Welcome to Kindergarten!

I can't believe my "baby" boy is starting school! You don't really realize how little they still are until you send them away to be on their own in a big school for the first time! Luckily, Preston is going to Grace Christian School and they had the option for half-day kindergarten, so that's what we chose. So, he goes to school from 11:45-2:45 every day. He wishes he went all day, but I figured starting next year he would go to school all day for the next twelve years....so I might as well hold him close for as long as I can!

The pictures are out of order, but this is how we celebrated a successful first day....an icee and popcorn at Target! :)

Preston and his best bed/cousin Max are in the same class. They also went to Preschool together. These boys are unseperable. Thankfully, they are good boys, even together, so the teacher enjoys having them! And they tend to be helpers too! I love these boys!
Preston was so excited before I took him to school. He had his back pack on and ready to go, giving Parker boy a little loving and assuring him he would be back after school.

And here is my big boy, all smiles, ready to embrace the first day!
He wasn't nervous at all! I'm so proud of him!

Payton was excited to get to walk Preston into his class. She wanted to be in his pictures. They are so silly together....when they're not fighting!

I am so thankful God led us in the direction of Grace Christian School. I NEVER intended to put my kids in a private school, after all, I'm a public school teacher! But God speaks to those who listen, and sometimes he SHOUTS to make sure He is heard! :) And I'm so thankful I finally heard Him!

Preston is loving school. He gets to see several of our good friends who teach at the school, as well as his cousin Brookelynn throughout the day. He comes home smiling and excited every day. Parker naps while Pres is in school, and that leaves Payton and I to have a few hours of alone time together. It's the perfect situaion for all of us!

Cheers to a great start to a great school year!

Family Fun in the Sun

What a beautiful Sunday! Payton and I got up early and headed downtown to cheer on our close friend Marquel, who was running in her very first half marathon. We had a great time meeting up with Marquel's family and a couple of other girlfriends. It was so fun to watch Marquel and cheer for her. And any time alone with just this little sweet thing makes for a great time!

After church and an afternoon nap, we loaded up the bikes and headed to the Campbell Creek Trail system. Darron pulled Payton and Parker in the trailer and Preston pedaled hard on his bike with training wheels to keep up. The trail is BEAUTIFUL and goes all along the creek and through the woods.

After biking for awhile, we stopped at Take lake to throw some rocks into the water. Parker LOVES throwing anything, so throwing rocks and making a splash was the perfect break for him!

I am so thankful for my family, sunny days, and living in such a beautiful state!

Welcome to the Family!

Meet Spikey and Fireball. Our new bearded dragons. I'm still in disbelief that I have reptiles living in my house....and that I've been forced to hold them. I am NOT a reptile fan....at.all!! But, thanks to a sweet bearded dragon named Sunny, we now are proud bearded dragon owners.

Sunny came to stay with us for two weeks while his family was on vacation in Italy. I should have known what that lead to. Darron and Preston immediatly fell in love, so two days before Sunny was scheduled to reunite with his own family, Darron and Preston were rescuing this pair of dragons from a neglegtful home.

Payton quickly took to holding the bearded dragons too. She likes to hold the little girl, and with the help of her cousin Brookelynn, they came up with the name Fireball.

And this is a perfect picture of Payton: in a princess nightgown, all girly, holding a bearded dragon!

Darron cracks me up. He gets worried about the bearded dragons is takes great care of them. He loves holding them and teaching them to "perch" on his shoulder.

This alone, makes it worthwhile to be a bearded dragon owner. Have you ever seen anything cuter than this little girl and her "beard of dragon"?!!

The "Man Truck"

Introducing, Darron's new "Man Truck"! Boy is he one happy, proud man!

The Dodge Ram was starting to have some troubles and pulling our camping trailer with a 1500 truck was proving to be a difficult task. So, we went in search of a "bigger truck."

After looking, researching, and test driving, we were both set on getting a Ford 350 diesel. But, we needed to get an older model because the newer models had horrible engines. However, all of the older models were.....OLD! And came with their own set of problems.

That's when our research led us to discover the great, trusty engine in the new 2011 F-350's. And wouldn't you know it....they were having a "sale" (if you can call it that) to close out the 2011's. So....this is what ended up coming home!

We LOVE this truck! It is big, roomy, and beautiful. It pulls the trailer like nothing is attached and we feel nice and safe! Every man needs a man truck, right?

One Already?!

It's hard to believe this sweet little thing is already one!! It's funny how time works. It doesn't really seem like just yesterday that I was pregnant with him or that he was a newborn, but then again, I can't believe he's already so big and just turned one! Wow!

Parker had to prove himself to be a tough little guy from the very beginning. At three weeks old, this little guy ended up in the hospital for seven days. He was poked, prodded, scanned, and messed with constantly. He had iv's, spinal taps, antibiotics, ultrasounds, and vitals checked. But he was so tough. I knew then that we had a special litte guy....a little trooper. And the Lord protected him then, and has continued to protect him! The final conclusion was that Parker had bacterial meningitis. Because we caught it early, the doctor was hoping for little or no lasting side effects. As of now, Parker is healthy and right on track developmentally! Praise the Lord!

Parker quickly won the affections of his big brother and sister! I'm not sure they could love him any more! They are always wanting to be near Parker and touch him, hold him, wrestle him, feed him, etc. And I am always amazed at how they never get mad at him. Parker can pull hair, swipe a toy, or hit and they just "correct" him and move on. It's really cool. And man does he love his brother and sister in return. He is always following them and wanting to be a part of what they are doing. And he and Payton seem to have a special connection. Lately, I've noticed that when Payton is throwing a fit and sent to her room upstairs, Parker quickly wanders off and is always found playing in Payton's room while she is in time-out. I guess that's his way of checking on her and taking care of her! :)

See those big blue eyes? Yep, those define Parker. That's what everyone first notices and comments on. Those eyes are going to get him into a lot of trouble some day!

Oh ya, and the drool on the t-shirt....yep.....his shirts STILL look that way!

Ahhh....those blue eyes!

This is Parker boy celebrating his first birthday with a chocolate cup cake. He may look like it was no big deal, but boy did he demolish that cake! We celebrated with a small family get together and it was so fun to watch him dig in!

Ohhhhh the curls! How I love those blonde little curls. Besides his blue eyes, the curls are also noticed. I just can't bring myself to cut them yet!

Parker is such a joy. He is so fun and so stinkin' cute! He has a stalky build and reminds us of a little body builder. He's into EVERYTHING.....and I do mean EVERYTHING! He climbs, bullies his way through, throws, demolishes, eats, drools, laughs, giggles, wrestles, and every now and the sits still long enough to snuggle!

Parker boy....you are so loved. I can't wait to see what God has planned for you!