Tornado Damage: Take 2

The house was damaged. The tornado dropped a tree on the roof creating a hole, but the in-laws claim it was the tree that kept the roof on the house. Apparently the tornado picked up the roof, sucked out the insulation, then replaced the roof 3 inches off kilter.

It could have been worse. This is what's left of the barn:
No tree fell on it's roof and it's now gone. The front porch roof is probably in or around the same place as the barn roof. There is still the deck part, but no roof. And there is still this bird house:

But no roof. Go figure.

And while the cows are all still in the pasture and accounted for:

Most of the trees and fence line are no longer.

This tree took a significant hit. The train rail (as in the metal part the train rides on) smacked the tree 4 times before it was all said and done with:

And I'm not exactly sure where the handicapped person is that belongs to this walker is located, but if you find them you could tell them their walker is now wrapped around a stop sign:

Jeremy and I swooped into town. Picked up some sticks. Jeremy managed to chop up many century old trees.

Kyra picked flowers.
And then they took a siesta at the end of the trip to do some fishing.

Things could have been worse. This was a house down the road from them:All that's left is the fire place.

We Are BACK!

*click on any of the picture to make them larger*

We got home from our trip to the Land of the Country Bumpkin Friday night and I think I have been exhausted ever since. I'm hoping tonight my bed time might bump up from the 9:30 it's been since we arrived home. If for no other reason, then to make me feel like a grown up again. A bed time two and a half hours after your children's bed times is not my idea of what a grown up is supposed to be like. At least a cool one, anyway.

I'll update you guys in phases this week because, lets face it, two weeks is a LONG time to not blog and my mind is FULL of stuff to share.

Today we'll start with how we rolled into town with a blown cooling hose and a flat tire. Seriously. We LIMPED into my in-law's driveway thanks to the debris.

Some of the debris was probably from this house:
It's a fuzzy picture because Jeremy was busy trying to keep the truck in motion because the wind was the only thing keeping the engine cool at this point.

And while Jeremy was busy honking the horn to get people to move the fuck out of our way so our truck WOULD. NOT. DIE. on us, I snapped this picture:

It used the be a neighborhood. The most populated part of town, in fact. The F-3 tornado started on one side of the town, the rural side, dragged through the most populated part where your neighbor's window is 10 feet away from your own, and finished it's path on the other, rural, side of town. Good time this tornado brought...

Here it not only stole most of this house's roof, but it gave them a brand new space to put a floor to ceiling window. In their bedroom.

And Jeremy is somehow related to these people who wrote: "Katrina! Arkansas takes care of their own!" Bitter much?

And I'm not sure what their going to sell in that yard sale, unless it's all the fresh cut wood, but I'm certain I do not need anything.

And this picture just gets me, a steel building... crumpled. It's steel welded wall braces just twisted like it was tin can.

I mean, the outside walls I expected, they were no better then a tin can, but the steel? Mother nature is something else, that's for sure.

More pictures to come tomorrow. Promise!

Thank You, God

Ever wonder how God always seems to make the decision for you? Like when He sends a tornado to destroy the In-laws' house but it only gets the barn, the vehicles, the trees, the porch and the roof? Apparently having a house made completely out of cinder block and rebar saved them. Now I know what to construct our house with if we ever build one.

We'll be driving. At least Jeremy is going with me now.

I'll let you know how everything goes down when we return to the Artic Tundra again.

In My Shoes

If you were in my shoes would you take your two small children by your self to your in-laws house in A) a plane, which will cost you in the larger $400 region and take up 4-5 hours of your day, or B) a car, which will cost you in the middle $100 region if your own brother would let you shack up with him for a night because otherwise it would take just over 24 hours to drive strait through.

If you were in my shoes, would you choose to save your sanity or save your money?

I only ask because both options are dear to my heart.

This is What You Get When I Don't Have a Solid Topic of Discussion

-- While yesterday Lydia wailed and screamed for the better part of the afternoon and ENTIRE evening, today she rewarded me for my patience by taking regular naps and not torturing me because she's tired and thinks if she closes her eyes she just might miss something and it's ALL. MOMMY'S. FAULT! Yep. She's blaming me for all her troubles already. She'll make a fine teenager.

-- Kyra had a dentist appointment today. She's had a chipped tooth since July. The dentist asked if she grinds her teeth when she sleep. How am I supposed to know? When the kids go to sleep I stay F A R away so as not to disturb my peace and quiet. So he asked if she chews her nails. Why YES! Yes she does. And it drives me absolutely batty. Why? Apparently if you chew your nails you also most likely grind your teeth when you sleep. Hmm... that explains why Jeremy grinds his teeth too. Today we painted Kyra's finger nails with some terrible tasting nail polish in hopes of curbing her nasty habit.

-- Since moving to the Artic Tundra, we eat at the same restaurant EVERY Friday. It's a tradition we've revived from our last stint here- over 4 years ago. Different restaurant this go around, but still every Friday.

-- Not only is my brother and his wife going to have his first child in the fall... but now my brother in law and his wife are expecting too. Neither one did Jer or myself ever consider would be having a baby anytime soon. Guess we were WAY off.

-- Being that Lydia was so cute and cuddly and NICE TO ME today, during one of her naps I was googling how to adopt in the Artic Tundra. I showed Jeremy the pages of SIBLINGS! to adopt. He shot me down. Without hesitation.

-- Several weeks ago, after a long day of Lydia screaming at us (again), we climbed into bed at the end of the night and started talking about how cute both the girls are. And how we wouldn't mind having another one.

-- Two weeks after Lydia was born Jeremy went to the boat's Doc and asked how to go about getting a vasectomy as soon as possible. Doc said it couldn't be done until after we moved. Somehow I don't think it'll be followed through with as quickly as we first thought. Maybe in three years I'll be crying all over again how my baby was sent as a gift from the Devil himself and how I'll NEVER! have another child from my uterus... and then swoon over the thought of Just one more... Why, yes, yes we are gluttons for punishment.

-- With all the screaming Lydia does over the course of a week, I've come to appreciate Kyra much more. Kyra still holds the title as World's Most Perfect Child. I'm not sure what title to give Lydie Cake... Worlds Most Disgruntled Midget?

-- The girls are of the same age in these pictures. The differences in temperament is clearly apparent:

Kyra: Hi Mommy! You're here! To take my picture! What a wonderful day this is going to be!

Lydia: What do you want? Don't piss me off. I will scream. I. WILL. SCREAM! Oh, sure, I'm mostly happy and complacent NOW but it won't take but 3 nanoseconds for me to change my mind, just you wait and see...

Snow Snow Every Where and Not a Spot to Stay

Again? With the heavy snowfall that doesn't stick? It was coming down in buckets!And this little girl was THRILLED beyond belief to go out and play in it once it started to accumulate. Damn you, Mother Nature... you're such a kill joy sometimes.

The Anatomy of a 2 Mile Walk. Welcome to the Neighborhood Style.

My name is Kyra. You all know me. You all love me. I'll be your tour guide for today. Don't mind the pointless sticking out of tongues. It's how I like to lighten the situation. (and the crowd replies: She really is a well rounded 3 year old. Smart, pretty, AND funny. What a wonderful adventure this will be!)
We started our walk by packing every thing we needed. Hat. Coat. Pretend baby. Blanket. And the wagon, so when I get tired of walking, my chariot awaits me. Oh. And that is Daddy. He's the work horse of our family. Who else do you think is going to pull this thing?

This is our neighborhood. Ain't it pretty? Over there, to the left, you'll see a group of trees flanked by power lines held up off the ground by that lovely looking pole. And to the right? Yep, you guessed it! More trees. Occasionally we'll pass a house or two. Even a collapsed barn! Those are always exciting. And we should have taken pictures of the three legged dog we encountered. He was a bit skittish though. Couldn't imagine it has anything to do with missing a leg.

What's that? What about those people beside me in the picture above? Oh, that's my Mama. She's the glue that holds this family together. What you're seeing in this picture of her ass is how it has not shrunk since the first few weeks of Lydia's birth. She's working on loosing it during these 2 mile walks. Notice how even Lydia is helping Mama loose that extra sag in the rear? If it weren't for her resistance in learning how to walk already, Mama wouldn't have to carry her! But Lydia knows the extra 12 or so pounds she adds will only help with Mama's plight. She's a good daughter that way.

We walked all the way down to the nice lady's house with the horses. She's going to give me riding lessons! I'm really excited. She has 5 horses for me to choose from. And even a little bitty saddle just my size! But Mama didn't think we should take any pictures while we were over there, being that this is only the second time we've talked to these neighbors. But they do seem awfully nice! They said I could come over anytime I wanted to pet the horses. Even if they're not home!

By the time we had to turn around and walk the mile back home, it was starting to get dark. And chilly. So I climbed right into my awaiting chariot, asked very nicely if Mama would wrap me in the blanket because I was cold, and told Daddy it was time to return home. I was cold and hungry. And Baby was really cold too.

Did you like our neighborhood? Truly exciting, huh? I hope you all come back for my next addition: Mama's Ass is Finally Starting to Shrink! Expect it out mid summer. Until then. Bye bye!

(and the crowd cries: We want our money back, damn it! We can look at trees and fat asses in our own neighborhoods!)

How in the World...?

Can someone from the northern area of our wonderful country please write in and tell me how in the world it is POSSIBLE to snow all day long and not a single speck- not even one!- can or will stick to the ground?

Anyone? Even if you're from the south and just throwing out a hypothetical?

Patience Brings Rewards

Because Kyra was such a wonderful little doll yesterday, today she and I had a special day planned. We packed up the rabid child who was foaming at the mouth (no, seriously, look closely) and drove around until she fell plum asleep. Then we hit the park to see the ducks. And pick up sticks. Apparently, according to Kyra, they're dangerous.

But that didn't stop her from pointing one at me after we arrived home and telling me that if I didn't rake the leaf covered lawn into great big fluffy piles for her to jump into...

We'd have some trouble ahead of us. So I did as I was told. I raked those left over leaves from this past fall into great big gigantic piles.

And she proceeded to destroy them.

She deserved every ounce of fun she had today. I have been so very proud of her patience and maturity since Lydia has been born. I'm sure it hasn't been an easy transition for her, but you'd never guess it by the way she acts.

Kyra even swept my heart away today at the supper table when she looked at me, face beaming, and said, "I had a fun day, Mommy. Thank you."

**gushing**

Heavenly Angel, Devil Spawn

Ever had one of those days where you wanted to sell your smallest one to science so maybe they can figure out why in God's name she has to scream for such long periods of time for no apparent reason other then to drive you loony?

Ever had one of those days where your older child could very well have been mistakenly sent down from heaven because she is so perfect and angelic and you feel guilty for torturing such a beautiful thing by telling her, "Mommy can't right now, honey. I have to stop this devil spawn from driving us all mad." and she not only accepts this statement but moves on with her daily life like any happy little darling angel would?

Ever had one of those days?

Now, if you all will excuse me for a moment while I put another wad of cash in Lydia's therapy jar.