COOK FAMILY PARTY

The family Christmas party was held Dec. 20th. Randy and Lorraine hosted the party this year. Their were lots of activities for the little ones and good food for us big ones. Each family was asked to perform a song. Our family chose to do Jingle Bells blowing into pop bottles. I was relieved when Lacey and Chris arrived at the house from Oklahoma in enough time to figure out the notes we needed. Then we filled the bottles accordingly. It was fun and sounded pretty good. Randy and Lorraine's family performed to the 12 days of Christmas on CD in the dark with glow sticks which was fun to watch. Lu Ann and Mark and the rest of the gang also did a song in the dark with glow sticks. Activities for the kids were Tic Tack Toe, fishing pond, decorating cookies and getting a picture taken. We always end our parties with a gift exchange while reading of the Left -Right story. Grandma Cook gave each of the great grand kids a personal little desk with a storage compartment. The desk slides onto the storage where they found books, crayons, markers and of course Candy. Thank you Lance for helping mom out and making all the desk tops. I remember when our ward did them on a Super Saturday activity in 1985. Some of my kids still have theirs and use them for storage or art supplies. They were a great gift. Thank you Randy and Lorraine for hosting this year. It is a lot of work.

More Pics of the Cook family Christmas party

Our Three Christmas Trees

I put up three trees every year. Our living room is small so I put up a tall skinny tree and decorate it with nativity ornaments, white lights,and bows with long streamers. I display all of my nativities through out the room along with my nativity tree skirt, pillows and table runners. I love this room. It is beautiful. The snowman tree is put up in the kitchen and stays up thru January. The other tree is out Santa tree which I put up in the T. V. room. along with all our Santa's.

SNOW FLAKES

To start off the holiday season I cut out snow flakes and display them in ou large liviang room window. No matter how many years I have been cutting snow flakes no two are ever alike unless I refold and trace the cuts. They are all so different and pretty. My family looks forward to them every year.

11 DAYS AND COUNTING!

11 more days til it's over! I can finally have a clean house. I'll be able to actually walk to my bed without climbing over, scrapes, sewing machine, material , tiles, vinyl lettering, bags and more bags, and piles of clothes clean and dirty. Which is which? Any ones guess. I'll have time to clean out the closet from all the junk ( closets weren't meant for clothes any more than garages were meant to park your car) then I'll see the empty spaces for all the clothes I don't have. And I may even find the gift I shoved in the back behind the shoes that I forgot to wrap. Oh Well, no one will know. I'll clean out my purse which is way over do and organize all the receipts that I have crammed in it at the check stand in a hurry to get the heck out of their. The person breathing down my neck impatiently at the check out doesn't help the situation either. Can't wait to have time to clean my toilet. It doesn't take long before black creatures start to grow. I will get caught up on my laundry and have clean towels. Reusing a towel once is okay with me but more than that is not good. I was getting ready for work the other morning and as I grabbed a towel to dry my face I got hit with the big "BO" smell, gross! I'm tired of running to the store for something I need to make all those holiday goodies and always forgetting the milk and bread. BEST OF ALL, I will get rid of all the decorations that I don't use yet hang on to because, "You never know."
Can't wait til it's over! If any of you get this way raise your hand.
So I had a day off Monday and I refused to go out shopping and decided to sit and relax for a moment and watch the snow fall. It was so peaceful watching everyting turn white. I found myself with a lump in my throat and thinking to myself, "I LOVE CHRISTMAS." Why did I let all the hustle and bustle of the season get to me this year? I know better.
I tell myself every year that I won't let the commercialism, rude shoppers and "have to have it " get to me. I do pretty well with my spending though.  Christmases have always been paid for. Some years have been meager but we already have all we need, really! As I continued to watched the snow fall.....
I took time to reflect on all my many blessings.
1. A sufficient home with a large backyard that has brought so many good memories to our family.
2. 5 wonderful grown kids who have HUGE hearts and love for family and all the traditions we hold dear.
3. 2 amazingly smart and gorgeous grandchildren, who bring LIGHT into to my sometimes dark world.
4. A job
5. My boss is 73 and still caring for the health of people he has grown to love. Great example to me.
6. I still have my mother around whenever I want to watch a Jazz game, go to lunch , play cards or just hang out . I love helping her prepare those great gifts she lovingly gives her family every year.
7. My husband who works so hard to provide. He loves the Savior and I know that he will never wavier off the course of his strong testimony.
8. For 2 daughters who chose to be mothers in a day where it is felt to be so inconvenient.
9. For my son-in-laws mom Diane and her children who are like my own relatives. I love her and have so much fun with their family.
10. Grateful for my other son-in-laws mother, Alice, who taught Kent so many wonderful traits.
Hard work, compassion, forgiveness, card playing, game playing fool and a love for children.
11.My OLD car .

THE THREE LEVELS OF CHRISTMAS

The first level is THE SANTA CLAUSE LEVEL. It's the level of Christmas trees and holly and colorful packages, of candlelight and rich food and warm open houses. It's carolers, shopping malls, excited children and weary parents. The level of caring and giving, eating too much and spending too much and enjoy every minute of it. We love this level of Christmas.

The 2nd level is THE SILENT NIGHT LEVEL. Our glorious Christmas carols. The familiar story, "Now in those days there went out a decree..." It's the level of the crowded inn, the Holy moment in a dark stable when the son of man came to earth. It's the Shepherd's, angles, and glad tidings. Wise men traveling far in search for the Holy One. We love this level of Christmas.

The trouble is these 2 levels don't last

The 12 days of Christmas is all we can stand and the trees dry out and drop needles all over the floor. The lights on our pre-lit trees burn out. The beautiful wrappings go out in the trash. The toys eventually break, the feast is over and the dieting begins. We get out the vacuum and put the decorations away. And the lonely and the hungry are with us still.
How many times this season can we sing Silent Night? The sacred Holy Night, the Shepherd's, the angle and the star can't long satisfy humanities basic need. The man who keeps Christ in the manger will, in the end, be disappointed and empty.

No! For Christmas to last all year, for it to have the power that changes lives, we must celebrate it on the 3rd level. THE ADULT CHRIST. It is at this level that our Savior brings us gifts of lasting JOY, PEACE, and HOPE. The adult Christ who reached out and touched the untouchable, and loved the unlovable, who so loved us all that even in His agony on the cross He prayed forgiveness for His enemies. This is the Christ who wept, Enoch tells us, because so many of us lack affection and hate each other - and then who willingly gave His life for ALL of us.
This is the adult Christ who gave us the perfect example and asked us to follow Him.
This is the Christ who said "If ye love me, keep my commandments"
"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
Accepting that invitation - to keep His commandments - and love one another - is the way - THE ONLY WAY - to celebrate Christmas all year and all life long!
....May you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS all year long.....

KURT BESTOR

Kurt Bestor was SUPERB as usual. His 20th YEAR ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

Some family met at the RODEZZIO GRILL for a SPECTACULOR dinner before the concert. Because of the parking situation downtown with The Jazz game and program at the tabernacle we rode the trax to ABRAVANEL HALL and rode it back after the concert. Iv'e been to 3 or 4 of his concerts in the passed and this on last night I enjoyed far more than the others. His choice of GUESTS this year were AMAZING. And for the first time Kurt autographed his latest Christmas CD if you chose to stand in a loooong line. Not my cup of tea though. Thank you Daryl for a Fabulous evening. I'm going to have to diet now for a week.

OUR IN LAWS

I came across a talk show the other day while flipping through the channels. A Psychologist was talking about in laws. The question was asked, "How do we include our in laws during the holidays?" His answer was.....it is important that you treat your in laws at least as good as your spouce treats them. If your spouce does not get along with his or her parents or visa vera, then communication is very important. Talk together and decide what the boundaries are and how involved you will let them be around the holidays. Respect each others feelings.
Same with your children during the holidays. Communication is so important before you go shopping. Moms and Dads have different expectations when it comes to buying gifts for the kids. Example..... Mom wants to buy the store out and Dad puts his foot down and says no way! Decide on a budget for the kids and you will have less stress, tension and arguing this holiday. Same with spending for family and friends. Great advise.

Different Expectations
I find that every Christmas I get the coolest stuff to put in Lances sock. I love to get things that are different, yet useful. I try to find different candy and not just the usual stuff. Yet when I get my sock, it usually has an orange, an apple, a soda pop, usually a deoderant and hair spray, licorice and an Almond Joy. I can count on it every year and it sometimes frustrates me that he is so' la- de- da 'about my sock. This year I thought about how to motivate him to do a little better in surprising me with different, fun stuff. You get the point that I love filling socks?
It is more fun than buying the presents.
I remember a fun thing that my sister in law use to do with her husband. They would set a money limit, then they would each go out the same night just before Christmas and see who could get the most stuff for the same amount of money. She said that they would both get very creative and had a blast. I think we'll try that this year. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Have Fun filling your socks this year, and be creative.

RECRUITING GRANDMAS

So all you grandmas out there , I know you're out there somewhere, come join the world of BLOGGING!

GOODMAN CHRISTMAS PARTY

Saturday morning the Goodman's met over to Scott and Julies for breakfast. We chose from a variety of meats, veggies and cheeses to put in our omlets. Scott proceeded to make everyones omlets on his large skillet, placing a scoop of hash browns on the side. They were the best omlets I have ever had, honestly! Thank you Scott. There were sweet rolls, grapes and chocolate milk. After we ate, all sorts of candies were put on the tables along with graham crackers and icing to build our houses. It was a lot of fun to see the different creations in the making. The little kids had the most interesting houses using every kind of candy available, and lots of it. Shianne's daughter Haylee had better things to do. Following the dog out the doggie door was more adventuresome. The party was ended with gift exchange and some of Grandma's famous fudge, and with nuts this year! Way to go Grandma Goody. Several family were not there for one reason or another, and we missed them all. Thank you Scott and Julie for hosting the party this year