Summer Fun-2010

Busy Hoene family!! What a blessing to have such a beautiful and active son. Logan, you are such a gift. Below are some of the pictures from what we have been doing lately. Mommy only wishes she had time to post them all. Love you, sweet boy!!

Logan at "Gym Class"--spring 2010

Sitting on the edge of our "pool"

Papa's Angels, Father's Day, 2010

Grandaddy, Daddy and Logan, Father's Day 2010

Daddy and Me swimming at Nana's, June 2010

Mommy and me on Thomas the Train...

Can you say "Cheese"?

Reading with Papa--yes, that is a Thomas book.

Beach view--spring break, 2010 on the Gulf of Mexico...

Mommy and me on Easter Sunday in PCB.

We have been very busy lately! Logan had a blast at the Day Out with Thomas the Train. Even though it was REALLY hot, we survived and had fun too. I even think Papa had fun. Mommy has been working some this summer, but trying to take off on Friday's when Daddy is off too. We are planning some fun day trips around town since going to the gulf is out of the question this summer--thanks BP! We have also been swimming a lot! Logan, you are such a little fish! You LOVE the water. So, starting next month, we are going to take some swimming lessons at the Y. I know you will be so excited. Some other things we have done lately--lots of reading, a visit to Illinois to see Aunt Becky, Uncle Don, Grandma Hoene and Dane, did I mention the swimming? Swinging and playing at Mimi and Papa's house--we had a cookout at our house to celebrate Father's Day. Lots of family fun!! You are such a loved little boy!! The video below is of our "little fish" jumping in Nana's pool today. Thanks Nana for having us over. We had a blast...as you can tell!

Mother's Day 2010

Sweet boy and his proud mama...


Swinging with Daddy at the park

Aunt Alicia and Daddy

Man...this is FUN!

Brady and Logan chasing the ducks--boys!

Aunt Alicia, Daddy, Nana and Grandaddy

Time to feed the duckies...

Nana and Logan taking a stroll at the park

Hi Mommy! "I yuv you!"

Savannah and Logan playing with Play Dough at Brunch

What a wonderful weekend! Our third mother's day was amazing! The weekend began with a trip to Cincy for a Reds vs. Cubs game--yes, this was as much fun for me as it was for Chad. Logan spent the night with Mimi and Papa, but the next time we go to a game we are going to take him. I know he will love it! Then on Sat. we spent the day playing and working around the house and went to church with Mimi and Nana and the family. Sunday, Aunt Carrie made reservations at Captains Quarters for the whole family. The food was YUMMY and we had so much fun! Attached are some of the pictures from this wonderful weekend!!

On a personal note, I want to thank ALL of the mother's in our lives--moms, step-mom, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and so many more! Chad, Logan and I are truly blessed by God to have such a wonderful support, especially from our "moms". We LOVE you!!

~Staci

Happy Easter!!

He LIVES!! Praise God! What a blessing to have family and friends around us on this wonderful holiday. We love you all and thank God each day for you!!

S~

Birthdays, Snow Day, and Fun--oh my!!

Cousin Madison and Daddy (her uncle)

Let the festivities begin!

I love my Aunt Carrie!

Thank you Mimi for my own cake!!

Stephanie loves Logan!!

Cake Time! Yummy!!

Savannah and Logan ready for cake!!

Cousin Brady and Logan playing with the new train table!

Happy Birthday to Me!! Thanks everyone!!

Guess what we have been doing lately, son? Lots of celebrating!! You turned 2 on January 1, 2010. T-W-O so hard to believe that it has been 2 years! Last Saturaday, we had a small family party where we celebrated "Handy Manny" style--HM cake, HM decor, HM shirt--the only thing missing was HM, himself! Ha--guess daddy could have dressed up like him. That would have been hilarious! Anyhow, lots of family came over to the house for pizza, presents, and cake. Once the smoke cleared from the festivities, we all settled in to watch the Battle for the Bluegrass--aka. The UK/UL game. The game was VERY exciting, but UK ultimately won. They are 15-0 this year. Daddy hates this because he is a UL fan. For the last few years, he hasn't had to worry about UK, but this year is a different story. Go CATS!!!

Today, we celebrated our first real snow around here--about 3 inches. Enough to close local schools and cover the ground. Of course, mommy and daddy had to work, but when we got home we headed outside for your FIRST snow fun! Last year when it snowed, you just weren't old enough to take out just yet, but not this year. I think you would have stayed out there all night if we would have let you. Even though you could hardly walk around--mommy bundled you up good--you had a blast and even wanted to help daddy shovel the driveway. Too cute. I must say that was the best 30 minutes of my day, hands down! Looks like tomorrow is another snow day so Mimi has already said she is going to let you and Savannah go out of the back deck. That should be fun! Sweet boy--you are the light of my life--you and your father. Thank you for bringing me mommy back to her childhood days of birthdays, snow days, and FUN. I love you!!

~Mommy

To blog or not to blog....

November 2009

january 1, 2009 (1 year)

january 1, 2008

I started this blog back in December of 2006 as a way to document and share our lives with our family and friends--both near and far. It seems that I haven't been doing a lot of blogging lately and I guess one might blame that on the fact that I am a busy mom of a (soon to be) 2 year old or the fact that I work about 60 hours a week, but honestly, I think I got a little burned out...which is hard for me to admit. I don't like to quit on things. When I start something, I like to see it through. I am sure that the folks who used to follow our blog have long since given up seeing as how our last post was October. Three months and nothing, zip, zilch, nada--yup, blogger burn out, for sure. Does this post mean that I have the itch back again?? Do I want to keep documenting our lives for our family and friends--near and far--through a blog? Afterall, there is facebook-LOL!

(thinking....)

(still thinking....)

Okay...so here it is. I have never been one for resolutions--though we could use some around here especially in the area of excercise--but as I revisit the many posts of the last 3 years, I am so overwhelmed at all that we have, all that we do and have done, and all the memories forever cemented in this blog. Come to think about it, I didn't do a baby book for Logan--I journaled a bit from October to his homecoming, but from then on, EVERYTHING was documented here...on this blog!! Maybe my burn out came from having the same audience? Maybe my audience needs adjusting--afterall, someday Logan will be reading this story...his story, so how can I quit now, right?

The other day, Chad and I began talking about some goals we have for our family for this year--saving money, paying off a few bills, cooking together (don't laugh)--so, a goal of mine will be to continue to blog. There I said it. The Hoene Heaven blog will go on, but I think an audience adjustment is needed. Now, just because I am changing my audience to a 2-year old doesn't mean others won't be able to read to learn about what is happening in our lives. There are so many people out there both near and far who love us and want to know what is happening in our lives...but,

from now on, the person I will be writing to is my son. And someday, when he is ready, we will read all about how our family of 3 came to be and how God so richly blessed our lives. Yes, I am feeling not so burned out already!!

Logan,

In a little over an hour, you will be two years old. Holy cow! TWO!! T-W-O and mommy is so thankful to be your mommy! Though the last few months have been challenging--who knew toddlerhood could be so FUN--I know that God created me to be your mommy. And I thank him each day for that. You had fun tonight playing at Holly's house. We played trains and with the balls. Of course around 8:30 you began to yawn--you have always been such a great sleeper so daddy packed us up and we walked home (from next door). You have been sound asleep for a while now. Our nightly routine of a bit of milk, climbing the stairs and mommy rocking you while we say our prayers is just about as close to heaven as I can imagine. We say prayers and you name off all of the people you want Jesus to bless--Nana, Grandaddy, Mimi, Papa, Papa Hoene, Gran, Annie, all our cousins and aunts and uncles and neighbors. You can imagine how long our prayers tend to be...but I wouldn't miss that time for ANYTHING. Tomorrow is family day and then Sat. is your birthday party--nothing as BIG as last year's shin-dig--family for some pizza, wings and cake--a Handy Manny cake of course. Mommy will post some pictures here after the party. My son, I love you! Happy Birthday, sweet boy!!

Mommy

Fall is Here!

Last week, during Fall Break, we went to Gatlinburg with Nana and Grandaddy. We had so much fun--the weather was GREAT--in the 80's and we even saw a real bear on the property across from our balcony. Hope you enjoy the pictures and are enjoying the changing colors...

Enjoy!

So much funnnn!!!!

Logan is so funny when he says his name because he leaves off the "L" sound. So, it comes out "ogan!" What a GREAT kid!! He is such a blast and amazes us each day with his words and what he does. We are truly blessed!!!!!