Christmas time '12

this year was our year to have christmas in Arizona. Phoenix is one of the few destinations out of Louisville Airport that has a direct flight through southwest! So we got super lucky and even the times were pretty awesome this trip! We did have to wake Parker up a little early but he was great! Poor kid was in the process of getting a cold too so he coughed alot on the plane

Loved watching the planes drive by and of course point out EVERY truck!

After landing and getting our bags, we went with Drews parents to In-n-out and met up with Clint there.  Drew was in heaven. said it was even better than he remembers it. I couldnt even finish mine. it doesnt do it for me. then the trek down to Coolidge. The first two days were a little hard just because Parker was kind of sick, only wanted Drews mom but didnt like how she did things so he threw a lot of fits, but he didnt want me or to listen to me. so it was a little stressful but we did get in a groove and all went okay.

As you know, Parker loves cars and trucks. Pretty much anything that moves. They found some old tractor and dump truck that Drew used to play with and he was in heaven! This little car he thought he could get into. haha. It was just funny to watch him keep trying to get his foot in there.

Maybe Thursday of the trip, a couple of Drews cousins came down to chill and have dinner! I knew them from Oklahoma before I even met Drew, so it was like hanging out with old friends.

(Ruth Ann:Drews mom, Lauren: cousin, Courtney: cousin taylors wifes, and me)

On Friday we drove up to Mesa to meet up with some friends. Sadly, pretty much everything fell through so we just hung out with my aunt and uncles family, The binghams. which we didnt mind, they were basically my stand-in parents when we lived in Mesa.

My aunt Karen who is now Grandma Karen to Parker, drove him around on this awesome tractor

Saturday Drew and I actually went back up to Mesa for a few  things. Remember that scholarship Drew got last year? It was the University of Louisville Alumni Assc Arizona Chapter that awarded him with this scholarship, which they extended into this year as well. Anyway, they wanted to have a get together to meet Drew since they hadnt actually met him. Plus meet up with some other folks as well. One of which had to be Drews friend (as I like to call him, boyfriend) JT for lunch at one of our favorite mexican restaurants, Mattas. which sadly, disappointed me on taste. we can talk more on that later. Just look at this kid, he was soo excited to see his buddy. 

Lets back up though, we ended up getting to Mesa a little early and needed to pick up a gift for a family party later so we hit up Walmart and Bass Pro. BUT before we went in, Drew surprised me with an early christmas present. He had booked a massage for me before we even left Kentucky! HUUUUGE husband points. So after lunch, we met up with the Alumni which happened to be next door, but I had to excuse myself for my massage. Sad to say the therapist struggled, but since it was at the place I used to work, the owner hooked it up and got me in for another massage the following week. Still, HUUUUGE points for Drew for makin it happen.

Later that night was the Solomon Christmas Party. I was a little worried about staying too long because of the time difference (I kept P on Louisville time the whole trip) and still having to drive back to Drews parents house. We did take a pack-n-play just in case.

He was sooo good at the party! Parker loved aunt Carolines dog. He was just this little lapdog and Parker was always concerned with where he was. Samson (the dog) was right at the perfect level to steal food from Parker. P would offer him food then put it in his own mouth. Samson wasnt following Parker around, Parker was following Samson. the whole night! sadly I didnt get a picture of it.

spinning the train ornament on the tree

There is always a cousin gift exchange and this year there was a  dirty santa/white elephant as well. there was an extra present so Parker was able to pick a gift. and since he was last to pick, he stood in the middle of the circle and everyone held up their gifts for him to see. He looked around and decided on a yellow screwdriver (of all things) I said something like he's a real man and we laughed at his choice. He turned towards everyone and held his yellow screwdriver up in the air (in the motion of a fist pump) and said YEAHHHH!!! sooo hilarious!

On Christmas Eve, drews mom had to work and the boys decided to all get together and go shooting.

Here's the gang that went, minus courtney who was taking the picture. they love their guns

So that left me, P, and Drew's youngest sis Laura at home. We just played and decided to walk to the park down the street since it was like 64 degrees outside. I think this picture is so funny. P wanted his shoes and socks on before hed let me put his pants on

He stole some kids football and just loved holding it while swinging

P and Lolly

Christmas morning:

Parker prefers to eat cereal from the box. I even tried putting it straight from the box and putting it on the table and he still preferred eating it from the box.

We got WAY too much for christmas! Parker didnt do so great with wanting to open presents, but the second he could tell what it was, he wanted it right then! He lacked a little patience with having to get things from the box.

loving his new train!

That afternoon we got together with the Williams side of the family (drews moms side) for their tradition mexican christmas dinner. tamales, tostadas, burritos, posole. Alot of people in a very small house. Remember, these are the guys who LOVE guns, so there were lots being packed around. haha. it just makes me laugh. Parker wasnt diggin sitting down to eat so he and I spent a lot of time outside in the backyard or playing in the van being anti-social. 

Had to grab a picture with Taylor and Courtney before they headed to the airport to head home. look at P's face. haha

Had to get one with Clint and Alexis before they headed home too. P.S. she had her baby! but sadly after we came back to Louisville.

and of course, had to finish off the family with Lauren and Tanner.

On the 26th, Drew and I went back up to Mesa. Had to go back for my make up massage, which was MUCH better by the way. After we went back by the Binghams because my Grandpa Harris was in town from Idaho.

After we met up with some friends at one of my favorites, Oreganos. Again, super disappointed. Who would have thought the day after christmas would be soooo busy! It took forever to get in and get our food. I think we had been there 2 hours by the time we actually were able to eat. 

Bobbie and Sam! 

Clint and Alexis came too!!

Meanwhile, back in Coolidge

These were Drews boots when he was little that apparently he was obsessed it!

the next day we headed home. Stood in line at curbside check for over and hour! luckily Phx airport has a family security line and no one was ahead of us. So pretty much by the time we got to the gate it was time to board. Again, we had another straight through flight. P was so great again the plane! He just loved to sit on Drews lap and watch movies. 

Less then 24 hours after getting back to Louisville, we repacked into a smaller bag and headed to my parents. We did christmas with them when we got there. P seemed more interested this time with actually opening his gifts. but he was still lacking patience once he got it open. he wanted to play with it that second!

It was a pretty chill visit. Lots of relaxing. Drew of course went shooting a couple times. My mom spoiled up with lots of homemade goods. Including these lovelies! 

P's big gift from my parents this year was a toybox that my dad made. Its pretty fancy! It has a rolling shelf in it for P since he is too little still to reach the bottom. Parker really likes to play inside of it. 

calling da-yee.

Christmas Break was great! We were lucky to miss all of the snow that hit louisville. the first time we were in Arizona. The next time it snowed we were at my parents and they didnt get any. I missed alot of things that happened and little details here and there. but that is the bulk of the break. I failed and getting pictures of P with his solomon grandparents and his great grandparents! I really need to get better at that! sorry for the novel!

Glasses

Parker loves glasses. He always points them out when I'm wearing them (which is usually everyday we're hanging around the house). He'll take them off me and puts them on himself. You should hear him say glasses, it's adorable and actually pretty clearly said. He has some cheap sunglasses that he popped a lens out so those are now his "glasses" since I'm pretty sure he'd break mine. And he can't afford to replace them.

Zoo take 2

So Monday was amazzzzzing weather here in good 'ole Kentucky! Like 70. not too shabby for December. So clearly we had to take advantage of that so P and I headed to the zoo. I decided to try and go in the morning before the nap this time. It worked pretty darn good. It wasnt too hot yet, low-mid 60s. A few of the exhibits were being cleaned so some of the animals werent out but we still had fun.

might be hard to tell, thats a baby giraffe on the left. 

back to the hippie van. still loved it

The inside exhibit was being cleaned so there were like 5 huge gorillas outside and pretty active. They kept coming up to the window. We even saw one clap for a trainer. Super cute!

so over by the bear exhibit there is a truck. the cab is outside and the bed of the truck is in the exhibit.

While Parker was "Driving" the polar bear came out from nowhere and climbed into the back of the truck! (looking for hidden fish I think) I stood Parker up so he could look out the back window and he started screaming. Like excited screaming.

this was the Polar Bear's face at parker for screaming! I thought the whole thing was pretty cool!

He even got to play at the playground this time! After that it was naptime so we were outta there.

 Hopefully we'll get some more warmer days to be able to go back! 

Beloved car

I don't know why, but this child LOVES to play in the car! I mean LOVES! while we were at my parents, if Parker wasnt asking to go see the tractor he wanted to go 'buh bye'. And you couldnt fool that kid by giving him some random keys. Oh he knew which keys would start grandma's car. He spent a LOT of time in the garage playing in the car.

He now even has to "drive" the car before we leave the YMCA to come home.

one thing he likes to do is turn the music up super loud, like too loud for even adult ears, and dance

(rockin out to daddy aka city knights)

then its always a good time when we get the whole family to play in the car.

kind of a longer video with not tons of excitement, but its pretty much like this everytime we get in the car

Christmas prep & Grandmas

I usually dont set up christmas until after thanksgiving, but I justified it a little bit this year. We had a mock thanksgiving the week before with the family before my little sister went on her mission. So to me, it was after. Parker and I set it up the Tuesday before the real thanksgiving and before we headed down to my parents for break.

my little helper!

Parker was a little stinker while at my parents. He only wanted my mom and was super cranky. He ended up drinking something that we think led to some allergies and sickness. So that didnt help things. But grandma has cool stuff at her house that kept him entertained.

this is up in grandma's office/sewing room. He loved to put the pegs in this and would just sit in play with it for like ten minutes straight!

Parker calls my dads mower a tractor. He wanted to go outside to the detached garage atleast 100 times a day to see it.

kicking it with Papa watching cars

my mom pulled out my old banana chair and Parker loved it! it was pretty humorous watching him climb in to it.

While I was at my moms I decided I wanted to make stockings. Parker didnt have one and the previous ones drew and I had were falling apart thanks to Parker. I used this as my inspiration. Luckily my mom is a BOSS and owned this craft. Burlap is a beast to work with so just be forewarned! 

Since we're going to Arizona this year for christmas, its hard for me to actually wrap presents and keep them until Christmas. Its just a pain to fly out all the gifts to just fly them back. So some things have come a little early. P got a vacuum toy from grandma S, two sweaters from me and Drew (our logic: he can wear them longer if he had them now) and a tent and tunnel toy. And I bought myself some jeans too that count as a christmas present. Its just hard for me to practice patience when its something I want/need.

happy to be home

playing in the tunnel

We found a new use of the christmas box my dad made us a couple years ago.

our little christmas corner.