Jayden Vacation

This weekend was all about Jayden since he was such a good boy for us on our family vacation a few weeks ago.  We didn't do anything great grand and wonderful but Jayden seemed to really enjoy himself.  We started out by going to the Hogle Zoo, which sadly quite a few animals were gone since they are about to do some major contruction for a new exhibit type thing.  Gonna be pretty cool once its done, which they say not until spring 2012 so we might not go for a while after this.  Anyways, Jayden really really liked the monkey's. He would giggle and point and just stared at the monkeys.

seriously seemed like it was trying to escape

He really knows how to ham it up for sure.

 Later that afternoon we headed to the Living Planet Aquarium where Jayden had a lot more fun there.  He was oooohig and awwwing the whole time, running around and giggling.  Its a pretty neat place really, they have the penguin exhibit now and its not really busy so Jayden could just run wild. 

He wasn't too thrilled about sitting on the frog...things he'll do for mom and a picture.

Priceless faces...love it

We just did a little shopping and found the children's store Carters where they were having a huge sale and so Jayden scored on some pretty stinking clothes.  All in all we had a fun weekend and Jayden did amazingly well even with the fact that he didn't have a nap the entire day.  My little boy is growing up and it kills me...but he is sure getting fun and funnier everyday.  Just like his dad, a little Batty :)

Random August Pics

 I know, I know...what a slacker right.  My defense is simple, i don't have internet at home and using just my blackberry is a pain in the butt so blogging only happens every few months.  Besides this is my blog/scrapbook (at least as close as it'll get to one) so when it happens is when it happens. so over the next few posts I'll be updating from back in July and currently.  Assuming my attention can last that long. :)

A couple of weekends ago we were able to go Brandon's family reunion, I didn't take a lot of pictures of everyone but I did get a few of Jayden (of course) and Brandon.

However this year a new tradition has begun.  I don't know if many of you will know or understand the massive post outbreak on the hubby's facebook  about a simple comment about pie.  Simple comment led to Zombie infestations, to zombie pies and leading us to a feast of pies at the reunion ( post count was well over 100, crazy batty's).  Batty family is exactly what their name implies :) Sadly didn't get any pics of the amount of pies but i think we had around 12 or so pies.  I'm sure years to come that number will definitely grow.

Great-Grandpa Batty enjoying his pie right out of the tin...smart man.

The pies waiting for the onslaught.

Mmmmmmmm...pie

 

Such a Daddy's boy

Add caption

Cheesing it up

Needles to say the grass was tall.

I do have to add in the awesomeness of Jaydens attempt at catching a chicken. He starting to not to be so scared of them ugly birds

Simplot Summer Family Party

For as long as I can remember I've been able to go up to (currenlty named) Simplot Phosphate mine. For those of you who don't know where its it, its on the way to Flaming George and right after them fun switch backs you can see the mine to the side of the road.  Any way my Dad as worked up there for...i want to say 32 years..(for as long as i've been alive for sure) and so its always been part of my life going up to see everything and climb up on the machines. Now that the hubby works up there its even funner to continue on the tradition and take our family up there now.

Usually these parties are held at the naples park but this year they did it on actual mine property was pretty cool.  This year Brandon couldn't make it since he was on a camp with his scout group up to Kings Peak. Which as soon as we get pics i'll update and let him tell about it. Anyway, Me and Jayden went up with my mom and brother tyler with his girlfriend jadon (funny huh, two jaydens in the family just spelled differetly, which while she's around my jayden becomes Bubba...it works and he answers to it.)  it was pretty fun they had a mini carnival there with a bunch of blow up slides and obstacle course and they brought down a big Haul truck and Loader for the the family to see and climb on. 

Jayden Loved the train ride, he would of stayed on it forever if we didn't have to eat!

My brother ty taking him through a tunnel, needless to say Jayden didn't have much fun in that one.

He did however have fun on this huge slide, even got mom to go down it.

Picture of J man inside the tire of the Haul Truck.

Just an idea of the size of the truck Jayden is sitting in the tire of.

Climbing up the loader with Grandma

Big Cheesers when he made it to the top

I didn't get a picture of the actual loader but the picture is the same kind they have.

Mesa Verde Vacation

The end of July we headed down to Mesa Verde, Colorado for a Batty Family Vacation.  Brandon's sister was awesome and found a very awesome rental house that all 16 people could fit in.  It amazes me that, that many people in a small house could get a long so well.  Well the kids had their squabbles but that's what you get with 5 kids fighting for a attention.

The back view of the house.

View from the back of the house.

The drive down was pretty awesome, we came down through Grand Junction and through Telluride and can i just say that was a gorgeous drive but a little unnerving at times. Those who know the Million Dollar Highway then they have an idea of how that drive went. It wouldn't of been so bad except it rained on us the whole through. Either way it was a beautiful drive. I was kinda excepting a lot more desert type stuff, like vernal area, boy was I wrong.

I didn't take any pictures but this was definitely a view we saw from the highest part of the road.

Did I mention gorgeous

For those of you that haven't heard of Mesa Verde (like me before we went) then I'll fill you in. Mesa Verde is a national park in mostly CO, AZ, NM and UT. Its main appeal is the Stone Dwellings which were pretty neat. Amazing that people back then could build such pretty complex structures.

 

 

 

 

 Those are just a few of the dwellings we saw.  I sadly didn't take much of the towns that were around were we stayed, like Mancos, Cortez or Durango. OH well it was a fun trip.

Jayden loved the pack that we were able to borrow

Can't really tell but Jayden, Grandpa B and cousin Brielle were having a sword fight with grass.  Pretty fun to watch. Jayden was giggling pretty good.

 He sure does love his daddy and if Jayden looks tired then you would be right.  The whole time we were down there Jayden seemed little off and come to find out he was actually pretty sick, one of the nights we thought we'd have to go to the hospital since he was burning up and crying and wouldn't eat...ended up getting better on his own but he sorta spread the love of sick to others...sorry everyone.  For how sick J man was, he was sure the trooper and did really well on the long drive and everything.

We sadly didn't get to make it to the four corners site since it was under construction and stuff, but I think when Jayden is a bit older we'll make it back down there.
On the drive back we came home through Moab and can i just tell you if Brandon was  eager to take a vacation to Moab before he definetly is super stoked for the day we go down to Moab and really visit it.  He was like a kid in a candy store...granted it was for all the off-road trails but either way it was funny.

4th of July 2010

This year for 4th of July we were pretty laid back really. Since the fireworks were on Sunday we went to church of course and did the awesome Sunday naps and then headed to an awesome BBQ and my mom and dads house. Of course i didn't get any pictures but nothing really exciting happened so no matter.
Later that night we of course headed up to the ball fields to stake our claim for the fireworks. We ate tons of junk food and drank way too much caffeine but it was way worth it.....

He was all smiles until the actual fireworks started. Can i just say a total and complete meltdown. It was crazy last year he fell asleep during it and wasn't scared of much then this year that first loud boom sent him shaking and screaming. We ending up go to the smiths parking lot and sitting in the car where we could see it and he couldn't really see or hear it and it went okay. I just thought he was tired and just grumpy. The next day we decided to just do a few our own fireworks we had bought. Everything scared him, even the smoke bombs. I sure hope this is just a weird stage since the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. Please oh please let it just be a scaredy-cat phase.

The next day was the 4th parade combined with the rodeo parade. Jayden is starting to get into them a bit, wasn't sure about the loud obnoxious firetruck that just wouldn't give it a rest but he did love the licorice and hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa R.

He LOOOOVES gummie worms

and he loves licorice, only red kind though

Can ya tell his cheeks are full of gummie worms :)

Either way it was a fun 4th and laid back and was able to hang out with one of my brothers and his fiance and little girl so it was pretty fun. Jayden seemed to enjoy playing with this future cousin at least

Jayden(19 months) and soon to be cousin Tara (3 years). He's a big kid, she's not much bigger than him really.  Gonna have a big boy on my hands i'm afraid