A Day In The Life...

2010-09-17T13:33:00.009-05:00

Welcome back!

I've decided to dust off the ol' blog and get back to documenting the fun and crazy things that happen in our lives.

To catch you up, Hayden (or as I like to refer to him as "the boy") is now a Kindergartner! I'll take a brief moment of silence to let that sink in and also figure out where the last 5 years have gone...

*crickets*

Ok. Back to the boy. He's been in school a little over a month now and I can tell a HUGE difference in his maturity level. I'm really starting to believe that girls mature much faster than boys. The struggle with him starting school was figuring out where he would get on and off the bus (I'll explain the bus issue in a minute). Working 60 miles away isn't really conducive to taking him to school and then sitting in the school pick up line. As much as I would like for it to, it just doesn't happen at our house. Thankfully, I found a great place that is less than 200 yards from the school (I'm serious, I'll explain this so hold tight). I drop him off, he gets to play with friends before and after school which is nice because once he's picked up, the mad rush of soccer practice, bath, dinner, and homework (yes, somehow Kindergartners have homework) begins.

I am so pleased at how smart this kid is. He has smart parents and all (shout-out to myself and the husband) so it's really no surprise. The only challenge has been keeping his attention at night to concentrate on spelling his name, learning his bus number and lunch number. It appears that Kindergarten is the new First Grade. Now, these kids are expected to know how to tie their shoes (thank goodness that came easy for him) and are learning to read. READ. Yes people, I said read. Boy, times have seriously changed.

Back to the bus issue. I am one of those parents that isn't a fan of the bus at this point. I will openly admit it. I think it stems from being a controlling person (who me? Mrs. High D personality) and also working so far away from him/school. He, on the other hand, LOVES riding the bus. I'm glad he does and isn't afraid of new situations or people (another bonus characteristic from me). He actually mentioned to me on the way to school yesterday that he wished he were big enough to get on the bus at home - by himself. I actually think I whipped my head around and gave him the "don't push it" look. Seriously, isn't going to Kindergarten enough for me to adjust to at this point or is he really wanting me to lose my mind. I digress. The first day that he rode the bus from the before/after care to school, I actually sat in my car in the parking lot to see for myself how this whole bus thing was going to work for him. It was a huge relief to see the bus PULL INTO THE PARKING LOT of the center to let the kids get on the bus. Score #1! As everyone was seated like good little boys and girls, the bus pulled out of the parking lot and drove 200 yards to the school. That's right. His rear-end was barely on the seat before it was time to get off the bus. Score #2! Needless to say, this arrangement is working out nicely for everyone.

I have a lot to catch you up on so it's going to take a few posts to get you current (and I have to actually download pictures off my camera seeing as how they've not done that themselves yet). Being a mom of a Kindergartner is pretty cool. Although it is a bit challenging explaining why he has to do homework when he already knows how to do a particular task. The fun part is only starting for him as well as us - learning to read. I think between learning to read and tying his own shoes ranks as some of the best parenting things thus far and it's only getting better!

2009-08-11T19:46:00.004-05:00

International Harvester

...is Hayden's favorite song. I even downloaded it to my iPod so he could listen to it. He knows most of the words and it's too adorable not to share. Notice that he calls it "international harm-ester".

2009-06-08T20:39:00.006-05:00

Relay for Life

Wow! That word pretty much sums up my experience with Relay for Life. I was lucky enough to participate in the event this past weekend with a good friend and her family. This family has been battling cancer for the past several years and I was honored to join their team!

I wasn't sure what to expect when joining but was up for the challenge to walk, cook, and sell from 5:00pm Friday night until 5:00am Saturday morning to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society. I cannot begin to tell you the emotions I felt while looking around at all the survivors (wearing purple shirts) and the support from the community. Awesome!!!!

The relay started with the opening ceremony in which the Survivors walked the first lap. This was the first of many tears for me that night. It was amazing to see these strong people!

The second lap was with the Survivors and their caregivers....next set of tears for me :)

This was our tent. We sold "walking tacos", drinks, and ACS/Relay for Life items.

Our bean bag toss area

After the first 2 laps, they called out teams and we walked the field with our banners.

This is Amie and my reason for participating. Our husbands have been best friends since early in high school. Amie and I became friends when she started dating her husband. It is her family that has had to battle cancer and whose team I joined/supported. Amie was diagnosed with breast cancer in March. She has a 3 year old, Connor (in the bean bag picture) and an almost 1 year old, Blake. She has a heart of gold!!! I am honored to be her friend as she has such an optimistic outlook on her battle which makes it so easy to be positive with her!

This is the luminaria ceremony. All the bags were lit and the lights cut off....another teary moment.

Amie's bag

After most of the public left, we played games throughout the night to stay awake and to keep people walking. I walked from 10pm to 11pm and then again from 3pm to 4pm. At midnight, we cranked up the generator and started cooking bacon egg cheese sandwiches. So yummy! There is nothing like the smell of bacon to bring in the masses. They sold like hot-cakes!!!

At 4:30am, we closed up shop and headed home. I was in bed by 5am but soon woke up at 7 with the sun. I somehow forced myself back to sleep many times and finally got up at 12:30pm. My body was sore and felt like I had a hang over. This 31 year old body doesn't recover from all-nighters very well anymore but it was totally worth it.

Our booth was very successful. We are still able to take donations so if you'd like to contribute, please follow this link. Thank you in advance for the support!!!

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09National?px=11067294&pg=personal&fr_id=15075

2009-06-08T20:25:00.004-05:00

Zoo & Chuck E. Cheese

On Hayden's actual birthday, we took him to the zoo and had his first experience at Chuck E. Cheese. He had a blast!

Chuck E. Cheese

Grandma Bev cheering Hayden on in Skee-Ball. He was a pro at it. He even had a nice side-arm tactic that won him MANY tickets!

The grandpa's and Brian got caught up in some military-type game. It took forever to tear them away!

It is so hard to believe that my baby is now 4. He is so independent (on most things). Some nights he doesn't even want us to tuck him in *sigh*. His vocabulary has such a range that sometimes I'm very surprised. He has learned a new tactic that we are breaking very quickly - back talking! Very annoying but definately a stage that he is going thru.

Hayden is also very affectionate right now. This is a nice change as he's not normally that way. He likes to sit in daddy's lap at night before going to bed. It is absolutely adorable to watch. This past year has brought minor "boo boos" which is to be expected for a child that bounces off the walls :) All in all, it has been a great year for Hayden and we look forward to seeing what this next year brings!

2009-06-08T19:57:00.004-05:00

Hayden's 4th Birthday

His cake that Noona made.

Bakugan cake

Birthday boy.

Noona and Hayden

Kids waiting for cake

Opening presents

Pinata time...

Grace's turn

Connor's turn

Addison's turn

Uncle Justin helping Bryson

CANDY!!!!!

2009-06-08T19:52:00.001-05:00

Mother's Day

2009-05-05T08:35:00.007-05:00

Catching Up

I've taken a bit of a break from blogging since December. It seems that I have spent so much time behind the camera that I've not been truly enjoying watching Hayden grow. He is at a point where there really isn't many "new" things that he's doing but more of what he is saying. He is enjoying being a kid!

Here are some pictures to catch you up a bit.

Fall 2008

Christmas 2008

(Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa's house)

What Santa left for Hayden

This face is PRICELESS

New Year's Eve with the Estes

Brian and Joseph boxing on the Wii

Hayden and Grace pretend boxing

Silly faces

Future Prom picture

NWTF February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

Helping Noona and Poppa outside

2009-05-04T15:53:00.002-05:00

Relay for Life

It is sad that in today's world, we are hearing about cancer more and more frequently. After watching a friend's family endure the cancer battle, I am now witnessing her fight the same. I have joined the Relay for Life with the American Cancer Society and will participate in the walk on June 5-6.

Please join me in the fight against cancer by following the link below. Every amount counts! Thank you for your support.

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09National?px=11067294&pg=personal&fr_id=15075

2008-12-16T15:15:00.004-06:00

Build-A-Bear

Over the weekend while at our local "mega mall", Hayden made his first "build-a-bear" and had a great time. He picked a Panda bear, helped stuff it, picked out clothes and then named him. He is very much into action figures right now so it was no surprise that he chose the Spiderman outfit and named him Spider Panda... Too cute!!!

2008-12-16T15:06:00.004-06:00

Home-made Crayons

I came across a great idea for all of those broken crayons that seem to pile up at our house - make new crayons! Basically, you peel the crayons, place in a cooking tin that you don't mind not using again, bake on 200 for 18 minutes, cool, and voila! This was something that Hayden loved doing. To make these as gifts, I bought dollar store crayons and let Hayden break them up and decide what colors to go where. Great way to get them involved. Here are some pictures of the process.

Before baking...

After baking while cooling...

Voila!

2008-12-03T16:12:00.002-06:00

Fun

I found this cute site where you enter your blog and it scans the words and creates this out of the most commonly used words. I love it.

2008-12-03T15:10:00.006-06:00

Addie's Birthday

Hayden's cousin, Addison, turned 3 on November 15th and we partied hard (well, as hard as a 3 year old can party). She had a princess themed party with invitations made by yours truly.
All of the kids played and had a great time. Aunt Lacey did a great job with the cupcakes and snacks! Addison was so excited to open gifts. This girl got lots of loot!!! Here are a few pictures to capture the essence of being 3 and watching your "Grandpa" put together your pink "darbie" (not barbie, but darbie, as explained by Addie to me) horse with wings.

After presents and cake was the pinata! Boy can those kids swing a bat!!!

Here's Grandma playing with the birthday girl...

Bryson playing with girl toys. Hang on buddy, boy toys are coming your way!

Birthday girl with the darbie horse.

A tired Uncle Justin in his princess hat.

Overall, a great time was had by all! Happy Birthday little girl!!!!!

2008-12-03T15:07:00.003-06:00

Everyone has a job

Hayden has a standing tradition of being the designated candle blowing helper on birthdays. Here's the evidence of our latest birthday...

The cake was great (made by Noona) and I'm sure everyone enjoyed a little slice of Hayden with each piece :)

2008-12-03T14:44:00.003-06:00

Hello...Hello...Anyone still there?

We are alive, contrary to our absence in the blogging world. It's been rather crazy and not a whole lot going on at the same time. Hayden is pretty much at the age that it's what he says that is so amazing rather than what he does. Being 3 1/2 is hard business! Some of my favorite things he says...

Hayden: "Mom, I'm going to sleep in my belly tonight."
Translation: Mom, I don't want to sleep in my jammies tonight, just my underwear.

Hayden: "I'm going to punk"
Translation: I'm going to hit you (nice, I know)

Hayden (getting undressed for bath time and his shirt caught on his head): "Mom, this is my long hair"

Hayden: "My bottom popped."
Translation: Gas (lovely I know but he thinks it's hilarious)

2008-10-13T09:14:00.006-05:00

Hulk Hands & the Atkins' Zoo

We had a busy weekend with lots of fun! To start it off, Hayden and I went to the Jump Zone on Saturday with Justin, Addison and Bryson so that the kids could run some energy off. They loved it!!!

On Sunday, Hayden got a surprise from Brian - Hulk Hands!!! You would have thought it was his birthday or Christmas - he's that excited about them. He had a good time playing "hulk muscles", as he calls it, with Brian. He loves that they make noise when you hit them on something or just swing them. I tried to play with him last night and he told me that I couldn't because I was a girl and that only boys can play with them. Hilarious!!!

After a few hours with the "hulk muscles", we had lunch with Brian's family at the Catfish House to celebrate his grandmother's birthday and then went to Uncle Mike's zoo to look at the new animals added.

Arthur, the camel, has grown so much from last year.

They have a new little big as the other one has gotten bigger. The kids enjoyed chasing him around and hearing him squeal.

We also saw goats, emus, turkeys, peacocks, a llama and little donkeys (mom & son).

2008-09-15T14:36:00.004-05:00

Jump Zone

Clarksville has finally made it on the map! We have a Jump Zone!!!!!

On Saturday, Hayden attended a birthday party at the Jump Zone and had a blast. Here are a few pictures of his fun-filled afternoon.

Climbing up...

Sliding down on his belly...

Here's another on his belly...

2008-09-15T14:21:00.003-05:00

Halloween Preview

Don't you love the poses...

2008-09-04T14:21:00.004-05:00

Hunter in the Making

Over the weekend, Brian decided to work a bit on his duck and goose calls. I was able to catch a bit of video of Hayden and Brian practicing together in the garage. It's too adorable not to share.

2008-09-04T14:17:00.003-05:00

Farm Boy

Aren't these the cutest? Having a photographer in the family is a total bonus - especially when she's your sister!!! These are taken on Uncle Michael's farm in the tobacco field. He also wanted to work on a tractor so you'll see a bit of dirt on him. To see a few more, go to www.birdeyephotography.blogospot.com and check out what Toot Toot Beth has been up to!

2008-09-04T14:13:00.003-05:00

Water Guns

Hayden got a set of water guns for his birthday and absolutely loves them! He's a boy true and true. We pulled out the slip-n-slide and the neighbor kids came over for some water action.

2008-09-02T09:23:00.003-05:00

Sabbatical

We are still alive! It's been pretty busy between work and play and I've not taken the time to post anything but rather to enjoy spending time with the family. I've got a few things ready to post over the next couple of days so stay tuned!

2008-05-20T11:37:00.007-05:00

More Fishing

Since it was so nice on Sunday, Brian and his best friend, Brett, took their boys out on the Kentucky Lake for some fishing. This was Hayden's first time in a boat so I was a bit nervous, aside from some thoughts of a 2 year old and a 3 year old getting board on a boat in the middle of a lake. With life jackets on, they were set!

If you know Brian and Brett at all, you will know that their children are their "mini-me" selves. These pictures are too adorable not to share.

(Hayden on left, Connor on right,
Don't they look like 2 little old men?!?)

(Connor wanting to drive the boat)

(Posing with Brian and their prize fish)

(Brett showing Hayden how to hold it and throw it back)

(Sleepy boys)

2008-05-20T11:29:00.003-05:00

Zoo

Since Hayden's birthday was in the middle of the week this year, we opted not to take cupcakes to his class at school and go to the zoo for the day instead. It was perfect weather and the animals were very active.

2008-05-20T10:59:00.006-05:00

Birthday Update

Hayden's birthday party was great! We had a blow-up bouncy "thing" for 4.5 hours and he had a blast. All of the kids loved it and jumped their little hearts away. If anyone is looking for a way to keep kids entertained and drain their energy, rent one of these!

Between bouncing and sliding, we all enjoyed hamburgers and hotdogs and the great weather. His cake was CARS and Nonna did a great job making/decorating it. Hayden LOVED it!

I wasn't too sure how Hayden would enjoy opening presents but he was a pro. He was so excited with EVERYTHING he opened and would even say "thank you" to the appropriate person. He is so grown it scares me!

Here are some of the kids waiting patiently to hit the baseball contraption. It was a definate hit!

Here is the baseball contraption that we got him for his birthday. It is so better than a tee!

2008-05-09T11:43:00.006-05:00

We're Alive

Apparently I've become very bad at updating the site. I've been so crazy with work that I haven't had a chance to really thing about doing it. With many requests, here are some pictures and what we've been up to lately.

Easter pics

Hayden and I (mostly me) dyed eggs for Easter. We had a good time watching them turn colors and then putting stickers on them. Hayden has really picked up his colors well and will gladly tell you what color things are and then go on to make up a story about them. His imagination has really taken off and it's so fun to hear what he has to say. It also shows what he picks up from other conversations around him. Three is definately going to be a trying, but fun age!

Leading up to what the Easter Bunny left him...

Playing with Addison...

Sunny weather

Fishing with Daddy

Hayden loves the idea of fishing but doesn't get the concept of "watch your bobber" or to let us help him cast. He actually hooked me on the back of my shirt because he wasn't listening. At one point, Brian asked him "Hayden, where is your bobber?" Haydens response, "Under the water daddy!" Needless to say he didn't get that fish!

We are having Hayden's 3rd birthday party tomorrow and will have pictures to post after. His birthday isn't until Tuesday but we are excited for the party. We're going to the zoo on his birthday to spend some time with him only. Everyone says that 3 is harder than 2 and I agree! He is very independent and opinionated (gets it honestly) and it's hard to know when to let him vent his frustrations but not act ugly. Parenting is definately getting harder but he's such a great kid!

2008-03-24T16:00:00.003-05:00

Easter Pics

Here are a few pics that my talented sister took a week or so ago in the studio. Hayden wasn't much for participating but she got a few good ones in.

Visit her blog at http://www.birdeyephotography.blogspot.com/

2008-03-10T09:34:00.013-05:00

Weekend Fun

With all the snow Friday night and early Saturday morning, we bundled up and enjoyed the winter weather. Here are a few pics from the 7 inches of winter fun :)

Hayden shoveling...

Brian and Whiskey playing...

Codey (neighbor) really upset. He lost his shoe in the snow and was screaming that he was going to die of Hypothermia....

Hayden and Daddy throwing snowballs...

Hayden pushing Daddy down in the snow...

Saturday afternoon, Hayden and I decided to make cupcakes...

I iced them and he added the sprinkles...

Sunday afternoon, we all went to Grandpa and Grandma's house to celebrate their birthdays. The kids loved the cupcakes...

My sweet nephew, Bryson, gearing down in the inside hammock for a snack and a nap...

Fast asleep...

Overall, we all had a great weekend! It was nice to play outside for a bit in the snow but then come in and get cozy and warm.

Here are the rest of the pictures from our great weekend. Enjoy!

2008-02-27T13:46:00.014-06:00

Potty Time!

So we've been working on a bit of potty training lately. Hayden is fast approaching 3 so the need for potty training is getting that much closer. For the past 2 months or so, we've been putting him on the potty first thing in the morning so that he can associate the feeling with what he is actually doing. It's been going great! M&Ms and all!!!

About 2 weekends ago, Brian and I were both going to be home most of the weekend so we decided to put his big boy undies on and really work on this. Hayden is a smart boy but we knew we needed constant reminders to him. I even let him pick out his undies himself :)

We are now on day 12 and he is doing wonderful. He only wears a pull-up at night and naps and it is virtually dry each time. He's had a few accidents and I think it's because he truly waits until the last minute and can't make it to the bathroom in time. Overall, we are definately proud of our "big boy".

Here he is a few nights ago before bedtime playing in Brian's boots. These are too cute not to share.

(Isn't this the most adorable (out of focus) picture?!?!)

Tickle-time!

Hayden and Mommy

(He's ONE of the best kissers!!!)

Here he is coming into the camera to give Daddy a kiss too...

2008-01-28T11:33:00.000-06:00

A Sunny Day

I've been in a bit of a blogging slump lately. It seems like we just play and I don't take many pictures. But since yesterday was warmer than it has been, we bundled up and went outside for some fresh air. Here are a few pics from our day.

I love this picture. He looks to be contemplating the meaning of life...

Funny face..

So serious...

Chasing daddy...

And playing with Whiskey...

2008-01-09T11:17:00.001-06:00

First Hunt (Not for sensitive stomachs)

Hayden got to experience his first hunt this year. I came down with a touch of the flu right before Christmas. In order to give me some time to rest, Brian took Hayden hunting in one of the ground blinds on the farm. I think they both were pretty excited. The weather cooperated and Hayden loved it.

After the first deer was shot, they called me and that's all Hayden could talk about...the "pain train"! I was surprised that the noise from the gun didn't bother him but I think he was so excited that he didn't even notice.

Here are a few pics of him on the way to the blind and the field they hunted.

Here is one of the after:

Hunting with daddy is all Hayden could talk about for days. He was so excited and wants to go again!

2008-01-09T11:15:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year

So we are a little late in wishing you a Happy New Year. I've had a few problems getting pictures off my camera(s) but I've fixed the issue.

We had a great time being off around the holidays. We spent Christmas Eve with Brian's family and Christmas Day with my family. Hayden seemed to understand Christmas a little more this year. He was excited to open presents and play with his new toys. I definately noticed the difference in his maturity from last year to this year. He is growing by leaps and bounds! Here are some pics from our holidays.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

I neglected to take pictures at my parents house. We were all to busy opening the mounds of gifts and having a good time. These pics are from our house and Hayden getting his Train Table from Santa.

2007-12-10T12:42:00.000-06:00

Spreading Christmas Cheer

Here are a few videos for your viewing pleasure. Beware that they were taken while Hayden was in the bath last night. We hope that everyone is having a wonderful Christmas Season!

2007-11-29T11:03:00.000-06:00

Let Me See Your Muscles

Hayden's new thing is to show us his muscles. He makes the face and the sounds to go along with it. It's too cute not to share... (ignore the applesauce on his pants...it was bath time)

Here's a shot of our Christmas tree. Hayden did a great job helping put up a few ornaments. I love the way our house feels at Christmas - so warm and cozy! Now we are just waiting for Santa Clause to visit!

2007-11-26T12:24:00.000-06:00

Tractor Bed

Hayden got his much anticipated tractor bed on Friday (you can ooh and ahh now and be jealous because this bed is so fabulous for a little boy!). He was such a big helper to Poppa while he and Noona put it together in his room. Here are a few pics of him "helping".

Here he's telling me that he's working on his bed.

Fast asleep...

Hayden absolutely LOVES his new bed. He's taken really good naps and slept well at night. He is such a big boy!

Here are a few pics of us playing over the weekend.

2007-11-26T11:48:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving Pics

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving (other than Hayden's persistent cough) that was shared with all of our families! It is so nice to just hang out with your family and be thankful for all the love in the room! Here are a few pictures of the kids. You'll see exactly how many pictures it takes to get a descent one of them both not acting crazy.

Starting out ok...

Addie looking a little confused...

Hayden with a half-hearted "cheese" and I think Addison was aggressively smiling...

The finale....such cute kids!

Grandma Bev with Addison...

Grandpa with Bryson...

Hayden and Daddy...

Hope everyone had a great holiday!

2007-11-21T11:18:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 100:3-5

Things I am thankful for:

My husband's health and his sister for being so giving
My healthy and wonderful son
Wonderful family and friends to share in the joys and sorrows of life
Everything God has provided for me

What are you thankful for?

2007-11-20T08:09:00.000-06:00

We're Back

So it's been a while since I've posted and I wanted to update you on all the wonderful things we've done. We've gone from birthday party to birthday party and had a great time in between. Hayden has definately enjoyed having time to play with his cousins and friends. This past Saturday night, Hayden's friend, Haylee, came over to play for a few hours while her mommy and sister had some good time together. Here are a few pictures from the fun night. It was hard to capture them together and not running :)

Dinner time...

Popcorn snack time (caught Hayden with an itchy nose)...

Hayden has a little surprise coming in the next few days. He's moving to his big boy Tractor bed that Poppa is making him. Hopefully I'll have more pictures to post after Thanksgiving and spending time with our families.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!!

Our little Indian from last year

2007-11-01T09:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween

This year was the first for Hayden that he actually enjoyed being dressed and saying "Trick or Treat"! Brian took Hayden and our neighbor, Codey, around our neighborhood and they had a blast. He came home on such a sugar high. All Hayden kept saying was "more candy, more candy please". We finally had to "sop" up all the sugar with some milk and a breadsick. Here are a few pictures from the night! (By the way, it was Hayden's idea to wear his Crocs.)

2007-10-30T08:09:00.000-05:00

Halloween Party

Here are a few pics from the Atkins halloween party on Sunday.

Turkey Hunter, Train Conductor, Medusa

2007-10-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Toot Toot Beth

Yesterday was my sister's birthday! I've posted before about her and what she means to me but I wanted to take another minute to emphasize how much I love her!

Back in 1982 when she was born, I'm sure I wasn't a happy camper to now have to share my house with her. I vividly remember a time before she was born when I tried to sit in mom's lap in the rocking chair and there wasn't much lap left due to the baby taking "my" space. Little did I know how important this baby would be to me.

Over the years, I had many frustrations hearing her say "Bec Be won't play with me" or "you're not the boss of me!" These phrases I heard for MANY years. We both have changed so much over the past 25 years. She has become my best friend. I talk to her everyday (at least once a day) and she's the person I call when I need to talk, vent, cry, or laugh. She is my "go to" person for many things, especially if something were to happen to me and Hayden needed a loving home. We are lucky that we have great family that would definately take care of him, but Beth is so much like me in the mothering sense that it is conforting to know that his life would be filled with love (and tractors)!

Happy Birthday Beth! We love you!!!!!!

2007-10-18T11:22:00.001-05:00

Circus

Yesterday we took Hayden to the Shriner's Circus. It was small but just enough to keep his attention for the majority of the time. Here are a few pics of the things he liked most.

The tigers are gorgeous. They were so big and so cooperative. I loved this picture of the one tiger licking the other one's face.

The motorcycle was by far pretty cool. It was awfully windy so I'm sure this poor guy was a little nervous as well as the girl that was hanging below him.

This one is sort of blurry. The wind was so bad a times. This little monkey was very mischievous.

I think the elephants were everyone's favorite. They were so cute!

Here they are laying down...It was amazing watching such large creatures lay down and then get right back up.

2007-10-08T09:41:00.000-05:00

Zoo

We had a great weekend! We visited the Atkins "zoo" yesterday after lunch and the kids loved it. Brian's uncle has a little "zoo" at his home and we haven't had a chance to meet the new members until yesterday.

Here's cute pic of Addison riding Arthur the Camel. She wasn't afraid at all. Hayden on the other hand, scared to death. He barely let me get close enough to pet it.

Here's Hayden bottle feeding George, the pot-bellied pig. He was too adorable. The kids loved chasing him around.

This is the Pikachu (not sure about the spelling). I don't remember his name but he is adorable. They are very nocturnal and softer than any animal I've ever touched. He loved Brian.

Here are more pictures from our fun day!

2007-10-03T08:04:00.000-05:00

It's Been A While

We've been busy lately with odd and end things going on. I haven't taken many pictures but have a few from my camera.

First was a birthday party for Haylee. Her prince and princess theme was adorable. It was held at a gym so the kids loved jumping on the trampoline and running/climbing their way thru the course.

Here is a pic from the grocery store a week or so ago. He loved the fire truck.

This is at Toys R Us. He loved riding the tractor with Bob the Builder.

2007-09-24T12:35:00.000-05:00

Freebie

Visit this site for a chance to win one of these...(Beth, this means you!!!)

2007-09-19T08:15:00.000-05:00

Enjoying the Weather

The weather here in TN has been absolutely beautiful for the past week (compared to the 103 degree temps and no rain for 2 months). On Saturday, Hayden and I took a trip down to our friends house, the Lehmans. They have a levey that they built for when the river bottoms flood for duck hunting. I knew Hayden would love it down there with possible sitings of deer, ducks, frogs, and anything else that might appear.

Brian was down there as well working on building up a new section of the levey with his hunting buddies. Hayden was excited to see the tractors but was a little upset that he couldn't ride on them. He was excited that he got to ride on the 4-wheeler for the first time :) Notice his hat is turned around like Daddy's!

2007-09-06T08:33:00.000-05:00

Labor Day Weekend

It was great having a long weekend. We did some things and also a lot of nothing. Mostly Hayden and I played in his barn with his animals and favorite matchbox cars. Boy does he love those things!

We took a trip to Books-A-Million since it was so hot outside. Hayden knows exactly where the Thomas Train table is. He will play on that thing for hours if I'd let him. It's a nice break for him to play with some other kids other than me on the weekends. Maybe Santa Clause will bring him this table for home so he can invite his friends over to play :)

This is another crazy picture of him wearing an old pair of my sunglasses. You'll notice that he turns them upside down so they fit him better. He's so silly!

We also went to Poppa and Nonna's house for a bit. Hayden loves to play on Poppa's "tractor".

On Monday, we took a short trip to a small playground for Hayden to run some energy off. With the heat, he only lasted about 30 minutes but had a great time playing with other kids.

2007-08-21T11:33:00.001-05:00

We're Back

We are back from our much needed vacation. Between the madness of work and home, we've managed to not have a real vacation in over 3 years. With Hayden being more mature and listening better, we decided to take a few days to go to Gulf Shores and then hit the Atlanta Aquarium on the way home.

We borrowed a DVD player and were set for the beach. I think Hayden watched Cars 3 times on the way down. It took us 9 hours and only had to stop for gas and a quick bite. We arrived around 3:30 which was perfect. It gave us time to load our stuff in the room and head for the beach. Here are a few pics of Hayden's first experience with the beach.

This is one of my favorite pics of his little foot print in the sand.

We stayed a few days at the beach and then headed to Atlanta to the largest aquarium. Hayden absolutely LOVED it! The crowds weren't bad with kids just going back to school so he was able to walk around and see everything. The animals were very cooperative and active for him to see. He could definately tell you the difference between a shark and a regular fish.

All in all we had a great time. Hayden couldn't have been a better behaved/mannered kid. He made this vacation wonderful.

Here are the rest of the pictures from our vacation. Enjoy!

2007-08-06T14:46:00.000-05:00

Supporting Our Local Waterfowl

Saturday we went to the Delta Waterfowl banquet. This was Hayden's first year to go and to our amazement he was awesome! Here are a few pics from the night.

Hayden and Brian waiting for the youth drawing:

Brian hiding behind Hayden. You can see that he was hot from running around.

2007-08-02T10:31:00.001-05:00

Toy Recall

Please check out this link for a listing of all toys being recalled and pass it on to your friends.

http://www.nbc11.com/news/13801531/detail.html

2007-07-30T11:15:00.000-05:00

Fun at the Park

Saturday night after dinner, we took the kids (Hayden, Addison and Bryson) to the park to let them run some energy off. They had a great time. It's nice that the play areas are separated into Toddler and Older kids so that the little ones don't get run over. Here are some pics from the evening.

Click here for some pics!

On Sunday, Hayden and I went to Nonna and Poppa's house to play while Brian cleaned out the garage. Poppa made Hayden his own little play house with a window.

And wearing Poppa's boots...

2007-07-17T08:10:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Nonna!!!

Today is Nonna's birthday! It's not just a birthday, but it's her 50th birthday!!!! Many people get a little annoyed when you express their birthday in years but this year is special. Nonna has so much to be thankful for and has accomplished so much in these years.

Here she is with her dad and brother when she was a baby

She's 4 or 5 here - I love this picture

Field Commander in High School

Wedding - February 17, 1977

Hayden and Nonna last year

She is not only a mother but also a grandmother. Nonna is very giving to anyone that needs her and will do anything for us. We are definately very blessed to have such a great mom (and grandmother). Happy Birthday!

2007-07-16T12:05:00.000-05:00

School Pics

Go ahead...leave me a comment to tell me that he's the cutest thing EVER!!!

2007-07-04T16:58:00.000-05:00

It's Been A While...

So we've been busy lately with Brian being in Japan for work. Here is a brief overview of what Hayden and I have been doing to keep busy...

We watched the fireworks at Brett and Amie's house on the 30th. They were wonderful. TVA does a great job on these and Brett and Amie have the perfect spot to watch them shoot from the river. As everyone knows, Hayden loves tractors. Here's a picture of Hayden and Caleb on one of many tractors at the Lehman farm.

Hayden and Robert Tipton:

Hayden driving:

Not the 1st but the 2nd slice of watermelon for the evening:

These are baby deer that were trying to cross the street yesterday in front of the car. I stopped to let them cross and it took them a good 2 minutes to feel comfortable enough to cross. Their mama I'm sure was watching from the other side praying they make it across.

On the 3rd, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a cookout and to watch the fireworks on the river. Here are some pics of Hayden and Addison playing in the pool.

Hayden and Aunt Lacey eating Dilly bars.

Fast asleep after a hard day.

Today (the 4th) we went swimming with Toot Toot Beth. Hayden loved jumping in all by himself. Here he is counting 1, 2, 3... Beth and I were shocked that he wanted to jump in the pool by himself. I'm so proud of him. (I can't believe I'm posting bathing suit pics of myself - sorry about that!)

After swimming, we rode the big tractor with Uncle Michael. That totally made his day.

We hope that everyone has had a great 4th of July celebration with family and friends.

We love you daddy and can't wait for you to come home. We miss you!!! XOXOXO

2007-06-13T15:54:00.000-05:00

What We've Been Up To Lately

Here's the short version...

* * * * *

Playing in the pool at home

Playing at Grandma Bev's house (Pool and Bubbles)

(Grandmama Merle and Baby Bryson)

Celebrating Birthdays (Brian's 30th and My 29th)

(Hayden's hat from Cancun, Mexico)

(Lacey and Grandma Bev with Bryson)

Zoo

(Watching the Monkeys)

Helping Memo Water Plants

All of this has happened in the past 2 weeks. It's been really busy but we've really enjoyed all of the celebrating that we've been doing. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

2007-06-08T10:48:00.000-05:00

Happy 30th Birthday Daddy!!!

Happy Birthday Brian! I am so excited about your birthday today and for you being very healthy. You are a true inspiration to me to enjoy every day and to have the drive that you do for things that you care about. Hayden doesn't even realize how great of a father he has. You are definately a blessing to us and I am so thankful for you and to you for what you do for our family. I love you!!!

2007-06-07T15:48:00.000-05:00

A Few Pics For Now

We have been so busy, I've not had time to update the site. Here are some quick pictures to tide you over till I can get the best ones loaded.

Hayden and Addison at the mall (from my cell phone)

Hayden with my old sunglasses in the car. He lost his a few weeks ago and screams when the sun gets in his eyes. He loves these glasses!

Hopefully I can get the past 2 weeks loaded soon. We've been busy having fun!

2007-05-21T13:35:00.001-05:00

First Fish

Brian got Hayden a "Cars" fishing pole for his birthday. We took him to the pond yesterday and let him try it out. He had a good time but after he caught the first fish, he wanted to play around the pond. Here are some cute pictures.

I LOVE the expression on his face. Priceless!!!

2007-05-21T13:28:00.000-05:00

Aunt Beth's Wedding

The wedding day has come and gone. We had a great time! Hayden actually walked down the isle with me (no pictures on hand now). Beth was absolutely beautiful and Michael was very handsome. Here are a few preview pictures of cutting the cake and toasting:

The toasting cup they are using is a German toasting cup. My parents used it, Brian and I used it, and now they used it. It's beautiful and takes some team work to use.

My handsome date:

Congratulations Beth and Michael. I wish you more laughs than tears, and more good times than bad. May God bless you both as our parents have been blessed with long years of love. We love you!

2007-05-21T13:19:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday!!!

This post is a week over due. We've had so much going on between Hayden's birthday, Mother's Day, and Beth's wedding. Hayden's birthday weekend started off by having cupcakes for his class. Here are some cute pictures of them.

On Saturday, we had friends and family over to party some more. He had a great time and we had some good, hot Tennessee weather.

(Cake that Nonna made)

Hayden's birthday was actually on Mother's Day this year. We had a great day spending time with our families and being thankful for our Mother's. Hayden gave me a cute purse and 2 rose bushes. I can't wait to plant them.

Happy Birthday Munchkin - we love you!!!

2007-05-07T09:49:00.000-05:00

Bath Time

We had a great time watching Addison and Bryson on Friday night so Lacey and Justin could enjoy a night out. After dinner, I put the kids in the bath and let them have it. Needless to say, I got just as wet as they did but we had a fun time!

2007-05-04T14:04:00.000-05:00

The Sweetest Sound

You might have to turn up your volume to hear his little voice. It's adorable!!!!

2007-04-30T14:43:00.000-05:00

Baseball

Yesterday, our neighbor, Cody, brought over his t-ball set. Hayden absolutely LOVED playing with it. So much that he didn't want to give up the bat. Here are a few pictures. (Notice that he likes to use the wrong end of the bat.)

(The face of concentration)

Here is a picture from a birthday party at Chic-fil-a on Saturday. Hayden had a great time on the play equipment and swinging like a monkey.

(Left to right: Mac, little girl, Hayden)

2007-04-24T07:50:00.000-05:00

Spring is Here

Since it was so nice out this weekend, we went up to visit with Justin and Lacey and try to give them a much needed break from parenting. Addison and Hayden played outside and had a great time. Bryson just slept and enjoyed being passed around. We had a great time!

I love this picture of Hayden hugging Addison.

2007-04-24T07:48:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Bryson!

Here is the newest addition to the Deardorff family. Bryson was born on Tuesday, April 17th and he's adorable!!!

2007-04-17T10:38:00.000-05:00

Turkeys

Hayden was so excited on Sunday when Brian brought home a turkey. Here is Hayden telling Brian "good job."

Not the most flattering picture of Hayden but he's proud of his Daddy!

2007-04-13T09:32:00.000-05:00

Kidney Walk

It's that time of year for the National Kidney Foundation walk in Clarksville. We recently celebrated Brian's 3 year anniversary of his transplant. My goal is to raise $500 for the walk. We look forward to it each year as it is a reminder of how greatful we are for his health and to also help others receive this wonderful gift. We appreciate everyone's support.

If you would like to support us, please click on the following link.

2007-04-09T10:15:00.000-05:00

More Easter

We had dinner at Nonna and Poppa's house last night. Hayden got the Charlotte's Web movie and loved it! Here he is watching it with Poppa. Is he not Poppa's "mini-me"?

2007-04-09T09:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter

We had a great weekend despite the chilly weather. Here are a few pictures of Hayden before church and when he got his Easter Bucket.

We had a great lunch with the Atkins/Deardorff families at our house after church. Hayden and Addison had a cute Easter Egg hunt in the back yard. For their first hunt, they did great! Here's a little video for your viewing pleasure.

2007-04-04T12:14:00.000-05:00

Enjoying Outside

Hayden is definately an outdoor child. Everyday after school, he asks "play outside okay?" He is definately his father's child! We had a great weekend and enjoyed the wonderful weather. Here are a few pictures from Nonna's house on Sunday.

Here's Toot Toot Beth pulling Hayden in his wagon.

He was giving her a dogwood flower.

He loved making the wind chimes sing.

The face of concentration...

2007-03-28T15:16:00.000-05:00

Playing

I have to start off by saying that we live in a great, kid-friendly neighborhood. Our backyards all seem to meet which is safe for the kids. They all seem to play well with each other as well! Our next door "kid" neighbor, Cody, came to play yesterday afternoon. Over the weekend he spotted Brian practicing casting with one of his poles (no hook - just a "weight" on the end). Cody has a mind like a steel trap and asked to play. Brian got out the pole and was showing him how it works when all of the sudden Riley and Shaun (2 doors down) came over. It quickly became a game of "catch the weight before Brian reels it up". It was hilarious.

After Shaun and Riley had to go home, Brian was teaching Cody how to cast. He did good but after a few times, the reel had a nice bird's nest so they had to stop. Here is Cody and Hayden helping Brian fix it.

Here is Hayden trying to fix it. They were too cute!

Here is a cute pic of my little monster. (He has a bad boo boo as you can see but he's doing great with it!)

2007-03-21T10:37:00.000-05:00

Updates

Sorry it's been a while since I posted. We've been a little busy and frankly, I've not used my camera much in the last couple weeks. Here's a few pictures from yesterday. Isn't he just adorable :)

His favorite thing lately is the flashlight. Daddy showed him how to make his face light up.

(I love this picture...looks like we were spinning around the room when he was actually trying to run from me!)

2007-03-02T11:13:00.000-06:00

Conversations with a Toddler, #2

I'm beginning to notice a pattern with my conversations with Hayden. They all tend to be around either the moon, sun, or stars. This time it happens to be about the moon. With it being close to a full moon, he seems to be pretty curious about it. As we got out of the car the other night, this was our conversation:

Hayden: STARRRRRSSSSS
Me: That's right
Hayden: Twinkle Starssssss
Me: Do you see the moon? (me bent over pointing up to the moon)
Hayden: I touch it (him pointing his chubby little pointer finger at the moon)
Me: Can't touch it buddy, too far away
Hayden: I TOUCH IT! (much aggression in voice)
Me: Ok, touch it
Hayden: *smiles* I touch it!

I love these conversations with him. He's so curious but yet insisting to "touch" things. He is so smart!!! This is the part that you comment and agree :)

2007-02-28T09:55:00.000-06:00

2007 NWTF Best of Show

Over the weekend, the National Wild Turkey Foundation had their National show at Gaylord Opryland. Brian entered a turkey and 2 deer in the taxidermy competition. Keep in mind that this is the FIRST competition that he's entered. The judging started at 10:30am on Saturday. We arrived shortly after it started and after standing there for just a few minutes, they announced that Brian won NWTF 2007 Best of Show in his category for his turkey mount!!! It was so exciting. (I even cried!)

Here's the picture of the prize winning turkey and Brian (you can't tell by the picture but he was really excited):

(notice the cool trophy of 2 turkeys behind the mount)

The fun didn't stop there! One of his deer won 2nd place and the other won 3rd (each were in a different category). Overall, it was a GREAT day!

2007-02-23T09:08:00.000-06:00

Photo Fun

2007-02-21T15:10:00.000-06:00

Hot Mommy!

So this morning on the way to "school" Hayden and I had an interesting conversation.

Hayden: Mommy.....Hot
Me: What's hot?
Hayden: Hot
Me: Hayden, what's hot?
Hayden: Outside
Me: Outside?
Hayden: Mommy, hot outside! (with a bit of aggrevation in his voice)
Me: (laughing) No baby, that's fog!
Hayden: Hot.....fog

I had to laugh because it took me FOREVER to understand what he was telling me. He is really good about seeing steam and telling us "hot". So this morning as Brian was putting him in the car, Hayden would say "hot" and point to the back yard. After the storms last night, it was really foggy this morning. (Here's where 2 + 2 = 4). He thought the fog was "hot". It was adorable!

2007-02-21T15:04:00.000-06:00

60 Degrees

So Tennessee has had some strange weather lately. Friday night it snowed and yesterday it was 64 degrees! We definately took advantage of the nice weather yesterday. (Hayden loves hats so he got this one on Saturday!)

Doesn't he look so grown?!?

Here he was counting..."1, 2.....3 GO!" Brian was shooting his bow and Hayden was counting for him. It was sweet.

2007-02-21T15:00:00.000-06:00

Playing Around

As most of you know, Brian is a taxidermist in his "spare" time. Over the weekend, someone was coming to pick up their rack. When Brian brought it in the house, Hayden screams "D-E-E-E-E-R-R-R-R-R." He just get so excited.

(Yes, he was still in his jammies)

2007-02-13T09:51:00.000-06:00

Twinkle Twinkle

Another of his favorite things is singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". He gets a few of the "moves" confused with "Itsy Bitsy Spider" but it's adorable. I caught him singing to the Wiggles last night. (Note: You might need to turn up the volume to hear him well.)

2007-02-13T09:46:00.000-06:00

Watch out John Travolta

Hayden has really gotten into dancing a lot here lately. He had his teachers at school in a laughing fit one day last week. Here is a small video of him dancing on cue (not as great as catching him in the act).

2007-02-07T11:18:00.000-06:00

The Boys

Here are a few pictures of Hayden and Caleb Darnell from his Mommy's baby shower on Saturday. Caleb is getting a baby sister in about a month. We are definately excited to meet her!!!

Caleb is 3 months older than Hayden and they've been playing together since they were both tiny babies. I found these pictures which was taken when Hayden was 3 months old and Caleb was 6 months. Aren't they adorable boys? I think us mommies are in trouble with these two!

(They were cooing and laughing like crazy)

2007-02-05T09:01:00.000-06:00

Great Weekend

We had such a great weekend! Hayden and I went to a baby shower for some friends on Saturday. He had a great time playing with Caleb and loved the attention from everyone. That night, we had pizza with "Toot Toot" (aka Aunt Beth) and "Mo" (aka Michael, Beth's fiance). On Sunday, we woke up to about an inch of snow. We opened the front door for Hayden to see the snow and quickly ate some breakfast so we could play before it all melted.

Here are some great pics of our snowy adventure. He got to ride on the snow shovel up and down the driveway with Brian pulling him. We had a hard time getting Hayden to come inside. He loved it!

(click to enlarge)

Here is a short video of Hayden sledding. Whiskey was even excited aboout it.

Last night we went to Nonna and Poppa's house to watch the Super Bowl. Hayden got to meet a new friend and the boys played like they were old friends.

Here is Sherri (Nonna's friend) holding Hayden and Aunt Beth is holding Caleb (Sherri's grandson). Aren't these some cute boys!!!

2007-01-25T10:54:00.000-06:00

Uh Oh Spaghetti-O's

We've really been working with Hayden on using a fork and/or spoon with his meals. Instead of using plastic kiddie utensils, we've just given him our smaller silverware. The plastic spoons and forks don't really let them pick anything up with them being so shallow. I got brave last night and gave him Spaghetti-O's and let him figure it out himself. He'll let you show him once and that's it. He is so self sufficient (at least he thinks he is). These are a few pictures of the great job and mess that he created.

The video is dark (sorry about that) but you can hear how excited he is about eating like a big boy.

2007-01-19T11:04:00.000-06:00

More Random Pictures

It looks like these pictures/video were taken between Christmas and New Years when everyone was sick and the house was a mess.

In this picture, Hayden and I were playing around with Daddy's new digital camera. It's not great by any means but fun to share.

Here is some video taken on Brian's camera of Hayden practicing his duck calls (on one of Brian's old calls). Hayden calls it his goose call. Between him calling and wiping his nose, it's a mess!

2007-01-19T10:37:00.000-06:00

Random Things

It's been a while since we've posted anything. It seems we've been spending so much time playing and learning that we've not taken many pictures. Hayden is learning so much and is so smart. We are working on our ABCs and continuing to count to 5.

Here are a few pictures of him playing in his jammies one Saturday morning while I tried to clean the house.

He absolutely love his cowboy hat from Halloween. It's getting a little small but he continues to wear it.

If I remember correctly, he was a little upset with me in this picture for putting up the Christmas decorations. He loves the "noman" (snowman) and didn't want to see it go.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Hayden and I were out shopping at Target with Nonna a few weeks ago when we stopped in at Steak N Shake. He loved the paper hat that they give to the kids. He put it on and off a million times it seemed.

2007-01-03T09:14:00.000-06:00

He's a Genius

Recently we've been working with Hayden on his shapes, colors, sounds, animals, and counting. He is such a quick learner. His favorite color as of now is "green". Everything is green. You can ask him just about any normal animal and he'll tell you what it says.

At dinner the other night, we were counting. He is in such a hurry to get to 5 so that he can give you "5". Enjoy!

2007-01-02T12:55:00.000-06:00

Christmas ** Updated**

We had a great Christmas despite Brian and Hayden both being sick. Here's a picture of the tree and gifts before Santa Clause came.

Voila! Santa came to town!!!!

As you can see, Hayden is the proud owner of a 4-wheeler. It took a little coaching for him to get on it but he definately knew what the button was for. I'm working on some adding some video of him riding it in the kitchen. Hilarious!!!

**Updated**

Here is the video from Hayden riding his 4-wheeler on Christmas morning.

2007-01-02T12:32:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve

We traditionally have Christmas with the Atkins' on Christmas Eve. Since Brian and Hayden were both sick this year, we had it at our house. Here are a few pics from the fun event!

Here is Hayden checking out T.J. Bearytales that his grandmother got for Christmas. He is very much like Teddy Rupkskin with his story telling and songs. Hayden absolutely loved him from the get go.

Here is Addison hugging the bear.

Here's Hayden after a hard day of playing and unwrapping gifts while being sick. Notice the cute outfit :)

2007-01-02T12:30:00.000-06:00

Mr. Potato Head

One of Hayden's favorite things to play with now is a hand-me-down Mr. Potato Head. For some strange reason, he wants to wear the glasses.

2006-12-08T12:54:00.000-06:00

Shouldn't Every Store Have These?!?

The one of very few positive things about shopping at Kroger are these adorable baskets with the car in front. It is so much easier and faster doing the grocery shopping when you have a "driver"! He absolutely loves riding in there. He manages to drive both steering wheels (typical man) and honks the horn. He is very polite and says "hi" to EVERYONE in the store. He is very much the politician in the making. Remember: Vote Atkins!!!

2006-12-06T08:45:00.000-06:00

Napping at Dinner

So it appears that our stimulating conversation at dinner last night bored the boy. Brian and I were talking and happened to look over at Hayden and he was fast asleep. His poor medicine makes him sleepy. This is by far the first time he has fallen asleep at the table.

We continued with our conversation but every few minutes, Brian would either cough loudly or clear his throat in an effort to wake Hayden up. Poor kid was getting his father's revenge for some of the times he's woken us up and I sent him upstairs to calm him down. Hayden would just sort of look at him and then close his eyes. Don't you like how he puts his hands behind his head. He looks so peaceful. He definately got the arm thing from his father!

I know this makes us bad parents but it was way to funny not to capture and share. I still giggle thinking about it.

2006-11-28T10:23:00.000-06:00

Christmas Moose

Hayden had a good time playing with the Antler Headband last night. He would shake his head to hear the ornaments jingle. Needless to say, it was short-lived but I managed to snap a quick shot. Aren't those cheeks just to die for? I'm the lucky one that gets to kiss on them all the time :)

2006-11-28T10:16:00.000-06:00

Tis the Season

We bought an artificial tree this year (with much disappointment) so that the new floor won't get ruined with a leaking tree stand or Hayden pulling it over. After only a few seconds of shopping, Hayden and I found the perfect tree. It is quite gorgeous!!! I put the tree up on Friday night so when Hayden got up on Saturday morning this is what he saw...

He kept saying "tree" and "pretty" and "lights" over and over. He was so excited to see it.

2006-11-22T07:54:00.000-06:00

One Little Indian

Hayden's class made little indian headbands equipped with a feather. They are too cute!

Here's a short video of Hayden showing us what sound an indian makes...

2006-11-22T07:50:00.000-06:00

18 Month Checkup

Hayden went for his 18 month checkup and got a good report as usual. He now weighs 26.2 lbs and is 33 inches tall. The doctor was very impressed with his speaking and knowledge of animals, sounds, and many other things he rambled off to her. Overall, he is growing and developing like a genius!!!

2006-11-15T08:56:00.000-06:00

Contagious

There's something about a child's laughter that is contagious. Hope it brightens your day!

2006-11-15T08:49:00.000-06:00

New Hat

Hayden has found a new hat - the Happy Meal Box! He puts it on his head and walks around saying "hat". It's too cute!

2006-11-15T08:41:00.000-06:00

Happy 1st Birthday Addison

Addison had her first birthday party over the weekend. She was too cute and had a great time at her party. It was hard taking pictures so I only got a few. Here are some of her with her cake or what was left of it :)

Addison's mom and dad got her a great Radio Flyer Wagon. The kids had a GREAT time in it!

A plus side to the wagon is that both kids were still enough to eat some fruit and veggies!

Addison and her parents had a great birthday. It's amazing how fast these kids grow in a year. She is such a cutie and fun to play with. Happy Birthday little princess!!!!!!!

2006-11-02T15:44:00.000-06:00

What Sisters are For

Beth and I are 4.5 years apart. We never really got along as kids due to our age difference and maturity levels (mom may disagree with that sometimes). Now, I can ask anything in the world of her and she would do it for me because she knows I would do the same for her.

When Hayden was born, Beth became a different person much like myself. No only was I now "mommy" but she became someone very special herself. You would think Hayden was her child most times. She loves him whole-heartedly. She was still in college while I was off on maternity leave. Like clock work, she would come by a few times a week to just hold him. I could leave him with her for a few hours and NEVER have to worry. She has such the motherly touch and will be great with her own children some day. I love her very much for the woman that she is becoming and also for the girl she already is.

This picture is from Hayden's "birth day". He was only a few minutes old and had already stolen her heart.

A little over a year later, this is them:

I'm not sure if I have mentioned it before, but she is a great photographer. She is great with kids and great with capturing moments when you are just being you! I often take advantage of her for Hayden's pictures and family pictures. Here's a little preview of some fun pictures taken this past weekend.

2006-11-02T15:31:00.000-06:00

More Pictures

I love this one. It looks like he is chewing on a piece of hay.

Gotcha!!!!!

Here is Hayden with Uncle Justin and cousin Addison. Looks like they both want down to play!

Hayden pushing Addison

Isn't he adorable!!!

This is one of my favorite pictures of me and Brian.

2006-11-01T09:32:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween

Here is a pics of our Cowboy. Hope everyone had a great halloween!

**Apparently blogger is acting crazy and won't let me add anymore pictures for now. I'll try again tomorrow. Please feel free to leave a comment anytime you visit our site.**