Happy Birthday Nana!

Sorry for the size of some of these pictures...I took them off of my sister's Walgreens site and that is as big as they will come.

Anyway, my mom's birthday is today, the 29th. She has been gone now for 8 months. It doesn't seem like it has been that long...I still miss her as much as I did from day one. Mom would have been 63 this year. I have a very busy day...so hopefully I won't think about it too much and it won't depress me. :-( She is in a better place though and she will be celebrating her birthday among family and friends that passed before her. If I know her...she is shopping on the streets of gold!! She LOVED to shop...and I have no doubt that if there is shopping up there...she is the queen of it!!

To celebrate her birthday we all got together on Sunday at dad's house. We couldn't do it on her actual birthday....too much going on as far as football, etc. Even when mom was alive...birthdays were and still are almost always held on weekends so that everyone can celebrate together. So, after the football games on Sunday, we all went over to dad's house for dessert. I had gone to Super Saver and picked up 12 balloons...one for each of us kids and spouses, the grandkids...and one for dad. We had all made cards to attach to each of our balloons. After we got all of the ribbon untangled, we gave each child their balloon and we went outside. It was a VERY windy day! All at the same time, we let go of our balloons and watched them head towards heaven for Nana. Cam was a little upset because his got caught in a tree. He was sad that Nana wouldn't get his....we went in the house, and pretty soon, we looked again, and the balloon was gone...it got set free! So, Cam is happy now that Nana has gotten his card and balloon!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST MOM IN THE WORLD...AND HEAVEN!!!!

Impromptu trip to the Zoo

About two weeks ago Cam came home and told me that they had a field trip to the zoo. I said, "If your class needs any parent help, let me know." I heard nothing about it...so I made other plans for the day. The night before the trip to the zoo, Cam came home and said, "Oh...you know you're a zoo mom for tomorrow's field trip right?" WHAT?!?!?! Ahhh...thanks...I know now!!! Yikes...so, Major, MaKenna and I made it to the zoo by 9 and met the bus there by 9:10. I had 5 boys in my group and I joined with another mom and she had 5 boys, so we had 10 boys in our group! I had to leave early...only 30 minutes...but early nonetheless, since this was a surprise trip, I had other plans...I feel bad for the other mom though that I left 10 boys with...because those boys were RAMBUNCTIOUS! Oh my!!! I don't know how these kids learn anything on field trips...we had to rush through everything to get it all done...or at least what they expected us to get done! Here are most of the boys...Cam is on the far left.I thought this guy was so funny! He looks like that Hut guy from Star Wars!! He put this blanket over his head! Some of the boys said he was Red Riding Hood!In the petting zoo....
Here the boys are trying to get their finger bite. That's right. I heard them say, "Hey...lets see if we can get that turkey to bite our fingers!" Yea...because who wouldn't want their finger bit by a turkey...I mean...really...Major and MaKenna had a great time though...even though we FLEW through the exhibits. We have a zoo pass, so they get to go frequently!

September 26th, 2009...MaKenna is FIVE!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAKENNA!!!

YOU ARE FIVE!!!!

Here she is with Nana when she was only 3 months old....

My baby girl turned five yesterday! Can you believe it?? Oh goodness...I sure can't. It has been quite a fun five years little miss!! And I look forward to TONS more!!!

MaKenna and I woke up early. She watched cartoons for awhile after I got her breakfast...then I went to Curves. Jeff and Jake went to football...so MaKenna and I baked her egg free cookies which was her "cake" for her birthday. Her pick! She LOVES Chocolate Chip Cookies! A girl after my own heart! :-). "Aunt" Tini came over for the rest of the morning and played Barbies for a bit. She left around lunch time...and just as she left, Papa came by. Then Jeff and Jake came home.

Her lunch of choice was...yup...Macaroni and Cheese. So...we all ate Mac and Cheese! Then had her yummy cookies! We opened her presents too. Papa had not given her her presents yet, and neither had we....even though her birthday party was the week before. Papa got her some dress up princess clothes and a Fairy Barbie. We got her a Barbie SUV, cow"girl" boots, and a book called, "MaKenna's Book of Horses", that I made from shutterfly. She LOVES books...and who doesn't LOVE to see a book with their pictures in it with a little story!!?? :-)

Daddy had bought her the new Hannah Montana movie on BluRay also...so after Papa left, we all sat around and watched that. GREAT MOVIE! By then it was about dinner time. We just had left overs then played outside awhile. It was a beautiful day! We had a GREAT time all day!!!

What a precious little girl we have!!! And we have been blessed with 5 wonderful years with her!!

The Velveteen Rabbit at the Rose Theatre

After the football game, we headed downtown. After a tour of north Omaha. Trying to find our way to the Rose from Bensen High School was harder than we thought it would be! The kids have been to things like Sesame Street Live, Dragon Tails, etc...but they had never been to a play at the Rose. They were all a little reluctant...but I had the tickets...so they had to go! :-) I am the mommy...THAT'S WHY! Or...I am the wife...THAT'S WHY!! Getting the husband on board was almost as hard...IF NOT HARDER! I was more concerned about Major...but he did REALLY well! He was scared at first...but warmed up quickly. It really kept his attention! Here is Maj and I before it started... Here is the stage...

Here is Jake (what you can see of his face anyway), Jeff, Cam, Kenna and Maj before it started.

Cam had the camera...he had to take a picture of the dragon!!

The kids really enjoyed it. They said that it was better than they expected it to be...even Jeff said that. MaKenna was a little dissapointed because I told her we were going to a play. She thought I meant we were going TO play. Oh well...she still enjoyed it. It was really cute! I would recomment it to anyone!

Jake's 2nd football game!

Remember how I said last weekend was just absolutely crazy? It is almost a new weekend, so I better finish off last weekend. I know...I am slow...so sorry. Okay...so to recap...Friday night was MaKenna's 5th birthday party. Saturday ALL day was Adventureland. Sunday was Sunday School early that I did "breakfast snack" for...then it was Jake's 2nd football game. After that we went straight downtown to the Velveteen Rabbit...but that is another blog. So...I was grumpy and tired. Jeff and Jake went to the game early. The boys are supposed to be there an hour before the games...but with church...even with us going to first service, it just isn't going to happen. He can get there 30 minutes before the games, but that is it. Anyway, I got there 10 minutes into the game and Jeff said, "He isn't playing...they just benched him didn't even tell him why." He thought it was because Jake was missing an ear piece though. Mama Bear got a bit upset...those earpieces just pop in and out. I told Jeff I was going to go get Jake if he wasn't going to play because we had a busy day...we still had to feed the horses yet that day! Jeff said, "They won't let you down on the field...they aren't letting anyone down there." I said, "Oh...they'll let me." Down to the field went Mama Bear. Oh...they saw me coming. I hate to be one of "THOSE" parents...but I was in a mood. I said, "Is Jake not playing the rest of the game?" Coach said, "Well...he doesn't have an ear piece." I said, "I understand that, but can we not pop another child's ear piece out and share it?" He said, "Well...if I need that child in, then he can't go in because Jake has his ear piece." I said, "Don't you have offense and defense?" He said that they sometimes sub for each side. Understood...so I said, "Well as long as this has to do with the ear piece and not the fact that he was late getting to practice before the game....we need to go though if he isn't playing because we have a busy day." He said, "Don't leave..." He miraculously had his son's helmet...who wasn't playing...in the truck. So, his son went up to get his helmet...brought it back and we put his ear pad in. While we were waiting I asked him if his being late for practice was a problem. He said, "Yes...they need to be here one hour before the game." I told him that I would need my deposit back then because we worship God together on Sunday mornings as a family and I don't want my children thinking that sports are more important then their relationship with God. He quickly recanted..."Ohh...no...that is totally okay...I totally understand...oh yeah...absolutely...no problem at all...great...okay." I walked back to the bleachers. Jeff asked me where Jake was because I had told him I was going to go get him so we could leave. I said, "He is playing." Jeff said, "Well...how did you do that?" Then...without missing a beat...my 10 year old says, "I told you dad, you should never argue with a woman." I looked at Jeff and he said, "Yup...that's what he said." Smart kid. Jake is #55. They played him a lot during the game then. I felt bad...that wasn't my intent...I just wanted him TO play...not play the rest of the game! Oh well...he got a lot of play time! In this picture you can actually see Dixie, Levi, myself, Jeff, MaKenna, Major and Cam sitting in the stands. Dixie has the pink shirt on...that is our family cluster!

Here they are practicing...these were from a couple weeks ago...

Update on Evie...

We're Home!
Hi Friends and Fam,
Quick update, sorry it has taken me so long, once the girls are asleep I am so tired! We are doing great. We came home from the hospital on Tuesday, and are adjusting to our "new normal" pretty well! Evie sleeps and eats like a champ and Lyla is getting more and more comfortable sharing her mom and dad. I wanted to share this "Love Is" cartoon that was in the paper on Saturday, one more glimpse of God's goodness to us and his will for Evie's life.
Love you, and I promise I will post more pictures soon!!!
Lindsey, John, Lyla, Evie (:

Who DOESN'T love Harry Connick JR???

I got the opportunity to review Harry Connick, Jr.'s new CD "Your Songs" before it even came out! What an honor!! I don't care WHO you are...Harry Connick, Jr. can lighten anybody's day! He has that soft crooner of a voice...and gotta tell ya...he is what I would call, "eye candy". On this CD "Your Songs", he performs classical songs by some of the greatest musicians ever! He really does a great job and it is SO refreshing to hear some of the oldies but goodies sang by someone who is so talented. He has a FULL Jazz band behind him which, to me...makes it even better...but I am a huge fan of big bands! Of course...some of you may have to be in just the right mood to listen to this music. Not everyone loves big band music...but honestly...WHO doesn't love Harry Connick, Jr.? :-) The cd is great, but it IS a majority of slower songs which makes it a bit more elevatorish then most of his previous stuff...but to me...still very worth it! I would suggest purchasing it to anyone who loves him...and to anyone who likes relaxing, laid back music!! I can picture you sitting in your arm chair with a glass of wine and head back, relaxing to this gentle voiced man! Ohh...the life....

Here is the listing of the tracks on the cd...and if you would like to see his website, go to:
http://www.harryconnickjr.com/
If you would like to see behind the scenes from making the cd, go to:
http://bit.ly/HCJrVideo

You can purchase the CD at either of those websites!

Happy listening!!!!!

Album Tracklisting (Originally performed by):


All The Way (Frank Sinatra)
Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)
And I Love Her (The Beatles)(They Long To Be)
Close To You (The Carpenters)
Besame MuchoThe Way You Look Tonight
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)
Your Song (Elton John)
Some Enchanted EveningAnd I Love You So (Don McLean)
Who Can I Turn To? (Tony Bennett)
Smile (Charlie Chaplin)
Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)

Harry’s Upcoming TV Appearances:
9/25 – Oprah “Live Friday”
9/28 – Today Show
9/29 – The View
9/30 – Imus in the Morning
9/30 – Letterman
10/1 – Today ShowWeek of
10/5 – Rachael Ray

Adventureland!

So...Friday night we had a great time at MaKenna's birthday party...but by the time we got the horses back to the stables, and cleaned up and got everyone to bed...it was REALLY late. Almost midnight I think. THEN...we woke up at 6:30 and were on the road by 7:30 and on our way to Adventureland in Des Moines, Iowa for a FUN-FILLED day!! I don't know why this is underlined....weird.... Here are pictures of Jake, Major and MaKenna on the first ride of the day!! I HATE this ride...but I do it for the kiddos. I am just terrible with going around in circles. I can do all the crazy insane rides...but these piddly ones...just can't do it....

I am such a bad mom...I realized I didn't take hardlly ANY pictures of Cam and Jake!! Forgive me!! How awful!! We did seperate though...a lot of times I had the little ones and Jeff had the big ones...so maybe that is why. There was a time that Cam and Shawn and I went and rode roller coasters, etc...but since I was riding, I didn't want to bring my camera. Here is Jeff with Major, MaKenna and Brooke on the balloon ride. This was mom's usual ride with the kids. This is our first year at Adventureland without her. She started this tradition four years ago...and now we go without her. :-(

This was a VERY long day for Major. We were there by 10...and by 2 he had had it. He took solace with the ducks for quite awhile actually.

He DID love the rides though! He got VERY grumpy when he had to wait in line however!

The boats was one of his favorite rides, he went on this dozens of times. Thankfully there was little to no line!

The frog jumper ride is a staple for MaKenna and Brooke too!! Even though Brooke doesn't look to be having fun, the ride hadn't started yet...so she DID have fun!

We DID have a great time though! Jeff and Mike, Jake and Kayla actually rode the Splash over with me this year...usually I go alone. Kayla ended up crying...sorry Kayla. I suppose it is scary for a youngn' but it was sure fun!! Rhonda and I also went on the wagon wheel...or whatever it is called. No one else would go on that one with us. Someone had thrown up on it shortly before we were on it. Makes it all the more better! Not the throw up...the challenge of not throwing up!! :-) We missed the Space Shot this year though. Bummer....maybe next year. We just got too busy and too tired! Cam and Shawn and I hit every coaster though...and we also made it to every water ride. In fact, dad and Rhonda and I went on the log ride together. The kids were in the log in front of us. I got ABSOLUTELY soaked...while nobody else had much more than a drop or two on them. I wasn't happy! I don't think I had a dry part on my body...even my hair was soaked!!! So...we had a great time...we were sad that this year mom was absent, but we had a great time in her memory. We didn't leave the park until 7:45...then we went across the street and had Burger King...we were on the road by 9 and home and in bed by midnight...church the next day!!!

MaKenna's Fifth Birthday Party!

Our weekend was INCREDIBLE insane!! INCREDIBLY!! Should I say that again? INCREDIBLY!!!! Ugh...I am STILL trying to recuperate from it. I must really be getting old!!

Friday night we celebrated MaKenna's 5th birthday party. Her birthday isn't until the 26th...this Saturday, but I was supposed to be in Nashville this weekend, so we decided to have her party the weekend before. We had 37 people here!!! Adults and kiddos! It was nutso! It was tons of fun though! I just need a bigger house! Thank goodness for our HUGE backyard! We could have crammed another hundred back there easily!! Thank goodness it didn't rain though, we would have been STUFFED in the house and it would have been a bit claustrophobic I am afraid!

Anyway, we had a great time! She got a lot of really nice things from her friends. We had hot dogs and hamburgers grilled and some of my friends helped out by bringing chips and dip and some pasta salad. Deana made the cake again...as usual. She makes great cakes. Here is a picture of my sister and Major.
Here the girls are watching my dad open a package from Aunt Holly with his pocket knife. He was the center of attention at that point if you can't tell!!

Major isn't a huge cake fan...but he sure loves JELLO!!!!

Here is MaKenna blowing out her candles. She LOVES horses as you can tell and as you know. In fact...for her first birthday we had a puppy party because she LOVES puppies. Her second birthday she had another puppy party...her third birthday she had a pony party, fourth birthday a poodle party and now another pony party! Do you see a trend!?

Here are just a fraction of the guests in our back yard by the "horse pasture". We brought our horses in from their "other home" to give pony rides! They were a hit!! So here is Jeff, Percy, Brooke, Sydney, Hannah, Olivia and Troy.

Cam had been asking for days to be the horse leader...so he was...here he is leading Hannah on Blondie. We only saddled Blondie because Peanut can get grumpy sometimes. She did fine...but she is set in her old stubborn ways.

We had dad lead Peanut. Here is Papa and Brooke.

Shawn wanted a piece of the "leading action" as well...so here he is leading MaKenna on Peanut.

Here is my ALMOST 5 year old waiting for her guests to arrive!!! Such a pretty little girl...but then again, I am very biased!! I wish mom could have been here to see our chaotic little party!!

If God is Good

Here is another book review! I just love my jobs....mom...book reviewer...childcare coordinator...spanish teacher...homeschooler...I just couldn't ask for anything better! This book was great! As usual...I will post the info about the book, and then at the end I will put my take!

If God Is Good
by Randy Alcorn

Summary:
Every one of us will experience suffering. Many of us are experiencing it now. As we have seen in recent years, evil is real in our world, present and close to each one of us.In such difficult times, suffering and evil beg questions about God--Why would an all-good and all-powerful God create a world full of evil and suffering? And then, how can there be a God if suffering and evil exist? These are ancient questions, but also modern ones as well. Atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and even former believers like Bart Ehrman answer the question simply: The existence of suffering and evil proves there is no God.

In this captivating new book, best-selling author Randy Alcorn challenges the logic of disbelief, and brings a fresh, realistic, and thoroughly biblical insight to the issues these important questions raise. Alcorn offers insights from his conversations with men and women whose lives have been torn apart by suffering, and yet whose faith in God burns brighter than ever. He reveals the big picture of who God is and what God is doing in the world–now and forever. And he equips you to share your faith more clearly and genuinely in this world of pain and fear. As he did in his best-selling book, Heaven, Randy Alcorn delves deep into a profound subject, and through compelling stories, provocative questions and answers, and keen biblical understanding, he brings assurance and hope to all.

Author Bio:
Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of Eternal Perspectives Ministries and a bestselling author. His novels include Deadline, Dominion, Edge of Eternity, Lord Foulgrin’s Letters, The Ishbane Conspiracy, and the Gold Medallion winner, Safely Home. He has written eighteen nonfiction books as well, including Heaven, The Treasure Principle, The Purity Principle, and The Grace and Truth Paradox. Randy and his wife, Nanci, live in Oregon and have two married daughters and four grandsons.

MY TAKE:

I'll be honest, I am only about half way through with this book. It is a big book. It is 494 pages. This guy can write. He wrote the HUGE book Heaven also...which was an incredible book...but he clearly has A LOT to say. This book is also VERY good...so far. I assume the rest will be just as good as the first part. It talks about evil...where it came from...how and why it came about...how to defeat it...how to have faith in the midst of suffering, etc. It is a very helpful book full of knowledge you didn't know you needed to know...but now...having this knowledge seems like the right step for every Christian to take. My recommendation? Read it...it may take you awhile, but it will be well worth it.

MaKenna's first day at non-homeschool preschool...make sense? Didn't think so...

Most of you know that I am teaching Spanish to high schoolers at the Omaha Homeschool Learning Academy. I only teach once a week on Wednesdays. When I am in class, Major goes to the "moms room" and is watched by homeschool mom's who are waiting for their kids to be done with their classes. He seems to enjoy it...although last week he had problems...but I think it had just been a long day by the time we got there and he was done. Here is a picture of him from his first day! MaKenna actually attends a preschool class while I am teaching. She really enjoys it and even has new friends that she talks about often...but she can't ever remember their names! It is her first experience of school outside of home! She TRULY loves it!! But she is always ready to go home! Here is a picture from her first day!

Evie is 2 days old!!!

Evie has made it and she is a miracle!!! During night time prayers tonight, MaKenna said, "God is SO big and God is SO good!" And she is SO right!!! God is amazing! He can do amazing things! All we have to do is have faith the size of a mustard seed! This story of Evie's life is an incredible testimony that prayer DOES work and when you have faith like Lyndsey did, God will bless that ten fold!!! If you click on the title below "Evie is 2 days old", it will take you to their website...otherwise, I have the story below!

Evie is 2 days old!!!!

Hi Friends and Family! Well... miracles happen!!! (: Evie is living up to the meaning of her name..... "life." We had a long weekend, delivering Saturday at 6:37 (after only 3 pushes! answered prayer!). She was loved, prayed over, and passed around to meet family and friends. Sunday morning she had a rough night, labored breathing for a few hours, and we still thought she had the initial diagnosis of lethal OI. We would look at each other with tears in our eyes every few hours and say, "wow, we've had 2 hours." "wow, it's been 4 hours" and now that it's been over 48 hours I feel showered in God's grace and loving kindness with a whole list of answered prayers, thank you friends!!!

Long story short... after a good day Sunday, x-rays, genetic counseling, seeing our pediatrician, perinatologist, and a head ultrasound, Evie no longer has a life threatening diagnosis at all. She still has a skeletal dysplasia (disorder), we aren't sure which one, and what her specific prognosis and treatment will be, but she is doing amazingly well. The important things are all in place, a normal sized rib cage, healthy developed lungs, a strong heart, normal brain ultrasound, etc. Praise God. She has started bottle feeding, and is doing great.

I can't thank you enough for your diligent praying for Evie. I can't wait to take her around town and show her off. Praise God, the Great Physician for delivering her through the valley that we were in just a few days ago. There is no doubt in my mind that whether she initially had OI or not, God healed her body, and he's not finished using her in miraculous ways. Her life is a testament to the power of God and his love for his people.

We just got to tell Lyla today for the first time that baby Evie was going to come home and live at our house, it was one of the best moments of my life. Lyla gave us the okay, and even helped change a few diapers. I am happy to report that she knows poop is "brown"... we have really been struggling with our colors and it put a smile on my face.I could go on for hours, and I'm sure I'll get all the details out eventually, but for now let's PRAISE GOD for answered prayers, healthy kids, lives changed, and the power that comes from Him alone.Love,Lindsey, John, Lyla, AND Evie !!!

Posted by Lindsey at 7:21 PM