Category: Mason

Mason was very excited about being a Star Wars character this year – especially since it meant carrying a light saber around. He was so excited about his costume he wanted to wear it to school the whole day for Halloween. Last night I tried to reason with him that it might get ruined or dirty during recess time and to just wait until his party at school. This wouldn’t do! He started to have a melt down – it was either wear it to school or not go to school at all …I then told him I would compromise with him and he could wear it to school, but that he couldn’t play hard during recess – like digging in rocks and sliding around, etc. We wouldn’t want this nylon costume to run would we? This suggestion made the melt down escalate – how could I expect him to even have ANY FUN! At this time I am thinking, “Well it is true – it IS just a costume.” But by this point I was committed to my compromise, knowing in the back of my head it was a silly battle I was fighting. After all, he is an 8 year old boy and why shouldn’t he enjoy a full day in this wonderful new costume on Halloween? It only comes once a year.
So what happened you ask? I tucked his costume in his backpack for school trying to avoid any confrontation this morning and sent him on his way. Upon returning home I asked what he ended up doing with his costume – he said, “I put it on when I got on the bus this morning.” I guess he decided to play carefully at recess because, yes, the costume is just fine. Another lesson learned for this Mom!

Today I wrestled in my first wrestling tournament, there was a short clinic before the tournament. I got to wrestle with Chris Owens (4 Time state Champion and head coach for Boise State) He taught us some good drills and take downs. The tournament was a take down style. The first one to get 3 take downs wins the match. My first match was against the State Champion from last year, not a fun first match but it got better with the next few guys. I wrestled a boy from Madison, Blackfoot, and Rigby. I ended up taking third in my class, not too bad for my first time, it can only get better.

Last night Mason received his Wolf in Cub Scouts. As a ritual they get to stamp the parents and the cub with a “wolf paw”. I think Mason had a great time slapping the wolf paw on his parents and making the mess. Great Job Mason keep up the good work.

It snowed the first weekend of October – and not just a skiff. It was so snowy we could hardly see on our way to Island Park. Once we got to the cabin, Mason wanted to get to work out in all of the fluff. He begged anyone to come and play with him. None of us were as prepared as him (i.e. coats, hats, gloves)and didn’t want to go out – everyone that is except Grandma Parker. She had mercy on him and went out. They built this cute snowman complete with rootbeer in hand. Mason also created this cool snow bird.

I try, and would like, to approach being a parent as all about 50/50 compromises. Admitting readily that most the time I am probably taking more of that percentage, but all in all I have to give Stephen some slack. When you try to meld two different ways of growing up into one type of parenting style it can be tricky. Building a few houses and just plain buckling up in the car can make for a lot of interesting conversations around our house – especially when safety is concerned. For all you Baldwin readers out there you can relate to growing up in a home where we were bandaged up immediately after a small cut and given a treat to help us feel better. My mom was and still is (if not even more) the sympathy queen! Stephen talks about growing up having rock fights with his brother, getting run over by a car, and driving a backhoe at age 8. Don’t get me wrong I’m positive the Parkers were compassionate, but you had to really be hurt or sick to go to the doctor! So now we are parents trying to figure out a happy balance in kid land. So now it seems we have come up with rules – like “You can help shingle the roof (Stephen’s %) if you sit in the designated area (my %)” or “You can use the chop saw, if a grown up is right by you.” I give you the background so that you can understand why I have succumbed to letting my kids help shingle the roof, use large power tools, and most recently standing back to watch Mason drive a TRACTOR! Here is the end result of the latter! Stephen quotes his dad as saying, “Education is not free”. In this case we are just happy is didn’t cost more! And mom, if you’re reading this- Mason didn’t get hurt, just the garage!

Mason is actually becoming really good on the piano despite my next commentary… The other day it was battle of the practicing day at our house. These happen more often than I would like, and I have talked to enough mothers out there to know that most kids have to be reminded to practice and sometimes there are tantrums to punish us all. I only hope that someday my kids will thank me for this, not curse me! I thought these pictures captured the battle quite nicely. Later on when I showed Mason he laughed and thought he looked silly. Since then we have had better days! He is currently working on a piece called, “Halloween Witches”. You’ll have to ask him to play it for you in a few weeks. In Mason’s defense, he is usually a very patient, easy going, accommodating little boy!

Mason isn’t a man of many words. When I tried to drill him after school for all of the details of the day he ran to the bathroom. I pryed out a few things… “I like my teacher, I didn’t get homework, I played with Hunter and Joe at recess.” This year Mason has a male teacher much to his delight. His teacher’s name is Mr. Kennelly. We hope it is a fun year of multiplication and cursive writing!

7 1/2 miles, 8 years old, over 10000′ not bad for a first timer. Today Mason climbed Mount Jefferson. He surprised us all with his stamina, he was the first to the top of the over 10000 foot peak and also the first to return to the cars. “What a hiker” the other youth would say as he ran up the trail ahead of the group. He has proven he has the “Parker Blood” he wanted to stay ahead and be the first to the top, even though his little legs were tired. His heart kept him moving along. Great Job Mason.

Mason and Matt were happy to be reunited at our Parker Family Reunion. They immediately began their adventures…whittling things out of wood, teasing girls, riding bikes, making guns out of tree stumps, digging holes in sand and making kingdoms of sand castles, Geo Caching, eating marshmallows, catching bugs, but the smiles got really big when they proudly showed of their beloved snake. Now that was a great day!

On the 4th of July we setup the “Red Neck” water slide at Grandpa Parker’s house. It is a great way to cool off and has become a family tradition. I tried going down laying on my back head first, on my stomach, surfing style, standing at the top and jumping in the air until I hit the slide, and in a train with my cousins. My favorite part was seeing how far I could go. Can’t wait ’till next year.