RED SOX BABY

Well, the time finally came for the girls to see their heros live.....the SOX were in town over Memorial Day Weekend and we got tix. It was FUN!!!! The girls loved it, and had a blast tailgating...Meig was dancing in the parking lot to the music being played by our tailgaiting neighbors...pretty funny stuff it was...Catie just sat, watched her little sister and laughed hysterically...as did Brian and I... We had lunch in the parking lot with our chairs and goodies...a good time...our seats were amazing (and were I a smart person,) I'd have taken pics from our seats, which were not far above the 3rd base line with a most fabulous view of Meigan's most favorite Sox player...Manny...we could see him well in left field... Catie, however didn't get to see her favorite player, Jonathan Papelbon..since he saves the games when the SOX are winning, they didn't need his services this past weekend...since they lost every single game.....



the SOX STUNK UP the East Bay that weekend getting swept by the A's 3 straight games and dropping from 1st place in the American League...however, we got to see Big Papi hit a home run...and that was fantastic!

The girls made a sign and were hoping like crazy to get on the TV cameras so my parents could see them in NH....pretty stinkin' cute if you ask me...



Brian and the girls having their tailgate lunch!

A Banner Day for Catie

Last week, Catie earned her Eagle Card Banner for earning 10 Eagle Cards this year at school. Eagle Cards are given to the kids to reward those who go the extra mile, whether it's for behavior, schoolwork, or being nice to others...Meigan and I were on hand to see the award given to Catie and others at her school.

Fun in Monterey

some fun in the hotel pool......

A chilly day at the Aquarium

a relaxed Daddy on the beach....

some beach fun!

Prelude to the Torch Relay

Monday we were on our way to Monterey, and we got stuck in the traffic jam on the Golden Gate Bridge when 3 guys climbed the cables just before the South Tower.....it was quite impressive to drive right under/by these 3 guys suspended over 500ft. up the cables....i have to say I got some pretty great shots of these guys before they hung their banner in support of Tibet...I took them through the windshield of the car as Brian was driving.....the girls weren't sure what to think.....so that prompted a discussion to take up a good part of the 2hrs. drive to Monterey. I was going to take them into the city to see the Olympic Torch Run...what a once in a lifetime chance...but decided Tuesday night to stay home for safety reasons....

A Trip to Wine Country

On the 30th, we ventured north to our favorite wine region, the Russian River...after our beloved Pinot Noir that the region is famous for.....We took our neighbors Rose & Don with us...we all had a great time! This photo was taken at Armida Winery...the deck behind the girls is the best in the area for picnics and views over the Russian River Valley...we enjoyed a great lunch on this deck, visited favorite wineries and found 2 new ones!

Easter Dresses

Easter came..and went...with plenty of chocolate eggs hidden by The Bunny.....
we had our neighbors Rose & Don for dinner and our neighbor Kitty...it was a really nice day!

Early Summer??? naaahhh...just a teaser

a few weeks ago, we had some really nice weather....and it was enough for the girls to try out the pool for the 1st time this year....it was FREEZING...but did they care? nope..not at all.....crazy kids.....

Who Says Cats Can't Jump Rope...

Sunday, the girls were outside jumping rope.....and I heard them howling laughing and yelling "no Oreo"...well, our little pussy cat was chasing their jumpropes....so the girls decided to see if Oreo would actually jump rope.......

and as you can see....YES SHE CAN!! our little kitty got some serious air on this attempt at jumprope!!! Oreo is the supercat! I have to say, that this picture had all of us busting a gut laughing...we couldn't stop......I can't believe I actually got the cat mid-air......I think this photo could win us some $$$ in some goofy photo contest......

A Winters Day at the Beach...

Last weekend we took advantage of the amazing "winter" weather and headed out to Tomales Bay State Park to Hearts Desire Beach....we LOVE this beach...Brian and I have bee going here since I moved here in 1992....it's on the calm bay, no fog and it's the perfect place for kids to play...no big waves to wipe them out like on the Pacific... I didn't bring bathing suits, as it was only barely 70 degrees, but as you can see, it didn't stop my 2 from going in the water...after an hour, they were FREEZING...and happy...and Brian and I sat on the beach, watched the girls and enjoyed a nice bottle of wine......a perfect day for the Van Weeles...

February 08.....New Hampshire

The girls and I spent the week of February vacation in New Hampshire.....now, why did we leave the 70 degree weather of Marin County, CA for the FRIGID temps of New Hampshire??? well.....family of course.......however, it never got above 25 degrees for 10 days straight...brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....we had a snowstorm while there, went bowling, the girls played in the snow and went sliding every single day, we ate lobsters, fried clams and LOTS of Dunkin' Donuts...and those of you from New England know..there is NOTHING like a Dunkin' Donut!!!!! I got to see lots of my friends, got to relax and sleep in....hmmm, flying 3000 miles just for that??

Most important was spending time with my brother Kevin and his family...here we are with Kevin and James who just turned 2...and boy, James is a whirlwind!! he loved being around the girls...and they thought he was just too cute!!! sadly when we took this picture, James' big brother Dylan wasn't with us.....and I'm such a bad Aunt, I never took another picture...

Catie & James having a very cute moment together.....

Catie & Meigan spent one night in a snowstorm shoveling the deck over and over and over....

Meigan and Nana shoveling together...

can't have a snowstorm without making snow angels...

wipeouts while sliding.....

Growing up WAY TOO FAST!!!

Friday, the girls had much overdue haircuts....Catie has been wanting to cut her hair shorter....well...short she went.....she hasn't had hair this short since we went to China for Meigan in 2004....she's been growing it since...long bangs now.....well, this new "do" is very Catie...and very grown up.....where did my baby go???

Catie, Meigan and Ella

just a few more pics of the girls with Ella.....she's the cutest 18mos. old that I know...though I'm biased as her Auntie, she's one funny kid with a fantastic personality.

2007 Christmas

Our holiday festivities started the 20th of Dec. with my parents arrival....school got out the 21st and holiday break began. My brother, Nicole and little Ella arrived the 23rd... We had a great visit, the girls loved having everyone here, and Brian and I LOVED having my Mom and Dad to babysit :)) Brian and I got to go to a party, and had nights without the girls while they stayed in the hotel with my Mom and Dad... :)) the visit was too short for us, and they left the 28th. But, we'll see them in Feb. when I take the girls to NH....yes, NH in February..WHAT am I thinking you ask?? I'm pretty much nuts I think...but the girls are dying to get to my parents house, play in the snow, and see my other brother Kevin & Family, and big cousin Dylan who is 13 now and little James who is almost 2. We haven't seen them since Christmas 2006...much much much too long...

CHRISTMAS EVE

On the moring of Christmas Eve, we met up with my cousin Michael, his wife Aggie and their kids Connor, Bella and Francesca and my cousin Deirdre (who's soon to be a Mom) and her hubby Martin. They live close by in San Anselmo and Sausalito but we hardly see each other with all the kids crazy school schedules. The kids always get along instantly and have a blast together...though this time, Catie & Bella were spitting at boys...what the *#*#*#*#*#???? I said...so we had to have a little time out at the park...the age of 7 1/2yrs. old is going to be a very hard challenge I fear......

looks like trouble to me............................

Cousins...young and old.....this is one of those rare photos to have...4 cousins together and kids...

My Mom's sister was here as well and they got to visit...it was a fun morning at the park...never mind it was in the 60's out and sunny....

By 4pm, I had the girls at church getting ready for their parts in the Christmas Eve play. Catie was an angel and Meigan was sheep...It was a really cute play, and the kids all did their parts perfectly.

Catie is the angel 3rd from the left....

and here is my little sheep....with her game face on....ready to crawl/baah her way down the aisle of church with all the other animals....

After church it was home to light luminarias all along our walkway, driveway and sidewalk, have dinner and get the kids ready for bed. In keeping with family tradition from when Ryan, Kevin and I were little, Christmas jammies are handed out Christmas Eve before bed and photos are a must!! and yes, that is Oreo in the background trapsing over the gifts looking for bows to tear off...

Here are Meigan, Catie and our little niece/cousin Ella who is 18mos old...this was the first time we'd seen Ella in a year...she was 6mos. old last time....

More Cute kitty pictures....

Just a few more cute pics of our new kitty and then I'll get to the Christmas photos.

The girls finally decided on her name..it took almost 2 weeks to come to agreement.....her name is Oreo...yes, like the cookie....it fits her, all black and white....she's still full of spunk and fiest and races around the house like a mad kitty....Catie said the other day "Mom, she's a freak"...and sometimes I agree...however, she didn't take down the Christmas tree as we feared she might, but she'd race around the tree, pick off bows and ribbons and pulled off ornaments..... we're looking forward to the day she mellows out....

Oreo decided to take a nap on my Dad...he doesn't know I snapped this picture...and since he doesn't have a computer, he'll never see this...heh heh heh.....

Introducing.......The Newest Van Weele

not quite sure WHAT Brian and I were thinking this afternoon, but we took the girls over to the Marin Humane Society...they've been asking for a kitten since their birthdays....and we've gone a few times this fall to see kittens, and play with them, etc.....

Brian and I weren't sure we wanted a cat again...our beloved Jake who we had for 12yrs. was put down over 3yrs. ago...but we thought "oh, how could we ever replace Jake"..he truly was the most awesome cat..ever.....

however, this afternoon, it seems that Jake has been reincarnated, in the female version....this little 3 month ball of fire, came into the house, raced around, jumped from couch to chair, jumped from a table onto Catie, leaped, climbed, knocked over stuff and scratched Meig in the face, all in the first few hours.....she's the perfect fit, and JUST like our Jake was...

we've not decided quite yet on a name for this little spitfire...but we have to say, she is CUTE, CUTE CUTE!!!!!!!!!

right now, she's sitting between the girls while they play a game of Trouble, and she's trying to hit the dice with her paw....SO CUTE!!

A Month passes us by....geesh time goes by fast...

My last post left us leaving for Cabo San Lucas on November 18th....hard to believe that so much time has gone by since then with no posting from moi!

i"ll recap Cabo to this weekend below...fun in the sun to cutting down a Christmas Tree in the cold wind and rain, to nice Christmas card photos of the girls....

Meigan will turn 4 1/2 on the 21st of this month...CRAZY! I just had to register her for kindergarten this week....even CRAZIER! how can that be....I remember our trip to New Hampshire to my parents in Dec. 04, when Meig was 18mos. old and she screamed half way to Boston, and half way back on the airplanes.....god, that was just awful...horrible.....how far she has come...though she can still have tantrums like those of years ago, which makes my gray hairs grow at the light of speed...

Catie, almost 7 1/2 (in January)..she's amazing...SO smart, reading well into a 3rd grade level, smart, smart....oh, and as of late... sarcastic, bossy, ignores her parents, rude, screaches at her mother, torments her little sister (finally, she's on the giving end of the torment, she's been tormented for 3yrs. by Meigan).....hmmmmmm.....this should be a "fun" winter season...... again, gray hairs growing at light speed!!

life is as it should be with 2 kids...never a dull moment...all are healthy, happy and just the most special gifts we could ever have in our lives!

OUR 2007 CHRISTMAS CARD PHOTO....

OFF TO CUT A TREE....

Last Sunday the 2nd we went up to Sebastopol to see Brian's oldes son Brian, his wife Karen and Maggie and Schye..who Catie and Meigan adore more than life itself...we had lunch and went in the windy, pooring rain to cut down trees...it was SO MUCH FUN! we hadn't cut a tree in years, and this was such fun.....here are Maggie, Schye and Catie & Meig infront of the tree we got....it was such a fun day...the girls ran throughout the tree farm getting sopping wet...it was fantastic!!

OTHER PICS FROM THE TRIP......

back at SFO....still smilin' though.....

This is the view off our beach...that's part of the Pedregal that you see..homes built into the cliff....ridiculous homes...BIG BIG BIG $$$$$$$ up there.....and one of those on the edge has a pool built into the rock, with a window so they can see out to the Ocean....just crazy...

one last picture before we left for the airport home.....

part of the big pool we hang out at...this is below our condo unit...and off in the distance, that's the Pacific Ocean with a gigantic cruise ship leaving...

Meig and Catie got hold of my camera and did a few goofy photos....they crack me up!

Meig needs to crash...doesn't matter which end of the lounge chair it is apparently...

awww....

Thanksgiving Day...Mexico Style....

we started the day with donuts, cheerio tricks, jumping in the pool a kazillion times during the day (that's Meig in the pink suit, airborne).. lots of fun drinks for Mommy and Daddy by the pool, a traditional (well, sort of ) dinner with our dear friends Bob and Amy at our fav. hangout in Cabo, Pancho Villas, some mariachi music and a whipped cream mustache... it was a fantastic Thanksgiving away from home.....

THE BIGGEST SHIRLEY TEMPLE....EVER!!!!!!!!!!

as you can see by Catie's face, this was like winning the lottery....we took off to San Jose del Cabo (a short ride from downtown Cabo San Lucas) to see this old style town...I was in search of an amazing restaurant that I'd seen on the Food Network (yes, I love the food channel)...we found the restaurant, but it was only open for dinner.....I was SO disappointed...but we found another amazing place for lunch..the Tropicana Inn...sounds a bit cheesy...but once inside, it's an old church, that was the most amazing place we'd ever been in...just beautiful with it's architecture, murals, etc...and top notch lunch...never mind the gigantic shirly temples the girls had....I remember being in Ixtapa, Mexico many many many many years ago, and having margaritas in glasses like the ones Catie had....

early morning sand castles on the beach....

Catie waits patiently for the phone to talk to Nana and Grampa before flying off to Cabo....

Meig calling Nana and Grampa in New Hampshire from the SF Airport while we wait for our plane to Cabo...