Lion King

Ferocious isn't he? No doubt he is the king of the house!

Pre-Easter in Wyoming!

Any chance we can get to see the fam we are there! My mom, dad, and sister, Britt, were headed to Wyoming on Friday morning, so Parker and I decided to jump in with them. It was a fun filled whirlwind of a trip, but worth it. We were able to spend most of Friday with my brother, Carson, his wife, Nykelle, and their little Mia in Green River.

We went out to dinner that night at this Chinese restaurant that was absolutely amazing. It is called Wonderful House. If you are ever in Rock Springs it is worth going and trying out. I wish I had pictures of all the yummy food we had, but you will have to take my word for it!

Saturday we were able to go to Chris and Cammie's ward Easter egg hunt. It was Parker's first real Easter egg hunt. He didn't quite get the concept and just wanted to stop and open the egg and throw it back on the ground. It was a little bit chilly with the wind and snow, but we endured and had a"hoppin"good time. :)

The rest of the day was spent with all the family at Chris and Cammie's house. Parker loves being around his cousins. He couldn't stop yelling their names from two feet away. We need to work on his volume control. Thanks for a great weekend everyone!

Comfort from Grandpa Carl's hand on the ride to Wyoming.

Getting ready to go with Aunt Britt

Trying for a decent pic with the grandkids. Thanks for smiling Cali!

Good times hunting for eggs!

Cali scored big time!

The cute boys in their matching yellow fleece.

Thanks for smiling again Cali. Parker and Carter are too interested in the eggs, not the camera

Feeding Mia the good plastic food!

Dead tired after an eventful weekend with the cousins!

Uh Oh

One of the more used phrases as of late . . . hmmm, I wonder why??!!

Mia and Parker's Readathon

It may not be reading rainbow but watching these two cousins read together makes you want to curl up with a good book (especially those picture books!)

Grandparents

Devin's Grandma and Grandpa Swenson are the only grandparents he has left alive, and I don't have any alive. I am glad that Parker has a chance to get to know them for as long as he can. We try to make the stop there in Spanish Fork as often as we are able to. It brightens my day and hopefully theirs, too, to chat and enjoy time with them. I just realize more and more just how precious that time is with them. Family is way too important and I love the family I have and the one I married into!

Healing

About two months ago Parker . . .

. . . looked like this

and now his new and improved arm. . .

. . .looks like this!

Wahoo! I can't even tell you how excited I was to take him to the doctor for his final check-up on his arm. It made my day to know that I didn't have to clean, apply ointment, and bandage wraps two times a day anymore! I'm sure Parker is loving it too. He did get to be quite the pro at it though! I am amazed at how long these burns take to heal, but it is worth all we had to do if it doesn't leave him a scar in the end!

Frazil Rocks!

Here's another Castle Dale gem for you. During the month of March, every Friday is Free Frazil Friday. I encountered this as I had a seminary student deliver one to me last Friday. I got caught up in the Frazil craze this Friday as we made our various stops to participate in the Free Frazil Friday. After recieving a mouth full of blood from a fall earlier today, the Frazil was just what the doctor ordered for Parker. It was also soothing to a mother who, because of the week, is "fraziled". As for me, I just like Free things.

Parker Olympics

During the winter Olympics we spent some time watching the olympics.  I don't know if this is a by product of the Olympics but during this time Parker would get the laundry basket out and practice standing on it while raising his hands in triumph.  We can only hope that our little Olympian will one day be standing on top of a little more than a laundry basket.  Nonetheless Parker truly caught the spirit of the Olympics.

Wait for it

Yes!

Stop, Drop, and Roll

In elementary they taught us the necessary procedures when one started on fire, stop, drop, and roll.  As of late I've been coming home during lunch only to see Parker, the minute I walk in and make eye contact, do just that, stop, drop, and roll.  I don't know what I have done to earn such treatment but I can only hope that mom is just getting a head start on teaching our son the proper fire technique!

(sorry no picture, it is tough to catch this one on camera, but here is a picture of the culprit. )

Spring Fever!

Having snow on the ground for the past 3 plus months and seeing nothing but white around you can drive any sane person crazy.  Thanks to some warm weather of late we have seen the grass emerge from under the snow and it has done something to me.  I don't know what it is but when I start to see the grass I get Spring Fever and here are some of the symptoms:

-  I just want to go outside and play catch.  

-  I want to bust out the Easter eggs and drop them off of a roof (something we did in elementary!)

-  I start dreaming of this years yard work that I get to annoy Melissa about all summer

-  I bust out the BBQ and entice the neighbors with the smells of BBQ chicken

-  I want to start working on the farmers tan!

-  Parker wants to roam outside and believes that coming in from outside is an act of punishment!

-  Melissa actually gets to experience what we call "freedom" and soaks in as many rays as she can!

-  I expect fruit to start growing from the trees

Living in Utah has taught me that this is too good to be true but hey it is just a fever!

Wanna be like Dad!

So often I hear how much Parker looks like his Dad.  I'm okay with that and love that now he is starting to follow in his shoes not only in looks, but in actions.  

He is obsessed with the toilet. Not using it like he should, but cleaning it and flushing it.  Devin was in cleaning the bathroom on Tuesday and Parker was a big help with his toilet wand in the bowl. 

And yesterday, he wouldn't sit in his high chair.  He had to sit and eat by dad.  Maybe I need to invest in a booster now and put away the high chair.  For now he is using an upside down plastic bin.  Hey it works and he got what he wanted....to be right by Dad!

Snow.....AAAHHHH!

Oh to love the snow like a kid again!  I am just having a hard time doing that!  I've got spring fever so bad it's not even funny!  I feel so cooped up in the house, that I am ready to run out the door with a hair dryer just to get the snow melted!  I'm trying to be positive and take advantage of the somewhat warm days, but I'm ready for a warm day, EVERY day.  

Parker doesn't care how cold or wet it is, he just wants to be outside.  Every time he gets a glimpse of being outside he wants to stay there.  Last Saturday, we were over at my parents to visit.  It had snowed and as we pulled up my Dad was out shoveling.  What did Parker want to do? Of course, "shovel" or play right along side of Grandpa.  It was funny to watch and my Dad and Devin would slide down the hill while shoveling and Parker hardly ever slid or fell.  He had the best balance of them all.  

I hope I have the patience to get through the melting process, or I can change my attitude and enjoy the snow like Parker!

Esplin Car Lot

After a month of wheelin' and dealin', the Nissan Maxima left the lot after 7 years of cruisin' memories.  This was the first car that I had ever bought and after 100,000 miles it was time to say goodbye to this beauty.   Here is what we have to thank the Maxima for:

*Many a trip to visit family via I-15, I-70, and everything in between
*Many sing along memories (espcially when the CD player actually worked)

*Being a magnet that won the heart of Melissa

*Carrying the precious cargo home known as Parker

*Faithfully avoiding any major accidents ( a couple of dings here and there)

Replacing the Maxima in the garage is the sporty (in a grandma kind of way) Kia Amanti. Thanks to the generosity of Melissa's parents we were able purchase this fine automobile. With these new wheels we hope to make many more memories with the inevitable adventures that life presents.

Kisses

I love kisses!  Especially when they come from my boys!  Parker will get into these kissing modes every so often and it makes me laugh!  He will go back and forth and back and forth between Devin and I for a fair amount of kisses.  He has done this when we are at my mom and dad's house too.  We'll be saying goodbye and he'll be going in a circle from person to person giving out his kisses.  I think it is so precious.  I just hope he saves those kisses for mommy only for a LONG LONG time.  

So, the other night we were putting him to bed.  After his scripture story, he decided he wanted to read the animal book.  He started giving every animal a kiss good night and telling each one "nigh, nigh" after each kiss.  I think we went through the book at least 3 times before we finally said night, night to him. 

 

He makes me smile and I need to remember these cute times when I'm losing my patience.