Not Really Important News

Hey everyone!

Since it's been longer than a long while, I'll just post a little about what's been happening with the Parkers lately.

1) Shortly after the blog was temporarily blocked, our digital camera went missing. It was used by our church's youth group for the annual video scavenger hunt, and it was never seen again. A new camera SHOULD be in my stocking this year, provided by the Christ Church youth pastor, namely my husband. Sadly, this means I have ZERO pictures of the last month and a half of life. Luckily, Nathan made a CD of all of the pictures on the camera before loaning it out, so the year's worth of pictures taken prior to the day it went MIA are safely archived.

2) In diabetes land, JDRF just e-mailed to say that the highlight video from the walk in October is finished. You can watch it here. We're not in it (there were THOUSANDS of people there), but it'll give you a little flavor for the day.

3) Life has just kept on! Weddings, new babies, and funerals have been a part of our lives the last few weeks. We feel privileged to be witnesses and participants in other people's joy and sorrow. Congratulations, especially, to my dear friends Kelee and Pat, who welcomed Parker Kjack into the world last week. I can't wait to see you guys!

4) Two Saturdays ago, Nathan and I and a bunch of friends traveled to Griffin, Georgia to hang out with Will Brown and his parents. They smoked a bunch of meat and spoiled us way too much. Afterward, we went to the Brown Family Christmas Tree farm and helped some friends get trees. I'd give anything to have a video of Will sawing down a seven-foot Carolina Sapphire tree in seven seconds. It was so, so fun!

5) We weren't planning on having a tree because we'll be in California for so long, but our friend Mary Lou wouldn't hear of it. She surprised us with a live two-foot tree, fully lit and decorated. We have it on our bedroom dresser, and I love falling asleep and waking up to its cheery smell.

6) We'll be celebrating Christmas with the Parkers this Friday, and then we're heading out to California for Christmas! I can't wait to celebrate June's first Christmas with her and to see lots of friends and family.

Thanks for hanging in there with the update. Sorry for the lack of pictures!

YAAAAY!

I'm back kids!

I've got so much of YOUR blogs to catch up on, it'll probably be a day or two before I write a substantial post. I'll leave you with a couple of cute June Bug pictures, of course.

Foiled!

For some reason, all blogs at my school have been blocked for over two weeks, hence the lack of posting. I'm at my in-laws' house now, desperately typing out this message before we go home. Sigh... I'm working on getting at least my blog unblocked.

Curses!

Thanks for your patience.

Happy Halloween

Get a load of June's feathery cap!

Here's the happy family before they get dressed up.

June Bug, Scream Man, and Michael Jackson

My sister cracks me up.

Is that a scream of laughter or terror?

Ray LaMontagne at the Fox

Last night Nathan and I saw Ray LaMontagne at the Fox here in Atlanta. Upon entering the beautiful and historic theatre in Midtown, Nathan said, "I've never seen so many yuppies in all my life." It's true... we saw the full spread of the latest Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters catalogs - lots of organic cotton, ethnic scarves, and riding boots.

Ray LaMontagne is quite a character. I think he used to spend a lot of time in the forests of Maine, writing songs. He's got such a unique voice, and his music is just beautiful, but he didn't talk much. When he did, he mumbled and fumbled over his words. If I close my eyes when he sings, I hear a 300 pound black man singing the blues. When they're open, I see a lanky bearded hippie with a giant cowboy hat on to block the stage lights from his eyes. Interesting...

Anyway, we had a great romantic time up in the nosebleed section of the theatre.

Here's a sample.

Here's another one.

Kelee's Baby Shower

Worlds collide! My friends Kelee (a childhood friend from Washington State) and Annah (a friend from high school) are friends with each other, living in the same town, going to the same church, and having baby boys only days apart! It was so fun to see them together at Kelee's shower.

We served appetizers and had a tractor theme, as Baby Parker's room is decorated in th same theme.

Mmm... cookies and cupcakes!

More tractors, more cookies...

One of my mom's students made this diaper cake with a tractor theme!

Here is Kelee next to Parker's crib. Our friend Andrea made the canvases above.

My sister, Michelle, me, and another Michelle (both Michelles are from high school as well!)

Here's Andrea's sweet daughter, Emory, my sister, and Andrea.

Dewar's

Okay Amy... Here they are. Patience! Patience! This is Amy. I used to be her Bible study leader and substitute teacher when she was in high school. Now SHE'S a 6th grade teacher, like me. WE'RE COLLEAGUES! Here we are in front of Red Brick Pizza (I think that's what it's called.). But the really good stuff came later...

This is me and my pump at Amy's former place of employment - Dewar's. It's basically the best ice cream in the world. Thanks to la bomba, I could eat this entire sundae without losing any sleep. I definitely didn't lose any sleep... or any weight.

Pump, pump, pump it up! Pump that Mustang spirit up! Did I mention that Amy and I went to the same high school? Go Stockdale Mustangs!

Her face is so sweet, but that sundae in the foreground is even sweeter.