pics

Kyle loves going to sleep at nap time and night time. he hardly ever gives us any problems when he goes to sleep, waking up is a different matter though. I don't blame him, I don't like getting out of bed all that much either ;)

Adam is a goof ball, he sure does make me laugh though.

Dad's 27th birthday (he is getting old)!

he got some targets and shooting stuff to go along with the rifle he got for Christmas.

 He had a home made twinky cake too.

Jump on it

Before some more cold weather and snow hit, the boys and I went to Jump On It for mommy and me time. My friend Erica and her kids were there too. The boys had a lot of fun.

 I love how they play and just love each other

 Adam is getting so big and doing so well with using the bathroom, he is moms big helper.

We think Kyle might be left handed, but for right now he is super ambidextrous. While eating he we switch back and forth between right and left, throwing and coloring are usually done with his left hand, as he is demonstrating :)

my boys

I can't tell you how much I love the way Kyle and Adam play together. They often irritate each other but they are also best buds. Kyle wants to be just like Adam and do everything that he does, and Adam gets a kick from showing Kyle how to do all sorts of things (especially things he knows he shouldn't be doing).  Lately Adam and Kyle have both been curious about when their baby brother will get here.  As I get bigger and bigger Adam asks me almost daily why Colin isn't here yet.  Kyle loves to lift up my shirt to expose my belly and give it kisses and snuggles. They are sweet boys.  The nursery has now been dubbed Colin's' room. Did I mention that we are naming the baby Colin?Today,the boys were playing nicely together when it got a little too quiet for my comfort.  I went into the nursery, which is usually locked, to find Adam curled up in the baby swing and Kyle gently rocking him. Aside from slight annoyance that Adam was where he knew he shouldn't be, I dashed off to get my camera, unfortunately Kyle has stopped rocking him by the time I got back.

got to love these silly sweet boys

another cute story. Adam knows how to sign I love you in sign language (the one hand version) and the other day we came into the room to him holding down his two middle toes and he said "look! my toes love you!"

Fridges and Twinkies

Happy New Year! We came home from California on the third to discover that A, my little sister Ashley had cleaned out entire house while we were gone as a Christmas gift (my sister is awesome by the way) and B, our fridge had pooped out on us while we were gone. This was not the first time it happened and since we have been home it has happened three or four more times. So out of necessity, we got a new fridge. 

Dad (Nathaniel) got a twinky maker for Christmas from his sisters (who are also awesome) so we make twinkies! so much better than the boxed kind. Kyle was so excited he did a little twinky dance. the taste was a tiny bit off because we used butter that had been in our dead fridge and had a interesting taste. I have since gotten rid of everything that was in the old fridge. They were delicious nonetheless.

2013 in Review

2013 was one for the Books.  As winter thawed out we found ourselves going on lots of outings and bike rides and spending a lot of time together as a family. We loved every minute of it and were anxious to add to our family. Then in March we found out we were pregnant! we were oh so happy and excited but this little Angel was not meant to be. In early May my pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.  We were crushed as a family but we were still certain we wanted another child as soon as possible.  Later in may we went out to California and spent a whole week having a blast with and without the boys in tow. After meeting in Sacramento and eating a big dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Cook we ended up going to the ER because Grandma was having intense pain in her stomach.  We found out later that it was stage 4 pancreatic cancer.  Our year kept getting more eventful and in July we found ourselves closing on our own home in Orem Utah.  We said goodbye to a wonderful neighborhood and ward in Springville and Hello to our own house (and equally wonderful ward and neighborhood here in Orem).

Right after that Kyle turned one and Adam turned three and Grandma and Grandpa Cook came out to visit, eager to spend as much time with their Grand babies as possible. It was at this time that we were able to announce that I was again Pregnant and expecting another little one in March of 2014. We went to the Bassett reunion in Idaho at the end of July and the Cook Family reunion in the beginning of September. Grandma Cook was Able to make it out for that too. Dad started up his masters degree from the University of Illinois in August, and I started my last two classes of my Bachelors degree in October. We also found out that we are going to have another boy! yay for brothers! Early November Grandma Gleason was diagnosed with leukemia, though we found out that hers is the mildest form of the cancer. Grandma Cook was going through a lot of treatments and it was decided that she couldn't make the trip out to Utah anymore, so in November, right before Thanksgiving we made a trip out to California and then to Arizona for the Gleason family reunion. December was great with family and friends and parties and such but must important was the time spent together as a family making memories. 

Adam and Kyle, we want you to know how much you are loved and cherished by your Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, and by your Mom and Dad. we have seen you grow so much this year and are so happy that we get to have you in our family. We also want you to know that we have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that the time we have here on earth is really just a short moment and if we are faithful we can be together with our family forever.  We know we are not perfect but we are so grateful for the chance we have every day to improve and grow in love for you and for each other.  We love you!  Love Mommy and Daddy

Christmas 2013

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