Good Boy v. Bad Boy

Christmas 2008

The verdict is out, dad has been a bad boy, mom's on the nice list but what about Parker? With a year plus under his belt and plenty of disaster caused at the expense of those chubby hands, where does he stand on the naughty list? You be the judge then let us know so that we can alert the big man before it gets too late:

The Good:


Parker filling in last minute for home teaching
He's now sleeping through the night
He can now eat solids
He gives kisses
He helps dust around the house
He laughs
He plays peek a boo with the best of them


The Not so Good:


We can't stop him from walking
He can't stop eating solids
Buttons, buttons, oh heavenly buttons!
He gives juicy, slobbery kisses
He destroys the house
He wails! (try imagining the sound of a siren and you will know what his cry sounds like)


Tough decision I know. Last year was easy, all he could do was lay in the wrapping paper. This year we are going to have to tie the tree to the ceiling just so it makes it to Christmas day. Regardless of the verdict I somehow think that that irresistible grin that bears 8 skin ripping teeth will somehow have a stocking overflowing and presents growing on the tree!

Gobble till you Wobble

How was our 2009 Thanksgiving?  Let's just say we "gobbled" till we "wobbled".

The Gobble

We packed up the car and joined the millions of other Thanksgiving feasters and headed for Grand Junction for this years festivities.  Ryan and Becca and their families graciously opened their doors and their ovens to us, my parents, and Jason and his family.  All gathered around the table with quite the feast at our fingertips.  The feast consisted of tender turkey, spectacular stuffing, marvelous mashed potatoes, rockin' rolls and jammin jello (trust me, if you so much as got a taste of this you too would use the word "jammin".)  After all of the gobbling ceased we found room for some some practically perfect precious pies!  

The Wobble

Having officially gobbled ourselves through Thanksgiving we spent the next day "wobbling". The wobble began as we braved the stores at 4 am with little success, but a determination and a vow to never do that again.  The wobble was made complete as we went to the Ice Skating rink later that day.  A casual observer would look at our skating skills and conclude that we "wobbled" more than we actually skated.  Parker's inaugural skating experience consisted of being towed behind the "wobblers" in a sled.  After this experience we have our sights set on the Winter Olympics in 2014 (keep your eye on the bobsled, Parker's well on his way).

Thanksgiving 2009's Gobbling and Wobbling made us ever more grateful for the things that we do have and we do enjoy.  Most important the gobbling and the wobbling was, as it is every year, with those that we are most thankful for, our family.

New Challenges!

On Sunday, November 1, we left Cedar City in time to make it home for an interview with the Stake Presidency.  The whole week before that I kept telling Devin it was for him.  I kept brushing off any feeling that it just might be for me.  When we walked in the church, I felt an overwhelming sense of anxiety and nervousness that I couldn't deny.  Yeah, it most definitely was something for me.  As we entered the office we said our hellos, and President Sharp proceed to ask if I would be the new 2nd counselor in the Stake Primary Presidency.  I just turned to Devin and said, "Wow, the first male in the Primary Presidency!"   We all chuckled, but then the tears came and I said that I would accept.  I just thought, really me?  I'm not old enough to be in that position.  I guess I am almost 30.  It is very overwhelming to think of the responsibilities that we have, but I know Heavenly Father is there to guide us and set our feet on the path He needs us to follow.  These children are so precious to Him and we are there to serve and help those that are teaching them.  Many times I just have to remind myself to take it one day and a time with one foot in front of the other.  It will work if we trust and follow that great gift of the spirit.  

I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who knows me and my needs. Who gives me little reassurances everyday that He is aware of me.  I most definitely need his strength to keep going every day.  I can only do what I can do and then He makes up for what I lack, which is a lot!  He is the best!  My Savior has been through it all and he knows how to pick me up if I run to him!  Thank goodness for the gospel and the joy we find in it.  Thank goodness for a family to is amazing, especially Devin who is so supportive to me even when he has his plate full too!  I love my little Parker!  He is my joy!  I am just a lucky woman to have it all!

Finally hit Wyoming!

This past weekend we were able to make it to Wyoming.  Devin and I hadn't been able to see little Caleb face to face yet, and I was dying to see him, so we hit the road.  It was a great ride with Dad at the wheel, Britt in the passenger seat, and Devin, Parker, and I in the back seat!  It was great the be able to spend time with Chris's and Carson's families.  I love when we can all get together and enjoy that time.  It is so precious and I love every minute of it!  We were able to celebrate Carter's 4th birthday while we were there too.  Parker loved being with his cousins so much that he skipped naps most of the time and had late night bedtimes!  He didn't want to miss a thing! Who could blame him!  

Kickin back a few on the ride makes time go faster! (really vanilla cream rootbeer)

You would think it was Parker's B-day!?!

Good time in the laundry basket with the cousins

The fab 5 cousins all together! Parker, Carter, Mia, Cali, and Caleb

Cute little Caleb Christian Pollastro

Parker with with his buddy, Uncle Chris

Who Ever Said Loose Skin Was Bad?

From the time Parker was a tiny baby he has seemed to find some skin to soothe him.  When he would nurse, he played with the skin on my neck.  As he has grown he has found new spots to soothe him.  The first was the loose skin on the elbow, then it became the ear, and the most frequent is the knuckle skin.  It is crazy to me how this fetish has evolved.  I think it is time to put it to a halt.  It has been something we thought was cute and laughed at quite a bit at as he found even perfect strangers knuckles soothing.  I think he is becoming a little too dependent and the skin thing.  It is cute though as he sucks his tongue and rubs the knucks or the ears, but I really don't want it to last forever!  

He's a goer, but when he falls, he falls hard!

Parker is so busy and constantly into everything! And I mean everything.  He is definitely testing his limits and mine!  He is so fun to watch and see what new object or maneuver he might discover.  The other day I heard him whining and yelling for me.  I was in the middle of doing something and took my time to get to him.  As I followed the sound of his whining, I found him just like this in the kitchen.  I couldn't stop laughing, despite his crying, and ran to get my camera. This is the only shot I could get before he figured out how to climb out. 

As hard as he goes, he falls harder when he is tired.  He wants to be up and into everyone's business so much that it wipes him out.  Recently, we have been able to capture a few sweet sleeping moments and remember how precious he truly is!

You know he's tired when Parker picks sleep over food!

I guess I crash just as hard!

Comfy place with Grandpa Carl

Friends

With hardships we go through in life, it is so great to have friends that care for you like family. When Grandpa passed away many were there to help me back up.  The week of the funeral, it was so sweet to get a call from Devin telling me of a wonderful delivery at my house.  Tiff, Amanda, and Christy had delivered these beautiful flowers and yummy homemade oreos.  Those are not pictured because I ate them so fast!  Anyway,  it is so nice to be loved and cared about! Thanks girls!

We were also able to have a little get together for Christy's B-day.  We totally surprised her and had a good time eating taco soup, yummy cake, and making carmel apples.  We are going to have to try that one again sometime.  I think we cooked that carmel 5 too many times and by the end it was a little too hard.  But hey, they still tasted delish!

New Cuz! Heads up

Christian and Cammie welcomed the latest Pollastro edition and carries the name Caleb Christian Pollastro.  With the arrival of the new cuz, here is a little heads up courtesy of Parker:

"I like ears and I see that you have two of them"

"You look like you are a good eater, can you please pass the milk?"

"Let me show you the TV, it has buttons!"

"Just in time for the World Series!  Good timing buddy.  Now if we could just work on getting you a good team!"

"Somehow I think that you are going to be bigger than me.  Go easy on me would ya!  Just in case you were wondering though, check out these muscles!"

Ghosts

Halloween Equals = candy, ghosts, goblins, candy, pumpkins, candy, haunted houses, more candy, scary movies, and of course more candy!

The typical equation for Halloween was interrupted this year with Parker's cousin Tanner getting baptized.  We made the trek down to Cedar City to be there for his special day.  We had fun and were grateful to be a part of a different type of Ghost this year!  This is our kind of Halloween!  Thanks Tanner and family for all of the fun

Halloween 2009

Halloween 2008 

Where? - Castle Dale, UT

Costume - spotted horse confused as a cow

Result - Candy (Baby Ruth) and a long night in a warm costume

Recap:  First Halloween was more of a token Halloween.  It resulted in a warn out trick or treater who fell asleep in his car seat with Baby Ruth in hand.   

Halloween 2009 

Where? - Cedar City, UT

Costume - "Split Fan" - Half Utah & Half BYU

Result - Trick or Treating with cousins and Candy (Baby Ruth was first once more) that he could actually have.  Now we are getting somewhere!

Recap:  Trick or treating came a little more to life this year for Parker though it seemed that every costume somebody had on scared him.  Even the neighbor grandma who put on a big nose and mustache sent Parker into a scream.  Parker scored big time as he hit The Clark's (neighbors), The Alger's (Melissa's fam), Paula & Brooks (also fam), "My friend Jean" (neighbor and friend of Grandma Esplin), The Leavitts (might as well be fam), The Schmutz's (wrong door but next to family), and Aunt Marva (Devin's fam).  Of course the holiday festivities weren't complete without pumpkin carving and roasted pumpkin seeds.

Frequent trips to the treat pumpkin at Grandma's.  Early and Often!

Wouldn't you be excited too?

Wearing this cost the BYU fan a candy bar at one house!

Grandma & Grandpa with Parker and his cousins McKenna(Princess) and Spencer (Dragon)

Parker with his cousins after Trick or Treating - bottom:  Tanner;  Couch (L-R) Max, Spencer, Jane, Marian, Parker;  Top (L-R) McKenna, Quincy, Evan

EVERYBODY NEEDS A GRANDPA

When we first moved to Castle Dale I was told that everyone needs a grandpa and that I was to find a grandpa.  It didn't take long for that to happen as Grandpa Gus quickly took that role.  I didn't know him for all that long and I don't know how well that he knew me.  But this didn't seem to matter much for he taught me things that only grandpa's can teach.  

He taught me what it meant to truly fall and stay in love and that it all began with a dime.

He taught me to be true to who you are and show it off.  He did this frequently as he would sing Italian songs and speak Italian at the dinner table.  I'll never forget him holding Parker soon after he was born and singing to him an Italian lullaby.

He taught me the importance of family.  Melissa proudly continues that today.

He taught me how to treat people and respect for others.

He taught me how to enjoy life.

I'll have many memories that will stay with me forever.  One of my favorite was last Christmas when Melissa made her first Christmas dinner and we had Grandpa Gus over.  It was a feast worthy of an Italian except that there was no Italian food.  The food was splendid but even better than that Parker was able to spend a Christmas with his namesake.  It is for this reason that I know that Grandpa Gus' memory and life will continue as Parker bears that name of his great grandpa who was just that to me.

You can imagine then how grateful I was when I was asked to say a prayer at the funeral.  What a privilege.  I think Bishop Isaacson said it best of Grandpa Gus when he said in closing at the funeral, "He left a legacy".  

My last memory of Grandpa Gus was seeing him in the hospital and telling him that "we still owed him a Subway" something that he loved to do.  One of the last experiences we had with him as a family was just that, a trip to Subway!  I can't wait for the happy reunion when I can pay him back for that Subway and for everything else!