New Template

I would just like to say that changing my background template was not as easy as everybody made it sound. At one point, I lost all of the "specials" I had on the right side of the screen. Then it kept telling me that I needed a background color. I ended up with middle of the background still being covered up by my orignial layout. I like it better than what I was trying to get...so here is my new blog look.

Adventureland

Sylvia enjoyed her first trip to Adventureland last Monday. After spending a day working at our house for our family reunion, my extended family spent Sunday night in Ankeny and headed to Adventureland on Monday. All together the Hoefer family is 45 people, but we were never gathered all at once.

It has been many years since I have been at Adventureland and this time around I spend most of my time on kiddy rides. There are not many rides that an 8 month old can ride but we enjoyed the few she could ride.

We started the day on a a small ferris wheel. Sylvia was not allowed to sit on my lap and instead had to sit next to me...until she worked her way up on my lap anyway. I figure it was just as safe if not safer.


We then moved on to the train ride around the park. Even Great Nana Hoefer rode this one with us. This is my cousin(-in-law), Emily with us.


Sylvia napped for more than an hour in her stroller at the park. This was unexpected because she doesn't usually sleep well outside of a crib. After her nap, the family enjoyed a lunch of McDonald's double cheese burgers & chicken sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly. We had different lunch plans, but in a vehicle and the keys to that vehicle were on there way to the airport in another car. After lunch, Sylvia went to the circus with Grandma and a few of her cousins while Evan (my oldest nephew) and I enjoyed The Outlaw and The Log Ride.

Sylvia's favorite ride was the semis. She even held on to the steering wheel most of the time. I took the videos myself while on the rides with Sylvia so I apologize ahead of time. I actually think they turned out pretty good considering the circumstances.



Before leaving the park we took a quick turn on the carousel. Sylvia was getting tired by this point but again knew to hold onto the poll.




I'm looking forward to returning to Adventurland when Sylvia is a little older and daddy can go with us.

Christmas in July

Our 2008 Hoefer Family Reunion began last Saturday with a day of work at our house followed by Christmas in July! We had a Christmas tree, presents, peanut butter balls. I even suggested opening the door to outside because it was getting warm, forgetting that it was not December. The only thing we didn't do was line up in chronological order and proceed down the stairs for a video (another Christmas tradition).

One of my favorite things about Christmas has always been our family gift exchange. There are 14 grandchildren in my dad's family and we drew names each year for a Christmas gift exchange. Our generation has since moved to giving a combined gift to a non-profit organization (when we get organized enough) but the younger grandchildren and great-grandchildren have continued the tradition. This year Sylvia got a set of animal puppets from my cousin Jacob, and she loves them!


Here Sylvia is with her Great God-Mother, Sarah.


We also did a white elephant gift exchange this year with the adults as well as my favorite game...the dice game (for lack of a better name). I first played the dice game at one of my wedding showers. It's a great game because you can play it at any type of party or shower..

Directions
Place 5 or so wrapped gifts (depending on the number of people) in the middle or a circle of people.

Give 3 or 4 people a pair of dice and a paper plate to roll them on.

Set a timer for 5 (anything longer is too long).

When the timer starts, the people with the dice roll and then pass the plate and dice the person on their right.

Each time someone rolls doubles, they take a gift from the center or from another person. Do not open gifts until the end of the game.

The game continues with people rolling, passing the dice & plate and stealing gifts until the timer goes off.

When the time goes of, the people with the gifts may open them and keep them.

Under Water

These pictures were taken right around the time that the Iowa river crested.

Our house is directly in the center of this photograph. It has two odd additions sticking out the back and a shed in the backyard.


This is our church and preschool. You can see the tip of the play equipment behind the back left portion of the building. You shouldn't even be able to see the river in this shot when it's at it's normal height.

Crawling

The time has finally come. Sylvia officially started "crawling" today. She doesn't have it mastered yet, but she can get from place to place...if she wants to. Up until today she could only move from sitting to laying and then spin in circles.

Tattooed

Sylvia helped her cousin Ben celebrate his 3rd birthday this week. There was a tattoo booth at the party so we took full advantage of it. What's more appropriate than an angel baby tattoo?


She's flexing for you in this picture.

Boating

When I was four-years-old, my parents bought a Viking deck boat. I spent many an afternoon asleep in the front of the boat, annoying my brothers while adjusting the cushions in the tube, and attempting to get up on two and then one, and eventually no skis. I haven't done as much boating recently. It was not the most fun thing to do while pregnant and Dan wouldn't let me ski last summer. He said it was the doctor that wouldn't let me but I just thought she didn't want me to fall while skiing...not skip skiing altogether. Anyway, we took Sylvia out on the boat this past weekend. She loved the wind in her face, driving over bumpy water, and splashing in the lake. I think she's going to take after Mommy.

Sylvia's Wardwobe (Part III)

This is an old post that never got published for some reason. I don't think any of these clothes still fit.

Who says you can't wear pjs during the day.


All dressed up. There's pretty much always some drool on my clothes.


This is daddy's favorite outfit. I get anything I want when I'm wearing my overalls.


More pjs. They are so comfortable...I don't know why I'd wear pants instead.

July 4th

Sylvia and I joined my parents and my brother's family for the Coralville 4th of July Parade. Although she wasn't too excited about collecting candy, she did enjoy chewing on the ice pop that was thrown AT her. The cub scouts were throwing them out and I blocked this one from hitting Sylvia in the face. I was more excited about the free burrito cards that Pancheros was handing out.


Sylvia with her cousins Katie and Ben. I think the two of them are having a serious conversation.


What's better than a big piece of watermelon on the 4th?


We had lunch on the deck with grandma and grandpa and played a little in the front yard. Sylvia still loves the grass although she is now able to pull it...and eat it.


Sylvia enjoyed her first fireworks show. The first big boom made her jump but after that she was fine. We watched from a distance in Coralville and could see Iowa City's in the background. Our vote goes to Iowa City this year. Sylvia was slightly distracted by the young boy next to us who played "war" by himself to the sound of fireworks going off.

Apples and Pears

A little over a month ago we attempted to start Sylvia on solids. We started her on vegetables (sweet potato, asparagus, carrots). Some days she'd eat a whole serving (one ice cube's worth) and other days not so much. A few times I'd let her eat food with "handles" so she could feed herself, but this is difficult because it's easy for her to get pieces that are too big. Feeding her never went extremely well, but now Sylvia has now decided that she is not interested in being fed at all. This week I decided to try fruit (apples and pears) since she hasn't been too interested in vegetables. It works pretty well if I skin part of the fruit and then let her gnaw at it. Those two little bottom teeth really seem to help. However, she doesn't like eating apples and pears in purees very much at all. Let her feed herself and she loves it, but fill a spoon with pureed anything and she "spits" it out. I'm not sure if she's just playing or if she's actually trying to get it out of her mouth. The latter seems to be true. I guess we'll keep trying for now.