I don't get it.....

We spent a WONDERFUL weekend SNOWBOARDING, again. (Let me be honest - some of us SNOWBOARDED, and SOME of us sat in the cabin near the fire place - drinking hot cocoa and playing on the computer - I won't name any names.)

I was going to post some great pics that I took this weekend.....
Instead, I happened to notice that Katie posted all of these pictures - that she took - on her "myspace" page.

I figured - YOU ALWAYS get my perspective - why not give you THEIR perspective for once.

I know I'm really OLD and NOT COOL - but, I just don't get this - why do they have to stick out their tongue in EVERY picture?

Snowboarding 101

For those of you that needed the visual - here is the video clip of Eyli's first "exit off of the ski lift" -



Hopefully someday she'll want to try it again......

Someday.

I would......

I would be ordering a SCRIBS pizza tonight - because it sounds sooooo yummy !

But, I have 2 reasons Im probably not going to order one -

1 - I FINALLY got the bottom braces put on - OUCH! (I can't chew anyway - although, I could just lick the grease off the top)

and
2 - I am one of those people that sit in my warm house and feel extreme sympathy for the "pizza delivery boys" that have to drive in this BLIZZARD! (No sense in being the one that "makes" him come out on these dangerous roads)

SO, maybe I'll just have a few Swiss Cake Rolls???

Father Hood of the Baby in the Fam.....

Let me say trying to convince your youngest to go on the lift and then landing on her is not cool. As Ty says,that's 200 lbs. of fat man on her...... Well I tell ya she is a trooper for giving it a try, and she surely faced her fears head on. The greatest thing about the whole adventure was getting to the top of the hill and her and I praying together for a safe trip down the hill. The moments like this I share with my children are some of the best........Daddy is proud of you Eyli.......

We're Proud of You, Eyliana!

On Saturday, the whole Cook Fam went to Cannonsburg to SNOWBOARD for the day. We brought along some friends - Carina, Katie's BFF from Middle School AND Ronny, Katie's new high-school friend. We had alot of FUN family time together and enjoyed catching up with our buddy Carina!!




The most favorite part of the day was when WE ALL convinced Eyliana to go on the SKI LIFT for the first time EVER!! She may never do it again, as she had QUITE AN EXPERIENCE (According to her dad), but at least she is proud of herself that she finally made it UP THAT HILL!! (which, for the record, is more than we can say for her mother)

Daddy giving her some pointers...
(Telling her she was brave and mom was still a chicken)



After Daddy told her to calm down and breathe...
(as she was beginning to hyperventilate and scream "no" OVER AND OVER)



Success...
(She couldn't change her mind because there were too many people behind her in line)




Afterward, a little PEP-Talk from Daddy...
(Explaining that she may want to stick with READING and COOKING as her main hobbies.)





She's watched the video now 4 times...
(Either she can't believe she actually did it, or she wants to do it again?? - Dad says - not for another 5 years or so. Mom says - that's a little extreme.)

Congratulations, Tyler

Congrats to Tyler! He tried out for the Spring Musical last week and was given a LEAD role in the school's version of Fiddler on the Roof, Jr. He was the most nervous about the "singing" part - but, after he sang for his audition one of the teachers said "where have you been hiding?".

Tyler is so much like his father - ACTING will come as 2nd nature - and GIVE HIM A STAGE - we'll be moving to HOLLYWOOD by summer.

Congrats, Tyler! We are proud of you and can't wait till your performance in April!!

Faith Harbor

Our new church, Faith Harbor Ministries is off to a great beginning! Everyone in our small group has been working very hard to encourage each other through ALL the work that goes along with STARTING a new church. Bobby (one of our hardest workers :)) recently got our website up and running, here is the link if you want to check it out - Faith Harbor

We meet at Western Michigan Christian High School at 10:30 on Sunday Morning, JOIN US if you are looking for a safe place to WORSHIP.

VERY SMART Fab Four

PS: This is what a group of VERY SMART people look like.

My brothers tease me, because at every HOLIDAY I make them take a "SIBLING" picture. We have approx. one million pictures of the four of us, for every HOLIDAY of every YEAR. The boys throw a fit every time, and normally it takes 4 or 5 shots to get them to even smile. This one turned out alright - and Andy even looks like he belongs with the rest of us (instead of being the milk-man's kid).

We successfully moved Andy and his entire family to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin yesterday. They will live in a condo, approx. 40 miles from the NAVY base. This way, Karrie and the boys will be able to see him every night, while he is finishing SCHOOL. Hopefully, we will get to visit quite often, as it's only a 4 hour drive.

Dear Uncle Dan -

Because I am getting older now, I am SO OVER AUNT KRISTIE. Thank you for playing BIG BOY games with me on the XBOX. I didn't really matter to me that I was pushing the buttons on an OLD SIMON game (with no batteries) to play.
I had a GREAT TIME!


I love that we can ALWAYS win against the other boys,
even if I am sitting right on your neck while we play.

I like when we celebrate with high fives, knuckle bumps and hugs.....



Too bad, I didn't last till MIDNIGHT.
10:30 seemed like a great time to CRASH to me.

Happy New Year, Uncle Dan.

'We DID IT' Love, Dominic

Happy New Year 2009!

Dan and I rang in the NEW YEAR with all of the grandkids on my side of the fam. Being the oldest sister, I'm getting too old to 'go out on the town' - so, I offered to take the kids, while my siblings went out for New Years. We had a GREAT time playing XBOX, eating steak, playing cards, and acting silly - enjoy the pictures and HAPPY NEW YEAR!