Our Christmas...

A last minute group shot that turned out great!

Molly not so excited about having her picture taken while wearing her new helmet. She has warmed up to it and loves wearing it around the house and while riding her bike!

Jack opening his new ant farm gift from Aunt Caroline and Uncle Jason. We are waiting with much anticipation for the ants to arrive!

A pre-Christmas Eve service picture of the kids. I love our kids!

Getting a deposit back...

This past Friday we hosted our annual church Christmas open house. It was a good time, and we had a good turnout. It was tiring, and we realized that for next year we are going to do it earlier in December instead of the week before Christmas. Our week was entirely too busy!

Well, we had many soda cans and beer bottles from the party. We would normally recycle such items, but since we had such a large quantity I thought I would be earthy and resourceful and take them down the street and get our deposit back. Kyle laughed and shook his head at me, but I was determined.

I had never done such a thing before. I was quite proud of myself, and walked out of the grocery store with a whole $3.60 - enough for my girlie coffee drink!

Molly, the performer...

Molly had her first school performance this week. She was great, and really enjoyed being up there. They sang two songs, and one had 10 verses to it! Our friend, Davina, made her dress. We took our friend, JT, to the performance so I wanted to get a picture of them together before the big "show" and this is what we got - I think they look cute together.

Jack also had his school performance, but I forgot the camera so no pictures! Sorry. He also did a great job!

Sleeping kids...

The other night I came home and Kyle was telling me that he had taken some pictures of the kids sleeping. I thought it was a little odd, and then I found these on the camera. First, I find it pretty great that they didn't wake up to the flash - they were really sound asleep! Second, they are both really snuggled in their beds.

Here's too sleeping like a child tonight - hopefully!

Molly, the baker...

Molly has really wanted to be a part of the cookie making process this holiday season. I was trying a new recipe this year, so I told her that she could help me decorate these cookies after I had baked them. She was so excited to be putting the sprinkles on the cookies.

My kids, the storm troopers...

Our friend's son let Jack borrow his storm trooper helmet and gun this past weekend. Jack could not have been more excited. It was fun to watch both of them play with the toys, and use their imaginations - although there was some fighting over who got to play with them and for how long! I had to snap these pictures for many reasons...

1. notice the Oregon hat that Jack so careful place ON TOP of the trooper helmet.

2. notice that Molly is holding the gun AND baby besty, so she is not only a fighter but continues to be a mommy to the baby.

i hope these make you smile!

A Good Effort...

Well tonight i was sitting down in the family room after the kids were in bed to finish up our Christmas cards, and I noticed a mistake in the letter. i had read it and reread it and reread it again, and i didn't catch my big mistake.

i left out my grandfather's passing this past year! Can you believe it?

i had typed the first draft of the letter and it had a combo sentence about losing both of my grandparents this year, then i edited the letter and forgot to mention his memorial service in the final product.

So...to my parents, i am sorry. i loved him just as much, and am truly embarrassed that i forgot. to myself, shame on me. next time, proof read it a fourth time.

Here is to next year!

In the spirit of pictures...

So today after we got home from church, we were looking at the pictures that I took of the kids signing at church. They wanted to take more pictures, so I said sure. They each got a turn. Jack went first and wanted to take a picture of me and Molly. So of course, Molly wanted to take one of Jack and me. Here are two results of what they took. They had such fun, and I must say they got some good pictures of each other with me. I will cherish them!

Christmas children's choir...

This morning the kids sang at church. They sang three songs, and did wonderful. Davina made a CD of her singing the songs and provided a copy to each of the families to practice while at home. We made a practice to listen to the CD twice a day - once on the way to school and once on the way home from school. By this morning, the kids knew all the verses. Kyle and I were proud of all the kids. They did a great job. Molly looked at me to take a few pictures, but Jack told me after the service that he was a "little camera shy" this morning and did not want his picture taken. He was concentrating on singing! He was also busy having his hands in his pockets and pulling up his pants to his high waist so that he looked like an old man with his pants too high. Also at one point he picked his nose, which I tried to capture with a picture but was a little too late.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures...

A first for me...

Well, I did it this morning!

I took Jack to school in my pajamas. Now, mind you I did not get out of the car but I thought it was one of those moments in my life. I can hear Kyle in my ear saying how he can't believe that I did not get dressed. I was coming right back home to shower for the day, so I thought why bother getting out of the warm comfy clothes just to come home and change again!

Molly was also in her pajamas with me, so it was a team effort.

Here is to laziness, and the fact that I can just drop Jack off at school and not leave my warm heated seat car!

Another funny kid interaction...

About a week and a half ago the kids received a belated birthday card from their great-grandmother. They were so excited to be getting something in the mail. They were lucky this year, too! They each received $3 to spend on anything. Jack's reaction, "Mom, can I buy a star wars lego with $3?" I kindly replied that he could not - it was not enough. He was okay with that because he knew there would be something else he could buy. I can't recall what Molly wanted to buy with her new found wealth. The kids toted around the money and the cards the rest of the day.

Well on Sunday, the kids got it in their minds - from me mentioning it - that it would be great to go to our local favorite mexican eatery. I was tired from a busy week, and did not have dinner planned that night. Then, we decided that we didn't need to spend the money afterall. It would be better to save it for another day. To our amazement, the kids suggested that they could pay for their own meal with the money they received from Granny. Kyle and I looked at each other with a smile and a look of amusement, and decided well why not. It was good for the kids to see that they did not have to buy a toy to have enjoyment from money they received as a gift from someone.

It was wonderful to watch their faces as they actually handed the money to the waiter that night. They enjoyed their meal more than ever. They were worried a little that it would not be enough to buy their meal. The waiter said that if it was not enough, then they could go in the back and wash dishes. They were not happy about that idea. We assured them that if it was not enough, then we could cover the difference.

Funny comment...

So I was watching a couple of extra kids this afternoon for my friend, which meant two extra kids at lunch time. The kids are older and use to each other now after having been around each other so much. They play surprisingly well together for most of the time. I made lunch and asked them to come to the table. They were eating away, and this is what I heard while I was at the kitchen sink - and it made me smile and giggle to myself...

J.T. - "So, Jack, what do you think of kindergarten?"

Jack - "It's okay"

J.T. is 3 and a half. I have heard him ask questions like this before to other people. I always find it amusing and wonderful when kids discover how to ask questions that seem like they should be beyond their years but really they aren't. J.T. is very aware of things like this, and that is only one thing that I love about him. I also love Jack's response, because he is one that tires of questions like this even if it is the only that is asked at the time. He does not think about things like this in the abstract. He is in the moment.

Oh the joys of children!

I love to run!

I have many thoughts as to why I love to run...too many to share, too boring to share.

Just let it be known that I have fallen in love with running.

Christmas time is here...

Today, i officially felt it!

It is Christmas season!

Yesterday, we got our Christmas tree. We got the things from the attic, and by end of the night the house was decorated for Christmas time. Before we put the kids down, we had read our nightly advent reading. Sunday was the beginning of advent at church, so the church also got decorated during the weekend. The last couple of days have been colder, foggy, gray, and very wintery. I have been in the mood to finish up shopping, bake cookies (looking for new recipes), and thinking about what Christmas dinner will be made of this year!

I am ready!

Thanksgiving, a little late...

No pictures were taken, so my words will have to provide your mental picture of the Parker's Thanksgiving 2009!

It was a great day. It started with a run for me with my running partner, Davina. It was a beautiful morning, and a energizing way to start a lazy day. Next on the agenda was an annual Cascade Turkey Bowl football game. The exciting thing about this year was that Jack got to play. He got to snap the ball, and tackle his friend that is the same age. Noah's mom and I stood on the sidelines smiling and laughing at the two of them tackle/wrestling each other the whole game. No one was hurt, and a good time was had by all there!

We came home to clean up, have a long relaxing nap, and the time for turkey dinner. Our friends, the Perrets, came over for a quiet dinner. The food was delicious, and the kids were great. For all the time it takes to prepare the dinner, we ate in record time. We ended the evening with kids in bed and the adults relaxing in front of a movie.

It was a quiet holiday. Family was missed, but we enjoyed friends.

We hope you all had a good time with family/friends and were able to reflect on what you are thankful for this holiday season.

Jack turns 6...

A typical Jack look when one asks for him to smile for the camera! I try to get him to show his teeth, but he is following in the footsteps of his dad with only a smirk. I do love it, though!

Jack got this hat for Halloween, as part of his costume. He has not not worn it for one day since. It is his security blanket!

I thought I would include this one, because the hat is often turned backward like this!

Jack about to enjoy a birthday cupcake up in Portland. While not a natural smile on his face, he really was excited to eat the cake.

A hiking we will go...

We found these huge maple leaves that we all collected. Jessica and I took a funny picture posing with the leaves!

This was the waterfall at the end of the hike. I love this picture that Jessica captured. Great light, and a great shot of Jack.

The kids eagerly awaiting the hike. I love the hat on Jack with his ears folded forward!

The epic...

There is a lot to look at below. November is a month of celebration for us Parkers! We have birthdays, visits from family, Thanksgiving. I hope that you enjoy what follows this blog entry. I have a love/hate relationship with this month. I love to celebrate birthdays because it is fun to think about my children getting older and how they have changed/grown up in a year, BUT it is also way too crazy. It is a time filled with lots of sugar and promises about how we will do it differently next year to make it more calm - which in reality probably won't happen. The good thing is the kids are loved on, and feel special on their day. They love celebrating with each other - I do love having their birthdays close for that reason!

I could go on, but won't. Enjoy the pictures and the very little editorial that I have included with the pictures. Then rest assured that there is still more to come in the next couple of days - we still have pictures of Jack's actual birthday day, and I am hoping to document my turning 35 - welcome to the mid-30's! Stay tuned...

The birthday party...

Molly being sung to before she blows out the candle with cheezits in her mouth!

Jack blowing out his candle!

Molly enjoying the wave pool in the shallow part!

Jack riding the waves all by himself! Later we got the bright idea that it would be a better idea to have him wear a life jacket while riding the waves by himself since he does not know how to swim all by himself. He loved the wave pool, and had no fear going out there by himself.

Welcome to the family...

Last Friday, we welcomed a new addition to the family...baby Sam, Sammy, Samantha! Molly received a new baby doll for her birthday. She loves her, and has promptly put baby Betsy in the baby cradle to sleep since Friday. Today I asked her if baby Betsy didn't need to wake up and play or eat, and she said that it was not time to wake her up and that she needed to keep sleeping. I am beginning to wonder if baby Betsy will ever wake up again! Baby Sam has provided much opportunity to pretend play for Molly, which for a mom is always fun to watch. She has changed her diaper, fed her, walked her, read to her, taken her for a walk to the grocery store, burped her, etc. You get the idea - Molly is in love and welcoming to the idea of being a mother to her baby - ahh, the mother hen personality trait is being fed!

Molly & the hat...

My mom knit this hat, and Molly immediately fell in love with it! I captured these great pictures of her. It was pure luck that the hat matched her outfit and skin coloring perfectly. I think she could be a child model - don't you think?!

My niece, Rynn...

I love this picture. I was trying to capture all the grandkids with Grammy. Rynn for some reason was wanting to take all the pictures with her mouth open. When I look at this one, I smile really big. There was no sound to come with the open mouth, but I got a lot with her mouth opened like this!

Molly turns 4...

So, I am couple of days late on this post - it has been busy! Molly turned four last Friday! We journeyed up to Portland to pick up Grammy. While there, we decided to have a little family birthday lunch with my brother and her cousins. We ate yummy pizza, then we went for cupcakes. This is Molly's red velvet cupcake. She loved it, but was too full from all the lunch she ate that we ended up taking it home with only a little icing missing from the teeny tiny licks she took while at the shop.

Who can go the deepest?...

I captured this picture on our recent trip to Portland to pick up Grammy. We ate lunch with Jason and the girls. We were hanging out at their house. I tried to get some candid pictures of Grammy with all four grandkids. I happened to get this picture, which when I saw it brought a smile and a little giggle to my face. What are the chances of getting a picture with BOTH kids picking their noses? It also kind of looks like Jack is getting some coaching from Grammy on how to get a good one!

Halloween 2009...

Halloween was a fun filled day at the Parkers. I got up early for a run with my good friend, then we meet other ladies from the church for our monthly Women's walk and coffee...all the while Kyle and the kids were gearing up for a day of Duck football (it was a big game for the Ducks against the USC Trojans)! I came home long enough to shower, feed the kids a light lunch, and we were off to help a little friend celebrate his 3rd birthday - a costume party. After the party, we dined at a friend's house before the long anticipated time of trick or treating!! The kids were most excited. It had been cloudy all day, but right as were taking some pictures outside it began to rain. Luckily, it only last a few minutes. The kids charged ahead of the adults, and scored quite a lot of good candy this year. We end the night very tired and bags of candy. They enjoyed their costumes, and look forward to it again next year.

Jack's Jog-a-thon...

Jack had a fund raiser for his school this last month - it was a jog-a-thon. I didn't know what to expect from such an event. It was a lot of fun! The kids had 45 minutes to run around the high school track. Jack raised money based not on laps because I did not know just how many laps he would complete. To my utter surprise he ran...2 1/2 miles (or 10 times around the track). He struggled a little in the middle - he really didn't have an idea about how to pace himself - so I ran/walked the last five or so laps. I was proud of him. They had a great day to do it, and Jack got to ride on his first school bus to get to the track. Thank you to all those who helped support him and the school. We really appreciated it!

The best of friends...

I wanted to take some pictures of Molly this afternoon since she looked so cute in her dress with her hair curled, and Jack wanted to jump right in. So...this is what I got. Sometimes it is really hard to get a good picture of the two kids together - one of them never wants to cooperate with us. However this time, it is priceless! I look at this picture and wonder where time has gone. They look so old today. I guess that is what life is all about - growing up!

The family...

October 3, 2009