Car wash...

Parker loves to be a big helper and he actually is really helpful!  Today the job was wash the van!

Cran Hill Campers...

Our last camping trip of the year was at Cran Hill Ranch with Engedi families.  We had a ton of fun getting to know the other families and enjoying our last summer get away before normal life starts up once again.

 Peyton being loved on...

Parks and Jaycee digging in the sand...

Frog races...go Earball and Wyatt!

Earball wins!!!!

 Turtle Races...

Visiting the animals on our bike ride...

Enjoying ice cream on the porch before our wagon ride...

From the Lips of Babes...

While eating dinner tonight we were discussing where goat's milk comes from...apparently Curious George was milking a goat today so Joel and Parker wanted to share what they had learned with me!  When Joel asked Parker to tell me where goat's milk came from Parker proudly pointed to his butt!  Joel and I were hysterical!  Funny how that is what he perceived from the show!

Fun in the Neighborhood...

We have been blessed with the nicest neighbors and this summer our neighborhood has been providing lots of fun for us!  Barrel rides, backyard get togethers and free gifts (bubbles from Mr. DeWayne and a go-cart from Mr. Frank)!

Sweet little boy...

Parker is just so precious right now....

Every time we go over a railroad track he states that it makes his stomach feel silly!

Sometimes he does things that I am telling him not to do...like dropping a diaper on Peyton's face or wipping his boogers on his shirt.  After telling him not to do those things he tells me that daddy does them and that is why he is doing them!  Joel is my third child!

On our way home on 104th I announce that we are going over the river and up the hill he then finishes with saying that we are going past the church, past the barn and then we are at our house!

He still hates taking bathes and cries hysterically when we wash his body and hair.

He is starting to test the boundaries with saying things that we don't want him to say like "poop".

He has been obsessed with raspberries this summer.  He will eat them as fast as I pick them!  One time I think he ate close to 50 in one sitting!  Good thing we grown them for free!

This summer Parker has just been in love with Joel.  Having him home full-time has been amazing in Parker's eyes (mine too!), but sadly I never get to tuck him into bed any more because he always chooses Joel.

I don't know exactly where Parker got this from but he pretends the tennis racket is his guitar and carries it around the house "strumming" it and singing us songs!

He is finally getting how to actually brush his teeth.  Whereas before he would just suck the toothpaste off and we would have to brush them for him.

When one of us is gone and he sees us pull in the driveway he comes running out to greet us with a hug and a huge smile!

The way he talks and interacts with Peyton just absolutely melts our hearts.  He ask her if she is okay when she is crying, reads her books, gets her toys that he thinks she would like to play with, runs into her room to greet her when she wakes up and just constantly loves on her.

Parker has recently been picking up on the fact that Joel and I call each other different names than he calls us.  He thinks that what we call each other is more fun so he now refers to us as "babe" and refers to Joel as "Joel"!  Ha!  It is so funny when he is yelling "Hey babe!" to Joel across the yard!

Parks loves the new van...it is his new playground.  He likes to run around inside, dance in the back with the seats down and pretend to drive!  Why do we even buy toys?!

In the morning when we go in to get him up the very first thing he says is, "I want a snack!".  He doesn't understand yet that the first meal of the day is breakfast!


Parker started out his first 2 years of life pretty mild and easy...he now has entered the "All Boy" phase!  He now likes to jump off of tall things, "fix" things with his tools, build forts and never bathe, but he just can't seem to let go of that paci!! 

Finishing up the barn...

Parker helping daddy load the final few boards on the horse for the final painting!

That's daddy's boy...

For some reason Parker likes to be in the bathroom while Joel and I go to the bathroom...usually funny conversations happen during these "special" times...today was no exception!

While going to the bathroom this morning I did a little toot-toot and Parker chuckled a little and then immediately scrunches up his face and squeezes out a forced fart!  Oh boy!  I think Joel might need to start reigning in the farting...I don't think a 2 year old should be able to fart on command!

That's my boy...

Today we were running errands and this is our conversation...

Mommy:  "Parker we are going to stop at a store downtown Zeeland real quick before we go                    to the park."

Parker:  "Can't we go to a garage sale instead?!?"


It is obvious that he is my son and that we hang out a lot together and that we garage sale frequently! He already loves a good bargain!

CRC Conference Grounds...

We decided to join the Conference Grounds frenzy and see for ourselves what this place is all about. We spent a week there and loved the quality time with Gritters and Kuipers and the beautiful beach and campground.  The kids absolutely loved the freedom of having no traffic on the streets and flew around the campground on their bikes...Parker got a little too comfortable and would take off without an adult.  One time I caught up with him as he was heading to the beach!  Our only negative would be the extremely loud kids that played on the playground until 10pm!  We had fun being the playground regulators and sending those kids home the minute the clock struck 10!