Happy Birthday Old Man!

Tomorrow is Mike's 30th birthday...so I thought I would do a quick post. We had a party for him last Friday. It was supposed to be a surprise, but Miss Aldyn ended up sick, so I had to spoil the surprise. We still had the party, and it was a good time. Thank goodness for Grandma Karen...she came to the rescue and sat with Aldyn for a while so I could go to the party. Thank you! We'll celebrate more tomorrow by watching the Husker volleyball team play in Omaha and I'm sure we'll eat at Mike's favorite place - Chili's. Happy birthday to a wonderful husband and father - we love you!!

She's Up To No Good

BUSTED!

Aldyn hasn't been too interested in the Christmas trees, but yesterday she discovered the mini tree and had some fun exploring and pulled it over a couple of times.

We're working on "no", but it doesn't seem to be too effective yet...

This morning I was getting ready to go Christmas shopping, so had my wallet laying on the floor, Aldyn helped herself and pulled out a credit card.

That's my girl!

In Memory of Grandma Marge

There's going to be a void at the Hadley Thanksgiving this year. Mike's precious Grandma Marge passed away early Tuesday morning, and we miss her so. She was an amazing woman...kind, loving, humble, gracious, funny, hard-working, and the list could go on. She loved Jesus, so I can only imagine the celebration that she is enjoying today! No more pain, no more oxygen, instead a new and perfect body to enjoy! She was a blessing to all of us, and we will continue to miss her, but today we're thankful that she's feasting in Heaven. Above is my favorite picture of her and Aldyn...it was so fun to watch her face light up whenever we brought little Aldyn into the room. We love and miss you Grandma Marge!!

New Tricks

...A little update of what Aldyn is up to at 8 months old...

*Shakes her head no, and sometimes she really means it, but most of the time it's just for fun.

*Waves bye-bye, it's pretty random, but once in a while she does it at the appropriate time.

*Gets excited and rubs her hands together in an attempt to clap...so precious!

*And this morning I turned around to see her crawling toward the remote! She's been working on this for a while, so we knew it wouldn't be long, but I still couldn't believe my eyes. My world is about to change...again! I definitely need to start baby-proofing the house! She doesn't go far unless she has motivation like the tv remote or the phone...things that are normally off-limits :)

Sooo, I took some video and I'm hesitant to even post it. But for the family that won't see her for a while, I thought I would share. Just ignore my dorky narration. Is there anything more annoying than listening to yourself on video....I don't think so. These aren't real good quality because I just took them with our digital camera, and whenever I get it out to capture the moment, she stops what she's doing and just stares at me, but you'll get the idea.

You've probably noticed that my background on the blog is ever-changing...still searching for the perfect look, but can't quite find it...so bear with me.

Have a great weekend!! Aldyn and I are going to Ashland tomorrow with my good friend Michelle, so see our other good friend and someone who has been a mentor to both of us, Judy Brower. I'm super excited because I haven't seen her in forever, and Michelle and I always have fun chatting while we drive. And if I know us, we'll have to squeeze in a little shopping. I think it's actually illegal to drive by Lincoln without stopping to check out some stores :)

Family Time

Kids on the annual mini-hayrack ride with Grandpa Frank and Grandma Karen last Sunday.

The weather was perfect...we roasted hot dogs afterward...my personal favorite was the smores!

At my Aunt Mary's for my Grandma's birthday brunch. She's so special to our family, a great example of what it means to be a humble servant. My cousins Melissa and Haley in this pic and the great grandkids that were there; Connor, Addi, Cade & Aldyn. We always have a good time when we get together.My cousin Melissa with Aldyn and her baby girl, Addison. They are just 2 months apart.
I thought this was a precious picture :)

She's a treat!

Aldyn and I went to Wallace to visit for a few days this week and had a great time. The weather was amazing, and it was just fun to have time at home. My parents are in the middle of corn harvest, so my mom and I took turns on the combine. She got to spend some quality time with Aldyn, which was good for all of us! I never thought I would say this, but I have discovered that I love helping with harvest...oh how my life has changed! One of the reasons that I've enjoyed it so much is probably that I'm only out there for a few hours at a time, and then I get a break. Unfortunately, that's not the case for my dad or my husband...or most farmers out there. Anyway, it just feels good to get out of the house. We came home yesterday in time for trick-or-treating, after stopping in North Platte to see a couple of my good friends.
Obviously, Aldyn had no idea what was going on, but it sure was fun for me and Mike. I bought her costume years ago, before we even thought about having kids. It was on sale after Halloween and I couldn't resist. Mike made fun of me big time, but it was super cheap. We were both shocked that it fit and she got to use it. We're still debating what it's supposed to be...it has ears and a tail...maybe a kitty? I think we finally settled on the pink panther...but who even cares...it was cute and warm. We hit the neighbors' house, and then went in to Christian Homes, where Mike's Grandma Marge lives. They have all of the residents hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters. Then we went to Grandma & Grandpa Hadley's with the rest of the clan. Karen made a pumpkin haunted house, and some very clever treats. We had a great time, and one tired girl bythe time we got home.

Mom & I had to dress her up and take a few pictures before we left Wallace.

Hadley cousins with Great Grandma Marge at Christian Homes.
Gunnar was Batman, Skylar a gymnast, and Carter was Ironman.

All worn out.

Happy Halloween!

I will post more pictures soon...hope you all have a good evening of trick-or-treating!

We are NOT happy about this weather!!

A Family Effort

What happens when it's October 20th, there's still a lot of corn in the field, the forecast is calling for rain, and the guys are desperate for help? That's right, they recruit their wives. Usually, my contribution to harvest is a meal now and then, and the occasional ride from one field to another. But today was a little different than the norm. Mike said they needed help, so Aldyn and I loaded up and went out to the field. He gave me a lesson on how to run the combine, took Aldyn with him in the graincart and off we went. Aldyn rode with her daddy for a while, and then Aunt Debi, Carter and Gunnar came to rescue her (thank you!) and they went and played and put her down for a nap. After supper we went out again for a while, until Aldyn got tired, she was such a trooper. All in all, it went pretty well. It felt good to help out a little, and I definitely have a renewed respect for my husband, and all of the other farmers in our family and everywhere else! They are master multi-taskers and they work super hard. Mike & Craig are still at it as I write this and plan on going until it rains...

Daddy & Aldyn heading to the field
A new perspective...since I couldn't take a picture of myself in the combine, I took one of my view from the cab.

UPDATE: Baby Timothy is coming home from Denver today!! Thank you for your prayers, and please continue to pray for their family as being at home will bring new adjustments and challenges, I'm sure.

Oops, she did it again!

No, I'm not kidding... Jayde had puppies, again! For those of you who are asking, yes we do know what causes this, and yes we do plan on getting the poor girl fixed as soon as she's able. But in the mean time we will, once again, be looking for homes for our little pups...perfect Christmas gifts
for your kids!! :) I'm just sure they'll go quickly,
so you better get your name on one now! haha

Here are a few other random pictures...
Aldyn out for a stroll on one of the days when it wasn't raining...






And a couple of pics of her trying out the high chair for the first time...her favorite toy lately is any plastic bottle that she can get her hands on!

Harvest has come to a halt with all of this rain...which is bittersweet. I love it that Mike is around more, but it's just delaying the inevitable...so we're glad to see the sun today, and hopefully things will dry out soon so they can get back at it!

Prayers for baby Timothy!!

Hi all -

This entry is simply a prayer request. My college roommate and good friend gave birth to a baby boy on Monday evening. They moved her scheduled c-section up due to low amniotic fluid. Due to the low fluid, underdeveloped lungs, and a possible infection before birth, her baby boy, Timothy Allen, has been having trouble breathing on his own. They treated him in their hometown hospital for a couple of days, but early this morning they airlifted him to Denver. This family needs our prayers. They also have two little girls at home. I ask that you lift this precious little one and his family up to our merciful Father!

Thank you!

Too Cute to Spook

Happy October!
Thanks for this cute onesie Aunt Debi!


















Here's a pic from today - who needs toys???

First Combine Ride

It's that time of year again, already! It seems nearly impossible that a year has passed since last harvest. Mike & I were just talking about a day last year when he was desperate for a grain cart driver and somehow he managed to sweet talk me into coming out and helping him for a little while. I was just a few months pregnant, and at that point it felt like it would be forever until our babe would arrive. So it almost seems surreal that Aldyn is here and just went for her first spin in the combine. We took supper to the field tonight, and Mike was just finishing up, so we rode with him for the last round through the field. She was mesmerized, and seemed to enjoy watching the head go round and round. I'm sure this is the first of many rides to come, be it in the combine, tractor, semi or whatever. If we want to see Mike this time of year - this is what we'll have to do. But it's a fun change of pace and will get us out of the house for a while. I have many fond memories of riding with my dad growing up. He was always so patient, and would let me come out in my dress up clothes, carting along my strawberry shortcake pillow. I would entertain him for awhile by singing into a long lever (it made a perfect microphone) before I would crash behind the seat for a nap....yep, Aldyn is lucky to be a farm girl :)

Dedication Day

This weekend was a busy one, but very special for us. We chose to have Aldyn dedicated at church yesterday. Really, it was more for us than for her :) It's basically a commitment on our part to raise Aldyn to know Jesus and teach her about him. Our prayer is that she will one day make the choice to accept Him as her personal Savior, and choose to follow and serve Him. We were blessed to have so many of our family members there, as well as lots of friends and our church family. We know that we can't do this on our own, so we're thankful to have so many people that love Aldyn and will help us in raising her and showing her what it means to love Jesus. Most importantly, I know there are a host of people who have been and will continue to pray for her as she grows. This is the greatest gift she can be given!

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give her to the Lord. For her whole life she will be given over to the Lord."

1 Samuel 1:27-28

Life Is Good

Aldyn is 6 months old already! Before she was born everyone told me how fast she would grow, and I now I believe it! She's sitting up, has one tooth and is working on another one, weighs 15 pounds, and is just a joy to have around. She lights up our world with her easy smiles. As my grandma would say, what a precious lamb! She's babbling more and more, and within the last couple days has started saying dadada, etc. We love it...even though we know it doesn't mean anything at this point. I'm pretty sure it makes Mike's day whenever he hears it :) Aldyn definitely lights up when he comes home in the evening and is happy to have some time with her daddy. I feel so blessed, and even though there are stressful moments, I'm not sure life could get much better.

Here are some recent pictures. Aldyn and I went to Wallace last weekend for the annual Fall Festival. This is probably the event of the year out there, and lots of people go home for it. Wallace is such a neat little town, and a was wonderful place to grow up. I'm always amazed when I go back just how much people are care and are invested in our lives even though I've been away from home for almost 12 years. It was lots of fun to see friends and catch up a little bit. We took in the parade, BBQ, demolition derby and community church service. My sister, Mollie, was able to be home too, and it was awesome to spend some time with her and my parents.

Making Time

When I decided to resign from teaching and be a full-time mom, I envisioned myself finally having more of a quiet, spiritual time at some point during the day. I haven't done it. I've bought books, made promises to God and myself, but I'm ashamed to admit that I always let something else take priority. I have a strong desire to grow, and keep realizing that I need Jesus more than ever. So, not really knowing where to start, but feeling motivated after our mom's group this morning, I busted out one of those books that I ordered a couple of months ago. It's full of ideas about how to pray throughout the day....there's a poem at the end of the chapter that I thought I would share. I know that I have it pretty easy right now, with just my little, easy-going, six month old to care for. Life is only going to get more busy for me, so I'm determined to make time for God now. I was thinking of all you gals with 2,3,4 + kids when I read this as well...enjoy!

"chaos prayer"

Lord, in the chaos of the morning routine, may I find myself clear in you, your love, joy, peace, and patience.

When everything is screaming urgently for my attention, may my ear be attuned to your "still, small voice."

When my body is going at a frantic pace, may you keep my spirit in tune with the rhythmic beat of your heart of love and my soul refreshed with your wonderful breath of life.

When I let go of my children day by day, may you hold on tighter and tighter to this child of yours.

Thank you, Abba; I love you, and I desperately need you.

from Prayer Starters for busy moms, by Tracy Klehn

6 Month Pictures

Homecoming '08

Aldyn & I went into town for the Duster Homecoming Festivities this afternoon. Holdrege does it up right with a parade, followed by a pep rally. The weather wasn't great, but at least it wasn't raining! My cousins and aunt were in the parade, so I snapped a few pictures to share with our family that checks the blog...

Our favorite queen candidate!
Annie marching w/ the middle school band
One of those bald heads is Rob's
Aunt Beth with the other football moms on their float
taking it all in

Great Grandma Elaine was there for the fun too
The Seniors shaved the Sophomores heads on Thursday night. His parents were still willing to pose for a picture with him :) Aldyn & Brynn