Princess Power Hour

In our ward they have a program they like the families to do called, "Priesthood Power Hour" where dad's would spend time with their sons and work on their duty to God (?) on Sundays. Then they started Princess Power Hour for the girls to work on Personal Progress. It's all good but for us.....after 3 hours of sitting we're not going to sit and have more discussions with our kids....we need to move. Plus we have lots of discussions over dinner etc.
Steve bought these broadswords in Vienna and it started with him teaching the boys how to broadsword fight on Sundays. They loved it!! They'd be out there for an hour or more fighting and learning techniques. Now that they have all left home Emily is now picking it up. So every Sunday (if it's not icky out) they are out there for an hour. She is really getting quite good!! Power to ya girl!!

Nathan's email

Terve!!
So how is everything going back at the home it sounds like a bunch of crazy stuff is going on there. And it is quite cool to here that you got a new Fridge... 8D... so yeah awesome... and the pictures... so the Limo... that was me and Elder Bailey's last day in Turku, there's a member who owns a Limo company and gave us a ride... it was pretty sweet!!! so yeah... um... I don't know all the ones exactly... but.... all the ones after the Limo/ pictures of Elder Bailey are in Pori and everything before is Turku... so yeah.... Anyway things here are going rather grand... We had to move our baptism dates back because they are still waiting to get there papers from Estonia to get married... so whence they get those they shall be able to get baptized... so yeah... cool stuff... welp nothing too Fancy happened this week... but everything is going grand... and don't worry I'm happy!! I love and miss you!!!

Vanhin Peck

P.S. Could you say Good Luck to Erik for me, and if possible get his mission address from him so that i can write him? Oh and can you make sure that he returned all of my games 8D... i don't know if he still has them but if he does!! Thanks!!!-


Moi Isä!!
Hey so things here are going really good!! and yeah we did get the heat wave... this was apparently one of the hottest summers for Finland in a long time... so yeah... rather hot i would say... but now it is starting to cool down... and the daily average is about 10C... so its good... i like that a lot more than 37C haha.... but yeah things here are going dandy... Our Estonian couple, who have a baptismal date, had to push there date back about a month because they are waiting on there legal papers from Estonia so that they can get married... so whence that happens they can get married and everything will be dandy... haha.. but yeah..that's really all that has happened here.. i cant really think of anything else... Take care, I love and Miss you!!!

Vanhin Peck

P.S. I'm looking forward to some more Priesthood Power Hours when I get back 8D

Nathan's pictures

Here are some pictures from Nathan's camera. The first of them are from Turku....then the last half is Pori, I think. You can tell by one of the pictures that it really rains hard there!! There were so many pictures that there's no way I could put them all on. They are interesting and fun to look at!!... but here's a taste of Finland :)

Village People

Emily is going to be in another dance production called "Black Cauldron". She went to her first rehearsal last Saturday and afterwards I asked her how she liked it. She said it was great and said that she is going to be one of the dancing village people. I had to kinda laugh and I told her why. When we got home I showed her a video on You Tube of the Village People ( YMCA-remember that?). So go on and watch it......you'll get a good laugh and a flood of memories :) Those of you who are in my age group especially.

The Fridge

Yep.....we got a new fridge. Not quite as big as the one we had but better quality as the delivery guy said. With only 3 of us we really don't need anything that big. It had to be replaced cuz it would shut down for a few days and then come back on without warning. I have to say our old fridge was bad from the beginning. It started breaking a year after we bought it....of course right after the warranty expired but we kept it going for almost 11 years. I was very happy to see it go!!
The outside of the fridge looks great but its whats inside that counts :)

Great Birthday and First Day of School

Today was Emily first day of school. I can't believe she's in 8th grade......crazy!! She was excited and nervous. And today was her first day back to dance also. It was a successful day for her!!
It was also a fun birthday for me too. I got to see an old friend of mine from NC. We met up at the cougar eat. Darlann is one of those friends that no matter how much time goes by we talk like no time has passed at all. We talked and talked and talked and I could talk at least for a few more hours.
Steve bought me a yummy ice cream cake.....mint chocolate chip ice cream with chocolate cake!!!
Can you tell by my face I like cake? What a weird picture!!!

Overall it was a very fun birthday!! Steve made french dips for dinner and spoiled me!! Maybe being 49 won't be that bad after all!!

Last day of 48 and flirting with 50

I'm still not quite sure what to make of getting older. Tomorrow I will be 49. I never thought of myself being 49.....or any of the 40's or higher growing up. I only thought about to the age of 35 and kinda ended at that.
My mind still feels like I should be in my 30's till I look in the mirror. But I seem to be more forgetful and very, very easily distracted!! I have to say that overall....this last year has been totally awesome!! And I'm hoping this year will be too.
I think one of the weirdest things though is only having one kid home. I'm use to a house full. Emily's not too sure about it either cuz she has to do lots more jobs that her brothers use to do. I miss my boys but I'm so proud of each one of them and what they've done with their lives!! Emily too.....she starts back in school tomorrow and dance......lots and lots of dance!!
Well....49 here I come!! Be good to me :)

NathanS email

Terve!
Hey sorry again about last week... hopefully it wont happen again but i don't really have any control over whether it does or doesn't... so we can only hope... welp things are going good here. All of last week we were in Helsinki for a leadership training meeting... so that was really cool... we were in the meetings 9-4 Tuesday-Friday... so that was really cool we learned a ton of really cool stuff about what they are going to do for the upcoming missionaries and how they are going to change the way that missionaries teach so it shall be really cool to see what happens! but other than the meeting the trip to Helsinki was really cool. We slept in the chapel there all 5 nights so that was pretty intense... haha... and then after the meetings the Elders in Helsinki set up teaches for everyone to do at that time so that was really cool!! So yeah that was the trip to Helsinki it was really cool and i don't really know what else to say about it.
So yeah the week before was cool too... I forgot i haven't mentioned it but.... We got to got to Turku for District meeting, which was really cool... I like Turku... so hopefully I can go back there sometime... because that would be cool.... anyway... then we went to Helsinki for my language school which was really cool because i got to see my MTC group and we learned a bunch of cool things so it was nice 8D.
Lets see i cant really think of anything else... um... yeah well things are going good here... and Congrats on the Floor that look very cool!!!! so yeah take care!! I love and miss you all!!!

Vanhin Peck

P.S. Oh and can you forward this to all the family and anyone else you want... I don't really have a ton of time to write because i had a TON of emails to read... haha... Kiitos!!!

Gotta letter

Yeah!!! I got a letter from Nathan! It's short but it's a letter at least. So here it goes....

Dear Family,
So I shall start by saying sorry. The Internet in the library was out so we weren't able to email. And right now we are on a train to Helsinki. So I don't really know if I'll be able to email. But you'll probably know by the time you get this letter.
Welp, things are going good. As I said I'm on a train to Helsinki. This whole week is leadership training meeting. And since my companion is district leader I get to go with him to Helsinki for a whole week. It's pretty intense.
So as I think I told you this week I had language school in Helsinki. It was for everyone in my MTC group. So it was pretty cool to see them again. However language school was really good. They gave us some tips to leaning the language and it was very helpful. So that was very good and helpful.
Hmmm....I can't really think of anything else but everything is going grand. Thanks for everything. I love and miss you all.

Vanhin Nathan Peck

Fall Colors

So here is one of my big weaknesses........clothing for the fall. I love the colors, the warmth and the feel of fall clothes. Maybe it reminds me of "back to school"...a time when you buy your clothes. I have a hard time controlling myself and not buying everything I love. Why do they have to make everything look so cute? It would be easier if everything was really ugly!!! Plus to make it just that much harder, I have a friend who is just like me and we can almost talk each other into any "fall cuteness". I have to say though that I have sinned a little and bought a couple of things.....that I can't afford, of course. One of the things I bought was this sweater. But wouldn't you want it too?
Well now that I have confessed my sins I have to say that I can't believe how dependent I've become on emails from Nathan. I didn't get one this week and it's like it has totally thrown off my whole week. Nathan's companions mom didn't get one either. I know he was having trouble with the computers last week so I knew it could happen but I've grown dependent on these emails and when I don't get one, it really throws me off. Now I'm constantly sitting by the mailbox waiting for a letter which I haven't received yet this week....erg.

A Jaron update

I wish I had pictures of everything Jaron is doing but it may take up more than one blog. So I will try to describe it everything that's been going on with him......as far as I know. Last Wednesday night he headed up to U of U to start rehearsals for the marching band. He stayed at the drum majors house for a couple of days......a very, very kind family!!! When he wasn't practicing he was looking for housing. He found a place in Millcreek a few miles from campus. Saturday he had a LONG day of practice, found a bus and came home for the night. OMG......he was sunburned and looked so exhausted.......but alive :) Sunday we went and had dinner at Darrell and Dyann's (another masterpiece by Darrell!!) and took Jaron to his new place. Not a lick of furniture in the house but at least he has a bed and a desk. This week is the official band camp week. He has it at least 8 hours a day and Wednesday from 8am - 9:30pm. He's pretty wasted at the end of the day....that's what he texts me. He's tough and I think he will have a blast once he gets the music and his sets down.
School starts Monday :)

No email today :(

I didn't get an email today so I'm really bummed. Not sure why but there could be a number of reasons. But I'm linked to a couple of blogs of missionaries who are serving in Finland now and I "borrowed" these 3 pics. from him. This pic is from splits Nathan (2nd from right) had last week.
And then these two are from his zone conference about a week and a half ago. He's 3rd then 4th from the left. I can't believe how dependent I am on his weekly emails. When I don't get them I just about fall apart.
Also.....Jaron moved up to Salt Lake yesterday. He's living in a house with 5 other guys and a lot closer to school. Band camp is this week for him and it's suppose to be pretty intense and tons of work. He'll do great but I sure miss him already!!!

Matching

Steve and I went out on a date yesterday.......the first one in 3 weeks. Crazy summer!! This cute apron I wanted Steve bought for me. Look at how well it matches the floor!!! We got it at Hallmark.....where they sell the very best :)

Look who I saw today!

All 4 of the missionaries arriving to the square. This picture gives me shiver of excitement!! Nathan is on the far left.

Nathan is 2nd from the left. I think this is their pose :)
Here he's second from the right.

Then they split off to leave. Nathan is in the very back walking back towards their bikes. We saw him and his companion bike off together. It was so cool to see him. Steve took about 15 pics of the whole thing. All I can say is that it totally made my day!!!

It's done!!!

It has been an incredibly long day. I started working on the floor before 9am this morning. Steve ran to Walkers to get us both diet cokes to start the day. I started laying down the glue. The glue stuck to everything. Got a bunch in my hair I'm still trying to get out.
Then I started laying down the tiles. It really wasn't that hard. In about an hour I had all the square ones laid out. Then I got to the edges. I called Steve in. There were so many angles there was no way I could calculate all of that. Six and a half hours later we were still trying to get the edges done and the glue was basically dry.
So I spread on more glue and waited another half hour for it to set and then Steve and I started to cut angles again. By the time we were done we were covered with glue and so were all the tools we were using. I never had to let go of my utility knife cuz it was always stuck to me.
We finally got it done. Both of us are totally wasted but it's done!!! I want to thank my dad and Jerry for getting me through this.....couldn't have done it without you!!!!.....and doesn't it look good?

BTW....I have to thank Steve too. He has incredible patience with putting up with me and my projects and dragging him into them.

Dance Camp

Emily has been going to the BYU cougarette dance camp for the last 3 days. They start at 9am. and didn't get done till 4pm. She comes home pretty wasted.
She had a great time and the last half hour today they performed the dances they learned. They were all pretty cool. The un-cool thing was that my camera didn't work very well as you can tell by the pictures I took.

Nathan's weekly email

Hey Mommers
so things here are going good!! This last week we got a 'Mini Missionary' which is a Finn who comes and does missionary work with us for a week. so that was really cool to have a Finn with us the whole week. it was really nice because we could ask him all of our questions and stuff, and he was able to answer them, so that was nice!!! and he was with us from Monday till Saturday... so that was quite sweeeeet!!!
So kinda funny story. on Tuesday we had Zone Conference, and as we were driving to Tampere where Zone Conference is. Elder Horne hit a Deer 8O( that's not an 80 its a guy with his mouth open in surprise... FYI).... it was intense he was going about 50 kilometers... so not really too fast but he hit it in the butt and it went tumbling across the road and then fell into a ditch... IT WAS CRAZY!!!! However the deer ended up being alright. we were hoping that we would have to end up killing it then bring it to Zone Conference and then we could eat it for lunch. but it just ran off too fast...haha... just kidding... but yeah it was fine and there was no damage to the car or us. so everything was fine and dandy.
So cool thing... on Wednesday it was raining.... A LOT!!!!!! it was crazy... so we were trying to do stuff in this crazy rain... and i just ended up that we got completely soaked...and at one point the water was so high that when we opened our car door the water almost flooded in... it was intense.. ahha...
Hmm... i cant really think of anything else that happened last week... this week we are actually going to be gone half the week... tomorrow we are going to Turku (YAY!!!!!) for district meeting then we leave Wednesday for Helsinki for my 6 week Language school on Thursday. so we are only going to be here in Pori for like half the week... its pretty weird.
But yeah it sounds like everything is going pretty fine and dandy back home. and it looks like the floor is coming along nicely!!! and you probably didn't see us because on Wednesday we wouldn't have been on bikes cuz our mini missionary was here... however was it raining ALOT? cuz that was the day it rained.. haha....and we aren't in the center too much. but now that i know that there is a camera thing ill try to go there.... um... can you go and actually look up certain times of the day?..... cuz if you can Saturday around 1ish we were in the center... FYI and we were on bikes... so yeah... if you can look at that.
Welp I think that's it. Thank you for everything that you do I love and miss you a Ton!! Take care!
Vanhin Peck

Video of Nathan

This is a video Steve received from a friend who lives in Turku. Nathan had only been in Finland for a couple of weeks when this was taken :)

Recent grandsons pictures

It seems like these two little guys are growing up way too fast. It's sad but also exciting to see their personalities grow. I really miss seeing Kingston and wish I could see him more often but I'm so glad for technology so I can get so many pictures of him. He is such a doll!!!






Maddox loves getting into the pots and pans and dragging them through out the house. He pretends to cook and blows on it cuz it's HOT!! He loves his uncle Jaron even though he has a "boo boo" face :)

My Nightmare Floor

So....here is our nightmare. I don't have to say a lot as to the mess we were in.....the pictures do just fine. But I have to give a huge thanks to Jerry and my dad for helping me not to fall apart and there was hope. And a huge thank you to Steve for helping me get out of the messes I seem to get myself into. He does have a ton of patience with me!!!!



As you can see the floor is ready for me to put the fixall on it and then the tiles. It should be done by the end of next week. Oh....and also a thank you to Jaron and Emily for helping me out too!!!