The Sunday before Christmas

Twas the Sunday before Christmas in the Petersen home,
All the kids had gone CRAZY and mom was alone.
Levi was screaming and Lucy was too,
Ezra bathed in the tub where he decided to (ahem) poo.
As Mother was working to clean up the mess,
Lucy proceeded to spit up all over her dress.
Finally, the family was ready...well maybe not quite,
When Levi decided it was time for night, night.
So Lucy was eating and Levi was down,
and mother threw Ezra another roll to the ground.
Mother was frazzled so Father she called,
Now thanks to him her problem was solved......
And I heard through the screaming of one little dear,
Merry Christmas to all! Maybe I'll see you next year.

ALL TRUE!
So how was your Sunday?

At least I got some cute pictures of the kids.....Maybe next time I dress them up cute we will actually get to leave the house:)

Just because

December 9, 2010

Life is crazy with three under two but we sure do love them all!

Nativity

December 8, 2010

One of my most favorite holiday activities is to watch the live Nativity pageant. I have loved it since I was a little girl. My grandma made the costumes for our local pageant, so I would get to go behind the scenes, I felt like a V.I.P.! Now, this isn't any old pageant, just a few people dressed up with with a toy baby doll and a few stuffed animals. NO, not this pageant. The costumes and set? Perfect. And, real animals were used? Yes, were. You see, last year the pageant was cancelled because of venue issues. It was held at a LDS church but another businesses land was also used to accommodate seating and parking. This business needed to use their land so this space was no longer available to be used for the pageant. I have to say I was a little devastated. How could we have Christmas without the pageant? Well, Christmas came even though there was no pageant, but I missed it as did so many others. Are you getting the picture about how much I LOVE the pageant? Well....It's back! It is not being done by the same people,so it is little different but the spirit was there and the real meaning of Christmas is once again being celebrated. Thank you to all those who put on the "old" pageant and to those who are now taking on the adventure. I know it is A LOT of work to put on a production! Countless hours are spent not only in rehearsal but in making costumes, sets and everything else that comes with putting on a show. Thank you, thank you, thank you for making my holiday season!All bundled up to stay warm. Yes, I know Levi's eyes are covered. He needs darkness to sleep. As soon as we moved the hat from his eyes he woke up.

Visiting the donkey.Ashley and Ivy meet us there. I LOVE this picture!

All ready to go home.

We will be back next year!

Sibling love

December 8, 2010

Is it just me, or are these kids really cute?

The shirt Ezra is wearing is the shirt he wore to tell everyone we were expecting a new little one...or two. L&L's shirts are from their Aunt Ashley, thanks.

I hope these three will be the best of friends!

The Great Santa Run

I have been looking forward to doing this run since I did it last year and I'm already looking forward to next years run!

The run is a fundraiser for a local charity called Opportunity Village. They are a organization that helps people with intellectual disabilities by giving them vocational training and jobs.

It is called The Great Santa Run because all the runners, walkers and cyclists are dressed in Santa suits. Some people really go all out by adding on to the costume provided or buying a new (fancy) one altogether. People dress up there dogs and kids. It is just a lot of FUN! We dressed up the kids and they were a hit! I had several people come up and ask if they could take our picture. We even had a lady stop us while we were running to ask if she could take a picture. I can't blame them, look how cute they are...... This year a new world record was set for most santas in one place. I'm not sure how many santas were there but I know it was over 8,000.

This year Ryan and I did the run together. I really enjoyed running with him! It was actually our very first time running together. Ryan pushed the kids in the stroller and I ran along beside them. We had a great time. After the run Ryan and I got doughnuts.....because heaven forbid we should burn extra calories:)

4 Months

December 6, 2010

Levi and Lucy were very smiley all day, but by the time I got around to taking pictures Lucy was done smiling. I did get some smiles for Levi. Lucy is still cute, she just looks sassy.

These babies are so sweet! They are both rolling from their stomach to their backs and are almost rolling from their backs to stomachs...so close! They still don't sleep very well:( Someday. They have had several little sicknesses. Dear Sick People, DON'T COME TO CHURCH SICK! You keep getting my kids sick and I don't like it!!!! Alright....Back to the babies. They love to smile and laugh and we LOVE it too!!!

Thanksgiving

Fact: Thanksgiving is Ryan's favorite holiday.

What's not to love......you eat yummy food relax and then eat some more.

This year we spent Thanksgiving with Ryan's family. We were able to have everyone there except for his brother Brandon and his family. It is very rare when we can all get together! The last time we were all together was when Ezra was two months old. It was most of the family's first time meeting the babies and it was our first time meeting our nephew Ashton. Everyone made tasty food. I made the rolls and a broccoli cheese dish that is one of my family traditions. I meant to take pictures.....but I didn't. I did bring my camera. I get points for that right?

I AM THANKFUL FOR.....

• Ryan: He is such a wonderful husband and father! He is a good person who wants to help others and does whenever he possibly can.


• Ezra, Levi & Lucy: These three bring so much joy to my life! I am so blessed to be a mother.


• Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ: EVERYTHING I have I owe to them!!!


• A home


• Cars. The night before Thanksgiving I was driving home and I saw a family bundled up and walking. I said a silent thank you as I sat in my warm car. What a blessing having a car or cars is!


• Food


• My church: I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ of later days saints.


• Friends


• Family

These are just a few things I am thankful for. I am truly SO very blessed!

Happy Birthday to......

ME!

I had a wonderful birthday! We started celebrating the night before. Ryan's parents made us dinner, STAKE, my favorite. Ryan's Dad makes the best stake. I can't order stake at restaurants anymore without being disappointed because it's not as good as Dennis makes it.

Ryan took the day off for my birthday so he could spoil me:) I was served breakfast in bed, Ego waffles and bacon. Ezra carried in a present for me to open, the third season of the Gilmore Girls. After I opened my present Ryan said I should head to the kitchen where I found this.....

Flowers (three different kinds to represent our three children), Sees chocolates (hand picked by Ryan so I could have all my favorites), and two more presents. The first present a shirt that I saw in the store, I told Ryan I liked it. Ryan went back to the store and got it for me ( I'm wearing the shirt in all the photos). The last present is something I've wanted ever since I first heard of them.....TOMS

Have you heard of them? Well the cool thing about TOMS is for every pair you buy a pair of shoes is given to a child in need "One For One". Learn more about the company at www.toms.com . I've been talking about TOMS so much that Ryan and my sisters decided to buy them for my birthday. My sisters called Ryan to tell him they bought TOMS in red so he wouldn't get them for me. Ryan called them back and told them he already bought them for me. My sisters "cursed" Ryan for being such a good husband and buying me the shoes. RYAN REALLY IS AWESOME!!! Still at the mall Ashley & Brennan decided to get another color. How sweet are my sisters and husband!?! I guess they love me :)

Myself, Ryan and the kids went to church as a family, what a treat! After church I was able to talk to The Aussies (my family). Later that evening we had dinner with our church friends, a thanksgiving potluck fest......great job everyone. My friends even made me a birthday cake, chocolate cherry with gnash on top, YUM!

After dinner we came home and my sisters gave me their gift (TOMS) and sang happy birthday to me with a candle on top of a poptart.

Ezra helping me with the candles

Thank you to EVERYONE who made my birthday wonderful! I had a great day!!!

By the way....I'm 26.

3 Months

Levi and Lucy are three months old! I must say it has been the longest/fastest three months of my life. Long because there is not a lot of sleep and there is a lot of feeding.....and fast because I am so busy ALL the time!!! It's very hard but I love it!

My friend Ashley made these outfits. Aren't they cute!?!

Ezra
He loves his his siblings but has been really rough with them lately. He is defiantly going though the terrible twos :( He is still a sweet boy......who likes to throw fits. I love him more than he will ever know!

LEVI

What a sweet smiley boy! I love to hear him laugh and see him smile!!! He was sleeping really well but has stopped:( I just love him!!!

LUCY

She has traded Levi on sleeping....she is now the "better" sleeper. (Someday I hope they will sleep at the same time:) She loves to giggle for her Daddy. I love getting her up in the morning, she gives me the biggest smile. She still spits up a lot:(I LOVE my sweet girl.

Just a quick update......That's all I have time for.

Well I've made it through three months of three kids under two. We are all alive and happy.....most of the time:)

I love these kids!!!

A Gift-It-Forward Birthday Present

First off HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! Her birthday is really tomorrow (November 8th) but it is already the 8th in Australia where they live.

I have found a new website that I like www.helpothers.org It is full of stories of small and large acts of kindness. I've read these stories while up at night feeding babies. It has helped me when I am tired and grumpy to read them and think of others instead of myself.

I got this Gift-It-Forward idea from one of the stories I read. So here is the idea......Next Sunday (November 14th) is my birthday. I am asking you all for a present. The present I'm asking for is a act of kindness, not for me but for someone else. You can do something big or small ,the idea is just to make someone smile. They will smile and you too will smile. I am also going to be doing something for someone else too. It feels good to do things for others. It makes me happy. Knowing that you all will be doing things for others on my birthday will be awesome. We can make it a happy day for many, not just the birthday girl.

Alright you have one week to think of what you would like to "give me" I'm excited! Are you? Feel free to leave a comment on this post if you have any kind act ideas, leave a note so others can get ideas. You can leave a comment saying what you are giving if you would like.....but don't feel like you have to:) I will not be reading any of the comments on this post until next Sunday. It will be like opening a present.

Ok, now I've got to figure out what I'm "getting" myself.........Happy "shopping" everyone!

Our Funny Farm

Old Mrs. Petersen had a farm.......

WAIT....

WAIT...

WAIT...

OLD?

WHAT???.....

The Very, VERY young and NOT AT ALL OLD Mrs. Petersen had a farm......

E-I-E-I-O

And on her farm she had a....


CHICKEN


E-I-E-I-O
With a....

Bawk, Bawk

here

and a......

Bawk, Bawk

there

here a.....

Bawk

there a....

Bawk

everywhere a....


BAWK, BAWK!!!

The VERY young (and BEAUTIFUL) Mrs. Petersen had a farm....

E-I-E-I-O

And on her farm she had a....

LIONS

and

TIGERS

and

BEARS

OH MY!!!!

E-I-E-I-O

I say if Siegfried and Roy can have tigers in their backyard I can have tigers and bears on my farm! This is Vegas.

We had fun celebrating Halloween, despite Levi and Lucy still being sick.

October 22: We took Ezra to The Bass Pro shop to see the fish. He loved the fish and all the "stuffed animals". They had little Halloween activities going on but he was having too much fun running around to really care about that.
October 28: My sewing club girls had a party for the kids at the park. I took Ezra while Ryan watched the babies. I timed it just right, they slept the whole time! Ezra had a great time playing and I was thrilled to get out of the house!

October 29: I found out that a preschool was doing a free Halloween party, petting zoo, pony rides and Trick-or-Treating. I really wanted to do something fun and festive as a family that wasn't ALL about candy, since we still aren't giving Ezra sugar. The other great thing I was excited about was the fact that it was a outdoors event so we wouldn't be in a germ infested room with lots of people (these are things you have to factor in when you have sick babies). Well the event wasn't all it was cracked up to be. There were two ponies (which Ezra and Ivy never got to ride), NO petting zoo and there was only three places to "Trick-or-Treat". What they DID have was a little playground that Ezra and Ivy loved! Ryan played with the kids while I nursed the babies. Something I really wish I got a picture of is Ryan in Ivy's witch hat. He was a trooper and wore it for her....what a nice uncle! Even though it wasn't all we thought it would be the kids had such a great time. And that's what matters.

So much for my "safe" environment......This little girl all of a sudden came and sat SUPER close to Levi and sneezed on him!!! GROSS! Her mom totally yelled at her. I took his costume home and washed it. Now I guard the babies at outdoor events as well.

October 30: We had a Trunk-or-Treat at our church. Don't worry I kept my eyes on everyone and made SURE they would not sneeze on my babies! Ezra was SO cute! He would Say "Trick-or-Treat (person gives candy) Thank you, bu bye!" We were there for about a hour.....The babies cried about half the time (we were having a REALLY bad day). The BEST part of the evening was the huge container of pancit my friend Michelle gave to me!!! Totally made my day...really days because I'm eating some while I type. It was nice to have something special to eat:) This diet has been no fun! No treats for Halloween......a sin! If it helps the babies it will be worth it!!!

October 31: We stayed home and passed out treats to the kids.....AND adults...We had two women (in thier 30s) with no costumes on come Trick-orTreating! WHAT??? I made Ezra a jack-o-lantern pizza. For treats he had pretzels, raisins, fruit leather, cracker,cookies (NO sugar...I use banana and a couple tablespoons of honey to sweeten) and slushy (juice and ice mixed in our Vitmix). So he had his fair share of treats! I made Ryan a carmel apple and tried to not be too sad while he ate it.

Ezra LOVED the chicken costume!!! He would say "I Chicken!" and "Hat" (so I would out the hood on) The truth is he HATED the costume at first! I put it on him and he screamed until I took it off. So I had a brilliant idea....If I could get Ivy to wear it he would want to wear it. My plan worked like a charm. Now he wants to wear it ALL the time.

Here are a few more pictures....

Feeling festive!
Levi had Frankenstein socks on and Lucy had jack-o-lantern socks.

Jack

The Pumpkin King

Carved by Ryan

I never ended up getting to carve my pumpkin......the babies were having a rough week:(

At the preschool I was trying to get a picture of the kids next to the decorations. See how well it (did not) worked.....

My chicken wanted to run!

Happy Halloween!