Carving Party

After last year's "debacle," I was a little skeptical about how Halloween 2013 was going to go. Since I wasn't sure we would get Kate to actually put a costume on, I decided not to bother buying something and concocted a fairy princess outfit from stuff we had and said a tiny little Halloween prayer, we were ready.  Except for the pumpkin! Somehow, we left Vala's last week without one so I sent Bryan to the grocery on Oct. 29th to pick up a pumpkin. Kind of like buying a Christmas tree on December 23rd, but whatevs.

We joined Mindy and her kiddos for a last-minute carving party as a little Halloween prep event for Kate. So far, so good.  All signs point toward a win this year...

Below is what I get when I say, "Ok girls, smile next to the pumpkin!"

The First Official Visitors

Our first official visitors have arrived!  Granny and Grandpa flew in for a week from Texas and we had a great time with them. We spent a chilly evening at Vala's pumpkin patch--probably the coldest hay-rack ride I've ever been on--and spent a day at the zoo. Kate got the royal treatment all week and got to stay home from daycare with her two favs all day.  I see a little grandparent detox in our future.  Ha!

Around here lately...

The F5 Tornado

Let's talk about natural disasters for a minute. In each part of this country, no one is immune to a possible natural disaster--earthquakes in the West, wildfires in the Southwest and hurricanes in the Southeast and Northeast.  Right here in the middle, we have to contend with thunderstorms and tornadoes. In my many years of Midwest living, I've spent my share of time sheltered from tornadoes. There was that time at the Sioux City mall and then the time at the zoo in Omaha where we had to go in the basement of the cat complex, with a tiger of-course. There were several warnings during class in college and I remember a close call during Girl Scout day camp when I was little. But, that's exactly what they all were--close calls. Nothing ever really happened.  Until Friday.

On Friday, an F5 tornado ripped through the southeast edge of Wayne and completely destroyed Grossenburg Implement, my dad's John Deere dealership. He and several other employees were still there and rode out the storm in the break room or in my dad's case, underneath a Gator in the showroom. We are incredibly, amazingly lucky and blessed that he and the other employees weren't hurt.

The dealership is considered a total loss, the debris is unbelievable. Nothing creates the destruction a tornado does and it is hard to believe that it happened in a matter of seconds.  The photos below show the offices at the dealership, the bottom photo is what's left of my dad's.

The great news is that the wheels are already turning on rebuilding a new building and anything that can be salvaged is being moved to a temporary office today. It's definitely been an emotionally difficult weekend, so prayers for everyone affected in Wayne are welcome. It will be awhile before everyone sleeps easy again.