3 Girls, 1 Guy and a Zoo!

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Happy Birthday Madalyn!!!

I still can not get over that my little tiny baby is 11! Everyone always tells you that time flies and they will be big before you know it, and it's so true. Madalyn has changed the most I feel over the past year. She is such a help, has a softness that never existed before, but still has that "Don't mess with me attitude." She has a huge heart and tries hard to understand all that goes on around her. Happy Birthday Madalyn! I love you!!!

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Happy Birthday to a super special woman!

Honestly I'm not sure what I would do without my 2nd mom! She is always a phone call away and willing to spend time with the girls. She has taught them skills I can't and they often ask to go there to spend time with her. She raised an amazing man, who I love to pieces! I'm so thankful for her and today is her BIRTHDAY! Happy birthday Mom! I hope you had an amazing day, you deserve it!

Friday, May 4, 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

I can't believe we have a 13 year old in our house this morning! Marissa make me feel blessed to be a Mom. She is one amazing TEENAGER...I can't believe that applies to her now! LOL So many changes have been thrown at her this past year, and she has taken it all with no problem. Her heart is amazing and I'm so grateful for the compassion that she has! She is an amazing big sister, who is always willing to lend a helping hand. Marissa has become quite the baker this year! Happy birthday to my 1st baby! I'm so proud of you!

Still looks up to her Aunt Laurie today <3

I forgot about this picture...one of my all time favorites!

Nothing much has changed here...

These two are still inseparatable!

She still loves her animals!

She was so little!!!

She has turned into a beautiful young lady! :)

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Extremely meaningful gift...

Doug got me a necklace this past month that means the world to me. It has disks with all the kiddos that we have had the honor of being a part of their lives. I love getting up in the morning, putting it on, and praying for each kiddo.

I couldn't get a great picture of it, but this is what it actually looks like!

Monday, March 19, 2018

The new baker in the house....

Every Saturday, Marissa has been getting busy in the kitchen. We usually get to try out a new recipe of some sort. We've had applesauce muffins, apple fritter bread, old fashioned donut bread...I can't remember what else. I'm proud of her and she does an amazing job!!! We don't complain a bit being her guinea pigs either! ;)

Thursday, March 15, 2018

They are sooo big!

When did this happen???

P.S. I believe this is the last picture I have with Madalyn in her glasses that she has been sporting for the past 3ish years! She decided that she thinks she is all done wearing them. I have mixed feelings about it, but I've kept them to myself! haha

Monday, March 12, 2018

Spoiled animals...

The girls are super responsible and take great care of their animals. In the end we have some spoiled rotten animals around here!

Peterette got a bath because she was "dirty"

Marissa thought Beaker needed her own bed to sleep in while sleeping in Marissa's bed!

(Did that make any sense? haha)

Peterette got cleaned up from the hair that she is shedding currently

She is rediculous! I can't believe what she puts up with!

I love my girls!!!

Friday, March 9, 2018

Super Science Saturday!

Doug's Dad saw an advertisement somewhere for this at Jefferson Community College, and so we made a game plan to spend the day there. It was amazing! Far more to do than we had time for, and the kids LOVED it!

The laser light show was a hit for sure. The teacher for this "class" was extremely good with kids and very easy to listen to and follow. Doug and I sat in the back with the baby, but if you look close you can see the crew 4 rows down from us.

They made flashlights, got glow in the dark paper, learned about robots and animals....so many cool things including this....

Maggot painting...

They had a mixture of, "Hey this is really cool!" and "Ewww, this is really gross!"

Uncle Kenny kept coming up behind them and lightly touching them and giving them the willies!

The girls already can't wait to go back next year!

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

It's been a while!

Sorry for the break! Life has been crazy! I don't know that I'm going to be able to commit to a blog every day, but I'm going to try my hardest to be a little more on top of things around here! I've missed you guys!

The girls and I headed to my parents the beginning of February to take a breather. Doug was out of town and sitting at the house just wasn't cutting it. The girls had a blast playing with Graysen and my dad was even home! Hide and go seek was the hit of the day for sure...

He was so confused!

Grandpa had the best hiding places...

Madalyn and Graysen's turn to count...

It was so nice to just get away. I got addicted to Raspberry Zinger Tea while I was there, we played so many games, and had a lot of laughs!

We love you both!

Monday, March 5, 2018

...

Happy Birthday Daddy ;)

I hope you have a great day....I love you tons!

P.S. Yes, I know it's not really your birthday!

HAHA

If you were to ask me where I would see myself in 10 years, I never would have guessed that I would be here. However, I couldn't be happier! I'm very happily married to the love of my life and have two girls. We have begun our journey towards adoption and I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for us over the next couple of years. I'm a stay at home mom who home-schools. I enjoy researching and finding things out for myself. This blog allows me to share with others my passions and keep in touch with family that I wouldn't normally be able to keep in such close touch with.

Daddy is such a blessing to me. We met in college and became best friends. About one and a half years after we met we were dating. The rest is history. Together we have grown in the Lord and learned many lessons even in our few years together. Things haven't always been smooth, but together and with the Lord's help we can accomplish anything. He is the love of my life and my true soul mate. He is 100% committed to his family and the Lord. He is currently working for Dairy One in Ithaca. He loves to ski, ride dirt bikes, tinker on things, mow the lawn :) and spend time with his girls.

Marissa is our oldest. She was born in May 2005. She is 100% Daddy's girl. She is a home body and usually isn't away from home for long and she is asking to go back to our house. She always claims a job and sticks with it till its done. She is very quick and catches on fast. You have to be careful what you show her, because before you know it she is going to be attempting it herself. Madalyn is her best friend. She loves church and loves learning and singing about Jesus. Marissa is now is school and she is doing great. She loves to read and do projects. She LOVES animals and has decided that she wants to be a Veterinarian when she grows up!

Madalyn is our youngest. She is 100% Mommy's girl (nice of them that they split us up so that one isn't quite so overwhelmed isn't it?). Madalyn knows what she wants and goes for it. She has no fear and is usually the leader of my two even though she is younger. She does love to shadow her older sister though. She is my girly girl, but also my one that is always getting messy. She loves her hair done, to get dressed up, and shoes! We are in trouble with this one! She loves school and is super smart. She has decided she wants to be a "snow plow driver" when she grows up. She is also going to build a house RIGHT next to us and live there so she can still see us every day ;)

Case was actually our "oldest child". Sadly we said goodbye to him on October 29th, 2013. He was a black lab/ red-tick coonhound. He loved to roam the fields, swim, play ball, catch frisbees, go hiking and spend time at the barn. He also very much enjoyed those black and white cats that roam in the dark and have stripes down their backs...or he must have because he kept getting sprayed! He hated to be abandoned by his family and preferred us to all be in the house by 9pm or he started pacing. His biggest dislike was winter. He hated the cold and would rather hold his potty all day long than to go out and pee. Even when he did go out he barely makes it out the door and he was starting to go! Haha He was our "little boy in a doggie suit" as my aunt says. We love him and miss him like crazy.

Cali is our first cat together as a married couple. Sadly we said goodbye to her on October 8th, 2014. We got her from the barn shortly after we moved. She had to be one of the softest cats you had ever felt and of course one of the best looking calicos. LOL She was a great mouser and spent alot of her time in the basement hunting. She had a funny quirk. When she got ready to settle down and sleep, she parted the hair on her tail so only a few hairs were sticking up and then she proceeded to suck on those hairs.

Beaker is a litter mate to Cali. She is a great mouser. She loves to sneak outside when she gets the chance but if you say her name she quickly darts back in. She is VERY attached to Doug and is always coming up to him purring just as loud as can be begging to be picked up. Beaker of course never does this to me. She doesn't like change and isn't fond of strange dogs, although she has gotten much better with the dogs. She will still swat at Molly but it's not angry, it's almost like she is playing.

Sid was our Marshall Ferret. We said goodbye to him in 2012. He was amazing! Great with kids and other animals, but a total goofball. He definitely lived up to the typical ferret personality and a total thief! Sid's favorite thing to steal was pacifiers. He would take them right out of a baby's mouth if given the opportunity and then take off running! He always hid everything in the same place, so at least we knew where to find them, but of course they were always ruined. Anything rubber was in danger of ending up in the said spot. We definitely miss having him around.

Chloe is Cairn Terrier. She is a blast to have around and I'm definitely sold on the terrier family! She is great with the kids and loves spending time outside. She is a great woodchuck hunter and will sit at an occupied hole all day till she catches one. Even in the winter time she will spend forever out there and come back looking like a snowman. She loves to swim and will swim in any temperature water. She loves to mother other animals. Whether it be kittens from the barn, Case, or her own litter of puppies, she is a great mother! We have since fixed her. Although I'm sad there won't be another litter, it's for the best with the probability of us moving and having to find a new vet.

Meet Molly, our newest dog addition :) After taking some time to heal after losing Case, we decided that our household wasn't the same without a big dog around and we were missing something. So we took the plunge and went full out this time. Molly is a purebred, mis-marked mantle, Great Dane :) She has grown into one good looking pup! I'm still in love with this old picture though, so I'm not changing it! She stands about 31 inches at the shoulder and weighs over 100lbs (although honestly I'm not sure how much over because I can't lift her anymore!) She is great with the kids and loves to cuddle. She shares our bed and is the biggest baby ever. She is very protective and does not like when anyone is pinned down. She is right there to break up the "fight" LOL We love her to pieces!

When Doug's sister and her husband started breeding rabbits, I had a feeling deep down that it was only a matter of time....Here she is! Peterette started out as "Peter". When Madalyn realized "he" was actually a "she", she settled with Peterette. :) Peterette is a flemish giant, which according to what I have read is the Great Dane breed in the bunny world! Figures right? She is super sweet, very laid back and loves to be cuddled and pet. She'll stick her nose out of her cage when you enter the room just so you will scratch it!