Hoene Family Xmas Blog 2015

Hello Family! 2015 is drawing to a close and it was a good year. We didn't really do anything special this year, except maybe get a year older ;).  I will just share a little about each of us.

Little Henry - turned 3 at the end of March. This year he started going to the same pre-school that Sophia attended last year. He goes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. He LOVES to play with construction machinery toys, especially skid steers. He likes to help daddy at work and get rides in the real skid steer and tractors. He has started talking a lot more, mostly about skid steers and the work he is doing with said skid steer. He has the sweetest little voice, so listening to him talk melts my heart. Swimming lessons started this year too. Buddy does not want to put his head under water, so he is still in the beginner level.

 Sophia - turned 5 at the end of October. This year she learned how to ride a bike with no training wheels! She also started the pre-k program at Campus Cooperative Preschool which is every morning. Her teachers refer to her as a leader of the class since she is so outgoing and personable. (this has been both a blessing and a curse with bossiness). She is very good at including others and helping out when needed.  Sophia has excelled at swim lessons. She has advanced 3 levels since we started. There is still a way to go, but it's a great start. Sophia LOVES horses and the color purple. Her birthday theme this year was horses. She had barrel racing and pin the tail on the pony at her party. All her friends got to go home with their own "pony". She really loves doing art projects.

  Sophia and Henry on their first day of school for the 2015-2016 school year

Big Henry - manager of the University of Illinois Dairy farm. Henry grew an awesome garden again this year. The garden keeps growing with Henry's growing green thumb. This fall we transplanted wild blackberries from the pond by Brenda's house. We are hoping for a good crop to enjoy in pies next summer. Henry loves that Sophia and Buddy like living on the farm. He has shown them how to milk the cows and likes the "help" in the garden. Henry went up to Madison for the World Dairy Expo in October.

Kelly is still doing a lot with the mom's support group Mothers & More. As a co-leader I have been in charge of more scheduling and making the group fun. I have met a lot of great ladies I am lucky to call my friend. I took the kids to Nashville, TN this spring for Mother's Day weekend. We went down with my mom and Casey to visit Brittany. It was a really fun trip (stressful, but fun). We also went on a family trip to Wisconsin this summer and visited The Kyles. I'm so glad we were able to see Becky, Katie, Isaac and Aubrey while we were there. Ruth Anne and John's new place is really nice!

 At the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, WI

 Swimming at Ruth Anne and John's

 The group in Nashville!

 Henry and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary this October. 

We went on a day date and had a really nice time, just the 2 of us.

We found out early this year we were expecting our third baby!  We welcomed Tess Pauline Hoene on November 3, 2015. We have been spending the last month adjusting to a new baby and 3 kids for that matter. Tess is really sweet and loves her big brother and sister already. She has recently started smiling a big gummy smile and cooing. Sophia and Henry are so in love. Me and Henry are, too, for that matter. 

 That's a big pumpkin right there!

 The proudest big brother and sister you've ever seen!

 We hope everyone has a great holiday and happy new year! Merry Christmas!

Love,
The Hoenes
Henry, Kelly, Sophia, Henry & Tess