Happy Belated Birthday Momma!!

As always, I am late on this one!!! But it doesn't make it any less special or important. We were out of town on the actual day and we have been running crazy since we got home on Tuesday...but better late than never, right?

Happy Birthday Mom!! 

Thank you for all that you have done for us, all that you continue to do for us. Our lives are so much richer because you are a part of them. You truly are an amazing and talented, caring and special woman. Jeniffer, Andrew and I have been blessed to have you for a mom. Eva and Sam and Baby Cox #2 are lucky to have you for a Gramma! 

Here's to many more special birthdays!! Enjoy your trip to Miami! 

Lucky #31

Yesterday was my birthday...and I was reminded, again, just how lucky I am. 

My birthday celebration actually started on Saturday when we had a Mommy, Daddy and Eva date at the zoo. Then Saturday night we had dinner at my parents house. Yummy! Love a home cooked daddy meal. And of course they spoiled me with a gift card...which will be put towards our new camera. 

My actual birthday started with coffee, a chocolate donut and a really nice walk at Chatfield with Drew, Eva and the pugs. It was so nice to get out in the morning before the heat of the day started up. 

Then we got home, we washed the dogs, put Eva down for a nap and I got ready for a hot date with my bud, Michelle! We both left the kids with their daddies and went to the movies. We saw The Help. I read the book and cried and cried. The movie had much the same affect on me. It was so good and I was so happy that I got to see it with Michelle. Not to mention that she let me eat most of the popcorn because I was so hungry!! 

When I got home, there was a present on the table and a birthday balloon. Drew and I had agreed to NO presents, but I should have known that wouldn't fly. Drew made me a yummy dinner and an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G dessert!! Then I opened my present - the DU Alumni license plate holder that I have been wanting! A DU scarf--super fuzzy and warm (totally looking forward to saying goodbye to this stupid heat and being able to use it) and the promise of a really nice pair of jeans...he wasn't brave enough to pick them out for me!! And for those of you who know me, you know that my jeans are primarily purchased at Old Navy when there is a sale! I can't wait for some really awesome jeans! 

I was also spoiled by my "sisters" in CA - Vern and Catherine! Thanks gals!! 

Anyway...the jest of the weekend is not the gifts or the food or anything else like that! As I hit 31, it dawns on me just how lucky I am. I have an amazing life, amazing family, amazing friends. I truly don't think my life could be any better! 

Thank you to everyone for my birthday wishes and for spoiling me! 

Here are some pics of my fantastic birthday dinner...keep in mind that the pics DO NOT do the food justice! 

Cherry Cheesecake Chocolate Brownies - TO DIE FOR!!!

Bruschetta with bleu cheese and balsamic vinegar. 

Chicken Caesar Salad 

Top it off with a nice glass of Chardonnay

Eva's birthday meal wasn't quite as yummy though. AND she had to go to bed before the brownies were done. Poor kid :) 

Carrots & Peas and Blueberries and Peaches - very healthy! 

Happy Birthday Carter!

...A little late of course!!! 


My good friend from high school, Kristen, gave birth 5 days after I did. It has been a lot of fun watching her son, Carter, and Eva grow and change together. So happy belated birthday little guy! We love you!!!

Carter (left) and Eva (right) as brand new babies!

Carter and Eva at Christmas time

Carter's 1st birthday party

Sock Monkeys and One Year Olds

About a month ago, Eva turned one and we had a great, sock-monkey themed birthday for her. For those of you who know Drew, we knew from the moment that Eva was born that her 1st birthday would include some sort of monkey theme. I have been waiting to post her birthday blog until I got all of the pics from those at the party. I was running all over the place and didn't take any of my own! 


It was so much fun planning the party, making the decorations and the invites and the cake. It was a little overwhelming preparing for my daughter's one year birthday when it seems like she was just born. She has changed so much in the last year...as have our entire lives. Every day she changes...she is walking a little more balanced, pointing out more body parts (so far she knows belly button, head, foot and nose-we are working on bum). She is eating pretty much all grown up food now, loves to swim and go on walks with the pugs. She has come so far...it is really amazing to see her little curious face continue to learn everyday. And I have learned, because of her, just what it means to love completely and unconditionally. Who knew your heart could have so much room in it? 


Ok...enough sappiness...here are some pics from the party! Thank you to all of those that attended (especially Aunty Jen Rogers who flew all the way here from AZ just for the party)! It was so special to have friends and family here to share her special day! 

The Sock Monkey cake that I made. 

The present and cake table before everyone arrives and spoiled our kid rotten!!

The Sock Monkey banner with all of Eva's pics from the past year. 

Can't really see it, but Gramma made Eva a very special "Monkey" birthday dress complete with bloomers! 

Jelly bean favors. 

Momma and her baby on the special day. 

Love this pic...after wardrobe change for playing in the pool. 

Playing with all of the kids. 

Colleen and her munckins. 

Getting ready to cute the cake. 

It was right about here, after Eva rubbed chocolate cake in her eyes that we decided it was time to clean her up. 

Kristen and Carter...Carter's birthday party was the very next day! Love having these two so close in age! 

Playing with her new toy from Aunty Michelle

Happy Belated Birthday to...

...my Brother in Law Brian!!!

Sorry I am late with the post! We hope you had a great day! Can't wait to see you in May!!

A long time...

...it has been a veeeerrryyy long time since I have blogged. But I promise, it is for good reason. We just finally got wireless up and running here! That, in itself, is story to be told at a later date! Since my last blog on February 13th, a great many things have happened!!! So I am updating y'all now!!!

First of all, it was Eva's first Valentines day!! And while she looks happy in this picture, she was actually suffering from a mild case of RSV...and while I say minor, to me, it was major and major equals awful! Poor thing was up allllll night coughing and crying and lethargic and not eating anything. But, after a couple days, she was back to her normal happy self.

Meanwhile...the pugs had their own medical issues to deal with. They both went under and had their teeth cleaned and the BOTH had to have a tooth pulled. Motley's tooth ended up being a little more compacted then they originally thought, so the vet had to dope him up on more morphine. When Mot got home that night, he looked like a drunk little pug! He swayed when he walked, couldn't make it onto the couch when he tried to jump and even walked into the table leg! Poor guy. I am happy to report that both pugs have healed up quite nicely and seem to be doing just fine.

And of course, while all of this was going, we were finishing up packing for our move into the house! We are officially 100% moved in now. Unpacked--well that is a different story. But we are here. I must say, that I am struggling a bit with not being completely unpacked, with everything in it's place and pictures hung where they should be. But, we do have a couple projects that we are working on in order to be able to unpack everything. We are adding more cabinets to the kitchen and hopefully a pantry too. And we are planning on getting a new bedroom set. We sold the queen bed set to my brother and bought a new mattress, which is currently sitting on the floor until we get the new furniture. And the clothes are strewn all over the room, since we only have one dresser and that is just NOT enough for both of us! But slowly and surely...we are getting there. It is a little different moving somewhere new...and trying to get settled in, when you have a baby in tow!

Now...for a couple missed birthdays...

Happy 1st Birthday to Ellis...

I can't believe you are already 1 and I have not met him yet!!! Hopefully very soon I will get to meet this cute little guy.

Happy Birthday to the OFFICIAL OLD MAN!!! My Uncle Chris...who is not only one of the greatest uncles ever, but a very close and dear friend! I love and miss you!

Happy Anniversary to two of our very best friends!! Jennaaaay and Jason (aka Buttermilk)! We miss you guys sooo much! Hope you had a great day together in the San Diego sun!

Congrats to my good friend Lyndsey and her husband Chris on their 2nd little boy Cooper...he is amazing!!

And of course...Happy 7 months to my baby girl. She is officially over half a year old! Drew is already planning her first birthday...no bueno! I want her to stay tiny, even though she is really a lot of fun now!

Ok...I am very sure, almost positive, that I have missed something. I will definitely keep track of my thoughts and update you as we go....

Happy Birthday...

...to my brother ANDREW!!!!

It isn't often that, as adults, we take the time to thank the people we have in our lives...simply for being a part of them. I guess birthdays are a time for that. My brother and I have not always had the closest of relationships, but it is easy to see that as the years tack onto our lives, we mature and learn that blood is thicker than water and that the bond that siblings share eventually outgrows pettiness and matures into the strongest of friendships. So, now that it is my brother's birthday, I am finally taking the time to thank him. To thank him for being a good son and stepping up to help when help is needed. I am thanking him for being a good uncle...for spoiling Eva and Sam and being the "cool uncle." And I am thanking him for being a brother, who, although we may not speak often, I know he is there for me and my family if the time should ever come. I am proud to be able to call him brother.

So Andrew Devon Hargroves - here's hoping you have an amazing year as a 27 year old!!!

We love and miss you!!!

Happy Birthday...

...to Drew's sister Emily!!!

We hope you have an amazing day and

wish we could all be there to celebrate with you.

Love you!!!

Dinner with Friends

Saturday night, a bunch of us got together to celebrate Michelle's birthday at Rock Bottom Brewery in Downtown Denver. We were lucky enough to have Jenny, our friend from San Diego join us!

So nice to see everyone and get together with bunches of folks. Good food, good times and good people!!! And of course, Eva got passed around!

The birthday girl and Eva...better get used to holding a baby Michelle!!

Sarah getting some baby time in...preparing to be an auntie!!

Kristen and Carter--he is getting so big!

Jenny and Eva...move back for SD Jenny!!

Poor Carter wearing Eva's bow...I don't think he is a fan.

Carter and Eva...still boyfriend and girlfriend.

Roy and Eva...look at his face!! Soon to be Grandpa!! Yay!!!