Temple Square

After the Graduation Party Kefford and I took the kids to Temple Square to go on a special tour. My kids really wanted their cousins to come too and so after getting permission from their parents Ben and Isabelle came with us. Bob Wood is a friend of the Peterson Family who I think is distantly related somehow and he works at the Conference Center on Temple Square. He was willing to take us on a special behind the scenes tour that most people do not get to take. 

When we first stepped into the Tabernacle I was a little bit in awe. It was so cool looking and so big, it is able to seat 21,000 people. This was my first time seeing it in person and it is a different feeling then seeing it on TV.

After letting us look around a little he took us underground through a trapdoor in the floor.

Bob had the kids run through this side to count how many Air conditioning vents there were. 

When they got back and reported he then had them run around the other side to see if it was the same. This really wore them out;)

We got to see the Pulpit in its lowered position which was cool.

A picture of the organ pipes from down below

We went onto the stage which was in the process of being taken down from the last general conference. They take the pulpit and all the chairs and risers down each conference and then the are is used for performances and other things. 

Back underneath everything we saw this line of water fountains which were enough for everyone to use at the same time. 

Interpreters come from all over the world to help carry the message out in their own language and in many foreign countries ice is not traditionally used in their drinks. So to accommodate everyones preferred taste they had a chilled drinking fountain and a room temperature drinking fountain. Genius! I tried both and definitely prefer chilled, I do wonder which one would have the longest line during conference.

Cubicles for the different language interpreters. I think their were over 100 different languages represented. Most I didn't even recognize.

We went into various control rooms where the kids pretended to be official.

Those who are lucky enough to be in the Tabernacle watching General Conference need to watch out with their texting and playing on their cell phones. These cameras can zoom right up to any cell phone and the worker can , have and will read what is being written. All of the kids had fun creeping on people touring and working in the Tabernacle.

Peeking underneath at all of the cables and wires

This was a little staging area that is used for interviews or messages being broadcasted.

And this side was the side used to record the Stake Conference messages that come from church headquarters.

After our tour was done we wanted to go over to the visitors center but were hesitant because it was raining pretty hard. So Bob took us down through the tunnels to avoid the rain and when we opened the door at the end of our walk we were right in the middle of the Visitors Center. I could get used to this VIP treatment!

It had stopped raining by the time we were done and we were able to walk around outside a little bit.

Of course we had to take a picture of our favorite 8 year old with the number 8

We stopped in at the Family Search area and got our picture taken. That was a fun thing to do and for them to provide. They set you up, take the picture and then if you like it, type in your email address and it is sent to you free!

Kefford and I were very happy to be able to take our kids around Temple Square. All 6 kiddos kept saying how cool everything was and were so excited to have had this opportunity.

Graduation in Utah

Thursday April 24th Kefford and I picked the kids up after school and headed to Provo Utah. My Sister Emily was Graduating with her degree in Education and my Brother Andrew was graduating with his degree in Physiology and Developmental Biology. I had just finished off another bottle of mouthwash and so Kefford asked me if I would rinse it out and fill it with grape Kool-Aid. Sometimes my husband likes to do weird things, but thats part of why I love him:). 

It was raining pretty good close to the Utah Idaho border and we loved the rainbow that we saw. You could see every color and it was so bright. As we got closer to it we were able to see the entire arch! My kids were in awe!

We stayed at Dustin and Saras house in Spanish Fork and the next morning we got up early to go meet my family for the 8:00 am graduation. Andrew got special permission from the college to Graduate with Emily which was really cool. They got to Graduate with their Sibling and we only had to go to one Graduation! The graduation was two hours long but I think the bulk of it was the handing out of the Diplomas. That part took forever it seemed. Finally we got through it and were then herded out like cattle where we had to make our way to the reception area. Super crowded but we finally found our Graduates where we could congratulate them and take pictures.

"High five, we did it!" 

A Robertson Family group hug. I love little Bens arm poking out!

The Graduates!

After pictures we all changed clothes and then went over to their little church to have a celebration Party. Emily got a piñata for the kids but we could not let the kids have all of the fun. The "big kids" wanted to take a wack at it also ;).

Since Emily is going to be an elementary teacher I made her a name plate to put on her desk for her Graduation. It turned out so cute and she loved it! I got Andrew a gift card to Amazon since I could not come up with anything better for him. 

Cookies and PACE

On Sunday I made cookies to take to the girls I visit teach, Avynlea came with me and when we had to sit on the porch for a couple of minutes to wait for my friend to get home we snapped some pictures.

Kenedy took another picture of herself on my phone. 

Avynlea scraped her nose on the inflatable at the cheer banquet and for the next couple of days she had a lot of people asking her about it. So much that she really got tired of being asked.

Being a fourth grader Avynlea had to participate in PACE. She picked the grizzly bear to do her report on and worked really hard to find information and prepare her poster. The day before the big presentation I took her to the store to let her pick out a new top to wear. She looked so cute the next morning, I gave her a more grown-up hair do which she loved and her new top was adorable.

Rylee's class did a unit on Earth Day and they made a poster showing what they could do with their own two hands to make the Earth better. Rylee put down that she would throw away trash and pick up litter.

Whitney went to Peterson Orthodontics to get her teeth whitened and she brought Maddie with her. She sent me this cute picture of Kefford hanging out with Maddie. 

2015 Cheer Banquet

I had to leave the funeral right after it was done, before the family dinner, because Kenedy had her cheer banquet that she did not want to miss. I took Rylee and Avynlea along with me because they had an inflatable there for them to play on. It seemed to be your typical banquet with food and lots of talking. After dinner they gave out awards which were "Person voted most likely to....". Kenedy got "person voted most likely to grow up and be Beyonce". I was really confused by this but Kenedy said on the bus to Pocatello they had music playing in the back and she would get up and go back there when they were playing a song she liked and shake it like Beyonce. I am still a little confused but its all good. 

Grandma Marge

On Monday I saw on Instagram that Keffords Aunt Tami had posted a message and in it she mentioned that Grandma Marge had to be taken to the emergency room. I was concerned but didn't think too much of it because it did not seem like it was a huge deal. The next morning Kefford called me to let me know that she was in the hospital in a coma and it was his understanding that things were not looking good. He wanted me to go to the Hospital to see what was going on that morning. I asked if I should cancel my Temple attendance that morning but he did not think it was that urgent, thank heavens. I went and did my Temple work and after wards I put Grandmas name on the prayer roll. That morning at scriptures I mentioned that I was going to put her name on the prayer roll at the Temple and Avynlea looked at me in surprise and said "But Grandma is not dead". She knows we go and do work for the dead but apparently we have never talked about the Prayer roll. I explained that it was a list that we can write names on for people who are sick or who need extra prayers said on their behalf. Then for two weeks they are included in the prayers at the Temple. They thought this was cool and I mentioned that sometimes when I feel it is needed I will write their names down. I think it is important for my kids to be aware that I think about them and worry about them and write them on the prayer roll for extra help and prayers on their behalf.

When I got to the Hospital Alison and Bob were their along with Aunt Vicki, Uncle Alan, Uncle Brad and the Owyhee Ward Bishop and Counselor. Alison told me that Tami took Grandma to the Dr on Monday to have some broken ribs that were really starting to bother her x-rayed. They noticed some fluid in her lungs and sent her to the emergency room thinking she had pneumonia. While at the Hospital Grandma slipped into a coma and that is where she was at when I got there. I gathered from the vibe and things others were saying that this was really the end for her and they were waiting for her to die. It really seemed like a bittersweet time. We love her and will miss her so much but she was really in a lot of pain and really missed her sweetheart Farrell who passed away a little over a year ago. I like being able to be there with Kefford's family, there was a lot of joking around in true Peterson fashion but there was also a great feeling of love for her and each other.

I went home to go visiting teaching and later after the kids were home from school and when Kefford got home from work we took the kids to the hospital so they could see her one last time. I explained to them what was happening and let them know that it wasn't scary at all Grandma looked just like she was sleeping. When we got there Uncle Mark and Aunt Debbie had arrived and were there with Bob and Alison and Aunt Vicki. Alison explained things more to the kids and they were fine with everything and I think were glad to be able to be there. What a blessing to live where we live! Mark took the kids down to walk his dog for a little bit and when he got back Bob and Alison were getting ready to leave to go home to sleep for a couple of hours before heading back the next morning so we left when they did. More people had arrived by then and it was getting pretty crowded and loud. 

Kefford sent me a text the next day around noon to let me know that Grandma had passed. 

I have spent the last couple of days reflecting on this great woman I was given the privilege to know. I am thankful for her example and Farrells of how to live the Gospel righteously. They never failed to share their testimonies of of our Saviour and they had a deep love and testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. While the passing of Marge is a sad one it is also very sweet for her to be able to be reunited with her sweetheart whom I know she missed very much.

Grandmas kids were cleaning out some things and they found this note that Grandpa had written her and she saved all these years. What a sweet find! 

Tami remembered a picture she had taken of the two of them a while ago and had a print made and framed for display at the funeral. I loved it so much I asked her if she would send me a copy.

I also took a photo of these two pictures on display. Marge and Farrell with their kids, the kids proving that no matter how old you are you are still just a kid a heart.

I really liked this picture of them in their younger days. What a good looking couple!

Fine Dining

Wednesday the kids did not have any school. I still had to teach dance in the morning and I let Rylee come along to be my helper. The rest of them stayed home and hung out and played with the neighborhood hoodlums kids. When I got home there was a lot of sitting around and boredom going on until finally we loaded up in the car and headed to Costco to get some groceries we have been needing. We left late enough that by the time we were done getting our stuff it was close to dinner time which was my master plan. Not having to cook is awesome and buying cheap hotdogs and sodas for dinner is the best! I normally go shopping when the kids are in school because it is usually easier going alone. I really liked having them with me this trip because it was super helpful having more people to grab things and load and unload. As we were eating I took a picture of the gang eating and then Rylee wanted to take one of me. I had Avynlea get in with me since I did not one of just me alone, it feels too awkward for me. Rylee was sneaky and snuck in a selfie before actually taking the picture of me and Avy. Silly girl!