M.I.A.

We have been missing from the blogging scene for quite some time now and I need to get back into to it. And it definitely isn't from boredom... not at this house! I was looking up everyone else's blogs and seeing what they were up to and I have to say that I am REALLY slacking in the blogging area! I decided I needed to post this so that I will really blog today! I can't right at the moment but before this day is over I will have done at least 1 more blog post with pictures!

Halloween Activities!

Happy Birthday to my dear Mother!
This picture really seems to capture her.
She just loves her grand kids! So here she is with about a third of them.
And I have to say... she is pretty darn lucky, just look how cute they are!
Her birthday is on Halloween so this year we got to actually celebrate on her birthday.
We had a surprise party for her at my sister's house.

My little trick or treaters!

A monkey, butterfly and a giraffe!

Micah the cutest little giraffe!

Our beautiful butterfly, Josie.

And look at this cute little Hayden, monkey!

We went with Dan and Jenn-Lee to their wards trunk or treat which ended up happening in the gym. It was perfect for our kids... lots of candy without lots of work!

Our niece, Anakha was baptized on Saturday so we got to see Marcus's parents and of course the baptism too. Anakha was beautiful but I didn't even get a picture of her!
Here is one though of Marcus and Hayden with Grandpa and Grammie.

Here is little Micah... he is now 3 months old! Crazy! The time has flown by! He is our little chunka monka! And his new thing he does is spit! It is adorable! He is the happiest, most patient little guy! I couldn't ask for a better baby. He also LOVES it when people talk to him and hold him. I love him to pieces!

These 2 fun things were made by Marcus's mom! She is so talented! And I love them both. Isn't the Halloween blanket so so cute!
And talk about ADORABLE, the kids have had so much with this countdown calendar that she made them. They had a hard time leaving it alone so the goblins would come every night (or day) and leave them a little something either in the pocket or if it was too big then there would be a note telling them where they could find it. We have loved it!

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!

Micah's Baby Blessing!

Micah Samuel Hadlock was blessed last Sunday on September19th.
His outfit was borrowed from his Uncle Zac and has been used by the boy cousins on the Hadlock side.

Grandpa Hadlock and Grammie Pammie with Micah and Josie in the back.
They made the trip up from New Mexico for this special occasion and we loved having them here for it!

Me and my beautiful baby.
Marcus gave Micah his blessing in church and it was so special. He said some really sweet things and I realized once again what a special boy he is and what a great mission he has here on the earth. He has already blessed our family so much! I'm sure I'm not the only mother that feels this way but I have felt this with each of my children... they are strong spirits with a very important work to do and I am grateful to have the privilege of being their mother.

Here is our attempt at a family picture.
This was difficult to get. Certainly not the picture I had imagined but it will have to do since it is the only one with a child not screaming or trying to get down.

Aunt Martha with Hayden and Josie.

This is what I get when I tell Josie to smile.

Micah and I with my sweet mom.
My dad was unable to make it because my little sister Leah's appendix ruptured the week before and she has a tube in her draining the infection and so he stayed with her.

My two very sweet boys!

Micah's cute little legs and shoes.

Our cute little niece, Christal.

Marcus and Micah with Marcus's grandparents.
They were so sweet to make it to this special day with us!
Great-grandma Painter made us some special blankets and a hat and mittens.
We love them!

And thank you to all of our family that came and supported us on this day! Almost all of mine and Marcus's brothers and sisters were able to attend.

Josie turns 3!

Special Thanks to Scales and Tails