Beach Week -

Every year the Parker family travels to Ventura California to spend a week reading great books, soaking up the sun, swimming in the ocean, playing bacci ball, football, whiffle ball, golf, and eating phenomenal food. This has been a Parker tradition for over 19 years and I consider myself lucky to have married into a family with such a great tradition.


Beach Week is not just he Parkers. It the families of Jared Parker 3 of his closest friends (the Hyde's, the Pew's and the Bryan's). So all in all we have a pretty big group (55 and counting).


Our niece Sophie (a.k.a. Ashley's Clone) and me chillin' on beach. She is enjoying a classic beach week treat...a cow cookie from The Royal Bakery


I had plenty of time to read


The 1st presidency of beach week G2..Courtney, Will Hyde and Tracie Bryan.

Saltoev (pronounced sal-to-ev) Lotoja's shorter but stronger brother -

My brother Ben, Jared Madsen and I biked 105 miles from Salt Lake to my families cabin just outside of evanston. It was brutal. we traveled up big cottonwood canyon, over Guardsman's pass to park city. From park city to Kamas and finished it all of with a grueling ride up and over mirror lake pass. I am eternally grateful for my two riding partners that allowed me to draft behind them for a good majority of the ride. However, i am even more grateful for my stunning wife who was kind and patient enough to drive the support car for us. Having her there with our food and water aver couple hours made all the difference. We also got to spend an evening up at the cabin, which was a blast. We played a few hearty rounds of the dice game, and otherwise just relaxed and enjoyed the scenery and company.


Ben and I at refueling at the top of Mirror Lake Pass


SLC is at 4330 feet....so it was a long climb.


Courtney took this picture as she followed us in the car to the finish line.


My dad and our nephew max trying to catch a fish in the pond.

President and Sister Jacobsen Return -

After 3 years of wonderful service in the England Manchester Mission, my parents made it home. And for the first time in our marriage Courtney has in-laws that live in the same country as us. It has been great to have them home!

June Update

Sorry it has been so long since we last posted... we got a little sidetracked. Here is what we have been doing.

Indoor surfing at Flowrider in Ogden for Scott's Birthday...it was really fun and dangerous!


We both had our bells rung a few times...I think I had got mild whiplash.


Scott lost half of his toe nail when the board flipped back and clipped his foot


We had Paul, Holly, Leo, Ben, Allison, Sarah, Cameron, Nathan and Andy over for Scott's Sunday dinner (it a was birthday weekend). This is Sarah enjoying a smore made in our back yard!


The Salt Lake Jacobsen Boys! (missing Bruce (Montana), Brian (Idaho) and Jason (Wyoming))


Of course we played Rock Band!




I planted an herb garden.



We hung and planted widow boxes!



I made my first loaf of bread!


We (mostly Scott) tore out six fence posts and loads of weeds to make room for a vegetable garden! Hopefully by the end of the summer we will have some peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, squash, and zuchinni.

Happy 25th Birthday Scott!

Let's face it I married a nerd, a romantic, a tease, a friend, a waterskiier, a goof, a video gamer, a good communicator, a skinny legged cyclist, a traveler, a babe and the boy who has always loved me. For those of you who don't know: Scott and I first met at Clayton Middle School, where I knew him as Paul's little brother. At East High School I got to know Scott better. I knew he had a crush on me, but I always seemed to be dating someone else (and wasn't very interested, or at least convinced myself that I was not). We were always good friends and I would frequently tell him things that I wouldn't tell anyone else. We graduated high school, and both served missions, keeping in touch here and there going on a few dates (I even kissed him once before my mission). It did not take long after my mission for me to realize that he was a catch: handsome, nice, funny, fun to be with and totally in love with me! We got engaged 3 months after I got home and married 3 months after that. I am so grateful for Scott in my life... He helps me be a better version of myself. Happy Birthday!
Scott the goof....that is paint primer on my face!

Scott the romantic!

Scott the charmer and me at my Homecoming celebration!

Scott the skinny-legged cyclist!



Happy Birthday to my very best friend, fantastic companion, and husband. I love you! Hope you have a great birthday weekend!

We're going [er...went] to Jackson.

Over the memorial day weekend we went to jackson to visit my sister laura and her family. So much happened. We saw our nieces Caitlin and Hannah dance. They were awesome, the concert was three hours long, but they were awesome. Our nephew max found his "inner hip-hop." Courtney and I tried to go for a bike ride...but then we got hailed on and wussed out. Jason (Laura's husband) and i played a fair amount of Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3 on the new XBOX. We saw the new indiana jones (and wouldn't recommend it). Courtney got to do some shopping, and her and Caitlin got some asian tourists to take pictures of them by the famous antler arches. On the way home we went through Rexburg to say hello to my sister sarah and her family. We ate some great dinner and played a few games with the nieces and nephew before shoving off for SLC. It was a pretty fun trip.

Evidence that we tried.

Our nephew max...master of his inner hip-hop

Courtney and Caitlin are Jacksons newest tourist attraction

Us and the Schmidts in Rexburg

Come one come all to the world famous....WHAT?!?!?

We saw this sign on the way to Jackson. What goes on at such a festival? Your guess is as good as mine.