R&R @ B&B

This father's day weekend was spent in Simpson, Kansas at a relaxing Bed & Breakfast called Cottage on the River. We met up with my parents and Ben & Jamie on Saturday in Beloit, and drove in together. We had lots of fun exploring the area and eating at Trapper's restaurant (the food is almost worth the wait!! :) 

There was a lot of great old magazines and books available at the cottage, and as you can see Brett, Jamie, and even Madigan enjoyed looking through them! (Although I was particularly smitten with the 1970's magazine "True Story" myself.) 

On Sunday after an amazing breakfast of rolls, omelets and juice, we went exploring the area. 

According to information that Grandma Joyce had given dad, her Grandpa Beck had built a stone house in the area in the 1880's. Sure enough, we found it and explored away! We found the rock with his name and date on it above what used to be the old front door. 

This is a picture of the inside of the house- as you can tell it's not exactly kept up anymore, but I found it amazing that a house built in the 1800's by my ancestors was still standing at all.

 After finding the house and looking around the area, we also walked through the old Simpson cemetery. There are several old headstones, some hand carved. One even had this interesting "Confederate War Veteran" emblem beside it. 

Itwas a nice relaxing weekend, and considering the week we have ahead of us, we really needed it. Thank you, so much, mom & dad for providing us with that great escape!

Happy father's day!

I figured I should start a post with a video, since I've been a little behind on posting pictures with my blogs the last few times. It doesn't help that the point-and-shoot digital is broken. 

*cough*cough* 

And it also doesn't help that we've accrued vehicle repair bills, air-conditioner repair bills, and life-in-general bills so that replacing said digital camera seems to be lowest on the list. Did I hear that we're in a recession? Oh, yeah, I guess so. 

I've digressed...

The Video- here's the set up: Brett is recording Madigan feeding herself while I hold the jar. Don't mind Brett talking to Madigan in his weird baby voice. Or the fact that every video we have from him starts with the phrase "I'm recording". Also, disregard the horrendous quality of the video, since it was recorded on a cell phone. I am happy that we have cell phone video cameras, since I think we'd be borderline creepy parents if we hauled our actual video camera around filming our child eating at restaurants and such. We are obviously first-timers though, since things like this amuse us. I'm sure by the time we get to child #3, we'll be lucky to have a couple cell phone shots to print and throw into a shoe box a.k.a. "baby book box" like Brett and I both have. But that is assuming that we're lucky enough to get to child #3...

I believe I've digressed again.

Yes, she knows how to use a spoon, which we are pretty sure makes her a prodigy at 11 months. I haven't called the Guinness Book of World Records yet, but I think she might have qualified for something here... My favorite part of the evening was the conversation that followed this video. It went something like this:

Random Fellow-Diner: That's one smart baby. We've been watching her, and she's a smart girl!

Random Diner's Wife: And she's super cute too! (they leave)

Me: I believe that calling her smart is a better compliment than calling her cute.

Brett: No way. Looks will get you everywhere in life. You've got to prove yourself when you've got brains.

Me: Don't listen to your father, Madigan. Beauty fades, brains will make you someone.

Brett: Whatever. Looks will get you everywhere, especially if you act stupid when you've got 'em.

Madigan: YUP. 

Then again, if her brains or her looks don't get her anywhere, she's obviously going somewhere on her sheer dance talent. 

Watch out, Paula Abdul.

Move over, Michael Jackson.

Madigan Bryn is coming for you!

(As long as she can have Vanilla Ice as her MC)

Go Ninja, Go Ninja GO!

Vote For Me!

Actually, Vote for BRETT! I entered this photo of him holding Madigan as a newborn into our local paper's father's day photo contest. If you feel so obliged, please take a second to register (free) and then vote, 5 times, every day! We are quite a bit behind the leader, but I know that we have enough family & friends to put us in the lead! :) I have attached a link on the right hand side of this blog, down below my "Pray for Stellan" button, and I think you can click directly on that to go to the website as well.

Otherwise, click right HERE and it should take you to my photo. It's titled "Safe in Daddy's Hands". 

He would really, really appreciate the new recliner that the winner gets! 

Final Countdown...

So, it's the "final countdown" to the big First Birthday Party! Not that it's big, by any standards, but it seems like ONE whole year is something worth celebrating! It's actually just going to be a small, family gathering in Kansas (so most of the family won't have to travel). I think to include some of our Kearney friends, we will have cake/ice cream party for Madigan the week after her birthday as well back home. Because, you know- all the cool kids have 2 birthday parties! 

We finally got back on track from this weekend- my BFF Mandy got married!! :) It was fun, fun, fun! Madigan even enjoyed staying up and "dancing" with mommy and daddy! She's also sprouted 2 teeth on the bottom, but I can't manage to snap a picture of them... 

It surely has nothing to do with the fact that I broke the point-and-shoot digital... *yes I broke it*

GRRR. 

I'll try to post tooth pictures when I can manage to snap them!