Parker's Art

In the rare moments when Jeremy isn't working at the computer,
Parker will ask me to print "cool pictures"
from the web so he can draw them:

He will spend hours of free time trying to
get the dimensions and proportions just right
on these drawings- after homework and chores,
there isn't a lot of free time in the evenings,
but he usually cranks out about one a week.
This year he discovered perspective,
and it's been awesome watching him grow as an artist.

This is How Parker Sleeps

Whenever we go to check on Parker

after we put him to bed, he looks like this.
What impresses me is the fact that all the pillows
are still on the bed. Usually they are strewn about
the room, the blankets are on the floor,
and he is clinging to a scrap of a sheet.

For Sale

Five and a half years of blood, sweat and tears....

We are ready to make a move from our first home-wish us luck!

What happened to April?

Maybe you are wondering if we DID
anything this month...maybe you are thinking
since we haven't blogged, we have just
been sitting here like blobs.
And maybe we have been, but
there have been some other things...

There have been immunizations.....

(with some redness and swelling, OUCH!)

Some cupcakes....

Some nieces to spoil with Easter goodies..

Some new nephews to squeeze....

Some egg hunts....

Some eggs to color....

And some 5th grade graduation caps to decorate.

WICKED!!!

Landmark Theatre, Richmond, VA.

I think this building was built in like 1744 when people's legs were about 3 feet shorter, because my knee caps were firmly jammed against the seat in front of me, and I had to remain perfectly still (i.e., no stretching, no turning, no readjusting, no breathing) for fear of whacking the person next to me in the eye. Also, the woman behind me had the equivalent of Santa's sleigh bells strapped to her arm, and was constantly jingling all the way even after I told her that Christmas was not for another 9 months.
And last but not least, it was about 7 billion degrees inside the theatre. Which means that chances are, at least of few of the 3500+ audience members would probably realize they had forgotten to put deodorant on that morning.

But!

It was UH-MAY-ZING.
I was overwhelmed by the experience from start to finish (I was even able to tune out the sleigh bells after awhile and stopped noticing that my legs had gone to sleep.) The music was spectacular, the costumes were incredible, and set was striking. We had a FANTASTIC time!

Some movin' and shakin'

Parker's big performance at Matoaca High School with his music class!

He's the sassy-lookin' dude in the orange shirt,
second row, singing his heart out.

They are on actually on YouTube here
and here
and and here, too.

What's for Dinner?

We've tried to teach Parker how to cook
some simple meals, and he volunteered
to make dinner one night last week.

It was his first solo culinary experience with
grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup,
and it wasn't half bad. (I later learned that
the first sandwich was a bit, um, on the
blackened side- he had the burner on high.)

Hopefully this whole Parker making dinner
thing becomes a regular experience!