MAY...so far

May seems to get busier and busier each year. I think it has even passed up December as the busiest month. We find ourselves running from this event to that event and have had something almost everynight of the week.  There have even been nights where we have had to split up and Adam go and support one child while I support the other.  Life is busy, but it sure is fun! Here is what we've been up to lately...7 posts full!

Piano Recitals

                Calli and Sadie had their first Piano Recital together. 

This is Calli's 4th year and Sadie's 1st year.

I was surprised to see Sadie so calm. She was way more excited than she was nervous.  She loved it. She had her piece "Firefly's" completely memorized. She walked up said her name,  played through her piece beautifully, stood up took bow and sat back down like it was nothing. After she sat down she said "That was so much fun"

Calli on the other hand, does not like piano recitals and gets very worked up over them.  Just a few minutes before we were to leave to the recital she came to my room and told me she did not want to do it. I told her she really should because her teacher and Sadie was counting on her and that she was already on the program.  She still did not want to go. I said a silent prayer for the right words to say to her.  I pulled out a picture of grandma and we quietly talked about grandma for a minute. We talked about what a beautiful piano player she was, and how she played the organ in church for years but how nervous she would get. We talked about how much grandma loved coming to her past recitals and how much she loved listening to Calli play.  We talked about how when Calli had a question about a note, she would go ask grandma for help. And we talked about how close she was to her grandma and what a special bond the two of then had. I told her that grandma would be so proud of her and would want to hear her play and then I told her with tears in both of our eyes that I knew grandma would be there listening to her play again.  We both sat there for a long time and cried.  She wiped the tears and decided that she could do it for grandma. She ran down stairs and put on the dolphin necklace that was grandma's before she passed and said she was ready.

She was still pretty nervous and rubbed her neckalce as she waited for her turn.

 

 She did a great job, I couldn't have been more proud and I know grandma was too.

Calli and Sadie after the recital with their cousins Jadyn, Jorrin and Jaicelyn that also performed and their teacher and my 1st cousin Sherry Condie.

After the recital we had to go celebrate so we went to our new favorite place "Kraves."

Take me out to the ball game!

Goodbye soccer, hello baseball.  We hadn't even gotten done with soccer season when baseball season started.  We signed up all three girls but they didn't end up having enough players to form a team for Sadie. She was a little upset until I told her she could have half of the reinbursment money, then she was as happy as can be.  Calli is again playing for the St. George league...in Little Valley...ugh. It is quite the jont out there and back, good thing she makes it worth it.  She is the pitcher again this season and loves every minute of it. In her first game she struck out a two people, caught three fly balls, and made it home twice. 

She is such a die hard. Also,  two of the parents that have girls on her team I went to high school with, so we have a good time chatting about the good old days.

This is Gentry's first year.   Her coach is in our ward and three of the other players are as well, so we have a great time cheering in our Ivins 2nd ward section.  The first game was so much fun. These cute little kids are still trying to fiqure out what to do after they hit the ball, what to do when the ball comes to them and in which order to run the bases.  It was so cute! The parents get a good laugh.  

Here's Gentry, "my little lefty", up tp bat.

I love finally having a lefty.  We have recently discovered that she is ALL left. She bats with her left, throws with her left, and kicks with her left. I am left handed but only write with my left, I do all other with my right (play sports, cut, eat etc.) Adam on the on the other hand is just the opposite he is right handed but plays sports with his left.  Calli and Sadie are both ALL right.  You'll find a little bit of everything in the Peterson home.

    This is how Gentry ran all the bases...holding on to her helmet for dear life. It was so cute!

Toothless!

Gentry's two front teeth have been such little buggers. They seem very prone to cavities and had little holes in each one.  We continued to fill and fix them each time we went to the dentist just to make them look better until they fell out.  So when Gentry said her two front teeth were getting loose we very excited for those things to come out.

 

After spending the day wiggling it, she asked Adam if it was ready to come out...ready it not Adam tugged on it and out it came.  The other little tooth must have felt so lonely without it's friend because...

two days later, Adam pulled the other one out as well.  (Although this one didn't seem to want to come out as bad... it took two tugs)  Thank goodness for dad's, I haven't pulled a tooth out yet and I hope I don't ever get too.  Gentry loves her new smile and flashes it at everyone, everywhere she goes. With the $2 the Tooth fairy brought she has decided to save up for a hermit crab.

Sadie, Grandpa and Choir

Sadie had her last Choir Performance. 

  For their last big bang they had a patriotic concert and sang lots of patriotic songs.

 Sadie telling us what she likes about America. They each wrote their own parts, Sadie said, "I love my countries flag because it makes me happy and reminds me of freedom and happiness."

 Then as the choir sang the military medley they had a slide show of relatives that had served our country. I turned in a couple pictures of my dad who fought in the Vietnam War. 

 As they veterans saw their pictures they were to stand.  As my dad's picture came and he stood everyone clapped and cheered, it was quite emotional.  Sadie was so proud to have her Grandpa there and standing as a war Veteran.  I am so proud of my dad and the courage he had to fight in this horrific event where he fought on the front lines and received a purple heart of honor. I'm proud that he was then able to come home, put it behind him (as much as one can) and to get married and have a family.  I am so proud to say that my dad is a war veteren and that we fought to preserve the freedom that I enjoy today. 

Way to Go Grandpa and Sadie!

Crayon Party!

In Gentry's Kindergarten class they have task cards for the kids to learn and pass off different things each month. Each month they pass off their task card they get a crayon in their crayon box.  Those that are able to pass off everyone and fill up their crayon box get to go to a "Kindergarten Crayon Party"

Gentry did it!

She worked so hard all year to get all of her crayons and was so excited to go to the party. They had a water party down at the Unity Park Splash Pad with Ice Cream Sundaes on Saturday, May 8. Gentry loves cherries on top of her sundaes and chose cherries to bring to the party.  Great Job Bo!

Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is one of my favorite holidays.  I get spoiled by my family all day and get showered with gifts, hugs, kisses and "I love you's" Who wouldn't love this holiday?

Saturday morning I went to Breakfast with my mom, my sister and sister-in-law.

Sunday Morning I woke up to Breakfast in bed...omelets, hashbrowns and Orange Juice. When I came down stairs I found a dozen roses, cards and pictures from the girls, jelly bellies and...

the family home evening Liahona I'd had my eye on.  Our friend Kerry Bang makes and sales these and Adam called and ordered me one all my himself.  I love it!  After church Adam made my favorites for dinner; Roast with blue cheese, stuffed potatoes and Cheese soup.  Later that night we went and visited Marilee and my mom.  While at my mom's, other cousins came as well so it made for a fun and relaxing evening. 

And to top it all off, the picture that we had ordered for our Anniversary a month before came just in time for Mother's Day! What a great day.

Last Band Concert!

Calli playing the percussions in her last band concert at Lava Ridge.

These are so fun to go to and watch. Calli jumps from snare drums, to the bells, then to the triangle, then the gong, to the shaker and then timpini.  She has really enjoyed it and has decided to do band again next year.

The students were giving an opportunity to earn a musician award, by doing just a littel bit more. The requirments to earn this award was to,  stay after school and pass off "skills",  have an "A" in the class, good citizenship and to play a solo. There are three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. 

Calli decided to go for the gold!

Calli playing her Solo!

She did it! She need everything she needed to do and received the gold metal musician award.

Way to go Calli!

Ironman!

Ivins had such an amazing opportunity to help host the Ironman competition and in doing so turned it into a Fitness Festival for the entire town.  Several of the roads were closed down and the little town of Ivins was booming.  These athletes are amazing being able to do a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and then 26.2 mile run.  I was definantly excited to go support and cheer on these insane and awesome athletes.

As part of the festival "Rocking Red Hawks" Red Mountains choir sang for part of the entertainment. So we headed down to unity park early to listen to Sadie. 

She did a great job. 

Afterwards, we spent a few hours roaming around, looking at all the booths, meeting "The Biggest Loser" celebrites, eating lunch and of course playing.

Calli trying out the Bungee Trampoline

Sadie being brave and riding the mechanical bull

And Gentry enjoying the inflatable slide.

After which we sat and watched the bikers go by for about 2 hours. (who would have thought it could be so entertaining, but it was mesmerizing, I could have watched all day) The bikers did a loop and passed by the park twice. It was amazing to watch their will and determination and to see all the support and volunteers.

After the park we decided to go to the finish line and watch some of them run in. I wasn't prepared for the emotion I would feel.  It was so inspiring watching these athletes finish and run across the line.  The emotions ran deep as the crowd would get on their feet and cheer for the runners as they came in exhaused and on top of the world.  I was in awe! I am so glad my girls got to experience this and can't wait for the Ironman to come again.

Walt Disney!

In Sadie's 3rd grade class they were asked to pick a notable person from history that they would love to learn more about and do a Biography Report on that person, so who did Sadie pick...Walt Disney.  She is just about as obsessed as I am. She thinks Walt Disney is pretty much the coolest person that ever lived.  She did all the research herself and decorated her board.  On the day of the reports they all set up their boards in the lunch room and invited parents to come and see their reports and to ask questions about what they had learned. They could also dress up like their person if they chose, she chose YES! 

She had so much fun learning about Walt Disney and then dressing up and sharing what she learned, she wasn't even shy about having a mustache for the entire day either.  Great Job Sadie!