First Day 2012

Today is the first day of school! The first and the last days are THE ONLY days my kids get out of bed with one nudge. Sigh, 180-something days of sleepy mornings ahead of us! Here is how they looked at 7:15 this morning! I hope they are still wearing smiles here a couple of hours later.

 

Sixth grader

Fourth grader

Kindergartener

Miles was so excited to start Kindergarten today. He has a gem of a teacher, and a few friends in class! I can't wait to hear about it. And maybe I signed up to help with lunchtime today. A good excuse to check in with him and get a quick hug.

Steph!

Today is Stephanie's birthday, and I love her so much! Here we are in 1997, in her dorm room, before a date. I'm pretty sure this ended up being a big night, where her cute boyfriend, Mike, drove up from Arizona to surprise her and take her out (right, guys?)! That vintage dress was such a great find and it is still floating around amongst the sisters these days, I think!

I feel so grateful to have Stephanie in my life. As girls, we always shared a room and, consequently, just about everything else. I used to jump into her bed when there was an earthquake; we would wake up every morning to Motown on K-Earth; we both endured the plight of having two stinky, teasing older brothers in the room next door; I would ask if she was okay when she'd pass out in the bathroom after a head rush; we would stage stuffed animal weddings between our beds; laugh ourselves silly when the lights were out; steal cuteness and kisses from the babies; and reenact scenes from our favorite movies on our windowsill and in the yard. I love to think about how we basically lived identical lives, just about a year and a half apart. What a blessing a sister is!

We still have such a strong connection all these years and all these miles later. We often curse the width of New Mexico for adding so many needless miles to that trip, but, ultimately, our sisterhood is strong despite all of that. I love you, Stephanie!

Happy Birthday.

Grateful Sunday

Me and my ladies from the Primary Presidency. We were released today . . . 

So, today, I am grateful for them! Chris, Jill and Stephanie were the greatest. They had incredible ideas, comforted me when things were going wrong, and consistently and happily worked in our Primary every Sunday for more than two years. I have only ever been in the Primary in this ward; I was almost instantly called into the Nursery when we moved here in 2008, then was a counselor for a little more than a year before becoming President. It will be a very big switch for me next Sunday to wave my kids off at the Primary room door and go to Sunday School. I have absolutely no idea where that class even meets! No kidding.

I am also thankful for the tremendous blessings that my family was given while I was President. I don't believe that there was a single Sunday when we had a sick child. I was always able to be at church. Every week. What a blessing that was.

I am thankful for Neal for hugging it out with me after particularly long Sundays (and for leaving me alone on other long Sundays). I am thankful for my happy kids who I got to sit with and that I was able to watch them and help them learn about our Savior.

I am thankful for our supportive Bishopric, who always had my back and gave me everything I wanted!

I am thankful for the three choristers I have worked with and all of their brilliant ideas and amazing talents.

I am thankful for the teachers, they are amazing and show up ready every week. I love them for that!

I am thankful for the happy tears, the "touched by the spirit" tears, and the "I don't know what I'm doing" tears. I have learned so much.

I have known for a couple of weeks that I was being released and would be called as the Webelo leader. (Parker is still a Bear scout until April. Alas.) Our Webelo den is in need of some shaping up and some leadership (we have been without a leader since February). I'm ready to dig in with those ten-year-olds! I think!

Last Day of Summer

Neal was so sweet to take the last weekday of summer off to spend with us. He had the idea of going to the water park in a neighboring town, and so off we went!

We headed home in time for dinner (pizza) and the Rangers game. We are going to miss summer! Sigh.

End of Summer Boredom Yields Destruction

The boys set out to build a scooter/bike ramp in the driveway the other day with unmortared bricks and rain-soaked plywood. It was slightly successful. And . . . it's still outside.

When the babysitter was here the other night, she helped the kids build an epic fort with a minimal amount of blankets and pillows. I guess that's what a 17-year-old contributes to the effort: linen frugality and compassion for the mother who has to be the bad guy four days later and take it down!

Good times, good times.

Sixty

Mom at 16

My beautiful, angel mother turns sixty today. As her oldest daughter, I feel so blessed to know her, to have been loved by her, and to have her as my children's grandmother. Her patience, love and tenderness bless and teach me to this day. We love you so much, Mom!

In New York in 2010.

With some of her grandchildren last month.

August 15, 1998

Neal and I were engaged 14 years ago tonight. It was a happy night, and I will never forget it. (It was also Lincoln's birthday!) We were sitting on this upstairs porch swing at Neal's parents' house in Tyler, Texas. I'm so glad we memorialized it, even if it was in 2002 and we had a little girl to share it with. (The house is no longer there!)

I'm still so in love with Neal. He is my hero and the best partner I could ever have. I always think about how fortuitous it was that we met when we did. Clearly, heaven was smiling upon us. Hooray for young love and marriage!

The Passage of Time

It seems that each time one of my children has a birthday, I am smitten with a sense that time is marching on, for better or worse, that I can do nothing but do my best to cherish it, and that my Heavenly Father truly loves me. He has blessed me with a family I could never have dreamed up and that is perfectly suited to me. I am so loved. (You are, too.)

Today, Miles Jefferson Horn turned six years old. This tiny bundle was placed into my arms six short years ago. I remember feeling so grateful for his tiny, perfect body (and his little Neal face). But how have I changed so little and he has changed so much?

Miles is a wonder of a boy. He is almost always silly, but often sensitive. He loves to laugh (he has a GREAT laugh), and has a strong sense of who he is. At times when I think he is sure to take offense (ahem, Audrey and Parker's criticizing ways), he shrugs away and moves right along. I admire that in him and hope that his resilience and bright attitude take him far in life.

Every so often, I feel like I am given little glimpses of my children as teens and even as adults. I can picture them as who they will one day be, and Miles is going to be one fun, happy guy with lots of friends (and awesome red hair). Happy Birthday, Miles!

From our little cake party last night, with friends. (Thanks, friends, for coming!)

Arches and Canyonlands

We left Sundance on a Saturday morning and headed four hours south to Moab, Utah, for the night. We had never explored the National Parks down there and we were excited for the scenery awaiting us. It didn't disappoint! We stopped in Canyonlands National Park first.

 Mesa Arch. There is a serious drop-off behind this arch. Eek!

More of Canyonlands, below.

Overlooking the Colorado River, from the Island in the Sky. This was unbelievable, but also really difficult to scale and put in perspective. I needed a person-sized object down there so I could grasp the hugeness!

Can you spot Audrey in this photo?

 The Monitor and the Merrimac, two very large rock formations near the entrance to the park. 

We stopped for lunch in Moab, checked into our hotel and let the sun set a bit before venturing into Arches National Park. We knew we had some hiking ahead and didn't want to be caught in too much sun.

Balanced Rock.

We arrived at the trailhead for Delicate Arch around 6:15, which was perfect! About two (difficult, uphill, sandy) miles later, we came around a curve and were met by the beautiful formation. It was amazing!

We did it!

On the hike back down, the sky was amazing. We saw bats and rabbits, lizards and crazy people who were setting out in the near darkness. That made me nervous, especially since there was lightning in the distance.

On the hike down, Miles found this and named it "Weensy Arch." This boy has been to so many cool places and he's not even six yet! While we were walking, he said, "I'm like a little Bear Grylls because I do things that people think five-year-olds can't do."

Neal caught a pretty sunset photo.

The next day, we headed down to Amarillo to spend the night with Shelby and Julie's family. We had a lot of fun and were so grateful they were ready for us! Miles slept most of that day, and by the time we returned home Monday night, we were all ready to sleep in our beds (and play with our doggie).

Sundance 2012, Part 4

My mom and dad are celebrating some milestones this year. They both turn 60 and they celebrate 40 years of marriage. We love them so much and are so proud to be their offspring! We planned a special dinner to celebrate one night, at our old stomping ground, The Foundry Grill. We hung posters of family photos, presented them with a book full of letters of love and appreciation, and enjoyed each other's company. It was a little slice of heaven. Stephanie took most of the photos from that night; Thank You, Steph!

David and his family arrived just in time for dinner. And a lot of attention.

Kids' table!

Stephanie and Elliot.

Stella is a snuggler.

Looking at the memory book.

After dinner, we made our way out to the lawn at the base of the lift for some frolicking and photos.

Audrey and Annie. Poor Mabel was really sick that night, so she and Mike had to stay home. We were sad, and missed them and Neal and Elliott's family, too.

Mom and Dad with 11 of the 17 (almost 18) grandkids!

When we got home, the boys presented a fabulous, impromptu, and completely memorable dance number. So funny.