Austin's video

Parker Family Reunion

We had a family reunion for my husbands side of the family last weekend. It was held in Driggs just down the road and up a dirt road from the Fullmer "Barn" Reunion we use to attend yearly. In fact, I think we found the graveyard that Grandma, Grandpa, and Brent said they wanted to buried in. Here are are few pictures:

"Cousins, cousins, there were never such devoted cousins"

These 3 (Kash is missing) are practically siblings since they are always together.

Tate in Grandma's 5th Wheel

Everyone had their own cup to save on waste.

I especially like this one.

Jumping off the rock to Ryon

Austin accidently kneed her in the leg this time.

Funny Story

This story about Austin was relayed to me by my sister-in-law who is also currently our babysitter....A couple of weekends ago my niece returned from her mission to Chile so we all went to Boise to see her listen to her report on her mission. Apparently, while we were there one of my nephew's friends were over playing and they were all in the back yard. Sometime during the day this friend (bless his heart) told my son that he has "werewolfism" and went on to tell him that he turns into a werewolf at night. He had been talking about the moon a lot lately but never mentioned anything about werewolves to me, but he did say something to my little niece. She is 5 I think and he told her that when there is a full moon outside at night he turns into a werewolf and gets big sharp teeth, long yellow finger nails, and fur that grows on his arms, hands, and face. My sister-in-law watches them both so my niece has nightmares that whole night and won't sleep because she thinks that Austin is a werewolf and this whole time Austin has REALLY thought that he was a a werewolf too. So when my sister-in-law drops off my niece the next day she asked if Austin would tell my niece that he IS NOT a werewolf. Austin did eventually tell my niece that he wasn't one and they are all good now. I thought this story was humerous so I thought I would share. I felt bad that my niece had nightmares over it though.

In the Home Stretch

We register my husband for his last semester of school the first of next month. He should graduate in December with his degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is so close to being done I can taste it. I am so proud of him. It has been a long couple of years. When my younger son turned 3 a few months ago we were both saying that it seemed like he had been 2 forever. This semester has been nice because he has been around more often at home than he has in a long time. He leaves at a reasonable time in the morning and is usually home for dinner or at least before the boys are in bed. I wish we could carpool more often but it hasn't happened much.
There is a 7 week break between Spring and Fall Semester. He wants to do an internship at the company he worked for before he went back to school during that time and the internship will roll over into Fall Semester and should qualify for one of his classes.
We aren't sure what we will be doing after he graduates. Hopefully we will be able to stay living where we are, but that will all depend on who is hiring and what they offer him. We hope that I can stay home with the kids soon after he graduates which I am really looking forward to. It has been difficult with my older son in school and coordinating pick up and drop off at my sister-in-laws house since she is babysitting for us. When he starts 2nd grade at the end of August it is going to get even more confusing mainly because we are going to have him back at the grade school by our house and the bus usually comes around 7:30 a.m., but it takes me around 45 minutes to drop my younger son off and get to work in time. Hmmm...maybe my husband can help out a little depending on his class schedule. It is a little stressful but it will all work out. After school is another problem since I work until 5 p.m. and even when the "After School Program" starts he will beat me home. This makes me a little nervous since he will only be 7 but my husband said that he was babysitting other younger kids when he was this age alone. Others have told me that their kids have been at home alone when they were younger than my son will be and for a longer period than he will be.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

Duckie Blankie

My younger son is really attached to his blankie. I think it started about the time we took his binkie away. He likes to have it when he sleeps so when he is at my sister-in-laws house during the day he will ask for it for his nap. My husband thinks we should get rid of it. But I just think that is mean since he is only two. It does get kind of gross if I don't wash it at least once a week because he likes to chew on it. My older son and I never had anything like this for comfort so I'm not sure if it would tramatize him if we took it away. Plus he is so cute when he is cuddling with it and he is even cuter when he asks for it. I remember when my little sister would throw fits if she didn't have her 'DyDy' and I could really do without that drama. I think it would be better to let him naturally outgrow it, but what if he doesn't and is still wanting his blankie when he is 10? Any advise would be helpful.

Potty Training

Our little boy is 2 1/2 and had been showing a little bit of interest in potty training so I bought him some little boy underwear (they are so cute and little by the way). Last week my sister-in-law (who babysits for us) and I worked hard at getting him to use the toilet but he just wasn't getting it. In fact one night he went right next to the toilet. So we kind of gave up and went to pull ups. The day before yesterday he wanted to get on the bus with my older son and my brother-in-law told him that only boys who use the toilet can ride the bus. He was devistated and cried for a long time or so I was told. Then last night he says he wants to use the potty, but he has said this before because I think he feels big just sitting on it. So he crawled up on it and low and behold he went #1. I'm not sure if it is what my brother-in-law told him or not but I was so proud. Who would know that something so little would make me so happy?

Bad Day!

Last night after attending my mother-in-laws birthday party I was preparing to drive home. I was carrying multiple items including my two year old so I sat my phone on top of the car while I loaded everything else in the car. Well...I forgot about the phone and drove off with it still on the top of my car until I heard a clunk noise which reminded me that I had set it on my car. Whoops! It was dark and on a fairly busy road. Needless to say, I didn't find it before "my Hero" was run over by another car. The screen is in about a billion pieces. I am so sad, but luckily my mother law had a phone that she is going to let me use. It isn't as nice but at least I have a phone. Right?! So then we drive home. Me in the car and my husband in the truck. About a mile from home his surpentine belt breaks, and then we get out of our vehicles and notice that the little car my inlaws gave us has a flat tire. These usually happen threes so hopefully we are done now.