I used to think it was weird...

Here, the only electrical device that you are allowed to plug into an outlet in the bathroom is a 'shaver.'  I tried to find out why this is, but I only really found some information about moisture zones regarding where you could put an outlet and not really why it had to be a shaver outlet.  Oh, and I know you're wondering...I get ready in the hall about 8 feet away from the mirror.  Not exactly ideal, but hey, I used to think it was weird too!

just a little bit of Parker

I have always wanted make sure that I am trying to do everything necessary to give Parker as full a life as possible.  It would be an understatement to say that, in light of recent events, I have become obsessed. I just can't get enough of his him, and I want to take advantage of every moment.  

We have been so excited lately because, with a combination of longer days and shorter naps, we have been able to take walks before it gets dark.  This particular walk included P's new friend Rex.  Rex is the dinosaur that the women who work in the creche at the gym let him take home so that he will want to come back (we're experiencing some separation anxiety lately).  Rex was a little like our first trial of what it might be like for P to take the class pet home someday.  He went everywhere with us...the park, the grocery store, and even to bed.  Luckily, the ladies let P take him home again yesterday...thank goodness.

P insisted on wearing Brady's hat.

Rex wanted to see the river.

Yep, we had to wear the wellies, too.  Oh, and
just so you know, P is the one who insists that
he wears them over his jeans.

Lucky Rex got to go down the slide!

Love these moments with my favorite little man!

struggling

I am struggling this morning with what to write.  I am struggling to find words as my heart is breaking for the Pearson/Teschke family.  My friend Lindsey somehow managed to write exactly what I am feeling today (you can read her blog here) and I'm not sure it is even worth trying to recreate.  Just know that Paxten is sitting next to Jesus with a leukemia-free body.  She is not struggling with breathing tubes and is no longer in pain.  She and her family managed to glorify God and to bring so many people (many who didn't even know them) closer to Jesus.   Please take time to pray for this family as they come to terms with their loss.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have troubles.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world."  John 16:33

Success!!

When we got home from well, home, Parker was having a lot of super wet diapers overnight so we sort of stopped offering the 'big boy underwear for your pluggy' deal...until last night.  Last night P chose to give up his pluggy in order to wear the underwear, AND he went to sleep on his own WITHOUT singing every song he knows OR reciting all of the stories he can remember.  Oh, and the best part was that I did not have to get up and change the sheets overnight, WAHOO!!  I don't know how tonight will go, but I am counting last night as a SUCCESS!


Oh and yes, I sort of cried a little bit that he no longer needed his plug.  I am that mom.

To die for...

I am slightly addicted to pinterest...my mom always kept folders of decorating ideas and pinterest is the best version of this practice.  My favorite things to pin are recipes and decorating ideas.  I have a confession, until now I have never actually made (to the letter) anything that I have pinned.  Usually, a recipe just gives me an idea and I experiment to make something similar without actually following the recipe...this kind of drives Brady crazy.  However, these Salted Chocolate Caramel Pretzels (find the recipe here) have changed my ways...seriously, they are to die for and easy...and if you know more about cooking than I do (which doesn't take a lot) than you will probably be able to make them without using the recipe.

I just had to show you a picture of the bag of chocolate chips...I had to buy 4 bags in order to equal one bag at home.  Oh and I checked...this was the only size option...

This is the picture from Pinterest.  I liked the jar idea so much that I went out and bought a couple so that I could give the pretzels as thank you gifts.  Lets just say that the jar I kept for home is no longer full.

image via pinterest

Puddles

Parker is a big fan of puddles.  Today I kind of let him go crazy...mainly because I wanted to take pictures.  What can I say, he is the perfect muse.  Beware, I took over 160 pictures of him and puddles (seriously, the sports mode was made for toddlers), and I also figured out how to use my collage app 6 months after buying it (sort of)...go figure.

Yep, my son stuck his finger in the puddle and then in his mouth...
I managed to stop this one in time, but I didn't post the picture where he is
licking his fingers...yuck!

He was getting a "kick" out of the puddles! Haha, as Parker
would say, "that cracks me up!"

No, the wellies did not keep him dry...and this is why.

If I would have known how to make the lighting work in my favor (or favour here in the UK),
you would be able to see the snot bubble coming out of his nose.  Lucky for you, I don't, but
it is the reason why we finally went inside!

library time

P LOVES the library.  Thank goodness.  I love to read and have always tried to do everything I can to instill the same love of all things reading in him.  Luckily, it seems to be working.  It doesn't matter whether we're reading chapter books aloud or picture books, he is hooked.  Thursdays are our library days and P looks forward to going every week!  What can I say...maybe it is just him makes my week!!

I used to think it was weird...

Living here is great, but sometimes strange.  I constantly have people ask me about what is different here, so I decided I would start a weekly post about just that.  If you like random factoids, you'll probably get a kick out of this.  If you don't...well, you don't have to read it, ha.  Plus, I figured it will probably help me remember little tidbits about our life here when Parker starts to ask questions.

When we first moved here, I thought this was so strange...two yellow lights.  Yes, the yellow light comes on both before the the light turns red and also before the light turns green.  This means that when you see the light below...people are already pushing the gas pedal.   Yep, I used to think it was weird too! 

I got a car!!

Ha, I suppose a more accurate description would be that Brady can't drive for six weeks so I now have his car. If you have ever tried to get a UK driver's license you know that they take your passport for 2 to 4 weeks...we didn't know that.
While we were home, Brady tried to renew his US driver's license because it expired on the 21st of January.  We were told to keep it up to date, but Brady didn't have proof of address so they wouldn't let him.  When we got back here,  we found out that they take your passport for 2 to 4 weeks in order to verify your information.  Unfortunately, we leave for Rome 9 days.  So, it was either, cancel our trip or let Brady's license expire.  He would have been without a license for a while anyway so it just seemed to make sense to wait an extra two weeks.
So, Brady is now taking a combination of a train and a bus to work...poor guy. I will drive him some days, but it is a 45 minute trip...one way.  On the bright side, it has been especially cold and rainy this week so having a car to go to the gym and Gymboree was awesome.  Thanks Honey!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Happy birthday Daddy!!  You are the most amazing husband and father anyone could ask for and we love you so much!!  

The Many Hats of Parker

Parker loves hats.  Maybe it is because I always put one on him when he was a baby...maybe it is because he has "crazy hair" when he removes them.  Whatever the case, P is almost always wearing a hat.  Here are the hats of choice this week.

His "warm" hat.  Some days he doesn't take it off no matter how
great the weather is or how long we've been inside.

His "pirate" hat...yep, he wore it to dinner one night
this week...

The good old stand-bye Wildcat hat from Uncle Landon.

My personal favorite...his "dancing" hat.  Oh, and yes,
he wears it with the tag hanging down.  I tried to turn it
around without luck.  Silly boy.

He refuses to do the "rolling pin" dance move unless he is wearing this hat.

Oh, and we can't forget the awesome Wildcat hat
from Uncle Cortney and Aunt Van...sure to be a classic!

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

Yes, I know it is January 17th, but considering that this is one of the first days that I have felt like an actual person since returning home, I am declaring this week the start of our new year!  So many people did such a great job wrapping up 2011 and give goals and resolutions for 2012 that it really made me think.

2011 brought so many changes...here are just a few...

I learned to live without...
a dishwasher
a garbage disposal
a microwave
a toaster
a separate washer and dryer
a car
a gym that opens at 5AM
my puppy
a job (kind of silly, but I'm still working on this one)


I learned...
how much I need my family
how much I value routine
to say goodbye (sort of...I'm really not good at this)
how to drive on the left side of the road
how to make new friends (again, this is a work in progress)
how much I loved our church
how to pack efficiently
how to travel with Parker on my own
how awesome the rail system is
how much I love spending my days with my little man

My 2012 resolutions...
Be a positive force every day for my family regardless of my mood
Continue to grow in my relationship with God
Run outside more (working out inside feels like work, boo)
Find a running club in Norwich
Find a women's bible study in Norwich
Thank my husband every day
Find a volunteer opportunity at a charity

Happy New Year!

Parker-isms

This is such a fun age (I know, I've said that a lot), and I want to keep track of some of the stuff little P comes up with, but sometimes time just gets away from me.  Here are a few of my favorites from the last month or at least the ones that I can remember...

Christmas Eve service we are waiting our turn to take communion and an older woman passes Parker.  She must have had strange eyebrows because P looks at her, gets a frightened look, covers his own eyebrows and says, "these aren't your eyebrows!"  Needless to say, we were slightly mortified.

While riding in the car with my parents and Landon, P really, really had to use the bathroom...
"I have to go potty!"  "Hurry G-Dawg, hurry, hurry, hurry!"  Then, after hearing my mom (we think)..."Can you pull over G-Dawg?"  Yep, we have taught him well.

Brady fell asleep with P the other night in his bed...when he woke up and tried to get out of bed, Parker woke up too saying, "Excuse me, scuse me, excuse me Daddy...I'm gonna go night night."  Ok, Parker.

While driving around the feedlot looking at cows, Parker said, "those cows are kind of stinky...they need to take a shower."

While looking through a pile of clothes I was putting away, he found my bra...yes, this can't go well...
P, "I need a bra mom,"
me, "boys don't wear bras"
P, "I need a boy bra mom"
I believe that is called a bro...haha

When we were at home, Brady's mom always had to write one more check on her computer before she could leave the feedlot...the other day at the library, P got on the computer.  When I told him it was time to go he looks at me and says,  "I just have to write one more check, mom...just one more."  While holding his finger up to me.

He has been fascinated lately with the fact that he came out of my belly.  He always likes to say...
"and then the doctor took me out of your belly and I said Waaaaah, waaaaaah, waaaaaaah"  so then I ask, "what did mommy and daddy say?"  His response used to be, "You were so happy!"  For some reason he decided to change it to..."You said 'lets call him Parker' baaaaahahahahahaha."  I don't know why, but he thinks it is hilarious!

The other night, he broke out a new dance move where he randomly gets on the ground and rolls over in the middle of the song.  When we jokingly asked him what that dance move was called, he responded, "it's called the rolling pin."  Yep, I can see that...good name P.

Since P was around a year old (I think), one of our favorite tricks has been 'muscles.'  It is when he flexes his arm muscles while clenching his face.  Recently, Brady tried to teach him to say 'the gym is that way' and then flex when Brady asks..."Parker, where is the gym?"  Well apparently, Brady was pointing to the wall when he was trying to teach him this because now is goes something like this...
B, "Parker, where is the gym?"
P, "The gym is on the wall!  Grrrrr,"  while flexing.  Oops.

He cracks us up daily and I wish I could remember all of them!!  At least I will be able to look back on a few!

Africa Alive!

Parker has been asking to go to the zoo for a long time...a really long time.  It was getting so bad that he would say, "Mom, can you talk to me about the zoo?" He would then want me to talk about the animals he saw and what they did.  This kid already has the "guilt trip" down to an art.  We thought we would go while we were in Wichita, but we just ran out of time.  So...we decided to take him to Africa Alive in Lowestoft which is about 40 minutes from Norwich.  It is not the best time of year to go to the zoo here and a lot of the exhibits were closed, but it was better than nothing.  Oh, and most importantly...Parker LOVED it!

"We're at the zoo!!  I'm so excited!"

The chimp really liked watching Parker.

Parker trying to balance on the wobbly bridge.

Parker going down the slide...

...and then falling off of the bottom of the slide because
I was taking pictures and forgot to catch him...wow...

The lions were definitely the best part...there were 6 total.

These are P watching the lions during feeding time.

"I need to look in the telescope, mom!"

He is very serious when he runs.

So thankful for precious days together!