A Very Merry Few Days....

I guess it goes without saying that the past few days have been filled with fun, family and many blessings. The Parkers are settled back into Creeks Edge this afternoon, after being in Winnfield since lunchtime Thursday. We spent most of our time at my parents, with a short trip down to Ball on Christmas day to bring lunch and visit with my sweet grandparents. You will notice that the hospital bed is still in the living room, but my Papa is MUCH better!! Thank you all again for your prayers.

As you can tell Preston has really enjoyed his "big" gift this year--his John Deere tractor. Santa brought it to him, but I still don't think he TOTALLY gets it because he was playing with another toy he got from Santa this afternoon and I asked him who it was from and he said, "NANA!" Oh well, all in good time....

We ate a lot, watched Preston A LOT (sorry Kendal and Kevin!) and most importantly spent time together. Isn't that what the Christmas holiday is all about? Much love to you all and I hope Santa was good to you :)

Christmas Spirit!

I've always LOVED Christmas--let's face it who doesn't! It's such a special time each year but this year I can honestly say has been very different as I have watched Christmas through Preston's eyes. He is the very definition of child-like wonder, seamlessly understanding both Jesus and Santa all at the same time. And although he is excited about the presents, I don't think he really comprehends it yet. Last night, during our celebration with Resa, after he openend this truck he didn't really want to open his other gifts....one gift was enough for him.. SO SWEET! We also made some Christmas cookies yesterday afternoon...not much to look at but they were DELICIOUS! Hope you are enjoying your Christmas break!

Merry Christmas Mommy!

Can you tell these are MUCH better pictures than I usually post? Well, they would be if I could figure out how to crop them, which I have not, and since I am sitting here with wet hair needing to get ready for church it's not looking good for this post....*****

Jeff got me a fancy camera for Christmas--ok, he got a few hints :) It is really neat and I took these last night. Can someone help me with cropping them? I can magnify them on the LCD screen but don't know how to save it on the camera.THANKS!

Now to last night. We had a great time at Grandfather and Gran-Gran's farm in Sikes. We celebrated Christmas with them, the Bauders and Jeff's Aunt JoAnn. Preston got to try his first sparkler, had a GREAT time with Parker and got this neat tool set that he has been playing with all morning. Boy, we are going to need some new organization strategies around here after Christmas-do you see all of those little parts? I am sure I will find them all over the house by the middle of the week...

Anyway, hope you had a good weekend and I'm gonna go dry my hair.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

****I cropped the images on my computer later in the day...and we made it to church on TIME! AND Preston lasted through "big" church for the very first time today...ok, he was sleeping....but he DID it! (And I was exhausted from bouncing him on my knee continuously for an hour :)

Conversation with a two-year old

Today on the way home from school:

Mommy: Preston, what do you want Santa to bring you?

Preston: A car.

Mommy: What kind of car?

Preston: A BIG car! (He has a special way to say BIG that is really quite funny!)

Mommy: Well, do you have a drivers license?

Preston: Yes.

Mommy: Where did you get it?

Preston: SONIC!

Ooops, you think we go through the drive-thru too much?

Happy Tuesday :)

We're Still Here!

Sorry about the picture overload but I needed to make up for lost time :) Preston was sick with the flu the week before last...so we didn't venture out much. He is much better and had a VERY busy day today.

Our morning started with "Breakfast with Santa" at Squire Creek. As you can see, Preston was a little terrified of Santa, but he had a blast eating pancakes and playing with Georgia and all of his friends. A special thanks to Nana for joining us...it was absolutely divine to have both Jeff and she there to help me out!

After that, we headed to Papa Simpsons Farm for Alex and Cullen's 3rd birthday party. I think the pictures speak for themselves. He had a BLAST! I really enjoyed seeing my little man interacting with the animals because he really does have a love for them. I may send out a Kodak album to family because this is just a FEW of the good pics....

Happy Day!

Small Town Christmas

First of all, I want to apologize for the poor quality of some of these pictures. I would REALLY like a new camera for Christmas. Something fast but not to cumbersome....Jeff are you reading this!?!?!?

Secondly, I did attend this event. The one picture of me is blurry from the horrible quality of this camera that the Consumer Reports said was great less than two years ago...did I mention I would like a good camera?

Ok, now to the fun stuff!! I am SO GLAD I decided to bring Preston to Jonesboro's Christmas festivities last Saturday. Jeff was going duck hunting so I called my Mom and she said that she and Pop would love to join in on the fun so that made it all the better.

Jonesboro is the very definition of a small town--but I will have to say their Christmas celebration was top notch, and most importantly, perfect for a two-year old. The parade had firetrucks, ATVs, beauty queens, Disney characters(see P getting a high 5 from Mickey), Santa Claus and OF COURSE very much candy. The pic where Preston is waving he is signaling Santa....

Following the parade was the tunnel of lights and of course a visit with Santa. HOWEVER, I fear that this is another year Preston will have not much to do with Santa...the picture where he is clinging to Nana for dear life is when we simply suggested he go tell Santa what he wants for Christmas...I am keeping my fingers crossed this attitude will change...most of you tell me it will not :)

Lastly, we watched a really fun fireworks show. I wish I had a GOOD CAMERA to capture the joy in his little face just looking at the fireworks. It was a very special night to see Christmas in the eyes of a child. Thanks for joining me Nana and Pop and hope you are all getting into the Christmas Swing!

This and That

Just wanted to take a second to post about our last few days....

We spent Thanksgiving day in Olla at Jeff's Uncle Jimmy's camp. They have a huge place for deer hunting and a really nice house so it was a great spot to meet. I did not get ANY good pictures of Preston, but love this one where he is running from his cousin Parker...Preston had a the time of his life with his cousins/second cousins :)

I am not much for shopping in the middle of the night, nor do I really like to fight crowds, so we spent yesterday decking the halls of Creeks Edge. It was not a day without drama, as the new 7 1/2 ft. tree was so small when I got it out of the box so I sent Jeff to Shreveport to exchange it for the 9 ft model. I should have known what was comning when it cost double the one we had...and boy I knew why when I got it out of the box. IT IS HUGE! I usually put the tree in the dining room, but is is now in the family room because that's the only place it would fit :) After a LONG day the inside AND outside are DONE! Whew...now for the fun stuff!

Jeff did not want to pose for a picture with his Christmas present but since we are agreed it is his Christmas/Valentines/Presidents Day/Groundhog Day(you get the drift)..I wanted to get a picture. He tried to take Preston for a ride yesterday afternoon and Preston would have NOTHING to do with it. We'll see if he changes his mind.

And lastly, we welcomed a new member to our family last night-"Buddy"-who is our Elf on the Shelf. I have already used the treat of Santa once this season, and really think Buddy may actually work. He was waiting on Preston this morning where he eats his breakfast and will hopefully lead to successful mealtimes all day today....

Hope you are having a great holiday!

Fair Weather Fan

Ok, ok I know I was cheating on the SAINTS just a little bit yesterday while rooting for the COWBOYS against the Detroit Lions, but we were having so much fun I couldn't help myself :) Resa and Miss Paige split watching Preston for the day/night, and Jeff and I made a WHIRLWIND trip to Dallas to see this game with some good friends. We were celebrating Katie Hall's ** birthday, and it was a really good time. (and the COWBOYS won!) Now I will admit that sometime after getting caught in game traffic AND wreck traffic on the way home we thought, "WHY DID WE DO THIS AGAIN?" But a quick stop in Shreveport for some Superior with Trotter and Nancy helped...

Happy Birthday Katie!!

And I also wanted to tell you all thanks for praying for Papa. It is amazing how you can really tell when prayers are being lifted and I am SO grateful. He DID get well enough to go to HealthSouth and has been there a week today. He has lost some of his fluid weight and gets stronger every day....but still has a way to go. My new prayer is that he gets strong enough to go home soon, and that when he gets there he can adjust well to the new "normal" in his life. (He was driving a 4-wheeler around his pasture just three weeks ago...siting inside will be a MAJOR adjustment....)

Hope you are having a great week!

Prayers Needed

If you follow this blog regularly, you know I don't often make prayer requests, but I am making one tonight. My grandfater, who has always been my PaPa, had a 4-wheeler accident almost 2 weeks ago and is still in the hospital with some complications from the accident AND from being 85 years old with congestive heart failure. He has not been doing well but selfishly I am hopeful he will make a full recovery!!

After searching through a good many old pictures tonight, I had trouble finding any of JUST Papa but I did find this one of him and my second cousin Read (his great-grandson.) Looks like they are playing cowboy and Papa is being a good sport :) Something funny to share is that I don't think Papa likes the name "Preston," as he has always called my son "Luke" (chuckle..). He is an amazing man, so very smart and continues to be sharp as a TACK. He is the patriarch of our family and I can't put into words how much I love and respect him. Papa would never want to put anyone out but he could really use your help. I am asking that you pray he gets well enough to go into a rehab facility, as you all know that laying in a hospital bed is not good for anyone. Love and THANKS!

"School" Picture

Doesn't this just make you laugh! I knew Preston was not going to smile for his school picture, because he told me so that morning. I had no idea the picture would turn out looking like an angry teenage boy whose mom made him take Senior pictures :) Oh well, they can't all be good pictures! Happy Weekend!

Almost forgot to mention that my sweet Papa is in a regular room and doing much better. Please keep praying for him and for my Gran/Mom as they decide what course of action is best for his recovery care. THANKS!

Canton Finds

It was such a treat for my Mom and I to head over to Canton, TX last Friday. Mrs. Heather came over to keep Preston while Daddy was at work so we could really get some shopping done :) We had a great girls day together and we both found some pretty things as well. I thought it would be fun to share my two major purchases:

We had a perfectly good light fixture hanging in our dining room, yes, but when I saw this beautiful crystal chandelier I just SAW it in my dining room. So, after a LONG trip from The Porch to the MDX, it was mine! We will save the other light fixture, and put it back up if we ever move because I can never part with this one....isn't it pretty?

I also got this cool Italian lamp--the saleslady said she just got it from an estate sale in Highland Park in Dallas. It is so cool and old :) I am well aware that the shade is too small-it is actually from the lamp that was there previously-but even with the too small shade I LOVE it! (In my defense, the lamp I did have there got cracked pretty noticeably on our move from Shreveport and I have been living with it for three years....)

So, if you are ever in need of some cute gifts, antique furniture, anything TEXAS/cowboy or of course new lighting head over to Canton :) It is definitely worth the trip.

PS--Please say a prayer for my Papa. He had a 4-wheeler accident yesterday and is still in the ICU with a broken clavicle and some heavy bleeding. He is expected to make a full recovery, but it will be a long road for sure. THANKS!

A Very Happy Halloween

Preston had a big night for his first "real" Trick-or-Treat experience. I was so excited to put his little "cowboy" costume on him...he looked REALLY cute :) He did some "shooting" with his cork gun I got him in Canton while we were at home...but we didn't make it anymore with that accessory. Oh well. We started our night out at K-K and Kevin's house and Preston had the "trick-or-treat" down. What can I say we have been practicing :) It was leaving there that we ran into what would be our problem for the night. Preston wanted to consume EVERYTHING he got RIGHT THEN. So, after eating the candy he got at his first stop while we were en route, we headed to Resa's. Same deal. I did get one gigantic Tootsie pop away...but he ate everything else!
We then headed to Nancy and Trotters for what was their neighborhood block party they were so gracious to invite us to. Preston forgot about sweets for just a minute while he jumped on the trampoline and jumpy. But when he saw another little boy with a cookie the gorging began. We went on a little hayride to do our actual trick-or-treating and it was a battle for me to get anything in Preston's bucket. He pretty much ate it all. I don't know how he did it!!! But he had a great time!
We hung out at the Hunts for a little longer but realized we had a tired little buckaroo and headed home. I have to say a huge thanks to Nancy and Katie for having us and to my super sweet husband who had a birthday cake made for me and snuck it over to the party yesterday afternoon without my knowing. He really is a sweetheart--I hope I'm not embarrasing him but it is true :)
Oh yeah, yesterday was my 32nd birthday and it may have been my most special yet. Having your child tell you Happy Birthday is just the best. Thanks to any of you who sent me a card, text, fb message-anything! You really made my day great!!
Have a great week!

Better Late than Never.....

Jeff and I got Preston this little trampoline for his birthday in AUGUST....and it sat in the box in the garage....and sat....and sat....and sat....

Finally, we realized that pretty afternoons would not be around for long and that we really needed to get it put together. Soooo, since I think we were both a little intimidated to put it together ourselves Mr. Ed came over yesterday and helped us out. Preston noticed it RIGHT AWAY last night when we got home. I told him we could jump today after church and we were out there for almost an hour before he said, "Get Out!" I think he had a lot of fun, don't you?

Have a great week!