Saturday, April 30, 2011

Cook out at Tyler and Molli's

Today was beautiful.  I spent some time sitting outside, soaking up the sunshine, and reading a magazine.

 Molli invited me to their house for a cook-out.  She said that she was dying for cook-out food and since today was so beautiful - they were going to do it.

The Master Griller, Tyler

Their back deck with the new patio furniture.

 Gidget just lounging in the yard.....playing with deer antlers.
 Molli got these pots for her flowers, but the "flower experts", Fred and Barbara say not to plant any flowers until after Mother's Day.  Only one more week, and then they'll be full of beautiful flowers from Hall's Greenhouse.

 Hotdogs off the grill and Tyler preparing his plate.

 It was so nice to eat outside this evening.  And, so nice for company....it's been a lonely week at the house :(
But, that's going to change tomorrow!

After we ate, we went to look at a house that Molli and Tyler are interested in and then to see Charlie and Tarah's new home.  As we drove up, Charlie was outside on his tractor and Tyler said, "I'm getting jealous."  Then we went inside and I said, "Now I'm getting jealous."  It's beautiful!  Everything smells new and it looks so nice.  Congratulations on the new home!

I can't believe that I didn't take any pictures of Alex!  He's another one of my favorite subjects!

Friday, April 29, 2011

A Kind Deed

 Jim has been out of town all week, it had rained the whole week before while I was in Florida, and our yard looked horrible, like a forest! 
Our Tyler came and mowed on Thursday while I was at work. 
He even moved the trampoline and mowed under it.
 How sweet is that!
 Gidgy came and watched out the front door.
 And apparently, Molli decided to take some pictures of herself. 
But thanks for the pictures of Ty working!
Being kind and sweet is one of the reasons Tyler is my favorite son-in-law! 
Along with the reason being that he is my ONLY son-in-law! 
 Love you Tyler!!  And Thank You Very Much!

A Tornado Scare

 Morgan is a student at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.  On April 25th at 6:42pm I got this picture from Morgan saying that it was tornadoeing.  I answered What?  Are you somewhere safe?  She types back, "I'm wearing ear plugs and my hard hat and glasses."  I answered, "That's probably not good enough when it picks up your whole body or the building crashes on you." 

She says, "It's stopping but the alarm won't stop going off.  And then sends me this picture, and says, "Look it's sunny now."


At 12:48pm, she sends me this picture, and says, "There are trees everywhere!"

I am really terrified of tornados.  I don't know why, but I have always been.  I can remember as a child not being able to sleep all night if I heard that there was a tornado warning.  Somewhere I heard that it sounds like a train approaching.  I think that I hear that sound every time it storms. 

Anyway, it's not over yet.  At 1:17pm she sends me a text that says, "There is supposed to be a bigger one tonight."

On Wednesday, April 27th at 10:30am she sends me a text that says, "There is a tornado right now.  I just got the UT alert."  I tell her to get to a shelter.  At 12:00 noon I send a text asking if the storm has hit yet, and she replies, "It hit north Knox but not campus."  I say good, and it's over?  She answers, "for a few hours."  From 1:00pm on she was in shelter at the architecture building that is concrete.  She, along with others, were in shelter in a bathroom that was in the center of the building.  I was praying for her safety.  At various times, she could call us, but only when she came out of the bathroom because the service was not good in that location.  I was very frightened.  Sometimes when we were on the phone, she'd have to say, "I've gotta go, I have to get back in the bathroom, it's really bad right now."  The last time I spoke to her, I told her to send me a text as soon as she was allowed to go back to her room and the storm was over.  Sleep was fit full all night, and when I awoke in the morning, there was no text.  My heart sank. I immediately got on the computer and looked up the weather for the University.  There was not major damage to the University so I felt that she was probably safe, but still worried.  Then I began to see the damage and devastation in other areas of TN, AR, and AL.  I cannot imagine the terror and the pain that those people are experiencing.

I called Jim and asked him to please call Morgan and make sure that she was OK.  He called her and she was asleep, safe and sound.  She had gotten to go back to her room at 1:00am in the morning.  She didn't want to disturb me because she thought that I'd be asleep. 
She won't understand, until she has children, what no text or phone call does to a mother's heart!

I praise God that she and her friends were safe.  But, I also pray God's peace to the many, many people affected by the tornados. 

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

A Late Visit From the Easter Bunny

Even though I saw Molli and Tyler earlier in the day, the Easter Bunny had left their baskets at the house so they came over Sunday night, after church, to get them.

This is Molli's basket:  a monogrammed bag, a ring, some candy, and some toys.

 

This is Tyler's basket:  a monogrammed bag (Wild Wonderful Productions), a t-shirt, some candy, and some toys.

 The kiddos searching through their "baskets".









 Two of our girls (we missed you Morgan!).
 And, of course, Gidgy came too.
I promise that this is the last Easter post. 
We had such a great Easter, and I took so many pictures, I wanted to spread them out and enjoy them for a few days.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Easter at the Oliver's

 After lunch on Easter Sunday, and the egg hunt, we went to visit Jim's family.
Maci with Riley and Grayson

My little model...Graci
 Evidently Easter and bubbles go together.









After bubbles, I had the priviledge of having Miss Grayson pose for some pictures.





Nana, Riley, and Grayson


 These flowers are beautiful.  My MIL must have a green thumb.






I have one more Easter post that I will have to do tomorrow.  I've run out of time tonight.  I told you that I had alot of Easter pictures!