Tornadoes Scare Me

Okay, I admit it, I may freak out a little bit when there is a tornado threat. I have a good reason thought. At least I think it's a good reason.

You see, 14 years ago I was in an F4 tornado. I had NO idea until it was over. Many people lost their lives. I'm sure lots of them knew it was coming and tried to take cover. I had NO idea and was SO lucky to be okay. I guess I'm afraid that was my one freebie.

Let me share the story.
I was extremely preggers with my first child. He was due on Feb 23 and it was March 1. My husband was at work. I was at my in laws house. We were all being lazy and chilling. No tv, no radio. Then the chain of events began.

I was laying down resting and I heard this noise, it sounded like a truck gearing down on the freeway. We were near the freeway so this wasn't that odd. It didn't stop though and actually got louder. I got up and went to the kitchen. While standing at the sink looking out the window I noticed pink stuff falling out of the sky. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what it was. Then the phone rang. It was my husband. He said there was a tornado reported heading down the road we lived on. Then the call dropped. Everything suddenly clicked and we hurried under the house. By this time the tornado had of course already passed. As we were heading under the house you could see pieces of other houses in the yard and shingles had already been ripped off of our house. That strange noise I heard was the tornado! That pink stuff was insulation out of someone's house! It was an F4 tornado!!!

My son was born exactly a week later. I have the paper from the day he was born. The front page, a week later, was still covered in tornado damage. There was a terrible outbreak that day that took many lives.

I like to think my family understands why I get a little paranoid and freaked out. But just in case they don't, this is why.

Negative Baby Fever

Friday night I kept my niece, 2, and nephew, 10 months. My 4  children were home of course, so that makes 6. Crazy? No way. I made a WONDERFUL trade. I traded my sister nights of babysitting children. Now she's going to keep my kids the night before my birthday. This is EXTRA wonderful because my mom has already volunteered to keep them the night of my birthday. If you haven't figured it out, that's AN ENTIRE WEEKEND!!! My mom is going to get the kids from my sister so I won't see them from Friday night to Sunday afternoon! WOW! Unless I'm mistaken that has not happened in almost 8 years! I'm so excited!

As much as I love my nieces and nephews, I was not upset when they left. The baby goes to sleep good, he just doesn't stay asleep good. When you have babies you are more conditioned to the getting up. I was SO tired. Somewhere in my delirious tiredness I then volunteered to also keep my other 1 and  6 year old nephews while my other sister went to the store. That makes 8. Crazy? Well yeah, but the baby was having a nap so it wasn't too bad.

This weekend made me more thankful than ever that I don't have babies anymore. My children will ALWAYS be my babies, but I'm so glad they can wipe their own butts and talk. I officially have negative baby fever!

This weekend also reminded me how lucky I am to have such a wonderful man to share parenting with. He loves our nieces and nephews just as much as I do. They are ALL our babies! He happily helps take care of them when they are here and even gets up with them at night like he did, and does, our own. I'm a lucky girl living a lucky life!

And of course, HAPPY EASTER! I hope everyone had a wonderful time with their families today celebrating, or not celebrating, in your own special way. 

I'm back!!

Things over the last month or so have been hectic to say the least!

Ball season has started. Baseball that is, and that means LOTS of running for us. All 3 of my boys play on a multi-park league. Some of these parks are an hour away from each other! Some nights we have 3 games at the exact same time at 3 different parks! WE LOVE IT! Every year as spring approaches I can't wait for baseball to start. As summer approaches I can't wait for it to end!!!

There have been all kinds of things occupying my time but the one that stuck out the most occurred 2 weeks ago. 16 days to be exact. My baby turned 5! A WHOLE hand! Never again will I have a baby that is less than a hand old! I shed lots of tears over this one! I BEGGED him to stay 4! He refused!

We had an awesome party at the park and the weather was PERFECT! Warm, but not too hot. We got a pavilion with it's own little playground right by the bathrooms and it was too much fun! The best part, I think, was mine and Daddy's gift. We got the ice cream truck to come! We don't have ice cream trucks out where I live so the kids didn't know what was going on at first! The guy pulled up playing his music and the kids just kinda stopped and stared. Once they figured it out it was on! It was great!

My kids are now 5, 6, 7, & 14. How did that happen? My 14 year old is studying to get his driver's permit. WHAT?! I don't think I'll be able to handle riding with him so I've designated Daddy to be in charge of that. I can't even handle riding with my husband. If we go somewhere as a family I drive. I think I would flip out if my son was driving!

We also got our garden all the way in this past week. We have a pretty big garden so it takes a few days/weeks to get it all in from breaking ground to seed. This year we have white and red onions, bell peppers, burpless and pickling cucumbers, straight neck squash, tomatoes, and okra! I can't wait to start pickling and making salsa! YUMMY!