Maddens dance moves

Enjoying our cali vacay way too much to blog about Christmas yet.

Its been awesome.

In the meantime, here is some Maddentertainment for you....

(ya like that?? I just made up that word)

Madden showing off his fierce dance moves at Tanner and Josies wedding reception.

(sorry you have to tilt your head sideways to watch this video...not sure how to fix that)

I definitely can't take credit for this kids mad dancing skills...

He must have learned these moves from his Dad ;)

12.18.10

Still can't believe my little brother is married!

Beautiful bride

Beautiful day

Beautiful ceremony in the Oakland temple

More pics coming soon...

wicked

a wicked cold night

wicked beautiful city lights

a wicked funny bus driver

wicked cheap broadway tickets

(courtesy of Midwestern University's discount)

A wicked good date night...

and a WICKED good show!

first snow 2010

December 4, 2010

Woke up to a winter wonderland!

Oh how I love the first snow day...there is just something about it! It makes me happy :)

We had cinnamon rolls and hot cocoa for breakfast.

In lieu of tradition, Madden received a snow-related gift on the "first snow" day: brand new snow boots and his new winter coat that his Grandma Brimhall bought for him when she came to visit this summer. He looked so cute in all his snow gear! :)

This afternoon we took Madden out in all his puffy layers of snow clothes (that he could barely waddle around in) and Randy helped him build a snowman. Randy did most of the snowman building while Madden just did a lot of shuffling around in the snow and poking sticks into the deep powder and then saying "cole!" anytime the cold snow got on his fingers (since he refused to keep his mittens on).

Then all the fun ended with a snowball in the face.

Awesome.

We finished off our first snow day eating White Chicken Chili for dinner.

And then ate candy cane kisses and drank hot cocoa while we watched The Holiday.

Happy First Snow Day! :)

christmas jammies and the tree

We put the christmas tree up as soon as we got back from our Thanksgiving festivities in Minnesota. Madden had so much fun helping us decorate the tree, laughing hysterically as he ran back and forth hanging the ornaments on, one at a time. Any time we leave the house now, as soon as we are back in the door, he runs straight for the tree and just stands right in front of it, staring at it in awe. And so far, he has been surprisingly good at not touching the ornaments or the presents under the tree.

(except for in these pictures, in which he is touching the ornaments because I told him to, for the pictures of course...he's probably confused as hell)

Every year I search high and low for simple christmas pj's for Madden. I'm not a huge fan of the cheesy ones with bright obnoxious prints all over them

(no offense if thats what your kids wear for christmas every year) ;)

And even though his christmas pj's this year, are really basic, I still think he looks extremely adorable in them. I especially love how tight they are on him so his pudgy little belly sticks out in front of him and his padded diaper bum sticks out behind him. He looks like a little lumberjack! When he runs around the house in these pj's it makes laugh. :)

It also makes me laugh when he tries to kiss the tree good night and almost topples over right into it. :)

LOVE this time of year!

giving thanks

I am thankful for....

*thanksgiving traditions, both old and new

*Summer's to-die-for Pecan Yams

*My copycat recipe of Texas Roadhouse's cinnamon butter

*Everyone getting their own bottle of Martinelli's Sparkling Cider and drinking straight from the bottle

*Staying up late the night before Thanksgiving with Summer to make the super complicated, super time consuming, but super-worth-it Triple Layer Chocolate Mousse (No pumpkin pie. Yuck!)

*Clothes that still fit me after gaining 3 lbs this weekend

*A coat that kept me warm in the freezing a$% cold Minnesota weather

*Aunts and Uncles that Madden loves so much...sometimes even more than his own mom and dad :)

*Madden learning how to say in the sweetest little voice "hold you?" with his arms outstretched when he wants you to hold him :)

*Shopping Black Friday deals with my sister at Target

*The Mall of America

*Celebrating Noah's birthday at Mall of America

*Taking Madden and Alex on the kiddie rides at Mall of America

*Feeling like a teenager while screaming my head off riding The Avatar ride at Mall of America (scariest/funnest ride I have ever been on!)

*Sending our husbands and kids home in one car while Summer and I stayed with the babies to shop our hearts out at Mall of America

*Nestle toll house cookies that kept our babies happy while we shopped for 6+ hours

*A sister that likes to shop as much as I do :)

*Godiva chocolates and diet pepsi for dinner at the Mall of America

*A stroller to hold all my shopping bags that I couldn't carry

*An understanding husband when I came home with way more shopping bags than he expected :)

*Enjoying myself so much that I hardly ever thought to take out my camera and take pictures

*A perfect Thanksgiving weekend!

I have so much to be thankful for this year, my thankful list could go on and on....

But on a more serious note, this year I am most thankful for....

**the health and happiness of my family members and loved ones

**my hard-working husband who dedicates so much time to his schooling and his education to better provide for our family

**my sweet little Madden, who makes me smile first thing in the morning and makes me laugh every single day

**the opportunity I have to be at home with Madden every day, to watch him grow and learn new things and enjoy the simple moments with him

**the gospel and my temple marriage and forever eternal family

**having family nearby (or at least not too far away) to celebrate the holidays with and create new traditions and memories with

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

18

18 things I want to remember about Madden at 18 months:

1. He loves to be read to. We visit the library weekly and read about 30 books on a daily basis. No exaggeration.

2. He is obsessed with trains, cars and dinosaurs.

3. He has to sleep with two blankies, one in each hand pressed up against each cheek.

4. He is never happier or more hyper than when Daddy comes home every night.

5. His favorite snack is dill pickle spears. He calls them "tickles" and he would eat them for 3 meals a day if I let him.

6. He prefers milk. And he calls his sippy his "pissy", reversing the "p" and the "s".

7. His favorite show is Disney Channel's "Chuggington".

8. He laughs hysterically every time he farts (I blame Randy for this one).

9. He likes to play with my hair when I sit down in front of the mirror to do my hair or make up and says "pretty...pretty..." while stroking my hair (Randy blames me for this one).

10. He hates having messy hands and freaks out if something sticky is on his hands and he can't get it off.

11. He is officially down from 2 naps a day to 1 nap a day (damnit).

12. He makes the funniest face ever when you ask him what a bunny says as he attempts to wiggle his nose.

13. I've tried to catch #12 on video but can't because anytime I point the video camera (or any camera) at him he ignores what I ask him to do or say and just sticks his face in the camera and says "Cheeeeeeeese!!!!!"

14. He HATES going to the doctor. And because of his fear of the doctor will freak out when he even sees Randy's stethoscope. Like literally screams his face off if he sees a stethoscope.

15. Whenever anyone tells him "no" or takes something from him, he runs to the nearest adult and starts jibber jabbering away angrily, as if to tattle on the person who just took something from him.

16. He tries to tickle me anytime he sees my bare skin showing...if I bend over to get something and a teeny tiny patch of bare skin shows, he runs over to tickle me saying "ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka".

17. He thinks throwing rocks and poking sticks in the dirt is the funnest thing ever.

18. When he says "oopsie" he reverses the "p" and the "oo" sounds...and it kinda sounds like a very naughty word. But it makes me laugh every time he says it.

dear santa

dear santa,

I know I don't NEED any of this stuff

but just in case you are feeling really generous this year,

here are a few things I'm currently WANTING...

these sweats

a couple of these tees

(one in black and one in grey pretty please)

a cozy comfy hoody like this

some bright chunky scarves for the winter

this pencil skirt

these pretty nude pumps

this.................this................

...and this

P.S. And if you are feeling extra generous, and one of these

just happens to show up in my stocking on christmas morning I wouldn't even be mad.

thankyouverymuch santa

love, tiff

xoxo

why I run

Ok, so there are a lot of reasons why I run:

its good exercise, its fun, its a great stress reliever, it gives me more energy, its a challenge, it helps me fit into my skinny jeans, it gives me some time to myself, it makes me happy.

But lets be honest, one of the biggest reasons I run is because of my love for all things chocolate.

I recently read about these delicious treats called buckeyes on my friend Carly's blog.

Confession: I had never heard of buckeyes before...not the trees NOR the treats NOR the football team.

(Sorry Carly, I hope we can still be friends.)

But they sounded too good not to try.

So I made them. And oh my hell am I happy I did.

They are delicious. You should try them.

And then get up at 5:45 am and run 6 miles like I did today so that you can enjoy as many of them as you want without feeling guilty or disgusting.

And speaking of my love for all things chocolate...

Last weekend we met up with some friends for brunch at the Bongo Room. I love that their menu is seasonal so its always changing. This time when we went they had their famous Chocolate Tower French Toast on the menu. Of course I ordered them. And they were fan-freaking-tastic.

(Side note: If you are ever in Chicago, please brunch at the Bongo Room. You will not be disappointed.)

While we were there I noticed a bunch of people in the area who looked like they had all just come from running a race. I asked someone what race it was and they said that morning had been Chicago's Annual Hot Chocolate Run.

Um...Hot Chocolate Run?!?

A 5K/15K on a freezing cold November morning in Chicago where at the finish line you are rewarded with all things Ghirardelli chocolate!? Hot chocolate, chocolate fountains, chocolate fondue, chocolate candybars, etc.

I'm sorry, but....how in the HELL did I not know about this?!?! Anything that combines my love of chocolate with my love of running was definitely made for me!!!!

You better believe I will be the first one to register for the 2011 Hot Chocolate Run when registration opens on 2/14/11.

And you better believe I will get my fastest time when I know there's a damn chocolate fountain waiting at the finish line for me.

Now if only there was a race that combined my love of running with my love of diet pepsi.

I'm thinking I need to organize the first ever Diet Pepsi Run...

this big boy...

...went to nursery today for the very first time!

And he did so good!!!

I must admit, it was nice to teach my primary lesson without Madden pulling on my skirt and distracting the kids in my class.

But I did miss him a little and kept wondering how he was doing...I must have checked on him about a dozen times within 2 hours!

I was one proud mama when I saw him sitting in his big boy chair eating snacks, sharing toys with other kids, coloring pictures, singing songs, and doing puzzles.

My little boy is suddenly such a big boy!

(and consequently I am suddenly feeling very baby hungry...)

Happy 18 months, Madden!

xoxo

18 month measurements and percentiles:

weight: 27 lb. 15 oz. 76%

height: 34.88 in. 98%

head: 49.5 cm

Weekend with Uncle Trent

Randy's brother Trent was able to fly out from Az and spend Halloween weekend with us. It didn't take long at all for Madden to warm up to him...I think he remembers him from all the time we got to spend with him when we were in Az over the summer. Madden followed him everywhere around the house and Uncle Trent had him laughing hysterically!

It was Trent's first time to Chicago so it was fun to show him around the city and introduce him to the delicious food here...Potbellys, Portillos, Ginos, Athenian Room.

(thank you, Tina Fey for recommending Athenian Room. Best chicken I've ever had in my life. Ever. Hands down.)

It was a quick weekend that went by way too fast...and Madden screamed his head off when we had to drop Trent off at the airport.

Too sad...

Thanks for coming out to see us, Trent! Come back next year and bring Brooklyn so Madden can show his cousin around Chi-town! :)

Halloween 2010

The older Madden gets, the more fun Halloween gets!

This year he was a biker:

We took Madden to Midwestern Universitys Halloween Carnival. They put one on every year and have all sorts of fun games the kids can play and then they get candy each time they play a game. Last year Madden was too young to play anything, so it was fun to watch him play some of the games this year. He played the Ring Toss, the Bean Bag Toss, the Skee Ball, the Bowling Pins...pretty much anything that required throwing something he was great at. :) He was a little confused about putting the candy in his bucket after he played each game though: He would pick out a piece of candy and then try to throw it where he was just throwing the bean bag or ball. Then after about the 4th or 5th game, while standing in line for another game, he suddenly realized all the candy was in his "goonga" he had been carrying around and decided to plop down right there in the middle of the gym and start eating it. :)

Other weekend festivities included our annual Ward Trunk-or-Treat.

Madden had so much fun playing games, chasing all the other kids around in their costumes, and trunk-or-treating!

I tried to teach Madden to say "trick-or-treat" before Halloween, but it didn't happen. Instead, he walked around all night saying "goonga" and "Roooaaarrrr!" (He roars anytime he sees something scary.)

Madden is obsessed with trains and cars lately. Anything Thomas or Lightening McQueen, the kid can spot from miles away. For real. No matter where we were at the party or how crowded it was, he seemed to always spot "Thomas" and would drop whatever he was doing and make a beeline for him, calling out "Choo-Choo!! Choo-Choo!!" Luckily, Dylan was very sweet and took a picture with Madden...although Madden wouldn't even look at the camera....I think he is trying to kiss Thomas' face in this picture...

Everyone loved Madden's costume...even without the mustache we had originally planned to be part of the costume. Sadly the mustache did not happen. :( Its a long story, but we lost the original and when we went back to get a replacement, they were gone. I tried to make one but Madden would NOT leave it on for even a second.

Oh well...

He was still one cute little bad ass biker baby :)

Halloween has become one of my fave holidays since having a kid!

Not just because its fun to get Madden all dressed up and take him trick-or-treating

But cuz then when we get home and he goes to bed, I get to stay up late raiding his halloween bucket and stuffing my face with delicious candy :)

Happy Halloween!