Visit from Sydnee

This week, my cute niece Syd came to visit. We have had lots of fun adventures and lots of movies watched.

She arrived on Monday and we went to Chili's for lunch. She and Marlee got to babysit our other niece Christa while Jacob had swim lessons. After they came home she took Noah and Oaklee to Roaring Springs.

Tuesday is my homework day so we don't usually do a lot. We decided to go to the movies. We went and saw Rango. This has to be the dumbest movie ever. I can't believe how terrible it was. I am so glas that we only paid $1 to watch it.

Wednesday, we went to Jumptime. It is a trampoline place where you can jump into pits of stuff or just jump or play trampoline dodgeball. It was too funny. We could not stop falling. Especially me!

Thursday, Oaklee had a swim meet and it was great to see her swim the back stroke again. We got to watch her swim and freeze to death at the same time. It will be warmer this week, I am afraid.

Friday, Marlee and Sydnee went downtown and hung out, shopped, ate and just were teenagers. They came home with new TOMS. They say they are the most comfortable shoes ever and TOMS gives a pair of shoes to needy people in Africa. I say they are $60 shoes. EEK!

Saturday, we left for the night in McCall. We went with the Peterson family to celebrate the 4th. It was nice to get away for a night. We started a hike up the canyon in McCall. Sara, me, Marlee, Syd and Christa stopped half way up because I started to get light-headed from the altitude. It was a good thing because it was already slippery from lots of snow banks and dangerous from fallen trees. The rest of the family finished the hike up to Duck Lake. Oaklee fell in the snow up to her waist and they said that the lake was 3/4 frozen over. It was a fun day. Oaklee and Noah stayed up in McCall to be with Grandma and Grandpa as well as Kylee and Jacob.

Monday,we went to the Liberty Parade downtown. We had a good time with John and Sara and kids. Christa took her first step there. It was cute. The Grand Marshal of the parade was a POW/MIA soldier in Afghanistan. It was very sad. Hope he makes it home soon. We went to lunch at Tucanos. It was yummy. I love Bacon wrapped turkey. Later after the kids came home, we went to U-Swirl. It was really yummy. Not too healthy but yummy.

Where does the time go?

Time goes by quickly and I get overwhelmed and quit a lot of things. I am not sure why.

Here is the Peterson family update starting with youngest to oldest.

Oaklee is swimming again this summer. We had the opportunity to go to Lagoon in May for her clogging team that made it to nationals. They took first in their division.




Noah is busy with scouts, chess and video games. He is a ferocious reader and is busy being a brother. ( you know bugging sisters and all) He just got home from a pioneer trek with his church youth group. He did a good job and worked really hard.




Marlee is busy. We had the opportunity to go to Washington DC in June. She and her partner did and exhibit for National History Day on the Japanese Internment camp in Mindoka Idaho during WWII. It won 2nd place and Best Idaho topic for Idaho so we got to go the National competition back east. We had a great time and she is excited for next years competition.



Wayne is working his two jobs. He was just called as the First Counselor of the Elder's Quorum in our ward. He has been busy with all he does for us.

I have been really busy with homework. I am taking two classes this summer and am really excited about growing closer to finally finishing college. My goal is to graduate by the time Marlee graduates from college. 2017, here I come.

I will try to be better. It is my summer goal.

Primary Program

Today was our Primary presentation at church. All the kids from age 3-11 sing and give speaking parts about what they have learned this year. Oaklee gave a gret talk about how she knew that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ were real. She said they are so important that that is the first thing we learn that we believe in. See Article of Faith #1. They then sang a bunch of songs. A new song I hadn't heard before was called I Know that My Savior Loves Me. The second verse said "Now I am here in a beautiful place, learning the teachings of Jesus. Parents and Teachers will help guide the way, lighting my path everyday. Wrapped in the arms of my Saviors's love , I feel his gentle touch. Living each day, I will follow his way, home to my Father above. I know He lives! I will follow faithfully. My heart I give to Him, I know my Savior loves me."

That is amazing to know that at such a young age. If I could have learned that so long ago, I think my self-esteem issues would have gone by the wayside.

Good job Oaklee. You have done such a great job.

Marlee's first dance

Marlee went to her first dance last night. She and a group of her friends went to dinner and then to the dance. They had a blast. How do I know? I got to chaperone. I promised her I wouldn't stalk her. I promised I wouldn't dance. I promised I would not talk to her friends. I did good. She said I could do it again.

She was beautiful. Thanks Sara ( my wonderful sister-in-law ) for coming and doing her hair. What would we do without you?

Boy Scouts of America

This Saturday, Noah and his troop went with scouts across the nation doing "Scouting for Food." We are so proud of him and the opportuntity he has to grow and learn lots of things to help him grow into a nice, productive young man. We are grateful that he is learning to be proud of his country. Today after church, he was taking down the flag with another member of his deacon's quorum and I was amazed at how the 12 year old boy goes away for just a short time and the reverance they have while folding and taking care of the flag steps up.

Young Women in Excellence

Last Wednesday, the Young Women in our ward had their yearly recognition night of things they had been working on all year. Two girls sang a song about Emma Smith that really touched my heart.
EMMA

Written by Jason Deere

Never had an ordinary day
Never lived your life in an ordinary way
For everything you loved you paid a price
But you couldn’t let the world see you cry

Never had a moment of peace
Never felt the sunlight
When the worries set you free
Every time your life turned a page
It seemed like your heart might break

With the world on your shoulders
When the nights had grown colder
You seemed to weather every storm
With a queen’s grace
When you lost your husband
When you buried your children
I’m sure the angels stood in reverence as you prayed
How much can one heart take

Never had a day to call your own
When so many needed your warm heart as a home
Whispering a mother’s lullaby
As you sat alone by the fire

And I’m sure your heart breaks, when some people still say
Somewhere down the line you lost your faith
How much can one heart take
How much can one heart take

Really made me change my way of thinking about Emma Smith. I don't think she lost her faith. I don't know what happened but I know she did all she could and was there for Joseph Smith for his trials.

Amazing Lady!

November

I can't believe it is November already. Things have changed so dramatically for our family but still are the same.
Going back to work full time has thrown a loop in our household. I know it is necessary to get out of the debt that my medical bills from last year caused us. I also feel how important it is for mothers to be there when their kids get home. I feel that I have taken advantage of all the time I had with my kids when I did stay home. I hope that someday they realize that their mother loved them so much and she tried so hard to be there for them for whatever need they had. Enough whining for this posting.

I am so proud of Marlee. She is keeping so busy with her school work. She finished the first quarter with a 3.57 GPA. She had a C in Pre-calculus and a B in Chemistry that brought her grades down but she is amazing. She was able to swim in the district championship for her high school. She did not make it to state but she is awesome anyway. She is competing in National History Day for her school. She is hoping to go to Maryland in the spring for Nationals. We are planning on that as well. She also competes on an Acadeca team, is on the Parlimentary Procedure team and a member of HOSA. She is preparing the song "Mary, Did You Know" for her Christmas piano recital. I don't know how she does it all. She is crazy but very ambitious.

Noah is not doing as well in school as Marlee. He struggles from " I know all the info, so homework is not necessary. I will just get an "A" on the test". We are still looking for a remedy for that. If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear about it. He is attending chess training with a National Chess Champion. He loves it. He is also preparing for his Christmas piano recital.

Oaklee is busy with 3rd grade. Her teacher loves her and all that she offers to class. She had all A's on her report card. She is already reading twice the amount of words that is required at the end of third grade so we are happy. She started piano this year and is doing amazing. She loves it and is speeding through her piano books. She will be doing two pieces for the recital. She is doing a gymnastics/jazz class and also started clogging this summer. Their first performance is December 3rd. We are really excited about it.

Wayne is working extremely hard at both his jobs. I don't know what I would do without him. He keeps me sane and is always there to lift me when I am struggling.

After my illness last winter, job change and surgery, I feel that I am doing what I am supposed to be. I started running, lost almost 50 pounds and am taking college classes towards a degree in Secondary Education.

Change is good, scary but good. If I keep saying that, it will come to pass.