Road trip to Utah Part 1

We decided to take the risk of driving 2 days with 2 little kids and a pregnant lady and drive to Utah. The kids did GREAT on the way out there. We drove 14 hours the first day (I drove the first 9 so Jeff could kind of sleep), and then drove 8 hours the next day. The kids watched lots of movies. Alyssa watched for all the cows and windmills. She got SO excited for the cows. She loves animals. Dallin LOVED watching movies with his headphones. And of course we hit snow in Wyoming :) It was also the first time Alyssa saw mountains, which she was amazed by and said it thousands of times in the cutest way.

We got to my mom's house around 4 in the afternoon. We unpacked the car and left for dinner...Del Taco (I don't know why but I love it there). Then we headed to the BYU for a football game. The game didn't start until 8:15 , which is WAY past the kids bedtime but they really wanted to go. It was also FREEZING! We got there early enough for the kids to run around in the fields and roll down the hills. Dallin has talked about going to a football game for the past 4 months. He asked to go home with 10 minutes left in the 1st QUARTER! So it was a long night for Dallin, but he still had lots of fun dancing and entertaining the crowd. Alyssa was fantastic. She sat on my lap and watched the whole time. She LOVED the band. Both kids fell asleep at the beginning of the 4th quarter. I am always surprised what kids can sleep through. They were very good, and we had a blast! Jeff and I really miss going to the games.
On Sunday night we went to Greg and Ashley's house for dinner. Dallin LOVES Uncle Greg so he was very excited. They liked playing with their dog and cutting fruit on the x-box kinect. On Monday Jeff went golfing, and then we went to Cafe Rio....yummy!!!

On Tuesday night we played miniature golf with grandma, Aunt Tori and Uncle Greg. Alyssa used her club on the first hole, and then threw her ball into the hole every other time.
Dallin had lots of fun. Our balls kept getting stuck, so there was lots of laughing throughout the night.
Then we went inside to the arcade. Dallin did some bowling, which he loved.
Dallin played daddy in air hockey.
Alyssa "drove" the cars.
They had this awesome laser game where you tried to get through the hallway without touching the green beams. Jeff, Greg, Tori and Dallin all did it. Jeff got the highest score, but Dallin was the best at it. We didn't think he would really understand, but he was soooo cute going through it and didn't hit any beams. Here is a video of Jeff (the video of Dallin didn't turn out so I was a little bummed).

Then we finished the night with some dippin' dots :)
On Wednesday night we went to Nickel City with everyone again. Alyssa LOVED the carousel. She probably rode it 20 times. Thank goodness it was just 3 nickels. Dallin liked playing all the games. Uncle Greg hit the jackpot 2 times in a row. With everyone's tickets we got up to 3700 tickets.

Another Little One!

Well, Alyssa is going to be a big sister now! That's right! We are expecting another little bundle of joy! I am 12 weeks along now making my due date April 16th (just 4 days before Jeff's birthday and 2 weeks before our anniversary). We are very excited, but Dallin is the most excited. We told him late last week, and he jumped up and down for A LONG time. He really wants a brother, and when we ask Alyssa she says it's a boy too. Only 8 more weeks, and we can find out :) I have been just as sick as with the others. They have put me on some prescriptions to help, which they do but I am still pretty miserable. Anyways, that's our exciting news here!

Silly Kids

The kids have been very cute and silly lately. They came downstairs the other day with some of Jeff's shirts, and they thought it was so funny to wear them.
Another day they came downstairs with mom and dad's shoes. Alyssa might already be better than me at walking in heels :)
We have gone back to the zoo a couple of times. The kids REALLY love going to the zoo. We rode the "train" around the zoo this time, and the kids thought it was so cool.
We met some friends at McDonalds to play in the huge playplace. They gave us coupons for free ice cream cones. The kids were so happy, until Alyssa dropped hers on the ground. She just started screaming so I took her home and gave her a bowl of ice cream. Then she was happy again.
Alyssa's hair is finally long enough to put in a pony tail. I think she looks so big now. I can't believe she is almost 2 :(
The kids putting on their shoes. They are always so happy because it means OUTSIDE!
Alyssa wearing a hat just like Dallin.
Alyssa "riding" the scooter.

Preschool

Dallin has started preschool. It makes me sad that my baby isn't a baby anymore and getting so big. He is going Tuesdays and Thursdays in the afternoons. I was nervous he wasn't going to like it because he has been so shy lately and really didn't want to go. The night before he went, he was up late nervous/excited about his first day. I remember doing that before every first day. He was very excited to go. He said good bye and walked right in his room with all smiles.
Alyssa on the other hand was very sad on the first day. After we started walking away from his room, she started crying for Dallin. She screamed and cried the whole way home for Dallin. She did enjoy having some one on one time with Mommy, but she really misses him. They are best buds.

Here he is coming out of his classroom all smiles. Dallin LOVED his first day. They went for a walk and toured the school. Then they went outside and ran around the track. He said everyone was his friend. The first thing he asked me was if he got to go again tomorrow. He loved his second day just as much, and he learned about circles, 0's, letters in his name and how to write letters starting at the top. He got to play in a huge sandbox with boats too. I am very happy he likes school, and I hope he continues to do so. I miss him, but it makes it a little easier if he is happy.
It is a Petersen family tradition to get ice cream on the first day of school. Dallin chose cold stone (maybe with a little help from mommy) and got strawberry ice cream with sprinkles. He LOVED it :)

"Camping"

Dallin really wanted to go camping this past weekend, but Alyssa is teething and not sleeping well AND it was supposed to rain all night. So we tried to make it a fun night. We went "hiking" at one of the nature parks by our house. It did sprinkle on us for most of the walk, but it was still lots of fun. Dallin loved to throw rocks into the water. Isn't he so handsome!
He liked climbing on the rocks.
Alyssa loved the flowers.
I love how Alyssa bounces when she runs. She is losing it a little and actually running, but here is a video of it....I will miss her bouncy runs.

She also loves going backwards.

Then we went home and "roasted" marshmallows on the stove.
Dallin thought they were good.
Alyssa didn't like them but enjoyed eating the big marshmallows.
Then we let Dallin sleep in his tent in his room. He thought it was awesome! We all read books and stuff before bedtime. It was kind of a tight fit.
Alyssa loved playing in the tent.
Dallin sleeping away with all of his dogs.

Labor Day Weekend

For Labor Day weekend Jeff's sister and her family came to visit us. Dallin and Alyssa had a blast playing with Kendra and Ella, and we had fun catching up with Jeanna and Ken. The kids play so well together.

A trip would not be complete with them without some jumping. So we went to Airtastic and then to Chick fil a. Then we finished the day with Papa Johns and a BYU victory. Go Cougars!! Dallin and Kendra were off running around the whole time.
Jeff and Ken going at it :)
Beautiful Ella
Alyssa had a blast, and could do almost everything by herself. She is getting so big.
We attempted to get a picture of all the kids two times. The first time Dallin wouldn't get in the picture. The second time Alyssa didn't want to sit there. So this is the best I could do...
Dallin had to show them his boats.
Alyssa and Ella playing in the kitchen after eating lunch.
ALL the kids played with the train table and kitchen A LOT.