Babysitting? Jam Session? Piano Lesson?

Now what would babysitting be without a jam session with Uncle Aaron?........


........Just not the same........

Home Sweet Home...

We are home and our hearts are full from an absolutely wonderful time with my family! Aaron and I were seriously so blessed to see our family interact with one another in a loving, servant-minded, Christ-honoring way! Thank you family, for being shining examples of Christ to Aaron and I (and even little Linnea).

Just to catalog our trip, I'll share with you the events that unfolded. :) If you aren't into all the little details, then just look at the pictures :)

We first spent the night in Livermor, CA, visiting with Aaron's Aunt and Uncle (mine, too, now!) and had a wonderful time! It was so fun to see their old home and all the projects that have done/are doing to it. They live in a beautiful town and had a nice big TV where Aaron and I throughouly enjoyed watching the World Cup on, rather than our little computer with a blurry screen. ;)We then headed just a few more miles up to Walnut Creek and visited with some friends of ours. We had a wonderful time with them and got to play with their little 6 month old, Lilly. Linnea wasn't very patient with Lilly's inability to move, so poor Lilly was often left to fend for herself.This pic was taken after we got home from church on Sunday......too cute.

We then got to celebrate my friend's 21st birthday....we just happen to be swinging through her town on her b-day, which was a fun treat! :)

...And on up to Orroville (south of Chico) we went to see Aaron's grandparents!! It is always a pleasure to be with them. Grandpa John always keeps me laughing :) and Grandma Janet couldn't get any sweeter than she already is!....I don't think so anyways, but I suppose it is possible. :) We had fun playing Wii Fit for the first time...which was quite a hoot! We were all laughing pretty good! Unfortunately it might be a while before we are invited back...Grandpa wasn't too happy we beat him in bowling. :)Linnea feel asleep on our walk with Grandma and Grandpa...
We then stopped for the last time before our big trip at in-laws of my in-laws' sister! ;) I don't know if I explained that right, but the Clarks were so sweet and hospitable to let us stay in there home to make our drive a bit shorter for the last day. She made a yummy breakfast, and was a wonderful host!

And then FINALLY we made it to Oregon! I won't go into super detail, but the home we stayed in was super big, which was a super blessing from the Lord. We didn't at all feel like we were on top of each other, and having the beach be our back yard made it feel like paradise. Much more important than the home we were in was the many new memories I have with the most precious people in the world to me....We had sweet times of fellowship, sang songs around a campfire on the beach, had a couple family devotionals, played lots of games, went for walks/runs on the beach, went skimboarding in what felt like 40 degree weather with lots of wind (it was SO fun!), jumped over the waves and screamed at the freezing water with my nieces, enjoyed too much yummy food, lost water weight in the sauna :), went out to a seafood restauraunt, relaxed on the patio with a good book, shopped at the outlets, got too many ice cream frappucinos from a cute little coffee place in town (ok, well Aaron did :)), had a photographer do a family photo shoot on the beach, and just simply had a relaxed time!

Linnea enjoyed the beach this time (we didn't put any sticky lotion on her), which was so fun. Although she wouldn't last too long, as it was quite cold and windy on the beach. She LOVED her cousins, but was a little stinker with her Aunts and Uncles and Grandma and Papa. It took Aunt Kristin the whole week to get Linnea to smile at her! :)She adored her cousin Grace and my cousin Brooklyn. Grace was like my little mommy helper all week long, which was SUCH a blessing! I'm so sad that I didn't get a picture of Linnea with Brooklyn, though.
She pushed Linnea around in this for a good 20 minutes! Linnea LOVED it....just sat back and relaxed! Spoiled little girl....
She only let us sleep in once (7:20!), but we had fun with her in the morning while everyone else was snoozing :) She just gets cuter and cuter every day, too. She started giving Mommy and Daddy kisses, which we are just LOVING! :) Aaron and I had a wonderful time together just the two of us as well. We read the Bible together in the morning, which helped get our days off to a good start with our focuse being on the Savior! My husband was such a servant to me, always being willing to help with Linnea! Thank you, Babe! :)Every time I am with my family it is hard to say goodbye. The reason being they are such a true joy to be around. I honestly don't take for granted the fact that Aaron and I are so blessed to have such wonderful, God-loving families who are so close to one another and more importantly close to the Lord. I just have to take one look around and see that MANY families are not that way. I praise the Lord for saving each member of my family and growing us all into HIS image. They are all beautiful examples in different ways of our Savior. Thank you, family, for allowing the Lord to use you in mighty ways!

We only made one stop on our way back down, but Linnea did quite well considering...definitely some moments of screaming and crying, but overall we were very thankful. Our stop was with another Aunt and Uncle of Aaron's, and though the time was short, we had a great time. There home and the area they live in is Paradise! Literally! That's the name of the town :) And the name is justified....it is beautiful!! Their house overlooks a gorgeous green valley....woods everywhere! I miss woods! We played a couple rounds of Bananagrams, which is a very fun game, and had a delicious breakfast. Aunt Carol then took us for a walk along a canal in the woods near where they live.

I have to admit, I'm having to work at being thankful for where we live and not jealous of people who get to live in the woods or somewhere where there is green, rain, and seasons! The Lord says to give thanks in everything and to not grumble and complain. I am learning that when I really open my eyes, no matter where I am, I can see the beauty of the Lord and all the wonderful things I have to be thankful for. And trust me, the more I think, the more things I realize I am thankful for living here. The list would be too long to write at the moment. :)

So that about sums up our fun family adventures! :)

On the Road!!

Just wanted to update everyone....

The Johnson family is officially on vacation!! We have been on the road since Friday and have slowly been heading up to Lincoln City Washington for a big Parker Family Reunion!! (Just our immediate family for the most part, but big enough to be called a family reunion!)

We have had wonderful visits with Aaron's Aunt and Uncle, some friends in the Bay area, and we are currently with Aaron's Grandma and Grandpa! We will make it to Loincoln City tomorrow

I want to share a sweet message from the dearest woman I know in Santa Clarita....her prayer for me is truly my prayer on this vacation, and my prayer for the rest of the Parker clan......

"If I could encourage you now, plan now for how you will continue to spend time in the word even in a house full of family...ask God for ways to serve your husband...and seek to serve and love on and enjoy that little girl of yours...even as you help her get used to new surroundings. Praying for some sweet fellowship with your mom and sister...what a blessing they are for you."

May we all depend on the Lord and grow in our deep love for Him through precious time in His Word...and may we always be looking for ways to glorify the Lord in serving one another, encouraging one another, and spuring one another on to love and good deeds. And may our fellowship truly incoorporate all those things! And may we be so thankful for the sweet new momories the Lord gives as a family!

Bed Hair

Sometimes her beauty sleep isn't so beautifying....



But she is STILL the cutest thing I have ever seen! :)