Well we survived Hurricane Dolly.

We weathered the storm at home, we started at my parents house but when it became apparent that the storm may never make it to land (it spun in the gulf, right on the coast for hours) we decided to come home. We came home around 4am and went to bed expecting for it to have come and gone by morning. It fooled us. I woke up at 6:30 and realized that the TV in the bedroom didn't work anymore but the rest of the power did, I didn't think much of it as I figured the tube had been blown out when the power went off the first time. I went back to bed mad that the TV was broken. At this time I also realized that when I flushed the toilet I could hear the water gurgle in the shower - I knew that couldn't be good. At 11:30 we got up and realized it wasn't only the TV, we had scattered power out in our house, and I was right about the plumbing - it didn't work. The AC didn't work either and the storm was begining to blow. Called mom and dad to see how things were over there. If we wanted to leave we had to do it soon. We decided we would hang out at home, after all this wasn't supposed to be a big deal. Even the weather people said so. We still had the TV in the living room and our satillite still worked, anyone who has a satillite knows that if there are even clouds in the sky the stupid thing won't work right, so we weren't too worried. The wind was blowing and around 1:30 the power went completely out and by now it was too late to go anywhere. We still had cell service, so at least we could still talk to people. Ben and I stood on the porches (front and back) and watched as slowly branches started to blow down. We got hungry around 3:00 and because this wasn't supposed to be a big deal we hadn't really prepared food wise. We got the BBQ pit out and decided that we were going to lose everything in the freezer anyways so we might as well cook it. Ben had to make a wind break out of drywall to keep the flames down but it worked and we made a great meal in 95 mile an hour winds, we were so proud.

We continued watching as our neighbors tree blew down taking our fence with it and as large limbs of our tree fell and piled up in the back yard. The front yard was a mess also and our neighbors tree also fell on our jeep and then into the driveway (it didn't hurt anything). Our street did flood for a few hours, but no big deal there. Kevin came and got Ben around 5:30 to go check out Boog-A-Dee Boos. I really think they just needed to get out and be nosy to see what else happened in the neighborhood. Well Boos didn't fair well at all. Apparently the roof peeled back and it was raining just as hard inside as it was outside. He has insurance so it should all be fine (hopefully) after awhile. They came back and we all loaded up and went to my parents house. They had a lot of tree limbs down and their yard looked like a war zone, but the house was fine, no power, but they had plumbing. We took showers and came home later.

Here is some flooding in our back yard.

The next morning we awoke to the sound of chainsaws and machetes and axes at about 7:30am. I couldn't believe thses people were in such an allfire hurry to get out and work. I was so tired from all the excitement the day before I just wanted to lay in bed all day. Plus it was like 100 degrees and no one had power. We went back to my parents after cleaning up the front yard a little and cut limbs the free their driveway and made big piles of brush all along the road. The Arroyo is higher that I have ever seen it in my lifetime and hopefully doesn;t get any higher or my parents have a much bigger problem to deal with. This is my parents back yard. If you have ever been there you know that the Arroyo is normally about 50 feet down and looks like a small stream of water you can barely see.

Hollie had a great time. Whenever another tree fell she would tell daddy he had to go fix it right now. All in all we didn't do too bad, the storm was much worse that they ever thought it would be, but aside from some minor damage I think we all came out okay. We got partial power (what went out second) on Saturday and the rest on Monday. Our AC is shot and will have to be replaced and our plumbing was fixed today. Hollie and I are still staying at my parents because - well I am pregnant and until today had not plumbing. But also until the AC is working I don't see any reason to hang out here when they have power and AC and everything over there. Their power came back Monday almost exactly 5 days after it went out. (Give or take 20 minutes). So we are all fine and will move on and continue w tell our storm stories until they get old, then something else will happen. That's the way life is.

Holy cow, it's been a long time, hasn't it? Sorry everyone.
It's not that nothing has been happening because every day with Hollie is an adventure, but when I try to put it into words, it doesn't seem as funny.
I will be going to the doctor tomorrow for my gestational diabetes test (keeping my fingers crossed that I pass). I went last week and my wonderful doctor informed me that this little guy was measuring almost a month ahead - expect a big baby he said, I said he told me the same thing about Hollie and she wasn't all that big.
Anyways, mom and I went shopping Friday and bought everything in the store. Well it felt that way when we got home. We discovered a store in McAllen (45 minutes away) that is like Once Upon a Child. It was awsome. I am glad it is that far away so I won't be making many trips up there.
I just wanted to update today because incase you haven't seen we are expecting our first Hurricane threat of the season, and this one looks like it might actually make it here which would mean I won't have computer access for a few days.
Anyways, just thought I would let everyone know I am still here and I will post soon with pictures - I promise.