WILDLIFE ANIMAL PARK

Alicia and her kids stayed a little longer after Mom and Dad's homecoming, which we loved. We decided to make the trek out to the Wildlife Zoo and it was totally worth it.

We all got to go into the parrot cage and feed them apples. The parrots were landing all over heads, arms, shoulders. The kids were fascinated. And I want them to know that I love them so much I was able to set aside my total fear and disdain of birds to go in there with them. They were so sad when the time was up and I was singing hallelujahs.

WELCOME HOME, MOM AND DAD!

Mom and Dad came home from their mission in India on Wednesday, November 25th in the evening. All of us were able to be there to greet them. We all gathered at the top of the terminal anxiously awaiting them to walk up. They were the last ones and I must admit I was starting to wonder if they were on the plane. We were so excited to see them.

The next day was Thanksgiving - just the perfect meal to welcome them home. I hosted it at my house and it was so much fun to have them here again. All the cousins played until they were worn out.

SOCCER

Gage played soccer with his friend, Golden, this fall. These boys are so cute and fun to watch. Just look at these pictures......adorable!

SNAKES, SNAILS, AND PUPPY DOG TAILS

Gage is the epitomy of this saying. This boy can entertain himself all day long outside. Often, he sets up his animals outside and plays some sort of game with them, running back and forth to the walls trying to catch lizards and bugs. He is fascinated with it all. I love it!!

HALLOWEEN

Sadly, we didn't do our normal Halloween traditions because I had the swine flu. It was such a bummer. I missed out on everything, even trick-or-treating. These pictures were taken by Alyssa. The kids were so excited as usual. Gage was a Jedi, Bella was Tinkerbell, and Paisley was a zebra. So cute!!

Thanks to Rob, Aunt Alyssa and Uncle Trevor for filling in for me.

I WANT TO REMEMBER THESE

Bella and Paisley LOVE to brush their teeth. They are always clamoring over the sink, fighting for their position. I hope this lasts.

Gage remembers EVERYTHING! We were playing the Children's Songbook CD's and "In the Leafy Treetops" came on. Gage said, "Oh! Grandma sang me that song once when I was sad when I was 3."

Gage says a prayer for everything and anything. He'll pray that his mama will say yes to buying the new transformer toy at Target, that his sister will give him her candy, and the other day he actually said a prayer while sitting on the toilet to "please help my bottom to not sting when I push out the poop." This might be too much information for an outside reader, but I am soooo using this one when he's older.

We were watching TV and the character said something kind of mean and Gage said, "Mama, you're right. TV is not good for me."

Today, Bella and Gage were talking about Christmas - the lights, Santa, the reindeer, etc. Gage said excitedly, "Bella! Don't forget the finishing touch is..... PRESENTS!" Who says finishing touch?

A couple of weeks ago on our way to Chik-Fil-A's playroom to meet some friends, Gage decided that he wanted to have a parade. After figuring out that our backyard would not be big enough for the parade of horses, floats, and dancers, he settled on leading a parade through our neighborhood. "Please, Mama? Can you please help me have a parade?" I told him we'd have to have a family meeting (that's my new favorite response to questions I don't know how to answer). At Chik-Fil-A, I heard him inviting all the kids there (all strangers) to his parade. The kids excitedly accepted and ran to tell their moms, who of course, shot them down. Gage just couldn't understand it. After all, he was just trying to cheer them up by inviting them to his big parade.....why would their moms say no?

At Gage's second soccer practice, all the boys were playing on the playground before practice started. Gage ran over and one by one, brought the boys over. "Hey, Austin! This is my mom. Hey, Joey! Come here! I want you to meet my mom." So sweet.

In the car recently, Gage and Bella were talking about a hospital (can't remember why). They were arguing over how to pronounce it. Bella pronounces it, "Hot-sa-bull". Gage kept trying to correct her saying, "No, Bella. Say 'HOS....BA....DULL!'" Hilarious.

Bella tells me everyday, "You are my best mama! I LUB you!!"

MY MOTHER'S FEET

I was sitting at a cub scout meeting last night and happened to look down at my feet. I sighed in disgust at my dry, cracked heels, my distorted pinky toenails and the overall hobbit shape of my feet. I swear my feet are as wide as they are long. My toenails are unpainted and my feet basically look hideous. And then I chuckled to myself.

I remember when I was in my vain teenage years, I thought to myself that I hoped I never had feet that looked like my mother's. Her toenails were never painted, pinky toenails were oddly misshapen, heels always dry and slightly cracked, and they are wide. I often wondered why she didn't put cream on them or attempt to make them look pretty.

Once I came across a picture of one of my ancestors on my mom's side, maybe my great-great-great grandmother. I commented to my mom about how unattractive she was. Her face was very hard and masculine, she was not smiling for the picture, and it was difficult to find a pleasing feature. My mom spoke of how once someone had said something similar to my great-grandfather, Joseph Peterson, and he quickly chided them. He defended her saying that her face was beautiful because it represented her hard work, perseverance, service and sacrifice.

I no longer have to wonder about the appearance of my mother's feet. Those feet have walked in a home without a father, over school campuses, in classrooms of all kinds. They have lovingly walked beside another's feet for 43 years. They have waddled through eight pregnancies, hurried to serve others, mostly her children. And now, they walk in a foreign land along filthy streets, carrying her to serve and teach about the Savior.


I chuckled last night BECAUSE my feet look JUST like my mom's. I LOVE that!



Now, I just have to earn them.......