A Great Day To Be A Ute!

I love University of Utah Basketball!  This season did not disappoint.  Well, it did a few times, but it also had quite a few glorious moments, too.  It's been a long time of some extreme ugly betties to get to today, but it's about time things have turned around.

After a million years, our Runnin' Utes made it to the NCAA tournament and after even a million more, they won two games and made it to the Sweet 16.  That's pretty sweet, don't you think!  The Utes were seeded 5th and beat Stephen F. Austin and then Georgetown.  They lost to Puke Duke tonight (the battle of the Coach Krysekiqiewririsadksafisky's), but put up a very respectable fight.

I told several people at school today and even my mom tonight that I was glad they one won game in the tournament and ecstatic that they won two.  I figured they had nothing to lose and I was just going to enjoy watching the game.  I didn't intentionally lie, but man was I wrong.  Once that game started, I was all uptight and nervous.  I really wanted them to pull it out, but it just wasn't in the cards.  You win some. You lose some.  And, some just get rained out by Duke.

I added a seat to our season tickets this week.  We moved down a row.  Ticket prices went up.

I watched an ESPN special called, "I Hate Christian Laettner."  It was interesting.  I remember watching him hit some of those clutch shots on TV as a younger kid (in the days when I had giant posters of Larry, Magic, and Michael on my bedroom walls).  The movie was interesting and basically articulated all of the thoughts that I'd ever had about why I can't stand Duke Basketball.

It must just be in the blue uniform . . .  BYU, Duke, and then not to mention Kentucky.  Bleh.  At least it wasn't that particular blue team knocking the poor Utes out of the tournament for the 100th time.

It was a great season and I'm looking forward to next year!

Made it Past the 7 Year Itch.

"The Seven Year Itch" is actually not a movie I've seen, but as James and I now embark on our 8th anniversary, I thought it was a creative title.  Honestly, I don't know if I've ever seen a Marilyn Monroe movie at all.  Hmmm.  Maybe I need to expand my movie repertoire.

Anyway, this post is to say Happy Anniversary #8 to me and James (March 9th). If he gets me a gift for our anniversary, I'll be pleasantly appreciative, but I don't expect it.  I told him I wasn't getting him anything.  We've spent too much money in the last week anyway on our crazy townhouse and he and his dad are spending all afternoon tomorrow there, as well.  This blog post is it, James (though I'm sure I'll use our anniversary as an excuse to not cook food at our house on some day after the actual anniversary).  I hope you like it!

Happy Anniversary.

We are different.

You are silent.  I sometimes yell.  You make crumbs.  I clean them up.  I break things.  You fix them.  I lose patience with kids.  You get them to behave.  I fix food.  You eat it.  I make plans.  You come along for the ride.  You write papers.  I read them.  Puke makes me want to puke.  Puke doesn't phase you.

We are alike.

You save money so we can spend it on things we want.  I save money so we can spend it on things we want.  I like to go to basketball games.  You like to go to basketball games.  You let me do whatever I want to do.  I hope you feel like I let you do whatever you want to do.  I like to work in the yard.  You like to work in the yard.  I couldn't be a nurse. You couldn't be a school teacher.  You fall asleep on the couch.  I fall asleep at the computer.

Marriage is tough.  You have to be committed to be in it for the long haul.  We don't always get along and I think we drive each other crazy, but I'm grateful that I married you and I wouldn't want to be married to anyone else.

Thanks for being there for the last 8 years and here's to the next many more.

I could give you a song like this for our anniversary.  You know . . .  will you still love me when my legs don't work anymore . . . kind of stuff.  But, I don't look like her and neither of us can really dance.



I think this song is a bit more fitting for us . . . things are in control and out of control . . .  are you tired? I'm tired . . . but we've got it as much as anybody every has . . . .



Happy Anniversary!  I love you!

Haley



Thanks for the gift of the post. Love you much also! James

Help on the Spot

I'm not sure what I would do without my parental units.

My mom has had my kids every Saturday morning for the last 6 weeks while I run Stake YW Basketball.  She picks them up from my house and often they go get pancakes at McDonalds and take them to eat at my Grandpa's.

Sunday night I left them at my mom's while I went to a region church basketball meeting and James and Ross went over to the rental to try to evict our tenants.

Tuesday night I took them over for a little bit while I headed back to the townhouse to meet Fernando, the painter and do some quick assessments on the place.  James had a paper to write and was sequestered at the kitchen table.  My mom wasn't home when I got to her house because she'd gone out to check on Grandpa. He'd had a surgery that day to implant a fistula into his arm in preparation for dialysis.  My dad was there to greet my munchkins.

Friday night I took my kids back to my mom's on the way home from school.  (We stopped at our house, but they stayed in the car while I hurried and changed my clothes and grabbed what I needed.)  We got to my mom and dad's house and once again, my dad was there to greet the kids and they were happy to be there.  My mom had also invited the Howden boys over for a "pajama party" and she was also doing dinner for Grandpa.  All 8 of them went to Village Inn!  Phew.  I can't imagine it. I went to camp out at the church all night for region basketball.

Saturday, we went to visit my Grandpa, but he wasn't home.  He was out for a ride with my mom.  After the kids had a nap, I took them back to my mom and dad's again where they'd get to camp out for another night while I went and cleaned at the townhouse.  It was super dirty and I was there a lot longer than I thought I'd be.  I got back to get the kids around 10:00 and they'd once again had a great night and didn't want to leave Grandma's house.

These are my parents.  They are the best and I couldn't function without them.

Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

Mission: 1 Year Accomplished

I can't believe that my brother has been gone 1 whole year!  It really seems like it has gone by fast even though it has been a while, actually a year and a couple of weeks since I'm late updating my blog.  We are just very proud of him.  His letters home each week are excellent, full of excitement and vigor for what he is doing, express a love for the people he is working with, and just show that he seems to be being a pretty good missionary.

He's had several baptisms in the greenish water fonts of Lithuania, most recently, the Chinese guy named Zhang.  He's had quite a few different companions and seems to be getting along with all of them, even Elder Norman, who I think he struggled with a little.

My biggest worries when he left were 1) that he wouldn't find anything to eat (he seems to be doing just fine) and 2) that he would get sick (he's a total boob when he gets sick and forgets how to cope with life).  So far, I haven't had to worry about that.  Everything seems to be fine.

Congratulations on making it to 1 year, Elder Petersen.  We look forward to seeing you in 1 more.

February Update

We spent Valentines Eve putting together our Valentines.  My attempts to get Molly to write her name on all of hers turned futile, but she did like putting the suckers in the sucker holes and was actually a pro at it.

Jack was equally not helpful with his Valentines.  I tried to get him to color on them, but he didn't want to.  The job we found that worked best for him was putting the finished Valentines in the sack.  

James actually sent me flowers at work.  We don't always get along, but sometimes he surprises me!  They were very pretty!

I made Pioneer Woman homemade Mac & Cheese.  It was actually delicious, but took way more effort than our usual Kraft.

I thought these little snippets from school were funny.

We spent President's Day at Ruth's Diner for lunch and then to the outlets at Kimball Junction.  It was a fun day and all four of us were on our good behavior.

House woes . . .  This picture is of a rotting beam on someone else's carport.  I'm still on the HOA Board for our townhome complex and getting this fixed was one of my jobs. I am ready to retire and we are ready to sell our house.  The light at the end of the tunnel is nearing.

On the last Friday in February we had a day off due to Parent Teacher Conferences.  Annie's kids are off track so we decided to go on a field trip.  We all loaded up in Annie's car and headed to Poo-vo for the Bean Museum and the Waffle Love Store. It was a fun day.  The children were mostly behaved, the animals were stuffed, and the waffles were delicious.