Hee Haw Farms

We took the fam to Hee Haw Farms in Pleasant Grove last weekend.  I think it is new this year...at least I hadn't heard of it before.  Really cute place.  We actually made it out of the corn maze by playing rock paper scissors a few times and by following the sound of tractors.  Jake loved the corn cannonballs and being buried in the corn kernels.  Stevie loved the trick or treat hayride, especially Dorothy and also scaring herself with a crazy rocking chair lady.  Kelly loved looking for pumpkins and chasing Jake and Stevie everywhere.   

Kelly is Riding a "Real" Bike

Well....I haven't posted in a very long time.  I get overwhelmed with posting in order.  But I give up! That might take me forever.  I am just going to start with today.  Kelly has been riding her "run" bike really well all summer.  We have been kind of stalling on the pedal bike so that her brain could catch up with her physical abilities :-)  But now she really wants to do it.  Here is some video from today.  A very determined little girl.

Jake Did It!

This is a random post...but it is a common topic of conversation in our house.

Jake finally hit the 40 lb mark yesterday!  We have been waiting for him to get there for quite some time. He is now legal for a booster seat, at 6 1/2 years old :-)   Part of me thinks that I shouldn't be encouraging weight gain...but the other part is happy that he realized that he needed to eat more so he can grow...and he did it!

Conversation with Kelly & Stevie Kate

As we were driving to Wal-Mart yesterday, Kelly pointed out a convertible and said, "That is a cool car."  Then after a minute she also added "This is not a cool car." And all with a disgusted look on her face.  I asked her if she meant our van...and she said yes.  I got a pretty good laugh out of that one! 

I then asked Stevie what kind of car she would drive when she grows up and she said, "A van like ours."  I guess she doesn't really know much about cars :-)  But then she added "Except without the box on top...I don't really like that." 

Well...I know I don't look very cool driving our wonderful van (aka Smartie)...but I love it and wouldn't want any other car right now.  But ask me in a few years...

Kelly

Several big things have been going on with Miss Kelly.  The first one makes me a little sad - she gave away the pacifiers aka PACI.  We have been talking about giving them away to her baby cousin Halle for quite some time.  We tried not to push it too much...but just kept talking about it.  Last weekend she seemed ready, so we packed them in a bag and took them to see Halle at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  She was so brave and excited.  Since then...no tears...just a few little whines on one day.  Kelly seems very proud of herself.

The other two things are exciting and fun for us - Kelly went skiing for the first time and Kelly loves to bike on the pink run bike.  I waited until a really warm day and then took Kelly and Stevie out to ski.  She walked really well in the boots and seemed very excited.  She loved to watch Stevie and tried really hard to do the "pizza."  I was impressed with how hard she tried...and didn't whine once.  After going on the Magic Carpet a few times, we decided to try the chairlift.  Stevie Kate didn't want to ride with someone else, so I rode with her and Kelly rode up with another instructor.  I have to say, I still get so nervous riding lifts with little ones and especially when it is someone else holding my child...but she did just fine.  Wonderful first day on skis and now Steve is going to take her out again this weekend.

Kelly has been riding the run bike for several weeks now and loves it.  She is getting the gliding part down and enjoys riding with the older kids up and down the street.

My baby is growing up!

Stevie Wanted a Bob

Stevie Kate has been wanting a bob haircut for several weeks now.  One of her friends had it done and she loved it.  I tried to talk her out of it...only because I love ponytails...but she was set on it.  Funny how I had to beg her to get her hair trimmed about six months ago :-)

So I took her yesterday and asked that they cut it only short enough so that it will still fit in a ponytail somewhat.  Here is before and after.  It really isn't a bob...but she loves it.

There is More Progress...

I woke up this morning very panicked because I had a dream that the house flooded again.  This time it was because I was busy working in the office and the kids were playing in the bathroom with water.  Ouch...but it's not true...thank heavens.

We are so close to being done with the "remodel."  The remaining items are baseboard downstairs and more painting.  Yeah!  I love the new floors.

The Tooth Fairy's First Visit to the Hough Household

Around Valentines Day...Jake got an extra tooth in his mouth.  His adult tooth came in way behind his baby tooth.  The dentist looked at it and said that it should fall out on its own and if it didn't...to come back after a month and he would pull it out.  Jake has been working at it...eating apples and wiggling it with his tongue and fingers.  Last night we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house when Jake got hit with the back of Grandpa's chair.  We don't know what happened next...other than the tooth was gone.  Jake thinks he swallowed it.  He left a note for the Tooth Fairy and when he woke up...she did indeed come and leave him some money for the missing tooth. 

Now let's hope that adult tooth moves forward :-)

Before and After Pics (I have a new camera and haven't quite learned how to use it.  Sorry for the blurriness).

There is Progress...

We now have a complete ceiling again and walls too!  The kids and I escaped to St. George last week while Steve worked hard at home and helped Todd coordinate the subs.  Now Jake has a new color on his walls and there is carpet.  Yeah!  I was beginning to get used to plywood floors.  In another 1 1/2 weeks...we should have new hardwood floors too.  It has been 4 weeks tomorrow since the flood.  When they told me it usually takes about 2 months to finish everything...I thought they were crazy.  But they were pretty close.  I am hoping it is a total of 6 weeks.  Thanks to all of you who have helped so far.

Ski School Graduation

Stevie Kate and Jake did a six-week ski school program at Deer Valley.  They both loved it!  Which is an accomplishment since Stevie had not liked ski school before.  The last lesson she had before this program...ended in the instructor carrying her down the mountain kicking and screaming.  Jake didn't love ski school at 3 years old either.  And even though I teach 3 year olds how to ski all the time...I really don't recommend ski school until 4 and older.  It is kind of a gamble...but maybe it is just my kids.

Anyway...Stevie's instructor was Kate.  She was so sweet and drew pictures for Stevie and brought her accessories to wear every week. 

Jake had Charlie and learned a lot about carving, hockey stops, side slipping and going through the trees.  Apparently there were some very rowdy boys in Jake's class that couldn't take direction very well so that made it interesting for everyone. 

The graduation parade was a beautiful sunny day and Grandpa D came to watch too.  Having Grandpa there was really fun for Kelly :-) 

Jake graduated from Advanced Beginner to Intermediate and Stevie graduated from Beginner to Advanced Beginner.  Great job!  Here is a link to the video we took if you want to watch. 

Love is in the Air

I love Valentines day.  The theme of love is great and I also think it is a very simple holiday.  Just wanted to share a couple of pictures taken around Valentines.

Jake and Shayla - they have only had eyes for each other since the 1st day of Kindergarten.  They have a really sweet relationship.

 

Kelly and Choo-Choo - Tyler snapped this picture at the circus that we went to with the Dustmans.  I love it!  He really is Kelly's 1st love. (Choo-Choo is a nickname that has stuck with him since he was a little baby.  It is going to be hard for us to switch to Drew).

The Flood

So for my birthday this year...I wanted new carpet.  Just kidding!  But that is what I am getting.  On my birthday I woke up to a pretty major flood in our house, complete with damage to both levels of our house.  Jake went to the bathroom around 10:30 the night before and we think the toilet just malfunctioned and overflowed like a waterfall all night.  With help from Val (I love you Dad!), we spent the morning cleaning up what we could and then turned things over to the insurance company and their disaster cleanup people.  I left with the kids for the rest of the day and Steve went to work.  When I got home late in the afternoon...I was pretty shocked to see how extensive the damage was.  And how they moved our belongings around and just stuffed it into the guestroom and the office.  I had a little meltdown then, at the expense of my dear friend Kathy.  But she promptly informed me that it wasn't a fire, everyone is healthy, and to calm down (she did give me a hug first).  She is right, although I'm sure I will have a few more meltdowns until we get everything back to normal.  It is just hard to deal with when you have three small children running around and demanding almost all of your attention.  But I will be getting that carpet along with new flooring downstairs too :-)  Here are a few pictures after everything was ripped out and the very loud fans were doing their job of drying out the house.

What Comes Out of Their Mouths...

Quoting Stevie Kate...said at the table during lunch today.

"Katie told me I was a cute baby.  I told her that we were all cute babies.  But really....I think Jesus was just a little bit cuter."

Happy New Year 2011

Cheers to a New Year!  Thank you to all of my family and friends for making 2010 a great year.  I am excited for 2011 and so very thankful for the life that I have. 

The list of New Years goals could be very long (especially with parenting)...but I am trying to make it simple for now.  I am vowing to drink more water, be on time more, pray more, and smile more :-)

What about you?

Holiday Pictures 2010

Great holiday season!  Lots of great time with family and friends...

Santa 2010

The holiday craziness is upon us all and we haven't had much time to catch our breath. But here are a few pictures with Santa this year. The first shot has Kelly with what looks like a laugh (kinda)...but it is a very scared cry. I wasn't planning on being in the picture...but 2 year olds and Santa just normally don't mix.

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving week started off with Jake's feast and performance at school.  He was an Indian in the performance and also in charge of bringing turkey.  Steve got to be there and loved reading a book to the kids and participating in the classroom.  I haven't been able to do any of that this year with both girls at home.  Maybe next year... 

Stevie Kate also had a feast at her school on Tuesday...she chose to take Yogurt Raisins.  Go figure...

We had a week of "white" for Thanksgiving.  Several big storms happened...including one forecast for today.  Wednesday and Thursday were VERY cold too.  They even canceled the local 5K race for liability reasons...it was almost 10 below zero when the race was supposed to start.  The Houghs have not been skiing yet...but I am sure it is coming soon.  Deer Valley opens this upcoming weekend and Steve is almost recovered from his ill-timed Thanksgiving Week cold.

We spent Thanksgiving Day with Grandma & Grandpa D, Grandma Lee, Duff, Amy, Kace, Kassidy, Shane, Carrie, and Halle.  It was fairly quiet for a Draper Thanksgiving and very laid back.  I loved it and thank you to Mom for most of the cooking.  The Houghs were in charge of bringing Sweet Potato Casserole (a favorite of ours from Tennessee).  After dinner we played Hearts and Kace was the winner...even though this was his first time playing.  I was the big loser.

Bring It On!

The kids and I spent last Friday afternoon/evening getting the winter gear out from the crawl space.  The ski boots, snow boots, goggles, hats, gloves, etc.  Then we went to the rental shop to get them measured for the right size boots and skis.  Turns out Stevie needed new boots...but other than that...they were all good for the same equipment from last year.  It got us all excited and now I can embrace this cold weather and pray for snow. 

The best part of the night was the laughs we all got from Kelly and her goggles.  We found these in the crawl space and the rightful owner is Sam McClendon...from the last visit.  Kelly has staked her claim on them and would not part from them until bedtime.  I think Sam will understand.

Halloween and Tennessee Trip

HALLOWEEN

We spent Halloween in Tennessee this year.  The weather was fantastic and loved the time we spent with the Hough side of the family.  Jake doesn't really like to dress up and it is pretty tough to get him in a mask or hat.  So he chose to be Luke Skywalker for Halloween.  Perfect for him.  Stevie Kate surprised us by wanting to be an Avatar.  I was convinced that she would be a different princess every year...but I love it when they come up with something and are so excited about it.  Kelly was a Sugar Plum Fairy, a costume that I loved when Stevie was her age.

They all loved Trick or Treating - especially because they were with their cousins.  Jake and Kelly tired out after an hour or so.  And Stevie had a lot of stamina, kept up with the older kids and stayed out longer.  She was the one running to the door.



THE REST OF THE TRIP

We stayed for 8 days this time around so we had lots of time to see everyone.  Krissy, Drew, and Cooper were so great to drive from Shreveport to visit too.  The cousins were all together for a few days which was fun to watch.  Cory Nicole was so great with Stevie and Kelly.  Stevie just ate up the attention and didn't want to be away from her side.  And Jake was just one of the boys this trip - or at least he tried to be.  I honestly didn't see him that much because he was with Luke, Sam, Drew, and Cooper as much as he possibly could be. 

Other highlights...

• Watching Luke's football game
• Childrens' Museum with Nannie
• Corn Maze
• Zoo with GranDaddy and GranJackie
• Tech Decks and Trampoline
• Taylor Swift's House 
• Building a Trail in Nannie's backyard

Catch Up - Part 2

Kelly
It was time to hand over the crib to Halle because she was growing out of the bassinet.  I wasn't exactly ready to move Kelly out of the crib, but didn't think it would be too bad because of my experience with Stevie and Jake.  Wrong.  The first few nights she just constantly got out of the bed before going to sleep.  Steve installed the gate on the door and just kept putting her back in.  Then she slept ok once she fell asleep.  But I think it was night 3 that I probably won't forget for a long time.  She woke up around 1ish and we kept going in there and thinking that she went back to sleep.  First we saw books all over the floor.  Then around 4 a.m. we heard a big bang and then crying.  I went running into the room and she was sitting under the dresser in her closet - which had nearly fallen down on her.  The only thing that caught it was the molding around the closet door.  Six inches more and it would have landed on her head...my worst nightmare.  She also happened to be in different clothes and every toy in her room and closet was out.  Needless to say...I was terrified and slept in the room with her for the rest of the night.  The next day, Steve bolted it into the wall.  Our pediatrician always talked about bolting stuff...but we have never done it because I just didn't see my kids climbing stuff. Wrong.

She hasn't really been that bad since that night...but we have found her asleep under Stevie's bed.  And lately she rolls off the bed and doesn't even wake up.  Crazy girl for sure.  The other scary experience with her happened a few weeks ago.  I put her down for a nap and didn't latch the gate on her door. Mainly because I was going to be upstairs working on laundry.  I was soaking some clothes in Oxi Clean in the kids' bathroom and left the powder (lid on) in the bathroom.  I heard some screaming and ran upstairs.  Kelly had woken up early from her nap, went into the bathroom, figured out how to open the powder container, and eaten Oxi Clean.  I don't think much got down her throat, but I did try to make her throw up.  That was the first time I had to call Poison Control, but luckily she was ok.  So...maybe these two stories will remind all of us with small children that you never can be too safe :-)  Let me be your lesson.

The next big step with Kelly will be taking away the pacifier and then on to potty training.  Not looking forward to either one...so I may just wait a bit.

Jake
Jake is doing great in Kindergarten.  He loved his sub teacher, Ms Langford, and now his real teacher is back from maternity leave, Ms Minneci.  Things are going well.  The only thing that has completely surprised me about Jake in Kindergarten...is the fact that he loves the ladies.  I wasn't prepared for that aspect because he has not really wanted to even play with girls for a year or more.  So now all of a sudden he loved the girls in his class - one or two in particular (Shayla and Abby).  There has been kissing and "I love yous" and I am shocked.  I think there are 15 boys in the class and 6 girls.  So maybe he is just trying to stake his claim.  I remember loving the boys in Kindergarten...Mark Pitts in particular...so maybe he is just taking after me.

Stevie Kate
Nothing really too exciting going on with Stevie.  She is doing great at Miss Sharie's preschool and is loving her new friends there - Lila, Tatum, Annika, and Hayden.  The only drama we had was that Miss Kathy (Lila's mom) and I worked out a carpool schedule and she picks up Stevie and Lila.  That really upset Stevie for a few weeks because she wanted Mom or Dad.  Lots of tears.  She figured it out and now we just try to make it special when she comes in the door rather than when we pick her up.