home

yay! and poo-ey... I already miss the kids, *ut it is good to *e home. (*='s the letter after A...it is stuck again) I have spent the morning unpacking, doing laundry and listening to my Pandora station..downloading pics and now printing for
P365...


already exhausted... here are some 'highlights' of the trip

here is Col*y, the naughty cat...he opened this drawer *y himself! such a stinker!
he is the su*ject of my post a couple of days ago, lets just say, with him...if you can 'get into' it...he will. good thing he is soooo darn cute!!





here is my companion for the past week, this has to *e the sweetest pup ever.
Her name is Sadie, she is so patient with Col*y and just follows you around the house. She is a genuine sweetheart.












Damage from the storm...the only tree on the *lock! teehee. Chris rented this *uzzsaw the next evening...to clear it out.








My angel doing her 'sweeps'...just love the way the light from her laptop lit her face...I loved the evenings we stayed home and just 'hung out'...














and some of my goodies purchased in Ft Worth , GASC, and Houston...you can see why I LOVE my Texas trips! (the 2nd pic is of all the kits from the

all is calm...right now

wow, last night was weird..

C came home from work @ 6pm. We went to Academy, to pick up a pair of shoes...while at the cash register, the gal asks if it is raining yet. We told her no...C had seen some lightning on the way home, but we did not see anything bad. We get in the car...and all of a sudden...winds...rain...darkness. C says she hopes we don't get hail, and when we get home, Chris steps outside to put the cars in the garage.

C is in the bathroom getting out of her work clothes, when we hear a small crash..
"Oh my goodness, C, part of your backyard tree just hit your bedroom window!" (not enough to break anything). We run to the backyard to bring in the bbq and chair and stuff, cuz we don't want more stuff to fly at windows.

At this time, Chris runs in...the tree out front also broke in half. Luckily, it fell away from the house. I'm not sure, but I think Chris goes to the neighbor's, who has a weather radio...we have nothing, no internet, satellite, and power goes out briefly.

He runs back in and tells us to get in the small bathroom's bathtub. C asks, 'can't we go in the master tub?" he says, 'No, gotta go in the room with no windows"...he grabs the mattress, we grab the animals, C and I get in the tub. Chris goes back to the neighbor's to stay updated. Now, my cell phone did not work, but C's did. So, I am on the phone with dh...'what can you tell me about Fort Worth and Tarrant County". Tornado Warning.

We get conflicting reports, 5 tornadoes in Denton.. moving NW...very confusing.

Chris comes in and tells us to go ahead and leave the bathroom...but we leave the cats...and if we hear something that sounds like a freight train, get back in with the mattress and the dog. He grew up in Oklahoma and knows a bit about tornadoes.

But when his grandma (from OK) calls him and tells him its in Plano,over an hour away, he feels its safe for us to get 'back to normal'...we eat, get tv back...and eventually internet.

I got a few pics of the trees and rain...lets see how they turn out.

all night, there was rain and lightning and thunder..and this morning, it was nuts!...but its settled down now...so, take a deep breath...w o w!

I did go to CVS to buy a battery operated weather radio for the kids. The gal at CVS told me the Walmart across the street is closed, due to no power. There are several stoplights not working on the roads, and flooded streets. You can also see trees and fences that were knocked down.

Chris wants C to keep a radio in the bathroom...just in case this kind of thing happens when she is home by herself. AYE YI YI!!

I grew up in Houston, but I've never experienced anything so sudden and violent before. Well, not that I can remember. This did scare me, but none of us panicked..so that was good, right?

whoa!!

We just had something strange...we had a tornado warning...heard sirens, also.

The hardest part is we lost 'contact' with the outside world for a while and did not really know what was going on. Chris (dsil) had us go in the inner bathtub and wait while he went to the neighbors to try to find out what was happening.

my cell would not work, but dd's did...so dh was on the net telling us where the warnings and such were...it was ...wow.

you know, I had a brief moment of wanting to grab my purse, but did not think of my camera...hmmmm. I did get a pic of the tree in the kids' front yard that broke in half.


oh boy...

cats...

I've been living with older cats for so long, I've actually forgotten what 'turds' these younger ones are...esp Colby who thinks his only job in life is to get into what you are doing...like he just tried to snag the ice from my cup!!

Yesterday morning, I was dumb enough to bring out the folding mesh laundry basket I've been using. First thing he did was get in it...2nd thing he did was leap at me as I walked by. OUCH got a claw in my leg. But I blame myself, I forgot.

He was sweet while I was taking a nap. Laid at my feet...of course 'just out of reach' for pets.

Then he was playing with Sadie, hiding under the bed to paw at her...and as I watched, he opened the bottom drawer of the ikea nightstand...to get in!
(kids say he's also figured out how to open the shower door) I got pictures!!

I have locked him in the bathroom cabinet (accidently!) it has a child proof latch..I had to retrieve something, forgetting that he goes into any open space.
Till I heard him trying to push the thing open.

He's been on top of the fridge, on top of the cabinets, and leaps on top of the computer desk...now, he is not graceful, so he also knocks things over as he does it.

As dsil's screen saver scrolls by...he paws at it...and plays with the 'other kitty' when he sees a mirror. He takes great pictures, cuz while your wrist strap is dangling, he tries to paw it.

All I can say is 'its a good thing he is so darn cute!!'

And a good thing the kids' puppy, Sadie, is so mellow and sweet!! and patient. She is the perfect companion and balance for this cat!

tuesday...my vaca is coming to an end...

so far, I've had fantastic food!! Lots of treadmill time for me when I get home!!

we arrived Weds last week, met dd at BJ's ...we shared a sandwich and had pazookie...hmmmmmmmm, talk about yummy.

Thursday, met dd and dsil, they took us to Babe's Chicken...oh my, talk about an experience! the chicken fried steak is 'melt in your mouth' and the fixin's are great also.

Friday, the kids had to go to a play for his class, so mom and I went to Cracker Barrel...oh, those chicken and dumplings...I was drinking the juice!!

Saturday, drove to Houston, then went to Escalantes...heaven on earth...that white queso...incredible...though the waitress was less than pleasant.

Sunday, came back to Ft Worth...dd made us a 'green bean' casserole...layer of grnd beef, rice, green beans and cream of chick soup...easy..but yummy.
(and both days in the car, we had Whataburger)

Yesterday, Monday, dsil took me to 'which wich' sandwich shop...fun place, pretty yummy and when dd came home she made us grilled tuna melts w/tomato soup.

Today, we are supposed to go to Papasitos, the kids tell me the fajitas are 'to die for'...but I'm an enchilada gal.

Weds, we are going to a chapel service..so who knows where dinner will be...
and on Thursday, we are going to 'stay in' and have pizza and watch Taken. dd and I saw it in Houston, but dsil has not seen it yet. It definately is a movie to watch a couple of times...cuz i'm sure in the 'thrill' of the first viewing we missed alot.

I am also enjoying my grandkitty, Colby and grandpuppy, Sadie. Colby is "grade A" naughty and Sadie is soooooo sweet. DD tried to bring other cats for Colby to be friends with...but he is just too rough..so, Sadie is the perfect playmate...she can take his roughness, but not respond with too much...like a typical dog COULD.

AND dd has a little scrap area set up in the guest bedroom. She scraps a little, so I've been adding some stuff to it and plan to spend some time finishing her graduation album.

I'll leave Friday afternoon. It will be good to see dh and Percy again...but, I sure am gonna miss the kids!!

I have computer access again!

it is really weird going without computers...but also kinda nice...hmmmmm

had a blast at GASC. took 8 classes (I had originally signed up for crop and shop for 4 people, 2 days; but my sister's house flooded so she had to cancel...instead of being 'out' the funds, I switched to classes)

Day 1: 3 layouts by Scraptique (the club for Scrapbooks and Stickers)...love the papers and embellies...though I did do it 'my' way on the layouts..this is the 'dangerous' booth for me. I think half my budget was spent there...

Wonderfully Whimsical by Memory Maker's Stacy Etheridge...I took 2 classes from her, this one and She's a Crafty Girl. HIGHLY recommend her classes. Not exactly my 'style' but fun and I feel like I learned things that will take me 'out of the box'.
lot of finger painting, so be prepared to be messy...yes, I was the one with the wipe...I can't stand messy, hands!!

I am Thankful by Melissa Francis..taught by Melissa Francis! The kits did not arrive, so we had to make some quickly, did not have all the 'stuff' but ...very nice!! LOVE her style..and her! When you get past the Canadian accent, jk!

Day 2: an acrylic album class by Storytellers Club...a li'l disappointing...she just 'taught' the album, no techniques for thinking out your own...and I don't like their stuff...you know the picture of a flower as opposed to a flower..

Glitter, Flutter and Shimmer by SEI..this class needed more time...but it was cool.
learned to make folded envelopes and an origami burst frame. and I loved the Loverbirds paper...but don't schedule a class for immediately afterward, you may not get the chance to finish.

a purse album by Scrapbook Barn (a store in Dallas)...very cute, good instructions, I feel like I can now make one of my own. She did explain her thought process for selecting how it is going to flow, esp the 2 pages facing each other.

a 'paperclip' calendar by Crystal Reiger using Prima...oh my, loved this...but I LOVE Prima. (she had a funny Canadian accent also)...she did a lot of reuse and recycle...I like that.

I'm at dd's computer, so can't post pics of the projects. But I really enjoyed myself.

Also got a trip to Archivers in Houston on Sat...and my dsil just took me to Hobby Lobby.

So, I guess, I'm officially broke. Oh well, but I am one happy broke person!!

Organization Challenge part 2

actually there are 2 parts, one I've done...take pictures of your space as it is...
this is shooting at 360 degrees from the door.







part 2, I'll do on the plane...dream of your ideal space...then think of how to make the areas that are not working...work. ideal space...hmmmmmm...I'll need a larger room.


leaving early, @4am for the airport...yay! going to Texas!!'