Number Six

I am currently training for my sixth 1/2 marathon. I have encouarged a friend/running partner to join me as she runs her first 1/2 marathon. My goal is to beat my last PR (personal record) which was straight up two hours. But most importantly I want to encourage my friend to cross the finish line. If she wants me to run with her to be encouragement all the way I will, if not I will work hard to beat my time.

Wordless Wednesday

Target Practice

Madelyn is so proud to be the new owner of her daddy's 22 rifle.  Today was her very first time she got to shoot her new gun. An old school desk on the lease was put to good use and after Ryan sighted in the gun, Madelyn took over.

Although she is right handed she shoots left handed because she can only wink her right eye. She is just the opposite of her daddy. All three of us can only wink one eye...so we thought that was normal.

Her very first shot!! Her daddy was pretty darn proud.

It started pouring rain so target practice was cut short, but I imagine there will be many more father/daughter target practices in the future. Although Madelyn is ready to move on to hunting now.

Flashback Friday

My question is.....why would the photographer have a high school senior girl pose in such a seductive way? Odd!

Wordless Wednesday

What's in a Name?

When I was pregnant with Madelyn I was quite confident I was having a boy.  I would have bet money on it. Coming up with a boy's name came easily. We had tossed only a couple of different names when we decided on Cade Ryan. When we found out we were having a girl finding a name didn't come so easily. I really liked Kennedy Paige but thought better of it when I thought of all the bad luck the Kennedys have.  I also liked the name Madison, but that was ever so popular and Ryan dated a girl that named her daughter Madison. Yes I'm lame like that. Ryan liked the name Magdalen ...like Mary Magdalen... and call her Maggie for short. Um, that is quite the name to uphold, but quite honestly I thought it sounded like a crotchety old lady. Sorry Mary, I have repented for my negative thoughts. We finally agreed on Madelyn, and then the middle name came rather easily. We both thought Grace was very pretty and went well with Madelyn. We also felt like it was by the Grace of God that we were blessed with a healthy baby girl, considering all we had endured to get her here. Only later did we realize that Madelyn was my maternal great grandmother's name and Grace was my paternal great grandmother's name.

I love the name Madelyn, but do not like the name Maddy. She has friends and family that call her Maddy from time to time but saying Maddy just doesn't feel right rolling of my tongue. We have numerous other nicknames for Madelyn, so much so that when I call her Madelyn she asks me why I called her by her name. When she was a newborn we called her princess, which got shortened to prenny, pren, nenny and nen. Nenny and nen have stuck and we use those nicknames the most. Some other nicknames she hears regularly are, tickle bug, moose mouse, toot mouse, pete, punkin seed, pickle nenny, and nasty nen, just to mention a few. But you will never hear us call her Maddy. :)

Then & Now

 Taken in 2004 - Madelyn (1) - Mama (29)

Taken in summer 2010 close to now - Mama (35) - Madelyn (7)

Looks like we both grew...yikes!