Parker Stats...

At Parker's 4 month check-up he weighed about 18.6 lbs and was 27 1/4 in. tall. He is in the 98th percentile for weight and height! He is just still such a little squishy doll baby! He found his toes this week, started on real food and loves to grab at anything in front of his face! Everything is starting to go in his mouth. He has rolled to his side from his back, but hasn't quite made it to his belly. He is getting close though. If I stand him up in front of me, he will grab my face with both hands and pull his mouth up to my face and give this big grunting noise while he is slobbering all over me. It is quite funny! It almost sounds like he is mad or annoyed, but when you look at his face you can tell he is totally playing. He will only do it to me though! I just can't kiss his cheeks enough! They are so soft and squishy and lovable! He is still a good snuggler and has even been falling asleep sometimes on my shoulder (he usually only seldom does that for Chris). I love having a cuddly baby!

Fun visitors....

We had a fun visit from Chris's younger brother, Curtis this last weekend. The kids were so excited to see him, especially Zach! Curtis is a great uncle and loves to play with them. The kids climb all over him and have a ball! Thanks for coming to visit and letting us meet your cute girlfriend! We like her lots!!!

Playing Wii

Shannon and Curtis
(I just love their eyes!! Beautiful!)

A Camping We Will Go...

(beware - may turn into a long post, but lots of pictures!!!...)

Some of my most favorite family vacations growing up were camping trips. Whether it be camping on the way to visit grandparents (tents are much cheaper to sleep 10-11 people than multiple hotel rooms), or trips made especially for camping - such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Niagra Falls, Painted Desert, and more. We did a lot of camping as a family growing up and it was most always a blast. Little did I know how much blood, sweat and tears my wonderful parents put into these family vacation memory makers for their children. Camping is a lot of fun, but it sure is a lot of work!! Kids don't really notice though. I know I didn't when I was little. So let me first start off by telling my Mom and Dad - Thank you! Thank you for all the fun camping trips. I now appreciate more and more how much work you guys put into those trips and how exhausted you must have been!! I have wonderful memories because you sacrificed yourself for your kids! Thank you, Thank you!!

Now, onto our family camping trip from this past Father's Day weekend!!! We had a great time! A lot of work, yes - but a great time! I love that I am married to a outdoor-sy guy! Chris totally knows what he is doing and does a great job at getting everything the way they need to be so that we can all relax and have fun. I always wanted to marry a guy that would love camping. (I know I am totally grease-defied to the max. This picture was actually taken before we left camp, so I was totally needing a shower! Don't get freaked out! I promise my greasy-ness won't come through the computer and get you!)And if you want to know a little secret from my childhood - I always pictured myself as a "mountain girl" - as I call it! I always thought they were so cool!! Ya know, the hiker type look. I haven't quite made it yet, I guess. I guess I like my black slacks too much (right TJ and Carrie! =)!

I told Chris that my only requirement in choosing a place to go was that he would take us somewhere away from cactus!! I needed a break from cactus! They are everywhere!! Beautiful in their own right - but I needed pine trees! I NEEDED them!! They NEEDED me!! I wanted so badly to smell that heavenly pine smell, listen to the bugs in the trees and watch the trees sway as the wind blew. I was so excited when we had driven far enough north that the desert landscape stopped and lo and behold....PINE TREES!!! It was a sight to behold! That may sound nuts, but we loved taking drives in the mountains when we lived in Colorado. They are covered in nothing but pine trees, aspens and rocks. Then we moved to Indiana where there are beautiful green trees and corn fields like where I grew up with in Missouri. Now we are in Arizona and I have been waiting ever since we got here in January to get up to the mountains where the cactus ends and the pine begins.

We went just southeast of Flagstaff, AZ to a wonderful campsite called Dairy Springs campground. Chris picked out a great campsite and we set up our camp. Or shall I say....Chris set up camp. Parker had missed his nap routine and got pretty cranky. Chris was wonderful setting up, fixing meals, cleaning up, taking down, etc. I was usually busy with Parker. Let's just say....Parker likes his routine and his bed. Overall, I think he did fine. He is just such an easy going baby, that when he gets upset even a little - it seems stressful because he is not usually like that. The kids quickly made friends with the campers next to and across from us. I think Zach totally liked it because it was about 6 girls around his age and he was the only boy! He was a great big brother to Chloe and included her wherever he went and in all the activities. They found a couple fuzzy caterpillars and made an "Ultimate Challenge" for them. The caterpillars had to make it up a mountain of dirt and stay on the straight road and other obstacles. The poor caterpillars must have been traumatized! But hey - the kids loved it! I just love to watch how kids can take dirt and a little critter and be amused for hours. I love their imagination!

Even good old Baxter had a good time.

On Saturday, we headed up the road to find a good place to fish. We went to Upper Lake Mary and had our own little spot by ourselves. Luckily, Parker slept in the pack-n-play for the majority of it. That gave both Chris and I a chance to fish with the kids. Only Chris was lucky enough to catch a fish, but it was still a lot of fun. Chloe says fishing was her favorite part of the trip. We had a picnic lunch while we fished and sat and enjoyed the cool breeze.

It was quite cold at night (about 40 degrees), but wonderful during the day (about 75 degrees). It only rained a little on the first night - luckily after we were tucked in bed. Luckily I brought plenty of blankets this time. I learned my lesson the hard way on past camping trips in Wyoming when Zach was little. We were both freezing! So I packed plenty of blankets and even our winter coats just in case! I told Chris - better safe than sorry!!! I love the smell of campfires and love to sit around it and relax. Although I sometimes find it hard to relax when I keep picturing my kids tripping and falling into it! I was quite protective when they were around the fire. They sat on their chairs - nothing else! =) Plus - who can resist having yummy smores over a campfire!?!

Before we left, we wanted to have a little lesson with the kids. We talked about some scripture stories and then Chris gave a mini-lesson on the earth we have been given and how we need to keep it clean and beautiful. After that, we walked around a small area of the campground and picked up trash. We had a good time stomping through the woods and exploring. We watched carpenter ants spitting out sawdust from a big log that was laying on its side. It was actually quite interesting. We loved spending time together and getting away from normal life. It was worth all the work to see the kids having a blast (minus Parker) in the great outdoors! They (we) were filthy, but adorable none the less. Here are a few more pictures from the trip.....

Heavy heart...

It is amazing to me that someone I have never met can teach me so much. Someone so small and so perfect. I posted this blog site a while ago and have been checking in every once in a while, all with a prayer in my heart that she would be doing ok. Today, my heart is heavy at the aching her beautiful parents and family must feel. The empathy I feel for others that must endure such a trial is something that has grown exponentially over the last few years. This family is in my prayers. I am sure they could use many more.....

See this guy....

Today he turned 35!!!! Happy Birthday, handsome! Thank you for being such a wonderful husband and such an awesome daddy! We all love you so much!!!

We thought we would get to have Chris home this year for his birthday, but again, it was not meant to be. Bummer for us all! Chris was pretty bummed too. Work decided they needed him to make a last minute trip to Canada. Luckily, he will be home tomorrow morning and then Friday morning we are heading out for a fun family camping trip! We are excited to spend time with our wonderful husband/dad. We have missed him a lot with all his traveling, but after a few more trips....it looks like he will be home to stay!! The project he is working on breaks ground next month, so he will rarely have to travel after that! YEAH!!! We are all so excited!

Chris - this last picture is for you....and I think you can figure out why I am posting this one.... =) Hear any whistling?

Random Cuteness....

Anyone dying to see random pictures of my darling kids....

"I need you"

In this picture, Karleigh was tired and just wanted me to come get her and not take anymore pictures. I was taking pictures of her in a beautiful dress her wonderful Aunt Kim made. I still remember everything about that little impromptu photo shoot. She was super happy for a most of the pictures, but when she had had enough, she just wanted to be held and loved. She just needed her Mom. I stopped the picture taking and scooped her up.

I went through some old pictures of my sweet girl tonight and this one stood out to me. It depicted how I felt as I remembered, longed and ached for my darling girl. As I stare at this picture and look in her eyes, I am reminded of what she was saying to me that day. "Mom, come get me. I need you."

Tonight, I think the roles are reversed. I think I am saying the same thing to my Heavenly Angel. "Be close tonight. I need you. Someday I will be with you again my sweet girl and will hold you and won't let you go."