Ike: before & after and Cypress cleans up

Note: You can click on any of these to see a larger version.

This is the night before Ike hit. We were trying to have a little fun and not worry the girls too much.






Hunkering down in the hallway, the safest place in our house. We tried to make it fun for the girls so they wouldn't be scared.






The next morning at our house. Luckily it was mostly just a mess and no major damage occurred.

Our front porch...



Front flower bed...


Our sidewalk...


Our yard...


My in-laws back yard (that fig tree was uprooted)...


Their driveway...


Their sidewalk...


Their front yard...


These show the most common scene in our neighborhood today...lots of trash piled up on the curb. Yesterday it looked like "community clean up day" outside. Just about everyone was outside working, trying to get our neighborhood back to normal appearance. At least then it will feel like everything is normal.








This was one of the worst yards in our neighborhood. It looks like their house was spared, but many trees came down. This second one shows that when a big tree fell over, a bunch of the yard came up with it, including the water lines for their sprinkler system.




Trying to keep busy after the storm with no power...girls being silly with playdough...




Macey playing with a dancing bunny (can you see the sweat? It was hot!)


Lena playing a game with Grammy


Girls playing jax


We stayed one night at Kevin's aunt's house. Lena made me this while we were there:


Fortunately for most of us, life goes on. The sun still shines above the trees that still stand...


And flowers continue to bloom. PTL!