Feb 2012

Jillian lost her first tooth. She swallowed it while eating a banana. She wrote a note to the tooth fairy and was excited to find a wrinkled dollar bill under her pillow in the morning.

Jeff took the girls to their first "Daddy Daughter Valentines Day Dance".  They all got fancied up for the night out. It was a big hit.



"we are family" dance 2-2012 from Alisha on Vimeo.

We had a fun time getting ready for Valentines Day.

We made yummy treats,

put hearts in our hair,

went to a few parties with friends,

and spent all month getting to know our newest Valentine.

We had a few really warm days and couldn't resist the calling of the sun.

The question most oft asked of me is how am I feeling. Does this picture answer your question?

Mostly I feel like a zombie and look like one too.  Awesome. The other day I asked Jeff if he thought my outfit looked good. He innocently said, "Yeah, if you did your make-up and hair". Awesomer.

I got to attend a Regional Women's Conference and meet President Beck. I left the meeting spiritually feeling motivated.

As for this cowboy?

#3 has been my hardest adjustment.  It has been very difficult to get him to sleep and on a schedule. With 1 and 2 it was a breeze and happened quickly. 3 is a challenge in every respect. Jeff and I are out numbered. We went from doing one-on-one defense to a zone defense.  It seems to get easier each day though.

One major positive is that Jeff and the girls have become much closer because I've been at the babes beckon call. He even took them camping last weekend. (Hopefully, pictures to come).

Finally, this:

"Um, excuse me but something just happened in my pants."

Your caption?

Here's another:

Teacher: "Jeffrey Junior?"

Coco: "Uh, yeah. That's me. Over here."

before TX

when the decision was made to move to TX,

i knew there was a few things that needed to happen first.

a girls outing with my Taylor family.

we decided to go to Time Out for Women.

this is what i was greeted with on my way out the door.

it was great to get away and spend some time with the sils and mil.

of everything in AZ, i miss these peeps the most.

a few last visits with my ailing grandparents.

my girls LOVED visiting grandma and grandpa Pete.

he would take his teeth out and make us all laugh.

we got to practice holding a baby when Wyatt came to my sil Caitlin.

the girls were fascinated and in love instantly.

jeff and i were inflated with love for wyatt and excitement for out little boy.

we enjoyed one last AZ rainstorm with one of the girls

favorite accessories: an umbrella

the girls had their soccer banquet and received some awesome trophies.

jeff and i got a few nights out on the town.

pei-wei and barnes and noble:

asu vs. arizona football

we hit up a bunch of fall festivities and fairs including the AZ state fair

we got to visit with mom and dad peterson and brett's family for thanksgiving.

the girls loved the quality time with the cousins.

my family and a few friends had a get together to celebrate the baby and say good-bye.

do you think i like the boots?

i taught my last zumba class and they all stuffed their shirts with balloons for the warm-up.

it was quite comical.

i'm in the front in all black without a balloon. i really miss my class.

the girls were bats for halloween and i was a pot-belly pig.

we trick-or-treated with the cousins.

we even had some crafty times around halloween to help with decorations.

after all the fun times we packed up and left, but not without one

last group hug with the cousins and grandma.

(phew. that was a long mixed-up post.)

new things in 2011

jillian has graduated sunbeams and entered the CTR classes.

she received her ring and has to wear it every sunday.

she even gave the first talk of the year in primary and didn't cry.

(a huge deal for the one who still cry's as she enters the

primary room)

hears to choosing the right and 10:00 church!

(in the 5 yrs we've lived here church has been held at two times: 8:00am ((lame)) and 2:40pm ((lamer))).

jillian also starting going to a co-op

Joy School with a few kids from the ward.

we swap weeks teaching and we are LOVING it!

look at the pure excitement on the first day of school:

Camille didn't deal too well watching Jill go to school without her.

After a few weeks I caved; Camille got her way.

Camille also started Joy School and is doing very well.

2011 has brought with it a new love of make-up for Camille.

These are just two of the many times I have found a mess of make-up on the floor

and a very decorated camillian face.

At-least she does a pretty well job matching what she wearing.

I started teaching Zumba at the YMCA in Jan.

Since then I have had two other opportunities to

teach at other gyms but had to turn them down because I

am still picking up hours at the hospital.

I'm hoping to get a couple exercise-related certifications

in 2011.

Jeff has been working from home and each month is

more successful than the last.

Hopefully 2011 will bring continued success on the 

self-employment front. 

Speaking of me and Jeff,

our Valentine's Celebration was great.

On Saturday night I took him to a nice

Japanese restaurant (he loves sushi).

After, I finished the BEST teryaki chicken of my life

we heading to the local skating rink.

we had a blast once the DJ starting playing some

old-school top 40's that jeff and i knew.

Gotta' love it.

2011...it's going to be good.

the happs

yesterday i took my girls to a the ballet at symphony hall.

Ballet Arizona puts on condensed version of their performances for school groups and somehow my bff gets us in too. this is the second one we've been to.

they danced the second half of the nutcracker.

the music, the dancing, the costumes, it was very nostalgic for me.

jill was enthralled too, clapping vigorously after each dance.

camille was less impressed and just wanted to go on stage to be the center of attention.

i can't wait to take the girls to the whole production in a couple years.

speaking of dance...

with the move looming i took the girls out of their class.

they miss it and frequently ask, "is it time for ballet"



it's outdoor weather now in arizona and we've been taking full advantage.

golfing with dad

petting zoo's

the girls love horses.

it is their toy of choice and aren't afraid to ride the real thing.

the state fair

i have two thrill seekers on my hands. i suppose the apple doesn't fall too far off the tree.  they wanted to ride every single one and got bored with the little ones.

this next picture cracks me up.

i may look like i'm having fun.

i'm not.

in-fact i'm about to yell at the operator to get us off the dang ferris wheel. 

it was the tallest one at the fair and didn't have a belt, or a lap-bar, or even a door!!

the girls kept trying to look over the edge or go to where the door should have been to look down. 

jeff was having a hay-day watching me almost have an aneurysm.

never again.

in other news, my grandmother has been in and out of the hospital the last few months. the girls have really actually enjoyed the time visiting the pete's and exploring (i.e. recking havoc) in new places.

grandpa has been a really trooper and taking out his teeth about a million times each visit because that's all the girls want.

grandma is turning 90 this week.

grandpa is 92 and still a firecracker.

i'm thankful for the time i've had with them here in arizona.

speaking of thankfulness...

thanksgiving was spent with the Taylor's.

i didn't get any pics but the food was delish and company even better.

i am so thankful for my family of 6 years.

i found a perfect fit for me with the Taylor's.