Clara and Abi

Clara wrote a report for her biography board at school thought you would enjoy it.
Abi scored 2 points and had some steals and lots of rebounds at her basketball game tonight!!
Go Girls!

Hi my name is Clara Ann Hooton. I was born on September 28, 1999 in Memorial Hospital at 4;30 AM. I Iived in South Bend tell I was 2 then we moved to New Carlisle. My family is my Mom, Roanna, my Dad, Mitch, Brianna, my sister, Abi, my other sister, and my brother, Drew. My family likes to travel and go camping. We like to watch movies and play games together. I have 11 fish and a dog named Wrigely. My favorite foods are cucumbers, Twizlers, and pizza. My hobbies are karate, doing crafts, building legos and swimming. I like to play the piano. My favorite song to play is “Let Me Tell You about the Blues”. I have been to many places including Missouri, Oregon, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Colorado. I liked Florida and Colorado the most. In Florida, we went to Disney World. In Colorado, we hiked in the mountains and saw the Royal Gorge. My proud moment was when I got my yellow belt in karate. My something special is my blanket and bear Tiffy. I have had them since I was a baby. I have a collection of teddy bears too. I have been collecting teddy bears since I was 3. I have 17 bears now.

By Clara Ann Hooton.

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.