that could be me mom....

September was childhood cancer awareness month.  There have been a lot of new education and awareness campaigns this month, which is great.  With the world of facebook, these messages get places they have never been before.  When checking facebook this morning, this is what I saw.  What a neat surprise!

http://www.neuroblastthis.org/#!nb-kids/albumphotos1=27


When checking out the website Charli was looking at pictures of childhood cancer angels.  She saw one that she thought looked like her and she said "that could be me mom".  She is right.  Just another reality check from the mouth of a 6-year old...

Childhood cancer awareness can't end on October 1st, please help keep these kids a priority!

*my mom reported that she was not able to get the website loaded, so here is the image which was posted, and listed below the story that went with it!!*

Charli Preister - Survivor 
DX: Neuroblastoma Stage 3 

Charli was born July 28, 2006 and was diagnosed in 2007 at 7 months old. Since completing treatment, Charli and her family have been actively involved in the ACS Relay for Life. Charli's mother, Brenda, serves a co-chair for her district and they walk with the Team name "Charli's Angels". Last year, in 2011, Charli walked the survivor lap all by herself, for the first time. 

Charli is now 6 years old and is described as a tomboy and loves superhero's and sports.

http://www.causes.com/causes/606351-neuroblast-this/actions/1688844

it was ALMOST a blast

I spent my week in Pittsburgh for a work conference...and have a few things things to report back on.  I must first start by saying, publicly, thank you to Chad for taking on all of the weeks events without skipping a beat.  Both Chad and the kids enjoyed the change of pace and enjoying their time together, without me getting in the way, but I am sure Chad's business will be glad to have him back at 100%!

(and yes, I have noticed the clean dishes, kept up laundry, clean house, as well as happy and fed kids...very thankful and lucky Chad and now everyone else knows too!)  

I had a few unforgettable moments in PA.  The top of the list was when we were on lock-down in our hotel because a man took a person hostage at gunpoint (later found out to be a knife) and threatened his life with a bomb.  We were literally next door to the building.  In fact, a girl I traveled with was trying to walk into that very building to get us coffee when a sniper pointed his gun at her (from the bushes) and instructed her to return to her original location immediately.  This got interesting around 8:24am that day.  We look outside and see multiple trucks labeled "BOMB SQUAD" and "SWAT" as well as two helicopters, firetrucks, ambulance, cop cars, undercover unmarked cars, men in ninja suits, men in business suits, and a lot of helmets, masks, and bullet proof vests.  We were no lock-down for several hours...about six hours.  There was a break in security at the front entrance so we took off for a bit and headed in the opposite direction.  We were under the impression that it was over so we headed back...when we quickly learned we were wrong and that the alert was elevated and we were stuck in our conference room!  They cleared out portions of our hotel for the snipers and we were not allowed by windows or doors.  It was a (I pray to God) once in a lifetime event!  The 22 year old man surrendered and our lives got to go back to normal!

it felt wrong taking pictures of all of the chaos, but when we were walking across the park (away from the building!) we say this man among many vans and police vehicles.  I guess he automatically gave away his "undercover car" with his SWAT uniform!

One a less eventful night we enjoyed a Pittsburgh Pirates game, which was located in a beautiful stadium! One of the leads for our conference got to throw out the first pitch!

 Pittsburgh has a beautiful skyline, this was the view from the top the downtown area where we stayed.

 Thursday night we went to watch the Broadway Show "Jersey Boys", which was a fun show to experience in PA.  After the show we ate at a trendy spot downtown...when who else by Mark Wahlberg walks by to enter a private party one door down!  The picture isn't great on my phone, but is etched in my mind pretty well!

this is another beautiful view from the top of the city!

 I got into NE late Friday night, so Saturday was a struggle to keep my eyes open!  After soccer I knew that the afternoon would need to keep moving to keep me awake!  We went for a nice hike by the river and played in and around the water.  We had no idea we lived so close to some beautiful sites!  Chad took the kids down here one night while was gone and they saw several deer just behind them on the river.  This weekend we saw a baby in the trees, which the kids loved!

This site may be highly different from what I saw in PA, but equally as beautiful!

 while at the farm Sunday night I caught Charli out singing to the pumpkin patch!  She takes this garden area very seriously!!  She explained the importance to me, and she sang with love!

This was my favorite text to get while out of town!

a little out of order, but a picture after Charli's soccer game!  She played a great game, and even scored!!  (she scored for the OTHER team, but she was equally excited!!)  Charli was attempting to kick to her teammate in an effort to help her be able to pick it up in the goal box...but it had too much momentum and it went in!  It was a cool soccer morning, but a fun one to watch all the same!  

odds & ends

Mid-way through September, looking at the calendar makes me feel like October is already here...though it feels like we just went through June!  I need to know, has time always traveled this fast and this is a sign I am getting older, or is time truly going faster than before?!

We had another fun and full weekend with soccer and a weekend playing with cousins...it leaves us all tired! It's fun to watch Charli's team play soccer this year.  They each are responsible for their own "position" on the field and have plays and passes to execute!  I have learned to not give guidance from the sidelines because I do not always know what position she is playing and sometimes she can't "run to the ball", etc if she is playing back field for example.  So...I sit and watch and play the quiet parent!  I can report that, already, this is not true for all parents on the sidelines of 6 & 7 year olds playing soccer!

After soccer we rushed out west to play with Ryen & Macey for Macey's big birthday party!  There was no time to ride horses this trip, but lots of other fun was had!  That is one of our favorite places to go...endless fun and lots of laughter!  (some tattling and tears too...we are not delusional!!)

I left my camera at my sisters house so there aren't many pictures to share now!  One from the weekend and several which were just sent to me from Charli's ACS "butterfly" project.  A month or two ago we went to Omaha so she could create an art project to be sold at an auction...these are from that weekend (which we had so much fun at!!)

 Ryen * Charli * Macey * Harper

Burning off some energy after eating out for supper...and before going to get groceries.  Getting groceries was SO eventful with four kids who were truly enjoing each others company!

Finding fun in the regular things!

What did we do this weekend?  Not a lot, but it was fun.  Those can be the best weekends in the books!  Friday night we had a family fun night with a group of moms I am lucky enough to call my friends!  We met at the park, grilled, and had some amazing food...and let the kids play, play, play!  We had a money find in the sand box, a treasure hunt complete with treasure find and pirate map, kickball, balloons, glow sticks, candy, and more!!  How much fun can you wrap into a few short hours?!  A lot, I guess!  

On Saturday Charli, finally, got to play her first soccer game of the season!  We had soccer pictures bright and early before her game, so we were on the field when it felt more like football weather on a Friday night...rather than Saturday morning soccer weather!  Charli's team did not win.  Maybe next week?!  It was fun to watch her play this year...they play actual positions, keep score, and have some "function" with their play.  It's fun to watch, finally getting to play makes the long practices a little easier to endure!

Charli worked on her first "homework" project over the weekend...which was a book about herself, her home, and her family.  She had fun dictating which pictures we would print out for the book!  Charli is pretty proud to be reading her "popcorn" words, writing, and learning all that Kindergarten has to offer!  She wants to write and spell everything, and being many years out of grade school I often have to "google" some phonics to make sure I am teaching her correctly the first time!  

I love the shirt he is wearing for this picture!  Pictures tell a story of a thousand words, and this one speaks volumes for Harper!  

 searching for money...the kids were SO excited for all the coins they found!  

 Kadence is my little buddy!  She is so shy and sweet, all the time!  Here we are all smiles look how shy she is, even in the picture!!

 and here we are looking sad.  this is the look we give after our mom, mean ole Jennifer, yells at us for getting in trouble!  :-)

(I am SURE Jennifer never does that, it was purely hypothetical!!)

 competitive kickball on a Friday night, I think so!!

 1-2-3 GO!

 kick & run, kick & run, kick & run 

 go "sparkly butterflies"!!!!

 these two have been total spitfires the past few days...

 it feels like they never run out of energy!!!

 when the stop, if they pause, they can appear to be so sweet...kind...loving...and demure.  

but, this does NOT last too long!!

While some days the energy seems to be completely drained from my veins so they can go longer, louder, faster, and harder...I wouldn't want it any other way! We are blessed to have their laughter, yelling, and sometimes tears, fill our house!!

the forgotten!

I forgot these few shots too!!

this fella was large and in charge!  Harper was pretty sure he was going to eat Charli, but she managed to get out alive!

 Aunt Rachelle, (PE & Health teacher) while Charli has mastered the sit up well she did not pass the fitness test with the ARMY this weekend!  She needed 25 to get a shirt, and did NOT make it!  She got a sticker and a "keep working" ;-)  

getting ready for the ride to start!  Harper was heartbroken that he could not go on the ride with her "NOT FAIR" he said!! 

labors of love

The Preister's logged some miles this weekend!  Friday night we enjoyed some good Friday night football weather to watch my nephew play some great football...and see three of my other nephews (big and little boys were there!).  Saturday we took a road trip to Omaha to visit Chad's uncle who was in the hospital, and spent several hours enjoying his company, and the company of his family.  While we were there my friend Jen kept the kids and they had a blast!  (you know the kind of fun where the end of the day is a disaster because you have just used up all of your energy!!)  After having lunch she took her two kids and our two kids to play at a lake with another friend, and her two kids!! (to help you keep track that is two moms and six kids)  To top this off when we picked them up she had fed them supper AND given them bathes.  These friends are hard to find, but when they are found...you never let them go!  Jen is one of a kind!!!  Sunday we spent the day at the state fair and took a road trip to check on my parents remodel project progress.  Monday was filled with playing catch up from being gone, and transplanting the bunnies to their new home!  Reality will be hard to face Tuesday morning, for all of us!  Hope your transition "to the real world" is a kind one! 

 Bombs-A-Way!!!

 "can we ride that?!"  We did not even get 5 feet from the car before Charli was spotting rides to  do later in the day!

 It makes me SO sad that the only cows my kids will milk are at the state fair!  Charli is a nature born milker, Grandpa Borg would be proud!

 Charli is a natural!  

 Harper was not so good at it, which I am okay with...we do not need to raise a dairy farmer!

 this spot is always a hit at the fair with my kids...

 ...well with my entire family I guess!!  

 such a pretty cowgirl!

 Harper liked this little goat enough to share a kiss with her!  He is a lover of all animals!

 This cracked me up!  Charli is so excited about learning to read in school that she wanted to read the phone book on the way home!  

 this will probably give Grandma Borg a heart attack!  Charli is the second set of feet from the left!  She loved this ride.  The only compliant, it was too short!

 the kids did two roller coasters together, and loved them both!  Charli is a great helper to him when they get on and off rides.  She takes great care of him!

 getting in line for the next BIG roller coaster! :-)

 this was TOO sweet!  She held his hand the entire time they stood in line!

 they are in the second car.  This ride freaked me out because it did have some fast little hills and no belts over the kids, or on the side to keep them in!  

 the kids are both very into "police cops" right now...so this was a highlight of the day!

Sheriff Charli

 Sheriff Harper

 Charli, Harper, and Chad built this bunny hut which, as you can see, is a stellar bunny house!  Modie and Coco make themselves comfortable in record time!

 One last hug before they are in their new home.  The mornings won't be as fun without doing our bunny chores!

some of the biggest smiles these kids ever have are on top of a 4-wheeler!  They love to ride together now, and just like when doing fair rides, Charli takes great care of him and does her very best to keep him safe and happy!  Being the big sister can be a tough job, but most days she is up for the challenge!