The one with the horses....

We traveled to Ohio las weekend to visit Josh's dad. Had it not been FREEZING we may have had Cooper riding a horse by the end of the weekend. Well maybe not riding but at least a little more comfortable around them. It was so cold the entire time we were there we hardly went outside. It was a very nice, relaxing and cozy trip. We stayed in the living room by the furncace a lot. I would eat, take a nap, eat again and take a nap. Josh and I learned that one of our favorite things to do on vacay is sleep. So when Cooper sleeps we sleep. Not a bad plan, uh? Anyway, Jeff and Deanna are doing good. I think they really loved spending time with coop. Since we've had Coopper I think the fam enjoys him more than us!!! I mean why wouldn't you??? He's so stinkin cute..... We got his school pictures back and OMG we totally have the cutest kid in the whole world. I mean I really hate bragging but I can't help it. And what really helps is he is not camera shy. Just like me, you put a camera in my face and I instantly smile! So we are ordering some prints and should get them soon. Gaaaahhh school pictures are expensive, I will be going broke purchasing these each year, but it's totally worth it.

Papa Jeff

Nana introducing Cooper to Pepper

 

I think Rosie is hungry, look out Jeff!

Meeting Red

someone got into the Cheeto bag on the way home....

LOVE

The one with picture day....

Cooper had his first school pictures on Thursday. As usual he was a stud. I don't have his pics yet, but I hope I can buy enough to share!!! He was so handsome. The teachers said he did good and smiled for the camera! Yay!!! I got a few snap shots of him before we left. See the preview.....

chheeeeeeeeeeeeseeee

Where did my baby go????

Cooper is learning more and more words every day! It is so exciting!! Today his teacher told me he could count to FIVE!!! Of course when I got there he wasn't having anything to do with speaking English. So I worked with him a little... and I will say one and he actually says TWO! It is too stinkin cute I tell ya!


Not much else is going on. Trying to get back on track from being in Jax last weekend. It was a quick trip for Kelly's bridal shower. Down on Friday night and back on Sunday. The trips are quick, but it's good to go home every now and then, we just wish it was longer. We we are making progress on the basement. I drew out the dimensions of the kitchen and the cabinets and fridge (he gives me all the hard tasks) LOL anyway, he ordered a ton of wire from amazon and we should be getting that soon, you know he needs like special 100 cords for the massive TV (we don't have) and the surround sound ( we don't have yet) but whatev, this year is his year for spending the McCarty mula. I did a good job of that last year, so this year it's his turn!!! We did get the plumber out here. For those who have every showered here or ram water know that it practically drips out of the faucets so FINALLY we got someone out her to fix it. I was sooooo excited, I had to test it out and shower when I got home from work. There is a huuuuuuge difference. OMG I am thinking how the heck did I got this long with such awful water pressure. Anyway, the plumber is coming back to give us a quote on the things we need to, well, have plumbed.... I guess what's what you say, plumbed???? So hopefully we can get water to our "kitchen" soon. The important things first, bar and tv wires!

The Bride to be and her Maids

LOVE

The one with the 15 month old....

Cooper is 15 months today! He had his check up too. He is 23 lbs and 31 inches long. Doc says we are doing everything right, he is healthy and active. We knew that! Did I mention stubborn??? He is screaming right now because he cant pull the Wii controllers out of the drwaer. He needs to figure it out on his own, hopefully he does soon.... He is LOUD! I do need to start brushing his teeth, how do I do that? He only let's food in that mouth of his....???? I could use some tips :)

So we made a lot of progress on the basement this weekend. We got the extra room (playroom), office, hallway and closet all wired with working power!!! Josh did one room Saturday and was so stoked I had to see what all the fuss was about. So Sunday, I got on my working clothes and me and Coop headed down to do some work!! You know Cooper had his hammer in hand ready to help. We were down there til about 3:30 on Sunday and cooper was such a good little boy. He stayed out of trouble just watching us and playing with his toys. I have a block set that my Papa made when I was a kid that is down there that kept his entertained! Good thing my parents saved those blocks all these years, I remember being obsessed with them. Anyway, I am really taking a liking to this DIY project. HGTV should totally follow us! This will be a success not a disaster though. First I started off with shop vacuuming the whole place. A clean workspace is a happy one! Then it was down to business. I was in there connecting the wires to the outlets. I don't know how to explain it technically but when we hooked it up to the transformer, the lights turned on and the outlets worked!!! We were so excited!! We added a light to the closet that is underneath stairs and installed outlets and overhead lights in each room. Now if we can get Josh home early this week, maybe we can get the bathroom done. Once we do that, we need to get a plumber out to get us water to the bar ( very important!) and then we can start Sheetrock. With all that, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, we just really needed to focus! Hopefully thing continue to go smoothly, keep your fingers crossed. I am super excited to see the final product!

yea, thats me!!!

Have a great week!!!
LOVE

The one where we dedicate our lives to the basement....

We are starting to get serious on the basement. Josh has been gunghoe this week ordering more supplies on line and working down there. We are making some headway. This weekend we working on getting actual power to all the outlets and wiring he has done. Our neighbor Mike is really getting us inspired, he is hammering up some dry wall his self!!! So once we get this electrical junk down we can make it look like an actual room, rather than seeing insulation and bare wood. That's where I come in, for the painting. I don't mind painting, infancy I have down many rooms upstairs as you know, all I need is wine!!!! So in wishful thinking, we hope to have the basement complete this year!!! Yay man cave! Donations are accepted. Haha TOTALLY KIDDING but if you do come stay, bring your tools :)

So we have a wild, hyper non-stop running, screaming laughing toddler on our hands! Did I mention he is getting his back teeth?? He will be eating steak in no time. Wait maybe I shouldn't introduce him to steak at such an early age, or it will be an expensive road ahead. Anyway, I saw the 3 ( I think) new teeth. I can't get my fingers in there cause he has a hard bite, so when he laughs I try to take a sneak peek. He has his 15 month check up Monday, that's right 15 months. He is starting to say a few words, other than his favorite word "mommy" he says daddy, ball, thank you, juice and NO. He also has his own language we haven't quite figured out. The pointing and grunting is be becoming a popular method of communication. It is super fun and exciting watching him grow. He is such a little sponge. I am anxious to see how much he weighs. Josh and I weigh our selves most mornings, Cooper started to pick up on it and while we were getting ready he went and stood on the dang scale. I think it read 23 lbs! So he still dislikes the swings, but love love loves playing on the slides.

playing on the slides, NOT the swings

23.3lbs

Get in my belly

Off to supervise the baesment construction!!! I will keep you posted on our progress! Happy Saturday.

LOVE

The one where I am in NYC....

As I like to say, New York, New York... so nice they named it twice!! I am still here. We woke up to snow this morning, so as any born and raised Floridian, I was ESTATIC! While Eva and her dog are playing outside though, I prefer to look at the snow from inside, where it is warm. Its so pretty!! Don't wish for this everyday, but on vacation its awesome! Cold to me starts at 50 degrees so this is FREEZING. Anyway, I flew into NYC on Thursday night where I met Eva and her fiance, Allan. They just bought a house in Jersey, so I knew I needed to come up and visit!! Thursday night we played catch up over wine (shocker) and some good ol' Jersey pizza! It was delish, and on being on this diet not eating that kind of stuff any more made it taste SO much better!!!

Friday we woke up early and headed into this city with the working folks! We took the train from Jersey into the city, it was about a 40 minute ride, but how relaxing. Something us Atlanians don't have or take advanatge of. We must LOVE traffic. Anyway, when we got into the city had a nicew breakfast inside, where it's warm and then headed to our Spa day. That's right, Eva treated myself and her to a day at the Spa. OMG, just what the doctor ordered. After our hour long massage, we sat in the hottub, the sauna, the steam room, relaxed read wedding magazines and gossip magazines and about 1:30 we finally left. We were there about 4 hours. I really really reallly needed that. No work, no cell phones, just peace and quiet. It was awesome!!

We went to the 9/11 memorial Friday afternoon. New York did an awesome job on the memorial site. It was beautiful, clean and just breathtaking. You get a different feeling when you walk through those gates from the city. It's a very sad feeling.  I got really emotional walking around the fountains, reading the names of all the people who lost their lives. The one that got me had the mothers name and her unborn child. That one hit hard and close to home. I just can't imagine what the city of New York and all these people felt on that day.

So on a lighter note, I am in the city again with Eva at her office. She is pretty much a wedding planner. So she is showing the venue to guests and setting up for a wedding tonight. So I have a little down time to relax and go walk around outside a little. It is so slushy and slippery I am kinda nervous though. I am not experienced in this kind of weather!! Wish me luck :)

Check out our delishousness from last night!!!

yes those are deviled eggs... YUMMM

Tonight we are checking out a show on Broadway... so much fun!!!


LOVE

The one where someone has a birthday...

Happy Birthday DAD!!! We miss you... Hope mom cooked you a 120z filet with lobster tail! Wish we could be there to celebrate, soon enough... If you come here you just might get a filet on the green egg (I think I need to be CEO before I got and buy a 12 oz filet). Anyway, I hope you had a nice relaxing day. I LOVE YOU!!

So, as many of you new Mr. Cooper has been under the weather. I have been out of work for 2 days, but since he has been taking antibiotics and using the inhaler, he sounds a little better.... not 100%. The dr. told me to use the inhaler until the cough went away, I said, "But he is in daycare, does it really ever go away".... So THIS cough, from the RSV that he has, may last up to 2 weeks. Well as many of you workin mommas know you just can't stay out of work that long, so he is going back tomorrow. Being a "stay at home mom" Tuesday was cool.... but today, I think I am going stir crazy. Baby talk can only last so long. And with Josh's new job he is getting home a little later these days so I am having double duty.

Which brings me to my next announcement, congrats are in order to Joshua, he is now an outside account manager for High Purity Water, still within Siemens. This is great for Josh, because you know he isn't the sit in a cubicle all day kind of guy. He will be calling on customers and having customer visits, mainly in Georgia. Which means we get more Daddy at home with us, instead of traveling the world without us!!!


LOVE

The one with the Big Green Egg....

Yupppppp!!!! That's right friends and family, we got a green egg. For those who don't know, a green egg is a ceramic griller and smoker, pizza oven, pie baker you name it.... It does everything. You can only imagine the excitement Josh and I both felt when we opened our Christmas present from my parents.... Tears filled our eyes, as we opened the gift. Never in a million years did we think we would get a green egg. Josh has definitely begged and talked about one for a while. I kepts saying no, you have 4 other griller and smokers.... BUT my parents can take a hint. The last time they were here (thanksgiving) that's all Josh talked about. "The green egg is amazing!" "Allie we have to get the Green Egg!" "PPLLLLEEEAAASEEEEE!!!" so anyway, that's what we opened on x-mas day, well actually it was 2 green egg koozies and a check since those things are ceramic so are super heavy. Grilling and smoking is Josh's new hobby, but since this thing can do everything, it's a present for me too!!! We probably won't ever have to use the stove AGAIN! Josh can do it all on the egg!! Woot woot. So we picked up our Large Green Egg this weekend, and let me tell you, I have never been skeptical or doubtful of what it could do, but damn! I didn't think it would make food taste 100% different and 100% better. We grilled chicken wings. Amazing. We grilled burgers. Perfect. We grilled corn on the cob... You don't even need butter!!! This week is pizza babyyyyy. Now that I have your your watering, our doors are always open and we are always grillin. So come on over, have a beer and experience the EGG!!!

Peace, LOVE and grillin