Holiday Celebrations

Amy playing in the snow last week

Nebo Chorale with the Nebo Philharmonic
(Where's Waldo, anyone?)

Amy's class went on a field trip to the BYU Museum and Peoples and Cultures last week, and mom and Kara got to go along. They listened to Christmas stories from Mexico and Italy, learned about kachinas and Fourmile Ruin in Arizona, and got to make their clay pots. The girls had a ball!

Kara was so excited to go Christmas shopping for her sister. She picked out a Beanie Baby skunk, Disney Princess bubble bath, a candy cane and Skittles. She can't wait to give it to Amy!

Joy and Brenda will be celebrating their 11th anniversary on Friday! Anyone have any movies to recommend?


QOSROIT: Who is the hardest person for you to buy for at Christmas time, and why?


Happy National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Where a Kid Can Be a Kid

Amy's choice for her birthday party this year:
Chuck E Cheese with a couple of friends
and bubble gum suckers

Kara playing the spider game

Amy decided on her own to memorize the Articles of Faith. She has been writing them over and over in a journal she got for her baptism and asking Mom and Dad to test her.

Kara is really enjoying her dance class, and she is always dancing at home. It seems to be a great place to channel her boundless energy.

Brenda's Christmas choir concert is on Tuesday. It's been a bit crazy trying to get prepared for it, but she is so excited! It seems to get better and better every year. Another local choir was recently invited to preform at Carnegie Hall in 2011, so she is hoping that will be a goal for the Nebo Chorale as well.

Joy made an appointment for the tub surround and vanity top to be done in the basement this Thursday. After that, we'll put the toilet in, and that room will be done.


QOSROIT: What is your favorite arcade game?


Happy National Cotton Candy Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Not a Baby Anymore

Happy birthday to our sweet girl!

And what better way to celebrate your birthday
than by strangling your little sister?

In one of Amy's prayers after she had been sick with a high fever, she said, "Please bless that I won't have a hot head."

Last week when Kara opened the fridge to put something away, a loaf of bread fell out in front of her. She put on her serious face and said, "Whoa! I didn't see that coming!"

Joy has done all of the measuring and marking for all of the closet & storage room shelves that he will be building. He has also ordered a cabinet for the bathroom and is looking for someone to come put in the toilet and the sink.

Brenda is taking the week off (well...aside from laundry, dishes, feeding, bathing, grocery shopping and running the kids all over town), so don't ask her to do any sewing or baking until next Monday.


QOSROIT: What is your favorite kind of cake?


Happy National Pizza with the Works Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Dressed in White

Amy & Dad in their baptism clothes

All dressed up...Aunt Jo
did a great job on Amy's hair!

Amy turned 8 years old on Friday and was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday.

Joy baptized her and gave her a beautiful blessing with her confirmation.

Kara was so cute helping her big sister get changed into her white dress after the baptism. She is really excited to get baptized herself...in 3 years.

Brenda played the piano and, of course, bawled through most of the service. Another reminder of how fast our baby girl is growing up.


QOSROIT: If you have been baptized, what do you remember most clearly about that day?


Love,
The Petersons

We Are the Champions!

Amy in action

One of the precious moments of parenthood:
Amy fell asleep reading Fablehaven.

Amy had her last after-school soccer session on Tuesday. At the end the coaches gave out a few special awards. Amy got the Girls' Olympian award for working hard and being an all-around good athlete.

Kara is cruising through the BOB books she got for her birthday.

Brenda is now officially a UVU music major. She won't start classes until next fall but is working on getting an appointment with an academic advisor to find out what classes she needs to take and what her BYU credits will cover.

Joy and his brother finished painting the basement last weekend. We will take pictures as soon as there is light down there again. Thanks again, Jens!!


QOSROIT: What is your latest, greatest achievement?


Felicitous Diurnal Course of the Lexicon!
Love,
The Petersons

Making More Progress

Kara loved her birthday balloons so much,
she had to have them with her in bed.

It's getting cold in the mornings here.

Kara may actually have been right about having grown overnight. She just moved up another clothing size this week.

Amy is becoming a voracious reader. She spent most of the weekend with her nose in the books she got from this month's book order and is really enjoying Island of the Blue Dolphins.

The basement painting is well underway now. Joy and his brother have cleaned everything, done all the taping

Brenda got quite a bit of sewing done this weekend but still has a lot to do before the end of the month.


QOSROIT: What are you reading right now?


Happy Saint Edward the Confessor Feast Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Happy, Happy Birthday, Kara Dear!

Happy birthday, Princess!

The theme of the friend party was
"If You Give a Cat a Cupcake."

Kara turned five this week, and she is convinced that she is suddenly taller than all her friends because of it.

Amy got so excited about picking out a present to give to her sister. She chose a Disney princess doll, Hello Kitty stickers and a pack of strawberry gum. Does she know Kara or what? Of course, the birthday girl loved them!

Joy made special pancakes with faces made out of chocolate chips, whipped cream and marachino cherries. The girls were thrilled.

Brenda still can't believe that her baby is five. How much longer do we have before we can't call her Bubby anymore?


QOSROIT: What was your nickname when you were a kid?


Also happy birthday to Gandhi, Charlie Brown and Snoopy!
Love,
The Petersons

Take a Hike

When we hiked to Stewart Falls
over the weekend, Kara took the lead
pretty much all the way.

Fuzzy caterpillar we found at the head of the trail.
Kara touched it, but Amy wouldn't go near it.

According to Joy, our kids in the remnants of a rock slide are like other people's kids in a candy store.

Amy was also fascinated by the avalanche evidence we saw.

Kara is taking a dance class this year instead of gymnastics. Her teacher says that she's a very good listener.

Brenda made a sheet cake and 36 cupcakes last week, the former for a ward party and the latter for Kara's birthday.


QOSROIT: If you could have any meal and dessert you wanted for your next birthday (money is no object), what would it be?


Happy Poisoned Blackberries Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Avast, Me Hearties!

Amy be wearin' the T-shirt she made
for dress-down days at school

Kara be volunteerin' to do the dishes fer Mom.

T'other day Kara be sayin', "After I learn more word families, I'll become a smarty pants!"

In one of 'er prayers last week Amy be askin Heavenly Father t' "please help me stop talking." Even though we be knowin' she meant "stop coughing," Cap'n Mom could no stop laughing.

Brenda be singin' wi' th'Nebo Chorale again. Another thing she be lovin' about this fair season: we be rehearsin' musick fer Christmas.

Joy be workin' this week on baseboards belowdecks. He has the two bunk rooms mostly finished and the rec room half finished. While he be doin' that, 'is wife be counter-sinkin' finish nails and fillin' holes in the door frames and trim.


QOSROIT: What be yer fav'rite pirate movie and why?


Yaaarrr! Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day, Mateys!
Fair winds,
The Petersons

New Horizons

Can you tell Taz was excited to be the subject
of Brenda's macro photography practice?

Kara made a mess at a neighbor's house,
and when Mom asked her to draw a picture
to say she was sorry, this is what she came up with.
She sounded out the words on her own.

Joy got a letter in the mail last week that was addressed to "Joyce Peterson." That's a new one, even for him. It's safe to say that Farmers' Insurance won't be getting our business.

Amy is learning to write in cursive in school.

Brenda is now officially the Box Tops for Education coordinator for ALA Elementary. It involves organizing other parent volunteers to collect, count and send in General Mills box tops and items from other school fundraising programs. She'll also be in charge of making parents aware of the programs and creating class incentives.

Dad rolled over in bed and opened his eyes Sunday morning to be greeted by a big, happy Kara grin. What could be a better way to start the day?


QOSROIT: When people get your name wrong, what do they call you?


Interesting stuff:
-Just when you thought it was safe to leave Idaho...


Happy Labor Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Settling In

Kara with her "boyfriend" Keaten

Dad, girls and neighbor kids with the finished rocket

Mom asked Kara one day why she's so full of silliness. Her response was, "Because Daddy is."

Amy is doing well in school already. Two weeks in, she has already learned multiplication tables up to 12, and she remembers at least half of them. She's also been learning about classification animals (MR. FAB = mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, birds) and listening to a story about Princess Goldenhair in an enchanted forest.

Joy has been very busy at work, and this week will be going in at 6:30 a.m., instead of the usual 9 a.m., so he and some others can work with guys from the UK office. We'll see if that means he can actually come home earlier too.

Brenda is getting adjusted to the new routine. Kindergarten and laundry are all settled. She is now on a quest to declutter/clean/reorganize every drawer, shelf, appliance and piece of furniture in the house. It will take about 4 months if she does one each day.


QOSROIT: What is the most neglected part of your house?


Happy Frankenstein Day! (Seriously??)
Love,
The Petersons

Just Gorgeous

Not bad for our first attempt at photographing lightning

Kara's swell new hair

Amy is excited to meet her 3rd grade teacher. We've heard wonderful things about her.

Kara is chomping at the bit to start our at-home "kindergarten."

Joy has been working on door frames and trim in the basement, learning lots of interesting things (e.g. how to slice your finger open with a utility knife).

Brenda finally figured out why it's so hard to find clothes that fit for Amy. It's her hips! They require a larger size that is both too big for her waist and too long for her legs. Thank goodness for adjustable waists and sewing skills.


Interesting stuff:
-Can't believe some people
-State trooper with a sense of humor


QOSROIT: What is something that you have a hard time keeping up with?


Happy National Relaxation Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Very Interesting...

Amy and Rora playing on the computer

Amy at Bridal Veil Falls

Amy says she loves the first day of school and the last day of school. Not sure how she feels about the rest of them.

Joy has been mounting doors and building window sills. He is estimating that the basement will be completely finished by the end of September.

Mom and Kara started "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" together. It seems so intuitive to her.

Brenda had a fabulous week at the BYU Choral Academy. It left her feeling rather incompetent, but also gave her new motivation and insight that she was able to use right away in choir practice (also known as new ways to torture ward choir members ).


Interesting stuff:

-You're only 7 years old? Don't worry. Driving is easy!


QOSROIT: What were your favorite and least favorite parts of school when you were growing up?


Happy National Fresh Breath Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Making Progress

Look! We have walls!

One of our summer family activities
has been building a model rocket.

Amy taught our Family Home Evening lesson this week. She taught us that even though we're all different, but Jesus loves everyone. She made up a game where we were supposed to find the differences in pictures of LDS temples. They all look different, but they are all the House of the Lord. We were amazed at the cleverness of the analogy, which she came up with all on her own.

Kara's imagination is just astounding. She built her very own laptop computer (just like Dad's) out of a piece of paper she folded in half and the Adventure Holder toy from Subway as a mouse.

Brenda was surprised to find that her husband had installed a ceiling fan in the master bedroom while she was gone this weekend.

Joy was amused the other day when a cashier at Good Earth told him he looks like Will Smith. She actually meant to say Will Ferrell, which actually makes only a little more sense.


Interesting stuff:

-A raindrop's journey (Brenda finds this fascinating and wonders why it never occurred to anyone before now.)


QOSROIT: What is one scientific discovery discipline that fascinates you?


Happy Too Hot To Handle Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Wide Eyes

The best of this year's fireworks photos

The girls enjoying the Balloon Festival

We were talking one night about the fact that we bought the land our house is on, and Kara asked, "How did they get that in a store??"

Amy was so proud of herself for saving her allowance for something she really wanted that she said, "I'm so pleased!"

Joy's work phone has been dying, so the company got him a new toy: and iPhone. We are paying for the actual phone, and the company is paying for the cell/data plan.

Brenda is again carless and might be for a while. The van died again Monday on the way to swimming lessons, and it is now sitting at Brent Brown in Provo. Apparently, Barber Brothers (here in town) is no longer covered to do warranty work on Chrysler models. Now Brent Brown has to order the same part that takes forever to get.


QOSROIT: Feel free to vent: what is frustrating you right now?


Happy Be a Geek Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Life of Leisure

While Brenda's Aunt LaRetta was visiting
from Ohio, we hiked to the Grotto.

Our reward at the end of the hike

One morning when Kara got up and Dad asked her how she had slept, her reply was, "Not very well. My animals kept talking, trying to decide what to do today."

Amy is becoming quite adept at using Mom's iPod Touch to play games. Her favorite at the moment is California Gold Rush.

Joy is back to playing with Plex (computer-based home entertainment system) now that he has a cable to connect his laptop with our TV. We've started watching episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer via Hulu.

Brenda is having a very low energy week. We're not sure why, but we're hypothesizing that it has something to do with being out in the heat taking the girls to swimming lessons.


QOSROIT: Does anyone know what could be done to a shirt that got bleach on it to make it wearable again?


Happy Donald Duck Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Family Time

Amy helping Aunt Jo play cards

Joy with his 8 ball Father's Day cake

Kara has informed us that she prefers to have her head at one particular end of the bunk bed, because "Sometimes I get a little crazy and bump my head on the ladder."

Amy is enjoying gymnastics just as much as her little sister does and is doing really well after only 3 classes.

Brenda is now the owner of a Yamaha E-70U organ. It's not ideal, but it's sufficient and it was free!

Joy has a lot going on at work this week.


QOSROIT: Do you like to play cards? What's your favorite game?


Happy Meteor Day!
Love,
The Petersons

Deep Thoughts

The girls posing in front of
their favorite ride at Summerfest

Kara wore herself out running around outside.

Mom taught a Family Home Evening lesson last week on freedom to choose and consequences of the choices we make. Amy inadvertently reinforced that lesson when she chose to throw a tantrum about the kind of pudding she got for dessert and, thus, got no pudding at all. Later she was calling herself stupid and saying she hated herself. It was the perfect opportunity to teach her how much the Lord loves her in spite of the wrong choices she might make and how to learn from her mistakes.

When Dad was testing his wiring for the downstairs doorbell, Kara piped up with, "There sure are a lot of ding dongs in here!"

Joy has finished all the electrical in the basement and got the plumber out this week. We now have a bathtub and rough-ins for the toilet and sink down there. Next step: city inspection.

Brenda cut off and serged 10 pairs of the girls' long pants to get a little extra life out of them.


QOSROIT: What is one choice you have made that you will never regret?


Happy Icelandic National Day!
Love,
The Petersons

A Hike to Fifth Water Hot Springs

This was our family activity this past weekend:

Amy's favorite part of the hike was collecting rocks
and throwing them in the stream.

The girls posing in front of the lower pools
and a waterfall in the background

Before we left home, Kara declared, "Today is a perfect day for a pink hat!"

Joy only intended for us to hike part of the way in, but we all wanted to keep going. We made it to the lower pools and got to see a waterfall.

Given Amy's fascination with the rocks, we wonder if she might be a geologist when she grows up. Or maybe a professional softball player.

Remember how Brenda is deathly afraid of narrow mountain roads? Well, being on foot and trying to keep offspring as far away from the edge as possible doesn't make that any better. It was worth it, though. Beautiful scenery, great weather and happy children!


Interesting stuff:

-Stem cell contacts


QOSROIT: What is your favorite outdoor activity?


Love,
The Petersons

Check it Out!

We have actual strawberries growing in the garden!

Amy & Dad made a giant paper airplane together.

Mom took Amy shopping Monday to pick out white fabric for her baptism dress. As soon as she saw it, she knew exactly what she wanted: satin with a bridal lace overdress. This is the pattern we'll be using.

Even though Amy's baptism is still 5 or 6 months away, Brenda figured she'd better give herself plenty of time to get the dress made, given her procrastination track record.

Last weekend Joy started working on the low-voltage wiring in the basement, which includes cable, telephone, internet and satellite hookups.

Kara got "Tia the Tulip Fairy" at the library this week, but Amy thought she called it "Tia the Screw-up Fairy."


Interesting stuff:
-Unbelievable what some people can do with a little fondant


QOSROIT: What have you misheard lately that made you laugh or blush?


Love,
The Petersons

Surprise!

Mom pile!

Kara-kitty basking in a sunbeam

Amy was in an elementary fine arts performance last Thursday. Her class did a dance to "Surfin' USA" and a play based on the book "Click, Clack, Moo." She got to be a sheep.

Brenda had a fabulous Mother's Day: breakfast in bed, handmade cards, a nap and a dinner she didn't have to make, which included a wonderful chocolate cake. All that plus a scalp massage and daughter cuddles!

Joy surprised his wife on Monday by bringing her van home. He called her as he was driving in and told her to look in the garage.

Kara has been branching out a little in her social life. Instead of spending every waking moment with her best friend (Keaten) she has been choosing to play with other girls as well.


Interesting stuff:

-Have you ever seen anyone paint with a broom?

-An artist with too much time on her hands


QOSROIT: What is the last thing that surprised you?


Love,
The Petersons

Out of Our Comfort Zones

The girls in front of the Provo Temple

Two princesses on their way
to a royal birthday party

Amy is "graduating" from an after-school karate class tonight. A local studio came to ALA twice a week for three weeks and gave an introduction to karate philosophy and technique. Amy learned a few new things, but it doesn't really seem to be her style.

Kara needed a drink while we were at the temple, but a water fountain she found didn't work. On the way out, she found another one. When she saw that it did work, she exclaimed, "It's alive!"

Brenda is still waiting to get her van back. Joy's trunk just isn't sufficient for her needs.

Joy enjoys driving the PT Cruiser that the dealership lent us in the meantime.


QOSROIT: What do you like to do for exercise?


Happy No Socks Day!
Love,
The Petersons

For the Beauty of the Earth

Family Home Evening this Monday was a trip
to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point.

The girls giving us a concert - with Amy
doing vocals while Kara accompanies
on wood xylophone -
in the Children's Discovery Garden

Joy spend 7 hours last Saturday in a training meeting for scout leaders and then another hour or so in a meeting on Tuesday night. He also gets to have a background check and do 6 or 8 online classes on the BSA web site. His new calling is keeping him busy already.

Brenda went to the dentist Tuesday morning to have a crown seated and a cleaning. According to the x-rays they took, she won't have to have any more dental work done for at least another 6 months. Unfortunately, when the torture of the morning was over and she was ready to go home, her car wouldn't start. It had to be towed to the shop and is still there, pending arrival of a tiny $600 part that is necessary before a diagnosis can even be made.

Kara has decided, for some mysterious reason, that she has changed her name to Princess Peach.

Amy, not one to be left out, has changed her name to Rainbow.


QOSROIT: What did you dream about last night?


Happy May Day!

Love,
The Petersons

Shakin' Things Up a Bit

We went bowling last Saturday to celebrate Aunt Jo's & Uncle Trevor's 31st birthday. As you can see, Amy developed her own technique.

Joy and his brother Jens rocking Dance, Dance Revolution at Christmas time.
Can't believe we never posted it! It's classic!

Amy became a "Handwriting Expert" this week, which means that she gets free time during handwriting time for the rest of the school year. Her spacing, sizing and positioning have all improved tremendously since the beginning of the year.

Kara reached an important milestone this week: she found a pair of scissors and gave her stuffed kitty a hair cut.

Brenda's craft supplies are almost all reorganized. The master bedroom closet looks and feels so much better.

Joy has a new church calling. He was released as a family history consultant and called to serve as the advancement specialist on the scout committee. So he'll be using computer software (imagine that) to keep track of the progress of each scout as they work on merit badges and other requirements for rank advancements.

Interesting stuff:

-Don't you wish your mailbox was this cool?

QOSROIT: Are you a Handwriting Expert?

Love,
The Petersons

Thank You, Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny brought hats and stuffed animals,
among other things.

The girls making colorful eggs at Grandma's house

Kara's new favorite word is "doink."

Brenda sang in the 5th annual multi-choir community Easter concert on Friday night.

Amy has Spring Break this week. Hopefully it will reinvigorate her for her last 24 1/2 days of second grade.

Joy has made significant progress on the wiring downstairs in the last few days. There are now lights in all the rooms except the bathroom.


Interesting stuff:

-Never underestimate the power of an 83-year-old woman.



QOSROIT: Share your Easter traditions, especially any that focus on the Savior.


Love,
The Petersons

Grand Adventure

Joy in his own version of "8 Seconds" -
Cowboy up!

Amy's latest culinary achievement involves
drinking root beer and lemonade at the same time.

Much to Mom & Dad's horror, Amy seems to be growing up with a Utah accent: she doesn't feel the need to pronounce the letter t in the middle of a word.

Kara had her last day of preschool for the year on Tuesday. We did alphabet review, games, Easter treats and an egg hunt.

Brenda has mixed feelings about the end of preschool. Teaching could be stressful, but it was fun to watch the kids grow and learn. They have all changed so much since September!

Joy has been playing with the Plex Media Center software for a few months now. It will allow us to manage and play all of our media through a computer: TV shows, DVDs, music, pictures, etc. He recently found out that he can configure our universal remote to control the media software. Ultimately, when we have the basement finished, we'll be able to connect our TV to a computer and set up a substantial entertainment system in a much more compact space.


QOSROIT: What kind of accent do you have? Take the American accent quiz and share your result.


Happy Easter!
Love,
The Petersons