Bike Riding

I realize the pictures for this post are not terribly interesting--but since I kind of use this blog as my scrapbook I just wanted to take a second and post about my BIG BOY Preston!  Jeff took his bike to the bike shop today to have the chain fixed, and after some tweaking it is riding MUCH better.  Preston has been out riding it for an hour at least...some kind of record...and I think he has finally "gotten it."  But it may not be just the chain that has made him want to ride.  You see, my little boy has really turned into a big boy this Summer.  He can do all kinds of things by himself, has finally stopped the running away and really can be trusted to play just where he is supposed to.  However, even though he is really growing up he still needs to be carried down the stairs sometimes and tells me he loves me from the backseat at least once a day.  I guess I just wanted to write down how much he has changed over the Summer, and I really think he is ready for his Pre-K4 experience next year :)  Hope you are having a good one and staying cool!

Willy Wonka Playdate

Just got home from a VERY fun night with two VERY sweet boys!  Preston invited Alex to go with us tonight and we went ALL out : Lion King in the car,Chick-fil-A, Willy Wonka at the Strauss and a "Willy Wonka" (HERSHEY) bar at intermission.  The first half of the show was a little slow and I was proud of them both for sitting through it.  The second half had a little more action and they were enthralled!  They were both ALL ABOUT getting their picture made with Willy Wonka AND the little "squirrels" who as youcan tell are about their age.  (Actually, it was Alex's idea to get a picture with the squirrels................)

Happy Weekend!

Pigskins and Pearls

Has it really been a year since my last Pigskins and Pearls post?  Seems like just yesterday that I was posing for the same pic with sweet little John Cole in my tummy :)  Although the football jargon goes predictably WAY over my head--think it did everyone's--it was fun to get together and enjoy lunch and some laughs.  Thanks, girls, for joining me!  (We missed you Jessie!)  I'm super pumped for football season now...GO DAWGS!

Dressed alike for school :)

I made a half-hearted, 8:45 attempt at a photo shoot this morning because I thought Preston and John Cole in their white polos and chambray shorts were so stinkin' cute.  These were the best I got...love these two sweet boys!

Ready for some GOLF!

I'm gonna be late for work but could not resist posting these shots I took of P ready for his first day of Hogan Jr. Golf Clinic......oh, to be a fly on the wall!  Happy Monday!

Time flies...

When you are having fun!  Its been a fun past few days/week and I just wanted to take a second and blog about the highlights :)

Mom, Kendal and I had a GREAT time shopping in Dallas last weekend!  Thanks, Jeff, for being on Daddy duty so I could go.  We left Ruston at 6am and were in Dallas....well, I better not make it a matter of public record but let's just say we made good time :)  I pretty much checked off everything on my list--including some pretty new bedclothes from Horchow Finale.  The bed is not 'finished' yet. but I'll post when it is!  We talked, ate some yummy meals and just enjoyed each others company.  So fun!

Then, it was three days of work for Mommy and while Nana was keeping the boys Wednesday she called me to tell me that John Cole was full out crawling!!  He has been really close for a long time, but he's definitely got it down pat now.  Had to include these two cute pics of him....he is just getting cuter by the day to me :)

The weekend has brought TWO big birthday celebrations.  We got together with friends Friday night to celebrate with Brian Smith at Squire Creek and made a trip to The Village in Shreveport last night to celebrate Hunter Smith, Nancy Hunt AND Jeff's summer birthdays.  The boys stayed with Grandfather and Gran-Gran last night (THANKS!) and so we got to stay out late but I am TIRED!

Hope y'all are doing well....more later....

Week in Review

It's been an eventful week for the Parker Family-that's for sure!  And as I sit here Friday afternoon, life is pretty much back to normal and for that I am sooo grateful!

First of all, P was busy this week going to Squire Creek's Pee-Wee tennis camp.  He had a BLAST--even asked me for a tennis net at home.  CHECK!  Think I'll put it away for his birthday, though.  I took these pics at the little "awards" ceremony this morning.  Preston won the "Best Forehand" award.  He was terribly pleased with himself, and feigned embarrassment for just one second, before going back to his normal self :)  I have mentioned before that I am SUPER impressed at how well Katherine Reigleman instructs these kiddos and she did not disappoint.  This will be a yearly tradition I am sure...

Secondly, I worked 30 hours this week.  WHOA!  For me that is a lot, doing it again next week too, but even though Miss Paige is basically our nanny while I am at work there is A LOT to do when I get home at night.  I am REALLY going to cut back on work in the Fall (really Jeff, I am!) but for the summer while Miss Paige is available and I can pretty much work as much as I want I am going to keep on trucking....

And last but CERTAINLY not least, the Master shower project was complete yesterday!  YIPEE!! Now, let me be clear that I would have been perfectly fine with our shower just the way it was.  We would never have ripped up a perfectly good shower for aesthetic reasons.  BUT can I say that I love it so much that all of the hassle (and sack crete dust) were almost worth it.  I did say ALMOST....Hoping to shower in it tonight!!

To close I wanted to chronicle I am letting the boys bathe together now--P has been BEGGING me to bathe with John Cole for months--and it is SO GREAT!  They both have a great time :)

More later

Take me out to the ballgame...

I'm up by myself this morning getting these posted while all the boys are still asleep :)  P and Jeff got in around 1:00 last night after a quick trip to Dallas for the Rangers game.  It was Preston's first time to see a Major League game....and I don't know that watched much baseball....but I can tell from the pictures he had a great time!

Now, off to lay down the drop cloth so we can hopefully start laying tile today.  Yes, my Master Shower is having to be partially re-tiled becuase we had a overflowing drip pan under the shower floor.  It was BAD :( Basically what was a sheetrock wall on one side of the shower has to be ripped out and replaced with tile......but it's not THAT much so I REALLY hope to be done this week.  I just have to keep the kids out of the house and that is a challenge!

Hope you have a great week!

Laid Back 4th

Well, it's 5:00 on the 4th of July and it sure has been a wonderful, relaxing day.  Certainly is nice to have Jeff and my boys with me all day.  We spent the morning at the pool, had some lunch, everyone but Daddy had a nap, and now we are about to grill some burgers and get ready to pop some fireworks!  Hope you and yours are having a great day.....

FAMOUS!

Well, not really :)  But Jeff and Preston did get some pretty impressive exposure on the front page of Ruston Daily Leader's Lifestyles section today.....