For Posterity's Sake: Take 2

Okay, definitely not as cool as what BFF Gardener can do, but still cool.

Now if I could only do it without peeing my pants. Those dern kids!

Pre-K Graduation? What's next?

Destroy had pre-K graduation a couple of weeks ago.

Search's class did a couple of songs. Which were hilarious I might add because it required them to turn around and shake what their momma gave 'em at the audience. I had no idea kids could be so different in this aspect. Two just stood there, one slightly swayed side to side, one shook all he had and then Search, since he doesn't know how to shake his bum, just shakes his elbows up and down as furiously as he can while slouched over while keeping his behind completely still. Destroy's class then put on their class play after singing a whole lot of songs. Destroy was the lead frog in their "froggy play".

He was thrilled to be the lead because he got the rights from the teacher to boss the other frogs around because they (just tadpoles) had to listen to him and follow him around. The kids ONLY consented to following his instructions while on stage.

Last came the graduation ceremony. Who knew that they made caps and gowns for 4 and 5 year olds? Not me! It was a pretty big deal I guess but super cute.

While the graduation song played (I know I should know the name of it but I don't), each kid walked across the stage and received their "diploma" and a balloon. While they walked and their name was announced, a big picture of them, their name and what they wanted to be when they grow up was projected up onto the wall above them. Destroy is a "policeman in the making". Again, just another way for him to boss people around. Do you get the idea that he likes to be bossy??? We are working on this :)

After everyone was across the stage, instead of throwing their hats, they all let their balloons go at the same time. This was pretty hard for some of those little kids to do and left some of them in tears! But they all did it.

Destroy got a couple of pictures with his friends.
All his friends are girls.

Ladies' man. A bossy one, but a ladies' man.And luckily he's not too cool yet to snap a shot with his mom and pop.

This pre-K graduation was about as long as my high school graduation. No joke. But I loved every minute of it because I got to see what my kids had been working on for the last couple of months!

Costume Diaries

A few weeks ago Search and Destroy were looking through my fabric drawer. They found red and blue fabric and started making demands that I sew them police and firemen costumes. Yeah sure, I thought, I'll just whip up two costumes today. With a newborn screaming at me. I told them that it was not possible and that they'd have to come up with costumes on their own. This got Destroy started on a long spell of creative dress-ups (can I use that term with a boy?). He's been using his own clothes the past few weeks to come up with random costumes.

First they came up with the police costumes. All I had to do was make sheriff stars to put on their hats.

They've got their guns and walkie talkies (real ones; don't worry they were only $5). And no costume is complete without Napolean Dynomite moon boots.

This was white trash day at the Madsen household: cut-offs and a tank top. Put them together with a tool belt and hard hat and we've got our very own builder/fixer. Would you like to fix the plumbing next, Destroy? No outfit is complete without moon boots though so he put those on after the picture was taken.

Next up: we're going on a safari adventure. Green clothes to blend in, guns and trail maps.

Destroy made an animal science book for this one and drew and labeled all the animals.

And no ensemble is complete without moon boots.

Here we have the "fighter guy". He wouldn't have to get out the firearm to kill, that expression on his face would do the job. He's very serious about his multiple personas. He made a "Help Fighter book" to go along with this costume that demonstrates different fighting moves and techniques. Oh, and his shirt has an "army" helicopter on it. The bulge in his backpack is his bike helmet to protect against flying shrapnel. He got the idea for this costume after the boys watched Transformers. Don't even get me started on THAT: I woke up from a much needed nap and Daddy was watching it with my 4 and 5 year old.

And no ensemble is complete without moon boots.

Now we have the farmer and his cow. The cow even tried to eat some grass but decided it wasn't all that tasty. Apparently farmers wear flip flops instead of moon boots.

And didn't you know that cows can ride bikes? But they have to have a yellow helmet.

Warm days call for lifeguards. Even if there isn't any water around. Hats, red tank tops ("cause that's what you used to wear when you were a lifeguard, mom") and flip flops are what this occasion calls for.

You must also fashion a fanny pack out of your church belt and mom's old purse that has a belt loop on it.

And don't forget your shades and fold up chair to take along while you guard at different pools.

I missed the "surfer guy" day where they dressed up into swim shorts and rash guards and used the snow sled to surf. Destroy made them passports and plane tickets to get to "Fun Island" to go surfing.

Baby Dodge

I realize that little Baby B has hardly any mention in the last few posts. So, here's one devoted to him.

He enjoys mowing the lawn with Dad. Dad is a good sport about it even though he feels like wearing the baby Bjorn takes away his manhood.

He's grown up a lot (don't they all?!) and his little cheeks have filled out.

In fact, it's a little deceiving because people say what a cute little chubby guy he is, when really, it's only his face. But it's cute non the less. He was about a month old here.

Have I mentioned what a joy it is to have the germs from two preschoolers and an emergency room doctor floating around in the house? The combination of the two resulted in Baby Dodge getting two colds and pink eye in the first month of his life. Welcome to the world little guy.

And then of course he got this NASTY rash called sub-areahha (sp?). It felt scaly like a lizard and his skin was producing a ton of oil so there was oil collecting behind his ears, in his ears, under his nostrils, everywhere. It was disgusting. But, now the rash is gone so I have my cute baby back.


He love his changing table. So much that he often falls asleep on it. I used to call it the torture table when he was a newborn because he'd scream when we changed him. But now he likes it.

He also still loves his brothers. Most of the time.

But he loves the milk truck even better. At least for now!

Aren't they cute? And you can definitely tell they are brothers!

He is smiling and talking up a storm. It's the cutest thing in the world.

His daddy gets him to smile the most.

Baby B got to go on his fist hike. He did pretty well until he got sick of being in the little pack. Then I just had to carry him. While he cried.

Our precious little guy.

You can tell by the angle who took this picture. Destroy is very interested in the camera lately.



If you look back through the pictures, you'll notice that his head is ALWAYS turned to his right. I've heard that in the womb the fetus sometimes favors turning it's head to a side, therefore stretching the tendons on that side and not the other. That's definitely the case with this kid. I've tried everything but his head is getting flatter and flatter on that side. It's bad. And I can't get him to lay on the other side.

AND, he has an umbilical hernia. I pointed out to Aaron a few weeks ago that Dodge had a serious outy. No, he said it was an umbilical hernia - very common in babies. It's basically his intestines coming through the muscle because the hole hasn't closed yet. The weird thing is That you can FEEL and HEAR his food passing through it. And you can push it back in. It's strange. Sometimes I think I hear him filling his britches but they I realize that it's just his hernia. It should slowly close up, but if it doesn't, he'll need surgery when he's two.

We love the little guy and we've decided that he's a keeper. Even though he cries way too much for a third child and still has nights every so often (like last night) where he likes to be awake for 3 hours between the hours of 2 and 5 am. Nights where I want to bash my head into the wall. But the other nights where he doesn't wake up until 5 make up for it. And his smiles and cuddles and sneezes. Aren't baby sneezes the cutest? Those make up for it too. We're so glad to have him in our family and feel so blessed to have him.

picture tag!

Well, it was actually supposed to be the 6th folder, 6th picture, but when I saw which one it was, I realized I had already done that one! So I'm changing it to the 5th folder, 5th picture.

This picture was taken when we still lived in our little apartment in Irvine. This was in July of 2006, Search had just turned 1 and Destroy was nearing 3. Daddy is enjoying the post-bath smells and reading his little boys a book!

I tag... whoever wants to!

Double Whammy!

Yesterday was the first mother's day since I've had kids that my birthday hit the same day. So Aaron had a double whammy. I was born on mother's day. And one of my older brother was born on father's day. Kinda, weird, huh? Luckily, Aaron knows the way to my heart and made me food all day!

I was pretty excited when I woke up on sunday morning. Because I actually felt normal. Why is this? Because Baby D only woke up once! It was amazing.

I was also pretty excited because I hopped on the scale yesterday morning and was pleasantly surprised to see that all my crossfit and eating healthy has been paying off. I'm freely shedding the unwanted pregnancy pounds.

So, Aaron made me some super yummy cheesy eggs with bacon for breakfast, and he grilled me some ribs for dinner. My fav. I got to eat delish food with some cute company:


















Aaron wanted to make me a cake for my birthday. But I declined because I'd rather have chocolate chip cookies and milk over cake any day. But, I didn't trust him to do it, because making my chocolate chip cookies is an art. And because I just don't delegate well. The kids thought I was crazy not to want a cake. We also went over to some friend's for dessert last night. I think I may have gained all those unwanted pounds back in just one day!

Look, I even felt cute enough yesterday to finally take a picture of myself. Does any one else have the problem where you go to find a face picture to put on facebook or something and you CAN'T FIND A SINGLE ONE? There's not a single picture of me that doesn't have a kid in it. So here's my facebook picture :)

We had some trampoline fun yesterday too. Baby D got his first experience on the trampoline and he's not even two months yet. Welcome to the family, little man. It's never too early to jump on a trampoline, right? And I had to make sure that I can still do a back flip. I can. But the kids didn't care that their show-off mom could still do a back flip. Big whoop, huh?

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