Finally~SNOW!!!

All bundled up!
 

 

 

 I don't know what age it is when you see snow and decide that you have to be out playing in it or inside drinking cocoa in a blanket.  That age has divided us for sure!  Cooper would have been outside until he was frozen solid.  He loved it and it was magical to watch him play.  There is nothing better than seeing your baby that happy.

Another Year Down

Ok.  I promise that I did really try to get some pictures on here since Christmas.  We have been busy doing a lot of stuff and Cooper is as cute as ever and every time I sat down to post, I could never get my pictures to load.  Frustrating city!  So, I'm going to attempt this feat again...

We had some of the family up for a little visit, since we didn't get to see them at Christmas.  This is Chance and he may be the best cousin in the world!  While the girls were trying to explain my camera to me, he was playing hide and seek with Coop, having shoot-outs and dressing up. 

This was our beautiful tree before I had to sadly take it down.

 

Cooper's Christmas list 2012

 

 

Wrestling on the floor while I played with my camera.

 

My loves

 

Ek Christmas

 Bruce actually had off for Christmas this year so we were able to go to Galva as an actual family--that doesn't happen often.  To add to the excitement, mom and dad have been redoing the extra bedroom and there was a super comfy new bed there with my name on it!  Mom volunteered us to help cook for Grandma Ek's dinner too, which meant that she cooked, I tried to help clean up after her and of course was her #1 taste tester.

Elfie managed to get Cooper's Christmas jammies and book all the way to Galva!

Scooter doing what Scooter does best.

Checking to see what she's cooking next.

Trying to stay up for Santa, but not doing so well.

Santa was good again this year!

 Seth and Tyler checking out his stocking

 Grandpa and Ty looking at a toy

 Grandma and Brandon

Coop getting down to business

Aunt Laurie and Coop checking to see what Brandon got

 

After opening gifts and eating breakfast, it was off to celebrate with Dad's side of the family.  To say it was freezing out would be an understatement, so it wasn't so fun to transfer everything from mom's kitchen to the Senior Center, but once we got there we had a great time!



A perfect pair-Tyler and Grandpa

 

Seth and Mom

 

Pac Man is still so fun!

We had a great time seeing family and eating wonderful food.  We don't get together enough and everyone is so spread out.  Hopefully we can find something besides Christmas to see each other for!  Thank you mom and dad for another great Christmas!!!

 

McDougal Christmas

 Our first Christmas was in Westy at Aunt Mary's house.  Bruce had to work, but we represented!  I stuck myself on the couch next to Sam and Grandpa McDougal, so my view and photo-taking options were limited.  I got plenty of the main present openers though!

Opening presents

The barn Grandpa and Grandma made

Pose 1 with Grandma Mac

Pose 2--getting tickled

Pose 3--a kiss for grandma

We had a great time and loved spending time with the family.  On the way home, we  went to look at lights in Wamego and had a supper date at the Kreme Kup--everybody's favorite!

Fun and Friends

We spent last Friday night in Tonganoxie at our friends, Jeff and Amelia's house for a cookie swapping party.  Now, I am convinced that I do have ADD because I am so behind with EVERYTHING.  I didn't have time to do too much, so I made popcorn with white chocolate, crunched up Heath bar and Christmas sprinkles.  That wasn't enough though, so I cheated and bought two packages of the most "homemade-looking" cookies I could find at Dillons, popped them onto one of my trays and hit the road.  We had a great time seeing friends that we don't see often enough and the kids loved playing together.  We had a fantastic supper and then it was time for the fun.  These kids were serious.  Cookies are apparently no joking matter.  (We're raising them right!)

Grabbing at whatever is closest.  Get the pretzels Cooper, Get the pretzels!!!

Colton, Morgan and Parker.  I think Colt's checking out his muscles.

She likes to grab the camera

An early birthday cake for the girls.

One Busy Week!

This week seemed to go really fast.  Cooper had his Christmas program on Thursday night.  Mom came up for it and luckily Bruce worked days, so that he come be there too.  The whole school is in this little ditty and we spent the ENTIRE morning practicing at the high school and then had to be back that night for the real deal.  These are from practice, because I wasn't able to get close or out for all of the program, as I was waiting in another room with my school kiddos. 

Don't you love how every kid is doing something different?

Don't quite have the letters down right...

Singing away!

Very proud that my boy DIDN'T knock the bells over!

Super serious, signing Silent Night.

The three of us ready at school.

Grandma Susie and her big boy

One of my kiddos saw Bruce in the hallway and said, "Is this Bruce?  He is HUGE!"

 Friday, mom stayed at our house and when I got home from school it was CLEAN.  I mean it....CLEAN!  Toilets, floors, carpet, dust gone, beds made AND she made homemade candy.  Why doesn't she live here again???

Saturday we headed out to do a little shopping before she had to head home to Grandpa and Hank.

Grandma saved quarters for him to ride the horse.

He loves nutcrackers and we spent a little time with him moving the mouth and saying funny stuff to all the people in JC Penney's.

 We went to see Santa, but for some reason or other he didn't want to sit on his lap.  Guess we'll try another day.  We did go to the pet store and hold two puppies.  They were adorable and we were in love until we heard the price.  Maybe we'll wait a little longer...Then we headed to have a treat. 

Sorry mom, but it was cute!

Thanks again mom for coming up here and spending time with us!!!

Onaga Christmas Frenzy

Sunday we ran down to Onaga to see some of the family and check out the festivities...

 

You've gotta love little towns and the food that you can find there.  Coop had chicken and noodles, a hot dog and some cherry/chocolate concoction that looked amazing while we waited to see Santa.

 

VERY deep in thought about what to tell Santa he wants.  I think he settled on something he saw hidden in the back of my car...on accident of course!

 

I love that smile!

 

 

And what would a blog entry be without some type of hunting picture?  Here he is with some geese and I think a duck is in there too. They were pretty heavy!