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

Happy New Year!

Happy Happy New Year (& Merry Christmas!),
Hope everyone had a safe & enjoyable holiday season.

First my standard apology for not posting more regularly....I'm sorry & I will really REALLY try to be better in 2013! I knew it was bad when my Mom asked me to post :) This one's for you, Mom!

We have had a very busy last couple of months....and a lot of fun as well. The 4th Quarter marks my busiest time of the year for my job, and this year was no exception. I am really enjoying my job with Baxter & continue to feel so blessed that I got this awesome opportunity in 2012.

Beyond work, obviously November & December are just busy in general with family commitments and travels...We hosted Eric's family for Thanksgiving again and had a blast being together....

Then my sister and Mike hosted our annual "ThanksMas" at their new lake house (Smith Mountain Lake, VA) with my Mom & Dave and our growing brood of children (my sister is due with baby #2 at the end of April but she doesn't look pregnant at all -- grrr!! :).....

We spent Christmas Eve with Katie & Garrett and their families - They were so nice to include us again and they spoiled Sutton rotten :)

And, then we went to Richmond to visit Pop & Patsy last Friday for a long weekend (but by long I mean "TOO SHORT"! :)


2013 is already off to a great start, with plenty of reminders of what a wonderful group of friends we have, what a wonderful daughter we have, and what a wonderful family (extended and close) we are a part of...We feel SO lucky!
Cheers to you all.
XOXO
Megan & Eric

Seasons are a-changing....

Happy Sunday! Yes, it's been over 2 months since I posted anything & I feel terrible. At the risk of sounding monotonous, life is flying by...and when we are all together on the weekends, the last thing I think of doing while Sutton takes a nap is to update the blog -- but I will get better (now I know you are laughing :)

Obviously the seasons aren't the only thing changing around here....Sutton went back to "school", Eric was in Vegas for training for a few weeks & is now officially "on the new job", and I miss having them around more at home but have been more productive with work. We are all settling into our new roles, and do a decent job of juggling everything for now :)

Other things changing....Sutton is WALKING. and is really good at it. She started just at 13 months & hasn't looked back!  I'm sure my next blog will be about her talking. She is trying to say a lot of words right now, but only discernible by Mom/Dad :)

We've had a great few months...including family visits, Katie's bachelorette party in wine country, CA (amazing), and some family fun. I'll attach some pics....I hope you all are enjoying fall as we are, and that this blog is finding you happy & healthy.
XOXO
Megan

one of our 1st stops in Healdsburg. Awfully close to my maiden name, Toepel :)

The rolling hills of the Bouchaine vineyards

The girls at Iron Horse winery

Me & Katie, the BRIDE to be in 3 weeks!

a warm October Saturday playing outside

Forward facing now - finally some leg room :)

Laughing with Grandma

Grandma & Hailey on the hayride!

Hanging out with my pumpkins!

Running around before school one morning!

our doll baby

Grocery store after school one day -- driving!

Broke out the clubs...I'm gonna be a pro!