gardening

I tried something different tonight. You 'll see what at the bottom of the page. It didn't work. Oh well.

Does anyone know what this particular plant may be? I'm thinking it's a weed but only because it was growing so well and I was weeding in my little garden and my husband thought he would help and pulled up this amazingly large plant and I shrieked! So, he stuck it back in the dirt and lo and behold it started growing again. I don't think it would do that if it was some exotic plant that was going to produce some beautiful flowers. So if you happen to recognize this as a lovely plant or a crappy weed, please e-mail me or use the comments and let me know so I can let my husband rip it out for good or I can tenderly care for it whichever the case may be.
This is a view of the "southside" of the garden. Yes, I know it really needs to be weeded. My rose is right beside the white hanging plant nearest the ground. You can barely see the little bud to the right and a little up from the basket. My easter lillies are planted in the "northside" which would be to the right of this picture. They didn't bloom this year or if they did I don't remember it, which is unfortunately entirely possible.
This is Anna in the backyard today. Her sister thought she should be at the table. I thought it was cute.
The description for this picture is following it. (It's what I tried new.)

I'm going to try something different tonight. I'm going to write what I want for a picture then try and post said picture (one at a time, instead of all of them at once) and see if that works. Here goes....!

I have bud #2 on my rose bush. I am so happy and amazed that it's growing! Here it is...ready?


Ok, it didn't work.

miscellany

Someone has made themselves at home. The people in the house have adapted to her but the big brother cats...not so much.
Madeline's new do. Hair-chewing proof, and cute to boot.
Sadie's new obsession, doing a handstand. Keeps her busy, and heaven only knows how that skill will come in handy someday.

Reading is...

Yesterday, I put Anna down for her nap. She, of course, voiced her displeasure in this by excersizing her lungs/vocal chords at an appreciable decible level. All of a sudden, silence...I go to check on her and this is the scene I encountered.

Biggest baby in Texas

Remember the pictures of the boys and I told you that Mark was the biggest baby born in Texas? I spoke to his mother and he was 16 lbs. 12 oz. NATURAL mind you. I have one word...OUCH!

priceless

I am sure there will be alot more times when Anna's sister dress her in something awful and take her picture. I had no idea this picture had been taken and when I went to download the "real" picture for the day I saw this and it won. You'll see my picture tomorrow (unless something cuter happens).
Bless her little heart.

There are other children in the world!

This is Matthew from down the street. He liked the kitten. He and his two brothers were at the house yesterday, seems only fair. Madeline and Sadie are at their house ALL THE TIME jumping on the trampoline. I love their mom, Katie. We always laugh when we're together. She's a hoot.
from "can I go to Mark's house"? Words that come out of Madeline's mouth at least once a day. He's Matthew's brother and he kinda liked the cat, too, but I really think he just wanted his picture taken. By the way, Mark was (probably still is) the biggest baby born in Texas. (all natural, by the way) His mom is a real hero in my book. I'll ask her how big he was again (I never remember) and let you know.

spoken words

Acutal words spoken in my house today:

"Madeline, don't throw the cat".

Easter pictures

As I have stated before, I have no control over what order my pics are posted on here. I actually did this once already and instead of pressing "ctrl i" for italic, I pressed "ctrl n" because I wanted the word "not" italicised. Well, when I made that bonehead move my entire blog went "POOF". Gone. Vanished. See ya later, alligator, gone. And, coincidentally, the pictures were in the correct order on that particular posting. Go figure. So here goes.

I set up a photo studio in my hallway. I used pale yellow sheets as backdrops and floor drops and a white sheet to cover the chair I had the girls sit in. It works well, but it sure gets hot.
This is one of my favorite pics of Anna.
I got a bajillion plastic eggs and after the serious pics we took some fun ones with all the eggs strewn about. That's how I got the pic (see "meet Banda") of Banda.
Just what you've all been waiting for. A picture of the whole family. We're at church Easter morning. Thank you, Ann, for taking the picture. Not only do you play the piano beautifully, you click a mean camera.
This is one of my favorites taken in the hallway studio. I love the look Anna is giving Madeline.
This picture will go down in Easter picture history. There were only 2 pics taken of all 3 girls in front of the flowers at church. This is the only one that came out. Anna looks so happy, NOT!

bloomin'

This is the very first rose that has bloomed on the rose bush we planted back in Feb. or March. I am SO excited to see it bloom. The other bush we planted is not doing as well. It doesn't have any new leaves, much less blooms. We'll call this a 50% success level. Isn't it pretty?

I promise Easter pictures later tonight. Last night when I tried to blog, it was so slow I couldn't even get to the blogging part. It's much better today.

Little Momma

This is Rachel. She's the one we're praying for during her pregnancy. She is in for the Easter Holiday. I think she looks amazing. I only wish I looked so good pregnant. I asked her how the baby is doing and she says she thinks the c-cam is getting bigger but the dr.s don't. But, she is seen by a different one every time she goes so she's a bit (maybe I understate?) frustrated. Let's keep praying for her and the baby and let God take care of it.

I'll have CUTE easter pictures tomorrow. I already have them but thought Rachel was more important tonight.

Meet Banda

Meet "Banda" (formerly known as "Snowball", or "Sassy"). She's the newest member of the Wangler household. Conrad officially acquiesced tonight with the provision that her name be "Banda". Madeline came up with the name out of the blue.

This is the great kitten race of 2006. Jermaine, Andrea and Madeline were seeing whose kitten would go down the drive way fastest. The last picture on this blog was taken first then this one. I still have yet to figure out how to determine picture order on this thing so bear with me. Madeline won, or I guess I should say "snowball" won.
I think this caption should read "Mom, what'd you drink last night?".
"Huh?"
This was the beginning of the race, you can barely see snowball. She's the fluff of white fur in between the sun spot and Jermaine's feet.

prairie dog

This is Sadie's interpretation of a Prairie Dog. The had to pick an animal from the habitats they are studying and create one. I asked her why she picked the Prairie Dog "because I love dogs and my uncle lives in Grand Prairie" was her answer.

I couldn't resist

I couldn't resist more kitten pictures. Sorry all you non-kitten loving people out there. This one was taken tonight after Madeline "snuggled them in" for the night.

This one was taken this morning when we went to go check up on them. "Blue" (the gray one) is on the side of the couch out of camera range. The cream colored one is called "snowball" or "sassy" or "spitfire" (because the first time I picked her up she pfffttt'd at me and it went right up my nose. One of the striped ones is called tigger and one is ringtone. Don't ask. I'm sure ringtone won't stick, surely not.

Daddy, can we keep it?

Nonnie was here this weekend, can you tell? She matches from stem to stern.
We found Whiskers' (the neighborhood cat) kittens today. There are four of them. 3 stripes and one cream with gray markings. One boy and 3 girls. The are too cute. Conrad is immune to their powers of cuteness. He says we cannot keep one. I say Anna needs a kitten.

This is the one I want to keep for Anna. (OK, it's for me)
This is the first one I held, way too cute.
This is all of them.

magical quilts

Anna,
This is a magical quilt that was made just for you.
When you feel unhappy or sad, just wrap this quilt around you and it will make you glad.
Love,
Aunt Nancy


Anna got this in the mail today. Isn't she loved? Thank you, Aunt Nancy, I know it will be used and loved.

cousins

I tried to put several of these pictures on here so you could see the different versions, but it wouldn't let me. This is the only picture from flashlight easter egg hunt because well...I forgot to take my camera outside. It was dark so I'm not so sure I would have gotten any good ones (that's what I tell myself, anyway). I think they all had fun and I know a good sugar buzz was had by all. Sadie was asleep before I got done with song and prayers and I didn't hear a peep out of Madeline once I left the room so she must have been out like a light as well.

If a tree falls in the forest...

In between the young artist show (see other entry) and the flashlight easter egg hunt (our reason d'etre for friday) we were eating pizza calmly and quietly (yeah right, we had six kids under the age of 9 in the house) when all of a sudden the wind howling outside changed into what sounded like a major clap of thunder. I don't know what made me realize it was a tree limb falling onto our house but I did and went outside to survey the damage. I forgot to take my camera but after Jon Michel came over and started working on it (Conrad was at his soccer game) I remembered to document at least a portion of it.
These are some of the limbs after Jon cut them down and threw them off.
The triumphant tree warrior. I don't know if he volunteered for this because he was concerned for our safety or his inside a house with 6 children under the age of 9.
Treeman Jon cutting down bigger portions of the tree. After this picture it got dark but neighbor Phil came over to help try and pull down the rest of the big limb as it was over the utility wires and Jon didn't want it to fall on there. They couldn't get it the rest of the way down. But that's OK, they did a great job and it was much quicker once Phil brought over a chain saw. Jon was using a hand saw.

It couldn't have happened at a better time. Conrad will need wood today to smoke the brisket we're having when about 20 or so people converge on our home.

After playing tree man and the flashlight easter egg hunt, Jon and Tylar and I played Jacks. I was soundly beating them both until Jon caught up with me. I made the costly error of forgetting I was on sixies and picked up seven and that left the door wide open for Jon to come back. The game ended tied.

Budding artist

Sadie's school has a young masters art show and art adoption event every year. Several artworks done by the students are picked and framed. They then go to a local coffee house (this year the Coffee Haus in downtown Arlington) and are on display for people to view and adopt. To adopt it for a year, a person pays $100. The artwork can then hang in the adoptee's home or office for a year. At which time the artwork is returned to ACA and then returned to the artist. Sadie had a piece of art chosen this year and the picture of it is below. When we went it hadn't been adopted yet. We're very proud of her.

Meet the family

There will be a couple of blogs today as it is a very busy day today.
This is Wendy, my cousin sista meeting Anna for the first time today. I picked up her children and we're having a flashlight easter egg hunt tonight. Look for pictures of that later.
This is Austin, her first born. He is his father's child, you'll see what I mean when you see his Daddy's picture.
This is Alysse, she lost her first tooth yesterday and her second today.
This is James, Wendy's husband and the father of the other children in the pictures besides Anna. Here he is with Anna.
And last but not least, here's Ashlea. She and Anna have the same color eyes.

Bunnies

For the first time in I don't know how many days, I did not take one picture of my children or something else that went on today. I will say that pictures were taken of my children and when they are sent to me I will share them with you. In the meantime, I hope this makes you smile. ( Thank you, Lisa R. for sharing it with
me!)

There should be LOTS of pictures tomorrow, big goings on around here. You'll see.

necessity is all that...

Call me mom-giver (pronounced like McGiver - not like a person who gives although I'm nothing if not that). I spent many hours at the VA today with Uncle Ernie (and my mother-in-law - and we're all still alive) and not only did I forget to bring the stroller (in my defense it was a last minute emergency run) but I also didn't have a binky holder. Thank heaven I had a binky but after the sixth time of trying to find a place to wash off the thing after it had fallen or been tossed to the floor, creating a device to keep it off the floor became an obsession. Using only the things found in the canteen, which were more limited than I imagined, I fashioned this binky holder. I used sterile gauze strip and a badge holder. Not bad if I say so myself.

Not that I ever think that Dr. Brown or anyone who knows her will ever read this but she is a God-send. What a great Doctor. If anyone at the VA reads this blog, Dr. Brown in Clinic 2 needs a raise and a commendation. She treated Uncle Ernie with respect and courtesy and aleviated his pain and got to the heart of his problem today even though other Doctors were trying to thwart her and wrenches were thrown in her direction. I can't say enough nice things about her. But I'll stop there. Except to say "thank you, Dr. Brown".

"PLAY BALL"

This time of year my screensaver at work always said the same thing. "Baseball and bluebonnets, life is good."

Today is opening day. I always wake up on opening day with a sense of anticipation or maybe something like teachers feel the first day of summer vacation. Maybe like you feel on Friday times 10. It's a wonderful day that almost always starts out cool and ends up warm enough for the first tan/burn of the season. There's the sense of possibility for my Rangers. A clean slate, a chance for the pennant - any pennant - playoffs - any playoffs. The smell of hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, nachos, peanuts. The sound of "Zonk" beating his drum (and by the way, our tickets this year are only a section away from him!) and everyone clapping to his beat. It's just a fan-freakin'-tastic day.

Here are all but one of the pictures I took today. It was actually a pretty rough day. The handicap van we bough for Uncle Ernie overheated which made us have to trasfer him and his scooter to our van and truck respectively. This in turn caused us to miss the national anthem (a sin in my book) and we were still outside when the flyover took place (an awesome thing to hear) and didn't make it into the ballpark until the second inning- thank you Ricky for giving us a ride so we could get there that much sooner. And lest you think we didn't start out early enough, we were ready to go to the ballpark at 11 am for a 1 pm first pitch. But because it is my favorite day of the year (besides Christmas)...all was and still is (thanks to my husband making me a margarita) well.
This is Sally telling me she doesn't do pictures. I tried to get her to stand with the field behind her but no...so here she is with the big green pole behind her.
This is Jon with Anna right before we left for the game the second time. See, we're all still smiles.
This is Uncle Ernie after I got through with him. Just kiddin'. He actually fell and hit his eye and has 4 stitches in it above his eyebrow. His fall did not happen today and is another story altogether. But, he's enjoying the game!
This is my friend and Anna's favorite alto from choir, Karen. Anna just loves her and I think the feeling is mutual.

Um, Karen and Sallie, if you told them at work that you were sick today, you might not want to show them this blog!

Our neighbor Ricky told us that he saw Conrad and Anna on TV not once but twice today. How could they NOT put her on?

reading the paper

Anna and her Daddy just reading the paper on a Saturday morning.

sprinkler weather

It's finally warm enough to play in the sprinkler! When Sadie first came around the corner, she not only had her goggles on (you can barely see them) but she also had on a coat. She had been telling me how hot she was since I picked her up from school and she comes out with a coat on to play in the sprinkler.