it rained. and snowed!

All it took was Kya's rain dance.
It rained.
And then it snowed.

And those were the two main factors in Kya and my very very fun day.

The rain dance video above was a special request from Grandpa Z (my dad) hence the shout out at the end.


My view from the Bison Booties studio workshop as it started to snow. Today my room is entirely too messy to be called a studio.


She woke up from her nap very cranky because the rain was "too noisy" on her window (can you tell we've been in a drought?) but when I told her it was snowing she was estatic.


Evidence of snow.


She then said she was cold (note to self: time to get out the winter coat) and we hurried inside for hot chocolate, at Kya's request.


Then we cuddled in warm laundry.
And all was right with the world.

the two-and-a-half year-old

Kya will be 2 1/2 tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 3. 


It seems like she was just born, yet it also seems like she has been in our lives forever. It's hard to remember life before Kya ... and I don't try to. Life is so much better with this little blonde blessing around.

Kya's favorite things:
- Mickey Mouse (we don't have cable TV, so this is just about anything that has to do with Mickey - books, stuffed animals, etc)
- video chat and Skype
- letters, colors, and numbers (she LOVES to learn!)
- puzzles
- the weather report on the news
- stickers (what 2-year-old doesn't like stickers?)
- playing games (her favorite is Candy Land)
- running errands with me
- having guests visit (especially relatives and kids)
- dressing up (usually as Super Kya, or her alter-ego: Princess 'White Hair')
- and best of all ... meeting daddy at the door when he comes home from work every day

Fun with Kya over the past month or so ...



Watching football with Daddy, and enjoying a beef stick (this kid loves meat)


I got a steal of a deal on this Little People town/set and Kya is really enjoying having 'big kid' toys to play with.


Funny faces around the bonfire.


Gluing leaves to wood ... fun at the river cabin


The three Vander Vorst kiddos at the river cabin. My cousins Lauryn and Parker, and Kya


Kya driving Parker's motorized tractor at the river


Sleeping in. Kya is officially in twin-size bed. Corey disassembled her crib a few weeks ago.


Dressing up like Dora - Grandma Katy made her a matching dress and she loves it!




Another visit "way up" to the top floor in the North Dakota Capitol building. She is getting more brave with heights.


Backyard pajama party!




Playing Candy Land for the first time.


I think she was saying "two blue!" She's really good with numbers and colors so this game is a hit.




Princess/Farmer White Hair


I love you Kya Rose!

Weather Girl

I would assume that the entire state of North Dakota is excited about having rain in the forecast. It has been a dry, dry, dry summer with lots of wind, dust, tumbleweeds, and fires.

Kya is excited too. We watched the morning news today and she just about jumped out her highchair after hearing "storm" and "rain" on the news.

We'll looking forward to stomping in puddles.

Let it rain.

Kya was eating runny eggs (over easy) and toast with Nutella. The Nutella was a special treat leftover from our German party last weekend.

Pumpkin Patch Visit 2012

Last weekend we made our annual (and always fun) visit to Papa's Pumpkin Patch in Bismarck.

A look back at the past two years:




and this year:



A local camera store was sponsoring free family photos. Here we are!














the big sandbox of corn


the toddler zip line was a hit with Kya

Last day to vote

Today (Monday, Sept. 24) is the last day of voting for the Martha Stewart Living American Made award. Thank you for your continued support, shares, and votes. Currently, Bison Booties is in 13th (out of 100 finalists and 2,000 overall entries). Wow. It's all thanks to my wonderful family, friends an fans!

The winner will be selected by 50% votes and 50% product/editorial choice. So vote one last time and leave a comment on my Martha Stewart page. One vote per e-mail address.

http://americanmade.marthastewart.com/profiles/erica-hager-175

Thank you!

lookalikes at 2.5 years

In my never ending quest to figure out who my daughter looks like, I present some flashback photos of Corey and I at 2 1/2 years old 'ish:

* hey look. I had white hair too! *







So what do you think - is she looking more like Ma or Pa?

Fight to the finish

I'm positive that I've already won the award for 'greatest friends/fans ever' - but I still need your help. PLEASE keep voting. We're about 1000 votes from the top 10. Think about it ... that's one vote from less than half of the Bison Booties Facebook fans. Easy peasy, right?

http://americanmade.marthastewart.com/profiles/erica-hager-175

Hop to it. It's GO time. Voting ends at midnight in Monday. I'm not going out without a good fight to the finish!

. . .

I'll make this short: THANK YOU ALL!

I've been meaning to write more often, and this is way overdue, but every time I sit down to write I am already yawning and have a killer headache. I guess that's what all this busyness does to me. 

So the biggest news: Bison Booties now has two contract workers to help with sewing and administrative duties. I'm still in disbelief that this 'little hobby' is at this level. Wow. I wouldn't be here without all the support, love and encouragement from each of you. Thank you.

. . .

Check out the recent media stories on Bison Booties as a finalist for the American Made Award:

KFYR-TV: http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=59232

KXMB-TV: http://www.kxnet.com/story/19554021/bison-booties-makes-top-100-small-businesses-in-the-nation

Mandan News: http://mandan-news.com/2012/09/mandan-business-named-one-of-100-finalists/

. . .

Thanks to some very talented and generous artisan friends, I am offering up a 'Made in North Dakota Prize Package' to one lucky voter (valued at over $150). Check it out and enter to win:

http://www.bisonbooties.com/2012/09/north-dakota-prize-package-giveaway.html