Laughter Fills Our Home: 2010

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

New beginnings...

Ethan you are everything I could have ever dreamed of in a son. I love spending every minute with you. You are my little best friend. We talk about everything, you are great company, and I love having you around. So as the time was approaching for you to go to kindergarten, well to put it mildly I was devastated, in fact I tried to think of every way of keeping you at home with me. It made my soul ache to know that you would be away from me every day for two and a half hours. I worried and cried, until I started to think about you and the amazing person you are. I came to realize that the only person who would be truly happy you were home every day would be me. You are ready to grow and expand as a person and I would be holding you back. I love you sweetheart. You are our first born and you have made our life wonderful and fulfilling. I look forward to what the future holds for you and I know this is just the beginning of an incredible journey.

So here you are on your very first day of school. You look so big!

Sarah wanted part in the pictures as well, but the blanket and the binky had to be in the picture also.

Your adorable!

Here you are proudly smiling in front of your very own classroom. Your teacher is Mrs. Hafen and she is wonderful!! I couldn't be more relieved.

Another answer to prayer, was this sweet little girl standing next to you, Sarah Hartvigsen. Knowing that you and Sarah are in the same class gave me such relief. You are the dearest of friends.

Here you are on the reading rug.

Here is Daddy and Sarah checking out the class.

Ethan at the art desk. Cross your fingers that you will be an artist like your daddy.

This is the camping station. Your in the tent.

This is Mrs. Hafen. She was reading the Kissing Hand and you sat right up and said, "Hey my mommy read me that book last night." Then a few minutes later you said, "Excuse me, I have a bike and a helmet with fire on it." You are adorable Ethan! You are always so excited for life. You have so much joy and happiness within you that it radiates from you. I am so excited for this new stage for you. I will miss our mornings and cuddling and watching cartoons together. I will miss our little talks in the morning and having my buddy by my side, but I am happy for you. What even makes it better is that you love it! You have never once asked to stay home and you can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring. Right before you left for school on your first day I was putting your coat on you and you said, "Okay mommy you and Sarah have so much fun playing while I'm at school and tell me all about it when I get home, okay!" That is you Ethan. Perfect little you. I love you sweet boy.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Amy won!

To some it's working on scrapbooks, to some it's blogging, to some it's making cute cards, pillows, blankets, and whatever else you creative people can do...but for me it's organizing. It's a sickness really, I know it. However, today I did something that I have been wanting to do for seven years of marriage...are you ready, I figured out the perfect filing system for warranties, for everything we have ever bought. It's beautiful. I got done with it and sat and stared at it for several minutes in complete and total appreciation of the beautiful job I had finished. Ah, the satisfaction to know that at a moments notice, someone may say, "Amy, where is the manual for the digital camera," and with a flick of the wrist and a pull a drawer...BAM...you have it in your hand. Organizing closets, file cabinets, drawers, book shelves, it doesn't matter, it's all the same kind of high for me. I love a house of order and today in the battle of Amy vs Home (dramatic pause)...Amy won!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

1, 2, 3 Cheese...

Ethan and Sarah, we took these pictures on November 25, 2009. You might be asking yourselves why on earth would our mother wait five months to post them, I say to you purely for the joy of anticipation for something great! So every time I went to get your pictures taken, literally every time, Sarah would fall and get a huge bump on her head. So the day finally came and Sarah bumped her head again and the bruise was small so I went ahead, fearful that the day would never come when I could actually get your pictures taken together. Ethan you were four years and nearly six months, while Sarah was fifteen and a half months. We took you to Target which is really a hit and miss when it comes to good photographers and their ability to capture the right moment. With that said I was happy with Ethan's smile, but they weren't patient enough with Sarah. Sarah you are a funny little girl that loves her mommy and if I am not standing right next to you at all times, the world feels like it might crash around you (I love it). There is one of the pictures where they get a side view of you smiling at me and that is you, honey. I love you guys. So here is a look of the day, mommy ventured alone to do the pictures, which I won't be doing again...that is why you have a husband (I was trying to be your Aunt Lisa, but I am just not that good). Plus daddy is so good at making everyone laugh, while mommy worries about the picture taking. I still love every picture because they are of you and your perfect. Enjoy!

I love when they can capture the cute kiss pictures. I hope you always adore one another.

This was the best together picture they could get. You two are such good friends. Your getting to laughing stage at one another and it melts the heart.

I love this sepia picture of both you and Ethan. Sarah one day you will truly appreciate the eyes the Lord gave you and so will every boy you meet.

I just had to post the colored picture, so you could see those baby blues.

This is one of the two pictures they could get with you smiling. Sarah you are more precious than gold to me and your father. The joy that is shown in every smile and in those eyes is priceless to us.

Here you are! The smile, the eyes, that look...that's my girl.

If only I could know you could fit in this dress forever, I would make you wear it everyday. I love it. The full skirt, the sound of swishing when you walk, it's a total little girl dress.

I love the way your dress looked when you were sitting. Sarah you are sweet and tender. You have a dear love for your brother Ethan. You are incredibly smart and speak like no child your age. You add a new dynamic to our family and made us realize there is always more love to give. You have a love for curious george that is as real as my love for. You love every animal that comes you way and you always want to cuddle. You have captured our hearts my dear and we love every minute with you.

Could there be a better picture of you Ethan...NO! You have so much joy in your soul and it is always just bursting to get out of you. I think this shot captures you perfectly. Perfect smile, eyes, and joy! We love you sweetheart.

This is the colored version, because along with your sister you were blessed with your daddy's eyes. Well and let's just face it, you, Sarah, and Daddy know you have mom wrapped around your little fingers.

Ethan you did this pose on your own when we were in the studio and it's just you. No one had to ask you to smile or to listen up, you just did it. I just think you look so big, your my little man.

I just had to post these next two because you were laughing so hard, because they were teasing you with a stuffed animal and you think everything is hilarious. You were in a full belly laugh in this picture.

The way those eye brows are raised it makes me laugh every time I see this picture. You always raise your eye brows just before you have a big idea and need a little backup.

This is you buddy (as Sarah calls you)! I love that we had a full body of both you and Sarah. Ethan you are an amazing little boy. You are sensitive and kind. You are a thinker, nothing gets passed you. You have to know why and how everything works. You talk to everyone and anyone. When we go to the store you tell the cashier everything we have done that day and what your cousins are probably doing while they are away from you. You are the easiest to entertain and everything makes you laugh. You are our little man and we love and adore you! Never change, I know great things are ahead for you. I love you!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Nineteen months and what an accomplishment!

So after months of living and constantly thinking about getting back to blogging, today is the day! The Parkin life has been full of fun, sickness, laughter, and well anything else life brings our way. We have been to California and had a fantastic trip to Disneyland (of which I will write about later), we have had changes in callings (Matt is now 2nd counselor in the young men's and I am education counselor in Relief Society), we bought a van (and no that doesn't mean we are making any announcements of more children, just a bigger vehicle for all those fun trips). Anyways we have been busy with just everyday living. I read some of the great blogs out there and then I procrastinate writing mine because I know I am not going to be as creative or have as amazing events that have occurred, but it's just mostly the time and the guilt of doing something away from the family (of which I am sure you all can understand). However, after much thought I have come to realize that I am only hurting myself and losing all the priceless memories that happen on a daily basis. So with that sad, this won't be the most interesting blog or the most exciting, but it will be filled with the everyday moments of the two most beautiful and wonderful children in the entire world and a glimpse of the most amazing man I have ever known.

Now enough of the excuses and on to today's events, which were so exciting I had to blog them. First of all after nineteen months of life and one month of truly trying today was the day that we conquered the potty!! Yes, sitting at the lunch table Sarah said, "I need to go potty, on the potty." Well this is an everyday occurrence, so we went in and she was in her pj's (yes, I realize it is lunch time and we are still in our pj's...what a great day!) so we stripped her down and immediately upon sitting she started to pee. I was screaming and clapping and Sarah started to clap, Ethan came bounding in cheering and then asked why were we clapping (it's good to have back up from the older children even when they don't know what their supporting). Well she was so happy and so was I, because just a few minutes later round two came along. Yep, she did both one and two. She then wanted to call Daddy and tell him, while still sitting on the potty and requested a book as well. It is a great day in the Parkin household. Could this mean a near end to diapers in our house? Could this mean no more diaper expense? Or is this just a mean trick that will only last a day and tease you with what the future holds...only time can tell. Don't worry we will keep you up to date, but for now here is a little peek of Sarah on her special day.

Sarah with a good book as only a daddy could teach. She prefers settling down with a Mercer Mayer classic, like "All By Myself". Which is actually a little ironic with what she accomplished today.

This is me trying to get one smile out of her, which didn't ever come to pass. But I do want to point out Sarah's glistening chest, no I didn't wet Sarah down after her work was done, that would be from the constant slober from the four eye teeth and molars coming in right now.

So off again to finish making the sugar cookies that Carolee posted on her blog. Ethan, Sarah, and I had the fun of making the recipe this morning and the two hour refrigeration period has just ended, so we are going to give that a go and try to make them look as delicious as Carolee did. I will post the results. I should be given an award just for letting Sarah help, as she thought the lemon should go in with the flour, that the baking soda and flour looked better on the counter, and the messier the better. I wanted it to be a fun morning so I was happy that I was calm and relaxed even as the flour went flying. Ethan had his bowl and Sarah had her's and you have never seen two happier kids and in the end, it was perfect...flour and all. I love to listen to their little voices, when they ask if they can help, or say it's my turn. Is there anything better than being a mom...no, it's the best life!