Friday Favorite: iPad Apps

Here are some of my favorite iPad apps.

Hope these links work!
DirecTV- Awesome app. I can set the dvr to record from my iPad. Also, you can change the channel from it. You can watch tv in the app as well.
BlogPress-This is how I update my blog sometimes...if its just a quick post.
Google+- See your circles and streams.
The Weather Channel- You can add multiple cities to follow.
Kindle- Currently re-reading the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) books.
Pinterest- need I say more?
Noterize- I love this. I can download knitting patterns to this app and as I complete a row, I can highlight it. You can also write and make other kinds of notes directly on the page.I couldn't find the link online. Just go to the store and do a search.
Netflix-Great for lying in bed and watching tv shows/movies when hubby is watching something else on the tv.
Khan Academy-here and here
PS Express- simple photoshop app that allows basic editing of photos.
Get Glue- This app lets me check into tv shows/movies/topics/games, etc and earn virtual stickers & can request real ones once a month.
The Sims Freeplay- For some reason I like this app and play it often. They just recently added the ability for Sims to get married and have a baby!

What are your favorite iPad/iPhone apps???
~April

Severe Weather Safety

With all of the crazy weather happening nowadays, we have been trying to be better prepared around here. So, I thought I would share ways for you to be prepared too!
We took a Storm Spotter Class the night before our last severe storms. Go here to see when there will be a class near you. Just click on your state.

Storm Shelter:
Not everyone has one or can afford a storm shelter. My brother has one we can use about 5 minutes away. However, if you can't purchase or build one yet, like us, then here are some basic things to do when severe storms are headed your way...particularly during a tornado warning.

• Get into the most interior room (no windows) on the lowest floor of your home. We don't have an interior bathroom, so we choose one of two interior hallways.
• Gather blankets, mattresses (air matress), pillows, etc to help shield you from any flying debris.
• Helmets!!! (maybe even protective goggles). These can be bicycle helmets. Anything is better than nothing.
• Have shoes on. If something happens, you probably won't be able to find them afterwards.
• Be prepared by keeping an eye on the weather and watching radar if it is supposed to be bad. Most local news channels will stream radar on their website!

If you are outside:

• Get into a ditch.
• If there is no ditch, get as low as you can..flat on your stomach on the ground. Protect your head with your hands.
• The idea is to get as low as possible incase of flying debris. Also, don't get near trees. They can be struck by lightning. If anything is taller than you, it can be struck.
• If driving and can't get to a safe place, don't get under an overpass. The winds are much higher under there. Pull over, turn on flashers, and dont get out of the car.

Items to keep on hand for easy retrieval:

• First Aid Kit- bandages (all sizes), alcohol swabs, pain medicine, etc
• Bottled water- We wash and re-fill our 2ltr bottles. We have taken about a dozen to my broter's storm shelter about 5 minutes away. We also have them stashed throughout the house.
• NOAA Weather Radio- try to get one that can run on power or batteries.
• Snacks
• Flashlights
• Batteries- ALL sizes
• Lockbox- For important papers, phones, etc. Ours is fire/water proof. We keep important papers and photos on an external hard drive that we purchased for under $100 at Wal-Mart.
• Instructions to turn off the home utilities.
• Anything else you would want with you.
• We keep all of our items in a large plastic storage bin. My husband can easily grab it and throw it in the car if we have enough warning to get to my brother's shelter.

Video from FEMA:

Helpful Links:
Lots of great info here on this site.
SkyWarn has a spotter training class (we took it a few weeks ago! Free!)
NOAA
NWS-National Weather Service
Codes to program your NOAA Weather Radio
My post with link to info on making a 72-hour preparedness kit.

~April

What's In My Purse...

I thought this would be neat. To show you just what is in my purse! Too bad I didn't do it last week before I cleaned it out. Lol.
This purse was a gift from my mother for Christmas last year:


The goodies inside:
- wallet
- diaper and wipes
- video camera
- Tennessee sunglasses
- gum & candy
- hair clips
- shout wipe
- Tennessee earrings
- receipts
- mini post-it's & pens
- lipgloss, lipstick, and lip balm
-there is also usually my cell phone, keys, and a few toys for the kids.



Question: What is inside your purse?
~April

Seriously not liking blogger right now.

After going through my posts and adding tags to them for easier searching...the posts I edited are GONE! The titles are still there, just no content! Blogger is pissing me off!


~April

I love weekends!

Last weekend we had Eli's birthday party. And, for the second year in a row he wanted the dragon cake. He also wanted it blue, but...the store didn't have blue! Boo! So, it ended up green again. This cake may look like it took a while but I had it finished in an hour. It's all about how you cut the two round cakes. Eli loved it yet again. :-)
Peyton loves Spongebob. She calls him "bob grants" (bob pants). Lol.
How cute is she!?! Here she is modeling her new Tinkerbell gown.
Here's Landon & Eli. Don't they look soooo happy. Lol. I have no idea why they look so sad. They had been giggling while they were painting the pages. (Apparently my SIL didn't use a flash either...)

She was totally in her own world...
Peyton, Landon and Bristol Talladega playing outside in the dirt. Peyton loved it. And if you look close you can see that Landon doesn't have a cast on his arm! He just has a brace-type thing on for the next two weeks. Hoping to finally get this broken arm healed. (At the 3 week mark, one of his lower arm bones wasn't healing straight enough, so we went in on a Monday morning and had it re-straightened. It has now been 2 months with a cast/brace.) His poor arm was so dry when the cast came off, so we are keeping a good lotion on it. He really needs a good exfoliation when the brace finally comes off.
Hope you all had a great weekend!
~April