Catch Up With the Cooks

Well for the past 9 months I've been a busy mom. Between school, church, family, and neighbors, I barely get time to put my feet up.

Last August the boys went back to school. Brent is in the 4th grade and reading at a 6th grade level. Teegan started 2nd grade and has had A's and B's all year. Jakob has struggled in the 1st grade. He has an A in math, but his reading has suffered. He knows how to read but will only do it if HE wants to. He and his teacher have spent the year butting heads, and he'll be doing the 1st grade again.

In October part of our ward and part of another ward were combined to make a new ward. We were in the part of our ward that was made into a brand new ward. I was called as 1st counselor in the primary (over Cub Scouts) and Brad was called as the ward mission leader. It was a real challenge to help build a primary from scratch; teachers, music, ect... I also started a Cub Scout program from scratch, which included a crash course in the policies of the Boy Scouts of America. As challenging as it has been I have really enjoyed it. I was able to make a new good friend and have come to love each of the children we work with. Scouts has been a bigger feat but is turning out to be great too. It's a lot of work, but I love it.

In November I was able to meet up with my AWESOME mother-in-law and my sister in St. George and attend Time Out For Women. I loved sharing it with them. And now I get to volunteer again when it comes in September. I've also been doing some sewing, bags mostly.

Thanksgiving and Christmas were a blur, but I always enjoy them and enjoy having my family gathered around me.

I had the amazing opportunity to go with my Dad to Maui for a week, just he and I. Brad's mom and my sister watched the kids. It was so nice to relax and have time for me. Dad spoiled me, but the best part was witnessing the humpback whales and their babies. We spotted them from shore for the first 2 days and then I said I wanted to go on a whale watching boat. So we went the next day and spent 2 1/2 hours on a boat with whales as close as 10ft from the boat. I am still in awe of them.

This spring has been extra busy as I've been helping drive my neighbors around to bus stops, dr. appts, and dialysis. We were able to spend several days of spring break in SanDiego with my Dad along for the ride. We spent one day at Sea World and 1 1/2 days at the zoo. We also visited the Mormon Battalion visitor center and spent a few hours at the beach. The beach got cut short because Brent cut his foot on something sharp in the water.

Sea World was awesome, the kids loved every minute of it. They were so worn out form Sea World that we spent less time at the zoo than we had planned but it was still great fun. We also had a great dinner in Old Town at the Coyote Cantina, it was some of the best mexican food I've ever had. Jakob loved being sung the happy birthday song in spanish. A few days after getting home Brent fell off his top bunk, while sleeping, he hit my sewing table on the way down and it cut his head open between his eyebrows. So I hauled him to the ER, hobbling all the way because his foot was still freshly cut. He took it like a champ.

Now we are gearing up for the end of the school year. I've been doing a lot of praying for a friend's brother, who I know, that is dying of cancer. I made another watch for them to auction to help raise money for his medical bills. I wish I could do more, even take on the pain they are feeling knowing there is nothing more they can do.

We also had a great visit with Brad's parents and have decided to put the ball in motion to move to Washington. It will take us a while to get there but that is the goal. It's made Brad really homesick so I just keep telling him we'll get there in the Lord's time.

Little miss Kayla is growing so quickly we can't keep up. She is a great light in our home. She loves animals, especially penguins. She is smart as a whip and loves to be dramatic.

We have been really blessed these past few months and are grateful for those blessings. We are learning a lot and loving our life.