WONDERFUL FAMILY NEWS!!!!

For some REALLY AWESOME news about Dan and Tracy Hosford please click on the following link:

http://dandthosford.blogspot.com/2006/05/guess-what.html

Snuggling with Grandpa Fanning

Here is a wonderful Picture of Maddie snuggling with my Dad. She is truly blessed to have four wonderful Grandparents, five Great-Grandparents, and One Great-Great-Grandmother. Amazing! She is very loved.

Where's Maddie???

One of Madilyn's newest things is "finding" anyone who calls her name. She will be across the room and if you get on the floor and say "Where's Maddie??" she will totally halt, turn around and make a straight line to you. Crawl like crazy to get to you and then she'll take your hands down. Kind of saying "Here I am!!" Sooooo sweet. Here are three pictures that sort of tell the story...

Madilyn's Baptism

A huge thank you goes out to all that were at Madilyn's Baptism. It was such a wonderful day for Maddie and having family and friends there made it all the better. A new life has started for her, as she became part of the Christian family today. Even with a ear infection, she was such a trooper. Uncle Dan and Aunt Rebekah took on a huge task today in becoming Madilyn's Godparents. We can't thank them enough for being the role models that she will need in future.

Here are few great pictures of today's events. A four generation photo, of my Grandmother, my mother, Maddie and myself, so so special. Another of Madilyn and her Grandpa Hosford making silly faces. :) One of the proud Godparents, Rebekah and Dan. Of course the action shot, which she did very well I might add. Not a tear! In fact, she bent backwards to go into the water! And then of our family.

Playing Motorcycle With Uncle Nick

Maddie loves her motorcycle rides with Uncle Nick.
I'm sure the airplane rides will come next!
We love you Uncle Nick!

More Spring Break Pictures From Melissa

So we just can't get enough of Melissa's pictures!! Here are a few more of Maddie on spring break.

Soooo Determined...

Here is a neat picture of Madilyn working hard to pick a toy up off of the couch. She has started to stick her tongue out while working hard at something. So cute.

Aunt Tracy's Birthday Picnic

A rainy sunday afternoon, but still much fun! We spent Sunday afternoon at Townsend Park celebrating Tracy's Birthday. Her actual Birthday was April 16th. We met Jonah Carlson for the first time. What a sweetie. Here's a wonderful picture of Tracy holding her nephew and one of Maddie and Jonah. There is also a picture of Tom and Dan...man they look alike...weird. :) The last is a GREAT picture of Maddie and her Uncle Dan. Maddie has a tough time once in a while, figuring out which one is Dad and which one is Uncle Dan. :)

Easter Sunday

We had a wonderful time on Sunday celebrating Easter. We started with Easter mass at Our Lady of Consolation and brunch at my parents. Then we had Easter dinner at Mom and Dad Hosfords. A day of eating that was one for the books. :) Maddie was all sassy in her yellow Easter dress, and I was even able to get a yellow clip in her hair!!

It was Tracy's 25th Birthday Sunday as well. Although we did our celebrating on Saturday at MoJo's. :) Happy Birthday Aunt Tracy!!

Gulf Shores Pictures

Here are a few GREAT pictures that Melissa took while we were down South. Thanks Melissa for the wonderful shots.

Home Sweet Home, Although Missing the 80 Degree Weather!

We have made it home safe and sound from Alabama. We had a wonderful time in the warm, 80 degree weather for sure. The ride down was one for the books. And the ride home...Made National News!! We know how to make a trip worth while!!

Maddie got the Rota Virus and was very ill for the car ride down. After 6 outfits that were...lets just say not in good shape and a stay at the hotel that didn't consist of sleep. We were ready for a nice vacation. Maddie was still very sick for the first few days, wanting to sleep and not eat. She finally starting feeling better about Monday and we got our old Madilyn back. With a new found attitude. :) There were others that got ill, thanks to our little maddie-poo, grandpas and Aunt KK. Both were under the weather for a couple of days. ( Maddie says she's sorry)

Madilyn and I spent most of the time at the beach or laying out at Grandma and Grandpas deck with Melissa, Jackson, Grandma, Aunt KK and Uncle Austin. Tom got a few games of golf in with Grandpa and Adam and spent time with us too. Tom and Maddie spent lots of time in the pool and even touched her toes on the ocean. Melissa, Adam and Jackson enjoyed the sun and fun as well. Jackson was a trooper on the way down getting a little sick towards the end of the trip. Again, thanks to his girlfriend. :)

All in all we had a wonderful time in Orange Beach and couldn't have asked for better weather. Of course we ate well, as we always do down there. If you have never tried Royal Red Shrimp you haven't had shrimp. Lots of grill outs and good drinks. There there was the ride home...

We left Friday morning and were making great time. The kids were doing fantastic and we were on a role. I opened my fat mouth and said "Well, we know the ride home can't possibly be any worse that the trip down..." What in the world was I thinking...

Then we entered northern Alabama. We hit weather that we have never seen before that day and night. We stopped numerous times due to either not being able to see, poopy diapers or the fact the a tornado was near by. We didn't know just how horrible the devastation was or just how lucky we were until we got out of Nashville. We saw a church (that was also on CNN.com) that was torn in half by a tornado. Katie and Austin were so close to all of this and we are SO thankful that they didn't get hit. Grandpa and Grandma were also ahead of us, but were lucky to make it through ok too. God was truly watching out for the Hosford family. It is good to be home thats for sure.
I am only going to put a couple of photos on here now. Melissa ( if you can believe it) took MUCH better pictures and I am going to wait to get those to really go to town. :)

Two More Teeth!

I don't have a picture yet...Because, well Maddie wasn't in the greatest of a moods today. :) She broke her two top teeth. Not the most fun, that's for sure. But she is having fun trying to figure out what they are. Thank you Aunt Tracy for taking such good care of her today. She needed lots of cuddling time.

Getting Ready to Head South

These next few days will be exciting as we pack for our vacation to Alabama. I'm way behind and already stressing...Typical. :) Maddie is going to be one sassy pants, with so many cute spring outfits. She hasn't been in the greatest of moods lately, although you would never tell from this picture. She has an ear infection, and is teething. Good times. Anyway, please keep us and all the travelers in your prayers. Bama or Bust!

A Gift From Daddy.

Tom spent the last weekend, Monday and Tuesday in Traverse City at a Athletic Directors conference and came home with a little gift for his girl. Maddie got her very first purse. A huge day for her, because if she's anything like me...there are MANY more in her future. :) Along with the purse came, a little cell phone, a compact, and change purse. All soft for her to chew on. :) It really couldn't be any more adorable. Thanks Daddy!

Another "Silly" Moment

:) She cracks up at herself now. She will laugh out loud and make this silly face. So funny!

Hide and Seek

Madilyn found a new place to explore today. She found the perfect hiding spot while we played Hide and Seek. :)

You May Need to Sit Down for This one...

Today, I did something that I never thought I would ever do. I ran in my first race. Granted it was a 5k, but STILL. You all know me...ME RUNNING?? I was motivated to do this by a very close friend of mine, Johanna Vander Wall. How she actually convinced me of this, I'm still trying to figure out. But to say the least, we did it. We ran the Irish Jig in East G.R. and it was awesome. She had to yell at me a bit at the end, but she got me to the finish line. :) Thank you Johanna for the encouragement and friendship. Along with us was a friend of Jo's, Tonda and Jason. Jason of course whipped us buy more than ten minutes. :) It was a great day and I can safely say I will be running more in the future.

Here Kitty Kitty

Maddie loves our two cats, Lilah and Rosie to death! Unlike someone else in the house ( I won't name who HE is) :)

And NO Rosie didn't run into a wall...God created her that beautiful. :)

Birthday Fun

On Wednesday we celebrated Tom and Dan's birthdays with the Hosford family. Here are a couple of great pictures. Tom's on the left...just in case you were wondering. :)
The second pic of Tom's sister Katie and Maddie, matching perfectly. :)

Happy Birthday 26th Tom and Dan!!

Tom and Dan turned the BIG 26 today. Isn't it so sad that this is the only picture that I have of just the two of them! Ahhhhhhh.....the glory days. :) Happy Birthday boys!!