Rain is Better Than Snow

So many people want snow in December.  In our house, we always prefer the rain. -T

Christmas time can provide the means to make fun objects like an umbrella.  Mom always says she's a problem solver and not creative - I'm pretty sure this proves she is both.

Weird girl likes the opening credit scene more than anything

Which is why we have to replay it like 3 or 4 times before we move on to anything else in the movie

Chattanooga Vacation Day 1: Drive Faster!

After 30+ years of life, I went on my first winter vacation.  Every other year it has been basketball season so although not a vacation, that was always fun.  Life moves on and I was happy to go on my first one with my girls.  We headed to Chattanooga, TN, although we actually stayed just across the border in Ringgold, GA, at a nice cabin there.  Grandma and Grandpa planned the trip, and we got to spend it with, Jackie, Kylee, Ryan, Amie, Madilyn, and Audrey.  The drive was a little stressful - mainly on Anna.  Well, that's a lie, mainly on Lindsey and me because of Anna.  Mae traveled really well.  Once we got there, things got better. -T

Right before we left, we couldn't find Mae.  After searching the house(and Lindsey went outside), we found her playing Hide and Seek.  She didn't tell the rest of us the game was being played.  We have to admit though, this was her best hiding spot she's ever come up with.

Ready to go!

Happy...for the moment.

Getting stretched out during a stop

We played in the rain

Playing Hide and Seek with Mom in the car

After lots of crying and stress...we made it!  It kind of looks haunted, doesn't it?

Mom and Anna - and did someone say haunted?  Behind them would suggest just that.

Mae in the loft

Mae and Madilyn - kind of missed Maddie though behind the beam

The Lion and the Ballerina

Halloween gave us a very convincing lion (Mae) and a ballerina who was still pretty upset over the shots she received earlier in the day (Anna).  In fact, it ended up being so cold that Anna got dressed up in a blanket costume.  Mae did break some records.  A year ago, she hit a total of 4 houses in about 45 minutes.  This year she hit houses on 4 different streets in an hour.  It was rainy, windy, and very cold, but she made it down the street, down to the next block, back down on that street, and then down our street.  She probably would have done more but we, the parents, were too cold! -T

She can't wait to be king

Getting the hang of things

She's easily spooked - this is as close as she got to this house

Keeping an eye on it

Battling the elements

THERE'S our little ballerina! (Although with how much she cried during the day after her shots, she never made a sound the hour we were out trick or treating - maybe her cry muscles were frozen?

Successful night!

Mom stealing Mae's candy?

Oh, maybe Mom is just helping her get a piece

I don't really know

The girls

Oh and Mae always informs us when she sees an "X" - this one being the screws in the doorway

Schlensker Reunion Day 1 - The Driving

We were really curious how Mae would do on a long drive. She did well on our March trip to Kirtland/Niagara/Palmyra, but that's when she could only just sit there anyway. The drive to Virginia was actually pretty good, minus the last hour. When we got stuck ranging between 8 and 12 mph driving behind a log truck going up the Blueridge Mountains, we stopped because we were all frustrated. As a whole, Mae did very well. -T

And we really didn't take any pictures on Day 1 except our stop at the Blueridge Parkway
The bugs were awful - almost as bad as driving 8mph
Umm...that sky doesn't look so promising

We got a little wet and then stretched it out in the car
Nice hair

We got there safely 50 minutes later.

Making Memories - Singing(Running) In the Rain

So, I was cutting the grass one day and was surprised by two things. The first was the way the small plants really filled in by our back wooden fence. Nope, the real surprise was it didn't really fill in. The back half of our apple tree lost it's battle to a storm and crashed over our fence...wonder how long it'd been like that? The second came with about 15 minutes left in my grass cutting. My thought process was just about this quick: Thought #1: Is the sky getting darker? Thought #2: Did I just feel a rain drop? Thought #3: It's raining so hard I can't even see in front of me...can I finish cutting? Thought #4 (2 minutes later): No. -T

Well, the good news is it really didn't grow apples anymore

That spot is not the sun

Remember Thought #3? This is my attempt. Blurry = Raining

Packing it in early...and I'm soaked

(If I knew more, I could determine why some of these don't play sound)

Starting Phase 2

After overcoming adversity and completing Phase 1, we began Phase 2...only to run to a familiar problem of the season - the rain. -T

We have a wall!
It seems smaller with walls

And then the rains came

April Showers Bring Mae Sadness (And Us Too)

April was filled with rain. The whole "April Showers" thing was just out of control this year. We set records for the amount of rain we received. During the month, 0ur professionally water-proofed basement proved otherwise, the grass grew and grew, and Mae just loves to be outside. We weren't able to take her out which brought melancholy feelings. -T

I got a text one morning on my way to work that said there was water in the basement...here's the visual...
Is it bad when water starts pouring down your basement walls?
Receptionist: "Okay, we'll have someone there on the 28th." (10 days away)

Lindsey: "28th? I have water flowing down my walls!"

How's that new carpet? (not new, just free stuff we received and just put down there)
This is what was happening on the other side of the basement during the flood. We've turned "Where's Waldo" into "Where's Mae?"
Lindsey was the first to help the problem on her own...Papa D then came and helped.
Mae just wanted to go outside...

...but unfortunately the front porch wasn't good enough."
So sad for all

The toy from Grandma Gayle did work for happier times though

On days it didn't rain, 45-50 minutes of grass cutting turned into 2 hours of grass cutting

Mom was able to weed very rarely...let's face it, all yards around us look like the jungle
STOP STALLNG!

Well look who finally is able to go outside!

Just happy to finally be out there!