Estelle's almost two months

I cannot believe how fast time has gone. I wish it would slow down! Estelle is just the sweetest, happiest, most adorable thing. The other day I was nuzzling her and I just thought... it's not right to love someone this much!

These Things

Wow, I'm sitting in bed... and wandered onto my own blog... and I really can't believe it has been almost two months since I posted. I was thinking about the things that keep me from posting and wondering when it will slow down to have more time for some of these other things like blogging...




I have been busy loving and caring for these...






Getting school supplies and lunches ready for these...






Trying to can and keep up with using all of these...




And often in the afternoon when my little ones are resting on one of these...





I get caught up with one of these...




OR sometimes like my little ones I too am trying to catch up on these...

ZZZZZZZZZZ's

Don't give up on me... I'll return soon...with updated pictures of my newest sweetheart!!

Estelle Lucy is here!

After postponing the c-section from Wednesday to Thursday (thanks to catching a stomach flu on Monday) we are so excited to welcome Stella to our family. Everything went well other than a little longer to cut through some really tough scar tissue.

Stella was
born at 7:49am

on July 9, 2009

Weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz.

18 1/2 inches long

With McCall

With Elizabeth

With Claire

She is such a doll, we love her and Mom got to spend lots of good one-on-one time in the hospital with Stella as the girls caught the stomach bug Thursday night, and Friday. Erik stayed home and took care of the girls, briefly running over for and hour here and there on Friday and Saturday to visit while others watched the girls at home.

I was really missing the girls by Saturday night but was glad they were taken well care of at home and I certainly didn't want them at the hospital exposing our baby or anyone else. We brought Stella home today, Sunday, and are just loving cuddling, kissing and adoring every inch of her. Here she is ready to leave the hospital.

July 8th

Only 26 days to go!!

Pretty lame post I know but I am too busy to take a moment to think about what to write other than it's getting so close -- still no real direction on names -- any comments left with your ideas or suggestions are appreciated.

Claire's birthday is soon so I'll update with pictures of that and out St. George trip... I'm just too busy to even plug in my camera to the computer...

Oh and my flowers and garden are overflowing with beauty and growth. This weather is AWESOME... I'm sure some of you would like it warmer but I just love this cool spell and even the rain! We came back from St. George and everything had grown like 6 inches! I am enjoying the first bloom of my rose bushes and the roses are huge (the size of my hand spread open). The first bloom is always the strongest and prettiest and this cool weather is allowing us to enjoy the roses a little longer. Erik set up the most wonderful drip and water system so now I don't have to water so much -- my herbs, veggie garden, lettuce barrels, and roses are all on sprinkler lines now so it's just a couple pots which is so much more manageable. We considered running lines to my pots but I wasn't sure I could live with the look of sprinkler line (no matter how small) running up the side so we've held off.

Erik is so great and so willing to make my life easier -- I'm so lucky! Just the other day he told me to quit trying to do so many projects (NESTING) and just enjoy the summer with the girls. It's advice I needed and I think it's so great that he recognizes that quality time with the girls is the most important thing for the girls and for me and my sanity! What an awesome guy!

Well this ended up being longer that my initial thought to post of my 26 days left... I'm tired and my feet are swelling from wearing too high heels to dinner tonight... my vain attempt to lengthen myself out when I've got a basketball for a belly! Soft bed awaits!

While mother's away the little ones will play...

So last Friday night the girls (McCall & Elizabeth) wanted to sleep in the guest bedroom - soon to be McCall's as soon as we pick out a bedroom set - anyhooo, Erik had gone down to walk on the treadmill about 9pm, with girls in bed, as I headed out the door to deliver a birthday gift and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie to my Dad in Orem.

When Erik got off the treadmill to come upstairs at 10:30pm this note was sitting at the foot of the stairs - and the girls were still awake in the middle of a crisis concerning one head and a sippy cup of water. Needless to say when I got home about 11pm the girls were asleep in their own beds!

(Dad, Elizabeth hit me with her drink. Love, McCall P.S. Wer (where) is mom?)

I love it! What a goof!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day Weekend 2009

My cute little family was so good to me this mother's day!

We headed to Thanksgiving Point and I got another pass for the new year. We ate at the cafe & purchased some of their big cookies for dessert. We then walked the gardens, feeding fish, watching a large goggle eyed frog on a lily pad, ate our cookies in a shady cove. We looked at the hundreds of tulips and a few other flowers like tiny blue/purple forget-me-not's blooming through the gardens.

I love Thanksgiving Point!

We then headed up to the Little America in SLC and swam, hung out and just kind of relaxed. No cooking - no making beds.

Just time together.

We have all been suffering from a bad cold/cough, and poor Claire got it Saturday night - but she's a trooper and we all had a good time regardless. Erik so far has kept from getting this horrible gunk (he's the only one that got a flu shot this year - humm).

Probably should avoid the flash in the morning!

On Mother's Day we had Brunch at the Grand America. YUM!

Today, Monday, the girls and I are all taking the day off and relaxing and trying to rest and feel better! I wish I could take some medication (I am on Sudafed and an antibiotic for my sinus infection) but it's all worth it to have a healthy safe baby!

It was a great weekend and we all had fun - especially the kids - which is always the most important part for Erik and I. I felt so special and loved by my cute little family and I can't wait thinking that at the beginning of July we will add our final installment in the PETERSON CLAN. We are so blessed!!

Catch Up -- Easter and Spring Break

For Spring Break we stayed around town - and the girls got to play in the snow! They loved it and had so much fun. It was a huge snow storm (our power was out for a good 5 hours) but as typical Utah weather goes it was melted by the next afternoon!

We always said McCall could choose to get her ears pierced once she was 8, which came and went with out her wanting to do it -- fine by us -- the later the better. But she came to us a couple weeks ago and asked if she could, so over Spring Break we headed out to get it done. This was the second ear and she was smiling so that was a good sign! She has followed the instructions for care PRECISELY, three times a day and hundreds of cotton balls later (one ball in front one behind with the cleaner and fresh set for each ear... that makes 4 per cleaning session, 12 per day for 6 weeks... no wonder my waste basket seems to be full so often!)

I snapped a quick pic of the girls with their Easter eggs as they were dying them... They love it so much I thought maybe we should start dying them for other holidays as well -- why do it just once a year!? Of coarse, we love egg sandwiches and never have a problem eating up hard boiled eggs. (I always am a bit concerned about McCall unzipping her lunch at school to the pungent smell of an egg sandwich!)

It was rainy and kind of cold but we headed out to the "circle" for our annual neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt! I always think we'll head out to one of the big organized egg hunts but you just can't beat the convenience of walking next door! The Bedier's arranged it this year... we really have the nicest neighborhood. It makes a huge difference to have such nice people around and to have such awesome youth for your kids to watch and to grow up with.

Kids Summer Jobs

I've been sharing some things which are helpful in my life -- hopefully others may benefit or have ideas for me! For the past couple of years I have used these cards for my little ones. I just wrote out the task, found clip art, printed them on white card stock, cut and then laminated. Each morning during the summer I deal out cards for each child. They have a little envelope thing that is magnetized to the fridge which they place completed cards in.

The best thing is you can totally make them specific to your needs. Some are easy and basic - ones they'd do anyway like make bed/brush teeth -- they get those cards every morning but they feel good when placing them in the completed envelope. We've got dust, clean up toys, (help) empty dishwasher, sweep kitchen, homework and reading. Not everyone might need one that consists of picking up wood chips from the lawn, but every two weeks or so, my girls get a card and they go out back with small pails and pick up the wood chips from the lawn along the play set area. OR a yoga card, but I purchased a children's yoga set and some summer mornings they get that one. We've got practice violin, practice dance... etc. I also put in things like write in journal, write a letter, stitch, draw a picture for someone (more to help remind me to have them do some different activities and mix things up).

My children get money put in accounts for them automatically each paycheck, we aren't really great at giving an allowance -- and I certainly don't pay them for each card completed. Work is part of being a family -- they don't need to be rewarded for doing basic tasks... but I do sometimes have extra jobs they can do for a little money - but that is the exception not the norm.

I only do this in the summer - so it's more of a novelty for the kids. This works for me and maybe it might help you too so I thought I'd share! I could send the document I have with all the cards I use -- if someone would like it -- but you'd probably like to customize cards yourselves if you want to do this with your children!

My Cleaning Schedule (4 Haylie)

I started this back in 2001... (click on picture to enlarge &; read schedule better)... each weekday I have a few items that I complete to maintain the household cleaning. Some weeks it doesn't work and I need to do a one day mass cleaning... sometimes I have to skip a day because of other things going on. When that happens I can usually re-arrange something that doesn't need cleaning as badly for something that needs more urgent attention. This has been helpful to know what needs to be done each morning so I don't have to write a list each day or plan cleaning each week.

I have my schedule on the side of my fridge, it could be taped inside a cupboard -- whatever! I also list out what I do in the room so I have specifics to follow -- which may seem stupid but at first it was helpful... now I know it all so well I don't really need it. On Friday's I rotate deeper cleaning jobs that need to be done once a month or less. Windows could go more than once a month so I might rotate cleaning the garage up, food storage, cleaning the kitchen catch all drawer... whatever might need to be done.

Now the kids can help with things too... McCall knows every Monday she and Elizabeth empty trash cans before our trash day on Tuesday... McCall also brings the big trash cans in on her way to school on Tuesday (We have an early route)... They also love to dust with the swifter duster things... On Wednesday's I remind the girls when they wake up not to make the bed and they strip the sheets for me and take them to the laundry room...

The only thing I might change is to throw in is some time for weeding, mowing. I'd probably be better at staying on top of my flower beds if I set aside sometime each week for weeding beds and planters... but our landscaping is pretty under control so it's usually not a big deal. (You've got to love PREEN!)

My long....rant maybe?

Last night I was up until 2am working in the office...I haven't recorded expenses or filed anything since January and I had started throwing stacks of bills and papers to be filed in a large paper shopping bag. (Just so my desk looked clean.) Needless to say it was time so instead of relaxing in bed I started to go through the whole mess about 9:30pm.

As Erik tied his shoes as he prepared to exercise in the next room he asked if he needed to be concerned -- as he watched the pile of papers unloaded from the bag! (I think he was imagining late fee's all over the place)... "No I just pay everything on line every couple weeks..." I think his eye's went even bigger! Poor guy as if he isn't stressed enough with the huge amount of work he is dealing with right now!

I don't know what my problem is keeping up with this stuff. Do any of you have the same problem? I used to be so good. I have my little schedule... M-Th I clean specific things each day, on Friday's I do the little odd jobs and used to spend time in the office... but something has happened and I just keep putting off my Friday work!

I guess driving to Orem M,T,W,F for swimming lessons for Elizabeth & Claire has taken a lot of time. We have spent a small fortune on lessons, but it's worth it because Elizabeth can swim and float and save herself and she's almost 4! Claire is doing great too and is getting more comfortable with her body in the water and floating. It may seem like a simple thing to go to swimming lessons but it's the drive time, being there, then coming home to bathe them...etc. etc. etc. Are you amazed at the time some of the seemingly small activities seem to take up in your life?

Sometimes I feel like all I do is run kids around: dance, violin, speech, swimming, activity days... and then all the misc. other responsibilities that fill in the rest of my time. I am so looking forward to summer... well... maybe July, as June is already pretty filled up with things... I am so tempted to take a break from dance. Can you imagine just having a couple days to lay around? Ahh... I can feel the warm sun and a book right now (no, no book, just resting in the sun...)

I know the kids need down time because play time is brain development time and also helps kids manage stress. The other day I noticed kids who had been out playing all afternoon, still out late into the evening... how do they mange it? With 30 minutes reading, 20 minutes on spelling, another 10 on math games/flashcards, practicing violin for 30-60min. plus time spent at various lessons, we seem to rarely have time for friends...

For the last few months we have had to do major catch up on Sundays for scripture reading. Maybe I need to get a chapter read to the girls when I have family prayer with the girls... hummm that just might work... Erik is USUALLY home in time to say goodnight to the girls and have family prayer... then they are off to sleep. I am usually so exhausted and we are pushing 8:30pm so it's a quick song and lights out. Poor Elizabeth and Claire don't seem to get bedtime stories like McCall did every night. I try to make it up during the day and stop and take time to read a book, play a game, every once in a while during Claire's nap Elizabeth will persuade me to watch Sound of Music with her... I always know she needs some Mom time when she picks that one because it's one I might actually sit through.

I know this is long -- it's more journaling and getting out what I need to say than anything interesting for readers, I also know that our life right now -- and for the past 6 months -- has been a little out of control and not quite normal, but I'd love to hear how others manage and keep up with everything... or maybe you don't?

Motherhood

Sometimes I forget the value of a mother... this makes you proud to be a mother right now...

McCall can Move!

Here's a blip of McCall in her Jazz Class. They put together a quick dance with the Dad's for "Bring Your Dad to Dance" Week at the Pointe (Erik couldn't participate due to his recent surgery but he better be practicing up for next year - McCall and Elizabeth are so excited for it!)
I am horrible at bringing my camera anymore, it's always too much trouble, and isn't it John Meyer who sings "I left my camera... I want to see the world with my own eyes." Anyway I had to borrow this from the studio, but those of you out of state/country can see a little of what she's up to. She is taking 2 hrs of ballet, 1 hr of Jazz and 1 hr of Funk (Hip Hop). Elizabeth takes a 1 hr combo class -- I've got to pull the clip of her at Christmas (IN MY OPINION) she steals the show.

My Pack

So I thought today I would share my pack with you. Underneath a bench seat in my Yukon I have a small size backpack which I picked up on sale at Target for a couple of dollars. It is my emergency kit.

In it I have...

• 4 water bottles


• zip lock with two diapers and wipes for baby


• change of underwear for each child


• change of pants for the little ones(soft knit pants you can pick up at Target for $4)


• change of socks for the little ones


• (when I have a baby I have a knit one piece out fit)


• (when I have a baby I have bottle/2 sticks of formula - the ones you get free at the hospital and a small thing of baby food/spoon)


• 3 Hard granola bars(chewy have to be replaced more often)


• 3 Fruit snacks (they will melt sometimes in hot weather)


• Collection of Suckers and smarties (they last forever in there)


• Sippy cup for those who can't drink well from a water bottle


• Lemonade packs(the ones you dump into a water bottle)


• Couple band aids


• Small notebook with small pack of crayons


• small toy/doll


• $5-20 cash


• small blanket rolled up

All of these items are stuffed in this bag. The diapers and small thing of wipes are in a zip lock pressed tight, along with another zip lock pressed as air tight as I can with the clothes/underwear/socks in it.

I keep this bag shoved under a seat so it isn't in the way. Under the seat next to the pack, I also have a fleece blanket we picked up on one of our ER visits with Elizabeth, which is rolled up and stored.

We also carry in the back of the car a large picnic blanket which is super compact, small fire extinguisher, a full size emergency kit, which I added bug spray and sunscreen to the kit, rain poncho, along with a few other things.

In the middle console I always carry anti bacteria wipes, napkins, a few snacks/treats, flashlight and our collection of sunglasses.

When I pull something out from my pack I always try to replace it immediately and take that time to update as needed.

So this is my bag, and it has come in so handy. I try not to count on it but if I am in a total hurry to get someone to dance I know it is there. When I grab the diaper bag and it only has 1 diaper in it or it's missing a sippy cup, I know I always have backup. I don't get stuck because someone peed there pants or spilled, and I have to leave or run to a store. And if we are stuck in traffic and kids get anxious, if there is nothing else, I have the bag with water and snacks to calm them down. If I made it out the door without my purse I have backup $$ if I really need to stop at a store or get fuel.

I just thought I'd share my pack, it helps make me calm and I always feel somewhat prepared.

Spreading Sunshine (from Amy)

The first three people to respond to this post will get something made by me! Made with tons of love just for you! It might be a fun sewing project, a sweet letter to you from me, or some yummy goodies, you might be surprised what you get! Give it a try! The catch? You must re -post this on your blog and offer the same. The first people to do so and leave a comment, win a lovely little treat for themselves! Have Fun! Ready........Set............Go!

I started my project and it takes about an hour each so I had to shrink it down to three!

Just call us...

the Peterson...

family of...

GIRLS!!!!!!!

We just found out we are having another girl! We are really excited. McCall has been hoping for a girl so she is just thrilled about all of it. Elizabeth wanted a boy, but then jumped on board with McCall in recent months. Claire doesn't understand anything other than it's fun to push in my belly button. Erik, for a moment he shook his head but seems excited -- poor guy -- a whole house full of girls! But we couldn't ask for a better man to head this home and make us all happy!