Wordless Wednesday - Cousins

Best Shot Monday - Stinky Toes

Ok... they're not really stinky toes. They're actually clean and smell like lavendar. Zoe will tell you "No no no... they're clean toes!" She will sometimes tell you this even before you suds them up and get rid of all of the toe furries.

Stinky or clean... they're always cute toesies!


Head on over to visit Tracey and see what everyone else has to offer this Monday!

Is October over yet?

October has been extremely busy for us. I have had tons to do... and taken a lot of pictures (and yes Grammy and Grandma... I'm working on those baptism pictures!!!)

October has had us picking pumpkins, attending Bottle Hill Day here in Madison, going to Marcella's birthday (a cousin), baptizing Ana, and having a visit from our Florida family (Grammy, PopPop, Nanny and Pop George) on top of the normal "stuff". We've been busy... and October still keeps going. We're going to a Witches Brew Tea Party at the YMCA this afternoon, we have our Halloween party and parade at school on Thursday morning... and a party at dance class Thursday afternoon. Of course there will be trick-or-treating on Friday (candy candy candy) and we're going to a post-Halloween pretend pajama party on Saturday (the pj party without the sleep-over). Actually... I guess the pj party marks the beginning of November.

That said... boy am I ready to start posting. I'm trying to get some photo editing in this week so I can post now... but if I don't get to it I sure am ready for NaBloPoMo!!!

SOOC Saturday - Giggle

I'm thankful for SOOC Saturday. Otherwise I wouldn't post this photo because I feel like it's badly framed. But... it makes me giggle. And everyone can use a giggle... even if it's a badly framed giggle. HeeHee.
*SOOC stands for straight out of camera (no editing). Visit Melody to see who else as posted a quick shot right from the camera!

Wordless Wednesday - Don't come in here Mommy... I'm playing nicely all by myself!

Colleen? Where are you? Still here? Hello?

I've had a couple people ask where I am... and if everything is ok. (Everything is OK!!! I'm alive and well!!!) I'm so grateful to have friends out there thinking about me.

I've been quite a slacker about the blog. No posts since I changed over to the lovely red fall leaves. It HAS been less than a week though. But... I've been missing from Twitter and Facebook since last Thursday, too (which have been my way to get a quick internet fix when Ana and Zoe give me 2 mintues to pop on and say "Hi Everybody!").

So... I'm actually shocked now that I look at it. I have completely neglected posting anywhere since Thursday 10/16... and now it's Tuesday 10/21. Wow. I can't remember the last time that happened. Even on vacation I commented on blog posts or snuck online for a quick peek and update or at least responded to a couple of "reader" e-mails. This last week... nothing. I'm lucky I checked my e-mail.

My "excuse" for deserting my internet friends? My family was here from Florida for Ana's baptism. My parents and grandparents. They were all in New Jersey from Thursday until leaving today (sniffle sniffle... where's my tissue?).

So things are back to business as usual. Nick goes to work, Zoe goes to school, Ana and I get errands done and do baby things. I'm going to try my hardest to get in some blogging time. I want to update more. Get more posted about how Zoe is becoming such an entertaining fun little girl with bouts of crazy that make me want to laugh (sometimes) and pull my hair out (sometimes). Let you see how big Ana is getting and tell you how she is sleeping, and smiling, and growing, and screaming (oh my, she's got a healthy set of lungs).

To get myself on track I'm signed up to do something crazy again. It's going to be November soon... and do you remember what happens in November??? That's right...


NaBloPoMo... otherwise known as National Blog Posting Month. "Post every day for a month. That's all you have to do."

Do you see that? "That's all you have to do." Hahahahaha. "That's all." The thought of that makes me laugh with a feeling of nervous panic. But... I'm doing it. I'm hoping it will get me back into my blog. Get my momentum back. I miss posting regularly, but I just can't seem to get myself going. So I'm going to jump in feet first. A post EVERY SINGLE DAY in November.

I will not promise long posts. I'm already figuring that Best Shot Monday, and Wordless Wednesday, and SOOC Saturday may be all that save me. I'm counting on Zoe to keep up her usual comedy routine... and that Ana will be coming up on some milestones. I also figure that it will help me catch up on posting photos of what we've been up to in the last weeks... and the coming weeks.

So... NaBloPoMo here I come. In the mean time I will try to get started during October. I have some great photos of Ana's baptism. We went to a cousin's 3rd birthday party. We went to get our pumpkins. Ana and Zoe have enjoyed a couple of baths together. Oh... and Nick has agreed to write up a post for a meme I was tagged for by Kristi at Music Mom of 2. So you all have things to look forward to reading.

Right now... Ana is snoozing in her swing and Zoe is at school. I'm going to make an attempt to start finishing 3 window cornices for my bedroom. They just need the fabric. My mom and I put together the foam and batting frames. (My parents both helped me/mostly did 2 for Zoe's room.) I know... I can hear you all questioning "What the heck is she thinking??? Making window cornices??? Like she has time for that when she can't even update her Facebook status." Well, if I succeed, I may actually have a post and photos for Carrie's Crafty Tuesday. WooHoo! There's something I never thought I'd be able to join. Wish me luck!

Changes

So... I did it.

New template.

Phew.

My blog still exists.

What do you think? Should I keep the new template?

Should I go back to the green/blue/purple?

Anyone know how to move that 2nd column to the right side? I think I would like it better over there. I tried a couple times and it just keeps adding it to the bottom of the first column or the bottom of the posts column.

I still have a bunch of playing I want to do with moving some things around and changes in some colors on buttons that matched the old blog colors. Any other suggestions or recommendations? Color changes needed on titles or links or something?

Let it out people. I need opinions!

But again... PHEW... my blog is still here.

Sick with worry.

I have been blogging here at A Madison Mom for about a year and a half now. For that entire year and a half my blog has had very few template changes.

There have been a few slight (very slight) color changes here and there. Different widgets and buttons have been added and removed from the sidebars. Recently that leafy swirly pattern disappeared from my header (I have no idea where it went). Changes have all been slight and quite non-threatening.

The biggest most terrifying change I made was to add the third column. I was sure I would ruin my whole blog and not be able to get it back. I went for it though. I found a simple "how-to" guide. I saved my original template a billion times. I meticulously followed the directions. I played around. I clicked "save". I crossed my fingers, squinted my eyes and I clicked "view blog". Amazingly... I had a third column.

Well... I'm bored now. I want something different. Very different. I want something different without learning major html or css or whatever it is I need to know. I want to change without losing all of my little sidebar widgets.

I'm a nervous wreck.

But I have saved my original template a gazillion times (just to be safe) and I'm going for it.

Hopefully my blog will make it through unscathed and I won't have an anxiety attack in the process.

Wish me luck!!!

SOOC Saturday - Pumpkins, pumpkins and more pumpkins!

SOOC Saturday is something I've been trying to join for weeks now. You would think it would be easy for me with the number of pictures I take (and the fact that there isn't any editing allowed)... but it seems my "mommy brain" never remembers the Saturday post until Monday. Finally... I'm sharing.

I always love the sight of all of these pumpkins with the red building behind them. And that hint of blue sky in the upper corner is just a glimpse of what a gorgeous day it was.


SOOC = straight out of camera (no editing)

Visit Melody to see who else has shared their sooc pics!

Commenting

What do you think?

If you make a comment on a post what do you prefer?

Do you like when people try to comment directly to you through your e-mail (if it's made available)?

Do you prefer when people respond through the comments section? Do you come back to check? Do you subscribe to comments?

I really like to try to respond to my comments that call for a response. I'm just having trouble figuring out what the best way is.

Best Shot Monday - Red Shiny Shoes

I went with the intention of buying the exact same simple black mary janes we've bought at least a half a dozen times before. We just needed the next size.

Zoe... she wanted these.

Red shiny shoes... just like Lola.

We came home with both (sort of... they didn't have her size in the "same as last time" mary janes... so we got similar ones). Everyone came home happy.

Head over to Mother May I? to check out everyone else's "best shots"!

Probably not

Me - Zoe, it's time for your snooze.

Zoe - No, it's not.

Me - Yes, it's time for your snooze.

Zoe - No, I'm not tired.

Me - Zoe... it's really time for your snooze.

Zoe - Um, no, it's probably not.

Me - It's probably not?

Zoe - It's probably not.