Catch Up With the Cooks

More Crafting Going On

2011-08-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

Well since the summer started and the kids have been home all day, I've felt a little imbalanced. So I've decided to allot some time to crafting. Something that helps me relax and feel accomplished.

So here's the starter craft. A beaded watch. It took me about a half hour to put it together. I can't wait to make more to switch around with whatever I'm wearing.

I'll be posting more of the things I make here on my blog so I have a running history of what I'm making.

Happy Crafting!

Learning Old Lessons

2011-03-03T21:44:00.001-08:00

It still amazes me how we forget the important things in our lives. Our little family has had to relearn some lessons lately. With all we have going on in our lives it's easy to forget the little things that make an enormous difference.
All I can say is...Prayers are answered, especially when you are doing the things the Lord has asked of you. He knows each and every one of us. He loves us and is there for us when we need him.
Some changes may be in the works for us in the near future and it'll be good for us all. Probably not easy, but good.
I'm grateful to know that, as we move forward, we'll be watched over and blessed.

About Time

2010-03-06T20:42:00.000-08:00

This post is about time and how most of us no longer have any to even keep up with fairly simple things, like my blog.
We seem to be just keeping our heads above water these days. The holidays stormed past in a whirl and then suddenly Brent turned 8 and shortly after was Kayla's 1st birthday.
Because of Brent's 8th birthday we were all able to enjoy seeing him be baptized and confirmed. It was such a special moment, and we are so proud of him.
Brad has started his final semester at UNLV and has started the process of looking for interships and will shortly begin the job hunt. We are really looking forward to this new journey and we're sure we will learn a lot along the way. He was also given a new calling as the ward financial clerk.
I was released as RS chorister and am still enjoying being part of the activities committee.
Even with as busy as we are we try to keep enjoying those precious few moments of time when we can just be together and have family time. Nothing is better that being together and laughing together and loving each other.
We're looking forward to spring, we've started a garden and now have about 100 ladybugs as pets. Jake keeps asking when we can put the pool up and go swimming. As the weather warms, so do our spirits. And we're ready to take on some adventure.
Enjoy the pictures.

Playing Catch Up

2009-10-19T22:10:00.000-07:00

Okay it's been a while but things seem to keep coming up and we are all very busy. Brad, Brent and Teegan are all back in school and excelling. Church also has us all busy. Brad and I had a great experience helping with a Hangi where we heard Elder Groberg speak, as well as our first camping trip. And I'm still trying to find my groove as the Relief Society chorister. The boys have even been preparing for the Primary program next week. After that I have the Trunk or Treat to prepare for. Thankfully there is no ward activity in November so I'll get a little break before Thanksgiving. We love the holidays and look forward to the spirit of the holidays. Kayla is now 9 months old and ahead of the curve. You can tell she is going to be a smart girl. She's always observing things around her. She loves to play peek a boo. Last week she figured out how to stand up and three days later started to try walking. She's ready to keep up with those brothers of hers. It won't be long until she's chatting up a storm as well. I've included some video for you to enjoy.

Vacation-finally

2009-08-20T08:29:00.001-07:00

We have had a busy summer or atleast I have. Just keeping everyone happy is a full time job. We finally took a much needed break and headed to Utah for some family time. We started with a visit from Grams, she came down from Idaho to spend a day with us and meet her newest great-grandbaby (Kayla). I think we may have gotten her hooked on Jenga. The next day we took the kids to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point after we finished there Gma and Gpa took the kids back to Ogden for a movie night. Brad and I got some alone time and went to one of our favorite restaurants (Tuscanos) where I tried Buffalo steak (yummy), then we enjoyed a movie (GI Joe)as well. On Saturday Gma and I had a little girl time and found a store full of girlie dresses and hair bows, it was fun to indulge in a little froo-froo for a few minutes. In the evening Kabi and Dave arrived from their vacation in the Northwest and we had a BBQ to celebrate Brad's bday. Sunday we went to church and enjoyed the rest of the day visiting with Kabi and Dave, and Gma and Gpa. We also enjoyed the fighter jets flying over the house everyday, playing games, and the much cooler weather.

Kayla Crawls

2009-08-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

Hello, all! Just a short post to announce that Kayla is officially crawling. She usually only does it when she's in a hurry to get somewhere, but I imagine it won't take long for it to become her preffered mode of travel. I've posted a video to share, it's a little dark, but I hope you enjoy it.

Too Fast....

2009-07-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

My little baby is getting big, too fast. She's now 6 months old, already. There are time when I feel like I just brought her home form the hospital and at the time I'm amazed at the personality that is now shining through. I love the way she scrunches up her nose when she smiles really big, I love how I'm, at times, the only one who can make her laugh. Anyway, you can probably tell, I love my girl.
So here are the stats: Weight= 14lbs, Height= 28inches. Her height is considered long and is causing her belly to hang out of many of her shirts. It's kind of funny. She's scooting, sitting up, and pulling herself up on things. She's only crawled 2 little crawls so far and part of me thinks she may skip crawling and go straight to walking. She doesn't babble, she squeals. She loves, peas, carrots, applesauce, squash, playing peak-a-boo, playing in the water, and her jumper. She has also become attached to the flannel blanket that Grandma made her. Her eyes are more green lately but seem to change with whatever she's wearing, and she has two bottom teeth. She likes bread and already has taken a liking to french fries. We'll be trying a sippy cup soon, can you believe it? It's amazing.
What can I say, this girl already shows signs of being a firecracker. I can't wait to see what's to come. Enjoy the pictures.

Moving Forward

2009-06-25T23:25:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure I'm ready for Kayla to be mobile yet, but she's well on her way. She's getting so big, so fast. Her brothers have no idea what is coming their way.

Hidden Talent

2009-06-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

Who knew Teegan was so talented. I had never seen him use a hula-hoop before, but he took to it like a champ. This is from his field trip to the Water Park (one of our favorite places). We are looking forward to many more trips there this summer.

So much to catch up on; so little time.

2009-05-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

The time has flown by. I can't remember everything I need to post. So, I will do the best I can. Brent and Teegan only have 3 1/2 days of school left. They are really excited for the summer and ready for a break. We got a preview of summer over Memorial Day when Laura and I took the kids and headed for Santa Monica. We spent the night in a motel, then Saturday morning at the beach. It was a beautiful day and we all got a little sunburned, but it was alot of fun.

Kayla is now 18wks old (that equals 4 1/2 months). She is rolling over, screaming, eating baby food, and keeping us all on our toes. We were able to bless her on Mother's Day. It was such a special day and we are truly blessed to have her. She'll be a fireball in no time.

Brad finished another semester at UNLV and is getting a little break from school before he takes one summer term class. The countdown to being done is on. We look forward to it, and it's nice to see the end in sight.

We look forward to having some fun this summer, Carla will visit and we hope to make a trip to Utah later on, with lots of days at the water park and pool in between.

I've included a few pictures for you all. You can also find us on facebook if you want daily updates.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2009-04-14T23:19:00.000-07:00

Well, this one is for Grandma. Since she will not be at home on her birthday this week (she's in Cannon Beach, her favorite place on earth; lucky lady) we thought we'd send her a little message, but it didn't fit in an email so I'm putting here and telling her to check it out. So Mom/Grandma Happy Birthday! We love you!

Jake turns 4!

2009-04-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? Jakob turned 4 today. It still seems like he's the baby even with Kayla in the house. My little man isn't so little anymore. He's had a few growth spurts lately and reminds us every day just how smart a 4 year old can be. On Friday we went to Walmart where we often visit the fish to say Hi, only this time I gave in and we welcomed Buzz Lightyear into the family. Who knows how long he'll survive but Jake sure loves taking care of his new little friend. Today was his actual birthday and the boys and their dad had a movie night to celebrate. Tomorrow will be the bid day with plans for the family to come have cake and ice cream, open presents, and finish off with a slumber party with Dad and his brothers. He's gonna love it!

No, Mom, I don't need a nap. I'm not tired!

2009-04-01T23:34:00.000-07:00

Teegan called and came home from school the other day with a stomach ache. And swore up and down that he wasn't tired and didn't need a nap. After having him lay down and 5 minutes of boredom in his room he was out cold. So here is the video of a boy who isn't tired snoring away in the of the day. Sometimes he's just too cute.

Month 2

2009-03-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

Well we've hit the 8 week mark and everything is progressing just as is should be.
Kayla is thriving and changing everyday. We love getting her to smile and try everyday to get a laugh from her. I guess she's not quite there yet. She's hit the 12 pound mark and is really begining to know who each of us are. She loves it when the boys lay next to her and talk or make funny faces. She can stare at them for minutes on end.
We've also discovered she loves music. The other night she sang along to Stevie Wonder performing on American Idol. However, she hasn't revealed her pick for this season, she's keeping that one to herself for now.
She still has her big blue eyes as you can see in the following pictures. She also has curly hair when she gets out of the bath.

Month 1

2009-03-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe it has been a month since we brought little Kayla Jo home. The first couple of weeks were great; with help from Grandma we started out just cruisin'. Then Grandma went home and reflux set in and the next 2 weeks were pretty difficult. I hadn't experienced it with the boys and I thought she would never stop screaming. Then at her check up the doctor said a word that is now music to my ears, "ZANTAC". Thank goodness for zantanc. I can finally put her down for more than two minutes and get a few things done. We're still playing catch up this week but everyone is doing much better now that she is feeling better.
Okay here are the numbers. She has gained 2 pounds and has grown 1 inch. Her eyes are still blue and we're hoping they stay that way. She is doing well by all accounts. She even gave me her first smile and is spending a little more time awake every day. She loves watching the ceiling fans and her brothers go in circles.
Thanks to all who have listened and for all the well wishing. Here are some more pics for all to enjoy.

Two Weeks, Already!

2009-02-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe but our little Kayla is 2wks. old. We love having her here especially the boys. They probably love it more than my nerves can actually handle. It seems like just when I get her settled and sleeping they want to touch or hug or kiss her and I have to do it all over again. They'll do anything to help out with her and hate to see her upset. I love seeing how protective and loving they are with her. If only I could get them to be that way with each other more often.
I do have to admit that I love that feeling I get, knowing that sometimes she just wants Mom and no-one else will do.
She's pretty amazing though. Changing every day, already knowing what she wants or doesn't want at any given moment, and just being an all around good baby.
Anyway, here are some new pics for all to enjoy.

2009-01-24T14:32:00.000-08:00

Kayla Jo Cook

2009-01-22T19:41:00.000-08:00

Kayla Jo Cook finally made her entrance Wednesday. She was just waiting for grandma to cruise into town for her entrance. I started feeling contractions about 8:30pm (Tuesday night), and at 9:00pm I woke Brad up and told him it was time to go! After being monitored for a few hours, the contractions were to a point where the hospital decided I could be admitted. My water broke around 2:00am on Wednesday morning. The doctor arrived around 2:30am and by 2:45am Kayla had entered the world. We feel so blest to have a beautiful, healthy girl. Kayla was 8lbs. 9oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. We are now settled comfortably at home and the boys are excitedly adjusting to their new baby sister. We will let you know about Kayla's blessing, and post more soon!

Any Day Now!

2009-01-18T15:52:00.001-08:00

Okay, this is what a very pregnant and near miserable woman looks like. Most women who are where I'm at are already at the hospital doped up on pain meds. So why am I still at home being tortured from the inside? I don't know. I guess the Lord feels that a few more days of excersising my faith and patience is in order.

Anyway, even with however uncomfortable and painful things may be right now, I know that the end result will be worth it and so I wait along with all of you, anxiously of course.

PS: If she doesn't come on her own I'll be induced at the end of the week. Yeah!!!

How does this happen?

2009-01-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

Okay, I don't get it! How does ones feet swell so badly that I can't put shoes on. It's January and I have to wear flip flops!

Ignore the fact that I need a pedicure but I have never swollen up like this before, even while prego with the boys. And if you look close you can see the half of my foot near my ankles are twice the size as the part near my toes. It amazes me, and I guess it just goes to show one more difference between pregnancies with boys and girls.

Anyway, enough complaining. There is some light at the end of the tunnel. I've started dilating and this girl could show up in 2 hours or I'll be induced 2 weeks from today. Yeah! It's just a waiting game now, so the next couple of weeks should be fun. Wish us luck!

Baby Shower

2009-01-02T10:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, I finally am ready to post pics from my baby shower. It was alot of fun to have my friends come and celebrate with me. I'm still in a little disbelief that we're having a girl, part of me expects her to come out and the doc say "I think there's been some kind of mistake, you have a boy, not a girl." That would only be funny if I hadn't gotten rid of most of my boy stuff that small.
Thanks to all for your love and support!

Anyway, here are the pics of our little shindig. Enjoy!

Let It Snow!

2008-12-17T15:29:00.000-08:00

IT's snowing in VEGAS! Can you believe it? I love it! I feel like we're actually having a winter this year. Well here are some pics to prove it.

I'm so glad when Daddy is Home!

2008-12-17T15:01:00.000-08:00

The boys are ecstatic! Brad is done with school for about 4 weeks and you'd think it wouldn't be a big deal. But the boys can't seem to get enough of him. I'm glad they appreciate having him around and can tell the difference.

PS. Brad got all A's and B's this semester, even in his business law class. Good job, Honey!

the Value of Work

2008-12-17T14:56:00.001-08:00

We had a cord of firewood delivered and you would have thought it was already Christmas morning. The boys couldn't wait to get their hands on it. So, Papa put them to work. They sure are learning alot from the men in their lives and I'm grateful for the awesome examples they have to follow.

Ready, Set, Christmas!!!

2008-12-15T10:49:00.001-08:00

Here we go! As you can see we're all geared up for Christmas. The boys could hardly wait to put up and decorate the tree. Jake tried several times to get us motivated before we were really ready.

Then it finally came time and this year was more fun than the last. The boys are finally getting to where they get "it". It's nice to be able to do these things without as much chaos as in the past.

Anyway, the tree is up, the lights are on, and now there are just songs to sing, and a little baking to do. I love it.

Enjoy the pictures and Happy Holidays!!!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-15T10:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm officially a slacker! But being 81/2 months prego, I think I have a pretty good excuse. Anyway, this is the only pic I took at Thanksgiving. We were cleaning the house for my baby shower, when Carla went outside to clean the sliding door the boys jumped in to do the inside. The funny thing is that they would do their hand right along with hers in unison. It was really cute.

There are lots of pics from the shower but I don't have them yet. So, hang in there!

Just Like Daddy

2008-11-10T17:14:00.000-08:00

Brad left the clippers out and next thing I know I could hear Jake and Teegan in the bathroom with them. Their explanation for the spots of hair (which I've been trying to grow out for months) missing from their heads was that they wanted to look "like Daddy." So "Daddy" obliged. Now, Jake looks like Mr. Clean, and Teegan has peach fuzz and blames the whole thing on Jake. Funny thing is he never once yelled for help while Jake was cutting away.

Enjoy the pictures!

Halloween Town

2008-10-30T16:49:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween time again already. And we've been having a good time. The boys enjoyed the annual trunk or treat and their school parties. All they really care about is how much of their candy can they eat. Teegan keeps asking for more because he's still hungary; I just have to laugh and explain that candy does NOT make a meal. Anyway, I've included a video and a few pictures for you to enjoy. Have a great BOO day!

Sad Loss

2008-10-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

We got a phone call this morning that my Uncle Gene passed away last night after a freak accident. We're really going to miss him. He was a gentle, hard working, kind, and generous man. The world is worse off with him gone. All our prayers are with Ann Marie and the kids and we wish we could be there with them. We'll always remember him in the best way.

Allow me to brag for a moment.

2008-10-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

Yeah Me!

I'm very proud of myself today. I've been stuggling, trying to find leashes, not for my kids, but for pacifiers. I had a couple for the boys but lately I've been looking and haven't found any that would work with most pacifiers (except the Mam ones). Anyway, in my frustration I got to thinking, "to heck with it, I'll figure out how to make some". So I set out to the craft store. And after a little trial and some ugliness, presto! I have pacifier leashes. Check them out! Cute, huh? I think so and now I also have a great baby gift whenever I need one.

Now, I just have to figure out a cute way to add a bow or something. I have a few ideas but would love some suggestions too. I'm also on the hunt for a better clip. Ebay has a couple of options but I haven't narrowed it down yet. Okay I'm done!

Also, if any of you want one or two let me know they are really easy and take very little time.

Heads Up

2008-09-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

Just a Heads Up!

My sister is throwing a baby shower for me Thanksgiving weekend. We hope all our friends and family can make it. It should be quite the party. Here are the details.

Sat.,Nov. 29th

11a-2p at my house.

Light lunch served.

I have registries at Target, Walmart, and Babies R Us

Hope to see you there.

Family Night Fun

2008-09-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Big Thank You's to Aunt YaYa (Laura)! She had set up a company party at Sunset Station's bowling lanes and no one showed up so she called me and invited us to come and bowl for free. So we went for it! It was sooooooo much fun. The boys LOVED it and were actually well behaved. So Mom and Dad had fun too. The only problem was that Brent and Teegan did just as good as the grown ups. Anyway, I've included video of one of Brent's victory dances and pics of a few other moments. Enjoy!

Tagged: Crazy 8's

2008-09-15T17:22:00.000-07:00

Allison Campbell Tagged Me!

Here it goes!

8 TV Shows I love to watch:
Dancing with the Stars
ER
Deadliest Catch
Survivor
So You Think You Can Dance
Extreme Makeover-Home Edition
Robin Hood (BBC)
American Idol

8 Favorite Restaurants:
Macayo's
Red Robin
Benihana
Tuscano's (Provo)
Claim Jumper
Lonestar
Olive Garden
Macaroni Grill

8 Things That Happened Yesterday:
I got to church on time.
They announced ward boundries will change next week.
Bishop said his release testimony.
Had waffles for dinner.
The boys all took naps.
Brad didn't have extra meetings.
Finished unstiching the quilt I'm doing for the baby.
The boys were unusually loud all evening.

8 Things I Look Forward To:
Halloween
Paying off the van
Thanksgiving
No More ReRuns-Premieres start next week!
My baby shower. I have no girl stuff.
Carla being home for the Holidays.
The end of this semester for Brad.
Brad graduating.

8 Things I Love About Fall:
Halloween
Cooler Temps
Making Stew
Everything Orange
Pumpkin Pie
Sweatshirts
Tennis Shoes
Did I say Halloween

8 Things On My Wish List:
Clothes that fit-ha!
My own house.
Chevy Tahoe Hybrid
Take the boys camping
Pedicures
Jake to potty train himself
Travel to far off places
Pay off debts

8 People I'm Tagging:
Laura
Carla
Michelle Campbell
Diana Bevell
Janine Worthen
Laurel Brennan
Suzie Kleinman
Emily Beech

Think Pink

2008-09-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

It's official! We are having a girl! Can you say finally?
We're all very excited and look forward to a little less testostirone in the house. And finally I get to buy something pink and frilly. Thanks to everyone who voted on the boy name poll. Feel free to use those names for yourselves someday.
Anyway, thanks for all the prayers and well wishes, we feel really blessed.

Teegan's 1st Day

2008-08-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Monday was Teegan's first day of Kindergarten. He was so excited and he never showed a moment of fear. He's done really well so far and it's fun to see him starting to get into the school routine.

Jake and I are having a great time being by ourselves and we're acomplishing alot. He's a great helper. He did have one moment of missing his brothers but he'll get used to them being gone soon.

Congratulations, Teegan, keep up the good work.

Dilema

2008-08-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

Help! I have a dilema. Brad and I cannot decide on a name for the baby if it's a boy. We'll find out the sex of the baby Sept. 4th so we have a few weeks, but we need your help. You'll find a poll with our favorites to the right. So pick your 2 favorite names. Unfortunatley, you don't get the chance to vote for a girl name, we've had one ever since I was pregnant with Brent and obviously we haven't been able to use it yet.
So make your voice heard and help us out. Thanks!

BAD WIFE

2008-08-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

I am a bad wife. Yesterday was Brad's birthday and I completely forgot. It wasn't until about 6pm when Brent came down the hall and said something about it that I realized what I had done. It had been a crazy day with the kids, and cleaning, and my dad coming home from vacation that there wasn't room in my head for much else. And having pregnant brain doesn't help.
I'm sure 'm not the only one to have ever done this but it's so out of my character that it makes me feel even worse.
Don't worry I have plans to make up for it in the next few days .
Brad was pretty okay with it and even laughed at me, but I think he really was shocked and a little hurt. Thank goodness his mom didn't forget or he might be really upset.
Anyway, I promise to do my best to never let it happen again and always make it special.
Sorry, Brad, I Love You.

Olympic Fever

2008-08-10T19:17:00.001-07:00

We've caught the bug!

Olympic Medal winners at NBC Olympics.com!

Vacation Part 2, Days 4&5&6

2008-08-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

Day 4 - We said goodbye to Jen, Adrian, and their kids then drove to Boise, Idaho.

Day 5 - We had breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa at the hotel, said goodbye to Kabi and Dave, then we took the chance to drive around and see a couple of Brad's childhood homes and spent some time at a park he played at as a kid. We fed ducks, walked over to see the river, and got some of the boys wiggles out.

Then we got back in the van and drove to Ogden. The boys played and we bbq'd. After dinner Brad, his mom, Brent and I played a rousing game of UNO Spin. And I even got a chance to bum some fabric from Mom to add to my new quilt project that I picked up in Cannon Beach. We were not looking forward to returning home the next day (Day 6).

All in all after about 3500 miles and alot of time in the car, we pretty much loved every minute of our trip and are grateful to be able to do it. Now we just need a vacation to recover. Unfortunatley it's back to life for all of us.

Oh, here are a few more pics.

Vacation Part 2, Day 3

2008-08-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, this was our final full day in Cannon Beach. We left around 10am and drove to Tillamook. We are all big fans of their cheese. When we arrived there we took another family picture then buddied up and headed in to see the cheese. It was fun to watch the ladies slice and package 12inx12in blocks of cheese into the many forms we see in the store every day. Then we had the pleasure of sampling their goods and went a little crazy buying cheese. We also took the opportunity to have and ice cream before heading back to Cannon Beach.

When we returned Brad watched the boys while I headed into town to visit the quilt shop and walk around town for a little quiet time. Then I picked up the family and we went into town for dinner. It began to get stormy and cold again so we headed back to the hotel and started to get things wrapped up so we could be ready to leave for home the next morning. And of course I took the opprotunity to take a few more pictures.

Vacation Part 2, Day 2

2008-08-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

Day 2 started with Brad taking Brent and Teegan on an early morning walk on the beach so Jakob could get some sleep and Mom could get made up for the day. They happened to have pefect timin to check out the Tide Pools near Haystack Rock and were able to see and touch Starfish and Crab.
When they returned we went to a neighboring town called Seaside and did some shopping, rode the carousel, and walked the promenade. Then Jake had a meltdown so we headed back early and took a rest. Brad took a walk with his Dad and got things set up for a family picture. The family picture time was a trial with all the kids being tired so we scrapped it and decided to try flying some kites.
After some great kite time Brad, his sisters, and their spouses (including me) left the kids with Grandma and Grandpa and had some alone time. Then we got the chance to have a quiet dinner together at the Driftwood Inn. It was great to be able to have a real conversation without having screaming kids interjecting.
When we returned it was time for bed and Grandma and Grandpa looked no worse for wear.
Here is a video for you to enjoy.

Vacation Part 2 - Cannon Beach, OR

2008-08-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

After or jaunt to Meeker we drove to Salt Lake and had a great visit with our friends the Brennan's, spent the night in Ogden at Brad's parents house and headed for Oregan the next day. It took 2 days to get there but WOW it was totally amazing. When we arrived it was cloudy and cool and we wet directly to the beach for walk. While we were walking on the beach it began to rain, but it was light and misty so we stayed a little longer. Then we went to fing some lunch. We ended up eating sandwiches in the van, but that was as good as anything else. We took a little walk in town and headed to the hotel to meet up with the rest of the family and get our room.

We visited for a while then got settled in our rooms before meeting up again for pizza and swimming.

After a long day and alot of fun we all crashed that night.

I've included a pic I took when we first arrived.

Vacation Part 1 - Meeker

2008-08-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

We had a long trip to Meeker but after 5yrs. it was time and worth it, too. We had a great time being outdoors and visiting with my family. Many had never seen Jake in person and the last time I was there Teegan was only 3 weeks old. We've all changed alot so it was good to catch up and get to see everyone in person.

The boys loved being able to do alot of new things. Papa took them fishing and for a horse ride, he also taught Teegan a little about playing Horseshoes. They loved just being outside for the whole day after spending half the summer stuck in the house because of how hot it gets here.

We are hoping to do it again next year and stay a few more days and really do things right. We sure love and miss everyone there and what a beautiful place to be.

Hot Fun In The Summertime

2008-07-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

We are having a great time during Aunt Carla's visit and it's only the 1st day. We went to the pool for a swim and had a great time. We can't wait for the rest of our time together. Thanks, Carla!

Alien Baby

2008-07-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

The official due date is Jan. 28th, 2009. Here is a picture of our little alien baby. Atleast that is what it looks to me right now. It's little face is taking a peek and it was hard to get that because they didn't want to hold still. The good news is that I'm 4 days away from the end of the first trimester and any morning sickness should be going away. Yeah!

Rockstar

2008-07-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

I don't know where he got it but Jake was singing to us and he threw in the funniest thing so I jumped on the chance to get a video of it. Watch the leg and listen for "Rockstar".

Hard At Work

2008-06-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

Okay my explorations into the scrapbook world has brought many fun new toys into my life. I love traditional scrapbooking but I have found many fun things to do with digital scrapbooking also. So inbetween my bouts of nausea and tyrannical children I've had the chance to do some creating. I produced a slideshow with music and text for my dad's Alaska cruise. I did the scrapbook page you can see at the top of the blog (thanks Emily), and I've done some photo collages of my favorite Cook family moments. I'll include a one of the pages for you to see. I hope I get to continue these types projects and I hope I'll be able to share them with all of you from time to time.

Stay creative!

Suprise

2008-06-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right. According to Mr. EPT we'll be having a baby sometime between Jan and March of next year. It was in the planning stage but happened rather quickly. We were thinking August. Anyway, we're very excited and the boys are all praying we get a girl. We'll keep you posted with all the info as we get it.

My Day

2008-05-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

Could it get any worse?

Today went from bad to worse. I keep wondering what else is going to happen. We started out okay. I got up early so I could get to church early to set up my Sharing Time activity. Just about the time I was ready to leave Brad had locked the bedroom door to keep the boys out, then he came out of the room and closed the door. So we all were locked out. And of course it's the one door we can't get open from the outside without a key! So I yell to my Dad for help, having never dealt with this kind of situation, I hoped he could get us out of it quickly; but no, he could not. So he proceeded to start taking the window out so we could put one of the boys through it and open the door. Brad stayed behind with Brent and Jake because his clothes were in the locked bedroom and he didn't think it would be right to show up at church in his garments.

Well at this point I grabbed Teegan and left for church. (Thankfully all my lesson and sharing time stuff was in the laundry room.)

When we got to Primary Teegan had an accident in his pants so Brad (who finally made it to church) took him home and Brent ended up giving Teegan's talk. Then by the time they were ready for me to present my sharing time acitvity I only had 5 minutes to give a 20-30 minute presentation.

And now we're onto class where I spent most the time reminding one of my girls that we don't kick the walls in Heavenly Father's house. I'm suprised I got the lesson taught and the other kids actually payed attention enough to remember what I was teaching.

Finally church was over and I came home to find that the window broke in the fiasco of trying to get into the bedroom and I had sheets to change and some mess to vacuum up. Which isn't done yet and it's 6:30.

Then I was in the bedroom for ten minutes and the boys were playing quietly, or so I thought. Jake had come in the room and was messing around so I sent him out while I finished checking my email from Carla (she left for a month out on a carrier). What I didn't notice was that he had taken a huge garbage bad full of paper shreds out of my room and spread it all over the family room. I did manage to clean it up with grin.

I think if I don't laugh about what a "Murphy" day I have had I might cry.

So I hope you get a laugh out of My Day. I sure have.

Teegan's prep

2008-05-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day for Teegan. He graduated from preschool. What a year it's been with him. I wasn't sure we would ever make it this far. But after alot of prayer and hard work on his teachers part we made it. We are really proud of him and the progress he made; the teachers even told us how much they loved him and how fun he was for them. They also said that of all their students this year he had come the furthest. From where he started to today he was the most improved. So there is hope, and all we have to figure out now is how to get him to sit still and that his hands don't always have to be moving.

Now we look forward to Kindergarten and I have already warned Brent's teacher that he's coming her way. We requested that Teegan get her too. She's great and I think she'll be able to harness all that energy.

Enjoy the pics and video. We get a good laugh out of them. Especially the one where Teegan is trying to catch the tassle in his mouth.

When Mom's Away She Likes To Play

2008-05-01T19:10:00.000-07:00

Well, Brad and my Dad were nice enough to take on the boys for the weekend and let me go with Laura to California to visit Carla and work on her scrapbooking project. As you can see in the pictures we came fully armed each with our own arsenal of goodies.

I found Jamba. I scared my sisters to death when I screamed Jamba from the back seat. But I was really excited; I hadn't had a Jamba juice since we moved to Vegas 3 yrs. ago.

Between the scrapbooking all day Saturday and the Hot Tub each night I was one happy little mama. I even stopped thinking/worrying about what was going on at home for just a little while.

All in all the weekend was a success.

Thanks to all those who were a part of a great memory.

Toothless!!!

2008-05-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

Toothless!!!

Brent has lost his first two teeth. Both in the front on the bottom. He was so excited that he actually asked me to pull them both (one at a time, a few weeks apart). I think he just likes knowing that the Tooth Fairy will be coming for a visit.

The Many Adventures of...

2008-04-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa came for a visit and it's since been one grand adventure. Monday evening we celebrated Jakob's 3rd birthday and Grandma and Grandpa returned to their hotel to find out they aren't who you think they are. Thankfully the hotel rectified their snaffoo with a free night stay. Tuesday Mom and Grandma took off for some girl time while the boys were at school. We had a great time getting pedicures and visiting a quilt store. Then we all met back up and went to Red Robin for one chilly dinner. Wednesday was great fun with a hunting trip to Costco for tapioca. Then it was tball time. Teegan and Jake flew their kites while Brent played ball.

Thanks for the memories. We love you!

Jakob is 3

2008-04-07T22:22:00.000-07:00

Jakob turned 3 yrs. old last weekend. I can hardly believe that he is getting to be a little boy instead of a baby. And he's all boy. Stubborn, determined, light hearted and ready to run. We love to watch the strides he makes every day.

Grandma, Grandpa, Laura, & Carla all helped to make Jake a very happy boy. He has so many cars now he doesn't know what to do first and he loves them all.

Spring Break

2008-03-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Spring Break is coming to a close and I think we've packed in a lot of fun stuff. We bought the boys a swing set, we went on a picnic at a cool park, the movies, the boys and Brad had a slumber party and a few other quality activities. Brad made sure to give all the boys some daddy/son time. And Mommy even got a break. It sure was fun!

First Game; Game Ball!

2008-03-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

Brent loved having his first tball game last Friday and can hardly wait for the next one. He hit two doubles, a single, and made one very important good throw; when he wasn't dancing around the out field. All that goodness earned him the game ball. He's very proud and will tell anyone who will listen all about it. We enjoyed watching the antics of a bunch of 6 yr olds trying to remember which direction they should run and if they should run as well as when to stop running. Anyway, enjoy the videos and pictures.

Tball here we come.

2008-02-25T21:03:00.000-08:00

It's finally here. The start of Tball season and the excitement is brewing. Brent cannot wait for the next time he gets to play ball. Here are a few pictures from his first practice. Look out world!

I love them Beans!!!

2008-02-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

Jake loves Green Beans. However lately he has managed to put up a fight about everything.

This time, after saying No throughout dinner, when he was finally out of his high chair he proceeded to Papa's lap where he ate more than 20 straight out of the pan. It was really funny to watch him as he barely took a breath between bites.

The Big 6

2008-01-10T15:39:00.000-08:00

It's Brent's 6th Birthday! I'm still in amazement of how fast the past six years have gone by. Last night I took him to pick out a toy with the money Grams had sent him and it was fun to see him think and ponder which toy he wanted the most. He finally decided on a service station toy for all of his hot wheel cars. He also got a glowing report at our first parent teacher conference. We are so proud of him and even though we can butt heads and argue about alot of stupid stuff in the end we love him more than we have words for. I just hope that some day he gets that.

We love you, Brent!

New Year

2008-01-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Well here we go again into a new year. I pray it will be the best one ever for all of us.

Christmas was incredible. We really enjoyed it and had some wonderfully special moments with our family.We had alot of fun too. It was great to see Jake really get into it this year and Teegan could not contain his excitement. Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy.

He did it!

2007-12-19T19:37:00.000-08:00

Brad is done with his 1st semester back at school. It was hard and hectic but his smarts prevailed and he ended up with a B average.

The Boys and I are very proud and we will take advantage of the 5 week break he gets before he has to get back into it.

Great Job, Honey! We Love You!

A picture worth a thousand words.

2007-11-29T10:53:00.000-08:00

"No, Mom I wasn't the one who squirted you." Jake said. But the look on his face was a dead giveaway.

Thankful

2007-11-23T15:14:00.000-08:00

Well, this year we all are thankful for so many things. But, the best part of life for us is family. So thanks to all of you! We love all of our family and friends so much, we hope you all know that. We always have you in our hearts and prayers. So thanks to all of you for all you do for us and we look forward to future good times. The Cook family.

WHAT A SHOW!

2007-11-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

Okay, who would have thought that an airshow could be so awesome. Yesterday was Aviation Nation at Nellis Air Force Base. Papa, Mom, and the boys set out early to get a good seat. We watched 3 different eras of war planes demonstrate what they could do. There was also 1 Heliocopter demo. Then the Thunderbirds.

Mom had never seen them fly upclose before. WOW! I really loved the part where one came up behind the crowd and scared everyone. It had me ducking and diving for the boys and had Brent and Jake crying. Teegan loved it too.

Teegan and Mom also dropped by the Navy booth in honor of Aunt Carla. It was also nice to see complete strangers come up and thank Papa for his service in Vietnam. He wore his Vietnam vet hat which was a giveaway, he really should be proud.
We ate hot dogs, french fries, pretzels, frozen smoothies, kettle corn, and drank soda.
We also ended up sunburned and hot. No one expected it to be 85 degrees and sunny.
Everyone had a great time and we hope to go again next year and see more of the boothes and get more close to some of the planes.

Imagine my suprise.

2007-11-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

Make your own slide shows and scrapbooks

Imagine my suprise when I came out of the kitchen and found that some houlagins had tiolet papered the house:)

Halloween Treat

2007-10-31T12:03:00.001-07:00

Make your own slide shows and scrapbooks

New Program try

2007-10-30T09:16:00.000-07:00

Make your own slide shows and scrapbooks

It's the most wonderful time.

2007-10-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

It's holiday time. I love it. I get so excited when the weather starts to cool off and all the holiday stuff hits the store shelves. Is it bad that I already have lists for the different meals and gifts that I will be preparing? So; ready, set, go!!!

Picture Day

2007-10-11T16:48:00.000-07:00

Brent's 1st school picture day was last week. I can hardly believe it. His and Teegan's schooling has certainly added some more hecticity (is that a word?) to my life.

Anyway, here is the picture I took before he left for school that day. I hope his school ones don't have that cheesey grin. But I know his hair was still stuck in place when he got home so atleast that will be working for him.

Welcome Home!!!

2007-09-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

Carla is soon to be back in country. Her tour is over and she's begining to get antsy. She's ready to be back.

So we created a little video message. I hope this works. Let me know.

Grateful

2007-09-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm realizing how grateful I am for the blessing of being an eternal family. With Brad in school we hardly see each other anymore. So, my coping strategy is to keep telling myself he'll make it up to me in the eternities. We may not have alot of time now but I have faith that some day we'll be beggin' for some time apart:) Ha, Ha!!!

1st Day

2007-08-28T06:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Brent's 1st Day of School. He was so excited and had a great time. Luckily two of his friends from church are in his class so he was able to have some familiarity and not be so nervous. He came home exhausted and ended up going to bed early. I think he's giong to do really well if he can just learn that he can't be in charge all of the time.

Retreat

2007-07-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

No matter how tired we are now and how difficult things may have been. Our vacation with our family was still really great. I loved it. Nothing is better to me than spending time with our family, all of our family and bad hotels or lots of time in the car are outweighed by the time we spent together. Thanks to all. We love you.

Teegan turns 4

2007-07-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Teegan!

We love you!

Happy Day!

2007-07-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!

I love the 4th of July. Not only is a great day for the country we live in but I love the celebrations and all the memories I been able to make through the years.Today's memory will be that it will be close to 120 degrees outside and we'll be watching the fireworks on TV this year because it is just too hot to be outside.

I hope you all have a great 4th, I'm sure I will.

What is funny?

2007-06-26T16:19:00.000-07:00

What is funny? I guess it depends on the moment and who you ask.

When we were in Newport last weekend we went to dinner at the local greasy spoon. The boys woudn't sit still after being in the van for the last 5 hours and Brad was getting annoyed. Just when I thought he had enough Jake turned and threw the last little bit of water from his cup right across Brad's face. I couldn't help but crack up but Brad didn't think it was very funny and begun to get annoyed with me. Needless to say humor is in the eye of the beholder and the boys and I waited in the van while Brad took care of the check:)

It does exist!

2007-06-26T16:08:00.001-07:00

Brad remembers how to smile! I was so happy to see it come out for a while. Maybe we should try it more often.

Can't wait

2007-06-25T23:53:00.001-07:00

We all had way too much fun while Carla was home. I loved having my sister back. We went to the movies, we took the boys to the water park, played outside, and she kept them in line military style. It was great to be able to just hang out. We can't wait to do it again.

An Introduction

2007-06-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

We took the opportunity to take the boys to the beach for the first time. Brad had been missing the ocean and had a three day weekend so we headed for the coast. It was alot of fun. Brent loved the water and pretending to surf. Teegan and Jake made friends in the sand. Dad and mom loved looking at the sunset over the water and the cooler temps. I hope we can do it again and have the chance to spend a little more time playing.

Bump In The Night

2007-06-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

About 1am Monday night I awoke to a thud, then came "Mommy." Brent had obviously fallen out bed but he wasn't quite awake either. He doesn't have any memory of what happened. This picture was taken the next morning after a long night of waking him every couple of hours just to ease my mind. I guess the bruises look worse than they really are and they look even worse now. But he's on the mend and seems to be no worse for wear. I've decided to start a picture collection of all the boys big ouches, just for future reference.:)

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

2007-06-15T00:13:00.001-07:00

Thank you Carla!!! We had alot of fun going to the store, the waterpark, having waterfights, and eating out with you. We love you and hope to do it all again soon. Be safe.

Joy

2007-06-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

What is joy? I think this picture of Jake expains it all.

Great Times

2007-06-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

We had a great trip to Utah and are still recovering from all of the fun. We are looking forward to July when we can do it all again and more.

Teegan's New Look

2007-05-22T23:50:00.001-07:00

It was time for a haircut so I went to it. But the difference this time was a very figgity 3 year old. So after about two attempts at getting it right I gave up and took it all off. Thankfully he has grown into his head a little. And he loves it. He thinks that it's just like daddy's and for him that's perfect.

Fun Fun Fun

2007-05-22T23:41:00.000-07:00

We had alot of fun at the WalMart fundraiser for Childrens Miracle Network. We all got the chance to make Brad swim in the Dunk tank. The boys couldn't get enough of that. Jakob discovered cotton candy and couldn't get enough of it. Brent and Teegan sat in a police car for the first time, hopefully it will be the last and only time they are in a police car. But they thought it was really cool.

Ahoy!

2007-05-22T23:38:00.000-07:00

Laura did it again! This time Pirate Mickey Ears from Disneyland. They are just too cute.

Sugar High

2007-05-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

Summer has begun. Atleast for us. We joined Laura for her company picnic last Saturday and took advantage of the free Cotton Candy and Snow Cones as well as the bounce house. It was nice to let the boys run loose for a little while. It was even more nice to have them crash for several hours afterwards.

Brent's Big Day

2007-05-11T23:52:00.000-07:00

Brent graduated from preschool today. It was so much fun to watch him sing the songs and do the dances, but he seemed more concerned that Mom and Dad were watching. We started with lunch at Red Robin then we enjoyed the program the kids performed. Now he's a little sad that he doesn't get to have that class anymore, but I keep reminding him that he'll be starting Kindergarten in the fall.

Great job Brent, Mom and Dad are very proud!

IT'S Open

2007-05-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

The boys are thrilled! The park with the water feature where they can run and get wet is finally open. We look forward to it every spring as the weather begins to really warm up. So the first day the water was on(Tues), we went. And I've been asked every day since if we were going to go again that day. Unfortunately the wind has picked up and it looks like rain for the weekend. Hopefully we can go again next week in celebration of Brent's graduating preschool. We hope to share this with those who will brave the heat someday.

So Proud

2007-04-29T00:30:00.000-07:00

We are all so proud of Carla and what she is doing in Afganistan. It's nice for us to see she's enjoying some of her free time. Can't wait to see you again in person. We love you!!!

Talent

2007-04-28T23:42:00.000-07:00

My sister asked Brad to take some pictures of Brittany for her to use as a Senior portrait. This is one of them. He sure has a good eye for it.

I can't believe Brit will be graduating and heading off to Reno this year. Then again it's already 2007.

Good job Brad!!! Congrats Brit!!!

An experience

2007-04-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

We try to make the most of Brad's days off. It seems like his work days go on forever and his days off fly by. So in an attempt to make them count we took the boys to feed the fish at the lake. The kids love it and it makes me get a little grossed out. The fish are carp and they are the ugliest things, also the sound it creates with 50 of them slurping on the surface of the water and splashing around, well, I don't know how to describe it. Then to watch the boys inch their way closer to the egde of the gang plank around the marina just makes me anxious. I guess it's one of those things you kind of have to experience to understand. I hope we can share it with everyone someday. :)

Just Like Dad

2007-04-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

Jake is ready to go. He loves doing everything and anything with Brad. Just the other day he wouldn't let Brad shave without being included. Cute!!!

90+ Degrees

2007-04-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

Okay it's offically HOT. the boys have spent the last 2 days in the backyard playing in the little pool we have. I don't think I'm ready yet.

Lucky Ducks

2007-04-20T22:45:00.000-07:00

Laura brought the boys these silly hats frome Graceland. It was Jakob's 2nd birthday. I love the silly moments in our lives when you just have to laugh. Thankfully the boys love having their picture taken and I can capture some of them.

Josh Rules!!!

2007-04-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

The Josh Groban concert was awesome. I loved it. There wasn't alot of show but who needs all the lights and noise when you can just listen to great music. The opening act was a lady from South Africa and I wish I could remember her name because I'd introduce her to the music lovers in my life. Maybe I'll do some research and find her. I'd pay to see him again.

Trying

2007-04-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

Well I thought I'd take a lesson from Ben and Laurel and start this blog. I don't know much about blogging, but I thought it would be a nice way to keep our family and friends up on what we are all doing. So here it goes.

I've included a picture of the Brent, Teegan, and Jakob. I can't believe they are as big as they are. And just so you know, I'm exausted.