CPR-Surviving with 3 Boys!: June 2011

Our month of May was another exhausting one. Our community endured some pretty devastating weather on April 27th. The morning brought severe winds and storms...although there were no tornadoes that morning, we had wide spread power outages and damage to trees, houses and property. I attempted to get the boys to school and report to work, only to find their school closed when I got there and my school system closing at 10am due to only a few schools having power. After driving for almost 2 hours (normally about 30 minutes), being turned around several times because of huge trees covering every path. I made it to work, with the boys in tow....and only had about an hour until closing!! Many tornadoes ripped though town later that night, a few of them just missing us directly. Many people in our community and surrounding areas, including people I work with, lost homes and loved ones that day. It was definitely a day we'll never forget.

The first weekend of May, Brad became part of the United Methodist Disaster Response Team- which allowed him to be part of the first responder team. He worked the next several weekends on tornado recovery. My school system missed another 3-4 days of school as we tried to help clean up and wrap our minds around what had happened. We ended up NOT having to make those days up, as the President and the Governor declared our county a federal disaster area.

We enjoyed Mother's Day with church and lunch at the Bright Star with BeBe, Leah, Guncle and Kerrigan. It was Leah's first mother's day....so it was extra special for her! My boys got me Dunkin Donuts for breakfast (In case you don't know, this girl LOVES donuts....even when I'm not preggo!!) and a trip to the spa! Can't wait to use that!

Next up was Rachel's graduation from UT. The actual ceremony was mid-week and since I was trying to save up my sick days, we headed up to Knoxville the weekend after to help her celebrate! We enjoyed hanging out with her! Granny and Gramp took the boys on a trip to Toys R Us....Brad and I were informed that this was a trip just for them and that we weren't allowed to go! Ummmmmmm, no problem at allllllll!!! They came home with a few new things....and were very excited! Chuggington trains seem to be the latest infatuation....I was letting them pretend their Thomas trains were Chuggington trains, but you know Grandparents....they don't think like that!!

Playing our new game with Granny

The following weekend was BeBe's birthday, so we celebrated with a trip to Costa's on Saturday and followed up with lunch and pool time on Sunday! Happy Birthday BeBe!!

We are so glad that Pop got the pool ready!!

Lovin' the hot tub!

Ummmm....Carson, did you forget something??

The boys finished up the "regular school year" with a trip to the zoo. Daddy took the day off and took them this year- and they had a blast. He was sending me picture messages so that I didn't feel left out:) It's fun getting to see them with their friends from school. I mean, we hear all the stories, but to see them interacting with them is just plain fun. Please notice the "binonculars" around their necks in some of the pics. They made them at school and were so proud. Brad said they used them the whole time!!

We're ready!!

The new Africa exhibit was awesome!!

Thank you Grant for being the only one looking at the camera!!

Please Parker.....Don't jump in!!

I had my first pre-baby baby shower at work. My sweet friends Tracey and Daphne organized it....and we got some sweet stuff for our lil guy! It's wonderful to work with people that are also some of my dearest friends. It was fun opening all that little stuff again!! I did catch some flack for not having a name picked out yet....we have some girls that like to monogram and they wanted to know his name!! Ummmmm, Brad?!?!?!?!

I also started coaching a 14 and Under Viper softball team the last few weekends of the month....so we spent Memorial Day weekend at the softball field....just like old times! It's something I sure do miss....but my legs and ankles did NOT thank me for being out in the 90 degree heat at 30 weeks pregnant! I was helping out while I was able....and enjoyed coaching again. Of course, it was short lived-but I was glad to be a part of it while I could!

One important note that was left off the March update.....the boys got bunkbeds!!! Lord help us not visit the ER anytime soon! Carson is the top bunk and Parker on the bottom (which is the safest option for all of us!!) They passed on their "little boy" beds to their little brother and slept in their "big boy" beds all night the first night! They LOVE them!!!

April began with a trip to Arkansas.....yet another state on the boys' traveling list!! We headed to Little Rock for my Uncle Mike and Aunt Tina's 25th wedding anniversary and renewal of vows. Uncle Mike is one of my mom's brothers, one of the twins, from which the twin curse, I mean blessing, comes from:)

The weekend was filled with family and good times. My sister and her family came (minus Tyler, who was playing baseball that weekend), my Aunt Sherry, Uncle Roger and cousin Kim from Illinois and my mom and one of her cousins also came. It was a beautiful day- and it was fun to be part of their 2nd big day!

Some memories from the weekend include, Kim and I taking the boys to a church playground for some sliding and monkey bar work, Carson yodling- at breakfast, in the car, even on the toilet- "Yodellaheeehoooo!- Can someeeeoneeeee wiiiiipeeee myyyyy bottttttoooommmmmmm?" (Kim's favorite), swinging on an outdoor porch swing with a set of triplets and running back and forth between our room and Kim's room, which was right across the hallway. They thought they were big time to go "by themselves" to Kim's room:)

We got lots of questions about Arkansas....I guess since we'd never been before. Most of the way there we heard... Is this Arkansas? Is the Funky French Fry in Arkansas? Do they have chocolate milk in Arkansas? Where are we going to sleep? We stayed at a Best Western close to my aunt and uncle's house.....and now everytime they see a sign for one, they will say, "Hey!! We stayed there when we were in Arkansas!!"

We were at Golden Corral for breakfast Sunday morning, as I put pancakes on his plate, Parker said, "We get syrup, right?? Because we are on vacation!" Carson said, "Yes Bubba, when you stay in a hotel that means it's vacation!" Yes, Gramp....I realize you think that limiting the intake of syrup is child abuse;)

Here are some pics with the family

Uncle Mike....one of the twins that are responsible for passing the trend!!

Aunt Sherry, Uncle Roger and Kim

We went to the Funky Fish Fry, a fund raiser for the boys' school and the Autism Society. They call it the Funky French Fry....I love that. April also brought a trip to Chattanooga for Emma Kate's 4th birthday, St. Jude Trike-a-Thon @ school, and Easter- including egg hunts at school and church and egg dying with the Harbarger's....wow....that's a busy month!

Funky Fish Fry