I'm 3 Months!

It is incredible to me the milestones that we celebrate during the first year of Parker's life.  Melissa and I have been talking about pictures for Parker and when we should take them.  My vote is to go back to the days when the only picture you get is the one where you have to sit for days and not smile.  This would simplify things and put money in the piggy bank.  My dear, wonderful, and ever mindful sweetheart for a wife thinks otherwise.  She would have every diaper change photographed and framed.  We have been debating on which milestones to capture professionally and the old fashioned dad got voted down.  Parker went to get his three month pictures in Price with mom and came home empty handed.  We have tried to take him to a nearby elementary and do it the amateur way but still came up empty handed.  Discouraged we decided that the snapshots we have taken will have to do.  Through all of this though I have learned one thing, I do want to capture every moment of his growing up and so on with the picture taking!   Hope you enjoy his 3 month pictures!

"Mighty Max" turns ONE

Happy Birthday Max!  Parker's cousin turned 1 today!  Parker is excited to get to know his cousin!  Nate and Lindsay are great parents! Max is another example of this!  

Here are some other famous Max's!  I see a resemblance in Miracle Max's hair and birthday boy Max!

Happy Birthday Tan!

We just wanted to wish our nephew Tanner Happy Birthday!  He turned the big 7 and just wanted to thank him for all of the good times.  Memories that come to mind of the birthday boy:

• Tanner kissing "sleeping beauty"(Melissa) to wake her up
• Airplane flights 
• Catching home run balls at the Rockies game
• Watching Tanner motor around the bases in T-Ball & Baseball
• Hunting snipes at the cabin
• Him and Trey teaching my seminary classes
• Playing foosball with his head getting stuck
• Birthday's, family reunions, and get togethers

It's great having Tanner in the family and the joy he brings to all of us.  Happy Birthday! 

what are they thinking????

i find myself spending a lot of time just looking at parker and as i do so i wonder what they are thinking. i have learned this, that expressions speak louder than words, especially when they can't use them. so, for the fun of it, what was parker thinking?

"Finally someone who can keep my binki in."

"I don't have teeth but I'm ready for my first toothbrush"

"Where are my chopsticks."

"Who's #1"

"I hear there is an opening, are they hiring?"

"Told you I was a Red Sox fan."

"This just isn't right."

"Just practicing for timeout!"

"I love to see the temple, if only I could see it!"

"Is this heaven, let's play ball"

"Just a quick question"

"Please no more pictures, 2000 in my first three months in a little much."

"Mama's boy and proud of it."

"Watch out Grandpa, I got a good left jab"

"Can I atleast have visitors?"

"Can I have another bath?"

"Don't mind me, I'm just getting cleaned up."

Whatever it is they are thinking, I sure enjoy just looking at them!

Wyoming - Then and Now

Our family spent the summers while living in Columbus, Ohio taking family vacations across the country to visit family in Utah. Spending endless hours in a car with 5 brothers causes you to be creative and come up with something to entertain you while crossing the endless corn fields of Iowa and the endless nothing of Wyoming. From trying to find license plates for all 50 states to trying to find the alphabet on the road signs to I Spy we sure created some wonderful memories. While crossing the states we would stop at National Parks and other sites that were "must sees" along the way. Because of this we were able to venture over 38 states and see many of the nations scenery. All of this brings me to the great state of Wyoming. My only recollection of what Wyoming had was Jackalope's. I would spend the entire trip staring out the window trying to find a Jackalope only to be disappointed in not finding one. I have later learned that my search for the Jackalope merely was a good time filler and that it made the trip bearable until we arrived in Utah. As a result I have been left with a disappointment in what Wyoming really was. This disappoint has lingered since then until this weekend when we took a family vacation to the great state of Wyoming. Melissa's brother and sister in law live up there and are building a home so we thought we would take our long weekend and spend it with them. Though I didn't see any Jackalope I came to learn that there IS a lot more to Wyoming than the Jackalope. Here are some of the highlights while in Green River/Rock Springs, Wyoming:

• Parker's first encounter with "Lala" (Carson and Nykelle's dog). Parker looked at her through the window for fear that Lala would eat Parker alive
  
• Parker sleeping soundly through the whole drive while mom and dad enjoyed the scenery through the Gorge
• Melissa discovers that Devin just might be a handy man after all after helping Carson lay the wood floor
• Staying at Melissa's dad's town home and eating Oreo's and Chips Ahoy
• Meeting the friendly neighbors and given a history of the town of Green River
• Eating take out Chinese 

Most importantly it was fun to just be with family.  We look forward to many more trips to Wyoming to visit family and perhaps catch a glimpse of that Jackalope.  

"PARKERTHEBABY" MEETS" FRANKIETHEGOAT"

After hearing of the infamous "Frankie the Goat" from "Mayor" Peacock and from Carter and Cali we thought would take Parker to meet his first four legged friend.  Parker's first encounter with the infamous "Frankie" was hampered by windy conditions.  This didn't seem to bother Frankie who seemed to want to climb in with Parker.  It turns out that Frankie was impressive and was learning some new tricks.  I must say that I'm looking forward to taking Parker to the zoo although I don't think it could have been any better than his first animal experience.  Maybe next time he will actually get to see the Goat.

Generosity

So far almost three months into this parenting adventure we have been able to put it on cruise control, thanks to the generosity of many family and friends.  Our closet might as well be a section out of Old Navy and Gap thanks to Lindsay's kindness in helping Parker be in fashion.  Our supply of diapers seems to be never ending as we still haven't had to buy our own pack of diapers for Parker.  Parker can't fill the diaper fast enough to even use all of the diapers.   We have so many blankets that are made with great care that we could use a blanket a day for a month and not use the same one twice. Why we are so fortunate to have such generosity in our behalf is beyond us.  Our many thanks to those who have given of their means and time in our behalf.

The Esplin Ticket

Having got caught up in the recent Political debates and finding myself somewhat disgusted with the economy I've decided to put myself on the ticket this year.  I reviewed my past and discovered that I have what it takes to put the economy back on the upswing.  Despite political views I have chosen my brother Ryan as my running mate.  Together, in our days in Ohio we made some economic strides that could just solve the economic crisis we are going through.

As President I would propose that every family go to the nearest garbage dumpster, climb inside and search for pop cans while singing, "Pour Some Sugar on Me". You would then take your discoveries to the local recycling bin and reap your rewards.  We made a small fortune going to the dumpsters all around our Columbus, Ohio neighborhood and then cashing them in for coins galore.

Another proposal as President would be to collect money each time a family member calls you a name.  Our hard earned allowance found its way in a small piggy bank each time me or Ryan called each other a name.  This piggy bank got a boost one time when Ryan got so mad at me that he went to his room and minutes later came back with a ten dollar bill that he promptly put into the bank and then released his wrath on his younger more innocent brother.  Where the money ended up, we don't know, but we do know that somehow our missions were both paid for!

With Ryan's JFK appearance and Devin's appeal to the picked on, the Esplin ticket is sure to calm your fears and doubts for our struggling economy.  

General Conference

I love General Conference.  It is a time when we can sit at the feet of prophets.  We were particularly excited for conference because we were going to spend it in Cedar City with family.  We also were excited because it was Parker's first conference (I know we over do our "firsts" but that's just the way it is).  We wanted to start a tradition for him that would teach him to learn to love the Prophets.  After coming up with something we went forward with it and enjoyed our conference experience.  I soon learned that there are some traditions that you don't have to think of, they just happen and that was Parker sleeping quietly through conference, something dad never would teach his son.  This is one tradition that is difficult to give up and Parker seems to be following in dad's footsteps.  We did enjoy the time with family and mom and dad were grateful for the constant and eager care given to Parker.

October means BASEBALL

October only means one thing.  Baseball!  Step aside "Biggest Loser", take a back seat "Dancing with the Stars" because our (meaning Parker and myself) Red Sox are in the post season.  We are making the most out of this Parker's first postseason baseball.  So far we have sung "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" almost daily, had our first Cracker Jack's together and tirelessly watched baseball game after baseball game.  Melissa has been a good sport during Devin's addiction to baseball.  Parker, on the other hand seems to be into the 7th inning stretches with how much he sleeps during the games.