Easter

Hooray! I have finally figured out an easy way to get to the pictures I take on my phone...so now it will be a picture bonanza! Here is Jacee dressed up as a boy in some of Jack's clothes. Yep, still pretty cute (and not a very manly pose!)

On Easter, we had a neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt. It was AWESOME! I love this neighborhood.

It was pretty cold that day...but still fun. You can see Maddie is without a coat. She is our "hardy stock" child. Love these three monkies.

Maddie is Four!

I can't believe this little monkey is four. She sure keeps things exciting around our house. When she was three she was banned from chewing gum until she was four - so she got a bubble gum machine (and yes, ate all the gum that day!) I love to just sit and watch her. You really never know what she is going to do next. I also like to watch my husband - because he reacts to her in the exact same way he reacts to me - either laughing in that you-are-so-crazy kind of way, or is so frustrated he can hardly talk. Yep, she's mini-me.

I mean come-on. Look at that face. She is adorable!

Just one of the many get-ups she has on throughout any given day. We have decided she is always dressed up because you never know when the opportunity might present itself to put on a show. She also carries a bag with her "stuffs" in it everywhere she goes. It is quite traumatic if we leave the house without it.

This just makes me smile so I put it in. As many of you know, my husband is pretty good at about everything he does, cooking being no exception. Well, he went to make me a chocolate cake and this is how it turned out...we don't know why and it bothers him a little bit but hey, it's the thought that counts!

Thanks to my Parents

"The strength of any community lies in the strength of its families. The strength of any nation lies in the strength of its families. Strong family life comes of strong and clear religious understanding of who we are, and why we are here, and of what we may eternally become. Strong family life comes of the perception that each of us is a child of God, born with a divine birthright, and with a great and significant potential. Strong family life comes of parents who love and respect one another, and who love and respect and nurture their children in the ways of the Lord. These are under-girding principles of our teachings as a church. To the degree that we observe these teachings we build strong families whose generations will strengthen the nation."
--Gordon B. Hinckley,

Thanks mom and dad. You are wonderful parents and I am glad I have a great model for my own little family. I love you.

A Quick Peek

Yep, swimming in the warm-springs pool with the snow-capped mountains in the background. We are pretty spoiled in our little neck of the woods.

Jack has finally embraced the pool. Loves his "swimming lessons" with momma and spends most of his time diving for cars.

We never really know where Jacee is - she loves to explore every inch of the pool. By far our most adventurous swimmer - a fish from the day she was born.

Maddie likes the pool but hangs out on the steps most of the time. She finally has donned the floaty suit and kind of floated for the first time last week. Hoping she will have a breakthrough this summer. We'll see.

Hope you are all having a wonderful summer so far!

Last Day of School!

Here is my big Kindergarten graduate. I can't believe he will be in school all day next year. Luckily we have the summer to play, play, play!

Jacee wanted a crazy pony tail for the last day and I also let her take the camera to school...some interesting shots.

Jacee with her teacher Ms. Peterson - no relation.

Jackson with his teacher Mrs. Ashworth.

Jacee with the school secretary, Karla Harris. We taught her daughter in ballroom years ago so we knew her quite well...we also were late quite a bit so Jacee go to know her quite well!

I have a couple of "super moms" in the neighborhood, I can only keep up with about half of their ideas. This one I thought I could handle - making a candy bar poster for the kids on the last day of school. Pretty fun and easy and of course the kids LOVED it! Thanks Camie...

Love school but Love when it's out...now if the weather would just cooperate.

Fun to have Brothers

I have spent the past two weeks sorting through boxes and boxes of my mother's pictures. If you know my mother, you know what a task this was. I thought I would be efficient and get the task done fairly quickly, but what I didn't count on was the walk down memory lane.

One thing I know for sure -I sure love my family and I'm so grateful for the childhood and life I have had because of them.

Now, these pictures were actually sent from my big brother. We are only 16 months apart. We have been through some pretty good times together. I have made his life rough, but he seems to always stick by me and support me - even when I had big hair! I am lucky.

As I watch my children play, I can't help but be grateful that they love to be together and have fun playing together. I hope they stay close and are able to be friends when they have families of their own -that is the best gift.

I'm sure being only 16 months apart - my brother didn't get to be the baby for very long. I might have stolen some of his thunder. I think he did pay me back (dent on my forehead).

And talk about an amazing mom. Now...we are children #4 and #5 of seven - so it's not like it was just the two of us for her to look after. She is amazing and I'm grateful for all the stuff she was willing to do for us - especially stuff like pudding art!

You really can't blame him - I was a pain - and probably still am! Love you Dave and thanks for the fun pics!

New Temple President

Walter R. and Eileen Petersen

Walter Ray Petersen, 77, Burley 3rd Ward, Burley Idaho Stake, called as president of the new San Salvador El Salvador Temple. President Petersen's wife, Eileen Marie Albertson Petersen, will serve as temple matron. Currently serving as a sealer in the Twin Falls Idaho Temple, he previously served as president of the Mexico Mérida Mission, stake president, patriarch, bishop, temple ordinance worker and Central America Area medical advisor senior missionary couple. A retired family physician and surgeon, he was born in Wendell, Idaho, to Raymond Orlinzo and Jane Maria Prescott Petersen.

Sister Petersen currently serves as an institute teacher and temple ordinance worker. She previously served with her husband as he presided over the Mexico Mérida Mission and as a senior couple missionary. She has also served as a ward Young Women president, ward Primary president, and gospel doctrine teacher. She was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Arnold George and Verna Beth Huffaker Albertson.

This new temple will be dedicated August 21, 2011. The temple president and temple matron are to be in San Salvador one month before the dedication. The calling is for three years.

I am trying to be positive. I just will miss them so much. I love you mom and dad.