Clay Days

We spent this past weekend hanging out at Clay Days, the annual festival in our hometown. Madelyn absolutely loved Clay Days!! She wanted to go back tonight, but I had to explain to her that Clay Days was over. She didn't believe me, so we had to drive by to show her that all the booths and rides were gone. She assured us that they would be back.


After a week of telling me that she did not want to be in the pageant, Madelyn changed her mind the afternoon of the pageant. We got her registered, and my baby girl got 3rd place in her age category. She was so excited about winning a trophy! I was so proud of her for walking out on stage and being the little diva she is. She waved and smiled and didn't act shy at all.

We also made a visit to see the Balloon Man and waited in his very long line for a special balloon creation. She chose a mermaid and a care bear. She wanted to sleep with them, but I told her she couldn't because she might roll over and pop them. I had to make them a bed on the floor beside her, but when the next morning, I saw that she had put the balloons in bed with her during the night.

Other highlights of Clay Days were the great food booths and the carnival rides. Madelyn loved riding all the rides, but I believe her favorite was riding the firetruck around Clay. We rode it every night. She told me she was ready for next year, so she could ride the firetruck again!

Corn Maze

I took Madelyn to Mooney's Corn Maze in Dixon. It was really a lot of fun and there was lots to do. I'm pretty sure that enjoyed painting her pumpkin the best though!


Here she is in the smaller hay bale maze.

Playing in the corn pit was fun too. She took her shoes off and jumped around in the corn. I hope she doesn't think she can do this the next time she rides the combine with Pappy.

The corn maze was really neat. I let Madelyn choose which path we should take, and I think she really liked it. She kept telling me the field was bumpy though.

Painting her pumpkin.

She painted it pink!

She got her face painted, and she thought it was the neatest thing. She kept looking at herself in the mirror when we got home. She was so upset when it washed off in the bath.

If you live in the area, you should really consider visiting the corn maze. There was a hayride, games, and miniature golf, also. We went on a pretty hot day, so I would recommend waiting for cooler weather, but it really was a lot of fun.

My little farmer

Madelyn is as prissy and girly as they come. She loves dressing up, wearing hairbows, and having her fingernails painted. She freaks out if she gets dirt in her shoes, but my little princess loves to go farming with Pappy.







If you ask her if she rode the combine, she will reply that it is not a combine, but "the CAT". She will ride with my dad for hours and hours. She absolutely loves it, and I can't really explain why.

She asks a million questions, and she has pretty much figured it all out. She tells Pappy when he needs to dump the corn or beans and when the truck is full. She just loves to ride.

She said she could drive when she got bigger.

Then again, she might like to ride because she usually finds the chocolate in Pappy's lunchbox.

Princess Madelyn

My sister, Libby, is really good at taking pictures and she really enjoys it. She recently took these photos of my little princess. I think she needs to go into business....what do you think?

These are just a few of my favorites. She took a ton of pictures, and I think they turned out great especially when you're dealing with an uncooperative 3 year old. Madelyn actually asked why she had to cooperate.

My little ballerina....so sweet. Libby wanted her to stand on her tiptoes, but she said she couldn't. However, when we went inside, she managed to tiptoe all over Libby's office. She is such a mess!!

Happy Labor Day from the Simpsons!!!

Last swim of the Summer

After the water drained from the pool where the hoses were pulled, the water was shallow enough that Madelyn could walk around in the pool without her floaties (with adult supervision, of course!). This was her last chance to swim in her pool this year, and she thought it was grand.

Goodbye Summer. Hello Fall.

Pool Closing

All good things must come to an end. We have really enjoyed the pool this year, and we are so grateful to Gran and Papa for giving it to Madelyn. We decided that we needed to close our pool the last weekend in August. We were having cool nights, and Madelyn said the water was cold and wouldn't stay in very long. However, when Jerry pulled the hoses off the pool and the water started draining, she couldn't get enough.

She filled her boots with water and scooped water in buckets.

She called it a fountain, and she was drenched when it finally quit running. She had the best time and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Swimming at Gran's

Madelyn's 3rd birthday

Madelyn's party was the day before her actual birthday, so we spent her real birthday doing whatever she wanted to do. It was Sunday, so after church we let her pick out the restaurant. Big surprise that she chose Cracker Barrel. She had told us that she wanted to go to the zoo, but the temperatures were so hot we talked her into an indoor activity. We told her we would go to the zoo when fall weather arrived. I started naming indoor activities that we could do, and she immediately picked bowling.

After lunch, we drove over to the bowling alley in Madisonville. We were very disappointed to find that they were closed. I asked Madelyn if she wanted to go to the movies instead. She looked so sad when she replied, "I just want to go bowling for my birthday." Daddy drove his princess to the bowling alley in Princeton.




















That was one happy girl. She was so excited to have a pink ball and go bowling for her birthday.





















This was Madelyn's big gift this year. Pappy and Mamaw delivered it after her party. She loves her new house so much that we had to put carpet in it. We were having our house recarpeted at the time due to a water pipe breaking upstairs, so we had some pieces left over to use.



















We saved our presents for her until after dinner on her birthday. We also had birthday cupcakes complete with candles to celebrate.



















She picked the ones with blue icing. See my blue tongue.




















I can't believe that my baby girl is 3 years old already. Time goes by so quickly. It reminds me to cherish every moment. I love you, Madelyn Grace!

Madelyn's 3rd Birthday Party

For Madelyn's party this year, I decided to have it at Fun 4 Kidz in Madisonville. It is a huge indoor play structure with slides, tunnels, and a ball pit. I was so glad that I had her party indoors this years since the temperatures at been between 100 and 110. It would have been way too hot to have an outdoor party like we had in the past. The kids had so much fun!





Here are a couple of pictures of Madelyn playing and having a good time. I think the ball pit was the favorite hangout for several of the kids. Elizabeth, Carolyn, Elijah, Kevin, Carter, and Hannah were there to celebrate with her as well as her family.




She is dancing because she is excited about opening her presents. She had so much fun at her party. Her shirt has her name monogrammed on it as well as a Little Mermaid applique which was the theme of her party.



Blowing out the candles and making a wish!

The party was awesome. Fun 4 Kidz did everything. I didn't have to worry about a thing this year. I picked out the theme and they did the rest. The party included pizza, drinks, cake, ice cream, decorations, and 2 hours of play time for the kids.

>My baby girl had a great party day! Happy 3rd birthday, Madelyn Grace!

Daddy Daughter Day

Early Birthday Celebration

My youngest sister's birthday is on July 3rd, Madelyn's birthday is July 25th, and my mom's birthday is July 30th. We had a birthday bash at my sister's house on her birthday. We had to celebrate Madelyn and Mom's a little early because Libby (my sis) has to travel to Cleveland with her husband. He has to have surgery, so they wouldn't be able to make it to Madelyn's big birthday party.

Madelyn had a big time. She has been excited about her birthday this year. I think she understands that she gets a party and presents.

We grilled out, and we went on paddle boat rides on the lake. We played with the puppies, and we opened presents.




A new sprinkler!!! Yay!!!

A new ride!

Can we get it out of the box? It will be way more fun!!!

All ready to ride.

Please, somebody pull me in my new wagon!

The birthday girls, Libby and Madelyn. Madelyn told Libby she could ride in the wagon with her since she didn't get one for her birthday.

Madelyn enjoying her ride. She didn't want to get out of the wagon to go home, but she was so tired from all the fun she had that she fell asleep before we got to the end of Libby's road.

Daddy pulling Madelyn. She was telling him which way to go. She loves her new wagon.

Thanks Nana, Aunt Libby, Uncle Josh, and Aunt Carrie for the cool birthday presents.

God bless!