King's Island

King's Island is an amusement park that is about 10-15 minutes away from our house. Today was a free day for all Procter and Gamble employees and families. It was really fun! Drake is still a little bit young for the rides and I think that he was blessed with my sensitive stomach. We first tried the carousel. Drake was really excited to ride the horse until the carousel turned on and the horse went up and down. He grabbed on to me and wrapped his legs around my waist. I ended up holding him for the whole ride. Drake liked riding the train and driving the yellow jeep. We put him on a little kiddie (for very small kids!) ride (pictured above). It just went around in circles and sped up when it went around one side. Drake was with a little boy that was younger than him who started crying as soon as the ride started. This made Drake start to cry and soon both boys were screaming and crying. Each time Drake past us he would scream "mommy, daddy!" It broke my heart and I was a little mad that they didn't stop the ride. As soon as the ride stopped Drake jumped up out of his seat belt and tried to get out of the car. BJ had to jump the fence to grab Drake before he fell out. Ummmm.....not trying that again! We felt so bad!

Drake liked the really slow rides where he could drive the jeep! Maybe next season we'll try him again on the kiddie rides. Drake has a really serious face in this picture. We call this face his "tricycle face" because he first made it when he was riding a tricycle at Grandma and Grandpa Stanley's house. We were pushing him on the tricycle and we knew he was having a lot of fun but he didn't even smile. He just had a very serious look on his face...like "don't bother me I am working hard at having fun!" When he is having a lot of fun he will make this face. Funny boy!

BJ's Airforce half marathon

BJ competed in a half marathon at the Air force base in Dayton. It was a really neat race b/c it was right on the air force base. Drake loved to see all the planes! I was going to run in the 10k but it was too hard with Drake to have us both run in it. BJ ran the race with our friend Scott Lee. Scott and BJ left really early to get to the race on time. There were so many people running it that it took them 2 hours to finally get there and park. The gun had already gone off for the start of the race so they just ran straight from their car! Aimee (Scott's wife) and her three kids and I came up a little later to meet the guys. We got to ride in school buses to the entrance of the race. Drake loved riding in the bus.

BJ did a really good job! He did the race in about an hour and a half. Pretty good pace! Watching BJ come in made me want to race! It was fun being a spectator though!

Cincinnati Children's Museum

The children's museum is awesome! Drake and I have a year pass and try to go a couple times a month. Drake has so much fun there. There are so many things to play with and do that help Drake learn and grow. We have been to dinosaur, egyptian, and train exhibits that they have had there. We even got to see small bats that were brought out to show the children. Drake really likes the underground cave exhibits.
Drake loved to splash and play in the water...I am glad they had special waterproof robes for the kids.

Drake is working hard to gather the rocks and put them in the back of the truck.

When we go to the museum I fix Drake a lunch to eat in the car on the way home (it is the only way to keep him awake). He loves to eat his sandwich while we are driving home.

Our Garden

We worked really hard to plant our garden. We planted tomatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, watermelon, cantaloupe, carrots and cabbage. This was our first garden so we knew we would learn a lot from this experience. We ended up with a lot of potatoes, tomatoes and carrots. I think next time we will start a little sooner (we started late b/c we moved in at the end of March). One of the best parts about the garden was the family time it created for us. Drake loved to help us in the garden in the evenings. The weather was nice in the evenings so when BJ got home from work we would be outside working in the garden/yard until it was time to put Drake down to bed. We got to know our neighbors better because they were out in their yards also.

Drake loved to eat the carrots straight from the garden. We would pick them and then wash them off with the garden hose.

Home in California

Drake loves Grandpa and Grandma!

Grandpa and Grandma Parkinson at their home in Folsom. We were watching a movie together.

We went to Keri's house in Pittsburg while we were visiting in California. It is nice to have her close to mom and dad so we can see her family when we visit them. Drake loved playing at their house. Keri has 5 kids - 4 boys. Drake was in heaven with all the toys and kids to play with.

Grandpa with Cole and Drake. Cole is only 4 months older than Drake. They are good buddies.

Drake and Dallin

Big Smile! Drake loved to play with Dallin while we were in California for Tanner's wedding reception. I hope that Drake can grow up just like Tanner and Dallin.

Drake and his cousins

At Tanner and Kate's reception in CA there was a cute table and bench set up next to the family"line." Drake thought they were the neatest things ever. He loved that the bench because it was just his size. It was actually kind of nice because he would sit on it for awhile at a time and then I was able to talk to people.
Cute boy!

Drake and Kelsi. Poor Kelsi is the only girl cousin. Maybe someday we'll have some more! Look at all that blonde hair! Kelsi is so sweet and really is a great older sister to her many younger brothers. She will be an awesome mother one day.

Drake and Caleb. Those two were crazy together. Drake thought he was in "boy" heaven with Keri's 4 boys. I think it took a week for him to finally calm down after we got back to Cincinnati.

Look at those smiles....somewhat mischievious!

Tanner and Kate's reception in CA

It was really fun to go back to California and see friends and family at the reception. Grandma and Grandpa Parkinson, Gayle and Spencer Parkinson, & Brad and Nancy Muncy & family were all there to celebrate! The reception and luncheon was at a new chapel in Folsom and it went really well. My mom did a beautiful job decorating...with the help of some friends and ward members. There was a live bird in a birdhouse, live harp music, and really yummy treats. Tanner and Kate are so happy. It was fun to celebrate this wonderful occasion together. Just a side note....BJ wasn't really there...he was "photoshopped" into the picture :)

Here are the 4 kids! Dallin, Joni, Keri, and Tanner. We had a wonderful time being together.

I love my sister. We have so much fun together. She is an amazing mother/person and I have so much to learn from her. My sister has such a great heart and it seems that anything she touches turns to "gold!" My mom and my sister give me such great advice, especially about parenting, I would be lost without them.

Site seeing and visiting Tesia in D.C.

Tesia was living in Washington D.C. for an internship over the summer for law school. She worked for the S.E.C. We were really excited to be able to visit her while we were out there for Tanner's wedding. Drake was so excited because Tesia brought him some skittles. Whenever he eats skittles he talks about Tesia. Tesia was our tour guide around the city. It was really nice to spend time with her and see D.C.
Tesia was excited to take us to the science museum. Drake loved the airplanes!

There are so many things to see in Washington D.C. We needed to spend a few more days there to see everything we wanted to. I love seeing the different monuments and hold a special place in my heart for those who have made it possible and those who continue to make it possible for us to live in a free country.

More of Tanner and Kate's Wedding

This picture is so sweet! Drake loves his grandma and grandpa!
Brady Stathem, Tanner & Dallin Parkinson. Handsome boys! Dallin is the only eligible bachelor now!

Tanner and Kate's Wedding

BJ, Drake, and I traveled to Washington D.C. for Tanner and Kate's wedding. We were excited that we only had to fly for about an hour to see family. Since we have moved to Cincinnati it takes all day to travel to see family on the West Coast. We love Kate and her family and are so happy that she is now a part of ours. Tanner and Kate are perfect for each other. Her family lives in Virginia (close to D.C.) which fits Tanner perfectly because he is so patriotic and has such a profound love and respect for this country. They are like "two peas in a pod!" They are a beautiful couple and will conquer the world together.

I love this picture! They are so cute there! You can tell on Tanner's face that nothing in the world matters to him at that moment except that Kate is next to him....so cute!

Tanner and Kate were sealed together for eternity in the L.D.S. Washington D.C. temple. It is a beautiful temple. It is funny b/c Keri and Chris were sealed there when they were married. Chris's family is from Virginia Beach. It was a "walk down memory lane" for them watching Tanner and Kate get sealed in the very same temple they were sealed in. This temple is one of my favorites. When our family lived in Virginia Beach for 4 years this was the temple my parents would go to. I was too young to go inside back then so it was nice to be able to see the inside this time. It is beautiful and of course so peaceful. Kate's younger sister watched Drake during Tanner and Kate's sealing. It was really nice to sit next to BJ and be in the temple with our family and friends.

Unfortunately in this picture Drake isn't too excited about standing still. He wanted to get down and run around....I don't blame him...it was a long day! The colors Kate picked out for her wedding were beautiful. It all came together really nice. Her reception was held at a beautiful white mansion. There was a separate area for dancing and eating. The food was so yummy and beautifully displayed.

I really miss living close to the "boys." I used to see them at least 3-4 times a month when we were all living in Utah. It was really hard to leave them. They are such great examples to Drake. Maybe someday we can all live close to each other!

Fun with family in the Hotel

These boys (Drake and Cole) were best buddies. They were quite a pair. What Drake couldn't do...Cole could...this was a definite recipe for disaster. It was funny to watch them together. Drake and Cole were always trying to get into the elevators to go for a ride. Drake couldn't reach the buttons to open the doors so Cole would push them and the two of them would run into the elevator as fast as they could. Fortunately we caught them before anyone got away!

We were able to enjoy a little relaxation before Tanner and Kate's reception. We all had so much fun together. This was a great reunion. We don't get to all be together very often. I love being with my family...they are my best friends!

Look at these good looking boys! It was hot outside so it felt really good to get in the water.

Happy Birthday BJ!

Happy 32nd birthday BJ! BJ was out of town on his birthday and I had to work that evening. We celebrated BJ's birthday a few days later with a yummy cake and some steaks on our new grill. Our 6 year anniversary (7/10/09) and BJ's birthday were during really stressful times for us. I started my hospital orientation for Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center on July 6th and have had to work 30-40 hours a week. We were blessed to have wonderful girls in the ward who babysat Drake and helped us out a lot. It ripped my heart out to leave my family that much but my managers were wonderful and were really flexible with my schedule and let me work the bare minimum to orient. I knew it would only last a short time (a few months) and then I would be able to only work 8 hours a week (one 3-11pm shift). I received a few priesthood blessings during that time and new that things would be ok and that it would be a blessing for our family for me to continue to work a little bit and keep my license. I work on the med/surg floor with ages birth -12 years old. It is a very fast-paced floor and I learn a lot every time I work. After orientation finished I have been able to work just one 8 hour shift (3-11pm) a week and I even get to pick the days I work. I have to work at least 36 hours in 6 weeks. It is a perfect job for a mommy! Also, BJ really enjoys the "boys night out" when mommy is a nurse. BJ tells Drake that I am a nurse and am helping the sick little babies. BJ takes such good care of Drake and they have a lot of fun together.
It was finally time to throw out the dried roses from the bouquet that BJ gave me when we got engaged. I have kept them this long...thanks to my roommate Kate Barlow who dried them out for me. I couldn't bare to have BJ throw them out but he insisted it was time. I told him he could as long as we took a picture of them first! So...here they are. BJ is a wonderful husband. I couldn't have asked for anything better. BJ works so hard for us to have a good life and I really appreciate all that he does for us. I love you BJ!

Red, Rhythm & Boom - 4th of July Celebration

The city of Mason had a really neat festival for the 4th of July. There were all sorts of military trucks, fire engines, and police cars there for the kids to climb in and look at. There was a man that jumped out of an airplane with a parachute, music, yummy food and great fireworks. We met the Manwarings there and the kids ran around and played together.

Drake loved to drive the big "army trucks." I couldn't help but think of Tanner & Dallin when they were little. They would have loved to see all of these trucks. I loved to see all the military service men and women there. My heart goes out to all those serving for our country. I have such deep gratitude for those that have made...and continue to make it possible for us to live in a free country

After the Red, Rhythm & Boom celebration we took Drake home and watched the fireworks in our neighborhood. We were amazed at how many professional fireworks we could see just sitting on our driveway. We counted 7 fireworks shows going on at one time in the sky. I am not sure what kinds of fireworks are illegal here....we sure saw a lot of really cool ones!