Just in case you thought...

...I had given up on blogging, you are wrong. I have just been a little busy and little unmotivated to do any blogging. I hope that you enjoy the following and I will try and do a little better during Christmas. Just today, I made my second batch of butter cookies with icing, the kids are officially out of school for break, we have watched some Christmas shows, and I am wrapping presents tonight. So...Christmas has hit the Parker household.

In search of the perfect Christmas picture...

Once again it is that time of year when I want to get a great family picture. I have tortured my three with three DIFFERENT tries at getting the shot. While all of these are wonderful, to my picky eye there is something out of focus on each one of them. I have talked Kyle into one more try - this time without the pressure of the "Christmas" setting. I said that we could wear whatever each of us wants to and just sit on the couch or something. Hopefully, this will take place tomorrow and each of you will receive one in the mail. With that said, when you do get it in the mail you can look at it with more emotion and smile knowing what it took to get THAT picture to your doorstep!

Thanksgiving (a little late)...

Grammy and Pops came for a visit, and we were not good about pictures. However, we did get some to at least document their visit. We had a great visit, and will miss family at Christmas time.

(In case you were wondering, yes, Kyle was around with us but we did not get any pictures of him. I will have to look into to the oversight and rectify it at Christmas!)

It snowed...

...and one would have thought it was the greatest thing to happen to the kids. I want all to look at how little snow is on the grass and then think about the fact that they cancelled school for this "snow." The kids LOVED the snow day, but we just smiled because there was so little.

My first half marathon...

After Shirley left, my parents arrived just in time to watch (and help) me run my first half marathon. It seems a long time ago, but I thought I would go ahead and load a couple of pictures from the race. In case you care, I did well. I ran it in 1 hour 41 minutes and 10 seconds.

Me, about to finish.

Davina and I after the race. We had another friend run with us, but I did not get a picture of all three of us! :( (Notice the matching hats - no, we are not part of a running club unless you count just the two of us a running club! :) )

Now, we are working on another half marathon in Seattle in June.

Granma comes for a visit...

Granma came for her first ever visit to Oregon. She got a little sunshine, but then typical fall weather complete with mist and gray skies. She got to see a little of the color that we get to enjoy each year with falls here. We were all excited to share our home and little bit of life with her. It was a crazy few days. I am sure that she is returning home more tired then when she came. Life with two kids is always busy, but when it is around their birthdays it raises it another level. We kept her on her toes!

Granma blowing a kiss to Molly as she took the picture. We were at the basketball game for Jack.

Molly not wanting to take a picture, but me saying she could make a face as long as she was looking at me.

Granma and her grankids with their first ever build a bear birthday treats! They loved making these "bears" but loved it even more because Granma was there to do it with them.

Shirley we loved having you here, and hope to have you come again before too long!

Jack's 7th Birthday...

Jack's birthday was on Saturday. What a day it was! He got to watch Sports Center with Kyle in the morning, then we headed out to a movie in the afternoon, then off to get a Dairy Queen slushie (his choice!), then straight to his first two basketball games of the season, then a quick race home to watch the Ducks beat Cal with jambalaya (again his choice!) with cornbread. It was a busy day, but there were lots of smiles on our little boy. He had a great birthday.

Jack opening his much wanted Star Wars lego with figurines

Jack seeing his new desk for the first time. He has not left his room since he got it! (We did good!!)

Jack's pose at my request for his 7th birthday picture. Classic Jack smile

Jack's new night spy glasses - they are so cool.

He may have chosen a slushie for his birthday treat, but I had to have something that he could blow candles out with, so I made a batch of molasses cookies then added some green frosting and lit the candles for a birthday song and strong blowout.

We can't believe our little "baby" is seven years old. He has really changed since that first year of parenthood in Colorado. Time flies, and kids grow fast. He is a treasure and makes us smile.

Jack's 7th Birthday (at school)...

Jack enjoyed having his birthday "celebrated" at school. Long gone are the days of homebaked goodies for all to enjoy. Replacement comes in the form of store bought cookies. The kids in his class each make him a birthday card that he got to enjoy when he came home that day.

Molly's 5th Birthday...

Yesterday, we celebrated our little girl turning 5 years old! Kyle and I still can't believe that she is that old. We moved to Eugene when she was 9 months old, and now look at her. Time has really flown by. The other day I was asking Kyle when we started calling her the "bear." He said it was soon after we moved here. While the reason that we call her the "bear" has changed, she is still our little baby bear. We love her. Enjoy the pictures from the day. We wish that loved ones could have been here to help celebrate, but we know that you sent birthday wishes her way from afar!

I made more cupcakes so that she had something to blow her candles out on her actual birthday. I think what I love most about this picture is actually me looking at her with a smile - I know that I am thinking what a precious gift God gave us when he gave us Molly Clark.

Molly is actually smiling and laughing at her brother in this picture. Jack was behind me getting her to smile.

A nice posed plastered smile picture of the kids together. They really did not want to pose for me.

Although Molly does not look happy in this picture, she was quiet thrilled with her birthday gifts. They were perfectly themed, which was not planned, but a great surprise. It was a ballerina themed day. She opened presents, and the leotard, tutu, and ballerina doll did not leave her body ALL day long! Way to go family!

Molly got a new bed from Kyle and I this year. We had to return her other bed to Jason and Caroline when they moved away this last summer, so her mattress and boxspring had been on the floor. (which I liked because there were no dust bunnies to sweep up!) She was surprised and excited with the new bed. Kyle put it together while we were at violin lessons. Way to go dad!

We are delighted to see what Molly's sixth year of life will bring our way. She is quite the little girl and makes us smile with the things she says and does. She makes us cry and wonder what is going on with you - but that is parenting. Keep checking back to see what she will do next.

Molly's 5th Birthday (at school)...

I brought homemade (yes, I broke the store bought rule) cupcakes for Molly's birthday on Thursday to school. She was so very excited. She was also the special person for the week, so she felt mighty big all week long! The other thing she was excited about was that I was going to come for a little bit of school and stay for snack time. (Now does that tell you something about how much time I spend in the classroom!) I thought this picture was a classic expression for her. I love it!

By the way, the three clips were her idea. I thought it was a bit overkill, but she wore them with pride. She has her own style. I am sure that almost all mothers of girls have let go of the control of hair and clothes knowing that they might not always choose what you would have chosen.

Actual Halloween pictures...

We did our annual trick or treating with friends in their very "family friendly" neighborhood. We had good weather, which means no downpour, and it was not too cold. The pictures that followed make me grin. The kids were so excited about getting candy. The kids were all so good. They were overjoyed at each piece. There were no meltdowns or bad attitudes this year. The amount of candy is more than they need, but then again isn't that what halloween is all about!

Molly helping our friend, Jaycee, to the next house. She is two, and so precious!

Molly and Camille holding hands to the next house.

I thought this was a great picture of two princesses - one young and one old. It almost looks as though Molly is "teaching" Jaycee something about how to be a princess.

Jack, my superman, before getting candy. I was glad that Jack chose to be something other than a Duck fan/football player. It is good to broaden his horizons!

Molly, my princess, before candy. She told me that princesses do not really wear scarves, but that she was going to tonight because it was a little cold outside and she did not want to freeze!

Pumpkin carving...

This was the first year that the Parker family has carved pumpkins. The kids never had asked before so I was lazy and said let's wait until they ask to do it. This was the year! Jack picked out the big one just for carving. We did it last Saturday. It had been raining for some time and we were worried that it was never going to work out to do it outside, but in the afternoon last week it stopped just long enough to have some fun. The kids were excited. They drew the faces themselves, and then I used the knife to do the cutting. Kyle was working on his own. He went to the garage and came back with his power drill. He decided that he would make his special with polka dots. Well, that was it. That was what everyone had to have on their pumpkin. It was so cute watching the kids beg for their polka dots. Kyle may think he is not creative, but he is an artist in his own right.

Pumpkin patch 2010 #3...

A couple of weeks ago Molly had her class field trip to a pumpkin patch. Mind you, it was one we had already visited, but this time Kyle got to go with us because it was on a Monday which is his day off of work. It was a cloudy gray Oregon day, but the kids had fun. Molly was more than excited that her dad got to go with her on the field trip. I think that three trips to see pumpkins is more than enough, and that next year we might shoot for just one visit!

My little princess...

What else can I say about this picture. I think it captures it all without words.

Pumpkin patch 2010 #2...

Friday the kids were not in school, so we headed off to Lone Pine (another pumpkin patch/farm). We went there because we had a coupon for a free pumpkin from our realtor, and who could pass up something free!

Jack wanted to find the biggest one he could. I only told him that he had to be able to pick it up all by himself.

Jack's jog-a-thon...

***These pictures are backward***

Enjoying a well earned popsicle

Trying to figure out just how many laps they all completed - with a little competition

Jack walking around the track

Jack running around the track

Jack did a great job at his jog a thon this year. He completed 11 laps, which is one lap more than last year. It was a wonderful sunny warm day. They had lots of fun, but yet again this year the highlight of the morning for Jack was riding on the school bus to the high school track! Ahh, the little pleasures.

Thank you to all of you who help to support Jack again this year! We truly appreciate it.

Pumpkin patch 2010 #1...

We did our annual trip to Detering's Apple days on the first weekend in October. It was a glorious day - warm and sunny. The kids always have fun at this orchard because there is a hay maze, free pumpkin, cider, apple cobbler, ice cream, and this year I let them get their faces painted. I love the first picture, because it shows one of Molly crazy faces, and Jack enjoying very much the scoop of ice cream he got to eat!

Sailing in Tahoe...

I surprised Kyle with a trip to Tahoe about a month ago for a belated 40th birthday celebration. We had a fabulous time. We did alot of stuff. Kyle's cousin and his wife joined us on the trip - also a 40th celebration for them. We went sailing one day - our only cloudy day. It was a bit cold, but we had fun. Lawny and Holly took turns "driving" the boat. Kyle and I just relaxed and let others be in charge!