Guest blogger

My name is Elliott. Today I am a blogger. This is a guest blog. I don't think I could ever be a good daily blogger because I am not a conversationalist. My thoughts dive too deep too often. I flip things around and analyze the underbelly of everything... which simply ruins romantic walks on the beach.

An essayist and a poet are closely related. One gives you a delightful meal, the other a cube of chocolate. Or an Altoid. Or a Lemonhead. You shouldn't eat too much. Can you imagine eating a bowlful of lemonheads? They'd find you in a puckered coma.

Anyway, I think I'll post a poem every so often here in Blogville. Pam said that would be okay. This one is for all you women. These are song lyrics. That's why there's a chorus...

These Women Of Ours


They can dance and fill our heads with twinkling stars
They can love and knock the edges off days long and hard
They can smile and give us a reason
To open these old stubborn hearts
Thank God for these women of ours


They can climb any ladder of so-called success
Take control, steal the show in a red satin dress
They can stand firm and stubborn against hell's better demons
Then fold at a handful of flowers
Thank God for these women of ours


Chorus:
We can climb up mount Everest, leave footprints in Moondust
But still, we'll never go higher
Than the love – just one woman's sweet soft love


Just one glance can change all our wild crazy plans
Just one kiss can tame any rambling man
Just one tear can melt us, render us helpless
One touch can set us on fire
We're all fools for these women of ours


Repeat Chorus


So I move that we bring back a few old-fashioned things
Tipping hats, opening doors, and giving up seats
And I hope you don't think I'm saying they're weak
It's a matter of honor not power
I just thank God for these women of ours


© 2007 Elliott Park

Snow Day!

I love snow days because I don't have to get up and ready and out of the house to get the kids to school, but after that wears off, I realize that I have all the kids, all day! As you might expect they were whining to go out as soon as they knew what was going on. I decided to just jump into it rather than whine myself. I got all the layers they needed, hats, gloves, boots, etc. and let them out. They are so funny to watch.

Taste the snow on the bird bath - check. 

Taste the snow on the car - check. 

Taste the snow on the driveway - check. 

Make a snow angel on the driveway - check.

Slip and fall - check.

John and his "arctic lord of the flies" pose

After about 45 minutes, they came in, frozen, stripped down to their long underwear, and sat down in front of the tv to watch a movie. I'd call that a full day! 

God's Bling!

Just some shots I got of scenes around my "neighborhood."

Game Night 2006

Game night 2006 was a success! In case you weren't there, Mr. Park's brother, Eric,  was the game night champ this year with a narrow win gained by a tie-breaking round of rock, paper, scissors. 

2006: The year in pictures

I am not the world's most avid photographer, but I did take some pictures last year. So, to chronicle the year that the Park family had, here they are...

The kids got a new cousin, Alayna,
on January 17.

Took a spontaneous trip to Ft. Worth to take the 

kids to the zoo. I am greatly pregnant 

and uncomfortable!

Our Anna Banana turned 4 on March 28th.

Added another Park on April 1st.
 Her name is April...no joke!

My peeps took me to my favorite restaurant 

for my birthday, Fuji steakhouse.

Lucky John shoots unlucky rabbit 

in our front yard in June.

Elliott finishes his second house 

on our land....this one's for the kids!

Anna started school with John in August. In case 

you're counting, that's two down and two to go!

The West Texas Fair and Rodeo. A September 

tradition that's eating away at our savings!

John turned 8 on September 13th and had his first 

real slumber party with five other wild boys!

Elliott and I got to take a second 

honeymoon in October to celebrate our 

11th anniversary on May 13th.

Sweet Autie turned 3 on October 12th!

The kids got another new cousin on 

October 16.  Caroline Emma Park.

 Hallelujah Night in Clyde was 

fantastic. The girls were a princess 

and a mermaid...

and John was a pirate (seen here with Capt. Jack).

In November, Elliott received his ASCAP 

award for #1 song in the nation! Here he is telling 

everyone about the destiny God has put on 

"I Loved Her First."

The year ended with John becoming more of a hunter,

Autie becoming a cheerleader,

Anna becoming a bride,

and April meeting someone very special
for the first time!

One more thing...

Okay. I thought of one more thing for my list. This one is a doozy! I'm not sure I even want to put it on the list because that would make it official and it would be out there for all the world to see. Here goes. Last year, as in a couple of months ago, Elliott requested that I find some place other than Wal-Mart to shop for, let's see.....EVERYTHING. He and I read a book called the Wal-Mart Effect about how they have swooped in and taken over all the mom and pop places and the tactics they use. It made me think twice about them, but necessity won over conviction. There's just no other place I can go for, let's see....EVERYTHING! Anyway, long story short (too late) I have resolved to not spend any money at Wal-Mart this year. And, shoot, if I can do that for a year why would I ever go back - ever? I am doing it not so much to take a stand, because I know there are lots of other stores that have tried to do the same thing but were unsuccessful. I am doing it because my husband requested it and I would like to see if I can do it. I am creative. I am resourceful. And gosh darn it, it's just a store with lots of stuff and I can get stuff anywhere!

My new hang-outs will be:
● H-E-B - they have all kinds of stuff and some of it is gourmet!
● Target - cute, cute clothes...for the whole family! They'll probably last a little longer, too.
● Payless, Shoe Carnival, etc - Even Wal-Mart has stopped carrying size 11 shoes and Target rarely has them.
● Save-a-Lot - I used to shop there all the time. It's kind of scary for some people, but I love it. Oh, this place doesn't work with kids and you have to bag your own groceries, which is sometimes fun! They have all the basics I need and you really can save a lot!
● Walgreen, CVS, Shutterfly - I won't actually be hanging out at Shutterfly, don't think that's possible. I will be doing my photo organizing online, uploading to those places, and picking them up when I'm in Abilene.

I did go into Wal-Mart yesterday, but I was exchanging something that my mother-in-law bought for the kids. I walked in, exchanged, and walked out. The item I bought was defective, however, so I do need to go back in there one more time. Ridiculous!

The List

I need my own computer! It is getting increasingly harder to find time to read all the blogs I love, let alone keep mine current. By the way, I've decided instead of getting irritated when friends complain that I haven't blogged in a while, I am going to be flattered that I have such a captive audience of people on the edge of their seats hanging on my every word! That's never happened before, outside of my children and even they are becoming less and less interested in what I have to say!

I have a list of things that I would like to accomplish this year, but I don't want to commit to calling them resolutions. I'll just call it a list. I like lists. They're not extremely demanding. When I get to the end of the day and there are things on the list that aren't checked off, I just roll them over to the next day's list. No pressure. If you've heard me mention some of these before, it's probably a roll-over. Just believe with me that this is going to be the year I check it off!

☐ For my house to be clean (or rather, picked up) more than it is dirty (or rather, cluttered).
☐ Have a full sit down meal (everything on the table - no grazing) at least 3 times a week.
☐ More fruits, veggies and fiber for the whole family!
☐ Laundry (nothing specific, any improvement would be appreciated by Mr. Park).
☐ I have several cabinets full of artsy stuff and a head full of ideas to go with it so I just need to get busy.
☐ I've been neglecting my best friend in the whole world and I need to make it up to Him.
☐ The saying, "It's the thought that counts" applies to something you've done for someone that didn't quite come out the way you wanted it to. Not something you thought about doing but didn't have the time or energy to do, so you decided it was enough that you at least thought about doing something for that person because you remember someone once saying, "That's okay, it's the thought that counts." I'll do no more of that!!!
☐ This one is R rated. Make that NC 17.
☐ I would like to entertain more. This one has a lot to do with the first item on the list.
☐ Speak the truth more. I am so not that person. I am very careful and safe.
☐ Make some new friends. Not to replace old ones, just to keep from getting too comfortable.

That is all I can think of right now and, I must say, enough to keep me busy for the rest of the year! I promised pictures and they'll be up when I remember to upload them from my camera!