The Angele 4

Trinity Likes Water. Who Knew?

2011-07-28T18:43:00.001-07:00

Our girl Trinity looks like a black lab. She's beautiful, regal, fun loving and playful. But, does she like water? No. The answer has always been no. She does not try to get into the kiddie pools with the kids. She does not enjoy trips to rivers. Water is to drink. The end.

Well.....until today.

We decided when we booked our vacation that Trinity would be apart of it. We were unsure how the beach would go. Today, we ventured forth and hallelujah....she had a blast. She ran. She romped. She played. She rolled and dug in the sand. She was happy.

She drank LOTS of ocean water. She pooed. Ick. That's another story.

So, anyway.....enjoy our beautiful baby dog of 9 years and her new love of water.

Arts and Crafts Vacation Style

2011-07-25T16:14:00.001-07:00

We are spending two weeks in Port Aransas for our vacation this year. Since Leo can only take a week at a time, I made the insane decision to drive the kids down a few days ahead of him. We have rented a cute little one bedroom beach apartment. Its perfect for us and has all the amenities of home plus the beach! Today was shopping in town, lunch out and arts and crafts in the afternoon. Included activities:

Water Color

Sweet Paintings for Mommy

Markers. I think Lindsay was trying a tiger stripe thing.

All the artwork

Our crazy girl. Note the marker on her leg, arm, face and glow bracelets. She was on the phone with Daddy at the time. BTW, she also has blue marker on the bottom of her foot:)

The Last Few Weeks....

2011-07-14T12:31:00.001-07:00

Here's a short recap of the past few weeks:

Snow cones at The Austin Zoo

Leo asleep on a bench at the zoo

(He had an ear infection)

Lindsay tried her hand at hair beautification and gave herself a trim.

We grew butterflies from caterpillars and released them.

We took in an orphaned kitten.

Hope your summer is as fun and crazy as ours is!

Using Our Imagination

2011-05-28T08:53:00.001-07:00

We're in a drought here in central Texas. I believe it may even be a severe drought. No rain for quite a long time. So, the kids took advantage of the sprinkler to play with those colorful things they're holding. I don't remember what they're called, something you use when it rains I think.

Running Isn't Pretty

2011-05-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

So, I'm doing this Couch to 10K app on my phone. I'm almost finished with week 9 of 13. You know how some people just seem to be born to run? Their bodies lean and muscled, it looks effortless when you watch them? Well, that's not me. I have foot pain, knee pain, back pain and I force myself to run. (Running here is a loose term, I come closer to jogging on a good day.) Its work. So, during my runs, I often have random thoughts (almost delirium) and I wanted to share todays with you. Running isn't pretty. I sweat like crazy, my nose runs and when I try to breathe out of my mouth spit comes out. Not pretty. Can't be, too many bodily fluids present. Just wanted to share that:) And, if you are one of those natural runners who perspires and doesn't spit or snot, I don't want to hear about it, thanks.

Big Bike and A Little Scooter

2011-05-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

For Leo's last day of school, we thought it would be fun for him to get to ride on the Harley. So, we borrowed a helmet and the boys took a test ride last night.

Adorable in his helmet
(You may note he's now lost both front teeth.)

Excited to take off

Cruising the neighborhood

My Harley boys

Not to be left out, Lindsay got on her scooter and made vroom vroom noises

When Losing Teeth is a Good Thing

2011-04-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

Leo lost his two front bottom teeth last summer. His mouth has been quiet and uneventful since. (Well, his teeth have been quiet, his mouth almost never is.) We noticed one of his front top teeth have becoming more loose over the last few days. Yesterday, was outside playing. He came running in holding his tooth. "It just popped out!" Very exciting for him and us. I love the snaggle tooth look! At seven, its still ok for your teeth to fall out:)

Memories

2011-04-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

I took pictures of the kids hunting Easter eggs and thought a few of them looked like candidates for a change to black and white. Two in particular came out really well. Looking at Lindsay running barefoot hunting Easter eggs is already one of my favorite memories of our beautiful little girl.

Up Close and Personal

2011-04-25T11:34:00.001-07:00

Overheard From the Backseat

2011-04-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

Leo: Dinosaurs lived for over 4o years. If I lived when they lived, and they liked me, I would know how long they really lived. (Said with an air of knowledge and confidence.)

Lindsay: I like squirrels.

A Girl and Her Dog

2011-03-22T10:34:00.001-07:00

Cold Weather Survival Guide

2011-02-04T08:17:00.000-08:00

Here in Texas we love our steady climate. It's hot. Except for the 2 weeks of spring and the 2 weeks of winter each year. The last couple of years, we've had REALLY cold weather. This year, we had the joy of rolling blackouts too. Well, at our house the blackout didn't roll so much as sit still for 3 hours. So, I've put together a few things to do when your power is out or its just too cold to go outside.

1. Build a fire! Helps keep the chill away when your house drops to 60 degrees inside. And, its pretty:)

2. Eat goldfish. No heating needed. Just open and enjoy!

3. Do puzzles. You can put them together, take them apart and do it again and again. And, no power necessary!

4. Visit with friends and their VERY cute babies. (The power was back on at this point, but its still a great idea!)

5. Drink wine. It warms you up and well, any time is a good time for wine:)

Birthday Boy

2011-01-24T13:37:00.000-08:00

I married the perfect man for me and his birthday was yesterday. Leo has graced the earth with his presence for 36 amazing years. He is a devoted father and loving husband. And, he brings home all the money so I can stay home taking care of our children.....and facebook and blog. Plus, he rides a Harley. Now, that's manly. I love him so much sometimes I just smile really big thinking about him. When he sees me smile like that he probably thinks I just bought some new shoes or gave into my need for fast food. But, no, my love, its all about you:) Happy Birthday to the love of my life. You are mean more to me than shoes and fast food, even Taco Bell.

Instructions

2011-01-19T13:48:00.000-08:00

I speak english. I'm sure of it. I communicate with people everyday that speak english to me. We all understand each other. I can even have a conversation with lots of different people. Sometimes I know the person, sometimes I don't. Some people are young, some are older. Some are my relatives and some are my friends. I give instructions all the time. I am given instructions all the time. The people I interact with follow the instructions easily as do I. It doesn't seem difficult. Listen to the words spoken and act accordingly. So, I have just one question........

What language do I need to speak so that my children will follow my instructions?

What $50 Will Do For You

2011-01-13T12:07:00.000-08:00

I had a rough go of it right after the holidays. Felt sluggish, weighed down by too much celebratory eating over the holidays. Before the holidays, I had gotten pretty consistent with my jogging and was closer to my goal weight than ever. Then food-a-rama hit, it was cold and I had both kids home. So, the end result was a lack of enthusiasm about life in general and feeling like my jeans were more like sausage casings than clothing. Then, my amazing husband signed us up for the YMCA. They have gyms all over, so we can both go close to where we are. Not only did it get me moving, excercising and out of the house again, but they have 2 hours of daycare per day included in your membership fee. Hallelujah! And, its per kid, so I can take little man too! Now almost two weeks in and I'm 4 pounds lighter and 100 times happier. This is absolutely the best money we've spent in a long time. Now, wonder if I'm ready to brave one of those Zumba classes................

Fragility

2011-01-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

I have thoughts, lots of them. All day, everyday. Too often, they keep me awake at night trying to sort them out, make correct decisions, blah, blah, blah... So, I am going to try to manage them outside my brain, share with you fine people. I was going to start a new blog, but decided not to. Our blog is called The Angele 4 and I'm one of the 4, so I'm throwing it all together. Pictures and thoughts all in one place. This week the main topic on my mind is fragility. It was brought to mind by death unfortunately. Two women and one little girl. One women was a lady I'd never met, but had seen comment on a friends facebook status' here and there. One was a girl I graduated from high school with and never saw again. And, the little girl was gunned down by a person who had no regard for life at all.

Laura St. John died on January 3, 2011 in an auto accident. I'd never met her and had never had her affect my life until she died. Our friend Keith posted about her passing and I read about her and her life. Wow. She lived. Really lived. She was beautiful, adventurous and loved by many. Keith also posted an article she'd written about her son and the unfairness he was facing on the football team. Here is one of my favorite parts:

"Being in the emotional state of anger or sadness means we are not thinking clearly. It means we are acting against a peaceful heart."

Anjy Drew Elkins was a girl I went to high school with. I remember her as nice, a bit on the quiet side, but a good person. I hadn't thought of her at all to be honest until a website for our class showed her to have passed away. Again, today Iwas reminded of it. A friend posted on facebook that it was Anjy's birthday today. She was killed in a car accident in March of 2006. Her dad wrote an amazing story about it all in the Bryan/College Station Eagle and I read it today. She worked with Indigent Services and was adored by the people she helped.

The girl was Christina Taylor Green. She was born on 9/11/01 and was killed a few days ago in Arizona. This little girl had big dreams and lived her short little life to the fullest.

As I sat and cried for these lives that have ended, I was reminded that life is fragile. It can be gone in a split second through no fault of your own. I don't really do resolutions, they never quite make it to February, but this year, I'm making one. A life resolution. Everyday I will remember that life is fleeting and fragile. So, I will try my best to stop judging so quickly, to stop and read when my kids ask me to, play games more and do a few less chores. I will do my best to make more time for making my life what I want it to be. More action, less complaining. I won't be the most positive person on the planet overnight, but you have to start making changes or you stay right where you are.

The ABC's of Life from Laura:

Accept differences, Be kind, Count your blessings, Dream, Express thanks, Forgive, Give freely, Harm no one, Imagine more, Jettison anger, Keep confidences, Love truly, Master something, Nurture hope, Open your mind, Pack lightly, Quell rumors, Reciprocate, Seek wisdom, Touch hearts, Understand, Value truth, Win graciously, Xeriscape, Yearn for peace, Zealously support a worthy cause.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!

2010-12-17T12:28:00.000-08:00

This just in.....

Too much holiday shopping can cause a coma!

The Making of a Christmas Photo

2010-12-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

There are steps to the "perfect" Christmas photo, see below:

First, you need a tree. Decorated preferably.

Next, you need to line up the shot. Test shots are required at this stage to prevent anyone from losing their head.

Then, you begin the dress rehearsal. Coordinating outfits are needed and more test shots.

Lastly, a final check of facial cleanliness is crucial!

And, the end result may not be the perfect picture, but there are smiles and no one eyes are closed. That's a wrap!

Merry Christmas !!!!

Catching Up Part 2

2010-11-18T06:31:00.001-08:00

Fire Dragon Ninja

Team Jacob Princess (Oh yeah, I totally dressed up my two year old to reflect my love for Twilight and specifically, Jacob)

Leo's How to Train Your Dragon cake

Catching up

2010-11-18T06:12:00.000-08:00

We've been crazy busy the last few months to say the least. We've had weddings, showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, babies born (Hi Delilah!), our annual trip to the Elgin Pumpkin Patch for great photos, Halloween, Leo's 7th birthday and our first trip away from the kids to Jamaica! It's been a whirlwind, but fun and exciting. So here is the first installment of pictures to catch up. Enjoy!

Wind

2010-10-23T06:22:00.001-07:00

Busy As Bees

2010-10-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

It's been quite some time since my last blog post. We've been busy. Not just we have plans on the weekend busy, but every day has a schedule that must be kept kind of busy. We are making it through on caffeine and time-outs....for all of us:) So, here's some pics of the kids. They are crazy, wonderful and always ready to pose.

Two!!

2010-09-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

See that pout? That takes practice people!

"No, I will not smile for a cute birthday picture. I'm not in the mood."

Lindsay turned two on September 7th and we celebrated a few days earlier with a small family party. She had a great time and receive way too many gifts, she's definitely ready for Christmas. At her two year check up, she weighed 29 lbs 6 oz and measured 34 1/4 inches, both in the 85%percentile. Yep, she's a big girl!

Lindsay has not taken the responsibility of being two lightly. In addition to growing like crazy, for several months now she has been gathering knowledge and practicing. Her hard work has paid off, Lindsay was able to show the world a proper two year old weeks before her birthday. She has mastered the whine, the loud "NO!!", the quiet dramatic "No", the face turn to claim ignorance of a situation, and the all important scream-stomp-shake-turn red tantrum! She is truly a master of the two:)

In Motion

2010-08-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

Leo is always moving. He has been that way for as long as he's been able to move on his own. It was so much that we took him to see one of the specialists who cared for him at birth. He confirmed what we suspected, Leo has ADHD. Who knows if this was caused by his prematurity, the liquid form of caffieine that he was on from birth until 4 mos old, or if he was just going to be that way no matter what. Either way, the day to day can be difficult and trying to say the least. He can't control his movements and impulses most of the time and I can't always control my annoyance with it. But, we try to give him outlets to expend energy and teach self control when he needs to be calm. I thought it would be nice to celebrate the positive side to this constant battle, Leo's unbelievable energy and enjoyment of motion!

Around and Around

2010-08-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

Second Tooth Down!

2010-08-20T13:34:00.001-07:00

Tooth Fairy's First Visit

2010-08-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we took the kids to Galveston for some beach time. Leo had a few loose teeth and lost his first one on our trip. He was brave and the tooth fairy left him $5 for his first tooth. (I think that may be way more than I got.) His big boy tooth was already visible, so you can see it too, filling in the gap. Our boy is growing too fast!

A Painful Week

2010-08-08T16:41:00.000-07:00

So, a week ago today, Leo had yet to get up at 9:30 am. This is VERY unusual, so I went to check on him and found he had a temp of 103.7. We gave him a bath, some motrin and kept offering fluids. Several hours later, he began vomiting and continued, and continued. He was so weak, he could barely hold his head above the toilet and around 5 am on Monday morning, Leo took him to the emergency room. They started an iv and gave him fluids and no more vomit medicine.

He was home after 5 hours or so and make a super quick recovery. By Tuesday, he was completely back to making me crazy :) Here is his i.v. bruise almost a week later. Ouch!

Not to be completely left out, Lindsay found some ants on the patio that were between homes I guess. They literally attacked one foot and leg, leaving her with about 12 bites. Ouch! Her little foot became swollen and she ran a fever of 101.7. After some benadryl, cortisone cream, motrin and a good night's sleep, she was back to normal as well.

And, I do write this blog, so here's a picture of my knee. We have to put the trash can on top of the island in the kitchen to keep the dogs out of the trash and I was putting it back on the floor when I hit my knee with it. It hurt, lots, picture doesn't do it justice, I assure you. Ouch.

Bubbles

2010-08-04T13:08:00.001-07:00

Father's Day

2010-07-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

It was kid's night and Leo got a glove for free!

Our little man caught a ball from one of the players warming up!

My two Leo's

I know.....its been a month since Father's Day. Gimme a break, I've been really busy! So, for Father's Day, the little man and I took Leo to a baseball game for our local team. No, Lindsay wasn't part of it, it was past her bedtime and it would've been a bit less enjoyable with the crying and screaming. We sat on the grass behind the warm up area and the little man caught a ball thrown by one of the players!! (Dad helped a little.) We had a great time complete with popcorn and $3 candy!

Flying High

2010-07-08T10:21:00.001-07:00

Reading a Book In A Nook

2010-06-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

Green Sand

2010-06-17T06:05:00.000-07:00

We have one of those little turtle sandboxes for the kids to play in. I thought it would be great fun for them and an extra activity to keep them busy. It was, in fact, great fun for them and they would stay busy playing for quite some time. Unfortunately, neither one could ever remember even the simplest of rules (no dumping a bucket of sand on your sister's head) and so the sand is gone. After one two many showers of multiple hair washings to remove sand and ending up with a very red little scalp, the sand box is now a water box. I think they have almost as much fun having an extra "pool".

Later this same day the sand was aimed more on top of Lindsay's head. Which brought

us to said removal of sand.

Waiting For Daddy

2010-06-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

Waiting.......

Is that him?

It is him!

Yeah!!!!

I love my daddy!!!

First and Last

2010-06-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

First Day of Kindergarten

Wow. I hadn't looked at Leo's first day of school pics until I thought about doing this blog post. The difference is amazing. He looks so much like a baby to me in his first day of school pictures and like such a little man in the last day of school photos. Again, with the tears.....

Last Day of Kindergarten

A Friend on the Fence

2010-06-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

Just thought he was cute and needed to have his picture taken :)

The Last Time

2010-05-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

Our little baby is now a toddler. I refuse to call her that, but she is. It's bittersweet watching our "babies" grow up. You love seeing them learn and succeed, but feel those precious tiny toes moments slipping away all too quickly. This is one of my favorite dresses of Lindsay's, and this was the last time she could wear it. I took some pictures to capture the moment and cried too many tears writing this blog entry. Where does the time go and why can't we slow it just a little?

Love

2010-05-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

I love how much they love each other :)

All By Myself

2010-05-21T09:47:00.001-07:00

I told Lindsay we needed to go shopping. Being the amazing little girl she is, she put on her shoes all by herself.

King of the Day!

2010-05-08T17:22:00.000-07:00

In Leo's class, each student gets to be king or queen of the day. On Thursday it was Leo's turn. We (I) made him a poster all about Leo for him to share with his class. I think we (I) did pretty well!

Leo In Action

2010-04-27T11:30:00.001-07:00

An Egg-cellent Story

2010-04-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

This is the story of an egg. Not just any egg, an expensive brown organic one. You see, Leo was given an assignment for school to build a protective vehicle for an egg that would protect said egg when it was dropped off the roof of the school.

Leo (son) and Leo (dad) worked together creating a protective orb in which to give the egg God's speed.

Some styrofoam, bubble wrap, rubber bands and paint made the masterpiece complete.

We all waited that day for Leo to come home and hear the fate of the egg. And what happened you ask? The suspense is too much!!!

The egg survived!!! My Leo's are master architects!!

But......the egg had been out of cool too long. It could no longer serve its' purpose to nourish, so it was given another end. Although not as grand, much more fun........

Splat!!

Just Hanging In A Tree

2010-04-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

Easter

2010-04-09T12:43:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter. My mom came in and our friends Irene and Jeremy brought their bunny Earl. After a fun lunch together, the kids hunted eggs and had pictures with the "Earlster" bunny. Then it was off to our friends Oliver and Jamie's house for another hunt for the kiddos. Lindsay decided that a wagon of rocks was more fun and filled her basket with those too. It was an absolutely beautiful day!

Spring Break 2010

2010-04-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

Comparing the kids to a dinosaur

Petrified Dino poop. Yippee!

Crazy hair

Lindsay with what she thinks is a smile

Tired kiddos

Leo had to work most of the little man's spring break. But he was able to take off a couple of days and we made our way to San Antonio. We went to the Witte Museum for some animatronic dinosaurs and then to the Zoo. Good memories and good pictures!

Pretty Girl

2010-03-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

For Shaun and Danielle

2010-03-11T07:34:00.000-08:00

My cousin Danielle has two beautiful little girls Eva and Lily. I sent them some fun bath towels for Christmas. Danielle and her husband Shaun loved them soooo much that they took their picture in them.

I bought the same towels for Leo and Lindsay and in Shaun and Danielle's honor, I took a picture of them wearing the towels too! Unfortunately, I'm sure it took Shaun and Danielle a lot less tries to get the perfect picture. But, here it is:

And here are the other ones........

A Little Birdy Told Me

2010-03-04T11:40:00.000-08:00

Very rarely do I sit down with Lindsay to eat a meal during the day. When she's strapped in the chair, I use my time wisely. Unfortunately, that means that she's free while I'm eating. She loves food. No, really, almost anything you give her, she eats. She wants to eat ALL the time. So, when I sit down, she climbs into a chair, onto the table and does this:

This is complete with grunting noises, a few "pease, pease" and some pointing to her mouth just in case I didn't completely understand what she wanted. After she gets what she wants, it starts all over again until I've inhaled my food and she sees its all gone. Just like a little baby bird.

Chewing........

Chewing......

Ready for more!

Playing In The Snow

2010-02-24T10:04:00.000-08:00

Well, a couple of weeks ago I blogged about the small amount of ice we had and one little tiny "snowball". Yesterday, we had betweeen 2-3 inches of snow.....in Texas! Leo was released from work early, he picked up the little man from school early and we had a nice romp in the snow, complete with snowball fight and minature snowman. Lindsay wasn't exactly sure about it at first but loosened up and got into the fun with the rest of us. These types of days are so rare, we had a blast as a family. What wonderful times!

A Snowball's Chance in..............

2010-02-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

On Friday, our neighbors to the north in Dallas had around 9 inches of snow. We had some ice buildup on Leo's slide which slid down in the sleet and rain to form this.....

Which we promptly made into a "snowball" and threw at the sliding door where the kids were standing. So happy I got the picture as the "snowball" hit the door. Both kids had their eyes closed upon impact!

Playing Together

2010-02-11T07:59:00.001-08:00

Stuff Lindsay Puts On Her Head

2010-02-04T17:13:00.001-08:00

A Bowl (It was empty, what else do you do with it?)

My Snuggie (She could be a Scooby Doo villain in this one. The Snuggie Monster!!)

A Cat Bed (She was a bit sleepy and it seems to work well for the cats.)

A Canvas Shopping Bag (She's very eco friendly.)

And.....A super cute GAP Hat. In pink, of course!

The Many Faces of Leo and Lindsay

2010-01-27T17:27:00.001-08:00

I just love how photogenic these two are. I'm sure it comes from their parentage.

Tinky Winky April 15, 1999- January 8, 2010

2010-01-18T11:17:00.000-08:00

When I worked at my very first veterinary clinic, a girl came in with a litter of 5 kittens that were 1-2 days old. Leo and I were only dating at the time, but we decided to give raising some kittens a try. Within the first week, two of the babies died. The remaining three thrived and grew and we became more attached that we had planned. We named them with the intent of only calling them something other than kitty and they're new owners could change it later. So, Bertha, Buster and Tinky Winky were so named. We moved to Austin together, us and the three fuzz balls. When they were at the age that we could give them away, we couldn't. We weren't able to decide between them and we couldn't split them up. So, we had not one, but three cats.

These three cats have witnessed our engagement, wedding, buying our first house (disaster) and our second (we still live here), the birth of our son, job changes, a lay off, and the birth of our daughter. They are our family. Unfortunately, I noticed some changes in Tinky last February. Our kitty Mitch (always a true feral) left home on November 18th, 2008 and hasn't returned. Mitch was Tinky's best friend and I knew she was grieving, but by February felt it was something else. Bloodwork and a trip to the vet gave us no answers. All was normal and no signs of anything that we could go on. Over the next several months we coasted along. Then in August right before our vacation, Tinky became very ill. It was believed that it was just a case of gastric upset and bladder infection. A month later, it happened again, and then again. After money that we did not have to spend, lots of tests, a diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome was decided on. Even though nothing else was showing up, I feared this wasn't the problem. After a very strict food change, sometimes 4 or 5 meds per day, Tinky continued to lose weight and be in pain. By early December, her doctor and I agreed that she had lymphoma. There was nothing to be done except love her and maker her comfortable. We did exactly that until she developed another complication. The only choice to be made was to let her go. Our kitty that had once weighed almost 10 pounds was only 6 now. Even in pain, she purred and loved on Leo and I as we held her and kissed her goodbye.

There are no words for the hole this little cat has left in our lives and in this house. She was the kind of cat that ran to the door to greet everyone, played everywhere, laid everywhere, slept curled up either at my head or by my side. She loved the smell of toothpaste, mouthwash and especially Burt's Bees chap stick. She was loud and like to talk about everything. The house is so quiet now, its empty in so many places. We still have her brother and sister and they are sweet and we love them of course, but Tinky was a one of a kind cat. There will never be and could never be another.

Tinky, you've left us heart broken, but we know you are waiting with your Mitchie by God's throne for our arrival. We'll not ever stop missing you but are so blessed to have shared our lives with you for 10 years, 8 months, and 23 days. Thank you for being our Tinky Winky.

Tinky and Mitchie

Wow...They Start Young!!

2010-01-07T07:37:00.002-08:00

Lindsay absolutely loves my iPhone and has figured out quite a few of its tricks. Way too young to start this phone business, but so cute and so smart. Quite an accomplishment considering she's only 16 months old today!

Wow...

2010-01-07T07:37:00.001-08:00

New Year's Eve 2009

2010-01-01T14:14:00.000-08:00

The Angeles

Lindsay's new sassy Converse from Auntie Erin

The complete outfit

Happy New Year's everyone!!!

It's Electrifying

2010-01-01T14:12:00.000-08:00

Lindsay had some crazy hair after playing in her new inflatable activity center. Maybe next time I'll rub her down with a dryer sheet first.

Weekend With GK

2009-12-28T08:58:00.000-08:00

After a wonderful Christmas lunch, my mom headed back home, with the little man in tow. It was his first weekend away with GK. After a few minutes of homesickness, he settled in and they had fun seeing movies and playing with Leo's new Lincoln Logs. He's already gearing up for the next stay, but I bet GK needs some time to recuperate first!

Christmas Morning

2009-12-28T08:50:00.000-08:00

We had an amazing Christmas this year. Lindsay was old enough to rip some paper, empty bags and get into everyone else's gifts. Leo actually asked for a few specific toys and Santa was kind enough to bring them. Erin wasn't able to be here with us, but sent gifts that were extra special. (I have ugg boots now!) We are very blessed in our family!

Lindsay having lots of fun with the dogs Christmas toys

Lindsay and GK

Cute Christmas kid torture my sister sent

Why does Mom insist on capturing this on film?

In the Spotlight

2009-12-28T08:48:00.001-08:00

Leo was in his first musical program at school earlier this month. Each class had a Mary and a Joseph. Leo was the Joseph for his class. He was turned around talking or playing most of the time, but it was cute. He told me afterwards that he loved being on stage. Hmmmm, I wonder what he'll be when he grows up?

Christmas Trees

2009-12-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas Tree (with way too many presents under it)

The Christmas Tree Leo made for me out of pretzel goldfish

Christmas Time

2009-12-16T10:54:00.001-08:00

SNOW!!!!

2009-12-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

On Friday of last week, something happened here that doesn't happen often, we had snow fall! It lasted for about 30 minutes and once it was over, you couldn't tell it had ever happened. It was fun to take pics of though and got a great one of a snowflake on Trinity's nose.

We're tired.....Let the kids do it!

2009-12-04T11:10:00.000-08:00

Every year it's our job as parents to do all the shopping, cooking, wrapping, and decorating. Well, we're tired and we decided if the kids wanted Christmas decorations, they needed to take care of it themselves. We'll see how is goes, I've already noticed some communication issues between Leo and Lindsay. He says he just can't understand her, maybe he's just not listening hard enough :)

What Little Boys Do With Sand

2009-12-04T11:09:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T14:56:00.000-08:00

We had a very nice quiet Thanksgiving Day, it was special because:

My mom came to visit

We had delicous food

Time with family enjoying the food
But, like any other day, the kids were the comic relief!

More Box Pictures

2009-11-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

Lindsay just loves to sit in this box! She made some funny faces that we've never seen before, so I had to post them. She is too funny!

Chili Pfest 2009

2009-11-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

Over this past weekend, our little town had one of its many pfestivals. (No, I didn't misspell festival, here in Pflugerville, all words with an F get a P too!) This one was Chili Pfest and even though 45 mins before judging the chili was done, they were sold out of tickets to try the chili, we had fun. We're still not sure how you sell out, don't you have more of those paper ticket things? So, we paid way too much for a gyro, quesadilla, and italian sausage (at the Chili Pfest, where we ate NO chili) and had some nice family time. The best part was watching the kids ride a train/car thing. Too cute!

Birthday Celebration

2009-11-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

Trying out the scooter we gave him
I love Auntie Erin!

Jump!

Leo and Chuck E.

The little man didn't have an official party this year. My sister flew in from New York, my mom drove in from College Station and a few friends stopped by to wish him a happy birthday. He had a friend, Cooper, join in the fun at Chuck E Cheese for lunch and then jumpy time in the front yard. It was a nice intimate celebration and he had a great time!

Six Years Old!!!!

2009-11-04T05:43:00.000-08:00

When he tucked his arms and legs up, he was the size of a beanie baby. Thank you GK for his very first beanie baby!

After a couple of weeks we were able to hold him and try skin to skin contact which helps promote healing in premature babies

Our handsome six year old. Happy Birthday Leo!

Six years ago today at 9:33 am I gave birth to a tiny little miracle named Leo Edward Angele III. He came into this world weighing in at 2 lbs 4oz and 14 in long. I had spent 5 days in the hospital with doctors trying to stop my labor and give his little body more time to grow. Well, it wasn't God's will and so he was born at 27 weeks gestation, or 3 months early. We were warned that his little body wasn't ready to be here and there were likely to be many hurdles that we would all face. Normally babies born prematurely aren't able to be released until around there original due date. Even then it can be longer depending on their prematurity issues. We watched the monitors and held our breath when he stopped breathing or his heart stopped beating for a second or two. We waited in agony over every brain scan and blood culture. Even though he had ups and downs as expected, Leo had his own ideas about things, he was only intubated for 24 hours and came home 4 weeks before his due date. He amazed the doctors and nurses in the NICU with his strength and determination to get home. After being told of all the complications that can arise, blindness, lung disease, deafness, heart problems, we are happy to say, Leo has none of them. He is bright, funny, energetic and doesn't have any ideas that the deck was stacked against him 6 years ago. To him, he was born just like any other baby and he continues to grab each day with both hands and live it to the fullest. We love you little man and thank God for you each and every day!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-03T09:44:00.000-08:00

Leo and Cooper

Punk rock biker princess

Hardcore kids

Visiting Daddy at his pirate ship (aka work)

Going along with Leo's big purchase this year and our new found love of the open road, we dressed the kids up as cool little bikers. Spray painting their hair was a blast although the little man fell asleep before we could wash his out and his scalp is still a nice shade of red. They both had lots of fun and I have to say a huge thank you to our dear friend Cyndy for sewing both the vests for us. They made the costumes for sure.

Thinking Inside the Box

2009-10-12T06:07:00.001-07:00

Walking Tall

2009-10-05T13:48:00.001-07:00

Lindsay took her first tentative steps one week ago and we wanted to share a video of those first days. It's only been 7 days, but she's now a pro and practically running through the house!

Say what?

2009-09-22T07:03:00.001-07:00

Lindsay woke up early as usual this morning, 6:00 am to be exact. Even though its early she's so awake and ready to start the day I can't help but be happy to see her little smile. As I rocked her for a few minutes, she pointed to her foot and said, "Foot". Okay, so maybe it was more pphhffuuut, but we both knew what she meant. Ahhh, little surprises!

She's ONE!!!!!

2009-09-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

Lindsay had her first birthday on September 7th, Labor Day. We celebrated with a big BBQ bash with friends and family. Our little princess had a great time and we loved sharing her birthday with everyone. Although its gone faster than I'd like, she's growing and changing just as she should be. At birth she was 7 lbs 9 oz and 20 inches. Now, she's 22 lbs 10 oz and 28 1/4 inches. She is a happy baby who smiles lots, loves to explore and doesn't like to take no for an answer. We can already see her girl attitude and "drama" showing through. She's extremely loud and vocal and usually at just the wrong time. She hasn't mastered timing just yet. Her vocabulary includes mama, dada, kitty cat, and her favorite, bread. Most everything she eats is bread (at least that's what she's named it). She's been sleeping through the night since about 4 mos old, we've finished breastfeeding about 3 wks ago and now she drinks regular milk. She takes it fine from a bottle but throws a cup if it contains milk. We're working on that. She's walking everywhere with a little help from the walls and couches, it won't be long before she's off on her though. Basically, she's healthy, intelligent, and absolutely beautiful. Lindsay is a joy to our house and truly a blessing from above.

New York City

2009-09-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

Researching the aircraft specs
Yep, she'll fit!

Graduating Class

Erin and Eddie

Erin recently graduated from the New York City Paramedic Program. We are very proud of her and were happy to be able to go to attend the graduation. Lindsay, Mom and I flew up for a few days. Lindsay did well on her first flights and seemed to enjoy our visit. Except for the fact that she decided no one but me could hold her the entire trip, we have fun. During our visit, my sister and her boyfriend surprised us by telling us they wanted to get married while we were there. So, it was a full trip. It was great to take part in special events and I'm glad we were able to share all those moments!

Random Pics From Our Trip

2009-08-20T14:56:00.000-07:00

Had some pictures I wanted to share but they didn't really fit anywhere so I decided a random picture post was the thing to do. We had lots of fun on first real, spending time in the car, see large attractions, get sunburned at the beach vacation. Hope you have enjoyed seeing the pictures as much as we loved living it!

We took this in the hotel with the timer on my camera
Leo's interpretation of "Pretend you're being eaten."

Lindsay's new favorite pasttime

Big beautiful eyes

On one of our many ferry rides

Texas State Aquarium

2009-08-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

Sea Urchin
This fish sat and watched Leo wave to him

Underwater viewing of the dolphins

Otters

The playscape

We visited the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi and had a blast. It was beautiful and although, again, Leo had more fun than Lindsay, she did really well. At least they did have a playscape and she enjoyed that. The animals were amazing and I got some really great shots of some of the fish. We especially loved the otters and the dolphins both of which were really interactive with people. It was a great addition to the vacation itinerary.

Port Aransas

2009-08-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

Port Aransas started off mediocre at best. Our hotel room was not quite what we expected and this nasty, sticky, impossible-to-get-off tar stuff had washed up on the beach. We had fun at the beach until it was time to get into the car to go back to the hotel. Tar was everywhere. And the more I tried to clean it off of something, namely, my feet and legs, the more it spread. The hotel bathroom looked like a mechanic had cleaned up in it and then the real fun started. We had already had to get new towels because there were very long hairs on them (they were supposed to be clean and were laying on the counter top), the sheets on the sofa bed looked like someone had had an accident or 4 on them and, let's just be honest, the place was filthy. While chasing Lindsay around the room, I spotted a dead roach. Roaches aren't my thing. (Read between the lines here, I scream in a very high pitched voice and jump around onto elevated things.) Leo goes for the 4th time to the front desk and is told, "I'm not surprised." I was trying to be okay with everything because we booked the room through a low priced site and there was no refund. But Leo disappeared and came back with a hotel employee to inform him that there were two live roaches living in the kitchenette area under the trashcan. You can imagine why he chose to keep this from me for the moment. Leo went to let them know we would be checking out and the little employee man told me that the people in the room before us had stayed 2 mos and the girls had cleaned "real good". I took him around the room to let him know that there was something missing in the "real good" cleaning. I packed up the room in record time and we moved to a very nice hotel a block from the beach. No sand or tar in the car and, best of all, no roaches.

2nd Stop SEA WORLD!!

2009-08-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

That's Leo and I in the front row, on the far left in the main section.

Before we left San Antonio, it was mandatory that we visited Sea World. Again, Leo had lots more fun than Lindsay but she was better than I could have imagined. Although it was hot, she rode in the stroller for hours, and she couldn't participate very much, she was content and happy the whole day! The little man and I took full advantage of the Shamu show experience and sat in the first row of our section and were SOAKED!! Stay tuned for beach pics.

Vacation 2009: First stop San Antonio Children's Museum

2009-08-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

We left for vacation on Saturday and headed for San Antonio. Our first stop was the Children's Museum and although Lindsay is too young to really enjoy it, the little man had a blast. There was a giant ring that the kids could stand in and make a bubble around themselves. My favorite part was the minature HEB where the kids could shop and even "check out" their groceries. Too fun!

Chalk is Fun for Everyone, Even Kitties

2009-07-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

Leo and his friend Cooper decorated the sidewalk with lovely multi-colored chalk art. Later in the day, Leo and Lindsay had lots of fun crawling around in the art. Even later that day, I saw that our cat Buster liked rolling around in the chalk too.

A Little Behind

2009-07-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

I've been busy with Lindsay lately. She's cutting 3 maybe 4 upper teeth and our "good" days are occasional at best. So, here's some pics to catch you up on the happenings here. First, July 4th, we spent the evening with our friends the Smiths and had a great time. Second, Leo was the ring bearer in a wedding. Our very close friends Irene and Jeremy were married after 11 years together and had a beautiful ceremony on July 11th. The little man did really well. There was a fountain between him and the happy couple, so he entertained himself by playing in the water, splashing Irene and Jeremy and rubbing the water down his arms. It was hot outside, what's a kid to do?

Lindsay in her very festive dress

Leo with all the kiddos watching fireworks

Please click on this pic to see Leo's expression, he seems so enthusiastic about the whole thing!

Skills

2009-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our very talented son had so many special skills. One of them is a keen sense of style, I think that's pretty obvious......

Tiny Digits

2009-06-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore my children and am reminded daily that they are growing so quickly. I snapped some pics of Lindsay's chubby little fingers and toes just to remind me of how she was at this age. I hope to remember always, but just in case......

Father's Day

2009-06-22T17:54:00.001-07:00

This Father's Day was a special one for Leo. He has wanted a motorcycle for years and it finally worked out. He brought the Harley home from Houston on Saturday and took it to the dealership for an inspection. We picked it up on Father's Day and he now has his Harley. He had lots of fun driving it around and I, of course, took some pics and got the obligatory dad and kid pics as well. I was just happy to give him a day that was about him and letting him know how much we love him!

Snow's BBQ

2009-06-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, Texas Monthly rated Snow's BBQ in Lexington (tiny town) as the #1 BBQ in the state. Being BBQ enthusiasts, last Saturday we made the hour long road trip for lunch. This little place is co-owned by Snow and Tootsie and is only open on Satudays from 8 until the bbq runs out. We slid in around 11 and were blessed with the last of the brisket. The food was wonderful! Because we were some of the last people there, we got to sit and chat with Tootsie for a bit. She is the best. She immediately sat down with Leo and told him he reminded her of one of her great grandkids. A bit of a drive for lunch, but I think we'll try it again and get there just a bit earlier so we have some bbq to bring home.

9 Months Old!!

2009-06-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

Playing in the pool

Lindsay was 9 months old on Sunday and had her check up this morning. She is 21.2 lbs and 27 1/4 long, which is 85th percentile on weight and 45th on height. So, she's a little wider than she is tall. Where most babies slow down and gain 1-2 lbs between 6-9 mos, mine is an over achiever and gained 3.5 lbs. We've been told to cut back on feedings and increase her water and table food intake. We are sure that as she moves around more, she'll become leaner and slow on the weight gain (at least that's what I've been telling myself for years). But, most of all, she's healthy and I love seeing her rolls. Chunky babies are the best!!

Chunky rolls, too cute!

One toothed grin

Standing Up

2009-05-26T11:09:00.001-07:00

Well, we got back from our walk today and I put Lindsay on the "safe" side of the gate while I did some laundry. When I left the laundry room, I saw little miss standing by the gate. This is the first time she's pulled all the up into a standing position!! I grabbed the camera and snapped a few quick pics. Unfortunately, she looks like a miniature inmate behind gate. Oh well. I'm just so glad I didn't miss it and that I can share it!

Boys!!!!

2009-05-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

Leo and his friend Cooper came up with yet another way to enjoy the slide. Luckily no one was injured, but they had lots of fun!

He shoots, He SCORES!!!!

2009-05-14T14:12:00.001-07:00

Leo is about to finish up his second soccer season and well, he isn't Pele. He enjoys running for the first half of the game, then is more worried about getting snacks than in playing. We've tried to be the supportive parents, but, darn it, it would nice to have our kid score at least one goal instead of being known as the kid most likely to pick flowers during the game. It finally happened on May 9, 2009. He scored a goal as a Mother's Day gift to me. Yeah!! We were able to get some pics of this unbelieveable moment. Go Strikers!!!

No Crawling Required

2009-04-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Lindsay hasn't figured out how to lift her belly off the floor, but that hasn't stopped her from finding trouble. One of her favorite past times is to army crawl to the entertainment center and remove all the dvd's. I caught her in the act and snapped some photos. It's so fun watching her discover what she can do and find to play with. Unfortunately though, judging by her temper, we've got our hands full!

Growing Up

2009-04-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

Well, we registered Leo for Kindergarten today. I got a bit teary walking into the school and realizing that my little boy was going to be a big boy very soon. The tears were held off by the 10 pages of papers I had to fill out, the way-too-friendly-my-kid-is-super-special parents and of course, the obnoxious children that will soon be teaching my son a thing or two. We made it through and let him play on the school playscape for a bit and the tears started again. It's been a long road from birth at 2 lbs 4oz to now, but its gone by in the blink of an eye. This reminder of time going too fast has reminded me to cherish each day and to not forget my camera ever again.

Easter Fun!

2009-04-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

We ventured to College Station for Good Friday and spent the day with my Mom. We hid over 50 eggs for the little man and Lindsay even found one. Even though he was the only one hunting the eggs, Leo made sure he hunted with gusto and injured himself just as a little boy should. I had too much fun dressing Lindsay up and torturing her with bunny ears. I'm the mom, it's my job right? It was a wonderful Easter celebration!

He came up a bit too fast and hit his back on the bench.

Hmmm...tasty!

Lindsay's Surgery Day

2009-04-03T06:44:00.000-07:00

Itty bitty gown

Still seeing the pink elephants

Glad to be heading home

Because of all the ear infections, Lindsay had ear tubes put in this morning. We arrived at the hospital at 5:45 am and we were home at 8:30 am. All went well and just to prove we were doing the right thing, the surgeon found that she had yet another infection in her right ear. I have attached some pics, one of her in her itty bitty hospital gown, one right after sx (not very happy) and one of the ride home (much happier!). Whew, too much stress on Mom, glad its over.

Park Time

2009-03-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

We all love the beautiful days of spring, but none so much as Leo. The park is his favorite place to play and run off some of his unending energy. It's always lots of fun to watch him pretend and play.

Fun with a Pen

2009-03-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

The little man decided to make an ordinary trip to the potty extraordinary. Apparently there was a pen available and he helped himself. Leo heard him go into the bathroom and later realized he was taking quite a long time. When he found him, little man was attempting to cover up the crime with various decorative items on the counters. Unfortunately, the drawing was all over the sink (inside and on the counter top), on the back of the door, down the door jam and on my do-not-use-this-towel-its-for-decoration-only towel. Did I mention this happened at 1 a.m.? Five year olds sure are fun!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2009-03-17T06:43:00.001-07:00

We Angeles are always looking for an excuse to have friends over and buy new clothes. St. Patrick's Day is our excuse this time. Leo and I made a traditional Irish meal and donned new green shirts for yet another cheesy family photo op. I think the kids save the picture though, don't you? Happy St. Patty's Day all!!

Six Months Old!

2009-03-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

Lindsay was 6 months old on Saturday the 7th, and the time is flying by way too quickly. Yesterday she had her 6 mo wellcheck at the dr whick entailed 4 shots. She was a bit fussy the rest of the day but has decided that she sit up on her own now. She still wobbles here and there, but is doing so good. We also tried some cereal again and it went lots better. She even tried to help me with the spoon. Our little baby is growing, growing.