Shutterfly!

I love using Shutterfly. I've been spending a lot of time on it too these last few days since I'm so big and pregnant that I don't want to move around much.  I just completed an album and thought I would share it with you. :)

Click here to view this photo book larger

Turn your favorite photos into a photo book at Shutterfly.com.

Oh Sweet Sugar!

I went to the store today for a bottle of Cherry Coke. I've been craving a little bit of Cherry Coke with my cup full of ice. It gives the ice a little flavor. Well, while I was there, I decided I needed to buy a strawberry cake mix, cheesecake brownie mix and ingredients to make snickerdoodles. Hmmm...now I'm craving sweets? Sweets and ice? Two things that I definitely did not crave before I got pregnant. It's  a good thing I haven't been craving sweets like I've been craving ice or I'd probably have gained 100 pounds! And to date, I have only gained 18!! Yep, I'm bragging. For me, that is awesome. With my others I gained 30-60 pounds. YIKES! And if the baby weighs 8-10 pounds, then I'll only have about 10 pounds to lose...well of pregnancy weight. I had weight to lose before I got pregnant. But anyway, back to the mad sweet buying. A friend posted a recipe a few days ago on Facebook for Snickerdoodles. Since that time, I have wanted Snickerdoodles so I finally made them today. And they turned out delicious! I already have a tummy ache from eating too many. Here is a picture and link to the recipe if you want to try them.

Snickerdoodles
(Mine didn't turn out looking exactly like this. They weren't as flat but they were still yummy!)

I'm not sure when I'll make the cake or brownies. The cookies seemed to satisfy my sweet tooth for the time being!

5 Things!

I didn't really have any inspiration to write but I've seen on other blogs where they will just list five things about their day or post five pictures that represent their day. I thought I would go ahead and do that just to keep my blog writing going...otherwise I might only write one post a year. = \ So here goes nothing. :)

1. Today is Riley's 19th birthday. I saw him for all of 15 minutes...maybe. I guess that is what happens when they grow up. He would rather be with his girlfriend than his mom...imagine that! ;)

2. Two weeks from today, I should be bringing little Avery Ann into this world. This pregnancy has really taken a toll on me. It is much different being pregnant in your 30's than it is in your 20's. At least it has been for me. I have felt completely drained for most of the last nine months. I've also probably eaten my weight in ice...several times! I can't describe the NEED I have to eat ice. I even wake up in the middle of the night and eat it sometimes! It is also usually the first thing I eat in the morning. Good thing it's not fattening!

 

3. I've been spending A LOT of time scouring the internet for teaching ideas for next year. You didn't think teachers really took a break during the summer did you? ;)

 

4. Adam is in OKC again this week. I think this makes his 3rd week there. He will probably be there again next week but then he will have the following week off as Avery will be joining us that week. I'm excited to see the two of them together!

 

5. I'm struggling to come up with a fifth thing to mention. Um...Oh, I made a yummy dinner for me and Grayson. (Delaney is at a friend's house, Connor is at camp and Spencer is too picky to eat it.) I made chicken fried steak, green beans and mashed potatoes. YUM!

 

I know this entry was just a thrilling read. :) Oh well...they can't all be life changers!  

 

Almost a year has passed...

Oh my goodness...I am just horrible at this. I have NEVER been able to keep up with a blog or journal. And now here it is almost one year since I last posted. You would think it would be easy for me because I absolutely LOVE to write. I wish I could do it full-time and make a living at it but I guess I have to actually write to be able to do that. Well, enough lamenting over my failure as a blogger...

So much has happened in this past year. Catching you up could probably take pages and pages (there aren't exactly pages on here but I don't know what else to call it) so I'll try to wrap it up in a nice succinct little package.

Looking back at last years' posts, I need to comment on some changes.

*We no longer have Milo. Milo was our dog. There were many reasons and Adam was not thrilled that I was giving him away but he understood. I could explain all the reasons but then it would make this take longer and it really doesn't matter. I will say that I enjoy my home much more without a dog in it. And Spencer was not too upset, in fact even wanted to get rid of him because he chewed up his toys. However, a dog-free life is temporary. When we get a bigger home, we will be getting another dog. Adam really wants one.

*The son that turned 18 last June is now a high school graduate. I am so proud of him, yet a little sad that he is not still 10 and running around the house. He is not here very much and I miss him. His 19th birthday is approaching quickly.

Riley at our church's senior ceremony. Isn't he handsome?

 

We have some big news here at the Cook household. Well, here, I'll let the kids tell you...

Yep, we're having a baby AND it's a girl. We are thrilled, especially my only daughter, Delaney. She has four brothers and has had to endure being the only girl for 13 years! Our little Avery Ann is due to be here on July 2. My actual due date is July 8 but the doctor, merciful woman that she is, will induce me on the 2nd. You see I have huge babies. And Avery does not appear to be an exception. My smallest baby was 8 pounds 7 ounces. My largest baby was 9 pounds 13 ounces. I'm so big and uncomfortable right now but I've got less than a month to go so I can do it. I haven't taken many pictures of myself pregnant because I think I look hideous but I shouldn't be like that. I wish I would have taken more along the way. I will include ONE of me and Spencer. Pretty funny, I think!

I don't remember why Spencer is making that silly face.

 

And one more update that I can't leave out...

Spencer's tumor has decreased in size!

I don't usually write about his health issues on here but I couldn't leave that out. You can always follow the tab at the top of this page over to the website I have set up specifically for his health journey if you want to read more.

 

 

 

There have been many more events that have happened this past year but if I wrote about everything, you would probably still be reading this next year. So I will close for now. We are out on summer break and I am so happy about that. However, I never stop being a teacher and I'm already working and planning for next year. Hopefully I will "see" you sooner than another year from now.