Missing the sunshine!

This time last year we were "wintering" in the Caribbean. It was wonderful! I'm so ready to be done with Klamath Falls and SNOW/COLD/WIND! Brandon was doing an elective rotation at the University. It was lots of fun to see the island again. Surprisingly NOTHING with the island itself had changed! However, the university had tons of new buildings and even a SUBWAY! The church has now established a presence there which was awesome to see. They have two chapels and have already outgrown them. It was really nice to attend church with "local" members and see missionaries tracting in the blazing heat! It was fun for Ryan to experience island life with us. He thoroughly enjoyed swimming everyday and living at the beach. This is a picture from our favorite beach. Ry was only 2 and half then....I thought he was so grown up. Poor kid, we always expect so much out of him because he has always been so verbal and intelligent. The other night I was on his case about something and Ryan looked up at me and said " jeez Mom I'm just a kid! ".

Trying to be a fun Mom....

What kid screams when you finally let them ride the train outside of the grocery store? Actually, Evan does this 24-7 now, unless I'm holding him....... He just went to the doctors for his nine month and SCREAMED the entire time. He did not need any immunizations--thankfully!


So...... my floors are dirty, laundry is piled up, the dishes sit until the end of the day (midnight) when Evan finally passes out in his swing. No such luck in the daytime, Ryan is just too LOUD. I keep the swing in the back bedroom in the daytime but Ryan always successfully wakes him up after about 5 minutes!

Thankfully I can still CRAM him into that swing! Fisher Price really out did themselves when they invented the Papasan cradle swing. I passed them up when I had Ryan because they are UGLY, it screams " I'm a huge plastic baby accessory". Now that I'm an "experienced" Mom I go for function. I love that these swings lay down so the baby can sleep comfortably while swinging. The weight limit goes up to 25lbs which we have now maxed, even at it's highest setting it now swings really SLOW. This swing plugs in,which is a huge plus, since we went through 4 Costco packs of D cells with Ryan! So if you need to get a swing for your baby--go for any of the Fisher Price Papasan or cradle swings. WELL worth the money and worth the eyesore in your living room.

With just one picture

I LOVE finding photos that I thought I had accidentally erased! I was going through all of the throngs of photos we have on the computer trying to organize and sort and came across this one of Ryan at 16 months. These photos had gotten stuck in with pictures of the Grants Pass rental. We always take pictures before we place a new tenet so we can have some sort of a reference point, in regards to damages and cleaning. Anyway, Ryan had a ball that day! "Helping" us install a new kitchen faucet, inspecting the insides of the dishwasher, navigating stairs for the first time etc. Funny how time flies! Just this one picture brought back so many memories. We had gotten back from NYC shortly after these pictures were taken. Brandon's medical school graduation was in NYC at the Lincoln Center. We didn't think Ryan would be able to sit through such a long ordeal and did not relish another long plane trip with him. (We had been to Hawaii just before that) So we left him with my In-Laws. I was a nervous wreck, that was the first time I had been separated from him. I was still nursing at the time so it was a crazy trip of running to graduation events and pumping on the go to keep up the milk supply. We managed to squeeze in a trip to Times Square and enjoy TEN dollar Cold Stone ice cream! (being the frugal people we are, we called that dinner) For some reason it was really important for me to bring Ryan back a "I heart NY" T-shirt..... Not just any T-shirt it had to be a "onesie". I have the hardest time watching my babies grow up! Maybe because they are such strapping kids and they start wearing a 2T at 12 months, they just grow too FAST! Anyway, I finally found a little shop that had what I was looking for, the shirt was only 24 months--but it was HUGE! Perfect.The next day we went to Conney island and ate a really sick "world famous Nathan's hot dog". We are still not sure what the hype is about,they cost like 6 bucks and taste horrible. (worse then a Dodger dog) Nobody beats Costco! Anyway, after throwing away the rest of our Nathan's we checked out the rides at Conney island. ALL of the rides look really old and scary, not safe at all. Most of them were being run by father time, not the most reassuring sight when you are contemplating a carnival ride. Then we saw the "Cyclone" it was either the worlds biggest or the world's oldest wooden roller coaster. I can't remember now. As soon as I clapped eyes on it I was wishing I had Ryan with me so I could bow out and not have to ride that death trap! Brandon LOVES roller coasters, he grew up in So. California and spent many summers at magic mountain and the like. I knew I was in trouble when Brad spied the Cyclone! Suffice it to say we purchased tickets and went through the gate. Father time shuffled over to strap us in and we were off. I'm permanently traumatized from that ride. I have NEVER been that scared before in my life! The bar that held us in our seats was loose and kept flying up even though we both had a death grip on it. The coaster felt very rickety. I just kept thinking this is how I'm going to die....and nobody knows what our wishes are in regards to our son! I had a serious panic attack high in the air on all of those hair pin tuns. The only thing that makes this experience okay is the fact that Brad has never wanted to go on another coaster! I think he was just as scared as me. Our ears always perk up when we hear Conney Island in the news--we are just waiting for them to say they had to tear that death trap down after some one was hurt or killed!

Nine Months

Happy nine months Evan! You now have more time out than in. We love your sweet cheerful disposition. Mommy loves all of your chubby rolls! You kind of learned to crawl on Sunday. Well, it's more of a slither. Like Ry Ry you have a lot of mass to move...... So you are content to roll from place to place or drag your belly and legs behind you. Mommy does NOT mind at all that you and Ry were slow crawlers.... you guys can tear up enough stuff just rolling! You have been such a nice addition to our family. Ryan LOVES you and wants to do everything with you -including wrestling..... Ryan was very interested in you when you were born. When you were three days old I had just finished nursing you and placed you in your pack N play. Ryan was playing trains in the family room near your pack N play. I went to the kitchen to refill my water jug.....just as I came around the corner Ryan comes around the corner with YOU in his arms! He had the biggest smile on his face he was so proud of himself...and said"look Mommy this is a really big baby". I almost died! I walked very slowly to Ryan and scooped you up and checked you all over to make sure you were okay. To Ryan's credit he had you cradled in his arms PERFECT, just liked we had practiced on this doll he named Caribou. I was gone maybe 15 seconds.....I never dreamed he would be able to get you out of the little bassinet potion of the play yard. I should have known better since Ry has always been so tall. In hindsight I should have grabbed the camera it was right by us on the counter. I would have liked to of captured the sweetness that Ryan showed toward you as he held you. I was just so worried about how he got you out of the play yard--I had visions of little boys carrying cats around the neck... Anyway, we all went to sit down on the couch and take a breather. I had kept my postpartum hormones in check before that. I started crying, bawling really. (I'm not a crier!) Ryan kept saying "I'm sorry Mommy, I just love him". I reassured him that I was not mad at him just scared for the baby. It was really hot that day too. We were waiting for the guy to come and fix the AC--so that made it worse. I'm always so hot after having a baby. Later after I had regained some composure I asked Ryan how he got you out of the play yard and he said "I pulled him by his feet"! I was still freaked until Daddy could come home and check you out. You were fine! It is now one of your brother's favorite stories to tell "Hey Mom do you remember that day I got the baby out and you just cried and cried?" Later that day as I held you I Thanked Heavenly Father for sending you almost a month early. You were so tiny, If you had been heavier maybe Ryan would have dropped you? You continue to delight us with you personality and we are grateful for your spirit and cute chubby thighs!

Worth a shot!

A Friend just sent this to me:

Think your little firecracker has the personality it takes to win the Live with Regis and Kelly Beautiful Baby Search? Prove it! Pull out the camera and get your little top model ready, because this year's contest starts the week of January 12, 2009 -- your baby could appear on the cover of Parenting magazine and win $125,000 to be used towards a 4-year college education!

To enter:

Visit liveregisandkelly.com and submit a photo from January 12, 2009 to February 13, 2009. The Live and Parenting staffs will narrow down the hundreds of thousands of entries to 10 semi-finalists, who will be announced on the show on March 9, 2009. You can vote for your favorites, and the top 5 contestants will be announced the following day.

The winner will be announced on Live on March 13, 2009.

So I probably should have sat these boys down and gotten pictures with out blurriness and snot...... I just found out about it--and would like a crack at getting school PAID for for one of these rascals! Ok Moms there is still time, the deadline is tomorrow at 5pm EST. I knew if I did not get something submitted I would forget/ get sidetracked. So if your babies are between 6months and 48 months--snap a picture and get to uploading!

Like I said....Ryan does NOT smile.

Baby Evan can't help it!

Punxsutawney Phil you are on my list.....

Well..... he was right, we woke up to more SNOW!

The only good thing that ever happens on February 2nd is the Celebration of my oldest brothers birthday! AKA "Lieutenant" Dan-- he turned 35!!!! He is currently living in Japan with his beautiful family. They just welcomed their 4th baby in January. Kaleb joins two brothers and a sister. I wish they lived closer, because their boys are "spirited" like my own. Keeping are fingers crossed for a visit from them this fall. We miss them so much!

Dan....since I missed calling you on the "day"....... I will pay public homage to honor you. So I can expunge my guilt! Here are 35 tidbits from your/our life for your enjoyment. (In no particular order)

1. I Love that you had to get up in primary and give "my" first talk as a sunbeam.....because I fell asleep and the teachers did not want to wake me up!

2. I love your sarcastic sense of humor.

3. Thanks for teaching me to mountain bike.

4. Thanks for including me in your group of friends at EFY's, Youth Conferences, Stake dances and the like. It made up for all of the times you and your friends harassed me in middle school.

5. Thanks for serving a full time mission. That instilled a drive for me to do the same.

6. Thanks for helping me get my first two full time jobs. Ahhh... remember summers at the blueberry patch with the Hoover, mini vac, and *shutter* Richard Brandis? Matsu served us both well.

7.Remember all of those tree houses and forts we built in the backyard of our house when we lived in San Jose?

8. Thanks for totally getting why I do what I do-- in regards to raising my family.

9. I love that you oldest boy is JUST LIKE YOU as a child. Karma is good.

10. I love that you bettered yourself by going to school and graduating from BYU and then on to Cornell.

11.Thanks for staying strong in the Gospel your whole life.

12.Thanks for “trying” to teach me to drive a manual transmission.....I'm too right brained—it will never happen.

13.Whenever I need a good laugh I think of you driving your bike in the bike lane on Highland Ave. where some inconsiderate donkey parked his semi overnight..... or the time you were driving the B.U.S and the spare tire came loose and rolled down the isle and ran over your lunch.... Do you still have the tee shirt with tire marks on it?

14. We laugh when you call Brad the “Good Doctor”

15. Remember when you and Steve would “threaten” me with that encyclopedia entitled “Asia”? At one point as children we had not formed our alliance so you and Steve constantly harassed me.....beheading my Barbies, hiding my strawberry shortcake dolls, or threatening to beat me over the head with “Asia”. You guys would wait until Mom walked out of the room and then reach under the couch for “Asia”......unless I did whatever you guys said. For example— do your chores, give up my chocolate Easter bunny.....etc. You two were typical brothers! All you had to say was “Steve go get “Asia”. It is a little Ironic that the actual continent of Asia would play such a roll in you life in the years to come. First a job as a chef at a Japanese restaurant, then a full time mission to Japan, Then marriage to the best sister in law ever, who has Vietnamese and Chinese heritage, and then accepting a job in Japan after graduating from Cornell. Not to mention your trips to Guam and Vietnam. Who would of thought that a skinny white boy like yourself could be so cultured?

16. Love the way you can recount a story.

17. I miss old school GP with you. Going to G.P. Pharmacy for a phosphate. Going to Millies for a sub. Going to a movie after Thanksgiving dinner. Lunch at the Royal Barge. "Cruising" 6th & 7th street in the summers in the LUV, your camero, or dare I say the KFC? These days GP pharmacy has some snot nosed teenager behind the counter with an attitude. Millies is under new ownership.... with "yum yum" subs--and it does not taste the same! Movies these days are mostly trash or shameless remakes of an older better movie. I'm starting to sound old....

18.Camp outs in the backyard "survivalist style". We would spend hours as kids packing up sleeping bags, ramen, water, and such so we could survive in the "wilderness".......we usually lasted a night. We even "waterproofed" our matches with wax.

19.Scouring the house on Lawnridge looking for Dr. Ogle's diamonds and gems. Thought we really hit the jackpot when we found a hidden safe down in the pantry in the basement.

20.Making Simon and Garfunkle tapes. Sneaking downstairs to watch SNL.

21. Feeling so cool Christmas morning with our brand new Jellyfish Swatches!

22. Stealing your Silver Tabs when you went on your mission.....okay stealing ALL of your stuff when you left on your mission.

23.Road trip to Coos Bay in my Volarie, we could not even talk because the engine was so loud! Loved that slant 6. That was back in the Armando days.....*shutter*

24.Dump trips.....we make a good demo/slash clean up crew.

25.Bella block

26.Crusher and the mailman or Crusher and the doorknocker--take your pick.

27. Back to the Future, Karate Kid, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Rear Window, Forrest Gump.

28.Tricking you off of Grandpa West's lap by playing with your train set.....you were sitting there while he told you stories. Well, I wanted to sit there--so I ran over to your prize train set, sure enough you jumped down to rescue the train and I sauntered over to G. West. You may have the college degrees.....but I have savvy. Savvy?

29.Fiercely defending you even as Mom was about ready to kill you! Especially the time you threw a log at my face when I didn't hold your bike steady enough when you tried to climb the Elm tree in the back yard. Mom came out just as you hurled the offending piece of firewood.... I needed stitches which was scary I was only 2. Mom and Dad yelled at you but I told them to STOP because you were my brother!

30.Being old enough to remember phones with cords, B&W TV, Seat belts with out shoulder harnesses. How to heat up food without a microwave, what a VCR is, Thrifty ice cream cones, M&M's without the color red and blue. Salt water sandals.

31. Helping you take the trash out in San Jose and getting chased by a pit bull. Helping you catch the rooster at night.

32.Road trip to SLC to bring you to the MTC.

33.Marching in the band at Boat Nik.

34.Big thanks for all of the help you Teresa gave at our wedding reception.

35.Lexon baskets

I really wanted to add another 35...maybe when you reach 70! Thanks for the laughs and the bonding! Happy Birthday! Peace out Juke.

Love, Ange, The Good Doctor, Ry Ry, and Baby E

Practice makes perfect

Well it's official......we have a place to practice! We thought we would never see this day!!!! Seven years ago we stuck a rental sign in the yard of our first home and drove away. Now seven years later with a MD and two kids we get to put down roots again. We always thought we would go back home to GP. As the time drew closer to make a decision, that really did not fit our lifestyle any longer. We were DINC's then. Now that we are parents we were looking for a certain type of community for our boys. When it comes right down to it our boys are EVERYTHING to us.

We have found a charming little community up north, and we couldn't be happier! Our new home will be in Tillamook Oregon. We looked at quite a few places and were pleased to find a place right here in Oregon. We love the pacific northwest and have always wanted to live near the beach. This town really fits the bill. Brandon has accepted a position with a Family Medicine Practice associated with the local Hospital in Tillamook. We are currently house shopping in Bay City (10 minutes from Tillamook) we want to live near the water. Brandon would only have a 10 minute commute! He only has twenty minutes now--but when it snows in Klamath it takes about 45 minutes! (They can't be bothered to plow the roads here) That's another plus to coastal living vs. the basin--NO SNOW!

The boys and I had a blast in this little community this fall when Brandon was doing a rotation with one of the local Doc's. We toured the private school (can't wait to enroll Ryan this fall--he begs to go to school everyday. Most of his friends started pre-school at 2 and a half, so he feels a little left out.) We went to the library 3 times a week (they have story times for kids going on all week). Played at the park for hours. This park has retired trains next to it that are just parked on old tracks. As you can imagine Ryan was thrilled to have his very own "shunting yards" We played on those trains all morning. He was the the driver,which left the roll of "Sir Topham Hatt" for yours truly..... Anybody familiar with "Thomas the Tank Engine" knows that is not a sought after part for a cute girl like myself! On the weekends we brought the boys to the beach, air museum, and of coarse the Tillamook cheese factory. We love Tillamook's close proximity to Portland. This will allow us to bring the boys to plays and other cultural events. Not to mention access to an international airport (PDX) with great prices on fares.


The picture below is from this fall. Ryan wanted to go the beach everyday! He dug in the sand convinced he was going to find "Pirate Gold".......he's three what does he know about pirate gold? After a while he settled for picking flowers and "decorating" my hair, sand cakes, and baby Evan's carseat. Can't wait to get back and enjoy that ocean breeze!

Genes at work

I have been working on Family history lately and ran across this picture. It is uncanny how much my sister Tiffany and brother Mike favor these two! I never met these "Greats" they died a few years before we were born. I'm enjoying all of the pictures and letters that my progenitors have left for us to enjoy. At least I know where I got by "sturdy" ankles from.....thanks Grandma Mote.