Valentines Day

Kefford and Ryker went to the store on Saturday and when they came home Ryker came in with this vase of flowers for me. Kefford said that Ryker wanted to go to the flower shop so he could buy me a flower for valentines day. They went to the shop owned by a lady in our ward and she took pity on Ryker buying this with his OWN money and sold him the flowers for really cheap. It was such a sweet thing for Ryker to think of and do. See all you new mothers of boys, boys are rough and tumble but are also oh so sweet and thoughtful!

"To Mom, from Ryker I love you"

Rylee was in the spirit of love day and had lots of kisses to give.

Kefford and I got the kids little coloring books and canisters of candy for Valentines Day. I also gave them all a kiss but only got Rylee on film. I sure do love all of my kids and am very grateful for each of them!

We were going out to Nyssa on Sunday for Keffords Dad big release from the Stake Presidency and so I did out Valentines dinner on Saturday. Heart shaped meatloaf, heart shaped pink biscuits, pink butter, red juice and red jello! Kenedy missed out because she went to the farm with Keffords sister to spend the night, but the rest of the kids loved our dinner and felt the love I am sure! :0)

I hope everyone had a great valentines day!

Valentines Weekend getaway

For Valentines Day this year Kefford and i wanted to do something special just the two of us. So using some of his reward points Kefford got us a room at the Hilton garden Inn in Eagle. We left our four treasures in the capable hands of Keffords sister and her husband and baby and away we went. Of course this year Valentines Day was on Sunday so we left Friday night and came back on Saturday. First thing we did after checking into our hotel was go out to eat. We decided to try something new and so we went to "Cool Hand Luke's"
I am so glad we came here. The food was amazingly good and the atmosphere was so nice. It was pretty rustic but so cool. We got our drinks served to us in huge mason jars so we had plenty of liquid and our waitress had a sixth sense and always brought our next drink just as we were taking our last swallow and putting the empty cup down.

We got yummy sourdough rolls before we ordered and they came with that cute little pot filled with steak and beans. Delicious!!

Kefford got peppercorn steak which he said was good but maybe the peppercorn was a little too overpowering.

I got a heaping pile of raspberry chipotle ribs. They were soooo good. My meal cost about $15 and I had enough leftovers that I ate them for lunch the next day, dinner on Sunday and then finished them off for lunch on Monday. Not too shabby. I am totally recommending this place to anybody and everybody, you will not be disappointed! If you are though don't tell me cause it will ruin my day.
After dinner and some shopping at Target we went back to our room.

Except it wasn't just a dinky Hotel room. Kefford somehow talked them into upgrading us into a nice fancy Suite!

It had a sitting area

A nice big bedroom with a cool balcony

A big bathroom with a huge jetted tub

A kitchen with a fridge and microwave and a nice table with chairs plus it had a cute little foyer to walk into

This place was really nice and I felt very spoiled!

Our balcony was the one on the bottom.

Kefford and I had such a good time and hope that this is something we can do again!

(I forgot to bring my camera and so we used our camera phones to take pictures. After we got home I suddenly remembered that my camera was in my purse. Yeah it was with us the entire time...I am such a dork!!)

Look what we discovered

While out on our Valentines Weekend getaway Kefford and I discovered that our phones can do some fun things while in picture mode!

I have had this phone for almost a year and I am just now finding these fun applications? I need to do more phone exploring I think!

Kefford is crazy Look at cute little Goldilocks!

I didn't know he was using this app when he was taking the picture. My facial expression is very fitting though. Hint...its because I am a secret top model and when you are a secret top model you just know things without even knowing you know them! :0)

I make a very cute clown
And what a cute pirate.

After finding and playing with these newly discovered apps I told Kefford we absolutely cannot show the kids how to do this. I already have enough trouble with kids playing with my phone and I do not want to give them something new to play with!

And another owie!

The other day I heard loud crying and then all of a sudden Avynlea came running into me and this is what I saw.

Don't worry, after quickly assessing the situation I saw that it wasn't too horrible so I quickly took some pictures. Then I gave her love and helped her clean her face. Turns out Ryker thought it would be a good idea to throw his MP3 player at Avynleas face. I don't know why he did it but when I questioned him on it he said he didn't think it would hurt her. Really Ryker? Lets try throwing it at your face to see what happens..No I really didn't say that but I did give him a good lecture about thinking and using his brain.

Not a good picture of the owie but her lip got cut on her tooth and it healed pretty quick. Avynlea was fine after the initial hurt and was even eating food 5 minutes later.

And Ryker did feel really bad. This is him being apologetic and on the verge of tears. You know despite Ryker being a boy and all the rough and tumble that goes into it really is a sweetie and has a good heart. I like that he felt bad for what happened and hopefully it teaches him to be more careful with his delicate sisters. :0)

I told Avynlea I wanted to get a picture of her bloody jeans and so she laid out on the floor so I could get a full body shot!

Now that doesn't look good

A couple of weeks ago Avynlea started getting a weird rash all over her body. We had just been to the Doctor for her well child appointment and she noticed a small rash on her foot and said that it was hives. She just told me to keep an eye on it. Within a couple of days it had turned into something covering her face, arms, legs and bottom. She never complained about it but it did not look good. So I looked online and read about it and I read that hives usually happen to small children when they are sick.It said to give her Benedryl and it should be fine.

She kept breaking out for about a week and every time I would give her some Benedryl and watch it go away. The worst outbreak happened at the Temple while we were at Keffords brothers wedding. She was simply covered and I didn't have the medicine, she had to wait until we got home.

We haven't had any more outbreaks since that week and I am thankful. But I know that if it happens again it is not a huge deal, just something to keep an eye on plus lots of Benedryl.


Rylee had been complaining that her ear hurt and one morning she woke up really sad and upset because her ear hurt so bad. I asked her if she needed some medicine but all she wanted was a band-aid.

So put a band-aid on her ear to help her think it was better, in the meantime I called my friend Camille and she told me all I needed to do was put a couple of drops of Hydrogen Peroxide in her ear a couple times a day. I did that for two days and it worked! Rylees ear was better and i didn't have to dish out a ton of money for the Doctor and medicine. Rylee kept the band-aid on for a couple days more because in her heart that is what cures all owies!

Double Digits!

Kenedy is now 10. She is officially out of the single digits forever! She has been very excited for this day and would randomly comment on this being the last time I will do this as a single digit. It has been kinda cute and I am glad that she has been looking forward to being 10!

I asked Kenedy what she wanted for her birthday dinner and I was a little bit nervous about her response. I was already making chicken noodle soup for a friend who just had a baby and I was hoping Kenedy would be ok with that because I did not want to make two different dinners. But of course she didn't want chicken noodle soup she wanted...pizza! And not homemade pizza either..phew..that was doable and very easy. So Kefford brought home pizza, I made a salad and threw the leftover jello onto the table, a very quick and easy meal for the birthday girl. That soup did smell divine so before delivering it I took out a little bit, put it in a bowl and stashed it so I could have it the next day. :0)

Now it was time for the presents. Kenedy is at the age where she is getting hard to shop for. We just had Christmas and so i felt that the toy part of things had been covered. What she really needed and wanted were new clothes. She is sooo hard to buy clothes for. The clothes I pick out and buy are totally cute and stlyish but they hang in her closet only to be worn once or twice. So what I did was get some cash hid them in envelopes around the house and sent her on a hunt.

I was a little concerned about how she was going to react to this especially since the whole christmas screw-up and so I had a little talk with her before hand. I informed her that if she cried or showed any negative reaction to her presents that I was never going to get her anything ever again. She told me later that she thought I was going to give her another trip to California after that speech. hahaha

But she loved this hunt for presents idea of mine and liked the clues and the search. She kept all of my cute little rhymes and I have to say I was pretty proud of them.




She got a grand total of $50 to spend on clothes. She was really happy with her fan of money!

Kefford had ordered a Family Feud WII game that I forgot about so it wasn't wrapped jusy still in its box. She liked that too.

Kenedy didn't have a cake design idea and I was happy because I had this cute idea in my head. It panned out exactly how I pictured it looking and Kenedy really liked it!


I think Kenedy had a great birthday. I love this oldest child of mine and think she is getting more beautiful as the years go by!

5 things I love about Kenedy:
1. She is getting to be a really good pianist and enjoys playing.
2. She has inherited my love of reading and always has a book in her hands. Her favorite books?..The BabySitters Club series, I loved these books growing up and it is fun to see her doing the same.
3. She is kind to everone around her. I always hear from people how much they love being around Kenedy and how loving she is. I really appreciate that and hope she always stays the nice girl. Her teacher tells me that everyone in class loves Kenedy and they all want to sit with her.
4. I think it's funny whenever she calls me on my cell phone she will say "Hi Mom it's me, Kenedy". It makes me laugh every time she does it but I would be sad if she stopped. I think it is so cute!
5. She always says her personal prayers most times without me reminding her. I love when I see her kneeling by her bed in prayer when I havn't reminded her.

Kenedys favorite things:
color: turquoise and lime green
food: spaghetti
candy: reeses peanut butter cups
subject in school: reading
book: Babysitters club series
friend: Maggie Howell, Natalia Giauque and Lauryn Warner
chore: vacuuming
church song: Love is spoken here
song: Tear drops on my guitar by Taylor Swift
place to go: dairy queen
being 10: DOUBLE DIGITS
season: summer
day of week: friday and monday. Monday weekend is over and friday the weekend starts.

The story of your birth: Kenedy

(I have been trying to scan my photos into the computer but for some reason I can't get the scanner working. I want to post this anyway and after Kefford comes home will have him help me with the scanner so come back tomorrow for the cute pictures of my cutie baby!)
When I went back to look for pictures of my pregnancy with Kenedy and her first born pictures I discovered some things. First, I cannot find my preggo pictures. What happened to them? I am not too bummed about them missing because I think they are ugly pictures. It was back in the day when the tent style maternity shirts were still all the rage and I was not having good preggo days. I was huge and totally breaking out. So sorry Kenedy about not having them maybe someday I will find them. The second thing is how dark the pictures are. We had no money then and when I bought film for my camera I could only afford the cheapo low grade film. So things are looking really dark. Having stated my few disclaimers here is the story of the birth of my firstborn.

I was due February 20 and I was absolutely positive that I would be at least two weeks late. My Mom was that late with me and I knew that the first ones typically come later rather then sooner. What a surprise when on February 17 I started having contractions. Kefford and i were driving out to Nyssa that day because he had a Dr's appointment out there. I was having contractions on the drive out there and then periodically throughout the day. Alison kept watch over me timing the contractions and how far apart they were. Later that evening Kefford and I felt that maybe this was it and we should go to the hospital, they were slowly getting harder. But here was the problem, this was a Thursday night and at that time I was really into the TV show "ER". This was a particular episode that I did not want to miss because it was the second part of a cliffhanger and i had to see what happened to Dr. Carter and his girlfriend. So during the show and commercial breaks I had Kefford rubbing my back and helping me breathe.
Finally we were able to leave the apartment and get to the hospital. They checked me and told me that I was at a 3 and that I was not far enough to check in. So they had me walk around the hospital to try to open things up and even put me in the jacuzzi. I was told that I had to go up to a 4 before they would admit me. So after hours of walking and being in pain, I got checked again...still a 3 so they gave me some Tylenol, a sleeping pill and sent me home. I tried to go to bed but after a little while I couldn't take it anymore and went out into the front room so Kefford could sleep. I spent that entire night throwing up from the pain and most likely anxiety, trying to breathe through my contractions which were really hurting, crying, pacing the front room, and trying to lay down with no success..not a fun night at all. Finally at about 7:30 Kefford called the hospital and told them what was happening. They told him to go ahead and bring me in.
Oh that drive to the hospital was so painful, before we left Kefford put towels on the seat under me just in case my water broke while in the car so that nothing gross would get on his car. At the hospital I was checked in at a 7 and 80% effaced. I immediately requested an epidural and sighed with relief when it took. Then the waiting game began. The epidural basically took my contractions away and so they hooked me up to the Pitocin to get them going again. Finally at 4:00ish I was told that I could start pushing. I remember the nurse telling me that it could take up to half an hour to push the baby out and it wouldn't be long now before I had my baby. Guess how long I ended up pushing...two and a half hours!!! At one point my Dr came in to check on me and said that we might have to turn off my epidural because he didn't think I was pushing right. No Way! I knew I was pushing right and I was not about to let them turn off my pain relief. Finally the head was in a good position and Dr. Werdel came in to deliver my baby.
After some examinations he decided that I needed an episiotomy and once he made that cut my baby girl came out with no problem. Hmmm couldn't we have done that cut two hours ago?! Kenedy came out with dark hair and as Dr. Werdel hefted her up he expressed lots of surprise about how big she was. I feel like this first delivery was a little traumatic, I wish they would have let me stay at the hospital the night before since I did most of my laboring at home with no relief. plus all of that pushing was not fun, the silver lining? I did not have any negative effects from all that pushing, never got any hemorrhoids, I was sore but a normal labor and delivery sore, so that was nice. I was really excited to finally be a Mom and this first girl of mine was absolutely beautiful!

Kenedy Alyse Peterson
February 18 2000 6:35 pm
9 pounds 2 ounces 22 inches long

Some of my Favorite things!

One of my, beginning to be favorite :0), cousins, Kelsey tagged me in a post and since I am trying to be one of her favorites I am choosing to do it! :0) It's actually kinda fun I have a list of different things I am supposed to take pictures of around my house that are favorites and then some random ones. So no judging on the state of things in my house, just sit back and remember I have kids and am not perfect. :0)
Favorite room:
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This is my living room, I love this room because of so many reasons. I love my greenish couches and I like what I did on my wall with my kids pictures. My Aunt Tami, Kelseys Mother-in-law, made me that canvas wall hanging and I totally love it

I love this wall in my living room because it is so tall and I like what I did with the top.

This area in my living room makes me happy because for sooo long that space was empty. A couple of weeks ago I was cleaning in the computer room and I was trying to figure out what to do with the spare chairs. I decided they would look great in the front room so that's where I put them. I love how it brings the room together and makes it feel more homey!
Favorite Bathroom:
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This is my favorite bathroom by default. it is my bathroom and it is the only one with paint on the walls. I do love my rug, curtain and towels. I saved up my money so I could splurge a little and I got those at Bed, Bath and beyond. I just need to keep saving so I could do the other bathrooms.:o)

This is my bathroom sink. I hate cleaning bathrooms and it is always disorganized on top of the vanity. That little clear make-up box belongs to Avynlea, she got it for her birthday from her Grandma Bonnie filled with make-up. Every morning after she gets dressed she comes into my bathroom to do her "make-up", she cracks me up!
Favorite Shoes:

I couldn't decide between these two. The sparkly pair i got from a ward swap and I almost passed them up because they were half a size too small. But I was talked into it and am so glad I was, they now fit great and I love wearing them to dress up an outfit. The brown pair I saw when I was at Target with my sister in Utah. We were trying on shoes and I found these the last pair in out size. We both liked them and I told her she could take them because I was trying to be smart with my cash and I felt bad for her cause the boots she liked were not fitting good. Well I regretted giving those shoes up for a long time after I, I even hunted for them at other Targets because I wanted them so bad but with no luck. So I cut my losses and tried to forget about them. About a year ago I was in Utah visiting my sister and needed to borrow a pair of shoes and she led me to these. She then told me I could have them because she never wore them..YES! I wear them ALL the time and LOVE them!
Self_Portrait:

Here I am in all my make-up less hair not done glory! Love me!
Laundry Room:

I had Avynlea take this picture which would explain why it is so blurry.
Inside my Fridge:

What can I say...it's a fridge!
My kitchen Sink:

It is clean it just has the lunch dishes and my cookie dough bowl sitting in it. Not too shabby! Glad this challenge didn't come on a different day cause this has huge potential to be scary!
What my kids are doing right now:

We just got back from dance class so they are still in dance clothes, eating suckers while watching "Stuart Little"
My closet:

Oh how I dream of the huge closet I will someday have, in the meantime I have to squeeze clothes in and periodically weed out the ones that I don't wear all the time so I can have more hangers. See the big white box in the back? That is my wedding dress, normally it is against the wall behind my shoe shelf but lately I have been OBSESSED with "say Yes to the Dress" on TLC and it makes me want to put my dress on. The closest I have come is pulling the box out to look at it. I am still scared to cut open the tape to try it on..I don't know why..just am.

OK so there you have a sneak peek into my household. I choose to tag Erin, Emily, Candice, Brit, Karli, Lana, Amberly and Joshua.