Just hanging out

Hello Everyone! We've had a quiet summer here and a nice one. We've just been hanging out together and spending lots of time outside. We try to go up the canyon here at least once or twice a week right now to help Kelly get nice and tired before bedtime. School is starting up here next week...but not for me!!! It sure doesn't feel like I've graduated but that feeling will become very real here on Monday when everyone else is driving to campus and I'm not. Anyway, just thought I'd post a few pictures of our days up the canyon and just playing around!

More Kelly Sayings

1. So, on our travels to visit Aunt Barb, we stopped at a truck/rest stop to take a break and get some ice cream. Kelly was wearing her "squeaky" shoes on the trip and walked in holding Rachel's hand. On our way to the bathroom, a couple of guys walked past us that seemed like bikers and, after hearing Kelly's shoes, said, "I dig her kicks." Kelly's response was priceless...she looked at Rachel and said, "Mama, he digs my kicks!" Then turning to me, she said, "Dada, he digs me!"
2. Tonight, while wrestling and playing with Aunt Lindsey, Lindsey began pretending to eat Kelly's stomach. Kelly proceeded to stop Lindsey and said, "Don't eat my tummy. There's food in there!"

New Quilt

So, we went out shopping for some new bedding for us and Rachel found this quilt (thanks to Lindsey) that she really liked. SO, last Saturday we went shopping. Upon arriving at the quilt shop where the quilt was, we took a few minutes looking at different combinations of the 2 quilts we were going to purchase. Of course, this purchase required months of saving and wasn't just a spur of the moment purchase. Kelly, of course, was quickly entertained with everything in the store and apparently intrigued the employees there, too. It was raining so there weren't very many people out shopping that day. One of the employees took Kelly around the store (after asking us) to show her different quilts for girls. Upon returning to where we were, Kelly noticed a few employees folding and putting ribbons on some place settings and other store materials. She promptly ran over and hopped up on the bed and started helping them. One employee commented that Kelly was working for our employee discount and as I went to the register to purchase the quilts, the lady checking us out said she was going to give us the employee discount! I coudln't believe it! She told me that we had a cute family and that she was giving us the discount because she could and she wanted to! So, thanks to Kelly, we saved $65 off the quilts we purchased! Isn't that great? Thanks to Kelly we saved money. She and the store employees are now best friends, too (that's what Kelly told me when it was time to leave...she ran to the one employee she had spent time walking around with and gave her a number of hugs before we left and said she was now her best friend!).

The Tulip Festival - Celebrating Graduation

Graduation - Finally!!!

Parker's Smile

Parker doesn't have a problem smiling for anyone. This is the best smile we've caught on camera yet! He and his Aunt Lindsey were having a good time together!

Easter weekend was fun and exciting! It was full of surprises and adventure! It started with a trip up to Kim and Nick's new home. We relaxed the first evening there and got up Friday morning to a fun-filled day of errands everyone wanted to run. While Dad and I were out, Rachel called me to come home immediately because she had fallen down the stairs on her back while holding Parker and felt like she was going to pass out, along with the tingling sensation through her arms and legs. Luckily, that turned out only to be deep bruising and no serious injury. On Saturday, we spent the day at the baby animal days hosted by the town and by Macey's. Kelly really liked seeing the cows and holding the baby ducks and chicks. She also held a rabbit and pet some baby cows, goats, sheep and pigs. The pigs scared her a little bit. She had the most fun holding the rabbit, I think. She also took a train ride and a pony ride, which she had to do all by herself. I wasn't allowed to help her hold on or anything.





Lindsey then called as Kelly and Parker kind of hit their wall at the animal days. She was having some car trouble and pulled off the road up the canyon. So Dad and I went to meet up with her and luckily again, there wasn't anything significant for the time. So we headed back to Kim's. Zach came in Saturday night and late that night the entire neighborhood lost power for a while. Oh, and the whole time we were there, Kelly got sick and then got worse. She had a horrible time sleeping. I slept next to her every night but one...Rachel was sleeping on a stiff cot to help her back feel better. Sunday we went to church and had Easter dinner and then came home that afternoon. It was a fun trip. Enjoy the pictures!

Only a few days away

Only 2 more days of class and I graduate!!!

Other Pics just for Fun

Pictures of our Nebraska Visit

Recent Visit to Nebraska

We just recently got back from a short visit to Nebraska where we visited with Grandma Andersen and Aunt Barb. It was a little colder than we anticipated but we had a good time relaxing. Kelly had a blast walking Aunt Barb's dogs and taking rides in Grandma's wheelchair. Kelly was also determined to have Grandma play soccer with her. Dad went with us and hasn't come back yet (he's still sleeping on our living room floor...hasn't gone home since Christmas break yet). Our favorite part of the trip were the things that were coming out of Kelly's mouth while we visited. We went to dinner with Aunt Barb our first night and the waitress asked Kelly how her water was. Kelly promptly answered, "My water's boring." In response, the waitress promptly brought Kelly a lemon to put in her water to hopefully make it a little more exciting. The other greatest thing out of her mouth was during our visit to Little America on the road out to Nebraska. We had stopped for a rest, some playtime for Kelly and some ice cream. Kelly was wearing her shoes that squeek every time she takes a step (thanks Granny!) and walked past these 2 biker-looking guys. As we passed them, one of them looked at Kelly and said, "I dig your kicks." Kelly was holding Rachel's hand and looked up at her and said, "Mama, he digs my kicks. He's diggin me!" It was so funny! I couldn't stop laughing at it! The things kids say!
We had a really good time during our visit. Grandma did okay on our first visit on Friday but didn't do so well on our Saturday visit. She got really scared for us after we left so much so that Dad had to call me just so she could here me say to her that we were fine. We caught glimpses of the old Grandma Andersen through her interactions with Kelly. She really enjoyed having her around (as did many of the other elderly folks there...we couldn't leave without Kelly getting and giving a number of hugs and saying goodbye to everyone in sight!).
We're back in town now and counting down until graduation (April 23-24). Rachel is probably more excited than I am since she's waited nearly 4 years for me to get done. Still not sure what job I'll be taking but I should know here in another week or so. I'll let everyone know once I do! In the meantime, enjoy the pictures of our trip!

Parker's Pouty Lip

This lip pops down every time he gets hungry, tired or just wants to cry for no good reason. Man, he sure can pull it down pretty low!

Pics of our Recent Activities

Just Hangin Out

Kelly's Learning the Ropes Early

So, we decided it was time for Kelly to take over Rachel's position in the Office. She picked it up right away! She was answering phones, signing contracts, and hanging up on the rude and angry people (she even hung up one of Rachel's calls on a tenant's very upset mother...literally). So at the speed she is learning, Rachel won't have to work anymore by the end of the month! The last picture is Kelly wondering what to do next since she just hung up on another angry parent!

Lindsey and Kelly's Night Out

Kelly was sooo excited for this one night. We told her she was going out with Aunt Lindsey. So, we got her all dressed up and put her diapers and things in her backpack. She couldn't wait for Lindsey to get to the house! With her hair done, jacket on and her backpack on, she looked like she was off on her first day of school! She went crazy when she heard Lindsey pull up outside. She also started crying the second Lindsey hopped back in her car to move so Rachel and I could back our car out because she thought Lindsey was leaving without her! It was pretty funny. They had quite the evening together.
Kelly does love her Aunt Lindsey!

Snippets of Christmas 2008

Parker is growing fast. He is already over 15 lbs. He is his daddy's boy. He is in the 96% for height. He loves to snuggle and is very smiley when he has had a nap and been fed. He loves to talk as well. Parker loves laying flat on the ground and watching everything around him.

It has been interesting getting use to two kids. I feel like a bad parent when both kids cry at the same time and can't help both at once. Usually Kelly can be distracted from crying by having her help take care of Parker. Overall it has been so much fun to take more time to just enjoy the kids and watch them interact with each other.

Kelly and Parker Spending Time Together

Kelly loves being a big sister. She is in 7th heaven if she can
help take care of him. She comforts him when he cries and
never fails to let us know when he burps or has gas. If Daddy
is holding Parker she wants to be held to. She has figured out
though that Parker weighs a lot so she doesn't pick him up
without help.