Flood March 18--Round 2

After going to bed around 1 am (last check of the creek was around 12:45 am & it looked like it had dropped an inch or so), we woke up to a phone call at 5 am from the Sheriff's office.

 They told us we had flooding in our yard so we hopped out of bed, threw on some clothes (& boots) & headed outside.  This was our back yard.

 Front yard.  There was more water in our yard than last night

 We realized that Grandpa's yard would have more water also, because most of our flooding came from his yard.  

 Within 15 minutes, he had water into his garage.  Bart May (sheriff) had about 6 sand bags left on his truck so he called another truck (Fitzwater's) & there were there within minutes.  (Gotta love a small town & every one's willingness to help out--even at early, early hours).

 Keith's work shop--it got a couple of inches of water in there too.

 Before we could get the sandbags, water started seeping into the basement from the garage--and also from all of the other sides.

 I know it is hard to see--but I am standing by Keith's motor home & there is flowing water everywhere.

 Behind our garden fence--between Grandpa's & our house.  The only vehicle access is across the creek.  

 This was a major (giant) ice jam & they worked on getting the ice broken up for about 1/2 hour.

 Yesterday they were able to get about 2 feet (deep) of ice flowing downstream.  This morning all the ice from the bottom of the creek had now floated to the top--causing more ice jams.

 The backhoe across the creek was in the backyard of where the missionaries live--and they didn't hear anything!

 Water coming around the "high" end of the sandbags (still Sunday morning around 5:30 am)

 The corner of our workshop shed.

the driveway--before they broke up the ice jam

Flood March 17, 2012--Part 2

More flood pictures

 Our back yard--up to the porch.

 Grandpa's back yard & green house.

 After a while, we couldn't walk between the yards without getting wet up to mid-shin.  I decided to go around through the alley to Grandpa's house.

 Shortly after they got the ice flowing.

 Brienna pointing to a huge chunk of ice by our house.  I hope you can see the many layers of ice (melting, freezing)

 Behind our sheds/workshop--before we sandbagged.

 Sand bagging at our friend's house (Fitzwater's).  This is her back yard.

 Standing on the road in front of Grandpa's house--they just broke a huge ice jam free & the water (& ice) came rushing down.

 The water at the bridge by Grandpa's house.

 A back hoe trying to clear some ice by the 5th Street bridge (behind the football field)

 Back hoes working off the 5th St. bridge--the bridge is now condemned.  Hopefully when they build the new one, they will build it much higher!

Our "dry" yard (river-bed).

It's so nice to see dry land  (ha, ha).  This was around 2 pm. 

I have a ton more pictures (& videos) but they will have to wait until later.  I am exhausted & need to get to bed.  I did take time out to take a nice, hot bubble bath--it warmed me up (finally).

Flood March 17, 2012--Part 1

Woke up this morning all ready to exercise.  About 7:15 am Brienna had just left to help Gladys (and elderly lady she prepares meals for, gets her meds, & helps her out on weekends) when she came back & told us that Grandpa's yard was flooding.

(This is Grandpa's drive way & area in front of the bunkhouse & workshop)

 So I quickly pulled on my boots & headed out (in my sweats & sweatshirt).  I didn't make it back inside until about 11 am & we didn't finish up until 2 pm.

 The creek by our house--7:30 am (notice it is still a bit dark outside)

 Grandpa had me call the bishop to round up some help--we knew there would be others with flooding up and down the creek.  He had called our emergency coordinator, but only had a message.  So I went back in & called him.

 The creek running from Grandpa's backyard into our back yard (our back yards border each other).

 The front area.

 This is still about 7:30 am.

 Our yard--looking towards the creek & our workshop.

 At Grandpa's yard--we were loading a bunch of OSB boards he had stacked by the creek.  Thankfully he had them off the ground enough that they were still dry.  We loaded them onto a flatbed trailer & moved them.

 Grandpa's back yard & garden area--just behind the fence is the creek.

 Another view of our flooded yard.  The ice had built up so much over the winter & when it was warm, water would run on top of the ice, & then freeze when is turned cold again.  You can see the many layers of ice in some of the pictures.

 The white stuff is chunks of ice--they brought back hoes in & chopped the ice (where they could get access to the creek).  We had a big ice jam right behind our sheds & Grandpa's fence--where there is no (vehicle) access.

The creek flowed clear to our back hoe (which doesn't have a long enough arm to break apart much ice) & into the neighbor's yard across the street.

End of January & Beginning of February

Updates:  Zane's basketball season ended--

They were undefeated!

We received some snow (after a very mild winter).  The kids were excited to have some snow to play in.

I love when the trees are covered with snow/frost.

And I love living on a dead-end street.

The sun was trying to break through after days of no sun.  It was a welcome relief!

Callum & Benjamin all bundled up to go outside & play in that new snow.

 Callum started Little Bobcat basketball (he's in the middle, blue shorts)

I love this lay-up--he was working on putting his foot up. 

More to come this weekend!

No Longer MIA

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged.  Life happens--and so much has!

I hope to give a brief "up-date" on what happened in our family for the month of February, but for now, I am going to say a few other things.

One of my big time-consumers happening right now is the "Dubois Biggest Loser" contest I signed up for on Jan. 24th.  I decided that if I was going to join, I was going give it my all & devote a lot of time & energy to getting my life in a more balanced state.  And I forgot how much time is needed to be healthy!  I am eating a LOT more veggies (& fruits), and it can take up to an hour to get all them cleaned, cut/chopped, and measured into single-serve sizes.  I am also tracking my calories/food intake daily on a wonderful web-site (SparkPeople.com) along with all of my fitness/exercise time.

I am exercising a minimum of 1 hour, 6 days a week.  So that, along with the food-prep has taken a lot of my time.  I also have discovered that I am tired earlier at night, and in order to make it through the day, I need to get between 7 & 8 hours of sleep.  So that makes my bed time closer to 11 pm, rather than midnight (and late at night, after everyone is in bed is when I used to blog).

The entry fee was $25 each, and the winner takes the pot.  13 people are participating.  We have weekly weigh-ins, and  if you gain (instead of lose), you have to pay $1 into the pot for each pound you increase that week.  Thankfully I have only lost each week.  I joined almost 2 weeks after everyone else started (I didn't think I was "ready"--but are we ever really "ready"?).

I decided to "make-believe" that I was at the Biggest Loser Ranch--and work as hard as I can.  And I love being accountable.  Since my first weigh-in, I have been in the lead, so now I am even more determined to keep working hard & keep losing big!  (the contest ends May 31st).  I just reached my first goal on the last weigh-in (on Thursday)--which was losing 10% of my weight.  Now it is on to my next 2 goals!

So not only am I working on being healthier, I also have every-day life things (children, laundry, dishes, cleaning floors, piano lessons, more laundry--and did I mention those children???).