live now

so.....

I've seen several bloggers create collage-type picture posts. I've decided this is a good option for when I take lots of pictures. For instance, in Brent's birthday dinner post. I probably had 15 more pictures I could have added.

I was playing around tonight, creating some, and I made the one above..and the one below....

necklace details & brent's birthday celebration

Thank you all for the sweet comments on the necklace. I feel very lucky to have it, along with Cohen's prints :)

{bold & colored words are links you can click}

I have the company details for the necklace. I think these type of things make wonderful keepsakes. The company is called Meadow Hill and here is their website. There are several options if you click "Thumbies" and "Buddies".

Brent's birthday was a few weeks ago, on July 12th. I did a fun post about him here. He has mentioned maybe doing a guest post on the blog, soon. I think he needs some convincing. Team?

Some of our family and friends had a small dinner on July 11th. We had a good time. I tweeted several fun pictures but never uploaded them all off my camera. I now have.

As I've probably mentioned before, Brent loves to sing. He really is a great singer. I did take video of him singing this night. HOWEVER, I didn't realize you would be able to hear me singing as well. So, as I videoed him, I sang along. Therefore, I was closest to the phone camera...you can hear me over him. Not cool. I'm AWFUL!!! Anyways, he serenaded us for a few hours.

Speaking of singing, I got an email from a friend (who knows Brent has talent in the singing department) on Brent's birthday (which the friend didn't know). The friend works for american id*l some. He asked if I had any video of Brent singing that he could give to producers. I was like...well, what luck! Today, he turns 29 and last night, I completely ruined the video! Well, 29 pushes him out of the AI opportunity. It was comical.

At least that doesn't stop him from singing for all of us. When I say us, don't worry, I'll get video of him singing to post for you to hear.

I know there are lots of pics. The little ones are just fun to photograph. I also know my camera settings were a bit off, as I still haven't really learned how to work it with the changing light. We were at Brent's stepbrother's house.



my mom made a yummy cake
Penny, Lucy, Kyle & Jess came :)
Lucy wanted those balloons
Taylor talking to Penny
Taylor & Beaux (Taylor, Beaux and Tatum are our nieces and nephew)


Triston, Beaux & Jonathan
us:)

tatum dug in..with her face...while she was waiting on a fork haha
she loves her face poses

Cohen's footprint around my neck

I've been meaning to post this necklace for a week or so now. I was so excited when it arrived and I love having it around my neck. I've gotten so many wonderful necklaces/charms. I can have a piece of Cohen, all the time, around my neck.

I have some pictures, that I will post soon, of Cohen's little feet and hands getting their prints made :)

This necklace is extra special because it is is Cohen's actual footprint. In the funeral home packet, there was a booklet of little keepsakes. This necklace caught my eye. We were able to take one of Cohen's footprints, taken the day he passed, and have it put on the necklace.....(I probably should have wiped my finger print off before the pic : /).

There were 3 sets of prints made in the hospital of his hands and feet. The company was able to scan a foot onto a computer and then to their machine, to print the necklace.
Pretty sweet, huh?

I'll be sharing my other necklaces soon :)

weekend festivities

{First of all, sorry for all the 10385 grammar mistakes I had in my last, tiny post. That's what happens when I post in the wee hours of the morning! I think I corrected most of them today when I read the post : / }

We had a nice weekend and I hope you all did too!

Unfortunately, Brent's grandmother passed away this weekend :( She would have been 90 years old this fall and she lived a wonderful life. I really enjoyed getting to know her. She was so sweet! We are excited for her to meet Cohen :) I bet he loves all his grandparents so much.

Friday night, we ordered in dinner from our gift account and watched Brooklyn's Finest. It kept my attention but it was just not my kind of movie. It was too violent for me. We also watched Dateline. We love Dateline. We love 20/20 and Primetime, too, but for some reason the 20/20 didn't record :(

Saturday morning I went to my sister-in-law's baby shower. She is expecting baby Paxton in October :) While I was at the shower, Brent hung out with his step-brother (husband of the momma-to-be). I left before she opened gifts, but I think she got some wonderful things.


How cute is this watermelon?!

These are from a local cupcake store. I didn't know they had the mini ones!
The diaper cake was SO cute!

sweet hubs :)

On Saturday afternoon, we went to Penny's baptism and after party. It was beautiful and lots of fun. I wish I would have snapped more pictures but I got a few good ones! The after party was a luau at the pool with super cute decor.

Miss Penny...
loved the center pieces...
Big sister, Lucy


table runner

Lucy was still carrying around one of these straws the next day :)

Sunday, we picked up our house for an open house. We then ran some errands and attended a coney eating contest. Yep, man versus food. Nope, hubby nor I participated. I couldn't actually watch the men stuff coneys into their mouths for more than a second or two..ick. It was still a fun time!

The weekend always goes by a little too quickly.

Today, I had lunch with Jessica, which is always lovely.

If you follow me on twitter, you may have read about my excitement for our nieces and nephew to return from their trip. Brent and I saw them for a few seconds tonight, but they were sleepy and ready for/in bed. I tweeted that I needed another outing with the girls like this one. Those pictures always make me smile.

Packet #2 of insurance EOB's arrived today. There were 62 of them in the package. HA.

I attempted to come up with something to cook for dinner without pots, pans, mixing bowls, etc. I only got as far as a salad. Then, I bought the ingredients and realized we didn't have a knife. No kitchen = not so fun. I did pick up a rotisserie chicken from Target, which was delicious.

I go back to work two weeks from today. Scary.

I'm glad you all liked king Curtis. One of the funniest little kids!

I'm going to attempt to go to bed early tonight. We will see!

a good laugh

Another Monday is here. I'm hoping this will give you a good laugh.

Brent is always showing me funny videos he finds on You Tube. Usually his friends send him clips or he finds them by browsing. Most of them usually make me giggle. Brent can quote King Curtis. This one is great. This little boy is a hoot!




I have no idea if Wife Swap is scripted or not. I've seen several episodes on Lifetime and some are hysterically funny and some just don't seem real, they are so crazy. Nonetheless, more reality entertainment.

I hope that you all had a good weekend :) I'll recap ours soon.

Visitor From Heaven

I've had lots of people email me poems, songs and other forms of encouragement (besides their own words). I love them and I think everyone would be lucky to read them. I've decided every now and then I'll post one....with a sweet picture or few, of course.

This is a song by Twila Paris. Here are the lyrics and it reads like a poem.

Visitor From Heaven

A visitor from heaven
if only for a while
A gift of love to be returned
We think of you and smile

A visitor from Heaven
accompanied by Grace
Reminding of a better love
And of a better place

With aching hearts and empty arms
We send you with a name
It hurts so much to let you go
But we're so glad you came
We're so glad you came

A visitor from Heaven
If only for a day
We thank Him for the time He gave
And now it's time to say
We trust you to the Father's love
And to his tender care
Held in the everlasting arms
And we're so glad your there
We're so glad your there

With breaking hearts and open hands
We send you with a name
It hurts so much to let you go
But we're so glad you came
We're so glad you came

Lyrics and Words by Twila Paris
Thanks, Heather

I know these pictures are happy ones and sad ones. I don't mean to make you sad. However, I just felt like they were some that fit these lyrics/poem.



{Cohen arrives :) 6.7.10}

{the first time I held him}

{first family pic}

{the day he was born..he had just arrived to Children's from Parkland. 6.7.10}

{6.8.10 - going to see him at Children's...before I was discharged from Parkland.}


{Cohen goes to Heaven. Last time to hold him. 6.18.10}