Blogging on HOLD

Hello everyone. Over on the RIGHT side bar I have a poll. Help me decide what to do about my computer difficulty.
It's not really a difficulty, except that it has become an issue in my home. To make a long story short, it will be less stress & hassle if I just give up the computer & printer so there is no issue to argue over.
By the weekend I am planning to have the computer all taken apart & boxed up for it's move. So I guess the whole point of this post is to 1: get help knowing what to do about buying a new computer, and 2: to let you all know ahead of time why I'm not posting for who knows how long...
so vote & leave a comment - I am not computer saavy...I could use some imput.

IKE

While visiting family last weekend, I saw some of the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. On Friday we went to Kemah. It's a way cute little town that has a fun carnival-type place and pretty little beach houses. Most people just drive their little golf carts around town. Way fun place. It makes you want to grow old and move there. Here are some pictures of damage around the Kemah area. Very sad...
on the back side of one of the boats up on land it read, "WE'RE OK". It made my heart just ache for all of the loss those people went through.Well, I thought that was bad. My brother in law and neice are both ham-radio operators (sorry if that's not what you guys are called...??) They were asked to help in Galveston after Ike. The whole family volunteered for so many hours cleaning up. My sister made food for so many families. I can't believe the strength their family has! Never thinking of themselves...just helping, no matter what. The Galveston area is in their stake and over 100 people in their stake completely lost their homes. They actually lived in the ward building for weeks. I cannot even imagine.

On Monday we went to Moody Gardens in Galveston. Only part of the attraction was open because so much of it was damaged from the hurricane. As we drove through the streets I was amazed at how much trash, sheet rock and debris was piled up on the road sides. And even more amazing was the BIG boats that were up on land. Heartwrenching. And to think so many people did not evacuate! My neice told us about when they were on their way to Galveston to help with hurricane clean up, there was boats in the middle of the freeway. What a scary thought!

As we left Galveston for the day, there was a gas station. (not the one pictured above...it was a ton worse!) It was completely mangled. The rain was so bad I couldn't get a good picture of it.(I am not used to sheets of rain falling down. My sister said it was not that bad! I'm used to UT rain!) Anyway, it would have been a perfect description of all of the damage they endured.

Seeing all of that damage made me so sick inside. It made me feel safe and grateful that I live where I live. (Although I do wish I lived closer to my sis...)

So to anyone out there still dealing with loss from recent natural disasters, please know that I will think of you and pray for you.

last minute trip

Well as most of you know, the stress level in my house is like 10 + most of the time.

Last week my parents were on their way down south to visit my sister's family. Nephew was having a birthday & getting the priesthood. I was quite jealous because I totally miss my sis and just wish we lived closer to eachother. (Tara - that does not mean I am moving...) I also really miss her kids. They are TONS-O-FUN!
Last weekend was Justin's weekend with the girls so I thought it might be fun just to look at ticket prices. They ranged in price from $500 - $2,100. So for a couple day trip, that was NOT worth it to me. Then my best friend told me that I should check out priceline & name my price for a ticket. So I listened to her. I went on priceline and named my price at $120. The computer pretty much rolled off the desk laughing at me. I just raised my price $10 at a time and finally at $225 it accepted my offer! WaHOO!! It was WAY last minute, but everything worked out. The next morning I was on my way to the airport. There is always something fun to do at my sister's house.

Here is some of what I did on my last minute trip!...
(and a few pictures to prove it!!)

• I played Guitar Hero
• I ate BBQ
• I ate down home cookin'
• I took a REALLY deep sleeping nap
• I cried
• I laughed
• I went potty a few times
• I went sailing on the ocean
• I was involved in a sailboat crash
• I saw Hurricane Ike damage
• I was a FUN AUNTIE
• I went to a museum type place
• I went on a movie-ride that made me feel like I was going to VOMIT
• I played the game LIFE
• I was a cool Auntie
• I did some laundry
• I made a joke
• I ate at Red Lobster
• I was a dental assistant
• I watched neice paint liahona
• I took lots of pictures
• I was a fun daughter
• I played with magnets on a wall
• I did the dishes
• I played Pit
• I took a few showers
• I went to Wal*Mart
• I watched nephew eat 55 shrimp scampi
• I ate Malt-O-Meal & Ice Cream....mmmm
• I cried
• I listened to neice sing songs
• I vented
• I played
• I met some really fun & amazing people
• I talked to my kids every day
• I painted a mug
• I played with and sang to some dogs
• I saw penguins
• I slept in
• I met a weirdo or two
• I played on the laptop w/ photo booth...SO entertaining
• I ate Malt-O-Meal & Ice Cream again!! mmmmmm
• I watched movies
• I relaxed
• I did not swim in the beautiful pool
• I thought
• I totally missed my kids
• I was a fun sister
• I played at a birthday party
• I ate some of TomTurkeys feathers
• I ate a half-quart rootbeer float over a 4 day period
• I saw a trash can full of trophies
• I watched my sister cover a snake cake with individually cut pieces of fruit leather scales
• I looked at a house remodel
• I called my house
• I had my flight cancelled & got to stay an extra night because of tornadoes

I HAD AN AMAZING TIME!!!

THANK a VETRAN!

Happy Vetrans Day!
To all of you who have served or who are serving in the military...THANK YOU FOR DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM! It is so sad that there are so many people I saw in the airport today who did not even know that today was Vetran's Day.
Our country should be PROUD and thank our Vetran's. We all have FREEDOM because of what they do every day...So even though there are only 63 minutes left in 'today' THANK A MILITARY SERVICEMAN or WOMAN!
Thank you father-in-law, Richard
Thank you sister-in-law, Melinda
Thank you brother-in-law, Rod
Thank you nephew-in-law, Casey
THANK YOU VETRANS near and far!!!!
(and hey everyone...Pass on the American Spirit!)

End-of-October-Fun!!

Now that I am back home and back into blogging... let me take a couple minutes to give y'all an update...

October was a way busy month at our house.

Our annual 'fam & friends' pumpkin carving extravaganza was a hit...as usual, right? We had excellent food & company!

Pumpkin carving is one of my favorite things to do right before halloween. It's fun to see what everyone comes up with for their jack-o-lanterns.

Later on in the week, Tara, the girls and I had a pizza & pumpkin party and Domino's didn't even charge us for the hair that was BAKED INTO OUR PIZZA!!! Yucky!!
Check out our mini pumpkins that grandma & grandpa grew in their garden. They were fun (and hard) to carve. The girls & Tara did faces and I did little stick figures...Tika, me, Carsy and even a little Genevieve!!

And of course, trick-or-treating. We have our usual stops of family and friends and this year Tara, and one of her sisters' & her family came over and we all trick-or-treated around our neighborhood.
This year Tika was a 'death eater' off of Harry Potter and Carsun was a Clown. Genevieve was NOT a bat like she has been for 3 years. (We couldn't find her costume, or she would have been!) This year she was a Candy Corn Witch...so cute, and me? I wore the same thing I have worn since my sophomore year in HS. A T-Shirt that says, 'this is my costume'!

The neighbors came over after trick-or-treating-- they ate candy, watched TV and hung out for a late night. What FUN!!
I made a slide show (above) of some of our October highlighted events!!! :)

Stranded!!

Some of you, like CL, might be wondering why I haven't posted anything since forever ago... well, here's my excuse...

I am stranded at CL's house!  

Horrible weather has kept me from getting back home!

*sob*

Last week I made an abrupt decision to leave town and visit CL, the fam and the Doggies...aaawww.  :)

Now stay tuned in for an update and pictures from Halloween and my present adventures!