The Color Run

Brad signed up Dallin, Ethan and Ayva to do the color run with him.  It's basically a 3 mile run where they throw color on you as you run.  You start off white as stark white can be and end up looking like a rainbow gone bad.  They had a complete blast!  They talked about how the color shower was the best and how they wanted to do it as a family next year.  Looking at the stained clothes, socks, shoes and

Then Leprechauns Leapt

This particular green day was so fun because who doesn't like eating green eggs and ham while reading the book at breakfast?  It is a beautiful day here in Las Vegas during this time and I can't help but bask in the great creation of the Earth.  What a wonderful world.  We woke up wearing all green so that nobody could use the power of pinch against us and headed to school with the kids walking along making small talk.  I bid them goodbye and Ginger and I continued our little stroll to the nearby park where we played to our hearts content.  I have such wonderful little conversations and time together with little Ginga-boo.  She is my last and so she gets a little extra TLC when the kids are at school.  We journeyed home playing I spy and headed to gymnastics.  Both girls are in it and they both not only love it but are excelling considerably.  It was a fun day with which I thank my Father in Heaven for the bounteous blessings I am constantly blessed with.

Dinner was green.  It is a crazy night with Ayva's gymnastics, so I couldn't get as creative as I like, but we did have green pancakes, eggs, bacon and green milk followed with rainbow fruit kabobs, salad and  green sugar cookies.  It sufficed one and all and after a family home evening lesson, my little leprechauns hit the old dusty trail and off to la la land.

I treasure these sweet moments and times that I can have fun with my kids.  I love to make memories and create a place that they will always be happy and remember.  I try to be the best mom I possibly can and rejoice in the rich blessings I have that I have the resources to provide such memory makers.  I love being a mom--green and all.

Valentines Day requires Singing

This Valentines day was like any other Valentines Day we have celebrated including making DARN sure Bradley Redge knows he has a lover and his lover LOVES HIM!!!  For breakfast, I made heart shaped pink pancakes per tradition.  We enjoyed it with pink milk and lots of homemade syrup.  I found on the counter a carmeled covered apple Brad got for me for the heart day.  It was so sweet and thoughtful.

It was a day off school which presented the perfect opportunity for us to all show daddy how much we all love him.  As he had to work I asked the kids if they had ever heard of a singing telegram.  They all replied that they had NOT heard of this crazy idea and with that we decided to make all of Brad's dreams come true by going to his office with 4 little cupids and a Mariah Carey song and dance.  It was HILARIOUS!

Dallin, dressed in red socks, my pink heart undies that gathered in the bum and a towel wrapped around his shoulder and waist was ready.  Ethan likewise had on some of my red undies, barefoot, red suspenders and pretty pink angel wings came ready to perform.  Ry wore Ayva's red gymnastics hot pants with ruffles on the bum bum and Ginger matched wearing the same only hot pink with her hot pink high heeled princess shoes and a sparkly crown.  We showed up at the office with our boombox, our little cupids lined up ready to perform for the few patients and an unsuspecting dentist we call Daddy.  I cued the music and Mariah Carey gave a wonderful rendition of "Sweetheart" while the kids did a little dance.  It was truly a moment I will NEVER forget.

One of the cute little patients who was probably in her late 50's stayed and afterward grabbed me by the arm and with tears in her eyes said, "You know, I lost my son 10 years ago in a freak accident and there hasn't been one day that I haven't thought about him and missed him and seeing this made me remember the good times I had with him.  It brightened my day and I thank you for letting me watch that."  I of course, got teary eyed as well and snuggled her up in a big embrace.  Inappropriate?  Maybe, but I wouldn't take back any of it.  And, you know me...inappropriate comes with the name Chelsea Reesa James Peterson.  Brad was still smiling when it was over and even treated us to lunch at Sonic so he was a great sport.

We left Bradley to go back to work and took the opportunity to cover his truck in colored paper construction hearts.  Yes, someone heart attacked the silver pickup!!!  Dinner was our traditional spaghetti dinner with meatballs, salad, french bread and chocolate covered strawberries.  Uncle Syd joined us for the celebration and quite enjoyed our hands being tied together with Brad's old ties.  It makes for a messy, memory maker.

I am so grateful for this opportunity to be a mother.  To be a wife.  To be a sister and friend to many.  I feel so loved by my sweet companion and cannot imagine a day living without him.  It brings me to break down and cry when I think of the day we must part but find comfort in the knowledge that it isn't forever and that I will be reunited with him in the eternities.  I have so much to be grateful for including the gospel of Jesus Christ knowing that he came, he died and he rose again giving us the wonderful gift of the Atonement.  I offer my deepest gratitude to Him for this gift as well as my maker for the many blessings he so freely bestows upon my head.  I am truly loved.

Ry turns Seven--Closer to Heaven!

My little Ry Man turned the big 0-7 this year.  It seems like literally just the other day I delivered him in a quick jaunt to St George and back to Vegas in one day bringing home my money toed sweet boy.  What a slice of PURE JOY he has been.  Joy and love.  This little boy is my lil' momma's boy.  He is full of zest for life and wants to do what is right.  He is CONSTANTLY writing notes of love and appreciation to me.  It has covered the whole front and back of my door with sticky's and papers and pictures expressing his sincere desire for me to know how much he loves me and I simply cannot dismiss the fact that he loves his mother.  "You are the key to my heart", "I would cry everyday if you weren't in my life", "I love you so so so so much".  Pictures illustrating me and him doing various activities with hearts and notions of love.  He is truly just joy.  Well, Ry woke up as every birthday member of our family to breakfast in bed.  Dallin made the eggs.  Ethan whipped up a delicious green smoothie.  Ayva manned the pancakes and Ginger got the tray and plate out.  Daddy, bought a giant pack of sour gummy worms (his favorite these days) and he awoke covered in the slimy things to our shouts of birthday wishes.  Ry rose from his pillow with a huge grin on his face thanking us all for making his day so bright.  He didn't want to eat in his bed "ALONE" and requested he join the rest of us at the table.  When I asked him what he wanted to do that day, besides sluffing school, he replied "My only birthday wish is that my brothers and sister stays home and plays with me."  Bradley was completely against the idea, but we all know that I am not one for rules and tend to break them every once and a while.  Dallin is in middle school and is unable to miss these kind of days, so unfortunately, he couldn't stay home, but the rest of the wild pack skipped school and we played all day long.  We jumped in the car after getting ready and headed to the nearest jump house park called "Pump it Up."  Jumping was the name of the game for 2 1/2 hours and they played to their hearts content.  We shut the place down and headed just up the road to the outlet mall.  For, this year instead of the traditional birthday outfit, he wanted "cool shoes."  And, so, we went to the Nike outlet and he chose the COOLEST neon green free runs.  He tried out several pair determining which looked the coolest, felt the most comfortable and which ones made him RUN FASTER!  He settled on the shoes and chose Famous Dave's for his birthday lunch as our next destination.  Oh, how he has grown.  The first time we went to this joint, it scared the higebees out of him!  He said "the pig is scary" and didn't like all the flashing lights and signs in the place.  Now, however, he has tasted the BBQ ribs and is sold on them.  So we devoured lunch and headed to the local Target for his toy purchase.  He looked carefully at all the toys determining which would give him the most entertainment and settled on a remote control helicopter.  We came home and he played with that for a while with the other kids.  For dinner, he wanted sloppy joes, mashed potatoes with, and I quote, "dad's gravy" and salad...because "he likes to be healthy."  We opened presents next.  Bradley chose a great blue bike and sweet spikey helmet.  He was STOKED!  Dallin gave him a homemade bow and arrow.  Ethan presented him with a skylander.  Ayva offered some sweet cookies she had made and Ginger drew him a picture...that she lost.  We enjoyed some Costco cake and gave our thanks and gratitude for Ry being in our family.  He is a treasure.  Happy Birthday to my sweet little Ry Bradley.  I love you son.