9/1/09 7:09 PM CST.www.MiekeNatale.comis Officially Open!

Max: K, Jimmy: 5 th, Alex: 6 th!

Alex is really turning into quite the pre-teen. Jimmy is getting so tall. Max looks like such a big boy!

During the picture taking process, they found a little Leopard Gecko. Isn't it cute?

Its just Katie Grace and Moses home with me now! My house really is so quiet!

Summer already!

I can't believe it has been 6 months since the blog updates. I have been using facebook for daily updates, as it is a much easier form of communication, but as my Mom pointed out today, there are some people who still don't have facebook pages yet. Come on now Ma, even Claudia my Mother-inlaw has one! But, since I am laid up today with a back spasm from moving boxes. I'll indulge!

So for those unfacebookers, here are some quick updates.

Katie Grace has her dance recital this weekend, dress rehearsal on Sat. program on Sun. She is doing "Prancing poodle" and "splish splash". I will post pictures (sooner or later) after. She has overcome her fear of "drown-in" in the pool, and now floats in her floatie everywhere "by herselfS"!

Max finished up his first year of T-ball (Wee-ball, as they call it here). He loved it, my super competitive boy! He looked so cute in his uniform! They will have the same team next year. And he can't wait to play Soccer this fall! Yay! Go Max!

Jimmy is enjoying all of the weird (and HUGE) LA bugs, and is growing cantaloupes in his garden. The pumpkin that he and Alex grew is about 120lbs!!! Too bad that it won't last till Halloween!

Alex tried out, and made the Division 1 U12 Girls Calcasieu Parish Competitive Soccer team, along with her 2 best friends from her old team (I call them the "Goonies"). Exactly where we were hoping that she would be. She is very excited about playing, and this next year should be awesome for her and her team!

It's been a pretty chill and relaxing Summer since we have gotten home from our trip up to MA. Pooling, relaxing, playing, cooking, lovin life :)

I am in the process of starting up my Business again (have already been in contact with a local shop to sell my products). And have people already lined up to try out the new lines that I am coming up with!

There ya have it. That's the scoop. :) Hopefully it won't be another 6 months before I update again!

Christmas Pictures 2008

It takes a great amount of effort to get everyone all clean, dressed, kept clean, all together, smiling and looking in the right direction.
Here is a slideshow of this years attempts. I think we did pretty well this year. I love the pictures of Katie Grace and Daddy, and the ones of Katie Grace and Max in front of the door. Hope everyone is doing well. I'll update more later. For now enjoy the show!

Snow?!?!

Yup! Bright and early this morning I woke to Katie Grace shaking me:

KG "Momma its Kissmass!"
Me "No baby its not Christmas yet, go back to bed,"
KG "Nooooo Momma its KISSMASS!"
Me "Honey, its 5:30, its not time to get up yet, go back to bed."
KG "Noooooo Momma!!! ITS KISSMASS! You know that white stuff?"
Me "Snow?"
KG "Yeah its raining snow!"

At this point Jim comes in to alert me to the fact that yes it was indeed snowing. He had already taken pictures and made little snowmen on the patio table.

He had to wake the kids up, so at 6am this morning my children were outside with socks on their hands (because all the snow gear is packed up)making snowmen in the front yard. They had to show their Louisiana friends how we kick it New England style!

Happy Thanksgiving from Natale South

Halloween 08

Almost over

October is the best month of the year, and also the most busy.

Since my last post we have celebrated Max's, Katie Graces and Moms Birthdays. Katie Grace and I were in the Cal-Cam parade with her dance school, Jim went on a business trip to Brazil...and on and on and on. I am so glad that this crazy month is almost over and I can start obsessing about my Thanksgiving day menu, and making my Christmas lists.

Anyway, I had planned to post some pictures of Max's and Katie Graces Birthdays last week. Jim took the pictures on his work camera (much better than our old clunker) and dutifully downloaded them onto the laptop for me to post while he was in Brazil. The only problem with that was that at the last minute before his trip, he decided to take the laptop along!

So without further waiting.... pictures!

Katie Graces Birthday: (her favorite was the Zoe ballerina doll from Auntie Beth, Uncle Chris, Dana and Logan)

The look of a big sister watching her little sister open her presents. Pure Joy!

Maxwell's Birthday (There is a movie somewhere, Ill have to figure out how to edit, so I can post it)

The Cal-Cam parade and fair:

Soccer Birthday

Alexandra turned 11 years old last week. Its still so hard to believe that we have a "tween" in the house. We are so proud of the young woman that she is becoming. I love the fact that even though shes "cool" now, its still "cool" to give her Momma loves. I hope it wont go out of fashion, but if it does I am savoring each moment.

Happy Birthday Alex.

Here are some pics of her Soccer Party. She has a great time. They played a soccer game in the front yard, did some crafts, played pin the ball in the goal, did a pinata and had cake and ice cream. Please pardon the "moat" as we are having pool filter issues at the moment.

Just say NO!

For the love of all things truly American,

INCLUDING the CONSTITUTION!

JUST SAY NO!

They say that the deep south is backwards, but will someone then please explain to me why both Senators from LA, MS and AL all voted No on the Economic Stimulus package? Only 5 states did so. Seems to me that they are the only ones actually paying attention to what Mr. Average Joe is telling them.

Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter (LA) today issued the following statement regarding the proposed $700 billion bailout package being considered this week by Congress:“After studying the final bill carefully and talking with many people I respect, I can’t support this plan.
“First, it’s an unprecedented government bailout that will almost certainly pave the way for even more – maybe sooner rather than later.
“Second, it requires people at Treasury to make tens of thousands of judgment calls about what they buy and for how much. And these will be folks who are from Wall Street and want to go to back. That ensures bias and even corruption.
“Third, there’s been no adequate discussion of the major reforms needed. And I’m afraid this big government first step helps ensure that Congress won’t make those strong reforms – like breaking up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and demanding real cash down for all home purchases,” said Vitter

Now, I wont claim to know more than I do, but I do know that this goes against the very thing that makes us Americans, that little piece of paper called the Constitution!

Google the words Economic Bail Out and Constitution and see what you get.

Have you read the proposal? How about this little blurb?

"Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency."

Seriously??? Does that seem wrong to anyone else? Its been a long time since my civics class, but I'm pretty sure that there is something in that piece of paper that these people swore an oath to uphold that says "Congress cannot delegate its oversight authority to a cabinet member, even in a time of turmoil."Its called nondelegation and it means that under no circumstances is Congress allowed to give the power to police itself to one of its members. That power must be held by the House and Senate.

Strike One.

How about this one. Remember how the House Failed the bill a few days ago? Somehow the Senate is voting on it? The Constitution says "All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills." Wanna know how they got around that one? Easy! They attached it to another bill, something about tax incentives for energy. So now they get to vote before the House!

"Huh? Did the Founding Fathers really intend that if the House votes down a revenue bill, that the Senate should just be able to turn the whole thing into an amendment and attach it to something else?" (JohnNichols )

Strike two against the Constitution.

What about you and me and our Families? This is what its sounding like to me: Its like the Government coming to your door, demanding $2,300 for each member of your family and telling you that you have absolutely no say as to what they will do with that money. Then they take that money and drive past the foreclosure signs on your neighbors house, past the run down school in need of repair, past the Mom & Pop on the corner that is closing after 75 years in business. And then you get to watch as they give your money to a man in an suit that costs more then you make in a month. He puts it in his pocket, shakes his buddies hand, gives him a wink and drives off into the sunset in his brand new luxury car. Meanwhile back at your house you struggle with the decision of whether to buy milk because you just cant afford the $6.00 a gallon, and wondering what happened to America, and when it got lost, and what you could have done to save it.

If this gets passed you wont have a say.

But you DO have a say right now! We have people that we have elected into positions to speak for us. Their sole job is to hear us and let us be heard! Sure, let your vote speak for you on election day, but right now is the time to let them know that we will not stand idly by and watch our Countries most important document be stepped over and around in order to appease a few. Let them know that you will not vote for a LIAR! They swore an oath to protect the Constitution. Remind them of what they said!

"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God."

Please take 2 minutes to write your states officials.

www.house.gov

www.senate.gov

Writing them took me a total of 5 minutes this morning. Cost me nothing and hopefully saved me $2,300x6.

.

Big Girl Furniture!

Sometimes furniture can mark milestones in your life. Moving from a crib to a big girl bed marks your transition from baby to toddler, from a booster seat to a regular chair: toddler to big kid. In your first apartment the hand-me downs from your parents and grandparents say you are ready to be on your own, but the mismatched pieces -the wobbly leg coffee table and bright orange chair all say you still need to get things together and figure out who you are going to be.

Up till now we have used a table we got on clearance after our wedding, an old chair from Auntie Carol, 4 chairs that Jim tried to match with the table (only slightly unsuccessfully, because the arms didn't fit under the skirt of the table) and last but not least a folding chair from my Mom . Yes, you counted 6, once Katie Grace graduated out of her highchair, we realized it might be time for a new dining room set, -we had to pull a stool over from the counter so that we could all eat at the same time. Yes, it was time to talk grownup furniture! And now, I can finally announce that Jim and I are real life grown-ups with real life grown-up furniture! I know it might sound silly, and I know that its all a state of mind, but now the outside matches the insides.

And to answer your questions.

Yes, the cushions are white. No, I am not high.

Yes, we plan to eat dinner here every night. Yes, I am buying stock in upholstery cleaner and stain out. :)

Look! Wedding China & Crystal! Its either been packed or sitting in a kitchen cabinet for almost 12 years!!!

On a sentimental note: The story from My Mom goes: When My Oma got her first fancy China Cabinet, she begged and begged My Opa to get her some pretties to go inside of it. She ended up getting these Aynsley tea cups. It is fitting that they went to my Mom and now me to display in my first China Cabinet. And someday they will go to Alex when she gets hers...

Slacker...

But with good reasons!!!

We have been super busy here! Hardly a night goes by without some sort of practice or dance class or game.

Alex is is doing 2 soccer teams again this fall. It actually happened by chance. Jimmy's football Coaches Wife coaches a U12 Tournament League and we got to talking.... yadda yadda yadda Alex is playing in her first Tournament this weekend!

Here are some pics of her first game for the T.L.

The T.L. is 2-0 and her rec league which has some ladies that have never played before is 0-1-1.

I may be just a overly proud Momma, but doesn't she look awesome! Can you believe that she will be 11 years old this coming Thursday?

Jimmy is LOVING his first season playing football, its actually Flag Football. He is playing defence, he rushes the QB.

Max is patiently awaiting next year so he can start soccer. But for now he is happy to kick the ball around the sidelines.

He has found a new Best Friend in Moses. They are always cuddling together. Moses usually has his head down on Max's chest but when I came around the corner with the camera he perked his head up as if to say "whatcha doin Ma?"

Katie Grace... is a grumpy gus this morning. But here is proof that she actually does smile once and awhile, and can stop screaming and whining for more than a minute at a time....

She does look pretty in her Pats' gear.