Jeff and Kerri's blog | updates on our life together

Good morning

2009-12-05T07:05:00.001-07:00

Good morning, originally uploaded by Jeffry and/or Kerri.

Starting my last day of a bell-to-bell, solo work week.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Creepy

2009-11-29T19:31:00.003-07:00

Creepy, originally uploaded by Jeffry and/or Kerri.

I get weirded out when Kerri brings her class stuffed toys home to wash - when I walk into the laundry room, they look like they're all staring at me.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

This year we had Thanksgiving at the Mundle house and it was really nice. The food was terrific and it was fun watching football, playing Wii and eating. I am so thankful for the family we have here and across the country - you are the reason that this is my favorite holiday.

(the Broncos win doesn't hurt, either)

Meet Me at Maynards

2009-11-23T20:55:00.001-07:00

Kerri and I went to Meet Me at Maynards this week, and it was a lot of fun (and it was free). It happens every monday, but we can't go next week - who wants to come with us December 7th?

24 Weeks Pregnant

2009-11-21T18:39:00.002-07:00

I'm glad to announce that the tummy is here! And I might add, it is very cute! I can feel the little guy moving and occasionally I can even see my shirt move (which is kinda creepy). I'm still feeling great, and a trip to the doctor's office on Tuesday assured us that all is still going well. I can't wait to get into the new house and start arranging the nursery!

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Seppala

2009-11-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

It was a fantastic wedding, and we are so happy for you guys!

Trip to Virginia

2009-11-14T22:11:00.000-07:00

For the first time in a long time, Kerri and I made a trip out to Virginia to see family. We were able to spend a lot of time with Rick, Katia, Mateo and Marluce; we had a lot of fun!

We flew into Reagan Airport, which was cool - we were able to see the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and more from the plane. During the time we spent there we saw a lot of D.C., smashed some pumpkins, ate at some great restaurants, and spent time with the kids. We even got to see some of our New Jersey family who drove down to see us! You can see all of our photos from our trip on Flickr.

Mom and Dad Gardner

2009-10-29T21:39:00.000-06:00

I am so submitting this to My Parents Were Awesome.

Our new house

2009-10-29T20:19:00.000-06:00

About two weeks ago our offer on the house we wanted was accepted, and today was the professional inspection. Our inspectors were Terrence and Debbie Hayes from Hayes Home Inspection, and they did a wonderful job. Debbie compiled a 22-page report complete with photographs of Terrence's findings, and presented it in a nice binder along with a home maintenance tip booklet and information on Arizona Home Inspector standards. Terrence even showed me a couple of tips on garage door maintenance, the cooling/heating system, and the built-in irrigation system timer.

They bring their computer and printer with them to the property, so this was given to us before we even left the house! On top of that, Kerri and I received a digital copy of the report before we got home. I would definitely recommend them to any of our friends who need an inspection - they are good people, and thorough.

Most importantly, however, there were no major issues to report! The house needs a little paint here and there, but aside from that it's ready for move-in. Elway loves the new house and yard and met some of the neighbors today. We hope to close on November 18th.

The importance of the medium

2009-10-21T08:57:00.001-06:00

Tome Reader by Ozyman on Flickr

It's been said that e-book readers like the Kindle or Nook will not do for literature what the iPod has done for music. The argument centers around the fact that audiophiles enjoy music in all it's forms; whether it's digital, in person, or a cassette tape is of little to no consequence. For many people who love books, the medium is hugely important - the cover design, the texture and crispness of the pages, the font layout, et cetera are all part of the experience. There is a significance to the tactile and tangible features of the books that one would certainly miss out on when using an e-reader, despite the convenience that the device offers.

I find myself squarely in that category of book-lovers, though I would really appreciate the convenience that an e-reader would provide. I especially love collecting and owning books. So what I suggest is this: books that are sold in their physical form should have some sort of redemption code so the purchaser can download the electronic version of the book to their e-reader. Where I would never purchase an e-book by itself, I would have a hard time staying away from book retailers if this system were to be implemented. More devices sold, more books sold - it's a win-win!

Our baby boy

2009-10-17T06:49:00.003-06:00

As promised, here's Kerri's ultrasound that we had yesterday. The song is Brad Paisley's "Anything Like Me". It's a pretty thrilling experience to see your baby's heart on the ultrasound screen, and to be able to make out all 4 chambers, see his little leg and arm bones, and even to count his ribs.

I'm not sure if I've ever been this excited in my entire life.

It's a boy!

2009-10-16T18:34:00.007-06:00

It's going to be a boy and I can't stop smiling! That's not an exaggeration or just a saying, I have literally been smiling for four hours straight. And the more I think about it, the bigger I smile (and maybe cry a little). I don't think I've ever been happier.

Jeffry insists that I put a picture with every post, so here is this post's corresponding picture; this is one of my favorite pictures of Jeffry as a kid!

Jeffry will post the newest ultrasound later.

I'm so tired of this

2009-10-08T22:58:00.001-06:00

Seven-year-old Kylie Bruehler attends a memorial service for her parents Tuesday.

Two people were killed after a truck hit them when they were bicycling Thursday morning.

Deputies say Gregory, 42, and Alexandra Bruehler, 36, were riding a tandem bike (one bike, two riders) southbound on Highway 16 in Northwest Bexar County, when a pickup truck veered onto the shoulder and struck them from behind. Their bike was reportedly dragged for about 200 feet.

Alexandra was pronounced dead at the scene. Gregory Bruehler was taken to an area hospital where he later died.

...Investigators say there are no charges on the driver. They believe this was an accident and that somehow the driver lost control of his truck.

I'm tired of the ignorance of the law, the vitriol and hate towards cyclists, and the lack of enforcement of safe passing laws. I think it's ridiculous that friends of mine and others have been ticketed for minor cycling offenses when inattentive drivers who hit bikes are rarely given a slap on the wrist.

San Antonio Express News Columnist Veronica Flores sums it up pretty well:

...The bicyclists' ire has several targets - reckless drivers and law enforcement's inconsistent handling of auto-bike accidents, for instance. And then there's Gov. Rick Perry, who in June vetoed legislation that would have required motorists to give bicyclists and other "vulnerable road users" a clearance of at least 3 feet when passing on most highways.

For eight years, bicycling advocates worked to get such legislation passed, changing the proposal as necessary to gain widespread support. So sure were they of the bill's success in this legislative session - it passed unanimously in the House and 25-6 in the Senate - they asked the governor's office for a public signing ceremony in hopes of raising awareness of the new law.

Last month, former House Speaker Pete Laney's brother-in-law died after he was hit by a vehicle while he rode a bike on a service road of Interstate 20 west of Fort Worth. As with the Bruehlers, a motorist "veered into" Larry McQuien's path, according to published reports.

Some bicycling enthusiasts darkly joke that, when it comes to how bicyclists are treated on the road, they may as well be deer. But deer don't leave little girls as orphans.

Yes, cyclists need to be more aware of the law and stop blowing through stop signs at busy intersections. Yes, we could all be more aware. But until enforcement of the law starts protecting the vulnuerable, we can count on the creation of more widows and orphans.

via Tucson Bike Lawyer
Bicyclists on the road treated no better than deer - mySA.com

House Hunting

2009-10-08T07:15:00.000-06:00

Now that Kerri and I are having a baby, we've decided to pull the trigger on buying a home. We want to take advantage of the tax credit and market conditions are good for us to get in at a good price.

It's been a little bit frustrating, though. Since the deadline for the 10% tax credit is approaching fast, properties are starting to sell faster than we can get an offer in place for them. We've had one property that we really liked, but the listing agent hadn't updated the MLS database with the information that there was an active contract on the property. The property that we made a bid on last night already has one offer, so we have to hope that we out-bid them.

I know we'll get into something since there are so many homes out there, but I'm not very patient. I hope that we get an accepted offer soon so we can take this next big step in our lives.

New Commenting System

2009-10-06T22:40:00.001-06:00

Kerri and I like hearing from you guys on our blog posts - it makes us feel like we are more connected to our friends and family, and whoever else reads the blog.

But I've never been crazy about the commenting system that is built in to Blogger. I don't like the lack of consistency in visual appearance, and the template is difficult to modify. So I've installed the commenting system from IntenseDebate, which allows a couple of desired features:

One of these is authentication using Facebook connect or Twitter oAuth, to quickly and easily login as your facebook or Twitter identity while commenting. Commenters can also login using OpenID, or comment the old-fashioned way, by typing in a name and email address.
Another feature is a nested reply functionality, which allows people to respond to particular comments on a post.
People who comment can now subscribe via email to all the comments on a post or replies to their own comments.

This system will not appear on any post with existing comments, so as to keep said comments. It will only appear on pages with no comments and all new posts. So anyway - comment! We would love to see what our friends and family have to say about what we discuss.

17 weeks

2009-10-03T09:55:00.005-06:00

I'm 17 weeks pregnant now and I've had a fabulous pregnancy so far. No morning sickness or nausea, no anything really. I can't eat as much as I used to, and I was very tired for awhile, but that stuff's all manageable. I haven't gained any weight yet, and my tummy is just now starting to protrude. Which at first I felt good about, like "yay, look at me not getting fat". But then I see pictures on the internet of another first-time-mommy-to-be at 17 weeks (left) compared to me (right):

It makes me feel a little inadequate. The doctor is not concerned at all and neither am I, I'm just envious. I want a belly!

Or forever hold your peace!

2009-10-02T18:33:00.002-06:00

In two weeks we have our next ultrasound, and we should be able to find out the sex of the baby. So, folks, here's your chance: if you just know that it's gonna be a boy or a girl, let us know now. Write a comment telling us what you think it'll be. I don't wanna hear after we find out, "oh, I always knew it would be a girl!"- unless you wrote it in the comments section first. Otherwise, I'll think you're a big fat liar. If you'd just like to hazard a guess, that's great too, write it in the comments section. For the record, I'm going with girl, and Jeff's going with boy. So, whatdoya think?? Let us know!

I can relate

2009-09-30T17:05:00.000-06:00

Forget those smug stickers plastered on boring rides by soccer moms still under the illusion that smart people end up winning in life. Childhood seemed so full of promise and yeah we all had such potential. But growing up got a little messy and now we know just enough about it all to feel like we should be doing way better than we are. Anyway here is a sticker.

Inspired by this comic

Starting fresh

2009-09-27T00:50:00.002-06:00

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. - Alan Cohen

So after 25 yeas in Tucson, my mom and dad are leaving for Virginia. Dad leaves tomorrow and mom will leave in a couple of weeks once the move is all in order. I'm definitely sad to see them leave but I'm excited to see them take advantage of this new opportunity to start fresh. We'll miss you guys, but hopefully we'll have frequent visits.

Pageviews do not equal talent.

2009-09-23T10:14:00.007-06:00

paranoia by katiew on Flickr

The brilliant Seth Godin posted a short entry on his blog this morning regarding the hyper-measurement of today's society. Specifically, he refers to the fact that a Washington Post columnist just got laid off due to a lack of page views on his blog posts:

"...in a digital world where everything can be measured, we all work on commission. And why not? If you do great work and it works, you should get rewarded. And if you don't, it's hard to see why a rational organization would keep you on." (emphasis mine)

While I understand Seth's (and the paper's) position, I shudder to think how much this would affect discourse regarding important matters. The problem is, "great work" is not necessarily a magnet for page views, but controversy is; if columnists write material solely to get page views, the most ostentatious and outrageous writers will thrive - is this a standard that we want? Do we really think that this will impact journalism for the better, or will it just create more noise?

Completely biased video

2009-09-15T20:23:00.002-06:00

I know (or at least, hope) that this video doesn't represent too many people on the right, but I think it illustrates a real problem with how the Obama administration is criticized by people who clearly lack any knowledge in the topics of which they speak. [via]

Temptation

2009-09-15T08:22:00.001-06:00

In this video, various children are told to sit in a chair in a room with one marshmallow. The adult tells the child that they can either eat the marshmallow now or wait until they come back and as a reward, the child would receive another marshmallow for their patience. It’s funny to watch the kids squirm and wrestle with the temptation to eat the marshmallow. [via]

Don't cry, buddy.

2009-09-13T21:52:00.002-06:00

Pouty face, originally uploaded by Jeffry and/or Kerri.

Actually, yes - cry. Nice choke job, poutyface.

Memories

2009-09-04T20:21:00.003-06:00

One of my earliest memories of my childhood is watching this movie that David at BoingBoing posted today. I was three or four years old, attending Young Explorers Preschool, and I distinctly remember vomiting on my teacher when the skeletons began to dance together. Fortunately, it no longer has the same effect on me.

Baby's First Ultrasound

2009-08-27T21:41:00.002-06:00

Coming in early March to a crib near you.