It is official!

We have begun!

The hole in the ground for the foundation and basement was dug on 

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012.

To say we are excited just doesn't do our emotions justice. 

When the girls looked at the gaping hole they said we should just make it a swimming pool.

I said they would be pretty wrinkly living in the pool and it might get cold come winter here in Utah, but if that was what they wanted...

Claire squealed with delight.

I will be posting updates on our home over the coming months for our out-of-state friends and family to see and follow.

I guess the only thing to say is...

Pray for us...

Pray that we make it through the next few crazy and stressful months!

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial weekend we spent our weekend with family above Midway at my sister-in-laws cabin. We had such a good time and so much fun!

Big grin here for this girl. She was sort of in heaven.

 Honestly they ALL were!

***Disclaimer: You may see a theme here with the jackets. I hate a big prosaic store logo across the front of a jacket or shirt but I guess when I shop on line I just throw a jacket in here and there and now all my girls match! Absolutely ridiculous, right?

Such a pretty view from the cabin of Midway and Heber.

We spent hours in the woods hiking and exploring.

Look at that smile on Claire. (you may need to zoom in by clicking)
Needless to say that one didn't slow down for a minute.

The storm that rolled in made us snuggle in the cabin and feel grateful for such an awesome space to hang out in. (I wish I would have snapped some pictures of inside but were busy playing games and eating WAY to much yummy food. Our card games had us laughing so hard. I still think Kristy had some secret weapon!)

 Stella loved the four wheeler.

Claire didn't stop grinning from ear to ear with Uncle Grady.

Love those smiles on my girls.

And look at those eyes! I could gobble these two up!

The day we were leaving for the cabin I was asked about 50 questions from Claire about this 'cabin in the mountains'. To say she was excited would be putting it mildly. She just couldn't wrap her head around it all I guess. We have dropped the ball the past few years with the whole camping thing. Our vacations have been amusement rides, swimming pools and sun or golf clubs. Need to change that up a bit.

I was informed that a swing set in the woods is much more fun... rightly so.

What a monkey!

One of these people has the other wrapped around their finger. 

But I'm not saying which one!

The neighbors dog down the road named Oakley was a frequent guest... with multiple kids dying to toss him a stick to fetch, no wonder he wanted to visit so often!

We had so much fun with my brother and his wife and their 3 boys. My parents came too and it was so nice to be together. I wish I was better trained at capturing photos of everyone! 

I love the memories created over Memorial weekend.

Hope yours was wonderful and memorable too!

I love it when your kids already know your response...

Setting: Friday evening. Mom and Dad sitting in the family room watching America's Funniest Home Video program with Elizabeth (6yrs), Claire (4yrs) and Estelle (2yrs). Estelle is being potty trained and has just received another treat out of the jar. All the girls just had a few Vanilla Wafers. 

Elizabeth: "I wish I could have a treat. Stella just had one... it's not fair..."

Elizabeth finishes the conversation herself:

"Oh, I know what your gonna say... life isn't fair."

Things I took for granted...part 2

Something I took for granted before moving into this rental is...

A Bathroom Door in the Master!

Seriously, how do people function without one?!


I am a night owl and Erik is an early bird. 


Sooooo, he wakes me up at 5am when he gets ready for work. (Not really... I don't think I've ever woken by his movements getting ready in the morning but it sounds better to the story and potentially he could wake me up.)


And I wake him up getting ready for bed at midnight, or one, or two. (Now this is really true and makes for a much better story to all of us except Erik). 


Question? 

Why is it when you are trying to be quiet it seems that you make the most noise? My oral B toothbrush suddenly drops into the sink... while spinning and vibrating. Arg! The drawer just slams shut when I give it the slightest, simplest of taps? Arg! The empty toilet roll thingy jumps the track and bounces to the floor when trying to replace a roll on it. ARG! Seriously what is it about quiet movements that always make so much sound?



Erik is the only boy in a house of girls so when he showers he feels the need for some privacy, something I've never had the privilege to indulge in as a mother. In an effort to give him the privacy he needs when showering he locks the bedroom door.


Let me tell you...I HATE THE BEDROOM DOOR LOCKED. 


Whenever it is locked it is always just when I need to get in and get something. 


It's like a law of physics.

There are a hundred reasons why this situation is just plain bad! 

We talk about a nice tall curtain or something to cover the doorway. Possibly framing in a door and putting a door in, but we have to keep reminding ourselves (or other people help out by reminding us) that this is just a "rental" Peterson's!

I guess you can handle ANYTHING for a couple months.

Maybe.

Things I took for granted...part 1

In our Hidden Cove home, I can probably count in the thirteen years we were there, maybe 10 spiders we killed. We were good about spraying Ortho's Home Defense a couple times a year. 

The Ortho was obviously working because since moving into the rental I have killed 5! Maybe 6 spiders! We are spraying and doing all we can to keep the outside clear of spider havens... I really hope it works.

I hate spiders!

Tuesdays Tip: Summer Jobs

I thought with summer coming I should share with you what we do for jobs over the summer. I've used these for the past two years. 

I have a separate system during the school year here.

I start with a standard sheet of white card stock and print each child's name at the top with two columns...

One for: To Do 

One for: Finished 

I have a small plastic bag that zips at the top with all these little job cards inside. 

I laminate the cards and the kids individual sheets. 

NOTE: If you live in Utah Valley... I LOVE the laminating over at Utah Idaho Supply. I have gone to many a place in Orem and Lehi. Laminating is too thick, too thin, sticky or bubbles... but nothing holds a candle to Utah Idaho Supply!

Here is a little smattering of the types of jobs... just things that need to be done around the house. One day they may wipe sinks and counters in a bathroom, another day they may dust the living room, the next vacuum bedrooms, standard things and not so standard.

Some are the same each day...

Morning 5 consists of...

Make bed

Get dressed & put away pajamas

Brush teeth

Morning prayers

Scriptures

Another item every day...

Usually we do homework Monday through Thursday and on Fridays we do an art project or science experiment or something more creative...

...but sometimes I throw them in during the week too.

It's not all jobs and homework...

 

My girls love their Yoga for Kids DVD!

And these two get begged for...

 The girls jump up and down when they have the Mom time and sometimes that involves baking.
That is considered a winner-winner!

Now some may say, you really shouldn't have to have a card to spend time with your kids. 

Please...judge me not!

This is just one-on-one time together and that is what seems to get over looked.

I mean think about it.

When I read a book I usually have three of the four fighting for my lap or to be next to me.

When I paint one pair of toes three other sets are waiting with mouths yapping, hands picking colors and bodies filling the bathroom.

When I ask for one child to help me water plants, or do some other project to help me, the other three are puppy-eyed and following me around wanting to be part of the action.

If I ask one child to help make cookies, all of them are on stools waiting for their turn to dump in a cup of flour or a teaspoon of vanilla.

It is actually very surprising anything I bake turns out at all as all my recipes are split up... 

MOM: "Did Stella just dump the second or third cup of flour?"

Humm... we have to count back as to who put in what because I got focused on who's turn is next rather then counting cups or spoonfuls of ingredients.

Or...

MOM: "Okay lets see, who gets the next item?"

STELLA: "Me, Me, Me!"

The next round...

STELLA: "Me, Me, Me!"

The very next round...

STELLA: Me, Me, Me!"

Oh and...

Every day for morning, dinner or family prayer...

MOM or DAD: "Who's turn is it to say prayer?"

STELLA: "Me, Me, Me!" 

She also points to herself...

Just in case we missed one of the Me's!

Right.

 So back to the card, this is non-guilt, individual, scheduled time for 20 minutes, which the other kids can't complain about... as much... because the hope is that tomorrow will be their day. 

 I use that tacky poster stuff to hold the tags up. 

 

I thought about Velcro but I have a lot of tags.

You could use a generic card with 20-30 minutes cleaning, which I do have one for those really odd jobs that are not covered in my printed up cards. Then you wouldn't have to have so many individual ones, but my kids are young enough that I like for them to look at a picture of what they should be doing. 

Plus this is a good way for me to remember things that I would miss cleaning until they are a total mess. 

When I go through cards and think, oh, I haven't put up the clean light switches in awhile. Up it goes the next day. OR shake out bathroom rugs, wipe doors, or clean hair stuff (with 4 girls, 6 dolls with hair and 30 or more barbies, the hair stuff gets messy, fast!)

 

Over the summer, I stick these on my fridge or pantry door and by noon (for the most part), I expect everything to be moved over to the finished side.

--------------

Just a tip that makes our summers a little smoother, so I thought I'd share. There are so many cute ideas out there, I just found this works great for us!

Happy Summer!

Lily

I fell in love with this family after seeing their photo and learning about their faith and strength at a design blog. I have had them in my heart...

...then my heart broke when I followed up and saw the obituary and learned that sweet Lily had passed away after Mother's Day.

I look at these pictures and see the joy and love. I know they will treasure these photo's as they remember their Lily...what mommy and daddy wouldn't.

When a story touches me I like to do something with that knowledge. It might be giving money through a donation, giving time or goods, or whatever might feel right. Sometimes it may simply be the way that knowledge is used to better one's own life and relationships.

If you want to do something you can go to the Lily Voelkel Foundation.

Claire-ism #5235

Setting: Driving in the Yukon. Claire and Stella in their Britax 5-point harness car seats. Discussion going on about kissing.

Claire: (To Stella) You can't kiss anyone on the lips Stella.

Mom: I kiss Daddy on the lips.

Claire: (To Stella) You can only kiss your husband on the lips like when mommy kisses Daddy on the lips... Oh never mind... I don't even want to talk about that!

Getting Settled

For those of you who are away from us and wondering how we are getting settled...

We found a rental nearby our former home and love the location. Girls are close to school and friends still... 

The only down side, I would say, is that it's close enough to our home of 13 years that I get on auto pilot and drive to the old house. 

I'm sure the new owners keep wondering why we keep driving by???? 

Or why Erik pulled into the driveway??? 

Otherwise it's great.

Pots are planted...

Tomato's are in the ground...

Lettuce is growing on it's second wave of seeding

(new starts on the left old on the right if you are wondering!)...

The back fence was grown over with vines... hopefully it will fill back in soon...

Seriously, we love the little woods and we love looking out our back windows.

The girls have met the new neighbors...

I am just slightly annoyed that we are the ones receiving eggs and not delivering them to our neighbors.

Oh and even though it is May it is snowing at our rental.

You look outside and it is a sea of white fluffy flakes...

 Our lawn...

It's snowing at the neighbors too...

Looking at the mammoth cottonwood trees towering above our house, it looks like we have a few more weeks of snow!

So there's a little snip for you of our life at the rental.