Concerts - Love Hate Relationship

Tim McGraw & Faith Hill Concert - Aug 2006

Michael Buble Concert - March 2010

I hate concerts. I hate the fact that you have to use binoculars to see what is happening on stage. I hate the fact that for those seats you had to break the piggy bank and now our son has to reuse diapers, and that was just for the parking. I hate that there are always fanatics who sing louder than the performer, and what is even better is that they are always sitting right next to you. How that person gets that seat at every concert I go to is beyond me. I don't particularly like the fact that I will be getting hearing aids after attending 2 hours of a concert. I enjoy dancing, but I would rather like to keep that to myself. At concerts it is almost a requirement to do so, if not, "you are really not having fun".

So why do I go to a concert? It is probably because . . .

Though binoculars are still necessary it was fun to watch the dance moves (those are tough to see while listening on the radio). There is also something about seeing the performer and interacting with them. I also enjoy feeling like my time was well spent as I could relate with the music, instead of creating my own imitation of a good time. Having a good band that isn't behind the scenes also adds a nice dimension to the concert. And what makes it all worth it is the fact that for once I didn't feel like I had to get up and dance.

And so this is what happened when we went to the Michael Buble concert in Salt Lake City. We were finally able to experience this Christmas gift and what a gift it was. His performance and

the fact that I didn't have to link arms with anybody other than the cute blonde I was with, rescued my sworn boycott of concerts. Thanks to some good babysitters, we were able to enjoy every minute uninterrupted (except for that crazy lady behind us!)

This is how the concert opened (no these are not our seats)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ33lszIsps

Here is another cool thing that he did during the concert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQMLHFqhAFU

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. )