Julee, Jonathan, and Lil N's Adventures

Hello to Ms Rosales' 5th Grade Class

2011-10-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I remember watching Ms Julie, playing in her room. She would sit all of her dolls down on the floor or in chairs, and made sure they were all paying attention. She had them all facing the front and watching her as she wrote on her little chalk board. She was the TEACHER of course. She would spend hours everyday playing school with her little dolls and stuffed animals.

Looking back at that memory now, your teacher was already in training. She was preparing herself to help teach all of you. That is one thing I can say about my sister, your teacher. She will always give it her best, no matter what is put in front of her. You should consider yourself lucky to have such a great teacher that really cares, and will do anything in her power to help you learn.

Please pay attention, you definitely don't want her to punish you like she did to her dolls. :-) (I am only kidding of course).

Hope you all have a good day, and remember to dream big and never stop trying, especially if you fall.

Ms Rosales' Big Brother!
Jonathan

Williamson County Regional Park

2011-08-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

Train, Water Park July 2011

BBQ Pit

2011-08-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

BBQ Pit

17 months - Playing with Water Table

2011-08-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

Lil' N is now 17 months...walking and talking. How our lives have changed! We are loving every minute of it.

Boat - Water Table

Photos for Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

We were so fortunate to be invited to Crestview Baptist Church's Easter Egg Hunt. Lil N had a great time. Here are some photos.

2011 Easter

Photos from San Francisco

2011-04-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

Here are the photos from our trip. :-)

San Francisco

Packed up and ready to head home.

2011-04-16T08:52:00.001-07:00

We are all packed up and out of the hotel qand thru security at the airport. Talk about a nightmare. We made it thru and now just patiently waiting for our boarding (which is another hour and fifteen minutes.)

Final Day in San Francisco

2011-04-15T19:55:00.000-07:00

Today was our last full day in San Francisco, and I can't think of a better way to start out the day, than a trip to Denny's for breakfast. I have to admit, lil N was liking his playtime in bed with mom and dad before giving us the sign for food.

After breakfast N goes down for a nap while mom and dad start getting dressed and ready for the day. Once he wakes up, it is go time. He is so ready to go out and venture. Today was another low keyed day of window shopping and a last trip on the cable cars.

We took the cable cars down to Union Square and walked around looking at all the neat shops and such. N just waved at everyone as they drove or walked by. Every now and then someone would pay attention and wave back and smile. It is nice to know my boy is spreading cheer in San Francisco.

We then headed back to the hotwl in the trolley. It is always an adventure breaking down a stroller, setting down a back pack, and securing a kid in tote before the trolley starts to move. This should be some type of rodeo event. If it were Julee and I would win the gold buckle every time.

We head back home tomorrow. I think (you guessed it) we will have to have one more trip to Denny's before we leave. It is going to be a long day tomorrow, so everyone reading, please keep us in your prayers for a safe and adventureless travel day.

Giant Sea Gulls

2011-04-15T13:10:00.001-07:00

Even the Sea Gulls live a good life here in San Francisco. I swear I saw one carrying away a chihuahua the other day.

Lil N the flirt

2011-04-15T12:03:00.001-07:00

While eating lunch today, lil N was trying to flirt with the waitress to try and get us our lunch for free. We were almost home free, but she misunderstood a ba for a da and ca.

Touring the wharf and Piers

2011-04-14T20:09:00.001-07:00

Today started out just the same as every other day out here, with a trip to Denny's. Lil N knows all the waitresses there and loves playing Peek-a-boo with them as well. There really isn't a stranger with that boy. He loves waving at everyone and stretches out his hand as to shake or high five. I am working on the fist pound next

After breakfast we headed to Pier 39 and went to see the sea lions. Lil N really enjoyed seeing them and proceeded to mimic their calls, and then blew them kisses. We then went into the acquarium where we got to touch starfish, stingrays, and sharks. I think the best part was watching Lil N try to reach thru the glqss to touch the fish as they swam by. He is just so fearless and inquisitive.

Lunch time came around pretty quick, where we ate at Neptune's palace. N is really into rice and enjoyed a nice dish of vegetable risotto.

All in all, today was very low keyed, with just enough touristy stuff to wear you out. Tomorrow is our last day, so ifthere is anyhing left on our to do list, we beter get moving, but not without our stop at Denny's.

Thursday Lunch

2011-04-14T12:37:00.001-07:00

We are having lunch today at Neptunes Palace at Pier 39. It has a great view of Alcatraz from the bay windows. Unfortunately, the food wasn't as good as the view. On a positive note, Lil N did enjoy playing with the bread.

Jonathan Rosales

2nd half of San Francisco tour

2011-04-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

Jesse, our fabulous tour guide, picked us up this morning and we crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge and headed out to Muir Woods, home of the Giant Redwood trees. I knew these trees were tall, but holy cow, these trees went into the heavens. Can you imagine the step ladder needed for a tree house built in that tree?

After Muir Woods we cruised down the Pacific Coast Highway near Stinson Beach, where a lot of locals go to surf. We were able to stop along the coastline and take it in. I can understand why some folks are willing to pay big money for a house with a view. Sometimes you can see whales from that point. I think I could have sat there all day perched on that walkway looking at the Ocean...cue sappy music now.

We then headed into Sausalito and checked out some really eccentric house boats. These were 3 stories high. Really, 3 stories high? I guess I just don't understand, but then again people don't get how I tailgate. After that we ventured to different vantage points for views of the city. These were all breath-taking. It always amazes me to see a city's skyline. I totally understand why the San Franciscans are so proud of their City.

Answer to an age old question

2011-04-13T15:49:00.001-07:00

While touring Muir Woods we found out the answer to the question, "Does a bear crap in the woods?" The picture says it all.

Lil N loves a routine

2011-04-13T07:33:00.001-07:00

Lil N loves his morning routine, and we have adapted his routine while here in San Francisco. He wakes up and plays a lil bit, and then drinks a little milk. Then we are off to Denny's where he gets a scrambled egg.

It is funny, because he recognizes one of the early morning waitresses and plays peek a boo with her as she walks around the restaurant. The fact that he recognizes her is a good thing, but also a bad because we are aeting at Denny's AGAIN.

It wouldn't be a good start without our breakfast at Denny's. Here is to great weather and a ggod second half of our tour.

Demm Sum anyone?

2011-04-12T20:42:00.001-07:00

After being locked up in Alcatraz for the morning, that created a hunger. Julee and I couldn't just eat any old thing for lunch, especially with grandparents watching Lil N. We decided to go on our own little food adventure.

We went and ate for the very first time,Demm Sum from Yank Sing. Demm Sum is like some type of filling wrapped in a dumpling and then steamed. Each one is like tiny little gifts. We had all kinds of different filled ones. What was so cool, is that these lil waitresses are walking by asking if you want some of this or that. I kept looking for General Tsos Chicken or Chicken Fried rice...oh well maybe at a chineese stand in China Town.

The most interesting piece was the Peking Duck, that was delicious. We also had some pretty awesome honey glazed Sea Bass. Mmmm Mmmmm Mmmmmmm. I thought we would never stop ordering, we were just wanting to try it all. The only difference was that we were not hungry another 30 min later like after eating from Panda Express.

Alcatraz Tour

2011-04-12T11:30:00.001-07:00

Headed out to the Rock this morning. Talk about some serious history. Seems like some real punishment went on there. 5x9 room seems a bit confining. I better be on my best behavior the rest of the trip or else...

The Rock

2011-04-12T08:06:00.001-07:00

I think the ball and chain is taking it to the next level. We are heading out to the rock. I wonder if she plans on dropping me off? Hmmm!

Tour of San Fran part 1

2011-04-11T20:35:00.001-07:00

Jesse was our tour guide this morning and boy oh boy did he have some interesting facts about the city.

Our first stop was Chinatown. We stopped at a fortune cookie operation. Now that was extremely interesting. They had their system down packed. Lil N even got to sample some fresh cookies. I think he really enjoyed that. He was ready to call it a day as long as he kept getting samples.

We of course wentdown the winding road. That was pretty amazing. I wonder what the city was thinking when they approved the design plans. Was that road approved during the summer of love? If so, that might explain some things.

We then drove over the Golden Gate bridge. Interesting fact of the color of the bridge. It is that color red due to matching its surroundings and so it can be seen thru the fog. All along I thought it was that color in order to out do some of the houses in town.

What is a tour if you don't go qand visit uncle Jesse, DJ, Michelle, Danny, joey, and stephanie? That is right, the Full House houses. I hate to admit it, but that was my favorite part of the tour.

Part 2 of the tour is on Wednesday. I am looking forward to seeing some Redwood trees. Lil N was a champ today as well. He is taking it all in.

Ready for our tour

2011-04-11T11:10:00.000-07:00

We are all ready for the first half of the tour of San Francisco. The tour guide is either full of awesome history and facts or we are gullible.

Ghost in SF?

2011-04-11T07:42:00.001-07:00

Are there ghost in SF or is this Lil N trying to peek out of the window when he should be taking a nap after breakfast? Ghost Busters, where are you?

Wake up San Francisco

2011-04-11T07:06:00.001-07:00

Good Morning San Francisco! We are up and at it early this ,orning. You know what that means. We headed over to Denny's for some more breakfast. Lil N loves some scrambled eggs.

We had to make sure he got a good breakfast, because we are touring the city today. Hopefully our driver is a good one and not some NASCAR wannabe driver.

Trolley Car

2011-04-10T20:30:00.001-07:00

Lil N is still adjusting to the time change and woke up at like 4 am ready to be up and ready for breakfast. Luckily, we were able to hold him off until at least 6 with a couple of tiny cat naps. However, breakfast isn't served in the hotel until 6:30. So we put him in the stroller and walked to the nearest Denny's. The boy was ready to order his first Grand Slam.

We came back to the room and got the troops ready for our first Trolley ride. While walking to the nearest stop, there was The Golden Gate Bridge Half Marathon going on, I thought about crossing the finish line and getting my free shirt, but the trolley was about to leave...oh well next time.

We saw the Cable car museum and and the big Cogs that keep the trolley system running. Lil N flipped a switch, and I told evryone it was time to go. I didn't want him to get busted and sent over to Alcatraz.

We also ventured over to Chinatown and saw lots of fine clothing and women accessories. I didn't think you spelled Louis Vuitton, Rouis Vuitton...but what do I know about fashion.

We finished up the day with a late lunch at Boudin Bistro Cafe and had some really awesome crab-cakes, and sour dough bread bowl filled with some clam chowder that was...wait for it... Awesome. I think that has to be our favorite so far.

What a day! It was definitely filled with new things and adventures. Let's see what tomorrow has to offer.

Made it to SF

2011-04-09T18:33:00.001-07:00

We made it to San Francisco safely without any real challenges. I think lil N is resting up for the week. He did such a good job on the plane and was a champ the whole way up here. We rewarded him with the famous In N Out burger joint. I have to tell you Texas folks, Whataburger is just whataburger should be. I can't really say I was all that impressed. I know there are some out there with their mouths opened in disbelief, but I just call it like I see it.

It has been a really long day and we are headed to bed early. We got a busy day of venturing out tomorrow and getting our lay of the land.

On the plane

2011-04-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

We are on the plane and getting ready to head out to San Framcisco. Lord be with us.

San Francisco or Bust

2011-04-08T18:08:00.001-07:00

We left Austin at a very reasonable time today for Houston. I thought (key word is thought) we were making good time. Lil N wanted to give us a couple of challenges along the way. He wanted to pit twice. We had to change all four tires and make several adjustments. Actually we had to throw out all his four tires and hunt for some new ones. We haven't even left the state and the adventures are already beginning. Cue the soft music...and as the saying goes, "Calgon take me away."

We head out early tomorrow morning for our flight to San Francisco. I think I am more nervous for Nathan than I was when I was sharing a fishing hole with a mama bear in Alaska. Hope Lil N doesn't want to throw out any more challenges on the plane.

Big trip to SF coming

2011-04-07T06:32:00.001-07:00

There is a pretty big trip coming up for the Rosales Family. We are haeding to San Francisco. I can't even imagine what kinds of adventures await this coming week. To top it off, this will be Lil N's first time on a plane...that is an adventure all on its own. Praying for safe travels and tons of fun. Stay tuned, as there will definitely be more to come.

Walking

2011-03-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

Here are two videos of Lil N walking. :-) Watch out world!

First Steps

2011-03-18T20:14:00.001-07:00

Our baby boy took his first steps today all on his own.

Here is a video from last night when we discovered a new toy he could walk with. :-) It is so hard to believe that he is already a year old.

11 Months Today

2011-01-27T05:48:00.000-08:00

Holy Cow!!!

Today is 11 months since Lil N was born. It is hard to believe that next month our son will be 1 yr old. 1 YR OLD!!! I can't believe how time has just flown by like a blink of an eye. I sit here recollecting the past 11 months and I am just in awe of what I see growing and developing right before our eyes. We have been very fortunate to see him reach milestone after milestone... mimicking facial expressions, use of his hands, reaching for things and actually grasping them, sitting by himself, pulling up, crawling by himself, humoring dad by laughing at all his crazy nosies, antics, faces, and most recent of eating table food.

The eating of the table food is just such a treat. He sees mom and dad eat and wants things off our plate. He is so proud of himself when he gets to eat our food. I guess he is already feeling like a big boy. Right now, there is not anything he won't eat...so long it comes off of our plate (Taking a mental note for future).

Julee and I can't even begin to take credit for all these great, special moments with our son. This is all a blessing from God, and everyday he continues to help us, guide us, and show us his favor. We are very fortunate to have a boy with such an infectious smile that can brighten any of our days.

Happy 11 Months Son!

Christmas

2010-12-10T05:05:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas time! We are so excited for Lil' N's 1st Christmas. He is pulling himself up and at the beginning stages of crawling...watch out world!

Wishing you and your family the best this Christmas. Below are some of the photos that we took at our Christmas session.

Christmas

You Wanna Have a Catch?

2010-10-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

What memorable lines for an all-time great sports movie ... Field of Dreams. It has been a while since I have posted to the blog. I guess I was still recovering from being out on the boat in Alaska. :)

Almost 8 months has come and gone since the birth of our son and I find myself becoming prouder and prouder everyday. How do other dads contain themselves from just blabbing about their son all day to anyone walking by. It has been an extremely awesome time so far watching Lil N grow and learn things. He is such a sponge. He just looks at you and studies and tries to figure out some way to mimic what you do, say, or noise you make. I have to admit, I have been trying to teach him all kinds of noises, some of them Mom really doesn't appreciate. I just have to remember not to laugh and encourage when he is eating. :-)

Sometime last week, I had my first game of catch with my boy. It didn't involve gloves or being outside. We were in the living room pushing the ball back and forth to each other. I can't tell you how awesome that game of catch was. I am hoping that it will be the first of many games of catch. I was already being a coach and noticing how fast he could get the ball rolling over to me. Could he be the next 100 MPH pitcher? Who knows, but I did tell him that he was to young to learn how to throw a curve.

I remember many games of catch with my dad in the backyard and even a broken window or two trying to perfect that fast ball. If last week was any foreshadow to our future games of catch, I can't wait.

Happy Fall

2010-10-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

Lil' N is now 7 months old. It is amazing to watch him grow and learn so much each day.

Here is a photo from our visit to the Pumpkin Patch.

Click here for more photos from the pumpkin patch.

Lil N Sitting and Playing

2010-08-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a short video taken on August 13th. He has come a long way. He is sitting down and able to play with his toys. Good job mijo!

Good bye Alaska

2010-08-02T05:22:00.001-07:00

After a great trip and catching close to 180lbs of fish, it is time to make the trek back to the lower 48 (as the call the mainland in Alaska). We left the lodge at around 10 am and headed to the airport in Anchorage. We got to the airport around noon time, and so began the 8hr wait before our flight would depart.

Talk about a long wait. However, it gave us all a good chance to recount the different happenings on the trip. I have to admit that the last days were uneventful for myself. Which makes me think that maybe I wasn't putting myself out there. I was armed with a camera and video camera the last day of fishing, so I thought that was a sure recipe for me falling into the river. Afterall, that seems like the only thing missing.

Well I am now sitting in the houston airport waiting for my flight back to Austin. I have a 5 hour wait, so what better way to kill time than for my blog post. I can't wait to get home and give my wife a big kiss and hold and see my lil boy smile. Don't worry daddy is almost home.

Ready to crown the new King Salmon

2010-07-31T22:13:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was indeed a doozy of a day, and I was not sure I would be at 100% today. I relate it to aq video game and getting your butt kicked and your health has gone down and you know that one more punch can put you away. I wasn't sure what to expect.

We woke up again at 3:30 am to gear up and go eat breakfast. We were on the road by 4:45, and in the boat and on the water by 5:45. Thisb time I had taken some motion sickness medicine. I was not going to let this get the best of me. (Cue Rocky training music). We dropped our lines at 6:00 and it was fishing time. I don't mean to sound anti-climactic,but after we dropped our lines into the water we started to nap. This is how fish for king salmon. I was rudely awoken when David

Never ending Roller Coaster Ride

2010-07-30T22:31:00.001-07:00

Day 2 of "fishing", and I use the term fishing loosely. You may be wondering why you see no fish hanging and that is because yours truly decided it was better to be sea sick the whole time rather than fishing.

We had 4-5 ft waves all the way out to our location. I was perfectly fine and then all of a sudden all that rocking got to me. I had to go and leave some chum for the fish on the side of the boat. I was thinking it might attract some sharks. Well, needless to say, that is when I figured out this roller coaster was not stopping. Nothing seemed to help. I was hoping to rally but to no avail, I was down for the count.

I kept looking at my watch wondering when this torture would end. At 3:30 the ride back into port began. It is like someone kicked the rikde into bhigh gear. I was just praying for stable ground where nothing would be swaying. When I got off the boat I wanted to kiss the ground and let it know how much I missed it. Have a new respect for those folks on Deadliest Catch.

Tomorrow is a new day and we will see what kind of adventure we run into tomorrow. I think I will be dreaming I am in a waterbed tonight.

The right fishing spot?

2010-07-29T17:00:00.001-07:00

We were up bright and early this morning, at arouund 3:30, eating breakfast by 4:15, and on the road to dock by 5. I feel like the ARMY commercial...I do more before 9am than most people do all day.

We get to our first spot and get off the boat and wade in a bit to try and catch some salmon. Of course it is still semi-dark outside and very chilly. Good thing I opted to not go out wade fishing in my swim trunks and tank top. I got to reel in the first salmon of the day, so that was pretty awesome. I have to say, it is very interesting technique to catch these fish, all which I mastered at the end of the day...

So I am sure you may be wondering what crazy thing happenend to me today. I did not let you down. I had been joking about fishing with the bears...hello, I was only joking. Nevertheless, a lil brown bear cub comes poking out of the woods onto the bank. I thought oh how cute. Then I immediately thought, where is mama bear? Then a lil later a mid size black bear came out, but he was closer to me than I wanted. I had to keep casting, cuz I didn't want the whole group to think I was a punk.

Then, the mama bear decided to walk on out. Just as I spot her, I hook a salmon. The only thing is the mama bear pwrks her head up. Uh oh! Time to look like a punk. :-) I started walking back toward the group. Seeing how I wasn't following m y rule of at least one person between me and the bear. So I walked over to my brother-in-law. Then my father in law asks us to pose with the bear in the background. Of course we did. Talk about hearts beating fast.

We must have been fishing in the right spot if the bears were there. You know, I would have been A-ok with a bad spot. Tomorrow we go Halibut fishing. We are going to be out past resurection bay. Hmmmm, "resurection bay"? Something tells me this to will als have a tale.

Changing of the guard.

2010-07-28T22:37:00.001-07:00

There once was a day that when visiting a new city, I would inquire about the nightlife or would be anxious to visit the local watering hole. The time of day or the time I had to wake up in the morning would never cause me to think twice. HOWEVER!!!!!!! This has all changed.

We finally got to our hotel rooms around 9ish last night and Matthew and David (who are like 26) were going to a local watering hole that the flight attendants highly recommended. On the plane it sounded like a good idea. After relaxing on the bed sleep sounded much better. I even had the nerve to ask "what time do you think you will be coming back?" Geez, I couldn't believe I uttered those words.

I knew then, I was no longer that young pup, I was part of a new club. A club that I actually enjoy. I am a relatively new member, but I love the perks. It is the Daddy club!

As for the trip, we are at our lodge and the view and weather are magnificent. It has been a relatively effortless day, but tommorrow it is on. Be careful salmon, you have no idea what is coming your way. I hope I don't drift away with the cujrrent. It would be my luck that this july is the 8th rainiest month in their history. Oh well! Here is to rain and fishing for salmon!

Trip to Anchorage

2010-07-28T00:24:00.001-07:00

While waiting for the plane to Alaska to arrive so we can head out, a major rain storm pushed thru the airport. There was some serious rain and lightning. That delayed our flight about an hour.

We finally board the plane, and I didn't think the flight conditions could be worse than the flight to Houston. Let me tell you, it did. There was a huge guy who sat next to me. He oooozed into my seat as well as the window seat as well. I think I would have preferred sitting next to the crying baby. Lol. Talk about a long flight.

We finally took off and were on our way to Anchorage. The flight went well overall. However,that was to good to be true. About an hour before we arrived, someone on the plane has chest pains. The pilot threw it into a higher gear and we got here really quick. Luckily, the guy seemed to be ok. I keep thinking what will happen next. We haven't even started fishing yet. :-)

Here is to a new day. Oh yeah, it is midnight and the sun is barely setting. CRAZY!

Departure to Alaska - 1st stop Houston

2010-07-27T09:07:00.001-07:00

Got all the bags packed last night, man I feel like I am packing like a girl. The good thing is that the bags were under the weight limit, good thing they didn't weigh me. ;-)

Had a low tire so Julee was going to have to drop me off at the airport. Lil N woke up and we fed him his oatmeal and bottle, then got him dressed and ready to go. We loaded the Expedition and were off, and leaving at a good time.

On our way to the airport and Lil Ns face is turning red and I see him pushing... oh man. *whispering to self (keep calm, no reason to panic, we got plenty of time.)* we pull off the road and stop at a gas station and let the NASCAR PITCREW go into effect. Had him changed and we were back on the road in no time.

I got to the airport and checked in without a hitch and boarded the plane. Wouldn't you know, I am sitting next to a mom, dad, and 10 month old lil girl who come to find out just missed her nap. Can already tell this is going to be an awesome flight. Good thing it was only to Houston (45 min). She only cried for a lil bit. So it wasn't as bad as it could bhave been. I am sure lil N will give some payback for me on our next trip.

Landed in Houston, so let the 5 hr layover begin. How should I entertain myself? I wonder if my camoflauge backpack makes me look suspicious. Oh well, at least people will give me some room.

Stay tuned for more adventures, I wonder what the flight to Alaska will entail...twins?

Jonathan Rosales

Daddy's Boy

2010-05-19T12:46:00.001-07:00

Wow! Where is the time going? There are many things that come to mind and that I want to say. It is going on 12 weeks this Saturday and Nathan is growing like a weed. He sits on my lap and chills with dad after he finishes his bottle, and talks to me while I am trying to watch TV (I think he gets that from his mom...lol).

My favorite part of the day is walking into his room in the morning as he wakes up. We have a little routine. I unswaddle him and he stretches away and smiles at me. That is a true blessing. For me, it is a glimpse of God's purity and beauty. Julee and I could stand ther all morning watching him wiggle around in his crib, but the day gets started and a new adventure begins (cue Raiders of the Lost Ark theme music).

This coming weekend we are taking our first family road trip. I think I need to rent a trailer to haul Nathan's stuff, cuz you never know what he might need. Stay tuned, cuz I am sure a great story is about to unfold.

Baby N is 11 weeks old!

2010-05-18T02:44:00.000-07:00

Baby N is 11 weeks old! During week 9 we found that he had two of his bottom teeth coming in. They have arrived now! Bring on the solid foods. He has also found his hands and beginning to reach for things.

Tummy Time is still his least favorite time of the day. He continues to smile, coo and laugh at us everyday. We are amazed everyday how much he is changing. Stay tuned for his 3 month pictures to come next week.

Baby N and Mom on Mother's Day

Baby N at 11 weeks smiling

7 Weeks Old

2010-04-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

Nathan is 7 weeks Old! He went to the dr. today and he weighs 12 lbs and 10 oz. He is growing and doing great. He was a real trooper through his 3 shots. We are praying that he doesn't have any side effects.

He is now going to work with Mom two days a week and is doing a great job of supervising Mom. He is very social with anyone he meets and now smiles at mom and dad. He is also finding new sounds and noises each day.

Hope everyone enjoys the pictures!

Nathan and Dad in their Longhorn Gear

Nathan's new dance moves

6 Weeks Old

2010-04-12T05:48:00.000-07:00

Nathan is 6 weeks old! He is loving taking a bath. He really enjoys being outside. We are so grateful that he is sleeping longer at night. This past week he has learned several new coos and laughs. It is amazing to see how much he changes each day.

Easter 2010

2010-04-12T05:44:00.000-07:00

Nathan had a great Easter. He got some wonderful Easter gifts. Hope everyone had a great Easter!

Nathan is 1 month old!

2010-03-29T13:10:00.001-07:00

Where has the month gone?

Nathan is doing wonderful. He is sleeping wonderful at night...Mom and Dad have begun to adjust to getting up every 3 t0 4 hours at night. During the day he is active and loves to play. :-)

Found this cute outfit for his 1 month photos.

First Camo outfit

Nathan is 3 weeks old!

2010-03-21T20:53:00.001-07:00

Nathan is now 3 weeks old. He celebrated with a bottle and lots of sleep. :-)

Gammie (Julee's mother) found his outfit at BabyGap during the holidays. "Best Gift Ever" We agree!

How much Sleep Do I really Need?

2010-03-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

Well later on tonight, it will be 3 weeks since Nathan came and graced us with his presence. I never knew exactly what parenthood really meant and what you are willing to do to make sure your child feels safe and secure.

Unfortunately, you can't just ease into Parenthood and parent for 2 hours today, then 4 hours the next day and gradually work your way up to parenting 24/7. :) You literally cannonball into the icy cold water and have to start swimming.

These first three weeks have been like a roller coaster ride. There are some scary parts, parts that make you want to scream loud, and then parts that make you laugh and want to ride again. This is one ride though, that I have thoroughly enjoyed and am happy to ride everyday.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Nathan is doing well and growing. He was 9lbs and 5 ozs at his last dr. appt. :-) Enjoy the updated pictures.

Nathan and Jonathan hard at work on St. Patrick's Day.

First Dr. Appointment

2010-03-08T00:27:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, March 3, 2010 Nathan went to his first Dr. appointment. He is in great health! We go back on Friday, March 12 for his two week appointment. Since it was our first outing since coming home we decided to take pictures before leaving the house.

On our way home we thought it only appropriate to introduce Nathan to Sonic. Nathan didn't get anything but Mom and Dad got some great Sonic fountain drinks.

Perfect outfit for going to the Dr.

The Rosales Family

Nathan's first trip to Sonic.

Sleeping after a long day of activity.

Bringing Nathan Home

2010-03-08T00:02:00.000-08:00

We woke on Monday, March 1st with the anticipation of leaving the hospital. The Dr. said that Julee was doing well and that there was no reason that she and Nathan couldn't go home on Monday. So after seeing the Pediatrician and the Ob and getting clean bills of health. We left the hospital on Monday, March 1st around 12:30 p.m.

Grandpa Parsons (yet to have a grandpa name) came to the hospital to help get everything into the car including Julee and Nathan. Everyone was very excited to go home and show Nathan his room.

Nathan in his coming home outfit.

Nathan in his car seat getting ready to leave the hospital.

Arrived home where Gammie (Maternal Grandmother) was waiting.

Getting ready to walk into the house.

Introducing Nathan to his home.

In the Daddy Club!

2010-03-04T08:53:00.000-08:00

We have had Nathan now for four days, and it has truly been amazing. There truly is something amazing when you see your son for the first time and hold him. Wow! I don't even know how to put that feeling in words. I think my facial expressions says it all. No, that isn't me trying to poop in my pamper.

I now know what all the other dads have talked about when they refer to their kids. I used to be able to only relate to their activities but not that every day feeling. I can just stand there and stare at him in such amazement for hours on end.

This feeling is what has been able to keep me going these last couple of nights as we try to adjust with him at home. I am looking forward to experiencing it all.

Now where is that instrunction manual?

Delivery Adventure

2010-02-27T07:26:00.000-08:00

Nathan fresh out of delivery!

Nathan's Official Weigh In

Julee as the labor pains really started kicking in.

Proud Mom and Dad after the delivery!

Wow!!!!

2010-02-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

There is something about holding your baby for the first time that just melts your heart. I got to do that this morning (2/27) at 3:03 AM. He weighed a whopping 8lbs 10oz and was 21 in long.

Speaking of not wanting to come out. Nathan was not having it. Julee was a champ, she endured all those labor pains and contractions but could never get fully dilated. So at 2AM, the Dr made the call to go in and get him out. We have both been up since early last morning and are still riding the high. How can you sleep right now when you just want to stare at the lil fella? It is like on Christmas, and you get the best gift in the world and just want to play with it all day. Good thing this lil gift came with batteries. :-)

Our special thanks to those that endured the marathon stretch at the hospital and those at home praying special prayers. They mean the world to us and helped us all in that 18 hours of labor.

Nathan is packing his bags and getting ready to travel

2010-02-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

Holy Cow everyone. I can't even begin to express the excitement I have right now. We were at our 39th week Dr appointment and during the exam, Julee's water broke. I wish you could have seen the expression on my face. As they put Julee in a wheel chair to wheel her off to the labor and delivery room, I had to go home and get all the stuff. Luckily, my wife had everything ready and packed. I don't think she would have liked me packing her cocktail dress to wear home. :-)

We are in the labor and delivery room right now and just waiting watching the monitors and all the cool gadgets they have. Hmmm, i wonder what this switch does?

Nathan's Room all put together

2010-02-04T17:59:00.000-08:00

After some time now, Julee has done an awesome job of putting together Nathan's room. We have both worked very hard at making sure our little boy has his room all together. We decided to put together a little video tour of his room. We can't wait for him to see it. :-)

30th Week 3D Sonogram

2009-12-29T19:01:00.000-08:00

We are very fortunate to be able to have a 3D sonogram done on Monday, December 28th. It is amazing how many features you can see of Nathan.

The crib and dresser are in his room. We are now just waiting to get the drapes put up and the bedding set. So exciting!!

Here are the pictures. Hope you can see him!

Nathan is smiling at everyone.

Can you see his finger and his thumb?

His eyes are open in this one.

We believe Nathan has Julee's nose and Jonathan's cheeks. :-) What do you think?

Here is a short video. His hand is in his face almost the entire time but you will see him point with his finger.

2009-11-13T20:14:00.001-08:00

First Video Blog

2009-11-06T11:01:00.000-08:00

When "Yes" changes your life

2009-09-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

I can think of many times when the word "Yes" has changed my life and brought on a new adventure. A couple that come to mind are getting accepted to UT. That was extremely life changing and took me away from home and off to a new city. I moved to Austin, TX in the Fall of 1991 and never moved back to Corpus Christi. I can definitely say that it was a life changing experience.

The second "Yes" that changed my life was the proposal to my now wife Julee. Talk about life changing. That yes has brought on an amazing adventure that I am still enjoying and living. I can't even fathom any other way. Julee has been the greatest compliment to me and has helped complete me. I am very thankful to God for bringing her into my life.

The most recent "Yes" is something that has just blown me away. I had recently gotten back from my one week adventure as a camp counselor for a week, and Julee was complaining of having a fever and other symptoms. She went out and got a pregnancy test and low and behold it said "YES."

Can you believe that? It said "YES." I am going to be a dad. My wife and I are going to be parents. I always wondered how I was going to react when I found out when my wife was pregnant. I am a big sap and thought for sure I would start crying with happiness. My reaction kind of shocked me. I was speechless and looked into my wife's eyes to see her reaction. It was like time was standing still for a brief moment in time as we were soaking in the newest "YES" in our life.

It is still amazing for me to say that I am going to be a dad. I get this big smile on my face and if I think about it long enough, a lump will form in my throat. What a life changing "YES". As I embark on this new adventure, this time I am not off to conquer school, life, or love. My new adventure is parenthood. With the help of God, my wife, family, and friends it is going to be AWESOME.

Baby's First Gift

2009-08-30T05:02:00.000-07:00

We received the baby's first gift on Wednesday from it's Great Aunt Pat (my mother's sister). The rabbit is so soft and cuddly. Thank you Aunt Pat.

2009-08-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

Baby Rosales!

2009-08-22T06:31:00.000-07:00

We went to the Dr. yesterday for our 12 week appointment and we are excited to announce that we have a baby on the way. Praise God that the baby is healthy and everything is fine. The Dr. keeps telling me that it will get better for me soon but I am not so convinced since I am still sick every afternoon.

Our due date is March 5, 2010. Going to be an exciting 6 months for us. I can't believe 3 months have already passed. Wow!

For the grandparents and relatives...here is week 8 and week 12 ultrasound. The baby was very obviously sleeping (but the heartbeat was very strong) during the week 12 ultrasound so it was very difficult to get a good picture.

Our next appointment is at 16 weeks and the Dr. will just hear the heartbeat without the ultrasound. We find out the sex of the baby at 20 weeks...somewhere around October 16. Just in time for Christmas shopping!

Love to everyone and thank you for all the prayers and words of encouragement. Julee

Last full day at Camp

2009-06-25T22:28:00.001-07:00

Thursday has come and gone. It was supposed to be a blistering 105 today here at the park, but I know God sent us some shade and cool breezes throughout the day. It was such a great day today. We got to do some fishing, canoeing, archery and riflery. I actually did pretty good at archery. Who would have thunk? I wonder if I can get me a bow and arrow for home. I think I might have to work on that.

We also had some great bible studies with the kids in the cabin. I can see their little minds thinking and absorbing. I am going to miss my guys and fellow servant leader Greg when I leave tomorrow. I have to admit I was very proud of my guys for bonding and sricking up for each other. I will write more later. I need to close my phone so the bugs can stop flying toward the light. Where is my bu sray?

2009-06-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

We made it back from primitive camp and are in our cabin right now resring for the second half of our day. Last night we cooked hobo dinners which consisted of hamburger patties, potatoes, corn, green beans and seasonings. The guys are excited but are not liking the heat. I wonder if they }e like me!

A nighr in the open.

2009-06-23T21:05:00.001-07:00

Today we had primitive camping and are having all of our activities in this area. I am laying outside on my sleeping area looking up at the sky and can see thousand of stars. What a sight. There is a cool breeze outside and it is actually very comfortable. I look forward to the morning. Good night!

day 2

2009-06-23T11:44:00.001-07:00

what a morning it was today. there was a nice cool breeze. After bible study. our first activity was fishing. Here is one of my lilboys Zeke catching his first fish ever. tonight we head to primitive camping. I can be in a tent or out under the stars. I hear that the stars at night are big.and bright deep in the heart of Texas...why do i feel the urge to clap?

2009-06-22T21:12:00.001-07:00

Today was a crazy long day outside in the texas heat. i am greatful for thos pine trees and cool breezes. These boys have such energy, it is amazing. I am very thankful to be here and habging with these guys. they are teaching me so.much. I better get to bed and not try to resist telling them one of my jokes. :)

2009-06-22T06:27:00.001-07:00

after a night of sleep, we got up around 6:30 for a staff meeting and then had our daily flag raising ceremony. The open air cabins were actually pretty cool last night. I finally fell asleep close to midnight after I put out the fact that there might be some crrepy crawlies crawling over me. LOL! We got a busy day planned for today. we are going to be ziplining, craft work, and fishing. Here is to a great day!

2009-06-21T20:47:00.001-07:00

We just finished our first day. We have 9 little boys ranging from the age of 7 to 12. I just got done showering, and oh boy does the shower feel good. I just hope I can get to sleep in this open air cabin. I just pray God keeps all the scary bugs out of my bunk. I look forward to what is in store for me tomorrow.

2009-06-20T21:35:00.000-07:00

Well I am here at camp Wilderness Ridge as a servant leader. The boys don't get here until tomorrow, but we got here a day early for orientation. I am looking forward to the energy that these boys will bring. We are not in our cabins yet, that wont happen until tomorrow. For now I get to sleep in a comfy King size bed in the AC. Starting tomorrow, it will be a nice twin bunk bed in the cabin with the boys and no AC. Good thing I brought my little fan. Well, i better get to bed and enjoy this cool air. I wonder if my body can store cool air?

Jonathan's Birthday Party

2009-06-16T16:37:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Jonathan's birthday on Saturday, June 6. We had wings, chicken tenders and mini-sandwiches and of course cake and ice cream. There were several games of bean-bag toss played. (A new edition to the tailgate in the fall).

Our friend Lisa Hackbarth was so kind to take pictures for us. Thank you Lisa!

Please visit Lisa's website to see the photos from Jonathan's party and Lisa's wonderful work. Lisa also took our awesome Christmas card photos. It is never too early to start thinking about Christmas cards! =)

~Julee~

Morning with the wife.

2009-06-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

What a morning! I am treating the little lady to a pedicure and then a late breakfast at La Madeline. It is a great feeling to see her so relaxed, excited and enjoying herself. I know I had the same look on my face after that 25 inning baseball game. This is a picture of Julee getting her feet done.

These ladies are very talented at what they do. I am very impressed at all the detail and attention they are paying. Talk about pride in ones work. I think I might try one next time :) Don't tell the guys!

Birthday Picture wit my wife.

2009-06-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

Julee and I ready to celebrate my birthday!

2009-06-05T17:40:00.001-07:00

We are on the 8th row and almost center for Annie. My wife is paying me back for 25 inning baseball game. the sun will come out tomorrow!

UT vs BC

2009-05-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

Bottom of 16th and we are troopers. Lets go horns!

Watermelon Cakeballs

2009-05-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Julee sent a special treat with me this morning to take to work. Julee made a delicious Watermelon Cake and lime icing and made cakeballs. These are a great refreshing summer cake. It is very lite and refreshing. I can't wait to eat more. Good Stuff!

Skeet Shooting

2009-04-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

An afternoon of shooting skeet in very windy conditions. These birds are moving like Disco is back in style. Hope i do better this second round. Here's to a manly day of shooting the Shotgun!

Pit Stop!

2009-04-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

We are taking a pit stop in Waco to visit the Dr. Pepper Museum and drink a Waco!

We are back on 35

2009-04-18T12:42:00.001-07:00

We are back on 35 and heading home.

JFK Museum

2009-04-18T11:10:00.001-07:00

After Julee decided to take turns and get us lost, we found our way to the JFK museum.

2009-04-18T09:01:00.001-07:00

We are getting ready to King tut in 3-D. Seriously? 3-D. Can't wait!

2009-04-18T07:02:00.001-07:00

We are getting ready to visit King Tut!

Dessert

2009-04-17T18:35:00.001-07:00

Fairmont hotel in Downtown Dallas $300.00 Brachetto Wine paired with a chocolate truffle $50.00. Dessert later that night, Priceless!!

2009-04-17T17:37:00.001-07:00

Made it out to the West End in Dallas. The last time I was out there was back in 1994 for the TX OU weekend. Lots has changed there. I was looking for the beer guy so I could buy my beer and walk around the West End. I did see a group dressed in red and had an episode. I immediately ran over to them with my horns in the air yelling "it is 6:01 and OU still sucks!" They looked at me funny and asked if I wanted to buy a rose. Oh well! I showed them. 24-7 Longhorn Fan! Hook 'em!

2009-04-17T15:04:00.001-07:00

We made it to Dallas and we are getting checked in at the Fairmont in downtown Dallas.

Convio Company Party Jan 2009

2009-01-26T05:41:00.001-08:00

Here are a few of the DI outlaws that are each making a name for themselves.

Hill Country Flyer

2009-01-12T07:57:00.000-08:00

This summer, Julee and I along with my in-laws went on a train ride from Cedar Park to Burnett, TX. It was a nice little train ride that everyone should experience.

I decided to walk around the train and was able to hang out between cars and just look outside. As you can tell from the video, I was able to feel the wind in my hair ( I know what you are thinking, what hair, he has it cut so short).

I now know why dogs like to hang their heads out of the car/truck windows. The only thing you can't see is my tongue hanging out or tail wagging.

It is for the love of music and not the money

2009-01-07T11:19:00.001-08:00

I just got done playing the accordion over lunch. I have attached a picture of the accordion I was playing.

Me and my fellow bandmate Marcus McClary were out playing in front of our office. We were amateurs before we started playing. but after all was said and done we had made a total of 4 cents. Believe it or not, we even had a gig offer to play at the company party. We had to turn it down though because we felt we weren't quite ready for a paying gig. We still need to tighten things up a bit.

Does anyone know where we can find a decked out tour bus?

Christmas

2008-12-30T08:23:00.000-08:00

Julee and I were hanging out at the house in Corpus on Christmas Eve wondering what the day would bring. It was this day that helped me appreciate what I have and how God has blessed both Julee and I.

My dad has a Santa Claus outfit and normally dresses up every year and hands out little bags of goodies to some of the neighbors kids. This year, Julee, my mom, and I helped put together these little baggy of goodies. They consisted of an apple, orange, some nuts, and candy. It is my dad's way of giving back to these little kids in the neighborhood. As soon as he walked out of the house and onto the street, all the little kids that spotted him started yelling, "Santa! Santa!, Look it's Santa!!!" The joy in these little kids eyes to see santa in person and carrying around his trusted red bag of goodies was priceless.

There may have been 5 kids out on the street, but it was as if some alarm rang in the neighborhood. Before we knew it my dad was swarmed by a bunch of kids. I have no idea where they all came from. I was really worried about the number of bags we had and if every little kid was going to get one. Wouldn't you know, that every little kid there got a bag. We had just the right number of baggies to hand out to these kids. This might be the most exciting thing to have happen to some of these kids. By the looks on their faces, you could really tell that this made thier Christmas.

After Santa said his "Ho! Ho! Ho!" and took his final pictures, he told the kiddos that he had to make his way back to the North Pole to get ready for his ride tonight. It was kind of funny, cuz one of the kids asked Santa if he had some hydraulics on his sleigh and if it was lowered. :) Santa gave him a big smile and a wink and he was off.

As we headed towards the house, I turned around and looked back at those little kids talking amongst themselves. It was so nice to see them smiling and pointing back at Santa. I was very proud of my dad for doing that. That really made me stop and think about things. As we were walking inside, I looked at Julee and we both gave each other this big 'ol smile. We knew we were just part of something bigger than we could ever know.

I wonder if we all had the exctied look on our faces like those little kids knowing that God has given us the greatest gift of all. I sure hope so.

Christmas Traveling

2008-12-30T08:11:00.000-08:00

Well Julee and I survived our 2 week whirlwind of Holiday travel. Talk about a quick turnaround. Julee and I got back from Disney on Monday afternoon, and then left for Corpus Tuesday evening.

The good thing is that it was a pleasant ride down to Corpus. There is something about driving at night that is very peaceful for me. I think Julee and I were riding a high from the Christmas Service we had attended that afternoon at church. I used to be a guy of seeing how fast I could get home, no pit stops, just drive, drive and drive and try to beat my previous time. If you had to have a pody break, that was tough, you had to wait until we made it home. After traveling to Florida and being able to stop and see diferent areas, I got a new perspective on what a "Road Trip" was. I know this is cliche but you do have to stop and smell the roses. I think that is why this road trip down to Corpus was also very relaxing. Have you ever driven through a small town during Christmas? Talk about lights and decorations to celebrate the Christmas Spirit. Another thing that makes these trips so nice is the company in the car. It is nice to have such a great travel partner. She may tend to doze off sometimes, but once we get to talking, nothing beats that.

We made a pit stop in Lockhart for a quick dinner at Whataburger, and then were on our way to Corpus. I think we actually made it into Corpus around 10:30 or so that night. That was the fastest 3.5 hours in the car that I have ever spent.

Julee and I were in for a big surprise that Christmas day, and we had no idea it was coming.

2008-12-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

Holy Schnikes! Waiting in the lobby for Julee to finish with her appointment really bites. I just got a text from her that she is still waiting to be seen. What is the deal with doctors? Why do they bring you back if they are not ready for you? I just don't get it. Maybe I will send them an envelope with a letter explaining that a payment will be with them soon. Don't you think that is a good idea?

It is also funny to sit here and watch all the different people coming in, as well as the conversations between the two front desk ladies. It is funny to hear them whisper things so I can't hear them. Don't they know that i have Radar Ears and can hear everything. Shhhhhhh! Just don't tell Julee about my hearing abilities. Maybe that is the selective Husband listening I hear so much about.

I better quit typing before I get myself into trouble. :)

Well it is 7:30 and

2008-12-22T05:37:00.001-08:00

Well it is 7:30 and we are all gassed up and heade to Houston for Julee's Allergy appointment. I hope Houston traffic cooperates with us.

Almost Home

2008-12-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

Well we made it into Port Arthur, actually Orange at about 1:30. You would have thought we had Jeff Gordon or Jimmy Johnson driving us home. While in Orange, we stopped and visited Nana. To our surprise there was a Christmas gift waiting for us. It was a ... #$%^&*. Now I can't ruin it for the rest of "the cousins". You are just going to have to wait until Christmas day to find out.

After visitng with Nana, we headed over to Granny's. Wouldn't you know, Santa had visited us ther too. This traveling thing ain't a bad gig. We may have to start doing it more often. Seriously, it was real nice to be able to catch up with Nana and Granny today.

Tomorrow, we head to houston for a allergy appointment and then back to Austin. Although it will be a quick turnaround. We leave to corpus tuesday night. I am almost certain there will be some more postings.

We have to wake up at 5 Am tomorrow. (I thought I was on vacation) I'l update while waiting in the lobby tomorrow.

Goodnight Inte

We are back in Texas!

2008-12-21T12:18:00.001-08:00

We are back in Texas! Woo Hoo! Something nice about going away on vacation. Nothing like coming back home. great weather, trip, and memories.

Heading Back to Texas

2008-12-21T06:49:00.001-08:00

We are in Mississippi right now heading down IH 10 westward towards Texas. These are the times when you wish you could blink your eyes and you would be at home. Wait! Maybe if we all close our eyes andclick our heels together and say "there's no place like home" that will work?

Oh well, that didn't work either. I guess I will just have to sit back and enjoy cruising through the different states.

See everyone back in Texas!

The Long Road Home

2008-12-20T17:25:00.000-08:00

Well, we made it to Pensacola, Florida and are here for the night. Our goal is to head out tomorrow morning at 7AM. Fortunately, we won't be making any photo pit stops, seeing how I already got all my state sign photos. :)

I was sitting in the Expedition kind of reliving my trip in my head and this funny story popped into my head. We were at a pit stop in Mississippi gassing up the vehicle and letting everyone take their own pit stop. I walk into the store area wearing my Texas Longhorn t-shirt of course, and the girl at the counter says, "Hey there Texas." I just laughed and gave her my hook 'em sign and she smiled back. I head back out to the Expedition, kind of sitting on the bumper waiting for Mr P to finish gassing up and the lady from inside the gas station is emptying the trash outside and sees me and smiles.

Mr P walks into the gas station looking for the restrooms (which were out back) and the lady says, "Agua?" while pointing to the back and then asks Mr P "Did I say that correctly?" He comes back to the car and tells us the story. We all laughed in the car, because she thought he was one of my "peeps" and tried to impress him with her Spanish (which was incorrect). Mr P was like, "I don't know ma'am I don't speak Spanish." I told Mr P he was guilty by association. :)

Well, I am going to sign off for tonight. We should me landing in Port Arthur hopefully by 3 tomorrow.

Have a good night everyone!

Daylight Savings Time in December?

2008-12-20T10:40:00.001-08:00

We just went back in time. I guess the pixi dust is wearing off. We are now back on CST.

More Pine Trees

2008-12-20T09:39:00.000-08:00

We are close to Tallahassee. We are actually about half an hour away. We had made quick pit stop at Denny's for a quick lunch.

I am jammin' right now to some Kenny Roger's. If they would turn the volume up I would surely be singing louder. Although, I wouldn't want them to kick me out. I don't think i I could call AAA and ask for a tow.

*singing* That is why, you're my ... Lady!