Happy ThanksgivingChristmasNewYear!.....

.....and anything else that I may have missed while away from this blog! Well, I will not be able to catch up on everything because frankly, I don't have the time...or the energy right now. A few highlights would be school, Cutler's first birthday (already?), vacation, and school (yes, I said school twice). Christmas is always a highlight though!

First off, school. I started school last Fall after taking a semester (Spring) off to spend at home with TWO boys. It was so nice to have all that time dedicated to being mommy and wife and not mommy, wife, AND student...esp with a newborn to love on. I enjoyed my first semester very much. I was busy for sure. I didn't get out much. Ha! The winter break was much anticipated!

Winter break was finally hear and so was Cutty's birthday! Wow, time just wooshes on by without you even noticing. We had family over to our house for cake and snacks and just all around grand time shared together! Cutty really enjoyed his cake...and being the center of everyone's attention. It is so fun to see his little personality shine through! That same and went and a week later it was time to celebrate CHRISTmas. We missed Britt and Ali very much this year and every other time the family gets together (this makes the time we share with THEM that much more special). Rider had a blast opening his presents and Cutler just enjoyed playing in the piles and watching Rider..and we all just enjoyed watching both boys!

We actually got to get out for a New Year's Eve celebration at friends' house and enjoyed our time with them very much! But we never seem to make it to the ball drop! Cutler just shut down and wanted to go home to his own bed...and Evan was all about going to sleep himself. For once it was him and NOT me. I am the "party pooper" a lot of the time (I just wear myself out and get tired at like 9pm! .....OLD!) I was thrilled that for once I actually could have stayed for hours more!

Speaking of sleep....vacation with only my husband was just what the doctor ordered! We went on a cruise..just the two of us. We missed our boys very much, but thoroughly enjoyed our time away in the warm/hot temperatures of the Caribbean! Funny how things change as you age and become parents. We were happy to just relax all day and didn't feel the need to keep ourselves busy. Vacation is looked at more now as a time to finally go to sleep when we want and wake up when we want and "veg" when we want! I took some necessary reading material with me because classes started two days after our return home!

Rider and Cutler seemed to have enjoyed their time with both sets of grandparents (what would we ever do without them?).

Two days later I started back to school and am now in my second week, but not without our entire household getting a NASTY sickness that seems to be going around these days (everyone at the Peters Christmas got it). It was miserable. Thank goodness I got it worse that any of my boys (Evan included). I would have hated if any of them had it near as badly. That put me down for the count for at least two full days and I get a little behind in my class load..but things are looking UP and I finally feel normal again! I am looking forward to this semester for sure! I pray for patience and understanding for my boys daily, as I am always nose-to-books while in school! They seem to be handling my school just fine. I am glad they have eachother. It is so much fun watching them interact...best buds (most of the time ;))

a few projects....

a FUN wreathe...I will be making more :)

Lindsay came down and spent the day with me and the boys (thanks linds!) and we made fun hair things...she made a cute felt ring with a button on it too!

Necklace- I have seen these all over Etsy and have been wanting to make one so badly. I love orange...so wha la! I will be making more of these too! (can't wait for it to be a little cooler/less humid so I can wear one)

My first attempt at making one of these...it was given to Caroline Louise...Hope she likes it one day :)

Hopefully I will have more projects to post soon...

1) cabinet

2) blackboard

3) who knows.......

Sweet Caroline's hospital gift

just another mess of R's

He likes to eat raw oatmeal...it always ends in him sweeping the floor for me :)

SALE FINDS!

a GREAT freebie

now housed above the book shelf in the play room

Photo shoot with my boys:)

Lately we have been in the house most of the day and swim in the kiddy pool in the mornings and evenings. It is kind of hot for C *but mostly too hot for me* to enjoy too much time outside. We go on walks most mornings and evenings....the boys LOVE their walks..esp if the morning walk ends at the park just down the road :) I have thrown out about 4 small pots of plants and 2 large pots. I got sick of watering them to no avail! They were dying...now that I think of it..they may have been OVER watered! I look at the beautiful overflowing pots as I drive and can't help but be a tinge jealous at the green thumbs everybody else has but me! Maybe next year (i tell myself this every year)

The summer has been awesome so far! We have not been doing much, but I am enjoying my time with my little family so much. A lot has been happening this month alone! Miss Caroline was born to dear Jake and Lisa (what a cutie!!), C is "army crawling" all over the place, R has been training C all kinds of wrestling moves, and i have attended my very first school sale!

My H.S. alma mater was torn down this month, but not before I got to get my hands on a few things! It was SO MUCH FUN to bid...what an adrenaline rush...I could turn out to be an auction junkie!...so I have to limit the amount of auctions I attend :) Among the things I bought are slate chalkboards($n/a), conference table ($1), stool, clock, old intercom speakers, books, cabinet ($5), map, 8ft folding table, cabinet doors (was too carried away with the nostalgia and bought the silly things:)), lots of old napkin holders (got the whole box but only wanted one!),lockers (thanks, Dad!), and another nice table (gave to Auntie for sewing).....it was FUN!!! I can't wait to hang my blackboard. OH THE BLACKBOARDS...they were SO heavy! Poor E and my Dad...they had to carry the things from the THIRD (yes, third) floor UGH!! i had no clue

those things were so much work...and a pain once you get so many carried and loaded, hauled and unloaded! I owe my hubby and Daddy BIGTIME!

I am living it up these next few weeks before I start school again. I went to turn in all my health requirements to the nursing dept at school last week and thought I would take a stroll through the bookstore to see what books i was going to need...WOW...i need like 9 books! Granted, I will be using some of them more than one or two semesters, but still! I am more nervous now that I know how many books we are going to be learning from! So scared for tests already..which books are we going to be tested from....or will they even tell us?! Oh goodness...at least I have a few more weeks to fill with any social life I may have and family togetherness! These will be the last weeks until the second week of December I will have no school stress to worry about!

It is crazy how fast the littles are growing up! I can't believe R is talking (and walking around singing with his play guitar in hand) and C is moving and eating food! I washed and put away all the "baby toys", like the playmat and swing...bittersweet:)

First meal as a BIG BOY :)

Mom and Linds went to visit Britt and Ali this week. I wanted to go so badly! They keep texting and calling me to keep me in the loop as much as possible. It is so fun to see the pics they are taking. I know they are having a wonderful time. After CO they head out to WA to visit my mom's family and do some more sight seeing and exploring/hiking in Victoria,Canada, seattle, sequim and port angeles! My Aunt A just had sweet baby #7, Lucy, and she is so cute! I wish I could be there with mom and linds to help pinch those sweet baby cheeks :) I know Ali is loving having them there! We miss you, Ali and Britt!

I wish I was better at incorporating all the pictures into my posts! It gets so frustrating that I cannot get the pictures where I want them :).....

Anyway, I had an idea of what I wanted to say to everyone before we started the baby shower for Baby FOrsythe, but when it came time for me to greet everyone and say thank you for coming...i got choked up and a little teary-eyed so I just decided to keep everything SHORT...and sing "Jesus loves Me" asap!

I had a blast last night at the shower, but was unable to see anything be opened,so I HAD to go to Lisa's for coffee this morning. EVERYTHING IS SO CUTE! It was so much fun to see everyone's creativity in each gift! Baby got some ADORABLE things! I wanted to smuggle a few things out the door when I left JUST IN CASE I have a girl one day! tee hee. I didn't though...I will enjoy seeing little Baby grow up and get the chance to use all the fun items! HOWEVER, I am glad that I don't have to dress a little girl...so many options! (not to mention the fact that I would go broke if I had a girl).

Lisa and Jake,

You and your little one are so dear to our hearts and are so very loved! Best of all....she is almost here!

bits and pieces

yay for baby showers! I just love to plan little parties and such, especially for dear friends such as Lisa! Her little princess is just weeks away from her debut and we got the privilege to shower her {mommy} with all things "girl"! It was so much fun to prepare for the much anticipated affair~

Boy or scary monster?.......Rider helped make cake pops :)

Here are a few pictures of the shower....Thanks to all who helped bring this all together!

the past months in pictures......

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As I write this post I realize that I have not taken pictures lately! Isn't it funny how you just take picture after picture with only one child...and by the time the second one comes around you get so busy and don't even know where the camera is! We recently got new appliances and Rider is fully reaping the benefits! He has a FORT! (aka dishwasher box) He has been dragging toys and snacks inside and wants to watch "choo chooos?" on the laptop in there...so funny!

Rider has been on a huge Train kick lately :) His SECOND birthday is quickly approaching and we are so excited! I am thinking of different cake shapes I can make. I think we need to do a trial run first though :)...i just simply don't trust myself with cake shaped cake pans (i have never done this before :)) I went on a walk with the boys the other day and ended up at the park. Rider had a blast, and so did I as I watched him climb everywhere and go down the slide all by himself! My boy is getting so big! As I sat there I realized it is the BEST place to have Rider's birthday party! YAY! Love summer birthdays :) It made me think....What are we going to do in DECEMBER?! -WAY too early to think about such things!...I still have a whole semester of school to get through!

We have officially found ourselves a babysitter for the school semester! I am so glad that she is someone I know and can trust with the littles :) It is a huge weight off my shoulders...now I can breathe this summer-well as I strike all the other things on my list OFF!

I attended a True Woman Conference at our church last weekend. It was not an actual conference...it was a great weekend. We watched videos of speeches given by John Piper, Nancy Lee Demoss, Janet Parcell , and Johnny Tada (note* don't know how to spell ANY of those names:))..it was a wonderful weekend filled with love and special time with "sisters"!

I will post a few pictures a little later on...I have yet to upload them to the computer! Love to you all on this WINDY WINDY Wednesday!