Our Christmas Card 2015

 

We had our family pictures taken in September {before harvest started and I could actually get Nick to show up} - so I had plenty of time to look at Christmas card designs.

 

Since we had picture taken at the farm, I knew I wanted to go with a rustic feel with the card. I searched all the typical card sites and loved the Rustic Monogram design I found on Snapfish. I mean, what's more rustic than wood, right? Plus, it has the name rustic in the name.  

 

I typically like one big picture on the front of the card, but since I had so many great pictures of Kimber's big smile - I had to go with multiple pictures on the front of the card. Seriously, that smile melts my heart!!

The front of the card:
{Even Jayde made the card this year!!}

The back of the card:

 

 I'm really happy how the cards turned out!

 

Snow Days

The first snowstorm we got this year was a big one - 12 inches of snow on a Friday afternoon! On Sunday afternoon, we bundled Kimber up to play outside. While she was wearing a cute new snowsuit, Nick & I looked like homeless people with multiple layers of clothes!!

 

 

If you know me, then you know I HATE snow. I hate the cold weather that goes along with it, having to drive in it and how dirty & gross it looks. The only time I feel it's acceptable is when I'm sitting on the couch on a Saturday morning, snuggled under a blanket with a coffee in my hand. And then I'd like it melted & gone by the time I need to leave the house! 

 

And I'm pretty sure Kimber got my hate love for snow. She did not like playing in it at all. It took us longer to bundle her up than how long she played outside!

 

This look on her face says it all!

 

 

I thought she would enjoy riding on the sled, but she whined the whole time she was on it and wanted off.

 

She kept falling over and would get stuck in the snow. She wanted nothing to do with it and wanted us to hold her the whole time.

 

 

The only time she was happy outside was when she was playing on the slide or being pushed on the swing!

 

 

 

 

I'm sure by next year, she'll be old enough that she'll really like playing in the snow. And we do have the perfect hill in our backyard to go sledding down!  But until then? I'm going to enjoy the fact that we don't have to go back out in the snow again this winter!!



Halloween 2015: Halloween DAY!

I was so excited for Halloween this year!

Kimber knew what was going on (aka - she loves candy!!)  and Nick got to join us for trick or treating since it was too wet to be in the fields!

 

Like the last two years, we met the family at Aunt Deb's house, went trick or treating around Alden and ended up out at the farm to see Great Gramma & Grampa.

 

My favorite party of the night was Abey dressed as sponge bob and he kept grabbing the eye balls that were placed just perfect to look like boobs! ha!

 

Our first stop was Uncle Kelly's house.

 

 

We stopped at friends & family houses around town.

After we made those stops, we headed to one section of town and walked up & down the streets.

They'll be ready to trick or treat all around Alden next year!

 

 

In exchange for candy...Kimber gave kisses! Not really. This is a close family friend.

 

 

I never did get Kimber to say 'trick or treat' at anyone's house, but she did say 'thank you' after she picked out candy. So I'll take that.

Halloween 2015: Daycare Trick or Treating

The last two years, I have picked out Kimber's Halloween costumes. But this year I didn't really have any ideas on what I wanted her to be, so I went with what she loved - Mickey Mouse! Since she's a girl, most people thought she'd want to go as Minnie Mouse but nope. Everytime I asked her, she said Mickey. So that's who we went with!

 

She wasn't too sure about the costume the first time we put it on her. But after trying it on a few times, she would dance around the house singing "My Mickey dress" and loved wearing it!

 

The day before Halloween, she wore her costume for daycare when they went trick or treating on main street in Jewell. I took the afternoon off work to help get the kids in their costumes, take pictures and help with the trick or treating. It was so much fun seeing the kiddos in their costumes!

 

Getting eight kids to look at the camera & smile is not easy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween 2015: Carving Pumpkins

I've been doing horrible at updating this blog lately, so I need to catch up on some fun events in the Hoversten house! I also need to pull my big girl camera out more - cell phone pictures are more convenient, but definitely lack in quality!

 

I wasn't planning on carving pumpkins with Kimber this year, but when Gramma suggested it - I was onboard. Mostly, because we did it at her house and I didn't have to clean up the mess at my own house!

 

This was probably one of my favorite Halloween outfits that Kimber had this year! I actually ordered this same shirt (on clearance after Halloween) a size bigger, so she'll have it again next year!

 

 

Chloe did great - she cleaned out her pumpkin & told Gramma how she wanted the face carved. Abey wouldn't touch the pumpkin guts and I ended up cleaning it out for him! Kimber did pretty good cleaning it out, but needed my help to get it all out. {GROSS}

 

 

  

Gramma did basic faces on her pumpkins, but I thought Kimber would love a Mickey Mouse face since she's obsessed with him!

I'm pretty sure my Mickey turned out more like Tigger or Fozzy Bear?!? HA!!

Next year, I'll stick with the basic jack o lantern faces!!

Barn Stahl Family Center: Pumpkin Patch 2015

It's one of my favorite times of the year...FALL. And time to do all things fall with my Mother in Law, Sister in Laws and the kids since the men are in the fields.  Last year, we went to the Barn Stahl Family Center and had so much fun. We decided to go back again this year and it was just as much fun {and maybe a bit more exhausting with a toddler!!}

 

 

{all dressed up and ready to go}

 

We got to the Barn Stahl Family Center around 2pm and headed straight for the cow train. The kids loved going on the ride and we should have went back for more rides, but ran out of time. 

 

 

 

After the ride, we walked about the grounds and checked out all the animals.

They have so many different types of animals to look at and feed.

 

 

The kids spent time in the corn pit digging around. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of the corn pit. It's dirty and gross. And I think I'm rubbing off on Kimber because she wasn't a big fan of it either...and didn't like the corn getting down her pants or in her shoes!

 

 

 

I have a picture of them on this wagon last year and I can't believe how much they've grown over the year!! 

 

Also, we did not plan their outfits ahead of time, but it's kinda cute that they coordinated!

 

 Paige, Sandy and Abey headed to the corn maze while Allysha & I took the Chloe & Kimber into a couple more barns to look at the animals, went thru a hay bale maze, posed with  their heads in pumpkins & ghosts and enjoyed a little snack!

 

 

 

 

After they returned from the corn maze, we fed the animals. Kimber loves horses and talks about them all the time. But when it was time to get close to them, she was alittle scared...and I don't blame her - they were huge!

 

 

We took a ride on the wagon to the pumpkin patch, but didn't pick out pumpkins since Great Gramma & Grampa have a big pumpkin patch at the farm!

 

 

The kids had so much fun, but after three hours it was time to go! With missing their nap time, they were starting to get crabby and NEEDED a nap! 

 

Getting Kimber into her car seat was an event, but she was passed out within five minutes of leaving...with a face full of caramel apple!