Cell Phone Pics #2

Here's the second batch of cell phone pics...

Tyce and his best friend Jake at the park... Cool guys on their bikes...

Cowboy Tyce...They all wanted mohawks...Cute brothers...Our blow up pool in our backyard...We got a family pass for a waterpark about 5 minutes away from our house. We've spent lots of time there and the kids have so much fun...Tyce fell flat on his face on the road, poor guy...

Nothing too exciting going on out here. We spend a lot of our time at our pool or at the waterpark because it's pretty hot outside. We are very much looking forward to heading to Utah and Oregon in July!!!! Yay!!!!

Cell Phone Pics

I don't have a fancy internet cell phone so I decided to plug it in and download some of my cell phone pics to my blog. Enjoy!

Pirate Josh... Pirate Tyce...

Poor Jack after he fell flat on his face in a forest...Swimming...Tyce, Josh, and Brianna...Josh "pretending to be daddy"...Nerd alert...Cute guys at Costco...Tyce has to get on this machine every day when we're leaving the gym...Tyce is constantly bringing me his blankets and la la asking to go to night night...Leah, Jack, Tyce, and Josh laying our in entry way talking about what a great day they had...Cute guys at DQ after their 5 year doctor appointment...Transformers...

That's the first batch, one more to come!

My Boys

Josh is my sweetheart. He loves to do things to make mommy happy. He will frequently do the dishes, clean the house, and draw me sweet pictures when he sees that I am having a rough day. He is mellow and obedient and I love that about him. He is also so smart and is catching on to swimming very fast! I love you Joshy! Tyce is growing up so fast and becoming so much fun! Both Parker and I prefer kids a little older, not a huge fan of the baby stage. He is talking so well! Yesterday he said, "we not go to pool yet!" He also loves to sing Popcorn Popping and the chorus of I Am A Child of God. So cute. He is still a great sleeper. He looks forward to his naps and bedtime. Still a terrible eater. He is a smiley guy and loves to play with his brothers. He also loves to read stories with daddy. I love you Tycee!

Jackson is my sensitive child. He can be so sweet and so dramatic. He is very interested in the church and is always asking questions like "if I do all the right things can we be a family together forever in heaven?" So cute. He is so cute with his bright blue eyes, white blond hair, and long lean body. He is an early riser and loves to watch cartoons. He also loves to cuddle mommy. I love you Jack!Cute guys...After the gym today I stopped by to see Traci. The kids had fun playing and then they all posed for a picture! Too cute...

Sad

We've lived in Virginia almost two years now. Things are good. Life is good. Parker has a stable and well paying job that he enjoys. The kids are all healthy and happy. Why do I still find myself sad? Yesterday in the mail I got Jackson and Josh's kindergarten form from the pediatrician. The nurses handwriting looked just like my mom's handwriting and it made me cry. I miss her so much. Wednesday night Parker was gone at the church all night and I called my little sister who was also home alone that night because her husband was at scout camp. I hung up and cried. It would've been a perfect night for two sisters to sit on the couch and enjoy some time together. I miss her so much. Today is my little sis in law's baby shower, I would give anything to be there. I hate missing out on stuff like that and I so want to be there for Christine and all she's going through. I miss her so much. Why was I taken away from family that I love so dearly and want/need in my life?

I may never know the answer to that question. I just have to come to terms with that. Don't get me wrong, I love Virginia. There are so many things I love about Virginia. In fact, I have never wanted to spend the rest of my life in Utah. But, that's where most of my family is. So that's where I want to be. I have been so blessed out here with an amazing ward, neighbor girls that are always there when I need help, and wonderful friends. I know that Heavenly Father sent my dear friends Traci and Kimberly to me to help ease the pain of not having my sisters around. I am grateful for Traci's daughter, sweet little Leah that I get to babysit 2-3 times a week, because she reminds me of my niece. I know I'm being looked after and taken care of and for that I am grateful. Yet, I still find myself sad. It comes and goes. Today it's here. Maybe tomorrow it will go.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful husband and father of my children!!! Parker is an amazing daddy in so many ways. Since he's been a dad for 5 years I decided to post the top five things I love about him as a dad:

#1: He is actively engaged in taking care of them. Whether it's diapers, feeding, bathing, cuddling, or disciplining Parker is very involved. He does not just expect me to do everything in that department because I am the mom.

#2: He loves to play with the boys. Parker loves to wrestle them, take them to the park to hit baseballs, throw a football to them, play games with them, swim with them, read to them, you name it and Parker does it. Even when he comes home from an exhausting work day, he manages to find the energy to play!

#3: Parker is patient with the boys. He is so slow to anger with the boys and quick to forgive. He is patient with Jackson and his many fits. He is patient with Tyce's whining. He is patient with Josh when he acts up (which is rare).

#4: Parker is a good example. I love that my boys have Parker to emulate. Like his own dad, Parker is a hard worker. Also like his own dad, Parker treats his wife with upmost respect and love. Also like his own dad, Parker is active in the church and is a worthy priesthood holder. I hope my boys can grow up to be like their daddy!

#5: Parker is full of love for his family. My boys have no reason to doubt their daddy's love for them. Parker is full of hugs and kisses for his boys. He is quick to compliment them and encourage them.

I look forward to when he's been a dad for 10 years because I have many more things to add to that list. I know Parker learned many of these qualities from his own dad, and for that I am so grateful. Happy Father's Day to you too Bart! I sure lucked out with Parker, an amazing husband AND daddy! We all love you daddy!!!!

I think Parker has had a pretty good day so far. We had church this morning... Then he came home to open his presents...(p.s. Jackson and Josh got these transformer costumes with the money they got from Grandma Bybee for their birthday, they haven't taken them off except to go to church)

Tyce decided he wanted to get in the pic...He got a new electric razor...And a new briefcase for work...After lunch I put Tyce down for a nap and Parker, Jack, and Josh watched Transformers 2 together. It was the first non cartoon movie they'd ever seen. It was long and Parker was worried they would get bored but it sounds like they loved it! Parker commented on how happy he was to finally have someone to watch movies like that with. :) He is so lucky to have boys! What more could a guy want right? :)I also want to say happy father's day to MY daddy!!!! He's been a dad for 30 years so I won't bore you with 30 reasons why he's amazing. Suffice it to say, he's everything I could ever want in a dad. I can't ever remember a time in my life where we weren't close. I can't ever remember a time in my life where I wasn't taken care of. I can't ever remember a time in my life where I didn't know he was there for me. My dad is hard working, loving, hilarious, strong in the gospel, outgoing, generous, patient, and did I mention fun to be around? I swear my friends when I lived at home came over more to hang out with my dad than with me. I love that whether I'm 7 and he's rescuing one of my stuffed animals from the garbage or 27 and needing a shoulder to cry on, my dad is there. I LOVE YOU DAD!!!

Happy 5th Birthday Jackson and Josh!

Five years ago these two tiny angels came into my life, at 3 and 4 pounds, 9 weeks early, and struggling...

And look at them now!!!!Monday morning they woke up to the house decorated and ready to run through the crepe paper and turn 5!!! I let them open their family presents that morning because I figured they'd have enough presents to open that night at their friend party. They were so excited...Auntie Lindsay and Uncle Jason sent them BYU football shirts! So cute!Joshy loved his transformer from Auntie Nicole...Jack loved his too...Auntie Nicole also sent them batman sunglasses and new movies! Grandma Bybee sent them $20 in $1 bills, they were SO excited! Grandma and Grandpa Barraclough sent them super cute books and a dino dot to dot. Their main present was going to Great Wolf Lodge a couple weeks ago. They love their new books and I love having something different to read them!They also got homemade cards from Auntie Jackie and Cole, which they thought were so cool. Grandma and Grandpa Morrill sent them each a visa gift card so they get to go shopping and pick out their own toys! They can't wait to go.

That evening we had their first ever friend birthday party! We had it at a park and the weather was PERFECT! Mid 70s, no humidity, slight breeze. It was wonderful! We had about 18 kids come, which was hectic but I had some adults there to help as well.

They played Red Rover Red Rover...Leah and Tyce were so cute holding hands...Josh was so excited when his friends started singing to him...Could he be any cuter?Dino cake from Costco...Opening presents...They loved their Spiderman masks...Group shot of the adults...Group shot of the kids: Emily, Noah, Meg, Jackson, Josh, Geovanny, Rhyannon, Taison, Finn, Dalton, Alana, Maggie, Brianna, Yoshi, Josh, Kenji, Jake, and Brandon! Leah and Sarah were also there but had to leave a little early. My boys are so lucky to have such a good group of friends from church, school, and the gym!
The only thing that went wrong: Tyce had a HUGE blowout. SO, he was white trash kid in his diaper for the end of the party...A white trash kid in a diaper who LOVED his cake... It was the perfect evening. Great weather, great friends, great party. I can't believe my boys are 5! It sounds so old to me! They are special boys that I feel honored to parent. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKSON AND JOSH! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!