New Wheels

For my mom's 58th birthday (this past Friday) my dad got her a scooter. It is kind of like a mo-ped but mom says its not. It goes up to 40 mph and gets 100 mpg. I am so proud that my mom ventured out and is willing to try something new. I think she looks pretty darn cool on her new ride. I did lecture her about not having on a helmet but she said she is planning to get one soon. She says she won't be venturing out on the highway it is only for in town use. So, if you are ever in CG you may get to see this (maybe the leather and tattoos will show up by her next birthday):

Final Summer Project

Ryan usually has numerous home projects that he completes during his summer break. The final project for this summer was adding onto our deck. Since we enjoy entertaining friends we decided it was time to add on to our small deck. He completed the project in a matter of days. Our next goal was to purchase patio furniture. Since Ryan is all about saving a dime he checked out the local shopper and found a set. He drove to ElDorado to check it out last night. Then Madelyn and I went along today for the final approval. The patio set includes a rectangle table with 6 chairs (two of which are rockers) and two foot stools (not sure if that is the correct terminology), with all the cushions. The set is only two years old and was kept indoors on a screened in porch. It is in mint condition. They were asking $175 but Ryan talked them down to $160. Tonight we enjoyed a picnic dinner of hot dogs and chips on our new patio set.

First Day of Kindergarten

Today was a big day in the Muhlig household. Madelyn had her very first day of Kindergarten. I could tell she was a little anxious because she woke up three times last night and came to my side of the bed and with all kinds of explanations of why she needed to sleep on the floor next to our bed. By the third visit I decided it wasn't worth the battle so she made her nest beside our bed and slept soundly the rest of the night. She was bright eyed and busy tailed when Ryan woke her at 7:00am. After finishing her morning routine, eating breakfast and a few first day snap shots we were off to school. Of course we had to stop by the school sign for a picture and I videotaped as she walked into the school, down the hall and to her classroom. Her teacher said a few quick words, handed us a note, we each hugged her and she was whisked away. Tears welled up in my eyes as I walked away. I started to open the note and Ryan suggested I wait until I get to the car because it would probably make me cry. I composed myself quite well until I got to the car then the tears came. I read the note from the teacher and more tears came. The ride to work was tougher than usual but by the time I made it there I had pulled myself together and all was well. I then remembered that I had not given the teacher a list of who would be picking Madelyn up from school so I just had to e-mail her. I was very pleased when she responded and told me that she was really enjoying getting to know Madelyn and she was such a sweetheart. My heart swelled about two times the normal size and I started to tear up again.
I was so excited to get home after work and talk to Madelyn about her day. I was very pleased when she reported she had a great day. She loved coloring and recess and learned not to kick, push or be mean to other kids. But she wasn't real keen on the school lunches. Sounds like a great day to me.

Treat Her Well

Dear World,
I bequeath to you today one little girl in a crisp dress , two twinkling eyes and a happy laugh that ripples all day long and a flash of shiny hair that bounces in the sun when she runs. I trust you’ll treat her well. She’s slipping out of the back yard of my heart this morning and skipping off down the street to her first day of school and never again will she be completely mine. Frail and proud she’ll wave her young and independent hand this morning and say “Good Bye” and walk with little lady steps to the school house. Now she’ll learn to stand in lines and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called. She’ll learn to tune her ears for the sounds of school bells and deadlines and she’ll learn to giggle and gossip and look to the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy across the isle sticks out his tongue at her. And now she’ll learn to be jealous and now she’ll learn how it feels to be hurt inside now she’ll learn how not to cry. No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch steps on a summer day and watch an ant scurry across the crack in the side walk. Nor will she have time to pop out of the bed with the dawn and kiss the lilac blooms in the morning dew. No, now she’ll worry about those important things. Things like grades, and which dress to wear and whose best friend is whose. The books and learning will replace the blocks and dolls. Now she’ll find new heroes. For 5 full years now, I’ve been her sage and Santa clause and pal and playmate and father and friend. Now she’ll learn to share her worship with her teachers which is only right but no longer will I be the smartest greatest man in the whole world. Today when that school bell rings for the first time she’ll learn what it means to be a member of a group with all of its privileges and disadvantages too. She’ll learn in time that proper young ladies do not laugh out loud or kiss dogs or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms or even watch ants scurry across cracks in sidewalks in the summer. Today she’ll learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends and I’ll stand at the front porch and watch her start out on that long lonely journey to becoming a woman. So world I bequeath to you today one little girl in a crisp dress with two twinkling eyes and a flash of hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I trust you’ll treat her well.

~Author Unknown

Date Night

This evening Ryan and I are going on a date, just the two of us. We hired a babysitter for a several hours and we are going to go see the movie The Dark Knight and then go to Granite City for appetizers and brews. It has been quite some time since Ryan and I have been to a movie together. I go to all of the animated movies with Madelyn but it will sure be nice to watch a flick without animation and to be able to have adult conversation. Ryan and I usually are with other couples when we go out. We just love to be around other people so this is a rare occasion that it is just the two of us. Hopefully we can find something to talk about. If all else fails I'm sure we have plenty to say about Madelyn.

Chef, Dancer or Hair Dresser??

I often wonder what Madelyn will become when she is older. Of course, I have many dreams for her but it is highly likely that her dreams will be completely different than mine. It is just so much fun watching her grow and enjoying the different stages of her life. I snapped a few pics of things she enjoys. I wonder if she will decide to be any of these when she grows up?

A Chef - she loves to help me in the kitchen. She has her own little mixer and likes to sit on the counter and mix away.


A Dancer? She was dancing to her Bella-Dance-A-Rella DVD. She told me that she wanted to be a Pop Star Veternarian when she was doing this? Hmmm.... I think we may have something here.


Madelyn fixed my hair and make-up. I'm thinking that being a hair dresser is not her calling.


Whatever she decides I will be her biggest fan and be cheering her on along the way. (unless it is something that would harm her or completely ruin her life) :)

Just Jen

- For the first twelve years of my life I lived on a farm, I was devestated when we had to move.
- I had braces for two years and loved them.
- I'm an obsessive picker, whether it is zits or plucking hairs. I could spend hours in front of the mirror looking for something to pick or pluck.
- I like sardines in mustard suace on saltine crackers.
- I really enjoy water skiing although I haven't had the opportunity in many years.
- I cannot sleep if the closet doors are open or my hands have not been washed before going to bed.
- If I go more than 2 days without running I feel gross, fat and cranky.
- My favorite color is red, although I'm really starting to dig brown too.
- I have a birth mark on my right shin and for the longest time I thought it was a bruise that scarred.
- I had stitches on my chin when I was 5. Adam Kluesner tripped me with a jump rope in Kindergarten.
- I was 16 when I had my first real kiss. I ended up marrying that boy.
- My favorite meal is chicken fried pork w/heinz 57, mashed taters and gravy and corn.
- I love the smell of burning pastures and rain.
- I say crick not creek.
- I can touch my nose with my tongue.
- I have a lazy eye and it is really noticeable if I'm really tired or drunk.
- I'm addicted to myspace, facebook, and blogs.
- I have completed 4 -1/2 marathons.
- I have never smoked dope or any other illegal drug.
- My dream job would be to work at St. Jude's Hospital with children with cancer.
- I only had 3 wisdom teeth which I had cut out in high school.
- Although I wasn't very good at sports, I loved playing volleyball and softball in high school.
- I wish I knew how to play the piano.
- I didn't ever want kids until all of the sudden my maternal clock kicked in after two years of marriage.
- I love, love, babies, but kids 4 and older drive me crazy.
- I do not like video games and think they burn up brain cells.
- I color my hair every 6-9 weeks because I have so much gray already. Thanks grandma Hight.
- I would love to be a foster parent for kids age birth - 4 years old.
- I am a pessimist by nature. I see the glass as half empty. I need to work on this.
- I'm opinionated and speak my mind.
- I never liked to read until after college. Now I enjoy a good book.
- I always wanted to be an only child.
- I have my funeral plans typed up.
- My favorite flower is a daisy.
- I love lying in a tanning bed or worshipping the sun (yes, I know I will regret this one day).
- People coughing or sneezing get on my nerves very quickly.
- Farting almost always make me laugh.
- I've known one of my best friends since Kindergarten.
- I do not sleep well without the sound of a fan blowing.
- Ryan and I met when we were thirteen. I couldn't stand his cockiness. I once punched him in the stomach and knocked the wind out of him.
- I detest physical labor. I will do anything I can to avoid it.
- I hate to cook but love to bake.
- I learned how to casturate pigs when I lived on the farm.
- I watch very little TV but I'm addicted to the Big Brother reality show.
- I love going to bookstores. I love the smell and the environment.
- One day I would like to make a quilt or sew something.
- I had to go to therapy as a kid because of anger issues. That just made me more angry.
- I would love to move to another state.
- My feet got bigger and my hair got curlier after pregnancy.
- I almost always lie on my right side when falling asleep.