End to our Summer Fun

Well the beginning of a new school year is fast approaching which means another wonderful summer is coming to an end.  I am always excited for summer to begin and sad when it ends.  Summer never lasts long enough.  We managed to check everything off of our Summer list.  I love spending time with the kids and I enjoy all the activities we get to enjoy together as a family. 

It has become a Cooper family tradition to have Ice Cream Week during the Summer.  What came out of desperation for something to do a few years ago has now turned into a family tradition that the kids get excited about.  For a whole week, we visit a different Ice Cream place and enjoy a cool yummy treat.  There is nothing like Ice Cream when it is really hot outside, and you can guarantee that it will be hot in Texas during the Summer.

Ice Cream also was the same week that we went on a mini vacation.  This year we decided to hit Corpus Christi and take the kids to the beach.  The last time the kids went to the beach was when Spencer was a month old and that was six years ago.  We rented a condo on the beach, but we learned that it is a lot windier in Corpus than Florida.  The wind was a bit of a challenge to get use to and made playing at the beach a bit tricky.  Our first stop in Corpus was touring the USS Lexington.  The kids earlier in the month toured Battleship Texas and the Lexington was similar.  We all enjoyed going up on the deck and looking at all the vintage airplanes that they had there.  We really liked the Cobra Helicopter.  Grant was able to tell the kids a little bit about the Cobra since he has had a part in its redesign.  He was able to point out what part he designed.  Because of security the kids are not able to go and visit their father's work and so they haven't seen what he does.  With the Cobra there they were able to learn a little bit about what he does everyday.  It was definitely hot on the Lexington and so the kids were grateful to go over to the Aquarium where at least part was in air conditioned.  I don't know how the soldiers braved the heat on the Lexington during the hot Summer months.

Highlights from the Aquarium would be the dolphin shows, feeding the sting rays, watching the sea turtles, and the bird show.  We spent about five hours there, watching the shows and seeing all the exhibits.  By the time we finished touring the USS Lexington and the Aquarium, Spencer's feet no longer worked.  However they seemed to perk up afterwards for a little playtime on the beach.

We went to Corpus during my birthday, in fact that was the main reason we went to Corpus was to celebrate my birthday.  Every year we go camping for Grant's birthday and so Grant thought it would be fun to do a family vacation trip during my birthday-sounds like a great idea to me!  After playing tourist and chilling out at the condo, we headed to a recommended place for dinner called Pier 99.  First they set us outside to eat, which would have been nice, but the wind was horrible and there was no way our kids would endure, so we asked to be moved inside.  Before we left for dinner, Anthony challenged me to eat seafood.  If I ate seafood then he would eat seafood as well.  I couldn't back out of this challenge because Anthony is a picky eater and not a huge fan of seafood.  Well I am not a fan of seafood either and I was surrounded by restaurants that only serve seafood.  I couldn't let my son down and so I ate seafood for dinner and I have to say it was pretty good.  I have never heard of Amber Jack fish, but it was delicious.  I am still not converted to seafood, but maybe every once-in-awhile I might give it a try.  The best part of the dinner was the brownie mountain afterwards.  You can never go wrong with brownies, chocolate, and ice cream-that was a wonderful birthday treat.

The next day we dedicated the day to playing at the beach.  We drove over to Padre Island and played on the beach there.  By the time we got there it was pretty late in the day and the crowds had already filled in, but we managed to find a spot and were able to set up shop.  The boys enjoyed the boogie boards and Madeline enjoyed playing in the sands.  The winds were not as strong on Padre Island so playing in the beach was a bit more doable.  We were able to fly kites, build sand castles, ride the waves, and just have lots of fun.  The kids really enjoyed themselves and the car ride back to the condo was a quiet one.  This was our last day in Corpus the next day (Sunday) we were off for a long long drive home.  The long drive was compounded even more because of construction.  There were times we took the access road because it was faster than the freeway.  This gave me plenty of time to read and I was able to nearly finish both books that Grant's mom gave me for my birthday.  When I wasn't reading, Grant and I were able to talk so I guess the construction mess wasn't so bad after all.

Our Summer bucket list ended with a  trip to Six Flags and to watch the most anticipated movie of the year, Planes!  During the school year the boys earned free six flags tickets for reading 600 minutes.  This was a difficult task for Spencer as reading is not something he enjoys, but he stuck with it and earned his reward.  Anthony is like me and reading is an enjoyment for him and he had his minutes read in a few days.  Since Grant gets discount tickets to Six Flags from work we decided to make it a family affair.  We were able to pick out a few rides for Madeline to enjoy, but the majority of the stuff there is not Madeline friendly.  I was worried that she would be bored and sadden by the fact that she can't do all the stuff that her brothers can; but to contrary.  She enjoyed her self and had a blast on all the rides that she rode.  She did not see what I saw, which is a lesson I often learn over and over.  She only saw what she could do and not what she couldn't do, an example for us all.

A few days after Six Flags it was time to go see Planes.  I think Spencer was the most excited of us all.  With Daddy's discounts from work we were able to see the movie in 3D, this excited Spencer the most because he knew he would get glasses.  Spencer glasses from previous movies were broke and according to him, he was in desperate need of glasses and thanks to the generosity of his family he was able to receive four extra pairs.  We went on opening day and the theatre was pretty much empty which surprised me.  I guess everyone went before dinner.  I was happy that it wasn't crowded.  The kids enjoyed the movie and there was enough jokes for the adults for it to be enjoyable for us as well.  It didn't take long for the planes toy wish list for Christmas to start.  I think I know what will be under the tree for one little eager boy!  Planes was our final Summer activity, it was a fun activity to end on.  Now here is to a quick school year so that we can enjoy another fun Summer.

July's Summer Fun

July's Summer fun started out with a impromptu trip for Fourth of July.  One of the items on our Summer bucket list was to visit the Bluebell Ice Cream Plant.  We have tired to go twice, but weren't able to get tickets.  It is a four hour drive and Grant didn't want to drive down there and back.  We decided to make it a weekend get-a-way and have some fun. 

The tour of the ice cream plant was a lot of fun.  The tour guide was awesome and was able to hold the kids' attention really well.  We were able to see how the ice cream is made and processed.  After the tour they give everyone a free ticket for some ice cream.  I thought the ice cream sample would be a small little taste, but they were big scoops of ice cream.  I also thought we would either get vanilla or chocolate, but instead we were able to choose from their 16 popular flavors as well as choose from a few of their new flavors.  After the tour of Blue Bell we got a hotel in Katy, Texas.  I picked a perfect location because the city of Katy shot off their fire works across the street from our hotel.  We were able to open the curtain and watch from our hotel room.  This worked perfect for us because Madeline does not like the loud noises from the fireworks.  This year she was able to get excited and enjoy them with the rest of us. 

Katy, Texas was just a stopping point for us.  The next day we were off and head to the San Jacinto Battlefield outside of Houston, Texas.  Anthony the huge history buff he is wants to see all the major historical points in Texas History.  The battle at San Jacinto was where Texas won its independence from Mexico.  They have a huge monument there (because in Texas everything is big), a little museum to look through, and video depicting the events leading up to the battle and after the battle.  After watching the movie I learned that it was a true miracle that we won, there was some divine intervention helping the Texas soldiers out. 

After walking around and exploring the battlefield we went across the street where they have Battleship Texas.  It was used during both World Wars.  We were surprised to learn that we could not only walk around the boat but explore it as well.  The kids had fun pretending to fire the anti-air craft, pretend to be sleeping on the bunk beads, and climbing up and down all the ladders.  We spent a good amount of time exploring and seeing how life was like aboard a battleship.  By the time we finished it was hot and we were hot and tired.  The kids were more than willing to get in the car for the four hour drive home.  On the way home we made sure we stopped in for a treat from Dairy Queen, it isn't a road trip unless you have a blizzard (or in Madeline's case, fries) from Dairy Queen. 

Unfourtnately Grant ate something that his body didn't like so he spent the rest of his Fourth of July holiday in bed.  Luckily it waited until we got home. 

On July 11 we went for our free slurpee, we have never done it before but glad that we did.  They uped the size too, instead of a small sip you actually got a decent size cup.  We have explore the Boy Scout Museum and ran through the tunnels and down the slides at Going Bonkers.  We also have enjoyed nice weather and a week long rain event.  For a week we enjoyed temperatures in the 70s that is a far cry from the 100s that we usually endure. 

We are making progress on our summer goals and I am working hard at getting ready for homeschooling third grade.  Madeline now has a school room and it has been fun setting up and getting things ready to start after Labor Day.  Seeing everything come together has helped Madeline get excited about the upcoming school year.  We still have more to accomplish before the summer is over, but we are slowing checking things off of our list.  The kids have been enjoying themselves and have not heard the "bored" word yet.  Here is to hoping the rest of our summer goes by slowly, I sure enjoy having the kids home.

Great Wolf Lodge

This year we are staying close to home for the Summer.  For the months of June and July we have planed staycation trips.  For June we decided Great Wolf Lodge would be our staycation destination.  The kids enjoy the waterpark and Grant and I enjoy not having to deal with the crowds.  Madeline hasn't been one to enjoy waterparks, but she wanted to have fun and do everything her brothers did and so she went for it.  It was so nice to see her courage and excitement come through.  We had fun riding the waves in the wave pool, going around the lazy river, riding the tornado and other slides, playing swim chase in the outdoor pools, and warming up in the hot tub.  We only spent one night there, but it is two days of waterpark fun.  The day we checked in we played until dinner and then after dinner we built a fort in our room, watched a movie and enjoyed snow cones.  Grant and I were able to sneak away to do a workout in the gym.  The next day after breakfast we packed up our room, loaded our stuff in the car and played in the water park for a few hours.  Because it isn't so crowded we were able to ride the slides over and over without spending lots of time in line.  We stayed until after lunch and then we were tired and ready for home.  It was a nice quick trip and it was nice to spend time as a family and celebrate Madeline's birthday.

Madeline Turns 9

Every year when we celebrate Madeline's birthday, we can't help but pause and see how far we have come.  This year Madeline's birthday fell on Sunday so she opted for a simple celebration at home.  Her diner of choice was Macaroni and Maters (a family recipe).  Lets just say that Madeline is the only one head over heals about this meal.  She eats this almost everyday for lunch and when calories are important Madeline can have what Madeline wants.  Madeline is not really a cake or dessert person, but she likes to paint and draw.  This year I had the kids decorate the cake.  Madeline wanted a lemonade and pick lemonade cake.  I never really worked with fondant before but figured with Google's help I could make something work.  I covered the cake with white fondant and then with Google's help we made edible cake paint.  The kids enjoyed painting and decorating Madeline's cake.  I gave them the left over fondant and they cut out shapes and added it to their masterpiece.  This cake was well decorated and a complete sugar heaven.  We sang Happy Birthday and all took a bite of the cake and that was about it.  That evening we played a game as a family and watched Madeline open her gifts.  Her main celebration was Great Wolf Lodge.  We combined her birthday with June's staycation activity.  Great Wolf Lodge deserves its own post.

Madeline is one of kind special girl.  She is a complete joy to have at home and her smile and laugh are contagious.  Madeline loves to draw and paint.  She loves to ride her bike, jump on the trampoline, and swim.  Madeline loves to build things with her Legos, play Cake Boss, and play games with her family.  Madeline loves her pink, her monkeys, butterflies, owls, and her DADDY.  Madeline loves to go camping, fishing, hiking (with Daddy carrying her), and she likes to help cook in the kitchen.  Madeline loves to learn and she is up for almost any adventure there is.  Madeline's health has turned a 360 and we have been able to discontinue two of her meds.  Doctor appointments are down to less than 10 a year and those are required twice a year visits to cardiology, pulmonology, orthopedic, and tummy doctors.  Madeline loves to give hugs, cards, and letters of appreciation, and she knows when it is needed.  Madeline has a heart of gold and is very compassionate.  She loves her brothers and is very sensitive to their needs.  When they are sick she won't leave their side.  She wants to take care of them and do whatever she can to help them feel better.  Madeline demonstrates her love and commitment to Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ.  Her faith is strong and she has a real knowledge and understanding that they are real.  Her prayers are sincere and heartfelt, and she communicates with them with the knowledge that they are real and they hear her.  Madeline is a gift to those around her and a huge blessing to our family.  It is a joy to be her mother and a joy to homeschool her.  You can feel of her love for you, for life, and for Heavenly Father and our Savior.  She loves to laugh and when she does you can't help but be reminded of what life is about.  Madeline runs on Madeline's time and there is no changing it.  We can learn a lot from her and the blessing it is to slow down and really enjoy the simple things in life.  Madeline does not let her physical limitations get in her way, if she wants to do something she will.  Her determination is an example to all to not give up and to not let things get in your way of accomplishing and doing what you desire.  As her mother I learn from her example, and hope to one day be filled with the faith, love, determination, courage, and joy she has.  Madeline truly loves life and lives each day to the fullest. 

Summer Fun

We started off our summer with National Doughnut Day.  I think it is safe to say this is a favorite among the kids.  They love to go to Krispie Kream and watch them make the doughnuts and then getting to pick out there favorite doughnut to enjoy.

We made a trip over to the CR Smith Museum.  It is an aviation museum and not a well populated museum which are what I like.  They do have a section for the kids with hands on exhibits.  They change out these exhibits every few months but the rest of the museum the exhibits stay the same.  This time they had a lego exhibit for the kids.  When we got there we were the only ones which is nice.  The kids had fun building and designing their own cars and then racing them down the track.  As usual we go explore the airplanes, check out the display of engines, and check out the interesting facts about the airplanes from the past to today.  I like the museum for the fact that it isn't well known meaning that you don't have to fight the crowds.  After our museum trip we decided to surprise Daddy and pick him up for work and go out for a treat, afterwards we dropped him back off to work and we headed home.  We thought Grant would enjoy a fun break in the middle of his day.

We made an impromptu road trip down to Johnson City, Texas.  There we visited Lyndon B. Johnson's boyhood home as well as toured the "Texas White House."  The Texas White House is Johnson's ranch home.  During his presidency he would spend lots of time there.  He was the first president to be able to conduct business outside of the White House.  They had the Air Force one that He used, his office, as well as their living quarters.  They also had Johnson's collection of cars as well as a display of all the gifts that he gave as well as received.  I found it amusing that they even had his and Lady Bird's close closet set up how they did.  We learned that they were able to have a successful marriage because they had two master bedrooms.  Lyndon was a work alcoholic and Lady Bird enjoyed her sleep and quiet time.  Instead of arguing they just built another master bedroom where she could go and escape.  This allowed him to work and carry on as much as he wanted, and Lady Bird was able to have all the peace and quiet she wanted.   We were also able to tour a real working farm from the late 1800s to early 1900s.  It is neat to go explore how life was like for those living during the past.  The kids enjoy exploring through the farm houses and seeing how they lived.  They really enjoy the hands on activities that they offer.  Anthony loves history and he enjoys visiting all the Texas Historical Sites in Texas.  Spencer doesn't really care for all the tours, but hopefully that will change.  Madeline likes the tours and I like that we are providing lots of learning opportunities for our kids. After the tours we went to the nearby Lyndon B. Johnson State Park where they had a swimming pool.  Now this was Spencer's favorite part of the trip.  It was pretty hot that day, so swimming felt nice.  The kids were able to burn off some energy before we made the trip home.  We left that day at 6:00 in the morning and returned home at 11:00 that night.  It was a fun trip, but we learned that when you have to drive more than four hours it can make for a really long day.

One of the things on our Summer Fun list is miniature golf.  They have a less than popular place to do miniature golf then Putt Putt.  This makes it nice because again we don't have to fight the crowds as much.  We got their unlimited package which included all the golf, bumper boats, and go carts we could handle.  The kids enjoyed the go carts until the invasion of the teenagers.  By that time it was late and they were tired.  Anthony was able to drive himself and Madeline and Spencer shared a car with Grant and I.  I wasn't sure how Madeline would handle it, but she had a blast.  Our favorite activity was the bumper boats.  By the end of our ride we were all soaked.  Spencer was able to drive his own boat and Madeline shared with me.  Madeline was able to escape the onslaught of water.  I guess there are benefits to being short.  For the most part the water would go right over her.  It didn't take Spencer long to get the hang of how to drive the boats, and the water gun was definitely his best friend.  We played a couple of rounds of golf, first time through we did it regular style and the second time through we did it bowling style.  While the boys did a round of laser tag, Madeline and I did a round of golf. 

Next up is Madeline's Birthday and July Summer's Fun. 

End of School

I know that it is June and the kids have been out of school for a month, but we have been in full swing into our summer fun.  On May 31, Anthony graduated fifth grade and Spencer graduated Kindergarten.  Madeline finished up school at the end of April.  On the last day the school has a tradition of having the fifth graders walk the halls for the last time.  All the parents, grandparents, etc come and line the halls along with all the other students and teachers.  The fifth graders start at the fifth grade hall and work the way through the school and out the door to sixth grade.  While they walk the crowds cheer, students high five the fifth graders, and former teachers steal one more hug from the graduating fifth graders.  For some it is an emotional day and for others like me it is another proud moment to add to my collection.  Grant and I were surprised to see how emotional Anthony was.  The last day of school was not a joyous occasion like in years past.  Anthony is very private with his emotions and feelings, but on that day he couldn't hold back the tears.  Anthony had a really good fifth grade teacher who he adored, he was lucky to have the same teacher for third grade as well.  In the end I think Anthony is excited to move on to sixth grade and join the ranks of middle school, but change is hard and leaving a place of comfort for something unknown is difficult.  However, I know that he is prepared and he will once again find comfort (as much as your can) in middle school.

Spencer on the other hand was all excited to finally be first grader.  They talk a lot about being a first grader in Kindergarten and getting the kids all excited about all the cool things that await them.  So on May 31st Spencer was excited to finally be able to call himself a first grader.  Now as for me I was excited to finally be able to sleep in and to give the alarm clock a break.  I like how the days slow down a bit and we can fill our days with fun activities instead of homework.

A couple of days before school got out they had their end of the year parties.  Anthony's and Spencer's party was at the same time and so Grant took sometime off from work to be able to attend their parties.  The parties lasted for two hours so for the first hour Grant would attend one and then we would switch.  Spencer's party was set up like a carnival with various games and activities for the kids to do.  Anthony's party had a kerokee machine, a photo booth, cake walk, for square and tossing the football around.  For the most part the partying was very fitting for his age group, but Anthony found the activities to be a bit boring.  Since I was there we ditched his party and went over to Spencer's party and he played games with Spencer and Madeline.  So in the end we all played together at Spencer's party.

Now with school behind us it is time to have fun and enjoy the summer!

May and June Happenings

1.  After Grant and I coming home from one of our dates we were greeted with some friends enjoying some cupcakes and treats.  I love to see Madeline's imagination and play come out!

2.  On Saturday, May 25th, we had the opportunity as a family to volunteer and help out with Special Olympics.  We were in charge of handing out some of the awards to the contestants as they finished their meets.  Anthony was able to use the microphone to call out the contestants and what award they got.  He did an amazing job!  Spencer and Madeline would take turns putting the ribbons around the contestants necks.  After about three hours of working Spencer decided he was done, but his timing could use some improvement.  While he was handing out awards, he decided he was done and simply walked off without finishing the rest of the ribbons.  Luckily we were there to assist him and we were able to pick up where he left off.  After that we decided that it was time to hand over our assignments to the others that were in the group and leave before Spencer really let everyone know that he was done.  It was such a neat experience for our family and we are looking forward to working some more with Special Olympics.  The best was being able to work together as a family helping and serving others.  It was neat to see our kids excitement and to hear them cheer on the different contestants.  Our kids were truly excited for those who were participating and that is rewarding to see as a mother.

3.  This year I didn't plan much for Father's Day, I decided to let the kids do the planning.  A few days before Father's Day I took the kids out and let them pick their gifts out.  Before we left I mentioned some things that Daddy has said he wanted and luckily they were all on board.  We also decided to make Daddy and new number one Daddy hat and his current one was getting dirty and smelly.  At the same time we made some hats for Grant's parents for their birthday.  It was fun to watch the kids decorate and learn the fine art of handling the paint.  It is safe to say their were a few blobs, but overall they did a great job.  The last time we did this Spencer was a little baby and so I painted for him, so I wasn't sure how things would go with him painting on the hats.  Spencer did awesome and was so proud of his dots that he littered the hats with.  On Father's Day I made Grant some bbq ribs, homemade cheesy rice, and I am sure other goodness.  Then the rest of the day was spent playing games, going for walks, and enjoying another epic nerf gun battle.  I don't think I could plan a better myself, the kids did a really good job.

4.  In the evenings when we gather for family scripture study the kids have a tendency to crowd around the I-pad leaving Grant alone on the couch with the big family Book of Mormon opened.  The kids are not interested in reading from a book, an I-pad seems to be more interesting.  I guess it has to do something with touch screens and lights that draw the kids over to my side.  However, Grant's book does have colorful pictures but I guess they are no match for the I-pad.

5.  For the summer I made a summer reading bingo game for the kids to play.  I did this to make reading time a little more fun and exciting for them.  So far we have read a book in the treehouse, under a tree, in a fort, with a snack, on a picnic blanket, at the library, under the kitchen table, and with a hat on.  We play the reading bingo game a couple of times a week and they enjoy looking at their boards and picking a new and different place to read their books.

6.  The first weekend of June Grant and Anthony went over to the public library for a Star Wars day.  They had different activities and crafts set up which didn't interest Anthony.  Anthony did enjoy taking his picture with the storm troopers and watching his favorite episode (6) on the big screen at the library.

Bathroom-Mission Complete

In December of 2012 we began demo ling our master bathroom.  It was in a major need of repair.  Things were growing that shouldn't be growing, water leaking where water shouldn't be leaking, and most of all having the door in the way of the toilet.  We were limited in what we could do as far as redesigning, we were not in the mood to change out the main plumbing in the bathroom.  By moving the door down and turning the sink to be next to the toilet to be more functional.  I don't have any before pictures, but that is okay because the bathroom was bad.

Now I am writing this in June and that isn't because it has taken this long for me to get around to writing, instead it has taken this long to finish.  When you take something down to the studs you are bound to in counter obstacles.  Grant added some outlets, re did the electrical, rearranged the plumbing, built a half wall between the shower and toilet, and added a light in the shower area.  Then there was putting up Sheetrock, the mudding, the sanding, then mudding again, the texturing, and the paint.  After all that came the tile and there was a lot and a lot of little customize cutting.  Our bathroom is small making it difficult for two people to work without getting in each others way.   Most of the tile in the bathroom was laid by Anthony.  Grant was able to show Anthony how to lay tile and so Grant would cut and Anthony would put it up.  It is neat to look back and see all of Anthony's work.  I know that Anthony is proud of himself and I know every time Grant goes in the shower he is reminded of the time he and Anthony spent together.  So Anthony now knows how to lay tile and skill that comes in handy.

After six months of work and six months of having one bathroom and with us all sharing one shower we are happy to have our bathroom back.  We didn't put a door in because the bathroom is close to the entrance of our room and so we use our bedroom door for privacy.  In the beginning we decided to skip the door to save time, but I don't think it would have save us much time.  Grant and I love our bathroom and we love the fact more that it is done and Grant is really happy not to be cutting tile; that is for a little while.  We still need to tile the hallway in our bedroom and then there is the kitchen that still needs to be done, but that is for another day.  Right now we will enjoy the fact that another major remodel is checked off the list.

Spencer is Six

Spencer was so excited when his birthday rolled around.  He was excited to be able to have cupcakes at school, to be able to wear the birthday crown, and to be able to eat lunch with Daddy.  I think most of all he was excited that now he has to use two hands to show how old he is!  It was fun celebrating his day by going bowling, glow in the dark golf, and the boys were able to enjoy a round of laser tag.  We did all this at Main Event where they have a special going where you pay one flat fee and get to play all you want and as long as you want.  After we played our heart out we came home for cake, the birthday song and blowing out candles, and opening presents.  Spencer was more excited about the presents then the cake and so he graciously took a few bites of cake and then was ready to open presents.  Spencer wanted more than anything to have a drum set and his parents made his dream come true.  Things have gotten a bit louder at the Cooper Household, but it is fun to watch him play the drums and Madeline play the guitar and give a concert.  Spencer loves The Wiggles and loves to sing and dance along while watching, and now that he has his own drum set he can be a full fledged Wiggle and drum along to the songs.  The day after his birthday Spencer toted his drum set around to different parts of the house playing and then when he was done with the inside he went outside and took it around the backyard and even up the tree house.  Each spot he would play for a bit and then move onto a different spot.  He wanted to know how his drums sounded in each of the different locations.  I can say for certain that Spencer didn't like his drums when I decided to use them to wake him up one morning to get ready for school.  Now for a little bit on Spencer.

Spencer is a happy go lucky kind of kid.  He always has a smile on his face and he always ready to have fun.  Spencer loves to live each day to the fullest having fun along the way.  It is never a dull moment when Spencer is around.  He is always saying or doing something funny.  His face lights up when he smiles and he brings that joy to others.  Spencer is very persistent and full of determination.  He likes to figure things out on his own and does not give up until he knows how.  Spencer knows what he wants and goes after it.  Spencer is full of obedience and jumps right in when it is time to get things done, except when it comes to emptying out the dishwasher.  Spencer and the dishwasher are not friends right now.  Spencer is full of adventure and goes all in full throttle.  Spencer loves to play basketball, loves anything to do with water, loves to ride his bike, sing along to wiggles, listen to music on hid Dads' I-pod, and enjoys playing games.  Spencer has picked up reading in school and is diligent about plugging away at his reading assignments.  School doesn't come easy for him, but he works hard and keeps at.  Sometimes in life those that are slow and steady win the race.  Spencer loves to wrestle with his dad as well as give the family a Spencerfied music concert.  He and Madeline are best friends and are always found together playing.  Spencer loves to cuddle with his Mommy and he loves his oatmeal in the morning.  One of the qualities that I love about Spencer is his zeal for life.  He is a great example to me of a positive attitude and finding the joy and enjoyment in everyday.  My life would be very dull without Spencer and I am so blessed and honored that Heavenly Father sent Spencer into our home.  He gives us adventure and sometimes we need that around here.  I love to see him smile and I love to see the happiness that lies within his eyes.  He truly has a positive and happy attitude and that is something that we can learn from.  He has brought so much joy and laughter to our home and I know that will only continue to grow in the future!

May Happenings

The school year is winding down and I am so happy.  I look forward every year to being able to have things run at a slower pace and where we can spend time together doing fun things and making fun memories.  You always know when school winds down because there are a bunch of activities to attend to all at once.  At the beginning of May the boys had their field day.  They moved it inside because of the weather.  Usually we have to worry about rain, but this time when had a cold snap come through and it was rather chilly with a strong north wind.  It was a little different navigating through the halls with all the classes and grade levels participating in different activities.  My plan was to watch Spencer in the morning and Anthony in the afternoon, but I ended up staying with Spencer to help his teacher with getting 20 Kindergartners to the different stations throughout the school and not get lost or trampled by the older kids.  It was nice that after Spencer was done doing his activity, Anthony's class came for their turn, so I was able to see a little of Anthony too.  Most of the games were geared towards the little kids so there were parts that Anthony was a little less than thrilled to do, but he did them with a smile.  Madeline was a trooper and followed me around for the day cheering her brothers on.  There were some of the volunteers that still remembered Madeline and so they were kind enough to make accommodations for her to be able to participate in some of the activities so she was excited about that.

After field day was the big anticipated Kindergarten field trip to the zoo.  Grant was able to tweak his schedule so that he could be there for Spencer's special and important day.  I was able to go along with Madeline so it was a family affair.  They split up the kids with the parents and as individual groups you tour the zoo and eat lunch at your own leisure.  They give us a time and location to return and with that you are off on your own to explore and learn.  I like that we are not in a big group trying to all stay together and keep track of the kids.  There were enough parents going that each group had one or two kids in addition to your own child.  We are only had one additional kid and he ended up getting sick that morning so for us it was a family zoo trip, which was kind of nice.  It ended up raining so it was fun going through the zoo in the rain, but luckily it didn't really down pour until the end.

At school Anthony is apart of the Student Council.  Throughout the year they participate in different service projects and fundraisers to support different things at school and charities that they are raising money for.  Because of their hard work they were the recipients of the National Student Council School of Excellence Award.

Of course you can't have May without Spencer's birthday, but I will do that in a post of its own.  Lets just say it is hard to believe that my youngest is six years old.

Lastly, Mother's day this year was fun.  The kids enjoyed spoiling me for the weekend and I was reminded of the blessing and joy it is to be their mother.  I was able to celebrate Mother's Day by playing the organ in church and giving a talk, both went well.  We did most of our celebrating on Saturday.  The kids went out shopping at an office supply store because I had reward rebate money that I needed to use up and then Grant took me to Khols where I had some Kohl's cash that I needed to use. Afterwards they took me out to dinner.  I wanted to have a new skirt for when I gave my talk and so everyone was nice enough to allow me to find a skirt.  Afterwards we went out for a nice yogurt treat.  Sunday I was able to take my usual nap, have a nice dinner, and be able to open some nice presents.  The kids were so excited to present me with their cards and gifts and I really enjoyed seeing the smiles on their face.  Spencer made a card at school with flowers.  The object was for me to pull a flower out and listed was a chore that Spencer was going to do for me.  Spencer was very certain that the chores listed on the flowers were for me to do and not for him, so that was funny!  Being a mother is a gift and a joy and a calling that I am honored that Heavenly Father has given me the opportunity to be.

Fifth Grade Camp

Back in mid April, Anthony had a week long trip to a learning camp where the kids learn and experience different things in science.  It is the highlight for the fifth graders.  Grant was able to take the week off and go with Anthony as a chaperon.  They have cabins one for the girls and one for the boys.  Grant and a few other dads braved the week in a cabin full of boys.  During one of the parent meetings they brainstormed different ways to wake up the boys and settled on Grant playing his trumpet each morning.  So every morning Grant would stand in the corner and belt out different turns, much to delight of the kids.  On the last morning that they were there Grant shared the love with girls and played them a few songs to help since they were struggling to get out of bed.  From what I hear it was fun, at least for the leaders.

Anthony was able to do various activities like horse back riding, hiking, evening skits, team building activities, and of course crafts.  There were classes on water, our imprint in the environment, and animal tracks.  From the reports that were given, Anthony enjoyed himself immensely.  Also from the reports I learned Anthony has a reputation as being very smart among his peers and their parents.  One of the instructors was giving a discussion on Antarctica  and he started it out with asking what the largest continent is, of course Anthony answers Asia.  The instructor replies that it is Antarctica and Anthony politely tells him it is Asia.  One of the parent spoke up saying that if Anthony says it is Asia then it must be correct.  The instructor then decided to go about his discussion a different way.

Another occasion where his reputation was brought into the spotlight was during their water lesson.  They were learning how much water they consume and the instructor has the kids multiply and add a few numbers to get the correct answer, Anthony pipes up right away with the answer and the instructor thinking that Anthony couldn't know the answer that fast asked a parent use their phone's calculator to get the answer.  This time Anthony's teacher asked "Did Anthony Answer?" and when the class said yes then she said "then it is right."  The instructor ignored what the teacher said and asked for someone to use their calculator to give the answer.  Mrs. Breunig this time said without using her calculator that it was right.  Anthony this year has become the class tutor helping the teacher out when she needs help in assisting those who don't understand what is being presented.  I am confident to say I think he enjoys it.

The camp is a nicely run camp and during the school year they host several schools during various weeks where they teach and instruct the kids on various things related to science.  Then when school isn't in session they host families, and the families are able to participate in all the activities they have there or they can just camp in the cabins they have there and do things on their own.

Anthony came back tired and with lots to say.  There is a difference when someone in the family is gone, but I am glad that Anthony and his Dad were able to have some good father and son experiences.

April Hapenings

April has been a busy month for us.  The Master Bathroom is still not finished and with the way things are going I am hoping maybe in May it will be done.  Grant has been busy with work travel, Boy Scout campout, and a week long fifth grade campout.  One needs to be home to be able to work on the bathroom.

The month started out with Anthony having his first court of honor.  He received the Boy Scout joining award as well as his Polar Bear Patch.  He is just a couple of requirements away from getting his Tenderfoot and a few away from getting his Second Class.  He is really enjoying Scouts and the leaders are enjoying having a scout who is enthusiastic about scouting.  Anthony was also called to be the Patrol leader for the eleven year old patrol.  To say he is excited is an understatement.

For the past six weeks Spencer has been going to a soccer clinic at the rec. center.  For the most part they play around and have fun playing soccer and learning the rules and some techniques to the game.  Spencer really enjoyed it and for him he thought was really playing soccer.  Grant and I were okay with this as we are selfish and don't want to give up our Saturdays for soccer games.  While Spencer would be at his soccer clinic, Grant and I would walk the track.  Spencer had fun waving to us as we would pass.  It was fun to watch him and see his excitement.  You could definitely tell when he was bored.  The only downside was the coach had the kids kick the ball one at a time, and when you have several boys you do spend a lot of time waiting your turn; hence the reason why Spencer would get bored.  On their last class they allowed the parents come and watch.  We thought they would play a game, but it was just a regular practice that we had seen the previous six weeks.  It was kind of weird being in the room and watching the parents of the other kids busy on their various electronic devices.  I decided something needed to be done, so Grant and I started cheering every time Spencer kicked the ball or demonstrated a skill.  We definitely got some looks from the others parents, but we didn't mind Spencer knew we were proud of him.  I think we might have embarrassed Anthony, but Madeline enjoyed cheering for Spencer.

At the beginning of April, I got a call from the school principal telling me that Anthony was awarded Outstanding Student of the Year.  This is only given to fifth graders and there is one boy and one girl selected from the school.  The fifth grade teachers nominate one boy and one girl from their class (so in Anthony case he was one of four boys nominated) and then the rest of the faculty vote.  Anthony received 16 votes and the second place boy received 7 votes.  Anthony didn't barely one he kicked it out of the park.  There is a special banquet to celebrate and award those who won from each of the elementary, middle, and high schools.  A few weeks prior Anthony found out he had been nominated and he was secretly hoping he would win.  I knew he would because he has a high reputation at the school.  Everyone know who Anthony is and those who know him our impressed by him and his character.  When the principal called me I had to fight back the tears so I could make it through the conversation.  I wanted to be there so bad to give him a hug, but had to wait until after school.  He was all smiles when he came out to the car that afternoon.  On the day of the dinner, Madeline and I decorated his room to show him how proud we were of him.  Apparently this award is a big deal!

Easter this kind of snuck up on me.  We did do our count down week and it was nice to go through the last days of our Savior's life.  We really enjoyed the Bible Videos the church has put out on the Internet.  Those really helped and made things easier for me.  Spencer had his Kindergarten Easter Egg hunt so Madeline and I went up to the school and watched him.  They take the eggs and spell out Happy Spring and the kids then find all the letters in Happy Spring along with a flower and that makes 12 eggs.  When they find all 12 then they sit down.  The teacher then checks the eggs.  It is a simple egg hunt.  This year they did the hunt at the park across the street so after the hunt the kids got play at the park.  I love to see Spencer's smile on his face when I come up to the school to participate in his school activities.  On the home front I decided to dye Easter Eggs this year.  I think the last time we did this Anthony as a 18 months, so it has been awhile.  It was a little nerve racking with Spencer but we made it out a live without spilling the dye.  We do our Easter Egg hunt on Saturday as well as presents.  We save the spiritual and most important side of Easter for Sunday.  This year everyone received a small Lego set as a Easter present.  Knowing that our kids are not that big into candy I took all the Lego pieces out of the boxes and used those to fill their Easter eggs.  To keep the sets all together each kid had their own color of Easter eggs to find.  To spice things up even more we did a glow in the dark Easter egg hunt.  I just had small plastic eggs so getting the glow sticks in the eggs was a bit challenging, next year I will make sure to have the large plastic eggs.  For Madeline's safety we hid them inside the house and turned off the lights.  The eggs acted as night lights so the kids were able to see their way around.  After all the eggs were found the kids then opened their eggs to reveal their present.  I thought it was a pretty ingenious way to handle things.

Of course you can't have April without mentioning General Conference.  In years past I would spend time getting packets together for the kids to fill only to find a lot of blank pages at the end of conference.  This year I gathered a few games we had around the house that the kids could play during conference and called it good.  We did decorate the office for conference as well as setting up a cupcake bar.  I kept things simple by just having a conference party and the kids enjoyed the conference the same as they did when I spent all that time printing things off for them to do.  In between sessions on Saturday we did go for a family bike ride where Spencer learned the importance of slowing down when going down hill.  I was busy holding onto Madeline so she wouldn't crash, Grant was putting his bike away because it had a flat tire, and Anthony was out ahead.  I was yelling at Spencer to slow down as he went down the hill and he is yelling back I don't know how.  Well anyway he had his first hard crash, but the good thing was he got back on his bike and rode.  When we got back to the point of injury he got off his bike and walked with it.  He now knows how to apply the brakes.

This concludes April for the Cooper family.  I will make sure to record Anthony's experience with fifth grade camp.  Hopefully progress on the bathroom will be done, and Grant and I will be celebrating 13 years of marriage, it doesn't seem like we have been married that long.  April has definitely been good to us.

We decided to follow Sister Dalton's suggestion for putting a scripture in a secret spot.  Since we are doing our shower we thought we would put own on scripture up to be covered by the tile.  Now every time we take a shower we will remember to not only be physically clean but spiritually as well.

2013 Spring Break Campout

Every year for Spring Break we go camping.  Recently we have picked where we go near tourist places.  Anthony is a big history buff and loves to explore and learn about Texas History as well as the Civil War.  This year we went to Lake Somerville State Park which is near Washington on the Brazos where there Texas Declaration of Independence was signed.  We arrived at our camp ground on Wednesday afternoon.  After we set camp up we did some hiking, exploring the camp grounds, and the kids rode their bikes around.

Thursday:  This was our big field trip day.  We went to go explore Washington on the Brazos.  Anthony was in Heaven and for him it was like Christmas morning.  We took a tour of a replica of Independence Hall.  The original was burned down when the town of Washington, Texas was engulfed by fire.  Near Independence Hall they have a little museum with different maps of how Texas came to be its own state as well as important figures in the shaping of Texas' Independence from Mexico.  After our tour there we went to Star of the Republic Museum.  The museum had various exhibits on what life was like back in the 1800s as well as what life was like for those who traveled by boat.  They did have a little hands on exhibit depicting life back in the 1800s.  You were able to pretend you making butter, quilting, as well as playing the various games that kids enjoyed back then.  By this time the kids were hungry and so we found a nice place to picnic.  When we were going to get out we were visited with Mother Nature in the form of Texas size spring winds.  Knowing how difficult it would be for Spencer and Madeline to manage their food with it being windy we opted to eat in our car.  By doing it this way, it ensured that Grant and I would be able to eat as well.  Our last stop for the day was the Barrington Living Farm.  The Barrington Farm is where Anson Jones lived who was the last president of the Republic of Texas.  The farm was a living and working farm and everything was hands on.  The kids were able to experience farm life in the 1800s and they were also able to see how the homes were decorated.  This was a self guided tour which are the kinds we like; you know Spencer is not much for talking.  There were workers there dressed up in period clothing available to answer questions.  It was like going to Nauvoo.  We were able to see a meat cellar and see the process of drying out and curing the meat.  Spencer and Madeline enjoyed this part of our field trip the best, they haven't caught the history bug like Anthony.

We got back to the camp site close to dinner time and we were all pretty exhausted.   We all slept good that day.

Friday:

Early that morning Grant took off with the boys to the lake to go canoeing and fishing.  Spencer didn't want to go, you know he has to be difficult, but we made him go anyway.  Madeline does not like how the boat rocks so she usually stays behind.  We spent the morning biking and then afterwards I took her for a little hike down to the water.  We were able to throw rocks in the water and look at all the birds and other wildlife there.  I called Grant to see where they were and with a little description I was able to pinpoint them out in the distance.  I showed Madeline and she said lets go hike over there.  From where we were it didn't look that far to her.  I didn't want to crush her enthusiasm and so I agreed.  Grant was shocked but I told him that if need be we would just turn back.  Madeline was definitely gun hoe about going and enjoyed it.  I on the other hand was nervous.  We reached a point where we were blazing our own trail and it was at this point that I told Madeline there is no turning back we will have to finish this little hike.  I had to carry Madeline for a bit because the grass and plants were taller than her and you couldn't see her and she couldn't see where to go.  After a bit we did make it to the other side of the lake and found the boys.  Grant was definitely surprised and I was too!  Madeline thought it was awesome and you could see she was proud of herself.

The kids really enjoyed riding their bikes around.  We learned on this trip that Madeline is not able to see on her left side so if someone passes her on the left there is a good chance that she won't see them.  Madeline also can't hear the noises around her with the noise of wheels hitting the pavement.  This made us nervous with her riding on the road.  Again we didn't want to crush her dreams or her desires to ride like her brothers and so Grant and I took turns running along side her to protect and to warn her of things around her.  This opened our eyes to a lot of things and we are brainstorming ways that we can allow her to be more independent when riding a bike.

Grant and Anthony went on a little hike together.  Anthony wanted to explore a trail on his bike.  Grant didn't bring his bike so Grant ended up running just to keep up with Anthony, but the report was they did have a good time exploring.  Grant and I were happy to see Anthony wanting go exploring especially on his bike, he isn't one to be adventurous.

That night we played glow in the dark bowling.  The kids thought that was a lot of fun!  We did the usual smores, movie night in the tent and playing games.  Grant and I took a little walk down to the lake, but we had to go through a maze of fishing poles.  I have never seen so many fishing poles staked to the ground.  It made it hard to walk along the sand, but it was still nice to get away.

Overall our camping trip was fun, we were sure sad to see Spring Break come to an end.  I can't wait for Summer break, it is nice when I can control the schedule and when things slow down a bit.

March Happenings

Nice weather is here, but I guess living in Texas we really never experience cold weather.  I do love Spring.  I love how it brings a feeling of fresh start and I enjoy being able to take advantage of longer day light hours.

Grant's work in conjunction with Legoland had a lego building fun day for the kids.  This was our first time to go inside Grant's work, due to security we can only go inside on family day and those are on Sundays usually during church.  The kids were excited to be able to go inside Daddy's work even if it was just the cafeteria.  There were two options the kids could choose from, Lego Masters or on your own build.  For Lego Masters you were just given a bag of legos and then at your appointed time you would go and build your helicopter with help from the masters at Legoland.  For on your own build you got to chose a kit and essentially build it on your own.  Seeing the crowds of people we chose build your own.  Anthony does not need any help when it comes to Legos, Madeline is getting pretty good and we are lucky if we can get Spencer to focus through at least a couple of steps.  Between Grant and I we were confident that we could help Madeline and Spencer.  There was a 5.00 fee for each kid and the kits we chose would at least been double that at the store so we thought it was a win win situation.  We picked out our lego set (which of course was a helicopter) and found a corner and went to town.  Our kids finished before the rest of the event really kicked off.  We looked around for a bit at the lego displays they had there and treated our kids to the consession stands.  After our lunch and looking around we headed home.  I wasn't sure if the kids thought it was a fun outing because we finished so fast, but as we were leaving Anthony expressed what a fun time it was.  It is always nice to hear that reassurance from your kids.

We just finished with Spring Break and I love Spring Break.  I love for one week of not being dictated by the schools schedule and instead we can dictate our own schedule.  I love how for one week things slow way down and we can spend lots of time with each other.  Spring Break gets me really excited for Summer Break.  It is a tradition in our family to go camping every year for Spring Break and that is what we did.  For Monday and Tuesday of Spring Break we stayed home.  I wanted to give the kids something fun to do so I devised a nerf gun battle once their dad came home from work.  I made a warning sign for him to see on the door and I included a loaded nerf gun with extra bullets.  The kids and I made forts throughout the living room and we each had our own loaded nerf gun with extra bullets.  Once we knew Daddy was home we all went to our designated spots to prepare for battle.  It was a fun nerf gun battle that lasted for 30 minutes; having the forts made it extra fun.  Bullets were flying everywhere, in fact I am still finding them as I clean.  Our nerf gun battle turned into a tickle match and when that was done we headed to the Rec Center to go swimming in their indoor pool.  After swimming we went to Taco Bell for dinner.  It was a lot of fun to have a solid few hours that evening spending time together.  While we were eating our dinner at home it was fun and neat to talk as a family about our evening and what we liked about it.  I treasure these moments!

Tuesday was spent with packing and getting the house cleaned up for our trip.  I try to get the house nice and clean before we go anywhere so I don't have to come home to a messy house, it sure makes unpacking easier.  It is quit an adventure and an undertaking to get ready to go camping, but the kids enjoy camping and they are all pretty good about pitching in and helping out.

Of course in Cooper style we packed our camping trip full of fun activities so I will let that have its own post.

February Happenings

February has been rather a quiet month for us, which is great, but we have done a few things that are worth mentioning.  Some of the more significant events are getting a post all of their own, but the every day stuff I will lump into one awesome post!

1.  Grant is still working on the bathroom, but we noticed that with all the dust from sheet rock and mudding that it was starting to affect the kid's asthma.  Grant plugged away on a couple of late nights to get that all done and then he spent a day deep cleaning the floors and doing what he could to rid the house of all the dust.  Spencer decided he wanted to jump in and help, which is not at all Spencer.  Spencer and chores mix together like oil and water.  Grant handed Spencer a rag and with Spencer like enthusiasm he hand cleaned the floor.  I think he just like being able to play in the water and not get in trouble.  Anyway after a lot of hard work we were able to rid the house of the dust and the asthma issue went away.  The bathroom is still a work in progress but at least the walls are painted and the tile is starting to be brought in.  I am confident it will be done sometime this year.

2.  One of the mornings in February the boys had Doughnuts with Daddy.  It was mainly a way for them to plug the Watch Dogs program and to get more Dads on board.  The boys enjoyed being able to have breakfast with Daddy at school.  Spencer asks often when daddy can be a Watch Dog at the school, but with Grant's work schedule it just isn't possible.  Maybe things will slow down and Grant can spend the day helping out at the school.

3.  For a few months now Anthony has been our babysitter.  It has been a nice treat to be able to go on a weekly date with Grant.  On one particular evening we came home to see the kids gathered together and Anthony reading to Madeline and Spencer.  We tell Anthony that he is going to be a great Daddy one day, to which is rolls his eyes.  He has really stepped up to the responsibility of watching Madeline and Spencer.  He feeds them and when needed he gets them ready for bed.  He has even learned the ropes on giving Madeline her medicine.  Now that is a special treat having an extra set of hands in getting her medicine ready.  When her tummy hurts, Anthony isn't afraid of hooking her g-button up to the syringe that relieves her tummy of the built up gas.  Grant and I are enjoying the freedom that comes from having an older child who can and will watch his younger siblings.

4.  Spencer has been showing some interest in wanting to learn how to ride a bike, Madeline has been asking for a bigger bike, and well Anthony was still not interested in riding at all.  With our upcoming camping trip Grant and I thought it would be neat to be able to have the kids bring bikes and ride around the trails.  Spencer and Madeline were all on board and I saw this as a great opportunity to challenge Anthony into riding a bike.  I casually asked him if was going to let his little brother pass him up in riding a bike.  That got him motivated to learn to ride a bike without training wheels.  We went down to the store and let everyone pick our a bike and helmet.  After school one day we headed to a nearby park to ride our bikes around the pond.  It took Spencer a little bit of time to figure the peddling out and after about 10 minutes Anthony was passing us by on his bike.  You could see the smile on his face and the excitement he felt with learning something that didn't come easy to him.  Now that the weather is nice the kids ask all the time to go to the park to ride bikes.  It is nice to see their excitement and it is nice to do something that is active as a family.

5.  In February we celebrated Chinese New Year.  We made our traditional paper lanterns, used chopsticks that we get from Panda Express, and had our traditional menu of Spaghetti.  It is always fun to see the kids use chopsticks and with Spencer's personality he is a hoot.  This year he resorted to stabbing his spaghetti.  This year we made homemade fortune cookies and each of the kids wrote fortunes/nice notes that we placed in each of the cookies.  It was fun to open them and read the notes inside.

Boy Scout Campout

On February 23, Anthony was able to go on his first Boy Scout campout and he was definitely excited.  Grant was able to go with him, which I think made it extra fun for Anthony.  Anthony loves spending time with his dad.  The troop went to a nearby Boy Scout campground.  They got a late start so they didn't get to the campground until after dark.  It happened to be a chilly night so they quickly got a fire going and got busy putting all the tents up.  Anthony knowing it was going to be cold decided to bring his little 2 man tent for him and his dad to get cozy in.  After Anthony sent up his tent he helped the others.  It didn't take long for them all to set up camp and then it was time to sit by the fire and eat s'mores.  Anthony brought supplies to share with others and we introduced the troop to how we do s'mores.  Ours is more like a s'mores buffet.  Not only do we have regular graham crackers but we also do the graham crackers with cinnamon.  We include the regular chocolate bars, but we like to also include Reses Peanut Butter Cups, York Peppermint Patties, Kit-Kat bars, and Grant likes to have flavored dark chocolates.  My favorite is a smore made with York Peppermint Patties.  Our kids aren't really to hip on the different flavores of marshmellows they have out now.  Grant says they sat around the fire for awhile eating lots of goodies until they were all done.  When it was time to hit the hay Anthony still had a little bit in him.  For Anthony you can't go camping without playing games in the tent.  He brought a Battleship card game for him and his dad to play and being the nice daddy that Grant is they stayed up for a bit and played a couple of rounds of Battleship.

The next morning they discovered frost on the tents as well as a frozen water bottle which means one thing all those present earned their polar bear patch.  Anthony actually did well through the night and didn't complain about the cold.  They immediately got a fire going and the boys went to work cooking breakfast for everyone.  Anthony was on pancake duty and he flipped those suckers until his hands were frozen cold and then he passed it off to someone else.  After breakfast they went on a 5 mile hike with each of the younger boys taking a turn navigating the map and learning to work with a compass.  Anthony got pretty tired during the end of the hike, but he stuck it out and didn't complain-that is just how he is.  They also did some knot work as well as each of the scouts taking a turn teaching another scout the square knot.

After lunch they packed up and around 6:00 that evening a tired Grant and a tired Anthony walked through the door.  Overall I think it was a pretty successful campout and Anthony was able to get a lot of things crossed off.  He has a few more requirements and he will get his Tenderfoot.  His goal is to get his First Class before he turns 12, so he is well on his way with accomplishing his goal.

Valentine's Day

Madeline was coming down with cold/respiratory illness, hence why she is not smiling.  She looks how she felt.

I have never been very big on Valentine's Day, but the kids enjoy it so I try to put some effort into it for them.  This year I decided to surprise Grant and actually get him a present.  He has mentioned a few times how he wanted to display his Boy Scout Eagle Award in a shadow box.  He wanted this for two reasons; it doesn't do any good locked up in a box and also to show Anthony want he accomplished and to help Anthony shoot for the same goal.  I decided for Valentine's Day I would do that for him.  He was very happy and surprised, surprised that I remembered and surprised that I actually gave him a gift.  Grant surprised me as well by giving me a gift.  He remembered me mentioning in passing how I like these certain water bottles so for Valentine's Day he bought me one and filled it with paper hearts.  I thought it was the perfect gift.

This year I decided to do a count down to Valentine's Day.  Every morning there would be a heart taped on each of the kid's door with what I love about them.  Some days I would include what I appreciate about them too.  When Valentine's Day came each child had 14 hearts on their door.  I really loved doing this because I was able to focus on them and their divine qualities.  Sometimes it is easy to get hanged up on the day to day grind that we tend to lose focus, but for 14 days my focus was clear and I saw them for the Children of God that they are.  Valentine's Day is long past and the hearts are still on the door, they just don't want to take them down.  I think I have started a new tradition, and it is a pretty good one too!

For our family activity I thought it would be fun to have a nice dinner with candle light.  The kids never have had dinner with candles so at first they thought it was strange, but quickly warmed up to the idea.  They mainly thought it was cool to eat in the dark.  For dessert I made red ice cream floats with red edible sugar sprinkled on top.  It was simple but everyone enjoyed it.  I have learned in recent years that great memories can be created even when you simplify things.  With me homeschooling Madeline I have had to learn to simplify and I have discovered that the kids get just as excited as when I killed myself to put on a production.

I knew the boys would be getting Valentine's from school and with Madeline being homeschool I didn't want her to feel left out.  I had Madeline make a Valentine sack and then I had the boys each make her a Valentine's Day card.  Both sets of Grandparents sent Valentine's Day cards as well so I saved those to include in her sack.  So when the boys came home with all their loot I was able to surprise Madeline with her very own loot as well.  When they were done with exploring all their loot from school, I surprised them with a gift from Mommy and Daddy.\

Even though I think Valentine's Day is a day for the card makers and florist to make lots of money, it is nice to stop remember those you love and to remember why.  Sometimes it is also nice to think outside of the box and give a gift truly from your heart.

Arrow of Light

On February 3, Anthony received his Arrow of Light award and crossed over to Boy Scouts.  They had the ceremony at the Boy Scout Museum and they brought in a local troop to do the Arrow of Light ceremony.  There were 19 boys in Anthony's pack that received their Arrow of Lights that evening, pretty impressive.  Between the 19 boys there were four different troops there to receive their boys.  For cub scouts Anthony went to a community pack, but for Boys Scouts Anthony chose to go with our troop in our ward.  Brother Walker was able to come and receive Anthony which we were grateful for. After the Arrow of Light ceremony the families there were able to explore the museum.  It has been on our bucket list to go to the Boy Scout Museum but we just never have gotten around to it.  The kids really enjoyed all the hands on things to do there.  In addition to the exhibit they also have an art exhibit with lots of Rockwall paintings.  Madeline really enjoyed looking at the paintings, she is starting to get into art.

It was a great evening and we are so proud of Anthony and all the hard work he has done.  Anthony is enjoying Boy Scouts and has the fire and desire to get his eagle, he is so excited for what lies ahead for him.

January

January has been a non eventful month for the Cooper household.  We have been plenty busy, but just not with anything blog worthy.  The sickness has come through our household, but only to the parents. The kids have surprisingly not gotten sick which is a nice bonus, so we will count our blessings.  Life pretty much went back to normal busy routine for us after the holidays.  Anthony finished off cub scouts and is now a boy scout, Grant received a new calling as second counselor in the Elder Quorum and is getting adjusted to life with church meetings.  There is still piano, homework, therapy, and homeschooling.  Life for us is pretty much rolling on, but there were a few highlights that are worth mentioning.

For one week Spencer brought home kinderbear.  It was his assignment to do different activities with kinderbear and take pictures of them for the class scrapbook.  I have never seen a kid so excited about a homework assignment.  Kinderbear went everywhere and for one week they even slept together.  For our week, kinderbear went on a Spencer date with Mommy and Daddy to the grocery store and to McDonalds.  Kinderbear played at the park and even was able to go for a scooter ride.  Of course Spencer showed kinderbear the art of Wii and dinosaur playing, and to end the week kinderbear helped make ice cream sandwich cookies for FHE.  During Spencer's week with kinderbear, Spencer was also student of the week.  He was able to share his favorite toy, favorite book, and even some baby pictures.  The kids were able to ask questions and get to know Spencer.  Knowing Spencer I am sure his answers were very entertaining, sometimes you just never know what he is going to say.

For Christmas my sister made the kids a fort building kit and since then they have enjoyed building forts of all kinds of creations and then watching a movie inside.  I saw this idea on pinterest of putting Christmas lights on top of your fort for some extra fun.  We bought a few boxes of Christmas lights during the after Christmas sales and so we used those.  The kids really enjoyed building their fort with Christmas lights and they enjoyed having a movie and popcorn night as well.  This time they were able to sleep in their fort with the Christmas lights on all night long, they were over the moon with that one.  So now we have added Christmas lights to our fort building kit.  The kids are still not keen on cleaning it up though.

Last year for FHE we used the conference talks from the General Authorities as our FHE lessons and this year we are using Preach my Gospel, more specifically the chapter about developing Christ's attributes.  Grant was in charged of the lesson and he talked about the different armor we can put on to help us resist temptations.  He gathered some things around the house and dressed Spencer up.  We then took turns shooting the nerf gun (temptations that we might face) at Spencer and see which attribute he used to block the temptation; for example:  sword=scriptures.  jacket=faith.  helmet=prayer. shoes=helpfulness and kindness, etc.  For our activity we played a game that Grant did for FHE growing up.  We all had a turn with a stick and we each pretended to be an old man/woman and the object of the game was to get someone to laugh.  To start each turn the person would recite this poem:  "Here comes an old man with a stick and a staff and you must neither smile nor laugh."  It was a lot of fun and the kids really enjoyed being silly and getting us all to laugh, I have to admit it wasn't hard.

Anthony participated in his last Battle of the Books competition.  Since last Summer Anthony has been reading and re-reading 10 chapter books.  In October he took a test and made it on the team, only 6 people can make the team.  Since the test they have practice twice a week leading up until competition. I have lost count of how many times he read the books.  Anthony loves Battle of the Books and really enjoys the competition, it is highlight for school.  Out of 21 schools, Anthony's team came 4th place!  The team consists of 6 primary team members and 6 intermediate.  There are three levels of competition, Primary, Intermediate, and mixed.  After the competition everyone gets a medal and a trip to CiCi's pizza place for lunch.  This was my first year to go to the competition, usually Grant goes.  Madeline really wanted to go and cheer her brother on, she was so excited for him.  Later on we all went out for ice cream to celebrate as a family.  We try to go out for ice cream each time someone in our family accomplishes something great!  Anthony has expressed an interest in band, so now that we are headed off to middle school we will trade Battle of the Books for a trumpet and band practice.  Fun times!

That wraps up January.  Madeline is doing great in school, her stress level is done and with that we no longer have fevers or sickness.  In fact Madeline is the only one that has not gotten sick (knock on wood).  Madeline has now been able to get off one of her heart meds and one of her asthma meds.  Her asthma is now considered mild which is huge accomplishment from the severe level we started with.  Spencer is loving school and is making great progress in learning how to read and be independent.  Grant is getting ready to transfer jobs within Bell and move into a department that he has always wanted to explore.  Life is really good for us!