Santa

Tonight was the annual Hooton/Santa party.

Every year Santa comes to visit the children of the Hooton clan.  We just happen to know Santa on a personal level (it's not a money thing at all).  So while we where eating dinner Santa came in our front door with a  loud "Ho Ho Ho"!!!.  After our heart rates calmed down and the blood came back into our faces, we all sat around to watch the magic in the kids eyes. (Please take note of my awesome "ugly Christmas sweater" my mother donated to me) 

We sang Christmas songs... (notice Wells in the next picture. I think he was terribly confused with some strange looking man entering his house.)

All the kids got to sit on Santa's lap, and Santa knew if each child was naughty or nice.  He also knew what each kid needed to work on at home.

 Mason

 Taryn

 Asa

 Sloane

Eli

Wells

Wells was less than happy about sitting that close to Santa.

As Santa was leaving he thanked each one of us for leaving out cookies for him last year and asked for them again this year.  Then he told us to look out the window after he leaves for his helicopter in the sky. We would know it was him because we would see a red blinking light.  (He said he didn't bring his reindeer because they were getting ready for Christmas).  So we turned off all the lights and looked out the window and sure enough we saw a red blinking light in the sky :)

Yet another activity

So, basically... I'm not feeling very well today.  I woke up with a nasty cold, and even nastier breath from breathing through my mouth all night.  I don't want to leave the house because it means I have to exert myself to getting ready and I don't like talking much because instead of saying, "Wells, look at mommy"  I say, "Wells, look at Bobby", and instead of, "I mean it" it's "I bean it".  I've basically been a lump of nothing all day.  Thankfully my body decided to get sick on a Saturday so Wade could help with Wells.  (Thanks Wade)

Even though Wade watched Wells all morning so I could sleep, he had some studying to do.  So this afternoon I decided to try another simple toddler activity so I wouldn't have to talk, entertain, or play trucks with Wells.  I could just get it ready for him and sit back and watch him learn and play.

Here are a few pics I took.  All you need is a splash pad (or towels), a bowl, water, a spoon, and some cups for pure toddler entertainment.

I love his little toes in the pic above. 

Pretending he's Cinco lapping up the water

Entertaining a Toddler

I have a love/hate relationship with Sundays.  I love that it's a "day of rest" and that I get to lounge around the house after church and spend the day with Wade and our families.  On the other hand I sometimes dread Sundays (especially cold ones) because Wells is cooped up in the house all day and we can't make our daily trips to the Dinosaur Museum, Cabbala's, the library, or the store.  He get's so bored of our boring Sundays, that I decided to make him a new toy to entertain him for all of 20 minutes (it was a fun 20 minutes though).  I just took an empty cereal box and cut an X in the side of it and made sure both ends were closed.  It looked a little something like this.

Then I gave him some plastic spoons and taught him how to put the spoons in the box and how to stick his hand in the opening to retrieve the spoons :)  He did actually have a lot of fun with this simple, easy concept.  

He's concentrating so hard on getting the spoon in the box his little tongue is sticking out!  

He then figured out how to open the top of the box.  He had so much fun sticking the spoons in the NEW way that he played this way for almost longer than the side way.  He even stuck his entire head in the box. 

He reminds me of a little bear foraging through a camp ground...

We actually had a lot of fun with a box and some spoons.  I think I'll try and come up with something new and challenging for him every boring Sunday from now on.  I'll keep you posted on how our next adventure pans out.

Bubby

Wells (aka Bubby) is at such a fun stage in his little life.  Wade and I like to talk about all the cute things he does as we fall asleep.  Some things include; dancing (with or without music), kisses (always on the lips), hugs with pats and rubs on the back, throwing ANY kind of ball (he has a pretty good throw too),  new words everyday like, thank you, cookie, milk, more, water, pa pa, etc.  Overall he is such a good little boy, we feel so blessed to have such a happy, upbeat, lovable little boy.

Here are a few pics I took today.

Voting Day!

Yesterday we participated in the official "Honk and Wave" in Highland.  What is that you say?  It's where crazy people stand on the corner of a busy intersection and hold up signs for the person they want to win the election this year.  We are big supporters of Morgan Philpot as you can tell by the pictures.

If you are the two people who read this blog.  YOUR BETTER GET OUT AND VOTE TODAY!!! (or I stood on the cold corner for nothing)

HALLOWEEN!!! and other stuff...

About 2 years ago when Wade went to China for Op Smile, he picked up this little outfit for Wells.  Luckily it fit him for this Halloween.  

Wade and I decided to dress up too.  I already had a Geisha dress my mom made about five years ago for me.  As for Wade, I just made him a hat out of construction paper, then tied a couple of baskets to the ends of a pole and painted a goatee on his face :)

Wells favorite part about Halloween happens to be my favorite part to... the CANDY!!!

I took this picture before church yesterday.  My two boys all ready to go.

Family Pictures!

We finally had our FIRST official family pics taken by my friend Glenn Pearson.  You may have already seen them on Facebook but here are a few of my favorites.