December Mania Part II: Trish Gets her Master's Degree

After 4 1/2 years I have completed my Master's Degree. I decided that I had spent enough hours working on it I wanted to do the whole graduation ceremony and everything. I was really glad I did. Even though I finished my classes and work in August, it was really nice to attend the ceremony on December 18th 2010. It truly felt like a culminating event of a lot of work and a great resolution. Eric, Bella and my parents were able to attend the ceremony with me. It can be told best without words.

Bella watching with Nana and Poppie



























































































































Beautiful Pictures of Bella as she watched and ran around in the bleachers.








































The Ceremony


























Poppie texting during the speech. Bad Poppie!


















A Video of my Name being read and walking across the stage.


Mom the Graduate with Bella



























My beautiful family.


















Foreshadowing? I hope!



























My handsome husband and I. I could not have made it through without him. From bringing me snacks while I did homework, to watching Bella, to reading my papers, Eric has been there for me through the whole process. I love you baby and Thank you!


















I'm a happy girl!


















To Celebrate, Mom and Dad took Bella for an overnight and Eric took me out on a date. We began the evening with an Excellent meal at Angler's Seafood House and completed it with dear friends at the Lyon. Thanks to those of you who were able to make it and the many of you who sent wonderful messages and were there in spirit. It was a truly wonderful evening.






































So now, I'm officially smarter than my Husband. You all have permission to rub it in. Hee hee! ~Trish

December Mania Part I: Bella's Birthday Dinner

December 2010 was a whirlwind of events. Everything went so quickly in fact I hardly had time to get ready to go back to school, let alone blog. Therefore I fell behind, drastically behind. So be prepared audience, over the next several (oh 8ish) posts, I will bring you up to speed on the Neuteboom Holiday festivities.

The beginning of December was fairly uneventful. It wasn't until the second week (December 14th to be exact) that the adventures began. we kicked off our holiday season with Isabella's 2nd birthday. I can hardly believe that only two years ago I was watching White Christmas in the hospital with the snow falling. This year I watched it with a beautiful toddler bouncing around the living room and eating goldfish.

Bella turned 2 on Tuesday December 14th. In celebration my parents took the three of us out to Kokoro's for dinner. Bella loves sushi, especially miso soup, this was also the night we discovered her love of all things crab. She took down a whole portion of softshell crab nearly by herself.

In addition she loved sharing her birthday with Nana and Poppie, plus the bear given to her was such a hit that his name has officially become Birthday Bear. Here we are together at dinner.

Bella with Nana














A very happy Birthday Girl.













Roaring at Birthday Bear.











My Mama and I.


So thank you so much for a wonderful dinner Mom and Dad, you sure spoil us and especially spoil Bella.

~Trish

Memorable Monday

Memorable Monday

Memorable Monday

Happy 2nd Birthday Bella!

Our Beautiful girl is 2 years old today! I can't believe how the time has flown by. She is above average is smarts, and as independent and strong willed as Eric and I put together. We are the happiest parents in the world with our precious toddler. I can't wait for many more years to come. This just gets better by the day.

So Happy Birthday big girl! Mommy and Daddy are so so proud of you!

Memorable Monday

Lawrence Christmas Parade

This weeks Memorable Monday is brought to you by the Lawrence Christmas Parade. This past Saturday Bella and I had an exciting day filled with a Birthday party, parade and even a second Thanksgiving. The morning began with Bella's friend Sadie's 2 year birthday party. Sadie is part of The "Mommy Mafia" a group of friends and I who all met at a nursing support group and became great friends. We do playdates, lunch dates, mommy's night outs, and a book clubs. It's a wonderful group of amazing women who have been so important to me these past two years. Sadie and Tara are all within a week old of Bella so we enjoy having December birthdays together. Sadie's birthday was a blast and we all headed downtown to enjoy the Christmas Parade. Bella LOVED the horses. Whenever there was a gap between groups she looked very concerned as she asked me "More Horsies?" or "where'd horsies go?" At one point she stood up in the street, looked at me in great earnest and said "Horsies beut-i-ful." I readily agreed, they were beautiful. We saw donkeys, ponies, and all types of horses imaginable. Then afterwards we headed to lunch at The Orient (not our best visit, service was very slow, and food was half amazing, half awful).


























































On the way home Bella fell asleep for nap and was so out that Eric and I got her inside, took off her hoodie and a couple of layers before tucking her in bed, without even waking her up. Sometimes it amazes me how well she sleeps. Nap did take a bit longer than expected so we missed the majority of the Lampe's Thanksgiving part deux, we did make it over in time to meet a couple of their friends and do some grazing.

It was an outstanding Saturday, our Next few weekend are packed with Holidays and Birthdays and I'm looking forward to it all. Speaking of Birthdays, a shout out to Miss Evelyn Jones!! Happy 4th Birthday! I can't believe Evey is 4, I remember holding her in the hospital, snuggling with her over the following summer, watching her grow and thinking how amazing it would be to have a baby girl. Now I love watching her play with, snuggle and enjoy hanging out with Bella. Hooray for dear Friends who become Family. So cheers to the Jones Clan and Happy Birthday Evey!

~Trish

Memorable Monday

Memorable Monday

Memorable Monday

Memorable Monday

Our Budding Artist

One of the things we love about Sunnyside Daycare is amount of engaging activities. They do music time, outside play, games and of course ART! We finally have a collection of art from our Beautiful girl and it's awesome. In reading Elser 411 (where I steal many ideas from Heidi) I found that Heidi is taking digital copies of Jackson's Art. I thought this was a brilliant idea so I have begun to do the same. Here are a few of this budding Artist' new pieces. Enjoy!

Memorable Monday

Halloween Pictures

We had a fantastic Halloween Weekend. It started with Bella's school trick or treating that I was able to join and ended with a great night downtown.

Thursday Morning Bella and her friends got dressed up to trick or treat around the Dole and Hayworth buildings up on campus ( these are the buildings the Sunnyside and Educare call home) I was able to cover a couple of classes so I could see Bella's first school costumes parade. It was adorable!! Bella was the cutest bumblebee but she wasn't the only one. A couple of her friends were dressed as bee's as well. So much for originality! We weren't able to take pictures due to school policy but it was nice to get an extra day out of her costume.

On Saturday we were able to relax and lounge around the house until Costume time. After nap we picked up Nana and headed to the Lawrence Arts Center, to see Poppie in the show Cats and Bats and to enter the Costume Contest. Bella LOVED the sing alongs and was riveted by the play itself. She sadly didn't win anything in the contest but when it was her turn to parade across stage Eric and I both heard the whole audience say "ahhh" It made us so proud!


























Nana couldn't help but kiss that little bee, then she had to wipe the lipstick off her face. "Ahh Nana"











We then headed downtown for the trick or treat festivities. We saw many cute costumes and friends as we roamed the streets. Bella LOVED the lollipops and mostly wanted to eat the candy rather then collect it.

























































































Bella and I taking downtown by storm!














Flying with Daddy,



























Smile Bella!











A Candid Family Portrait












Nana, Poppie, Bella and Daddy--what a beautiful family!












I hope you all had a happy and safe Halloween, we sure did!

~Trish

Memorable Monday, Pumpkin Patch Edition