The New Year...

  The holidays came and went. Fast and furious as always. We had a great time in Newport over Thanksgiving. It was definitely something new and different.

Lots and Lots and Lots of swim time

We went bowling and it was an absolute blast

 More swimming

  After Thanksgiving basketball started for Quade. He loved it so much. He usually peters out half way through the season. But this time he was sad for the season to end. I got to coach part time when the head coach wasn't able to make practices and games. I had a blast. 

 Our cheering squad. And this was only about 

half of us. 

  My parents got a puppy over Christmas and then this happened. I couldn't resist the puppy fever!! The kids and I went and picked this sweet little guy up one day and then surprised Jordan with him at work. That's how we did Andi too. He is a Irishdoodle. Irish Setter and Poodle. He is very smart and really a good puppy (for now). I was very reluctant to get another dog and didn't know how Andi would do with him. But as long as he stays away from her food they are best buddies. We named him Finnegan. 

 Andi and Finn

My parents dog, Piper and Finn at their first vet appointment. 

They are one day apart and so adorable together. 

  We put another Christmas Tree up at the end of our driveway. This years tree was a bit bigger than last year. We all love the new tradition.

Austyn is driving Jordans truck with the tree in the back

and Quade is taking the quad to the end of the driveway. 

Look how big that thing is

The kids sawed it down by themselves this year. 

Here is another Christmas tradition we do. I make a 

scavenger hunt of things to find while we go look at

Christmas lights. Kids get in their Christmas jammies and 

we get hot cocoa and drive around town.

This year we went to Corvallis to look at their light display

at the fairgrounds and the over to Storybook land in Albany. 

Garner Gift Grab!!

In their Christmas jammies

Quade had been dying for a .22. He saved a bunch of

money so if he didn't get it for Christmas he could

go buy one. My parents bought both kids their

first .22's and they are both super super good shots. 

Quade being Jordans wing man on a wheelin trip

Kids and I putting up the kennel for mom and dads 

new puppy

Shooting their new guns

Look how sweet they are.

This was our 5+ hour Monopoly game. It was torture. 

Quade won and totally dominated all of us. Austyn

took second place and Jordan and I used too much

adult logic and lost 

We finally got the kids closet organizers done.

It is amazing!!! Jordan is so incredibly good at 

anything he puts his mind to. 

And they are still making progress on the building.

Almost all the metal is up. 

  That wraps up the events for now. We had a very very nice Christmas and New Years. This kids and Jordan stayed up to watch the ball drop. But I couldn't last, I had to go to bed. Nothing new in the near future for us or the kids. Just working on the building whenever Jordan can. Kids are doing great in school. And will start baseball and softball in the Spring. For the first time I finally feel like things have slowed down just a tad. It's so nice. Hope it stays like that. 

  Hope everyone is well!

Fall Happenings . . .

  Here we are at the end of November! Can you believe it? Holiday season is just around the corner. Seems like the kids were just starting school yesterday. Things haven't slowed down a bit. We are just busy with different kinds of activities. School activities, sports, the shop still, and the daily school routine. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas time, because that means the kids are out of school!!!!! This year we are going to the coast with my parents for Thanksgiving. We didn't get to have a Mimication this year so we decided to change things up a bit for Thanksgiving and head to the coast for a couple days and play on the beach and relax. Jordan will be working on Thursday, but he will come over after his shift and spend the rest of the weekend with us at the coast. It will be something fun and different.
  The kids have been busy with sports and after school programs. Austyn did soccer and volleyball. Quade did football and is currently in basketball. They both participated in a Garden Club at their school. And they both are doing incredible in school. Quade is loving first grade and all the new responsibilities that an older student has compared to Kindergarten. He is very focused and takes school very serious. Austyn is figuring out that third grade is the start of a whole new approach to school. This is the year that they gain A LOT more independence which requires more personal responsibility and initiative. Now that she has that figured out she is excelling and really enjoying it. She absolutely loved everything about volleyball this year. She was incredible to watch too. And to see her love something so much was heart warming for me.
  Jordan is still slaving away on the shop and devoting every spare minute he has to it. It is coming along beautifully I might add. We are so blessed that my dad and brother and his brother Josh help out so much with it too. Jordan has an opportunity to go to Nepal (yeah, the country) early next year. He will be going to Eugene's sister city to help train their firefighters over there. He doesn't have many details yet, but it will be a trip of a lifetime. What an incredible opportunity for him. I'm hoping to tag along and be able to experience Nepal myself, but we will see how that pans out.
  Here are some pictures of The Petersen Life since September.

Quade taking a joy ride on a boom we are using

on the shop. We've all been enjoying playing on the 

rental equipment.

Flag football. What a little cutie pie!

Trusses going up on the shop. We have the metal on the 

roof now, and a couple of the sides.

First soccer game of the season

More football

She loves dressing up for each season

These doughnuts!! We recently have been trying out

gluten and dairy free to hopefully control some

health issues we've been going through. We found a 

doughnut shop in Corvallis and every time we're up there

we have to make a stop. They are delicious. 

Went to the pumpkin patch. 

I thought it would be a good idea to try ducks and geese.

I'm sure you all can guess how well that went. Lets just say

our neighborhood fox is well fed. 

Hunting with Daddy.

Quade got invited to a  Halloween party. He wanted

to go as a Zombie. I LOVE making their costumes. This

one turned out pretty good. 

This years jack-o-lanterns 

This is how I keep a smile on their faces when I make

them pick up sticks. They drive and I pick up. 

Austyn had custom made bows for volleyball from her coach.

And this girl with her in the picture has done almost every sport

 with her since Kindergarten 

Halloween 2019

Pottery with Mimi

Went to a hunted house type thing during trick-or-treating

this year. 

She is such a great helper. I blow the leaves on the 

yard and she picks them up

Jordan got invited to a Gala for his work. So we

got all fancy for a night. Kind of like prom for adults.

Visiting daddy on a Burn to Learn house. The kids don't know

how lucky they are to be able to be around all the fire stuff they get to 

see and do.