happy birthday little guys!

they grow too fast

flawless BFF's

Daddy worked all day in the kitchen backing 3 vanilla cakes from scratch and icing them all together! It was magnificant - but if you watch what goes into that you'd never eat cake again!

I decorated it for the boys!


on your mark


get set....

GO!

he walked he walked he walked!

OMG he WALKED!

the witnesses: daddy, mommy, kiran, raygan, jaxson!

it was fabulous and may not happen again for a week - but it was fabulous! just fabulous!

Oliver's first birthday party!

This is a bittersweet announcement. I want to hide and save that little baby boy from the world, and I also want to see his interactions with it grow every day. He's learning far too much, becoming far too confident, and has a really good understanding of things even if they don't understand him.

He's right where I'd want him to be if I actually wanted him to grow up. This could be it for kids for me (but I'm like 90% sure it's not). But that 10% can draw up some sadness.

We'll be celebrating Olivers big O.N.E tomorrow, Sunday the 28th, with is BFF Jaxson Ryder!

The party is held at Discovery Green downtown. If you didn't get an evite, you know you're welcome anyways. We'll start the clebrations at 3:00pm. We don't want gifts for neither Jaxson or oliver, but of course want to show our babies off! For all of you so called "friends" who haven't bothered to pay us a visit yet, this is your time to make it up!

We'll be finding a shady area near the play ground and water activities (close to the paddle boats).....bring your kids, neices, and nephews in their swimsuits that cover empty bellies ready for cake!

yay

tear

First Soccer game!

Today at 1:30 Kiran will compete in her first soccer game. I don't really know what goes on at these things, since she's technically had 1 practice and that's it. I imagine this is the sort of thing where everyone is encouraged to spot the ball and run for it.

To get her prepared we just went and bought more soccer gear, including her very own ball. she picked an ugly yellow one, but at least she loves it! I'll try to get some pics for you with Daddy's camera since a friend has mine.

And I'll let you know ahead of time - Her team won!

WEIGH-IN #11

So, let me remind you I've been on a business trip in Orlando. Cheesecake, pie, or latte with any 3 course meal. BUT...I did pretty well...even with the roomservice I ordered!

135.4-137 (that really is the range for Friday...weird huh)

So I think there wasn't a signifigant change since last weigh-in, which is great. I got worried. I sure look fatter! :=)

12-15lb loss since I've been checking in with you guys. I'm happy with that. And I wanted to maybe set a goal weight by Jackie's wedding. And I sorta have to if I want my dress to fit! Lets say 125. That would be my average weight before the pregnancy with Oliver. I can't imagine how I was 110 before Kiran....I recall eating a LOT! I'd say my healthy comfortable weight would be about 120, but I won't expect to see that until around February, because it's been incredibly hard to lose this first 15 since I don't have the time to exercise. It's a lot of rules about what and how much I'm eating, and I almost don't have the willpower sometimes. If I could just find time to run it off!

so wish me luck!

a bunch of good news!

1)The power is back on as of today! nearly two weeks, that's amazing.
2)Daddy goes home today, and I'll get there tomorrow. I'm looking forward to this reunion and have so many hugs and kisses saved up for all my 3 sweeties! (thanks again daddy and gammy for everything)
3)We finally got evites out to everyone for the boys first birthday party this weekend. if you didn't get one, leave a comment here.
4)Orlando was an incredibly productive trip. Even more than I can say
5)Power is back on!!!!!!!!!!

Very thankful for Houston's current weather

UMMM...IS THIS SOME KIND OF EVIL JOKE? THUNDERSTORMS FORECASTED EVERY DAY OF THE 10-DAY FORECAST IN ORLANDO. At least I know how to pack for my trip:
**************************************************

Local Weather > 10-DAY WEATHER for Orlando, FL


Yesterday Today Tomorrow Radar Map Hour-by-Hour Weekend 10-Day Month
Severe Storms Forecast | Hurricane Forecast

10-Day Forecast for
Orlando, FL

Forecast Conditions
High °F
Low °F
Precip.
Chance
High Temperatures Low Temperatures Precipitation Wind Speed
Tonight
Sep 18
T-Storms Early
N/A
72°
50%

High not valid after 2pm
Fri
Sep 19
PM T-Storms
85°
72°
40%



Sat
Sep 20
Scattered T-Storms
87°
73°
40%



Sun
Sep 21
Scattered T-Storms
86°
75°
30%

Check Local Pollution Levels

Mon
Sep 22
Scattered T-Storms
86°
74°
30%


Tue
Sep 23
Scattered T-Storms
84°
73°
40%


Wed
Sep 24
Scattered T-Storms
83°
72°
40%
See Family Events Near You

Thu
Sep 25
Scattered T-Storms
84°
71°
40%


Fri
Sep 26
Scattered T-Storms
84°
72°
60%


Sat
Sep 27
Scattered T-Storms
84°
72°
60%

Tips for Exercising in High Heat



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We weathered the storm

After riding out that ferocious storm, and enduring 2 days with 2 small kids and no electricity, we wised up and headed to dallas. It wasn't an easy decision to make. You'd think STAY and NO POWER, GO and PURE COMFORT. But there were schools and jobs to take into consideration. We got lucky with both - my boss had sympathy and hoped we would get out of Houston. HISD is closed for about 10 days, so there's no point in having the kids sit here in the heat.

Daddy, I just wanted to say that I miss you guys more than ever and hope we get power very very soon so yall can come home to me and give me the hugs and kisses i so urgently need!

Mom, thanks for everything! The silver lining in all of this, of course, was being with the family. I loved every second of it.

Grandma and Papa - thank you also very much. I loved seeing you and loved seeing the new john's cafe with the exact same great food!

And for at least the next few weeks we won't be taking hot coffee, showers, and microwaves for granted. Afterall, we are Americans so that will only stick with us for so long.

this is it

I can feel Ike's presence right now. The power is blinking in-and-out. We will soon lose power. 600,000 people are going without it right now. Ike is very soon to make landfall and we can feel his urgency all the way here in downtown houston. Kiran is trying her best to relax and sleep in our room. We've brought in her matress, blankets and pillows and placed them snug between our bed and closet. Evan is in there with her now ane I'm monitoring things while Oliver sleeps a few feet away. So if I see the something i can't handle i'll be waking daddy up.

Might I add...40 foot waves in Galveston. Cali, sit down.

Everyone...stay safe. Hunkering down isn't as easy as it sounded about 2 hours ago.

HUGS

Take 3.1

....Only wanted to add that daddy rescued the cat. She didn't dare brave that monster out there.

This may be the last my friends. <3

Take 3

This probably sounds worse than it truly is. but if you've kept up with Eric Berger's non sensationalized blog and strait-to-the-point forecast...then you know it will soon get bad here. Hurricane Ike is almost positively due to strike west end of galveston. We'll see a nice calm Eye cross over us and we'll get peace for about 3 hours. That means maybe 1 hour of sleep, right?! The tail of that is ugly. We will not likely have power, but if I can possilby update from the blog, come find me again!

first bands

well, folks...in the time it took to upload this 52M video of the first bands of Hurricane Ike, I think it could be time to shoot another soon.




It's looking more and more like Harris County will get the weak side of this storm, which is great news, but we'll just have to wait and see. Originally HOU predicted 94mph winds, with greater gusts, for our zip code. That has significantly gone down to 81mph. Is that enough to lose power? i don't know....

Take 2

Galveston Island has been pounded with surge of at least 6 to 8 feet and this storm is still 12 hours out. Amazing. So while homes are ALREADY crashing, floating, some burning, and rescues already taking place, the Clevelands owned up to what was coming.

we could very well be cooped up in the house for quite some time. If debris fills up in our roads we won't be able to go anywhere. So we decided to take our last little trip out. We got diapers when we realized we only had 11...what were we thinking?! And a trip to the park helped all 4 of us release a little energy that could later drive us totally crazy.

Broadcasting live from the Heights

perhaps this is that "calm" they like to reference before hurricanes.

WEIGH-IN #10

11 AM UPDATE: (haha)

Sans clothing: 134.6!!!

And I'm sorry but we just have to be as exact as last friday...right?! hahah. Now there is some vanity.
*************
ORIGINAL POST:

I don't know if it's appropriate to be stepping on a scale, or even taking the effort to publicly express my vanity, but here goes:

135.6!!!

One more pound lost. Maybe a 1.5 even.

check back later, we'll be attempting to track the progress of this hurricane. Of course if we lose power, that won't be happening. Everyone be safe.

The Very Special THIRTY-TWO!

HAPPY

ND

Anniversary Mom & Dad!

********

Be safe people
<3

yo tengo mohawk

ES BIEN PUNK ROCK!

Me gusta el baño con mi hermana mayor!

Pequenito

In the FULL sense of the word



I am really liking my hair in these pics! I think I just got done nursing, but at least I'm "decent"! sorry!

Soccer VS. PTA Mom

Well, just the other day I was both a soccer mom AND a PTA mom, but last night we would have had to make a decision. There was a PTA meeting as well as the very first soccer practice for Kiran. She didn't get sent home with her reminder sticker (for parents) like the other kids so we both ended up attending practice with her!
There's always a next time, PTA..... <3

So, here are some great pics of Kiran, and even a few with her best friend Miah, who's on the team. It was a good first practice and guess what? We'll be having a game every saturday! SWEET!






Sometimes she'd get bored and do this!

Of course!

To Jaclyn and Nate,

That was a huge and very unexpected surprise to get home and find our shirts in the mailbox. Aren't they adorable?! You have far too many friends to be making room for me in your bridal party, but I am very honored and would love to of course! Evan feels the same. And I like the added push to get in shape - I look horid in dresses. :-) so here goes.....
and a huge congratulations to you two for finding the happiness. not that we didn't all see it with our own eyes and know this was coming! <3

The dress, the dress, the dress,....GORGEOUS! You made the right decision no doubt!!! That was a lot of fun this weekend, I haven't had a girly day this entire year.

Gammy, as always thanks for having us. It took nearly 6 hours to get home because oliver just couldn't sleep and we stopped so many times to feed him, let him crawl around and stretch his legs, etc....then we hit a wreck somewhere near conroe. It felt like forever. The Funniest thing: kiran was so tired of being in the car, but when we came to a stand-still from that accident she said, "lets just turn around and go back to Gammy's". I think she was serious.

let me know where to email pics of the dresses and the weekend in general! Need Jaclyn's private email so nate doesn't go peeking! :-)

Grandma / Papa - I'm so sorry I didn't get a chance to visit. We'll be back in 2 weeks or so and I hope you're feeling so much better by then. Love you.

WEIGH-IN #9

What? A weigh-in? I very obviously lost weight or I wouldn't be showing my face on here, right?

I hit a little bump in the road (or on my belly) after surgery and I am guessing the IV caused a gain due to water retention, or my body went into starvation mode because of my 16 hour fast and clinged to my fat for dear life!

Last Wednesday I was nearly in tears at 147

Today I'm nearly in tears at 136.6! (137.4 with clothes on but what woman takes that one seriously?!)

so this is even lower than what I was doing while dieting very strictly. I'm back to it folks, lets hope for good news next Friday.