Flood Pics

I was able to get some Waverly flood pics from my mom this weekend- complete devastation. Again, thanks to eveyone for the prayers, well-wishes, donations, and blessings.... you've all been amazing!

My brother's house with all of their ruined appliances, furniture, etc. waiting for trash removal- The reason my parents were locked in- both bridges had so much debris!

After the water level lowered...

The church I grew up in- not sure if they are going to rebuild or not...

The view from one house down from my parent's-

The view from 2 house's down from my parent's-

The 3 Amigos

As we get older, it's easy to forget how scary things can be when we're young... My 2 nieces and nephew have had a pretty rough couple of weeks since being displaced by the flood. So what's a great solution? Pack up the car and head to Des Moines! My parents are bringing the kiddies down tomorrow and we are headed to Adventureland on Sunday. They really need this release and the weather looks to be accommodating. Can't wait for a house full of giggles!

Chillaxin and relaxin

Sat. night Andy and I decided to relax and enjoy the fruits of our hard labor on our newly stained deck... we made the following recipes, which can be found on: http://www.foodnetwork.com/

-Orzo salad

-Jerk steak

-Grilled chicken drummies

-Key lime tequila tart

-Watermelon margaritas

It was a beautiful night to sit back and enjoy a cocktail!

DIY Landscaping

In an effort to save some green, Andy and I decided to tackle a DIY landscaping project on the deck. We definitely needed more sitting room so we decided to finish off the base so we could store the grill at the bottom of the deck. This project took time, sweat, and tears (okay yes I did get splinters!) but in the end, it was worth it.


Before:

After:

Flood Relief update

Hey all- Just wanted to share the news. I was a little hesitant about my brother and his family pinning all their hopes on FEMA but turns out, they came to the rescue.

His house was evaluated over the weekend and it was determined: they won't 'condemn' it but FEMA will pay to hire a contractor to replace all the flooring and dry wall. They lost all their appliances and air conditioner so FEMA will replace all except the dishwasher, as this is considered a 'luxury' item. Each child is eligible to receive a $500 payout for clothes, toys, etc. And even though he didn't work for 2 weeks, his company did send him a check for a 20 hour work-week. So it does help- it doesn't look like construction on his home will begin any time soon so in the mean time, they'll be staying with my Grandma. Good bonding experience for her and the kiddies. :)

I just wanted to say thank you so much for all the donations, prayers, and being there to listen to me vent. I appreciate it all so very much- and will keep you all posted as events unfold. My mom told me that 37 homes in Waverly collapsed due to the flooding so I guess it could be worse. At least they are all safe and have a place to call home for now.

Red Cross to the rescue?!

So... I thought the Red Cross was supposed to be there to support flood victims?

Well- my brother's family, who will probably lose their home in the 'Floods of '08' found out that they were DENIED aid from the Red Cross. I guess only those that know how to lie or those that know all the right people are entitled to aid from the Red Cross.

This makes me want to call up the CEO and ask for my money back from all the years I've supported this organization.

My brother and his family's only hope now is FEMA since they don't have flood insurance. Thank you for all the continued prayers!

Happy Father's Day!

To Scotty, a.k.a. Baldy~ If it's broke, he can fix it. If it's ruined, he can fix it. If it's only thinking about breaking down, he can fix it! From day one, when Scott met my mom- he was always there for me and always has been since. He knows the true meaning of the word 'dad', loving unconditionally. Even though he has two biological daughters, he always makes me feel like his third. He helps anyone at anytime and is truly an inspiration to look up to. Have a great day Baldy and remember:
Chickens DON'T have lips! To Steve-O, the best father-in-law a girl could ask for. Steve has welcomed me with open arms from the first time we met. His kindness and humor shine through and I appreciate all he has done for me and Andy. He is a loving and supportive dad and in turn, has raised a wonderful son. Have a great day Steve-O!

R.I.P. Tim

Wow- what a complete shock. I have always been the biggest fan of Tim Russert- he always plays the fair, no-nonsense, common sense card. What a tragedy- the election just won't be the same without him. Neither will 'Meet the Press.'
Peace and prayers to his family...

Evacuation Part 2

I got to work today and noticed all the sand bags lining the windows. Everything seemed okay until noon when the city decided to evacuate downtown companies within a few blocks of the river. They are predicting the levees will not hold through the night. Not sure what's in store for us on Monday but at least we all got out safely.
My thoughts and prayers go out to those who are dealing with this horrible mess...

Laughter is the best medicine

I think we could all use a little Hoff right now...

Evacuation

My company evacuated at 1:00 p.m. today due to the flooding. We are only 3 blocks from the DSM river and the West side of Court Avenue is already badly flooded. I also talked to my mom- their house is still okay but they are trapped there since both bridges are closed. Plus they have been without electricity since yesterday... My brother's house already has 3 in. of water on the main level and they don't have flood insurance. So please continue with the prayers!

*Flash Flood*

My mom just called- Waverly is in a flash flood right now. My brother's family had to evacuate their house and are staying at my Grandma's. My parent's new house is okay for now- the water is at the end of their road, only 2 houses away. Supposedly going to be worse than the flood of '99 so please keep them in your prayers...

Lazy, Hazy Saturday Night...

Since Andy's mom was out of town this weekend, we decided to visit his dad and grill out Saturday night. What a treat that we got to spend time with Jack too! He was a riot- when we were leaving and after giving us hugs, Jack declared "Hey guys, dinner was fun!" It was too cute.

Writer's Block

I dedicated this weekend to writing my research paper for my independent study class... and am suffering major writer's block. I even went to the coffee house last night so I wouldn't be tempted by TiVo at home, but they closed at 8:00 p.m., just when I was on a roll! So far, only my introduction is written and today I need to knock it out...

Happy Anniversary!

June 5, 2008
Happy Anniversary Drew and Adrian! I will always have such fond memories of your wedding... the church was beautiful and the winery was perfect. I'm so lucky to have been a part of it. Enjoy your day!

Civic Duty

Don't forget- today's the day to cast your vote. I would have forgotten had I not received 5 cell phone calls, 2 text messages, and 4 calls to my home phone in the last 24 hours.

*Long live caller ID*
P.S. I decided to shake things up a bit and voted for Fallon. We'll see how it plays out.

House updates

Andy and I used some of our anniversary money to buy a new flag for the house. We really needed a new one as our old one was shredded from the winter. We also decided to move the pole from the garage to the front of the house.

When my parents came down last weekend, Scott helped Andy put in a receiver cabinet under our island in the kitchen. This will power the speakers we're going to have installed on the outside deck. I was a little nervous but Andy assured me that anything Scott does, turns out well. And he was right- I'm very happy with this outcome!

Fabulous!

There is only one word to describe last night- FABULOUS!
The food/drinks/service at Dish was amazing. Then (Annette's treat!) we all hopped in a limo and rode around downtown DSM until the movie started. What fun!
The movie was just what I expected- we laughed, we cried, and we fell in love with Carrie and Big all over again!
Thanks to my girls for a great time!