Devestation is all around me

Not a usual Sunday afternoon here in Coal City, IL.  I was relaxing with my niece and nephew on the couch, when the "emergency alert system" came across the television  "SEEK SHELTER NOW!"  I told my niece to go grab a dolly, I went upstairs to wake my husband up, put the dog on his leash and we headed to the basement.  We were in the basement for about 15 minutes, getting ready to go back upstairs when the first of 3 sirens that would go off in the next 30 minutes went off.  That is when it got scary, it was the "seek shelter now" siren, then the second siren went off within minutes of the second turning off the 3rd one came on and stayed on for over a minute.  Then I heard the rumble, it really does sound like a freight train rolling through.  During the time in the basement we had the police scanner app on my phone, we finally got the all clear.  As we are walking up the stairs, I hear "houses are damaged, people are trapped at Spring and Berta Rd."  Spring and Berta that is where my in-laws live, I called them immediately, they were fine, minimal damage to their house,their fence and trampoline were gone, but 3 houses down they are missing the whole side of their house.    The damage that I saw today is nothing I have ever seen in my life.  My heart aches for all these displaced families.    All photos are sourced from social media. 

This is on the block opposite to my in-laws

Damaged trailer from in town

Another house from the subdivision, that is a motor home sitting on that house.

This is from my in-laws subdivision

This was a bar in town

  This storm that ran through the Midwest today hit too close to home.  I am thanking God tonight that we are safe and everyone we know is safe.  Belongings and homes can be replaced, but our family members can not.  Tonight, let us all be thankful for what we have.   

Update for 30before30

I am beyond excited, I get to host Christmas for my side of the family!  It will be on the 21st, but I am over the moon with excitement. I have a small side of the family, there will only be about 11 of us here, but it will so great.  I am going to do an old fashioned dinner, the way my mom and aunt used to do the holidays. I will cross it off my list once I host it and survive.  
Another one started off my 30before30 list, I have my first client for my photography business!  It is a couples shoot, they want Christmas card photos, it is actually one of the wives from the September 2012 wives group.  Now I only need 9 new clients, I am so excited and nervous for Sunday.

The little things

Happy hump day!  The week is half over, only a few more days till the weekend, nothing big planned just nice to know that there is light at the end of the week.   Hump day happens to be one of my favorite days of the week, in the September wives 2012 group I am a part of we do "hump day, bump day" yes you guessed it, all our pregnant wives post their bumps.   I love looking at all the bumps and dream of the day I can participate in this day.  
I was able to spend some great quality time with my nephew Collin, he is my littlest best friend.  

Goofy front camera picture of us

We made homemade hot chocolate tonight and it was delicious.  Collin LOVES to be in the kitchen, so when he found out we got to make the hot chocolate on the stove, he was ecstatic!    Here is the recipe

Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup hot water
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 4 cups milk (Dairy or non-dairy)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Quick and Easy instructions

1. Combine the cocoa, sugar, water, and salt in a medium saucepan.
2. Over medium heat, stir constantly until the mixture boils. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
3. Stir in the milk and heat, but do not boil.
4. Remove from the heat and add vanilla; stir well. Serve immediately.

We only had large marshmallows, so we ripped them apart!