Here's our hail...we're okay

Yesterday evening found us hovering around the computer, watching our local news station's broadcast. We kept a close eye on the signature hook formation in the storm system moving our way, then the next and the next and the next.

The closest tornado touched down one county over, to the west. We were fortunate to only get two big rounds of hail. The three big kids came out of bed and scurrying downstairs as the first one hit our house. Emma and Ben: excited, Josh: terrified. (Little girls miraculously slept through it all.) The roar of it pummeling the roof was deafening, accented by the chunks of ice hitting the windows. As soon as the first system moved past, Scott ran out and collected handfuls of the huge hail which are now in our freezer. When he opened the door we all looked out and the air was thick with mist and the strong scent of pine trees (like Christmas). We lost power in the midst of round two of the hail (came back on around 2 or 3 am). To calm the adrenalin rush, Scott told the kids a good long story before sending them back to bed. We passed the powerless time watching some of The War together on his phone (snuggly!). 

This morning we woke to find our front window screens torn up, broken glass in the boys' window (only the outer pane, so all was dry), some of the shingles askew, and a host of pock marks and cracks in our siding. The yard looks like we had it aerated. Venturing out into town for the days' activities we discovered everything south of the interstate to be covered with a carpet of leaves and branches, and highlighted with fallen trees and just a couple of impassable flooded streets.

It was a singular experience for us, but tuning into the news we were sobered to find that our worries were inconsequential compared with much our region. Our prayers continue to go out to those who lost everything.

Helping to make dinner

We're having Hello Kitty Surprise.

Wheat grass progress

Fun for the  kids: grow some wheat grass for spring.

Learning to quilt

I joined an online charity quilting bee a little while ago. When I'm short on time to complete whole entire quilts (which is pretty much always), making only two blocks a month is just the thing to satisfy the desire and learn some new things. The lady who was in charge of designing April's blocks chose "wonky stars". (If you ever want to read the word "wonky" in abundance, just start browsing around quilting discussions.) I am anxious to see photos of these two little guys as part of a big quilt. Can't wait to see what next month's assignment will be.

Thank you, Dogwood

Everywhere I drive all over town I'm overwhelmed with dogwooded goodness these days. My little guys are doing just fine too. Their leaves have been emerging, but I really didn't expect to get any blooms this year. This one surprised me.

Have I ever mentioned....

....how great it is to have a brother who is not only qualified to dispense medical advice for your children, but  also doesn't mind taking time out of his Saturday afternoon to talk to you and diagnose your daughter's eczema-turned-skin-cracked-open-turned-infection on her poor fingers and hands and call in the necessary prescriptions thus saving you a trip to wait for hours to be seen at the ER because you just don't know if you should wait until Monday to take her to the dr. because her hands look so awful and they're hurting her and so swollen she can't really hold a pencil very well and how's she supposed to take TCAPS like that??

It's the best. Thanks, Troy.

On my front porch

At the end of a sunny day for my hunters and gatherers.

Leaving proof

Guess who's never in the photos around here?
The one taking them.
Guess who that is?
Hi! I'm the mom! No one really thinks to pull out the camera and capture me (including me).
Then I linked over to this. (via my bff, Gabby)
So true, so true. We need more photos of me. With the kids. By myself. With Scott (the last time I needed a shot of us together I had to look back years to find one).
So I kept the camera accessibly on the counter all day long and kept getting myself in the frame. This needs to be a habit. Is this narcissistic? I don't think so. I think it's only right--leaving proof that I was here all along. Here's to more of me!

And heck, we need more of Scott with Afton too.