Other Summer Activities

Our summer was filled with activities. Here is a summary of such activities.


Disneyland with my sister Sarah

Goofy's Kitchen





Disneyland the next day




Madeleine tripped on a crack in the sidewalk and got a trip to the First Aid Station for a bloody, fat lip. Dr. Mickey's prescription: Popsicle


Tea Party at the Fairy Tea Cottage in Seal Beach





Disneyland Zoo Crew Reunion 2009 at Hart Park





Knott's Berry Farm



Maddie with her boyfriend Jackson




Dinner at the Chicken House


Sea World with my cousin Brittny, Brian, and little Lexi and my Aunt Jan with my Mom and Dad












Angel Game with Madeleine





Swimming in the Backyard Pool





Wardlow Labor Day Luau 2009

Madeleine loves to dance!


Our friends Geoffrey and Bonnie

Wardlows dancing to "We are Family"

Cousin Alyssa, Rachel, Maddie, and Bonnie



Beach time with my sister, Auntie Sarah






More Disneyland




Can you see why I didn't have time to blog?

I'm Back!!!

It's been 7 months since I've blogged, and I'm back! Life has been so hectic that blogging has seemed a luxury I couldn't afford. But Maddie is healthy, I'm working for myself, my master's recital has been sung, and my thesis paper written, and so I think I have to time to catch up.

So much has happened in the last 7 months, I can't even go through it all. When last I blogged it was tax day, April 15. Shortly thereafter I interviewed and started working at the Curtain Call Performing Arts Academy of Corona. I worked there from May 1 through August. I met so many wonderful people during my stay there, so many talented young performers and their wonderful parents. I realized during that experience this summer, that it works best for us if I continue to work from home. It ended up being too hard for Madeleine and for me to work outside the home as many hours as I did. Fortunately, I have been able to maintain many relationships I created there.

One terrible experience our family had this summer was that Madeleine got very ill in July and was in the hospital for 36 hours. She had been suffering with a sinus infection for a week, and I had difficulty getting her to take her antibiotic medicine. She then developed pink eye. Poor thing.

Madeleine with her sinus infection


Madeleine with Pink Eye at the beach


We celebrated Independence Day and we thought she was getting better. Then Sunday night, July 5th, while I was at rehearsal for a fundraiser show for Costa Mesa Playhouse, Maddie came down with a high fever. Jason and I were concerned. It was difficult because the next day, July 6, was the first day of Theater Camp at Laguna Playhouse and I was the music teacher! I went to camp and my mom watched Maddie. Her fever spiked several times during the day. By evening she was so ill that Jason took her to urgent care. Later that evening while I was at rehearsal, I got a call from Jason in hysterics telling me that Madeleine had had a seizure and the ambulance was coming for her! It was the worst night of our lives.
Maddie had a febrile seizure when her temperature spiked from 99 degrees to 104.7 in about 30 minutes. She was transferred to CHOC in the middle of the night and was released late the next day. She remained sick for a few more days. It was a wake up call for Jason and I that Maddie has a tendency for seizures and that we need to remain more diligent about her health.

4th of July




Get well present from Jason's company



During the month of June, Jason got to play Lt. Brannigan in "Guys and Dolls" for Performance Riverside. It was his fourth time being in this show, and has played 4 different parts: Harry the Horse, Nathan Detroit, Big Jule, and now Lieutenant Brannigan. He had a really great time.


Even though Maddie was so sick, I was lucky enough to still perform in "Les Ensembles", the fundraiser show at Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse. I had great fun singing the best ensemble numbers from musical theater, including "Sunday", "Cell Block Tango", "One Day More", and "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat".

This fall, I resigned from my position and Curtain Call Academy and focused my attention on finishing my master's degree. I spent all of September writing my thesis paper, and all of October preparing for my master's recital. It has been an immense amount of work, but totally worth it. My recital was on November 7th, and I was blessed to have about 70 of my closest friends and family with me. I sang 22 songs in 4 different languages. I sang pieces from Purcell, Mozart, Bellini, Strauss, Debussy, Poulenc, and Richard Rodgers. It was a wonderful experience and a real confidence builder. I really felt like a diva (in a good way).






I felt like I had momentum after my recital, and on Monday, November 9th, I auditioned for "Sweeney Todd" at Musical Theatre West. I haven't worked with that theater group for 18 years, since they were called Whittier-La Mirada Light Opera. I was cast in the ensemble! I am very excited being part of a professional cast for a professional theater.

Life has been crazy these last 7 months, but Jason and I can't complain that life is boring!!

Our little Maddie will be 2 years old in a couple of weeks. We can't believe it. Cute birthday pictures to come.