Tornado

(The boys and me in the basement behind heavy furniture and pillows. Mike also wanted us to wear helmets in case something bad happened. This is around 11:45 p.m. Do my boys look tired?)

My family has been asking to see a few pictures of the recent tornado.

Here are a few....

The sirens went off around 10:30 p.m. Mike and I were just getting to bed. We tried so hard to carefully carry our sleeping children downstairs. Of coarse they woke up ready for the party. Notice, Ike is eating a little Debbie Swiss Roll. We realize that this isn't the best treat to feed your children at 11:45 at night, but the carrot sticks were in the fridge and we (as nervous parents) were trying hard not to freak out our little boys. Now, however, our children look forward to tornadoes. They ask each night if they will get to be carried downstairs, and have a treat. I'm guessing this backfired on us. Next time sacrifice your body for the carrot sticks-=)

Claffin Road in Campus. South of Call Hall Ice Cream. The tornado blazed it's way up the road and stopped at the American Institute of Baking, about 3/4 mile away from our home. Had Bluemont Hill not interfered with the tornado. It would have been dancing on our roof. We feel so blessed.

Little Apple Toyota Honda. I wish we had a better shot of the whole lot. Cars were flipped upside down, and smashed. The huge pillar sign had fallen on a few. in this picture you can see that all the glass windows have been blown out.

A frat house on Campus.

Look at these roots. (tree's on campus)

Midas (All the garage doors have been blown out)

Tornado's do the strangest things. I wish I had a picture of the Nike Tennis shoe, Mike found stuck (I mean jammed to the point of not being able to budge it with a hammer) into the corner of a door frame, when he was working on cleaning up a few homes.

A few homes in the Miller Ranch neighborhood. Mike worked at a house where the family had just moved in a week ago. Most of these homes are around 5 years old.

A few hard hit homes. Look close behind the car. That is the foundation of a home that has nothing of the main or second story standing. About 85 homes in these neighborhood were completely leveled to the sub floor with nothing left, other than the basement and those basements suffered trauma. Hundreds of homes are being demolished as I type.

This was once True Value Hardware, Right off Seth Child Road, by the movie theater.

Toothpick anyone?

A chunck of the above fraternities roof. Most everything was left in toothpick size slivers. This piece stayed together nicely. (If you look close you can tell that some random windows have been blown out of the Engineering Building behind)

The tornado was unbelievable. Luckily no one in Manhattan was killed, but hundreds of lives were changed in the coarse of 1/2 hour and must slowly be put back together again. Daily we pick up insulation and roofing that has blown all over town. Sometimes we find photographs of people and random documents in the strangest places. It's amazing what nature can do. We feel so blessed. Will is sure to tell everyone, that the reason we were safe is because we said a prayer and Heavenly Father answered it. Strangely, I felt a calmming peace during the whole night, even though the rain was pouring and lightening striking all around. I knew we would be ok. I'm thankful to know that Heavenly Father is in control and if we are prepared we shall not fear. Whatever might come our way.

Perhaps the thing that sticks out about this whole ordeal is the amazing human spirit that emerges in a crisis. So many people are volunteering their time and resources to help. The Red Cross has a few tents and trailers set up in the football stadium parking lot, you can go tell them how much time you have to help, and they will bus you to locations that need work. So many businesses show up to work sites with bottled water, prepared lunches, fruit cups etc... A construction company in town was going home to home the day after, just nailing up plywood over windows, doors, and anything else that needed to be covered. The Red Cross was giving free Tetanus Shots to volunteers who needed one. In the stadium parking lot, it isn't uncommon to see Little Ceasers there with hundreds of pizza's feeding the volunteers. This aftermath teaches our family that community is important and that people truly are good and want to help.

Catching Fireflies!

Isaac getting into the hunt

Will and his firefly traps

Will and his good friend Carter Rarick catching those little buggers.

Thomas Rarick Anderson and Company

A perk to living in the Midwest, is come late spring the fireflies come out! There is something superbly magical about having sparkling, glowing, flying little creatures dance outside at dusk. To look out over the lawn and see these miniature glowing fireworks appear spontaneously, makes you want to giggle and relish the wonderful, lazy days of summer. Is there a better childhood memory, I might ask, than chasing those floating, little glow bugs around the yard, cups in hand, ready to catch them? Once caught, walla you have a new pet, that also doubles as a night light. How cool is that?! We've been on a firefly hunt here lately. Will and Ike are creating some pretty fun memories. Their also getting pretty good at catching those fireflies, in fact, we have a new pet at our house. May I introduce you to ....

Thomas Rarick Anderson - the Firefly.

Thomas, came to our house and into our lives on Thursday night. We love him so, and have great plans for his future! He lives in a mason jar, furnished with fresh grass, that sits between the boys beds. Last night, the boys felt strongly that Thomas (their debating whether or not to change his name to Doug, in honor of a good friend who recently moved) needed some more firefly companionship. So, the boys caught him a few little friends. Thomas's home was crawling with friends and neighbors. A real party I might add. The boys had a hard time going to sleep, the party was so wild.

Currently, however, Thomas is on vacation. This came about after noticing today, that Thomas and friends weren't moving around as much as they had been. They seemed so tired! I tried to explain to the boys, that this is what happens when you party it up all night long. The boys, on the other hand, thought that a vacation might help these lethargic creatures. Also, a day away would give them some time to change Thomas's grass and jazz up his humble abode. Mike and I agreed that some fresh air would do those fireflies some good. The boys ceremoniously, set them free this afternoon, free to see the wonders of the world. That is until tomorrow night, when a refreshed Thomas will come flying home=)

Happy Birthday to You!

Yesterday we celebrated Mike's #31. It was a fun day, complete with surprises, presents, cake and ice cream. I think Mike and I love Birthday's only slightly less than our two monkeys. Will and Ike get ecstatic over them. This year, after asking Mike over and over again " What Kind Of Cake Do You Want?" He finally said we could surprise him. Well the boys took this seriously and spent a few days debating over what Dad would want more; a Superman cake, a Spiderman cake, a sandcastle cake, or ...... They finally agreed on an idea, and took their inspiration from their amphibian friends.

Yes, both boys were certain that every Birthday Boy turning 31 desires a

NINJA TURTLE BIRTHDAY CAKE!

The boys and I had a party in the kitchen and after having too much fun with the green dye we finally came up with this....


(Yes we went with Raphael!)

Dude, Mike was one satisfied birthday boy with his totally awesome, gnarly cake!

To the Epitome!

This afternoon, I stole a few peeks at my handsome husband. He was sitting, one 4 year old boy away from me, down the pew at church wrestling our 2 year old. I had to catch my breath, he looked so Hot! Not only hot from wrestling a stubborn child, who had had enough church 2 minutes into sacrament meeting and was biding his time by clicking his tongue and trying to do the iron cross between pews, but hot because he is simply gorgeous! I've always thought he was. I remember the first time I saw him. It was at an activity at the Colonial Building in Logan. He walked in tall, buff, with sparkling blue eyes that were framed by eyelashes the length of Chile, and I remember thinking WOW, I want to get to know him! Lucky me, I got to know him, and found out that his outer shell was only slightly less attractive than the man he was inside. He is truly the Epitome! It's easy to say I fell in love. After almost 7 years of marriage, I'm still enjoying getting to know him. I still laugh at his jokes, and I'm still mesmerized by that dashing smile. Thanks Babe, for being the Epitome, and thanks for giving me the two cutest boys, who adore you and also have eyelashes the length of Chile. Happy Fathers Day!

What a Man! Here he his outside grilling the meat on Father's Day. He is a very efficient griller who didn't get the day off. He might say I work him like a slave!

To Sweat and Sweat Some More (Girls Camp 08)!

So our ward made it back from girls camp. Talk about hot! I didn't know a person could sweat as much as we did this past week. After being home for a couple of days (that each included a beautiful 2 1/2 hour nap,thanks to Mike) I feel like I can function on a normal level once again. My mother would say it's pay-back time. Yes, I was one of those night owls at girls camp that loved to stay up late, laugh, talk, and sabotage other tents. Ah the memories! But time changes things, 3:30 in the morning isn't as attractive as it used to be.
Well, the girls all survived, we had minimal tears, and I think we even had some fun, so I consider it to be a huge success. We ended up having to leave a day early due to some severe weather that was moving in. In fact, the night before we left, the entire stake had to sleep together in the BSA Lodge, due to major wind. Talk about bonding time. Leaving a day early, we were unable to have the whole testimony mtg, and the hike. Camp didn't quite feel complete without those two little items, but I'd rather not have been in a tent with softball size hail falling down. Any way, I get to work with the greatest group of girls. I am continually impressed with them and the decisions they make on a daily basis. They are truly a beacon of light here in Kansas, and I love them all. I also get to work with the neatest ladies. Sarah Smith is my Bestest Camp Enthusiast ever.! Thanks Sarah for being Camp Director Extrodinar once again. And to Alisha, you go girl! That woman can set up tents, not to mention she is 6 months pregnant and we were camping on the surface of the sun! So not that I would want to trade in my nice mattress for a Coleman, but I think I might go again next year=)

Getting ready to slide down the water slide!

Cute Y.W.

Sister Sarah Smith, my camp Kindred Spirt. Squirt bottles were a must!

Looking Good! Yes this Mama went repelling! Here is a picture of some belaying action.

P.S. The boys survived my absence as well. Well sort of. Mike thought he would be pro-active and decided the boys needed haircuts. Somehow, while working on Will, the clippers got away from him. Will now has 1 1/2 eyebrows. He's still devilishly handsome, but how did that really happen Mike?

Seeking Shelter.

Well for anyone who is keeping tabs on the weather, you probably know that Kansas has been getting pounded by severe weather. On Monday, Mike, the boys and I were at Target, getting a few last things for YW Camp. The tornado sirens went off and we all got to hang out in the back corner of the store for a while. The employers were great, they handed out water and cookies, coloring books, and crayons to the kids. The boys thought the little adventure was great, us adults on the other hand didn't think it was quite so fabulous. Where were our coloring books? We, on the other hand, got to listen to the pounding softball size hail pound the roof and wonder what our cars looked like outside. The rain fell incessantly. What a sight.! You just looked outside and felt drenched to the core.

Our car was OK. We didn't have any smashed windows, but we do have a few good size dents on the top. Thursday, after the stake sent all us YW home a day early from camp due to the weather, we got to once again huddle in our basement waiting out the tornado warnings. With the radio on giving us a step by step update on the funnels touching ground and the direction of the storm, our boys got pretty good at seeking shelter. They each had a flashlight, and that kept them pretty entertained, as they sat in the back corner of the basement behind, our big, heavy overstuffed chair listening to the thunder roll. During a brief break from the sirens, Mike ran upstairs to grab something, Isaac was quick to say, "No Dad, we need to seek shelter, seek shelter!" Every time any one would budge from their "Safe Spot" Ike would say "Seek Shelter, Seek Shelter."

We are happy to say we all survived the storm. There wasn't too much damage. Everything is fine here. The closest funnel to touch ground was about 10 miles south of us.

Before it was time to "seek shelter" Mike and I ran through the house gathering documents, family pictures, journals, toilet paper, diapers, food, and everything else we thought would be important to "Keep Safe". This experience made me think about what is important to keep safe, so a question? What would you "keep safe" if severe weather came your way?

Soccer Camp!

This week has been a busy one. our family has been involved in so many things this week. The first being Soccer Camp. We enrolled Will in All About Soccer a soccer camp for 4-5 year olds. It started Monday and ended on Friday. He was so excited to put on his soccer shorts, cleats, shin guards (Thanks Hyrum!) and run out on the field. He got a new ball, and shirt. Will was definitely in the spotlight and Isaac, couldn't have been a more supportive brother. We heard, "Yay Will, Go Will" consistently from the sidelines. Isaac, faithfully would bring his own white soccer ball, and play a little, dance a little, and jump off of the bleachers a lot. Will learned some good moves like"dog on a leash," which he would bring home and teach us all. We were pretty impressed with the week long camp, we thought it very professional, well as professional as it can get for 4-5 year olds. The kids followed the ball around the field like a swarm of little bees. Only about everyday, did someone have to pull a kid out of the soccer goal, who somehow got stuck in there. We daily heard comments like, "Get your head out of the net, Jackson, what are you doing over here Ethan, your teams over there, it's not time to get a drink yet." Once while the kids were playing a game, Will who was over in the far end of the field picking grass, looked up and said, "hey everyone, look at the huge bird!" Well the coach at that moment lost control of the team, while all the kids stopped and looked at the wonders of nature. It was a fun experience for all, and we think Will is really getting into the game. Yesterday while at Hobby Lobby, Will told the clerk all about how he played soccer. She asked if he wanted to be a soccer player when he grew up. Will said yes! Then came back a few seconds later and said, "well, no I want to be a Soccer Cowboy." Today, we asked him what his favorite thing about camp was, he got a big smile on his face and said, "Well my favorite thing about soccer camp was when Chandler said, "Chicken Feet, tie my underwear!" Will's been quoting Chandler ever since. Hmm! On to a new adventure.

Times to Keep!

Warning: We use our blog as a family journal, hence, sometimes things will only be meaningful to us. This might be one of those entries.

We just got home from 2 1/2 fabulous weeks in good old Utah. I sometimes forget how remarkably beautiful Cache Valley is this time of year. After living in the Mid-West for 5 years, I miss those cool, summer mornings, and I miss hearing the sound of rain bird sprinklers off in the distance. How we relished walking through the soft grass in our bare feet without a worry of chiggers, and how we love hiking through the beautiful mountains. And like always, our trip ended too soon. We went with the intentions of helping Sue and her family work on finishing their beautiful new home. We worked a little, played a lot, and had a marvelous time being with family. Our Boys can't get enough of their cousins, on both sides.

Here are just a few memories to treasure. Will and Mike got up early one morning to pick up some needed cement items, like true construction workers they went to Angie's and had a truck stop, smoky breakfast. Only a loving Dad would let his boy have root bear for breakfast. Some other memories: working on the house, going to the temple, seeing Grandpa Anderson be inducted to the Spanish Fork Hall of Fame, having a cookout at the farm, the not so appetizing powdered milk presentation at the Orem Institute (I now know I can live without, but what fun times to share with Brittany and Angie, Thanks Mutsi!), bubble baths at Mutsi's, going to Aggie Ice Cream, going on a hike, Ticket to Ride with Jake and Brianna, feeding the ducks and fish in Centerville, going to the zoo to see the monkeys, shopping with mom, Driving through U.S.U. campus, Jamba Juice and Einstein Bagels, stories from Pops, Popsicles galore from Munga, getting Emma to smile at us. Zelda stories galore, baths in Bear River, American Idol final (Yes, we wish it had been Archuleta). Perhaps the best was just playing with cousins. Sue's boys are around the same age as ours and that makes life wild, mischievous and fun. The things they came up with! Here are a few May- trip creations. The boys loved to get Mawga and Pops red wagon and sit one lucky boy (Who would be Santa Claus) inside and then push him down the hill and listen to the lucky boy scream HO HO HO! Will's favorite morning ritual at Mawga's house was checking the Milk Box outside to see what the Milk Man left. He then loved to put the empty Milk jugs back outside in the box to be picked up once again. This led to hours of Milk Man fun. The boy's would get all of Mawga and Pop's water bottles and pretend to be the Milk Man leaving milk in the box for us. These particular milk men thought doorbell ditching was the best way to make us aware of their delivery. One night during such games, the doorbell kept ringing, the front door was wide open and we could hear the boys laughing, thinking it was only the boys, we didn't check the door. Big mistake. Jared finally came over to Pop's and pointed to the door, Pops followed Jared around the corner to see Brother Owens standing there looking perplexed. He'd been there awhile!
The boys had water fights galore, and thought it was fun to turn on the irrigation water in the back and run. They loved riding bikes down at Luthy's and loved playing in the sandbox and swinging on the swings. Mawga had a neat set of knight's armor for all the boys, and they spent quality time fighting dragons. Will loved to sit on the window seat and get lost in stories galore. Mutsi's and Mawga's houses truly are the places where cousins go to become best friends. And the places we go to feel refreshed. There is no place like home!