The Hurrle Herd

Donnie Conquered 18 Holes of Golf

2011-09-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Freshwater's Men's Golf Outing and Papa Maher had invited Donnie to play with him. Donnie has been so excited about it for the entire week leading up to it. I think he told everyone he knows that is playing in an 18 hold golf tournament with his Papa. It was a scramble format and from what I hear Donnie did great! Their foursome came in third place. Donnie had the longest drive in his group on one hole and his team used his putt on about 5 holes. Way to go big guy! Donnie had a blast, thanks Papa!!

Zoar, Ohio

2011-09-18T18:20:00.000-07:00

The boys and I and their Mimi went on our first official field trip of the 2011-2012 school year. We visited Zoar, Ohio to learn what life was like during the Civil War Era. Zoar was once a communal society comprised of separatists that did not believe in fighting. It was founded in 1817 by German immigrants. We were able to see what life was like in this little village during the 1800's.We learned how they dyed yarn they used in making clothing.

We visited the "laundromat" and they boys got to wash and rinse the clothes.

After they had rinsed the cloth they also go to squeeze the water out before hanging it up to dry.

We visited the dairy and learned all about collecting and storing milk and making cheese and butter.

Then the boys got to churn butter themselves.

They also learned things like what it was like to be a doctor on the battlefield during the civil war, what a soldier had to wear and what weapons he would have used. The guns were definitely a highlight for both boys. Then, just before we left, they got to see a real cannon work...what a boom! What a fun day we all had together!

Strawberries

2011-08-21T04:26:00.000-07:00

When we planted our garden this spring Donnie wanted to plant some strawberry plants. So we bought a container and planted about 10 plants in it. The plants have grown fairly well, but they have produced very little fruit. However, in just the last week or so the boys have been able to pick a little handful of TINY strawberries. They have really enjoyed watching the progress all summer. A good reminder that it's not always about the end product, but the process that is more important.

County Fair

2011-08-21T04:15:00.000-07:00

The kids all entered projects in the Medina County Fair this summer. They did a little baking and also entered some arts and crafts as well. Kailin made her chocolate chip pretzel pie, decorated sugar cookies & made chocolate chip quick bread. She also submitted a clay mug that she made at school. Her pie won third place as did her mug. Her cookies took second place. Donnie entered some delicious homemade chocolate cup cakes with white frosting. He also entered a collection of silly bands and a collection of hot wheels. Nathan didn't care to do any baking and just entered a collection on silly bands. His piece of art earned him honorable mention. Great job, kiddos. Daddy and I are proud of all the hard work you put into your projects. You all did a great job!!!

Top Dog!

2011-08-21T03:55:00.000-07:00

Kailin headed off to Central Intermediate School as a 6th grader on Thursday excited to be the oldest class this year. She has a team of 4 teachers. Her homeroom teacher is Mrs. Schmitt. She also has Mrs. Heideman, Mrs. Storm, and Mr. Bodjanac. Her first two days were just ok as it was basically time to get to know her new teachers & classmates and learn all the rules. She's looking forward to next week when she'll actually hit the books & start learning! I'm praying for a fantastic fun filled year for you, Kailin! Go get em' kiddo!

Happy Birthday, Leah!

2011-08-21T03:48:00.000-07:00

Our niece, Leah, turned 11 a few days ago. We were out of town on her actual birthday so we celebrated with her yesterday. We headed to the pool for a few hours and then came home for tacos and chocolate chip bar cookies. The kids had fun playing kickball in the backyard and then settled in the basement for a sleepover. I can't believe they weren't all up at 6 AM when the thunderstorm hit! Leah, you are such a neat young lady. We love your sweet spirit and tender heart! So glad Kailin has such a wonderful girl cousin to grow up with! What a blessing to have you so close! Keep searching hard after God! Happy Birthday, we love you!

Happy Birthday CD!

2011-08-21T03:40:00.000-07:00

Our nephew, Carson, turned six years old in July so we headed South to Cincinnati to help him celebrate his big day. He had an army themed party at Lifetime Fitness. The kids had a great time climbing a rock wall and maneuvering through an obstacle course. Glad we could be there to help you celebrate, CD!

The cadets gather for a group photo after conquering the rock wall.

Carson races his way through the obstacle course.Carson blows out his candles. Apparently one of his buddies thought he needed a little help.

Hanging out at Uncle Brian's and Aunt Mandy's after the party. Not a bad pick of the 5 of them. I was sure as they got older that getting them all looking at the camera and smiling would get easier, apparently not. Would someone please teach my boys how to smile naturally for a picture!
A couple of 6 year old hunks sporting their cool dude matching T-shirts! Good gravy, how is it possible that they are 6 already?!?! Nate wishes desperately that his Cuz lived closer, but we'll take a few hours away and the chance to see one another several times a year rather than across country and maybe once a year. The miles don't affect our love for you! We love you big dude and had so much fun hanging with ya for your birthday! Have a blast in first grade!

GRAND SALAMI!!!!

2011-07-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

At this point in her life Kailin is one of the smallest girls on her team, but she proved last night that she is also one of the mightiest. She has been hitting in the leadoff spot the last two seasons on her fastpitch travel team because of her ability to consistently put the bat on the ball and get on base. The last month or so she has also been consistently putting the ball in the outfield by way of line drives. Last night, with bases loaded, she sent a screamer down the third base line. As she ran to first her first base coach (also her dad) said, "Go Score". As she was rounding second she realized the girl in the outfield was still chasing the ball so she headed to third only to see her third base coach pointing to home. Those little legs were running as fast as they could go as she headed for home. SAFE....never a doubt! GRAND SLAM! What a smile and what fun for all her fans! As I put her to bed last night she was still grinning from ear to ear and said mom, "That's my second real home run this season (no errors) and my first ever grand slam!" Way to go, kiddo!

Beulah Beach Rocks!

2011-07-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

The kids and I recently returned from a week at Beulah Beach. That is our denomination's church campground. It is on the shores of Lake Erie in Vermilion, Ohio and it is celebrating it's 90th birthday this year. I have loved Beulah Beach since I was a little girl and I am thrilled that my kids are going and loving it too! This is Kailin's 4th summer of overnight camp. We drop her off on Sunday afternoon and pick her up on Friday afternoon. She has no problem spending 5 nights away from home. Donnie, on the other hand, wants no part of being away for that long. So this year I decided that I really wanted him to experience all the Beach has to offer so I signed him and Nathan up for Day Camp. I rented a cottage with a girlfriend and our 4 boys went off to Day Camp each morning together. We dropped them off at 8:00 and picked them up at 5:00. Donnie LOVED it and wanted to go back the next week. Nathan had fun too, but that was a long day of separation for a 6 year old....especially since he'd only been in 1/2 day kindergarten. They all had opportunities to climb a rock wall, ride the zip-line over the lagoon, slide down giant yuck slides, swim in the lake, get tossed around by giant waves, play kickball, beach soccer and about a million other fun camp activities all while learning about how much Jesus loves them and wants to be their friend! Kailin also got to spend a day at Kalahari, learned to water ski & wake board, jet skied, went tubing, and learned how to and went scuba diving. She said "Splash Camp" has been her favorite camp so far and she thinks she'll go again another year to learn how to do some other cool water sports. I wish they had Splash Camp for adults!! What a fantastic week for us all!! (Even Don enjoyed some quiet time at home AND at the golf course!)Kailin and her girlfriends enjoy some swim time at the lake.

The boys are all smiles and ready for a fun filled day of camp!

Another Shark in the Family

2011-07-07T19:07:00.000-07:00

Nathan lost his first tooth on June 22. He has been waiting so long for this exciting event. He's been watching his two older siblings loose teeth for the last 6 years of his life and then an entire year of kindergarten of classmates loosing teeth left and right....teachers even keep graphs of how many teeth are lost each month! Just when he thought he just couldn't bear it any longer he discovered he had a loose one! He didn't waste any time at all from discovering it was loose to getting it out of his mouth. He had been wiggling it for a couple days and enough was enough. A mom at Kailin's softball game offered to pull it for him. He put her off during the game, but after the game while waiting in line for ice cream at Bidinger's he decided to let er fly and that is exactly what happened! Mrs. Flannigan tied a "laso" (Nate's words) around his tooth, pulled it tight and out flew the tooth...."3 feet" (again Nate's words). 3 mom's were frantically on their hands and knees on the sidewalk in front of Bid's searching for his first lost tooth as blood is pouring out of Nathan's mouth and down his chin. Thankfully the tooth didn't stay lost for long and he was able to take it home and put it under his pillow. He was a little disappointed the next morning when he found the dollar under his pillow. Thrilled he had the dollar, but disappointed the tooth was gone. His big brother Donnie quickly said, "If you want the Tooth Fairy to leave your tooth, you have to write her a note. That's what I did once." So the next time he loses a tooth he'll be sure to leave her a note. Oh, and the reference to the shark in the title is because his adult tooth had already grown in behind the baby tooth before it fell out....so he has rows of teeth just like a shark and just like his big sister when she was his age. Congratulations Big Nate!

Nine Is Oh So Fine!

2011-06-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Tre, Lish Bone, D-Licious, Big D, Champ...No matter what I call him he is turning NINE years old today! I can't believe it!! He's definitely physically big enough to be turning nine, but how is it possible that nine years have gone by already? Its eems like just yesterday he was barely two years old and not saying a word! Literally, it took him nearly two years to talk, but now he is extremely curious, wants to know the how and why of everything, and when you are one on one with him he never stops talking! We took a few friends swimming today at Westfield for his birthday. It was a beautiful sunny day, but not quite as hot as we'd hope for a swimming party. Thank goodness for no rain!

Donnie, I love the young man you are turning into, buddy! I love the competitiveness that oozes through your body as well as the sweet sensitive side that loves to snuggle up with mommy as we read a book together. I love that brain of yours that never seems to take a break and the little scientist in you that dreams of one day proving that Pluto is indeed a planet. Stay strong in your faith never doubting that God loves you more than anyone else ever could and that he has BIG plans for you. Keep seeking him all the day of your life and he will keep your paths straight. I love you my little Knight!

Twelve!

2011-06-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Princess Kailin! Today is Kailin's twelfth birthday. The weather has been a bit on the dreary side today, but that hasn't stopped her from enjoying her day. She spent a couple hours this morning playing with her buddy, Payton. Her cousin Leah came over this afternoon. She opened some presents before we headed to Rockne's for dinner and then it was off to All Fired Up in Medina to do a little painting. Kailin painted a dolphin sculpture, Payton painted a mug to use at her Grandma's house, and Leah painted an owl bank. Donnie painted a giant lizard and Nathan painted a guitar box. Then we came back home for a combo brownie/bar cookie and ice cream. The three girls are all tucked in down in the basement so why is it that I can hear them doing a little karaoke from the third floor?!Kailin, I love you so much and am so glad God gave me you 12 years ago. You are growing into a beautiful well rounded young lady. I am proud of all your accomplishments on the field/court and in the classroom, but one of the things I am most proud of is your kind and compassionate heart. I love that you look out for and seek to help those that are in need around you, whether it is a classmate that needs encouragement or a friend or someone 1/2 way around the world that needs help putting food on their table. I pray that God uses that compassion in you to further his kingdom in a mighty way! Keep listening and searching hard after Him. I love you so much!

God Bless America!

2011-05-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

Today is Memorial Day. A day set aside to honor, respect and appreciate the men & women who served our wonderful nation and paid the ultimate price to insure or safety and freedoms. We have a small parade every year in our community that marches through the center of town and down to our town's cemetery to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. At the grave site there is a short ceremony honoring those who gave their lives for us. I have never actually been to the parade or ceremony before today. Nathan marched in the parade with his school and invited his Grandpa Maher (a Viet Nam Veteran) to march with him. So we followed the parade into the cemetery and watched the ceremony. It was very moving and I am so glad we were all there to be part of it. I hope that my kids are growing up knowing that freedom isn't free and that they are very blessed to live in America. I hope that they will grow into adults with hearts full of pride and patriotism as well as thankfulness and appreciation for all those who have given their lives so that we may enjoy all our liberties.Papa & Nathan stop and pose for a picture as they march in the Memorial Day Parade.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Woodlawn Cemetery in Wadsworth.

First Grade Here I Come!

2011-05-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

Friday was Nathan's kindergarten awards ceremony and program. For him, the year seemed like it would never end. For me, I can't believe my baby is a first grader already! Nate never really loved school. He pretty much tolerated the 2.5 hours he had to spend there each day this year. He liked his teachers, his principal, his classmates and was even proud of his school, but when it came down to it, he would have much rather been at home playing. And her certainly did not care for the homework he had every night and even on the weekends! But, he did a great job and was rewarded for it on Friday. Nathan received one of the highest honors at the ceremony. He received a certificate for moving his clip 5 times or less during the entire school year! In terms that we can all understand, Nathan was awarded a certificate for making good choices and good behavior. Very few children received this award and Nathan is very proud of it, as he should be! Mommy & Daddy are very proud too, big guy! Congratulations on a fantastic year! Mommy is excited to have you home next year for first grade!
The kids all dressed up like Dalmations and recited a poem about the alphabet. Nathan and his partner had the letter N and their line was..."N is for numbers, 1, 2, 3....correct?"Nathan's classroom aide, Mrs. Riccairdi, taught the kids sign language this year. He learned to count to 20, his ABC's, the days of the week and a few other words. Here he is signing his name for the audience before she awards him his certificate.
Nathan receives one of his award from his principal, Mr. Havens.

Nathan and his teacher aide, "Mr. B". Nathan really looked up to Mr. B and enjoyed having him as a helper in his classroom. He enjoyed going to watch Mr. B compete on the wrestling mat.

Nathan and his good buddy Kayden. Kayden lives a few doors down and was in Nathan's class this year. They were both "half dayers" and loved getting to play together in the afternoons while the rest of their class was still in school!
Nathan and Mimi after his award ceremony.

Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

2011-05-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Basketball season ended just in time to take the field. Kailin won her first league game and played in the first tournament of the year this weekend. The tournament was a little rough for all of them, but they are learning more each game and "just getting started". I'm looking forward to watching them the end of July so I can see how much they have improved from beginning to end. Kailin is the leadoff hitter for the Grizzlies and currently plays short stop. Her coach has recently decided that she is going to play a little catcher as well. Go get em this year, kiddo. Work hard and have fun!

Reds Fever

2011-05-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

Nathan is playing baseball for the first time this Spring. He is playing in the Rookie League where the coaches pitch to the kids. They play 4 innings and each kid gets to hit each inning. They have played 3 games so far and Nathan is loving it and does a great job. He can really smack the ball. Keep up the good work, buddy!

Star Wars

2011-05-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

Donnie had his Spring Recital on Thursday night and finished up his first year of piano lessons. He played a piece from Star Wars and did and excellent job. His teacher asked the kids to dress up in some way that represents the pieces they were playing. So Grandma helped me make him a Jedi Knight's Cloak. It turned out well and he looked great! You've done a great job this year and learned a lot. Keep up the good work, buddy! We are very proud of you!

"An Ordinary Miracle"

2011-05-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

Kailin's 5th grade choir concert was Monday night. They sang several songs and Kailin even had a solo in one of the songs. She loved it and did an awesome job! She loves to sing and has adored having Mrs. Adley as her music teacher the last two years. Way to go, Kailin. We are proud of your courage and your performance!

Blitz Baby

2011-05-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

Kailin recently finished up her AAU season playing for Coach Schlabach and The Blitz. It was a very successful Spring. They played in a total of 5 tournaments. They won 2 Championships, came in 2nd once and made it to the semi-finals in the other two tournaments. All the girls had fun and each of them improved their game a little too. Kailin had a great time making 2 new friends from Berlin, Kennedy & McKenzie. Hopefully we'll get to make a trip or two down to Amish Country this summer to hang out and shoot some hoops. Great season, Kailin!Kailin & McKenzie

Kailin & Coach Schlabach

Kennedy & Kailin

Four Hurrle Boys & A Princess

2011-05-17T18:23:00.001-07:00

Don's brother, Brian, & his family came in for a few days this weekend. Our kids had a great time hanging out with the boys. Owen, the 3 year old, kept us in stitches most of the weekend. He is hilarious! He's quite the little negotiator.

Saturday night we enjoyed the Spaghetti Dinner together at our church hosted by the youth that are heading to Guatemala in July. They were able to raise 2000.00...awesome! Then after church on Sunday Nana made a delicious brunch for all of us. Sunday afternoon the girls did a little shopping while the boys napped in between watching sports. Sunday night we had a good old fashioned cook out of burgers, dogs & brats.

So glad you all were able to come up! Seems like it's been a long time since we've all been together. Looking forward to hanging out again in July @ Nemacolin.

Winning Feels Oh So Good!

2011-05-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Donnie's soccer team has had an undefeated Spring thus far. The amazing part is that they have played five games. Not amazing that they have won five, but that they have played five. We have had SO MUCH rain since April 1. His home soccer complex has been closed for much of April and all of May so far. It was open for 1 day last Saturday so they were able to get his game in. Lucky for the Arsenal that 3 of their other 5 games were all away so they were still able to play in spite of all the rain. Saturday was the most exciting game I've seen him play in his career thus far. It was a great game played by both teams. Goal scoring went back and forth and then at one point they ended up down two goals. They ended up scoring 3 to win by one! Donnie loves his role as a defender and is getting better each game this season. Keep up the great work, buddy. Go Arsenal!

Diggin' Dinosaurs

2011-05-13T18:35:00.000-07:00

Nathan has been learning about dinosaurs in school this week and his teachers planned some fun culminating activities to finish out the week. So after lunch I took Nathan back to school so he could take part in the fun. (Typically he is a "1/2 dayer" and leaves at lunch time. Most of the rest of his class stays for the remainder of the day.) They started out the afternoon by searching for 13 different dinosaur bones in the big field behind the school. Then they rotated through about 6 different stations. They got to measure bones, weigh bones, create a fossil using model magic and plastic dinosaurs, along with a few coloring and cut and paste activities. They also had a snack of popcorn and fruit punch. Fortunately the weather cooperated and the rain held off so they were able to have all the activities outside.The kids put a dinosaur bone in one side of the balance and added counting bears to the other side to see how many it would take to balance it out.

Nate with the fossil he created.

Cutting and pasting.

Snack time.
The Stegosaurus bones the kids found in the field.
It was a fun afternoon of learning and Nathan was glad to have been able to go.

Outdoor Education

2011-05-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

I've said it over and over, but I'm going to say it again. I love homeschooling! I've really loved this year because Donnie and I have gotten to spend 2.5 hours a day together just the two of us learning and having fun. We've done some really cool things together and now that the weather is improving we're able to get outside again.

Donnie and I spent two mornings this week fishing at The Brooks Homestead. Our good friends are so kind to let us come out and fish. I could take Donnie to one of several local parks, but then I couldn't fish with him as I don't have a license yet. Plus, it is a smaller area so I think we also have a little more luck that way.

Monday we fished for a little over an hour and didn't catch a single fish. Donnie didn't seem to mind. He was just thrilled to get to be out there giving it a try. However, when we went Wednesday we caught a total of 7 and he was tickled that he caught 4, one more than mommy. As soon as we threw our lines in the fish started biting. I think we had to re-bait our hooks like 5 times before we actually got one.I was so thankful that I was able to get all seven off the hook. Each one swam quickly away once it hit the water, so that was a good sign. A couple of those little buggers really swallowed the hook, but Papa had just the right tool in the tackle box we borrowed to do the trick.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

37 years ago the Lord blessed me with an amazing mother! I now know you can never fully appreciate the love and sacrifice that goes into being a mom until you become one yourself. Now that I have three beautiful kids of my own and have been a mother for almost 12 years (yikes!) I can truly appreciate my mom and the love, time & sacrifice she put into raising me. Thanks, mom, for everything! I love you! I'm confident that being a mom is the most difficult job one could ever have, but it's also the most amazing & rewarding! I am also thankful for the fantastic relationship I have with my wonderful mother-in-law. Thank you for accepting me, loving me and treating me as if I were your own daughter. I love and appreciate you, too!

Sunday was a busy day full of fun! Don stared out the day by getting me iced tea lemonade and bagels from Panera. After breakfast my sweet daughter, Kailin, surprised me with a gift bag full of gifts that she purchased with her own money! What a sweet thoughtful little girl I have! We headed off to church and then went to lunch at Buehlers with my mom & dad. Then it was off to the Fine Arts Festival to see Kailin's art work. Next we headed to Berea for Kailin's basketball tournament. She lost a heart breaker by 1 point. We came home and visited with our neighbors for a bit while all the kiddos played outside together. Then we headed to Norton for a fun evening packed in the back of our van. We ordered pizza from Fat Boys and then had ice cream from Welch's for dessert, all of which was eaten in the back of our van! It was a beautiful night and I loved hanging out and being together!This is one of the things Kailin purchased for me with her own money. She bought the brownie and then she got to decorate it at the store. She did a GREAT job, so good in fact the lady in the bakery told her to come back once she was old enough to work! We all enjoyed digging into it after we ate our pizza.

I love these 3 awesome kiddos. They are all different and have unique personalities. Each one brings joy to my life and smiles to my face....I can't imagine life without them!

An Awesome April!

2011-05-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

Kailin didn't let all the rain this month get in the way of excelling in school. She had a fantastic month at CIS! Her teachers selected her as student of the month and her art teacher chose a piece of her artwork to be in the Wadsworth City Schools Fine Arts Festival. We went to see her artwork on display over the weekend and she ended up receiving a 3rd third place ribbon.
She also participated in Model UN this year. She had 3 other girls in her group. They chose Guinea as their country. The school wide competition was last Friday and her group was chosen as one of the top six projects in all of 5th & 6th grade so her group gets to go compete at the Medina County Model UN competition. She will get to miss 1/2 day of school on Friday, May 20th for the competition. Excellent job, Kailin! We are proud of your hard work and all of your accomplishments!Kayla, Jenna, Payton & Kailin in their native dress with their tri-fold board and art project.

Close up of the display board and art project.

He Is Risen!

2011-04-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Resurrection Day! We have spent the season of Lent preparing our hearts for Easter. Most evenings we read from a book called Amon's Adventure by Arnold Ytreeide. It is a story about a Jewish boy growing up Jerusalem and trying to become a man around the same time Jesus is entering Jerusalem just prior to his crucifixion. It is an awesome story and the kids LOVED it! It was a great way for us to celebrate the Easter season and keep our eyes fixed on the true meaning Easter as the kids eagerly awaited the fun activities of Easter Sunday.

Easter morning the kids woke up, got dressed for church and then hunted for their Easter baskets as well as for some empty plastic eggs. The eggs are empty every year to remind us of the fact that Jesus' tomb was empty....Hallelujah...He is Risen!

Posing for a picture for mommy before heading off to church.

We headed to Mimi & Papa's house for lunch and more fun. There was a big crowd again this year, but we missed having Len & his family there. The were off celebrating with Kim's family. After lunch the kids got to hunt for their eggs, got their baskets and had a coloring contest. Turns out everyone was the big winner! Just before heading to Hurrles for the evening the kids gathered with Mimi to read My Easter Basket. Each year a different child takes a turn reading the story. This year was Nathan's turn. Thanks for a delicious lunch and a fun afternoon!

The kiddos with Mimi & Papa

Off to Nana & Papa's house. The kids hunted for their baskets and then got to hunt for eggs. The eggs that are left here always contain money. The kids always get to find a certain number of eggs and then they have fun emptying the eggs and counting the change (and even some dollars) to see who the big winner is. This year it was Donnie....wasn't even close. I guess the saying "The early bird catches the worm" has some truth to it. Donnie got right down to business when collecting his eggs and was the first one finished. Congratulations Big D! Later that evening we sat down for a delicious turkey dinner and we all ended up stuffed just like the turkey. Thanks for a fun evening! Nana Papa & the kids

What a fun busy day we had celebrating with family today. Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross to take the punishment for our sins! We look forward with great anticipation to the day that we can thank you in heaven! Praise God that the tomb was empty!

Colorful Creativity

2011-04-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday was finally a day without rain. It's been awhile since that has happened. We took advantage of the sunshine and took the kids to the park to get a little exercise and enjoy some good old fresh air. We played a little hoops and then each of the kids took a turn taking their dad deep on the baseball field. After getting cleaned up a bit we headed to Nana & Papa's for dinner and coloring eggs.
If you take a close look at the eggs you'll see that there was a lot of creativity flowing. We had tri-colored eggs, eye balls, brains & even aliens. Not sure we've ever had such a variety before. Great job kiddos (and Don)!

Right Back At It

2011-04-26T12:14:00.001-07:00

Kailin came home on Tuesday, had basketball practice on Wednesday, and began a weekend tournament on Friday. Her team, NEO BLITZ, ended up going 5-0 for the weekend and brought home the championship trophy! Way to go girls! Her team also played the weekend we were in Florida so they are currently 10-0. We are heading to Columbus this weekend for a tournament there. Good luck girls!

Saying Goodbye to the Florida Sun

2011-04-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, April 12, 2011. This was the day we had to pack our bags and leave the warm sunny South to head back to the cold rainy North. However, we still had a few hours to soak up a little more sunshine. Nana and Papa took us to the "big pool" and we all enjoyed one last dip.Time for a quick family photo. We had been together for eight days and never took a single picture with all seven of us. So this was the time. Never mind that we were trying to get to the airport to catch a flight....there are more important things in life!
Here we are on the curb at the airport saying goodbye to Nana & Papa. It was a little easier to say goodbye since we knew they would be home for a while in a few days. We all missed them while they were gone this winter, but after the week just had with them we sure can't blame them! We were all hoping the flight was over booked and we'd get bumped so we could sneak in another night. But, all went as planned and we took off and headed for Ohio around 8 PM.

I can't express enough how blessed we feel after getting to have this week in Florida together. Everything was amazing and we could see God's hand prints all over it. From our safety to our health, to the amazing creatures we saw up close and personal, to the weather that couldn't have been any better, to a week that was migraine free for Donnie, to inexpensive airfare during one of the most expensive times to fly to Florida (spring break). Thank you, Lord, for all the wonderful sights, sounds, and smells we got to encounter the last 8 days. Thank you for your provisions. AND, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MOM & DAD FOR HAPPILY SHARING YOUR BEAUTIFUL FLORIDA HOME WITH ALL OF US! We truly had an amazing time and so appreciate your generosity and hospitality. We thoroughly enjoyed being spoiled by you! Making memories that will last a lifetime is so much fun! THANK YOU!

Sanibel & Captiva

2011-04-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official. Besides the mountains of Montana, Sanibel/Captiva Island is my favorite place on earth! I just love the drive along the water and white sandy almost empty beaches. The water is beautiful and clean and watching the sunset at the Mucky Duck simply can't be beat! I know I had an awesome afternoon & evening our last full day & night in Florida. We did a little (ok...I did a lot) of shopping at Periwinkle Place. I just love Synergy. It just makes sense that my all time favorite store is also on the island. We also hit a chocolate store and Nathan is convinced that the white chocolate alligator he ate was the best chocolate he ever tasted. So great in fact that he wants to move there when he grows up! Then we headed to the Mucky Duck for dinner. We had an hour wait and so the kids played on the beach and had a blast looking for sea shells and running up and down the beach in the wet sand. For some reason they felt very fast. We had a tasty dinner as we watched the sun begin to start setting. Once we were done eating we hustled back out to the beach to watch the sun as it dipped below the horizon....MAGNIFICENT! What a perfect way to end a perfect vacation!

Almost Over....

2011-04-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful week we've been blessed with. I can't believe our time in Flordia is almost over. We've had such an awesome week....what a blessing! The weather has been perfect, the kids have been healthy and so well behaved, and we've enjoyed living life at a much slower pace this last week. It's been good to be together as a family and great to spend time with Nana & Papa as well! We've also really enjoyed seeing new and different things in God's wonderful creation. He has created some amazing creatures and beautiful plants and flowers. Dolphins, Sting Rays, Manatees, Lightning Welks, Shrimp, Egrets, Alligators, Snakes, Turtles, Pelicans, Crabs, Herons & Anoles just to name a few. Palm Trees, Indian Blanket Flowers, Pentas, Blue Mist Flowers & Resurrection Ferns. So fun to see and learn about things we don't get to see and enjoy everyday at home. What a field trip!! A Pelican ready to dive into the Gulf to grab a snack. They are graceful in the skies, but not so much when they dive headfirst into the water in search of their next meal. I still haven't figured out how they don't break their necks!

This is a picture of an Indian Blanket Flower we saw at Manatee Park.

We spent some more time swimming at the pool this morning and have just had a lazy afternoon at the condo. We will be heading to Sanibel & Captiva Island in just a little while. We hope to catch a sunset out over the ocean after dinner on the beach this evening. Maybe we'll even find a sea shell or two.

Just Another Day In Paradise

2011-04-10T15:46:00.000-07:00

This morning we got up early and headed to the flea market. Nathan has been waiting since we arrived to get to go. He imagined it to be "gadget heaven" and couldn't wait to spend his money. I think it lived up to his expectations. He found a phone store and bought a cell phone case as well as a few other trinkets. Donnie got a 3D bookmark and a color changing T-shirt. Kailin got a mortar and pestle along with a few other things she has been wanting. Later we had lunch at the condo and then we took the kids to Manatee Park. It was very interesting. The kids went on a scavenger hunt and climbed a huge tree. After climbing the tree we saw a sign that said "Please do not climb the tree"..... Oops! Although we didn't see any Manatees we still had a good time. The boys hung out at the condo the rest of the afternoon watching the Masters and the ladies went shopping at the outlets. Then we had a nice pork tenderloin dinner together at the condo. It was another fun filled day in Florida.

2011-04-10T04:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a pretty quiet day. Don and dad met Aaron and Mr. Link for a round of golf at 8:00 and mom and I took the kids to pool around 10:00. We stayed until around 1:30. Nate's new friend, Olivia, was back and they had fun playing again today. Then we went back to the condo for lunch, showered and just relaxed the rest of the day. Don and I had a special treat on Saturday night. Mom & Dad kept the kids and we went out to dinner at Miller's. We were able to sit outside on the patio and enjoy the warm summer like evening breeze....thanks mom & dad!

Beach Bums

2011-04-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

After the little buccaneers returned from their adventures at sea, they joined us at the beach. Unfortunately we couldn't do a lot of swimming or riding the waves because the water was FULL of stingrays. Though they are generally docile creatures, we weren't willing to take the chance of stepping on one and getting stung. That would quickly ruin our vacation and we're having too much fun for it to end already!

Since the water wasn't really an option the kids played on the beach.

Donnie had fun playing soccer with daddy.

Nathan and mommy built a sand castle. Kailin enjoyed relaxing and taking pictures of the sting rays.....as long as they stayed a good distance away!

Nana & Papa enjoyed the ocean breeze and watching the kids play as well.

Aaarg Matey!

2011-04-09T04:52:00.000-07:00

We headed to Ft. Myers beach around 10:30 Friday morning. We had lunch at a fun little restaurant called Yucatan and then Don & I got dropped off at the beach for a few hours of relaxation. Mom and Dad took the kids on a Pirate Cruise out in the Gulf. They heard pirate songs, searched for treasure, and fired the cannon at the land lubbers on the beach. They also got their faces painted, learned about pirate history and in the end found the treasure and got to bring home some of the booty.This is the view Don & I had of the ship from the beach. Below are pictures of what was actually happening aboard the ship. The kids had a fabulous time!Story time....learning a little pirate history.

Time for pirate fun & games.

All three kids had their chance to go under the limbo stick.

How low can you go?

Instead of a parrot, this pirate had a lizard perched on his shoulder.

Gone Fishing!

2011-04-09T04:40:00.000-07:00

Friday morning Papa took the kids fishing at the lake behind the condo. The first time Papa threw the line in he hooked a big fish, but he got away. It would prove to be the only bite of the morning, but it was still fun to get to try.

Splish Splash

2011-04-07T18:06:00.000-07:00

We were blessed with another hot sunny day in Southwest Florida. We started out the day with breakfast on the lanai. The kids even got to see a gator swim by in the lake behind the condo. They were thrilled! Papa has talked often of the gator this winter and so the kids have been on gator watch since we arrived. Then we headed down to the pool for a couple hours. The kids swam their little hearts out till lunch time. We headed back to the condo for lunch and after lunch Nana and I took the kids back to the pool while Don and Papa golfed 9 holes. Besides swimming the kids had great fun chasing the lizards around the pool deck. They are determined to catch one before we leave next Tuesday. Then we went back for dinner and once again the kids were ready for bed and fell asleep as their heads hit their pillows. They are dreaming of the fun adventures they will have aboard the Pirate Ship tomorrow with Nana & Papa. Sleep well my sweets!

Florida Fun

2011-04-06T18:14:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we surprised the kids with a trip to Florida for Spring Break. We flew to Ft. Myers yesterday to spend a week with Nana & Papa at their condo. We left very early Tuesday morning, but today was our first full day in the Florida sunshine. We had a great day together. We hung out at the condo for the morning and had an early lunch and then headed to Port Sanibel Marina to Adventures in Paradise for the Sea Life Encounter Excursion. It was a 2 1/2 hour boat ride that stopped at Picnic Island where the kids were given nets and got to "fish" for sea life. They caught crabs, hermit crabs, shrimp, minnows and a few other creatures. On our way we also found a pod of dolphins and we all had a great time watching them play around our boat. After our excursion Nana took Kailin and I to a salon for manicures and pedicures and the boys headed to the pool for an afternoon dip. Then we had pasta for dinner and the kids were ready for bed and fell asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. It's a nice change from the cold and snow we left in Ohio. Looking forward to a wonderful week.

Happy Birthday, Big Nate!

2011-04-01T18:24:00.001-07:00

As I was looking over some of my recent posts I realized that I had not posted about our big guy's 6th birthday yet. Sorry, buddy! The littlest man in The Herd turned 6 back on January 18th. Wow, 6 years old! It's amazing to me how much growth takes place in 6th years, especially when you are talking about kids. Not just in size, but in every aspect of their lives. Physical, emotional, social and even spiritual. He grows and changes a little every single day. At this stage in his life he loves to pretend, still loves his phones and other gadgets, is gearing up for his first season of baseball and is even READING! He enjoys playing his guitar and sings in the kids choir at church. Nate is a very intelligent little boy and lives life with intensity. At times he can drive you crazy with his temper (wonder where he got that?!) but a second later he has you cracking up with something hilarious he just said or did. He has certainly brought a lot of laughter into our home! Mommy and Daddy are proud of the growth you've made over the last 6 years and look forward to seeing all that God has in store for you in the years ahead. God loves you, Nate and so do we!!!

Snow Day Snowboarding

2011-04-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite pictures of the 5 of us. We used the timer on Don's camera and set the camera up on the hood of our van. Not bad for a bunch of amateurs. Anyway, Don came home from work early on one of the kids MANY snow days this winter and we took the kids over to Wilhite (Nana & Papa's) to do a little snowboarding. They had an absolute blast plowing down the hill into the backyard. We had planned to get to slide down the entire driveway, but Papa had already made the call to have it plowed. However, the hill the plow created with the snow from the driveway proved to be much more fun. Too bad Nana & Papa were in sunny warm Florida and missed all the fun!

The Buzzards Are Back

2011-04-01T17:33:00.000-07:00

March 15th is the day that the Buzzards (turkey vultures) return to Hinckley Reservation in Hinckley, Ohio. Going to the park to see if we can spot the buzzards has recently become a tradition for the boys & I. We grab our binoculars and drive the 30 minutes or so and sit and watch the skies. This year we spotted several as soon as we pulled in to park. We sat at a picnic table with our camera, binoculars, pad and pen. The boys counted 42 in the 30 minutes or so that we were there. Mother Nature was kind to us this year and we didn't even have to wear jackets! Last year we were bundled up in all are winter gear. I think the boys love it because it marks the end of the long cold Northeast Ohio winter and they get excited for the warmer weather that is just around the corner. I enjoy it because it reminds me of my childhood and my Grandma and Grandpa Maher that had a farm that was right up the road from the park. It's not that we went as kids to see the buzzards, but we drove past the park numerous times and spent lots of time just up the road at the farm. And though they didn't move to the farm until my dad was in high school, my Grandma always seemed somewhat proud of being "from Hinckley" and loved the buzzards. She even had little plaques hanging around her house that made mention of it. I love and miss them both very much and enjoy the memories that come flooding back each Spring when I drive past the farm to look for the buzzards.

Grizzly Hoops

2011-03-31T13:32:00.000-07:00

Kailin played on the Wadsworth Grizzlies 5th grade travel basketball team this winter. Their team played 8 regular season games in the Barberton League and ended the season with a league tournament. Then they played in 5 weekend tournaments as well. Kailin "ran the show" as her coach put it as the team's point guard. They had a very successful winter. They won their league championship and were tournament champions at two of their weekend tournaments. They were runner-up at the other three. She brought home "hardware" and played in the championship game at each tournament. Her team's final record was 27-6. She likes Coach Witschey and all of her teammates. They are a great group of really nice girls with great parents. It was a really fun season and we were sad to see it come to an end. Hopefully the majority of them will be together again next winter. Go Grizzlies!

Elementary Speech Meet

2011-03-31T13:26:00.000-07:00

This year as part of his schooling Donnie participated in the ACSI Elementary Speech Meet. He chose to memorize a passage of scripture. He memorized Ephesians 6:1-3. He studied and practiced saying the verses for several weeks before the big event. He was completely prepared the day of the event (March 17, 2011), but he was also completely terrified at the thought of standing in front of the judges and the audience to give his "speech". He conquered his fears and did a great job. He was awarded a red ribbon on Excellence for his efforts. Great job, Big D. Daddy and I are extremely proud of you!

Your Life is Awesome

2011-03-31T12:08:00.000-07:00

The title is actually a quote from a text I received from Don yesterday. It was in response to a text I had sent him. The boys and I ventured to the Akron Zoo yesterday to activate our membership. It was a dreary freezing cold day when we left and I had quite a bad attitude about the whole thing. You see, I had purchased the membership through Groupon at half price, but didn't realize when I purchased it that there was a deadline to activating it and that you had to activate it in person at the zoo. All that would have been fine had it been the end of Spring when it was a bit nicer and we actually wanted to go to the zoo and spend some time there. So, the boys and I hopped in the van after lunch and made our way to the zoo. We had to stand in a long line of other "Grouponers" for about 15-20 minutes. The boys wanted to at least see the penguins(the first exhibit once you enter the zoo) so we headed outside. It was the least I could do since they waited so patiently in line. To our surprise we walked out into a blizzard of snow! It turned out that it was the last day you could actually feed the penguins! It cost me $6.00 for 2 cups of dead, smelly, frozen fish (sardines I think), but the result was priceless!!! After they got over the disgust of finding out the food they would be touching was dead fish (they wore plastic gloves), they had a BLAST feeding the penguins! Luckily I had my camera in my purse from the weekend before. By this time all 3 of us were all smiles. I took a picture with my phone and texted it to Don. His response was a great lesson that reminded me how blessed I am. "Your life is awesome!" Yes, my life is truly awesome. Thanks for the reminder, honey. And, forgive me Lord for all the grumbling I did yesterday. I love days like yesterday. Homeschooling rocks! At times it is a huge challenge, but at times it is so incredibly fun and rewarding! Thank you Lord for this amazing opportunity and for my wonderful husband and 3 incredible kids. "My Life IS Awesome!

Kansas City, Missouri

2011-02-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

Our good friends, the Bogues, moved there this summer and so we decided to take a little road trip to see them and their new surroundings. We had spent the last 4 New Years Eve's together and didn't want to bring in 2011 without them. It was about an 8 hour drive from Indianapolis to Kansas City, but we made a pit stop in St. Louis so we could take the kids up in the Arch. Donnie and I had done some reading about it in school this year so it was very cool to get to see it up close and in person. We even took the tram up to the top...all 620 feet! We also spent some time in the Museum of Westward expansion.Nathan, Donnie & Kailin peer out the window at the top of the Arch. They are looking down on the Mississippi River 620 feet below.

We had a fabulous time hanging out together. Terri and I did a little shopping at Cargo Largo (Blaine's Store), Don & Blaine got to golf and the kids got to play outside. It was 65 degrees in December!! One evening Terri & I took the girls and Nate ice skating on the Plaza in downtown KC and the rest of the boys got a private tour (thanks Uncle Danny) of Arrowhead Stadium where the Chiefs play.
Then we met downtown to view all the Christmas lights and have dinner at Fritz's. A great little burger joint where they deliver your food by train! The kids (and adults) loved it!New Year's Eve came with a mixed bag of emotions. Thrilled to be together to bring in the New Year, but sad to think our time together was coming to an end. We had delicious Kansas City BBQ for dinner, played games and watched the ball drop. Thanks for all the hospitality, Bogues! We loved getting to see your new home and town and thoroughly enjoyed just hanging out together again! We love and miss you all and look forward to your visit this summer!

On the road again....

2011-02-05T18:57:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas we piled into the van and headed to Indianapolis to spend a couple days with the Hurrles and Spistas. We arrived at Great Grandma Hurrle's house Sunday evening and got to visit with Uncle Pat, Justin, Jamie and Grandma. Monday morning we took Grandma over to Aunt Sissy's and got to visit with Michelle, Callie, Emme, and Cason as well as Brittany and Aunt Sissy. We also got to see Shauna and Corbin who were in town visiting from Tahoe. Late that afternoon we headed to Greenwood to see Great Nana. We arrived to a great surprise...an apartment full of Spistas! Uncle Jackie, Stephanie, Andy, Aunt Ann, Uncle Gary, Jessica and Emily were all there waiting to have dinner with us. We had a great evening together sitting around the table laughing and eating. On Tuesday morning we said goodbye to Grandma and headed further west to Kansas City, MO. More on that to come. We had a fantastic couple of days in Indiana. It is always so much fun to get to go there and hang out with Don's side of the family. Both sides are pretty large families and it is very evident on both sides that family is a priority. We always appreciate the effort people make to come see us when they know we are in town. We love you all and always have a great time when we come. I'm sure we'll see you all in July!

Christmas!

2011-02-05T18:46:00.000-08:00

We did things a little differently (at the last minute) this year, but it worked out great! We decided to have Christmas morning at our house on Christmas Eve morning. We decided that morning at 7:00 AM! Luckily everything was ready and we just had to grab the presents and put them under the tree. The five of us had a great morning opening presents together and then the kids had the entire day to play with their new toys. It was a very fun relaxing day! That evening we went to our Christmas Eve service at church and then Nana, Papa & Aunt Courtney came over for dinner. After dinner we decorated cookies to leave out for Santa (along with his bologna sandwich!)The next morning the kids each found a gift from Santa under the tree and then we headed over to Mimi and Papa's house to celebrate Christmas with the Maher family. We opened presents and had lunch with the Henry side and late that after noon we headed over to Nana & Papa's to celebrate Christmas with the Hurrles.What a wonderful couple days we had as a family (immediate & extended) celebrating Jesus birthday. We are so blessed and thankful for all that we have! I hope and pray that as our kids continue to grow up that they will always find as much joy in giving as they do receiving and that they will always remember the true meaning of Christmas. Happy Birthday, Jesus!

You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why...

2010-12-14T19:02:00.000-08:00

Santa Clause is coming to town. Or in this case, came to town. Today was the third snow day of the year so after playing in the snow with their cousins we hopped in the van and headed for the mall in search of Santa Clause. Where else would he be 10 days before Christmas? Sure enough he was sitting in the mall right outside of Dillards. The kids all enjoyed sitting on his lap and sharing their Christmas wishes with him. You can definitely tell this kids are growing up in the age of technology because....Kailin asked for a cell phone, Donnie asked for a lap top as did Natalie, and Nathan asked for a DSI. Leah was the only one who asked for a good "old fashioned" doll...an American Girl Look Alike Doll that is. I made the comment that Santa better have a lot of money, but the kids quickly reminded me that Santa doesn't need any money. He and the elves make all the presents. What was I thinking! II

Good King Wenceslas

2010-12-14T18:56:00.000-08:00

Donnie has been taking piano lessons once a week since August. It's been fun to hear his progress from day one until now. He has picked it up rather quickly and really enjoys it. He played in his first recital tonight and did and awesome job! He was extremely nervous and didn't really want to be up there in front of everyone, but he was courageous and made it through. I know that was a giant step out of your comfort zone, buddy, and mommy & daddy are so proud of you!!! Keep up the good work!

Snow Days!!!

2010-12-14T18:27:00.000-08:00

Winter hasn't even officially arrived yet and the kids have already had 3 snow days. It's been GREAT fun having all 3 of them home together again. We've read stories like The Gingerbread Boy together, played in the snow and baked some delicious cookies as well. We've all had fun and tomorrow will be a bit of an adjustment as Kailin and Nate head back to school. Including the weekend, we've been home together for 4 days together. However, only 3 days of school left and then they'll all be home for 16 days!!! Whoo Hoo!

Kailin made and decorated a gingerbread house.

Donnie made and decorated a gingerbread boy. We read three different versions of this story together and had fun comparing all of them and voting on which one we like best.

Nathan made and decorated a snowman. The kids each got a cookie pan from St. Nick on Dec. 6 and we had a blast trying them out on our first snow day. Thanks, Ali for the awesome recipe!

While the cookies were baking the kids enjoyed some snow time together.

The Very Hungry Caterpillars....

2010-11-13T18:36:00.001-08:00

turned into Beautiful Butterflies! We bought caterpillar larvae again this spring and really enjoyed watching their metamorphosis. Five larvae were shipped to us in the mail and a few weeks later we had five Painted Lady butterflies. We got to see them eat, form their chrysalis, emerge from their chrysalis, use their to long coiled tongue to drink sugar water and we even got see what their eggs look like. Then we got to release them into the wild. This is the second time we have done this. What a fun hands on learning activity for the kids. Next spring the boys want to get tadpoles and watch them turn into frogs.If you look closely enough you can see it's long black tongue uncurled and drinking "nectar" (paper towel soaked with sugar water).

The last Painted Lady to leave the Butterfly Garden it has lived in for the last several weeks.

The tiny green dots you see on this paper towel are the eggs the butterflies laid. We were amazed by how many there were. Isn't God's creation amazing?

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

2010-11-13T18:22:00.000-08:00

Don is a tough to buy gifts for, but he loved this one! Usually his gift for Father's Day is his trip to Indiana to play in the annual Hurrle Cup. But we threw in a little extra something this year and it was a big hit. Now his coffee can be organize and easy to find.Nathan's T-shirt cracks me up. It's Father's Day and he is wearing his I Love Mom shirt, too funny. However, he along with the rest of us, love you very much. You are a super dad and husband. Hope you enjoyed your day! Happy Father's Day to our dads as well. We have fantastic fathers and you are awesome Papa's as well. We love you both very much! Thanks for all you do and for being such good examples.

Making Music Together

2010-11-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

Another first for Kailin this year was her music class. Kailin took two years of piano when she was home schooled, but did not have any formal vocal instruction. This year she fell in love with music thanks to her wonderful teacher, Ms. Brenda Adley. Kailin absolutely adored her and looked so forward to going to music twice a week. She enjoyed it so much, in fact, that she joined the Lincoln Singers. They met a half hour before school started to sing together. They got to perform at the Veteran's Day Assembly, the school wide Talent Show and at the WHYS appreciation luncheon. Kailin was even selected to sing a solo twice during the year. She loved singing so much that she decided to take voice lessons over the summer and looks forward to being old enough to sing in the Praise Band at church someday. What a well rounded young lady God has blessed us with!

Happy Birthday, Benny!

2010-11-13T08:56:00.000-08:00

Nate's good buddy and neighbor, Ben, turned 5 in May. We had the honor of helping him celebrate. His birthday is the end of May so his big extended family gathers at a park to have a picnic for Memorial Day and celebrate Ben's birthday. It is always so much fun to spend time with the Moser family.The theme this year was cowboys. Ali, his mom, made an adorable horse head cake and the cutest and most delicious cut out cookies shaped like horses and cowboy hats. John Wayne was even there as you can see from one of the pictures. The kids had a great time running around at the park, playing corn hole, hitting the baseball and even fishing. Thanks for inviting us Ben. We had a great time and we are so glad Nate has you as a friend!

Budding Artist

2010-11-13T08:36:00.000-08:00

This school year was the first time that Kailin had formal art instruction. She enjoyed getting to learn about famous artists and liked getting to create things using different kinds of media. Every spring, the Wadsworth City School District has a Fine Arts Festival in which some of the students get to showcase their artistic talent. Their is a stage for live performances of singing, dancing, playing instruments and the gyms are filled with many different kinds of art. There are paintings, pencil drawings, collages, pottery, metal art etc. Kailin was one of the students that had the honor of having a piece of artwork displayed. She made a basketball out of clay and painted each section a different color. Congratulations, Kailin! Your piece is very cool and we are very proud of you!

We Love Camp Christopher!

2010-11-13T08:17:00.000-08:00

Our kiddos attend a Sunday evening program at church throughout the school year. The culminating activity at the end of the year is an overnight to Camp Christopher. The kids LOVE it! Don and I were both teachers last year so all 5 of us actually camped last April.We went hiking, did a ropes course and other team building activities, went into a cave and saw bats, roasted marshmallows and sang songs around a campfire, and went on a scavenger hunt in the dark using flashlights. Then we slept on bunk beds in cabins and woke up the next morning to have breakfast, do a little fishing and then it was time to pack up and go home. The kids love getting to camp here because they know their daddy camped there when he was little and lost all of his clothes! He never did find them and every year when we go the kids talk about the fact that they think daddy's clothes are in a trash bag at the bottom of the lake. Making memories is so much fun!!!

Got Milk?

2010-11-13T05:23:00.000-08:00

April was a busy month. The boys and I went on yet another field trip in April. This time we headed to a local dairy farm, The Saal Dairy Farm, in Sterling, Ohio. This trip was with Nathan's Preschool Class. Our neighbor, and good buddy, Benny was in his class so he is in some of the pictures as well. The Saal family has had several children attend the same preschool that our kids attended over the years. In fact, one of their sons, Noah, became good buddies with Donnie when they were in preschool together for two years. The boys had a blast! They learned all about dairy farming, saw tractors with tires that are bigger than they are, watched as the cows got milked and fed the calves grain from their hands and water from a bottle. The calf barn was definitely a hit! When the tour was over they even got to eat delicious homemade cookies and of course drink a carton of milk! Thanks for your generosity Saal family, we had a blast!!

Rockin and Rollin

2010-11-13T05:07:00.000-08:00

On Friday, April 16, 2010 Donnie, Nathan, Mimi & I went up to Cleveland to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of fame. We had never been before. We toured the museum at our leisure and we also attended two different presentations included in the Rockin the Schools program. We learned about the instruments in Rock and Roll Band! Meet the Instruments and we also learned about sound in Rock and Roll and the Science of Sound.

This is a picture of the 4 of us near the entrance of the museum. There were a lot of these really cool guitars on display.

We took this picture to give to Uncle Lenny since Michael Jackson was one of his favorite artists growing up.

A Bugs World

2010-11-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

On April 14, 2010 Donnie, Nathan, Nana & I headed to the OARDC in Wooster for the 8th annual Bug's World Workshops. This is the second time I have taken the kids down for it. It's a fun filled day of hands on learning about all things bugs! The boys took workshops including insect olympics, your insect friends, fly fishing and tying, busy busy bees, critters up close and cafe insecta. They also watched the whiz bang science show.This was a table set up in the Busy Busy Bees Workshop. The boys were most intrigued when learning what a bee sees. Bees have 5 eyes. 2 of them are large compound eyes that have 4,500 individual hexagonal facets that work together to produce an integrated visual image. Their eye sight is 100 times worse than that of normal human vision. The table had little toys that the boys could look through that would simulate what a bee's vision is like. It was very cool!

During Critters Up Close the boys got to spend their time viewing insects and insect parts in high powered microscopes. Again, very cool!

During Cafe Insecta, one presenter spoke to us about bugs and how many cultures eat bugs and that some kinds are full of protein and good for you. He went on to tell us that the average American inadvertently eats about 2 pounds of bugs per year...turns out that a certain amount of bugs and bug parts in allowable in the foods we eat...grains, flour etc. Yuck!! The other presenter actually cooked bugs for us to taste!!!!

Here is one of the plates of bugs that was cooked for us. Just in case you were wondering none of us were brave enough to try it. I thought the boys might be, but they decided that was just too gross! We all had a fun day of learning together. I know I say it a lot, but I love homeschooling! It allows for fun opportunities like this!!

More Good Ole' Fashioned Family Fun!

2010-11-12T15:48:00.000-08:00

We spent a day playing together last spring. First we headed to Memorial Park and played on the Kaledioscope Playground for a bit.
Donnie having fun on the swings.

Kailin feels a great deal of satisfaction sitting atop the money bars.

Then we headed to an empty field and all three kids took turns taking their daddy deep. All three of them are good hitters, even 5 year old Nate. Kailin and Donnie are getting in shape for their spring ball season. Nate will have to wait another year or so until he is old enough to play coach pitch. He'll really be whacking the ball by then!

Finally we headed to Welch's for an ice cream cone. I sure love my 3 little buddies and I absolutely love when we get to spend time just hanging out as a family. Something we surely do not get to do enough of since we always seem to be running here or there for this or that. I'm so thankful when we have a day like this!

Go Tribe!

2010-11-12T15:42:00.000-08:00

What a great day for a ball game! May 28, 2010 was a gorgeous spring day. So nice in fact you would have thought it was summer. It just so happened that Nana & Papa had 4 tickets to the Tribe game that day and invited the boys to go along. The boys were SO excited! Another benefit of homeschooling...heading to a pro baseball game while all your friends sit in school! Needless to say, a great time was had by all! Thanks Nana & Papa!

Five Bikes!!

2010-11-12T15:26:00.000-08:00

Last spring we went on our first family bike ride. Nathan needed, and got, a bigger bike so he was able to peddle faster and was finally able to keep up. Up to now Nate has always rode in one of those tag along buggies attached to the back of daddy's bike. What fun that we all have our own set of wheels.

Nathan had a lot of fun and did very well on his first ride. Way to go buddy. Maybe next summer you'll be riding on just 2 wheels.We made a couple stops along the way to enjoy God's beautiful creation. We saw tons of turtles, a cardinal & a mallard duck. (One other time we rode on the path we even saw a muskrat!)

Our three cuties posing for a picture on the way back. We all had a great time and I hope this is the first of many more rides to come!

A John Deer, A Thunder Cat & An Acrtic Cat

2010-11-12T15:10:00.000-08:00

The boys love their vehicles! They love to ride and ride and ride. They have so much fun together when the ride around. Donnie got his John Deer 5 years ago from his Poppy Maher. He was only 3 years old at the time. He fit much better on it back then, but he still loves it today. We've only had to replace the battery once. The tires are starting to get cracked so we've patched em up with duck tape.
Our neighbor, Ben, got his around his 4th birthday if I remember right. A little over a year ago. My boys love Benny and they have even more fun when he comes out to play and ride with them.

Nathan got his "Cat" from his good buddies Zach & Jackson. They were moving to a new home in the country and decided to get a real 4 wheeler so they offered theirs to Nathan. He is SO thrilled. Now he has one to ride and doesn't have to share his brother's tractor. Thanks Brooks brothers!!

Green Thumbs....

2010-11-12T14:54:00.001-08:00

We planted a garden back in May. We planted carrots, snow peas, peppers, cucumbers & tomatoes. The kids love planting and harvesting when the veggies are ready. It's always fun to see what does well and what doesn't. This year Lily and Liam got to help us since they stayeds the weekend with us. Their mom & dad were house hunting in MO.

Third and Final Safety Town....

2010-09-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

It's hard for me to believe that my baby went to Safety Town this summer and is currently in kindergarten! Nathan loved his week! He even asked if he could go for another week. He learned all about safety with guns, matches, strangers & buses. He learned how to call 911 in an emergency and how to get out of a burning building. I am so glad you had such a great time and hope you have just as much fun this year at school. I am so proud of how grown up and smart you are becoming. The kids stood and sang a couple of the songs they learned during the week. "When you ride in a car what's the first thing you do? Buckle your seat belt, that's what you do." That song hasn't changed since I was in Safety Town 31 years ago! I love it!

Nathan posed for a picture with his teen helper, Matt, and the Safety Town Police Officer as he graduated.
Donnie, Nathan & Kailin pose for a picture in front of the Safety Town Police Station after Nathan's graduation.

Undefeated and Battle at Barlow Champions!

2010-09-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

In August of 2009, Kailin tried out for and made a 10u travel softball team. The organization is called Grizzly Fastpitch. In February of 2010 the girls began practicing in a gym. One April came and the weather began to change the girls began practicing outside. They finally played their first game in May. The girls first season together was quite a success. They were undefeated in the CVEL and earned the right to be called league champions. They also were tournament champions in one of the weekend tournaments they played in. Their t-shirts their coaches bought them at the end of the year say, "We're just getting started!" They were a lot of fun to watch and seem to have a very promising future as far as softball is concerned. Way to go, Kailin! You were awesome! Looking forward to next season.....Kailin hit in the lead off spot for the Grizzlies this year. She was a solid consistent hitter.
After a successful at bat, Kailin stands on second base and prepares to steal third.

The girls proudly display their hardware after winning the Battle at Barlow championship.
Kailin and her good friend and teammate, Emily, pose with their trophies after their big win.

We love those Cubs!

2010-09-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

Donnie play hardball for the first time this spring. He played on the Cubs. He loved it! He played with one of his best buds, Liam, and that made it even better. The boys all got to experience playing every position in the field. At 8 years old the coaches pitch and they play 4 innings. Each player gets to hit every inning. The games flew by with Don Jr.(his dad) on the mound! Donnie can't wait until next spring when he gets to move up and the kids pitch part of the game. He's been practicing already and is really hoping to get to pitch a little. He had a great first season and was a lot of fun to watch. Great job, buddy! I am awfully proud that you tried something new.Even though he is right handed Donnie hits left. Here he is in his first at bat of the year.

Crossing home plate and scoring a run! That a boy!

Happy Birthday, Tre!

2010-06-27T18:40:00.001-07:00

My middle man turned 8 on June 17. He also got to celebrate a little early with his friends. He had his party on June 6th. He wanted to meet his buddies at a local park and play some sports for his party. The weather was a bit threatening so we decided to stay at home, but they were still able to get outside to play a few games. They played flag football, wiffle ball, and kick ball. He had a blast.

Daddy was all time quarterback during the flag football game.

Happy birthday, big guy! It's hard to believe that you are 8 already! Where is the time going? You are growing into a wonderful young man. Daddy and I are very proud of you. You have grown up and out of your shell so much in the last year. You have become so much more confident in yourself and are learning so much in school. I have really enjoyed homeschooling you these last two years. You have your heart to Jesus during this last year and we couldn't be happier for you. That is the best decision you will ever make in your entire life. Always keep him first. Keep growing and learning. We love you so much! Happy Birthday, Donnie!

Happy Birthday, Kailin!

2010-06-27T18:20:00.000-07:00

Kailin turned 11 years old on June 10. She celebrated a few days early with a few of her closest friends. She had four friends over on the fourth. They played outside together, painted their nails, had cake and ice cream, used only their mouths to hunt for gummy worms in a pan of whipped cream, and played tag in the dark. She had a great time and her parents couldn't ask for better friends for their daughter.

The girls with their whipped cream faces.

Happy birthday, baby! You are growing into such a beautiful young woman on the inside and outside as well. Daddy and \I are so proud of the young woman you are becoming. We love your big heart, your willingness to help others, and your determination. You are a wonderful daughter and an awesome big sister to both your brothers. Keep searching hard after Jesus and always keep him first in you life. We love you so much!

Fourth Grade Awards & Farewell

2010-06-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

Today (June 4, 2010) was Kailin's last day of fourth grade. This morning they had their awards. Kailin received awards for participating in the Lincoln School Variety Show Choir, for perfect attendance for the third trimester, and her teachers gave her the award for being the most responsible student in the 4th grade.

This afternoon the entire school lined the front walk and said farewell to the fourth graders. This was their last year at Lincoln. Next year they will be headed to Central Intermediate School as fifth graders. Music was blaring as they ran out of the school, through the tunnel, and down the front walk. Each of them were given a Wadsworth Grizzlies sling sack as a gift from the WHYS.

Kailin had a fabulous year this year. It was her first year back in public school since Kindergarten. She was homeschooled for grades 1-3. She had two wonderful teachers that taught her, encouraged her, and loved her through the year. She adored both of them and didn't want the school year to end.

We feel so blessed by the year she had. We could see God's hand at work all year and felt confirmations all along the way that we had made the right decision to send her back to public school.

Camp Christoper

2010-05-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

Sunday nights this school year were filled with Pioneer Clubs. It is the Sunday night kids program at our church. Kailin was in the Pathfinders, Tre was is the Voyagers, and Nathan was in the Scooters. Don taught the Voyagers and I taught the Scooters. It is an hour and a half program that is similar to boy scouts and girl scouts in that the kids earn badges for different activities they complete. This, however, has religious teaching as well.

The big culminating activity for the year happened last weekend. All the kids that were in the program went to Camp Christopher for the evening and then spent the night if they wanted to. Of course all 5 Hurrles slept over in the plush accommodations. We went hiking, did a ropes course, went in The Mummy's Cave and saw bats, roasted marshmallows, had a night time scavenger hunt and went to bed around midnight. In the morning after breakfast the kids had about and hour and a half of free time, much of which was spent fishing. Papa Maher came out to give the kids a hand with this. The kids had a blast and can't wait to go again next year!

Kailin, Payton, Avery & Leah after they unpacked and made their beds on Friday evening. Ready for some fun!

Nathan and Matthew doing the ropes course with a little help from Mrs. Jariga. Way to go boys!

Donnie and his buddy Liam waiting outside the mess hall for breakfast.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a nice day together today. We went off to church in the morning and then stopped by to see my grandma for a short time. She was tickled with the rose that each of the kids brought her. She just oohed and ahhed all over them. Then we went to have lunch with Mom and Dad Hurrle at Westfield. Yummy buffet. We went back to their house and visited for a bit and then headed home since my family was coming over for the evening. My parents and my brother and his family came over for a cook out (only it was FREEZING so we had to eat inside). It was a beautiful sunny day, just not very warm. Don and I are both extremely grateful for our mothers and all they do for our families. And we love our grandmas dearly! We are very blessed. Happy Mother's Day, Moms! We love you!

Kailin, Nathan & Tre with their Yaya.

Kailin, Tre & Nathan with Nana.

Don & his mom.

Kailin, Tre, Nathan, Leah & Natalie with Mimi.

Len, mom & me.

Gators on the loose!

2010-05-11T09:03:00.001-07:00

Nathan played in his first ever soccer game on April 24. It was a cold rainy morning, typical spring soccer weather here in NE Ohio. This was Nathan's first organized team sport. Don and I figured he would either love it or hate it, no in between. Well, he LOVED it! What's not to love about scoring 6 goals!

The morning starts out Academy style. Each of the teams in the league rotate through 4 stations and practice for about 40 minutes. Then after a short break teams are paired up and kids compete three on three for about 20 minutes. There are six kids on Nathan's team and they are the Gators.

The second week wasn't rainy, but it still wasn't a very nice morning. He scored 3 goals this week and did a better job on defense. After this game he told his dad he would rather play the Lizards (the team he played the first week) Why? Of course scoring 6 goals is more fun than scoring 3! I'm so glad he is enjoying playing a sport and I look forward to watching him over the next 6 weeks. He is laughing and all smiles throughout practice and is all business once the whistle blows for game time. Keep up the great work, buddy! Mommy is sure proud of you!

Nathan is throwing the ball in to his Gator teammates.

Nathan and Sarah are sizing up the competition and deciding on the best plan of attack.

Nathan heads down the field on a mission.

Goal!

Farewell Preschool......

2010-05-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

Today was Nathan's end of the year preschool program. This was Nathan's first year of preschool. He never really loved it, but he put up with it and seemed to have fun once he was there. He had two wonderful teachers that taught him, loved him, and planted seeds about Jesus love in his heart this year. Thank you Mrs. Honnold and Mrs. Marlett! Kindergarten here he comes!

Nathan reciting his lines he had worked so hard to memorize.

Singing, but no hand motions....he made his brother proud!

The three amigos of the 4/5 WCP AM class....Ryan, Nathan & Ben.

Ready to fight!

Happy Resurrection Day!!!!

2010-04-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic Easter Sunday this year. We woke up in the morning and the kids found that some eggs that had been scattered around the yard. It was a warm beautiful sunny morning. So they went outside and collected the empty (just like the tomb!) eggs and then came inside to find their Easter baskets. Each had a book, a few treats and the boys got a lego car to build while Kailin got a gift card to Target to pick out some fun pencils for school. Then we headed off to church together. After church we came home and played a little while before we headed to my folks for lunch. There we spent the afternoon with my grandparents, my brother and his family, and my Uncle Gary and his son Matthew. Our friends the Brooks were also there to join in the festivities. We enjoy having them spend every Easter with us as part of our family!

The kids enjoyed another egg and basket hunt outside and then they all had a turn driving Grandpa's John Deere tractor.That evening Don & I walked as the kids rode their bikes to a nearby park to play.

We missed seeing the Hurrle family this year. Don's parents were in Florida, Courtney stayed in Colorado and Brian and his family went to Mentor.

Thank you Jesus for your amazing sacrifice of your death, the miracle of your resurrection and the hope of eternal life that we have because you loved us enough to die for us.

Egg-celent Colors!

2010-04-09T17:48:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night we spent some time coloring eggs together. This is a fun tradition that happens every year in our home. You all know those little flimsy egg dippers that come in every egg dying kit, well the boys have no use for those in our house. They much prefer to use their hands! Their hands are about as colorful as the eggs by the end of the evening!Hard at work creating beautiful eggs! Yes, there are 12 different colors to dip your egg in this year. Amazingly only one of the twelve got spilled!
Pretty colorful, eh? Which one is your favorite?
Not sure if Nathan is more proud of his eggs or his "Easter Buzz" that daddy gave him before we started coloring the eggs. He had been asking daddy for a week to buzz his head like he does. He loved it until just recently when Donnie was standing in front of the mirror one morning putting "taffy" in the front of his hair to make it stand up. He then asked, "when will my hair be like Donnie's again?"

Resurrection Rolls

2010-04-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

We made Resurrection Rolls for breakfast on Saturday. We first heard about these rolls a few years ago and they have become a family favorite Easter tradition.A marshmallow represents Jesus body. A crescent roll represents the linen that Jesus body was wrapped in to prepare him for burial in the tomb. Butter, cinnamon and sugar represent the oils and spices that were put on Jesus body.

You did a marshmallow in melter butter then roll it in a cinnamon & sugar mixture. Then you wrap the crescent roll tightly around the marshmallow and bake as directed on the package. When you take the rolls out of the oven they have opened up a bit and reveal that the marshmallow is gone just as Jesus was not in the tomb, He had risen!

They are a tasty treat and a fun way for the kids to remember what Easter is all about. Jesus loved us so much that he died for us and then rose again so we could have eternal life with him if we give our lives to Him! What an amazing sacrifice and what hope we can have because of it!

Here is what a finished roll looks like fresh out of the oven.

Lincoln's Shining Stars

2010-04-06T19:52:00.001-07:00

This was the title for the 2010 edition of the Lincoln Elementary School Talent Show. Kailin has been homeschooled for the past three years and for most of those years has gone to watch her friends as they participate in their talent shows. When she went to public school last fall she could not wait for the talent show so she could have her turn to shine. She and her two friends, Jordyn and Paige, sang Miley Cyrus The Climb together. They did a great job.

However, that was not her favorite part of the evening. Kailin also chose to sing in the talent show choir. Anyone who wanted to sing "Lincoln Rocks" could participate. Kailin didn't just want to participate though. She wanted to be in the front row because only the front row kids got to do the motions. Not only that, she want a solo in the song.

Well, you can tell from the smiles on her face in these two pictures that she "made it" and was able to do both. She was front and center singing her heart out and doing all the motions. This was way more fun to her than just singing a song. She LOVED it!

When the night was over she told me that it was so much fun and she hopes to be in show choir in junior or senior high. Kailin, with your determination anything is possible. I thoroughly enjoyed watching you perform and have a ball tonight. You did in wonderful job with everything and mommy is so proud of you! God has certainly blessed your year at Lincoln and I know you will be sad to see it end. I love you!

G-L-A-....OP

2010-04-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Donnie entered the Heritage Homeschool Spelling Bee. He competed against other first graders. He made it through several rounds spelling all of his words correctly until the word glad. His sentence was, "I'm glad I won the lollipop." I think he forgot what word he was spelling because he quickly said...G-L-A and then he paused and said OP. So I think he forgot his word and remembered the last sound he hear in the word lollipop.

I am so proud of Donnie for giving this a try. This was definitely a growing experience for him. He had to step way out of his comfort zone for this one. He did a great job and handled himself beautifully! I know he was disappointed with the outcome, but he had so much fun that he wants to try again next year. Donnie, the fact that you were willing to try was way more important to mommy than winning. I am extremely proud of you and hope you are proud of yourself as well!

Proudly displaying his "Hardware".

In Love with Legos!

2010-04-06T18:20:00.000-07:00

The Hurrle boys love Legos, all three of them. Don had the Castle System when he was growing up and saved it. We pulled it out about a year ago and the boys, especially Donnie loved it. He has acquired quite a collection on his own. He is collecting the City Series. He does a fabulous job following the directions and putting it together all by himself. Nate is just in the beginning stages of wanting to put things together. He loves to play with and pretend with them once someone else has put them together. However, he got this Toy Story set for his birthday and really enjoyed putting it together with a little help from mommy. Great job, kiddo!

Donnie proudly displays the barn that he put together.
Here is the farm portion of the City Series. I didn't play with Legos growing up so it amazes me what you can create with Legos. Truth be told I love putting them together as much as the boys and am looking forward to summer when we can spend more time doing so! Keep it up boys!!

Happy 90th Birthday, Yaya!

2010-04-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

My grandmother, whom my brother affectionately named Yaya when he was young, celebrated her 90th birthday on March 20th.Yaya is an amazing lady who has been an important part of my life. I have many fond memories from my childhood that include spending the night at her house and playing many a card or board game with her. Yaya has always been there for me supporting me in all that I have done. She prays for me and my family and that I will forever remember and appreciate. Her relationship with the Lord is one to take note of and model yourself after. Even at 90 years old she is still sharing her faith and encouraging those around her to give their lives to the Lord. What a great testimony and example. Happy Birthday, Yaya! I love you very much!!
Here's a picture of the family that surrounded her and celebrated her 90 years of life. We had homemade pies...her favorite. Her hands have become to frail to make her own, but she used to be a fantastic pie maker...especially lemon meringue, my favorite!

Birthday Fun.

2010-04-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

I turned 36 this year. For some reason that sounds a whole lot worse to me than 35. Maybe it's because I have to check a different box now on all those forms that ask you age or maybe because 36 seems so much closer to 40 to me. Oh well, why fret. It happens to all of us every year. We have a birthday and we get a year older.
Don took the day off for my birthday this year. Kailin had to go to school but the boys and I enjoyed our day together. We took the van to the shop to get my taillight fixed ("happy birthday" Don said) and then went to Bob Evans for breakfast. We spent the day hanging out together and then the five of us went out to eat together. We went nice and early so we could be home to watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics together. Donnie had been looking forward to this for weeks! We had Dairy Queen ice cream cake for dessert. That's my favorite even if it does get dropped on the floor and have carpet fibers from our Indian rug here and there. (It's ok honey, I still enjoyed it!) The kids each got me a charm for my Pandora bracelet with their initials on it. It was a perfect day and I felt very blessed. Thanks guys for making my birthday so special, I love you all!!

Dynamite Dynamo!

2010-04-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

Donnie played two sessions of indoor soccer this winter. He played the first session before basketball started and the second session once basketball was over. This last session was the best Dynamo Team ever assembled. (He's played for the Dynamo in indoor and outdoor for several seasons now. There are about 3 core kids that have played together all along and then a few get added and dropped each season.) This session the team included Jimmy, Mason, Tyler, Donnie and Colin. Liam also played but missed this last game and isn't in the picture. Team Dynamo went undefeated this session and were 6-0. This was Donnie's first undefeated season in anything and he was thrilled!

Five kids play on the field at a time. The Dynamo often only had 5 kids at a game so all the boys got plenty of playing time. They all also had their time in goal so they could catch their breath a bit.

Donnie doesn't love being goalie, but he warmed up to it as the season went on. He's played it several times in outdoor, but the ball seems to come at you harder and faster in indoor. I think by the end he was really enjoying the challenge off keeping the ball out of the net. Here he is directing his defense. Great season boys! You were a lot of fun to watch!

WE DID IT!

2010-04-05T06:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the boys having some more fun with the snow. Instead of playing in it this time they were moving it around! I took them over to their Nana and Papa's house to plow the driveway since they were in Florida. The boys thought this was the coolest thing ever! They each took turns clearing a path in the driveway until the job was done.

They were both very proud of their accomplishment. Here they stand at the top of the driveway with hands held high in a V for Victory! You can see how fast and how hard it was snowing by looking at the driveway. It was covered again already in the time it took to put the tractor back in the garage and walk to the top of the driveway. We had to park up there because there was so much snow covering the driveway when we got there. I couldn't get any pictures of them on the tractor since I was on the tractor with each of them. I think next year Donnie may be ready to give it a go himself. He did a really good job!

We LOVE Snow!

2010-04-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

We had A LOT of snow this winter! The kids loved getting to be outside in it.

The boys had fun playing together one day while Kailin was at school. I love that even this is school for the boys. It can be PE or even turn into a science lesson about weather and why sometimes it rains and other times it snows. These are my favorite homeschool days when you simply find "teachable moments" and are learning and living life at the same time!

This snowman is the end result. Pretty cute, huh?

Yes, Kailin had her snow fun as well, just not in the middle of the day like the boys. A few days later it was the weekend and she was able to get out and build a snowman with the boys as well. I like the one that all 3 of them made together. It has tiny pinecones for buttons and they even gave it a "buzz just like daddy" using pine branches. Very creative kids!

Nate and Ben

2010-04-05T05:44:00.000-07:00

Our next door neighbors have a little boy named Ben that is the same age as Nate. Nathan loves to play with Ben and I think its safe to say that "Benny" feels the same way about Nate. They had a blast this winter playing in the snow together. On this particular day they had fun pretending with chalk bunnies. They played outside together for several hours...even until it started to get dark. They thought that was REALLY COOL! Anyway, by the time they were done playing they weren't sure where all the bunnies were so the bunnies remained hidden in the snow. It was fun finding all of them spread all over the yard weeks later when the snow finally melted. I think it is so cute that the boys somehow ended up with the same color coats this year.

Lady Grizzlies Basketball

2010-04-05T05:26:00.001-07:00

Kailin also played for the Lady Grizzlies this winter. She played on a 4th grade travel team for Coach Witschey.She also played point guard on this team and her coach loved to tell her to "run the show". She is very comfortable with the ball in her hands and loves this position. She worked extremely hard in the off season last year and it paid of this winter. She shot over 1,000 shots from June-October and spent hours on her ball handling skills.

Their regular season record was 6-2. They went on to play in three weekend tournaments. I'm not sure of their overall record, but I know they had many more wins than losses. They even ended up winning the final tournament they played in. It was a very exciting weekend! Kailin is passionate about the game and has aspirations of playing for the big Grizzlies someday. Keep up the hard work, kiddo!

Give me Liberty.......

2010-04-05T04:40:00.000-07:00

Kailin played on two basketball teams this winter. She played on a city rec ball team called the Liberty with her cousin Leah. They had a very good team. She played in the 3/4 grade league. They do not officially keep score in that league, but of course everyone in the stands knows the score. Had they "kept" score The Liberty would have been 10-1. Her Uncle Len and I were the coaches.

Floor General. Kailin primarily played point guard and was very good at bringing the ball up the floor. When we had a small lineup in she even got to play a little post. She was one of the smallest on our team, and often one of the smallest on the floor, but she knows what she's doing out there and can play about anywhere.

Kailin also plays great defense. She has pretty quick hands and is able to steal the ball. It was tough to remember to stay inside the 3-pt line for defense since she didn't have to in her other league.

Great season girls!!!

Front Row: Brittany, Paige, Leah, Katie J. Back Row: Coach Monique, Katie H., Kailn, Eryn, Riley, Coach Len

Who let the dogs out....Bulldogs that is.

2010-04-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

Donnie played basketball again this winter. This was his third year in the Upward program. His team this year was the Bulldogs. He got to play with two of his friends Liam and Tyler. The Bulldogs were often out matched, but they worked hard all season and improved dramatically. Donnie seemed to have a lot of fun and just may be falling in love with the sport. He loves playing in the basement and working on his game.

Unfortunately I am having a hard time finding action shots of Donnie. I hope they are just mis filed on the computer somewhere, but here's a picture of him taking his turn on the bench.

Coach Don, Coach Blaine, Donnie and Liam. Great season boys!!

I Spy Nathan.....

2010-04-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

Nathan is 5 years old already! His birthday was January 18th and his party was scheduled for January 16th. However, that winter birthday is often a bit of a nuisance as was the case this year. Nathan was sick and we had to reschedule. We had rented out the party room at the Rittman Rec. Center and planned on the kids swimming for a couple hours. So the next available date was February 28th. The poor little guy had to wait six whole weeks for his party. He was pretty patient about the whole thing and in the end said it was worth the wait and that he wanted to have a swim party every year.

The ironic thing about all that is that we tried to do the same thing for him last year and when we arrived at the party they told us the pool was not working and we would have to just use the gym instead. Something about frozen pipes...again that winter birthday!! So essentially he waited well over a year to finally get the party he wanted.

His party theme was Spy. Nathan loves to play/pretend spies. He has almost all of the "Spy Gear" available out there. One of his favorite things is setting up his motion detectors and setting off the laser beams and sounds when someone walks by. He loves to "get you". So to go along with the Spy theme I made him a G-Force birthday cake. If you look closely in the above picture you will see that there is a sparkler like number 5 that I lit. Very cute and all, however, i forgot since it was in a public place that the ceiling was full of sprinklers! Thankfully someone mentioned it to me before it was too late and we quickly extinguished the number 5. What a disaster that could have been! Happy 5th birthday, Nathan. I am so glad your party was worth the wait. I love you so much! You are a neat little boy that is full of smiles and loves life. You bring so much laughter to our home and I am thankful God gave me you five years ago!

Happy Birthday, Papa Hurrle!

2010-02-16T18:51:00.000-08:00

Papa Hurrle celebrated his birthday on January 12 in Florida! We were all disappointed that he chose the Florida son over us, but if truth be told we would all have done the same thing! Good choice, Papa! However, he came home just a few days later and we helped him celebrate again.

It's a Hurrle family tradition to hold up the number of fingers that the birthday person is turning. Can you tell how old Papa is?

Happy birthday dad! I hope this is one of your best years ever! I'm sure you'll enjoy it immensely since you recently retired in June. You are such a kind, loving and supportive husband, father, and grandfather. We blessed to be part of your family. thanks for all you do for all of us. We love you very much and may God bless you in this year and the years to come!

They sang their slow sweet song....

2010-02-16T18:25:00.001-08:00

Nathan participated in his first ever preschool program just before Christmas. His class sang several songs, did a reader's theater of a story, and then the whole preschool sang a couple songs together. Nathan's line he had to memorize was "They sang their slow sweet song." It was cute that by the time the program finally came around he could quote several other lines and tell you who would be saying them. They were definitely well rehearsed!

Nathan did a good job singing. He even did the hand motions that went along with the songs. However, by the end of the program he was making silly faces at his dad who was standing in the back taking pictures. I really wish I could post some video, but of course when we took the camera out of the bag both the batteries were dead! Great job Nate, we are all very proud of you!

Happy New Year!

2010-02-16T18:02:00.000-08:00

We spent New Year's Eve with our good friends the Bogues.
This is the third annual Hurrle/Bogue bash. They came over for dinner (awesome homemade sub sandwiches) and then we spent the evening playing games until just before midnight. We turned the T.V. on just in time to watch the ball drop and then the kids marched around outside in the snow pounding on pots and pans.Donnie, Liam, Kailin, Lily and Nate excitedly bring in the New Year. Even Nate had no problem making it to midnight. We hope all our friends and family have a blessed and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2010-02-16T11:05:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas season once again this year. We celebrated Christmas Eve day with my side of the family. We went to mom and dad's house late morning, exchanged gifts with one another, and enjoyed a nice lunch. Some favorite gifts included Papa's Rootin' Hat, Natalie's Ninja Belt, Donnie's watch, books for the "big girls", and Uncle Lenny's stuffed smiley faces.The next day was Christmas and we started the morning opening gifts at our house. The kids found lots of wonderful things hiding beneath the tree. Donnie's favorite was a DS, Kailin was thrilled with her IPOD, and Nathan was pretty jazzed about his flashlights and new spy gear.

After a good amount of playing with all their new stuff, we headed back to my parents to wish the Great-Grandparents and Great Aunts & Uncles a Merry Christmas. We had lunch and then headed to Nana and Papa's house to see everyone there. Aunt Courtney was home for Christmas and Brian and his family came in that day as well. We had a "Christmas Eve" dinner together and would then go back the next day to have "Christmas morning" with Carson, Owen and the rest of the Hurrle fam. Some favorites from there included a Leapster 2, a GIANT chair, and Legos.

The Christmas holiday was spread out over several days and seemed to just keep going on and on. We were blessed to get to spend so much time with family and of course the kids were thrilled because for 3 days in a row they were getting to open presents. As I reflect back on that my mind goes to the fact that we should be mindful of Christmas 365 days a year. Christmas is Jesus birthday and we should be thankful that God sent his son to save us from our sins each and every day. We are able to receive the free gift of salvation any day of the year! Happy Birthday, Jesus! I'm so glad it's Christmas. All the tinsel and lights and the presents are nice, but the real gift is you. Happy Birthday, Jesus. Jesus, I love you!

Where has the time gone?

2010-02-16T11:01:00.000-08:00

Well, I've not posted since mid December basically because I have not had the time. Life has been CRAZY in the Hurrle house this winter.

Kailin is playing on two basketball teams, Donnie is on one, Nate is doing gymnastics, I'm homeschooling, we've had our share of illness, teaching Sunday School, teaching Pioneer Clubs on Sunday nights, the list goes on and on.

I know there are a million other things I should be doing right now, but I'm going to attempt to do some catching up this afternoon as the boys are napping. I guess I need to go all the way back to Christmas. So, here we go....

We did it!

2009-12-17T19:14:00.000-08:00

Back in August we began the Summit County Parks Fall Hiking Spree. You are required to go on 8 different hikes at the various parks in the county. They differ in length of hike as well as difficulty. We finished our 6th and final hike Thanksgiving weekend. It was a gorgeous sunny day and we didn't even need coats. Long sleeves and sweatshirts were the attire for the day. At times the kids think it's a drag, but Don and I love the exercise and the time we get to spend as a family. I especially like the hikes that happen later in the season when it's getting cooler, the leaves are changing color, and it smell like fall! The kids are all thrilled when they finish the last one of the year and then are able to turn in their forms to receive their badges to add to their hiking sticks. Way to go Herd!

Half of these pictures were taken at previous hikes and the other half were take at the last one. The bottom right picture the kids all have their fingers up that when added together equal eight.

In Memory of Andy

2009-12-17T17:57:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of our friend Andy Hibinger. He passed away on December 7, 2009 after a sudden and brief illness. Andy was 40 years old. He is survived by his sweet wife, Teri, and his four young beautiful children, Kyle, Katie, Allison and Alaina. We first met the Hibinger family through sports. Their daughter Katie and our Kailin have played softball and basketball together for several seasons now. Don and I have both had the awesome opportunity to coach Katie. They are so cute together. They are learning each day how much they have in common. Kailin was born on June 10 and Katie was born on June 9, 364 days later. They are both in 4th grade. They have the same initials (KMH), both enjoy the same sports, are essentially the same size, (tiny, but mighty and full of heart) and both enjoy drawing & art.

Our relationship with Teri and Andy was just beginning. Teri and I had just talked about making plans for our families to get together "when things slow down a bit". We are saddened to think that we won't have the opportunities to spend time with Andy that we were looking forward to in the years ahead, but we know we'll get to know Andy better as we spend time with Teri and the kids and watch their kids grow up with our kids. I'm certain we'll be seeing Andy through all of them.

Andy's death seems so cruel and unfair. Andy was a good guy. He was a wonderful husband and fantastic father. We need more people like him in the world today. So why was it his time to leave this earth? Why is it that Teri must now find a way to be mother and father and that their four precious babies no longer have their daddy here with them?

I know I'll never have answers to these questions this side of heaven. It's times like these that I find comfort in knowing that there is a God in heaven that is in control of the universe even when my world seems so chaotic. I pray that God would wrap his loving arms around this family, that they could feel His presence, that He would heal their broken hearts, and that He would provide everything that this family needs right now. I pray that He would give our family wisdom to know how to minister to them and be there for them right now as they are grieving and in the years to come. And God, I pray that somehow someway you could bring something good out of this seemingly senseless tragedy. For I know you and only you are capable of doing that. Andy, you are very loved and will be greatly missed!

Happy Birthday, Don!

2009-12-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

December 8th was Don's 36th birthday. Life's been a little crazy this week so that's why I'm late in posting. Donnie and Kailin were both busy with basketball practice on Tuesday night and Kailin had team pictures that night as well. The biggest distraction, however, has been the loss of our friend named Andy. He was only 40 years old and passed away after a brief and unexpected illness. Later I will post more about him, his family and my thoughts surrounding his death. For now I want to wish my wonderful husband a very happy birthday!Don, you are an amazing husband and father. There is so much I love and appreciate about you it's hard to know where to begin. I love that you love me so deeply and long to make me happy and make my life easier. I love that you are upstairs laying with Donnie right now as he has a headache. I love that you love sports and love coaching our kids...you are so good with the kids on the athletic court/field. It is truly a gift of yours. I love that Kailin is your princess, that you and Donnie have this incredible bond over the NFL & Steelers, and that you love being Nate's "pal". I love that you value me being home with our kids, support my homeschooling efforts, and that you look for ways to enhance their learning. I love that you never complain when I ask for time away and that you encourage me to spend time with friends. I love that we're Grizzlies together, that we attended every high school dance together, that I've known and loved you for 20 years! I love our Thursday nights. I love to watch you in action on Sunday mornings when you're teaching the K/1 kids and loving it. I love that you call me from work just to check on us, and I love that help around the house. I love that you lead our Bible Study, that you have a personal relationship with Jesus, and that you're trying to instill our faith in our children right along side of me. AND....I love that you love me in spite all of my faults! I love your competitive, controlling, and driven side, and I love that you also have a very kind compassionate heart. I am so blessed to be your wife and am thankful to be your partner in this parenting journey we're on. Though I don't say it enough, I love and appreciate you very much. Happy Birthday! Love, Monique

O Christmas Trees...

2009-12-02T18:45:00.000-08:00

In four days time we were lucky enough to put up not one, not two, but THREE Christmas trees. When I was a little girl it was tradition to put our Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving. I am no longer a little girl, but the tradition continues with my kids and my nieces. Every year we go over to my parents' house on Friday morning, Grandma and Grandpa serve the kids cocoa and toast and then the kids get to decorate the Christmas tree. Tree #1.

It has also been tradition since we've been married to put up the Christmas tree at Don's parents' house sometime on Thanksgiving weekend. This year it was on Saturday evening with our nephews. Aunt Courtney had to miss the festivities this year because she was in Dayton for a friend's wedding. We missed you Aunt Courtney! Tree #2.

We usually try to put our tree up the first weekend in December. However, we don't have a second to spare this weekend so we squeezed it in on Monday night. Tree # 3. All three look beautiful and the kids thoroughly enjoyed every second of all three!

Abundance of Blessings

2009-12-02T18:30:00.001-08:00

Last week was Thanksgiving. Boy, do I have much to be thankful for! There is so much uncertainly around us with job loss and serious illness, yet Don's job is secure and we are healthy. I am able to be home with our kids and have been blessed with the amazing opportunity to homeschool them for a time. Kailin is thriving in her first year of full time public school. I still have two living grandparents, my parents, in-laws, and brother all still live in our hometown. I am surrounded with wonderful friends who love and support me. I've been married to my wonderful husband for 13 years and we've been blessed with 3 amazing children. We have a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, and plenty of food on our table. But most importantly, I have a Savior who conquered the grave, is alive and well, and thank goodness in control of all the chaos around me. I can't think of anything else I am more thankful for when so much around me seems to be falling apart. Thank you, God, for loving me enough to die for me, forgiving me and for the assurance I have of heaven.

After lunch at Mimi and Papa's house.

Thanksgiving evening at Nana and Papa's House. Aunt Courtney was home from Colorado, yeah!