I love my brother, my brother loves me. My friend, my hero, he always will be.

Wish us luck!

Our high school football team won the Sweet Sixteen playoffs last Saturday so that puts us in the Elite 8 today. We are heading approx 2 hours south of here to play a team we have beat 3 years in a row however all the strong players were Seniors last year on our team and we are playing on their turf this year.

I would just like to see these Seniors go to state this year and play at the Memorial Stadium (where the Fighting Illini play) for their Senior year. It would mean so much to them.


Keep us in your thoughts today for a win and safe travels to the team and all parents/families who will make this trip.

I will update when we return tonight. Thanks!

Some Senior Pix

Proud older kid moment.......

Just wanted to share that Kris got his first award this past weekend at drills. This is what it says....

Illinois National Guard
First Sergeant Award
presented to Kristofer ------- the professionalism you
displayed reflects great credit upon your unit the
non commissioned offers corps
ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD

He was excited. He wasn't able to go down to receive it and salute the First Sgt tho because he was helping with the "Grog" ceremony for the newbies. I told him this will be the first of many he will receive and it will go for points in his next promotion.

Sept 1st High School football

Pictures

Kris, Josh, Hunter & Hannah's 1st day of school

Hannah & Hunter

Hannah's soccer picture

Hunter's football picture

Kris & Josh

Kid Rock

Last night we went to the Kid Rock/Lynard Skynard concert in Noblesville, IN. It was a very awesome concert. He sure can rock the house! Sheryl Crow came out to sing Picture with him also :) No cameras were allowed and I was just a little too far back to get pictures on my phone (which sucks!) We had a nice kid free night out with Dh's boss and his wife. Dh and his boss was feeling pretty good by the time we got there.

Kris swearing in for the National Guard 7/10/08

LOL--Knee pads

I was reading some blogs when Hannah came up to me and said...

When I'm a mommy I'm going to wear knee pads in my underwear. I was only half listening and asked to her to repeat that again because I wasn't sure I heard her right because before that she was talking about soccer. Yep I did hear right she's going to wear knee pads in her underwear when she's a mommy! The conversation was sparked by her playing in the bathroom with my panty liners. Please god don't let her grow up too soon!

That's my girl!

Joshua Update From Wed

We took Josh back down to St Louis for another MRI since he was having some issues. The good news is that the area hasn't gotten any bigger and that their isn't any new spots and we can repeat the MRI in 6 months. YAY! We have to go back down their again this Thurs to see the Neurologist because the Neurosurgeon thinks the episodes that Joshua was having were focal seizures. The neurologist wants to do an EEG and go from there to see if he needs to be put on any seizure meds at this time.

Tomorrow

I just bought Brickyard tickets on the spur of the moment this morning. So tomorrow DH & I are having a date and we are going to the race. WooHoo!

Canoeing

BUSY

We have been ubber busy with many activities this month.

Hannah had her party at school on the 3rd July and her family party at home on the 9th of July. We had a low key party this year.

Kris went to MEPS on 10 July and was sworn in and signed papers for the next 6 yrs with the Army National Guard. I'm so proud and scared at the same time for him. He will be leaving for basic at Ft Jackson, SC next June after he graduates from high school and then onto Ft Leonardwood, MO for AIT. He now participates with the guard for his weekends and gets paid for them so when he goes to basic he will have almost a year in already.

On the 12 July BJ found his brother that he hasn't seen since his dad passed away 24 years ago. It was weird because we had just started looking really hard on the internet the Thursday before and he takes a load down to where he grew up when he was little and living with his dad and Aaron was there. When I talked to BJ I found out we all have been around the same place around the same time but never connected.
Aaron and his wife Trish came up that Sunday to meet me and the kids and we all had a great visit with them. They are really nice people and we plan on staying in touch!

Josh's appointment with Children's has been moved up from the 20 Aug to the 30 July due to him having seizure like activities. We are hoping that the tests show no changes in his brain.

Veterns...It's about time!

Veterans Now Permitted to
Salute the Flag


We reported some months ago that U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) had praised the passage by unanimous consent of his bill (S.1877) clarifying U.S. law to allow veterans and servicemen not in uniform to salute the flag. Previous law (US Code Title 4, Chapter 1) states that veterans and servicemen not in uniform should place their hand over their heart without clarifying whether they can or should salute the flag.

The new legislation removes the confusion and makes it clear that veterans and service members not in uniform may render the military salute.

"The salute is a form of honor and respect, representing pride in one’s military service," Senator Inhofe said. "Veterans and service members continue representing the military services even when not in uniform.

"I look forward to seeing those who have served saluting proudly at baseball games, parades, and formal events. I believe this is an appropriate way to honor and recognize the 25 million veterans in the United States who have served in the military and remain as role models to other citizens. Those who are currently serving or have served in the military have earned this right, and their recognition will be an inspiration to others."

We're pleased to report that provision was included in the Defense Authorization Act of 2008, signed by President Bush in January. Here is the language, taken directly from the Act:

"SEC. 594. CONDUCT BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS OUT OF UNIFORM DURING HOISTING, LOWERING, OR PASSING OF UNITED STATES FLAG.

Section 9 of title 4, United States Code, is amended by striking 'all persons present' and all that follows through the end of the section and inserting the following: 'all persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries present should stand at attention. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.'."

So there you have it. To many veterans and service members not in uniform, it "feels" disrespectful to not render the salute they are accustomed to when the flag is presented. The new legislation explicitly gives them the option to do so.

Now, when you are in a public place, such as a parade or ball game, and you see civilians saluting the flag, at the appropriate time, take a moment to thank them for their service.

Six Flags & Fireworks

On July 1st we took the kids to Six Flags and they had a blast! Hannah rode several roller coasters. I can't share all of our pictures as we went with my husbands boss and his family and I have a lot of pictures with their kids in them. Here's a few I can share..



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Weekend Fun

Fri--Hannah put on her rain boots and was dancing/splashing in the rain under the umbrella before the big storms hit.

Sat--We planted flowers. They were getting dried out sitting in the store containers for a week, lol. We also bought another pop up camper so we cleaned the old one out and put everything into the new one and sold the older one to the neighbors and they are fixing it up. DH was too lazy to fix it and I was getting impatient after 4 yrs.

Sun--We had my grandpas 82nd birthday party/cookout at the park. Hannah just loves her poppy! He had all but 2 of his great-grandkids and all but 2 grandkids there. Then we went up to daddy's boss' shop and set up flooring and surround sound for the upcoming party on the 14th. Hannah loved dancing on the "stage" and she was acting like she was Hannah Montana I wish that I had thought to take some pictures at the shop!

Pictures of the weekend to follow shortly!

Pictures

When I have to discipline Hannah she will tell me that I'm not her best friend anymore :( I tell her thats OK I'm still your mommy. Here she is in a better mood....girls are so complicated!

Another Update

Josh did well for his follow up visit. He got cleared to do driver's ed this summer. The best part is we don't have to go back to see the Neurosurgeon until Aug and then we get an MRI and see the doctor the same day. If nothing has changed then we will just do the series of MRI's and just watch them. If it has grown or they see more lesions then they will have to do surgery again. So hopefully we won't have to go the surgery route because they will end up having a hard time getting Josh to do it again.

Leaving St Louis

http://www.myfoxstl.com/myfox/


This chase sped by us on I 55/70 on our way out of St Louis this afternoon. The dude about hit us in the rear because we couldn't pull over to the right with that many lanes of traffic so we pulled as far as we could go on the farthest left lane.

Where did my precious little girl go?

Today when I dropped Hannah off at school I got a bad report from Friday. Not one incident but 2!

1. She took paper towels and stuffed them in the toilet and flushed it....end results toilet backed up and they had to call the plumber in.

2. She bit her best friend on the arm. Now anyone who knows Hannah knows she has NEVER bit anyone ever.

I had to give her a talk in the hallway about her behavior and that it won't be tolerated at school or at home. Her incintative for today was if she had a great day and followed all the rules she would get to ride her bike in the street. She done well and got to go for a bike ride. I think her issues stem from everything going on at home.

Kris went for and EDG and they found an ulcer in his stomach. He had one when he was 18 months old but none since. The doctor said it was rare for a child his age to have one let alone to have had 2 in his life. They took several biopsy's and told him to continue with his meds he was given.

God sure is testing me this month!

DH took me out to eat for Cinco de mayo and my birthday at a local mexican restaurant. I got the clapping/singing birthday song, wore the silly hat and got ice cream. Hannah said mommy its your birthday---Happy Birthday!