spent the morning
with my baby.
she is really starting to
express herself.
lots of cooing,
and just look at this series of photos:
i love it.
she is so damn much
fun these days.
realized that i had
to be at the
church for the josh
and jane’s wedding rehearsal
a little earlier
than i expected.
madeline with me,
we arrived late,
walking in as the priest
told everyone what to do.
rehearsals are pointless.
things always work
out the next day.
they just do.
the priest’s jokes missed our
ears and sensibilities
and floated uncomfortably toward
the ceiling.
madeline was strapped to
me the entire time.
the rehearsal finished
quickly and everyone was eager to
escape the church
and start drinking at the farm.
our real objective
was to help the bride
and groom set up
the reception space.
some folks got out
of working
by holding madeline.
set up complete,
it was time to play.
josh gave his groomsmen
bb guns so we had
to try them out.
we shot cans and
other things that couldn’t die.
the guns reminded
me of the groomsmen
gift that
liz
and i gave to
my groomsmen.
branding irons with the
dude’s initials
to be used for branding a steak
or other piece of meat.
totally absurd and completely
impractical, but i fulfilled
my wish of finding the
most useless gift
of all time.
back to the bb guns.
aj arrived with no
work left to do
so he decided to shoot
stuff with us.
then i learned how
to ride a motorbike.
went slow.
thought i was going to crash.
i don’t like it.
i left with aj
to take some photographs
of the rural decay surrounding us.
so we headed to
the other side of the farm
to a place i knew
in my past life.
i used to come here
as a kid to escape
suburbia.
we hung out with cows,
chased chickens,
shot guns.
came out here once
liz.
we were in high school,
just after we started dating.
we went with josh
to feed the ostriches
and to prove to
liz
that i was a tough guy.
i don’t think it
worked.
she watched as i screamed
like a little girl
after getting my head
pecked by those giant birds.
what a little bitch i was.
the ostriches are gone.
so is almost everything
else i remember
about the place.
but some things remain.
the barn is there.
we used to play in the
barn as kids.
so are the silos.
it was weird to be back.
almost as though i
had never been there
but had read about it
and was now matching
my version to reality.
aj and i wandered in
silence, taking photos of
everything.
after the farm,
aj and i needed some city.
so i said goodbye
to madeline
(who decided to stay with grandma broccoli and grandpa rodney)
and headed to the mpls
for dinner at
a thai restaurant.
nate joined us.
after dinner
we decided to head to the polish
restaurant that i always
end up in.
not sure why i go there
so often.
(good memories perhaps).
thought it would be interesting
to post something
on the blog about
our presence at the polish place,
wondering if anyone would
show up at that late
hour and let us buy
them a drink.
stranger friend melissa c. from the nj
saw my post about going
to nye’s.
not being in the mpls,
she sent me an e-mail,
offering to pay for our drinks.
if we were still
at the bar.
i couldn’t believe it.
then i looked toward the bar.
i see the bartender,
on the phone,
searching the room for someone.
i laughed, and walked
toward him.
got to the bar and found out
that he was on the phone
with melissa.
he handed me the receiver
and i talked to my new friend.
she opened up a big tab
and we used most of it up.
(thank you, thank you, thank you).
i also got a message from
stranger friend anna s.
she wrote to tell me
that she was already in bed,
but insomnia drove
her to my blog
(wondering if that’s a compliment).
and that she had
some gifts for madeline
that she wanted to drop off.
awesome.
so we waited…
wondering if she’d actually show up.
and finally she did,
around 1:30am.
she arrived with
a robot puppet
that looks like the maid from
the jetsons
and one of the coolest
kids albums ever.
we talked about lots
of stuff until the bar closed.
then we walked outside
to say goodbye.
but first,
a photo
then aj, nate and i
wandered the streets,
taking lots of photos.
we made it back to
aj’s house
around 3:30am.
i crashed there.
a good day and night.
109 Comments
Your photos from the streets are some of my favorites – except for the pictures of your Madeline, of course. She is in the fun stage now! My Madeline coos, laughs, shrieks, kicks. Just wait, she’s only getting started.
Insomnia brought me here… and that’s definitely a compliment. Maddy gets more adorable every picture I see. Thanks for keeping us updated on your lives. (And your pictures are amazing.)
Hi Matt and Maddy,
Love the collage of pics of little miss Maddy… she’s got the most adorable blue eyes!
Hope the trip back to LA was smooth and uneventful.
Looks like the trip to MN was a blast… and I’m sure everyone back there misses you both terribly already.
Take care,
jen in bangalore
Hi Matt. Your baby is beautiful!
LOVE all of the pictures. Madeline is adorable, the faces are fantastic! Can’t wait to hear about the wedding! Is Madeline going?
Your posts always make me smile -Madeline is just too precious for words. And your ostrich story- too funny , I love it!!
Oh my goodness, she has amazing blue eyes. These photos just seem to bring them out more than usual. Stunning little girl
Hi I’m regular lurker from Warsaw, Poland. Take care.
Ps. I like pierogi too
Matt.
I have been lurking for months (posted once. I told piper’s mom that she should sell garden of awesome paper dolls…she came up with the idea to send them to anybody who would donate to the matt and maddy fund…I did and received the most awesome paper doll, robot included, in the mail. (really cool, my little girl loved it).
anyway, thanks for keeping us posted and reminding us daily how precious and amazing life is………………..madeline is such a blessing to you and it is crazy to see how many lives you and she (is that gramatically correct? prolly not…I did go to college, believe it or not) are touching.
Morgen Matt,
I love reading your blog. It’s like reading a wonderful short story everyday and the pics really bring it to life. I especially like the pic of you & Anna together b/c you’re smiling and look genuinely happy there :O) I guess the combo of Nye’s, good friends and a few beers will do that to a fellow!
So I guess you’re back in L.A. by now…hope you get back “home” to Minn. often as it looks like it agreed with you & Maddy. Maybe she can spend her Summers there as she grows up. Looks like a dream place to be in the Summertime, especially for a child.
I have something to send you. Will do that this weekend and hope that customs doesn’t raid the package as they sometimes like to do. I once sent a box of cookies to my husband when he was studying it Italy and it showed up 6 weeks later! cookies were unbelievably still good though according to him
PS-yesterday I had a photo day partially inspired by you! I had the day off from work and I walked all over the metropolis of Berlin taking pics. It was a focking GREAT day! :O) Now I just need a better camera. I’ll post the Berlin pics to my flickr site next week so you can see them too.
Ciao!
Your ostrich story was hilarious! Sounds like you are having a great time!
So so cool.
Glad you’re still having fun!
Where’s the farm at? West, North, South? We’re all farm country out here. heh
Asalamalaykom,
Your tone is brighter.
It’s OK to feel better. Your love and your grief do not have to equal out. You can have IMMENSE love for your sweet Liz and yet reduce the grief without diminishing the love. To find the blessings now doesn’t mean that what happened wasn’t bad. It was horrible.
This is something I blogged on before, since I had my own grief (and in some ways still do). I took my blog down, but here’s what I wrote and I wanted you to see:
A mother who lost her grown daughter told Dr. Phil, “I want to go to the tallest mountain top and scream and let people know the pain; the pain that will never go away because of this.”
Dr. Phil asked her if she really wanted the pain to go away. She said she did.
“I mean, really?” He pressed.
“Yes, I do,” she stated.
“How much you greive is not a reflection on how deeply you love,” he counselled. “Can you accept, if you get closure; if you say, ‘I’m not going to obsess anymore,’ that you are not betraying your daughter? Do you think she would say, ‘I want you to be in pain for the rest of your life to prove you love me?’”
“Oh, no, ” she said, “She’d be very angry.”
“So, it wouldn’t be a betrayl. Maybe the betrayl is focusing on the day she died, rather than celebrating the life she lived.”
Matt, back to now. I do think that you’re working your way to the new normal. I hear that, and I applaud you, and hope that anything I say helps. Whatever helps–take it. Whatever doesn’t—leave it. Rabena sahil. May God make it easy on you.
BUEN DIA Matt!! (good morning-at least for me-here is 7:30AM)
Suni Paz lullabies/songs were MY FAVOURITES when I was a child!
You have an OUTSTANDING taste taking pictures
Specially ones of Maddie!
Have a great day
xoxoxo
Hi MATT
BUEN DIA! (good morning-at least for me, here is 7:33 AM)
I love Suni Paz lullabies/songs.
I used to listen them a lot when I was a child!
You have an OUTSTANDING taste taking photos!
Specially Maddie’s ones!
Have a GREAT day!
XOXO
Sol
The pics of the farm are stunning. I would love to wander a place like that for hours. Thank you for posting them.
Looks like you had a great weekend. Good for you. You’re looking healthy. Must be all the good Thai and pierogi.
Wow – those are the biggest blue eyes. Madeline is adorable. Can’t wait to see more pictures as she continues to interact with you (and the camera).
Your photographs are just awesome. You didn’t put it in the post, but I love the one of you standing in the field.
Glad to see that you made it back to the los angeles. The MN seems empty without you and Madeline. I hope that you continue to have days that are each a little better than the last. Thinking of you both in the MN and sending you love and hugs.
@Melissa good job !!
see people from NJ ARE nice!
@Matt, Madeline’s face in the first picture. It’s like she’s got this little secret she’s not going to tell you for a little while… or maybe she just had to poop. Babies are great!
hugs from NJ,
erica and Landon
Matt – what Yosra said (& I guess Dr. Phil), I second. Enjoy. So happy to see your SMILE!
I am glad that you had a good Friday. My Father-in-Law bought my 6 week old son a Red Ryder BB gun just like yours for Christmas (yes, 6 weeks old and he gets a gun….only in Kentucky)! Madeline is beautiful and her expressions will only get better. My son is now 7 months and it is amazing how much he has changed. Enjoy this time with her!
Amy from Louisville, KY.
OMG, those blue eyes! Madeline is sooo cute! Enjoy every minute with her. Love the groomsman gifts…lol! What guy wouldn’t want a bb gun?? You should def submit your photography to istockphoto.com (like someone suggested yesterday). Designer-types like me use the site daily – why not make some $$ off of your awesome skills? I ran across this book and it reminded me of you: http://lookybook.com/mainpage.php?name_id=1353
Maybe you can do a children’s photography book someday?
Hope you made it back to L.A. okay. Take care!
What’s with the scary looking polka players?! Especially the lady with the concertina…
Great pictures today.
Especially Madelines face filling up with personality.
LOVE all the new pics, they are great! Enjoying all the cooing from maddy because before you know it she will be a teenager talking back
Totally pointless comment, but I just thought it was amusing that my husband and I gave out the exact same meat branding irons for our groomsman gifts! haha!
Those are some big blue eyes Madeline has! Holy, she is going to be a heart breaker! Those shots on the farm are so so amazing.
hi matt,
those pics are some of the cutest i have seen (EVER!). thank you again for letting us into your life like this and sharing your wonderful little daughter with us.
a thought struck me as you were talking about the memory you and liz shared at the barn with the ostrich. you have mentioned before how hard certain places in the LA and the MN are to go to since you have so many liz-related memories there.
maybe another way to look at it is that you were with liz for SO long that almost ALL of your memories are with her. so she will continue to pop up at unexpected moments, wherever you may be. i don’t know if that makes sense, just trying to help you make it through certain places and events a little easier when she is not there in person with you.
take care.
Even after a night of drinking, you take awesome photos!!
I love your farm pics! They remind me of my childhood. . .
Maddy is adorable (as always) in those pictures. I’m glad she is so well documented so that all of us get to see her everyday too!
Beautiful photos, as usual. I especially like the second one of Madeline, and the bridge. And your farm pictures make me want to head home to the farm area where I grew up… though I also need to escape to civilization after a bit.
Matt, your photography is wonderful. Madeline has the most gorgeous eyes and beautiful smile. You might have to save one of those bb guns for when the boys come knocking!
Hi Matt & Madeline,
Hope your trip back to CA was uneventful!
I’ve been a lurker for the past few weeks, but just had to come out of hiding today. The pictures of Maddie are oh so precious! What fun times you have ahead of yourself with her…(I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter and she keeps us laughing everyday with all her funniness!)! But it was also so good to read that you had a good day & night! I can only imagine what you are going through on a daily basis…I can only hope that you have more good days and nights ahead of you, with I’m sure a few bad ones too. Who could blame you?!
I enjoy your posts everyday…I can’t seem to get enough of them.
Take care,
Michelle
Glad it was a good Friday for you. Madeline is growing and I love that you catch her awesome facial expressions!
The times to come with Miss M are so much more than you can ever imagine…9 months has been my favorite landmark; the personality just explodes! Soon she’ll be sitting up, then crawling, talking, walking, running…the path to learning and enjoyment is never ending…this is just the beginning! Wishing you many many good days to come.
p.s. I love your photo collages, especially the Stone Arch and Hennepin Avenue shots.
ok, i had to laugh at the ostrich story. funny. those are some lovely pics of madeline. isn’t it so much fun watching her become more alert and expressive. my youngest is about a month older than madeline and watching her experience everything is just as much fun, with her, as it was for her two older sisters. it really never gets old, but always goes way too fast. glad you had such a good day/night.
My husand is from Mlps (Wayzata, actually, Hopkins High 1995) and moved down here to NC for college years ago and never left. I might have something to do with that. Anyway, I have only visited Minn once, in 2004, and we spent the WHOLE time at Nyes. As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to be there every night. When the hubs went up two years ago to visit pals, he came back with an Al Nye keychain for me. So then I started reading you and then I realized where you were and you’d go to Nye’s I get really excited for you because nothing would be more comforting than those speckled booths and waitresses named Fran, right? So now not only do we think you’re super awesome, but you’re hanging out in these places the hubs loves more than anything on the planet and never gets to see and you show them to him. Isn’t it crazy the people you touch across the country when you have no idea? And by crazy I meant fucking crazy.
PS – not only did I learn about Nyes on that trip, but I saw the real honest-to-god Northern Lights randomly walking down the street downtown and everyone was out on their rooftops and it was sort-of magical.
courtney
I can’t wait to see the wedding shots, and your promised pic of Madeline in her special outfit!
Hey, how cool that your links open in new windows, thanks for that! I’m off to go check them out. It will be especially cool when you post music links, so we can listen to the music at the same time as reading your post. The farm looks awesome, must be a great place for kids to grow up on.
Jo
I found your blog a few months ago and I am kinda obsessed with it. I have it bookmarked in my “Daily” tab so I check it everyday.
I had to write to say 1) Madeline’s eyes are SO beautiful in those pictures! and 2) I really enjoy your photographs – I think you could sell them.
God bless!
“she is so damn much fun these days” <– I remember thinking that about my first born and the truth is, it never ends. My oldest is six and she’s still lots of fun.
I hope your flight went well.
If you think little princess is fun now…just wait. It only gets better.
I noticed on your last post that Madeline had some little rolls on her thighs….Love that.
She is so beautiful. I can see both you and liz in her. Some of her facial expressions in this post…I see a lot of you.
Hi Matt-
I’ve never left you a message before, but I’ve been reading your blog pretty much every day since the first week in April. I live in Mpls and read your story in the trib. It sounds like you’ve enjoyed your time back in the MN. I think it’s great that you appreciate Nye’s so much. It’s such a great place. The piano bar and the polka on the other side is the best. How did you like the King and I? I recognized it from your pictures right away. It’s one of my favorite spots. Absolutely love all your pics. Your most recent pictures of Maddie are beautiful. She looks like such a happy little baby!
The ostrich story was also fabulous. I grew up in a small town in MN, and there was an ostrich farm that we used to go to in high school. They are the weirdest looking animals. They make for some good laughs.
I am truly inspired by your strength. Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Wow, Matt! I have been a bit behind on my blog reading the last week due to work and my 3 year old being sick. I cannot get over how much personality Madeline is showing in her pictures. That smirky little smile is just too much. She’s getting so darn big. Her blue eyes just make me melt.
You sound like you are having a wonderful time on your trip. I’m so happy to see you happy. I hope that the good feelings continue when you head back home.
You continue to do such an amazing job with everything.
Amy
great story about the ostriches. i laughed.. a lot.
thanks!
awesome photos from the streets!
Wow. Melissa rocks.
Madeline is at a great age right now. It’s about to get a whole lot more fun. Some days I miss having a tiny newborn but each new phase is more fun than the last.
Could her eyes get any bluer, btw? I think that’s her color.
Matt-
Not sure if I missed the boat on this..but I can’t help but wonder every single time I see her name where grandma broccoli acquired this title….care to divulge??!?!?!?
Matt, I absolutly love your artistic eye that is so evident in your photos. I too love photography but I’m not nearly as good as you. Those pictures of Madeline so remind me of when my daughter was that age. She is now 29 years old and I can’t believe where the time went. I’m glad you had a good day.
God bless you from the crazy lady in Texas.
Gracie
Well, you have outdone yourself this time, Pal. This is your most awesome post, ever, IMHO. Fantastic writing, amazing photos, completely evocative. This would be a great blog post from just a normal person, without your backstory, even.
I love this line:
“the priest’s jokes missed our
ears and sensibilities
and floated uncomfortably toward
the ceiling.”
Ahhh… yes. So many words float uncomfortably towards the ceiling, don’t they?
Appreciatively,
K in the N
Madeline has the most beautiful blue eyes!!! Hope you are enjoying your visit home!! You and your friends look like ya’ll have the best time with anything that you do!!!
Have a great day!
Hi Matt–Madeline is looking so adorable with her cute expressions! What a beautiful baby! I really enjoy all your pics–the angles and details are amazing!!
Such fun you had in MN-it appears to agree w/you and Madeline. Sounds like you did so many fun things while here!!! Madeline is adorable, her blue eyes are beautiful. Melissa rocks!!!
I have the giggles from the Ostrich story too. Screaming like a bitch. Too fucking funny.
Also loving the gassy face from Maddy, those are the best!
Love these pictures and your writing in this post. k in the n summed it up perfectly.
It seems like the mn suits you well matt. Glad you were able to have a good long trip with so many friends and family around you and madeline.
Those pictures of Madeline are precious. She will get to be more fun each day. Enjoy it!
Matt-I agree with Kate, this is an awesome post. And I love her comment about it being great for a “normal” person (as opposed to an abnormal person such as yourself?) hahah!! JK, Kate
The pics are beautiful, exactly like I picture the midwest. Such a departure from the LA photos.
LOVE the ostrich story as well! Reminds me of my first “real” love who I met when I was in college. Our first date, he took me to this scenic overlook and we were sitting on this guardrail. Well, he went to put his arm around me and I fell face first in the mud, didnt even have time to brace myself with my hands, and then went sliging down the side of the mountain, thorns, rocks, mud and all. It was way smooth. I was laughing hysterically, but he was all concerned, which made it so much worse. I was covered in mud, btw. I do dumb shit like this a lot, which is why I can laugh at it. But from what I “know” of Liz, the ostrich story was probably a great memory as well. There is nothing like a guy trying to look tough, then fucking up to make a girl fall in love.
Thanks for sharing, I love hearing that other people make asses of themselves like I do.
Its so comforting!
I love love LOVE these pictures of Madeline. We need a video, I think.. I want to hear the baby sounds!
I LOVE the second picture down of Madeline. She looks so aware and awake.
Your groomsmen gift is hilarious.
I am always hunting for absolutely ridiculously weird and impractical gifts for my sister. She’s the only one who understands the hilarity here.
Great photography!
Great post Matt.
LOVE the Madeline series at the start…she is so beautiful. Those early morning moments alone together are simply the best. My little one is 7 months old and it’s still my favorite time of day with him. The fun is just going to continue to increase – every new age and stage is better than the last.
Love your writing here too…the stories about your groomsman gifts and the ostrich – awesome.
Thinking about you and sending extra posititive energy your way, as you make your way through the 3 month marker today.
*hugs* to you and Maddy
Maddie is the best! Thanks for sharing her!
It is so good to see you looking/sounding a little more sturdy. We, out here is cyber-space, worry about you!
Can’t wait to see the wedding photos!
Jan and Tom
Great photos! Maddie is getting so big… and expressive. It’s such a fun age!
http://andria-and-co.com
Wow Matt, your pictures of the city are great. And the ones of Madeline are so cute…she is really starting to show her little personality…so much fun.
I can’t wait to hear about the wedding!
Melissa
omg—maddy gets more beautiful every day!! i LOVELOVELOVE the new pics! welcome to the fun stages! more smiles, more personality….it will only keep getting better.
glad you had an enjoyable time back in mn. i agree with the others—mn agrees with you both! it’s great to see you smile!
Hi Matt- Hope your trip back to the LA was E-A-S-Y! Love your pic’s of the bridge and of course Maddy – wow she is beautiful!
It’s great to see you smile – you looked like you were having a great time! The Minnesota seems a little empty knowing you two are gone.
As Yosra said – May God make it easy on you
Much love to you both!
I echo every sentiment…Maddie is getting cuter by the day, your pictures are incredible and WHY do you call her Grandma Broccoli????
(I’ve been lurking for months and been wanting to ask!!) PLEASE share!!
Hola!
Lovely pictures today.
Would love to see some of your wedding photos with
Liz.
Just sayin’
Unless it’s to hard to post about of course.
Welcome back to Cali!
P.S.
Fuck Jill
Sounds like a great day. I’m so glad for you! The photos are breath-taking.
And what a bonus for me! At the pool party, I hadn’t even expected to have a chance to meet you, much less shoot the shit. And I hated using your time when you had so many loved ones around. But if I could have found a way to segue from Kollywood’s greatest hits (or web hits), I’d have asked about when you and Liz first met. I knew there were some killer stories there.
Hope you can find glimmers of hope in this three-month anniversary today of how far you’ve come, rather than just reminders of what you’ve lost. You’re doing a great job.
Wow, I absolutely love those two pictures of Minneapolis. (the stone arch bridge and the bridge reflecting in the water)
Absolutely UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!
What would you say to someone who doesn’t believe in the goodness of people?
Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife
Welcome back from Mejico, Christa en el Valencia!
I am loving the travel blog. And now you are in the superfun stage with Madeline. My son is 22 months, and he walks. You think you want them to move around, but really it’s more fun at Madeline’s age, when you have complete control.
Also, Madeline is really the perfect combination of you and Liz. Plus a little extra sauciness I can already see emerging.
First off, love the pics. Madeline has a little twinkle in her eye. Be careful. I’ve got few that have that twinkle and it’s dangerous.
Second- Melissa is awesome! Way to go!
And third- After that ostrich story you’re definitely ready to watch The Notebook.
I looove the new pics of Madeline :]
Boy is she growing!
Her eyes are beautiful!
She is going to be a hand full when she gets bigger :]
Glad you are having such a good time around family and friends :]
The new expressive faces on Maddy are a scream! What great pictures of her!
Love the pics of the country road and the old barn, I’m starting to wonder when you will start putting your pictures in a coffee table book for us all to buy.
Oh, wow. She is awesome. I love it!
Just wait til one day when you go to get her out of her crib in the morning and she is standing there, looking at you excitedly with those big blue peepers, and exclaims, “Good Morning!” (only it comes out like ” ‘Na Mo’neen” or some other babble but is so adorable and makes them irresistable.) Point being, the best is yet to come.
I love the groomsmen gifts. They totally put our monogrammed pocket knives to shame. I knew we were on the right track w/ the weaponry idea, but damn… why didn’t we step it up?
Your photography is STUNNING.
P.s. That first pic – I think that’s the look she is going to give you some day when you crack a cheesy joke around her friends.
Cool pictures….never would have taken you for a farm boy….even one who screams like a girl… LOL
I cracked up at the BB guns…too funny!
Love the expression pics of Ms. Madeline.
Matt, her eyes are gorgeous! Really looks like a true blue that will stay that way. And just wait, it keeps getting better. She will start to show off her personality more and more over the next few weeks!
Your pictures of the MN are amazing. It looks like the real “Americana”. Somebody said you should have a gig working for the state tourism board…I agree!
Hope your return to LA was smooth. Thanks for keeping up with the posts, it’s good to hear about your and Madeline’s adventures…you look like you’re doing a bit better, am I right?
Still sending hugs from the GA!
Matt could do SO MANY awesome books…
One I would like to see him do — quick before Maddy gets older and less portable — is a coffee table book of America’s old dive bars. (If he could do polka bars alone, I’d say go for that.) He could stay with blog peeps all across this great land of ours, who would babysit while he went out to snap pix of these cool places.
Maybe the Glamour Peeps can put him in touch with a nice literary editor?
Those are probably my most favorite pictures I have ever seen of Minneapolis! Maddy just gets cuter and cuter, what a heartbreaker. So happy to see you enjoy your trip and once again surrounded by some amazing people…..
Finally posting! Love the pictures…I’m in awe…Madeline is too cute!
Couple questions – what type of camera do you have? Seriously – I have this awesome and expensive camera and I have yet to take one single picture that looks like the ones you take…I’ll fall over if you tell me it’s a disposable camera (ha, ha).
And I have the same question as Gail – why is Grandma Broccoli named Grandma Broccoli? I’ve been mulling over this for a couple of weeks now!
I’m new to the Twin Cities (not new to the MN) – will have to check out Nye’s.
Thanks for sharing your journey.
I love the night pictures! They are great!
Hi Matt,
You took such GREAT photos this trip.. and HOW cool is it that you got a tab to enjoy some drinks. Madeline is precious, the joys of parenting is that they get better with each day and more and more fun.. until they hit the matrix I think (matrix= 13 yrs. old).. that is what I have heard.
Best,
Michelle
Loving the google ads listed with this sweet post! Livestock Housing, Custom Branding Irons & Rehearsal Dinner Ideas!
Hilarious!!!
good lord what pretty eyes she has :]
Madeline is one of the cutest kids around (and I only say “one of” because I have two of my own that are pretty darn cute! I love reading your blog to hear about you and see how much cuter she is getting.
Madeline is so CUTE!!!! So glad that you are having a great time…you deserve it!
Awww, Madeline is getting cuter by the minute, yes the fun stages await you. The interactive stages. So fun!
Love the photos of mn, all your garrison shots are so familiar. My dh has a Lake home(ice house) on the Milleacs.
Glad you’re having a great time.
Pam
Hi matt and maddy…What a beautiful baby…those blue eyes are fantastic!!! Your a great dad..the best!
Love all the way from England…xx
Wonderful post and pictures! I love the ostrich story…something always goes “wrong” when you are trying so hard to impress someone.
Madeline looks so beautiful in those photos…amazing blue eyes. How can that not be intoxicating?
Sending many hugs to you at this 3 month mark.
yeah, we gave out personalized flasks for our groomsmen gifts. It was kinda tough picking something out for all the guys that was the same thing they would all like. The girls made out way better…
Love the stories of your trip. I can see the MN is really home for you- and now Madeline.
Madeline is so beautiful, I love her blue eyes and little expressions.
Hope your trip back goes (went) well. Oh and I have been wondering about the grandma broccoli name too….
Matt ~~~ You are doing so great!~~~I
I know this week may really fucking suck~~~ you had to deal with a Tuesday and then 3 month~~You left the MN on such a ~~high~~and then you travel~~on Tuesday~~ I do that a lot~~ I plan to do things that will take my mind off of what the day it~~ I know you may not think so today but~~Eventually you will not count the weeks, it will be 4 months and 2 weeks~~then maybe 6 months~~ but also be aware that sometimes you feel like you are moving two steps forward~~~then THREE FUCKING WEEKS back~~
IT. FUCKING. SUCKS. (my Grandmother would say “it sucks a hind tit, but better a hind tit that no titty said the kitty”~~I never really got that either, but I’m fuckity fifty this year and I’m dealing with 18 months and 5 days~~since my Ken committed suicide~~I do want you to know that you have inspiried me to to start a blog~~I’ve been reading blogs for well over a year and no one has done that until I read your blog.
Madeline~~some day you will read this and I want you to know that your father loved your mother very much and sometimes life is just not fair. It is not fair that your mother had to leave you and your dad. I know, even though I did not know your mother, she would have rather stayed on the earth with you and your dad. For some reason, that was not meant to be and your dad is doing/did a wonderful job raising you and showing you how much that he loves you~~partly because you are half your mom~~partly because you are half him~~ but mostly because you are you~~and he has/is going to show you so much love and is going to give you every opportunity in the world to be who you are~~the daughter of liz and matt logelin~~
You are so lucky to have the parents that you have~~your mom loves you very much and she will always be beside you~~I believe that is the reason some parents leave the earth~~~so they can ALWAYS be beside you~~your dad will be there as much as he can~~but your mom is always beside you~~ close your eyes and take a deep breath~~you can feel her presence beside you and her arm around you~~
matt~~ i times of my deepest troubles~~ i close my eyes, take a deep breath and hear Ken telling me that he will love me until the end of eternity is but a distant memory in the mind of god~~and sometimes it fucking hurts so bad that I think my body is going to explode~~and i cry a lot~~ but sometimes it does make me feel better~~
feel free to email me~~and i’ll be happy to send you my phone # if you ever need someone to talk to~~I know it helps me to “tell someone new sometimes”~~~if you ever want to talk or vent feel free~~
charlene
ps read my blog post for yesterday~~ it’s about me and a fucking male goat that thought i was a female goat in heat and he tried to fuck me~
You’ve evolved into fatherhood with such ease. Be proud of yourself today. After all of the time you and Liz spent together, there is no doubt she has already played a large part in Madeline’s upbringing even though she is not physically here…spiritually has never left.
Thinking of you in Socal…
Madeline looks so much like you. Are you going to move back to the mn?
I can’t wait to see pics of Maddy in her special outfit for the wedding. She’s getting so big and love the faces she’s making. I bet she’s a lot of fun! take care!
Precious pictures — move back to the MN! Just following AJ’s lead:)
@ Kate
Grassy ass!!
Yah, Smithsonian Folkways rocks. Ella Jenkins and all the rest are great music for kids and the rest of us too.
First time posting, but I have read your blog for awhile and think of you and Madeleine often.
Have had big grief happen in my own life, and it is certainly life-changing. Awful in the ways you already are feeling. Grief brings its gifts too, if you pay attention, though the full extent of what those are may not be clear for awhile. Not that it makes the circumstance of these gifts, the tragic event of losing Liz, in *any sense* okay, but it’s okay to be thankful for some of what you gain from (having to have) the experience. A deeper sense of compassion, for example, or a renewed clarity about what is really important in life. Or, you know, a new community of strangers/friends.
One thing, even as you move through the grief and begin to feel less like you are drowning in it (this can take quite some time btw), Liz will still be a part of your and Madeleine’s lives. The love does not die. I do not mean that in a namby-pamby way that all will become rainbows. It is still very fuckety fuck fucked up that Liz died so young, and that will always be true, and I am so sorry for your loss. It’s just that you can be assured that Liz’s love for both of you, as well as your love for her, has changed you all forever, and that ain’t nothing. It may be the only thing that matters, in the end.
awesome picture of the Hennepin bridge!
i dunno- how useless ‘is’ that gift?..
let’s say your at a restaurant and a debate arises over who’s steak is on the table?
if your’s is handily branded with your initials…come on now- even as a devout vegetarian i am all about practicality.
Look at that little beam of sunshine- her eyes are SO blue- She is just perfect in every way!!
I am glad the grandma’s are getting in lots of Madeline time while yer about.
Madeline gets more and more beautiful every day! It’s so fun when they start smiling and responding to you – it’s the best. soooo cute.
I laughed when you were talking about being at the farm with Liz when you were young – and a bitch. I think it’s histerical when men call themselves bitches.
Yes! So excited to buy another folk album for Caleb! Thanks for posting that link. I grew up with my mom singing all those fun folk songs but sadly I’ve forgotten most of them.
I bought this one – http://tinyurl.com/3mntjs but the one anna s. gave you looks awesome too.
Okay, so today is Wednesday June 25. The post states that it is Friday. We have yet to see any wedding photos of Madeline in her fancy dress. Are you in Minnesota, US or Minnesota, Bangledash and there is some strange time-warped delay? By the way, the recent photos of Madeline are fabulous, she’s really showing the beginnings of her personality! Charming, just like her parents. So glad it seems as though you are having a good time.
I’m so bummed. Apparently I went to this blog one too many times at work. When I tried to click on it today it said “site blocked – reason: unauthorized game site”. Okay…. Makes no sense, but now the only site that I try to go to that has a firewall is this one. Oh well, I just have to get my Matt and Maddy fix at home.
Well it looks and sounds like it was a great trip! Next time you come back I would love to meet you guys for a drink. Good convo and beers…ahh fun times. Hope you had a smooth trip back with your little angel.
Hi Matt,
Awesome pictures! The pics of your precious angel are something else. Beautiful. You look and sound like you had a great time being back in the MN.
Take care,
Your daughter is beautiful. I love reading your blog and watching her grow.
i know you hear this a lot – but your pictures ARE really good. seriously consider doing something with them…i would buy one!
LOVE the story about the ostrich…o my goodness that is a riot. *screaming like a girl*
you crack me up.
i really like the picture where you are smiling outside of nyes…you look genuinely happy.
miss madeline is definately tied for being the CUTEST baby on the planet – right next to my baby of course! still praying for you….aloha.
Matt, people are so happy about your smile in the picture in front of Nye’s that I don’t have the heart to tell them that our big smiles were partly brought on by the weirdness of having a man throwing up on the corner right next to us. And the extra weirdness of having a camera right there to capture the moment. (I’m sure some are thankful you didn’t include that picture in your blog.)
@Matt: There are so many things about this post I feel I must comment on, most of them having to do with the ostrich.
1) You were trying to impress a girl by showing her how manly you were with…ostriches?!
2) You caved like a pansy with an…ostrich?
3) She married you anyway?
Geez, first the sissiness with the motorbike and then the ostrich story. Seriously dude…MAN UP.
–Katy
PS I was desperately wanting to say “nut up”, but felt it might be a little much, even for THIS blog. Tell me straight so I know what I can say and what to avoid in the future.
PPS Madeline is SO beautiful. Those pics are fantastic and you are right…every day just gets more fun as she can do so much more. You are now at that wonderful place that I call the falling-in-love stage, where you know that you easily, hands-down, have THE most beautiful, smartest, best baby that has ever existed on the planet! The only difference between you and every other new parent on earth is that in your case…it’s true. : )
i giggled at the story about the ostriches. girls eat that shit up.
also, nye’s is my FAVORITE bar, hands down.
i can’t read anymore of your blog before commenting on your AWESOME pictures! you are so talented!!
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