Weekend at the Hagers Cottage

This weekend we spent Saturday and Sunday at Ron and Nancy Harger's cottage in Petwater MI. It is absolutely beautiful. Jared, Brynne and baby Addy are in town for a couple of weeks visiting family and friends. Mike, Carrie and Garret Tenbrink along with Jeff, Tracy, Ava and Roman Hager were up for the weekend as well. We had our hands full with kids for sure! We commented on how different it is up there from 4 or 5 years ago. :) Better for sure. Here are a few great shot from the weekend. :)

Take a deep breath

Tom is now able to take a deep breath. He has finally completed his masters in the Educational Leadership program at GVSU. He has been working on completing his masters for the past three years and has accomplished it at last. :) He wrote his thesis on the necessity of having a athletic handbook at the middle school level. It is absolutely wonderful and I couldn't be more proud of this accomplishment. Great job tom, we are all very excited for you!!

Maddie's First Trip to the Zoo.

On Sunday Grandpa Hosford, Grandma Hosford, Aunt K.K., Uncle Austin and Tom and I took Madilyn to the John Ball Zoo for the first time. She loved it! She is big fan of the following: Ducks, Monkeys, Goats and Fish. She is NOT a fan of the rear end of the camels. :) Another really cool part was touching the stingrays. They felt like thick slimy velvet. Maddie reached in and wasn't afraid at all. Her favorite part was the floor to ceiling fish tank. She was able to walk up and be face to face with huge saltwater fish. She giggled so hard, it was priceless. Here a few great pics.

Gardening Time

It was time to get some weeds OUT of the yard. I feel like they are taking over!! :) So, we put on our gardening clothes and went to town. Aunt K.K. and Uncle Austin gave Madilyn this adorable gardening hat the other day and she LOVES it.

Fish'n with friends

A friend and co-worker Chris opened his home to some of my Optech team members on Thursday for some fun and fish'n. It was a great time, however I lacked in the fisherman area. :) I think I talked so much "smack" the last time I was there, the fish remembered and were just not have'n it. :) Thank you Chris for having us over and nice job catching that delicious bass. ;)

Talking about Maddie's new cousin...

Dan and Tracy stopped in the evening and Maddie actually started to get the concept that there is a baby in Tracy's belly. She would look and pat her belly, so sweet. Uncle Dan read her one of of her favorite stories ( the first book he has read in years). :) Tracy is feeling better, but we need to keep her and that little peanut in our prayers. They have a long way to go yet and we want a healthy momma and baby!!

Pool Time Fun.

My parents have recently put in an above ground pool for these hot summer months. Here are a few picutures from today playing around. I couldn't resist the picture of her feet after being in the pool for so long. A true sign of a great day of pool fun. :)

Learning how to climb

Maddie has now mastered walking from one thing to the next. In fact she thinks she's something else walking around. She will even stop midway turn around and walk the other direction. Here is a picture of her when she was climbing our block ottoman over and over again. She would turn around and give me a sassy look. :) So cute.

More D.C. Pictures

Here are some more D.C. pictures. :)

D.C. Family Trip

Well, Maddie took her first plane ride...and LOVED it. We just returned from a family trip to Washington D.C. where we visited my cousins and spend time with lots of family members. We had the most wonderful time seeing some sites and just relaxing. Thank God for air conditioning however...temperatures reached near 100 degrees. We didn't make it to down town for the fireworks as planned due to it being so hot and Maddie not dealing that great with the heat. We did see an awesome fireworks show however in a little town outside D.C. We stayed with my cousin Mike and his wife Sherry, who along with my cousin Steve and his wife Wendy opened their homes to 16 of us that crashed. :) We can't thank them enough for their warm hospitality and company. Here are pictures for the trip...way to many I know...

Horsey Rides

Here are Maddie and Tom playing a little buck'n bronco. She cracks up, and thinks she's something else. She hasn't made 8 seconds yet, but she's try'n!! :)

Gotta Love a Lilttle Sand

Here are two really cute pictures of Maddie's first time in her sand box at Grandpa and Grandma Fannings house. Of course it's in the shape of a turtle...I'm teaching her young to love them. She absolutely love it, however she did learn what sand tastes like. :)

Right Out of The 1800's

Here is a picture of Maddie wearing a bonnet that my sister Liz got her from Greenfield Village. All that's missing from this picture is a little butt crack. :) Had to post it.

Pretty In Pink

Maddie is walking a great deal more these days. She is taking 5-6 steps at a time, tottering from one couch to the next. She is getting more steady everyday. We are just waiting for her to take off and not stop. I have tried to catch a good shot of her walking but haven't got "the one" to post yet. :) So, here is a new picture of her at Tom's cousin Andy's wedding. A congratulations goes out to him and his new bride Lauren. The best of luck and many blessings.

Maddie turns 1 and takes first few steps

Today was the big day. Madilyn turned 1. It is so hard to believe that a whole year has passed. Not only did she turn one today, she walked 5 steps on her own. It was a huge day in the Hosford home. :) Before we know it she'll be in school, driving....on her first date. AHHHHH!!!! :)

Maddie's 1st Birthday Party Fun

Well, it's here and gone already. We celebrated Madilyn's 1st Birthday (which is actually the Wednesday the 7th) on Sunday. The party took place at the Hilltop Pavilion at the John Ball Park Zoo. We couldn't have asked for better weather, it was a perfect day. Maddie was very excited to see so many friends and family there. She would like to say a big THANK YOU for all of the wonderful gifts that she received. Everyone was so generous. Here are a few great pictures.

Do'n a little yoga.

Here is Maddie practicing her yoga. She has perfected the down-dog. :) Hopefully this isn't a show of her keyboarding skills. :)

Photoshop Fun

So....I'm a little addicted to Photoshop. The crazy thing is, I don't anything yet. :) I do have about 1.5 Million pictures of Maddie, so once I know what I'm doing....it will be fun. Here is one that I've been playing with. Thanks Melssia and James for all of your advice and knowledge...even if it does make you computer geeks. :)

The Best Day to be a Mom!!

What a wonderful day to be a Mom.

This was my first official Mothers Day and it was just great! Sleeping in....a great breakfast....Flowers... Gotta love it. :) Tom also gave me a book that should help me with a computer program I'm working with. ( I know...nerd...) You really can't count Photoshop as a NERD computer program...Melissa & James, thoughts??? :) I can't wait to dive in, start creating and this book will help me a great deal. So thank you Maddie and Tom. :)

We went to my parents this afternoon, to wish my Mom a happy Mothers Day and had a wonderful prime rib dinner. Always a spectacular meal when my Dad cooks. I only wish I got half of his cooking skills. :) We then went over to Tom's parents and wished Grandma Hosford, Great-Grandma Hosford and Great-Grandma Snellink a happy Mothers Day. Maddie Loves her Grandma's that's for sure. She can't get enough hugs and kisses.

We would like to wish Happy Mothers Day to all the special women our lives...all the new Mom's this year ( we know a few) :) and all the new Mothers to be. ( especially Aunt Tracy) It is the most wonderful thing that any women can do, to give life and unconditional love.

Not so Happy....

I had to post this picture! I can't tell you the amount of people have said to me... "Lauren, Maddie is just all smiles, all the time!!" Well.....for the most part she is, but there are times when doesn't get her way...Here's a PERFECT example. :)