Crazy Silly Cooper

My baby has recently become very very very silly! Sunday we were playing games as a family and having some brownies (yes, I let a baby eat brownie)! He was being such a Kook we had to take pictures. Pictures don't quite capture it but here is a little glimpse into how funny he has become!

Just a note at how my baby is growing up - He no longer crawls!!!! He has been taking steps since Thanksgiving weekend and was progressively getting braver but about two days after Christmas he really took off!!! He now walks everywhere and occassionally runs (usually ends badly). If he topples, he just stands back up and keeps walking. It is like he has taken a "no crawling" stance!! I love watching him walk around even while it breaks my heart into tiny pieces! Please slow down baby boy!

My Craigy Turns 8!!!!!!!

When you bring new little babies home from the hospital, accountability seems a long long way away. There is some comfort as a parent when your children are still unaccountable. My Craigy seems so young still - I am shocked the time has arrived :) It makes my heart ache! Happy Birthday my sweet little man!

Craig wanted "Spy Stuff" for his birthday! Here he is checking out his new binoculars! He got a motion alarm, voice changer, sunglasses that help you see behind you, and even night vision goggles. It was really fun to be the parent for this birthday!! The next day, he came home from school and ran up the stairs. I kept expecting him to come back downstairs - for a snack at least!! Finally I called for him, "What ya doin Bud?" "Umm, spy stuff." "Oh, I didn't mean to interupt. Get back to important spy business." I didn't see him again for quite a long time :)

Turning 8 also means Cub Scouts!!!! I should note at this time that my cute husband has been anxiously awaiting this day since Craig was born!!!!! Scott LOVES scouts and he felt cheated by his inability to be involved in his older son's scouting experience. I was taking care of the birthday purchases and asked my husband a question about what Craig needed for scouts - man was I put in my place; Dad's take care of the scout stuff. It was really cute :) I was a little afraid that Scott's enthusiasm might dampen Craig's but Craig appears to share the "Scout gene." It took him two days to have his bobcat and he has already worked his way through a good chunk of the Wolf!!! Craig becomes very obsessive about things - he is also very committed (he was The Hulk for over two years) - so, Scott and I are both enjoying his enthusiasm thus far! Even better news - Sunday I was released from my calling as Activity Day leader (one I had only had since Aug. - we had just planned the entire year of activities and they were going to be sooooooo fun) and recieved the calling as a Cub Scout leader!!!! I will find out tommorrow if I get to be a Wolf leader!!! I am really hoping - I would love to be with Craig!

Now, at my house - turning 8 means having a friend party!!!!! Due to the current Spy obsession - we had a Spy Party!!!! I don't mean to toot my own horn but, it has to be said that this was one of the greatest B-day parties in the world and definately the greatest ever conceived at the Hope house!!!!! We invited 8 little boys and when they arrived they had their picture taken and were thumbprinted (Scott made the coolest spy IDs and laminated them). Then we all had pizza! Then Spy training began - some calisthetics (lead by Riley), target practice, an obstacle course with bomb detonation (popping a balloon), and ended with Scott's shining moment - LAZER COURSE!!! Apparantly if you face a lazer pointer at a small mirror (pack at Hobby Lobby for $2), it will bounce to another mirror, to another mirror, etc. When the lights are out and a fog machine is blowing - the lazer rays appear!!!!!!! Don't ask me why we own a fog machine, it is a long strange story but I am grateful my husband has one now!!! It actually worked and looked so cool. Several boys were concerned about being burned by the lazer beams :) After Spy training the boys had an actual mission - rescue Agent Fox (Andi)!!! There was a map & clues that led them around the neighborhood; final destination was the school playground where Andi was tied to playground equipment. It went pretty well, except my invisible ink (words written in lemon juice will appear under heat) ended up starting the map on fire!!! I think the boys thought that was cool though! At one point I heard one the boys yell, "Craig, I love your birthday party." We came home for presents, cake, and then watched The Spy Next Door. It was soooooooo much fun to plan and execute!! Happy Happy Birthday my boy!

The party pictures are not great - I was too busy making it all work and it was dark a lot of the time. Totally worth it!!!

Christmas Celebrating!!!

I uploaded all of the pictures backwards :) So, here is Christmas dinner! Meighan and her family came over for dinner and then we played games all evening! Riley recieved Just Dance 2 - this has been a big hit!!! We all took turns playing/laughing at each other! Loved it! Also, we got our Ashlie home for a whole week!!!! She arrived the 19th and flew out the 26th - it went too fast but I so enjoyed having her home!! Picking her up at the airport was one of my favorite things! Waiting with the rest of the family, watching all the people stream out the doors, and then FINALLY, there she was! I teared up a little and Grandma kept worrying about where her parents were (she was so shocked when I kept telling her that we were her family)!

I was a bit lax on the picture taking front this year - too busy watching and enjoying to remember to visually record! Andi is thanking her grandma for a present!!

Craig tearing into a present from Grandma Highbarger!!!

Ashlie!!!!!! Hurray - still just happy she was home!

Cooper's 1st CHRISTMAS!!! He was a bit confused by the whole process, became as excited by other's presents as his own and only sort of figured out the opening procedure! We all had fun watching him!

I know it sounds silly for a 5 year old BUT, Andi really really wanted her very own blow dryer :)

Cooper on his little bike! This has been a real hit! He loves it and his siblings love to push him around the house (for hours)!!! I was concerned about the speed with wich Andi was pushing him. I admonished her to be more careful and slow down. Andi's solution - belt him to the bike!

Craig got a couple of Wii games he has been DYING for!! He ran around the room yelling, "He gave me both, he gave me both."

But - it was Riley that won the prize for BEST CHRISTMAS REACTION EVER! There has been begging for a cell phone going on at my house for YEARS!!! Scott was on the "never gonna happen" team and I thought she should maybe have something by the time she was driving/dating. Santa ran across a program that finally helped ease Scott's mind about a cell phone! So many parental controls the phone almost isn't fun!! Santa puts the kids presents, unwrapped, under their stockings. When Riley came out there was nothing under her stocking. She is used to her dad teasing her but just as she was starting to sound a bit upset - Scott called her phone, I said, "Riley, is your stocking ringing?" There was a short pause and then "DID I GET A CEEEEELLLL PHOOOOONNNNE?" All at a very very loud volume. She them dumped the contents of her stocking onto the floor, picked up the cell phone and screamed like a wild banshee. It was so much fun to watch! I had the hardest time sleeping Christmas Eve because I knew she would be so excited!!! Thank you Riley - parents dream of that kind of reaction! Later Andi declared it "The best Christmas Ever!" wich always makes a parent happy.

The good news; it was actually a pretty slim Christmas for us materially speaking. I shopped like crazy and horded coupons and even I was a bit amazed at how well I did considering the budget - but I think we tried extra hard to have the right spirit. We have done homemade gifts for each for the last three years - my children LOVE it (especially Craig). I love watching/helping them create things for family members. It is wonderful to be sooooo invested in a gift. We also did the 12 days of Christ this year - instead of the 12 Days of Christmas. Each gift (mostly baked goods) was related to and accompanied by a story or miracle from Christ's life. I liked that each night (well most anyway) we took a moment each night to think about our Savior. Plus, the kids really like the sneaking and doorbell ditching that goes along with it. It was a first time effort and I am already thinking and planning for how next year will go!! We also started a new tradition on Christmas Eve. Everyone wrote an "I love you" letter for the person who's name they drew in the gift exchange. After the regular Christmas Eve festivities, we sat in our jammies around the tree and read our letters out loud to each other. There were a few tears, some laughs and a beautiful spirit!! We all agreed it was a wonderful new addition to our festivities!

We had our silly program with Meighan and Kirsten's families - sorry, lost my mind and didn't take any pictures! Trust me though, it was fun!

Coming into the family room Christmas morning!

Waiting for the go ahead from dad as they waited excitedly at the top of the stairs!!!!! It was a wonderful Christmas - came and went too quickly but magical as ever! Merry Christmas my sweet little family! I love you all so!

Thanksgiving :)

I know this may sound crazy/pathetic - but this was the first time I have ever done Thanksgiving dinner all by myself!! I have always gotten together with family and provided a section of the meal! This year, circumstances landed the Hopes alone in Boise! It was actually really fun! I made all the dishes my little family loves most, we got out Grandma's china, the table setting was beautiful (I didn't think to take a picture until it was covered with post meal mess), and - best of all, we got ALL the left overs!! Kevin (my step-brother) did have Thanksgiving dinner with us; he was stranded in Boise by nasty roads! Plus, Mckay, Ashley and their family came to our house the next day to spend the weekend. We had a great visit with them and got the best of both worlds!! I may just choose to do Thanksgiving alone again :)
Andi's Kindergarten class put on a very sweet Thanksgiving program! It was full of songs and Andi had a solo part for one of the poems (she was very nervous but did great)! I loved watching her!

My cute girl :)

Here are just a couple of cute, November moments!! Cooper and Dad asleep together; melts my heart every time they cuddle up together!

Riley playing Wii with Cooper in the front pack - it just makes me laugh!

Now this is a rare one - Cooper fell asleep while sitting with Andi!!! Sooooo cute!

Halloween!!!!!!

Halloween was the usual frenzied, candy extravaganza!!! Andi dressed up as a witch; quite a cute little witch!!

Cooper enjoyed his 1st Halloween dressed as a bumble bee (Thank you Breanna for the costume loan)!!

Craig desperately wanted to be Link (from the Legend of Zelda)!!!! I think we pulled it off too! I figured out the costume (it is actually stapled together - LOL) but Scott made it perfect for my little boy with his amazing shield!!!! I was so impressed with him - good daddy! Riley and her friends went to the Stake Halloween Dance as a pack of Skittles (they each had a different colored shirt on with a large S on the front)! They were super cute but alas I didn't get a picture!

And of course, we carved pumpkins!!!

In true teenage style - Riley made her jack-o-lantern throw up; we are so classy!!

I just want to point out that I grew the two HUGE pumpkins all by myself!!!!!!!!!!! I was shoulder deep cleaning the biggest one out (I clean out and Scott carves)!!

Cooper didn't so much carve pumpkins as watch/eat but he enjoyed himself just the same!

Riley hard at it!

Here is my cute Craig with his creation!!!

Andi, happily sharing her hard work!

Andi at the school's annual costume parade!!!!!! I sure love that little girl! Craigs pictures from the parade were all from the behind and he wouldn't turn and smile at me - I think he was trying to pretend he didn't know me JK!!!!!! Who is that crazy woman with the camera!

Cross Country - 2010!!!!!!!!!!

I have amazing children (I am a little biased however) but when Riley runs - I am in awe! She had an amazing season this year! She finished almost every race in the top 5 and even ran on Varsity for part of the season! She lettered as a Freshman - which is quite a feat! She works so hard and is so talented! Cross Country in high school is quite a deal - they practice all summer (I think it is wonderful - she has to be at practice by 8 all summer), they have team dinners before every meet, have numerous team parties, and went on a trip to Northern Idaho for a meet!!! She has her Cross Country family! The above picture is 4 of the "Freshman 5" - we are missing Sydney! From left to right - Blayke, Brittney, Riley & Taylor! I love these girls and I am so grateful Riley has friends like them!!!

Post run - always a race to the bathroom!!!! Tired, sweaty but satisfied with her 3rd place finish!

This was her district meet - I can't remember what place she came in but she beat this girl just before the finish line!!!

Here is Riley catching Leanne (her team nemisis)!!!

Here is the start of the race!!! It is a beautiful sight!!!!