Family...isn't it about...Time?

I had a bit of an epiphany yesterday while leaving Galveston Island...I have a family that loves me enough to spend money, time and energy to come and see Alex and I in Texas! It was just a really neat feeling. Of course, I know my family loves me but it's amazing to me that I have family members that are willing to come and see us. I know my two oldest sisters want to be down here, too, and circumstances just don't allow for it-but just knowing that all of my siblings want to be together is so fun. I am so grateful for Family-and yes isn't it about...TIME? (Swallowing the throw-up from such a cheesy line)

So Kim was the head-honcho in terms of getting the meal ready and she TOTALLY pulled it off. It was delicious. It was our first Thanksgiving in our house. Last Thanksgiving I played at an old folks home where they had my name wrong down on the program and Alex was consistantly called Eric or something. (So not the best experience.) Check out the deliciousness of this turkey. Please note that we got our Turkey at Wal Mart, price matched it from H-E-B and ended up buying a $21.00 turkey for.....DRUM ROLL....$5.37!!! It was amazing. Thank-you big fat Turkey for giving your life for us...you were so yummy.

There is a story with this next picture. After Turkey dinner we went to Market street to go see the pretty Christmas tree and take a big group picture. I handed my camera to a passerby and this is the result:

Then I handed it to another passerby about 5 minutes later and this was the result:

We then went to Kemah boardwalk and rode on the Mystery train, Pharoh's fury the Airplanes and even the death-defying Kemah Boardwalk BULLET!

More to come I am sure...Happy Thanksgiving all-I'm gonna go put up my Christmas tree!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Cards!

Katie Mitchell has done it again! She has taken our nerdy selves, and made these beautiful pictures in preparation for our Christmas Cards. Here are the first three pictures that I have gotten a glimpse at. Check out her work at simplykphotos.blogspot.com. Stay tuned to see the final product...and yes, we took our family pictures with our sweet Bella! Notice the special collar I got for her...it has a large pink flower. :)

Death in Ashton Gardens

For all those gals who have an intensely terrifying and nearly paralyzing fear of spiders-this post is for you...

I was asked to play for a wedding ceremony at a new Wedding Reception center called, "Ashton Gardens." The location itself was beautiful, however it was in a section that was very "forest-y", which I thought quant at first...no longer. (Dun dun DUN!)

The Prelude was fine, I felt comfortable and although the procession of Bridesmaids, parents and grandparents wasn't as smooth as I wanted it to be-it was over which I was grateful for. After the Bride was handed to her hubby-to-be, I set my Harp down getting ready to listen to the Preacher when to my absolute HORROR I looked down and next to my bench is a spider just like this one:

I was up at the front of the room and couldn't move quickly or else everyone would have seen me. I began staring at it intently, even trying to get up the courage to smash it with my pointy toed shoes, but alas-that paralyzed feeling took over and I could not move!! I thought that if I glared at it long enough it would gain the sense not to come near me. I then heard the Preacher say that Ave Maria will accompany the Unity candle lighting-In my mind I said, "WHAT!? DONT YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A SPIDER TRYING TO EAT ME OVER HERE?" Well of course I nodded and peeled my eyes away from the Spider giving one last killer stare and began playing. I stopped the song early (but smoothly) because I thought I felt something on my leg. There was nothing there, but the spider was now trying to crawl onto my purse. I had my legs lifted for the remainder of the Ceremony and even avoided parts of the songs that I played later on that had pedal changes so that I could stay as high away from the evil critter as I could.
I think it came home with me in my purse somewhere because after I saw it crawling towards my purse, I never saw it again...darn thing.

Thank goodness that I know a good Pest Control Guy.

Me and Martha....alright alright....Martha and I

Since I have stopped working at the Harp shop, I have made monthly "task" lists consisting of medium to large projects that I would like to get done within the month. (Obviously). Located near the bottom of October's list is: "Complete a Martha Stewart craft." I have never been that crafty. My girlfriends in high school were brilliant at it: painting on blank canvases, scrapbooking, decorating, etc. I was never to into that stuff but ever since President Uchtdorf's talk about the gift of Creation, I have decided to pick it up. This past week I created two baskets of greenery to place on Skaunces (sp?) at Alex's office, as well as these lovely packaged creations:They don't look like much in this picture, but I think that they actually do look pretty cute. Martha Stewart and I became great friends this past week as I followed her step-by-step process of creating "Glitter Frosted Pumpkins." Ever since I became a founder of the Generation Girls in High School (1 of 4-Liz Woolley, Kim Green and Tanelle Hansen being the others) whose slogans went something like this: "Some girls have glitter running through their veins", "Think Pink" and "So I'm hot...Let's Date." (That one didn't work out so well for us)-I have an unnatural draw to glitter and couldn't pass this project by.

I wanted to explain how I did and just how much a I made these babies for because it might just be something that you would like to hand out to your friends and neighbors. I am planning on handing them out to my Visiting Teachers and Teachees and possibly, if I get up enough courage, my next door neighbors that I still haven't met.

OK-So Wal Mart is selling baby pumpkins for 77 cents a pop. I bought 10 bringing my project total to around $8.00. Next Martha instructed me to get Elmers glue and a paint brush, glitter and wire-bringing my project total to $17.00. Finally, I decided to add some leaves on to the pumpkins and found some that wouldn't be missed on my fake tree in my entryway.

So now to the process: Take your brush and dip it in Elmers glue-cover the pumpkin entirely with glue. I tried being nice and smooth and having barely enough glue on there so it wasn't splotchy-it actually worked better when I just slapped it on there. So don't think so much and just jump right in. Before the glue dries, sprinkle glitter over the tops of the pumpkins letting gravity pull down other glitter particles down the sides. Let the pumpkins dry over night.

Tie green wire around the stem of the pumpkin and wrap the wire around a pen or pencil tightly. Release and undo wrap slightly-mess with it until you like how it looks. Finally, get your hot glue gun and add a little greenery. I added a drop of glue to the wire to make sure it stayed on the Pumpkin stem as well.

I kept three of the pumpkins for myself to make a centerpiece in my Harp room, but here is an idea on how to wrap them for presents in a cheap yet cute way: Wrap the pumpkin in Ceranwrap and tie it with some left over Fallish-type ribbon. TADAH! Add a little customized Holiday tag and your set.

You can barely see the wire that I got, it was a little too thin-but it still works. Also, I wanted to add an ode to my sweet little camera. This is the camera that my Dad got me in Florence after a little boy stole my camera at dinner. (Grr...) It has nothing spectacular about it, except I love it because I got it in Europe, BUT look what kind of picture it just took. I thought that my camera did such a good job.

Another Close up-yet another great effort Camera

Centerpiece shot

Centerpiece shot 2...Thanks for reading. Please don't think that I am being prideful or anything in this post. The only reason that I am excited is because I can actually READ directions from the incredibly talented Martha Stewart, and now I have got to spread it to the world! Hope you enjoy the rest of this Halloween Month.

Shapes, Hospitals and Bugs

First of all, I had a thought while watching Conference yesterday. What if I made shapes out of my pictures? So I did just that. Not sure if I like them though. Anyway-our Harp studio had another FABULOUS hospital performance. Of course, my camera acted up so I only have two shots-but two shots gives you an inkling of the amount of support that I got from these wonderful parents and students. They did so well and had fun even! We had a great turn out and made a group of Hospital members really happy.

The next weekend was Women's conference. I grabbed a bunch of ladies and took them to the broadcast for some good ol' fashion ladies time. We listened to church music on the way there, but on the way back I busted out a CD that my sister made which was dedicated solely to Bella and Edward, since New Moon is so soon! We stopped off at Sonic on the way home, I take that back, we stopped off at a GHETTO sonic on the way home. We decided to try and eat outside in this patio like space when one of the sweet pregnant women, Tara, squealed and began to breathe heavily. I thought for sure her water had broken! I began thinking, "Ok stay calm, carry her to the car, take her to the hospital, help her breathe in and out, a couple pushes here and there and boom, you can be a delivery doctor!" Thank Heavens for me, not so much for her-a GIANT beatle landed in her straberry slushy. After that happened to a few of the other ladies, we decided to hop in the car and flee from the attack of the Sonic Bugs. Thanks ladies for the good times. (Sorry again Lea for not asking the waitor guy to take another picture of us so that your head wasn't covered up!)

Mission Possible

I wanted to share the big news. I had asked my Bishop if it were possible that I become an ordinance worker at the temple, even though I was the age I am. He said it was possible, but I thought that once they accepted my papers they would take one look at me and tell me to go start having children. :) Quite the contrary actually! I went to the Houston Temple on Tuesday and met with President Bradshaw, the temple President, who said they needed me to start on the Friday morning shift. At first I was disgruntled because my parents work the morning shift at the Bountiful temple, beginning their day at 3:30 AM. Thankfully, I have to be to preparation meeting at 7:30 and I begin my morning shift at 8 AM finishing at 12:30. I had my first day this past friday and MAN...It was baptism by fire. I was running left and right trying to keep up with these sweet older ladies. I don't know how they do it actually. They even have a name tag for me and three people asked me for directions, making me feel like such a natural.

It has been such an interesting week though. I feel so peaceful and calm and so grateful to be in an enviornment as wonderfully sacred as the temple. I learned so much just on my first day that I can't help but be itching to get back there this next Friday to see what else I am gonna learn. Just pray I don't do something completely blasphemous-I do have a very light hearted personality that could get me in trouble one of these days.

So as of now, my Friday destination is...
The Houston Temple

Sales Guys, Parents and Home Improvements

We have just finished our second summer of Reliant Pest Management. We had a really fun group this year, wtih lots of personality-that's for sure.

We love you Sales Guys! Thank-you for all of your hard work-can't wait for you to come back for yet another year of Parker specials and incentitives! (That one's for you Rich).


Now on to a completly different topic: MY PARENTS CAME INTO TOWN. They came to witness my first attempt at leading the kids in their Primary Program. I was so nervous about it, but it went so well. Mom explained the Primary program as one of the many miracles of the church. I now understand that and have complete appreciation for that statement. While they were here we did a lot of eating out, cleaning, shopping and just hanging out. We loved every minute of having them here and can't wait for them to come again. Love you Mom and Dad. PS-There are no pictures of Steve Randall, my dad, because he refuses to be in pictures-even being the wonderful man he is...darn him. :)

Also when Mom and Dad were here, we re-decorated this room. Stacey, thank-you for your great advice on getting these mirrors. I LOVE them. Mom and I had a lot of fun hanging the skaunces (sp?) and greenery in particular. After Mom and Dad left, I broke down and bought myself a dining room table that I had been saving up for. We love it and it fits perfectly in this room. Our first night that we set it up, I went and got us Chic-Fil-et and we ate it on our new fancy dining room table. :) It is so fun to walk by and see that in our dining room instead of a big empty room. My students like it as well, they have a spot to sit now instead of sprawling on the floor. Welcome to our house perfect dining room table!

Mom, being the amazing woman she is, told me a hidden talent that she has which is staining doors and banisters and she did just that for our castle. Doesn't it look beautiful?

I don't know if I ever posted pictures of our new couch that we bought a while ago. So here you go. Stacey, thank-you so much for your rug-it looks perfect in here.

Remember when...

(Begin reading with a dreamlike distant look in your eyes...)Remember that time that I blogged about our trip to Island Park? Oh you don't? That's because I NEVER DID. (I'm lame.) So while I sit watching the USC game with Alex and my PARENTS (that's right they are in town, and I will blog about their visit soon...) let me fill you in on a couple of pics from Island Park:

We took an afternoon at Grandpa Woody and Grandma Wanda's cabin that the Parker's spent a lot of time at during the Summer months. Jamie caught some shots of Alex and I that I wanted to put on the blog. BUT FIRST-take a gander at our old school pic that was taken in downtown Island Park. Note: This was all Sande's idea (Alex's mom) and frankly, we all loved EVERY minute of it...including Alex who got to wear an awesome hat and a fake gun.

It's a Birthday!

I just wanted to thank everyone for their birthday wishes. It is so fun to hear from you and I am so grateful for you. (I'm especially glad that YOU are glad that I was born, because that sure makes our relationship more uplifting.:) Now on to the Birthday details: I am 23. 23! I don't feel much different than when I was at my 13th birthday party, but nevertheless, here I am...a 23 year old. My birthday celebration began yesterday when a delivery man handed me a dozen (at least) yellow roses from none other than my parents. They have nicknamed me "The Yellow Rose of Texas", which I find cute. Then around 10:30 that night I was visited by a family that takes Harp lessons from me that wanted to give me 4 deliciously scrumptious soaps from bath and body works. Thank-you Mann family! I went into work today where my co worker, Reba, brought in icecream and mix ins to make an "in-shop-Coldstone." (She remembered that Alex and I go every weekend, practically.) My boss, Mary, gave me a much coveted basket that she got at Garden Ridge which I will put to good use tomorrow during Harp lessons. John gave me my paycheck and all signed a singing card. After work I headed home for a hot date with Alex. He took me to Palottas, my favorite Italian resteraunt where we enjoyed Mozerella garlic bread, Spaghettini Carbonara and an entry entitled, "The Big Al"-no joke, Alex loves it. Alex then surprised me with a final gift for the day: A Samson G-Track-audio recording system! This will enhance my CD recording nearly 90%. I am so dang excited. Of course, I can't get it set up so I will be going tot he MAC store tomorrow, but hey, I am an owner of a professionally marked Microphone...yeah I feel like a big deal.

Cathryn's gone Business-y

I wanted to post some images of my new business cards that I had Simply K Photography produce for me. Katie picked out the font and everything and did F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!