I know I know...

I realize that I may have lost many followers of my blog due to my inconsistent posts...buut, if you stick with me, I promise you'll still see pictures of Madelyn and our life in Seattle, you'll just have to be patient, because, try as I may, I just can't do it!  I can't post really really frequently.  Life just gets too busy!  Soo...that said, I thought I would post one picture as a summary of what life has been here for the Biedermans.  Pretty Crazy!

Madelyn is very busy these days, both inside and out.  We try to go out on sunny days and make the best of rainy days.  We've been to Florida once, Alaska twice, and had a visitor for a week (loved having you Katelyn!), celebrated Madelyn's dear friend, Mia's 2nd birthday, we are contemplating moving out of our place, Kurt may start his own business, I'm starting training for a half marathon, and Madelyn is starting to show signs of the infamous 2's!!  God is great.  We are feeling His mercies new everyday!

A New Year...

It has been quite a while to say the least since I have logged on and put any time into our blog!  As it goes for most households, November and December can be busy months with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays.  I, unfortunately, am one of those crazy nuts who leaves ALL of the shopping until the last possible minute, sends out a spattering of Christmas Cards AFTER the holiday, and decorates burnt cookies until midnight!  I certainly made an effort this year though to stop and have fun with Madelyn.  Seeing excitement through a childs' eye certainly helps slow down life and make you enjoy the small things.  We had plenty of time singing and dancing to wonderfully cheesy Christmas music, walking through the snow, pointing out all the pretty "ights", and talking about Jesus and the real reason for the season.  The Biederman house had a wonderful Christmas season!  And we hope you and your family did as well!

Now that it is January and a New Year has begun, I have a long list of lofty ideals for myself in the coming months...you know to do better and be better :)  No really, I do have more specific goals than that...but among some of the more lighthearted ones is a goal to be more consistent about this blog!!  We'll see how it goes...

Now, not the bore you with any more talk...here are some snapshots from the past couple of months...

Early in November Kurt and I were fortunate enough to go on our first "kid-less" vacation to Vail, CO.  Thanks so much to my dad and Cheri for their generosity with our accommodations, and also to Kurt's mom and dad for coming down and staying with Madelyn!!  

It was a great trip :)

We were thrilled to be able to spend this trip with our closest friends and Kurt's cousin, Trevor and Lindsey (their first "kid-less" trip too!!)  

We love you guys!

Thanksgiving was spent in Alaska with Kurt's family.  We had lots of quality time with everyone!!  We are very thankful for both of our families and of course our pride and joy, Maddie!!

Jasmine and Sierra are getting so big! (5 and 3!!)

So happy for the newly engaged couple Kevin and Colleen!!

Can't wait for their February wedding!!

A Christmas celebration with good friends in Seattle.

Dinner and Handel's Messiah...so sophisticated ;)

An unusually snowy December allowed us to play in the snow with Madelyn for the first time!

I don't she was too thrilled with it...

Enough with the snow!  

We were lucky to get out of Seattle on time and down to Florida to be with my family for our very first warm and sunny Christmas!

Cute Christmas outfit.  

Good thing the air conditioning was turned up, otherwise, tights and a corduroy jumper might have seemed out of place...

Just hangin' with her buddy, Charlotte!

Family shot!

My brother's family!

Failed attempt at a cousin shot...

Dad being goofy :)

A throw back to one of my favorite Christmas shots last year...

A baby in a box! 

Our sweet little girl.

May many blessings abound in your life this year!

Happy New Year from our family to yours!!

My little B...

Last weekend, we went on a short ferry ride to a nearby island called, Whidbey Island, with our friends, Adam and Kyla.  Of course I don't have ANY pictures of the adults!! But here are some classics of Madelyn :)

I love this profile shot of Maddie as she looks out the window of the ferry for the birds following close by...  (She loves birds these days!!)

The beautiful view...
My little sweets...

Here are just some random shots of Maddie showing off her pumpkin sweater from G and CC as she wanders around...

Big cheese!
:)
A recent favorite of Madelyn's is being lifted onto the big couch to enjoy her afternoon snack :)

Apparently, sooo exciting!!
This morning, I put on Madelyn's costume and went nowhere.  Unfortunately, it is a very rainy day here in Seattle and most festivities are outside.  So we opted for a photo shoot in the house...of course it doesn't matter to Madelyn...she just couldn't wait to get her hood off!

Hello my little B! 

(I choose to have Maddie be a Bee in honor of my teaching days...as Mrs. B-with my room decorated with buzzing bees!)
I think she kind of looks like a chub-chub ;)

(a chub-chub is something I used to do as a kid with Doug and Katelyn...oh the memories!)
Maddie's friend Lachlan stopped by to say hello...
....and the photo-op is done!
sweet little buzzer...

Fun at Parks and Patchs...

I really do love fall in Seattle.  The weather stays mild typically through mid November, leaves change, and the air is crisp.  This fall is especially fun with Madelyn as she is so much more aware of her surroundings than last year.  Going to the park, watching birds, dogs, and buses, Admiring trees and collecting leaves, and playing with friends are all some of Madelyn's favorite things to do right now.  I cannot even begin to express how much fun we are having together.  She is the light of my day...and she makes me laugh so much.

Here are some of my recent favorite photos of Madelyn...like I really have "not" favorite ones :)

I love getting photos of Maddie right when she wakes up from a nap.

I have no idea where the curly hair comes from, but it's just great in this shot!!

Such a silly girl...

Another 'after-nap' shot...

what a cheerful face to greet me :)

"Enough pictures mommy, I want out!!"

She looks like she's posing for something...

I think she looks so old in this picture!

There really are no words for this one...

hello sweet girl!

Maddie and her daddy talking about their days events ;)

Kurt's parents were in town at the end of September to visit and celebrate my 26th birthday!

Madelyn, getting ready to have a fit because mommy won't lift her up to the 'oh so mesmerizing' water fountain...

I think she realized she wasn't going to win...and decided to find something else at the park...

Just recently we visited a Pumpkin Patch with the Sharps.  Madelyn really wasn't too sure what all the hype was about!  She sat in this wagon with this look on her face pretty much the entire time!

The girls in the wagon!

"Now what am I supposed to do here??!!"

Mia...doing what she does best, digging in the dirt!

Lindsey and I with our girls...

Family shot...with Mia there in the background!

I feel like she knows she's livin' the high life...getting pulled all around, sitting in blankets, munching on goldfish....oh boy!

Sweet little Mia just loves to explore!

This is a random shot from just a couple days ago...

Mia and Maddie looking as mischievous as ever!