Happy Valentine's Day!

These pictures start in the upper left hand corner on my 15th birthday, to Winter formal, long distance dating, the day were we engaged in the middle, our wedding and early married life.

Happy Valentine's Day to my sweetheart of 22 years!

When I met you in 7th grade, there was an instant connection. You were not like the other boys. You were thoughtful and caring even as a 12 year old. You always made me laugh and feel special. My journal on January 13, 1989 says, "Grant is really like old-fashioned. He carries my books, opens the door for me, and takes my lunch tray. He is also very funny. I REALLY want him for my 8th grade boyfriend." You made a huge impression on me. Every guy I met I compared to: first- my father and then to you.

I would always have butterflies in my stomach when I knew I was going to see you and stressed about what I would wear. I remember times we would spend together, like when we went to the beach in college where we sang Chicago songs the whole way, where I wished that our friendship was more. I got my wish. I got the best husband possible.

I love you more and more every day. I feel so lucky to have you as my husband. You are the most amazing man and father. Not a day goes by where you don't show me how much you love me. I appreciate all of your support, your partnership in our family, your fun-loving personality, and your positive outlook.

I love you honey! Happy Valentine's Day!

Parkerisms

Parker is doing and saying so many new things. Here are some:

• Parker used to say “All done!” when he was full, now he says “All finished!”

• "I see ________." Fill in the blank.
  

• I picked him up from daycare and he got in the car and said, "Zebra has stripes." Then he talked about ladybugs, hippopotamus', horses, and dolphins.
  

• He has his favorites now and calls them by that. “Want favorite blanket.” “Favorite car.”

• Counts objects, but usually does not stop when he gets to the end. He'll just keep going back and forth.
  

• He knows his letters. He impressed my students when they were quizzing him with his letters and shapes.
  

• He compliments! “Good turning” as I drive the car. Grant jumped on the bed and Parker said, “Good jumping, Daddy!” He even compliments himself: “Good singing Parker!”
  
  
• I get to a stop light and Parker will say, "Green means go!" or "Red means Stop!"
  

• If you say anything about a party, he talks about birthday cake, but if there is cake, he doesn't really eat it.
  

• On Sprout they made a little art project and he said, “Crafts!” They do a lot of crafts at daycare.
  

• He took silverware out of the drawer and lined up all the spoons and said, “Train!” (Like he doesn’t have enough trains, he has to go and take my clean silverware out of my drawer!)

• In the tub, he put two frogs in the water and said, “Frog in the pond.”

• Going down hills he says, “Slide down the mountain.”

• He draws lines that rise and fall and calls them mountains.

• Parker would be an awesome Pictionary partner because he knows quickly what we are drawing. I drew a horrible train and he said, “Good train drawing Mommy!”

• Yelled “HELLLLOOOO! anaana In THERE?!” with his head in a bucket. anaana is anybody.
  

• He was laying on the kitchen floor with paper and a crayon and he said, “I draw clouds.” They looked like clouds to me. Dark, rainy ones (he had a black crayon).
  

• “I hear dog barking.” “QUIET! DOG!” He knows how frustrated I am with our neighborhood dogs right now.
  

• "NO WAY!"- got this from the rescue pack on Diego. Drives me crazy! Considering not letting him watch Diego now. I’ll say, “Parker, would you like mac n’ cheese?” and he’ll say, “No way!”

• "Dolphins swim in the water. Goldfish swim in the water. Dolphins swim in the water. Sharks swim in the water." We’ll ask him, “Do horses swim in the water?” He will say "Nooooo!"

• We checked out a book at the library last week. Grant asked him, what is this book called and he said, “Fire Trucks in Action.” We hadn’t read for at least 2 full days. I couldn’t believe he knew the title. Grant says that he had said it a few days before that.

• He interacts with the TV. Diego will ask, “Do you see the boat?” Parker replies, “Right there! In the water!”

He loves to wear Mommy's shoes. He can take his fireman boots on and off. I thought it was funny that he had both pairs on.
At his best friend's 3rd birthday party at McDonald's, he stole everyone's chipmunk toys from their happy meals and played with them under play structure. He would just line them all up. He gets nervous around bigger, loud kids who are running around in those play structures.


Parker is such a fun, sweet boy. I love his personality! It is amazing how much he is learning and growing.

Fireman Parker

On our way back from California, we went into a consignment store and I found this coat for 50 cents. I was pretty excited. We picked up the rain boots a week later. Now we just need a hat. Not sure that he would keep it on though. Pants might be good too. I've seen some pretty good looking firemen-- I bet ladies wouldn't mind too much if some were only in their tidy whities.

Christmas Morning

I forgot to post this video from Christmas morning. I love it!

California, here we come!

We wanted to go somewhere for Christmas vacation. Somewhere not too far, cold, or expensive. We decided to go visit my old friends in California. Wyoming and Utah were out. We'd like to visit family there this summer.

We left my mom's house on Christmas night and drove all night (while Parker slept peacefully) to Sacramento. We went to my friend Elizabeth's house. Her daughter is only 2 months younger. They were so cute together.


We went to Old Town Sacramento to the Train Museum. Perfect museum for Parker. He LOVES trains!

Love this picture with his reflection!

He was so cute to push around Brianna as they ate their snack. Anything with wheels!

Me and Elizabeth.

California friends

Whenever I come into town, Karin throws a party and invites some of my favorite people over. It's a good time!

Karen, Karin, Karen's mom from Bend, Oregon, and Janice.

Me and Angela. We worked together at Space Camp. She came to our wedding and I had only seen her once since then. It was great to catch up.

Mike and Sandy. Sandy works at Curtner Elementary, where I taught for 5 years. They were also our neighbors. They are great. They rescued us whenever we needed it. Mike set mouse traps and fixed things we couldn't do on our own. They are moving up to Oregon this summer, but to Southern Oregon. :(

Some of my former students... the teacher's kids. Ixchel, Carissa, Cassi, Ammon, and Ishmael. It was so fun to see them. They are 17-21 years old. Great young adults!

Janice was Curtner's secretary. She was mom away from home. When I tore ligaments in my ankle, she drove me to the emergency room and sat with me for 3 hours. She's the best!

Karen and Ixchel. Karen taught 4th grade when I was at Curtner and I taught Ixchel for 5th and 6th grade.

Nicole and Joey. Nicole is Karin's long time friend. I'm happy to call her a friend too. She is such a sweet person. We had a good time playing poker. I was the first to go out. :(

Carissa and Carrie. Carrie taught 4th grade when I started at Curtner. I had Carissa as my student in 5th and 6th grade. I also had her brother, Cameron. When I saw a picture of him, I couldn't believe how the little boy I had once taught turned into a man!

Very fun evening! These people + some that could not make it, are what I miss most about California!

San Jose Children's Museum

I remembered the Children's Museum from Space Camp days. The Tech museum was closed for awhile, so our field trip was here. Very fun. Grant and I took him in the morning for a couple of hours and then Karin and I took him again that afternoon after his nap for another 1 1/2 hours.

He played with this maze wall for at least 20 minutes.
We need to get one of those marble mazes. He loved it!

He loves stacking things as high as possible.

Bubbles!

Grant got his hands wet and put his fingers through the bubble.

Bubbles fell from a machine in the ceiling. Parker caught a few.

This hurricane would suck the balls down. Awesome! He got pretty wet here.

At the right, you would put a ball in the tube and it would shoot it up into the big hurricane tank.

Karin and Parker drive the fire truck.

We have a family pass to the Portland Children's Discovery Museum, but it's not nearly as cool as San Jose's.

San Francisco

I love this picture of my boys and the diggers in front of the most recognized bridge in the world.

Me and Karin

Running free

My handsome boys

My second favorite place in San Francisco... The Palace of Fine Arts. Beautiful!

Parker looks like he is explaining the history behind this structure.

My #1 favorite spot in San Francisco... Coit Tower. I love going there at night to see the city lit up. It is on Telegraph Hill. Grant proposed there, so it is a very special place.

This is the grassy spot we were sitting at when Grant proposed on January 25, 2003. We were married less than 6 months later. It was a clear night and the city was glowing... very romantic!

We left San Francisco and headed north on 101, since we heard there was 8-10 inches of snow predicted in the Mt. Shasta area of I-5. It was a long, windy road, but GORGEOUS and I'm glad we went.