Quick Trip!

On Saturday, December 28th we took a quick trip to Salt Lake for my Nephews Mission Farewell. We got to our hotel at Thanksgiving point around 5:00 pm, checked in, got in our warm clothes and headed to Temple Square. I haven't been to temple Square during the holidays since I was younger and my girls have never been to see the lights, so I was so excited to show them. 

It is so beautiful. 

Loved this tree. It was COVERED in lights. 

The Assembly Hall. I loved it all decorated up. It looked like a gingerbread house. 

The Nativity.

The front of the Temple.

More Nativity Scenes.

 Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus.

The Shepherds. It was so pretty. We were glad that we went even though it took us forever to find a parking spot and we were frozen by the time we got back to our car. 

We drove back to Thanksgiving point and ate at JCW's. and then met up with Terry, Sheri and his family to go swimming. Then the next morning we woke up bright and early and drove to Herriman for Tavin's Farewell. 

It was such a great farewell. Tavin did an outstanding job.

Calli and Tavin outside the church after his farewell. Afterwards we went over to Stacy's for a luncheon. We stayed until about 4:00 before heading home. 

 It was so hard saying goodbye. He enters the MTC January 8th so this is the last time we will see him for 2 years. 

 Calli and Tavin. She will be 18 when he gets back. 

Gentry will be 12.

And Sadie will be almost 16...Two years is a really long time.  He will be serving in the Bakersfield California mission. We joked that maybe we'd have to pop in on our next trip to Disneyland.

The "Cousin Cinnamon Roll Handshake"

Good Luck Tavin. We will sure miss you but we know you are doing what you're supposed to do. You will be a great missionary! Thanks for being a great example to my girls! We love you!

Christmas 2013!

Merry Christmas!

The girls were nice enough to sleep in until 7:30 am. But as soon as they were up, they were ready to see if Santa had come. The night before when they were getting the cookies and egg nog ready for Santa, Gentry had left him this note:

along with my camera in hopes Santa would take a picture of himself. So Christmas morning, she ran straight for the plate of cookies and found the camera still sitting there. She was ecstatic to find this...

Santa took a picture of himself in our living room leaving presents.

 Yep, Looks like Santa found the Peterson's.

 Calli's Hope Chest. (This was Adam's Grandma's that his grandpa Jackson had made for her. She handed it down to Adam's mom. After she passed, his dad handed it down to Amber. With Amber's recent move she wasn't able to take it with her, so we were so happy to now have it handed down to Calli. Calli and Grandma Jackson were pretty close and her and Grandma Peterson had a amazing bond between them so it only seemed fit for Calli to get it.) 

 First things first...Stockings.

The Aftermath. 

 Gentry and her new phone. Some of her other favorites were: A Fur Real Monkey, a Flutterby Fairy, a guitar, Stompeez, rainbow loom rubber bands, and a marker maker. 

 Sadie and her "mohawk" helmet that she wanted so bad. Some of her other favorites were: a long board, Disney Infinity, a comforter, earphones, shoes, shoes, and more shoes, and clothes. 

 Calli looking through her "Soccer Binder" that I made her. Some of her other favorites were: Long Board, soccer video, hope chest, clothes, headphones, combat boots, speakers for her phone, and vinyl for her car. Some of Adam's favorites: Speakers, Headphones, super Hero Pajamas, slippers, Wolverine and a leather man, Some of my favorites were: 2 Disneyland Pictures for my new Disneyland themed study, pots and pans and kitchen knives. After we opened all our presents we went down to grandpa Peterson's for breakfast and then spent the morning and afternoon playing with all our cool new things. 

 Adam and Gentry "Making Markers" with Gentry's new Marker Maker. 

Gentry enjoying a little down time with the new tablet. 

Later that afternoon we went to the movie "Frozen." It was so darling. We loved it. 

 Gentry ready for the movie in her new outfit, socks and slippers.

After the movie we stopped by Terry's house to see all the fun things Santa brought them and back over to grandpa's house for sandwiches. It was so nice not to have to worry about cooking all day. 

What a wonderful and happy day we all had. It was a very Merry Christmas indeed!

Christmas Eve 2013!

Christmas Eve 2013

The girls and I spent the morning baking our favorite Christmas Goodies: Sugar cookies, divinity and white chocolate covered pretzels. (We didn't get too elaborate this year because Christmas just seemed to come soo fast. We're lucky we even got our baking done at all.) Later that afternoon Adam got home from work and we ran around a couple gifts and then came back and grabbed the girls for dinner. One of Adam's mom's favorite restaurants was China Palace and so now in remembrance of her we try to go there each Christmas Eve. After dinner we drove around and looked at a few lights we had missed previously and headed home. We all got in our new Christmas Eve pajamas and read the Nativity Story.  Afterwards we opened gifts to each other. (this year we had decided not to pick names and to spend that money on Military families instead-different post, but about a week before Christmas Gentry decided that we still needed to pick names only this year we couldn't spend anything on them we had to strictly make it from what we had around the house...and so we did)

Sadie had Adam. She found a clear glass ornament and wrote on the outside "Reason's why I love you" and then typed up reasons on green and red strips of paper and put them inside, then she also gave him a roll of toilet paper with a tag that said "In case you get crap for Christmas" haha!

Gentry had Calli. She made this darling wood nativity at Activities Days and came home soo excited knowing exactly what she wanted to do with it. 

I had Gentry. I made her 4 colors of homemade Playdoe. 

Calli had Sadie. She gave her a rope with painted clothespins to match her room and hung pictures on it. 

Adam had Me. He gave me a $100 dollar bill folded into a heart. He sais that he "made" the hundred dollars and he "made" the heart. So technically it was fair.  I busted up laughing. Cheating or not I loved it. (He actually had to go to the girls and learn how to fold it...so cute!)

After our family gifts, we opened our Traditional Christmas Eve gifts...Games. 

 This year we got two: A Disney Game and a Duck Dynasty Game. We spent the rest of the night playing games, laughing and getting sick with all the junk food and munchies. 

Later that night before heading to bed, the girls went outside, made a wish and sprinkled their "Reindeer Food" that Jingle Jr. brought them on the grass. Hope Santa Comes Tonight!!

Christmas Traditions!

December 2013

Gingerbread men...

Gentry's, Sadie's, and Calli's

The return of Jingle Jr...

He brought us reindeer food.

Jingle must know how much we love Duck Dynasty.

Breakfast one morning. 

Giving...

This year instead of drawing names and buying gifts for each other, we used that money and bought gifts for military families. We gave the girls a set amount and set them loose. 

I loved walking around and watching them. They put so much thought into each thing they bought. 

Some of the things they chose. 

Dixie Care and Share Night...

Another great night and turnout for Kristen and I's Christmas Charity night. Crazy to think this was our 6th year. It just keeps getting bigger and better. 

The crowd.

A new tradition...

Hot chocolate floats (yum) while watching the Duck Dynasty Christmas Special.

12 days of Christmas...

Johansen Pools did the 12 days of Christmas for one of their employees. We got the 2nd day of Christmas.

 Delivering the package and getting ready to run.

Christmas Lights....

 We drove around and looked at Christmas lights, Polar Express style this year. The girls each got a Polar Express ticket and then package with a Christmas light scavenger hunt, map of awesome houses around town, a free hot chocolate coupon, a "Santa bell" and a treat for the ride. 

 Hot Chocolate stop on our way to the temple. 

 Listening to the nativity.

A surprise visit from Santa Claus.

 Gentry looking in Santa's sack to see what he brought her.

 Sadie's turn

 Calli, Santa and her Candy Cane.

 The girls and Santa

Then magically right before our eyes Santa turned into grandpa and read us some Christmas stories.
I love this picture of Grandpa as Santa with the picture of Jesus in the back ground.

School Parties...

 I went and helped with Gentry's class Christmas Party.

Live Nativity at Tuacahn

 Gentry, Calli, Hannah Maybe and Sadie

Family Parties...
Peterson Family Christmas Devotional

 Dad reading a story while Merilee plays the guitar

Raiden and Hallee telling us the meaning of Christmas.

Peterson Christmas Dinner.

Losee Family Party.

 Dinner at Pirate Cove and then dessert, pajamas, games and presents at our house.
The family playing Christmas Jeopardy.

 Calli showing her support for Phil Robertson.
(He is the dad on our favorite reality show Duck Dynasty and was just suspended for his opinions against gay marriage.)

 Pajamas!!!

Mom and Dad opening their gifts from all of us kids.

and Christmas Eve Baking...

We had a fun, crazy, busy Christmas season full of family, traditions and memories.