Our annual family party

WE always have such a nice time at Kristen and Todd's home! We fry scones with cinnamon, honey or powdered sugar toppings! The kids have such a great time being together and then we have them in act the Nativity story. They do such a great job. Even little Nate got into the act!
We miss Melissa's children when they are not here.
By the way, when is the eating going to stop? but it's so good!
have a wonderful Christmas everyone,
by the way Carolee and Jeff have some great news concerning his lab tests. What a wonderful blessing.

Happy Birthday Carolee

It's Carolee's Birthday Well December 14th is another special day. My fourth daughter Carolee was born. I have to tell you those were the days when you didn't know what you were having and when number 4 girl was placed into my arms, I was NOT one bit disappointed. Carolee was the cutest little thing ever. I remember being in the recovery room with Bill and he held her for two hours and she was just a calm sweet baby girl. ( This was the first C section that Bill was allowed to see, and all he would tell me about the operation was, " boy you are sure going to hurt tomorrow, you can't believe what they were doing to you!" weren't those words of comfort?But a miracle happened, I felt no pain having Carolee. You see, at the time Bill was the Bishop, it was tithing settlement, he was needed for the ward, and I had 4 little children under 6 years old and I felt great! I remember that so well, because I knew it was blessings from above, plus two months previous I had just lost my mother to Lou Gehrig's disease, and I was given special comfort.Carolee was really special because after Kristen was born and having so many complications with her the Dr. and told me I couldn't have any more children. Somehow I just knew there were more children to come into our home, so when Carolee arrived it was another sweet blessing from above.Carolee was tiny and all her big sisters just loved her so much.
Carolee was so fun to raise, she was obedient, and about as cute as they come. She had long blonde hair and big blue eyes. Her best friend was Jason Briggs, and they played outside constantly. She loved her big sisters and really loved her baby brother when he came a few years later. Carolee was always very smart and loved to talk! She was also very strong willed and somehow did not comprehend the word No when she wanted something!
Carolee was a parent's dream to raise, she always wanted to do good in her life. When she got married it was hard for me because I just was sad to have her leave home. It was a great blessing to have her and Jeff and two children live with us once again for 4 1/2 years while he was in school. They were great to have in our home.
I continue to be very proud of her in how she has conducted her life, she is raising a sweet family, she has been so supportive of Jeff during his long hours away at school and on rotations that have taken him away. She has great faith in the obstacles that have come thier way. I'm so happy that I was blessed with my number 4 daughter. I love you Carolee

Kristen's Birthday

Today, I'm very grateful for the birth of my 3rd daughter Kristen! ( actually everyday, I'm grateful for her birth) but I would like to remininse a bit on Kristen.
Wow, what can I say to share my feelings on this special daughter? First of all I want to go back to my pregnancy with her. When I was only in my 4th month I discovered that I had a very serious condition called placenta previa. In order to save her life I would from that day on have to stay in bed 24/7. Now you must realize how difficult "mentally " that was for me since I had a 2 year old and a 3 year old at home! But we wanted this baby to be born healthy, so to bed I went. It was a huge challenge for me, and at times very discouraging, we were living away from both of our parents so we hired a teenage girl to come over every day to be with me and the kids until Bill got home from work. All of my kids know how much I love to stay busy so it really was a test of my faith to follow the Dr's orders. During this time though I put to good use because I started doing family research and genealogy! and this was the year I made all those Christmas stockings that hung on our fireplace for so many years!
Finally the time came when the Dr. said that the baby was big enough to be born ( plus he examined me and said, I was a bomb ready to go off!) so the next day she was born. Complications set in and I wasn't able to come home from the hospital for 9 days. But my health was spared and we were blessed with the cutest little red head ever!
From the very beginning Kristen was such a good baby! She loved to sleep! yea! but as she got older her two big sisters just loved her so much. Kristen has always been our peace maker in the family and so fun to be with.
Kristen was our shy one and very tender hearted. I don't believe Kristen has ever had a spanking. Her heart was just too tender. Kristen was so fun to raise, she always had many friends, the years just went by too fast!
Kristen has the most beautiful hair, I love her read hair, I love Kristen! She is a wonderful mom to her children. Her children excel in all that they do. She and Todd are wonderful parents and raising a strong gospel centered family.
I'm so very grateful that Kristen was sent to our family! She has been such a blessing, all of her siblings and to her mom and dad.
I love you very much Kristen, I hope you have a wonderful day!

oops

I meant to say Nate instead of Mack, even though Mack was with us at the party.

Our grandsons and daughters are so cute.
We are so lucky!

Birthday Celebrations

we had a fun time on Sunday evening. Ryan and Taryn and Mack, The Biehns, and the Thompsons were able to come over. We ate some great food, some great desserts, and the grandkids had a great time playing together. We always miss those who can't be with us.
Christmas will be here before you know it!

Poor Mack

well, my cute little grandson has had a heck of a week. He broke his arm last week, and all week long he was in such pain, then he tripped and fell on his cast, and he cried for about 2 hours, so they took him back to check on it. The Dr. felt he needed pins put in to hold it in place. The reason he hurt so much was because it had slipped out of alignment. So last night or should I say morning ( at 1:15 am) he had surgery. Poor little guy, he's such a sweetheart, and when they don't understand why they hurt it makes you feel so bad.
Today Grandma is going over to help Kristen while she gets some sleep.

Life does bring it's challenges, but thank goodness for good doctors and insurance!
Sunday we will celebrate Brooklyn's 5 birthday, boy that five years has gone by so fast! She is a sweetheart. Trevor just turned 11 years old and he's such a fine young man, and super athlete.
Julia will turn 6, and she's a happy bright little gal, who loves makeup!

Next Friday I will celebrate Carolee's and Kristen's birthdays with lunch with the girls and a cookie exchange party! We McCooks love to eat!

yeah, it rained

What a surprise to have rain today. Long over due, and now it's beginning to feel like winter just might come! I love to drink hot chocolate.
Bought some pretty poinsettas today, I want to start doing some baking but I need to clean out my freezer, ( that is not a fun job, a big jar of homemade jam spilled in my freezer, and if the word sticky comes to mind .. oh my)
I've been looking up blogs and I'm very impressed what good cooks there are out there, yum.
Some of my girls will be coming over to do a cookie exchange and then celebrate Kristen and Carolee's birthdays, I'm looking forward to that.
Well not much else news except Dad and I got the tree up and we are all decorated!

Yippee all my shopping is pretty much done and wrapped and the Christmas cards are ready, I guess that is pretty discusting huh? But that's what you get when you don't have little ones under feet all day.

Thanksgiving was GREAT

Palmers got a new car

Well, at least new to them!

and by the way, boy am I embarraressed I accidently posted this on a recipe site.

aren't I intelligent!

Yesterday was a good day

well, the day started out with my dentist appointment, No cavaties! well, when you get my age all the teeth have fillings in them or they are capped so no chance to get a cavavity. But anyway, the hygienist was saying my teeth were white and had I bleached them lately ( she was getting good points from me) I told her it hadn't been for about 4 years since I had done it. She said the new product now is that you wear the stuff for only 25 mins. a day for about 3 days. The cost is 25.00 for 3 tubes.. Hey, I"m going to go white again!
Then off to the Church to help my friend Cheryl work on the reception details for Saturday. I'm not much of a decorator, but found my way into the kitchen to cut up fruit.

Then I drove to Kristen's house to help her. We had such fun, who knew, doing laundry, cleaning up the house would be so fun? But we spent the day together , she fixed a great dinner of baked ziti, and then we ended our fun day by going to Walmart! you know when you go into that store you look around and think interesting people !
anyway, it was a great day, and then best of all I went back home and worked on genealogy for about 2 hours, I've connected with a distant Mccook cousin who is 90 years old and He sent me papers on the family, it's been great!
so fun.
Satuday, Dad has promised me a FULL day of helping me, I'm estastic, it's been about 3 months since he has had the time to help around the house and do my wish list.

This past week

Yikes, it's been a long time since I posted, lets see, this week went by really fast. Since I last wrote, I went to the dentist, to the eye doctor, got my carpets cleaned ( I used to never have it done, and now I'm on an every six month plan, you just can't believe how good they look after they come and clean your carpets!) taught a friend to make cinnamon rolls, went to the temple, a regional RS president's meeting, and got my car oil changed! Whew, how did I ever fit in children in my life?
I'm getting excited to go to Arizona for Thanksgiving, I've started wrapping some presents, problem is I forgot what I've bought and who they are for. Oh, it's tough getting old. And my children will all tell you, that when they all lived here I would hide presents, and then forget to give them out on Christmas, I think it happens every year!
I am so serious about this thing about getting our three months supply of canned goods, I know I know I've been called "chicken little" but hey I want to be ready and there is absolutely NO reason why I can't do this, I have the room in my house now and I have the money ( since I"m not feeding an army ) to do this. I hope everyone else takes it seriously and puts more effort into it.

Well sorry my blog isn't too interesting, but I did come across a good recipe I found on someone else's blog that I think I'll try since I love to cook in my crock pot, here it is for you too.


Whole Chicken Crock Pot Recipe
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large roasting chicken (with pop-up timer if possible)1 cup onions, chopped

In a small bowl, combine the spices.Remove any giblets from chicken and clean chicken.Rub spice mixture onto the chicken.Place in resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.When ready to cook, put chopped onion in bottom of crock pot.Add chicken.No liquid is needed, the chicken will make it's own juices.Cook on low 4-8 hours.Note: I highly recommend a pop-up timer in the chicken because some crock pots cook faster/slower than others (my crock pot cooks this recipe in 4-5 hours

like mother like daughter

now you can see how much Melissa and Tessa look alike!

fun huh?

can't wait to see them again in a few weeks.

like mother like daughter!

I wanted to share with you all the picture of Tessa, and then some pictures of Melissa, can you believe how much they look alike.. Tessa, is such a good baby, Melissa was a really good baby too, and always happy. She started walking at 9 months and after one week she was so good she could run! I think Tessa will be the same!

I can't wait to see Tessa in a few weeks.

Halloween was fun seeing how cute everyone was.

Twins again

What a special Day

Sunday was a special day. Nathan Ryan Mccook was blessed by his dad. It was a beautiful day, all of those who could traveled down to L.A. to Ryan and Taryn's ward and participated in the blessing, they we all drove back to Chino and ate a delicious lunch. Nate was perfect all day, we don't think he cries, we never hear him! He sure likes to sleep too! Besides family it was fun for Wes and Paul and thier wives to join us.
Thanks to Troy and Candice who drove from AZ to be with us. We love having them with us they make us laugh! Melissa and Jess we missed you!

Dad and I are sure proud of our kids, We love our family so much and so grateful for all of you!.

Just a little more than three weeks and we'll be in AZ for Thanksgiving!

how did she do it?

I'm showing a picture of Great Grandma Goodman because she is my hero. Not only did she raise her family alone at the age of 46 years old, she also was a Relief Society president for 26 years! uggg, that would be tough!

I'm grateful to serve but I have to say, being a president is not easy. I'd much rather be given assignments then to give them! You just want to do a good job period!

won't get into all the details, but I think going back to raising little children is easier to do! so enjoy it girlies other challenges await you!

I'm loving this weather, and right now, I've been doing cleaning projects since I'm having a bridal shower at my house next week. Like polishing my front door. How often do we do that one?

Tomorrow is a regional genealogy faire at the stake center, can't wait for that.

And girls, do you have your pictures ready to give me for our FAmily Calender. remember Nov. 1st is when I want them!

I got tagged

well, here goes for my info about me.

Where I have worked
1. Wrights Market in the bakery and then a cashier
2. Rhodes Elementary school in Mesa as a teachers aide
3. Used to sell sample clothing for Wrangler out of my garage
4. State farm insurance office for Bill
Places I've lived:
1. Mesa, Arizona
2. Tempe, Arizona
3. Tucson, Arizona
4. Chino California

TV shows

1. Love the Travel channels
2. Seinfield
3. The Office
4. The History Channel

Places I've Been

1. Vienna, Austria
2. Rome, Italy
3. Russia ( fabulous)
4.Bermuda

Weird things about me

1. I absolutley love to do genealogy
2.I have sweaty hands
3. I'm horrified of cockroaches
4. I snore

Places I'd rather be

1. Mesa, ARizona
2. Washington D.C. to see the museums
3. Love a fabulous restaurant
4. Somewhere exploring new places with Bill

Can't remember who has been tagged , but I'll try TAryn, Julie Nielsen, and Joy when she finally gets her own blog



1

What's For Dinner?

today, I went over to Taryn's with a load of groceries and big pots and pans so we could do some major cookin! We turned out 2 pans of chicken enchildas 2 pans of beef enchiladas, Chicken Divan casserole, 5 lbs. of hamburger cooked and seasoned ready for chili, spegetti, taco soup, stroganoff. then we cooked up some chicken for chicken salad, chicken cresent rolls. So now she has all the ingredients to make these meals, plus the ones in the freezer. It was fun!
The baby only woke up once nursed and went back to sleep, so he owes me some time to hold and kiss him!
Taryn already looks like she never had a baby, She looks so good! She was even able to fun a quick errand today.

Tomorrow Dad gets his fun colonscophy. I"m glad he cares about his health. This week has been busy for me, I'm actually looking forward to waiting for him at the hospital, it will give me time to hopefully come up with a good talk for my leadership meeting.

I got this in my email, thought they were funny,
AMAZINGLY SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

1. If you are choking on an ice cube simply pour a cup of boiling water
down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself.

2. Avoid cutting yourself slicing vegetables by getting someone else to
hold while you chop.

3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using
the sink.

4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for
a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to
use a timer.

5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you
from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze
button.

6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you
will be afraid to cough.

7. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't
move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the
duct tape.

8. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

DAILY THOUGHT: Some people are like slinkies -- not really good for
anything but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs.

There's a chill in the air

The weather here has been perfect. I love this time of year! After last weekend's big event, I've enjoyed a little slower pace. All I had this week was a funeral, taking a dinner to someone, a Doctors appointment, work, and babysit Joy's kids one night. I'm also planning for my stake leadership meeting, ( which means planning a talk yikes) and giving a bridal shower at the end of the month. I guess you just really never slow down.
I can't wait this Sunday, everyone will be here ( sorry Candice and Mel wish you were with us) but it will be so fun because Nathan is coming to my house for the first time.

I'm so happy to hear about Jeff's good news, and today is Todd's birthday ( I've tried to call twice but no one is home)
Not much else to report, but just to make you a bit nauseated, I've started on my Christmas letter, as soon as I can get a picture of ryan and taryn and the baby it's done! I hate feeling stressed at the last minute.
well, I'm hoping for rain to come, it will be a nice change.
mom

today is the day

well, September 29th has finally arrived. For everyone else it's a pretty normal day, but for me it's being in charge of the RS general broadcast for our stake. Basically think of it as a mini wedding reception! I'm feeding hopefully 200 people! Thanks goodness my counselors and secretary are such great help. But I do think I worry enough for all of us!
I'm excited to see all the quilts that will be on display, I hope that it brings out a few more sisters who might have not come.

I haven't told my kids this, so it's the first for you to read this. Yes, I have my challenges too, but life is full of challenges and it's how we deal with them that counts. But I' m now on glaucoma medication. Everyday for the rest of my life I will need to do drops. I just pray that this medicine will work for me and that my eye sight throughout the years will be protected. You know, ever since I was a little girl I thought about how awful it would be to go blind, that is the scariest thing for me and now I have this issue. But I know that what ever may come my way, I'll be okay. I would ask for prayers that the medicine will lower the pressue in my eyes.

I'm loving this beautiful weather... I look forward to the holidays.

Nathan Ryan Mccook is finally here

well, I guess you can say one of the biggest joys of having children is that they have children! I feel so blessed everything a new little spirit joins our family! Nathan is so beautiful, he is so perfect! Ryan and Taryn are so happy and thrilled. Dad and I and Kristen drove into LA to see him, how amazing it is to hold a brand new baby! Taryn looks so good! and she is such a trooper. Ryan was just beaming. Even though we've now been through this 15 times it doesn't get old! it's a thrill everytime, The Lord has truly blessed our family with the most wonderful, sweet grandchildren, and might I say beautiful too!
mom

A Quick Trip

Well, we just made it back from Arizona where we attended Adam and Kelly's wedding.. so nice.. by the way the sealer did such a beautiful job in talking to the bride and groom, makes you remember what is really important in life.
The reception was beautiful, but with me having hot flashes every now and then the 105 degree weather just about did me in! I felt like I was melting... uggg

so fun to be with Mel and Jess and kiddies, and of course fun to see where Candice works and her newest new apartment! Her and Troy are going to love it there I can tell. We always just love being with family. That is the greatest.

Glad to be home though, it's much cooler here, honestly I thought I was going to croak....no wonder I went swimming every day when I was a kid!

Was fun to be with Louise and Mitchell again, by the way, he said today when he was mowing the front lawn he stepped on something squishy.. he looked down and it was about a 5 foot garden snake under his foot.... yikes... I also was able to give him his genealogy book with names he can take through the temple. He loved it.

Well the time is soon for little or should I say "big guy Nate" to come, can't wait. hang in there Taryn...
mom

A really good laugh

Today was a good day. I went to Kristen's house saw her cute little ones, ( Mack and Kate) helped her clean up, made her some pumpkin bread and then got home. I called Louise to see how her Prep for her colonsopcopy was going.. Okay, I know you guys are all young and haven't experienced this life changing event, but I have to tell you I laughed till I tears were coming down my face. Just like you cannot tell someone how painful labor pains are, you cannot tell someone how awful the stuff is that they make you drink so you will go to the bathroom and totally clean out your insides... Well, when I called her she had just had her 2nd dose.. she was moaning...it was so funny.. really, I knew just how she felt, but I got her to laugh about her misery... she said going to the bathroom was like turning on the bathroom faucet.... and believe me that is just how it is! so someday when you all are 50 make sure you do this experience. Tomorrow we are coming to AZ... it will be fun to see everyone
Yikes, just two more weeks before my big RS event. so stressful!

baptism picture

I found this picture and thought it would be fun to post... any grandkids look like me?
let me tell you a bit about my hair do.
My hair was very thin so mom ( granny) thought it would "protect" it more by wearing it in braides.... so everyday she would braid my hair and in fact I remember some times she would even put olive oil on my scalp to help my roots... isn't that funny? I guess she doesn't remember the time when I had lice and she used gasoline or something horrid like that to kill the lice eggs..
that is probably what made my hair fall out!

anyway, I did do my own bangs.. aren't they lovely? usually they had a bobby pin holding the curl, but for the picture I combed them out!
anyway, that is the history of this picture.. Oh yes, I still have this dress, and today I washed and Ironed it.. I think it would be great fun for each granddaughter to get a picture of her wearing this dress!
by the way, I remember the photographer taking great pains in forming my fingers that they would look natural!
mom

Monday.... Babysitting day!

Trenton and Brooklyn got here a little after 8.. it's always fun to have Trenton run full speed and give you a big hug hello, but I do have to say his head is mighty powerful when it hits your body!

he's such a cutie, he eats about 6 suckers when he's here, but what the heck the suckers will be gone soon and I won't buy any more. Brooklyn and I like to bake together so we did pumpkin bread, she loves to stir, and I can clean up the whole kitchen while she is stirring. I wanted to make pumpkin bread because my little cutie Bridget loves my bread, and I"m going to see her in a few days.
actually, all my grand kiddies like my bread so I'll make some more for everyone.

Tomorrow I have a regional relief society meeting in Colton, I will feel glad when I feel comfortable in this calling. will that ever be?
in a couple of weeks we are doing a nice dinner before the broadcast, but I'm excited for the quilts that are going to be displayed in the cultural hall, we''ll get from 80 to 100 quilts that sisters have made.

Not much else going on, looking forward to going to AZ this weekend.. however I do have to say after living here in California the drive over is getting a bit tiring after all these years!

what? no burgers?

yesterday we had a ward picnic. They are always fun and we meet in the park next to our ward chapel. I had on my mind all day about eating my hamburger! so I didn't eat much lunch to save on calories... Finally the time came and we took our chairs, our drinks and headed off. We got there and I looked at the tables and saw one of the sisters cutting sub sandwiches.. I thought wow who would bring that? ( thinking a lot of work for someone) and then the lady said, this is what we are having, it's too hot for burgers..... I had to keep my nice composure and say, or that's nice... and then I was so bugged.... how can you have a ward picnic and serve sandwiches from Walmart... ( that is where they bought them) so my evening was ruin! except I did get in some fun visiting, but I still have a hamburger on my mind.. I didn't eat the sandwich, there was no dressing on them just big thick bread and meat..

I found a picture my mom had taken of me at a professional studio when I was eight years old. I decided to make copies of it so when I give the grandchildren their little memory book at their baptisms it would be fun to see what I looked like at their age. I go to Sam's club to pick them up and the lady said, We can't let you have them because this picture looks like a professional picture. I said, look at it, it's me, it's almost 50 years old, I can't ask the photographer about it because he's been dead for about 40 years! they had to get the manager to give permission, which she very hesitatly did, but gheezs that was dumb.
Anyway, that was my day yesterday. Today, Dad will be gone all day until 8:00 pm, so it will be a bit lonely... I guess I'll have to be with my dead ancestors and do genealogy.
love
mom

hmmm, how do you make it work

okay, I tried to bring in a better picture, but as you can see, the dimensions are not good, so it makes me look fatter! Really , I'm very thin in person :)

okay, did you see a picture of Tessa? so cute! actually when I see candid pictures of my grandchildren on the blogs, I think I have the very cutest ones ever... Really, they are the cutest.

Today, I'm sprucing up the house. It's becoming quite pretty if I do say so myself. And then I think we used to be raising 6 kids here, it's really kind of weird, because those days are gone. So remember girls when you think your long days will never end of wiping buns, getting drinks, cleaning up spills, settling arguments, and driving your kids those days will end! What a priviledge it is to be a mom. Some days are funner than others though, I do remember. But our children really do give us life experiences.

Hey, Candice, I'm needing a trim too, if we can squeeze in the time. Okay, time to brag here, Candice is dang good in the hair department! Joy is dang good in the cleaning department, Kristen is dang good in decorating department, Melissa is dang good in the financial department and Carolee is dang good in looking so dang good! plus also so smart. Ryan, well, he is my favorite son, what can I say? But I just love all my kids so much and so proud of what they have become.
okay, I better quit so I'll have more to post later,
love ya

Loss of words

Thanks Kristen for setting this up for me! now that I have
my own blog, I can't think of anything to say. Now I think all of you have been so creative and fun, it's putting pressure on me!

This blog probably won't be to exciting for others to read other than my family, but it will be fun to try and stay in touch.

Tonight I'm working at the family history library as a substitute for someone, tomorrow Dad and I and Joy will be at the Redlands temple.

So glad the weather got cooler, I always wonder how I lived in Arizona.

Okay, I know my new topic will be to remind all of you to follow the Prophet and get that 3 month supply of food going, and also water! It's so important, and I hope that each day you will do something to contribute to your goal.
Follow the prophet in everything!
that's my words of wisdom for today :)

I thought it would be fun to post family news and updates, hope you enjoy!