Showing posts with label Imagination Movers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Imagination Movers. Show all posts

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Saturday - day 6 with no power

As of this morning, 55% of our parish has power, so I'm hopeful that ours will come back on before the end of the weekend. My neighbor is convinced it will be today, and I hope he is right! Power or no power, I will be back at work on Monday. The schools in my parish do have electricity, so we'll go back Monday and the kids go back Tuesday. My west side schools may not be able to open for awhile though, so I hope things are ok over there. Baton Rouge's schools are not going to go back next week, although i'm not sure why that decision was made this early. It seems like they are in better shape there than we are with the exception of a couple of neighborhoods.

Walter & I took the boys last night to get some Military MRE's (Meal - Ready to Eat) meals and ice that was being given out in our area. The meals are completely self contained and includes an entree, crackers, instant coffee/tea, dessert, and a heater to heat the main entree. It's a pretty amazing idea and the food doesn't taste bad. I think it's great that FEMA provides food for those who need it. We wont go back for more because the stores are open and we are able to buy food, but we wanted to show the boys what was going on and let them have the MRE's. You get 12 in a box, so they split them up and are going to have them over the next few days. If you've never seen an MRE (this is only my 2nd time), they are amazing!


Then we went to Brewbachers for dinner and let the boys shoot a game of pool and enjoy the air conditioning for a little bit. This morning, Walter & I went to Walmart to re-stock our groceries. It is starting to look like Hurricane Ike may have his sights set on Louisiana and honestly, I don't know if we can take it.

I am really frustrated with my mom. She & my step-dad, John, live about an hour from us and were planning to come over here on Wednesday after being without power at all for 2 days and I have always let them know that they are welcome here. She had called and they were getting their things together to come here when I mentioned that the boys were here. She said, "oh, those boys are there? Will they be there the whole time?" I said, yes, as long as they don't have power at their houses, they will be here. She said, "oh then we will just drive to Houston (5 hours during normal times) because John needs the house to be quiet so he can work on his book." Now, just let me say that as much as I love John, he is the LOUDEST person you'll ever be around. Once he wakes up at 5am, nobody else in the house will get anymore sleep. He wears hearing aids in both ears and keeps the tv LOUD and talks LOUD, but I was willing to deal with that to have them here, safe, and enjoying the electricity that we have. I found it very selfish that they were only concerned with themselves and told my mom that. I also told her that besides the 3 boys, there could be other people here at any time because we invited anyone who needed a place to go. Times like this call for people to do what they have to do for each other and selfishness wont get you very far, especially if you need to stay at someone else's house. I was most upset with the way she talked about those boys as if they were animals, and don't forget, one is her grandson! She's never been a grandmother to my kids or my sister's, and that is something that hurts me often, especially now that my brother has a baby that she has decided that she DOES want to be a grandmother, but that's a whole nother post! Anyway, I suggested that they find other options for future storms unless they can handle fitting in with a house full of people and making the best of it. They are lucky they were able to get to Houston and that may not always be an option. Anywho, thanks for letting me vent!!

Walter thinks he has spotted an alligator living in our boat slip and i'm a little freaked out by that. The water is up over the sides of the boat slip, which would mean an alligator could walk on up into my back yard. He went out to try to take pictures of it, but didn't see it again.

Don't forget to watch my friend, Mover Dave, on Playhouse Disney on September 10th!! Here is a link to their website with games and activities for your kids. They already have a huge following and are teaching wonderful lessons to kids, so go check it out!! I grew up with Mover Dave and am extremely proud of how far they have come!!


Friday, August 29, 2008

Are you smarter than my Wizard?

My last post about my dilemma regarding our airline tickets wasn't so much a plea for advice as a chance to see if anyone thinks like Walter the Wizard. I sure don't, so I was just curious. And really it wont be the end of the world if we lose the $300 and can use the other $500 for a credit on airfare if used in the next 12 months, but honestly, we'd love to just have the money back if possible. I told Walter what the policy was: there is a travel advisory in our area on our flight, so we could reschedule the flight within a week without losing any money, but we have nowhere to fly to and no time off from work to go anywhere next week. BUT, if the airline cancels the flight, we can get a full refund, so he said to reschedule another flight for the exact time the hurricane is hitting New Orleans and the airports will shut down and cancel all flights!! I was like....DOH!! Good idea!! So, I rescheduled our flight for Tuesday, September 2nd around 10am lol. Now, if somehow that doesn't work out, we'll just call and cancel and use the $500 credit later, but I really think he has made this happen.

I appreciated all of your suggestions and advice. I do have to address one comment in particular. And that would be Joe. My dear, beloved Joe. I have known Joe for 12+ years and have to alert the public that there is generally a hidden message in his comments and I had to laugh when I read his ideas today. He is asking me in his own little way to tell about my birthday weekend in New Orleans about 10 years ago. I can't remember which birthday, but Walter & I were dating then, so let's say 1999. Did we party like it was 1999? YES!! We had a large group of friends meeting in New Orleans for dinner somewhere (my friend, Dena, my secret blog reader will have to email me the name of the restaurant) and to go hang out in the French Quarter. We got to the hotel to check in and were in a hurry because there were a lot of people waiting for us at the restaurant. Now, i'm not good with details, but Joe is, so maybe he can fill in the blanks or correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like Walter, Joe, myself, and maybe another friend (Tammie?) got to our hotel room to open my gifts quickly and then get to dinner. When we got to the room, someone else was in it! I ended up having to open my gifts in the hall and we had no room at all. I had a piece of that hotel manager for dinner (not literally) and by the time I finished with him, he gave us the room free (and this was a nice hotel) and offered to bring us to the restaurant to make sure we made it on time, but we drove ourselves, giggling all the way. But really, I was mad. I don't mind paying for anything, but I get mad when I have to pay for something that is wrong. So anyway, thanks for the comment & the laugh Joe!

There are evacuations being ordered, including some areas around us, but mostly because they are low lying areas. Our house is up high and we are not in any danger of flooding, even living on the river. The worst we can expect as far as flooding is being trapped at home due to surrounding roads, but I'm ok with that. We have plenty of food, water, and will never lose power if our generator works as planned, so it will be ok. I am betting that we wont have work/school Tuesday or Wednesday, but we'll have to wait and see how the weekend goes.

My sister-in-law, Honey (not her real name - a nickname because all 3 of my sister-in-laws are named Mary...seriously) and her family might be coming from Waveland, Mississippi to ride the storm out with us. She, her husband, and teenage son were 3 of the 4 family members that we couldn't find for days after Hurricane Katrina. I am thankful to this day that we never heard it reported on the news that Waveland was "wiped off the map" until after we knew they were safe. Walter's nieces actually braved the flooded roads and the warnings and went and rescued the 3 of them and their dad, who was with them. We tried to help them, but could not buy gas anywhere to make the drive. Honey & the others didn't stay in their homes during Katrina, but went to a hotel MILES away from the beach to ride out the storm. A 35 foot wall of water sucked the houses off their slabs and flooded the city for miles. They were in a 2 story Holiday Inn and thought the 150 people there would have to go on the roof during the storm (150mph winds) to escape the flooding water that was almost COVERING the hotel, but fortunately, they didn't have to. A tornado destroyed all of their cars in the parking lot, as if they would have survived the floods anyway. So yeah, if they want to LEAVE Waveland this time, I welcome them in our house! Fortunately, she is boarding her THREE Bassett Hounds & ONE Blood Hound! I can imagine how much my cats would enjoy their company!

Work was crazy, buzy again today. I met with some kids I hadn't gotten to yet and got my schedule all worked out. I also did some planning with my co-worker for our Why Try groups that we will start next week. I'm excited about that!

As previously mentioned, I grew up with Mover Dave of the Imagination Movers! I've known him since I was probably 12 years old and i'm so proud of how far they've come in such a short time. Something you might find interesting, some of the Imagination Movers lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina! Anywho, Mover Dave's mom sent this link to my mom - the Imagination Movers were on the news talking about their Disney show. I haven't figured out how to save this video and post it, but here is the link!

http://ws.mymovo.com/Search/servlet/PlayServlet?reqsrc=RSS&title=+The+Imagination+Movers!+&providerName=ABC+News

I hope everyone has a safe weekend!!! Thanks for all of your prayers & support!! Hang in there Louisiana girls!!!





Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Just One Word...

I was tagged by Veggie Mom over at Eat Your Veggies! for a "meme." Nonna, the proprietress at Nonna's News, has a super "meme" out there. I am supposed to answer these questions with One Word. It's not as easy as you think!

1. Where is your cell phone? Table

2. Where is your significant other? Work

3. Your hair color? Brown

4. Your mother? Cute

5. Your father? Not

6. Your favorite thing? Restaurants

7. Your dream last night? Erased

8. Your dream/goal? Happiness

9. The room you're in? Den

10. Your hobby? Computer

11. Your fear? Snakes

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here

13. Where were you last night? Home

14. What you're not? Quiet

15. One of your wish-list items? JP

16. Where you grew up? Louisiana

17. The last thing you did? Study

18. What are you wearing? Clothes

19. Your TV? Off

20. Your pet? Big

21. Your computer? Laptop

22. Your mood? Good

23. Missing someone? JP

24. Your car? FUN!!

25. Something you're not wearing? Jewelry

26. Favorite store? Cato

27. Your summer? OFF

28. Love someone? Yes

29. Your favorite color? Blue

30. When is the last time you laughed? Today

31. Last time you cried? Unsure

32. Who do you want to tag?




Susie Bienvenue


Today was a better day with Cameron. We talked last night about how we can compromise with the computer/grades/social issues and we came up with some ideas of how we could work together. I am going to let him use the computer when he wants to use it, as long as he's done his "hour of homework" at a set time, eats dinner with us (and pretends he likes us), and makes efforts to be out of his room doing other things. So far, so good today. Bryce came over after school and they asked me to help them study for a Biology test tomorrow, so we spent some time doing that. They both ate dinner with Walter & I (we used to ALWAYS do this - not sure what happened), and now they are both down at Bryce's house. And tonight was taco night, so everyone enjoyed that!

Work was busy but good today. I went to my smallest school to get the schedule of the only student I have to see there currently, then I went to my bigger school where my office is and got it looking good and got the computer hooked up, except it is missing 1 power cord that I will bring from my house. I am really going to like having an office with a computer in the school where I will spend 4 - 5 days. I met with 4 of my new students today and have to work out my schedule to see them.
It is still raining non-stop here. I don't think we've had a day without rain in weeks. I am ready for a few dry days!!!

Do you know these people? They are the Imagination Movers - a phenomenal kids band who are from New Orleans AND I have to say, personal friends of mine! Well, ok, I don't know 3 of them, but I grew up with Mover Dave. He & my brother have been best friends since elementary school. I am so proud of the Imagination Movers, and if you haven't exposed your young children to them, you should! They have recently gotten a DISNEY SHOW and will be premiering 2 new consecutive episodes on Saturday, September 6(10/9c) during Disney Channel's learning-focused Playhouse Disney programming block. It is filmed entirely in New Orleans and the series introduces preschoolers to the Imagination Movers' energetic rock and roll music while emphasizing creative problem solving skills. You gotta see them!

And while I'm advertising...stop by a participating Burger King in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, and New Orleans to pick up a free LSU Football Fan Card featuring the 2008 LSU Football Schedule. Burger King is the only place to get it. It has a beautiful photo of Tiger Stadium as well as valuable WHOPPER sandwich coupons. So, go get em! Walter's niece helped design and implement the promotion!

I've got so many new blogs to read, so I'm going to spend some time tonight doing that! I have really enjoyed meeting so many new people this week!!