Musings of a Michigan Mom

Here I posted a few days ago how it was another toasty day here in west michigan.  Well, welcome to Michigan.. the state where you wait a few minutes and the weather will change.  Today it’s cold and windy outside.   Since the news was talking about why you shouldn’t go on Lake Michigan today due to the waves, I thought maybe today would be a good day to take the kids out to Grand Haven to watch the waves.   While I had a fun time out there, the kids (and Paul) was complaining it was to cold (even though they had coats on).  So we ended up coming home, but at least I got to get some pictures before we did!

We have actually have had quite a bit of rain this summer, but usually when it rained we had lighting & thunder so the kids couldn’t go out in play.  Yesterday though was a different story.  Even though it didn’t last long, yesterday we ended up having the perfect rain for Katie to run out and get wet with!   Unfortunately it didn’t rain long enough where Katie could of put on her rain boots and splashed in some big puddles, but she still had fun!   I just wish the pictures showed the rain more.

I’m glad we were able to enjoy the last few days as today it decide to rain during most of it.  It all started at 6 something this morning with a huge thunderstorm rolling through waking the kids up, which in return wakes me up.  Since I knew Kevin was not going to fall back to sleep we ended up getting up and that’s when I heard all the calls on our fire monitor for lighting strikes on homes, wires down sparking and power out in certain areas.  (thankfully not at our house)

Due to the rain we decided to skip the parade and instead we went over to my parents house (which we would of anyways) to see my Aunt who was up from Indiana.  When we arrived to my parents house, my Dad was on his cell phone with charter letting them know that their cable, Internet & phone were all out.  (the joys of having them all on the same line.. when ones out,they all are)   Thankfully a couple hours later service was restored except for some reason they were still unable to connect to AOL so I went in their computer room and unplugged everything and when I plugged it all back in a few minutes later it was up and working. 

Once I got home I found out they weren’t the only people I knew that had service go out.   I had one friend on Facebook loose their computer due to a power surge and another lost their tv during the storm.    The one who lost their tv already checked with their homeowners insurance and due to the $500 deductible they decided it wasn’t worth making a claim as that would be close to what a new one would cost, let alone the price increase they would have on their insurance once they make that claim.  We found that out after we made the claim a couple years ago when we lost our kitchen & bathroom floor due to a water leak from the refrigerator. 

All I do know is I am glad that it rained as much as it did as our grass and trees needed it terribly as the grass was looking a little on the brown side and our oak and maple trees were starting to loosing their leaves or have the curl up looking dead.  I just really hope that by the end of the week (we are suppose to get quite a bit of rain this week) everything will start looking a lot more healthier.

So how was your Memorial Day?  Were you able to go out and enjoy the day?  Or were you stuck inside like we were?

If you live in west Michigan you know what I’m talking about.  It started last night with thunderstorms going through and then this morning the hail came!  I had seen hail once before (don’t remember when, but I was living here so in the last 9 years) but never like this as it was coming down fast and furious.   I took some pictures & video, but unfortuantly the camera isn’t focusing like it should anymore so a lot of it didn’t turn out.  So I only ended up with a couple good pictures (even though they are dark) and a video (which I will upload later).

I know the weathermen have been saying all week that it was suppose to snow today, but I parts of me was hoping they would once again be wrong.  Go figure.. the one time I wish they would be wrong they were right.   Here I assumed the snow wouldn’t stay to long, but unfortunately when I look out my window all I see is white.  It’s not a lot, but enough where I can’t see the grass.   At least it didn’t stick on the roads though.. that’s what I hate most.. driving in snow covered, slippery roads.  Hopefully tomorrow when I wake up the green grass will be back tomorrow morning!

Can I say I just love having these 60 degree days!!  Why can’t it stay like this forever!  (ok.. maybe we need a few hot & cold days here and there so we can apprecaite the nice days)   Tuesday afternoon I was outside with Katie playing and look and behold what I saw popping out of the ground!  It makes me feel like Easter should be here soon!

For those that don’t live in West Michigan, let me just say we are having a beautifulday today!  While Kevin is all cooped up inside at school, Katie & I are taking advantage of enjoying this wonderful weather God gave us.  We are able to play chalk, ride bikes, play on the swing set, play in the sand box, play tag, play Frisbee and also for me I’m able to brush my lawn to get rid of the snow mold and do a little bit of blogging.   The best thing about it all is that we can do this all with out having to wear any coats!  WOOHOO!!!

Then I noticed it.. my first true sign of spring.  My tulips are not popping through the ground!  So between the tulips, seeing some buds on the trees and seeing robins I’m just thinking…. spring just might be here!!

I just hope the weathermen are wrong and we won’t be getting snow next weekend…  that will crush my spirits!

I don’t know how the weather was in your area, but I have to say for the most part I’ve been very pleased with how our weather went this 2nd half of the year.  I honestly don’t remember how the 1st half went to well, but it must of been not to bad beucase usually you remember when it’s bad. 

Then there was this summer… I personally couldn’t of asked for a nicer summer.  I think I can count on one, maybe two hands the number of times it actually hit 90 degrees or above this year!  You know what that means?!?  It means we didn’t have to run the AC as much this year, therefore our electric bills were down this summer!! 

This fall has also been a chilly one, but what I’ve been thankful for is there hasn’t been any snow.  I had heard that we always have some sort of snow in the month of November and so far so good!  I know what I should be doing is going winter boot shopping for Kevin as the ones he wore last year got to small for him, but due to him being sick today, that didn’t work out.  So hopefully he will continue to feel better now and we can get out either tomorrow or Wednesday as there is no way I would want to go shopping on Friday.  You could never get me out shopping on Black Friday and I LOVE getting a good deal, just HATE crowds.  That’s why I tend to do most of my shopping either before or online.

What’s funny is here I LOVE not having any snow out there, but yet there are some of my friends on Facebook who can’t wait for the snow to come.   I had one actually end up looking online for some ski vacations deals and ended up booking one.  Here I’m hoping the snow doesn’t arrive till closer to Christmas and here they are wanting it before Thanksgiving!  Maybe if I did outdoor winter activities I would want it too, but since I don’t do any activities I wish it to stay away.

So how was your weather this year?  Normal?  Hotter or Colder?