Passed the 2 year mark! Thanks for the prayers!

I know it's been over a week but I wanted to thank everyone for the prayers. I made it through the second anniversary of my grandpa's death. Sunday the 14th was harder than the 15th (the two year mark). I got teary at church and throughout the day but it was my turn to watch the kids at small group and they lifted my spirits! I know people were praying for me and my family all weekend and it truly helped. The bank was closed for Presidents day on the 15th so I got to go spend some time with my grandma and we got to talk about all the neat stuff Pap and I did when I was younger. She told me about their wedding day and how they had to wait for the justice of the peace to walk back to town so he could marry them. It was good to get to talk about him.

I went to Bonnie's later to help with the kids and I don't think they know how much they helped me that night. I don't think Bonnie got much work done on her school stuff because sweet little Thomas was fussy and just wanted his mommy but Caroline kept me busy :) I love all three of them so much!

I am so ready for spring to take over and warm everything up! It has been so cold and yucky for so long. I am ready for hiking, camping and kayaking soon! I am loving that the sun is staying up longer! How much longer until daylight savings time starts? I want to work in my flower bed soon!

Meagan Day

We are nearing the two year mark of my dear grandpa's death. Two years ago on Valentines day he was taken to the hospital for what we thought was the stomach flu. He passed away the next morning with my grandma, mom, aunt, my sisters, my husband and I surrounding him.

My Pap (that is what we always called him) and I were so close and he taught me so many things. He taught me to shoot a gun, drive a nail, run a lawnmower, drive a car (Granny helped too) and how to refill my ice cream cone :) He made the only grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever liked (I think his secret was extra butter). We built a doll house together. When I was big into gymnastics he built me a balance beam in his back yard. I took his death hard because it was such a surprise and because I wasn't ready to let go (are we ever ready?).

I decided then that I never wanted to celebrate Valentines day again because the memories of that day come back and it just doesn't feel like a day to celebrate anything. Most Husbands and boyfriends would be more than happy to forget the holiday all together but not Chris. Last year was the first "Non valentines day" and on the Monday after Valentines day my dear husband brought me flowers to work and declared it "Meagan Day". Well, yesterday as I was getting ready for work he said "Happy Meagan day"... I had no idea what to expect from the day since we are on such a tight budget but he came by the bank right before my lunch break with a pretty red rose and took me to lunch at Taco Bueno. We hung out in front of the TV when I got home and I made a yummy dinner to celebrate "Meagan Day". I feel so lucky to have a husband that is sweet enough to give me a day to celebrate instead for Valentines day. Who knows what day "Meagan Day" will fall on next year.

Now that I'm teary eyed I'm bringing this post to an end.

I wanna be like Oprah

I was talking with someone the other day about Oprah's favorite things and I decided to share some of MY favorite things.

I will start with my moisturizer... I went from using MAC to using OLAY because it is cheaper and I LOVE IT! It is so much better than what I've used in the past. I have such dry skin and this stuff is just great!

Nivea "kiss of shine" is the best stuff ever! It makes my lips soft and shiny! Just a little impulse buy at the checkout at walmart and I love it!
My Pampered chef garlic press! The single most used item in my kitchen! My mom got it for me last year and it has changed the way I cook! My iPhone 3G is the best tool/phone/game ever! I need a phone number for something "yellow pages app" need to check a movie time "Movie fone app" want to play Scrabble with a friend "Words with friends app" I can check email, update facebook, check the weather and even make calls :) I nearly run the battery down every day!



My Copco to go mug! It is microwave and dishwasher safe! It keeps my coffee hot for a long time and it was less than $8 at Bed, Bath and Beyond! I can't find one that is dishwasher safe for that price anywhere else!

My Canon rebel XS... I don't even know what to say about it except that I love it! It's my baby!


These are just a few of my favorite things! Hope you enjoyed this installment of "The Meagan Cooke Show" Brought to you by the letter "C" :-)

The right idea

These kids have the right idea...

Thinking warm thoughts today and counting down the days until spring!

Stupid groundhog!

Have you ever had a sinus headache so bad that when you stand up you almost pass out from the pain? I had one on Friday and MAN did it suck! Not only did my head hurt but my throat hurt, I couldn't breathe, my body hurt and I was exhausted from a sleepless night. My boss told me to stay home and get better (thanks Summer) so I stayed in bed ALL DAY! I got up to make some tea and grab something to eat (since Chris was at work and couldn't take care of me). The dogs were so good! They stayed in the bedroom with me all day and "kept watch". They really are the best dogs when I'm sick.

I'm feeling a lot better now thanks mostly to the wonder drug "Robitussin CF"

This is the best stuff in the world! Go out and buy it NOW! It doesn't taste very good but MAN does it work! Also, I found some awesome tea at Harps (can't find it at walmart) it's Bigelow "I LOVE LEMON" Herbal tea...This stuff is great with a little honey in it!

I'm back at work now (with my tea and the wonder drug) and feeling a lot better except for the stupid snow that just keeps coming. Will winter ever end?? Just about time my yard thaws out it snows again! All the melted snow has turned to standing water and it's starting to look like a lake back there... The dogs are going to have to just swim around out there before much longer.

Spring fever

I am so ready for spring I can almost smell it (it smells like honeysuckle)! I'm tired of wearing 3 or 4 layers, gloves, turning on my space heater and still freezing at work! I'm about to invest in a sunggie...



You think they will call me on dress code??




Who else is ready for the Superbowl? I always look forward to the commercials! The last several years the team I pick ends up winning so... being from the great state of Louisiana I'm going for the saints!



I don't really have much to talk about today so I will leave you with this...

Weird dream!

Have you ever had a dream that freaks you out so much that it wakes you up and you can't go back to sleep? Usually in the daylight they aren't nearly as bad as we make them out to be in the middle of the night.

Last night I had a dream that all my teeth fell out! I was hanging out with a bunch of vampires (I don't think I was a vampire though so maybe I was dinner? They seemed nice). My real life spin class teacher played the part of my dentist while my real life dentist was one of the vampires (sorry Doc)! I was carrying all my teeth around in a paper towel while Mary (my spin teacher/the dream dentist) rushed me to her office to put them all back in.

I woke up so freaked out that it took me forever to go back to sleep and then my alarm clock went off and I had to get up and get ready for work. I brushed my teeth for an extra long time this morning!

Twice in one day!

Okay, I ventured out on my lunch break and took pictures of the snow around Har-Ber. I didn't wear my boots today (mistake) and now my socks and pants are all wet :( Sometimes I just get really excited and don't always think things through (don't tell Chris I admitted that) But I think I got some neat pictures!

Chris and I walked to the library on Saturday to return a book. Regrettably I did not take my camera (I was already carrying my hot chocolate). I took some pictures with my phone though...

These guys were everywhere! I think they were hungry (too bad we didn't take some old bread). And MAN were they loud!

Anyway, I'll post some of the pictures from my soggy walk later. I'm going to drink my hot tea and thaw out by my space heater.

Dieting and (almost) black eyes

Wow, long time since my last post. I wish I was better about being consistent with posting. I love reading other blogs.



I've been doing more with my photography http://www.phoyosbymac.blogspot.com/ and I'm loving it! If anybody wants to do a shoot let me know! I think I'm going to go out on my lunch break and take some snow pictures while I can. I don't like being out in the cold but I have my camera and an 8GB card so I'm good to go (for as long as I can stand the cold).



Is anyone else dieting? I've been dieting and trying to work out (key word "trying") and I've gained weight. I've cut out soda, fried food and cut wayyyyy back on sweets... so why am I not losing a little? I've been eating breakfast (something I never use to do) and snacking on veggies and low fat cheese. I'm tired of it! I want to be in better shape! Any ideas, tips or encouragement you have would rock!



Have I ever mentioned that I love my husband? I do! He gets up every morning before me to let the dogs out and make me coffee. Some mornings he even makes me breakfast. He drives me to work when the roads are icy because I have a major case of Pagophobia (fear of ice). He gets rid of the mice we catch. He is great and I adore him! Well, I have a story on him... He hit me in the face a few weeks ago! He jumps out and scares me ALL THE TIME so I decided while he was letting the dogs out one night that I would hide on the other side of the door frame and scare him. He comes around the corner and I jump out and scream "BOO!" and his arms start to fly... right into my right eye! He felt awful and while it hurt it was also funny so I was laughing and crying at the same time while he hugged me and tried to check my eye out. It never turned black or anything (thank God) but it was sore the next day. I'm plotting my revenge :)