We Need Noah's Ark Here!

I had a different post planned for today, but things happen and I'm posting something different.

Not sure if anyone is aware, but we've had a bit of rain here in the South East. Today I substituted at Sam's school. I normally only work Tuesday's and Thursday's but I do fill in when needed for teachers that can't come in.

Well, we had so much rain today that everything started flooding. The school decided to close early and cancel all afternoon activities. And as the parents were coming in to pick up the kids, we kept hearing stories about road closures, hearing sirens, and getting calls from parents who were stuck and couldn't get out.

I decided to take the opportunity and ran next door to get Josh from school. The last thing I wanted to worry about was him on a school bus in the floods! So I got Josh and Sam and we managed to get straight home.

Apparently, we hit the right time because we didn't hit any road closures on our way home - and they had been closed not 10 minutes earlier. Our friends, the Felt's, didn't fare so well. The road into their subdivision was completely flooded and the road over a small bridge is buckling at the moment so no cars can go in or out.

I took some pictures of our little "creek" when I got home.

I don't know how well you can see, but behind one of the trees you can see where the fence has fallen down - so the water must have been up high enough for that to fall over.

That's just our back yard. For some really great pictures of the neighborhood, check out my friend Maggie's Blog. She walked around taking pictures today and got some great photos.

I called Rich as soon as I got home and told him about the flooding. He decided to come home immediately. It took him just under 2 hours to get here. But we're all home safe and sound now!

We're praying for the rain to end - but at the moment it looks like we've got another week of rain ahead of us so please keep us in your prayers!

Wordless Wednesday: Engineers-R-Us.

This is what you get when you take one rainy day, two curious kids and and their Engineering Father...

Sam is first.

Then Josh

Now we're adding masts and sails.

Hope they don't fall down!

TA DA! I made it (almost) all by myself!

Come on Mom! Just take the picture!

Now to sail our boats!

The Pirate Ship!

Hall of Fame! Those that either didn't sink or they didn't want to try in the creek.


For more Wordless Wednesday, visit Five Minutes for Mom and the WW HQ!

Rainy Days

I have to say this has been one weird week.

Monday I had my TV interview. It went really well. I think. I did manage to get all my points across (except one) so that was good. Of course the first question she asked me was something I was totally unprepared for, but in hindsight, a fairly good question.

The interview was set up by the folks at Being Savvy as part of my involvement over there. It was for a local Atlanta TV show called Focus Atlanta and the subject was "Stress Free Travel with Kids." She asked me, "What's better, traveling by plane or driving?" Of course it threw me a bit, but I think I managed okay.

We'll see when it airs. If you live in Atlanta, it's on 12/21 at noon on channel CW69.

Josh was home sick on Tuesday. I don't know what was wrong, but he had a 102 temp on Monday night and it wasn't gone on Tuesday morning so I kept him home. Seemed like the right thing to do and he was fit as a fiddle yesterday so off to school he went. But when he got home, every little thing made him upset and cry. Really too many to mention. I hope it was just tiredness, but boy he was not happy yesterday.

Yesterday we had rain. Lots and lots of rain. Not a slow drizzle, but heavy downpours all day long. From the time we woke up. Of course I had to run out and do errands.

Sam changed his mind on the gift he wants from Santa. We got him the Playmobil Pirates to go with the set he got for his birthday. He saw an advertisement for the Playmobil Knights and Castles and decided that is what he wanted. So... I had to go return what we bought.

I knew that set was cheaper at Target so I went to Target. They didn't have what I wanted, off to Toys-r-Us to return what I had and pick up what he wanted. Of course they didn't have it either. Off to Wal-Mart. No luck there either.

I traipsed all over Kennesaw, in the pouring rain and couldn't find it. It was EVERYWHERE two weeks ago. So I came home, checked Amazon and there it was -- on sale as well.

Sam's Christmas pageant is today so when I came home yesterday I made the snowmen cupcakes. Big mistake. The "hats" all fell off over night.

So, woke up this morning, still pouring rain mind you, and had to try and fix all the snowmen's hats. I think they'll be okay. Of course they probably look cuter than they taste, but who cares. They are adorable!

I really hope the rain lets up just a bit. Rich is supposed to be going in to the office today and I hate when he has to drive in all that yucky weather. Of course his phone's just rung so it may be a day when he "plans" to go in, but never quite makes it!

I'm off to get ready for the day. I'll let you know how his pageant went. He was quite excited, but he may be the kid that decides he doesn't want to do it when he sees all the people. I don't know whether to hide in the back or be front and center!

We were watching "Dennis The Menace's Christmas" and Dennis the Menace was wearing that same sweater. There was something about Dennis that was just so Sam-like.

This weekend we'll try to get the leaves finished -- we're up over 60 bags now. And we have our annual Santa Parade downtown.

And then more rain expected all week next week.

Drought-schmout.

Rain, Rain, Come and Play!

Today I proved my worth as a mother.

I let fun come first.

I let spontaneity rule.

I let my kids go outside and play in the rain.



Sometimes you just have to let them be kids. I remember going out and splashing in puddles and playing outside.

It seems like kids these days, or my kids anyway, don't get to go out and play like they used to.

I'm an Army Brat and was raised on Army Posts. There were always packs of kids of all ages roaming around looking for "the new kids."

We played in the rain, we played in the snow, we ran around outside until the street lights came on.

So today when Josh came home from school and wanted to run around in the puddles, I let him.



Sam didn't like it so much but he really wanted to be outside.





Josh, the future engineer and/or scientist was conducting experiments by taking rocks and building dams. He wanted to change the course of the water.



He was so busy running around, he would barely stand still for a photo. Here, he's looking at the water move his rocks.

He was talking about how strong the current was to move the rocks. And how "the rocks have to pile up to change the flow of the water" (yes, he used those words, the kid amazes me).



In the end, we had to come in because they were soaked to the bone and Sam was cold....



Josh was not happy, he would have stayed out all day. But Sam was cold and coming in.



Now they are both bathed and playing nicely together (shhh! I didn't say that!)

It's Raining, It's Pouring!

We finally got some rain!

All day yesterday, looks like all day today and the rest of the week.

The creek in our back yard that has been dried up for weeks has water in it again! The Drought isn't over, but it's nice to have a bit of rain.

It can rain all it wants for the next week -- but please, not next Wednesday!