Christmas Programs

Drew had his preschool program! He did all the actions didn't sing much.
Brianna was quite the little singer.
Abi's first band concert. She is playing the clarinet. They played pretty well.

Christmas in Chicago

We had a good time in Chicago. Girls trip, Grandma, Amy, Sara, Roanna, Abi, Clara and Brianna
We went to the Lego store, saw the Macy windows and went out for pizza. Next day, swimming and then home. Whew! Quick trip.

Red Neck Christmas

Sometime we do things because we don't have time or the money but come on this year we hung the stockings on a piece of yarn with paper clips! Do you think Santa will honor that?

ThanksGiving

We have so much to be Thankful for... We had a nice relaxing day at home. Mitch and Abi with Drew's help made the turkey. It was the best ever. We ate just as a family, watched the parade, took a nap. The inlaws came up later and we had lots of good pie and played some dominoes.
The way Thanksgiving should be. Drew said, Daddy are we going to carve the roast beast?
too much Grinch?

Drew and Brianna Pictures

Brianna is in the 1st grade this year. She likes to take math time tests and read. She still loves to play games. She still loves to dress-up and play barbies.
Drew has grown so much in the last few months. He loves school and playing in the mud. He still loves his trains and now eats all the time :)

Halloween

Clara is a vampire!
Drew and Brianna are pink and blue power rangers.
We went trick-or-treating at the nursing home on Thursday night and then on Saturday night we went into New Carlisle with our friends. It was cold Drew and Bri quit early but we still got lots of candy!!

Pumpkin Patch

I went with Drew's preschool to the pumpkin patch. We had fun riding in the haywagon and picking out a pumpkin. Drew grabbed the first one he could find. On the way home, all he could talk about was cutting his pumpkin. At home, he got out a table knife and was going to do it himself. When Mitch got home they craved the pumpkin. Drew is tasting raw pumpkin!

Clara's Birthday

Clara has always wanted an overhead projector. Mom and Dad found this one when they were moving. I asked if she knew what is was and she said "a smartboard"..... I told her it was an old-fashion one :) They have had so much fun with it. It is incentive to get all the homework and chores done at night.
Clara had a slumber party with friends. They had pizza, played games and giggled alot!!

Signs your kids are growing up

Sometimes we miss the little clues that our kids are growing older. I do dream of the day when they are all in school but fear I will miss the little things.
Signs:
Abi is going to her first dance and the football game and her parents are not
Clara is having a slumber party and wrote a book about what they would eat and play
Drew is refusing to take naps and prefers to be outside working with his dad and goes right into preschool without saying good-bye to mom
Brianna well she is showing signs the other way around so we won't talk about her :)

I guess you know that the time for kids to be indepedent is coming it just gets here so fast!

Drew's First Day @ Preschool

Drew didn't cry Mom cheered as she drove away. and he told me they played, ate snack and read a story. Not a bad first day!!

Firsts

Some exciting firsts in the Hooton household.....
Abigail got her ears pierced and Brianna lost both her top teeth!

End of Summer

Things have been busy! We started school Abi 6th, Clara 4th, Brianna 1st, froze alot of corn, had two birthdays Drew #4 and Abi #12. The tomotoes are just now starting to get ripe and Kids Klub will start next week.

Colorado Trip

Pictures #4: Garden of the gods - colorado springs
Picture #3: Hooton's at the royal gourge
Picture #2: Hooton kids hiking and climbing rocks
Picture #1: Resort in rocky mountains - Mountain that Mitch, Dave and Joel climbed

To recap the week:
Sunday: Left home at 5 am, gave Drew chocolate milk around 6:30, 7:00 Drew throws up chocolate milk, eat breakfast at Cracker Barrell, drive then Drew throws up again, Clara crying her ear hurts, Abi coughing alot, get to hotel and go swimming

Monday: take girls to medpoint, Clara ear infection, Abi broncitis, get meds and Drew some dramine, Drive to Julesburg, CO, spending night with great uncle Ralph and great aunt Shirley

Tuesday: drive to Tiny Town Colorado, ride trains and see small village, drive to Palmer lake

Wednesday: Garden of the gods and Focus on the family, stay in house by Ken and Brenda's

Thursday: Royal Gorge

Friday: hiking behind Ken and Brenda's house, drive to reunion, 33 miles into the rocky mountains

Sat: Reunion about 40 people there, hike, play in the stream, eat, take pictures

Sunday: leave around 1 pm I cry :( drive alot and spend night in hotel

Monday: Drive and drive some more finally make it home!

Cedar Point

Mitch and Abi went with the youth group to Cedar Point. Abi is in the picture with her friend Abby. Mitch said he got sick on the first ride and was wiped out by 4:00! Abi had fun rode most of the rides, ate $7.50 dip in dots, and said rapture was her favorite ride. The weather was perfect! Longest line was around hour. next year I get to go!

Fun in July

In spite of the cooler weather and not really swimming, we have been having a fun July. The middle girls play "journey" outside for hours. Not sure exactly what it is but they pack backpacks full of stuff and set up shop outside. I will try and get a picture this week. Drew tags along most of the time. Abi is sleeping in most mornings and has been a big help this summer, watching her brother and sisters, picking the garden and yes doing the dishes which she hates. I just tell her I had to wash and dry the dishes not just unload them. Yesterday went to see high school musical the play in michigan city. It was well done. The leads were college kids and they could actually sing pretty well. the whole last week the kids went to vbs every night. They did a market place, an underground church and had tents for bible story time. This week we will be getting ready for the big trip (leaving next Sunday), Abi and Mitch are going to cedar point on Tuesday with the youth group, it is the big home town days of NC, lots of garage sales to go to, parade and a photobooth on Sat night. Want to come to my house :)

Birthdays

July has flown right by and I know we are half way through the summer when my birthday gets here. Decided not to do anything today, no stress, no running around, just lawn chair, diet dr. pepper, a new book and the kids leaving me alone. Can't ask for more than that.
Got a new coffee pot it is the fancy stainless kind with the thermal pot. Should be making some good coffee in the morning. Enjoying dropping the kids off at vbs this week. not having to help.
have the vacation plans all set. so the next week should be busy busy. but we love it.

Ohio Lake House

The kids and I (mitch had to work) got to go to my sister Karla's new lake house in Apple Valley.
My other sister Sara and my brother Joel were there too. I met my new neice Lily for the first time what a cutie. We had a great time swimming, eating, riding the boat and getting thrown off the tube (Ok that was just me :)
Can't wait to go back...

Brianna summer sports

our little Brianna is turning into quite the athlete. she played t-ball, basketball and took swimming lessons this June.

You know it is summer when.......................................

You can wake up before the kids
you can't get the kids in bed before 10 pm
kids need baths every night
you catch toads outside
the garden is growing
playing outside
playing school
kids we are bored and you offer housework for them to do
eating smores by the fire pit
grilling out at least 3 times a week
popsicles

What would you add to the list??

Abi end of an era

Abi graduated from 5th grade this year! Middle school here we come! She got awards for being on A/B honor roll all year, sports awards, choir and young astronauts.

Summer Fun already

We have been having some summer already. The big tractor was parked next to our house in the field. Of course, Drew had to go look at it. I took the kids to the zoo on memorial day. It was the best time the animals were all awake. Mitch decided to hand a tree swing for the kids. It is really high and boy do they swing!! Should provide plenty of entertainment this summer.

I want to go too.

We drove past a cemetery today and Clara started this conversation about death and heaven. Drew found out that all his sisters were going to heaven and he wanted to go too. I said do you want to ask Jesus into your heart. He said yes and repeated the prayer with me. Yeah!!

The Tree Hit Me

This is what happens when a tree hits you!! from Drew

Power Rangers

My son lives in this costume! Sleeps, fights and plays! At least he knows what color it is!

Garage sale find

Sometime you go to garage sales and all you find is junk. This year at the local neighbor sale we found a treasure. Gameboys (the older version) for $5 each. We had been looking on ebay and they are still selling for $40+ so we got two plus games for $10! This is all they did all weekend.
Should make summer trips more enjoyable! (for mom and dad :)

Brianna is 6

Brianna turned 6 on April 17th. We had her party that night. We had pizza and sherbert punch.
The theme was Barbie of course. Look at the cake made by.......... Mitch. I made the frosting but he made the cake and decorated it. She got two barbies, barbie car, barbie pool, little pet shop cat, umbrella, lunch box, swimsuit, and more clothes.

Easter

We spent a nice Easter at home! Clara was feeling much better. Sara and Kris came to church with us and then we had lunch. We played rock band. We had made alot of stuffed eggs (100) to take to Karla's but since that didn't work out my kids got to find them all! Mitch hid them all in the yard. It was a beautiful day!

How the Hootons are spending spring break

well, as murphy's law goes, if you plan something fun and plan it far enough in advanced something is going to happen to change those plans. Clara changed our plans. poor Clara. Last Friday, she called me from school complaining about a headache. I told her just drink some water school will be over soon (not the best mothering I've ever done) by Friday night she was in bed with a fever. Saturday fever not eating not moving much. Sunday same thing, Sunday night the dreaded words "my back hurts" that is the same signs from the last time she had pneumonia over Christmas.
I told Mitch we need to go the the emergency room. So at 9:00 pm we went. x-rays and waiting we find out yes pneumonia and her white blood cell count through the roof. So, we admitted.
Because this was her second time, they ran all sorts of tests to see if something else was causing the pneumonia. Praise God those tests all came back fine. This morning we had another x-ray and things were improving so we got to come home. This week I have cried, stressed, prayed and then saw a little girl there who obviously was having chemo done she was about 3 and decided that I needed to count my blessing that my little girl only had pneumonia and that she was going to be ok in the long run!! continue to pray for Clara that she would eat and get strong so that bug does not come back! Thanks to all who helped us during this time.

What will it be like this summer?

and yes I am ready for summer and just my kids at the house. Brianna starts t-ball next month, Clara wants to take karate, Abi is going to try out for the Plymouth girls basketball league, Drew is going to play outside alot! Swimming lessons, basketball camp, photobooths every weekend, camping trip?, visits to karla's lake cottage, colorado trip, full garden and flower beds this year, and then back to school!! Drew will even start preschool this year. Yes sometime I get ahead of myself but I am going to try and enjoy every minute of it. Pictures next time promise.

Spring Cleaning Children's Rooms

My rules for spring cleaning......
one bring lots of trash bags, first throw things away when your children are not at home!!
the second bag for goodwill should be taken there on the sly! Keep bag in car for a few days to see if they remember something that is not there any more. And if so tell them too bad and see if they cry!!
Third bag give away as much as possible. Somebody will want some of the 20+ shirts your daughter has in her drawer.
And last cleaning rule threaten them that those rooms much stay clean at least until you go to bed that night :)

Happenings at the Hootons round 3

Drew and the girls. I now watch two other little girls on Tues and Wed. One Kaylee is Drew and Victoria's age. On Tuesday, we have craft time. They made paper bag dog puppets.
Drew is know at the why stage. He talks non-stop. He is now completely potty trained. Preschool here we come!!

Happenings at the Hootons round 2

Abi has been playing basketball. She plays forward and shoots alot of baskets! She does actually make some points. They have won about 1/2 of their games. The Rolling Prairie girls play some mean ball. Trying to get her on a summer league to improve her game.
She has also been in choir at school they practice on Fridays. This Sat. they had their big concert with about 200 kids from northern IN. Mitch and I went to the concert then took her out to eat.

Happenings at the Hootons

Clara did her science project on pneumonia. Mitch and Clara invented lungs that you could inflate using a balloon pump, balloons a 2 liter bottle and a nose sucker! Mitch aka MacGyver!
Clara got a third place ribbon!!

TV Land

Where have we been?? Well, at least life is busy!! For years now, we have avoided the whole dish tv thing. But since the switch to digital tv viewing has been painful! Digital tv is jumpy and the sound cuts in and out. So, we have joined most americans and got the dish. The kids were so excited and Mitch stayed up till past midnight. Is it a look into the future.........
My favorite show on cable (which up until now I have only watched on dvd) was on last night. So, I settled in and promptly feel asleep right in the middle of show. Is DVR next???

What little boys are made of.......

Well at our house it would be poop! Drew is obessed with the word poop. It is poopy toys, poopy books, poopy mommy or daddy and then he laughs hysterically. The other night Mitch told him to eat his broccoli buds and he said broccoli butts and then laughed about it for 5 min +. And yes he finally did eat it. Abi said mom is this just a phase and I said I sure hope so but then again boys just turn into bigger boys!!

Power Rangers Invade our House

We broke down and let Drew watch power rangers. Now all the kids are enjoying running and kicking and saying who is what color. Do I understand the fascination? not really but it is cheap entertainment. Mitch made the paper masks and they have had more fun!!
Also built snow fort and road snowmobiles this past week. Abi started basketball practice.