Cox's got Talent!

Yesterday was one of the busiest days that I have had in a while. We packed up the van around 2:45 pm and didn't return home till after 8:00 pm! Whew!

Part of the fun was going to the Manti Elementary School's Talent Show. Spencer and Cameron both performed on the piano and they were wonderful! Spencer played four simple songs and Cameron played two simple songs. Grandma Cox and the Butler cousins came to support them, that was really special!

Spencer was really worried about dressing up for the show! He told me that he'd be really mad at me if, when we got to the school, nobody else was dressed up. I reassured him that he'd feel worse if everyone else was dressed up except him. Lucky for me, everyone was dressed up!

A highway patrolman pulled a car over and told the driver that because he had been wearing his seat belt, he had just won $5,000 in the statewide safety competition. “What are you going to do with the money?” asked the policeman. “Well, I guess I’m going to get a driver’s license,” he answered. “Oh, don’t listen to him,” yelled a woman in the passenger seat. “He’s a smart aleck when he’s drunk.” This woke up the guy in the back seat who took one look at the cop and moaned, “I knew we wouldn’t get far in a stolen car.” At that moment, there was a knock from the trunk and a voice said, in Spanish, “Are we over the border yet?”

Oops!

Too good to be true!

Tonight at Dinner we had a great discussion...one worth remembering! We were eating squash (not a favorite of some, mostly Cameron) and talking about how vegetables make your body stronger. Ashley was flexing her muscles showing us how strong she is getting when Spencer adds his two cents!

Spencer: Mom, guess what?

Mom: What?

Spencer: I can't pull my pants up because my muscles are too big.

Richard: Wendy, you know how your old pants aren't fitting? It's because your "muscles" are too big!

That's nice.

We love to love!!!

We started our Valentines celebrating early this year. A few days before the big day the kids had their valentine parties at school.

Then Mom made Dad a special cake. It started off just pink and white but Mom couldn't stop adding more colors and before you know it.....voila....it's a birthday cake! Whatever! It is my first fondant cake ever. (It's actually a rice krispie treat but whose counting?!)

The Butlers spent the day with us the day before Valentine's Day. And what better way to have fun then making cookies?!

First, you mix.

Then, you cut!!

You may ask..."Where are David and Spencer during all this cookie making fun"?? They decided to give service to a few neighbors by shoving the newly fallen snow from their driveways! A great way to show love!!! What good boys.

More Cox cousins came to Manti for the weekend and we had a blast together! We went swimming and decorated cookies. We played games and ate a special Valentine's dinner at Great Grandma's house. We sure know how to stay busy!

Happy "60th" Birthday Dad!

Last Saturday we went to SLC for dinner with Grandpa Merrill. Imagine with me if you will....driving in the van with three hungry children....listening to Chronicles of Narnia blaring loudly as to be heard over the three hungry children...getting stuck in traffic while listening to "Narnia" blaring loudly over three hungry children! Are we there yet?!?! Good times!!!!

Grandpa wanted to eat at Macaroni Grill so the whole family met there to enjoy his special day together. This is no easy task considering there are six siblings, all of which are married and most have several children. The waiters earned every penny of their tips that day between cleaning up drink spills and bringing food to families that have changed chair places at least twice.

All the effort was worth it though. Especially to let this special man know how important he is to us! This is grandpa opening his present from the Harley Davidson Cafe' in Las Vegas! Nothing like the love between a man and his hog!

Happy "91st" Birthday Great Grandma Cox

For Great Grandma's birthday we made her a list (with the help of lots of family members) of 91 things that reminded us of her!

1. Swimming in your pool
2. Marshmallows in the kitchen drawer
3. Great family record keeping
4. Birthday cards
5. Anniversary cards
6. Christmas cards
7. Life Stories
8. Telling stories
9. Always teaching
10. Toys in the hallway drawer
11. Playing in the chair cubbie closet.
12. Hand and Foot card games
13. Rock Collections
14. Missionary stories
15. Missionary souvenirs
16. Clean house
17. Lemon drops
18. Capital Reef vacations
19. Very organized person
20. Summer camping
21. Baking bread on Saturday
22. “Garrr Ray”
23. Canning fruit
24. Canning vegetables
25. Growing a beautiful garden.
26. Picking apples in the back yard
27. Climbing in the apple trees (when Grandma is not looking)
28. Family dinners on the back patio.
29. Murder mystery dinner.
30. Rummy-O games.
31. Beautiful flowers.
32. Rice cakes.
33. Nice camping trailers.
34. St. George for the winters
35. Your love of History.
36. Helping with homework.
37. Met-n-et
38. Utah Daughters of Pioneers
39. Farm stories.
40. Christmas Eve dinners
41. Playing out the Nativity on Christmas Eve.
42. The old Scout
43. New cars
44. Temple worker.
45. Running around the basement
46. Playing in the big basement room
47. Quilting
48. Epaminondas story.
49. Beautiful rose bushes
50. Pepper nuts
51. Keeping up with traditions
52. Histories of ancestors
53. Grandma’s canes
54. Always giving
55. Always a treasure for someone.
56. Community history
57. Community pride
58. Homemade root beer
59. Watching fireworks on front lawn
60. Reading stories
61. Identifying Wild flowers
62. Loves birds.
63. Picking asparagus on county lanes.
64. Telling us what the Meadow Lark says “Manti’s a pretty little town”
65. Looking for Kill Deer nests in cow foot prints.
66. Water aerobics
67. Pedigree charts
68. Family names
69. Family crest and what it stands for.
70. Family pride
71. Fish faces
72. Pretty stitching
73. Scenic drives in the mountains
74. Example of a healthy diet
75. Silver Hair
76. Perms
77. Flowers that “open and shut”
78. Stylish walker
79. Temple group trips
80. Pretty Alto voice
81. Listening to kids read books
82. Visiting with family
83. Tetherball on the patio
84. Favorite daughters and son
85. Missing LuAnn
86. Afraid to have babies at home
87. Big heart
88. Christmas pop-up candy canes
89. Personal letters to grandchildren on Christmas
90. Christmas stocking full of dried fruit
91. Appreciation letters from past students

Happy 7th Birthday Spencer!

We've been celebrating Spencer for a week, literally! It started on Monday when he took his spotlight poster to school along with a bunch of show-n-tell items. (His school teacher likes to make each student feel extra special)

On his actual birthday, Wednesday, he got to be the "King for the Day", a job I believe he took very seriously! He picked out his favorite breakfast, lunch and dinner. He opened presents with breakfast from us and Grandma and Grandpa Merrill. After dinner, Grandma and Grandpa Cox came over and brought Spencer his present.

Part of Spencer's birthday fun included showing off his family to his 1st grade class! We got to talk all about what Spencer likes to do and things he enjoys. After singing Happy Birthday, Spencer passed out his birthday treats to his class!

For lunch, Spencer chose Chicken Cordon Bleu and he wanted to eat it with mom. I cooked up some food and was able to come to the school lunchroom and eat with him!

Anna Olsen, the neighbor girl, made Spencer a special birthday cake with the leftover fondant frosting from Tuesday Night's Relief Society activity. It is actually a rice krispy treat but boy was it cute!!

On Friday we had our family party at the bowling alley. We had a little dinner before we went to the alley then we enjoyed a long game and some cake and ice cream! It turns out that Ashley is pretty good. Her ball rolls VERY slowly but surely; she tied for 1st place among the kids with a score of 76!

Today Grandma Valeen is bringing Gracie, Londyn, Olivia, Maddie and Taylor to Manti to spend the day celebrating his birthday!

Spencer has been worried about not having a party with his school friends but I think he is over it now.....he's had a well celebrated week! On the way home last night, I asked Rich if I could have a week or two long celebration for my birthday too! He said I already get 52 weeks!! Ha, ha.