Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving was a full fun-filled weekend from crammed packed from Thursday-Sunday. Late nights, early mornings, food, family, games, fun and lots of partying. 

 Thanksgiving was at our house with the Peterson side. 

 Adam carving the turkey. 

 No family get together is complete without a dog pile or wrestling match. Notice who's in the middle of the pile?..Calli. 

 Gentry kicking back and relaxing while enjoying her Thanksgiving feast. 

After dinner and pies, we visited for a while and then everyone went in separate directions (shopping, other family members etc) for a couple hours and then we met back at our house for a night of games.

 We played until well after midnight before everyone headed out. 

The next morning Adam, Gentry and I were up bright and early (Adam had to work half a day) for her soccer games in the Thanksgiving tournament.

 She had one that morning and then another one that afternoon. They won them both. After her games I met up with Adam for a little shopping and then back to our house for another game night. 

 Upon coming home from running errands we found Calli in her usual favorite spot...on the roof reading her scriptures! That night the crew was back for a night of "Halo" 

 Check out the setup. Two TV's, the theater screen, 3 X-box consoles and 12+ players. 

 Some of the "Halo" crew. 

 Let the games begin. They played until around 2:00 am. I'm sure the hooting and hollering could be heard for blocks.  

 These two didn't go to bed until after 4am. They were up making a music video. (hence the look)

Again, the next morning Adam, myself and Gentry were up bright and early for another game. 

They won their morning game making them 1st place and advancing to the championship game.

That afternoon the whole family showed up to watch. What an intense game. I didn't think 10 year old games could get so intense it was almost as bad as high school. At the end of regulation it was tied 1-1. They played two overtimes and it was still tied, so they moved into a shoot out. They other team came out with the win. So disappointing for these girls, they played amazingly. But we couldn't have been prouder. 

Gentry receiving her "Silver Medal" from her coach.

 The Bombers!!

Still #1

 Gentry and Jantzyn

 And Gentry "Bo"

Congrats Bo we are so proud of you!

After her game we went home and decorated for Christmas and got ready for round two of Halo. Another crew came out for a late night game. Finally, Sunday morning we were able to sleep in and catch up from a very busy, crazy yet fun weekend.

Thanksgiving 2014!

Calli turns 17!

Happy Birthday Callister Lynn!

At the strike of midnight my baby girl turned 17. Why does 17 sound so much older than 16?

We were at my mom's when the clock struck. 

Calli with her birthday present from my mom. Milk Duds and money, her favorite. (She said "Milk dud's taste better at 17 than they did at 16")

 Adam and his big 17 year old. 

  We got home from my mom's around 12:30 a.m. and she asked if you could just open her presents then...why not? 

 Yes!...Spiderman socks!

 She also got a gift card to Brian Head to go snowboarding.

 an underarmor shirt for soccer and box full of cash. 

 Birthday spankings from dad and Sadie. 

Bright and early the next morning Damon came and picked her up for a fun filled (double date) day. They went to breakfast, then to Zions to hike around (With the understanding that Angels Landing was off limits) then to lunch, then 4-wheeling at Sand hollow and then to dinner. After dinner they stopped by for bit for Cheesecake and ice cream and then finished out their day with a movie at Damon's. 

She had a great birthday! Happy, Happy Birthday to my first born daughter. I can't believe you are 17. Where does the time go? I still see you as my cute chubby cheeked little girl with the perfectly round head that had so much spunk from day one that we knew we were in trouble. You still have the spunk, though you have lost your cute cheeks. You are truly beautiful inside and out and such a great example to me. Love you to death Callister. Happy Birthday!

Grandma!

On November 18th my dear grandma passed away at 94 years old.

She lived a good life. Being blind throughout her life, marrying the love of her life and raising two children. She endured to the end and made it look easy. The last couple years however have been tough. She lived out the remainder of her life in a care center and hoped for nothing more than to return to her sweetheart. 

My mom and Grandma

 My mom called that week and told us grandma was fading and we'd better make it in to see her.  (We'd heard it before, in fact we had planned her funeral two different times in the past year and a half but she is so strong and such a fighter that she just kept pulling through) We went into see her on Monday, November 17th. She didn't look as if she'd make it long this time but I was still surprised to get the call from my dad late the next night that she had passed. 

Calli and Sadie chilling at the care center. 

We rushed to the care center to be with my mom, dad and brother's family. It was such a bitter/sweet moment. She will be missed terribly but so happy for the her and the reunion she was having on the other side. The rest of the week was spent at the mortuary helping make funeral arrangements, and spending time at my mom's with Kevin and Stacy who came down to help as well. We were all over to my mom's late Friday night helping with the program and display table and just enjoying each others company when we decided to decorate my mom's house for Christmas (no easy task) It took us 3 hours but we got it all up just before midnight. Adam had ran home to get Calli and made it back just as we were finishing and just in time for the clock to strike midnight and for us to sing Happy Birthday to Calli.  (Her Birthday in another post) It was good to just relax and have fun in midst of everyting. The funeral was the following Wednesday in Payson. My grandpa is buried in Provo and with Kevin being the bishop in Payson, we decided to have a small family funeral in Payson and then burial in Provo. 

The funeral was right across the parking lot from the new Payson Temple still under construction. It was a beautiful service. With each of us 11 grandkids taking part in the program and my mom and uncle speaking. My grandma was an amazing person. Some of the words to describe her throughout the service were: courageous, strong, faithful, example, perseverance, determined, independent, patient, always happy, never a complaint or negative word about her trials, never said a cuss word or gossip in her life, obedient  etc. She was a true example of living the gospel to it's fullness and I'm so proud to have her as my grandma. 

 Adam was one of the Pallbearers

Cemetary Service. 

 Great grand kids letting go of balloons in honor of grandma. 

Calli hanging out with cousins at the luncheon. 

It was a quick trip up and back Wednesday (We had Thanksgiving the next day at our house) but it was a beautiful day. It was also fun to see family and visit with cousins we don't get to see often. 

Love you always grandma!

Dixie's Got Talent!

After getting passed the 1st round, Sadie and her dance team Eminence came back for callback auditions. They did their lyrical routine. 

 Praying before their audition. 

 Picture for the judges.

 Audition. 

 Sadie is in a Turquoise dress. They did amazing! They found out a few days later that they had made it past the 2nd round and... 

into the finale. 

On February 5th they will compete with 23 others for a chance at winning Dixie's Got Talent!

Congrats Girls!

My Birthday Day!

Turned the big "39" on Saturday. One more year before I'm "Over the Hill." 

We had a super busy day with each of the girls inolved in something. (Calli had Sadie Hawkins Dance, Sadie had "Dixie's got Talent" auditions with her dance team and Gentry had her last soccer game but Adam still managed to make it special. I woke up to the kitchen cleaned, breakfast, eggnog, roses and gifts. 

They got me a candle, necklace, Amazon gift cards (so I could get a purse I had my eye on...)

So Cute, I love it!! And also surprised me with the entire "Friends" DVD set. 

After a quick morning we jumped into our day. Adam and I decided we needed to divide and conquer. 

 

He took Gentry to her soccer game while I took Sadie to her auditions. (Gentry and Adam made it before she went on)

Eminence Dance Team

They performed a Hip Hop routine. 

Sadie's friend Skyler also tried out so we stayed to watch her as well. 

Found out a few days later that they had made it past the first round (#49) Congrats Sadie!

While we were at games and auditions Calli headed out for a day of fun at Sadie Hawkins.

After expressing our hopes that she should take opportunities to go to dances with other boys as well as Damon,  she decided to ask her good friend Garrett Hyde. 

She asked him with Buffalo Wings and said "Just winging it, but I'd love to go to Sadie's with you" He answered her back a couple days later with this poster at one of her soccer games. The date started with breakfast but due to the Garrett having a baseball game that morning, Calli went to his game and then caught up with her group. They grabbed some lunch and then went 4-wheeling. (It always makes me worried but especially this time as word got out that a SC student (Britton Shipp, his sister Autumn was on the soccer team Calli's freshman year, had been injured and was in a coma after a ATV accident during Sadie's. This poor SC student body have been through so many deaths and tragedies. But I think it just makes them stronger and more unified.) Luckily, their day was fun and without any instances. After 4-wheeling they had a BBQ at Katelyn's house. Ran home got changed and had pictures taken. 

 The group:  Calvin Waters, Katelyn Baker, Eric, Alyssa, Hunter Lane, Hannah Mabey, Garrett Hyde and Callister Peterson

 The Guys

 The Gals

 Calli and Hannah always have a good time together

 Calli and Garrett

 Garrett's socks

After pictures they went to the dance and then to Hannah's for a movie afterwards.  She had a great time and was glad she took Garrett. 

Sadie's 2014