We have a winner!!!

Reagan was the winner of the drawing contest we had during the hurricane...

(side note:  Trevor actually drew what Reagan told him to draw, so technically Trevor is the winner too:))

Elli found a pair of glasses in the dress-up stuff....she loved putting them on and showing everyone....it was too cute to not post it!!! 

My blog has been hacked!!!!

Sorry everyone - Chris hacked my blog yesterday and I was soooooo busy all day that I didn't notice until he texted me and said "you better check your blog".  You were all so curious about "my fav scene" so I don't want to let you all down, so, this is one of my favs...true love is crazy!!!

My fav scene...

We survived the hurricane!!!

The most amazing thing about last night was that WE NEVER LOST POWER!!!  Neighborhoods all around us lost power, some still have no power, but we never lost power.  Storms are so much easier to weather when you have lights and sound and all the things you are used to.  I do believe that the hurricane would have been  - mentally - much worse had the power gone out.  So, we had a drawing contest...the winner is still to be determined.  We baked cookies...there is nothing better than making cookies to take your mind off of the wind screaming outside, the rain pounding the windows, and the trees taunting you with their every bend.  Chris, Brandon and Trevor worked outside in the hurricane, putting up tarps and digging trenches away from the house to stop the leaks we were experiencing in the basement.  They were successfull.....

The slide from the kids jungle gym was Trevor's idea to direct the water away from the house....that's my boyscout!!! 

Daddy's trench was a success - glad he was the one to dig up the yard and not one of the boys - hahaha.... 

Trevor also thought of the idea of putting the skim boards in front of one of the basement windows to keep the window from leaking...so inventive.... 

They had some fun while they worked too....

When Chris and the boys finally finished outside, we had warm cookies and milk.  Then, we watched the news....until we realized that everyone just kept repeating the same thing over and over and over and over again.  At that point, Chris and the older boys turned on a movie, and the twins and Elli and Joshua and I headed to the basement where we read books and went to sleep (with one eye open that is;)). 

I am glad it is over, and I hope I never have to be in another hurricane - especially if it is bigger than the one last night.  Today we will do minor clean-up, as we are still forecasted to have rain and wind all day, and catch up on the sleep we didn't get last night.  Thank you everyone who prayed for us last night...there is no doubt in my mind that our power was sustained by an extension cord from Heaven. 

 

Race Bannon's Post....

UPDATE:
Chris and I just returned from the grocery store, and I have to say that all of this is very surreal.  After a summer of tourists and traffic, to see the streets and stores empty is spooky.  Top that with stores and houses boarded up and you get absolutely surreal.  My thoughts and my prayers right now are with the people already being hit by the hurricane.  What an adventurous life the Bannons lead...
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I haven't had time to blog anything due to how busy I have been with  football, getting ready to start school, earthquakes, hurricane irene....so, I decided to post Chris' blog post here because he has had plenty of time to blog ;).  On Chris' blog he is known as Race Bannon, and I am Mrs. Bannon and our family is the Bannons.  So, without further adieu...

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Okay, serious now...

The east coast is absolutely prepared. Politicians have been way out in front of this...but like Katrina, I know there are many in the inner cities who just don't get it. They live in public housing, receive welfare credit cards, government job training for jobs they never apply for...and they are incapable of surviving on their own.

But enough about them, if the storm is bad, you will hear and see them on the news...

The Bannons, however, are ready:

With no time to catch our breath after the "oh-eleven" earthquake, we are at battle stations.

- We brought in the lawn furniture (never again!)

- The wind chimes (even the big one, thanks Mom and Dad and Sis) are in

- The vehicles are full of gas

- Plenty of food, and plenty of propane if gas gets cut off

- All water containers are full, freezers full of ice

- Tubs are full of water

- Candles at the ready, batteries for flashlights

- Plenty of first aid kits

- Sat phone (benefits of the job)

- Mag's loaded and plenty of ammo, 'case the Zombies get any ideas

Having Boy scouts and a Civil Air Patrol Ranger helps.

The one thing I didn't do - buy a generator. It was on my list, but at the bottom.

The power back here on the east coast seems to go out every storm. So we may grab our go bags, and head to a hotel with a pool and continental breakfast for a mini-vacation...haven't decided yet. We're watching to see how much it degrades over NC and VA...

 

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My husband....always the comedian even during hurricanes (did I mention that Chris' first encounter with a hurricane was during PT training at the FBI Academy - outdoor torture during Hurricane Eduardo - after that he looks hurricanes in the face and laughs - HAHAHAHAHA)  ;)

 

Anywho...Elli and I did manage to fit in a pedicure during all this hullabaloo...

 

Are those chubby feet cute or what?

Just a shout out....

Thank you Chris for being such an awesome Dad and husband....

 

...and, thank you Dad - Steve - for being such a great Father-in-law, and Papa - I love you....

I love Lucy....and her beautiful family!!!

Meet my beautiful friend Lucy....

I love the Anne of Green Gables books.  I love the way Anne Shirley talks in the books.  Anne Shirley is passionate when she speaks.  She truly chooses her words carefully.  Anne uses words like "alabaster brow", "rose-leaf complexion", and "jet black tresses" to describe things or people that she loves.  Chris and the boys love to make fun of how Anne speaks.  I love the words Anne uses when describing her true friends.  She uses the phrase "bosom friend" and "kindred spirit".  Those are the words I would use to describe Lucy.... 

We met Lucy, her husband, Ralph, and their 3 beautiful children in 2006.  Josiah is their oldest son, he is a year younger than my Brandon, but he loves flying and airplanes just like Brandon.  Emily is Trevor's age, actually I think she is a year older than Trevor (I do remember some teasing on this subject), but she and Trevor have very similar personalities.  Sammy is a year younger than Joshua, and he and Joshua are pretty much the same kid.  I listen to Sammy tell stories and I think "how can there be two kids like this?".  Lucy is.....gosh words to describe Lucy.....there are too many good ones to list!!  She is an amazing person and a truly amazing friend.  When Lucy and I met it was as if we had known each other all our lives.  We just connected....she is my bosom friend and a truly kindred spirit!! 

We were all so thrilled when we found out that "The Vandecruzes" - as my kids call them - were coming to visit us.  Me especially ;)!!  The twins and Elli had never met them - we have "doubled our load of kids" (as Ralph put it) since we left Arizona - but they were certain they had memories of them based on all the stories they hear about The Vandecruzes, and couldn't wait to see them.  We had so much fun!!!  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner tastes so much better when you have friends to share it with....

We taught them one of our favorite games - the dictionary game - and stayed up late playing.... 

Of course we had a big camp out downstairs for all the boys.... 

The twins loved playing dress-up with Sammy - I wish I had pictures of that!!  They spent hours chasing each other in cowboy clothes, or police clothes, or pirate clothes - always with a gun in one hand ;)!!  The twins loved having The Vandecruzes stay with us!! 

Jason loved Ralph - he is still talking about Ralph playing the guitar on our back deck ;)....

I am so sad that we live so far away from my friend and her beautiful family.... 

Thank you, Vandecruze family, for visiting us!!  We so love you guys and miss you guys!!!