Flashback Friday

Winter back in the day. Kaite, Ben & Wes.

Stir it Up

Kent took the youth group to the Strength to Stand Conference two weekends ago. Here's the group! Walker, Kent's brother, took the picture. He came as a leader. The conference was Saturday-Monday and the talks encouraged everyone to stir up & use the gifts God has given you! Stir it Up! We went to Pigeon Forge, TN. This was the sight outside of the conference center.

Around here, you gotta hike all the way to Tennessee to see snow and even then it's on the side of the highway. Kent couldn't resist...he parked the bus & the snow started flying.
We met up with these guys at a gas station.
Kent drove the bus up and down the winding mountain roads....
...while everyone else relaxed
The ladies at Hard Rock Cafe
The guys...are quite a sight
On the way home there was stand still traffic (aka: Photo Opt!)

For Sure

What's in Dad's shopping bag?DEODORANT. He found out that Bi-Lo carries his brand. Sure. Original Solid. The same kind that he's used since the 8th grade. Dad's smelling good, for sure. He's also set for a couple of months at least.

Feller

Hey there, Little Feller. How'd you feel when Ma swept you up and almost killed you? We're glad you made it out alive. Live long & prosper.

Golden Birthday

Dad led the birthday singing today for Kait's birthday party. Making a birthday wish (the wish has to stay a secret, but it involves purchasing a certain house).Mom made amazing cream cheese icing! Presents!! Kait was 23 on the 23rd which makes it a Golden Birthday! Fun times, but of course we missed Anna.

Rock Your Style 1

In this edition of Rock Your Style, we'd like to highlight Shelly for rocking her style in the living room. She bought this column last weekend and it now resides in the casa de los Shelly Parker. The column was taken from a mansion on Lake Murray. The house is now bulldozed (they're building a new house). Mom found it at a consignment store. Thanks, Ma, for rocking your style.

BMOC

We'd like to extend a warm welcome home to the BMOC (Big Man on Campus), Chuck!! He arrived yesterday around 4 PM. Mom drove up to Greenville to meet him. She's glad that her boyfriend's back. He looked a little on the rough side, but he came home with good stories & a new language. He learned how to ask simple doctor questions in their own language. He took a total of 2 pictures (which is good for him, but we don't see blogging in his future). The other team members took pictures and we'll post some when we get them!

WELCOME HOME, DAD/POPS/CHUCK.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Congratulations to Wes&Sara for completing the Disney Marathon!!! They raced last Sunday in freezing temps (in Florida?!?) We're all very impressed by the goal that they met. YOU GO, GUYS. Sara will post more pictures on her blog in the next couple of days. Check them out! On a personal note, we're glad (and a little jealous) that Wes was the first Parker Kid to make it to Disney World....at the age of 25.

Who Needs Boys?

Who needs boys to help with Move-Back-To-College Day? ...Okay, we do. Anna brought the old TV back to school (her roommate left for another college). Mom tried a couple times to lift the TV out of the car, but couldn't quite get a hold of it. Finally, Kait (the brave and married one) flagged down a cute college guy to help. Flagged him down with two motives 1) Get the TV in the dorm 2) Introduce Anna to her soul mate. At first he struggled with the TV and the plan almost backfired. It almost turned into "Let's ask a boy to pick up a TV that's too heavy for him and humiliate him." Thankfully (for him...and us) he picked it up.

This picture was taken right after he handed us the TV through the window. He offered to help carry it across the room, but we assured him that we could do the rest (which we could hardly do). We (Actually, just Kait) hopes that Anna meets this nice boy again. He drives a silver Mazda, is from Virginia and we have reason to believe he lives at the beach and is a life guard(based on his hoodie). Really we just like to tease Anna about something....anything.

Anna's roommate took the curtains! So we went in search for some new ones.

And we found some at the perfect store!

We celebrated Anna's Goodbye Day with some Moe's. YumO

Shout Out

Saturday Shout Out went to Dad/Chuck and the Eagles. Sadly our Shout Out did not help the Eagles...Paparazzi shot! ANNA EATS PIZZA EVERYBODY.

Doggie Runway

Who's this guy walking down the doggie runway? Work the red jacket, Chips. Work it, work it.

Send Off

Wednesday night we had a Send Off Dinner. We ate pasta in honor of Wes and Sara's trip. Wednesday was also the night before Dad left for Sudan. He's on a medical missions trip and he'll be there for two weeks! Here he is wondering how much shampoo to take. Two things to take into consideration for that question: a) the amount of hair he has b) he's going to Sudan. Wes and Sara are in Florida right now. Tomorrow is their big day as they run the Disney Marathon! Go get 'em, guys!!! We'll think of you at 3AM Sunday morning as you're arriving for the big race. Here they are (in the prom pose) with their care package.

Real Shoppers

Real Shoppers wake up the day after Christmas at 5:30 AM to snag some deals. The few. The Proud. The Real Shoppers.

A Year in Pictures

March : Kent became the Youth Director at CCC. April : We took a road trip to Philly
......to celebrate the Finegan/Hiatt wedding. Dad officiated his first wedding in many years.
While in Philly we caught up with good friends.
May: Kait graduated from USC with a teaching degree

May: Kent and Kait got married. (Thanks to Jay for the picture)June: Anna graduated from high school

June: Kait got a teaching job and started (along with Wes) in August
August: We sent Anna off to college with a family dinner
August: Dad, Mom and Kent helped Anna move in to college
August: Annual Parker Beach Trip
July/August-ish: Sara and Wes started their training
September: Mom got a new camera from Dad and started taking fun pictures like this one

A Year in Review

2009...

1. We celebrated 8 birthdays

2. Took 1 camping trip (Dad, Ben and Kait)

3. Mom bought a new car

4. Celebrated the Parker/Suits wedding

5. Wes was hired as a 7th grade science teacher

6. Kait was hired as a 3rd grade teacher

7. Wes busted his nose open during a softball game

8. Ben and Kent were hired at Rita's

9. Ben was hired as a salesman

10. Ben was hired as an electrical workman

11. Mom was hired as a part time nurse

12. We took 1 week long beach trip

13. Kait graduated from college

14. Anna graduated from high school

15. Anna moved to college and started her freshman year

16. Wes and Sara began training for a marathon

17. Chips' fat lump got bigger

18. Dad preached 23 sermons

19. We watched the Phillies lose in the World Series

20. Dad was invited to join in on a big trip that is coming up soon

What will happen in this new year??

CHEESE

Christmas Day in HD

This was the tree on Christmas morning. 3 words to describe our Christmas morning: festive, fun and snug. What words describe yours?

The table was set for Christmas brunch (have you ever tasted Ma's breakfast casserole?) but before we ate there were PRESENTS to open!
TWINS!!!!!
First Christmas together as a married couple. Feel the love.
Every year since way back when, we've picked names for Christmas gifts. One of Wes' gifts to Dad was a pack of dress socks. STICK A FORK IN HIM, HE'S DONE. Nice job, Wes.
Kent knew exactly what to get Anna. We hope her roommate likes waking up to this poster too.
Cute, Kenneth
Has anyone seen Ben?
You can never have too many corduroy jackets.
Santa Shuckie brought Ma an ipod. Ma, we know you can learn how to work an ipod. We believe in you.
Santa sent Pops on a scavenger hunt with little clues. The first clue sent him to the coffee pot. The second clue sent him to his car and the third sent him up to the elliptical machine....
where he discovered.....while the crowd watching......
THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT OF 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!
* This Christmas was brought to you in HD.