Grammar Girl

http://choosingeasy.wordpress.com/2010/12/30/no-nicely/

Christmas: Part I

Here are pictures from our Peterson Christmas party in Pocatello, which we had the first weekend in December. We spent two nights, had lots of good food and family time. All five of the Peterson cousins were there. On Saturday we did the picture taking, the Festival of Trees, a nice dinner, and presents. The kids also spent lots of time playing on the swing downstairs; it was a great opportunity to practice turn-taking.

This is the chocolate cheesecake that I made, with a white chocolate snow flake on top.

Picture taking:

 

 

New pajamas for Chloe.

Here are the kids on Saturday night, ready for bed.

Here are the girls relaxing on Sunday with Play Dough.

Plurals

Here's Chloe explaining one of her drawings, and overgeneralizing with one of the more complex rules of pluralization. I just love to hear her experiment with language!

Disclaimers: You'll see that I wrote "I love you, Mr. Krueger." on the paper. (Actually, I misspelled it.) We had just finished watching "Mr. Krueger's Christmas" for the gazillionth time. Also, I drew the hearts on the paper, but Chloe drew the stems on the hearts. I cut her off at the end of the video, but she was starting to say, "They grow and you can smell them."

Chloe Singing "I See the Moon"

Here is Chloe following along with a lullaby before bedtime.

Chloe's Instructions

"I'll be right back, Mommy. I'm going to lay down with Daddy and Chloe. You stay here and make dinner. Okay?"

The Tent

 

 

A Couple Videos

Here are some videos that I wanted to share via Duncan's blog. The first video is of Chloe swinging at MaMere and Papa's house in Pocatello last weekend. Notice how she calls me "Gin" in this video.

The second video is of Duncan playing an original piano piece that he wrote. He is playing it on a piano that he had just tuned for a client.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving 2010

Already a week-and-a-half old, here are my favorite Thanksgiving photos:

 Sarah and Chloe
 

Duncan helping with the turkey


Mom and Dad in the kitchen


Aunt Di Di and Charlotte


The arrival of Chad and the gang in the little yellow car

Charlotte

Here is Charlotte modeling some Kimono tops that Maizie designed and made.

Uncle Craig, Charlotte and Rachel

Nancy and Chad feeling the effects of the Thanksgiving meal
 

Harrison made this bag out of duck tape.

Madelaine's cranberry cheesecake--YUM!

Me and my baby

Olivia getting her nails done by Aunt Di Di

A rousing game of Monopoly

Tamron Lens Giveaway VI

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Tamron Lens Giveaway V

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Tamron Lens Giveaway IV

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Tamron Lens Giveaway III

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Tamron Lens Giveaway II

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NieNie's Tamron Lens Giveaway

Hey, NieNie is giving away this lens. If you're in the market for a new camera lens, check it out!

Time Out in Maine: Day Trip to Sharon, Vermont

Our trip to Sharon, Vermont, the birthplace of the prophet Joseph Smith, was probably the highlight of our vacation for me. We made the 6-hour round-trip drive from Maine to Vermont in one day, and had an amazing time enjoying the scenery and taking in the history and spirit of the place where the prophet of the Restoration was born.

We took the scenic route through the White Mountain National Forest.

Letting the wind blow through my hair. It was a gloriously beautiful day.

A New England style home in the heart of Sharon that I thought was quaintly beautiful. I love the fall colors and the pumpkins by the door. I noticed that New England homes often have some sort of adornment in front of their door, like a pot of flowers or something. I guess they don't use their front doors much back there.
Driving from Sharon to the visitor's center.

This is the area around the visitor's center. We walked through the woods to see the site where Lucy Mack Smith and Joseph Smith, Sr. had their home.
This is next to the Smith's home site. It was apparently a major road or highway back in the day. The short rock wall to the left of the current road is an indication of that.
There is a large hill, now known as Patriarch Hill, that was part of their farm.
We hiked to the top of Patriarch Hill. The missionaries at the visitor's center told us to look for this tree (below). They call it the witness tree because of all that it has been through and seen over many, many years.
At the top of Patriarch Hill looking out over the beautiful countryside.
It's interesting and awe-inspiring to me to think about what Joseph Smith's early life must have been like. I am so grateful that we got to visit the place where he was born on a cold December morning in 1805. And to think, "Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it" (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3).

Who's Your Daddy?

Duncan walks into the room.

Chloe: "Hi, Duncan."
Duncan: "Yep, Duncan is my name. Chloe calls Duncan Daddy." ... "What's your daddy's name?"
Chloe: "Charlie Brown."

Halloween

Time for the Halloween rundown! Friday, Duncan's office had Halloween festivities for the families. Here's Mr. Clean before leaving for work.
And here he is getting even cleaner.
Chloe and Charlotte were both the cutest Halloween cats ever. Charlotte wore the costume that Chloe wore a couple years ago. Gotta love hand-me-downs! Chloe loved getting to wear makeup.
Trick-or-treating at Daddy's office. Charlotte didn't hold quite as still as Chloe did for her makeup.
We carved pumpkins earlier in the week and lit them up on Friday night. "P" for Peterson (and pumpkin)!


On Saturday, we went to Park City to trick-or-treat with cousin Ember. Things didn't turn out as expected, mostly because of all the rain!

It wasn't long before we were all wet and cold and ready to go home.
But Chloe was happy once we got home and took the wrapper off the gigantic sucker she got in Park City.

The final stop was trick-or-treating at Grammy and Papa's house. It all made for a fun and memorable Halloween.