Call us crazy!

Well, we are staying home to weather the storm. We are feeling that the storm will be just as bad at the places available to us for short term evacuation. We have had sick kids and don't really want to spread it to many others. It looks like the hurricane will make landfall to our east and then come our way. Hopefully, it will die down quickly over land. I am nervous about staying, but also feel like it is what we should do. We expect power outages and lots of wind and rain. So, wish us luck, send your prayers and I will let you know how we faired in a few days!

Should we stay or should we go?

We are getting ready for Hurricane Gustav today, and just hoping it is not as bad as it seems. Dave is on call at work through tonight so tomorrow we will decide for sure what we are doing. The kids are hoping for a "vacation" to Indiana to see their cousins. I am just praying they are not out of school for 5 weeks like last time!

Why I am Thankful for...

Stake Conference: Everyone sings loud, so I can sing loud and not hear myself. I also convince myself that others can not hear my pitiful attempt.

Brett lost a tooth!

Brett lost his first tooth last night. He was a little mad at me when I pulled it and cried when he saw he was bleeding, but boy was he excited to see what the toothfairy brought him this morning. As he was getting ready for school he said, "Mom, do you think my missing tooth looks better with my jeans or my school pants." He looks so cute no matter what he is wearing.

They're Back!

Friday the kids went back to school. Ty had his first day of Middle School and Brett started Kindergarten. Bryce started 7th grade and Paige 4th grade. I think Ty is excited about middle school, though he won't admit it. He was glad to have some very good friends in most of his classes. He will be playing the alto sax in the band. Bryce didn't say much about his first day, nothing unusual about that! Paige has 2 friends from her class last year in her class and loves her teachers. She switches class for math and science.

And then there is my baby, Brett in Kindergarten! It will take some getting used to. He was so excited Friday morning he could not stop smiling. I dropped him off in the morning and picked him up in the afternoon. I couldn't feel too sad, because he was so happy. It was a little harder this morning putting him on the bus, he is so little, but again he was so excited. I am sure they will all have a great year.

Brett quote of the day

I asked Brett what he thought I would do all day while he was at school. He said, "I don't know, play Webkinz or play the DS." Sounds like I am going to have fun by myself.

Statements no longer allowed at our house

1. I didn't do anything

2. He/she started it

3. We never get...

and let's not forget

4. It's not fair

5. It is his/her fault

One more...

6. He/she did it on purpose

Conversation in the car

I have the most interesting conversations with my kids while we are driving. This week Paige asked me why you park in a driveway. I didn't really have an answer to her question, so then she asked me, "Is there such thing as a parkway?" I said, "Yes, it is a road." She loved that, "So, you park in a driveway, and you drive on a parkway!"

Brett quote of the day

"Mom, when are you going to do my quote of the day?"

I love my new floor, despite the adventure...

We finally got around to finishing the floor for the new room we are making on our back porch. We decided staining the concrete was the best way to go. We got the stain on a few days ago, but were waiting for a good time to get the sealant on. Finally, yesterday we got it done. Dave had the day off, so we got the first coat on in the morning and then headed out to get away from the smell. We took Dave to the local water park where he had never been. We spent a few hours sliding, splashing, and swimming. It was a lot of fun.

We decided, spur of the moment, after leaving the park to go see the alligators down the creole nature trail. We hadn't been since my sister came, when Brett was a baby.
As we arrived there were a few people right at the front, tossing bread(against the rules) to some alligators. They would come right up close to and even under the platform we were on. There were 4 smallish alligators. Then we headed down the trail to look for more, with no luck. the trail was hot, the bugs were biting and the alligators were hiding. Brett and Paige complained alot. So, as we left Dave asked them if they would like to go to the beach to make up for it. Even though there was obviously a thunderstorm on the way. We went to Holly Beach, and since there was a swim advisory, walked the beach looking for shells. It was much cooler and quite breezy. The kids had a great time and before they could get bored the storm came in, we ran for the car and headed home.

Late that evening Dave put the second coat of sealant on the floor. Bryce, Paige and Brett (Ty spent the night at a friends) went to bed with towels stuffed under the doors to help keep the smell out. It smelled really, really bad. I couldn't sleep in our room so, Dave and I spread out on the floor in Bryce's room and with in minutes decided we couldn't sleep in the house. So, at 11:00 we went out back and put up the tent. We took out sleeping bags, pillows, etc. and then started taking the kids,who had been soundly asleep to the tent. Brett was first, he sat in the tent a little dazed, I asked if he was okay, he said yes and I went back in for more stuff. Minutes, later as Dave is carring Paige out, we hear Brett screaming! I run out and he is crying and screaming(and has had an accident). Paige is upset, she doesn't feel good, and she doesn't like that we woke her up and took her to a tent in the back yard. Just then, Bryce wanders out the back door,(yes, he has just walked across the new, stinky floor). Dave, thinking all his work has been ruined yells at him and now he is upset too. We get everyone calmed down and situated in the tent, where of course they have trouble falling back to sleep. Some how it was not as unbearably hot as it should be on an August night in Louisiana. Eventually, everyone is sleeping. Some time later, I wake up. I hear noises like speeding cars, lots of bugs, frogs and what I think is thunder! I keep listening, not sure what to do. Yes, it is thunder, so I decide it is best to not wake everyone up again unless it becomes absolutely necessary. So, I lie there and listen. It is cloudy. I keep listening and hoping the storm does not come our way. Amazingly, it does not and I some how get a little more sleep. We all start waking up when it is getting light and I was surprised that we slept clear until 6:40. We head for the bathroom and find that thankfully, it doesn't smell as bad as before. Bryce, Paige and Brett have forgiven us and Ty is upset because he missed the "camp out" and the floor looks great!

Reading

I am going through one of those phases where I want to read all the time. Ty said to me just today,"You read alot". I am glad that they notice and I hope it rubs off. Bryce and Ty both have books to finish reading before school starts. Bryce can read just about anything at his level. He is reading "Peter Pan" because it is short and everything that he wants to read is either too easy or he has already read it. "Peter Pan" looks pretty easy to me, but his AR websight says it is hard enough. Ty has to read a book called "Code Talkers". It is about Navajo code talkers in WWII. I read it before him, to try to encourage him, without much luck. I think he is on chapter 5. Paige is reading the Samantha stories from the American Girl collection. She likes them but only reads when I tell her to. Yesterday, Brett read "The Grouchy Ladybug" to me. He is such a good reader.

Just this week I have become addicted to Goodreads. I have seen it on several blogs and decided to look. I am spending way too much time looking for books I have read and seeing what other people are reading. But, It just makes me want to read more. Well, I picked up "Breaking Dawn" at Sam's today, so I think I will go get started, since it is a perfect "curl up with a book" rainy day. What are you reading?