Crazy weather tonight...

What a crazy evening!! We decided to take the kids outside so they could run in the sprinklers while we planted some monkey grass. While we were out there, a few sprinkles of rain...and then some fat raindrops...then lots of fat raindrops. So, at that point Brooks went to the garage to turn off the sprinklers. In the 30 seconds or so it took for him to walk to the garage, it started hailing (on poor Cooper who was still sitting in the grass)! So, I grabbed Coops and just then the most severe rain I have EVER seen...after watching the news last night they called it a microburst. Which is when a wall of rain hits the ground and then forces itself back up. I have a video from News9 for you to see, but I'll tell you, that looks a bit calmer than what I saw, because I couldn't see our fence through the rain! Nonetheless, check out this link to see what I'm talking about: www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=13023752

The trees were swirling, the slide was blowing across the yard and then it was just a white wall of rain and I couldn't see anything. At this point I'm yelling at the kids to get inside and Brooks is hearing the commotion and coming in from the garage to see what's going on and with both doors open we created a wind tunnel. Computer paper flying, kids sliding on the tile and crying, pantry door flinging open and food flying about, mommy yelling at the door that won't shut because a shoe from outside flew at the door and wouldn't allow it to shut...leaves flying in the house!! It was CRAZY!! All of this and the power went out too so then we were climbing on Bianca (the Outlook), trying to reach the manual release on the garage so that we could secure the garage...wow, what a whirlwind of activity all in about two minutes time!

The neighborhood is a mess with most fences torn down...either broken or metal polls bent. Most houses around us have big flaps of roof lifted off. A few neighbors have damaged garage doors and gutters or lights missing. One neighbor's whole front window shattered and another lost their trampoline (they did find it four blocks away and that's the same picture on the News9 link)!!

We've been told by other neighbors who drove around that there is a 1/2 mile stretch down Robinson where all the lights are down on the ground and the road is closed. Someone else said that they saw grocery baskets from wal-mart all over the main streets. We'll do our own sight-seeing tomorrow!

The pantry door that blew open and all the racks that are messed up or missing food!

Some how some boxes of noodles ended

up in the garage!!!

Part of the mess that ended up on the floor!
We were so lucky that our fence is still standing on all sides...across the street and to the south of us weren't so lucky.
This is not the missing trampoline, but this is two backyards with the fence gone between the two houses.

Not sure what went through their roof, but the other hole was twice as big.
This is were the window was...
Down our main street, fences down everywhere!

This shows you how strong the wind was...

So, we are blessed that nothing more happened to us other than a few crazy minutes of chaos. Rachel is still a bit nervous...she really doesn't like severe weather and spent the evening in daddy's arms. Eric is okay with a few nervous moments, but mostly fine. He enjoyed walking around with mommy asking if everyone was okay! Coops, oh, he's fine. Just wanted to go to have his bottle and go to bed. Speaking of bed, I think it's time for mommy and daddy to wind down!!

Rachel goes to Kindergarten!

Hard to believe, but Rachel started Kindergarten today!! It's a change for everyone...new drop off routine for Daddy, new pick-up routine for mommy, new nap schedules for brothers and mostly a whole new world for Rachel! She is taking on her new role well and had lots of stories to tell us about her first day, mostly what she did on the playground and how fun it was to eat in the cafeteria! Though, I think she takes after her mommy just a bit...her lunch was still in her lunchbox when she got home. After prying a bit, we figured out that she did a little too much talking, and not enough eating. She told us that the lunch time was so "fast!"

Here she is on back to school night holding her had in a "K" for Kindergarten!

Someone forgot to tell the photographer to change her setting!! Oops!!!

Sweet Rachel standing next to her Ariel tree

in our front yard!

Rachel's name tag...luckily she is the only

Rachel in her class!

Daddy and his girl. Notice the boy in the background who just happened to be in this picture. His name is Saylor and he is one of Rachel's best friends. Daddy is a bit jealous and made a point to tell me that he thinks Saylor is afraid of him!! She's still his little girl, ya know!

Last action shot...Rachel sitting on the letter carpet ready for her new world to open!! Good luck, Sis...we love you and are SO proud of you!

Summer 2010 Through Rachel's Eyes

Our sweet Rachel. What an amazing summer she has had. It's been a fun summer for our girl. She is getting ready to start Kindergarten in a week and we thought it was time for her to have a big-girl summer!

And boy did she...

She started the summer at the beach. Rachel is such a soft-spirit. She LOVES the ocean, mostly because she thinks that she should be a mermaid. She often asks me why God made her a human and not a mermaid. I have to explain to her that if she were a mermaid, then she wouldn't be able to live with mommy and daddy because we aren't mermaids. So, instead, she now asks if we can be a mermaid in Heaven. I don't have an answer for that one...maybe, I tell her! But, we better practice swimming so that when she gets to Heaven she'll be ready!With that, we have been practicing swimming a LOT. Rachel really loves to swim and she is finally getting the hang of it. She is now swimming without her floaties in the shallow end. We are still working on getting her strong enough to maintain herself above the water in the deep end.

We decided to do two different camps this summer so that we can decide what to do this fall. We didn't want to invest in a semester of classes only to find she doesn't like it. The first week long camp she did was gymnastics. This may be her thing, aside from being a mermaid. She was really good and graceful.
In between camps, Rachel did some skating...

...and participated in Safety Town. She was so cute, following all the traffic laws. And now she asks us so many traffic related questions while we are driving...she is really soaking in her environment. And, of course, she tells us everything she knows about the traffic laws!

Safety Town graduate!!

The second camp she did was a dance camp...and obviously, they worked her hard!!!

At the end of the week, they did a cute little performance. Here she is afterward...

With daddy...

...and with Nana!

Rachel was also blessed to spend the summer with some of her cousins! She was able to have some great bonding moments with her newest cousin, Alexandra. Sweet girls...

...and spending some time with Alexandra's brother, Zachary! They had the best time...

We also got to have cousin Halle spend the night one weekend. Boy, we need to do that more often, the girls had SOOO much fun. Aren't they beautiful!?!

What a fun summer! Now, off to Kindergarten...such a big girl! We love you!!

The Many Faces of Cooper!!

How can one kid have so many expressions?? Ahhh, the many faces of Cooper Samuel...we love them all!!!

Mischievous Cooper...not sure what he's up to!? He's not quite sure what to think here...he likes the water...it's a bit cold...doesn't want Nana to let him go...
Sneezy, Cooper...

Jealous Coops...doesn't want me loving on Alexandra in the background!

This is hungry Coops...begging for some food, daddy!!!

Happy boy, learning to pull up! He's SOOO excited!

Super happy Cooper...he thinks the world is so funny!!

Sleepy, Coops...

Sweet Coops...gotta love him!!

God knows it's July...

Funny Rachel-isms:

"It can't rain, doesn't God know it's July."
--In reference to the rain on Fourth of July.

"Dad, did you always want me?"
dad - "yes"
"Because you knew I was going to be a good colorer?"
dad - "that's one of the reasons"

"Dad, what color is this?"
dad - "violet red"
"I was thinking it was violet red."

The Last Month...

So, the past month has been full and busy. Here is a month of pictures in no particular order since this crazy blog is NOT picture-user friendly!

Rachel and Daddy, jumping waves in Florida! Eric and Zachary playing on the beach!
Nana and Cooper!!

Uncle Chad and Rachel dancing at the reception...Zachary, in his dazed-dance trance!

Aunt Jamie and Rachel.

Cooper on the beach...

Eric, Rachel and Zachary ready for the beach!

Eric, Rachel and Halle skating over Father's Day weekend!

Rachel and Nathan doing the hi-bars in gymnastics camp!

Sweet Cooper!

Rachel with Nana and Papa on the plane!

Andrew and his 3 month old, Alexandra.

Chad and Jamie on the beach. So pretty!! All of the "Jennings" clan!!

Chad, Jamie, Mom, Dad, Alexandra, Cooper, Samantha, Eric, Brooks, Rachel, Zachary, Lee and Andrew!