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!

 

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!

 

Easter 2015: Easter Day

We had a change of plans at the last minute for Easter. My sister and brother {and their families} were going to come up to our house for Easter this year. But after both of my Gramma's passed away and we were at funerals {and stuck in a hotel} for the first part of the week, we decided it was better not to have to travel again just two days later. So instead we spent Easter Day with Nick's family.

 

Kimber is still too young to understand the true meaning of Easter, but I'm hoping in the next couple of years she'll understand that it is about Jesus's resurrection and not so much about candy and egg hunts.

 

Easter with a little one is SO much fun!! And SO exhausting at the same time. I started the day bright and early at 5am - putting together Easter baskets, getting everyone ready and out the door for service at 7:30am. Nick is head usher at church this month, so we had to be there even earlier than normal. Next year, our Sunrise Service is at 6am...I'm already stressing out about getting out of the house that early!!

 

After service, we had breakfast at church and I snapped a couple of pictures of Kimber on the way out of the church. I've started putting her hair in a pony on the top of her head. Her hair is curly and out of control these days!

 

 

We took a little Sunday drive on our way home. I wanted Kimber to take a nap in the morning since I knew we were going to be busy in afternoon. And our little drive was a success, she fell asleep and napped for 1 1/2 hours!

 

While Kimber napped in the car, Nick & I made deviled eggs for Easter dinner at Aunt Deb's. The day before, Aunt Paige, Chloe and Abey came over to dye Easter eggs. They lasted about two eggs before they got bored and wanted to play. Paige & I finished dying the rest of the eggs.

 

 

After Kimber woke up from her nap, she found her Easter basket!

 

She had about ten minutes to look through her basket before we had to change her and head out of the house.

 



 

She found the crayons & coloring books right away and was excited to use her new colors!!

 

 

She also loved her new books!!

 

 

We headed to Aunt Deb's for Easter dinner. The kids played in the car, had an Easter egg hunt and played at the park.

 

Around 2pm, we headed over to Gramma & Grampa Hoversten's for another Easter egg hunt! At this point, this was Kimber's 4th egg hunt of the year so she was getting pretty good at it! She knew what color she needed to find and opened each one after she found it to get the candy out.

 

We played at the farm until 5pm and then headed to Gramma & Papa's house for another Easter egg hunt and supper.

 We headed home around 7:30pm. Kimber crashed on the way home and slept until 6:30am the next morning! We all had a great Easter spending time with family, but we were all exhausted!!!