Being an Olsen/Peterson

It's good to be an Olsen.  I've always known it was, but it becomes more and more clear the older I get.  Living all the way across the country I don't get to be immersed in Olsen times as much as I'd like, but rest assure I'm doing my best to bring the Olsen way of life to my little family.
Jilli and I were able to go home last week and join in on the good times that can always be found where the Olsen family is.  We enjoyed visiting with family, eating out, a birthday party, a baby shower, shopping and letting Jilli bond with her sweet Olsen family (we also got the opportunity to have lunch with some of the Peterson clan as well).

Don't get me wrong, I love being a Peterson as well. Belonging to two wonderful families is something I've always been grateful for. And even though leaving my Olsen family behind in Utah was hard, there was something so sweet about being greeted at the airport by four excited and grinning Peterson boys.
This is the message that I found written on our chalkboard wall when we got home (thanks Kristi for sharing your b-day cupcakes with my family, allowing them to double as a welcome home treat as well).

9 Years, an Artist, a Party & St. Patty's

Nine years ago today, I became a Peterson and I find myself even happier today than I was then about that decision. How wonderful it is when you marry someone that you absolutely adore!
To celebrate 9 wonderful years we had a "romantic" candlelight dinner of tacos with our four awesome kids. At the end of our dinner I asked each of the boys to make a wish for Nate and I before they blew out one of the candles. Mac wished that Nate and I "could be together forever;" Jaxton wished that we would "have a happy life;" and Beckam wished that Nate and I would "be best friends forever." It makes my heart happy to know that I can guarantee those wishes are granted!

I was always told that while boys love sticks, wrestling and balls, that girls love dancing, art and dresses. I wasn't a complete believer until just lately when I came across sweet Jilli putting so much concentration into her work of art. She worked and worked at it and I think the result is definitely a masterpiece.

I hosted a party to celebrate the finale of the latest season of "The Bachelor." Instead of calling it "The Bachelor Finale Party," I called it the "I'm SO Glad I'm NOT a Bachelor(ette)Party" (catchy title, egh?). A bunch of delightful women gathered at my home, we ate food, we chatted and chatted and chatted some more and caught bits and pieces of the show in between chatting. I think I may have just began a tradition worth carrying on.

St. Patrick's Day came and went while Jilli and I were visiting in Utah. Thankfully I put a lot of thought and preparation into getting everything ready for the boys and instructed Nate on what he was supposed to do the night before (i.e. help Mac with the leprechaun trap, set up the treasure hunt, put out the treasure). When I excitedly called Nate on St. Patty's Day to find out how the morning went he said, "Is that today?" (deep breaths and count to ten . . .) Apparently he tried to make up for his blunder by putting it all together while the boys were at school. He insists that the boys didn't know the difference and that they were still thrilled -- I'm still trying to believe him.

The Small Moments

". . .the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of [my children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.
Anna Quindlen

I read this quote last month and it has stuck with me ever since and I hope it will forever remain with me. It seems as long as my motherly mind can remember, I've concentrated a lot on the "I can't wait until . . . (s)." I can't wait until Mac goes to school, I can't wait until this morning sickness is over, I can't wait until Beckam learns how to walk, I can't wait until Jilli is sleeping through the night, I can't wait until Jaxton doesn't ask me for a snack every other second." My new goal is to seize the small moments with my children. They need me now and even though there are many days that I feel more like pulling my hair out than filling up one more sippy, I LOVE being needed and dread the day when my children won't need me will need me less.
These pictures are from our rain storm that we had today. My kids wanted to go outside and play and even though my mind went immediately to the thought of dealing with muddy, wet laundry, I remembered and decided to enjoy this small moment with my kiddos.

Jilli loved being a part of her first puddle stomping experience and the boys enjoyed just as much watching her discover it all.

Beckam insisted on wearing his bike helmet, absolutely sure that even though it had holes in the top, it was still going to keep his head dry.

Jaxton giggled through the entire experience and came inside more wet than anyone else -- I think he literally rolled around in the water.

As the kids were jumping puddles Mac exclaimed, "This is the BEST day ever!"

And to think that I could have missed this face if I wouldn't have made the decision to enjoy the moment.

Jilli's shoe came off in a mud puddle and so she used it as a bucket to fill up with water and then dump out -- she was quite pleased with herself.

I could have missed this . . .

or this . . .

but I didn't, at least not today. And I'm hoping I miss less small moments in my children's lives from here on out.

"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disapear all too soon and that you will - to your suprise - miss them profoundly."
President Thomas S. Monson

Sports Enthusiast!

Mac just finished a super successful basketball season. I was amazed at what a difference just one year did for him in this sport. This year Mac was immediately pinned as the main shooter, making several baskets each game. He was also much taller than most of the other kids on his team so he played Center and loved being right by the basket so that he could get his hands on all those rebounds. Mac loved taking the ball down the court and driving it in and there wasn't a shot he wouldn't take. After this year, I can't wait to see what next year will bring.

As soon as basketball season ended, Mac (and Jaxton) started right up into baseball. Even though Mac generally uses a metal bat, Nate picked up a plastic/foam one for practice around the house. Mac took it outside and on his very first swing, he hit the foam ball so hard that the bat broke in half. Baseball is a sport that Mac has always been fairly good at and I guess even after his "off season" he's still got it. Here's to the end of a great basketball season, to the beginning of an awesome baseball season and then looking forward to swimming and soccer.