A horse is a horse is a horse.....

.....of course! This is how we celebrated John's birthday. He turned 14 last Thursday. Wow!! 14 years have just flown by. John has been taking horse riding lessons for about 8 weeks and his teacher offered to let him be in a show this last Saturday. We had planned to celebrate his birthday Saturday, so we had a FULL day. BUT what a fun day it was!! We went to the show for John's events and then left. He wanted to stay all day. It hurt my feelings, but I let him stay. I texted him to see if he was ready for me to pick him up. And the answer I kept getting......"leave me alone".

We finally got to have him back about 6pm and went out to eat and to Swaders. It's like a game place with go carts, batting cages, putt putt golf, ya know, that kinda place. Fun Fun!! It was about 10pm when we got home to do presents and mean ole dad said it was too late for cake! But that just gave us an extra day of celebration. John wanted two cakes. A white cake with chocolate frosting and a chocolate cake with white frosting. It was almost more than I could do. It was so painful. Chocolate frosting is supposed to go chocolate cake! It was still good and he was happy! That's the most important thing. He is such a cool kid. I know you are all tired of hearing it, but he has been like an adult trapped in a child's body since birth. It's hilarious when HE gets put out with ME when he thinks I am wasting money. I will just feel sorry for his wife and take her shopping as often as he'll let me. John Thompson we love you and we're very lucky to have ya. It's funny how we call him John Thompson when he is in trouble or we just need extra emphasis. Ethan is Ethan Ronald, Emily is Emily Gayle, John is John Thompson. No idea why. Because he is so cool. That's why! And now that I have said that, when Ethan and Emily will read this and revolt! There is no making them all happy at the same time, is there?

Pocket full o rocks

Mount Everest

Well, ok, it's not Mount Everest, but it sure felt like it by the time I got to the top. The summit. I have been reading a book to the kids at night before they go to bed call Everest. Obviously......about a trip up Mount Everest. So, the John and Ethan decided they want to try it. So, we started small. Went for a little hike up a little hill called Loft Mountain in the Shenandoah National Park. Felt very large. I don't think of myself as a couch potato, but HOLY COW! It was hard work. Maybe I'm just getting old. And, of course, you are now all obligated to post a comment that says "oh, Kathy, don't be silly, you are not old". 'K? We had so much fun. The kids really enjoyed climbing on the rocks. Even Emily. John was trying to help her up a rock and she firmly told him that she was not a sissy. We will have to do it more often. And don't ya just love the picture of the leaning Thompson family. Not sure if it was the camera or we are all just leaners. Emily came down with her pockets stuffed full of rocks. I will have to sneak that picture in b/c she REALLY doesn't want me to post it.

Oh Justin Bieber.....

Say it like you're swooning. He is a 16 year old pop singer that all the little girls are so in love with. Emily had a birthday party last night, which coincided with the Kid's Choice Awards. He made an appearance and sang. I bet the neighbors heard all those little girls screaming. Then they started singing along and swaying. It was very entertaining. I wish I had been able to video tape that event. So, the party was a huge success. Everyone that Emily invited came and they were busy until 4:30 this morning. Oh, ya, mandatory naps today. The boys escaped by spending the night with a friend. And lucky for them. All in all, it was one of the most successful parties we have had. Yeah!! for Emily. A friend of mine spent the night as well to help with crowd control. Couldn't have done it without her. Thanks Melanie!! John has my camera in Korea, so Melanie took all the pictures with her camera. As soon as I get them from her I will post a few.

What were you doing

10 years ago today???? Well, right now, 10 years ago today, I was sitting on my couch, feeling terrible and wondering if Emily Gayle was ever going to be born. She was due on March 20th. I only went in to the doctor's office because I just felt bad. No contractions, nothing in particular, just felt like crap. And when I got there I was 5 centimeters dilated. If I had waited, Emily most likely would have been born in my living room floor. We were so glad to see her. Still couldn't believe I was going to have a sweet baby girl. Part of me expected the doctor to say "oops, it's a boy". What a joy it has been to be Emily's mom. So fun to watch her grow. Watch her personality blossom. She's a bit of a comedian. I wasn't expecting that. Very independent. And so generous. She loves her brothers even though they are stinky boys. Always giving others the benefit of the doubt. And she has been so sweet to me since I started school. She gives me pedicures. She likes to play restaurant. The kids will fix dinner and I have to come in and order. It's very cute. "What'll you have sugar?" Say it like a bubble gum chewing waitress. Very cute!

We are planning a Spring Theme birthday party. Flowers, flowers everywhere. 7 of her girlfriends are coming over Saturday for an overnight party. John's going to miss it all. Lucky Thing! John has my camera in Korea. Don't know what we will do for pictures. He was supposed to be back today, but got extended for another week. I think he planned it so he could miss the sleepover. I'm sure my next post will be from the closet where I will be hiding.

I think this one's a keeper

These are the sad remains of a lovely day of interrupted fishing. Wow! The weather here is so nice. Beautiful even! The kids and I walked down to the lake to fish and play. Well, I took my laptop so I could study. Had just gotten settled in. Everyone having a good time. Kids were splashing by the shore. John and Ethan changed direction from splashing to fishing. And poor Emily got caught in the crossfire. It took me a minute to realize that something was really wrong. She was batting at her right shoulder. I thought it was a bug. Then I realized it was a hook and thought it was just caught in her hair. But then she really started crying and it was clear this was not going to be an easy fix. Sadly, I hesitated a second before I laid my laptop on the ground to go help her. Bad mom! It was stuck good. The barb went underneath the skin but didn't come back out so I wasn't able to get it out. A neighbor came and got the boys and Emily and I headed off to the ER. Poor thing. She was shaking so bad when we got there, so I asked her if she was cold. "No, I'm just scared" came the poor pitiful response. The PA tried to pop it out of the same hole it made, but it wouldn't work, so he had to push it through a new hole. And it was a dull hook. Poor Em. BUT they did inject lidocaine before hand. I think she was more upset about them cutting her brand new shirt than anything else. All in all, she took it like a champ. She is one tough girl. Didn't scream really except right after it happened. Whimpered. She got a new shirt, a new movie, and tic tacs outta the deal when we went to Target to get a prescription filled. Antibiotic. Funny thing.....we had already been to Target that day and I said no to all three of those items.

She has had a long week. Just Thursday we were going to take the stupid dumb dog for a walk. Emily was holding the leash. And Trooper, who never, ever, really cares about other dogs decided he was going to eat our neighbor's dog. A dog he knows and has gotten along with in the past. Well, I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this. Emily got drug for about 4 feet. Road rash to one knee, one elbow, and both hands. So, Trooper is grounded!! Stupid dumb dog. Everyone else is doing well. Emily is taking all the bad luck for us. I told you, she's tough. I was on Spring Break from school this week, which is quite a joke BECAUSE I had to do clinic hours, so there was really no break at all. I am more than half way, though. It won't be long. I made those chocolate covered marshmallows and they were FAB! YUM!! I wish I had some more today. They don't keep for very long. And NO, I did not eat them ALL! BUT, I did discover chocolate covered Peeps. And they were pretty good. I think I will get one today when I go to the grocery store. "OK, that's enough" from Ethan. He wants the computer. Alright, John will be home from Korea on the 30th. Looking forward to it. OH YA!!

Someone please help me

I am being held hostage by a horrible instructor. Frustrating. This class is so important and I want to learn about the drugs I'll be prescribing. This course is so intense, I think it could be a 2 semester course. Except for this class. She is telling us about medications in the geriatric population and it's all common sense things I already know. And I am already way wigged out because we had a REALLY hard test before lecture. So, maybe this is the best lecture to have since I am all wigged out. Well, good. I'm better now. Thanks for talking me through that. And so.......I'm still bored, so I will just meander through my brain and see what's floatin around in there. Someone hit my pretty car. So, Monday I took it in to be repaired and got a rental. And it smells like BO. Yaaaa, no fun. Thank goodness for olfactory exhaustion. That's what happens when you have smelled something for so long you don't smell it anymore. I don't think it's following me around. Noone is saying anything or gagging when I walk by. And I had some chocolate covered marshmallows this week. I L.O.V.E. them!! And now I am craving them so bad. I think I am going to make marshmallows this weekend. Won't that be fun. Then I can have them all weekend. And I'll have to have someone cut a whole in a wall so I can get out of my house. I am going shopping this weekend. I am desperate for a pair of black shoes. What else? I think that's it for now. Time for a potty break and a break from this dumb lecture.