300 Days of Sunshine

Yesterday was our introduction to the Grandview 300 Days of Sunshine. That's right, they claim to have 300 days of sunshine a year. Maybe I should keep track and see... Either way it's pretty wonderful to see the sky in winter! Baby it was cold outside, but GORGEOUS!

This is the view looking down our street.

Moving is fun!

OK, moving really isn't all that much fun, but when you are a 1 and 4 year old the boxes sure are!

Christmas Sweaters

I don't think it's humanly possible to get a "nice" shot of these two on a Sunday morning before praise team practice. This will have to suffice.

Who needs pants when you're this cute?

Zoo Lights 2011

Zoo Lights is it's own holiday at our house, just ask Alex. There's Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Zoo Lights, then Christmas!

Changes

Ahhh change.....

I think my least favorite word is change. I try to keep it out of my vocabulary as much as possible. With the exception of new shoes and household decor I prefer things stay the same, but that doesn't seem to be how God works. Things are changing for the Cooks and God is stretching me.

As you can see in the picture there is blue sky above this house, so obviously it's not in Centralia. God has called us to Grandview Church of the Nazarene in Grandview, WA and we are heading there next month. This is the parsonage that we will soon be calling home! We have clearly seen the Lord's hand leading, but will dearly miss the family and precious friends we have here. I am incredibly grateful for those who have walked alongside and ministered with us these last 4 1/2 years. We have been deeply loved.

More from October: The Cider Mill

As usual we like to kick off the fall season with a trip to Lattin's Cider Mill. This year was no different. We didn't make it into the pumpkin patch because the kids were exhausted, but we enjoyed all the animals, yummy hot cider and cider donuts, corn maze and all the other Lattin's fun!

October in Review

It's been a very long time since I've posted a blog. There's a good reason for that too...we'll there's a reason. We have had the plague. Yup, that's right Alex, Asher and I have all been sick off and on for a month. There have been a myriad of over the counter and prescription drugs for the past 4 weeks and as a result I haven't gotten a whole lot extra accomplished. I've mostly just tried to keep the sick comfortable and nurse my own sinus infection. Only Seth has been spared the month of illness, Praise Jesus for that.

So now, I'll try to catch you up on the month of October with the exception of Halloween and our trip to the Cider Mill. I'll post those events separately.

We've had a lot of fun playtime at home in jammies since we were too contagious to go out.

So we wore buckets on our head.

One sad Sunday morning when we were missing Sunday School we painted toast. We'll have to do this again as it was a real hoot!

The menu for Alex's restaurant "Eatsa Eatsa Everywhere" (I can't get it to flip upright for some reason)

We've been working our way through the alphabet with "Alphabet Days." Here are Alex and Mrs Kris on "B" Day with their "Blue Bread" Pizza.Bubble Beard

Eating spaghetti and giving Mr Paul (his favorite) high fives!

Intently watching daddy mow.

The fort we built on "F" Day

Naked baby

Asher's favorite pastime...climbing things!

Pumpkin painting!

Alex's work of art.

We got a visit from one of Mama's favorite people ever! Jill! The kids were in love with her and Alex thought she only came to see him!

Spaghetti dinner!

We were visited by this beauty and Asher wasn't sure what to do with her...

Learning to drive

One of my favorite moments this month I don't have a picture for, but Alex asked Jesus into his heart. It was one of the most precious moments for a Mama's heart ever. The next night he asked his daddy if he could ask Jesus into Asher's heart. He was concerned about him getting to Heaven with us! Such an awesome, tenderhearted boy!