Hurricane Gustav

Storm approaching

Storm coming but that doesn't stop beach lovers!
Mimi with kids before she left
Madi meeting Brandon's mom
Carter checking out the new condo in Orange Beach

Daddy's girl
Carter loves trucks
Campbell loves her Uncle Grant
Gustav about 7am on Monday

Overflowing pool during storm

We prepared as best we could for the hurricane! Got candles, flashlight, water and brought in the deck furniture. We watched as everything that could possible fly or drown on the beach was taken away to be stored and sand bags were brought in to cover the first level of many places. We went out to dinner Sunday night because we knew we might not be able to get out for a while. The beach was almost deserted! In all honesty, it was nice! Easy to drive anywhere and didn't have to wait for a table at dinner. We weren't the only crazy ones riding out the storm, there were others. Many beach places covered their windows for the storm; it did leave an uncomfortable feeling in the air! Sunday night when we went to bed the waves were getting bigger and the wind was really picking up. I think I woke every hour to check the status and make sure Carter hadn't rolled off the bed! We were in a back room and the howl of the wind was fierce! At 3:30am I got up to take a look at the waves . . . the wind was even stronger at the sliding glass door going out to the ocean, the waves were huge, like 10-15 feet and they came up all the way to the sand dunes; which weren't very far from the building! The waves didn't quiet make it to the pool but it did blow a lot of sand in the pool and it overflowed from all the rain and wind. We never lost power but I do think we were on a generator! We say reports of many without power and later in the day a power truck was across our street restoring power. By sunrise, we were pretty much done with the worst of the storm but there were tornado warnings all day long and the waves we were still pretty big. About mid morning we walked out the door to lead to the street to feel the wind! It was LOUD and we saw many dogs trying with all their might to keep from getting blown away! We saw a few trees uprooted and some debris but most everything was in tack! By Monday afternoon things were starting to calm down some so we ventured across the street to relieve some stir craziness in one of the only open stores in the area. The tornado warnings went well in to the night and even the morning on Tuesday.