Christmas Gift

I made this magnet board for a teacher I work with. We made them for a Super Sat. activity but the original idea came from this awesome blog.

It was a hit. Honestly, it was really easy to do, maybe that's because the board and backing were already cut out! But putting the paper and embellishments on was much easier than I anticipated.
Again, maybe that was because Maren was helping me out.
I guess I'm not much help when it comes to estimating the difficulty of this project. It's cute though, right?

The paper I found was perfect for what I needed and I added the two pictures, one of all the girls and one of all the boys (kids we work with). My co-worker, LOVED it. All the office staff and teachers who saw it, LOVED it. If you are looking to do a gift for a teacher, I highly recommend it.
You can even do mascot cut-outs at the school, like the one I did in the upper left hand corner.

The only annoying thing about his project was trying to get a decent picture of it. The flash was glaring but without the flash, ugly. I hope you get the idea.

I can picture this same thing in several colors. In fact, any school colors would look great. There is so much paper out there with school stuff on it so you REALLY (i'm fake) crafty people out there could make this look even better.

I've contemplated doing a HUGE one for my kitchen but I'm just not sure it would look good. What do you think?

I Must Be Trendy

So, one of the new fashion trends for 2009 is the ripped stockings. So does that mean that the huge whole and run I got in mine at church today, make me trendy?
You gotta look on the bright side of things, right?
(I freakin' hate those darn tights/nylons/stockings)

Christmas Day

Ahhh, the anticipation of running into the family room and seeing what Santa brought you! This has been a tradition in my family. We always got soda or some other kind of beverage plus our favorite cereal. Most families have those kind of items regularly but when you are on the poorer side, it's a treat! I love that Keion still gets pumped about his drinks and his favorite snack...popcorn.

Keion is such a sweetheart. He wanted Kylan and I to open our gifts first before he opened any. I got the ox and goat to complete my nativity.

Kylan got Guitar Hero 3. He really knows how to rock on the guitar, he is an expert!

Do you think Keion likes this gift? Does that HUGE grin give it away??

I love the expressions in the next three pictures. There is nothing better than knowing you didn't drop the ball in the gift giving department.

I made Kylan this book. It is a book about his dad.

Ok, this is what has been going on at our house since we opened presents on Thurs. It is now Sat. and the scene hasn't changed!

I contemplated not putting this picture in. Whatever, I'm doing it. We were suppose to be taking a picture of us in action. I'm in full force singing mode while the guys are completely posing. What? I said action. They look great and I look like a dope. The best part is that you can see the t.v. screen through the mirror and it's obviously not the game! My name is ROCKSanne and I do have mad vocal skills (on easy!).

If any of you have xbox live or wii and want to challenge us or play along, let me know and we can add you as friends. Kylan and I had a bout with some people, who knows where, on mariokart last night. Kylan was getting fired up at "daddy" (some other person playing) it was intense and funny.

We hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve

We are already finished with opening our Christmas presents and the boys are playing video games. It's not my thing so I'm getting pictures up before it becomes all too overwhelming.
In the past several years as we have celebrated Christmas with just the three of us, we have developed some of our own family traditions.
One of them being a trip to the Chinese Buffet for Christmas Eve dinner. Growing up, my grandma would always make Chinese food on Christmas Eve, I don't try to make it, that would be just down right silly, this is something we should be enjoying! So we go out. Why a buffet? Well, I like to eat a variety of stuff, Keion loves the chicken on a stick plus he likes to get a variety as well and Kylan, well he just sticks to his 2-favorite types of chicken. It has always worked best to just go buffet style.
We were going to do take out this year. Last minute Keion talked us into going to the buffet. As you will tell by the pictures, we were not ready to go out.
Yes, this is me without any makeup on and a hat to hide my non-combed hair. I was thinking that was one of the perks of celebrating by ourselves...you don't have to get all done up but I was also thinking we were only going to be at home. Oh well.

I snapped a couple pictures of Keion with his chicken on a stick. He said whoever invented this was pure genius.

One of our other traditions is to put together a puzzle. Kylan always gets the hard ones.We open the presents from our family gift exchange.

Thanks Noah for the gift card!

Kylan got a great book from Jennifer...thank you! (I too got a book, it's just not here yet)

Then the opening of the Christmas p.j.'s- always a hit!

We also read a Christmas story from one of our many books, watch Christmas Vacation, which every year I forget how horrible the language is. It is just too darn funny though and a classic so why not. Today we will have dinner with friends and go to a movie. We always go to a movie.

I think we are going to watch Bedtime Stories. I think it will be good. Review to follow later!

I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas morning. Keion had a blast. Pics too will follow.

It is only 8:45 and I'm ready for a nap!

I think I will curl up with the blanket Kirsten got me (love it!) and take a snooze.

Ciao

Merry Christmas

Some of you may have already received a Christmas card in the mail. We couldn't send them to everyone we wanted to, but for those who didn't get the "hard" copy, here is our Christmas letter. The pictures we sent out in the mail were a mess anyway. We ordered the pictures and when they came in the mail, they were awful. They were so blurry but we had to get them out so we sent them. I'm not too picky when it comes to the pictures, they go in the trash after a week anyway! We cannot believe it is time to recap another year,
Another move did not bring us much cheer.

After what seemed like an eternity,
DR. Peterson graduated from his university.

We are grateful to finally have our own income,
And be done with 4 years of living like a bum.

A party in Idaho to celebrate Kylan’s success,
When we’ll make it back is anyone’s guess (hopefully soon).

Michigan is where we are happy in our first house,
The painting was as pleasant as having a louse.

Kylan seems to be putting in a “few” hours at work,
Spending time with his family is the greatest perk.

Danette is enjoying her job at the local high school,
Working with the troubled youth makes her no fool.

This year was a very special Halloween,
Keion became a deacon (church) and is closer to being a teen.

He is doing very well in school and sports,
As well as running around with his many cohorts.

Keion spent 8 days away at basketball camp,
He swept the major awards to place by his lamp.

We apologize that our 2008 was so lame,
Maybe next year we can add more highlights to our name.

We have been blessed over the past 365 days,
So much so that we cannot begin to count the ways.

We are grateful for the Savior and His plan,
Happy Holidays from the Peterson clan.

Merry Christmas to all of you! Don't forget, today is your last day
to try and be good and possibly make it back on Santa's "nice" list.
I know some of you need it! Me too!

100 Things

I stole this off my friends blog (thanks Jen). I wanted to see how many of these things I have done in my life. Accomplished are in red.

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (can it be the one I made up at home when I was little??)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo (never going to happen)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (pathetic that I can't cross this off...too selfish)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance (hopefully never)
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies ( I think I'm too late for this one!)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (no toy lasted that long in my house...9 kids, ya right)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (I'll never be crossing this off the list)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

There are some things that I would love to cross off my list and others I hope never to. Give it a try, you will be surprised at how much you have already accomplished. I have big plans to travel when Kylan is done with residency and then maybe we will cross some of these off!

Snow Day II

I cannot be more elated to have a snow day today. They called school off around 5:30 this morning in anticipation of a huge snow storm. Yes, the storm did come and it's still snowing right now. I'm so happy we have such amazing neighbors that feel the need to use their snow blowers on our driveway and sidewalks. It is a must have investment for next year. 2 weeks off for Christmas break, Keion and I are stoked.

I'm finally posting pictures from the Pullin's Christmas party we went to on Sunday. The night included nothing but the best food, a "progrum" and a white elephant gift exchange.

Sara started the "progrum" off with a piano piece. She is an amazing pianist. No one wanted to follow after her.

You know Keion, we can't keep him away from the little ones.

The Higbee girls sang a little number...too cute!

Keion played a little number on the piano. Yankee Doodle Went To Town, was a big hit! Keion is quite the performer and as you can tell has a little attitude.

He is most humble as well (extreme sarcasm!).

Micah even got in on the piano playing with the help from Sara. Wow Micah, look at that posture, you mean business!

Keion was giving Micah a bad time about not really playing, saying it was only Sara who did it all. Micah was pointing out the 5 notes he played!! Just kidding he played 6 or 7. HA HA (he really played several parts and did a great job.)

As a family we did a little musical number. It was about as good as our FHE singing moments. Ended in bad playing, horrible singing, laughing and barely able to finish.

This was one of the highlights of the night. Kylan tried to find his recorder but couldn't. Shucks!

Dan was hilarious and I'm so happy he gave in to our peer pressure. It's hard not to give in when the whole room is chanting your name!!

These pictures are so funny to me. Dan's facial expressions are classic and he really did do an awesome job. He played Jingle Bells and we all joined in singing.

Next, Keion had to do ANOTHER number. He really likes to perform and gets in to it. I think he got this next idea from his Uncle Jared. Keion decided to do a little dance for everyone. Definitely entertaining!

Some of my favorite pictures from the night are these next two. Sara jumped up and started dancing with Keion and they looked like they were having a blast.

Kylan read a twist on, Twas The Night Before Christmas. Poor Kylan was sick the whole night too. He didn't even eat anything. He was a trooper and participated anyway.

Here is the special gift to the person with the best white elephant gift.

I ended up stealing this bad boy or should I say bad girl. It was a faceless doll. Totally creepy but awesome.

Kylan couldn't have picked a better gift. It was several pictures of him Photoshopped into BYU pictures. Guess who came up with that one??

How clever is this? We will hang this in our living room...NEVER!

We won the prize for best white elephant.

Our prize... this gem- a picture of Sara with some funky hair. That could have been the best white elephant gift! We had such a great time despite Kylan being sick. He was looking forward to playing some ping-pong but couldn't do it. We will have to have a tournament at a future date.

We are so blessed to have such great friends. It makes being away from family during the holidays much more bearable.

Keion had his choir concert. I have some pics that I will post- no excuse now that I have some time off.

Happy Day!