Here come the Irish...

Maddie, wearing her ND outfit and helping daddy cheer on his team.....


ND didnt do so well.....at least Maddie looked cute tho :)



Grace and her Aunt Lindsay, at Lindsays confirmation.




The Ireland gang kicks off a long week, starting with Lindsays confirmation on Monday night. This coming weekend Nicks brother Tony and his fiance Sara will be getting married!! We can't wait for the festivities to get started on Friday with the rehersal!!

fun fall pics!

patty cake!

Mean mommy put Maddie in the grass, she hates the grass.

Grace, aka, the swing supervisor.

Its official.....

I'm addicted to pumpkin spice lattes....again....had my first one of the season last night. I can't stop thinking about when I'll have a chance to get another one! Why are these things so addicting? mmmm, if you've never had one, I recommend one!!

GRACE!!!!

Grace and I went shopping this morning, she needed some new Jeans. She is so long and skinny...we were in search of 4T with adjustable waist. She brought anything with a number 4 on it to me and said "this is my size, lets buy it!" haha.

anyways- i found this super cute outfit at the Childrens Place, and couldnt pass it up....usually I dont buy kids clothes unless they are on sale, or at a garage sale....but how cute is this?? :)

I just took these pics in our drive way/front yard....she was being so goffy, they turned out great (i think, but i'm biased!)

The simple things.....

Today felt so much like fall! Fall is my favorite season of all, I love the cool days, the scents of candles to pick from, the sound of a roaring crowd at a football game and the beautiful leaves. I went out last week to bath and body works to get my favorite fall scented candles....I always feel guilty when i spend too much money in that store...but I am obsessed with having a good smelling home...The smell of "leaves" and "cinnamon pumpkin spice" filled my home today aalong with a crisp cool breeze and I was the happiest mom in town. Fall always seems to remind me of college, I'm not sure if its because of football, or because college began in the fall, but whenever it comes around, i'm reminded of my college days.

Tonight as Grace and I sat in the kitchen, admiring our new stove and fridge (which i begged for, and my loving husband gave into) I couldnt help but think about how funny it was that it was friday night, i hadnt even realized it was friday until 5pm. I thought about how not too long ago, on a friday night, I would have my night planned out, I would have spent half the day thinking about what I was going to wear out that night, chatting on AOL instant messenger about how crazy we were going to get that night. I'm sure my friday afternoons were usually spent at the mall in cedar falls, spending most of my tips I had earned at EXPRESS, The Buckle, or Vanity. The night would usually involve some margaritas at carlos, a few house parties, and then the bars....I never had a dull friday night, or saturday night for that matter. Those were the days where i showered everyday and straightened my hair everyday, wore make up all the time and had really high cell phone bills. Nowadays, my hair is usually in a ponytail, i'm lucky if i can squeeze in a shower before Maddie wakes up, or before i pass out at the end of the day, I might throw some make up on, if i'm leaving the house, but even then, it doesnt really matter to me anymore. My cell phone calls are usually to my mom, husband, and mother in law. Its not uncommon for me to leave my phone in my bedroom for the entire day without noticing its missing. It doesnt bother me that i have given up those things, I'm sure eventually i will go back to shopping for myself, and having time for showers, but for now, my kids are loving life, and thats what matters.....

Tonight I realized, I love the way my life is right now. I love that it was friday, and the only thing that mattered to me was that my 3 year old and I were about to make funfetti cookies in a new oven that we could see into so perfectly. I love watching her face light up when she hears me mention pink frosting and cookies with sprinkles, for no special reason. My life has changed so much in the last few years, my whole outlook on life is so different. I find it amazing how such little people can make such big changes in your life. My little people are what I love the most (oh, and my hubby too)

PS, Miss Maddie is learning to walk! She hasnt officially taken a step yet, but its coming soon!