from IKEA and American Girl, that is. We drove down to Hotlanta with Kimmie (our former nanny, who taught my girls all about “puskie” powder among many other funny things) and we stayed with her daughter Cara, who just got married to Drew. These two are as darling as they look in their wedding photos and that Drew has to be the kindest, most thoughtful, and most helpful boy on the planet. He was my personal assistant at IKEA (and trust me, you need one). He loaded, looked up numbers, played with my girls, loaded some more. And of course Kimmie and Cara were wonderful and most entertaining to shop with. Thank you all so much for your help! We also went to the American Girl store which was magical for the girls. The only thing more fun than going to AG is going with Kimmie who finds tiny kitchens and fake cupcakes absolutely delightful. The AG hair salon is a bit overrated. The not-so-friendly salon staff grabs the doll and says to Elea in an almost irritated voice “pick from one of these styles”. That in and of itself was a lie unless you call a spraying water and putting cheap ribbons in a “style”. Surly salon lady nowithstanding, the trip was fun for all. I then spent the next two days putting stuff together while Elea whined that her doll’s “hairstyle” was getting messed up already. The last picture is a sneak peek at our schoolroom/garage/playroom. It’s a work in progress but does seem to inspire us all to want to sit down and read a book!
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Horner Family Reunion
Time just flies, doesn’t it? It seems like just yesterday I was the 8 yo girl playing games and looking on at the adults as if they were soooo old. Now, at the annual family reunion, I’m part of the “old” crowd….you know, the ones who share their scintillating stories about plumbers, politics, gas prices, teenagers, etc.. Only now, I’m the one sharing the stories of how I’ve been recently wronged by my plumber, politician, gas station, and teenager. I have in fact become my mother. And it’s really not so bad…to be the adult, I mean. I always imagined that surely they were so bored by the topics they yammered on about, but I tell my plumber stories with truth and conviction….I’m not bored at all. And neither is my sister. She has plumber stories too. But have we lost something magical that only the little guys can teach us? There is something so wonderful about being perfectly contented in doing back flips in a pool for hours straight. I do miss that somehow. Enter Rock Band. 
One of the highlights of these gatherings is always time with my sister, Gina and my brother Todd, whom we very affectionately call “brother”…..original, isn’t it? This year my sister has added to her collection of WII games the “Rock Band” game so of course the three of us took to the instruments and let ‘er rip. At least I didn’t throw my shoulder out like I did last year on the bowling game! 
I know you’re skeptical, but you should have heard our version of Dirty Little Secret. We’ve got potential. At least the potential to embarrass our children. The little girls enjoyed this show of raw talent so much that they keep saying to me “remember when you played the drums in Rock Band” ? The only thing we could’ve used in our “band” would’ve been two little homeboy rappers.
I think their teenage siblings have been at work here.
Oh well, it was fun seeing everyone again and making memories (and pictures) that are sure to remind us that there is something wonderful about the gathering together of generations. We all need each other. Uncle Glen, our oldest attendee, was engaging to talk to and it warms the heart to see him still enjoy the trip. God puts us in families for a reason and whether it’s Uncle Troy’s latest joke to Aunt Carol’s new musical instrument to Aunt Rosie’s new potato salad, I always learn something and am always glad I came.
boys will be boys….
I guess I enjoy the whole fireworks thing about as much as Scooter. He may look like he wants to come outside….but trust me, he doesn’t.
Inevitably every July 3rd, I get the phone call from Stevie on his way home from work, “Sooo, I guess those kids will probably want some fireworks, huh?” ….translated ” I am man and I am hard wired to blow things up” . This line is certainly more believable when all our boys our home, but this year it’s just us. Great….. my sweet little innocent daughters will soon be new recruits in the long line of Wadsworth pyromaniacs. Is this written in the y-chromosome somewhere? Some things you just know had to be invented by males. But I have to admit that I enjoy the boyish excitement as he teaches the girls how to twist ninety seven firecrackers together to really make a big bang. Okay, I embellish the story. But not much. As I type this very blog, sparklers are waving dangerously close to my head.
And remember, it’s only July 3rd. So this is just the preview of the bangs and sparks to come. On a more girly note, we painted our nails red and blue with white polka dots. Then Daddy and Emme conspired together to do a little tree climbing.
This is Emme about half way up our tulip poplar (which by the way we planted when we first moved in 8 years ago… it must be 30 ft high already) See is you can spot her below.
Happy 4th!Ahem…
So, I am anxiously awaiting the resurrection of the new Issues, Etc. which will be making its’ mark on the internet radio world in less than two hours. I am highly caffeinated which never helps times of anticipation. If you could hear how fast I’m typing right now, you’d think I was 17 making a “myspace” update. I also woke up disgustingly early this morning with that kind of nervous tummy you get when you have a job interview or are about to have a pap smear. So, to kill some time and relieve my children of my nervous chatter, I thought I’d blog. By the time I’m done, should be time to hear Wilken’s voice again….I can hardly wait. If you want to hear christian radio like you’ve never heard it before, check out the link to your right. In the meantime, thought I’d share with you about my Sunday (that’s yesterday for those of you who are not highly caffeinated.)
cleaned the playroom…aka garage…..soon to be schoolroom. This is the “before” picture and the room was actually much worse than this picture portrays. The “after” picture will be forthcoming when the new bookshelves are in.
So, there it is….just another day of reading and playing and organizing in anticipation of Issues’ resurrection and the release of the American girl movie “Kit”.
Once upon a Time…
The “little” girls were hysterical at the wedding reception. They had “moves” galore and danced for at least two hours straight. When Elea Grace took her ballet slippers off and handed them to me, I knew we were in trouble!
Emme had the important job of leading Peyton ( aka-the dog and the ring bearer) down the aisle. She did great.
Caiti’s photography skills at work. Can it get any better than little girls in long dresses blowing bubbles?
Cara and Drew were married in the most beautiful ceremony on the historic grounds of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. Our girls were privileged enough to be flower girls in the wedding and it proved to be a most memorable time for us all. This lifelong dream of an outdoor wedding seemed as if were going to be impossible. The wedding was supposed to start at 6 and at 5:45, it was pouring. Everyone of the 140something guests probably experienced that hour differently, but I spent that hour with Cara, the little girls, and the bridesmaids…and we were on a roller coaster of emotions. When the rains stayed steady, we conceited, tears and all, that an indoor wedding would have to do…..and then the sun would shine. A few things I found comforting during that hour were the determined love of a father who was gonna find a way to make his daughter’s dream come true, the grounded faith of a bride who said with conviction “I just want to marry him…it doesn’t matter where” and the showers of God’s grace that rain down on us exactly what we need when we need it. If it had been clear, sunny skies all day we would, in all our human frailty, have taken it for granted. But under those circumstances, when those rays of golden sun came through, I was broken with thankfulness…..that we are loved by a God who makes the sun shine and the rains come and who unites hearts and lives together to make them one. These are truly life’s miracles.
Kim (mother of the bride) thought of everything. This woman (and her daughter) is amazing. It really is all in the details. From the “Taste of Georgia” welcome baskets to the themed tables at the reception, this was incredibly well done and well organized. 