WoW It has been WAY Too Long!!!

I have been away from my blog far too long! I have let myself be way too busy and just going over old videos and pictures has reminded me why I started blogging in the first place. Time stands still on here and I am able to go back and relive the sweet memories on here, which is priceless! We have lost a lot of old videos and what not due to virus's and all that jazz, but thankfully the ones on here remain. : ) I am going to make it a goal to capture Awesome moments and share it on here as my online family journal! Keep your eyes out!!! : ) Just a quick update, Alma was just baptized and we are So Super Proud of Him!!!! He would wake up in the middle of the night to ponder on what he was about to do, and to make sure he knew it for himself! I was blown away when he told me this, which was after he had his baptismal interview with the Bishop! He is such a deep thinker, and always wants to know for himself, which just warms my heart and makes me grateful for him and his example! He is such an example to our family, and we just love him!!!

Service is the Best!!! : )

Not too long ago I did a post about us serving with our stake, cleaning up the city of Fayetteville! It was Great!! To recap my hubby was out cleaning the busy roads/highways, while the chillins and I were busy cleaning up the Park. It was Great to see them all come together and clean up! They asked us to please clean up any trash and pinecones, since it was making work difficult for the landscape care takers. Kimmi took off with picking up the pinecones! She would run around saying Pinecone Pinecone!!! She would pick them up and run over and put them in the bag! We even had a race with the Newcomer family!!! : ) Isaac ended up helping them out, which upset Malachi, but then he ended up helping us out in the end with his buddy Dallin! So it all worked out! : ) I think we might owe them pizza. ; ) It was a Great way to spend our weekend! The chillin's really loved it! Alma had the eagle eyes and was helping Kimmi find the pinecones! It was Great Fun! They sure were all tuckered out by the time we were all done! : ) There was a reporter there and he took many pictures of everyone! Kimmi and I ended up in the Fayetteville Observer!! Along with our friends the Newcomers and Isaac in the background! : ) Here it is!

Caption: Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pick up Mormon Helping Hands tee shirts before participating in the Fayetteville Beautiful citywide cleanup. More than two-hundred local members of the Church participated in the annual city project. Kimmi Horn, 2, and her mom Erin collect trash at Mazarick Park in Fayetteville during the Latter Day-Saints' annual Fayetteville citywide cleanup. The Horns joined with more than 200 other members of the Church of Jesus Christ in support of the annual Fayetteville event. So Awesome!! : )

Our Birthday Boy!!! : )

Personalize a digital slideshow

I can't believe it has already been 9 years since our Loving, Wonderful, Life Changing Gift was brought into our lives! I am so amazed at how much he understands the scriptures and gospel! How helpful he can be around the house, as well as so willing to help others. He is such an amazing young man. He towers most of the boys in primary, not just his class, but the whole primary! hahahahaha He is getting up there and I am afraid he will be passing me up in no time! He loves rough housing to say the least and cracks me up a lot, which is Great! I can go on and on about our sweet, gentle, kind, loving, Amazing Son of ours, but I don't have enough time. We truly are blessed to have him in our lives. Happy Birthday Buddy! Here are pictures of him over the years. Enjoy : )

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So My sister Kate and my cousins Lisa and Jeanette Surprised Me!!! My hubby was in on it, as well as my friend Camie! It was the BEST Surprise EVER!!! I had no idea that they were coming till my sis skyped me and I saw the airport ceiling! I asked her where she was at and then she said... "Sis my eyes are red, because I rode on a Red Eye Flight to see You!!!!!!" I screamed and was so Excited!!!!!! I was so missing family!!! It was Great having them here!

We all were sleep deprived, but it was Great!!! We pretty much just laughed till our tummies hurt, and had lots of yummy food! I am waiting on the sweet pics we took! We did end up going to the beach on a cold and rainy day but it was the Best! We have had so much fun! We went to the outlet mall in Myrtle beach, the airborn museum, (which was closed, so we were able to see the outside), had to take a trip to the px, and went on walks.

We also took some super cute Preggers Pics of my Sis Kate! (when I say we took the pics I mean my cousin Reesa) We did go to a museum and learned a lot of life back in the day in North Carolina! We also went to some pretty cool antique shops! I think that was all the places we went, other then all the restaurants we went too. : ) We just enjoyed each other's company and loved being able to be together! : ) Next time we will just have to plan to go somewhere! So Much Fun!!!! It went by way to quick, but it was the Best!!!! : ) Such Good Times!!!!! : ) Here are some of the pics that Reesa took of Kate! Love It!!! : )

Saying Good-bye

We had to say Good bye to our beloved Miss Piggy and Princess Peach/Peaches. I have been having an allergic reaction to our sweet guinea pigs. I have been taking zyrtec as well as mucunex md and still have not been able to control them, then I started breaking out into rashes! It was getting so bad that I wasn't able to even taste food for several weeks! My hubby and I decided that it would be best if we gave them away. Kimmi has been having the same runny nose and congestion as I have been having since we had them. Poor girl! It broke our hearts to say good bye to them yesterday. We gave them to the animal shelter, who were very kind and loving.

Last night while at scouts I mentioned how I felt just terrible because we had to give away our guinea pigs yesterday, then a sister who used to be in our ward said that she just bought one and that her two other chillins, hamsters just died and she would love to adopted our guinea pigs!!!!! What a tender mercy. : ) I told her that they are at the animal shelter and she said, she is going to pick them up today!!!! : ) We are also going to give her their cage and bedding. : ) I just hated the thought of having to throw it away. Now to hopefully fully recover from all of this congestion and rash. : )

You're still the one!!! : )

Today is our 8th Anniversary!!!!! I still get goose bumps recounting our car ride we took together trying to decide what "our song" was and is. I was filled with so much joy, getting ready for our wedding! We listened to all the lyrics and love the choice we made that day! I watched the music video this morning and almost brought me to tears. I know silly right?? I just can't help it, I am truly Grateful for my Loving Hubby and Father!

We have our challenging times, but no matter what we are in it for the long haul..... forever!!! : ) He still makes me laugh and knows when to give me a hug to brighten up my day. I love that I can share anything with him and that he can do the same with me! I love that we can have folding laundry dates, when I have been a slacker during the week! Also that I can work out with him and he keeps encouraging me to do what I can and not to get down on myself!

I truly am so blessed to have this Wonderful Worthy Priesthood holder, Handsome, Great Father, Kind, Generous, and Loving Hubby by my side!!! I cherish the time we have together! Miss him something fiercely when he is gone, but am so Proud of Him and can't ask for a Better Man!!!!! I love how he loves me in my good times and bad and that I am able to do the same for him! I can't help but smile!!!! : ) I can't wait till he gets home!!! I am so giddy!!! hahahaha Love It!!! : )

My Sweet Alma

Tonight while I was putting the chillins to bed, Alma leaned on me and gave me a hug and said Mom, I like the color of your hair.

I like all of your hair. I responded by saying well thank you that is sure sweet of you. Alma: I am glad that your hair is clean

Mom, because if it wasn't it would be messy and have ice cream and whipping cream all in it, and that would be very messy, and

bug would come and try to live in your hair and that would be really gross and I would have to get them out! Me: Yeah I am glad it

is clean too, because that would not be a good activity. Alma: No that wouldn't. (while all of this was going on, Alma was playing

with my hair. ) Such a sweet moment. : ) Love that little guy!!!

Uhhhhhhh Ohhhhhhhh!!!

So Kimmi is now into drawing, not only on paper, but on herself. I can't remember what I was doing at the time she did this, but it didn't take her long. When I came into the room she said Uhhhhh Ohhhh! It was so funny, it was so hard to keep a straight face to let her know that we don't color on ourselves, only on paper. Hahahahahaha Tonight she decided she was going to not only color on herself, but Mommie too! She is too funny. she was "tracing" my hands and I guess the highlighter must have slipped onto the top of my hand. She made the letter F, K, and I and it looks like a backwards S. All capital letters. I guess she will be ready for preschool. : )

We are seeing alight at the end of the tunnel!!!!

This might be TMI but Kimmi just went POOPOO IN THE TOILET!!!! All by herself!!! I didn't have to catch her in the act or anything!!! She sat down and just started to go! It was funny how she chose to be, half bent over playing with her toes but whatever works right??!!!!! OH I am so hoping she keeps this up!!!!! : ) She was at her friends Sadie's house today and Sadie showed Kimmi that she goes poopoo in the toilet! I am wondering if that helped her. Yay!!!!!!!!!! Oh Happy Day I am SO EXCITED!!!! What will life be like to not have to do this again!!! So Weird, but Exciting!!! I never was a fan of potty training but am so Proud of the chillins! My hubby has missed every single child being potty trained. Lucky ducky! hahahahahahaa He is going to be SO PROUD!!! I can't wait to tell him! : ) Okay sorry just am soooo excited and I can't call him, so I get to share my excitement with all of you!!! : )

Kimmi's Best Friend!!!

Since we have moved to North Carolina Kimmi has made a Best Friend! They just Love each other and it is so stinkin cute to watch them!!!! I seriously am so entertained by these girls! I wish I had them on video, because they crack me up! Today I was watching "Sadie friend" and her baby brother and they were just having a blast!

They both had "cell"phones and Sadie was talking to her Mom and Kimmi was talking to Grandma! So Funny!!! They get so excited to see each other and a lot of the times we can get them to take naps or clean up their room and such things if they know the other is coming over! : ) Which is so nice!!! We are so Grateful for Sadie friend. : ) Here are some adorable pics of them! : )

Our Newest Members in our Family!!! : )

So for Christmas "Santa" brought two guinea pigs to our family! The boys named them Ms. Piggy and Princess Peach! The 1st Picture is of Ms. Piggy and the 2nd is Princess Peach. Which Princess Peach is called by many names, Peaches, Peachy, Princess and Peach. hahahahaha Ms. Piggy is mainly called Piggy. : )

The kids Love them! Lately I have had to put them in my room during the day because Kimmi tries to pick them up and squeezes them too hard. They are super fast now but she is determined! She knows how to open the cage so I will be buying some padlocks to keep this girl out of the cage! Poor Piggies! We just love them! : ) Here is Malachi holding both of them. He was the spot light child last week, so that is why we took a pic of just him with our guinea pigs. : )

Updates and Misc Pictures and Events. : )

So I have been way behind in posting things and am trying to get back on track. Right before we left Kansas we went to a ball, and while we were there My hubbies boss asked if all the 1-1 HHC could gather together on one side of the room, we all went over to where he asked and he started talking about my hubby, so I was thinking that he was getting another award, but instead I was asked to step forward! I was shocked and looked at my hubby, and gave him the look< the did you know this was going to happen look. He was completely shocked so he didn't know about it either. So I ended up getting the President Volunteer Service Award. I was given a pin and a letter signed by President Obama! I was not expecting that at all!! I guess our FRG Leader nominated me for it. I don't know if I did enough worthy to do that but I felt honored to have been given such an award. We had a Great evening that night. : ) The photo of just me is what I wore that night and the one with all of us with my Mom is my hubbies last day at work. We really are grateful for having such a Great Unit to be apart of! We will miss 1-1 HHC! Thanks to everyone for all that they did for us while we were in Kansas! We Love You All So Much!!!

Kimmi

So we are on day 2 of potty training and so far so good, for the most part. We have decided to go with stickers if she goes potty and candy if she goes #2. So far that hasn't happened in the toilet. Yesterday was not a good activity for that, but am waiting and watching like a hawk for her to have that desire today. : ) Just thought we would update everyone. I have to say it is super cute to watch how excited the boys get when she goes potty in the toilet! It is hilarious!!! So much fun!! : )

It's Potty Training Time!! : )

So I have been waiting for Kimmi to use up the rest of the diapers we have for her, which is less then a bag now, so I can start potty training her. Until......... the other day!

She decided she was going to "help" and do it herself, except she went in her diaper first, climbed up onto Isaac's bed, which is the top bunk, while he was sleeping (he took a nap) and took off her diaper!!! She woke up Isaac and handed it to him then proceeded to pull up her pants!

You might be thinking where I was at this time, I was making dinner and had just checked on her maybe 2 minutes before this happened. I found out with Isaac holding out the messy diaper and said MOM Kimmi woke me up and gave this to me! She is on my bed and she stinks bad Mom!!!

I of course race into the room ( I turned down the stove first) Took Kimmi off of the bed and gave her a bath! Isaac grabbed all of his bedding and put it in the washer machine so that I could wash it.

I was soooooo Grossed Out!!!! In the words of Kid History, That is so Dross! It really really was Dross!!! Needless to say come Monday we are potty training! Had too much going on this weekend to start.

One thought that came to my mind was how did the pioneer women do it while traveling to Utah! Well I better go to bed it is late and I am exhausted!!!

Thought this might make some of you laugh. : ) The joys of being a Mother. : ) Love it and wouldn't change it! : )

Isaac

Lately I have been noticing that Isaac has been going to the bathroom a lot lately. This always perks my interest since I have had so many battles with bladder infections, UTI's, as well as almost Kidney infections (not a good activity!) I was trying to figure out if he said he had to go to the bathroom because he wanted to get out of doing chores, or if he really had something going on. I received a note from his teacher on Tuesday stating that he had been using the bathroom quiet often, and that it had been recently. Isaac might try to get away with things at home, but when it comes to school he is the teachers pet. : ) Anyway so I asked him if it hurt to go potty, which I have done before this and each time he has replied no, I just have to go potty.

I told him that if it hurts that he needs to tell me so that I can get him help and make it better. Wednesday Morning he said that it felt like a bee had stung him when he went pee. I made an appointment for Isaac to see the doctor, for that afternoon. I kept him home, and by the time we went to the doctor I thought I might have made a mistake because he was bouncing off the walls. hahahaha

We had him go potty in a cup and turned it in. The doctor examined him and said that everything looked normal from the outside, so I thought okay we are good. Then the results came back and said they found traces of blood in his urine and red blood cells. If it had been white blood cells that would have meant there was an infection, but there wasn't any.

The doctor said he wants to rule out Kidney Stones so we have an ultrasound on Monday afternoon. I have a feeling that the doctor feels it is something else but wants to rule out the Kidney Stones first. After that we will go from there. The doctor thinks there might be a blockage, if there isn't any Kidney Stones, among other things. He wouldn't really get into it. We should get our results back hopefully anywhere in between 24 to 48 hrs. We will be keeping everyone updated. : )

Turning to the Lord

I wanted to update everyone on what is going on with my hubby's warrant officer packet. We received the news last week that my hubby's waiver (for being in for 12 yrs) was disapproved. Meaning he has been in too long to become a warrant officer, because there are others who are just as qualified and have been in for less years. At first we were pretty bummed out by the news, but then we thought about it and could not deny seeing the Lords hand in this.

Though we don't know exactly what the Lord has in store for us, we are turning to Him and seeking his will. Something that has come to both of our minds is retiring when 20yrs comes around. We weren't sure as to when we were going to retire and what to do from that point. We felt to wait and see what happens with my hubby's Warrant Packet. That was going to be our decision maker. If he made it we would stay in for 30 yrs and if not then we would retire when the 20 yrs mark came.

So that is the plan right now. So for now we will be here in Fort Bragg, gearing up for my hubby to deploy for his fourth tour, which is coming up pretty quick! We are enjoying each others company and taking in every minute we have to be with one another! : ) We had a Great Time at the Great Wolfs Lodge, which the Army paid for! I am so thankful for that! : ) We don't know how long we will be here for, or what the future holds but we are excited, and keeping our eyes and hearts towards the Lord. : ) I will post pics of the GWL soon! I have to get them from my hubbies phone. ; )

Thank You everyone for your thoughts and prayers in our behalf! : ) We Love You All!! : )

Proud Mama!

I have to blog about this! I am so Proud of Malachi! He amazes me and teaches me so much! 1st he taught me not to put my fear in the flesh, but the Lord. He did this when his friend from school, who is our neighbor took the Lords name in vain. (Not that he knew any better.) I was talking with his Mom, when his friend said it. I didn't even hear it, but Malachi stopped what he was doing and said kindly, umm we don't say that. His Mom looked over at me and gave me a look like really?? I looked back like Yep. She then said Ohhh Ahhh We aren't very religious, before I could even speak Malachi said "hey, I'm not judging, we just don't say that." His Mom said okay, if he says anything inappropriate just let him know and he won't do it again. : ) Because of his example it helped me to ask others who were around me (later on) not to use the Lord's name in vain. I thought to myself, this is what I have been teaching my chillins and how can I be a good example of what to do if I don't practice what I preach. I thought of Malachi's courage and how he so kindly said it. : )

The 2nd thing while we were on our way to scouts we stopped at the store to run an errand real quick and then bought some water. We forgot ours back at home. Anyway while we were in line an elderly women asked Malachi if he would reach down and put the items on the bottom of the cart onto the conveyer, he of course said Yes and was so EXCITED, that he could help someone! He quickly put them on, and looked at her basket full of items. I asked her if she would mind if he could unload the rest for her. She of course said that she wouldn't mind at all, and Malachi unloaded the rest while I paid for our items. She then later asked where his scout troop meets at, to which Malachi was a little confused by what she said, so I answered quickly and proudly, The Church or Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! : ) She gave us a little funny look, and I thought to myself I should have had a pass along card with me! We smiled at her and we were on our way. : )

Malachi said to me Mom I just served that lady! I said I know isn't it cool to serve others! Doesn't it bring such a great feeling with it! He was all smiles and said Yes Mom it does! : ) It was such a Wonderful day! : ) I almost started to cry, but I told myself to hold them back and enjoy the moment. : ) So Proud of him! Love being his Mom! : )

Visitor's Center and Liberty Jail

Free picture collage created with Smilebox

On 1st of July 2011 as we were moving to Ft. Bragg, we decided to start the move off right by visiting the Visitors Center in Independence Mo as well as Liberty Jail. Mom came to help us along with this move. It was so much fun having her with us, even if it was for a short time. : ) We all miss her so much, and look forward to having her come visit us again!!! : ) Thank you Mom!!! While we were at the Liberty Jail I ran into Sister Hall and Sister Knuckles!!!!! I know I would have missed seeing both of them if Alma didn't have to go to the bathroom! It was a GREAT SURPRISE for all of US! I just love those sweet Sister Missionaries! I Love All the Sister Missionaries we meet! They are Awesome! : )

The kids had a blast playing in their playroom at Liberty Jail, and showed such reverence while we listened to what life was like for Joseph Smith and those who were with him in Liberty Jail, as well as what life was like for the saints, as Joseph Smith and those who were with him were in jail.

I Love seeing their knowledge and love for the gospel grow! They sure are amazing Kids! It was such a great way to start our trip! We stayed later then expected but it was well worth it! : )

This is how Joseph Smith used to clean the tables......

I have to share this sweet story with all of you! So we were having some friends come over for dinner last night and I was preparing dinner. Isaac, Alma, and Kimmi wanted to help me, so they all grabbed a baby wipe and started wiping down the table in the living room. As they were doing this Isaac said to Alma, "Alma this is how Joseph Smith used to clean the table." It put the biggest smile on my face! Alma agreed with Isaac. I Love moments like this! Just touches your heart so much! These are the times to cherish. : ) I wish I had taken a picture because all three of them were walking around the table! It was so cute!

The Results Are In!!!!

After I wrote my last post, I received a call around 3 this afternoon saying that I Do NOT have Cancer!!!!!! WAAAAHHOOOO!!!!!! I am so Grateful for all the Prayers and Thoughts in our behalf! : ) As soon as I got off the phone I said a prayer of Great Thanks! : ) These are Great Times and to celebrate this good news, I made chicken alfredo from scratch, angel hair pasta, and honey ginger carrots! Yummy!!!!! I am quiet proud of myself! : ) Thank you everyone for all the prayers and love and support. : ) Now onto recovering the rest of the way and getting everything ready for the move. : ) Great Times!! : )