IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

Well, it's official. The Maddocks are adding a boy to their zoo! Most of us are very excited. Reese is a little unsure and is still saying that it's a girl. I really think a boy will work out best anyways. With Reese starting school soon she won't really be able to "play" with the baby like she thinks she will and Hunter will be ecstatic to have a playmate home with him. He still doesn't understand much. He knows that Momma's belly is big and that there is something different about it. He is always giving it love and zerberts! We are still thinking about names. We have a couple that we like but we are a little stuck on the middle name. It might be down to the wire on this one. As of now our due date is March 21. Yes, spring will be birthday central around here. Thank you all for your prayers especially at the beginning. As of now, everything is going right on track.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

TRICK OR TREAT!!!!

Reese (The Princess) had a great time at Halloween as usual. I can't say much for Hunter (the grouchy frog.) Mom was exhausted after the festivities because I carried Hunter the whole time! I think he was a little overwhelmed by all of the people and he wasn't too pleased with being stuffed into a costume! He was very happy when we were done and someone gave him a sucker. A whole new frog at that point! :)

Fall Carnival at Gramma's

One thing I remember as a child is how much we all loved Halloween. It's our favorite holiday next to Christmas. I remember a few times my parents turning our backyard into a Halloween carnival. They used the swing set and old sheets to make a "haunted maze", bobbing for apples and all sorts of games and "tricks." My mom has had a carnival at her house the last few years and this year Reese had a blast. Hunter had a blast eating everything that cousin LuLu had to eat. Reese went fishing, "threw darts" at balloons, bowling, potato sack race and her favorite...the relay race. I have NEVER seen my child run and laugh so hard as she did this day at Gramma's. I wish we had taken the video camera to capture her smile, her laughs and her squeals of joy!!!

BIG ORANGE PUMPKIN PATCH

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL! It's time for Halloween! Our playgroup made our yearly outing to the pumpkin patch recently and had fun as usual. Although, it is getting harder than the first time we went. The first time we went we all had ONE kid and most of them were immobile so you could simply lean them up against a pumpkin and snap a picture. This year we were lucky to even keep with them. Some were feeding animals, others were picking things up, riding play tractors, picking their pumpkin, etc. It was very hectic, very busy but very fun too! Next year might be a different story with me taking THREE kids. I am just letting everyone know now that if you don't have plans in October...I might have to call in reinforcements to go with me!

State Fair of Texas

Howdy folks! It's Big Tex!!! It's that time of year again! Momma's favorite time of year! The fair is here!!! I LOVE THE FAIR! I can still remember going as a kid and eating all of the food, going to the car show with my dad, riding on my dad's shoulders when I got tired of walking, and the parade! I promised myself that we would do our best to go every year with the kids and so far we have. Jamie says it's more for Momma...and that's okay! As long as I get my Fletcher's corn dog and my fried something for dessert...I am happy! The kids had fun. Hunter was a little more into it but still not as much as Reese. We fed the animals, saw the cars, Reese went through a little pretend farm where she "planted" stuff and then everything that she "grew" she took to the market and they gave her a play dollar to buy something from the store! It was very cute. And we all rode the Ferris Wheel this year. Tons of fun!

Summer is over???

Well, according to the community pool I guess summer is over since we can't go swimming anymore but, according to the weather...well that's a different story! It's not terribly hot but it's also not a nice fall temperature yet either. The mornings and evenings are okay. WE had a good summer. Lots of swimming, playing with friends, playing at Gramma's and Mema's, a trip to Paris...Texas that is and of course our Colorado trip which Reese still talks about. She'll pack her "packpack" and say, "Momma, I'm going to Colorado!" All I can say is, "THAT'S MY GIRL!!!! I'M COMING WITH YOU!" We've also had some surprises this summer. The biggest being that God and his wonderful sense of humor has decided to bless us with yet another sweet child! Most of you already know this but some may not. We are due March 27th. Yes...another March baby! Reese knows it's a girl but we keep reminding her that God decides what the baby will be. We had discussed a 3rd and had decided to wait until next year IF at all. This one has been a doozy! Lots of sickness with this one! But as my sweet husband (who has had no attention in months) keeps telling me...It will all be worth it in the end! We'll keep you posted on baby news and with pictures! Hope your summer was as blessed as ours and that your fall will be as well!

More of Heaven

Just a few more pictures. Five won't do it justice...well, pictures don't do it justice to be honest! You just have to be there! Hope you enjoy them as much as we did while we were there!!! And as you can see...even with power lines in the way it is still BEAUTIFUL!!!

A Little Taste of Heaven

For those who know me well, my idea of heaven is Colorado. Even compared to all the beautiful tropical places in the world I still think heaven looks like Colorado. I love everything about it from the Aspens, the mountains and the smell...especially after it rains. This summer the Maddock family ventured to Buena Vista, Colorado to meet with Uncle Booshie and Aunt Kafleen! If you are not familiar with BV it is filled with fourteeners and I LOVE IT! I think the most well known are the Collegiate Peaks which we had the privilege of seeing one right outside our front door of the rent house we had. The drive was great! Reese and Hunter did fantastic. We were really surprised. They both loved the "hotel life" and they both really loved the house in the mountains. As we were driving out of Colorado/New Mexico Reese said, "Momma...who took the mountains away?" Sadly, I had to explain to her that Texas is well...FLAT! We really didn't do much. We relaxed a lot, took in the scenery (from one of 3 porches), the boys played golf, ate at some fantastic restaurants, played some funny games, splashed in the river and threw rocks, ate great ice cream, went to the park AND visited with two of my most favorite people in the world...Mama and Papa (or Skeet and Angie Tingle). I worked with Skeet and Angie at a ranch all through college. They were my "summer Mama and Papa" and I love them dearly! Reese climbed a rock wall (one of my proudest moments) and kayaked with Uncle Booshie. I am going to have her working at WRanch before long!!!! Most importantly, we got to hang out with family and were once again in awe at God's unbelievable creation. If you ask Reese who God made the mountains for she'll say..."Everyone!" I am sure that I enjoyed this trip more than anyone...it's my old "home away from home" and it's gorgeous and God made it just for us! How blessed are we???

1st Haircut and Enjoying the Rain!

Well, Hunter finally had his first big boy haircut. He didn't like it too much but I don't think it helped that we had to wait for an hour and a half to get in! Thankfully, it went pretty quickly. He is so handsome. For those who didn't see him with his "shagalicious" hairdo as I liked to call it I'll put a before shot so you can see the difference. He looks like a little boy now. He really enjoys being outside although...we don't go much these days. He's funny to watch. If there is the slightest "step" to go down he will turn around backwards (sometimes about a foot or two before the step) and just crawl his way backwards stopping every now and then to look behind him to see how much farther! It's hilarious. They both like to splash in the puddles after it has rained. That's been our new adventure. Most of the time we end up running to the front door because we get caught in the next storm. I loved playing in puddles when I was little. We get pretty good puddles on our street too. Reese says, "I want to go play puddle puddle." Hunter usually just sits right down in them. Why not??? Too bad I can't count that as bathtime.

Fort Worth Zoo

I think I've said it before but if not the kids have definitely inherited my love for animals. It doesn't matter what kind-a family pet, petting zoo or the ducks down at our pond...they love them all and aren't afraid of them. I am so thankful that they do. Reese will feed and hug just about any animal and Hunter just tries to catch them right now. Unless of course, the animal is very lazy and asleep in the kitchen all the time like Bogey Bear. Hunter will randomly walk over to Bo's bed and just sit down and talk and give love! I love it!!!! Reese liked the giraffes the best, I think Hunter liked the elephants because everytime they "trumpeted" he would squeal too. At the end of the day...they both LOVED the train!