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T minus 6 hours...

Tomorrow morning Madelyn is headed to Greene Family Camp for her first summer sleep-away camp experience. I am SUPER excited, and really nervous too. I've gone through her packing list 3 or 4 times tonight, counted her outfits, panties, socks, checked for sunblock, waterbottle, stationary with labels and stamps, toothbrush, hairbrush, and bedding galore. I recounted her outfits and panties - for fear that she'll run out. And just as I always did when I went to camp, she has more than enough to get her through (of course I went over the suggested quantities just a little).

Madelyn is incredibly excited, and I am so glad that she is still looking so forward to it. I just know she'll have such an awesome time and I think this will be an amazing experience for her - both for the fun, and for the learning experiences too.

Well, it's really late, and I'm exhausted so I'll post on how the drop off goes. Don't forget to write her - email me if you need the email login or address info.

Wow - these last few days have been busy...

We had an awesome Father's Day weekend! Grammy and Grandad came to Dallas for a visit, and they brought with them Bijou (Grammy's maltese puppy), and Flora (Grandad's newest find... a fawn - baby deer - that they are bottle feeding). It was tons of fun. We relaxed around the house, went bowling, grilled steaks for dinner, and just enjoyed everyone being together. Unfortunately, back to Blanco they went Sunday morning...

Sunday evening Trey, Madelyn, and I went to a pool party for all of the GFC Campers from Dallas that are Madelyn's age and going to camp for the first time together. Trey and I got an email from one of the parents that they were organized a little pool party to get all the kids together before camp so they would make some friends and know some other kids before they got there. I was so excited at this that I cried. Yes, I know... really, cried?! But it was one of my biggest fears that Madelyn wouldn't know any other kids, and this just made that one step so much better. She hit it off right away with one of the other girls, and of course the boys. I'm so hoping that they'll be in the same cabin (the girl only of course!) and that this experience will give her some friends in Dallas that she can get together with and spend time with when she is here.

So here we are on Wednesday - hump day. Madelyn and I have had 2 days of vacation so far, and they have been F-U-N! On Monday we had some chores to take care of - the A/C people came out for summer time checkup, and we had our quarterly pest control maintenance completed too. Both appts. were scheduled for 9:00 am and both were here and working by then! Madelyn woke up lazily - watched a movie while I did some cleaning, and then we had lunch at home. Ashley came over for lunch and then we took Madelyn to the roller rink for some roller skating. She tried out roller blades for the first time and she did great! There were lots of falls (she has a huge bruise on her elbow - yikes!), but she was really awesome. She'd just get right back up and tell us "I'm fine, I'm fine", with a roll of the eyes that said - back off, you're embarrassing me! After roller skating, we headed to Target to attempt to get the rest of the camp list taken care of. Notice I said attempt. We weren't very successful, and my patience was just about out, so we called it quits on that for the day. Ash headed home and April and I took Madelyn for some fro yo... for those of you not cool enough - that is frozen yogurt. There is this great place that opened not too far from the house. You fill your own cup (there are about 10 flavors to chose from) and then you put on your own toppings. There candy toppings and fruit. The catch is, you pay by the ounce. We've been frequenting this place, and let me tell you, as hard as I try I don't have it down to a science yet. It costs me almost $5 every time we go, and I keep trying to keep it down, but before you know it, you've filled to the top! DANGEROUS!!!! So then we went home, and cooked dinner, and chilled a little with daddy.

Yesterday we went to the gym in the morning, followed by lunch at Freebirds with April, and then off to do more camp shopping. This time we hit Khol's, and JACKPOT! We got almost everything that remained on the list. YIPPEE!!! I was so excited and it was relatively cheap too. So from there we headed to Leenie's for some pool time. Madelyn was so great helping me get sunblock on my back. We swam for a bit, played a few games in the pool, and then headed home. Last night we got Madelyn's stuff for camp all labeled, and mostly packed up. It's getting close, and she is so excited! Yesterday, Rarah got into a little trouble too. We got a letter from Jackie at camp (it was written to Trey, Madelyn and I), and ooops... I shred it before Trey got to read it! YIKES. He was so NOT happy with me. I was cleaning up, and wasn't even thinking. I tried to regurgitate what it said to him... camp is fun, it's really hot, blah blah blah... It didn't work! He wasn't having any of it. So I had to send an emergency email to Jackie last night for help to redeem me!

This morning I had an orthodontist appt for a second opinion on the process I'll need for my braces. I got mostly the same prognosis - 2 years and $6000!!! But this dr. said I'll need teeth pulled to make room and the other one didn't say anything about that! So now I don't know what to do. I left a message for the first dr. to see if he thinks I need teeth pulled and just didn't say, or what. I guess depending on what he says, I'll go for a 3rd opinion - a tie breaker maybe???!!!!! Oy vey! All I can say is, to anyone out there with young kids, when they start to fight you on getting braces when they are young, you send them to me and I'll set them straight. This is for the birds.

Well, today we are off to have lunch with daddy and go to the Children's Museum and IMAX. Tonight we're picking up Madelyn's cousin, Hollie, for a sleepover and day of fun with us tomorrow! Hopefully it will provide a much needed break for her mom and dad (they just had twins!), and give Madelyn and Hollie some good play time. Oh yeah, and a little break time for me too!!!!

So that's it for now. More to come soon.

Madelyn has new cousins

It's been a long, exciting, exhausting week for the Studdard (and extended) family.  For those of you who have been following, Stephanie (Madelyn's Aunt) had her twins Wednesday morning.  It's been a long journey to get there, and now the real journey begins.  Brooke was born with very little complication, but did have Pneumonia and has had to spend a few days in NICU.  She is doing well, and they will hopefully get to take her home soon.  Kamryn, who was diagnosed early on with CDH, has also been in the NICU.  And tonight, amazingly enough, they were able to perform surgery.  This came upon much sooner than expected, and we just heard that it went extremely well.  That is all I am going to say on the details, as I don't know enough and certainly can't explain it.  You can follow their blog, though, through the link on the lower right of mine.  

What I can tell you is that these are amazing people, with extraordinary determination.  I am so fortunate to be linked to them - through Madelyn, and through choice.  I've felt so connected to their story and everything they are going through, as I know so many of you are through your constant inquires to me.  I'm just so grateful to be a part of it all.  Kamryn, and all of the family, still has a long road ahead of her / them, but they are all so positive and strong, and are getting through it all so wonderfully.  Here's to continued happiness, success, and great health to them all!

Sunday, oh Sunday...

The countdown has begun...  One more week of work and then I am on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N with my princess!  I have to start thinking of some low key fun things we can do.  Any suggestions??  And if anyone wants to contribute to the "entertain a 7 1/2 year old in 95 degree weather" fund that would be great too!!!  I'm just so excited to see her and spend some good time together.

Today I start counting points again, so wish me luck.  I've been continuing to think of weight watchers when I eat, but I have not been actually writing down everything I eat and counting the points for the past probably 6 weeks.  It started with being out of town and losing track one week and I just never got back to my spreadsheet.  So today I get back on the strict wagon.  I have I think 6 - 10 more pounds I'd like to lose (so long as it drops from the right area - my tummy).  I definitely hit a plateau a little while back, so now I have to really watch it, and I'm trying to change up my workouts a bit too.

Today the girls went off to camp, their last year at Greene as campers.  It's so exciting and so sad at the same time.  This summer they are on Kibbutz - it's much like a Kibbutz in Israel where they as a group do all of their own living work such as cleaning, cooking, taking care of their environment (there is a garden and a mini zoo that they tend to), etc.  It's great work and TONS of fun thrown in there too.  When I went to Kibbutz 15 years ago, the girls were only 6 months old and they took me to camp.  WOW - it's been 15 years.  I think of them as babies taking me to my last year at camp as campers, and ironically there last year at camp as campers is Madelyn's first year.  The cycle is so cool and exciting.  I'm still a nervous wreck about Madelyn being away at camp for 10 days, but I just know she is going to have such a blast.  I'd bet money that when we pick her up she says she's not ready to go home yet!

Ok - well it's Sunday afternoon and I have to go get some productive things done.  Anyone know where I can find the motivation to be productive, because I sure don't have it!!!

This morning started out much like most Saturdays...  the alarm went off way to early, but I got my lazy butt out of bed anyway, and headed to step class.  As usual, it rocked.  I'm always so happy when I go - especially to this one because the energy is amazing, the instructor rocks, and by the time we are done I am dripping in sweat - I think it's a great workout.  

This afternoon will entail some errands (mostly returning some things - good!) and some much needed, overdue pampering in the form of a manicure and pedicure.  I feel so guilty indulging myself while Trey is working his tail off, but what's a girl to do?!  Speaking of Trey - he has been working so hard.  Last weekend and this morning he spent building a pergola for a friend of work.  A very nice job for him indeed.  Luckily April's friend Mike was available and wanting to earn some extra $$ and Trey had some help.  It made the job go much smoother and quicker, and I think Trey really liked having some company too.  They got along great and Trey was super impressed with Mike, so that's great.  He came home for a quick swaparoo of tools and off to grab a quick lunch with Mike before they move on to the next job.  It's crazy how busy Trey has been.  He's really enjoying it, but it's also exhausting and I worry that he'll just plain wear himself out.  And I've had to be on him about making sure he stops to eat lunch, and to wear sunscreen (which I am positive he is not today!).  But he's a grown man so all I can do is be a nagging wife, and leave it up to him.  Now, are you ready for this...  they went to Whataburger for lunch, because... Mike has NEVER been to a Whataburger!!!!  Hello???!!!!  What's the matter with him?  He's from Louisiana, but still!

Well, I guess that is it for now.  Off I go.  

My mom

So here I am, sitting at the computer just killing a little time, and I decided to catch up on some blogging - both doing and reading.  I was trying to think of what to blog about, so I started instead with reading my friends that I hadn't caught up on in a few days.  So I go to my mom's blog - I can always count on her to have a new entry! and  I find an entry that just blows me away and nearly brings me to tears.  You see, I know what a wonderful, amazing person, mother and friend she is.  I've had the absolute joy and luck to have known this for a longer time than anyone else, and to have experienced it firsthand my entire life.  I know how she always manages to have the right answer, or can make you laugh when you need it most, give you a shoulder to cry on when that's what you need instead, and somehow just generally has it all figured out.  But no one else knows this quite like I do.  And so when I read her latest post - "What goes around comes around", it made me smile because it's just one example and one way for everyone else to see the rock that she is.  I am so proud of her, and I know that my Meemaw is too.  Here is her post...

Hi All,
I came in this morning and quickly checked a few blogs that I had not read in a few days. One was Lisa Bearnson's blog. This is the post that I copied from hers...

Hey Everyone!I recently found out about a terrific scrapbooking gal who desperately needs our love, support and prayers. Barb Larsen is from Montana and has been sick for months with lots of testing going on. They finally found a tumor the size of a baseball in her spleen. This is a very rare kind of cancer and she has been in a lot of pain.This is a photo of Barb (on the right) with my pal, Lori Chadwick. (Would not let me copy the pictures. See Lisa's Bearnson's blog)

The hospitals in Montana have told her this is to big for them and they are transferring her to Houston, Texas. Even with all of this going on, she has been working on the farm and continuing her work with her 4H girls. She was even painting the animal pens at the state fair with her girls last week. When asked why she would possibly do this, she said it was the best way to ignore the pain because it would be a long time before she would get to work with her girls again. She loves scrapbooking and is very dedicated to it. She even teaches her 4H girls and they make albums together.

Let's all send Barb a card and a note of support to let her know we are thinking of her. She leaves for Texas on June 15 but her family will forward the cards to her.
Her information is:
Barb Larsen
Box 116
Galata, MT 59444

When you send a card, just leave your name, hometown and state on this blog. I will be gone for the next week on vacation but when I return (Friday June 19th) I will randomly select two people who have sent a card. Here's the fun part. I will send a box ofscrapbooking goodies to each of the winners! So--don't delay. Send your card to Barb today. It will surely put a big smile on her face to know people all over the world are thinking of her.

I just knew after reading that I wanted to offer to do whatever I might be able to while Barb was here in Houston. I can't imagine how scary to be sick and so far away from home and friends and family. I have always maintained that are scrappers are the best of the best and we never meet strangers. While we might be a bit strange we don't know what a stranger is. I immediately sent Lisa a comment to her post offering mine and Kim's (don't ya love how I speak for her) help in anyway. I heard from Lori Chadwick in minutes and you could just hear relief in the tone that someone would care about her friend and help her out. I can't tell you the feeling I had that I had made such a difference with what I think is just a small offer of not much. I just felt this pull, a desire to want to go visit, meet these people, maybe offer a bit of comfort. In emailing back and forth I have to say I am really looking forward to meeting Barb and her husband Joe. They sound like fine people. Lori and Barb met through scrapping (there is that bond again) and on a Bazzill bus tour as a matter of fact. Same one I will be taking in August at CE. Small world don't you think.

I ask that all you that read this keep Barb in your prayers and send her a card.

It makes me so proud to think of her opening her heart to be a friend to this total stranger, and hopefully making this experience a little less scary.

I love you mom!

I survived my 2nd Cycling Class

As hard as I tried to be working late...  we got home from work in time for me to make it to my 2nd cycling class.  I'm not going to lie - a very big part of me did NOT want to go.  But I've committed to doing it at least 4 times before I decide if I like it or not and want to continue.  I will tell you, I do not like it.  But I do feel like it's a great workout.  And it was much easier this time.  I took Alex's advice and focused on pulling my legs in instead of pushing out.  This might sound silly, but it really helped.  Last time, especially when we were up out of the saddle, I found that I was struggling to keep my knees from locking.  But this time I focused on pulling in and it was much easier to control the motion.  So all in all, I really enjoyed it - even though it was hard, and I felt like I pushed myself better than last time and still made it the entire hour!

Jennifer texted us that Madelyn got to be the star of the Sea Lion show at the San Diego Zoo today!!!  She got to hug and get a kiss from the sea lion - she was SUPER excited.  And the rest of the day people were recognizing her all over the zoo and telling her how great she did.  I can just imagine the expression on her face and the sassiness she's swinging now.

Ok, well... I made dinner for Trey and I and finished cleaning up the kitchen, and now I am off to try out my new shower head - YIPPEE!!!  Our shower head has been having this awful loud ringing noise coming from it for - oh - probably a month now.  And neither Trey or I thought - hey, why don't we just go buy a new one.  Can you believe that - how silly to have not thought of it sooner.  So when Trey said he was going to get a new one, I thought - jeez... novel concept!  Then I started thinking about it and we've had that one since living Austin - that's over 5 years and 4 moves.

Oh yeah - one more thing... I know many of you have been reading Stephanie's blog - Kamryn Hope's Blog - through mine (Stephanie is Madelyn's aunt / Jennifer's sister).  Well today she was admitted to the hospital to start the adventure of waiting for her twins - Kamryn and Brooke - to arrive.  You can read all about CDH from her blog and the journey they are beginning.  We're thinking good, happy, healthy thoughts for her and their entire family!