It's Too Darn HOT! :)

Summer is here! 
It is HOT!  Now, we've lived in Vegas so we know hot... but this is a gross sticky, humid hot that I never quite felt living in Florida or Illinois.  Alas, I found the catch!  Well, that and the tornadoes!  What the heck!?  Tornado season down here is nothing like it was in IL.  They really touch down here, and often.  Although we were lucky, most were either north or south of us, but I got caught out in the middle of a 'tornado type' storm let's just say... and it was seriously the scariest experience I've had in a long time! 
Maddie and I were out shopping a good 14 miles from home while the boys were in school, when suddenly the skies went from sunny to black.  Calm... to down pour!  I couldn't see, my windshield wipers couldn't keep up!  I was driving by brail, you know the bumps on the side of the road... following that white line I could barely see to the side, praying the whole way... hell bent on getting to my boys!

Well, now I know why they say don't take shelter under bridges.
A.  They were all flooded out.
B.  There is straight up suction! 

I would literally have to pump my breaks while being sucked under and spit out the other side... it was nuts!  I saw lightning strike the ground not once, not twice but THREE times!  Holy Mother!
As I finally approached my exit my cell phone rang to alert me, "Code Red" and I lost service before I could find out what in carnation 'code red' meant!?  All I knew was it didn't sound good... but I was a mile from their school and dammit I was going to get there! 
Turns out Code Red means lock down, so there we sat for 45 minutes waiting for it to clear so we could go home!

Welcome to Texas, Y'all!  ;)

I found the catch. :)

But besides the crazy humid heat, the scary ass tornadoes and a major surplus in Ants... I do believe Texas is the place to be.  :)  HA!  At least for now.  I get itchy when I stay any place too long!

So now that I got that outta the way, you probably would like to hear about the kids!? 

They are doing great!

Austin and Jack finished the school year strong!  Austin got Straight A's Honor Roll and won an award for Most Improved!  Jack Graduated Kindergarten with more Purples (teacher's pet awards) then any other kid in his class.  Kindergarten Graduation was too cute!  I can't believe I've got a 2nd and 1st grader on my hands, where does the time go?!

 

Jack in his Cap and Gown above and with his graduation certificate below.

Video (click above) to see Jack's Kindergarten Graduation

AJ and his best friend Kenny, and their awards

May 15th, we celebrated Jack's 6th Birthday at Chuck E Cheese!  This year it was all about Sonic!
Thanks so much to you all for the cards, cash and gifts!  You really made his day special!!

 

 

Click on the video above to hear Happy Birthday to Jack!

Chris and Amy came for a visit and brought with them, brand new baby Emma!  I was really having a hard time putting her down!  Such a sweetie!  We so enjoyed their visit and had a great time out at Jeff's work golfing and playing lawn games!!  Thanks so much guys, for coming out! 

So nice to meet you, Baby Emma!  XOXO

 

Nice Form Chris!

the giant Connect Four

Amy and Emma

Jeff and Chris, recreating the Bachelor party shot...

 

Not pictured but equally as fun was the intense, all inclusive game of 'catch the chickens so we can go to dinner', and smoking stogies and making smore's by the fire.

Poor little Sophie got stolen!  :(  She got out under the gate, and by the time we got to the front yard, maybe 2 minutes?  She was gone!  She had to have been taken!  We posted ads on Craigslist and searched for days!  Still looking, we miss her... but we quickly filled our puppy void with Gracie...
An 18 month old Golden Retriever!   (and we filled the gap under the fence as well). 
Such a sweetheart!
The chickens are getting big quick, but they still love to cuddle and perch our shoulders...

 

Meet Gracie...

 

 

Let's see... what else has been going on?!  I got 5 inches of my hair chopped off!  Talk about a weight off your shoulders! ;)

And Oh yes!  We just visited the Dallas Zoo, courtesy of Angie and her Mom!  It was a hot day, but a lot of fun! 

Riding the Carousel

 

feeding the giraffes...

 

So THATS how they drink!

Crocodile needs a tan!

Petting the goats...

or hugging.. :)

Gorilla says "It's too darn hot!"

The lions agree... it's too darn hot!

 

A Serval

Everybody gotta poop somewhere... yes indeed.

 

The end.

Planning a trip back to Vegas to see all you family there in July, I'll get the specifics out soon!
Have a great Father's Day Weekend!!  Happy Birthday Godfather Mark and Cousin Griffin!!
We love you and miss you all!  XOXO