Weston Turns Nine!

We decided to do birthdays different this year. It is my kids year to have a friend party but we wanted to also keep it on a budget...so we ended up giving them $50 to spend on the party. It has been fun to see Aubrey and Weston plan their own parties and to also have them be creative with the funds. Weston and Jake came up with this awesome game/basketball party. Weston invited LOTS of boys to play x-box and wii on big projection screens. We held it at the church.  Most of the night the boys just played basketball/ speed and video games.  It was a boy paradise...not a lot of rules and lots of space. I loved that it wasn't at my house and all the energy had a place to go. I loved Weston's choice of Nacho's for the food and a simple cake. It was a fun and easy birthday and Weston came away saying it was the "best one so far!" He has had some amazing ones in the past...so that's SOMETHING! The only bad part is the lighting at the church is awful and I didn't get one good picture. So these are for memories only.  Sure love Weston. 

 

Today we are going to Grimaldi's...(it's tradition) to finish off the Birthday fun. So grateful today to have our amazing family to spend time with. Birthdays always make me sappy and emotional. I guess I just realize how quickly time really does pass; how such a short time ago Weston was born...and now he is NINE. It really is crazy. The other day I was out to lunch with only Lucy and an older woman stopped me to say "Cherish this time...it really does fly by." I know how true those words are, and even though I wish I could slow it down.  I am just grateful to be given the gift of motherhood and life and want to remember that every day.

Weston loved all of his presents. He got a lot of legos...(his favorite) and cash!

Grandma and Grandpa Watkins even made an appearance to spoil him some more.

The requested "only chocolate" cake.

Look at his crazy group of boys. They were all very well behaved and great. I am so grateful Weston has such great friends to grow up with.

First day of School for Spencer

So Spencer starts school a week after Aubrey and Weston this year. Today was his first day. He hasn't been super excited about going back. He would prefer to be home almost 100% of his life. Oh well! He seemed happy enough to head out the door today. I am so glad that his bestie Lincoln stayed at Montessori too. They are such cute little kindergartners. I am also grateful for an amazing teacher Miss Jenna. I know he will do amazing this year. We love you MOOK!

Sugar Free Challenge

One day when I was browsing through instagram, I saw a friend whose son had gone 60 days without sugar. He was holding up 75$ of cash in his hands. I showed my kids and the sugar free challenge was born. My kids and Jake and I had gone 16 days before I was feeling rather STARVING for SUGAR. I was also feeling like I didn't really want to keep paying my kiddos for sugar free days. It just seemed expensive...so being a horrible example to them, I talked them out of the challenge. It took some talking...but I prevailed. I bribed them with donuts, Freddie's custard as well as other treats. We have eaten way too much sugar since, but I am proud they went over two weeks without really even a crumb of sugar.  Here we are celebrating our trip back into the sugar world. 

First Day of School 2014-15

These two were so excited to go back to school. I don't know if the excitement will last, but I am grateful to have them at a school that they love.  Aubrey decided to go back to GAA  so she could spend her last year with Weston, at the same school as him. I think it will be a great year. Right before I took this pic I hear her whisper "Act like you like me...turd." Then they laughed. 

I pray they have an awesome year together!

Peterson Reunion

I am having humongous issues with blogger. So my pictures uploaded in some random order and I couldn't get them all. So here is my last post of Idaho. The second to last day there we ran a Peterson Reunion.  It was great fun. I had picked up Jake from his delayed flight, right around 2:30am; so after getting to bed around 4am...we were a bit tired. However, I was so excited to have Jacob join us, I didn't mind one bit. Neither did Lucy....who really missed her dad-da! I could finally run around and take pictures and mingle.

These first few pics are of the obstacle course race.

Lucy and her Dad.

Grandma's yard is never boring.

Here we have Tina and one of the twins.

Lucy wouldn't let Jake go.

Thomas finally had a little boy. They are both so handsome.

Next are some scattered pics of of a watermelon eating contest. Spencer threw up after his attempt.

Grandma did the coolest obstacle course. It consisted of slack line, sack races, running, climbing, jumping and more. It ended up being anywhere from 4 minutes to 10...depending on your speed. The grandkids loved it.

After the race all the kids got a pop. Lucy was drinking water...but felt awesome just the same.

We Peterson's are competitive...so it took a while to tally up the times of the race.

I was proud of my kids. They ran hard, and it was a HOT day!

Here are the winners. We have Jacobie for 1st, Weston got 2nd, Then Darrin, Brice, and Ty's kids Karlie and Derrick tied for 5th place.

The rest of the afternoon was spend eating great food and playing water kickball and spikeball.

Spencer had never had a "brown" Popsicle and was thrilled!

Troy won the watermelon contest and I wanted a pic. He went straight to this! I miss my family!!!!

Ty and Katie. They don't look like the parents of six do they?

And Tina and Nick don't age either. 5 kids and they look like teenagers.

Tina lived with us when we were newlyweds and Jake and her still have a special bond.

We snuck away for a bit so Jake could see Samantha's grave and we could skip rocks in the snake river. Traditions.

Doesn't seem possible that these twins are four weeks old. Michelle looks too good and they are so chubby and cute already!

The men had their own watermelon eating contest!

Jake did awesome...but uncle Troy was victorious!