Uhm, oops.

We drove back from New Orleans and thanks to no internet at my parent’s house, I didn’t come and update the blog. Sorry about that!

- Our house is fine. Some tree limbs down in the yard - not on the house - and lots of debris around. Otherwise, all is ok.
- However, our house is still without power, and we’re not expecting to get power back until this weekend. Today is day 12 with no power at our house.
- That means we’ve been staying at my parent’s house. Because I sort of like having power. And air conditioning. And the internet.
- My parents didn’t have internet for the first half of a day that we were here - but it is back now.
- Speaking of my parents, their house is also fine. They had a tree that hit their house (damaging shingles, but nothing more major), so it was removed the other day so that it didn’t actually fall on their house. A big oak tree — anyone need some wood?

We’re all doing well. It all could have been so much worse — and I have friends who do have it worse than we do. I’m thankful for how lucky we were. Sure, no power is inconvenient, and I miss sleeping in my own bed, but in the grand scheme of things it is not a big deal. Plus my mom is the hostess with the mostest - we are overwhelmed with my parents’ awesomeness!

Just a quick note from New Orleans — I haven’t been in Houston since the Thursday before Ike hit. My family & home are fine. Mike was in the Netherlands (aka The Holland) for work, and was due to return on Sunday to Houston - the day after Hurricane Ike hit. His flight was cancelled, and since I was already in New Iberia, Louisiana for a wedding, I suggested that he fly to New Orleans instead and I would meet up with him here. Jason was in Houston with my parents throughout the storm, but they had power back by Sunday night, and phone service back by Tuesday. I picked Mike up at the airport on Sunday night, and we stayed in New Orleans through today (Wednesday), and are leaving for Houston as soon as I hit publish on this post.

I’ll update more after I get back to Houston and actually see what it looks like. Meanwhile, we’ve been watching the news with what can best be summed up as stunned disbelief. We’ve always loved Galveston, and I know this has forever changed it from what it once was.

I just posted images from one of my recent engagement sessions over at the wedding photography site - Leah & Ryan live in Louisiana, and they came into town for the 4th of July and we scheduled their shoot for while they were here. It was hot, but we still had a fabulous time! I love so many of the photos - I had a hard time narrowing down which ones to post!

Feeling a little stressed lately? Maybe you could use a good massage? Well now you can have a massage *AND* do a good deed at the same time!

Massage for the Cure is taking place across the country over the next few weeks (it is in Houston next Monday on September 15th!) and it is a great way to enjoy a wonderful, relaxing massage while helping find a cure for breast cancer. It is a one day event, held annually at participating clinics to benefit local affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

All you do is call your local clinic and make an appointment for a 1-hour massage session for the day of the Massage for the Cure event. Instead of paying the massage, 100% of your donation for the massage goes to benefit the local affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Massage Envy works with *local* Komen affiliates so the majority of the money donated stays in your community, helping give back to our friends and neighbors.

During 2008, Massage Envy will make a minimum guaranteed donation of $250,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure through the Massage for the Cure Program. Book an appointment by calling 1-866-553-ENVY. For additional information and to find a location near you, visit MassageEnvy.com.

Massage for the Cure will be taking place at Massage Envy locations throughout the US on the following dates:
September 15, 2008 from 8am - 10pm:
Phoenix/Tucson/Flagstaff, AZ
Miami, FL
Houston, TX
North Carolina

September 22, 2008 from 8am - 10pm:
New Jersey

October 6, 2008 from 8am - 10pm:
Seattle/Tacoma, WA (Puget Sound Locations)

After watching the Republican National Convention speeches by Sarah Palin and John McCain, I have to say that this video clip from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart just sums up how I feel about the whole thing so much.

For the record, I’m a free voter. I’ve never once voted a straight ticket. I prefer to educate myself about how each candidate stands and then go from there. I did not want George W. Bush to be the governor of Texas, and I absolutely did not want him to be president. Seems a lot of the Republicans agree with me now, considering how he wasn’t even mentioned at the RNC.

All the double speak just makes me crazy. Oh, and the call for a “conservative” Republican Washington. I thought that was what we have had for the past 8 years? Weren’t they just so proud about that a few years ago?