merry christmas!

1st days of December

Parker has been busy baking + decorating the first few days of December. He is such a good little helper. And so paitent. We have a low-key week to soak up the brilliant beginning of this season. I love hearing the expression in his voice when we drive home at night and see the lights - he finds the good and fun in everything. Love that quality about Parker.

May YOUR holiday be bright and merry!

Thankful

We had Thanksgiving dinner at New Horizons this past week and mmmmm, was it yummy! Much to my surprise, Parker *loves* cranberries. The plain ones in the can. Even asked for a second helping: :)

On the car ride home with Kels + Bodde to Spicer this weekend, I asked Parker to tell us what he was thankful for - here is what he said: "Umm...bumblebee, optimus prime, you and me, and graham and kelsey and bodde, and papa and grammy too." I love how simple his list is - including Transformers (which seem to be a said favorite the last few weeks) and his family. At 4.5 he "gets" it. For that I am forever greatful!

What are you thankful for?

Interview with Parker

My sister sent me a link yesterday with a cute idea to do an interview, so I did one with Parker. Here you go!

Interview with Parker, 10.1.09
(my comments are in parentheses)

What is your full name?: Parker and Duane and Knutson
How old are you?: 4
When is your birthday?: April
What is your favorite color?: Blue and red and orange and green and black and yellow, ok? Mommy...ok? Did you get all those?
What is your favorite thing to watch on tv?: Power Rangers (I think he's watched PR a total of MAYBE 3-4 times!)
What is your favorite thing to do?: Play with you
Who is your favorite friend?: Tommy and Olivia and Ben and Chloe and Eva and Ethan and Ethan and Andrew and all my sunshines. Some we don't know, right? (right buddy...you don't remember ALL of your friends names)
What do you want to be when you grow up?: Batman (no idea where this came from!)
What is your favorite animal?: Giraffe (this one's for you, Kels)
Are you a boy or girl?: Boy
Are you sad or happy?: Happy!
Where do you live?: Here, where I am right now
Where does mommy live?: Here
Who is your favorite person?: You (melts my heart, buddy -- you are my favortie too!)
What is your favorite thing to eat?: Watermelon
What is your favorite sport?: Baseball and football and soccer (not so much soccer, buddy, I signed you up and you didn't like it)
Who is your favorite dog?: Big Bodde (he really does love that dog)
What is your favorite book?: Fred and Ted
Was this fun?: Yeah

Pizza Picnic

Gotta love Little Caesars $5 pizza, especially when you don't feel like cooking! I've been feeling under the weather the past few days (doctor thinks I have mono, waiting for the test results to come back) so this was a great way for me to pick up supper tonight - QUICK!

It was pouring rain all day today. I worked from home. Parker had a great day at school. He told me he didn't get to finish the bracelet he was working on in the High 5 room for me. But reassured me that when he has free-time tomorrow he'll finish it up :)

So...to put a fun little twist on our supper tonight I told him on the way home that we were going to eat a "different" way tonight. The anticipation got to him -- until we arrived home and I told him to go get a blanket. Why, mommy? Becasue we're going to have a pizza picnic, buddy. Oh, that will be so awesome!

Here he is...had to line everything up for the photo and all. He took in 4 breadsticks and 2 slices of pizza. YUM :)

please excuse the messy house in the background...haven't felt like picking up lately and it shows!

Apple Orchard

We went to the Collegeville Orchards today with our friends Melanie + Jared, and had a GREAT time! The boys loved everything there -- the animals, hay ride, and the pumpkin patch. Parker cut all of the pumpkins right off the vine and pulled them in the wagon. Jared was a bit indecisive about his pumpkin choice! These 2 boys are us mamas are such great friends :) We are so fortunate to have them live RIGHT next door to us!!!

Happy Fall!

blog post challenge!

My sister officially told me that I am terrible at keeping my blog up to date. So, it is now my new goal to make a post once a week to prove her wrong!

There are no rules with this challenge. Posting more than 1x per week does not categorize me as an "over achiever". Photos are not required. There is no prize or reward for successful completion of this challenge.

Let it begin!!!

Wedding Weekend

We are heading to Sioux Falls for Tiffany & Barry's wedding this weekend :) Looking forward to fun with family!

And...since I never really post pictures of just "me"...here's one for viewing pleasure. This is at a fabulous Italian Resturant in STC called Mi Famiglia - they had an awesome band, the Bella Diva's. Photo is of my good friends Melanie + Bridget :)

Labor Day Weekend

Parker is so excited to have an extra "home day" ths weekend -- we are hanging out at home together. And not doing anything and loving it!

We put up the Halloween decor today -- and already have Parker's costume. He's been wearing it around the house alot. He told me to promise and keep it a secret what he is going to be.

We got some yummy sweet corn + watermelon at the Farmer's Market this afternoon. It sure made for a yummy supper :)

Tonight we are having snuggle party on the couch - one of Parker's all time favorite things to do! He picked out the Chronicles of Narnia movie and we are "snuggled" up on the couch and relaxing. He actually told me that he wanted to relax today - I had to ask him twice what he meant by that. It went something like "Mommy, how about if we just go in and do relaxing?". Too cute. Apparently I must say that alot? And we are doing alof of RELAXING this weekend. Love it. Love our time together. Love all of the conversations that we have together. Love my Parker boy!

Twins! + weekend at GK + 2 modeling auditions

We are taking Parker to his first ever Twins game on Friday night! We're going to catch the light rail into the game and have a blast. He's SO into baseball, and I know he's going to love being at the stadium. Gotta love getting in a game at the Metrodome before the new stadium is completed too...

This weekend we are spending with GK -- 5 whole days. Parker is going to flip! Five home days ... he will NOT believe it me (a coined phrase he uses often). We're heading in tonight and leaving Monday morning. That little bugger has 2 -- yes that's right folks -- modeling auditions.

Friday morning: Pearson textbook -- he gets to make funny faces!
Monday morning: Target Corp. -- fitting for a product TBD (we'll find out when we get there!)

July in REVIEW!

Where, oh where has the summer gone? We have been B-U-S-Y! Here's a recap of our July:

**July 1st -- play date with Oliva + Bailey, Parker's friends from New Horizon Academy. They loved the splash pad and soaked up the summer sun.


**July 4th -- soaked up the St. Joseph parade with our good friends Sophie + Jess. And spent the rest of the day at their family cabin out near Freeport. Parker loved eating the watermelon!









**Tuesdays in July -- were spent on the T-ball field. Parker *loved* playing! He's already asking me to sign him up for next year. The coaches caught on pretty quickly that he was good hitter, so they PURPOUSLY placed him up last to bat so he could "run" in the other kids on the bases. He recites this often: Hands together, Feet together, T, muscle arms up, step, turn and throw!


**July 13-15 -- I spent 4 days in Chicago for work. My travel partner, friend, and co-worker Jess and I had a really good time "being" together. I miss her now that she's not my cube neighbor and at a different location. I am *THANKFUL* for our friendship! We at at 2 awesome resturants: Heaven on Seven and Frontera...they were both YUMMY! I can't wait to go back soon and visit again. I love that city.


**Thursdays in July -- parker participated in Gymnastics at a small little studio in St. Cloud. He loved the bar! He's quite the little tumbler :)



**Sundays in July -- Sartell splash pad. Parker calls this the fountain one. He loves being a little fish in the water. And keeps asking when HE can do swimming lessons. Classes are full until next year, buddy.

**July30 -- Parker went on his first "official" photo shoot for Proctor + Gamble. Stay tuned for his appearence in an advertisement for Crest/Oral B!

happy 4th of july!

Miss Dolly Video

Miss Dolly had a baby who was sick, sick, sick
She called for the doctor to come quick, quick, quick
The doctor came with his bag and his hat
And he knocked on the door with a rat-a-tat-tat
He said "Miss Dolly, go straight to bed"
He wrote on a form for a pill, pill, pill
I'll be back in the morning with the bill, bill, bill

Wehmann Modeling Site

Just look at this cute boy!!!



Parker's photo is up on the Wehmann Modeling site -- go check it out :)

It's summer already!

We are beaming with excitement for Graham & Kellsey!!! Congrats to the newlyweds :) The wedding was a success -- slight delay due to rain, but nothing we couldn't handle. Were still gathering photos from the big day and will post once compiled. I'm so proud of my sister...not only for who she is, but who she is about to become. MRS. RUPPEL, love ya! And we couldn't be more proud to welcome Graham into our family. Love you too, buddy. In other news, Parker started T-ball and loves it. He hit a home run tonight. But, the coaches wouldn't let him run the bases. Gotta wait for the player in front of you to advance only one base at a time buddy. Next week, let's bat you last, boy! And he started Gymnastics. What a little tumbler he is. His favorite thin is the, bar...imagine that. He can do V-ups, swings, and the whole caboodle!!!

10 days until the Ruppel wedding!

SO EXCITED - can hardly bear it! T minus 10 days until GK are married :)

I have started on my "MOH" speech...Kels, I think you're going to be proud of me!

Parker is officially breaking in his brown sandals for the wedding. He asks to wear them to school every day - and follows up by saying "Mommy, I promise I won't wreck these for Kellsey's wedding. And I won't whine about it". Too stinkin cute!

Had WAY too much fun at the Bachelorette party. What a wonderful group of friends Kels has...you are all so beautiful and special in so many ways!!!

Growing

It's been TOO long since I've posted.

Parker loves to play outside - I'm getting really good at fielding the balls he hits :) He is signed up for T-Ball for 6 weeks in June and can't WAIT. He even asked me if he could be the first one to bat. I had to explain to him that the other kids will probably needa "tee"...he proceeded to tell me that he wants his coach to PITCH to him. No tee. Got it, buddy!

In other news, we went to a really neat studio in Minneapolis on Saturday morning: to get Parker's photos updated for modeling. They will be up on the Wehmann site in a few weeks ;)

I am hoping to get some photos posted - Parker keeps growing and growing and growing. He's grown so much in the last 7 months that his glasses are too small. His new ones are on order (small adult size frames I might add)...and of course they had to have "blue" on there. It's his favorite color, he tells me that daily.

We're counting the days for the GK wedding . It will be here before we know it!

:)

Parker is 4!

Happy Birthday, to my favorite boy EVER! And he is 4 :)

No more CANCER!

We are so excited that Kels has received word that she is CANCER FREE!!!

We have been so BUSY lately. It's a good thing. But it reminds me that I need to take time every day and just "live".

Parker's birthday is on Monday. I feel like I have so much to do. But, I have Speed Racer presents for him and now that I think about it...that will pretty much BE the excitement for him!

He is writing his first AND last name at school now. We go tomorrow for pre-school screening. I'm confident he will do great. So hard to believe he's growing up so fast and is crossing the "school" bridge...where does the time go.

I'll post photos soon - it's been too long!

24!!!

Someone VERY special has a Birthday today!

We love you much and can't wait to celebrate with you tonight!

st. patty's day

Hope your St. Patrick's day was filled with luck!

Parker and I both wore "green" to work/school today. And, I even got to go with my friend Melanie for a couple of hours tonight :) We went to this spot, right across the road from where we live. It was nice to catch up, our boys got to play...and when I got home Parker beamed with excitement as he said "Mommy - I had FUN tonight. Remember, sometimes you need mommy time, right?". Love that boy!

sleepover at GK

Here's a quick photo from the weekend - Kels & Parker making some muffins on Saturday morning. So cute! We had a great time. Kels & I spent almost 3 hours having lunch with our cousin Kelly. It was long overdue, and AMAZING to spend time together and be with family. Love you guys!

Graham took Parker to the Deer Classic while us girls were out having fun. He's such a trooper and goes along with WHATEVER he has to do - love that about you GR! And *thanks* again for taking the munchkin. From what Parker tells me - there were deer, 4-wheelers, and "I caught only one fish". I enjoy that these memories we are making will last a lifetime.

We spent the day on Sunday at home cleaning out the toy room. What a project! And spent some much needed time outside playing. I forget how "low" to the ground I have to get to play the hockey golie!

Notice the enhancement to my photo above? I'm dabbling into the digital world of scrapbooking a bit and absolutley love it - I think I am finding my passion :)

Back to bed, yelled Ted.
Back to bed, yelled Fred.
...that book is a new favorite at our house! And it's just where I am off to :)

new computer

Finaly...we have it! It's been a *long* wait :) Parker and I made a trip to Best Buy tonight and are loving our new computer! This was the first site he asked to visit - and played Super Why. I sat next to him and was amazed at how he just zoomed around and knew where to go and what to press. And not to mention how AWESOME he is at his letters. Oh, big news: Parker writes his own name now! It's been a pretty big deal around here lately. He is growing up WAY too fast! He will be 4 in a month. Yikes!

We are going to the cities tomorrow night to have a sleepover at Graham + Kellsey's and then meet our cousin Kelly for lunch on Saturday. Parker and GR and going to do some quality bonding time while the girls meet up. I'm looking forward to it!

Hoping to post some new photos soon...now I really have NO excuse not to post more often because we have a new friend at our house. His name is Toshiba :)

Marching into spring :)

It's March - yipppee! Parker and I have been BUSY this week. He is working on the letter L at school. Dispite the meltdown yesterday morning to bring something for share day, we are both doing wonderful!!!

We are heading to the cities on Saturday morning for my cousin Kelly's baby shower. She is one of the cutest pregnant mommies I know :)

Kels + Graham are in sunny Cabo San Lucas - and I'm jealous! Although, I was promised a stay-home present (he he he). Can't wait for them to get home. We have a list of some things to get planned for the wedding - and I need to get going on the shower + bachelorette party.

I have fallen in love with a new website - as you will notice my new header and background. If you haven't checked it out already...you should! www.houseof3.com. It's absolutely AMAZING! These are by far 3 of my favorite artists in this industry. Now I have an excuse to do even more scrapbooking. Which by the way, I made a resolution to start posting more of my work. I need to get on that!

Spring is just around the corner! I ordered Parker his summer gear the other day - he'll be sporting Orange crocks this year and a handful of some super cute gear from Old Navy. Gotta love finding the deals!

I started off the season with an adorable pair of peep toe print heels and am wearing them today ;) Aren't they cute?!!! http://media.kohls.com.edgesuite.net/is/image/kohls/415846?wid=230&hei=230&op_sharpen=1

Ms. Kim

...this woman is absolutely amazing! Meet Ms. Kim - the center director at New Horizons. She is what makes every minute of Parker's day fabulous. Just in the last week I have noticed that Parker has taken off with his writing. When we reflect on our day together, he talks about the letter of the week and "draws" it in the air for me. Perfectly, every single time. They concentrate on one letter, number, and theme each week. This week it was about the ocean and the letter O. I appreciate how much thought, effort, and time that the teachers in his room put into all of the activities that go on through the day/week. When Grammy asked Parker today what he has been doing at school he said "math + science, dramatic play, table toys, outside, cars + trucks, computer, library, and thats all". So stinkin cute!

Moving Parker back to New Horizons has been the **best** thing thus far. It's been 4 months already, where does the time go? The tuition is most definately an investment into his future and education. I'm thrilled that NH is such a great fit for us. Its so comforting for me to know that while I am at work that ALL of his needs are being met - mentally, physically, emotionally, and educationally.

I'm gearing up for spring/summer to come - so Parker can get to the much needed exploring outdoors. Looking at this photo reminds me of how dark he gets when the sun comes out...and how I love how cute he looks in shorts and his Crocs. Which, I need to get ordered so they are here in time for the season. Ahh - the warm weather can't come fast enough!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day

Hope you are spending the day with those you love!

xoxoxoxoxo
Abby & Parker

Valentines

Parker and I made some super cute Valentines for Graham, Kels & Bodde + Grammy & Papa. I forgot to take photos BEFORE we mailed them out...but Kels has a post up on her blog with a quick preview. Check it out!
www.grahamandkellsey.blogspot.com

I love any excuse to put my scrapbooking skills to work ;)

p-a-r-k-e-r

He spelt his name out loud to me in the car this morning. Our conversation went something like this:
M: Parker, it's share day at school today...are you excited about that?
P: Yeah, mommy, I am.
M: What letter are you working on?
P: Llll, mommy. It goes down and over.
M: Good job, buddy. Are you working on your handwriting with Ms. Katie?
P: Yep, she picks 2 wetters from my sheet.
M: Oh, Ms. Katie picks the 2 best letter "L's" that you can write for her?
P: Yes, mommy. I already told you that.
M: I know you did, I just like to hear about what you do at school, bud. Do you know what letters are in your name?
P: My name is P for Parker. P-(pause)-A-R-K-E-(pause - insert Mommy helping with the last letter R)-R!
M: Wow, buddy - that is AWESOME! You can spell you name - you are so smart in the Sunshine room.
P: Yep, I am. And pretty soon I am gonna be a Qwest kid. But not yet, I yike being a Sunshine :)


I gobbled up his goodness this morning...THIS is what makes being a mom so rewarding :)

Tommy's Birthday Party

Parker had a BLAST at Tommy's birthday party! The kiddos played and played - and boy, did he sure sleep good that night. Parker picked out a Speed Racer track to give to Tommy. He loved it. We spent 2 hours at Rainbow Play Systems in St. Cloud - after cake and whistles, it was time to go "home".

Here is Parker and his friend Olivia making funny faces!

New York

Kels has posted an amazing recap of our where-abouts exactly a year ago in NYC. Check it out here: www.grahamandkellsey.blogspot.com