Stuff

We've been pretty busy these past few weeks just doing 'stuff.' I've been in a trying-new-recipes mood and so we've been having many experimental meals. I have to admit that most of them haven't turned out to be real great, but I have found a few that we really like (including some yummy oven fried chimichangas...thanks Tifani!). These are some chocolate coconut rolls I found in a magazine. They actually sound better than they taste, but I like them. However, regular cinnamon rolls are better.


We had a really fun Labor Day weekend. Scott had Friday and Monday off so we were able to do a lot of fun things. We went to a Chukars game (local baseball team) on Friday, which actually got canceled because of water problems on the field, but we still had a good time getting out of the house. On Saturday we went to the farmers market and to the river to feed the ducks. On Sunday we had a family get together. And on Monday we went to the Eastern Idaho State Fair. I forgot my camera at all events except for the duck feeding so this is all the proof we have of our fun weekend.


Poor Scott was sick during all of the fun, but he was a great sport and tried his best to have fun. We've actually all been sick at one time or another during these past few weeks and Scott is at the tail end of it. No fun.

Tonight I gave Gage his first hair cut/mohawk trim. It was getting a little long right on the top of his head so I had to chop it off. He did not like it so it was good that there wasn't much to trim. This is the before picture. I didn't get an after because he was so mad. I'll have to snap one tomorrow.



We are doing great and still loving our new house!! I'll have to post some pictures of our grass that is growing thicker and greener every day!

1st mow

Scott mowed the lawn for the first time this week. It actually looked quite a bit the same after as it did before, but I guess mowing even when it's short helps the roots grow out and the grass to grow stronger. It is kind of a strange feeling to be the ones in charge of our lawn...we've always had the landlord take care of it...but it's a good thing. And I think Scott loves doing yard work. He can spend hours puttering around in the yard. The kids love it out there too.

Blue eyes???

I know he's only 4 months old and it's too soon to tell, but Gage's eyes are still pretty blue. Katie came out with dark brown eyes right from the start. Jace had gray eyes, which eventually changed to a light brown. I'm almost positive Gage's eyes will soon change to some shade of brown, but for right now I'm enjoying having a little blue eyed baby.

Camping and Rice Cereal

This past weekend we went camping with my family at the Malad Summit campground. We actually stayed at an old forest ranger cabin so there was running water, a shower, and bunkbeds. Also, the cabin was down a private drive so there was no traffic through our spot. It was great! The kids had fun playing with my little brother and sister and spent most of their time in a creek that ran right next to the cabin.

Katie and Jace 'fished' and made 'salad' all day. Jace sat in the creek like this for about an hour and was red, frozen and crying by the time he came out. Luckily we had warm running water in the cabin to heat him up afterwards.

This is our little cabin. Me, Scott, and the kids were the lucky ones to stay in the cabin. Everyone else was in a tent or tent trailer. It was nice to sleep in beds, especially for the kids. They all slept great! We did have a little visitor inside the second night...a little mouse on the table eating a chocolate bar. I'm not a huge fan of little critters so I was glad we were leaving the next morning.

Scott and Jace by the campfire. This is where we had our second little visitor. Both nights while we were sitting around the fire we heard rustling noises in the trees next to us. Both nights out pops a little skunk! They are actually kind of cute, but I didn't get a picture because I was more worried about getting away so I wouldn't be sprayed. He didn't stay long, but I did keep looking over my shoulder at every little rustle and noise.

Today Gage turned 4 months old! He is a very happy and patient baby, which is good for him with a brother like Jace and a sister like Katelyn. We all try our hardest to make him laugh and the kids are probably the best at it. Gage is grabbing at toys now and just learned to roll over from back to front. They grow so quickly and I'm really enjoying this one because there probably won't be too many more!

We celebrated today with some rice cereal for the first time...

It's okay...

Kind of interesting...
Not good at all!!
Oh well...we'll try again later.

We have grass!!

(As soon as we have a bit more grass to show I'll post some pics of all of the landscaping.)

Camping at Bonanza

This past weekend we went to a family reunion. It's for my dad's side of the family and has been a yearly event for longer than I have been around. I thought it was so strange when I learned that not all families get together once a year for a reunion. I have many great memories of the Peterson Family Reunion and I'm glad that my kids can go now and make great memories of their own.

This year, like many of the past ten years, we have had the reunion at Bonanza campground, about 30 minutes from Stanley, ID. There is a ghost town to visit, hot springs to sit in, and lots of forest to sit and relax in. The kids had so much fun playing in the dirt with their cousins, staying up late, and eating endless junk food. The kids and I got to sleep in my parent's tent trailer where it was warmer so that made nights much more enjoyable than they have been in the past. Scott was pretty happy about being able to sleep in a tent with no one else except for my brother. Lucky. Actually the kids did great the whole trip and we had a fun weekend.

Katie packed into the back of the van.

Jace and his buddy Uncle Matt.

The kids at Custer (the ghost town). While we were there they were celebrating Custer Days with food, free ice cream, a gun fight and other festivities.

Even Gage had a good time and did great. I'm so grateful that he's such a mellow baby.

Here's a few other pictures I have taken recently...

We found these cool things at the craft store. They are tiny little balls (they almost look like beads) that you soak in water and they grow into these slippery, wet balls. They are made for decorating...putting in vases and things...but they feel really cool and are lots of fun to play with. I think it would be so much fun to fill a tub or swimming pool with these and lay in it.

The kids played with them forever today. The only drawbacks are that they do squish apart and make a mess (which Jace found out pretty quickly), they bounce when they fall on the ground (meaning little squishy balls everywhere), they are hard to pick up off of hard floors (they're so slippery that they either pop out of your fingers or break), and they disappear in carpet (next time I may get colored ones). I think next time they will be an outside activity. But they are lots of fun, and pretty clean when they aren't smashed. I'm sure we'll do them again.

Jace had so much fun that he fell asleep. : )

I had an apron making class for Relief Society today. I made 2 little aprons for Katie and Jace and I'm going to have the kids decorate them with paint. They were actually pretty easy aprons to make, which is good for me since I am easily frustrated at the sewing machine. In fact, they were so easy I'm thinking of making one for myself.

4th of July

We had a fun 4th of July week. Scott had Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday off so we were able to get a lot done around the house and spend lots of time with family doing parties, potlucks, BBQ's, and fireworks. We also got our yard started. The sprinkler system and a lot of the landscaping is finished now. We had a concrete pad put in our backyard today, and by the end of the week we should have our grass planted. I can't wait until we have a yard! I miss grass!

As usual, I forgot to bring my camera to most of the big events, but here are a few recent pictures of us all.

Gage is 3 months old and is smiling and laughing now. It's so cute! Katie has done so well to help me take care of him. If it weren't for Jace attacking him every minute, having three kids wouldn't be nearly as hard.

Gage and his cousin Wade, who is just 2 1/2 months older.

Scott's brother came over for the holiday from Cheyenne. The kids had fun playing with their cousins. (Jace, Macie, Katie, Gage, Raegan, Wade)

A rare picture of the two of us.

Jace in the Allen's backyard. He is such a funny boy. I can't wait to have a yard so he can run some of his energy off outside.