8 Years

Happy Anniversary to me and Simon! What a fantastic 8 years it has been! I never envisioned that I could be so happy in my life. Simon is the best husband and father I could ever have hoped for. I am so blessed!

Chloe's First Day

Chloe started school today. She was so excited to get her uniform on, she just kept staring at herself in the mirror and saying how she was a grown up girl now. I'm freaking out today, though, b/c she just seems too young to me. I think she'll really enjoy it and do well at it. It helps that most of the children she is in her class with were also in her preschool, and her teacher is the same one that Sophia had. I just don't want her to grow up so quickly!

Sophia started Year 2 and the thing she's most excited about is that she'll get to stand on the back row in the choir. She's scared that her teacher is a strict one this year, too.

Where does the time go??

St Tropez

We're back!! We had a lovely time, but it went all too fast! Our alternator belt broke on the journey (which took about 20 hours). We made it there, though, so that was a huge blessing! Poor Simon did all that driving and then he had to walk 10 miles from a Ford garage, twice. I would have volunteered, but I don't speak French, so I just sat around the pool with the children. I guess there are some benefits in my ignorance towards learning a foreign language!

St Tropez had a really lovely old harbour. I loved all the buildings with shutters on them. I have never seen so many yachts in my life, though. They were ginormous! The rich just go there to show off their wealth, and it works! People just crowd around and take pictures of them. I thought the people must be famous or something, but I didn't recognise them so I didn't waste any pictures on them. My children make far better subjects for pictures! I think they were just rich, anyway, not famous. I don't have enough time to write about the bazaar behaviour of the people in St Tropez, but it was interesting. I've just realised that there is not a single picture of me on our holiday. Not that you'd be missing much, but I can't believe I don't have at least one. I was there...really!

Anyway, we had a fab time and, most importantly, we had sunshine!! The weather report this morning said to get geared up for Autumn this week. What?!? We haven't even had summer yet! Don't get me wrong, I really love it here, but I don't know how I survive the weather. I must really love this Simon fella!

Summer

I thought I'd try to get as much as I could of what we've been up to this summer into one post, so here it goes! More pictures, than words, as I just like them. We've been having a lovely time, although the weather has left something to be desired. We've really taken advantage of the days when it was nice, though. Firstly, can anyone disagree with me that my Lucy is one cute baby?We started things off by taking a trip to Monument in London, a very overlooked little gem of a spot in London. It was really inexpensive and had beautiful views around the city. The 300+ steps offered a good workout, too!

For the 4th of July, we had all our church friends over for a BBQ and it wasn't raining for once! We always sport our stars and stripes. Thanks for the kit Yia Yia!

We went to visit Granny and Grandad in Devon and rode the steam train. James loves Thomas the tank engine and anything that moves!

Searching for crop circles is a typical July/August activity for us in Wiltshire. We did find a few, but they weren't very spectacular ones, and they are really hard to take pictures of if you're not in the air. It was nice to hike around, anyway.

The girls had a few days where we did hair and nails. James only participated with clear nail polish.

We also enjoyed a couple of beach days at Swanage beach in Dorset. We visited some lovely friends from our Britannia days in Surrey and went to West Wittering beach with them.

We've have had a lot of fun, but it's raining today, and all I can think about is leaving to St. Tropez tomorrow! It is going to be so much fun...sunny...warm...lovely!

A Legacy of Faith

I haven't been able to get on here in ages, due to being the RS President and a full-time mother of 4, but it was about time that I got around to it now.

My grandpa, Taylor Petersen, died last week. We had been expecting it for some time, and he hung in there for a lot longer than was originally predicted. We went over to visit him in November, as it was thought he might not make it to the New Year.

My grandpa was a great man. He was a man of faith! He was constantly studying the Gospel. He taught Institute for a number of years and served a mission with my grandma in Hawii. His faith and service in the gospel, and his love for the family is all that matters now. He always lived a life of righteousness and I know that, if I do the same, I will live forever with him and my family.

I really love my grandpa so much! I am eternally grateful for the example that he's been in my life. This example has made a great impact on the person I am today, and on my children. I miss him so much. I've spent a lot of time feeling sad that I won't see him the next time I visit America, but I'm really happy for him. He gets to be with all his family who have passed on, he even had a child that died that I know he'll be able to be with now, but most of all he gets to be held in the loving arms of his Saviour, Jesus Christ. What a wonder that must be!

The funeral is tomorrow and I'll really miss being there and seeing everyone, but I am so grateful that I was able to go in November.

I love you, Grandpa, and I'll see you again!

My Family Tree

I've completed my latest project! We made a family tree for FHE a few years ago, but we painted it on poster board and the children glued all the pictures on, so it was all a bit messy. We loved it, though. We would look at it every morning and talk about all the members of our family. I really thought it was a good way for my children to stay familiar with my family in America, and also to keep us thinking of all our family every day. So, as our family tree started to bite the dust, I decided to make a more permanent one. I love it! I can't stop staring at it. It makes me so happy and it makes me feel so blessed to have the family that we have. It also makes me sad a bit too, to think about the heartache and sadness that some of the family has known over the years, and that some family don't realise how blessed they are and it's all there for them. I hope that there is nothing but happiness for our future generations to think of when they see us on their trees, at least for the most part. I really believe it's possible with the Gospel in our lives and that's what I'm aiming for!

My Family

Simon's Family

35 Years...and an eternity to go!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! I'm so glad you got married. I love you both, more than you know!