Dysfunction Junction

Lets just get right down to business.  Reagan decided to shave her leg.  LEG- one leg, her right one.  I caught her and she didn't get to the left one.  I was right beside her.  I was drying Grant's hair in the bathroom, about an arms length away from her.  What am I going to do with this girl?  

 Grant is demonstrating that Reagan's leg is going to look like a "bear leg" when it grows back.  She was brought to tears by this comment.  She said "I don't want a bear leg.  Grant, you don't say that."

 These pictures are not sincere.  She totally would have done the other leg if I wouldn't have stopped her. And please note the trashy princess tattoo that she is sporting on her arm.  I am so ashamed!!! But, as a mom, I will do anything (almost) to reward good behavior.  So, this is what she currently "works for". Just a little note, she gets punished by.......not spankings, not time out, not the typical measures at all........ all I have to say is "Reagan, if you don't behave, you will wear pants to school tomorrow."  Who's child is this?  She wants to wear a skirt/dress EVERY DAY!!!!!  Ms. Donna, her teacher, says that she has almost caused numerous injuries, knocked down books, toys, etc. by SPINNING her skirts every day.  Ms. Donna also uses the discipline technique we recommend........ THE PANTS THREAT!!!  Oh yes people..... you people out there reading this that aren't parents..... DO NOT JUDGE!!!! You will remember reading this one day and you too will probably be implementing discipline techniques that you never would have guessed.  YOU DO WHAT WORKS.  

 Colby shot a deer.  Reagan was not pleased.  She kept telling him that he had bleed all over his truck.

 This is what Grant looks like when I told him to be nice and play with Reagan at ChuckECheese.  He is such a little mess.  I guess he is too old and cool for her.

 Coffee table bubbles.  They are having so much fun.

 Grant cashed his tickets in for a fake hand.  He took the food from the fast food employee and almost game him a heart attack.

 Reagan got caught.  She should have been in bed, and she got up and got some chocolate.  She tried to lie about it too!!!

 Reagan is looking cute in her skirt playin' golf with the boys.

Grant scared "Aunt Key" to death with this.  He just walked up beside her and put his hand on her hand.  She was not happy!!!!

 Scott looked all over one night for his chapstick.  Reagan said she didn't know where it was.  Then, the next morning when we were on our way to school, what does she find?  The chapstick bandit wasted no time applying her lipstick.

Week-end Review ~ A little Past Due.....

This post is a summary of last week-end.  I seem to be able to only update this "blog" on the week-ends.  So, the weather and activities are quite different.  Last week-end (featured in these photos) we played outside almost ALL day EVERY day.  It was in the 70's in January.  This weekend (January 19, 2013) it is COLD!!! It actually snowed in Birmingham.  We went to wearing short to wearing heavy jackets and gloves in about 2 days. 

 Reagan can not be fooled.  She told me to take the pink princess phone because she knew it wasn't real and she wanted to take some pictures.

 Baseball time has arrived!!!!! Grant and Scott get super serious about this!!! Scott has been talked into coaching Grant's team this year.  He usually only "helps" , but this year, he is the "REAL" coach.  I hope mommies and daddies don't get mad at his coaching technique.  He is  a coach for high school, and he is pretty tough on Grant.  I hope they can take all of his "positive criticism".  It may be a long season!!! Keep me in your prayers because I will be sitting in the stands with the parents!!!!

 There really aren't any good hiding spots for these huge skirts that Reagan got from her Aunt Alisa for Christmas.  She only has 2 of these, and she wants to wear them every other day!!!! I can't even get the bottom of her carseat buckled without sweating.  I don't think Reagan will be playing sports as her daddy hoped she would.  She is ALL GIRL.  We have a self-proclaimed princess on our hands.

 This is the sweetest little face to me.  He was running up to me in this picture.  He gave me a huge hug..... then he presented me with the GREATEST GIFT EVER......(see next photo)

 MAJOR BLING!!!!!! A pipe cleaner ring.  I love it!!!! It was difficult to eat wearing this, but I gave it my best shot for my little man.

 Having a dad that is a "strength and fitness" coach has its good and bad sides.  Grant is constantly working on his "6 pack".  He is so funny.  This picture cracks me up. Just for the record, Grant is very athletic.  He runs faster than any child I have EVER SEEN.  Undoubtedly, Scott was pretty fast as a kid too.  Poppa has verified this to be true.  Scott was the record holder at his high school, running a 4.5 in 40 yards.  His coach, Coach Locke, said he was the fastest white kid he had seen in his life!!!!

 This is serious people!!!

Reagan actually thought that this outfit was an option.  She lacks NO SELF CONFIDENCE!! 

 I don't want to paint our lives as picture perfect in this "scrapbook" for our children.  So, please note the large red spots all over Reagan's head.  These were a gift from Grant for trying to take his dog.  They LOVE these puppies.  But, they do have their own set of rules.  Grant is just better at enforcing his than Reagan is.....let me rephrase this........He was better this night.  Reagan will bring out the "undertaker" when necessary.  

 The beginning of the fight has been documented.  It looks like Grant was minding his own business, and Reagan wanted some attention~ any attention! 

 "Hawk" is content sitting with Grant playing his Wii.

 Well, our little boy has done it again, ONLY BETTER!!!  Sorry about the pictures being sideways.  These are documents showing all A's on Grant's report card (below), and a permission slip to TEST GRANT FOR THE GIFTED PROGRAM!!!!!  What a proud momma I am!!!!  Congratulations Grant!!!

I did tell Grant that he was not "gifted" yet~ he had to be tested by the teachers and staff at school.  I told him that we were just proud that he met the standards to even be tested. I then asked Grant what he was going to do if he did not get the scores required to be in the "gifted" program, and he stated:  "I'm going to ask the lady that tested me who approved her to test kids to find out if they are gifted". And, you can sure bet your money that he will do just that!!!! I'm glad he goes to school with Scott and not me!!!!  Just kidding!!!  

Daily Doggie Duty (Doodie)!!!

Well, the doggies are making themselves right at home at the Horne house.  It is taking me so "getting used to." I can't begin to calculate how much money I have spent to make sure our home is "CLEAN" despite getting 2 new pets.  We have a new air filter system for the pets, zip lock bags galore (for food, toys, blankets), a playpen, a circular outside pen, 2 crates, and the list could go on and on.  The kids have had NO PROBLEM adjusting to their new best friends.  I thought that they (the dogs) would really make the morning system a complete nightmare, but it has been the exact opposite.  Grant is up in the mornings and getting things done.  He is well aware of the fact that I have no problem finding new homes for the dogs if they (Grant and Reagan) don't do what they are supposed to do.  I am quite proud of the young man that Grant is becoming.  He is really trying hard to make sure he does his part with the pets!!!!  THANKS GRANT!!!

 Poor Sadie

Hair, hair, hair- Grant loves his hair!!!  Look at those "wings" coming out over his ears.  Speaking of ears....Hawk really has some HUGE ears!!!! He is so ugly he's cute!!!! And, Grant has informed me that the kids in his class say that he has "cool hair."  This is so important, that he actually ASKS me to help him fix his hair in the morning.  MY, MY, MY, we have sure come a long way.  Last year he did not even want me to put a brush in it.  This year, we have to spray it with de-tangler, blow dry it a certain way to make the "wings", and then he has to look at it in the mirror- checking the front, back, and sides.  

Hair, hair, hair, Reagan loves her hair!!  She tells me "Momma, you have to be good to your hair."  She says "Spray it Momma so the curls will come out."

Good-bye lovin' before Grant gets in the car with Daddy and Reagan and I are off on our way.  Notice the jewelry Reagan is wearing.  She is so much like Scott's mom!!!!

More Fun Times with Family and Returning to School

Jackie let Jake and Presley come over while she went to Wal-Mart to get groceries Saturday night.  We had a school and dress up day for the dogs, played the Wii (just dance), and had so much fun.  It was really cold, so the kids couldn't play outside.  They enjoyed themselves though.

 Reagan was so proud to see her friends when she went back to school on Friday.  She wore her "MOST FAVORITE" outfit that her Aunt Alisa gave her.  Bella was super excited about Reagan's return to school as well.  It was sweet to see the reaction that they had after not seeing each other for about a week.

 This is an old picture that I didn't post from Christmas.  We love Madeline and Mary.  The dogs were such a hit with all of the kids.  Mary would try to touch them, but she would get so tickled and just laugh and laugh at them.  It was so precious.

 As you can see in the pictures, Madeline is just the observer.  She is playing quietly on the bed.  So sweet.

Fun on the Farm

We enjoyed having almost all of the "cousins" at our house a couple of days after Christmas.  We had so much fun.  Scott and I took all of the kids to the pond and we built a fort.  Of coarse, it was "full-on" competition mode for me and Scott.  He strategically placed his branches, then he carefully laced the cut greenery into the branches like a basket.  MaryLynn, Reagan, Grant, , Presley,Jacob, and I stacked TONS of branches up to make a STRONG base, then we placed our cut greenery into the stacked branches for added height and roofing. We felt like we won the competition HANDS DOWN.  Then, we went and let the boys shoot their guns at the target range on our land.  They had so much fun.  They talked about it ALL night long.  Well, that is what Jackie said.  She told me that Jacob and Presley kept saying "Mom, you just should have been there."  That night when we went to my mom's house, MaryLynn asked Scott and I if she could have her birthday party at our house.  Of coarse we said yes!!!!  TOO FUNNY!! We love our family, and are so blessed to have them close to us~ well, most of them.

          MaryLynn looking at all of the baby cows

 Presley and MaryLynn~ Presley did NOT like the cows AT ALL!!

 Jake, JayAustin, Grant, and Will

 The left side of this huge fort is Scott, Will, and JayAustin's side............

And this masterpiece is our side!!!!  So strong and durable!!!  The green bushes are hard to see, we won this competition by a LONG SHOT!!!! We had SOOOOO much fun!!

Until next post..... Have a safe, happy New Year!!!!