BP is growing...

Just thought everyone would like to see Ellen's progression with the pregnancy. Unfortunately we do not have a "before" picture, but everyone knows how small Ellen is!

12 weeks

15 weeks

16 weeks

18 weeks

21 weeks

more to come as time goes on...

Our Garden

Mark and I decided that we wanted to try to live off the land this summer. We bought one raised bed garden made out of recycled milk containers with the goal of putting nine plants in the space. We also took a class on raised bed gardens from the food bank (my workplace). The class was great, but we learned that we were too late to start our plants from seeds. Therefore we turned to the sales at Lowe's. As many of you know, Mark and I love a deal! It was buy one plant - get one free. Unfortunately, the plants had been picked over, so we didn't get everything we wanted. This summer's garden has a salsa theme. We have four types of peppers, two tomatoes and one okra stalk. (We lost the strawberry plant early on!) You will also notice in the picture that we have some yard art. Mark has wanted an old windmill after seeing one at my cousin's house in Austin. We found one and it has added a special touch to the garden area. The garden has been a big success and we are looking forward to adding more raised beds next summer. Sorry the pictures go from current to begining! I am relearning how to use blogspot!

The Blog is Back!!

After a 9 month hiatus, Mark and I have decided to bring the blog back. We are not going to be overly ambitious. The goal will be to post a new story once a week. Our motivation for the blog revival is the upcoming arrival of our baby in November!! We are not finding out the sex of the baby. Since we cannot refer to the baby as a he or a she, we have lovingly nicknamed the baby BP (Baby Poge not the oil company). Please check back often!

THE Mizzou Room

Here is a little preview of my Mizzou Room. Granted it is in the basement, but I finally have it. Included are two "before" pictures and 3 "after" pictures. The 2 before are actually after a good portion of the work had been completed (rewiring the ceiling lights, priming the upper portion of the wall and ceiling, and spray-painting the main pipe). Unfortunately I did not get any true "before" pics. Ultimately there will be a better TV, a refrigerator, down there with 2/3 of the room will be tiger striped carpet, so more pics will be forthcoming when the work is actually complete.

Chicago

February 2009: Ellen and I took a long weekend trip to Chicago. Stayed in a Downtown hotel with a great view of the Lake to start off what was a great weekend!
Did a walking tour of Downtown Chicago in the cold. Got lots of cool pics. Also, Ellen had her first trip to the Field Museum.
The main reason for the trip was for my grandmother's 90th Birthday!!! Happy Birthday Grandma, and here's to many more!!!
Couldn't go to Chicago without staying with my brother. So here is a good summary of our time at their house... The blur in the above picture is Taylor as she swoops by to turn the roomba back on because someone had the audacity to turn it off!

North Carolina!!!

May 2009:

Our good friend Colen was getting married to her German Air Force man in NC. It also so happened to be our 4th Anniversary so we made a vacation out of it.

Had to crop this picture down for 2 reasons. First: This blog is and will remain no worse than rated PG (Ellen is in a 2-piece; thanks to our agreement if I finished the 1/2 Marathon, she would wear a 2-piece). Second: our computer screen could not handle the brightness of our whiteness!

Reason #287,639 of why you should do blogs in a timely manner: I have no idea what the name if this ship is.
4 wonderful years!!!

Ellen Walks!!!

May 16, 2009. College of Arts & Science graduation. Ellen gets her Master's in Public Administration and gets the chance to walk at graduation (she missed her undergrad graduation).
Everyone with a 4.0 stand up!!! Yep, that's right, it might not look like she is standing up, but she is. Way to go Ellen!!!
Don't worry everyone, she said she would still cheer for Mizzou if they played the Sooners!!