Christmas 2014

The last few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind!  The kids have been so excited about every aspect of the celebration, and we (I) have been determined to go as big as we (I) could manage.  They loved decorating, baking, shopping, gift giving, visiting Santa, touring the neighborhoods viewing Christmas lights, the Christmas parade, listening to Christmas music on the radio, watching Christmas movies, Henry, our Elf on the Shelf...

I got in over my head decorating while all four of the kids were awake, but, the day after Nick left I was bound and determined to ring in the holiday cheer. :-P

While my back was turned, James started smashing ornaments for sport.  It was tricky just trying to clear the scene to clean the carnage.

Walkin' girl!

City Hall in Downtown Clarksville

I surprised the kids with a Chick-Fil-A picnic in the car and then the downtown Christmas Lights parade Saturday, December 5th.  I was nervous managing them all with the crowds, but it worked out seamlessly.  As luck would have it, we parked on the nearest street possible, and instantly found an open spot on the sidewalk to park the stroller and take in the last 30 minutes of the parade (which was completely adequate.)  The kids were entranced!

SANTA!!!!!

Our beloved babysitter, Ms. Ericka, is now a fourth grade teacher at a local elementary school.  She invited us to come see the Frozen display at her school!  Sis was in SEVENTH HEAVEN!

She has a crush on Kristof.

My girls on a good day.

Emmy got her first flowers from a boy! ;)  Her best friend Matthew brought them to school for her. :) She dutifully watered them and even wrapped the base container in a towel to keep it warm at night. ;)

The drive-through Nativity at a local church is a must-see for us every year!  Emmy begged me to go through it a second time. :)

Sipping hot cocoa and listening to Christmas carols at the end of the Nativity. :)

Working on Poppy's Christmas gift!

I was a little concerned about how we were going to see Santa this year, because I wasn't about to go stand in line at the mall with my crew and trekking through the Opryland with the four of them sounded equally miserable.  Luckily, we had Nick's battalion Christmas party!  Appropriately, Santa flew in on a helicopter!!

Emmy had set out her chosen ensemble for this big moment days before...

...But just minutes before we left, I found her preparing a snack bag of sugar cookies that she had lovingly decorated.  She told me they were for Santa, along with one of her cards.  She was concerned that no one gives Santa gifts.  She, very bravely,  pulled both from her dress-up purse to hand to him after indulging her Christmas list (an Aurora dress.) My heart swells looking at this picture.

Hannah was rendered speechless.

My girlfriend Sally, thankfully, swooped in, as she does, to rescue me from making a scene while managing all of my kids in front of the long line of families.  James and Julia wanted nothing to do with Santa this year.

Santa....CHECK!!

Emmy preforming in her first Christmas show!  She had been practicing her songs for weeks!

She looked a little bored.

Her first show was on her birthday--a Tuesday--and the 3 littles were at Mom's Day Out! It was so nice to be so present for my big girl.

This boy.

The best of a few timer-pictures.  All dressed up for the Christmas service!

So, we went to the Christmas production at church on Sunday the 21st.  I totally missed the boat on tickets for the 5:30 performance, so we went for 7:00.  I was very anxious the twins would fall apart given that it started at their bedtime.  Well, turns out I was right to be anxious, only not for the twins, who played happily in the childcare.  It was because I seated myself and my two big girls in the front, center row and their behavior rapidly declined over the course of the first half an hour.  To the point where they were nearing a screaming/wrestling match over our candle during the Pastor's reading of the birth of Christ.  The very moment the music started up again, I grabbed our stuff (but apparently not all of it) and the girls and took off up the aisle, head down so as to not make eye contact with anyone.  Of course, Sis left her baboo, so a very kind girl chased after us to return it.  The mom equivalent to a sorority girl's Walk of Shame.  Awful.

Is it a photobomb if you place yourself in front of the group?

I took the kids to the dollar bins at Target and divided them up into teams to buy Christmas presents for each other like we did last year.  Hannah and Julia, and Emmy and James.  Each team could pick out 5 things.  It was a little frantic, I'm not gonna lie, hence the lack of pictures, but the kids got really into it!  They had so much fun choosing things (well, Emmy did, Hannah was squarely focused on what she wanted for herself and stuffed those things into the bag without hesitation-a few pairs of dress up "slippers" and plastic giraffes were just a few of her great finds.  I laugh at the thought of unleashing that girl for a true shopping spree in Target.)  As soon as we got home, Emmy was determined to wrap it all, so we did.

Emmy, joyfully, wrapped all the presents that arrived in the mail for me! :) Sis helped.

Just hanging out on our couch cushion!

Christmas Eve, we decided to make some spaghetti for dinner!

Emmy assembled our version of the traditional Odell family "Daddy Cookie Cake." She did an awesome job!

I told the girls to go get fancy, and they did, happily.  I tossed on a Christmas-y table cloth, threw my three-day old unwashed hair in a clip and a dress over my yoga pants, cracked open a chilled bottle of Martinelli's and we broke bread.  Cheers!

Emmy was unrelenting in her request (demand?) of opening a single present on Christmas Eve.  I gave in.  The twins perusing their new reads.

The big girls modeling their new Snow White night gowns.

James is a BIG FAN of homemade spaghetti, much like all food.

Playing Santa.

Getting cookies and milk ready for Santa!  The timer feature is my friend!

It's quitin' time for little Horns!

Emmy placed the cookies and milk and her handmade card in just the right place so that the dogs and James couldn't get to it before Santa.

Santa arrived!  I always miss Nick when he's away, but I was especially missing him just after midnight when I was working on assembling the last rocking chair.  

Emmy set her clothes out!

Armed with my phone, camera, scissors, screwdriver, and black tea, I was ready for the big day!  The kids opened their present in rapid-fire, and were so excited for each one.  So much so, that I had trouble keeping up with extracting everything from the very secure packing materials!  Emmy led the show dispersing and then sometimes opening gifts for everyone, Hannah enthusiastically followed suit, the twins were wide-eyed and eager to participate and quickly glommed on to random things like chapstick.  They dove right in to playing with their new toys and that is how we spent the day, only taking breaks to eat sweets and FaceTime with our family!

Julia admired Hannah's Elsa doll and dress.  

Emmy and her mermaid tail!  

Elsa, Anna and Kristof barbies!?!

Juj playing with Jamesy's dump truck.

James playing peek a boo with me behind my buffet.

After a long day, opening presents, parade-watching, playing with toys, eating sugar and face timing with our family, we set out to go for a drive to see Christmas lights.  My girls were asleep before we left the neighborhood.  We turned around and came home and called it a day. :)

Because we didn't make it before Christmas, we went for a stroll on the riverwalk to enjoy their awesome light display.

It's a James-In-The-Box!

These two fight over their new elephant slide.

So many new toys and the box wins out. :-P

Emmy's 5!!

Our big girl is 5!  It's so hard to believe that it's been 5 years since we became parents to our passionate, kind-hearted and industrious little Emmy girl.  I feel like I just blinked and here we are.  Our girl had wanted to invite her whole class over for a Frozen party to celebrate this year much like a few of her classmates.  There was really no way that was going to happen, but I was bound and determined to make the day special for her, she tells me it was the best birthday ever, so I'm going to call that a win!

We started out with a Frozen cake at our final church group gathering, everyone was so wonderful and it meant so much to not only Emmy but to me, since these people have been by my side since before Emmy was even a twinkle in my eye.  As I tucked Emmy into bed that night she said, "Mama, I loved it when everyone sang to me."

Emmy got the first piece of cake, she requested Elsa's head.

Skyping with Daddy on Emmy's birthday in Afghanistan!

Early, early riser!!

This was hilarious.  The day before, I took Hannah and the twins to the store and told Hannah she could pick out a gift for Emmy on behalf of the three of them.  She was preoccupied with what she wanted instead, and I somehow managed to con her into choosing a Frozen necklace for Emmy (even though Hannah was convinced it was for her) and then I conned her into wrapping it for Emmy.  So, here, I told Hannah to go get the gift to give to Emmy, she obeyed.  She sat close to Emmy, watching intently as Emmy unwrapped the gift and as soon as Emmy opened he box, Hannah said, "can I have it?"

Frozen cupcakes to share with her class!

After school, my girlfriend, Sally and I took Emmy and her son, Emmy's best friend, Matthew to Chick Fil A for lunch while the three littles were at Mom's Day Out!

Ms. Sally and Matthew got Emmy a Snow White nightgown for her birthday, Hannah put it on immediately upon entering the house after school.  Emmy was NOT pleased.

Not a few minutes later, though, the doorbell rang with a special gift from Daddy. :)

Daddy also sent a couple of balloons, which the twins refused to let go of while eating their snack.

James still holding onto his balloon.

1. How old are you?  “I’m five.” 

2. Who are your best friends? “Andy and Claire." 

3. What is your favorite thing to do? “Going to Chuck E. Cheese."

4. What is your favorite color? “Pink" 

5. What is your favorite food? “Cheerios” 

6. What do you like to do with your family? “Drive around and see lights."

7. What is your favorite toy? “Um. My Snow White dress” 

8. What do you want to be when you grow up? “A cowgirl.”

9. What makes you happy? “Um. When people play with me.” 

10. What makes you sad? “When nobody plays with me.” 

11. What is your favorite show to watch? “Aurora.” 

12. What is your favorite book? “Um. Lady and the Tramp.”

13. What do you love to learn about? “Coloring and numbers.”

14. What was the best part of your birthday? “Going and getting a cake."

15. Where do you like to go? “To Andy and Claire’s house.”

16. Who are your teachers? “Ms. Dian and Ms. Stefania.” 

17. What is your favorite treat? “This kind of juice (Martinelli’s sparkling apple cider).

18. What do you think about before you go to sleep? “About Santa Claus coming.”

19. What is your favorite animal? “Elephant."

20. Who is your favorite singer? “Taylor Swift.”

21. What’s your favorite song? “Sugar pants” (She made it up)

22. What’s your favorite game? "Snow White"

23.  What’s your favorite movie? "Nineteen Kids and Counting."

Family Portraits

Christmas Letter 2014

December 2014 

To Our Dear Family and Friends,

I hope that this note finds you all doing wonderfully during this most blessed season.  As the Army would have it, our family is celebrating Jesus’ birth with continents and oceans between us this year and we are counting down the minutes until our reunion next month.  As much as I wish to will away time, I have learned, through our many separations, that there is a lot of beauty and growth that happens while we wait…

Emmy, on the eve of her 5th birthday, has grown into a giving, passionate, hardworking and industrious, little lady.  Her preschool teacher pinned her as a “prolific artist” with the Disney princesses as her muse.  Her greeting card production rate could rival Hallmark.  High on my list of proudest parenting moments, thus far, was when she, bravely, handed Santa a homemade card and a snack bag of cookies she’d prepared, all on her own doing.  She was concerned that no one gives Santa gifts.  Her most favored play activity is mothering her babies, second only to mothering her three adoring siblings.  

Hannah, who will be three just after the new year, is patient, focused, intuitive, doting and dutiful.  She has spent tens of (exhaustive) hours mastering her rendition of “Let it Go” from Frozen, and dresses herself in Princess garb everyday.  Hannah is the first one to pull up a chair to help me in the kitchen and to lead us in Grace before dinner.  She thoughtfully nurtures her large family of stuffed animals and is the perfect glue amongst our littles.

Julia, now 15 months, is proving herself to be an independent, good-natured, cuddly, helpful and enthusiastic little sweetheart.  She can usually be found playing quietly in the play kitchen and stowing her most prized possessions into makeshift purses.  She kindly hands me garbage off the floor, reliably retrieves her shoes when it’s time to go; and giddily swims in the bathtub after all her siblings have emerged before the water drains completely.  She’s gentle and cautious and the perfect yin to James’ yang. 

Big little brother, James, has taken our home by storm.  With six pounds on his sister, he is a strong brute; his sense of humor is also off the charts.  He crawls and laughs simultaneously, as if he is perpetually thinking of an inside joke with himself.  He loves to climb on things, clear the kitchen table of it’s contents and take things that aren’t his.  Yet he will drop whatever he’s doing (or whomever else’s toy he’s “borrowed”) at the slightest sound of a book cracking open.  He has changed the face of our family completely, and unquestionably for the better. 

Nick remains in command of a company in the Special Operations Aviation Regiment. He has kept very busy this past year with various training trips, deployments and long hours in his office, and still carving out as much time as he can to love on us at home.  He is dreading the day next summer that he relinquishes his command at the end of his 2 year stint, and is savoring the experience he’s gaining and the relationships he’s made in the meantime.  

I am now, slowing, emerging from the fog from the past two years, or five years, if I’m being really honest with myself.  Some of the situations I’ve found myself in with all of our children, especially while Nick is away, are downright ridiculous and hilarious (after-the-fact,) but I’ve learned that it’s not until you cut away your safety net that you really learn what you’re made of.  I am cherishing this time where we all fit on one couch cushion; that is, when they’ll let me sit down. 

2015 is looking bright and so full of possibilities.  We are excited to see what God has in store for our family and for yours.  Merry Christmas!

With Love,

Nick, Ali, Emmy, Hannah, James, Julia, Molly and Darla Horn

Unlucky Number 13

Nick received confirmation on Black Friday that he would be deploying a week later until after the new year.  With his company's Christmas party scheduled for Friday December 5th, he finagled his way into a later flight so that he could stay and host the party.  I wish I could be more stoic when Nick delivers news like this, but I struggled mightily.  I waffled between anxious anticipation of Nick's fast approaching departure, anger that the Army perpetually pulls the rug out from under us and deep sadness that he'd miss Emmy's 5th birthday and Christmas, all the while scolding myself for being so down when I have four healthy, vibrant children, a hard working husband who loves me, a roof over my head and an abundance of food in my pantry.  I told myself that I needed to snap out of it and spend our last weekend together celebrating an early Christmas, decorating, visiting Santa and exchanging a present or two, but I couldn't shake my overwhelming disappointment.  There are times that it feels like the air is sucked out of the room and managing anything while in such a hypoxic state is an impossibility.  Nick reminded me that I've done this 13 times now, and, luckily, I know the sequence of emotions like the back of my hand.  A few days in a funk gives way to planning, then the goodbye, and then we put our heads down and get through it with the most positive attitude we can muster, God always shows up and sustains us until our sweet reunion.

As I was overcoming the pity party stage and entering the planning stage, I was thrown for another loop.  After loading the kids and groceries into the car on Thursday evening, I got a call from Nick inquiring where we were.  When I told him, he told me not to leave and that he was coming to us.  A few minutes later, he pulled up and jumped into my car.  There had been a change of plans and he needed to leave imminently.  He had already packed his bags and had come to say goodbye.  So, he worked his way around the car kissing and hugging each of the children, promising them Disney World in the spring to offer an exciting distraction and an early Christmas gift.  He was, luckily, able to come home for a couple of hours after the kids were asleep and before his flight actually departed,  I am so very grateful to have had that time with him and to be able to stick the Christmas package we'd been working on for him into his bag.  We took our pre-deployment selfie in our driveway before he drove off.  How I miss him when he's away.  He makes everything more fun.  He brings the spontaneity and excitment into my regimented world and he makes me laugh harder than anyone.  This Christmas I will so miss laughing with him over the kids' antics and savoring their joy and wonderment together, but I will carry my camera and do my best to document it all so that we can enjoy those moments together in a round-about kind of way.