Go, Cooper, Go!

Cooper had a fun 4th birthday last Saturday at the Three Forks Nature Center. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the animals and we even got to pet a snake, beaver, and skunk! Cooper just had to have a "Go, Diego, Go!" theme, so the nature center was perfect for "Cooper Diego", as he calls himself.

Aunt Re-re helped the kids find their goodies on a scavenger hunt

Cooper found a clue...for what, I'm not sure, but he's really into clues

I made and decorated this cake. Coop was so excited about it and I made a jello poke cake with blue jello at his request...it was not bad, either!

After party was taking toys out and playing all evening

Milestones

My boys are really growing! Clayton is four months old as of yesterday and in just two days, Cooper will be four years old. Clayton had two big milestones today. He was baptized today at our church and he figured out how to roll over. Life is about to get really fun!

Clayton was wanting to talk to Poppy

Pastor Shannon introducing Clayton to the congregation with Cooper's help

Grandma, Grandpa, Poppy, and Grangy joined us for service

Success! Then he got really mad because he can't get back over

All that rolling wore that baby out

The Boys

Clayton laying sideways in his bed...no, I didn't do it, he wiggled around that way

Cheesy grin (:

Oh, yeah, we are hay farmers now! Our second cutting ready to be delivered

I could not, for the life of me, get a good picture of both of them...but this one was cute...it looks like Clayton is trying to "comfort" big brother who is pretending to be a baby

Chilling out with Daddy

Hangin' with Mr Cooper

2011 Goals Updates

So, it's been a few months since I updated this- the blue are the updates and the orange are things added for the fall...as you can tell, I didn't get much done this summer...gee, I wonder why??

2011 Goals

OPERATION BABY PREP---

Deadline March 1^st--

Order small dresser- will need to do this by the first of March to be sure it’s here on time…only piece of furniture that we need and it’s a hard size to find!  (before end of February!)

Deadline April 1^st--

Sort through baby clothes from attic   1/18

Bring in and clean up baby gear from attic 3/12

Arrange furniture in kids’ room  3/12

Organize kids’ closet 1/8

Finish list of what we still need to get 1/23

Deadline May 1^st--

Make some prepared food that I can freeze for easy meals in May/June

Begin “nesting”…will probably have already started this anyway!

Take a spring vacation or extended camping trip       Snow days shortened our trip, but we took it the first part of April!

HOUSE & GARDENING---

Deadline April 24th (Easter)--

Plant flower bed in corner of yard—sunflowers and some easy to grow perennials because I’m lazy like that---this one is out til next spring…just not enough time

Mulch around roses   3/16

Make beds for perennial fruits and veggies---yep, next spring

Plant corn and okra….maybe a few other things….this will not be as much as last year, since I won’t be able to do a lot out there---Dennis is going to plant corn and okra soon, I have planted a “patio garden”  4/17--too hot! It all died! And, we never got corn or okra planted.

Deadline-- October 31st-

Build three raised beds for garden

Deadline--November 30th-

Organize and clean storage area and put up shelving

NEW SECRETARY GIG—Deadline March 1^st

Get QuickBooks set up and on track for 2011   1/14

FOR MYSELF:

PHOTOGRAPHY—Deadline May 1st

Get someone to give me lessons with new camera  You Tube!

Set up software to edit photos

READING---

I am stealing an idea from someone else to read one good book per month….that will be a stretch probably, but I have plenty of books to read, re-read, or that I can borrow

            January—ALMOST finished one

            February---finished January book

            March---finished book I started in February after the January one

            April---did not read a book at all….lots of naps, though

            May---yeah right!

            June.—nope

            July—nope

            August---Woohoo!!—Read “Weird” for Sunday school class!

SPIRITUAL---

Spend at least 15 minutes every day in the Word, devotional, prayer, listening to sermons, etc.

            January—Not as consistent as I’d like to be

            February—still struggling

            March—still struggling to be consistent

            April—still struggling, but found some helpful resources

            May-August---getting more and more consistent

Keep my “Grace” journal with entries at least 3 times a week recording where I saw God’s grace at work in my life and around me

            January—Did it at least twice a week

            February—About once a week

           March—only one in a month

            April---not sure what happened to me!

            May-August---????

           

VOLUNTEERING---

Continue to volunteer for WW & Wed pm youth through April

Help with VBS Registration in July 

Still Kickin'

It's been quite sometime since I blogged! It's been just a little bit crazy around here! We have been in survival mode this summer. Dennis has worked practically non stop since May and I was just beginning to feel like I was recovering from having a baby, though very sleep deprived, when I began having gall bladder problems mid-July. About 2 1/2 weeks ago I had surgery and I am now feeling MUCH better. In fact, I don't think I knew how bad I felt until this week when I feel like myself again. We celebrated Dennis's 35th birthday on July 16th and other than that, we've just been trying to stay cool during this record breaking hot summer. Cooper started 3 year old preschool program two days a week at the church a couple weeks ago and we are finally getting into a routine, which is really helping me keep what little sanity I have left. And, I never would've made it to September if it wasn't for my dear, dear grandparents who have been amazing helping me with the boys all summer by taking Cooper home with them or staying with us here when I felt bad and after baby and surgery. I truly don't know what we'd have done without their help. Needless to say, the Rains' family is ready for fall vacation!!!