State Fair And Other Stuff

I know. It has been a while! Almost two months, but not quite. I have no excuses other than it is so difficult and time consuming to upload pictures here from my photo account. Not a good excuse, but one nonetheless! So, what have we been up to? Well, a lot! School is in full swing now for Jesstine and I. Jesstine's classmate moved closer so we are carpooling every day. That means Emmitt and I have more time together. That SHOULD mean my house is cleaner, but really it just means I stay in my PJ's longer! :-) Jesstine started piano lessons. We took our yearly trip to the state fair. Stephen's brother came up and performed at a fall festival nearby. Jesstine's school had a Family Fun night and Stephen has been running a weekly fun night at church. It has been busy, but enjoyable! So, here are the pictures!

This is the piano I grew up with. It has been at my parents' house. Mom told me when Jesstine starts to play that we could use it. Piano tuner comes next week!

Here is a look at our State Fair Fun:

These are my attempt at being artsy with my photography!

The pony ride tradition continues! Jesstine rode a pony named Freddy. Emmitt's pony's name was Jake. Jake looked like he was going to fall asleep the whole time we watched him! Poor guy!

Then it was off to the pig races where we cheered for the pig in dead last each time! :-)

This year, the kids got a kick out of seeing the tractors and farm equipment. Emmitt especially loved them (as you could probably guess). Most of the ones we saw were red which was doubly good in Emmitt's book!

We caught a glimpse of former Senator Bob Dole and his wife. As a little girl, I remember visiting my grandmother and seeing a picture of her with Bob Dole in her dining room. She was pretty proud of it!

Giant pumpkins.

Butter sculpture!

Frozen scarecrows!

Milking fake cows while wearing a cow hat.

Emmitt in his cow hat.

Plenty of cutout photo opps.

Combine simulator.

And of course rides!

Stephen's brother, Seth, performing in a nearby town.

Throwback Thursday at Jesstine's school for spirit week. They could choose any decade in the 1900's. Can you name the decade?

Jesstine's "Family Fun Night" at her school.

Next weekend we have family pictures as well as Jesstine's 6 year-old pictures and Emmitt's 3 year-old pictures! (A little early for Emmitt and a little late for Jesstine).

In Him,

The Hutchins Family

6 year-old Tea (well, pink lemonade in this case) Party

Because of the hustle and bustle of school starting, we decided to wait a week to have Jesstine's friend birthday party! This year she wanted a tea party like Sofia the First's tea party! She of course invited Kylie and Carter, plus a couple of friends from school and church. We had small sandwiches, cheese cubes, fruit kabobbs, dried mango, carrots, veggie straws and LOTS of small treats! We opened presents and played "Pin the Teacup on the Saucer." Then the kids had time to play downstairs a little!! Here are the pictures!

We have a new party store just down the street. We probably didn't save much money, but saved a trip across town to get balloons!

Most of the girls wore princess dresses!

Drank pink lemonade and water from actual fancy tea cups!

Colored teacups and decorated tiaras and crowns!

Another look at the grub!

Handmade card from a good friend!

I think she liked this one!

It was a fun party! The kids all got a long really well which is a plus! Special thanks to my mom for coming over early to help me make the food!!! I couldn't have done it without her!

You may have noticed this bad boy in the pictures above. Jesstine recently started piano lessons with Grandmom and my mom loaned us the piano I played on as a kid!

Proof that she DOES indeed practice! (Albeit with very poor posture!)

Until next time!

In Him,

The Hutchins Family

First Day of First Grade

Well, the day came and went. It was a busy last four days! Thursday was my first full day of really doing my job it was also Jesstine's birthday. We chose wisely to do her birthday dinner the night before her birthday so we weren't so rushed the next day. After work on Thursday, I stopped by and got her cake while Stephen picked the kids up. We rushed home and the kids bathed while I made dinner. There was a little bit of time for Jesstine to go ahead and open her presents before dinner. Then we had dinner followed by cake! After cake Jesstine and I had to rush off to her school meeting.

Jesstine chose a Tinkerbell and Periwinkle (Tink's sister) cake.

The cake I chose!

The next day was the first day of school!!! It was also my first day with students, so I was unable to walk Jesstine in for the first day. Daddy was there to document the occasion though! I also took a few first of the year pictures that I have taken for the last couple of years, including her favorites.

(I cheated! Knowing how busy the first day of school was going to be, I went out and took these on Thursday. We took a set of pictures while the little one was down for nap...only to find out that said little one had put fingerprints all over the camera lens. So, I had to take a second set. The only way Jesstine would do it is if I let her have one with her fairy!)

When I grow up, I want to be a Doctor

She wouldn't smile! So we promised if she cooperated she would get to do a silly picture. Emmitt got the perfect photobomb.

And the unintentional photobomb by her teacher, Mrs. Coleman!

During Emmitt's nap later, my mother-in-love came over with some fabulous cakes!!! (Because of course the day after Jesstine's birthday is MY birthday!)

She told the cake people that Jesstine liked pink and purple and she loved princesses and fairies...but absolutely NO sprinkles!

For my cake, she told them that my favorite color was purple and that I was a music teacher. I think they more than nailed it!!!

Later that day, we all had dinner at Freddy's and then went to get a new computer for me because as of Monday, I am a college student.....sort of! I have to do continuing ed classes for relicensure.

 Oh and I almost forgot...on Sunday Jesstine lost another tooth! Her tooth fairy delivered with another dollar in the shape of a bow tie. I don't think she noticed though because by the time we got up, it was in the shape of a dollar! 

Oh, and this time the dentist didn't have to pull it. It was so ready to come out. She was afraid to take it out herself. The new tooth was already in behind it. It was starting to get the same white spot on the gums that the last tooth left. So I convinced her that I could pull it and it wouldn't hurt too bad. We iced it with an Elmo boo boo pack a couple of times. I pulled and couldn't get a grip on it. I finally went into the kitchen and got a paper towel and with one small yank, it was out! She didn't cry! She said it didn't even hurt! It bled way less than the last one too!

Until next time!

In Him,

The Hutchins Family