Home for the Holidays

We have been having fun this holiday season! Beginning with Halloween, kids LOVE to dress up! This year, Alex was a ninja, AGAIN. No surprise there. Camryn did surprise us with her choice of the dead bride..far cry from years past. We made silly pumpkins the lazy parents way. No scooping or removal of seeds involved! And the kids thought their pumpkins were better than the carved ones. They celebrate Wyoming Day here (who'd a thought!) and Alex's class all did research on people that had an impact on Wyoming history. They dressed up in costumes like the people they researched and read about what they did and how they shaped Wyoming history. Our son chose Custer...it was kind of hard for us to come up with a costume being city slickers and all...we had to borrow the hat! Thanksgiving was great. We had a dinner at home with just the 5 of us. The girls helped with the turkey. Camryn loves to make the stuffing, and she always names the bird. Her very favorite part is rubbing butter on the poor thing. She never gets enough of giving the turkey a massage. We put the tree up late, we have been very busy. But that is no excuse to our children. I have made up by letting them decorate the gingerbread house Grandma Peg sent. So far so good...and all my shopping is done!!! Bring on the Santa!

Summer Camp Out '08

The kids finally got their camping wish! Last Friday, we packed up the Trailblazer with a cooler full of food and the tent and headed out. We weren't sure where we were goin...but we were sure glad when we got there FINALLY!

Wyoming is beautiful, far more than I ever thought it could be, especially in these parts. The Snowy Range provided us a fun filled weekend complete with...you guessed it: A camp fire and S'mores!

Scott is a great camper, the kids are excellent! Me, not so much. But I did build a very impressive fire, all by myself. Props to Mom for that one. Hot dogs and marshmallows were successfully roasted, and eaten. The art of knife throwing was taught and practiced ( I watched from a safe distance). There was squirrel hunting..can you get anymore redneck I ask you? Dirt sculptures were made and destroyed. I slept on the ground, in a tent...what more can I say? Thankfully we were very close to the toilet, and it didn't stink that much.

I am glad for these moments, when my children are in their element, along with their Dad. He loves the outdoors so much, and that is not something I can teach them. I am glad for opportunities to spend time doing what they love. Even though I don't love it as much, (I am getting coming around)I LOVE being with my family and that's what counts.

Summer Vacation

We had a great time in Utah this last week. We were sad that our trip was cut short by the chicken pox though! Better safe than sorry, we decided to go home incase the other two got it and so Alex could sleep in his own bed and be comfortable there. Although we did not get to see everyone we wanted to see, we did do a lot of fun stuff! We were away from home a record 8 days! Never before in Cooley history have we been gone from home that long.

Thank you to all who let us stay and play!

While on our adventure, we swam, went roller blading at the Ogden River Parkway, visited family and friends, ate out at our favorite places, saw the TreeHouse Children's Museum, Dinosaur Park, and swam some more. Alex enthrawled us with his back flips off the high dive at the Roy pool! Other people were watching him and saying how incredible he was. It truly was awesome! Camryn even conquered her fear and went off the high dive twice! No flips yet for her...but fantastic for her none the less. Here are some pictures of the fun we had. More to come.

Dinosaur Park In Ogden





There was a lot to see and do at the dino park! The kids loved it.

Swimming with their cousins in Aunt DeDe's pool.




All in all, it was a fun summer vacation for all of us!

All Hail King Coal Days!

Who knew Hanna would be having a parade? Or carnival, or anything resembeling fun like we had when we were kids? Probably all of the resisdents, except us! Today was parade day. Camryn's class won a contest, so all the second graders got to ride on a float in the King Coal Days parade....whhooooopppeeeee! She had a great time, and so did we!




This is something I can say that I have never done...never been in a parade. Camryn has. This was the very first parade my children have ever seen in real life. Kind of pathetic. But hey, how many kids can say they rode in the very first parade they have ever seen? Good question, there are probably a lot out there, but I don't care. I am looking for positive things to say here!

My sweet little girl waved to the crowd, and loved every minute of her 15 minutes of fame. She got to throw candy, and even have some herself. So all in all I'd say it was a fantastic time. One that she will likely not forget anytime soon. And isn't that what it is all about?



This was exactly the kind of parade we like, super short and sweet. All the vehicles threw out candy to the kids along the route. So ours came away with tons of loot! It's after 6:30 pm and Alex is still at the carnival, looking for more fun i.e. girls and prizes!

All Work and No Play? No Way!

Being a 9 year old boy is tough! But Alex does it very well. Dad thought it was time he learned to mow the lawn. Alex was apprehensive at first, but then very enthusiastically asked me to take his picture while he was doing it!




For his first ever attempt at lawn mowing, he did a great job! Only missed a few spots, but got the hang of it very quickly. He did both front and back yards, and was very proud of himself. He told me that he did it, not because I had told him too, but because he wanted to prove to himself that he could do it.



He never ceases to amaze me with how his mind works! Here's to a job well done Alex!

Cheridyn's 3!

I can't beleive it has been three years already! So much has happened in that time. I was telling our sweet little three year old about her entry into this world. Of course for her, it's all about me feeding her a baby baba and changing her poopy diaper...I couldn't help recalling the hours of worry in the hospital because she had jaundice, or the haluscinations I had because of the demoral! Cheridyn is a light in this dark world. She brings so much joy to our family. I presonally do not know how I would have survived this last few years with out her. She gave me (along with my other two children) a reason to get out of bed and smile.



She had been telling us since we moved, that she was going to get a bike for birthday. Saturday, we loaded up and went into town and bought her very first bike. She also told me that she wanted a heart cake so we made one. It lasted about an hour after it was decorated. She ate all the frosting off of the top of it..it did say "Happy Birthday Cheridyn". At least it tasted good!


We put her bike in the basement, because it is a flat surface to learn how to ride. She wore the helmet and pads for the entire weekend after she got them! She was not at all comfortable on the bike. She got frustrated because she couldn't work the pedals and told me to take it back to the store because she doesn't want it anymore!

After a few sessions, she got the hang of it more and more. Now she can get on and off by herself. She is still working on the pedaling part, that takes awhile. But doesn't she look cute?




Her new favorite saying is "I need a little help he-ore!" She uses that as she is comming out of the bathroom with her pants around her ankles..and now as she can't pedal her new bike. I can't help but grin. She is not as independent as my other two were at this age. She is definately the baby of the family. She knows it and uses it to her full advantage.



The day was full...we fixed scrambled eggs and sausage for breakfast at her request, and she didn't eat the eggs. We played outside in the water because she wanted to wear her swimming suit, but she didn't join in. She pouted on the side instead. We made a cake, which she destroyed because it was after all hers! Finally went swimming at the rec center until a lightning storm cut the power and we had to get out of the pool and go home.

We came home and sang happy birthday, she blew out her candles and clapped for herself! All in all it was a great day...I managed not to cry, even when I realized that this would be our last three year old, our last first bike... We are all looking forward to pre-school in September!

The Adventure Begins!

Last weekend Scott went with his best friend (they are like brothers) Anthony to Grey Reef on a fly-fishing excursion. He had a great time. The first day was a learning curve...as they floated past where they should have gotten out of the river. They had to paddle about two miles because the river was flat calm, no current and no wind to push them...HAHAHAHA! He came home sunburnt and exhuasted. But after having become one with nature and catching the only fish of the trip...he was one happy camper!





I can tell you that it did not go over well with our kids, having to stay home with mom while dad went and camped and fished with out them! Camryn had a mild melt down and proceeded to tell me why it was so unfair that she hasn't been able to fish for a whole year and a half...why does dad get to go first? Then Alex asked his dad if Scott really wanted to go. After hearing the answer was yes, Scott wanted to go,and didn't have to go, Alex went off to sulk about the injustice.

We all know that camping does not rank up there as one of my most favorite things to do. I will do it...I have done it before...just prefer me an R.V. or a cabin with a bed and running water somewhere! HAHAHAHA So I was not feeling one bit bad about not being able to go. I guess my kids sensed this. A few days ago Camryn asked if Dad would put the tent up in the back yard so she could feel like she was camping. He abliged...erecting it up on the trampoline so it wouldn't kill the grass.

It's a good thing he did it that way, it's now the home away from home. For the past three nights Alex and Camryn have slept in it, watched movies and stayed up way past midnight. The first night Cheridyn slept out there...but not much sleeping happened. The older kids asked if she could please sleep in her room. Now there is some injustice for you!




That's Camryn hiding from the sun about eight this morning.

Cheridyn told me that all we needed for camping was the fire and marshmallows. That's my girl! If a fire and marshmallows was all there is to camping, I'd be doing it every weekend. I'd be the first to say, let's do it s'more!

What's With The Cream?

I just felt it was a day to write even though there is really nothing new going on here. We are on the count down to Cheridyn's birthday...soon to be 3, though most people ask if she is already 4! HAHAHA Still swimming, working on the house, the yard, and enjoying the sunshine! Still experiencing growing pains as we try to find our way in this new world of ours. But we are working through them together...and that truly makes all the difference! Though I am far away from most of those I love, I have made great memories that will last forever!

What makes my life memorable is the people who liven it up. If all I had was me to rely on for entertainment? Holy BORING! Since the course of my life seems to have taken an extreme turn and I some how got into the slow lane, I am reminded of how fast things change. Relationships change or end, children grow up too quickly, we move away or return, get new jobs, quit old ones, get rich, lose it all, experience emotions of every kind, wish we could just stay where we are most comforatble and happy...and then eventually it all comes to an end.

What is left? What is the point? Live, laugh and love. I heard once that it matters more who you love, than who loves you. That is the only real difference we can expect to make in this life which will count in eternity. We can't take material wealth, possessions, luxury spa treatments, or any chocolate (no matter how divine) with us when we leave here. We take with us experience, emotion, regret...what we leave is a legacy of our own creation.

You know I am not a farmer, by any stretch of the imagination! But I was thinking this morning that love is like cream. (Yeah, I know it's not a new concept, just go with me here for a minute!)

If we let it, cream rises to the top of everything. It is delicate, adding richeness to everything it mingles and mixes with. Depending on how you make it and what you put it with, cream can be light and fluffy, disolving easily,or dense and thick, adding depth, smoothing, soothing, leaving you wanting more. Cream is plentiful...all you have to do it gently milk it out, though you might miss it at first. Cream gets mixed in with the rest of the milk, and if it's kept stirred up, you'll never notice it at all. Let it settle, give it time. Patience...it is always present, just like love. It comes in many different forms.

There have been times in my life that I have felt abandoned, alone, unloveable... But perhaps one of the greatest lessons in life, which I am still learning, is not to dwell on those feelings. All we have to do is let the milk settle, and not get crazy over what spills out...realize that we can get more and it comes with all of the really good stuff which makes life worth while.

I guess that's why I tell my kids when they ask why my cooking is so good that it's because it's made with love...makes everything taste better. The longer I live, the more I can see that love is the answer to making everything better. If you think you have lost it, or perhaps think you do not know love at all..."seek and ye shall find". Can't get the cream if you don't find the cow.

End of the philosophy lecture for today, however you might be quizzed on it at a later juncture. You might want to jott some of this down... major points like "What's the new age metaphor for the "good stuff" in life?

Perhaps the college courses are paying off!!!

These Family Ties

It's a rare thing for me to see or even to have pictures of myself as a very young child. My mom didn't have a camera, believe it or not. But thanks to some really wonderful grandparents (on both sides of my family) there are a few out there.

My auntie Di sent these over a few weeks ago. I had never seen them before. This one of me and my paternal grandparents was taken sometime in 1974 at K-Mart. I was 2 years old. I am so glad to have this picture! Although I did not spend a lot of time with my dad growing up, I did spend time with his parents. I was very fond of them and of course my auntie Di. She is only 12 years older than me, and would always play Barbies, and let me play to my hearts content on the organ. She was always enthusiastic, no matter how many times she heard the song! Thanks Di...love you!



This picture of me and my Grandpa touched me so much, I cried when I saw it. He passed away last December. He is missed every single day. He was the very BEST hugger in the world! He always had smile on his face. There is a very special place in heaven for a Grandpa like that. I am so gratful that my grandparents took the time to have these pictures taken. These are all I have like this!


Anyway, there is a long story about the relationship or lack there of with my Dad. Some of you know it already, so I'll spare the details. A few years ago I tried to mend the fence with him and we made arrangements to see one another after nearly 15 years. He had never met my children, and has still never met my husband. Just before we moved to Juneau, I had the opportunity to bring Alex and Camryn to Utah for a visit. They met their Grandpa Werner for the first time in April 2003. The photo of me and the kids is with him. My grandparents (April 2003) and my aunt Diane and her hubby James (May 2008) are the other two pictures.