Our first tornado....sort of....not really.

So we have some pretty crazy storms out here in the Midwest, and I've become quite used to them. We love watching the rain and lightning (or 'boom boom' as Ari calls it; she got it from Cooper) on our balcony. Well the other night there was a pretty bad storm. Around 2:30 we woke up to the loudest boom that shook our apartment. All of Ari's toy that make noise when you move or shake them went off, as well as all the car alarms in our complex. Brad and I sat straight up, and laughed at the all the toy noise coming from Ari's room (she was already with us in bed from the 'boom boom'). Then the tornado sirens went off. I shot out of bed and started freaking out saying 'Oh my gosh Brad, Oh my gosh Brad!' I ran into the living room, turned the tv on, and the first thing I hear is 'If you are watching this, you need to go to your safe place immediately!' Then the hail came. We thought that our windows were going to break. I looked at the map on the t.v. and noticed that the storm was north of us. Brad kept telling me that we were okay. The anchor man was telling the people in the towns north of us to go their safe place, not us. We've been told by neighbors that tornado's never hit our area, because we live in the hills. I believed them until the other night! The storm was still pretty crazy, and it went on for hours. I was so freaked out I couldn't get back to sleep. I just layed in bed wided eyed. I was so scared. The next morning, I called my friend April to see if she was just as scared; nope. Her husband made fun of me telling me that when there's a tornado you immediately go outside, find a group of people, huddle together, and the storm will pass right by. Very funny! So last night, there were tornado warnings for the surrounding area. To put my mind at ease I had our emergency backpacks sitting against the wall in our bedroom, ready to be grabbed on the way out. I thought I was the type of person to remain level headed and calm in situations like this, but I sure did flip out. I was very disappointed in myself. I need to train myself how to handle stressful situations. Maybe I should train in the ancient art of Unagi. According to Doctor Ross Gellar, Unagi is a state of total awareness. Only by achieving true Unagi can one be prepared for any danger that may befall you. 'DANGER!!' ... (only my fellow Friend lovers will get that) Aww, Salmon Skin Roll.

I'm Coming Home!

So my Dad called us a couple weeks ago and asked if Ari and I could come stay with him while my Mum took a trip home to New Zealand. Believe it or not, Brad hates being separated just as badly as I do. I just mentioned it to him thinking that it would never happen.Well .... follow me... I'll come back to this story.

Brad has been applying/interviewing for internships. We didn't think that it would be this hard. He's been offered the internship from every person he's interviewed with! Crazy! We couldn't agree on which internship he should accept. For most law schools, once you accept an internship you can't back out, even if you get offered another one that's better. We prayed and got different answers (granted, we were praying about different internships). I told him that the Lord wouldn't give us two different answers, so his must be wrong. :) Well, while he was away from home he got a phone call telling him that they wanted him for the internship (the one that he wanted). He was so excited that he accepted on the spot, w/out consulting me. He had about a 20 min drive home to think about how he was going to explain himself to me. So when he gets home, he tells me that he accepted an internship and apologized profusely for jumping the gun. I was a little hurt/upset, but all I could say was 'I really hope you made the right decision.' Out of the blue, he tells me that he's decided that he's going to send me and Ari home to stay with my Dad and see our family. My Mum is leaving right before Brad's finals so it's perfect timing. He'll be able to study w/out interruption. ... I'm not that clueless. I just started laughing and told him that his plan worked. I wasn't mad at him and he has TOTALLY REDEEMED HIMSELF! So yeah! I get to go to WY/UT for a little vaca. while Brad studies to death.

Moral of the story: I should get upset more often. Maybe i'll get a trip to Europe out of it! :)

Another Easter Egg Hunt

This past week has been so busy. I am just pulling these pictures off the camera. Sorry so late. Last Saturday a local church was having a massive Easter Egg Hunt. It was so much fun.

Ari and Blake waiting for the hunt to start.
Our Lil Princess. So dainty!
These are my two friends who I hang out with pretty much every day of the week. From L to R: April (Blake's Mommy), Jared, Blythe, Larry (Lauren's Husband), and Lauren.
They had 30,000 eggs all over these fields. Those kids in the background will go hunt for their eggs in the field behind them. This field was just for infants-3yrs old. Ari was probably the slowest child. She had to place her eggs perfectly in her basket. So Mommy did more of the hunting for her.

Dancing Seal

It's so crazy how smart animals are. I love this seal! :)

Charlie that really hurt!

This is the funniest clip! His little brother's reaction is so funny .

Easter Party!!

Today was such a fun day. We had an Easter Playdate at our place. I'm so glad we did it, even though I was SO stressed out this morning while I was getting stuff ready. Isn't that how it always is though?

Here are some of the kids. Brad hid 100 eggs for all the kids to find. They took off like bats out of - - - - ! It was hilarious. Flashbacks to childhood! By the way, the boy standing next to me, Austin, wouldn't change his face. I kept telling him to smile and that's what he did! :)
Yes, I forgot to get Ari's bunny Easter basket out. She had to do with a plastic bag. Hey, that's how it was done when we were young! That's her friend Macy in the back.
Isaac made me laugh so hard. I don't think he quite understands what the egg hunt entails. He kept picking up pebbles and sticking them in his bag. How cute is he? I made the older kids give some of their eggs to him, because he only ended up with 3! I had the kids make bunny masks. I was helping Addison make hers, but I wasn't really paying attention. I was talking while I cut out the eyes and I didn't notice how off and horrible looking they were until I put the mask on her face. So did I make another one for her? Heck no! I told her she looked cute, took at picture, and sent her off to her play!

My Malaysia Family

I stole these from my brother and sister-in-law's blog. They live in Malaysia, far far away from us. I miss them so much. But Boy do they have the life! They just went on their last vacation before the new baby comes. Where to? Oh, just Thailand. This was right after they went to New Zealand for Christmas, which was right after their other Thailand trip, but before they came back to the states to visit us. I'm tired just writing this! :)

How gorgeous is Tanya? She doesn't even look pregnant!

My beautiful niece Kiara. Who I miss SO much!

Oh, I'm just swimming in the ocean with elephants. Nothing new!

Tai and Kiki on a baby elephant.