Allright, here is the video from the storm. It is still thundering and raining periodically – 5 hours later, but I think most of it is over. Matt is over in the church basement helping clean up the huge flood. Our basement is flooded as well, and I was supposed to be working down there, but I dropped the container for the old carpet shampooer we use to suck up water and it broke. I think we need a shop vac or something – I don’t really want to take my really good machine down there to do cement basement floors… We’ll see how bad it gets – I might have to. Anyway, for now I am just leaving it and I’ll get Matt’s opinion when he gets home. We had fun with the Flip Video today. Hopefully we’ll have many more to share as the summer progresses on. I hadn’t used it for awhile because the software to upload the videos wasn’t working properly, but I think it is working okay now – although it is VERY slow… Obviously as you’ll see from the video below it is not the best quality machine (it didn’t pick up the lightning strikes very well) – it’s meant to grab and do quick videos or take places with you (It’s like a small normal digital camera size) Anyway – enjoy!

All right, here is the next video of the day – it’s hard to imagne while looking outside now how nice it was just a few hours earlier when this was taken. I took a video of the storm as well. Our power keeps flickering on and off though so we’ll see if I get it uploaded tonight or not. (or if it even turns out on my little flip camera) All I can say is it has been a NOISY afternoon with all the thunder. Fortunately, we were scheduled for 80-100 mph winds and 1″ hail and that storm missed us – YEA! However, the fields are flooded and it is still pouring and thundering. Here are the kids having fun and a brief tour of the garden.

School is out! Here is how the boys kept themselves entertained for awhile… I have more videos coming if I can get the crazy software to work… Looks like we are in for some huge storms this afternoon – it is 3:05 p.m. and they are rolling in. We are under a tornado watch until 10:00 p.m. so we’re ready to run to the basement if we have to.

Well… remember those Asian Greens I spoke of? I told Matt they were too spicy/hot for me and that he should try them. I was worried no one was going to like them and I wasn’t sure what to do with them! Supposedly you can stir-fry them or something.. but anyway… He washed off a big bunch, bit right in and said he loved them! So next Ryan and Christian said they wanted to try and they then proceeded to eat several and say they loved them! They finally put them away, and then asked if they could have some for breakfast. LOL

The entire family also gobbled up the salad at dinner (radishes, green oinions and all) althogh they did say it seemed like something a fancy restaurant would serve. (Yeah it wasn’t iceburg..) And… everyone (except Ryan who didn’t try it) loved the cracker spread/dip as well!

I think they are eating it because they came with and picked it up and I explained that the farmer worked hard to grow it etc. Hey – if that’s what it takes to get them to try new vegetables…. My money is well invested!
~ One Happy Mama

Only 1 hour more of school and it is summer vacation! The boys had 1/2 a day today and then they’ll have an hour tomorrow and be done! I am pretty sure summer will fly by… It is almost June and they start up again Aug. 19th, I just found out today – so pretty early! I haven’t seen the entire year calendar yet, (I think that comes tomorrow) but I am presuming they either have a longer break somewhere in there or they get out extra early next year.

Our summer has a few things on the calendar, but not near as busy as last year… (at least not yet!) My plan is to make lots of local day trips, but essentially stay home to garden, enjoy the boys, and get ready for the little one who is planning to make an appearance in the fall.

We have our nice weather back – It is around 80 out at the moment – just perfect. I worked out in the garden a bit this morning and visited the kittens. Oh, Snickers had her litter Wednesday, so the two litters are just 4 days apart. She had 5 – all black/grey stripey – mostly black. That gives us 13 babies!

Since summer is coming, I figured I better get some practice hauling all 3 boys out and about with me. I don’t think I have taken all three of them alone all school year – maybe once or twice. Generally I either do errands while they are in school or leave them home with Matt, or take Matt with me. Matt was busy yesterday afternoon, so we headed out… on our own.

We went to the farm to pick up our first share of the CSA veggies I referred to last week. Of course it was the first time we had been there and the GPS was wrong… but we did eventually find it and figure out what we were supposed to do. It was desolate when we arrive and I had no idea what to do, but finally saw a couple green coolers, so I opened one up and low and behold there were several bags of produce in there so I grabbed one. Just as I was leaving the farmer pulled up and we met and chatted – he was very nice. Apparently most people who are a part of the program live in the bigger city and they have a pick-up there as well. There are only about 10-12 families it sounded like that pick up at the farm. Anyway, this week we got a big bag of lettuce greens (various types – about the amount of 3-4 bags of prepackaged lettuce that you would buy at the grocery store – I couldn’t even fit it all into my salad spinner at once). A similar size bag of Asian Greens – I tried once piece and it was very strong tasting – I haven’t quite figured out what to do with those yet… A big bunch of radishes, and a big bunch of green onions. I made a salad with the greens, some of the radishes, some green onion and added carrots. I ate it for lunch and we’ll have it for dinner as well (like I said it was a lot of salad). Then I made a dip from a recipe that came along with the produce – cream cheese, diced radish, chopped green onion, parsley, garlic salt, lemon juice and paprika. YUM! I think I could go less on the garlic salt – it was a bit salty – but YUMMY! There are still a few radishes and green onion left along with those Asian Greens. I am excited to get more fresh veggies in our diets, along with the prospect of trying new things. Lots of times the veggies we buy at the store end up in the compost pile a week later, but I don’t think that will happen much with these – I feel responsible to eat them since I have seen how much work goes into growing and harvesting them for us. Not to mention they are so good freshly picked – there is definitely a difference in taste!

Next we headed off to CVS (our local drug store type place – like Walgreens or Rite-Aid) and did some mega deal shopping. Get this… Here’s what I got:
7 Jars Ragu Pasta Sauce
2 Excederin – 24 Ct.
Listerine – Medium Bottle
2 Jumbo Packages of Playschool Diapers
2 Mascara
3 Push Pops (to keep the boys happy)
After coupons and sales…. Any guesses?
$3.02 for $82.12 (before tax) worth of product! Not bad huh? Plus… I got coupons for $8 off my next purchase so really it was basically free.

Next we went to Monicals (our favorite pizza and pasta restaurant) to pick up gift certificates for both of the boy’s teachers.

Next Pizza Hut to redeem the boys reading certificates for free individual pizzas. (Plus of course a pizza for mom & dad)

Next The Grocery Store for just a few things

Finally, back to Pizza Hut to pick up the pizza’s.

The boys did pretty good all things considered. I could probably survive another trip at some point.

I think that is about all the news for now.
C-

Yesterday we went to Bloomington for the afternoon/evening and our car thermometer said 90 degrees. Today, we were in town getting groceries and it said 45 degrees – What a difference a day makes! What a weird spring we are having – I can’t believe it is 45 degrees May 27th – weird. Our poor garden probably doesn’t know what to think.

Saturday I finished planting the garden (well, all the seeds that I had… a few more packets showed up in the mail today). I went out to the shop to grab my tools and Oreo was in labor, so I hung out with her for awhile since it was her first litter. She did pretty good, but was obviously very tired at the end. She had 7 babies, but one was stillborn, so six little ones now – 4 black, 2 orange. That’s a lot of babies for a first litter! She seems to be catching onto the mommy role just fine though. We’re still waiting on Snickers. She is currently quite jealous of the attention Oreo is enjoyng at the moment.

Sunday the back of my legs were quite sore after all that squating from planting, but I survived and it will all be worth it if our plants actually take off – I’m getting a bit nervous about the weather. We had a nice rain today, so now if we could get some warm weather they hopefully will pull through.

Yesterday we took the boys to Chuck E. Cheese and then we were planning on taking them to Coldstone Creamery for Ice-Cream (I had coupons) but when we got there it was absolutely packed. I guess that is expected on a 90 degree holiday. We headed to Hobby Lobby for awhile in hopes that it would clear out, but no luck so we headed to Sam’s Club and had ice-cream there instead. Not quite the same, but the boys were glad to not have to wait in line for 1/2 an hour and I don’t think they really care – ice cream is ice cream to them.

This afternoon I took cupcakes and juice to Christian’s class to celebrate his birthday, since school will be out by the time that rolls around. Although, his birthday is the day of the school picnic, so he’ll still get to see most of his friends anyway. He is planning a little birthday party on the 7th here at our house. I better get those invitations out tomorrow!

Tomorrow I will be at school most of the day helping with the Fun Day BBQ and then staying for the award ceremony. They did that at night last year, but this year it is during the school day, which I am glad about – one last evening activity we need to attend. Tomorrow afternoon we get to go pick up our first share of veggies from the CSA Group we joined that I talked about last week. Hopefully I can find the farm on my own with the boys as Matt is off picking up chairs or tables or something for our new fellowship hall which is getting dedicated Sunday. Apparently he thinks we should have some chairs and tables to sit at. Then tomorrow evening we meet with our pre-marital counseling couple again. Busy Busy!

Thursday is 1/2 day of school, Friday is 1 hour and then we’re done! I’ll have a 1st and 3rd grader! They are just plain hyper and probably will be until school is over and done with.

I was feeling old today when we got a picture of the Bible School team that is coming from MN in June to help with our Vacation Bible School and one of the girls was a 3rd – 5th grader in my Children’s Ministry Program when I worked at Emmaus! Wow time flies and scary to think soon our kids will be that old! How fun it will be to see her all grown up!

Well, I stayed up way too late last night, so I think I am about ready to jump into bed.

C-

Well…. I guess my finale to Grey’s Anatomy is this week not last week – hopefully I didn’t throw anyone off. I’m watching the American Idol finale right now – although we watched the end first so we already know who won. LOL I find it entertaining just to watch what everyone is wearing. We watched the Desperate Housewives finale on Sunday as well – judging by the end of that I am guessing it won’t be on next year. Anyway, enough about TV.

The kids are in the countdown for the end of school – the last day is next Friday – although next week is kind of a wash. No school Monday, Thurs. is a 1/2 day, and then Friday they only go for like an hour – they go to chapel and get report cards.

Are gas prices just killing you? I just realized the other day that it costs me over $3.00 to just drive the kids back and forth to school each day. We heard through the grapevine that the prices went up to around $4.16 up north today. Here in town it is $3.89, but we went out to dinner a bit further south and filled up at $3.82. That’s still just terrible. We keep telling the kids to expect to stay home a lot this summer. Although knowing us, we always get stir crazy and end up going somewhere now and then. I’m thinking of small trips each Monday instead of a big vacation. I don’t think I will feel much like camping this summer as I’ll be plenty pregnant. Matt kind of wants to save some of his vacation time for after the baby is born as well.

We went to dinner at a Chinese Buffet someone from church recommended to Matt. We usually go to a different one, but were told this one was better. It was not even close in our opinion… Blech – I don’t think we will be heading back to this one – especially since it is just a tad further to the nice one. We did get to go to the Super Wal-Mart after dinner though to get supplies for Christian’s Birthday Party and some fruit. (I know weird combo, but we were out of fruit..) Christian decided to go with a Spiderman theme. Christian’s birthday seemed to just kind of sneak up on us this year! He’ll be SIX years old! I remember when he was just 2 weeks old and we were moving across the country from MN to WA.

Christian and Dane are invited to a birthday party on Sat. for twin boys from church who are turning five. That should be fun for them – it looks like a Construction Theme according to the invites, and it says to prepare to get dirty. Their mom is very creative, so I am sure they will have a blast.

I am starting to feel the baby move around more and more, which is of course fun (for the time being). My stomach is starting to get in the way as well – it’s like you don’t realize it is sticking out so far and all of the sudden you are bumping into things. LOL He/She will be halfway baked on Monday – that will mark 20 weeks. I’m feelng pretty good these days except for the fact that my muscles “down there” seem to be relaxing extra early this time which makes it a bit painful to – well everything – walk a long ways, go up stairs, lift my legs into pants – you get the idea. It has gotten slightly better the last couple days, so hopefully that trend will continue for awhile. I ordered a pregnancy support belt thing that is supposedly supposed to help with that. Matt says he’ll laugh at me if I wear it, but I figure if it helps, he can laugh away. If it doesn’t help it has a 30 day money-back guarantee – sounds like a no-lose situation to me.

We have two pregnant kitties as well who we have locked up in the shop so we can make sure all goes well with that process. (I of course go out to visit them a couple times each day to make sure they are happy.)One is our normal mommy kitty, Snickers, and one is one of her babies that is about 1 1/2 years old, Oreo. We’ll have lots of babies soon! A couple of the kittens from last fall will be moving to my friend Lynn’s house once school is out, so that will leave us with 5 until the new babies arrive. I have already had a couple friends ask for kittens, so some of the new babies will most likely have homes once they are old enough as well.

One of our clients on Menu Planning Central posted about a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group she is a part of. Basically you buy a “share” of a local farm in the fall/winter, and then in the spring/summer each week you pick-up a box of fresh veggies (and sometimes fruits). The produce is fresh, organic, and you help support a local farm. There is a website: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ where you can check to see if you have a CSA farm in your area. I thought it was a long shot for ua since we live in such a small communty, but I found one within 20 minutes! Their website said their shares were sold out for this year, but I sent in an e-mail just in case and they have agreed to “squeeze” me in! I am so excited to get started next week – we’ll see how it goes! It works out to about $15 a week, which seems like a pretty good deal for a bag of fresh goods each week – we probably spend that much at the store anyway, and this will be much fresher and guaranteed organic. It runs from May – Oct, so we have missed two weeks, but they just pro-rated us and we have only missed some greens, as it starts out slow, peaks and then slows down again. So this will be a supplement to our garden.

Matt has been tinkering for a week or so on an engine he bought off e-bay for $8 or something. I guess it is an “upgrade” for the go-cart to make it “faster”. Just what they need! Of course that $8 motor has eaten who knows how many extra dollars as more parts are needed to fix it up. It was finally puttering along last night and I think today it has started to be installed onto the cart. Progress, and he enjoys doing that kind of stuff.

All right, this is probably plenty long for you to read, so I better end for now.

C-