This last weekend, all my siblings and nieces and nephews all gathered together for the first time in several years! My nephew Ephraim Cook was baptized on Saturday, January 2, in Pocatello Idaho. When we figured out we could all make it, we made it into a big family party. We met up on Friday evening at the La Quinta Inn swimming pool. Most of us had rooms there for the night. I had been fighting a cold all week and so we got off to a late start on Friday, plus Trevor woke up with a fever. When our family walked into the pool room, everyone else was already there and cheered for us. That echoing noise did Trevor in. He was terrified and screaming. After 30 minutes or so he allowed me to take him into the pool, but he didn't want to get wet. He was just plain miserable. He became more congested with a cough in the night and only let me sleep for about 2 hours. A sick baby + hotel room with unfamiliar everything = no sleep. The next morning Trevor finally took some medicine and we got ready for Ephraim's baptism. Ephraim looked happy and handsome and we were glad to be there for his day. After the baptism, we took family pictures. It is rare for us all to be there - usually someone is sick or has to work. But here we are, the whole Cook family!
My mom loves being a Gramma and had a little group following her around all weekend. All the kids wanted to sit by Gramma! Silly family!
Gramma Cook with her grandkids. 8 girls and 8 boys.
Trevor was still pretty grumpy, but he loves his brother and allowed Elliott to hold him for the picture. Then we took a sibling photo with my mom.
The family sure grows a lot when you add in the spouses.
My sister Brittany has always felt jipped that she only had 1 sister with 5 brothers. In her reasoning, her brothers are just a vehicle to get sisters. In fact, several years ago Craig and his family and my family were visiting mom in church. Brittany got up to bear her testimony and mentioned she was so grateful for her sister and sister-in-law to be visiting. She never mentioned our brother and he felt the slight. Brittany loves the girls best and so she wanted a picture of the girls only.
Brittany, my mom and I are all wearing our new outfits we bought on my birthday shopping trip last month!
After we finished with pictures, we headed over to a different church building where we had a yummy lunch. Then we had a small family talent show. Joselyn and Will and their cousin Lillie all played the piano. Then my husband joined in and played a fun piece he has learned in his piano lessons. I am sure proud of Brian for taking piano lessons as an adult and love hearing him play each night. Elliott recited the Pledge of Allegiance and was totally adorable. Then Emily recited the Pledge as well and then did the bunny hop. Ephraim did the worm and Ben did vocal imitations. Pop Davis sang a fun little wake up song with a Scottish (or Irish - hard to tell for us yanks) accent. Then we all sang Jingle Bells and ended the talent show. The Davis families and Cook aunts all left at this point.
Now it was time for the Cook family Christmas gift exchange. Each cousin brought a gift for another cousin and they all enjoyed opening up their gifts. Then the families exchanged gifts too. I made a jeans quilt for Brittany.
It is just a small lap quilt, but back in purple minky and very soft.
The gift exchange changed into a regular Cook gathering and so a sport needed to be played. Scott and Liz put up the volleyball net and the kids and some adults had fun playing. Normally I would have jumped in too, but I was still sick and very tired and holding my sick, tired little baby. We left at 3 pm to come home. It was so good to see my family and let all the cousins play together and chase Scott's drone all over the gym as Scott dive-bombed unsuspecting family members. I am so grateful for my family and it makes me happy when we can get together and support each other and catch up with each other. I am proud to be a Cook! As Joselyn welcomed the Davis', Ames and Cooks to the talent show, Elliott shouted out, "And Ashtons!" I am super proud to be an Ashton too!
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