FBF3

My Boys

I heard adults say it while I was growing up and I would guess that the phrase is repeated millions of times everyday: "they grow up so fast". Here are Rudy and Aron (around 8 months old) during a hike on Mt. Charleston in Nevada. We used to love to go up to the Mountains and escape the heat in the Valley. I wish we could drive 45 minutes to escape the cold these days!

I have said it before and I don't mean to brag. Aron is SUCH a good traveler. He likes to GO! We are actually in Louisville right now, tagging along on Daddy's business trip. I don't hesitate for a second to pack him up and put him in the car for the 3 hour drive. I wonder what this means about who my baby will be. Is God shaping him for a career invoving travel? Maybe he will experience multiple moves in his life (as he has already). Maybe a missionary? I am content to have him as my little boy, but prayerful and excited about who he is to become for God!

OH, and wasn't he such a cute baby?!?!?!?!?!?

Snow Day Fun

Aron and Jackson

Morgan and Keegan, too

My bigger, but not much better, snowman!

It really cracks me up what kind of weather leads to a snow-day around here. I just know people up in Montana are rolling their eyes at us! But, I guess the canceling school is more about the ice on the roads than the 1/8 inch of snow on the ground that is almost melted now at 11:15am. That being said, the snow-day brought Aron and I lots of friends to play with and we had a blast out in the yard. Aron chased Morgan and Keegan around with snowballs and Jackson followed me around asking "why?" in regards to everything I did. When I asked, "Do you guys want to make a snowman?" I thought their positive replies and enthusiasm meant they'd help. I thought wrong. I rolled those snowballs all by my lonesome and only had company toward the end, when most of the work had been done. It takes a long time to make a basketball sized ball of snow when there isn't much on the ground to begin with. But, I persevered. I'll say it was for the kids, but I secretly just wanted to out-do my last one.

A great film!

So we finally joined the "club" and started doing Netflix. It is really easy and they send the movies super quick! So far, I am loving it.
The other day, Amazing Grace had arrived in my mailbox. I had heard a few things about it and seen the DVD and soundtrack for sale at Lifeway, so I added it to my queqe. Rudy and I watched it last night and it was, for lack of a better word, amazing. I think it really spoke to me because of the bible study we are in right now. Learning about doing what God has planned through your life for His glory, and learning how to heed that call really opened my eyes to what William Wilberforce went through in his life and career. And I learned a few things about world history and how God works in every age and time.
If you are looking for a good movie, here it is! (Plus, you'll learn where the song Amazing Grace came from!)

FBF2

Welcome to the 2nd edition of Los Leals Flashback Friday! These shots have me fighting back little tears. Happy ones at the memories of our family vacation to the beaches of Mexico almost 2 years ago, and sad ones at the sight of my little baby boy who is a baby no more. He was right at 18 months old when we took this trip. Aron was and is an amazing traveler. He was always happy to go wherever we took him. So we said, "Vamanos!" to Mexico. I can still hear him asking to go to the beach, "Da Bee, Mama? Da Bee?"

I love the first one with his toothy grin. He had really figured out what "cheese" meant. And the second one will always be dear to me. Look at that little neck. Those tiny shoulders. That gorgeous tan skin of his! And that hair we never thought he'd have. Ok....Kleenex! I need Kleenex!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Well, if it has to be cold.....

Top to Bottom: the view from my front door this morning, Aron snacking on snow, my pathetic attempt at a snowman

You know, coming back from Texas this week was hard. Of course, it's home and we have family there and all that. But this time, it was the WEATHER that had me looking at my boarding pass and wondering if we really had to leave. It was sunny and 75 degrees in San Antonio. There were cyclamen and snapdragons blooming in the pots along the downtown streets and above the river. It was like May!
Well, we are not so lucky here in Tennessee. It is cold. Of course, I think anything below 60 is cold, so I'm not likely to be happy until May. Last night we had a cold front that came in, dragging an icy mess with it. But this morning: snow! It isn't much, but it is pretty and if it has to be cold, it is nice to have the white stuff for entertainment.
All Aron wanted to do was eat it. I told him he needed to quit eating the snow. He said, "But I'm hungry." I attempted to make a little snow man for him. And by little, I mean miniscule. He might be 10 inches tall. I placed my coffee mug next to him for scale. I think he's pretty cute, despite being horizontally challenged.
Hope that whatever your weather is, you are making the best of it. We're sure gonna try!

Star Trip 08

Here's Aron enjoying what Westin refers to as the "Heavenly Bed"!

Casey, Aron and I ....and the "light saver" Casey bought him.

Rudy and I at the big party!

Jason's deli's annual meeting and awards dinner is referred to as the Star Trip. I haven't been able to attend one since Aron was born, so it was a real treat for me to go along this year! The festivities were held in downtown San Antonio and it was a great time.

We were able to spend a little time down on the riverwalk and enjoyed gorgeous 75 degree weather and real Mexican food! (Sigh) One of Aron's favorite parts of traveling is the hotel room. He is so funny about it. He walks in and looks around. When we checked into our room on Friday he emphatically announced, " (Gasp) we have a new hotel!" Well, I like the Westin, too, son, but don't get used to it!

My dear friend Casey helped us out big-time by keeping Aron for us while we attended the scheduled events. Aron had a blast with her in the evenings, riding the riverboats, going out to dinner and somehow conning her into buying toys and trinkets! He told me just yesterday, " Mommy, I weely miss Casey." I bet, buddy! But it really is so wonderful to have him bond with someone I love and trust!

I Voted. Did you?

Today was the day to vote in the Primary Election here in Tennessee. I wasn't sure how I would swing getting to the polls with Rudy working all day. Then my beautiful and thoughtful friend Kelley called! We met at the poll and I sat in her van with the kids while she voted, then she sat with them while I voted! Thanks, Kelley! You rock! HEY, lets start a movement for November called "Mom the Vote" and get more moms to the polls! If your state has a Primary, please find out when it is and vote!

FBF1

Welcome to my first Flashback Friday! I figured I'd go waaaaaaaayyyyyy back. Well, about 12 years, anyway. I don't have the guts or the money for therapy to go all the way back to High School or anything.

Well, here we are. A young Rudy and Lori at the very beginning. I believe this picture was taken in the late summer/early fall of 1996. Remember those mall photo booths? Not like the digital ones they have now. You had to sit there and wait for it to print and dry. This brings back so many memories of Austin! Rudy is wearing his Spaghetti Wearhouse Oxford and I am wearing the long-sleved denim shirt that was part of my Canyon Cafe uniform. Ah, the full-service restaurant days.

It was young love. I wasn't even 21 in this picture! We had just started dating that July and would be engaged by November. We had no idea what the future held for us. It's been a long, bumpy road between then and now, but we are happier and wiser for it all. I am so blessed to have been partnered with such a wonderful person. God has brought us to a good place and I cannot imagine life any other way!