Christmas 2012

The Wenzel's House

Babysitter in Training

Uncle Trevor and Bruxen

New Cameras 

Bryker's Batman Jail

Captain America Shields-This is all Trace really wanted for Christmas

New Calendar

Man Cave

Mommy and Kianna

Trace and Mommy

Christmas Morning

Kaylee's loot

Kianna's loot

Trace's loot

Kaylee's gift she made us

Lunch at Shannon's House

Aliyah

Kianna all giddy

Daddy and Trace

Grandma GG and Grandma Jacque with their grandkids

Stacie and Andrew

Grandma Sue with kids

Trace's nap spot when he was sick

Angry Bird Star Wars Tournament with Daddy

Build-a-Bears

It is hard to believe that another Christmas has come and gone. Each year we try hard to make Jesus the focus of our Christmas celebration. I have to say this is easier to do before the kids begin receiving their gifts. This year to keep the focus on Christ, besides doing devotions and having conversations with the kids, we watched the movie "The Nativity Story". We started this tradition last year and really enjoyed it. The kids still get a little freaked out in a couple of spots, but otherwise think it is a great movie. We also try to help out those in need around us. Kianna's Kindergarten class did a great job with this. Instead of doing a class gift exchange they were asked to fill a bag with nonperishable food items. The kids then delivered the bags to a local food pantry. Kianna really enjoyed this experience. I love seeing our kids being the hands and feet of Jesus!

We continued our Christmas celebration by making a trip to Iowa to visit our friends and family. We left Michigan on the 22nd and headed to The Wenzel's house in Illinois. We spent the afternoon and evening with them. It happened to be their oldest daughter, Brooke's 7th birthday, so we were able to celebrate with them. The kids always enjoy playing together while we visit with Sally and Ryan. We continued our trip to Iowa the following morning with the goal of making it to our church for worship. We made it in time and had a great time seeing our friends and worshipping. The rest of the trip went by in somewhat of a blur. The highlights are as follows:

• Small Group Party- It is always fun catching up with our friends. The kids have fun reuniting with their old friends too. We have to remind Trace who his "friends" are since he had only just turned one when we moved. 
• Christmas Eve Celebration- We spent Christmas Eve with Trevor's family. This year Sam and Mike hosted the festivities in their new home, which is quite beautiful! We ate a variety of yummy foods. I think the highlight for the kids was the hot cocoa station Aunt Sam had setup. They were able to choose whether to add M&M's or candy canes to their hot cocoa in addition to marshmallows. The girls each received a new camera from Grandma Becki and Grandpa Bob, which they were pretty thrilled about. Trace received a Captain America Shield and mask, which he couldn't have been more thrilled to have received. He was so demonstrative opening his gifts, which made it extra fun this year!
• Christmas Morning- We spent our morning opening gifts from just the five of us. The kids each received a stocking filled with gifts from Santa and three gifts from us, to simulate how the wise men brought Jesus three gifts on his birthday. We ate Monkey Bread and played with our new gifts. This year Kaylee's three gifts were: Caroline, a new American Girl, who happens to have blond hair and blue eyes just like her. She also received the game Battleship and Caroline's accessories. Kianna's gifts included a CD player for her room, some Adventures in Odyssey CDs, and a pair of black boots. Trace's gifts included the new Leap Pad II, headphones, and a game. Trevor got a new wedding ring since his was lost in Lake Michigan this summer and I received a gift certificate for a massage. Each year in art class, Kaylee makes us a new figure out of clay for a nativity set. Last year she made Baby Jesus and this year we received Mary. It is very special. She also wrote us a note from all the kids saying: 
• "Dear Mom and dad, Sorry we only gave you one Christmas present. We thot that one of are pesents to you geys could be being on are best behaveyour & not conplaneing. Merry Christmas. Love, the Cook kids. Lets be a joyfull family." I love this girl!!!
• Christmas Day- We spent at Stacie and Patrick's house with the rest of my family. Stacie made a fabulous meal, which she served on my Grandma Carie's special china and real silverware. It was fun to use these special items. Trace received a batcave, which he was thrilled about. Kaylee received a new alarm clock that changes colors while charging her ipod. She loves it! Kianna got some Webkinz. She loves stuffed animals, so was thrilled.
• Game Night with Sam and Mike- We had a great time playing a new game, Pandemic. The bad news is that Sam started her own pandemic when she broke out with the stomach flu just two hours after we left their house...
•  Playstation: We met up with Grandma Sue, Scott and Emily and their three kids and Melissa and her three kids. Together the cousins had a fun time playing together while us adults visited.
• Christmas with Grandma Sue- The kids received some Angry Birds Star Wars sets from Grandma Sue and Grandpa Wayne. We have since enjoyed playing in some Angry Bird tournaments as a family. Fun times!
• Les Miserables- What a great movie!! I enjoyed watching this with my three moms (Becki, Sue and my mom). It isn't often a person can say that. I'm thankful they all get along!
• Date Night with The Issa's- It was fun hanging out with our good friends, Anthony and Julie. We had a nice dinner out and then watched "The Hobbit". Fun times!!!
• Stomach Flu- Trace came down with the stomach flu. Thankfully it was short lived and no one else got it!!!
• Lunch with my Mom- I had a quiet lunch out with my mom. We had a nice visit.
• Russell Christmas Party- Spent an evening visiting with family we don't get to see too often.
• Breakfast at Shannon's- Before heading back to Michigan we had one last family gathering where we enjoyed a pancake breakfast. It was a nice way to spend the morning!
• Build-a-Bear- The kids all received gift cards from Aunt Shelli to Build-a-Bear. We decided to stop and let the kids use their gift cards on our way out of town. The kids had a blast! Trace ended up with a white teddy bear named Captain, a Captain America outfit and a Spiderman outfit for his bear. Kianna got a husky dog with beautiful blue eyes, which she named Snowflake. She also got an ice skating outfit for her dog. Kaylee picked out a rainbow colored bear, which she named Colorful. She also got a fun outfit for her bear. The kids had a great time thanks to Aunt Shelli.

We had a great week in Iowa, but as always it is good to be back home in Michigan. Christmas decorations are put away until next year and we are ready to bring in the new year...

Trace's Christmas Programs

CBS Christmas Program

Trace as the "son"

Preschool Christmas Program

Trace had two Christmas programs this week. His preschool class had one performance in which he acted out the role of a son and sang songs. His other program was through CBS, the bible study we attend each week. He is really growing up and we are so proud of him!

Kianna's Jazz Performance

Kianna has been taking jazz dance since September and today we were excited to see her perform for the first time. Although, she seemed to like jazz okay, she has decided that she is ready to be done. I can't say that we mind either way, but she sure looks cute in her jazz outfit!

Kaylee's 2nd Grade Chapel

Today Kaylee's class was in charge of the elementary school chapel. They did a great job retelling the Christmas story. I was amazed at how many of these kids had their lines memorized. Kaylee did a great job with her portion of scripture. We are so proud of her! The kids were surrounded on stage by gifts the elementary families had donated to kids in need. It was a nice morning.

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"

Kaylee has been busy practicing for her school play, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever", since early October. She was cast as a baby angel and given the name, Naomi, along with one line to say. Her big line was "Mrs. Bradley, Mrs. Bradley, I have to go to the bathroom". She said this while jumping up and down frantically with her hand raised. She did a great job. In fact, she got better and better each show. The play was three different nights and we were able to see each one. Kaylee was thrilled that Grandma Becki and Grandpa Bob came to support her. She was sent flowers and cards backstage. It was a fun experience for her. The play itself was very entertaining and had a great message. It was about not letting the Christmas story become "old hat" but letting it come alive in our own lives no matter how many times we have heard it; which is not always easy to do.

It was a busy weekend, yet even so, Grandma Becki made time to help Kianna make a Gingerbread House at school on Friday. Kianna loved having Grandma Becki there!!! They also made time to spend one-on-one with Trace. It was a fun weekend. We are truly blessed to have such devoted parents and grandparents!!!

Toledo Zoo Christmas Lights

Grandpa Bob and Grandma Becki made the trip from Iowa to support Kaylee in her upcoming school play, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever", which begins tomorrow. They arrived this afternoon and we immediately got into the car and headed to Toledo. We had a nice dinner out and then spent the rest of the evening at the Toledo Zoo enjoying their Christmas Light Display. They do a really nice job with their lights, some are even set to music. We had a great time and finished the cold night with a yummy cup of hot cocoa.

Church Christmas Program

The kids each performed in our church's Christmas program this morning. Kaylee volunteered to be the Angel of Peace. She had a few lines she memorized. She did a fantastic job. I swear this girl is fearless when it comes to getting up in front of large groups of people. Kianna and Trace both did a great job singing their songs. It was a fun morning.

Johnson's Visit

Our good friends, Ryan and Jamie Johnson, along with their two little girls, Lexie and Natalie, came to visit us this weekend. We hadn't seen them for over a year, so we had a great time catching up. We took the kids swimming at The Centre and were impressed by the light display. Kianna and Lexie re-declared themselves "best friends" after a long time apart. Kianna even introduced Lexie to blue eye shadow. The girls looked beautiful!  Us adults managed to get in a game of Settlers of Catan after the kids went to bed. Ryan was excited to pull off a "W". Way to go Ryan!!

Thanksgiving 2012

We had a very blessed Thanksgiving this year, my Grandma Carie, Mom and John all drove from Iowa to spend the holiday with us. They arrived around 1:00 AM on Thursday and stayed until Saturday morning. We had a nice visit.

This was one of the few times, if not the first time, that I made the entire Thanksgiving meal (minus the pickles and deviled eggs Grandma made). I spent most of Wednesday afternoon preparing food. The girls were great helpers in the kitchen. Kaylee made the pecan pie, while Kianna helped me make the pumpkin cheesecake. Both girls also helped tear the bread apart for the stuffing. It was fun having them work beside me. So fun in fact, that I actually had a smile on my face for most of the time I was working. Well that is until about hour four when I began reaching the point of exhaustion. It was then that I was thankful for having been invited over to a friend's house for dinner and games for the evening! It was good to be out of the kitchen for awhile.

In addition to celebrating Thanksgiving, we also had the pleasure of celebrating my mom's birthday, which was also on the 22nd. We decided to have a special meal in her honor the following day. Grandma made her famous Chimichangas and I made our family's homemade hot fudge recipe. It felt like most of our weekend was spent eating and unfortunately the scale is beginning to reflect it. On ha happier note, when we weren't eating we had fun playing games, visiting, and trying to learn how to knit. Knitting is a bit tricky. Kaylee has been wanting to learn to knit, because she has a friend who knits. Kaylee got a knitting kit for her birthday and wants to knit a case for her iPod. I have been trying to follow the kit's instructions to teach Kaylee how to knit, however, not knowing how to knit myself, has been a struggle. It was nice having my mom and Grandma here to help teach us, although in the end Kaylee decided that she is too young to knit. In time...

Some of the things I am thankful for this year include:

• A loving and gracious God- God has been teaching me about his love and grace this year. I continue to be challenged to love others as God loves me. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a says that "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." I find these verses to be quite convicting. My personal challenge is to offer this same love to those around me, especially to those in my own home. I find it quite difficult to be kind, gentle, patient, and not easily angered when my kids disobey me for what seems like the millionth time. Instead I often find myself being quick to anger and yelling at them. This is where God's grace comes in. Grace is God's generous love, mercy and forgiveness He offers us even when we deserve the opposite. How thankful I am to serve a God like this, who offers me His grace, love, and forgiveness. If He can do that for me, I should be able to offer my own kids a little more grace on occasion... 
• My husband- Trevor is a huge blessing in my life. He is a good Daddy and husband. He is a man of God. He is very wise and offers me great advice. He is a hard worker. He is a good provider. He is loving. He is motivated. He is faithful.
• Kaylee- She is a fun little girl. She is very obedient and always wants to do the right thing. She is very mature and responsible. She likes to laugh and have fun. She is very considerate of other's feelings. She is nurturing and trustworthy.
• Kianna- She is a nice little girl. She loves to be silly and is a good sister. She loves to play with her brother and sister. She is kind and loving.
• Trace- He is a fun little guy. He has a ton of energy and is all boy. He loves to play with his sisters and loves to be tickled. He has a great laugh.
• Health- It seems like there are so many people that are sick around us. I am thankful for our good health.
• Freedom- I'm thankful to live in a country where I am free to worship as I choose. I am thankful that our country fights to give other's the same freedoms we have.
• Home- It is cold outside and yet I am warm inside. What a blessing this is!
• Food- My belly is full and often too full. I'm thankful for the abundance of food around me.
• Friends and family- I'm thankful for my loving extended family and the support they offer. I'm thankful for the many friends God has blessed us with, they make daily life more fun. 
• My job- I'm thankful for the flexible hours, the extra money it provides, the new friendships developing, and the ability to use the gift of physical therapy to bless and strengthen my patients lives.

We are truly blessed!!!!

LCS Christmas Program

The girls both had their Christmas Programs today. It is earlier than usual, but that is due to a scheduling conflict. The girls both did a great job singing. Kianna was cracking us up as her and her friend, Carter, began elbowing each other repeatedly while standing on the bleachers. Thankfully the elbowing stopped once the singing began. When asked about it later, she acted like it was no big deal saying that Carter liked it and was doing the same thing to her, which was true. Kaylee volunteered to sing a duet with her friend, Ella. The girls both did a great job singing part of "Mary Did You Know". It was another nice evening!!!

Our Sweet Kaylee

Kaylee celebrated her 8th birthday today. She is getting so big and grown up. We are so proud of her! Kaylee is very mature and responsible for her age. She is a rule follower and enjoys quoting the rules to her brother and sister. We often joke that she is 8 going on 30. Recently when asked what she wanted for Christmas she said a "nook". I don't know of too many 8 year olds requesting nooks for Christmas, but maybe I'm wrong? Kaylee enjoys reading. She recently discovered Nancy Drew books and is hooked. Kaylee loves school, especially math, art and choir. She says she wants to be an art teacher when she gets bigger. 

Kaylee continues to make friends easily and is everyone's friend. She is very outgoing and confident. In September, she tried out for the school play "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". She got cast as one of the baby angels and as part of the Sunday School class. She was later given the name Naomi and one line to memorize. I don't think she could be more excited about being in the play. She LOVES it and is completely in her element. When asked whether she liked soccer or drama more, she enthusiastically answered drama. The big performance is December 13-15th, so she has been busy practicing since she was cast. We are excited to see the final product! 

In addition to drama, some of her other interests include:

• Sports- She continues to enjoy playing soccer, especially as the goalie. She is also gearing up for basketball this winter, as is Kianna.  
• Swimming- She is a fish in the water.
• Crafts- Grandma Becki just taught her how to crochet and she just purchased a kit to learn how to knit.
• Playing games- She likes both board games and video games. 
• Star Wars- The kids are all hooked on "The Clone Wars" DVDs and Trevor loves it! She even enjoys Lego Star Wars. 
• Listening to her radio- She loves listening to her "Adventures in Odyssey" CDs and audiobooks.
• Her favorite foods include: Penne pasta, black olives, macaroni and cheese, cream cheese and green olive sandwiches, peanut butter, Moose Tracks Ice Cream, and anything sweet as long as it isn't a sucker and doesn't have caramel in it.

To celebrate her birthday, Kaylee opened her gifts first thing this morning. She got some new clothes, a new game for her DS (Lego Star Wars III), a leotard for her American Girl doll, a desk, and an iPod. She had no idea she was getting an iPod so was super excited. She immediately downloaded "The Secret Garden" audiobook and listened to 11 chapters. In the evening, we drove to Toledo and had a nice dinner at The Olive Garden. We spent the rest of the evening at Chuck-E-Cheese. We had a fun time celebrating as a family. It is hard to believe that our baby girl is 8 years old. We are so blessed to have her in our lives. We love you Kaylee Rebecca Cook!!!! 

American Girl Tea Party

Tea Party

Ella and Kaylee

Kaylee's birthday weekend officially began last night with an American Girl Tea Party/Sleepover for her and nine of her girlfriends. The girls had a great time with the tea party. Kaylee helped plan the menu and prepare the food. She was a HUGE help. The menu consisted of the following:

• Beverages: Apple Juice or Hot Tea
• Appetizers: Ham and cream cheese wrapped pickles, cucumber sandwiches, cheese and crackers,  and a relish tray.
• Main Dish: Sandwich options including choice of peanut butter and jelly, ham and cheese, or tuna salad; pasta salad, and fruit salad.
• Dessert: Cupcakes with chocolate chip cookie dough on the bottom, a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in the middle, and brownie batter on the top all baked to perfection. Can we say YUMMY!

The above items were served on a fancy white tablecloth I picked up in the parking lot of the Great Wall of China 10 years ago. It had yet to be used. We also used my Grandma Gaskill's China with beautiful pink flowers all over it. The table looked beautiful!

The rest of the evening was filled with opening gifts, 11 kids running madly throughout our house playing "dungeon", which apparently is some game they made up; watching The American Girl movie, "Samantha" and chit chatting themselves to sleep. I awoke this morning to one little girl sitting at my computer without permission. I found out later that someone had been messing around on the computer at 5:30 AM and announced to those around her the name and color of Kaylee's birthday present, which she happened to see while playing on our computer. I believe Kaylee was still asleep, so will still be surprised on Monday when we give her gift to her, but I was a little perturbed at the lack of boundaries this little girl displayed!

After feeding the girls chocolate chip and banana pancakes this morning, we were definitely ready for some peace and quiet. All and all, I would say the party was a success, although I will admit a bit stressful on my end. It was worth it though, because Kaylee had a blast with her friends. She is a sweet little girl, with a big heart, and we are so thankful God has blessed us with her! Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!!!

Kianna's Sleepover

Kianna has been wanting to have a sleepover, ever since Kaylee and Trace had one recently. We decided to invite her friend, Jenae, over for the night. The girls had a great time playing dress up, performing several skits. and watching "The Smurf" movie. The girls were all giggles until 9:22 pm when Jenae came downstairs in tears and wanting her Mommy. Jenae's mom came and got her and poor Kianna was the next one in tears, disappointed that her friend didn't actually sleep over. Life is so full of ups and downs. We'll have to try again another night...

More Halloween Fun

The kids had a lot of fun carving pumpkins this year. The last couple of years they have painted pumpkins, but this year we thought they were ready to try carving again. The girls had a great time cleaning out the pumpkins, choosing their designs and actually carving it out themselves. Trace on the other hand didn't enjoy getting his hands dirty, so opted to have Daddy do his dirty work. Daddy made a silly face on Trace's pumpkin. Kaylee chose a cat design and Daddy helped her. They both turned out cute. Kianna decided she wanted a spider pumpkin. We found a cool design online and I let her trace it onto the pumpkin and then told her to carve out the web. While she was carving I was busy in the kitchen trying to bake some pumpkin seeds. When I came back to check on Kianna's progress, I discovered that she had mistakenly carved out the entire web. She had forgotten to carve out the legs, which hold the web in place. Sadly, the entire web and spider fell completely out of the pumpkin. Thankfully, Daddy was able to get the spider and its web back into the pumpkin with the help of a few toothpicks. It was a silly mistake that gave us some laughs. Oh and the pumpkin seeds were a hit, the kids even had seconds. I think it was the cinnamon and sugar...

On Halloween night, we invited a few of our friends, The Hildebrandt's, The Gamel's, and The Leventis', over for some yummy food and trick-or-treating. We had a great time together and got lots of loot!!!