Woodworking!

Coop rounded up some extra work scraps from Alan's latest woodworking project, and he created this coin holder:

It was actually pretty clever.  He drew several different things he thought he could make with his scrap pieces (a train, a boat) and then finally settled on the coin holder.

 

Next up, a train:

So Alan rounded up a bunch more pieces of scrap from the barn, and Cooper decided to make his own woodworking show, ala Roy Underhill and The Woodwright Shop (whose videos Coop and Alan watch together now).  Here's episode 1:

Coop made three episodes in total, so we could send them to Roy Underhill with this note:

Dear Roy Underhill,

My name is Cooper Grant and I want to be a woodworker when I grow up.  I am 5 1/2 years old, and I wanted to make my own woodworking movies just like you do.  My Daddy made a table from one of your books.

I wanted to send you the movies I made so you could watch them on your computer.  I hope you enjoy the movies, seasons 1, 2, and 3.

[heart] Cooper

January activities

Coop built a teeny tiny snowman with the little bit of snow we had early in the month:

Coop and Alan made donuts:

We made up a secret code to send messages to each other:

We joined some friends at the Topeka Roadrunners hockey game:

We visited the Topeka zoo and got to feed a giraffe:

Misc.

Baldwin has a new Italian restaurant in town, so Coop and I had a special date night there one evening.

 

Place mats to color, always a good thing:

Spaghetti and meatballs:

I will never, never get tired of this:

At long last, basketball is over.  Coop didn't love it, but came home with a medal to add to his collection:

 

Coop's finally saved up enough allowance/gift money to open his very own savings account!

More friends

Our good friends the Buchers recently added one to their family.  Baby Eleanor:

Carrie brough Eleanor and Gus (who's 2.5) over to play one day, and Coop was as sweet as pie to the baby.  Loved holding her.

Maybe too much.

And he and Gus did some great work on the piano:

Visiting friends

Cooper got out of school for Christmas on Wednesday, December 20th, not to return until January 2nd.  So to kick off Cooperpalooza, Coop and I drove down to Arkansas for a couple of days to visit his friend Henry.

 

The boys drawing (dinosaurs, probably) waiting for lunch:

In a fabulous used book store looking at books (about dinosaurs):

Painting their noses red with a marker so they could be Rudolph:

With one of the mascots at an Arkansas Razorback basketball game:

Playing castle with Caroline:

Digging in the dirt (for dinosaur bones):

Putting together a map of the US:

(All good, except that we managed to lose Alabama. Given the SEC rivalry, it didn't seem that Henry's family minded too much, frankly.)

Holiday fun!

Singing Christmas songs with Vada at Grandma Marlene's:

Silly bath:

The grandkids with Grandma Joan and Grandpa Cecil:

Grandpa Cecil mounted a basetball goal in his garage.  Veeeeerrrrrrry low.  Coop LOVED making baskets in it!!

Traditional gator ride with the cousins:

Sisters:

My cousin's dog Diesel, just because he's cute:

Xmas gifts

Coop's friend from church, Miss Sherry, got him "the armor of God" (based on Eph. 6:10-18):

I adore this giant pencil:

My folks got Coop a doctor's lab coat along with real (REAL!!) medical equipment:

My sister, who's recently been to Costa Rica, brought back this pirate treasure chest:

New kicks from Carmen:

A pretty nifty create-a-creature gear set:

Spoiled rotten, this one.  :)

Christmas in Baldwin

The tree (with Santa gifts!) when we woke up Christmas morning:

Ok, this wasn't exactly a Christmas morning gift, but I love it anyway.  A pirate nutcracker!!

Coop and his loot:

Experimenting with the Window Crayons:

Remember the ice cream set Coop wanted?  Alas, Santa opted for a REAL ICE CREAM MAKER and supplies!!!  Genius, no??  Coop wasn't entirely in love with it, but we did have fun over break trying it out:

Final Christmas prep

Coop and Alan made brown sugar cookies for Santa:

At our church's Christmas music night, Cooper decided he wanted to sing "Silent Night."

 

At the reception afterward, he loaded up his plate with seven cookies literally before I could catch up with him.  Well earned, I say.  (Plus I got to finish off the ones he didn't eat!)

And one final holiday decoration: