It's Autumn Time

September 27, 2009

It's autumn time.

It's autumn time.

The leaves are falling down.

It's autumn time.

It's autumn time.

Bright colors can be found.

I love to drive through the mountains each fall to see all the beautiful colors. This year we decided to drive over Guardsman's Pass and back on I-80. We forgot to to get off the freeway to go up Big Cottonwood Canyon so we thought we would go the same route but backwards. Unfortunately, we weren't sure exactly where to go coming through Heber instead. We finally found the road over the mountain. It was so beautiful! After driving for quite sometime we realized we were not going to end up in Big Cottonwood Canyon. We ended up in American Fork Canyon. Our drive ended up being about five hours long.

The leaves were so beautiful. The canyons were so packed, Everyone thought it was a great day to go for a Sunday drive. We saw three deer on our drive as well.

We had a great time up until the end. Parker was starving. Hayden got carsick and threw up all over his car seat. (He had never thrown up before. So it was my first experience cleaning up vomit. Ew Yuck!) And worst of all I really had to go to the bathroom.

Pizza

I have often heard, and find it true, that if you want your children to eat what you prepare then have them help prepare it. I let Hayden and Brea make their own pizzas. They had such a good time spreading the sauce, counting the pepperoni, and sprinkling the cheese. The best part is that they ate every bite.

Hayden always eats pizza but this was made on a tortilla. Hayden will never eat tortillas.

Story Time

My boys sure love to read stories at bedtime. Hayden loves to read all books but at bedtime if Daddy reads Hayden chooses certain books and if Mommy is the one reading he chooses different books. Daddy has to read Three Billy Goat's Gruff and Mommy has to read Gulliver Snip.

Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk

Our stake just started a class on strengthening marriages. Joe and I went to the class last night. We put the boys to bed before we left so my dad could work. My dad gave me his credit card and told us to go out for dinner after. We had a great evening.

When we pulled up in the driveway Joe said, "What do you think the chances are that Hayden is awake sitting on Papa's lap?" I said I didn't think so because I could see my dad in the office working. Just then Joe saw Hayden's little head. We went in the office and Papa was working at his desk and Hayden was watching Thomas and Friends.

Hayden had chocolate all over his face so I knew he had eaten a chocolate chip cookie. Then I noticed chocolate milk on his pajamas. I asked him if Papa gave him milk. My dad quickly told us we needed to come in the house and see what Hayden had done. I was a little nervous.

My dad said he walked in the garage and heard Hayden in the house crying. He was holding a towel and wiping chocolate milk up off the floor. Apparently Hayden woke up and came upstairs from his bedroom. He must have been thirsty and since he couldn't find anyone he decided to get it by himself. He went back downstairs and got his step stool from the bathroom, carried it upstairs and got a plastic cup from the closet. Then he went to the fridge and got the chocolate milk and sat down on the floor to pour it. Most of it made it in the cup but some got the floor instead. Then he got out a towel to clean up his mess. That is when Papa found him.

I would love to have had a video going to see exactly what he did. He never ceases to make my laugh. I am glad Papa has so much patience for his grandchildren.

After chocolate milk and cookies he was wired and stayed up until close to 11:00.

Scott's Hope Collage

As I was reading blogs this week I found some friends who had a Hope Collage made by another mommy who has an angel baby.first baby Jenna died when she was just 13 days old. Franchesca started Abiding Hope Collages - A Lifetime of Words not Spoken. I am so grateful for her desire to help so many families with angel babies.

Don't Blink

It feels like Hayden was just born and in the blink of an eye he has grown up. He got a tricycle in April and could barely reach the peddles. He quickly learned to ride his trike very well. Megan and Christopher have bikes that stay here so when they come to town they can ride. While they were in town at the beginning of August Hayden started climbing on Megan's bike. He was much too little to ride it but he could get himself on and sit there for a while.

The last week of august my dad decided that Hayden needed a big boy bike. I took him to Wal-Mart and he picked out a bike and rode it all over the store. He actually rode it out of the store and refused to let me touch the bike. The firemen were in the parking lot collecting donations for "Fill the Boot." I was not about to let him ride through the parking lot - without help - in front of a fire fighter - the first time on a big bike. So I carried him kicking and screaming to the car.

When we got home he put his helmet on and off he went. He had such a great time. He struggled going over bumps and would tip over. Now he doesn't like to ride in the front yard he prefers the patio in the back. He is so good at maneuvering between all the tables, chairs and toys.

Sweet Dreams

Have you ever wondered at what age children start dreaming? Every once in a while Hayden will wake up in the morning and make a comment about something completely random that leads me to believe he has had a dream about the said subject. He doesn't have a concept of dreams so it does no good to ask him what he dreamed about. This morning Hayden woke up about 6:00 and climbed into bed with me. Around 7:30 I was awake but Hayden had his arm linked through mine so I was not able to get out of bed with out waking him up. A little bit later he began talking in his sleep. He said, "I don't want to go down the slide." I guess I can positively say that Hayden has dreams.

I looked up on the Internet as to when dreams begin. Dreams occur during REM sleep. Studies have been done on brain waves to record when dreams occur. I found out that more dreams occur in the first two weeks of life than any other time and decrease as a child develops. By age three a child dreams as much as an adult (20% of their sleep).

Cousins

Hayden loves his cousins so much. As he is getting older it is fun to watch him with his cousins. He wants to be one of the big kids. Hayden talks about all his cousins on a regular basis (meaning daily).

Jason is so cute with him and will really play with him. This picture was taken at Joe's birthday party. Hayden and Jason were having a good time together on the trampoline.

Lagoon

8/20/09

My parents' s stake has Stake Lagoon Day every year. My parents and I took Hayden up in the late afternoon. Joe met us there around 6:00. Hayden had such a great time riding all the rides. I had a great time seeing my little boy so excited and happy. I don't know who had more fun.

I am so glad my parents came with us. I was able to ride rides with Hayden and really focus on him. My parents were so great to take care of Parker for me.

Hayden rode almost all of the rides in Kiddie Land. My parents drove Joe's car and took the boys home for us. Joe and I stayed and rode rides until the park closed. Unfortunately, it was a weekday and the park closed at 10:00. We only got to ride four rides :( We hope to go back just the two of us in October for Frightmares and ride all the rides.

Happy Birthday Joseph

This year Joe turned 30! He isn't too keen on the fact that he is aging. He told me he wanted his invitations to look like an obituary or something. I told him that was stupid that he isn't old. He kept saying, "I'm practically 40!" Practically 40? 30 is ten years away from 40! A week before his birthday he emailed everyone in my family with his "bucket list." He has said over and over how his body is going to start failing him now that he is 30.

We had a simple but fun birthday party. We had our families and a few friends over to celebrate with us. We had taco/tostadas for dinner and of course lemonade. Joe got a croquet set and the guys played croquet while the women talked and the kids ran around all evening.

Hayden and Parker gave their daddy the book "Three Billy Goats' Gruff." It is a story that Joe's dad used to tell Joe when he was a little boy.