Senseless Tragedy

Yesterday afternoon there was a shooting a neighborhood middle school. I'm still trying to come to terms with how it's possible that a child has access to a weapon and a loaded one at that. I believe that it's law (at least where I live) that guns and ammunition must be stored separately in locked storage devices. This may be very naive on my part, but it seems like common sense NOT to store them together.

It is my opinion that in today's society, adults (parents/school administration) are not stepping up to the plate when it comes to disciplining their children. Ultimately, parents are responsible for making sure that their children show respect and obey the authority of other adults when not at home. I have witnessed it first hand where a child gets in trouble at school and tells the assistant principal that he/she doesn't have to listen to the AP because they are not their mom/dad. Excuse me!?! Growing up if I spoke to another adult like that I knew that not only was I in trouble at school, but I was DEFINITELY in trouble at home. Most children, today, do not have that fear of repercussions (my two do because I've told them so). The only way we're going to solve this problem is for parents and school personnel to work together when it comes to disciplining children. To let them know that there are other ways to work out their differences that don't involve violence and possibly taking another's life.

I am praying for the shooting victim's family and classmates. Prayers are also being offered to the shooter and his family. I can't begin to imagine the pain/sorrow/guilt they must be experiencing.

It's a very sad situation.

Happy Birthday to...

me!

Pluto is changing color...

according to NASA and pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The pictures of Pluto were taken in 2002.

I think this is so cool! Though, it is kind of sad that Pluto was demoted from our 9th planet to a "dwarf planet" in 2006. I suppose I just don't understand NASA's definition of what constitutes a planet.

Ugh!

You know...if it's gonna be this icky, we should at least get some decent snow!

Out with a bang...

January is going out just like it came in with snow and ice, but not quite the bitter cold.

Wow!

This is what spun up out of nowhere during Thursday afternoon rush hour. My daughter and I were sitting in the dentist's office when the storm first developed over Madison. At the time, it was producing very heavy rain and some penny-size hail. As the storm moved toward Huntsville proper, it became much stronger. The local television stations were so thrilled to have caught the storm/tornado on their camera network that they spent the better part of an hour Thursday evening talking about it. Although it did uproot a lot of very large trees and damage property, no one was seriously injured. A couple of teens were scared out of their wits when their truck was literally blown off the road and into a house by the tornado. I heard on Friday that the NWS believed it was an EF2 tornado. Scary!!!


I think all of us here were quiet surprised that we could have a tornado spin up in January, especially after we'd just spent the first 10 days of the month sub-freezing.

Kudos to whomever snapped this photo!

Mmmmm...Birthday Cupcakes!!!

Not just any birthday cupcakes, either.


Gigi's Cupcakes!!!



I had heard from several friends that Gigi's Cupcakes are to die for. It doesn't matter which one you try, they are all good according to my friends. In honor of my daughter's upcoming 17th birthday, I thought we'd try one...or two...or three. My daughter chose "Apple Spice & Everything Nice," my son chose "Lemon Dream Supreme," and Hubby & I chose "Midnight Magic" (which was a triple chocolate creation). Yummmm!!! Consensus was unanimous - Gigi's Cupcakes are To Die For. May have to go back for either a Bailey's Irish Cream and/or Scarlett's Red Velvet.

Happy 17th birthday to my sweet daughter!!!