Mountain Weather Report

HOT.

Patio is Poured!

Step one of the backyard landscaping is done...the patio was poured yesterday and since it's been so hot the last couple of days, it's already almost dry! Mia and Cooper were able to explore it this morning while Parker napped. We figured it definitely dry enough to walk on without getting pawprints in the cement. :) I can't wait to get the patio furniture up and start enjoying dinners and sunsets outside. Now if it would just cool off a little!!

Baby Gio

We got the pleasure of meeting baby Giovanni this past weekend, who is the new arrival of friends in Omaha. (Well, three months new!) I just love photographing babies and capturing their chubby cheeks and personalities. He's sooo adorable--as you can see!

Thought of the day

"Good design goes to heaven, bad design goes everywhere."

"Diet" update

Whew--third post for the day!

The new "diet" is going well...although I think Mike and I both secretly wish we could join Parker as he enjoys all the high-calorie food a person can handle. Tonight we discovered he also likes big-people macaroni and cheese...

He especially seems to like chocolate chip cookies. Grandma Laurie's are a major favorite! I think he'd eat them around the clock if we would let him. Wash 'er down with a little milk, and the grin goes from ear to ear.

Another first for the list

Parker took his first boat ride on Saturday night after the festivities. He was pretty wound up from the excitement (and sugar, I'm sure) so we thought a nice ride around Emerson Bay would be just the thing to get him ready for bed. Cousin Ashley from Ohio calls them "moonlight" boat rides (even if they are at 7 p.m.) :)

We hadn't gone past the no-wake buoys and he was asleep.

A very busy birthday weekend

Parker asked me to help him write this post...

I had a GREAT birthday! It was so much fun to go to the lake and see everyone there again. I have lots of pictures to share with you!

Daddy and I went for a dip in the lake after my nap on Saturday. It was hot outside, so the water was nice and cool. Okay, maybe it was a little too cool. I wasn't sure how I felt about the sand and water in my toes.





Then it was time for cake!


Daddy helped me blow out the candle.


The cake was kind of slimy...


When mama showed me there was something yummy under the slimy stuff, I decided it was pretty good after all.

Home again, home again, jiggity jog...

Made it back to the "ranch" last night after a good 8+ hour drive...I think Mike was glad to sleep in his own bed since he's been gone for over a week. We hit a little snag in the weather just over the NE/CO border and had to find shelter under a bridge--a little scary! For the most part, though, it was a pretty smooth ride.

Had a great time in Iowa seeing family and friends to celebrate the little man's birthday! Thanks to everyone who helped us eat cake and share in Parker's big day. LOTS of pictures to post, but doing some unpacking and errands so keep an eye out for them a little later on.

Tooth #4!

Parker's fourth tooth is trying to make an appearance--it's starting to show the very edge of it cutting through. Poor boy has been a trooper, but you can tell he's in a little pain. Once that's through he'll have both his top two middle teeth and the bottom two middle ones. Maybe a little birthday cake tomorrow will make everything better!

12-month checkup!

Just finished up at the doctor's office...good news and a few things to work on. (Yes, homework from the doctor!) Parker is developing great and is right on par with most other kids his age. That's a huge relief. Unfortunately he hasn't grown much since his 9-month checkup. He weighs 19# 3oz, weighed in at 28.75". So we've been instructed to fatten him up--butter, whole milk, cheese, etc. (he's doing very well on the transition to dairy, BTW)--all the things that mom loves but can't have!! But overall, a very good checkup and things to work on for our next visit with the pediatrician.

Birthday week!

It's Parker's birthday week!! We have a "rule" around here that for several days before and after your birthday you are entitled to a serious spoiling, creating an entire week of festivities and pampering. (I don't think that will be too difficult in Parker's case.) His 12-month doctor's appointment is Tuesday, which will be fun to see how much he's grown.

Love this photo after we got home from the pool and had a bath yesterday.

Swimming at the Pool

It's hot. Fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk HOT. So yesterday we thought it might be fun to go to the pool. Parker did great--it took him a little bit to get used to the water and the other kids around, and soon he was splashing and having a great time.

Daddy, are you there?

Mike and Parker were playing peek-a-boo around the baby gate last night after daddy came home from work. Parker is getting good on his tiptoes!

News

Sorry I've been a slacker blogger this week. Seems there's hardly been any time for fun stuff in between keeping up with life and Parker. I'm glad it's the weekend--we're hoping to do some catching up and enjoy the warm weather! There were rumblings about hitting the pool this afternoon, that would be fun.

Got a bit of bad news yesterday. Mike's grandmother had a heart attack and is in an Omaha hospital. She's a tough woman, and our hands and hearts are to God that He will see her through this difficult time. We're hoping for the best.

Enjoy your Father's Day weekend!

A Challenge

Grandpa Larry presented a challenge over the weekend--"We want to see pictures of Parker's teeth!" And you know how I love a challenge...especially one that involves photos. :)

You'll be happy to know I had to Photoshop the boogars out of his nose. No sense in grossing anyone out--myself included (I found myself wanting to blow my own nose thinking it might help him)!

At any rate, enjoy the teeth. Parker sure does!


Bottom (and you can kind of see the top one)


Aaaaand the top.

Friday Highlights

1. Parker and I slept until 8 a.m. (I can't remember the last time that happened)

2. Parker took a 2-hour nap. (See comment on #1)

3. Found cute accessories for the laundry at Gordmans. (Have you ever been there?)

4. Parker ate another big boy dinner... strawberries, green beans, toast and Club cracker sticks. (He's a carbo loader...a chip off the old block.)

5. Discovered tooth #3. (Top left front)

6. Watched 30 minutes of smutty daytime television between cleaning and waiting for Parker to wake from the marathon nap in #2.


Oh, I sooo love Fridays.

Back in the saddle again

It's nice to have my camera back. Parker was playing with his new walking toy last night...and I'm trying to get used to this new lens (so the photos aren't National Geographic quality...my apologies).

Parker hasn't figured out yet that he can turn the walker toy around to go back the other way. It's actually pretty funny to see how frustrated he gets that he gets "stuck". Last night he ran into the wall and kept shoving the walker toy into it, as if the wall was going to move. Child, I would move mountains for you if I could, but that wall just isn't going to go anywhere.


Here he comes!


And with a little help from mom, there he goes.

Mountain weather report

High country is getting snow today...2-6". Did someone miss the memo that it's JUNE?!?

Home from the spa

Or rehab, whatever you choose to call it.... :)

Conveniently, the lens motor decided to die at the very moment we stepped back onto Colorado soil. Erg. It's still under warranty so the little fella is headed back to Nikon for servicing...which puts me out of a lens for several weeks. The guys at the repair shop gave me some great resources around here to find a replacement--one of them suggested a rental shop with all kinds of lenses, photo domes and super-cool equipment that you can rent. It sounds like a photographer's HEAVEN, doesn't it? Someday I'll go check it out, but for now I'm headed down to a used camera shop to pick me out a "new" lens (as it's cheaper than renting for 8 weeks). Well, new to me. They had several so I'm sure you'll see the results of my "shopping" soon. :)

And yet more weekend photos

Lobsterfest, as American as apple pie.









Parker makes friends with a lil' fella. Too bad neither of them realizes the lobster's fate.

More weekend photos

I'm finally getting somewhere on the photos from this weekend. Still no word on if my camera lens is dead...poo. I feel naked without it!

So, enough news (if you can call it that), on to good stuff.


Parker's first flight. We're descending, so that's why the bink. He was a champ on both flights...lucky us, he travels so well.


We went to tumbling class with Molly! She had a great time showing off her friend Parker and showing us her sweet skills.




Her tumbling class got medals at the end!

A day at the "spa"

Not for me, but for the camera...it decided to take a vacation (read: quit working) yesterday after we arrived back here. So, it's in for a spa day at the repair shop to hopefully soothe away its troubles. Sigh. I'd like that kind of pampering. :)

A fun Lobsterfest weekend

Well, the report from the weekend was awesome! Parker did great on both flights going to KC and coming back to Colorado and it was so, so good to see our dear friends. I am still rifling through the mass of photos from the weekend--there are lots, as you can imagine!

Anyway, a few shots to get you started. More to follow--but I am wiped out and trying to catch up around here. Back to reality....boo-hoo.




The lobsters "rest" after their flight in from Maine.


The mass dunking of the lobsters...32 in all this year--a new Lobsterfest record!


Parker and Molly had a great time playing together all weekend.