Team Juanita's Kids

Mom and Uncle Kenny are getting ready to embark, once again, on this amazing 60 mile walk to help find a cure for breast cancer.

The opening ceremony begins on Friday at 6:15am at Freestone Park! It is such an extremely touching opening AND closing ceremony so if you have never been you should come and see what it is all about.

My grandma Juanita Pearl Grove has truly been such a motivation for all of us participating in this event, whether walking, donating money, helping at garage sales, encouraging, etc. She was a breast cancer survivor and one truly amazing woman. ( I miss you Grandma) The fact that she is such a big part of this walk is so special. Not only is it honoring her, but it helps allow her family to have a brighter future with the possibility of a world without breast cancer.

Thank you Uncle Kenny and Mom for your incredible effort toward this cause, for your extreme determination and committment to something so amazing. I am so proud of both of you for not only taking this on last year but for taking it on again a second year. It means so much to me.

Together they raised more than $5,000.00 and I know that it wasn't easy.

I love you both and will be right along side of you wherever I am able.
I love you guys soooo much!!!!

Good Luck!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Welcome to the world little Elandro

Congratulations Rae and Hector on your new little addition to the family! We are sooooo excited for you and this amazing journey you have ahead of you. Can't wait to see the little guy!

Rachel you are a trooper for all that you have endured!

You are already a beautiful mother

and I am so proud of you!!!

Love You Guys!

Do They Resemble EachOther?

I was going through a box of old pictures and found this one of Brodes. It made me think of the one of Wyatt that Britt had posted. What do you think, are they going to look anything alike?

We Love You Papa

We are thinking of you Papa and keeping you in our thoughts and prayers. Praying for a quick recovery and looking forward to playing with you soon! :)
I love you Dad!

It's Been A Whole Year!!!!

So, Brody is not the only one who has recently turned one! Uptown Girls Downtown Boys celebrated it's one year birthday party on Saturday to launch it's newest project.... girly birthday parties. Elizabeth, Amanda and myself spent the past three days rearranging the whole back half of the shop. (with a whole lotta help from the hubby's) We were really nervous as to how everything was going to pull together but in the end we were really proud of our store!!!!

We had a wonderful day and the kids loved it. So wish us luck on our new adventure and if you know of any little girl out there that is looking for a place to have her birthday party, send her our way :)

We took out the play area and put in three vanity's for the girls to get their hair done. (does the middle vanity look familiar auntie karen? Mom painted it white and switched out the drawer knobs, it looked amazing! Thanks Mom!

Some of the Princess's

We also put in three new fun stations where kids can make thier own lip gloss, shimmer lotion and fairy dust. This is Lexy posing in front of the shimmer lotion.

Blakey Boy and Kenadie playing in the bubbles
and the crew(missing a few )
Thanks for getting these pics Pam, so glad someone brought a camera!!! and Thanks Gramps for the lovely "birthday presents." I believe you are one of the most thoughtful human beings on the planet. What would we do with out your tremendous heart! Oh yes, and thank you Feigy's for your time and effort to print our shirts and pick up that darn cotton candy machine. What a lifesaver. Thank you all for stopping by and sharing your support it meant a lot! Wow, what would I do with our my friends and family!!!!! Love you guys.

Beautiful Morning

As the mornings have gotten cooler, playing out back has been a favorite morning ritual for this little guy. It has been so nice for me to sit outside with my coffee and see Brody at his finest.

Doing some yard work...

Playing with toys, of course "balls"

Making a few phone calls...

Exploring the backyard...

Happy Birthday Beautiful Sisters

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday sweet sisters, Happy Birthday to you!!!!

Okay so I have been unable to download pictures for several days. I tried today and got one, Cass, but when trying to download Amanda's it wouldn't work again. I will add her pic when I am able again.

Happy birthday beautiful women. I love you both so very much and treasure the role you play in my life. Hope you have a day as beautiful as you are!

Gratitude

"You've got to get up in the morning with a smile on your face, and show the world all the love in your heart."~ Carole King

I know that the past several posts have been quotes but when I read this one it just stayed with me. I some how signed up to receive a "great quote to start your day on a positive note" each morning by email and this one arrived a few days ago. Beside the fact that I have a CD of Carol Kings that takes me back to the music that I grew up listening to, so receiving a quote from one of her songs was an added bonus.
It seems that sometimes life gets so busy that the kind acts done out of love for those close to us often get pushed to the side. We get caught up in our own problems and situations that the love in our hearts isn't alway shown. This is how I have been feeling a little lately. My heart is overwhelmed with greatfulness for all of you and for all your support, love, concern, care and kindness. I am so incredibly blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful people. I recognize that during times of difficulty I tend to close up and shut people out. Right or wrong, I guess it's just my way of handling things. Tonight I am comforted by all of you and feel compelled to share the gratitude and love in my heart.

Cleansing the "Colored Lens"

"Ordinary people and ordinary events have surprisingly little effect on our happiness and peace until we add our highly personal interpretation to what just happened. Once we do this, we become victims of our own perceptions and believe that what we ourselves are doing to the world, the world is doing to us."

It seems that this last bout of sickness has really pushed me to think about steps toward change. Change that brings about a healthier life style and a healthier Cory. I have been reading "The Little Book of Letting Go" as most of you know this is an area that I really struggle with.
How is it that our minds get stuffed with so many thoughts, so many voices from the past, so many regrets, fears, memories that we create roadblocks to happiness without even realizing it?
"Once we think a thought that thought becomes the lens through which we see the world. Of all the things out there, this thought determines what we select and what we overlook."
Today I take steps toward identifying those negative thoughts that color my lens and I take steps toward learning to "free" my mind.

One Day At A Time

Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays.--R. W. Emerson