Fun little craft.

So the other day my good friend Tina and I decided to have a craft night.  It started out just us two, but through word of mouth, it ended up with about seven of us girls all sitting around and laughing and making these.  I only knew a few of the women, but now they are my new friends.  Isn't it great how a craft night can just make you so happy? Anyway, it is called a lima bean wreath and it doesn't need much explanation.  We just googled it and got the idea. It was easy and perfect to just sit and talk.  I think I took about 4 hours doing mine.  I just thought maybe it would be something that my other friends could make.  If your having a lonely day...plan a lima bean night and see what happens! I love mine.

Burned fingers.

Before I painted it.  You can just leave it like this, but my door was white.

The final product.

I just wish I would have thought to take a picture of all the cute ladies that came.  It was fun girls and I can't wait to do it again.

Fun Lately

So this is the most random group of pictures...but I decided to catalog them all as the fun we are having lately at the Watkins' household.  First we have our beautiful fruits of the garden...

It seriously has been so much fun. This is our first garden and we are loving the zucchini, squash, we have carrots and swiss chard and the tomatoes are almost ready.  Loving it. 

Then here is some more random stuff...Jake's idea...we decided to go to the park and try out iceblocking.  It wasn't as fun as I remembered it, but the kids had fun.  We also got to see our long lost buds from Maricopa.  The FOATES!  Love this family.

The weather has been so beautiful lately and it was just nice to get out and enjoy the sun and good friends, and of course, good food.  So speaking of fun and nice weather...here is a shot of today, Memorial Day...  our friends the Morris family invited us to the park and they had this awesome SUPER huge slide.  They covered it with water and some sort of soap and it was super fun. 

Weston and his buddy Brigham.

And here we have the BEST sunday dinner I have had in a long time.  I ran into my friend Jill on facebook.  We were friends clear back when I was single at BYU working in the women's locker room.  Anyway, we have been trying to get together to have girls lunch or something and it hasn't worked out.  So we decided to just get the families together.  So we did.  We made yummy fajitas and they brought dessert.  I had no idea how the night would go...(we haven't seen each other or talked for ever...) but of course, it was SUPER fun.  We talked non-stop and laughed and just had a blast.  My kids loved them too. 

Anyway, I know this wasn't a clever post or anything, but I just wanted to show some of our new friends and say; we feel super lucky and happy since we moved here to Mesa.  Not to take anything away from the AWESOME life we had in Maricopa.  But we are thrilled to be making new friends, have more time together as a family and to just be here.  We are very blessed. 

And He does it AGAIN.

So every so often, Jake just does something that I TOTALLY love and something I NEVER thought he would do. Example: sing with me at a Stake Christmas fireside...or throw me a HUGE surprise party. Simple things...but GREAT things like dedicate a song and sing to me at Karoke...still one of my favorite memories. Anyway, to some these wouldn't be a big deal...or maybe with a different personality, I would expect these things from Jake. But with Jake...I don't expect it, and I KNOW he does it only to make ME happy. I guess that is the best part, knowing that he LOVES me enough to go way out of his comfort zone to show me. Anyway, back to the post at hand. Tonight....wait for it, Jake and I went ................................................. DANCING! ha ha..it just makes me laugh. I guess the Mesa Highschool Jazz band was doing some fundraiser thing. So Jake kind of surprised me and took me tonight.(I knew we were dancing...but he got the tickets.) We learned the Eastcoast Swing and just had a total blast. I kind of grew up dancing in my teens, but all my memories are just that...MEMORIES. So it was just so much fun to be dancing with MY husband. He really is a natural and together we were pretty good I thought. Jake kept saying "stop smiling so much!" But, I couldn't and I didn't...and I won't, for a LONG TIME.

Peterson Family Pictures May 2011

So my brother Ty was supposed to take family pictures for us right before Traci and Ryan's Wedding Reception.  However, it rained out the planned outdoor part and we had to hurry and set it up at the church.  This left only about 10 to 15 minutes to get a few shots.  They really turned out so WONDERFUL considering we had 16 in all and only a few minutes.  Thanks Katie (Ty's wife) for taking the shots.  I love them and will cherish this for a long time.  I love my family so much.  This is the first time we have been all together in like eight years or something. 

 So here is all of us! 

I know these are on facebook, but I want them here cause I print out my blog in a book. 

 Ty got these shots just really quick.  Love my sister Tina....love all my sisters so much. 

It is weird to see yourself aging slowly...I see it in this pic.  I love it anyway.

So here is the WHOLE family including my wonderful parents who gave us all the perfect childhood and foundation for life.  Thanks Mom and Dad.  I love you so much.

And still...I can't even look at a picture like this and just wonder....HOW DID YOU DO IT?

Traci's Wedding in Idaho

So my baby sister is Married!  I still can't believe it.  I got to fly home this last weekend and be in the temple with ELEVEN of my siblings.  I am so happy she found Ryan to begin her life "Happily Ever" with.  I missed my kids and my honey...but am so glad I got to go.   Love the Peterson Family.  Ty took lots of family pics that I will have to post later, but here a few I took while there.

Trisha with her kids...and another one on the way in the next few weeks.

Dad and Me....some of my favorite moments.  Hearing him teach and sing on Mother's Day in church.  Love this guy.

Tina's SUPER cute little girl.  Seriously...I would take her in a heartbeat.  Melrose

Tonya and her family.

Troy just found out they are having a BOY!  Congrats guys.

Toby and Traci...loved my late talk with Toby up until around 4am.  I got to spend the night with Traci before her wedding too.  Lucky me.

Truman and Kara (Ryan's sister.)

Rachel and I.  Love this girl.  We have stayed friends through all these years...and now I claim her as a sister.  Since our siblings are married and all.

This is little Karly Mae...Ty's oldest daughter.

The Happy Couple.  Traci and Ryan. 

Tayne and Brook.  She is due soon and doesn't know what she is having. 

A little about the trip.  It was a superfast/ whirlwind really.  My flight was delayed 4 and a half hours so I ended up getting there very tired and late around 6pm on Friday.  Trisha and Tonya came in later that night and I got to slowly see everyone.  Tayne and Brook took picked me up at the airport, so I was nice to see them.  I loved getting to spend the night with Traci.  We tried not to talk too much, but we had to a bit.  Love her and I am so excited for her new married life with Ryan.  They will do great.  The next morning was the TEMPLE marriage.  Then we had a luncheon and had not much time to set up for the reception.  We tried to do it outside...but to no luck...it rained.  So we hurried and tore it all down and set up at the church house.  We only had a few minutes for family pics and then we were off to the reception.  That night was fun and where I got to see lots of old friends.  The next day was mother's day.  I missed my kids and Jake a bunch.  Church was wonderful though and I still just loved the time with my family.  I spent the rest of the day hanging out and spending some one on one with Tina and then I was off early the next morning. 

Highlights were being there without the kids.  I got to help more and also get to know the nieces and nephews on a different level.  I loved being in the Temple with all eleven of my siblings that are old enough.  I loved seeing my Mother on Mother's day. I loved late night talks.  I love the Spirit that is always at the Peterson house.  I loved seeing everyone work together to set up the reception is like 45 minutes...seriously!
 I loved coming home to a wonderful suprise of Jake picking me up (he was supposed to be working,) and hugs and kisses from my littles.  What a wonderful time.  I feel very blessed.