trip!

Beckett's 3rd Birthday Bash!

2011-12-11T20:43:00.006-07:00

Beckett followed suit with Madax's fireman obsession. Back in August, we had a fireman birthday party for him at Focus on the Family.

Boys and Balloons

The dads... hanging out in the hallway.

Awesome birthday cake!

Fun Friends!

Madax's contribution to the Birthday festivities: Bark the Big Bear (Big might be an understatement)

Daddy and the birthday boy!

Madax and Winston

Winston and Carrie

Summer of fun!

2011-12-11T20:32:00.004-07:00

We had a lot of fun over the summer. Madax learned to ride his bike. Beckett scooted around like a man man. And both did their best to make sure Mom could not get one normal photo to save her life!

Easter and Mother's Day

2011-05-10T14:13:00.005-06:00

Grandma came to visit a few weeks ago.

And this is what Madax turned into as a result of her visit.

Madax and Mommy on Mother's Day. He kept telling me "Happy Mom Day!" all morning! Love this boy! Beckett kept repeating him. It was precious!

The boys bought me a tree for Mother's Day, so we spent most of Saturday planting the tree in our back yard. Madax and Beckett enjoyed walking around and around the stone border at the base of the tree.

Beckett got a little bit muddy during the planting. Hey Grandma May, does this remind you of anyone?

Pretty tree.

I love this tree!

Beckett thought that the water/mud combination was, indeed, chocolate milk. When the water soaked into the dirt, he started crying and said "Chocolate milk's all gone! More chocolate milk!" Too funny.

Easter.

I love these little faces more than anything in the world!

Shout out to Aunt Randi and Gammy

2011-04-04T20:25:00.002-06:00

Beckett's started talking so much more lately. His annunciation isn't so clear, but he's working on it. His physical abilities are astounding though; he's so agile and rambunctious! I swear, this kid never slows down. I think he's the real energizer bunny, Ali.

Crazy Colorado Weather

2011-04-03T17:21:00.006-06:00

So... my kindergarten education taught me that April was a spring month... where showers abounded and prepared the ground for flowers. Here in Colorado, April is not that month. Yesterday was 82 degrees. Today:

It snowed.

And my crazy men went outside to enjoy the crazy weather. Yes, Michael is wearing shorts in the snow.

Beckett insisted on playing outside, but I did have the authority to force this one to wear a coat.

Beckett obviously isn't a big fan of pausing for a photo.

Earlier in the week, it was really warm outside. The boys definitely enjoyed getting out of the house.

Not sure what's going on here... Someone goofing around.

Have I mentioned before that Madax is very theatrical?

He's had a little cold lately. I managed to get him to sit still on the couch for about five minutes during the day. This was just one second out of those five minutes of rest.

Playtime

2011-03-28T18:33:00.003-06:00

Gotta love the $1 section at Target. I sure do.

Michael is such a good sport.

Did you know that Madax is the original Mr. Gru?

Two kids smiling normally for the camera at the same time would be too much to ask, apparently.

The adventures of Dax and Beck

2011-03-24T07:51:00.004-06:00

Here is Madax... showing off his "shrink ray" (from Despicable Me).... and, yes... it is an old, crusty, dried-up caulk gun. What can I say, he works with what he's got!

And he certainly knows how to use his shrink ray.... on Mom, Dad, Beckett... and even complete strangers at the grocery store. We cannot leave the house without the shrink ray.

Beckett loves his boots. He thought they would complement his Dr. Suess-looking pajamas well (we call him a suessical).

This boy just wants to play all day long.

Such a cutie.

Madax and Beckett love to go hiking.

Again... must have the shrink ray at all times. You never can tell when the enemy will strike!

Smile normally, Mom? Nice-looking pictures are so overrated.

The best Dad in the world.

Picnic on the hike.

2011-03-21T09:35:00.001-06:00

Pictures that Michael's amazing sister Tanya took for us. We love you Tanya!

Random schtuff

2011-03-14T15:36:00.003-06:00

These are in no particular order. I'm a total slacker.... these are just pictures that have taken place sometime between Beckett's birthday (Last August) and now.

Auntie Randi came to "bisit", as Madax says, a few days ago.

Aww.... my little Bo Beckers!

Madax's Birthday Party (He is now officially "Cap" (as in Captain) Madax.

Michael went all out and decorated his big truck for the event. The guests ate pizza inside the truck!

Halloween... Madax was, of course, a fireman. Beckett and I were law enforcement because there is obviously a criminal around these parts!

My little Beckett is growing up! He's a real boy now!

Beckett's Birthday

2010-08-14T11:37:00.005-06:00

Today is Beckett's birthday! Michael had a fabulous idea of filling the house with balloons for this adorable little balloon-loving boy. He even championed the cause, renting a helium tank and buying a couple hundred balloons so that we could stay up late last night blowing them all up. The look on Beckett's face (at 6:32am) this morning was classic!

Then Dad made waffles with whipped cream for breakfast!

And Mom played with his hair! Hee hee!

We topped the day off with a trip to Chuck E. Cheese and an ice cream Birthday cake. We LOVE Beckett! Thanks for being born two wonderful years ago little Beck!

Summer fun continued...

2010-08-14T10:46:00.006-06:00

Our little Family

Michael and I at Garden of the Gods where Tyson and Randi took their engagement pictures.

Beckett got the chicken pox this summer.

Mommy and Beck

What a goober this kid is.

We did a lot of hiking this summer. There are so many beautiful trails here in Colorado Springs. This one is at the end of our street.

I tried to make them pose for pictures.... but....

This was the posing they wanted to do. Better luck next time, Mom.

Our cousins from Austin, Texas and St.Louis, Illinois came to visit! We had Eric and Barb, with their three kiddos, Jessica, Jacob and Stephanoodle. Tanya and Jamie and their three kids, Adam, Haley and Kael. And even Grandma Clark came for all the fun! We had a blast. We took them to Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, The Broadmoor, Elitch Gardens in Denver, hiking every morning, parks to play kickball, geocaching with crazy Aunt Barb! It was so wonderful to have everyone here! Can't wait for Thanksgiving when we invade Tanya's house.

This is Stephanie

More pictures from our time with the Daniels and Otts to follow....

Summer fun

2010-08-14T09:56:00.005-06:00

I've been so bad at blogging. I must admit, keeping up with this is not so easy when you live in crazyville! We've had a fun and eventful summer. Here are some pics just to prove we have not fallen off the face of the Earth.
Enjoy!

Grandma and Grandpa Clark came in late May. It was fun to spend time with them!

Grandpa Clark and Madax

They got to watch Michael play softball while they were here.

They also helped us dig a giant hole in the back yard. Our summer project was converting the window well into a giant planter box. It turned out very nicely!

Madax has been and still is very involved with his "Heigh-Ho"sticks. If anyone has any questions regarding this, they can be answered by viewing this link ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aURThUaRjCc

We went to the Garden of the Gods several times this summer... with G & G Clark, The Otts, and the Austin Daniels. It never fails to impress us! So beautiful!

Kissing Camels

Madax and his adapted form of a heigh ho stick.

Beckett is our wanderer. Madax is attempting to retrieve him from the bushes.

Beckett staying very clean for his Mama!

Grandma Clark and Bo-Beckers.

This was hilarious. Beckett found this little nook in the rocks and just hunkered down. Yes, Kinsie, I just said "hunkered down" again! He stayed in there like this for about five minutes before he was off exploring other rocks.

Here he is trying to determine if there really is a troll hiding in the rocks like Aunt Randi says. They are both very concerned about trolls now. Thanks Aunt Randi!

Grandma Clark and her boys.

Beckett's Dedication

2010-05-14T15:40:00.002-06:00

I love my life!

2010-05-02T15:08:00.002-06:00

How cute are these boys!?

What a wonderful husband I have! He is always helping out around the house, playing with the boys and working hard! Gotta love him!

Sledding at Cottonwood Park

I'm in LOVE...

2010-03-16T15:50:00.002-06:00

With these two boys!

Two boys who are best friends... spying on airplanes on the way to Grandma's house.

Boys who crawl in the sink any time the bathroom door is accidentally left open...

Boys who dress up in swimming diapers...

They make me smile every single day... and I LOVE THEM!

Hiking in good ol' CO~

2010-03-13T17:25:00.003-07:00

This kid cracks me up.... constantly! Gotta love his goofy faces!

The Daniels Clan

I had to bribe him to look at the camera. He's being a goofball lately and refuses to cooperate with the cameraman.

What a fantastic Daddy!

Sludge and snow up here.... I'll take the snow please.

Beckett fell in the sludge within five minutes of the 1 1/2 mile treck in. Here is Dad "cleaning him up." Interesting method Dad. ;)

Awww...

Mooooch!

Love him up!

Madax... mad at the camera. Wrigley was so excited to be in the mountains!

Fun trip! Come visit us!

My Latest Love/Hate Relationship

2009-12-15T15:37:00.002-07:00

Hmmm... so, this book is definitely interesting. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it just yet... still processing, I guess.
If you've read it, tell me your thoughts. If you haven't, DO NOT look at the comments posted, but go get the book. It will definitely get your thinker ticking.

Happy Birthday Madax!

2009-11-11T14:32:00.006-07:00

Madax LOVES the Grinch. (Well, technically, he LOVES Cindy Lou, and Cindy Lou has a heart for the grinch, so Madax loves him by proxy). For his birthday, we didd our best to create Who-ville in our very own home! Leave some comments and let us know how close you think we got!

The Grinch Made an appearance, even stole the birthday stash of presents and the kids had to complete a treasure hunt to find them for Madax! It turned out really cute! Michael was a perfect Grinch!

Little Who-Child, Beckettoo Who!

Madaxstatic Who!

The Birthday Cake .... an appetizing ending to the schmorgasborg of food we served. Roast Beast (Ham), Who Hash (Mashed Potatoes), Grinch Beans (Green Beans), Mount Grumpit Mud Pies (Brownies), Peppermint Bark and more! It was yummy and festive!

Madax getting ready to blow out his candles. He was so impressed when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to him!

Cindy Lou Who~

Madax opening his presents after the Grinch stole them and the kiddos worked together to search for them!

Our little Bo-Beckers!

Our good friend, Jessica Thompson

The Grinch, Cindy Lou and a grand bunch of Who-kids!

The Grinch with Madax and his friend, Quinton.

Madax with the Grinch all to himself!

Some of our friends who attended the party:

Dan and Heather Rodriguez with Quinton and Jane.

Zach and Jenny Bender with Nola and Rockwell.

Jessica Thompson with her kids Clara, Beau, Henry and Gus (I think Thomas fell off Mt. Grumpit and couldn't make it to the hoop-la!)

Chuck, Treonna, Kinsie and Jessalyn Waid

Kelly and Ryan

Jonathan and Rebecca Post with Emma and Reece

We had so many other guests at the party that we didn't get a chance to take pictures with! THANK YOU to everyone who came, called and contributed ideas for how in the world we could produce a realistic-looking Grinch costume! We love and appreciate you all!

Halloween

2009-11-11T14:11:00.002-07:00

My little spots!

Emma Pie Post

2009-11-11T13:50:00.004-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA! Jon and Rebecca planned an adorable birthday party for Emma out at a horse ranch here in the Springs. The kids had fun riding the pony, jumping in the bounce house and playing with each other.

Emma riding the pony at her birthday party!
Beckett was a trooper on the horse. Madax was terrified and refusedd to ride (which is crazy strange because he's obsessed with Grandma and Grandpa's horses in Idaho.) Go figure.

Grandpa and Grandma were visiting so they came to enjoy the festivities. Here is Beckett riding the oil-barrel-bull with Grandpa's coaching!

Madax's turn to be the cowboy!

Madax on the slide.

Love this kid... he is soooo fun and easy to love. (Except that he runs away when you try to smooch him!)

Grandma enjoyed chasing him around.

My little urban cowboy!

Madax and his "Gram." He tells me all the time that she's HIS Grandma, not mine! He's right on the spot, but he has no clue... he's just being very possesive. It's soo cute.

My little jumper in the bounce house!

Jonathan and Reece Post

Jenny Bender and little Nola (Nola is 2 days younger than Madax)

Rockwell Bender (Beckett's Friend)

Breckenridge

2009-11-10T15:40:00.008-07:00

We went up to Breckenridge a few weeks ago with our dear family friends, Team Post, as they call themselves. It was gorgeous!!! Someday we hope to own a home up there. The mountains are absolutely beautiful... and there is a lake to water ski on as well. Here is a picture of Team Post and Daniels & CO.

We took the kids to a local elementary school playground. Madax, Emma, Beckett and Baby Reece had such a great time playing.

Madax just LOVES Emma! She is his favorite person (aside from maybe Cindy Lou or the Grinch)!

Emma Pie

Mommy and Beckett. It's funny, but I'm sure many of you can relate... I hardly have ANY pictures of myself with my boys. I'm usually the cameraman!

Madax is a poser!

Daniels & Co.

Daddy and Beckett at the toy store.

I can't tell which one is the kid... the big one

This is just a tiny glimpse of how amazingly beautiful Breckenridge is.

Our little wanderer... Beckett is so adventurous. He doesn't want to be held, or even hold your hand. He is so independent and wants to do his own thing at, pretty much, all times! And while this can be exhausting at times, it is so fun to watch him explore on his own. At the playground, he just kept wandering off and playing by himself. He would look at me, then get a grin on his face and turn around and run the other direction. Little stinker!

Against our better judgement, we attempted hiking with the Posts. It was beautiful and, don't get me wrong, we LOVE to hike... but an independent 1 year old who doesn't like to be carried (or guided for that matter) and a 35-pound 3 year old who won't walk over the rocks on his own, don't exactly make for good hiking companions. The Post girls rode patiently and sweetly in thier backpacks as we tried to avert tantrums left and right. Eventually, we headed back down the mountain to the car. Sorry Team Post! You'll have to give us a year or two on the hiking!

Madax: Happy Camper (hiker, really).... at the beginning of the hike. ;)

Nice and Cute!.... Beckett fighting the backpack idea.

Madax loves to play "Bombs Away!", a game that Grandma and Randi taught him up at the cabin in Idaho.

Daddy and his boys.

Walking around the town in Breckenridge.

Madax and Emma.

Making homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup... yummy!

Beckett is grinning most of the time! (Although, usually not when I snap the camera)... funny how that works, right?

Group bath!

Hmmm.... Rebecca's yummy cookies!

The kids all loved the Jacuzzi..... except Madax, who was terrified of the bubbles.

Fall!

2009-11-10T13:29:00.004-07:00

A customer of mine from the Real Deals store owns an Apple Orchard called "Happy Apple Farms", so we took the boys out there this fall to troop around and get some apples and pumpkins! So much fun!

Two brothers.... picking rasperries together.... or causing trouble... which is it?

Daddy, helping Madax select just the right pumpkin!

Aaahh.... Love this picture of my munchkins

Madax is so handsome!

They loved to ride on the bbig tractor!

Daddy helping Madax get ready to go to playschool in the morning.

Daddy and Beckett mowing the lawn. Beckett is generally scared and fascinated with the lawnmower all at the same time. He loves to mow with Michael though.... What an amazing Daddy!!

Man multi-tasking at it's best!

What happened to your face?

2009-10-06T09:08:00.003-06:00

So.... we were sitting down for dinner the other night when Madax asked me "Mom, what happened to your face?" I started rubbing down my face, thinking I had some stray scrap of food or makeup somewhere. "Did I get it Madax?" I said. "No, Mommy, What happened to your face?" At this point, I was a little confused where he was going.... "I don't know Madax, What happened to my face?" To which he responded.... "You get hit by a truck Mom?"

I turned to Michael (sitting right next to Madax) and said laugingly, "Where did he learn that?" Michael looked up from his fixated gaze on Sportscenter and replied "Huh?"

Another classic moment at the Daniels' home!

Preschool!

2009-09-22T20:55:00.003-06:00

Madax and Beckett started preschool a couple of weeks ago... (technically, it's called "mother's day out", but who's documenting this... aside from the crazy, overprotective mom???)They are so cute!

Madax is excited to go every day to see Ms. Julie and Ms. Aubra. He told me "Ms. Julie likes me. She gave me a hug and a mooch and she told me she likes me. I like her too." Ms. Julie called Madax her "Star Student" on the first day. She was so impressed with how funny and friendly he was with the other kids. She also told me he was the only one in the class that didn't cry... and she said he used his manners. (little did she know... I bribed him with a starburst!... hee hee~)

Beckett's teachers are Ms. Jen and Ms. Judy. They are impressed with how physically adept Beckett is. Most of the kids in class are older, but not as physically advanced as Beckett.

Idaho Trip

2009-09-22T20:08:00.008-06:00

Beckett turned 1! It's crazy and exciting all at the same time... but it's true. Beckett is now 13 months old! The two little rugrats have their good days and bad days, but all in all.... Madax's words sum it up best "Beckers.... you're my best fwiend."

Auntie Randi and Grandma May threw a big cowboy birthday party for Beckett's 1st birthday in Idaho! Yeah for Beckett!

Beckett's big bro, Madax was there, of course. Addi, Bree Crandall's daughter and his cousin Hazen were there as well. Madax was the one to break the cowboy boot pinata.

Then we went to the cabin. Madax had so much fun riding the 4-wheelers and playing "Bomb's Away", by throwing rocks into the river with Grandma and Auntie Randi! He keeps telling me that we need to go back to the cabin with Grandma.

Madax and Cousin Hazen having some fun at the cabin!

Grandpa May with cute little Beckett and a silly-face-making turd!

We met up at the park with Bree Crandall and her daughter Addi, Katy Nelson (McGee) and her girls, Lucy and Claire, and Amanda Cutler (Derricott) and her boys, Brayden and Dillon.

Madax and his cousin Hazen trooping around at the cabin with their 4-wheeling helmets on. Who says they look like aliens?

Really?

Madax and Beckett with Grandma and Grandpa May

I know... I know.... it's about stinkin' time!

2009-09-11T17:23:00.001-06:00

Tiger Tracks

2009-06-30T10:22:00.002-06:00

So.... this morning when I was putting my makeup on, I realized that my purple makeup brush has been M.I.A. since yesterday afternoon when Madax was "pwetending" to apply eye shadow on his lids. I knelt down and said, "Now Madax, this is why mommy doesn't like you to play with her makeup. I cannot find my brush. Where did you take it yesterday?"

And no joke... he tilted his head to the left, raised his eyebrows and said "I saw tiger tracks."

Hmmm.... so where is this Tiger that likes to steal the eye shadow applicators of mothers in America? I'm posting a reward of $1,000,000 if you can find the cat.

Tanana

2009-06-29T20:30:00.003-06:00

Let me introduce you, my friends, to Tanana (pronounced banana with a "T")- the 6th member of our crazy little Colorado Springs family.

Tanana has been around since the very day Madax was brought into this world. And SHE- yes, tanana is a gwirrel (pronounced squirrel with a "gw")- is a vital part of our existence. Tanana is only allowed inside the confines of our four bedroom abode, yet she tries desperately to escape, in hopes of accompanying Madax on his many adventures in the yard, to the YMCA or to the park.

Some days we get angry at Tanana for doing her amazing little disappearing acts. Madax loves her so much that he can't sleep, eat or sometimes even pee without her. But all-in-all, Tanana is pretty well behaved and provides much comfort and love to our little hoodlum that we call the Matrix.

Thank you Tanana for being the 6th wheel!

Summer Hair

2009-06-29T20:09:00.003-06:00

If you couldn't see the resemblance this kiddo has to his Dad before, you'd be crazy not to see it now. They are twins now that I shaved both of their heads! Bye bye goldie-locks!

I took the boys to the fountain in downtown Colorado Springs assuming they would LOVE to splash around with all the other hyper summery kidlets. I was so wrong. Both Beckett and Madax hated the splashing water and thought it was too cold. Beckett wouldn't let me put him down!

My Hindu Mud-Man!

Moths and Feathers...

2009-06-15T16:41:00.004-06:00

So... I'm sure many of you were wondering why the crazy lady labeled that last post "Moths and Feathers and our latest disaster". Well, you could say it's because I'm going crazy. But you could also say that it's because our internet/phone line crashed right after I attempted to add the video portion of that post.

Here, my friends, is the 2nd cutest account of Moths (mops) and Feathers (Fevvers). (The cutest version was too big apparently. I had to upload this one to youtube because it was too big for blogspot). Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Amd9rYYm2U (This is the best one!... I finally got it to upload!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNovByJF-5s (This is the 2nd best)

Moths, Feathers and our latest disaster...

2009-06-14T08:44:00.005-06:00

So... for all your mothers out there that have GIRLS!... I wish upon you, sometime in the near future, the blessing of BOYS!
Boys... So that you may truly know what it means to have a buddy, you have every opportunity to pull out each hair on your head and so you may never again experience bordom!

And on that positive note.... lipstick anyone?

So much for peacefully folding laundry and having family movie night (Bolt... anyone seen it? Cause I haven't?).

Lipstick caked into the nostrils and eyebrows... fun stuff.

This must be a universally inherited man-code for "let's gross out all the ladies!" (This was not a staged or even prompted pose. It is all-nat-ur-al!)

Where's Madax?

2009-06-09T22:58:00.002-06:00

So... after we put Madax to bed tonight, we went in the living room and watched tv for a little bit before going to bed. I went in to check on the boys and tuck them in before I went to sleep like I normally do, only this time, something was missing: Madax.

I glance over at his "Peshal bed" (a foldup futon type bed that someone gave us which he now insists napping on). Not there. I check my bedroom, assuming that he's wandered in there to curl up on the floor or crawl into "cuddle in mommy's bed" like he frequently requests (a bad habit formed from a few weeks ago when he was sick and I let him watch movies in my bed... I don't recommend this, btw). Not there. I check both bathrooms, as well as Beckett's crib. No where. At this point, I'm a little bit nervous and calling for Michael to come and help me find him. Then I hear a whimper. Not a child's whimper... the dog whining. And it hits me: we haven't seen Wrigley for a while now. Where does good ol' Wrigley usually camp out?

Here! Under the bed! Madax crawled under the bed (pillow, blanket and all) to sleep next to his buddy Wrigley. You can slightly catch a glimpse of her trapped in the upper left hand corner of the picture behind him. She couldn't get out and was whining for me!

Oh.... I love boys and their dogs!

Naptime: Mom's few moments of Sanity...

2009-06-07T16:46:00.003-06:00

Or maybe NOT!

Paint anyone?

Here I am, bathing my two messy kiddos peacefully. Everyone's happy and getting along quite nicely.

Then two seconds later....

Madax doesn't understand the concept of "gentle"

Life with Boys

2009-06-04T22:46:00.002-06:00

So... I got harranged for not posting as frequently as I should. Life around here is a little bit crazy. Two boys make for an interesting existence. My friends who have only girls are dumbfounded with my accounts of shampoo dumping and baseball bat swinging (Yes, Madax whacked Beckett in the face with a giant plastic baseball bat!) Fortunately for Beckett, it bounced right off... but still... the shock of this experience was jarring and unpleasant... and he was sure to let me know.

Then there are the moments when Madax's intentions are honorable and even sweet. He tries to play with and include Beckett, somehow missing the obvious point that Beckett's not a world class wrestler. Beckett also does not enjoy playing pedestrian and being run over repeatedly with the yellow rideable school bus. Beckett is also not entirely fond of being sprayed in the face over and over again with Madax's water bottle- although on that one he didn't even cry- Madax told on himself by expressing to me that he was "cleaning Beckett, Mama! I hewp clean."

All of these things happen, mind you, while I'm in the same room... usually just three or four feet away. You'd think he'd develop a sense of secrecy about his mischeivous manner, but no. He's clueless.

So... if you've been wondering why I don't post, just use your imagination and picture me rescuing Beckett from being dragged across the floor by his pant legs or trying to dig the chicken bones out of Wrigley's throat so she doesn't choke to death! Such is the marvelous life of one Jessica Daniels.

Thank Goodness for Camera Phones!

2009-05-20T17:06:00.003-06:00

Seriously.... how many precious moments would we fail to capture without camera phones? Whoever invented the camera phone... pure genius!

This is how we roll at the grocery store.

My little chef...

How cute are these two?

Emma Pie Post

2009-05-11T09:49:00.007-06:00

Madax is smitten! Our good friends, Jon and Rebecca Post have two adorable girls. The youngest is Reece, and she's just a few months old. The older one is Emma. And Madax loves Emma.

So much so, that when we go over to the Post's home, he is willing to compromise all manly activites and join her in girly charades, such as...

Stroller pushing... and dolls...

And of course, dress up. Here is is sporting the Little Mermaid slippers.

But it's all ok, cause when Emma comes to our house, Madax convinces her to join him in his mischeif making...

Here they have escaped from two babysitters in the basement, undetected by the eight couples in our kitchen and living room. They were found only due to their uncontainable giggles as they lathered up in our shower. Shampoo, conditioner and liquid bady wash coated their clothing and Emma's hair. When we found them, they grinned up at us, giggling all the while. Madax said "Hi Mom, Maddis and Emma jump in the shower real quick!"

Madax just adores Emma. He used to be hesitant to go to the nursery at church, but enticing him with Emma's presence has made all the difference! He can't wait to go now! He sometimes asks me during the week " Mom, go church, see Emma!"

I have a feeling they will be good friends for a long time!

Never a Dull Moment!

2009-05-11T09:21:00.005-06:00

Madax dug up some 9month outfits out of Beckett's dresser and insisted on wearing them. I'm shocked I could even get the snaps buckled together... but somehow I managed. His little buns were hanging out! Here is is tumbling around the living room in his new outfit. He loved it!... probably because Mike and I couldn't stop laughing!

I love this photo of my babies! Aren't they adorable?

Beckett is crawling all over the place now. The moment he figured out how to put one knee in front of the other, he was all the way across the room. Quite a contrast from his older brother, who didn't walk until he was about 15 months old. Beckett already tried to stand up in the middle of the room (without pulling up on anything!)... he's definitely a go-getter!

This is the norm in our house... Madax runs around like a madman, making me laugh. He's got soooo much energy!

The weather has been so nice outside this last week. Madax was able to play outside most of the time, and one day he even found a worm! He kept giving it kisses and elbows (*thanks Riley Traveller!), knocks(knuckles), and of course, nog (butting his head up to it). He loved his little wormie!!

I asked Madax what his worm's name was and he said...."Ummm, name is Fwank."

Beautiful!

Apparently, green beans need a nap too.

This is the look I got throughout the entire 10 minute trip to Hancock Fabrics. The intolerance for all things girly has begun already!

Inspire Me!

2009-04-30T12:35:00.002-06:00

Ok.... so I need some inspiration for recipes! I know all you fabulous cooks out there want to share your family's favorite meal with me! I will tell you ours...

Homemade Calzones
I just make pizza dough in the bread maker, then cut the dough out into personal portions. Sprinkle lots of flour onto the counter first... because they stick like crazy! Roll the dough out into rectangular-ish circles (about 7 inches wide, 10 inches long). Then, spread a small spoonful of spaghetti sauce onto one half of the dough. (preferrably the Four Cheese blend marinara by Classico). Put all your favorite toppings on top of the marinara.

Michael's picks:
Bell Pepper
Onion
Sausage
Mushroom
Pepperoni
Mozzerella Cheese

Jessica's Picks:
Sausage
Pepperoni
Mushrooms
Black Olives
Artichoke Spread
Sun Dried Tomato
Extra Mozz Cheese!

Then you fold the dry half of the dough over the toppings. Press the edges together. Transfer the calzone to a floured baking tray. Cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Pull out of the oven and brush olive oil on the top of the calzone. Cook for 10 more minutes. Wah lah! Yummy, yummy, yummy! Sooo good..... I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

What are your favorite recipes?

Seriously?

2009-04-28T11:35:00.000-06:00

Want to laugh?

2009-04-20T22:07:00.004-06:00

Then come on over to our house!

I will admit, I've been posting like a crazy person lately... and bragging non-stop about how great my kids and my husband are... but that's because they are so wonderful...and hilarious! Madax has my rolling everyday with laughter at the most innocent of blunders. Here are a few from this last week. Try NOT to laugh. I dare you. (Let me know if you succeed. Comment below.)

Digging to China:

Apparently, spoons double as shovels for all kids. When I was a little girl, I, not once, but many times, got reprimanded for taking all the household silverware into my mud pit in the back yard. When asked what I was doing with all the utensils, I told my mom I was digging to China. Obviously, my passion for traveling the world has rubbed off on my son. I went outside this afternoon to find half my silver in the mud.

The Sneak Theif:

Anytime we have company over, Madax steals their sneakers and walks around the house impersonating them. No joke... he starts talking (jibberish) and waving his arms about, as if he is regurgitating the conversation previously held. Here is is posing after one such rant.

Highcentered and loving it: So, I in the kitchen talking with our friend Kinsie, and we hear all this grunting coming from the bathroom. Naturally, we assume Madax is doing his business with the door open. The grunting commences, gets louder and more strained. "Madax, are you doing ok?" I call out. "Mama!" he shouts. I walk down into the bathroom to find this...

So (like any good mother) I run to get my camera. My friend is now laughing histerically at this point, baffled that I would leave my child highcentered and grunting on the edge of the tub. She was soon put at ease, however, when he started making the best of the awkward situation by talking to his bath toys. "Hi Mickey, Maddis stuck." The chat went on and on, as I clicked away, marveling at his positive attitude and his pension for always seeming to lose ONE shoe. Hmmm... interesting.

Nudie-kins: I swear to you, I don't let my child wander around and do whatever he wants with no supervision. The thing is (and I'm sure that any mother of a wild and crazy boy can attest to this) he can get himself into a pickle in a matter of 26 seconds. (I'm learning to be very selective of my potty breaks) So... speaking of which, I went in the bathroom and when I came out, Madax was no longer in the house. The back door was open, so I ventured out there to find him, like so....

Like father, like son, I guess. He had opted for the no-pants policy and wandered outside to give his new playhouse the official welcome. (And yes, he's already peed on the slide and marked his territory).... what a BOY!

And then there's Beckett....

What a sweetheart. Can I say enough times that this kid just melts my heart. He loves his mama so much.

So much that he wants to EAT ME!!!

Who couldn't love this life?

Football-Baseball

2009-04-20T13:11:00.001-06:00

Madax's new favorite activity is playing football-baseball. He wants us to throw the football so he can hit it with a bat. He's pretty good at it too! Take a look-sy.

Who's Who?

2009-04-16T17:28:00.004-06:00

Picture A Picture B

Picture C Picture D

Can you name which boy is in which picture?

Grandma and Grandpa... and a little bit of Randi

2009-04-13T16:26:00.004-06:00

Grandma and Beckett.

Grandpa and his boys! We were playing games and sitting around the table and out of nowhere Madax blurts out "Papa stinks!" It was hilarious!

Madax tried on Grandpa's reading glasses.... remind you of someone? Hmm... I'm thinking Jerry McGuire.

Here is the giant playhouse that Grandma and Grandpa got for the boys. Grandpa, Randi and Daddy spent 2 days putting it all together. Great job worker crew! (Grandma and Mom were busy cooking an awesome Easter Dinner!)

Auntie Randi and little baby Beckett. He loved Randi and followed her all over the room (with his eyes of course.) He really was attached to her.

Beckett is very serious. He always looks as if he's deep in thought.

Here is the playhouse again. Here comes a lot of fun and probably a lot more trouble!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Random Things

2009-04-09T15:44:00.003-06:00

So this was totally a little facebook activity, but I think it's fun.... so I'm posting it here. If you read this, consider yourself tagged... make your own list of 25 random things on your blog so I can get the scoop on YOU!

Here you are... 25 Random Things about Jessica Shiann:

1. My favorite part about being the mother of Madax is when he tries to stall for bedtime by snuggling with me. He says “Watch a moooo-vie, mama. Cuddle on couch.” Very comical.
2. My favorite part about being the mother of Beckett is when he tries to eat my face! Sounds silly, but it’s sooo stinkin funny and cute when he grabs my hair, pulls my head close to him and attempts to put my whole face in his mouth. He loves me!
3. I LOVE Dr. Pepper. All the other flavors can go jump in a lake.
4. I like to paint walls. Some days my husband will come home, and after looking around for a minute or so, he’ll say… “is it just me, or was this room blue when I left for work?”
5. I like to paint canvases too. My Grandma May taught me to paint. Love you Grandma!
6. I like to move. Most people hate moving, but I love new beginnings, new places and meeting new people.
7. I love to smile – I full out grin from ear to ear- about once in every 5 minute time period…usually something Madax said or did… or because Beckett is beaming up at me.
8. I am a clean freak – my favorite smell is Clorox Cleanup Cleaner with Bleach. I’m especially weirded out if my floor isn’t vacuumed. I sometimes vacuum twice a day.
9. I was born and raised in Texas.
10. I am so much like my father it’s scary.
11. I am a perfectionist and get very agitated when life’s little uncertainties get in my way. Because of this, I’m also very critical of myself. If I’ve ever annoyed you or made you mad by something I did, I can almost guarantee I was harder on myself than you were. I’m probably still agitated by it, when you’ve probably long forgotten!
12. I love to write. I am constantly brainstorming new ideas for my next book. Maybe when I actually get a few minutes of spare time, I will get around to putting them down on paper.
13. I am very family oriented.
14. I have a 100% or nothing outlook on life. When I do something, I go all out. With this personality trait, I’m pretty sure if I were a man, I’d be a work-a-holic.
15. I am a gamer (board games… not video games). Very competitive. (like my Dad). Settlers, Seinfeld Scene it & Cranium are among my favorites.
16. My husband is my perfect counterpart in every sense of the phrase. He’s so patient, helpful, laid-back and kind, which is awesome because I’m anal, impatient, always on the go … and a bit of a basket case! (hmmm… like my Dad)
17. I love to write songs and sing them… to myself or to my husband… or to my boys.
18. I’m pretty creative. This serves to be quite helpful since I own a home décor store and people pay me to decorate for them.
19. I’m very politically conservative. … yes, I’m one of those crazy people who still thinks that some things are worth fighting for.
20. I hate loose ends… things left to do on my list, forgetting things, people being upset with me… anything dangling over my head. It keeps me up at night…. Or if it doesn’t keep me awake, I dream about it.
21. I’m a big baseball fan.
22. I’m probably kind of obsessive and maybe, just maybe, have a bit of an addictive personality.
23. My favorite color is red. .. deep red.
24. My MOM is my hero. Anyone who doesn’t know Shauna May… you’re missing out. She is the sweetest, most genuine, most talented, optimistic and self-disciplined person on earth! I wish I could be more like her.
25. I absolutely LOVE my life!...problems and all. While I’d be the first to admit, everything in my life isn’t rosy and perfect all the time, I am married to a wonderful man, I have two adorable kids, we are all healthy, we have a place to live and food on the table. So…. Life is wonderful! God is good and I have been so incredibly blessed.

Today I'm a Jabberwocky

2009-04-09T10:07:00.003-06:00

Yes, normally I just post a ton of pics. But today I'm going to jabber at you.

So this morning, we had round 5 or 6 of the adventures in shampoo land. (For those of you just tuning in... Madax just simply cannot control his intense urge to dump the entire contents of the shampoo bottle on his head, the floor, the toilet, the sink, Beckett, the dog, the towels, his little chicken legs... anywhere imaginable... whenever he gets a few moments of quiet reprieve) This morning it was while I was feeding Beckett and scrambling around the house trying to get ready to go to work at the store. Needless to say, Michael and I were a bit frustrated at the mess AGAIN.

In the midst of wiping the thick, gooey whoberry "Horton hears a who" Shampoo off each object in our guest bathroom, we were wondering why on Earth this kid can't get it straight? Only Mom and Dad are supposed to use the shampoo. How hard is it, right? I mean, seriously, who dumps the entire bottle out at once? C'mon, two-year-old, get with the program!!!

Well... in the midst of our ranting and raving and acting like little kids, Madax looked up at me with a confused look on his little face. "I hewp, Mama." He said, "I hewp sham-pew Beckett."
I couldn't help but laugh. It's a good thing this kid os so darn cute...

Anywho... my more rational and loving side kicked in and I softly explained to Madax that, while he was trying to "help" sham-pew little Beck, it's not a good idea to douse a baby's head with a thick layer of goo. Also not a great idea to saturate every inch of our bathroom.

At this moment I also remembered a little tidbit from a book that I've been reading about discipline. It's called the "No-Cry Discipline Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. Great book for all you mamas out there. Basically, she explains that as adults, we expect children to behave and obey after being reprimanded once. Our frustrations come, not because they have done something wrong, but because we have told them before not to do something, and they did it anyway. Crazy kids! Why can't they get it right after we tell them how to or not to do something?

In doing this, we naively expect them to live up to standards that we, even as adults, do not live up to. She uses the example of speeding in our cars. We all know that we aren't supposed to speed. We've seen bad examples and accidents that were caused by speeding. We've probably even all gotten a speeding ticket at some point or another. Yet, there are moments in our lives that we all find a way to justify speeding along in our cars. We can't get it right 100% of the time... even with traffic signs, police cars on the shoulder and many other constant reminders that we need to heed the law.

Ok, Madax, even though I'm an insane perfectionist, I won't expect you to live up to a mark that I fall short of... Love you little buddy!

Running at Jack Quinns

2009-04-08T13:21:00.002-06:00

We are gearing up to run a ragnar relay with my crazy family! Randi has all of us running like fools! In September we will be running with a team of twelve from San Antonio to Austin, TX. In preparation for this race, we joined a running club here in Colorado Springs.

After our run, we hang out with some friends at an Irish Grill downtown. They have live music and great food!

Here is Madax, dancing to the Irish tunes with his girlfriends! He's dancing for you Rhona!!!

Here he is with Emma Post, his little girly friend. She's such a sweetheart. A few minutes after this picture, he started feeding her goldfish crackers... it was hilarious. What a gentleman!

My Sister-in-law is AMAZING!

2009-04-03T10:03:00.006-06:00

Tanya Ott, Michael's sister, is seriously a FABULOUS photographer! If you need your pics taken.... fly her out to do it... cause she's amazing!

Here are a few of the great pics she took...

Riddle me this?

2009-04-01T14:17:00.007-06:00

Ok.... if you like logic, and you think you might be a smart problem solver, see if you can figure this one out....

You are in a house with one floor and an attic upstairs. Upstairs in the attic there are three light bulbs. At the bottom of the stairs there are three light switches. Each switch controls one of the bulbs. You can only go up the stairs once.
How do you determine which switch controls which light bulb?

Entertain me with any quesses you might have. And if you have questions, you can definitely ask me.

I will post a hint on Saturday.
NO Cheating! (and if you do cheat, or look up the answer online, don't respond and give it away)

New York City

2009-03-31T12:32:00.002-06:00

Uncle Eric, Madax and Michael in Little Italy.

Uncle Eric was so nice to hoist little Madax up onto this giant bull. There were a bunch of German people standing around taking pictures of this bull as well, and they thought Madax was hilarious. He wasn't paying attention to me when I was trying to get him to look at the camera so I told him to say "cheese". He turned to the camera and in a really goofy voice, he said "cheese" and they all burst out laughing. Then he laughed because they were laughing. It was really cute.

Uncle Eric pointing to the Statue of Liberty. What a clear beautiful day, huh?

Michael and Madax at Battery Park.

Me eating lunch at an Italian restaurant in Little Italy.

Our trip to the East Coast

2009-03-30T20:30:00.004-06:00

As I previously posted, Michael's cousin, Jenelle, passed away. We went to Boston for a memorial service for her this last weekend, then went down to Princeton, New Jersey to stay with Carrie, Jenelle's sister, for a few days. Pictured above: Eric, Carrie Vahidi, Steve Vahidi, Michael, Me, Madax and Great Grandma Daniels. We LOVE you Jenelle!

Madax, Beckett and their cousin Reagan in the bath. Carrie and Steve have adorable little Reagan and are expecting their second child in August.

Jenelle and her fiance' Erik got a shirt for little Beckett Daniels and a baseball signed by Josh Beckett (pitcher for the Red Sox). Erik works for Curt Schilling.

I got in trouble for this.... but I just had to do it. My mother calls him "Becketta" now. Ooops!

More pics from our trip...

2009-03-25T12:50:00.003-06:00

Here is Madax in his Big boy "Unders", as he calls them... looking over the balcony outside our room. This picture just cracks me up!

Stephanie Daniels (Madax's cousin) hung out with him the entire time! It was so cute to watch them play.

Here is Madax in the Mickey pool. He was enthralled with the bubbling jets. Jacob is squirting him in the face!

Madax and Stephanie.

His cute little cousin, Kael.

Mom and Baby Beckett on the beach ... before we managed to get a tan!

We had our family pics taken by Tonya (Michael's super talented sister), so we're anxiously awaiting those. She's AMAZING!

Disney Cruise!

2009-03-23T15:33:00.004-06:00

Wow... if you want a fun family adventure, this is the way to go! let me preface everything by saying that I recommend this for families who have children 4yrs or older. (traveling with little little ones is exhausting in general... and usually kids under 4 have more anxiety about being away from their parents, and therefore, cannot fully enjoy all the great activities that Disney has planned for them.)

There were four amazing gourmet restaurants, one buffet style restaurant, all-day pizza, hamburger & deli stops, a soda fountain and ice cream station. The food was incredible and all included in the cruise fare. There were three pools... one in the shape of mickey's head, 1.5 ft. deep for the little kids, complete with slide, a 4ft. pool at the base of a jumbo-tron which played Disney movies non-stop and had two jacuzzis, and an adults-only pool with two jacuzzis. There was an aracade, a workout facility, a spa and salon, a sports area, a teen hangout area. There were different clubs allocated for different age groups from age 3-18, in which they had activities, crafts and meals planned from 8am - midnight. You could check your kids in and out at your convenience: some people checked kids in all day, some hardly at all... totally depending on your kids and your family. There was a stage theatre for live performances, as well as a movie theatre for great Disney affiliated movies (we got to see the initial viewing of 'Race to Witch Mountain'). There were about 5 activities going on every hour... ranging from scrapbooking and line dancing to wine tastings and cooking classes.... tons and tons of stuff to do! There were character appearances, Disney plays, and firework shows.

We stopped at the islands of St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay ( a Disney owned island) with tons of beach, sand volleyball & soccer, bike riding, 4 wheeling, jet-skiing and sting-ray petting.

We swam in the ocean and relaxed on the beach (or tried to.... in between digging sand out of Madax's eyes, rescuing Beckett from the tide which wiped him out and attempting to keep sand out of nether regions of both the boys' bodies). It was an amazing trip and I would recommmend this to EVERYONE!

Attendees: 19 (10 adults, 9 kiddos)

Grandma and Grandpa Clark (Michael's Mom)

Eric (Michael's brother), his wife Barbie, kids Jessica, Jacob and Stephanie

Tonya (Michael's Sister), husband Jamie, kids Adam, Haley and Kael

Sonya (Michael's Sister), husband Sam, son Johnathan

Michael, Me, Madax and Beckett

Departed: Saturday March 14 - Port Canaveral, Orlando, Florida

Returned: March 21

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Clark for taking us and all our fun cousins!

Grandma with our fabulous waiters (they follow you to each restaurant and serve your family the entire trip... it's great because they get to know you and have many of your preferences waiting for you when you arrive for dinner each night)... Clockwise: Non(server from Thailand), Madax, Grandma, Adam Ott, Jacob Daniels, Deneval (server from Jamaica), Stephanie Daniels, Kael Ott, Johnathan Parthemer

Madax loved playing with all his cousins... and even though they are all older, they were so good to him. They played with him and swam with him, helped him eat dinner and even went to the little kids club with him (even though they could have gone with the older group). Here he is playing with Kael (age 5).

Michael... playing pictionary with the clan during one of the days at sea. Isn't my husband so stinkin' hot??

Madax loved seeing Mickey. We were waiting in line to get his picture taken with Mickey and I was trying to tuck in his shirt and straighten his belt (silly mother)... and Mickey saw that he was hopping up and down and was yelling his name, so he bent down and motioned for Madax to come to him. Then he opened his arms wide. Madax pushed right through me, knocking me on my butt, as he ran up to Mickey and gave him a HUGE hug! It was so funny and adorable.

Madax and Daddy in front of the "Disney Magic", our ship. We were on the island of St. Thomas.

Madax playing with his cousin Jacob and sporting his shades. "Wear gwasses... like Daddy!" he says.

The beach on St. Maarten. The water was sooooo incredibly blue.

Madax cheesing it up for the camera with his cousins, Jacob and Kael. He loved being one of the boys.

This is Beckett in his life vest! They make you do an emergency evacuation drill the first day of the cruise...complete with life jackets. Beckett is such a trooper!

Headbutting contest with a coffee table, anyone?

2009-03-09T11:07:00.003-06:00

If you've ever wondered what a close encounter with your furniture might look like, here are the results. We suggest you don't try to bully large wooden objects around your home... certain disfigurement may occur!

We Love you Jenelle!

2009-03-06T22:07:00.002-07:00

Thursday, March 5, 2008, Michael's cousin, Jenelle, passed away. Please pray for her family as they celebrate her life, but mourn their loss. Jenelle was wonderfully uplifting and always so sweet and optimistic. We love you Jenelle! We love you Debbie, Carrie and Erik. Our prayers are with you!

Happy Boy/ Serious Boy

2009-03-06T22:03:00.002-07:00

This is our happy, giggly Beckett boy. He laughs as he watches Madax dance around the room and be a goofball. He smiles everytime he makes eye contact with hims Mama!

This is our serious, "I have some intense thoughts going on in this noggin", Beckett boy. When he gets this stern and solemn look on his face, the only thing that can break him is Madax's ranting!

Beckett is no longer toothless!

2009-02-27T15:12:00.002-07:00

I let Beckett start gnawing on my thumb today, like usual, and lo and behold... when he bit down, there was a tooth! Yeah for Beckett... not so fun for my fingie!!!

He isn't even fussy.... teething and all.

Who knew that watercolors double as lipstick??

Silly Boys...

2009-02-24T14:15:00.002-07:00

Madax is such a goofball... he loves to be the center of attention and make us laugh. If I am talking to someone else or doing something, he grabs my face and says "Mama... look at me!"... hmmm... wonder where he got that from?? When he's done something he shouldn't, I kneel down to talk to him and explain why he should behave. Sometimes, I have to get his attention first, so I turn his head and say "Madax, Look at me."

Who couldn't love this kid??

I know, I know! You're thinking I'm girl-hungry... but in my defense, the kid asked me to do his hair. I think he added "like Daddy hair"... but hey... he doesn't know the difference, right?

Beckett is the most chill baby you've ever seen. He loves to watch his big brother and he just giggles whenever Madax sings or dances or paces back and forth across the room (like Daddy) when he's talking on the phone to Grandma.

Here is Beckett... studying his bro.

Shortly after this photo, we had to kindly explain to Madax that, while sharing is good, choking Beckett with real food might not be such a good idea.

Thank you HONEY!

2009-02-18T13:19:00.002-07:00

Did I tell all of you that I have the greatest husband in the whole entire world? Many women probably got flowers for valentines day that have already died... or are on there way out by now. My wonderful husband listened to something I said weeks ago and went and bought me a new chandelier for my dining room. Brownie points for Michael!
What a sweetheart!
Love you Michael!

Beckett in the Tent

2009-02-11T15:09:00.002-07:00

Beckett can sit!

2009-02-10T16:41:00.002-07:00

Beckett can sit on his own now! He is such a sweetie. He has his Dad's layed-back and easy going personality. He's the happiest baby we've ever seen and he's growing up soooo fast! I'm betting that the hair turns blond, Michael's thinking brown. Any guesses?

Shampoo anyone?

2009-01-30T15:43:00.003-07:00

How much Shampoo is in the entire bottle anyway? .... hmmm.... I think we should find out.

Definitely enough to thickly coat my HUGE melon!

Enough to spread the leftovers all over the toilet seat and floor.

Do I have the "mischeif-makers" look perfected yet? Slick hair, workman's belt, Curious George jacket with matching socks, completing the ensamble with one Spidey slipper? I think I'm doing pretty good here.

Cousins!

2009-01-30T15:11:00.002-07:00

Auntie Randi got to tackle, tickle and tease these two little Squirts! They LOVE her!

The three musketeers!

Who needs an array of expensive and colorful toys when you have cardboard?

I second that, Cousin!

Let's wrestle in here!

My little Munchkin

2009-01-30T14:41:00.003-07:00

Madax, Tyson and Beckett. Madax is holding his "Tyson Monkey and Randi Monkey".

"Mom.... why in the world are we posed like this? Even Dad says this is gay."

Wow. What can I say?... the boy likes to dress up.

Spa Retreat

2009-01-30T14:35:00.004-07:00

We decided to take Randi for a day of pampering and female bonding at the Marod Day Spa. It was a blast!

Brenda (Mother of the Groom!) and Madison Traveller

Kennedy, Brenda and Madison Traveller

Katie Marie May

Madre and Kat (Mother-of-the-bride!)

Madre, Randi and Kat

Randi's Wedding

2009-01-30T14:22:00.003-07:00

Well... Randi's finally got a blog, and once she gets it updated, there will be plenty of beautiful wedding pics. Until then, I thought I'd share of the very few that I snagged. She was amazingly gorgeous on her wedding day... glowing. Tyson was beautiful as well!

Beckett in the Hospital

2009-01-27T15:20:00.001-07:00

Total Slacker

2009-01-27T14:29:00.003-07:00

Ok.... So I admit. I AM A TOTAL SLACKER on the blog front.
One of my new years resolutions it to be a better, more consistent clogger, I mean blogger. Ha ha ... so here goes.

Since Thanksgiving....

Randi's Wedding in Twin Falls, Idaho
Christmas in Twin with Grandma and Grandpa May
New Years in Colorado Springs... in bed ny 10pm... like I admitted before.... total slacker!

January was spent regrouping the Home Decor Store and trying to get back to normal. Both efforts thwarted by a family-wide spread of the RSV Virus, complete with a 5-day experience in the hospital for Beckett... IV fluid, oxygen mask, bi-hourly wall vacuum suctioning of his nose and throat (ask him about these... he loved them!), ear infection, etc.

Now we are back at home, trying once again, to recuperate and get back to normal (with, I must add, a migraine headache- I'm sure is caused by my hairbrain idea to cut out Dr.Pepper for a while. Hmmm... are we thinking addiction to that which the Doctor ordered? Maybe so.)
Happy Birthday to me!
Ha ha ha...

I will post some pictures after I get my camera back from the shop (some blonde-headed munchkin seemed to think it doubled as a baseball.) Test results back: camera not throwing material.

Thanks! Check back soon for more of our life/drama!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T15:05:00.003-07:00

Beckett is such a sweetie! He's so laid back and content.

Nothing like a force-feeding! You WILL eat Thanksgiving dinner and you WILL enjoy it Beckett!

Someone is hiding from his mother, who is kindly trying to put shoes on the kid!

Here he is, post shoes.

I guess we're just making sure Beckett doesn't have it too easy around here!

Mornings these days...

2008-11-27T14:59:00.004-07:00

look something like this!

'Leaf' me alone mom, I'm playing!

2008-11-08T12:48:00.004-07:00

Madax loves leaves~

Fall Festival!

2008-11-08T12:39:00.005-07:00

We had a fall festival and costume party at our church. Madax went as a republican! Ha ha... just kidding. He was an elephant.... and a darn cute one at that!
Here he is with his two girlfriends from the nursery, Maycie, the chick and Emma, the kitty.He loved all the candy.
I hate halloween.

Going Private!

2008-10-02T21:20:00.003-06:00

I didn't want to do this.... but, we are going private.

Ashlee Corrigan and I are beginning a fun little endeavor, therefore, my family blog will be going private for the safety of my family.

Let me know if you'd like to be invited to view our blog!
Thanks!

Congratulations!

2008-09-24T19:30:00.002-06:00

Well... it's happened! My baby sister is engaged! Randi Dawn May is set to marry Tyson Traveller on December 20th. Congratulations little sis!

It's crazy for me to think of Randi getting married... cause honestly, I still see her as this adorable little girl. She's always been the sweet, innocent, shy one in the family. But, she's grown up to be a beautiful, intelligent woman before our eyes! Congratulations Tyson for winning such a great gal! Thank you for making her happy! We can't wait to have you in the family!

September 23~ Happy Anniversary!

2008-09-18T09:07:00.004-06:00

September 23, 2005... we tied the knot!
It's hard to believe that we've been married 3 years! They say that time flies when you're having fun. I swear, Michael and I got engaged yesterday and somehow I blinked, only to open my eyes and find that 3 years have gone by.
3 wonderful years with an amazing man. He is the greatest husband, always helping me out around the house, doing the yard work, bathing the kids, playing with the kids, playing fetch with Wrigley, working hard to provide for us, giving me massages!, helping me with the store, being patient with me and loving me every day. I couldn't imagine being married to anyone but him... and I couldn't imagine how he could be a better father or husband.

I love you Michael!

Bisquick Anyone?

How do the rest of you contain your children while you're in the bathroom?

A visit from Grandma Clark!

2008-09-14T17:32:00.006-06:00

Michael's Mother, Marilyn came to visit and help us keep things together for week. Madax loved to play with her, read books and go on walks!

He also loved and took advantage of her weakness: ICE CREAM! Here he is, caught in the act of begging!

Whipped Cream anyone?

Have you ever tried to take a family photo with a 22-month-old, a man and a baby? If you've tried and succeeded, please let me know your secrets!

My adorable little Duckie!

My Boys!

2008-09-14T17:15:00.004-06:00

Is this not the most beautiful little boy? I just LOVE him soooo much! He has the prettiest eyes!... even for a boy!

This looks like such a fun moment, doesn't it? It wasn't long after this shot that Madax looked up at me and said "Done. All done."

This man melts my heart! There is something so endearing and heartwarming about a man of great strength holding a tiny infant with such gentility and tenderness. It amazes me every day to watch this man I love so dearly as he interacts with our two boys. He is so patient, so kind... and yes, so playful! I never could have imagined what a wonderful Daddy he would become, but he truly sets a phenomenal example for our children to admire and aspire to follow. I love you Michael!

Diapers for Pooh!

2008-09-05T21:38:00.002-06:00

Madax brought Winnie the Pooh (a gift from Grandma Clark) up to me, turned Pooh over onto his tummy and, as he pointed to Pooh's backside, said a little something like this... " A Poop."
"Huh Madax?"
"A Poop." He said. "A go change."
Then he walked out of the living room and off down the hallway. I followed to find him thrusting Pooh up onto the changing table. He then grabbed a diaper off the "diaper cake" on the table (a gift from Auntie Tonya). About ten seconds and a lot of struggling later, Madax turns to his giggling mother and says "Hep, Mama. Hep."
Grandma Clark and I couldn't resist. Pooh got diapered today!

A day at the Daniels home

2008-09-02T21:46:00.002-06:00

Little Beckett is cute as can be! He is only awake for a few hours each day, but when he is, he's delightful. He looks around at everything, just taking in the world.

We don't have many pics of Mom and Madax. I guess that's pretty usual... mom's are usually the photographers of the family... and the booger-cleaner-upers. Caught me!

Madax loves the playground!

Brotherly Love!

2008-08-29T10:39:00.003-06:00

Beckett had his first real bath the other night and Madax was so cute. He wanted to be right there to help pour the warm water all over Beck! When we first bathed Madax, he screamed and yelled and it woke him right up to be submerged in water. Beckett was just the opposite, he fell asleep! He loved the warm water! We got a kick out of the personality difference. This is going to be an interesting journey!

Our little cowboy! He learned how to say "Cowboy Hat" today instead of just "hat".

Madax wants to make sure his little bro also has some sort of "hat" to wear!

Madax asks to hold Beckett almost everyday. He goes up to Beck in the swing or the bouncer, or even in your lap and tries to pick him up. Then he looks at you and says, "Help". So you take Madax to the couch and get him situated and put Beckett in his arms. He sits there grinning for about 45 seconds, then makes the sign for "done" and says "all don". So stinkin' cute!

No, that is not a bruise on the side of his nose. It's blue marker!

What's in a name?

2008-08-29T09:55:00.003-06:00

So... we get a lot of "huhs?" and "where did that come from?" comments when we tell people the names of our sons. In my quest to name my children with great, solid names that were a little unique and different, but not weird or unheard of, I somehow missed the mark. But it's ok if other people aren't entirely sold on their names, cause I LOVE them. And they fit ever so well!

So here it is... the reasoning behind it all...

Madax Franklen:
Madax~ Michael and I met while working in minor league baseball... hence a name derived from my favorite baseball player and possibly one of the best pitchers of all time, Greg Maddux. Maddux won the Cy Young Award 4 years in a row, focuses his pitching on control, rather than speed and is an all-around good guy. Mike likes him too!
Franklen~ My father's middle name is Frank. Michael's paternal Grandfather's name is Frank. Therefore, we came up with Franklen, and although I get chatised because "Franklen" is not the same name as "Frank", people should just consider it an honor that we used their name to come up with a name for our child! We could have used Hank or Roy or, as Michael would have it... Spoone. So feel honored!!

Beckett Thrower:
Beckett~ Samuel Beckett was a writer, dramatist and poet. Won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969. While, I admit, he's not exactly my favorite writer of all-time, his work is though-provoking and interesting. I studied him in college and this is where the idea of the name Beckett emerged. Josh Beckett is also a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox (an added incentive for Michael).
Thrower~ Michael's Mother's Father, Cecil Thrower, is a wonderful man, and someone who Michael has looked up to tremendously throughout the years. Thrower is a family name and holds great importance for Michael.

Spoone: The name that has somehow not managed to make it to the top of the naming list (hmm... I wonder why not??). This name has been Michael's favorite contender in the name game for both children thus far, and I am sure it will remain his most-revered name for subsequent children as well! As a child, whenever Michael would play video games or sports games, he would choose "Spoone" as his name. He feels the name is the stuff of legends!... great for athletes... and that, as the "catchy" name it is, would become as common place and familiar as "Apple" or "Suri".... or maybe even my brother's favorite names, "Rytillion" or "Civis". Stay tuned... I'm sure this is not the last time you will see or hear this name!

Drop!

2008-08-26T12:38:00.002-06:00

Madax loves Wrigley!

Madax at the playground

2008-08-26T09:31:00.002-06:00

Our neighbor boy, Josh, was at the playground and Madax was trying desperately to grab his attention.

A Beautiful Life

2008-08-25T16:53:00.002-06:00

At this point, I swear I am the most fortunate person in the world! The Lord has really rained down blessings upon me with this amazing little family of mine! Every day I am reminded of his love for me when I look at these two precious little munchkins. They are special and perfect in every way and I am so overwhelmed with just how much I love them. I never could have imagined this intense capacity to love. And I never could have imagined just how much my own mother loves me without the blessed experience of motherhood. It is truly a miracle.

Here is our little Beckett, sleeping ever so soundly. He sleeps all the time! A stark contrast to his older brother, who loved to be awake. When Beckett does wake up, he just calmly looks around, taking everything in very slowly and cautiously. I can't wait to see his little personality emerge as time goes on!

He's already got Grandpa May's little worry lines in his forehead!

This little face just melts my heart every day! He loves his baby brother. When Madax wakes up from his naps, he walks out into the living room saying "Beckett? Beckett?"
This morning he was holding Beckett's little hands and pushing them together saying "cwap, Beckett, cwap".... He was trying to teach Beckett how to "clap."

Isn't this kid going to be a heartbreaker? Who couldn't love those eyes?

This is Madax trying to call his favorite person in the world... Grandma.

Beckett Thrower Daniels

2008-08-19T13:34:00.006-06:00

Beckett was born Thursday, August 14 at 7:27am
He weighed 7lbs. 10 oz. and is 20 inches long.

Madax loves him to death and is always checking to make sure he is in the room. When he can't see the baby, he raises his little arms and says "Beckett go?"

Our little clan.

Grandma May is here to help out and make sure Madax is happy. He loves his "Granga!" He wakes up each morning yelling "Granga!" from his bedroom until she comes upstairs to play with him.

Daddy, Madax and Beckett cuddling on the couch.

Daddy holding Beckett right after he was born.

Grandpa May and Beckett

Grandpa, Grandma and the two little skiddles!

BABY UPDATE: MINIMAL

2008-08-13T19:23:00.002-06:00

So... this isn't the fun, picture posting news you're all waiting for... but it is an update.

Wednesday, August 13: Doctor Stripped My Water, Dilated 2.5cm, 80-90% Effaced. Labor expected to commence in the next 48 hours. (Hopefully!) Sanity, please!

C'MON BABY!!!

Grandma May is coming tonight. Randi and Grandpa coming on Friday Night.

SLACKER!

2008-08-10T17:41:00.002-06:00

Alright... so I admit: I am a blogging slacker!

It's been a month since I've posted anything. I am sorry. Slacker, I am.
MY only excuse is that I've been trying desperately to keep myself insanely busy so that I don't have time to focus on the fact that I'm due any day now... and growing terribly uncomfortable.

As far as pregnant people go, I'm very blessed and I'm doing as good as any pregnant person could. That being said... being 9 months pregnant is NO FUN, no matter how great your pregnancy has gone or is going.

Last Thursday: Dilated to 2, 60% Effaced. Doctor thought the baby would come this weekend. It's now Sunday night. Great prediction!

I will keep you posted on the baby front. Stay tuned!

YIKES!

2008-07-11T10:01:00.001-06:00

Madax got stung by a bee yesterday. These pictures cannot even show just how bad his little lip was swollen. He looked like a totally different person. It was heart-breaking!

The New Nursery!

2008-07-10T13:48:00.002-06:00

Finally, we can have the baby!

(Yes, I know... not so pretty... the chair is going to be covered)

Madax Loves the New Room!

2008-07-10T13:44:00.002-06:00

Madax loves the new room! He loved helping and watching us paint and fix everything up. It also wore him out! Here he is, passed out on the floor in the corner of his room!
We changed his bed from a crib to a "big boy bed". He sleeps curled up like a little cat now (when he's not passed out on the floor, of course!)

More shots of the nursery...

Close Up Shots of the Nursery

2008-07-10T13:36:00.004-06:00

I am Still Alive!

2008-07-10T13:18:00.003-06:00

No.... I have not dropped off the face of the planet. Might seem so.... but this last month has just been crazy busy! We figured we'd better get all our traveling in before the baby got here, cause we won't be going anywhere for a while after that. Then, in November, Madax turns two and we will have to pay for his airline tickets. Needless to say, the Daniels Company is not going to be leaving Colorado Springs for quite a while.

So, you might ask what in the world we've been doing?

Cabin Trip: Well, we started off the month of June with a trip to my parents' cabin in Idaho with Michael's Mother and Brother. You've seen the photos of that.

Lake Tahoe: After a brief stop here in Colorado Springs, we took a trip to Lake Tahoe with the May family to run a 70-mile race around Lake Tahoe. I was, of course, kicked out of the race, due to obvious reasons. But Mike was part of a 7-man team to run around the lake. Each person had a 10-mile leg to run. It was hot, it was steep, it was grueling for everyone involved (except for Randi, who ran the longest leg, 12.5 miles, in the heat of the day... she's a robot in case you didn't know). I will post pictures as soon as I get them.

Lacey's Wedding: We came home again for a brief stint, before returning to Twin Falls, Idaho for Lacey Van Engelen's wedding, which was beautiful and perfect. I will also post pictures of this soon... so stay tuned for that.

Randi Visited Us: Baby is due in about 5-6 weeks. Randi came this last weekend to help me make something of the room we have been calling the nursery. The bedding is in Idaho being made by Grandma May, so bear with me... (there are no drapes or bedding, and the chair still needs to be recovered)

Now we are back in Colorado Springs for good. I will post pictures of the new nursery tonight... so keep in touch!

Last Train From Paris

2008-06-04T18:08:00.002-06:00

We played a murder-mystery game Saturday night.

What a bunch of well-dressed thespians!

Madax's Cousins

2008-06-04T18:05:00.000-06:00

Jessica

Jacob

Stephanie

Photo Shoot in the Woods!

2008-06-04T17:57:00.002-06:00

Eric and Barbara Daniels

Grandpa and Grandma Clark

Michael, Jessica, Madax and Baby D... 7 months in the making

Grandma, Grandpa and all the skiddles!

Daddy and Madax

Cabin Adventures

2008-06-04T17:47:00.002-06:00

Madax got his first squirt-gun from Grandma Clark! Here he is, testing it out on Daddy.

His favorite part of the trip was taking the head off of the fake owl statue that Grandpa mounted to the porch at the cabin to keep the woodpeckers away. He kept making his cousins, Jessica, Jacob and Stephanie get the owl head down for him so he could run around with it saying "Ow, Ow!"

Madax and Daddy (with his mountain man mustache!)

Jessica and Stephanie were sooo good to Madax. They carted him around and played with him the whole trip! He loves them all very, very much. Jacob was so good with him as well, showing him how to use certain toys and playing with him and the singing fish!

Auntie Randi taught Madax how to kiss!

Idaho Farmland!

2008-06-04T17:33:00.002-06:00

Madax loves his Grandma! And this is an understatement! He had so much fun learning to drive the lawn mower in Idaho this last week.

Vroom! Vroom!

Madax loves his Cowboy hat. He's been putting it on himself lately, along with his Mardi-gras beads that he got from the neighbor girls. In Idaho, at Grandma's house, he got to see horses and cows! How exciting!

This was his reaction to the horses! He got a little bit nervous when we got right up next to them, but after about 15 minutes of watching Grandma and I brush them out and pet them, he decided that they must be safe enough to poke. Yep... my son the cowboy would just reach out and poke the horse, then pull his finger back very quickly. It was quite humorous!

Two city-slickers on the farm!

Grass Wars

2008-05-18T21:14:00.003-06:00

Today we went over to the neighbors for a little dessert get-together. Madax played with Catherine and Elizabeth, while our neighbor Becky taught them all how to make that loud, squeeky duck sound by blowing through a blade of grass. These pictures were Madax's reaction to the sound. He thought it was so funny. And he just kept asking "Gecky" to do it more!

He also discovered a deep and profound love for grass. He kept picking clumps and then walking around, giving it to any woman or girl in sight! He's got the right idea. One day, I'll teach him how to substitute the grass clumps for flowers.... or at least dandelions!

mike *n* jesy

Thanksgiving with the Otts and Daniels

The Star Wars Fetish Begins!

Lake of the Ozarks

Beckett's 3rd Birthday Bash!

Summer of fun!

Easter and Mother's Day

Shout out to Aunt Randi and Gammy

Crazy Colorado Weather

Playtime

The adventures of Dax and Beck

Random schtuff

Beckett's Birthday

Summer fun continued...

Summer fun

Beckett's Dedication

I love my life!

I'm in LOVE...

Hiking in good ol' CO~

My Latest Love/Hate Relationship

Happy Birthday Madax!

Halloween

Emma Pie Post

Breckenridge

Fall!

What happened to your face?

Preschool!

Idaho Trip

I know... I know.... it's about stinkin' time!

Tiger Tracks

Tanana

Summer Hair

Moths and Feathers...

Moths, Feathers and our latest disaster...

Where's Madax?

Naptime: Mom's few moments of Sanity...

Life with Boys

Thank Goodness for Camera Phones!

Emma Pie Post

Never a Dull Moment!

Inspire Me!

Seriously?

Want to laugh?

Football-Baseball

Who's Who?

Grandma and Grandpa... and a little bit of Randi

Random Things

Today I'm a Jabberwocky

Running at Jack Quinns

My Sister-in-law is AMAZING!

Riddle me this?

New York City

Our trip to the East Coast

More pics from our trip...

Disney Cruise!

Headbutting contest with a coffee table, anyone?

We Love you Jenelle!

Happy Boy/ Serious Boy

Beckett is no longer toothless!

Silly Boys...

Thank you HONEY!

Beckett in the Tent

Beckett can sit!

Shampoo anyone?

Cousins!

My little Munchkin

Spa Retreat

Randi's Wedding

Beckett in the Hospital

Total Slacker

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mornings these days...

'Leaf' me alone mom, I'm playing!

Fall Festival!

Going Private!

Congratulations!

September 23~ Happy Anniversary!

A visit from Grandma Clark!

My Boys!

Diapers for Pooh!

mike n jesy