Hanging out at Niabi Zoo...

Grandma and Grandpa Wing took the grand kids to the zoo for the day.  It was so much fun and Hayden got to experience a whole new world of animals.  She saw elephants, giraffes, gibbons, camels, zebras, bears, lions, kangaroos, parakeets, parrots, snakes, lizards, miniature horses and so much more.  Her favorite part was being able to hang out with her cousins and riding on the zoo train and the merry-go-round.  The train brought a smile to her face every time she saw it toot it's horn and drive by as we toured around the zoo.  It was a great adventure and she enjoyed every minute she got to spend with her cousins and Grandma and Papa at such an amazing zoo. 

The Happy Harvester....

Hayden was very happy to travel in our backyard to help Grandma Kathy pick some tomatoes from the neighborhood garden maintained and cared for by our nice neighbor Bud and his dog Casey.  She loved digging in the patch to look for the best "matoes" in the bunch.  The best tomatoes were picked for Papa Doug and G.G.  Hayden was a great little helper and I think Grandma enjoyed the extra help and showing Hayden how it is done.

The Crop Dusting Copter....

For days there has been a helicopter crop dusting fields around our area.  Hayden has discovered the helicopter and when she hears it over head she goes darting for the window to see if she can catch a glimpse of the pilot at work.

It just so happened she was eating dinner one night and the crop dusting helicopter was making it's rounds.  She enjoyed several minutes of watching the helicopter do it's work as it flew by over head.  I was glad to be able to capture her excitement on camera.

A mini pedi....

She already has a little fascination with her little toes, so I decided to give Little Miss Hayden her first pedicure.  She sat really still while mom painted her cute little toe nails in our bathroom. It only got a little messy, but she has admired her pink colored toes since.

The Clayton County Fair....

Hayden enjoyed her first experience at the Clayton County Fair.   The highlights of the trip were seeing the cows, sheep and chickens in their immaculate pens.  We even got her picture close to some rare doves and her eyes got as big as quarters when the roosters' would cock-a-doodle-doo....
Hayden even took the opportunity got to meet one of my student's FFA entries - up close and personal -to get her picture taken with mommy.  Everything was MOO - MOO - MOO after that.

Mom and Dad went to NYC....and all I got was a T!

But Hayden did get to stay with Grandma Vicki and Papa Mike!  She had a great time there playing with cousins Grace and TJ, Rylee Jo, Taylor and Millie. She loved Grandma's eskimo kisses and endless attention. Grandma Vicki even took Hayden to story hour at the Library.  She got to play some African drums and the most fun of all... run the long hallways.

While Mom and Dad are away....Hayden will play

Hayden's Aunt Missy came for a weekend for a little quality time while mommy and daddy met up with some friends in Chicago for the weekend.  The two spent a lot of time catching up and had a weekend full of excitement with a lot of play time.

Hayden kept Aunt Missy very entertained....or was it... Aunt Missy did a lot of the entertaining?❀?  The two  played with blocks, went on several walks outside, drew with sidewalk chalk, jumped on the bed, did the hokey pokey with Elmo, visited grandma and papa, and so much more.  In addition the two girls had some unexpected excitement along the way.  Right away Saturday morning, within a few hours, Finn managed to puke on the carpet twice, and lock Hayden and himself in the Tahoe while it was running and Aunt Missy was on the outside looking for a solution.  Hayden was stuck in her swing as Missy tried to figure out the tricky straps, and finally Missy had to change a dirty diaper that would have made Andy proud. ✿


So much for a little R and R and catching up on her doctorate work....☺

Missy's candids, highlights and recaps of the weekend brought many smiles our faces. She did an amazing job with Hayden and I know Hayden enjoyed every minute of their time together.  Andy and I were very grateful for the time away and appreciated knowing she was in such good hands.  A BIG THANK YOU to Auntie Misslissa.♡We love you very much.♡

 

✮✮Experiencing Garnavillo in all her Glory✮✮

This year Hayden got the full experience on Garnavillo's Independence Day celebration.  The weekend was full of activities and Hayden Elizabeth did a great job of keeping up.  On July 3rd, Hayden went to her first Teddy Bear Parade in the park.  Grandma and Papa Reimer were there to cheer Hayden on as she paraded in her wagon that was pulled by one of her favorite babysitters Cora Lawrence.  Her honorary guest in the wagon was her long time buddy Caleb Lawrence.

The 4th of July's day started with a 5k.  Grandma and Papa Reimer participated in the 5k with Hayden and me, while daddy helped organize the event. If mommy would have let her run, I think Hayden would have!  

Shortly after the race, Hayden and I headed to the parade where she met up with mommy and daddy's friends and her play mates. She waited for daddy to drive by in the Dollars for Scholars float and soaked it all in.  There were miles of tractors, horses, firetrucks and plenty of candy and Flavor-Ice for everyone.  Papa Mike and Grandma Vicki met up with us during the parade and Papa Mike helped Hayden wave her flag as the parade passed! Hayden loved the floats with any kind of music. She danced and marched by the curb where she sat.  However, she wasn't a big fan of all the loud sirens and horns on the firetrucks, but still couldn't seem to take her eyes off of them. ☺

After the parade we headed to the park to watch the CR dance team perform and circulate the tents of food and activities.  Hayden just wanted to watch rather than participate at this point. Then we met up with her cousins and Art and Ashley.  She was happy to show Millie, Taylor, and Rylee Jo the ropes.  But nap time arrived to quickly, but she had to nap if we were going to make the Garnavillo's fireworks show.

Osborne Nature Center....

Hayden had her first trip to the area nature center.  The small center had a lot to offer little Miss Hayden Elizabeth, but she had more fun traveling from exhibit A to exhibit Z.  She got to see a bobcat, a grey wolf, a bald eagle, a brown bear, a mountain lion, a red fox, white tailed deer, a raccoon, snakes, turtles, and the flowers in the Osborne Arboretum.  Even though she wasn't too interested in the animals, the grey wolf would have enjoyed having Hayden for lunch.  He paced and barked at her as she came near and never went too far from where she was. 

Her first Happy Meal....

A definite benefit of living in the Villo is it is in a location that provides very little opportunity for "fast food" experiences.  At nearly 20 months....Hayden's first fast food / pop culture experience was a Chicken Nugget Happy Meal from McDonalds.  She was a little apprehensive about the chicken nuggets, but tackled two of them.  Her most favorite was the french fries!  She loved them.  What amazes me is she is a pretty fickle eater but she took to the fries right off the bat.  I guess that is the unbelievable magic of McDonalds and the hold it has over all of us.

As we pulled into the drive through, Andy couldn't help himself to point out the two McDonalds workers who have had a quite a few too many Happy Meals.  As they were sitting outside taking a smoke break Andy made sure he taught the risks of eating too many Happy Meals.  Always a great dad..taking moments  to teach his daughter about "real life experiences."  ☺ Happy Father's Day!

  

For Hayden's memory...

Although Hayden had limited moments and time with Great Grandma Donna, I want her to have a memory of who she was and how much she meant to our family. "GG Donna" (as referred to by Hayden) had so much love to give and always had her own way of sharing her love with each of us. We will miss the way she made us smile with her feisty personality and spirit. We are saddened that she is gone, but GG Donna will always be remembered with love.

I'm Free

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm Free,
I'm following the path God laid for me.
I took his hand when I heard him call,
I turned back and left it all.
I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way.
I've found peace at the close of the day.
If my parting has left a void,
then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Ah, yes these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much,
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me,
God wanted me now; He set me free.

Donna Marie Cornish was born on September 19, 1929 in Maquoketa, Iowa, to Buren R. "Brownie" and Laura Anna (Wirth) Cornish. She was a 1947 graduate of Elwood High School and then attended Cosmetology School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She married Harlan Bartels on October 2, 1949 in Elwood, Iowa. He preceded her in death.

Donna was a homemaker and then worked for the Clinton County Department of Human Services as a case worker in the General Relief office from 1972 until retiring in 1998.

Donna was a member of the Elwood United Methodist Church. She was a collector and was an avid Iowa Hawkeyes fan.

Donna is survived by her children, Vicki (Mike) Wing of Maquoketa, IA, Brent (Beth) Bartels of Olathe, KS and Brad (Beth) Bartels of Cedar Rapids, IA; a brother, Benjamin (Betty) Cornish of Phoenix, AZ; 8 grandchildren - Joshua David, Mindy Marie, Seth Andrew, Jesse Arthur, Aaron Michael, Kara Elizabeth, Emily Amanda, and Jacob Harlan - and 6 great-grandchildren: Grace Ann, Thomas Joseph, Rylee Jo, Taylor Anne, Hayden Elizabeth, and Millie Harlan.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

A, B, Cs with Hayden Elizabeth......

Hayden has been working hard at recognizing the letters of the alphabet.  Hayden has nearly the whole alphabet down and has fun learning with her jumbo magnet letters.

Learning body parts....

The favorite body part on her and others at this time is the"belly butt"........  She's not afraid to go searching for it either.....

Easter in Galena.....

It has been a long time Sondergard tradition to have Easter in the Galena Territories, and this year was Hayden's first trip to peaceful Galena.  During the long Easter weekend we all had an opportunity to catch up with family and have some peace and quiet and R & R.

There were many great highlights to Hayden's first trip to the Territories.  To start Hayden love most of all an opportunity to spend time with her cousins Caeley (KiKi) and Keegan.  As always, they were so good to her and she tried her best to keep up with the two of them.  She enjoyed every minute with Aunt Missy, Uncle Chris as well.  They are always so fun, loving and caring and Hayden is very grateful to have them in her life.

Another favorite memory was having an opportunity to see and continue to get to know the Wenstrand cousins and Great Aunt Karen and Great Uncle Tom.  Hayden gave her best self and provided endless entertainment with her wit and charm ;)  It was really neat to see Mommy Marne and Hayden's "Babe" Tony!  Hayden is so very excited to welcome Baby Alex into the Sondergard family.  He will be a lucky little boy and loved by all.

While the women were away celebrating Baby Alex's summer arrival at the Goldmoor Inn and the boys were off in the city enjoying the social scene, Grandpa Doug took charge with the help of Cousin Keegan.  Together the two of them took Hayden under their wing and enjoyed a day at the house.  Hayden loved every minute of it and I think the two boys did an amazing job of keeping her happy and content! Even when it came to dirty diapers! ☺

Also what was really amazing is the Easter bunny knew how to find Hayden, Caeley and Keegan in Galena! The Bunny was so thoughtful and generous.  He left a bunch of candy and a very animated singing giggly duck! Hayden just loves that little duck...

"OH MY....THE EASTER BUNNY FOUND ME!"