Ten Months Old

Dear Parker,
You are TEN months old. DOUBLE DIGITS, watch out!!! Once again Mommy is a little behind on posting your monthly pictures and updating your new accomplishments. Your ninth month was full of many accomplishments. It is so much fun to watch you learn and grow each month. You are so SMART, a baby genius, at least we think! Here are some things you are up to lately:
* You have mastered crawling.
* You can pull up on things like chairs, the sofa, basically anything within reach.
* You can stand unassisted for a few seconds.
* You can walk while holding on to the side of the pack-n-play or sofa.
* You are eating more things like yogurt, cheese, meats, and veggies.
* You drink from your sippy cup like a pro.
* Your favorite snacks are bananas. You can eat a whole banana.You like to feed them to your self and make quite a mess in your high chair.
* You went to the beach and LOVED it. (more on that in a seperate post)
* You enjoy the swimming and splashing in the pool.
* You can wave bye-bye.
* You can pick things up using your thumb and finger. I have to keep the floors really clean otherwise you go around picking up tiny pieces of grass or leaves.
* You say na-na (no-no) when we tell you no. You understand what it means, but don't always obey.
* You recognize your name.
* You can say PaPa, MaMa, DaDa, & baby.
* You can do your sign language for please and all done. We are working on more and thank you.

We ♥ you little man! You are one amazing little dude! Never forget that Mommy loves you, Daddy loves you, and Jesus love you, too!

Celebrating the Red, White, and Blue

Each 4th of July we have friends and family over for food, games, and FiReWoRkS!!! Our city puts on an amazing fireworks display in the field just below our house. Our front yard is the perfect place to watch the fireworks show. We are so incredibly blessed with awesome family and friends. I couldn't think of a better way to spend the 4th, celebrating the red, white, and blue!! Here are some pictures of our celebration:

Parker & Papa

Ashlee & Parker

Ms. Goss & Austin

Mommy & Parker

The Stegall Family

Rebekkah & Michelle

Sweet Zuri

Gavin

Lawton

Parker & Nolan

Austin and Parker

The Ball Pit was a HUGE hit!

The Wagon Rides were also a big hit!

Aunt Trudy & Parker

Noah

The Odom Boys

Happy 4th of July! (10 months old!)

The Homemade Ice Cream Makers! Dave & Daron (Double D)

Waiting on the the fireworks to begin...

Will he LOVE 'em or HATE 'em?

I told you it was amazing!!!

They were REALLY loud because they are so close, but....

Parker LOVED the fireworks! He sat in PaPa's lap, laid back, and watched the BIG kabooms!

Hope everyone had a great 4th! We are so blessed to live in such a great Nation! ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY & JUSTICE FOR ALL! PRAISE GOD!

So Much to Blog About! So Little Time!!!

There's so much to blog about and so little time lately!!! We've had a busy, busy summer that it's so hard to blog and document everything we've done. And because as much as I'd like to I just don't scrapbook, I like to keep this blog as a way to document Parker's "firsts" and memories that we make as a family. But I must confess I have a slight obsession. I often find myself thinking, "I could BLOG about this" or "I must take a picture of this so I can document it on our blog". But the problem is there is SO much to blog about that I get behind and then how could I possibly blog things out of order. For instance, I couldn't post about a recent trip before I blog about our 4th of July fun or Father's day. Am I crazy or does everyone do this? And then there is the issue of wanting to edit my pictures before posting them. So I go to my favorite, FREE photo editing site and get lost for hours editing pics. Obsessed much??!? I think so!! It's the perfectionist in me. But I am learning to let go and let my imperfections shine! So... I am going to TRY ("try" being the key word) to do better about NOT obsessing over making each post perfect. I am going to start from the present and try to go backwards until I'm all caught up. And here's the real reason everyone else reads our blog... Parker Pictures!!!! (unedited of course!)

p.s. I could NOT get these pictures to line up. But I'm not obsessing!!! I am posting them anyway! :)

Summer Recipe Favorites

Here are some of our family's summer favorite recipes. All of which are SUPER DUPER easy and can be made quickly.
Disclaimer: All recipes are from memory and are made by adding a little of this and a little of that. So EXACT measurements may be off. Just taste it while your making it. If it tastes good, then you've probably got it right! I'm NO Rachel Ray!

Here's a SUPER, EASY recipe for Semi-Homemade Salsa......We like call it Redneck Salsa!

Redneck Salsa

1 large can of petite diced tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes)
1 can of mild Rotel
1 small purple onion, finely chopped
2 cans of black eyed peas (or black beans)
juice of half a lime
few sprigs of cilantro, chopped
salt/pepper

Directions:
Open cans and pour them into bowl!! (Don't ya love that!) Mix with onion and cilantro. Squeeze the juice of lime and add salt and pepper. Enjoy!

I like to add a little of this salsa to an omelet for breakfast.

And while I'm at it here's another summer favorite of ours that's SUPER EASY!

Homemade Pimento Cheese

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 cup grated Monterrey Jack
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed
1 teaspoon grated onion
Salt/black pepper

Directions:
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. It can be used as a dip for crackers or as a sandwich filling.

This is a Paula Deen recipe. It's probably NOT good for you, but it's super YUMMY!!!

We also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this...

Homemade Guacamole

2 or 3 ripe avacados
1/2 purple onion, finely chopped
1/2 lime juice (or to taste)
salt/pepper

Directions:
Mash avacados in bowl. Mix with onion. Squeeze in the juice of lime, using more or less depending on how strong the onion is. Salt and pepper to taste.

Yummmmmmmmm! I could just eat this stuff with a spoon!!! Daron has PERECTED the guac.

And the EVER-SO-FAMOUS.....Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad
1 box of whole wheat spiral pasta (or whatever pasta you have on hand)
1 bottle of Wishbone's Romano Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

Here's where you add whatever veggies, etc. that you like:
Yellow/Orange Bell pepper
Cherry tomatoes
Black olives
Turkey Pepperoni
Parmesan cheese or Feta Cheese

Directions:
Really there's no explanation. Just boil the pasta, drain it and mix it with the dressing and veggies!

There are so many different ways to make this, but it mainly depends on what you like. I love it because it's so colorful!

and NO blog post is complete without a picture of this little man!

Oh how I love him so! I am enjoying being home with him this summer. We are enjoying our time together!!!

p.s. How many times did I use the word SUPER in this post?
may

Nine Months Old

Dear Parker,
Your Nine Month birthday was June 5th, while we were on vacation at the beach. You absolutely LOVED the beach. When we put you down in the sand you crawled all around and patted it. You grabbed handfuls of sand and just held it. You only tried to eat it if your paci wasn't in your mouth. You even helped Mommy and Daddy build your very first sand castle. You also loved the water. You liked jumping the waves with Mommy. You would kick your feet so we would put you down in the water. We took your own little pool down to the beach and you loved splashing around in it and playing with your water toys. You had a HUGE smile on your face the entire time we were on the beach. You enjoyed swimming in the pool at the condo too! Gram, Papa, Uncle Justin, Uncle Phillip, Aunt Jody, Uncle Eric, Aunt Trudy, Ashlee, Uncle Tony, & Aunt Cathee were all with us at the beach. You had lots of people to pass you around and play with you. I don't think you got put down that whole week.
Each morning you and Papa would eat breakfast together, then go out on the porch and watch the golfers tee off. You also watched and listened for birds with Papa out on the porch. You went shopping with Mommy, Gram, and Aunt Jody while the boys played golf. I know you would have rather been out on that golf course with the boys playing golf than shopping. One day soon you'll be out there chipping and putting with the big guys on the golf course.
Your first beach trip was a HUGE success. I am looking forward to many more beach trips in the future.
Parker, you are the LIGHT of our lives. You are simply AMAZING! We love you so much little man!!

8 Month Picture

Parker's 8 month picture is missing! I took them and downloaded them, but can't find them. So I am writing this blog so that when I do find it his monthly pictures won't be out of order. Yes, I know it's a little late. And yes, I know I'm anal! LOL!