I will be back soon!!

Well, many of you know that our life has been a little chaotic the last few months. We have moved, in addition to the normal chaos of our lives. I will post pictures soon of our new house. Keep being patient, I will be back!!!

Greta's first day of preschool

Greta had a delayed start to preschool. The deal was, she had to be completely potty trained before she could start school. Needless to say, she was not completely trained by the beginning of school, so Charlie went to preschool without Greta. Greta quickly realized how much fun was had at preschool and almost over night, she was potty trained. Greta was so excited her first day, she made up a song about her preschool. She squealed in delight when she arrived at school the first day. She loved school and her princess backpack. My little girl is growing up right before my eyes.

Happy Birthday Charlie!

I can't believe my little guy is five years old. It seems like yesterday that we were painting his room and getting the house ready for a boy. Our house has not been the same since the day of Charlie's arrival. Charlie has brought many smiles and sounds of laughter to our house. He never ceases to amaze us with his creativity. Since Charlie arrived we have learned how to:
1. Unglue a hand super glued to the fridge
2. Perform first aid if a finger is caught in a razor scooter (and needs to be re-attached)
3. Swim with a very large cast
4. Remove a fish hook from the dogs mouth
5. Remove a potty chair seat off a child's head
6. Remove a toddler sized head from in between the railings on the stairs
7. Start an ant on fire with a magnifying glass
8. What to do when handle bars fall off of a bike
9. How to tell a mom "she is a beautiful"
10. how to give the biggest hugs in the world
11. How to do the amazing thumb trick
12. The best time and place for a good wink
13. How to cuddle in bed on Saturday mornings
14. How to giggle with a full belly laugh
15. How to get excited about life everyday!

We love you Charlie and we have enjoyed everything you have taught us over the past five years. Happy Birthday!!
Charlie enjoyed having his "friend" birthday party which involved his cousins Jack, Eli and Ava, friend Jackson and sisters Claire and Greta having a blast at Space Aliens playing games and eating pizza. The evening concluded with Eli and Ava having a sleep over at our house with Charlie. They had so much fun! We also enjoyed a family party, where more cousins, grandmas and grandpas came to help us celebrate Charlie's birthday. Charlie celebrated a fun, filled birthday week!

A birthday weekend for Mom

This will come as no surprise to most adults, but birthdays do not have the same excitement now (in my 30's) as they did when I was younger. This year, my family made my birthday a surprise and memorable. Brett surprised me with a night away in Duluth without kids! What a wonderful surprise to be able to sit and talk with my husband over dinner without any interruptions. We took long strolls down to the piers without worrying about a curfew and when the babysitter needed to be home. Claire, Charlie and Greta had a wonderful night at their Aunt Jennifer's and Uncle Gerry's house. They feed animals, picked veggies in the garden and just ran free for hours! Greta befriended a wounded chicken whom she carried around with her everywhere; definitely something she would not get to do at our house! Claire loves all the animals and just loves being "up north" while Charlie loves keeping up with his 16year old cousins Kevin and Jake.
It was a wonderful weekend, thank you Brett, Claire, Charlie and Greta. I love you all!

Watch our world, here comes Claire!

I enjoyed another exciting weekend at Camp Lake Hubert Girl Scout camp with Claire this year. There is always plenty of fun activities (and lack of sleep). Claire had fun tie dying t_shirts, holding reptiles, and learning how to shoot a rifle with real bullets! I was brave and learned how to shoot a rifle too! It was kind of fun and Claire turned out to be an expert marksman! I think Grandpa may need to reconsider letting a female into the Kelm hunting world, Claire is a natural!

1st Day of Preschool

Charlie has been eagerly awaiting the first day of preschool. It was time to use his new backpack and new school shoes. I am so happy he loves school, but sad to see that my little guy is growing up right before my eyes. He no longer clings to the security of his mom, he runs to the excitement of trying something new. I am proud of him but miss my little guy. He constantly reassures me that he will still cuddle with me "even when I get big". What can I say, he will always be a momma's boy. We love him so much. He loves all of the fun at school, I hope it lasts when he gets older!

First Day of School

Claire started school again today. She is officially a 4th grader! Where does the time go??

More Summer Fun!

We have enjoyed a few rainy weekends at the lake this summer. When the kids can't swim, they head out in the boat for some serious fishing expeditions! Claire and Charlie fish for the "big kid" fish with their dad while Greta just tries to keep herself entertained. Needless to say, we have lost a few fishing poles in the lake this summer. I hope the fish are enjoying their new Barbie light up fishing pole! Daddy has even had a few moments where distraction led to a pole on the bottom of the lake. With the sacrifice of some wet clothes, Grandpa's smart thinking and a HUGE fishing lure, Brett's fishing pole was retrieved from the lake! Greta's pole did not again see the light of day but I am sure the fish are enjoying it as much as Greta!

Summer Fun!

Busy, busy, busy; that would be the theme of the Peterson's summer. We have enjoyed many weekends at the lake and Claire has enjoyed bringing her friend Jaiden along for the fun. We have had many campfires, caught lots of fish, tubed. skiied, picked raspberries and 4-wheeled to our hearts desire. Despite many weekends lacking sunshine, we were never bored, always finding a way to have fun! We are so thankful that Grandma and Grandpa Kelm have the "little cabin" next door where the kids can be kids without waking up Grandma and Grandpa!

Happy Birthday Greta, we love you!!

My sweet little baby "tata" (Greta's nickname, Charlie couldn't say "Greta" when he was little) turned three this week. It seems like yesterday and the past three years have flown by. Greta is our little princess, our girly girl. She insisted on a princess party complete with a castle and a crown. She was the perfect princess at her party and she made me smile all day long. I love the way she cuddles with me with her same yellow blanket that came home from the hospital with her the day she was born. She gently rubs the blanket on her hand and then, she rubs mine. Her bouncy, curly hair fits her sweet, big personality. Greta is independent; no one will ever stop her from achieving her goals, even at the young age of three. Happy Birthday Greta, we love you very much!!

A wonderful 4th of July

We were blessed with a wonderful week at the lake with family, sun and fun. We started the week with a round of mini golf and Grandma beat everyone with four holes in one! We raced turtles in Longville where Claire and Greta's turtles won their heats (Charlie was a close second!). Greta learned how to do the chicken dance, the hokeypokey and the YMCA. Claire won a hula hoop contest and Charlie mastered the basketball game. We enjoyed ice cream cones at Frosty's and smores by the campfire. Charlie and Greta loved tubing behind the boat while Claire successfully learned to waterski! Mom and Dad relived their youth by proving to Claire, Charlie and Greta that we can waterski and kneeboard; yes "we still got it!" (quote from Brett).
We ended our week spending time floating in the lake with the family and enjoying the 4th of July festitivies in Longville. We munched on Grandma's traditional Coney Island hotdogs and apple pie. What a wonderful week, I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family with which to experience these wonderful memories.