Springtime in Alabama: What I’ve Learned So Far -

Springtime in Alabama is its own dichotomy. The temps can’t make up their mind. The sky can’t make up its mind. Some trees are blooming, some still look dead. Some lawns are turning green, others are still proudly brown.

The weather is crazy. In Florida, every day is basically the same: sunny and hot. Summer in south Florida is defined by the afternoon thunderstorms… you can set your watch to them; they’ll roll in around 3pm. Alabama’s weather? Not at all predictable. At least not yet.

We get to experience all four seasons in just one week and every level of precipitation. Monday is stunning: 60s and sunny. Tuesday is chilly in the am, sunny and beautiful in the afternoon. Wednesday starts a little wet, then insane storms roll in. The weather radio begins alerting us to severe thunderstorm, tornado watches and eventually tornado warnings. Thursday will be freezing, like in the 30s because of Wednesday’s tornados. But fear not, it will be sunny again.

I’m feeling a little less panicky about tornados. Not because they aren’t scary, because they are truly terrifying. I’m less nervous because we are prepared. We have a basement, and whenever the “severe storms” are coming, we set up our safe space. I purchased a NOAA weather radio off Amazon a few weeks ago. It was simple to set up. And when there is a tornado warning, our weather guru stays on tv and talks us all through it.

Last year’s tornado (in Nashville) caught us off guard and unprepared. We have determined to be alert and weather conscious from now on.

Springtime is outdoor-time…

Reagan and Riley were never big “let’s play outside” kids. They love to swim, but that is about the extent of their outdoor lives. Remy, on the other hand, is obsessed with it. He has always loved being outside. He’d probably live out there if we would let him. Naturally, one of the first things we did to the new house was fence in the yard.

In order to block the exterior stairs from him, we ordered retractable baby gates. I chose these from Amazon. They get the job done. Although our little terror already figured out how to unlock them. He usually respects their presence though, so that’ll do.

Food trucks come into our neighborhood pretty regularly. I love it. One night recently, we had Eugene’s Chicken and Heavenly Donuts. SO yummy! Riley was thrilled to find out that Eugene’s doesn’t use egg in their fried chicken.