Winter Update

Settlers is our favorite game in the Naslund house...as you can tell, even Nils is in on the action.

Maddie and Aunt Rachie downtown to see Santa.

I think this may be her first fake smile. She is so funny!

The cousins...James was trying so hard to hold onto all these girls. They are going to be a wild bunch.

Maddie's rocking chair she got for Christmas from her Grandma.

Her face is priceless...not quite knowing what to do after winning $50 from Grandpa.

Believe it or not...the car is somewhere under there! Maddie was helping us shovel after the big snowstorm.

Daddy and Maddie

This was one of the saddest days of my life. Everyone knows how much I love Mels. I was driving up to go to the big after Christmas sale...when I saw this! I am devastated. Hopefully they have a big re-opening sale :)

It is hard to believe that it is almost 2009! We have had a wonderful year and have been blessed in so many ways. We are looking forward to the coming year and all the joy that it will bring. We are so excited to watch Maddie grow. It is amazing she is already 4 months old! I started back to work this last weekend. The first night was definitely rough...I cried pulling out of the driveway thinking...I miss Maddie, I miss Jeff, and I don't know if I remember how to be a nurse. Amazingly enough it all comes back so quick. I am excited to say that I took a new job and will be working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I will start my new job in 4 weeks and will only have to work 2 nights a week. I am so excited for a change, challenge, and a better schedule for my family. Jeff has been amazing with Maddie, it has made going back to work such a relief to know that she is with her Dad while I am gone. We are so lucky to have Grandma Debbie babysit while I am sleeping too.

We had a great Christmas. We enjoyed spending time with family and all the wonderful food that comes along with the holidays. Some of our highlights were:
1. Making cookies and playing Settlers with Dan, Nikki, and Rachel.
2. Playing with James.
3. Listening to James try to calm Maddie when she was crying in the car by saying "Maddie girl, Maddie girl" over and over.
4. Having all the little cousins together.
5. Jeff being off from school...Maddie and I love having him home.
6. Talking and getting to know the neighbors so much better while shoveling snow.
7. My vacuum breaking...darn I had to get a Dyson Animal vacuum :)
8. All the amazing food that my Mom cooked including the Swedish feast, the amazing prime rib, and her signature spaghetti.

We are so thankful for all that we have. We wish everyone a fun, safe, and exciting New Year! 2009 is going to be wonderful.

Best Friends?

Nils and Maddie get along...at least according to Nils:)

Maddie's Laugh...it will brighten your day!

Happy Birthday Jeff

I feel so blessed to be able to spend today with my husband...I wish you a very happy birthday! I never take for granted that I am the most luckiest girl in the world. I have married my best friend, soul mate, and amazing father to our daughter Madison. I smile everyday when I wake up knowing that I am married to such an amazing man. Here are the top 10 reasons that I celebrate being Jeff's wife:

1. Jeff loves Jesus...he is passionate about walking with the Lord and is a mentor to many students. He loves to bring kids to know the Lord and is an awesome mentor to his Mt. Spokane FCA kids.

2. Jeff treats me like a princess. Whether it be making my lunch every night for work or letting me sleep in on the weekends, I am so lucky!

3. Jeff always makes our family his priority. Whether it be balancing school, his Master's program, sports, working out, friends, or school activities...he always is thinking about what is best for Maddie and me.

4. Jeff is an amazing Dad. Maddie is so lucky to have Jeff as her Daddy, Jeff reminds me of my Dad in so many ways...if only I got to spend more time with him before he passed away. He loves her unconditionally, will support her in anything she does, and will raise her to know the Lord.

5. Jeff is always willing to help my family. With so many changes in our family this past year, Jeff has helped in so many ways. I am so thankful that he can do all the things for my Mom that require a man's strong hands. My Mom is one tough cookie, but some jobs require someone a little taller and a little stronger :)

6. Jeff is a great friend, he really cares about his friends and will always support them in any way he can.

7. Jeff is an dog lover...our dog Nils is so thankful to have Jeff as a Dad. Otherwise he would never get fed or enough attention. It is no secret that I am not the best with animals. I thank Jeff for always working extra hard in this department :)

8. Jeff is always supportive of what is important to me. He is always encouraging me to follow my dreams and strive for the biggest and best. He is also a good workout coach, I am so appreciative to have his support!

9. Jeff always encourages me to have a 99.9% positive attitude. I am forever greatful of his outlook on life. The glass is always half full according to him!

10. Jeff is always doing the little things to make me feel special. Whether it be buying me a new pair of jeans, or making dinner when I don't feel like it. I am so lucky.

I am so lucky to be able to grow old with you. I hope you have a great birthday...today is truly a special day! I love you.

Jeff's Latest Book Endorsement...

I just finished reading "The Shack" by William P. Young. It is a book that brings perspective, insight, and requires the reader to reflect on their own relationships. I felt like I had to share this, because some people assume that others know about great reads but I didn't find out about The Shack until late Spring last year. Although it took until now to finish (I have had a few things going on), it was well worth the wait. I am giving my FULL ENDORSEMENT, for what that is worth. Please take a look at it...you will get hooked!--Jeff
P.S. I will be posting a video of Maddie that is pretty dang funny, so be sure to check back in soon!

We are thankful and full of blessings!

We started Thanksgiving weekend with a National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation viewing on Wednesday night. It is a yearly tradition to open the holiday season with our favorite Christmas movie. We ate an early Thanksgiving dinner at Jeff's Mom's house...what an amazing cook, we definitely got our fill. She gave Maddie a beautiful pearl bracelet for her baptism, we love that she works at Jewelry Design Center :) Then we headed to Grammy's house for round 2. It was so fun to spend time with all the fam, including all the baby cousins. We got several rounds of Settlers of Catan in, and my embargo with Brad is still in place. Friday night was a family photo shoot and game night. We have a special picture that includes all my brothers and sisters and all our kids. We can't wait to post on the blog but we have to wait until Christmas...it's a SURPRISE! Saturday was the 3rd annual bonfire at Jeff's Dad's house, the flames reached 40 feet! Sunday was Madison's special day. She was baptized and became a child of God! We are so blessed to raise her knowing the Lord. She has an amazing set of Godparents who will always guide her and keep her accountable. It was so fun to celebrate her day with friends and family!

Our Family

Brandon, Jayme, and Claire

Ben, Maile, and Sergio
We loved having you guys and Barlett stay with us.

Brad, Lisa, James, and Elsa

Adam, Hillory, and Parker

The girls

The girls again :)

Cousins

Maddie and Elsa at the bonfire

FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

Our Love Bug

Maddie's first try in the Bumbo...she loved it!

Playdate for the kids, walking date for the Mom's :)

Nicholas has too many girls to choose from, what a ladies man!

Jeff and Maddie taking a little nap.  Maddie loves to snuggle with her Dad.

What a wonderful weekend!

We were so blessed to have family in town this weekend! Nikki and Rachel drove over from Seattle to celebrate Angeliki's 28th birthday and Gramdma Debbie's 49th birthday. Maddie loves her aunts...she had so much fun with them. We also were so lucky to be able to go with Nikki to get her wedding dress, we are so excited for Nikki and Dan and can not wait for their special day! Nikki was so beautiful trying on her wedding dress, little did she know it even made her little brother cry :) We feel so blessed to have amazing family! We also did a little shopping this weekend...it is necessary to stop at Nordstrom when they are having their half yearly sale. Maddie is finally big enough to face frontwards in her carrier, she loves to look at everything. Her new found love is her hands, if she could stick both fists in her mouth at one time she would be thrilled :) Jeff and I are starting to work out again. We are posting it on the blog so we can be held accountable by all. We are having a little competition...(obviously) to lose 25 lbs by April. I am pretty sure I will win (a new pair of 7 jeans are always a good reward)!

Nils is a little jealous

Maddie in the jogging stroller

Shopping with Mom

Maddie and Aunt Rachel

Nikki looked stunning in her dress

Big smiles for her aunts

Maddie working out at the gym with Mom and Dad

Friends finally meet

We had so much fun having Cassie and Hallie here to visit. We hope the next six years will fly by while Mitch is in med school. We can't wait until they are able to move back to the northwest :) The girls had fun playing together and we had fun shopping together. Hallie was such a trooper adjusting from the time zone difference! It will be so fun to watch these two girls grow, it is amazing how much they have changed already. Thanks for your friendship Cass, we loved seeing you.

Holy cow look at that giraffe!

Maddie went to Grammy's school to say "hi" to her 2nd grade class. She was amazed at all the "big" kids! Maddie loved the Mad Scientist's experiments. What a cute cow :)

Grandma Debbie came over to see Maddie. Maddie had big smiles for Grandma. Thank you so much for watching our little giraffe so I could get some "to do's" done!

We had such a fun Halloween, we got together with some of Maddie's friends. The group ranges from 2 months to 6 months. They had so much fun together. Our favorite friend is the little pumpkin...(her cousin Claire)

Maddie loves to play with her friend Claire after we go on walks. Jayme has been an awesome walking buddy. We are not ready for winter!

We are so excited for Monday. Cassie (my best friend) and Hallie (soon to be Maddie's best friend) are flying all the way from Iowa, and we get to spend 2 days together. We will have so much fun with the girls and will definitely post some pictures!

Two Month Photo Shoot...

It is hard to believe that Maddie is 2 months old already! She is getting bigger and doing something new everyday. Her smile is precious and contagious :) Her two month checkup went well and is growing as we expected. She weighs 10lb. 6.5oz (44th percentile) and is 23 1/3 inches long (86th percentile). These numbers may foreshadow her Halloween costume...thanks for everyone's love and support. Below are pictures from her 2 month photoshoot with Dad. You can see the progression from excitement all the way to...we are done!