Pirate Park

The Pirate Park

Today we went with the girls and kids on an outing to the "Pirate Park." It's a park about 30-45 minutes away that I saw online and thought would be fun. We drove down and got there pretty early about 10:15 but it was already as humid as can be although the kids didn't seem to notice at all! They loved this park!!! It's shaped like a pirate ship and is really big. Maddy is still a little young to go down the slides but she likes riding them with Will! And her favorite thing whenever we go to the park is the swings!!! She could stay on the swing for hours if I let her! She get's on and will just grin and grin and she likes to put her head back and look up the the sky. It's so cute! She also loves climbing up steps, she can climb down them too but man is she fast going up! Keeps me on my feet!

You would think I would loose some weight from running after her but then we go and end up eating lunch at a place like Caddyshack and it ruins it! Oh well! We went to a few stores at the outlet mall real quick and then went to Caddyshack for lunch. It actually wasn't very good, most of us got these French Dip like sandwiches and they were really dry and I spilled a huge glass of Coke all down my shirt and pants at the beginning of the meal and I had to stay in those clothes till we got home-after our 45 minute drive! Sticky! Plus by this point Maddy was getting tired and a bit cranky so the meal was spent trying to soothe her. What's the best way to teach an 18 month old not to throw food off her tray????

All in all it was a great day spent with friends!!! We got home and I put Maddy down for her nap and then Matt got home and him and I took a nice nap as well! Aaaaa!!! So relaxing!!! Here's a few pics! I decided to post them in black and white this time! I love black and whites!

Mmmmm.... yummy!

Itchy! Scratchy!

I am sitting here scratching these horrible bites that we got last week when we went to Castaway Island. It's a local park that is on the water and Matt and I took Maddy and Barkley on one of Matt's day's off. We thought it would be nice to get outside and take Barkley for a walk and Maddy loves being outdoors. When we got there the nature trails were closed for expansion but there were still a few areas to walk. So we got Maddy in her little car that she loves and started walking. We had only been walking about 5 minutes when these horrible deer flies started swarming us. Luckily they weren't bothering Maddy just Matt and I. We tried to walk to a different area but they wouldn't go away and were just attacking!!!! Ick!!!! When we started getting bit all over we made a run for it back to the car. Poor Maddy was so upset! She was bawling her eyes out and throwing a fit because she had to get back in the car after we had literally just got there! I am not planning to go back there anytime soon until they go away

Matt running to the car with Maddy to get away from the deer flies!!!

Oh well, at least Mad's had fun "dancing" in the car to the music!

My precious nephew Will

I am just sitting here thinking about my newphew Will. He is just the most amazing little boy. Well he is 9 now so maybe not so little but he's still little to me! Will has been so amazing about everything with Tyler. He always loves talking about Tyler and asks me questions about him all the time which I like because I love talking about him. And he is always thinking about him and finding little things that remind him of Tyler. I just think how amazing that he is so in touch with this at such a young age. Today he wrote something in school about Tyler and I wanted to post it here.

A Story by Will written about his cousin Tyler....

When I was 8 years old I found out my aunt was having a baby. I was so exsited I kept on asking my mom when is hte baby coming. But soon we found out that the baby was missing a kidney. He wasn't going to make it. We were so glum. We gave my aunt lots of presents to cheer her up. We also went to put flowers at his grave. And went to a walk to remember. You walk really far and write a note on a balloon and it floats to heaven. We miss him but one day I will join him.

Our little Tyler has made such a huge impact on so many peoples lives and I wouldn't change that for anything in the world. Although I will always long to hold him in my arms I am proud to be a mommy to an angel.

Will and Gram's found a field with HUGE dandelions on West Virgina. So they took pics for me since we think of dandelions as "Tyler's flowers."

At the Walk to Remember Will made the coolest wooden box with Tyler's name on it and painted blue. I love it and keep it on Tyler's shelf.

ps. I love your story Will and I love you!

Terrible, horrible, no good very bad day...

Just venting in this post!

I am finally sitting in bed relaxing after a very long day! Maddy is sick and not feeling well. She has been running a fever for the last 3 days. I took her ot the doctor today and they checked her for strep, flu, checked her ears, throat, etc. and said the words I hate hearing, "It's probably just a viral thing, a virus. It's just goingto have to run it's course!" Ugh!!! That is the worst that they dont' have anything they can give her to make her feel better except for Tylenol or Motrin! Ugh! Also said her throat looked red. Poor thing she has just been miserable all day long, screaming at the top of her lungs hysterically for the majority of the day. I am totally exhausted! Going to bed to try and get some sleep because I know she'll probably be up in the middle of the night! Saying a prayer that she feels better soon!

What is it about Halloween?

Last year I was looking through the sale ad's and saw the cutest little yoda costume that Tyler would have looked adorable in. Then today I was just looking on Craigs List for kids stuff and I came across a set of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell costumes and then another set of Woody and Jessie costumes from Toy Story and it made me feel so sad. Those would both be sooo cute to dress Maddy and Tyler in and they would match! I wish that I could spend just one Halloween with my little boy. At least JUST ONE!!!! Although I would love to spend them all with him but I will never even get the chance for just one and it just isn't fair. I hate that I will never have him here in my arms on Halloween or any other time! I hate it!!!! Just feeling angry today, and sad.

We love the water park!

Went to the AV water park today, it was great as always! We love it there! Maddy is also on the go and having a ball while I run after her! It still amazes me that she is not the least bit afraid of the huge wave pool! She loves it! Today Grandma and Grandpa Max came too to see the kids playing. It was fun, Maddy fell asleep after a bit like she usually does in the morning and took a nap on Aunt Bek and then Grandma Max. Kinda bummed though because now that school is starting back up the water park will only be open on the weekends and then in about another month of two it will close for the season. Better get the rest of our water park days in quick!

Packing for the beach!

Today while trying to get out of the door with Maddy and ALL our stuff I felt like that TV show where they are trying to cross the street to get to the beach and they have their hands so full that everything is falling all over the place!! Yeah that was me this morning! Our typical getting ready to go to the beach/pool/Adventure Landing bags consists of this:

Maddy's bathing suit

swim diaper

baby sunscreen

sunblock stick for face

my sunscreen

brush

change of clothes for me

2 changes of clothes for Maddy

my beach towel

Maddy's beach towel

water toys

3 paci's

diapers

wipes

Maddy's eczema crean

Infant Motrin- Mad's is teething

teething tablets

Balmex

sunglasses

wallet

camera

memory card

cell phone

cup with Cheerios for a snack

a warm bottle- yes my little princess still likes her milk warm!

cooler with:

juice cups

banana

Lunchable mini's

yogurt

cheese slices

Maddy's float for the pool that you sit in
Maddy's floatie's so she can swim!

Whew!!!! I think that is about it! So after all that packing we headed to the beach with Grams and Joshy!

Maddy loved going to the beach! She played in the sand a little bit and then we showed her the water and she want right in! Our little stinker as no fear! She went in and then when the waves came she would run back out a little. Then I picked her up and let her go in with me a little deeper. We sat together and let the waves hit us- just the little onces and Maddy laughed and loved it! Then we went back up to the shore and played in the sand. We would dig holes and then when the water would come to fill them Maddy would SPLASH all over! Afterwards we went to the showers to clean all the sand off, that is the only thing I hate about the beach, all the sand!!! Maddy didn't seem to mind it though even though it was all over her, in her hair, and everything! Ick! Then we went to the Grandma and Grandpa Fords pool, had lunch with Grams, Pa, and Joshy and headed home. Maddy fell right alseep! Another great day!

A picnic with Tyler

So today Matt, Maddy, and I went to have a picnic with Tyler. We picked up some lunch and headed down to the cemetary. We have always talked about going to visit and having a picnic but I dont think that we have ever got around to doing it and today seemed like the perfect day. So we got there and it was really nice although it is SUPER hot here! We talked to Tyler like we always do when we go visit him. I dont know but I always feel like Tyler is looking down from above watching us when we go to visit him. It just feels natural to me to talk to him. We had lunch and laughed at Maddy being silly! Then since it was so hot we packed up and got ready to head back. As Matt took Maddy to the car I stayed for a few more minutes and sang to Tyler. I always love singing "You Are My Sunshine" and "Count Your Blessings" to him. And I always tell him that whenever he is watching from up above and see's me singing to Maddy to know that those songs are meant for him too! It was peaceful being there but also so sad to know that this is as close as we will get to having our family together on this side of Heaven. I miss him every single day. I miss him so much....

Once we got home I went outside with Maddy and looked at Tyler's garden. One of the new flowers started blooming! I think it's probably because of all these afternoon thunderstorms we have been having!

Maddy had a ball running around the yard and chasing Barkley!