Sweet Home Alabama

Normally I do Random Thursdays, but today I just can't.

Our beautiful state was hit by some really nasty storms and the tornadoes produced by those storms have taken the lives of (so far) over 140 people. People are searching for loved ones, while others are coping with the loss of their homes.

So today I ask that you take a minute of your time to lift all of these people up in prayer. Pray that they find their loved ones.

Pray for the volunteers and those working to help.

Pray for those who lost their homes.

Pray for those who lost their lives.

And pray that this beautiful state can come together and help each other through this difficult time. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ohIVzIZLuQ&feature=share

This is a very amazing video of the tornado that went through Tuscaloosa.

It is awesome and terrifying all at the same time.

The Tornado that went through Cullman

The Tornado that went through Tuscaloosa

Psalm 46:1-2
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

Isaiah 54:10
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Never Gonna Give You UP

Never gonna pick you up

Never gonna spin you 'round

Never gonna crush your house and desert you

Never gonna come on down

Never gonna touch the ground

Never gonna suck you up or hurt you

That's a little song from the tornado heading our way. I've named him Rick because that seems appropriate enough.

Gah, I'm so not in the mood for storms today. It's so pretty outside right now. I have my windows open and the breeze feels so good. Sure, if you go outside you have to walk sideways from all the wind, but I can deal with that.

We don't have a basement so if it gets bad we have to drive next door to my parents to take shelter. Usually it doesn't even have to be that bad. I'm just a paranoid freakazoid so if it looks weird out I'll usually text my mommy to see if we can come over. This morning it got pretty bad in some parts of the state. I was convinced we were all going to die because I couldn't see out the windows because of all the rain and hail. I went and grabbed the baby and put him in bed with me and Slaten and started praying that the lightning wouldn't come into the house. I wonder if I need to see a psychiatrist about this fear... Anyways, we didn't die. Obviously. Duh.

Do you ever feel like you're psychic? Like you think of a song and then it plays on the radio or you dream about someone and then you run into them? Okay, so I am totally psychic because I do these things sometimes. Right? So I think I enhance my fear of lightning because I'm all "Kate, you're so psychic what if you're so scared of lightning because you know that's how you're going to die one day." And I'm all like "You know what self, what if you're right!!?? I should totally just stay away from lightning." Makes sense doesn't it? I'm also afraid of falling off of cliffs... thus the reason I stay away from them. So if my psychic abilities are accurate lightning or cliff falling is the way I'm going to go. BUT what if I get struck by lightning WHILE falling off a cliff. I think maybe that's how I'm going to go.  It could totally happen. Don't roll your eyes at me.

But you know what? I'm also deathly afraid of fireworks so I'm probably going to go around New Years or 4th of July when it's my time because I bet I'll be near a cliff watching fireworks when suddenly I'll trip and as I'm falling someone will shoot a firework and at the same time lightning will strike and it will hit me and that will be how I go. And I bet there will be zombies at the bottom of the cliff to eat my brains because I'm also scared of Zombies.

Wait, what? You say I'm not psychic? Phew, well I guess I'll just go back to worrying about being eaten alive by coyotes because that one seems totally possible up here....

But do you LIKE me???

Come on let's go cuddle before I have to fall asleep.

Okay, but you have to spend the next 5 minutes telling me how much you love me.

I love you sooo much.

Like more than before or like Eh I love you the same or maybe a little bit less than when we first got married? I need to know.

I love you so much more.

Would you say like double what you did before? Or maybe just like an inch more?

Like double more, then triple that, and then triple that...

Well that's good. I love you too. Do you still think I'm beautiful?

Yes, I do.

Okay, so do you think I'm as beautiful as I use to be? Like before kids? Do my thunder thighs bother you? Or how about these stretch marks that YOUR children brought on me? Am I getting wrinkles? Do those bother you? Or how my arms jiggle when I do this?

No, none of those things bother me I still think you are incredibly beautiful.

Okay, how beautiful do you think I am?

Kate, 5 am comes awfully early.

Alright I understand, but just one more question. Do you still like me? I know you love me, but you know you can totally love someone and not like them.. do you always like me?? Even when I make you mad? Do you like me then??

*snore* I love you, I like you, you are the most beautiful woman ever. Please be quiet I'm going to sleep.


He sure does put up with a lot from me. Thankfully he makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world... I just like to make him say it over and over so I can keep my big ego.

Random Thursday {5}

Random Thursday

{5}

1. Slaten had a class picture made at preschool last month and we got the picture back on Tuesday. I have it hanging on the fridge, even though he begged me not to. Today I walked to the freezer to get food out for lunch and I noticed that a small round magnet was placed over a little boy's face. I tired to remove it, but was yelled at immediately.

Don't take that off!!!!

Why on earth is this magnet on this little boy's face?

That's Aaron.

Well what's wrong with Aaron?

I don't like him.

It's like when you're in Jr. high and you scribble over the skanky girl's faces in your yearbook. I was just amazed that a 3 year old could think to place something over some body's picture that he didn't want to look at. I don't know this kid, but I think he said ugly words to Slaten one day at school so I'm just going to leave the magnet.

2. Yesterday I was jonesing for a vacation something awful so I decided I needed to just have some time alone in the quiet. Sweet Husband suggested I go take a stroll around the pond and relax. I decided that was too far to walk so I went out to the barn with a magazine and hung out on the lawn mower. Lazy? Yes. Relaxing? Surprisingly more than you would think.

3. I have now successfully taught my 3 year old to quote the movie "Nell". We were being silly and talking. I called him crazy and he said, "Chickapea" and then "Tee bowin' in da winnn." He also made reference to Darth Vader in another conversation. My kid is awesome.

4. Cullen just crawled in my lap and his diaper leaked on my leg... Oh the joys of motherhood. Only once you become a mother do things like people getting poo on you not bother you as much.

5. Last night when it was lightning. I made Sweet Husband hold me up close because I was scared. I kept picturing lightning striking through the roof and hitting me and by golly if I was going he was going too... Okay, not really.. I just wanted to be held.

6. Sweet Husband has called me 4 times today. I think he misses me. It's nice to know he still likes me after 8 years.

7. I like Spam. Don't judge me.

8. Right now I am mad at my house. Here are the rooms I am most mad at:

Laundry Room- You are too small. You are cluttered and you make me mad because you don't have a door to keep my little people out of you.

Closets in every room- You have stupid shelves and rods. I hate you so much that I don't want to even hang my clothes up because your rods stink. I will be gutting you as soon as possible.

Master Bathroom Hole- You are a shell of a bathroom and I am ready for you to be finished. I would like to walk 2 feet to the bathroom at night instead of out of our room and around the corner. Plus you are super creepy at night with your sheers where a door should be. I can't see in you and I know you have to be housing a monster or murderer that's been hiding in there all day until it's time for me to go to bed.

9. I want to write a book, but I have no clue what I want it to be about. My mind is so random and I have the attention span of a gnat so I don't know that I could write more than a 10 page book, but I want to try. I also want to publish the 2 kid's books I wrote. Those are my goals. Now someone make it happen for me. Thanks.

10. I'm about to put the boys down for a nap so I can eat Slaten's Easter candy he got at school today. Shhh don't tell.

8 Years Ago Today

Today is mine and Sweet Husband's "dateiversary". We went on our first date 8 years ago. So let's reminisce about the past shall we??

I had just broken up with my boyfriend of 2 years and was feeling a little down and blue. I had just gotten back from visiting University of North Alabama and had my heart set on starting there in the fall. A fresh start in a new city. That was the idea I had in my head anyway. I had plans on spending some much needed girl time with my bff (who now happens to be my sister in law.. yes, isn't that cool!!?). Anyway, I was sitting at home on April 14th (the day after my 17th birthday) and I received a phone call from a guy friend. He asked me if I wanted to go to a 3 doors down concert. I was kind of like "Eh, I don't know" and then he said "Oh, not with me! Here just talk to him." That's when Sweet Husband got on the phone and asked me if I wanted to go with him. He had asked another girl and she was going to go, but then she had something come up. He was trying to rack his brain on who to ask when our mutual friend said, "Dude, Katie just broke up with her boyfriend!!" They say he was really excited to hear that news. Obviously I said yes.

BUT, to be honest. I almost cancelled. It was so soon after I just ended things with my ex and I just wasn't sure I was ready to go out with another guy. My mom talked me into going. She said, "Just go! You'll have fun!" So I decided I would try it out. Sweet Husband called me and asked if I wanted to hang out the night before the concert and I told him that a "friend was down from college" that was code for a guy I used to date is in town and I'm just going to hang out with him for a while. I wasn't ready to be tied down to one guy. He was bummed, but we hashed out details for our date that Saturday night.

Saturday came. I went through my closet trying to find the perfect outfit. I settled on Abercrombie jeans and an Amercrombie tank top.... that I'd paid WAY too much for. Goodness we're silly when we're young. He picked me up in his super loud, super muddy Toyota Tacoma and we headed back to his house to meet up with his friends. I was worried things would be awkward because we hadn't seen each other in at least a year, but really it wasn't we talked the whole way there and I had these little butterflies fluttering because I use to have a crush on this guy when I was younger and here I was riding in a truck with him. We got to his house and immediately his mother took our picture. I thought that was odd, but now I am so thankful to have that memory captured. We went with his friends to the concert where I had the most amazing time.

He put his arms around my waist and I laid my head back on his shoulder and we fit together perfectly. I think that's the moment I knew that this was going to be more than just a one date kind of deal. On the way home I fell asleep on him because I was use to going to bed at 9 pm and well it was late dadgumit. He took me home and walked me to the door. He hesitated and just stared into my eyes for what felt like a good 2 minutes and then he leaned forward and gave me a kiss that I can still remember to this day. Never have I ever had the breath immediately leave my body like that. When he pulled away I still couldn't breathe and my heart was pounding. He told me goodbye and said he'd call me later. I walked into the house all smiles. After that we spent EVERY day together.

It was such a fantastic night. An unexpected night. One I almost missed, but thank God I went anyway. We fell in love. We fell in love fast and we fell in love hard and it hasn't slacked up. He's my best friend and to him I say

Thank you for calling me.

Thank you for treating me like I hung the moon.

Thank you for telling me I'm beautiful everyday.

Thank you for our two beautiful children.

And most importantly thank you for your unconditional love because I love you more than words and I thank God that he put us together.



Random Thursday {4}

RANDOM

THURSDAY!

{4}



1. Yesterday was my 25th birthday. It made me sad because I can no longer say I'm in my early twenties. In my mind I'm still 18 years old so I'm just going to continue on like I am.

2. We went thrifting yesterday because it's my favorite thing to do and well it was my day. A little old lady walked up to me and Cullen and told me how pretty my little girl was. I told her she was a boy. She seemed mortified that she made that mistake. That shows you right there that no matter if your little boy has on jeans, a red (boyish) shirt, and has a black eye he still looks like a girl. At least he's good lookin.

3. I got a redbull for my birthday from Sweet Husband. Could possibly be the best present he's ever bought me. (Side note: we don't buy presents for each other... ever.. just cards).

4. I just made chocolate chocolate chip cookies. I may or may not have eaten five. Oh and yes they were from scratch. Impressed? You should be.

5. Sweet Husband has a very unnatural fear of raw chicken. I got to see this in action again tonight as I cut up some chicken for dinner.

6. Cullen broke one of my good dishes tonight. I don't know what I'm going to do with him. I also caught him with toy tires in his mouth today and he tried to throw my laptop to his death from the top of the couch. I think I'm just going to strap him to my back so I can make things easier for all of us.

7. I bought an old window at the thrift store to use as decoration and Sweet Husband knew exactly what I was going to do with it. It's like he gets me, you know? He also told me this without rolling his eyes. I think he likes all my quirky decorations.

8. I have 2 gnomes in my house. No silly, not real ones.

9. I like chicken gizzards.

10. I'm becoming obsessed with making everything in my life positive. I guess some of my facebook friends might have gathered that from my soapbox rant earlier today.

So this is late in Thursday, but I was busy doing things like digging tires out of my kid's mouth and taking naps so....

I Didn't Let Him In!

I am sleepy.

I am procrastinating.

I look a mess.

I'm sitting here in my kitchen, looking at the dishes from last night, thinking about the clothes souring in the washing machine and I just can't seem to get myself moving. I'm also realizing that at the moment I am extremely jealous of my 15 month old who is snoring away in his crib. I'd give anything to snore away even in a crib right now.

Last night I walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water and when I walked past the only window without a curtain I swear someone hit the glass. I ran like a little girl and jumped under the covers and begged Sweet Husband to go turn the light off that I left on, but he said I had to be a "big girl" and do it myself. He said he'd grab the candlestick and come running  if I screamed. I mean what if that had been a murderer or a vampire who was waiting to compel me to let him inside so he could drain us all of blood. What good would a candlestick do against his abundant strength?? One thing I've learned is you never let the girl deal with the boy vampire because they're always pretty and we just can't handle that. And if they sparkle.... well you might as well forget it. So I ran as fast I could to turn off the light and then like lightning I was back in my bed, but then I couldn't fall asleep because I was waiting on the vampire to knock on my bedroom window.

So I decided to watch a little TV. I ended up on this show about girls under 18 getting plastic surgery. After I saw a girl get implants through her belly button I kind of wanted to throw up and then decided the crackers I had before bed were a bad idea. Don't worry she was totally thrilled with her results and that led to her walking around in shirts cut down to her belly button. I'm sure her mother was so proud. Anyway, so after the vampire tried to come in and the plastic surgery that churned my stomach was over I decided to try and go to sleep. Okay, I can do this I thought. I'm just going to turn my mind off and think of happy trees or puppies or zombies... wait no that's not happy. Crap now I'm convinced that's a zombie at my window and they are merciless when it comes to devouring a family. I decided to try and watch some more TV, but then I heard, "MOMMY, MOMMMY, MOMMMYYY!" Great the zombie vampire is trying to get Slaten so I ran to his room. He said he couldn't sleep in his room because it was scary. (It's really windy up here so it can be loud in his room). So I made him lay back down and went to my room. He started crying again so I got up and made a deal that he could sleep on the couch with the TV on. He did for 5 minutes and then started crying. After several threats from his half asleep father he finally settled down and went to sleep about 11:30. I decided I could sleep too since Slaten was in the living room and could warn me if the zombie vampire came in. What? You wouldn't use your child as a warning siren?... don't lie to me.

I fell asleep finally around midnight. At 1:30 Cullen started crying. "I'm just going to ignore it for a minute" I thought. "But he's not stopping and what if the zombie vampire is scratching at his window. He's just a baby he wouldn't understand". So I ran in and grabbed him and rocked him back to sleep. I tried to put him back in his crib and he woke back up. I decided he could cry it out for a little while. An hour later I was finally able to go back to sleep. SO my bedtime was 2:30 with a brief moment of alertness at 5:30 when Sweet Husband left and then at 7:30 it was time to get up according to the 15 month old. So that's why I'm tired today. I have bags under my eyes and I'm wearing the weirdest combination of clothes I've ever seen on myself, but I don't even think I have the energy to change. Thankfully nobody invited the zombie vampire in so we're safe for another day. Hopefully he won't come back tonight. Just in case I think I'll fall asleep before Sweet Husband tonight

My weird outfit. I'm wearing an orange tank top under a blue nightgown with a green hoodie on top with chip and dale pj bottoms under them..... yeah....

A Day all About ME!

I want a massage.

Massages are pointless.

Have you ever had a massage??

No, but why would you pay a lot of money to have a complete stranger rub all over your body... seems pointless.

Because Sweet Husband it makes me feel good.

Yeah, for an hour and then you just go on with your day and less money in your wallet with nothing to show for it.

*You'd go with less money in your wallet* I mutter under my breath.


He just doesn't understand how fantastic a massage can be. He also doesn't understand how heavy Cullen is for this little momma. I mean he weighs probably a fourth of what I do! So I got to thinking if I had a day ALL to myself... what would I do. It would go something like this.

I would wake up at 9:30 in my very comfy hotel bed. One of those with the big fluffy white duvets and sheets with more thread count than I can count. Roberta would bring my tray of breakfast in for me and she'd open the curtains so the birds could sing to me. I'd thank her and then dismiss her to start my bath. I'd have a tray of bacon. I mean what other breakfast option is there?? After I finished breakfast the birds would help me slip into my robe and slippers (all the while singing) and I'd head to the bathroom where I would soak in a jetted tub for a good thirty minutes. I'd slip back into sleep, but don't worry I wouldn't drown because I've fallen asleep several times in the shower and bath and yet here I sit typing.. I'm a pro at it. After my bath I'd get dressed in my new outfit and crown that my stylist had brought over for me. I'd then go shopping, but I of course wouldn't pay for any of this because this is my day all to myself and I'm using someone else's money.

I'd then meet my friend's Cinderella and Jasmine. Sorry I just hate when people name drop it's so rude, but I felt you needed to know exactly what my day was going to be like. We'd eat lunch and then do more shopping. They would then have to leave because I mean they're very busy princesses. I'd head back to the hotel where Alfonso would be there waiting to start my hour and a half massage session. I'd relax and let the tension flow from my body and then I'd wake up because of course I fell asleep during the massage and I'd wipe the drool off of my chin and thank Alfonso. Following that would be a mani and pedi and then once my spa trip was over I'd relax in the pool that is right beside the beach. I'd read a book and then nap in the sand. *Do you see this nap pattern I have going on here*. Dinner would be served at the beach side restaurant and then I would go find me an empty hammock to relax in on the beach so I could listen to the waves.

Then I'd wake up because the baby is crying and tugging on my hair and Slaten is screaming for more juice. Then I'd realize it was all a dream and I will never have a day like that, but it's okay because even though my days aren't that glamorous I still have plenty of fun and if I ask my 3 year old will play with my hair. That way I can just pretend I'm at a salon when I close my eyes. I wonder if I could teach him to give massages... Gotta go I'm going to look into massage schools for preschoolers.

Random Thursday

RANDOM THURSDAY!!!!

Yeah, I've been busy today.

Busy shopping that is!



1. Today made me even more thankful I don't have a little girl. I went shopping for a friend that is having a baby girl and Oh My there are way too many cute little things to buy girls. I bought my little tykes 2 shirts each, but if they had been girls they would have made out with about 10 things each. So thank you God for the boys, you knew what you were doing giving me them.

2. Mounds might be my new favorite candy bar.

3. The bathroom door at the mall wouldn't lock so I used my baby as a doorstop. He screamed the whole time so nobody even tried to come in the family bathroom anyway, but I felt better about jamming him and his stroller against the door so I could be modest.

4. It took me an hour to clean my car today.. the inside of the car.... It was very embarrassing and I'm sorry to anyone that had to ride in my trashcan. My deepest apologies for all the crumbs that were on your hiney when you exited my car. Oh side note: Cullen looked at the floor screaming "Bite, bite!" the whole time... another reason it needed to be clean.

5. We're going fishing soon.. yay... well Matthew and Slaten are going fishing. I'm going baby chasing.

Okay so I don't have too many random things to say... It's time to eat my roast beef sammi and go fishing!

It's Going to Get Me!

Oh my goodness do you hear that bunder??

Yes, it is pretty loud.

Is the lightning going to come through the house and get me?

No, don't worry the lightning is going to stay outside.

Is there going to be a tornado? Do we need to go to Honey's yet?

No, do you see those colors on the bottom of the weather channel. It says we're okay.

Will you sit by me and hold me? It's loud!

Katie, I think you need to get over this fear of lightning.



I absolutely love spring. I love to see the flowers blooming, hearing the birds chirping, green grass.... BUT I hate, hate, hate bad weather. It didn't use to bother me, but I guess since having kids I worry about things like trees falling on the house or cows flying through the window. I've seen twister... I know what happens. So I sat here jaw clenched, palms sweaty, ducking each time the lightning struck. Ugh I'm going to give my kids such anxiety about storms.

I think the news anchors like to hype up the weather only to up the sales on things like batteries, weather radios, and generators. Thankfully by bedtime all the bad weather was gone. So I was actually able to fall asleep last night instead of sitting up watching the news chewing on a strand of hair. Just kidding I totally don't chew on my hair... that's just gross.

Too bad the temp had to go way down when the storm came BOO. Now my stupid heater keeps cutting on and I'll look like a fool if I wear my flips flops out and about. So for now I'm going to sit under my warm blanket in my heated house and look out at the sun filled day because thankfully all the cows I can see remain on the ground at the moment and I'm going to revel in that fact.