6 months!!! Where has it gone??

I really can't believe that Forest is 6 months old already! Well, he will be this Thursday, May 29th. I anticipate this week getting busier so I thought I should post this now. I always wanted to have kids with matching outfits. You can imagine how well that went over with "brother and sister". It really never worked. So, now, thankfully big brother is fine with matching his baby brother. At least once in a while. Don't they look cute?
Let's see... at 6 months he is making all kinds of noises. Laughing out loud. (Mostly at brother and sister.) Sleeping all night! Almost sitting up and almost rolling over. Lots of milestones coming up soon. I am also very proud of Rachel and Parker. Due to the interruption in the middle of our school year (having Forest) we have had to continue school through the summer. They are doing really great with it. Mostly we are finishing very early in the day with lots of time left to play. We really are brushing up on things because Rachel will be attending American Christian School this next fall. Parker probably will too but the jury is still out on that one. I won't MAKE him go, so we'll see. Well, I'm off to Cub Scouts! Have a good night.

Girls weekend...

We have had so much fun this weekend. This is a picture of one of the more boring moments. We had to still get some things done. Of course, my kids hate making more than one trip to finish a job. So... whatever it takes. I think there was also a pile on top of her head but by the time I got to her, it had fallen off...

Of course, this is her playing piano at her year end recital. She did beautifully. I tried to upload my video of it but it wouldn't work. She played "Happy Farmer" and "Short Story". I was proud. Parker will do his in a week or two since he missed. He and Daddy are on a camping trip. I'm sure there will be alot to tell...
We have hung out by the pool, watched TV shows on the computer, gone to see Prince Caspian, gone shopping, and made our favorite meal, Rice and Black Bean Bake. YUMM!! It was heaven to sit on the back patio and snack on it and talk. But, the fun was over when the big bees started swarming. She ran for cover. Just a little more laundry to do and then we will be off to Tulsa to watch cousin Sophie in her year end dance recital. Should be fun. The boys will be home tonight too. We sure missed them. I miss Parker so much when he's gone!!!

"Caffeine Free"

Well, I did the inevitable... I got rid of caffeine in my life. A person can only be sleep deprived for so long. Guess what??? That sweet little bundle slept all night long! Woo Hoo! I feel like a new person! Now, if only I could get rid of that nagging desire for a Dr.Pepper or some green tea, I'd be all good! O well. I guess it's no caffeine for me for at least another 6 months. Thank you all for caring. You were so encouraging to me. Love you for that!!

New record...

Well in eleven and a half years of parenting, I have never had such a night.

Up at 1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then 5, then 6, then 7... for good. I faintly remember when I got him back to sleep at 6:04, a little tear trickling down my cheek. Whatever I did Lord, I'm sorry. Please, just stop the chinese water torture...

Mother's Day

I haven't read anyone else's posts today. I'm sure they're all great stories of how wonderful your days were. Mine was a little more mundane. Yet, very Cook-like and I love that.

We stayed home from church today because the littlest guy seems to have an ear infection. I guess. It's not officially diagnosed but that's my mommy diagnosis. Poor guy. Anyway, I didn't want to take a fussy baby to church and Tim still had alot to do with the pool so we opted out for today.

About mid-morning my mother called to give me the update on where they were spending their day. Before she hung up I said, "Happy Mother's Day." As I hung up the phone my DH looked at me and said,"uh, Mother's Day?? is it Mother's Day?" I smiled and shook my head. I already knew he had forgotten. Before, it might have bothered me, but today I just stared at my little guy and sweet dear-darlings (older kids) and found plenty of contentment there.

So, later, Tim headed to Lowe's (and on an undercover mission for a Mother's Day card) and I jumped in the shower while the kids were outside jumping on the trampoline. When I got out of the shower, there was a little card laying outside of the bathroom door. Aww, they "remembered." ( : The whole family signed it. My dear daughter said, "I love you mommy, thanks for not wanting to get rid of me, and please don't ever lock us outside again like a dog." What????

Apparently, I had absentmindedly locked the back door when I headed to the shower. Poor children, they had been locked out for 15-20 minutes until daddy got home to rescue them. So, I said, "Well, that's what happens to kids that forget Mother's Day!" (hee-hee)

One Year Bible Blog

Just do it!This weekend, my hubbie was at a meeting and the person speaking said something funny, "If you could buy a person in your college class to work with you the rest of your life, I guarantee you wouldn't buy the smartest guy, you'd buy the most effective guy." Hmmm. Strange thing to say...but probably true. I have found this to be true in home schooling. The coolest most amazing curriculum isn't effective if you don't do it. So, I always look for the one that I will ACTUALLY do! Now, along these lines, I have been trying to be true to being in the Word of God and devotional time since I was 12 people. I am ashamed to say, I think I get worse at it every year. (gasp) But, I have made a commitment recently and I think I found something that I will ACTUALLY do! (: (cheers and applause)
This one year bible blog is just great! This guys posts the reading every day with a link to where you can read it all on line... or listen. Then, he has great pictures or art and thoughts to ponder on from the reading. He also posts a link to great commentary. Then at the end, there is a verse to memorize and a video with music or something to inspire you to worship. I love it!!! It is just what I need to send me diving into the word. So far, it's working. Yep, I think I've picked the "most effective".

Blessings...

As I sit at the computer this morning, (T.G.I.S.) I am thankful for little things. I have such a tendency to not be. I can go quickly to the questioning, contemplating dark soul...why, I have no idea? God made me this way for some reason. I've tried to put some good use to it. Not always successfully. But, today, I'm thankful that the sun is out. I'm thankful for my hot tea. I'm thankful for a sleeping baby. (In SO many ways.) I'm thankful for a sweet 8 year old boy who loves his mommy. I'm thankful for a beautiful 11 year old girl who wanted to call me and tell me all about the meeting... before it started.  (: I loved her call. She was very articulate. (Funny how absence makes a heart grow fonder and makes you more aware of the good things.) She was describing the scene for me. Thousands of people. 4 beach balls being tossed around the crowd. "and mom, the adults love it... I think." (: How they stood in a line a mile long. It was 40 degrees. The girl in front of her had on flip flops. She said, " I think she was regretting not wearing socks and shoes." (hee-hee) Right about there, my story telling abilities would have been more like, "Good grief her toes are going to turn blue and fall off." "It's freezing out here!" What's life without some exaggaration right? No, actually, understatement is what it's all about. It's so powerful. Funny how I'm just learning that. Poor pathetic mommy. (:

And, yes, Dalene, I know you would probably be more than happy in flip flops. So, I just have to give you credit for being much tougher than me. BUT, I digress, that's really not my point. It's the conversational abilities of an 11 year old. I love it. I love to learn from her. My mom used to say that and I thought she was humoring me. But,now, I believe her. We really can learn so much from these little people. 

Finally, I'm thankful for a husband who loves his family and adores his daughter. Ladies, never be jealous of a husband that dotes on your girls. Encourage and embrace it. This will boost their esteem higher than the stars. I'm so glad he knows the importance of spending time with her. It is priceless to me...

Mommy Parker time...

Well, this weekend should be great fun! Daddy and Rachel took off for the Berkshire Hathaway share holders meeting in Omaha. He goes every year and takes turns torturing the children. (: No, really, Rachel wanted to go! Next year, maybe we'll all go. Who knows? So, Parker and I are having some fun together. He wanted to rent Spiderman Friend or Foe for X-box 360 and the rule was that I actually had to play it with him. Very sweet. and Very fun. I actually helped him beat the Green Goblin. Anybody else able to put that on their resume?? Let's see, and also, we will be watching Spiderman and Transformers. HELP!!! But, if he'll cuddle up on the couch next to me... I really don't care! He seems so happy to have me around. Hope it's always this way!

Hype

Before I elaborate on the unusual title of my post, I must tell you I'm sorry. I know it has been a while. I know you can all understand. Life happens. The delightful details that make up my life right now have been keeping me from any extended time at the computer. Of course, spending time with my kids and husband always comes first, add in the extended family (aging grandparents, adorable neices, amazing sister in law...) topped with a few incredible friends who I need to see and absorb wisdom from and you have a recipe for a full life. Who can complain?? All of that doesn't even include home schooling and cooking and cleaning. I don't even need to mention them, because I know most of you know. (:
So, what I wanted to write about today is that I have noticed another benefit to not having TV. We decided to rid our lives of TV a few years ago. I was pretty nervous. With a hubbie who travels, the TV and I were pretty close during those late night hours. But, it has been really great. I really don't miss it. We have our computers and we subscribe to NetFlix. What we don't get is the constant barrage of commercials and pop culture ideals thrown in our faces every time we just want to sit and peacefully watch a show. Now, there are obvious benefits. No more whining from the kids about wanting to watch something. No more family nights spend as zombies on the couch never speaking to one another. (I could go on and on) One of the more enjoyable benefits is never seeing Viagra commercials. ( :
Today, I noticed, I've become much more sensitive to "hype". I see it coming from miles away and I am better at not being swayed by fearful commentary etc. I'm not numb to it. So, I notice it more readily. I think God intended us to simply be in His word and stay the course. If we are doing that, we don't need the latest news to send us into panic mode. I don't have to know that there is a convict loose. I'm praying over my children just like every day. I don't need to know the latest economic gloom and doom...I see the gas prices just like they do. There are examples in every area...

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes;but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit." Jer. 17:7,8
Not having TV calms my mind to hear what God has to say. Not the hype. Wow. I'm so glad we have done that!!