Easter 2007

A Visit from GAGA!!!

Gaga came to visit for a couple of days. The kids had a blast with her and she even got to see Uncle Brett coach!!

Finally, she can make snow angels!!

Kendall has been want to make snow angels so bad in August she was laying in the back yard, in her snow boots giving it her all! Well, when she woke up and saw the snow the first thing she asked was, "now can i make a real snow angel?"

Let's play catch up. We will start with Christmas 2006

We had a wonderful Chirstmas. The kids were a little under the weather but it didn't slow them down. Here are the pictures to prove it!!

Somebody's gettin MAWWWWIIEED!!!!

Coco and Tim got married on November 18th! We had a fun time celebrating with them. Derek, Kendall and I were all in the wedding. We were honored to be part of such a special event.

What does your grandmother do for a living???

My grandmother, Gaga, plays with alligators, snakes, lizzards and turtles at her job. She lets me come with her and play with them too. Here are some pictures of us at her work.

Night, night...sleep tight!

I put Kendall to bed tonight at 8:15. Around 9 she came into the kitchen with her hands on her hips and said, "What are you doing?" I told her I was cleaning up and she replied, "okay and went back to bed...or should I say to the floor! This is where I found her around 10. Sound asleep!

One Mom's Junk is My Treasure!

I have been wanting to get something for the kids to climb and play on in the back yard but just couldn't seem to force myself to spend a couple of hundred dollars on something. Today on the way to drop the kids off at Mimi and Papa's house I saw that there neighbors behind them were having a yard sale and there was a huge slide out in the drive way. When I got in I told mom and so we walked over. On the way over she told me she only had $10 and I said, "Oh, well you never know." Kendall gave it a test run and I asked the lady how much she wanted for it and to our wonderful surprise she said, "$10!" Mom and I looked at each other with surprise and quickly said we would send Papa back with the truck. And we did!! The kids have had a blast on what was once one mom's junk!

Happy 31st Derek!!

On Tuesday October 3rd Derek turned 31. This was a good day for me because we will now be the same age for about the next six months....no more old jokes! On Monday night Derek and I were able to go on a date…thanks mom! We went to the Peddler, Lowe’s and Wal-Mart. I know what you are thinking big night out but we enjoyed ourselves immensely. On Tuesday the kids and I threw him a party that included just the five of us. There balloons and streamers everywhere, his favorite homemade chicken pot pie and cup cakes. Tonight we will celebrate with my family. Derek refers to his birthday as Hanukah…because it usually last all week due to schedules and his family being so far away!

Here to the next 30 years!!

Birthday Party Pictures

Happy Birthday Kendall "Princess Punky" Parks!

Today, September 12th, is Kendall's 3rd birthday. We feel like the luckiest parents in the world to be entrusted with such a precious little girl. She is so much fun and full of life. I can not imagine my days with out her. Thank you Kendall for 3 fun years!! Mommy and Daddy love you more than you will ever know.

Happy 90th Birthday Papa Leonard!

My mom's dad, my grandfather and Kendall, Kyle and Kade's great grandfather, Papa Leonard or George as we sometimes call him just celebrated his 90th birthday. I would say he has a good 30 left in him!!!

He likes football so much he ate one!

I sometimes contain Kyle and Kade in one crib for play time...here the operative word being contain! Sunday I put them in for a while to keep them out of trouble. I am usually very careful as to what is around for them to play with but on this occasion I threw in a nerf football. Kade is affectionately referred to around here as the goat because he will eat anything especially paper. But on this day Kyle took on the goat like characteristics and when I came back to get them out of their crib about 20 minutes later this was what was left. I know what you are thinking...did he really eat any? We were not sure at first but as several days have "PASSED" we have come to realize that not only did Kyle eat but Kade partook in the glorious feast as well!

Do you see him?

So you see him? I am talking about Butch...oh, you don't know who Butch is? Butch is Kendall's imaginary friend. Kendall asked me to take this picture of the two of them together. She says he is two and has black hair like daddy! We are still getting our colors straight. Butch doesn’t live here with us but he does sleep here sometimes. He is scared of thunder, likes to eat hotdogs and wore a blue shirt to preschool today! I found out about Butch when we were driving down the road the other day and Kendall began to scream and cry. I thought surely her leg had been cut off from the sound of the scream. Only to find out that Butch was stuck and could not get out and she was in her car seat and couldn't help him. Last night she and I were cleaning her shoes off and she looked over her shoulder and said, "Not now Butch, I am busy!" She then proceeded to tell him that he could help us he was too little and to go on outside and help daddy "cut the weed eater!" So now you know who Butch is. We have really enjoyed getting to know Butch. He is a fun conversation piece and great entertainment!

Not another mouth to feed!

Last night around 6:45 Derek began the process of mowing the lawn. When he moved the lawn mower underneath the grill cover was...something! At first we were not sure if it was a mouse, a rat, a mole or a baby kitten. It was solid black and not moving. Kendall was screaming her head off because of Derek's exclamation of surprise. When I went outside to see what the commotion was all about Derek looked at me and said, "there you go Mama, do your thing." Am I an animal person...not so much? Do I like cats....least favorite of all? Is everyone in this house allergic to cat…you better believe it. But I could not let this poor animal lay there and continue to die on my patio. I got a shoe box and towel put this tiny kitten in it and began to syringe feed it milk. This little thing that was barely breathing all of a sudden sprung to life and didn’t want to stay in his box. It was bath time, bed time and over time by this point and mayhem had broke out at my house. Everyone wanted at this cat. I loaded all the kids and the kitten in the van and drove up the street to my little neighbor’s house that will take in anything. Sorry to say that her daddy was home from work and wouldn’t let her have it. I came home, put Kendall on Kitty Patrol and hurriedly put the boys to bed. I didn’t have the time; patients or want to syringe feed this cat all night like I needed to. Finally, around 11 pm I put the box on its side and left it outside hoping its birth mother would come back looking for it. When I woke up this morning and looked in the box…there he was, curled up all comfy and cozy on my towel. After we said our goodbyes at preschool this morning I took the kitty to Animal Shelter for them to take care of this little thing from here on. They said he was probably less than 24 hous old. Kendall told me this morning that when she was a baby kitten I left her under a lawn mower too and it made her very sad! As far as Kendall knows we found this kitty’s mommy and daddy and they are a happy family again!

Spaghetti Night at the Parks House!

Double the Mess...
Kyle....
Kade...
We had spaghetti tonight for dinner. Here are the pictures to prove it!!

Here's to another great 8!!

Eight years ago today I received the grand prize! Derek and I got married and started on this crazy journey we call life. It has been an incredible journey and I would not trade one day for anything in the world. Most of the times have been amazingly wonderful but this last year could have been a make or break year for us as a family. We are better and stronger because of what we have been through with our sweet boys, who I will post about tomorrow on their birthday. Derek Parks is the best friend anyone could have. He is honest, he is loyal, he is loving, and he is just the greatest. I think Courtney says it best, I know he has wings and a halo I have just never seen them for my self. He makes me want to be a better person. He inspires me to do great things. He makes me laugh daily. He loves me for who I am. Derek, I would marry you a thousand more times. I love being your wife. You make me happy.
You are my everything!


Who knows how long I've loved you
You know I love you still
Will I wait a lonely life time
If you want me to I will
For if I ever saw you
I didn't catch your name
But it never really mattered
I will always feel the same
Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart
And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
And you know I will
I will

more party pictures!

It's Party Time!!

We celebrated Kyle and Kade's one year old birthday today with a little party at the Hangar. It was a sand and sun themed party. We fished in a pool, played in the sand and ate cupcakes with beach balls, umbrellas and fish candy sprinkles on them. The boy destroyed their cakes and begged for more. They had a wonderful time and were asleep with in seconds of getting in the car. We had lots of special family and friends there to help us celebrate! We wish you all could have been there with us to honor the lives of these little guys that have given us a year we will not soon forget.

Armed and Dangerous!

When we were in at the Mountain House with Mema and Gdad we discovered Mema may have seen one too many Oprah shows with the dog whisperer and convinced Gdad to shoot the dogs with a water gun when they barked unnecessarily. If I recall correctly I never saw him shoot the dogs once, but I know I got wet...Derek was shot once or twice, Kade and Kyle got it between the eyes more than once and I promise none of us barked even once!!!!!!! I did happen to catch a couple of action shots of what was going on with the water gun..............