Surgery day

Today was surgery day for Daniel. He tore his ACL about a month ago playing soccer. We were at the hospital at 6:30 in the morning. I don't think Dan actually was taken back for surgery until 8:30. We were waiting for the cadaver ligament to get there. Ewww! Anyway, the surgeon said his ACL was severely torn. Worse than the MRI was able to show. But, he's doing great and even walking on it a little.Here's the patient

Are those my panty hose?

"yes" please don't to the wrong knee!!!

It was really hard to wake him up!

Still sleeping...Aren't we a cute couple? he he

ZZZZzzzzzzzzz

Finally awake!!! He's got it rough doesn't he? Propped up playing video games with Mike. He actually just called my cell to ask me to make him a pot of coffee....hmmm this might get old real quick!!! Love you, babe!

Trunk or Treat!

Last night was our annual Trunk or Treat at church. The girls and I went and had a great time! Only thing was that it was FREEZING! Brrrrr. I think we had about 100 kids attend the event so we were very pleased with the turnout. Wish I'd taken a few more pics...

Mallory the lion

Maddy the cowgirl

Another note from Maddy

Madison slipped me this note after school today.

To Amanda

This is the best day. You give me courij and stranth evore day. I think of you! Mom you are speshl to me.

From Maddy

Doesn't get much better than that!!! I give her strength and courage??? Oh my. How cute!

Better late than never!!!

I've wanted to post these pics all week, but just never found time to....so a week later here they are! Dan's parents came up last weekend for Mallory's b-day and they were also able to see Maddy's last soccer game of the season. Dan's mom got some really good action shots of Madison. I did not! So here's a cute one of the team and coach Dan.

On Sunday after church we went to a nearby park and spent the afternoon. The weather couldn't have been more beautiful.

Grandpa and Grandma Laughlin

Fall break schmall break...

Madison is on fall break this week. Monday she went to school from 9-12:00. Today from 1:00 to 3:40 and tomorrow 9-12:00. Then she's off Thursday and Friday. We have gotten into such a great routine and this weird week is throwing us off!!! The girls fought all morning, Maddy ran around the house jumping, running, hollering, cartwheeling, somersaulting, skipping, flipping... get the picture? Errrr. I'm hoping tomorrow will be better, but I'm taking the girls to get flu shots after school so I'm thinking probably not. :(

fyi: It's 9:00 and Maddy is still awake. What do you think she's doing? Dancing. Good grief we put her to bed an hour ago. Where does she get her energy?

Ok on a positive note Dan and I went to Maddy's parent/teacher conference this evening and her teacher had nothing but positive things to say about Madison. At the end as we were leaving her teacher said that she understands we are a family with great faith...b/c Maddy talks about it quite often. :)

Mallory's 4th B-day!

Saturday was Mallory's 4th birthday. I really can't believe she's 4 already. It seems like just yesterday that I was at the hospital pushing .... ewww anyway, we had a fun party. Both sets of Grandparents were there, my cousin Justin and his wife, Melissa, came over. I've probably posted way too many pics, but here they are anyway:

"Ok. Smile, clasp your hands together and lean to the right."

Pin the tail on the pony

Maddy kept cheating...

The cake!

Mal feeding her Baby Alive

Thanks aunt Kasey and uncle Mike for my High School Musical 3 bear!

Our fam

Mallory's favorite toy was this doll. (she poops and pees...really!)

Wii've created a monster

So Mallory is LOVING our Wii. She could play it all day if we let her. (we don't by the way) She's allowed to play it once sometimes twice a day for 15 minutes. Anyhoo, the girl gets way too into these games! Here she is playing Carnival mini golf... she got so hot and sweaty playing that she had to take her clothes off to cool down. See her jeans, shirt and socks on the floor?

I thought the girls looked cute all dressed in purple today.

Date night with daddy

Tuesday's are my kickboxing night. The girls and I head over to a local church from 6:30-7:30. This evening when Dan got home from work he surprised the girls and said he wanted to take them to a movie. They were really excited!!!! (they better be b/c dates with daddy are the only one's they'll be going on!!)

"This is very mysterious!!!"

About 8:00 last night our doorbell rang. When Maddy and I answered it the was no one there, but sitting on our doorstep was a little black bucket of Halloween candy and other goodies!!! Inside was a cute note and a picture of a ghost (phantom)on a piece of paper. The note said:

The phantom ghost has come to town

To leave some goodies....I see you've found
If you wish to make this a happier fall...
Continue this greeting, this phantom call.

First, post this phantom where it can be seen
And leave it there until Halloween.
This will scare other phantoms who may visit--
Be sure to participate, you won't want to miss it.

Second, make two treats, two phantoms, two notes like this,
Deliver them to two neighbors who may have been missed.
Don't let them see you, be sneaky, no doubt,
And make sure they put their phantom ghost out.

Next, you have only one day to act, so be quick!
Leave it at doors where the phantom hasn't hit.
Deliver at dark when there is no light...
Ring the door bell and run--and stay out of sight!

And last, but not least, come join in season.
Don't worry, be happy...you need no good reason.
Be cool, have fun, and remember-- don't be seen!
By the way, here's wishing you a Happy Halloween!!!

So Madison was super excited about our visitor and kept saying "this is very mysterious." She was dying to know who rang our bell and left us the treat. We actually left the house for school early this morning so we could drive through the neighborhood to see what houses had their phantoms taped on the door. Anyway, about 8:00 tonight we all hopped in the car and took our goodies over to some neighbors. Maddy "rang and ran". (rang the doorbell, ran to the car and we took off) These people who come up with these things are insanely creative!!! Heather M. is this kind of what your neighborhood does?
This is what was outside on our doorstep: I really have no idea what Maddy was doing in this picture!!!!

Weekend recap

Daddy and Mal at the park

Dan and the girls

Poor Mal and I weren't feelin' so hot here... I had an awful headache and Mallory had the "runs"

Mallory, Emma and Maddy playing together after church this afternoon

Golf cart ride with Grandpa and Grandma

TA DA! Mallory's new bed

Mallory's daybed was delivered today! I've never been a big daybed person, but Mallory's room is so small it seemed like it would work best. Anyway, this is the pic of her room with the toddler bed. Her room up until this point has been pretty boring. I'm excited to start hanging things up and decorating a little more.

It was hard to get a good angle of the bed. Her room is so small that if I stood at the wall across from it I couldn't get it all in the picture.

The pink and blue flower things at the end there are canvas pictures I'm going to hang above her bed. It's hard to see, but the bed also has a trundle that we are using for now, as a drawer for toys and storage. Eventually it will be nice for sleep-overs.

Now please Lord, help her to sleep all night in it!!!!!!!!!!

crafts galore!

Typically the second Madison comes in from school she drops her backpack and gets out the markers, scissors, glue and construction paper and starts creating something. Here she... crafty little thing!

Nothing much

I can't believe I've gone so many days without blogging!!! Honestly though, it's been pretty dull around here. Mallory's 4th b-day is about a week and a half away and I've got nothing... No decorations, no presents, nothing. I'm an absolutely terrible "party planner." Luckily we know a lady who can make the most amazing cakes and honestly, money wise, it's as cheap as making the cake myself! Mal wanted to have a mermaid party and this morning she's changed her mind and wants a My Little Pony party instead. So maybe we'll look around for some things this afternoon.

Mal has been sleeping in a teeny-tiny toddler bed and Dan and I decided it's time for a bigger one. We should be having it dropped off and set up tomorrow afternoon so stay tuned for some before and after pics of her room.

Sisters

It's an amazingly beautiful day here! Upper 60's and sunny. Mmmmm! I sent the girls out to play while I was cooking dinner. I kept looking at them out the window playing so nicely together. I think Mallory was the "old lady" with the cane (stick) and Maddy was assisting her by tying her shoes and carrying her up the hill. It was sweet and it proved that they CAN play together without fighing. The pics are kinda grainy. I was trying to be sneaky so they wouldn't see me and stop playing together.