Polar Express!!!

Okay, it has been quite awhile.. Haven't really had much to blog about though.. But this weekend we went to the Calera Train Depot and rode the Polar Express! It was SO MUCH FUN!! It truly cant be put into words because its so magical! I think everyone should do it at least once, but we all decided it should be tradition! I didn't take Braxton this time because I think hes still a little young and wouldn't truly understand it just yet.. Hayden was on cloud nine!! This is the first year that she hasn't been afraid of Santa, she actually LOVES him! This Santa was so realistic and so sweet, I think he just might be the real thing! =) Anyway, here's a few pictures from our trip to the North Pole aboard the Polar Express!

Visions of sugarplums!!!

I have officially been bitten by the Christmas bug!! I swear I don't know what hit me but today I just suddenly got SO SUPER excited for the holidays!!! I feel like a kid in a candy store.. I cant wait to get together with family and EAT!! I think being with family is so comforting and right now in this crazy world we live in, we could all use a little comfort! I'm dying to get out my Christmas stuff, but the small part of me that is still sane (mind you its a very small part) is telling me NOT YET! I hope everyone is as excited as I am!!!

Nothing Gold Can Stay ~ Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold. Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower. But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief.

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay..

Hayden's first competition!!

Well, we took a road trip to Chattanooga, TN today to Hayden's first gymnastics meet.. It was well worth the drive!! She did so well, I couldn't be more proud of her!! Her scores are as follows;

Floor Routine: 9.0

Bar Routine: 9.6

Vault Routine: 9.5

Beam Routine: 8.275

Awards were given out based upon Level and age group.. In Hayden's group she won first place in three of the four events, third place on beam, and she won the all around competition with the highest score!! She did AWESOME!! I have to edit some of the pictures of the award ceremony because they were taken by Chase and they are so-so.... But for now here are a few from the day!!

babies carving pumpkins.. well, sort of...

I'm a bit late blogging this but better late then never I guess.. Last weekend we visited Becca and Tatum so that we could carve pumpkins together.. The kids were completely uninterested and the moms ended up doing the carving but it was still fun! It was a perfect day outside, not too hot, not too cold, just right!! We had a great time and the pumpkins ended up looking SO cute!! At the end of the day they hopped in the tub together and an hour later they were passed out in our laps.. What a great day!!

Pictures of Hayden at the Pumpkin Patch!

Braxton and I didnt get to go to the Pumpkin Patch with Hayden so here are a few pictures taken by Lindsay Lou! :)

Braxtons first pumpkin...

This past weekend Hayden went to the pumpkin patch with Lindsay for Adams birthday.. She picked out a perfect, round pumpkin to carve.. She begged and begged to carve it and finally late Sunday afternoon we decided to go ahead and do it... After cutting the top off and scooping out the "guts" for 30 secs she was no longer interested.. Soooooo, I let Braxton have a turn.. Brave I know! At first, he hated it.. If you touched him with the slimy, stringy insides he would gag, and then throw up.. Yes, literally THROW UP.. It took a few minutes for him to get used to it and then he loved it.. It became a game of dropping the spoon inside and getting it out.. It didn't turn out to be the best looking pumpkin in the patch but we sure had fun doing it! ;)

September..

Well, I don't know about all of you but for us September just flew by.. There hasn't been very much to blog about all month but October is sure to be promising! So many exciting things are coming up! Pumpkin patch, Halloween and Hayden's first gymnastics competition is on the 25th! Its definitely going to be a busy month.. I cannot believe its almost Thanksgiving and then it will be CHRISTMAS!!!

I'm just going to post some of my favorite pictures from September, they aren't specific dates or anything, just random everyday pictures.. :)

For the love of MUD!!!!

Yesterday my darling children decided it was a day for mud.. It started out with just Braxton because that little monkey LOVES to be dirty, but once he squirted Hayden with the hose the party was ON! They played happily for a good 30 mins then I scooped them up and cleaned them off.. It was a cute moment though, one of those not easily forgotten. :)

Happy Birthday to Braxton!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, our little baby is now one year old.. Time sure flies when your having fun.. He had a blast at his birthday party, surrounded by close family .. The baseball cake for him to dig into was a big success, I have never seen a baby have so much fun playing in cake! He gots some fun new toys but his favorite thing to play with were the boxes they came in, typical baby.. I cannot believe a year has gone by already but there is always so much more to look forward to.. We are truly blessed with wonderful, precious children.. All thanks to God..

Six Flags..

This past Saturday we all went to Six Flags for HONDA day.. We had a really good time.. Hayden rode her first rollercoaster and cried at the end.. She cried the whole time inside Monster Plantation, but other then those two she loved everything.. Water rides and Skull Island were right up her alley.. Just a few pictures from our day..

If you give a Braxton a pancake......

If you give a Braxton a pancake........

He's probably gonna put it on his head........

After his hair is all buttered up....

He might actually eat it.....