saturday more

More fun from saturday afternoon!

barf a ship?

but we are all good :) 

Love this Seth!

standing

3rd grade at White Creek,

yesterday's grandparent/parent luncheon!

living nativity

It was a rainy night, but 5 of the kids and I braved it for the living nativity at Waymansville church lat night. I was worth the wet shoes!

stay at home day

We've settled on a great strategy for Saturday mornings here at the Cook house. The kids wake up, watch TV or play on technology, and eat cereal when they feel like it. And also, they leave us alone as long as possible.

Today, they made it until a glorious 8am, and woke us only because the girls had decided to make us breakfast in bed. 

The long sleep, plus the surprise breakfast put me in a fabulous mood. With nothing on our calendar, we could have an entire morning of Christmasy projects and whatnot!

"I want to bake!" 

"I want to sew!"

"I want to paint!"

But I'd had my coffee, so this time, I didn't say "STOP TALKING!" and go hide in my room. Instead, they chose teams and we got to it. 

I learned a few things today.

One, Marcus really likes to sew. Who knew?

Photo below,

an M with random decorations.

The girls love it too, of course.

It's funny, when I say "let's look on Pinterest for some ideas!"

Aggie says, "Well, ok, but really can I just do what I want?"

Surely her brain has even more idea than Pinterest! Have at it, Aggie!

And this darling girl, with her ipod and headphones. 

I love it.

(She'd already mixed up the sugar cookie dough with a brother. Time for a break.)

These 2 are of course the hardest to manage during a crafty day,

but to all you mothers out there with babies...

IT GETS EASIER!!!

 

Daddy got out the train last night; SO MUCH FUN.

As I got out the misc items for Aggie's sewing extravaganza, I found colored pasta and string in my craft box. Why not make ornaments out of it! 

Also, they made these "Melted Snowmen"

Seth worked hard in the kitchen.
Making peanut butter chocolate balls is messy work!

He loves getting his picture taken.

I made it until almost 1pm before I needed a talking break (teachers, how do you do it?)

Momma, can you thread this? Where's my marker? He spilled the paint! What do I do next? Where's the butter? We're out of vanilla! Can you thread my needle again? Look at my picture! Can I eat some of this? Do you want a lick? Look at my picture? Can you thread this? 

I'm taking a break before round two, sugar cookie making and frosting!  More coffee, please!

Though it is quite overstimulating to be home with these guys today, I cannot overstate how wonderful it is to be able to just BE here on a Saturday, with no errands to run, and no places to go.  Just chillin' in our yoga pants, (or pjs), making messes.

snowman brother

One cold day in a hot tub

A boy sat with his mother

He splashed and played and had a ball,

Our funny little brother

He liked to break the icicles

And hold them in his hand

But every single time they melted!

He couldn't understand

“I want to make my hands get cold!”

He cried, and raised them high

“You're body's warm,” his mother said,

“That won't work if you try.”

So out he climbed, despite the snow,

And he ran into the grass

“Get back here you!” his mother yelled,

“And no more of your sass!”

The boy ran fast, “I must get cold!”

And so he lay right down,

“A smoking angel! Look!” He saw

Steam rising from the ground

“Hurry, boy, you'll freeze out there!”

Mom yelled; he rolled his eyes

The boy stood up, the wind blew hard,

And then, to his surprise,

His foot was stuck, there in the snow

His hands were turning blue,

His bathing suit and knees froze stiff,

Oh now what could he do?

“Mom,” he yelled, or at least, he tried,

But his mouth was frozen tight

“Mmmm” he whimpered, and “mmm” again

and “mmm” again all night

Now in our yard, with hat and scarf,

There stands our snowman brother,

And in his hand he holds a sign:

“Kids, please mind your mother.”

And when my friends come over,

And they ask, “what is that thing?”

I say, “Oh, that's my sassy brother,

he's in in timeout 'til spring.”

– Emily Cook 11/21/14

• illustrated by Seth Cook

vets day

White Creek did a wonderful job with their veterans day tribute!

Here are some highlights!

happy snowy day!

"Mom look outside!"
"Is there accumulation?"
"Yeah...whatever that means!"

Whatever it means, it is ALL KIND OF EXCITING around here.

The kids rushed through their morning jobs so they could goof off outside a little before they walked to school this morning. 

I couldn't help but join them, 

cameran in hand of course!

I thought he was still trying to smell the flowers but..
nope.

And the highlight, for me...

Snuggling up in bed with my cold little boy, 

reading picture books for an hour!