Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Yay for UTAH!!!

We had a fun and whirlwind trip to UT! It was so wonderful to be with family and seeing people I love so much! We quickly saw a few extended family - I LOVE YOU ALL TO DEATH!!! - saw a couple of friends - thanks for catering to me guys! And I wish I could have gotten to see you all! I miss you all to death! - and had a great time playing with my parents, siblings and neice & nephew! I love my family SO much! We can all laugh together no matter what life brings.
They are simply the best.
While we were there we got to see my brother, Brian, get set apart as a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir! It was amazing to be a part of. I love him so much and am so proud of him.
Braden LOVED seeing his cousins and playing with them. We all wish we could do that more often. :(
How can you not just love these cute little faces?!


Most of the time there was spent at a condo at Wolf Creek. It was a perfect little get-a-way. So beautiful and peaceful. We all love it up there.

The raquetball men
The cute couple!
And on the way back to WA we went through Portland for a business mtg my dad had. I hadn't been back to the Portland temple since Justin and I were married there 4 yrs ago. So my Mom was an angel and watched Braden for me while I went in.
I love this temple! I even got to stand outside the Bridal room and just look in and remember getting ready with my sister and my mom, I walked around all the places and remembered each little thing that happened there. It was a sweet walk down memory lane.
The only thing that could have made it sweeter would have been to have my sweetheart with me! :( Sadly Justin is working in DC for a month teaching high school students who are interested in medical school. We couldn't go with him so opted to stay with fam instead of just being home alone. We have never been apart for so long and it is terrible! Luckily I have my family around contsantly keeping me busy and distracting me from my loneliness. :) Thank goodness for wonderful families!
On a bit of a tangent, I just have to say that I have so much respect for the families - particularly the wives - of those who serve in the military. There are tons of military families around our area in VA and the people I have made friendships with astound me with their strength. I don't know how they do it. I called up my friend one day in Feb. and after talking for a little while found out that she had her two little kiddos alone since her husband had been shipped to Haiti for an undetermined amount of time. She had just got him back from being gone 6 mos when we first moved there, and then there she was again without him, not even knowing when he would be back this time. It might be 3 months, it might be 9 months.
Some people just have a strength that is beyond my understanding. I have met woman after woman that drop my jaw and leave me speechless at their sacrifice, as well as their husband's sacrifice, to give me a safe and protected home.
I am simply in awe of them.

home sweet home

We have been here at home in WA with our families for a few months this summer and it has been amazing! This is Justin's only summer off of school so we have taken advantage of it to the fullest extent!
We have amazing parents who are really one of the main reasons we survive through it all. They spoil us - especially Braden! - and take care of us in every way. I don't know what we would do if we didn't have them!
So...bascially all there is to say is that we are in WA, having fun, staying busy having so much fun that there has been no time to post anything! :)
Ahhh....loving every minute of it...

Monday, June 28, 2010

Love Montana...

We had an awesome trip to Eureka, MT (a teeny-tiny little town in the northwest corner of the state) to see Justin's extended family. His parents grew up together there. We loved getting to spend some time with them! They are a lot back-country, a little crazy, a LOT of fun
and just what we need in our lives!
LOVE the beauty - big sky country calling our names again




LOVE the time with family
Justin and Mom



Justin's Dad and Grandpa and Grandma Peterson


Braden and Gigi playing


The Guys
(Justin, his Dad, uncles, Grandpa and Brado)
(And yes, those identical twins in the back have 6-in long handle-bar mustaches - mountain men in EVERY way!)

Fun times with Grandma

LOVE the farm-life






Doesn't he just look like he belongs in MT on a tractor?!

Crazy Uncles Mark and Leonard working on their equipment
and Braden LOVED the animals!
(just a warning, Mark and Leonard are trappers and hunters to the fullest extent - you may not want to look at these pics if you have issues with seeing animals that have been stuffed. Their house is like a museum of them - they are everywhere - and Braden thought it was pretty cool that all throughout the house there were animals for him to feel and see. He learned all sorts of new words.)




Everyday Brado would come up to this one and say "kitty, kitty!)
We LOVE you and miss you Montana!