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!

 

 

Georgia National Fair/100 Mile Yard Sale

Back in August, I learned that Alabama was doing a concert at the Georgia National Fair. Of course I had to get tickets! We started out the day of the concert with the 100 mile yard sale that started for us in Cordele. We stopped at tons of cool places. Sami got a load of stuff for her photography business and I managed to steal this dreamy vintage glider for $40!

After our yard sale adventures and a quick stop in Warner Robins, we headed back down to Perry for the fair. Wyatt was a total ham that day and insisted in cheesing it up for the cameras at every opportunity—including the time we were in line for drinks and he asked to pose by the pumpkin and big bag of onions.

   

  

Like I mentioned, the Alabama concert was my main draw. I have been in love with the band for years. I was even a member of their fan club for at least five or six years. Every time we would visit my Aunt Gail (she lives in Fort Payne, Alabama like they do), I would rejoin and get my t-shirt and souvenir. The last time I went to one of their concerts was for my 16th birthday with Justin. They were on their going-away tour and now, 13 years later, they still have the stage presence of a band that has been a favorite of mine for decades!

 

September Randoms

September was very busy! We had lots going on but managed to squeeze in plenty of fun stuff with work and other obligations. Mama, Sami, Wyatt, and I attended a paint party. We had a great time although I will probably only do these on nights when Wy can go with someone else. He was quite a handful!

At the Governor’s Tourism Conference in Savannah, the Georgia Grown Trail 37 was recognized for a tourism award. I nominated this group not because I was a part of it, but because I am incredibly proud of the hard work the chamber officials and agritourism companies have put in together with all of the other partners!

 

Look at this ragged crew! We had a cookout at Jonathan’s house. He even had little water games and tons of water guns for the kids to play with.

Justin and Wyatt managed to get a little dove hunting in. I love to see my boys enjoying the outdoors together. I don’t particularly appreciate the need for recreational hunting—it isn’t something I was raised with, but Justin loves it and it gives them something special to do together.

 

We bought a trampoline and Wyatt loves bouncing around. We even got the kittens and May up on it.

Wacky Hair Night at AWANA. Wyatt loved having bright orange hair. You can’t see it but he also had a ton of glitter in his hair—and on everything else in our house!

We have always had Doc Bunny in the chicken coop. She loves bounding around in there. She eats with the chickens, digs burrows to cool down with them, everything! I was surprised when I looked in the coop one day and saw a kitten in there too!

One Saturday while Justin was working, Wyatt and I headed to Tifton for La Fiesta Del Pueblo. We enjoyed the day eating authentic Mexican dishes (and snow cones too!), riding the train, and watching the singers and dancers.

 

Country girl that I am, I keep a pair of mud boots in my car for moments just like this. I saw these gorgeous yellow flowers in the ditch bank on a dirt road by our house, put the car into park, and slung my mud boots on to climb into the ditch and get this shot. Wyatt thought it was hilarious to see his mama in her dress from work with mud boots climbing around in the muddy ditch.

We had some extra turkey one day and Justin decided to make some turkey sausage. It smelled amazing while we were making it and it was even better when we cooked it and finally got to taste it!

 

September Yard Work

Yes, I know it’s mid-November but I have been just so busy with everything else that I have neglected this blog for over two months.

Back in September, Justin and I both took an entire week off of work to do some much needed improvements. We were able to rip out these massive overgrown azaleas. I like azaleas—for the two weeks a year they bloom. Otherwise, they are just a nuisance and get in my way.

We also cleared out this ivy ground cover and bushy jasmine around our pergola. We planted plugs of St. Augustine grass from our lawn. I hope this will be a nice squishy place for our kids to play instead of the snake-ridden (my worst fear!) no-man’s land it used to be.

We also burned off the garden and prepared it for the winter crops. We eventually planted collards, greens, broccoli, cabbage, and some sugar cane.

 

 

August Randoms

So far Wyatt has gotten pecked twice by my favorite rooster. He insists that I kill it and that we eat it so Justin and I are trying to get him to be braver and show them he has authority over them. Crazy kid!

I think it’s funny to see the size difference in Wyatt and Pax. They are three years apart and only have an 8 pound weight difference.

   

My cousin Tara, her husband Steve, and their boys stopped by on their way to and from Orlando and their awesome Universal Studios vacation. Tara lived with us when I was little so she’s the closest thing I have to a big sister. We had a blast catching up!

 

Sami got an awesome prism for photos. I am interested in seeing what photographic magic she comes up with!

 

Remember that bow range we have in our front yard courtesy of Justin’s birthday gifts? Wyatt loves shooting his toy bow and being just like his daddy!

We had two volunteer sunflowers that popped up from last year’s crop. It made me remember how much I enjoyed them last year. I will definitely replant next year!

 

I helped one day can peanuts for Turner County Young Farmers. These babies are the caviar of the south and are so good!

  

One of my clients from work makes a very delicious pimento cheese called Proper Pepper Pimento Cheese. The Get Back Jack! is my favorite. It has just enough of a kick. Thanks to Deana’s recommendation, I love them on ginger snaps now!

This evil bugger sat perfectly still for me to snap his picture and then promptly jumped onto my head. I think I lost at least a month of my life with that scare!