Bay Saint Louis

I  wanted to post something yesterday as it was the anniversary of the day Katrina hit Waveland/Pass Christian, MS.  There is a new time line for folks here.  Everything is seen as pre or post Katrina.  A member of our ward told us that they went to church on Sunday and the bishop stood up and said, "everyone get out today!"  The following day, Monday, Katrina hit land, the water surge is what kills everyone.  The water level in our home was up to the 3rd story.  The reason some people would not leave is because when Katrina  hit  land it had been down graded to a level 2, but out in the gulf it had been a level 5 and that is why the water surge was so bad.  He also said that all but 13 homes in our ward were destroyed in Katrina.  He said that they had so much help from the LDS people that the ward was full each Sunday with workers not ward members and because of all the help the other denominations now like the Mormon's.  I guess the church down the street from them really disliked the LDS , but after Katrina there feelings about them changed because the church donated benches, chairs, tables, etc to them. 

Kara took a bunch of pictures of her and Halle messing around and I just found them.  So we had a sex offender move into our neighborhood.  I got a notice in my mailbox.  I was telling the kids about it and Hayden chimes in with, "Mom you don't need to tell us what a sex offender is we all know!"  Halle then chimes in with, "is that someone that steals cars?"  I don't think we all know what a sex offender is!

We were also talking about the different food groups at the table as nutrition is part of the curriculum at our school.  Brent asked Halle, "What food group would these beans be from?"  Halle said, "Qdoba!"

Halle asked me to come and eat lunch with her at school again but she said, "Mom you can't feed me when you eat lunch with me.  Mrs Bentz says I'm a big girl so tell your mom you don't need her to feed you!"  Well my defense to this is I packed her a salad and a lot of it was getting onto the floor.  I am more efficient at getting it into her mouth, plus if I want to feed my child it is no ones business.  I'll try to let her grow up(:

Kara has made a new little friend named Cassi, not the watermelon.  She is just being a goof here.  She had Halle take these pictures.  She is starting to do really well now in school.  She said, "school is a lot harder here, but I understand everything better, because you can't just laugh in class, unless you are supposed to laugh!"  Unless you actually go to the school you can't truly comprehend all of this.  They do have an open door policy (for extra funding), so if ya'all happen to come on a school day, I'm taking you to lunch with us!

Kara has been check the mail everyday for a letter.  I peaked out the window and she was running down the street to check the neighbors mailbox.  She was sure her letter had gotten put into their mailbox.  It truly is Snail Mail here!

Just across the Bridge is the City The Bay of St. Louis, and then just beyond that it turns into Waveland.  It is a really cute little town that was completely destroyed in Katrina.

I think these little houses are cute.

There is a park right behind the City Hall building.  It has these giant Oak trees in it!

I tried to get a picture of Halle taking a drink of water out of this cool little fountain, but instead I got her spitting the water out as she thought the water tasted horrible!

This tree is really cool in person!

The city build this around the tree!  I wish I had used my good Camera for these photos.

The trains are very loud, but they are cool looking too.  This one is coming off  of the bridge that runs over the  gulf and in the Bay of St. Louis.

Kids in tree!

Park

Sunday tag!

I like this neighborhood!

I bet it was really cool before Katrina, because it is really cute now.

A couple of updates!  Hayden gave his 1st talk in church and did a really good job.  He cried for 2 days about having to give it, but then he gave it and did an amazing job.  He bore his testimony at the end (I had no idea he was going to do this) and he got really choked up and gave a really heart felt testimony.  Lots of people from the ward were really touched by him.  One convert in the audience (kind of a rough looking fellow) said, he wanted to stand up and clap.  Anyway Hayden was so embarrassed that he had cried and had his head between his legs through the rest of the meeting.  I think he feels a little better now.  I had to go after him.  I could barely hold it together.  Kara later asked why he had cried.  I told her he had felt strongly about what he had said and was filled with emotion and felt the spirit.  She looked at me a little terrified and said, "does that hurt?"


Kelton jumps off the bus and runs and gets into the car.  This is his most talkative time of the day.  He jumps in today and says "Mom I've figured out how to love this school!"  I'm thinking oh good maybe the teachers are relaxing a little.  He continues with "I just don't listen when the teacher starts yelling at me and everyone. Then I don't look at the board because than I'll realize I'm behind, I just start doing my work and I just keep going until it is lunch, and then once I make it to lunch I only have a little bit of time left and then I get to come home!"  Well that doesn't sound so great, but at least he's learning some survival techniques.  The school has a very cool library.  One of the coolest I've ever seen (I decided I should list some positives).  Kelton was super excited today is library day and he gets to check out some books.  Kelton also was referred to the gifted program.

Kara had been getting off of the bus and whining because she was so hungry.  I was tired of her whining all the way home so I told her to "stop she was ruining the ride home for all of us and there was nothing we could do about her being hungry until we got home anyways."  When we got home the other day Kelton was a little grumpy which is unusual for him.  I asked" why are you so grumpy did you have a bad day?"  Kara chimed in with, "maybe he is hungry."  I said, "are you hungry?"  She said, "yes."  I then said, "than why aren't you whining?"  She said, "because you told me not to!"  I guess they do listen sometimes(:

Brent's boss invited us over last night to do a little boating with them after work.  Brent kept talking about how I had scared the kids with all the shark stories.  Do you know how scared they were.  Not one tiny bit.  I couldn't even keep them out of the water if I tried.  I even yelled shark one time to make them get out of the water more quickly and nothing.  Are these my kids?  I guess they missed Jaws!  Where all the kids are laughing and having fun in 2 feet of water and then all the sudden Jaws comes and has no mercy!  Kara even turned to me and said, "mom as long as you don't bother the sharks they won't bother you!" Hmm no one was bothering Jaws!