Gustav, Gustav, Gustav...

At this point I really don't know what y"all have seen or heard on Gustav. This could be boring for many of you...? :-)

Local News Stations: KADN, KATC, KPLC, KLFY

New Orleans Local News: WDSU
Baton Rouge Local News: WAFB

I'm absolutely fasinated with weather, so I've been glued to "The Weather Channel" the last few days. As well as web sites about hurricanes, (National Geographic has some good information and video clips) It becomes even more fasinating now that I'm even closer to it all.

Gustav has now turned into a Category 3 Hurricane (125 mph) as it passed up the Caymen Islands last night. Projections that it will hit a cat. 4 somewhere in the Gulf, and then fade back to a cat. 3 or even 2 by land fall. BUT, generally, what I've learned from hurricane speacialists and learning more about hurricanes is that as it slows it could just sit and drop A LOT of water and more sustained winds for a longer amount of time. I'm SOOO grateful for "projections", but that's what they are, projections... Here are more PROJECTIONS from the latest updates: A few days ago, the projected land fall was anywhere from Corpus Christi Texas to the panhandle of Florida; it has now shortened up and now:














Hurricane Categories
Cat. 1 winds at 74-95 mph
Cat. 2 winds at 96-110 mph
Cat. 3 winds at 111-130 mph
Cat. 4 winds at 131-155 mph
Cat. 5 winds at 155+ mph

This just came up on the TV screen...while I was on the phone with my dad-
There are now a few MANDITORY evacuations by Parish: Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Mary, and Terrebonne, Louisiana Parishes (click on photos to enlarge) We live in the Lafayette Parish.


Me and where I'm at: (click on photo to enlarge)



In the last 5 minutes I've learned:
- The missionaries called from our area and have now been evacuated to Baton Rouge to the mission home...
- I just received an email from our Relief Society Pres. that church has been canceled, in order to prepare homes for the storm and evacuate if needed...

I've been very calm about all of this, I mean I've been getting things ready and all, it's maybe just so, not real. It just seems like it's no big deal and it always happens to "SOMEONE ELSE". BUT, even since the start of when I started this post, so much has happened that makes me feel I need to be a little more concerned about what's going on.

Hmmmm...maybe I should turn off my TV and my computer and actually get packed up...??? I'm a addicted to!!! It's hard to pull myself away from it!!

Gustav...Coming our way???

Watching Gusav - click here for more info



So this could POSSIBLY be the first experience with a hurricane...??? I'm not really worried about it...YET. But Scott is leaving for Utah tomorrow and not supposed to return until Tuesday or Wednesday next week. IF the storm hits it will be Monday, as of now. I've already had many friends call and tell me to pack my bags and that IF it comes in that I'm welcome to stay with them. So, needless to say I'll be packing my backpack with my 72 hour gear and adding any of the final touches today and tomorrow. One friend just called and said that her husband went out to Home Depot, Lowes, etc. to get a small generator... GONE! The masses have already begun to do there shopping for the storm. ACTUALLY, interestingly, Louisiana has a FREE TAX day at the beginning of hurricane season, state tax is removed from purchases to get people more interested in getting supplies EARLY. (they also do this tax free day a few days before school starts to help with the purchase of school uniforms. ALL school private/public wear uniforms.)


Unfortunately Gustav has already caused a lot of damage & deaths in Haiti. I haven't heard any reports about our children in Haitian Roots, but will keep you posted when we get word from our coordinators over there.

More on Gustav
Haiti-Cuba-Louisiana
Tropical Storm Satellite

LOVE Y'ALL!!!

Enjoying Lake Powell

Scott & I went to Kanab for a week to meet up with my sister Bean (Jeana), who lives there with her husband and 2 girls and our sister Joni, who is living in California with her husband and 2 children.

We had a lot of fun. The first two days of our trip were spent at Lake Powell. Bean and girls weren't able to join us... SAD... we missed them and we'll plan on them joining us next time!

It was a lot of fun to see the kids AND adults enjoy the sun, water and great beaches of Lake Powell. We were also delighted to accept the offer of spending the night on a "boat house" as Oliver calls it.

Oliver is the boy in the video and Eliza is his sister in the video...

Not the best video or anything, but fun to do... Joni had the GOOD camera and we're all awaiting her footage!

This is dedicated to Grandpa Jon and Grandma J...ACTION!