Hello from Maddox land

 The other day I was sitting around the house, poor Stephen was bouncing off the walls (which then of course means he was getting in tons of trouble) and I decided that that little boy needed to get busy!

 So I began my daily search on the internet for fun programs, camps, whatever for little 4yr olds

 I searched and searched and searched until I found a few - made some phone calls, and bam just like that we had an entire month of activites lined up for him!!!!  Of course we needed to mix in family get togethers in there and cousins we never get to see! :)

 Then the fun began with his very first VBS!!  I have to admit it was such a worldwind dropping him off with the other three that I never took a picture (but I did take a very short video of the last day that I'll share later)

So after visiting with family then a week of VBS, this morning we're off to our first official swim leasson (mom's school of swiming won't get him to the olympics you know); then after two weeks of that we have the one thing I am most excited about...... SOCCER CAMP!!  I can't wait.  So say a prayer we all make it through and I actually take a moment and get some pictures :)  

Saying goodbye

So over the last few days I've been singing that old song "make new friends, but keep the old, some are silver, but the others are gold"  Why might you ask, well b/c this dear dear friend of mine, Lisa, just moved.  I would classify her as a gold friend - one of those people who comes into your life, changes it, and though might leave; never really does!

This is how it all started, Lisa had four awesome little kids, I was a new mommy searching for advice and guidance; and I found it!  I remember her once saying that she loved going out and about with me b/c I never seemed to mind the ciaos.  I didn't mind it at all, I loved watching her as a mother handle 4 little kids watching and learning and hoping that one day that would be me; all put together, calm, and shopping with four kids.....(now I can say, I'm not so put together as she is :) )

See Lisa is an amazing woman, that really doesn't even scratch the surface of her, but I she is.  She homeschool's three, next year four of her now five children, runs every morning, blogs, sews, reads (sounds funny but mommies let's face it, there's just not that much time to read - but she finds it!) 

But these are just things that she does; what really makes her amazing is who she is! She is an awesome daughter of God! She teaches her children the faith in such a beautiful way, incorporates it into her everyday life, she is a loving and thoughtful mother and wife - but more importantly to me, she has been an a amazing, helpful, loving, thoughtful friend! Always there to cry to, vent, laugh, share pregnancy's, lose of babies, births, and of course we'll always have our shopping adventures! Which as you can imagine now that it's 9 kids total between us; we don't do much of that! :)

I would attribute some of the things that make me "cool" to her.  That is other than Jesus and my family of course!  But if you've ever had my homemade sauce and noodles...yep that's all her, she also taught me how to make those awesome signs that are up in my house - and though she didn't teach me how to take pictures or blog; that is a hobby we both shared.

So to my friend Lisa, I miss you tons, and I love you!  You are an amazing woman, VA is lucky to have you.  Thank you for all you taught me, all the time talking and growing together!  God Bless you guys!

A little bit of nothing

So really this blog is a good excuse for me to share some fun new pictures of the twins - b/c there's not much that I'm in the mood for sharing in my head (really my head is full of thoughts of more coffee :) ) 

 But since I asked you for some awesome book advice I'll share with you that I did indeed try to read a book - I picked it up at my parents house, got really excited about it and fell asleep - hahaha
I grabbed  Wicked the musical - I have always wanted to see this musical so I thought since I never will - I might as well go ahead and read the book

I

The next day I got an email from the Fox Theater in Atlanta - Wicked is coming back to Atlanta for 4 weeks - we're so going - and now I'm not reading the book :)

The month of May

My Aunt Kathy and Cecilia

 The month of May has always been a very special month for us

first family picture of a family of 6! :)

 It's filled with birthday's, anniversary's, celebrations

My very good looking nephew and of course his parents :)  Also very good looking :)

 but this year the month of May has been even more exciting than usual!

4 beautiful generations!!

 Because it's also been filled with family!  It's hard to beat that!

Cecilia, Bing(my nephew), and Jude....remember, Bing is only 5mnths old! :)

We even got to hang out with Alan's family in Baton Rouge last weekend - and still one more exciting event is still tomorrow!! :)

Somethings the same around here

 Stephen's 2nd birthday party

3rd birthday party 

4th birthday party

Notice anything?  With the new Cars movie coming out - I feel this fascination with McQueen might last a bit longer; maybe I should go ahead and buy the McQueen cake mold for next year! :)

Please help!

 Ok, so you know how after having babies your brain is like mush?  Well, after having two and two toddlers I can easily say my brain is gone!

 so I need your help, right now I have found myself in strange situations - I will be around people and have NOTHING to say!  If you know me you know this is crazy!

 What it comes down to is my day (24hrs) is spent with little ones.  I love this, I am so thankful for this opportunity and time with my children; but when you add in the mush brain and little kids that equals nothing to say!

 My solution, I need to start putting more adult like material in my brain so I can then have something to think about/talk about

So here's what I need - a reading list!  Anything that would keep my attention, anything! I am currently reading a great spiritual book - but I have found that when I'm reading things that are deep it is very hard for me to consentrate on it, b/c I'm tired and my brain is mush.  So please leave a comment, let me know what you are reading, and then next time I see you at the park I won't just stand there like a mute silly goose who only opens her mouth to yell at a child or talk about breastfeeding! LOL

Time flies by

So it's been awhile, and in that time the Maddox family has been up to some fun!

Yesterday, May 13th, marked 5 amazing years of marriage for Alan and I - 5 YEARS! love it, love him, love it all!  And in those 5 years, we have been blessed with 4 beautiful children - yes I do laugh every time I say that!

Today we celebrated Stephen's 4th birthday (even though he doesn't turn 4 until May 18th) 

But before all of that, and I'm sure to come, we've been spending most of our time either outside with family, or hanging out with good friends!

Because for me and this crew, if we're not staying busy - then we're going crazy!  Some would see us and think we're busy and crazy, but that's just my silly kids having the time of their lives!

We've also had family in town (pictures still to come)

And we've been visiting Vancleave (Alan's mom's house) a lot!  I can't express how much an extra hand is - I don't even think I realized it until we headed to Grandma's house and she was there to pick up a baby, or fix a meal, or just be inside with the twins so I could play with Stephen and Abby!  It's been rather nice to say the least.

So I hope you are all enjoying the start of this summer as we are, hang in there with me I promise I'm here it just takes a bit to blog - oh and my mind is kinda blank these days so even if I have a moment to write to you, there's not much to say! 

But one thing I would like to say - THANK YOU to all of you who have made us a meal, or two, let us come over and held a baby, prayed for us, let me cry in front of you, or anything!  Our friends and family have been such an amazing help these past few months!  God Bless you all!!