Boys and Baseball

Another season of baseball is in the books!  Nick and Sam played on the Texas Rangers team together this year while Ben played for the Red Sox.  They all enjoyed playing ball, and continue to play in our backyard!  Their skills improved quite a bit over the season, too.  Now Eric and I will have to find something else to do on Saturday mornings at 8!

Mary Poppins

We experienced our first dinner theatre- Mary Poppins!  We traded Ben for our friend Allie for the afternoon, I didn't think Ben could sit still for 3 hours!  It was a wonderful play and I think the kids really enjoyed it.  The songs and skilled acting really held their attention.  What a perfectly perfect first experience for a dinner theatre!

Piano Recital

Nick, Sam and Ben all take piano lessons from the most fabulous teacher, Mrs. Dant.  Not only is she an excellent teacher, she is a lot of fun, too!  Their lessons consist of time on the bench playing their music as well as time spent playing music theory games.  And, there are prizes involved too which really keeps their interest!  

We enjoyed a beautiful recital the other night from the boys and 6 other students.  This was the first recital for the boys to play for an audience of strangers and they did so well, very well poised.  I was so proud of them.  Nick told me later that he wished he could have played more songs!  He and Sam each had 3 pieces to play while Ben had 2.

Vacation Bible School

The boys and I participated in VBS this week.  Agency D3 was the theme.  The kids used their detective work to discover, decide and defend their faith.  I was a group leader for Nick's group this year so I got to experience all of the fun right with there with the kids!  We all look forward to this week each summer!

One of the best parts of VBS is spending time with friends.  We enjoyed a pizza lunch after VBS and a walk through downtown Zionsville where we found our favorite toy store!  

Backyard fun

Baseball meets Slip n' Slide.  

Genius for 3 little boys!

It makes my heart happy watching these 3 play together.

Ruby and Louise keep their distance from the boys when the sprinklers are on!

Cub Scout Camp

Nick attended Cub Scout day camp at Camp Belzer for a week in June.  He had the best time! They did all sorts of Cub Scouting things like wood working, leather crafts, rafting, swimming, BB guns and archery to name a few!

The last day of camp was family day.  Eric and I, Sam and Ben all went out for the afternoon and stayed for the camp out too!  We had the opportunity to see where Nick had spent the week and see him in action with his tribe. Sam and Ben even got to take part in the fun.  

After we pitched our tent there were all kinds of planned activities that took us up until bedtime- at 11pm!  First up was swimming, then archery and BB guns!  Nick was such a big brother with Sam, showing him the ropes of how to shoot safely.  Then a camp fire complete with smores', songs and skits.  We all crashed in the tent after that!

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!  Daddy is being showered with gifts from his 3 sons!

The boys made sweet cards, coasters and pictures for Eric.  Some of the cute answers from the "meet my dad" cards: My dad likes to eat steak and drink Bud Light, he cooks the best hot dogs, he pushes me on the tire swing super fast, he is funny when he burps, and he is 100 years old! (Ben!)

Daddy's Father's Day present.  A dream come true!

R & R

Eric and I took a trip, alone! to the Florida coast for a little rest and relaxation.  It was such a quiet, restful 5 nights.  We had dinners out and didn't have to get up once to take anyone to the bathroom! 

 Just what we needed!

The boys spent the week with Aunt Lisa and Uncle Bill where they joined in with Aunt Lisa's day care and all did sorts of fun activities.  

At the beginning and end of our trip we spent the night in our favorite hotel and enjoyed lots of swimming.

Cousin fun!

Our summer began with a visit from our cousins Emily and Jack!  Nick, Sam and Ben were so very excited to play host to those two for a few nights.  Emily and Jack's little sister Grace was having a surgical procedure at Riley Children's Hospital here in Indy while Jack and Emily were visiting with us.  

Before we went out to play for the day, we made 'get well cards' for Grace.  I was so proud of all those kids, working so hard on their cards! 

Grace did marvelous with the surgery and is now home recovering. 

 We visited Grace and her parents at the hospital.  Grace's room was on the 9th floor of the hospital, what a view of Indianapolis!

Pool time!

Our Barbershop Quartet!

Last days of school!

Schools out for the summer!

Ben completed Pre K last week and is off to Kindergarten!  He is so excited to be joining his big brothers on the bus each morning and to be attending the same school. 

Ben and his teacher Mrs. Dawn.  Mrs. Dawn has a special place in our hearts in the Horn household.  She has taught all 3 of our boys!  She was our first preschool teacher way back when Nick was just 11/2 years old!

Ben and Ms. Amy.  Ms. Amy also taught Sam last year!

Ben's graduation night from Children's Learning Program.  "Ben would like to be a monster truck driver when he grows up".  Oh boy!  Ben is all about monster trucks right now!  

The graduation ceremony was very sweet.  Each graduate received a diploma and a medal while the their teacher announced what they wanted to be when they grow up.  They sang quite a few songs including 'It's off to kindergarten we will go!"

Ben with his friends Sam and Sarah.

Nick and Sam had their last day of school on Friday May 30th!  They are very excited to be moving on up to 2nd and 1st grade and most excited to have some summer time fun!

Sam's teacher hosted a party for the students and parents on the last day.  The kids were all awarded a different character from Charlie Brown, their classroom is decorated in a Peanuts theme.  Sam's award was Charlie Brown, he is a problem solver and would always give the solution to any problem, sometimes even before Ms. Minieri, the teacher, would ask!  The kids all had sundaes and we watched a sweet video of pictures from the year set to music; it was enough to make me cry!

What a great way to end kindergarten year!

Memorial Day Weekend

We spent Memorial Day weekend in Illinois.  Our nephew Alex graduated from High School so we were excited to party with him on Sunday!  Before the party we watched our niece Grace play in her t-ball game on the Miracle League!  We watched her get 2 hits!  The game was really fun, there was lots of music and each player was announced as they came up to bat.  Grace continues to amaze and inspire her family!

After the ball game we were off to Alex's party.  It was a picture perfect day!

Alex with Grama and Grampa.  

John, Chrislynn, Emily, Jack & Grace.  Chrislynn asked me to take their family picture, Lisa's yard served as the perfect backdrop! 

Grace is very photogenic!  This is my favorite!

Aunt Lisa & Uncle Bill's yard is like a park!

Sam and Andrew, practicing their 'bumping' skills with the volleyball.

Ben always seems to find himself surrounded by all the pretty ladies!

The next day we met Dan, Deena, Max, Emma & Jackson out for lunch.  We went to a fun bar and grill restaurant that also had a sand volleyball court, aka a huge sandbox!

Needless to say the kids did not mind at all waiting for their food to arrive!  What a fun weekend!