The Hotchner Family Trio: December 2008

Hey everyone, just wanted to share a little of our Christmas spirit from within our home by sharing photos. We had a great christmas and even had a couple days of rain and SNOW, if you can believe it! I wish I would have gotten some photos but, I had to work every day. It was beautiful and fabulous anyway and reminded me of Oregon. Miss you and Love you all, Merry Christmas!

This is my favorite Christmas time photo of the Hotchner Family so far. Doesn't Zoey look just like a little angel sleeping. These pictures were all taken in Seaside, Oregon during our fourth of July family reunion.

Brian and I were so pleased with the number of cards, photos and letters we recieved this year. We were excited to get the mail each day to see who might be sending us one next. It was so great to hear and see everyone and I was so surprised to see all my friends and mothers that had new babies this year. Waaa. Im a little jealous, but I know my time will come.

Here is my traditional Christmas holiday table setup.

This is our cute little fiber optic tree and my very first miniture nativity set.

I got it from the LDS Bookstore for less than $5. It is so cute and little.

The pieces are just big enough for Zoey to play with. It was her favorite decoration this year.

This is always my favorite place to decorate. The living room table. I even changed Zoey's photo this year. If you can believe it, I get most of my other little nick-nacks from the dollar store. Even the Peace sign and all the litttle snowman.

Aren't they cute?

This one is my favorite. I don't know when I got started collecting snowman for Christmas decoration. I think Brian's Mom and her friend bought me my first few. Thats how it starts, right Mom? Next, I am going to look for cute little penguins too.

This was Zoey's first advent calander and she loved getting to open up on box a night to recieve some cute pony, toy, sticker or pony accessory.

This is her very first Christmas ornament Brian and I ever got her. A my Little Pony, of course.

Mr. Santa Clause came from the dollar store too.

But, this little rocking horse was mine since I was a child from Germany. This is the first year that I can honestly say that I am completely organized. Every box is unpacked, DI trips have been made, closets are clean and everything has a "home". It is a great feeling.

Zoey's Third Birthday

Zoey's Third Birthday took two months to plan. I made rough drafts of the cake design, thought of fun ideas for arts and crafts and took my time gathering supplies. Then, I handwrote out 27 invitations and counted down the days.

I was up until 2:30 in the morning the night before baking cake and chopping fruit...

The party was a 'potluck in the park'.

I made white confetti cake...

and made a pony castle fit for my little Princess.

"Im so cute."

"Good morining Zoey, Happy Birthday!"

"Just look what the Birthday fairy made you in the middle of the night."

Silly little girl!

At the Park

Brian's Mom and Miss Liz

Brian's Dad and my brother, Bretty Boy

Our great friend and neighbor, Tiffany

This is her little girl, Evika and one of Zoey's best friends. Evika comes over and takes Zoey by the hand to lead her across the street to go play at her house and then, brings her back home when they're done playing. It is sooo cute.

This is Zoey's other best friend/boyfriend, Liz's little boy, Xander. He is her play mate at our babysitters house but, Liz and I still joke about prearranged marriage for the two of them.

Great-Grandma Frieda, Zoey and I.

Its the Birthday girls! We had Zoey's party on Saturday the 29th, my actual B-day. We were afraid it would rain but, it didn't. Instead, it was so windy that nearly everything blew away, including paper plates with food on them! Poor Zoey ended up sick with a cold the whole week following.

These are the fun art flower necklaces the kids each made.

Here is Jazmine, Brett's daughter.

My brother Brett and Jaz. Love ya guys.

This is Micheal, Liz's husband and thier daughter, Evangeline who is walking now. Big girl!

Lets go for a ride.

"Hey Tiff, looking cute!"

"Ahhh, happy baby with her Daddy."

This is Brian story telling.

"Whaz up girlfriend!?"

"Okay, cake time!"

"Happy Birthday to you..."

Mommy gets to cut the cake and destroy my own creation.

"What do I get to help cut?" Crazy man.

"Brrr...Its getting cold outside. Zip me up!"

"Oh boy, what did Mommy get me?"

Here is Brian sporting his wonderful wrapping job with an oversized piece of paper and about 50 strips of tape. Good job Bri!

" Oh my goodness, What did your father buy you!?"

" Your own digital camera!" Wow Daddy!

Here is Zoey eating her cake castle tower.

"Mmmmm. Its delicious Mommy!"

Back at home

It was a My Little Pony Birthday Party. Here is some of her loot.

Even though not very many people showed up to the party, there were just enough to make it lots of fun and Zoey got a lot of really cute things. I would call the day a great success.

Earlier that morning, Evika also brought this pony mansion over to give to Zoey, along with all her My Little Ponys. She says that she has out grown it. It is so cool to have Evika living right across the street from us. She plays with Zoey's like she is her older sister.

The other cool present Zoey got was from Miss Liz and her family... a great pink Radio Flyer scooter with helmet and knee pads!

Zoey couldn't wait to try it out. Here she is riding it at 10 pm at night!

"I am a big girl now! I am 3!"

Here is the digital camera Zoey ended up with after we used some of her Birthday money to buy her an upgrade. We even bought her a cute little case for it to go in. Is my child spoiled or what?
At this rate, she will probably have a cell phone by age 4 and an Ipod by 5!

"Yep, thats right! I am the cutest, smartest little Birthday girl that youv'e ever seen!"

For my special Birthday night, Brian took me to see the movie "Twilight". It was fantastic!