And the cleanup begins...

Just a quick note to let you know that the worst of Tropical Storm Olga has left Cabarete. I think we'll have some lingering rain but at about 5 am this morning, everything went completely silent. So quiet in fact that it woke me up!! Pretty weird after listening to howling wind & rain for 12 hours non stop.

We think our strongest gusts here were about 45 mph yesterday evening but the wind data has some huge holes in it because everything went down. We lost internet last night and it only came up a few minutes ago.

We ventured out this morning to look at the storm damage and Matt has been busy repairing everything from his crash yesterday (yes, it was quite bad). So far, the damage appears to be very minor here with the exception of the total annihilation of Marabu restaurant (Click Here for some photos of the inside of the restaurant on my Birthday and Click Here for some BEFORE pictures & more info). I'll post some pictures from today soon.

The beach is pretty dirty and there are huge drifts of sand everywhere. Our little pathway down to the beach is just covered with sand and all the plants along it are pretty storm damaged. Lots of the thatched roofs here are pretty torn up and several palm trees have seen better days. We haven't been into town yet to see what the damage is there, but we were in town the night that the storm came in and everyone was really putting things away in preparation for the storm so hopefully the damage is not too bad. We live across from the hardware store and once they managed to repair their font awning (to be able to open their doors), they opened for business and have had a steady stream of customers all morning.

I'll post some pictures this morning out to Picasa and post some more here as soon as our internet connection is stable.

Tropical Storm Olga Intensifies...

Just a quick update on how we are weathering the storm. We are seeing intermittent heavy rains and lots of wind. The winds have been gusting up to 45 mph, and the rain is going sideways. This is by far worse than Tropical Storm Noel back in October. The latest update (about an hour prior to this posting) the winds had gone to a maximum of 60+ mph and the center is located only about 30 miles to the south of us (the storm reaches over 200 miles wide) and we are in the path of the strongest part of the storm. They are expecting up to 10 inches of rain in the next 24 hours (good thing we are on the second floor), and the storm should be leaving Hispaniola by then.

WRITTEN 12/11/07 - 8:45PM

As I write this our internet connection is down so I’m composing an email that I hope will go up some time tonight. We have been up and down with electric all night (remember we have a generator), and it looks like the whole town is mostly without power.

We just took a walk down to the beach to check things out and were met along the way with huge palm leaves down and a coconut (glad we weren’t around when they fell). It seemed pretty windy here at the apartment, but as we neared the beach it was HOWLING!! And I do mean HOWLING!!! It was blowing so hard that we couldn’t walk more than about 20 steps before we had to turn around and seek shelter. The blowing sand and driving rain (and it wasn’t raining hard at all) were stinging our exposed skin. The waves are HUGE!! We watched huge waves crash ashore one after another. We think the waves are about 25 + feet crashing on the beach. Needless to say, there will be some damage from this storm.

We are all safe and dry in our apartment. We have the back door & window cracked and a window in the front cracked and the wind is cranking through. As a matter of fact, I tried to shut the bathroom door and it would not stay shut. Matt had to hold it shut with both hands in order for it to stay shut against the wind. We’ve had to move all the furniture off the balcony inside (Yes, Matt got really wet) because it was blowing around and we were afraid it would become flying shrapnel.

Matt did manage to go kiting this afternoon. The water wasn’t all that crowded, as only about 5 folks opted to sail. He used Angela’s small kite (8m), and did one huge jump (his biggest ever) followed by a crash (his biggest ever), and then crashing the kite in the water (his biggest ever) followed by Angela digging it out of the surf with the howling winds. It was an on-shore breeze, so he was quickly back on the land.

We’ll keep you updated as power and internet allow!!

Take Care,

Angela & Matt

Tropical Storm Olga

Well, Round 2 is here.

Just a quick note to give you a bit of an update on Tropical Storm Olga. We are currently under a tropical storm warning here along the north coast of DR. (At least we aren't covered under inches of ice!!!)

So far, we are just seeing rain bands and wind bands and Matt is trying to figure out when he can go kite-board so I'm sure I'll have some pictures later on today. The seas are rough, but so far, not as rough as when Tropical Storm Noel came through. We do expect the weather to worsen a bit today and tonight but overall we're just hanging out watching it (inside when its pouring rain and on the beach when its clear).

Here is a link that will give you all the public advisories and the latest info. We did well with power and internet during Noel so hopefully we'll have the same luck again. I'll try to update the blog as much as possible during the storm.

Summer Lily

And the last one for tonight... I just finished my November Challenge for Gina's CT based on a Name Game Challenge that we played (Click HERE to see my results).

Our challenge was to pick one of our names and make a scrap page out of it. I decided to scrap my Spy Name/Bond Girl Name of SUMMER LILY. Well, I'm not very good at scrapping pictures of myself so I decided to use one that showed I was READY FOR THE ACTION!!!

My wonderful husband snapped this shot of me while I was trying on my snorkel mask to make sure it fit OK for a snorkeling trip (I promise that I do not wear this thing around the house all the time!!!). At first I thought it was great blackmail material so I decided to beat him to it and show it off!!



Created for the Name Game Challenge at the Cre8v Girls CT Blog

Credits for Summer Lily:
SPRINGY SRINKLES kit by Gina Arzaga

Template by Katy Larson & Sonya Johnston (Kissed Studio)
Font: Vivaldi & Orator Std
Photo by Matt

Pretty in Pink

Wow, I'm getting lots done today!!! Of course its been on and off rainy here. It has cleared a bit from this morning and Matt is off trying to finish up with his last student so I have lots of time to scrap!!

I finished another layout of the little one today. These are some photos that Laura took of her in mid October. Isn't she adorable. I used a kit from Chigger Lane Designs called Dancing Darlin. It is so adorable with all pink and black...

Be sure to check out Donna's (aka Chigger Lane Designs) BLOG here for information on how you can purchase a membership to get this great kit and more.

Credits for Pretty in Pink:

Dancing Darlin kit by Chigger Lane Designs

Template #72 by Andrea Gold

Font: Harrington

Photos by Laura

Baby its cold outside!!

Well you know this layout isn't current!! :-)

Here is another page that I did of last years trip to Mistaya. These were taken the morning before we were to heli out of the lodge. It has snowed so much (hence why we were stuck for an extra day in). These are actually photos of one of the outhouses (& Matt), boy someone would be in for a very rude awakening if that snow toppled off the roof!!

I used Donna's Christmas Memories kit to make this page. I can't even tell you how much I love these snow covered trees in this kit, they are fantastic.

Credits for Baby its cold outside:
CHRISTMAS MEMORIES kit by Chigger Lane Designs
Kit available HERE
Template #35 by Amy W Designs
Fonts: WinterNight DB & Bradley Hand ITC
Photos by Angela

Mistaya - Jan 2, 2007

Donna sent me this wonderful kit called Christmas Memories. I had to use it to scrap some photos of our New Years trip last year to Mistaya in British Columbia, Canada. We got snowed in an extra day and a friend, Amanda, took these photos as Matt and I were coming in from skiing. Yep, all those white dots are huge snowflakes. The papers in this kit are so fantastic - I love the snow covered trees!!!

Check out the Chigger Lane Designs blog here where she has some great memberships available for all of her wonderful kits.

Credits for Mistaya 2006-2007:
Template by Crystal {MNICAIAS}
Christmas Memories Kit by Chigger Lane Designs


Snow overlay by Kay M. Northrup (RAK scraps Jan-07 kit)
Photos by Amanda
Fonts: Letter Gothic Std & Aquiline Two

Lazy days....

Well its been a couple of lazy days since I last posted. There has been very little wind and well, the native are getting restless.

Yesterday we watched as friends tried to combine a sea kayak and a kite... lets just say that it was pretty funny to watch them get rolled around and to think I got to catch it all on film. HE HE!!!

Matt started teaching his last student a couple days ago but the wind hasn't been cooperating.

We've been trying to get out of the house and make a trip to the beach each day and Matt has had control of the camera. Its been beautiful and much cooler than when we first got here. I think the highs have only been in the low to mid 80's and the humidity is really low so its great weather. Our blue skies have returned, now we just need the wind.

Here's a picture that Matt took of me reading on the beach today...

Thanks to SaraAmarie for the grungy frame that I recolored.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

When Ruby asked if there was anything she could do for me, I asked for a kit that I could use to scrap our wedding photos. Never in a million years would I have thought out this wonderful kit. I absolutely love this kit!! The background paper that I used on these two layouts is filled with calla lilies... How perfect is that????

Jason caught the two little ones entranced with all the little lights that decorated the room. I love seeing their little faces and hands peaking around all the lights!!!






Credits for Twinkle, Twinkle:
True Heart by Ruby Rynne @ Brazilian Blend
Based on a You are a star template by Amy Fenner
Photos by Jason Smith Photography

Be sure to check out this kit and all of Ruby's other fabulous designs HERE!!!

Firecracker 50

Kara has a new kit out called Bad Boy and it is fantastic!!! I love the papers and the elements that she designed for this kit. It was perfect to scrap some photos of the mountain bike race that Matt did just a couple of days before our wedding.

These pictures were taken as Jayme, Andy and I were at the finish line of the race and Matt was finishing up his leg of the Firecracker 50 race on the 4th of July in Breckenridge. As soon as Matt was across the line, Andy headed out to complete his loop on the course.

Credits for Firecracker 50:

Based on Dec '07 template by Di Hickman

"Bad Boy" Kit by Kara Jones @ KJoiStudios

Fonts: Tekton Pro & Mesquite Std

Photos by Angela

Journaling Reads:

Just 4 days before the wedding, Matt had a mountain bike race in Breckenridge. I was nervous of a crash and told him to be careful and not hurt his face. As you can see his adorable face was not hurt, just a bit dirty as he crossed the finish line.