Carson and Ginger

Here is a sweet older brother kissing his baby sister.  Scenes like that don't happen much anymore.  Carson and Ginger have a tendency to butt heads.  Its been going on for years but lately Carson has been trying to not pick on her as much.  We still have some tough moments though, which is why I love this picture.  It gives me hope!

Diannah's "bleeding love"

I don't believe I have shared this picture on the blog.  My sister, Diannah, was helping me move some furniture before our move this past spring and she scraped her toe.  After a few minutes it bleed through the band-aid in the shape of a heart.  Way cool!

Diannah is a wonderful example to me of service.  She is always willing to help her family or friends.  I love you Di!

Grandpa Brown

I love this picture of Grandpa Brown with my nephews Jacob and Nick.  He looks so happy.

Liza's first Twinkie

Mmm Mmm good!

Movie quote

"Your sister's ripe and the pickers are here."

Carson's cake

Carson's birthday cake request was a pineapple upside down cake.  I made it with fresh pineapple because we had it in the house.  So yummy!

One of Liza's favorites

We got this book from the library and Liza loved it.  It has pop-up animals in it.  They scared her some but she would go and search the box of books to get this one.  Looking at the front now, it seems kind of morbid.  I loved watching her when I read it to her though.

Lucy waiting for the bus

A picture a day

I've decided to do a picture a day for a year.  You might get an old one or one from 5 minutes ago.  Since I can't find the cord for my camera, here is one from a month ago.  In a townhouse there isn't a lot to do so we get creative.  Ginger was very proud of her building capability.

 

Carson

Carson, our oldest, turned 13 on Friday.  13! Wow!  

He is growing like a weed.  Carson eats all the time unless he is reading.  He loves to read and reads fast.  I wish books lasted him longer.  This year in school he is playing flag football which he is enjoying. 

Carson is such a good example to his brother and sisters.  He loves to play with Liza when she allows it.  He does have those teenage moments when his family embarrasses him.  We just hug him tighter.

Carson is lovin' the ladies these days.  He won't admit that though. He misses his friends in Utah but is finding new ones here.  Carson still loves history, science, drawing, Legos, and military vehicles and weapons.  Carson has big plans for the future and we are so blessed to help him to get there.  We love you Carson! 

Does he look like a future missionary? 

Pettijohn Reunion

*I haven't finished writing everything but I wanted to get these up.

14 years ago, I married my sweet husband and became a Pettijohn. On Saturday, the 21st of August, I met a lot more of our family.

Marvin Lee and Ruth May Hestand Pettijohn were married June 18, 1932 in Cyril, Oklahoma. Marvin passed away April 21, 2001.  Ruth passed away April 21, 1995.

Callie, Lucy, and cousin Hazel chillin' on the swing.  They owned that swing the whole time.

David and a sleepy Liza Jane.  Its also a good shot of his beard that he shaved off that night.

David's great uncle Tom and his wife aunt Mary.  Everyone was excited to have her potato salad.  I never got to taste it though.  I'll just have to write her to get the recipe for it. 

Liza and Lucy owning the swing.

Ginger catching some rays.

This is Rich's sister, Mary, introducing her 3 daughters and their families.

Candid shot.  David's dad, Rich, made some yummy wet ribs. 

Here we have David's family.  From left to right bottom row.  Hazel, Nicki, Ginger, Lucy, Me(Amanda), Sue(David's Mom).  Top row left to right.  Matt(just back from a year in Irag and David's brother), Ava, Liza, David, Carson, Callie, Rich(David's Dad), and George.  David's sister, Andrea, and brother, Tony, and their families were not able to make it.  We missed not having them there.

This is Jared Louderback, his mom and David's cousin, Janine Louderback-Smith, her sister and David's cousin,Cindi Louderback-Patty.  They are the daughters of Dorris(Pettijohn) and Don Louderback.  They have both passed away.  Janine and Cindi also have a brother named Eric who was not there.

Audrey Baylous(David's cousin), Ben Elshoff, Aunt Mary Aubuchan, Leslie(David's cousin),Tristan, and Matt Adamson, Lisa(David's cousin),Wil, and Olivia Elshoff, Julia(died),

The siblings, Mary Pettijohn Aubuchan, Margie Pettijohn Dingman, Bob Pettijohn,

Rich Pettijohn(David's dad)

Car repair

We have been having trouble with coolant leaking from somewhere in our suburban.  So today, being pay-day, I thought to call around to auto shops.  Being in a new city I thought, where do I begin.  So I decided to call our trusty home teacher for his opinion, since he is from here. Home teachers are men in our congregation at church that are assigned to come to our home once a month and kind of watch over us.  All members of the congregation have some.  It helps everyone to care and watch out for others.  Anyway, I called one of ours this morning and he happened to have a son-in-law that worked for a Saturn dealership for 17 years but was laid off and was now going to school(aviation mechanic).  So our home teacher called his son-in-law, his son-in-law called me and by 10pm tonight the car was fixed and he probably saved us about $250.  The Suburban had a bad thermostat, water pump, and serpentine belt. 

It was a good day. 

14 Years ago, in a country far away...

...David and I were married.

This was us over 5 years ago. I just like this picture of us. It was at a church Valentine's Day dance in Lincoln, NE.

This is David and I on New Year's Eve of 2009/2010

I love you David! Happy Anniversary!

First Day of School

School started yesterday!

I was just as nervous as all the kids. This year we have 5 in school. Little Lucy started kindergarten and Carson started junior high. They grow up so fast. Our schedule is broken up quite a bit but I am so grateful for buses this year. I would be living out of the car if we didn't have them. Carson catches the bus a little before 7. Callie, George, and Ginger catch theirs at around 8:30. And Lucy has afternoon kindergarten so she catches her bus after lunch. Then Carson comes home around 2:30 and all the other kids at around 3:30.

It was fun to hear about every one's day yesterday.

Carson(7th) was so happy when he got home. He has always adjusted well to new situations. He was probably a little happy because the other kids were still gone. Carson was also glad to tell me that "I" had homework and he didn't. Paperwork, BLAH!

Callie(6th) was excited to tell me about her wonderful teacher. She is excited to have a little more order in her life now.

George(4th) was quiet coming home but he went right to his little bit of homework he had. I have heard a lot of good things about his teacher this year. He always does so well.

Ginger(2nd) greeted me with a big hug as usual. She then walked home talking with the boy that lives next door, who happens to be in her class. Yeah, a boy! Our little social butterfly.

Running for the bus on the first day. We did much better this morning.

Liza gets to watch all the fun. We were working on the word "bus" yesterday. She got it out a couple times.

Our little kindergartner. She takes after her Aunt Gina by eating at a mellower pace, hence she is carrying her lunch with her while walking to the bus stop. She was so so so excited to start school.