Brett and Katie Family

Eric's Black Eye

2010-07-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

Eric got hit at our ward camp out by a "volleyball sized" boulder which came tumbling down a steep hill. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, and we feel so bad about it. We took him down to the McKay-Dee Hospital ER right away and he was given great care, and a CAT scan which showed he had received a hairline fracture. He swelled immensely which has dropped down to his left eye which is drooping and can hardly open, but his spirit is there and his smile is beaming! I LOVE my Eric Parry. What a CHAMP he is!!! I'm so grateful he will be o.k. I thank my Heavenly Father for blessing him even in this scary incident. I know he loves us and is merciful and kind, even in our tragic mistakes and accidents!

Lagoon and Summer Happenings 2010

2010-07-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

Here are some fun Lagoon Pics too! We have had such a great time there this year! Living in Layton does have it's advantages :).

Our Trip to St. George and Zion National Park

2010-04-29T12:37:00.001-07:00

Our family had a great time together in St. George a few weeks ago. Here are some pictures of the trip. It's fun to be together...just us! We spent a day at Zion National Park and finished the trip at the pool at Todd and Tracy Parrys (thanks again guys)! A perfect little mini-vacation just for us!

Cameron Lloyd Parry Turns 3!

2009-10-12T22:05:00.001-07:00

I love you Cameron! I hope you had a happy birthday!!!

First Summer in Utah 2009!

2009-10-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

Cameron made his way into the sheep pen at the farm! What a "stinker!"

Tanner started a new pre-school and made some real best friends!

Cameron also made a new best friend, we love AIDEN!

Got to go to the zoo with Grandma Parry...thanks Grandma always!

Our neice Meg's 3rd birthday pony party was one of the real hits of the summer!

Eric is growing and still smiling!

Tanner played on his first soccer team, Dragon Balls, with Dad the couch and a fun team!

Cameron and Eric riding on the big-wheel. Cam is my firecracker of a child!

Utah - Here We Come!

2009-02-16T19:51:00.000-08:00

Hey all you friends and family we've been keeping in touch with! That's it! We are moving BACK to Utah! Yep, didn't get that final job we had been applying for in Pheonix, but we are grateful to have a great job in Utah and to be "[getting] back to where we once belonged"....the Beatles. Anyway, it's where my family and I grew up, so it really is nice to go back to our "roots" and to my "home" town and family and friends again. We will most likely be living in Layton, UT so watch out for us all of you up NORTH! We'd love to hook up with ya'll! Can't wait to hang out with some of you soon! We'll probably be moving mid March-ish. We L-O-V-E Arizona and our home(s) here and ALL of the way awesome people we've come to meet and L-O-V-E here. T-H-A-N-K-Y-O-U!!!!!

Eric Parry and other Parry updates!

2009-02-12T20:32:00.000-08:00

This is REALLY really late posting, but our dear baby boy (#3) Eric Ralph Parry was born in Gilbert, Arizona on December 23rd, 2008! He is great and greatly loved by all - especially his two older brothers Tanner and Cameron! He was given a name and a blessing in Utah with all our wonderful brothers and sisters and family around. He weighed 7 Lbs. 8 oz and had a head full of hair! It was great having my brother Rob and parents around during the holidays and during the time he was born.

We are still in "limbo" with our job opportunities and future career and home plans! Will it be Utah or Arizona, we have no idea, but we should know by Monday, February 16th...my birthday of all days! Phew!

It's been a great and hectic time of life - a great blessing getting to stay at Brett's parents home with my kids and a new baby during the last four weeks. All the "limbo" status of Brett's new job in Salt Lake City and continuing training and interviewing and traveling in between have made us one busy couple and family. Thanks to all who have kept us in their thoughts and prayers and for their needed support! We love our family and friends! We will be glad to get settled again...someday!

The Parent's of the Year award goes too....

2008-12-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

We get "parent's of the year" award for this one.

first of all, notice Brett's attempt to almost light Cameron's nose on fire and his mom singing "Happy Birthday Dear CAMERON" at Tanner's 4th birthday party...I guess things were a little choatic with that many kids and I am trying to sing and video tape at once which is obviously too much for me to get my own son's name right! I'm sorry Tanner Man...you know we love ya!

Tanner Turns 4!

2008-12-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

I had to show how I am nine months prego and almost wanting to die at this point when Tanner's party came along...seriously Joanna, where would I be without you?

Tanner got SO many great birthday presents thanks to all his kind and generous friends...he loves them all!

Happy Birthday Tanner Man! We are so pleased of what a good boy you are! We are really greatful to FUNASTICS for throwing us the BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY EVER! Seriously, I am indebted to my good friend Joanna and her generousity...FUNASTICS ROCKS! Thank you to all of his and our friends (Indi, Walker, Remington, Ruby, Zach, Chase, and Tyson, Clayton, Crew, Kosten, Emily, Jessica, Natalie, Hailey, and Derek, and Reese) who made it to his birthday celebration. We love you guys. Here are some pics!

Cameron's 2nd Birthday - Opening Presents

2008-10-06T15:53:00.000-07:00

Let's see how this video turned out (I thought we were just taking a picture at first to explain my holding that pose...and then, just excuse my onryness at the end..please).

Cameron Turns 2!

2008-10-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

Cameron turned 2 on October 5th (General Conference Sunday)! Sorry...we are not the best photographers.
He got lots of great gifts including a new scooter from Mom and Dad, cars (still his favorite toy) from Grandma and Granpa Parry...
and a cool new Batman costume from Grandma and Grandpa Alvord!

Thanks! The gifts were perfect and now we are ready for Halloween!
We also celebrated with our family the Gillettes and great neighbors like Jessie and Cassie who came just in time for cake and ice-cream!
Thanks everybody who made it a special day! We love you Cameron! You are such a nice, sweet and cute child

Bounce Play at Funastics!

2008-09-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

Good times at Funastics this Wednesday as our friends got together for a play-date on our kids "day-off" from Preschool! Thanks to everyone who came and lets do some more fun stuff in the future!

New Friends

2008-09-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

We've enjoyed getting to know our new friends in the ward and having their kids Indi and Walker over for play-dates every other week! Thanks for making our lives fun!

San Diego Trip

2008-09-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

Of course we did the beach thing too!

San Diego Trip

2008-09-24T20:35:00.000-07:00

This was the cutest ride EVER at LegoLand. Tanner was just the right age to ride these moving horses ride while Cameron was napping!

Lego Land was a lot of fun! Check out the cool lego structures.

The kids just LOVED this part of LegoLand. They could've been happy with this all day! But of course we had to see EVERYTHING that LegoLand had to offer!

Tanner was JUST tall enough to go on some of these big kid rides!

This is really late news, but we enjoyed a little family get-away to San Diego this summer that I never documented. So here are some Pics!

DUDE!

2008-09-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

o.k. Tanner cracked me up today, and I just had to write it down! We have a new neighbor friend named David. David is six year's old (and Tanner is three). He comes over to play "Starwars" together and other such fun boy activities. Anyway, David said "Dude. (ya da ya da ya da). and Tanner TOTALLY picks up on this new "LINGO" and starts saying "DUDE." to David. I am in the same room overhearing their conversation and just LAUGHING OUT LOUD! David started teasing Tanner about it a little bit being like "DUDE! DUDE!" and Tanner thought it was hilarious. I don't know if he'll continue to use the word "dude" in his everyday talk, but it was sure funny to hear him talk like a teenager (or like some adults I know real well. ha ha ha!) Tanner is such a smart kid and just picks up on everything! He's a lot of fun and we sure like our new friend DAVID. He's a real sweet kid and welcome over anytime!

Highlights of Summer 2008

2008-08-09T13:11:00.001-07:00

Brett's brother MARK came to town and checked out our new house and pool one day! He's so strong!

Playing over at Emily and Jessica's house! COOL DUDE! They are the greatest to my boys. They have soo much fun over there! Thanks for taking care of them too!

Tanner started his FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! He got a new back-pack and waited for the school bus! He is SOOOO independent and ready! It's a tender moment!

Getting to know our new neighbors! The kids have fun playing "dress-up" together and we enjoy having families over for a summer bar-b-que!

Utah Summer 2008

2008-08-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

Tanner LOVED Will our newest Nephew, and so did I!

Daddy meeting us at the AIRPORT! FEW! Finally, some relief!!!

On the airplane. Kid's first flight together. We got in trouble a few times, but hey, I thought they were really good for two young boys!

At the Utah Hogle Zoo.

Enjoying snow cones with the fam.

Messy birthday cake at the Twin's 2 year old Birthday Party!

Cameron Playing Jim's drums!

Hey! We had a WONDERFUL time in Utah! Thank you FAM for making it MEMORABLE! Grandma Judy was the greatest taking the kids to the Utah Hogle Zoo one morning, and to Jungle Jim's too! My kid's had a BLAST! We also had fun staying at Dave and Laura's home and getting to see all our WONDERFUL COUSINS and FRIENDS!!! We LOVE YOU GUYS and MISS YOU! We are SO glad that we have such a GEAT FAMILY! As Tanner says it "I LIKE MY FAMILY!"

More Europe Pictures

2008-07-03T05:39:00.000-07:00

More About Erope

2008-07-03T04:58:00.000-07:00

Well, it's absolutely impossible for me to write about everything we did, but I will try! Where was I...In Germany we went to Berchtesgaden where some of us went to Eagle's Nest which was a Retreat of Adolf Hitler which was gorgeous, way up high in the mountains with beautiful views and scenery. We also did a Salt Mine Underground Tour which was a lot of fun cause we got to get dressed up in these coverups and ride this ride through a long dark tunnel. We also rode these really long slides down in the salt mines. It was pretty cool (they had lights and a salty lake we got to taste!).
The highlight of my trip had to be visiting the Neushwanstein Castle (famous because of the Disneyland Castle "replica"). It was soooo cool and quite the romantic setting because of the mist and the trees the day we went and toured the castle. The inside was so exquisite, it did make one feel quite royal. It was built by Kind Ludwig II I believe who only lived in it 160 days and then was found dead. Anyway, we got invited to SING in the castle in their ballroom and we did SUCH a great job that it moved this one particular family to TEARS! We were all MOVED by their reaction that it started some of us crying! My roomate Debbie and I gave them a pass a long card and we got to know them and their three grown boys and heard they were from Upstate New York! I wish I would have gotten their names and addresses so I could send them a CD and keep communication with them. I do not think it was coincidence that we were on the same tour of the castle as them and that we got to introduce our selves and sing for them!
Our last day in Europe we traveled to Munich, Germany. Some of us toured Dachau, a concentration camp (not fun...to sad and devastatingly disgusting for me!) I won't go into that awfulness..I don't really recommend it! From there we met up with the rest of the group at Marienplatz which is the center of downtown Munich where we saw the Glockenspiel performance (a really old ornate building in the center of town that had music, bells and a little carousel of statues playing instruments that went around at 12 p.m. and every hour). We did another impromptu concert their had free time there, dinner, ice-cream and then a concert with the All Saints and Latter Day Chorale at a stake center there in Munich.
Our final destination was in Oberammergau, Germany - a beautiful little town with flowers on every window seal and little quaint shops everywhere to look at (buy a "wench dress" or a nut-cracker and such). Sooo cute. Oberammergau is where they had a Passion for Music Festival where several choirs from all over the world, including Austria, South Africa, Hungary, USA, Netherlands, ect, performed. We did as well. I LOVED the South African boys! They were SOOO much fun. They loved to sing and just had a lot of fun on stage. They had musical instruments and dance movements and such. It was great. We did a final performance (for the Mayer there) and then got a few hours night sleep before our TREACHEROUS trip back home. We woke up at 3 a.m. only to find a 3 hour delay in Zurich airport. That's o.k. I was able to stock up on last minute chocolate and get rid of the last of my Euros and Franks. It was a long trip back - took over 24 hours of traveling and little sleep to finally land back in Phoenix! I am still a little messed up by the trip as you might can tell by my 4 in the morning blogging and emailing!!! But at least I am getting it done, (right Natalie!!! :)

My husband and two children Tanner and Cameron met me at the airport in Phoenix when I arrived home. I am SOOOOOooOOOOO GRATEFUL for my little family and those children I love SOOOOoooo Much! I am sorry I left them but I am thankful they were well when I got home and thank you to Kristin Gillette and the Gillette family (Natalie) for helping to look after the boys while I was away! You guys are the greatest around and we love you!!!

Europe Trip

2008-07-03T04:29:00.000-07:00

Hey! I made it back from EUROPE (alive and well)! It was a great opportunity and a great experience thanks to Gregor and Lorri McHardy and the Latter Day Singers! We visited Zurich and Bern Switzerland where we sang in some old catherdral, walked the streets and shops (that were part underground) and had a concert in a Music Conservatory where we sang to the Latter Day Saints in that part of the world. We also got to spend the night (my roommate Debbie and I) with one of the Switzerland families who were just great! (Rahel, her husband and three adorable children who we couldn't understand but the parents spoke great English). They were very accommodating, had a beautiful home high in the mountains of Switzerland (just BEAUTIFUL) and fed us meat and cheese and homemade bread for dinner! I got sick from lack of eating due to our tiring schedules that day and singing at a late concert, but we handled it well! Sunday, we also walked along the lake in Bern Switzerland which was a lot of fun and quite the hang out!
Next, we visited Salzburg, Austria where Mozart was born and raised. We did a tour of his life and of the city. Salzburg had a long tunnel through the mountain which we walked through to get to the other part of town. Everything is old in Europe. Some of the homes and restaurant were "carved" into the mountain side. The same day we did the Mozart tour we also hiked to a very old Fortress on the top a mountain and learned some interesting facts about the time. We had a nice hotel room here at the Star Inn. The weather was pretty great the whole trip (rained one night is all). Germany and Austria games were also going on while we were there!
We also ate at a cool restaurant that was built back in 805 a.d. Crazy! We did a lot of singing and impromptu concerts as well.

Europe Trip 2008

2008-07-03T03:57:00.000-07:00

Hey! I'm BACK on BLOGGER! (I finally was able to figure it out)!

The Cruise

2008-03-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

Hey! We had such a blast on our CRUISE to Progresso, Mexico and Cozumel! Thanks to Jim and Sarah for getting the whole thing started - together, Barry and Kassi (Brett's close friends from childhood and college buddies) and Jim and Sarah and their friends Brian and Julie came. What an adventure. Everybody had there "moment" to "SHINE" on the boat! Including Jim and Sarah featured on the Newly Wed Game and Katie winning the game show, going home with her very own "ship on a stick". Brett missed out on the "Hairy Chest Competition" but we know he would have gone home with a gold medal. ha ha ha. Between the 8 of us, we even won two bottles of Champaign....and we don't even drink! So much fun though just chillin together (despite and because of the crummy weather) playing card games and even doing some fun excursions like Snorkeling in Cozumel, Sail boating (boys) and visiting some Mayan Ruins and horse show! We missed some of you who weren't there, but don't worry, I think this trip is worthy of a sequal! Hope to see you next time...mwa! By the way, I even ate at my first "Midnight Buffet". A dream of mine since my cruise I went on with my Grandpa Alvord when I was like 7.

Day at the Zoo

2008-02-23T13:05:00.001-08:00

Our little family had such a great day at the zoo today, Saturday, February 23, 2008. My kids are the funnest to watch, not the animals, but they get a kick out of being there and seeing some interesting new animals (and chasing the birds around). We enjoy our Saturdays together. The kids are getting so much bigger these days.

Katie's 28th Birthday Party

2008-02-23T12:42:00.000-08:00

My 28th Birthday party was a great time! Thank you to friends and family who made it out to our home to make it memorable...it's people like you that make my life so special and happy! Seriously, friends and family mean so much to me. You guys are the greatest in the world and thank you to my wonderful husband who helped throw it together with a great bar-b-q dinner and ice-cream cake. I love ya all. Here's to another year ahead!!!

5th Anniversary

2008-02-15T11:45:00.000-08:00

Brett and I just celebrated our 5th anniversary on February 13th, 2008! We had a GREAT one this year (thanks Brett). For our actual Anniversary, we went out to "Roy's" Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine for dinner. It was the best. We highly recommend the butter fish platter. Seriously waayyy good! After words we got our jewelry cleaned at "Jared's". For Valentines day this year, we bought concert tickets to go and see HEART and Emerson Drive live at WestWorld. It was SOOO MUCH FUN! Both bands did an amazing job, and we were rockin' out to HEART! It took my back to my childhood days some. Too many lesbions there we noticed however. But still a VERY memorable Anniversary and Valentines Day to remember forever...I love you HONEY!

Christmas and New Year

2008-01-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

We had a very happy Christmas and New Year! We loved being able to spend it with family in home-sweet-home Utah! Thanks Jim and Sarah (and Cowans) for making this a memorable one! We all got to sit on Santa's lap over at Grandma and Grandpa Cowans nice home! We had to stop eight times on the way home back to Utah due to some runny diaper issues, but we made it by midnight. It's all worth it though! We brought in the new year at home with our kids in the bath tub! Happy 2008!!!!

Livin It Up In Cancun, Mexico!

2008-01-25T12:50:00.000-08:00

Brett and I had a BLAST in Cancun, Mexico the other week! We did a couple of adventures like zip-lining and boating and made some new friends, Carrie and Mason Lundell! It was great just to be together, just the two of us, and enjoy some alone time together. Some other highlights were the "Pirate Ship" we got to have dinner on! This was especially fun to tell the kids about at home! Thanks AirCold for making this possible! We had a great time and look forward to more trips in the future together. By the way, my parents, Grandma and Grandpa Alvord took care of the kids at home while we were away! It was a win-win!

Friends at the Party

2007-12-17T21:01:00.001-08:00

Tanner Blowing out his candles

2007-12-17T21:00:00.001-08:00

Tanner's Spider Man Birthday Cake

2007-12-17T20:59:00.001-08:00

Tanner waiting for Friends to come to his Birthday Party

2007-12-17T20:57:00.001-08:00

Tanner on His New Bike

2007-12-17T20:55:00.001-08:00

Tanner's first ride on his new bike on his 3rd birthday

2007-12-17T20:48:00.000-08:00

2007-11-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

"Smile for the camera" what a cheese!!!

2007-11-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

"Give me that camera". Cameron is a fun boy!

Home in Arizona

2007-11-13T21:13:00.000-08:00

It's November, Fall, and still nice enough to play in the park where we live. We go just about everyday and make friends with just about everyone who shows up that day. I guess we should be grateful for the many nice people we associate with there daily.