The Peters Family

Celebrating my 32nd birthday

2012-02-16T06:43:00.000-08:00

Each year we celebrate my birthday downtown Seattle... I simply love downtown Seattle during the holidays and I wouldn't choose anywhere else to celebrate (well, maybe Hawaii;). December, 2011 marked my 32nd birthday... time flies when you are having fun!

Wyatt was such a trooper that day... he had a long stretch in the middle of the day with no nap and he was still our happy, easy-going little baby.

Visiting the gingerbread houses at the Sheraton Hotel. The big kiddos are pretty excited about their candy canes.

Next stop: Westlake Center's carousel.

We played tourists and walked around Pike Place Market.

Loving my family of five.

Lunch at Pike's Brewery... one of my favorite spots downtown Seattle.

My sweet little pea.

My silly boys.

My three love bugs.

Next up: monorail ride to Seattle Center.

Train Village at Seattle Center.

A very thoughtful present from billy and my kiddos... daddy asked them to name off all of mommy's favorite things and they came up with this adorable list. Daddy wrote everything out and they colored it. They khow me too well: eyebrow wax, lip gloss, gymboree, family, Red Robin, Steamer's Coffee, etc. Love, love, love this gift.

Each year we stay at the Westin Hotel for my birthday (they usually run great holiday deals), but this year we decided to save our money and we thought it would be a little tough with three kiddos in one hotel room. We broke the sad news to the big kiddos that we wouldn't be staying at the Westin this year. Will was pretty upset, as he looks forward to it each year... the "roundy roundy" hotel is one of his favorite Seattle landmarks! All on their own, Will and Graysen got out their piggy banks, brought them to billy and me and said, "look we can use all the money in our piggy banks to stay in the roundy roundy hotel tonight." Those kiddos melt my heart and made me cry.

Our day in downtown Seattle was perfect... it was one of those days that I didn't want to end. Turning 32 was wonderful, as I shared it with my four favorite people and they certainly spoiled me. Each year keeps getting better and better. I am one blessed wife and mommy... sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. Billy, Will, Graysen and Wyatt... thank you for the perfect day and making mommy feel extra special on her birthday.

Choosing Our Christmas Tree

2012-01-19T21:25:00.000-08:00

11/25/2011
The day after Thanksgiving is another very important day for our family. Each year on the drive back home we stop by Hockett's Family Christmas Trees, our favorite little Christamas tree farm, located between Aberdeen and Montesano. The kids enjoy searching through the "forest" for the perfect tree and watching the guys cut it down, load it up, and tie it to the top of our car. And what's more, they each get a candycane!

Here are the kids standing in front of the signs depicting the Christmas tree species. Buddy is proudly displaying a part of the stump from our tree. He thought it was so cool that he got to take that "stump" home with him.

This year we picked out a 14' noble fir, the biggest and most beautiful tree we have ever had. We'll be sure to post some pictures when we have it up and decorated...

Thanks Hockett's; we'll see you again next year!

http://tdw.thedailyworld.com/features/profiles/tis_their_season

Thanksgiving 2011

2012-01-17T20:57:00.000-08:00

11/24/2011
The annual Thanksgiving feast at Great-Gramma and Grandpa Peters' house. If it's not our favorite, its right at the top of all of our family traditions. If we counted right, we had 21 family members around the table today and were only missing four (celebrating elsewhere this year). As always, we had a wonderful time, ate too much, laughed a lot, and it went by way too fast.

Drinkin' beer and watchin' the game...if only every day were Thanksgiving Day.

The turkey and all the trimmings are ready, the table is set...

...time to gather around the table and eat until it hurts!

Our little family voluntarily sat the "kids table" this year. We still have a few more years of practice before we can eat without getting food all over the floors, walls, ceiling, etc. It's much easier to clean up the aftermath here in the kitchen than it is in the dining room.

Pea admiring some of Great-Gramma's knick-knacks and decorations.

Buddy is building an engineering marvel of some kind.

All four Williams gathered together, trying to stay awake for pie.

Gobble gobble gobble!

First day of gymnastics & ballet

2012-01-17T20:55:00.000-08:00

11/16/11

November 16th marked buddy and pea's first day of trampoline/gymnastics and ballet/gymnastics classes, respectively, at Northwest Aerials. Two summers ago we did a summer gymnastics session at NW Aerials and they both loved it... needless to say, the kiddos couldn't wait to go back!

Practicing her ballet moves.

My handsome big boy.

So excited to be at class!

LOVES ballet class!

Time for gymnastics... with her friends, twins McKenna and McKenzie.

Trampoline time.

Buddy loves gymnastics, especially the trampoline... the class is perfect for him, as two other boys are in his class.

After the kiddos' classes, both teachers told me buddy and pea did perfect... I am a proud mama and I love watching the kiddos perform at class.

Fall Fun!

2012-01-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

11/13/11

Although it was a chilly fall day, we still love visiting Country Village.

Feeding the ducks.

Such a good daddy!

Our sweet, sweet boy.

We ended that day by playing in the leaves at home.

Too much fun.

Smiles from ear to ear.

9 months!

2012-01-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

11/10/11

Our sweet baby boy... 9 months old and he can't sit still! We love you to pieces, Wyatt.

Thanksgiving Countdown!

2012-01-10T15:34:00.000-08:00

11/7/11
This year we made a "Thanksgiving Countdown" for the big kids. Each morning, before breakfast, Will and Graysen would tell me what they were thankful for (and, soon enough Wyatt will get to participate too!). Some pretty cute and surprising "thankfuls" came out of their mouth this year, in which I recorded it all, so I wouldn't forget. A few included: mommy's eyes, the couch, cereal, family, preschool teachers and the list goes on.

We are thankful for our amazing families... immediate and extended... Billy and I are so blessed to have you all in our lives.

Disney's Toy Story 3 On Ice

2012-01-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

11/6/11

On Sunday, November 6th, the five of us ventured to Everett's Comcast Arena for Disney's Toy Story 3 on Ice.

Getting excited for the show!

Mesmerized by the performance.

The show was amazing! Billy and I loved it too, almost as much as the big kiddos. The music was great and entire performance was very entertaining for all five of us. We went to last year's Disney on Ice and really enjoyed it, but this year's show truly exceeded our expectations!

We were so proud of Wyatt for being such an easy baby through the entire show.

Thanksgiving Arts & Crafts

2012-01-10T15:08:00.000-08:00

11/5/11
Billy and I were able to go on a rare and much-needed "date day" to the husky game (sadly, huskies lost against the ducks, but the two of us had the beat time with our friends). The grandmas came up to watch the three kiddos and kept them busy, busy, busy.

Turkey arts and craft project with the grandmas.

Great job kids!

Our three kiddos are so blessed to have such amazing grandparents and great-grandparents.

Monroe's Reptile Zoo

2012-01-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

11/5/11
In early November Will's preschool buddy, Spencer, celebrated his 5th birthday at the Reptile Zoo in Monroe. It was our first visit and we can't wait to return... from a two-headed snake to an albino alligator... we saw it all!

Our little wild child

2012-01-10T14:51:00.000-08:00

11/3/11

At 9 months... our little guy is quite the climber!

Halloween 2011

2012-01-10T14:48:00.000-08:00

10/31/11
We celebrated Halloween with our neighbors, the Stutz family. The kiddos loved every moment and none of us wanted the evening to end.

Police Officer Brady, Cupcake Graysen, Monkey Wyatt and Pirate Will, getting ready for their big night of trick-or-treating! We trick-or-treated throughout our neighborhood, Tall Tree Park, which has about 30 or so houses... the perfect amount for the three big kids. We headed out before dark, since the kiddos wanted to get back to our own house and pass out candy too.

Here is one of our favorite neighbors, Ben. Will loves to visit Ben during the day and chat with him about Husky football.

Another perfect Halloween!

I'm so in love with my cupcake, monkey and pirate.

Halloween Train

2012-01-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

10/30/11
The day before Halloween we headed to the Snoqualmie Train Depot for the seasonal "Halloween Train." (http://www.trainmuseum.org/SnoqualmieDepot.asp). The train ride was a blast, the view from our seats was gorgeous and it was the perfect length for the kiddos - about an hour. And, the conductor did a spooky Halloween reading during part of the ride, which was very entertaining.

Loading up the cars.

The kiddos are dressed up and ready for the train ride.

Daddy and his little monkey.

My cupcake and pirate.

The Snoqualmie Falls.

The five of us had so much fun, we decided to make it a family tradition... we can't wait for next year's "Halloween Train!"

Pumpkin Carving 2011

2012-01-09T15:17:00.000-08:00

10/23/11

A fun family tradition... the week before Halloween we carve our pumpkins... the kiddos love to participate and mommy/daddy love the memories!

Helping clean out the pumpkins.

Our big husky fan... Buddy requested the husky "W" on his pumpkin.

Pea insisted on carving a "P" on the back of her pumpkin.

Fun times!

All smiles!

2012-01-09T15:06:00.000-08:00

10/17/11

My happy, healthy kiddos.

Preschool field trip- back to the pumpkin patch!

2012-01-09T15:05:00.000-08:00

10/17/11
Each fall Bothell Community Preschool takes the kiddos on a field trip to The Farm at Swan's Trail in Snohomish to pick out the perfect pumpkin and enjoy plenty of fun activities at the farm. Each spring the kiddos go back to Swan's Trail on a field trip to plant a pumpkin seed (and of course they try to find that exact pumpkin the following fall) and learn about farming).We look forward to the field trip each year and fortunately Will and Graysen's classes went to the patch on the same day this year... we all had a great time, as always!

Cutest pumpkin in the patch.

My handsome boy on the lookout for the pumpkin he planted last spring.

Playing in the corn bin.

Will can not get enough of the pig show.

Children's Museum

2012-01-09T14:45:00.000-08:00

10/16/11
Daddy took the big kiddos to our favorite family spot, the Everett Children's Museum, while mommy stayed home with Wyatt so he could get an uninterrupted nap.

Each time we visit the museum, we could spend hours and hours there... we try to take the big kiddos a few times per month... and, once Wyatt starts walking he can join the fun!

Driving the city bus.

Fire station fun!

Farm time.

Halloween art project.

Game Day

2012-01-08T15:38:00.000-08:00

10/15/2011
Saturdays in the fall...where else would we be but down on Montlake rooting for the Dawgs? Today we were preparing for a gridiron match against conference rival Colorado. Much fun was had before, during, and after the game as the Huskies chalked up another win! Go Dawgs!!!

Pre-Pre game at home with baby brother Wyatt. Unfortunately, game time conflicted with naptime, so poor WyGuy had to stay home and sit this one out.

Pre-game tailgating with friends. Pea was a little shy when we got there, as you can see...

...but she warmed right up when her and big brother got to march along and lead the Alumni Band!

Driving the Dawg Wagon and leading "Go Huskies!" cheers.

Such a good big brother, leading Pea by the hand to our seats. Buddy is already a Husky Stadium veteran and knows the place like the back of his hand.

I captured this moment of joy, celebrating another Husky touchdown.

Country Village, where else?

2012-01-08T15:15:00.000-08:00

10/14/2011
Bothell's Country Village is a family favorite of ours. It's a perfect place for us to escape to when we need to get out of the house for just a few hours. On this day we took advantage of some good fall weather and, well, spent a few hours out of the house...

Being a goof-ball for the camera while playing on the teeter-totter.

Raising the skull-and-crossbones flag on the pirate ship.

Arrrrgh, Mateys!!!

Hand over your treasure, please?

Sidewalk Chalk and Bike Rides

2012-01-07T22:10:00.001-08:00

10/13/2011
Two of our favorite things to do outside are riding bikes and coloring up the street with sidewalk chalk. Very often we combine the two, and the kids have us build chalk-outlined "race tracks" around the cul-de-sac.

Here's Pea, very proud of the 'P' she drew all by herself.

Also Buddy, equally proud of his "fancy" W, as he calls it. He says it's the 'W' at mid-field of Husky Stadium and also mid-court at Hec Ed.

Next he drew an exact replica of Husky Stadium. He and his sister then sat down in our seats..."MM" as they call them (we sit in row MM on the south side), to cheer on their beloved Washington Huskies.

Here are Buddy and Pea riding their bikes across their race tracks. Buddy is now on a larger bike (16" wheels) and Pea has taken over the Strider Bike and is getting more and more confident each day.

Cars!

2012-01-07T22:10:00.000-08:00

10/12/2011
I heard a rumor that the Cars 2 life-size cars would be making an appearance at Alderwood Mall... I had to take the kiddos to check it out!

Over the summer Will went to his first movie with daddy, which was Cars 2 and then saw it again, a few weeks later, for a birthday party... definitely his new favorite new movie!

Checking out Finn McMissle

Meeting, our favorite, Mater!

Hanging out with the famous, Lightening McQueen!

The kiddos were giddy and smiling ear to ear!

Our Guy Wy, at Eight Months

2012-01-07T21:59:00.000-08:00

10/10/2011

These monthly photo shoots are getting harder and harder as this baby gets mobile. We had to bring in the big kids to contain him so he wouldn't crawl right off the chair, but of course that backfired as Wyatt thought this was funny and tried even harder to escape!

A Visit with (great) Gramma and Grampa Peters

2012-01-07T21:58:00.000-08:00

10/8/2011
This particular weekend in early October we spent travelling to see family. We were fortunate enough to be able to spend a lot of time and Great-Gramma and Grampa Peters' house on this trip. They have a big, warm, wonderful home with several acres of landscaped property. It is always a great time spent for us there, however it makes it even better with the kids...its fun to watch them enjoy doing all the things that I used to do out there as a youngster. Vegetable garden, berry picking, fish pond, apple trees, bonfires, cutting fire wood, playing in the woods, and so much more; there is always plenty of fun things to do!

Here are the big kids goofing around in the golf cart. A ride in the golf cart is a main attraction and usually one of the first things they ask for when we arrive. In this picture, Buddy is getting a little tired of it not being his turn to drive.

Pea enjoying every minute of her drive time.

Eating there very own apples off of the tree for a snack. (Of course they wanted the ones on the very top, so Daddy had to do some climbing.)

Best buddies, Wyatt and his Great Gramps Bill hanging out together.

Thanks Gramma and Gramps for having us. We had a wonderful time, as always!!!

Dinner with the Oly Girls

2012-01-07T21:57:00.000-08:00

10/7/2011

We headed to Olympia and Aberdeen the weekend of October 7th to visit our beloved family and favorite friends. Meisha and her family hosted a family dinner and playdate for the kiddos that Friday evening. Each time I visit Olympia, part of me wants to move back. I love love love Bothell, but I miss my Oly family and friends dearly.

Dads and kiddos.

Rocco, Easton, Graysen, Will and Wyatt.

My beautiful oly girls.

Movie time!

Moving Right Along!

2012-01-06T21:41:00.000-08:00

10/1/2011
Watch out, here he comes! Wyatt is starting to master the "Army crawl."

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2012-01-06T21:30:00.000-08:00

10/1/2011
Our family tradition each fall is to visit Bob's Corn in Snohomish to pick out our pumpkins. There are so many things to do there for us and the kids. Between the corn maze, pumpkin patch, hay rides, cow train, tractor races, corn guns, tire swings, and the country store, each year we have more fun than the last.

All dressed up and ready to go! It's Wyatt's first year at Bob's Corn. The big kids were so excited to show him around and help him pick out his pumpkin.

Getting bigger every year...

Hay rides!!!

Daddy gave a wheelbarrow ride to the pumpkin patch.

The search is on for this year's pumpkins...

Mommy found the most perfect pumpkin in the patch!

The Fam.

Buddy and Pea, goofing around for some silly pictures.

Every year Buddy insists on getting the KyKy cow, because he loves his Auntie KyKy.

Off we go, on the cow train!

Driving the wood truck. Buddy was such a nice big brother and let his sister drive this year.

Thank you, Bob's Corn, for another wonderful year of fun and memories for our little family!
http://www.bobscorn.com/bobs-corn-about-us.htm

Starting to Crawl

2011-12-17T22:49:00.000-08:00

9/26/2011
Don't look now, but our baby is starting to crawl! We are waiting for him to get up on all fours; right now he is doing the "army crawl." But he gets himself around just fine, and he is perfectly happy about that. So proud of our little mobile man!!!

Washington vs. Cal

2011-12-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

9/24/2011
Most often times in the good-weather Saturdays of September, Billy will take the two big kids down to Montlake for home Husky games. But on this day, we put all three kids in the hands of their loving grammas and we went to the game together for a very rare date, just the two of us. We had a great time catching up with some of our college friends and just spending time together.

Pre-game tailgating with SigEps.

Studly frat boys proudly displaying their purple.

With Danimal.

With some random purple guys.

SigEp pledge class brother Kevin Cronin was in town for the game.

Gametime!

One word: passion.

It's kind of funny, but every time we get to go out on a date, what do we do? We end up talking and laughing about the kids, and missing them so much. This day was no exception. I guess we really do love them...

Peek-a-Boo!

2011-12-17T22:07:00.000-08:00

We had a good game of peek-a-boo going in the nursery, where the big kids and I would open up the closet doors and "surprise" Wyatt. Over and over again, he seemed to like it more each time we did it. I snuck out of the room and grabbed the camera in hopes of catching some candid shots of Wyatt each time the big kids burst out to say "peeky." What I got was pure gold...

Pea Teaches Pre-school

2011-12-17T21:49:00.000-08:00

9/22/2011
It was obvious to us after just one day that our little girl loves pre-school. We watch her run into the classroom, make friends, bring home art projects, and so much more. We are so proud of our two year old and she is so brave. Only two weeks into her first year of pre-school, we happened to walk in on her playing teacher. On this particular morning in the playroom, she had set up a chair for her Minnie Mouse doll and was reading it a story. It doesn't get any more adorable than this. What a sweet little girl, our Pea.

Look at the smile on Minnie's face. Must be a great story...

Harvest Time

2011-12-17T21:22:00.000-08:00

9/11/2011
Every spring we plant a vegetable garden in our side yard. The kids help every step of the way, pulling weeds, hoeing the ground, planting seeds, and watering. We go outside almost every day in the summer and check the progress of the plants to see which ones have sprouted and which ones are growing the fastest. This year we planted carrots, green beans, peas, lettuce, and radishes. We also have blueberry and strawberry plants. We love having fresh vegetables all summer and fall. Another bonus is that the kids actually want to eat the vegetables they grew and picked themselves!!!

Due to the cold, wet summer, we did not have the best harvest this year, but we still managed to get something for all of our efforts. Here's a picture of the kids after a hard day's work with a bucket full of beans...

'Wy Guy' is Seven Months Old!

2011-12-17T16:38:00.000-08:00

9/10/2011
September 10th marked our little Baby Bubba's seven-month birthday (already???). Every "month birthday" we have been taking pictures of our little man, however on this particular photo session the big kids did not want to be left out...

"How old am I?," asks Will.
"You are four years old Buddy, you know that."
"No, how many months am I?"

So, we had to make month stickers (after doing a little math) so the big kids could get in on the action with their baby brother. What fun!!!

Happy 7 months Wyatt, we love you!

Also, a happy 51 months to Buddy, and 29 months to Pea.

Cousin Macey's 2nd Birthday Party

2011-12-17T16:20:00.000-08:00

9/11/2011

Happy 2nd Birthday, cousin Macey! It was a nice sunny September day at Willis Tucker park and the kids had a blast at the water splash pads. Thanks for having us at your party; a fun time was had by all!!!

Birthday girl enjoying her cupcake.

Peters cousins RylieAnn, Wyatt, Will, Graysen, and Macey the birthday girl.

Lots of kids having so much fun in the sand box...

No More Training Wheels!!!

2011-12-13T22:24:00.000-08:00

9/7/2011
One of the goals we set for the summer was to get Will riding his bike with no training wheels. After months of excrutiating "practice" we stumbled upon the Strider Bike, which is a low-riding bike with no pedals that a child can "stride" along with. It taught Will how to maintain his balance, rather than training wheels which just teach how to pedal. After only 2.5 weeks on the strider bike he was able to hop on his pedal bike and he just took off. It was amazing. We were so very excited for him and we could instantly see the joy in his face as he accomplished this major milestone.

Off to the races!!!

He could go on for hours (and he did). We of course were so, so proud of him, but even better was to see how proud he was in himself. What a big moment for our big boy...only four years old!!!

The other big goal for the summer was to get Pea potty-trained. They say that girls are much easier to potty train than boys. Whoever "they" are, they were right. She was so into it and couldn't wait to use the potty. This was a much different experience than we had with Buddy. We really just showed her the basics and she took it from there, potty-training herself. We'd like to say that we have some new revolutionary potty-training method and we are going to write a book that will turn the world of parenting upside-down, but it really was just that simple. She did it all on her own. Sometimes, you just get lucky, I guess.

When we laid out these goals for the kids, we told them together if they can accomplish them by summer's end, that we would take them out for their very first DQ Blizzard. (Buddy's first question was, "What's a Blizzard?") So on this special day we all went out to the Woodinville Dairy Queen and let them pick out their very own Blizzard. They were so proud of themselves and they really deserved this special treat.

Poor Wyatt, it took every bit of strength in us too keep him from climbing on to the table and stealing a taste of ice cream. He wore us out; we had to hold him in shifts. Look how hard he is pulling and trying to climb up Daddy. (He was rewarded with a little taste for his efforts; we didn't want the poor little guy to feel left out!).

Back to (pre)School!

2011-12-13T21:36:00.000-08:00

9/6/2011
Back to school season is in full swing. Our kids enjoyed their summer break playing with friends, vacationing, baseball games, swimming, riding bikes, parades, concerts, you name it...but most importantly getting to know their new little baby brother. (Although if you could ask Wyatt, he would probably tell you that he is glad to see them go to school for a few hours so he can have some alone time with Mommy.)

Buddy will be attending the "pre-K" class this year. Joining him just two doors down is little sister Pea, in her first year of drop-off pre-school. She is so excited to be a "big girl" now and go to school. These kids make us so proud. But it goes without saying that it is very hard to watch them grow up so fast.

All dressed up and ready to go!

Here is Pea saying "preschool" in her sweet little voice. (Those little lips are very kissable.)

Our little man. We are so proud of what a good boy he is.

Showing off their cool dragon and ladybug backpacks.

Teachers' pets.

Proud parents and baby brother. Don't grow up too fast, little Wyatt.

Have fun, kids! We love, love, love you!!!

Fun in the Sun - Part II

2011-12-13T20:54:00.000-08:00

9/5/2011
Another hot summer afternoon splashing, swimming, and just sitting in the blow-up pool. We just love how every time we did this we'd end up with a bunch of neighborhood kids stopping by for a quick dip (or playful water fight).

From left to right, Braden, Will (re-loading), Pea, twins Parks and Bromley.

Up to no good, Pea???

Time for popsicles!!!

Leavenworth & Lake Wenatchee

2011-11-18T23:18:00.000-08:00

8/31/11 - 9/2/11

Towards the end of summer we headed to the beautiful eastern side of Washington - Leavenworth! We needed one last family vacation before summer ended. We stayed at Billy's co-worker's cabin near Lake Wenatchee. We loved every second and can't wait to go back.

Spending our first day in Leavenworth... we ate at our favorite beer and brat spot, the kiddos indulged in ice cream, we walked along the promenade and shopped throughout the quaint town... it was a perfect day, to say the least.

This face can't get any cuter.

S'more time!

Getting ready to go fishing at Lake Wentachee.

Dinner at the famous "59er Diner"... lots of fun props for the kids to keep them entertained.

Hike to Lake Wentachee.

Our cozy little cabin in the woods.

These three... they are my world... I'm one blessed mommy.

Hot Summer Days

2011-11-18T22:05:00.000-08:00

8/28/11

Who needs clothes anyway? They're overrated.

We cooled off, later that day, at Crew's 3rd birthday party.

Golden Gardens

2011-11-18T21:48:00.000-08:00

8/20

It was a gorgeous summer day, so we headed to a favorite spot, Golden Gardens. We knew summer was quickly coming to an end, so we had to take advantage of this Saturday. We met our neighbors, the Stutz family, at the beach. And, it turned into the perfect day in Seattle.

Love.

Brady (Will's BFF), Will and Graysen... enjoying the sand and sun.

Husky Football in August?

2011-11-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

8/19/2011
Here in the Peters' household Husky Football is like a religion. A nine month off-season is like torture to us, so very often the kids like to break out the Jake Locker #10 jerseys and play some Husky football. Today was no exception, as the big kids put on their jerseys by themselves first thing in the morning. We are so proud of our little Huskies!!!

Tacoma Rainiers Game

2011-11-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

8/13/2011
While working on a big project in Olympia for two years, one of the suppliers that works for Billy's company rented the "Party Deck" at Tacoma's Cheney stadium and invited us to come. It was a beautiful summer evening and the kids were so excited to go see another baseball game. Neither of us had been to Cheney stadium for over ten years and it had just been recently renovated. Not only did we have a great time, but as we were walking out we caught a foul ball that we got to keep and take home! What a fun day. Go Rainiers!!!

All-you-can-eat hotdogs, hamburgers, and ice cream (and adult beverages, too!) while watching the ball game. Here is Buddy showing us ten fingers, when we asked how many ice creams he wanted. Ironically, that's the same number of fingers Daddy showed when Mommy asked how many adult beverages he wanted. :-)

Mommy and the kids enjoying the game from the grassy slope just below the party deck.

So sweet...

Daddy with the kids...

Rainiers are #1! Rainiers are #1! Rainiers are #1!

Swingin' Summer

2011-11-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

8/13/2011
The Peters fam spends many summer hours down at the kids' favorite park, Bothell Landing. Below are some pictures of all three on the swings together. There really isn't much more I can say on this post, the pictures speak for themselves!

Seafair 2011

2011-11-11T21:43:00.000-08:00

8/6/2011
It just wouldn't be summer around these parts without Seattle's legendary Seafair celebration. Although the Seafairs of years past may have been a little more "wild" for Nadine and I, it still is just as much fun now to share with our kids the thrill of the Blue Angels, hydroplane races, parades, and so much more. This year, Nadine was hosting a baby shower for Sonali, one of her best friends and fellow DG girl. But we were lucky enough to have the world's best aunt, our very own Auntie KyKy, travel with us to Mercer Island and enjoy one of the best seats around for watching the show.

Across the street from the viewing area was a playground so the kids got lots of playtime in before the big show.

Brother and sister, going down the slide together. Best friends!

There goes our Wild Child! The tongue out says it all...

These girls can't wait for the show!!!

It's pretty obvious that we love our Auntie KyKy.

Moments away from the Blue Angels show...sitting on the Interstate-90 Bridge with their folding chairs and awesome shades.

Oh yeah, life is good...

Awesome.

T-Ball Game

2011-11-11T21:12:00.000-08:00

8/3/2011
Will's T-Ball season was winding down in August. His team, the Reds, was a great group of kids who made so much progress over the course of the season. I had the pleasure of being an assistant coach and enjoyed watching each one of them improve and have a lot of fun along the way. We were lucky enough to have one of Will's best buddies, Braden, on the same team. Braden lives just two doors down from us and the two boys played outside together almost every day this summer.

Our team played some serious "D." Here is Will getting some good pointers from one of the coaches on always being ready for the ball!

The kids always were anxious to find out the batting order. That and they loved wearing helmets.

Now this kid looks ready to hit!

People drove for miles to watch the Reds' games. Our fans travel very well. The stands were always packed! Tickets to these games were very expensive and hard to come by, but our dedicated fans braved the long lines and paid whatever costs to see their beloved team. Our VIP fans were sister Pea, baby brother Wyatt, Mommy, Grandma Helland, Grandma Peters, Auntie KyKy, Grandpa Peters, Uncle CoCo, auntie Karissa, and cousins Macey & Riley. Thank you all for coming out to support your team!

Our big hitter steps up to the plate and knocks one out of the park!

Anxiously standing on second base, waiting to score after a big 3-RBI double...

The team. Go Reds!!!

Trophy presentation. Look how proud our little man is! Needless to say, we are so very proud of him.

Enjoying a post-game snack with his #1 fan, little sister Pea.

Kirkland Summer Concerts

2011-11-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

On the morning of August 2nd we met our good friends, the Barkers, at Kirkland Marina park for the Recess Monkey concert. The kiddos had a blast... dancing, singing, playing and dancing some more. After the music we headed to the Kirkland beach for some fun in the sand.

Loving the music!

Pea has some crazy moves.

Buddy, showing his stuff.

Brotherly love.

Cutie pies Claira and Pea.

Austin and Will running around the park.

We also made it to the Not-It's concert the following Tuesday, in which my mom was able to come along and watch the kiddos boogie down again!

The Boys of Summer

2011-11-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

7/30/2011
The Peters Five ventured down to Safeco field on this beautiful Pacific Northwest summer afternoon to watch the hometown nine take on the Tampa Bay Rays. There's nothing quite like spending a hot summer day at the ballpark. Unfortunately for the M's, 2011 was another losing year, but today for us that was a good thing for us because we could pick any seats in the house we wanted. On this day, however, the Mariners prevailed 3-2.

You gotta love Wyatt in this photo. He seems really focused on an incoming foul ball.

No one is looking at the camera except Daddy. There is so much action and way too much stuff to see at the ballpark...trying to get a picture with everyone looking is next to impossible.

Great seats! (The ones we actually paid for are about three miles from this spot.) Ironically, we ended up sitting just a few rows behind another Peters four who were at the game unbeknownst to us. We ended up sitting for an inning or two with Aunt Terry, Uncles Jeff and Don, and Cousin Jeffrey. Thanks again for the peanuts!

M's wins are few and far between these days, so winning makes us very happy...especially Pea! Either that, or we just captured her reaction when we told them they were getting ice cream.

A rare photo of all five of us together. Go M's!

Pea being silly, as usual.

We took a break from our seats and walked around the entire park. Below is a picture of all three youngsters out in the centerfield bleachers...

...but that didn't last long when the big kids heard the trains going by. So we had to spend some time watching those trains. What would be a trip to Safeco without watching the passing trains?

Husky Stadium Tour

2011-10-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

On Friday, July 29th Billy took the kids and me on an exclusive husky stadium tour. Come November, Billy will be working on the renovation of husky stadium... his dream job and he a well-deserved project for him! Billy has the most amazing work ethic... always putting in long hours (and I'm so blessed to be able to stay home with the kids), but the moment he walks through the door after a long day, he is always willing to help out... Billy is the most amazing husband and father... more amazing than I could have imagined. Additionally, Billy is so passionate about UW and the huskies (he hasn't missed a home football game since he was a freshman in college ('98 season), this is the perfect project for him.

Lunch in the stadium.

I think Will has been waiting for this moment his entire ( 4 1/2 years) life... walking through the husky tunnel!

Melts my heart!

This was my favorite part of the tour... the husky football conference room.

Our future huskies!

Then, onto hec ed pavilion.

Billy and my passion for the huskies has been carried onto our kiddos and Will has become one of the biggest fans, especially a Jake Locker fan. It was a rough day in our house when we broke the news to Will about Jake becoming a Tennessee Titan.

Billy was pretty excited that we were able to park our family car on the stadium track, so we had to capture the moment.

Rub-a-dub-dub

2011-10-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

Rub-a-dub-dub, three adorable kiddos in the tub. July 27th marked Wyatt's first bath experience with the big kiddos... look at Pea loving her brothers! (below)

It's still hard for me to believe we have three kiddos in the Peters fam. These three are all amazing and unique in their own way. And, Billy and I love them more and more each day.

Fun in the Sun - Part I

2011-10-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

I truly love fall... it's my favorite season of the year, but I do miss warm summer days. During the summer months our favorite park to venture to was Bothell Landing... the kiddos love the toys, ducks to feed, paths to run and bike, and the list goes on.

Another summertime favorite was splashing around in the pool with the neighbor kiddos in our front yard.

Here is Will with his BFF, Brady.. these two live two houses from each other and will be in kindergarten together next fall... these two are, also, inseparable.

Our smiley little WyBoo.

Kernan-Kavanaugh Wedding Weekend!

2011-09-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

The Peters family had the best time at the amazing wedding weekend (July 16th) of my best friend (and childhood friend since we were 2)... Mrs. Sheila Kavanaugh. She married her long-time (very long-time... 8th grade to be exact) boyfriend, Sam. We have all been waiting for this moment! The ceremony and reception was held in Olympia at Odd Fellows Park, which overlooks the beautiful Puget Sound.

Me with the beautiful bride.

The wedding party.

Rain poured on us through the entire ceremony, but shortly after, a beautiful rainbow appeared. If you believe in signs, it couldn't have been more perfect. A very memorable ceremony, indeed.

Bride, groom and the ring bearers.

The cutest flower girl and most adorable ring bearers... graysen, will, taylor and rocco.

This girl can't get any cuter.

My amazing mother and amazing grandma to our three kiddos. Taking care of Wyatt while I handled the bridesmaid duties.

Billy and the big kiddos.

Love, love, love.

My wonderful and handsome hubby.

Post-ceremony playtime... will and his san diego buddy, taylor.

We had the most amazing time celebrating sheila and sam. A big thank you to the adorable couple for asking myself, will and graysen to be part of their most special day. And, we can't wait for what the future holds for Mr. and Mrs. Kavanaugh.

Happy 5th Birthday, Jordan!

2011-09-14T21:29:00.000-07:00

July 23rd was the birthday party for one of Will's friends, Jordan Shapiro, who turned 5 years old. The kids had such a great time with the Cowgirl theme. Face-painting, pony rides, four-wheelers...what a fun party!!!

Buddy and Pea, lookin' like old pros on that pony!

How many kids can you cram into a little playhouse? My guess is seven. Jordan the birthday girl is all smiles in her pink cowgirl hat (on the right). Graysen is second from left...the expression on her face makes me think she is looking for a way out.

Here's Pea getting her face painted. She asked for a pony, a pink one of course. While she was a little unsure about this face-painting thing at first...

...she was VERY happy with the results!

Buddy knew what he wanted right from the start...SKULL & CROSSBONES!!!

Lots of kids = Lots of fun!

Happy Birthday, Jordan! We had a great time at your party. Thanks for having us!!!

Stylin'

2011-09-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

In mid-July, our little Pea went in to get another haircut at "Bella & Max" in Country Village. She did so well and was a very good girl for her stylist, Katy. We are so very proud of our little girl who is growing up way too fast.

Waaaaaaay too cute!

Lake Chelan 2011

2011-09-06T22:32:00.000-07:00

The day after all of the festivities on the 4th of July, we packed the car up with just about everything we had and headed east for a week-long summer getaway to Lake Chelan.

On the way there we stopped in Leavenworth to get out of the car and stretch our legs. In pre-historic times (before kids), Nadine and I stopped here every time on our way to and from Chelan. It was a lot of fun to walk around with the kids and share this special place with them now.

A stop in Leavenworth wouldn't be complete without an ice cream break!

Stopping to feed the baby before we continue our journey. The kids wait patiently next to Mom, so excited for Lake Chelan.

We really are so lucky...the kids were so well behaved in and out of the car for the long road trip.

ON TO CHELAN!!!

We teamed up again with the Shapiro and McDaniel families and rented a house near Manson, just a few miles north and west of downtown Chelan. Between the three families, there were six adults and seven children, so we needed a big place with lots to do, and most importantly, a pool! The kids and grown-ups all had a great time together. Lake Chelan was a very special place for the both of us and our families as young kids. We continued going there every summer as a couple and now we are happy to make it a favorite destination for our young family.

At the city park, for swimming and a picnic.

Although babies Wyatt and ElsieAnn were too small for swimming, they did get in some tummy time at the park.

The next day, we headed out to Slide Waters, the all-time best water park. Below, the kids are all ready to go and expressing how excited they are to be going to the water park...

From left, Will (4), Pea (2), Taylor (2), Jordan (4), and Maddie (4). Believe it or not, this picture was not staged. While the adults were packing up the car, the kids set up all these chairs in a row and were "discussing" the water park. I am so glad I stumbled upon this scene. This picture is priceless.

Taking a break from the slides for some brotherly love...

These girls could be twins.

Sweet babies...

On our last full day, all three families went out to breakfast at Blueberry Hills in Manson, a charming little-known place seemingly out in the middle of nowhere. We took a gravel road through acres of farmland and then all of a sudden there was this quaint little restaurant--with a line to get in! The place was busy but well worth the wait.

Here are a few pictures of the kids, looking out over the blueberry fields and being silly.

The whole group! From left to right, the Shapiro, Peters, and McDaniel families.

All seven kiddos!!!

Then it was back to the house...the rest of the day was spent in the pool.

Catchin' some rays...

Sandbox time...

...and of course, S'mores time!!!

On our very last day, we stopped again at the city park for one more picnic and swim. We had such a great time but it went by way too fast, as all vacations do. Our kids are already asking when we get to go back to Lake Chelan! We are glad they had so much fun and are so happy that they will have such fond memories of this place, as we did when we were kids.

Wyatt and Taylor, lovin' on each other.

These girls can be so sweet together...

The mommies in one last embrace before leaving for home ~

4th of July 2011

2011-08-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

This year we teamed up with the Shapiro and McDaniel families for the annual Bothell Kids Parade on the Fourth of July. The kids had their bikes, trikes, and power wheels decorated in red, white, and blue to show off their American Pride. Between the three families, we had seven kids riding together: Jordan and Taylor (Shapiros), Madeline and Elsie Ann (McDaniels), and our three Will, Graysen, and Wyatt.

Buddy and the Shapiro girls.

Here's Will, clearing a path and leading the way...

The Peters Clan, proud to be Americans!!!

Once the kids parade is over, it's time for the big parade to start. The highlight of course is the Seafair Pirates at the end. It wouldn't be summer in Seattle without the Seafair pirates inflicting permanent damage on your eardrums.

Buddy and Pea, in their folding chairs and ready for the parade to start...

All five "big kids" enjoying the parade and summer sun...

Construction Crew!

2011-08-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

The kids love running out the front door when Daddy gets home and jumping in his car to go "around the loops," which means to ride around in the car through the neighborhood cul-de-sacs and say 'hi' to all of the neighbors who are outside. Often times they dig around the car first and find Daddy's safety vests or hard hats and play construction dress-up. Sometimes they bring this stuff in the house...and Daddy forgets it the next day when he goes to work. Although he is not very happy that next day at work, when he's got kids this cute he gets over it pretty quick.

As you can see here, dress-up time went all the way up to bath time...

Spokane Road Trip

2011-08-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

On June 18th, we packed up the baby, left the big kids with the grandmas, and headed east to Spokane for the wedding of Nadine's sorority sister Rachel Rush and her beau Justin Palmer. Although it was a quick over-night trip as we left early on Sunday morning, we did manage to sneak in a little sight seeing in Spokane. It was really nice to be able to spend some time together with our baby Wyatt...with two older siblings, he never gets "exclusive" attention from the both of us. I am sure he loved it as much as we did.

Relaxing in the hotel room.

At Spokane Falls.

Congratulations to Rachel and Justin!!!

t-ball season

2011-08-08T06:39:00.000-07:00

Our little t-ball player. There is nothing better than spending my Wednesday evenings watching my little man play t-ball.

6 years!

2011-07-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

June 25th marked billy and my 6 year wedding anniversary. 12 years of togetherness, 6 years of marriage and 3 beautiful kiddos later... life couldn't be more perfect with billy. I am one lucky lady! I will never forget our amazing wedding day 6 years ago... the best decision I ever made was to marry my best friend and become Mrs. Peters.

My mom and brother came on the evening of the 25th to watch our 3 kiddos (a big thank you to them!), so billy and I could have a much-needed and well-deserved date night. Our first date night since the birth of Wyatt. We ventured to downtown Seattle for happy hour and then dinner at El Gaucho. We talked about our kiddos the entire time... I guess we love our 3 amazing children too much. I'm already planning our next date night!

Girls' Day 2

2011-07-04T21:10:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, when my sweet pea woke up, I told her it was girls' day and she smiled ear to ear. I, then, told her we could do anything she wanted. Graysen chose a pedicure, of course. This girl loves to get pampered and each time we drive by the nail salon, she says, "mama, more nail please." For me, it's the perfect girls' day... pedicures with my sweet daughter.

After pedi's we hit Starbucks, since it was a special day. But, they didn't have her new favorite Strawberry milk, so we proceeded next door, to QFC. My little girl cannot live without pink... yep, her new obsession - pink milk.

I love this girl to pieces. She is the most adorable, lovable sweet pea I could ever imagine... my world would be lost without her. I cherish each one-on-one moment I get with her. I love watching her grow, learn and change.

Love.

2011-07-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

I love this little guy with all my heart, but I hate that he is growing up so quickly. Too quickly. My little guy rolls to his tummy, I turn around and he has scooted himself halfway across the room.

Boys' Day II

2011-06-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the opener for Disney's new movie sequel, "Cars 2." Buddy and I went together on Sunday afternoon as part of our second "Boys Day," where we get to spend much needed one-on-one time together. This was his first-ever trip to a movie theater, so you can imagine his wonder and excitement leading up to it. We had been talking about it for weeks, telling him all about the big screen, the popcorn, and all the chairs for people to sit in. On Sunday morning, he woke up, ran into our room, jumped on the bed and asked, "Is it time to go to the movie theater?" He couldn't wait!!!

Outside, walking up to the theater. He was holding the tickets and so excited when he saw the poster for "Cars 2."

Once we were inside, we walked right up to the popcorn counter. "What size do you want, Buddy?" What a silly question. This bag of popcorn is almost as big as he is! (We shared it of course...I wouldn't want him leaving his first movie with a tummy ache!)

I would have to say that this was a really great experience for us together. For me, watching my four-year old's eyes light up, experiencing it all for the first time, it was something I'll never forget. He had so many questions and was so excited to be there. I was so excited to share it with him. I am so proud of my good little boy. We have the best times together.

Update on our WyGuy

2011-06-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

Overnight our little Wyatt turned into a smiley, active and big boy... where did our newborn disappear to?!?!

June 10th marked Wyatt's 4 month birthday - he's a giggly, raspberry-blowing, rolling little guy.

We love him so much.

3 months

4 months

my buddy is 4!?!?

2011-06-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

I blinked and my Will turned 4 last month. Where did the past 4 years go?!?!? It's truly amazing watching Will transform into this "big boy"... it seems like yesterday that my stubborn baby put me through a rough 19.5 hours of labor (but well worth it, of course). I still remember the moment meeting Will and thinking how perfect he was... I had no idea the gender and no idea what my baby would look like, but when I met him, I realized that was exactly how I pictured him.

I hate that my kiddos grow up so quickly, but I do love seeing them through each stage of their lives. I love watching Will learn new things and become more courageous. I love my inquisitive little man and his 1,000 questions each day. I love that my sensitive little boy is changing into a mischievous big boy. I love his hilarious side and I ask myself each day, "where does he come up with this stuff?" Will is such a sweetheart, always playing the big brother role and looking out for his younger sister and brother.

Happy 4th birthday to my Will... we love you buddy, more than you will ever know. You bring us smiles and laughter each day. We are so proud of the big boy you are becoming. And, we are so proud to be your parents.

The celebration(s)!

We had combined birthday parties for the big kiddos this year (one party with family and one party with friends) at the end of April (in between the two birth dates). Regardless of the parties, we still had to celebrate on Will's actual birthday, which was May 24th. After Will celebrated with cupcakes with his preschool friends, we took him to lunch and more treats at Barnes & Noble Cafe in Woodinville - a favorite spot of Will's. Then, the celebrations continued at Red Robin that evening, which was a blast. Will proudly wore his "birthday boy" shirt the entire day and made sure every stranger knew he turned 4.

Happy 31st to billy...

2011-06-09T14:35:00.000-07:00

May 20th marked Billy's 31st birthday... I can't believe an entire year passed since his 30th surprise party.. I will never forget the surprised look on billy's face last year.. he was 100% surprised! There were no surprises this year for his 31st, but we still had the best time celebrating.

That Friday afternoon we met billy for a picnic lunch at Laurelhurst Park, which is right down the street from his job site (at Children's Hospital).

My fearless child.

My brave boy.

My sweet family. (look at pea's smile:)

Later that evening, after a special requested dinner from the birthday boy, we opened gifts... the kiddos made their amazing daddy a book this year, which he loved!

Yellow cake + chocolate frosting, requested by billy. And, the kiddos did such a wonderful job decorating it!

You deserved the best birthday, Billy. We love you!

Will & Graysen's birthday party (round 2)

2011-05-31T15:57:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, April 30th, Will and Graysen celebrated their 4th and 2nd birthdays with 20 of their best buddies. We held the party at The Nest in Woodinville... which was the perfect location to celebrate! The kiddos were able to explore four different rooms and the rest of the areas around The Nest. In addition, I set up three activity tables (see below) to keep the kiddos busy. Lastly, we ate cupcakes and all the kiddos performed the famous Mickey Mouse hot dog dance, which was too cute. Will and Graysen had a blast... it was another perfect party for two of my perfect kids!

Make your own Mickey or Minnie Mouse ears.

Coloring station.

Cupcakes!

The spread included "hot diggity dogs," "clubhouse" sandwiches and Mickey Mac 'n Cheese.

Decorate your own Mickey Mouse sugar cookie... this table was a hit:)

The "exploration" room.

Brothers, Levi and Austin, loving the train table.

Happy Birthday Will and Graysen!

Cupcake time!

A big thank you to Will and Graysen's wonderful friends for celebrating and making their special day absolutely perfect.

Buddy & Pea's (family) birthday party

2011-05-30T23:36:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, April 23rd (oops, I'm a little behind), we celebrated Buddy (4th) and Pea's (2nd) birthdays with our families. We decided on a "combined" party for the big kids this year... with their birthdays only two months apart and with our families traveling from Olympia/Aberdeen, we wanted to make it easy on everyone.

Both big kids agreed on a Mickey and Minnie Mouse-themed party and, fortunately, they were very excited to celebrate their big days together. The spread included "hot diggity dogs" and "clubhouse" sandwiches and we ended the day with the "hot dog" dance. A big thank you to our families (and family friends) for the generous gifts and celebrating two very special birthday.

The day was absolutely perfect! And, the sun stayed out the entire day for us.

Lunch time.

Cutie pie Easton.

Mickey Mouse Easter egg hunt... Buddy found the "mega egg" with help from cousin RyRy.

Cousins (only 5 months apart and too cute together!)

Cupcakes.

Brotherly/Sisterly love.

Birthday banner.

Our wild child.

Our sweet boy.

Pre-party fun.

Getting pumped for the Easter egg hunt.

Graysen and Easton.

These two are trouble together.

"Happy birthday to Buddy and Pea"

Yum.

Best day ever!

The cutest Minnie Mouse ever.

The girl cousins + the best auntie, KyKy.

Present time!

Spoiled kiddos, but well-deserved and well-loved!

Corey, RyRy and Karissa.

Wyatt and his great-grandma Barb.

Future husky cheerleader.

More presents.

I still can't believe my Will turned 4 and my Graysen turned 2... I need time to freeze. And, as much as I love each stage, I don't want my kiddos to grow up... it's happening too quickly. But, I'm so proud of the little creatures they are growing into.

We love you, Buddy and Pea, more than you will ever know.

The following weekend (April 30th) Buddy and Pea celebrated their big days with their buddies... photos to follow in the next post.

Daddy & Daughter Day

2011-05-18T22:05:00.000-07:00

In continuing our special "one-on-one" time with our big kids, up next was Daddy & Daughter Day. I took Graysen out for a special treat at Jamba Juice, then it was on to the pet store to pick out her very own "fishy." I can't explain how much of a treat it is to be able to spend time alone with just one child. Don't get me wrong, I love having all three climbing on me at once, but it is a rare treat to spend quality time with just one. Before we had kids, if someone would have told me that hanging out with your two-year-old would be more fun than going out with my buddies, I would have thought they were nuts. I really got to chance see how much she has learned and grown in her two years. I am very, very proud of her.

Ready for Jamba Juice!

The kids love to hang out it this little corner while we wait for our smoothie. They call it their "fort." Pea ran right to it when we walked in the door.

A close-up of Daddy's girl. Too cute. I wish she could stay like this forever...

Enjoying our Jamba Juices.

REALLY enjoying our Jamba Juices! Where on earth did she learn this...

On to the pet store to pick out her fish.

When it was all said and done, she got to pick out her own fish, castle, and sea shells for the bottom of the bowl. We were very excited to get home and show Mommy and her brothers her new pet fish, which we decided to name "Floater."

But before we could leave, I had Pea take a look around at all the other fish and show me her best "fish face." Here are some of the highlights...

Pea and I had such a fun time together. I look forward to many Daddy/Daughter days in the future!!!

Happy Mothers Day, Part II

2011-05-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

I don't "blog" very often, but only on special occasions like Mothers Day where I like to honor the three most important women and mothers in my life. Thank you for everything you have done for me, and continue to do for me and my family. I am very grateful and cannot thank you enough for your tireless support, endless energy, and unconditional love.

My Mom, Diane (with baby Will)

Gramma Peters (with baby Wyatt)

My lovely wife Nadine (with all three!) What a lucky guy I am.

A very special "thank you" to these moms, and all moms, for all of the hard work you do. I hope you had a wonderful Mothers Day, you deserve it.

Mom's Day 2011

2011-05-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

Today, I thank my husband and three perfect children for making me a mommy. Some days are tough with 3 kids (3 and under), but motherhood is the most rewarding job in the world. I feel so blessed to be the mom of Will, Graysen and Wyatt. It's difficult to express to how much I love these kids and I love them all in different ways.

I love Will for making me a mommy four years ago.... the best gift I could ever ask for. I love Will for his caring, cautious and sensitive nature. I love Will for how inquisitive he is and I'm so proud of the big boy he is becoming.

I love Graysen, because she is the baby girl I always dreamed of... independent and strong-willed (which will pay off when she is older), but so loving at the same time. I love Graysen for always trying to be a "big girl" and always being my brave one.

I love Wyatt for making our family complete, I could not imagine our family without our sweet boy. I love Wyatt for his easy-going nature and his smiles melt my heart each day. I love Wyatt for tolerating his older brother and sister, who smother him with love all day.

For my three children:

Before you were conceived I wanted you

Before you were born I loved you

Before you were here an hour I would die for you

This is the miracle of love

- Maureen Hawkins

And, I love my husband for being the best father to our children. I love my husband for always helping with the kids (I don't even have to ask!), which makes me a better mommy. I love my husband for providing for our family, so I can be a stay home with our children.

I blinked and I have 3 kids. As everyone has warned me - time goes by much too quickly when you have children.

Me and my "Wy Guy."

Celebrating Mother's Day at Will's preschool. Of course Will would not put down the cookie for the photo!

Will was absolutely adorable last Tuesday during his performance. Afterwards, the kids brought their mommies a flower and shared cookies, in which they helped bake. Will kept saying, "happy mother's day" over and over again. He is so sweet. I cried, of course, that morning.

Yesterday I woke up to the best gift a mother could ask for. A handmade present from each kiddo, in which they were so excited to give me the gift. I must say my hubby is pretty amazing for helping the kiddos with this perfect gift. Once again, I cried, my kiddos are too thoughtful.

We visited Country Village for the afternoon to celebrate mom's day. Country Village, which is down the street from our house, cater to moms on mother's day... I got spoiled and pampered. We all had a blast and didn't want to leave, but we had to head home for nap time. I had the BEST mother's day.

This little diva dresses herself from head to toe, each day.

Wyatt did great and slept almost the entire time. He loves the new ergo carrier.

My beautiful bouquet of flowers from my wonderful hubby. I love you, Billy.

Break for lunch.

Two of my three favorite boys.

Checking out the baby ducks. Too cute!

Kettle Korn time. A must at Country Village.

These kiddos had a blast chasing each other around the plaza area.

After Country Village Billy gave me two entire hours to myself, where I ran errands by myself (shopping for the kiddos, of course). Later that evening Billy and the kiddos took me out to dinner... I sure got spoiled yesterday!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, especially to the two most amazing and important women in my life... my mom and grandma. I love you both dearly and thank you for making me the mom I am today.

Mommy/Buddy Day

2011-04-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

A few Sundays ago I took my big boy, buddy, on a date day. I gave him a list of ideas and he chose: Seattle Bug Safari/Museum, followed by gelato. Sounds like the perfect date! We even found time to walk though Pike Place Market, where will picked out cookies for himself and pea. And, he even picked out a flower for his beloved sister... my sensitive, sweet boy is always thinking about his siblings. After a few hours of non-stop fun, will and I started to miss daddy, pea and baby wyatt, so we headed home for some family time.

I had the best day with my buddy! I love spending special one-on-one time (I love spending time in Seattle too). It's amazing what you can learn from each child when you are able to focus your time/attention on just one. And, taking one child out of the house is easy (now that we have three)... I can't believe I thought having one child was difficult. That Sunday with buddy I got to breath, relax and have conversations with just my will. As we walked through belltown, back to the car, we passed by plenty of bars that billy and I used to "frequent" before I got pregnant with will... we gave all that up over 4 years ago and I couldn't be happier with our decision... children are a true blessing. I couldn't imagine our lives without our 3 amazing children... our lives are our children.

The best day!

Deep thoughts about bugs.

Time for gelato... buddy chose chocolate, of course.

I love you little man and I'm so proud of the big boy you are becoming... I can't believe you will be 4 in less than a month. It feels like yesterday you were in belly.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

Look at these three adorable kiddos - billy and I are very blessed.

happy two months!

2011-04-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

happy 2 months to our sweet wyatt. where have the past 2 months gone? thank you for being the laid-back, good-sleeping baby we need you to be (since we have 3 kiddos in this family now!). and, thank you for putting up with your older brother and sister, who smother you with love all day long. You are becoming quite the happy baby and we are loving those smiles. we love you so much little guy. you melt our hearts.

adorable.

Bath time.

Sleep time... our little angel.

Brotherly love.

Graysen love.

Our Pea turns 2!

2011-04-03T19:51:00.000-07:00

Happy 2nd birthday to our beautiful, Sweet Pea. You are our independent, strong-willed child, but we wouldn't have you any other way. You might have turned two on March 31st, but you will always be our “baby”girl. We love you more than words can say, Miss Graysen. And, we couldn’t imagine our lives without you.

The shirt says it all: "One Cute Birthday Girl"

I'm big!

Two days before Graysen's birthday we went to Red Robin to celebrate with the McDaniel Family. Their daughter, Maddie, (one of Will's favorite friends) shares the same birth date with Graysen, but she turned 4! The McDaniel Family just welcomed a newborn, adorable ElsieAnn, who is just 3 weeks younger than Wyatt.

These two girls are too cute, but they are growing up way too fast.

The famous Red Robin birthday song! Pea couldn't wait to dig into her sundae.

All three "big" kiddos in the game room.

Birthday girl (and cowgirl) Maddie.

One Pea's actual birthday, March 31st, we picked Will up from preschool and met Billy at University Village for lunch, Trophy Cupcakes and fun.

Pea, enjoying her birthday lunch at World Wrapps.

Daddy and Wyatt. Billy is the best daddy and our three kiddos are so lucky!

Buddy, enjoying his Trophy Cupcake... he chose triple chocolate flavor!

Little Pea chose strawberry lemon.

Love snuggling up to my little man, Wyatt.

Fun times at U Village play area.

We can't wait for many future lunch dates with daddy this summer, as he works so close to U Village... and, we love the Village!

Later that evening... "happy birthday to Pea!"

The kiddos got to eat the other half of their Trophy Cupcake after dinner. Buddy was so excited for his sister to blow out her candle and reminded her to make a wish.

Time to open presents... Auntie KyKy came over after work to help us celebrate.

Pea is admiring the Minnie Mouse card from her auntie.

Personalized "Pea" necklace from mommy and daddy.

A very happy birthday girl. We love you, Sweet Pea!

Buddy and Pea, enjoying their birthday pillow cases, made by Grandma Peters.

Our little Miss Pea had the perfect day!

Buddy and Pea will have their birthday party(s) at the end of April... a family party and the following weekend, a party with their friends. Billy and I decided to combine their birthday party this year and celebrate their special day in between their actual birth dates - we are very busy with a newborn and thought it would be easier on everyone to have one big party... the kiddos can't wait for their upcoming celebration!

Girls' Day

2011-03-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

As Billy mentioned in a previous post, the two of us are taking turns, each Sunday afternoon, taking the "big kids" on a special date. We feel it is very necessary to continue to make them feel special, since Baby Wyatt has been born, as he is getting quite the attention.

It was my turn, with my sweet little pea, a few Sundays ago. Billy had a great idea (yes, this was daddy's idea!) to take Pea to get a pedicure. I don't think I had my first pedicure until I was in college, so I must say, my Pea is very spoiled (but deserves it!). Graysen has been having a rough time sharing the attention/time with Baby Wyatt, so this was a much-needed mommy/daughter date.

Pea got to soak her toes in the water (and the tub's lights changed colors, which she loved), they lotioned her legs, she got a warm wash cloth on her legs and then she got to pick out her very favorite color of nail polish. Graysen, originally. chose a bright green color, then she chose a bright purple color and I finally swayed her to choose a not-so-bright pink color. And, they loved little Graysen so much they only charged me $5 for her.

She LOVED getting pampered, just like her mama! And, she couldn't get enough of the tray that connected to her chair, a handy spot to put her juice and snack.

Each time we drive by the nail place my sweet girls says, "mama, nail, more" and points at her toe nails. Yes, she already wants to get another pedicure!

They even painted a little flower on each big toe.

They let her do, pretty much, anything she wanted!

She is too cute for words!

I had the best time with my sweet girl and cherished each minute, as her and I don't get much one-on-one time with her. I can't wait for many more dates with my Pea. I love you more than you will ever know, little girl! And, you are growing up way too fast, by the way... I can't believe you will be 2 on Thursday.

comparisons - my babies

2011-03-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

Will - 5 days

Graysen - 3 weeks

Wyatt - 3 weeks

I'm completely in love with my three babies. And, I wish they would stop growing up so quickly.

Boys' Day

2011-03-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

With the arrival of our new baby, Nadine and I decided that it is very important that we find time to spend with our older kids one-on-one. We want to make sure they still feel special and are getting the attention they need (and deserve). Every weekend, we are going to alternate a Sunday afternoon and spend some quality time with the "big kids," Buddy and Pea.

The first of these Sundays was designated "Boys' Day." Daddy and Buddy went out to the Rainbow Run in Redmond for an afternoon of miniature golf.

Waiting to tee-off on the first hole...

A successful first hole!

This was Buddy's favorite hole. You could putt the ball into a "secret cup" that would send the ball down a hidden pipe and it would pop out right near the flag. He dropped the ball into this secret cup about a dozen times and ran down the fairway every time to see it pop out.

Remember Daddy, not too hard. Just tap it in...

Putting the pin back in for Dad...

Looking like an old Pro, now. By the end of 18 holes, he had it down pretty good. Next stop, The Masters!!!

After an afternoon on the golf course, there's nothing like sitting down together, man-to-man, and sharing an ice-cold...milkshake. We headed to the Ranch Drive-In in Bothell, ordered up a cold one, and talked about our round.

I knew he was going to enjoy his first milkshake, but I wasn't expecting this...

Afterwards I asked him what his favorite part of Boy's Day was, milkshakes or golfing, and without hesitating he said, "milkshakes!" Then later that evening during dinner he asked, "Daddy, when are we going to go golfing again?" Also, "Daddy, when is the next Boys' Day?"

I had such a great time with him and it was so nice to be able to spend time together. I am so very proud of our Buddy. I think I am looking forward to the next Boys' Day more than he is! Next up, Girls' Day, then Mommy-Buddy Day, then Daddy-Daughter Day. How truly blessed we are!!!

happy one month!

2011-03-12T14:29:00.000-08:00

March 10th marked our little guy's one month birthday... that was the fastest month that I've ever experienced. I wish time would slow down - in less than a month my baby girl will be two and at the end of May my first born will be four... my kiddos are growing up way too quickly and it's breaking my heart.

Wyatt is an amazing little one-month old! He is a dream baby... very easy-going (well, I guess he has no choice, since he is baby #3) and he always putting up with his two older siblings who are constantly loving on him. Wyatt sleeps so well during the day and at night. He is becoming more and more alert each day and is already trying to give us "real" smiles.

On his one month birthday he rolled from his tummy to his back... I thought I had imagined it!... he was on the floor, had no help from us, afterwards we all started clapping frantically... buddy and pea even game Wyatt some special toys of theirs in honor of his big accomplishment!

We love you little man and we are so blessed to have you in our lives, but please stop growing up so quickly.

Wyatt's newborn photos

2011-03-10T21:06:00.000-08:00

Wyatt, our precious little guy... he did amazing for his newborn photos... and, slept through most of the photo shoot. 9 days old here.

He is perfect in every way... and, we are so blessed.

I love my family of 5 - I couldn't be happier.

Wyatt’s incredible arrival into this world…

2011-02-27T22:25:00.000-08:00

Some of you have already heard, and some are still waiting to hear, but at last we have found time to recount in writing Wyatt’s incredible arrival into this world…

On the morning of Thursday, February 10, 2011 I woke up with slight contractions… five minutes apart, lasting about 30 seconds, but completely manageable. We listened to everything the OB said; we went to the UW Hospital right away… after Auntie KyKy arrived to watch the “big kids.” (We were very relieved that she answered her phone at 5:30 A.M.) We were checked in to the hospital, where the nurses and doctors found me to be at 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Things weren’t progressing at the pace of full labor, so they had us walk around the hospital for 90 minutes then come back for another check-up to see if anything had changed. During our walk, my contractions started slowing down and becoming 10 to 15 minutes apart. Much to our disappointment, we were then sent home since I had not changed from the time we checked in. I was nervous to go home, but the doctors told us it might happen today, tomorrow, or I could not go into full labor for another three weeks, so we really didn’t have much of a choice.

By the time we got back home, the grandmas had arrived that morning to relieve Auntie KyKy so she could go to work. Since we both felt like it was over for now, Billy went in to work for the afternoon. I was very worn out from what had already been a very long day so I decided to take a nap. I was now back to mild contractions sporadically throughout the afternoon, but not the “intense” and regular contractions I was hoping for. (At this point, I wanted to get this baby out and meet him/her.) After the nap, I came downstairs and began returning phone calls from all of the people wondering what was going on (rumors were already spreading quickly from the morning events). My contractions were still small and irregular and I was even able to easily talk through them. But then around 4:30pm, as I was walking up the stairs, I felt my first “intense” contraction and I yelled to our moms, “call Billy, tell him to come home from work, we need to go to the hospital.” I went upstairs and took a bath until he made it home from his office in Woodinville. We called the hospital and told them we were on our way. At this point, my contractions were now hitting me very hard and very quickly… 5 minutes apart, lasting about 45 seconds and very intense. The traffic was very light on I-405, which was good because my contractions were getting closer together as we were racing to 520, lasting one full minute now and even more intense. We decided to go 405 to 520, due to the Husky basketball game that evening and knew Montlake Blvd would be horrible. We planned to carpool over 520, regardless there weren’t, technically, three of us in the car (yet).

With ever-increasing and more frequent labor pains… now three minutes apart as we hit a parking lot merging on to the 520 bridge. Slowly crawling along, contractions began to go to two minutes apart and right there I knew this baby was going to be born in the car. I had prepared myself for this due to how quickly Graysen was born. (In fact it had kind of been a running joke between me and my friends/family over the past few months.) As we got closer and closer to the hospital, Billy was in denial as I told him the baby was coming any moment. I told him to pull over, help me take off my pants and call 911. But he just focused on getting us to the ER, which was only a few minutes away… he was driving on curbs, sidewalks, the off-ramp shoulder, weaving, honking, flashing lights in and out of traffic. I completely understand Billy’s thought process, now, but at the moment I wanted someone to help me deliver this baby. Now looking back I am glad he kept going. There was no way a medic could get to us faster than us getting to the ER, now only a few blocks away. And if God forbid something was wrong, neither of us were equipped or trained to handle any kind of complications. We had to get to the hospital.

As we merged on to Montlake Boulevard, my water broke and my contractions were continuous and my body just f took over…there was no stopping it now. A minute later I pushed twice and delivered our baby on my own, in the front passenger seat of a Chevy Trailblazer. Billy said he looked down at that very moment and couldn’t believe what he just saw. It must have been the motherly instincts that came over me, because somehow I knew exactly when and how to put my hands down to catch baby. Billy is still amazed at how calm I was during the entire delivery and birth. It was less than two minutes before we arrived to the ER that baby boy Wyatt decided it was his time to come into this world!

I still get very teary-eyed as I write and think about this… there is a special bond I am able to share forever with our third baby (delivering him myself) that is unique from that of our other children who were taken right away by nurses and doctors to be to be examined and cleaned. We are so in love with our little man! After a very rough pregnancy, seeing Wyatt for the first time made it all more than worth it.

I held baby on my chest, trying to keep him warm and keep him crying… a few scary seconds (that felt like minutes) went by where Wyatt fell silent and turned a bluish color, but I was able to pat his back and keep him crying.

I was definitely overcome with emotion but somehow remained calm. Billy did amazing as well getting us to the right place given the stress of the moment. Once Wyatt was born I casually looked to see boy or girl. I told Billy it was a boy, we were both thrilled, but at the same time Billy was panicking and determined to get to the hospital! We both thought girl the entire pregnancy due to my sickness and similarities to the pregnancy with Graysen, so we were a bit surprised. I think both Billy and I secretly wanted another boy (Partly because we don’t think our strong-willed “Wild Child” Pea could have handled a sister so close in age). To us, however, the gender never truly mattered; we just wanted a healthy baby. We are so lucky and blessed.

Once we made it to the ER, Billy drove the car right up to the glass doors. He burst out of the car and got security, nurses, and whoever else was available to rush to our car in aid. Once we got to the ER, we felt like we were in a movie, as everyone from the waiting room was staring at the commotion outside the entrance door. Billy must have looked like a crazy person screaming for the security to open the doors and yelling, “my wife just delivered our baby!!!” “Your wife is in labor, okay we can handle this from here,” the security guard said. “No! She just had the baby in the car!” Billy said the look on her face instantly changed and she immediately opened the door and started yelling for nurses. ER is definitely not set up for deliveries… they scrambled to find the suction to clean out baby’s mouth and nose. We found out later that they had to steal a stretcher from another patient to get to me outside. However, they did do an amazing job in all of the chaos.

After things had calmed down in the ER Billy and I both looked at each other, looked at our baby boy and started crying… we are so fortunate and so blessed. We couldn’t believe that all just happened. After about an hour in the ER we were taken up to post-partum floor, but then rushed again to labor and delivery floor, because I had some increased and unexplained bleeding. After an hour on that floor, things finally calmed down and we were able to call friends/family and let the world know about our incredible little man. And the word spread fast. Even in the hospital. for two nights, we felt like we were some kind of celebrity. Every nurse or doctor would say, “Hey, aren’t you the couple that had your baby in the car?” Billy eventually had to go out to move the car and clean it up. He said he felt like a criminal trying to cover up a crime scene—he had gloves on, cleaning up bloody towels, and sanitizing the car.

The big kids are coping well with the changes. Big brother Will is in love with Wyatt and always coming up to him and saying how beautiful he is and “awesome” he is, etc. He has also mentioned how much baby Wyatt loves him so much. And, the moment I walked in the door from the hospital, after bringing Wyatt home, Will ran up to me and said, “wow your belly is getting smaller, since the baby came out. I’m so happy you aren’t pregnant anymore so you can play more things with me.” He grabbed his football and said, “let’s go play tackle football!” What a sweet boy… he surely made me cry! Big sister Graysen is a natural little mommy and helper… she is constantly trying to put Wyatt’s hat back on, always wanting to hold him, getting his blanket without being asked, giving kisses and intrigued by diaper changes, etc.. it’s so sweet. And, she refers to him as, “my baby.”

And, the one question everyone keeps asking us … will we get a discount on our hospital bill, since I delivered Wyatt myself in the car. We haven’t received our hospital bill yet, but somehow I’m sure they will find a way to charge us.

Finally settling in, the five of us are doing very well! We are busy and tired, but life is truly great. So far, our new son is a great eater, sleeper (even at night), rarely fusses, he’s perfect and adorable (a mix of his brother and sister). Billy, the kids and I are so in love and can’t wait to share him with the world. We couldn’t be happier as our family is now complete.

big milestones for our little pea

2011-02-23T19:13:00.001-08:00

Little Graysen has been showing interest in the potty, but we aren't pushing her... we just aren't ready to fully potty train out little 23 month old, especially with having a newborn...

Each time we change Graysen's diaper we ask if she wants to go pee pee in her potty and usually she says yes and sprints to the bathroom (and shuts the door for "privacy" like her big brother). Lately she has been going pee pee in her potty and then dumping the contents in the big toilet herself... she must have been watching us... Miss Independent doesn't even need our help anymore!

Pea's first haircut... at Bella and Max in Country Village... we got rid of the mullet!

She did amazing.

Our little fish

2011-02-23T19:05:00.000-08:00

Will has been taking swim lessons at Mountlake Terrace Pool for the past few weeks... he attends every Monday and Wednesday for four weeks. He is doing amazing and gaining so much confidence... we are hoping we will have a swimmer soon! Poor Pea wishes she can be out there in the water too... next year, Pea.

So proud of our buddy!

Little sister, Pea, cheering on her brother.

Wyatt Charles

2011-02-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

Our little guy, who we all adore so much... buddy and pea have been the best big brother/sister combo... always checking on wyatt during his naps, bringing him a binky (even when he doesn't need it), covering him up with blankies and the list goes on. Billy and I are so blessed to have three amazing children.

Here are a few recent photos of our newest addition.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

... from three adorable valentines.

it's a boy & we are thrilled!

2011-02-13T23:02:00.001-08:00

Please welcome Wyatt Charles Peters
born 2/10/11 (12 days early)
7 lbs, 12 oz
19 inches
delivered in the car on Montlake Blvd en route to UW Hospital (details of the birth story will be posted here, on the blog, soon)

We are so in love with our baby boy... he's perfect in every way. Big brother Will and big sister Graysen are adjusting well... they both adore Wyatt and have become quite the little helpers... always rushing to get Wyatt his blanket, diaper, hat, etc... it's very sweet.

We are busy with 3 kids, 3 years and under... busy, but doing great.

Our family of 5!

Comparisons

2011-02-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked week 37 for baby #3... we are almost there! Each day I'm getting more uncomfortable, exhausted, sick, etc. I still don't know how I'm able to chase two toddlers around each day. The four of us are already in love with #3 and can't wait to meet him/her!

This morning I was talking to Will about the baby names we have picked out, depending on the gender and he got so upset when I said, "if it's a boy..." Will really wants another sister!

Below are baby belly comparisons with Will and Graysen.

Will, 35 weeks

Graysen, 38 weeks

Baby #3, 35 weeks

35 weeks!

2011-01-19T14:23:00.000-08:00

I feel we are finally getting close... close to finally meeting our little #3. This has been a very difficult and a very long pregnancy, but I know it's more than worth it in the end. I'm still sick (yes, sick since week 5!), exhausted (not sure how I handle a 3-1/2 year old and 21 month old during the weekdays) and my body is telling me I'm done (done having babies).

At last week's OB appointment baby was still head down (probably won't be moving), now measuring at a 1/2 week behind and heart beat sounds perfect.

We are finishing all three of the kiddos' rooms this weekend (pics to be posted) and then I will feel READY! I have all the baby gear and I kept all of buddy and pea's clothes. Hurry up February 22nd!

Buddy and Pea, loving their future sibling.

they are my everything...

2011-01-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

These two amazing kiddos make me smile everyday. They make me laugh even in my third-trimester, uncomfortable, get-this baby-out-of-me stage. They make me complete. They showed me a different kind of love I never experienced. And, I can't believe I get to meet our #3 in just 6 short weeks... Billy and I are so blessed.

Although I was super sick this past weekend, I would never pass up the opportunity to read to my little man. He is so curious and has such a desire to learn... during book time he always asks, "what is that word?" "where is that word on the page you just said?" etc.
Look at this smile and this wild hair. Pea loves getting her picture taken... she will run up to us and say, "cheese," in hopes that someone will take her photo. And, she has become more of a wild child lately... yesterday she climbed out of her crib... she might be small, but she will attempt anything. She tries to do everything her brother does... I don't think she has realized she is almost 2 years younger than him.