Reading...

I have been a little MIA this month.  I have SOOO much to catch up on. I took a week or so off because of the "black lung" (that is what I refer to my pleurisy as) returned and I could not do much of anything.  Then my computer started acting crazy and after lots of help from Apple Care they determined I needed to send my computer to the shop to be fixed.  :(  I can't stand being without it!  So in the meantime, not much blogging taking place.  I am on Ryan's computer right now. 

I did get these pictures sent to me from the Librarian at the school.  Michael was one of the top READERS in his grade and so he was able to go on this fun trip with all the other top readers.  First, they were picked up at the school in this cool limo...

Here he is (in the plaid shirt) partying it up inside the limo...(sitting next to cousin, Emmaline).  

Michael and his friend Mason...I think. 

 

They were driven to Chick Fil-A for lunch...yummy!

 

Our school really has a great bunch of kids.  Here is Michael and Mason with two other boys from Church...Bryce and Davis. 

Way to go Michael...and Emmaline too!  (And there is Aspen and Jordyn from church as well...we really represented! Yahoo!) 

 

Now I need to set up a reading plan for the kids over the summer.  I am determined to get LOTS of books read by all.  It is too easy to let the kids brains go to mush on things like Mind Crap, did I say that?  I meant Mind Craft.  Are my boys the only ones wanting to play these games any chance they get? 

 

And while I am on the subject of reading... there is a really great reader that has a birthday today....

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM/GRANDMA!!!!

 

 

Flashback Friday

Ryan with his parents and sister circa 1978?  

I love this picture.  

Sad story

Two nights ago I heard via social media about the passing of a beautiful mother of six.  Her family was close friends with my best friend's family.  I was heart broken.

"Reminded again how fragile life is with the passing of my friend Katrina today (Monday) from complications related to pregnancy. She was a wonderful person and is leaving behind her husband and their six children, the last of whom she gave birth to today. Till we meet again, sweet brown girl."

(Written by my best friend, Danielle.) 

 Here is Katrina with five of her six children.  The sixth (a baby boy) was delivered healthy, and due to her Placenta Accreta, she died during surgery. 

It is so, so sad.  From everything I have heard she was the most positive and happy person.  I believe, like her family does, that she still lives on and will be reunited with her family some day.  It does not lesson the pain and sadness of six sweet children and a morning husband left behind.  Not to mention parents, family and friends.  

It reminds me of the miracle we had two years ago at this time of year with my sister in law, Melissa. 

She too, would have left six children and a grieving husband behind.  

She died and came back. She almost died again a few times. 

She is healthy and back to normal.   

My heart breaks for this family that did not get the miracle they were praying for.  I do not know why.  I do know that they will have their own miracles happen.  

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."  

Isaiah 55:9

I think every mother who hears this story will hug her children a little more, try to be a little better, and be grateful for each day they get to be with their family.  

If anyone is interested in helping the family..here is their information.  Katrina as in the hospital for three weeks and they have lots of medical bills and burial costs.  

Or you can go to this pay pal account.  

I am lioness...hear me roar.

I haven't posted for a bit....

A.  I have been sick for like a month.

B.  I don't have the right cord to download new pictures next to my computer and every time I think I MIGHT blog, I am too lazy to actually go get the cord.  I decide going to bed is a better option.

I am feeling MUCH better.  My case of what I found out was Pleurisy is getting better every day.  My respiratory junk is almost all gone too.  Just a bit of coughing...but nothing bad.  It amazing how it just takes being sick or in pain for a bit to make you really appreciate your health.  I can't believe as humans we just take that for granted so easily!  How quickly I forget once I am feeling well.  My heart really goes out to those who are chronically ill or have chronic pain.  What a nightmare.

When I didn't have any energy to do anything I tried to read uplifting things.  I love this speech given my Julie B Beck given to women from our Church. Here is an awesome quote from it....

"I have said lately that women are like lionesses at the gate of the home. Whatever happens in that home and family happens because she cares about it and it matters to her."

"She guards that gate, and things matter to that family if they matter to her. For example, if the lioness at the gate believes in the law of tithing, tithing will be paid in that family. If that family has a humble little portion of ten pesos coming in, that lioness will safeguard the one peso if tithing is important to her. If that lioness at the gate knows about renewing her baptismal covenants with God, she will be in sacrament meeting on Sunday, and she will prepare her children to be there. They will be washed, cleaned, combed, and taught about that meeting and what happens there. It isn’t a casual event, but it is serious to her, and it will be serious to them. The lioness at the gate ensures that temple worship is taken care of in the family. She encourages that participation. She cares about seeking after her ancestors. If the lioness at the gate knows about and understands missions, missionaries, and the mission of the house of Israel, she will prepare future missionaries to go out from that home. It is very difficult to get a lion cub away from a lioness who doesn’t believe in missions, but if the lioness believes in a mission, she will devote her life to preparing the cub to go out and serve the Lord. That’s how important she is. Service happens if she cares about it. "

The things mentioned above may not be what is important to every lioness.  But I believe it is true...what is important to the mother...the lioness, is often how goes the family.  We have so much power as women and mothers.  I don't see how so many in the world have convinced women that they are "less" then and don't have power.  I think we have the ultimate power!  Makes me think of another favorite quote...

"When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and in neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses? When the surf of the centuries has made the great pyramids so much sand, the everlasting family will still be standing, because it is a celestial institution, formed outside telestial time. The women of God know this. No wonder the men of God support and sustain you sisters in your unique roles, for the act of deserting home in order to shape society is like thoughtlessly removing crucial fingers from an imperiled dike in order to teach people to swim.

--Elder Neal A. Maxwell"

These thoughts come to you just in time for Mother's Day.  

I am thankful to be a mother! 

I think this is me being the lioness of my home at about 5pm each day...

ROAR!!!!

Grandpa Loves Weddings and Hoopla

A few weeks ago our beautiful cousin Lisa got married in Utah.  I was able to hitch a ride with my parents for the day to attend the wedding.  It was so great to see my cousins from that side of the family.  It has been WAY too long.  The nice thing about Facebook and the Internet is that it makes you FEEL like you see extended family more than your really do. I realized I have not seen these cousins in about ten years.  We are all spread out in different parts of the country.  I wish I had taken pictures at the temple...but at least I got a few at the reception.  After looking back at the pictures I took I realized how many I took of my Dad.  I could not help myself posting them because they make me chuckle looking back at them.

Here is my Dad when we first arrived at the reception.  This was before I had accidentally spilled that nice lemonade all over his lap. 

Here is Dad...enjoying every minute of the festivities. 

 Here is Uncle John with Lisa's cute little girl, Chloe.  

The pictures and things at the temple took a little longer than expected and then the bride and groom finally arrived!  Here is their first dance. 

I told my Dad he couldn't see what what was going on...and this is what I got. 

Aunt Judy and Uncle John looking great. 

Lisa has found the nicest guy. Not only was he great, but his family was one of the nicest families I have ever met.  One thing you could really see is how much they love and adore each other!  

Cousin, Amy. 

Cousins Amy and Lisa with ME!  I told my mom I should have been standing back cause I look like the giant up front.  Michele and I are only three days apart and I have so many great memories from our childhood.  One thing about Michele is she has a contagious laugh and a giggle that she has not lost!  It was so great to catch up even though it was so quick.  

I had wanted to re-create this beauty of Michele and I at a Cook Family Reunion in 1988.  We had gotten these beautiful "Utah/Duck" shirts for our birthdays I believe.  

Had to include a giggle shot even if it is blurry.  Michele and Amy both looked beautiful! Amy was just a little blonde thing running around back in the day.  She is all grown up now. 

Aunt Judy and Amy

The beautiful bride and groom...I don't know WHY I didn't get some more pictures of these two. 

And I would not feel right without ending the post with my Dad and his little brother, John.  Love these two!  

It was a long day from start to finish.  A LOT of driving, we were in the car about eight hours.  It was totally worth it though!  You have to take any chance you have to make memories.  I only wish we had had more time to visit.  Now that Lisa lives closer we will have to plan something.  Well, thanks for coming along for the ride, Dad.  Even though you are not a big "wedding" person, or a shopping guy, or a big "city" type, and on top of that I knocked that lemonade all over your suit.  Just wanted to make sure that your nieces' wedding was a day not to be forgotten!  :)  hee hee.

Second Cousins

My cousin Robin came up to visit with her family for their Spring Break.  We didn't take them to do anything too exciting...so we hope it was still worth the trip.  The kids had a blast just running around the house and hanging out.  I am so glad the second generation of cousins have just as much fun as the first generation had when we were kids.

This is just one of Annie before heading off to school the day they came...I just think it is so cute/funny how the little girls "pose" all on their own.  Who teaches them these things? 

The kids hit it off right away...and even performed a play for us that first night.  I have that on tape and it was pretty fabulous.  

Yes, that is a huge blow up ball in our LIVING ROOM.  It was actually a prop for the play, they threw it off the balcony as a huge boulder to kill Michael below. 

The adults ran over the visit with my parents down the street and the kids all settled down to some quality television I am sure.  My boys and Robin's girls. 

Robin and Andrew decided to get a hotel (we told them they didn't have to!) and the pool was the best in town I think.  Here are the engineers talking it up in the hot tub. 

Ryan and Sophie

I included this picture mostly just for you to notice the guy here on the right with the long hair.  Check out his facial expression.  He is like, "Man, I thought I would relax in the hot tub alone tonight and I am surrounded by all these crazy kids."  He was not the only one in the pool with that expression that night.  Robin and I couldn't help laughing as the kids got more then a few "looks".  People, this is Idaho Falls, not New York City.  You would think they haven't seen packs of kids before. 

Ashlyn and Michael REALLY hit it off.  They share similar interests.  In fact, while at our house they spent time "looking up facts" in books and writing them down.  You heard me right.  Two peas in a pod.  They must have gotten it from their brilliant mothers.  That's what we did when we were kids, right Aunt Kathy?

Katelyn doing some sweet tricks with her dad. 

Little Aubrey cracks me up. 

Love that tongue!

Joshua

 Speaking of cracking you up...this one does too. I think when Ryan is 80 he will still be doing tricks off any surface into the pool.  Love the toe touch, honey!

Michael and new BFF Ashlyn. 

James

After swimming that night we bid our cousins farewell.  When we got home Michael said all sadly,
"I miss Ashlyn already.  It's just she is the only one that likes to look up things like I do."  

 And on that fun note I must sign off. I have been dying of what I think is Gallbladder pain for the past 36 hours or so.  I hope that tonight it goes away!  I am typing fast and furious and now I must go lay down.  It seems to help.  Peace out, folks, and Robina...thanks for coming to see us in Idaho Falls!  Come again!

Nana Withdrawal

We have been going through some Nana Withdrawals around here.  Nana was here all last week and I don't know why we didn't take more pictures.  Probably because she mostly did a lot of laundry, cleaning up the kitchen, helping with homework, and running kids around.  Not a lot of photo ops in there.  We did manage a few trips to get some Reed's Dairy Ice Cream.  It just would not be a proper trip to Idaho Falls without it.

Luke decided he just liked the chocolate, so Michael said, I will eat the Bubble Gum for you...

Ryan 

Luke, not making a mess at all (with Annie and Joshua in the background.)

 I just thought their faces here were funny...looks like she is trying to rein in this crazy girl. 

 We were laughing at Joshua drinking his favorite drink...Huckleberry Soda.  I guess he has been told he looks like a natural with a bottle.  Don't try and take that talent far, Joshua. 

THANKS, NANA!!!  

WE MISS YOU!!!!!

XOXO