Christmas Poem 2010

Happy Holidays to you all! It’s time now, once again
To tell you all about the Peterson’s year two-thousand-and-ten.

Guess who’s five years old now? It’s our sweet Kenzi Makae!
She loves to go to preschool And also does ballet.
Kenzi’s very smart. She enjoys learning new things.
She loves barbies, dolls, and dress-ups, And always dances and sings!

Ashlin’s getting bigger. In August she turned three!
She goes to preschool too now, and is always filled with glee.
She’s a little teaser, and loves her siblings so!
She’s the trickster who causes grief, but also the peacemaker, don’t you know!

Baby Jamison is one year old, but quickly coming up on two!
He’s so full of energy, and loves to do, do, do!
He’s learning lots of new words, his conversation’s great!
He’s sad when his sisters go to school because he hates to wait.

Trevor’s so amazing! We love him oh, so much!
He still works at Walgreens Where he manages and such.
He teaches a primary class, and loves to play church ball.
Fixes things around the house, we don’t know how he does it all!


Karyn’s just the Mommy, but really loves to be!
Though sometimes it is stressful to be the mother of three.
In September it was exciting to start dancing once again.
She’s on a competitive dance team. How long it seemed it had been!

In August of this past year, it was wonderful to be
Sealed together in the temple for all eternity.
A miracle unfolded, as sometimes they will do,
When we became a Forever Family, Kenzi Makae came with us too!

Now this year is closing, It’s been a happy one!
We’re looking forward to 2011, another year of fun!
Lots of things will happen, one is coming soon….
Peterson Baby #4 is on the way, and will be joining us in June!


MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Love,
The Petersons

A Heart Full of Gratitude

No Christmas for my children,
No husband for my bed,

No money for tomorrow,
No place to lay my head,
No tree with mounds of presents,
No ornaments or lights,
No smiles on Christmas morning,
No feast on Christmas night,

No toys to ease the boredom
Of hours before closed doors,
No family celebrations,
No trips to crowded stores,

No fireplace, no Santa,
No games aglow with friends,
No fire but feeble fury
As Christmas slowly ends.

For me I have no pity,
My sorrow stronger proves,
Because for my sweet children

I've nothing but my love.

This year for Christmas, we don't have a ton of money. We can't get our children everything they want. We can't buy all the presents for our friends and family that we wish we could. But this year for Christmas, I'm remembering that we have so much more than so many. A good roof over our heads, warmth, food, family, places to go to enjoy the season, cheery decorations in our home, and a deep love for one another.
I drive through Logan every Tuesday morning. It's bitter cold - sometimes no more than 2 degrees. I pass the Logan Food Bank and see the long line of men, women, children, and elderly huddled up outside waiting for their chance to receive food for the next week or so. It breaks my heart. We're not that far off from being one of them, but because of our amazing family, friends, and wonderful church and ward family, we never go without. We are so truly blessed, and I am so very grateful for that. My children will have a wonderful Christmas compared to so many, and I want them to know that. I want them to learn that their life is truly blessed. So thank you, to all those of you who have made our Christmas season a joyous one. We love you.

Dancing Queen

The weekend after Thanksgiving was the annual Novemberfest up here in Logan. It's this huge craft fair that they do each year and they invite dance studios from around the valley to come perform. Kenzi was SO excited to dance! Apologies for the horrible pictures. I'm still using my old crappy camera and the lighting in there sucked.

Here's Kenzi's class with Miss Tinelle, their cute teacher.

The little umbrellas were to die for! So cute!

Kenz was front and center. She and the cute little girl next to her were the only ones doing a very good job. With big smiles too! That's my girl!

They had my team perform too. It was sure fun to dance again! Mom and Dad came up and took care of Jamie and Ashlin while me and Kenz danced. No idea what I would've done without them. They sure save our lives a lot!


Anyway, it was fun. But I had another gallbladder attack after. It's not as easy to dance when your stomach feels like it's being ripped out. Hopefully my doctor will agree to take it out soon!

Baby it's Cold Outside!

I enjoy winter to an extent. It's beautiful. Especially up here in this gorgeous valley! But really, eight degrees below zero is just ridiculous. This picture doesn't do it justice - these icicles were a good two feet long and 3 inches around. Not joking. The blue sky sure beats the foggy days as far as cheering me up, but the clear days are easily 40 degrees colder. Brrrr!

Thankful Day 4....

Today, (Thanksgiving itself) I am very grateful for...

{{FAMILY}}

This picture is old and doesn't include everyone who is important to us, but it does capture the strength and fun that I have in all my families. I am so incredibly thankful for all of my wonderful brothers, sisters, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, the list goes on......
They make me who I am and make my life what it is!

I hope everyone is able to spend this beautiful Thanksgiving holiday with the people they love the most, and that everyone can take a moment to count their blessings - we all have so many.

I am also so very thankful for all my friends who are like family to me. I love you all so much and thank the Lord every day for the friendships I am privileged enough to have.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful Day 3....

Today, despite the contention in our home, I am thankful for....

{{These Three!}}

It was so weird to not have them around while I've been sick. Harder than I thought it would be. The house was so quiet and there never seemed like there was anything to do. It was boring and just no fun at all. Becoming a mom was the best thing I've ever done! I love my kiddos so so much, and I'm so very grateful I get to be their mom!

I almost forgot!

It's also my baby brother's birthday!! Hahaha! I love this picture. It's true to his character!


I love him so much and I'm so glad my parents were able to adopt him into our family so I could have a sibling to grow up with. We weren't always the greatest friends, but I sure love him now! He's 21 years old today. Woohoo! Legal and everything!

Thankful Day 2...

Today I am VERY thankful for......

{{My Car!}}

Seriously, Cache Valley roads can get very bad in the winter. Today as I was driving the carpool, taking Kenz to ballet, and running errands around town, I was so grateful that I had my wonderful SUV with working 4-wheel drive. It kept us warm and safe while we were driving out in the crazy wind and weather! We are very blessed to have a good car. I know of several people who have very old ones that are falling apart and not safe to drive. And I know a few others who don't have a car at all. How wonderful to live in this modern day and age!

Thankful Day 1....

Today, I am very thankful for...

This guy!

He has been so wonderful to me for the last week, making sure I have everything I need and am being taken care of. He even yelled at an uppity receptionist at a doctor's office because she wasn't doing anything to get the help I needed. I felt bad, but hey, he just wants me taken care of =)

He is such a blessing in my life and is truly my knight in shining armor. I am so very grateful to have a preisthood holder in our home. And more and more I am so grateful that I married a returned missionary. I truly think that makes all the difference in a marriage! He is amazing, and I am so very thankful that he is my husband and the father of my children!

A Quick Update

So, I decided I better post this so people know why our kids are not at home with us!
Last week I got a terrible pain in my stomach. It got worse and worse as the day went on, and through the night. The next day we went in to the insta-care to see if we could figure out what was going on. That doctor was worried that it was my gall bladder and sent us to the ER at Logan Hospital. We spent a good 5 hours there doing some testing and trying to get me out of pain (Chels was nice enough to take all the kids so we didn't have to have them there with us.)
After a while, with no results, they sent me home and decided to treat me for stomach ulcers. They gave me a few medications to take that would help within four days. (ONLY four days!?!)
Well, after the four days were up and I wasn't feeling any better, we decided to take me in to a different doctor. My mom came up to stay and help with the kids since I couldn't really get out of bed, and to watch the kids when we went to the doc. They did some more blood work and testing for the H Pylori virus which causes ulcers. They also pumped me full of fluids since I was severely dehydrated. The next day they found the H Pylori test to be negative and are ruling out ulcers.
Trev's parents offered to have all the kids go down to their house so they could take care of them all while we're trying to get me stabilized. They've been down there since Thursday night, and we miss them so much!
We have an appointment with a specialist on Monday, so we're just trying to hold on till then. Meanwhile, I'm just here in this silent house. I don't have much energy at all and mostly stay in bed all day. I can't keep much food down and have lost a total of 13 pounds in less than a week. I run a slight fever so I'm either really hot or really really cold. Trev goes to work and then comes home and just sits with me. The pain is something I can't really describe. Mostly it feels like a really bad hunger pain but it just gets worse and worse when I eat. I also have really bad stomach cramping that hurts even worse than the "hunger pain" and happens every couple minutes or so. They're planning to do a scope of my stomach and intestinal tract and hopefully get some answers. Seriously, this is worse than childbirth. It's so painful, and I just can't wait until they figure out what's wrong. Even more, I can't wait till I can see my babies again!

So Exciting!

No, no. Not me.

But my best freaking friend/cousin in the whole world get's a baby girl!!

WooooooooHooooooo!

She has two boys already, and this (according to her husband) was her last shot at getting a girl.

I CAN'T WAIT!

Kjersti Rose Kerr.

Cute, huh?

Kjersti is a family name from some of our swedish ancestors. Rose is after Chelsea's mom.

I have self acclaimed exclusive rights to this baby.

And I'll tell you why:

1. I predicted Chels was preggers before she suspected.
2. She used a spare pregnancy test of mine at my house.
3. I was the first one to know.
4. The baby is due the day before my b-day.
5. I got to go to the ultrasound appointment to see if it was a boy or a girl.

See what I mean?? This baby's practically mine. Hahaha! Just kidding.

On a side note, do you know how many people I know that are pregnant right now?? Seriously, there must be something in the water!

Chels, Megan, Kira, Steph, Alisha, Sunny, Natalie, Emily, Chandra, Betsy, Dawn just had hers..... Holy cow! If I missed anyone, sorry. I've obviously got a few to keep track of.

Anyway, Congratulations Chelsea!
(and all you other amazing ladies!)

Maybe Someday Soon.....

(To the tune of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame.)

Take me out to a restaurant
Take me out somewhere nice.
A play or an opera or ballet too
I don't care how the cost looks to you.
For it's Root! Root! Root for a sitter,
I hope we can find one this late.
Cause it's One! Two! Three months or more
Since our last real date!

(Three kids will do that to ya.)

Our Halloweek!

We began the week by making some Halloween sugar cookies. Yummm! I have the BEST sugar cookie recipe ever, and Chels did her yummy frosting that I'm pretty sure I could live off of for a week. The kids had fun!

A few of the finished product! They didn't look amazing or anything, but man, were they yummy!

I decided to make the girls' costumes this year. Mom came up to help. I still don't know what we were thinking! Here is the sewing madness!
I noticed Jamison staring out the window for a good 15 minutes while we were busy. I finally went to see what had his attention for so long. Yep - snow. Big, fluffy flakes of it. It was then that I realized he probably doesn't remember snow from last year, so this was him seeing it "for the first time." Weird.

He also found other ways to keep himself occupied while I was otherwise invested. I chuckled when I noticed the sewing machine case wriggling on it's own on the floor..... okay, not really on it's own.

Kenzi's costume was finished first. She was - ahem - "The Queen of the Halloween World, with Wings and a Wand Too." Whew, what a mouthful! Goofy girl!



(I forgot to take a picture of Ashlin's costume until it was actually on her.)


The next night, Chelsea and I decided to make Witch's Brew for the kids. This is a tradition my mom started when I was a kid, and it's so much fun! It was fun to see my own kids caught up in it's spell!

We dressed up as witches....

And the Bewitching began!

The girls both had Halloween parties at school. Here's Kenz all ready for her day!


I was a room mom at Ashlin's school so I got to go help with the party and see all the cute kids! It was so much fun! Ashlin was a fairy princess ~ or if you ask her "A Sleeping Beauty Snow White Princess Fairy!" Wow, my kids are weird.

Her teacher rocks!

We also attended the ward's Trunk or Treat, but as I've already made clear, they're not my favorite. No pictures.

Brittany and Kyle came up for the weekend, and we went out to dinner and hung out. It was super fun. Of course, we were so busy, I totally forgot to take any pictures of this either.

Trev got really into Halloween this year. He was in charge of the outside of the house and yard. He had fun.... maybe a little too much fun.

The pictures seriously don't do it justice. All these things were life-sized, and the effect was pretty creepy. So was this guy.

Mom and Dad came up to have dinner and hang out with us like last year. The rain ruined our plans for a bonfire and hot chocolate. Oh well, maybe next year. Kenz and Ash were super excited to go trick or treating!

Jamie, not so much. Trev said about a half hour into it, he got the hang of it and ended up loving it. He was a monkey. He still wears his costume when ever I let him. There's a fake banana in the pocket, which he kept trying to get out and eat. Silly little man! Doesn't he look so happy??

All in all, we had a great Halloween Week! Can't wait for next year!

Blah!

I miss my camera.

Poor thing bit the dust.

I dug through some boxes and found my old, not-so-nice Kodak.

My pictures will be sucking for the next little while.

But let me just say, that I am happy that I hung on to this old thing.

At least I HAVE a camera to use.

Three kids produce a lot of picture-taking moments!

Beautiful Sunday

Today was our ward's Children's Primary Program in Sacrament meeting. It was absolutely the most touching program I have ever been to. The kids all did so well, not a single child acting out or crying. The Spirit was so strong. Obviously I can't recap the entire program, but I thought I would jot down a few of my favorite parts.



The new primary song for the 2010 year is called "I know My Savior Lives." It's absolutely beautiful. It talks about how a long time ago, Jesus called all the little children to come sit on his lap. The most profound line says "I did not touch Him or sit on His knee, but Jesus is real to me. I know He lives I will follow faithfully..... I know that my Savior loves me." It's such a wonderful song. I need to learn it.

They also sang Beautiful Savior, which is one of my favorites. In the last verse, they all broke out in sign language with it. Wow. Chills.

Kenzi had a speaking part, which she had memorized 10 minutes after I read it to her at home. She was super proud of herself, and so were we!

"I am grateful the Lord continues to use prophets to speak to us today."

At the end, all the primary teachers and leaders (including Trev!) sang the song "Walk Tall, You are Daughters and Sons of God. Be strong, please remember who you are. Try to understand you're part of his great plan. He's closer than you know ~ Reach up, He'll take your hand." I was very teary at this point.

Then, all the kids and teachers joined together and sang this exact arrangement of this song:

Not a dry eye in the house.

Have you ever heard 50 little kids singing a song of that magnitude and power? It was absolutely breathtaking. Super big props to all those amazing primary leaders. I've never been to a more powerful and spiritual sacrament meeting in my entire life. I wish you all could have been there. I've never had one of my own children participate in the program before. I was definitely and experience I'll always remember fondly.

Little Mischief Maker!

Oh man! This little guy is sure making my life interesting! Pushing the stool to the counter so he could climb up and retrieve a lollipop from the cupboard was only the beginning! He did this four more times in the next 24 hours, and then used his new found "ladder" to climb into the kitchen sink where he bathed himself in dirty dishwater. Fabulous.


From stealing the girls' dinner plates and dumping the food on the floor, to getting lipstick out of my purse and giving himself a "clown makeover," to lathering himself in the non-stick cooking spray - I sure have my work cut out for me!

Update

Since it had been so long since I'd blogged, I decided I'd better do a quick update on life.

Trev is still working at Walgreens, and it's still an awesome company to work for. He'll be getting a promotion here in the next couple months, so he's working harder than ever. He's one of the primary teachers for the 10 and 11 year old boys at church, and we've been lucky enough to finally have him come to church with us at least twice a month now. Yay! Church is SO much harder with the three kiddos and no Daddy.

Kenzi is going to a new preschool this year where most of the kids in our neighborhood go. She has fun, but it's nowhere near as advanced as the last place was, so I think she's a little bored. She started dancing at a local studio in town and LIVES to go each week. Seriously, she asks me every night before bed if she has ballet the next morning. We're getting excited for her to start modeling. A place called The Princess Dress wants to use her as a model for their website and catalogue. Kenzi's the little mommy in the house. She gets Ashlin and herself a bowl of cereal and milk every morning, puts Jamie in his high chair, gets a bib on him, and feeds him too. She can clean the entire upstairs by herself - even when it's a disaster. I can't believe how grown up she is.


Ashlin is attending the preschool where Kenz went last year. She loves school! She's learning fast, and loves playing with her new friends. I LOVE the school. Seriously, I'm more impressed with the teacher every day. Ash is in nursery at church still and gets excited to go each week. She asks me if we can skip sacrament and just go to the nursery room. She's still hilarious and loves to make us all laugh. Her latest joke was when she was saying a prayer and said "we thank thee for Peter Pan, and please bless that we can have pizza for dinner tomorrow." Then she giggled and looked at me.

Jamison has grown up SO much in the last month. He says full sentences. Here are some of his favorites:
"Mom? Um, I....." and then he finishes with whatever he wants to say. It's just funny how he starts it.
"I wanna go!"
"Daddy go work! Bye bye!"
"I like it!"
"I want bite!"
"I not like it!"
"I not want it"
"Want bath!"
"Uh oh. I fall!"
"No!"
There's another phrase he says all the time. We're not exactly what he's trying to say, but it basically comes out: "Oh sh*%!" Can't wait till he says that one in nursery! Geez.
He's super independent. He'll go outside and play by himself, then come back in on his own. He pretty much does whatever he feels like.

I'm just staying busy running errands, doing carpools, cleaning, cooking, yadda yadda... the usual. We got super sick there for a while. Strep, then the flu, then colds; it never seemed to end. But now things seem to have calmed down. Although, it's already getting pretty cold up here in Cache Valley and my arthritis is starting to act up. I'm taking a dance class at the same studio Kenz goes to. So far I'm having a ton of fun, but I sure have a lot of catching up to do since I stopped teaching. It's definitely one of those "use it or lose it" things!

Anyway, that's us! Pretty typical, but hey, that's life!

Bring Back the Tradition!

Does anybody else miss....

this?

I'm sorry, maybe I'm a traditionalist.

But to me, the magic of Halloween is in the trick-or-treating! As a kid, I lived for dressing up as something cute and scary, layering it on top of the warm clothes underneath so we wouldn't freeze to death, walking in little groups of friends and neighbor kids around the neighborhood from house to house. I loved seeing all the fun decorations at the different houses. In my childhood neighborhood, there were houses with talking jack o'lanterns who would call you by name as you walked up the drive. A house that you had to walk up to the window and talk to a puppet who would tease you before he gave you your treat. On every corner of my block there was a warm, welcoming fire in a wheel barrow and a couple serving hot chocolate or cider to the parents as they trudged around with their kids. there was so much excitement walking up the steps of each creepy house and knocking on the door to yell "Trick Or Treat!!" and wondering if anyone will pop out to scare you!
These days, trick or treating just isn't the same. Hardly anyone comes around anymore. I had a funny conversation with a friend the other day. She grew up in New York and asked me what the heck a "Trunk or Treat" was - "That has to be the creepiest thing I have ever heard of!" I laughed as I explained that it was usually only within a group of people who know each other, like the ward. I get the idea. Everyone wants their kids to stay safe and be able to know everyone who's giving their kids candy. But seriously, it is sooooo boring!
Where did the magic go?
At a Trunk or Treat, you don't get to see all the fun houses. You don't get time with your friends. You don't even get to yell Trick or Treat!
Lame.
While I WILL be taking my kids to this year's Trunk or Treat, Trev still wants to take them out on Halloween night and get the real experience. And our house is going to be awesome! Decorations, lighting, the works. We'll have a warm, cheery fire for the kids to have a little break at. We'll have candy for the kids and serve hot chocolate to all the parents coming by.
We love All Hallow's Eve!
So if you live nearby, PLEASE bring your kids by. It's so much fun! Help us keep the tradition alive!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

More of That Beautiful Day!

Thanks so much for all of your sweet comments earlier! We love you all and are so happy that we got to see so many of you for this special occasion!