Yo, God? Could you lay off the water for a bit? Please?

Weird weather update!

Rain! Lots & lots of rain! It started raining Monday night and we got so much rain on Tuesday that St. Louis City started getting out the flood walls and people in Valley Park were getting pretty nervous. And this is why:

Meremac river overflowed and (luckily) poured into a quarry. The link below is a video of the break.
http://www.ksdk.com/video/default.aspx?aid=71596&sid=142578&bw=hi&cat=2

This is a storm drain near Hwys 44 & 141. Yes, you are correct. There is so much water flowing into the drain that the volume has lifted the manhole cover & the water is coming right back out!

We are about 20 minutes away from the rivers and are OK. At this point, everyone we know in the affected areas have been able to remain in their homes but send out good thoughts for all the people who have been evacuated.

Wish you were here!

On Saturday about half of the Harris clan descended on my parents house to have a visit with Christal & Jackson & Max & I. We all had the best time! It was the first time I had actually gotten to meet Christal since retail hell keeps me in St. Louis most holidays and that is, of course, when most families get together. Then there was the small problem of distance. Brad & Christal have lived in Australia since they got married & I always seemed to miss them when they came to the States

Mark, Sara, Christal & Jackson

Once Max & I finally arrived (I am sooo ready for Spring! I can't take any more $#&$@ snow!) it was time to eat.

Food & Family
More Food & More Family!

Darling Boys!

I found an Easter egg!

I found chocolate!!!

Max & Jackson got along wonderfully! They had a great time running around, playing, blowing bubbles & hunting for Easter eggs. Once they figured out there was candy (thank you, Mum-mum) in the eggs, things really got interesting!

Peeps? What Peeps? We haven't seen any Peeps?

No more pictures! We're plotting to take over the world!

Max: So how do you like Peeps? They're a delicacy here in America.
Jackson: Very much! In fact, I think I'd like another. Where's Aunt Mary? I know she'll give me more!
Max: Definitely, but don't tell our Moms! They're sure to hide all the good stuff!

Sugar Giggles

Blowing bubbles with Bob

Love those kisses!

All in all, it was a great day! Everyone had a great time, kids & adults. There were a few people who would have made the day even better but I guess we'll have to wait a little while longer to get the whole family together.

We miss you Ian, Brad, Matt, Sharon & Family, Allen, Angie & Family!

Remember when I said we were having crazy weather?

On Sunday, March 2, we had beautiful weather. It was 75 degrees, sunny, absolutely gorgeous! I seriously debated calling in sick but somehow I knew my boss would suspect something. We had the widows open all day & only closed them when it started to rain around 3 am. Monday was rainy & cooler but still in the high 50's. We woke up Tuesday to colder temperatures and a dusting of snow on the ground. As I was waking Max up for school we got the call saying that school would be closed for the day. Hmmm... By 9am it was falling fast & the forecast was for 3-6 inches. By around 12pm we had this:

This is how far I could open my screen door at 1pm:

Here's a picture of Max "helping" me shovel the front walk

And a fun little video:


I tried to post a video but the stinkin' system kept giving me an error message so I'll add it

when I figure out what the problem is.

(sorry it's a little jumpy)

Max had the best time running & diving face first into the snow. It took the promise of hot chocolate, marshmallows and that the snow wouldn't melt before he got to play in it again. How much snow did we end up with? At least 10 inches.

If they're in there, why don't they crunch?

Max: Mommy, I gots bugs in my mouth.
Sara: What?!?
Max: I gots bugs in my mouth, I told you!
Sara: No, there are no bugs in your mouth.
Max: Yes there are! Ms. Betsy said I had bugs in my mouth! On my tongue! They are taste bugs! They taste my food!
Sara: Taste BUDS, Buddy! She said taste BUDS! (LOL)

I'm procrastinating again!

On my paper, that is. Just a few updates, then back to work!

We've had lots of snow and ice lately. This pic is from a couple weeks ago when we got about 9 or 10 inches over 2 days. Needless to say, Max was in heaven! Unfortunately our weather has been so weird that the snow only lasted for about 36 hours after it stopped falling. Then it was up to 70 degrees then it dropped steadily back to freezing. Now we're having a yucky yo-yo effect. Last weekend, nice. Cold but nice. Temp went into the 50s then crashed to the teens. Ice by Thursday. Not snow! ICE! Not good snowman weather! Which leads me to a funny Max story...

I had to be at work by 7am on Thursday so we went about our normal routine but left a little earlier since it had sleeted a bit overnight. Max & I get to daycare & he's excited because his friend Aleecia is already there & they get to play. So off I go to work. I'm there a whole 15 minutes and the phone starts to ring. Employees calling out or just letting me know they'll be late because of the ice. I go to the front & Yikes! It's falling really fast now! About 8am, daycare calls. They're closing & I have to go get Max. The store opens at 9am. No problem, I can get there & back before the store has to open since I'm the only manager. And I did with 20 minutes to spare. (My boss was due in at 9 but she wasn't able to get there til 10:30.) Max hung out while I finished getting ready to open because, wouldn't you know it, there are already people waiting outside the door for their morning coffee fix. Then he and I went & sat at the cash registers (since that was the easiest place for him to color & stay out of mischief. One of my coworkers, Siri, decides to teach Max what to say when people are ready to check out. Max couldn't wait. About 10 minutes went by before he got his chance. and it went like this...

M: (sitting on a stool, not immediately noticeable) Hi! How are you?

C: (surprised) Well, fine. How are you today?

M: Are those your books?

C: Why yes, I'd like to buy them.

M: Do you have any money? Cause you can't steal them!

And the next 2 hours continued along the same lines!

On the following Saturday, Ian was finally home from his emergency trip to Denver & he & Max came to the store to eat dinner with me. Afterwards, since he had eaten every last bite of his dinner, we went to the cafe for a chocolate chip cookie. As the cafe server was pulling the very last cookie out of the case for him, Max turned to the woman in line behind us and said, "You can't have a chocolate chip cookie. I gots the last one." To which she replied, "That's OK, I didn't want a chocolate chip cookie." Max gave her an extremely skeptical look and said, "Yes...you did. (with that smart alecky little pause that teens are known for)

Where do they get this stuff!?!

(Christal- I promise I won't let Max teach Jackson too many bad habits!)

And now back to my paper!

Want a mini Max moment?

Click on the link to the right for "Oh, Now I Remember Me".
Max hung out with my friend Leslie while I was at school & has decided to become a rock star. Or may be a photographer. You be the judge.

A serious thanks to Les! We LOVE you!

Max promises to be a little less crazy next week! (But only a little!)

We are still here! I promise!

Just a quick update to let you guys know we are still alive! I really haven't forgotten about the blog, school is kickin' my butt this semester! I think both my proffs got together & figured out that if they made papers due the same week (every week!) that I might crack. Well, I'll show them! Seriously, I like my classes but there is a ton of reading in one & writing in the other. I'm working on 4 papers simultainiously, 3 for one class! I promise I'll put up something a little more interesting by the end of next week!