The Demo continues...

As I type, my children are somehow peacefully napping while a major ruckus goes on upstairs.  I, on the other hand, had to get out of the kitchen, fearing for my life.  I can't wait to go up and see what James has torn out today. The pile on the side of the house is growing as he continues to chunk things out the upstairs window. 

This is getting to be a familiar feeling:  we're having guests for dinner, and I'm wondering if the house will still be standing when they arrive. (see here)  HA!  Guess I need to get used to it (and trust that my man knows what he's doing!)  

Taking Cover

Well, not long after we moved here, I came to the brilliant realization that we have placed ourselves in the previous paths of several major tornadoes.  Gotta love this little town. 

We got our first glimpse of the fun on Monday night as the storms rolled through the metro. Thanks to Gary streaming live online (and a couple of phone calls from my mom), I had time to get everything prepared. I definitely have a different mindset than I used to when it was just me.  The thought of being completely responsible for three little ones is a bit daunting - and requires a little more preparation. 

Charis decided that she needed her umbrella to prepare for the rain and did a really good job of standing with it RIGHT in the way while I was rushing around throwing anything and everything into the bathroom. When all was said and done, we had a mattress, a quilt, towels, 2 pillows, sippy cups, radio, phone, flashlight, granola bars, 3 pacis, and helmets. 

The girls were not having fun when we climbed in the bathtub (neither was I).  They did a really good job of screaming the loudest just as Gary would give exact intersections on the radio.  Helpful. :-)  No, seriously, I can't blame them for being a little freaked out.  They did calm a little when I offered granola bars through the front of their motorcycle helmets. 

The whole time I'm thinking, "I need a picture of this." Well, I was also thinking, "I think I'm gonna pass out."  And then there was, "Maybe I should just laugh." (which I did at one point) And finally, we arrived at, "Okay, Lord, You're in control. We trust You." 

Except for some fun holes in our roof from the GIANT hail, we were spared other damage.  The car was in the garage, so no broken windows -- unlike every car that was outside on our block.  Looks like someone drove through and shot out all the windows with a shotgun.  Weird. 

Dad and Mom arrived soon after it passed and helped with the decompressing.  Dane and Lisa also ran over to check on us. So glad to have family so close.  And speaking of, I think I'll plan ahead a little better next time -- the Browns' cellar is only a 7-minute drive away.  Don't want to visit the tub again any time soon. 

Oh, to think that storm season is just beginning...

The Birds of Bellaire

Well, apparently word has gotten out that our house is no longer home to cats.  And the birds are celebrating by making a grand return to the Promised Land.  At least, that's what it seems like.  First, when spring sprang, we dealt with the creepy robins who tapped on our windows for hours every morning.  Then, a bird lost her life via the garage door a couple of weeks ago.  It should be mentioned that this bird (and a few others, I think) had taken up residence in between the brick and sheet rock on the side of our house). Yes, the nest is still there, and, no, it's not currently high on the priority list. 

In the latest development, apparently, the storms compelled a bird to take refuge in our WALLS. I'm pretty sure the thing must have gotten in an uncovered vent in the soffit, but it ended up in our "master bathroom" wall, pecking away at a small hole in the sheet rock.  It was also violently flapping its wings.  Our resident bird whisperer/handyman/bravest man alive (James) shut himself in the bathroom with a drill, gloves, and a blanket.  He removed the sheet rock, and the dumb bird was stuck down in the wall.  So, James grabbed it, dubbing it a "squirmy little sucker."  (Charis has made that catch-phrase a part of her vocabulary. Great.) 

I'm starting to be a little afraid of the birds.  Just waiting for what's next...

Zoo Fun!

We took advantage of James' schedule to take our first trip of the year to the zoo!  We were excited to see the Children's Zoo, but as it turns out, so were three gazillion other kids. SO, we did not wait in line for the exhibits, but decided to take an overview approach.  All Charis really cared about seeing were the monkeys, the baby giraffe, and the playground.  That's my girl...

We did get to see the new giraffe -- Charis could tell you her name.  I LOVE giraffes, so I guess I, too, was pretty excited to see this 7-foot "baby!" 

I took this flamingo pic for my mom. I remember a time in 7th(?) grade when we were shopping for a new shirt.  I wanted gray -- my mom said I looked like a shark.   (BTW, gray or grey? Did you know they're both acceptable? odd...)  Anyway, I told her the pink made me look like a flamingo -- at least this is how I remember the story. I acknowledge that the details are a bit sketchy in my brain.  All I know is that I ended up with a pink shirt...

Of course, we ended the day at the playground. Sweet Gwyn could swing for hours. And, praise the Lord, she avoided the pile of you-know-what that someone or something had left at the top of the slide. On a normal day, that would have been in her mouth.