So Many Social Engagements, So Little Time!

Can I just tell you how much we love this neighborhood! Every morning, the kids wake up and say "Who should we play with today?" There are so many to chose from, sometimes that decision can be a hard one! Heather and Emily invited us to go swimming with their kids and long story short--we ended up making a day out of it! We drove around to find the perfect spot, did lunch at the park, and ended up at a great indoor water park pool! The kids had a blast. The girls were little dare devils, as usual, and went down the water slide, over and over again. Even Ian was brave and went under the many waterfalls! Thanks for such a great day and getting us out of the house!

Ian's Birthday

So this is how Ian's birthday started out--passed out in Mom and Dad's bed! He slept until 9:00 am! Then he had his favorite breakfast--toast with Raspberry Jam and was ready for the pool!


We spent the whole day in the pool. Ian especially loved the squirt guns and splashing his sisters!


After his nap, we went to Ian's favorite restaurant--Wendy's--for chicken nuggets! Then back home for brownies, since Ian won't eat cake, or ice cream (I know--he can't be my son). Then we opened presents and Ian got just what he's been wanting--a new car!






He was so excited to see the car--he jumped right in and wouldn't get out for an hour! He was chasing his sisters on their bikes and then they would chase him. I think he had a pretty great day! I can't believe my baby is 3 years old!

Tag

Three Things Tag

3 Joys
1. My husband and kids












2. Great Design
3. Music (Scroll down for my playlist)

3 Fears
1. Losing my husband or kids
2. Losing my health
3. Ghosts or spirits (These really freak me out!)

3 Goals
1. Finish my house--painting, tile, landscaping and the other never-ending projects
2. Read my scriptures EVERYDAY
3. Have a pain free day

3 Current Obsessions
1. Anything on HGTV (I'm Addicted)
2. Peanut M&M's







3. Blog Stalking

3 Surprising Facts About Me
1. I can weld (I took a sculpture class and learned to use a blow torch)
2. I was English Sterling Scholar in High School
3. I hate shaving my legs so I usually only shave on Sundays!












3 People I tag
1. Sarah
2. Lindsay
3. Katie

Happy Father's Day

Dad and Me 1985


I visited my Dad. His headstone has been placed and it turned out so nice. It's a gray granite with bold letting. We chose to place an image of books in the corner and they turned out so well--not cheesey! I'm really glad it's finally been placed. It's so peaceful in Midway. The lilacs are still out and everything is so green. He picked a great spot!

I miss my Dad. He taught me a lot of things. He taught me to love music. Where would I be without The Beatles and Paul Simon or Scheherezade and The Firebird Suite or even Sly and The Family Stone? I will always remember "Riders On The Storm" on eight track in his black Cadillac, driving through Snow Canyon in the rain, just talking.
He taught me how to listen. I'm not always good at it, but he taught me how to really listen to what people are saying and not just to wait until they stop talking to say what you have to say. He taught me what unconditional love feels like.
He also taught me what enduring to the end really means. He suffered so much pain towards the end and yet he rarely complained. He had such great faith to say "Thy will be done", even when I couldn't understand why he was still here, suffering. He was patient and dignified in intense agony. He was a great example to me in his life and his death. I miss him!



So I made a yellow cake with chocolate frosting for Michael for Father's Day in honor of my Dad. It was my Dad's favorite. He would put a slice in a bowl and pour a little milk over it. It's how I still eat it. Thanks Dad!

Michael is such a wonderful Dad to our children. He is patient with them and I know he loves them. He does so much for all of us. He is a wonderful man. I'm learning a lot from him as well. I'm trying to learn to let things roll off my back like he does. I'm learning that I need to think it out before I say something(it's a Madsen thing, we can't help it!) I've learned what true love really is! Thank You, Michael! And Happy Father's Day!

Bird's Nest

Two birds have made our front porch their home! They have built a bird's nest up on our porch column. When we first moved in it was just a cool looking nest but I guess they were eggs inside and they have hatched! Everyday we go out to see the 4 cute baby birds. I can't believe they all fit in that tiny nest. They are growing everyday. At first, they were ugly, with no feathers , just little beaks that would pop up out of the nest. Now, every time I look, I see more and more feathers. It's a big ball of fluff in the nest! They are so fun to watch.

Our New Home

So this is it! Our new home! We haven't completely unpacked but it's starting to feel like home. We are loving this place. The neighborhood is awesome! There are about 25 kids on our street and the kids are out everyday, roaming to everybody's houses, meeting new friends and having a blast. I can't get over how friendly everyone is here! We had about 10 guys just show up to help us move in. We've had so many people come introduce themselves and invite us to dinner, offer to help paint, watch the kids, or just to chat. Genuinely nice people! The ward is great, too! The Bishop and his wife came to help us move in and introduced us to our neighbors--and then they remembered our names at church 3 weeks later! I was very impressed! The girls love Primary and Ian even went to Nursery! He actually walked in the door and played with the other kids--it's amazing! I just feel so blessed to be in such a great place with such caring people! I know this is where we are meant to be right now. It'll take a while to get the house exactly how we want it--eternal projects--but it has so much potential to be a great home for our family! It has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with an unfinished basement (room to grow). Michael got his 3 car garage so he can park his truck in the actual garage--what a concept--and we still have room for the floral cooler and all my wedding stuff! The backyard is huge with room for a new deck and garden with plenty of play room for the kids. Michael has his own office (not in our bedroom) with a door he can shut out all the noise. The kids and I get a den/craft room with a fireplace, separate from the office! The kitchen/dining/family room have nice vaulted ceilings which make it feel very open. We have a great view of Mt. Olympus, too! The kids are close to the school, where they will start kindergarten at the end of July! Yeah! We just couldn't be happier here! So come and see our new home! We'd love to have you visit us!

Seth and Melinda's Wedding

The wedding was beautiful. I'm glad it's over but it was worth all the work. When we arrived in LA, it was raining. And pretty much rained everyday, including Saturday morning! Outside the temple it was windy and cold. I mean this is LA--and no sun?! But as the day wore on, the clouds parted and it was a beautiful night! The reception over looked Burbank and the view was spectacular when the sun set. Seth and Melinda were glowing. They were so happy! Overall it was a great experience and I'm so glad I was a part of it all.





The kids were so good the whole time. They got to swim in the pool with Dad while I went to the LA Flower Market at 6 am! It was my fantasy place! It's about the size of 5 Costco's with wall to wall flowers. It smelled amazing. What an experience! Then I got busy. I only had two days to do 10 centerpieces, Melinda's bouquet and all the rest of the bridal party's flowers. I can't believe I got it all done! Then the day of the wedding, after the temple and after the luncheon, we had 2 hours to set up the entire reception. My family and Melinda's family and friends were all there to help. We got it done and with time to spare! I still can't believe we pulled it off! Thanks to all of you that helped. I couldn't have got it all done without you!



It was so nice to finally meet Melinda's family. They are all wonderful people. I hope to get to know them better! Even though I was beyond exhausted, we had a great weekend. It was so good to see family and be with each other for the "Seth Bug's" big day! I hope Seth and Melinda are relaxing on their honeymoon and enjoying their new lives together! Congratulations!




Andy's Fiance, Claire, did all the photography for the wedding. She did an amazing job. To see more photos of Seth and Melinda's wedding check out her portfolio at
http:/clairemarika.instaproofs.com