Things you do when you are in the house for 2 weeks.

Go sledding with friends. This is an area in our subdivision behind our friend's house. It's a perfect spot for sledding.
Here is Collin riding down a saucer.

And then being slightly dramatic about how hard it was to drag the sleds back up to the top of the hill. Matt did say it was tough. Jackson and I got to stay at home since he was not allowed to be around other kiddos yet.

You can also let your kids switch rooms. When we first moved in to this house, I thought this room would be the nursery, Collin and Katie shared a room and then we had a guest room. Then it was Katie's room, and Jackson and Collin had their own separate rooms. Now it's Collin's room, Jackson has stayed put and Katie is in the former guest/Collin back bedroom. This room is so much better for bunk beds. We kept worrying that Collin would get his head clipped by his ceiling fan when he sat up in his bunk bed (in his old room). Now he has lots of space.

Katie's room: already a mess since she dragged out every Little People set we owned and set up a Little People town in the middle of her floor.

In other news...when you are in the house for 2 weeks you

1. eat

2. organize

3. make lists of all the things you want to do when you get out

4. Clean out closets

5. Decide it is the perfect time to dust the ceiling fans.

6. Watch movies

7. Play games

8. Read books you would have never picked out at the library on a normal day: Crash Course: The American Automobile Industry's Road from Glory to Disaster by Paul Ingrassia - oh yeah, I got desperate.

9. Get out all your scrapbooking stuff and never scrapbook.

10. And have fun with the kiddos

The MFL: The McCook Football League

We, the People of the McCook family, in Order to form a more perfect Family, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for a common hobby, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Football to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the McCook family of Oklahoma...The M.F.L! Katie and Collin doing some cheers (they look really fake) for the Steelers.

This is our lovely piece of felt which was tacked up in our house from August to now. It comes down tonight! :) On this felt we kept track of who was playing who, who had what teams, etc.

Matt - the winner of this year's MFL.Second place goes to Collin.

And in 3rd place, we have Katie.

And in last place...Mom. Matt styled my hair for this picture and I'm not happy about how it turned out. But I did not want to go through the drama of retakes.

A timer picture - one of our favorite things to do as a family...take timer pictures...it's hilarious...try it at home.

Everyone got to pick their favorite snack food for us to eat. I picked Blizzard Party Mix.

Collin picked wings and chocolate chip cookies. Katie picked Bagel Bites and cupcakes. I feel sick now thinking about all that food. Matt didn't care about the food. He just really wanted to watch the game.

I snuck into Jackson's room so you could all see what he did during Super Bowl. He slept. Sweet boy only got a 1 hour nap today due to our rescheduled church service. I see Matt put him to bed with his stuffed football and some books.

And now it's 8:30pm. Our older two should be asleep by now but I guess they are a little hyped up on all the sugar. It was a fun season but alas...it's time to pack away the felt...until August.

Our sweet Collin wrote...

this on the visitor card while we were in Abilene for ACU Homecoming. He checked the "I would like prayers from the church." And then he wrote, "Dear God, Help us get home safe. Help are dogs weile we are gone. Help people to believe in you. Help people who do believe in you but say bad words. Sorry for doing bad things. And Jesus name we pray. Aman." Oh I love this boy's heart!
On the opposite side he checked 3 males, 2 females, 2 married, 1 nursery, 1 preschool, 1 elementary, 2 30s and under the children section he describes himself: Collin age 7 grade 2; honest, happy, funny. I'm keeping it forever!! Love it!!

Moms and Muffins

I just love Moms and Muffins and Sonshine School. The teachers go above and beyond to make this morning special.
Here is Katie's classmate and her family. Katie and friend spent the ENTIRE time at the table correcting each other, telling on each other, and saying that they were the best "drawer, colorer, and muffin-eater"...I couldn't wait for the singing to start.

Suddenly, Katie broke into her Western Day character and decided it was time to get the cattle thieves. By the way, my sweet sister-in-law passed down a Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen video in which the twins are wearing bandanas like Katie above. So she wanted to have her bandana like Mary-Kate and Ashley "because they are 5 year olds who can solve mysteries without their parents!" Somehow the solving mysteries and Western Day went together.

Here she is singing "Thank You Mom" and another song that was equally as wonderful...just don't remember it.

And finally her beautiful placemat she made. The drawing is of the two of us holding hands.

Snowklahoma 2011; Snowmeggedon; Blizzard 2011, etc, etc, etc

I borrowed the above picture from someone off Facebook. I wish it had come out bigger. It just makes me laugh.

Bundling up to head outside.
Climbing over the 3 foot snow drift by our garage door.

Matt and Mack in another snow drift. (Ignore fence in background.)



And here is our Swirly-girl. She was not too excited to be outside.

Jackson totally wanted to be outside but decided to be happy with just banging on the window and growling at the dogs.

He is a happy camper here and yes, his jommies say "Boo".

Doing the bunny run (notice the nice, new fence in this part of the backyard).

Wait a second guys...when is it my turn? Our time in the snow was followed by a hot bath, hot chocolate, hot stew and birthday cake!

Happy 37th to me!

They want to wish me happy birthday. It is my birthday all day long. They want to wish me happy birthday. That is why they sang this birthday song. God will love me when I'm older. He will love me all life long. God will bless me each new birthday as I grow up and get strong. They want to wish me happy birthday. It is my birthday all day long. They want to wish me happy birthday. That is why they sang this birthday song.
A different birthday, yes, but still an excellent one. Plan A: drop Collin off at school, drop Katie and Jackson off at SSS, get a message, grab a quick lunch, see a movie. Plan B: drop off Collin at school, drop off Katie at SSS, stay home with sick Jackson. Plan C: drop off Katie at SSS, stay home with sick Collin and Jackson. Plan D: sleep late while Matt cooks breakfast for sick Collin, sick Jackson and well Katie, read books, stay in jommies all day, go through pictures, blog, talk on phone to parents and sister and dear friend in England, eat yummy goodies, open presents, play games, watch movies.

The Sickies

Jackson was diagnosed with RSV last Monday. Tuesday night he completely stopped breathing while in the midst of coughing. Wednesday we saw the pediatrician. Thursday we were back at After Hours for a FLU and double ear infection diagnosis (no flu shot due to egg allergy). Saturday...we turned a corner! Here he is getting into all the fun stuff in our pantry.
Despite feeling horrible, he took time to take down all the plastic cups, plates, bowls and tubs of school work.

See...look at this poor sick face! It's just not our sweet and happy Chubba. Late Friday night Katie started throwing up and had a fever. She is fully recovered and was not down and out for long (see previous post), not even long enough for me to get a picture.

Then last night Collin got sick. He spent today reading, looking up things in the encylopedia and dictionary, and he watched Harry Potter 1, 2, and 3. Surely we are on the mend!