It's Like Something Paranormal Just Happened to the House...

In the wee hours of Friday morning, Ben and I awoke to the rattling of a picture on our bedroom wall. The continuous banging was definitely out of the ordinary and it made both of us sit up and take notice. We first assumed it was one of the low-flying military helicopters that so frequently pass overhead. Their arrival is preceded by a low rumble and when they fly by the windows rattle. But as we laid there with the picture shaking and the house rumbling no loud helicopter engine noise followed. My first thought was earthquake and Ben matter-of-factly stated "oh just an earthquake". Curious, but more tired... we both immediately fell back to sleep.

When waking up a few hours later, it was the first thing on my mind. Did we really have an earthquake? And sure enough we did! It's interesting and exciting when you live over 150 miles away from the epicenter and you only feel the vibrations. Holden has been searching the internet for earthquake facts. He's bummed he didn't feel it and is hoping for an aftershock.

News coverage has been abundant on this story. As usual the news media blows things up and creates more drama than necessary. As a person who "lived through" the Earthquake '08, I can testify to the fact that it was not as dramatic here in Middle Tennessee as they are playing out. But I have to share this video clip of a news story ran on a television station out of Nashville. The good part comes at the end when a quintessential Tennessean calls into the 911 dispatch to report the earthquake.

Paranormal activity or earthquake... it was all pretty exciting!

The Sun!!!

Today we saw the sun in Tennessee for the first time in... well, I don't remember when. It was beautiful! All of us enjoyed being able to get out in it and play, clean the car or mow the yard. What truly mattered was NO RAIN... NO CLOUDS... just bright, warm sunshine. It's about time!

Last week I was feeling unusually despondent due to lack of sun in my life. Work was not where I wanted to be after returning from spring break in Louisville and besides that work was not "working". But the atmosphere around the office was upbeat. Someone I work with had been to a concert over the weekend and brought back with her a novelty pair of Corona sunglasses. They were floating around the office Monday. Another girl in the office put them on and commented that it made everything look sunny. By the late afternoon, they ended up on my desk. My S.A.D. mood was apparent to everyone. I had to try out the glasses...

Turns out the yellow lenses do make everything look bright and sunny like the most perfect sunny day you've ever seen. Instantly, the clouds lifted and I felt happier, lighter... buzzed? Suddenly I am miles away from ordinary. And not only am I feeling better, but everyone that looks at me is smiling too! These glass are amazing!

Whoever coined the phrase "April showers bring May flowers" sure did know what they were talking about. So I am on a mission for yellow lens glasses that aren't at conspicuous as these to help me out on the gloomy April days that lie ahead. And if the sun isn't shining where you are... maybe these silly glasses will put a smile on your face by seeing them on mine.

Spring Break

Holden had an earlier-than-most Spring Break this year, but he wasn't complaining! He did the usual vacay thing at Granny's house in Louisville where he spent his days at the office... working. Yes, really. He loves that place. Sure he does plenty of made up work like performing "employee reviews", but he's recently earned the privilege of answering the phones. A dream come true for Holden! This time he also helped Granny with the office inventory... hard work according to Holden.

So after all that slave-driving (on the part of Holden)... Emeline, Owen, and I joined them in Louisville for the real fun. But first I had to get my hair "done" by Sandy (the only person I truly trust to come at me with scissors and hair bleach). Once that was out of the way, we could play.

And play we did! The kids love to ride bikes in front of Granny's house. Since she lives on a dead-end street with literally no traffic (the one house at the end is my grandparents and neither one of them drive) they feel like the have the run of the place. While we were there Emeline graduated from tricycle to two-wheeler with training wheels and Owen claimed the trike. Emeline was really moving on the bigger bike (Holden's hand-me-down) and they both liked the added freedom it gave her. Holden and Em actually played together... some. Owen's little legs are long enough to reach the pedals of the trike, but he hasn't put two and two together yet and still rides Flintstone style. He's pretty good at it though and I think he feels like he's keeping up with his older brother and sister.

The real fun happened on Friday afternoon when we took the kids to Incredible Dave's. It's a 21st century version of Chuck E. Chesse with a game area and play structure plus inflatables, bumper cars, bowing and Euro-bungy jumping. And to appeal to adult tastes there is a "fine-dining" restaurant and coffee bar. I think Gordon Ramsey would have a few things to say about the dining since it seems that most everything came straight from the freezer to your plate. Actually, I would have preferred Chuck E. Cheese pizza. And apparently the 21st century thing to do is charge for everything. The play structure and inflatables were $6 for an armband; bumper cars $2; Euro-bungy was $4; games of course were 25¢ to $2 per play. Even the Xbox and Wii cost $2 an hour to play!

But the kids had a blast! And we got out of there spending only $20. Emeline wasn't big enough to ride bumper cars or do the Euro-bungy, but she enjoyed the Princess inflatable. Owen loved the toddler inflatable. Wonder how much those cost because he could have spent an entire day playing in there bouncing from wall to wall, climbing and sliding. If I had one at home, I could actually clean my house!

As always, our time off is too short and we are back to work and school. Holden has TCAP (standardized testing) in a week. Emeline has Kindergarten Round-up next week where she'll get to tour the school, a school bus, and meet some of the teachers. It's hard to believe that there are only six weeks of school left and that in August Holden will be a 5th grader and Emmy will be in kindergarten!