These giraffes were on the way out, they were not in the general population, they had their own cages..

I wish this pic came out better, but this was when we got to SA, the sign said...

DO NOT TRAVEL TO HOUSTON OR BEAUMONT!

We visited our friends Cliff and Katie and here are some pics of their cute babies...

Best part of the Park

I dont know what this animal was, but it is hungry, it felt very comfortable sticking its head in to get food...Kaelen claims it bit him

Now this Zebra was the highlight, it was hilarious...it was hungry too, everytime it wanted more food, it would do this with its mouth like maybe we should throw the food into it, it was hilarious...

I did get a few more of some Ostrichs later on, they still wouldnt come close to us, but they would eat the food when we through it on the ground for them...

Llamas..

This was a snob Llama, it wouldnt even look at us as we drove by...cripes, its free food already! Take it!

More horned things from Africa

We'll make it, I swear

So, on our way to SA (hey that rhymes) we met up with my bro and SIL, they were evacking from Port Aransas. We went to the Natural Bridge Caverns Wildlife park, b/t San Antonio and New Braunsfels.

We started at the petting zoo they had, Haden wouldn't go in with the goats and Kaelen wouldn't even get out of the car, he is getting too old to resort to such things...these things are for mere children....

Christian did pretty good, we have hit up a couple of petting zoos this year so he is an old pro...

Cauuuttteee baby goat!!! Leave it to Christian to find any body of water and try throw things into it, here is Haden trying to pry him away...

Ring tailed Lemur..

Ohhh..my fave, the whole time I wanted to see the Ostrich, they are hilarious looking and I know they like to stick their whole heads and neck into your car to get the food...so I get all excited!! here it comes!!

And there it goes, it doesn't even look at us..just keeps walking....seriously!?!? What kind of snobby ass Ostrich are you? Think you are better than us? What, is my truck not the right color for you? Geez...


Some weird horned animal...




A buffalo!

Who knows??? Everything seems to be from Africa...

Ike Evac!

OK, a few pics of our trip to San Antonio for a little retreat from the wind and rain and "certain death"!

We stopped at this neat BBQ restaurant for lunch, the BBQ sandwiches were yummy..



Here is what adorned the walls, ALL of the walls, there were so many stuffed animals, many of which I had no idea what they were..guess they want you to see what you are eating..







Momma loves me a Convoy....this is but one convoy we saw on our way out of town..they of course were headed in...I love to see them!!! They were stopping at Buccee's for a cold beverage...

First day of what???

Today is the first day of Autumn, for real? Yes, for real, ok so where are the leaves and the cold weather and that stuff. Well, i guess we might have leaves if they didnt all blow away in the storm..

sigh, I love Fall, please come quickly fall...we miss you!

They were all Yellow

Power is back! At least for now, I have heard many horror stories about having it for a day and then it going out again. Lets pray its stays and lets pray they get everyone else back up ASAP!

Begin again

Heloo to all! I am accessing the Internet from the local library, they are my heroes now! It is Thursday and we still do not have power. My parents house is toast 2-4 feet of water in it, everything on the bottom floor destroyed. They are staying with us for now, but hope to soon be in a hotel. They are quite devastated just like everyone else who has lost a home. We were very lucky, only to have lost our fence and possibly a crepe myrtle in the front. Having been almost a week now without power is no fun either, but we have a generator and it has been a lifesaver, keeping us with the fridge and freezer and the TV and fans. I really miss having online access and cant wait for everything to get back to normal.

Keep praying for those who have lost family members or their homes.

Thank you Ike for new hurricane terms

• "Hunker down"
• Surge Tsunami
• "Certain Death"

I swear, reporters irritate the crap out of me and make me laugh hysterically at the same time...

Funnies:

Some guy on the weather channel was talking with some guy from the coast guard and they said that they were not going to be doing any more rescue missions after 9pm, that if someone found themselves in a predictament, that they should strap themselves to something that floats and try to ride it out. lololololol

Now, me being me would say that is exactly what they should do, that they were warned they faced "certain death", they should have left, but it was funny to hear someone actually say it...

Another guy just said he was going inside, that the weather wasnt worth it...wasnt worth it? why are you out reporting in the middle of it anyway?? Dork...

And I saw a dumpster being swept away in the water, that was pretty funny..couldnt help but laugh

Anyway, me being far from the storm can laugh at it, but I am still thinking of those in the middle of it, stay safe and away from windows.

Living it up in SA

For those if you in the path of Ike, SUCKAS!

No, just kidding. Actually, I should have stayed, I would be lots of dollars richer. My last few days:

Thursday

Went to work, left around 4:30. Stopped at station downtown to top-off, no regular left, had to get Supreme

Got home, packed a few things.

Went to HEB, not one piece of bread, no milk to be seen, good thing i didnt need those (while Chris boarded windows)

Cleaned house, packed more

Whitened teeth, went to bed

Friday

Got up around 6, called mom and dad to check status (they live on water)

Got ready, got boys up and ready, waited for mom and dad

Left for SA, drove there no problems whatsoever, good times

Stopped and ate BBQ, went to Buc-ees, met up with dorky little brother

Went to Wildlife Ranch, went to SA to check into to Awesome hotel

kids to pool, dinner, baths

All throughout day, watching the weather channel watching reporters act like idiots, saying stuid things

Gotta admit, Ike isnt bothering me so much

Chris was supposed to work but they let him go, he is at our house with Mom & Dad, sounds like my parents house may not be standing upon return

Last checkin, no power loss yet, strong winds and rain...would be nice if it stayed that way

Kuddos to all of those who stayed behind, I am sure it will not be as bad as thought and I will wish I saved the money....but hey, whats another vaca??

I came across a blog today that had a great quote.

"Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments.{or if I could enter here-the basket-head mother syndrome} She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11). This is so true. Maybe this is why I take so many pictures, because there are so many moments we rush in and out of...I agree with this quote 100% and wish I could live in the moment more with the boys.