Heilegen Abend (Christmas Eve)

We started Christmas Eve dark and early (5am) to get to California in great time. The boys were fantastic and Nathaniel and I were able to listen to a book the whole way so the time flew. Our whole family (to a lesser extent, dad) has been sick for what seems like the entire month of December, with a day or so here and there feeling good enough to have some fun. Luckily this sickness just made the boys super sleepy, so after we got to California at around 3:00 pm both boys went to sleep and really didn't wake up until Christmas morning, which is why I don't have any pictures of them Christmas eve.  Holding to tradition, we did the Nativity play. it was entertaining if not the most reverent rendition. 

Aunt Emma was Mary and since we didn't have a baby to help us out (Kyle may have been too wiggly even if he was awake) we used a piece of cloth for baby Jesus

 Dad being a wise "guy) with cousin Spencer and Uncle Dustin. Great Uncle Robin was the Angel

 Confused shepherds 

 Dinner was yummy

Great grandpa Bassett reading Stubby Pringle (another Christmas Eve Tradition) We were so happy to be able to spend this Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Cook and all the Cook Aunts and Uncles (we even got to see Uncle Jared via group video chat on his mission)

tis the season

Among all the preparations for Christmas, and for our trip to California, we were able to find some time to make it a happy and memorial time of year. We went to the Gleason Family Christmas party, (Adam loves spending time with his cousins and he calls all of them his friends) the extended Cook Christmas party, watched Polar Express together, and went to the mall to talk to Santa (Adam asked for books and Kyle asked for a ball, Santa delivered :) though we didn't get any pictures with him. The boys were both pretty excited.  We also participated in Advent. This is a celebration I grew to love during my time as a missionary in Austria and this year were were home for all four Sundays leading up to Christmas. The boys loved watching as each week we lit an additional candle and sang Christmas songs and read about the Nativity in the Bible.  I think this really helped us stay in tune with the reason for all the celebrations. Adam is starting to grasp concepts more and more and it is exciting to witness the little cogs in his head turning as he learns why and how we do things.

 Kyle kept trying to escape or hang on the not-so-sturdy rails as we waited. he is becoming so active

 Adam is getting too big!

The final night of Advent.

Adam

This is what happens when your three-year-old finds your phone unattended, already a master at the selfie!

Snow!

on the rare occasion that the boys were both healthy enough, I tried to let them play in the abundance of snow we have had this month. I think they enjoyed it.

 Kyle's first real experience with snow

Cooks cookie night

The second night of Advent we had Aunt Milla come over and watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. then we made cookies

 We made Chocolate crinkle cookies and it was a messy process

 the cookies sure were yummy

 even if they were sticky

 Adam did such a good job at rolling out the cookies in the powdered sugar

showing of messy fingers

Work Party

Qualtrics annual Christmas Party was a big hit this year, the theme was winter wonderland and we were asked to where white. Nathaniel and I went in beach gear. 

 The CEO even told us he loved our outfits. the food was great, the entertainment was entertaining and it was a great date with my hubby.

Welcome December

December is proving to be the month of sickness.  So far nothing to bad, but nothing very fun either.

 On the first night of Advent we put up the Christmas tree and decorations.

 the boys were so excited to help.

 My belly really started poking out too

Whirlwind

A couple weeks ago we had a serious conversation with Grandma and Grandpa Cook (Nathaniel's parents).  Back in May it was found that Grandma has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. since then she has gone through chemotherapy and radiation and she has been in and out of hospitals with blood clots and fevers and pain. In this conversation it was admitted that while we are still hoping for a long time with mom, the reality is that it could be as little as months before she is called home to Heavenly Father.  It wasn't unexpected news and it was good to get it out in the open. We immediately made plans to be out before Thanksgiving and then again for Christmas. A few days after that, Grandma Gleason (my mom) called to tell be that she was being diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. The prognosis of which ranges from several months to several years.  Can I just say real quick that cancer sucks.
   That weekend we were called yet again to receive the news that Nathaniels Grandma Cook was in the ICU and could possibly pass away in a matter of hours. we spent a good portion of that weekend in the OR and ICU waiting rooms. We got to see Grandma and have been blessed with the news that she has recovered enough to be moved to a rehab center.  My mind is still trying to wrap itself around everything and I am really just trying to take one day at a time.
So this last week we were able to spend in California. We want the boys to have as much time with Grandma Cook as possible and because she can't travel at the moment, we went to here.  It was a great visit and I hope we didn't tire her out to much. She is getting stronger and she always has such a positive attitude which inspires me daily.  Adam and Kyle adore there grandma Cook. It was so wonderful to see Adam climb up on her lap and read story after story with her.

 Kyle found a nice cozy basket to climb in

 and Adam had to join him

another thing I was blessed to witness in a small degree, is the love between my mother and father-in-law. this is such a trying time for our family but the biggest comfort is the knowledge that mom and dad were sealed together and their family will be together forever.  The Lord has promised that if we are faithful, this love will not be severed by death. He strengthens us daily.  I am so grateful for that knowledge.

Braced for colder weather

it's been colder lately. yesterday morning I found out that Adam knows how to turn the heater off. So while it wasn't much colder than 60 degrees C inside, we decided that that was too cold for us. The boys and I snuggled up by a sunny window vent with blankets and sipped warm chocolate milk. They are so cute a snuggley! 

 Kyle is a stomach sleeper, and a pretty sound sleeper too, the marks are from sleeping with his head on his hand :)

Hero's and Monkey's

Halloween was great this year! Adam chose his own costume, Superman, Kyle was a sock monkey, Dad was a stick figure and Mom and Baby Colin were a Mummy :)

We carved Pumpkins and Adam was totally grossed out by the guts,

while Kyle enjoyed them a little too much!

Adam Helped carve his own pumpkin 

Ward Halloween party

Kyle was so stinking cute and developed a taste for candy... any time he hears a wrapper now he comes running

 Dad rocked the stick figure

Fall fun

I love fall weather when the sun is shiny and you can go play in corn... well, the corn was a first but we have been living up the great cool fall weather here.  I especially like spending time with family. On this fine day, Ashley and Kimberly came to play at Jaker's Jack-o-lantern place in Springville. We had so much fun!

Adam really liked to be buried in the corn, I am still finding kernels in random places.

Kyle loved the corn pit too, we also went on a hay ride,

went through a hay maze

saw animals 

 And we even came back with Dad

 Adam made corn Angels

 we picked out a pumpkin and Kyle tried to pick it up... it was just a tad heavy

 Kyle wanted to be berried too

 Mom got a turn