What we've been up to

Shopping with Texas Santa's money...Collin took a little trip to the Lego store. He bought "Freeing Dobby." And has a new interest for Christmas 2011...Diagon Alley!
Here he is with Hogwarts, the Hogwarts Express, Quidditch and now...Freeing Dobby. Oh the joy of Legos!

I must admit that I love to go in and see what position my children are sleeping. My mom took a lot of sleeping pictures and I do too. I adore them. Jackson must sleep with part of his face covered...

and he likes to throw his socks and passy out.

Sunday morning pictures. Jackson is thrilled.

Catching snowflakes.

ditto

Here is Katie flying the simulator at the Omniplex. She crashed once and then kept doing circles...a future pilot?

The new area at our science museum...a tease on the eyes. It's very fun and bold in there.

Love.

Grammy - Katie is having a phone conversation with you. I think this is where she is telling you that you don't know much about science. And that she will teach you when you come to Oklahoma. (To my friends that read: my mom taught Chemistry, Physics and PreCalculus at my high school, so this should be an interesting conversation between the two of them.)

Katie playing at the treehouse.

Visiting with a scientist.

Choo-choo - exhausted after a big day at the Science museum.

Another Sunday morning photo...it's been a while since I blogged, no?

On Martin Luther King Day, we all bundled up and headed out to the zoo.

My kids have a facination for the STATUES at the zoo, the real-live animals are a bonus. Here they are posing with the bunny doing a "bunny-run". This is something Katie made up and I've forgotten when and why.

So snuggy-bundled at the zoo!

Jackson seeing the fishies.

Katie on the pygmy hippo statue. Do you notice Katie has some little bangs now? Yep, we've had some fun with scissors around our house. I'm not quite sure I can bring myself to blog about ALL the incidents but let's just say her scissor practice is going to put off for quite some time.

I think we are going to need to get a swingset for the backyard! He loves to swing!!

Celebrating a day of fun with a ride on the little carousel. Yes, we did spring the 50 cents and take a real ride. It was thrilling!

Our Jackson...sockless and enjoying the ride. He's got a lot of "I'mgonnadoitmyself" personality in him. But alas, he had to be held onto by mom.

So parents, friends, that is what we have been up to lately.

The BIG Day!

I started out my 2 day I-stopped-nursing-and-my-sister's-having-a-baby vacation by driving down to Dallas to see my best friend, Laura. We have known each other since I was a sophomore in high school and she was a freshman. We went to different high schools but were in the youth group together. She is fun, funny, a great conversationalist, a snazzy-hip dresser (I think I just made up a new hyphenated word), smart and thoughtful. I like her mostly because she says words like faunchin. We both have a deep love for Coke and agree that you MUST drink coke while eating pizza or hamburgers. We stayed in a great hotel, ate lots of great food and did lots of shopping! Yea!
Then I headed over to see the BIG nephew. My blessed sister gave birth via c-section to Greyson Lawrence at 10 POUNDS 13 OUNCES and 21 3/4 inches long! Bless her. Bless c-sections.

Here is the hours-old babe.

And here are his "paw" prints. WOW!

And here they are! Woo-hoo! I love being an aunt! I also love having babies too but being an aunt has it's own special benefits.

The proud Poppa and Momma. Brother Chandler had already gone home by the time I started snapping pictures. Congrats sis! We are so excited to welcome Greyson to the family!

The way we started the new year

I slept in until 8:30!! I heard lots of talking on the baby monitor. Things like, "This is what we should do: read to Jackson until Mom comes in here." "No, I'm playing soccer in here." "Mom won't like it." "Mom's not in here." I decided I should head upstairs. And these three cuties are what I found (soccer ball was quickly hidden under the crib).
Dad raked the leaves. Collin helped put them into the trash can.

Yes, he is wearing his pajamas outside.

And this is how we ended the day.

Katie-isms

While nearing Post, TX over the Thanksgiving break, Matt and I decide to go over some rules before we get to Pops and Jarre's house.
Us: We won't run in the house.
Them: Silence
Us: We will eat what is made for us and we won't say yuck.
Them: Silence
Us: We will use our manners.
Them: Silence
Me: Do you have any questions?
Katie: Yes. What is 100-3?

While waiting in line to visit Santa Claus at the mall.
Me: When you go up to him say hello and tell him you would like "blank" for Christmas.
Katie: I don't want to say that.
Me: He is friendly. Don't worry.
Katie: I'm not saying it.
Me: Mommy will stand really close to you.
Katie: I'm not saying blank. I'm saying a purple bike with a blue helmet.
Me: Oh, right.

Katie picked out a Science Kit from the latest Scholastic book order. For one of the experiments she asked to go in the backyard and look for a bug.
Me: Sweetie, there are no bugs outside right now. It's too cold.
Katie: Hmmmm...can I get something from the garage?
Me: Sure.
She runs back in hands full of something and puts the stuff on the table underneath the magnifying glass. I see that she has 3 locust bodies (not locust shells...bodies). Oh dear. I've remembered that this summer she collected locust bodies in the pouch on her scooter. She examines them and moves on to do something else. I forget all about the locust bodies. Matt comes home from work and is getting dinner ready for the kids as I am heading out the door to go scrapbook. He gets all the plates on the table, notices magnifying glass and locusts and shouts, "What have y'all been doing today??"

Things I learned from "Becoming a Woman of Simplicity"

Here are some of my notes from the Bible study I took...

Definition of a woman of simplicity: one who lives a God-paced life.

In order to become a woman of simplicity I must believe that I am saved by God's grace and can do nothing to obtain this gracious gift.

I challenged myself to leave empty pages on my calendar and by the end of the 11 weeks I had done a better job of not being "too busy".

If my service for the Lord does not spring from grace, than I become overly busy and stressed.

I cannot know God if I am rushing here and there, with countless calls pulling me in various directions.

Being "the answer is always YES" kind of girl, I still struggle with responding to all needs of friends, family, teaching Bible class, sewing capes, being on the PTO, chairing a committee, etc, etc, etc. But now I've realized that the best thing I can do for my family, my friends, and my church is to abide in Him. I can do that one thing and do it well.

Most of us are not consistant spiritually because we are more concerned about being consistant externally.

I may think I have true Christian love until someone offends me or treats me unjustly. It is my response to that person that shows my true character.

The bottom line is: I need to BE STILL AND KNOW that He is God. I have a hard time being still anyway and giving up control of something, even a worry, seems to be an on-going battle.

I will end with a few wonderful quotes...

William Morris said in 1877, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." It's time for the McCooks to do some cleaning out.

A.W. Tozer said, "There are three marks of one who is crucified. One, he is facing in only one direction. Two, he can never turn back. And three, he no longer has any plans of his own."

Anne Morrow Lindburgh wrote "On a daily basis the good things - not the sordid and evil things - challenge my goal on becoming a woman of simplicity."

It was a fantastic 11 weeks. I loved getting to know the many new faces in the Bible study, many are from the community. I made progress. Maybe nothing changed outwardly but lots changed inwardly. And as the great Walt Disney said (he said many other profound things too, but this one from the movie "Meet the Robinsons" kept coming to mind), "Keep moving forward." That is what I will do.

Blessings my blog friends.

I'm Baaa-ack!

Are you ready to catch up on the last 11 weeks?
Katie and Jackson have played well together. These 2 are SO much alike!

We watched Dad perform with THE Wes McKinzie of AVB fame.

We cheered on Dad as he sang about studying history to college students.

(Matt's fan bus)

Jackson had his 2nd first day of school in the Starburst Baby class. He was needing to repeat the class.

Miss Kate had her first day of PreK.

Katie played an entire season of soccer.

This is what we saw every Saturday. Katie loves the freedom of running that a soccer field affords.

Jackson had a photo shoot for the ACU Today. Oh darn...his hand is blurry!

Collin lost tooth #1! Finally!

This guy has learned to get into just about everything!

Collin lost tooth #2 at Frontier City. He did not get to give it to the tooth fairy because he threw it on the ground thinking it was something strange in his granola bar. The tooth fairy still came though.

I enjoyed a fun-filled day at Frontier City with Collin and Katie.

Jackson has learned to climb our very steep staircase...causing me great anxiety about WHY in the world we purchased a house with STAIRS!!! What were we thinking??

Collin had his 2nd grade program..."HOW I BECAME A PIRATE". He did a great job!

We attended Matt's 15 year reunion at ACU and met up with some wonderful friends!

Matt and life-long friend Ryan.

While attending Matt's reunion dinner, a college student who was checking everyone into the dinner said, "Mrs. McCook? Did you use to teach science at Northland Christian School?" Oh my. Little Patrick with the blond hair and glasses is now tall Patrick an ACU sophomore!

While in Abilene, we ran by Matt's Grandpa's store. We really didn't think the store was still open since he had sold it in 2000. It was neat to see that it is still there in the same location.

Dad and Katie had fun at Dads and Donuts.

Collin was the first Star Student in his class. Here he is with his fabulous teacher!

We celebrated cousin Chandler's 3rd birthday in Texas.

Forced all our Okie babies to pose with the Texas sign. Jackson was not happy about it. I guess he really likes Oklahoma and wishes our Texas pride to simmer down.

We discovered Katie had snuck out of bed, took some toys to the bathroom and played until she fell asleep.

Had some fun at our church's Trunk or Treat. Katie is Peter Pan, Jackson a pumpkin and Collin is Harry Potter. Collin WON a costume contest at our Bible class' Halloween party! He was so excited! He received 3 boxes of Nerds for winning.

Here is teary-eyed me at work celebrating Jackson's 1st birthday with a hug from Ralph the dog.

Collin had a Storybook Parade at his school.

Had our DOUBLE birthday party. Jackson turned 1 on October 26 and 8 days later on November 3, Katie turned 5. We had a soccer cake for Katie and Jackson had a lovely pumpkin muffin minus the eggs adding applesauce. He ate it! Yea! Success!

I have become quite the recipe adapter since Jackson is allergic to milk, eggs, soy, peanuts and peas (which include all legumes). He still is having a meal made separately from the rest of us, which is not what I prefer but maybe by his 2nd birthday he will grow out of some of these allergies. I'm praying about it.

Collin and Katie helped Jackson open his birthday presents.

Poppa and Grammy came up to celebrate our double birthdays. Katie got some Twinkle Toes!! She loves them. Thank you Grammy and Poppa.

They gave Jackson his baby scrapbook. Time for me to get busy working on that.

We visited the Dinosaur Museum. Later this evening Jackson would pull one of his all-time best stunts. He dumped an entire bowl of queso on Dad. Dad rode home pantless trusting that the tinting in our van was sufficient.

We all crammed in the back of the Honda while the tinting was adjusted on the van.

Jackson got his first haircut. Sniff...sniff.

Katie was Star Student in the PreK Pond.

Collin played the role of Jester...the best Jester ever...in the Frog Prince.

We purchased a membership to the science museum. Here Collin and Katie are riding in the Mercury capsule.

And lastly, Collin read some of the announcments at his school's weekly assembly. He did a great job!

Well, in a nutshell....I'm back to blogging. I will make another post on what I learned in my study "Becoming a Woman of Simplicity." I'm looking forward to catching up on all my favorite blogs now...what have you guys been up to?