Wednesday, October 19, 2011

If you envision it...


and then scout it out on craigslist to get a smokin deal


and rent a uhaul to get it yourself,

and then finally bite the bullet and pay someone to actually assemble it for you


 So you can watch the progression


and try to ward off the kids


who are chomping at the bit and can hardly stand to watch it go 'so slow!'





and get a little antsy yourself...


Then the kids will come

and stay...

and play!!

Monday, September 5, 2011

ahh the sights of fall...

but I'm a little too lazy to re-write it, so here's the link :)

http://all-diets-work.com/ahh-the-sites-of-fall/

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Slurping the last tastes of summer...

Driving down our beautiful green-tree lined streets the other day, I caught myself getting a little excited for the fabulous fall colored leaves... 
and then had to catch myself 
and remind myself that right behind that
came the freezing tundra land that is minnesota ALL WINTER LONG.

So, we have decided to use this last week before schools starts as our
completely-seize-the-sun-moments-before-we-have-to-say-goodbye-to-the-great-outdoors
week.

Elizabeth was all over that philosophy!
 ... yes, she is still in a not-match-shoes-on-purpose-phase.  priceless!


Joshy decided water guns are best served in re-hydrating oneself...

sprinkler tramp-jumping... a summer tradition :)

And what would summer be like without the age-old slip-n-slide??!





















yep... just another day of soaking it all in
... except for the parts that get blocked out from the sunscreen
(gotta keep Mr. Derm happy :)  ).

Friday, July 22, 2011

Oh what do you do in the summer time, when all the world is...

WET??

Do you jump on the tramp?


 ... or make bombs out of bags...




Or lay in the stream going by??



Is that what you do??


So do I......

... or bike...

... or maybe even shoot some hoops :)

Yes, we had a spell where it was absolutely pouring rain around these parts for a few days in a row.  Not to be ones to sit by the window and wait for it to pass, the kiddos donned their 'gear' (layers of soon-to-be-soaking clothes) and rushed into the torrents with gleeful shouts of joy.

Nope, no summer storm is gonna get us down :)

Sunday, July 10, 2011

And they went "bleck bleck bleck" all the way home

Note to self:
   Do not fly across the country, then drive back.  Somehow that drive back will seem like it takes fooorrreeevvveeerrr.

 Let me back up a bit...

Normally when we do the cross country trips, we load all the kiddos up, pack enough food for an army, hop in the car and a short 2 day jaunt later, we come crawling into one of our relatives houses.  It's the routine, we know it, we deal with it.

This time, since we got to 'borrow' my parents suburban while they skip the country for the next three years, we came up with the *brilliant* plan to fly out to Utah, then drive the Suburban back.

Again, the first time we have done the full family cross country flight.  We were all pretty much in awe at the fact that we got on the plane at breakfast time, and by lunch we had landed in Utah.  It was amazing!!

... fast forward 2 1/2 weeks (and a bundle of mini-road trips between Utah and Idaho) (pictures to come... when I can get my act together, that is!), we loaded up the troops, and started the journey home.  By lunch time we were... well... not very far along.  

   Add to that 2 throw up sessions on day one, and two more on day two, and the car ride seemed infinitely longer.

  We did make it home, kinda sorta in one peace.
... and even made it before midnight (10:46 to be exact)!
... about which, after unloaded everything, Jerry took the kids out to 'celebrate' by lighting a few fireworks.
... did I mention it was just before midnight?!
... and all of our neighbors were asleep?!
... yep, we threw ourselves our own 'welcome home' shebang...
Don't you wish you lived next door to us now??

Monday, June 6, 2011

The Waiting game...

http://foodmoodmotherhood.wordpress.com/

... because I'm just too lazy to write it all over again :)

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Ruba Dub Dub...

Little Lizzy

Really...


REALLY...


REALLY...


Loves the Tubby

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Love this girl...

and am completely in awe of her determination

You GO girl!!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Happy Mother's Day!

This is a post I have been struggling with all day.
How do you sum up the woman who epitomizes Motherhood
In just one blog post?

I attempted it once:
http://jerryandjen.blogspot.com/2010/10/hand-me-down-mommy.html

But even that doesn't do justice to this wonderful woman


Who found this amazing man:


tied the knot (almost 50 years ago!):

and not only gave me life,
but taught me how to live it.

Mom, I love you!

Happy Mothers Day!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Called to Serve...

and serve...
and serve...
and serve...

That about sums up my mom and dad.  Here is a synopsis of their latest adventure:



Walter R. and Eileen M. Petersen
Walter Ray Petersen, 77, Burley 3rd Ward, Burley Idaho Stake, called as president of the new San Salvador El Salvador Temple. President Petersen's wife, Eileen Marie Albertson Petersen, will serve as temple matron. Currently serving as a sealer in the Twin Falls Idaho Temple, he previously served as president of the Mexico Mérida Mission, stake president, patriarch, bishop, temple ordinance worker and Central America Area medical advisor senior missionary couple. A retired family physician and surgeon, he was born in Wendell, Idaho, to Raymond Orlinzo and Jane Maria Prescott Petersen.
Sister Petersen currently serves as an institute teacher and temple ordinance worker. She previously served with her husband as he presided over the Mexico Mérida Mission and as a senior couple missionary. She has also served as a ward Young Women president, ward Primary president, and gospel doctrine teacher. She was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Arnold George and Verna Beth Huffaker Albertson.


... I am so excited and happy for them.  But would be lying if I didn't say that part of me wants to sneak into their house and glue their feet to the floor.

Sure will miss you mom and dad!  But I know you will do great!!

Saturday, April 30, 2011

My new little experiment

So, in an effort to get things ready with my book and education week presentations, I am entering the 20th century and getting a web site.  Along with that web site, I am starting yet another blog... dedicated to the specific topics of food, mood, and motherhood.

I haven't launched anything official yet, but here are some of the first posts...

http://foodmoodmotherhood.blogspot.com/

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Tender Mercies




Yes, you saw that right.
A street sweeper.
My Today Tender Mercy.

Let me explain...

A few days ago I was on my way home from an early morning workout, and it was still dark as I was driving up the hill to our house.  Suddenly, something jumped out in front of me, and before I could even react, I felt the stomach dropping thump-bump, thump-bump. Of the tires over some poor, unsuspecting animal.

As soon as Jerry woke up, my first words were, "Honey, I hit an animal!  I don't know if it was someone's sweet life-long pet cat, or some sweet baby bunnies' mother!  I don't know if it died, or is now maimed for life!"

Okay... now many of you are thinking how cheesy this is, but hey, it's me - and my middle name could just have easily been 'guilty'.  If there is something to feel guilty about - I will find it and relish it until a myriad of ulcers come to complete fruition :).

... and it didn't  help much that a few minutes after Jerry left for work, I received this picture via text:
with the caption, "The Easter Bunny!!"
... ummm, not really helping, honey!

so for the next few days, every time I drove down and up the hill, I was faced with the stark reminder of my mistake.
wondering if I should go out and scoop it up?
should I get some bunny food and go scour the woods for hungry little baby bunnies waiting for their mom to return with breakfast??
or just see it and feel guilty all over again.

... then it happened.
in the afternoon, I happened to be looking out my window, and saw a street sweeper emerge on top of the hill.
and just like that,
It was gone.
Clean.
Removed forever.

Again, I know super cheesy example, but for whatever reason I felt so incredibly grateful for street sweepers.
who swoop in and clean up my messes.
and make my driving path whole again.

Tender Mercies come in all shapes and sizes.
and today, mine came with a swooshing brush.