Family Night Out

Applebees was too busy so we took the kids to Hooters.

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Crafty #1

I made these tea envelopes for my Secret Sister in MOPS! I got the idea from this awesome crafts blog, Crafts by Amanda. I really like how these turned out and I hope my Secret Sis enjoys them! I'll definitaly be trying out more ideas from Amanda!

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Breakfast in Bed

I can't necessarily remember WHEN we began allowing Josh eat breakfast on our bed but I do remember WHY! And it looks like Evie has caught on!

It started as one of those convienence parenting things... keep the kid occupied while we get just a few extra minuets of sleep on the weekend. Then it just kind of took over. I honestly dont mind; actually I think its kind of cozy. Hopefully one of those things they'll remember about their childhoods.

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There was a little girl...

...who had a little curl!

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My house smells like a Pizzaria... In a good way.

I love build your own pizza night!

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Le Jazz

Josh & daddy after the first jazz concert of 2011! It was good... for a jazz concert ;)

-L

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Toy Story

Josh-in-the-Box

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Wii Family Game Night

Love it :)
-L

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Bath Time!

Baby Evie in her tubby :)
-L

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Delicious Imaginations!

This is pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen. Josh & ZZ lined up their buddies so they could play "school."

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Let me see!

Believe it or not, I took about 10 shots before I got this photo. This is because of the "let me see!" pheonomenea. What happens, see, is that kids nowadays ask for their picture taken, pose for a split second, and jump up before you can press the shutter button, yelling "let me see!" The result is a series of blurry images with mouths half open an eyes half closed. Such is the plight of the digital photographer... Instant gratification. Friend or foe?

This is going to make me sound old...

In MY day, we had to actually WAIT to see our pictures! Remember that? Collecting rolls of FILM to take to the pharmacy or Costco to be DEVELOPED? Then WAITING a week or so to pick them up? Even then, you never knew what you were going to get. Sometimes you had a roll of 36 gems, others the envelope was entirely full of dark, blurry images, mouths half open, eyes half closed... not unlike the ones I captured of my kids this morning. The only difference now is that I have the option of the delete button.

-L

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Basketball Season

Go Bears

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A Good Change

I changed the furniture around yesterday, I wasn't sure if I liked it but its growing on me.

-L

PS I actually took this picture yesterday but forgot to post.

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Hawks Lose

But Ev sure looks cute in her outfit ;)

-L

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Silly Kitty

Sometimes my cat jumps into the drawer then somehow shimmies her body BEHIND the drawer. I push and push wondering "why won't my drawer close?" Then I hear her meow in such a way that sounds squished. At first I feel guilty for squishing her, then I remember SHE was the one who climbed behind the drawer in the first place. Stupid cat.

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I Surrender

The kids have taken over meal time. Will I ever get to have a peaceful dinner again?

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Put a Marble In, Take a Marble Out

This week at MOPS we talked about dicipline. Specificaly, dicipline geared toward different personality types. Now, I think Eric and I have always done pretty well in this department but there's always room for improvment.

From our discussion at MOPS, I came to realize that Joshua is an "otter" who is outgoing, warm, friendly and compassionate but can also be undiciplined, unproductive and unstable. No duh. My, niece, Makenzie, on the other hand is a "lion." A lion is a leader, practical, independent and productive but can be at times domineering, unforgiving and controlling. Hmmm... really?

My delima, then, has been to find a way to motivate both kids and play to each of their strengths while working around their weeknesses. I decided to try something new.

My solution is this marble jar. They get marbles put in for "good choices" and marbles taken out for " bad choices." I am hoping that this will motivate my competitive Otter as much as my goal-oriented Lion.

PS: Megan, you are SUCH a Lion (type A) and Jan, is a Beaver (type D) to a tee; so you're not like your mom after all!

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Ev Takes Controll

Add caption

'nough said.
-L

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I KNOW its 18 days past Christmas

No matter how I try and spin it, it honestly comes straight down to sheer laziness.

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The Relative Freedom of Cheerios

Ev has begun eating Cheerios, which means she can feed herself. Which means she is occupied during dinner. Which means I can actually eat MY dinner when its still warm. Which means we have surpassed a major milestone in solid food feeding. Yea for Evelyn!

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Hidden Talent #1

If you ever need a chicken carcass picked clean, I'm your gal. I'll leave nothing but bones.

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How to get your kid to WANT to go to bed:

Take them to a party at a bounce-house joint; that's how! These kids didn't stop running for an ENTIRE hour! Not until someone yelled "cupcakes" at least. Good times.
-L

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Its the little things that get me all excited

I know its geeky but I just discovered a blogger app for android. I am completeing my entire post tonight, including the photo, from the comfort of my own bed. Hehe :)
-L

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Pinkalicious Party

I took the kids to Mobius for a Pinkalicious party.  It was so cute! Josh was the only boy there but he couldn't care less.  In fact, he was totally stoked!  He searched his drawers for a shirt that had pink on it and even made recommendations for my own wardrobe as well.  (I wore a pink sweater).  At the party they read the book Pinkalicious, made sparkley wands and decorated pink cupcakes.  If you've ever read Pinkalicious you'd know you most definitely could not have a party without pink cupcakes!

-L

I know I'm behind the times...

Ok, I know everyone has already read this book... but dude.  Seriously.  Did this totally creep anyone else out? I'm not finished so don't tell me what happens but I can't wait to be done with it.  I mean, I like it.  Its just that I can't shake the feeling that someone's watching me.  Anyway, fun read.  I won't be watching the movie though.

-L

Cute

Couldn't resist.  Just like the overalls say.

-L

Chocoholic

Literally.  My new nightly obsession is hot cocoa spiked with Bailey's.  A little side of Ghiradelli's and dessert is complete.  Its sooooooooooooo goooooooooood!
-L

Forever Friends

Joshua is the only person who can crack Evelyn up!  Look how cute they are together! I thank God every day that these two wonderful people were entrusted in our care.

Love, L

2010 in Pictures

A note from the Author: Welcome to my new project!  This will probably be my longest post for the year.  I imagine that I may not even write anything some days.  I've been thinking for a while now that I need a project, a la Julia/Julia, to motivate me creatively and keep me accountable to myself.  So I thought up 365.  My goal for this project is to document each and every day of the year with a picture.  I love taking pictures and looking at other people's pictures.  To say that "photography is my passion" may be an overstatement.  I am completely amateur... less than amateur to be exact.  But I love taking pictures of my kids, my pets and my surroundings.  I love the stories that a single picture can tell or the memories captured.  I hope that at the end of my project I will have a view of the year that is simple and reminds me of the magic that happens around us every day. And maybe, just maybe, it inspires others to do the same.

Ahh.. the sparkling snow.  What a gorgeous way to begin the new year!  But I'll get back to that in a minute... I thought I'd start the new year and my new blog project by trying to recap 2010; I guess sort of a cyber Christmas letter.  The Parker family had an awesome year.  We each have had some big changes and fun adventures.

When 2010 began a year ago, I was 4 months pregnant with our baby girl, Evelyn.  However, at the time, we still didn't know if she was a "she" or a "he" because we wanted to be surprised on her birthday.  In March, we decided that once my maternity leave was up, I would quit my job at the Convention Center, doing the wedding sales, and become a stay-at-home mommy with Josh and Evie and I would also get to take care of my niece, Makenzie.  The BEST decision we ever made!  I am having an awesome time baking with them, doing crafts, making messes, and watching them grow.
It is so true that these early years go by so quickly!  I have also joined a local MOPS group with a mom I met at Josh's old day care where I am making friends with other moms and getting some much needed, "grownup time" as well as a little added bonus "girl time."



Eric started out the year with an experiment of sorts.  He had the opportunity to conduct CV's musical, Brigadoon.  We weren't sure how it was all going to go but he had an amazing time.  He also displayed exemplary citizenship and sportsmanship with his Pep Band when they went to State Basketball and played for AC Davis' basketball team when they had no band to help cheer them on.
Of course on May 16, Evelyn was born on Eric's birthday so now daddy & daughter share their special day.  Shortly after her birth, Eric went back down to Ashland Oregon to finish his final year at American Band College (ABC).  He is now the proud holder of a Master's in Conducting degree from Sam Houston State University. (Go Bears!)  Come Fall, CV had an extremely successful marching band season winning, 3 out of 4 of their shows (Go Bears!).

November was a month to erase from history.  Eric got meningitis, then stuck in Seattle over Thanksgiving week, I was left alone with the kids to get ourselves over the pass, then my Dad went into the ICU for a perforated liver and e coli infection and (apparently) all the stress landed me in the ER with a severe mastitis.  Poor Josh got croup and had to miss Yo Gabba Gabba Live at the Opera House and Evelyn got an ear infection.  None of us were able to make it through November unscathed, however after a good dose of rest, antibiotics, a make up trip to Disney on Ice, and an awesome trip to Florida has healed us up nicely.

Josh has grown up so much.  It's fun to see the pictures of him early last year at the indoor water park at Silver Mountain.  He was so timid in the water, sticking to the shallow end and not wanting to get his face wet.  Now, after a summer of swimming with his buddies and fall swim lessons he is like a little fish!
He is such a good big brother and has really deserved all the extra attention and privileges he's received.   
He got a new bike after his sister was born and he had a blast riding around the neighborhood all summer and he got to experience his first roller coaster.  He turned 4 in October and we did up his birthday party big time with a Superhero theme, games, capes and pulled pork sliders. (Josh's request!)


Evelyn has been the most wonderful blessing!  She reminds me all the time of life's every day miracles.  She is such a happy baby with so much love to give.
Watching her grow is amazing and I get to "relive" all of Joshua's firsts through her as well.  It's so funny to compare the two of them!  They are so alike in many ways and so not alike in just as many.  While Josh really could care less about food or where it came from, (honestly, he still doesn't), Evelyn is very particular and has refused a bottle from day 1, much more interested in the experience and comfort of eating.  Hard in one way for me, but easier in another.  I read somewhere that there are two types of people: those who eat to live and those to live to eat.  Josh is a definite "eat-to-live-er" while I am hoping Evelyn falls into the later category... like her momma.  Hey, I need someone who will go try the newest Ethiopian restaurant or neighborhood Bistro with me!

So all-in-all we've had a great year. Here are some of the highlights:

January 2010:  Josh (3) helps out the CV Pep Band and Cheerleaders cheer on the Bears at a basketball game

February 2010, Josh (3) takes a winter walk in Manito Park with Gammy, Papa and Mom

March, 2010, Josh (3) and Sidney celebrate St. Patric's Day

April 6, 2010 family photos taken before "baby" is born.  Joshua (3) is already a loving big brother.

May 16, 2010 I finally get to hold my baby girl, Evelyn Lilly Parker.  Born at 3:49 pm, weighing 7 lbs, 7 oz at 19 inches long.

June, 2010: Josh (3) and Evelyn (4 weeks) snuggle up for a Father's Day photo for daddy.

 July 3, 2010:  A family photo after Eric's graduation ceremony from ABC.  Congratulations Eric!

 August 2010:  Mom & Evelyn (3 months) get to spend some quality time together in Clelan with Austin and Emily

 September 2010:  Joshua (3), Makenzie (3), and Evelyn (3 months) watch the first CV marching band practices of the season.

October 2010:  I couldn't choose just one picture!  Left: Joshua's 4th birthday party was a blast!

Right: Josh (4), Evelyn (5 months) and Makenzie (3) pose for a Halloween photo shoot.

November 2010: Evelyn (6 months) is growing into a little beauty

December 22, 2010:  Eric, Josh (4), Evelyn (7 months) and I travel to Naples, Florida to visit Megan, Blake and new cousin, Claire (4 months)

Wrapping up the year with family in Naples was the perfect way to end 2010.  It was a little shock to the system to come back to 3 degree weather though!  But the sparkling snow is just as beautiful as the sun-warmed sand.  I can't wait to see what 2011 will bring.  There will be some big plans (Disney World!!) and some everyday moments.  I hope this project will let us see the wonder in it all!

Happy New Year

-L