Madsen World

Stella Turned 1!!!

2011-09-30T15:10:00.003-06:00

The day after the funeral Stella turned 1. It was nice to celebrate the end of an amazing life and the beginning stages of another so close together. As a result of a busy not the best nap week, Stella was kind of a crank. With her being our big eater I thought she would devour the cake. She just picked at it. It was fun to celebrate with family still in town. I can't believe its been a year since we welcomed her into this world. She is a cutie. She is so clingy to me. She cries sometimes even when I am handing her to her dad. She is busy, busy, busy! Crawling and getting into everything. She's a climber. I often find her on to of the kids table. She definitely keeps us on our toes and makes us laugh. Happy Birthday our little angel!

The Day of the Funeral

2011-09-30T15:03:00.001-06:00

One of the Great Ones

2011-09-30T14:46:00.002-06:00

On September 4, 2011 our Heavenly Father received one of the greatest men I have ever known back into his service. Dan's dad passed away in his home surrounded my family. What an amazing man he was. A veteran who served his country well. After being shot down he was saved by the people of Slovakia. He served a mission in Slovakia after he finished his service to our country. He had such a love for the Slovak people. He always had the most amazing life stories to share. He was a very giving man and he meant the world to Dan. They were buddies. I feel blessed to not only have known him, but that I can call him family. I am grateful Kyler and Addie were able to have a good relationship with him before his mind started to slip. The kids loved him and he loved them. Even when they were a little wild he was always smiling. I know the Lord has much work for him to do. I know he is willing and grateful to be at his Heavenly Father's service.

Back to School

2011-09-20T16:52:00.002-06:00

On August 22nd Kyler started 1st grade. He didn't have any problem adjusting to being at school all day long. He is loving it! He also loves taking the bus with all the kids in our neighborhood. On September 6th Addie started preschool. She is going to preschool at Kyler's school. She is really loving it. It's so hard to see them growing up so fast.

San Diego Temple & The Mormon Battalion

2011-09-16T09:13:00.002-06:00

I finally got to see the San Diego temple in person. Next time my goal is to find a babysitter for my kids so we can go inside. It is such a beautiful temple. After we left the temple grounds we went to the Mormon Battalion historical site. We went and learned about the Latter-day saints that joined the U.S. Army and marched from Iowa to San Diego. It was a fun interactive site. The kids got to put on some of the army equipment and pan for gold.

USS Midway Museum

2011-09-16T08:58:00.002-06:00

The Wilsons had work in San Diego so we met them down there for a few days. We went to the USS Midway Museum. It was really neat to walk around a retired Navy ship. To me the coolest part was all of the planes on the flight deck. That was interesting to us cause it made us think of Dan's dad who served in the Airforce during World War 2.

Newport Beach Area

2011-09-16T08:39:00.005-06:00

The week before school started in August we went to California. I wanted to have one last trip before a long school year. We love going to the beach. California is even more fun now that the Friedmans are there. I really wish we lived closer to each other. The kids get along so well.

Science & Industry Museum

2011-09-15T16:38:00.002-06:00

The day before we left Chicago we hit up one more museum. We had such a fun trip and got to do so many things. We can't wait to go back and do it all again next year!

Millenium Park

2011-09-15T16:24:00.003-06:00

There is so much to do at Millenium Park. I'm so glad we finally had the chance to see the Bean!

Kohl's Children's Museum

2011-09-15T15:58:00.005-06:00

For years Kristen has been trying to get us to this museum when we come into town. This year we finally made it! It was one of the coolest children's museums ever. The kids loved all the hands on exhibits. They had a ball with the face paint as noted in the pictures.

American Girl Place

2011-09-15T15:43:00.004-06:00

Since we spent Addie's birthday in Kyler's hospital room we decided to take her to the American Girl Store for breakfast. It was so cute! They even gave Stella a doll to sit with. The food was really yummy and they made a special plate for Addie. She loved shopping in the store after breakfast. Kyler loved it too! They had a gameboy for boys to borrow so they have something to do while the girls are shopping. It was so fun we would definitely go again!

Hanging with Family and Friends

2011-09-15T15:31:00.003-06:00

In Chicago we always do a lot of visiting. We always enjoy spending time with everyone. It's so hard being so far away.

On the Farm

2011-09-15T15:03:00.003-06:00

When we went to Illinois in July we went to visit the Miller's on their corn farm. We had so much fun. The kids loved going on rides in the ranger. We even got to catch lightning bugs. That is one of my favorite childhood memories and I was glad to share it with my kids. The kids can't wait to go back next summer!

4th of July 2011

2011-08-23T13:44:00.002-06:00

For the 4th of July we went to our neighborhood parade. It is such a blast the kids love to see people they know walking in the parade and getting so many treats. We went with the Orgills and had such a fun time.

Stella Update

2011-08-23T13:35:00.003-06:00

Tangled Recital

2011-08-23T13:21:00.003-06:00

Poor Addie was sick the day of her recital. She hadn't been feeling well the day before so I kept asking her if she wanted to go. She kept saying yes. Once we got there she didn't really want to dance. She decided to get on the stage. She made it through the first song and through part of her second number. Towards the middle she looked at me and said she wanted to get off. I tried to convince her to stay on cause it was almost over. She dance for a bit more and looked at me again. She came right into my lap at sat there until the number was over. We didn't stay for the final number where all the girls get on the stage. She slept for hours once we got home.

Addie Turned 4!

2011-08-23T12:59:00.004-06:00

While Kyler was in the hospital Addie turned 4! I can't believe she's getting so big. I still remember the first time I held her in my arms. Now that is getting a little harder to do. Lucky for us she had decided against a birthday party. She decided she wanted an American Girl doll instead. She went to church with our friends while we stayed with Kyler at the hospital. I was so sad to be away from her for so long on her special day. After church she came back up and we had balloons, a cake, and presents. She was way excited about the pretend candles on her cake. Since we couldn't light a fire in the hospital we pretended and she was more than fine with that. She said she loved her birthday in the hospital because of her pretend candles and getting to go to the playroom to play.

Kyler's Accident

2011-08-22T15:43:00.003-06:00

On May 24th Kyler collided with his friend's cousin while they were playing football. His teeth went into Kyler's cheek. Kyler got 12 stitches. The doctor was pretty doom and gloom about it being a mouth that caused the accident. For good reason as it turned out. Kyler's face got infected and he spent four night in the hospital. He was such a tough kid through the whole process. We were so proud of him. They gave him i.v. antibiotics and then after 2 days had to put a drain in his face. Depending on which cycle of meds Kyler was on, he wanted to be in the playroom. Primary Children's hospital is an amazing facility. It was a humbling experience to be there. To see so many kids struggling made me grateful that we were there for something so small.

Addie's Preschool Program

2011-08-22T15:30:00.003-06:00

In May Addie had an end of year program at her preschool. It was so cute to see the kids up on the stage singing songs they had learned through the year. They each got to decorate a life size poster of themselves and they were all displayed. Addie's turned out so cute we hung it on her bedroom door.

May Zoo Trip

2011-08-22T15:22:00.001-06:00

Easter 2011

2011-08-22T15:05:00.003-06:00

St Patrick's Day

2011-03-18T08:56:00.003-06:00

Our kids really look forward to St. Patrick's Day. Every year we set a trap for the Leprechauns. This year we caught a sock so we are getting closer. The leprechaun turned our juice and toilet water green, left treats for the kids, put green and gold glitter all over by the treats, threw puzzle pieces all over the table, and knocked down chairs all over the house. The kids get so excited to see what pranks the leprechauns will pull.

Once There Was a Snowman

2011-03-15T16:01:00.003-06:00

Last week on Monday we got some major snow. Our neighbor measured and said we got 16 inches. It was the perfect snow for building a snowman. Those of you that are familiar with Utah, know that most of the time we get powder. Great for skiing, not so great for snowballs and snowmen. Needless to say Kyler was pretty excited. We had a blast making our snowman. He lasted about a day and then he melted. All that is left of him now is his scarf, eyes, nose, mouth, and arms which are still sitting on our lawn.

6 Months Already!

2011-03-15T15:47:00.002-06:00

I am sad my time with Stella as a baby is flying by. We went in for her 6 month appointment and she now in the 50th percentile for weigh at 15 lbs. 9 oz. She is in the 98th percentile for height at 27.75 in. The doctor said she is long and skinny. She is still a needy baby. With her being our last, I am happy to hold her so it works for both of us. At night when she gets fussy she is starting to want only me. Poor Dan when I am not home on Tuesdays. She is loving food. She can sleep anywhere. She even fell asleep in her jumper the other night. She likes chewing on blankets and burp clothes. She is almost ready to crawl. She does this thing where she rotates on her tummy. Stay tuned for her 6 month photos that Emilie took today!

Yummy

2011-02-19T07:55:00.004-07:00

Looks who's eating now! Last week Stella turned 5 months. She was such a good sleeper and then the last month she has started waking up in the middle of the night again. So Dan decided it was time to try food. Notice I said Dan. I was not ready because I'm not ready to admit my little baby is old enough for that. Well he was right! She was ready but you wouldn't know it from these pictures. These are her first feeding. She didn't know what to do with the food. It was so cute. After two days of eating like this, she has started to gobble it up. Our little Stella is a character. She is a needy baby. But I've decided she's an excellent baby when it really counts. She did amazing at Disneyland and she's usually really good if we go out to dinner. It's at home that she gets really fussy which is ok. She has started to get really crabby when I'm not around. Poor Dan. Every Tuesday when I am at Young Women she has a huge meltdown. She has started rolling. She's gonna be a mover like her brother was. When she rolls onto her tummy, her legs just go and go. It's like she's crawling in place. Even though she's often fussy, she also really happy. The funny thing is how she will go from smiles to tears in a matter of seconds. What a joy she is. I just wish she didn't have to grow up so fast.

Focus Please

2011-02-19T07:49:00.002-07:00

This last week I have tried to get some pics of all 3 kids together. Let me tell you, it's not an easy task. It is near impossible to get all three of them to look at me at the same time. In these at least they are all looking at me. Although, they have some funny expressions.

100th Day of School

2011-02-16T09:05:00.002-07:00

The 100th day of school is a big celebration in kindergarten. It's a day of counting to 100 in various ways. The theme of the party was a hoedown because kindergarten never slows down. Thanks to the Ivins and the second hand store, Kyler was one handsome cowboy. We had to take pictures of him and Rosie together because they both looked so cute! It's hard to believe Kyler is more than halfway through kindergarten.

Disneyland

2011-02-09T11:30:00.005-07:00

In January we went to Disneyland. It's becoming our annual thing. We just have so much fun there. This year it was nice to have the Wilsons with us. After we told them we booked our trip, they found out Ryan could have that same week off so they joined us. The kids had so much fun together. Of course there were meltdowns, arguments over the strollers, so tired they just fell asleep in the stroller, and even a little sickness. None of that mattered because it's the happiest place on earth! On our last night there Dan, Jessica, and the kids joined us in the park. We always love seeing them and wish we lived closer. I would go again tomorrow if we could and so would Dan and the kids.

Christmas Finally

2011-02-09T08:02:00.002-07:00

I know this post is long overdue! Sorry mom. We had a wonderful Christmas due to Santa's ability to find deals. I will admit I love the black Friday madness. It's kinda crazy that I see that as fun! The kids had so much fun with all their new toys. Looking at all these pics makes me miss the holiday season.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-27T15:05:00.002-07:00

On Christmas Eve we went to Zoo Lights. We had so much fun that we are going to make that a tradition. It was cool to see all the animal light displays. After we got home the kids got to open a few presents. It's our tradition to have them open their pj's and a new ornament. This year they got to open their pillow pets they got from grandma Sue and grandpa Jim. They were so excited to sleep with their new pillows.

#1 Accessory

2010-12-24T10:52:00.002-07:00

As I was getting Stella dressed the other day, I realized she really has such cute outfits. I love this one. Thanks again Nancy and Laura! The only probably is, we cover her outfits up. She is such a spitter. I started putting bibs on everyday. This helps with all the clothes she was going through. Upside, less laundry. Downside, hides her cute outfits.

Holiday Fun

2010-12-18T08:11:00.005-07:00

December is such a busy month. We started out the festivities by going to get a tree. The kids were so excited to help pick out our tree. We went and were told the tree farm trees were in the front and the wild trees were in the back. I told Dan I wanted a wild tree. We had fun decorating the tree together. Last Monday we went over to the Bowmans to decorate gingerbread houses. Addie was more concerned with eating the candy. Kyler's house was all about patterns. Our house was crazy. Dan decided to make a lake out of the candy glue. Because of the color, he decided the snowman was actually peeing in the lake. Santa was drowning in the lake. On the other side of the house Dan had Santa lifting weights. I know, I know, he's crazy! The funniest part of the night was when Addie decided to be Santa. She was talking in her manly voice and having everyone sit on her lap so she could ask them what they wanted for Christmas. I don't know where she comes up with this stuff but it was so funny! On Tuesday we went down to Temple Square with the Terrells and the Wilsons to see the lights. It was a little busy but way fun. I think this was Addie's first year really understanding the story of Christmas. It was fun to see her get excited to see baby Jesus. I look forward to all the fun this next week will bring.

Recital Time

2010-12-18T08:02:00.002-07:00

Last Saturday was Addie's Christmas recital. She did such a good job and she looked so adorable! I was really proud of what a good friend she is. At the very end all the girls were up dancing on the stage. She was dancing around with a little girl from her class. Her good friend Kate came over and tried to get in. The other girl didn't want to let Kate in. Kate was on the stage looking so sad. When they spun around, Addie gave Kate her hand so all 3 girls could dance together. I think that was my favorite part of the recital to see my little girl being so sweet.

So Big!

2010-12-18T07:52:00.002-07:00

I can't believe how big our angel is getting. Time goes by so fast. I can't believe she is already 3 months old. Stella has been such a joy to have in our life. She is definitely our hardest baby but maybe that's why she wasn't ready to come a year ago. It's fun to see her grow. She loves being around everyone. In the morning all 3 kids usually hang out in her room. Slowly Kyler and Addie will leave and she will start to cry. She hates being alone. Can't say I blame her there. She has lots of names around our house Stella, Stelly Belly, Stell, Stella lela lela, angel, and cutie. She is starting to be so vocal and we are loving it.

2010-12-06T10:17:00.002-07:00

Yesterday was such a good day. Stella's blessing was wonderful. We are so grateful for such wonderful friends. Stella was a little pill. She is such a spitter but yesterday I think was an all time high for her. Not to worry I was prepared for such an event. We had 3 baby blessing in our ward yesterday. We were last on the list. We went to church with Stella in her onesie and tights. The dress didn't get put on until right before Dan took her up to bless her. As soon as he was done, a bib went on her. We also walked around with a huge burp cloth. She did finally spit on the dress but it wasn't until the end of pictures. We had such a fun time visiting with everyone after the blessing. Yesterday was worth all the busy days last week. We are so blessed to have this little angel as a part of our family.

Santa

2010-12-02T08:18:00.002-07:00

It's kinda crazy to see how much my kids have grown. We got our new Santa photo the other day. I went to put it in the frame and started looking at the ones from years past. I couldn't get over how big Addie and Kyler are. Sometimes I wish they would slow down a little.

Time Flies

2010-11-16T11:38:00.002-07:00

It's hard to believe that Stella is already over 2 months old. Time is really flying. At her check up we found out just how big she's getting

weight: 12lbs. 13oz.

height: 24 1/2 inches

head: 15.9 inches

She is definitely our longest child and she has the smallest head (although it's still big).

A few things about Stella:

She is starting to smile a ton. Her favorite place to smile is her changing table. We can't figure it out but you put her on there and she gets happy. She is still fussy but that is getting a lot better. She still spits up a ton which makes her weight gain even more amazing. She is awake a lot more now. She loves being around the family. She is loved!

Halloween Week

2010-11-05T08:49:00.004-06:00

At Gardiner Village to Meet a Witch

Stella was not entertained by the witches

Addie and Kyler with a witch

Addie at her preschool program

The 3 buddies with their teachers

In jail

Eating their goodies while we waited

Mario Kart winners

Hanging out on Seasame Street

Addie was so excited to sit with Elmo

Before going out trick or treating

Our puppy

All their candy combined

Look who's smiling!

One cute Zebra

Stella and Rubie holding hands

Halloween week was busy, busy, and so much fun! We went to Gardiner Village to meet the witches and the kids had a blast. We had a party at church for all the kids in the neighborhood. Addie had a Halloween program for preschool. Kyler had a Halloween parade at school. We went trick or treating at Ryan's work. That was so fun. I was amazed at the time and creativity that went into each section. Sad thing is I didn't even get good pictures in Ryan's winter wonderland. Then on Saturday we went to a trunk or treat and then went trick or treating. On Halloween we went over to the Bowman's for a party. The kids had so much fun over there and we were able to get cute pics of Rubie and Stella in their costumes. They are gonna be great little friends being 2 1/2 weeks apart. It was such a great week. The kids have way too much candy. We found a dentist to sell the candy to. He will give you a dollar a pound and then he sends the candy overseas to the troops.

Kangaroo Zoo Party

2010-10-31T15:09:00.006-06:00

Kyler had an awesome party at a bounce house. This is our first party not at our house. I decided with Stella being so small, it was worth it to not have it at home. The party was a hit! All the kids ran crazy for 2 hours as you can see in the pics. We were in the cosmo room so Kyler wanted a planet cake. I think it turned out pretty cool and it tasted awesome! Kyler was so happy with the party he had a blast.

Zoo Field Trip for the Birthday Boy

2010-10-31T15:00:00.002-06:00

On Kyler's birthday he had a field trip to the zoo. It was total chaos. Addie had a total meltdown which resulted in us taking a long time to find Kyler's group. In the end we found him and had a fun time. We let him open presents from the family that night and then took him to dinner. He got to pick where we went to dinner. I love that he picked Benihana. I can't believe my little man is already 6!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-18T16:42:00.002-06:00

A little while ago I decided we needed to go to a pumpkin patch. The patch I wanted to go to was right down the street from our friends house. We went and the kids loved looking for pumpkins. Right away Ali found a HUGE pumpkin. So the boys spent their time trying to find one just as big for Kyler. Addie and Immy really liked the little pumpkins. They kept picking and picking. We tried to tell them that they were done but they didn't seem to care. So as they picked, we put back. It's fun to see that such a simple activity can be so fun to them. Thanks Wilsons for going along.

Fire Station Field Trip

2010-10-17T15:44:00.002-06:00

I was lucky I was able to go to Addie's first preschool field trip. They had a blast at the fire station. Their favorite part was in the ambulance. The fireman let them sit on the bed while he raised it up and down. It was so cute to see Addie interacting with her friends. I found out that day that where you find Addie, you will also find Seth. They are attached at preschool. It's so good to have you friend around!

Life With 3!

2010-10-12T09:39:00.003-06:00

Life with 3 is definitely crazy! We are definitely busy with lots of things. Between feeding Stella, soccer, dance, preschool, kindergarten, homework, field trips, calming a fussy baby, baths, getting ready for themed days at school, I can understand why I am so tired! We have some really fun moments and some bad ones too. Sometimes the kids are crabby and sometimes the parents are crabby. Sometimes we forget to put away the razor and our daughter cuts her lip trying to shave. Give her a bandaid on her lip and the world is right again. Sometimes our son has meltdowns (ok a lot of meltdowns) and sometimes he tells me how much he loves me and it melts my heart. Sometimes Addie nurses her baby while I am nursing Stella and Dan and I laugh so hard. Our life is funny, happy, often crabby, and always crazy but I love it just the way it is!!!

Family Photo Update

2010-10-04T11:16:00.004-06:00

With Stella's arrival, we decided it was time to update the family photo. We also wanted to do some way cute newborn pics of Stella. They turned out so good! As always Emilie did an amazing job. It was a fun shoot too. Since I was still recovering from my c-section, we just took the photos here at home. Stella was a fun challenge in the pictures. Let's just say she really knows how to use the bathroom. That's not really a good thing when you are taking pictures without a diaper! These that are posted are some of Emilie's favorites.

Stella Marie

2010-09-19T16:38:00.002-06:00

Stella's last picture inside.

Stella's first photo with mom and dad.

All wrapped up.

Stella Marie Madsen born on Friday, September 10th. Stella was 9 lbs. 5 oz. and 20 in. Being such a big baby, she came out crying and ready to eat!

Kyler and Addie completely in love with their sister.

We are so blessed to have Stella as a part of our family. She is so sweet! We are so grateful to our Heavenly Father for such a little angel.

School Days

2010-09-07T20:29:00.003-06:00

It has been an exciting time around here. Last Monday Kyler started kindergarten. He is having a blast. He loves to pose as you can tell. We got a picture of him and Rosie together. They are not in the same class but they go at the same time. Kyler got right in and started doing the activities his teacher had out. He was not even a little sad when we said goodbye. That made it easier on me to know that he was so ready. Addie started preschool today. She insisted on wearing her batman shirt for her first day. She was so excited. She came home and told us that Miss Denise loves her. It's so crazy that our kiddos are getting so big!

More Fun in Cali

2010-09-06T18:00:00.002-06:00

One afternoon we found a science center in Anaheim. The kids really liked climbing on the wall they had there. Kyler liked it so much that he decided he wants to have a climbing birthday. It was fun to go and play with all the hands on exhibits. We had such a fun time in California this summer. We were glad that we were able to make it there for the convention and some family time.

California Adventure

2010-09-01T15:08:00.004-06:00

Dan's work gave discount tickets into one of the parks for an evening. Dan, Jessica, and the kids met us in the park. We had so much fun. We stuck to the rides that all the kids could go on. Lucky for me that meant I could go on them too being as pregnant as I am. Both Dans and Kyler did go on the Tower of Terror though. As a part of a summer thing in the park, they had a little dance party down one street. The kids had a blast dancing around. We thought it looked like a Disney rave. We watched the new World of Color show but we could only get a seat viewing it from the back. We look forward to seeing the show with better seating the next time we go.

Blizzard Tour

2010-09-01T11:49:00.004-06:00

One of the best parts of our California trip was spending time with the Friedmans. Now that Dan works for the company that created World of Warcraft, we decided we needed a tour of the facilities. The kids loved seeing Uncle Dan's work. All the statues of characters were very fun for the kids. I think we all liked talking with the guy who did the drawings of the characters.

Newport Beach

2010-08-30T22:57:00.003-06:00

On Dan's day without meetings we took the kids to the beach for the first time. We had so much fun. I think their favorite thing was looking for sea shells. They had fun running in and out of the water. Poor Addie did get knocked over by a few waves. Kyler loved going out far with Dan. We all enjoyed playing in the sand together. After we were done, we went and had some yummy ice cream from a little shop on the boardwalk. We all got a little sun that day but Dan got completely fried. His back was so burned it took about a week to not hurt anymore. He had a fun time the rest of the week in meetings. People would greet him and give him a pat on the back and he said that was so painful. In the end the burn was worth it because of all the fun we had!

Horses, Trains, and California

2010-08-29T14:25:00.002-06:00

At the beginning of August we loaded up the car and headed to Anaheim for the Shaklee convention. The kids and I spent our time with the Friedmans while Dan was in meetings. While the dads were at work, Jess and I took the kids to ride on horses and a train. The kids had fun especially with the horses. Kyler and Addie were old enough to go on the trotting horses. It was fun to watch them going around the track with their heads bouncing.

Our Little Golfers

2010-08-25T11:21:00.002-06:00

We went to the golf store a few weeks ago to find a golf bag for me. Instead we came home with a golf set for Addie. She was so excited to have clubs like her brother and her dad.

Lagoon

2010-08-25T11:08:00.002-06:00

In July we went to Lagoon for stake Lagoon day. The kids had so much fun. Baylee was nice enough to come along to help with the kids since I couldn't ride the rides. I still had fun walking around and watching the kids on the rides.

Farewell Elder Bowman

2010-08-10T18:21:00.002-06:00

Our neighbor Parker left on his mission the middle of July. He is such an awesome person and we will miss him while he is gone. Addie will miss him most of all. For the last year she has been in love with Parker. She actually is drawn to their family in general. She even asked if we could make him cookies with sprinkles before he left. This picture is now framed in her room and if you ask her where Parker is she will smile and tell you on a mission! What a great example Parker is setting for my children.

A Little Hike

2010-08-10T18:15:00.003-06:00

One Saturday evening we decided to go on a little hike up the canyon. The kids love being in the outdoors. Of course we had to stop at a stream to do some rock throwing. Hopefully we will get out again before the baby is born!

Crazy Kids

2010-08-10T18:09:00.003-06:00

Sometime in July this is what I found when I walked into my yard. It is hard to tell but the kids made a house out of chairs. They even brought out pillows and blankets to put in their house. Such imaginations!

4th of July

2010-08-10T17:59:00.002-06:00

I have been so terrible with updating this summer. I will blame it on my pregnant forgetfulness! I am gonna try to get caught up this week. We had a wonderful 4th. We watched our neighborhood parade like always. The Hawks were in town and came to the parade with us. We also sat with The Bowmans which is always fun. That evening we had a BBQ with the Hawks and the Wilsons. Of course we finished the night with some fireworks out in front. We invited the Bowmans to come watch with us. We were trying to spend some extra time with Parker before he left for his mission.

Monkey Man

2010-07-07T09:38:00.002-06:00

Kyler has been way into climbing trees lately. He liked climbing our maple in our backyard. It was easy for him to get into. The only problem is, it is still a very young tree. After one day of his climbing, Dan had to cut down five or so branches that Kyler cracked. The next day I caught him trying to get into the maple again. I told him he could no longer climb that one. He was irritated and told me he didn't have a tree to climb now. Me being the smart mouth that I am, told him he was free to climb the pine tree which is somewhere between 30 and 40 feet in the air. The branches are so high up I didn't think he could ever get up there. Boy was I wrong! Shortly after I said that Dan walked in the door from work. He told me very casually that I needed to come outside and see something. Kyler figured out a way into the tree and was more than half way up! He is our little monkey and a very determined one at that!

Father's Day

2010-07-07T09:25:00.002-06:00

This year for Father's Day Dan didn't really want anything. Since he just got his new car he felt this way about Father's Day and his birthday. The kids love getting involved in gift giving though. So they each painted him a picture and we framed them to hang them up in his office. We decorated our door. Kyler did all the writing on the sign and Addie did the drawing. We blew up Kyler's favorite picture of Dan as a kid. It's Kyler's favorite because Dan is wearing his lederhosen. We found it up at his parents a few months ago and it fits Kyler now. We made him a yummy breakfast before heading to church and the kids were bursting to tell him about the door. I told them it was a secret but they couldn't stop looking at it. We all had a good laugh we Dan opened the door!

Happy Birthday!

2010-06-23T12:15:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday Dan! For Dan's birthday I surprised him with a round of golf with Mitch. Dan and Mitch have always been super close. Now that Mitch works graveyards for SLCPD it is hard to get together. So Mitch was sweet enough to go straight from work to golf with Dan. They had a blast partially due to all the caffeine in Mitch's system. We went to dinner at Benihanas. That has become a birthday tradition around here. After we came home for cake and ice cream. After Dan saw the cake I made Addie, he decided he wanted a BMW cake. He was totally joking but I thought it was a great idea. I figured out a plan and went to work. It turned out so cool and yummy. The birthday boy was way impressed.

Waitress & Firefly

2010-06-23T12:04:00.002-06:00

The theme of Addie's recital was Princess and the Frog. Her tap number was so cute. They were all dressed up like little waitresses. Her ballet number was the Song of the firefly. They had the cutest little tutu! It was only on the backside. They put a little light in so they glowed. Addie did so good dancing. She was way into showing everyone her light up bum.

Addie's Ladybug Party

2010-06-05T18:01:00.003-06:00

For her 3rd birthday, it was all about ladybugs. About a month ago, she saw a ladybug cake at the store and decided she wanted a ladybug party. So I made her a ladybug cake and we played ladybug games (place the spots on the ladybug and a bean bag toss on leaves with ladybugs). Last but not least, we gave out live ladybugs. Unfortunately the bag we purchased had a lot of dead ones in it. At least every kid was able to get one. The party was a ton of fun. Addie loved playing, opening her presents, her cake, and playing with the ladybug crawling up her arm. It is hard to believe our little girl is 3!

Seattle

2010-06-05T17:35:00.004-06:00

Two weeks ago we took a very quick trip up to Seattle. Dan found an awesome deal on a car. He told me he was going to fly up there and drive it home. I told him there was no way he was going to Seattle without us! There are so many things to do up there. We went and hung out at the pier. We went on a boat ride which is where Dan took the awesome photo of the skyline. On Monday we went to the zoo. They have the best zoo up there! They have so many exhibits where you get close to the animals. The kids liked all the things to climb on and pose in front of. On Tuesday before we started our drive home, we headed down to Pike Place Market. We even got to see a fish thrown. I bought way too much fruit! It was quick but a really fun trip. I was excited to get away seeing how I am soon to be in the home bound stage of pregnancy.

Motherly

2010-05-16T21:01:00.002-06:00

We have taken a lot of the baby stuff out of storage. Addie realized that these are the perfect things for playing mom. She sat her baby in the highchair and fed her cheese. She calls all her babies Stella Marie after her little sister. While she was feeding her baby, her dog was swinging in the baby swing with the music playing and everything. It is going to be so fun to see how she is when Stella arrives!

Kyler's New Trick

2010-05-11T17:44:00.006-06:00

A few weeks ago we decided it was time to take Kyler's training wheels off. He was a little unsure at first. Now he just zips on by. Which is pretty impressive since we haven't had a lot of time for riding bikes due to the weather. We are so proud of him!

Recap

2010-04-25T13:23:00.002-06:00

I have been terrible about posting lately. We have had a busy month. Full of lots of fun. We really have had a fun month with the kids. They are both at such a fun age. They always have us laughing. It will be fun to add a new little one to all the laughter. Enjoy some pictures of our events this last month.

Easter

2010-04-25T13:08:00.003-06:00

This year we had a relaxing Easter. It was conference weekend for us which means watching it on tv in our pjs! There was snow outside so the Easter bunny hid their goodies inside this year. They really enjoyed looking for them. After everything had been found, Addie insisted there were more and continued her search. Kyler thought that the bunny we come back and do it again the next day. After conference was over, we headed up to Dan's parents. I cooked our dinner up there so that we could have a nice dinner all together. We had a wonderful Easter and enjoyed the conference messages that morning so we could take the opportunity to teach the kids about the Savior's sacrifice.

AMVIV

2010-04-25T13:00:00.003-06:00

This year we finally made it down to Vegas for the mini vacation! We had a blast hanging with our good friends. We did lots and lots of driving while we were down there. Including a trip to Death Valley and the Hoover Dam. It was fun to see so many minis together. I do have to say that it wouldn't have been that fun at all without the company of our friends.

St. Patrick's Day

2010-04-25T12:52:00.002-06:00

This year we set a trap to catch leprechaun. They took the money but left the kids treats. Kyler thought they were really tricky because the dyed our toilet water, our milk, and our apple juice green. They also left sparkles all over by the trap. It was fun to see them get so excited.

It's a Girl!

2010-04-24T14:33:00.002-06:00

I know, I know this post is long over do. Most of you already know that it's a girl. I thought I would tell everyone a little about our ultrasound experience. We took Kyler and Addie with us to the ultrasound. They both decided that we were having a boy. So when they were told it was a girl, they were both quiet. Dan's asked Addie if she heard it was going to be a sister and she replied, "Not a baby sister a baby brother." When Dan asked Kyler he said, "Yeah I heard." They have since adjusted to the idea and are happy. Kyler is really excited he gets to be the only son with the responsibility of taking care of his sisters. Addie thinks it is fun to have a sister since her friend Rosie is getting a sister too. We are excited to welcome a new little one in September!

We Can't Decide

2010-04-03T23:34:00.003-06:00

With both Addie and Kyler we thought we knew what we were having. I was always wrong. With Kyler I thought girl and with Addie I thought boy. Dan was right about Kyler and wrong about Addie. This time around neither one of us can decide what we think the baby is. What are your thoughts? Vote on the poll. Our ultrasound is Friday, April 16th. We are excited to find out!

Here Come the Police

2010-03-18T18:00:00.002-06:00

Our cousin Mitch (or uncle Mitch to the kids) is now a police officer for SLCPD. He got his car a little while ago. Kyler has been so excited to go and see it. Mitch even let him talk into the microphone thing. Although it was more like yelling into it. They both thought the car was the coolest thing. Neither one of them wanted to get out of the car. Thanks Uncle Mitch for making their day!

Bedhead

2010-03-16T10:19:00.001-06:00

Priceless!

Playing with Cousin Brooklyn

2010-03-16T09:53:00.003-06:00

Aunt Jenny and cousin Brooklyn came to visit us last month. The kids had a blast together. They get along so well. We were sad to see them go. But the memory of Brooklyn lives on in our house every morning when the kids watch Super Why.

Expanding our House

2010-03-04T18:32:00.002-07:00

Big news in the Madsen house! After a couple struggles last year, we are having a baby!!! I am 12 weeks along. I have already had 4 ultrasounds and one sonogram. See the treatment you get after you have a few problems. Everything is good. We had another appointment today and our sonogram. It is so awesome and calming to hear that little heart beating. We are so excited. We don't really care if it is a boy or a girl. Although I feel like it is a girl. I am also always wrong and not just about myself. So we will see there is a first time for everything. First trimester is over just hoping to get over the morning sickness soon.

Hairstylist and Pooper Scooper!!

2010-02-20T17:24:00.004-07:00

Addie decided to cut her hair, it looks better than Great Clips would've done!!

Kyler was enlisted in the Pooper Scooper Academy, and earned his first stripes today.

Christmas

2010-02-16T12:43:00.002-07:00

I know, I know, Christmas was forever ago! Things have been kinda crazy around here. So today I finally decided to sit down and put some pictures of Christmas up. The kids had a blast. We spent a lot of time up at Dan's parent's this year. The kids really enjoyed that. Addie liked it so much she always wants to go up again. I will try to be better about updates but I can't make any promises!

Getting Ready for Christmas

2010-01-05T13:05:00.005-07:00

Every year before Christmas we make a gingerbread house with the kids. This year, our neighbors made one for us. They have a family gingerbread house contest. We have judged it the past few years. This year for judging, they gave us a house and all the stuff to decorate with. The kids tried to get every single piece of candy around that house. Of course we decorated our tree. The kids had a blast putting on all of their personal ornaments. Living in Utah there are many snow days. The kids went out in the yard and had a ball. Even Addie enjoyed it. Last year she just cried and didn't know how to move in it. Stay tuned for pictures from Christmas once I sort through them.

Our Little Dancer

2009-12-18T15:45:00.002-07:00

Addie had her first dance recital last Saturday. She was so cute! I couldn't believe how well she did. She apparently likes to be on stage. She was so excited when it was her turn. The only thing that upset her was when it was time to go. She got so mad at me! All she wanted to do was follow around her dance teacher.

Disneyland

2009-12-11T15:55:00.004-07:00

2009-12-11T15:27:00.005-07:00

Dan had to go to Anaheim for a work growth summit. We decided he couldn't go to Disneyland without us. We had a blast! The kids were way into meeting the characters and getting autographs. Addie was sooo happy to meet Snow White. Kyler loved meeting Mr. Incredible. We got lucky enough to meet them on the days they were wearing those costumes. Addie and Kyler had a blast playing games with Stitch. Stitch was way into Addie he kept coming back to find her and play with her. It was so much fun we all had a great time.

I am Thankful for my Family!

2009-11-24T08:58:00.002-07:00

A few weeks ago we got our family photos done again. As always, Emilie did an amazing job! At this time of year, I would like to take the opportunity to tell everyone how thankful I am for my little family. As most of you know, it has been a very trying year for me. Through my trials this year, I have really come to see how blessed I am. That fact that I had 2 wonderful children so easily is a miracle. That is something I didn't realize until I saw first hand how hard it can be to get our kids here. I am overwhelmed with the gratitude I feel for my Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ. It is amazing to know that the atoning sacrifice the Savior made for us was not only for our sins but always for all of our pains. I have felt His presence in my life so strongly this year. I am so grateful for family and friends that are so supportive. I don't know where I would be without all of you! I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving this year!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T09:43:00.004-07:00

The kids were so excited about their costumes this year. We went to the Harry Potter exhibit in Chicago and Kyler saw the costume there and was so excited. Addie is just starting to get into Princess movies and playing dress up. She loves Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. We had fun trick or treating this year. It was Addie's first year understanding the concept. Now that Kyler is getting older, he just wanted to keep going. In the end we got way too much candy!

Halloween Time Fun

2009-10-31T15:29:00.003-06:00

Last Saturday we went out and got our pumpkins. Then an area park was doing Halloween activities. I look for opportunities for the kids to wear their costumes. The kids had a blast throwing rubber chickens, playing with bubbles in the rain, and doing slides and bounce houses.

Kyler's Birthday

2009-10-24T14:14:00.004-06:00

Due to the crazy month we had, Kyler's birthday this year was family time. Since I couldn't pull off a huge party we took him out. We went to Fat Cats for bowling, pizza, and games. The kids had a blast! Dan even let Kyler win at bowling since it was his birthday. Kyler really enjoyed his birthday this year. I can't believe my little man is 5!

Barnyard Boo

2009-10-22T09:33:00.008-06:00

Last Saturday was so warm! After Kyler's soccer game we decided to go down to Thanksgiving Point to go to Barnyard Boo. The kids had a blast. They got to bowl, do a mini maze, make a Halloween frame, decorate a cookie, go on a hay ride, feed the animals, and of course get their faces painted! We are hoping for more nice weather so we can get out and do some more fun Halloween activities.

Before and After

2009-10-18T20:05:00.008-06:00

We have slowly changed the exterior of our house. We started with changing the door and shutters from green to beige. Then we had a storm and lost a tree which resulted in the removal of 3 more trees. The landscaping has been an issue for us since we moved in. The people who owned our house before were very good at yard work. I on the other hand believe in less is better. So we took out all the plants and now we have a ton of grass in the back. We did leave room for a veggie garden. In the front we put in low maintenance plants and flowers. Our neighbor Craig and his team rocked it out in like 2 days!! Last, we changed our pillars. Way before we lived here there was carpet on the front porch. Carpet + wooden pillars = bad idea! They were starting to rot at the bottom. So we replaced them with awesome fiberglass square pillars. We are sooo happy with the way the exterior looks now.

Legoland Discovery Center

2009-10-06T17:00:00.004-06:00

The kids had a blast with Hannah at legoland. Although Hannah was a little nervous we still had a lot of fun. We had such a good time in Chicago with our friends and family. It was so fun to be there for my birthday. My awesome parents bought me a birthday cake! There is a bakery there that no other bakery can compare too.

Harry Potter Exhibit

2009-10-06T16:07:00.003-06:00

We Also went to the Science and Industry Museum with my mom. They had this awesome Harry Potter exhibit there. The only thing you can take a picture of is the car though. It was so fun to go with the kids! They got so excited when they saw the Harry Potter car. They both got to be under the sorting hat. And of course now Kyler wants a HP birthday party. He is also going to be HP for Halloween.

Sears Tower

2009-10-06T15:58:00.002-06:00

We had a blast in Chicago. The Sears Tower added a walk out window. As you can see the kids weren't afraid at all. The walk out is on the 103 floor. It was so cool to be able to look down on the buildings and cars from that high.

Laugh and Learn Preschool

2009-09-18T15:14:00.003-06:00

This year some of the moms in our neighborhood have decided to have a little preschool for our young ones. We will take turns teaching and assisting. It is kinda crazy because the days I am doing neither, I am kid free for 2 hours. We started out with a little field trip to an apple farm. The kids enjoyed picking apples. Addie loves her little preschool. I think the thing she likes most is wearing her backpack.

First Day of Preschool

2009-09-14T18:01:00.002-06:00

Kyler started preschool today. Being a fall baby, he missed the deadline for kindergarten. So preschool is where it's at! He was so excited this morning. He was dressed with his backpack on about an hour early. He had a blast and is excited to go back on Wednesday. He also had a swim lesson today. He was a little nervous after having 2 weeks off. Once he got going, he was doing awesome! He jumped off the diving board 4 times and got on his back. Then he swam to the end of the pool to get out and do it again! By next summer he will be one confident swimmer!

Soccer Season

2009-09-12T13:14:00.002-06:00

Here are some pictures of Kyler's second soccer game. He has become quite the soccer player! At his first game he scored 7 goals. Which this week we realized set his expectations a little too high. This team definitely had better players than last week. Kyler still did really well and scored 1 goal. He was a little disappointed before he scored. He had several almost goals. We had to explain to him that it is not about how many he scores, it's about how many his team gets. In one of the pictures you can see Kyler and Rosie both going after the ball. Rosie has gotten a lot better too. She scored 2 goals today! Soccer season looks like it is going to be a lot more interesting this year!

Our Little Dancer

2009-09-11T10:54:00.002-06:00

We decided with all the things Kyler has going on (soccer, preschool, and swim lessons) it was time for Addie to have something for her. Through our friend Betsy, we found the cutest dance instructor. She is so sweet with little ones. Our first lesson was this morning and here is Addie ready to go. She is wearing the tutu that I made her the other day. It's a little wild but cute. Addie did really well at her lesson. She listened really well. She was just a little shy at times. Addie's friend Kate is in class with her and I think that did help her some. It is so fun to have something for her!

End of Summer

2009-09-08T18:38:00.003-06:00

We have been super busy the last few weeks. Trying to get in as much time outside before it gets cold. We bought the kids one of those little pools and we have gotten a ton of use out of it. We have been taking lots of walks to the park. We took the kids camping and we had a blast. Dan posted a ton of pictures of our campout on his blog. Last Sunday, the power went out so we decided to go on a drive. We went up to the Bountiful temple to walk around the grounds and take some pictures. I got this awesome shot of Dan and the kids. We will have lots of updates soon since soccer has started and dance and preschool are starting. Enjoy the rest of summer!

Ancient Life Museum

2009-08-20T21:27:00.006-06:00

Last Saturday we took the kids to the dinosaur museum. They had a blast! They got to play with wet sand. We walked around and saw lots of dinos. Then they got to go into the sand and uncover fossils. At the very end we went into the lab and the got to make a clay mold. Kyler loved it and Addie was walking around growling.

Swimming and Long Hair

2009-08-17T16:22:00.003-06:00

We have had a lot going on lately. Kyler has been taking private swim lessons since July. He has learned so much. These pictures are from the beginning of his lessons. He can dive off the board in the correct diving position. Once in the water he kicks himself back up and floats on his back. He is so close to being a confident swimmer. Addie has enjoyed going to watch Kyler swim. She has learned that if Kyler swims well we all get ice cream after. I threw in some pictures of her hair because it is crazy how long it is getting.

Pioneer Day

2009-07-25T08:26:00.004-06:00

For those who don't know, Pioneer Day is a holiday in Utah. It is the celebration of the early members of the church crossing into the valley and making this their home. This year we decided to go to this is the place monument park. They have fun activities for kids and it gave us a chance to show Kyler what the day was about. The kids loved it! The petting zoo was a hit. They both loved riding the ponies. Although Addie got nervous for a second. And of course to end our time there, we rode the train. Then we went to a BBQ at the Nygard's and had a blast watching fireworks.

Zoo Trip

2009-07-24T14:28:00.002-06:00

We finally made it to the zoo. The kids had a blast. Addie loves animals and was so excited each time we found a new one. She loved "the cat" or cheetah. It was running around and her and Kyler both thought that was the best. Kyler was excited about the train ride too.

Busy Times

2009-07-20T08:18:00.005-06:00

We have had a busy weekend. On Thursday we went to Lagoon for stake lagoon day. Once a year we get discount tickets. The kids had a blast. Thanks to Stacie and McKelle for watching the kids for a little while so we could go on some of the big rides. On Friday I headed out to youth conference. The young women and young men in our ward started off with volunteering at the food bank. After we ate lunch we headed up to Brighton Beehive camp. We had a blast. I went on a zipline, jumped off a 30 to 40 foot perch, repelled down a rock, and a bunch of ropes courses too. Dan held down the fort. He even took the kids shopping and picked out these cute outfits for them to wear to church. I got back at 7p.m. on Saturday. Thanks to Baylee Dan and I left at 8 to go and see the new Harry Potter. This weekend was jam packed but it was all worht it!