Cousin Parker Jones’ visit

    Having our nephew Parker Jones spend a week with us, was pure awesomeness! He flew in around 11pm, on an unusually nice cooler day for Indiana Summer. Perry came with me to the airport while everyone else was asleep. We had made a sign for him and planned to meet him inside, but his flight was really early! (when does that ever happen?!)  Instead, Perry held the sign out the car window as we drove up to Parker at the curb. We got out and hugged him, then loaded his luggage. When he climbed in the car, the first thing he asked was, "Is it always this humid here??" Perry & I just laughed! I told Parker, "Oh buddy, you just wait. This is nothing." Perry added, "It's actually cool and nice tonight!" ha ha

When we taught him to wake surf, he got up on the first try and stayed up on the 4th try!! He did so great! He’s really athletic! Perry said “I knew he’d be able to do it!” Perry showed him how to use the ripstick today (*note to reader and you kids as future adults: never buy one, they are dangerous and I despise them!). I wasn’t out there but Perry said “I showed him how, he fell off once, then got up, took off, and nailed it!” It's sweet how proud Perry is of Parker. :)

I made sure to wake up the big boys early to get Indiana’s best donuts when they were fresh. (I offered to bring Jo and chuck, but they sleepily declined) That same afternoon, Alex Dodge came to hang with us while his brothers were at FSY. We all grabbed some lunch and corrupted Parker by feeding him Taco Bell. He hadn’t eaten it since he was 6yo! He was not impressed with the Doritos taco, but he did enjoy the Chalupa. :) Then we all went bowling. 

I promise we didn't just eat garbage while he was here. We had healthy dinners too. We introduced Parker to poké bowls and he loved them! Even taught him the proper way to use chopsticks. :)

We also went to Top Golf. My kids are getting better at it! It’s fun to watch them progress and get stronger. Parker golfs with his dad sometimes and has so much power in his swing!  

On Saturday dad took us all to hike Turkey Run. We love it there and Parker did too. In the canyon it was cool and nice. But once you hike up and out, it was humid and hot. Poor Parker was melting! Luckily Jo & I brought our Japanese hand fans and Parker made good use of it! After getting sufficiently hot and sweaty, dad & the kids all went swimming in the river while I watched our stuff. It was a lot of fun seeing them play and laugh together. They're making such great memories!

Matt & JayDee raised a good young man. He’s sweet and is always holding the door for everyone. At Turkey run when we were leaving, he held the door for me and some people behind us. When I turned to my side I didn’t see him. I looked back and saw him still holding the door. Some 4yr old boy was standing in the doorway staring at Parker… possibly challenging him! Ha ha! Park just held the door not knowing what to do! The boy's mom finally realized and moved him. But it was so funny that Parker just kept holding the door, like he was afraid of letting the door crush the kid. :) He’s so polite, helpful and funny! He has been really fun and sweet with Jo & Charlie. I know his family must have missed him. But we’re gonna miss him when he leaves. 

Perry & Parker shared a room all week, while Charlie slept back in his old room. (Thank you Charlie for sacrificing your bed for your cousin. Although, I'm pretty sure you slept great in your old one, without a big brother messing with you). P&P had a great time baking, riding bikes, competing in ping-pong, billiards, and thrashing around on the boat tube and lily pad. While they were baking, I made them re-create a photo from 12 years ago. The original photo was them as toddlers helping Aunt Heather in the kitchen and she let them lick the measuring cup! I always thought that photo was too cute! Reluctantly (& awkwardly) they agreed to re create it! :) Thanks guys! ha ha

While he was here I gave him a haircut and "bleached his tips". That was a fun night! Parker had mentioned a couple times that he knew people who had them, so I asked if he wanted them too. I even said if his parents are cool with it, I can do it very easily. But he'd just get shy and say, "Nah."  He was so cute and silly about working up the courage to ask me if I'd do it. Matt sent me a text saying, "If he asks for frosted tips, we're cool with it." About an hour after Matt texted, Perry, Parker and I were challenging each other in arm wrestling (I beat Perry then Parker, then Parker beat Perry, then Perry beat me!). When it was over, Parker sheepishly blurted out "Aunt Nancy will you give me tips please?"  Me: "Of course!! Why didn't you just ask, you goose!" Not only did we do his, but Parker convinced Perry to do it too. :) For most first timers getting tips with a cap, they don't know that when you pull the cap off it reveals little yellow quills...and looks like a mistake, ha ha! But it once I washed and toned their hair, it looked great. Such handsome boys! Note: this wasn't Perry's first time with tips. He did it back in 5th grade, I think. It's been a long time and he was nervous. But he's glad he did it now. Parker shared some of his mens hair styling powder for Perry to try. Perr liked it and it helped him get the dry messy look he's been wanting to try. 

We had dinner at Portillos last night. Parker ordered a Chicago style Italian Beef sandwich with spicy pickled peppers. Same thing I order. It was melting his mouth, but he enjoyed it! 

We couldn’t let this visit end without the traditional surprise water dump photo we’ve done in the past. While Perry and Parker went kayaking this morning, I filled a 5 gallon bucket and left it in the upper balcony over the back deck. Hours later, before we went boating one last time with him, I asked for another picture with the two of them. (I had already reminded them earlier to leave their phones at home before boating, so no risk of ruining devices. Their phones were on the kitchen counter) I counted to 3, "say cheese..." and dad dumped the water from the balcony! 

The best part was Parker’s eyes stayed open and his smile didn’t budge even when the water hit his head! 😆 He said 3 seconds before he remembered the other times we soaked them. He thought: “Wait a minute…”. But it was too late. And when it hit his head he was like, "Yep, this is happening!" Ha ha haaa!

At family scriptures tonight, before he leaves tomorrow, we gave him some things to take home. We sent him with some Japanese yen coins to have some to share with his brothers. Josie has a gift bag of little things for Cambri. (Cambri sent a gift bag and letter to Josie in Parker's luggage. It was really sweet!) Parker didn't want his parents to know he'd frosted his tips; he wanted to surprise them. So he was hoping to find a hat to wear off the plane but he didn't have one. I told him I'd find one. I wanted it to be an Indiana hat, but couldn't find one at any stores, that I thought were cool enough. But I did find a blank black & white hat and a patch with a checkered flag in the shape of Indiana. So I sewed the patch on the front of the hat and we gave it to him. He loved it! 

It was such a joy to get to know Parker better and spend so much time with him. It was fun to see how well he & Perry get along and how much they have in common. They even accidentally dressed a like a few times, ha ha! I didn't point it out, for fear they'd change their clothes. But it made me smile every time. 

Parker was great to talk to. He asked me lots of questions about me, about our family, the area, etc. And I got to ask lots of questions of him too. It was nice to have that time with him.  Our hope is to do this every year. The boys were thinking it would be fun to have Parker fly here for a week, then Perry fly back to UT with Parker for a week. I hope we can make that happen! I think these boys need each other. :)

We love you Parker and we miss you already.