Always something to celebrate

Eric & I have joked that we always have something to celebrate, or rather -- we come up with an "excuse" to celebrate...Be it as small as "surviving a Monday", "getting through a busy week", "working with a new surgeon"...or as big as a New Job, a birthday, etc....It typically involves spoiling ourselves with either a cocktail or a dinner one of us was craving :)

This time, however, we really DO have a lot to celebrate.....In no particular order, this is our list:
1) Sutton has pooped in the potty 4 times at school! WOW!!!! (But I can barely get her to sit on the potty for 30 seconds at home? What's the secret :)?)
2) Eric got a new job, starting August 26th, as the Consumer Credit Manager (or something like that?!) at New Dominion Bank -- a nice jump in his resume & an exciting new(er) company with innovative ideas on traditional banking
3) We are 14 weeks pregnant with TWINS -- and I'm huge already :) They are fraternal & as soon as we know what we are having, we'll let YOU know!
Due on Feb 6th, but they will be here most definitely by 38 weeks -- per my OB -- Jan 23rd.
4) Sutton turns 2 years old tomorrow! I cannot believe how fast time flies....
5) Pop & Patsy are getting married soon -- Sept 7th!

See? That's a lot to celebrate isn't it?!

In fact, it's so much good fortune that I started to sort of worry about when the shoe would drop...Isn't that awful? But thanks to some soul searching & advice from good friends/family, I've realized that its just a very good season for the Parker family...We certainly had some bad seasons as well, which makes us appreciate this happy news list all the more.

I'm attaching some recent pictures & will have more as we celebrate Sutton's birthday this week/weekend....
Hope you are all doing well...XOXOOX

Summer Fun!

Including Sutton in our TWIN news!

Not so sure about this, Mom...

Sorta smile :)?

Pre Dinner out with Mom & Dave last weekend

the 4 of us!

Sutton & Grandma before school

Playing with Daddy on the floor

This video was taken in the elevator @ the hotel while we were at the beach...

She can count to 10 in Spanish!!! Still working on English :)

Happy Summer So Far!

Hi all & happy summer :)

Just wanted to attach the link to our Europe pictures if anyone is interested in looking through the 200-ish photos of our time in Barcelona & London at the end of May.. Despite a rocky start (flights cancelled, rebooked, emergency landing in Newfoundland, Canada...more flights missed....and even a stolen purse :) we MADE it & had the time of our lives...It flew by. Mom & Sutton had a wonderful time back in Charlotte; Annie & her two girls (new baby Jordyn & Hailey) even came for a visit. :) Fun for everyone.

Link to Pics:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2CbsWrVu0ZuJA

After our return, we jumped right back into "normal hectic life" -- work/daycare/bills/chores :) -- but managed to sneak away to the beach with Sutton for a weekend in June....and then just recently over the 4th, we managed to sneak away again to Annie/Mike's lake house @ Smith Mountain Lake. Our families had a wonderful time!

Work is in overdrive, which is amazingly good & such an anomaly for the summer....Everyone is healthy (knock on wood) & honestly, life is so so good. We all feel very blessed.

More to come soon. Enjoy the pics....Sending lots of love to you all.
Megan, Eric & Sutton

Sutton smiling at the beach :)

Laughing as Daddy throws her in the air!

She made a new friend, 10 year old Becca from Indiana. 

at the Vendue Rooftop in Charleston

Our new tile floor in butlers pantry (no more stinky carpet)

New hardwoods in the dining room...

Sutton & Mommy in the paddle boat @ SML

Hailey & Sutton had UNPLANNED matching swimsuits!

Checking each other out :)

2 girls sitting on my lap reading goodnight moon

Back in Charlotte -- we had to stop & buy a doll/stroller like Hailey's after the lake :)

Goodbye Sweet Maddie girl...and other updates....

Today we said goodbye to our sweet Maddie dog....after 17 years of loyal friendship & love, we knew her quality of life was no more....She went very peacefully and quietly here with the help of Lap of Love (a vet that comes to your home) & we got to kiss her & pet her the entire time. This doesn't make it any less sad for us, but at least we know she is going to a place with no more pain like she had here. She was a wonderful dog & won't ever be forgotten.

Thanks to you all for the support & encouragement we needed (& still will need :) to get TO this & THROUGH this...
A little memory lane...

Beyond the obvious heartache, we all are otherwise doing well. I had a great Mother's Day with Sutton & Eric...and we are enjoying some wonderful weather in Charlotte right now! Last weekend, Sutton & I got to meet the newest addition to our family -- Jordyn Avery Rekrut, my new niece, in Raleigh. Sutton & Hailey had a great time playing together and with Grandma...and Sutton is eagerly awaiting Grandma coming while Eric & I go to Europe soon....10 days!

That's all for now. 

XOXO, 

The Parkers, missing Maddie

Family Fun, March Madness, and 6 years....

Hi everyone!
Lots of things to report....

First & foremost, Eric has a(nother) NEW JOB! He is now a Business Banking Relationship Manager @ SunTrust....and he LOVES it....This is such a blessing for our family...He works closer to home, is extremely excited & confident about his position, and really enjoys his coworkers....So we are very very grateful for this news!

It's been busy, though, adjusting to the new job...Once again, Eric has had to go away for training -- Not Vegas this time (another "Praise the Lord" :) hahaha -- but to Atlanta. He was gone all of last week & will be gone another week in April. It becomes quite challenging with my "enlarged" territory and the demands of work to handle the house/Maddie/Sutton & work! I counted down the minutes until he came home :)

My mom was in town for a few days (with Annie & Hailey for 1 of them) recently...Hailey & Sutton had the BEST time together once again...and are really developing quite a friendship! It thrills Annie & I to watch, as we feel so close to the cousins we grew up with... :) I know things may change when Annie has Jordyn on May 3rd, her next daughter....but for now, the cousins are BFF's! ha!

Eric & I are looking forward to having Josh Haggerty stay with us tonight -- Eric's very close friend who lives in VA Beach...We're also excited to have Eric's brother, Tim, and our nephew, Mitch, come down for the weekend. Never a dull moment in this B&B :)

Looking forward to some good basketball with March Madness kicking off as well..... Always a fun time of year! Oh yeah, and we got a new car last weekend -- our first REAL New car! It's a 2013 Acura MDX...and we said goodbye to Eric's BMW after about 4 years and too many miles :)

Lastly, as many of you know, I usually take today to think of my Dadd and highlight the anniversary of his passing. Its been 6 years... I am choosing not to dwell on it today as I don't want to think of him dying, but rather him living. I know he is living in heaven & looking out for our family & all of those he loves everyday still. It doesn't mean I don't miss him like crazy :) still...
Hope you all are safe, happy & healthy...
xoxoxo
megan

Picture time (not in chronological order) - Sorry :)

At our national sales meeting in LA in Feb -- part of my Southeast Team!

Our first snowfall of the season (feb)

Hailey & Sutton swinging away!!

Hailey supports the Wolfpack :)

Sutton & Hailey playing around at HomeGoods

Sutton in her Tarheel dress that Aunt Annie made!

Our new CAR! 2013 MDX. We love it :)

interior of car

St Patty's Day on the deck -- beautiful day here!

That's my girl!

Playing with a new (hand-me-down) toy, Blue Dog!!

The full Tarheel outfit, complete with squeaker Tarheel shoes!

Hailey & Sutton smelling the flowers

The girls holding hands as we walked from store to store

The girls giving hugs by the fountain after breakfast

Holding hands again

Super Bowl Sunday!

Hi all --

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

Things are busy, but good around here....same ol, same ol for the most part.

My sister & her two girls (almost 3 girls!) were here last weekend for a visit....Eric made himself scarce (too many women isn't a good thing :) & we had a blast together....

Sutton, Annie, & Nicole

Hailey & Sutton playing

Sutton eating snack, being a ham :)

Trying on the dress that Annie made for Sutton -- AWESOME!

Admiring our masterpiece (Annie, Nicole, me) of the world's best choc chip cookies!

Yesterday, Eric went to Raleigh with Tim, South and their dads for the Miami/State game & some guy time...They had a great time as well, despite Miami winning by 1 point :( Sutton & I had a wonderful time together -- played lots, had lots of hugs & lots of giggles....

Playing on a cooler that Jill left on Friday night after our sweatshirt/pierogi dinner party :) Be glad I don't have pictures of that!

My little Monkey!

Blowing a kiss to Daddy (while he was away, I took this & sent to Eric)

I had to post these spaghetti face pictures....

She LOVES it :) can you tell?

On a more serious note, my company laid off 40% of the people in my position across the country this past Tuesday...Having survived that,  I am overwhelmed with gratitude, sad for those who have been displaced, and in a tiny way -- still scared that this isn't the end of it...but clearly, it's not my plan :) We will just take it as it comes and be grateful for what we have today!

LASTLY, GO Niners!!!!!!! I'm anxiously awaiting kickoff tonight...and after years of not caring about who is in the Super Bowl, I care this year -- because I am a 49er fan by marriage & it's been a long time a-coming :) HA!

Love to you all,
Megan