Random Post

Well, it's been awhile since I have posted on here and since a picture is worth a thousand words; I have decided to post a bunch of pictures and write a little caption under the picture. Hopefully that will sortof catch you all up. Oh, and Sam is 10 months old in these pictures.

Sam has a new sleeping style.

Playing with his toys.

Sam is pulling up on everything in sight.

Joe is doing very well at UAB. He has gone back to school for a second degree in music education. He is a member of the UAB marching blazers.

We love going to the PepperPlace market on Satuday mornings.

Sam has new "big boy" jammies. Big boy meaning no footies..hahaha. He is also clapping in this picture which is his new favorite trick. If you say, "clap, clap clap" he will. It's super cute.


We love to go to the park and swing.

Happy Father's Day!

Joe's father's day started out like most of our celebration holidays...in the bed with presents and cards. Sam got daddy a card and a new pair of short (which he loved). When we finally got out of the bed and had showers we met Lindsey, Gil, Jackson, and my parents at Ihop for a father's day breakfast. After that we had an extremely lazy day at home. We did laundry, watched the mythbusters marathon, and I made a cobbler. It's nice to have a day like that every now and then.

Stevo's Party

Our friend Stevo has joined the Peace Corps and is leaving for Gambia at the end of this month. He will be gone for the next two years doing some sort of computer work with them. I have attached a link to Stevo's Gambian blog on my page here under blogs I read. We wish him nothing but the best and we'll miss him while he is away. Please keep our friend in your thoughts and prayers. Below are some pictures of his going away party at the lake.

Matt, Stevo & Joe

Matt & Sam

Joe & Stevo

Destin, Stevo & Joe

Joe, Sam & Stevo

The American & Gambian flag cakes

First Mother's Day

Joe and Sam made my first mother's day sooo special. When our alarm went off for church Sunday morning; Joe jumped out of bed and returned with cards and presents before I could even put my feet on the floor. He also grabbed my sweet little cuddle bug from the crib so that I opened everything in the bed with my two favorite men. I got two cards, one from Joe and one from Sam (super sweet), and a silhouette charm with Sam's initials and birthday on it for my charm bracelet AND.... a Ped Egg! hahahaha Seriously, I have been wanting one of those for awhile, so I am pumped about it. Hopefully, I will have smooth nice feet all summer long.

Then we went to church and to lunch with my mom and dad. We ended the day by eating supper with Joe's mom and watching the end of the Amazing Race. It was a great day.

Long weekend in Mobile

We had a really busy long weekend this past weekend. Joe, Sam, and I drove down to Mobile on Thursday for my dad's induction ceremony into the Mobile sports hall of fame, and to spend some time with my sister and her family. I am really proud of my dad; what a great honor.

After the ceremony was over Joe, Sam, and I spent the rest of the weekend at my sister's house. I miss having her in town, so that I can see her whenever I want. We really did a whole lot of nothing (which was nice). Friday we spent the day shopping in Fairhope. Saturday, Lindsey, Joe, and I took Sam and Jackson to the beach. This was Sam's first time ever at the beach, and it was a blast! I tried to teach Jackson how to swim, but he really just wanted to jump off the side to me instead of swim. One of the pictures below is Lindsey trying to teach Jackson how to swim.

Easter

I am a big holiday fan as it is anyway, but I love Easter! I love the colors, the flowers, the feeling of new beginnings, and being with family.

This was Sam's first Easter and we did the traditional Easter basket, cute outfit, and family pictures. Joe and I don't want the meaning behind Easter to get lost in all the bunnies, egg hunts and candy, so we mixed Sam's Easter basket with different and traditional things. We really want him to know that Easter is about Jesus and the sacrifice He made for our sins, and not about a bunny. Please don't get me wrong we love the Easter bunny, the eggs, and the peeps. We just don't want that to be his main focus each year. We want him to learn the scriptures and understand why we celebrate Easter; as well as have fun with the Easter bunny, finding eggs, and eating candy.

With that being said we had a good Easter. We got up early Sunday morning and finished making french toast for our Sunday School brunch, and then put Sam in his super cute Easter outfit. After that we went to church, and then to my parent's house for lunch with my sister and her family, Joe's mom and brothers, and my parents. Then, we went to Joe's aunt's house to visit his dad's side of the family for an hour or two. It was wonderful to see everyone, but needless to say, by the time we got home last night we were exhausted!

Sam's 6 month pictures

I cannot believe Sam is 6 months old! I took him this morning to get his 6 month picture taken. They are below for you to enjoy.

The Exersaucer

Joe and I bought Sam an exersaucer....sp? for Easter over the weekend, and it is one of the best things we have ever purchased! Sam absolutely loves it! NOTE to any new parents like us when your child can sit up on his or her own, get one of these, it's awesome. We got this one at Target and it took about 10 mins. to put together.

Sam's Easter Basket

Don't you love it when things come in EXACTLY how you imagine them in your mind! I am sooo pleased with Sam's Easter basket. It is so cute! I love it!!! If you know me then you know that I LOVE monogrammed things. I would monogram everything in my house if I didn't think it would be tacky. My mom has to remind me often that Sam is a boy and I don't need to monogram everything he owns. However, in this case I think it is completely appropriate and ADORABLE! I can't wait to fill his basket up fun Easter things!

Baby Fat

This past weekend Joe was in the bathroom getting ready for the day when I walked in and announced..."The Cooley's need a lifestyle change." He looked at me like I had eight heads and then chuckled and asked me to elaborate. Ok, so its been almost 6 months since I had Sam and I think the time of blaming my weight on the pregnancy has come to an end.

In my mind I don't think or feel that I am as big as I am. I still think of myself as the size I was before I was pregnant. However, that is soooo not the case; SO I have decided to do something about it. I don't have an unrealistic goal of becoming a size 4 or anything; I just want be fit and trim again.

First and foremost I have to get moving, so I am going to do some sort or cardio 4 times a week for at least 30 mins. I have to work until 4:30 everyday, but if anyone would like to walk/jog on a nice evening just give me a shout. I have a jogging stroller now, so Sam can go with us. Secondly, I am going to drink water, water, and more water....with a non-fat latte sprinkled in there (I seriously have a problem with lattes-they are just so good). Beyond that I don't know. I don't want to overwhelm myself with a crazy workout schedule...I just want to start out with a good foundation and work from there.

Anyway, I hope by posting this on my blog it will help me stick with it. Wish me luck & say bye bye baby fat (I hope). : )

A note from a friend

I got a cute "I'm thinking about you" note in the mail from a friend the other day. It absolutely made my day! The note said that I had been on her mind lately and she wanted to say hello, and then she wished me a good week. It made me think about what kind of friend I am to other people. I like to think of myself as a good friend, but I think I fall short of doing random nice things for my friends, or making enough time for them. Having a baby it is easy to say, "I don't have the time to do something" but the truth is I do have the time, I just have to modify it a little. I am going to make a conscious effort to be a better friend to my friends and family. My friends and family mean the world to me, and I pray they all know how special they are to me. Thanks Stephanie for helping me remember to LIVE the Golden Rule not just recite it....I loved your note! :)

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you" (Matthew 7:12)

Birthdays

I LOVE birthdays! I like to make a huge deal out of birthdays. I don't necessarily do big party or anything like that. I do more of a bunch of little things like: cards, small notes in random places, e-cards, random small presents, and then dinner where the birthday person wants to go.

We have a tradition in our family that on the morning of your birthday you are awakened with: your homemade cake-candles lit, presents, & your family singing happy birthday. It is so much fun! Then of course you get to eat cake for breakfast.

The first time I did this for my husband I scared him to death. I think he thought our bedroom was on fire, b/c the room was dark except for the candles on the cake burning. The funniest part is that he knew that it was coming b/c we talked about it the night before, but he still had this look of panic on his face until he woke up good. I have since started turning the light on as I come in the room singing.

Today is my mom's birthday, so I would like to wish her a very happy birthday. I did not get to participate in her birthday wake up today. I did, however, do the next best thing, which was to call her super early this morning and wish her a good one.

I don't care how old you get it makes you feel so good and loved when someone remembers your birthday.

If today is your birthday; I hope it is a good one!