Holiday 2011/2012

Started the holiday off with a little Christmas crafting. You can never have enough homemade ornaments!)


This is what it looked like the day before we made the lovely 8.5 hour drive home for Christmas. Lucky for us it only snowed here, so the drive was not so bad.
I don't think we had enough snow last year at one time to make snow angles!
Gotta love candy canes!
We got to my parents house and we started the Christmas treats, the only thing that trumps Christmas crafts!Traditional Christmas eve present: PJ's
He was soo fun to watch open presents! It didn't really matter what it was, he was just having a good time!

I wish I would have been in front of him for the picture. He had tricked my mom and oh boy did he think he was funny!!

We love and cherish every moment we have together!
Aarons family goes out for breakfast annually on New Years! So after breakfast we decided to go bowling. It was a lot of fun, the cousins really enjoy time together!
Eli with Uncle Justin (Aarons brother)

After bowling headed back out to Aarons parents house. Uncle Paul stopped at his house and brought their mini four wheeler. It was FREEZING, but the thrill of riding the four wheeler trumped being frozen.

Baby Baby Baby, oh how we love the babies!! This "poor" little one was not put down for more than two seconds!
Great Grandma insisted on sitting at the table with the kids! So cute how she loves them!
A perfect match! Both getting the attention they love!!
Precious baby blessing, so glad we were able to be there!!

Thanksgiving breakdown

Thanksgiving started at the Petersens this year. We were especially excited to see the newest addition to the family. She was only two weeks old, sooo tiny! The girls were to cute fighting for any spare second that she wasn't being malled by the adults.


This year we pulled our gift money together and decided to tie blankets and give small toys to the hospital. I was a little nervous with having older boys and such little ones that we might have our work cut out for us. It was such a great family activity. EVERYONE was excited, eager to participate and selfless. I especially loved how it pulled us together as a a family!

Then we were off to my parents house. We managed to have a full house with all of my siblings and ALL of the grandchildren. Lots of dress up and movie watching


After dinner on Thursday Aaron and Jason took the kids out to shoot pumpkins. I don't know who enjoys it more, the kids or the dads!

We attempted to grab a picture of all the gran-kids since we had all of them. Oddly enough, even though it was over cast the sun managed to sneak out without our notice and this is what we ended up with:/

Syd's six!

My baby girl is six!! She has grown up soo much this last year! She loves school and said she wishes that school was on Saturdays too! Their school has a program called Watch D.O.G.S. (dads of great students) They encourage fathers to take a day and spend it at school with the kids. Last year Aaron went one day and split it between all three girls. This year he decided to give each one their own day, on or around their birthday. Sy was in heaven!!
When we moved here Chucky Cheese was the activity of choice for Birthday Celebration, it looks as though we have moved away from that and on to bowling.
From bowling we headed to Red Robin, who can pass up thier macaroni and cheese?

She is still missing her two two top teeth. (It has been well over a year, it amazes me to watch her eat) Still the cutest smile ever!

We love our Syd!!

Peter Pan or Robin Hood

This is the first time we have dressed up in a theme. My sister gave me this Peter Pan costume for Eli and I couldn't resist. I LOVE him in his little green tights!!

We went to a school fall festival and the girls got their faces painted.

Not once did anyone call him Peter Pan, it was Robin Hood every time. Is Robin Hood really more common? Either way, Robin Hood/Peter Pan, he is SUPER cute!

Des is in town!

Desiree and her family made their annual visit this September. I love that she is still able and willing to pull the two older kids out of school, load all four kids up and drive for what is now a 9.5 hour drive, just to see me! I love every minute I get!

This is a family pic I was able to grab of them while they were here. Such a cute little family!

The first day we went to Miller Farms where the kids played on the toys for a few hours. Then we jumped on the wagon pulled by tractor and picked a bunch of corn, carrots, and a few onions.

The second day we went to the Butterfly Pavilion. The butterflies where not as big as they were the first year we went, but everyone got a chance to hold one. I am not sure, but I don't think the one Eli got a hold of lived to see another day:( Dillon and Truman were both super brave and held the tarantula. No surprise the girls took a pass.

Their last day they voted to go swimming at the Rec Center. It was a great visit, one with no illness I might add! (She has been to the urgent care here with her kids more than I have)

TWO!!

My little man, who has never has been all that little, is officially toddler, no longer baby, huh sigh. Oh man is he everywhere and into everything! I know big surprise, he's a boy right? Look at that smile! Oh yeah he knows it and he uses it, AND it works! We pretty much don't have a chance, I apologize now for all future terrorizing!

We love him to pieces. Can't imagine our little family with out him!

1st Day of School!

Sydney started kindergarten this year. She has been waiting sooo long for this day. She will be one of the oldest in her class with a November birthday, so she had to stay home an extra year. She says she wishes that school was on Saturdays too! (we shall see how long that lasts) Abby is in the third grade, and Ry starts her last year in elementary:/
Eli was in on it all! He has REALLY turned into a ham! The pictures show a happy little man, about the time the girls headed up the hill and he was told "NO" the mood took a drastic turn:( I was not so happy either, I am really not a fan of school starting in the middle of August:/

Just kidding!

Summer finale part two? School started on a Thursday, so we managed one more fun in the sun day! We only just found out about this water park. It was perfect for my kids! Way cheaper than a Water World, but enough to keep my girls going and going. Syd just barely met the height to go down the slides without an adult. Yay for me, that meant the three of them were off on their own!! I love the two plugged noses and the third one with goggles (no nose plugging required)

Summer Finale

A week after we got back from Idaho, we packed up again for one last hurrah before the summer was officially over. We set off for Rocky National Forest. Our camp site was, lets just say it was lacking. While the campsite was noting but dirt and soot, I feel inclined to mention that I have never seen such amazing bathrooms out in the woods! The park was beautiful! We took the kids down to the river for some rock throwing and "cooling off" We went on a "hike" around a beautiful lake. I am bummed the lighting messed up the view of the gorgeous rocky mountain background, you'll just have to use your imagination. The second lake we went to had this huge bull moose just chil'n in out in the water. I love the pictures I caught of Aaron and Eli playing ball. The kids had a great time, and eventually Aaron will look back and say he did too! As of now all he remembers is packing, unpacking, cleaning, packing and unpacking!
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Idaho in July

We got to spend 5 days at grandma Pammy's. The visit started with Aarons flight being canceled, followed by his luggage being temporarily miss placed. This did not slow the girls down. While I spent the day getting Aaron, the girls spent the day in town with grandma. They took advantage with shopping and ice cream. We made our way to the pilgrim day parade, swimming and later hit a movie with the cousins. Grandma also managed to squeeze in a pedi. Eli loved watching the train pass behind the house, he and B were super cute peeking over the fence. Aaron was able to help his dad with an electrical project. He has not been around to "help" since we moved, so he was very pleased to have been able to be useful.
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Next up Redfish Lake! This is my most favorite place EVER! Maybe because I have been camping here with my family since before I can remember, or because it is BEAUTIFUL! This year my girls skied with the boom. I was really surprised when they agreed, but they did awesome! Eli was fearless in the water. He fell in a few times off the back of the boat, didn't faze him in the least. Don't know if that is a good thing or not?



The trip was only suppose to be a week. But Aaron was in Texas the week before and headed to Florida after. So I figured I might as well hang back with my family. I got to stay with my sister for an extra 4 day which was fabulous! We made these super cute, super easy headbands. I came home with 8, we didn't go overboard at all! The girls did dress up with my 3 year old niece. Funny that colors aside, it works with the styles these days! We also got to spend an extra few days at my parents house. We kept busy with lots of crafting, roasting marshmallows on the porch and four wheeling. We rode up the mine hill with my dad the last day. The view is incredible, and the old mine buildings that are still standing are amazing.



Over all a very successful trip!

Whew, I think I am caught up!! My desk top crashed a month ago and I have not been motivated to start things on Aarons computer. But since I may have lost all my pictures from Jan through April, I am grateful for the blog, since it may be my only imprint of the pictures taken and now lost.

S.O.S

I havn't been good at getting picutes of our S.O.S activies the year, but this particular one is one big photo op. We made two candy bar appreciation posters for the firefighters. Lucky for us, after we presented the posters, they were kind enough to show and tell us about thier helicopter and the firetruck. This activity ends up being as good for the kids as it is for the recipients of our "service"! (Not to say thats a bad thing:)

4th of July

We started the day with attending the town parade. Can't miss out on the free candy right? Then we headed to Estes Park. We got a room so we didn't have to drive and get home at midnight. We did some window shopping, went to dinner and then marked our spot for the fireworks. My favorite is the econolodge sign that frames in the veiw, very nice!) Eli was not a fan, he buried his face and eventually fell asleep.
The next day we ventured into the Rocky National Park. We have lived here four years and still never been. It is a beautiful drive!! Lots of elk and snow!! Eli was quite the traveler, happier with salt water taffy on his face!!

Ry turns 10

WOW! That is really all I can say, WOW!! She is really turning into a young lady. Clothes, hair, accesories. All of which she never really cared about before. Not the case anymore! I don't even TRY to buy clothes for her, unless she is with me. My mom laughes, says I am getting what I had coming. I can't argue, she still can't buy for me!) On the flip side, she really likes to go with me, and she is a good little sidekick to have!)
We went to Red Robin for lunch. This year we made sure she got her song and free icecream. She didn't get it last year and is still bitter every time we go. She is her fathers daughter...ICECREAM is the ultimate treat!! So rather than waste my time on a cake with pictures, she got a homemade icecream cake. It was alot easier, and WAY less time! Did I mention that she is growing up!! To old for Chucky Cheese, so she chose a movie instead. No complaints really, just the sure signs that my little girl is growing up!

Growing up or not she is still a SWEET SWEET girl, and we love having her around!!

Laser Tag + Remote Controle Car!!

Aaron was killing time with Eli the other day....He came home with 4 remote control laser tag cars!! Each car has three lights, if you are hit by another cars laser, one light goes on. When you are hit three times the car turns off, signaling you have been hit 3 times. You then reset the car, and start over. Aaron has always oogled and awwed over remote control cars and I would smile and move on. I suppose having his boy gave him the excuse, and he went all out. In his defense the girls were pretty excited too! For family home evening we take them to the church run them around in the gym.

Trip #1 to Idaho 2011

The first of June the kids and I headed for Idaho! The travel itinerary changed few times, but thanks to everyone being open and flexable, it all worked out. We were able to stop in Inkom/Pocatello to visit one of Aaron's sisters, her kids and his parents, as well as catch a flag football game of my brothers little guy.

We then made our way to Twin Falls to for Dillon's(my sisters oldest) baptism. My three siblings and I are all in the group picture, its been a couple years since that has happened! Rylie turns 10 this month and got her ears pierced, Happy Birthday from aunt Desiree. She is soo excited, she can hardely stand it.

I have to point out Sydneys toothless smile, I don't think I have reported on that yet. I think it is adorable! Both her and Abby were able to loose thier front teeth considerable early due to their extreme cordination...or lack there in;)

Next stop my parents house, where my mom took on a Major sewing project with my girls. They decorated the fabric with a "special" paint,and then proceeded to make it into what they use now as a scripture tote! They are VERY PROUD!! We were gone for a week and a half, but the time flies when you have so many stops. Over all a very successful, enjoyable trip!! We will make the trip all over again the end of July!!

May

These are just a few pictures to sign off Spring. The girls are with thier teachers. Rylie was one of five kids in her class that kept her purple tag,which means not even one warning from the teacher all year. As reward they got to go play frisbe golf with thier teacher accompanied with a ton of sugar!! The girl have enjoyed fine tuning thier volleyball skills, and the cool temperatures allowed the much needed practise. Eli is just getting soo big, trying new things all the time to prove it. Rylie has been able to take advantage of doing the Lemmons "the favor" of learning piano at their house,(that means lessons for free) They said that her showing up once a week forced them to be consistant themselves. They moved at the end of the month, so we shall see where we go from here!