October Randoms

The Ashburn Women’s Club hosted our annual 5K the first weekend in October. This year we dedicated the race (and the proceeds) to a young girl in our community named Macy Ray. She is suffering from nephrotic syndrome, a condition that affects her kidneys pretty harshly. She has the best attitude. Macy Ray participated in the 1 mile fun run and handed out medals to all of the winners. I am proud of such a fun group of women that support our community!

 

Justin and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. We went to Mikata’s in Albany for a little hibachi grilled goodness. I am so glad we have had the change to grow up together and make our lives together!

On a work trip, my friend Katy asked me to meet up with her in Newnan. I love this girl to death and don’t get to see her nearly enough so I jumped at the opportunity. On the way from where I was staying to Newnan, I went right through Senoia where The Walking Dead is filmed. Of course, I had to swing through town and see what was going on. Fortunately or unfortunately, there was filming going on so they had a lot of side streets blocked off. I think it was cool to be right there in the area during filming even if I didn’t get to see any of the action.

 

Wyatt dressed up for spirit day at the pre-k with his new t-shirt and eye blacks. He was so cute!

Justin managed to get a hay bale again from Uncle Glynn and we decorated it to look like a jack o’lantern. We got smart this time and bought the 2X coverage paint from Rustoleum. The colors were much more vivid and we didn’t use as much paint as last year.

 

Wyatt and I got to go to our friends’ Becky and Joey’s house for their gender reveal party. Becky is due in March and we got to find out that they’re having a little buck (boy) named Caleb. I remember just like yesterday when we went to find out that Eliza was a girl. Time sure flies!

  

October was a special time because it was Papa Theron’s birthday. Amanda put out a birthday balloon and the kids had laid out brightly colored glass stones. Wyatt wanted to go to the cemetary to see it so I took him. He sat down and spelled out “Wy” with the stones. It touches me how much he still loves and remembers a man that passed away two years ago. I love that he understands that PawPaw is in heaven but that he still has a connection to him. It is a precious thing to understand through they eyes of a child. As we were leaving he looked up to the sky and said, “Happy birthday, PawPaw,” and then he turned to me and said, “I knew he could hear me ‘cuz he’s in heaven.”

I’ve been so lucky to have such amazing coworkers. I get to travel with Beth a good bit because our territories overlap a bit. We traveled to Clinch County’s economic development day and enjoyed amazing Georgia Grown products like honey, jams, and this fabulous cheese from Sweetgrass Dairy. It’s a wonderful thing to love your job and the folks you work with!

 

Mama bought these amazing cutting boards from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. She made this vinyl design and I cut one out for my kitchen. It looks gold here, but it’s actually bronze. I think more than one person might get these for Christmas this year!

Cook Baby #2 Announcement

I found out I was pregnant almost the exact same day as I did five years ago with Wyatt. I took two tests and then called Justin into our room to break the big news! We were grinning like fools. After going to the doctor for my initial checkup, I got the news that I am due on May 8, 2016. That is Wyatt’s birthday week. After we were ready to break the news to our parents and sisters and brothers-in-law, we were finally able to tell Wyatt. He is so excited to be a big brother. He is convinced that he’s getting a brother but we won’t find out until December 10.

So it now looks like I had a baby and brought him home on my 25th birthday and the next time I might have a baby and bring it home on my 30th birthday. I couldn’t ask for a better birthday present ever!

I loved telling two of my closest friends the news. My friend Jessica is due with her daughter Addison in January, my friend Becky is due with her son Caleb in March and I am due with baby Cook #2 in May. I think it’s so fun and refreshing to have friends going through the same stuff you are. You can share war stories, questions, and milestones with the same girls that you grew up with.

Sami M Photography Grand Opening

My sister Sami had the grand opening for her studio Sami M Photography in downtown Ashburn in October. I love her passion for her work and the time and effort she puts in for her clients. It was a black and gold studded affair with tons of fun polaroid photo booth sessions.

Wyatt was so excited to help. He made cupcakes and was a champ all day long.

 

    

 

 

Halloween 2015

Halloween fun for the Cook Family started the weekend before. We hauled our pop-up camper Georgia Veterans State Park at Lake Blackshear for a little R & R after a wild month of work.

We love that the park has a small hay ride and a mini pumpkin patch for the kids this time every year. We each got to pick out a mini pumpkin and decorate it. We even got in on a little photo prop fun!

  

Later in the week, I was able to visit Wyatt’s class for their Halloween fun. I loved being able to make spider hats with the kids and see Wyatt in action with his friends.

 

On Friday night, Ashburn had its downtown trick or treat celebration. I mentioned to my co-worker Kelli that Wyatt wanted to be a firefighter for Halloween and she found this adorable firefighter costume at her local consignment shop. We paired it with some new black rain boots, a fire helmet, and a real flashlight, emergency pager, and a mini fire extinguisher.

 

Before we started out at trick or treat, we visited Wyatt’s friend Ella who was hosting a lemonade stand.

 

We met Suzi, David, and they boys and made our way around town. (Check out my baby skeleton costume!)

 

Our last stop of the night was Sami’s new studio. She had candy bags for the kids and was taking quick pictures of them all dressed up. She did an awesome job and had at least a hundred kids come through in just a few short hours.

On Halloween night, Justin had to work. Mama, Suzi and David and the boys, Sami, Wyatt, and I went out to Calhoun Produce for their flashlight night in the corn maze. We had a good time, despite trying to follow Suzi’s directions!

Sunbelt Expo/Young Farmers ‘Que Fest

This year, Justin and I are becoming more involved in the Turner County Young Farmers. Dennis Kendrick is the advisor. He was our high school FFA teacher too.

Justin was part of a team that entered the Young Farmers ‘Que Fest at the Sunbelt Expo. This group was out there in the wee hours of the morning until late the next day. I was proud of the work they put in. The barbeque was amazing and the guys’ hard work was rewarded with a third place finish!