The best way to end a day: ice cream and the park with the kids. Who can't enjoy a good game of tag on the playground with an 8 year old, 7 year old, 5 year old and 3 year old? Although I should've worn different pants. It's kind of hard to hang on to your pants because they're falling down and outrun the kids. I'm sure it was entertaining to any passerby.

Happy Birthday Sammie!

I went to a birthday party for a dog today. Definitely a first in my life...

Rainy Day happenings

It has poured down rain all day--literally all day. Some places have gotten up to 6 inches and it is still raining. So here is what we were up to on our rainy day.

• A quick trip to Target before the onslaught of storms to pick up my new cast iron double griddle/grill. I've used it already and love it.
• Had to stop at Kroger on the way home (after the onslaught of rain began) because Nathan really had to go. We got soaked so I decided I might as well get gas as well.
• Hung out at the library for awhile.
• Enjoyed my new favorite tea whilst reading about dinosaurs and Winnie the Pooh with the boys. As a side, I'm not a tea drinker but stumbled onto this at church and really like it. It is Good Earth Sweet & Spicy Herbal Tea. Think hot apple cider without the apple taste. Okay, maybe that's not a good description. Just think...yummmmm.
• Fixed grilled cheese sandwiches on my new griddle for lunch and soup--perfect for a rainy day.
• Took a nap during a thunderstorm
• Folded this week's laundry. Yes, I said this week's. I'll let your mind imagine how many loads that might be for this family of 6.
• Watched the latest Bones episode as a reward for folding the laundry. It was the season finale and slightly disappointing.
• Had take 'n bake for supper. Again, yummmm
• Sara got to visit her new school for next year. They have 3rd-8th in a different school here where we live. The highlight for her? "Mom, their cafeteria is a completely separate room from their gym. It was amazing!"
• Watch the next episode of 24--I actually managed to run the remote without deleting it this time--imagine that!
• Played Uno with the kiddos. We made it through 2 rounds without tears. Then it was bedtime.

All in all a pretty awesome rainy day, but for the boys' sake I'm hoping for sunshine tomorrow.

I think I'm hipper now

I spent the vast majority of my day outside. It was a beautiful day sandwiched in between days of rain, so I had a lot I needed to get accomplished. One of the tasks was to mow the lawn. I should have bought a hay baler to help me out. The other major task was to stain our new picnic table. One of our neighbors is getting a new roof and so I was serenaded by the local "hot 40" radio station all afternoon while I stained the table. I'm feeling much hipper this evening than I did this morning. Maybe I'll recognize all the songs on American Idol next week.

the mighty hunter likes his meat!

I love trying out new recipes and for my birthday I got a subscription to a Paula Dean magazine. Soooo, I'm trying out new recipes on my fam this week. At lunch I announced to my husband that we were going to have black bean burgers for supper. Joe's response "Does it actually have burger it in?" Then he checked out the recipe and I guess it doesn't. He doesn't think it should be considered a burger. And now I'm not real sure how excited the mighty hunter is about black bean burger night. I think I forgot to add that I'm making corn salsa to go along with it. I'm sure that would have changed his opinion.

simple pleasures

I was so pumped when I got the mail yesterday. We get to be a Neilsen household again! I can't believe they choose us again (we got to do it when we lived in Iowa). I thought that it was a once in a lifetime kind of thing. (What does it say about my life that I'm excited about this?) The only bummer is that we aren't in age population that is deemed profitable. Who decides that the most valued opinions are of those ages 18-34? I had a birthday the other day (if you read my husband's blog you already know this and how old I turned since he's mentioned it more than once) so I'm another year away from being the favored age. Oh well, even though I'm not "cool" it will still be fun. I wonder how they factor in the whole DVR age....

Monday's PSA

A special note for the Starbuck's intercom order taker guy:

Please remember as you are asking people for their orders that even though you may have already had 4-5 cups of coffee that morning, they most likely have not. That's probably why they are at Starbucks. Maybe you should try decaf after the first two lattes.

From: A fellow morning bird

my wake up call

My Mother's Day morning wake up call--5:42am:

Nathan: "Mommy!"
Mommy (stumbling into his dark room): "Yes, Nathan"
Nathan: "Can some animals do somersaults?"

I'm not sure I even answered him. I just said goodnight and covered him up. What a sweet boy!

our coolness factor

WOW! I almost forgot to post today and that would have ruined my goal of posting everyday for 2 weeks. Part of the reason it almost slipped my mind is because we did some brief traveling. We left yesterday after school and headed to Indiana for an overnight stay. Our brother-in-law was in for a short visit from overseas so we got to see him and hang out with all the Horn clan. A good time was had by all. It was a very, very good trip for us. I did learn something about myself though. I've become old and uncool in my kids' eyes. Well, at least my girls' eyes. On the way there, Joe and I did our normal road trip routine and spent about 30 minutes "jamming" in the front seat. Normally our children enthusiastically join in. Not this time--the party poopers were in the very back and we couldn't even convince them to smile (although I suspect that there were some grins when my back was turned). Honestly, we didn't really care--we were still cool in our eyes--despite the odd looks from all the truckers.

recent happenings

What's been happening lately:

Sara went on her field trip yesterday to a local museum yesterday. She's growing up--they didn't ask for any parent volunteers. I was a little sad.

Ashley reached her 100 books read mark for the year and got to go out to eat with her teacher at McDonalds

John is super, super, duper into his Legos. He's going to be bummed when he finds out that the pirate ship to go with all his pirates that he was going to buy with his piggy bank money costs $100

Nathan has decided to go through life forehead first. He has three very distinct, comment provoking bumps & scratches on his head. They are from three different incidents. How do you scratch your head on the ultra safety McDonalds playland?

I was just downstairs in our playroom in the basement and there were 10 Barbies laying on the floor--all very naked

Joe & I have become work out junkies the last few weeks. We're kind of dangerous when we go and do the treadmills together at the local gym. We certainly can't let the other one go further or faster than we are. I almost ran a mile this morning just so I could keep up with him. (I HATE running!)

I gave Sophie a bath yesterday (that's our dog for those of you who may not remember). It's a big day for all of us. This is the first time that we are leaving her with someone since we got her. I had to resist the urge to write out detail instructions for her. What's been running through my mine all morning..."repeat after me, she's just a dog!"

I've been busy playing in the dirt lately. Watch for pictures to come...