Eternal Division

I asked my niece Emma, what she likes to do in her free time, she said "math". I said "Oh, really? You should be a computer programmer" she said "No, I'm going to be a lawyer". (I didn't know that lawyers were that "mathy"). Anyway, she went to get her "blue binder" to show me some of her made up math problems. Take a look for yourself! Rather than "long division" we call it "eternal division". Good luck correcting that baby!

"Renember last year when I made that snail crap?"

Tonight I spent 2-3 hours with family. I don't get to see my nieces and nephew very often, but when I do, we have a blast. Non-stop laughing, usually at someone elses' expense.

This was a favorite line from my nephew Adrien. He's 10. He asked if we renembered last year, when he visited grandma's house, and he picked up a snail in the front yard and it crapped all over the place?" Unfortunately.. we did remember!

You are a murderer of.. grapes!

As a combined activity, we did service at the LDS Church's Sandy Garden last week. I'm not a huge gardener, but I had a couple of tasks while I was there. First, I was asked to prune the grape leaves. The instructions were for me to cut the leaves back to the part on the branch where the grapes were growing (leaving the bunch of grapes on the vine) . It was a giant entanglement of vines, and I did an ok job, but every once in awhile, I would trim too far up on the vine, and a bunch of grapes would be pruned along with the excess vine. I did this 2-3 times, and each time, I felt as though I was killing grapes. They'll never have a chance to fully prosper because of me!

My second task was to thin out the cabbage sprouts. Someone had gone crazy in the greenhouse, and each little planter had 3-4 or even 6 little cabbage sprouts coming out of the dirt. My job was to leave the strongest sprout in the dirt, and to pull the rest of the sprouts out. Again.. with the killing. Everytime I did it, I felt horrible, as if it was a selective pregnancy reduction, and their little lives were in my hands. How could I decide the strong vs. the weak? It was extremely dramatic for me, but a good "growing" experience. Here is some of the beautiful full grown cabbage, and the grapes who's lives were spared!

Who's the marketing genius?

I was at the store tonight and walked by the freezer section when I "thought" I saw "Bryers Double Chin Ice Cream". Turns out, it's actually "Double Churn".. totally different ice cream!

Movin' In, and Movin' On

This little girl came to live with me, which made me very, very happy!

These little girls moved away, which made me very, very sad! Ouch!

I love you all to pieces! xoxo

I have swine flu?

ok - Don't be alarmed... I really don't have swine flu, but I learned today that one symptom of swine flu is "worsening confusion". Based on this new information, I believe I have officially had the swine flu for approximately 5 years. Just ask Jessie! (or anyone else that knows me)

Check on me.. K Mom?

I've been thinking a lot about Alex lately, and thinking about some of my favorite things about his childhood, that at the time, seemed like a pain. This habit started when he was tiny and we lived in Boutiful, and continued, even when we moved into our house in Midvale. Alex's bedroom was right across the hall from mine, and when I tucked him in, we left the hall light on and his bedroom door cracked. Every night he would ask me to check on him. I would say "ok!" Then... if I wasn't back to peek into the door to check within just a few minutes, he would shout.. "Check on me, k Mom?" and he would wait for a response. This would continue until he finally drifted off to sleep.

At the time.. all I wanted was for him to go to sleep, but now I look back and just wish, for one night.. I could check on him. I wonder if that will be super annoying when he comes home, and I insist on checking on him.

I wonder if, when he gets married, and moves out.. his wife will think it's weird that I still come over to "check on him". Oh well, she'll probably just have to get used to it!

Zone Council starring Elder Petersen

Ok - Maybe he's not "starring", but I see him (bottom row, 3rd from the left).. .and that is all that really matters! I love that face!

I love fruit!

Who knew??

Tonight I went to Red Mango with Kenyon, Melina and Melisa. I had a small original with blueberries. I was freaking out because it was so good! All these years I thought I hated fruit, but apparently I'm addicted to it! I wanna go again tomorrow!

I have webbed feet!

YW Wilderness camp was Tuesday thru Friday. I got home yesterday, so I've had a full 24 hours to dry out. We had a great time which included.. walking the plank, girl drama, spoon puppets, flour fights, a birthday barbed wire accident and lots of bathroom incidents with Potty Pants Dancer Nana and Watering Wilson McKenzie. We even read our favorite story... "Pee -ew is that you Bertie?"

Here is a rundown of the week.

Tuesday: Arrival and camp set up. McGuyver came and built us a cabin of rope and tarps (sort of like the 3 little pigs).. We made spoon puppets, played games and did skits. It rained.
Wednesday: Hiked 4 miles. Had a surprise birthday party for Jessie, walked the plank (my personal favorite version of "Tower of Terror"), had a lesson on Individual Worth, had a flour fight, and got caught in the "Wall of Water" It was scary. Oh.. and it rained and hailed. That night we did circle of light and sang our song "Beautiful to Him". The girls did great - there was a great spirit present. Lu and I made a fire with wet wood that was about as warm as a flashlight. Did I mention the rain?
Thursday: Got a shower.. It was so awesome! Had a lesson on the beauty of nature and feeling the spirit while at camp. Played games for hours under our "canopy" because of the rain. Stayed under the canopy for the craft because of the rain. Then had visit from the Bishopric and Stake Presidency. Played more games then had testimony meeting. It stopped raining and the stars came out just long enough for us to have a fire and testimony meeting. However, it was so cold, I thought the girls would turn into life-size popsicles.
Friday: No rain.. We packed and came home.

Overall a good experience, but extremely soggy and cold. It's hard to believe it was a summer camp. The girls never complained though. I think that although they were cold and wet, many of them were able to feel the spirit and enjoyed being away from the world. Enjoy slideshow below.

Mexico City East Mission Photo

Mission Photo - Mexico City East Mission!Elder Petersen is top row.. 2nd from the left! He's the skinny one! :)

I am a very tall white dude!

What the random? Tonight I was on Alex's mission website and I ended up linking to one of his former companions. I viewed photos' and whadda ya know! There is my kid, with random photo's floating around the internet. This was by far my favorite. I love how he towers over everyone by a full head! These guys must be about as tall as me!

When I spoke to him on Mothers Day he said that he is still getting a lot of persecution from drunk Mexican's and they try to speak to him in English. He decided his new approach to cutting the conversation short is to tell them that he is German. In this photo.. I can see how that might work!

p.s. for anyone that is wondering.. 258 days!

Daylight Savings..

What the heck? We have to get up even earlier next week?
Plus.. if they are saving the daylight.. what are they saving it in? And.. where is it stored while it's being saved?
I'm so over the idea of Daylight Savings. Is this a "tradition' that can be done away with! Any fans of sleeping will agree with me! However, Kenyon will be up with the roosters, happy, bright and cheerful.. ready for the challenges of a new day! ZZZZzzzzZZZZzz

Please leave the lights off, and shower in the dark! Love you!!

A shoe girl!!

I liked these.. when I was a little girl..

and now I like these.. EVEN Betta!!

When I was little, my mom used to drop me off in the shoe department at the department store, and then she'd go do her shopping while I looked at every shoe in the store. Eventually she would come back and get me, and I'd have all of my favorites saved in my memory bank. Even thinking about going to the toy aisle was nonsense. My first love was a green pair of patent leather mary jane's that went with my easter dress and easter purse. It was a hot ensemble.. you'll have to trust me! I also remember a sweet pair of black boots that my mom got me with just a little fur on the top - I remember waking up in the night, to peek over the side of my bed to make sure they were still where I left them Yep - there they were, waiting for morning, for me to love them!

I'm not sure why you need to know this about me.. but now you do!

Cheers to cute shoes!

I love sharing...

I just want to say that I love people that share their kids with me! I have several friends that allow me to be a "fake mom" (as I like to call it), to their kids. I babysit for the weekend, sit with them at Sacrament Meeting and Stake Conference, help Christmas shop for clothes for a teenager, take them to Jackson Hole for a weekend, and take 'em to see Santa! I feel really lucky and blessed that people are so willing to let me share in the lives of their "babies".

I also get to spend A LOT of time with 16 amazing girls and even though I'm not technically their "mom", I get to give advice, have sleepovers, teach them things, love them and watch them change and grow! It's the best "fake mom" job ever, because I don't have to clean up their messes... well - unless it's powdered sugar!

This time is fleeting, and I'm in love with it!

Back.. by popular demand..

So I lied.. It was really just two people, but I'm back! I read my blog tonight (after trying to remember how to actually log in to my blog) and I couldn't believe how long it's been! October??

Then I tried to remember what I've been doing since October, and I realized I didn't have much to report on. No wonda!

For those needing an update on Alex - His hump-day is Friday, February 20th. Yep - that's right. He's been gone nearly 1 year. (It's way under 400 days now). Miraculously, I've survived. As much as I want him to be there, I honestly don't think I've ever done something this difficult in my life. I especially miss him when I need to debrief on my day, or to tell a long story. Oh wait - I think I said, "for those needing an update on Alex".. sorry - here goes.

Alex is still serving in Mexico City. His last area was more remote and was an area that he describes as "straight out of Nacho Libre - the main traffic was goats and donkey's".

He's had many baptisms and has helped many people. He helps a lot of people get divorced, so they can get re-married, so... they can get baptized. He loves his misison and has already said he does not want to come home. He's making a huge difference in his mission - and at home. He is currently serving as a District Leader and a Zone Leader. I got to talk to him for an hour on Christmas Day, and in his following e-mail he said "Thank you for not crying on the phone - it made it easier for me to not cry". Yep - that's right - I didn't cry when I talked to him.. well, at least not so he could notice.

I was at my friend Kathy's tonight and her son came to hug her before he went to bed. I wanted to cry at that. Actually - I wanted to reach out and grab him and hug him too! But I refrained, since he would think that I'm a freak!

Mom's enjoy your little boys! Eventually, they become big boys and get dates and leave home! It's an annoying pattern I've noticed with almost every boy that I've ever known!