Decided to upload some pictures that I took recently of Karlee!! Hopefully between swimming lessons, summer, work, babysitting twin 3-month old girls and remodeling our house, I will have time to do a real update soon!!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
AMAZING Father's Day
As most of you know, Father's day in Billings turned out to be a very scary, destructive, shake you to core and yet AMAZING day!!! For the first time since 1958, a tornado touched down in Billings and caused major destruction but left NO and I repeat NO injuries or fatalities!!
The day was FINALLY a nice day! The sun was finally shining and the temperature was rising!! Karlee asked Mike if he wanted to go to Toy Story 3 for Father's day and he of course said yes!! We left the theater at about 4:20 and while we were in there, a storm had rolled in and it was eerily dark!! We talked about going to eat supper somewhere but decided to waste some time at Toys-R-Us first!! Just as we had walked into Toys-R-Us, I received a text from a friend saying that she had gotten word that a tornado was spotted on the north side of town and asked if I could hear sirens!! I walked to the door of Toys-R-Us and couldn't hear sirens but noticed that it had started really raining! I told Mike that we needed to at least get to the car so we could turn on the radio and hear what was going on!! We made it to the car and decided to start heading home so that we would at least be there if there was going to be a tornado!! Shortly after that, I get a phone call from my friend stating that she had heard that a tornado had touched down at Metra Park and was heading up Main Street in the Heights!! My heart immediately sunk...we live in the heights and not too far off Main from the Metra!! We start driving as fast as we can towards home to see if our house is okay all the while my phone starts going crazy with texts and phone calls and also with me trying to text and call people and see if they are okay! The rain is falling so hard that we can barely see even with the windshield wipers on high!!
I will NEVER forget what we saw as we approached the Metra and up Main Street (tears are filling my eyes as I type this)!! It was minutes, maybe 10 after the tornado had it!! Debris...insulation...wood...metal was EVERYWHERE! In the roads, hanging from power lines, trees and then I saw it........The Metra....THE ROOF WAS GONE!!!!! I have soo many memories of different events at the Metra.....going to concerts, tournaments, bringing an electric blanket to keep warm while take stats at the High School basketball tournaments cause the floor was on the ice, I graduated from College in that building, taking Karlee for her first meeting with her HERO Mickey Mouse....SOOOO many memories!!
We continued down Main Street through more debris on the road and strewn everywhere to the next business that we can see that is damaged!! There were only 2 walls and a pop machine left of this business!! Then across the street, it looks as if what was a casino is now a pile of rubble and several other business had windows broke out and then just a few more business down the street, no damage at all!! I started praying that nobody was injured but in the back of my head, I figured there was no possible way that there could be such destruction and no injuries or fatalities!!
We kept heading toward the house to see how it was as I had been getting reports from friends of golf ball size hail through out the heights and lots of broken windows and flooding!! We got home to find that our lawn looked like a driving range at a Golf Course but thankfully no windows were broken and we had no flooding!! Mike's car was heavily damaged by the hail along with our roof, gutters, and bbq!! Those are all just things!! We are all okay and that is the most important thing!!
When you drive by the path of destruction it is sad to see the destruction but AMAZING all at the same time!! Everywhere you look, you see GOD's hand!! He protected us all that night when a tornado was sent down the busiest street in the whole state of Montana!! When the adrenalin wore off that night and I got a chance to reflect on what had happened and that the tornado could have touched down anywhere in Billings, I had a good cry over how lucky and blessed we all are!!
Here are some pictures of the destruction and also a video that was shot of the tornado!!
This is a short part of the video below that shows some of the tornado touching down at the Metra!!
This is a 10 min video of the tornado hitting the Metra and also the destruction afterwards!
Inside the Metra
Back of Fast-Break Auto Glass
Front of Fast-Break Auto Glass
Enclosed Trailer that was hurled through the air
Our Front Yard!!
Hail that I picked up 2 hours AFTER the storm! That is a quarter in the bowl with it!!
We received over 2 inches of rain in 2 hours with the storm that added to our already very saturated ground! There has been wide spread flooding throughout the town! Some house have had as much as 7-8 feet of water in their basements!!
Click here to read the articles and see the pictures that the Billings Gazette has published!!
The day was FINALLY a nice day! The sun was finally shining and the temperature was rising!! Karlee asked Mike if he wanted to go to Toy Story 3 for Father's day and he of course said yes!! We left the theater at about 4:20 and while we were in there, a storm had rolled in and it was eerily dark!! We talked about going to eat supper somewhere but decided to waste some time at Toys-R-Us first!! Just as we had walked into Toys-R-Us, I received a text from a friend saying that she had gotten word that a tornado was spotted on the north side of town and asked if I could hear sirens!! I walked to the door of Toys-R-Us and couldn't hear sirens but noticed that it had started really raining! I told Mike that we needed to at least get to the car so we could turn on the radio and hear what was going on!! We made it to the car and decided to start heading home so that we would at least be there if there was going to be a tornado!! Shortly after that, I get a phone call from my friend stating that she had heard that a tornado had touched down at Metra Park and was heading up Main Street in the Heights!! My heart immediately sunk...we live in the heights and not too far off Main from the Metra!! We start driving as fast as we can towards home to see if our house is okay all the while my phone starts going crazy with texts and phone calls and also with me trying to text and call people and see if they are okay! The rain is falling so hard that we can barely see even with the windshield wipers on high!!
I will NEVER forget what we saw as we approached the Metra and up Main Street (tears are filling my eyes as I type this)!! It was minutes, maybe 10 after the tornado had it!! Debris...insulation...wood...metal was EVERYWHERE! In the roads, hanging from power lines, trees and then I saw it........The Metra....THE ROOF WAS GONE!!!!! I have soo many memories of different events at the Metra.....going to concerts, tournaments, bringing an electric blanket to keep warm while take stats at the High School basketball tournaments cause the floor was on the ice, I graduated from College in that building, taking Karlee for her first meeting with her HERO Mickey Mouse....SOOOO many memories!!
We continued down Main Street through more debris on the road and strewn everywhere to the next business that we can see that is damaged!! There were only 2 walls and a pop machine left of this business!! Then across the street, it looks as if what was a casino is now a pile of rubble and several other business had windows broke out and then just a few more business down the street, no damage at all!! I started praying that nobody was injured but in the back of my head, I figured there was no possible way that there could be such destruction and no injuries or fatalities!!
We kept heading toward the house to see how it was as I had been getting reports from friends of golf ball size hail through out the heights and lots of broken windows and flooding!! We got home to find that our lawn looked like a driving range at a Golf Course but thankfully no windows were broken and we had no flooding!! Mike's car was heavily damaged by the hail along with our roof, gutters, and bbq!! Those are all just things!! We are all okay and that is the most important thing!!
When you drive by the path of destruction it is sad to see the destruction but AMAZING all at the same time!! Everywhere you look, you see GOD's hand!! He protected us all that night when a tornado was sent down the busiest street in the whole state of Montana!! When the adrenalin wore off that night and I got a chance to reflect on what had happened and that the tornado could have touched down anywhere in Billings, I had a good cry over how lucky and blessed we all are!!
Here are some pictures of the destruction and also a video that was shot of the tornado!!
This is a short part of the video below that shows some of the tornado touching down at the Metra!!
This is a 10 min video of the tornado hitting the Metra and also the destruction afterwards!
Cell phone picture taken of the tornado about 1/2 mile from where it was touching down
Upper Parking lot at the Metra littered with debris
Ariel view of the damage to the Metra
Inside the Metra
Back of Fast-Break Auto Glass Front of Fast-Break Auto Glass Enclosed Trailer that was hurled through the air
Our Front Yard!! Hail that I picked up 2 hours AFTER the storm! That is a quarter in the bowl with it!! We received over 2 inches of rain in 2 hours with the storm that added to our already very saturated ground! There has been wide spread flooding throughout the town! Some house have had as much as 7-8 feet of water in their basements!!
Click here to read the articles and see the pictures that the Billings Gazette has published!! Wednesday, May 26, 2010
When I Grow Up.....cont.!!
I have been busy making some more cakes and really enjoying it! This weekend I will try my hand at a graduation cake for my cousin!!! Every time I am done, I am truly amazed that I was able to make that!!! I have found it to be very relaxing and keep trying to think of more fun cakes I can make!! I am having to find people who are willing to take a cake off my hands though as I am on a diet and that diet doesn't include cake!!
Here are my latest creations.....
A friend's twin baby girls were born early and had to spend about 3 weeks in the NICU! I made a cake to celebrate their homecoming!!
Michele is one of the 2 gals that run the daycare that Karlee goes to!! She also is Mike's cousin!! Karlee was so thrilled to bring Michele this cake!!
I made a cake for Mike for our anniversary! Our wedding cake was white with a pearl pattern with fresh red roses on it! This is my interpretation of that!! It was my first time making a fondant rose which was kind of interesting!!
This is a cake that I was inspired to make from a tank top and shorts outfit I bought Karlee!!
I promise a full update on life in the Albertson family this weekend!! That is if I can find the time while making a graduation cake!! :-)
Friday, April 16, 2010
A letter from Karlee
My name is Karlee Albertson and I am a MIRACLE (at least my mommy says so). I just couldn't wait to meet my mommy and daddy and so I arrived 9 weeks early!! When I was born, instead of lying with my mommy I was put into an incubator which made me very sad! There were tubes, lights and all sorts of sounds and things that I didn’t understand. When I was born, I had to have help to breathe and I saw other babies that were smaller than me and they had to have tubes to help them breath as well. I knew my mommy and daddy and all the other mommy and daddies were sad as I would sometimes see them crying but they didn't know just how strong I would be!! My mommy and daddy were always by my side even though I was so small (3lbs 6oz) they couldn't hold me right away. When they did get to hold me it wasn't for long but I loved every second of it. I can still remember the way my mommy smelt the first time she held me. It was so hard not going home to my special room after I was born, but I was never alone. I remember how tired mommy was, it seemed like she lived in the hospital and I also remember how sad daddy was that he couldn't be there with me every second. I am so thankful for my family and how much they love me. I am also very thankful for the people who helped me be able to finally go home. So now that I have been out of the NICU for 3 years. I want you to help me save babies like me. Without all of the research from the March of Dimes I might have never came home. My mommy and I will be walking in the March of Dimes March for Babies on April 24. Will you Sponsor me as we walk cause ONE DAY.ALL BABIES WILL BE BORN HEALTHY BUT WE HAVE TO WALK TO GET THERE!!
Thank you!
Love,
Karlee
www.marchforbabies.org/karleealbertson
Thank you!
Love,
Karlee
www.marchforbabies.org/karleealbertson
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Princess Bed
Karlee got a new twin bed!! We decided it was time to trade in the toddler bed & to say she is in LOVE with it is an understatement!!
From an Incubator to a Princess Bed.....She has came a long way!!
When I Grow Up....
When I grow up..........I want to decorate cakes....specifically FONDANT cakes & be the next Ace of Cakes!!
I have always LOVED watching cake decorating shows!! 
So I decided to try out what I have seen on TV!!
I baked a few cakes (Lemon and Strawberry) & stacked them.....
Bought some fondant tools.....
And started decorating!!
I thought they turned out okay considering I can't even frost a cookie decently!!
This is was my second time EVER decorating a cake (first time can be found here)!!
So I then decided to try something a little harder and make a cake for Easter!!
I was again plesently SUPRISED at the results!!
Someone pinch me that I ACTUALLY made that!!
Move over Duff...here comes KANDIS!!!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
St. Patrick's Day 2010
Once upon a time a Leprechaun visited!!!
He left some gold coins, beads....
Cookies.....
Some Leprachaun poop....
And a very HAPPY little Girl!!!
This past weekend we went to the Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade!! We love going & I especially LOVE the bagpipes!!
Happy St. Patrick's Day
From Karlee
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