We crossed the finish line!!!

For the last 11 weeks my mom, Chanelle, and I have been training for the Salt Lake City half marathon. We would run times during the week, take off Friday, and then run miles on Saturday. During the process I got something called Bursitis. That was horrible. I didn't know what I had done so kept pushing it, which is totally my nature, until one Sunday I went to get out of bed and couldn't put any weight on it without it giving out. So I then went to the Dr. where the did x-rays sent me to a sports medicine specialist where they did an ultrasound and confirmed it. I then got cortisol shots had to do lots of ice, stretches 3 times a day, and ibuprofen twice a day at 800 mg. I did this for about 3 weeks but after the first week and a half I was able to run again, just gingerly. I went on successfully and was still able to train. The big day was yesterday April 19. It was such an amazing experience. We got up at 4:45 am., left my house at 5 am and headed down to the Gateway. We took trax up to the Legacy bridge on 4th south where we started the half marathon. For the first 8 miles my mom did a great job. She had hurt her knee two weeks earlier and didn't get to train the last two weeks before the race. In those last two weeks she missed the big 11 mile run which was very beneficial. One mile 10 she started to get dizzy and started to run 5 minutes speed walk 1. On mile 11 she didn't think she could do anymore but being in my family we don't really give up so she pressed on. On the last 1/2 mile she was incoherent but still running. She grabbed my hand and we did the last together. When we crossed the finish line she was crying tears of joy but wanted to sit down. We had a couple ladies that were there to help were trying to see if she was okay. I told them that I needed to get her juice and I think that she would be okay. We got her a massage and she was great!!! The whole experience was awesome!!! I totally recommend doing one of some sort. Whether its a 5K or a half marathon or a marathon. You got such a high and there are so many people on the streets cheering you on the whole way. We ran for cancer and there were posters of children and adults with cancer along the way as well and you really feel like you are making a difference. Scott didn't run with us but he watched near the finish line and he thought it was so cool that he now is going to run the next one with us. Its in July in Bryce Canyon and we have recruit ted more people and so its going to be that much more fun. We crossed the finish line and that in itself was such a cool accomplishment. WE DID IT!!!

I have become my Mother

The other day as I was driving my second carpool for the day it hit me how much I have become my mother. Now my Mother is one of the most amazing woman I have ever met. She is my hero. There is no better way to put it than that. Please also understand that I am not entirely like her, even though that would be a huge compliment. In the way that it hit me that I have become my mom is the way parts of my life have turned out. My mom has 6 kids, I have 6 kids. My mom would be exhausted at night and could barely keep her eyes open after 9 pm, I am exhausted at night and can barely keep my eyes open after 9 pm. My mom would get up very early every morning to make us a hot breakfast from scratch and a home lunch if we wanted it. She always saw us off to school and made sure we said prayers, read scriptures as a family and things like that. I also came home to fresh bread, homemade goodies of some sort every day. It was seriously a picture perfect childhood. Now I on the other hand have a hard time getting out of bed if Scott has kept me up too late since he is a night owl. I desperately try and honestly when my kids are up so am I. I would say that 5-6 days out of the week I make hot breakfast and really try to make the fresh stuff everyday too. This is a little harder for me since I can't eat it. Anyway getting back on track. On this particular day that I realized that I had become my mom, it was the day to day grind I am referring to. This day like so many others starts at 7 am when I get 4 kids out the door by 7:40 am. I babysit for my uncle and Dylan, she just turned 1, shows up at 8. I exercise for 30-40 minutes, and then get 2 other children ready for the day. I drove carpool that day for McKentri's school which consists of four 5 year olds at 11:40 am. I got home in time to make Kylie a lunch and run it to her school. Go home make a batch of cookies and pick up McKentri's group at 2:30. Drop them off and head to Dallin's school by 3:00 pm and pick up five 15 year old boys. Talk about a loud bunch. I have been learning a lot of new phrases by picking these boys up and I tell you what, I am definitely glad to be out of school and married!!! I take them to my house to change, we head to the gas station for a treat and then drop them off at work, Lagoon landscapers, by 3:30 pm. I headed back home in time to have six 5 year olds and Boston in their swim suits and in my tub, yes the all fit, for a mermaid party. I had to get them out by 4:25 pm in time to go pick up Kylie from track. I got her and then dropped her off at home to babysit. All the girls went home by 5 Kylie said. I drove down to Salt Lake to watch Scott be a Small Claims Judge which he does once a month. That started at 5:30 pm and went until 8:00 pm. We picked up some Chinese and decided to finish our date at home with our two oldest children. We watched the Office and ate Chinese and went to bed by 10 pm. I talked to my mom the next day and asked her how she did it for so long and she said that some days she felt ok and other days when she would go home and find her house a mess she would wonder what was wrong with her that she couldn't get anything done. I tell you what she is an amazing person and the fact that she let all 6 of us do so much is very courageous of her. As I go day to day it doesn't seem like so much but at the end of the day I really feel it and I am tired. Yet there isn't anything else that I would rather do than be a mom and wife and raise my family without any regrets. It may be crazy but its a good crazy. Thanks mom for showing me that it can be done!

Vacations are a WONDERFUL thing!!!

Scott quite frequently has CLE's (continuing legal education). These range in places from Salt Lake City, Ut. to Hawaii. This one in particular was in Dana Point, Ca. Sometimes he goes alone and other times if he will be gone long than I get to go with. Generally he will go with a couple of fellow lawyers and so with the longer ones the wives all go. It is fun this way because while the men are in class then the women will play! This CLE was an amazing resort in Dana Point. Its called the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort. Talk about incredibly posh and it was fun to stay there but I personally would not pay the money to stay there on vacation. Don't get me wrong it was wonderful being called Mrs. Petersen all the time and not being able to do much of anything without an employee trying to help. The pool was gorgeous as well as the view. However since I am more of a go go go person I like to do things for myself (for the most part. I mean there is a part of all of us who love to be taken care of hand and foot, regardless it can be a bit too much.) We went with the Kelley's, and the Hague's. Stephanie is on the left with her beautiful baby boy Alexander, and Michelle is on the right. Both are great woman and friends and it was fun spending 4 days with them without our kids.
While we were there we went to a Mission that is still in use. It was beautiful!!! I had no idea that we still had some in use in California. It has been there since the 1700 and the buildings are the originals. A lot of it they have made into a place for history buffs like us to come and see, but they still use the church, the school, and some of the other buildings. Scott and I love history and could spend hours just visiting places and reading and learning. We are the dorky couple who stands at every little marker to read it and find out as much as we can while we are there. Thanks to Dave and Stephanie who located it for us. It was on my list but I didn't know where it was until they came to the rescue when they ran across it accidentally and visited it as well.
I love the place where Scott is standing. It is the original church that collapsed during an earthquake in the 1800's. It has a couple walls standing and some of the paintings still in place. When it collapsed it killed some 40 people by trapping them inside. They actually started restoring the place in the 1800's but did cause some damage and actually blew up part of one wall because they weren't sure what they were doing, but you have a lot of the building.
We also went to the beach. The water was really cold, so we didn't swim in it but we did walk around barefoot. The weather was really nice. I wore shorts the whole time but Scott didn't. He totally fluctuated. He calls me Nanuka of the North because I constantly seem to be hot.
This is the center court at the Mission. It is the same fountain and Garden as when it was first founded. The just continue to take care of it. There are catfish inside the fountain and they are definitely not scared of you. They would swim right up by you hoping that you are going to drop something in. We love to vacation. A lot of the time we do and only go for 3 days or a weekend and this is the longest trip we have taken since our Honeymoon. Scott was gone 6 days I was gone 5 days. We are realizing that it was nice because we started to relax on about day 2 and normally the next day you come back home to the grind but the couple extra days makes a huge difference. Scott attended a lot of classes and I read 3 books, we played, saw a movie, went swimming, did some historical stuff, it was really a perfect week.

Thankful

It has been a crazy time lately! The last couple of weeks have been incredibly stressful, and its at times like these that I am very grateful for the Gospel and my Savior. It is so nice to be able to go to the Lord at night and tell him everything that is on my mind, things that myself, my family, and neighbors need help with. How I am dealing with changes in our life and anything else that I want to. It is such a reassuring and comforting feeling knowing that he is there and listens and answers my prayers. I started reading a book last night called Trusting Jesus by Jeffrey R. Holland and it is an amazing book. I strongly recommend it. It has helped shed some light on recent events and given comfort for the things that are happening around here. I am grateful for a loving and supportive husband whom not only do I turn to but others as well. It is so nice having a husband who honors his priesthood and holds it very dear to him. It is such a blessing that he is so willing to use his priesthood when he's asked and that he even suggests it at times. He makes sure our family is taken care of and that means so much to me. I have so much to be grateful for and am glad that I have the chance to tell my Father in Heaven every morning and every night.

Happy Anniversary!!!

Scott and I celebrated our two year anniversary on March 4 in Disneyland once again. We love this place so much. We are truly big kids at heart. I am so incredibly grateful for him in my life. He is truly an amazing man. He is sensitive, caring, understanding, intelligent, he loves to take care of our family, he honors his priesthood, and he is handsome. I mean what more could a girl ask for? Some things that I really love about Scott is that if we are going to be out of town on a Sunday he makes sure that there is a way for us to go to church (at least Sacrament meeting.) He puts family at the top of his list and makes sure that he has time for us, which is a real trial with his job. He goes to work everyday to make sure that I get to stay home with our children. He fixes things when I ask for them to be fixed. You can bounce ideas off him and he tells you honestly what he thinks. He has such a strong love for the gospel and it shows. He is one of the best people to talk to when you have a question about the church. He is very intelligent but doesn't make others feel less intelligent. He calls his mom every Sunday (what a great example that sets.) He makes sure that I am always taken care of in every way. He is willing to have cereal or toast on nights that I don't feel well so that I don't have to cook. He doesn't mind cleaning or doing the dishes (however he doesn't like to do the bathrooms.) You always know where you stand with Scott. He doesn't sugar coat things but makes sure he doesn't hurt your feelings. He doesn't raise his voice. He supports me in my callings and other things that I do. I love you baby so very much and feel very privileged to be your wife. Happy be-lated anniversary!!!

Happy Birthday Boys!!!

Clark turned 19 on February 2. He is such a good kid. It is so wierd to me that he is growing up! I totally remember him as a little boy and playing hide and go seek. He used to fall asleep anywhere. We have found him in the tub, the dryer, under beds, inside toy chests. He would just zonk out. My kids love it when he comes and plays, and he has grown up to be a really good guy!!! I love you Clark.

Nathan turned 24 on February 7. I picture him getting older because he has always been really close to me and my age. He is one of the best guys that I know. He is still single but is going to be the best dad ever (whenever that happens.) He buys Boston all of his action figures and McKentri a ton of clothes. Part of me is going to miss babying him when he gest married, but the other part can't wait for a sister-in-law.

Sterling turned 15 on February 11. He is so great. He just got his permit and is driving. Crazy huh!!! Well he is so much fun. He loves to wrestle nad play games. He is still the sweetheart in the family and we love him very much!!! Thanks Sterling for being part of our family. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOYS AND I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!!!

DISNEYLAND!!!

So, if you can count us all there are 13 of us. Yes 13 of us went to Disneyland in January. It was Scott and I's Christmas present to my family. Jordan is the only one who is missing and that is because he is Elder Redford right now in Chicago. This was definately the best vacation we have taken!!! There was litterally no fighting the whole trip, which lasted 3 days and 2 nights. We stayed directly across the street from Disneyland and had a 2 bedroom suite and then another room. So we had 6 queen beds and 3 bathrooms for 13 people. My younger brothers (Clark, Sterling, and James) have never been to Disneyland and so it just made it that much more magical. My Dad totally changed on this trip and now wants to take a bunch of family vacations!
They were all so good and we actually stayed together the entire time! Everyone was very pleasant. The first day we were there everyone but McKentri, Tyler, Scott, and I went on Indiana Jones and as they got off they got these Dream Fast passes so they could skip 3/4 of the lines on all rides. They said that there were 4 of us who didn't get to go and we got them as well. We also recieved these on the last day we were there. It was just so great. I go to Disneyland a lot and had never recieved these. Talk about lucky!
Here is Nathan with Aurora. He stood in line with McKentri, Kylie, my mom, and myself to see all the princesses. He is such a blast!!
One of McKentri's favorite places to go is to the Bugs Life World. Its called Flick's Carnival. It is meant for little kids but everyone went.
Space Mountain has got to be a favorite for everyone. The all loved it. Even McKentri. They went on every ride there is in Disneyland, and California Adventures except for 3 that were being maintained. We have made plans to make this a yearly tradition!!! Thanks fam for making it so fun to take everyone. (Boston gets to go next year because he will be 4 which is a rule in our house.)