Thanksgiving

For 3 years in a row now we have been fortunate enough to spend Thanksgiving with my cousin Becca and her husband Ben.  We have a great time with them each year and feel lucky to spend the holidays with family!  Wednesday, Hayden and I did a lot of prepping for Thanksgiving day.  We made 2 pies, rolls, and a fruit salad.  This is one of my favorite outfits on Hayden.  How cute does she look!

Here we are preparing the rolls, she was all to helpful and kept saying it was just like her play dough! 

Once Becca and Ben got through all the terrible traffic and finally got to our home we took them to the Marietta Diner for dinner and of course you can't go there without getting some dessert!  They are famous for their cake.  

The next day was Turkey Day, so that morning while Ben and Paul started forming a game plan for Black Friday shopping, Becca and I finished up everything in the kitchen.  Paul was in charge of the turkey again and we used a wet brine recipe my friend Stephanie Heinhold gave us.  Paul did a great job!  

Here in our table all set and ready for dinner to begin:

Hayden sure did love our company!

After eating and hanging out we got ready and went out to shop.  Neither of our families were ever really into  Black Friday, but last year we went to a few stores and had such a fun time that we decided to do it again.  It was much warmer than last year thank goodness.  Here we are out in front of Sports Authority. The first 50 people (or something like that) got scratch cards for free money!

Guess who won the one $500 amount???? BEN!  We were so excited for him!  He was able to get new golf clubs, and some new clothes for Becca.  They were so nice and even shared some of the money with us and got us a batting tee for Hayden and a crochet set.  Becca and I won $10 and Paul won $25.  

After a long night and day of Black Friday shopping we decided to hang out and play some games at home.  On Saturday we took them to Marietta Square and shopped around and went to Miss Mamie's Cupcakes as well as our favorite restaurant Papa Citas.  

We did a lot of eating, shopping, talking, and gaming.  We had a great time with them as usual and are so grateful for their friendship.  Traffic was horrible for them on Sunday as well and so appreciate the sacrifice they made to come visit with us.  

Uncle Marko

Hayden loves all her uncles and aunts.  She talks about them, loves looking at pictures of them, pretend calls them all the time, and prays for them.  But Hayden really loves her Uncle Marko!  I love listening to her conversation with her friends now.  This is a common thing I hear her telling people, "Uncle Marko plays football!  He tackles and needs a band-aid!" and "He has whiskers!"  Seriously, she tells people all about him, it is so cute!

Uncle Mark and Aunt Kelsey 

Halloween Fun

After our family pictures this year we went and picked out 3 pumpkins from a pumpkin patch.  Hayden found just the right ones!  Of course like all other animals and inanimate objects, Hayden named one the Mama, one the Papa, and one the baby!

Then we got real festive and painted "Halloween toes and Halloween fingers!"  as Hayden called them.  She begged her dad to join the fun but he was a party pooper :)

Then for FHE before Halloween we carved and painted our pumpkins.  Here is Hayden working on the baby pumpkin.

and practicing her "dot" technique with the bottom of the paint brush...

 Hayden wanted nothing to do with the goo this year, she was content with her paints at this time, so we let Paul handle it.

 Our finished products.  Hayden did help us carve the pumpkins and and designed the "Mama" pumpkin.  She insisted that it have ears and heart eyes.

Tuesday we went to a Halloween party with her playgroup friends.  She was excited to be a giraffe until she saw all the other girls in princess type costumes and she was done!

Hayden was a stinker near the end of the party and refused to be in pictures

Halloween night was interesting.  Paul just got out of the shower and I started to smell baby powder.  I just assumed he was using it for some reason.  Then he opens his closet door and Hayden has barricaded herself in there and is dumping baby powder on her head.  It covered all of Paul's clothes and her!  She was so mad when we took it away and started cleaning her off.  Her hair was a mess and thus she was not into taking many pictures this year.  We decided to go with some friends the Heinholds to make it a little more exciting for Hayden.

 Savannah=Minnie Mouse, Autumn=Skeleton, Lizzie=Softball Player (Hayden's kindred spirit)

Hayden's bag getting full (this was my Halloween bag from when I was little!)

Hayden was doing great until a man answered the door with a mask on, she was kind of freaked out after that and only went to "safe" looking houses!

I can already see Hayden being some sort of princess next year, the time is gone when I can pick out her costumes!

The Countdown For Christmas Begins

Hayden has such a good memory.  She is aware that Christmas is coming again and has been talking about it nonstop!  She can't wait to put the star on top of the Christmas tree, see the lights, and most importantly open presents!  She is talking about everything we did last year.  She found the Target toy catalog that just came in the mail and takes it with her everywhere. She even sleeps with it.  She is most attracted to the Cinderella page and definitely wants a princess dress this year.  Princesses is something else she is totally obsessed with right now.  Despite the tantrums, 3 is such a fun age!

Reconnecting With The Sanders

Our neighbors from Cheyenne are from Atlanta, so each time they come home for a visit we are fortunate enough to visit with them for a bit.  We also got to meet their newest addition, Claire who was born in July of this year.  She is such a good little baby and it was so fun to hold her.  Hayden and I met Susannah, her mom and 2 girls for lunch at Macaroni Grill and then came back to our house to play.  Hayden was a bit of a stinker today and was mean to Payton, but overall I think they had fun together.  Hayden kept asking if Payton was coming back to play once they left.

Visits from friends are always great.  I also forgot to mention that we got to visit with our friend Seth Eastman while he was in SOS training in Montgomery Alabama.  He was able to come out twice during his training and it was just like old times.  One night we stayed up exceptionally late playing all kinds of fun games.

Back To Utah

Since June I feel like I have been living out of a suitcase!  It has been a busy year.  On October 9th my mom called to let me know that my Grandpa Cowan, age 94 had passed away.  This news was really sad for me, despite the fact that he lived a long, full life and would now be reunited with my grandma who passed away about 11 years ago. He was my last remaining grandparent, and one of the most influential people in my life.  I know that a big reason I turned out alright was his influence in my life.  He loved me unconditionally and always let me know I was of great worth.  The characteristic I most want to emulate is his constant patience. I was so grateful to get to go home for the funeral.  I cannot imagine not having this closure.  So Hayden and I booked tickets home.  Paul already had a ticket to go back for his brothers wedding, so we were able to change the ticket date and he was able to attend the funeral with us.  

We flew in on Tuesday the 16th and spent the first day in Salt Lake with my family.  It had been several months since I saw Owen and it was so fun to see him walking!

Hayden had so much fun with Owen in the bath tub.  He was a little nervous of her at first but ended up having a great time together.

The next morning we made the drive to Cedar City where the viewing was going to be held that evening.  We stopped off in Beaver at the Cheese Factory to get some "squeaky cheese" as we always called it.  This was always a fond memory for me.  Either we'd stop on our way to see Grandma and Grandpa or they'd stop and bring us some on their visits up North.  

We also got to stop off at Cafe Rio for some lunch.  A must when we go back to Utah!

The viewing was that night and all the cousins gathered together and spent time while hundreds of people came to pay their respects to my grandfather.  Viewings are always hard for me.  I have a hard time looking at the body or in this case my grandfather without getting really emotional.  I'm glad I got to see him one last time, but it was rough.  Hayden wanted to see him over and over again, so that was a little difficult for me.  

That night all my aunts, uncles, and cousins, came over for pizza and we talked about grandpa and all our memories.  Hayden put on a real show that night and was leading all the adults in musical numbers.  After finishing one song, she enthusiastically clapped and said, "Yay!!!  Good job kids!"  Everyone laughed so hard at this comment which made her even more excited.  But it did poop her and Michelle out by the end.  

The next morning was the funeral.  Each of my aunts and uncle spoke along with my mom about their memories of my Grandpa.  Even as I write this I am filled with emotion and can't help but cry.  His service was wonderful and it was so good to hear all the old stories again and to reflect on all of my grandpa's best qualities.  It made me reflect on what is most important in life and helped me regain some lost goals.  

After the graveside memorial we went back to Grandpa's house for a new cousins photo.  We took one years ago and have been wanting an updated one ever since.

How awesome is that!  It was also great to see Hayden playing in the backyard that holds such fond memories for me.  She loved it and my cousins caught some great images of her.

Hayden sure loves all her uncles.  She has 9 uncles and knows them all by name.  But I think Marcus holds a special place in her heart because he is always so willing to play with her!

That night the whole family went out to Applebee's which was my grandpa's favorite place to eat.  But we had to get back for the wedding, so my dad was nice enough to drive us up to Salt Lake where Paul's dad and brother Kyle met us and took us the rest of the way to Tooele. That morning we woke up and drove to Logan for pictures and all the wedding festivities.  

Wally (Kyle) & Morgan with their nieces and nephews:

 My sister-in-laws with our children:

 Coming out of the Logan Temple

 It was a long day, but we were so happy to be able to be apart of their wedding.  I'm excited to get to know my new sister-in-law Morgan.  

The next morning we hung out in Tooele and Hayden have fun on the 4-wheeler.  We had to take Paul to the airport that afternoon and then I headed back to Salt Lake to spend the rest of the weekend with my family.

 Saturday Hayden and I basically recovered by taking a long nap!  Since Tuesday we had flown from Atlanta to Salt Lake, drove to Cedar City, then drove to Salt Lake, next Tooele, then Logan, back to Tooele, and finally Salt Lake!  I was so exhausted!  Sunday we went over to Wheeler Farm and looked at all the animals, Monday we went to the Children's Museum, and Tuesday my mom took us out to IHOP.  My mom does a great job of making our visits special.  My  mom and I also watched the first 5 episodes of Downton Abbey Season 3 :)  Shannon and Marcus were also awesome and stayed through the weekend.  They are always so good about making time for us when we come to visit.

Hayden loves her Uncle Ian, if she doesn't know where he is, she is yelling his name and saying, "where are you?"

Tuesday afternoon I headed out to Tooele to spend some time with Anne and my sister-in-laws and Hayden's cousins.  Tuesday we made Halloween sugar cookies and went to Pizza Hut (Hayden's pick).  Wednesday we woke up to this: 

I was so shocked.  Hayden looked out her window and said, "look, dream snow!  It's beautiful."  She calls it that because of a book she loves to read.  Too cute.  We met up with her cousins who got to do a tour of Cold Stone for preschool, they even got a free scoop of ice cream!  Hayden played with her cousins all day Wednesday and had such a blast.  She didn't even want to stop to eat, she'd say, "momma, I'm playin'!"

Thursday Hayden decided to venture out into the snow, it will be her only outing in the snow for the year I suspect.  We then met my sister-in-law Emily at a playgroup in a gymnastics center to play.  

That afternoon we headed out to Mapleton (near Provo) to see my sister-in-law Darice's new house.  Paul's brother Trent just got the assistant coaching job at BYU and their new house is beautiful!  I was lame and didn't take any pictures.  But Hayden had a fun time playing with her older cousins dolls and girly stuff.  She also played with Brooks's cars after awhile.  

The next morning it was time for us to leave.  Anne put together a cute Halloween bag which kept Hayden entertained for hours on our airplane ride.  Thanks Anne!  

We had such a great time in Utah, despite all the travel!  It was lots of extreme emotions from my grandpa's funeral, to a wedding, to being surrounded by loving family.  Sometimes it just makes me sick to think Hayden doesn't live closer to all her cousins and aunts and uncles.  She loves them all so much.