Love these kids!!

My husband bought me a new computer yesterday and then spent the day getting it all set up for me. Yeah! My old one finally bit the dust and decided not to boot up any longer. It had given me plenty of warning so I fortunately had everything backed up. I spent the afternoon with the kids getting each of them an account set up on this computer. The girls are going to start needed it more for school work and they enjoy having their own settings, pictures, etc. And we FINALLY got the pictures from the girls' cameras downloaded onto the computer. They've only had them since Christmas :) . There were a few really good shots that I thought I would share with you. The one above is of Sara and Nathan.



Nathan on the run. Love this one because this is how I normally see him.










Sara and John...I can't tell you how many pictures of tongues I saw. Crazy...and probably a preview of what I will see on facebook once they turn 13.

Pictures....

If my computer was human, it would be in hospice care right now. It is only a matter of time before we say so long to this one I'm afraid. We will see if it will give me another blog post. I finally got the pictures off my phone and thought I'd share what we've been up to. Some is old news, but still worth noting.

Ashley was baptized in August. What a AWESOME day!

We checked out the Illinois state fair this summer. While in Springfield we checked out the new Scheel's sporting good store. They have a ferris wheel. in. the. store. So we went for a ride. Here are girls on their way up.

On Labor Day a WWII navy vessel was visiting a local town nearby. I can't remember the official name of the ship, but it is the last running transport ship for WWII. Very fascinating.


Here we are on the ship.

The boys got to be in their first parade. It was Homecoming and they are football players.


First day of school. Can't remember if I posted this yet this year. If I did, that's okay. It is a good picture and worth a repeat view.

My parents were here for Ashley's baptism so we decided to go for a family shot. I seem to recall my words right before this picture was taken was something like...."Cut it out and everyone pretend we are very happy to be getting our picture taken!" I think we may have pulled it off...

Thursday tidbits

I have about 10 minutes before my boys emerge from the bus with overflowing news of the day so I thought I'd share some randomness with you.

• It was a sad day today. I wore my flip flops and my feet got really cold. I love flip flops. Sigh...


• The truck died on our date last night. But we still had a good time and I still got to enjoy a decaf pumpkin spice latte. I also got reminded of how difficult it is to steer a truck while it was being pushed by my husband and a very helpful stranger. Fortunately, the diagnosis was just a very dead battery.


• Biaggi's....mmmmm. There is one near me now and I was blessed to enjoy the fettuccine with lobster for lunch. And the bread...the warm, yummy bread with "Biaggi's butter". Joe and I were trying to remember when the last time was that we ate at Biaggi's and I think it was our last dinner with some dear friends (you know who you are ;) ). I actually have a picture reminding me of that dinner hanging above my dresser. Sweet memories...


• Nathan learned this week that it is okay to "mess up" at school. He made his first mistake on one of his sheets and his teacher assured him that school isn't for being perfect, it is for learning. Definitely a lesson that my little (until now previously undiagnosed) perfectionist needs to learn.


• I made a DYNAMITE chicken pot pie the other day in my crockpot. Yes, I know, I was very skeptical as well. But with football practice, AWANA, and other various evening distraction I am trying out new crockpot meals. Wow, this one was good. Granted it didn't have the completely flaky crust of traditional pot pie, but it certainly came close...as close as one can come to flaky in a crock pot...


• I'm seeing some leadership in my kids...at school, at church, on the football field and I like it. I pray mightily that they will grow to be strong, Godly, servant leaders in this world one day.


• Sara's playing the flute and I just might learn along with her. I've about given up on my dream of one day learning how to play the piano, so why not try the flute. I've always wanted to play the flute, too. And the guitar...would love to play the guitar.


• Eternal security...aside from the feeling you receive after you are truly saved, I'm not sure there is any better feeling then the moment that you realize that you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and you are saved forever. I got to introduce that to my youngest this week. Loved that moment!


• And I hear the bus, so long....
  

My poor egg...

My egg burnt this morning. Joe and I were just talking the other day about how two really do in some ways become one in marriage. An elderly man in our church died and he and his wife were married for 62 years. They were one. You can literally see her heartbreaking as she grieves. The longer Joe and I have been married, the more oneness I see in us. And recently it has been in the form of eggs. Mornings around our house can get a little hectic sometimes. We have to get the daycare kids welcomed, four kids out the door for school and Joe heads out the door for work. I like to have an egg over-hard and a slice of toast for breakfast. (Sometimes I mix in some fresh, chopped, garden peppers and onions for an omlet...yummmm.) I put my egg on to cook and then I sometimes tend to get a little distracted...a question gets asked by a child, a lunch needs helped packing or I convince myself that I can get a load of laundry started before the egg needs flipped. Then one distraction leads to another and I completely forget about the egg. My husband, my other half, flips my egg for me in the morning. I don't ask him to flip it or keep an eye on it. He just knows me and flips the egg and turns off the heat under it. It's little things like that in marriage that make oneness. Joe has had a crazy busy week and was gone for his Wednesday morning discipleship group this morning so my egg burnt this morning. He's gone every Wednesday morning and my egg tends to burn almost every Wednesday. I missed him. It is good to miss my husband in the morning...the one who "completes" me.

Weekend wrap up...

and it is only Saturday afternoon. I can do the weekend wrap-up now though because we have crammed enough stuff in the last few days that I know what I am doing tomorrow...football and a nap. And, yes, I am experiencing some bittersweetness at the beginning of football season since it does sound like Manning (Peyton, for the Colts, not his brother) is going to be out for the season. Sigh... Could be a long season or it could be a pleasantly surprising one. One never knows, but I am glad that football season is back and I am going to take a nap tomorrow. Since I've digressed....I will now get back on track and give you the wrap up.

Then boys had their football game this morning that I sadly missed (due to what I mention below). Nathan scored the first touchdown of his life! And he also scored his first football shiner. Yep, it is a pretty good mark on the side of his head where he collided with another kid. Dad was very proud of him though when he "toughed" it out (no tears) and went back in to finish the game. (Maybe it is a good thing I wasn't there). I also hear that John "tore it up" on the field (spoken like a true dad).

The girls and I were released from a torture chamber early this afternoon. AKA...hunter safety class. Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, or maybe it really was because it was pretty bad. We had a 3 1/2 hour class both Thursday and Friday nights. Then today we had class from 8am until 2pm. The information was good (especially since we are a hunting family) and the teachers weren't bad. It was just A LOT of information that was poured out while we were sitting on some very hard metal folding chairs. And, because a couple of teachers tended to get a little sidetracked with some stories, we had to catch up today. "Catch up" meant we got 3 breaks that were 5 minutes or less. Yep, that means no lunch break. The last three hours all I could think was "the brain can only contain what the butt can sustain" and my rear-end and back had officially given out. When I took the test I was almost to the point that I didn't even care if I passed. The reason I say almost is because I really, really, really did not want to have to go through the class again. I am proud to say that we ALL THREE PASSED the class with flying colors. One of us scored a perfect 50 out of 50 and it wasn't me. The other two of us missed one and three. We have our lifetime (yes, they are good for a lifetime...it was one of the questions on the test) green cards to prove it. Joe treated us all to Dairy Queen afterwards and kept telling me over and over again how much I must love him for sitting through the class. And I do love him. And I do love the sport of hunting. On my list of things to do "when our kids get older" is to do a lot more hunting with him and the kids. Goodness knows that our freezer could use the meat....

The end of August

We are in the full swing of what I'll call "school fall" here. I won't call it true fall because, frankly, it feels nothing like fall. If it wasn't for the browning corn and beans, who would know it was fall. And if it was simply up to the browning of the corn and beans then it would have been fall since July. What is up with the heat the next few days?! Okay, off that tangent...

We are in the swing of things. Here are some of the things that have been going on...

• Ashley got baptized last Sunday. It was such a blessing of a day as a mom. I have pictures. You will see them..I just need to get them downloaded.


• The girls and I went to a Secret Keeper Girls event on Sunday night. Loved it! If you have a "tween" girl (age 8-12) you gotta check them out! And if you have a chance to go to one of their events, I really encourage you to go. Great bonding time...


• The boys got to practice football in the rain last night. They LOVED it. And I love. love. love. Oxiclean!


• We had open house for the girls classes on Monday night. They are both having a really good year and I think their teachers are a really good fit.


• Sara is going to start band in a week or so. It has been awhile since I have seen her so excited about something. They are trying out instruments this week. Her first choice would be flute and her second choice is clarinet (she will have a proud aunt if she gets either of those).


• The boys have open house tomorrow night. Nathan is pretty excited about it I think partly because he feels he "owes" his sisters the agony of going to an open house that isn't theirs. He was so bored Monday night... John just wants to hit the book fair.


• I don't normally mention my daycare kids in my blog posts, but I am going to make an exception to that. One of the moms and I have been working on potty training the last few weeks and we have had some MAJOR accomplishments the last few days. For the sake of privacy that is all I will say, but WOW do I feel like an accomplished woman today (a sign that your a mother...even if it isn't your kids you can get excited about a kid going in a potty!)


• I have had some moments of brillance as we started this school year in regards to packing school lunches and after school snacks. I am very organized about it and it has made so much difference. My husband may say I'm a little too organized and considering he probably feels like he has to ask before he eats anything...that is probably a sign that it is a little overboard. Or maybe I just need to educate him on the system...


• And I'm off to deal with the tomatoes from the garden and play with my daycare kids.

My boys of fall

We embarked on a new adventure this fall...we entered into sports with the boys. John really wanted to play football and we decided that we should get him started this year with flag. Next year is tackle. We thought John might appreciate learning the basics while no one was actually hitting him. Since flag is for ages 5-7 we went ahead and signed Nathan as well. It would be really tough for him to sit on the sidelines knowing that he could be part of the action. Today was their first game and they are definitely hooked...well, at least John is for sure. Nathan enjoyed himself, but not to the level that John did.

Before the game


Nathan in the role of quarterback...taking the snap. They rotate the kids around to different positions during the game. The point at this stage is to learn football...not necessarily win the game. Although winning makes learning a little more fun.
John lined up to block (actually I think technically it is a tackle position, but it is flag football)....he is on the left end. This was his stance most of the game no matter what position he played. He has his hands on his knees and looks really intense. Typical John...John doesn't do anything and not look intense.

This is when they were introducing the players at the beginning of the game (I got the pictures out of order.)

These may be the only pictures you see throughout the football season. My parents were able to come to this game and took some good shots. I get too distracted by the game and forget to take pictures. I am definitely hooked and love it that my boys love playing. I've always been a sports fan so this gives me an outlet. I just need to remember that my voice is loud and carries...a long. way.

School 2011-2012

It was a very big week at the Horn household. All four kids are now officially in school. And everyone is riding the bus this year...another first. It was a great first week for my kindergartner, 2nd grader, 4th grader and 5th grader. We are gradually settling into a routine. Homework hasn't started yet, so I'm sure this week that will also get thrown into the mix. Nathan LOVED kindergarten...until Friday evening when he declared to me in tears that "I missed you so much Mommy." We shared some tears together and then were able to have an honest discussion about kindergarten and what really happened during the week. It can be scary, there are mean kids at school sometimes, and yes, I did pick up and take your brothers and sisters to school, but you get to ride the bus. And we serve an Almighty God who is there with you through all of it.

And my house is quiet. This week I was blessed to have my parents come for a visit. So this next week is when the deafening silence will hit. Right now I'm with one daycare child and I will add another one in a few weeks. I also have a few that are part-time. So I am very thankful for the distractions. It is a new stage of life. We successfully raised our kids through infancy, toddlerhood and preschool. Now come the BIG years and the really hard stuff. But now also comes the GOOD stuff...the fun conversations, the fun activities, the enjoyment of elementaryhood and tweenhood and eventually teenhood and college. I thank the Lord for His grace in parenting and pray that my trust in Him with my children will only continue to grow.

It felt a little like fall today...

and that was wonderful! It is beginning to act a little bit more like fall around here to due to football which both the boys started this week, but more on that in a couple of bullet points. First, I'm feeling much better. I really appreciate all your prayers for me!! I am so tremendously blessed with family and God's family in my life. So here has been what has been going on besides interesting discussions concerning what is wrong with me...

• School is around the corner and all four kids got officially registered. We know who their teachers are and are looking forward to next Tuesday. Sara and Ashley both have 1st year teachers so we don't know them, but I'm sure they will be filled with energy and creativity. The boys are pretty pumped about it as well. It is such a blessing to have kids who like school.


• My house has been very, very neglected this summer. It is typical for me to neglect it in the summer because I prefer to be outside doing fun stuff with the kids. But with my health issues it is in an extraordinary condition. So the last couple of days it has been boot camp at our house trying to get stuff organized before next week. I purged...a lot. If you stop by our local Helping Hands I'm sure you will see some of it on hand. I feel like I can actually go into our basement now. Before I always held my breath and closed my eyes as I blindly searched for what I needed. It is pretty much the kids' domain down there, but it was very overcrowded. We should be better equipped to keeping it organized now.


• I'm officially off caffeinated coffee now. It's sad and we will just leave it at that. (At least the headaches are now gone. I'm sure my family is glad about that!)


• Couple of quotes from Nathan lately: He had to pick up sticks the other day and Joe bribed him (bribary seems to work around here sometimes). For every stick he picked up, he got a chocolate chip. His statement to me the morning after: "Mom, remember all those chocolate chips I ate because I picked up sticks? I don't think I'm going to do that again. It didn't make me feel so good." And according to Nathan "It wasn't real football practice because we didn't even see a football."


• Yes, the boys are playing flag football this year. I'm pretty excited about which I realize may be a rare mom reaction to her sons playing football. I'll just need to learn to whisper my cheers from the sidelines. It is flag football and they do a good job of teaching the basics, letting them try all the different positions, etc. Just in case you are concerned, the coaches assured the boys that they will get to see a football on Monday. Additional benefits to football....two boys who enjoy going to bed at night (this is especially a plus for my energizer bunny Nathan). The downside...I need to buy more food.


• Look for first day of school pics next week....they will be a little different this year as they will include a yellow bus. Yes, the kids are riding the bus this year. Three are very excited and one is pretty much mad at me...well, mad may be an understandment, but I think he/she will adjust.


• Okay time to sign off it is bedtime here...we've shifted to our school schedule. I think it is harder on me than on them. I really enjoyed not seeing any of them until 7:30 at the earliest in the mornings (not that I don't love my children, but quiet, peaceful mornings are kind of sweet)....hmmm, that still may happen in the morning.

I got to see my heart and....

other amazing things of medical technology! Wow, over the last days I have been amazed at the advances of medical technology and what they can do. I got my event monitor on Friday. The one I have (due to insurance requirements) transmits over a landline phone. So whenever I have a strong palpitation, I record it, call the number, transmit it and viola...the technician on the other end can tell me if it is an emergency or not. He/She also passes the info onto the doctors. They have monitors that actually send everything wirelessly to everyone. That is even cooler, but I am very thankful and amazed with the one I have. I also got the opportunity today to see my heart...on a screen...in color! I had an echocardiogram with my stress test today. It was all a very amazing process. The nurse kept apologizing when she took the electrodes off of me (there were probably 15). I told her that I was just thankful that they could run tests that could check my heart out in the detail that they did.

The doctors have been able to determine what is not wrong with me, but still have no concrete answers as to the problem. We think it is palpitations that have become symptomatic. They consistently see them on all the tests they run on me and I should know more once all the doctors review the tests.

There are so many intricate details to the heart and it has caused me to worship my Creator. Our human bodies are truly amazing. I am in awe of the One who created us. And I am so very thankful that not only did He create me, but He loves me with a love that is deeper than I could ever imagine. So grateful and humbled...