The Petersen Herd

A Different Kind of Adventure

2012-01-30T15:58:00.004-06:00

After last weekend in Las Vegas Tyler had yet another seminar this weekend in Salt Lake City and after much deliberation about how much energy this big Mama has - I decided that some of us would tag along again. With Kabe getting baptized this year I wanted to him to see and feel the difference between Vegas and Salt Lake - particularly Temple Square. So, not bearing to leave the babies again so soon the boys and Darla and I joined Daddy for a weekend in Salt Lake.First let me just say - I LOVE OUR CHURCH!!! I was so impressed with everything that happened, particularly how completely kind and accommodating every person was for this Mommy chasing her littles around. No-one acted irritated by our presence or gave me the "wow, you have too many kids" look. I thought this was cool - at the family history center there's a great little play place for the kids with Genealogy themed activities. We enjoyed posing for this picture of us after we crossed the ocean and then they e-mailed it to us right then and there.
At the Church History museum they had a fantastic Children's exhibit - this cabin is outside and my boys thought it was awesome to see something like this right in the center of the city. Kabe insisted we go to the top of the Conference Center and see the gardens (he thought having a garden on the roof was the bees knees). I didn't get a picture but that was probably his favorite part.
Brig kept asking to go into the Tabernacle. Every time we'd go in he would sit down and say "when are they going to sing?" He loved the organ and can't stop talking about it and really wanted to hear the choir sing. We attended Music and the Spoken Word but had to go to the overflow because of noisy Darla. Still, the organ was Brigham's favorite part. We visited the Beehive House (Brigham Young's home) and the sister missionaries just doted on my little "Brigham" and kept telling him about "his house". In one room he saw a hat on the bed and said, "Mommy - that's my hat! Get it!". Funny boy.
We went to the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial building to see the temple square from above. Kabe is pretty scared of heights and didn't like this much but Darla loved it. She just kept tapping the window and pointing at things and jabbering. I loved this picture.
Darla really enjoyed having so much attention from her brothers and everywhere we went they let her boss them around. They played kitchen with her here for quite a while and she directed the whole thing. We went and saw the Joseph Smith movie at the Legacy Theater and it was beautiful. The re-cut version is perfect and I know that Kabe was very touched by the message (Brig and Darla were a little restless during the movie).
In the basement of the Museum there's an exhibit of art submitted by kids to the Friend magazine. It was fun to see the pictures and then they had this little booth where the kids could use a drawing program to make their own pictures and then upload them to a screen that was playing a slide show. Kabe was pretty excited to see his own work displayed on the museum wall. What a great idea! This was the only nap Darla took in 3 days - crazy girl! It lasted about 15 minutes.
There was a screen that showed international dances and a big mirror opposite. There were skirts and things for the girls to dress up in but Kabe really liked watching and trying to dance along - it was like the Mormon version of dance dance revolution and he was really good at it.
Darla was thankful to get out of my arms and get down and play anywhere she could and always had a following of people watching her cuteness.
This was a play garden/farm area at the museum where the lesson was all about the law of the harvest. It was a great distraction from all the "seeing" to have a place where they could do a lot of touching and playing and we enjoyed several hours of playtime here.
Here Darla is making dinner for the missionaries. She was so funny, when she finished setting the table and putting food at each place she went and found a missionary and tried to lead them to the table. It cracked me up. She is quite the little bossy already. Oh - side note - Kabe really liked asking all the Sister missionaries where they were from and he kept track of all the different places. I think he was pretty impressed and then he asked me, "Mom, when a boy goes on a mission can he have a girl companion?" I laughed - I'm sure he thought that would be a pretty good idea.
Of course one of our favorite things was the Christus statue at the top of the North Visitors Center. Both of the boys were so tender here and Brigham was so excited he kept asking to come back over and over.

What fun to have an adventure with my boys (and baby). After Tyler asked Kabe which trip he liked better, Las Vegas or Temple Square. He said definitely Temple Square because, "It was cleaner, it smelled better, people were nicer and there weren't any naked pictures". What a smart boy. The only thing that he didn't like was that there were still homeless people in Salt Lake. Hard to explain to a 7 year old why some people don't have homes but I'm glad that he is tender about it. It was also a good testimony builder for me. Sometimes I get complacent about the gospel and my relationship with Heavenly Father, but He is always right there to remind me how very blessed I am and how much of a responsibility I have to teach these little ones what is truly important.

Adventures in Vegas

2012-01-25T13:11:00.004-06:00

Tyler needed to attend a seminar in Las Vegas for three days and rather than send him alone we decided to make it an adventure for the big kids. It turned out to be a lot of fun, although harder on Brig and Darla and Mom than expected. Since it was just the walk-able's while Daddy was in classes Mom and the three amigos wandered all over the strip and beyond and saw some amazing things.

I didn't get pictures of our favorite part - Elevators, Escalators and Revolving doors. We must have ridden up and down and gone around and around a million times and went out of our way to ride over and over again. We also loved taking turns pushing all the buttons. Seriously - I was the coolest Mom ever when I just stopped in front of the biggest revolving door I'd ever seen and we walked around it 12 or 13 times. Everyone was staring, but my kids thought I rocked!

We went to the biggest Bass Pro Shops and Outdoor World I'd ever been to. There was a full-size giraffe and a lion pride habitat exhibit. We were fascinated with all the animals and displays - like a stuffed zoo.

Kabe gave me this "I'm cool" face all over and it cracked me up.

We loved the fountains at the Bellagio. We waited for over 30 minutes to see them and then, unexpectedly they did three shows in a row. It really was beautiful and worth the wait.
Kabe kept trying to scare me by climbing higher. I told him if he fell in he'd have to swim to the other side because I wouldn't be able to climb over and save him. That was enough to make the girls nervous and we ganged up on him to hold on tight.
We went to the Ceasar's Palace mall and I loved the ceilings - they were all painted like clouds and I decided someday I'll do that in one room of my house. Every hallway had a big statue in it and the fronts of the stores were so elaborate. It was over the top for a mall, but fun to see.
The kids loved the 'moving statues' which I thought were really corny and over-dramatic. I wasn't a huge fan and wouldn't walk that far again, but the kids just loved it.
The aquarium at the Silverton was amazing. It is the biggest salt water tank I've ever seen and the little sharks and rays were so beautiful. We sat and watched them for a long time and every time we moved to a new spot the rays would come and sit at the bottom of the tank at Kabe's feet. It was like they were following him around and he loved it.
This is the light in the lobby of the Bellagio. It was incredible - tons of little glass flowers or what I thought looked like jellyfish all hung together at different levels. It was really beautiful and although the kids weren't terribly impressed I had to stare for a few minutes.
The gardens there were all decorated in the Chinese New Year theme with dragons that moved and blow smoke and incense. Again - everything was so over-the-top but cool to see. This was the most crowded lobby by far but also the cleanest and we didn't have to walk through the casino in this one.
On the streets there were 'performers' dressed as characters. I know that they wanted me to pay money to take their picture but I wasn't going to. This lady pretty much attacked my kids and made them pose with her and when she tried to get Kabe to make a peace sign he just looked at her like she was the strangest thing ever. I don't think he knew what she was getting at and was anxious to get out of her space.
He DID want this picture though - he got really excited when he saw them and then asked if they could turn into cars for him. I laughed and asked weren't they supposed to be bigger? He just said they couldn't walk around with people if they were their car size.
One of the highlights of the trip was the m&m store. They loved the 3-d movie and insisted on spending all the pennies and quarters that they brought to buy m&m's of their color choosing. Of course then we put them all in the same bag and it looked like the $1 bag you'd buy at wal-mart, but I guess it was all about the experience.
This is the MGM Grand lion habitat. It was cool to see them up close and Ayvri had climbed right up next to the glass when they let them out one of them ran right up to the glass and she scrambled so fast to get away it made me laugh. We also got to walk under them while they were sleeping and the kids liked seeing their drool and breathe on the glass.
Again - the lobby was decorated so elaborately and they had a beautiful garden space in the rotunda with the Chinese New Year theme.
Of course they loved staying in a hotel and got all excited about 'hanging' out there. We had to move Kabe to the floor on night #2 because Ayvri is such a wiggler she kept kicking the other two. We stayed at the Stratosphere and I didn't get pictures but we did go up to the top and look off. Ksenya and Daddy got a real kick out of the heights and the rest of us tried to stay calm on the couches while they explored. I don't love heights and neither does Kabe. We went to Circus Circus and saw some amazing acrobats and a clown, Ayvri was especially impressed with how "bendy" the girl acrobat was.

We also saw the pirate show at Treasure Island. There was fire and big splashed, fireworks and music. I could have done with a change of costume and the kids were less than impressed with their lack of modesty. It was interesting to watch them react to things like the little 'business cards' that they pass out on the strip, to the driving billboards with 'naked pictures' on them, and to the homeless people begging on the street. The kids are so compassionate. They are always looking for the good and I think that they learned some good lessons. Mostly it was fun to just spend time with them and talk a LOT. I got my fill of Vegas for a while, but the best part was having an adventure with the kids.

Thoughts on Babies

2012-01-23T17:09:00.002-06:00

We're now coming to the home stretch of this pregnancy. At 32 weeks the baby is now measuring (on average) 12 inches long and 4 lbs. I've gained 12 pounds so far and keep getting told how huge I'm getting so it must be for real.

This is where I get reminiscent. The other day my nostalgic mood took me searching through old photos. First I found one that I will not share here. I was pregnant with Ksenya. I knew very little about practical nutrition. I was swollen, I was puffy, I resembled another mammal with considerable amounts of blubber. No kidding - it wasn't pretty . . . and I cried.

Then I found another picture of me. This time I was pregnant with Kabe. I was wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans the day I delivered. I looked pale and a little green. I had been throwing up for months and was addicted to narcotics. It wasn't pretty . . . and I cried.

Then I found this picture:
In this picture I'm pregnant with Brigham. There were lots of pictures that showed off my stomach but I loved this one. I love that Kabe is chubby in this picture. I love that I had the energy to take my then three littles to the park to play for 2 hours while 2 good friends acted the part of the paparazzi and documented that wonderful phase in my life. I love Ayvri's chubby little belly in the background. (sidenote, I'm not choking him ;)

I love that my face is tanned and freckled and that my ankles aren't swollen and puffy. I love that I'm not wearing skinny jeans and that I documented my bustline before it disappeared.

More than anything? I love that my body is able to make babies and that I've learned a lot along the way. Now, I won't say that #6 is as beautiful as #4 was. But, I feel overwhelmingly thankful that we (the baby and I) are on the healthy end. I'm thankful to be blessed with a strong body that can have babies and that I know my body will recover from this latest and greatest stretching.

And I think I won't take any more pregnant pictures.

Ever.

Dilly Darla

2012-01-03T18:43:00.000-06:00

Baby girl has finally put on a growth spurt and although she's still just a tiny thing she is growing. She runs/walks all over the place and loves to follow Daddy around. She's also a big fan of Uncle Heath and likes to tease him by putting her finger in her mouth as soon as she sees him.She also loves to play this game with Ksenya who made this same wrinkle-nosed face when she was a baby. Ksenya will wrinkle up her nose at the baby and then they both laugh and Darla pulls the face back. Occasionally she'll play with someone else, but Ksenya is by far the best at getting her to do it.
Another favorite game right now is banging on the pots and pans while Mommy is making dinner. She loves to pull them out of the cupboard and then she'll come over and yell at me until I find her a spoon. I particularly love the scary hair phase that she's in right now. Occasionally I can get pigtails to stay in but inevitably she looks like this by the end of the day.
She thinks she is so big and loves to climb out of her high chair if we forget to buckle her in. She's also getting picky about food and loves to point at just what she wants and throw the rest on the floor for Max.
She is such a happy baby. I took this picture when I laid her down for a nap. She loves to play peek-a-boo with me and I love how her eyes sparkle when she thinks she's being clever. What a sweet girl. So excited for her to have a little sister to pal around with. She loves babies - even the ones that are younger and bigger than her.
Every time I think about how we were "done" after Brigham I'm thankful that Heavenly Father knew better. What would we do without our little Dilly Darla? She is such a joy for our whole family. Last night during family night she realized that each of the kids were taking turns standing in a certain spot (doing their assignments). As soon as she figured that out we couldn't get her to move from that spot, she loved being the center of attention and we all just sat around laughing at how cute she knew she was. We love our mini-girl.

Christmas Concert

2012-01-03T18:16:00.002-06:00

Introducing my little prodigy's - the piano students of 2011. I'm expecting to add another one (or maybe two) to the class this year, but for the final concert of 2011 we put on a show for Grandma. I was so proud of my little pupils.

They haven't worked hard all year, and I'll admit I'm not the hum-dinger of a piano teacher I once was, but they ARE learning and improving and I figure, little by little, it's all sinking in and one of these days they'll just take off :)They are all so different in their technique and approach, and temperament too, but it's fun to work with all four of them. Ksenya and Kabe played a duet for this concert and it was so interesting to see them learning how to work together and listen to each other. It was also a good incentive since they could practice together and that made them want to practice more.Gideon is all about speed and really loves it when he gets it memorized because music just slows him down. He makes me laugh at every lesson, especially when he smiles at me when he knows what I'm going to say. What a charmer.Beautiful Kodi is so meticulous. She really works harder than all the rest of them put together I think and is so determined to do it right and a little fragile when I push her too far. She gives the rest something to shoot for in her consistency with practice.

I'm so glad that we can work through this together and that my kids have cousins close to learn with. I always wondered how Mom taught her own kids to play and now I think I'm figuring it out - one lesson at a time, however painful they can be. Still, it's so rewarding to see them enjoying the instrument that has brought me so much joy and peace. Play on!

Big Mama

2012-01-03T18:07:00.003-06:00

Here we are again - posting growing shots of the Mommy. I won't lie - I like to look back at these pictures when it's all over and remember that 'insider' feeling. I also like to see how differently I carry each one which is something I don't notice unless I'm looking at a picture.The little angel (or devil . . . we shall see) is now 29 weeks along. Almost 3/4 there! On average she'll be measuring about 15 inches long now and weighing in at a whopping 3 pounds. Seems like a lot of stretching of the Mommy for a 3 pound jelly bean but so it is. So far this pregnancy has been average - the only difference is placement of the placenta - right in front which makes it hard to feel her move some of the time. Then other times she squeezes past it and scares me with a visible thump or kick that I'm not expecting.

So far no name ideas that sound just right yet. My brother is determined her name is Heath - what do you think? Too masculine? I know a lot of boy names can go both ways, but not sure about Heath. As an explanation, her posts right now are labeled with a "W". That's because back when I was sure she was a boy her name was going to be Weste. We teased she'd be a Wallace for Tyler's Dad or a Wayne for mine, hence the "W". Now that she's a girl I'm not sure any of those will work. Either way we are getting excited about how quickly she'll be coming - only 2 more months and our family of 8 will all be present an accounted for (yikes!). What an amazing adventure life is!

The Worst Christmas Ever

2012-01-03T15:58:00.004-06:00

Blogging the last few weeks has been replaced by quilting in preparation for Christmas (and thereafter, holiday partying and recovery). Since we only give the kids one thing each year we like to make it a hand-made something that will last throughout the year. This has been a lot of fun in years past and this year I knew just what I wanted to make. The kids all have a special blanket they got when they were born and some of them (particularly Princess Ayvri's 'pink' blanket) were looking pretty sad. What started out pink is now brownish gray and grosses out the Mommy. It was so fun going to pick out fabric, just Daddy and I and finding the perfect thing for each of them. Ksenya's is green and turquoise (her new favorite colors) and has a very big girl feel to it. Kabe's had to be all boy and big boy at that. It was hard to find just what I wanted but finally I settled on camo with wolves and cowboys and turned out so nice Daddy wanted one just like it. Miss Ayvri got lots of pink and purple and sparkles - I loved that the fabric actually sparkles and she told me that we can call this one "pink blankie" too (success!). Brig had to have the monster fabric . . . as soon as we saw it we both said "Brigham". He has really stepped up his teasing game lately and the kids are always telling him he's a 'pest'. Silly boy loves his monster blanket and carries it around everywhere. The Darlin' got peach and pink flowers and ladybugs. I'm sure I'll wish I'd made it bigger, but for now it's a nice size for her to cuddle with and even she seems to love it.As for the rest of Christmas, I was totally overwhelmed. I cut out a peanuts cartoon from the paper that perfectly described it for me. Charlie is complaining of the worst Christmas ever, shows his friends all the things he got and says, "How will I ever develop any character when I get everything I wanted?"

We were spoiled spoiled spoiled this year. There were almost too many presents and though I'm incredibly thankful for all the love my kids are getting, I worry that it's too much. I remember how wonderfully simple Christmas was when I was little and then the years it wasn't. Last year was SO humbling and yet, perfectly perfect too.

I loved getting to spend time with our extended families during the holidays - finally being at the Christmas Eve party and enjoying singing with siblings Christmas morning. These are things I've missed the last few years. Still, my favorite part of Christmas this year was acting out the Christmas story with our kiddos quietly Sunday evening and remembering how simple that first Christmas was.

Next year maybe I'll send out Christmas cards (I just LOVE getting those every year - thanks to all who sent). My biggest holiday oops? I accidentally told my primary class that Jesus isn't like Santa Claus - He's REAL. I guess I forgot that my kids are an exception to the rule in that they never have really believed in Santa. Sorry to all the parents who had to explain that one. And on to the New Year!

Holiday Imperfection

2012-01-03T15:23:00.000-06:00

Activity #1: Re-enactment of the first Christmas

Each year we play this game and the kids act out the story while Daddy reads it. This year Darla was the rowdy sheep and Brigham was the over-anxious shepherd which made it less than picture perfect. Although the picture, and the reverence level may have been lacking - it was another raving success. It's so fun when we just sit back and let the 'magic' happen between the kids. I'm glad Christmas was on Sunday.

Activity #2: Gingerbread houses

This is an activity we started last year. We save our halloween candy until Christmas and use it to decorate gingerbread houses. The goal is to avoid eating so much at Halloween and to illustrate the point to the kids that candy isn't really food - more like arts and crafts supplies. I don't think it really works on either count, but it is fun and a good creative way to spend an evening together. We did this for family night activity and what started out as a great project ended with Mommy getting all freaked out about the mess we were making the fits we were throwing and the candy we were eating. (not my proudest moment). We had to stay up and watch a movie after so that we didn't go to bed feeling sad (and Mommy feeling guilty). Let's face it - I'm not a perfect parent (if such thing exists) . . . but next year I'll try to remember to enjoy the experience and to put down a tarp under the table before we start. (sorry about the blurry picture . . . someone got ahold of my camera and changed a setting and I couldn't find it which contributed to me freaking out because I just knew that we'd have to take it in and pay to have it fixed, but in the end I found it and it was all ok).

Let it Snow!

2011-12-06T16:08:00.002-06:00

Have I mentioned that I love the snow? I love winter. It is so beautiful and crisp and even though yes, it is a pain to drive in, and I don't like scraping my windshield, and I don't enjoy the winter "mess" . . . I love the snow! So how happy was I the other day when my uber-wonderful Sister-in-law wanted family pictures . . . IN THE SNOW? That's right, they were brave (mostly), they were happy (mostly) and they were absolutely beautiful out in the winter wonderland.

Seriously - it was freezing but oh so gloriously white and fluffy and sparkly and very hushed. I love how quiet it feels when the snow is falling in big puffy flakes.

Can't help but catch the personality of this one. So fun to hang with this family a little and see their true colors. A picture is worth a thousand words and I love how this one speaks volumes about a Mom who loves her kids and lets them be themselves. You rock!

Baby Blue Eyes

2011-12-04T17:57:00.002-06:00

Sweet little Darla is such a doll face and so very spoiled by every single member of our family. Her eyes are always sparkling and her little toothy smile just lights up the world. She is so excited about everything and loves to toddle around playing with her brothers and sisters. She has a special soft spot with her Daddy and loves to cuddle with him. So thankful for this sweet baby girl.

Return to Motherhood

2011-12-04T17:54:00.003-06:00

YAY! I put in my last day at work just before Thanksgiving and have spent the last week in utter bliss. I get up and get my big kids off to school, then I send Daddy to work and I stay home with the little ones. It is the perfect set-up. I have so much more appreciation for being full-time Mom now and have missed so much the gender roles that we are supposed to play. Daddy is happier going to work and I'm happier staying home and the kids are all happier because Mom and Dad are happier. Heavenly Father's plan is perfect and I'm happy that we decided to put ourselves back in order. Hip Hip Hooray for Mommyhood.

Project Thanksgiving

2011-12-04T17:52:00.002-06:00

Grandma and Papa Cox got it into their head to make a memory doing some projects with the grandkids. The boys went to Uncle Heath's garage to build stuff and the girls came to Grandma's to sew stuff. It turned into a major craft affair and all the kiddos came away with a home made memory. It was a lot of fun! Ksenya made a magnetic pen can for the fridge and learned to crochet a little, Kabe made a treasure box, Ayvri made a purse and Brigham made a snowman (his choice). What lucky kids. Here is a picture of the girls party.

Turkey Time

2011-12-04T17:49:00.002-06:00

We had the coolest experience this year. Our awesome neighbor Mr. Gordon raised some turkeys this year and consented to let us help butcher it and then cook it for Thanksgiving dinner. He was so patient as we all gathered around and watched him make it look easy as we cleaned the bird. The kids were fascinated by the whole process. When it was all done the turkey weighed a whopping 48 pounds. I was amazed! I've never seen anything that big and we had to cut the wings and legs off to get it into the oven. It tasted amazing and was such a fun cool memory made. Thanks Mr. Gordon for the opportunity. We had to wash the thing in the bathtub because it wouldn't fit in the sink.

Vegas Baby!

2011-12-04T17:46:00.002-06:00

Tyler and I got to spend two days in Vegas for a seminar.

The training was excellent, but more than anything I just enjoyed getting to hang out with my husband. He is so much fun and we really enjoyed smashing around together. Can't imagine life without him. For one of our lunches we decided to escape the strip (so not my favorite place) and took a picnic to the temple. We had hoped to go inside and do some work but didn't have time that day. It is such a unique temple and I can't wait until we can go back and see the inside as well.

Fall Festival

2011-12-04T17:43:00.002-06:00

Ksenya and Kabe got to show off a little in their fall festival at school. They were both so excited about it and practiced their parts and songs diligently. They were cute as can be and sweet as pie.My favorite part was we totally missed Kabe's class - when he realized he was a little upset, but Ksenya's teacher (who I LOVE!) invited him to go on with her class and he just jumped in line and handled it like a trooper. What a sweet understanding kid . . . totally forgave the bad Mommy moment and did a great job anyway.
Sure love these two. I'm so proud of the little people they are and the choices that they're learning to make. I also have to say I just love their school - I love how they are learning and that they are taking the initiative in their education. So fun to see them growing.

Stepping Up.

2011-11-12T22:36:00.002-06:00

The last couple months Daddy has really had to step it up and make up for all of Mommy's not being around. He has handled it like a champ and although we both agree that I'm the Mom and he's the Dad and that's the way it is supposed to be, he has been a life-saver and a champ with all the "mommy" jobs he's had to take over. From making breakfast to packing lunches, changing diapers (no kidding) and giving haircuts, our Daddy is the best!!!

Still, the whole family is thankful that his "Mr. Mom" days are numbered. That's right. In just over a week Mommy will be back home most of the time instead of at school. The decision was hard to make, but it is right. The Lord sent us these beautiful little people and they deserve to have a Mommy that is present. I'm sad that I've missed so much of the last few months and thankful that I won't have to miss any more. They grow too fast.

Cleanest Kids

2011-11-12T22:31:00.002-06:00

Bathtime is always an adventure at our house. Recently I was made aware that bathing my kids once a week is insufficient (give me a break, it's been a zoo lately). So I set a goal to try it two or three times a week. Most times it takes Daddy's help to get all the kids clean on the same night. Ayvri knows that her 5-year-old benchmark of baths-to-showers is on the horizon and has really decided to enjoy the last few months of bathing with Baby Darla. Her baths with Brig have also come to an end since the bathroom is usually dripping when the two of them finish.Darla has finally decided she really loves bath time although she never argues when I ask her to get out like the other kids always have. She is even getting hair - see? There's not much on top, but the rest is getting much thicker and is so fuzzy and cute.

Sweet sisters really do have a good time and what a relief to have them all clean and tucked in on Saturday night.

LIfeline

2011-11-12T22:26:00.002-06:00

At school the kids are doing biography work. This assignment was to make a paper chain to represent their life - one link for each month they've lived. They were so happy to bring them home and very hesitant to throw them away (what do you do with 50 feet of paper chain?) We decided we could 'keep' them in photographs.

Kabe insisted on pulling this face. His chain looks a lot longer than Ksenya's but really it's just that he's such a stubby little guy. He really is so short but makes up for it with personality. We wound this around him about 6 times. He just grew out of his 4T clothes (in time for Brig to grow into them). So thankful for every link in that chain and all the smiles it represents.
Ksenya chose such a nice variety of colors and it made me smile. Every month of her life has been sunshine for me and I can't help but reminisce over those first few months where she was my little buddy and got 90% of my time. I love remembering those first few months of Mommy-hood and how special a time it was. Sure glad this one came first to teach me patiently about the greatest job I have.

Blondie

2011-11-12T22:22:00.003-06:00

This little girl was meant to have a blonde afro. She was so cute after her first bout with curlers I'm sure we'll have to repeat it a lot in the future. She is such a funny girl and is always laughing or giggling about something. Once she gets started she is hard to get stopped and her laugh is so contagious especially for her Mommy. Sometimes we joke that she's a ditz, and she is a silly little thing, but she's also very smart and learning her letters. She is always asking to do preschool and when Mommy's schedule loosens up a little she'll make fast progress.She is a sweet little helper. The other day when I picked her up from the sitter she was sweeping the kitchen floor. I told her it was time to go and she said, "Mommy, I have to finish, we always finish our jobs". She is such a happy kid and is always trying to do what I am doing. She loves to feed her baby sister and is all about picking her own clothes and making her own fashion statements. She is the lip gloss fiend and loves her daily 'coloring' time. She did not like the cold of the first snow, but preferred to sit inside and watch the other kids. She is a cuddler and loves to sit with me. She is also Daddy's girl and is always trying to touch him - hold his hand, hang on his leg, as long as she's touching him she's happy.

Tough guy

2011-11-12T22:17:00.002-06:00

Brigham has changed so much over the last few months. He's grown out of his 3T clothes now and is really quite a husky little guy. He still has the most charming little dimples ever and does the funniest things. He says cute phrases like the other day while playing peek-a-boo with Darla he put the blanket over his head and said, "Where is I?" He was wrestling with Ayvri and she was on top and he said, "you're getting on my nerd!" What a funny boy.
Brigham has been very patient lately but has probably been the one most affected by Mom being at work all morning. He is so happy when I come home and wants to be my little side-kick all the time. He is a smart little boy and always wants to be read to. He thinks he's very big stuff and I've had to stop him several times as he tries to carry his baby sister around. He came with me for our ultrasound appointment and when I told him the picture was of the baby he looked at it and said, "Dat's not a baybe!!?" It made me laugh so hard. He has required a lot of help with finishing his food lately and I think it's just that he wants the attention. He's a mostly happy child and knows when he starts a fit to head to his room.

Smart Guy

2011-11-12T22:13:00.003-06:00

Kabe is such a handsome, smart little stinker. He is a terrible tease and doesn't know when to quit, but he's also a tender heart and is always trying to give me a little extra love lately. He was so adorable on Halloween and must have hugged me a dozen times and thanked me for taking him trick-or-treating. He is a good helper when he wants to be and is very obedient.

At his parent teacher conference his teacher said that he is very bright and is always challenging himself. He is in a classroom with kids in first, second and third grade and he likes to try and do the third grade work even though he's only in first grade. He is a diligent worker at school and makes friends so easily, regardless of age and gender. He is always surrounded by a group of other kids and they all think he's pretty funny. He likes to hang out with his sister at school and is a good buddy to his little brother and sisters at home too. The other day I was leaving the school and he was out on the playground. He waved to me and then I heard him say to his friend, "That's my mom". Best feeling in the world. Kabe is my heart-throb and always knows when I need a little extra love. What a good boy.

Walkin' Time

2011-11-12T22:09:00.002-06:00

It is happening. My baby has decided she's not a baby anymore. Darla started walking a little last week and this week she can make it all the way across the living room by herself. She loves all the attention that it has gotten her and the bribes that accompany the 'practice'. She is still such a cuddle bug and we all love to be the recipient of her wet kisses.She learned how to blow raspberries on my neck and has a great pageant wave that she accompanies with a darling little "baba". She is getting better about screaming for what she wants and still eats more than her Mother most of the time. She is a darling baby and we all dote on her more than we should. She is also her Daddy's girl and lights up whenever he comes in. She thinks her brothers are really funny and loves it when her sisters read to her and include her in their playing babies. She is the queen of the 'download' game and loves the cupboards and the toy kitchen.

Big Girls

2011-11-12T22:05:00.002-06:00

My sweet Ksenya is getting to be such a big girl. I had a conference with her teacher this last week and she is doing so well in school - right where she should be in everything and a little ahead in reading and writing. The girl loves to write and has a passion for cursive. She is such a good big sister and is always helping the littler kids and is so sweet with her baby sister.

I'm always thankful when she remembers she's still a little girl and can let her hair down and just play. In this picture we put her hair in curlers and she wasn't sure if the look was mature enough for her or not. She's very concerned with her looks and the way other people see her. She's been having some little girly spats - on-again-off-again with one of her good buddies at school and is not pleased with me at all when I don't take it deathly seriously. She is such a tender heart and wants desperately to please me and her Daddy. She has been loving her activity days group and having something 'big' to do. What a beautiful sweet girl.

Snow Cones . . .

2011-11-12T22:01:00.002-06:00

We had our first 'real' snow (as in, enough to play with) and the kids couldn't wait to get out into it. Just a few minutes after they went out there was a lot of knocking at the door and I was asked for some empty cones. I just happened to have a box in the cupboard so I passed them out and they made their own authentic snow cones. Then the knock came asking for "flavoring". What funny kids.They were so funny and cute and I was glad that they have some warm winter gear to put to use. Too bad the girls' snow pants are still in storage but we'll be sure to pull them out for the next storm. Of course, my little Texican (Ayvri) got cold within about 5 minutes and wanted to come in and 'watch the kids' out the window. Silly girl.

It's a . . . . Girl!!!

2011-11-12T22:00:00.000-06:00

That's right - no even Steven for the Petersen family. We're breaking the score in favor of the girlies! Although both Daddy and I expected it to be a boy (following the previous pattern), after a little thought we are so thankful for the baby girl that's coming. It will be fun to have the last two girlies together. We had our ultrasound and everything is measuring great, all the fingers and toes, heart chambers and brain. We even got to watch her play peek-a-boo. The hardest part of this pregnancy has been not feeling her move. Her placenta is in front of her and makes it really hard for me to feel when she moves. I was really concerned until we had the ultrasound and I could see how wiggly and active she is. It was hard to believe that I couldn't feel it, but I know as she grows that I'll finally be able to feel her. She is measuring 4 days behind our due date which pleased me since I feel like I'm pretty small. I've gained 2 pounds so far and just last week broke out all the maternity clothes since I couldn't button my pants anymore. Maybe tomorrow I'll take a picture. Kabe likes to ask me where the baby is and he's always quick to point out that the baby is down here (pointing to the lower half of my belly) and "this is just fat" (pointing to the upper half). He's the only one that's really aware of my changing shape but they are all excited about the baby. When they found out it is a girl we talked a little about names and Brig suggested "Juliana" to which all the kids agreed.

Movie Line-up

2011-11-12T21:58:00.002-06:00

We have always enjoyed movie nights together, but this night the kids decided we needed stadium seating. They gathered the camping chairs and set up a little line in front of the Television.

Darla has really started to watch what the other kids do and try to emulate. Whenever they sit down for a movie or book she joins in the fun. During family home evening we always sit on the floor in a line and try to be reverent and she climbed right in and sat between the kids.

Spookies

2011-11-12T21:40:00.002-06:00

Happy Halloween! This year we were excited to be close enough to dress up in a theme with the "O" family. We racked our brains to come up with something that pleased everyone and finally decided on being "supers". Here is the line-up:

My personal favorite - Wolverine. I have always thought Tyler looks like Hugh Jackman and this is by far my favorite of his characters. It was really hard for him to let his beard go this long (drove him crazy), but I insisted and he was a good sport about it and the hair.

Be still my heart - he is one handsome fella.

Darla was super baby. I know, lay-mo! But Mommy didn't get around to sewing her baby robin outfit (would have been cute, but she was happy to be toasty warm).

Catwoman was quite the task - but she loved it. We patterned her after the Michelle Pfeifer version (my favorite) and she really loved her gloves and her long silver fingernails. She looked way too tall and skinny though.

This one was hilarious. Ayvri really wanted to be a princess, so when I remembered that She-ra was the "princess of power" we had a plan. I couldn't help but sew a little 'padding' into the top of her costume and oh baby did she love it. The first time she tried it on she said, "Mom! Aren't they supposed to be bigger?" She was very pleased with her boobs and we really had to remind her not to touch. She looked absolutely darling and made us all laugh with her girly walk.

Brig liked the face painting on his costume and it took quite a bit of work (and glue) to get his hair to slick back like this. I was thankful that his costume was more like pajamas and he was comfortable and warm the whole time. He was such a sweet heart. At every door while trick-or-treating I would say, "Brig, did you say thanks?" and he'd say, "Nope!" and run back to the door to yell "thank-you" at the person (or their already closed door).

Kabe was the perfect Superman. He has such a handsome face and his cowlick was perfect. He loved to pretend to fly everywhere and was thankful that his costume didn't require face paint (not a fan of that). He was also very sweet and tried to include everyone and share his candy with Darla.

Here is our trick-or-treating gang. The "O"s were Wonderwoman (awesome), Captain America, Batman and Ironman. We were also joined but Bumblebee. It was so fun to watch them descend on each door and see the surprise of the people as they opened it to a literal herd of super mini people.

This was our favorite house. As we walked up to the porch one of the kids remembered from last year that this was "Mr. Alien's house". Sure enough, the door was answered by a very large alien man and the kids were all completely mesmerized. Brig was my favorite - awestruck he walked right up to the large alien man and held open his bag. It was so funny to see their reactions and I'll admit, I was laughing so hard I cried seeing the interactions.

We also had a super fun Halloween party with Grandma Horse who planned games and food and fun for all the kids. It was great to see cousins in costumes and get to hang out together.

To the Summit

2011-10-17T18:27:00.004-05:00

Tyler and I are funny creatures that have an uncontrollable need to "get away" to nature every so often. We've always been this way and that driving force has brought us some grand adventures. It took us on a beautiful scenic drive to Justin Texas, it drove us across the Idaho plains for hours searching for a way to get on the mountains (ah the memories) and most recently, it drove us up Cedar Mountain to the head of the C trail. It has been quite a while since we've gone up there and the fall colors were beautiful. We let the kids wander around and pick as many leaves as they wanted to bring home and "decorate" our house with. I particularly enjoyed watching incredible huge puffy clouds fly overhead on the bright blue sky - it was breathtaking.
They had a great time and keep asking when we can go "to the mountains" again. We're definitely passing on the nature-holic genes.

Last weekend we were blessed to get to drive up to Duck Creek through Brianhead to enjoy a little kid-free excursion. It was so beautiful and we hit Cedar Breaks at sunset. There was snow on the ground and lots of color down in the valleys and I was completely smitten. I think we live in the most beautiful place on earth.

Cop-out Cake

2011-10-17T18:18:00.005-05:00

Birthdays. There are now 7 in our family, soon to be 8. This means that I only get 4 months a year that don't require cake. Birthday cake is one of those areas in which I aspire to Motherly greatness. Once or twice I've actually achieved it (see the Tinkerbell of 2011, Ballerina of 2006, or the Rainbow cupcakes of 2007). Yet, when it comes to my boys, they really allow me to lower my expectations. They are so easily pleased I'm sure I could throw a twinkie at them and they'd be thrilled.

Enter this year's birthday extravagance: Brigham wanted a cake with "cookies on it, or marshmallows on it, or bacon on it". The child has a thing for bacon and originally I was going to make a cake that looked like a strip of bacon - that would have been entertaining and memorable. Instead he got an in-pan confetti-laden number 3. BORING.

Kabe's was even worse. He wanted a Star Wars cake. I had grand visions but lacked the time. So instead I bought one of those horrid light-saber candies and stuck it on top with a big K7 on it (you know, like C3PO or something?) Yep. Major lame.

Still, I guess when it's all said and done, I did make them each a cake. And I did try to honor their wishes (to some extent). And we all ended the day completely sugared up.

This is why I have sons. They appreciate that I like to catch bugs and dig in the dirt and examine lizards and am willing to explore gross things. Ah balance. Here's hoping the next one is another boy - three frilly cakes a year is enough for me.

Conference

2011-10-17T18:12:00.003-05:00

I love General Conference. It's one of my favorite things in the whole world. I wish I knew how to teach my kids to appreciate it, but for them it's mostly "Everyone be quiet so I can hear this, you'll appreciate it when you're older". We've pitched a tent, we've done bingo and coloring pages and all manner of conference 'tools' and still, there's a small level of contention that comes from trying to include the kids.

This year since we're living in a less than controlled environment I decided to take the hands-off approach. I decided that if they didn't want to participate that was fine with me, as long as they left me alone to do so. It was an acceptable solution this time. Still, at one point I got up to go to the bathroom and when I got back I found this. Kabe and Brig had cuddled up together to watch the musical number. They were both completely entranced and didn't want to give me my seat back. I sat behind them as they listened to an entire talk, completely quiet and still. Slightly shocked and completely impressed I couldn't even listen to the speaker I was so mesmerized by the sight of my boys, my rowdy, noisy, completely boy-ish boys, sitting quietly listening to one of God's Prophet's. What a teaching moment. Glad I got a picture to remember it by, considering during the next session they both spent time screaming in their room. There may or may not have been blood involved.

Stretching.

2011-10-17T18:06:00.003-05:00

My baby girl is a teeny tiny thing. She's seriously so little she's still wearing 3-6 month clothes on occasion (she's now 13 months old). We've been concerned about her growth and made some dietary changes lately that have had great success in the digestion arena. Still, there are perks to her being tiny. She can't quite reach everything yet. It's coming. The walking, the climbing, the reaching the pulling, the opening - we're on the brink and I can't help but think, for the umpteen-hundredth time as a Mother, "I wish I could just freeze them right now". She is so happy and sweet and makes everyone's heart melt when she smiles and gives big wet kisses. She has Daddy's number and he melts into a puddle when she says "Dada".

However, the girly still needs a nickname as her previous "caboose" just doesn't work anymore. So, if you're reading this, if you're out there, PLEASE leave a comment on this post with a creative nickname idea. As if I haven't written enough about her on the blog let me just add that she is incredibly cuddly - the most cuddly baby I've ever met, and her nickname can't be something horrid like 'moose' because her sister's have very feminine nicknames. It wouldn't really be fair to have a "Dolly" and a "Tinkerbell" and then a "Hippopotamus" (my last suggestion).

What I know for sure.

2011-10-17T17:59:00.002-05:00

A week ago we got up and as we got ready for the day realized that the unthinkable had happened . . . I had made a scheduling oversight! Seriously - I can't understand it, I mean I have never ever done anything like this before (snicker) and am usually so completely together and with-it with our scheduling (snort). So, met with this dilemma we had to decide, send me to work and cancel Tyler's patients so he could stay home with the kids . . . . OR I could call in "sick" to work and stay home with my babies while he went to work.

Obviously I chose to sacrifice and stay home.

It was hard.

But I'm great like that.

Seriously, I am not meant to have a "real" job. Leaving my three littlest littles every morning is enough to rip my heart out, chop it up and serve it with vinegar. It's awful, every day. Yes, I have a great job. Yes, teaching is in my blood and I'll admit I think I'm ok at it. Yes, we are extremely thankful to have a paycheck to count on right now when our finances are uncertain. Still, this day was a testament to the whole family that Heavenly Father's plan is for Mom to be at home being Mom while Dad is at work providing. That's the way it's meant to be. I can't wait to get back to that!

So, here's for striving for days when I can catch my kiddos "reading" to their babydolls and get all three of them to grin at me. If there's anything I know FOR SURE it's that all I want to be is a great wife and "JUST A MOM" again.

Story Memories

2011-10-17T17:55:00.002-05:00

I have always loved books so it's exciting when I see the kids choosing books instead of other entertainment (albeit rare). Ksenya is such a little Mother and instinctually shares herself with her siblings most of the time.

I love that she's willing to care for them without being forced. Brigham also loves the attention he gets from his sister and they have a unique and wonderful relationship. Of all my kids, these two fight the least and although they are far apart (at least in our family 5 years is far), I hope that as they grow up they'll still maintain their relationship.

Like a Stinky Old Cheese

2011-10-02T21:43:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite songs is from the musical "Hairspray".

The song is titled "You're Timeless to me".

Though I tease my parents that they're getting old, (feeble, etc),

they probably don't know what an important role they play for our family.

They're the brunt of a lot of teasing and they both handle it (and dish it out) like champs.

Here's to you Papa and Grandma Cox . . . "you're just getting better with time . . . . you're timeless to me!"

Weirdies

2011-09-30T15:17:00.002-05:00

I asked each of the kids, "What are you?"

Ksenya: "Your baby doll"

Kabe: "a person!"

Ayvri: "I'm TINKERBELL!!!"

Brig: "Bigum"

Darla: "blahdahdah"

As for me? I think they're a bunch of weirdies - after all, it runs in the family.

Favorite People

2011-09-30T15:06:00.002-05:00

Occasionally some of our favorite people are our relatives (ok, I like almost all of mine :) Something about these six though really goes with the groove of our little herd and they're as fun as a full barrel of monkeys.

They're even cute from behind. One of my other favorite things in the world is to see the leaves changing on the mountain. It's exquisite and even smells good.

Oh - I think they love their mother.

This is my favorite shot. These two are peas in a pod and both as beautiful as ever.

See how much fun pictures can be? Just ask my big brother, he loves it more than anyone :)

Wild Thing . . .

2011-09-29T16:04:00.003-05:00

When Kabe was born that was his song. Wild thing, you make me heart sing . . . .

I'd sing it to him every night. Not the greatest lullaby, but it was our song.
Today my "wild thing" is 7 years old. 7 years? My goodness but this boy changed our lives forever. He's my every day unknown - the surprise waiting for me, the mischief in the air.
He's the science guy who's always experimenting with everything (including his sisters).
He's the tease-monkey who likes to push people's buttons and knows just how to do it.
He's the best thing that ever happened in September, and he'll always be this big in my head. He let me eat lunch with him today - just sitting in the cafeteria and he was ok with his Mom holding his hand in the hall. I told him he can't grow up anymore and he just smiled at me. Happy Birthday Wild Thing! We sure do love you!!!

p.s. this year you chose german pancakes for breakfast, tuna sandwich for lunch and homemade pizza for dinner. For your adventure you chose to go swimming at the aquatic center (tomorrow), then out for ice cream and renting a movie. You are always so easy to please!!!

Randomness-ish

2011-09-17T21:34:00.002-05:00

Brace yourself.

I realize that this blog is primarily a family journal where I chronicle all our hairy-scary-every-day real-ness, a record I'll savor when I'm old and gray and only have memories to keep me an inch from dimentia. Still, with all the cuteness and sweetness and joy of the mothering, there's still a girl here who occasionally requires the catharsis of recording - puking her thoughts out in complete dissaray. I apologize for the public display, if you can't handle rambling, I suggest you skip this post and I'll bless the blog with happy children faces again tomorrow.

This is me 2 1/2 years ago. That fat baby is Brigham. I miss so many things about him in this picture, but this post isn't about him, it's about me.

We went to the temple this morning. Early. It was lovely, although difficult to stay awake. I got some much needed inspiration. I forgot to wear a bra.

Hot water is my sanctuary. With the prego "ickies" that come nearly every evening comes the calming and distracting comfort of hot showers. I think I may have had a nervous breakdown when we lived in Emmett had we not had a hot tub at our house. I loved sitting in the hot water and steam, surrounded by snow, just talking with Tyler. Beautiful memory.

My Kindergarten cohorts shared a book at staff circle called "ish". It has lovely illustrations and is a really wonderful story about feeling, writing and drawing "ish-ly". When our financial independence day finally arrives I'm going to buy it for myself. It made my heart happy-ish.

I don't like watching sports on TV. All the hype of the BYU/Utah game had me almost wanting to care . . . alas, I don't. The players are like missionaries. What once was exceedingly interesting and attractive now reminds me that my sons are growing. I don't need reminders of that.

Shamelessly consumed 4 squares of a Toblerone bar. Why does chocolate have to taste so good? And why does naked juice have natual flavoring? That almost ruined my day. I mean why can't they just write the true ingredients, natural flavoring could be almost anything!

I have 2 huge boxes of fruit to bottle. Tomorrow is Sunday. he he. I suppose it will just have to wait until Monday (strategic picking time gave me a whole day to gear up for the blessed event).

There was a tornado warning last night. I hear it was a remarkable storm with lighting bolts close to 3 miles long. I slept through the whole thing (shocker).

Went to the OB for the first time this week. There's a lovely little heartbeat in my stomach. It's very little. It made me feel excited, nervous, relieved and happy all at once. Funny how a little whoosh-whoosh-whoosh can do that to you.

Read a funny comic the other morning with Tyler and now whenever I lock him in the bathroom I say "release the cragon" before he can come out. A little juvenile humor is good for the soul I think.

Learned something about short hair. When you shower before bed then in the morning your hair is really exciting. My kids wanted to take my picture the other day. They didn't know it could stand up like that - I was 6 inches taller.

My brain is slowing down now so apparently the need for random ramblings has ebbed. If you hung on for the ride you should leave a comment. How may people out there are as OCD as me and have to read to the end, despite the unintelligible nature of the blog post?

Peace Out!

Today

2011-09-11T21:27:00.004-05:00

Today I'm thankful for:

The sound the wind makes when it blows through the trees.

We are never too poor to dream big dreams

At some point all children sleep, and look like angels

The tear-up feeling I get when I hear the national anthem sung and see Old Glory wave

The smell of rain and sound of thunder

Cold, clear water to drink whenever I want

A marriage filled with humor

Cowboy Up!

2011-09-11T21:10:00.005-05:00

Thanks to some awesome people we got tickets to the Rodeo and had an amazing time. I had forgotten how much I LOVE a good rodeo and this one didn't disappoint. It was particularly fun to watch my kids enjoy it. Uncle Heath spoiled us withconcessions all night long and introduced my children to cotton candy (a first).

When he brought it over Brigham just stared at it like he didn't know what it was. Uncle Heath stuffed a bite into his mouth and I wish I had a picture of his face turn from confusion to pure delight. Within minutes he was covered in sticky blue mess and the happiest boy on earth. One highlight was the mutton bustin'. Kabe and Ayvri decided they'd like to ride a sheep so we signed them up. Kabe hung on for dear life but slid under the sheep and didn't let go. He got stomped pretty good and ended up crying pretty hard until I told him he had pinky promised me not to cry and that cowboys don't cry, they just dust themselves off. He sucked it up and in a few minutes was bragging to everyone he could find about getting trampled by a sheep. "Mom, sheep have really hard feet," he said. Ayvri saw her brother cry and started to chicken out but there was no time so I threw her on her sheep and she got a choke hold on it. It dumped her off and she got stepped on a few times too. I got to carry her off the field because she wouldn't move, just stood out there crying. When I told her to "cowboy up" she said, "Mom, I'm not a cowboy, I'm a cowgirl" and brushed herself off and started laughing. She had holes in her skirt from where the sheep stepped which she has gotten very proud of. My Ksenya was too sensible to even want to do something like ride a sheep, but she enjoyed the rest of the rodeo and was so sweet about being kept up very late and getting a little cold. By the end both Brig and Ayvri had fallen asleep and everyone was pretty tired, but happy happy happy. There's cowboy in our blood I guess.

Horse Parade

2011-09-11T21:06:00.003-05:00

Every year the Lions Club puts on a western parade and rodeo. The Great American Stampede. We headed to the parade in style, every kid had to have a cowboy hat and they were very serious about it. They loved seeing all the horses and I did too.

My favorite entry was the Lavender Farms wagon with 6 huge black draft horses. They were so well trained and moved so quickly together they were amazing to watch. The kids particularly loved the cowboy girls and their trick riding (although I saw some dangerous ideas pass through their minds as they watched). It was a lot of fun and we can't wait to go again next year.

Happy Hoodlums

2011-09-11T21:03:00.003-05:00

I love to look out the window and see this - all 5 of my kids playing happily together on the lawn, being kind to each other and watching out for each other. Don't get me wrong, it's not always like this. More often than not there is screaming, weeping and wailing and occasionally there's blood, but occasionally the stars align and everyone is well fed and well rested and in a good mood and they can play together.

This is how I always imagined having a big family.

The Big Bad Bus

2011-09-11T20:59:00.003-05:00

Yet again Mommy has had to make peace with the bus. School is just too far for me to pick up the kids after school and although I'm willing to bring them home with me at lunch I don't think the administration would approve. At least they are riding together and they are (THANK HEAVENS) dropped off just at the end of our street so if I'm in the middle of something they can just walk down the road to home and I don't have to get in the car to pick them up from the bus stop.

The best part is that every day after school Mom has to tell me how embarrassing Kabe was on the bus and then Kabe has to defend himself, after which I give Kabe an interrogation about his behavior and assure Ksenya that no matter what he does she should be his buddy and stick up for him. Love that this conversation happens nearly every day. Poor Kabe, you'd think he'd get a complex for being told he's irritating so many times, but he just laughs and enjoys himself anyway. No matter what I'm thankful they have each other and they will always have a buddy like I did. It's good to have kids in pairs.

Fashion Bug

2011-09-11T20:53:00.003-05:00

Little Ayvri has quite her own style and I am always cracking up at the clothing combinations she comes up with. Usually her public look is mommy-censored and yet I try to let her retain her own look. She is almost always wearing a skirt or a dress of some kind but has learned that Mom hassles her less if she pairs it with leggings. Her hair is getting so long and it looks as though she might be the only blue-eyed child as Brig's eyes have gone green too.

Ayvri is a little tender heart and has a gift for entertaining herself. She loves to play in the front rock garden and rearrange all the pretty things Grandma keeps out there. She also has a vivid imagination and earlier today I looked over to see her typing on her computer (a board she had found) and talking on her cell phone (a hand-sized rock). She was so completely immersed in her game that it took her a few minutes to realize that Mom was rolling on the ground laughing at her. Whenever we catch her being adorable she just smiles and laughs with us. She is the best little hugger on earth and always knows when I need a little love. She has always been such an easy child and tries so hard to be good. She has her diva moments, but for the most part she is a joy and a good girl.

County Fair, Country Fun

2011-09-11T20:47:00.003-05:00

I really love living in the country. I love all the free community events that are so full of spirit and charm and unique creativity. The county fair has always been one of my favorite things, particularly the entries for crafts, food and produce. So many talented people, and someday I'll enter something in the fair. I had high hopes to have a baby quilt finished to make our grand announcement, but hey, plans change and hopefully I'll finish the quilt before he arrives. At any rate, the county fair is on my bucket list.The high point for Daddy and Brigham was the tractor showcase. Brig loved this one that was just his size. Daddy and Papa Horse spent a good little while admiring and discussing the tractors and it was fun to hear them reminisce. The kids enjoyed the petting zoo but our favorite is always the produce tent. I'm amazed and encouraged at what people here can grow.

More???

2011-09-04T16:45:00.005-05:00

One Petersen

Two Petersens

Three Petersens

Four

Five Petersens

6 Petersens? That's right - there's one more!!!

Now for the story. After we had Darla I was sure that we were finished, that our family was complete. I guess the best way to make Heavenly Father laugh is to make a plan. We found out we were pregnant and I was shocked (truly) and a little unprepared. Tyler was of course thrilled, albeit stunned. He thought I was kidding at first. I struggled with feelings of complete inadequacy. I was overwhelmed. But gradually I realized that every baby has been a blessing and I don't want to be in complete control of my life. I want Heavenly Father to direct it as HE sees fit, because He sees all that I do not. After much prayer I am thrilled, excited and absolutely thankful that He trusts me with yet another amazing little person. This is right and best and I'm glad that I didn't get in the way of what is right for our family because of my own selfishness.

It has been difficult to tell people and see their shock, their disgust and their obvious and outright scorn. I've had the most rude, hurtful and insensitive things said to me and I'm saddened that the priorities of so many are so completely backwards. Six is a lot. It's a lot of hugs, kisses, love and laughter - a lot of giggles and stories and cuddles and smiles. Why not one more?

So . . . announcing the next little Petersen miracle coming in March of 2012 (I'm 12 weeks). I'm not-so-secretly hoping for a boy to round out our numbers but would thankfully welcome another little chickadee to our mix. The kids are all elated and Kabe tells everyone he sees that he is having a baby (sounds funny coming out of his mouth). Following our pattern this baby will be 2 years from Darla in school, 19 months apart and with luck (if he's a week or two early) I'll still be 30 when I have my last baby :) Isn't life an adventure?

Faith in God

2011-09-04T16:42:00.002-05:00

Ksenya just started the Faith in God program this last month and she is really taking it seriously. She loves her activities and for her first goal she decided to plan, prepare and serve a meal for the whole family. She made her list (carefully) and gave it to me so I could shop while she was at school. The second she got home she wanted to start preparing. She made fruit salad (all cut by her) and baked potato bar with all the trimmings. She also had a banana split bar.

She was so diligent and serious about it and it was fun for everyone to be served by her. Then she did all the dishes herself. What a big girl. I'm amazed at what a great girl she is.

Sleepy Head

2011-09-04T16:36:00.002-05:00

The other day we got home from work and Brigham had fallen asleep in the car. I got him out of his seat, stood him up and when I thought he was awake I told him to go into the house. I grabbed Darla and headed in behind him. I got to the porch just in time to see him fall from the top steps, on his face the whole way. He had fallen back asleep as he reached the top and rode the cement stairs down.

I'll be honest, I might have laughed a little. It was just so funny that he could fall asleep like that. He had a great battle-scar from it, with a couple massive goose-eggs and bruises and some good road rash. He's such a happy guy though, he screamed for a second and then he was his smiling happy self again. Seriously, this boy has a gift for happiness. He's always smiling and cheering the world up. And those dimples, they still melt me into a puddle.

Teeny Tiny Turns #1

2011-09-04T16:26:00.003-05:00

Can it really be a whole year since you joined our family? I remember ever minute of your birth so clearly. I remember how calm you were, how you just cuddled me for hours and how comfortable you felt in my arms. I remember your bald little head (some things haven't changed a lot) and those bright eyes, filled with trust and contentment. I remember how happy I was you were here - how right it felt, and still does.

As you've grown you've been so patient with all your siblings. At one week you took a road trip across three states. You lived in our car and rode me around for months and months. I loved the feeling of you cuddled up next to me. I loved watching you explore the world with your eyes. Now you explore with all of you - you love to eat rocks and climb things. You love to pull hair and experiment with your teeth.

You are happy and smiley and giggly. You like to make noise and are very good at getting exactly what you want. You love to eat, and eat, and eat and must have your Daddy's metabolism because you are still as itty-bitty as ever. You aren't walking yet, but I think you could if you decided you wanted to. You give the best open-mouthed kisses and have already mastered the "mwah" sound. You pat me and say "bah" when you want a bite of something. You smile and wave and clap and love your Daddy. I know when you're excited because you crawl really fast. You giggle at naptime and like to sit in your bed and talk to your sisters at bedtime.

Happy birthday baby girl. We are so thankful for you and all your little wonders.

Soggy Camping

2011-09-04T16:20:00.003-05:00

We decided to take one more camping trip before the summer ended. It was a good lesson in persistence. We got loaded up and on our way into town it started to rain. It rained for hours - all the way up the mountain and when we arrived next to the lake there was standing water pretty much every where. We were determined and got the tents set up and a canopy to sit under while we watched the rain. Finally just before dinner it stopped (mostly).

We enjoyed the campfire and headed to bed. I was so thankful that we waited it out because the next day was beautiful.The kids loved riding the four wheeler and playing in the canoe. We were really brave and let them go out on the lake without adults (probably crazy). That's how my husband learned when he was little and it was fun to watch, especially Kabe and Peter wander around with the oars getting stuck in the moss and then trying to launch themselves and rock the boat without tipping. We had a great time hanging out with Ty's parents and a few siblings and just taking it easy. Camping is a lot of work, but I love our mountains. Even Darla enjoyed climbing around in the dirt and eating the birthday cake Grandma made for her.

Tradition

2011-09-04T16:17:00.002-05:00

The Papa! The Papa! It's so fun to live close to our grands and spend more time with them. This Papa is quite the monkey and loves loves loves to get the kids all wild and crazy.

It's tradition in my family to have wrestling matches. I remember doing it with my brothers and the tradition continues to the next generation.

Make Way

2011-09-04T16:13:00.001-05:00

Remember that part on the Narnia movie where the white witch is going to visit Aslan's camp? Remember the creepy little guy who's yelling "Make way for the queen of Narnia"? Well, this was my children's reenactment of that monumental event. I was washing the dishes and heard banging and yelling and decided to check it out. They each had their job. The girls were holding the blanket to shade the "queen". Brigham was in charge of banging sticks together and yelling with everyone else and Kabe was in charge of pushing the "carraige". I'm amazed the queen didn't fall out, but it was fun to watch them and listen as they chanted:

"MAKE WAY FOR THE QUEEN OF GRANDMA'S HOUSE"

Such smart and talented children.

Back to School

2011-09-04T16:06:00.003-05:00

School again? Mommy groans inside. But this year is a little different. This year Mommy gets to go to school with the big kids. That's right. Mommy has rejoined the ranks of employed. This crazy turn of events just sort of happened in a blink and all of a sudden I'm part of the work force which I happily left 10 years ago. I won't say I'm thrilled. Honestly - I could have waited 5 more years, but it is a great job. I get to be a Kindergarten aid in an incredible school with a great teacher and 27 darling little kiddos. It's challenging, and exhausting, and I miss my littles all morning long, but then I come home at lunch and they get a little Daddy time that they haven't really had for the last few years and there is that little bonus of some steady pay as we build the business so for now, I'm grateful.

One of the best parts is getting to be at school with my "K's". They are both LOVING their new school - GPA. It's Montessori based and I'm so pleased that they are learning to love learning without all the rewards and punishments of traditional public school. They have two great teachers and are really thriving. They also get to ride to school with me in the mornings, I stop in and say goodbye at lunch and then they ride the bus home after school together.

On the first day Brig was really upset he didn't get to school (Ayvri is fine with the idea that we will do preschool at home . . . . at some point when Mommy gets her ducks in a row). Brig likes to tell people he goes to weeschoool which makes me laugh. He wants to get on the bus and wants a backpack but when I get home and he's cuddled up with his Daddy my heart is happy. Thank heavens it's our year off from Kindergarten (we'll do Kindergarten every other year for 7 more years). I still have days where I wish we lived on a deserted island, but as school goes - this was the easiest "back to school" yet.

Girly Girls

2011-09-04T16:02:00.002-05:00

My girls are so much fun. I'm often thankful that I don't have two right next to each other, they'll have a little more space during their crazy teenage years and I hope won't feel the need to compete and compare. Still, I'm glad that with a little over 3 years apart they are still close enough to enjoy and appreciate each other.

I love that Ayvri doesn't always let Ksenya boss her around and that Ksenya still enjoys Ayvri's sense of humor. They are good little playmates and of course little Tinkerbell very much admires her big sister. They're as different as night and day and yet both girly and opinionated and I'm excited to watch as Darla gets older how she'll fit in the girly mix (as of now she has the role of baby-doll all to herself).

Round 2

2011-09-04T15:58:00.004-05:00

The tooth fairy is going to have an expensive 10 years at our house I'm afraid. She got her 2nd Petersen customer when Kabe announced he had a loose one. I didn't believe him at first, after all he's still and will always be 5 in my brain.

Finally I checked it out and sure enough, one bite of an apple later and we had a shiny pearly white and a gaping hole in his smile. He was so pleased and so excited and felt so big in his britches that day! Here's hoping that the big ones grow in straight!

Chompers

2011-09-04T15:54:00.003-05:00

The little darlin' has been changing so much but she is still as tiny as can be and it's hard to remember that it's normal for her to be hitting milestones. It took us all by surprise when she cut 6 teeth in a week. She went from gummer to chomper almost overnight.

She thinks it's very funny to bite (trust me, not funny) and her smile is so very different with all those teeth which fill up her face since they look so big in her tiny mouth. I love it when she flashes her cheeser smile. The teeth did put an end to the nursing after the second encounter that ended with blood (very not funny). I guess she's getting to be a big girl.

Duties

2011-09-04T15:50:00.002-05:00

A while back Ksenya taught a family home evening on work. It may have been inspired by Mom who really needed some help getting things done. She taught about why it's important to work and how Pres. Eyring said families that work together will have more unity and peace in their homes. Then she put together a little chore chart and the kids decided which jobs they could share each week. It worked beautifully for the first couple weeks.

We need a little reminder these days but they are still good helpers. Even though we rotate jobs every week Brigham still gets upset when anyone else tries to vacuum since that was his job the first week and now he thinks he has the corner on that market. They are good little helpers most of the time and it's fun to see the older kids help to teach the younger ones how to do their jobs.

Splish, Splash

2011-09-04T15:47:00.003-05:00

For the first 9+ months Darla HATED her bath. She would literally scream the entire time she was wet until she hit the towel. Recently though something wonderful has changed. We put her into the bath now and she laughs, splashes and crawls around like a little fish.

The screaming time comes when you get her out of the water! It's such a pleasant arrangement that she spends a lot more time in the tub now and is usually the last one I get out because she's so happy.

Not Dead Yet

2011-08-20T13:31:00.002-05:00

Our blog is neglected. It's been an amazingly stressful 2+ weeks since my last post, with lots of events and not nearly enough pictures to document. Still, I have much to post and my computer is not helpful (we're lacking the power cord which got mysteriously severed). So for now, just know we live. Hopefully soon I'll be able to give more details on the amount of living we've been doing.

You don't have to push a handcart

2011-07-27T18:47:00.004-05:00

But you can if you want. For the Pioneer Day celebration we decided to make it a family affair and the 7 of us dressed up in pioneer garb and pushed/rode a handcart in the parade. It was quite an adventure and I think I had the cutest 5 little pioneer children ever. I didn't get a picture of it but halfway through the parade Darla fell asleep in my arms. Here I am waving her arm and her little head was bobbing up and down. She was so sweet about it though and really was a trooper the whole time.After the parade we set up a booth in the park full of free pioneer games. Mostly it was just our kids that enjoyed them but we had a lot of fun. Here Brig is eating the taffy that he pulled (he pulled a LOT of taffy).
Here is the stick-pull. The boys kept challenging their Daddy and although they came close a few times, "Dr. Tyler" still reigns as stick-pull champion.
Ayvri would not be outdone by the boys and decided to pull them around in the handcart. The little pixie could barely pick it up but she thought she was so tough. I just loved the girls in their bonnets and skirts I made.
Here's the whole family. We had a lot of fun and were very thankful that yet again, it was quite overcast. I'm so thankful for our pioneer ancestors and for the legacy that they left us. Every time I think about what they did I am reminded of the responsibility we have to continue in faith, finding joy in our journeys.

Great Escapes

2011-07-27T18:13:00.005-05:00

Remember last year's Family Reunion? Well, this year we didn't get to attend the Guymon Reunion so we had a pity party camping trip instead. We went to our favorite free campsite (Yankee Meadows) and let the kids get as dirty and wet as they could. It was short, but sweet, and a good reminder of how much work camping is. It was also nice to be there with a Daddy this year and everything this summer has reminded me how thankful I am that he's NOT in Mexico.

Tell and Brig - watched the bigger boys do some mud painting and then did their own. It was so funny to watch them stand staring at each other like little mirror images. These two are the height of entertainment.
Gideon was trying to wash his stomach without immersing in the water that had cooled off a little. It was funny to watch him do pushups in it and then stand up and rub.
Kabe of course never does anything half way. He was so pleased with himself this time until he realized that he'd have to wash it off in the creek too. Daddy helped with the washing.
Silly camping faces. This is the look I get a lot lately when Ksenya gets a camera in her face. I'll be honest - not the most flattering, but it's reality and looks a LOT like many pictures of me her age.
She's awfully cute from behind with those long legs and muddy bum though. She really enjoyed all the water play and I enjoyed watching her be a little girl instead of trying to be so grown up.

Aunt Aimee giving Darla her first botany lesson. It looks serious. Let's not disturb them.

Giada perfected her "evil laugh" whilst teasing Uncle Heath (resting in a hammock) with a fishing pole. She did this of her own accord and had only minimal help from Aunt Toni.

Funny, funny boys. We nicknamed them "thing 1 and thing 2". Fitting.
This is us when we got in the car on the way home - still on the sugar and adrenaline rush from the big adventure.About 5 minutes down the road this was the picture. Big fun makes for a big crash and they all bit the dust completely to make for a nice quiet drive home.

Baby girl was so excited when Mom finally decided to let her play in the dirt.

Happy Aunt Jeri stylin' in her new hat. I think I have a picture of her like this at every trip. Just happy to be here.

Till next year - the camping fun is probably over.

Tickle tickle

2011-07-27T18:10:00.002-05:00

The baby has ticklish feet. The Daddy knows.

The fun is endless.

She has officially entered the "fun" age where Daddy tries to monopolize her (as long as she's fed and changed).

Big TROUBLE

2011-07-27T17:55:00.002-05:00

Lately we've been struggling with this little guy. Look close at the picture and you'll see our trouble. That's right - he's CUTE. Not just a little bit cute, slightly cute or moderately cute. This little dude is massively cute. I may go so far to say that he is the supply of our cuteness demand.

Why is this a problem you ask? Because unlike other children who may think that they're cute, or believe that they're cute - this boy KNOWS he's cute. Which means he gets away with murder. Once the naughty is committed he flashes this smile:

And all of a sudden, the naughty just doesn't seem quite so bad and the helpless adult in the situation has to muster all of their will power in order to not smile back at the little stinker. Help me Rhonda - we're in so much trouble with this boy.

The Hard-Working-est

2011-07-27T17:53:00.002-05:00

A small tribute to the hardest workin' man I know. The man burns his candle on both ends and in the middle and does it with a smile. Your fan club sure does love you!

Baby Elephant Walk

2011-07-27T17:42:00.002-05:00

This little baby elephant is getting to walk and Mommy is in denial. She's finally getting a little fuzz on the top of her head and last week she cut 4 - yes ALL 4 top front teeth. It's amazing what teeth will do to a baby face.She's a mover and has learned to climb stairs pretty well, only up - not down.
When she pokes her little bum up in the air I always laugh. Even a dress can't slow her down.
She's a happy sweet baby and on her last month before the big 1 YEAR. I'm totally going to try to push her down and see how long I can keep her crawling.
She's still super petite and it looks really wrong when she stands up next to something. Someone in the store the other day asked me how many months she was. I told her 11 and she said, "Oh, my baby is almost 6 months too". I had to laugh, her baby was quite a bit larger than little Darlin'.

Big Cheese

2011-07-27T17:33:00.003-05:00

The big girl just keeps getting bigger - and has the nerve to remind her Mother of the fact. The concept of 3rd grade is totally kicking my emotional butt and I'm hoping by August 15th I'll have adjusted enough to actually let her go. It's Kindergarten all over again.Her latest big girl adventure was a trip to Emery county with Grandma and without her mother. It nearly killed me. I insisted upon 3 phone calls a day (didn't happen), and every time her voice came across the line I had to choke back tears in order to retain my "cool" mom status. If I ever let her move out I'll have to stop grocery shopping. I bought more ice cream while she was gone than I ever do. Don't worry, I didn't eat it all . . . yet.

Don't be a weird herald

2011-07-27T17:23:00.002-05:00

My Dad is famous for making up silly songs. The latest and greatest was entitled "Don't be a weird herald". This picture is just what he was talking about:The other night when Ksenya and Daddy were gone, my littles were being as wacky as they could be. I, of course, played the responsible parent and photographed the mayhem.
Lots of wrestling happened. This is the Big T's favorite sport as of late and he's constantly tackling anyone that gets in his way. Usually Kabe can hold his own but you can tell by the look on Ayvri's face that she's wishing she wasn't stuck in the middle.
Darla really enjoyed being a spectator. Trivia - the girly has a butt-shaped tongue. Seriously - most kids have a pointy tongue, but not this one. It's hilarious and soon I'm going to photo-document it really well and do a whole post on it (unless I forget).
Sure am glad that my little weird herald's love each other almost all the time, at least whenever they're not trying to kill each other.

B is for Bristlecone

2011-07-27T16:54:00.002-05:00

Brace yourself. This post is a documentary-length account of all the behind-the-scenes decisions and comings and goings of our latest adventure. Unless you're fascinated by logo design, fabric colors, masonry and the like, you may want to avert your attention. It is reminiscent of THIS post - with many similarities and some striking differences. First, the logo. I LOVE our logo - although it was quite a process and eventually I ended up talking my way through it with one of my gifted cousins. He drew, I criticized and we came up with this. I love that it's simple - bold, and just like the tree it's supposed to be. I plaster it all over pretty much everything and I'm not sick of it yet. My Mom and I did all the flowers and she's amazing. I love that there's an elegant touch in every room. I reupholstered all the chairs and did all the window cornices with the same fabric I picked out last fall and still think it's a great choice.
This is my favorite part of the office. My desk is gorgeous! Simply beautiful, elegant, functional - perfect in every way. It was built mostly by my talented brother (with some help from Ty, my Dad and our awesome neighbor Chad). I'm so impressed.
All the artwork in the clinic is on display from local artists. These (my favorite in the clinic) are by the amazing Rob Wilson (our logo designer) and the focal painting in the our waiting room was painted by my sister Jamie Harline. The office is like an art gallery and I catch myself just walking around enjoying the art.
Tyler worked really hard to help the brick layer who built the handicap ramp. The block is beautiful and permanent and thank heavens we won't have to treat it. I love how they bricked the facade for the sign too - very professional and classy. All the vinyl for all of our signs and banners was done by my brother and his wife Seth and Mel. They are amazing and were so accommodating. If you ever want vinyl printed they are my first pick and are great with creating just what you ask for.
Here is our booth at the July Jamboree. We have been so busy with events, parades and booths and treating a growing number of patients. It's great to be "home", to be busy and to be our own boss. It's a lot of work, but that has been our work of heart lately. It's always a family venture and we appreciate SO much all the people who have put their lives on hold to help make our dreams come true. Particularly my parents who've opened their schedules and their home and made this possible.

Now, if you've made it through this post you're a truly devoted friend/fan. Allow me a shameless plug - we're trying to build our facebook page and would appreciate all the 'likes' we can get. If you know someone in Southern Utah that needs a good chiropractor, I highly recommend Dr. Tyler as THE BEST there is :)

Ghost of Christmas Past

2011-07-19T15:20:00.003-05:00

Looking through photos on the computer today and I found this:Can't believe how time flies. Before I start to bawl just let me say - I'm the luckiest Mommy on earth. (This was Christmas 2008, Ksenya 5, Kabe 4, Ayvri 2, Brig 2 mos).

Good Things.

2011-07-19T15:10:00.002-05:00

Last night for family home evening Ayvri taught the lesson. It was all about how the Lord blesses us, but not always in the way and time that we want. She did a great job and used THIS video. I remember when this talk was given thinking "wow! things sure are hard right now, but when we graduate then that's when the blessings will come". Fast forward a few years.Things are still hard. Harder maybe. But the things that matter most are still here - even better as our little family has grown. Have we realized all the blessings I envisioned when I heard those words? No. But we have realized so many that I couldn't have imagined. We've been blessed in ways I couldn't have foreseen. And I'm thankful.
Most of all I'm thankful for the journey, and that I'm not making it alone. Thanks pardner. Without you and our herd I surely wouldn't have made it this far. Aren't families the BEST?!!!

Sweet Summer

2011-07-19T15:05:00.003-05:00

Oh what do you do in the summertime when all the world is green? Do you swim in a pool to keep yourself cool or pee as the swings go by? Is that what you do? So do I (and Brig).

Hi, my name is Telly-bear. I'm Brig's best friend. We do everything together. He's convinced that when school starts I'm going to come and live at his house. (sh! don't tell Mom). One of our favorite things to do is 'water' everything. It's so nice being a boy and not having to go inside to go potty. The other day we decided to try going #2 outside. It didn't turn out so nice. We ended up taking a shower together while our Mommies gave us a hum-dinger of a lecture. I saw Aunt Toni laugh. (sh! don't tell Mom). Stay tuned for our next adventure.

Let Freedom Ring!

2011-07-19T14:45:00.003-05:00

I LOVE celebrations in small towns. Something so friendly and safe and all together wonderful about community. We participated in the 4th in a BIG way. Weeks leading up to the event in preparation, planning meetings and a little pressure there at the end. Here is Grandma with baby Darlin' after the chaos ended and we were chillin' at a barbecue with great friends. What a perfect way to end the day.
Brig is a little stinker and gets too too too much attention for those dimples. Here he's flashing me a smile after throwing a whomping fit in the park. One smart cookie.
Ayvri didn't get the idea to quit her fit and threw it for a long LONG time. She is rarely like this and I blame it on not enough sleep, too much sugar and excitement, or maybe her pigtails were just too tight. Either way it was remedied by a nice long nap.
The little dears in the parade line-up. It's rare that the girls show this much affection for their brother so I thought I'd capture the love while it lasted. He doesn't seem to mind.

Someone may have gotten up a little too early this morning. Thank heavens he didn't realize he was tired with all the excitement. If only little Darlin' would have left her sparkly headband on, she'd have looked more like a girl, but she did love eating the flags.

We have been running this promotion to raise money for the families of the 222. Can't imagine sending my husband off to fight a war right now and yet so many families are. Makes me very thankful.
Thanks so much to Seth & Mel for being AMAZING at all our Vinyl requests. They are great at what they do and made us look good. Also to the guy who loaned us the Gator. He's great, but I'm not supposed to tell people :)
Here's our whole group. We had so much help it was awesome! Grandma Lu was even brave enough to ride in her very first parade ever. She was fantastic and kept the kids in line. Thanks everyone for giving up your holiday to spend it walking/running down a parade route.
Here's the mini-fleet. They really looked so adorable in their little bandanas and shirts, tutus and bows. How cool is it that we have this many cousins our age running around the neighborhood? (missing from this picture is Abel Wayne, he missed the primping hour).

When I grow up . . .

2011-07-19T14:36:00.004-05:00

Here's another incredible family we got to hang with at the Petersen reunion this year. These two really have it together, in the most un-together way.

Allow me to explain. They are crazy, chaotic, completely wacky, zany, nutsy, and super fun people that just roll with the flow and take life as it comes. Six kids, four boys, two princesses, wild schedules, and the amazing obstacles they've been facing over the last year+ leave me wondering how they have survived, and yet, I know the answer.

They love each other and they love the Lord. They do their very best. They're not perfect. They get frustrated and discouraged. But they keep trying, keep loving, keep praying and keep keep keep working. I wanna be like them when I grow up! (IF I grow up).

p.s. your pictures are on their way.

For Sarah

2011-07-13T12:15:00.004-05:00

While at family reunion a few brave mommies decided to try and get some family photos done. Only 2 weeks later and I'm finally getting to the editing. Thanks for being patient ladies!

Sarah has 2 darling boys who are little bundles of energy and not big fans of photos. Our new philosophy for their family is shoot like crazy and hope for the best. I think the time limit on this shoot was 20 minutes and we ended up with 6 great shots and 3 just-for-fun's.

The Winds of Change

2011-07-03T17:00:00.000-05:00

I have always said I wouldn't get frumpy, "let myself go", but I'm afraid that is exactly what has happened the last little while. I've been so attached to my long hair that I have let it define me a little - and so, in an attempt to not be a bag lady I decided it was time for change.This is me before the change. Feeling a little jittery but hoping that I wouldn't regret it and that Tyler would like it.
This is the pile of hair that was on the ground (not all of it mine) half-way through the cut. Luckily I didn't look down and see it or I might have thrown up. I was a little panicky at that point. Remember, it's been 20 years since my hair was shorter than my shoulders.
And here I am at the end. I still hadn't seen myself at this point. Verdict: I like it. I'm glad I did it, I'm thankful for Sarah for talking me into it. So, if you're feeling frumpy - do it! Take the plunge . . . make a change, you just might feel like a new woman.

Petersen's by the Dozens

2011-07-03T16:08:00.011-05:00

Family reunion 2011 was an amazing and somewhat overwhelming affair, with more Petersen's in attendance than have been together for several years. Since then we've had more than a few babies and lots of changes and it was so nice to get together.We stayed on a gorgeous ranch up Paragonah canyon. I loved watching the cows and mountains and enjoying the nature.
Baby Darla enjoyed the ranch house which was spacious and beautiful and SO convenient.
These two were peas in a pod and completely inseparable the entire time. They were always smiling and giggling and talking up a storm.
Lots of happy little faces and thank heavens this one warmed up to me right at the end.
Here are all 28 (or close) kids that were in attendance. Can you believe there are 4 and 1/2 more that couldn't come? That's an amazing posterity.
I think in this picture we're enjoying our treasure hunt.
Brig and Kiki are little turkeys, both absolutely adorable and they know it too.

We got to do a little shooting.

Believe it or not this is our nephew Jake, He towers over pretty much all the girls.
Devin plugged his ears with shells and made an excellent stand in thrower.
What a handsome cowboy.
Cards were played pretty much the whole time and Aunt Amber taught the kids a lot of new tricks (including 'lying' in a new game "banana sandwich" (BS)).
Fun on the quad was had by all, over and over and over and over.
Feeding this herd was a lot of work but the food was great. Too bad Dad got sick the first night.
Haleigh and Emilie are buddies at the head of the group.
The outdoors fun was pretty much endless. Every night we had TIRED wired kids.

I LOVE this chunkalicious.

The older kids are Great about helping with the littler ones which made it more fun for Mommies.

Water fighting.

Cuddle time.

Waiting in line for the horse.

Sisters, all but one. Lots of girl talk and enjoying each other.

Handsome cowboy water fighting.

Face painting was super fun and creative, but didn't wash off well :)

Princess dots.

Piercing blue eyes from a little beef cake that is perfectly wonderful for hugging.

More painting.

This is the extent of Mommy's face paint creativity.

Horsey horsey.

Cowboy man - again, so good looking! Love my handsome hubby.

What a cute barrel . . . . I mean boy :)

Somebody loves their Mommy.

Look what Caleb found.

I love the fish bowl look of this photo - with the fat cheeks in her head-scarf.

Sweet little imp.

Gettin' ready for a ride.

Lots of Mommy's taking lots of pictures.

Waiting, waiting and more waiting . . . who knew fences could be so much fun?

Beautiful not-so-little babies. Can't believe this girly is already nearly 8!

Hello Kelly, you are such a good and patient horse.

Water fun, the sprinklers were on the whole time and several of the littlest were constantly wet.

Sit tight and hold on.

Lines lines lines. We got really good at taking turns.

We had a great time and can't wait to go back. Family is the greatest - the more the merrier.

At your Service

2011-07-03T15:58:00.002-05:00

Ayvri set up shop (with the help of big sister) to do some nails. They even made a sign (nothing's free you know, although they did accept pretend pennies).I loved the way they set out all of their colors in a rainbow so their customers had lots of options.

Grandma insisted I take a picture, Ksenya painted the left and Ayvri the right and they have very different style. One is a minimalist and the other, well, she might get carried away.
I love all the grandma time my kids get in the nooks and crannies of our lives right now.

Happy Haircut

2011-07-03T15:49:00.002-05:00

Scroll back up and check out the braid we did for the baptism. This is her hair after the braid.She's been trying for months to grow her hair for locks of love. As the fights get worse (She's massively tender headed) and the crying increased I decided it wasn't a terribly practical goal.This is the happy girl who, after the barbeque, wanted a hair cut, right then, before another day passed.Mid hair-cut she was still a pretty happy camper. When I tried to talk her out of the bangs she said, "Mom, I've been thinking about it and I think it's the right thing to do". How could I argue with that?Totally cute, perfect for summer, made her happy happy happy and to be honest, it's a lot easier to comb. Happy Haircut Day.

Eat her up . . .

2011-07-03T15:43:00.002-05:00

Each birthday brings something special in the form of the cake that my children take much joy and great effort in planning. They like to decide just what it will be and much to my surprise this year, she wanted her own self on the cake.I just love these edible photo toppers and it was really cute. Then the kids got to pick what part of her face to eat - maybe a little gruesome but fun for the whole family.

Bottom line, she was pleased with the way it turned out and it was yummy too!

To Always Remember . . .

2011-07-02T15:09:00.003-05:00

Dear Ksenya,

On Saturday, June 25th, 2011, our family celebrated a choice occasion as you made sacred covenants with your Heavenly Father in baptism. It was a beautiful experience for the entire family and there was not a dry eye in the house at the end. Many friends and family were able to attend. Uncle Heath spoke on Baptism, Aunt Sarah talked about the Gift of the Holy Ghost, we sang "I Like to Look for Rainbows" and "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus".

This was the picture on the cover of the program. We had talked about what the Holy Ghost or the Spirit would feel like and I told you that to me it felt like a hug. I told you that just like hugs from Mom or other people we love can cheer us up, make us feel safe, and help us overcome our fears and sadness, the Spirit can do all that and more, all the time, even when we're alone.

You and your Daddy were quite the cute pair in all white. You were so sweet as the two of you practiced for the ordinance, you knew how important it was that it was done just right and you made sure you asked every question. Your Daddy was so gentle with you and so very proud of you. You were his first opportunity to baptize which made it extra special.

After you came out of the water you hurried rather quickly up the steps and into the bathroom with me. Once you got into the bathroom and out of sight of everyone else you just stood there giggling. You had the happiest look on your face. You were glowing - just beaming and I've never seen you so happy in your life. We just stood there laughing and hugging (you all wet). Then we had to get you looking perfect. You made sure every little hair was in place and all your special jewelry was just right. You looked like an absolute angel. You went back in and played a beautiful piano duet with me. We played, "I Feel My Savior's Love" and you didn't miss a note. It was like you weren't even nervous. Then you received the gift of the Holy Ghost at the hand of your Daddy, Grandpa's and a few Uncles. Your Grandpa's were witnesses.
Ksenya, we are all so very thankful for you. You are such a great example to your little brothers and sisters and such a good helper for Mommy and Daddy. You are so sweet and so earnest. You have worked so hard to be ready for this day and I know that, although small, you really do have a budding testimony of the gospel and of Heavenly Father's plan. We are so proud of you!

The next day in church the chapel was full to overflowing. We arrived a little late and had to sit in the very very back. The Bishop stood and asked you to come forward to be recognized as the newest baptism in the ward. The minute he said your name you literally floated down the aisle at a half skip-half run. It was so lovely to watch you go - you looked like a little angel or a butterfly, just floating up to the stage. You smiled that overjoyed smile for the whole congregation and I was surprised at how NOT shy you acted. My baby girl is growing up and you are a lovely little lady.

Summer Fun

2011-06-24T15:32:00.002-05:00

For Ksenya's birthday she asked to run in the sprinklers and get dirty. We decided the more the merrier and this is what followed:

Happy Birthday big girl. Here's to celebrating you, and all that you represent (including our plunge into parenthood). It's been a wild ride.

Baby Love

2011-06-15T10:46:00.003-05:00

Look who I got to play with the other day? She is 100% baby girl heaven. Meet Baby "M", who belongs to the lucky Randy & Amber and of course, big sister "A". Couldn't ask for a nicer subject, she was good as gold and easy as pie.

Thanks Mom and Dad for giving me the chance to "shoot" your baby. Bring her again SOON!

Storytime with Grandma

2011-06-09T02:16:00.002-05:00

Our Grandma is so awesome. Every Tuesday evening this is the scene in Grandma's living room. 11 little kiddos (only 8 in the picture) gather around to hear Grandma tell the best stories. She always does the voices and can say all the hard words and the fast tongue twisters.
This week Grandma read us about the song "Grandma's Feather Bed". She sang it to us and told us about when Grandpa Oveson used to sing it and play his guitar. Watching the storytime and hearing the song made Mommy remember some tender feelings about her childhood, her Daddy's music and her Mommy's stories. What a legacy we're leaving.

Fatherless

2011-06-09T02:13:00.003-05:00

I've always felt sad when I read about "fatherless" people. Daddies are so important. Daddies give us kisses when we're hurt, Daddies fix things when they're broken, Daddies answer questions that Mommies don't know the answer to, Daddies let us try things Mommies won't.But most importantly, Daddy makes the Mommy happy, chipper, sweet, patient, calm and ambitious. This mommy is missing Daddy.

Brothers from other Mothers

2011-06-09T02:09:00.002-05:00

Brigham and Tell are amazingly similar sometimes. They're both little, blonde, fuzzy, spoiled and . . . they both love jello.After the barbeque we watched as they took turns licking the pan clean.

They were so determined to get every single little bit of whipped cream, and they weren't fighting, just taking turns as sweet as pie.

Until the spoons turned into swords and the mommies intervened. What fun little boys are. These same two little boys realized today that Grandma's keys were left in her car. They climbed in and started playing with everything. Thank heavens Grandma caught them and "scared them good". Maybe that won't happen again, or it might.

Missing

2011-06-09T02:06:00.002-05:00

The last few days have been a crazy whirlwind of projects and cousins and outdoor play. I realized the other day that I was missing someone. Not like I couldn't find them, but my heart was missing someone. I assumed it was Tyler (of course it was), then Ayvri ran into the garage.I felt like I hadn't seen this little pixie forever. I scooped her up and squeezed her good. She turned to me, grabbed my cheeks and said, "Mommy, you just needed a hug huh?" What a sweet baby girl. Sometimes I worry that she gets lost in the middle, but there's such a soft spot in all our hearts for our tinkerbell I'm sure she'll survive.

Quiet Time

2011-06-09T01:59:00.004-05:00

Generally for quiet time I don't let the kids watch a movie, but it was a crazy windy day so this is where they crashed. I just love seeing them all cuddled up like this - like they like each other. Plus those great big bags make those great big kids look so little . . . I'm going to make them sit in them more often.

Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful

2011-06-09T01:52:00.002-05:00

It's really happening. My baby girl is turning 8! She's smart and funny and mostly sweet and talks in full sentences and ties her own shoes and carries my other baby around for me.She loves all things girly almost as much as she loves one-on-one time with Mom. Our photoshoot was a lot of fun (I admit it, I gushed, constantly).
I love everything about Ksenya. She's so like me in some ways and so NOT in others. She's often quite shy and very reserved around strangers.
She also worries a lot about everything, including what the teenagers all over campus thought of her.
But most of all she worries about being good and she is. She is SO good and I love her so much. See the invitation at the top of the blog? Everyone's invited!

How to Raise Pyro's

2011-06-01T23:01:00.003-05:00

I've always wanted my kids to be creative, ingenious, self-motivated, and curious. I've always wanted to them to learn through exploration and observation, to really immerse themselves in their world and find some hands-on education. Today we learned about fire.

I remember as a child having Smokey Bear drilled into me, "stop drop and roll" and NEVER play with matches. Until today I thought that I had passed those important lessons on to my children. I was wrong.

The kids are outside playing, I hear screaming, of the actual emergency variety (not to be confused with the "my sister just took the stick I wanted" variety). I look out the back window and see smoke, LOTS of smoke. As I tear out the back door I hear the phone ring. This is no coincidence, I'm sure it's one of our very observant neighbors. I hope they didn't call 911 before they called me.

I hit the backyard and realize the smoke is coming from the dead leaves that have gathered in the flower bed next to the house! I grab the hose and water it down well while my two oldest children are shrieking in fear and regret.

What followed is sure to go down in the annals of bad parenting - the lecture the likes of which I have only given twice before (once regarding a knife and the other regarding playing toss with the baby). As soon as I started into my rant I saw Kabe's eyes glaze over - like a neon sign on his forehead read "I'm in trouble so I'll stop listening". Ksenya on the other hand began the moaning that signals her hyperactive worrying, "what-if-ing", and self guilt-tripping.

The afternoon was full of chores and solitary time. The consequences aren't over yet. The end of the house (thank heavens it's brick) is well scorched. The trumpet vine is mostly burnt. The plastic arbor is melted significantly.

And yet, the world still turns. Lesson learned?

Bright-Eyed and Beautiful

2011-05-23T23:17:00.004-05:00

Guess who's 9 months old? Finally, Mommy decided a photoshoot was in order. Granted Mommy only took 10 minutes and can't find her editing software so here are the raw images.

Truly there's nothing to retouch on this baby - she's perfect. Everyone who meets her agrees with me on that point. Poor thing had her first ear ache this month and is now having another one, but thanks to Daddy we get through them unscathed.
Caboose loves to blow bubbles, make noises, sing songs and growl - boy howdy can she growl.
She's finally figured out how to sit up by herself, but still prefers laying around on her stomach or crawling after whatever is moving around her.
She is almost always happy, particularly if she has just eaten. She also thinks her brothers are very very funny and is so patient when her sister tries to carry her around.
She is a joy and an angel and we are so glad she's ours. We're also glad that she's sleeping at the moment and hope she wakes up feeling a whole lot better. Thank heavens for our Darla-doodle.

Tink in years past.

2011-05-23T11:16:00.003-05:00

As I was going through some picture files today I found this folder of pictures taken off of the Daddy's phone over the last few years. It was so fun for me to see what he had photographed I thought I'd share. I don't find it coincidental that many of the pictures were of his soft-spot, the little "Twinkers" and her many hazardous adventures. Remember that little top-knot? And the child has always been able to sleep pretty much anywhere.
Queen of the crazy hairs she's always been a bit fuzzy and such a little rabble-rouser that she usually has bruises on her face.
This was when she twirled a little too much and cut her head open on the fireplace and got several stitches.
Not surprising that Daddy took this shot. I'm sure he got quite the chuckle out of following this little bum around.
This was a mosquito bite. No kidding - the girl is totally allergic. Thank heavens we've moved to a land of no mosquitoes so we won't have to worry about this so much anymore. Poor baby. At least her Daddy really loves her.

Poor Sam

2011-05-22T19:20:00.002-05:00

Ok, not really dead, just gone. Samson Reginald went to live with a new family after he tried to take a chunk out of my hand. My own fault - got between him and his food, but we were just too nervous about the chance he might bight one of the kids (again). I'll admit it was very sad to see him go, but life has been much easier since he left and Max has had a lot more attention now that the kids are allowed once again to play with their dog. I'm pretty sure we'll be a one dog family for a very, very, very long time.

Guys & Dolls

2011-05-22T19:15:00.003-05:00

Guess who got to go to Father's and Son's and camp out on the desert? That's right. Kabe. And Daddy. And Brigham. And 7 other cousins. And Uncle Heath. And Papa Cox. It was a boy party the likes of which I have never seen before. The oldest of the boys was 6, youngest 2. High Adventure. Fun was had by all and each came home looking like they'd had a mud bath and smelling like a smoke signal.

Of course, the girls had to play while the boys were away and we made some lovely hair bows, jewelry, watched a chick flick, played dress up, played dance class, went for a late night walk in the dark and stayed up very very very late.

This is a good annual tradition.

Birthday Month

2011-05-22T19:08:00.003-05:00

May is full of family birthdays and now that we're right here we get the benefits of lots of cake! Here are pictures of the biggest May birthday bash for my *older* sister Aimee. Barbeque heaven and perfect weather.

Poor Brig got the worst of the sunburns but was still smiling beneath his blisters. There are so many family yards to play in in our new neighborhood. It's little kid heaven.And lots of BOYS . . . it seems like they outnumber the girls although I'm not so sure they do. Here is Kabe and Drew and Tell thinkin' they're all big and can play darts.And here are a few of the girls. Smile Grandma and Aunt Jeri - the girls are too distracted by the darts.

Fun times for all and only more to come

BiPolar

2011-05-22T19:05:00.002-05:00

The first week in Cedar it was sunny and beautiful - multiple layers of sunburns and lots of outdoor activities. Then the rain began and before long it looked like this:No kidding . . . I may have been a little bit grumpy. Still, it melted in a day and didn't interfere too much with our construction project at the clinic. The weather here is always an adventure.

Final Relocation

2011-05-22T18:49:00.005-05:00

We're crossing our fingers that this is our last move (as in, to a new town, not to a new house). I know this is the most lame thank-you ever, but we could not have made this move without our incredible Emmett family! From the Cinderella who cleaned all my carpets, to the angel of mercy who came and picked up my kids, to the dear friend who did my ironing, to the wonderful couple who were the perfect hosts our last night in Idaho. Seriously - I think we just moved from Zion and when we get the chance to go and visit the town will be gone - translated. Another huge thanks to my brother who flew himself to Idaho to drive the big bad moving truck all the way home. Heath you rock! Promise I won't make you do that again . . . maybe.

Brigham enjoyed stuffing his oranges into a water bottle and then trying to fish them out to eat them. Food was the coping strategy for this trip and it seemed to work.

Darla did nothing but smile for the first 12 hours of the trip. After that it was no fun at all and she just wanted out of her seat. Took a few days for her to get back on schedule but I couldn't have asked for a more patient baby.
Ayvri is just like her mother - she can sleep literally anywhere and in the strangest positions. She was quite the crack-up and kept asking when we were going to move again. It took her about 2 weeks to figure out that we really are staying at Grandma's for a while.The big K's got to ride with Uncle Heath in the truck and thought it was the greatest thing ever. They learned some fun camp-type songs and were very entertained. Favorite laffy taffy joke of the trip? "What do you get when you pick your nose?" . . . . . "Boogers". Kabe is still laughing.Here are the handsome men of the journey taking a pit stop. Thankfully there was no automotive difficulty although I hate pulling a trailer - something inevitably doesn't ride right and there's always constant readjusting and re-evaluating of the load. In all, we miss our beautiful Emmett, but are thankful to be back in the heart of our families and in the place we grew up, the place where we met and the place where we started this little family of ours. It's good to be "home".

Going Places

2011-05-22T18:44:00.003-05:00

The little Caboose is everywhere these days. The crawls, sits up, and my favorite (pictured here) the plank position. She's quite a toughie but not quite strong enough in the cranial bones for pretty headbands with big flowers yet. Still, she is a beautiful baby and is friendly for the most part with everyone. She's adjusted to sleeping in her (gasp) big girl bed. That's right, the crib is history and it usually works. She likes to eat a lot and follows the other kids around wherever they go.

9 Amazing Years

2011-05-17T16:27:00.002-05:00

Today is our Anniversary.

14 years ago I met my favorite person

13 years ago we had our first date

9 years ago we made it "forever" official

8 years ago we started adding to our family

and again

1 year ago we finally exited the "student" years

I couldn't be more thankful that he is mine and I am his and together we can get through anything.

Here's to another amazing year with my amazing husband.

We Live Yet . . .

2011-05-03T23:04:00.002-05:00

Just in case any of you are worried that we died somewhere between Emmett & Cedar . . . I'm here to assure you we live yet. Maybe a bit worse for wear, but definitely alive. We're even unpacked (mostly), and sunburned (doesn't take long), and have already started working on finding the perfect location for our new clinic. The kids are sleeping in beds instead of sleeping bags and wandering between Aunt's houses and roaming free with cousins. It's good to be home, though there may always be tugging at my heartstrings for my other homes (is that normal?)

I have lots of pictures and stories and crazy funny silly things to share, but . . . . . pause for dramatic effect . . . . I'm going to bed so you'll just have to wait. Thanks for all the prayers that have gotten us to where we are. Keep 'em comin'.

Easter Art

2011-04-23T16:54:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite family traditions is participating in the "Eggstravaganza" hosted by Aunt Lala every year. Though we haven't been able to actually attend for years, we participate every year via internet submission . . . so here are the Petersen's entries for 2011

This was going to be Mom's entry. Pretty accurately reflects my current emotional state. Still, doesn't accurately portray how I feel about the holiday so instead . . .

This is my entry. It didn't photograph terribly well but it's lovely.

Daddy tried really hard not to care how much dye was being spilled all over everything. He also helped Ayvri to create this masterpiece. The philosophy behind it was, "now let's try this one" and after this honey of an egg was dipped in each cup it resembled photographs of the milky way I think. I like that I can see little fingerprints at the top. Side-note, this is the face Daddy pulls when Mommy sticks a camera in his face and makes a snotty remark.

Kabe liked the olive oil concept and marbled lot's of his eggs. I thought it was funny that of all the green and blue eggs he made, he picked his one orange egg to enter. Isn't he the handsomest boy in the world? LOVE his "farkly" nose.

Ksenya's of course is pink. She said it looked like a feather and it had a little sparkle to it. Today was a good reminder that this chid has no personal space at all. And I think she's growing. Again. Still. And I'm going to find a way to make her stop.

Brigham tried to drink the dye. Over and over and over. His egg is sky-blue-pink by accident but I'm sure Grandma Cox will approve. Heaven help me, the cheeks!

Ayvri's is a lovely lavendar/pink/turquoise which happen to be her favorite colors. Don't mind the face in this one, she decided playing in the dirt was the next best thing when we ran out of eggs to color.

Baby Darla is just too too too small to appreciate this tradition. But she did enjoy eating her very first dandelion as she played in the grass while we colored eggs.