The Peterson Family

Little Bit of THIS and THAT!!!!

2011-03-31T14:21:00.010-05:00

The past month has seemed to be a bit crazy at our house! I feel like I start every post like that!! hahaha

Anyway, I wanted to be sure and update everyone on what has been going on. I don't want to miss anything or leave anyone out!!!!

While Rick and I were on our cruise, Grandma (and Grandpa) were busy, busy at home with the kids. The boys had their Blue and Gold Banquet for scouts. This was Cody's very first Pack Meeting as a Wolf!!! They were sure to welcome him with a yummy goodie!! The boys were asked to make a cake! Grandma and the boys came up with an awesome cake!!!! I was just sad I wasn't there to taste it. Chase was able to earn a few pins at that meeting. He has been working really hard and will have his Webelos Award very soon.

HONOR STUDENT
Paige had a recognition night that very same night for her AWESOME grades!!! She is on the honor roll. Grandma let Grandpa take the boys to scouts and Grandma spent the evening with Paige. We are so proud of her. She works so hard, pushes herself, and does her very best in all her classes!!! Way to go Paige!!!!Paige also had a really cool Young Womens activity while we were gone. They were asked to research and dress up like someone in the past that made a difference. Paige chose Sacajawea. Paige looked pretty darn cute!!!!
MORE SCOUTING....
At our most recent pack meeting on the 24th of March, Cody was able to receive his Bobcat award!! He was so funny!! All day he was sure to let me know that as soon as his face was done being painted, he was going straight into the bathroom to wash it off! Once he got it on, I don't think he thought it was so bad! He was so cute and very careful when pinning on my "mothers pin."We are so proud of you buddy!!! Congratulations on the first of many awards to come!!Chase earned his Religious Square Knot!!! One step closer to that Webelos Award!!! Way to go buddy!!! The activity for the night was to shoot off rockets the webelos had made. Oh my gosh....it was awesome! I had no idea they would go so high. The boys loved it and could have been entertained for hours!!!I love that the boys are in scouts together now! (atleast for a little while).!!!
UNEXPECTED PHONE CALL!!!!
On that very same day - I was at lunch with some girlfriends and got a phone call. Mother of the Year, just rejected the call. When I was done with lunch I had a feeling I should probably call that number back just to see who it was. Well, once I heard a voice on the other line and asked who it was she said, "This is the trainer from McKinney Boyd High School." My heart stopped. She proceeded to tell me that Jordan had been hit in the face with a softball at practice. My first thought was....."are her teeth okay!!!!" The trainer let me know she had gotten hit in the nose! I immediately headed for the school and when I walked into the trainers office, there I saw poor Jordan - holding a bloody gauze pad, with dried blood all over her face and hands, and down her arms. WOW!!! was my first thought!!!! (actually - my first thought was - I have to get a picture of this!!!) I held back and didn't take one. We got her home, cleaned her up and then she let me take a picture!!!What a trooper - she was in so much pain and it was PRETTY swollen!!!We weren't sure what the verdict was.... we just went to the doctor two days ago and had xrays done. She did crack her nose and messed up her sinus's. BUT she is on medication and the good news is that she doesn't need surgery!!!! And the even better knews is that her doctor cleared her to play softball again.....WITH CAUTION!!! So she is back out in the field - but it may be awhile before she is running bases again.

Another highlight for Jordan is that she FINALLY got her drivers license!!!She is thrilled, but her dad and I are about to have a nervous breakdown!!! We just can't seem to let her go out on her own!!!! We have driven with her, sat in the back seat, and even done the unthinkable and let her drive, while we followed her!!! Just to make sure she was safe! I know the day is coming VERY soon that she will take off and go everywhere by herself.....ahhhhhhhhh!!! We are not ready for that!!!!

OUR SWEET MAX!
What about Max???? Max is doing great!!! What a sweet dog!! We love him to pieces...he is so good! We finally had him neutered...and Paige is just babying him like there is no tomorrow!! Max is loving it!!! So here is our sweet Max. According the the boys...."He's not a man anymore!!!!"

Best Vacation EVER!!!!!!!

2011-03-17T17:31:00.014-05:00

Okay - so I'm not totally finished with this post, but wanted to post a little bit of what we got to do!!!! ENJOY!!

It is truly amazing when you get to do something that you thought you could only dream about!!! The end of February Rick and I were able to spend some much needed time together and go on a CRUISE!!!!! We went with some very good friends of ours and absolutely LOVED every minute of it!!!!
We got up early, early the day we were to leave to head to Galveston! I was amazed we were able to fit all of our stuff in one car!! It was a little tight, but we all fit!Our adventure started off a little rough, because the boat was late coming into port due to fog, which meant we were late leaving. Honestly, we really didn't even care - we were just so happy to be going!!! This gave us a little time to walk around Galveston. We were able to get a great shot of our boat!! It was so big. I guess I really didn't have any idea what to expect!!We were excited to have a fun week with our good friends on the ship!Carnival Conquest....here we come!!!!We finally were able to start boarding...well, that was an experience within itself!!!! But keeping smiles on our faces we finally made it and by the time we got on the boat, we headed straight to dinner!!!Monday February 20th
The first day was a day on the water. It was so much fun to just walk around the boat, to look out at only water, and do absolutely NOTHING!!! That night was formal night!!! It was so much fun to dress up! Rick and I stopped at every picture spot. The nice man that cleaned our room was named, Savoy! He did such a great job and was always so friendly. He made the cutest towel animals! A different one every night! I loved it!
Tuesday February 22nd
Another day on the waterThe one thing that I could not believe was the FOOD!!! Oh my goodness - we ate so much!!!Wednesday February 23rd
On Wednesday we stopped in Grand Caymen. We were actually suppose to go to Jamaica, but since we left late, we couldn't go to Jamaica. Grand Caymen was awesome!!! The water was so beautiful!! Before we got off the boat, we took some time getting a few picturesWow - I still can't believe we were there!!!In Grand Caymen, the boat actually has to anchor and small boats called tenders, take you to the pier. We planned an awesome excursion for Caymen. Swimming with Dolphins and Stingray Island!!! First we took a boat to "Stingray Island." It is so amazing.
The water is unbelievable. Stingray Island is a sand bar right in the middle of deep water. We settled there and got off to see Stingray swimming all around us. Our guide was quick to pick one up and we had the chance to hold one, kiss one, and get a nice back rub from one!!!!! It was SO crazy!!! I also fed one. When putting my hand under water while holding squid, the stingray sucked it right out of my hand like a vaccuum. It was such a crazy feeling!!!
The stingray feels actually quite smooth!!!How about a nice BIG kiss!!AHHHH...a back rub!!On our way back, one of our quides jumped in the water to catch a starfish. Wow...I had actually never held one this big. We were sure to throw him back in the water since it is illegal to catch starfish!! hahaOnce back from Stingray Island, it was time to swim with the dolphins. I was so excited for this! It's one of those things on your bucket list!!Our group jumped right in and we were ready to swim with our dolphin!!When it was my turn to meet our dolphin - we decided to become very friendly!!!
On the cheek first!!!!Then the lips!!Then I had the ride of my life!!!Rick was next to have his time with the dolphin!!!
Hey now, back off - he is taken!!!Rick taking a swim with his new friend!We had a great day in the Caymen Islands!!! The only thing we didn't like was that we would have loved to stay longer!!!! Maybe a trip back to Caymen is in our future!!!!
Thursday February 24th
We found ourselves in Cozumel, Mexico next. In Cozumel, the boat was able to pull right up to the pier. Our plan for the day was to do some zipling and shopping!!!! We were all excited to spend the day being adventurous!!!Once we got to where we would be ziplining, Rick and I got all our gear on!! And we were ready to go!!The guys working the zipline were SO MUCH FUN!!! We had a super day!!!Next was shopping in Cozumel!!!! (actually the area right by the water is Puerta Maya)As Rick and I were walking we saw some girls getting their hair braided. (another thing I have wanted to do) So my sweet husband encouraged me to do it!!! I loved it!!!! I wasn't sure how much to do, but next time I will definately do more!!We had a great day in Cozumel. We did most of our shopping there and found GREAT deals!!! When we got back on the boat we were starving and ready to eat, so we hurried to get ready. The boys headed up for some sushi and once we were ready the girls joined them!

Cody Turns 8!!!!!

2011-03-17T16:56:00.007-05:00

My baby turned 8 on February 18th!!!! I can't even believe it!!! Poor guy, kind of got a quick birthday celebration...
Between Jordan turning 16 and Rick and I leaving on our cruise, Cody's birthday fell right in the middle.
We were able to celebrate with family and Cody was perfectly happy because he got PRESENTS!!!! Davey and Kristi gave Cody a "day of fun!"And grandma and grandpa gave him a new pair of much needed roller blades!!!Cody's big day came last weekend!!! On March 12th, Cody was baptized!What a great day! Cody was the star of the day and surrounded by family and friends!!!

Grandma and Grandpa BillsGrandma and Grandpa PetersonUncle Skip and Aunt WendyDavey and KristiCody invited a friend from school and neighbors. They were so sweet to come and support him!! Our awesome neighbors, Doug and Jeannie came!!Good friends...The PeoplesCody's best buddy from school!!It was a little strange to think that my last kiddo was getting baptized! Cody was so excited! We started the program a little late because he wanted to be sure that there was enough water in the font and that it was warm enough!!! Cody's day continued at home with everyone coming over for some yummy food!!!!!We were so happy to celebrate Cody and excited Ricks parents were able to travel here for a visit. We always have such a great time with Ricks parents. The boys loved playing in the backyard with Grandpa!!!I loved standing in the kitchen and hearing the giggles that came from outside through the window. Cody was sure to get in some "Connect 4" games with Grandpa!!!!Grandpa still can't be beat!!!!Paige enjoyed teaching Grandma how to "Just Dance" on the wii....(no pictures were allowed) hahahahaha. And Jordan seemed to be so busy over the weekend, we had to sneak a picture when we could!Sitting in the baptism and listening to the wonderful talks and great blessing that Rick gave Cody just confirmed to me even more, how lucky I am. To have such a wonderful extended family and family of my own, and to have the beliefs we have. I'm just so grateful!!!

Continuing the birthday fun!!!!

2011-02-16T16:09:00.003-06:00

Well, I got to see Jordan this morning, at lunch, and afterschool. I got up early (4:30 am) to make sure Jordan was all packed and ready to go and to also make her breakfast. Rick, Jordan, and I were up in the wee hours, eating and opening just a couple of presents. Thank goodness for grandma, grandpa, Davey, and Kristi coming to visit earlier in the week and bringing presents...hahaha
Do you think Davey and Kristi are trying to brainwash her????Grandma and Grandpa gave her a ring. I was able to take lunch to Jordan then after school took her a cookie cake for her and her team to enjoy at dinner time!!!! I made her take a quick picture before she left!!! (Obviously it was very windy outside!)I also talked her team into giving her birthday spanks tonight!!! We would hate for her to feel left out. :) As much as I would have loved to have spent more time with her....I know she is having a great time with her team!!!!

16 YEAR OLD IN THE HOUSE!!!!

2011-02-16T00:09:00.001-06:00

When you think about your children turning 16, it seems so far away. Well - not for me!!! It is here!!! Jordan is now 16!!!! Well, actually if I wanted to be exact, she wouldn't actually be 16 until 10:07 tonight!!!She is ready to drive and MORE than ready to date!!!!!! I am so excited for her, but at the same time have been dreading this day. Let's face it.... turning 16 brings major changes!!! Not only have I realized Jordan is "older" and turning into a very independent young lady. I realize she can and is making life decisions for herself. No longer is she so dependent on me like the little Kindergarten girl, who needed her mom for EVERYTHING. I will admit...I have had a very hard time letting go and giving her freedom. It's a very hard thing for a mom to do!!!
It's funny how as a mom you think about your childs 16th birthday for a couple of years. You have BIG plans and wonderful ideas, but when it finally comes.....those things just don't happen. Today - I will see Jordan this morning and take her lunch. Then right after school she is off to College Station (A&M) for a softball tournament. She doesn't get home until late Saturday night!!!! Well - so much for my great plans on her 16th birthday!!!! :(
I tried to compensate for the fact that we wouldn't even really see her by throwing her a party last weekend!!! It was awesome and she had such a good time. We had a GREAT group of kids over to the house!!! What consumed most of their time was playing Just Dance 2 on the wii!!! Oh my goodness, they were so fun to watch. I got some great video of them. What was neat, was that even though some didn't have a remote, they still danced!!!After dancing the night away we decided to have cake!!!!Jordan has a very good friend who also has the same birthday. It seems like Jordan and Kayden have spent the last few years with each other on their birthdays, so we couldn't let this year be any different. Sorry Kayden for the pink cake!!!While enjoying the cake, Jordans friend Emily thought it would be super funny to put the cake in Jordans face!!! Yes, it was VERY funny - she was not expecting that at all!!! What was even funnier was when Jordan got her back!!!Everyone else thought it was funny as well and joined in!! Hahahahaha
Next it was time for the presents!!!!Oh my goodness - her friends were way to good to her....they must have been able to read her mind because she was SO HAPPY to receive all the itunes cards, not to mention money, lotions, and a vera bradley make up bag. Ellen - we won't mention what you got her!!! hahaha
Jordan had a great night!!! It couldn't have been better!!!

Jordan loves her girls!!!And her guys even MORE!!!They are all so good to her and great friendsWhat an awesome group of kids!!! Thanks for making Jordans sweet sixteen a special one!!!
Scavenger Hunt!!!!
Jordan had a good friend give her a birthday surprise. When Jordan came home from her softball game, there was a note on the door and a clue. It sent her to a slide at a park they like to go to. From there she was sent to the church. Which sent her to the swimming pool they swam at during the summer And from their to his house where she received her present. Brayden and Jordan have been good buddies for a long time. They kind of have a streak of birthday pranks going, so Brayden was very kind this year. What was funny was that Jordan was so JUMPY during the whole thing, just waiting for him to scare her, or jump out from the bushes or do something terrible to her. In the past between the two of them, there has been a pie in the face, baby pictures hung all over the church, water with ice used to wake someone up - so you can imagine her fear! Brayden was sweet and gave her a bunch of goodies for her softball trip!!! But like he said, this is just him being nice until the big bomb drops!!!HeeeeeeeHeeeeeee

Well, Jordan without starting to cry I'm wishing you a very Happy Sweet Sixteen!!! I remember when you were born. I remember playing dress up with you. I remember dancing to the song "My Maria" while holding you. I remember watching you take your first steps. I remember you cuddling in bed with me every night. I remember you walking right into Kindergarten and not looking back. I remember when you broke your arm and all you wanted was your teddy bear blankies. (some things never change :) And some where along the way I remember you turning into a beautiful young lady!!! I love you sweetheart!!! Life is about to get very exciting for you sweetie!!! Have fun!!! But always remember.......who you are and what you stand for!!! :) Happy Sweet Sixteen my beautiful!!!!

Valentines Day!!!

2011-02-15T16:22:00.005-06:00

Wow was Valentines Day crazy this year. I wasn't home all day and when it came time for dinner I wasn't sure what I was going to do. The kids have become accustomed to our Valentine Candlelight Dinner and I didn't want to disappoint. SO....I quickly got on the phone to Rick and had him pick up Pei Wei!!!! I did manage to remember to make the heart shaped jello and have some bubbly!!!! (that's really all the kids care about anyway :) Dinner was a success and the kids had their Valentine treats at their plates!!! I got roses this year!!! This isn't always the case because Rick hates that flowers die so fast. Nevertheless, I think I appreciate them more!!! Roses just make a girl feel special!!!
Chase and Cody had a Valentine party at school and came home overloaded on sugar!!! Now that Paige is in middle school she hand picks who she gives Valentines too and she also came home with a bunch from friends.Jordan had a fun surprise waiting on her bed when she got home from softball practice. She was so happy!!!! Her friend from California arranged for her to have something for Valentines Day!! She also had a couple other admirers give her flowers and chocolates!!! Oh to be a teenager again!!!Mom and Dad came over Sunday to celebrate birthdays early and the kids had a great time with them playing the wii!!! Yes, we actually got them to do Just Dance!!! Dad tried to give every excuse in the book, but the kids talked him into it. And Mom....wow...she was the winner!!! You go MOM!!!!Valentines Day seemed to be simple this year!! Just the way I like it!!

Justin Bieber - who is that????

2011-02-12T13:10:00.004-06:00

Oh yeah...he is that really popular singer!!!! hahaha
Jordan and her friend Kendall are pretty much obsessed with Justin Bieber. They bought tickets for the midnight showing Thursday night. (or I guess it would be early Friday morning.) They were so excited to go, they could hardly stand it!!!They packed a bag with snacks, put on their matching pajama pants and off they went to the theatre....an hour and a half early!!!!! They gave out glow in the dark earrings and Jordan won a poster!!!
When I picked them up at 2 something in the morning.....they were screaming and said, "It was the BEST movie EVER!!!!!!" Well - somehow I don't believe that!!! So glad they had such a good time.....and I guess it is good to be passionate about something right???? haha

Softball

2011-02-10T15:34:00.003-06:00

This year Jordan is playing on the Varsity Softball team at school. She is absolutely loving it!!! She has a great team and loves the girls she plays with. They have played a couple of scrimmage games and are looking forward to their trip to A&M next weekend for a tournament!!! I love watching her play. It brings back a lot of memories!!! Jordan was pretty excited the other night because her coach is having her hit from the left side. (she has NEVER done that before.) When she got up to bat, she was super nervous, but hit it!!!! First time on the left side!!! She was so excited!!!
Jordan was also happy to get her letter jacket! Way to go Jordan - we are so proud of you!!
Oh the joys of high school!!!! :)

February is HERE!!!

2011-02-02T21:46:00.002-06:00

What a sigh of relief!!!! I am all caught up on my blog...wahoooooo!!!!! I guess I needed the 3 days off of school to get me caught up. We started February 1st with an ice storm and school has been closed since....tomorrow night it is suppose to snow, so who knows about Friday!!!! It has been great having the kids home (and Rick too for a day.) I love the lazy, stay in your pajamas all day, kind of days!!! The kids have loved sliding on the ice, Paige experimented by seeing if her tongue would stick to a metal handle, (which she found out it would), and most of all they love hanging with their friends. Sleepovers on weekdays are the best!!! Life is good and I'm looking forward to all that is ahead!!!

2011 Begins!!!

2011-02-02T20:57:00.013-06:00

Wow - 2011!!!! The year started off just as busy as every other year....will that ever change???
Paige has been playing piano for a couple of years now and I love it!! I love hearing her play. Honestly, I'm a little jealous!! Yes mom, you were right...I do regret quitting piano!!! Paige always does a wonderful job and plays so beautifully! This time was no exception!Our very first snow of the year was on Sunday January 9th!!! I went to church around 11:00 that morning for a meeting and it was just misting...by the time I was out at 12:15 it was a winter wonderland outside!!! The boys had spent the night with Davey and took it slow on their way home, so they missed making it to church. Church let out early and when we got home we found Davey shoveling the driveway....what a guy!!! And in shorts no less!!!Davey and the boys were having way too much fun!!!!We got home from church and just couldn't help it!!!! We all wanted to play!!!
We had so much snow, school was cancelled the next day. Paige invited her good friend "Paige" over and they had a great time building a snowman...drinking hot chocolate...and for some reason, they thought it would be a good idea to see who could hold their face in the snow the longest!!!
Happy Birthday Paige!!!!
We also celebrated Paige's birthday on the 13th!!!!!!
Paige was sure to remind me that she would be very sad if she woke up and the house wasn't decorated in streamers!!!! So not only did I decorate in streamers but went to the grocery store at 6:00 am to get her bacon!!!! (her birthday breakfast request!)That night she chose Olive Garden for dinner!!!We even had the waiters sing to her!!!And for dessert......a cookie cake!!!Make a wish!!!And BLOW!!!We love you Paige!!!! I can't believe you are 12!!! You are such a beautiful, talented, and wonderful young lady!!!Paige's birthday pretty much went on for the whole weekend!!!! We celebrated at home on her real birthday and with friends over the weekend. Paige decided she wanted to go bowling and then head off to grandma and grandpa's house for hot tubing and a sleep over. The girls had a great time bowling!!And the hot tub felt oh so good!!!Paige had a special request for banana splits!! yum yum!!Paige was a little uncertain about her grandpa after he started her hair on fire with the lighter!!! Really he was just pretending....yeah right??? :) That's why her hair lit up like the fourth of July!!! Good thing grandpa has quick hands :)Actually - when all was said and done...it was pretty funny!!!!
Paige had a great night opening her presents, watching movies, and being with the people she loved the most!!!
BYU Basketball
Every year my cousin comes to town with the BYU womens basketball team. This year once again we were very excited to see her. She always gets us tickets right on the floor. We feel so important!!! :) It's always good to see Alli!!! She is my very best friend and has been that since I was very little!!! I love ya!
Church Ball
The youth of our church play in a basketball tournament every year. Since Paige is now 12 she gets to play. Let's just say she wasn't SUPER excited about it!!! But she was such a great sport and did a great job!!! She was all time defensive player...she picked the biggest girl to guard and played defense even when her team was on offense...hahahaha...it was so funny - she made me laugh so hard...It was fun watching Jordan and Paige play together....Jordan also recruited one of her friends, Miranda!!! What a great sport!! Jordan and Miranda were awesome!!! They looked like they were pro's out there!!Win or lose the girls always have a great time!!! We have such an amazing group of kids. They have fun whatever they do and they all love and support each other!!!

New Years 2010!!!

2011-02-02T19:08:00.006-06:00

This year was a little different. Usually we are always gone for New Years...but this year we were home! We spent New Years with some good friends and had a great time! We are lucky to have awesome friends!!!The kids are all so great and get along so well. They have a lot of fun together. We had a big game night...everyone was given some money in a baggie. When you played games you would pay money, then if you won you would take all the money entered in the pot. Cody got his bag of money and was ready to go!!Paige loved playing Apples to Apples!!!The guys had fun at the "guy table" playing cards!!You could get extra money if you sang with the karaoke machine.
At the end of the night there were items auctioned off that you could buy with the money you had left. The kids loved it!!!
And, It wouldn't be a party without lots of food!!Once the clock struck midnight - we all toasted with our grape juice and headed outside for some fireworks and sparklers!!I have such great friends!!!Looking forward to another great year with my hubby!!Wouldn't be New Years without a New Years KISS!!!Of course Jordan had other plans with her friends, but I was glad when we were all back together to celebrate the new year!!2011 brings many great things!!!! Cody turning 8 and getting baptized!!! Chase taking the next step in baseball and doing AWESOME!!! Paige turning 12!!! AND Jordan turning 16!!! AHHHH.....Looking forward to 2011 and the wonderful things to come this year!!!!

Christmas in Farmington

2011-01-24T22:54:00.013-06:00

We had a wonderful 2010 Christmas in Farmington, New Mexico. We absolutely love spending time with Ricks family.

School got out on Friday and we headed to Farmington Saturday! The drive was a little longer than normal since we brought Max with us, but he was great! We didn't leave until a little later on Saturday, so we got in pretty late. The kids were awesome though....up and ready to head to church the next morning in their Christmas best!!! After church Cody was anxious to help with dinner because we were having his favorite....Roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, Grandmas yummy homemade rolls, and carrots. Sundays are always fun at Grandma and Grandpas because aunts, uncles, and cousins come to visit!!!!Rick and I were happy to be there. We looked forward to taking a break from crazy life and find time to enjoy each other. We were lucky this year to be there for Ricks parents 54th wedding anniversary! The kids had fun making them cards and Rick and I enjoyed a night out with his parents, and his brother and wife. Of course we couldn't leave without getting a few pictures first....and in his true fashion, pictures are never dull with Rick around!!! Gotta love him!!
Highlights of Christmas!!!
Every year Rick and I usually buy the kids a new pair of Christmas pajamas that they get to wear on Christmas Eve. This year we discovered that their pajamas from the previous year still fit! So rather than spend the money on un needed pajamas...we decided to do CHRISTMAS SOCKS!!!! It was so fun!!
The girls still had their matching pajamas!! and yes - we are NAUGHTY!!!Cody was certain to be sure the reindeer food was spread on the lawn before anyone could go to bed. (they had a little fun doing that!)The kids were excited and ready to see what Santa would bring them. Yes, the tradition carries on...each year I had to get my picture taken on the stairs Christmas morning...so it is only fair that I torture my children and do the same! :)The kids had a wonderful Christmas and got everything their little hearts desired!! :)

Highlights of our fun visit!!!
We were able to take the kids up to Durango Mountain for a day so they could enjoy the snow. We had an awesome time tubing and having a snowball fight!!!We love playing in the snow. Jordan and Chase got right to it and started a snowball fight!The snow was actually very deep in spots...Paige was sure to get in on the action!!Man it had been a long time since I have gone tubing!!! The walk up the hill was a killer, but the ride down was sure fun!Jordan and I rode down together and she totally wiped out, so she figured she should try it solo!!We practically closed down the place! What a great day!!Working Hard...
The boys took time out of their Christmas day to help out Grandpa by cleaning the pool saver. What great kids! They have a great dad that has taught them how to work hard!And they did it the whole time with a smile on their faces!!!The kids loved spending time with their cousins....Chase and Hannah playing pool...Jordan and Brent sharing Grandmas yummy dessert!!The boys loved riding the 4 wheelers!!Rick and I Christmas Eve!Elf Paige and Grandma on Christmas Eve...Me and Parker - showing off our muscles!!The family on Christmas Eve..Cousins having fun together!!Chase, Cody, and Parker..Brent reading a Christmas Story on Christmas Eve..Cody loves his Grandpa!!We had a great visit!!! Always good memories!!!

December and Christmas Fun!

2010-12-24T00:29:00.014-06:00

CHRISTMAS WITH MOM AND DAD
Since we wouldn't be spending Christmas with mom and dad this year, they wanted to be sure we had our own Christmas together! Mom and dad made a yummy dinner and mom pulled out her good china for us to eat on! Mom always does such a great job making everything look so nice. Mom went overboard on the desserts this year and made cupcake brownies.
She had a friend of hers make cupcake toppers! The kids loved them!!! They were amazing. From looking at them, you wouldn't think you could eat them....but yup, completely edible!! She had snowmen, Santa, elves, Christmas trees, anything Christmas you could want. Wait a second....Cody looks just like this one!! It was great sitting around the table with family! Davey and Kristi were able to join us, along with Uncle Ron. The kids enjoyed opening their presents from everyone. Davey and Kristi gave us something really cool this year. They gave us a card and on it said that a donation had been made in our name to a family in Africa for chickens. They explained to the kids that this was a very big deal for them. This was how they got money, food, pretty much everything they have. A letter will be sent to us soon with more information about the family and what the donation truly means to this family. Thanks Davey and Kristi!!!! It was a great night all around! Mom and Dad your the best!!! Thanks for always going above and beyond to make us feel special!!!
PACK MEETING
Chase officially moved up to Webelos this pack meeting. He received his basketbll belt loop and his SO close to earning his religious square knot!!!
The webelos did the cutest Christmas puppet show. They worked so hard and did such a great job. They made the back drop and each boy made his very own puppet. Chase was the tree in the puppet show and did a great job!! We have an awesome group of boys and leaders that do such a great job with our scouting program. I love seeing all that they do and accomplish. Chase is lucky to be in such a great pack!!!

WHAT DOES CODY DO AT OUR HOUSE WHEN HE NEEDS SOMETHING TO DO???
Well, he builds a fort of course!!!I am actually sorry to say that this picture was taken before the fort was fully finished. He did add on to it before all was said and done. He even made an open and closed sign for it!! I think all the kids have slept in it with him. I love my little Cody and his creative mind!!!!

JORDAN SINGS SOLO!!
Jordan has been doing voice lessons and along with that comes the dreaded "voice recital." This is something that actually terrifies Jordan, but she has gotten better each time she has done it. This time was her best!!! She remembered all the words, didn't repeat any verses, and actually smiled!!!! Jordan, we are so proud of you for stepping out of your comfort zone! You did a great job!!! (I did video it, but promised her I wouldn't put it on my blog.)

SCHOOL PARTIES!!
School ended with a bang for the kids!!! Cody and Chase had their class parties. Well, actually they weren't partying just on the last day. It was pretty much the week!!! They got to have a Polar Express day and come to school in their jammies and watch the movie!!! Chase's class made ornaments and decorated train cookies, while drinking hot chocolate!!! Paige watched a few movies in different classes, and Jordan decided she and her girlfriends would wear fun Christmas sweaters to school!!!Well, I would say it was a great way to end school for this year. The kids are definatily ready for a break and Christmas!!! Hopefully the break will re-energize them to start off 2011 going strong!!!

Sonic Fundraiser

2010-12-24T00:18:00.008-06:00

As if December wasn't already busy enough, why not throw in a fundraiser for the softball team? I have myself to blame...I was actually in charge of setting this up, and December was the ONLY time Sonic had open before our season started. So I grabbed it and hoped for the best. The girls did AWESOME!!! Full support from girls and parents. They worked hard and delivered food like Pros!!! We did great for one days work.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped!!! I told Jordan she looked great working that food line. Could there be a Sonic job in her future???

Ugly Sweater Party

2010-12-24T00:01:00.005-06:00

Rick and I were invited to our SECOND Ugly Sweater Party... Wahooo...we made the invite list, two years running!Unfortunately this year, we didn't have much time to put that much effort into our sweaters, so next year we will really have to step it up. We are definitely not in a group of amateurs - they take this thing seriously AND look really good!!

Rick and the boys...Me with my girlfriends.THE WHOLE GROUP!!!!!

THE BOYS!!!!THE GIRLS!!!!I loved Sally's candy cane sweater, and Jeff had not only his shirt lighting up this year, but also his pants! And Bryan - well, what do I say about Bryan??? You went all out buddy!! Winner for sure!!! We had such a great time! What an awesome group of people to hang out with!

We started the night with dinner at Saltgrass. Yes, there were many stares and silent comments as we were waiting for our table outside. But nothing compared to the laughs and applause we received when we entered the restaurant!!! The night continued back at the Fry's house where awesome desserts were eaten and white elephant gifts were exchanged. Always the highlight!!! What a great night...can't wait until next year!

It's Christmas Time!!

2010-12-23T23:18:00.007-06:00

Well, December is almost over and I have hardly posted anything about what we have been doing. We have had lots of fun at our house, but as usual the holiday season is flying by and I haven't been able to do hardly anything I wanted to. Maybe if I start now for next year EVERYTHING will get done and maybe I will have time to sit, relax, and enjoy. (nahhhhh....it wouldn't be the holidays if I wasn't busy, busy, busy...right???)

Right after we got home from spending Thanksgiving in Branson I wanted to get the house decorated and the Christmas tree up!!! Decorating the Christmas tree is one of my favorite things to do with the kids. Each year they get to pick out an ornament, so when it is time to get all the ornaments out - they are so excited and love putting all of "their" ornaments in a pile. I have a list of who's is who's, but they seem to never forget!! It is fun to hear the, "oh, I remember this one" and "this one is my favorite!". The kids each hang their ornaments...when all is said and done, the tree is full of great memories!!! Most years I have to do a little "remodeling" of the tree to spread some ornaments out, but this year I figured I would leave it just the way the kids decorated it!!! And it looked great!!! A little ornament heavy in some areas, but still fabulous!!Keeping with tradition, once the kids decorated the tree and went off to bed, I hid the pickle in the tree for them to find. This year I was certain I found the best hiding place EVER!!! When they woke up, they hurried to the tree to search for the pickle. A day went by, then two, then three....they begged and begged for a hint!!! I gave in, once I gave the hint of which side of the tree it was on, BOOM - it was found!!! Jordan was the first to find it this year!!! I believe that is two years in a row. (according to her) Alright - next year... NO HINTS!!!!

With all the fun of decorating the tree, we figured why not decorate the kids too!!! We had such a good time wrapping the kids with lights and decorating them!!I remember when I was little and my parents would do the same to me! Cody was so excited he wanted to be first!!!Chase had to have his Longhorn hat as the finishing touch!
Sporting her art clothes, Paige made the cutest little tree.Thank you Jordan for being a good sport. I hope you realize you will never be too old :) You are so good to humor your mother and never complain!!Decorating the Christmas tree is a fun thing our family does together each year. But even more fun are the memories we make while doing it! There always seems to be some crazy thing going on! But in the end, I hope the kids remember these moments for years to come. It is the simple thing of decorating the Christmas tree that I will cherish for a lifetime!!

What is Jordan up to?

2010-12-15T09:07:00.006-06:00

A big congrats to Jordan for receiving the Academic of Excellence Award. She was actually awarded this for her grades last year. She received a red cord. Each year she receives this award she will get a different color cord. (Hopefully she will get it every year :)We are so proud of you Jordan and all the hard work you put into doing well. Way to go sweetie!!!

Jordan was also able to go on a fun getaway a couple of weekends ago with a good friend of hers. She was invited to a church retreat and had a great time getting to meet new friends and also reconnecting with old ones. Haley has been a good friend of Jordan's since Kindergarten. Girls being silly!!Jordan and KatherineLove to play in the leaves!!Getting ready to zipline!!Jordan's turn!! Jordan is up for trying mostly anything!!I'm so glad Jordan has these opportunities. It is good to spend time with different groups of friends and also learn about other religions.

Thanksgiving in Branson!!

2010-12-07T19:16:00.009-06:00

This year for Thanksgiving we headed to Branson, Missouri for our second year in a row. We really enjoyed ourselves last year and decided we would try it again this year. We left the day before Thanksgiving and met Ricks brother and wife there. We also had some other friends from McKinney there as well. The first night we were there we took the kids to watch "The Acrobats of China" show. Oh my gosh they were amazing. I can't believe how strong they were and the crazy things they could do with their bodies!!The next day was Thanksgiving. We took our time getting ready and hung around the hotel for a bit, then headed to our Thanksgiving Feast! We went to another hotel that had a buffet. It was delicious!!!! Great food, as much as we wanted, and no cleaning up!!! FABULOUS!!! What an awesome day of the year. I look at these pictures and am so grateful for the many blessings I have received throughout my life. I am truly grateful for all that I have.I am especially grateful for my hubby. I was so lucky to find him and be able to spend the rest of my life with him. This year it actually started snowing a bit as we walked out of lunch. That didn't last long, but was followed by a little rain. SO - our options of a day on the town didn't happen. Instead we headed back to the hotel and the boys watched a little football. The rest of us kept up with the yearly tradition of making GUMDROP TURKEYS!!! It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the gumdrop turkeys. Paige and her turkey...Mom decided she would get in on the fun too!!Jordan and her turkey...We had so many turkeys, the kids ended up getting creative and making all kinds of animals!The rain finally stopped so we decided to walk around the town a bit. We were absolutely freezing, but had a great time window shopping. As we spent this time together, giggling, playing, joking, cuddling all together - I again realized what life is about. Being with those we love! Times like these are so very precious. I know I will remember them always.On our way home we stopped at one of our favorite places ....Krispy Kreme. What could be better than a warm donut and hot chocolate.Once we got home, the girls and I sad our goodbyes and headed out the door for some Thanksgiving Shopping!!!! We grabbed one of Jordan's friends that was their to go with us. He was such a good sport!!! We got to the outlet mall around 11:00 and it was already packed! We had such a good time. Not only did we find some great buys, but we had a great time taking silly pictures and videos!!! We actually headed back to Krispy Kreme before we headed back to the hotel. When we got back to the hotel it was 3:30, I dropped the kids off and headed back by myself to Walmart. This was my first Thanksgiving Walmart experience....I will just say it was interesting. I was sure happy to climb into bed when I got home at 6:00 AM!!! We were super tired, but it was SO worth it!!By the weekend, the weather was great!! Rick was able to go golfing with his brother and the rest of us were able to enjoy Branson. The kids could hardly wait to ride the go karts, so we headed there first!!! Everyone except Cody was able to ride their own car....the battle was on!!! Cody and I were in first most of the time, but I think Chase passed us right at the end. We definitely worked up an appetite, so off to lunch we went. Our favorite part was the GIGANTIC banana split we tried to share. Even with 6 of us, we still couldn't finish it all. Close, but nope, we couldn't do it. And this is how far we got!!!We walked around the cute village of shops and ended up at our favorite picture spot. The gigantic rocking chair!!Every year the kids ask if we can buy it!! Where in the world would one put such a large chair??

We had a wonderful weekend in Branson. We hit as many shows as we could. The boys were sure to ask dad for a souvenir at just about all of them :) I actually do love their "vase" hats. We fit in some shuffle board. Last minute homework assignments. And most important....spent time together. I love the holidays and the time we are able to spend with those we love!

FUN FALL PICS!!!

2010-11-22T08:31:00.006-06:00

In my effort to try and get a Christmas picture I "forced" the kids to dress alike and head out to a nearby field for some fun pictures! Photo shoots seem to never be an easy thing for our family. Why can't everyone just stand, pose, smile, move to the next spot, stand, pose, smile???? No - my kids are just goof balls - and makes what could be a 15 minute picture taking session into an ordeal! (But I will say it was a fun ordeal!!!) Fun because the kids make me laugh - and also fun because of the man that yelled at us to "get off his property." Okay, that was a little creepy, but a little funny also!!!! I'm sure it didn't help that it was very cold and rainy that day.
I look at these pictures and the kids seem to be growing up so fast!!! I just love them and am so grateful I am their mom!!!! Not to mention they are the cutest kids around....but I am a little biased!! :)Yes, we had to have Max in the pictures...my 5th child!!Jordan...not a little girl anymore! Gorgeous!!My little Paige!!! Love those baby blues Paige. Such a sweet and beautiful young lady!
Paige loves this little guy!!Chase...my handsome little stud!!! Not loving getting his picture taken, but doing it for his mom.Cody...stud number two. Love that big smile buddy!This is one of my favorites!!! I would say all in all "operation photo shoot" was a success!!! Atleast we had lots of fun doing it!!!

CHASE TURNS 10!!!!!

2010-11-22T08:07:00.006-06:00

My little guy turned 10 last weekend and I can hardly believe it!!! Growing up we had a saying when we turned 10......"double digit midget!!" Chase agreed with the double digit part, but was certain he wasn't a midget, since he is as tall as Paige. :)
From the day Chase was born he has been a blessing to our family! He was the cutest little baby - my chubbiest for sure! I loved his little fat rolls!! He's not so chubby anymore, in fact quite good lookin' if I do say so myself! We had a relaxing birthday day with Chase....it started with his favorite breakfast...soldier boys and dippy eggs!!! A few gifts!!! His number one request was a phiten necklace. If you watched baseball this year, you saw many of the players wearing them. Chase was happy to get a much needed new coat! A super YUMMY dinner!!! And at his request....PAZOOKIES..for dessert!!!There are so many things I love about Chase! He is my sensitive little guy! He never gives up! He will try something until he can do it! He is a great athlete! He is a great big brother to Cody. There are so many times he lets Cody tag along with he and his buddies! There are very few times I have to ask Chase more than once to do something....he is very obedient! He is a great student and works hard. He is a great example to others. Chase is growing out of the "cuddle with mom" stage, but I love it when I can sneak in a squeeze!And most of all - I LOVE that he is part of our family!!! We wouldn't be the same without him!!!We love you buddy!!!

Outdoor Chimnea Fun!!

2010-11-18T16:11:00.006-06:00

We love it when the weather gets a little cooler and we get to enjoy the outdoors! By that I mean our BACKYARD and the chimnea!!! Last Friday night was perfect. Cold, but not windy!! Jordan invited a few of her friends over to enjoy some smores with us! I think we all decided Paige is the best at roasting the PERFECT marshmallow. Not burnt, browned to perfection, not too hot, just warm enough to melt the chocolate!!! YUM!!! I'm not sure if the smores were extra good that night or if everyone was extra hungry because they just kept eating and eating!!! I can't blame them....they seemed to hit the spot!! The older kids decided to play CHUBBY BUNNY. This is a game where with each marshmallow you put into your mouth you say "chubby bunny". The one with the most marshmallows in their mouth and still able to say "chubby bunny" wins. Let me just say, I don't know how they did it. Just watching them stuff all those marshmallows in their mouths made my stomach turn! The kids looked and sounded so funny!
After everyone was full of smores and sick from stuffing marshmallows in their mouths, we moved the party inside and played some fun games!!! Great night with the kids and friends!!! Gotta loves those layed back, at home nights!!

A True Gift of Love

2010-11-11T12:44:00.004-06:00

The other day was like any other....I was getting things done around the house and had the noon day news on. My attention was turned to the television when they started talking about a teenage girl who was killed in a ski accident last March. The news story was about how this girl was an organ donor and how a 40 year old mother of two in Arizona received her heart. The parents of the girl that was killed traveled to Arizona to meet this women that received their daughters heart. When the two women met, they embraced and cried for quite sometime. Then the 40 year old women pulled out her stethoscope and put it up to her heart. She allowed the mother of the young girl to hear her daughters heart beating. As I was standing there tears were flowing down my cheeks. My thoughts turned to my sweet sister, Katie. She too was killed in a ski accident and was also an organ donor. We have not met those that received her organs, but we have been sent "anonymous" newspaper clippings and notes from people reporting on one particular girl that received Katie's organs. Because of my sister this young girl was able to have a new and fresh start.

After hearing the above story, I felt an immediate connection with this family who lost their young daughter. I went to the website http://www.taylorsgift.org/to research their story. Surprisingly I found that this girl died from head trauma caused by a skiing accident on March 15, 2010. My sister also died from head trauma on March 15th caused by a ski accident.

Up until this terrible accident happened with my sister, I never thought about organ donation or even being a donor for that matter. I have personally seen the difference organ donation can make to an individual and a families life. Because of people like my sister and this other young girl, others are given a second chance and an opportunity to live a full and happy life. I can't imagine a better gift than that. Have you thought about being an organ donor?

Gotta Love Full Weekends!!!

2010-11-09T09:11:00.008-06:00

As the fall season comes to an end, so do the fall sports. Cody played in his last baseball game and his last soccer game. Cody did great this year in baseball. He hadn't played in a few years, so he wasn't too sure about it in the beginning. In fact after one of his first few games he said, "Mom, I'm not very good at baseball. I'm much better at soccer." As the season went on, Cody did GREAT!!! He hit great and made some great plays in the field. My very favorite was his Awesome catch on third base. The ball was hit foul...Cody crossed his glove over his body and caught the fly ball. (I think even he was shocked when he looked down and saw the ball in his glove!) The last game was a cold one, but Cody was sure to bring the right gear to stay warm. He had a great time with his team and hopefully will play again next season.Soccer ended with a bang...Cody's team did so Great! Not only were they scoring but making great passes to each other. Every person on their team scored in the last game. Way to go BUCS!!!Jordan enjoyed shopping for a friend for his birthday. Braden and Jordan have a little rivalry going when it comes to birthday gifts. Since Jordan knew Braden loves Justin Bieber so much, she felt like he just HAD to have this giant poster to put on his wall. Let's just say he didn't think it was as funny as she did :) The great thing, is that Braden thought that along with other goodies in his bag was all he was getting. Well, Braden - I won't tell you when or where but if I were you I would be ready at all times for something. Do you really think Jordan will let you get off that easy??? So glad Jordan has such good friends!Chase had a baseball tournament this past weekend. Their team did great and fought hard to come back. They didn't win, but man it was very exciting. Chase started really focusing on playing catcher this year and LOVES it! He does a great job! His batting has really come along also. He is my guy that is right handed but bats left handed. His first time at bat he laid down an awesome bunt. I love watching him run the bases! He looks so serious!! :) In the last inning our team was down by 7 runs. Chase was the first to bat and started us off with a hard shot to right field. It was AWESOME!!! The team was so fired up and we were able to tie the game. Unfortunately the other team still had their bats and scored, but it was very exciting nonetheless.

Rick and I had a good time celebrating some friends birthday at Medieval Times. It was fun to go as grown ups and be a little silly!The food is actually pretty good, and the entertainment....always enjoyable!!
The girls LOVED the red and yellow knight!!! And the boys, loved the waitresses!!!! Yes, we tend to get a little rowdy, but everyone was happy and had a great night!!!!

Halloween Festivities!!!!!

2010-11-01T16:38:00.013-05:00

Oh my goodness....Halloween lasted for 3 days at our house!!!! Friday night started the festivities with Trick Or Treating downtown on the square. We have done this every year for as long as we have been here. I LOVE walking around the shops, letting the kids trick or treat, but most of all - I love seeing the costumes and the awesome feeling of community when we are down there!!

I actually pulled the kids out of school early to beat the rush! It's the only way to go!!! The kids were ready and excited...Unfortunately, Jordan is getting to the age where she would rather make plans with friends....Can you believe it????
I had to get a picture of the kids with this guy....his costume was awesome!!! What am I talking about....it wasn't a costume - I could have sworn he was a REAL power trooper!!Load em up!!!Great day on the square!Saturday we had a Fall Carnival followed by Trunk or Treating at our church. We had a combined total of 3 wards participate and it was AWESOME!!! We had a DJ, bounce houses, haunted house, cookie walk, and all kinds of games for the kids. Since I was in charge of a couple of games, I recruited Jordan and her friend to help run the cookie walk!! They did a great job and loved seeing the cute little kids. Paige invited one of her friends to come with her - they had a great time playing the games. They were the cutest "babies" around. Cody found his little buddy Brandon and hung with him all night. Some adults even came in costume!!!! Have you ever seen such a great Sonny and Cher duo??? John and Cindy - you are awesome!!!!! After the games, it was time for trunk or treat...Rick grabbed his chair and enjoyed handing candy out to all the kids. Once we got home, it was all about the pumpkin carving!! Cleaning the pumpkins is always the favorite part!! The kids gave dad their requests, and dad got to work! I had told Rick about something I saw on the Martha Stewart show where they drilled holes all around the pumpkin....so OUT CAME THE POWER TOOLS and we gave it a try!!Cody was all about carving his own pumpkin!!While dad was working on the pumpkins, we were busy washing and cleaning seeds to stick in the oven!!! MMMMMM yummy pumpkin seeds...cooked with lots of salt!!!
Halloween Night started with the usual HALLOWEEN BUFFET!!!! We all LOVE the yummy food, and the fact we can just snack all night is the best! The kids were dressed and ready for a fun night...Jordan (supporting our Texas Rangers!!!) Paige (a baby) Chase (Fat Man) Cody (Ninja) and me....well a happy mama!!! Jordan had some friends come over and they roamed the neighborhood for a bit....they are kind of in that "we know we are too old to trick or treat, but still want too" phase. My cousin and his wife came over for the night. Davey walked in and was about kicked right back outside. He had the nerve to show up in all GIANTS attire. Yes, he is from Cali - so we cut him some slack!!We are so lucky to be close to mom and dad. We were glad they were able to come and spend the evening with us. The kids had a great time, but surprisingly ended earlier than I thought they would. I guess they figured, they had enough candy. I couldn't belief the piles they had after combining all three days together....Paige had her pillowcase halfway full...Chase had such a huge pile we buried him in his candy.And Cody...well he was in heaven!!The good news is, that my kids won't even end up eating half of it....they eat some in the beginning, then every year - more than half gets given away or thrown away.
Jordan finally came home and a different group of kids ended up at the house..
IF YOU NOTICE, RICK ISN'T IN ANY OF OUR HALLOWEEN EVENING PHOTOS...WHY YOU ASK???? WELL, HE HAD A BETTER OFFER!!!!!!

TICKETS TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!
I have to admit...I was a little jealous. But so glad he got to go!!! What an awesome experience. Yes, the Rangers lost - but it was still great!!
I love this picture!!The "Bush's" getting ready to throw out the first pitch..Apparently the reason why the guys are laughing is because they had asked a lady to take their picture. She kept on trying to get them to scoot closer together. Rick was sure to let her know and everyone around them know that in no way were the two of them a couple and they didn't need to get any closer!!!
It was a great weekend!!! LOVE HALLOWEEN!!!

TIGERTHON!!

2010-11-01T16:21:00.004-05:00

Each year our elementary school does a "fun run" fundraiser. The kids work very hard in their gym class to get ready for the run!!! The boys did a great job this year!! Cody's grade ran with the first group and Chase ran with the second group. Cody made sure he did all his stretching before he took off!!! I was able to volunteer this year marking T-shirts. Each time the kids would come around I would give them a mark. Cody was sure to find me every time so I could mark his shirt. I couldn't believe how fast he was running! He hardly walked and was such a trooper! When all was said and done, he ran 51 laps!!! Grandma was able to come and cheer him on. Every time he ran by her, he had a big smile on his face. I'm so proud of my little man!!!Chase wasn't about to let his little brother beat him!! He ran really hard as well, but was sure to have lots of fun while doing it!!! When he was finished he ran a whopping 55 laps!What a fun day for the kids! I'm sure they raised a lot of money for the school. Everyone was involved...even the teachers were out walking laps!!
Cody with his teacher, Mrs. Johnson Chase with his teacher, Mrs. Dobberfuhl

Way to go Glen Oaks Students!!!!!!

Chase got his BEAR!!

2010-10-27T11:03:00.003-05:00

Each Pack Meeting for scouts, awards are given to the boys to recognize their accomplishments. Chase has been working so hard and received his BEAR award with a gold arrow point and a few silver ones as well. Chase is so fortunate to have wonderful scout leaders who make sure he is on track with what he needs to get done. My favorite part of the ceremony is when he pins my "mothers pin" on and then I get to give him a big hug and kiss!!! We have such great leaders who make each pack meeting so much fun for the boys.Something FUNNY??????Chase is focused on one thing and one thing only........eating that donut!!!

Chase we are so proud of you! You work so hard to do what you are supposed to do. You work hard to be a good example and to make the right choices. I'm so glad you like scouts and I am excited for you to continue through the scouting program. You will learn great things to help you become an even better person. We love you Chase!

Discovery!!!

2010-10-21T11:06:00.003-05:00

I guess I always knew this, but never thought about it or admitted to it for that matter until now! THE OLDER THEY GET THE MORE EXPENSIVE THEY GET!!!!! I remember the days of, "I can't wait until they are out of diapers, just think of the money we will save." OR "Only one more year we have to pay for preschool...then we will be rich!"

Man oh man if it were just diapers and preschool I was paying for now. Well, that WOULD be great!

Don't get me wrong...I wouldn't trade this time for the world. Every stage of the kids lives are an adventure and brings wonderful new things....
I just wish they weren't wonderful expensive things!!! :)

New Masterpiece!!

2010-10-19T09:20:00.003-05:00

I realized the other day that I hadn't posted many of Paige's paintings lately! She continues to love art and always does a great job. Now that she is in 6th grade she is able to go to art class everyday, on top of her art lessons outside of school. She loves it!! She is learning so many new things and new techniques. This is her newest painting she came home with the other day!I love it!! Rick already called dibs on it and will be taking it into work.Paige is excited to be starting her still life painting next. The still life paintings are her favorite! We are getting quite the collection of "Paige Originals!" I'm not sure what we are going to do with all of them. I love them all because each one means something and tends to have a story behind it. Great job Paige! It is a wonderful thing when your child finds something they love!

How was YOUR weekend???

2010-10-09T23:30:00.004-05:00

Our weekend looked very promising at the beginning of the week, but plans were quickly changed. Thursday night, Rick and I were sitting in the family room and he mentioned he was going to be home Friday because he was going to the doctor. I was a little surprised because one, Rick NEVER goes to the doctor. AND two, I didn't know anything was wrong with him. He said his side had been hurting for a couple of days, so he was going to have it checked out. Honestly, I didn't really think much of it. That night I climbed into bed and noticed he had a fever, then a few hours later he was sweating really bad. Yes, that convinced me something was probably wrong. He woke up Friday and seemed better. No fever, had a good breakfast and seemed okay. In fact, he was considering cancelling his appointment. He decided to go, and I was off doing mommy things. He called me and said he saw the doctor and they were sending him over to the hospital for a cat scan, then he was to go back to the doctor. Well, Rick isn't always the best at telling me the details, so once he was finished with his cat scan I met him over at the doctors office. It didn't take them long to tell us that he had appendicitis and we were to head back to the hospital. They had already made arrangements with the surgeon to have his appendix removed. Well, this was a little bit of a shocker!!! So we headed home to drop off his car and take care of a few things - then off we went to the hospital. Since he had eaten breakfast that morning, they were trying to wait a little bit before taking him into surgery. Before he got into his hospital gown, with much convincing I was able to steal a shot of him. Since we had a little time we were able to make some arrangements for the kids and most importantly call some good friends to give Rick a blessing before his surgery. There is just something so awesome about two men, wearing white shirts and ties, who hold the priesthood, giving a blessing. I watched them place their hands on Ricks head and give him a wonderful blessing. I wasn't even the one going in for surgery and I felt so comforted. It made me realize what an amazing gift the priesthood is, but also how blessed we are to have people in our lives that are willing to stop their daily routine to come and help. Thank you so much John and Troy!!

Rick was sent back to surgery and I was off to the waiting room. Hospitals can be a crazy place. You can see all kinds of things and meet all kinds of people. While I was waiting for Rick I met a sweet little old man who was in with his wife. I met another gentlemen that was there for his father. Hearing both of these mens stories, again made me think of how blessed I was. The doctor came to visit with me and said things were a little worse inside than he thought, but that it all went well. They had to do a little more pulling and tugging because it was a lot more inflammed than they had thought. I was just glad, all went well and I would be able to see him soon. About an hour later he was wheeled into his room. Originally, the doctor had thought he would be able to go home that night, but then decided he needed to stay overnight. Rick was in a lot of pain and very uncomfortable. He kept asking for more pain medication. I had to remind him he had just had some 30 minutes earlier, but I was sure to stay on top of the nurse when the time came for him to have another dose. It was really late, and I decided I should head home to be with the kids, and I really was hoping Rick would be able to get some sleep.

This morning I was back at the hospital bright and early and walked in to Rick eating breakfast and looking much better. Once the doctor came in and checked him, we were given the all clear to go home. It has been an okay day...he is very sore and tired, but doing well.

What have I learned from this unexpected situation....I will be really glad when Rick is 100% again. Life without his help is very exhausting! Plus, I really don't like seeing those I love in hospitals and in pain!! When things like this happen, it sure does make you appreciate them!!

Enjoying the Lake!

2010-10-09T22:45:00.004-05:00

Who would have thought that at the end of September we could have such a great day on the lake. Since we bought the boat at the end of the "lake season", we were a little worried we wouldn't get out much. SO - we try to take every opportunity to get out. We set everything aside for Saturday September 25th. Decided we were going to have a family day on the lake with everyone! We cleared our calendar and waited for the weekend to come. WELL....rain was in the forecast! We were so bummed. Saturday morning it was sprinkling outside and we thought - well, the lake is off! Rick still had to go up to get the boat and have a few things done. He called around noon and said, we should just come anyway. We loaded up, and when we got there it was overcast but not raining. It actually turned out to be an AWESOME day!!!! The water was so smooth and surprisingly, the water temperature was warmer than the air temperature. This was the first time we were all able to enjoy the boat together! The kids had a great time. Each one of the kids (except Cody) showed off their wakeboarding skills.Paige and Chase are still newbies, but doing great!!! Jordan and Cody had fun playing around together and Paige and Cody were tearing it up demonstrating their dancing skills!I was so glad we decided to go. We couldn't have asked for a better day!

Hello FALL!!!

2010-10-09T22:32:00.004-05:00

I love when fall comes each year! For our family fall means: cool mornings, cool nights, windows open, jeans with flip flops, layered clothing and playing outside without hot, red cheeks. Having lived in Germany I love when fall comes because that also means:I remember so well the smells of Oktoberfest in Germany. We are so lucky because every year at the end of September, McKinney tries to recreate Oktoberfest, German-style. My favorite part is smelling the food, eating the food, seeing the people dressed in their german attire and listening to the music. I would love for Rick and the kids to experience Oktoberfest in Germany to see why I love it so much. Maybe, one day!!! Until then, they get to keep hearing my stories year after year and me dragging them downtown in hopes they will love it as much as me :)I do think it is growing on them. They love walking around and they are beginning to like the food more and more.Until we get to travel to Germany - downtown it is!! And it is so wonderful!

New Layout!!

2010-10-05T21:40:00.002-05:00

A big thanks to my sis...Kelsey who helped me with my new layout!!! You rock!!!! Did anyone notice the new name of my blog??? Yes she named it that :) A new topper/header will be coming soon :)
thanks Kelsey!! I love it!

One CRAZY week!

2010-09-20T12:54:00.008-05:00

Last week was one of those weeks where you are REALLY excited for everything going on, but you are also REALLY glad when it is over because it is a bit exhausting! Last week was HOMECOMING week...we had the community pep rally on Wednesday, game Friday night, and Dance on Saturday night. We also had Donny's open house reception at my mom and dads house Saturday night. My parents definately had a housefull. Aunt Lori and cousin Allen came from Alabama, Sarah's parents came from California, and Kristen surprised everyone and came as well. The week was full of homecoming preparations, helping my parents with finishing touches for the reception, soccer games, baseball games, scouts, activity days, homework, and everything else that comes with our busy life :)
Cody started our week off with baseball and soccer!!! I love watching him play!!

HOMECOMING
Wednesday night was the community pep rally. This was really fun! The band performed, cheerleaders, dance team, they introduced all the sports teams, and they also announced the winners for the underclassman homecoming court. Jordan had called the week prior and told me she was nominated for Sophomore class Dutchess. Needless to say we were both surprised, but I was very excited for her. Her Sophomore class has over 700 kids, and she was one of four girls that got nominated. What an honor for her. Although she did not win, we were still very excited for her.Since Jordan is not 16, she went to homecoming with a group of her friends instead of a date. Here in Texas there is a tradition that the date gives the girl a "mum." Well, I didn't want her to feel left out, so last year I made her a mum. You would have thought I learned my lesson and wouldn't start making it at the last minute - but, I did!!! So Friday I was busy making her mum to wear to the game! I must say - I thought the mum looked great and she looked very cute getting ready to go to the game with her Texas sized MUM!!The Dance was Saturday night, so Jordan and her friend Haley got ready at my moms house together. (that way Jordan could visit and be part of the reception before going to the dance.)Wow, did they look gorgeous!!! What beautiful young ladies!! At about 8:30, off they went to the dance to meet up with their other girlfriends! AW, the good old days....brings back so many memories of fun homecoming days!!!
Back at mom and dad's house we were ready for the reception. Mom and Dad had been working so hard for over the past month getting the house all ready...Mom worked hard inside and dad worked hard outside on the yard. The boys did stop for a bit to take a break and enjoy some conversation!Everything looked beautiful! The serving table looked fantastic!! Great job on everything mom and dad!!! It was fun visiting before the reception started!! It is always fun to see dad with his family. Aunt Lori was so kind to come for the weekend!!Wendy, Kristi, and I had the great honor of helping in the kitchen and keeping the cheesecakes cut and ready to serve. (What a bummer job...standing by cheesecakes...I was absolutley miserable having to taste each one...hee, hee!!) A lot of people came to see Donny and Sarah...they both looked great!! It was a great turn out!
The reception ended and around 11:30, I had to say goodbye to rush back home. Jordan was coming home from the dance and crazy me....told her, I would make breakfast for her and her friends after the dance....SO..Rick and I were making pancackes at midnight!!! It was actually pretty fun to hear all of their stories!! Needless to say, it was an exhausting weekend, but very fun!!!

WE FINALLY DID IT!!

2010-09-15T09:08:00.004-05:00

Well, after years and years of thinking, pondering, and looking on craigs list - we finally did it! We finally bit the bullet and did what Rick has been wanting to do for years and years! WE BOUGHT A BOAT!! I can hardly believe it myself, but nevertheless, we are absolutely thrilled and so excited for next summer to come! Rick has been looking for quite some time now for a boat in Texas. But couldn't find anything. He then broadended his horizons to Okalahoma and Arkansas, and still didn't find anything to his liking. So he felt like he should broaden further and take a peak in Arizona. Well, that is where his search came to an end. He found the boat he wanted!!! So over Labor Day weekend we spent the weekend driving to Arizona to pick up the boat. He and I left early Saturday morning - and after 17 hours arrived at his brothers house in Mesa. The trip did take a little longer than anticipated simply because we stopped to take a cruise down memory lane and visit the booming town of Las Cruces. Rick went to school at New Mexico State, so we drove around town for a bit. It was actually very fun seeing where he lived and hearing stories of all the things he was up to during college!

Sunday was the day to see the boat...we were very excited! We walked into the garage where the boat was being stored and loved it immediately. The people selling the boat were very nice and had taken great care of it. They were so nice and threw in extra supplies for us....wakeboards, wake surf board, skis, life jackets, rope, wet suits.....we were set!!!! Once we got the boat into the water there were a few hiccups....(which we won't go into) but when all was said and done, Rick was very excited. We woke up early Monday morning and headed back home with the boat in tow. It took us 19 hours to finally make it home and about 6 tanks of gas!! WOW - didn't really think about that :(

The kids were really excited to wake up Tuesday morning and see the boat parked in front of the house. The hiccups I referred to earlier were mostly taken care of last week, which meant we were able to get the boat on the water for the first time and enjoy it for part of the day last weekend. In his limited ability of showing emotions, I could tell Rick was pretty excited to get HIS boat out on the water!!!We had a great day! The kids enjoyed wakeboarding, and tubing.....Paige and Chase are getting much more comfortable on the wakeboard...Paige just popped right up her very first time. We were able to take Davey and Kristi with us, so we had a blast!It is very crazy to think that Rick and I own a boat! He has wanted one forever and grew up with a boat. I on the other hand am not very familiar with boats, but I am very excited to learn. Rick and I are excited to have great family time on the boat. We feel like this is a great opportunity to bond as a family and at the same time with friends.
The kids are super excited! It was a strange feeling as we were driving around that this was actually our boat and we can go out anytime we want. CRAZY!!!
I have been told the 2 happiest days are when you buy your boat and when you sell your boat....I only hope we have nothing but great experiences! Nevertheless, as of today we are two very proud, happy, and excited boat owners!!

TEXAS TORNADO!!!

2010-09-08T22:09:00.002-05:00

The fall in Texas is always interesting. There always seems to be a tornado or two, flash floods, and sometimes Hurricanes. Well, this year is no different! It has rained straight for the past two days. I am not talking a small drizzle, but heavy, heavy rain! Yesterday the kids couldn't leave school because the tornado sirens were going off and there was a tornado warning for our county. Actually, they thought that was pretty cool, because all the students had to go in the teachers lounge and music room. The kids hardly ever get to go in the teachers lounge - so they figured that was pretty neat. Today we were leaving scouts and the sirens went off again. We got home and the news had pictures of a tornado. Luckily it wasn't anywhere near us, but all Cody had to hear was that there was a tornado and he got pretty nervous! The news guy said people should take cover and parents should put bicycle helmets on their kids for protection. (Cody didn't realize it was only for the towns close to the tornado.) Before we knew it, Cody was hauling everyones bicycle helmets in the house. Jordan didn't have one, so he was sure to grab her a softball helmet. He cracks me up!!!! Everyone put the helmets on so Cody would feel better. He was a little worried when everyone took them off. Next thing I know he comes walking downstairs with layers and layers of clothes on. He came walking in the kitchen saying, "muscle man." Then he said, "actually this is so I have extra padding if a tornado comes." I think he had 3 or 4 sweatshirts/jackets on and about 3 pairs of pants.

He is such a cute little guy! Always so concerned about everyone and tends to be worried for everyone. Fortunately, living in Texas he understands - that is just the way it is. His philosophy is - if the tornado sirens go off....TAKE COVER!! Rest assured, Cody will make sure the Peterson family will be ready!

Grateful for opportunites!!

2010-08-31T16:10:00.003-05:00

Today at Paige's school they had an awesome assembly! They had a fantastic guest speaker!! Gold Medalist Figure Skater, Evan Lysacek came to speak with the kids. (If you watch Dancing With the Stars, you would have seen him there also.)Paige loved the assembly and what he had to say. Evan shared his success story and the commitment, dedication and discipline he needed to reach his dream of becoming an Olympic Champion. He stressed the "importance of having a dream and telling everyone about that dream so they can encourage and help you reach it."

What a neat opportunity for the kids at Dowell to hear personally from an Olympic athlete. Paige was so impressed with him and thought it was pretty cool he was wearing his actual, "real" gold medal!!

I'm so grateful the kids have opportunities like this and encouragement to reach for whatever their own dreams may be!

Could We Possibly Have Fall in Texas????

2010-08-27T12:16:00.003-05:00

One hundred degrees PLUS has been our weather for the past few weeks. Three days ago was our first day out of the hundreds and it felt SO good!!!! Is it sad that when it is 94 degrees outside we think of that as a great weather day???? Yesterday I woke up to take the dog out and to my surprise it was actually a little chilly. (Now that is just me...chilly to me is not chilly to others!) Anyway, it was so awesome! It actually felt better outside than in the house. I met some ladies for lunch yesterday and as I was driving to our cute downtown area red leaves were actually falling on my car. I had to stop and think for a minute!!! Am I in Texas??? While it was only 2 leaves, for a brief moment it felt great to have a sense that fall is coming!! We actually sat outside for lunch...(it did start to warm up a bit, but it was pleasant.) This morning I rode bikes with the kids and it felt FABULOUS outside. Unfortunately I won't be saying that this afternoon when it is time to pick them up....BUT, the morning was so great, I opened my windows for some fresh air!!!! I love fall!!! While living in Texas you may or may not have fall....the past few mornings have sure been GREAT!!!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

2010-08-24T19:20:00.004-05:00

Every year when summer is over we are all very sad. No more staying up late, sleeping in, doing whatever we want, vacationing, and living in the pool. Once school starts the crazy life begins....homework, sports, activities, and well...just plain busyness!!!! This year is a little different than any other....I have kids in High School, Middle School, and Elementary School.
Jordan started the day off first....Her school is from 7:30 to 2:30 (a lot earlier than last year). I had to make her promise she would sleep until at least 5:45....she was so anxious and eager to get to school, she could hardly wait!!! (Mainly to see all her friends she had been missing) Jordan is in 10th grade this year. This is so crazy for me, because I remember my 10th grade year like it was yesterday. (I keep telling myself it really wasn't that long ago). This is a significant year for Jordan....yes, she will be turning 16 in a few short months...which means driving and dating. The two "D" words I have dreaded!!! We have already started driving...we won't mention how that is going...actually - she is getting better :) Most of all I am realizing in 3 short years she will be off to college. WOW!!! I am looking forward to this year and very excited for Jordan. She will have so much fun...I can't wait to see all she accomplishes this year. Have fun this year Jordan!!!! (But not too much fun!)
My little Paige is in 6th grade this year, which means middle school. She is turning into such a beautiful young lady!!! She was a little nervous for 6th grade, but I have no doubts that she will do absolutely GREAT!!!! She already LOVES her art class and is super excited for all the things she will get to do. I can't wait for Paige to meet new people and try new things.....she has such a great adventure ahead of her! My advice to you Paige is, have fun and don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. You will be amazed at what is out there!!
Chase is in 4th grade this year. Wait, wasn't he just entering Kindergarten??? Again, where does the time go???Chase talked me into keeping his hair long this year....it's driving me crazy, but I'm trying to give him a little independence. I have also been told...."its cool to have your hair a little long." Chase is a great kid and I'm excited to see him soar this year in school.
Cody is in 2nd grade....I still look at him as my baby! I'm pretty sure I will look at him that way forever!!!He has been such a fun kid. He is so funny and keeps us all laughing. He did so great last year in his reading, I can't wait to see him take off in other areas this year! Luckily Chase is still with him in elementary school, so he knows his big brother will be there if he needs him. The first day was great for everyone!!! The morning was a little crazy, but we got everyone where they needed to be. (barely) My day started at 6:00...got up to get kids ready....took Jordan to school just after 7:00. Got home just in time to send Chase off to meet his buddy on their bikes. Loaded Cody up in the car and headed to school, so I could walk him to class. Came home, curled Paige's hair and barely got her to school in time. When it was all said and done, it was 9:00. Wow, it took 3 hours to get all the kids off to school. The rest of the day was full of catch ups...so my great intentions of cleaning, organizing, and getting myself put back together from the summer - did not happen. Well, there is always tomorrow right??? The day went by so fast, before I knew it, it was time to make the rounds to pick everyone up!!! The day was a little crazy, but it was fun to hear the kids talk about their day! Well, we are off and running, whether we are ready or not....
This will be a great year!!

Fun Before School Starts

2010-08-24T18:55:00.006-05:00

Well, if you got through my previous post...(the longest post EVER) - you know what we did this summer....BUT before school started we wanted to fit in a few last FUN things! Last year we went to Turner Falls in Oklahoma. We had such a great time, so when we got back from our vacation me and a few other moms planned a day to make the trek to Oklahoma! We were smart this year and went during the week....no crowds and plenty of room for the kids to play! We had such a great time!!!!I didn't count how many kids we had there, but we had a lot. The great thing is that no matter the age, they all played together and got along so great!!! The older ones watched out for the younger ones and everyone was included! What a great group of kids. Chase had a great time with his buddies finding minnows and skipping rocks.Paige and Jordan loved hanging with the girls!The best part of the day was at the end when ALL the kids were playing with the football. Boys against girls. From the oldest to the youngest, they were all playing....all the mommies were in awe at how great they were!! We will definitely be back next year!

We also decided to head to Hawaiian Falls before the summer ended! Rick and Jordan were at the lake with the youth from the church, so the younger kids and I met my Uncle and cousins for a fun day in the sun!I love that place....there is something for everyone! All the kids tried a new ride they had never been on! We had such a great time spending the day with family! It was a little crowded that day, but that didn't stop us from having fun! There was a DJ there that day. He was doing all kinds of contests with the kids...when I heard him say Hula Hoop Contest...I ran and grabbed Paige....she is a Hula Hoop Pro!!There were a ton of kids. Paige made it to the final round. He had them hula hooping in a circle, on one foot, on their knees....AND GUESS WHAT????? SHE WON!!! The best part was that she won a large snocone!!! YUM...we all benefited from that!!!

I would say we all had a great summer! It feels like it flew by. Looking back over all of our adventures, I feel so lucky that we were able to experience so many neat things with the kids this summer. Most of all, I feel the kids bonded and grew closer to one another. (how could they not, spending all that time in the car together :) At least my hope is that they made life lasting memories!!!

Our Summer Vacation!!

2010-07-19T10:39:00.037-05:00

Wow, what a whirl wind of a summer!!!! I look forward to summer all throughout the year and when it is finally here it seems to go by SO fast!!! Our family has been having a great summer up to this point. Once school was out, the kids were able to hang out with friends for a couple weeks before we started our GRAND ADVENTURE!!! We were traveling west for my baby brothers wedding, so we figured we should make a grand vacation out of it!! You would think a 6 week long vacation would feel like forever.....BUT no - it went by way too fast. When the time came to head home, we found ourselves saying..."where can we go next!."

The kids and I left the last week of June and made the 13 hour drive to Farmington, New Mexico. Yup...drove it all myself!! Wahoo...I was a little worried, but we made it safely!! This was the first stop on our 6 week vacation! We had to stop and drop Max off at Grandma and Grandpa's house. They so graciously agreed to let Max live with them while we were off on our travels. We stayed in Farmington a couple days before heading to Flagstaff, Az to meet up with my mom and dad. We stayed there the night and continued on 11 hours the next day until arriving at Donny's house in Monterey, Ca. I wasn't to sure about Monterey driving in. We must have come in the back way because once we got out and drove around, I fell in love with that place. We arrived there Saturday July 3rd. We went to dinner and the kids and I thought we were going to freeze to death. We were in our jeans and jackets!!! It felt like it does in Texas during winter!!! Sunday we went to church with Donny. His last Sunday in his "singles" ward. That was fun and definately an experience! I think there were about 20-25 people there (I'm sure partly due to the fact it was summer and a holiday weekend). Nevertheless - you could have heard a pin drop. I haven't been in a sacrament meeting like that in a long time! It was great...there was a great spirit there and I'm so glad the kids and I could be there with my mom, dad, Donny, and Sarah. After church we took a drive to the beachside in Carmel. WOW!! Okay, I want to live there!!!!The kids loved the beach! It is so beautiful and the houses are awesome!!! We had fun just driving around looking at all the homes. They are all designed differently and are so amazing. The kids loved it!!! They have a cute little town square or main street and the beach of course was amazing. Cold, but amazing. The kids fell in love with Carmel...as I did. This was a fun place to take pictures of the kids. We also gave some love to the Pebble Beach Golf course for Rick!! It was probably a good thing he wasn't with us. He would have LOVED it...an awesome golf course right on the ocean!! WOW!!! We had a great afternoon with Donny and Sarah on the beach!Unfortunately the City of Monterey and most surrounding cities had firework bans, so there were't any fireworks to be seen. We were a little sad, but I grabbed the kids and Sunday evening we went down to Cannery Row in Monterey, just to walk around and check things out. We had a great time watching the people, window shopping, and just feeling the cool ocean breeze! We were lucky because Donny had off Monday and Tuesday, so we were able to spend some time with him. Monday morning Jordan and I got up and ran with Donny and Sarah. I felt like I was in a movie! Running on a trail right along the ocean! (BUT...if I was really in a movie I wouldn't have been huffing and puffing as hard as I was :) Despite that....it felt great!!! The ocean breeze! Wow - I could get used to that!!!
Later that day, I took the kids back to Cannery Row. Eventhough the water was absolutely freezing, they didn't care....they didn't get all the way in, but they loved running and playing in the water. I could have taken pictures all day of the kids in the water...they were having so much fun!Grandpa spent the day with us while grandma was doing "wedding stuff."Tuesday we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. What an experience! We saw so many cool things. The kids enjoyed watching the different animals during feeding times. This guy was crazy...he had a giant eel wrapped around him....One of the kids favorites was the seahorses...We had a great day at the aquarium....so many fun things to see!!For dinner that night, we took the kids to Bubba Gump Shrimp. The kids loved tasting the shrimp, but stuck with their favorite....chicken. I'm so glad we got to spend some time with Donny! We got to see his new place he and Sarah are moving into. And we were able to spend more time with Sarah...which made us like her even more than we already did. We were sad to leave Monterey and Carmel, but excited for our next stop.

Wednesday July 7, we headed to San Jose, Ca to visit my Aunt Robin and Uncle Dave. It had been forever since I had been at their house. Probably almost 15 years, so it was really good to visit! My Aunt and Uncle are the best hosts!!! My Aunt arranged so many fun things for us to do. Once we got there Wednesday morning, we unloaded a few things and climbed back into the car and headed to The Winchester House. It was impossible to get a picture of the whole house, so this was just a piece of it :)This was awesome!!! This was a house owned by Sarah Winchester. She was married to the guy that invented the "Winchester rifles". After her husband died she moved into this house and just kept building and building. She thought that if she kept building rooms, those people that died from "Winchester Rifles" wouldn't haunt her. The house was constantly under construction and was still being added onto when she died. The house was so fun to walk through...the kids loved it and just kept saying....we wish we could play hide and seek in here. There were doors that opened to nowhere, staircases that led to nowhere, and all kinds of secret passages. I'm so glad we got to see it!!
From there we headed to Santa Cruz for some fun beach time and boardwalk fun! First we stopped to play in the tide pools. The kids thought they were so fun...they learned how strong the tide can be when Jordan lost a shoe right off her foot...we tease her and tell her it is probably in China by now :) Uncle Dave and Aunt Robin searched with the kids to find some living ocean creatures in the rocks...We played baseball on the beach, dug in the sand, and even found time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Once the kids dried off and changed clothes, they were ready for the boardwalk. Robin and Dave stuck it out with us until after 10:00 that night. Uncle Dave was a good sport and took Cody on some little rides, while the rest of us hit a few of the roller coasters! The rides were fun because they had different ones the kids had never seen before. It was a great day!!!!!

Thursday found us in San Francisco. Let me just say I am SO glad I wasn't driving!!! Aunt Robin drove for us and was a pro! She knew right where to go, what we needed to see, and where we should avoid! I couldn't believe how busy San Francisco was and how close together everything was. I decided this was a fun place to visit, but I'm not sure I could ever live there! Our first stop was the Golden Gate Bridge. It was awesome to be there and see it up close.We parked and walked across part of the bridge. This was so COOL!!! It was great having Grandma and Grandpa with us!!Aunt Robin, you were the best tour guide EVER!!!It was pretty chilly and very windy, but the kids loved it. I'm sure that experience will be something they remember doing their whole lives. After the bridge we headed to Pier 39. The kids loved watching and listening to the seals....there were so many and they were so loud! We didn't have time to head out to alcatraz, so we were sure to get a picture! Another highlight was driving down Lombard Street....(the windiest street) It was crazy driving down it....not only did it zig zag but it was really steep!That night, Rick finally was able to join us. He flew in, so my dad and Uncle picked him up while the kids enjoyed swimming in the pool and spending time with my cousin Chris. We had a great time with Dave, Robin, and Chris. Wish we could have stayed longer!!! Looks like we will have to make another trip to San Jose next year!!:)

Friday July 9th, we were off once again, headed to Sacramento for Donny's wedding. Before any of the wedding festivities got under way, we made a stop at the Jelly Belly Factory. We learned all about how Jelly Belly's were made, how they get their flavoring, what makes a perfect "bean" vs a belly flop, and even got to taste a few. They have some crazy flavors....I drew the line at "canned dog food."Friday night was a family dinner at Sarah's house. It was nice to meet Sarah's mom, dad, and 3 brothers. She also had some other close family visiting. We had our whole family there, cousins, aunts and uncles. It was a great reunion for everyone! Mom did a great job making some center pieces for the tables. They were pictures of Donny and Sarah growing up. The food was great, weather was great, and we even threw in a few games! We were able to get a few pics of our new relatives...Sarah and her brothers.After the dinner we went back to the hotel to spend some time with Donny and family...The boys hanging out at the hotel...Saturday, July 10th was a full day of WEDDING....Donny and Sarah were sealed in the Sacramento Temple. Sarah looked beautiful and Donny of course was very handsome! They are so cute together!!!! I love weddings....it kind of reminded me of my wedding. It reminds me of promises Rick and I have made to each other. Reminds me of all my blessings and all that I have!!! Here are a few pics from the big day!!! They were so happy and so in love!!Our family with the new addition...Donny with the women in his life...All the cousins together...My cute Cody...Jordan and Paige were such a big help watching the twins...This is my most favorite picture...this is just the sweetest picture of Paige and Taylor...My cousin Chris and the girls...Paige and her dance partner!!It's always hard to get A LOT of people ready for a picture, especially when it is REALLY hot.Jordan and Chris having fun decorating Donny's car.Jordan and Mason having a "bonding moment."Family photo in front of the temple.Sunday July 11 - yup you guessed it, we loaded up and drove to Anaheim, Ca. Disneyland here we come!!!!! All the kids went to Disneyland when they were 6 with Grandma and Grandpa, but Rick hadn't been since he was little, and some of the kids went when California Adventure wasn't even open yet....SO we figured it was time for us to all go together!!!! Monday morning we were up bright and early to be there right when the gates opened. The very first ride we hit was the Buzz Lightyear ride, then off to Space Mountain. We hit the big rides first and got fast passes for the others. We had a great day! I don't think we waited in line longer than about 20 minutes for any ride! We definately lucked out. All Cody wanted was a Mickey Mouse pretzel!Wahoo...we made it!The kids loved the funny hats....even Rick tried some on!The only Disney character Jordan wanted to make sure she saw was Tinkerbell....her favorite!Loved Cruella!My favorite picture!!! Why is Rick always the one messing around??? :)The kids loved getting autographs in their books!Ready to ride the Matterhorn..one of our favoritesAnother favorite is Autotopia!!! A car Jordan could actually drive!The kids were so lucky and got to drive the big white Mark Twain boat around the island. It was so cool...they got a certificate and everything!Tuesday, we headed over to California Adventure. !Hollywood Tower of Terror was a favorite of Jordan and Paige. Cody went on it one time and let us know he wouldn't be going on that ride again!!! Cody talked Rick and I into riding the Ferris Wheel, pretty cool, but when you get in one of the carts that rocks, we were feeling a little queezy!The most favorite was the Grizzly Run...probably because we all got wet and cooled off. California Screamin and Soarin Over California were other favorites. Again the lines weren't too bad at all....the longest line we stood in was for the Toy Story ride, and the kids said it was totally worth it. It was a great ride. The Bugs Life show is always a favorite! This was Jordan's first time experiencing the show, so it was fun to see her face when she got poked in the back and bugs ran under her bottom.We loved California Adventure, but we all agreed Disneyland is still our favorite. There is just a different feeling when you walk through the gates to Disneyland.....Happiest Place on Earth.....yup - we were all pretty happy to be there!Tuesday night we drove to my sisters house in Yucaipa, Ca. We spent the day with her family at the beach on Wednesday! We went to Corona Del Mar. The water was a little cold, but you definately got used to it once you took the plunge! The kids enjoyed spending time with their cousins and loved boogy boarding!

Thursday we woke up and made the 12 hour drive back to Farmington, NM. It was nice to stay put for a few days! We loved spending time with Ricks parents. The kids loved seeing cousins, and swimming in the pool. We were also able to see the outdoor play, "Oklahoma". There is just something about sitting outside enjoying the outdoors and watching a play.
We hadn't been up to Durango Mountain in a few years, so we took the kids to ride the Alpine Slides. We always had a good time racing each other....Rick and Jordan got a little too competetive and Jordan managed to fall off her sled. She has a nice "burn" mark on her elbow to prove it!
One of our favorite things to do is go to the BAR D! The food is SO good!!! And the music is fabulous!! They sang some new songs, but we have our "old" favorites too!

Okay - trip is not over, but I have to post...this has taken me forever to finish. More pics and the conclusion to come!

Never Too Early To Party!!

2010-06-24T11:17:00.006-05:00

This summer is a little busy with a lot of traveling. SO - I wanted to make sure with all the comings and goings....Ricks birthday didn't get forgotten. We have some friends that like to celebrate birthdays, so we planned a fun day that was, "ALL ABOUT RICK." We did all of his favorites! The day started on the lake! Rick could absolutely LIVE on the lake in a boat. We headed to Texoma bright and early. Everyone took a shot at slalom skiing. This was my first time trying, and surprisingly I actually got up....I couldn't believe it! Then it was on to tubing! Me and the girls decided to all get on at the same time. Smart idea????? NOT!!!! Our tubing time ended when Derrick was "taking it easy on us." Somehow we hit a wake and all three of us went flying off in three different directions. Let's just say I'm glad I brought the Aleve!!! After a little break we were feeling ready to go again...With a promise to "really" take it easy - Rick and I decided to give it a go. Yes, we caught some air, but I definitely recommend two at a time instead of three. Kendra and Derrick took a turn..... and Melanie and Jason gave it a try...It's great to know that we aren't too old to enjoy ourselves!!!! Rick took a turn solo, and as hard as we tried we couldn't knock him off. We had such a good time at the lake, but the time went by too fast. We were a bit on a time schedule because the boys planned Rick's second favorite thing....GOLFING. As hot as it was the boys had a great time golfing. I'm not really sure who won...I think it is still up in the air :) While the boys were golfing, the girls went home, showered and got ready for the rest of the evening. When the guys were done golfing they met us for dinner. This part, Rick didn't know about. So to let him know this day was really planned around him...I had a sign and balloons waiting for him at the restaurant. I think it was then he realized we didn't just randomly plan the lake, golfing, and dinner all in one day just because! We have great friends and are so lucky they were willing to give up a whole day to spend with us. So...Happy early Birthday babe....I tried to fill the day with all your favorites! Love you!

If You Don't Have Your Wisdom Teeth, Do You Still Have Wisdom?

2010-06-24T11:04:00.004-05:00

Last Tuesday Jordan got her wisdom teeth out. Okay, this could be the funniest thing I have seen in awhile!! She was TOTALLY out of it, and yes Paige and I completely took advantage of the situation and took lots of pictures and video tape. As the doctor put it, "she looked like a child from the 60"s." She was trying to talk to us and I had no idea what she wanted. Then she started signing things, again - I had no idea what she was saying. Paige and I were laughing so hard we could hardly hold the camera still. These are definatly blackmail pictures, and way too funny not to post! Jordan has great friends that came and sat with her everyday. I think they watched about 10 movies and played lots of checkers. What good friends!!! Jordan was pretty swollen, but is doing great now! She was a great patient. Not too demanding and a great sport. Wahoo...check that off the list!

GIRLS CAMP 2010

2010-06-18T10:40:00.011-05:00

There are those things in life that you get to do that may be really time consuming, but still you just LOVE doing them. Girls Camp is one of those things. I LOVE going to Girls Camp. I have been able to go with Jordan three out of her four years. This year was Stake Camp and they asked if I would be over the crafts....my response was, "if that will get me to girls camp....ABSOLUTELY!" We went to a new place this year. Camp Langston in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. It was only a couple hours away and when we pulled in all the girls commented that it seemed like "Parent Trap."The cabins were so cute and we were right on a little lake. The girls were so excited about the slide and rope swing. We were only there a couple hours before EVERYONE was in the water. Jordan was a pro at the rope swing. I won't mention how pathetic I looked trying to hang on :)Jordan grabbed a hold, tucked her knees in and hung on! She looked like she was flying through the air!! The slide was really fun. Three people could go at one time. Jordan had fun with her good friend Cassidy racing down the slide. We were able to get our hands on some dish soap to put down the slide to help us go really fast! yes, even I took a go at the slide!!The girls also enjoyed some canoeing.The had all kinds of canoes. Jordan and Cassidy got a workout in the canoes...they are getting better at "steering" them :)
After having fun in the water, it was time for the fourth year girls to head out on their overnight hike. Man did they learn a lot!!!Jordan came back the next morning with some great stories!!! Let's just say, eating grass, using sticks for dinner, and going potty in a hole were just a few of the topics!! As a mom, it was great to hear that they actually had to rough it a little!!!!!

What is girls camp without a little rain????Okay...ALOT of rain!! It was absolutely pouring for one whole day straight! We were all soaked, but had lots of fun!

On skit night the girls did the cutest song and dance to the country song, "Red High Heels." But they changed it to "Cowgirl Boots." The leaders made them darling holsters with their names on the back.The stake leaders even strutted their stuff in their own song and dance!
The last day was beautiful, so the girls enjoyed the water a little more. Jordan has been blessed with so many great friends in the church! I am so glad they are all there for each other and encourage each other to do good!!!
We have a fabulous group of girls in our ward! I was so happy I was able to go to girls camp! There is just something about spending that quality time with the girls in the great outdoors!
Next year will be Paige's first year to go! Hopefully, I will be able to attend with her as well! I love the bonding time!!!

Wow - How Time Flies!!

2010-06-18T09:04:00.011-05:00

You would think with school out and summer in full swing, life would be simple. Relaxing. Less Busy.

Let's just say that is not the case! There is so much to catch up on. Great and wonderful things have been going on. The last week of school was full of fun, fun, fun!!!! The boys had fun parties in class. Chase is excited and so ready to move onto 4th grade. Cody has done AMAZING things this year. He is reading like crazy! Everything he sees he reads! I love it!!! He met some great new friends and is excited for second grade. Jordan was sure to take her camera to school and get lots of pics with good friends. She was actually exempt from some of her finals, so she didn't even have to go to school on the last day. Jordans favorite part in science was all the disecting she did....(not really!)
BEACH BASH
On the last day of school, Paige had her big 5th grade graduation and Beach Bash!

The thought of Paige finishing Elementary school is crazy!!! Off to Middle School she goes and I find myself thinking....what happened to my little girl that would run around the house with a ponytail high on top of her head, cuddling in my lap, or reading stories? I know she is ready! She will succeed and do many wonderful things in Middle School - I just get a little sad when the realization hits, that she is growing up!

Paige loves learning. She loves school! The thought of school ending was very hard for her. First she loved all her 5th grade teachers. They had a great time this year. She loves Glen Oaks and feels such a part of the school! Change is hard for Paige, so she was a bit emotional on the last day of school. It was close to the saddest thing I have seen in a long time. Paige was crying, ALL the teachers sitting on the stage were crying....my mom was crying, and of course...I was crying!!!! As Paige walked across the stage to get her graduation certificate, she hugged each one of her teachers BUT when she hugged Mrs. Nuttall - the tears just flowed. (for both of them) She has been such a wonderful teacher! Paige has formed a bond with her that will last forever!

Thank goodness, the 5th graders had a day of fun planned. Once graduation was over, the kids grabbed their things and walked the halls of Glen Oaks for one last time. All the other students in the school made signs and cheered as they left the school to walk to the beach club. Cody made a cute sign for Paige! Once we got to the beach club, tears were dried and smiles were on everyones faces! TIME FOR SOME FUN!!!The kids spent the whole day at the Beach Club. Paige was as happy as can be with all her friends around her. Paige and Samantha have known each other since they were 3 or 4. It has been so fun watching them grow up together. Paige and her buddy Paige N. met each other a couple of years ago when they were in the same class. Now they are known as Paige P. and Paige N. Paige enjoyed time in the water, but was first in line when they announced there would be a hula hoop contest. Go Paige, Go Paige!!!! Let's just say she takes after her mom and can hula hoop with the best of them!!!Paige was one of the top 3 winners and won a new Middle School shirt! Next it was sand castle time!!! Her and her friends won for most creative, making a mermaid fortress. They buried one of their friends to look like a mermaid!The last day of school was emotional, but fun! On to bigger things for everyone!!!

BASEBALL
Even though school was out - baseball was still in session for Chase! He was starting his tournament and playing great! Chase started playing catcher this season and has done a great job! He loves playing with his buddy Colton. Their team played so hard during each and every game. They went through the tournament undefieted and made it to the championship game. AND..........
They won!!!! The game wasn't without it's contraversy....but in the end - the Yankees ended with the win. Way to go Yankees!!

LOOSE TEETH
Cody started off the summer losing his very first two teeth. All I can say is...FINALLY!!! He has been wiggling those guys for months!
PIANO
Paige has been working hard all year with her piano. I love hearing music in the house. Paige has a natural gift. She picks up songs so quickly and plays so beautifully! I'm so glad she enjoys playing!
WICKED
For almost a year now, I have been looking forward to the day I could take the girls to see Wicked! I found out it was coming to Dallas, and immediately put the date on my calendar that tickets would be on sale! Yes, tickets tend to be a little pricy, but totally worth it. Mom, Jordan, Paige, my good friend Heather and I were all able to go see it. This was my second time seeing it, and it was just as amazing as the first. I'm actually ready to see it again!!! It was a fun girls night out. We stood at the stage door and even got to see Elpheba, Fiero, and the Wizard!It was a great night. I'm glad the girls were able to experience a broadway show!
MAX
Max is still as fun as can be. We took him for his vet appointment the other day and he is a whopping 2 pounds 1 ounce. The kids just love him! Okay, I love him too! He and I have great bonding moments. Paige is his little mother. He sleeps in her room and every morning bright and early we hear her opening the back door to let him out. She does great with him. I'm sure she would be right next to him every second if she could!
Summer is in full swing! It seems like time is already moving so quickly. Hopefully, someday soon - we can just sit, relax, and enjoy!!! Until then, we keep on truckin and look forward to what comes next!

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-05T01:04:00.011-05:00

Last weekend was Memorial Day Weekend. Rick had planned a weekend with his parents in Farmington, so I wanted to find something fun for the kids and I to do. A bunch of friends from church invited us to go camping with them. After they explained where we would be going...I was totally in! To be honest, I'm not even sure you can call it camping because we were totally spoiled. We had air conditioned cabins and they fed us!!! We went to Collin County Adventure Camp in Anna. It was only 25 minutes from home, but once we were there it felt like we were far far away in a beautiful area! We went up Friday night and sat around a camp fire. Believe it or not the weather was absolutely PERFECT!!! The kids ran around playing all kinds of games and loved every minute of it! We woke Saturday morning to an egg breakfast and was ready for a full day ahead. The kids all had friends their ages, which meant we didn't see much of Jordan. She was off with her "possie" most of the time. I was lucky to see her! The little kids and I started the day off with Rock Climbing. Paige and Chase were super excited to give it a try...Cody had second thoughts! Paige got ready first...honestly I wasn't sure she was going to make it all the way to the top...The wall was pretty high! I was so proud of Paige...she climbed like a champ and made it all the way to the top!Chase climbed like a pro. He sped up the wall so fast, I couldn't believe it! After climbing the wall, we headed over to Archery and to shoot some BB's. Paige got the hang of it pretty fast! Chase did great! Cody totally surprised me! He held the bow like he had done it before. He worked so hard to get that arrow to stick! He did awesome! A bunch of his arrows stuck - and he almost got one in the yellow!After we were done with Archery, we headed to shoot some BB Guns! What little kid doesn't love that??? The kids were pretty hot after working so hard, so before lunch we had a chance to jump into the pool. The boys were having fun playing catch and diving for the football. Cody almost got that one! Nice split buddy! Nice catch Chase!!Paige enjoyed the slide! Let me just say, how nice it was to just go from one activity to the next, and not have to worry about getting food ready. As soon as we walked out of the pool, off to lunch we went. Chicken, pork loin, sausage, mashed potatoes....yum, yum!!!!
After lunch...back to the pool we went! We even had time for a game of Putt Putt. Dinner was a Mexican Fiesta, then off to our own private canoe and fishing session! Canoeing was so much fun...I can't even remember the last time I went canoeing. We had about 7 canoes or so out and enjoyed seeing who could get each other the wettest!!! (I think Jordan and I lost!) Jordan decided to bail and climbed into another canoe, so the boys and I decided to give fishing a try. This place was so great, they had everything...fishing poles and the bait. (leftover sausage). All the kids were determined to catch a fish...Chase worked so hard, but decided to grab a net and catch some minnows for us! Cody caught the first fish, and then another. He loved catching them, but didn't want to get too close! I actually even held the fish and tried to take it off the hook...no luck - I had to call for back up! Paige wasn't going to leave until she caught one, so we were all VERY happy when she finally caught her fish! When we got back to camp, the kids played capture the flag for what seemed like hours. We built a campfire and enjoyed sitting around visiting. We woke up Sunday morning to an awesome breakfast of eggs, ham, omlets, crepes, cinnamon rolls...you name it - they had it! Sadly, it was time to clean up and say good-bye. All the kids helped load up the car and clean up the cabin. We couldn't leave without a final farewell!! We had such a great time! It was the perfect get-away!!

Once we got home, we rushed to get ready for church, then headed off to grandma and grandpa's house to spend some time with them. We love having grandma and grandpa so close!

Monday morning our ward had a "Breakfast and Fun Run!" The Fun Run was a 3 mile run. Jordan, Davey, Bub, and I decided we would go for it and run. The little kids didn't want to be left out, so we loaded up their bikes and they rode next to us! The run was great! Let me just say the last hill at the very end was a killer!!! But - we did it! Some good friends also ran it...way to go Aprille and Wendy - we are totally signing up for a 5K soon!!!We had a great weekend! Fun, Friends and Family!!! The only thing that could have made it better was if Rick was with us...BUT - I'm glad he was able to spend time with his family and get some golfing in!!!

MEET OUR NEWEST ADDITION!!

2010-06-01T21:53:00.010-05:00

We had a great Memorial Day Weekend.....yes, I will blog about that, BUT FIRST - we have BIG news!!!! Let me start with a little background. Many of you know Paige has had an obsession with yorkies for some time now. We figured as time went by, she would forget about it, and obsess about something else. Nope...not the case. She has been saving every penny she has earned to buy herself a little Yorkie. Rick and I never really felt like we wanted a dog, so thinking Paige would forget about it, we told her she would have to buy one for herself. If any of you know the price of a Yorkie, you can understand why we felt like we were pretty safe. It would definitely be awhile!!! Or so we thought....

A few weeks ago we received a phone call that would change everything! :) Ricks brother called and let me know that his Yorkie had puppies and they knew Paige's' desperate WANT to have one. They asked if they could give one to the family. (okay - I really meant to say Paige). I got off the phone thinking, "oh she would love it, but I'm not sure we are ready for this." A couple days went by and I told Rick we needed to let his brother know. I thought for sure he would say, just tell him no thank you...BUT...he said - tell him we will take it. Okay, immediately I was nervous, scared, unsure, excited, happy, and did I mention nervous and scared? I had never had a dog before and didn't know the first thing about dogs. WELL....Rick was flying home to visit his parents for Memorial Day Weekend, so he figured he could just bring it home then.

He wasn't flying in on Monday night until after 10:30, but I thought for sure I could keep the kids awake for this awesome surprise. The plane was late, so when I got the call just before midnight Rick was almost home, I frantically tried to wake the kids up for their surprise. This is what I had to work with......

The kids were zonked out from the fun weekend we had. Cody was somewhat awake when Rick walked in holding the puppy. Cody kept saying, "Paige, Paige, Paige." Paige slowly opened her eyes as Rick put the puppy in her lap. She got the biggest smile on her face. All the kids suddenly weren't tired at all. Each one of them took turns holding the puppy! Paige had perma-grin!!! I think it was almost 1:30 AM before everyone was back to bed.

So, even though Rick and I thought we would NEVER do this.....
WE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY.... MAX The kids were and are still so excited to have him! And as for Paige - I don't think she has stopped smiling for a full day straight! She can hardly put the little guy down!In fact, tonight she begged to let him sleep with her. (just for a little while :)Max is the sweetest little dog. He is so good and just ADORABLE!! The kids all love him! He is so cute playing with the kids. I think we wore him out tonight though! We took so many pictures of him, so stay tuned for more postings!! A huge thank you to Uncle Stew and Aunt Tracee for the fun and happiness Little Max has brought into our home!!! :)

It's All About Change!

2010-05-25T23:35:00.002-05:00

As each one of the kids have their end of the year activities I have been able to take a step back and notice all the change that is and will be going on!!! Jordan had her singing "solo" concert the other night. Wow -how she has progressed. She is still terrified to sing alone in front of people, but what a difference! Each time she does it, she has more confidence in herself. I am so proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone. She has "changed" and grown so much this year. Not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually. I look at her and wonder where my little girl went!

Paige has been struggling a bit these past few days. She LOVES school and even more, she LOVES Glen Oaks. She is so comfortable and happy at her school. She loves all the teachers and especially her art class and the freedom she has in there. The other night, she just broke down into tears. She just doesn't want to move onto sixth grade and MIDDLE SCHOOL. Don't you just love when those "teaching" moments happen. Paige and I had such a great talk about change. It has been said that, "the only thing constant is change." Paige and I both agreed that her attitude is what will make her fail or succeed. I was able to share personal experiences with her and point out times in her life when she has had "change" and things worked out. I just hope our talk helped her out! I just hate to see my kiddos so uneasy, and sad :(

Chase is growing into such a great kid. (well, let's face it, he has always been a good kid.) It's fun watching him and Cody wrestle, hang out, and really talk! Even though Chase is getting older, he still loves for me to hang out with him. I was able to go to the zoo with him the other day for a field trip....he was so excited I could go! But I think I was more excited that he WANTED me to go!

Cody has grown leaps and bounds this year! Oh my gosh - he reads everything he can get his hands on. Yesterday he started reading a "Wimpy Kid" book. I couldn't believe it!!! You would have never known he struggled so much. I was able to attend a field trip with him the other day as well. You know when you have something happen to you and you just want to freeze time. Cody and I were sitting on the bus and he just scooted himself right next to me and rested his little head on my arm. I cherish moments like that.

Honestly, my talk with Paige was probably as much for me as it was for her. Its not easy for me to watch the kids get older, move on, not tell me everything, not "need" me all the time. I wish the kids wouldn't get older, I wish I could just freeze them. BUT - I know I can't. So as they get older and grow in so many ways - I need to embrace each stage and hang on tight to the memories. Change is hard. Watching your kids grow up is hard. BUT - it is also good. It is good to see them take what you have taught them and use it to make good decisions and be successful.

So as hard as it is - I just keep telling myself....Embrace Change!!! (Because it is going to happen whether I like it or not :)

One Crazy Week!

2010-05-18T10:29:00.023-05:00

I'm not sure if you feel this way or not, but May always seems to be SO busy! I love springtime and the fact that school is coming to and end, but oh my goodness....things are crazy! It seems like there is something going on every night. So in an effort to stay current with everything going on....here is our life over the past week or so!!!

FIELD DAY!!

Field Day is a huge highlight of the year! The kids love spending the day outside and their most favorite stations are the water stations! This year we had a great day! It was warm, but not too hot! Chase just loved being outside with his buddies! He also loves playing tether ball with his friends!

One of Cody's favorite games is the sponge game. You hold the container on your head and your friends fill a sponge with water. Whoever fills their container up first by squeezing out the water...wins!!! Cody loved it because he was soaked when it was all said and done!!

Paige just loves it all.....being with friends and having fun!

PRIMARY ACTIVITY!!
Our primary activity this month was service oriented. One of the activities the kids did was to clean the building. I wasn't sure how they would all react, but they were excited and cleaned the building with smiles on their faces. Paige's class was in charge of cleaning the bathrooms. Cody's class cleaned and vacuumed classrooms.

Chase had to be at baseball, so I had taken him over to the church the night before with me to help clean and set up. Even Jordan was able to help. With me being the primary president, the whole family tends to get involved with all the activities. Jordan was a great help with the younger kids, and even took over a class for me.

HORSE RACES!!
After cleaning all morning, soccer games, and baseball - Davey, Kristi, and Bub offered to take the kids to the horse races! Before I go on, I have to say - I have the coolest cousins EVER!!! Davey and Kristi are always so good about spending time with the kids. Bub just moved here for the summer, and he has stepped right in - loving on the kids!!! Bub helped me out huge that day, being my personal chauffeur! Thanks guys for being so AWESOME! We love living so close to you!!!

The kids had a blast at the races. It was kid day, so they had fun things for the kids to do. They enjoyed feeding the animals......
riding on the ponies.....

and I loved this picture. Here Bub and Chase are racing Davey and Cody! I think I was told Davey and Cody won that race!

SOFTBALL BANQUET!!

Jordan had her softball banquet at the country club. What a year she has had. She started the year on the JV team. She loved it! She made some wonderful friends, loved the coaches, and enjoyed being one of the top players on the team. She played second base and batted fourth in the line up. (This was a little funny to me, because Jordan has never been much of a power hitter. More the bunting type.) But she did great and loved every minute of it. She did sacrifice her sleep to be part of the team. They would practice in the morning before school, which meant she had to attend the 5:45 seminary class. Jordan had a great attitude and was positive all the way through. As much as she loved the JV team, her ultimate goal was to play on the Varsity team. She was able to play a few games/tournaments with the Varsity team throughout the early part of the season. Then it happened. They asked her to to move up and finish out the year on Varsity. Jordan was so excited!!! One of her best friends was playing on Varsity, so she was very happy to be playing with her.

She loved the Varsity girls and worked very hard. The coaches were awesome!! Jordan learned so much from them. It is amazing how much she has improved!

At her banquet she was awarded with the Academic Excellence Award, and was also told she had lettered! She was thrilled!!! Jordan has enjoyed being a part of the Boyd Softball Team and has made wonderful friendships!!! We are so proud of Jordan!!! Way to go babe!! Can't wait until next year!

HONORING PAIGE!!

This year the fifth grade started a new recognition program. The kids had the opportunity to earn the letters L - E - A - D. They did this by completing different criteria the teachers put into place. The first two letters weren't too hard...the kids had to complete all homework, show respect, help when needed, etc. To earn their "A", they had to provide so many hours of tutoring or help a teacher. Paige skipped recess many times to help the kindergartners in Art. To earn their "D", they had to do something that would help the community. Paige made a website about keeping the world clean. This was an amazing award because only a handful of kids from the fifth grade earned their award.

Paige, we are so proud of you for not only being such a great student, but for caring for others, and being willing to provide service to so many!!!

JORDAN!!

Jordan had her final choir performance 80's style!!! The Boyd choir is awesome! I loved their final performance because it was so fun for the kids. They danced all over the stage, singing songs that I love!!! Jordan had such a great time performing. I'm so glad she wore her bright yellow.....if she hadn't, I never would have found her!!

Jordan also had a youth dance last Saturday. She absolutely loves and looks forward to this time to hang out with her friends. This one was bitter sweet though. One of her very good friends is moving in just a few weeks. So Jordan invited a bunch of friends over so they could all get ready together!

PAIGE'S ART SHOW!

Last night was Paige's yearly art show. I love to see how she improves each year! The painting on the top was a painting Paige did for our neighbors who went to Venice. They took pictures and asked Paige to paint them something. This is what she came up with. The black one on the bottom is a still life picture. And my favorite is the Monet double!!! I need to get it framed. The only problem is, I'm not sure where to put it!! It seems almost every room has a "Paige Original." We are going to run out of space soon. :) I love it though!! Paige you are amazing! I am so happy you have found something you love!

Well, that was our week in a nutshell.... Only 3 weeks left, then summer - HERE WE COME!!!

My favorite things!!!

2010-05-10T22:18:00.008-05:00

Yesterday was a great Mothers Day!!! I woke up to the smell of bacon cooking in the skillet! Rick made a yummy bacon and eggs breakfast for me and the kids! After church I got to come home and take a nap! Wahooooo!!! What mother doesn't love a Sunday nap?! Rick barbecued steak kabobs and made baked potatoes! We had a great dinner...In front of me were flowers and homemade cards from the kids (my favorite!) It was a great relaxing day, spent with Rick and the kids! Thank you to my awesome, loving, husband for taking this journey of parenthood with me! For helping me be a better mom! Thank you to my kids for making motherhood enjoyable, interesting, and so much fun! (most of the time :) I am truly blessed to have such good kids. My girls are so much fun! My most favorite time with them is our fun talks at bedtime!My boys make me laugh and smile! The other day I was driving home and as I pulled into the driveway, I stopped the car and thought about some of my favorite things!

Rick had mowed the lawn the night before and I couldn't believe how green the grass looked. I LOVE fresh cut grass! The roses in the front yard were blooming and they looked beautiful! The kids had cut some to take to their teachers, but there were a few left to enjoy. This rose bush is awesome and has a story behind it! After Katie died 11 years ago a dear friend gave me a small pink rose bush. I planted it right in front of the house. I had no idea this tiny little rose bush would grow and grow and grow. Almost to the point it started to overflow into the walk way. Well, when we moved, the thought of leaving my rose bush behind made me very sad...so.....we dug it up and moved it to our new house. The first year or so, I wasn't sure it was going to make it. We gave it quite a shock by moving it....but as you can see, it is doing very well, and blooms the most beautiful and best smelling roses!

I also tried something new this year....SNAPDRAGONS. I'm not sure if they will last long, but on that particular day, they looked great!
And one of my new favorite things are my GEL TOES! Don't they look fabulous. I feel like a little girl....I catch myself admiring my toes all the time. In the sunlight they sparkle and in the dark they shine. I love them!!! Thanks Kendra!!!! I can't wait to try more colors!!This mothers day, I have noticed the small and simple things that make me so happy. I feel very lucky to live in a home with beautiful flowers, green grass, to be able to feel pretty with pretty toes, my homemade corsage, and most of all I feel very lucky to have four healthy children and a husband who loves me NO MATTER WHAT!
I hope all of you mom's had a great day! As my friend Aprille would say, "YOU TOTALLY DESERVE IT!"

A GREAT Day!

2010-05-06T09:22:00.004-05:00

It is 9:00 in the morning and the day has already been a great one! To celebrate Mothers Day, Cody's first grade class provided their mom's with a breakfast and readers theatre. Cody and I had arrived in his classroom and I had to find which desk was his. He was sure I would know right away because he drew a picture of me and placed it front and center on the desk. We walked around the entire classroom and nothing stood out to me. Cody said, "Mrs. Gahan said we could walk around three times." I finally figured it out when he walked straight to a certain desk and looked up at me. "This is me! I said." Cody was so proud I "guessed" which desk was his. (it had nothing to do with his helpful hints.) Check out my picture...looks just like me don't ya think? :)Cody sat on my lap and I got to look through some things he wrote about me. My favorite was:
Cody's definition of "what is a mother?"....
Cody's response: "A mom is someone who taks you to school and tuks you in bed. and she taks me playsis she loves me a lot."
The class then read the book, Love You Forever. Okay - I cried! Not only is it a great story, but here I was, watching my baby read to me and right then and there, I realized my baby is growing up....sad moment for me! The kids did a great job and took a bow proudly! After the story and all the moms dried their eyes, the kids served us breakfast. Yummy fruit and muffins! Cody gave me a corsage to wear and a beautiful flower to plant! It was a great morning with my little Cody!

My New Life!

2010-05-05T21:47:00.004-05:00

After getting all the kiddos into bed, I sat down to read emails and for some reason thought of one of my favorite blogs I like to visit. I figured I would view it since it had been awhile. Isn't it funny how things happen! Maybe I needed a reminder of how lucky I am or the fact that I have the awesome responsibility of being a mother, or the fact I am healthy, or even that I can take care of myself and my family. I'm not sure why I was prompted to view this blog, but every time I read it - I am reminded just how truly blessed I am! My struggles and trials seem to be insignificant and I am reminded, what life is all about!

Many of you may know this blog and the story behind this couple. She titles her blog, NieNie Dialogues. A beautiful wife and mother, with 4 adorable children and a husband who just adores her. A few years ago, her and her husband were in a tragic plane crash. She was severly burned, but they both survived the crash. Check out her blog to get updated on their story. What I loved about her post today was the video she was able to take part in. It sure puts life into perspective! Here is the link to her site and video... http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/

It may bring tears to your eyes, but it will also fill your heart with gratitude!

Odds and Ends!!

2010-04-30T09:55:00.006-05:00

What else have the Peterson's been up to???? Softball, Baseball, Soccer, Piano, Art oh my!!!!!

Jordan played her last game of the school season last Friday night. She started on the Varsity team for the last two games and did a great job! Her batting was especially great!! No strikeouts!! WAHOOOOOO!!! Way to get up there and be confident Jord! She had a great time playing with the girls and has formed some great friendships. She is looking forward to playing again next year!

Paige is finishing up yet another masterpiece and is getting ready for her annual art show in a couple of weeks.

Chase is busy with baseball...he has enjoyed trying some pitching this year, but I think the biggest surprise is how great he is doing at catching! This is his first time ever trying it and he is doing awesome! We played last night and he almost threw out some kiddos at second and third, and had hustled on a pass ball to be part of a great play at home plate. I'm so excited to see him get better and be more aggressive with this position....looks like we may have a catcher in our future :)

Cody loves soccer and makes it a goal of his to score atleast 2 times every game :)

The kids school also had their carnival a couple of weekends ago. They do such a great job! The kids loved it! They loved playing the games, getting tickets, spending their tickets, eating, and just running around. Their favorite games were the litter toss. This is where you toss a ring and try to get it around a 2 liter of soda....I think we came home with 4 or 5 2 liters of soda. The other game they loved was the cake walk....each of them won something, so we had our arms full of sweets on the way home! It was fun for everyone! Here is Chase will all his winnings!We also had the chance to go to a rough riders baseball game! I had gotten tickets for the whole family, but it seems Jordan has quite the busy "social" schedule, SO Cody was excited when we told him he could bring a friend. That night they were giving out baseball hats, so naturally, the kids were thrilled to get some rough rider gear! They also had a fun "play area" we spent some time at. And what would be a baseball game without dip n dots?????? Yes, the game was fun, but sorry to say- that was the highlight!Lucky for Rick and I, Paige was the only one who actually finished all her dip n dots, so we got to finish off the boys!! It was a beautiful spring night....the best time to watch a baseball game! I'm glad their field is so close and gives us something we all love to do as a family!

Start Your Engines!!!!!!

2010-04-29T16:10:00.008-05:00

Vrroooom, Vrrooom.....off they go!!! Last week was our Pinewood Derby!!! We handed out the supplies to the boys (and dads) in February to give them plenty of time to work on the cars. For us it always seems we start the beginning of April and spend every weekend until the Pinewood Derby getting things ready! For us (or should I say Chase and Rick) they have the sanding, polishing, and weight under control. Our issue (at least for the past two years), always seems to be the paint job! I got Chase some really cool stickers to go on his car, so he decided he wanted it to be orange to match the stickers. This year primer was not put on the car because of the disaster last year. The car was looking fabulous....painted perfectly and super shiny! Rick got out the steel wool, to buff it up. When we got home from church - the car had "stuff" all over it! Pieces of the wool had stuck to it. Crazy! How does this happen???? It WAS completely dry! After looking at it, it actually looked kind of cool. It looked like it had a little texture on it....so, we decided to leave it. Then Chase decided he wanted a few black speckles....a few turned into A LOT. So they put a little blue spray paint on it...and when all was said and done, the car wasn't really orange anymore! It looked cool, but since it wasn't orange, Chase didn't want to put the stickers on it. He just wanted it to be plain. With MUCH persuading, I still lost out, and the car went to the derby plain! We definitely weren't going to win for best looking car, so that meant we had to focus on the fastest car. :)Earlier that day, my scout ladies went and decorated. They did a fabulous job!!! Rick and I went early with a friend to set up the track and make sure it was ready to go. I got the cars all weighed in....it was fun to watch the boys (and their dads) rush to add more weights, and in some cases take weight out. Before they did the final weigh in, Rick and Chase lubed up the car real good, did any last minute adjustments and turned it in at a perfect 5 ounces exactly! Thanks to a good friend, I had a computer program set up where each car had a number and it organized the races, so everyone would race in each lane and against different cars. Before the races started we had a little buffet of food in the back, so people could just eat as they watched the races. IT WAS GREAT! Everyone pitched in and brought something. I thought it turned out perfect! I had a lot of help getting things ready to start. We wrote each car number on the board, then when their car raced, their time was put on the board. Once they ran 3 races we took the top 6 fastest cars and raced those the same way.We had 20 cars total, and after they all raced 3 times, we narrowed it down to the top 6. Then the top 3. (Can you tell which number keeps moving on????)And once we got the top three cars, they raced three more times until we had a winner!!!AND THE WINNER IS........YEAH CHASE!!!!! He won the Pinewood Derby!!!! He was so excited! I must admit, his car was pretty fast!!! He got third place last year, so his goal was to get second or first this year. The boys he beat were brothers. He actually just wanted to beat the boy on the left, because that is one of the boys who beat him last year. (we are not competitive at all :)Congratulations to all the boys! I love seeing all the cars! Everyone gets very creative with their designs. This year we had a banana, a rip stick, and a pickle (just to name a few). All the boys did fabulous and I hope they enjoyed the race. I think their favorite part was at the end when they got to "free race" whoever they wanted!

Oh How I Love my Cody!!

2010-04-29T12:50:00.006-05:00

Do you ever have that moment of just really being grateful for your kids? This week I was really grateful for Cody. We finally got over the stomach issue, but then Cody started complaining about his throat. So Monday I took him to the doctor and yeap....he had strep throat. Which meant we would get to spend the next day together because he wouldn't be going to school! I was looking through some pictures of my little guy and I was reminded what a fun kid he is. He is my cuddler...he doesn't ever leave the house or the car without giving me a minimum of 2 hugs and telling me he loves me! He is getting so great at reading! He is reading everything he can....it is so fun to see him doing so well in an area we have struggled with all year long. The other day I came home and saw him just laying on the bench doing his reading.I grabbed my camera! Couldn't pass up this moment!!Last week Cody had his first grade program at school. They did the program "BUGZ". Cody was picked to be a firefly. I was told he needed black wings. The only wings I had were the girls old dress up fairy wings. When I pulled them out Cody immediately said, "I am not wearing those pink wings. Maybe purple, but not pink." I assured him I would make it so there wasn't any pink showing. I cut off the pink elastic and he helped me spray paint the rest. When we were all done he said, "what about the jewels?" I told him those had to stay, but nobody would notice them. He was such a good sport. I managed to make up a neat way to attatch the wings to him, we tied his antennas on a headband, and for the finishing touch added some nice big "eyeballs." He was so cute and did a great job in his program.The cutest firefly of the bunch!!
Cody is my little helper. Always eager and ready to help with house cleaning and especially yard work. While he was home with me the other day he helped me plant all our flowers. It was so fun to spend time with him outside. He is such a hard worker. I had a few good laughs at some of the things he said, but most of all it was really fun spending the day with him. I love my little Cody and I am so glad he is part of our family!

The Joys of Being a Mommy!

2010-04-20T23:25:00.003-05:00

As I sat up last night waiting for a phone call from my sister, I noticed Chase had come down and gone into the bathroom. I heard a noise like someone had filled up a bucket and dumped it into the toilet....I heard it a second time. "Chase, are you okay?" I got up walked into the bathroom and the poor guy was huddled over the toilet. I managed to clean up that mess and get him upstairs. I pulled out some sheets and a blanket and made him a bed on the big couch. I wanted to make sure he was okay, so I laid down on the other couch. (the smaller one :) about 10 minutes went by and we were in the bathroom again. I went downstairs, cleaned out his bowl, cleaned the toilet with lysol and tucked him back into bed. About 10 minutes later - we repeated the whole process....I got him laid back down and things were looking up. I had just started to dose off when I heard someone in the bathroom and heard the bucket sound again! I looked at the couch and Chase was sleeping, so I got up and...poor Paige was huddled over the toilet! I had her jump in the shower, cleaned the toilet again, got her some clean clothes, grabbed her a bowl and tucked her into bed. Got myself cumfy on the couch and 10 minutes later Chase was up again. We rushed into the bathroom, but we weren't quick enough. He got in the shower, I grabbed him some clean clothes, rinsed out what made it into his bowl, cleaned the toilet, and got him back into bed. Let's just say for the next 4 hours my routine was....get laid down, 10 minutes later one kid would throw up. Just get laid down, the other one would throw up. WOW!!!!! I was SO tired of throw up!!!! And physically exhausted!

What did I learn??? I LOVE MY KIDS A LOT! I HATE TO SEE THEM SICK! I NEED TWO BIG COUCHES UPSTAIRS! FOR THE MOST PART, MY KIDS HAVE GREAT AIM! (they made the bucket almost everytime :) I LOVE BEING A MOM...THROW UP AND ALL!