Cousins and Secret Santa

We had a visit from Aunt Meg and cousin Abby!  It's amazing how even though the kids have met once before, they are instant friends, just because they are cousins.  We frosted cookies, and the girls played with Abby like she was a new toy.

Girls playing dress-up and make up.

Enjoying the Christmas atmosphere

McCormick - Stillman Park in Scottsdale

We have to ride the carousel!

In front of the lit up train

The highlight of my Christmas, and that of the kids too, is doing Secret Santa for a family.  Every year we find out about a family that is especially in need this year, and we go buy presents for the kids and parents.  It is so much fun shopping for the family and hoping they will like what you got them!  (Sticking the receipts in an envelope to the parents helps too, in case we didn't get what they wanted!)

This year we chose a family with 4 kids.  Each of our children got to shop for one of their children, and Lane and I shop for the mom and dad.  It is so fun!  We told the kids they each had about $75 to spend on their person, so choose wisely.  They did math and had to make choices about maximizing their buying power.  It was really fun.

Tonight we wrapped all the gifts.  I love hearing them talk about how excited the kids are going to be, and how much they love doing this.  Giving is so much better than receiving.

The wrapping extravaganza!

The loot - ready to be delivered tomorrow night!

Black and blue....

Here's what we've been up to ......

Addi fell off a kid's back onto the tile

I accidentally kicked the stone door surround

Leg 1 week after the bike wipeout

Anyone jealous?  

I didn't think so!!!

A Wedding, soccer, and why I don't ride my bike in the rain.

A Wedding:

Our niece Lindsay Cook, married Andrew LaPorte last Saturday here in the Mesa, AZ temple.  It was the most perfect and beautiful day.  Savannah and Addi were flower girls.  Way too cute for words, so I'll put pictures.  (I would like to make a side comment that it is not fair how beautiful this girl is!)

The beautiful bride, and Addi! 

Best cousins, Addi and Chloe

All the flower girls

The happy couple, Drew and Lindsay.

Soccer:

Today was the last day of soccer for the season.  Mixed emotions about it, but with how cold it was today, we are all glad we are done until next fall! :)

Conner had the pleasure of starting us off at 8:30 this morning.  He was not a happy camper in the cold, but played OK.  He sure does love the sport though! 

Most of the team

Conner and Coach "O", probably one of the best coaches we've ever had!!

Savannah finished her last game playing goalie.  She did great!  

Why I don't ride in the rain.

I tried to get out of it.  I told my 2 friends it was too cold.  We considered a Zumba class instead.  But no, we had to cave to Lisa and not be "wimps" because it is a little cold.  

I bundled up in gloves, coat and long pants.  Good thing I did!  We were halfway through the ride and it started to rain, so we were heading back home.  I was 1/2 mile from my car, on a main road.  I was riding along in the gutter and wanted to get on the asphalt and in the bike lane.  The lip between the road and gutter was very uneven.  My tire was wet.  The road was wet.  The tire hit the lip of the road, and instead of going over, skidded along, and threw me off the bike onto the road.  I skidded into the lane of traffic, but quickly jumped up, grabbed my bike and got off the road.  I was a little stunned and shook up, but was OK.  My leg/hip hurt and was going numb, and my elbow had a scrape, but I had gloves on and was all covered up, so that helped keep me from getting really bloody.

My friend rode home and got her car and came to get me.  I was really OK.  I went straight to Savannah's game, and froze watching her.  Then, I went home to survey the damage.

Warning:  this picture is a little gross! :)

This is what I found when I got home.  A little scrape on my elbow, a small one on my knee, and a great big saddlebag on my left leg.  Ouch!  It hurts!

Notice the little black and blue - I'm sure it will get prettier from here on out. Ugh!

As the day progressed, I also discovered all my core and rib muscles down my left side (Where I fell) are extremely sore!  So, I don't want to laugh, cough, or breathe too deep.  It hurts!!!  How do you supposed I'm going to teach Cycle and Pilates on Monday?  Guess I will be a do as I say, not as I do teacher.

And, I'll stay off the roads when they are wet.

A Unique Thanksgiving .... for me, anyway

Not living near my family, holidays are always just a little hard.  And this year was the "in-law" year for the Cooks, which means everyone was going with the other family, and were on our own.  

Thanksgiving for me in the past was always our family, and other random families that mom and dad invited over.  We sure had a lot of different people come over the years, because we didn't really live by cousins when I was young, either!  But, I remember we always had about 40 people for dinner, and heaven knows there was plenty of room for everyone, so it was always a big feast.

I think I have only been home for Thanksgiving maybe 2 or 3 times in the 20 years since we've been married.  Seven years in Mexico brought us wonderful Thanksgivings with great friends.  We were all without family, so we all got together and had a great time.  I even remember one year we went to Puerto Vallarta with 2 other couples, (Wade and his girlfriend, and Troy and Perla).  I ended up cooking the turkey and the whole dinner there at our condo, and it was great!!

Anyway, this year I was bummed because we weren't having dinner with friends, and it was only our family and Lane's parents.  I really was a bit depressed about the whole thing.  But, as it turns out, things are never really as bad as you think they will be, right?

Marilyn (my mother in law) and I split up the food responsibilities, and we invited Ryan (a friend of ours whose parents were out of town), and actually had a very nice, small dinner, which tasted fantastic!  My turkey was so moist and good! I've got this down!!! :)  I had some yummy pumpkin pie I made, and Marilyn surprised me with my other favorite - chocolate cream pie.  Yum, love me that chocolate!

Here's the most important note of all though:  for the first time since we got married, we pulled out and used our china and silverware!!!!!  How sad is that?  We've been married 20 years and never used it!  Well, we can't say that anymore!!!

So, that's our exciting Thanksgiving.  Not that exciting, but not as bad as I thought it would be either.  Kinda just a normal day, with a lot of football.

However, we did go around the table and tell what we are thankful for.  Here's my top 10:

1) A healthy body.  We've seen enough health issues in this family to make me really realize just how lucky I am.
2)  A fantastic husband.  Though he has had a rough 4 years, and is still battling non-cancer problems, he still works hard for us, takes care of us, and loves all of us.  He is the best.
3)  Four healthy kids.  Each one is such a blessing and brings such different qualities to our family and I love them all, even when I don't! :)
4) The Gospel.  Because really, without it, where would we be?
5)  Cleaning ladies.  Sorry, but the days Nidia comes are just soooooo wonderful! :)
6)  Good parents and brothers/sisters.  I really had a great upbringing and pretty care-free life.  I owe that to fantastic parents.  I love all my brothers and sisters as well, as crazy as we all may be!!
7)  Music.  I love music.  The lyrics to a song can bring out emotions, thoughts, feelings like nothing else can in me.  Don't know why. I love to play music, sing music and listen to music. (Though you may not want to be listening when I sing ... :/ )
8)  Tennis.  Love playing that sport, and the teams that I'm on.  Cheapest therapy there is!!
9)  Books.  Nothing like getting lost in a good book.
10)  Chocolate.  Enough said.

The "adults" table

Even the kids got to eat on china!

Who is that crazy lady???

Turkey Trots!!

Yes, that does say Turkey Trots, plural.

At Zaharis Elementary, they do a 1 mile fun run for all the grades, and they encourage parents to come and run with their kids. Of course, being the consistent mother of the year that I am ;), I had to be there for both Conner and Savannah! Thankfully, tennis was already cancelled for that day, and their runs were back to back, so I had no great moral dilemma of choosing if I should go or not. :)

So Addi and I headed to the school where I was lucky enough to find Crazy Cody there ready to run with his little sister. He ended up carrying Addi more than half the time, and sometimes carrying all 3 girls! Oh to be a young 18 year old boy.

So we had our nice little run, and then some popsicles for refreshment after, when who should walk in, but Lane! I about fell over, because as many times as I get nominated for Mother of the year because of all the school activities I go to (again, wink wink) he usually shows up once a year for something to prove the kids have a dad. ha! No, he is a great dad, but usually lets me handle all the activities that are in the day. (He claims someone has to work to pay for my life of leisure! What????)

Well, Conner couldn't have been happier to have his dad there to cheer him on. Unfortunately Lane couldn't run at all because he just had shoulder surgery, and his left knee hurts so bad he can hardly walk! But, he cheered for us, while Conner literally sprinted 1 1/2 miles! I couldn't keep up with the kid! (Funny thing is he was soooooo sore the next day, and a couple days after that too! That'll teach him to sprint off on the run and leave his mom behind!)





On Thanksgiving morning, it has become tradition for our family to run the Mesa Turkey Trot! I do the 10K, and Lane and the kids do the 1 or 2 mile fun run. Again, Lane couldn't run, so he hung out with Addi, in her lovely summer attire at the 65* event. Kayla, Savannah and Conner ran the 2 mile this year and did great! I was so proud of them.

I ran the 10K, and was hoping to get close to my time 2 years ago, when I set a personal best record for myself. I didn't run it last year because we were out of town, so 2 years ago I ran it in 49:48. Barely under 50 mins. I was so excited because that was the fastest I had ever been, and I averaged a perfect 8 minute mile. And I happened to beat the turkey that year too and get a certificate! :) (On a side note .... he has retired, and they got a new turkey. The old one was just too slow....)

Anyway, I haven't been running as much as I should, so I was hoping to maybe get 50 mins. But, I was able to kick it a little more, and beat my last time to set a new PR of 48:58, cutting off almost 1 minute from my run, and averaging a 7:53 minute mile! Hey! Not to shabby for an old lady, right? I still only took 11th in my age group, and 105 out of about 600 women! Dang! There are some fast ladies out there!!

Oh well, it was so fun, and I love the challenge, and I love feeling like I can eat all I want after that too! :)

Triathlon and Lymphomathon

The first 2 Saturdays of November were full of "races" for me.  :)

Sometime around mid-October, my friend Lezlie called and said, "Let's do the Casa Grande Triathlon again!"  I thought, "Why not?  I haven't done one for a while, and I haven't seen her for a while, so I could kill 2 birds with one stone!"  Then, I found out my nephew, Tyler, had signed up to do it, and we told him to come along with us veterans.  It was his first one.

We had a great time, though the weather was not ideal.  It had rained all night, and was still overcast and about 50 degrees.  Which, when you stand by a pool is not very warm! :)

I felt like I was kicking it pretty good, especially for not having trained at all for it.   I did it in 1 hour and 20 minutes. Two years ago, I did it in 1 hour and 19 mins. Turns out my swim was about 1 minute faster than last time, and so was my run, but my bike was 3 mins. slower than last time!  What the heck???  The best I can figure is that it was very windy, and that really affects your bike time.  I do know that I took 5th in my age group..... (which unfortunately, I have graduated to a new older category :( ) and I was only 9 minutes behind the winner of the women.  Last time I did it I was 16 mins. behind the winner.  So, that is progress! :)

Here are the 3 whole pictures I have from that race.

My nephew Tyler.  I know, someone works out!!! He's also single! :)

Me ducking down to get in the picture with Lezlie.

All of us with our cool T-shirts and medals we got for finishing.  Fun and easy!

Then, the next Saturday we had the pleasure of doing the Lymphoma walk at the Phoenix Zoo.  It is the big annual fundraiser for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society.  

This walk really brought out a lot of mixed emotions in me.

The last time we did this was 4 years ago after Lane had just been diagnosed.  We were shell-shocked, and scared and hopeful and confused, and a whole jumble of emotions at the time.  We were so hopeful of a quick, easy fix.  We looked around and saw all the yellow shirts of "fighters or survivors" and the rest of us wore white shirts.  It was weird to look and see that this cancer doesn't care if you are old or young, black or white or hispanic, rich or poor.  It affects all types.  We saw people with no hair, people with normal hair, and people with hair just growing back in.  It was very sobering, yet hope-inspiring.

This year was the same.  I felt like we were right back where we started.  Yet we are now 4 years wiser.  We have been down the horrible chemo road.  Lane has lost his hair.  He has had high, high hopes, and no hope at all.  We have been sure of clear scans, and had bad news.  And we have been sure of bad news, and had clear scans.  It is one heck of a horrific roller coaster ride, full of highs and lows that you never can comprehend until you walk this path.  

Four years ago we had no idea what we were in for.  We really didn't.  Sometimes I think I wish I could just know what is going to happen, but I'm sure if we did know, we would run away and say, "No!  I can't do it!  I can't handle it!"  So, we get what we get, and we face what comes our way, and we do our best to cope and live through it.

This time on the walk, Lane was in his yellow shirt enjoying a full remission.  We looked around and saw people obviously in different stages of treatment, and others who have been cancer-free for a long time, and others wearing "In memory" shirts.  I couldn't help but wonder why we are so lucky to have the remission right now?  Why not them?  Why does the cancer take one person fast, another slow, another beats it, and some keep fighting?  There really are no answers.  You just take what you are dealt, and you live each day and deal with it.  I wondered why it seemed there weren't as many yellow survivor shirts this year.  I said to Lane that maybe there weren't as many cancer fighters who could make it this year.  He said, "Or they are passed on, or too sick to be here."  Oh.

This year Lane's sweet mom wanted to come and do the walk with us.  That was so nice of her.  She worries more about him than both of us combined.  I tease her that I never have to worry about anything or anyone, because she does enough worrying for both of us! :)

OK, so the faces on all of us are a little weird, but at least we got a family shot!

The kids found a "Truly Nolen" pest control Limousine that they got in for a picture.

Grandma was a great help keeping the kids corralled in the zoo.

  I am so, so, so very thankful that we are getting a break from dealing with this disease right now.  We hope and pray that it will last a long time, if not forever.  You never know what the Lord has in store for you, right?  I do know that Lane is a real trooper.  I would never, ever choose this trial for anyone, and he is really dealing with it well.  He has his bad days, but overall, he is amazing.

Another chocolate post

It has been a while since I have discussed my vice of chocolate love, right?  All I can say right now is with the holidays coming, it is only going to get worse.  I know it.  It's like the more I try to tell myself I can't have it, the more I crave it!!  Then add on to that the cookie dough love problem, and I got me a real LOVE HANDLE problem!

So, how do I combat this?  I take on more classes to sub, and sign up for some races.  Doing the Turkey Trot 10K on Thanksgiving.  Probably going to do another race or two in January/February.  Then, will probably do the Iron Gear / Red Rock Olympic length Triathlon again in May, then end the month with my first ever Marathon!  Yikes!!

Hey, you gotta get crazy when you turn 40, right?  Wish me luck with managing my chocolate addiction.... :)

Kayla .... growing up too fast

Last Sunday, we were driving down the road, and Kayla said, "You know in 2 years, I'll be gone."

Lane and I looked at each other and freaked out for a second.


She really is 16.  She really is 5'11".  She really is a junior.  She really will be leaving to college in less than 2 years.  She really is growing up.

Can I just say I want to stop time with her?  The other 3 need to keep growing up before I kill them, but this one, I want to stay right here.

She is so beautiful inside and out.  She helps at home, she is so very responsible I never have to get her up in the morning, make her go to bed at night, check homework, remind her where to be or when.  She truly is so amazing.  She has the singing voice of an angel, can kinda play the piano :/, taught herself the guitar, is so nice to everyone around her, even if they are "unique", and gives her mom and dad a run for their money on Speed Scrabble!

How I love, love, love this girl.  She is a joy to have around.  She really is my friend. She can't leave in 2 years.  Yet, that is the very best thing for her.  I remember being so excited to leave and go to BYU and be on my own.  Those are some of the best years, and I can't wait for her to leave the nest and experience a lot of those things too.  She just is going to leave a gaping hole in our home, and in my heart.  Sigh...


On a happy note, here's what she has been up to!

She went to Homecoming at a neighboring High School with Alessandro.  A foreign exchange student from Italy who is living with her aunt and uncle.  He met her at a family dinner, was quite smitten (who wouldn't be?) and asked her to Homecoming.  They had a great time.  It was cute how nervous he was. :)

We had a little trouble pinning the flower to just a shirt!  I think here we were admiring our work??

Kayla and Ale, who happens to be 6 ft. 3in.  Something we were very happy about! :)

A couple of weeks later, we finally got to go see Taylor Swift in concert!  We bought her tix 6 months ago when they went on sale.  It seemed the day would never come!  So, I had the pleasure of escorting 4 16 year olds to the concert.  

I can't help but sing in my head, "One of these things is not like the other" when I look at this picture.  Oh well, we had a great time.

The old mom and the young girls!

Fun mom/daughter date

Then, as if the Taylor Swift concert wasn't enough, Kayla went to Red Mountain High's Homecoming the next night.

Her friend (?) Cody asked her to go.  Again, we lucked out with a boy who is 6 ft. 2 in., and pretty darn cute himself.  They made a darling couple, and had a great time.

Seriously??? Whose kid is that???

Can I just say what a nightmare it is buying a dress for a tall girl?  Ugh, I see some sewing in my future.  Thankfully I haven't had to do a whole lot of dress sewing since all my dances when I was in high school!

Now she just got a job as a hostess at a restaurant close by. I'm so excited for her to be earning her own money, and not stealing it from my wallet.  It's just crazy that they grow up and learn to be on their own. But that's a parent's most important job - raise your kids so they can go out in the world and be responsible, contributing citizens in society.  She'll be so much more than that.  I couldn't be prouder. (Can you tell??)

Savannah's B-day part 2

We had a Rock n Roll party for Savannah this year. With make up, hair, and karaoke with Justin Bieber songs, what more could you ask for? It was kinda crazy, but the girls had fun. I can't believe my little Savannah is 10!!!

Was it really 10 years ago that I had Lane take me at 11 at night up to the Hospital San Javier (Also known as the drug lord hospital) to give birth to my 9 lb. 5 oz. baby girl at 3:30 in the morning? I guess so. It seems like a whole different lifetime ago. I kinda think all of our time in Mexico almost seems like it was a dream. Good at times, and nightmare at others!

Anyway, we sure love our sweet, smart, incredibly witty girl.

Here's a funny example of my girl.

Yesterday morning she needed some money for lunch. I told her to check dad's wallet because I was out of money. Later I asked if she got some. She said, "Yes! I got some out of his $100 dollar infested wallet!"

Funny kid. So his wallet had a bunch of hundreds (Which why didn't I check that and steal some?), but I just think it is funny that my 10 year old is using the word infested to describe a wallet full of 100s! She is quite the girl.

Halloween!!!! and Savannah's birthday too

Halloween was a little bit much this year.  Because it fell on a Monday, we were celebrating for a whole week straight!
The Monday before Halloween (Oct. 24) was Savannah's actual birthday, and Grandma's annual Halloween party.
Everyone but dad dressed up and went to the party.  The kids look forward to it every year.
We were able to have some cake and ice cream with the family, even though no one wanted any, because we were so full from our dinner, donut eating contest, and all the candy around!

The next day we got to get Savannah's ears pierced!!!  I said when they are 8 they can, Lane wanted at 12, so we compromised, and the girls get their ears pierced at 10.  Conner, never! :)

Savannah was a little scared, but she did great, and didn't shed a single tear, unlike Kayla who literally was bawling and sobbing in the place.  Even I was embarrassed for her! :)  

A nervous Savannah who wanted to sit on my lap to get her ears pierced.

Ready, set, shoot!

What have we here?  Someone found some glasses mom will never let her have.  Hope this isn't a sign of things to come! ha!

Wednesday I had a Silver Sneakers luncheon I was in charge of, so I had to dress up for that.  Friday night was Savannah's birthday party, then Saturday night was the ward Trunk or Treat.  Dressed up for that again.

By Monday, the actual day of Halloween, I was really ready to be all done!  So, I just took the kids trick or treating as mom.

We went with a bunch of friends from the ward in their neighborhood, because our neighborhood is full of old people who don't trick or treat!  Oh I can't wait to move.

Well, 2 days after Halloween, we discovered that we forgot to carve the pumpkins.  So, the kids decided to do it anyway.  Better late than never!  Then I was able to make roasted pumpkin seeds, which I love!

Needless to say, I was ready for Halloween to be over, but that means Thanksgiving is around the corner, then you blink and it is Christmas, turn around and it is New Years, and before you know it you are in the dreary letdown of January.

Let the madness begin....