The Breeden Bunch

The County Fair

2010-10-03T21:52:00.014-05:00

This year we went to the Fort Bend County Fair for the first time.

It was just right for our kids. It wasn't too crowded or too big, and the weather was gorgeous.

Minnie's favorite things were the pink cotton candy, the giant slides, and the big obstacle course for kids.

Sammy's favorite things were the giant cows, the bumper cars, and the bubble guns. He could have run around chasing bubbles the whole time.

Amy's favorite thing was watching her kids have such a good time and this little exchange:

Amy: Wow, look at that goat Minnie. Isn't he pretty?

Minnie: Yeah! And look at all of his chocolate chips!

The highlight for Brett was taking Sammy through the mirror maze in the Fun House. Watch this video to the very end. The sound goes out for a minute, but it comes back. The part that cracks us up the most is how Sammy dives for his car when he drops it. The child loves his cars!!

Good times!

Sammy's Hair Cut

2010-09-03T15:53:00.009-05:00

Well, we finally did it! It was so hard for me to let her do it, but we didn't know when Elise would be here again, and she's the only one I trust with scissors that near my super squirmy Sam's head. So I bit the painful bullet and did it.

Here he is before...

And here he is afterward, with his beautiful Aunt Elise--the ULTIMATE master! She is SO good--patient, sweet, quick, precise, the BEST). I miss his locks, but this look is just great too! Isn't he a handsome little rascal?

We miss you Auntie Elise!

Summer at the Beach

2010-08-25T15:15:00.012-05:00

We recently got back from our annual stay on the Texas coast.

It was heaven on earth.

Grandma, Grandpa, Aunties, Uncles, and Cousins GALORE at our fingertips for a whole week!

HEAVEN!

We did lots of of our favorite things like:

Getting lovies from our aunties

Sailing with Grandpa

Crabbing

and Flying kites with Daddy

While the Texas coast may not have the most picturesque of beaches, it is the most kid friendly that I've ever visited--warm water, soft sand, gentle waves...We love our beach and we look forward to it all year long.

Until next time!

Learn Something New

2010-07-02T14:27:00.010-05:00

every day. That's what they say right? I don't do terribly well at that, but the other day, Brett taught me a new saying! I think it's so cute. He was watching a World Cup match and he said, "Now that guy is going to do a hat trick!"

I said, "A what?"

Do you know what a hat trick is?

It's when one player gets three scores in a row. Cool, huh? Apparantly this term is widely used in soccer and hockey, but it can apply to any kind of score or win that one player gets three in a row.

Later that same night I taught Brett something new. We were talking about an old friend--as in long time friend, and I described him as being a 'gold friend.' Brett said, "A what?"

Can you believe that in his 32 years of life he had never heard the song

"Make new friends, but the keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold?"

I was astounded. But then again he was shocked that I didn't know what a hat trick was.

It's fun to learn new things!

When it's Hot...

2010-06-26T20:22:00.005-05:00

and it usually is in Houston, its' good to find fun and inexpensive things to do indoors with the kiddos. Last week I took Minnie to see her first stage play for only 8 bucks a ticket at the most adorable tiny little volunteer run community theatre around. It's called the Fort Bend Theatre and you'll find it in Stafford. We saw The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It was perfect for a three year old...but I think that kids up to 12 would like it. Actually my 19 year old sister and I loved it too. The performers were mostly children from age 5-15 and then a few adults. They were so adorable! The theatre is old and tiny, which added so much to the charm. And with only eight rows, there's definitely not a bad seat in the house. After the show ended the actors all just stayed on the stage, so we could walk up to them and chat. Here's the website if you're interested! We loved it!

Auntie Christie and Uncle Derek

2010-06-21T19:27:00.005-05:00

are two of the very berry best aunties and uncles out there.

At the Kite Festival

We are going to miss you guys so badly!

After Minnie's dance recital where no one cheered louder than Aunt Christie.

Without you Minnie wouldn't have a talking belly button or be so proficient at using the thumbs up sign. She would have no idea that crying made her 'owies' hurt more. You guys made my kids feel so loved and special every time you were around.

We can't wait to visit you in PA!!!

We love you guys!

P.S. I don't like to boast, but the other best aunties and uncles in the world are also in our family. My kids are exceptionally lucky.

Pot de Creme au Chocolat

2010-06-17T20:31:00.014-05:00

I am so happy to have finally found this recipe!

It brings back the fondest, most lovely memories of my study abroad in Paris when I was in college. Very often after dinner my host mother would serve me and my roommate these amazing little glass pots of velvety, soft, chocolate cream for dessert. She just bought them at the grocery store--yes even French 'junk food' is remarkably better than anything we've got. And I've been craving them ever since I got home...nine years ago! They are the most wonderful little puddings ever--although pudding is far too plebian a word to describe what a pot de creme is. By the way, thank you Mrs. Lisa Piorczynski for teaching me that word on that very study abroad. I can still remember almost the exact conversation--weird I know. So many beloved memories!!!

So this dessert really isn't too hard to make, but it did take me two times to really get it just right. Everyone loves it. Sammy likes his with whipped cream.

He's saying "MMMmm" here.

A good thing about this dessert is that it's already portioned out nicely--though that hasn't stopped me from eating, let's just say--more than one 'pot' in one sitting.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate finely chopped (don't use chocolate chips--they leave a weird texture floating on the top of the creme)
6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whipped cream to garnish if you want it--I usually don't, but the missionaries did.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Butter six 3/4 cup ramekins or eight 1/2 cup ones. Line a shallow baking pan (I use a large cake pan) with a small kitchen towel.
In a saucepan over low heat, combine the cream, milk, and chocolate and heat, whisking constantly, until the chocolate melts and the liquid is warm. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Remove from heat.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until blended. Slowly pour in the hot chocolate mixture while whisking constantly until blended and the sugar dissolves. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1 pt. measuring pitcher. Skim off any bubbles from the surface (I never do that part). Divide the custard evenly among the prepared ramekins or pots. Place the molds in the towel-lined pan and pour hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the molds. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. (That's called a bain marie.)
Bake the custards until they are set but still jiggle slightly when the ramekins are shaken, 40-45 minutes. Carefully transfer the baking pan to a wire rack, let the custards cool slightly, and then lift the ramekins out of the water bath. Cover and refrigerate the custards until well chilled, at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Serve the custards topped with whipped cream, if desired.

Bon appetit mes amis

PS If anyone knows how to get an accented e into a blog post, please let me know.

Sleepy Head

2010-06-14T14:03:00.005-05:00

Sammy calls Goldfish "Hishshshies," and he knows that I always have them in my bag. At home if he wants a snack I'll often see him digging through my diaper bag looking for them. And when we're out on an errand and he gets peckish he says, "Hishshsh, hishshsh...mo', mo,'" and reaches out with his soft pudgy little hand. Oh, I just love everything he does!

Couldn't you just eat him up!!!!!

A Little Minnie Makes Everything Better

2010-06-13T16:16:00.010-05:00

I am so proud of my Minnie.

She is loving and nurturing to all around her. Yesterday was a prime example of her nature in action. We went to the baptism of a little girl named Fazia, who Minnie had never met before. Minnie really loves baptisms, even though she can't sit through the whole program. The sweet little girl was really scared to go all the way under the water. The earnest missionary tried so many times and so many ways to gently immerse her in the water, but after trying for nearly an hour, they ended up throwing the towel in. They'll try again after she's practiced more in a swimming pool. But Minnie almost stole the show with her sweet, encouraging voice. She was right up front kneeling on the floor in front of the font saying,

"You can do it Fazia. I know you can. You can do it. Don't be scared."

It was beyond adorable.

Minnie with her beautiful cousins Ginger and Erin at the zoo.

I am so proud of my little Minnie. What a great example she is to me of unconditional and universal love. I hope that I can always remember the soft, loving sound of her little girl voice, or at least always hear it somewhere in her voice as she grows up.

Beep Beep

2010-06-10T14:00:00.012-05:00

My little Sammy boy really really REALLY loves cars--or 'eee-ee' as he calls them.

That's Sammy Speak for "beep beep."

He thinks and talks about them all day long.

It can be tough to pry his little cars from his fingers.

The other night when I was putting him down for bed,

he was driving his car back and forth across the pages as we read his favorite book.

And his first uttered phrase (that I caught on to at least) was inspired by one of his favorite movies, and of course, a car. Minnie and Sammy really love The Iron Giant. There's a part where the giant throws a car over a forest.

Sammy loves this part, and here's how he retells it:

Sammy's own words:"Bobot, eee-eee, WHOAH!"

Translated by Mom: "Robot, beep beep, Whoah!"

And further translated, "That robot threw the car into the sky! It was amazing!"

He'll bring it up sometimes randomly, like at the dinner table. It is so fun to see his personality, tastes, and enthusiasm developing! And I just find it thrilling to see him start to understand how language works, and to hear him making his own phrases. So fun!

Curly Head

2010-06-08T10:17:00.009-05:00

Here's my beautiful Sammy on a hot, humid, sweaty, chalky, sandy, summer afternoon.

Most people hate the humidity in Houston, but I LOVE it! It feels nourishing and comforting to me. But the thing that I love the most about it right now is, what it does to Sammy's hair.

Isn't it just adorable!!

The African Queen

2010-05-30T15:19:00.007-05:00

Last night Brett and I had such a great 'date night in.'

Everything fell into place perfectly.

The kids were in bed and asleep by 8:00, so we got to eat a quiet dinner, watch a movie, and get to bed ourselves before 11:00. We ordered a pizza, since the kids just had watermelon for dinner (and couldn't have been more delighted) and then we popped in a classic movie.

"The African Queen" is, without a doubt on my top 10 list of favorite movies.

And it definitely takes the number one spot for a date night movie. The first 15 minutes were a little rough. But once it was just Bogie and Hepburn on a boat, it was pure magic! It was filmed on location in Africa (before that was the norm) and the writing and acting are so completely charming. And the story is totally fabulous! It makes you want to go on an adventure with your one and only so badly!

It's hard not to write about my favorite parts,

but I don't want to spoil it for any who hasn't seen it.

Be sure to try mimicing Bogie and Hepburn's distinctive accents. I think I said, "Uh, Mr. Allnut?" almost as many times as Katharine did in my attempt to get her accent just right. Such characters, those two!

Dinner and a Dance

2010-05-28T20:55:00.006-05:00

The mini mariachi band at dinner tonight was wonderful.

Clementine clapped enthusiastically after every song.

They came over and played "La Cucaracha" for her.

Of course she had to get up and dance and of course she needed a partner.

Thank you Aunt Emily and HAPPY BIRTHDAY. After this number they even played Elmo's World for her.

You should have seen the stars in her eyes.

Masterpiece

2010-05-12T14:18:00.008-05:00

I love children't books.

And I am so delighted that Clementine AND Sammy do too!

Right now this is one of our favorites. The illustrations are completely darling, and the story is really sweet.

My dad read it to her the other night, and I think I may have seen misty grandpa eyes.

Plus, it's SO fun to hear my three year old say 'masterpiece.'

It's such a great word.

It feels so important and exciting, doesn't it?

Clementine loves to say it.

She doesn't just say, " I want to read this book."

It's always, "I want to read Sophie's MAsterpiece tonight Mommy."

(I'm trying to signify a dramatic accent on the first syllable there).

Sharing...

2010-04-11T21:49:00.010-05:00

Minnie requested that we have family home evening tonight. Afterwards, Minnie says that it's time for our treat, and Amy says that she can finish the chocolate bunny that the Easter Bunny brought her.

Minnie seems content, but I wanted a couple of the little Reese's Peanut Butter Cups that the Easter Bunny stashed in the pantry. I brought two of them to the table, and Minnie promptly grabbed one. The following conversation took place:

Daddy: Minnie, those are Daddy's treats.

Minnie: I'll have this one, you can have that one...that's sharing. Heavenly Father wants us to share.

Touche', Minnie. Touche'.

Happy Easter!!!

2010-04-04T19:34:00.006-05:00

Here's wishing all our friends and family a Happy Easter. Please enjoy this video of Minnie, in which she sings of Hot Cross Buns, expounds the Resurrection, decorates Easter eggs, and states multiple times that the sparkles (glitter) will help her fly.

Houston. Snow. Now.

2009-12-04T12:31:00.001-06:00

Six Month Update. What, You Expected More?

2009-05-27T21:58:00.008-05:00

Wow, funny how six months just fly. In all fairness, a baby tends to take up large amounts of time. Whether that's enough of an excuse to justify my neglect of this blog is up for debate. Sam has, of course, grown. A lot. He's a big boy. Not terribly chubby, but he's built solid and has long arms and legs. He's sitting up and has been on the cusp of crawling for about a month now. He can get up on his hands and knees and rock, and somehow moves backward, but can't seem to move forward.

Minnie is growing into the cutest little girl. Ever. I know, she's my daughter so I must be biased, but I'm telling you, she's cute. She's a talker. Some of her favorite subjects include (1) the fact that mommy, grandma and grandpa all love to eat lobster and that "They're delicious;" (2) The fact that she now is, is currently turning into, or someday when she grows up will be a mermaid; (3) the fact that today is her, my, or your birthday, regardless of the date; (4) the fact that she is too little to do what you are asking her to do, especially if she is not, in fact, too little (such as, "Minnie, you need to stop crying." "No Daddy, I'm too little.") (5) the fact that she will someday get married in the temple (variations on this subject include needing to marry me, baby Sam or her tiny plastic dalmation toy).

Anyway, so that's where we are in a nutshell. More to come...

Introducing Samuel Randall Breeden

2008-11-16T22:14:00.002-06:00

We're thrilled to announce the birth of our son, Samuel Randall Breeden. He was born November 10, 2008, around 1:00 p.m. He weighed in at a healthy 8lbs, 8oz and was 21 inches long. Amy and Sam are both healthy and recovering well. He's named after his maternal grandfather, great grandfather, great great grandfather, etc. His takes his middle name from his father and paternal grandfather. He looks decidedly more like his mother than his father, especially when comparing baby pictures. Minnie is loving having a new baby around and is adjusting well. We absolutely adore him and can't wait for you all to meet him. More photos can be found here.

Ike Update...

2008-09-14T12:37:00.003-05:00

Just a quick note. Hurricane Ike has now come and gone. Amy's parent's home (where we're still living for now) didn't sustain any major damage. They lost a few fences that were pretty old, but otherwise, mostly leaves and small branches. Minnie started getting sick on Thursday night, starting with some vomiting and then a fever. So we had a couple of really rough nights with Minnie running a fever of over 103 and the wind and rain making all kinds of noise. Her fever finally broke this morning. Luckily, Amy's parents bought a generator this fall so we've had fans, fridges, and occasionally the TV and computer on which has kept things sane. The power is still out, and as they were reporting that most people in Houston had their power out, it could be days (or even weeks).
We were supposed to close on a house on Sept 23rd and I drove by it yesterday to see if there was any damage, and besides a few shingles and damage to a gutter, the house is OK. Sadly, we lost the largest tree in the front yard (it fell on the neighbors house). It was some sort of oak, so we were bummed to lose it. Hopefully, the current owner will get things fixed and we'll still be able to close on the 23rd or soon thereafter.
We'll let you know as things progress.

We're having a...

2008-07-18T00:20:00.004-05:00

BOY!!!

I hate to steal my wife's thunder but she hasn't jumped at the chance to post this so I figured I would. We found out Tuesday morning. I'll leave it to Amy to post pictures of the proof if she dares. We're extremely excited to have "one of each."

In other news, we've been shopping for a house. It's a little scary with all the craziness that is the housing/mortgage market these days, but Houston has always been reasonable when it comes to housing prices and we haven't seen the kinds of increases (or recent decreases) in home prices that so many other areas have seen. There are still a decent amount of foreclosures out there as well as homes up for sale so hopefully we'll find just what we're looking for. Luckily, we've been able to spend the last year here with Amy's family which has allowed us to save up a little for a down payment (as well as pay cash for the baby--though it's surprisingly more affordable than you'd think).

Anyway, we're truly blessed and totally excited these days and we're so glad to share the news with you.

See you around...

Announcement

2008-06-19T09:22:00.004-05:00

Wow! It's Amy here. This is my first time to blog! My sister Bertie who is a blogger extraordinaire has been nagging me endlessly about doing this, as have a few other loving people, so here I go! Hopefully I'll become converted and start to do it more often...like a couple times a month or so.

Well, here is our announcement! We're expecting baby number two! We are so so so thrilled. I've been wanting another baby since Clementine was born, and Brett can't wait either. The due date is Nov. 16th, but we'll probably have the baby a little earlier because the ob-gyn I'm seeing insists on delivering C-section babies a week early. We'll have an ultra sound on July 2nd to see if it's going to be a boy or a girl. I LOVE ultra sounds. I can't wait! I don't care which one we get...boy or girl, and Brett doesn't care too much either, but the rest of the family on both sides really seems to be rooting for a boy.

Here's a little picture from the ultra sound they did a little over a month ago. So exciting!!!

4 Down, 1768 to Go

2008-05-09T20:58:00.009-05:00

Today marks the end of four weeks at my new job. So far things have gone pretty well. I've finally learned everyone's name (I don't know why I find it so hard--I'm great with faces but I always forget names) and I feel like I'm fitting in OK. The work consists of writing Title Opinions, which are basically opinions as to who owns what concerning oil and gas interests in a particular piece of property. When a company decides to drill a well, they send us information about the property in question going back to when it was patented (granted) to some individual by the State of Texas (or sometimes by the Mexican government or even the King of Spain). We review the information and make a determination about who owns what, and point out any potential problems with the title. You'd be surprised how messy it can get at times. Anyway, it's a good place to start and I 'm grateful to have a decent job. Plus being home with Minnie and Amy each evening is a real treat. Amy and I are still living with her parents and we'll probably keep doing so while we look for a home. We're thinking about buying some time in the next six months and look forward to putting a little money away in the meantime.

And for good measure, as no post can be complete without some picture or video of Minnie, here's a shot of her in a dress her Great-Grandma Sally made for her. It's a precious dress and my Grandma spent many loving hours smocking the front of it by hand.

Clementine's First Birthday

2008-04-26T11:02:00.011-05:00

We celebrated Minnie's first birthday this past week. We started out the celebration last Saturday with the Breeden side of the family up on the north side of town. There were cupcakes for all and Minnie had a blast playing with her cousins.

She also had a chance to play her favorite game: run away from Amy on the trampoline as Amy tries to keep her from running right off the edge.

Then, last Monday, we celebrated Minnie and Grandma Young's birthdays (both born April 21st) with Amy's side of the family at Benihana, which is a Young Family tradition. She loved pretty much everything at Benihana, but especially the mushrooms from the soup and the fried rice.

When we told Minnie to blow out the candle, she did the only "blowing" she knows how to do: blow a kiss.

She's such a sweetheart and we love her so. We can't believe she's already a year old!!!

H-town here we come, I mean, stay, I mean...

2008-04-01T18:12:00.003-05:00

We have some good news to share (and no, this isn't an April Fools joke). Yesterday I was offered a position at a boutique firm in Houston called Labanowski & Associates specializing in oil and gas law. This is very happy news as on many levels but especially because it means I won't have to work up here in Ft. Worth anymore away from the family. I interviewed with them a couple of months back and Amy and I decided to hold off making any decisions about moving up to Ft. Worth until we heard the final word from them. It took a while, but the waiting paid off and now I'm set to start there on April 14th. We're sad that we won't be near many of our friends up in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area but we're so happy that we'll be able to stay close to both of our families in Houston. And for the occasion, I've put together a top ten list. Enjoy.

You know you've been living (and working) at a hotel too long if:
1. Maids ask how your daughter is doing by name every time you see them.
2. You only leave the hotel once a day, usually to get dinner, from which you promptly return.
3. Your sleeping cycle has become confused as the industrial strength window curtain doesn't allow the sun to "rise" normally.
4. Walking down to the gym where they have filtered water has become a much anticipated "break."
5. You can't remember the last time you made your own bed.
6. The last line of "Hotel California" hits a little too close to home.
7. You've actually filled all the available drawers in the hotel room furniture.
8. Chatting on a grainy webcam has become "quality time" with the family.
9. Your daughter waves at TVs, computer monitors and pictures because she thinks they're alive, just like her daddy on the webcam.
10. You actually look forward to a 4 1/2 hour car ride every Friday afternoon because it means seeing your family.

Minnie's Walking!!!

2008-02-18T19:02:00.003-06:00

First of all, the big news from the Breeden Bunch is that our little Clementine is walking. She really started a few weeks ago, and I even cut together a video a couple weeks back and posted it on YouTube, but I failed to post anything here. Anyway, it's below for your viewing pleasure. It doesn't show her very first steps, but she only started to really walk 2 days before we took this video. The cowgirl outfit it courtesy of Aunt Lisa.
As for us, I'm working up in Fort Worth (living in a hotel for now) doing doing Oil and Gas work. Amy and Minnie are still living with her parents while we try to find a place to live up here (should we buy, should we rent, apartment or house?). The long distance thing is tough, but I see them every weekend and we invested in webcams.
Anyway, enjoy the video below.

Clementine at Six Months

2007-11-11T09:49:00.001-06:00

It's Official

2007-11-01T22:18:00.000-05:00

I am totally stoked to be able to tell you all that as of approximately 4:00 I am officially a lawyer (well, technically I need to be sworn in, but that will happen on the 12th of Nov.). That's right, the bar results came in a day early and I passed. I hope this doesn't shock anyone too much;-) I was a little nervous as the test was the absolute worst 2 1/2 days of my life, but at least I don't have to do it all again. Now all I have to do is find a job, and I'll actually be grown up. Until then, I'll continue to spend my days playing with Minnie, Amy and my Wii.

I swear officer, I didn't do it...

2007-10-07T20:46:00.000-05:00

I was politely informed that "blog neglect" is a crime. While there was no citation to any code and section, or even a court case, I figured I should be on the safe side and post a little update. Life as an unemployed lawyer is treating me well. It has the added benefit of actually watching my little girl grow up. She is doing that extremely well, but a little bit fast for my taste.
Clementine cut her first tooth about 3 weeks ago now, and it was closely followed by a second one next door (bottom, middle to be exact), so she now has the cutest little grin a dad could ever want. She's of course sitting up, and rolling over, and she even likes to stand up next to the couch on her own. I could continue to brag (granted, this may not qualify as bragging since I don't think any of this is rare for a baby her age, but we're darned proud), but you get the picture. She's the picture of perfection, and we love her to death.
Amy has started her on solids (why we call food that's been mashed to a pulp "solid" still perplexes me) and Minnie has surprised us all by actually eating most of what gets put in her mouth. We've been blessed with a baby that doesn't spit it all out, then smear it all over. Amy has actually been making the baby food herself, which I appreciate since I'm not bringing home any bacon, and baby food isn't cheap. So far she's eating carrots, green beans, and applesauce, as well as rice and barley cereals. Amy's trying to introduce something new each week.
As for me, up until a few weeks ago, I was spending at least 3 hours a day applying to jobs. Mostly Houston and Dallas, though we'd prefer to stay in Houston and freeload off of Amy's parents for a while in order to pay off some of our student debt. I say up until a few weeks ago because I got two weeks of temporary work doing some oil and gas work up in Wyoming which was a fun adventure, though I realized I don't want to travel too much when I grow up. I missed Amy and Minnie a ton, and would have been miserable had I not been able to chat with them on the webcam. That wrapped up a week ago, and then I got home and had an interview last Tuesday. I'm still waiting to hear back, but it seemed like something I would be interested in. The firm does corporate securities filings for a bunch of companies as well as other business and transactional type work.
Anyway, I think I've written enough to cover my rear. Especially since you all probably just wanted to see more pictures of Minnie. Rest assured, there are a few more on the way.
Chau.

Clementine At Play

2007-10-07T20:32:00.000-05:00

Cute?

2007-08-20T15:53:00.000-05:00

We may be a bit biased, but we think so...

Like Father Like Daughter

2007-08-16T23:10:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of me around six months and Minnie around 3 months. I think there's a pretty strong resemblance.

Like Mother Like Daughter

2007-08-16T16:32:00.000-05:00

What should you do if you haven't posted something forever? Well, starting off with a really cute picture can't hurt. I really have to appologize. We wanted to keep things up to date, but it's been busy lately. I took the Texas Bar Exam at the end of July. It basically consumed my life for a couple of months. Thankfully, we're on the other end of it now, but for a while there, it was pretty crazy. Alas, I won't get the results back until the beginning of November. At least when I wake up from the bar-related nightmares (I wish I was kidding), I can rest knowing it's already over.
We decided to move in with Amy's parents (again) to save money and so far it's going really well. We have a large comfortable room (which seems a lot like a studio apartment), and Minnie even has her own room (though it's pretty bare at the moment). We're also closer to both of our families, which has been great.
Clementine keeps growing up. She's laughing and smiling and even rolled over the other day. She loves to stand up (with a little balancing help from mom) and most importantly, she's sleeping through the night for the most part.
Look for new photos over in our web albums (link on the right side). I'll try to post a few more on here, and we have tons of video that I need to throw together and post online as well, so keep your eyes out.
Take care and by all means, keep in touch.
Brett

Clementine Blessing Day

2007-06-03T21:10:00.001-05:00

We blessed Minnie at church on May 20, 2007, the morning after I graduated from law school. Most of our immediate family, as well as a few of the extended family were able to make it to the blessing. It was a wonderful weekend.

Minnie Sleeping

2007-05-14T22:09:00.000-05:00

Here's a new picture of Minnie sleeping. There are more new pictures in the Breeden Bunch Photos page on the right hand side.

Minnie's First Bath

2007-05-14T21:16:00.000-05:00

Per Grandma Breeden's Mother's Day request, here's another video of our precious little Clementine. This was the first "bath" we gave her, even though she didn't really get very wet.

Announcing the Birth of Clementine Joy Breeden

2007-04-21T21:04:00.000-05:00

We are pleased to announce the birth of our first child, Clementine Joy Breeden. She was born at 12:21 AM today, April 21, 2007. Her nickname will be Minnie. She's a big one, 9 lbs., 2 oz., and has a full head of hair. It was love at first sight.
Click below to watch the video, or to see a bunch of photos, click here.

Not quite here yet, but on her way...

2007-04-20T17:50:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. We're here at the hospital now. Amy has been in labor since Thursday the 19th, at 3:30 AM, or about 38.5 hrs. Obviously, it has been a long hard road for her, but she is doing a great job and our midwife, Lindsey says she should only have a few more hours to go. We'll be sure to get pics and video up here as soon as is possible. Until then, here's a video of our little bird Eco, who is waiting at home for the newest member of the family;-)

Our little gal

2007-04-16T23:22:00.000-05:00

Well folks, she's not here yet, but here's a preview. She's proving to be a stubborn little girl as she was due last Thursday but is taking her time. This was taken last December and shows her skinny little legs all stretched out. We'll be sure to keep everyone posted as soon as she's born.

Sun Studio

2006-03-19T21:26:00.000-06:00

Here, Amy is singing into the same microphone that Elvis is licking in the picture behind her. We took this at Sun Studio, the place where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis were all discovered and cut their first records. It was like visiting hallowed ground for me...

In front of Graceland

2006-03-19T21:04:00.000-06:00

Well, Amy and I have just returned from our spring break trip to Tennessee. We were looking for somewhere close enough to drive to and interesting to visit, and we came up with Tennessee. Our trip included a visit to Graceland as well as other fun places. More photos to follow...

Been a while

2006-02-22T15:45:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone. I know it's been a while but I've been buisy as has Amy. Her students just took the writing portion of the Texas standardized test for school children. She's both relieved and a little nervous about getting back the results. I'm still in law school, and this semester has been pretty good so far. I'm on a mock trial team and we'll be competing in the ATLA national mock trial competition in a few weeks. I let you know how it goes. I was an alternate on a team last semester, so this will be my first time actually competing. Sadly, I won't be traveling anywhere since the Regional competition is in Dallas. If we do make it to the nationals, we'll be heading to Miami. Since we have a young team, I don't have super high expectations, but I think we're solid and we'll see how it goes.

One more happy note. We brought home our new parakeet just a short time ago. We're still not sure if it's a boy or girl, but we love the little guy. I'll post pictures some time soon. Until then, please take care.
Brett

Sad update...

2006-01-13T17:33:00.000-06:00

Amy and I were heartbroken to find our little parakeet Umberto dead last night. We buried him last night near the lakes in our apartment complex. When we first got him just a few months ago we were surprised at how much personality he had. We grew to love that little personality a lot and we'll miss his antics and sweet little chirp. Rest in peace Umberto.

Christmas at the Youngs

2006-01-01T13:31:00.000-06:00

After spending early Christmas morning with the Breeden family, we went across Houston to spend time with the Youngs. Here, our nephews Dante and Ethan open up a few presents from us while Amy's sister Elizabeth yawns ;-)

Christmas Morning at the Breedens

2006-01-01T13:21:00.000-06:00

La-La was thrilled to get a whole lot of stuff with Nemo on it, and Missy got a new bike as well as a Barbie and a Leapfrog video game system. It was a Merry Christmas and having the little girls there with us made it very special.

Train Time

2006-01-01T13:12:00.000-06:00

What would Christmas be without trains? My Dad and my nieces Missy and La-La took a little time on Christmas Eve day to set up the train in the back yard. The weather was beautiful and the kids had a blast.

4 down, 1 to go

2005-12-12T22:39:00.000-06:00

That's right. I'm just 1 final away from being half-way through law school. It's hard to believe. I just though I'd write something new. It's been a while

Umberto's First Road Trip

2005-11-30T16:35:00.000-06:00

Well, this Thanksgiving we decided to head down to Houston (sadly, our previous plans to go to Venezuela didn't pan out). Since we would be gone 5 days, we decided we needed to take Umberto with us. I'm glad to report he made the 4 hour trip each way without any problem. He also was surprisingly well adjusted at both my family's home and Amy's family's home. The break was great and now it's time to study for finals for me. In fact, I've been studying for my Wills and Trusts exam all day. Please, wish me luck.

Bath Time...

2005-11-18T17:26:00.000-06:00

Here's another shot of our little guy, this time bathing. I hope this doesn't upset the censors. Anyway, he likes to bath in the sink but he also likes to follow us into the shower. We think it's great.
And no, pictures of the him with us in the shower are not coming anytime soon.

Umberto Appears...

2005-11-18T17:21:00.000-06:00

Well, I thought it was about time to include a picture of our little feathery friend. Here's our pride and joy in one of his favorite poses. He likes to climb on top of his toys and do the splits between two of them. Don't ask me why. Anyway, we love this little guy.

Arrested Development R.I.P.

2005-11-16T16:39:00.000-06:00

Well folks, I've never been closer to wanting to end it all than right now. Another great series (this time, one that I actually watched) has been axed by the Fox network. I don't understand why they can't throw it into another time slot and just give it another chance. They know it's great. I know it's great. What's the problem. Seriously. People, watch it!!! I know they gotta make money and all that, but I honestly believe the audience out there for this show is a lot bigger than they think.
I know lots of people at school who watch it all the time. I mean, every now and then when the network actually decides to show a new episode. Hint, no one will watch it if you only show 5 new episodes in three months. Come on. People only tune in when something is there. A show needs to gain momentum. But I honestly think the viewers are there. They just aren't being watched by the Nielson people.
True, Fox did let it go three seasons, and with such low ratings there is something to be said for stickin with it as long as they did. But a chance in a better time slot wouldn't have hurt. I mean, Monday nights are tough.
Anyway, there is hope in that Showtime is thinking about picking it up. Heck, I don't see why UPN or the WB doesn't jump on that. A critically acclaimed show that gets as many viewers as they are used to getting. Sounds good. Buffy made the jump and went on for two years. I think Arrested Development could do the same.
NETWORK EXECUTIVES, IF YOU SHOW IT, I WILL WATCH. PLEASE GIVE THIS SHOW THE RESPECT IT DESERVES AND PICK IT UP FOR 5 MORE YEARS. YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!!

Just Back From San Antonio

2005-11-13T18:34:00.000-06:00

Well folks, I just got back from San Antonio and the Lone Star Classic mock trial competition. While I didn't actually compete (I was an alternate), the competition capped off a great experience practicing and learning a little something about real trials. Our team made it to the semi-finals, only to lose out in the end by two points (out of 100). I had a great time, learned a lot, and made some new friends at school and I'd say it was well worth all the work. I'm sure a few pictures will follow soon enough...

The newest addition to the Breeden Bunch

2005-11-08T10:09:00.000-06:00

Though it's a little late (but only because he was extremely early), this is a pic of little Braxton. Braxton is my sister Vanessas's first son and he's my first nephew. He was born Aug 17, 2005, about 2 months early so he's about as tiny as they come. We're glad to have the little guy with us.

Tablets, Chess, and the idiots at Ubisoft

2005-11-05T21:14:00.000-06:00

So, I recently got a tablet PC. Pretty cool. For those who don't know what a tablet is, it looks a whole lot like a notebook or laptop but has some added functionality. Specifically, the screen responds to a stylus, kind of like a PDA, only laptop size. There are several different types. Mine has a keyboard and has a screen that swivels and lays down on top of the keyboard. Others have removable keyboards or no keyboard at all. Basically, it is totally cool.
But mine has one limitation, no CD or DVD drive...

Which brings me to the chess part of this post. Lately I've been playing a lot of chess and I've been looking for a good chess program to play against the computer to learn as well as play online with friends and others. For years, the default standard in chess on the computer has been Chessmaster. The most current version is CM 10, which is supposed to be pretty good. I've been playing the demo that I download and I like it so far, though it has very limited functionality. There are other options out there like Fritz, but it is quite a bit more expensive and I'd like to stay in the $20 range.

So Chessmaster 10 would be my first choice.

Now, I don't mean to make this very technical, but there exist programs that make the computer think it has a CD drive and you can put files into them and they will act like a CD drive, they're called drive emulators. A good free one is Daemontools.
The benefits of an emulator include the ability to put a CD image (such as a game or other program) on your harddrive and then simply put the image in the emulated drive. This allows you to not have to carry around a bunch of discs or even be able to find the right disc. You don't end up leaving your discs around and scratching them. It can also save valuable battery power in laptops because they don't have to physically spin the CD in the drive.It's also the only way I can use programs that come on discs on my tablet PC...

Which brings me to the idiots at Ubisoft.
They apparently put so much copy protection on their discs (like Chessmaster) that it makes it impossible to even install the game on a computer with a drive emulator or even a CD burner. WHAT!!! I don't know if they even sell computers without CD burners anymore. Anyway, I think it's needless to say that sales of Chessmaster can't be that good. I went to 2 stores recently and they don't even sell it.

So basically, Ubisoft, in an attempt to thwart piracy, has made is so impossible to use their software that, even though I would like to buy it based on the demo I've played, I won't.
Way to go Ubisoft, you've prevented piracy, but you lost a customer.

Let's give it a go

2005-11-04T14:26:00.000-06:00

Well, here we go, my first attempt at putting it all out there. Actually, I'm not going to put a whole lot out there for now, but I thought it may be good to just say hello and get this ball rolling.
It's another lazy Friday for me, and after checking out my friend Kendall's blog I was inspired to start my own. I doubt I'll have as many great travel pics as him, but I hope this helps everyone keep up with us and our humble existence here in Dallas. Thanks for checking in, and we hope to see you again soon.