Baby #2

I am beginning to wonder if Parker missed out on a lot of "experiences." I mean, his face was always clean, clothes were never dirty, and heaven forbid we been seen out in public with his hair not combed and parted.
I went to the grocery store today with Preston, and in order to keep him quiet, let him eat a graham cracker. I didn't even bring any wipes with me! It was all over his face and all over his clothes. But, frankly, I really didn't care! People always told me, "Just wait until your second one! Just wait!" And I was like, "Whatever! I will be the same way that I am with the first!" Preston definitely gets away with a lot more in the messiness department. After coming home from the grocery store, I tried to begin making dinner. Parker was outside with Ben, and Preston was being really really fussy! He pulled out all the pots and pans in the cabinet underneath my feet! I had no where to stand! Then, he started to get fussy again. I knew it was because he was getting hungry. So, I put him in his chair at the table, and grabbed some blueberry yogurt, (which he has never eaten!) and just gave the entire thing to him with a spoon. Once again, I NEVER would have done this with Parker!!!!

Go Green!!!.

I wish I had a before picture of what our backyard looked like. It wasn't really a "backyard." It was more like a "dirt in back of the house with sticks and leaves and acorns." But now, we officially have a luscious backyard! I really really can't believe it! For those of you who saw it "before," this really is a HUGE transformation, huh?

And I guess I can brag a bit about how AWESOME the weather has been the past couple of days. It was so nice to have the windows open yesterday as Ben was cutting the grass. It smelt so FRESH!

The only problem I have with blogging,

is I always feel guilty if I don't blog. I've been scratching my brain, trying to figure ou what to blog about. Unfortunantly, nothing exciting is happening right now. I guess how I can write about how my husband left me this week to go turkey hunting. (Okay, it felt like he was gone longer than he actually was.) He left on Tuesday morning, and came back Wednesday evening. But, it was a really really long 2 days! Plus, he had such a fun time while he was gone, that he talked all about it, and I felt really guilty for telling him how HARD it was watching the two boys by myself. For some reason, if Ben is working, and I am taking care of the boys, it isn't as bad as when he goes off on his days off and leaves me with the boys!

I don't even like wild turkey. Pam said I need to start liking it. It is free meat. (Technically it isn't free....hunting costs money.)

I don't even know why I am complaining. I have so many things to be grateful for. Maybe it is the fact that I am exhausted. Maybe it's the fact that my two boys can't take a nap at the same time. And I WISH I could be taking a nap right now, instead of blogging and feeling guilty because my house is a LITERAL disaster, and I KNOW I need to clean it up because scrapbooking is tonight and wouldn't DARE let anyone see it this way and I am making a really long run on sentance right now! Either Preston will take an afternoon nap, and Parker fights it. Or Parker takes a nap, and Preston fights it. Right now, it's Parker who is taking a nap. I think it helped that we went to the park today and he ran around for an hour!

Thanks for letting me vent, and maybe next time I will be in a better mood when I blog! Hopefully!

My boys are cRAzY!

So, Parker is almost potty trained. It is really really exciting. He just came up to me and said, "Parker, poo poo potty." So, I brought him in there and he did his business. He flushed the toilet, washed his hands, and went into the bedroom to put a diaper on him.

Kate: "Good job, Parker! You went poo poo in the potty!"

Parker: Smiles and says, "Big turd!"

Kate: "Oh no, Parker!! You don't say that!"

Parker: "Daddy say that."

Kate: "Daddy might say that, but Parker, that is not nice. When Daddy says that, say "Daddy, that is NOT nice!"

Parker: "Say, Daddy nice!"

Kate: "No Parker, say "Daddy, that is NOT nice!"

Parker's diaper is now on, and he stands up and gives me a BIG hug as I put his pants on.

Kate: "Parker, I love you! What do you say when mommy says I love you?"

Parker: "That is NOT nice!"

Do you think he learned ANYTHING?

Check out this video:

I love this video of the boys. I was trying to get them dressed for bed, and actually, this is how Preston acts pretty much EVERY night when I try to get him ready for bed. Parker is starting copy everything that Preston does. Especially when it is really really funny!

It's already Thursday?

This week is flying by so fast! There really isn't anything exciting that has happened this week. Here are some pictures in review:

This picture had to be switched to black and white because I hadn't had a shower yet, and my forehead was kinda greasy. (I know, TMI!)

Preston had just woken up from his nap.Total bed head!!!

Parker found Ben's firemen hat. What a ham!

Before Preston's haircut........

After Preston's hair cut!!!

Preston giving Ben kisses! He keeps his mouth wide open!

Parker and Ben. I love my boys!

Plus...here is proof that Preston is.......

So, Parker's Daddy is a Fireman....

and to Parker, that is pretty much the coolest thing ever. If you ask him, he will tell you that "daddy drive fire truck"! We went and visited Ben at the station the other day, and let me tell you, Parker was in hog heaven! He walks around like he OWNS the place. It doesn't help that Ben allows him to "drive" the fire truck, and pretty much free reign! He is such a NUT!

Good-byes are always the hardest

I told Parker today that we were going to go to the park. He asked me, "Emma...park...today?" Meaning, "Can we go to the park with Emma today?" Emma is Parker's best friend. How do you tell a 2 year old that his best friend is moving?

Living in such a transient area, people are constantly moving in and out of our ward. We have lived here for over 4 years, which means, we have been in our ward longer than 90% of the other members. (The other 10% have lived here since before Ben was even born!) And we have only been here 4 years! :)

Over the past year and a half, I have become really good friends with Jen. She is such an awesome person. She has kept me sane, as we are both going through the same stage of life. We were even pregnant at the same time last year. (This was THE day before I had Preston.)

She has taught me so many things.

1. My confidance has grown.

2. I'm not afraid of cooking!

3. My house doesn't have to be "perfect." Let the kids play!

4. She is ALWAYS just a phone call away!

And it's been an added perk that Parker and Emma are the same age! And they get along very well, (most of the time.)

I really don't know what to say, but I am really really going to miss them. I know that we will still keep in touch, but it really stinks that they have to move away!

Thank you for everything, Jen. And good luck in your new home! When we go to the temple, make sure there is an empty room for us! ;)

Honestly....

Who needs toys?

The boys loved playing in the entertainment center. No toys in sight. (Except Parker's puppy dog. He can't go anywhere without it.)

I gave them an empty box and a laundry basket. No toys in sight.

Preston enjoyed playing with his food. No toys in sight.

When you have a brother, who needs toys?

Scrapbooking and Cookies

Yeah Yeah Yeah! I got a page done! :) I don't think I could be any happier!

Well...I could. I have some news.

I found my ULTIMATE #1 FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE EVER.

It has everything you want in a cookie. Texture. Chewiness. Softness. Yummy! I have been on a quest to find the best CCC out there that I could find. I have tried probably a DOZEN different recipes. And they have been good, but not PERFECT! And to think, I have pretty much always had this recipe. I have to agree, the Nestle Toll House recipe is a classic, but, now it has reached perfection. (At least in my eyes. I DO know that everybody has an opinion as to how a cookie should be.) I guess it will pass the ultimate test tomorrow when Ben comes home from work and tastes them! :) For now, the cookie jar is FULL!

This may look like just a pile of dirt.....

.....but this is going to be my garden this year! :) Ben had decided to use our front yard flower bed as our garden. We have already planted corn and peas in the two rows. (Parker planted the peas!) And, he has tilled up beside the drive way, so we can plant tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, squash, and maybe some more veges. I am way way way excited! We have tried to plant our garden in the backyard, but with our huge trees back there, there is no sunlight. But, since we cut some limbs down this winter, we are trying to grow grass back there, and really shouldn't be tromping back there to weed the garden! So hopefully, if everything goes as planned, we should have grass in the back yard (yeah! a backyard that we haven't used in the past 4 years!!!) and enough veggies to be considered "self-reliant" this summer and fall!

Can I just say how much I LOVE the smell of the charcoal grill grilling, the sound of the lawn mower mowing, and the sunlight warming the house? Ahh...it feels {a little bit} like summer!

48 Years ago

today, my parents were married. No Fooling! (Yes, they got married on April Fool's Day, or did they?!?! That is the REAL question, Mom!)

Here are some of my FAVORITE pictures of my parents......

I love you, Mom and Dad!

I've been looking

at old videos of Parker. I can't believe how fast he has become a big boy! I had so much fun when my mom came to spend time with me while I had Preston.I think she enjoyed the time she was able to spend with Parker.

Parker knows who Grandma Fe is, and loves watching the videos we have of her.

We love you, Mom! And we miss you! (But we are happy you are serving a mission!)