tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-209920812011-07-30T16:06:05.996-05:00Just me...talkin'CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.comBlogger791100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-70693969426996657862010-03-19T07:52:00.003-05:002010-03-21T15:44:54.310-05:00

The above title is the statement that glares at me every time I go to my homepage. My last blog entry. I simply can not believe how quickly time is passing me by. Although no content has been added, mindful computer, many things have been happening here.I'm not sure where to start, or frankly, what the heck to include in this blog of many colors. I'll start typing and see what has stuck with

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-87211709586665983122009-12-14T19:01:00.003-06:002009-12-14T19:15:23.800-06:00

This little house, handmade by someone's grandpa, I assume, is one that we purchased at the Halloween Carnival's silent auction. It came with a nice set of accessories, including an outhouse, a broom and tiny tools to lay about. It was fun decorating it for Christmas. Alyssa made clay snowmen this weekend and they fit right in!

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-83905314607745584232009-09-30T10:34:00.012-05:002009-10-15T20:43:45.352-05:00

I have been wanting to share some pics of our little corner of lakeside heaven...so here goes...This little sign greets you as you top the hill into Cookson. The Methodist Church is in the background. This church's pastor is a very wonderful, smiling lady who, while driving her bright red muscle car around town, offers a wave to every car that passes her. Yes, she drives a bright red MUSCLE

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-7979520445817564242009-09-24T20:50:00.009-05:002009-09-24T22:00:25.630-05:00

Three nights a week of practice, games every Saturday. Soccer...it's what we do. The soccer ball, fold up chairs, jackets, blankets, extra shin guards and snacks litter the trunk of the car. Our first game was an easy win. We drove 50 miles to arrive at 8:30am to find that the team we were playing, didn't exist. Yeah, you heard me right...didn't exist. We had a field full of parents,

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-89150597361099841562009-08-15T14:19:00.004-05:002009-08-15T14:59:09.077-05:00

The girls started at the local public school this week and I'm happy to say that everyone made it out alive. Our reasons for sending them to public school are numerous, as were our reasons for home schooling, and frankly, I have no real desire to write about those reasons. I have tried, for weeks to find the words to write, but ultimately, nothing came to me. So, here's the picture of them on

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-28511179719688847222009-07-06T12:34:00.005-05:002009-07-06T12:49:57.485-05:00

For the past several months Alyssa has been taking English Saddle Riding Lessons. She is having a great experience. We found a wonderful lady with a lovely pony farm who teaches real skills. I'm very pleased. Awww....

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-4210006772637174522009-06-22T23:15:00.008-05:002009-06-22T23:33:43.773-05:00

While in Kansas City recently, I visited The Crown Mall and Union Station. This was the Lego Exhibit a gentleman had at The Crown Mall. It was amazing...I just wish I could construct a Lego car that was worth a damn!

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-29208047309441740912009-06-04T22:10:00.006-05:002009-06-04T22:21:54.408-05:00

Gwen participated in Cheer Camp this week and had a wonderful time. She learned a cheer, learned the Miley Cirus Hoedown Throwdown and won a trophy in the forward roll contest. We were all very proud of her.Doesn't it look fun?

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-36746434969512863152009-06-04T21:38:00.006-05:002009-06-04T22:09:42.706-05:00

4 days of horse camp...one more early morning and Alyssa will have two years of horse camp memories to share!

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-9853432030412919362009-05-19T12:09:00.000-05:002009-05-19T12:09:23.015-05:00

T-Mobile Mom to Mom Quiz: "Take the fun, Mom to Mom quiz and discover your parenting style."

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-47893283902257195692009-04-14T13:22:00.002-05:002009-04-14T13:31:33.189-05:00

How old are you today, son? "Free."

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-51101129499567209562009-04-14T09:27:00.004-05:002009-04-14T13:22:14.203-05:00

Anyone know how to get a 100 pound pit bull into the car? Me neither. I think someone told him I was taking him to get the snip-snip!

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-87693895504089644742009-03-18T21:22:00.007-05:002009-03-18T21:47:34.295-05:00

We went to the pond and threw rocks today...lots of fun. I was sure we would see a snake, but luckily, they were busy somewhere else.We also went to visit the kids' hay house. They actually come here and lay in the hay and hang out. Too itchy for me!Then we headed to the climbing hay...I can't say how many times they all climbed up to the top, made it across to the end, where there was a "

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-82213885205928505852009-03-18T16:20:00.003-05:002009-03-18T16:37:43.672-05:00

See this cage? It's nice isn't it? Clean. Neat. Free of odors.Well, they stay that way, as long as you leave out the animal...or animals. But you see that little face in the corner? That's why my sun room smells like a barn. I have to admit they are adorable and I see the potential for fun times...but my future plans are going to involve building a "rabbit run" out in the back yard. And

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-86301838731831862422009-02-09T21:47:00.005-06:002009-02-09T22:33:50.403-06:00

January? Nope, don't remember it. Seriously? It's February already? Wow.Our January started with a mini vacation to Kansas City for a little fun. We visited Paradise Park Family Fun and Adventure and had a really fun time. We arrived home and it quickly became clear that we were ill and it was going to spread like wildfire through all of us. It did. From Aunties to Grannies, our family

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-40999063531818380752009-02-07T17:51:00.003-06:002009-02-07T18:06:44.842-06:00

Windy day...with a brother to cheer you on!!

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-55856504830400077312008-12-26T15:51:00.003-06:002008-12-26T15:56:02.818-06:00

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-48019543854399084462008-12-02T21:59:00.006-06:002008-12-02T22:31:22.775-06:00

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-4264316792231875272008-12-02T21:25:00.007-06:002008-12-02T21:45:55.852-06:00

You start with some really fun Halloween themed games and yummy food...Then, you go and beg for candy...Then, you roast marshmallows, run screaming around the back yard from the sugar high and then fall asleep on the way home and get make up all over everything!

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-72927020963188809292008-10-31T07:53:00.009-05:002008-10-31T10:30:48.776-05:00

Five years old. My middle baby. My drama queen. As a baby she decided that midnight was the appropriate entrance time and she's been bucking the system ever since. We brought Gwen home on Halloween day, Alyssa was 4 years old and so excited she didn't even care that there would be no trick or treating that year. Alyssa dressed as a cheerleader, decorated the house and did cheers for her

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-66432826628244823862008-10-30T15:32:00.002-05:002008-10-30T16:00:49.752-05:00

Most excellent...this will be a yearly event!

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-39680415745494854612008-10-23T10:26:00.003-05:002008-10-23T10:52:47.150-05:00

This place is great! The kids had lots of fun and we could have stayed all day long.They had a grocery store that was well stocked, although Gwen bought most everything available! LOL She's so used to the way that my grocery cart looks, she thinks they all have to be filled to the top! This section was the first one we visited and it was a hit right away. They had a very cool Post Office set

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-84115049450196469062008-10-20T10:09:00.003-05:002008-10-20T11:28:45.091-05:00

Friday was our annual pumpkin patch field trip and this year we went to Livesay Orchards in Porter. We brought our picnic lunch and enjoyed our sandwiches under one of the large tents with hay bale seats. Next we piled onto the tractor drawn hay ride and we were off to the patch. The weather was beautiful and the patch still had plenty of pumpkins to choose from. Of course Alyssa picked one

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-66910426195054475232008-10-03T21:36:00.004-05:002008-10-03T22:05:06.757-05:00

Corn Dogs, Orangeade, Turkey Legs, Gyros, Dippin' Dots..Caged Animals, Freak Shows, Face Painting, Games Galore...Creaky Rides, Loud Music, Fun and Thrills...Alyssa tried the Trapeze Ride...and yes, I considered having to throw my body down to break her fall when she bounced off the mats onto the concrete floor...a mother's always ready!We rolled home about midnight and everyone was sleeping

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-17544005604281432272008-09-23T09:29:00.002-05:002008-09-23T09:30:18.387-05:00

it smells like paint.

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-64133179426654244272008-09-03T15:33:00.006-05:002008-09-13T23:25:15.662-05:00

Nine years ago I was sleep deprived, bloated and holding a baby I wasn't sure I was ever going to have. Today, I am still sleep deprived, still a little bloated but looking at a beautiful nine year old girl I am so lucky to have. Alyssa was born early, less than five pounds, but healthy and I was tired, scared and excited. As a baby, she was calm and happy. Little did I know that if you never

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-67121175425948804432008-08-20T12:25:00.007-05:002008-08-20T13:37:36.517-05:00

To kick off our Olympic fun, we set up an obstacle course and had LOTS of fun. We have been enjoying all aspects of the 2008 Olympics, from the fantastic Opening Ceremonies to discussing the controversies surrounding the venue, the scoring and the athletes.We made Gold, Silver and Bronze medals to honor all of the amazing accomplishments we have been witnessing. Although Victor insisted that

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-68873671665925345322008-07-29T13:08:00.010-05:002008-08-01T16:16:56.400-05:00

After the release of our butterflies, we made clothespin/coffee filter butterflies. No, that's not a sour sucker in his mouth...that is his smile.Blendy Pens...although I was not all that impressed with their "blendy-ness", the kids have been having fun with them for the past couple weeks. Gwen saw these on TV long ago and talked about them a LOT. She got these for her birthday and it was one

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-85450072437811732152008-07-17T21:44:00.010-05:002008-07-17T22:47:28.017-05:00

Can you believe this photo? I think it's adorable and represents how much fun we had on vacation. This picture is midway through in Keystone, South Dakota. This is the cabin that we stayed in for 2 nights. It was GREAT! There was plenty of room for the kids to climb around and explore and the cabin was fabulous and clean. Keystone is a fun place to visit and I will consider staying 3 days

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1849387883328382862008-07-09T21:40:00.002-05:002008-07-09T21:42:16.318-05:00

What the hell is an iPod and why should I care? Well, because I have a soon-to-be tween and honestly, I just can't let my kids surpass me in techie knowledge...I just can't. Alyssa will be nine next month (*cringe*) and she has started down the path of music exploration. I am thrilled. I remember how much of an impact music had on me as a young person and I can't wait for her to feel the vibes.

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-61316340758760105112008-06-26T15:15:00.004-05:002008-07-24T08:35:31.825-05:00

My advice is to actually READ the post that you want to comment on BEFORE commenting on it. Check out the comments from 1892 gold mine on my Vacation Continuation post. Annoying.

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-5281031223683387942008-06-13T17:06:00.003-05:002008-06-17T15:27:14.112-05:00

This is Alyssa and Bert, aren't they adorable? Yes, that is Gwen's head in the corner of the picture...I believe that Alyssa has a lifetime of Gwen's head being in the corner of her picture. Bert was Alyssa's assigned horse for her week at Horse Camp. She had to feed him, clean his stall, groom him and of course, ride him. They were a team...he pooped, she scooped. After arriving home from

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-89201521827670605262008-05-19T07:40:00.005-05:002008-05-22T00:45:45.954-05:00

Boo! Did I scare ya? Well, I've been here all along, searching and contemplating all aspects of the vacation. W-A-Y back in February, I posted about the vacation we would be embarking on at the end of May. Did you know that May is here already?! After many computer hours and several days of the kids running naked and starving to death (not really, but you woulda thought I abandoned them), I have

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-49909940353747093132008-05-03T07:27:00.002-05:002008-05-03T07:32:55.821-05:00

Sometimes you just gotta cook out some dogs, listen to loud music and pop those fireworks left over from the year before...oh yeah, and get really dirty.

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-5259412571346543592008-04-15T12:50:00.008-05:002008-04-16T11:21:26.877-05:00

Twenty four months sounds like a lot, yet it doesn't. In the life of a child it's a mere pin prick of time. The changes made from baby to toddler are so amazing. I think time goes so quickly so parents aren't aware of how fast their little one is growing...I know I would cry everyday if I had time to think about how fast my kids have gone from needing my constant attention to needing me only when

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-60040105705047011782008-03-30T14:29:00.006-05:002008-03-30T14:40:03.730-05:00

After weeks of waiting we finally had our first soccer game. It was cold, windy and misty but they played. Note the stocking caps and gloves...it was NOT soccer weather! We did not win this game, but honestly, no one cared. The only score our team managed was made accidentally by the other team!This second picture was taken of our team and the coaches having fun congratulating each other on a

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-31355500997337202532008-03-25T21:37:00.004-05:002008-03-25T22:33:13.281-05:00

We love games around here, card, board, video. We are game-y...uh, in a good way. LOL Recently Gwen has taken to challenging each and every person in a game, or several, of cards. Currently the favorites are the Spiderman Crime Stopper Card Game and Clifford's Beginning, Middle and End Card Game. We have played MANY hands of these games in the past week. She also has an I-Spy Card Game that she

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-30643260305448319962008-03-17T14:51:00.005-05:002008-03-17T22:06:53.121-05:00

Well, approximately 10 months later, we finished the series. We loved it. The whole family quickly became fans of Harry and his gaggle of loyalists. As I finished reading the last page of book 7, Alyssa looked at me and said, "can we read them again?" LOLOur new read aloud book is the first in the Trixie Belden series, The Secret of the Mansion. This series was one of my absolute favorites as a

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-8031732077809434202008-02-27T20:32:00.006-06:002008-02-27T21:05:30.354-06:00

Last season the first soccer game was rained out. And by rained out, I mean my undergarments were soaked, my shoes were filled with water and my camera was so fogged this was the best picture I could get. They literally played ONE minute and it started pouring. It was Alyssa's first EVER soccer game and she was so disappointed I wanted to cry. Luckily, there were 9 more games and we got better

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-987117404855725892008-02-21T22:38:00.001-06:002008-02-21T21:57:04.720-06:00

Overstuffed bookshelves. Yep, I got 'em. Scholastic books are one of my guilty pleasures and when I taught school I ordered more books than my entire class! Here are some of the ones the kids are enjoying. This has been one of Victor's favorite books for a few months now. It is adorable with GREAT illustrations. We have read this book so many times I have dreamed about it! Gwen can recite just

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-28654221984769856682008-02-21T07:58:00.003-06:002008-02-21T08:03:24.455-06:00

My mother and I have decided to take the kids on a vacation this summer. We will be headed to North Dakota. What? you say, North Dakota? Yes, it is an odd summer vacation destination, but we are in fact, odd. We also have family there. We took Alyssa when she was 9 months old and had a lot of fun, but now we are taking an 8YO, 4YO(who can be a royal pain in the...well, you know) and a 2YO. Of

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-66119581265353267272008-02-16T20:20:00.004-06:002008-02-16T20:49:19.061-06:00

Apparently not in our family. This picture shows the watermelon that we tried to grow from a seed. Not great...cute, but not great. This is the watermelon that we found growing under our deck. We did nothing to facilitate the growth of this monster, as we did not know it was there. It looks very nice, but cut open it was not developed and the kids could not eat it...yes, there was much

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-72067428338824087452008-02-16T20:03:00.002-06:002008-02-16T20:04:50.965-06:00

Valentine's Day started the first day of our homeschool Spring Co-op. It was a Valentine's Day Party with treats and fellowship. I have mixed feelings about co-op and the responsibilities that come with it; we are returning after an absence of almost 2 years. After having Victor I found it was too difficult managing him, Gwen and helping Alyssa throughout the day's rotation and occassionally

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-53093406172723593202008-02-09T21:42:00.000-06:002008-02-09T21:44:09.526-06:00

because this picture wouldn't be as sweet if you could hear me yelling in the background..."hey, watch out for the dog poop!"

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-91382819957696645892008-02-09T21:11:00.001-06:002008-07-24T08:40:35.924-05:00

My homemade birthday cake...YUMMY! Alyssa baked my cake again this year and she did a great job. The bottom layer of the cake is chocolate, and the second layer is white and the very top tiny layer, made specifically for the honoree, is a tiny chocolate bunt cake filled with chocolate frosting. Alyssa calls it the volcano cake and it's enough to kill you...but it sure is good! The kids also gave

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-48698294444934153412008-02-04T16:08:00.000-06:002008-02-04T16:09:37.886-06:00

I just found FunBrain.com and it is lots of fun...check it out!

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-21653439374409877142008-02-02T20:08:00.001-06:002008-02-02T21:35:56.233-06:00

The local University is presenting Clue, The Musical this month and I am extremely excited. Yes, call the family to the computer and snicker at my nerd-y-ness, I am fine with it. Further, at each show they will hand out clue keeper sheets so you can solve the mystery!! Whoo Hoo!! My favorite board game has always been Clue and I thoroughly enjoy the movie. Who could resist cheeky murder with

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-56563929640798071012008-01-30T14:15:00.000-06:002008-01-30T14:26:03.419-06:00

Scrambled, you say? Coming right up!! The remaining two chickens have been laying and Alyssa has become the resident egg scrambler. She has taken on the role of chicken mama, as well. She goes out to chat every morning, takes them warm water and checks for eggs. There have been many an egg scrambled in the past few weeks and she is having a blast.

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-81379139960519149972008-01-22T16:19:00.000-06:002008-01-22T17:26:12.673-06:00

Wow! Things have been happening here and I don't even know where to start! Back in October we began a mini-remodel that included paint for the kids' rooms, dining room and the living room, new carpet throughout the house, new bathroom flooring for the master bath and finally getting the leaky skylight out of the front bathroom. I still have to paint the kitchen, sunroom, both baths and my bedroom

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-6136930177093408302007-12-20T16:13:00.001-06:002007-12-20T16:16:17.873-06:00

and to all a GOOD night!!! We are headed to the Castle in Muskogee to enjoy some Christmas blow-up thingy fun!!

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-54871199300209390092007-12-09T22:34:00.000-06:002007-12-09T22:38:42.608-06:00

It's cold and I am feeling Christmas-y! I have completed my shopping, mostly online, and I am satisfied with the whole experience! I shopped in a safe, secure, comfy environment where nobody rubbed up against me (eewww), shared their Christmas "odors" with me and, most importantly, nobody shot at me. Mission Accomplished. I am a satisfied consumer this year.Presents for the kids this year consist

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-58253954139034710482007-09-05T00:02:00.000-05:002007-09-05T22:36:20.596-05:00

Our school adventure officially starts tomorrow! I have chosen Horses as our first theme, as Alyssa is currently obsessed with them. I will be easing into lapbooking with mini-books and notebooking combined. I think they'll be instant hits. I split the theme into three sections that will be covered in about a month's time....depending on interest. We'll be covering the anatomy of a horse, gaits

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-41186162772812809722007-08-26T21:50:00.000-05:002007-08-26T22:28:25.175-05:00

Well, September is approaching and our school year with it. I am excited and anxious about the coming year. I will be adding more "school" activities for Gwen to participate in and will be giving Alyssa more time to complete her activities on her own. She is currently exhibiting very creative vibes and I am excited about what this means for our school activities. I see a lot of cooking in our

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-40312666680666834802007-08-19T22:05:00.000-05:002007-08-19T22:55:29.805-05:00

Obviously, he is the hero and likeable just for that, but moreso, he gives us a sense of hope, hope that we can struggle through our difficult times and make it out on top, even in the most extreme situations. We are loving the Harry Potter series as a family and it is fun! I enjoy reading these books aloud, everyone comes to the living room when the pages start to turn. We now have the Harry

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-71401047749025252122007-08-19T08:01:00.000-05:002007-08-19T08:02:56.921-05:00

I am inspired to start blogging our school fun again and will return with new links and fun stuff!! Have fun reading about our adventures last year!!

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1152889348808129952006-07-14T09:09:00.000-05:002006-07-14T22:04:43.373-05:00

Well, two months have gone by and I am still trying to keep up. We have been busy and enjoying the summer. Victor is 3 months old now and he is enormous! He weighs around 20 pounds and is wearing 12-18 month clothing. He is adorable and has continued to be a happy, content baby. He sleeps well, between 6-9 hours a night! I am only saying that because I can...neither girl slept like that and I am

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1147705566908018212006-05-15T08:09:00.000-05:002006-05-15T21:59:53.986-05:00

As mother's day came and went I found myself thinking of my fortune. No, not my money (I tend to part with that quickly), but my personal fortune. I have said before that I have very little to complain about in my life and that I would not change anything about it. I really mean that. I have a great husband to works very hard for his family, loves his wife and children more than anything in the

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1146091578866762832006-04-26T17:06:00.000-05:002006-04-26T17:46:18.923-05:00

So, to put off having to start dinner when the house is empty and relatively quiet (the new baby is a sleep grunter), I have decided to blog. The girls are outside with Brian doing fireworks, mostly those little poppers you throw down and only about one-third of them actually pop. I think they are trying to gear up for July 4th, which we is more celebrated than Christmas at our house. Due to

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1145910588140416412006-04-24T15:20:00.000-05:002006-04-24T17:32:13.703-05:00

Top Ten Reasons We LOVE Homeschooling1) Jammies...need I say more?2) Playing IN the rain rather than hiding from it3) The smell of dinner in the crockpot wafting through the house all day(no cafeteria food here!)4) The teacher can nurse her baby during lessons without anyone taking a second look5) No standing in line6) Terrariums, tanks, boxes and jars filled with various insects and animals7)

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1145543159056033822006-04-20T09:05:00.000-05:002006-04-21T16:07:59.163-05:00

We're Home!! Okay, so technically we have been home for several days...but with little sleep, it's all been one LONG day! We brought Logan Victor Achilles home on the 9th and he was happy and healthy. Well, happy once he got adjusted to smells and sounds of the house, which took a night of crying. He is now a wonderful sleeper (I really mean it!) and has adopted a schedule that mirrors perfection

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1144424450093747142006-04-07T10:35:00.000-05:002006-04-07T10:40:50.120-05:00

Well, a lot has happened in two weeks. I am scheduled to go to the hospital for induction tomorrow! The doctor says I am ready, and boy is he right!! Everyone is very excited and since this is earlier than we thought, it makes it even more exciting. I have stocked up on groceries and toiletries so that I will not have to enter a Wal-mart for weeks and, for the most part, the house is clean

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1143239587987812832006-03-24T15:42:00.000-06:002006-03-24T16:36:30.996-06:00

Okay, so I know I was supposed to be better about posting, but I guess...I lied. Sorry. Anyway, things are going well. The baby is doing fine, I am sore. I swear, I feel like if I bend over...well, you get the idea. The doctor says the baby has dropped lower but still has room to flip around. He also said I do not have to come back for 2 weeks. I have also made the decision that the girls will be

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1141916859518297392006-03-09T08:40:00.000-06:002006-03-24T16:34:38.516-06:00

Ahhh...yesterday was the last day of gymnastics for 3 weeks! We have been way overscheduled the past few weeks and it was killing me. This week has been very crazy with 2 days of gymnastics, doctor's appointment and co-op. I can not wait until Gwen can take a gymnastics class that is at the same time as Alyssa's class! But...that means 3 years old AND potty trained...HA, Gwen is making it very

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1140968595564193472006-02-26T09:30:00.000-06:002006-02-26T09:43:15.576-06:00

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1140837854577492072006-02-24T21:15:00.000-06:002006-02-24T23:23:09.003-06:00

Okay, so I am back to post after a break from too much internet. I had to limit my internet surfing so that I could get some things done! I decided that I HAD to do some DEEP cleaning before the baby got here. I have cleaned the laundry room out, the sunroom, decluttered the kitchen (mostly), cleaned out my closet (the biggest job~I can walk INTO my walk-in closet!), and vacuumed all the corners

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1139670634346525592006-02-11T08:26:00.000-06:002006-02-11T09:10:34.396-06:00

My birthday was Thursday and it was fun. That afternoon we went to the Valentine's Party for Alyssa's homeschool co-op. Alyssa was chosen to be the Valentine Queen for the day! She looked very cute in her heart cape and crown. Later that night we ate birthday cake, which Alyssa made (with the help of Granny) and it was yummy. She did a beautiful job! She had been planning that cake for a month

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1139254317046446332006-02-06T11:07:00.000-06:002006-02-06T13:31:58.143-06:00

Well, we are going to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count! It sounds fun. It's from Feb 17-20. I have requested some bird watching books from the library and going to purchase bird seed. http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ Our Science unit for the next 2 weeks will be Birds so we can get familiar with bird watching and the types of birds in our area. We finished Mr. Popper's Penguins and

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1138375741086896792006-01-27T08:54:00.000-06:002006-01-27T09:30:42.003-06:00

This week has been pretty busy for us and I am so glad it's Friday! Tuesday was my doctor's appointment so we drove to the "big city" and spent the day. Doctor says everything is fine and I only gained 1 pound last month. That makes 7 pounds~TOTAL! In the beginning the doctor told me to gain no more than 16 pounds, at which point I asked him if HE had ever BEEN pregnant! But, with 4 months of

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1138033651064388202006-01-23T09:37:00.000-06:002006-01-23T10:34:35.073-06:00

Well, I thought I might describe a "typical" day for us. This is an odd concept for us because it seems like every day is different. I guess if I were sending the kids to school we would get up, have breakfast, get ready and leave on some type of a schedule. However, since that is not the case, I think we just go with the flow of the day. Anyway, Gwen usually gets up between 7 and 7:30, however,

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1137868476555666762006-01-21T12:26:00.000-06:002006-01-21T12:34:36.566-06:00

I feel much better now! My mexican casserole was yummy and only made me feel queezy for a short while! This morning I got up and decided to make brownies and do laundry...I AM feeling better! :) Today is going to be the day that I try and get the baby's room in some sort of order. It's been a catch all room for a couple months plus I need to de-girly it for him! At this point the poor boy

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1137799656123616132006-01-20T17:14:00.000-06:002006-01-20T17:27:36.130-06:00

Okay, because I promised no more bodily function stories, I will save you from this. Let's just say that I am not at all happy about how I feel! It started yesterday and actually I feel better today. I WANT some type of mexican casserole for dinner (a CONSTANT craving) and I think I'm going to make one, in between sitting down from being dizzy! Well, school hit the skids about 1/2 way through

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1137632382495338422006-01-18T17:58:00.000-06:002006-01-18T19:27:24.796-06:00

Well, we were leaving for Gwen's gymnastics class this morning and realized that the puppy had not made herself known (extremely rare!) and decided to look around for her. I found her, dead. I felt so bad for Alyssa, this was her first puppy. We've had her about 5 months and although the girls loved her very much, I was still indifferent due to the chewing nature of a puppy. We believe that she

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1137545961484717942006-01-17T18:43:00.000-06:002006-01-17T18:59:21.493-06:00

Because November and December seem to fill up with other things I used those months for phonics instruction, writing/penmanship and cooking/crafting and waited to start our History OdysseyLesson Plans until this month. I am finding that our year may end up with "summer" being the months of November and December! Anyway, I have had the lesson plans for months now and have slowly ordered all of

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1137511800883845602006-01-17T09:08:00.000-06:002006-01-17T09:30:00.896-06:00

As I put everyone to bed, confident that we are over the brief illness that kept me up last night, I breathed a sigh and (eventually) went to bed. About 12:30 I heard it, the sound, the gag, I jump up and run (not easy in my condition) and grab Gwen and run towards the bathroom...we make it to the hallway. She had not been sick for HOURS and had eaten enough blan food to make her comfortable,

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1137450296711632622006-01-16T16:06:00.000-06:002006-01-16T16:24:56.716-06:00

Well, Gwen has not thrown up since this morning. She has had bread with peanut butter, watery juice, crackers and 5 sliced black olives (everyone else had pizza!). She is napping now and seems to be fine, just puny. Alyssa has gymnastics tonight and thank goodness Brian is home to keep Gwen! Gwen has gymnastics on Wednesday and I hope she is better by then...she LIVES for gymnastics. Her

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1137426998833232882006-01-16T09:35:00.000-06:002006-01-16T09:56:38.853-06:00

Okay, the only thing I hate more than being sick, is when my kids are sick. Luckily for us neither one of those things happens that often. Gwen, my 2 year old, woke up about 1:30am throwing up. So from 1:30 to about 5:30 we were on grab and run duty! I find it weird that all she was throwing up was mucus but she was not congested. It was very strange and something that Alyssa, my 6 year old,

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1137345252953218732006-01-15T10:56:00.000-06:002006-01-15T11:14:15.706-06:00

Chapter books we have read:Charlotte's Web Stuart Little(3 times!)The Mouse and the MotorcycleCam Jansen and the Mystery of the Dinosaur Bones (everyday for 2 weeks!)Magic Treehouse Series (several of these)Currently we are reading James and the Giant Peach and we have Chocolate Fever checked out from the library to read next.I get lots of my read aloud ideas from Jim Trelease's book The Read

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1137339278135714702006-01-15T08:59:00.000-06:002006-01-15T09:35:30.476-06:00

Okay, here are some of the things we are doing right now. Currently our read aloud is James and the Giant Peach, and we love it so far. My daughter has really enjoyed read aloud time. I just started using History Odyssey Lesson Plans: Ancients (level 1) and I love them!! My daughter is very interested in history and I think these plans are going to work well for us. For science I use the Living

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20992081.post-1137289676856234372006-01-14T19:32:00.001-06:002006-01-21T16:16:09.576-06:00

Well, I have been looking at blogs for a few days now and I love them! I truly feel as though I have nothing to add and don't really know anyone who would read this, but what the heck!! I have 2 girls, ages 6 and 2 and I am currently pregnant. We live in a rural community and we homeschool. My husband and I have never really considered sending the kids to public (or private) school. I started

CooksonMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11943257673854790034noreply@blogger.com0