Hayden's 2nd Birthday!

A pumpkin cookie from Martha.

Hayd with his daddy
I sure love these boys!

Yeah lately trying to get a picture with Josie and Hayden hasn't worked out.
This is the best I could do.

A new truck.

Helping set up his new train set.

This is all I could get when I told him to take a bite... just a little lick.
And don't judge my cake skills... he was helping me make it.

He wanted a cake and cupcakes and then I jokingly put the cupcakes up like ears and he thought it was like Mickey Mouse, so it stayed.

Hayden's birthday was this last Saturday, October 23rd. We had been talking about it all week so he knew it was coming. He has learned in the past couple of weeks how to say his name Hayden Hadlock and when he does he points to himself... it is so cute! He also knows how old he is now and when asked will say 2 and usually gets the right amount of fingers up. We had planned on doing something funner for his birthday but it ended up being a rainy day and Micah was sick. So, we let him open a present in the morning and it had a box of bubble gum balls in it (his favorite treat) and by lunch time between him and Josie it was all gone. He picked out the cake and frosting he wanted... chocolate cake with Rainbow Chip frosting, and he helped me make it. After, we put the kids down for naps and when they got up we took him to Target to pick out another present since it was too cold and rainy to take him to the Barnyard Boo at Thanksgiving Point like we were going to. I did take him to the Animal Farm there earlier in the week when the weather was nice so I am glad he got at least that outing. He is loving trains these days so that is what he wanted and what he got. We had pizza and then came home and did presents and cake and ice cream. All week we had been singing Happy Birthday to him and he would pretend blow out his candles and eat his cake. So when we sang to him he kept blowing and blowing and finally with some help from daddy got his 2 candles out! We had a good day with him.

He is our funny little boy! He is seriously ALWAYS doing the funniest things. He makes the funniest faces and does the best dance moves, and really knows how to shake his little bum. I can't believe how much he is growing up. I sure love him! He is pretty much the perfect little boy (except for his little tantrums that he has started)... He loves his sister Josie and if he wakes up before her at naptime then he is grumpy til she gets up. He loves Micah too but I think it will be more so when he can play with him. He is really starting to talk and I just love his sweet little voice. He is always right and there is NO reasoning with him (is this a boy thing or just something he learned from his dad;) He is very stubborn at times but maybe this could turn into a good thing sometime. He loves balls, trains, trucks, coloring, and having his nails painted (haha.. he really does beg for it when he sees me paint Josie's). Other than that he is ALL boy and loves to pretend shoot things and drive things. His favorite person besides our little family is his Uncle Stevie (Martha is close behind since she always has gum). We love our little Hayden! You have made these past 2 years some of the best ever!

4 Happy Years with my Best Friend!

Yesterday was Marcus and I's 4th Anniversary... crazy huh! I couldn't help but think back to all we have been through in the past 4 years! Our lives have changed A LOT! The biggest changes we have been through is our 3 beautiful children! Most people don't have that many babies by this time but we wouldn't change it for anything! They have brightened our days and made our marriage stronger. I think if we wouldn't have had kids so quick Marcus might have left me;)... I am bipolar after all.... he teases me about that because I have a tendency to hold things in and then blow up at him. He is patient though and forgiving and I am thankful for that. He knows me sometimes better than I know myself and knows how to handle me even when I am at my worst. I love him for this! We have had our downs but we have had even more ups. We have learned things about each other that we never thought we would and it has only made us stronger and better people. He is truly my best friend and I don't know where I would be without him...he completes me. He is the best daddy EVER! I love watching him with our children.... he loves them and they adore him! I couldn't have asked for someone more perfect than Marcus is for me! I love him!

So anyway we didn't do much to celebrate but it was still fun. Martha watched Josie and Hayden for us and we went and saw the movie Life As We Know It. Yes I got to pick the movie... it was cute and funny. Micah was pretty good in the movie. Marcus had to go walk him once. Then we went to dinner at the Koi. It had some fantastic sushi!!! We then went and picked up Josie and Hayden and we all went out for ice cream! It was simple but fun! We are so blessed! We love our little family!

We Heart New Mexico!

So a week ago from today we returned from a wonderful week in New Mexico! We hadn't been there since Christmas time. October is a wonderful time to go on a vacation and especially to New Mexico. I do have to say that I have lost my camera. I couldn't find it before we left and I still haven't found it. This makes me very sad... I missed out on some great and fun memories of us and the kids.

So we headed down on Friday October 1st at about 4pm and got there around 2am. The kids did FANTASTIC! I was nervous especially with little Micah but he and the other 2 did great and were little troopers. It was so fun to be with family and cousins! Josie was in heaven! She just loves having people around and especially her cousins (good thing she has lots of them)! Hannah will be 8 soon but her and Josie got a long SO good. Josie thinks she is the best thing ever!

The whole week we were there they were having the Hot Air Balloon Festival. So I guess people come from all around the world for this. Their were balloons from everyone and so so many fun ones. Marcus's mom and dad live close enough that every morning we would go outside and we could see them come up, then some of them fly (or float) right over their house. It was fun! Friday night of our trip we went over to the park where they do all the hot air balloon stuff and watched the show. They light them and let them up but they are tethered to the ground so there are just massive balloons everywhere! They are all colors and shapes.... some of our favorites... Darth Vader, a cow, a duck, a devil, etc, etc. They have everything! And then they bring them all down and have a firework show. We had so so much fun there! Even little Micah was so intrigued by it all. He loved all the lights and colors. I so wish I had pictures of this!

We also went to a super fun pumpkin patch that we had gone to the year before. The kids had a ball! And the weather was so perfect... not too hot and not too cold, perfect autumn weather. They had bunnies, chickens, goats, cows, and I can't remember what else. There is a big slide to go down, and a huge trampoline thing, bouncy castles, haystacks to climb, a big sand box but not sand it was corn kernels (the kids loved it)! There was also a train ride and corn mazes. We had lots of fun here!

We spent lots of fun hours hanging out with Grammie Pammie and Grandpa too. Their house is lots of fun! And did I mention we ate great too! One day while Hannah and Braxton were at school... Josie, Hayden, and Grayson found a little swimming pool and filled it up and decided to go for a swim. Hayden and Grayson would run and jump into it cannon ball style... it was hilarious! They had so much fun! And did I mention by the end of it all 3 kids were running around swimming naked! They are so cute!

Our last night there we went to their ward talent show. I have to admit it was pretty funny (their ward might be lacking a little in the talent area) but their were some good laughs. My favorites (and I am not biased, they really were the best) were Hannah break dancing! She was a hoot! And she didn't stop til the music did, Zac on his guitar, and Dad's singing group. They served popcorn and cotton candy for refreshments (huge hit with the kids)! It was a fun night!

Thanks again Mom and Dad for a wonderful, wonderful visit! Thanks for spoiling us! And thanks too Zac for giving up your room for us! I love too that Beth and Travs and their kids live so close too. Don't be a stick in the mud! Hahaha. I love how much we laugh and joke when we are with Marcus's family! Even his dad can be funny from time to time:)

The only hard part at all was my dear little Hayden! He struggles with change and not being in his own bed at home. He is also lately known for his HUGE tantrums. Sometimes we are not quite sure what to do. Just when we think we get things figured it out then he decides he doesn't like our tactics very well. How I love him and think he is the sweetest little boy but w hen he gets on one of his tantrums then he can be so so hard to console. Needless to say, we had a few of these and since most were at night time or in the night we had some pretty long nights. We sure love you though Hayd! We will get things figured out soon!

Our trip home was just as good as our trip there. We left at like 10:30am and were home at 9:30 pm. The kids, once again did GREAT! We did stop at our usual stop... Hole 'N Rock and the petting zoo there. The kids love to go feed the animals and run around. They actually have quite a good assortment of animals there... we love it! It is located right outside of Moab. Anyway it was a good trip but good to get back home too. Did I mention our kids were great?! We sure love them!