Build an Owl

"Hoo" knew that at Build a Bear you could build so much more than bears!! Claire has a major love for birds these days and as soon as she spotted the snowy white owl she was set! Claire took the whole building an owl process very seriously. His name is Owl Cox. He has a birth certificate and all!

Daddy is in Denver this week for work so we have been filling our time with fun activities. It's been a nice week so far and nice to have time with my girl. We do miss our man of the house though. Luckily we have been able to web cam and say goodnight which Claire LOVES! He has her favorite book memorized (we read it 50 times a day so how can you not!) so I have been flipping the pages while he reads it to her. So sweet.

I took Claire's placemat and added a little pic of Daddy in Colorado. She totally got a kick out of it and was cracking up. Do you eye spy a little face of dad? Teehee!

Happy Friday

It's been raining cats and dogs here all week long. I haven't seen this much rain in over 3 years now! It's been a nice change of pace but I am ready for our AZ sun to shine again. Today we had dancey dance class. Getting Claire dressed is insane these days. It's like trying to trap a wild animal. I managed to get the tights on, legwarmers on, leotard and jacket. Check, check, check. Then the hat came on. That was Claire's fashion choice for the day. Her hair was a wild mess when she got to class! Oh that face. I feel like I am looking at Eric.



































 I found an old pic of me last week and Eric scanned it in so I could make sure to have it forever! Um, can I just say that I am super cute! teehee! I think this is my 4th bday party!

Orange Ball

Unkie G is no doubt the biggest Syracuse Orange Ball fan I know! Of course, I didn't know any fans of Syracuse basketball before I met the Coxes! Grandma Claire and Uncle Ken are alumni from Syracuse University and the whole Cox family shares a great love for this school and especially their bball team! Last night there was a game on so Uncle Gordon came over to watch on the big screen. He also brought homemade spaghetti with him. How nice is that! Claire had a great time with the guys. Popping some brewskys, watching a little ball, and slamming some spaghetti (and a banana! see below!). Yes, that is an Orange mascot tattoo on Claire's face! It's serious business being the 'Biggest Lil Orange Fan'.

This and that

Claire and her Daddy. Sigh. They are too cute together and have such a connection. They say in the baby books that kids will go through periods of time where one parent is a favorite over the other. I am pretty sure there is no end to Daddy being the favorite. It's a wonderful break for me that she wants him so much but I must admit that it's a little sad when she doesn't want me at all. I know she loves her mama but it's just not the same. Look how happy she is in all her Daddy pics!

Claire got an easel for Christmas and she has been loving her paints. Mom and Dad not so much. It's messy! It's better than the sandbox though! I hate sand. I kick myself every time I look at the sandbox in the backyard. What. was. I. thinking. So, I go out the other weekend to run errands while Claire stayed with Dad. I come home and find Claire painting in her new "apron". Daddy had created an apron out of a diaper cloth, safety pins and ribbon. How cute is that? So cute and clever. (in the pic claire is showing grandma via webcam her "spaghetti" flash card with stickers off the bananas on her hands...don't ask! i was gone for 3 hours.)

In the last pic, Claire is wearing my old soccer shirt I wore when I was 6. She calls it a dress and loves it! Of all the cute dresses in her closet she thinks this old thing rocks! A belt and some cute shoes and we could be on to something!

Jenney

My dear friend Jenney keeps asking me to update my blog more often so she has something to do at work! LOL! So I thought I'd surprise her and dedicate an entry to her! I don't often talk about my buds on here but I have been blessed with a small group of people I consider good friends. Real friends. The ones who see it all and love you anyway!

Jenney and I met back in 2004 when I became her Assistant Manager. She took a leap of faith and hired me over the phone. I already worked for the company but in another city. We clicked immediately and even shared some personal experiences like losing a parent. Jenney was a great friend and a great mentor. She helped give me the confidence I needed at work and believed in me when I moved to Arizona and took a new job with our company. I knew she always had my back. The best part was we were friends too and I knew she would be in my life no matter where we worked or lived. Jenney and her husband introduced me to Eric too!

In early 2006 Jenney was diagnosed with lymphoma. She underwent many intense months of chemo followed by 6 weeks of radiation. She was the closest person I had ever known with cancer and I was scared for her. She lost her hair. She lost her eyelashes and eyebrows. She lost her chances of conceiving a child because of the chemo. What she didn't lose was her spirit and her courage. Even with tubes hanging out of her chest and not being able to take a normal shower for 6+ months (b/c you can't get the tubes submerged in water. the tubes are for administering the chemo to the site of the tumor area.), she was happy and positive. She was human. She cried. She was down some days but I can hardly remember when. All I saw was someone who took what energy she had left and came to work and brought a smile with her. I saw it up close and I saw her handle it with true grace. I think the people around her worried more than she did most days. It wasn't easy not knowing the outcome of her situation. However, it did end and it ended on a good note!

The outcome was and still is full remission! The outcome was 2 years later adopting a beautiful little girl only months after joining the adoption agency! It was a miracle and it happened in swift timing. The birth mother chose them immediately and Ahliana was born a few weeks later! Ahliana couldn't look more like Jenney and Keith! It's simply amazing! Jenney and Keith were just newlyweds when cancer sent their life on a new path and they weren't sure if a baby would be possible but now their family is complete! God is good.

I am proud to call Jenney my friend and so proud of all she has gone through. Her strength will reside in me and so many around her forever.

Love you!!!

KC

Us in Kemah, TX. Eric and I's first date back in March of 2004!!

Being silly at a party in 2004

Christmas party 2005!! Just weeks before the doc found the tumor on top of her lung. Crazy to think she had cancer here and we had no idea.

Easter 2006. Rocking the do-rag.

Mommy and Ahliana! Happily ever after.

Daddy Surprise

Today we surprised Daddy for lunch. We went downtown to visit him!! Claire wanted spaghetti and what a girl wants, a girl gets! Claire loved playing in the phone booth, being outside and getting big hugs from "Da". Eric has been reduced to just "Da" these days. I guess she thinks there is no D on the end. Our other favorite is how she just combines our names when she wants us both...MommyDa. "MommyDa, come here! MommyDa, hold my hands." So funny.

Just getting back into action this week. Claire had school yesterday. Unfortunately, school is cancelled tomorrow due to an issue with the building. Bummer. We have dance on Friday and I am sure Claire will be loving her some dance moves. She busted a few moves at the restaurant to entertain people today. I think she may get some of her dancing from the Coxes (and this is not a good thing! lol!).

2010

A decade complete! Happy New Year 2010!! I am going to say twenty-ten too. I don't care if that is not cool. I like it!

This decade started off life changing. I buried my dad 5 days before my 23rd birthday. I wasn't expecting that or the life that followed but it changed me to the core and set me on a new path. A direction that has ultimately led me to wear I sit right now and for that I am grateful. I found a job that I kept for 5 years until becoming a mom. I became an aunt to my adorable Abby. I met my husband and had a wonderful wedding in Houston, TX with our family and friends. We shared a passion for the desert and moved to Arizona. Just us and our 2 cats. We started a new life here and had our beautiful daughter. I have made new friends I adore and some friendships faded. All things have a reason for the season. My nephew was born just a few weeks ago. Eric and I rang in our 6th NYE!! It's been a whirlwind decade!

Here is to the next 10 years!! No resolutions for me but I do hope that every year gets sweeter and I become more patient. More wise. More understanding. And more of myself.

Some pics of the party we went to last night: