Fall

Halloween 2009

Random pictures from this summer

1st day of School

Hattie started Preschool this week. She is so excited about it and has loved every day! Isabella isn't too happy about Hattie being gone all morning but she is adjusting.

Yee-Haw!

Hattie is still talking about "riding the sheep" at the MC Rodeo on Friday. She wanted to try the Mutton Bustin' this year so I thought, why not! We threw on her Aaron Luce Farm Co hoodie, picked out a helmet and waited in line. She was the last girl to go so she watched all the others and I talked to her about what to do when it was her turn. Aunt Kathy's advice was, "Keep your head down, your mouth shut and hold on tight!". Perfect advice and that's just what she did. She made it a little ways before sliding under the sheep. By the time I got to her on the field, she was getting up and trying to find her boot, which had landed beside her. She was head to tail with dirt and ready to go again. She said, "Mom, that was hard but it was really fun." She got a hat with a fancy band for participating and proudly showed it off when we got back to the stands.

It was a great night at the Rodeo!

Saved by Benadryl

Por Izzy had a reaction to a cashew last night and this is what happened. She had some hives on her knee and hand along w/ her chin and the swelling in her lips. She didn't actually eat the nut so I can't imagine what might have happened! Benadryl saved the day!

Losing Ground

Since we have had so much rain lately, the yard is starting to sink. There are "ditches" through the playhouse area where our underground heat source pump lines were run. I was shocked at the amount that sunk. I'm not really sure it's safe for the girls to play on it now. Crazy weather lately!

After looking at the pictures, they really don't show the damage that was done. But you get the idea.

Spring Dance Recital

Video cameras weren't allowed at the recital so instead of buying an over priced "professional" video of the event, I chose to use my little digital camera to record just one part of Hattie's dance.

The Girls

I have a few more shots of the girls playing. They have so much fun outside with the water table. I didn't want to deal with sand getting everywhere so we filled the table with water and voila!

The kiddie pool is filled and Hattie is excited about it but the water is just too cold. I did let her get in it one evening and of course, Izzy had to get in, too. I stepped in with her, finally got her to put her feet down and she splashed like crazy! After a minute or so in the cold, cold water, I stepped out. As I turned back around to the pool, Izzy's bent forward with her face in the water. It seemed like an eternity as I tried to reach for her and watched as she corrected her stance but then slid under the water. I jumped back in and grabbed her up and out and was crying and holding her nose. I think she got water up her nose as we came out but was ready to get back in after a minute on my lap. I won't let her back in until the water is warm enough for me to stay in with her. The whole ordeal only lasted a few brief seconds but it proves how fast a child can drown, even in a small amount of water.

I'm getting really bad about updating this, aren't I?

This is Hattie's t-ball picture taken in April. Doesn't she look great??

Just a few more Easter egg hunt pictures from Wee Care. Hattie thought it was fun and Iz even got in on the action.

Easter Pictures

I'm finally getting around to posting our Easter pictures. I have no excuse for not doing it sooner. I'm just lazy.

Surprise!

I can't believe it, but the cat came back today. Opossum Kitty is officially off the "lost another cat" list. Hattie is excited but also wants to know if we can still have the new kittens I told her we'd get.

Hmmm, Aaron doesn't think so but we all know that Mommy rules. We'll see how it turns out.

Child labor

Friends of mine just laugh when I tell them that Hattie loves to dust. Several want to borrow her for the day! Iz really thinks it's fun now, too. Give them a Swiffer and away they go!

Isabella loves new foods

I really can't believe that she ate this. We grilled brats the other day and I have to have sauerkraut on mine. Iz wanted to try it so I gave her a tiny piece thinking she would spit it back out. To my surprise, she signed, "More" and ate 3 handfuls!

More dance pictures

Just a couple more that my friend, Kelly took of our girls at dance class.

Ugh,not again.

We've lost another cat.

Opossum Kitty has been missing for 2 days now. She never misses a meal and is always at the patio door to greet Aaron in the morning. I told Hattie this morning that I thought she had run away. Hattie seems OK (I think) with the idea since Opossum wasn't a warm, cuddly friend. She had warmed to us in the last 2 weeks and we could go outside and play without her scurrying off to a far corner of the yard but she was never a "pick up and pet" kind of cat.

So, let me count them up....
Baby Kitty, Sylvie, Blackie, Shortcake and Opossum

5 cats in 3 years. Not looking good for any pet of the Luce Family.

I have given up on trying to post my video of Hattie at dance class. The file is just too big and it's not working. So, I'm left with the few actual photos I took before the battery on my camera quit. Kelly S. got some really good pictures but can't e-mail them to me. (Sigh) You'll just have to be satisfied with mine.

The first one is of H getting ready to do a forward roll...down a hill, I guess. The second is just some stretching. I thought it was funny that she was looking for me. They did a lot of tumbling and not much dancing the night the parents got to watch. The recital this spring will be ballet and tap with some tumbling mixed in (that's what I've heard anyway).

I'll be sure to charge my camera battery that day.

Hattie's Whale

Hattie came home from Wee Care today with an award!

It reads, "The Apple Award Goes To Hattie Jo for cutting out her whale on the lines."

This really does mean something to me as I had so much trouble getting Hattie to want to use scissors. After a particularly trying day at Wee Care that involved crying and not getting to do some of the other fun activities because she wouldn't try to cut out her project, I bought "spring back" scissors. I don't know what they are actually called, but they worked. They have a little spring that you can set so the scissors automatically open after they are squeezed shut to cut. That finally helped Hattie to figure out what to do and now she cuts like a pro!

Congratulations, Hattie!

Please let this work.

I finally got my new laptop today and I'm still trying to figure out all the bells and whistles. It came w/ Windows Vista installed and I was used to my XP programs. I can't have my old photo software and can't figure out how to upload my pics from my camera. I'm going to try w/ this post, but don't hold your breath. If I do manage to figure it out...I'll get back to taking more pics of the kids. That's been low on my list for the past couple of weeks.

Happy Wednesday!

...and that's when the fight started

You see, my computer called my camera a name and then my camera took a swing at my computer...

In all reality, I'm not sure who started the fight. As of last night, my computer won't recognize my camera even though I've been using the same equipment for 3 years. I've tried a new USB cable, charging the battery on my camera, changing USB ports and searching through files I didn't even know I had on my computer, but nothing is working.

So until I get this fixed, there probably won't be any new posts. Atleast not posts with pictures.

I promise to be up and running as soon as I can mediate a truce.

Personal note to Bob (you know who you are): You're going to have to find another source of entertainment this winter.

Happy Birthday, Isabella

Isabella is 1 year old today (wild stand-up hair and all).

This year has slipped by my and before I know it, she'll be in Kindergarten (sniff, sniff).

She's such a big girl now. Today she crawled all the way up the stairs from the basement without my help. Of course, I was behind her cheering her on, but she did it herself.

(Unfortunately, due to "internal errors" I can't upload her newest picture. I'll try later)

It's been a long time....since I've blogged. At least it feels that way to me. There hasn't been anything new to post. The girls were both sick New Year's Eve so I'm glad that I didn't go out and have a sitter call me at the stoke of midnight to tell that there was puke everywhere. Aaron got home just in time to help with that joyous event. It didn't last long but then we all came down with head colds and sore throats. Now Iz has a double ear infection..again. Her first birthday is this week but the party isn't until the weekend so I hope she'll be feeling better by then. Other than illness, we're all fine.

Hope you had a good 2008 and that 2009 will be your best year yet!