Is Anybody out There?

I doubt that anyone will even read this-- I feel sad that I've abandoned this little blog! Just wanted to let you know that I post to a public Instagram account @Wander_and_Scout, in case you want to visit over there. xoxo, Jamie

Eliza Turns 6!

Back in July we celebrated Eliza's sixth birthday. My baby Eliza is six already? How can this be?

One thing is for sure, she is growing into the most beautiful little lady, inside and out. We tell her all the time that it doesn't matter what she looks like on the outside, it just matters that her heart is beautiful. And I'll tell you what, she has a supermodel heart. She is such a nurturing soul, always taking such good care of baby Ivy and Bryson and Emme, too. She worries about people's feelings and desperately wants to make people happy if they're hurt or feeling sad.  She's affectionate and loves cuddling. The other night as I was tucking her into bed she said. "Mom, instead of singing to me tonight can we just talk while you scratch my back?" 

She is smart as a whip and busts through her homework with no problem. She loves to read and can spend hours quietly looking through books. She loves to color and is actually a very good little artist. Dan's grandma and my grandpa were both very talented painters, so it's definitely in her genes. 

Eliza is such a ray of sunshine in our family. She helps bring peace to our often times crazy home and she helps unify us together. Her prayers at night absolutely melt me. They are fervent and long winded. She prays for 'the people in Nepal, the people in North Carolina, and all the people throughout the world who are suffering." 

I'm so blessed to be Eliza Bay's mom. 

My heart nearly skips a beat when I look at these pictures of my baby who is growing up so fast. I love these photos more than anything and yet they kind of make my heart tighten and make me want to cry. I already miss that little baby and toddler Eliza. 

I've been printing out pictures of my kids to hang around the house for their birthdays. I love looking at them so much that they end up staying up for months. 

On Eliza's actual birthday I hired a babysitter so I could take her on a little date. We went to Color Me Mine to paint pottery and then we went to a bookstore where she picked out a cute book called "Louise Loves Art." After that she picked out a birthday cake cupcake from The Sweet Tooth Fairy. 

We threw her an art party at our house the day after her birthday. 

I'm not sure who had more fun getting ready for it, me or Eliza. I loved painting these invitations. 

And making the cake too. 

Some of her closest friends came over to celebrate:

Savannah, Nolie, Drae, Katie, Tianne, Samara, and Elle

Nolie and Elle

Cousin Samara (who happens to be equally obsessed with art.)

Eliza helped me get all of the supplies ready for the party. The guests took the paint sets home as their party favors along with a portfolio of their masterpieces. We worked on three projects at the party: a ice cream cone watercolor painting, a flower watercolor, and a multi media project. 

Katie and Tianne

Drae and Savannah

The little artists with their masterpieces. It was fun to see how differently they all approached the same project. 

Happy sixth birthday dear Eliza. We love you!

Grandma and Grandpa Cook's Homecoming

July 2nd, was the day we have all been waiting for for the past three years. Grandma and Grandpa Cook were came home from serving as mission presidents for the LDS church in Zimbabwe! It had been 18 months since we visited them in Africa. Since that time, a lot has changed for us including the fact Dan graduated from HBS, we bought a house and moved to Utah, and Ivy was born. It's hard to believe Emme was only 5 months old when they left and now we have a new baby who is 9 months old!

All the Cook kids came to town to be there for the reunion at the airport we've all been waiting for. 

Completely coincidentally Callie had the same dress and jellies as my girls. 

We were filled with anxious anticipation and plenty of nerves as we headed into the airport. 

The kids were enthusiastic sign holders.

All of the Cook kids ready and anxiously waiting!

This is the moment we were waiting for! I'll let the pictures do the talking.

This was pretty funny. Janice was trying to set Tyler up with the daughter of another missionary couple who served in South America. 

Janice and Bryson were meeting Ivy for the first time. It was also kind of like a first meeting with Callie because they hadn't seen her since she was a baby. 

We went straight from the airport to In-N-Out Burger where Janice declared that it was "the best meal I've had in three years." 

We are so thrilled to have Grandma and Grandpa back!

Back to School

Another summer has come and gone way too fast and the kids are now back in school. 

We held our traditional back-to-school feast the night before the big day and we introduced our family theme for the year: "Stick to the task."

Dan memorized this poem when he was a boy and we decided it would be a great theme for the year. 

Stick to your task till it sticks to you; 
Beginners are many, but enders are few. 
Honor, power, place, and praise 
Will come, in time, to the one who stays. 

Stick to your task till it stick to you;
Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it too; 
For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile 
Will come life's victories, after awhile. 
-Anonymous 

Eliza and Bryson have already memorized it. Hopefully it will become a mantra for them and they'll remember to stick to the task.

As always, they chose flank steak, corn on the cob, broccoli, fruit, potatoes, and lemon chiffon cake for their feast. After we ate Dan gave them each the sweetest Father's Blessings. 

Eliza started preschool (although she technically began two weeks earlier than the big kids.) She was absolutely thrilled and waited all sumer for her chance to go to school.

Eliza was feeling excited and nervous about starting first grade. If I'm being honest, I had a giant pit in my stomach too. In fact, I kind of still do, even three weeks later. I miss her now that she's gone at school all day. 

Bryson was pumped about starting school because he couldn't wait to show off his new "sports clothes" which he laid out with great care the night before.

On her first day of preschool Emme ran right in without hardly even looking back. She was ready! She's just going T/TH mornings. 

I think it's so sweet how Eliza was nervously fiddling with her elephant necklace while she was standing in line with her new classmates. 

Be still my heart. I love this boy. 

This picture is blurry but I had to include it. Bryson couldn't wait to show off his new Nikes to his classmate Keegan. 

Sweet little sister dropping her big brother off at school.

Ivy, Emme, and I headed back across the catwalk missing two of our favorite people in the whole wide world. I kind of felt like the wind got knocked out of me. Luckily Emme found a pet snail to keep her company. (: 

Fresh Mountain Air and Wildflowers

Last night I took the kids on a hunt for wildflowers up to Albion Basin in Little Cottonwood Canyon. We breathed in the crisp mountain air, frolicked in the fields of the lingering wildflowers, and snapped lots and lots of pictures. I just got a brand new camera lens and I was so excited to use it!

Bryson brought my old point and shoot camera and a tripod and had a great time being a photographer also. It was pretty adorable to watch him posing the girls and trying to get the perfect shot. 

We are trying our best to soak up the last few days of summer. Only one week until school starts!