Busy Part II

Two days after our trip to Utah, my college roommate and friend Kimberly Hughey and her boyfriend Matt came to visit us.  Hayden and I picked them up Friday afternoon and took them to The Varsity, which is very greasy fast food, but a historic Georgia landmark.  We didn't waste any time getting right down to business, so we went to the Georgia Aquarium.  It was actually the perfect time to go (despite it being right during Hayden's nap) because it was not yet crowded for Memorial Day Weekend.  It was such a great activity for all of us to enjoy.  Hayden loves saying "fishy" and she got to say it a lot here!  We also went to the dolphin show which was really amazing.  Hayden clapped every single time they jumped out of the water and gasped in astonishment.  At one point in the show they said, "reach your arms in the air to bring forth the dolphins" and she was the first to have her hands in the air, it was pretty funny!

 Hayden thought being up close and personal with the penguins was great, she didn't want to leave!

  Here is Hayden touching some "fishies"  

The next day Paul was able to join us and we took them to Marietta square.  In the south all of the towns have a square and Marietta's is a fun one.  It was also the farmer's market so we were able to walk around the square and market.  Then we went to the Marietta Diner which has been featured on Food Network for their huge menu and good food, although I wasn't to impressed with my food selection.  They're desserts are what they are famous for and we were all too full, so we'll have to go back another time.

That night we got a babysitter for Hayden and we went out to a hip little restaurant in Atlanta called Two Urban Licks.  It is rated #2 for best eats in Atlanta.  The restaurant did not disappoint, the food and atmosphere were amazing!

 Sunday is always a tricky day for Mormons.  They are not Mormon so I did not want to subject them to a full day of keeping the Sabbath.  So Paul and I went to sacrament meeting and came home to visit with them.  I tried to find an activity that would be like keeping the Sabbath and when I found "Stone Mountain" I thought I had found just that!  Being in nature is a good way to spend Sundays, but I did not realize how theme-park-ish it was really going to be.  Oh well, we had a good time!  

 Here it is!  This is a description from wikipedia:  it is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock in Stone Mountain, Georgia. At its summit, the elevation is 1,686 feet and 825 feet above the surrounding area. Stone Mountain granite extends underground 9 miles.  The carving depicts three figures of the Confederate States of America: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis.

 We took the tram up to the top of the rock and it was very hot and bright!

Taking a break from the heat in the air conditioned kids play area

 Hayden loved these pigs!

 and this box for some reason...

 Taking the train ride around the rock

 everyone gathering for the laser & fireworks show

 I didn't even think about bringing a blanket or chairs to sit on!  The show was amazing to watch, but made our party feel a little uncomfortable as it showed the south fight during the civil war.  Do people know that the south lost????  

It was a long, hot day, but we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  Hayden's hair was soaking wet the entire day, she is such a sweater, just like her dad!  

Monday morning I took Kimberly and Matt to the airport.  We had such a great weekend with them and it got us out and exploring all that our new area has to offer.  We had great conversations and really enjoyed our time with them. 

Lightning Bugs, Frogs and Gasps!

My wife, Kristine, has returned to childhood.  She is fascinated by the summer emergence of lightning bugs and frogs.  We aren't used to having either but now our yard is full of little hoppers and the sky is crazy with brief, bright flashes of light.  Each and every time, and believe me when I say every time, Kristine lets out a little gasp when the lightning bugs light up or a frog jumps.

It is reassuring to know that we don't have to always be grown up.  There are things out there that can still amaze and dazzle us.  We have only been here a little over four months and already we have experienced so much that is new and that leaves us amazed and astounded that we live here.

Busy

I feel like we have been on the go the past 2 weeks!  On May 18th we flew to Las Vegas, Nevada with the generous donations from my mom and Grandpa Cowan.  My cousin Sam Hanks was getting married and we wanted to be apart of the celebration, but after Hayden's costly surgery, we did not think we would be able to go.  So thanks again Mom and Grandpa!!! 

We woke up at 4am to make our flight and didn't go to bed until 3 am (Easter time) that night.  Needless to say, we were exhausted.  Hayden did great flying and people kept asking us if she traveled a lot because they were so impressed with what a good traveler she was.  She slept most of the flight which was fabulous! We spent Wednesday through Friday with Paul's brother Trent and his family in St. George.  Grandma Anne also drove from Tooele to see us for a few days.  We had so much fun going to volleyball practice, gymnastics, Creative Minds, swimming, out to eat, shopping, and just hanging out.  Hayden loved being surrounded by her cousins and grandma. 

 Hayden had so much fun grocery shopping at Creative Minds.  I couldn't even get her to look at me the entire time we were there.  She was simply too busy!

 Pushing her cart, she is really into baby dolls lately

 Marly playing dress up

 Morgan playing dress up 

 Hayden loved talking on the phone, although she didn't know why a cord was attached!

These two cute little girls were so great with Hayden and are so great with their baby brother Brooks

 

Friday afternoon we headed out to Cedar City and stayed with my grandpa who is 93 years old!  The past year he has aged a lot and I am even more grateful for the chance I got to visit with him.  Here is our little family at Sam and Heather's wedding.  Sadly, I was too busy with Hayden and failed to take pictures of the beautiful bride and groom.  My cousin was pretty nervous and hilarious to watch as he took deep breaths in and out throughout the ceremony.

 Hayden had a melt down after the wedding.  She does not do well in new situations with tons of people that want to hold her and play with her.  Paul took her away from the wedding and let her melt down and then she was fine!  She was upset to leave because she wanted to stay at that point.  

We debated one of us not going to the luncheon after her little tantrum, but she did great!  They held the luncheon at Rusty's which is a great restaurant located up Cedar canyon.  Paul had never been.  I got the salmon, Paul got ribs, and Hayden had chicken fingers.

 Hayden playing with my cousin Morgan's kids

The reception was held at the same location as the wedding and because it was familiar, Hayden was totally fine and loved eating the desserts offered to her by family members.  One of her current favorite songs to dance to is "Put a ring on it" and during the dancing the song came on.  She was busy picking up rocks and at the first beat, she dropped the rocks and starting jamming.  It was hilarious!  We need to get this on video and soon...

We had such a great time visiting with so many of my family members in Cedar City.  I felt like we got a lot more quality one-on-one time with people.   Hayden loved playing with my cousin Morgan's children and we even got to go to a fun swimming pool with them. 

 Hayden loved swinging from my grandpa's treadmill.  She is so strong and can hold on for quite awhile without touching her feet to the ground! 

 My dear friend Marci Olsen (we've been friends since we were about 12 years old!) drove to Cedar from St. George to spend Monday evening with me and my family.  We went out to Applebee's with my grandpa and had a great time.  Although she did get in trouble with my grandpa for not letting him pay for her dinner!

 I did manage to get a picture of the grooms older brother and his sweet girlfriend.  I even got to talk to him more than I ever have!  

 

 Paul with my grandpa

 Hayden and I with grandpa, she was really warming up to him near the end of our trip.

Me and Grandpa!  I love this man so much and am continually grateful for the key role he played in my life.  He always makes me feel loved, special and important...

We drove to St. George late Monday night and then drove to Las Vegas Tuesday morning to head home.  Again, Hayden slept like a champ on the flight and was happy the rest of the way.  I will never understand why she does great flying and terrible in the grocery store...We got home around midnight and we were wide awake from our travels and the time change.  It's taken some time to get back on track!  We had two days of normalcy and then we had special visitors arrive.  More on this later...

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's day was a bit different this year.  Paul and the rest of the men in our stake were asked to go help clear the wreckage from the tornados that ripped through the south.  At first they were assigned to Chattanooga, GA but because they are still finding body parts, they reassigned them to somewhere in Alabama.  It is insane the destruction these tornados caused and it hit closer to home for me living in the south this year. 

At first I was admittedly a little sad that Paul was missing the whole weekend, let alone it being mother's day.  He is gone so much and we like to savor what little time he has at home.  But after thinking for a bit I would hope that if our home was destroyed people would be willing to come help us out no matter what holiday it was. 

Here are a few pictures Paul took with his phone:

 Paul with our friend Chris Curby

 The number marks where their houses were



Paul was bruised head to toe when he returned Sunday night and exhausted.  Glad he was able to help these families that were affected by the tornadoes. 

Hayden did make me my first mother's day treat ever in nursery (granted she ate it...)

And you can't really tell in this picture, but Hayden had her first pedicure this past week!  She was pretty amazed that her toe nails turned pink!



Sweetest Thing

Hayden is so affectionate lately and I LOVE it!  Every time she says "up" I pick her up and she wraps her arms around my neck and holds me tight.  How I love this little girl!  She loves giving Eskimo kisses and plain old regular ones too!

Bye-Bye Binky

Saturday we decided (well mainly Paul) that it was time to take Hayden's pacifier away.  She will turn 20 months on May 16th and she was starting to want it all the time again.  We read that if you wait past 2 years old they get really attached and it also creates a cross-bite with their teeth. 


I wanted to do it on a weekend so Paul could also suffer during nap-time, but she did a lot better than we both thought.  That morning I cut a whole in it and when she asked for it I gave it to her.  Much to her shock and dismay, her pacifier no longer provided the same comfort she has become accustomed to and she spit it out.  Now she carries it around with her from time to time and she still goes to sleep holding it.  She has cried a little bit when going to bed but nothing like I thought she would.


I know it's silly, but I feel more sad about it than she seems to.  Especially when she is looking at the whole and pointing to it.  It was such a comfort to her for her entire life and we just snipped a whole in it!  Anyway, hopefully she'll be ready to be done with it altogether here in a few more days. 

 Carrying around her broken binky

Deceptively Delicious

Hayden continues to be a somewhat picky eater!  I most especially worry about whether she is getting enough vegetables.  She likes green beans, baby food pees and carrots, but that's about it.  So I pulled out my cook book Deceptively Delicious (thanks Grandma Anne) and am trying out some recipes.  Well I totally fooled her!  She ate a whole-wheat quesadilla with navy beans, butternut squash, and then the usual cheese and chicken.  She LOVED them and I loved that she got whole grains, protein, and a vegetable serving! 

Her toe must have also tasted good because she couldn't get enough of that either!

Here is the recipe link if anyone is interested:  http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=154087