Lightning Strike, Party, Decor and Simple Goofiness!

Hello Friends! Lightning struck at my house on Friday, which is why I have not posted my Weekly Blog! The lightning that struck did some damage! It knocked out my house phone line, which controls our gate at the end of the driveway. It also apparently zapped my modem, which has kept me off the internet ALL WEEKEND! That really hurt! The "bolt" also exploded the underground dog fence box that was plugged in downstairs in the basement. When I say exploded, I mean pieces went all over the basement. The outlet cover also exploded and the outlet that was left bare had black marks all over it which scared me into thinking Fire could have followed. At this point, I am just thankful that it was not worse. Yes, I have been completely inconvenienced. No Blogging, no reading blogs, no one can call from the gate, we can not even open the gate without the key, no looking up recipes on the internet, no reading IParent on Friday where my kids' grades are posted, etc. You get the picture.

My Glass is Still Half Full! We know people who just lost their house to a lightning strike! The whole house is gone! They all made it out alive, but the Mom has cancer and now they are not only displaced with nothing, but also displaced with nothing and cancer! I am thankful I just lost phone and internet.. and a dog fence!

I am at work blogging. Don't tell my Boss... wait, I feed him every night and sleep in the same bed with him.. I don't think he will stay mad long!

Our week started with a team party for Autumn's Fastpitch Softball Team, The Prowlers. We had a great time. It was at a creek, which compared to our creek, this was a RIVER. Anyway, Alex and Avery met this puppy while we were there and loved him! So cute. They wanted their pictures made with him.

Alex

Avery

Alex in the River!

Avery in the River

I caught Austin with a mouthful of Dr Pepper!

The Little Girls were content to stay behind while the Big Kids went upstream to raft.

Here is the team rafting! I love them!

I did not realize when I snapped this picture there were leaves in the way! Ohh well.

Alex and Avery rafting!

Alex and Taylor decided to go where the river flowed a little faster.

Alex got scared. Coach Brian had to come help.

The Rescue

Ok, any pointers? I took this picture portrait with my camera, as I sometimes do. I loaded it in and flipped it landscape, as I sometimes do. I saved it. Then, when I loaded it LANDSCAPE, it flipped back on its side! Alex was proud of her tower, so what the hey. I posted it. Turn your head. Feels good to get a neck stretch when you are staring at the computer for a while anyway.

Here are Coach Brian and Derek grilling lunch! It was yummy! This team is like a second family to us. We spend so much time with them. When we have tournaments, we sometimes stay together from 8AM until midnight or later. We all get along great, which is nice. Some teams do not. Again, thankful!

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Ok, since we moved in, the mantel has always bothered me. I want it to be perfect and I just can not get it right. So, I took everything off and decided to give it a try. Here is what it looks like with nothing on it (but that stupid cable box that I hate! Any ideas on disguising the eyesore?).

And here is what I did (still hate the cable box). I think it is cute. I added some red hurricane lanterns on the right side and would love some pointers. I would like to put trim around the tv to make it look like a frame? What do you think?

The cubes say Family, in case you can not read them. I thought they were symbollic of having young children in the house.

Any pointers will be appreciated. I welcome constructive criticism! Everyone should!

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Do you ever just get silly for no reason other than to make others (and yourself) laugh? Derek was getting Avery ready for bed and called me in to shut the door ( I have to be the one to shut the door. She has made that a house rule!). I came in and saw this. Too funny!

Alex had to get in on the action. I laughed at her too. She sometimes gets her feelings hurt. People tend to goo goo over Avery since she is still kind of the baby. I have to lay it on thick sometimes with Alex. Maybe it is a middle child thing. Of course, I have two middle kids!

Get some goofy glasses and make someone smile today!

You just might make someone's day and not even know it!

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Have a wonderful and THANKFUL week!

...............Until next time!