The Olsen Update

I'm caught up on my project 365 after stupid IKE! Check out the newest photos... Here

Or was... The Costa Rican Team has Saturday and Sunday off. So they guys have been exploring the country by climbing volcanoes and swimming in ice cold waterfalls. Monday was back to work as normal... Well, As normal as it gets when NOVA film crews are there. It's so annoying because it makes it hard to get anything done. But what little work they are actually doing is more than they could do here since the roof is still being worked on after the damage Ike left behind. It's looking like a vacation more than work.

Here are the pictures I took On September 20th when the League City Ward went out to clean up after Hurricane Ike.

I just about died laughing when I saw this. I think BUBS AND LEO have been training with this guy.

(I don't know who to credit for this one but I got a good laugh out of it.) For complete description of materials and how to build it, please refer to Genesis, chapter 5:14-16

Ok... I guess I have a lot of time on my hands since Chris is gone. I was board and one of my on-line photog friends asked me to do a little "PHOTO PIMPING " for her. She just gave me this mushroom and let me loose with all the freedom a "Photoshop Freak" could want. So first I added the burnt paper texture, then the cool butterfly I shot in San Antonio. Last but not least I added Alana's 1st birthday photo and Wha Lah.. Totaly rockin picture of my rock star daughter. Anne Geddes Eat your heart out!

(This is an email Chis sent me last night) Everything is ok. We finally made it to the hotel at around 10:30 pm local time. It has been an adventure. The plane ride sucked. I had a window seat without a window. The plane had regularly spaced windows (even across the isle from me) but for some reason all I had was a blank plastic wall to enclose me in. Yeah, not fun, and I won't be sitting in seat 8A anymore. Customs and immigration wasn't bad at all and we didn't have to use our 'Franklin' card either. Getting the rental car was another story. We couldn't refuse insurance unless Bluestein (or insurance agent) covered me for liability in Costa Rica which they don't (we called). It seemed to take forever to get the rental car which is a Hyundai POS. It is an SUV but nothing seems to work right. The place gave the car to us with only 3/4 tank of gas as well. I had to practically sign away my life as well as my first born, so I guess Alan...

This sweet little girl looks just like Bubs dosen't she? (Bubs---------Kitten?) No she is not his love child, but the resemblance is uncanny. As you all know Chris and I have been doing a lot of volunteer work after the storm. Sunday Chris and a few of the guy went out to do more work in the area. At one of the homes they noticed this little sweaty in a pile of rubble. Chris was worried about her being in the way while they were cutting up the logs. So he picked her up and to her to the door of the home owner. Chris said to them, " Heres your cat... I don't want her to get hurt." They then explained that she and her mother were strays and that they had been outside for the storm. Chris being the surprisingly soft hearted guy he is decided he would bring her home as a surprise for me. So now we have this adorable little girl. In the photos you can see that she has an eye infection. She also has an upper respiratory infection. (Both Leo had when he showed up on o...

This has been a long hard and emotional week. If you know me well you will know that I am just a big BOOB! Well all this week I could not cry. Even when I really needed too. There is devastation, sadness and loss all around . Normaly I would cry at the drop of a hat. I even tried to cry to fill better. I welled up a bit when I went to visit Jen and Steve's neighbors the Mann's today, But not the good cry I needed. Then I checked my email when I got home and I found out about Christopher and welled up again. It wasn't till I was looking a where Bucca Air force Base was on a map and explaining to Alana what it mint to get deployed to Iraq was, that I would finally get a good cry in. Well, at least a start at one. I know... What's the big deal? He's just going to Iraq. He's a MP who is guarding the base. What could go wrong... Once again... If you know me well you will know that I over think EVERYTHING! I have to weigh out all the possibilities so th...

~This is a shot of my "BUBBA" the day he graduated from Basic. (its been pimped by on of my on-line buddies)~ A few months ago I found out that my Brother Airman 1st Class De Mario was going to be deployed to Iraq. From that day I had a feeling that he would be leaving on Alana's Birthday. Well... today I was proven right. I got word that Christopher was on a flight to Bucca Air Force Base this morning... The day of Alana's 3rd Birthday. So I thought that I would share a few stories and pictures with you. The story is not mine but one I'm sure you all have received in your email in box at one point or another. Sorry it's kind of long. Now let us take the time to remember the heroes left behind. All the mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters of the heroes sent into harms way to preserve our Freedom!!! The following was written by one of our heroes in the shadows. Lets make sure we don't forget them, and make sure we give them...

While in San Antonio for the evacuation, I noticed this truck in the parking lot and had to take a picture of it. This is much nicer than many others that I've seen on the Highways. My neighbors personal favorite is... "I don't like Ike.... and neither does Tina." At least we can find humor in all of this!

Really, I never knew meat could mean so much to me. We stopped by friends Scott and Cynthia's place while out checking on a few houses after Ike. They gave us a refresher and I helped with some minor clean up in their yard. When all was said and done Cynthia asked me if we would like some chicken she had happened upon at the grocery store. You may or may not know that it's darn close to impossible to get much of anything right now. So we graciously accepted it and a few other comfort foods. We got in the car and were so excited about it that we thought that we would share the only 3 chicken breasts that we could have for a week or more with our friends the Kerby's. They had watched the girls all day so we could help with the clean up efforts. They like us only had canned food to survive on. It was so nice to have chicken for dinner that night. And some how it fed three adults and three girls. Chris and I feel so fortunate to have power, water, gas and a non leaky roof o...

Our friends the Grundbergs moved into our ward a few months ago. Steven, Jenny and their two young boys have been renting a small home here in League City in hopes that they could use that time to find a house of their own. When Hurricane Ike headed in our direction there was no question that they would leave and stay with family in northern TEXAS. The night that Hurricane Ike made land fall. A tree in their yard snapped, taking a power line with it onto their house. That power line sparked and caught their home on fire. A few days later, Chris and I came home to find this news. So the next morning (Tuesday) we got our boots on dropped the girls off and headed over to their house to take pictures and try to find a few things that were precious to them. While talking to Steve on the phone, he was able to direct me to some things that were precious to his family: 8mm home movies, Mission letters, pictures and his small gun collection. Unfortunately the guns did not seem to survive Howeve...

We're home. We have power/gas/water/food. Chris's work has damage. Minor damage to our yard. Tired. But home. Pictures to come...A TONE OF THEM!

Hello everyone... I just got the word that the power is back on in my house and that we are going to be able to return to the city tomorrow! YIPPPEEE! I did a happy dance. Sorry I don't have much time to explain our experiance because I'm typing this in my hotel loby where there is only one computer and it has a time limit. But I will be home tomarrow afternoon to tell you about the damages. hit play on the juke box and do a happy dance cause We're going home! WWWWOOOOO WHHHHOOOOO!

We Hate IKE. Please pray for us. We don't want the flooding or wind. We'll be updating information as often as we can and evacuating either today or tomorrow early. I think we're going somewhere west of Austin. Thank you Carina

I decided that everything has been so depressing in my last few posts. Stupid IKE. So that's the reason I've posted all the random stuff . Enjoy!

No this is not her Halloween costume... but it sure is cute! I got this at a garage sale last week and I had to put it on her.

Today was Alana's first day in her "BIG GIRL GYMNASTICS CLASS" I was so proud and so scared all at once. She did everything but her stretches with out Mommy. I think she did very well for her first time with out me. She didn't cry, but she did look for me when ever she did a move.. You'll see in the video. I also did her hair different today. It made Alana feel very special!

A little bit of a Star Wars fan

I'm having a very difficult time right now. We're looking out into the gulf and saying "I HATE IKE!" How do you tell a 3 year old you have to cancel their Birthday Party? Seriously. She has been so excited about this for so long and now I have to do what I REALLY don't want to do. One big deal is that we won't be able to reschedule for as long as a month because of other plans. I mean... we've bought all the supplies with the exception of food and there is something else that is breaking me down to tears right now too. Alana is turning 3 right? Well if you remember, she was born during RITA. I still have nightmares about evacuations and the uncertainty of where we where going, who we would stay with, sitting in the car for 12 hours just to get 30 miles away and not knowing what was going to happen next. A new baby! Those flash backs are still haunting me and being the third anniversary of those events is depressing me to the max. I'm trying to be...

Many of you have been asking for the information for Anna DuPree's Dance Studio... SO here it is: www.LeagueCityDance.com They offer classes for all ages... I 'm so excited about this since Chris was talking about taking classes with me... YIPEEEE! Children/Teen Dance: We offer classes for ages 3 to 18 in creative movement , as well as ballet, jazz, and contemporary techniques. Classes start September 4th. Adult Dance Fitness: We offer drop-in dance fitness classes in jazz workout, ballet workout, and pilates. Classes start September 15th. We offer drop-in latin and swing dancing classes for couples every weekend! Classes start September 19th. Anna DuPree (Artistic Director) 200 Houston Ave League City, Texas 77573 Cell: 281-299-4012 E-mail: anna.dupree@gmail.com

About time a "Bull Dog with lipstick on" puts Obama in his place. You know it takes a real person with real values to give the speech she gave tonight. She put everything on the line and told us who she is. I applaud her for her selfless love for her kids, her state, the military, causes and of course our wonderful country. It's my opinion that a women like herself... "a Hockey Mom" is what this nation needs in the White House. We as Moms have to juggle so much. All our titles and hats that we wear. Sarah Palin is what we need to balance out this economy and as many of you saw tonight... The women is a SPITFIRE! There is no jumping through hoops, no beating around bushes... She is to the point with out the BS. I would be proud to call her my VP pick for the president of the United States of America. As a Mom, Sister and Cousin of servicemen and as a warm blooded, corn feed American. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Click here to see a boat rescue on Google Maps. Crazy... At least someone is trying to help.