Politics

Best family quote:
Mom was talking about democrats
Carmel (who was pretty young at the time, maybe 5): Mom you shouldn't say swear words.
Mom: Carmel, I wasn't swearing.
Carmel: Yes, you did. You said (whispering) "democrat."

So I realized I never say anything about politics, mostly because I am never quite sure how I feel about it. But I did watch the Inaguration and I was very impressed by Obama's speaking ability. Like Shannon Hale might say, "he has the gift of people speaking." But I'm not quite sure what to think of him as the man to lead my country. I hope and pray he will do his best, trying to listen to what the Lord would have him do. I hope he cuts government spending on all the stupid stuff it does and that he helps people not be so dependent on the government for supporting everything they do. But I don't know, I hope he doesn't make it mandatory for 3-5 year olds to go to school. I hope he lives up to the hope he has given America. I didn't stand on a street corner holding "vote for Obama" signs, but I did do that for Bush. :) I still can't believe I did that. But I'm glad I did. My extremely Republican family was proud.

News from the Homefront

So Tyson said that I need to post more. He won't read my journals, so I guess he likes to read these because they are like a journal, but public so he doesn't feel bad reading them. So a lot, well, kind of, has happened since I last wrote. I feel so much more at ease and calm about everything, about losing my job, about lots of different things. When really, I think I should be crazy scared.
Grandma and Grandpa Cooper came to visit a few weeks ago and it was a lot of fun. We stayed up until 2 every night with Grandma so she could take her pills and we had a lot of good talks and of course they loved being with little Josh. The only bad part about it was it made me miss my own mom a lot. I was tempted to tell Tyson that we needed to move back to the west coast because I just can't handle being far away from her anymore. But I love it here, it has become my home. I have spent the past almost 6 years of my life here, grown more independent than I thought was possible. I have fallen in love here, had my first baby here, I have so many memories here in this beautiful valley. The sunrise this morning was amazing, it wasn't gold or yellow or pink, it was perfectly blue. Bluer than I have ever seen the sky. And I know I would miss it terribly if we ever left this place.
So I have been babysitting a lot for people on the side, keeping busy with writing, laundry and trying to help the people around me. I decided that the Lord must have a reason for me losing my job and I decided that reason was to take care of His children more. So I have been trying to find ways I can help others. I haven't been very good at it, but I feel a lot better at least doing little somethings.
Plus, I have been able to spend a lot of time with little Joshua. He loves to draw on whatever I am writing, read when I am reading, play hide-and-seek and visit our neighbors with me. Tyson and I spend most of our time watching Psych and Lost. I totally love both shows! I just wish Lost played 2 times a week because the suspense is killing me. :) And we have been reading a book called 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' and it is really good. I have learned a lot from it already.
Then there is the big news that has changed me completely, and will continue to change me. On Wednesday evening, Josh and I went over to Kenni and Chris's house to hang out while Tyson was teaching the Dave Ramsey class. Kenni had an EPT that she isn't going to use any time soon, so she let me use it and yup, we are expecting another little one! I am really excited and really nervous too, mostly because I don't want another c-section and because it is still really early. I used to think that I shouldn't tell anyone if I got pregnant for awhile because the baby might not stick, but I think every child should be celebrated, even if they are here for only a little while. But we are hoping this one, despite all the craziness that goes on in our home, will want to stay. We want a little girl and to name her Isilee, yes like the character in 'Goose Girl.' But Tyson and I fell in love with the name, so I guess we will see what the munchkin looks like. I am just excited for life, and excited (kind of) to get round again. Anyways, that is the news from the mini-Cooper's. Being a mom for me now will be as K.J. and Tyson put it "a lifestyle now, not just a hobby." :)

Okay...so stuff did happen

Okay, so I didn't realize so much did happen over the past couple of weeks. I just downloaded the pics from our camera and I kept saying "Oh, oh, yeah, I forgot about that." Hehe So this is a sweet puzzle that Tyson got for me for Christmas and it took us two weeks to build. Our table was completely covered that whole time so everytime we wanted to eat, we had to eat atop our puzzle. It was really fun though, intense, but fun. It is a scene from Italy, so it was like we were there for two weeks. :)

We also went out of town for a few days. Tyson had this computer Access training for a couple of days and Josh and I got to go with him. It was really fun because we got to see a few friends we haven't seen in awhile and it was just a blast getting away together for a few days.

This one is hilarious. Our friend's Emilie and Logan and their little boy Tommy came over. Well, it turns out Josh and Tommy have the same p.j.'s Hilarious huh? They are both so cute!

Josh making one of his fabulous faces.

Can you see his slippers? They are elephants and soooo cute!

Josh's first hair cut. I gave it to him. He doesn't have much hair except in the back and it was all curly, but it was getting a little unruley, so I had to chop it off. He didn't like it one bit, but I think it looks better now.

Money and Happiness don't always go hand in hand

Some photos that make me happy.

Let's see...it has been a little while since I last posted, but really not much has happened. It has been cold, really cold and windy. But it is still beautiful in its own way. I don't go outside a lot so I don't have much to complain about. Since I don't have a job anymore, I am kind of afraid to find out what it feels like to be home, all day, with nothing to do, ever but mom stuff. But I do love being a mom, so maybe it won't be that bad. The Lord has blessed us so much because I do kind of have a job. One of Tyson's friends that he used to work with needs someone to watch his little son once a week for a few hours. So I get to do that which I am so thankful for because at least now I will be contributing again. And there have been lots of people that need babysitting jobs on random days and they are so merciful to pay so much, so that is wonderful.

It is actually really neat and a wonderful testimony building experience for me because last month when I found out the people I babysat for didn't need me anymore, I was crushed and really worried. "How are we going to pay for food?" I kept asking myself. Of course, I know Tyson is wonderful and he will make sure we have enough money for everything and he works so hard everyday. But that is the thing, he works so hard and still the world keeps getting more expensive. It really hurts to see that look on his face when he is worried about money or wishing we had enough to splurge and get pizza. And I really want to help and I feel like such a loser sometimes because all I do is stay at home and have babies that cost even more money. I just have to keep reminding myself that the Lord wants us to have kids and He is thankful that I spend so much time with Josh, loving him and making sure he gets everything he needs. But I was really struggling, so then on fast Sunday this month Tyson asked me what we should fast for and I said "that everything will be okay and we will have enough money for everything." So Tyson in his wonderfully sweet and patient voice says "I know we will be okay Cami. How about we fast for faith that we will know the Lord will help us." I am so thankful for Tyson, he so kindly brings me back to my senses everyday and helps me realize where I should be standing and the faith I should be having. So that is what we fasted for, and ever since then, slowly but surely my fear is being replaced by faith. And we are getting all these little odds and ends to do to help people, which in turn helps us. No money has fallen in our laps, but oppurtunities to earn it has and thus, I see more than ever just how much the Lord loves us, how much He loves me.

So really, although not much has really happened in the past couple of weeks, a lot has happened inside of me. I feel happier and closer to my wonderful little family and to the Lord. Today, I was listening to different music on people's blogs and I pulled Josh onto my back and we spun in circles and he just laughed and laughed. And even though I have the first cold sore of my life and I look in the mirror and think I should feel ugly, I don't because this morning when Tyson was praying he said "thank you Father for all the beautiful things that you have given us, especially for the one I married." Money can't buy that. Like those mastercard commercials, a lot of things cost money, but moments like those are "priceless." So the moral of this story is 'don't worry so much about money, it can't buy happiness.' :)

Photos, mostly of Josh of course.

If you look closely, Josh is finally getting hair! It is so funny.

Okay, I know this picture looks horrible, but I thought it was so funny because he woke up screaming and I ran in there and I find him like this. How he managed to get his arm out of his pjs, I'm not sure, so I ran to get the camera and don't worry, I picked him right up afterwards, it was just so funny!

Our tree hunt, I walked right in and saw and said "that is it, I will have no other." I came, I saw, I conquered.

Don't my boys look so cute? We even put Josh in his woodsman hat Bunk gave us especially for the occasion. This was the day Kenni and Chris found out they are prego. Weird and Huzza!

Okay so one of my favorite things about Christmas is the mess after opening presents. I know that sounds weird but I love looking around and it is the one day of the year that a mess means you and the people you love most are having a great time. It is sooo much fun! This is the little mess we made, it was so fun! I can't wait until next year, hopefully we will have another little person to make even more of a mess. This is our beautiful Christmas tree. I picked it out and I have never been prouder of a tree in my life. It is just a few inches taller than me and strung fabulously with fruit loop strands. :) Perfectly edible for little people.

This is our little dude man looking like a hot shot on his little race car, looking like his Uncle KJ. I stinking LOVE this outfit from Tyson's Aunt Judy.

Another shot of Josh in his cute outfit

The Past Month

okay, so it has been way too long since I wrote. And since I am stuck at home feeling completely sick, well, I am feeling way better than the past few days, I decided I should finally write something. Here are some of the going-on's of the past month:
-Christmas was wonderful! Tyson and I couldn't wait for Josh to wake up so we could set him in front of the Christmas tree and have him open all his presents. He was scared at first because we had been telling him not to for so long, but after a few presents, he was tearing them open and shaking and panting like a dog, he was so excited for each one. It is way more fun on Christmas with kids!
-Two days ago we went to the temple, and although I used an entire roll of toilet paper blowing my nose on the 7 hour drive there and back, I was so glad we went. Tyson was able to go in and do an endowment session for my Great-Grandpa Charles who was married to Mary Claire (my namesake). Tyson came out so happy, it was wonderful. And Josh and I got to hang out in the visitor's center until the lights came on (gorgeous!), and I also got to see Sister Katie Hamblin from my high school days, pretty neat.
-I finished my photo class a few weeks ago. I am sad not to have a class with Kenni, but I am really glad I don't have that stress anymore. It was a really fun class and I didn't realize until after the class ended just how much I had actually learned.
-I lost my job. This probably was the hardest thing for me because I absolutly love the family I babysat for. I am still not quite sure if they didn't need me anymore because their situation changed, or because they didn't like me as a babysitter, but I hope it was more of the first. :) However, Tyson and I did give them the "Joy to the World" DVD and a Book of Mormon for Christmas, and that was a really wonderful experience for me, and hopefully for them as well.
-Little Josh is cruising all over the place now and babbling constantly about something, I'm pretty sure he mostly talks about how much he wants food. :)
-My cell phone and our DVD player on the lap-top (we don't have a TV, nor do we want one) both broke, so we have been a little technology challenged as late.
-And, probably coolest of all, my brother Yance and his wife, Kimmy were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on the 20th. I wasn't able to be there but I heard it was wonderful and amazing and I am so happy for them.

And many other things happened, mostly just fun and wonderful things. I have to run because Josh is waking up and the poor guy isn't feeling good either. Love you all and Merry (late) Christmas!

Butter Making and Birthday Celebrating

So this past few weeks have been crazy busy, and looking at our calander and the thousands of Christmas parties we have, it is only going to get busier. I'm glad, as much as I'm a home person, I love to be with other people, especially to celebrate something like Christmas. Well, so we had a great Thanksgiving. We didn't have food poisoning (Tyson and mine first Thanksgiving experience together), and I wasn't 9 months pregnant like last year, plus we got to eat with Kenni and Chris and Chris's cousin, Whitney. Bunk and I divided up the cooking and so not only was it fun, I had it easy. Tyson and Josh made butter together, and it was so cute. Josh is really loving being with Tyson and it is so cute to see the change and the love deepen in our little family over the past year. Then, this past Saturday, little Josh had his first birthday. True, he probably had no idea what we were all excited about, but he loved it. Kenni made him a cupcake cake that looked like "Swampy" the alligator, and it looked soooo cute! Josh dug into that thing before we even started singing. He absolutly loved the frosting, as you can tell by his face. Oh, and he loves to glare at people. Tyson taught him to, and everyone keeps encouraging him, which isn't always great because now he glares at random people, especially at church. Well, I don't know how to undo that, especially since it is so funny. But I love having a one year old. He sure is crazy and so much fun!