Trip to Brown. Co

We celebrated Mam-maw's 82nd birthday at our yearly trip to Brown Co. This year was also special because Ang was home and got to go. We planned it in the summer during her trip home and at one point I had to put a sweatshirt on because it was so cold!!! Imagine that!!

Water fun?? Hose or Rain!!

Ang was home and planned lots of stuff. One thing was a weinner roast which turned out very wet. But, it was just as fun as playing in the water hose. All summer fun, who cares! I don't.

Nat's Dance Recital

Trip to Michael's in Louisville

Holiday World 2009

Swimming Fun

Wow, what a summer!!!!!

I loved this summer! This has been one of the greatest periods of time in my life. I am trying to be happy about school starting again, but I am having trouble. This is probably the last summer that we can do whatever we want without ball games or practices of some sort. We purposely chose not to do anything like that so we could be free one more summer. Now, this fall we are doing soccer, gymnastics, Awana, children's choir and t-ball. (At least that's what we think...might be too much.) All of which will be fun, but run, run, run!!! It is so hard to find time for family during the school year. Fall break we are going to Disney World. I can't wait. I think I am more excited than they are just because they don't really know what's coming. I only know what I remember from being 3 years old and what I have read.
Back to this summer. I am going to be posting pictures of things we did this summer. Some of them will be Holiday World, VBS, swimming, visit with Ang and kids, just playing in general. The kids did 3 VBS's (wow)! Also, went to jazzercise camp and Venture River. I went to Washington DC for work. Sherry went to France. PP didn't go anywhere but he stole the show with his heart attack!!!!!!! We would have given him more attention if he would of just asked.
So, Nat starts school tomorrow. 1st grade!! I have been off work for 6 days and have been loving every minute of being with them. I am not off tomorrow, but MM will get her on the bus and Nanny Buschy will keep Reese. It will be a good day if I can keep focused. Still trying to figure out why I didn't plan better and allow myself to be a stay at home mommy!! Well, until tomorrow...

More birthday pictures

Nat's Birthday

All I can say is yes, she is 6 and I can't believe it either!!!!! We had a wonderful party of painting pillow cases and picture frames. Eating pizza, cake and popcorn. Presents and more adorable presents. Playing really hard and making a lot of noise. And watching about 9 minutes of High School Musical before the mass confusion began and I was wondering what part of motherhood made me think that 8 girls would ever be quiet and watch a movie at an "Almost Slumber Party"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They always have to do a silly picture.
Madelyn, McCall, Natalie H, Lynae, Olivia, Lynzi, Natalie B, and Ava
She's really getting good at this!

More Mother's Day Pictures

"My Day"

What a wonderful thing it is to have a day just for getting the privilege to be Natalie and Reese's mommy. Not to forget that it is also about my mommy and Brandon's mommy and their mommies too! My day was very special to me. We had celebrated with my mommy earlier in the week and I got my gifts the night before so I was already off to a great start. I got a willow tree angel, a coffee mug that said, "mothers are a gift from above", and a book about being a busy mother and how to find joy in that. Just what I needed...a cup to drink coffee out of while I read my book and look at my angel!!

So we went to church with Sherry and the gang from Metropolis and out to eat at Farley's after that. Then we went to Grandma and Grandpa's after to open gifts. What a blessing it is to have a wonderful family.

The rest of the day consisted of trying to straighten and get stuff ready for the week ahead. But, not without fishing and eating and playing at the park.

The absolute highlights of my day involved 2 funnies from my children. Reese made a friend at the park and pointed to me and said, "my mommy is ovah dah, hah name is Wanay." It was so cute to see him talk about me and even say my name. I haven't heard him say it too many times and it was just precious. He was so proud of me!!

Then earlier in the day, I was trying to coach Nat in a little basketball to get ready for the camp we signed her up for this week. We were doing some chest passes and she was really doing great...until she paused and asked, " mom, is it ok if I do the funky chicken for a little while?" She proceeded to do the funky chicken and then back to basketball. All is good in the world of NATALIE. She is so funny.

I had two parties at their school for mother's day in which they sang me song and made me some really neat goodies. I just want to stop and thank GOD for allowing me the opportunity to raise these children and I pray I am doing it to HIS glory!!

My precious Reesie!!!

I haven't written a whole lot about Reese lately even though he has been very, very interesting. Until he was about 3, we never slept through the night. He was up and down at least 4-5 times each night crying, screaming, or demanding we get him something. Sometimes he didn't even know what he wanted but demanded we get it!! Then several months ago it all stopped. He slept, he laughed, he hugged and loved, he even accepted "no" for an answer. I thought I had gotten to see a glimpse of heaven! Then...it all came back with a vengeance. He said things like, "I told you I wasn't going to do that!" "I don't like you mommy." " I don't want you mommy." He'd go off behind the chair and strip and that's the way he wanted to stay all day. As long as I would leave him alone he was fine. So, last week it was time to get him ready for school. He didn't want to again. He screamed and cried and kicked as I wrestled him into his clothes. I was in a complete sweat much past the glistening phase. Then he sat in the floor and peed in his clothes all over the floor. Well, we made it to school late, but made it. I had to walk him into his room and tell Mrs. Bonny I was sorry but Reese's temper got the best of us. She said, " you know, I have yet to see any of that temper." So, then I was on a mission. We had catered to him so much ever since we adopted him because of his temper. We have done just about anything, anywhere to keep him from throwing a fit and crying for hours because he is mad. But, by doing so we have created a real problem. So, over the last week, my no is no and yes is yes! He has thrown fits and I have too but today he got dressed and was waiting at the door for me to take him to school. He couldn't wait. He got in the van when I picked him up and said, "mommy I wuv kool." He loved on me and thanked me for getting him lunch. Who knows how he will be tomorrow, but today I have really been enjoying my Reesie!!

Finally another blog!

I said I would come back and state what I learned from the ice storm. There are 2 things: 1. Never take electricity for granted. 2. God promises never to leave us and to provide all of our "needs". HE did that and much more!!!

I had a conversation or two with Nat today and thought I would share some of the funnies. First, one the way to church, Nat asked "If someone is dead, do we celebrate their birthday?" We said, "can if you want."

Second, we were having our every Sunday conversation about going to church and her wanting to go back to our church. I said, "Nat, do you understand why we are trying different churches?" She exclaimed, "yes mom, I understand. You want to learn more about God!! I get it, I am just sad because I want to go back to our old church." I told her that I was praying and that she should too and maybe God would reveal some answers to her as well. So now we are going to start praying about it together.

Lastly, we were learning her AWANA for tonight and talking about the spies Caleb and Joshua and how they warned the people to love God only and if they didn't they would be punished. There punishment was to not get to enter the promised land and wander in the desert for 40 years. She said, "with no sunscreen or bug spray??? What about cell phones? I love her....

Reese has been in a mood for the last few weeks but I think I've got his number now and hope I can be strong enough to nip this one. None of which is his doing, it's all about how we have been handling him and trying to prevent him from throwing fits. He likes getting his way...

Ice Storm 2009

Although not much fun to live through, PP and Nattie decided to make the best of it.

These are the same view during the snow and ice and after it melted that PP took.

I've started to blog at least twice in the last few days and haven't been inspired at all. I went back to work last week but the kids were out all week long. Nat goes back on Monday. Reese will start Tues. The hardest part about going back to work was hearing the criticism about the fact that even though I had well water, I should somehow know how to hook the generator up to the water and therefore have an endless supply at my disposal. After I wept all day over those couple of people that I let hurt my feelings, I explained to one of them that if you wanted to know how to sell insurance, book keeping, nursing, building houses you could ask my family about it. Or if you wanted to be loved to death; you could get that from my family too. But...if you are looking for electricians or plumbers or something of that nature, don't bother looking at the Stivers/Barnhill family. Within one day of this, BB had a friend who is an electrician at our house (well, at our community house) and had the water running. Everyone was so excited. So, now at 12 days, we have tv, water, heat, microwave, a couple lamps, and all the love you could ask for to go around!!!! Today was also a start to the cleanup. While PP, BB and Reese went out to gather the trees, I went to my house and emptied the fridge. Wow, I couldn't believe how dirty it was. I guess if you haven't cleaned it in 8 years that is to be expected. Anyway, I did that and swept the floor and folded some laundry that was left from before the storm and back to MM and PP house I went. As much fun as this has been, I am ready to get back to normal. Hopefully in a few days we will be with power again. I have been trying to gather my thoughts as to what I have learned from all of this or what type of impact it has made on my overall outlook. So, if I ever get that together, I will blog it. Until then...