Sobering

It was a little after 3am this morning -- the kids were in bed, I was in the kitchen putting away groceries and Mark was asleep on the couch. All of a sudden there was a big BOOM! It woke Mark, it startled me and the kids, thankfully, slept right through it. Mark and I started discussing what could have caused it when within minutes we heard sirens screaming down our street. I ran to the door, then yelled for Mark to come.

This is what we saw across our street and 2 houses down -



Later, Mark was able to reach our neighbor in the hospital. She had gotten out of the house with some pretty bad burns, but was otherwise okay. Her husband, unfortunately, did not fare so well. He was in the house quite some time and was now in the ICU. She said his status was very touch & go, and asked for our prayers.

A tragedy like this is pretty sobering. We've been reflecting all day about it -- thinking about our level of preparedness, safety and all the blessings we have in the meantime. Obviously we are very grateful no one was killed in the fire, but even if Joe comes out fine they are by no means out of the woods yet. There is nothing left of their home. Their cars were in the garage so they were destroyed and Peggy said she hadn't seen her dogs. I'm doubtful they made it out. And now they have nothing. I can't even imagine.

If anyone else feels so inclined Joe and Peggy could certainly use your prayers right now. And maybe this is a good time to go check your furnace, gas lines and other potential fire hazards in your home.

Enough about me...

...let's talk about what you think about me!



Obama's speech for Americans for Prosperity: You'd think it would be about the American people and reviving the economy.
You would think.

State of the Union, sorta

Anyone else catch our Pres. tonight?

I didn't actually watch the whole thing. I couldn't.

It was like one of those gory movies that you can't take and have to turn away from -- but then curiosity gets the better of you and turn back long enough to get sick all over again.

I think I threw up a little in my mouth.

Grammar Lessons

Lacie: "My doll is a bouncy."
Me: "A what?"
Lacie: "A bouncy."
Me: "Don't you mean your doll is bouncy?"
Lacie: "No she's not."


Andrea: "Ew, that's disgustable!"

Sunday activities

On Sundays we encourage religiously-themed activities and Andrea always happily complies. This particular Sunday we were treated to a rendition of "David & Goliath" - scripted, directed, portrayed, and costumed by Andrea. And Hyrum, albeit quite unknowingly.
Sadly we only got a couple pics before her hard work was decimated.


Hyrum sports his Goliath helmet made of kleenex and completed with red, tissue-paper "feather."



Andrea is, of course, the hero David wielding her paper plate shield and wearing a traditional mid-Eastern paper headband.

Sleeping Beauty

I will never get tired of watching Lacie sleep -
whether it's beautiful, betraying or just plain weird!

TRIUMPH!!

Remember this post?

I am proud to announce that I have finally, FINALLY finished.
YAAAAAYYYYY!!
And it's only been, what, a mere 9 months? Sigh. What can I say? Perfection takes time. Or was that, you actually have to spend time if you're ever going to reach perfection?

Either way, here's me showing off the fruits of my labor:

Behold, my beautiful toy room!









And finally, the masterpiece -
my craft/decorations/school/games/outgrown clothes/memorabilia/basically-anything-I-need-to-store closet:




Ah! Sweet, sweet organized victory!

Freedom:

Pro life
Pro gun
Pro property

Pro Debra Medina for TX Governor.

isms

Lacie, wrapped in a comforter, says: "Look! I'm a cloud!"

Andrea, pointing, asks: "Mom, why is your tummy so big?"

Okay, this next one isn't so much what they said, but what they did. I walked in to find Lacie "riding" on the stick-horse with Andrea carefully guiding her. When I asked what they were doing Andrea replied:
"We're playing Phantom of the Opera."

(for those of you who have not seen the movie version, there is a scene where the Phantom leads Christine down to the caverns below the opera house and at one point he is leading her as she rides on a horse.)

When Mommy is Sick

1. Andrea channels her inner Rachel Ray and experiments with Peanut Butter.
2. Lacie channels her inner Arm & Hammer and "cleans" the floor with a whole box of baking soda.
3. Hyrum channels his inner lungs and cries. A lot.
4. Mommy doesn't channel Picasso, doesn't make the required follow-up poster, and therefore doesn't get a good grade on her 'Water Ballet with a Tarantula' demonstration. Lame!

Eavesdropping

On the way home from picking Andrea up from school...

Andrea: "Mom! Mom! There's Tom Thumb! (grocery store) Can we go? Please?"
Lacie: "No, Andrea. We don't have any money."
Andrea: "We don't? ... Does that mean we are ... poor?"
Lacie: somberly "Yes. We are poor."

Invaded

Perhaps you noticed the sacrificial Oreo used in my security test. I am happy to report that the Oreo survived -- well, that is, until I ate it. But I was able to eat it ant-free which was the purpose of the entire exercise.
Stupid ants.
We've been at war all year and had casualties on both sides - ants for them; crackers, Nilla wafers and cake mixes for us. And Oreos. Oh! the Oreos! Oreos seem to be a favorite of theirs. And mine!
Stupid ants.
Due to their relentless attacks on our pantry we've had to increasingly transition to plastic containers to the point where we now have more plastic in there than an up-and-coming Hollywood actress.
Unfortunately, not all plastic containers close equally. So we test. And sacrifice.
Stupid ants.

Security Test: