A Cook Moment

Nearing the end of 2011 with a smile on our faces

2011-12-16T05:26:00.000-08:00

The beginning of this year, I wrote about this being the Year of the Rabbit and what that meant. How perfect! The Year of the Rabbit brought lots of change to our lives this year, which was to be expected, its not been an easy year but has been a fulfilling year and is ending on a wonderful note! We are happier than ever -- Team Cook is officially adding a member to its team, a little girl!

Being pregnant so far has been such a surreal experience, I am still just trying to wrap my head around the whole thing. And now I can feel her moving around and its blowing my mind! I am half way there and can't believe its going by so fast! I have never looked forward to a year more than this upcoming one! Amazing how time changes things, this time last year, I was so sad that things weren't working out the way I had hoped. We put our selves through so much to have our current outcome... glad to see it all worked out!

We bought the farm house, plans to move their in the spring, and we are having our little girl, Amelia (middle name still being decided) Cook. So many things to be thankful for and to look forward too!

I am also overwhelmed and overjoyed by the compassion and excitement of all those near me about Amelia's arrival.

I am going to try to be better about posting and will post an image of Amelia's 20 week u/s soon!

It's Official!

2011-05-05T15:47:00.000-07:00

We are official - well microWave project that is! Our little business venture had a milestone, the painful process to get our business license, sort out our tax issues have finally been resolved! We are officially a business. We have so many awesome projects planned and 2011 is moving fast!

Eric and I are also going through the painful process of trying to start a family, which has never been an easy task for us. We will have a family one day, its just the way we go about it may be different than what we had always planned on. We are trying to buy Mt. Echo and have begun talking to the bank -- that is very exciting. The saying "Build it and they will come" has a nice ring to it and I am hoping that it is a true statement. The house we want to buy is big enough for the big family we have both always wanted. Getting our ducks in a row is not a quick process but I feel like we are waddling our way through it and we are making progress.

Its also wild to think that Eric and I will be celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary the end of this month!! That blows my mind!!

Happiness is...

2011-04-17T13:37:00.000-07:00

spending the day with Eric and the dogs at the farm house, listening to the rain beat down on the metal roof, cooking up a storm of my own in the kitchen, watching the dogs play, daydreaming with Eric about what we plan to do when we grow up, sitting by the fire reading, having a neighbor give us fresh eggs from their chickens, discovering Mole sauce at the grocery store that tastes EXACTLY like what I had in Mexico with my good friend Claire, long walks in the country with the dogs, and so much more....

Mardis Gras and all that jazz

2011-03-12T07:45:00.000-08:00

Mardis Gras was a blast and a much needed break from life for a few days. Work and life are moving so quickly for me right now that it made perfect sense to take it easy in the "Big Easy." Lots of great fattening food, shopping for fun wigs, great parades with lots of awesome throws, and great quality time with friends made the weekend perfect. I am a lucky girl to have such a strong support system around me. I do not take it for granted, not one minute.

Returning home, (literally the very next day) I had to have a minor medical procedure and then make a potentially life changing decision. Then jump back into work full speed, with crazy all around me and attempt to keep my emotions in check. Now I am heading out for the weekend to the farm house and plan to relax and hopefully paint some in the studio. This will be a "me" weekend and I refuse to feel guilty about not going into work on Sunday.

I will enjoy spending quality time with my beautiful husband and two cute dogs this weekend. Did I already mention that I am a lucky girl?!

2011- Year of the Rabbit

2011-02-26T06:18:00.000-08:00

So, its been a few months since my last post here. Fall has past and winter is almost over. 2010 was a really good year; a year filled with self discovery, exploration, getting back to our roots, creating a plan. The most important thing that happened to us in 2010 is that we finally figured out how to become unstuck! We rid our feet of the cement blocks, removed the chips on our shoulders (ahem, his shoulders -- just sayin'), stepped out of the sinking mud and made our way through to moving forward with ease.

Now 2011 is here, and I for one am so excited for what it brings. It feels appropriate that it is the year of the rabbit! I think of rabbits as being able to move swiftly but also for producing. I hope to have a productive year, continue to move swiftly forward towards our dreams of starting a family, to Eric finding a new job, finishing his Masters degree (in March - yay!), and moving microWave project forward to a successful business venture with my good friend Allison.

We have already started the process to begin our family, and April will reveal whether Step 1 of our plan worked. If not we will decide whether to repeat step 1 or proceed to step 2. Step 2 has always been a definite step that we plan to take, timing and place has always been the question.

We are also in the process of remodeling our townhouse, which feels like it will never be finished --hell its barely got started. We are also trying to decide whether or not we want to buy the farmhouse. We have until July to make our decision!

I will be leaving for New Orleans next week to attend Mardis Gras with two of my closest friends - Claire and Allison! I have never been before and know that if I don't go this year -- I will never go. I have a rolling bucket list, and this is on it. I will post about the trip when I return with hopefully some awesome pictures!!! We are spending Saturday night of the trip dressed as USO Pinup girls. Crazy!!

September 6, 2010 Labor Day

2010-09-06T20:15:00.001-07:00

I can't believe summer is officially over and fall is upon us. The fall is my favorite season... the milder temperatures, changing of the leaves and a feeling of new beginnings are right around the corner. Oh and college football.

Eric and I had a good summer. He was home pretty much all summer except for the last month of it and we have really had so much quality time spent together.

The dogs are great, the house is great, we found a beautiful farm that we hope to be able to buy. So many changes in the works right now for us, its so thrilling and scary. Its funny how being out in the country has allowed both of us to rediscover exactly what makes us happy. And the importance of family first above all else. And the importance of taking time for yourself and those you love. There is certainly an art to doing that! I can't believe I taught myself how to knit this summer!!

I can't believe a year has passed

2010-04-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the last time I posted anything to this site has been over a year ago! And what a year it has been! A crazy roller coaster ride of a year! With the craziness of work, my husband's military deployment, the loss of one pet and the adoption of a new one. The start of a new business venture with a friend. A long, hot and painfully emotional summer and fall, to an equally long and hard winter. The spring is finally here and its a beautiful one. I think I may have to just create a slide show of images that cover this past year. But not today... today I am just thankful that I remembered to write something on this silly blog. Granted I am fully aware that I am the only one who gives a crap about that! Now... I hope I do not wait another year to repost....

2009-04-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

Ralphy shows his toys NO MERCY!!!

2009-04-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

Ralphy playing at work with his BFF Cooper

2009-04-03T17:53:00.000-07:00

Little Miracles

2009-04-03T17:30:00.001-07:00

Margi had another beautiful baby girl, Kaylee Jean MacDuff. Already she has the most gentle spirit and I love her so much. I hate the distance that prevents me from spoiling her the way I have spoiled her big sisters, but such is life and I feel blessed to have what moments I do get.

And the hits keep on coming!

2009-03-21T19:39:00.000-07:00

So it turns out that Ralphy is not necessarily allergic to apples. The vet came back with the test results and it appears that the apples were simply a coincidence and that the little man has Giardia. So, here it is on a Saturday night and I had to make yet another late night trip to the Vet ER to pick up his medicine since I am headed out of town late Sunday or early Monday. His regular vet doesn't open until Monday morning and I will be out of town by then. Considering this is a highly contagious thing that Ralphy has and that he has been exposed to other dogs is worrisome. I have a pretty good idea where he received this little unwelcome gift. Regardless, I will be around small children and other animals very soon and I just couldn't wait until Monday to have him put on medicine. Aw, the adventure continues.

Another Cook Moment: An Apple a day DOES NOT keep the doctor away!

2009-03-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

It has been an interesting week, work has kept me on my toes as always. Ralphy ate something bad on Monday, apples of all things, and they made him very sick. So sick in fact I had to take a trip to the Vet ER around midnight on Tuesday. He is ok, granted they gave him fluids because he was SO dehydrated and they gave it to him under his skin so it appeared as if he had a giant tumor on his side. If only I had a camera that worked I would have taken a picture of the unusual sight.

I am in the process of getting a new camera, if I can find a store that will actually sell one to me! (in reference to my failed attempt at purchasing a camera from Target!) So, hopefully soon I will be able to share these interesting moments in pictures! For now, I will simply post a cute picture of Ralphy.

As Good A Day as Any

2009-03-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

Well this is day one of our blog. Eric and I have been together forever! Ok, not forever, but a very long time. We actually celebrate our Sweet 16th wedding anniversary in a couple of months, May 29. Its strange how time passes us by so quickly. Its even kind of sad to think that with a milestone of 16 pretty good years that we can't spend it together. With Eric off doing his part to fight the war on terror, I stay behind and do my small part which is pray for his and his unit's safety and speedy return, pace the floors, ignore the nightly news, and wait patiently (well not really patiently) for his phone calls and emails.

I am fairly new to this whole world of blogging and have only thought of using it for professional purposes. However, my best friend has an amazing blog and I can't help but feel as though I am missing out. I know that I have close friends and family that never know what Eric and I are up to, since it seems as though we are always moving from place to place . This could be a very good way to keep those interested up to speed.

I also like the idea of having a different way to communicate with Eric by sharing daily happenings on my side of the world and hopefully he will share what is happening on his side of the world. We will see if that works, my sweet husband tends to boycott such new technologies and he may get all Irish on me ( or hillbilly, take your pick) and refuse to participate. Here's hoping!