Cheer, Cheer for Old Notre Dame

Seven years after leaving Indiana, we were finally able to make our way back to the midwest. As soon as we found out that the Utes were playing the Irish, we started making plans for this trip. We thought it would be fun to take the whole family along! We were all a little sleep deprived by the end of the trip (some of us more than others), but it was totally worth it.

Here are the kiddos waiting for our flight to leave SLC. It was a first plane ride for all the kids! Lexi and Landon fought over who got to sit by the window so we split up, and not halfway through the flight Landon fell asleep! So much for the view.

The kids loved using the hotel crib as a playroom

Mark and I in front of our apartment

It was a beautiful day Friday afternoon and we spent a couple hours walking around on campus. Here is the Golden Dome.

Inside the Golden Dome. The trumpet section of the ND band plays the fight song inside the building. It is really loud, but the kids had fun watching and listening to this fun tradition!

Kids playing in the fall leaves. They were happy to get out of the car and run around after the drive from Chicago.


Outside the bookstore. It was too crazy inside for two rambunctious kids and a stroller!

I was able to go to a surprise birthday party for a good friend and former co-worker while I was there. He was so surprised to see me! It was fun catching up with him and his family!

Nieves, Sherrie and their kids Lauren and Brayden. Brayden had enough of taking pictures so that is him in the corner playing with a toy.

The kids made fast friends and loved playing together!

Game day on campus! Us in front of "Touchdown Jesus" (the library).

Kids in front of "First Down Moses"

At the MBA tailgate. It started to rain, but wasn't very cold!

At the stadium in the north endzone. Our tickets weren't the best, and Landon said,"Next time can you tell them not to put us way in the back?"

It rained the entire first half, and Lexi's face pretty much sums up how they felt about being there!

Our wonderful friends the Crowders who gave us the best accommodations!

Together with the Trytkos! Chris and Abby were very kind to watch Brennan for us while we went to the game.

There is a path that goes around this little lake on campus. Mark and I used to walk around it all the time. So even though it was cold and windy, we made the kids walk around it. They actually enjoyed it!

Our amazingly delicious Chicago pizza at Giordanos. This pizza is a must have if you are ever in Chicago!

The kids at Shedd Aquarium watching the dolphins swim.

Playing in the submarine!

Mark and the kids in front of the Chicago skyline. (I was in the car with a sleeping baby) It was a fun trip and I hope that the kids will remember it!

Lexi Turns 7

Where does the time go? I can't believe Lexi is seven already! She is such a cute girl and we just adore her! She loves playing with friends, riding her bike, coloring, writing stories, and singing. Mostly, she loves to play with her brothers! She is a wonderful big sister and helps me a lot with baby Brennan.

Lexi chose chocolate cake with pink frosting and helped me decorate it! Landon thought that he would help her blow out the candle.

She received her first set of scriptures with her name engraved on them and has been reading them at night all by herself.

It's a pillow...it's a pet...it's a pillow pet! Yes, thanks to the many infomercials on Qubo channel, Lexi is the proud new owner of a unicorn Pillow Pet that she named Diamond.

Lexi decided a long time ago that she wanted to go to Chuck'a'rama for her birthday dinner. It is kind of a joke in my family because that is where my grandparents insisted on taking us for our birthdays and we got really tired of it over the years. I don't think I had been to chuck'a'rama in probably 15 years, and you know what, it was pretty darn good! We love you Lexi!

Herriman Fire

I know it has been a long time since I last posted anything. I am planning on updating my blog in the near future, but this couldn't wait. This picture does not represent how serious and scary this situation was last night, but it was as close as we could get, and wanted to get for that matter. I have never experienced the threat of a fire before, and I never want to again. Our family and our house are fine. We were not part of the 1,500+ homes that were evacuated. However, many of our friends were evacuated and still are not allowed to go back to their homes. We are supposed to start building a home in two weeks in the area of the fire. I do not know at this time how close the fire came to our lot. From my bed, I just watched the flames blanket the hillside and worried. The firefighters fighting this fire are incredible! They saved so many homes that could have so easily been burned to the ground. I will post more information as soon as I can. This was definitely a night that I will never forget. I am thankful that no one was seriously hurt, and that only four homes were lost. It could have been much worse.

Brennan Mark joins our Family

Brennan was born on Feb. 22 just after 1:00 in the afternoon.

He came out screaming, which is a good sign, but was also a sign of things to come.

True to the Parry infant tradition, Brennan is colicky!

He weighed in at:

Big brother and sister meet him for the first time.

I was very happy that the hospital visiting policy recently changed so that

my kids could visit me and the baby.

All bundled up and ready to go home.

He is definitely a cutie, and looks exactly like Landon.

Brennan meets his cousin Ali for the first time.

She is exactly 4 weeks older than him, but is clearly twice the size!

The days continue to melt into each other. I am still in a sleep-deprived fog

most of the time, but have somehow made it through the first 3 weeks!

Brennan is our precious little baby boy and we are so happy to have him as part of our family!

Christmas Part 3 (Christmas Day)

Lexi was very excited Christmas morning to go downstairs and see if Santa had come. It was difficult for her to wait the 15 min. for me to do hair/makeup and wake up Landon, but somehow made it. Santa did make it to our house and here is some of the loot...

Landon got a Batman action figure that took him all of 4 weeks to break and is no longer with us.

Lexi got a ski helmet, which has already come in handy on the slopes this year.



Landon received Legos from Santa, which has turned out to be the favorite toy for everyone in the family, except mom who is constantly picking them up!

Landon got a cash register, pots and pans, cooking utencils (so that he doesn't "cook" in my pots and pans and ruin them anymore) and lots of fake food for his picnics and trips to the pretend grocery store.

Lexi got a watch set from g-ma and g-pa Coops. It has interchangeable faces and bands that she uses for just about everything except telling time.

Landon got more construction trucks to add to his collection. He now has a whole fleet of Caterpillar trucks. He should start his own constuction company!

Another favorite toy was this transformer, which he can transform back and forth by himself! Thanks everyone for a great Christmas!

Christmas Part 2

Ward christmas party! The primary did a wonderful nativity story reenactment. Lexi was the only angel that had wings. She did have a fabulously constructed halo made out of tinfoil, but unfortunately it did not survive the dress rehearsal. The angel's did a lot of standing around while the shepherds got into a kicking match...it was pretty hilarious.

Santa Made It!

When Santa came into the room, Landon was busy making a craft. I said, "Landon look who's here!" He looks up momentarily, then goes back to his craft. He looks up a couple more times and then says to me, "Is that the real Santa or a pretend one?" I did my best to dodge the question.

Landon learned a little something from last year. Last year he sat on Santa's lap and asked him for a lightning McQueen car. He was very disappointed when he got off Santa's lap and all he received was a candy cane. This year, he was smarter...he sat on Santa's lap and asked for a candy cane. Just look at the excitement on his face when he got what he asked for!!!

Lexi's experience was a little bit different. She had been waiting very patiently in line when her very rambunctious brother jumped up and hit her in the chin which caused her to bite a rather large cut in her tongue. I had to pull her out of line and race to the bathroom where I tried to get the bleeding under control. I think she was crying more because she thought she was going to miss Santa than the pain of having a gaping hole in her tongue. She got back in line and tried to compose herself before it was her turn, although she was very concerned that Santa was going to notice the blood on her shirt. I think she was a trooper and pulled it off very well. I on the other hand was ready to go home and go to bed!

Christmas Part 1

Our Nativity Story Tradition.

This is one of the kids favorite christmas traditions! They get better and more creative with their parts every year.

Mary (great with child) and Joseph

traveling to Bethlehem on their donkey

baby Jesus in his manger

a shepherd came to worship Jesus

Going to see the Lights

Cute Cousins!

the whole gang, minus the photographer....Mark