Jennifer U
Jennifer grew up in Houston before heading to Austin for seven years to attend the University of Texas as a history and government major and continuing at UT for law school. An attorney by day, in the evening she trades high heels and ambition for wet kisses and warm hugs from her three children - Kieran {Dec 2005}, Sawyer {Jan 2011}, and Birdie {Sept 2014}. Her many vices include an intense passion for all things Bravo and her plan for the future is "more cowbell." You can find her at the duck pond, the zoo, on Instagram @jen.e.underwood and blogging at Treading Water in the Kiddie Pool {www.treadingwaterinthekiddiepool.com}.
Waves, Seashells, and Broken Things
“What do you think, buddy?”
I pushed the loose strands of hair out of my face, their curls whipping my skin in the salty air and stinging my forehead. He looked out over the ocean,...
On the Eve of Thirteen
I still remember the first time we met. He had gigantic blue eyes at the time and a shockwave of orange hair circling his head, stopping just above tiny elfin ears which flanked two...
Love and Loss and Learning…Harvey Continues
There’s a room in this place that holds a piece of my heart. It’s the room where I left my middle child on his first day of kindergarten, sitting at a tiny desk, ready...
Why Family Reading Time Should be on Your Summer Bucket List
I had a mother who read to me
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea.
Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth;
"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath.
I had a Mother who read me lays
...
Once Upon a First Day of Swim Team Practice…
“Go on, choose a line and get in place,” I said, giving his hibiscus-clad bottom a gentle pat. His little feet ambled over to where the lines of children stood by the pool, waiting...
A Farewell Letter to Our Harvey Apartment
Dear Harvey Apartment,
Tonight is our last night to sleep here. Tomorrow we will fall asleep in our home for the first time in 6 months since Hurricane Harvey turned our lives upside down.
What’s that?...
Searching for Simplicity :: The Closet Cleanout
"As any half-awake materialist knows - that which you hold, holds you." - Tom Robbins
I filled two trash bags with stuff. They were not just those tidy little kitchen-sized bags with the orange tying...
Planning a Disney Trip? 5 Reasons Disneyland May Be the Way to Go
I'm going to be honest here. I'm a little hesitant to write this post because I feel like I'm letting all of Houston in on a well-kept secret, but I'm going to anyway. Because...
So You Flooded…What You Need to Know About Substantial Damage
Let me just preface this with an apology. I'm sorry you're reading this. If you're reading this, chances are, your home was flooded by Harvey or the recent reservoir release, or someone you know...
Elegy for a Home
We bought our house in Meyerland two and a half years ago...two months before the Memorial Day flood. We were moving back to Houston from Friendswood and had just put our home there on...