Preparing for an Evacuation

A sense of de ja vu has taken over me the last couple of days. I spend too much time watching the news. It's all too consuming. Gustav is coming, but the question is.."where is it going??" Katrina was three short years ago. ON THIS DAY. It doesn't help that the news gets everyone all stirred up and panicky. Our town is bustling, it's like a "calm chaos" in the air. Weird. Wal-Mart was eerie the other night as Lana and I went for water and batteries. Lots of shelves were completely bare. They were sold out of most canned goods. There was no tuna left or air mattresses. And the only flashlights they had were the really expensive ones. Otherwise, the shelves were bare. Cars congested the roads trying to get into the gas stations around town for some gas. Some pumps were already sold out. Schools and colleges have begun closing.

We don't know what we are doing yet. I'm sure we are going to evacuate if it stays on its path, and we'll probably leave Sunday for Alabama. James has already declared that he's staying no matter what. That makes me a little nervous...I think I'm going to lose that battle. The southshore (New Orleans) has already called for mandatory evacuations starting in the morning. I'm sure our Parish will follow suit in the next two days. James' family was supposed to drive down this weekend for Charlie's first birthday. But I had to cancel his birthday party :( and his family isn't coming anymore. Which is probably a smart thing to do. At least Charlie has no idea that he is missing his birthday party, or his cake.....we'll try to reschedule Charlie.

I feel bad for all of those people that did lose their homes, family members, everything they owned during Katrina. Those people are still dealing with those emotions. And now they have to deal with this. It's like re-opening a wound. I think I would move somewhere else if I were them. Just for my sanity. But I can't say too much, because I've never been through what they have. I do know that our things are just that, things. As long as my family is safe, I know that we will be ok. (I am bringing my photo albums and computer with me if we evacuate though!) God bless you all and we will be in touch!

Kids Update:

I had to take Jackson to the doctor today and he's got an ear infection and cold. We had a bad night with him last night. I'm just glad that I got in at the pediatrician today and got some medicine for him. Otherwise, I could see this ear infection turning into a $200 trip to the ER in another town for some antibiotics! Thank you God!

Charlie is happy go lucky Charlie. He's got no clue what's going on. Tomorrow is his birthday and I'll make him his favorite breakfast. Blueberry Pancakes. That should put a big smile on his face. Oh, and he'll get his car seat turned around. That's always an exciting event! I can't wait to see his face when we do! I'm sure I'll blog about it:)

a not so wasted trip

Our two and a half day trip to Destin was fun, even though it was cut short. We jam packed it full of hours on the beach, shopping, lounging and eating some good food!

Charlie loved the beach...can you tell? This picture screams what I'm feeling when I first walk onto the beach! Love it!

Jackson running for the ocean. It was about 9:30 in the morning and there was practically no one on the beach yet. It was so nice. One thing was missing from this trip though, the WAVES! The ocean looked like a big pond. I mean, there was nothing. It certainly didn't sound like the beach.

Daddy and Jackson digging their hole. Guess what (or who) they were going to put in it.....?


Charlie! He didn't mind at all...in fact, he stayed in the hole for quite a while, content and playing (eating) sand...

He's like, "What IS this stuff?"

Lovin' the beach

Jackson decided he needed to pack him in a little tighter...look at that tan Jackson's got going on!

My sis and me trying to get some sun...while a 1 year old and 3 year old were crawling/running all over us. So much for a sand- free blanket!

Mr. G Q himself...he's even posing. What's that all about?

"I'm special"

Jackson likes to say to me, "Hey Mommy! I've got a GREAT idea!" And then he'll proceed to explain a great idea in his head that sometimes always comes out all wrong and his words are jumbled and he's totally confused as to why he can't speak what he's thinking fast enough. It's so cute :)

"Fay"

So we're down here in Destin. Got here last night. Good thing we came a day early, cause we have to LEAVE tomorrow!!! James was supposed to race in a triathlon on Saturday and they cancelled the race today :( So James thinks we should pack up and head home tomorrow before the weather gets really bad here. I think it'd be kinda cool to stay and have a "tropical storm" party...James doesn't. We enjoyed a great day at the beach today and fun on the town tonight. I'll post pics later...left the camera cord at home. We're planning on doing the beach again tomorrow and heading out later in the afternoon. I'm sad.....WHAT are the odds of a possible hurricane heading our direction on this very weekend that we come down here? How dare you "FAY"

Olympic Fever 2008

Jackson's got Olympic fever. We watch it every night. Guess which sport is his favorite?? He was "swimming" here and racing the people on the tv. It was so funny to watch. His second fav was beach volleyball...He went and found his big bouncy ball and him and Daddy "played" volleyball in the living room. Jackson could even tell you where the imaginary net was!

I don't know why this was the cutest thing to me yesterday. I found Jackson on the stairs with his "head flashlight" on and him putting bee stickers all over himself. He didn't pay much attention to me...until I whipped the camera out.

Focusing on getting all of the stickers off the page and onto his body...

I asked for a smile....and I got one, but he was too busy to look at the camera. Couldn't take his eyes off of those bee stickers!

I'm not sure how this picture got started. I walk around the corner and here in front of me stands the Gilmore human totem pole. They were looking at themselves in front of the big mirror over the mantle...and laughing hysterically. (no, my husband can rarely be found WEARING a shirt. Sorry!)

Men in Trees

Timber! Saturday afternoon James and Jackson cut down a tree in the back yard. It had gotten struck by lightening (we WATCHED it get struck by lightening a couple of weeks ago...crazy!) so it had to be cut down. It was going to die anyways...

Jackson has been talking about this all week. "Hey Daddy, when are we going to cut dat tree down?"

As soon as James said, "Today", Jackson ran for his chainsaw upstairs.

He did everything just like his Daddy did. So fun to watch them!

James climbed up the tree and Jackson watched him very intently. Look how little Jackson looks in that picture!

Charlie prefered to do his own thing and push his car around the yard. (Don't worry, the kids came under the porch when massive limbs were falling to the ground.)

Here is a rundown of the game Jackson and Champ were playing while this was going on...
1. Throw stick into tall grass so Champ can't find it....


2. Champ going in after his stick...
3. A couple of minutes later he retrieves the stick and is a happy Champers....

4. Until happy Champers chokes on tree bark....good luck with that one buddy!

I found this sweet face in my camera lens!

Jackson loving on his doggy.

Like Father like Son. Eventually Jackson got ticked off because his chainsaw didn't work like Daddy's. He yelled, "Hey! It's not working!"

Those triathlons do a body good!

Eventually I had to set the camera down and help haul the branches into a pile. Jackson proclaimed to us that he is a very hard worker!

What a mess it was...and too much work!

Fun lil' Saturday

James found this rocker on the side of the road a while back....and brought it home. Now, he's brought MANY "finds" home before and this one I actually liked...Most of the "finds/junk" never make it out the back of his truck. I usually have to tell him to take it back to where he found it...it's junk. Poor thing. He rolls his eyes and huffs and puffs.

It's been outside ever since he "found" it and retrieved it. It's got some bumps and bruises....but I had a brilliant idea to bring it indoors....

a little elbow grease....

...some sanding paper....

2 cans of almond colored spray paint....

and two hours later....

It made a comfy little home in the corner of the study!





Total cost of project: $7



I'm a happy camper!

Now we're off to Michael's to craft some wreaths for the front door. I have to make two...because we have two doors....I'm thinking I'll do a fall theme...it is just around the corner ya know...thank goodness!

Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time......

the week in pictures...and a facelift

Hello friends! How do you like our new look? It was time for a change! Thanks to my blogger intelligent cousin Melanie, I was able to make a change. I feel like there's this whole "blogger world" lurking out in front of me and I have no idea just how big it is nor do I know how to explore it. One day at a time...

We've slowed down a lot this week. THANK GOODNESS!! I was running myself ragged. Like. Everyday. Our move was smooth and everything is unpacked and put where it's supposed to go. Except the garge.....don't go there. I mean, literally, we don't go there. That's a commitment of a project. One which James and I will most likely have to tackle this weekend. REALLY looking forward to it.....

Monday we didn't leave the house. It was a "I didn't change out of my pj's" kind of day. I LOVE those days. They are rare around here, but they sure are high on my list of indulgences. Jackson watched too much tv and I think Charlie took TWO naps. I got so much done around the house that I actually slept well that night. I'm the type of person that if there's stuff to be done in the house, I will lose sleep over it and lie in bed making a mental list in my head of stuff to do. I once read somewhere that when that happens you should actually get up and write the list out. Guess it helps get things off your brain....I was too lazy to do that and my feet hurt, so I just decided to lose about 2 hours of much needed sleep and stare at the ceiling. I'm weird.

Tuesday I dragged the three of us to the gym for my power kick class at 9:30. I hadn't worked out in a week and a half (we were in Destin last week---and just for the record, I don't work out on vacation!) I wasn't feeling it, but we went anyways. And boy was I glad we did. I felt so much better after that 1 1/2 hour class kicked my booty. Go me. My cousin's son, Christian, came over that afternoon and him and Jackson disappeared to the playroom all afternoon. It was good for me, and kept Jackson away from the tv, which he had gotten too much of the day before. (He figured out how to turn it on...and I wasn't too thrilled about that :(

Wednesday Lana, the kids and I hit up Hobby Lobby.....'nuf said.

When we got home from that wonderful store I decided to weed and mulch the front flowerbeds. It was like 3 o'clock in the afternoon. About 100 degrees and no breeze. I thought I'd recruit Jackson to help me. He got his "work gloves" on that Nanna had sent him and we headed out the front door. I start putting mulch down and showed him how to spread it. So about 3 minutes later he stands up and tosses his work gloves on the grass and heads to the door. I look up and say, "Hey! Where are you going?" He opens the front door and walks inside and says, "It's too hot. I'm going in." And shuts the door. Wait. He opens the door, claps his hands twice and says, "Come on Champ, come inside." Thanks for bailing on me!

Jackson pinched his fingers in the cabinet the other day and started crying. I asked what was wrong. He said, "I hurt meself!" Alrighty there matey! ARRRRR...

I found a really cool website where you can play with your digital pictures and do lots of cool things with them. Thought these turned out pretty cool. You can also order prints from the website of your "artwork." You can "Warholize" yourself here.

Jackson wanted to cut the grass with Daddy on Sunday after church. James wasn't wearing a shirt...and Jackson decided he didn't need one either. Can you tell he dressed himself. Hat like Daddy's--check. Work boots like Daddy--check. He's ready to go. James came in the room right before Jackson did and handed me the camera. He said, "You're going to want a picture of this..."

Christian came over the other day and I decided to put them two to work. They had tons of fun washing windows....who cares if there were streaks!!?




I have the same picture of Jackson in this very crib and these very pj's. I had to throw them away this morning after I took the pic...too many holes in them...so sad!





Eating his two packets of oatmeal this morning...cause one just doesn't cut it anymore. I am scared to know what my grocery bill is going to be in a few short years...

This one doesn't care what is in front of him...as long as he's eating! (I'm shuttering as I think of that grocery bill...)

Ok, long story. Here I go. We were in Destin last week at the Ralph Lauren Outlet store and Jackson saw a big sailboat on display. He wanted to touch it. He wanted to hold it. He wanted to buy it. He threw the biggest tantrum right there in RL because I said that we couldn't buy that stinkin' sailboat. So my mom tells him that she will send him a sailboat in the mail. She texts me two days ago and simply said, "the ship has set sail...it will be there on Thursday." Lo and behold, we wake from naps today and there's a huge box at the front door....

Charlie enjoyed the bubble wrap (and got a new sippy cup out of the deal.) While.....

Mr. Jackson was beside himself with excitement. When he woke up I said to him, "Do you remember that sailboat that Nanna was going to send you in the mail?" He shoots back with, "IT'S HERE????" Soooooooooooo excited! Thanks Nanna. Sorry it cost you an arm and a leg to "ship."

......tell me what you think of the new look!

the perfect "Destin"ation

AHHHHH...the Emerald Coast! I told James the minute that we got back that I want to move to that beautiful place PERMANANTLY. I want to call Destin "home."

Of course, he looked at me like I was crazy...but I thought I did see some wheels starting to turn in his pretty little head. Not a bad idea, eh honey?

We had a fun trip minus the weather. You'd think we were in the middle of the tropical rain forest with as much rain as we encountered EVERYDAY....but thank goodness for outlet malls and stores galore in Destin:)