Anniversary Trip

 Back in October Joe surprised me with a trip to L.A. for our tenth wedding anniversary.  I knew we were going to go away but I had no idea just how far we were going! I thought we'd drive to Chicago...that seemed sensible for our first trip away from the kids. Just a five hour drive from home.

This picture was taken on our Hawaiian honeymoon. It's worn from the years Joe kept it in his wallet.


We woke up at 5 a.m., quickly dressed, kissed sleeping babies and made our way to Starbucks, where all good vacations begin if you ask me.

Airport breakfast of champions...

In the car on the way to retrieve my salted caramel mocha he sprang it on me. I think it went something like, "We have to hurry here, we have a flight to catch to L.A.!" I was shocked. Not only did it seem really, really, really far from where my babies would be in Ohio, but hello, I'm afraid to fly!

Bye-Bye, Ohio...Hello, gripping Joe's arm as we takeoff!

I don't look scared in this picture because we were getting ready to land...I could see the ground! Yay!

Next thing ya know I'm eating lunch at the Ivy.

Just look at that picture! I had water with fizz! So fancy.

After lunch we walked around Santa Monica which is where our hotel was. There was this cute little outdoor shopping area. Live music and street dancing as we made our way in and out of various shoppes. The only place I really remember being in is Anthropologie. It was so much fun to actually try things on without the fear of a little person opening your dressing room door or exclaim things like, "Mommy, you have polka dots on your underwear!" at the top of their lungs. Not that that's ever happened or anything...

A client of my husband's sent chocolate covered strawberries and champagne to our room! So sweet!

Getting ready to head out to our anniversary dinner.

Look at that! Straight hair, necklace and a dress! I'm even wearing lipstick...or tinted chapstick...same thing, right?

We had reservations at Geoffrey's in Malibu. A quick drive up the coast from where our hotel was.

I forget what I ordered other than it being salmon with capers It was deeeeelicious!!  I'm sure we ordered dessert but I guess we ate it before we took a picture...sounds like us.

It was beautiful. I loved eating al fresco with the water in the distance.

I know this picture is dark but I don't want to leave it out, I want to remember as much as I can :)

We drove back to the hotel and watched television cuddled up side by side on our comfy bed.  It was a great way to celebrate ten years of being together.




I'll be back soon to talk about day two!

XOXO,
Angie

Isaac Turns Eight

 

How do you write about someone you love so much? How do you make sense of all a heart can feel? I'm gonna give it a shot...

The night before you turned eight, I went to your bed and watched you sleep. I begged everything in me to remember the details of your birth. Such a pivotal moment for me, for us. You changed me forever, ya know. As I stood there, I relived pieces of our past together; bringing you home from the hospital, finger painting, long walks, play dates, watching you transition from only child to big brother to bigger brother. How you loved Gabe from the very start. You would run to him the instant he made a peep, Selah too once she was here. Now you're eight and that feels like you're nearly grown! I've always been afraid of watching my kids grow. Intimidated by all I don't know. Too much Dr. Phil and news stories about kids gone wrong, I suppose. Watching you I've learned it doesn't have to be that way. We learn as we go. Thank you for being patient, thank you for loving me when I mess up. And thank you for just being you. The awesome kid you are.  I am so blessed to have you. Honored that God chose me to be your mama.  So, I stood there wishing I could relive one of those days of just us one more time.  I would love to go back and give you all of me one more time.


This is how we celebrated you.

Emily and Kari came over for a chocolate chip pancake breakfast, daddy's specialty.

After playing the morning away, your one and only request was to go sledding. Right after we ate lunch at your favorite restaurant, Max & Erma's.

Then it was off to the little sledding hill in our neighborhood.

I loved watching your little adventurous spirit climb that hill and slide down with no fear. Well, a teeny, tiny bit of fear the first time but after that you were hooked. We had a great day. I loved that you had just the one thing you wanted. To be with your family. I think family birthdays are the most special birthdays of all.

*****************

A week later we partied at the bowling alley with your best friend.

Can I just say how very cool it is to see you in a friendship role. So much fun watching you grow! I love having a front row seat to it all.

Gabe has a wicked arm with the bowling ball.  Yay for bumpers!

Someone was very proud that she could carry her very own ball!

"These two fingers go in the ball, mom?"

Such a good big brother, making sure Selah's ball was lined up just right.

So you've been eight now for almost three months. As I type, you are outside in our cul-de-sac playing basketball. You've got the dribble, dribble shoot thing down. You run like the wind, the second fastest in the entire second grade, or so I've been told (by you). You came home from daddy's office with a letter you typed up:

Dear Mommy,

You are the best mommy ever. You let us play have fun and eat ice cream well sometimes. I still remember when we went to Great Wolf Lodge. It was so much fun. I love our family so much. Do you remember when we went to Kings Island it was so much fun also. Every night I love hearing what book you are reading. I love playing Scrabble and watching Cousins On Call. 

Love, 

Isaac

  You delivered it with a great big hug, the kind of hug that lasted more than a millisecond. You even came back for a second one!

And with that hug I said a hundred little "thank you's" on the inside. I so adore being your mama. 

XOXO, 

Mama Bear

Gabe Loses a Tooth

My middle little lost his very first tooth on Saturday.  I'm a bit conflicted by the whole thing, really. I mean, wasn't he just born??

First glasses and now this?! It's just too much.

Little sister was very curious.  Isaac was telling him to be brave, that it wouldn't hurt. 

Daddy wiggled and pulled and out it came. Poor little guy, I think it hurt more than he was expecting it to. 

After exclamations of "You lost your first tooth" and "You're such a big boy", his proud smile broke through. 

Isn't it great the way we get to watch all these moments unfold? I feel so blessed to be a mama. I don't want to forget any of it. 

Happy Valentine's Day out there!

XOXO,

Angie 

A Few Favorites

Watching her play the mornings away in her tee pee. I don't know everything that goes on in there but boy oh boy I can her her little imagination going to town. Cutest thing ever.

Gabe has a classroom website where he can log on and practice his reading and math. I love the way he looks with a big 'ol computer in front of that little boy frame.

 Daddy turned thirty-nine last week. Selah and I made lasagna and a chocolate peanut butter cake that was scrumptious! So glad the cake leftovers are finally gone...I have zero self control around baked goods...

The kids picked out chocolate peanut butter Oreo's, and a Phillie's T-shirt. We love our Daddy!

And that's just a few things we've been up to around here.

XOXO,
Angie

Donuts and Fish

It was Martin Luther King Day so naturally we took the kids out for donuts. They go hand in hand, right?  It was my first time at Bill's donuts...I think I'm the only person in Dayton that can say that. My chocolate eclair was delicious! Of course the kids chose sprinkles and daddy had a peanut butter bear claw.  So, so good.  Bill's hasn't seen the last of us!

 Chocolate makes me all cuddly.

 After donuts we went to the pet store to buy some fish. That's all Isaac wanted for his birthday. I should say this was our third trip to the store. His first two birthday fish lasted two and three days. He was heartbroken. Tears and everything. Daddy decided to go ahead and get a bigger tank. So far so good. The two little guys we brought home this day have lasted three and a half weeks. Looks like Rocky and Goldie might just stick around for awhile!

XOXO,

Angie

Hello Friday

A few afternoon photos

I like boys in striped socks and matching shirts. I like little sisters who play with fire engines. I like gray days that call for indoor activities. I like today. It's not without it's time outs and talks about happy attitudes, saying sorry and making up but it's a good day nonetheless.

Happy Friday!

XOXO,
Angie