Anything new?!!

OK, so I've added a couple more of our recent family pictures. But other than that I have nothing to tell! This whole post surgery sitting on the couch thing is driving me CRAZY, and I don't even have a new curvy augmentation to show for it! (For those of you who don't know I had a hysterectomy) I do love the holidays though, and have had plenty of sit in front of my charlie brown tree time. Maybe one day we will finish the basement and the kids can have their charlie brown tree in the basement, and I will finally get my "Amy Peterson tree" to proudly display in the front room window. Other than that SNOOZE! I'm going to call the police department tomorrow to tell them we need an officer on 10th west to catch the speeders so I can watch out my window and have something to occupy my afternoon!

Thankful List

I'm thankful for so many things...

...for starters, my family. Greg and the kids have taken such good care of me while I've been on the mend. I had know idea that Greg could be such a good nurse/housekeeper/taxi... thanks, honey. I'm also grateful for a free country and those that sacrificed everything to allow me the freedoms I enjoy everyday. I'm grateful for the gospel, and the peace and comfort it brings to me, it balances my life and helps me to focus on whats really important. I'm thankful for good, thoughtful friends, and for the great examples for me. I'm usually thankful for my challenges because as I reflect on them I can see that they were only for my own good, and helped me to learn and grow. I'm thankful for love, because love truly does conquer all, and is a fierce emotion for good. And I'm thankful for laughter, and for how good it feels to laugh until your eye are watery.

A "million" pictures

My friend Michelle has a "million" of everything. Even though its her phrase, I have to borrow it to update my ancient blog now that my camera has been recovered from the Disneyland camera protection and relocation program.

Here you can see all three of the kids at Maybe's pumpking patch. However, you can clearly see that in the 2nd pic you can see that we are missing one. Right about the same time this photo was taken Greg is carrying her over his shoulder back to our house where she can finish throwing her tantrum about not getting the 350 lb pumpkin that she couldn't live without.

Here you can see that 4 out of 5 White's love celebrating Halloween by making carmel apples, dressing up and attending Mumsie's annual Halloween scream.

A few pics from the beach in Ca. We could've spent our whole vacation hunting down pieces of broken clam shells and it would have been the best vacation ever. The kids loved the ocean, even though it was too cold for a fair weather girl like myself to get in.

Aspen the mermaid

Gage the crab

Trace the starfish

The monkeys hangin' out at rainforest cafe. (Note: make sure you share when you go, the portions are HUGE!)

If its time for a Disney trip go in October, everything was decorated for Halloween, it was perfect weather and not at all crowded.

We didn't even have to wait to see Mickey, we walked right in!

If Aspen could have a sister, I think she would choose Minnie.

Obviously Aspen isn't Minnie's only fan...

The kids feel most at home with their own kind...

We watched the Highschool Musical 3 show in California Adventure. Trace and I both got to guest star, we're famous.

Its "Ant Island" from Bugs Life

Greg wearing Trace's prince crown, I think he is half sauced on Disneyland.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

October is definately the month to go to Disneyland. Most everyone is in school, so there are no lines. It's all decorated for Halloween, and it's California so the weather is beautiful. We started our trip off with a day at the beach, and I'm thinking next time we'll just stay at the beach, the kids couldn't get enough sand and water. (I think Gage brought half the shoreline home with us in his swim trunks, which then ended up all over the laundry room floor and in my washer.) So on Monday, Tuesday and most of the day Wednesday we did everything Disney. We even decided to stay right in Disneyland this time, which I could take or leave on our next visit. The first night we were there a young couple walked up to us with $60 in meal vouchers that they gave to us. They were with a military group and were leaving, but still had left over vouchers from Disneyland. Lucky us! Then back at our hotel that night another woman (with the same military group) offered me another $100 worth of meal vouchers. Double lucky us! The next day was super fun until I got back to our room that night and realized that our camera had been taken while we were watching the parade. I was sick about it, and of course it wasn't at the lost and found, so I bought a disposable camera to get a few shots our last day. Then right before we left to go to the airport we rode Buzz Light Year on last time. Greg accidentally left my backpack with our souvenirs, and my wallet on the ride, and yep you guessed it, it was gone. Fortunately for me I don't look too much like a criminal and they let me on the airplane with my checkbook, and an old plane ticket I was using as a bookmark for my 2 forms of I.D. Then a day after we got home Disneyland called me and said they found my camera in "Room 2". Hmmm, not sure what "Room 2" is but at least I will have some photos of our trip, as the disposable camera got stolen with my bag. BUT, everything is cancelled and everyone made it home safe and next time I go to Disneyland I will invest in a fanny pack that will be bolted to my waist!!!

Confessions of a grocery store beating

Gage and Aspen are off track right now, and let me just tell you how I love off track. I always have these delusions that off track is going to be sooo much fun, I plan, prepare and try to keep the kids entertained 24 hours a day for 3 weeks. But instead of all my creative plans Gage and Trace would rather beat on each other. Soo, they have been banned from all play wrestling, sword fighting, boxing matches, and the likes. This came to pass after a little incident at Smith's. So picture me already at my limit because I have denied the kids the 450 items that they begged for, then they told me I was (of course) "the meanest mom ever" when I didn't cave. So on the way out the door after I scolded Trace 5 times to not use the divider rails between check stands as his own personal reformer the proudest mom moment happens. Gage turns to Trace, who is a step behind to tell him some sort of exciting news and all I hear is a giant THUD. The THUD was Trace (on the defense) giving Gage the biggest kidney punch ever in the back before he could even receive the news. So Gage lets out an OOOOWWWWWW and bends over backwards clutching his lower back. At which point Trace realizes that he has just dug the last shovel full of dirt for his own shallow grave and starts apologizing. "Sawwee Gage, sawwee, I didn't know, sawwee." This is all happening in the entrance to Smiths. So close, so very close to the door and we just couldn't make it. And all I can see playing in my head (as other customers are shaking their heads at me) is the scene from Dumb and Dumber were they are dressed up in their orange and baby blue tuxes with canes in hand and they start beating on each other. I think I may check ebay for some tiny little orange and blue tuxes, and I'll of course purchase the optional canes so we can at least film it and get some money from America's Funniest Home Videos. That will teach those judging grocery store onlookers.

The perfect day

So I love fall, and I would love for it to last right up until Christmas Eve, when the snow should start and snow everybody in for Christmas day. I'm just hoping that fall will hold out for a while longer. It always seems that around these parts you blink and fall (spring happens this way too) is gone. Yesterday we decided to take advantage of the perfect weather, and head to Tracey Aviary (the perfect price--free for UEA) and soak it in. We saw the keepers feeding the pelicans, a bird show and the 50 year old condor that is the size of a small car. We had Abby Koch with us, she was the tour guide with map in hand the entire time (I'll take her anytime Michelle, what a good girl) however, Trace felt a little dethroned (I'm sure you can't tell by the pic) having to share his "I'm the youngest" attention with another cutie. (Ruffled his feathers a bit--no pun intended!) It's good for him to share, and not so good for me to see how spooooiled he is! (yikes) So enjoy the fall, carve some pumpkins and if you have any power over the weather, grant me one wish...warm sunny weather through the middle of November for my birthday.

We're moving!!!

So Greg was just offered an awesome position on the big island of Hawaii, we're set to move before the snow falls. No more shoveling or coats for us. Dream on Sunni, don't I WISH that were true! I'd settle for a Hawaiian vacation. Seriously though, we are "moving". You know the toilet that needs a new strip of caulk, or the dings in the wall that need to be touched up. What about that closet, or drawer that need to be de junked and reorganized. Amy gave me some great advice as she was taking care of all those things before she moved to Az. She said that she would never again fix up her house to sell it. She plans to go through her house every 6 months to take care of all those little projects that add up around the house. What a great plan Amy! As you can see by the picture of my office, its at the "looks worse before it gets better stage." The good news is that my filing cabinet and all the drawers are de junked and organized! Progress. Although I'd rather just go to Hawaii.