Last Day of School

Today was the last day of our regular school year at St. Marks. The kids must have smelled it on us because they were so out of character. If one is usually quiet...then they were screaming. If one is usually happy....they were miserable. It was like an episode from the twilight zone. Anyway, I am so excited that we have a two week break before summer session begins. We are going to sleep late, play hard, watch movies, and maybe even go to the zoo. On top of all of that Aunt Mac is coming to town! HipHipHorray!
When I told Ady that Aunt Mac was coming to visit, she immediately said, "And bringing me a present." I told her that not everybody brings a present when they come to visit. And she said, "Yes they do!" And in her little world I guess they do :)

Only in Oklahoma

So I know I keep talking about weather...but this place has the craziest weather in all of the world. Sunday a huge hail storm went through Oklahoma City and damaged millions of dollars worth of property. It missed us by 10 miles! We sat on our porch and watched the hail core pass us by. You know we have crazy weather when........

Ady opened up the newspaper to the weather page..you know the one where it shows the United States and it is color coded depending on the temperatures for the day. She looked at the Red color throughout the midwest and southern states and said, "Look Mama, that is a really bad rain storm. We better go inside so it won't blow us away!"

Power Outages

After the tornado hit on Monday we were out of power and for that matter water. We have a well so without the power we can not have water either. Our food spoiled and had to be thrown out, dirty clothes galore, no air conditioning and a whiny child did not make for a happy version of myself. Wednesday night I was close to a nervous breakdown, emotionally and physically exhausted from living out of a suitcase and driving back and forth to Ryan's office to get clean....so we ended up in a hotel. I have never been so excited to spend the night in a hotel. It was great. We even went across the street and all bought new bathing suits so that we could swim indoors with Ady. A clean and rested person makes for a much better Mama and employee. Ady and I got ready at the hotel and went straight to school, I think we are on our last set of clean socks...so I hope we get home today and have a home lit up with lights and a running washing machine. God knew what he was doing when he put me here on earth now and not 75 years ago...I would not have made it!

Thank God for Tornado Shelters

The state of Oklahoma was hit by a day of tornadoes yesterday. I sat and watched as all of the news channels anxiously talked about the storms that were hitting Oklahoma City...just twenty minutes north of us in Norman. After two hours of watching the storms cover the state, a small dot on the doppler showed rotation heading for Norman. In two minutes the news had issued a statement calling all Norman residents to head to shelter and then the sirens went off. I ran to get Ady and rushed to the garage where the storm shelter is located. I threw her old crib mattress into the bottom so she would have something soft to sit on and closed the lid shut. Two minutes later Ryan came knocking on the shelter to get in. Ryan ran outside to talk with our neighbor who had just seen a tornado come down and then swirl back into the sky. We all cowered in the shelter hearing the hail and the winds, the pressure so loud that our ears began to pop. Ten minutes later we came out of the shelter sure that we would find our garage gone. Our house basically untouched. Our big tree in the yard split, half of our iron fence bent to the ground, porch fan completely broken, plants uprooted, furniture strewn throughout the yard....but oh so lucky. The tornado jumped down our road, Hwy 9, tearing off roofs, blowing garage doors off, demolishing barns and uprooted all power lines along Hwy 9. Oh how lucky we were, after seeing all of the destruction just 100 yards away. I am so thankful for our storm shelter and for wonderful Oklahoma people who love their neighbors.

A 2 for 1 Mother's Day Surprise

Ryan and Ady surprised me with a beautiful neon yellow and orange kayak for Mother's Day. It was absolutely gorgeous. I have been wanting one for the last couple of months. I think it is going to be so much fun touring around the lake in the summer and the fall. That was my first gift....the second came a little later :) While Ady was napping, Ryan and I decided to take it for a spin. Ryan pushed me out into the water and I glided around for a while testing out my new toy while disturbing the turtles and fish below. After finishing I told Ryan to give it a try. While out in the water he began getting excited about fishing in the kayak. I told him that it would be fun, however if you caught something big you would have to be willing to let your rod go or get dumped into the lake. Ryan being the cocky athlete he is decided to show me that was not possible. He rocked the kayak back and forth, "see..see...look at me....it won't turn over." Famous last words! Then in a split second I realized my husband had tilted too far to one side, we locked eyes and both new it was over! There it was my 2 for 1 Mother's Day gift...my new kayak in the lake behind the house along with my wonderfully cocky wet husband! Needless to say I am still laughing out loud about that one and Ryan is still trying to get warm from that frigid dunk. I am so happy to be married to someone who can turn himself over in the middle of the lake, with neighbors watching, and his wife peeing in her pants with laughter....and still laugh out loud at himself. Life is good!

To my Mama and Mama's Everywhere

My Mother Kept A Garden

My Mother kept a garden,
a garden of the heart.
She planted all the good things
that gave my life its start.
She turned me to the sunshine
and encouraged me to dream,
fostering and nurturing
the seeds of self-esteem....
And when the winds and rain came,
she protected me enough-
but not too much because she knew
I'd need to stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example
always taught me right from wrong
Markers for my pathway
that will last a lifetime long.
I am my Mother's garden,
her lifetime legacy-
And today I hope she feels the love
reflected back from me.

-Author Unknown

Patio Pic

Here is one pic that I was able to take of the patio....I used a phone since we still do not have a working camera. It at least gives you an idea of our new space.

ATTITUDE

So I believe I have the best child in the whole world, she is the smartest, most talented, polite, beautiful girl ever. Okay, I know every parent feels that way about their children...but just look at that face!

Then came the attitude. All of a sudden my sweet little girl was no where to be found. While Ryan and I were fixing coffee early one morning, Ady was watching cartoons in our bedroom. Then I heard it...a loud thunderstorm of a voice....a screaming....snarling sound. "MAMA....CHOCOLATE MILK!"

Uncertain of what I had heard, I paused and thought surely that is not my child demanding chocolate milk from 2000 sq.feet away. And then it happened again. "MAMA...CHOCOLATE MILK...NOW!

So we will not be getting an award for daughter of the year or even daughter of the week....and after that morning we will not be getting a mother of the year award either!

The Frog Prince and Princess

Ady is obsessed with The Princess and the Frog...She literally watches it everyday. She goes throughout the house telling me that she will kiss me and turn me into a frog, if only it were that easy.

Patio Finished...Let the Landscaping Begin

Saturday morning at 11a.m. our patio project was completed.

7 workers
10 days
$2000 over budget
Watching daughter watering plants on new patio....PRICELESS!

Pictures to come soon!