Hiester Family Antics: Archive Photos- Fall 2007

The Hiester Family in a nutshell - a big one, like a coconut or something

We are a family of a whole bunch of random people, thrown together in one small house, who all happen to look alike. Each member of our family was hand-picked by God... that's the only explanation for the saga that is our family. Here's the story from the beginning... My husband, Todd, was married before me. His wife's name was Carrie, and together they had 3 kids: Tyler, Kurstin & Elissa. Todd's parents were divorced and his mother remarried. Her new husband, Don, had 2 small children: Ally & Wesley. Their natural mother was killed in a car accident when they were 8 & 11. One year later, they lost their dad and Todd and Carrie took them into their home. 6 months after Ally & Wesley were added to the household, Carrie died of cancer at age 26. Her own children were 3, 6 & 9 and Ally & Wesley were 10 & 13. And Todd was alone with them. Think Lord of the Flies. So when I fell in love with Todd, I got these 5 kids as a bonus. We married about a year and a half into our relationship, with the kids as our wedding party. We made it all official with an adoption lawyer and lots of money, ensuring that we are LEGALLY their parents. They even had to take oaths saying they would perform the duties of sons and daughters, which I think means I have someone to change my diapers when the time comes! After 2 years of marriage we added Robben Carey to the mix. And now we've welcomed Livi Claire...the seventh, and final, Hiester kid (unless, of course, God has other plans). Todd and I are 37 and 35, respectively, and our kids range in age from 1 to 21. It's great because we're cool and always the youngest in a crowd of high school parents.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Archive Photos- Fall 2007

Fall of 2007... Elissa was in 1st grade, Kurstin in 5th, Tyler and Ally in 8th, and Wesley a Junior in high school... Robben was in my tummy. As I look back, I realize that a lot of these activities have actually become traditions. We do the pumpkin thing every year, and Santa Cruz for Todd's birthday was a couple years running. We skipped it last year, but I know he loves it there, so we should consider it again this fall. In any case, I look at these pictures of my kids' childhoods and realize (again) that they are very blessed to have a strong foundation of family and love and fun and togetherness. I really couldn't ask more for them... or for myself.

Mix-Match Day at Fairmont. They really embrace it :)

It's actually pretty alarming how many pictures of critters we have. You've seen the tree frog, now here is the tarantula the kids found in the wood pile way out back. We also have pictures of a possum (in our laundry room), a skunk out front, and I'm not sure if we made any photographical records of the squirrel in the kitchen...

All our kids and their jack-o-lanters. The kids are the ones that aren't orange.

... and in their costumes.

This is at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The carousel is actually pretty fun because they have the rings you try to toss into the clown's mouth. That, and who doesn't enjoy a nice circular ride on a colorful plastic horse?

It was like pulling teeth for Todd to get the girls on this pirate ship... and then it was like pulling teeth to get them back off :)

Even kiddie roller coasters are scream-worthy.

If you haven't been to the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz, GO! It's crazy and unexplainable. Look at these pictures of the kids standing as upright as possible in this shack :)