Sentimental to the Core...

So I've been known to be sentimental--just a bit. When all of the other first graders were screaming ecstatically as they ran out on the last day of school for the year, I've been told I paused in the doorway and sighed, "I'll never cross this threshold again." While I blame much of my need to have dramatic narrative on Kevin Arnold, I know it's partially just how I am.

That's why when Josh asked me over and over again if I wanted to change my engagement and wedding ring, I just couldn't. I mean really? The ring HE designed himself. Turned princess cut into a ballpark setting...the ring he showed me as he proposed in front of a whole football stadium of people...with a plane flying overhead saying "Courtney, will you marry me?"


No.


No. and No. I told him if he really wanted to give me an upgrade or something...it would have to be another ring. No.


Josh approached me again in January and asked me if I would like to go shopping just to get ideas. He told me he'd like to get me something for our 6th anniversary in June. He was preparing the sentimentalist. :) I agreed. I even gave in and let him play with my existing ring for ideas. By the time the summer came, Josh had talked to the same guy who sold him my first ring, at the same jeweler where my dad bought my mom's engagement ring, the same place he bought my mom's 25th anniversary wedding ring---Diamond Jewelry Factory on Westheimer. He had again, designed a ring for me--telling me only about part of the design. It took a while for it to come in---and eagerly picked it up in July. And once again, it was beautiful. My wedding band is not shown in the first pic, but was originally a platinum band that he had now set in pave. My favorite part was the least expensive--the "basket" setting they put on top to raise the gallery. I do love a high gallery. Thanks for teaching me, Jajo.





The ring I will always love, forever and ever and ever. :) I made the jeweler promise that I could always make it original again if I just had to. Hahaha....no i really did.



And here's the new one! I absolutely love it. I'll love it this way forever and ever too. Thank you, Josh! I love you~


love, winnie cooper

Three Random Things

#1. So, I was talking to my good friend Carissa today. We were talking about the last of the stubborn pregnancy pounds. 10 to go for me. Still. She has successfully lost weight after her 2 babies and is about to pop out a cute #3 any day now. She looks great! I thought she'd be a great person to discuss this topic with--until she suggested that I give up....CHEESE. Now girls, I've somewhat gladly given up wedding cake this summer, cupcakes at friends' showers...but beloved cheese? I cannot. I cannot. Or can I? Well, I'm gonna try. Josh and I are planning a trip next summer that will involve a bathing suit. So, that's my goal. To get it off and keep it off. Cheese?

What would be your worst food to give up?

#2 Dax Shepard. There's not many actors or actresses that I really just take a liking to. But this guy just cracks me up! He shows up in the most random places...and I say...that's the guy from Baby Mama! :) The latest appearance where I spotted him was in the movie "When in Rome." At the end, he plays a guy who's interested in another guy, and I about came unglued because I really, but SO-unromantically liked him. I still do, but I did yell at the screen, "No, Dax, why did you do that?!?!" Despite the unmatchable character arc they seem to like to put him in, I like him because in real life, the goofy Dax graduated Cum Laude from UCLA. Now 'dax pretty funny.

#3 July. I do love July. I love May and December too. But July almost always promises a pool, homemade ice cream (thank you, Dad), and some grillin'. And the Fourth of July is just one of those unpretentious holidays. No pressure who you spend it with, it seems. You can just BE. Maybe it's part of the freedom party package.

Ok, that's all for now.

~CJ

dear hunter- 8 months!

scrunched-nose...a household favorite
yummy starfish
turtle head
still has a huge head!

Hunter, we praise our God for you! These 8 months have been some of the best, most exciting months of our lives.

dear hunter,

One of your new tricks is when I put a small cloth over your head...I say "Where's Hunter?" ---and you pull it off. Sometimes. Sometimes, I know i can see your sweet cheeks smiling so wide even underneath the cloth...."Where's Hunter?" "Where's Hunter....?" You like to make me wait in anticipation. I'd wait any time for you! You are so fun! You like to eat...and eat and eat. I'm not sure what your favorite food is because you like it all! But you do really still like carrots...and as far as table food goes, you think guacamole from Mariachi's is really good. :) You love your "Where is Baby's Belly Button?" and "Peek-A-Boo, I Love you" books. (These are the ones where you can participate and lift the flaps). You are so happy when you find things. You also laugh really hard at the "Funny Farm Animals" book where I put my fingers in the pages and make the animals wiggle. Ha! You are getting more familiar with the swimming pool...even splashing yourself and kicking, kicking with those legs "jumping" on top of the water. You are still crawling, or "scooting" rather across the floor. Daddy and I love to get down there with you and roll the ball back and forth.

Another funny thing you started to do this month is what Daddy likes to call "chewing air."

And you still get really excited about your Bible stories at night. You praise Him with your belief that they really do come to life. We love you. ~ Mommy and Daddy

father's Day, a retirement party and an anniversary :)

So here's more to why June was so busy for us! But we are excited in our hearts to have so many special celebrations. Josh's first Father's Day was fun to plan. Hunter and I set out a table of goodies for him before he got up. One gift not pictured was a gourmet lunch at Wing Stop---his favorite. :)

Also, Jane, my MIL, aka "Nana" retired from teaching 36 years!!!!!!!! We are so proud of her. She has literally taught multiple generations of 8-year-olds! We love her so and are happy she will be more free to make trips to Houston. I had a great time decorating the event---we had floating apple candles in apple etched glass bowls---sitting upon black composition notebooks. So fun! Sam (Josh's sister) had a great cake made (see pic). The festivities were held in timeless Salado, TX.

And lastly, but the most fun...our 6th anniversary. I was just talking to Amanda Hill today .....they just celebrated their 7th. Can't believe it. We were actually in Salado for the retirement party on our anniversary, so we celebrated a few days early. We went to James Coney Island and got chili cheese dogs like we did when we were dating and tailgated at a park on Woodway. Little man was in the backseat sound asleep to ... what else...Michael Buble's "Let Me Go Home." What's new? Josh took my hand after we ate and we danced outside the car to Buble...yes, in the parking lot. :)

I guess I should mention that I ate grilled chicken, a green salad and peas at Stagecoach Inn for the retirement party since I have confessed now about Wingstop and James Coney. Just makes me feel better to add that.

dear hunter- 7 months- June

So behind! I took this picture (believe it or not) ON his 7 month birthday, June 10th. So much has happened...I am just now posting your letter...Sorry, Mister!

Dear Hunter,

What a fun month we have had together. You giggle like no one's business. We have found many fun tickle spots. You started to crawl this month--showing us you are smart on two levels....First of all, when you didn't want to exert energy to crawl, you would just "shimmy" the toys you wanted by pulling the towel towards YOU instead of crawling to it. Your Pappy said, "Smart Boy!" Secondly, when you did want to be more mobile, you used your biggest strength to get you going...you HEAD! You get down on the ground on your stomach, then your head gets tired and hits the carpet. Then you will proceed to push off something and move forward-- with your head! It is the funniest. You get where you want to go though. :) You still enjoy Michael Buble best of all as far as "sleeping in the car" music---"Let Me Go Home." But your favorite song to hear was the "chocolate factory" song from Veggie Tales. You would laugh so hard and look me right in the eyes as I sang the opening line almost every morning, "Good Morning, George...how are you?" Oh, you LOVED it. This month you enjoyed your Nana's retirement party at The Stagecoach Inn in Salado. We had slumber parties at Kayla and John's house, Nana's house, Gigi and Pappy's house....we were on the road! You love being in the bjorn when we are out and about. You kick your legs at the same time ... up and down ...up and down..much like you do in the swimming pool...you like to kick your legs "float-free." You like to fall asleep while eating quite a bit...but you like for me to still sing to you, too. Often times, my singing wakes you up...you get wide-eyed...stop eating and want to sing back to me. You get so excited! My favorite "Hunter trick" of the month was that you started scrunching your nose real tight....with a big, wide smile, and squinted eyes, and blowing air through your mouth which produced an airy, drooly, laugh. You do this most when you are talking to someone and you are really having fun. Well, it could be a toy too.

I love you, kiddo. ~ Mommy

June was a crazy month.... :)

june was very busy for the strong gang. i've got lots of fun events to post about! here's the intro...hunter's first trip to berry hill! i thought of ashley when i went and remembered our time at berry hill when tae was in china last year. it was after we met the crazy lady at the mac counter. :). this time we took nana to berry hill when she came to visit us in early june. i could not wait to put hunter in his matching plaid hat and shirt. CHECK OUT THOSE CHEEKS! :)

Love, Court (mommy)