Our family: February 2011

I am a little behind on blogging. I am finally getting around to posting the rest of Christmas and New Years. As always, life is busy, but even more so these days. Kent has some pretty hard classes this semester, and has to study like crazy. On top that, Kent and I are taking on a twelve week weight loss challenge. I am finally going to try to loose the rest of the weight I put on almost 3 years ago. So along with family and work, exercise and healthy meal planning and preparation have moved up the priority list. So there is not much extra time to spare. In short, my blog posts might be fewer and further between.
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We got all my brothers and sisters and their families together at Mom and Dad's to celebrate a late Christmas and New Years Eve.

Us kids usually go in together on a Christmas gift for Mom and Dad.

This year we got them a camera.

Mom was really surprised. She has been wanting a new camera, but we have all been telling her that you need to be a person that actually takes pictures to justify a new camera. All the while, planning on getting her one. We threw in a Cabela's gift card for Dad too, since Mom was really the one that wanted the camera.
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We also draw names for each other.

Jessica made these amazing picture blocks for Nicole and her family, and for me and my family. We LOVE them! We just didn't get a picture of ours =)

Mom and Dad got Kent a gun case.

There is something about the men in this family. They love to wrestle.
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Brotherly love.

The next morning, the kids all opened their gifts.

Grandma and Grandpa Petersen got us all one of these clocks.

Mom got the girls lots of stuff, Zuzhu pets, slippers, other toys, and these beautiful dresses.

Our girls LOVE dresses.
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We put our girls hair in rag rolls for family pictures. Aren't they cute?

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More rough housing.

Kendra is mid-air jumping on Dane.

What a good uncle.

I'm not sure who's idea this was. Pile up on Kent's back.

There is always lots of yummy food at Mom's house.

Our New Year's Party

Grandma and Grandpa Petersen came from Utah to spend new years with us. They have a family tradition of making candy canes during the holidays. So they brought all the stuff and made candy canes with us.

First, Grandma cooks the candy. When she is done, it is thin and super hot.

Then Grandpa cools it on a cold marble slab.

Next comes the pulling.
It is still really hot and you have to work fast.

Next, Grandma adds the stripe, and we all get to shaping candy canes.

Our first batch was root beer flavored, the second was lime.

They were both YUMMY!
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Somewhere during our second batch of candy canes, Camryn and Kendra disappeard.

We found them on Grandma's couch.

We went on to play the Newly Wed game, and eat a wonderful spread of snacks. Grandma and Grandpa Petersen beat us all. I guess there's something to the years spent together.

Happy New Year!!!!

Camryn and Kendra brought in the new year together.

The Next Morning...

more good food.

Dad made his amazing biscuits and gravy.

And we still had lots of treats left over.

Not such a morning girl.

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Over this trip our girls discovered something in a new way.

The Wii.

Travis brough MarioKart on this trip. Our girls LOVED IT!
We have a Wii at home, but before this trip I could count the times we had played it on one hand. Kent went and bought MarioKart for the girls. Along with that, they have now discovered other games we already had.
We put it off for awhile, but I guess it was inevitable. Video games are now a part of our house.
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Taylor and Amanda brought their sweet Boxer puppy, Zoe. They also brought their two Chiuauas on this trip. Add those to mom's dog, and we had 4 dogs in the house. Good thing they are all well behaved.