Master Bedroom

It is said that the Master Bedroom should be the most luxurious room in your house.

In Cook-style fashion,

we saved that room for the very last to update and renovate.

It is not completely done,

but we are mostly finished.

I still need to get curtains for the window in the 'office' area of it.

I need to get bedding to compliment the walls,

We need to get stuff to hang on the wall . . . sconces, art, etc.

and I need to make a cushion for the window seat & get some throw pillows.

We will also be making a waterfall in the big hole in the wall . . .

but that will be later in the making.

A friend (Ellesha, this is for you!) wanted to see what we've done

and I've been reluctant to put up pics since it's not totally finished.

But I am eager to show all of our hard work for the last two months.

There will be some before/after pics to give you an idea of the change.

So without further adieu...

Our Master Bedroom!

Laying down the foundation for the window seat.  We used to throw junk that we didn't know what to do with in this area.

Now it's a window seat with two side bookshelves

Top view of window seat.  You can pull up the seat and there is storage that runs the whole length of the wall under it. Yay!

I designed a little laptop desk to go along the bedroom/bathroom wall.

A view of one of the bookshelves.  The white rectangle below the bookshelf is a pullout door for storage.  Can't have enough storage!!

 

We also built a larger desk to run the length of the wall that we put up toward the bed side of the bedroom.

A close up of the desk

The hole in the wall will one day contain etched glass with metal tubing above.  The water will trickle over the glass into a reservoir where the water will be pumped back up to the top.  We will put lights down the side of the inner walls to illuminate it.

This is the view as it was when we bought the house from the bed side of the bedroom looking toward the bathroom.

The same view now.  The glass you see in front of the brown wall is the glass that will be etched for the waterfall.  It will be removed from that metal frame and suspended under a stainless steel bar in the 'hole in the wall'.

The love seat in this pic is where the window seat and bookshelves are now.

I designed a storage/entertainment center for the wall at the foot of our bed.  One day a flat screen TV will be on the top of it . . . One day . . .  Also, some of the boxes are going to be illuminated with lights . . . again . . . someday.

Older view of bedroom from bathroom door

The view now from the office/bedroom door (in front of the bathroom door).

It's not completely done,

but I think we got a pretty good dent in it.

My P90X Boys

Matt has been doing P90X for the last 6 weeks.

The boys usually sit there and watch.

Well yesterday, we thought we'd get them in on the action.

Back, Arm & Shoulder training with daddy

The weights were moving so fast, they're a blur.

All he needs is a prehensile tail. =)

He couldn't pull himself up, but he could hang there for the longest time.

Look at those curls.  What form!

Usually the boys spring jump with these...But, he was actually working it here.

On his way to having a beach body! - which he insists he doesn't want. haha

My little weight lifter getting in on the action

This one we call alien hand. - Best buds working out together.

"Wow! Those are much bigger than when you first started!"

The Gunshow - Love Gts facial expression here

This is what P90X can do for you!

Kids First Live Baseball Game

I love baseball.

I know some call it a boring sport,

And it can be at times.

But I still love the game.

So, I couldn't wait to take our kids to their first ever baseball game.

Someone from our church was giving out free tickets for general admission.

We are so thankful for their generosity.

Arriving at Regions Park. -  We brought our neighbor along with us too.

Waiting for the game to start

He was excited for the first few minutes.  Then he asked the question, "Has it been a hundred years yet?"  We all laughed and assured him it had only been an hour and a half since the start.

Daddy being silly with his baby boy.

He was bored out of his mind.  It didn't help that they had a fun bouncy house park way out past left field.  Since we were sitting first base side, that's all the kids focused on and subsequently thought the game was boring and wanted to go play there.

Our neighbor had a very loose tooth.  Matt offered to pull it out.

He didn't succeed.  The tooth was still there.

After watching the game, they all loaded back up into the van...tired and disappointed...not over our team losing; but not being able to go the the bouncy house Fun Land.

We are glad we took them to experience their first game.

Our oldest seemed the most interested.

That's because he wants to play baseball.

 

I can't tell you how many times we heard the question from the other four:

Is the game done yet?

The first question was asked at the top of the second inning.

(Granted, that first inning was long!)

But, it wasn't all horrible for them.

They enjoyed snowcones,

And spent the entire game looking at the Fun Land out past left field;

Wishing, hoping, daydreaming that they were there instead. =)

Kaidin's Cake & Fun

Take 2 for Kaidin's Bday

His daddy finally got home from working in LA.

So we celebrated with cake & ice cream,

and playing with his new birthday present.

He was able to test out his helicopter with his daddy.  It took a while to get the hang of it.

What kind of cake did he want???  Auburn of course!  That child truly is their #1 fan!

Love licking the spatula.

Lighting 10 candles

He blew out the candles as the cake spun.  (it's on a lazy susan platter)

The Big One-Oh

Wrapping up the Cook birthdays for the end of May / beginning of June

is Kaidin.

Today at 7:17pm ET, he officially turned the big 1 0.

Ten years ago today, he weighed 8# 1oz and was 21 inches long.

He spent his first few days of life in the NICU at St. Vincent's Health Center.

He debuted on the Children's Miracle Network,

As being a non-preemie NICU baby.

Kaidin at a day old.  He was in the incubator.  We were only allowed to touch him through the hand portals.  He was a full term baby, but he spiked a fever after birth and they couldn't get it down.  He was released four days later.

 Seems like it was forever ago, but at the same time, it seems like it was yesterday.

 How time flies.

I felt bad that we couldn't celebrate today the way I wanted to . . .

We watched Courtney at soccer camp for three hours in the morning while it was drizzling . . .

The sun came out, but then

I babysat for four hours.

(He loves playing with the girls though and thought it was a blast)

But the biggest bummer of it all was that

His daddy was working and unable to see him today.

(So we're doing cake & ice cream with him later)

Kaidin is so easy going though,

And easy to please.

He still proclaimed that it was the best birthday ever!

What a sweetheart.

Below is a glimpse of his day.

 

Birthday Breakfast: Pancakes, Sausage & OJ

He's been asking for this game for a long time.  He squealed with delight.

Not being able to contain his excitement.

An Anakin Pez Dispenser from his sister.  She's so thoughtful.

This was a genuine hug.

Kaidin has many expressions, but this one seems to be super popular with him.  He does love Star Wars!

A remote control helicopter.  He's gonna wait for Daddy to play with this.

He loves his gifts & is a very happy boy.

We gave him a choice: Having a birthday party or Not having a party and getting cash for the cost of it.  He chose cash.

And with part of his money he bought a DS game he's been dying to have.

His Birthday Lunch: Spaghettios with Meatballs

On birthdays, they have unlimited media time.  He spent quite a bit of his birthday in this exact spot.

The girls I babysit got the boys birthday presents.  They were so sweet to think of them.

Sling shots!!  They love these.

Birthday Dinner: Homemade Mushroom Pizza

His mouth was watering in anticipation of that first bite.

Since he's not having a cake today, we sang "Happy Birthday" around his pizza.

He 'caught' a rainbow on his hand.  Simple pleasures. =)

We were finally able to go out after dinner.  Where did he want to go??  None other than Joe Tucker Park.

Reading his book, "Baby News on the Firsts"

His youngest brother wanted a picture with the birthday boy.

We are so blessed to have Kaidin in our lives.

He brings us great joy!

We are so proud of the young man he is becoming.

Happy Tenth Birthday Kaidin!