Vacation=Blog Death

This summer I decided I wanted to blog much more often.  It has been fun and adventurous.  However, I have learned that when I am out of town, blogging becomes much more of a chore than a leisure activity.  First of all, it generally requires taking my laptop on vacation... bleh.  The whole 'having to take your laptop out of your bag as you go through security' thing is just not my thing.  Also, I find I would much rather chat with family & friends (and hold newborn babies) than write silly blog posts like I usually do.  And that is why vacation=blog death.  Well actually it's more of a blog coma.

Tomorrow we are heading to Schlitterbahn, an awesome water theme park a few hours away.  Thus, my blog will again be empty.  But I have so so many picture of baby Gavin (among other activities) that I'll have to catch up when I get home.  Until then, here's a little preview of my trip.

The Activities

The Food

The Company :)

The Fateful Meeting

I met my first nephew two days ago.  Allow me to tell you a few things about him.

1. He is the first grandbaby on both sides, just like his mama was.  Can you say spoilage?!

2. He has giant eyeballs, just like his aunty.  How cute that he wanted to be just like me.... or maybe he just inherited them from his dad... hey, I can dream.

3. He is perfect.  Okay, well at least he was when I met him.  Except he didn't open his eyes.  But I forgive him.  Because he's perfect.  

4. I get to see him in four days, pinch his cheeks and kiss his toes.  Happiness is mine.

Excuse the scary girl in the corner.  She had just run a mile.  Yes, a whole mile.  No more applause, you're embarrassing me...

Oh, and the names and email addresses of the innocent have been photoshopped out (in an extremely professional manner, might I add).

The Search for Sanity: Part VII

The Search for Sanity: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI

I had my last appointment with Calli last week.  I've been through a few messy breakups in my day, and luckily this one went smoothly.  She gave me the phone numbers of two other natural medicine specialists and said I might want to try them.

It has been probably ten years or so since I have seen a neurologist so Grant & I decided it would be good to check in with one.  Our insurance requires a referral to see a specialist like that so I had an appointment with our new family doctor.  All my vitals look great and I got a referral to see a local neurologist.  The doctor I'm going to see focuses specifically on headaches as opposed to other neurological disorders or problems.  I am excited to see what he has to say and to learn what developments have been made with migraines in the last 10 years.

In addition, Grant did a little research online and found Ascendant Neuro, a treatment being performed by neurologists in Dallas.  I talked to one of their representatives and they said with my history I sound like a good candidate.   I have only read up on the basics, but essentially, they put permanent implants into your head that send electronic pulses to your nerves.  "In principle, it works by safely and gently stimulating certain superficial nerves of the head." 


Of course, making a decision to have surgical implants put in my head is kind of a big deal and would require a lot of research as well as multiple professional opinions.  But it is exciting to know that there are possible solutions out there.

A Giant Birthday

Yesterday was the official celebration of my birth.  I think it may have been the first birthday of mine during which my mother didn't cry about how "I never expected you to make it to this birthday!"  It is possible that she was all teared out from the birth of baby Gavin.  (Who I will be visiting in... count it... six days...)

Anyways... we celebrated my birthday weekend with various exciting happenings such as: the ice cream social at the Nash Farm, going to see the movie Inception, and dinner at Olive Garden.  I got some fun presents, my favorite being the movie, "She's the Man."  Click here for some excellent over the top acting as well as hilariously corny jokes from my new favorite movie.  I have already watched it 4 times... no really... I have...  Grant baked the traditional Texas Sheet Cake for me and we had some friends over to visit and enjoy cake and ice cream.

I learned a lot about myself in reviewing the two pictures taken during the birthday cake candle ritual.

First... I need to learn to control my giant eyeballs...

Second... I need to control my giant mouth... I am clearly not applying the skills I learned while playing the clarinet in the 6th grade band.  So much for first chair...

In all actuality, I have known about my big mouth and alien eyes for some time.  Yesterday was just a confirmation that I am failing in my attempt to control them...

But either way, it was an excellent birthday.  Can I have another one soon?

A Dora Day

One of the girls in my Sunbeam class at church is turning 4 this week!  In fact, Emily and I are exactly 18 years and 1 day apart!  I told her mom I would like to help with her party and so today I baked cupcakes!  Dora cupcakes to be specific.  I found the directions here.

First, I made some hair out of candy melts

Then I skinned some cupcakes.  It was an anxiety filled process figuring out how to get this color.  (Not to mention wondering how many extra cans of frosting it would cost before I would get it right).

I cut out some fruit roll up mouths.  This was tricky because the fruit roll up wouldn't unroll.  It was a sticky mess.  Thank you Texas humidity.... How many times can I say that?!

And Voila!  Dora was born.  Well... a few hours later.  I became quickly aware that Dora's hair was taking over her face so most of the Dora's got a smart bob.

Unfortunately, she kind of looks like the Berries & Cream lad.... 

How unfortunate.... I'm pretty sure that video won't work... so just in case, you can see it here.

So anyways... there were also so eye issues.  The directions said to use chocolate chips for the eyes, but that made Dora a little googly-eyed...

Unfortunately, I'm afraid my eyeballing skills weren't too much better...

Little eyes.. big eyes... oh man.  

But really, they are for 4 year olds and I don't think they'll notice my bug eyes or Berries & Cream lads.  And when you put them all together, these little Doras don't look half bad!

Sweet Baby Gavin

 Okay, I found some pictures better than Robbie's cell phone picture.  I had to take them from a website using print screen so they still have the watermarks on them.  Man, is he beautiful?!  And yes, I am most definitely going to visit him in ten days.

I LOVE baby feet. That's all.

Aunt Bof is now officially Grandma Bof.

What a perfect little family!  I can't wait to see them!  Yay!!

Oh and don't worry. Lindsay just had a baby and she already looks gorgeous.  She may have taught me everything I know but unfortunately I don't think I caught on to those types of things...

One More July Birthday

Welcome to the family Gavin Michael McFarland!  

Sorry for the not so excellent cell phone picture quality.  The only other picture I have is of him crying covered in gook.  (No, not sourdough gook... other gook.)  I think he looks like his mother in this picture.  I'll have to find a baby picture to prove it sometime.

Grant & I were the only two Petersons (even if only honorary Petersons) not at the hospital.  Thus, my facts will be a bit of an approximation.  He was born sometime around 8:40-ish and weighed somewhere around 6 lbs. 9 oz-ish, and definitely had a measured length... I have no idea what length that might have been but he definitely has some length... of some sort.  As far as I have heard, Mama & baby are doing well and he's already said his first two words, "Aunt Kelsey."

As the title states, this adds one more birthday to the Peterson July Festivities.  Kody (deceased black lab) 1st, Dad the 4th, Linds the 8th, Gavin the 14th, Kelsey the 18th, Robbie the 27th.... really?  really?

Slipper Family

Yesterday was a day of sewing.  I got out my old Singer but it was acting up.  The bobbin thread was getting all tangled up and since I have no idea how to fix that.... so I put the machine away and got my newer one out.  I'm an excellent problem solver...

At the end of my sewing spree I had a family full of slippers!  And since I've been in such a creative mood, I decided to name them.

This little pair in front is named Stewart.  Stewart is the first child of the Slipper family.  Amazingly, he was born before his father, the stuffy looking pair in the back there.  The Slipper family defies the natural process of reproduction.... 

Standing just in front of her dad is Valentina.  She's a simple pair but being the youngest in the family, she tends to get a lot of attention.  Right now, she's trying to decide how to do her hair... Maybe some flowers in the back? 

Oh, Valentina has short brown hair... see?  Flowers? Buttons? Headband ribbon?  Ahh the choices.

And here is Sybil, the little chillens' madre.  Sybil is old.  And I mean old.  Like two weeks old.  Considering that the rest of the family was born yesterday, this is quite a feat.  This also means that she has the most haphazard stitching and construction.  My beginner skills improve oodles with every pair I make.  So sorry you were first Sybil...  

And the father of this charming little Slipper family is Boris.  Boris is tough.  And stoic.  (It took me 3 minutes to think of the word stoic.)  And shorter than Sybil.  I always thought that was a funny combination: when the husband is shorter than the wife.  Probably because my personal experience is so opposite.  Anyway... Boris is a good guy.  He is actually a clone of another pair I made named Leslie, after my mother-in-law and for my mother-in-law.  Strange that Boris is a man and Leslie was a woman...  I think it's the interfacing that did it.

Well thank you for venturing over to meet the Slipper family.  I apologize for the utter pointlessness of my blog posts and the random names that accompany them.  And I apologize for the time you spent reading when you could have been doing something worthwhile... like eating sugary goodness or something.  Farewell!  I'm off to chase down Stewart... he's got fast feet...  

Oh, Sorry! You were taking a picture?

"Are you sure you got the right size?"

"Yeah, mom, look it will fit me fine!"

"Oh, shoot, I think yours might be cuter than mine."

"Yep, you're totally right.  Mine is cuter."

"What the?"

"I'm ready for my on stage appearance now!

It's a good thing I have such natural performers to work with :)

Claw-Foot the Mighty Attends a Pool Party

This weekend is Nationals for my studio competition teams.  All of the solos were performed yesterday and the groups will perform today and tomorrow.  I worked with three teams this year, choreographing and cleaning their lyrical dances.  The girls worked hard this year and it is amazing to see how far they have come and how much they have grown!

So, in celebration of a year of hard work, we had a pool party on Monday.  Amazingly, nobody was injured in all the craziness.

It was a pretty good day for a pool party.  It was only hot enough to sweat small circles under my arms instead of soaking my entire shirt.  That's a good day.

There aren't too many things cuter than 9 year olds in goggles.... Except maybe 3 year olds in goggles... but that's it.

The girls had a lot of fun jumping off the diving board.  Can you tell they're dancers?  We clearly need to work on pointing our feet (not our toes) a bit more next year... I'm not a big fan of "pointing toes" because in reality, if you point just your toes and not your whole foot... well... eww... That's what I call claw-foot.... which is also a good name for a bubble... or a turtle... Claw-Foot the Mighty.  I like it.

Woot to Pat Riddle Dancers and best of luck this weekend at Stage One Nationals!

What You've All Been Waiting For...

Okay.  I give in.  I give in to my tens of thousands of adoring fans who so graciously send me hundreds of thousands of e-mails telling me what they are dying to see me photograph and talk about... 

And you, dear reader, can now be so grateful that I am finally going to answer your pleas.  The waiting is over and ultimate satisfaction has arrived.  Without further adieu, I present...

A Plethora of Giant Bubbles

Dare I name them?  Okay... if you insist.  This one (above) is Snakie-Face.  Man... I am so creative!

This is a picture of proper bubble technique.  It's called, "Grant demonstrating proper bubble technique."

This one is named Spooftooth.  

  

And this is Bannerbum.  For some reason... all of these bubbles have compound words for names.... How strange that is worked out that way...

This bubble didn't stick around long enough to be named... Take that nonexistent bubble!  

This bubble is called Lightning McQueen.  I think that is probably the most creative name I have ever come up with... on my own... completely...

And here is where you start wishing that I knew how to use my camera more effectively because you're slowly getting sea sick...  How ironic that this bubble happens to be named Aesuan!  Oh... that's nausea backwards, in case haven't ever heard that name before... It's predicted to be one of the top baby (and bubble) names of 2014.

Oh, and that's just a picture of my cute husband.  His name is Grant.  

After Grant got his giant bubble fix for the day I got a turn.  I started with some bubble waves.  This one is named Holahonda.  

This is another bubble that jumped ship before its christening.  I wouldn't have included this picture but my hair looked really good that day and there wasn't too much humidity to ruin it.  Enjoy while it lasts...

This little guy is Unagi.  That's eel in Japanese.  I don't speak Japanese, but I do speak sushi, so I know.

This one is named Purpur.  That's purple in German.  I don't speak German.  But Google does.

This bubble is called Severus Snape.  I don't know where that came from... When does the next Harry Potter movie come out?  Because I'm experiencing withdrawals.  Yesterday I informed Grant of Harry's birthday that's coming up and I got Butter Brickle ice cream at Braum's and insisted it tasted just like Butterbeer...  How embarrassing...

This one is named Sondevisage.  That's Tubeface in French.  If there is one thing I have learned in all my years of living, it is that adding "face" to the end of any word is a great way to make up a name.  Or to make fun of someone... but I never do that.

And for the last hurrah, this is a free floating bubble I created.  The boy in the red shirt was so impressed that he couldn't even keep his eyes open.  Thank you for visiting the bubbliest blog post on the internet.  And your welcome for the bubbliest blog post on the internet.  Farewell, my friends.

Oh.  That bubble's name is John Stamos.  

The End.