3 Girls, 1 Guy and a Zoo!

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Madalyn's Find...

He/She is still hanging around the house...She thinks he is the coolest thing ever! I wonder what kind of butterfly or moth it will turn into? Pretty interesting regardless!

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

After a really busy weekend...

I'm struggling really bad with allergies today. I had planned on getting my blogs together today, but eyes are doing funny things. I have already tried taking a nap and I just took some allergy meds. Hopefully that does the trick. I'm glad it hit today and not over the weekend or yesterday! Anyhow, the blog is coming! I have a bunch of pictures from our adventures :)

This week already seems to be moving really really slow. I just need it to be Friday!

I'll have a real blog post tomorrow Lord willing.

As long as my head rights itself around that is! ;)

Friday, August 19, 2016

Our awesome bike ride...

I think we have found our favorite trail! It's challenging, but fun...beautiful, but dirty! We were just shy of 14 miles off road this time...next time we will make it further! I'm not sure who one the dirtiest contest...regardless, we had a blast.

I can't wait until we get to do it again!

Thursday, August 18, 2016

The last day of swim lessons :)

The girls are finally finished with swim lessons! Both tested out of the 4th level, which is as high as our lifeguards teach. On their last day, the lifeguards planned a really fun day for the kids, with lots of activities.

The first one was picking marbles our of this bucket of water with their toes....

Marissa and Jeremiah were up first!

Madalyn's turn...Gideon was her partner

They tossed around a volleyball...

They played "Drip, Drip, Dump"...

....and played with bubbles!

The limbo with a water hose was also on the agenda!

The kids had a ton of fun with this team game!

Thanks to the Port Leyden Life Guards for the time and effort that they put into these kids! I know my kids had a blast and are much better swimmers because of it!

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Special time with Daddy

Last week was the first time in a LONG time that Doug has been gone out of town for a full week. The girls and I were extremely excited for the weekend to say the least. We got to enjoy a lot of time together...legos, movies, and an awesome bike ride. I'm very thankful for this man that God has given me. We don't have the perfect marriage, but I'm very grateful for what we have. I'm extremely thankful!

I can't wait until we are reunited again!

Friday, August 12, 2016

My tenderhearted girls...

Wednesday night for prayer meeting a bunch of people were not there. When it came time to break up into groups for praying, Mrs. Agnes sat there by herself. For those that don't know, Agnes is blind and therefore can't go find someone that needs a partner. Marissa noticed and when I looked up, there she was sitting beside her. Madalyn, of course, was quick on her sister's heels.

I love their tender hearts.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

A few changes :)

A couple weeks ago, we got the opportunity to change some things in the house. We finally retired our couch and upgraded! The poor thing had been through Doug's parents, brother, sister and then us. It was shot for sure :(

Friends of ours needed a home for this beauty and we were able to make it fit! I LOVE it!

We also finally got rid of our old tube TV and upgraded to an LED that I can actually watch without getting a headache!

Due to the size of the couch, my rocker got put in the playroom (soon to be nursery). It's not getting much use for now, but that will change before too long!

I'm so thankful for the new look!

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

2016 Countryside Dog Show

This is definitely something that the girls really look forward to every summer. It's mostly for fun, although every 1st and 2nd prize winners do earn a gift certificate to the vet's office. I'm so proud of the girls and the dogs!

Molly has really come a long way in her confidence! She was so good while we were out and about with both other dogs and men! She is such a sweet girl!

What a great shot! Thanks Doug ;)

The patient and her doctor and the teacher and her student :)

They do such a great job coming up with the costumes every year!

We walked away with a 1st, quite a few 2nds and a couple 3rds. $95 in gift certificates will help out this winter for sure :) Molly took a 2nd in Obedience ;) That made me smile for sure!

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!