Utah Reminiscing - South Carolina Fall

Fall is one of my favorite seasons.  I love the feel of crisp cool air, sun shine that can warm your bones, pumpkins, football, leggings, boots, sweater dresses, and everything else that correlates with this weather.  

My lovely oh so favorite mountains!  I'm just dying for a visit.

At the end of September my parentals celebrated 29 years of marriage.  To celebrate they usually go to the mountains for a day away and to get some apples.  This year Seth and I got to celebrate with them and take little man with us.

We had great weather and a beautiful view.

Cute fella with the pumpkins.

He was just wanting to share with Ganma!

And straight for the mouth.

A little obsessed with Pops hat - he kept wanting to eat it.

A few of Mackay's favorite women - He sure does have a lot of them!

Thinking he is something holding the wheel.

So technically we went to pick apples, but majority of the trees had already been picked.  They had these huge crates to pick your own apples from, so we just figured with Mackay it'd be easier to apple pick from the crates :).

Granny Smith Apples

Mackay intrigued with an apple.

Auntie and Uncle.

The lovely parentals after 29 years.

As they have aged...

and I guess I as well...

I realize how intelligent they actually are...Have they always been this way :).

I realize what all they have given to Eason and I, Seth and I, Eason and Brittany, and Mackay.

We have been spoiled.  We have been taken care of.  We have been loved.  We have been educated, become car owners, and given every opportunity by these two to do whatever our heart desires.

These two have been our best cheerleaders, our biggest supporters, our greatest fighters, and our best friends.

Eason and I have been very much blessed with more than we deserved in these two queer - tail Parentals :)

After my parent's anniversary, we were able to celebrate the marital bliss of Tanner and Catherine Jordan.

At their rehearsal dinner.

She was a gorgeous bride.  Tanner a dashing lad.  I like them as a couple.

Next in line for marital bliss are these chaps..

Jay and Stephanie

Can't wait to watch and celebrate with these kids in just a few short months.

Jay and Seth. 

The bride, Stephanie, and I.

The weekend after the wedding Seth had to 'work' a kayaking trip down Black Creek.  I got to join in on the trip and had a blast.  

I do have to mention that Seth is intelligent, athletic, good looking, hard working, and yatta yattta yatta - - mainly I just wanted to mention he is very athletic.  He is always good at every sport he attempts. He usually beats me at everything.  Except....

Kayaking.

I am good.

Seth not so much.

I'm a better kayak-er than Seth.  End of Story.  I'm a natural according to our guide.

The river was gorgeous all day. 

We had perfect weather.  Gorgeous views.  Calm waters.  Great company.

I was good - I'm still being prideful :).

Our kayaking group.

Another lovely view.

The slow poke :).

Family and friends - come visit.  We will take you kayaking :).

After our kayaking trip was my birthday.  The big 2--6.  I'm not celebrating anymore.

My birthday was on a Monday - so work and class it was.  Seth took me out the next day to celebrate.  We went to a super fancy smancy restaurant in town.  We went all out and bought everything in sight. It was delightful - delicious - so much fun.

Our dinner and my totally good looking date.

Seth and I went to a Arsenic and Old Lace play with Jay and Stephanie.  I felt very sophisticated and totally loved the play!  It was funny and it was long, but enjoyable.

Oh, what else is going on around here?  We stay pretty busy.  It use to be with socializing, but now it is with work, school, keeping up :).  We love Florence.  Seth's work is still fun for him and it appears he is doing well at it.  The months keep passing by and I keep thinking we've just returned from Utah.  Before long we will have been back in the South for a year! Wow is time flying!

Not too long ago we were here.  Our first fall break at Utah State we went and visited Zion National Park with our buddies Jordan and Cari.

And we visited The Teton's and Yellowstone sometime during our first fall too.

Boy do we miss these folks.  Some of our very best friends.  Love them and their girls.

Definitely miss these cats as our neighbors.

Wish I had a picture of our absolute favorite people the Koehler's with us.  But they are definitely missed along with the others.  

Ahhhh - reminiscing!

Our nephew is about to be a year in January.

Isn't he just adorable.  Those eyes.  Man I fall in love every time I see that kid.

My sister-in-law will give us another nephew to adore in January.

Isn't she such a nice looking pregnant lady?  Total belly - and just plain cute.  I can't wait to see her baby bump in person!

That's a rap - just a quick little update about us Cook folks.  Hope all is well and everyone has a great remainder of their week!

The Cook's :)

Fall Catch Up.

Look at this stud.  This, my friends, is the adorable baby faced man I feel in love with almost six years ago.  On October 5 of 2007 this kid totally asked me to 'be his girlfriend' :) - Obviously I said yes!  Do folks still start dating that way?

Although, when I first met Seth I thought he was a total dweeb and extremely awkward - somewhere in there he must have grown on me - even though he is still both :).  

I haven't seen that baby face for almost four years now.  After Trevor and Emily got married, Seth decided to grow a beard.  I don't see the beard leaving the family anytime soon - luckily I think he's a looker bearded or not.

Bearded Seth.

 Seth and I have finally moved to Florence - Whooo Hooo!  No more traveling to work and school and we are LOVING it!  Compared to where Seth and I grew up, Florence has it all and we can't complain.

I'm doing well in school because I study like it's a full time job - so we aren't sure how I'll do once I start working FT in October - where I'll be working at Francis Marion.  We have no idea what the future holds - if I'll continue with school or if I'll just work and enjoy that for the time being.  Seth continues to enjoy his job.  We both miss Utah and our Utah friends more than we could have ever imagined.  We talk about them all very often and try to bring up 'Remember whens....' regularly :).

Standing - Walking is next - Yikes!

My nephew is still the cutest (my cutest nephew at the moment : Soon I'll have two cutest nephews :)!!).  He is rambunctious, active, not a good sleeper, all smiles like his daddy at that age, the sweetest with the most gorgeous blue eyes.  I love him - He makes me smile and melts my little heart.  He's crawling around and getting into everything and tries to pull up on everything.  He's gonna be walking before we know it and will soon be a whole Year old.  Although we do miss Utah for sure - I wouldn't want to miss this little man growing up for anything.

I love this picture of Mackay :).

Dad and his chillen's

My dad's birthday was at the beginning of September.  Since we've been gone for the past three of his birthday's we went to Joanna to surprise him.  I think he was a happy man having his whole family together to celebrate him.

My parentals.

Dad isn't normally a smiler - I think he was a happy birthday fella :).

We've not only enjoyed the lack of commuting since we've moved to Florence - we've definitely enjoyed having some friends around.  We've been able to hang out and see Jay and Stephanie/Will and Michelle/Julianne and our other various friends around Florence.

Jay and Seth playing Steph and I in shuffleboard.

Steph and I at the shuffleboard.

Jay and Seth are like little lovebirds.  They appear to be pretty excited to have rejoined.

When Seth and I were first married and living in Utah - he use to look at me at times with a little pouty/sad face and say 'I miss Jay.  I want to live with Jay again.  Can I trade you in for a day with my buddy?'  It's okay folks - Seth lived with Jay for four years - I knew he would miss living with his buddy and I didn't take any offense.  I thought it was pretty humerus. 

Jay and Seth chatting.

A few weeks ago Seth and I went on a double date with Brittany and Eason.  We went to dinner at Copper River in Columbia and then treked on over to the Richmond mall to watch a murder mystery play.

Overall the evening was fun and entertaining - with Eason doing a lot of the entertaining :).

At Copper River we were seated next to a HUGE party of about 30 folks and it was super loud and hard to talk to each other.  Eason ordered chicken thinking it was going to be pulled/smoked BBQ chicken sandwich and it def was not.  It was also undercooked and very pink in the middle which shouldn't have been eaten - and the crazy kid didn't want to say anything.  He ordered banana pudding for dessert and although we all enjoyed it, it wasn't Aunt Macka's so Eason did not think it was good :).  We then headed over to the mall and it was a bit sketchy.  The play was held in an old store in the mall.  The play was fun but lasted FOREVER!  Here are a few pictures.

Eason and I.

Pretty bad lighting but the four of us.

I tried to get a picture during the show but Eason wasn't having that.

I love this picture of Pops and Mackay.  

Mom and I were shelling crowder peas and Dad was entertaining Mackay so he wouldn't be all up into the peas trying to eat them.

Exhibit A - Going straight for the mouth.  Look at those eyes too - He's wanting the whole bag!

Seth was out of town all last week for a conference.  So I literally studied all day and night!  One day I took a break and went to catch up with Julianne at a delicious place -RedBone.

Seth and I miss these cats:

They are our Utah - Carolina buddies :).  Can't wait to for a potential camping trip and to meet their little one in February!

Gina and Joe.

We are going apple pickin this weekend with my parents for their 29th Anniversary :) and will see my whole family to celebrate Fall Birthdays!  Whoop.  Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy this crisp, lovely, fall weather!

The Cook's :)

Oh, Life Doesn't Slow It's Pace.

I've recently asked a friend if life EVER slows down---Oh, please tell me it does!  No, was the simple response.

How can the life of two simple individuals be so fast past, complex, never ending, and always dreaming for the future when life could possibly 'slow down'?  Seth and I struggle with the thought of always looking forward to the the next phase in life.  We want to be content.  We are called to be content in the present.  We meet God in the present, not the future.  Why is this so hard for us all?  Seth and I love dreaming about the future: when we'll own a home, start a family, when we'll purchase a new car and what it'll be, how long do we stay in a specific job, what are our children's names going to be, what church to attend, which friends to see and when.  Why is it so hard to enjoy today.  Why do we so easily rush the day through, always ready for tomorrow?  Why is it so easy to dream about the future?  Will we ever be satisfied where we are?  Will we always be ready and expectant for our next phase of life, for things to be better or easier?

Oh, how the questions continue to come.  But NO, life doesn't slow down.  I was told that we have to MAKE life slow down.  Where do I find the time for that? :).  You have to plan for it!  Such wisdom in just a few words.  Make time for Seth and I.  Enjoy today.  Be content where we are and with what we have.  Man is that tough.  That is where Seth and I are at today.

Life is hectic: moving, job, applying for jobs, cooking, school, studying, social life, family, Clemson football :), exercising, cleaning, and the list just can continue on.

What a relief to know that Seth and I don't have to bare it all.  This life is temporary.  We are living for something more, something eternal.  How this changes our perspective so so much!  All the busyness isn't necessary or important.  May our priorities be changed and may we all look at our lives with eternity in mind.

Happy weekend!

Seth and I on our third anniversary.  So happy to be living life with this man!

The Cook's :)