Chili Cook Off...

Last night Kevin had to make chili for The Defenders Association Chili Cook off. So he enlisted the help of the girls! I am very grateful for the island in the middle of the kitchen, it gives them enough room to help us out!

"I am Blue"

As most of you know by now when I was pregnant with the girls I had given them colors, so I would know who ate what, whose Binky was whos', Which Girl was which.. so on and so forth! Aspen is White, Payton is Pink and Trinity, Purple... Well around Halloween T dressed up as Cinderella. Thus began a fight! All of the sudden she wanted to be blue... UM NO~~~ I have 3 boys who always wore blue, Noooooo not even girly blue! FYI Purple is my favorite color.
Anyhow we went to get new big girl cups (sippy cups that look like a thermos, they only drink water and ice in them so that is why they use them, that and my carpet is light tan) Well the store only had Purple, Pink and Girly Blue (almost like a teal) so when I brought them home, I thought ok Aspen will use girly blue. Nope! Trinity spotted it right on the dot and said "Oh Thank You Mama you got my blue" urgggggg no i didn't! So Aspen said she liked the purple, it's pretty.
Then we went to get new earrings I always get them the same earrings but different colors, They had White, Pink and Purple, BUT the purple was slightly different then the other 2. But guess what they did have to match.... Blue! (ok, really who hates me) Trinity spotted that sucker right off the bat!
"Mama, look they have my blue!"
"T, your color is Purple"
"No, Mama it's not"
"Yes, T it is!"
"Mama, I am being Blue, it is my new color, purple is broken"
(she said this in a very fact of the matter, yet kindly voice)
"Trinity, why do you like Blue?"
"Cuz, Mama it is Cinderella's color... and she is my princess"
how in the world can I argue that.....
"Fine, if I let you get blue, can you do purple still when there is no blue?"
"(big sighhhh) I guess, but they do have blue, and it matches the girls!"
Later when they bought new babies (yes, because that is what they needed was another baby) you see what color she picked! I think I have lost this war.... for now!

Recent Boy Stuff....

Well yet again, I feel the girls have gotten "blog time" but not the boys. (who mind you could care less) but it bothers me.... so the latest with the Team Cooper boys are as follows

Dave, drove about 15 feet from the mail box to the drive way... not too bad for the first time. Kevin plans to take him out to base in a big open area to expand that. He had an eye opening experience on leave, he forgot his phone charger at home so his cell phone died. Ohhhh my I bet he never forgets it again that is after all his life line to his friends.

Broc made the honor roll!! yeah right! too bad he forgot to tell me when the ceremony was so we could attend. He says he didn't know until someone told him his name was in the flyer .... he is doing good and has been at sleepovers quite a bit on the weekends.

Heath is doing good as well. He plays outside all the time on his bike or skateboard. He is getting ready to move to the new school, so he is all excited! (his whole class moves) He is doing really good in school too, and that makes us all happy! :)

"Sleeping Beauty's"

Payton Rayne
My ladies curled up after their appts with the pediatric cardiologist. They shouldn't have been tired, but they were and came home and napped. Poor Aspen was like "Mom wake them up to play with me!"

Trinity Jo....

The Ladies Heart Appts.

Yesterday the girls had their heart appointments with the new Pediatric Cardiologist. What a huge difference and a nicer experience all the way around. I am not sure if he was just a nicer man in general or if what they say is true, but he is an Identical Twin, and I think it may have made a difference even if only alittle one :) He was very kind and patient with the girls, to the point where Payton only shed a few tears and not until the end. This is a huge improvement for her! She is scared to death of doctors (for good reason)

Trinity is doing good, her piece is working great as ever, she is keeping right up with if not surpassing Ms. Aspen! :) He was very happy with her, her results and how she is doing all the way around. He does agree with the Peds back in Germany and says that Trinity and Aspen are defiantly the gagging tool as to knowing if something is off with any of the 3 of them.

Payton is doing well, her piece is still not in all the way but he says at this point even thou it is not in ideally, it seems to be working for. He does think she will have to have it repaired later on down the road, and was not happy when he found out her heart rate was so fast especially when she is sick.

He was good about letting us know that there is nothing too little or big to call him for, he made it very clear he wants to know if something is off with them, especially Payton. I guess overall he just gave both Kevin and I a huge comfort. He made reference quite a few times that he thinks we and others easily forget that while they appear normal on the outside, with or without holes in their hearts, they are not normal, and to an extent can not be treated as such. Ooppsss! I think even as their parents, we don't want to baby them but he is right there are some things about them that we can't treat them like every other 4 year old. He was a very kind man, and is going to run tests on Payton, he is thinking of putting her back on the heart box, but for now, Kevin and I felt as thou she is doing alot better. Neither of them "has" to be seen for a year, so that is great news! I want to say Thank You for all the prayers! It is a huge relief if not a wake up call to have a Pediatric Cardiologist who is so caring for them! I am so relieved T is healed and even though Ms. Thing (aka payton) isn't yet, I know she will be... in His time.

*This strip of images was taken at the Mall in Cheyenne from one of those booths! :) I left all 4 images even of Kevin's arm because I thought you all may get a kick out of it!

Pretty Grandma and Grandpa Ruiz...

Meet My Paternal Grandparents.... aka Pretty Grandma and Grandpa Ruiz. It is such a blessing to be able to take my kids to see their great grandparents, and watch them interact. The boys of course have known them alot longer, the girls on the other hand have only seen them twice. They were very excited in realizing this was Papa's Mom and Dad! The girls have a list of who they love, and Papa and Nana top that list! :) so to meet his parents was very neat! Dave and Broc are now both taller than both G and G, Heath was even getting there. My Grandma kept telling me she can't get over how big they are! The girls went back and forth giving them kisses and hugs, but I think they love to say "pretty" grandma. I guess because they are girls and so pretty is such a girly word! Heath has learned the National Anthem in Spanish and was able to recite it to my grandparents, I think that is so cool! I plan to take "official" pictures of them with my kids this summer when it's warmer and we can go outside!

Our Trip Home....to Wyoming

Last Thursday we began the 8 hour trip home to Cheyenne, Wyoming. The kids actually did a very good job. We only stopped 4 times I think on the way there, and only 2 on the way back. While we only got to be there for a couple of days, we had a really nice time! We were reminded however on just how very cold it gets there in Wy! Mind you I know, I guess after 5 years you forget. We were freezing, and to be honest for Cheyenne, it wasn't that bad.

I will say that so far we still want to retire there. Kevin and My Dad even went as far as to checking some options for Kevin in the 2 years he is due to retire. However we will not leave here for 3 years as of right now, for Dave to finish out his Senior year. We were unable to see many of our friends and family due to this being such a short trip, but we did get to see the Garcia's, my grandparents and my aunt, uncle and cousin. I forgot my camera most days, I am not sure how come, I guess just all the excitement! I was able to renew my license, and not lie when I said 135 for the weight! (such goals in life huh, not lying) Dave has to wait until July to take his test, as we brought along his expired passport (unknowingly of course) but he was able to take a test so he will know what to study. We took the kids to see Marley and Me with my parents... what a great/sad movie! We went to church with my parents and that about sums it up. We had a great time and are planning to go for Frontier Days where we will be able to stay quite a bit longer! Then I will be able to see many more friends and family (Erin) I can't wait!

Prayer Request for Kevin Please...

My husband tests for his next rank today. He is testing for Master Sergeant (MSGT) This is his 3rd time testing, and this is the time that he normally makes rank but I will be honest I am nervous for him this time, due to all the people that have been in longer than him and are his same rank.... So we'll see. Either way it's not in our hands, but it would be nice for Kevin to have guidance and reassurance in his answers, I guess to have peace! Just if you get a minute :) Thanks!

Heath doing his Valentines Day cards!

"Dad, make sure to separate girl and boy cards, I can't give a boy one of those love ones"

Last night Kevin and Heath were doing the cards for his class. We won't be here for his party, so his teacher offered to hand his cards out to the class and keep his cards for him until we come back (making this much more appealing to Heath)

Going to see Nana and Papa!

On Thursday Morning we are headed to Nana and Papa's! :) So thought I would share this image, I will still have my cell and new laptop to check email, so if you need us email me! :)

I put other shots of my parents on my photography blog, have a look!

The Ladies Big Girl Beds...

When we pcsed from Germany to New Mexico the movers lost Aspen's bed screws, then when we moved from the first house to this house, Kevin and his troops (aka our movers) lost the screws to Payton's bed! Needless to say the ladies have been in dire need of new beds! So Kevin and I began searching everywhere on line for beds.... Ok, I don't like to think I am cheap, but I can't afford $80.00 beds for One 4 year old, much less 3! I almost choked when seeing prices. Then my friend Stephanie got on line for me, found me a great deal at Toys R Us, and even which store had 3 beds. They were "on sale" for $67.00 each still not my ideal price, but trust me we looked everywhere. When we went to check out the lady told us that Toys R Us gives a multiples discount! Woo Hoo! How come I didn't know that?? :) So we got the beds for only $57.00 each~ The Triplets love them and of course all girls will know their favorite part of the bed is of course the canopy on top!

Boy/Girl things...

"Mama, Me and the girls are gonna wear our hair pretties just like you to church right?"
"Yep"
"And we are going to wear our bracelets too right?"
"Yes, Why"
"And mama, we get to wear our pretty shoes the black ones just for girls too?"
"Yes, Payton we are all 4 wearing the same stuff for church so we look pretty, Why?"
she is sitting on my bed thinking for a minute:

"Mama, how come David wears ear pretties? Those are for girls mama, and Day Day is a BOY!"
As I am laughing with her, I tell her "Well, yes they are but sometimes boys get to do pretties as well"
She says "well we need to tell him mama, no other pretties, those are for girls!"

We are soooo disappointed!

I must start this with a huge thank you! The emails, calls and wondering what We are doing for the Superbowl is so Awesome, as thou you all know that is why we are called Team Cooper! :)
Yeahhhhh so we were going for the Cardinals, all of us but Heath (he has friends for the Steelers so he wanted to cheer for them) We were going to have a Team Cooper Superbowl party, and that didn't pan out, and then we thought about going to church, but then thought twice (there was nothing for the girls to do literally) so we ended up buying all the great food (junk) you eat for the Superbowl and staying here at our own house! It was a good game, each of us cheering very loudly in my house and so disappointed that they lost! Heath, love him, has let us all know all night that the team he was rooting for won!
At one point even the girls were so excited "Run, Run" because that is what we were yelling at the T.V. Even thou non of "our teams" went and we were just the 8 of us, we had a good night! We love sports, but Football is our favorite... I love to watch all my family together!

Happy Birthday Aunt Pam...

Today is my Aunt Pam's Birthday. Thou she is in heaven for it, I wanted to take the time to wish her a Happy Birthday. She would have loved that the super bowl was today by the way!

This is a picture of her and my Uncle Roger before she got sick, they both look great! :)

We Love and Miss You Aunt Pam!