What's with the tornadoes?

So I realize that we do live at the edge of Tornado Alley, but, really.  This is getting ridiculous.

The kids last week of school had three days of tornado sirens blazing, late releases because of tornado watches, work lock downs with everyone in the basement, crazy hail that was reeking havoc on my poor plants.  Several touch downs (but no big damage).  Brandon did, however, view some pretty strangely acting clouds from his office at work.

Closest one was today, though. After Sunday School some nasty hail started up and then everyones phones started going crazy with tornado watch notices.  We all gathered in the gym for the next 20 minutes until things calmed a little, at which time the Bishop cancelled the rest of church.  Apparently a twister had touched down at a golf course 6 miles away, turning a trailer and a golf cart holding 2 boys, one of which sustained injuries (not sure why they were outside in said golf cart...).

Anyhow.  Global warming?  More fun to come, I'm sure.

Girls Day Out

So what does a mom, 9 yr old, and a 15 yr old do when they have an afternoon to themselves?  In our house that included McDonald's (to appease the 9 yr old who NEVER gets to go anymore), 2nd and Charles (our favorite used bookstore), and the antiques market.

It is becoming our annual tradition on Father/Son ward campout weekend  to NOT go on the campout but rather to have the 3 boys and the 3 girls separate and do our own thing.  It works for us, anyhow.

Brandon and I have been to our little antiques mall a few times, but have never bought anything.  Apparently mom was in a spending mood, as this trip was a little more fruitful.  First pick: new (old) rolling pin with red wood handles...so cute!  This was because ever since Henry made a series of teeth marks 4 years back in our current rolling pin, Brandon says it is pretty disgusting to roll anything out with it.  Mind you it HAS been well washed ;)  Anyhow, this ones for you, love.

Second (and third) find: a sweet summer dress for Catherine.  The ladies at the market were sooo excited that this dress was going to sweet Catherine.  She had also looked at some butterfly pins with interest.  After we got out of the dressing room to try on the dress, one of the vendors excitedly called Catherine over to look at some more butterfly pins that she had found.  'And don't look at the price, dear, I'll make it work for you.' And she did.  Voluntarily slashing the marked price 60 percent so it was in Catherines $10 range.  Catherine picked out a set of two red butterfly pins, but when we went to the front to pay, the lady said she had found another that would match her dress even better...a gold necklace with 'diamonds' a little purple gem.  Catherine readily agreed and a switch was made.

Our $12 find

Fourth find: A necklace for Milla.  No pic, but it was more organic... beads/flowers and such, choker length.

Last find: for mom, an amber glass float that reminded me of the floats Gma and Gpa Clark had on their fireplace mantle.  Plus, I just have a thing for colored glass.  Mmmm.  So pretty.

Along with some singing in the car, which ofcourse, included a rendition of 'Doe a Deer', it was a good  time.  The boys seemed equally happy with pizza and Monster Mini-Golf.

Memorial Day

It's been a pleasant week.  One can tell that summer is near. 80 degree temps, warm winds, antsy children, pool swim on a week night.  Ahhh.  I can feel my blood pressure dropping already.  Less than a week 'til school is out!

Memorial Day was spent spent putting up 18 American flags with Milla who is getting pretty darn competent at wielding a sledgehammer (YW camp fundraiser), leveling a platform for and putting in a small shed in the backyard, swimming with the family, shopping for flowers with the girls, potting said flowers with the girls, attending a BBQ with a bunch of church friends, playing volleyball for the first time in ...hmmmm...many, many years (20?) at the BBQ (Brandon showed much more coordination, but I don't think that I completely embarrassed myself ;) , taking down 18 American flags and noticing that one home we passed had a flag up, I think red? that looks like two triangles put together.  I recognized it but couldn't remember what country it was from.  Anyone?

I always did love a working/playing day home with the family.

I finally got to wear my floppy hat!

My pretty girls creating their art

Compulsion

So, it has come to my attention lately that I may have a LITTLE bit of an obsessive/compulsive personality.  Hmm.  So what that while having this discussion with my sweetie, I was both tapping my foot and and knocking my thumb and middle finger together repetitively.   Or that every time I get into the car or sit anywhere really, my left ear itches and I have to immediately find someway to scratch it deep down.  (don't worry mom, I've quit the q-tip habit....bobby pins work much better!).  Or that after getting the idea of redesigning  the second tier of our backyard into my head yesterday, I woke up at 5 am in order to pace out my entire backyard so that I could accurately graph out the plans that were swimming around in my head.  Overhead plans and 3-D, mind you.

Maybe I am a little bit crazy.  But then, all the brilliant ones are, yah?  ;)

Dog walk

'Mom, will you help me walk the dog'
'Sure Thomas, let's go'

We weren't even past our front yard when our kid-magnet attracted the 3 yr old across the street.  'Dog!'.  James pets Henry and then follows Thomas and the dog to the park.  The dad and I chat while slowly making our way there as well.  A few minutes later I look up to check on the kids.  Picture 9 yr old Jacob on hands and knees with the dog leash hooked to his belt loop with sister Sydney, Thomas, and James circled around 'walking' him... very endearing scene except for the obvious problem...

'Thomas! Where is the DOG!'

'Ummmm', scanning the park, 'right over there'.  (No big deal, mom!) Probably a good 100 feet away, but happily sniffing bushes.  The clump of kids quickly overtook Henry and landed in a heap on him.  Not that he was going anywhere fast.

Saturday

Well, it's been awhile. I have so many things racing through my head, I don't even know where to start.  Decisiveness has never been my strength.  Whenever Brandon asks what I'd like to do for my birthday, for date night, etc my answer is usually, 'I just don't want to have to decide! Surprise me!'.

It's Sunday morning.  Thomas is sleeping peacefully beside me (as my love is in Utah for the weekend for his mother's 75th birthday bash).  Thinking of family.  Of yesterday working in the garden.  Milla and Sean trimming and mowing the lawn without but a minute of instruction from me. (When did they become so self sufficient?)  Having a couple of kids stop by to see if Thomas could play and him responding, 'sure, but I have to help mom work on the fence and do my other chores first'.  I asked if they wanted to come help and Trey replied, 'sure, it's better than wandering around!'  So he, Adante, and Thomas each grabbed a hand rake and dug out 15 feet of rocks from the fence line before calling it a day (I am putting in finer metal mesh along the bottom 2 feet of my fence to *hopefully* keep out those pesky rabbits).  Got to chat and hear about their families.  (Since when did our house become the neighborhood hangout spot for 2nd to 4th grade boys?).  Then hung out with Catherine for a couple of hours.  First ballet and then to Target for another eye exam and new glasses.  On the way home we were (arm?) dancing in the car to Brandon's Irish CD when Catherine says,'I'm happy'.  I asked why and she said, 'People always ask that and I think, why wouldn't I be happy?'.  Kind a 'happy until proven sad' attitude.  I like that.  Why not?  Smiling is good.  Not my general default face.

I've also been thinking about Coreen and some of her recent article posts on depression and anxiety.  A friend of mine said she was complaining to her husband (a bishopric member) about a lady that would always volunteer to do something and then would inevitable not follow through.  Her husband responded that in his experience interacting with people because of his church calling, when this was the problem, 9 times out of 10 he later found out that these were people dealing with depression.  Kind of opened my eyes.  I've not dealt with long term depression, but have had shorter bouts of it (mostly coupled with social anxiety) and I think it has taught me more than anything to not make quick judgments on peoples actions.  Everyone has to go at their own pace.  My kids each have their own inner struggles that are often perceived by others to be arrogance, irritation, disobedience, short-tempered-ness, rudeness, or being unaware.  In reality though they are scared, frustrated, overwhelmed, unable to control some physical body responses to stress, and embarrassed.   As my husband and I have found, both of us being social anxiety sufferers, it takes many many hours of practice and often painful experience to be able to function in today's world with such conditions.  But we can and we have and so will our kids.  What we need is a little more patience with each other as we learn.  And probably more smiles and Irish music.

Family time

So I'm home from church feeling pretty cruddy today, healthwise.  Have been feeling progressively so all week with feverish chills and the morning sore throat, but then I know what's coming as Brandon is at the end of the same thing.

Despite this, it's been a good week.  I've just had a lot of moments.  Good moments with the kids.  Meaningful discussions.  Surprise service from different family members.  The things that make you smile inside.

Friday morning was Catherine's district spelling bee competition that she went to with 3 others from her school.  Because there were maybe 150 kids, 4th-8th grade, that progressed to this point, they had all of the kids do a 50 word written test first.  Only the 25-30 top scores participated in the oral portion.  I ran down after work to be there for the announcement of these top scorers.  Although she had worked hard studying, Catherine didn't make it, but we enjoyed having some one on one time afterwards.  Made better with french fries and a hot fudge sundae.

Friday evening Brandon and I went to the 60th birthday party of my choir buddy, Sarah Chatterly.  It was a done up affair at our neighborhood clubhouse with dinner.  It was very personalized with everyone getting to share memories and sweet talent displays by the grandkids.  The most touching part, though, was done by her husband Larry.  He wasn't able to attend as he had a detached retina and had doctor's orders to stay laying down.  His kids, however, had recorded him singing a song for his wife which they played for her over the sound system.  I don't know the name, but it's one all could sing along with...ends 'But I...can't...stop....falling in love with you'. Although the voice wasn't polished and there was some cracking on the high notes, I couldn't help but tear up.

Saturday we decided to do a family day.  The kids got off the hook for MOST of their Saturday chores (the bathrooms just have to be done...I can't let them go ;).  First we went to the Movie Tavern for lunch and a movie.  The Lego Movie started out slow, I thought, but built momentum and ended strong.  The kids were cracking up and now have a new stock of quotes to quote in the coming weeks (the last month has been dominated by the random phrase 'cause...I'm Batman' from Sean. Which I've enjoyed, but wouldn't mind a little variety).  Afterwards we went ice skating at our local, seasonal outdoor rink, 'The Pond'.  There were some sore ankles, but overall was a treat.  After a few times around holding the sides, the whole family finally got comfortable enough to skate on their own.  I even got to hear the phrase, 'Mom, how come you are so good?!'.  Ha ha.  They were actually being serious, but I think 'good' is very relative here.  The strangest thing to see as a parent were some teenage girls hitting on Sean as he skated.  Not ready for that yet.  

Of course, that evening, we had to get some Olympics in.  

All in all, I'm just glad to have time to hang, work, chat, discuss, grow, and laugh with my  family. That's the good stuff.