50, 33, & 24

The big 5-0.  George turned fifty today, I turned 33 on the 17th, and John turns 24 on the 27th.  We started the day by opening birthday gifts, eating blueberry muffins, and watching Zoe try to eat a squirrel on the deck.  The sun was shining and the snow didn't last long.

Beth and I headed to church for nursery service.  As much as I love Lauren, I don't do as well with other folks' kiddos.  Being in a room full of toddlers is intimidating to say the least.  Thank goodness Becca was there to help or I would have been in trouble.  

After church we headed to the house where the Ledbetters had already heated up the tortilla soup and hot tamales.  John and I tried our hand at Halo 3 (I'm terrible--it's only been about 5 years since I played video games and my coordination just ain't what it used to be).  

Around 4:30 we packed up and went to Casa Viva, formerly Casa Bonita.  When I was a kid, it was a really big deal to get to go to a movie in the Cinema 150 in Little Rock.  Before the movie, we would always eat at the Casa Bonita which was just across the parking lot.  I vividly remember going to see Superman and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan with Mom and Dad.  My memories of Casa Bonita are of caves, the flag, sopapillas and the treasure chest.  As it turns out, George used to work at the Casa Bonita in Tulsa and this was too good an opportunity to pass up.  

It was with slight trepidation of eating Mexican food for the third time in two days that I drove the family to Tulsa.  I was pretty impressed that we were able to fit six adults and one baby + baby seat into the vehicle at the same time!  When we pulled in to the Casa Viva parking lot, it was evident that it was closed.  The sign on the door said "Closed No Power."  I know it was disappointing for George because he'd really wanted to see it again after all this time.  

At this point, it was getting late enough that we needed to get Lauren some food.  We were fortunate to find a Flemings to eat at in Utica Square off 21st street.  Mary went in to see if they would let us in as we hadn't exactly dressed up.  After getting seated, I looked at the menu and immediately realized I wouldn't be paying for everyone's dinner...

I broke away and found our waiter, Justin, and told him that we were celebrating three birthdays, one being a 50th.  He said that he would take care of things.  Our food arrived and it was, for lack of a better word, magnificent.  I got a 12oz filet mignon, just under medium.  WOW.  We ordered three plates of veggies to share: Flemings potatoes, cream corn (jalapeno style), and sugar snap peas.  

Pam's meal already came with a dessert and because there were three birthdays, Justin brought one of every dessert they had: creme brulee, cheesecake, blueberry cobbler, ice cream,  and chantilly cream and fruit.  This meal was in the top 3 all-time.  The food was great, but the company was even better.  I'm hoping this was the start of a brand new birthday/Christmas tradition.

I was so proud of Lauren.  She was on her best behavior through a 2.5 hour meal--not a small feat for a 21-month old.  The whole way home we commented how fantastic the dinner was.    When we got home, everyone went straight to sleep.

Walking in a winter wonderland...part deux

MawMaw and Lauren behind the house

G-Daddy walking the dogs...in his SHORTS!!!

Uncle John in the Blizzard

Lauren enjoying the falling snow.

Christmas card material...literally. :)

Winter is here, officially, and Mother Nature has done her best to add a little winter flare on this Christmas season.  We got about two inches of snow today--fortunately it started about an hour after the Ledbetter clan arrived.  I was worried that they might run into it on the way up from Austin, but they made it in safe and sound around 1pm this afternoon.

John and I ran to Wal-mart to buy an HDMI cable so we could play X-box 360 Halo 3 on the big screen.  It had just started snowing when we left.  On the way, I had the thought that Wal-mart on the Saturday before Christmas may not be the best place to be.  The crowds were definitely out in full force as we braved our way through the blizzard.  I think the whole town of Bartlesville was in the store.

We were able to locate the cord and get some paper plates before finding our way to the 10 items or less express lane.  For the ONE TIME IN MY LIFE, it was actually an express lane.  It took us, literally, one minute to check out.  I cannot believe we were so fortunate.  

I do want to make it perfectly clear that this one experience in no way lessens my hatred for Wal-mart.  Sam Walton would roll over in his grave if he knew how the store (when I say store, I mean the entire corporation) was being run.  In fact, he would probably spin fast enough to generate enough power to supply the nation of China, the very country Wal-mart now buys EVERYTHING from, with electricity.  It is really a shame that they have sold their capitalist soul to the communist devil.  How can a free market economy compete with slave labor without ultimately destroying the foundation upon which it was built???  Not to mention that their products are terrible.  I purchased four sets of bush lights from Wal-mart earlier this month and all four were defective.  If there was any reasonable way to not shop there anymore, I wouldn't.  However, it's pretty difficult to quit cold turkey when they're the only game in town and they're only 2 blocks from your house.  Owasso has a Target, but it's about 35 minutes away.  I wish they'd build one of those here (and a Chick-fil-A, too, please).

Of course, being residents of Texas, you don't get the opportunity to see much snow (unless you live over in the pan handle).  I'm from Arkansas, so I at least saw it on a regular basis as a kid, but it was really fun to watch everyone get excited.  Everyone wanted to go outside and get their picture taken, Lauren included.  Here are a few from this afternoon.

Winter Footage

More from the winter wonderland...

You really forget what it's like until you see it again.

O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree

This is currently Lauren's favorite Christmas song (along with Jingle Bells). She stood at the dining room window last night and sang O' Christmas Tree while looking at the big tree on our island (all lit up). It was really pretty cute.

Beth has nearly gotten the house ready for the holidays. We just need a few things from the store. We recently hired a sophomore from B-ville High to help out some in the afternoons when she gets out of class. She's really good with Lauren (took care of her in the church nursery).

We're dreaming of a white Christmas, but the weatherman isn't cooperating. Looks like it's going to be in the mid 40s on Christmas day, but the day after is calling for snow! G-daddy, Maw Maw, Uncle John, and Aunt Pam will be here in a couple of days. We're really excited to see everyone.

The Lake

One final image from the "snowstorm" last weekend.  This is what our backyard looked like.  I wish it could have waited until Christmas morning.  Looks like the forecast is calling for 45F and sunny.  It could be worse...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

If you take cumulative snowfall total from the 9+ years I lived in Austin and compared it to what we got yesterday, it's not even close...We got about 2 inches yesterday and Lauren really loves it.  Everything looks better blanketed in white.  

There is a certain excitement that accompanies the chance for frozen precipitation.  At least, as long as I can remember, I've always enjoyed the prospect of snow.  As I've gotten older, that enchantment has not waned.  Perhaps, in light of recent events, freezing rain isn't quite as exciting as it used to be, but certainly snow is everything that I remember.  Walking in the snow is a privilege that I do not take for granted.

There is something about the sound of complete silence, or rather the sound of snowflakes landing on the ground.  The world is quiet and good, and all seems right.  I'm sure it will be gone tomorrow, but for now I'm happy.

We woke up this morning to a winter wonderland.  Beth and Lauren surprised me with a birthday party!  

A Banana Republic wool coat.  Nice!

Skinning Dipping, Lewis Style

We decided to hit the hot tub tonight. Lolo wanted to go skinny dipping. It is about 28 degrees outside and the water felt really nice. Tomorrow should be an even better day for hot tubbing--it's supposed to snow. Of course I remember from the time I was a kid how the weather men like to exaggerate the amount of snowfall you're supposed to get. When they say 8 inches, you invariably get about 2. When they say 2, you either get none or you get 12. Fact of the matter is, they just don't know.

Here's a couple of photos from our hot tub adventure...Beth wanted me to point out that I DO have on clothes!!!

The Christmas Luncheon that wasn't...

Our staff Christmas luncheon was supposed to be at Chilis today--Chilis being the only major restaurant chain in town. We arrived, got seated, and were served the customary chips and salsa. By the time our drinks had arrived, the power went out. Of course everyone blamed it on me since we were without electricity for about 36 hours. We gave it about 20 minutes, but it didn't look like the power had any chance of coming back on, so we punted and got BBQ from Dinks. It's pretty good...not Rudy's good, but I liked it better than the Salt Lick.

Lauren fell yesterday around lunch. She was running to her potty and slipped. Her lip was pretty fat and she's got a bruised chin. It looks like she got in a fight. I just tell her to tell everyone, "You should have seen the OTHER girl." She still has an ear infection and the doctor said that if she had another one in the near future, she recommended getting tubes. That was a bit of a bummer. On a positive note, Beth's OB appointment went great. She gained a half pound over the last two weeks. The doctor said Noah had already turned the right direction. That was comforting because we thought he might be breached. She goes back in a couple of weeks (on the 26th).

Christmas is quickly approaching, and that means one thing. My birthday will be here before I know it. I'll officially be an old man. It is hard to believe that I'm going to be 33. Ten years ago, I graduated from the U of A and moved to Texas. That is hard to fathom.

Tomorrow is supposed to bring more of the white stuff. Last year around this time, B-ville had about 18" of snow on the ground. I'll bet Lauren would have loved it. I would have, too. As a kid, snow was about the most exciting thing that could happen. There was nothing better than staying up late to watch the 10pm news to see if your school was closed. We got about 16" in Pine Bluff in 1987. That made for a lot of snowmen.

I am still learning this Mac thing. Hopefully, I'll have some photos to post soon.

'night, y'all.

The Great Ice-Storm of 07

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, and our fire wasn't quite delightful, and since we had no place to go, we just screamed, "Oh no!" At least Beth did. What a crazy couple of days we've had. Sunday morning we woke to a light freezing rain and a little snow. Because Lauren wasn't 100% we decided to stay home and forego the regular church outing. It was a good thing, too, since we later found out they'd cancelled church. I can't ever remember church being cancelled anywhere else I've ever been. The weather forecasters had been calling for this wintery mix all week, so I thought it would be best to move our vehicle to the top of the driveway, which is pretty steep. Good thing, too, because the driveway was a solid sheet of ice.

To top it all off, the power decided to go out Sunday around lunch--and it's still off. When we left the house it was about 50F and d-a-r-k. We had to put the milk, the meat, and OJ on the table on the deck to keep it cool. So tonight, we packed up the family and went to our Sunday school leaders' house to keep warm. God truly blessed us--sometimes it's hard to realize, but it's true.

I'll post some photos when I can get them downloaded and I'm not freeloading on our friends' wireless.

iLife

My brother-in-law would be very proud of me right now if he knew I were typing this on a Mac...But, I know he has much better things to do, like study for final exams for law school. GO JOHN! We're praying for you to do well. Lauren really needs a rich uncle, because we all know that life is much better when there's one of those around.

My sincerest apologies for not writing sooner, but as you can well imagine the last few months have been hectic beyond belief. A new house, a new job, a new baby on the way...it just doesn't stop. But we're finally getting to the point where we feel a little more settled.

Beth's tummy is making all kinds of crazy motion as Noah's room to move keeps getting a little more cramped by the day. Last week, Beth had an ultrasound and the baby's heartbeat sounded great. Beth only gained a pound since her last visit and the doctor said everything was shaping up really nicely.

We've just about got the house ready for visitors. We have some lights in the front and in the back, but we didn't go Chevy-Chase on anyone this year. Last night was a lot of fun--even though Lauren is a bit under the weather we were still able to drive downtown to Kidde Park and see the drive-through trail of lights. Bartlesville is a small town, but I think there's a lot of money here as evidenced by some of the really nice holiday decorations the city is able to maintain. Anyway, Lauren has been a trooper through this whole ear infection ordeal, and sometime I think it's harder on the parent than it is on the kid.

Work is going fairly well--I have really enjoyed the change of pace and the change in scenery. I think I'm getting ready to be a lot busier, however, as the new year rolls around.

Photography has really taken a back seat as of late. I just haven't had enough time to do much. I have been taking a little more video, though. My new video camera is a lot easier to download to the computer, so hopefully, that will translate to more clips online. We'll see. I have to figure out how to use this Mac, first.

I suppose that's it for now.

Later, Gators.

it's cold out there...

Lauren got a great surprise from MawMaw and G-daddy on Saturday. Her very own pony named Trixie. She really had a good time playing with her new friend.



We got our first taste of the winter to come today. The high was 50 degrees and that was set at 8:00am this morning and it's hovered just below there since then. It was kind of a wet and soggy day, but Lauren is feeling better. Last week, she had a cold that turned into an ear infection. You could just tell by looking at her that she was miserable. Today was almost the exact opposite of that...you could look at her and tell how much she just enjoys life. We had such a good time.



Lauren and Beth made Tortilla Soup today. She gave Beth some space and wasn't as much of a "hold me" baby since she was feeling better. After our wonderful dinner, we braved the "blizzard" and took a walk by the "lake." I think Lauren will be excited to play in the snow one day...soon. She definitely takes after her daddy and has the right gear to deal with adverse conditions. Check out her jumpsuit



goodnight!

We're home!

After a quick weekend trip to Austin for me, and a couple of extra days for Beth and Lauren, we're back to "normal" in B-ville. Lauren is having her first school photos at her class at church tomorrow. It's pretty exciting to have someone else do the photos for a change!

We had lots of fun in Austin (other than having to work). Lauren had an opportunity to visit with her old friend, Sam Brown, this weekend. They got to play in the Pumpkin Patch at Terrytown United Methodist Church. Trying to get 18 month olds to cooperate is a challenging endeavor. It's easier to herd cats, actually...

I'll post a couple soon.

goodnight!

Trip to Austin

Well, here we go. Our first family trip back to Austin. This is more of a work trip for me and hopefully, more of a family oriented trip for Beth and Lauren. We have a wedding this weekend and two more (weekend before Turkey day and Memorial Day weekend 08) before we're finished. After that, I will concentrate my photography efforts on flowers and buildings and other stuff that doesn't move unless it's named Lauren. Speaking of Lauren, she was primping for Austin tonight...

I cannot get over this girl's curls!!!

Someone actually asked Beth if they were natural!?!

We're just about packed, but I'm having difficulty figuring out what gear to leave behind. Honestly, I could probably shoot the whole wedding with 2 lenses, but you just never know what you're going to need or what you're going to leave on the front row of the church...

I got off early this afternoon because a water main burst downtown and we didn't have water at the pilot plant. No water = no bathrooms or AC = go home. I can't say that I complained too much. I had a migrain that didn't go away until I napped for about an hour. Beth had a biopsy on one of her moles today, so please say a prayer that it comes back negative. You always hold your breath until you have been cleared.

We're still trying to get used to how things work in a small town. It seems like we're always getting the run-around in some way. Yesterday, for instance, the lady that was scheduled for at least a month in advance because she was booked solid, called and canceled 30 minutes before Beth's appointment. Not exactly small-town hospitality. Of course we have no way of knowing if she had a family emergency or what, but still, it's just one example in a long chain of events. Our lawn guy is flaky. We practically had to beg to get an OB appointment and sonogram 6 weeks late (we should have found out a month ago that we're having a boy). Just stuff. So, on a whim, Beth called Patricia, her hairstylist from Austin and she's going to go in after hours on Sunday night to do Beth's hair. We miss people like that. I guess we're just not considered "locals" yet.

Alright, our little baby is demanding that Beth eat some icecream, so I'll sign off in a sec. Before I leave, Lauren wanted me to post a couple of photos of her new friend, Sam Gregory.

the day before hump day...

It's only Tuesday, but it already feels like Wednesday. I suppose that makes for a long week.

We had Bible study tonight. I met a lot of great guys and I'm hopeful that my experience will be somewhat akin to my first Bible study group in Austin. That study started a number a lifelong type friendships. Beth enjoyed her Bible study as well (the wives of all the guys in my study). It's good to feel a part of something--it makes the transition to Bartlesville that much easier.

Lauren enjoyed our Bible study, too. She stayed up WAAAAYYY past her bedtime. She normally goes to sleep around 7:00 but didn't finally conk out until about 9:00 tonight. Maybe she'll sleep in for Beth tomorrow or she'll have a good morning nap after her flu shot...poor kiddo. It's never fun to get stuck by a needle. Erin, our newly found babysitter, took great care of her tonight. To make matters even better, she knows the meaning of the phrase, "Wooo Pig Soieee!" as she is a recent Arkansas grad.

That's it for now...goodnight.

And it's a...

BOY!!! We went to the OB's office this morning and he told us that we were having a baby girl. Then he realized he'd made a mistake and missed something :)

We're really excited--of course this means that we now have to buy all new clothes and such, but we can't wait. Now all we need is to figure out what we're going to name him. I'm thinking Habbakuk. Beth doesn't like it though, so we'll see.

The Last Day of September

Today was the last day of the month...a day that saw my nine year membership at Hyde Park fall away and a new beginning at First Baptist Bartlesville. I really feel like we've found a church we can call home. Pastor Joe Fowler is an amazing person and speaker and you can tell he has a heart that chases God. As we went down front to join the church, you could just see the look of joy in his face. This place is not about numbers, it is about people. Beth, Lauren, and I look forward to growing in the Spirit and making lots of friends at this church.

Lauren enjoyed her moment in the spotlight. As we were standing at the front, she suddenly noticed that there was a large projection screen for the choir to see the sermon (so it faces the pulpit). She saw us standing up there and started pointing at the screen saying, "Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!" Of course, this was picked up by the pastor's mic and she had the congregation--all 1,000-- rolling. The pastor lost his train of thought and the minister of education (a University of Arkansas grad) told everyone he'd never seen the pastor get so lost in the middle of an introduction. All in all, it was a great morning!

This afternoon, we took a few maternity shots of Beth. I'm including one here.



After the photo session, we decided to take a nap. Now that's how a Sunday afternoon should go. After we woke up, we ate dinner (roast) and watched a sudden downpour. The spiders all had to rebuild their webs. Lauren had a good time watching.

That's all for today, but maybe I'll have time to write a little more tomorrow--I'm taking the day off.

Fall is here...

We've gotten settled into our new house in Bartlesville. There is certainly an adjustment period that you go through when you move into a new place...you can never remember exactly where you put anything and that can be complicated by the fact that you now have two stories to deal with. It seems like anytime you want something, it's on the other floor. Oh well, I can't complain too much. The extra room is certainly nice.

Lauren is growing up so fast. Today, we went to a local nursery to buy some pumpkins. Lauren LOVES pumpkins. She sees one and will say pumpkin 17 times in a row...so we bought her 17 pumpkins.


We've been trying to get our house ready for fall because the weather has really had that crispness that comes right before the leaves change. I'm so excited for Beth to experience a fall season like the ones I grew up with--there's not much of a fall in Texas.

A couple of weeks ago, we had our first real break in the weather. It was about 55 degrees on Saturday morning. Beth, Lauren and I were downstairs in the den and Beth decided to let Meshach hang out on the patio below. She thought she should check in on him, but when she looked he was no where to be found. He decided that 55 degrees would be a perfect opportunity to chase the swan that mocks him while he's stuck on the deck. Beth looked out onto the pond and there was my dog (I say MY dog, because when he does something wrong he belongs to me) swimming in the pond not too terribly far from the swan. I have no idea what he planned to do with the swan if he caught it. I have a feeling that the swan would have torn him up, but I didn't tell him that. He thought he was big stuff until I yelled at him to get out of the water.

I hate to think of the thoughts running through all of our neighbors' heads...

This photo was taken pre-Meshach chase...

We've found a church home, I'm happy to say. First Baptist Bartlesville has just been absolutely wonderful. The pastor stopped by to visit us a couple of weeks after we'd been visiting and you can just tell that he has a heart for the Lord. We're really excited to get involved. The nursery is fantastic and we've met some people we believe will be great friends.

I guess that's all for now.

-c

Changes

This post finds me at work (8:10pm) knowing I will be here for at least another 10.5 hours. As I listen to an old band called the Jayhawks, I've been getting a bit nostalgic. Looks like I may have a little time to share what's been going on in my life the last few months.

First, an old friend, Jeff Niblack, introduced me to the Jayhawks while I was a co-op engineering student doing a stint at Protein Technologies. "Protein!" you say? That plant smelled so good the women complained that they gained weight just by working there. Oh, r-i-i-i-i-ght. Anyway, the plant was in Pryor, Oklahoma, and I suppose that it's a bit ironic that I would be listening to the Jayhawks while typing on the blog. I'll use that as a segue into the next paragraph.

I put my notice in last week with SRP--I'm trying to give them a couple of months though I fear that still won't be enough--and the reality of leaving is beginning to seep in. For over nine years, I have been in the same office, at the same desk, dealing primarily with the same people every day. I am leaving on really great terms, but it's really hard nonetheless. Because we're such a small research group, my absence will be magnified beyond typical departures. I've got a great relationship with my bosses--I work out with one--and you never know what you're going to get when you venture into the great unknown. Also, I've got a really unique, cool job. I'm trading all of it for financial gain and (hopefully) a better place to raise a family. A larger family...

We're about 2.5 months pregnant with our second child. I haven't even had time to process that yet. E has been uber sick (in the hospital for dehydration) and the photography business has been unrelenting. Between taking care of her, trying to take care of Lolo, and taking Meshach to Arkansas, I've been trying to prepare the house to sell. As I was walking to the control room this evening, I realized that if I didn't look like me, I wouldn't recognize myself. I have changed so much in the last 9 years...I feel like an old man. Not good.

In many ways, even though I believe it for the greater good, the change makes me melancholy. The music is fitting, though.

Easter

Beth is going to be helping me with the blog a little more as I seem to have trouble keeping up with the passing of time.

We went to HPBC yesterday for Easter services. WOW! We have some amazingly blessed vocalists at our church. Our friend, Cara, sang a solo that was just awe inspiring. I am so glad that we were able to take Lauren because she really loves the music. She REALLY loved the bagpipes--it probably has something to do with her Scottish heritage (haha). She was really good during church and we nearly made it through the entire service. We had to leave when she started distracting the good people behind us by waving and smiling at them. She doesn't mind the attention.

We had lunch in Driftwood--ham and green beans, salad, and most importantly, brownies. Somehow we made it home and didn't have any brownie leftovers in our goodie bag. I think John ate them all.

Here we are, it's Monday night and we're trying to get the site updated. Hopefully, this cold weather spell will soon be over (I think it's supposed to be 85 on Thursday, so we don't have to wait long). I hope you all have a blessed night.

Chris

Spring is here...

There is certainly something in the air...ummm...that would be pollen. Our allergies have nearly gotten the best of us. Lauren doesn't seem to mind too much yet. Work has been really crazy the last few weeks and photography has been picking up speed as we head into the wedding season.

Lauren is really beginning to pull up on things and is pretty coordinated. She can actually throw a ball to me if I ask her to. The downside of her learning to throw a ball is that she can also toss a sweet potato clear across the room at dinner time. She also knows that I am "dada." As I was looking at her tonight the realization of how much my parents love me moved me nearly to the point of misting up...I wish all kids could get as much love as Lauren does.

I tried to take a few bluebonnet photos today. They're really good this year but I just can't seem to find the time to get out and take some proper photos--with the tripod, shutter release, no wind, and a nice overcast day. Today was decent, but it was a little windy and there's not much of a backdrop out where I work.

Beth's allergies have been pretty bad the last few days so her mom came in today to help with Lauren. Thanks, Mary! I'm sorry you had to miss work...you probably weren't really "missing" it though, were you?

Lauren's first cousin (first cousin, once removed to be exact), Rylee Grace, was born at 9:46 this morning. She weighed in at 6lb 2oz and was 20in long. I'm glad that Lauren will have someone near her age in the family. All of this family stuff is going to have to happen on Beth's side because my side seems to be slow reproducers :)

On a sadder note, my Piggies can't seem to buy a basketball coach. I'm seriously concerned about what's going on at my alma mater. I guess that's all for tonight.