where have we been?

A big THANK YOU to all of the Peterson family for making the long trek out to Virginia! We LOVED having you out here, and it makes us painfully aware of what we're missing being so far from family.

A few quick highlights of the reunion, just so I won't forget:

• The first night, we got in later than we'd hoped and while James went into town to round up dinner, Eliza, Seth and Rachel all headed straight for the waves fully clothed. I had NO idea they would want to get in the ocean so quickly, especially since it was COLD, COLD, COLD. (Thank you Uncle Scott, for being ready to jump in after them!)
• Seeing those three little girls together--Olivia, Jillian and Caroline. Sarah, you made the cutest headbands and matching onesies for them!
  
• Watching Eliza write pages in her journal each night to document all that happened. It was an assignment for school to begin with, but a sweet thing to see nonetheless.
  
• Quilt shop hunting and loving the same pattern as Nettie (again). Lucky for us they had a second copy this time! I still don't know how we ever found that quilt shop--or made it home for that matter!! Those roads at Virginia Beach were CRAZY.
• Playing that boy vs. girl game until we were all WAY confused and had no more interest. We're lucky that game ever ended!
  
• Watching Jeff T. teach Eliza how to play pool, or "billiards" as Eliza puts it!!! So SWEET!
  
• Seeing little Sam so excited about throwing rocks into the pool.
  

We equally enjoyed the visiting that took place before and after the reunion at our house: sitting out on our deck grilling on Mother's Day, Jeff and Seth racing in the yard and Morgan and Rachel on the swings, ice cream with Brett and Sarah, playing hearts with Mom and Dad, James and Jeff T. playing basketball, to name just a few!

And of course--a blog just isn't a blog without a few pictures...

Our quick run through Jamestown on the way back home. Very cool boats, but we wish we'd had more time to enjoy the stop.
At the aquarium in Virginia Beach. Aunt Sarah cut Eliza's hair the day before, and LOVES the compliments she gets daily.
James trying to show Caroline how to catch a sea turtle. Notice how interested she is in the technique...
Outside of the aquarium.
Our one good beach day!

Aunt Britta showed Eliza a cool new way to build a sand castle. She's so creative!
Seth insisted on wearing goggles, even though I don't remember his head ever going under the water...

you work and work and work

Motherhood can be discouraging sometimes, because you don't often see the results of your time and effort spent with the kids. In fact, usually you just work and work and work and feel like there's not much to show for it. You mop the floor and it needs it again 2 hours later. You finish the laundry just to find another mound of towels and clothes in the hamper.

Once in awhile, you get a glimpse that you're on the right track, that your efforts have not been in vain.

Yesterday I had one of these moments. I had emailed the librarian at school who had asked Eliza to memorize a poem for a Memorial Day program. She's been under a lot of stress with piano, memorizing a piece for her recital (which is Friday!) and I had asked if it would be alright for Eliza to just read the poem instead of adding to her stress.

I got this reply from the librarian: "I would love to have Eliza simply read the poem during the program. I am so sorry she has been distressed over the request. She is such a lovely young lady! I chose her because she represents all that is good, honest and hard working in our students today."

I consider this the best Mother's Day gift I could get.

sidewalks!

Yesterday we had Stake Conference, and so we went up to Centreville (about 20 minutes north of us). James dropped us off at the entrance to the building, and then went to park.

After a VERY long meeting (I say long because our little family could NOT stay seated. I think we got up and down to go "get drinks" or "go potty" about 10 times total...it made the meeting seem twice as long.) we headed back to our car.

It was a good little hike through the parking lot and out through some woods to get to where we were parked. When we reached the parking lot, Eliza said, "Wow...sidewalks! It's been so long since I've walked on a sidewalk."

We realized that she probably has not walked on a sidewalk since we've lived in Virginia. Our other kids will grow up not even knowing what they are! CRAZY!

star wars mania

I think it's safe to say that we are SERIOUSLY Star Wars obsessed at our house. James might have started it (I'm not sure) but it has caught on in a huge way with Seth, and surprisingly Eliza and Rachel. I can't even begin to tell you the number of conversations I've overheard about characters' names that I didn't know existed. Star Wars did a smart thing when they combined their movies with Play Station AND Legos. What a winning combination.

What's funny is that Seth has found eBay through it all. Yesterday he told me that someone was selling Bobba Fett ("legos guy", of course...to him the regular figures aren't cool) on eBay without his helmet. He thought it was tragic. Then he asked me what www meant and likened it to Spider-Man's web.

What will we be discovering next?