For now, I have only one question. Who is going to build the ark? It's been raining cats and dogs for over 24 hours now--I think last check showed almost 4 inches of rain. In Colorado? In August? This has got to be some kind of record!
When I took Taylor to Tae Kwon Do class Thursday afternoon, it looked like it was going to storm, but there was little indication of what was about to ensue. Hail, incredibly strong winds and a deluge of rain hit while we were at class. When I got home my garden plants were completely trashed. Squash plants? Gone. Beans? Trampled. Tomato plants? Still standing, but looking fairly beaten up. Herbs? A bruised, limp mess in the bottom of their pots. Peppers? Amazingly unfazed. I have peppers of all varieties coming out my ears. I have since heard that many of the suppliers at our favorite farmers' market have been completely hailed out. :(
While all of this was distressing, it wasn't the end of the world. Well, unless the rain continued for 40 days and 40 nights and we really did need that ark...
But I digress. The real issue our family was having with all this rain was that Grandma Lou and my two nephews, Chris and Sean, were on their way to Colorado, driving through the worst of the storm system that dumped on our area. My mom drives a zippy red Kia. Great for gas mileage and looks, not so great for plowing through lakes of standing water on the freeways and highways between here and the small town of Madison, South Dakota. All of the phone calls back and forth during their trip here made keeping their arrival a secret from Taylor very difficult to do. Impossible really.
Except it wasn't. Somehow, despite enough slip-ups to cancel a Broadway show, we managed to actually surprise Taylor. How? I don't know. During the first part of the week, I almost let the cat out of the bag so many times it was getting comical. Here's an example:
Me: "Hey, Taylor?"
Taylor: "What Mom?"
Me: "What should we do when Sean and Chris get here?" (Followed silently by a mental "Oh crap!")
Taylor: "You mean in 2010?"
Me: "Yeah!!! Exactly!! We need to start thinking up things to do when they're here!"
My only saving grace was the fact that my sister-in-law Cindy has planned a summer vacation with the family in 2010, leasing a cabin up in RMNP outside of Estes Park, Colorado. Whenever I would screw up and forget that Taylor had no idea Grandma Lou and the boys were coming for a surprise visit, I could fall back on the plan for 2 years from now to spend time with them at the cabin. I'm sure Taylor was wondering exactly why I was so gung-ho about making plans for something so far in the future she could scarcely conceive of it, but her 6-year old brain just went with it. Thank God.
So. Despite the multiple brain lapses on my part, the 25 phone calls the day of their arrival and my mom missing the turn in town to come to our house (which necessitated a rescue trip by John at 8:30 p.m. last evening), somehow we STILL surprised Taylor. My mom called Taylor on her cell phone and pretended she was still in South Dakota, but she asked her to check outside to see how much it was raining, because she had heard on the news we were getting tons of rain. I knew that Taylor had no clue Grandma Lou was standing in our garage when she went to the back patio door to check on the rain. At this point, I started laughing and couldn't stop. Oh, it was priceless. Grandma Lou then asked her to check out the front door. Taylor checked and got the surprise of her life! Grandma Lou and the boys had made it safe and sound! Woo hoo! Best birthday surprise of her life!
After a little pizza and a much needed break from the inside of a car, my nephews brought in their suitcases and broke out the video games. Just what we'd been waiting for all day--Guitar Hero! ;)
Except it wasn't. Somehow, despite enough slip-ups to cancel a Broadway show, we managed to actually surprise Taylor. How? I don't know. During the first part of the week, I almost let the cat out of the bag so many times it was getting comical. Here's an example:
Me: "Hey, Taylor?"
Taylor: "What Mom?"
Me: "What should we do when Sean and Chris get here?" (Followed silently by a mental "Oh crap!")
Taylor: "You mean in 2010?"
Me: "Yeah!!! Exactly!! We need to start thinking up things to do when they're here!"
My only saving grace was the fact that my sister-in-law Cindy has planned a summer vacation with the family in 2010, leasing a cabin up in RMNP outside of Estes Park, Colorado. Whenever I would screw up and forget that Taylor had no idea Grandma Lou and the boys were coming for a surprise visit, I could fall back on the plan for 2 years from now to spend time with them at the cabin. I'm sure Taylor was wondering exactly why I was so gung-ho about making plans for something so far in the future she could scarcely conceive of it, but her 6-year old brain just went with it. Thank God.
So. Despite the multiple brain lapses on my part, the 25 phone calls the day of their arrival and my mom missing the turn in town to come to our house (which necessitated a rescue trip by John at 8:30 p.m. last evening), somehow we STILL surprised Taylor. My mom called Taylor on her cell phone and pretended she was still in South Dakota, but she asked her to check outside to see how much it was raining, because she had heard on the news we were getting tons of rain. I knew that Taylor had no clue Grandma Lou was standing in our garage when she went to the back patio door to check on the rain. At this point, I started laughing and couldn't stop. Oh, it was priceless. Grandma Lou then asked her to check out the front door. Taylor checked and got the surprise of her life! Grandma Lou and the boys had made it safe and sound! Woo hoo! Best birthday surprise of her life!
After a little pizza and a much needed break from the inside of a car, my nephews brought in their suitcases and broke out the video games. Just what we'd been waiting for all day--Guitar Hero! ;)
It's never too late to become a Guitar Hero!
Grandma Lou plays "Slow Ride" by Foghat. Priceless! :)
Grandma Lou plays "Slow Ride" by Foghat. Priceless! :)
It's never too soon to start your journey to becoming a
Guitar Hero either!
Guitar Hero either!
My nephews are both leagues beyond the rest of us when it comes to mastering Guitar Hero. Chris was playing songs at the 'hard' or 'expert' level and making it look oh-so-easy. I'm sure he's had a ton more practice, but I know if I practiced every day until I reached 100, I'd never get that good. Sean doesn't play as much as Chris does, but was still blowing us all out of the water with little effort. Ah, the glories of youth! Sadly, everyone seemed to have a very valid reason for their less-than-expert level. Everyone, that is, except me. John has his hand injury to overcome, Grandma Lou has arthritis and Taylor has, well, six-year-old hands. Me? Nothing. I just suck at video games and that will never change!
We also had fun playing some computer games. Taylor was pleased to discover a game that she is the best at: Chicken Invaders! She got a huge kick out of schooling Sean in the fine art of blowing up chickens on a computer screen. Ever the good sport, Sean kept teasing Taylor about cheating--all in good fun. We got many a chuckle out of Sean and Taylor's antics with all things chicken. With a little practice, Sean advanced to expert level too. :)
After such a long day of waiting, it was wonderful to welcome Grandma and the boys into our home. We're looking forward to five days of fun before they have to leave again.
Kristin
After such a long day of waiting, it was wonderful to welcome Grandma and the boys into our home. We're looking forward to five days of fun before they have to leave again.
Kristin