the last couple of months . . .

I'm yet again behind in my blog. I'm thinking of not doing it anymore. I just don't enjoy doing it anymore and I'm awful at keeping it up to date. I am thinking about doing things a little different as far as a family record for 2014. So, this may be the last post. I love turning our blog into a book though, so I've got to finish off 2013.

Here is October . . .
 Halloween of course! It was great! Hayden was a pumpkin . . . a pretty cute one if I do say so myself!

We went trick or treating and hung out at the ward trunk or treat with our 2 besties  . . .Layla and Kayda.

November . .  .
This was a very hard and sad month for our family. We lost Shane's sister Tiffany to her 2 year battle with cancer in November. While we were glad she was no longer in pain, it was very difficult seeing her in her final days and we are missing her every day. We are grateful for the knowledge we have of eternal families and know we will be with her again some day, but we are missing her until that day comes.

The ornament we made with Tiffany's picture in it.

December . . .
Christmas!!! Christmas was so fun this year! Every time we saw a Santa, Hayden would yell out "Santa, Ho! Ho! Ho!". We spent Christmas at home just the three of us again this year. I told Shane, I love being at home with our little family, but I think next year we need to go be with family! Hayden was so great Christmas morning. He gave us his gift of sleeping in until 8:30!!! Then we spent the rest of the day at home . .  . never got out of our pjs and enjoyed time together!

Christmas 2013

The Christmas morning daze

The picture we used for our Christmas card this year

Making food for the reindeer with Kayda

Leaving the reindeer their food. They both were yelling, "Come and get it reindeer! Come and eat!" -- too funny!

Birthday Boy . . .

I can't believe my baby is 2 years old. Hayden celebrated his 2nd birthday a week ago. It was a fun day at Hayden's favorite park. We had some wonderful family and friends to celebrate with.

We love our sweet boy! So far I am loving 2 way more than 1. You can reason with a 2 year old (most of the time) and he understands and communicates so much more. He is still growing like a weed. At his 2 year check up we discovered he has grown 3 inches since his 18 month check up. He is now 37 inches tall (97%) and weighs 33 pounds (95%).

Hayden is still super stubborn and strong willed. But he is also a very sweet, happy, and a sensitive boy. I just love him so much! I can't imagine my life without him. These last 2 years have been the best of my life.

Train table Shane and I gave him for his birthday

Happy Birthday Boy!!!

He is SUPER excited to be TWO!!!

Stashing his loot

He was really excited to get a Curious George doll!

Only Grandpa Bennett could show him how to use his new t-ball

Camping . . .

I'm SOOO behind in blogging and with school having started I don't know if I'll ever catch back up but I had a few minutes before the kids come to quickly blog about our first camping experience as a family. You have to remember that it is insanely hot in Nebraska. Not like the dry hot of the desert but the sticky, so uncomfortable you don't leave your house kind of hot only the humid midwest can bring. Because it is so hot here, we don't go camping in the summer. It's a rule I have and if you lived in Nebraska you would understand. But it was SOOO beautiful here the beginning of June that we couldn't pass up an opportunity to pack up our new tent and go camping. I'm not going to lie, it was quite the ordeal. The camping site we wanted to camp at was full (I guess everyone else had the same idea we did). So we went somewhere else that we had never been to. I was not happy when we pulled up. It was a new campground with no trees! Seriously!!! But it worked out and it did have a pretty lake to look at. All in all it was fun and Hayden LOVED it. The worse part about the experience was when Hayden woke up at 4:30 am. Bright and early! We decided to just pack up and leave but we got a good chuckle when we were pulling out of the campground at 7 am!

my loves

first taste of s'mores

guess he liked it!

4th of July 2013

I LOVE the 4th of July. It is my favorite holiday! What's not to love? You usually sit by the pool most of the day, grill out, spend time with family, relax and all you have to do is go out to your backyard to be entertained at night. Love it!

Well this 4th was really fun, probably the best 4th I've had in a really long time. Hayden LOVED it as well. He stayed up late to watch the fireworks and wasn't scared at all! Here's our 4th through pictures . . .

My nieces making a flag with their dresses

 Some great reactions during fireworks . . .

Protecting those precious ears

Doing the 'pop' fireworks

my mr. independent

stealing some fireworks