Memorial Day Photos!

What's that smell?

We were all having a good time visiting today at our little picnic and the kids were on the hill having fun playing together! There was a huge rock, wagon and flower bed at the top of the hill that we had used for pictures earlier! All of a sudden, someone yelled, "Oh no... a skunk!" There was Parker, right on it's tail chasing it with two sticks! (It had come out from underneath that wagon!) We all were yelling "Parker" trying to get him to stop but that seemed to make him run even faster! He was so close to that horrible skunk and I just kept thinking he was going to get sprayed big time! The skunk ran across the road and luckily, Parker stopped there! We asked Parker if he heard us yelling at him and he said, "Well, yeah!" Someone asked him what he was going to do if he caught the skunk and he said, "I was going to hit it with those sticks!" Tonight he was talking about the incident again to Jonathan and he said, "Man that skunk could run really fast when you are chasing him with sticks!" Dear me... Thank goodness he didn't get a "shower!" I don't know what we would have done!!! Looking back now, it is quite hilarious, but oh, such a close call...

A New Experience for Parker...

Jonathan took Parker fishing this morning at Great Grandpa Thompson's pond. Parker had never been fishing before and when he woke up he said, "But Daddy, I don't know how to fish!" He learned quickly and Jonathan says he caught at least 20! They were all little and they threw all of them back! Yea for me! (I didn't want to have to think about cleaning or cooking them!)

Chuck McGuire met them there and he caught a pretty big fish but threw it back as well. Parker loved it and didn't want to come home!

Right before they were getting ready to leave, Parker was getting really close to the edge of the dock... Chuck looked at Jonathan and said, "Can you swim?" Jonathan says, "Nope!" Chuck said, "I can't either!" They both just laughed and told Parker he was on his own if he fell in the pond! (Glad I didn't know that they both couldn't swim or I would've had to go along!!!)

They are home now and we are getting ready for our picnic/birthday party! Have a great afternoon!

See what I mean???

This picture is of my Grandparents grave in Kansas City. Mom was just out there last week for her niece's graduation, and of course, had to decorate the grave before she left town. She says they used to call it "Decoration Day" because that is what everyone would do. They used to use real flowers and put them in old Mason jars... The pressure is on for us to carry on this tradition!

Happy Memorial Day...

Have a fun and safe holiday weekend...

Everyone seems to be going away for memorial day weekend. Friends, neighbors, etc! (I have to work Saturday and Sunday so we will be home.) We went to Chili's tonight for supper (Thanks to Chuck and Mary McGuire!) and then a a couple of stores here in town! We do have a picnic/birthday party on Memorial day so we will get to have some fun after all!! Have fun with your families and visiting the cemeteries if that is your tradition! (My in-laws spend all weekend visiting all the different family members graves. My Mother-in-law had 4 typed pages of names she had to buy flowers for the different cemeteries they will visit! My mother-in-law's family makes a huge family deal out of it and even have picnics in the cemeteries!!! (One of my father-in-laws "favorite" traditions... ) Jonathan sure hopes his sister, LuRhe, takes over this tradition someday!!! Both of our Mom's really enjoy decorating the graves and then taking pictures of the tombstones! Jonathan says we have more pictures of some tombstones than we do of the actual family members themselves!

Have a great weekend and keep cool!

Congratulations Kelcie Lynn... Class of 2007!

My little cousin, Kelcie will graduate from high school on May 24th, 2007! (Man, I am really getting old!) My mom flew out there this evening to help her celebrate with her family and Grandma Wheeler! Congrats Kelcie Lynn! We are very proud of you and are so happy for you! I remember that same wonderful feeling of receiving my diploma only 16 years ago! WOW! Tell Kyle congrats from us too! We love you all and wish we could be there to help you celebrate! However, we will have a blast with you all in Disney World in just 10 short days!! We can't wait! Have a great graduation day girl, and don't party to hard with the Grandma's!!!

Love ya bunches!
Jonathan, Karen, Parker, Peyton & Paige

Sunday School class project...

Our Sunday School class had a work day on Saturday and did a "good deed for someone in need!" 14 of them went out to my grandparents house and did yard work for about 5 hours or more. They pulled weeds, trimmed shrubs, trimmed tree branches, mulched the entire yard, dug up unnecessary things, etc!!! (Those of us that had little kids had to stay away due to the kids getting in the way and also snakes are seen frequently around Grandma and Grandpa's house!!! YIKES~) Jonathan went and got a blister on his hand the first hour he was there!!! :) (That is because his hands are so soft from computer work all the time!) Amy Shearer took them Sub sandwiches and cookies for lunch to go with their pop and chips! Grandpa ran to Walmart and bought a new patio set and they got it all set up for them too! Grandma was a little upset that they were "messing things up" and told Randy Dunn he "...knew better and she was going to call his Mom!" (My Grandma is not doing very well and we believe has undiagnosed Alzheimer's!) She was not happy with everyone and couldn't understand what was going on out there! Later Saturday evening, Grandpa took her for a walk in their yard and showed her what a nice job everyone did for them! She decided then that what they did was okay and it looked really nice!

It was hard work for those that showed up but I think they felt rewarded for doing something nice for their pastor and his wife!
Jonathan took my camera because I made him and he only took a few shots! He said now he wished he had taken before and after pics! He says we wouldn't believe it!

Remember my friend's Mom...

One of my best friend's mother got a bad report yesterday from a biopsy. Please remember her and her family in your prayer's this weekend and in the days to come. They don't know much yet, just that it is malignant. Her name is Mary Muster and my friend is Amy Shearer.

Thanks so much!!

Reminiscing...

Parker and Daddy~Father's Day 2004
Peyton Duane~6months... July 2006
Paige Danielle~3 months... April 2006, her first Easter Dress
Twins...6 months old, July 2006
Parker David...caught!! 17 months old, February 2004

Just reminiscing as I looked at some old digital photos tonight. These kids grow up and change soooooo fast...

Recent photos!

Parker's Picnic

Yesterday, Grandpa and Grandma Walden came down and babysat while Jonathan and I were at work. Grandpa Don worked really hard and finished building a few parts of Parker's swing set. He built the picnic table below and put the rocks and rope on the climbing wall, handles, telescope, steering wheel, etc. Parker was thrilled and couldn't wait to have lunch today out on his new picnic table. He had chicken nuggets, chips and water!! (His request!) It was a little chilly out today but he had fun anyway!

Tonight after prayer meeting, we went with my parents to Dairy Queen and had a bedtime snack!!! We were all sitting there in our booth talking away when all of a sudden, Parker stated really loud, "That man's nose is BIG!" My dad said, "Shhhhh, be quiet!" He about died... Parker was so serious and so innocent, we were mortified and cracking up when it was all over! At least the man didn't hear him! (We don't think he did anyway!) Kids.... you never know what they will say to people!!! I am sure many more embarrassing moments will come too!

Parker's Prize...

Parker has been working really hard to earn this "Mac Truck." "Mac" is one of the character's in the movie, Cars who hauls around "Lightning McQueen." Parker's task has been to sleep in his bed every night for 7 nights and not come to Mommy and Daddy's bed. He messed up a few nights and had to prolong the task. This morning he came out and said, "I slept in my bed all night, now I get my Mac truck!" Luckily, we had already purchased this toy and had is hidden until he accomplished his task. You may think that 7 nights might not have been much, but for him it was a long time! We started a very bad habit when he was a baby of letting him sleep in our bed. Now we have been trying for over a year to get him out of here and into his own big bed! We even bribed him with a dollar a night for a while! Now that he has won his prize, lets just hope that he doesn't think he can come back! (We may have to take Mac back!!!

Graduation Photos...

Mother's Day Photos!

Today was a busy Mother's Day for us! As you can see from the above photos, Jonathan's graduation was tonight! It was a long and tiring weekend for everyone, but also a very happy one! I am tired and the only one still awake in the Walden household, but need to make myself get off of this computer and get to bed! I will try to post some graduation photos tomorrow night sometime! Hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day and got lots of nice things! I got a new memory stick for my camera that holds over 3,000 photos! (Just in time for Disney world!) I also got a gift card to my favorite store... ("Christopher & Banks!")

Oh yea, I won two of the prizes at church today! I won the Mother with the youngest baby present. (The twins are over 16 months old!) The other prize I NEVER intended to win in my life, and that was the Mother with the most children present! (I tied with my Grandma! HA!)

Jonathan's Open House!

Today was Jonathan's open house and he had a good turnout! Several people from church came, as well as a few from his work and a couple of classmates! He enjoyed the day visiting with everyone. Now we just don't know what to do with all these leftovers!?!? At least we didn't run out of anything! I took a ton of pictures, too many to post so I am just choosing a few! Enjoy!
I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day tomorrow too! I am sure everyone will have pictures with their kiddos to post on their blogs tomorrow night!!!!

This tired Mommy is heading for bed!
Nite!