Monday, April 28, 2008
Happy Eight Years!
Some randome pictures



A couple of weeks ago we decided that we were done experiencing freezer temperatures at night and it was time to plant some flowers. The kids enjoyed going to the "plant store" and picking out flowers as well as seeds for their garden. Anthony and Madeline enjoyed planting the flowers. I was more surprised at how well it occupied their time. Anthony did most of the planting. He dug the hole, put the flower in, and filled it back with dirt. They spent most of the day out in yard working. 

A couple of Sundays ago we went to a local park to enjoy the weather with a picnic and a nature walk. Anthony asked before we left if I could put together a scavenger hunt to do on our nature walk. I have done it a couple of times for when we go camping. I have to admit I cheated and found a website that has them done for you. This time the colored the squares for each time they found the object they were looking for. Madeline enjoyed it for a little bit, but became more interested in pushing Spencer (who is bigger than her) in the stroller. Anthony never lost interest. Spencer got tired of the stoller after a bit and prefered Daddy's shoulders which made it easier for Madeline to push the stroller. It was nice to get outside and enjoy some family time as well as some nice weather. It won't be too long before the only nice thing to do outside is swimming.





A small little break

This is the hotel Grant picked. When I told Anthony that we were going to a nice hotel where they cook your breakfast for you, he was shocked. He said you mean we don't have to make our own breakfast in our room. It was a very nice hotel looking around I felt like fish out of water, but enjoyed all the pampering amenities that they provided.

This is a picture of our room. Grant got a King size Suite. The kids slept in one room and we slept in another. The bed was so comfortable and the pillows were like marshmellows. While we were enjoying "Mormon Style" happy hour in the lobby (it was free!) Anthony needed to go to the bathroom. After washing his hands he couldn't find the paper towels. I told him that they have individual towls for you to dry your hands. He was shocked! They use towels that are rolled up nice and pretty. I much prefer the paper towels then to doing tons of laundry, but hey we will enjoy the spoiling once in a while. The kids had fun playing, I enjoyed relaxing, and I think we all enjoyed doing something relaxing. I wish it lasted longer, but it was enough to feel refresh.
Madeline's Fall

Friday, April 18, 2008
ABC's of Life
B- Best Friend: Grant
C-Cake or Pie: pie
D- Day of Choice: Sunday
E- Essential Item: comfy jamies
F- Favorite Color: yellow
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: neither
H- Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
I-Indulgence: I don't really have any
J-January or July: July
K-Kids
L-Life is incomplete without: my family
M- Marriage Date: April 21, 2000 Bountiful, Utah Temple
N- Number of Siblings: 2
O- Oranges or Apples: Oranges
P- Phobias or Fears: Heights
Q- Quote(s): Be Still and Know that I am God
R- Reason To Smile: all my wonderful blessings (family, home, the gospel)
S- Season: Spring
T- Tag: Anyone who hasn't done this that wants to!
U- Unknown Fact About Me: I have a thing for memorizing birthdays and phone numbers. Once you tell me your birthday I have it memorized. I still know my best friend's birthday when I was eight and who I have not seen or contacted since then. I am just weird.
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Both in Moderation
W- Worst Habit: Procrastination
X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds- seeing my kids before they were born was awesome...so cool!
Y- Your Favorite Food: Italian...Zios
Z: Zodiac: Leo
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
I Delight In
I saw this on my friend's Ginger's blog and thought it was a neat idea.
Sister Tanner in general conference gave a talk on the things that she delighted in. Complete the following statement with 20 different things.
I delight in ____________________________.So- here's a few of the things I delight in.... in no certain order just whatever came to mind! :)
1. I delight in having Grant as my eternal companion.
2. I delight in the blessings of the temple and the knowledge that my children are mine for eternity.
3. I delight in a clean house.
4. I delight in freshly clean floors
5. I delight in hearing my children talk about the gospel.
6. I delight in listening to my children say their prayers.
7. I delight in freshly made bed.
8. I delight in hearing Spencer's laugh.
9. I delight in seeing Grant smile.
10. I delight in the time I have each morning reading my scriptures.
11. I delight in prayer and the opportunity I have to pray to my Heavenly Father.
12. I delight in teaching my children.
13. I delight in hearing my children sing I am a Child of God
14. I delight in seeing my children strive hard each day to make good choices and be good examples to their friends.
15. I delight in my testimony of the Gospel and my Savior Jesus Christ.
16. I delight in being able to watch the Spoken Word.
17. I delight in spending time with my children.
18. I delight in going camping as a family.
19. I delight when Grant makes Chocolate Chip cookies-they are the best!
20. I delight in the blessing that my Heavenly Father has given me.
One Word Answer
1. Where is your cell phone? bedroom
2. Your significant other? Grant
3. Your hair? clean
4. Your Skin? white
5. Your mother? busy
6. Your favorite thing? family
7. Your dream last night? ??
8. Your favorite drink? lemonade
9. Your dream/goal? success
10. The room you're in? office
11. Your ex? huh?
12. Your fear? snakes
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
14. Where were you last night? home
15. What you're not? wild
16. Muffins? sometimes
17. One of your wish list items? embroider
18. Where you grew up? Texas
19. The last thing you did? eat
20. What are you wearing? clothes
21. Your TV? off
22. Your pets? none
23. Your computer? on
24. Your life? fun
25. Your mood? busy
26. Missing someone? no
27 Your car? working
28. Something you're not wearing? shoes
29 Favorite Store? Target
30. Your summer? hot
31. Like someone? yes
32.Your favorite color? yellow
33. When is the last time you laughed? today
34. Last time you cried? unknown
35. Who will/would re-post this? anyone
36. Who's answers are you anxious to see? everyone
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Our Week
Madeline and Anthony ready to watch Conference
Watching Conference
Conference Breakfast
We have take off!
Spencer hs been on the verge of crawling for a couple of months but never wanted to take the plunge and do it. For the past couple of months he would eye a specific toy or object that he wanted then he would study it and then lunge forward get the desire object and then lay flat on his tummy until someone would rescue him and help him back up. I have been working on trying to show him how to crawl (I don't know why now I will never be able to rest). This morning I guess he decided to go for it and he just started to crawl. It is exciting. I mean Spencer is 11 months and it is about time that he got mobile. At least I will be able to tell the doctor at his check up that he is mobile.
That's What it is all about

Last Sunday after General Conference, Anthony was in the office creating art and when he came out of the office this is what he handed me. For those of you who might not be able to read it, Anthony wrote: "Mommy Anthony loves you, Love Anthony. He then gave me a hug and then said I am so glad that you are my mommy. On Monday, Anthony again was in the office creating art and he came out of the office with a card that said Mommy Anthony love you. On the inside of the card he wrote Thank you for being my mommy. On the back in capital letters he wrote LOVE ANTHONY. He told me he wrote them in capital letters because he really loves me.
Being a mother is a hard job, some would even say it isn't very glamorous, but how many get homemade cards from their children that express their love for. I often think about the Tender Mercies of the Lord and in the ways that He shows His love and mercy for me and Anthony's letter was a Tender Mercy of the Lord. In that split second I was able to see that everything I do is worth it no matter how hard or stressful it is. And despite the days where I feel that I am not being a good mother, Anthony showed me that I am doing okay. I will cherish these notes forever. I have placed them by bed so I can see them every morning and every night and remember the true blessings and joys of my calling as a mother. I wouldn't trade this calling for anything. To be able to stay home with my children everyday and live life with them and watch them grow, is definitely a Tender Mercy of the Lord.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Funny Madeline


Madeline lately has been saying the cutest things. Last night the kids had chocolate shakes from chili's. They are pretty thick. Well Madeline took hers outside and sat on the patio to drink her shake. She then comes in and says my shake is not working in my mouth. Grant then gave her a spoon for her shake. I just thought it was cute. Madeline has a g-button which is a port that is surgically placed in her stomach with an attachment outside. It makes it great when it comes to giving medicines. We just open the attachment and squirk the medicine in, the medicine goes directly into her stomach without ever touching her mouth. Well sometimes the lid to the attachment can come lose and well there are stomach juices in your stomach and so naturally some will leak out with the lid comes un done. Well Madeline usually would say her button is open, but now she says with a panic voice my stomach is leaking. There are other things that come out of her mouth, I need to be better at writing them down. If I remember anymore I will post them.
April Fools Fun


Family Picture
I had this crazy idea to get a family picture. The last family picture was taken when we were in Florida and Spencer was a month old. I figured we have all changed since then, at least Spencer can sit, has his eyes open, and can smile...well at least I thought. We get to the studio and immediately Spencer starts crying. The photographer takes one look at him and he looses it and will not stop. An hour later still no pictures-well decient ones anyway. Either Spencer was crying, Anthony was making a strained face, had his eyes closed, or Madeline was looking somewhere completely oblivious to the fact that we were trying to get a family picture. Well we took a break, fead Spencer walked for a bit and came back and tried. Again Spencer started to cry. Grant was able to get a couple of good smiles from him by tickling him while the photographer was getting the picture. I was exauhsted by the end of the night and learned that taking a family picture is highly over rated. We tried sibling pictures, but all you got was Anthony and Madeline holding on to Spencer for dear life because Spencer was not going for pictures. Now Spencer is no little thing so he falls forward and almost falls off the platform on to the floor head first. At that point I decided we were done and I will try for a sibling picture when they are older or at least when Spencer has made peace with the photo studio and is willing to take a picture and not cry. So these are the two pictures that we decided on. They had a special to where you can get a free 11x14 if you ordered so many sheets. It was really hard to the number of sheets when there is only two pictures to chose from.
It is done! They didn't turn out bad, but it was much easier in front of the beach when Spencer was too young to care.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter fun
Some other happenings with the Coopers are: One night during Madeline's prayers she blessed that we would listen to the Spirit. I thought that was neat and very fitting. How many times do we get busy and forget to listen to the Spirit. Anthony has been talking a lot about death, the Spirit World, and the Ressurrection. We had a nice conversation during dinner time. Anthony asked his daddy how Jesus Christ organizes the resurrection. Grant then explained the order in which we are resurrected. I am amazed at the questions he asks and how much he really understands. On the way to church he was talking about General Conference and how it is a time to listen to the prophet. He said this time we won't get to listen from President Hinckley but that we get to listen from President Monson. He then went on to talk about his counselors and how Elder Cook won't be the last Apostle. He then told me how he loves to get the "General Conference" Ensign and take the poster out and hang it up in his room so he can look at the Prophet and the Apostles. Then out of the blue he said I am glad that President Hinckley has one of his helpers (President Faust) in Heaven with him to help him there. Children have the best testimonies. They are so pure and innocent and straight from the heart. I love to hear Madeline sing I am a Child of God and more recently sing Tell me the Stories of Jesus. I love to listen to her pray. She prays about everything and she prays as if she is truly talking to the Savior-all things I need to be better at. During family scripture study I love to listen to her point to the pictures and name the prophets in the Book of Mormon and a lot of times she already knows the story and she finishes it for us. She is only three but she really understands the gospel. Anthony is getting good at reading and he really enjoys reading his scriptures. We bought from BYU bookstore an Early Book of Mormon Reader. He loves reading from that every night. He also has his own regular Book of Mormon and a lot of times I find him opening it up and reading from it. A lot of times during sacrament meeting he is sitting quietly reading his scriptures-such a good example to me. The miracles and blessings of being a mom. These and many more reasons are how the Savior shows me His love everyday. I am so glad to be a Mom and to know of the blessings of the temple and the joys of knowing my family are mine for eternity.
Well what is a blog without pics.

Anthony excited about all his eggs!
Madeline excited to find all of her eggs!
Madeline found an Egg...Good job Madeline!
Another Egg in the swing, 2 more to go!
Anthony dying his Easter egg green
Madeline found her Easter basket in the fire place. You can tell she still had camping on her mind because when we asked her where do we roast marshmellows in the house and she kept saying outside in the fire pit. We finally had to tell her to go look in the fire place.

Anthony discovered his Easter basket!
Madeline and Daddy working together to solve the clues
Anthony found another clue leading to his basket of goodies
Madeline loves to push Spencer on the swing. Madeline just loves being his mommy period. Spencer doesn't mind, he loves to swing.
Madeline is standing on the back of Spencer's walker. Spencer was able to pull Madeline across the living room with her on the back. Now that is a strong baby.

Ooops forgot to show a pic of Madeline taking a stab at coloring eggs.
Camping Fun
The kids enjoyed camping, fishing, and biking. We learned that Spencer needs to stay warm and sleeping in a tent is not his cup of tea. He cried the whole night until we put him in the car. Grant went out in the middle of the night making room for Spencer in the car. When he came back to the tent, Spencer had fallen asleep in my arms, but Madeline was starting to cry. So Madeline and Grant went and slept in the car. Grant would turn the car on and run the heater for a bit and then he would turn the car off. A few hours later I got too cold and so I traded spaces with Grant in the car. When Grant got back to the tent he woke Spencer up in the process of getting into bed. So Spencer joined Madeline and I in the back of the car. There we slept great. The next morning we rearranged some things, moved the air mattress into the back of the car for Spencer and I to sleep in that night. Spencer slept great and Grant and the kids shared one air mattress. Grant got up several times to help Madeline get comfortable or put blankets back on her. Anthony was the only one that slept great both nights. He is a born camper. He loves being outdoors and gets so excited when we go camping or go hiking. This was Madeline's first time to go fishing and she was so excited. She especially loved the worms. She was not scared of them one bit. She dove right in digging for a worm to put on her hook. Anthony on the other hand would not touch them one bit. Madeline wanted to put the worm on her hook, but Grant saw danger in her doing that and knew that she would poke herself pretty good. Fishing with Madeline was an adventure. She would swing her fishing rod around getting it tangled in trees or getting it hooked on her shirt. She enjoyed casting her line out and then reeling it back in or taking her rod and making circles in the water. Anthony has gone fishing before but he still has not developed the patience for waiting. As soon as he casts he is ready to reel it back in. He is getting pretty good at casting himself we just need to work on the patience part, but that will come with age.
With this camping trip we learned a few things. Cereal works a lot better than panacakes and next time I will prepare food ahead of time and just heat it up at our campsite. I felt like I was either cooking or cleaning up the whole time and wasn't doing a lot of relaxing. We also learned that we can make special camping chores for the kids to do to help with the load. They helped set up the campsite, but as far as cooking and cleaning we didn't have them do anything. Also paper products work just as good as regular plastic plates, and when camping you need to start dinner at 4:00 or you will be eating and trying to clean up in the dark. At 7:00 kids are tired and cranky and trying to clean up from dinner with tired and cranky kids who still want their smores is not fun. So with all that in mind our next camping trip should be better. And we probably won't go camping until it is a little bit warmer during the night or Spencer will have a fit. Next time we will have a sleeping bag for Madeline so that she can not get out of her covers and wake up cold. We had a lot of fun and I know the kids enjoyed themselves. The park was nice, the campsites were a little bit close together, but the spot that we were was a safe spot to be with kids riding their bikes. We were next to a circle so the kids could ride down the street go around the circle and come back without being in any real danger of cars.
Enough with the rambling here are pictures for you all to enjoy!
Anthony wanted to take a picture of our campsite, hence the number 59. Maybe he wanted to remember that 59 was a great spot.
A pic of Anthony riding his bike.
A pic of Madeline riding her scooter.

Where is Anthony? Where is Madeline? Grant took this picture during one of the many times he got up in the middle of night to cover up and help kids get comfortable.
Madeline and Anthony cooking their hot dogs for dinner. Madeline loves the campfire. We had to have a good lesson about fire safety and the way we walk around the campfire. This girl is either clueless or has no fear.
Madeline and Anthony enjoying the evening by the fire. Notice the tea kettle, the kids loves to have hot chocolate it is one of their treats they look forward to every night.
Anthony fishing.
Madeline fishing.
Anthony wanted to take a pic of everyone by the tent.Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Cooper Look-alike Meter
We thought it would be fun to see who spencer favors. We weren't surprised that it was Anthony. There are a lot of pictures of Spencer and Anthony that look very similar. The funny thing is at birth Spencer did not look like Madeline or Anthony. When Madeline was born it was another Anthony only smaller.
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