January 26, 2009

We did not have FHE tonight. I was in the hospital for 4 hours last night with body aches, high fever, and chills. I wound up sleeping all day and we were not able to prepare a "proper" FHE. Better luck next week!

I'm so lucky

Despite the shooting pain that is going through my bones, and the fever that I cannot break, I feel very lucky. *I have a husband who loves me* *The sweetest, funniest little boy in the world* *The most precious, cuddly, snuggly little bug of a daughter* *A great job with flexible hours that allows me to be home with my children much more than any other full time job would* *Wonderful extended family* *An inspiring ward family* *The best friends a girl could have*

She is so precious

"I sharing mommy"

The other night, Brody asked for a popsicle, and of course, I gave him one. While he was indulging in his frozen, red, yumminess, Peyton got slightly jealous and started fussing and slapping her hands on the ground. Brody decided to comfort her.

"It's okay Peypey. I like you. Here Peypey, have a lick." Well, one lick wasn't enough. The pictures speak for themselves. What a wonderful, selfless, loving little boy. I am a very lucky mommy!

The 4th Happiest Day of my Life...

#1.) June 25, 2005- Nick and I got married

#2.) July 10, 2006- Brody was born

#3.) June 17, 2008- Peyton was born

and the 4th happiest day of my life was.....................(drum roll please)...............................................

#4.) January 12, 2009- Brody FINALLY decided he loved Mac N' Cheese!!! Yes, he IS my son afterall!!!!

Full time....

I just got word! I'm going full time for a little while at work! I just picked up another school and will start on Monday. This is an amazing opportunity and I am welcoming it with open arms. I will miss being home 5 days a week with my kiddos, but I just keep reminding myself that it is for a good reason, it is only temporary, and they will be in good hands! So, YEAH ME!

I missed history...

No, I did not watch the innauguration. I missed history. Not because I am a bitter republican, and not because I dislike Obama. I did not watch it because I have never watched an innauguration and didn't feel like his should be any different for me. I am very proud of the country I live in, and feel that we have come very far in electing an African American president. I will support Mr. Obama, and I will pray for him. I will have hope and I will have faith that he will be guided by the support of our Heavenly Father to lead and guide our country.

I hope he will make good decisions. I hope he will get us out of this ecomonic toil that we are in. I will admit though, I am scared. As someone who is personally feeling the effects of the poor economy, it upsets me to see $150 million dollars being spent on duck dinners and 10 different balls. Is that really necessary? Was that REALLY how we needed to start this new year? Couldn't hat $150 million dollars been spent a little less freely in a time when spending shouldn't be so free? I don't know....that's just my opinion. None the less, like I said before, I will support him, and pray that the level of responsibility he now holds is an enormous one, and he will make wise choices.

New Blog

I have created another blog to track of Family Home Evening activities throughout the year. My plan is to do this weekly, and at the end of each year, publish the blog as a Blurb book for the kids. The address is: http://www.petersenfhe2009.blogspot.com/ Be sure to check it out! :o)

January 19, 2009

Tonight was our first "official" FHE for 2009. We decided to have this year's FHE theme be "I Am a Child of God." I got the idea for a yearly theme from my friend, Mary. Along with a yearly theme, I thought I would set up this FHE blog, so that we can keep track of our activities, pictures, and publish them yearly so the kids will have something to share with their own families some day.

Opening prayer: Brody ("Heavenly Father, thank you for this day, play doh, and this plate and food, family, love you, Jesus Christ, Amen.")

Opening Song: Brody (Mommy originally picked "I Am a Child of God", but Brody interrupted and said that he really wanted to sing Barney's "I Love You" song)

Lesson: Mommy- We looked at pictures of Brody when he was a baby and talked about how he felt the day he was born, and discussed how Heavenly Father feels that same way about each of us. Heavenly Father loves us, and feels so happy to watch us grow.

Activity: Daddy- We played play doh and made a family and different animals.

Daddy's most memorable parts of the night:

I remember Brody had been up all day with a lot of energy. He started getting a little fussy, but had a lot of fun playing with play doh. He also chose the opening song "I Love You" from Barney. Pey Pey didn't feel good, but had fun playing with play doh too.

Mommy's most memorable parts of the night:

When I told Brody we were going to have FHE, he said "No, no, it's too late. It's dark. We can't have Family Evening, it's night time. Time to play play doh." Brody also took a big bite of play doh and said "Yuck! I can't eat food. I can't eat this chicken nugget." What an imagination! Peyton felt miserable, but was a trooper through the activity and the lesson.

Mommy having fun with play doh!

Daddy cutting out shapes

Brody watching carefully

Poor Peyton was sick. :o(

Daddy, Mommy, Brody, and Peyton

FUN TAG!!!

A Fun Tag
I got this off of Aimee's blog. Fun times! Copy, paste, and bold the tihngs you've done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (on Erin's trampoline in Elementary School)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii (going back in 7 weeks!!!!)
5. Watched a meteor shower (when Erin and I slept on her trampoline in Elementary School!)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris (maybe when I was little)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (does Beaver Lake count?)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (scrapbooking?)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (I got a really, really bad case of Ecoli when I was a freshman in college...I've NEVER been that sick before!)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (possibly when I was young...)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run (on the Wii...Nick says I hit a home run landing him for a hubby!)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (only on fake rock walls!)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (Does the one in Vegas count?)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason (my husband says I have but I can't remember...HINT HINT!)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (on accident...I thought it was paprika, and when I found out what it was I thought I was gonna puke!)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (I saved my husband from the many other harletts who wanted him...does that count?)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (does the Michael Jackson impersonator in Vegas count? J/K)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby (2 actually)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (never been to Utah!)
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument

Poor Baby

Peyton was SOOOOO tired tonight! I was busy with Brody, and Nick was getting ready for scouts. Peyton kept fussing on the floor, then a minute or two later, she got very quiet. I went to check on her, and this is what I found:

My Job

I realize that the majority of my posts lately do not include pictures, and I am sorry for that. I have found that uploading cute pictures of my kids and writing about them was a MUCH easier task when there was just one child. One child who was completely independent. Peyton, bless her little heart, is the biggest mamma's girl I've ever met. If I put her down, or leave the room, you would have thought I had called her a mean name and hurt her feelings. The lip goes out, and starts to quiver, and the crocodile tears start pouring. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining...at ALL...I love my little girl, and cherish the fact that she wants to be with me all the time. I probably even give in a little too much. Anyway, that has nothing to do with the title of my blog, but I just wanted to explain myself first. Someday, I will come back to the blogging world with full force and the cute little pictures of my cute little kids will return.

Today, however, I would like to reflect on my job. I don't talk about work much on here. There is probably a reason for that, but the therapist in my just hasn't found that reason yet.

I work with children ranging in age from 5 to 11. I work with their parents as well. These children have a variety of problems...from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), to Autism, to Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or to my favorite (NO sarcasm there, I truly love working with children with this disorder) RAD or Reactive Attachment Disorder. I have been doing this (including my internship) for 3 1/2 years now. I've seen it all. I've had children who had been abused, neglected, and hurt in the worst kind of way imagineable.

The things that I see and the things that I hear are heartbreaking. So, I won't share them. I just wanted to share that I love my job. I LOVE the children that I work with. They make me reflect on my own children and ask myself "Am I doing enough?" "Do I hug them enough?" "Do I kiss them enough?" "Do they know how much I love them?" The children that I work with make me come home every Wednesday and Thursday and SHOW my children how much I love them. They make me motivated to give my children the best life possible. To teach my children morals, and values, and how to be a good friend to everybody. I never want them to be the cause of someone else's pain and suffering.

I am thankful for the field of Social Work. I am thankful that I took a job as a workstudy when I was 18 years old at the School of Social Work at the U of Arkansas, and switched my major promptly from journalism to S.W. I am thankful to my mentors and my colleagues for teaching and guiding me.

After I had Brody, when I went back to work, I asked the girl who I was replacing how she did it. How could she go home to her daughter every night after hearing some of the most awful things that had happened to some of her clients and be okay...and not break down. Her response will always stick with me: "Because, it makes me a better mother." I believe that to be true, and know that whenever I come home stressed, or depressed, or wanting to punch some dead beat, I look at my children and it all goes away.

I don't know if I really am making a difference in these kid's lives or not, but I kind of live by this saying:

"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was,the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child...."

My Top 10 of 2008...

10.) Nick began to own and operate his business solo...both scary and exciting at the same time!
9.) I went from working full time to working 2 days a week. I love staying home with my children as much as possible, but I also love having some "me" time twice a week.
8.) Trips to the library with Brody...I love watching him sing and dance along with the songs.
7.) Brody turned 2!!! That means infatuation with dinosaurs, dump trucks, race cars, and Sesame Street. He loves going to the park, going running, and taking baths.
6.) I began cooking healthier meals for my family and myself.
5.) Nick and I cut back on unnecessary spending to help ourselves follow a budget.
4.) I went to Washington twice this year! Once with my hubby, and once with my Nana.
3.) I have been able to keep in touch with old friends through facebook and my blog, and I've also made many new friends this year that I am thankful for!
2.) I spent 1/2 the year pregnant with Peyton and enjoyed my pregnancy for the most part...
1.) Peyton Emily was born on June 17, 2008! I am so thankful for both of my children and my husband. My family just keeps getting better every year! :o)