Mourning to Dancing: December 2009

Friday, December 25, 2009

Traditions

We are finally coming into our own with our Peterson Christmas traditions. It is so fun to finally figure out what our "thing" is.

It all starts with Thanksgiving morning. We put our tree up. Isn't it neat how a dark room and a lit tree just seem to make everything magic? I have really enjoyed the twinkles and green and excitement in our home for the last month. Christmas is a special, special day.

A week after Thanksgiving we host our annual Christmas Open House where we seem to average about 60 people coming into our home and we hope we do a good job of entertaining and blessing them. Though, we surely are the ones most blessed by it. It is so great having friends and family in our home.

Sweet Cranberry Meatballs
(Fix-It and Forget-It)

50 meatballs, about 1 1/2 lbs.
1 cup brown gravy
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
2 T heavy cream
2 t Dijon mustard

Put meatballs in slow cooker.
Mix remaining ingredients in bowl. Pour over meatballs.
Cover & cook on high 2-3 hours or on low 5-6 hours.

This Christmas has been busy with dance performances. I think we had 5 in all. The last of which was last night (Christmas Eve) at our church. I simmered the turkey soup most of the day. We ate around 4:30. Turkey soup became a tradition after my Grandma who was sick with cancer was just too tired to go out or do anything too strenuous for Christmas, so she boiled the Thanksgiving bird and made soup. This is our 2nd year doing it on our own and it is definitely something we will continue. Our church held the Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7 and then we came home for malts (a tradition started by my great-grandfather).

Today, we were up early. Grammy came over and we opened presents (one at a time so everyone can enjoy and it lasts just that much longer). We will head up the mountain here in a bit for lunch/dinner. We really appreciate not having to cook on Christmas Day. No dishes to do either!

And we get the Charger game today! This is the best Christmas ever! LOL!

One thing I will add next year...a hunt for the letters that spell JESUS which will be hidden in the tree and must be found before present-opening. After all, Jesus is totally the best gift ever!

A happy Jesus birthday to you!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

"This is what I really wanted!! Thank you, Michael Bitner!"

I am typically a Christmas-day-only gift opener. But, our dear friend, Michael Bitner, is in town and has to leave tomorrow so the boys got to open their gifts from him today. What a treat! They are so content that I imagine no other gift will compare. Though we will surprise them with a couple of items under the tree. However, "cowboy guns" were at the top of the list. So, two happy boys have we!!!

Yes, those are targets on my linen closet. LOL!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

George Washington resources?

Hello!
Did anyone see Glenn Beck yesterday?!! He themed his whole show on heroes and stories. It was fantastic!

Our family spent a good portion of this summer falling in love with George Washington and making him our hero. Glenn's show inspired me to continue to study the character of this wonderful hero.

Some resources that I have appreciated are:

Nest DVD about George Washington
George Washington: America's Patriot by Renee Taft Meloche
the book Big George: How A Shy Boy Became President of the United States by Ann Rockwell (be mindful of the de-emphasis of God's protection over Washington on the pages following the crossing of the Delaware, and the slight hint of feminism on the back page note. I mean, really, Washington was 6'3", an easy target in battle, yet was never wounded. This is not "luck" or "coincidence". In one battle alone-2 horses shot out from underneath him, a bullet hole in his hat and 4 in his coat. Please...let's give credit where credit is due. God divinely protected George Washington over and over again.)
visiting Mt. Vernon
Drive Thru History (American Revolution references).

But, there must be some more wonderful resources I haven't found. Do any of you recommend resources that are true and accurate about George Washington? I see books about Washington everywhere but hesitate to pick them up because I don't want to read a watered-down version of the greatest man who ever walked the beautiful USA.

I look forward to hearing your suggestions.
Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Soccer

We have been spending our Saturday mornings for the last couple of months playing soccer. This is Brandon's 2nd year and Si's 1st. Brandon has become very courageous and Silas is, of course, very enthusiastic.

Go Tigers, or Bobcats, or Bananas, or whatever the boys are calling their team this week!

Christmas cookies

Mom told Brandon a story:
My Grandmother made Gingerbread men every Christmas and would put them in a container in the freezer. She was saving them for a Christmas party. The day of the party she went to get the gingerbread out of the freezer and there were only 2 cookies left. My uncle had been steadily eating them all.
Brandon's response? "Bad boy!"
Love you, Uncle Troy!!!! I have a feeling that will happen to me one year. Haha!!

Silas slathering and sprinkling exhaustively his gingerbread man.

Brandon cleaning the spoon.

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Insights from Brandon

"My brother is crazy because he drinks a lot of fruit juice." (7-5-10)

A phone call.

Dad: "Hey Brandon, do you miss me?"

Brandon: "Actually, Dad, I've been having such a good time, I haven't really thought about you."

While watching the Perseid Meteor Shower, Daddy put away the telescope. B says: "Well, we'll have to depend on our eyes now." (8-12-10)

Was watching AFV with B. I said, "I've never seen a cat do that." B looked at me and stated very matter-of-fact: "Well, now you have." (8/22/10)

B: "Mom, Si said he was mad at you and daddy because he couldn't go miniature golfing. I told him he should be mad at satan because satan made him be bad." Me: "Brandon, you know satan doesn't make us do anything. We all make our own decisions." B: "Oh! Thank you, Mom. I guess I don't know everything." (9/11/10)

"I can only find my sandals. If Jesus can wear 'em, I can wear 'em!" (11/15/10)

B: "Mom, instead of just buying milk at the store..."

Me: "...we should just get a cow?"

B: "Yes! Cows are my favorite animal."

Me: "Do you like cows because they make milk?"

B: "Yes! Milk is my favorite drink."

Me: "Yes, well, where would we keep it?" (1/12/11)

J: "Does anyone know what 'reproach' means?"

B: "Well, I think I sort of know. It's like when you first approach somebody and then you reproach them later." (1/17/11)

"I love me! I love myself! I'm a genius!" ...upon great success playing his math game. Don't worry, I reminded him of the Proverb: Let another man praise you and not your own lips. And then I praised him and told him he's a genius. (2/18/11)

"Mom! I didn't know I could have so much fun in one day!" Excitedly pronounced as we exited Circus Circus. (3/18/11)

B: "Mom, Si's having an otter pop. Can I have one?"

Me: "Yes."

B: "But, you said we couldn't have dessert."

Me: "Well, Daddy said yes."

B: "Oh! It doesn't matter what you say, Mom; it matters what Dad says!" (8/27/11)

B: "There's 2 reasons why I was in the bathroom for so long. I was going poo...that's number one..." Mommy: "Don't you mean that's number 2?" (2/15/12)

Me: "Brandon, I'm teaching Sunday School tomorrow and I need you to help me collect some Legos for a game we're playing."

B: "Wow, Mom! Thanks for telling me. I'm a Lego genius!"

Me: "Your brother likes being dirty."

B: "Yeah. Dirty's his favorite thing. I think he likes it more than his favorite color." (2/18/13)

At a memorial for our friend, Sharon Bergman:

Dutch (Sharon's husband) to B: "I'm really glad you guys came today. It really means a lot."

B: "Well, I really didn't have a choice." (6/1/13)

"One thing's for sure: I never get tired of going to church! (2014)

Silas speaks

"Mommy, Jesus was in my dream and He said, 'You should obey your mom and dad everyday.'" (4-5-10)

I got the ice cream out of the freezer and set it on the stove to dish some up for the boys and Silas says, "Don't warm it up, Mom! Then it won't be ice cream, it will just be cream." (6/4/10)

Silas: "Dad, why is the earth made of dirt?'

Daddy: "That's a strange question coming from a kid that should be asleep."

Silas: "But it's a good one." (6/6/10)

"I picked up Daddy's rubber band (the theraband Jamie is using for p.t. on his arm) and I looked around and no one was looking, but I knew God was looking so I put it back." (6/7/10)

We were having lunch at Calico's (a restaurant) and Silas says to the owner, "Brandon is sad because he likes the Fudge Factory better." (7/22/10)

B: "Grammy we got Twinkies at the Bottle Shop for an after-lunch treat."

Si: "Yeah, We had zucchinis...I mean, whatever-they're-called." (8/21/10)

B: "Mommy, I want to sleep with you."

Mommy: "That's nice, but you need to sleep in your own bed."

Si: "I want to sleep on the crouton." (He meant the futon in our room.) (8/22/10)

Me: "Si, what was your favorite part of Sunday School today." Si: "Saying my memory verse." Me: "Really? What was it?" Si: "I don't remember." (9/12/10)

I'm going through Madeline for our Five-In-A-Row lesson, and I asked the boys what tower is in Paris. Si shouts, "The Tower of Terror!" I guess the ride at Disneyland made an impression. (9/27/10)

Si & I were at the Miramar Air Show when a man sitting in front of us fell unconscious. By all observations, he was dead. So, I prayed and helped how I could. After a while, we walked away and I tried to explain to Si what had happened. I asked him if he'd like to pray for the man and his wife and he did. His prayer was beautiful and perfect. After praying, he said to me, "Mommy, when I was praying I thought my eyes were going to cry." I told him that those are the best prayers. (10/1/10)

We were talking about the Lamb's Book of Life during breakfast, and Si says, "Mom, I think we should pray right now that our names are in the Book." "Okay, honey," I said, "go ahead and we will all pray." About 3 minutes later, I continued to read the Bible story and I saw Si, head bowed, hands clasped. "Siley, are you praying again?" "Yes, mommy. I really want my name in that book." (11/30/10)

Watching the Charger game.

"The reason why they call him 'Rivers' is because his shirt is blue." (12/16/10)

Spoken as dramatically as you can comprehend: "I am the golden child!" (12/20/10)

Daddy: "Are you excited to see your great-grandmother tomorrow?"

Si: "I don't even know who she is."

Daddy: "She is Baba's mom."

Si: "I didn't know moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas have moms and dads."

Daddy: "Baba and Dadu are my mom and dad."

Si: "How do you know?"

Jamie went into a lengthy answer about living with them while he was young, etc., then Silas asked, "Well then, why did you leave them?" (12/21/10)

After writing the letter 'q'. "Wow! That's a great whatever-that-letter-is!" (1/17/11)

"I burped three times. Excuse me... Thrice!" (5/28/11)

Me: "Boys, who is your favorite hero and why?"

Si: "God. Because anytime He wants He can turn me into a chicken." (1/12/12)

Me: "Real life is way better than school." Si: "I'll tell you what's better than school...learning about heaven!" (2/6/12)

Grammy: "Si, wouldn't you want a million dollars?" Si: "No, because it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (7/15/14)

Si: "Mom, you know how Obamacare only really works for people who are old?" Me: "Yeah." Si: "Well, if I become a famous ball player, I can take care of you. It'll be Silas-care!" (10/21/14)

"I'm just a big blob of tissue right now. Standing here, talking, walking around, looking like a person. I'm just a big blob of tissue." (5/15/15)

Ganging up together...

B: "Silas, you know, when you drop one of my favorite things, your brain tells your bones to do it." To which Si responds: "Maybe that's it! My brain's being mean to me!!" (9/1/10)

B: "Hey! You killed me! Why'd you do that?"

Si: "Well, you ran in front of my gun...what do you expect?" (4/23/11)

The boys are coloring.

me: "Who is that?"

B: "Abraham Lincoln."

me: "What's he doing?

B: "Reading."

Me: "He's reading by the firelight. Everything he ever learned, he taught himself."

Si: "So did Yoda." (2-12-12 Happy Birthday, Abe.)

Si: "Mom, you know why I like being the youngest? It's like Jacob and Esau...'the oldest shall serve the youngest.'"

B: Laughing, "Yeah, this morning he asked if I would sell my birthright." (9-17-12)

Great Quotes

"Be sure to put your feet in the right place, then stand firm." ~Abraham Lincoln

"In contemplating the political institutions of the United States, [if we remove the Bible from schools] I lament that we waste so much time and money in punishing crimes and take so little pains to prevent them." ~Dr. Benjamin Rush, The Father of the Public Schools under the Constitution

"Those who have known freedom and lost it have never known it again." ~Ronald Reagan

"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." ~Mark Twain

"Act as though it's all up to you; Pray as though it's all up to Him." ~Glenn Beck

"God uses each of us within the limitations of our personalities. ...it is Him in me that will reach the world." ~Sally Clarkson

"If I had a choice, I would still choose to remain blind...for when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Savior." ~Fanny Crosby (author of more than 8000 hymns)

"Cat food tastes so bad cats deserve it." ~Hank the Cowdog

Mourning to Dancing

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