Swagger Wagon

Did I ever mention that we are proud owners of a minivan?  In July, we bought a Honda Odyssey from my Grandma Thompson who was ready for an upgrade.  Even though we only have two kids and our Nissan Altima was working just fine, we couldn't pass up the 2007 minivan with less than 25,000 miles on it for the trade-in value.  Up until now, I have always driven a manual (stick shift) so it has been a real treat to drive (plus the romote controlled side doors are a dream!).

Anyway, on to the funny stuff .... Brandon and I worked hard in the few days before Christmas to record our family's first music video (ha ha) that we used for our talent at the annual Parker family Christmas Eve Talent Show Extravaganza.  It was in honor of our big minivan purchase this year.  And it did not disappoint.  You're welcome for the two minutes of entertainment.  And you're welcome for the hot dance moves.

The original Swagger Wagon video by Toyota is on YouTube (10 million+ views) - click HERE if you haven't ever seen it and would like to view it.

See below for the Hale Family version of Swagger Wagon (shout out to Brandon for the awesome editing!).  The password is SWAGGER

Christmas Card

I really love doing our Christmas cards and this year I even went a little crazy and included an insert.  Go mom!  

Hope everyone has a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Here's details only I would want to know about this year's card making process:

- I used PS Elements to create the card, and told Brandon that I wanted a plaid-type background that I'd need to buy (just a digital file that is a couple bucks), but then I didn't need to because Brandon created his own plaid background using PSE.  What that means is Brandon created the pattern, colors, shading, texture of the background - good man!  I love that he's involved and supportive in the Christmas card tradition.

- I wanted to mix it up a little bit but still print at Costco, so made the custom card in the Costco size but left the right side white and just cut it off, so it's a slightly different shape than what I'm used to seeing.  

- I need to start including the year on the card, but I don't always love the look and I've never included it before.  Maybe next year.

Ellen Show ... Again!

I know, don't be mad but I got to go to the Ellen Show again with my friend, Danielle.  Remember how we didn't get our high chair from the Mother's Day show?  Well the staff called and offered us a ticket to a Christmas Giveaway show to make up for it - yes, please!

We attended the taping on Monday and it aired on Tuesday - it was day 4 of her giveaways.  And it was amazing and well worth the 6 hour drive, and Brandon working all weekend so he could take work off Monday so that he could help with the kids so I could go (awesome run on sentence if I might say so myself).  On our show, she also played a game with three audience members and the winner won a car (the winner was a SLC mom).  Very exciting!

On top of all this, we also got great seats and you can see us on TV, kinda fun.  On the video below, we're at the 5:10 mark and again at the 7:15 mark.  Giveaways start at 3:30 if you want to see them.

We got a Wii video gaming system, a Google Chrome Notebook, and $1500 Target Giftcard - incredible!

Also, they needed us to be the audience for an extra segment, so we waited while Tony & Ellen changed clothes, then she interviewed Lady Gaga & then she performed a song.  This portion will air on Friday.  Although I'm not a huge Lady Gaga fan, but I thought it was interesting.  While Lady G was warming up, Ellen just stayed out and chatted with the audience - she's such a generous person and I love all that she does with her celebrity status and seems to always be helping others around her.  And as a bonus, she'ss also funny.

December Happenings

We're all decorated and trying to feel the spirit of Christmas, but I'm having a hard time keeping up with these two and all their messes.  This happened after leaving them alone together for less than 5 minutes:

Last weekend we had the ward Christmas party and Brandon informed me that the Elder's Quorum was supposed to have some sort of Ugly sweater contest, but once we got there we couldn't really tell who was participating or who really just wore ugly sweaters without intending to.  So there wasn't really any contest, and we're the only ones that dressed "festively".  We thought we were pretty funny, and so did the three other people in the ward that knew we weren't being serious.  Everyone else was basically awkward to us, which made us laugh.  Brandon kept saying, "If I had known that we were supposed to wear an ugly sweater, I would have gone all out!" (while wearing a red turtleneck and green blazer).  My sweater was amazing (thank you, Verna Perkinson!) and Brandon found a green blazer at some thrift shop.  And I didn't realize Bubba's shirt was so small and tight until looking at this picture (although this was taken after pie and refreshments).  :)

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving in Utah this year!  And a total bonus that the kids did not get sick!!

We left on Tuesday after Rachel's preschool program and returned Sunday night.  We drove all during the day both there and back, and it went fine - it's exhausting when they're awake for most of the drive, but they are great travelers so I can't complain.  And on the way back it was warm enough to stop at our favorite park in Kanab, Utah.  

I think it actually felt like a vacation to Brandon, which makes me happy since he is always working so hard.  He went golfing with his dad and Chris & Scott and he got to play football on Thanksgiving. The kids and I jumped back and forth between the Hale's and Parker's houses and of course we made room for TWO Thanksgiving dinners!  First at a church building with the Allred's (Brandon's mom's side) and Rachel had been especially excited to see second-cousin, Allie Jenkins, and cousin, Kennedy.  Rachel tried and loved the turkey, although she's been a little distraught to have learned the last few months about all the animals that we eat.  Poor thing, she's my little animal lover.  Dinner #2 was at my parents house and they worked all day setting up a gorgeous set up and my mom always has assigned jobs for everyone so that makes clean up pretty quick.  

I ventured out to Target on Black Friday at midnight, and what a disaster that was.  I got there at 11:30p and stood in a line and people watched by myself (since Brandon was getting up at 3:30a to go to Sears & Home Depot).  My favorite was when there was a couple trying to cut in line and then everyone in line started yelling and pointing, "line cutters! butters! they cut in line!"  Then a security guard quickly asked them to go to the back of the line and everyone cheered - hilarious!  By the time I got to the doors it was 12:30p and at this point I thought this was a bad idea.  But I went to check to see if they had any iPod touch's left and they did, but they had a ridiculous electronics line that didn't move for 45 minutes with only two checkers, so I left at about 1:30a and went home empty handed.  Terrible idea.  Then I found the dumb iPod touch on sale the next morning online for about the same savings that I would have got at Target.  So silly.  Brandon scored on a miter saw and air compressor that he's getting for Christmas so that made Black Friday worth it.  

My brother moved into his first house in Eagle Mountain, so we helped them move on Wednesday, and it was confirmed to me again that Brandon is a master-truck-packer!  I think he's had enough experience after having helped so many people move.  Then we enjoyed their new home on Saturday night and hung out with my family.  Logan and Andrew are only 4 months apart, so I'm excited for when they'll get older and be little buddies.

Kacie & Chris also moved recently and bought a house in Pleasant Grove near Mt. Timpanogos temple.  The house and neighborhood is amazing and we're so happy for them!  We hung out with the Hale family at their house on Friday night for dinner and games.  We played "Things" and laughed our heads off.  (Example questions:  "Things you should not play catch with" or "Things you shouldn't lick".  Example Answers:  always included disgusting things like poop, farts in jars, Brandon's colonoscopy results, Chris' colonoscopy prep, robots needed to wipe bums ... you know, the usual.  I was terrible at the game because my answers were "clean" so they could guess which answers were mine immediately.    

I took pictures for the Winchell's and Chad's family, which is good practice for me.  We also took some impromptu pictures with the Hale Family on Thanksgiving and they turned out very cute.  However, look at the family photo ... and tell me why Brandon and I are complete giants compared to the rest of the family?  Both height and width - yuck!  :)

Thank you, Val, for taking this picture!

Rachel doing Thanksgiving crafts with Kennedy & Allie

Love this boy!  Always has a "bonk" somewhere near his eye though!

Kennedy (age 4) was our photographer

I think he had at least 10 pieces, and still wanted more!

Family Picture Overload

Photography by Jacqueline Hanna out of the Phoenix-area.  She was so sweet, but most importantly, I love her crisp, clean style and editing.  Family pictures are always stressful, but so worth it!  

Patiently Waiting

I've been patiently waiting for our family pictures to arrive in my email inbox, and our photographer (got her on a groupon deal for $40, thank you very much) has been sick and has had visitors, so they are coming soon, but here was my sneak peak (she sent me one picture).  I think Brandon looks very handsome, Andrew looks a little tired, and Rachel looks kind of silly, but it'll do.  And I'm very grateful for an updated family picture and I am very THANKFUL for my FAMILY!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Preschool Fun

We love Miss Carole's preschool, and Rachel always looks forward to it on Tuesdays & Thursdays.  They have done darling field trips to Chevy's Mexican Restaurant, Fry's Grocery Store, and Dewitt's Stables/Farm.  Miss Carole also had a big Halloween party in her backyard.  I just love how organized she is, and I especially love how she talks to the kids and how she is helping them to learn how to follow directions.

I got her first little progress report, and Rachel is a great student and in Miss Carole's words, "she is a doll!"  Since we have two years of preschool to go, I have really let Rachel take her pace on writing her letters.  In the last couple months she has finally started showing some interest, so she can write most capital letters and is working on the lower case ones.  She's getting better at tracing and staying in the lines when coloring and following the worksheet directions.  She's also fairly good at scissors, which isn't something I have ever worked with her at home.  I also love all the new songs she's learning.

On to the pictures ~

At Chevy's in their field trip t-shirts singing their songs

Miss Carole & Rachel

 

Elise the fairy, Rachel the ladybug, and Hanna the butterfly

Mom made it in a picture.  Thanks, Chrissy!

Holding a small chicken - the girl has no fear when it comes to animals (she gets it from Nana).  She also milked a goat and drank the warm milk right there.  They also had these sweet bunnies that Rach could catch/hold and they'd just sit on her lap while she pet them. 

 

Latest House Projects & Sandbox Reveal!

1.  Curtains for Andrews room - bought a red and black set from Walmart and sewed them together to help darken the room.  Then I took an old white fabric shower curtain and sewed on the strips.  Project inspired by my buddy, Lore.  

2.  End table - it was in terrible shape (I should have taken a before picture) and I got it for FREE at a garage sale.  Brandon cleaned it up, sanded it and we repainted it blue and put new hardware on it.  I love it! 

3.  Brandon built the kids an awesome sandbox!!  I had casually mentioned to Brandon that it might be fun if the kids had a sandbox in the backyard, but I wasn't sure since it might make a huge mess and be kind of a pain.  Next thing I know, he came up with a plan and was off to Home Depot (this is just like his dad).  I was a bit skeptical at first at how big it is, but after playing in it for a few weeks, it's perfect for two kids who both need their own space.  And I love the seating all the way around - genius!  My one request was a cover to keep cats out and also to keep the kids out if I didn't want a sandy mess, so he built a lid that gets secured to the wall when open, and is also strong enough to stand on when closed.  What a handy hubby, right?!  He absolutely loves doing anything with wood, and it's a hobby that I think he'll keep for a long time.  

Nana's Visit

Thanks for coming to visit, Nana!  We loved having you here.

Dressing up like a hula dancer, obviously.  He wasn't as amused.

Lots of dressing up!  Here is Rachel & Andrew as Raggedy Ann & Andy - my mom made these costumes for me and my brother when we were about the same age

Blast from the past:  This is me and my brother Chad (age 4 & 2) on Halloween in 1987 as Ragedy Ann & Andy  

Andrew & Rachel 2011; 24 years later!

And he's done with dressing up.

Swinging first thing in the morning - brrrr!

Not a great picture of my kids, but it's proof she was here!