Excuses

Yes, I know I haven't posted any Christmas pictures yet, but our Christmas celebrations were slightly delayed due to vomit. We finally celebrated with my family last night and I will post some pictures soon.


Due to many germs circulating through our house, the laundry amount increased and Lilly and Drew pitched in a little with chores. How helpful there are.

The underated Hokey Pokey

Dog Sitting

Someone that has helped me make a speedy recovery from my tummy ache was this doggie we call Gabby. She is very nice and lets me do whatever I want to her. Mommy and Daddy keep telling me that Gabby is just staying with us for a little while and that she is going to go back to live and her house soon. It is fun to have a "big doggie" live in our house. I don't think Frankie likes it as much as we all do.

Puke Protection

There is nothing like some old sheets and blankets(along with many bowls around the house) to be ready for the "no warning" puke. Today she seems to be feeling quite a bit better. So far so good for the rest of us.



Just a little creative art work in Todd and I's Christmas card from my brother. It's special, isn't it? Notice the detail of what was coming back up...like a goldfish and pretzel.

Merry Puking Christmas

If my daughter wasn't puking everywhere today, this is what she would be wearing for the Christmas Festivities. Unfortunately this dress will stay on the hanger today and the Petersen family is now confined to their house of germs. We are anticipating Drew's puke to be arriving soon and who knows about the Todd and myself. For me, I have to think its a sure thing being that Lilly's first puke was down the right side of my face, shoulder, and neck.




Seriously cute dress and Lilly would have done it justice. We hope your Christmas is healthier than ours this year!

Helping Daddy

Daddy has taken off work for two weeks. We love daddy home with us. It seems like there is a lot more wrestling than normal though which is great for us.


He started a project to help us clean up our toys better and to "make mommy happy"


*Yes, those are real sharp screws. We don't recommend your child running with them at any time.



My adorable little helpers working together

Rain Walk

We were very excited to finally get to use our rain gear. It has been raining which is so cool because it is like we are in the shower except we are outside.

Lilly did a lot of this.


My hood is getting in my line of vision mommy.



Follow the leader(big surprise that Lilly was in front of the pack)


I like you pretty jacket Lilly. Did you see my rain coat with all the things that "go" on it.


I hope we can do this more this week. According to the weather report, more rain is on the way.

Traveling first class

Isn't my friend Casey so strong that she can carry me around on her shoulders like this? I know my body language or the evidence of a hand holding me up doesn't take away the illusion that we are doing this position all by ourselves.

"Counting Drew"

Yes, it is a work in progress. He has done it on multiple occasions, but decided he would rather play hide-and-seek in this video. You might see the challenge in playing hide-and-seek with Drew when Todd and I only get 1-2-3 GO to hide.

"Napping Lilly"

I have to think that moving to a big kids bed will only make this habit happen more frequently...more surface area, right?

While mommy is away the little mice play

Mommy went away this last weekend to celebrate her friend's 30th birthday. We got some daddy time. When it wasn't 10 below zero out, daddy took us on some nature walks where we examined leaves and parks(maybe not a true nature walk) We had a great time with daddy. He tried to take us Christmas shopping too, but we really only lasted two stops and then said, "all done dada."





Meanwhile, mommy got to shop(at simply addictive stores like Anthropology), eat at yummy restaurants, and stay at the lovely Westin right in downtown Union square, San Francisco. Mommy said she was happy her friend Jen turned 30, so she could have some girl time.

Happy Birthday Jen!

So they really are twins

The proof is in the choice of pose for the pictures these days

Just because...

She looks like a toothless, dirty pirate doesn't mean she still can't be cute

The great thing about kids is...

They can play with the same jack-in-the box again and again and still be surprised every single time it pops up.

Forgotten Thanksgiving Photos

This picture is entertaining on so many levels. First off, it's like a paparazzi picture for Justin Timberlake here(my brother Mattie)who's half waving hi, and half covering his face for privacy. Secondly, my daughter who begged to ride the choo choo in the mall(should have learned from train town, right?) is pleading to get off. And lastly, because no matter what the circumstances, my mom is always trying to have fun and then in turn hope that makes the kids have fun


Just a cute proud uncle. Why won't this uncle move back? If Drew and Lilly can't make him do it...no one can

Chritmas trees and toddlers

No real exciting stories of Christmas Tree shopping here...we just went to Home Depot where the kids think they are driving a real race car for a cart. They enjoyed watching daddy some how magically attach a tree to my car. They now see my car and say "mama's tree car"



Hey...where are all the ornaments?


Ohhhh, there they are. This occurs multiple times a day, and I just refuse to clean it up more than just once at the end of the day.

More teaching moments

So maybe not as funny as the Michael Jackson update that I had last time, but another moment made me chuckle while teaching yesterday.

Setting: First Grade Classroom after a "false fire alarm." (yes...that is the type of school that I teach at where students think is is funny to do that) So you can imagine how wild the kids are this point. Trying to get back into Reading Groups after reminding the class multiple times to settle down and start working again...


Mrs Petersen- "So when you see the letters wh, th, sh, in a word you always blend those two sounds together to make..."(I get cut off from finishing)

Martyn(student)- "Mrs. Petersen, have you ever heard a baby crying? Like a bad baby crying really loud?"

Mrs. Petersen- "Well I have twins Martyn, so I have heard two babies crying at the same time for a while now."

Martyn- "Isn't that so annoying?"

Mrs Petersen- "It can be challenging at times, yes."

Martyn- "It would give me a headache. Kind of like right now because this class is so loud."

I proceeded to laugh out loud because I knew he was right. And thanked him for his honesty.

Conclusion- I must have learned how to tune out a lot of "annoying bad baby noise" in the last two years for a first grader to be telling me to quiet down the classroom.

A park inside?

When we get to sleep over at Nana and Boppa's house we love to play on their awesome bunk-bed turned play structure. We aren't quite big enough to actually sleep in the bunk bed yet, but we can sure climb and slide all over it

Let the tradition continue....

Sorry...I can't get this picture to turn correctly. Just use your neck muscles.


Hey...at least Lilly and Drew stay consistent every year

Happy Birthday to Grandma!

We asked our Grandma to go to train town in Sonoma for her birthday(isn't that a great gift for her..hehe) She was so excited that she sat in between us on the entire ride there and back. She is one of our favorite forms of entertainment.



While waiting for the train to pick us up we got to ride on this fun car. We liked it a lot when it wasn't moving.


Not so much when daddy put a quarter in and it started actually moving.


Drew was just pondering how this real-life town was made just for people his size.


We were a little unsure about the actual train ride,(mental note to mommy and daddy that Disneyland needs to be pushed back a few years if train town ruffled our feathers)but we loved watching these strangers play air hockey. Lilly asked one of them if they had a step stool so she could get a better view :-)

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Daddy is thankful for relaxing on the couch and watching football with me. He also is thankful for his quiet times reading the paper on weekends that usually last from 6am to 6:20am. But he also is thankful for the time from 6:20am to 7:30am when he gets to play with Lilly and I all by himself until mommy gets up. Mommy is thankful daddy likes to get up on the weekends while she sleeps in.



Lilly is thankful for balls, and couches to jump on and off of. She is thankful that mommy and daddy can feed her because she wants food all day long. She is thankful for me(Drew) too and she especially is thankful when she doesn't get bit for a long period of time.



I am thankful for chocolate milk. I also am thankful for my bootie(his blanket)that I have sucked on each corner so much that mommy can not get the brown color to go away and daddy says is "disgusting" I am thankful for all cars, planes, trucks, tractors, bikes, and buses that drive on the road.


Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. We are very lucky to be loved for so many people!

A stashed birthday gift

We were wondering what happened to many of our toys after our birthday. They mysteriously disappeared, but some have resurfaced like this cool tree house from our Nana and Boppa. It comes with awesome animal figures and we make great sound effects to go with each animal. Although daddy has been known to "hide" the tree house again when we fight about it.

Chocolate Cookie Anxiety

If you're honest with yourself...I am sure everyone can relate to the "chocolate cookie" anxiety on some level.

So when can we wear this outfit outside?

I chose this outfit out all by myself. I mean did you see the close up of the raincoat? It's like it was made especially for Drew Bigness Petersen

*Lilly's rain gear will also be revealed at a later date