I have so many things to share! lol. I have been away for so long. It has been so hard to keep this thing updated. I need to get it together and share some pictures of things I have done and the boys have been so busy as well. This was the first year Caeden played football and it was tackle football. He looked so cute in his uniform and he was so good at it. Adrian is playing baseball and is doing so good! We finally got him some sports glasses and boy do they make a difference! I know I really need to add some pictures. I will. Slowly but surely I will. The boys have started school and boy does Caeden hate to wake up. I have started a full time job so I am always busy doing something. I have been keeping up with exercise at least. I have started to run. ME! RUN! I know it is crazy to think about but I do and I really enjoy. It. I am going back to Minnesota this week. My grandmother has passed away and I am going to her funeral. I am happy that I am finally making the trip back. I made her a heritage album when my grandfather passed away. I haven’t seen it in 5 years. I am really excited to see it again. I am sure it will make me cry.

So that is it for now. I have made a few things and I was doing really good and creating pages but then I started working. I really need to upload some pics of my recent layouts and projects. Until then I hope everybody is doing well. I will do my best to get more stuff on here. LOVE YOU ALL!

Caeden skipping rocks

Before we left for Colorado we went to check out the closest lake. It wasn’t bad. It was a pretty nice day, not too hot. The water was of a good temp. We had the beach pretty much to ourselves for awhile so we spread out enjoying the little bit of sand around us. The boys took turns burrying each other and skipping rocks. They enjoyed swiming in the lake too. Next time I would really like to bring our jet ski. Around noon more people started showing up and about 1p.m. another big family walked through our spot and started taking their shoes off (in the middle of our stuff) and wrecking the kids sand castle. I was angry how rude!! Of course the boys were upset and without Steven this large family with teen boys didn’t care about us. Needless to say we shared the sand and they actually stayed in the water most of the time so it was okay once I asked them to stay on their side after I moved the toys.

Boys at lake

most mornings. Lately, I have been walking around the very large park right across the street called Celebration Park. It has a mile and a half trail that goes around the many soccer, football & baseball fields as well as a great playground including a water area that I sometimes run through to get cooled off. I usually walk around it at least twice. What a great way to start the day; with a clear head and appreciation of nature. There are baby ducks that have grown so quick and now just born are baby swans. It is so great to watch them follow their mothers so diligently without hesitation. I sure wish my kids would do that! lol. Sometimes you can see the slider turtles sunbathing and quickly go under as you walk by. There are also gorgeous birds: Red Robins, Scissor Tails and other I don’t know the names of. Anyway, I haven’t been writing lately, we have just been busy swimming and relaxing enjoying that days that we have spent together. Summer is near and the kids will be out of school and I will long for my walks around the park. I have to find a way to make it work.

Caeden Field trip

Originally uploaded by hcgorhan

On April 30th I went on the first school field trip since moving. I was a chaparone and the 1st graders went to the Dallas Arberatum. It was a beautifully landscaped place with fun streams and walkways that of course we weren’t able to enjoy. The kids liked the litte houses that created somewhat of a playground much better. We ate lunch and then took a tour of the habitat where the kids learned different tree types and plants including poison ivy. As we entered the natural area the kids saw a hawk perched up on a branch just staring down at all the kids just watching. It didn’t move the entire 30-45 minutes and was still there when we left. It was fun to get to know the teacher and other students a little better as well as the other moms helping out. Caeden just enjoyed his mom being there and gave me this cute pose as the rest of the class was getting ready for the next picture.

There are many many circular clouds and tornado warnings and watches are up for all of North Texas. Two tornados have been reported so far with quite possibly many more. I don’t know how much of this I can handle! Please pray for us as we go through this tornado season.

A post on the IRW forum reminded me of another time in my childhood when I had a brush with tornado warnings. Somebody had posted “You sure stayed calm though! Especially for someone not used to that kind of thing.”; and it made me remember when I was just about 6 years old or so and  my brother and I were outside playing in the rain. We were currently living on base in Missouri and next thing I know the loud siren went off. The rain had started pouring sideways and there was an erie feel in the air.  Not a second later my father comes outside screaming for us to get in the house. My father super heroically (if that is even a word) ripped the matress off my bed and directed us to huddle in the bath tub. I remember thinking of my father as my hero……

If it wasn’t for his quick and calm thinking, I don’t think I could have been as calm as I was. So thank you Dad! I love you very much.

If I remember correctly, I think there was a tornado that hit close by but not where we were. Heck, I could be wrong in my memory but it is a memory I hold close to my heart.

4:04am I am awaken by a slight siren sound. Luckily I have heard them before so I knew exactly what was going on; A TORNADO SIREN. Well, that woke me up quick and I run upstairs to wake up Adrian and then down the hall to get Caeden. We take blankets and head into my small walk in closet, which is the only place that I can think of that would be safe. Of course Steve is gone out of town, so I called him hoping he could help from Atlanta. NO was the answer! I then proceeded to turn on the T.V. in my bedroom leaving the boys in my closet and of course no satelitte signal. So next I move to the radio. As soon as I hear some music I hear a loud crack and bang the power goes out. Scared to death I run back into the closet and try to figure out something …… Taking Steve’s advise I call the police station to verify if a tornado had touched down or if we were in a warning; it was a warning and no he didn’t know for how long. Sitting in the closet we were not able to see anything and I realize that I need to get a candle, a radio, something because I had no idea how long we would be in there. I told the boys I would be right back and that everything will be okay. Leaving the closet I see poor Pepe under my bed terrified. As soon as he sees me I hear him meowing and he starts to follow me. I locate a candle and matches, batteries and my clock radio, picked up Pepe and I head back to the closet. The winds were so strong and the rain was hitting the windows so hard, it looked like the house was in a car wash. The scariest part was knowing that we were not prepared and and what will happen to all my pictures. I had thought about where we would go, but not about the supplies I would need. In the closet I lite the candle, put batteries in my clock radio, of course no radio; It just saves the time. GREAT! So we sit in the closet and Caeden won’t quit talking, Adrian is trying to sleep, Precious is trying to get to Pepe so she can jump on his face and play. After some time, It had quieted down and so I called the police department at 4:47am to find out that the warning was over. The kids and I slowly get back into bed and sleep in of course. Throughout the morning I keep peeking to see if there is any power yet back in the house. Around 9ish a glimmer of the bathroom light that was on earlier finally presents itself. As I get out of bed wondering what school will be like because I know their power had to be out as well, I look out of my window and low and behold; We have half a tree!! 

The school had half power at 9:30am and no air; they are not taking attendance today, so the kids decided that they would like to stay home. Great, another terror for me to deal with today!! lol.

We are actually very lucky that nothing besides the tree was damaged. Caeden’s room and my scrapbook room are on that side of the house. Seeing the news and all of the damage from the storms that other houses endured, I feel very lucky indeed.

Mitchy finally stayed on his lease long enough for a picture and to be safe without escape. Caeden loved that he could walk his pet on a leash and Mitchy loved eating the grass. Precious was inside freaking out barking constantly. I have a video to upload of Precious and Mitchy. It is so stinking cute!! All in all Sunday was a pretty nice day……………..

Six Flags ~  click for another picture!

Boys in photo op that killed them! lolOriginally uploaded by hcgorhan

Here is a picture of the boys at Six Flags. I am so thankful that one of my many photo imaging softwares was able to download all pictures! I am one lucky girl .

I had to pull teeth and threaten no more rides just to get the boys to climb on the chair and let me take a picture. It used to be so much easier than this. They both used to be such hams. I miss those days!