On Wednesday morning, we woke up to celebrate this special girl turning TWO!
She was asleep and we were all peering over to stare at her.
Her birthday breakfast? A pig in a blanket and donut holes.
And then we got dressed for the day :). Our big two year old girl!
So, later that day, we left for the State Fair of Texas. We always prefer to go in the evening because the crowds are down and the weather is usually a little better. This year was no exception! We didn’t wait in any lines and had plenty of room to check it all out. The fair is always so special to us, and since it was Madeley’s first year to go, we decided to combine the two: Madeley’s birthday and our annual trip to the fair.
Here we are walking in! In Texas, you never know…some years, we wear jeans and light jackets and other years, we wear shorts. Our weather is crazy unpredictable. #sigh
Lovie, Papa Jay, Sean, Catherine and Samuel met us at the fair too!
Ashby and Papa Jay were being silly.
Hmmmm…where is his lower body???
Samuel was lookin’ ever so stylish.
We all picked out our favorite cars at the car show.
Catherine and Smith both wanted the Jeep without doors :).
The kiddos did the obstacle course.
Jumping across…
…we didn’t think Ashby could participate, but this sweet guy here helped her all the way across.
Love my big girl.
Madeley and Samuel were comparing notes on their first fair experiences. They both gave it two thumbs up!
You MUST eat a Fletcher’s Corny Dog at the State Fair of Texas. Madeley loved hers!
Three kids and three corny dogs!
Papa Jay and Lovie with four out of five!
Ohhhhhh! I love fair food!
Caramel corn, check!
The petting zoo is always one of my favorite things!
Uncle Seanie petting a cow.
Two bow heads and a goat.
Two bow heads and a lama.
I say this every single year, but it’s always a testimony of mine and God keeps making it better and better. Nine years ago, I was standing in line right here in this very spot getting food when my fertility doctor called to say yet another IUI had failed and once again, I was not pregnant. I stood there so defeated. Then the next year, I showed up with my surprise baby Kensington. Then the next year, I showed up very pregnant with my other surprise baby. Then the next year, I showed up with two kids! Then last year, I showed up with Ashby and then this year, I showed up with Madeley. All I ever wanted to be was a mom…and on that day, nine years ago, I just wasn’t sure if that was going to happen for me. God is so big. He knows what we need even when we don’t. I never would have imagined this nine years ago…it’s better than I ever could have imagined.
God can do anything you know-far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams.– Ephesians 3:20
That’s exactly what I look like when someone hands me a chocolate and nut dipped ice cream bar 😉 .
Hey, where’s my cotton candy?
We always end our time at the fair with games on the Midway.
Smith won that frog and gave it to Ashby 🙂 .
Kensington, Ashby and I rode the scary haunted house ride (please note, Smith did not want to ride it 😉 )!
Catherine and Papa Jay rode right behind us!
Uncle Sean shootin’ hoops.
Because we needed a loud horn.
There goes Smith down the carpet slide!
And Kensington and Andrew too!
I rode the carousel with my four babies.
Love that sister of mine!
The State Fair of Texas is just magical.
And we faired hard on Madeley’s second birthday.
Another great year at the State Fair of Texas in the books.
Leslie Z. says
What an amazing birthday celebration for Madeley! Who could ask for more than fair food, rides, and games?! I thought our North Georgia State Fair was impressive until seeing Texas’s! Hope you all had the best time! Check out our weekend at the Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival this weekend!
http://www.withlovefromgablog.blogspot.com
Francie says
Happy Monday!!! You have such a beautiful family. We are going to our state fair this weekend and I can’t wait to eat all that delicious fair food. Lol!
Sanna says
Is that ostrich not a lama? Or do I not know my lamas? Or maybe an Alpaca?
Mix and Match Mama says
Hahaha! You’re right! I had two almost identical pics with two different animals, so I deleted one and kept the other…with the wrong caption!
Sanna says
I started to really doubt my ostrich/lama knowledge hahaha!!!
Regine Karpel says
So happy for you Shay.
http://www.rsrue.blogspot.com
Jenny says
Looks like a super fun trip to the fair! Thanks for sharing!
~Jenny
http://www.introvertsguidetosobriety.com/
Christina says
it seems like your phone takes great pictures. what phone do you have. do yo use a specific app to edit them. at night my pictures always turn out grainy. I would love to take more pictures with my phone but they turn out horrible. may be time for a new one.
Mix and Match Mama says
I’m just using my basic iPhone 6. The only picture that was edited was the one I put on Instagram of the four kids (I just added an Instagram filter to it). I’m not fancy with my picture taking at all! I’m not that smart ;).
Narci says
Your state fair tradition is one of my favorites! The pictures are adorable, and I love that Smith won a prize for Ashby! What a sweet boy!! So happy that Madeley had such an amazing birthday!
Sheaffer says
What a great day! Love the pic of all of you in front of the ferris wheel! And now I want a corny dog. 😉
Lizzie @ This Happy Life says
The state fair looks like the best time! So much good food and hanging out with family, nothing better! How sweet of Smith to win the frog for Ashby!
Kimberly penson says
Your fair testimony is my favorite. God is so so big.
Laci says
Your fair looks MUCH nicer than ours! Haha! Knoxville needs to step it up in the fair dept. Looks like fun was had by all.
Erika Slaughter says
Ahhh!!! One of our favorite places! Glad you guys got to party hard for Madeley. What better way to celebrate a birthday than the state fair and a corny dog?!
Annalisa says
What adorable pictures and family you have. Just wondering how long the Texas State fair last? Here in Nebraska I think it’s maybe only two weeks. Looks like such a great time!
Mix and Match Mama says
It lasts about a month :).
Karen C says
That picture of Ashby looking at her ice cream is the cutest thing EVER! Love all the pictures and it seems like everyone’s had a great time.
Sarah Lewis says
I got chill bumps reading what you said about adding to your family each year at the fair. God is so good, even in the hard times!
Also, please tell me that K is holding the poop emoji in pillow form in the last pic! LOL!
Brooke Richardson says
That picture of Ashby and your dad with his hat sideways is so cute!!! Love your family and looks like the perfect day to celebrate sweet Madeley.
Angela Ellingson says
Happy birthday Madeley! That looks like so much fun! I love that Smith gave his prize to Ashby, oh my goodness, that’s sweet! And what an amazing group shot at the end. I just love your family!
Natalie Clark says
Love the State Fair! We were there yesterday with my whole family. I am definitely suggesting an after nap time trip to the fair next year. I think the adults and kids would enjoy it so much more if we went after a good nap and with a smaller crowd!
cassie {hi sugarplum} says
Nothing beats a good Fair Day!!! We snuck away to ours on Friday…lucked out with a 70-degree day!!!??? That pic of Madeley holding the corn dog just made my whole week!!!!
Keisha Dawson says
What a fun time for sweet Madeley’s birthday, and I love what an incredible testimony you have to share!
Kara says
Did Kensington pick out a stuffed poop for her prize!!? I only ask because my 10 year old girl is obsessed with those things. She knows it drives me crazy every time she points it out and I thought she was just doing it to get a reaction out of me…
Mix and Match Mama says
Hahahaha! Yes!
Angela Ellingson says
I did a double take when I saw that, too, hahaha! So silly and well, gross! 😉
Stacey Huedepohl says
Is Kensington holding a pile of poo? Why is that even an option as a prize? LOL 🙂 Love the state fair!!!
Stacey says
Is Kensington holding a pile of poo?! Why is that even a prize option? LOL 🙂 Love the state fair! We live in Iowa and ours is on the 1000 things to see before you die list! Such a wonderful experience.
Lindsey says
Seeing the picture of Ashby sitting on Papa Jay’s lap made me emotional, only a few years ago she was alone in China and no family there to love on her. Fast forward a few years later, and her & Madeley are in Texas surrounded with endless love, laughter and fried food! 😉 God is so good!!
Melissa says
Where is your green button-down flannel shirt from?
Mix and Match Mama says
J Crew 🙂
Lindsay @ Lindsay's Sweet World says
Look at you with your four little blessings, Shay! Your fair posts are always my favorite because they always remind me of my homecoming and alumni social at my high school alma mater. Six years ago at my alma mater’s homecoming and alumni social I had just had a miscarriage a couple of months prior and I was terrified that I would never have kids of my own. I had felt broken and battered leading up to that night, but that night during all of the festivities, I had the first real feeling of hope since the miscarriage, and it turned out that we WERE pregnant. We found out about a week and a half later. We went on to have our sweet baby boy followed by a baby girl a couple of years later, and every single year when we attend now, all I can think about his just how blessed we are to be there with TWO sweet babies. And now our oldest baby is going to the same school! It’s so crazy how it all works out! God is just so good.
Kelly says
Such a fun way to celebrate a sweet two year old! I love all the pics but I can really see you in your mom in the one where your mom is holding Samuel and your dad is holding Ashby. Two lovely ladies:)
Diane(nanney to 10 grands and 7 greats) says
Oh Shay! My heart just bursts to see the love that is in your home. You and your Andrew were made to be parents. Sure blessed children to grow up in such love. God bless you and your family.
Kelcy says
It looks like you all had such a good time at the fair. That fair food looks SO good. I just love reading about your sweet family! 🙂
Sarah @ Foxy's Domestic Side says
So sweet! I just love reading these updates each year…:)
Courtney says
Thank you for sharing this sweet memory, Shay! Happy birthday to Madeley!
Patrice Bennett says
Happy Birthday Madeley! What a joy!
I loved the man who helped Ashby do the maze!
Great pictures!
brittany roberson says
One day I was on insta just looking at pictures and I came across you and founs your blog, I am in love with your family! I truly admire you as a mom and wife! I always enjoy reading about your family and I hope i can be a great mom like you one day!
Bethany Crisp says
Raising them right with those Fletcher’s corn dogs! What an amazing yearly reminder of God’s blessings! So happy for you and your family!
Aubrey says
I love how crazy annual events (Texas State Fair) can become a marker that reminds us to count our many blessings. So glad you bring all those babies there every year. That’s a fun family tradition!
Christin says
Happy Birthday Madeley!! This post warmed my heart! Many blessing!
Brittany says
I’m new to your blog! I was Google searching some adoption questions and your blog popped up. I’ll have some adoption questions for you some time, I’m sure. But for now, can you please tell me where is your buffalo plaid shirt from? Thank you!
Mix and Match Mama says
J Crew!!
VN says
So . . . That fella with the missing lower body? That’s my uncle! (And this is a Kindergarten teacher that you happen to know). 😉
VN
Mix and Match Mama says
No way!! That is so cool! My kids are going to love this bit of info :).