Hello world

My latest project was this fun spider Halloween skirt. My best buddy Amber gave me the fun flowy idea. Our sunbeams loved it today at Church.

Now you see me...

Now you don't. heheheh

Hayden's BIG smile.

My boys and there spiky hair. Hayden's hair was long enough for a pony tail in back.

Race car driver's Hayden and Chloe.

The bear cubs...Hayden and Alex. They nap together, eat together and even wrestle like cubs. Yes, he is the ladies man already.

He has learned how to put pants on and LOVES playing with belts... so I rolled up Bret's pant legs and used his belt as suspenders. You can see how much he liked his new outfit. This was post mommy hair cut. He actually did pretty good till the hair started collecting on his wet body in the bath tub. That is when he started freaking out not knowing what it all was. I cut between 2-4in of hair off his head!!

Hayden what does a cow say "Mooo".

The farmer and his little calf.

The farmer and Daisy Duke. You can kind of see how full Bret's beard was. He was so happy to shave it off yesterday after only 2 weeks of growth.

Picture update

Bath time, play time!

For our 3rd anniversary we played at Michigan Adventure!

Mommies little cuddle bug :)

We love to play outside and enjoy nice Michigan days in the sun.

This was a fun morning of disc golf with lots of friends. Hayden had lots of fun playing with Jeremy and Amy Strabbing, Tyler Neil and mommy and daddy.

Learning all the right moves from daddy.

It was so great to watch him throw and chase the discs.

The boys now have matching Lion's caps. Bret had to get them so we could go to our first pro football game. It was the last preseason game. We all had a great time and the best part is the Lion's actually own!!!

Summer fun

We've been busy this summer!!! We flew out to Washington in June to visit family and be in Bret's Sister's wedding. I was able to be a bridesmaid and made my dress and one more also. Bret talked me into making matching Hawaiian shirts for him and Hayden. We were the best dressed if I say so myself:). During our 2 week trip we visited Washington, Organ, Utah and Idaho. We really enjoyed staying with Grandma and Grandpa Anderson. Hayden even got a little time alone with them while Bret and I took a trip to Lagoon. It's a really fun amusement park near Salt Lake City Utah. Hayden is a great traveler and loved getting to know his new uncle Ross. We love visiting family and friends!!!
Bret started back to school and work the day after we got home. While we were gone he got transferred to a different Radio Shack. He likes his coworkers and manager and because of school he has been getting less hours which means less income. We take turns telling each other "it will be ok honey we pay our tithing so the Lord will provide". We are so grateful for all HE does for us!!!

Hayden keeps growing. The other morning I got him out of bed then went to the bathroom. Usually, I close the upstairs gate but I didn't because he followed me into the potty and I figured he would stay upstairs with me. He is really good at going up and down on his belly so when I heard movement on the stairs I didn't think much of it. I washed my hands and rounded the corner to find him standing up holding the railing and stepping down to the 5th stair from the top!! My heart stopped!!! I ran down to him to get after him. He just smiled like a big boy and reached for my hand we walked the rest of the stairs together. He is growing up too fast!!!
We just transferred from the Kalamazoo University Branch to Kalamazoo 2 ward because Hayden is now old enough to go to nursery. HE LOVES IT!!! He is really nice during Sacrament meeting then when it's over we ask "Do you want to go to class?" This last week he pushed Bret out of the way and almost ran to his class room.
Our 3rd wedding anniversary is the 25th of this month. Hayden will get to stay a couple of days with Grandma and Grandpa Gutgsell while Bret and I travel with the Neils to Ceder Point! Bret has never been and when I told him that was my plan he had that kid in a candy store look :) We all hope the weather is nice and the lines are not too long. Ohio here we come. Hayden better be nice to Grandma and Grandpa.

Monkey for a son

Tonight I had Hayden while Kari was off visiting teaching. When ever we put Hayden down to bed, we always read him a book or two before laying him down. He likes to climb up in his rocking chair and sit in it by himself while you read the book to him, and then he gets down and runs around his room too. I always try to beat him to the rocking chair so that I can sit in it to read his book and then he plays the up down game with me while I am reading his book. So tonight he beat me to the rocking chair and I decided to sit on the floor with my back leaning up against his crib. We always leave the bar down to his crib when we get him out of it and put it up after we lay him down for bed.
I was reading his book and Hayden decided to come sit on my lap, then after about 3 seconds of that he decided that he would turn around and give me a hug. Doing so he was facing his crib next thing I know he was climbing up me by stepping on my stomach to my chest and then to my shoulder. By this point he was high enough to put one leg over the bar and straddle it then continued on to the other side and kind of fell into his crib. After laying there for about 5 seconds in his crib he wanted back out but could not do so by himself. I was able to lift him out with out getting up and after I set him back on the floor he was back on me trying to climb up again. This time I stopped him because I was one page away from finishing the book, and wanted him to start settling down so that when the next time he did get in his crib it would be to go to bed.

Hayden loves Bret's cowboy hat!

This is my parents big oak tree in there back yard. Great for pictures.

Quite the little gentleman and so smart!

Hayden hanging out with Grandma VanZanten.

Cute cousins!!! Hayden wanted to hold Hannah so bad.

We love visiting Grandma Gutgsell's house! The crew included Madison, Me, Hayden, Sophia, Molly, Yasmin, Grandma and Cade.

My parents just got a new puppy named Molly. Hayden's best buddy.

Hayden loves Daddy and Puppy time!!!

We want a puppy.

Hayden and Grandpa Gutgsell. Best buddies!!!

Hayden is entertaining Mommy with his favorite instrument.

Perfect summer treat!!!

Buddies forever!!! Kari and Bret, Tyler and Desiree, Annalaura and Chris.

Sewing Project

My favorite Christmas present from Bret!!!

Bret's sister Kari is getting married on June 19th this summer!!! About a month ago she asked our other sister in-law and I to be 2 of her 3 bridesmaids! As everyone knows Bridesmaid dresses are quit pricey and to find a modest one is even more difficult and more expensive. So a modest professional bridesmaid dress was between $120 -$200 and could take up to 10 weeks to get it. Bret got me a sewing machine for Christmas and I have really been itching to make something but have not had time, energy or a real reason until now!!! I offered to find matching fabric and make our 2 dresses. I made my Temple dress about 7 years ago and a few skirts, pj pants and things since. I knew it would be fun but I forgot how quick and easy it is. I found the fabric which is really close to the same color and each dress only required a couple yards of fabric. The grand total for both of our dresses including fabric, pattern, thread, zippers and lining was $50.04 and it is taking me less than a week to complete the first one.
I got the first dress cut out and the bodice all put together in a day and a half. A few days later (when Bret was free again to occupy Hayden) I sewed the skirt together then onto the bodice and finally put in the zipper. I only need to finish the bottom hem which may take 5 minutes:)
My only concern was if I could get Jackie's dress done and mailed out to her in time for her to fit it for alterations and send it back to me to make it fit properly. All my worries were wiped away when I got her measurements. We are the same height and the same measurements in the fitted areas!!!
Thanks Kari and Jackie for giving me an excuse to use my sewing machine.
It's really nice to stand back and see what one can accomplish with love and support. Bret is so sweet watching me work and helping me where he can.

This is the pattern and what it is supposed to look like.

Steps 1-6 the bodice and the most difficult sections.

Second to last step or step #13 the zipper. Thanks to my moms wisdom not very difficult when you use tape.

Done except the bottom hem :)

Boy's and Mud

It has been so beautiful and warm (Ok barely in the 40's) for the last couple days that I haven't been able to resist taking Hayden out for his first walks of the year. He is such a big boy walking all by himself. Yesterday it was just him, Chloe and I and he held my finger so tight. It was great to watch him experience it all for the first time!!! Precious moments.
Today was another precious day. This week is Bret's Spring Break from Western and so we are enjoying many family hours together. Today Daddy led our family walk and he said no holding hands were necessary which means Hayden actually led the walk anywhere he wanted. We were just rounding our last corner a few doors from home when I saw a large mud puddle partly covering the sidewalk. Hayden was just far enough ahead of us that there was nothing we could do but watch him trip into the mud hands and face first.


Hayden had such a big day everything from mud puddles followed by wet splashy baths to shopping with Mommy and Daddy. We love family days!!!

Winter adventures!

Our best friends are Desiree and Tyler Neil. A couple weekends ago we went up north with them to visit with Desiree's family and their snowmobile's. Here is Hayden's 1st experience looking down from a second floor balcony. Just before we got the video camera he very slowly and cautiously approached the railing and tentatively looked over to find daddy waving hello. It was so cute to see him instinctively know that he was up high and needed to be careful. I made Bret get the camera and the video is what followed. The Woodman's are fully gutting and rebuilding the house while living in it so the ladder is the only access to the 2nd floor. Hayden had never seen a ladder before but just by watching all of us use it he was a pro by the end of our visit.
One evening half of us were relaxing in the living room while the other half were makeing dinner in the kitchen. I thought Hayden was in the kitchen with Desiree because I hadn't seen him for a little while so I went to check... He was not there! The search was on, I followed his trail of dropped toys and called his name to find him at the TOP of the ladder with the trap door closed!!! As I looked up at him in amazement and wonder, just stuck on the top ladder rung with no way down he looked back at me with those big eye saying "look what I can do!" I pulled him down and needles to say we put the ladder up when an adult was not using it.



Here is our wild child all ready for his first snowmobile ride! We love snow fun!

Hayden Walking for Grandma Colleen :)

My mom asked us to post videos of Hayden walking, so we found all that we could and put them together.

Hayden started walking on his own on Thanksgiving 2009 with just a couple of steps. This first video is on the 29th of November and the 5th of December.

These clips are on the day that we celebrated Hayden's birthday. These are more of him playing with his new toys then walking. Grandma and Grandpa Anderson were watching on the web cam from Twin Falls, Idaho.

This first clip is on Christmas day, and the other ones were just a few days ago. Uncle Darren dressed Hayden in the pink duck tape and bow which came from the presents we gave him for Christmas to go along with the other tools he received.

The first part of this video is dedicated to Brady Beck. Hope you enjoy!!!

Kari, Hayden, and I have just moved into a home. It is a town home with a lot more space, for all of Hayden's stuff that his grandparents keep giving him and cheaper rent. Here is some pictures of us moving and video of our new place with Hayden's favorite part of the house.

If there is one thing that I hate the most about moving people it is when they don't have anything packed so you have to not only move them but also pack up all of there stuff for them.

Kari and I started to pack our stuff up about 2 weeks before we were going to move and had no other place to put the boxes so we just started to stack them in the living room. This is the night before we started to moved, and their were a few boxes that we still had to pack that we still needed to use the next morning. Neither of us know how all of this fitted in our old apartment.

Hayden loved to get into the pots and pan cupboard, which was this one. He found the cupboard about 2 weeks before we were going to move so I never bothered to put safety locks on since we were leaving soon. As you can see he couldn't find any of his pots to play with.

I never did get around of getting a video of our old apartment, so here is the layout in case you were wondering what our place looked like.
Two-bedroom Apartment

• 879-927 square feet
• Gas for heating , cooking & hot water included
• Washer and dryer
• Dishwasher
• Central air conditioning
• Walk-in closet
• Private storage

This is our new place that we love!!! The one thing that I forgot to show in the video is our front door faces an elementary schools playground. Their is a fence in between, but their is a gate that I have seen from here to there but I have not gone over to see if their is a lock on it.

All utilities are the same as our old apartment were all we have to pay is rent and electricity!!! The only difference is the washer and dryer hookup and their is no dishwasher here.

Hayden found were we keep the pots and pans pretty quickly.



I didn't do it?!? Like father like son.

Normally it looks a lot worse then this. Like I mentioned in the video I have since put a safety lock on this cupboard.