Army Petes

Failure... my old friend

2011-11-16T14:53:00.000-08:00

My relationship with failure began at a very young age. Upon completing kindergarten I was placed into "Transition." I don't know whether to refer to this year as kindergarten 1.5 or my freshman year of 1st grade. Either way I did not go straight into 1st grade. My mother insists that I did not flunk kindergarten. Ummmmm, mom what on earth do you call it when a kid doesn't go into 1st grade after kindergarten? She says "I talked a lot, they thought I would "mature" and stop talking so much if I had another year of school." Oh mom, how did that work out? :) I am 30 and still can't seem to shut up.

I was supposed to be class of 1999 and instead I was class of 2000. I have a class picture from that freshman year of 1st grade. Of the kids that remained in Benton City, I think only two of us actually graduated High School. So I'm just gonna say that the "Transition" class was a bad idea. I pretty much decided in Kindergarten 1.5 that I was stupid. A feeling I still struggle with today.

I furthered my relationship with failure when I got to High School and failed Algebra not once but TWICE! I just hated it! And I kept on kissing my "tutors." Those "tutors" didn't end up helping in anyway, other then to ensure that I had a date to Prom. (Which by the way was actually my first priority.)

These failures have really shaped my life. The second time I Failed Algebra I decided I would not be attending college. There was no need for me to go to college, I was gonna be famous. I was pretty sure that Juila Roberts did not have a college degree, so there was no need for me to get one either. The crazy thing is that I really, REALLY believed this. College was trivial and for common people. I was anything but common.

If I had passed Kindergarten I would have graduated at the age of 17. If I hadn't failed Algebra TWICE I would have been college bound. That college most likely would have been Wazzu. (That's where my best guy friend was and I'm sure I would have gone there just to be by my friend.) I didn't make the decision to remain Mormon until I was 17 and 1 month. At 18, which would have been my freshman year of college, I wouldn't have stuck to that decision.

Instead, I graduated at 18 years 11 months. I was beauty school bound and committed to my religion. So I went to Utah. The place where I swore I would never go. Five months later I met David. Six months after that we got married. Two year after that we started our family. I have started college but not yet finished.

If on paper I am a failure... Why do I feel like such a raging success? Because I do feel like a total success. It might not be PC to say.... but the reason I feel so happy and successful is because of David. Dave and I couldn't be more different. We have nothing in common. But he makes me so happy. Together we have an awesome life. Everyday I fall more in love with him. All four of our kids are Awesome! I love my life! Without such major failures in my early life I wouldn't have the awesome life I have today.

I am grateful for failure. Having failed so much in my life I do not see failure as a big deal. It's made me fearless and willing to try anything. I know if I fail at something It will suck, I will feel stupid and then I'll get up and either try again or try something new. As a parent I hope that I can install this fearlessness of failure in my children without them actually failing so terrifically in their youth.

I don't believe that the Lord wanted me to fail. But he sure did help guide my life to a place of wonderful through my failures.

... As for my weight loss journey. It's been 58 days and I'm only down 9.6 pounds. I wish it was going quicker. But this is the lightest I've ever been this soon after having a baby. I have to remind myself of this daily.... It keeps me from eating a whole sleeve of Oreos by myself.

My running is going well. I ran a organized 5K on October 22nd. My goal was to finish in 30 minutes or less. I finished 3.1 miles in 29:16. I'm very happy with that. I ran 4 miles on Saturday (un timed) and it felt really good. Almost fun. My new goal is to run 5 miles on Thanksgiving morning. Hopefully in less then 50 minutes. I've got to get my pace to a steady 9 minute mile, being able to hit consecutive 10 minute miles when Heidi is still so little will be very helpful in meeting that 9 minute mile goal.

David and I at his Undergrad Graduation 2005.

Me a couple years before my first year of Kindergarten.;)

These things ONLY happen to me!

2011-10-19T00:17:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness. I had the most unreal day! Not just one, but two mortifying things happened to me!

*A little bit of back ground about one of the charters in my day. My neighbor Walker. He's the perfect neighbor. If I could draft any neighbor it would be Walker. He is kind, he keeps an eye on the whole neighborhood in a non pushy sort of way and he really cares about us in the nicest neighborly way.*

Soooooooo, Thursday I went to the Lady doctor to figure out what's going on with my defective bladder. Apparently surgery will not fix my problem. The doctor decided my problem is probably hormonal. So she gave me some samples of a estrange type medicine. This medicine is not administered orally. The name of it is "Vagifem." (Who on earth named that? Because personally I think they should be fired.) I tossed the samples into my purse and forgot about them. Monday morning as I was running out the door, I saw the samples and tossed them onto the table. When I came home from running errands Walker came up and offered to help me. I thanked him and he helped me into the house. At this time Heidi is screaming. For some reason Walker stepped into the house before I did. As I stepped into the house I remembered the Vagifem. Elbows out, with Heidi in hand I sprint past Walker beating him to the table. I set Heidi on the table on top of the Vagifem. Relieved I start setting things down in the kitchen. Heidi is still screaming. As I turn around I apoligize to Walker for Heidis screaming. In that moment I hear him say "It's because you set her down on something and she is uneven." I then leap six feet in an effort to beat Walker to the Vagifem box. It's a white box and in huge Purple lettering says Vagifem. There is no missing the name of this stuff. I do not beat Walker to the box. I grabbed it and tried to shove it back under the car seat. He saw it. I know he saw it. Walker is fifty something retired military. I could have died. There are only a few people who I would really be embarassed in this situation. Walker is one of them.

After the Vagifem episode my day got even more unbelievable....

I sent out Heidis first wave of birth announcements a week or so ago. I don't know Pauls side of the family very well. In my address book is an uncle Leo. All I know about Leo is that my father in law loves him. So I send him birth announcments and Christmas cards. As always I had sent one to Leo. Well, as I was going through my mail I got a card from Florance. Florance is Leos wife. In the letter she writes. "Well my dear Sweet Leo, Love of my life passed away Oct. 12 2010. It's a year now, today. So it's Very hard I'm alone here I miss him so much." Not only did I send a birth anouncment to Leo, who is dead... But his widdow gets it on the one year anniversary of his death! If I could have died I would have! I still might!

That's twice in one day that I would have gladly died! I told Paul about what happened and he assured me that Leo would have found this very funny.

Last week was really hard for me. I don't know what my problem was. Maybe depressed? I don't know, but my work outs were awful. And I could have slept 20 hours a day. I turned a corner on Saturday afternoon. Thank goodness.

So with last week being so weird I had no idea what to expect at todays weigh in. I was down 3.8 pounds! Yay! I really needed that! I was a good girl about drinking my water! And the lady weighing me in gave me a very enthousiastic "Good Job!" She is such a fair weather friend.

What weight watchers needs is a good confecional. My confession would have gone like this..."Team leader, forgive me for I ate 14 of my 30 points in 2 point fiber one Brownies." It's because of a day like that... I have sworn off of all sweets till Thanksgiving. I took about 5 days to consider such a drastic measure. I am at peace with my decision and I hope it helps me to get this weight off. I'm in a place right now that moderation doesn't seem to be working for me.

The other morning I woke up knowing I had a GREAT idea when I slept. It took me most of the morning, but I was able to remember. My brilliant idea was.... barbed wire pillow cases! With David gone Molly keeps getting into bed with me. Molly thinks it OK to spoon into the back of me. It took me five years of marriage to convince David that we would not be snuggle sleeping. I don't mind Molly in bed with me, if Dave's not there. But the spooning has got to stop! So my idea is this... If I had a barbed wire pillow case for my body pillow I could put it in the middle of the bed, seperating Molly and I, solving my problem! There is no way I am the only parent who does not want to be spooned by there hot little 2 year old.

David and I met this grizzly on our way out of Alaska. We fed it beef Jerky!:) It was so awesome to be close to such an amazing animal! We fed him from the car.

This is a char from the Air Force Academy. The very same chairs that my father in law sat on when he went there in the 60's. I really like these chairs. I love how well they are made. I feel like they are standing the test of time. It was cool to see the mess hall full of these old school chairs!

The death of Summer

2011-10-11T22:12:00.000-07:00

I bet people who LOVE the “Fall Season” also enjoy watching puppies die. It’s by far the most depressing time of year. Every Autumn is a drawn out death of the earth. The flowers and grass die. The sky is constantly gray. Dried out stalks of corn become centerpieces. Wearing flip-flops results in frostbite. The bottoms of pants are perpetually wet. An afternoon on a boat becomes a non option. Noses are constantly cold. Soda pop is replaced by hot cider. Bratwursts are replaced by Chili. And fresh strawberry pie is forsaken for apple crisp. Autumn just reminds me that I’m not going to be warm again till at least May! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr….. I hate Fall.

So today was weigh in day at Weight Watchers. I GAINED .4 pounds. Once again the lady weighing me in didn’t say anything to me. She didn’t even make eye contact with me! I would prefer her to call me a fatty and tell me to lay off the late night snacks. At least that would be honest instead of passive aggressive. I was so hopeful for this weeks weigh in. I feel like my clavicles have reappeared! Which usually means that I’m losing weight. Apparently not.

There is nothing more frustrating then losing weight. I know how to lose weight and I know it’s a very slow process. Having this knowledge does not make the process any easier. All the pain is worth it, six months from now when I feel cute again. In the mean time the only thing that keeps me plugging along is knowing that if I throw the towel in… I’ll gain 20 more pounds and then I’ll be super duper miserable and 20 additional pounds away from where I want to be. Why can’t I be one of those tall skinny chicks?

When I was 11 years old I caught a bouquet at a wedding. I brought it home and promptly pulled out my mothers wedding dress. (She was sound asleep) So excited about my bouquet, I tried on her dress. My dad caught me. He then took a picture. What you can’t see in that picture is the six-inch gap in the back of the dress where the buttons wouldn’t come together! One year later I started dieting and it hasn’t stopped since then. By the way, for as tiny as my mother is… she sure handed me a set of baby birthing hips and shot putter thighs. Combine that gift from my mom with my fathers very large bones… well the combination keeps me on my toes.

Running is going ok. I’m starting to feel a little strength in my lungs. But it’s not fun yet. I enjoy my four-mile walk/runs. I have worked myself up to 2 minutes walking followed by 3 minutes for running. But once a week I’ve been doing a 5k and it’s no fun. I honestly dread it. Since David is gone till the end of the month, I’ve hired a college age girl from church to come to the house for one hour a day. This will force me to get outside and exercise. Which is what I need right now.

This weeks weight watchers goal is to drink more water. I have pretty much stopped drinking water. This is super unhealthy and could very well be the reason why I’m not shedding the lbs. But I have grown weary of spontaneously wetting my pants. So I’m trying to negate the pant wetting by not drinking water. This plan seems to be backfiring. A lass I will drink more water this week. And if I do publicly pee my pants I’ll just tell everyone around me that I’m trying to get skinny. So it’s ok. Right?

Oh my goodness I miss this man! Hawaii with Davey is my happy place!

Did you know Hawaii has one Season and one season only? Hawaii knows nothing of the horror of it's beauty dying off every year. This picture was taken in January! Hawaii is the happiest place on earth! I would give anything to be stationed there. But it probably wont ever happen. Loving where were stationed just never seems to be in the cards for me. Oh well we can always visit!

My Military Moment

2011-10-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

I do not fly my American flag very often. Homemade patriotic things do not adorn my walls. I never forward on American pride e-mails. I do not copy and paste things I find on facebook. I do however love my country. I have always been deeply grateful for the men and women who are willing to serve. It is my pleasure to be married to one such man. I know the protection of the many comes at a price for the few. I couldn’t be prouder that David is one of those men.

Dave is gone again. I really can’t complain, I’ve had him home for most of the year. It’s been so nice. But he left again on Sunday. Off to be a dirty soldier.:) For the last 3 years he has been a clean little support soldier. But for the rest of the month he’s at a “class” where he will get down and dirty with the Army again. He could have avoided this most unpleasant “class”, but he has chosen not to. I am eternally grateful to him and all those like him.

Which got me thinking.... I am so very grateful for the Doctors and Dentists who are willing to serve in the Military. A lot more money can be made in the civilian world. But they are willing to serve me, and my people. Military medicine is very much like socialized medicine. It has major flaws and it’s free. Only a few people are caring for many people, which causes frustration on both parts. We are however grateful to have it. Our family is not on the fully free medical plan. We pay for our insurance. However, finding someone to take our insurance is a daunting task. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the civilian Doctors and Dentists who accept my insurance and care for my family. I am aware that it doesn’t pay as well. So once again I say… THANK YOU FOR SERVING ME, AND MY PEOPLE.

I love being an American. I feel so blessed to have been born in the worlds greatest Nation. I am so proud of my husband for making it his job to protect the American people.

P.S. This post is NOT about me. Comments about “how strong the families at home are”, are not welcome. I am merely expressing my gratitude for the people in the Military and the people who care for them and their families.

This picture was taken on the 24th of July 2009 at Paul and Roma Petersons house. The boys are saying the pledge because it is Pioneer day. Look closely and you'll see why we call this picture

Pledge and Protect! It is probably my favorite picture of all time.

People just don't get it... And that's ok

2011-10-04T14:37:00.001-07:00

The other day one of my very best friends said to me "Is running a means to an end for you? Or do you really like it?" This unto it's self is not a question that grates on my nerves. What annoys me is her next comment. "Because you know running is SO hard on your body." She doesn't get it. That's ok. Most people don't get it. Every morning when I was pregnant I went for a walk. The last 3 months of my pregnancy I did that walk early in the morning. Every morning without fail I would pass Jerry. Jerry is my 79 year old boyfriend. (Jerry doesn't know this, this is just what I call him when I'm talking to David about him.) Anyway, Jerry HAD to stop running when he was 75. His body just couldn't take it any more. Just like me Jerry didn't start running until his late 20's. I am confident that I will be able to be like Jerry. And if I'm not and my body only allows me to run for 20 years... it will be 20 wonderful years I wouldn't trade for anything. People who want a means to an end do P90X or cross fit. Runners, run for the love of it.

People who have amazing lawns with fantastic flowers and perfect hedges find strength and inner peace from such work. Those of us who do not find inner peace and strength in yard work have a couple of hanging plants. I am the later of those two. (and my hanging plants died) I just don't get it, but I love to look at the gardens of those folks who find their inner peace in the soil. I find my inner peace in running.

In 2010 I ran/ shuffled my first marathon. The marathon it's self didn't go well. But the training was awesome. I learned so much about myself during the process. On my 20 mile run I started in the housing division above Fred Meyer, ran over the over pass between Richland and Pasco, crossed the Blue bridge, ran through Columbia Park and circled back to where I started. This is exactly 20 miles. While on that run I found the song Uprising by Muse. I listened to that song 6 times in a row and then 2 more times after that. When I hear that song now I am transported back to that time. I can feel the strength come from the marrow of my bones in my finger tips and work its way all the way through my body. I can feel the power of the Blue Bridge beside me and the energy of the mighty Columbia River under me. I loved that run and I love that song. Like a drug addict I am determined to feel that high again.

I did however just have a baby. Heidi is 9 weeks old and I am still a fatty. Rebuilding lung strength is not easy and it takes forever to do! But I've started back down the running path and I can't wait for the day when my wight is down, my lungs are strong and my body is healthy! I am running the Hood to Coast relay race with some ladies from church next August. That is if we win the lottery and get in. It's the worlds longest relay race and It's gonna be awesome. But I have to get my comfortable pace down to at least 9 minute miles to be an asset to the team.

Speaking of being a fatty. With all my other babies I have been an equal opportunity fatty. Never in my life has my belly fat gone out further then my hip fat. Not so this time. Many of my jeans zip up just fine, but then I've got all the belly and upper hip loping over the top of my pants. I don't know what to do with this. I spend as much time in sweat pants as humanly possible. So it's back to weight watchers for me. The first time I did weight watchers I lost 35 pounds, the second time I lost 40 pounds. This time I have about 25 pounds to lose. But it doesn't matter I still hate losing weight. It comes off so slowly and eating is just no fun. Today I went to weight watchers and gained a pound. When you gain weight the lady weighing you doesn't say anything! Nothing at all. It's like I'm a beggar asking for a buck. They just say "got it"... and send you on your way. If you lose weight they tell you congratulations. But if you gain it, it's like you just brought the plague into their weight loss meeting.

Depressing as gaining a pound is when you've been dieting there is a silver lining. David is leaving on Sunday for three weeks! Normally this wouldn't make me so happy, but this time I can't get him out the door fast enough. His "light" pop corn at 10:30 pm isn't helping my belly fat go away. When he is gone I lose weight much easier. I tried to get him to deploy for 3 months, but the timing didn't line up right. :) My weight loss success depends on David being very far away.

The moral of the story is... I hate dieting and love running. Until my weight is down I have to try to make the two friends. I'm blogging about running in an effort to keep myself from talking about it.

I have also been trying to dabble in photography and I will try to post some of the pictures I do.

Abe and Dallin are so weird. They can't help but be silly at all times. I cherish the normal smiles I get out of them, because they are few and far between.

Heidi Denise Peterson in her blessing dress. Her grandma Gale made this dress for her. It is Beautiful! Both of the girls are named after women I hope they grow up to be like. Molly is named after Rebecca Michelle Gale. Heidi is named after my cousin Denise Gale O'Very.

Our little dolly! Heidi

So fun to have a baby sister to stroll around.

Molly is nuts about Heidi. She is so sweet with her!

Heidi and Molly Pop. The shadows when I took all these pictures were awful. I'm pretty pleased with myself over the end result I was able to get.

Pregnancy

2011-04-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

WARNING: I have no intention of telling my mother that I updated my blog with this post. Which means... It will embarrass her. If you believe that you and my mother have a similar tolerance for my reality... STOP READING NOW!

I don't want to be the one to imply that there is a flaw in the Good Lords master plan for the female body, But do you think he knows that after child birth many women spontaneously wet their pants? It seems like this is an issue that should be brought formally to his attention.

Because of recent experiences this topic is close to my heart. I have three children and am pregnant with the fourth. Lately slightly peeing my pants is a regular occurrence. The other day I went for a six mile walk with Molly. Thank heavens I was wearing black pants, because by the time I made it back home I had slightly peed my pants twice and could feel the pee 1/8 of the way down my inner thighs. (Side note: I no longer have a warning that I need to go to the bathroom, all of the sudden I am just peeing. If there was a warning I would have stopped and peed in the bushes.) I made it back to the house and parked Molly in front of the garage. I walked to the front door, put the key in the door and knew I was faced with two options. I could either wet my pants while walking through the house or full on pee my pants on the front porch. Although I have several neighbors, our house is up off the street so there is no way they would notice me peeing on the porch. I opted to wet my pants rather then pee all over the house. At first I thought this would be just a little slight pee. It wasn't. I was completely powerless to stop the force that was my bladder. After a few seconds I saw the Amber colored urine jumping out of my pants half way down my right shin. At this point I had to stop it from reaching my shoes and socks. I patted my pants with my shoes asking my pants to absorb the waterfall that was coming. Thanks to my long pants, it never did reach my shoes. My porch however has now been peed on. This is NOT the kind of thing I would normally do. Hence my question. Is our creator aware that this is a problem? Life really isn't fair. I'm am certain that David has no residual effects from the four children we have made together! And I'm a mess!

The problems don't stop there. I wish they did, but they don't. For those of you who don't know the female body has chachee bones. These are bones that line the bajinga. When pregnant, they slowly spread apart in preparation for child birth. This process is painful and often leaves me feeling like my south lands have just left a cage fight.

I feel like these are the issues that also need be brought up to high school girls. My friend Dori once suggested that a picture be taken of a women's South Lands the day after child birth, blow it up and put it in the hall ways of high schools. I think this is a fantastic idea! I'm sure that would solve America's teen pregnancy problem and increase abstinence everywhere!

Our friends from College are much more like family then friends. When we met the Beuses and the Nygards there were no children involved. Now these are the babies from the three families...Tanner & Aubrey Nygard, Dallin, Abe & Molly Peterson, Maddie Beus, Travis Nygard, Eli & Gracie Beus. Jared Nygard was too little to be at the table. Having all these kids together brings me buckets of joy!

Molly at the Pacific Science Center

Abe and Dallin at the Pacific Science Center

I know I say it all the time. But I am completely overwhelmed by how good looking David is! I swear he gets better and better looking every year. Molly was not happy to be going home.

A long time

2010-12-31T21:57:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. It's been a very long time since I posted last. It's also been a very long year. Here are ten things that have happened to this family in 2010...

1) I ran a Marathon

2) David was gone 235 days this year

3) David became a member of 160th SOAR, he is now a Nigh Stalker

4) Molly turned one, Started walking and keeps me VERY busy

5) Abe learned to ride a 2 wheeled bike with perfection

6) Dallin learned to tie his shoes

7) Our family moved to Lacey Washington

8) We bought a beautiful house in the perfect neighborhood

9) Our family took a vacation to the Oregon Coast

10) I earned a massive stress fracture in my right hip

Such a bitter sweet year. It really was a hard year for me. I tried to handle this year with grace and beauty, but I failed. I am so grateful to finally be settled in our home in Lacey. The kids love it, I love it and David will only deploy for a maximum of three months. So this year has ended well... for the most part. David had to deploy during the holidays.

A lot has happened this year. I have deleted several posts at this point. I just can't seem to do justice to my feelings or experiences. So a summery will have to do.

I know that God the Father, his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are three separate beings. I have a different relationship with all three of them. I know that I lived in Heaven before I came to this earth. I know when this life is over I will return to live with my Father in Heaven. I know families are eternal. I know that David is not perfect, but that he is the most perfect man for me. I know that Christ suffered and atoned not only for my sins, but that he also felt my deepest sorrows. I am unworthy and eternally grateful for my friends. I know God knows me better then I know myself and good or bad... I grow from the trials he throws my direction.

I'll try to be better about posting. Love you all! Happy New year!

A cold harsh slap in the face

2009-11-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

Molly and Tyson (Tommy's youngest son) July 2009

Many people have been reminding me that I haven't updated my blog for a very long time. The reason for this is because I like to express my feelings on my blog. With Dave gone my feelings are all over the place and for the most part keeping them to my self is just better for everyone. However several things have happened lately that have prompted me to update the blog.

Abe crossing the monkey bars. He was trying and trying and just couldn't get it. So Dave and I told him that if he crossed them we would give him a new Bionicle. With in 30 seconds for that promise being made, Abe crossed the monkey bars.

The last time Dave deployed we lived in Alaska. While there four of us became very close. These three women made all the difference in my survival of that 14 months. Alaska is a cold place. Me and the cold are NOT friends. But with these friends it didn't matter we had each other. I think for the most part non military people don't even begin to grasp the depths friendship can go. To say they become like family just seems cheesey and doesn't begin to explain the relationship. Well three of us are still very good friends. Dave is deployed again and so is Matt, my friend Katie's husband. Katie and Stephanie are the two I am still very close to. Both of them live in Washington DC. With Matt gone at the same time as Dave... I knew I had to go see Katie. I just seemed natural. And Dave agreed. So mid October Molly and I flew cross country to spend a week with Katie and Stephanie. It was wonderful!

Dallin, Cooper, Abe and Noah sleep over at Tommy and Kris's house.

So spending time with Katie was so wonderful! I needed that time I got to spend with her. When I got on the plane to fly home I was feeling sorry for myself. I was feeling this way because I felt it was totally unfair that my friends have lost a ton of weight and have been champion nursers of their little babies. (All three of us had babies with in 8 weeks of each other.) My parents have never been very big on equality with all their children. But I know most parents try to keep all their kids equal. I began thinking about how unfair that our Father in Heaven allows my friends to be smoking hot after having a baby and me fight for every pound I lose and have it come off so slowly and I'm an awful nurser! As I was feeling sorry for my self I started a conversation with my friend from across the isle.

Molly, Dave, Dallin and Abe at the Petersons house right before he left for Iraq.

The women I was sitting across from lives in Nome Alaska. She had two daughters with her and was headed back to Nome. In the course of our conversation she mentioned she had a young foster baby. Only 5 months old. I asked her how she got a baby so little. She then told me that this little babies father is in jail for killing the babies 7 month older brother. The mom was 2 months pregnant when the Dad killed the little boy. The mother of the little baby girl committed suicide when she was one month old. All the sudden my love handles seemed like a gift from my Heavenly Father and less like an unfair allotment. This situation was a wake up slap for me to re realize how good I've got it.

Dave and Molly the morning Dave left for the year.

I know God has a plan. But I don't have a clue what it is. I could never be a social worker. I'm pretty sure that field would make me really angry with the Lord. And that's the last thing I need in my life.

Dave and the Boys the day Dave left for Iraq... again.

So Dave is back in Iraq and since we were only in Texas for 7 weeks before he left... we packed up and moved home to Washington. Shelly is staying at home while my parents are gone so we joined her. This has been great. The little boys adore her and It's so nice to have help with my three little kiddos.

Abe and Dallin on Dallins first day of school 2009. Headed off to mom old stomping grounds. Kiona - Benton Elem. So trippy for me to see th boys go to school there.

Kimi is so very happy to be back. She is the funniest kid I've ever met. We made a lot of progress of breaking Kimi of habits, patterns and irrational activity. I feel like the moment we walked back through these doors all that went out the window. It's taken some time but we finally have her hooked up with her services. She is excited to be back.

I took the whole family to their first political rally. I'm so glad I took the kids. I love slowly brain washing them! It's the best!

This was my favorite sign at the 9-12 rally!

Dallins first soccer season. He had a good time and even made contact with the ball a few times!

Molly Peterson and Ellie Sanderson. The Peterson family has produced four babies this year. Ellie is the last to arrive. We got to spend two days with Matt and Lou. It was really good to see them. Their place in DC is so cute!

Molly is the best Barbie Doll ever! I love dressing her up!

This was sooooo much bigger then I thought it was going to be.

The babies of 2009! Christopher Sheftic, Molly Peterson, Jack Hixson.

Katie and Christopher, Jodi and Molly, Stephanie and Jack. All three of us together. It was really perfect getting to see my friends again. And their babies are so super sweet!

Molly on the airplane. She was the model baby for air travel. Seriously such a good baby!

GI Joe Abe and Dallin.

Everyone by David at Shelly's work party. Halloween 2009.

Dallin is a good little guarder! He has also made two baskets! (in practice not live game.)

Abe's first Basketball game. The jury is still out on whether or not Abe is a natural athlete or not. He is having a good time and that's all that matters.

Abe and Dallin with their carved pumpkins. I really didn't mind carving the smaller ones. It's the bigger pumpkins that make me want to pull my hair out.

Dallin LOVED his pumpkin. Kimi threw it away twice. Twice I had to go through the outside huge trash and retrieve it. Kimi was up set because she said she can't have her birthday if pumpkins are still out. Pumpkins are for Halloween, not birthdays.

Molly Halloween 2009. She is so cute I can't handle it.

Chicken Molly Pop Peterson. Her very first Halloween.

Jodi and Molly, trunk or treat 2009.

Holy Crap, I'm an adult!

2009-06-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Roma and Molly at Uncle Dick and Aunt Janes house

David and I have no idea how Abraham and Dallin have turned out as well as they have. When we had Abe and Dallin Dave and I were so young and honestly we were awful parents! We had no earthly idea what we were doing. At the time I didn't understand why people would wait to have kids. Now I totally understand. We are much better parents with Molly then we ever were the the boys. When I had Abe I was 21 (almost 22). One of my friends was having her first baby at the same time as me. Her name is Sundy. Sundy was 29 years old when she had her first child. I remember having such respect at how brave she was to have kids when she was so old. I'll be 28 in a few days and that memory brings me hours of joy!

Some people get dogs, but in Texas the family pet happens to be a Long Horn!:)

I can honestly say that I treasure every moment of Molly. Every poopie diaper, ever spit up, every angry cry, every smile. I didn't do any of that with the little boys. Having the little boys was like survival of the fittest. It was either me or them. One of us had to win. I won, but I didn't treasure the ride when they were little. This is one of the many things that all the sudden makes me feel like an adult.

David, Jodi, Molly, Dallin and Abe on Molly's blessing day.

David is leaving again soon. So before he leaves us for another year, we decided to do something fun. Instead of just going to Texas, we took a side trip to Disney World. Our timing for being there was perfect. There are 5 parks at Disney World. We went over Memorial Day weekend and then into the week. We didn't know this would be good timing, but we're very please to realize how perfect it was. The only park that was crowded was Magic Kingdom. All the other parks were pretty empty. It was on this trip I realized just how grown up I have become.

Roma, Paul, David, Jodi, Molly, Dallin Abe

I did things like:

- pack a lunch each day.

- stayed at a less expensive place, with a kitchen, separate rooms and thought it was great!

- I wore tevas every day.

- I only let the boys buy one toy!

- I publicly breast fed several times a day.

The only thing I was missing was a fanny pack! (I will never don a fanny pack!) I realized my kids will really remember this. We can't get away with anything anymore. From here on out... they could remember anything!

David, Molly, Roma and Paul Peterson

We got to take Kimi to Disney World with us. Now I have always known what Kimi was. I remember being 6 or 7 and announcing to people that my sister is Mentally Retarded. I don't know why my mother gave me this phrasing to work with, but she did. I've always known this, but it's always been perfectly normal to me. So as far as I'm concerned Kimi is perfectly normal. For the most part you can rationalize with Kimi and for the most part she acts older then 6. However... all that went away at Disney World. I found my self on several occasions thinking to my self "Kim, you are Mentally Retard. There is no other way to slice it." All adultness goes out the window for Kimi when faced with characters from fairy tales and the cast of HSM3.

Erick Ravsten, Dick Wakefield, David, Molly and Paul Peterson

I got my first camera when I was 8. I remember taking pictures of everything! Well we got Kimi her own camera for the Disney World trip. She stopped and took pictures of everything! Every store, every painting, every statue. Nothing was off limits. This made for slow moving around Disney World. There were certain things she had to see. I didn't dare not fulfill those things. Finally around day 3 of being there I started telling her she could do that when she came back with Mom and Dad.

LeAnne Ravsten, Kimi Gale, Breann (Daves cousin) Jane Wakefield, Jodi, Molly and Roma Peterson

Abe once asked me why Anikin Skywalker went bad. I told him it was because he was selfish. One night when Dave was on the phone the little boys were being really loud. When Dave got off the phone he told the little boys they had been selfish when he was on the phone. Abe burst into real heart wrenching tears. It took a while to calm down. Once he calmed down he told us he didn't want to turn into Darth Vader! Then he burst into tears again.

Dallin, Abraham and Molly Peterson 05-31-2009

Lately Dallin has become very touchy feely. He has started to slightly part his lips when he kisses and linger a little too long on the lips. He also is constantly having to hug or touch me. The kissing gives me the willies and the touching drives me nuts. This problem is this.... he is still in this beautiful age of innocence. The kissing I'm putting the kibosh on, but the touching.... well soon enough he isn't going to want to hang on me all day. I feel the same way about Abe. Right now they are so innocent. But this fall they will attend Ki-Be elementary school. And I know their innocence will begin to fade. They also constantly play right now. I'll be so sad when that goes away.

Molly and Roma Peterson

So we're here in Texas now. Killeen Texas to be exact. I love Dallas, I'm not so in love with Killeen Texas. We are in a furnished apartment/ town House in the middle of town. It was the only place we could find that would let us stay for so short a time. Right now we're in a really weird place. I don't love being here. I'm sick of being in limbo. I want to give my kids stability. But when this is over and the stability comes.... Dave will be gone again. Another whole year with out Dave. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't like him so much. But I adore him. I hate being with out him. But I know it must be. The sucky thing is, we feel good about all this. So I can't even be bitter about it. I just get to endure another year away from my best friend.

Dallin and Molly Peterson

To say that Dallin loves Molly would be the understatement of the year. This little boy can't get enough of her! He is constantly touching her! Constantly "looking" at her aka: touching her. I'm glad he likes her so much, but I've never seen anything quite like this before.

Molly Rebecca Peterson 05-31-2009

Abe lost another tooth. He is now missing 2 teeth on the bottom. He looks kind of creepy. I can't stand loose teeth. And he has another loose tooth. The darn thing wont fall out. He wont eat on it, brush it or touch it.... and neither will I. I keep sending it mind bullets to just fall out. But no such luck yet.

Dallin and Abraham Peterson and Kimi Gale. Animal Kingdom Disney World.

I love living so close to my sister LeAnne. She is so neat. Her kids are awesome and Erick is wonderful! It's so fun to be able to scoot 3 hours north and go see them. To add to that fun our best friends Ben and Dori Hill are moving into the Dallas area! They get here tomorrow and I can't wait! It's been 4 years since we have gotten to spend much time with them. We wont get too much time before we leave, but we'll take what ever we can get.

Kimi Gale, Dallin, Molly, David and Abe Peterson Magic Kingdom Disney World.

Dallin, David Abe and Kimi in front of Cinderella's castle.

We lost our camera at Hollywood studios. Good thing Kimi had hers! The camera was awesome! We miss it very much. It was Daves first camera.

Beautiful Baby Molly Rebecca Peterson in her blessing dress 05-31-09. Thank you Grandma Gale for the beautiful dress!

All things Petersons

2009-05-01T18:14:00.001-07:00

I really got lucky in the husband department. David is an AWESOME father. He is kind and understanding with his boys and he adores our daughter. All four of us are very lucky to have him. The picture above was not staged. Molly was so mad when we had these pictures taken. The photographer just happen to snap this photo while Dave was calming Molly down. I love it! As I was contemplating how lucky I am to have such a good man... my thoughts drifted to why Dave is such a good father and husband. I decided it is learned behavior. Paul is Daves dad. Paul is also an amazing father and husband. I am so very grateful to him for showing Dave how to do it. Even if it does mean he puts his foot in his mouth on a regular basis and teases all the time. Traits he also learned from his Dad. I am so thankful for David. It amazes me that Pauls behavior has been passed on to David, which in turn will be passed on to our boys.

We don't always follow directions.

Before Molly was born I took Abe, Dallin and Kimi to a school carnival. We did a lap around the carnival. Then I fed everyone. It cost me about 7 dollars to feed everyone. I was fine with that. Then I went to the table where you buy the tickets for the games. I was told you had to buy a bracelet, you cant just do a game or two. The bracelets were 15 bucks. That's 30 bucks for Abe and Dallin to throw penny's into cans and pretend to be a Jedi. I said no way! Sorry Abe but mommy doesn't have 30 dollars for that. He had been really looking forward to the games. On the way home from the carnival he was very up set. I explained to Abe that we are going to Disney World. Disney world was going to be so awesome it would blow his mind. When we got home, Abe flew into into Daves arms. He started telling Dave about how I didn't have 30 dollars for the games...(just as he begins to cry a little) he says... yelling.... "And mom says Disney World is going to blow my mind!" He was pretty up set about this.

I love this Bumbo! It's awesome!

Also before Molly arrived I was very upset about still being pregnant. In a moment of frustration I grabbed Dave by the shirt and yelled " The baby is never coming!" That night a very sincere and sober Abraham asked Dave...."Daddy, how come the baby isn't coming?" He is such a sweet boy and was truly worried about the baby.

Scout LOVES Molly!

When I was in the sixth grade I wore BYU shirts. Also in the sixth grade there were fat twins. Their last name was Boswell and they were in the seventh grade. Every time I wore my BYU shirt they would yell Joseph Smith down the hallway at me. This did not make me happy. Finally I stopped wearing BYU things all together. I have never recovered from this and had a huge chip on my shoulder toward BYU because of this experience. David happens to be a huge BYU fan. He isn't even embarrassed about this and wears BYU shirts with pride. Our son Dallin also seems to be a BYU fan. He wears his BYU shirts every day! He wears them to his Methodist pre school. I allow him to do this because I know I need to grow up. Non the less every time Dallin wears his shirts it causes heart palpitations with in me.

Abe doing Kung Fu on the Beach at Ty Bee Island... Dallin in the back ground collecting shells.

My mother in law Roma is awesome! She came out to help me because my mom couldn't make it this baby. (she is on a mission with my dad.) She packed, cooked, washed cloths and basically made my life wonderful so I could do nothing and recover from giving birth. One day while Roma was here she told me that Kimi said a bad word. This surprised me. She said that she talked to Kimi about it and everything was fine.

Our day in Savannah was fun, but evryone was pretty tired, it's a walking city.

Leaving the beach at Tybee Island (right out side Savannah) Kimi tripped. She fell down really hard on the board walk and surprised Roma, Dave and I. I made sure she was fine and kept walking. Then Roma (tattle tale) told me Kimi said a bad word again. I honestly didn't believe Roma, even though she has never give me a reason not to trust her. I said you must have mis understood her. So I asked Kimi..."Kimi what did you say when you fell?" Kimi replied with total honestly and confidence...."Oh, I said Shit." I told Kimi we don't say that word, ever and where did you hear it? She replied..."It's ok Jodi, that's what the bad guys say." Bad guys what bad guys Kim? "The bad guys that killed Jesus, they are very bad." Dave and I didn't remember that dialog in the Lamb of God video. So we talked about it and Kimi is going to try not to say that word any more.

Typical night at the dinner table. Note our little Molly eating with us.

Dallin pretty much always knows what he wants. He is a little obsessive compulsive. The other day we were in Atlanta at Costco. (This is a real treat as there is no Costco in Augusta.) I took Dallin to the restroom with me. I put him in a stall and I went into a stall. Then I hear Dallin talking about how he only goes potty in little ones, but he has to go poo poo so he needs a big one. What ever I didn't think much about it.... until I saw a little boys feet shuffling past me with his shorts and underwear around his ankles. I yelled, Dallin what are you doing? He then told me... "Mom I told you I had to go poo poo, I have to have a big one for that, I only go potty in the little ones!" My son had to relocated to the handi capped stall so he could go poo.

This hat is really Dallins, but Abe is our snow ghost and had the greater need for the protection it offers.

Ok so the best story for last. For those of you who don't know... in the military we call our grocery stores, commissary. When Molly was about 2 weeks old I went to the commissary. While there i needed to buy new pads, since I just had a baby and was bleeding. I found the pad section but it seamed kind of weird to me. I didn't recognize any of the brands. I stood there for about 5 minutes before making my selection. It took so long because I had never heard of any of the brands before. I made my selection, went home and started using these new pads. They were huge and uncomfortable. I was very disappointed, but figured it was the commissary... what else could I expect. That night I joked with Dave several times that it felt like I was wearing a diaper. A couple of days later I was at a Kroger and wanted new pads because the ones I had sucked. I made my selection and walked to the end of the isle toward the check out. At the end of the isle I looked over and there were the same pads I had bought from the Commissary. They were indeed adult diapers. For over 2 days I had been wearing adult diapers. Sure that I was wrong... I went home and read the packaging.... yes, they are adult diapers. Why oh Why do things like this always happen to me?

Dallin loves to smile for me!

The other night at family home evening we were talking about tithing, so we had a bunch of coins on the table. All the sudden Abe yells Jesus Christ! He sounded just like a disrespectful trucker. Dave and I were both outraged! I saw that he was about to get a thumping from Dave. Then I saw what he was looking at. I yelled at Dave...."he's looking at a quarter!" Dave stopped... and we investigated. Abe was looking at the back of a Hawaii state quarter. Holy crap kids give you so many different emotions in such short amounts of time. We discussed that it looked like one of the Roman Soldiers... and once again.... we don't say that.

Abe is always being silly now days, I don't love it.

Kimi needed her picture taken here because "this is her fathers favorite!" The funny thing is, my Dad stops and reads every single one of things like this. She knows what she is talking about.

I love any picture of Dave with our children!

At this point in our waiting for Paula's cooking Dave is ready to go to Subway.

Alas, we waited a very long time to eat at the Lady and Son's... totally worth it!

She looks sooooo sweet in this outfit!

I love this picture of our little Molly Pop!

Birth Day.... This and That

2009-04-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

Belly pictures make me so happy. I'm never happy about having the belly, but I love everyones pregnancy pictures. Including my own. It amazes what the body is able to do. The last few weeks of pregnancy was really hard on me. There was a lot of acid reflux, I pulled my groin at 36 weeks and I cried out of discomfort several times.

At 36 weeks I was dilating and effaced. The Doctor told me that I could go into labor at any time. Getting this information was painful! The next 2 weeks were unbearable! I couldn't think about anything but getting the baby out of my body. In a perfect world I really wanted to have her on April 1st. But more then anything I just wanted her out of my body. Patience has never been one of my strong points.
About a week before our baby arrived Abe and Dave had a conversation about skin color. Dave explained to Abe that skin color is the same as eye color. It doesn't matter what color your eyes are, and it doesn't matter what color your skin is either. The next day Abe announces to us...."The baby will be born with White skin or Brown skin. It doesn't matter which one." Dave grinned really big and said "Son, your right." If the baby was born with Brown skin Dave and I would have a lot to talk about.
Molly Rebecca Peterson was born on April 1st 2009 at 9:02 pm. She arrived 2 weeks early. When I first met the Doctor her shook my belly and said I think she will weigh 7 pounds 14 ounces. As the Doctor was pulling her from my Yoo Hoo he started laughing and said "I was way off!" Molly weighed in at 8 pounds 15 ounces! Making her my largest baby. Molly has been my favorite name for the last 10 years. Every Molly I've ever met has been kind, funny and very enjoyable to be around. Rebecca is the name of my Brothers first wife. Becky was the most amazing woman I have ever met, and my best friend. She slowly died of cancer over the course of 4 years. She did this with strength and beauty. Always remaining close to Brian and the Lord. I miss her so very much. Hopefully our little girl will always strive to uphold the names she has been given.
We are so excited to have our little April Fools baby! Both Dave and I think an April Fools Birthday will always be fun. At least we plan on trying to always make it a fun day.

I went about my April 1st the same as any other day. The only difference was my desire to get the baby here. I said 3 separate long prayers begging the Lord to let me have an April Fools baby. At 2:55pm I had one painful contraction. I grabbed my vacuum and started vacuuming the whole house. I was determined to keep the contractions coming. We arrived at the hospital around 5 pm. From 5 pm to 6:30 pm I was very unhappy. But somewhere around 6:30 the wonderful drug doctor fixed me. I felt nothing. Just the way I like it.
I have been very unhappy with the Doctors this pregnancy. Military Doctors are super over worked. For the most part I've noticed this translates into a very impersonal relationship with your Doctor. I have hated this! I had two children on the economy, with real OB Doctors. This time I had a GP. The first Doctor they assigned me felt like talking to a tree and she left me sitting naked on the table for 45 minutes. I then asked to be reassigned. The second Doctor they gave me was better. But I still didn't love him.
This second Doctor they assigned me informed me that I could give my self my own strep B test. This was at my 36 week appointment. I said how about you just do it when you check me. So he gave me the test. The following week he checked on my results. They said pending. Basically he said that's weird. That was the end of it. We'll when I arrived at the hospital I was Strep B positive and I had no idea! (Dave is very forgiving of this slip up. I am not.)
I was only able to get one dose of antibiotics, 3 hours before the baby was born. You should get 2 doses 6 hours apart before delivery. Poor little Molly! Her white blood cell count was at 47,000. Normal is 5,000 to 20,000. Resulting in several more blood tests for our little new born. We also had to stay in the hospital an extra day. She is ok, but she gave us a fright.
I do not touch my slimy new born babies. (I don't fault other people who don't feel the same way I do.) I don't play with other things that fall from that region. So I don't touch my new born babies. I once read that a baby bonds with it's mother in the first 60 seconds of life. I believe this to be total bull crap. I have a great relationship with all my kids and I didn't hold any of them right away.
The Doctor who ended up delivering me was WONDERFUL! I had never met him before. He was great and renewed my belief in Military medicine. His last name is Raney The drug Doctor's last name was also Raney and their wives have the same name. They were a wonderful team!
So now that the baby has arrived I just figured she would weigh around 40 pounds. That I would leave the hospital and everything would be as it was before the pregnancy. I tried on some pants at Target the other day. They made it past my thighs and stopped dead at my huge butt. This did not make me happy.
I enjoy being a girl. This song has always been my theme. Lately however I've rethought this theme. For what ever reason I sweat like crazy at night, I bleed and I'm lactating all over the place. My enjoying being a girl has always rested on my hair being done and feeling great. I'm not sure I will ever feel attractive again.
After Abe met Molly he asked us if the Doctors cut her penis off.:) This is my same son who told my mom when he was 3 that she has a vagina. It's good to be informed... right?
Her umbilical cord makes Dallin very nervous. The second day they came to visit me in the hospital, Dallin asked me..."Mom is the baby dirty?" I said "No" he then said " Oh good because yesterday she was very dirty." All of this over the cord.

Easter Egg Hunt.

Dave is not stressed out, the sun was in his eyes.

This picture makes my heart so very happy. I love being a mom. It's way better then being a Hollywood movie star!;)

Everyone in their Easter clothes!

We are lucky enough to have Daves mom Roma with us for 11 days. My mom is on a mission so she couldn't come. I feel so lucky to have so much help. Roma is great!
Dallin is very worried that if he turns around of closes his eyes Grandma Pete will disappear. They love getting to spend time with her.

Savannah and my random mind

2009-03-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

This is the hotel Becky and I stayed in. It was one of the first Hotels in Savannah. It has been redone very nicely, but it's still an old building. It smelled like garlic. It was right on the water. It was fun to see the boats come and go on the river.

My Junior year of high school I became good church friends with a girl named Becky Willis. About half way through the year I started to realize she didn't really talk to me at school. A little, but it seemed like she went out of her way to not speak to me at school. Our second semester in Mr. Schmicks class we sat across from each other. Having realized she would be my buddy at church and not a school.... I started talking her ear off every day during class. One day she looked at me and said "Your never going to shut up are you?" I said "No, I'm not." (She didn't want to talk to me at school because her group of friends didn't like me.) Well pretty much since that day we have been very good friends. I talked her into moving to Provo with me and finishing beauty school at the Paul Mitchell school. She was my maid of honor at my wedding. And although we don't talk every day or even every week, she remains one of my closest friends.

Becky is not married. Which means she has the whole world at her feet. The awesome thing about that is... she is doing something with that power. For years she has been talking about going to Art school. Well earlier this year she applied at SCAD, one of the Nations finest Art Schools. It's located in Savannah Georgia. She got in. Not only did she get in but she was offered a scholarship. Not full ride, but a start and she is trying for some more scholarships that I'm sure she will get. (Her art work really is awesome.) So Becky needed to come and check out the school. I happen to be living 2.5 hours north of Savannah. She came out to visit me and we went down to Savannah. Between my friend Misty and David they took care of Kimi, Abe and Dallin. So we got to go alone! It was wonderful! The city of Savannah is just breathtaking! It's a total walking city and our first day there we probably covered 6 miles. 8 months pregnant this completely wiped me out. But we had such a good time. SCAD is an awesome school! They had so many wonderful programs. I am jealous of this next chapter of Becky's life. She is going to have an awesome time!
I love the old buildings in Savannah! This was one was on the same block as our hotel.

I have a couple of Abraham stories. Some times that boy is just so darn funny. The other day he announces to Dave and I that he is going to quit school. I told him that was fine, but he would need to get a job, because he cant just do nothing. I asked him what kind of job he was going to get to help earn money. First he said "oh I know, I'll make money running on the treadmill." I told him that wouldn't work. So then he said "Well then I'll do pull ups!" Once again I told him that wouldn't work. Exasperated he said "Then what will work!" Needless to say with a daddy in the Army and a mom that refuses to give in to fatness our children are being brain washed from a very young age about physical fitness. Sorry about that kids. Every family has their flaws.

We went to McDonalds drive thru the other day. I gave the lady my order. As I started to pull away from the speaker, Abe says to me "Mom, does that lady have a period?" Shocked I tried to keep my cool. After a few moments of trying to find the right words I ask Abe where he heard that. He said "Mrs. Pulaski....very long pause.....She said every sentence has a period at the end of it." I said yes she does have a period at the end of her sentence. I almost had a heart attack. Mrs. Pulaski is Abes kindergarten teacher.

Also the other day Abe says to me "Mom when I grow up and have a wife I'm gonna be your next door neighbor." I told him that was fine but his wife would have to be ok with it too. He said "Oh she's ok with it." I am so happy that my children seem to like Dave and I. We have no idea what we are doing, but we must be doing something right.
After eating at Paula Deens The Lady and Sons Becky and I hit the gift shop. Where her son Bobby just happen to be hanging out. It was fun to pose like we knew who he was. Which we really didn't we just figured he must be one of Paulas sons, because other people were falling over him.

My older brother Eldon is five years my senior. He is very calm in nature. I bet most people have never really seen him angry. There isn't much about me that is calm. I'm calming down as I get older, but it's certainly in my nature to be anything but calm. I remember several times as a kid or teenager, my parents would be gone, I was board in my room so my thoughts would drift to my brother Eldon. On the occasion that this would happen I would see only one option. I must go down stairs and say or do things confrontational enough to make Eldon turn red in the face and scream at me. It really was good sport if you had nothing else to do and your parents aren't home. I believe my success rate when I put my mind to it was 100%. I even got him to hit me once. (I milked that one for days.) Once I had succeeded in making my brother scream at me I would return to my room and revel in my accomplishment. Knowing I had just done something that few if any other people would ever be able to do.

You would think that this act would have some how damaged our relationship. But Eldon always got me back. I was a very emotional teenager. I was upset all the time. When Eldon could tell that I was really worked up he would sing very happy songs to me. This always drove me over the edge. There was nothing I hated more then the song Love at Home after a long fight with my mother. He usually choose to do this while driving me somewhere in the car. So I had no escape. To date Eldon is not only my brother, but one of my best friends. I love his wife and I love talking to him on a regular basis.

It turns out most families have some sort of relationship like that. With Kimi living with us I'm starting to see that some times I have a relationship like that with her. I try not to, but some times it just slips out. For example: The other day Kimi and I got hot dogs at Sams Club. As we were leaving Sam Club I set my hot dot on my cart. I hadn't gotten very far when it fell to the side of my cart. But it landed in the paper. Kimi then proceeded to tell me that I needed to watch my hot dog and put it in a better place. Annoyed that I had just dropped my hot dog, I told her thank you and to be quite. As we started making our way to the car, my hot dog rolled off my cart and onto the ground. Again landing perfectly on the paper it was wrapped in. However by now I'm super annoyed. Kimi then really started in about how I hadn't picked a good place for my hot dog and I needed to be more careful. This enraged me beyond words. I didn't yell at her. However I did tell her I didn't want to hear her speak for five minutes. I guess it doesn't really matter if you are "normal" or you have down syndrome. A sibling is a sibling.
This is Paula Deens Key Lime Pie. I am not ashamed to say that... I am a better person because I have eaten it. It was so very, very good! I have the recipe and intend to make it for the upcoming ward talent show.

If I die tomorrow I want my eulogy to say that my 5 year old and my 4 year old still take naps. And that I eradicated Kimi's toe fungus. As far as I can tell these are my greatest accomplishments and deserve due note. Kimi arrived at our house with toe nails that would scare the most seasoned podiatrist. They were thick, yellow and truly gross. She has been collecting this toe nail fungus for the last 6 years. I had my mom get some over the counter toe nail fungus fighter. At first it was so hard for me to put the stuff on her toes twice a day. But after a short time I started to revel in the challenge. I get to file them, cut them and continue to put that stuff on them. They in no way are perfect... but they look 100% better. I have made it my life's cause to do away with Kimi's toe nail fungus. I have taken up the cause the same way that one guy in Arizona has taken up the cause to get illegal aliens off his property and out of America. We both have Strong convection's.
I would love to go back to this beach when it's warm. When we were there it was pretty cold for the region. Becky is going to have a wonderful time living so close to the beach.

I am allergic to big book stores. I love them. They smell nice and I aways feel smarter just being in them. However, every time I step into Barns and Noble I have to poop. Every single time! Is there something in the air? I used to think it was only Barns and Noble that I'm allergic to, but the other day I went into Barns and Noble and Boarders in the same day. The same thing happened at both stores. I have never heard of this happening to anyone else. But I refuse to believe I am the only one this happens to. If large book stores have the same effect on you, please speak up. I hate feeling like a freak of nature.
Tybee island was way more beautiful then I thought it would be. The coast line was completely different then anything I've seen before. I really liked this walkway out to the ocean.

Dave had a big project due the other day. I know it was a big project because I knew it was taking place. Dave doesn't really talk about work much. After he presented his project he texted me and told me it had gone awesome! I was really happy for him. When he got home for lunch I asked him what kind of grade he had gotten. He told me he got 85 out of 100. I said that's not that good, what did you do wrong? Apparently in this perfect presentation he gave, he forgot to recognize the senior officer in the room and he played with his pointer thing. I love this about my husband! The Army is full of suck ups and people who think they are super special because of their rank. This is not my husband. He really isn't ever going to suck up. And if there is ever going to be something he will forget... it will defiantly be to recognize the senior officer. Dave gives respect when it is due and earned. In general he is respectful to everyone. But he never goes out of his way to rub elbows with big wigs. I remind him all the time that it's not what you know but who you know. This means nothing to Dave. He is not a kiss up now, nor will he ever be. Being in the Army this is rare and I love him even more for it!

Spanish moss hang from all the trees in Savannah. Apparently the original settlers of the area would stuff their pillows and what not with it. Then they would get eaten by the bugs... Hence, Don't let the bed bugs bite!

Friends play a major roll in my life. In Daves too, but more so my life then his. However having said that the two of us have a theory. If no man can serve two masters, can you really be dear friends with someone if you don't like their spouse? Example: David is my best friend. At the risk of sounding cheesy... he is my day and night, my whole world. With out him I am not whole. This being said, can I be really good friends with someone if their spouse doesn't really like Dave? The answer we have come up with is no. You can be causal friends, but true friendship will never be achieved.

As we look at our own life it seems to have rung true. All of the people I hold dear to me, all have husbands I am always happy to see and are always happy to see both David and I. They have husbands I am grateful for, because they take such good care of my friend. Even though I love the female half of the relationship more then the male, I recognize that with out the male half my friend would surly fall short. Because of this Dave and I have come to the conclusion that life long friendships can only be formed when there is love for all four parties involved.

I have no idea what I bring to the table in my friendships. I have wonderful friends who don't seem to be divorcing me. So I must bring something to the table. But just what that thing is I have no idea. I feel so fortunate in my life for my friends. I really believe that because of each one of them I am not only a better person but a more complete person as well.

I have met a new friend here in Georgia. Our husbands have yet to spend much time together. But all the tell tale signs are there for them liking each other and for us liking each others husbands. This delights me to no end. She is an amazing person. When I first got here I was pretty bummed about how long it took me to really meet people. Once I met Sarah, I felt a kindred spirit in her. Not only do we have a lot in common, but our friendship wont be ending in Georgia. We are both Army and both headed to Ft. Hood Texas. Even though I wont be there for a year. I love knowing that she will be there when I arrive. Sarah has five kids. The oldest is severally handicapped. Her only daughter has had cancer. All of these challenges she has handled in stride. She radiates the kind of spirit I can only hope to catch a piece of. I feel so blessed and lucky to once again have found such a wonderful person, who doesn't think I'm so bad either.
I have some of the worlds most wonderful friends. Some of my Army friends from Alaska knew I wouldn't be having a baby shower here in Georgia. So together they threw me a virtual baby shower! It's been lots of fun opening the gifts as they come in the mail. Every day is like Christmas! My friend Misty,(who was also in Alaska with me) came over and took some pictures of me and my new goodies. I really have been blessed with good Friends.

Good Friends, Awesome Family, Children who like me and a Husband I am lucky to know, let alone get to spend eternity with. My life is pretty darn good.

Youth in Asia

2009-02-09T13:44:00.000-08:00

Above is Abe and David bowling together. I love this picture! When we were bowling I couldn't find the right size ball. I bowled like 5 gutter balls before finally picking up Kimi's 8 pound ball. It fit perfect and the rest of the game went pretty well for me.

For the last year I have declared youth in Asia on our dog Scout. Many times I have tried to convince my family that we need to get rid of the naughty little Boxer. I have gotten no where with my argument. David, Abe and Dallin are going to make me pay for my dog mistake for the next 15 years. I work really hard at hating her. The problem is this.... she loves me back! No matter what I do, her love is unconditional. On Friday Dave and I just about came to blows over the dog. (again) I really wanted her gone. But on Sunday something happened that made me realize... this dog will love me through anything.

Bare with me, getting to my dog point has a scenic route.

My mom doesn't believe she hurts my feelings. She believes I can choose to have my feelings hurt. But she doesn't believe that she has ever hurt my feelings. Because... she didn't set out to hurt my feelings. Having said that, I think that's crap. She and other people have hurt my feelings on several different occasions. However this line of thought has been drilled into my head. My mom informing me that I can only choose to have my feelings hurt and my dad telling me to just get over things. This is the way I was raised. It is embedded in my soul

Having said that.... On Sunday one of my friends hurt my tender little feelings. ( I actually don't get my feelings hurt very often. ) Upon realizing the situation that had led to my hurt feelings, I began to cry. I stood up, walked to my bathroom, put down the toilet lid, took a seat and wept. That dumb dog realized what was going on as soon as I began to cry. She followed me to the bathroom and laid on the floor right outside the door until I came back out. She then followed me around right by my leg and kept looking up at me.

This stupid dog.... That I have been trying to euthanize or give away for over a year... totally cared that I was sad. No wonder people like their dogs so much. Dogs are the most faithful, comforting things on the face of the earth. Scout didn't care if I brought my hurt feelings on my self. And she didn't care that I "choose" to have my feelings hurt. All she cared about was trying to make me feel better. Dumb dog. Why does she have to be so good to our family?
Abe and Dallin loving each other at the Bowling ally. They love to bowl, and I love to watch them.

Last Christmas David bought me some PJ's. With these PJ's he gave me this pair of yellow poke a dot underwear. Upon receiving these underwear, I thought... oh that's nice... underwear. I was so wrong. These underwear came from Gap Body. They are heaven sent! Oh how comfortable these underwear are! They are perfect for working out in. The cotton blend is so soft and it wraps around my booty perfect! They make me so happy. As my booty expands with each month that my baby grows I find my self longing for more then one pair of these perfect underwear. ( Kimi and I work out every day, and they are perfect for just that.) So the other day I went back to Gap and bought some more underwear. I bought 3 pairs for 20 dollars. However, if you don't buy 3 pairs they are 15 dollars a piece! 15 dollars each! I just about died when I saw that. The problem is this... once you've had these amazing underwear... nothing else will do! Normally I'm not the kind of person who buys 15 dollar underwear, but there just so wonderful I would be a liar if I said I wouldn't be willing to pay twice that just to feel them lovingly wrap around my huge butt. That's the problem with the finer things in life. Once you have it... you can't go back.
Dallin would sit on the floor and watch his ball roll all the way down, every time he threw it. It was really cute.

We finally have orders for the next few years. We will be moving to Ft. Hood Texas. This is not Hawaii. At first I was very sad. But now I'm pretty excited to become a Texan. There is flaws in this new plan. The biggest flaw being... David will deploy again before the end of the summer. School gets out on May 22nd. May 22nd we will drive to Florida for 5 days and go to Disney World. (Right now military gets into Disney World for SUPER cheap.) We think it's important to do something fun with the boys before their dad is gone for yet another year of their life. After Disney World we will drive to Texas, drop off Kimi and the dog with my sister LeAnne... and then continue on down to Ft. Hood.

Dave will be deploying with in 8 weeks of our arrival in Texas. I can take a lot. But I don't feel like I can handle 2 little boys, 1 new born, 1 down syndrome sister and a naughty dog all by my self with no support. So we are headed back to Washington to crash at my parents with my sister Shelly. Our family goal is for Abraham to attend 3rd and 4th grade in the same place. Since it's not going to happen before then.
For those of you that don't know... My mom is/ was a very serious bowler. I like to think she has nothing on me!

Some times I think I'm a pretty good little Army wife. Please don't get me wrong I HATE being with out David. But as far as being cut out for the life style I do ok. Example: When I think of Dave being gone for a year I hardly ever think of the parts that suck. Most of the time I find my self very excited that I'll get to take the kids to Dave's parents for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break. This is a rare treat and something they will love. I think about how awesome it will be to be by my Washington friends and how sweet it will be to work out and shock Dave with a hot bod when he comes home on R&R. I really hardly ever think of the hard times. Mostly just the good. I feel like if you don't focus on the awesome parts, you'll drive your self nuts. And for everyone information.... Don't look at me with your sad little eyes and tell me how you don't know how I do it. I HATE it when people do that. Please understand that my husband is a soldier. This is a choice we made. Until the day that we unmake that choice he will remain a soldier. Soldiers have to go and do what is needed. This involves some families left behind. It's a fact of life. There is no way around it. America needs it's soldiers, Dave is one, this will involve deployments. Yes he might die. But so might everyone else. It's not a point I choose to spend any time on.
This is my cute little family. We love having Kimi with us. Speaking of such... I think I mentioned that Kimi gets me to the gym on a very regular basis. Well since she has moved in with us she has lost 14 pounds. I hope it's the gym and not stress.:)

I'm going to sound off the the whole Micheal Phelps situation. Here is what I've got to say.... Who is surprised? I'm not. College kids smoke pot. I personally don't think it should be against the law. I think it should be a 21 thing. I've been around drunk people and high people.... I'll take the high ones. The kid is not LDS, and full of fame. What else do people expect? Everyone has different reasons for not smoking pot. In high school I didn't because it didn't appeal to me. After high school, I had decided to be a good Mormon. Mormon boys don't smoke pot because if they do they wont get to serve their missions. But if your not LDS finding a reason not to is probably difficult. The law doesn't take Pot very seriously. So why should anyone else? Getting all fuzzy and eating snacks sounds pretty good some days. ( I'm not now or will I ever smoke pot.) I just think every one should dig their pantie out of there butt... teach their kids to watch them and other truly good roll models and get over it.
Kimi maintains this pose until her ball hits the pins. It's awesome!

Everyone is from some where. These places are very different from each other. Dave was raised in Orem Utah. Where the girls are blond, they have very tight body's, everyone is happy and everyone runs. I was raised in Benton City Washington. Where a tight body is something 15 year olds have, most people color their hair with a box off the grocery store shelf, and the cross country team runs every fall. We are from very different places. I often get teased about where I'm from, by Dave's brother. Back in 2002 I happen to wear a pair of cut of shorts and a tee shirt I had cut the selves off of one very, very hot Utah day. I did so because Dave had been playing outside volleyball for hours! I was baking and didn't have anything else to wear. With no hope of the game ending, I put on some thing I could catch some rays in... with out wearing a swimming suit. I have never lived this down. Ever since then my poor town has been under attack by one Tommy Peterson.

This story came to my mind the other day when I realized we we're out of oil. But we wanted to make some brownies. My solution? Well I just pulled the oil out of our deep fat fryer and used it. Now in my defense the oil had only been used once for donuts. However it did lead me to that ever faithful saying... you can take the girl out of the town, but you can't take the town out of the girl. I hated Benton City growing up. All I wanted to do was leave. I now realize that everything about that tiny Eastern Washington town is burned onto my soul. And I'm really ok with that. Who I am today, has much to do with my beginnings in Benton City Washington. And I wouldn't change a thing.
Abe and Dallin waiting for their cars to race.

Dave and I have a theory. One he agrees to! We think people from Utah are shiny. They just have this little glow about them. In addition to being shiny... When a person from Utah is about to tell you where they are from they get a certain look in their eye. I have come to identify this look. It's a look that makes you think they might be about to tell you their actually from Disney Land. But it always turns out to be Utah. Being from Washington, I didn't realize that most Mormons come from Utah. Did anyone see American Idol Salt Lake? Everyone was so happy! It was wonderful to watch. I would like to thank Utah Mormons for representing and making us all look good.
Abe and Dallins cars are in the middle. Dallins was blue with money stuck on it. Dave painted Abes pine block into a bus. It was awesome! Abe's bus was the slowest of the night. But he loved it! He still plays with it every day.

I know this blog is random. And I know it's not just about what my kids are doing. I'm sorry about that. My poor head is full of random things all day long. I have to have a sounding board to let it out. If you don't like it, don't read it.

Oh Kimi, and other things.

2009-01-18T18:39:00.001-08:00

There is a look on a persons face when you know they are glad to see you. It's a look that you only get from a friend. Someone who knows you and enjoys seeing your face. This look is taken for granted by way to many people. Even though it has been 3.5 years since we left Pullman, I still miss that look. Don't get me wrong, I got that look from people in Alaska. But never the way I got it in Pullman. There were people I never really hung out with during the week, but every Sunday I would see them and be greeted with that look. Pullman was kind of a cruel trick for Dave and I. Never again will we have friends the way we did in College. I long to be with those friends again. I miss them the same way I miss my family.

In Alaska I had several good friends. Most of them were military so we all moved on at about the same time. However my very best friend in Alaska stopped being my friend about 9 months before we departed Alaska. I still do not know why this happened. This has left a hole in me that has yet to heal. It left me feeling disposable and resulted in a lot of sad days on my part. Nothing Dave said or did has been able to compensate for the loss of that friendship.

Along comes Kimi Gale. Kimi is the great eraser. Before she got here I was so bummed about not having any friends in Georgia. I missed my Army friends, my Alaska friends and as always my Pullman friends. Kim has been here for a month. Words can not describe the impact she has had on me and my whole house. She just brings a beautiful spirit with her. A spirit I have been privy to all my life, but never really noticed until she arrived. I have gone from feeling very sorry for my self, to not caring that no one gives me that look. Who really cares if no one cares that I'm around? If I've made Kimis day, I'm happy. Making her day is not a difficult thing to do. For the next 18 months I'm sure my blog will have a lot about Kimi on it. She is such a major part of our life now it's not possible to exclude her from my writing. Dave and I both love having her in our home.

At church the other day Kimi had really bad breath. Well apparently my mom has taught Kimi not to chew gum. Or maybe she just doesn't like it. What ever the reason she didn't want to have anything to do with my gum. She kept telling me I could just give her a cert. I don't use certs. So finally I made Kimi chew this piece of gum. For 10 minutes she gave me the stink eye, while I tried to talk her into chewing the gum. Finally I figured she would have had to have it chewed. I let her spit it out. I am not kidding.... there was no more then 3 chews on that piece of gum. Also.... the same day I got a full lecture from Kimi about the cookies I just made. She kept on telling me they had too much sugar in them. (I know this is straight from my moms mouth to Kim's.) Finally Dave asked Kimi how come our cookies weren't ok, but her ice cream was fine? She replied by informing us that ice cream has milk in it and milk is good for you. It was a fight we couldn't win.

One more Kimi story and then I'll stop. I can't wait to see Kimi in heaven whole. I really hope she still likes me when she can see all my flaws. The other day I was in a bad mood. Dave called me grumpy and I called him a turd. He then grabbed my arm and pulled me into our food pantry, shut the door and then tried to hug and heckle the grumpy out of me. Upon leaving the pantry Dave was met with the wrath of Kimi. She was not happy that he had called me grumpy and grabbed me by the arm. She laid into Dave like I have never seen before. Apparently my dad has never openly called my mom grumpy. Dave got the wrath of nine hells on his head. And all out of protection of me. Yes I think Kimi will be a very good person to have on my side some day. Seeing he would not win, Dave said sorry and showed her a Jack Black video on you tube. All was forgiven. She really is easy to please.

Daves family shows love through teasing. I have learned this the hard way. I know that my father in law loves me. Of this I have no doubt. However he will push my buttons and tease me until I am on the verge of giving him the bird. Dave is the same way. Teasing is just a way to say I love you. Kimi and I however pretty much grew up in a tease free zone. We got it a little when we were young, but for the most part never got teased. Kimi and Dave are on an interesting path of discovery in the teasing department. It's a work in progress.

Ok I know I've mentioned before that little boys are perverts. It just never ends. The other night Abe and Dallin were taking a bath. After several minutes we were able to convince them to stop touching their dangles. From touching they moved on to watching them float in the water. This was amazing to both of them. But there was no touching. Upon exit of the bath tub Abe points his freshly clean behind at the back of his brothers head and says "Do you want to smell my clean bum, bum?" At this point both of them burst out laughing. I don't ever remember doing this to Kimi or any of my friends. Boys are so weird. I would love to think that they will out grow this. I have however been a wrestling manager for a high school wrestling team and I know my husband played Frisbee hoo ha smash in the MTC. Please tell me my boys are normal. They seem normal, but I would never do what they do!

So Tom Hanks has let me down. I have been a huge Tom Hanks fan for the last 20 years. He said that Mormons are unamerican and gripped about all the money the church gave to the Yes on prop 8. What a stupid thing to say. The church didn't give any money to Yes on prop 8! That is not the way they spend tithing. Members of our church yes, but the church... heck no! As for unamerican.... what a moron. He clearly knows nothing of our history. OHHHHHH, I'm so sad by his comments. I've always thought that we would be good friends when I got to Hollywood. I was wrong. How is it that the Mormons get all the credit for Prop 8 passing? Why do people think we have so much power? Prior to the vote I didn't see a single Yes on prop 8 rally on TV. They were all No on prop 8. 80 % of blacks voted yes on prop 8. And yet the mormons get 100% of the glory to it passing. Oh I hate that I can't stop watching the news!

The boys started Mixed Martial Arts. They love it. I know they are probably a little young for it. But they really wanted to do it and they are loving it! Abe and Dallin are both in really good schools. I'm pretty darn happy with our set up here in Georgia.

Dave's school is awesome. Most days of the week he is home by 4:15. I love it! I know it's short lived and that we will probably face another deployment soon. But for here and now we love it! Our house is awesome, Dave is home and the weather is pretty warm. Yes we have it really good right now.

At the beginning of January Scout (our dog) turned 3. Dave made her chicken and rice and we had a cake for her. She is such a spoiled dog!

A whole month of fun!

2009-01-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

Oh my we have had a big month! The month began with me finally locating the couches that I wanted. This was a very big deal. I found the perfect leather sectional! The only problem was.... it cost 8,000 dollars. After a day of pouting because I knew I couldn't have it I threw my self into stalking Craig's List. If I couldn't have my Bassett sectional new I would stop looking for new all together. One evening after checking Craig's List for the 200th time that day, a new ad had popped up. 500 Bucks for a leather couch, chair and ottoman. All purchased at Haverty's 3 years ago. The pictures were great! I e mailed them right away. First thing the next morning the sellers called me. I made arrangements to go take a look at the furniture. It was in a very nice neighborhood. As I walked to the door I noticed small home made confederate flag hanging in the window. When I got in the house I noticed a few other confederate flags. All very Americana style. So I took one look at the couches and bought them. They are in mint condition! The wife had the husband post them on Craig's list. He had never heard of Craig's list and he didn't think they would sell. So he listed them at 500 dollars. (They had five people waiting to see if I was going to buy them.) They have a truck and we don't. So they agree to help us move the couches. I run home and tell Dave all about the couches. I also mention to him that they have confederate flags hanging in their house. I said isn't that nice that they honor their heritage like that? Dave then said, "Honey I'm not going to argue with you about this.... those people are dirty racists. Anyone who still flys that flag believes the south should have won. And what did the South stand for?" I had no good response for what the South stood for. But I insisted they weren't racists. David told me I was wrong and left it at that. We went and got the couch's and brought them back to our neighborhood. We'll let me tell you a little about our neighborhood. We live in a very nice neighborhood. There are a lot of teenage kids in our neighborhood. It was Saturday and as we drove in most of them were out side enjoying the day. Our neighborhood has 139 houses. Of those 139 houses Dave and I are sure that 3 of them have white families living in them. As we round the corner to our house our teenage neighbor/ babysitter is out side with about 10 friends washing the car and listening to music. The music was a little loud, but not so loud that I could hear it in the house. It was fine.... it was 3 in the afternoon. So I'm all excited about the couches! Dave and the husband bring them in the house. As they are doing this the wife leans into me, looks up a little and totally under her breath says "so what do you think of your neighbors?" I could have died! Dave was right! They are dirty racists! I then started going on about how wonderful they are and how lucky we are to have them, and how the daughter baby sits the boys all the time. She then took a step back and said "oh well that's nice." I couldn't believe it! We now have 500 dollar, brown leather, racists couches in our house. By the way Dave thinks the husband is the leader of the KKK. He is tall as Dave, thin with a pot belly in the middle, blue jean pants pulled up above his belly button, white t shirt tucked in and..... a huge confederate flag belt buckle! Wow! That's all I've got to say about that.

So that was how our month began! On the 19th Kimi arrived. She will be living with us while my parents are serving their mission in Detroit Michigan. They will be on a 18 month CES mission. Teaching at UofM in Ann Arbor. Having Kimi here is great! My mom brought her here and was able to stay for about three days before heading back home. The boys loved her visit. Dallin keeps on asking me when grandma is coming back.

Dave and I both feel like having Kimi in our home is very much a blessing for our family. However, it does come with it's challenges...

Kimi and I are both the children of my parents old age. (My parents do read my blog, hope I don't get in too much trouble here.) I'm sure that when my parents were a little younger and had 4 kids under the age of 7 the moved a little faster. But in my life time everything has always gotten done in it's own time. This has caused strife in my marriage to Dave. If Daves mom (Roma) says lets go to a 4pm movie, at 3:30, everyone says great! They get ready, get out the door and make it in time to grab some popcorn before the movie. This would NEVER happen in the Gale house. We are a slow moving bunch. Kimi has adopted this same quality. This has been a bit of a challenge for this unstructured, fly by the seat of our pants family. After a couple of weeks of this Dave came to the conclusion that Kimi is like a bear who just woke up from hibernation.

The other challenge we have run into with Kimi is.... she doesn't really complain about anything. She will ignore you, she will mutter under her breath, she will lash out at something very little. But if something is really bothering her she doesn't say a word about it till it's too late. We are working on communication.

For example: Kimi and I go to the gym pretty much every day. The first time I took Kimi to the gym I kept a very close eye on her. She was on a treadmill in the back row and I was on the elliptical one row in front of her. After about 20 minutes I stopped looking back every 30 seconds. At about 28 minutes I glanced back to check on Kimi again. There she was.... walking on the treadmill.... with her shirt off!!!! Yes she did have a sports bra, but non the less, her shirt was off. There was no Hey Jodi I'm hot. She just took her shirt off in a military gym full of soldiers. I couldn't get my fat pregnant butt of the elliptical fast enough. Lucky for us there were probably no more then 40 people in our section and she was in the very back.

Christmas this year was great! It was so fun to spend the season with just my little family. On Christmas eve Dave made us a Mexican feast and we played games. It was really nice. They boys got just the right amount of gifts. Kimi was so fun to watch. We got her all the High School Musical bedding for her room. She loved it. She also got an I pod from my parents and I put all her music on it for her. She Loves her new I pod! Dave got a Blue Ray and the perfect Pull up. And I took the grand prize! Dave bought me a Canon Rebel! With all the extras! I could have died! I have loved photography for so long and been wanting a really super camera. Dave has grown sick of me not having a hobby. So he bought me the camera. At first I was going to return it to the store. But then I opened the box and couldn't part with it. I love it! Hopefully I'll get really good at photography.

For New Years Eve we went to Sea World in Orlando Florida. Military gets in for free, so we took advantage and rang in the new year in style. I was totally amazed at how smart those animals are. Kimi and Dave rode the big roller coaster and they both loved it! Then Dave, Abe, Dallin and Kimi rode the wet roller coaster. Thee of them loved it, but Dallin hated it! He got off and told me that he didn't have very much fun. There were fire works and noise makers at midnight. We really had a wonderful time.

The only draw back was our hotel! It was awful! I was in charge of finding a place to stay. It was dirty, the beds were tiny, it was run down and the AC was so loud it reminded me of being inside Grand Coolie Dam! Usually I am very good at finding nice places for very little. But this time I failed! The place we booked it from gave it 3.5 stars and compared it to the Double Tree. UMMMMM... not even close!

While in Orlando we went to breakfast at McDonald's. No big deal, but this McDonald's seemed really big from the out side. So we go in and holy cow it was huge! It was the worlds largest McDonald's! I ate eggs Benedict and David had waffles! Dave was not as impressed as I was. I was totally blown away! I took tons of pictures.

On our way back we stopped in Daytona Beach and let the boys play. It was 65 degrees and windy, but Abe didn't care. He hit the water like it was a hot day. Dallin mostly stayed on the shore and played in the sand. Abe is totally my child and Dallin is all Davids.

We had a great Holiday season and are so happy to have Kimi with us now. I'll try to blog more often so I don't end up so wordy.

Walmart, Pregnancy and Dog!

2008-12-03T06:19:00.000-08:00

I hate Walmart. I have always hated Walmart. No matter what I buy there, it's broken. I wanted to pick up some Christmas tree balls from Sam's Club, (a very poor substitute for Costco, but the best I can do in Augusta.) Anyway they were out of the ones I wanted. I only wanted to spend 30 dollars on the whole tree. So I headed over to good old Walmart. As Dallin and I got there he told me "Oh mom, I love Walmart! It's just great!" It was at this moment I knew I have completely failed as a parent! So I pick out my 30 dollars worth of Balls, buy them and go home. As we are putting up the Christmas tree about 20% of the balls I just bought are defective! They either don't come with tops or the tops have no hole in them. What the crap? I mean when I go to Walmart I'm not expecting a quality product, but this is ridicules! Same trip I happened to pick up some food... it expired two days before I actually bought it! I used to buy the little boys clothes there. That was until I realized that if the clothes I was buying didn't already have a tiny hole somewhere, they would have one after a wash or two. Averaging me anywhere from 3-10 dollars for my kids to wear the outfit once. There are no words for how I much loath this store. And yet I find my self there about once a month! What is my problem? Why can't I just leave it alone? It's the really low prices! I delude my self into thinking...this time I wont be wasting my money. I realize how much cheaper things are there, but isn't it worth spending 4 dollars at Target instead of 2 dollars at Walmart, if that item is not going to be thrown away shortly after it's first use?

What is with pregnancy? I was rinsing my mouth with mouth wash yesterday morning, when all of the sudden I realized I had pooped my pants. It was just a little bit, but it was a pooping of the pants. There was no other way to slice it. I've never been the cool kid. But I've also never been the kid that poops their pants!!!! Being pregnant I deal with the risk of wetting my pants on a daily basis. But this is a whole different ball game. I am not ok with it! I have grown used to feeling totally normal and with in a matter of moments sprinting to the bathroom, squeezing my keagles and praying that I wont wet my pants. This I accept as a part of pregnancy. But what happened yesterday has led me to some long thought out conclusions....

Eve really did get screwed for taking a bite of that fruit! I bet Adam was totally stoked when he realized he and all of his future man folk would get to "provide" for their families. I hear people call pregnancy a beautiful miracle. Most of these people are men. In my world beautiful miracles do not come with bad backs, stretch marks, Huge knockers, Acid reflex, Sleepless nights and adult acne. I also have heard people say "pregnancy glow." Well congrats to other women, but I have never glowed while pregnant. If there is any glowing it's because it just took me 2 minutes to climb a flight of stairs and I cant catch my breath because the baby has laid claim on my lungs and I can't breath anymore. Dave even admits I don't glow when pregnant. I do however break out like a fifteen year old boy. My sweet friend Dori told me to counter act this break out problem by putting coconut oil on my face. This had the opposite effect. I know have white heads in that hard to reach place on the side of my nose.

Honestly pregnancy does amaze me. Everything has to be perfect for a child to be conceived. And everything has to stay perfect for that baby to survive. Every child is amazing. However I don't think the process is beautiful. Dave goes to work every day, where he learns something new and interacts with people who take him seriously. I however stay home and consider the day a victory if I only wet my pants once.

Oh the dog! I don't know if I have much else to say about the stupid dog. She is the perfect for the boys and a really good family dog. However she hates me. She has no respect for me! Yesterday she took off and wouldn't let me catch her. Dave had to come home from school and get her. She came right to her. I used to not understand how people could just leave their dogs. Now I realize they had it coming. I will no longer judge the parents of an abandoned dog.

Well that's it for now.

Testing

2008-11-29T17:01:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2008. This whole post is just me trying to figure out things in the blog world. I'll post more and better later.

This is Abe (batman) and Dallin (Buzz Lightyear) this year at our friend Misty's house for Halloween. Dallin did have awesome wings, but the poped 30 seconds after we put them on his back. They were really cool too. Abe has worn his batman hat/ cape almost every day since Halloween.

Normal America

2008-10-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

So we have finally moved! No the house did not sell. The house is beautiful and the lot sucks. What can you do? We are going to lease it out for a few years, and then we'll try again.

So to get to "Normal America." (Also known as the continental US.) We took a Ferry from Haines Alaska to Bellingham Washington. This took 3.5 days. It was a really cool experience. While driving through Canada to get to Haines we found a Grizzley bear! It was super cool! At first I didn't think it was a Grizzly. But then later that day we saw some Black Bears, and I realized for sure it was a Grizzly. Anyway we found this Grizzley in the middle of the road. So we stooped the car and fed it some beef jerky. We took video of all this, if I can figure out how to work this dang blog I'll post it. Later that day, upon arriving in Haines we found two black bears. One of them was eating a salmon and the other one was taking a swim in the river, surrounded by about 9 fisherman. All of the fisherman were waste deep in the water and weren't bothered by the bears at all. Alaska is such a strange place. There was a ton of camp sites around this river that had the two black bears. Dave and I agreed that there is no way we would camp there in anything less then a full sized Whinnie.

So the Ferry was pretty darn neat. The only thing that made it a little ho hum.... is that we have been living in Alaska for the last 3 years. So we are already well aware that Alaska is beautiful. Most people would have been blown away. The route the Ferry takes is the same route that the Cruise ships take. So it really is pretty. But we have been so spoiled by beauty for the last 3 years we spent most of our time in our stateroom. I thought our stateroom was great! It was way bigger then I was expecting. It had 4 bunks, a shower, a toilet, a sink, a closet and a pretty spacious sitting area. The boys had a wonderful time playing all day and Dave and I really enjoyed the 3 days of just reading.

On the last full day of our trip we went into open water for about 90 minutes. Abe woke up and snuggled Dave during this time. The boat was going through about 5 foot swells. No big deal, but still you should stay down if you can. We'll Abe wanted to see out side. After about 3 minutes of looking out the window he starts screaming. Then he started throwing up. It was so funny! 5 foot swells and my little Abe turned real green and lost it. After that he threw up again and then just layed down until it was over. However Dallin was completely unaffected..... For awhile. He was fine sitting there playing his little game boy and telling Abe that he was not sea sick. Then all the sudden he runs over to me and yells "I threw up on my game boy, my pj's and the chair!" Sure enough he had. Once again all of this is in 5 foot swells. It was really funny. After that we just all went back to sleep.

Once off the ferry we got to go and see Benj and Connie Beus! That was so fun! I have seen Benj and Connie every year since we left, but Dave had not seen them for 3.5 years. It was so fun to spend the night with them. They have a little baby girl named Grace, Dave fell totally in love! He held her (this is not normal behavior) and played with her. And when we left Saturday morning he told her he needs a baby her flavor in a few months. Dave really wants a girl. We didn't really do anything with Benj and Connie, we pretty much just enjoyed each other. The kids played and we caught up and watched Iron man. It was perfect!

Now we are at my parents house for a few days. If anything else exciting happens on our way to Georgia I'll try and remember to post again!

Fine Wendy.... you win!

2008-09-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

Ok so my very good friend Wendy Beus reminded me today that I never up date my blog. I figured this would happen and is the exact reason why I resisted setting up a blog for so long.

So A LOT has been going on in our family. After 18 months of very hard training on Davids part he went to SFAS in July. (This is the selection course for Special Forces.) He made it through the whole course and did very well. He knew going into the selection room that he would be selected. However he was not selected for Special Forces. They do not give reasons why they select or do not select a soldier. This was the single biggest blow our family has ever faced. And one that the sting has yet to go out of. This also threw our family into a contingency plan we never dreamed we would have to use. We will now move to Ft. Gordon Georgia just outside of Augusta Georgia. For six months David will retrain to become a Signal Officer for the Army. (Please don't ask me what this is, all I know is that it involves computers.) Dave has never wanted to fix computers for the Army, but this will set him up for a normal job when we get out of the Army three years from now.

All of this happening has left us with about 60 days to sell our house. Our house is beautiful, we love our house. But it's on a funky lot. So it needs about 6 months to sell. We move in a week and 2 days and still no one has bought our house. Needless to say this makes me a total stressed out basket case and Dave is still calm, cool and collected about our current situation. He is sure we will get an offer in the next week. I sure hope he is right. Renting sucks and you never want to leave a house empty in Alaska through the winter. So we really have no choice but to rent it out.

For six months this year Dave and I tried to get pregnant. We got pregnant with the boys so quickly, not getting pregnant at will was a total shock to me. So the plan was to try till July and then stop trying until next year. So July came and I was not pregnant. I was bummed, but by the end of July I had totally moved on and was very excited about not being pregnant. We had nothing to worry about because Dave was gone most of July. Getting pregnant in July was not even possible. So Dave comes home late in the month of July.... sure enough impossible or not early August we find out we are expecting. Stinky Pete number 3 will arrive in April.

I am very excited to be pregnant. This is exactly what I wanted. However, we are going to be 80 miles away from a 6 flags when were in Georgia. This was very exciting to me. I love roller coasters and have always longed to live near a 6 flags. As crazy and selfish as it sounds my first reaction to realizing I'm pregnant was to mourn the loss of my beloved 6 flags. I didn't want to tell anyone about the baby. But after 2 days of sulking over 6 flags, Dave made me call my friends and tell them. He said I would Cheer up until someone other then him was excited. He was right. We can hardly wait for our little floppy, spit up encrusted little person to get here! However.... Holy crap! There not kidding when they say the body remembers! All my clothes still fit as they should. But I can't wear my shirts. As soon as my body registered that I was pregnant my gut shut right out! It's not cute!

We live in Alaska. There is a lot of wild life in Alaska. Abe loves animals. There is a beaver pond not far from our house. One day while we were driving in the car Abe says to Dave.... "Dad, why do you love to pet beavers so much?" This comment from our son has brought Dave and I hours of satisfaction! What a random question. Only as a grown boy will he understand just how that Innocent question was so stinking funny!

All of my transaction at work are closed out. I have loved being a Realtor! I have learned so much over the last year. I'm sure once all our babies are here I will return to the industry again. But it will be nice to just stay home again.

I'll blog again if the house sells in the next 9 days. If it doesn't I'll blog again when we get to Georgia.

My little perverts!

2008-05-19T23:14:00.000-07:00

Let me first begin by saying I love men! I always have, I always will. I have a wonderful father, wonderful brothers and a wonderful husband! All my best friends growing up were always guys! My favorite teachers were always guys! Each one of my girlfriends from Pullman is married to a really good man. (except Andrew of course) Most of the Army men I know are awesome. However, having said that guys are universally perverts. I have often found my self wondering why is it that guys are perverts? Well I now have two little boys. I am fast learning that boys come hard wired to be perverts!

The other day I was talking on the phone when I walked out to my back deck. As I looked down from the deck I was on, to the deck below me I saw my little boys. Both of which were laughing their little heads off. As I looked down I realized my oldest son Abraham had his pants down, hips out and was peeing off the back deck on to the ground. Both he and his younger brother Dallin thought this was a total hoot! The dog then started licking and sniffing the fresh little boy pee that was on the ground.

Today as we drove around Anchorage I took some time to listen to the conversations going on in the back seat. I heard Abe explaining to Dallin how much fun it is to pee into the dirt and make mud. They both began to laugh at this fond memory.

Tonight when we got home from our errands, it was time for bed. The little boys came in the bathroom and began the nightly routine. All of the sudden Dallin was head back, belly laughing! After a little bit I finally understand what was so funny. Dallin has a brown monkey beanie baby. He had this monkey's little mouth on his little penis and was laughing about how the monkey was going to drink the water. This is not something Dave or I taught him! This is an outrage to both of us!

Dave and I explained that kind of behavior is not ok! But non the less.... the moral of the story is this.... Boys come hard wired to be perverts! It's nothing in their upbringing, they are just perverts. But perverts or not, I still love them.

Trials of the muffin tops

2008-05-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

I am pretty sure no one cares how fat I feel. However I if I'm going to blog, it's going to be a real representation of my thoughts and feeling.

What the heck? Why can't I stop eating? I was doing just fine, working out and eating sort of reasonable. Then for some reason I fell off the wagon. I went from running around 25 miles a week, to thinking about running 5 miles a week. Only to make up for the lack of exercise I have decided to up my caloric intake by eating any sweets that pass with in 100 feet of me! At first this didn't seem to affect me, however I woke up this week and my butt had grown, A LOT! I keep thinking my box of fat clothes doesn't look so fat any more. Am I the only person who does this to them self? I love peanut M&M's! Some how in my head I have decided that the peanuts in the M&M's makes them ok to consume in mass amounts.

The solution? The only solution I can think of is to once again join good old weight watchers. This company has taken a lot of my money over the last 18 months. However I am very motivated by standing in front of that tiny women who has lost like 150 pounds and looks like a bird. I never stay for the meetings, I pay the money so I can stand in front of the bird women each week and get weighed.

I am also going to have to go back to the gym! Let me tell you about the only gym in Eagle River Alaska. It's 60 bucks a month for a basic one person membership. It is an additional 6 bucks a day to put my kids in the child care program. Adding up to usually around 160 bucks a month on the gym. It is the smallest and the dirtiest gym I've ever been in! I hate it! Everything about it! But when I went I was the size I wanted to be and loved to go clothes shopping. Now if some one tried to get me to go shopping I would give them a very nasty look and then politely decline. I am not happy with my body.

So how did this happen? Well first we went on vacation, that never helps. But I did ok coming out of that. Then I was running so dang much that I really could eat what ever I wanted and not gain weight. Then I started to break my no eating at work rule. Then I stopped running and started really eating at work. I've got to stop eating at work. I've really only gained 10 pounds from my smallest, but it feels like 30.

Solution? Dave has to leave again! No not really. But when he is gone I'm like a machine. I have complete control over what I eat and I work out two hours a day and don't even think it's a big deal! But when he is home I just have this need to eat what ever I want. Hopefully I'll pull it together soon. I have to pull it together soon. I'm really not happy with my self.

On a better note, my son Abraham turns 5 tomorrow! How crazy is that? Who said it would be ok for me to have a 5 year old? The crazy part about Abe being 5 is that he has no idea I have no business being his mother. I just keep waiting for the day when some government agency will show up at my door and tell me the experiment is over and take him away. This of course would would make very sad, but I've been expecting it for years.

I love Dave. I say this about 100 times a day. Lately I've been taking my self loathing out on him. The other day I tried to talk him into leaving me. I'm sure glad he didn't take me up on it. I really got lucky when I snagged that guy.

I give in!

2008-05-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

I have been whole heartedly against blogging! But I miss my friends from Pullman so much that I am finally giving in. I really enjoy looking at their blogs, so I will make one of my own.

Dave and I live in Eagle River Alaska with our two sons and a naughty dog. Our oldest son turns 5 very soon and his name is Abraham. Our younger son is 3 his name is Dallin and he turns 4 in July. Our dogs name is Scout. She is the prettiest boxer I've ever seen. However she is very sneaky! Most days I hope she gets eaten by a bear. If a bear would just eat her it wouldn't be my fault and she would stop shedding in my house. It's natural selection baby! Every time she gets out of the house she runs away from us. She thinks it's a fun game, only it's not fun. She is FAST, neither Dave or I can catch her. Anyway every time she breaks out of the house I yell at her to go get eaten by a bear. I always thought I was a dog person... I was wrong.

Having said all that about the stupid dog.... the boys adore her! They play all day long with her and Dave loves her as well. I like her and all I just can't wait till she is really old and has hip dysplasia. Maybe then she will stop getting on my couch when I'm not home.

Abe is such a sweet little boy. He really is one of the most caring and sweet children I've ever come in contact with. He deeply cares about everyone he knows. I am so pleased with the little man that he is.

Dallin started this life as the spawn of the devil. But now has developed into a very pleasant child. All of our family that knew him as a baby is now very impressed with who he is now. He loves trains, mainly that creepy little Thomas. What is it with that train? Why do kids like him so much? Did you know Alac Baldwin is the narrator for all those Thomas shows? What a sell out.

David is so wonderful! He is still plugging along in the Army. He will be trying out for Special Forces some time soon. I am so proud of him. When I married David I thought I was getting a pretty good deal. It turns out I got a GREAT deal. He is my rock, he is so much stronger then me. If I would just follow the example David sets I would be a much better person then I am. I am so lucky to even know David, let alone be his wife.

I work at Prudential Jack White Vista Real Estate in Eagle River Alaska. Real Estate is the perfect job for me. I love people and I love houses! I get to work with people and help them into houses! I wish I would have thought of this years ago. I really do love my job. My office is awesome! Real Estate is a dog eat dog industry, but it doesn't feel like it in my office. Everyone is super supportive of me and in general everyone gets along really well. I love my job.

Well that's enough for one day. I'll try to figure out how to post pictures now. I know thats what people really want to see.