Bring on the Snow!!!

A few weeks ago Nate had finally had enough shoveling the snow off the drive way and went and bought a new mega snow blower. It seems a little bit much so far for the mild snow storms we have had but I guess it will come in real good use for the big ones we could and do get each winter.

I'm not sure why we waited this long to get one of these things. I guess because Nate has always said, "I don't need one of those things. I can shovel just fine." Well, times have changed and he is in heaven with this machine.

When it snows he is excited to go out and snow blow. I tease him and tell him he acts like he is king ding dong of the neighborhood snow plowin the whole 2 inches of snow that we have gotten with this big mama jama of a machine. It is too funny how geared up he gets with all of his warm clothes. I wonder what the neighbors think!

Here is a pic of my hubby snow plowin in style!

Merry Christmas!

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year! It was a busy but yet not so busy holiday season. Since Hayden joined our family we have slowed down on the holiday hustle and bustle down a bit. Each year we do less and less running around and focus more on spending time at home and with my parents. Well on Christmas day anyway. The time leading up to that is always hustle and bustle!

Towbell the Elf must have reported to Santa that over all Hayden has been a very good boy this year. Hayden even noticed and said while he was opening presents Christmas morning "Santa sure likes me!". And since that morning Hayden has been on his best behavior. Towbell has now gone home to the North Pole with Santa and Hayden has realized how magical Towbell is and can't wait for him to come back to stay with us next year.

Of course we were all spoiled by Santa and my parents! A new gun for Daddy, a WII, Leapster, Bike, Scooter, Transformers, Games, Toys Galore, and one of my favorite parts...a new Canon Rebel camera for Mommy! Santa and my parents even made sure that our little princess was spoiled! Thanks Mom and Dad! We have always had great memories of Christmas and now I am so happy that we can make new memories with our little ones! You are the best Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa ever! We love you!

Santa Came!! And it looked like he enjoyed his sugar cookies with his ice tea and milk! That is what Hayden decided we needed to leave for Santa.

Two of Hayden's many many gifts from his Grandma and Grandpa! This boy is spoiled!

Hayden sitting on Santa's lap at a Christmas party at our friends Nikki and Jeremiah.
This was a week before Christmas and by this time Hayden was not shy at all to sit on Santa's lap!

Our Elf Named Towbell

We have had a surprise visitor come to Grandma and Grandpa’s over the past weekend. It was Santa! Although he was surely quick and sneaky and we didn’t get to see him, he left a present under the tree for each of the boys! I thought I seen him so I called the boys to come see if they can see Santa driving away in his sleigh and Hayden was sure he could!

The boys opened their present and wasn’t too sure about it. Santa had come and left them each one of his Elves. They came in a shelf box with a book to tell us why he was sent to us from Santa. We read the story and found out that our new little elf buddy is to watch over Hayden during the day and when he goes to sleep at night he heads back to the North Pole to give Santa a naughty or nice report. Then he returns to our house before Hayden wakes up. We got to name our Elf and Hayden named him Towbell. I have no idea where it came from but it was the first thing he mentioned when we asked what he wanted to name his Elf. Landen named his Leonardo. Now we know where that one came from. That boy loves the Ninja Turtles!

The first night that we had Towbell, we set him on Hayden’s night stand right next to his bed. When he woke up Towbell was gone. So we searched the house for him and found him in the living room on the sofa table. Hayden has asked me if he had batteries so he could walk but I explained to him that this little Elf is a special magic Elf sent from Santa so he doesn’t need any batteries.

The next night came and Hayden had asked Nate to hold Towbell while they slept so he couldn’t get away. (Nate sleeps with Hayden until he falls asleep but more often than not he ends up in there the entire night.) Even though Daddy held him, Towbell still disappeared and went back to the North Pole. When we woke up Hayden thought for sure there was no way Towbell could have went anywhere so he was searching his blankets and all around his bed but there was no sign of Towbell. I was afraid Towbell didn’t make it back because Hayden has been a little on the naughty side but sure enough he did make it back and was sitting on top of Hayden’s coat that was hanging on the railing. Hayden found him and the look on his face was so hilarious. He just glared at Towbell like Towbell was the naughty one! It was so funny!! So before we left the house for the day Hayden decided he better put Towbell back in his box and he tied his legs up with the red twisty ties that he was originally attached to the box with.

This has been the most fun entertaining thing for all of us this holiday season! To see Hayden’s face as he is trying to figure things out is just priceless! I hope that this little Elf of ours keeps the holiday spirit in our home for years to come!

Quote...

I read this quote on another blog and really liked it. I think that it is from a religious scripture. We are not religious people but I sure do love this quote.

"God doesn't give you the people you want; He gives you the people you NEED... to help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be."

Candy Trains Part 2 & 3

We had a great weekend full of candy train making! Our second session was with Hayden's little buddies. Travor, Loftin, and Mason. Landen wasn't able to make for this session until later but I think he was ok with that cause he doesn't really care to do these kind of things. He just wants to play and play and play!!!

Here is a look at Hayden with his second candy train!

Jen and Trevor

Loftin and Hayden

Our last session was with some cousins of ours. The last few youngster cousins that we have left in our family. Everyone is growing up way too fast! By this round I was tired of making candy trains or rather of seeing and eating the candy so I wasn't present much for this session. Grandma talked Landen in making another train and Hayden made one for his baby sister (whom isn't here yet) all by himself. I didn't get a picture of this one though. But he did a pretty good dang job. It is fun to see all the different imaginations that everyone has. I was so proud of Hayden for wanting to include his little sister on this very fun tradition!

Santa 2009!

Bridge Photography did another amazing job on Hayden's Santa photos this year. Considering Hayden is still shy to talk to Santa she got every possible cute photo that she could have. I just love the way she works with Hayden. Talk about patience!

This year Hayden asked Santa for some sort of Halloween Transformer?? Not sure what that is exactly but I am sure Santa will do what he can to find one of these special toys for our little Hayda Bug!

I am stealing this one cute photo from her website so that is why it is appearing so dang tiny.

Candy Trains Part 1

We are getting so excited for the holidays this year! We started off the holiday with some candy train traditions! We have so many friends and family that we want to share this special activity with we have to do it in different sessions. The first group we invited our long time friends, the Starley Family! Each of them remember growing up with us making these same candy trains with my grandparents. So when we invited them they were quite excited to be able to do this fun tradition with their own kids now. We had a great time reminiscing with each of them about the funny things we used to do when we were growing up! And all the kids had a blast!! Thanks Mom and Dad for wanting to carry on with this tradition with our family and friends! Our boys have the best Grandma and Grandpa ever!!

I had to post both of these cute pics of Hayden! He is such a ham!

Garrett, Jenna, Landen, Me, and Hayden

Gauge and Lynn

Nikki, Kasen, Cassidy, Bailee, and Gauge

The Gang!

Happy Turkey Day!

This year for Thanksgiving we we to my parents as usual. It was yummy as ever!!! This year was extra special because Hayden was able to help my Mom prepare our meal. He helped bake pies and make the yummy homemade stuffing that my Mom makes so well!! (It's my fave!!)

He also got to help set the table and in doing so he made everyone their own name plate as to where they were sitting for dinner. It was so cute to see the little scribbles on each of the pieces of paper. Hayden has been learning to write his name and so far he has the letter H down pretty good! So all of the name tags had the letter H on them. Too Cute!

Hayden loves to help cook things! While my Mom was busy getting the last of our meal ready he decided to cook hi Mommy up something special! It was some yummy soup that consisted of mashed potatoes, canned milk, chixken broth, butter, peaches, raisins and marshmallows. He was so proud that he had made this for me that I just couldn't let him and not try it. So I did! Boy oh boy was it tasty! Ok, not really but I sure made it out to be that way!

We are so thankful for everyone and everything we have in our lives! It couldn't have been a better Thanksgiving!

Just Look How Yummy This Soup Looks!

Peterson Wrestle Mania 2009

Here we are again where boys will be boys! Hayden is really big into having wrestling or rough house play with his Daddy. For some reason he likes to put Nate's socks over his hands. I guess they are his boxing gloves?! Once the gloves go on it's game on at our house!! On this particular day, he deicded to put his Daddy's tall socks on as leg warmers wearing only his little underoo's!! Hayden loves to run around in his undies only! But now that it is getting colder outside he hasn't been doing it as often. Such a silly sight to watch my boys roll around and wrestle. Really it's Hayden beating up on Nate but this time Nate was getting him back which makes Hayden even more wound up! BOYS!!!!

First Snow Day of the Season!

Hayden loves to play in the snow!!! The first snow storm we had Nate took Hayden out to play. They shoveled and made a tiny little snowman together! I wished I was home when they did this but Nate did send me a few pics. Nate had said Hayden was so funny after they built the snowman. Hayden had asked after all their hard work if he could smash him. So Nate let him crumble him away. I was sad cause I wanted to see this little creation when I got home but he was no where to be found. Boys will be boys I guess!

Only Boys Fishing Trip

Nate took Hayden fishing for the first time all by himself. Nate has dreamed of this day to where him and his s0n could just jump in the truck and go fishing or riding four wheelers or whatever it might be that boys love to do! Nate had been gone quite a bit with his hunting trips and Hayden was feeling kind of bad so Nate decided he wanted to take him fishing for the day. This of course was a month or so ago when the weather was still good. Hayden was so excited to get to go with his Dad alone with no girls allowed! He is so much like his Dad!! He loves the stuff that Nate loves and I am sure that will only develop into plenty more good father son times ahead!!