08.28.11 - No more Maddies jumpin' on the bed!

Spending the night in Manhattan means gettiing a little creative on sleeping arrangements. We employ no less than two air beds and two pack-n-plays when we're there. On this trip, Maddie slept on a twin bed in Cayden's room. I really didn't think I'd have to worry about her sharing a boy's room for several more years. They held hands the next day while shopping at Target which gave her daddy another panic attack. At least I know Cayden's folks will keep him in line so I really shouldn't have anything to worry about. And Uncle Brian is her godfather, too, so there's that.


Cayden and his dad get doughnuts from "Grandma Dillons" every Sunday morning. Maddie's never had one but when he asked her what kind she wanted, she said, "Chocolate!" It must just be in a girl's DNA.


She wanted sprinkles, too.


We hit City Park before lunch where Maddie had a blast on the playground. That playground alone could get us to move back to Manhattan.

12.05.10 - Sleepy heads

We hit the road super early this morning to travel back from Manhattan where we had Christmas with the Swearingens. Up late and up early means one thing: Naps! This is actually Maddie's second nap of the afternoon. She woke up after two hours very cranky. So we cuddled on the sofa and fell asleep.


Mid-afternoon naps on the sofa started about four years ago with our first-born. This photo was taken Nov. 26, 2006.

08.26.10 - You can't call the law on me ...

I am the law!

Some days that's true.

08.06.10 - Royals with the Swearingens

Our friends Brian and Emily, and their boys Cayden and Carter, met up with us in Kansas City last weekend for a Royals game. Here are a few snaps from our seats in the upper deck and hotel. Be sure to check out this photo of Nate watching the fireworks after the game. Check back soon and I'll share some photos of Maddie swimming at the family reunion.

08.04.10 - But Dad ...

Why don't you update my blog anymore!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Actually, she was crying during the Royals game last weekend. Who could blame her? It IS the Royals. And it was hot. And late. Hopefully by this weekend, I'll have time to upload some more photos from our weekend in Kansas City. Despite the look on her face in this photo, we had a pretty good time!

12.06.09 - Monkey See, Monkey Do

Maddie loves to play peek-a-boo and Cayden loves to mimic. Should get interesting when his little brother arrives early next year.

12.05.09 - "da godfaaathuh III"

We're in Manhattan this weekend to have our annual holiday dinner with Brian, Emily and Travis. We've all been friends since college and it's so wild to think that Christmas now includes reading How The Grinch Stole Christmas to our little ones! Next year, the number of kids will be doubled! Oh, boy! Oh, boy!

10.28.09 - "da godfaaathuh II"

We had an unexpected visit from Uncle Brian today. He was in town visiting a fellow RCPD officer who's recovering here from an on-duty car wreck a couple of weeks ago. This is the third time in a month that Brian's been to town on business and it was good to finally connect with him. We had dinner at Olive Garden and then came back to the house for a little play time. Unfortunately, the only thing Maddie was playing was shy and Brian had to hit the road before she completely warmed up to him - no matter how hard he tried.

10.11.09 - "da godfaaathuh"

We made a quick trip to Manhattan today for Cayden's second birthday party. For some reason, we missed his first birthday last year. Before we left, Maddie spent some quality time with Uncle Brian, "da godfaaathuh."

09.05.09 - Pilot's pilot

We returned from our quick jaunt to KC today after having breakfast with Brian, Emily and Cayden, shopping at Legends and visiting our friends Kent and Amy at their new house in Gardner. Angie and Maddie slept for a good portion of the drive back and were feeling quite rested so Maddie offered to take over the helm at our potty stop on the turnpike to give her Daddy a break from driving.

If we let her drive like that we'd be bad parents like Britney Spears!

09.04.09 - Go Royals!

We met up with our good friends Brian and Emily and their son Cayden for the Royals game in KC tonight. It was quite a pitchers' duel until the Royals blew their one-run lead in the eighth inning. Didn't matter; Maddie still had a great time! She rode the carousel in the kids' zone, got a nice stuffed Royals daisy (should have been a pansy?) and a certificate for attending her first Royals game. There were fireworks after the game, though, but she slept right threw them on her mother's shoulder.

Two baseball stadiums down, 28 to go!

08.09.09 - Sunday morning newspaper

Uncle Brian would be proud ... Maddie drinking her morning bottle while browsing the Sunday ads. I think she found something she wants at Best Buy, Brian!

07.12.09 - Cayden

Brian and Emily's son Cayden shares one of his toys with Maddie this morning before we hit the road back home. If there's one thing we miss about living in Manhattan (or Topeka, for that matter) it's the Swearingens. Brian is Maddie's godfather and we don't see them nearly often enough. Thanks for hosting us, guys, on Maddie's first trip to Manhattan!

07.11.09 - Anderson Hall

We're in Manhattan this weekend visiting our good friends Brian and Emily and their son Cayden. We ate at a couple of our favorite Aggieville establishments and made a quick trip through campus, where Maddie posed with her new pal Willie Duck, whom we found reasonably overpriced at Varney's but adopted anyway, in front of Anderson Hall, K-State's iconic administration building. In all my time at K-State, I don't think I ever made a feature of anything happening - disc golf, students studying or relaxing, on Anderson lawn. Not too bad that my first Anderson lawn feature is of my very own Maddie girl, who is and will be a Wildcat!

Fight, you K-State Wildcats,
For alma mater fight, fight, fight!
Glory in the combat
For the purple and the white.
Faithful to our colors
We will ever be
Fighting, ever fighting
For a Wildcat victory. Go State!