Do you hear a siren?

Ever burn okra?
To the point where the fire department is called?
Oops... Nana did.

We went to my parents for a family dinner with Andy and Kadi, and noticed as we pulled into the driveway the sound of a smoke detector and my dad running to turn the alarm off. We walked in to find a smoke filled foyer, and Nana frantically waving the dishtowel and running to open the back doors and windows. Sadly, they acted as though they've done this before. This was not Nana's first rodeo. The joke used to be, dinner's ready with the smoke alarm goes off.

The smoke began to clear and we thought everything was over and fine, until we heard sirens in the distance. Somehow in all the commotion, we managed to miss all 3 phone calls to our cell phones from ADT, which would have canceled the trip from the fire department. Apparently, they don't bother calling the house figuring if it's is actually on fire, you hopefully aren't still in it.

Papaw and Trace were playing in the basement when Jimmy ran down to tell him that there were indeed fire trucks parked outside the house with sirens and lights blaring. After a "Oh, *$#@!" from dad, he sheepishly and profusely apologized to the firemen who came barreling down the driveway with their gear in tow. One rookie looked terribly disappointed, as he slung his coat and hat back into the truck. This was hardly the "big one" he'd been waiting for.

Trace was completely entranced by the huge fire trucks blocking the traffic on Fairview Road (and I'm sure completely relieved that he had NOTHING to do with this one after his little stunt at VBS.) I have no doubt our family is now on the short list at the fire hall and I was thankful at that point that Trace was never actually identified as the culprit who pulled the fire alarm at church this summer.

The firemen were very gracious and seemed to chuckle as dad explained that there was no fire and that his wife just burned the okra. We now have learned that ADT does indeed respond to smoke alarms as well as burglar alarms. Good to know.

After they left, we proceeded with dinner as planned (minus the okra.)

Papaw fed Keatyn... and then had to bathe her.

Uncle Andy was determined to teach her to crawl, on the dining room table.


It was good wholesome family fun, with a little drama thrown in for good measure.

Papaw is expecting the bill from the fire department any day now.

And Nana has been forbidden to ever fry okra again.