Grandpa Cook

Dad doesn't have a whole lot going on with the farm and his alfalfa business during the winter months, so he decided to take a road trip and visit us for the week.

Waking up to morning waffles with grandpa!

 

We started our week by going to the Amarillo Zoo.  This isn't quite the Oklahoma City, Phoenix, or St. Louis zoo... but it's free on Mondays and it's something to do outside.

Owen enjoying the ride.

 

 

Lions & tigers & bears... Oh my!

 

We also spent a morning at the Discovery Center, and a LOT of time at home playing with the train tracks.

Looping the tracks all around the living room and under the coffee table.

 

 



Christmas in Warrenton

The last stop of the nearly two-week Christmas extravaganza was at mom's house in Warrenton.  

 

 



 

Mom, someday I need to get all of your pics off your computer.

 

Playing in the Snow

The day after we made the all-day drive from Amarillo, TX to California, MO it snowed the entire day.

View from Steve & Dawn's kitchen window soon after breakfast ended.

 Beautiful!

 

Owen, not sure what to think... about the snow AND Tiger Joe.

 

I had planned on trying to take an afternoon nap with Ben, but Dustin offered to take Kaden outside and attempt to sled & play in the snow. 

Kaden and his makeshift ghetto snowboots.

Dustin pulling Kaden along.

Hard to see, but dad's little white house is over the hill, about a mile or two in the background.

 

 

Kaden telling Dustin how to make a snowman.

"First we need some buttons..."

"and a carrot for his nose..."

Dustin's dog, Mia, didn't know what to think of Oscar, our snowman.

As soon as she bolted from the house, her hair stood on end and she wouldn't stop barking at it.

What a great ending to 2012!

 

 



A Walk in the Park

Protcor Park in California to be exact.

My cousin Stephenie and I were wanting to get some exercise so we loaded up the boys and drove over to the park.

Owen all bundled up in Steph's (or Brayden's) new jogging stroller.

Even though it was COLD outside, Owen never made a peep as we wound around the park for the better part of an hour.

 Kaden & Grandpa (and the dogs) went at a bit of a slower pace, stopping to play every few minutes.

Kaden, Owen, mommy & grandpa

 

Kaden "helping" great-grandpa Cook open his Christmas gift.

boys playing with grandpa

playing "Holiday Memory" with Dawn.

 



Christmas at Home

Like I said before, we opted to stay IN Amarillo this Christmas and open presents at our house in order to ease the stress of trying to see everyone at once. Nobody had to be anywhere at a set time and nobody had to even leave the house.  And to make the day even better, we were able to watch it snow all afternoon.  It was slightly bizarre, but it was wonderful to spend the entire day relaxing together as a family. 

My pinterest cinnamon roll idea,

which wasn't a bad way to wake up & open presents on Christmas morning!

 

For months, Kaden talked about needing more tracks for his 12-piece magnetic train set.

Here the boys are diving into the box of 100 wooden pieces, sent by grandpa Cook.

 

Patagonia shirt from Mary.

 

Owen playing with ribbon.

 

continuing to keep the oven warm by making a big batch of Chex Mix

 

crashing on top of the tracks, IN the giant box (present from Papa Dow)

 

 

More pictures to come.

For some reason blogger will only allow me to upload pictures from my phone and not my computer.  Any else having this problem?!



Christmas in Amarillo

The unfortunate thing about living far away from family is that it's always hard being away from family on special holidays.  Whether we decide to stay in town or drive back to Missouri, we are away from someone's family.

The good thing, however, is that Christmas lasts a LONG time!

Owen bundled up in his winter gear; it snowed ON Christmas this year!

 

Christmas at Nonnie & Papa's house

 

 mommy & Owen

 

Last Christmas was the first year we have ever stayed in Amarillo on Christmas Eve/Day and we are thinking it might be a new tradition now that Kaden knows exactly what's going on. 

We've never really pushed or even talked much about Christmas folklore, but as soon as Halloween was over he quickly started telling us about Santa Claus & his reindeer, how presents get delivered in Santa's sleigh... the works...

 "helping" Papa open his gift.
Kaden was all about "helping" everyone rip the paper off and see what lie inside!

 Owen creeping around Nonnie's coffee table.

 Kaden's new pair of shoes.

 ... and trying to figure out his new game from Papa.

 Owen not quite sure what to think... Opening a present from Aunt Dorothy.

 I got one of the best presents ever!
A brand-new Le Creuset dutch oven- something I've been eyeballing for a while now.
Thank you Shanny!

 Love the look on Kaden's face as we are
all opening our presents.

 Spreading out "reindeer food" that Kaden got from preschool
and, of course, setting out a plate of cookies for Santa.

 

On Christmas morning I made a special batch of cinnamon rolls.

 

 Hmmmm... Kaden had been eyeballing this present under the tree for weeks!
He kept telling us that he knew it was HIS present and he just hoped it was more train tracks.

 Mommy's new & exciting strobe lights for running in the dark,
 and Daddy's new golf balls.

 Ben & I didn't really get each other anything big this year. 
Neither of us had anything that we really wanted or needed (and to think that I never understood my parents when they said that!) 
We seem to have reached that point in life where we can pretty much buy whatever it is that we are wanting at the time.  Not say that gifts are not appreciated (because who doesn't love a great gift?!)  We just kept it simple this year in hopes of going on a fun (ski? spring break? summer?) vacation in the future.

 Owen with his new kaleidoscope.

 Daddy helping Kaden get his new drawbridge out of the box.

Somehow shed all clothes and started playing with the train tracks in the dark during nap time.