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.

A Day To Remember

To say that today was a typical Cooley day would not do it justice. I had homework, the kids were "bored", and there is more to do around here chore wise than I really care to get into right now. But, I managed to talk to few friends and connect, which always brightens my day, and I had a chance to have some one on one time with Alex. He is all boy, and all about making me laugh, or tyring to figure me out. He has such a sweetness about him that is rather mischievous. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but those of you who know him can relate. I am terribly bias to his charm and cuteness. I know that we are in real trouble with this one. All it takes is one flash of his smile, and you are gone...!

We were on a secret mission, (because everything with boys this age must either involve a weapon, something on wheels, or must be covert) to the store this afternoon. We were talking and getting the essentials, ice cream and drinks. He sees a girl from his class there and points out that she has a crush on him, then sees another boy from school and makes conversation with him. During the engaging chat about how they had met at school, and how cool it is that this other nine year old gets to work at the store, the boy is ripping off a huge band-aid from his knee to show us his latest war wound, and proudly announces how he got those stitches. Awesome!
I tried to warn him not to take off the bandage, because it would not stick again, but he ignored me, go figure.

After the gripping tale, we made our way to the cashier, paid for our loot and went out the door. After we got into the truck, Alex struck up another conversation, one that I likely will never forget. As we near the end of our journey he tells me that he knows what men think. HUH? "You know what men think?" I asked him. "Yep, I do." came his confident reply. Without missing a beat I turn to him and say that he MUST tell me what he knows. Smiling that smile at me, he retorted, "Mom, you have to figure that out for yourself." "I have been trying for 35 years to figure out what men think, and now you say you have the answer...you have to tell me what you know."

Inside, my gut was splitting. I could not wait for the answer. He said to me that some men he knows, not Dad, but some other men, think that other women they are not married to are..........................(pause was added by him for affect I think).

He was stunned that I beat him to the punch. "Hot?" I asked. "Yeah, they do! And some guys don't even know how to fix things. And some guys like girl stuff too. Like me, I like pink and I am not ashamed to admit it!"

Holy Cow! How old is this kid? And who are these other men besides Dad anyway? I am telling you, this was mom gold! I was hanging on his every word. For that moment he totally had me wrapped...I wonder of he noticed? It was brilliant.
And to top it off, we saw a rainbow. He likes them, more girl stuff. But it could not have been more appropriate if I had planned it myself. Nothing like a little boy, who thinks he's a man, getting excited over a beautiful rainbow and wondering if there really is any gold at the end of it.

Well, I can tell you that today, there certainly was!

Wilderness Reveiled!

The road to nowhere

It's been brought to my attention that many of you may not completely understand where it is that we now live. So to clarify and help you get the gist of it, I took another look at my pictures and decided to take another this morning.

There is nothing to see here that you can't see everywhere in Wyoming, except for us of course! The rolling hills of sage brush are more green than I have ever seen. I can look out of any window of my house and see for miles and miles. There is virtually nothing to obstruct my view.
We have a variety of wildlife that graces us with their presence daily. Among them are various birds, mostly robins, doves and chickadees, deer that eat our lawn and scrubs, bunnies, antelope, foxes and our favorite the "fairy dogs". We keep telling her they are prairie dogs, but it's really no use!

This is "country livin"...redneck heaven actually. Not exactly my cup of tea, but I do have to say the peace and quiet is beginning to grow on me. We see the sun everyday, the sunset, moon and stars every night. I know it may sound silly to some, but having nothing but cloud cover for years at a time, you forget how truly marvelous the wonders of nature can be. I forgot just how much I missed watching the sun set. The colors and the feeling it brings to me are very soothing to my soul. I am grateful for the simple things in life, more than ever before.

Thanks to Misty...this one's for you babe!

Little Swimmers

Our new favorite past time is swimming. All three kids have completed one set of swim lessons this summer. Cheridyn passed through to level 1, Camryn and Alex both passed to level 4. They will taking those classes in August.

It has been so great to have the rec center just down the block, a huge life saver for me! It is the cheapest form of entertainment we have around here, and we can go as often as we like. It's funny to think that just last summer, Alex was the only one confident enough to swim unaided. Now, Camryn is right up there with him, swimming and jumping off the diving board like a pro!

And let's talk about the two year old! Holy cow, talk about no fear....that is Cheridyn. She loves to jump off the diving board, and no one can help her. She loves to go down the water slide. She will get out and jump or slide again and again. I timed her one time, she did it for over an hour! She slept really good that night.

That is what we have been up too, swimming and swimming and more swimming. If you haven't done it in a while, I suggest you get out there and do at least one belly flop...and please don't pee in the pool!

And if you are wondering, Scott and I are swimming too! Most of the time we have the pool pretty much to ourselves, so we aren't scaring that many people.