Books, Flowers and Scraps

Today was a very good day. We all had lunch together today. Yes thats right all 5, well 6 'cause D came too. We also went to Wisescrappers and helped Mrs. Scrapper herself. She had sold alot of stuff but she still has alot to get sold by the close of the store at the end of May. I got some books for Mac. We got a science book that covers plants and I almost bought a book about gardening but I passed on it. I did get 2 math books by the company that I want to teach math from so I was excited. After spending our day in the Big Town of G we went home and changed clothes 'cause we were about to get dirty.

We had bought 2 flats of marigolds the other day and it was time to plant them around our mailbox. We had already planted some in a big pot on the back deck so we wanted to get the rest done. Mac did a great job helping with the newspapers and dirt. While I dug out the area Mac and Abs played in the water from the hose. They made mud pies and mud muffins. After an hour or 2 we were done. Isn't it beautiful!

Once we were done we were DIRTY! So off to the shower and tub. The girls got PJs on and I changed my clothes we headed out to Wisescrapers again for a evening of friends and scrapping.

We had a blast! Abs fell asleep on the way so Kat got some Abs time without her even knowing it! :) Kat's can be so sneaky ;P But we loves our Kat even with bats.

Tornado Damage in Albertville

Took a day trip down to Camp Sumatanga today and didn't give much thought about going through Albertville. Untill we got there as we looked at the devastation all around us it was hard to take it all in. Concrete power lines on their sides, wooden poles snapped in half like toothpicks. Trees that looked like the sides of the road when they come with the trimmer but instead of trimmed back half the trees where gone all at the same level. Roofs missing, insulation every where. A church van with windows blown out, gas stations missing their signs and boards on the windows. A traffic light hanging from the side of a store. And this description doesn't even come close to seeing it all in person. I was in such disbelief that I forgot to even use my camera and take a picture. But I am sure out on the net some where there are plenty of the damage here is a link to one I found that shows some good pictures www.flickr.com/photos/brandonkemp .
Even Mac who never stops talking (not even in her sleep sometimes) was brought to silence as we traveled through. In the picture from the link that shows the BP station from a distance you can see a white van. All the windows in the van are gone, like the remaining buildings it sits there lifeless.
I praise God that people survived and I know that they will regroup and rebuild. 'cause that's just what we do.

Bumps along the road

Me and my best friend (Ms Chell) went on a camping trip to Sounds of Sumatanga an hour and a half from home this past weekend with our girls. I had my 2 youngest girls (my Eldest girl had other plans and couldn't make it), Mac and Abs and she had her 3: Eld, Rie and Roe. We got there and everything was going great. We had dinner at the chapel on the mountain, went to the assembly hall and played games and silly dances and headed back to camp.

First Bump: Got Fire?
I got Camp Staffer Bama Z to start a fire for us, yeah that didn't work out so well. We roasted marshmallows in between him dumping lighter fluid on the logs. Oh well, I open the back of my car and go get the marshmallows and put them in and close it up. I look around for the girls to tell them it is time to head on to bed and...

Bump #2: Where is Abs?
There is Mac, Rie and Roe playing in the dirt, Eld had already gone to bed not feeling well. That leaves one 2 year old Abs unaccounted for. I walk over to Ms Chell's car, "do you have Abs?" She said no. So we check the bathroom, nope. She sits the girls at the tables with strict orders of 'stay sitting at the table or die' as I run up the hill with a flash light calling Abs name. No Abs there. I run over to another camp fire and ask if they had seen a 2 year old. They hadn't, I gave a quick description as I was panicking now. They were gems! They quickly grabbed flashlights and started searching. I ran to the edge of the lake and called for Abs and scanned the water praying I didn't find her. Then one of the gems asked if we had checked the cars. So I ran back to check the cars screaming out her name. As I get closer to my car I hear a muffled 'momma'. My heart jerked and I ran faster. I jerked open the back of my car and there she was looking at me. I held her so tight thanking God. Then I wanted to kill her! But I didn't, instead we went to bed and I held her tighly in my arms until...

Bump #3: Can they stay with you?
Ms Chell wakes me up. Eld is running a fever and she is going to take her home, can the other 2 stay with me? Sure, we move everyone over and make room. This bump is no where near as heart pounding as the last one...

Bump #4: Got Keys?
We get up in the morning and I've got 4 kids ranging from 2y-6y. okay no problem. We start getting things packed up. I get something for everyone to carry to the car. They are dragging sleeping bags, pillows and bags of clothes. I load things up and then put the 2 youngest in the car. That way Abs wont get lost and Roe can unlock the door if Abs locks it. I give Roe instructions to not get out of the car. As I am leaving the tent with my last bit of supplies to load into the car but who do I see coming up the hill? Roe and Abs. I round them up and we head to the car. We set everything down and I go to open the back of the car. It's locked. Where are my keys? In the car! My spare key is no where to be found. The campers that helped me look for Abs are now trying to help me unlock my car. Nothing we can think of works, the metal hanger was to short. So we go to the camp office and MJ is there and says he has to go and get it but they do have something to unlock the door. Praise GOD! 15 minutes later I have keys in hand and we finish loading our stuff and head to breakfast...

The rest of the day went smoothly. The girls had a great day of moon bouncing, face painting, playing on the playground, crafts and playing in the dirt. I got to listen to some great christian bands and help paint some awesome stuff on the kids faces and made some great friends. When Sounds of Sumatanga was over we took the tents down and finished loading two families worth of camping supplies into my car. Loaded 4 kids and seats and hit the road home.

Bump #5: Need a vacuum
I gave the girls a bag of pretzels for them to snack on... the bag ripped. Pretzels and salt are now everywhere. Guess I know what sound I will be listening to tomorrow.

We did have a great time despite the chaos and Eld is feeling better. But best of all we ALL came home safe and sound! And next year? We will be back!

ROCK ON Sounds Of Sumatanga!

Do you need A/C in the South?

Well I have been at work ALL day and hadn't had a chance to call home and check on my hubby and little ones. All day I have been burning up! I was running here then running there and then back to here. So I was SO glad to be heading home! To my wonderful abode, I pull into the drive hop out of my car and head to the porch with Mac and Abs at the door to great me...why is Mac in her undershirt? why is Abs hair wet? I open the door and I stepped inside...when did we become a dish to be cooked? My little ones had been baking like tater tots. The thermostat reader was maxed out. Apparently our A/C hasn't been working today, here in the deep South. Why would we need A/C right? OH! It isn't even summer yet and our house was at least 90 degrees inside. I changed my clothes, checked the breaker and the red button (I learned that my honey had been doing this ALL day) and quickly took the girls outside where it was SO nice! We swung on the swing set (in the dark). Chased each other (in the dark) and talked about the stars that we could see (yes in the dark). We decided it was time to brave the heat and hope that the A/C was now working. No luck. I grab a flashlight and Mac and we're off to go under the house to look at the unit. What did we find? Well we have enough ice to have a party. We head back inside, opened all the windows, turned the unit off and now we wait. Hopefully in the morning it will have thawed and it will work. If not it will be another Hot day for my girls and hubby and I will be thanking God that for once I am not the one that works from home:) Because you DO need A/C in the South.