The Republic of Underwood

address change

2009-09-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

In an effort to be a little more "safe" and savy Online...we have changed our blog address if you would like our new blog address please email us at:
humbleb4.2@gmail.com
to get the new address.

What About Bob Joke

2009-09-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

C and I have had a running joke from the What About Bob movie with Bill Murray for quite a while...Let me help to paint a picture...

Bob is on a sailboat (trying to overcome his fear), and he says something like "I'm a sailor, I sail...I let the boat do the work"...

So Chad and I will say things like "I'm a cook, I cook, I let the stove do the work" or "I'm a runner, I run, I let my feet do the work" (Okay, sometimes we need to get a life...but I promise it is pretty funny!)

So tonight , while Chad is working on putting the hinges on a trunk, he asks for my "help" with deciding where the hinges should go... and I say "I'm a wife, It's what I do, I let my husband do the work"...we both laughed so hard...because it's true, I often do ask Chad to do things and because a lot of times my jokes really aren't that funny...for once I thought on my toes!

He Likes Them!

2009-09-08T17:34:00.001-07:00

Please don't let the stunned face fool you...B really did seem to like the green beans. I realized that I added too much water to my first batch, so I added a little bit of rice cereal to bulk them up...hence the light green color on B's face. I hope that this first introduction to non-white food provides us with a glimpse of how well B will do with future foods...

Green Beans

2009-09-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

Since B is rounding the corner towards six months...it is finally time to add some "color" to he repertoire...so tonight, he will be trying green beans! I am not quite ready for the mess that solid food will entail...but it is time...

We went grocery shopping over the weekend and purchased some green beans. I steamed the beans and then placed them in the blender with a little bit of water...started the blender and...BAM! I Discovered green pureed beans....YUCK! I did taste them, something that I have vowed to do, and they tasted as they should...like mashed up green beans! I then poured the green "potion" into ice cube trays and placed them in the freezer. We now have green ice cubes waiting to be enjoyed...hopefully C won't accidentally place one B's ice cubes in his water for dinner tonight...though that may be a way to get C to eat more vegetables!

I love the way that B is pursing his lips in this photo with his green beans...it is almost as if he knows how good they will taste! I will be sure to post photos of his reaction to the beans!

B's First Day of School

2009-09-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

It is official...summer is "unofficially" over, not because Labor Day has come and gone, but because B has started school!

Last Wednesday, C, B and I enjoyed meeting B's teachers at Meet the Teacher morning. Both C and I were so impressed by his teachers and have total peace about him starting school, in fact, one of his teachers has been teaching at this school for 18 years! We learned all about what a typical "school day" would look like and were sent home with the task of labeling everything that may ever enter the school's doors...I had a "Oh my goodness, I am a mom" moment as I sat in his nursery with my black Sharpee marker...the majority of his belongings now have his intitials written on them!

B's first official day was on Friday...in effort to get both B and I out of the door on time, I set the alarm a little too early...meaning B got some good time in his excersacuer before we left...

When it was finally time to leave, B had some very heavy eyes, as you can see in this photo. School starts right smack dab in the middle of B's morning nap time...I had to snap a photo though...since he wasn't getting on a school bus, I figured it was appropriate for his "first day of school" photo to be taken in the car.

The day was a success! B's teachers said that he did well and that they looked forward to seeing him next week. When we arrived home, we were welcomed with some bright colored balloons. My mom always had balloons, cookies and ice cream waiting for us and all the neighborhood kids at the bus stop on our first days of school...the tradition is continuing...maybe next year B will be able to have some ice cream or cookies?!

B really enjoyed the balloons. C held B up close to the balloons and he batted at them with his hands and smiled and giggled.

I think it is going to be a great year! I am so thankful that the Lord provided B's little school and precious teachers to love and care for him.

2009-08-29T19:26:00.000-07:00

In the past week or so...B has realized that he is gaining control of his fingers...he has started to play with toys, balls, blankets etc. It is so much fun to watch his eyes light up when he sees a toy or holds something that has bright colors and makes noise. He has gotten over his extreme dislike for tummy time and will play on his tummy and has started to be able to sit up (with help). Ella is having to learn that she can show interest in tummy time and B's toys..but cannot take B's toys away from him...a little "sibling jealousy"...tennis balls aren't quite as exciting as baby toys!B loves to be "Super Owen" when his Grandma J comes to play!

How great is this face? Chad captured this the other night while B was playing...I love those precious lips...

This photo makes me laugh...there is some serious work going on! My mom is on the phone, B is on the phone and working at his "laptop", and Ella is making sure that everyone has had a pedicure!

Chad got his guitar out and B was completely enamored with it, he enjoyed laying on his tummy and kicked his little legs while Chad played...What a great way to wake up from a Saturday nap!

We went out for dinner the other night, and B enjoyed sitting in his "Big Kid" chair again...we got smart and attached a toy to the chair for him to play with while we ate. He has started to watch us eat...he gets pretty fascinated with watching food go from a plate to someones mouth...you can just imagine the wheels turning inside of his head...wondering if he might be about to get a bite!

I think B looks so grown up in this photo...it is fun to imagine that he is about to lean over and ask Chad what he might suggest on the menu. I think he is getting a little bored with his rice cereal and ready to try something exciting like carrots!

2009-08-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

This photo is of B sitting at the table with us...B's cousin, Mia, has a "big kid chair" like this and enjoys participating in meals when their family goes out to eat. B is finally old enough, and has enough head and core control to sit in his own chair. Last week, B sat at the table with us and played with a couple of his toys, while we ate lunch. The funniest part of our lunch was not watching B in his chair, but was when Chad picked B up to hold him and B grabbed Chad's glass of Dr. Pepper...consequently, Dr. Pepper spilled all over the table, floor, Chad and Owen. Chad was a really good sport...we learned our lesson that everything on a table needs to be out of Owen's reach!
This photo is in honor of B's Uncle Jeff who is getting ready for his first day of Boat Building School. B hopes that Uncle Jeff has a great first day...B wanted Jeff to know that in life, a shirt is always optional...though he may need to wear one for his first day. (Jeff gave B these overalls as a gift.)

This life size golden retriever stuffed animal was a gift from B's grandparents before he was born. We have understandably named the stuffed dog, Ella, in honor of Ella...and she "sits" at the end of Owen's crib in his nursery. For the first 18 weeks of Owen's life, I took "week" photos of him laying next to "Ella" to capture his growth...taking the photos each week got somewhat tedious...so I have decided to take "month" photos instead. This is our five month photo...he looks so grown up! He is not standing on his own, though the photo looks like it...however, he does love to stand with help. The sandals that he is wearing have some rubber on the bottom of them, he really enjoys standing when he has these shoes on...I think it is because it prevents him from slipping.

B's Gram (my mom) has been in town for a visit...it is such a gift to watch her interact with B and listen to her share how she thinks he has changed since her last visit. I don't notice the changes as much because I have the opportunity to be with him each day. Since B was born, it has been especially difficult to live away from family, ...we are learning how to treasure all the bits of time that we can get. During this visit, my mom has taught me how to quilt in between B's naps. I have really enjoyed learning from her and can't wait to make a quilt on my own!

Let's Eat Video

2009-08-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

Here is some video of Let's Eat in Bluff Dale where we ate with some good friends last weekend. I would highly reccomend this place.

Uncle Jamey

2009-08-18T05:29:00.001-07:00

My brother, Jamey, stopped by for a quick visit on his way down to school last night. It had been about a month since B had seen his uncle...he was quite enamored by Jamey's voice and all the different whistles and sounds that Jamey made in effort to get Owen to laugh.

B noticed that Jamey had a new hat and figured that he would try his new hat on to be just like his uncle...In this photo, the two have their hats mixed up...

I love the way that B is looking at Jamey in this photo, he looks like such a big kid!

Is there any family resemblance?

We can't wait to spend more time with Uncle Jamey (and hopefully Jeff too) this fall!

Friends...

2009-08-16T14:32:00.001-07:00

We have been blessed with the opportunity to see some dear friends and family throughout the past week or so...it has left B exhausted...as you can see in this photo! His little legs looked so funny as he slept with them in between the crib rails during an afternoon nap. We went with some friends to Granbury to visit the Barking Rocks Winery and eat at Let's Eat for dinner. B wasn't able to take advantage of the awesome food that Let's Eat had to offer...however, he was content with his bottle. Let's Eat was so much fun...it is a little house like structure that has two sittings for dinner each night...you basically sit in the chef's kitchen and get to watch him prepare your meal...there was fantastic food, great company, hysterical people watching...all in all a great night! We will definitely go back!

On Friday, I was able to enjoy a "girls" night with some dear friends from college, while Chad got together with some friends. We enjoyed a low key evening filled with great food and even better fellowship...it was topped off with Sopapilla Cheesecake (one of my new favorites)! B was awesome, he had missed his afternoon nap, so he slept while we all caught up on the recent happenings in each other's lives. This was our attempt to use the timer on the camera...I need to work on centering the photo better next time.

This photo is of B getting ready to ride in his stroller to see his friend Ms. Kim at the bakery down the street. As I have mentioned before, we have so enjoyed becoming "regulars" at this little bakery. We look forward to seeing the same people each week, Chad and I realized that we have been "regulars" for more than a year. This is B and his good friend, Ms. Jennifer. Jennifer was sweet to keep be entertained as we waited for our dessert at Let's Eat...fried peanut butter & jelly & pecan pie...interesting, yet delectable!

B's friends, Trip & Jovie, invited him over for an impromptu quick play date last week. Jovie was born two weeks before B and Trip was born one week before B (almost to the day). It was so fun to see all three babies together...it was in between nap times...hence the lack of smiles...but still really fun!

Grandma J & Grandpa B came over to play with B last week. We were grateful for the opportunity to have a night out to spend time with friends without the stroller and the diaper bag...don't get me wrong, I love having B along...but it is a gift to have a "date" every once in awhile! B enjoyed a walk and a trip to get ice cream!

Middle of the Week B

2009-08-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

B has started to enjoy his "Tummy Time"! This is a welcomed change from a couple months ago. He lays on his tummy and does a sort of swimming-like move on the blanket as he plays with different toys. My mom made this quilt with a variety of textures on it for him to play with, I think he likes the tassels and satin because he grabs both with his little hands and of course...tries to put it in his mouth. B showed incredible interest as his friend, Ms. Leslie, read his favorite book, "Who Loves Owen?" to him. At one point, he even tasted the book...that's how much he enjoyed it! Our friend, Megan, made him this book. It is a flip book with photos of all of our family, we have been reading it before bed every night...thanks Meg! We officially tried the high chair out this week...B is still a little small for it, I think we will stick with the Bumbo chair...but we had to capture the "first" with a photo. He continues to love his rice cereal, to the point that he grunts in between bites! He is in the middle of a grunt in this photo!

B's Grandma J found this hat for him on a "field trip" to the TCU bookstore this week. The hat actually fits...so he is ready for football season to start! Chad thought we needed to capture the fact that he is wearing a TCU hat and a #1 Minnesota fan onesie...he may be slightly confused as to which team he is supporting, but he is ready for the season to start! The Minnesota onesie is a shout out to all of our Minnesota family and friends (thanks to Mackenzie) and B wears it with great pride! I think the hat makes him look like a little boy as opposed to a little baby...I wish I could press pause...he seems like he is getting so big, so fast!
Go Frogs! Go Gophers!

B's Favorites

2009-08-11T06:15:00.000-07:00

It is so sweet to try to experience each day through B's little eyes. As we continue to fall into more of a routine with our little guy, we have been able to identify some things B really dislikes and likes...

B is not a fan of...
-His car seat (unless he is actually moving in the car)
-Burping after he eats
-Realizing that all the milk in a bottle is gone
-The tail end of the afternoon before Chad comes home
-The bright sun
-Being tired

B is a fan of...
-Watching baseball with his dad in the crook

-Pretending that he is a sailor..."I'm a sailor, I like to sail, I let the boat do the work"

-Eating his big kid rice cereal

-Hanging out in a diaper and his tennis shoes (socks)

-Spending time with friends

-Playing in his excersaucer...standing with help (the tennis shoe socks make me laugh in this photo)

-Playing with his friend's toys...they seem to be novel, even to a five month old

-Riding in his jogging stroller while Chad, Ella and I run

Simple Joys

2009-08-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

I really am trying to look for the little simple joys in life that are so easy to take advantage of and overlook...Like B's single dimple...We still don't know which family member this came from, neither Chad nor I have dimples...be we have come to love it!

Like watching B have "Tummy Time" on the floor (in his diaper)...it is so fascinating to watch him play and wonder what is going on inside of his precious little mind...

Like being regulars at our favorite little bakery each weekend (these two photos were taken last weekend as we ate breakfast)...knowing that our donut orders will be ready and waiting for us the minute we walk in the door...

B's little onesie sums it up...Life is good!

Take Me Out to the Rainstorm

2009-08-04T17:21:00.000-07:00

We headed out to the ball park to watch the Rangers game last week with some friends, Clint and Melissa. We had grand plans to watch the game and stay to watch the fireworks afterwards.

B enjoyed the bright lights and the people around us cheering...however, he wasn't a fan of the whole stadium breaking out in pure elation over a home run being hit...

Chad enjoyed the opportunity to plow his way through a bag of peanuts & and heckle the opposing team's players...

I enjoyed catching up with Clint and Melissa & people watching...

Until our plans were thwarted by a huge rainstorm!

We had purchased tickets for the "cheap seats" so we were up near the top of the stadium. Prior to the rain, we noticed the sky start to turn a deep dark shade of blue and other fans made their way to the top of the stadium to look out west...the pointing fingers should have been our first clue! Then the wind picked up...the temperature dropped...Melissa and I moved downstairs to the bathroom to take cover...Chad and Clint stayed put to cheer the Ranger's on...the rain started...and the game was delayed...

After waiting about an hour for the rain to let up...Chad and Clint decided to get the cars and call it an evening. The two drove laps around the stadium in effort to pick us up so we could stay as dry as possible. It was a failed effort, they learned that you can't drive up to the stadium when a game is in progress, so the they came back to the stadium to meet us and we all walked back to the cars in the rain. We said our good byes...got in out respective cars, drenched and figured the game would be called.

As we drove home...we saw fireworks at the stadium in our rear view mirror...and the next morning we learned that the Rangers had completed the game shortly after we had left....

Even though our plans were slightly altered, we enjoyed a fun, exciting and wet game at the ballpark!

Photos

2009-08-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

Megan took some awesome photos of Owen while we were visiting...I haven't downloaded them yet, but she posted some... www.batesbrigade.blogspot.com

I wish I could push pause...it feels like he is getting so big!

Thank you Megan!!!! You have quite a talent and a great eye for capturing our little guy's personality.

Our Drive Home

2009-08-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

B and I stopped by Chad's grandparent's house on our way home from Houston to say hello...B's Great Grandma Mimi enjoyed giving him a bottle for the first time...

And Great Grandy was amazed by how big he had gotten!

Aunt Meg & Cooper

2009-08-02T14:51:00.001-07:00

B and I traveled down I-45 last week to visit our dear friends..."Aunt" Megan & Cooper in Houston. Megan was one of my roommates in college and a School of Education confidant and Cooper is her adorable son.

Meg and Cooper were so sweet to host us. We enjoyed getting a glimpse of their world...and had some great time at their house to relax and catch up.

B and "Aunt" Meg had quite a bonding moment one night...I was playing with Cooper and Megan heard B start to fuss. Megan went over to pick Owen up and discovered that he had quite a dirty diaper. Megan picked him up and was surprised to find that Owen's diaper was leaking. Megan was awesome about the leak and found the humor in it...despite the fact that poop truly cascaded down her arms...we all laughed so hard! I was able to get a photo on Megan's camera of the moment check http://www.batesbrigade.blogspot.com/ for your own laugh!

Megan and Cooper love to take walks around their neighborhood. B and I enjoyed taking a walk with them one evening after it cooled down a little outside. Cooper couldn't understand why he wasn't able to push Owen's stroller...so he pushed his own...it came in handy at the end of the walk when he sat in his stroller and asked Megan to push him.

We brought some famous Bluebonnet Bakery sugar cookies down for Cooper to enjoy. He picked the cowboy boot cookie with frosting to eat first...

Anytime that Owen would get fussy or upset, Cooper would get quite concerned. In this video snip-it, Owen had been crying...trying to tell all of us that he was not happy about being in his car seat...Cooper went to Owen and started rocking his car seat and told him that it was okay...he was so sweet!

I wasn't going to post two videos, but after watching Owen's facial expressions, I decided I needed to post this one too. It is so fun to watch him wiggle and "talk", this video captures some of his developing personality.

It was such a sweet trip, we made lots of memories and are looking forward to seeing our dear friends again this fall!

Lessons from the Day...

2009-07-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

1. Always carry your cell phone
2. Always carry a diaper bag
3. AAA is the worth it
4. Have a baby with you

Let me explain...

B and I took Ella to the vet this morning for her yearly visit. The plan was to drop her off around 7:30am and then come home, eat breakfast (both B and I), go for a walk, do laundry, clean the house, take a shower, get Owen dressed etc.

This is what happened...

B and I dropped Ella off and walked back to the car. I put B in his car seat, put the stroller in the trunk, and then got myself into the car, buckled up, put the key in the ignition...and NOTHING! The car wouldn't even turn over...so I reach over to get my cell phone to call Chad and....NO CELL PHONE! I had forgotten it as Ella, B and I rushed out of the house this morning, I had the diaper bag...but not the phone. So I unbuckled, got B out, walked back up to the vet's office, knocked on the door, waited for someone to open the door and asked if I could use their phone...lesson #1.

I tried calling Chad, but couldn't get a hold of him so I called AAA...lesson #3. I explained my dilemma to a kind woman at the other end of the line and she dispatched a tow truck to come meet me in the parking lot...in an hour. She told me that they would call when they were close, I had to give her the vet's number and admit to not having my phone. At that point I realized that Owen had not eaten, he was still in his pajamas (because I thought it was going to be about a 20 minute trip to the vet) and I hadn't eaten or had my morning coffee. There is a Target not too far from the vet so Owen and I walked to the Target to get some coffee, water and breakfast all while trying to be quick because the tow truck driver couldn't call me and I didn't want to miss him. We rushed back to the vet and....waited...and waited...and waited. The kind people at the vet offered to let us sit inside but I was concerned that we would miss the tow truck, so we sat outside on the sidewalk. I realized that I had unintentionally left a bottle with powder formula in Owen's diaper bag...I was able to add water to it and then feed him, hoping that it would hold him over until we were able to get home....lesson #2.

The tow truck arrived about an hour later. The driver looked under the hood of my car, tested the battery and said "Ma'am, it's your battery...it's dead. " So I asked, "Can you charge it?" and he said, "I will try." He goes on to try and we both realize that the battery is so dead it won't hold a charge, he then went on to tell me that he could sell me one. He went back to his truck to get a new battery and realized he didn't have one, so I asked "Can you tow us?" He replies, "No, you'll have to call AAA back and get another tow truck to come out." At this point, I try to be as polite as possible and thank him for his time and walk back into the vet to use the phone. Long story short, we have to wait another hour and a half at the vet on the sidewalk waiting for another tow truck. When the tow truck arrived, the driver helped me get Owen (in his car seat) up into the cab of his truck (Owen's first big truck ride)...and then preceded to put the car onto the truck's bed with a massive hydraulic system. The driver asked where I wanted to go...I tell him where the previous driver had told me and he responds "That place will sell you a battery, but they won't put it in...you know that right?" Of course, I didn't know that. He preceded to tell me that he could take me there and that he would put the battery in for me, even though he isn't supposed to to things like that and that I can just tip him really well...I smile, say thank you for the offer and suggest going to another place...he shook his head and said "Okay, you'll pay more there!".

We finally arrived at the auto store to learn yet again...that my battery was completely dead! The polite man told me that it would be about two and a half hours to have the battery put in, that they didn't have a battery and would have to go and get one at another store, I panicked a little...thinking that Owen hadn't eaten in about three hours, not to mention he was still in his pajamas. The man must have seen the panic in my eyes, when he saw Owen he said "Just one minute." He left for a minute, came back and told me "We found a battery and we will try to get it in stalled in a few minutes"...lesson #4. I felt bad, there were about four customers in front of us...but they didn't have hungry babies!

15 minutes later, I was given the bill for an entirely too expensive battery...but I had a car that was able to turn over and drive us home.

All in all it has been quite a morning...I will never forget my cell phone at home again, I will always carry the diaper bag with me, I will gladly renew our AAA membership next year and I will continue to be so grateful for our little guy!

The Boys

2009-07-30T11:55:00.001-07:00

It has been and continues to be such an honor to watch Chad evolve into a dad...
Owen is typically asleep when Chad leaves for work in the morning, so the evening is a special time for the two of them. Chad's face will light up when he sees Owen after walking in the door from work and Owen has started to smile when he hears Chad's voice (It is a pretty recognizable voice)...

In this photo, B had had a pretty grumpy evening...Chad took him out onto the front porch to rock in the rocker and it started to rain...the combination of being with his dad, being outside, rocking and the rain made him fall right to sleep!
Here, Chad is starting B off early...the two are reading from "The Dangerous Book for Boys". My brother, Jamey, gave this book to Chad for Christmas a couple years back. Chad has decided that he and Owen are going to read the book together as they rock before bed in Owen's glider. Chad read it from cover to cover as he brushed up on his knot tying, compass reading, fire starting, bear wrestling, hog tying skills. I can only imagine what Chad and Owen will be up to in our back yard in years to come...I better get the ice packs, band-aids and video camera ready!

Chad knows that J, will be (if he hasn't already started) reading this book to Trip...Chad wants to make sure that Owen will be up to par when he and Trip have their next play date!

Rice Cereal!

2009-07-30T11:38:00.001-07:00

B went to the pediatrician last week for his four month check up...time has really flown by! B received a clean bill of health and the pediatrician encouraged us to slowly begin introducing B to solid foods. Of course we will start with the traditional and rather bland looking and smelling rice cereal before we attempt any other "solid" foods... At first he didn't know what to think of the spoon, we placed a little bit of cereal on the spoon and put it up to his mouth and he sort of spit it out...

He got the hang of the whole spoon thing after a couple tries and then got so excited that he started to sort of grunt in between spoonfuls...

We weren't sure if more cereal ended up on B's face or in his stomach? He did enjoy an impromptu bath after he finished his "snack"...

All in all it was a pretty successful first attempt with solid food. It is so amazing to think that we were just learning about our little guy this time last year...and now we look forward to simple daily rituals like feeding him rice cereal, giving him baths, reading him stories, etc.....my how life can change...we continue to be so grateful!

We will work on posting some video of B's first tastes of rice cereal...they were pretty funny, I don't know who was funnier...B or Chad and I laughing at our efforts to get the cereal into his mouth?

One More Quick Video

2009-07-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

This is a video that I had wanted to post when I posted the photo of the mountain of laundry a few weeks back...

Here are my two cheerleaders...just picture me behind the camera bending down, taking clothes out of the dryer, folding the clothes and repeating the process...over and over again...most would think it to be a mundane task...but with this kind of encouragement, I couldn't help but keep going!

Video Test Run

2009-07-26T16:46:00.000-07:00

With Chad's help...I have been able to upload some short videos that we have taken this summer. This video is from the other night when B was taking a bath...he is really starting to coo and "talk" more and will turn his head in the direction that he hears people talking...it is so much fun to talk to him and with him as you can hear both Chad and I doing in this video...

I wish I could bottle up his little voice as I know it will continue to change as he grows up, there is something about a baby's voice that draws you into their little world...it is truly a simple joy!

Our Water Baby

2009-07-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

Okay...I am procrastinating from the laundry pile in our clothes hamper that seems quite perpetual...but my cousin was telling me about how much her daughter is enjoying her bath time with splashing in the water and playing with bath toys...so last night, in an effort to get B ready for bed, we got the bath toys out and let him enjoy some good old fashioned water fun...this photo was before we gave B a water mohawk for the first time... and the water mohawk...

and this just captures his precious eyes that make both Chad's and my heart melt. We continue to be so thankful for this little guy...

Ella

2009-07-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

Ella headed to summer camp last week while we enjoyed out time in California...our friends, Kate & Andy we gracious enough to take care of Ella for us....thank you Kate & Andy! Ella enjoyed a fun filled weekend of playing with her buddy Berkley, going for walks, going to the dog park, getting brushed... for an funny and complete recap of her time at camp check out http://www.thefriederichsflock.blogspot.com/

Oh Happy Day

2009-07-23T07:09:00.000-07:00

I am working to find the simple joys in my life right now and wanted to share a glimpse of the morning so far...
This morning I was able to go for a quick run with one of my favorite running companions, Ella. When I came home, I heard little peeps from B's nursery...I tip toed in and found a very sleepy and very hungry blue eyed boy waiting to be picked up and hugged. After a quick breakfast and a little time in his excersaucer (I had to capture a photo of him playing, just watching him brings a smile to my face)...B, Ella and I enjoyed a long walk around the neighborhood. Ella enjoyed sniffing a variety of things along our route and B cooed at the trees and birds as we walked. B fell asleep about half way through the walk and is enjoying the remainder of his nap in his crib...ohhh, the dog days of summer...I love them!

B's Cousin Mia

2009-07-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

B had the opportunity to "hang out" with his cousin, Amelia (Mia) while we were in California. It was so much fun to see the two babies together. Mia is my cousin, Marissa's, daughter she is three weeks older than Owen. Since Mia lives in Minnesota, our visits are few and far between, but we will savor every play date we can get. It was hysterical watching B and Mia together, they have quite different personalities. Mia is the life of the party, she talks almost constantly...you can hear her happy squeals from a across a room. B on the other hand, just took it all in, he would just sit, watch and listen to Mia as she talked...we would crinkle up his eye brows and forehead when he heard some of the sounds that she made. B was the "thinker" of the two, while Mia was more of the "free spirit". When we took this photo of the two babies together, Owen just laid there while Mia tried to roll over close to him to "eat" his hands and face...we all laughed so hard! I can't wait to watch the two of them grow up and see if the personality differences follow them both as they get older...Mia, B can't wait till his next visit!

California

2009-07-21T10:02:00.001-07:00

We are settling back into our routine and the warm Texas temperatures after enjoying a special trip to California to celebrate my brother's wedding. We were able to catch up with several family members during our trip in between the different wedding festivities. I apologize, the photos are not all in chronological order...I am still getting in the hang of blogging...

Through the awesome powers of facebook I was able to copy and paste a photo of Jeff and Amanda...and Jeff and B, I will never forget my camera at a wedding again...Amanda was truly glowing in her beautiful gown and Jeff looked pretty handsome himself!

After rehearsing for the big day, we enjoyed a fantastic rehearsal dinner over looking West lake, near where Amanda grew up. We couldn't have asked the Lord to provide a more beautiful sunset as the backdrop for the evening, the night was filled with family, friends and lots of funny Jeff and Amanda stories. This photo is of Jeff and his beautiful bride, Amanda, thanking everyone at the rehearsal dinner.

We spent one evening enjoying some beautiful southern California weather at my mom's cousin's house. The night was filled with a lot of catching up between cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles...it was great to be able to sit outside, watch the water and simply enjoy being together...
my mom's cousin has an incredible gift of hospitality, our time there was so special!

B enjoyed a couple trips to the pool at our hotel. He loves to swim and be in the water, but does not like to sit in his wet swimsuit after he is done swimming...yes, this photo is capturing him just chillin' in a towel....hopefully we aren't developing any inappropriate habits!

Are these two related? B is looking more and more like different members of both of our families...it is so much fun to see the similarities.

B enjoying some good diaper time and a bottle from his Great Grandpa Bob. My grandparents babysat Owen for an hour or two while I attended different wedding related events...they seemed to really enjoy that time with him...I think B enjoyed it too! My grandpa gives great big bear hugs...B can't wait for his next one...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

B enjoying a quick nap on his Great Grandma Marion's shoulder resting up for the big day!

Swimming with Uncle Jamey...

Just about to hit his limit...

We were able to take a couple quick trips to the beach after all the wedding festivities had come to an end. B wasn't real impressed by the cold Pacific water...but for the sake of the baby book...his toes did get wet! This photo is of the three of us at the beach near the Santa Monica Pier, the Ferris wheel is just behind B's head. We couldn't decide what was better at the beach...the sun, sand and water or the people watching?

B was awesome during the rehearsal dinner...he slept through it! This is him parked and asleep while people ate. He woke up about half way through the toasts and started to fuss a little...I have to admit that when he started to fuss I thought "Oh no, some one's baby is getting unhappy...then I thought to myself...oh, that's my baby!" After waking up, he enjoyed sitting with Chad as the toasts came to an end.

This photo captures Owen and Chad toasting with one another...

It's so hard to get photos of the three of us together...we will take advantage of every opportunity we can get!

I don't have much of a caption for this photo...but the photo speaks for itself...B is blessing us everyday with lots and lots of reasons to smile and laugh!

B's first convertible ride...he wasn't real impressed, he fell asleep! And again, was not real impressed by the sunglasses!

On the day of the wedding I forgot our camera, so unfortunately I don't have photos of the beautiful bride, handsome groom and other gussied up family members...hopefully I will be able to get some from friends and family. B looked adorable in his little smocked outfit...I wish I could get Chad to let me dress him like this more often! The ceremony and reception were beautiful...but what matters most is that Jeff and Amanda are now officially married and our family has grown...praise God for the gift of marriage!

All in all it was a sweet trip spent with family and friends...and some great California sunshine!

Mini Austin Vacay

2009-07-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a quick trip to Austin last weekend to spend some time with Chad's sister, Beth and to see some dear friends...J, Rachael and Trip. Beth was gracious to open up her apartment to us, we spent the weekend enjoying fantastic food at some highly recommended Austin dives, took a trip to Barton Springs- where we were surprised by the frigid water temperature, saw the bats fly at sunset & attended Austin Stone Bible Church.
B enjoyed some quality time with Aunt Beth, however, he was pretty over the bats by this point in the evening.

Beth captured a photo of us before heading into church on Sunday morning, this was after we had enjoyed a fantastic breakfast at Magnolia Cafe (Chad's favorite meal of the weekend). We all really enjoyed Austin Stone, the teaching was great and so was the music. I was only able to listen to about half of the sermon, about mid way through, I felt something very warm on my leg...I put two and two together and realized that Owen had decided to leak through his diaper...I was very grateful for the extra change of clothes in his diaper bag, if only they had been my size!
This is B and his buddy Trip in their pj's ready for a good night's sleep. Trip was born one week before Owen. If their dad's have anything so say about it, Owen and Trip will have many fun & silly adventures together in the future...all of them safe adventures of course!
This photo is of Aunt Beth trying to figure out how to put Owen's pajamas on him...the snaps were a little tricky. Chad thinks they should color code the snaps on baby clothes...just to make the process a little easier!
Probably the most hysterical J and Chad moment of our Austin weekend trip was watching/listening to the two of them try to put our pack and play crib together. J had mastered assembling Trip's crib...Chad had never assembled Owen's crib before so the entire process was entertaining to say the least...there was lots of laughing involved!

The Dog Days of Summer

2009-07-08T17:53:00.000-07:00

We haven't had a home improvement update in awhile...Owen has taken center stage...
This is Chad's recent feat...a new shrub bed around the side of the house. We chose shrubs that we had already planted in the front yard, this gave us a little more confidence in keeping them all alive. I am so grateful for all of his hard work, I can't say that I really helped much on this project. This is how B fell asleep in his swing the other afternoon...his head was on the swing...we tried to reposition him, but to no avail...we added the blanket for a little extra cushioning...consequently he woke up with a little red spot on his forehead...I guess sleeping can be hard work!

B has started to use his legs to kick and try to stand more, so we decided it was time to get the "excersaucer" out for him to play in...this toy has been my new lease on life...he loves it! B will play in the saucer for 20-30 minutes completely content...which means I can do things like fold laundry! B needs a little help to prevent wobbling so we stuff a baby blanket in around him, hopefully his core control will come soon. It is so precious to watch his little toes kick up and down as he sits in the saucer. There is a little button that he can press that makes cow, duck, dog and cat noises...his eyes light up when he hears the noises, he doesn't understand that he is responsible for what he is hearing. There is one botton that plays "Old MacDonald"...I haven't been able to figure out what button plays the song, but he has played it on several occasions...each time I hear it, I try to figure out which part of the saucer it is coming from...I still don't know...he has me stumped and giggles as I try to figure it out!

(Also, in this photo he is wearing one of my favorite little onsies- it has a dog on it with a red collar and reads "Good things come in small packages". I got it on sale at Gap Kids before he was born, despite the fact that it had words on it, and now...as the photo reveals...the arms are too short and the bottons hardly button...it has been washed, folded up and put away...he is getting SO big.)

My two boys, enjoying a simple summer evening...life is good!

The Fourth of July

2009-07-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed some sweet time with Chad's extended family at his parent's house on the Fourth of July. There were lots of laughs, great food and a chance to cool off in the pool. Afterwards, we enjoyed some fantastic fireworks back in Fort Worth...B was AMAZING he slept through the entire show! B chose to be very patriotic!

The whole group...it was tricky trying to get everyone in the photo and looking at the camera at the same time...even Sophie, Beth's dog, made an appearance!

Owen and his Grandma and Grandpa Underwood right before enjoying a quick dip in the pool.

My New Middle Name

2009-07-08T17:29:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at how many loads of laundry a family of three can create...it is my new perpetual task in life...I get excited that I can finally see the bottom of the laundry hamper and then I blink and it is heaping again. I can't complain though...I am thankful that our washer and dryer are in working condition, I have the ability to do our laundry in our home and I have company from two of my favorite companions...B and Ella.
These photos were taken while I was folding one of the many loads that I did today...it is almost as if Owen is thinking..."Go mom, go!" I would fold laundry all day with this kind of encouragement!

Ella came to enjoy the laundry party...I think she must be thinking "The quicker you fold that laundry, means the quicker you will let me outside to play ball!"

Here is evidence of the perpetual task I am talking about...I really don't mind washing, drying and even folding...putting it all away is the hard part...so this mountain stands until Chad or I get up enough initiative to put it away! And then the process starts all over again...

Rangers Game

2009-07-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

B can officially say that he has been to a major league baseball game...

On Wednesday we ventured out, despite the heat, to watch the Rangers with some dear friends from college..B was wide eyed as the crowd cheered the Rangers on until he fell asleep during the 7th inning stretch...it was a fun night and great to see some friends that we haven't gotten to see in awhile!

B's First Trip Up North

2009-07-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

We packed up the Jeep (most of the items belonging to the youngest member in our family) and headed north for some good quality family time and cool weather...Owen can now check Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota & Wisconsin off his list of places he has visited...he wasn't real impressed by Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri or Iowa but he and Ella were troopers as we made the long drive.

Before heading up to the cabin, Owen got to meet several special people who have been patiently waiting for his first trip up north...

My dad's parents, Great Mimi & Great Grandpa Ben

My mom's parents, Great Grandma Marion & Great Grandpa Bob (Owen enjoyed his first big bear hug!)

My dear friend, Mackenzie

His "Aunt" Marissa & "Cousin" Mia (Mia is almost a month older than Owen)

Then we headed up to the cabin...it was so special to bring Owen to one of my favorite places in the whole world. My family has been going up to the cabin since my youngest brother, Jamey, was a baby. We have spent countless hours enjoying the lake, campfires and family meals around the table.

Many laughs have been and continue to be had around this table, let me paint a picture...there are usually anywhere between 1-3 dogs laying under the table as we eat, towels wrapped around wet swimsuits, half opened cans of soda (somewhat of a novelty), and everyone sitting in their own designated place around the table...

B enjoyed being invited to the table, even though it meant he was sitting in his stroller.

This is my attempt to take a "self take" with B...Jamey decided to jump in at the last minute...I love both B & Jamey's faces in this photo...B looks so curious almost like he can see Jamey's face behind him

B loves his baths and the water, but did NOT like his life jacket...we had to go tubing (the boat went at less than a mile or two an hour) and capture of photo for his baby book, he really did enjoy the tube...just not the life jacket!

My mom found this baby play pool for B to play in while everyone else played in the water and got towed behind the boat...Jamey's dog, Gatsby, was quite curious about the pool

This photo is a little shout out to the great state of Texas...well really more to Baylor...Owen is enjoying his "Big Kid" shirt (it doesn't have buttons between the legs), courtesy of his Uncle Jamey

B received another "Big Kid" shirt from his future Aunt Amanda and Uncle Jeff. (who hope he may be an Eagle someday)..He enjoyed a quick visit from Aunt Amanda and is really excited for his next big trip out to California to see Amanda & Jeff get married in less than two weeks!

While at the cabin, Owen slept in a crib that I used to sleep in as a baby. This is Owen catching some zzzz's after a big afternoon of playing outside...I love the baby size rash gaurd & board shorts (with his belly hanging out). This is a classic Owen pose, we call it the "touch down" position...it is how he sleeps the majority of the time.

Enjoying the swing as Ella fetched balls that Chad threw into the Lake...when we are at the cabin, Ella is swimming after tennis balls almost 100% of the time...she loves it!

Enjoying the hammock before a camp fire...

Just chillin' in the Bumbo chair, watching everyone play in the water...don't let the photo fool you...he did NOT like the sunglasses...

All packed up and ready to head home...it was a fantastic trip, we are so grateful for our time up north...we can't wait until next year to enjoy some more meals around the table, pulls behind the boat, tennis balls in the lake, cool weather, Owen enjoying the water more, time with precious family and friends (one of the hard realities of living so far away).

Early Father's Day & Birthday Celebration

2009-06-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

I accidentally posted these photos in reverse order...just scroll to the bottom of the post and move up...

After walking we found a little hole in the wall restaurant called Hanks Casual Diner to eat dinner, let me take a moment to "plug" this restaurant...both Chad and I were quite impressed! After dinner we walked around the square some more and found a little ice cream shop where we both enjoyed some Bluebell Candy Jar ice cream...the entire day was so special...I am so thankful I got to celebrate with friends, family and my two boys!

We left the cross at the store to be grouted and look forward to see it all completed hopefully next week...

And walked around the Granbury town square...while we were walking, we found this little store that has ceramic pottery and mosaics available to make...Chad was sweet and had the idea to make a cross for our family's cross wall...I never thought that I would see Chad glue little pieces of glass with such precision...we both had a lot of fun...(Chad was a really good sport)...

After our Father's Day lunch...Owen enjoyed some time at home with Chad's parents and our friends, Kendrick and Jennifer, so Chad and I could go on a little birthday sussy trip to Granbury...it was such a gift to have time together. We visited The Barking Rocks Winery in Granbury...

It's hard to get photos of the three of us...Chad's arm isn't quite long enough to take "self takes"...so when we have the chance to get a family photo we take total advantage of it!

We enjoyed lunch with Chad's parents and celebrated Father's day a little bit early. Owen helped Chad open his very first Father's Day gift...

Yesterday was truly a sweet day...

I woke up to these beautiful blue eyes as Chad and Owen sang their own rendition of Happy Birthday to You...then we headed to Bluebonnet for some breakfast

Waiting for the Storm to Come In

2009-06-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Last night Chad and Owen swung together on the porch swing as we waited for the big storm to come in...B loves to be outside, it is the cure for any "grumpiness"!

I love the way B is grasping Chad's thumb...

A rainy day cooped up at home...time for a B update

2009-06-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

Just hanging out...listening to the rain come down outside the window...

The other night we enjoyed Burgers and Bach at Central Market...Owen enjoyed the silly noises that Chad was making near his head more than the music.

B loves to take rides in the car but DOES NOT like to get buckled into his carseat...Chad tried to entertain him by wearing him in his carseat as a hat as I was getting the diaper bag together for some Saturday errends...the attempt wasn't real successful...but worthy of a photo.

We heard B's first laugh last weekend! It was so bubbly and sweet. The laugh isn't near as consistent as this sweet smile...but hopefully that will come soon enough.

I love this photo of his eyes...He looks so grown up as he is waiting to go for a ride in the car.

B's first TCU sporting event! We were able to enjoy the tail end of one of the regional baseball games held at Brown Lupton Stadium...B slept...but it was fun to be back at the ball park.

We had to capture our family's first trip to Chuck-E-Cheese...we met some friends who have a little one Owen's age and an older daughter. Owen didn't get much Skee Ball in, he hopes to play more next time! (I didn't realize I had left the burp cloth on my shoulder...this is my new fashion statement!)

First trip to The Home Depot with a stroller...again, we had to capture this moment...there will be more trips to come!

One of our favorite parts of the week...Our Saturday morning trip to Bluebonnet for breakfast...Owen keeps telling us that he wants to sample a donut...soon enough!

This is what Ella, Owen and I look like on a typical morning walk. I think we have walked almost every street in our neighborhood...at least 100 times! It is one of my new favorite things to do.

B's Big Swimming Debut

2009-05-28T12:24:00.000-07:00

Some dear friends invited us to go swimming last weekend...We had a blast! I don't know if I was more fun to see B in his miniature swim trunks or see B's reaction to the water?

Getting ready for the pool was a little bit of a challenge in that the smallest swimming diaper available is for 16 plus pounds and the smallest swim trunks are 3-6 month size. Let's just say that the diaper acted as more of a floatation device and the swim trunks looked like pants...

At home, B loves to take baths. He smiles and coos when he is placed in the water and almost giggles (I am hoping that will come soon) when water is splashed near his little body.

The pool just seemed like a gigantic bath tub...he loved it!

B has started to move his eye brows to make faces that really emulate some of Chad's expressions. In this photo, his eye brows make him look concerned or somewhat skeptical of the water...we promise...he really did seem to love the water!

A Long Over Due B Update

2009-05-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

B is enchanted by Chad's voice...he is mimicking faces and making us smile and laugh everyday.

Owen has helped teach us both about true multi-tasking...this is our favorite "hands free" device!

Waiting for Chad to get home for dinner...this was the third "outfit" (onesie) that Owen had worn on this particular day.

B's neck is getting stronger...he doesn't enjoy my mandated tummy play time in his play gym near as much as he enjoys his Bumbo chair...I think he looks like a little man in this photo.

Ready set...click! B's smiles are becoming more consistent and lasting longer...I can't help but run for the camera when I see these precious little eyes and that little dimple...of course, I am biased!

Now that we have gotten a handle on venturing out of the house with a baby, carseat, stroller, diaper bag etc. We have enjoyed some "play dates" (really more for me than for B) these are our dear friends Caroline and Cooper, after we enjoyed a breakfast date. Cooper is 11 days older than Owen.

B has recently started to coo/laugh when he hears Chad's deep voice...it's hysterical. This is the only time in B's life when a double chin will be so endearing!

B joined the Rangers band wagon after he heard that they are finally having a good season. He thought it was best to sport the diaper with his Rangers jersey. We are ready for our first official outing to the ball park...we just need a cool summer evening if that is possible.

If there is ever any doubt about who B's dad is...check out these feet! He is starting to look at them and reach for them while he sits in our laps or swings in his swing.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers for B and for us as we have all continued to celebrate his arrival and our transition into parenthood. We went to the pediatrition this week for Owen's two month check up and learned that he is healthy and right on track. We have been able to get his reflux under control which has blessed us with a much happier and more comfortable little guy. Our next big feat...consistently sleeping all the way through the night...B is well on his was but occasionally likes to let the neighborhood know that he is hungry before the sun comes up...we will keep you posted...

Just Like My Dad

2009-05-01T20:37:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken a few weeks ago (and yes, it is a little blurry) but I just had to capture and share Chad and Owen's hair. They both took special time to style it so they could match!

Owen's Big Adventure Continued...

2009-04-30T10:10:00.001-07:00

You might ask...when traveling with an infant...how do you give them a bath? The hotel sink of course! Traveling with a little one is a lot different than traveling alone...Owen "packed" more than I have ever packed and helped me to really think through what was a necessity and what was not. I had some unbelievable help, and wouldn't have been able to do it on my own...hopefully I will get the hang of it. I have quite the sweet tooth, and I think I got that from my dad...especially a sweet tooth for frozen yogurt. While in Hermosa Beach we found something that Califorians seem to have perfected...a self serve frozen yogurt bar! Notice my dad's face...totally intense as he is adding his mini chocolate chips to his yogurt. This photo captures my new life with Owen, he loves the Baby Bjorn and I am working on perfecting "multitasking" as I carry him and add my own toppings to my own yogurt.

Owen's uncle, Jeff, and future aunt, Amanda. We can't wait till July, we are so excited! We will hold off on any pressure for cousins in the near future...but with that said...can't wait for Owen to have cousins someday!

It was pretty cool in California, which I was so grateful for...I don't like to be warm and it meant that Owen was able to wear some of his outfits that are too warm for Texas right now. One my favorite outfits...this sweater is in honor of Owen's Ella dog. The sweater zips from the back so that you can put it on when your baby is asleep. I love that the hood has puppy ears and the tummy has a little red tongue. With Owen growing as fast as he is, I feel like he needs to be dressed "cute" everyday so that he can wear each outfit in his drawer-we are so thankful for his recent growth but want to savor the days when he fits in his 0-3 month clothes.

Owen's Big Adventure

2009-04-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

We (Sara & Owen) were blessed with the opportunity to visit California last week to celebrate my brother, Jeff, and Amanda's upcoming wedding in July. Owen decided that he really enjoyed flying (probably because we sat in the very back of the airplane near the gigantic humming engines). Owen did great on both flights, thanks to a lot of prayer! At the end of his first flight, the flight crew invited us into the cockpit to commemorate the big day with a photo.The week was filled with a couple of firsts...

It wasn't quite warm enough to play in the water, but it was fun to visit the ocean with Owen...there are so many places that I have been blessed to see and experience and I want him to enjoy and experience them as well. The wind was pretty chilly but the Baby Bjorn helped keep him warm at the beach.
Amanda's family lives on a lake and we had the opportunity to ride on thier boat to a restaurant on the lake for dinner. Owen enjoyed his first boat ride, he slept! As you can see, Owen has a little growing room in his life jacket (I thought he looked like he was wearing a koozie as an outfit).

Some new pics

2009-04-21T17:35:00.001-07:00

Owen's Great Grandpa with Owen's first pick-up truck, tractor, and flat bed trailer.

Owen's first (outside of Sara's tummy) Saturday morning trip to Bluebonnet Bakery.

the current project...

2009-04-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

First of all, moving dirt is not easy. This will eventually be filled in with pea gravel and flagstone. Stay tuned...

B waking up

2009-04-11T05:28:00.001-07:00

Meeting the Great-Grandparents

2009-04-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

Under the bright lights of Hollywood...

2009-04-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

A beautiful sight...

2009-03-29T06:25:00.000-07:00

That my friends, is some cliantro that I havent killed yet. Bask in its glory...
I believe that is carrots, basil, cilantro, but i dont have the list in front of me.

I love Silver Creek Recycling, justsaying...

The burlap in the back is covering the potatoes, strawberries, bearded irises, peonies, and dahlias. Stay posted to see if any of that grows...

Apparently the sprinkler made Ella pretty mad...

2009-03-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

Owen waking up...

2009-03-23T18:44:00.001-07:00

More of Owen pics...

2009-03-22T12:46:00.001-07:00

gotta love the technique...
Owen's first trip to Curly's, only to look though, no tasting yet...

love it...

First time in the house...

Sara on the way out of the hospital...

Proud grandparents...

Sara and her friend Ashley Cook (and Owen Underwood and Cooper Cook)

Proud Grandpa...

Getting those pull-ups started early...

Proud Uncle...

A few more videos...

2009-03-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

Introducing Owen B in a talkie

2009-03-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Owen B...

2009-03-18T13:45:00.001-07:00

Owen's Pics

2009-03-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

Here is Owen's first pic with the mama bear. Our first Family photo (minus Ella)

And another...

A very happy grandmother

A very proud grandfather

No idea what Owen just did...

The setup...

Sara and Ann...

Proud grandparents...

Owen, Jamey, Bruce...

The new Ella (ie. object of many pics/posts...)

And agai (notice Sara in the background)...

Proud Uncle...

Owen B Underwood

2009-03-16T03:59:00.000-07:00

Mr. Owen B Underwood was born at 4:54 am on March 16, 2009. Weighing 7 pounds and 4 ounces and measuring 19 inches. Both baby and mom are doing great. Thank you for your prayers.

Testing the new camera

2009-03-15T16:52:00.000-07:00

A couple around the house

2009-03-06T19:54:00.000-08:00

the new couch... the new quilt and pillow...

the new bumper...

the bumper and fitted sheets...

A few of Ella...

2009-03-06T19:42:00.001-08:00

A glimpse into life at 1813

2009-03-06T19:36:00.000-08:00

This is four days worth of PBJs in the Underwood fridge...

Wait, what just happened?

2009-03-02T04:05:00.001-08:00

So Sara and I decided a few months ago that we would like to get some new furniture in our living room. So we put our furniture up on craigslist. Well every couple of weeks I would repost the ad just to see if we get any bites. And since we were in no hurry we asked a considerable amount more than we paid. Well on Thursday we had a bite. He came over to look at the furniture that night and came back to pick it up on Sunday. So here is our living room sans furniture. You may be asking yourself, great, so when does the new furniture arrive? Great question. It arrives once we figure out what we want, go buy it, and arrange for the delivery.

So because we were worried that we would have too much downtime in the next couple weeks, we decided to add furniture shopping (my fav) to the list. Love it.

Prepping for Owen...

2009-03-02T03:55:00.001-08:00

Here is the final pic of the two valances that were hung and the pic of Ella.
The valance on the small window that looks on to the front porch.

The pic of Ella that is secured with screws and is ready to be kicked and grabbed by Owen.

Sara's craftiness on display. Great story here about trying to drill through a knot in the ribbon and us ending up literally winding about half of that ribbon around the drill bit. We ended up with a bent drill bit and a few tears from laughing.

Mama bear working hard in the nursery. I believe they call his part "nesting".

Mama bear in action...

I only promise to hang things. My job ends at making them pretty...

The Shelves

2009-01-29T17:51:00.000-08:00

2009-01-27T19:38:00.000-08:00

"Babymoon" in the Hill Country

2009-01-27T18:45:00.001-08:00

This past weekend we packed up the car and headed south towards the hill country to enjoy a weekend away from Fort Worth. We enjoyed stoping through Waco to visit Jamey and Gatsby and of course enjoyed some Common Grounds coffee and then enjoyed visiting with Beth & Patrick as we passed through Austin on our way back home.

We stayed in the metropolis of "Comfort" Texas at a little bed and breakfast for the weekend. Our room was quite quaint...a little drafty...but quaint...

This is outside of where we enjoyed breakfast on Saturday and Sunday morning. The food was great, but the people watching and conversation listening around the tables near our table was fantastic!

The bed and breakfast backed up onto Cypress Creek we enjoyed walking down to take a couple photos...and found a tire swing that we couldn't pass up.

An action shot...

The weekend was quite a gift...and spured on some wondering, talking and prayer about how much our lives are about to change...

One major highlight of our time in the hill country was spending Saturday with the J & Rachael...we have missed having them in Fort Worth, but it was great to see their new world in Boerne, eat at a couple of their favorite spots (including the Hilltop Cafe) and explore Fredericksburg with them.

Christmas

2009-01-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

Mom and Dad when they found out Owen's name... Sara and I opening our stockings Christmas morning in our front room...

And the winner is...

2008-12-30T18:51:00.000-08:00

After much deliberation, negotiation, and some marathon discussions involving names such as Vladamir, Demetrius, Teague, Emerson, Finnegan, Eli, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Nash, Dirk, etc.; we have decided on the following name:

Owen B Underwood
I know what you are thinking and I agree, Owen should be spelled in its orginial Gaelic spelling, Eoghan, however I was vetoed in those regards. Something to do with phonetics and the lack of ability to spell his own name until he was 14.

Owen means "Born of the King".
B is in honor of both of our dads (both of their names begin with "B") and also Chad's grandfather's middle name is "B".

We thank you for the prayers and truly covet them now that we are in the home stretch and getting ever so close. The due date still remains at April 5th.

The picture is from San Diego where we spent a week with family after Christmas. More pictures should follow shortly.

Songrams...

2008-12-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

The sonograms from November 20th when we found out it was a boy.

Its beginning to look alot like Christmas...

2008-12-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

The Underwood casa lit up at night with some sweet clouds looming...
The view of the tree from outside, Sara did a bang up job on the decorations...

Our tree. It had to be skinny enough to see around, but tall enough to be a presence in the window. Mission accomplished.

The front room all lit up...

the nursery...

2008-12-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of the nursery coming together...out with the big bed and desk and in with the crib, dresser, "cloud-like" glider chair, rug, book bins, toy baskets and (life size) Ella dog.

As we make progress on our preparations for the nursery, the Lord is continuing to prepare our little one for his grand entrance into the world....

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for our son's continued growth and development, already, he is almost eight inches long and about one pound in weight. Thank you for allowing him to begin to decipher the difference between when it is time to rest and when it is time to be awake. Thank you for the little kicks that so humbly remind us both of this awesome miracle. Thank you for allowing all of his intricate blood vessels to form from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. Father, as his finger nails and finger prints begin to form, please bless their development, please prepare his hands to do great things on Your behalf.

We continue to be so blessed and so grateful...

videos of the pups

2008-11-28T07:52:00.000-08:00

and another...

test run with the webcam

2008-11-26T19:42:00.000-08:00

Great news and Big news...

2008-11-20T18:30:00.000-08:00

The great news is that our little one is right on target (on average) of all the vitals. a kidney, a gall blader, two kidneys, a 4 chamber heart, 2 (very active) arms, 2 legs, 2 eyes, and boy parts. Yes, that is right. our little one is a little boy. all good things.

this is for beth...

2008-11-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

Here are 7 things that people may not know about me.

1) I love musicals. I have seen several live, including 7 in London, 2 on Broadway, and 2 in Jackson Hole. I also enjoy a good play, but I think that musicals get me a little more excited than plays. I even grew up acting at church and really loving it. If I wasnt such a great athlete, maybe it would have been something I would have pursued.

2) I love efficiencies. My goal in life is to be efficient as possible. To the point that I will do as many things as possible while I am brushing my teeth (get Ella her food, get my shoes and belt out of the closet, lock the door, make up or turn down the bed, etc.). This may be why I am dumbfounded when I see sara walk around the house in socks (or "stocking feet" as she calls it). It wears them out too quickly, its not what they were made for. Barefoot or shoes. Just makes sense to me. This also leads me to leave things out and not put them away under the thought of, "I am going to need it again at some point, why put it away if I am just going to get it out again?". Just makes sense to me. I could go on for a while because this is something that gets me going, but I will stop.

3) I cant stand watching baseball on tv, much less live. If I get the chance to see a game in a stadium that I haven't been to before, I am all over it, but to watch baseball on tv? Maybe if it was 2000 and pedro was throwing I would, but nowadays it is tough for me. Maybe it is because the dvr skip button doesn't line up perfectly with the action like it does for football. But I find it really boring. I love talking about it, but I cant stand to watch it. Yes, I played it professionally.

4) I hate fiction books. OK, let me back off of that a little, I realy don't like to read fiction books. The Chronicles of Narnia was good, Catch-22 was super good, This Present Darkness is one of my favs; but that is about it. This may tie into the efficiency rant, but I don't see the point in reading something that I know is not real. If I am going to invest time, it will be learn something. To make myself better somehow. I can barely stand to read books about the present. The whole time I am reading I am thinking, "You know, I bet there is more up to date information/statistics/opinions/theories on the internet right now and I am here reading an out of date book." Now books about past theories I love. For example, The Origin of Wealth is a great book about a study of how wealth is created. That study is stagnant, the experiments were completed and the author gave his theories. Done. No new information from that author about that study will come out. I am ok reading that book. Or the book Bowling Alone. Great book, once again it is about a study that was complete. Now a book about what the next 5 years is going to hold will be diminished and slightly out of date by the time the first book rolls off the press. And that is why I cant read those types of books or fiction books.

5) I am not a huge fan of the beach. Too much laying around. Cant stand it. Now if it is a beach that also has a cliff or has caves, I will explore all day. But going to Florida and hang by the beach? I'm out. Unless of course if there are kayaks, jet skis, etc. then I am in. But if it is a vacation that is geared towards laying around I'm out. I'm double out if the laying around is accompanied by reading fiction books.

6) I can make up a fact and you will believe me. If you are reading this chances are I have done it to you. For whatever reason I am able to say a fact and make up support for the made up fact very quickly and I say it with enough conviction that people usually believe me. Of course this has made my wife very skeptical of me when I state facts. And rightly so.

7) I hate social norms. I don't like doing things that are expected of me. I don't like hearing, "that's just not how you are supposed to do that." Drives me up a wall. I wont go into what social norms bug me the most because my wife would not be happy with that. Suffice it to say, if my ex officios aren't dirty after one day of use, I should be able to rock them again the next day and the next day and the next day…

Yeah, ex officios are that good.

8) I can't count.

Greene Girls Reunion

2008-11-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

This should have been posted a couple weekends ago...

On October 20th our dear friend, Megan, was able to say that Cooper Lee Bates was officially part of her forever family. We were able to celebrate with Megan, Cooper and the rest of the Greene Girls (Sara's roommates from TCU) for a quick reunion. The time was short...but so SWEET as we all celebrated how God has blessed both Megan and Cooper and how He has used them to bless so many friends and family!

Our Little One

2008-11-09T14:21:00.001-08:00

Well...we are almost to the half way mark...there seems to be a little discrepancy over which week we are currently in...19 0r 20...but all that to say almost half way done...it's incredible, we can't hardly believe it, the spring will be here before we know it.

We are over the hurdle of warm Texas summer weather, the first trimester nausea, concealing my growing bump at school, breaking the news to my students and their families...it has been quite a whirl-wind...but God's grace and provision has prevailed, and to that we are both so grateful and humble. Sorry, no "baby bump" photos yet, it still isn't that obvious...more awkward than anything where maternity clothes fit like living room drapes and "normal" clothes are growing quite snug.

I (Sara) have been recently humbled by our little one and have been convicted to pray specifically for the little miracles that are happening each week, as the anticipation continues to grow.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for another day, thank you simply for life and for the little life growing inside of me. Father, I want to pray specifically for our little one's finger nails and toenails, please continue to bless their growth this week and prepare those little hands and feet for great things, things that will glorify You.
Father, I pray for the bones that are growing and strengthening in our little one's body this week, please bless their growth, allow them to be strong. Father, I lift up all the intricate movements happening within our little one's body from the connections that are being made in its brain to muscles and other nerves. Father thank you for the little kicks I am beginning to feel, what a gift...reminding me (and Chad) of this precious little miracle within.
At the same time, please bless the development of our little ones' facial features as they are delicate but becoming more recognizable. Father, prepare his or her little mouth to smile and allow his or her smile to be contagious.
Father, as our little one is now able to decipher light from dark, please bless the development of his or her eyes, please prepare them to desire to seek after Your light.
Father, as our little one is gaining the ability to hear, I pray that he or she may be able to recognize our voices- I pray that he or she would hear our voices speaking to each other in love, that he or she would be able to see a reflection of you through our words to one another- but more importantly Father, develop a desire in his or her heart to decipher and seek after Your voice in his or her life.
Father, it is such a miracle! Please continue to bless every intricate detail of development that will happen this next week. Father, thank you for this gift of life.

The nursery is beginning to take shape...

2008-10-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

The rug is obviously folded in half, but that is where it will be more or less. And then the crib (Pottery Barn Dana for those of you who care) is where it will be. The dresser will be where the desk is right now. And finally the glider will be to your left. That is all I have.

Yeah, but you should see the other guy...

2008-10-23T17:05:00.001-07:00

As I bent down on Tuesday night to grab Ella's ball she jumped and popped me in the eye.

The Kitchen is 99% finished.

2008-10-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

Ella's new bud

2008-10-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

We have a new addition to the family. Ella sniffs the new pup everytime she comes in.

So Close

2008-10-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pictures with 3 coats of polyurethane on. two more coats to go...

Kitchen Updates

2008-09-30T18:34:00.001-07:00

Here is an example of the tape job. half of the white squares are painted and the other half are about to be painted.

here are all the white squares painted.

Here is Ann dominating the black border, we are ahead of schedule (notice the beadboard backsplash that is up and painted)

Kitchen Floor Pics...

2008-09-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

There it is, she is just waiting for a little paint (and some baseboards of course)...

just enjoying the super wide angle lens...

looking at it from the back door...

ella is just putting the floor through its paces...

Kitchen Floor Update, almost there...

2008-09-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

about 2/5ths of the floor is laid, but really about 60% of the work is done. hopefully it will be done next weekend.

Mamma Mia

2008-09-12T14:59:00.000-07:00

Sara and myself (and my parents, my aunt Sally and her friend Bennie) went and saw Mamma Mia last night at Bass Hall. super good. i would highly reccomend it.

Our jelly bean...

2008-09-11T03:53:00.000-07:00

This is our first sonogram, taken on thursday, september 4th. the little tyke (or "Vladamir" as i like to call it, cause i know i wont get that name after it comes out) is approx. 1 inch and 10 weeks old here. the head is on the left and the "rump" (that is the technical term the sonogram guy used) is on the right. enjoy...

Kitchen Updates...

2008-09-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

Making it happen, with great legs I might add. Safety first (or so my wife says)...

Happy as can be, granted the wood isnt nailed down, it is just laid to put pressure on the adhesive under the moisture barrier, but it is still super encouraging...

Some random Kitchen pics

2008-08-29T14:57:00.001-07:00

Our new kitchen floor, i am just hoping it installs itself...
had to do some plumbing work on the dishwasher (not really "had to", but you cant waste a plumbing opportunity, can you?)

Mount Great Stuff...

Virginia Place Block Party Extravaganza...

2008-08-19T19:10:00.000-07:00

It was an old fashion block party it was...

Just some random kitchen pics...

2008-08-19T19:06:00.000-07:00

Even Ella is enjoying the Olympics...

2008-08-19T19:03:00.000-07:00

And she agrees with her papa that the "Phelps as the greatest Olympian" is a NBC contrived title.

My Favorite Ella pic

2008-08-10T15:52:00.001-07:00

Cabin Pics (Ella version)

2008-08-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

Starting off with a few Gatsby pics (Jamey's new pup). Please scroll down for non-Ella cabin pics. Thanks, Management.

love this one...

Cabin pics (non-Ella version)

2008-08-10T14:23:00.001-07:00

Sara and Ella in Stillwater, MN, as we stopped there on the way back to Edina to eat some dinner.
From left to right, Katie, Sara, Jeff, Jamey, Amanda, Bruce, Ann
Sara and Ann sitting on the back porch at the cabin (notice the sweatshirts and blankets, gotta love the coolness of the lake)

Photo shoot for Gatsby (he is behind the cardboard)
A lot of stress at the cabin...

Doesn't get much better...

The cabin in all her glory

Jamey entering Wood Lake with style...

Mr. Gatsby getting his explore on...

Ella wasn't always able to follow the ball and therefore some balls had to be rescued (of course Ella tagged along for good measure)...
The lake in a fog on Saturday morning...

Sara (who was slightly enamored with Gatsby) and the pups headed out onto the dock...
Jamey forged it outside on Friday night in the hammock...

Sara and Gatsby on top of the picnic table (to be honest, I dont know why)

more kitchen floor...

2008-07-30T19:44:00.000-07:00

2008-07-29T19:22:00.000-07:00

if anyone would like to venture a suggestion as to how to remedy this plank in our floor, please feel free to offer away. it is about 3 inches wide and i dont know if it goes all the was to the cabinet, but i bet it does. this it what makes DIY projects so much fun...

we were crossing our fingers hoping that this sort of thing wasnt there so that we could just sand the floors down and paint them. but no dice.

the kitchen floor party begins...

2008-07-29T19:06:00.001-07:00

this is what makes this awesome, there was a wall there and the piece of wood was just rigged into the floor, stay tuned to see the rest of the floor.
Just about ready to rip up the floor.

this is our make shift island, view it as a test drive, a free test drive thanks to the kupers.

The Final Product...Until the Backsplash and Floor...

2008-07-21T16:58:00.001-07:00

The faucet isn't actually installed yet, but hopefully tonight. There are sure to be some funny moments and photos of Chad underneath the sink reinstalling the garbage disposal and drain...wish us luck!

More Counter Top Instalation

2008-07-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

Back splash installed...

The New Counter Tops!

2008-07-21T10:14:00.001-07:00

The third slab and a little of the backsplash...

The second slab installed..

Then the first slab of new counter top...

They installed the sink first...

2008-07-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness we live in Texas and can justify having a truck!
So neat, you can donate any house supplies that are still usable to the Habitat for Humanity Restore. They sell items that have been donated at the store and all proceeds go to benefit Habitat for Humanity!

Gone!