Houston we have a walker!

It's official- Meg walks! What a fun day. She actually stands up to walk on her own and takes 8-10 steps before falling.
Oh- kinda a bittersweet moment as I realize that my baby is getting so big! What is it about wanting so badly for your kids to reach the next milestone- sleeping through the night, rolling, sitting, crawling- and then before you know it- they are all grown up? I guess it is another reminder to live in the moment, because it will be over before I know it!
Love her wispy blond blond hair- it makes me happy!

High School Tag

Oh no! I been tagged- and now I get to come clean about my high school years!

1. If you could go back and tell your teenage self one thing, what would it be?
Life will go on, and this is only a brief experience in life!

2. Did you do any extra curricular activities in high school?
I dabbled in a lot of things. My freshman year I played basketball.
My sophomore year I played basketball and ran cross country.
My Jr. year I ran cross country and was in Jr. Choir and Pep Club.
My senior year I was in A’Capella and Madrigals, Dance Company and was a songleader. (aka cheerleaders that dance not stunt) I loved the girls that were songleaders with me! I also went to Girls State.

3. What did you do with your free time?
I’m not sure I had a lot of free time with all of my activities, But I had a couple of part time jobs, at Old Navy, Nordstrom’s, Snellee’s- the local ice cream shop, and teaching swimming in Jon Little’s Pool.
I had an obsession with making brownies! At least once if not twice a week we would make brownies and take them to someone. Yum!
Other than that I think we drove around a lot! Gas was only $1 and we could go far on a $20 tank. I drove a red jeep wrangler ( and we were always cruisin’ by some cute boys house!

4. Coolest thing you did as a teenager.My Jr year I went back to Washington D.C. for a Young National Leaders Conference. In essence I went by myself to be with hundreds of other high school kids from around the country- we took tours of D.C., met important people and learned about government. One morning George Stephanopholus was speaking to us and I introduced him as George “Snuffleupagus”! I was mortified!

5. Did you have a boyfriend in high school?
Of course! It seems I was always dating someone and not very many of them went to the same HS as me, which caused all sorts of contention. The girls from the other schools were not my biggest fans- and often decorated by house and car with various food products. But my Dad always stressed how important it was to be nice and never ever retaliate. So after having my car waxed with Mayo, while at a boyfriend’s football game, we quickly went to the car wash before meeting up at the Highland Sev. We arrived all smiles- like it had never happened! It taught me more than anything- to be nice no matter what and to dig deep for my own sense of self-worth, rather than let it be determined by jealous girls. I am glad I followed my dad’s advice, because it has allowed me (and my sister) to become friends with these girls later in life!

6. Songs that come to mind:
“Girls” Beastie Boys
“Forever Young” Alphaville
“Josie’s on a vacation far away” Outfield
“None of your Business” Salt & Peppa
“Don’t go chasing Waterfalls” TLC

Counting Crows, Steve Miller Band, Pearl Jam, U2, Sting
That sums up a lot of good memories right there!

7. If you could change one thing, what would it be?
I wish we didn’t have to define people by who or what they were in high school! Come on- are we really going to let how someone acted during pubescent and emotionally insecure teenage years determine our life long opinion of them? I love that some of my favorite high school guy friends went to the U and became great friends with their arch-enemies “the HH boys”! My mother-in-law has a great quote in her house, “When people show you who they really are- Believe them!”

8. What did you think you would be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a nurse. My freshman year I went to help my sister with a Senior BBQ. A group of kids showed up in scrubs because they had just finished up clinicals for the Nurse’s Assistance class they were taking. I signed up for the class- and started the pre-reqs for nursing school as soon as I got to BYU. So yes- there you have it, I chose my future profession based on the coolness factor of the uniform.

9. Picture of self. Brittney & I at graduation!

10. Craziest thing you did in high school.
Maybe not the craziest, but one of the best memories was my Jr. year when I didn’t have a 5th period (the last class of the day) during the winter trimester. So we often went skiing. I took great pride in the fact that I could be ready in 5 minutes or less and I skied more that year than I have in the 10 years since. I often went with guys who were much better than I was and it made me a pretty good skier to try and keep up!

Other great memories were:
B&D on Tuesdays
Hanging out in Aunt Annie’s backroom. It was a safe haven!
Double dating with Ashley. We always ended up dating friends!

Favorite joke with subs: that Ryan Parker & I were married!

And we’ll keep this tag going: Steph Pond, Jamie Hyde, Colleen Bryan

my EHS quilt! I cut up all of my t-shirts and made it into a blanket!

Grilled Chicken & Asparagus Pasta

I got this recipie from Studio 5. I rarely make things off of cooking shows but this was great!

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed
1 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used 1 cup)
1/2 cup chicken stock
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon (this was a little too much for me- just a Tbs or two was enough!)
Salt
Pepper
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Method:
Servings: 8 Prep Time: 30 minutes

1. In a large pot, bring six quarts of water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook to tender-crisp, about 2 minutes.

2. Take asparagus out of water and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, set aside.

3. Return pot to stove and water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.

4. In a large skillet, set over low heat, combine butter, garlic, cream and stock. Stir in salt, lemon zest and juice. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add chicken, cheese and drained pasta.

5. Cut cooked asparagus into 1 to 2 inch pieces on a diagonal. Add asparagus and parsley to the pasta and toss all ingredients together. Turn off heat and let pasta sit to allow the sauce to thicken and all ingredients to heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Signs of Spring . . .

Many thanks to Kate's preschool teacher Ms. Wendy, Kate has being spying "signs of spring" all over. She sings and dances all around in search of Pussy willows, new green growth sprouting in the dirt, flowers, blossoms- "mom, the popcorn popping on the apricot trees are really blossoms- you know flowers!" she informs me.

The other day I was working in the flower beds and Kate was inspecting the branches on a near by bush -holding the twig gently she told me about the buds and how they would open and become leaves or flowers. I gave myself a little pat on my back- good thing I am sending her to such a good preschool, where she is learning such big things!

Kate tells me all about seeds, how strawberry seeds are on the outside and how she wants to keep her apple seeds and plant them to grow her own apple tree!

Well, last night Kate had a hamburger on a sesame-seed bun. Excited about seeds and growing new things, Kate picked a seed off her bun, and in all seriousness told Papa that "if you plant the seeds in your backyard you can grow a hamburger tree. And then you just pick the hamburgers off and eat them! but you still have to cook them"- she added.

Thanks Kate!

GYMBUCKS

Following Sandie's contest idea I have $50 in gymbucks that I am not going to use. Anyone interested?? They expire on April 20th so someone needs to get shopping. Just comment back to me and they are yours. Live too far away? Never fear- they are good online! Happy Shopping!!

things that made me smile today

blooming bright yellow forsythias

drywall finishers- they slapped mud on our basement walls with such furry and grace, quickly turning it into rooms- my favorite subs so far!!

laundry at my moms- what's better than 2 washers/dryers!

Kate brought me my bra after my shower and said "here's your boobs mom!"

putting chocolate chip cookies "on my list"- thanks Kate for helping me to make it a priority

"Annie"

Today I took Annie and Kate to see "Annie" at Kingsbury Hall. We went with my mom, sisters, grandma, aunt and cousin as our monthly girls outing. There was a big mix-up with the tickets-when we tried to sit down there were people in our seats- and the usher told us we actually had tickets for tomorrow's show! oh no! so the 14 of us missed the opening while we scrambled to still get tickets to today's show! My Annie totally fell apart- she was missing it. She was moping because she could hear "Annie" singing and we weren't in there! Annie recently got the movie (the version that came out in '82 when we were kids) and watches it all the time. My girls like the DVD option to sing along with some of the songs.

We were able to get to our seats just in time for "Hard Knock Life" (currently) Annie's favorite song in the movie- so I am happy we made it for that one! She is learning a dance to it for her recital and it has been hard to convince her that it is Hard Knock Life- not Hard Not Life.

The girls loved it and so did I! They were both singing along waiting for their favorite parts! Kate turned to me after "Tomorrow" with a big grin on her face and said "Mom that was great!" So amid the mix-up and confusion and being in the middle of an already busy Saturday I am so happy we got to enjoy the moment!

I used to think that I was "Annie" when I was little. (Really! I even signed my library card Adrianne Annie Parker. ) So I think that it is extra cute that my Annie now thinks that she is "Annie." She has it all planned out that for Halloween our family is going to be the characters from "Annie." My dad gets to be Daddy Warbucks, I have been assigned the part of Ms. Hannigan! Kate gets to be a little orphan and Dan is "Rooster." I don't think this is really going to happen - she can be "Annie" but I prefer to be Mrs. Incredible over Ms. Hannigan!

Thanks to everyone who went with us today! We love you all!

Welcome Sunshine!

What is it about a beautiful sunny day that rejuvenates my soul? I find myself turning on my I- pod to my favorites, singing in the shower, cracking open a diet coke and dancing in the kitchen with my baby. The sun is shinning and suddenly the list of things to do today doesn't seem that long and cleaning my house to great 80's music might actually be fun!

It reminds me of when Dan and I were dating at BYU and he would cruise through the loop on campus with both his windows down listening to his music embarrassingly too loud. (probably Freddy Jones Band) I would duck and smile (knowing I was dating THE cutest guy) as I jumped up and into the Bronco for our lunch date to Diegos or somewhere equally as greasy!

So today the sun is shinning (finally!!)and my outlook on life is way improved! maybe i can stretch the money in the bank account a little bit further, and maybe the peanut butter sandwhich I'm going to have for lunch isn't so boring! Work tonight will probably be fun and I am sure my kids will be angels all day!

I hope the sun is shinning where you are!

Remodeling-itis

Remember the last days of your senior year when you were just itching to get out of there. A bad case of senioritis- which you notice the juniors, sophomores and freshman all have too. "How dare they" you say. They haven't had to endure what I have- for them this is just the beginning!

And so I complain about my "remodeling-itis" with the authority of at least a junior (because my mom can still trump me!)

Let me start at the beginning. When Dan and I bought our first house we wanted (and only could afford) a fixer-upper. My dad has been a general contractor for years and fixing up your own house is just kinda something we Parkers do. And I admit I was romantically drawn to the idea of painting side by side with Dan (think Matthew McConaughey in A Time to Kill). Doing house projects and yard work seemed like fun, EASY things to do together. A trip to Home Depot (we should own stock) and Sherwin Williams and voila!

Fast Forward to 7 1/2 years later and having been offered a job at home depot - in the sprinkler section no less- to just wanting the projects to finally come to an end! We bought our current house 3 years ago and believe we will grow old here! translation: we won't be doing this again :)

We have moved way beyond painting, replacing light fixtures and toilet paper holders- this has been no "hair and lipstick" remodel. We have moved walls, added bathrooms (yes! 2), sealed off doors and cut out new ones, just to give you an idea.

Now we are finishing the last half of the basement. (family room, laundry, 1/2 bath and storage). By this weekend we should have drywall on the walls- but I feel like a teen mom who just doesn't wan to push anymore- and maybe if I close my eyes real tight it can happen without me!

So as a reminder that like every school year- this too will end (and hopefully I will even beat Lauren to the finish line!) And one day I might even create a home remodeling slide show set to "these are the days to remember" here are some photos of what the house looked like before and after!

And Honey, thanks! I really do appreciate all you do to create a beautiful home for us!

old kitchen

new kitchen

old exterior

new exterior

old laundry room and old family room

to be continued . . . .

I am . . . Strawberry Ice Cream

I am a libra, a second child, a horse, and half yellow/half red but none of these things are as important as my flava if you know what I mean!





which means: Your personality is as friendly and appealing as strawberry ice cream (especially the kind with chunky bits of real fruit). You've got a slightly sarcastic sense of humor, and you rarely stress out or take things too seriously. You are cute and sweet, but with a mischievous side. You are a bit of a troublemaker, but only because you're determined to avoid a plain vanilla life.

What are you??