HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEUTY!!!

It's my handsome husband's birthday today and we are on our way to celebrate both Thanksgiving and Eric's birthday with his family. Next year he'll get to celebrate his birthday on the actual day of Thanksgiving, Eric always likes this because he gets pumpkin pie for a birthday "cake".

I know there have been a lot of cheesy posts lately but it's Eric's birthday so you'll have to suffer through one more.

To the Birthday Boy,

I love you soooo much and I hope that today you have an incredible birthday. You are an amazing husband, father and friend and I cherish each year more than the last. I can't wait to take Bella to shop for your birthday and watch her pick out bad ties, and silly golf trinkets. I look forward to getting to a point where I can spoil you again on your birthday like I did last year. Today, I plan to spend my time showing you my appreciation. I appreciate how much you love me, our beautiful daughter and our family. I appreciate how you care for and enjoy our friends and how you make our home safe and warm. I love you and I wish you the very best day!

Love

Trish

Trip to the Zoo

On November 7th, Eric, Bella and I headed off for our first trip to the Zoo as a family. We decided to got the KC Zoo to see the new baby Orangutan and enjoy pumpkin smashing day (that's when they give all the animals pumpkins and see how they react.) Bella and I went to the zoo this summer with some girlfriends and their kids but this was the first time Daddy got to see her react to the animals, and since she is quite a bit older, there was more of a reaction. We took the road less traveled and went straight away to see the new zoo baby Kali, We were pleasantly surprised to see several other baby animals throughout the day as well. We then headed to Australia(For those of you who don't know the KC Zoo, it's split up into continents with Africa being the largest and REALLY huge. You get a lot of good walking when you go to the zoo.)
Here Bella and I are heading down the shady path to see the Kangaroo's!

Bottle in Australia, I just love B in these overalls but the day was actually hot so she ended up having to change clothes.

Bella and Daddy! Here is a hungry Camel, this one was close enough that B really enjoyed watching it eat. Meerkats are my favorite animal so I enjoyed watching them play in their pumpkin.
Daddy and Bella watching animals then at the elephants exhibit. We sadly missed the elephants painting AGAIN, one of these days I'll catch those crazy elephants with a paint brush in their trunk. "Silly Daddy, that's MY sippy cup!" Several years ago Eric and I went to the Zoo and he took a picture of me coming out of the grass like a lioness. We decided to relive this pic with our little cub. I thought this was a funny picture, look at that tongue! Bella kept turning her hat to the side, I decided she was trying to make a fashion statement so I joined in. However, like many a mother before me I made it decidedly uncool and she took her hat off.
We had such a great and even exhausting time at the Zoo, I can't wait to watch her get more and more excited everytime we go.

Happy holidays everyone, I'll try to get up a great post about our Thanksgiving adventures as soon as we get a chance!

~Trish

Bella says...

Enjoy your Sunday, and go Broncos!

Playing Catch Up, Volume 4: Professional Photos

Okay, time for our last installment in the game of Catch up with a post that should have gone up about 5 months ago. Our Neighbor Scott McCauley just happens to me a fantastic photographer and we asked him to take Isabella's 6 month photos ( she's closer to 7 months in these but it's the thought that counts) He did an incredible job. You can view more of his work at his website ascottmccauley.com

Here's our incredibly beautiful baby!

That's how we put the professional BOOM in Neuteboom

~Trish

Playing Catch Up, Volume 3: Dinner at Krause's

The next entry in our frantic catch up is all about the AMAZING dinner we had at Robert Krause's in home restaurant. An establishment that is sadly closing down so he can have his home back. It is the epitome of fine dining here in Lawrence. For those of you who don't know, Eric and are what some call "foodies" we LOVE food. We watch Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen, and the chopping block for the pleasure of seeing real chefs cook. We make attempts to create our own top chef masterpieces and often take pictures of the well crafted food we cook. So when Connie decided to come to Lawrence to celebrate her Birthday at Krause's we jumped on the bandwagon as fast as we could. It was a celebration dinner, we celebrated Connie's birthday, the Neutebooms buying a house in Lawrence, the Averill's many theatrical successes, and getting Eric and I out of the house for an elegant meal. Since we're talking serious fine dining here, we got a sitter for Isabella and got all dressed up. And since we got dressed up.... We had to take pictures. However, we knew just pictures of us are in the past, they are way more fun with Bella so here we are all dolled up and Bella in her pink overalls that may just be one of my favorite outfits!

The girls

The boys and Bella

Family Portraits of the Lawrence Neutebooms

Isabella with Grandpa Duck.

After pictures Stephanie ( who is practically family at this point) came over to watch Bella and headed to Krause's. The food was to die for. We sat in the dining room ( the actual one in the house, not the restaurant!) and had at least a 7 or 8 course meal. The Kobe beef, and black cod were two of the courses that still stand out in my mind. It was the best meal I have ever had and I don't think it could possibly be recreated. We felt like royalty and serious V.I.P's.

Krause is now closing the house restaurant down but we are so thrilled we got the chance to go. He's starting a new place downtown and I look forward to watching him bring the culinary arts to Lawrence.

That's how we put the BOOM in Neuteboom

~Trish

Playing Catch Up, Volume 2: Jaqueline and Joe's Wedding

To start off on September 12th we got to see our dear friends Jaq and Joe tie the not, much in the Will Averill fashion, this was the second wedding for Jaq and Joe...to each other, that's right folks by September 12th they had already been hitched for nearly a year. However, the first marriage ceremony was in Witchita....at a court house...with no reception. What kind of wedding is that! So they decided to have a beautiful ceremony and great party on September 12th. Eric and I helped out with planning, set up, pie baking, and adult beverage drinking. I also took Friday off work for a fantastic Salon day with the girls. First, I picked up Jaq's mom and we went to the store for snacks. We then met up with everyone else at the salon for toes and nails. It was SOOOO relaxing.

That night was the rehearsal dinner where we enjoyed pizza and practicing the song for the wedding. I got to sing with Joe's family during the ceremony and it was a blast. Isabella also enjoyed meeting baby Henry and hanging out with us, this was one of the few wedding events she attended, the rest of the time she got to play and with Nanna and Poppie Averill.

Jaq did a lot of work on this beautiful wedding, here's a nice candid shot pre-wedding. This should be in a bridal magazine! This could also be a reaction to our singing.

She was pretty amazing and didn't let the stress get to her for long. Now we've got a happy Jaqueline. I like this ceremony shot, Their vows were beautiful and their love and personal touch was so evident in their vows, ceremony and entire wedding. My handsome husband filmed the ceremony, entertainment and toasts.

A table of friends.

Of course Eric had to take an artsy photo. Jaq and Joe had mason jars full of candles all over the place for this backyard wedding. It was gorgeous.

It was one of the best Weddings I've been to. The whole evening was so full of fun, friends, and family and included; a brilliantly written sketch about how the history of Jaq and Joe by Gaus and Emily, a wonderful set of poems written by Will and performed by Nelson, and some hysterical and lovely singing from the Ralston clan. I have to say that my heart belongs to our own wedding but this one was definitely in the top 5.

Congrats Jaq and Joe! Eric is still working on editing the video.

That's how we put the Boom in Neuteboom!

~Trish

Playing Catch Up, Volume 1: Bella and Friends

We've had so much fun this fall with a lot of events, it's been hard to keep the blog updated. So I've decided to do about 3 posts to catch you up. Here's Volume 1!

I love Bella in this hat, we had some fun waiting for our 9 month apointment playing with this hat. Dr. gave her the stamp of perfect again too. We have an amazing girl here.

After a disturbing trip to Zona Rosa and a failed attempt at visiting the Mall we finally decided to stop for dinner at Mimi's it was a blast and the first time Bella sat comfortably in a high chair. She was adorable, even though she and Daddy were a little bit grumpy with the bad service. I guess that's what we get for going to Missouri (just kidding!)

Keegan came over last month and gave up his bottle, Since bottles are for babies he decided to give his to Baby Bella. He got a great gift in return so now he's ready for a big boy cup!


Grandma and Grandpa Boom have really good friends that live in Kansas City, They are also Eric's Godparents and while the Neutebooms were in town they stopped by for a visit. Here's Bella with Erma and Connie. Bella became great friends with Dale and Erma and we are hoping to visit them in KC soon.



We also had our first bonfire/Campout. It was a little cold to stay the night but we stayed until bedtime watching people fish, making hobo dinners, and playing in the ball pit. It was a great party with our new friends from my new mom support group.

Bella was a huge fan of apple cider

She wasn't a fan of my taking the cup.

In the ball pit with baby Bublitz, Mikaela. Peek a Boom! That's how we put the BOOM in Neuteboom.

~Trish