RIP Doc

Doc-dog passed away today. She's been going downhill for a while but she must of had a very bad night last night. When she woke up she couldn't hardly walk, blind in both eyes and mentally wasn't there. She couldn't function at all. She is buried in "Peck Hollow" under an Aspen tree with flowers planted over her grave. Emily is going to miss her the most. We got her when Emily was almost 3 yrs. old. RIP Doc.....you were a good doggy!!

Finnish food

Steve works with a lady named Marta in his department. She lives right by us in Lindon. She served her mission in Finland. So she invited us (Steve, Emily and I ) for some authentic Finnish food. She warned us that it's pretty dull tasting without much spices. We went over there last night to have a Finnish dinner. I don't remember the names of anything nor could I spell them so here are pictures of them. The soup was really good. It has potatoes, carrots, green bean and peas in it. It's in a kinda sweet, milky liquid. We all really liked it. The next picture is a wheat patty that has rice in it or potatoes. Then you spread a egg-butter on top. Which was hard boiled eggs mashed with butter. It tasted pretty good....different but good. Marta blessed the food in Finnish. It's a beautiful language and she's been to some of the places Nathan has been. She really loved it there too. It was a fun night!!

Nathan's email

Hey mommers,

SO hows life in Utah with you 80 degree weather... When we got up this morning it was 6 degrees Celsius outside... pretty cold.. the last couple of days i've been able to see my breath so that's been pretty intense. So the Mini Missionary has finally caught up to me... I've had to use my home card the last week or so to pay for food and I really don't have any money right now.. haha... so I guess we'll see what happens with this week.. but we should be getting paid... thursdayish... so i just have to live off of rice and noodles for a week.. haha.. but don't worry about it... I'll be fine.... hopefully... I'll let you know next week how it went.. hahha... but other than that
I'm doing good.. not too much really going on here... we got sisters last week so that kept us busy trying to take care of them and make sure that they know where everything is... but yeah... that's really all that went on there... but yeah I hope you have a great week and I love and miss you a ton!!!

Rakkaudella,

Vanhin Nate Peck

Hey Pops,

So that's cool that you get to have a Finnish meal... You'll have to let me know what you eat.

So things here are going good. Not really too much going on besides the fact that we got sisters here in Jyväskylä... so we've had to split the city up and figure out who's going where... so that's been a little difficult... but I think we've got it all worked out now so that's good.

Things with the Comp are still going good. Its funny he tries to bring up Evolution now with members as often as he can... its really kinda funny.... but yeah... its been going pretty good... I like being with him, its fun.

Well that's really about it but I hope you have a great week and I love and miss you a ton!!!

Rakkaudella,

Vanhin Peck

School pic.

Emily brought home her school pictures yesterday. What a great smile!! She is so much fun!! We also got her mid-term grades too. All A's and 2 A-'s. Christopher told her she needs to get to work on those A-'s......in a very joking way. :) She's a hard worker at whatever she decides to do!

Didlio Story

Maddox calls himself Didlio. One night Steve and I were watching Maddox and Asher. Maddox calls Asher "Baby Ash". Steve was in the back yard with Maddox and I was in the side yard with Asher on my shoulders. Maddox had my shovel and was digging a hole. He saw Asher over the fence and yelled, " Baby Ash..hole, Baby Ash..hole". Steve and I died of laughter!!! :) Don't you just love what little kids say?!

Aaahhhh!!

I had to steal this picture from Jess. Timothy and Kingston after an exhausting day.....too cute!!! And I think that's the blanket my mom made for Timothy when he was little. :) Also, Jess found out that they are having a girl!! Can you believe it? A "Peck" girl. They are very rare around here.

Happy 23rd Jare-bear!!!

Yep.....Jaron is 23. It seems so crazy to think but also normal too. We celebrated Jaron's birthday last Sunday. I took him out to Costavida's Saturday for his birthday lunch and then Christopher, Lesa and the kido's came over Sunday for lots of chicken pizza and Baskin' Robbins cake.

























I am so proud of Jaron and the wonderful person he is. I love his dry sense of humor and can really get us all laughing!!! He's a hard worker and as smart as a whip!!































































Happy Birthday Jare-bear and we love you!!!!!

Nathan's email

Wow... well I'm really glad that everyone is doing okay! that's really scary with the bees... wow I really glad that everyone is doing good and good work mom, stabbing dad was a good thing to do... That's kinda sad that I wont ever get to be around when the bees are there but, its better that no one dies!! Well things here are going good. I got the package!!! Thanks a ton for all the stuff that you sent... Its all gone now of course but thanks a ton!! So things here are going good.. there is no change for us so I'll be spending another change here in Jyväskylä with Elder Orr. However we will be getting sisters here.. so that'll be pretty weird. Its kinda weird though because The mission president hasn't told me nor my companion anything about it... so we have no idea whats going one.. we've only heard stuff from our District leader... so we're pretty lost. So yeah.. I guess we'll see what happens. oh well.. welp I hope you have a great week! I love and miss you!!!

Rakkaudella,

Vanhin Peck,

WOW!! I'm really glad that everything turned out well, and that you're still alive!!! Kinda sad I'll never get to see that bees but.. its better that everyone lives!!! So we got the CD's and let me tell you my comp is now a Huge fan of you!!! Its great... I think we're going to listen to the cd's again tonight or at least sometime soon. They were super cool! Haha and I never knew you told an investigator on your mission that he couldn't join the church if he believed in evolution.. that's super funny.. haha... but yeah... super cool!!

So thing here are going really good. Not too much wen on last week, but Elder Orr and I will be staying together for another change. So that should be fun. Oh so i forgot to tell everyone but I'll be giving a talk on Sunday with an area 70 who's from Finland... so that should be pretty intense.. haha.. but I guess we'll see how it goes.

Well I'm glad that you're doing good and you're still alive!!! I hope you have a great week and I love and miss you a ton!!

rakkaudella,

Vanhin Nate Peck

4th annual cider press

Here are the pics. from our yearly event. I picked way too many apples but we have lots and lots of cider.






We were thinking about Grandad Awbrey and tell stories about him and about the apple press. The group is getting bigger with all the babies everyone is having but it makes it that much more fun. The kids are getting more involved with putting the apples in and turning the handle. And it always fun playing in the water the apples are soaking in.




Next year Nathan will be here for it! Can't wait!!

SHOCK

Yesterday afternoon Christopher (and family) came over to help us get the slats out of the last super. We geared up from head to toe, got the smoker going and the cooler ready to put the slats in. Steve and Christopher took the top super off and we proceeded to take the slats out. They were very full of honey, combs and bees. The bees started to go more and more crazy.....and attacking us but our suits were protecting us at first. They started getting into Steve's head cover. We were almost done. Christopher and I finished the last slat and Steve went out into the lawn to get the bees off of him. He kept getting stung in the head and neck. We all went into the garage and I could tell Steve was really struggling. I took my stuff off and got stung in the neck and hand. I started to freak out a little. They were in my hair and I didn't want to get anymore stings. Christopher was brushing them off of all of us. We got them off and went into the house and Steve collapsed. He was sweating so hard it was dripping off his forehead. He didn't look good. I got my epi-pen out and was getting ready to inject it. Steve kept telling me not too.......but I ignored him. :) He passed out again and I gave him the shot. I also gave him 2 benadryl. I decided that we better get him to ER so Christopher and I tried to get him up again and he passed out. When I saw his eyes roll to the back of his head I immediately called for an ambulance. It seemed like they took forever to get here but I know it really wasn't that long. Steve was a little more conscience. I think it may be from the epi-pen. The ambulance got here, got a IV going and other stuff I can't remember and loaded him on. At the hospital they gave him more epi, benadryl and steroids. His skin was beet red. You could tell he felt like crap! The doctor said Steve went into anaphylactic shock. After about an hour his skin started to get back to normal and he was looking better. After 4 hours he was released. The doctor said I saved his life with the epi-pen.......he wouldn't have made it to the hospital. Steve got around 20 bee stings to the head and neck.
Today I'm very angry at the bees. I suited up this morning with my can of wasp killer and went to town on the hive. I'm sad we had to do that but it's not worth a human life. The sting on my neck is very sore and itchy.....but it will be fine in a couple of days. I'm so grateful for every one's help yesterday. We have great family and friends!!!

Still Harvesting

I think September is one of the most craziest time of year. I have been busy for weeks harvesting the garden, apples and bees. I've canned 6 batches of salsa and still have lots of tomatoes coming. I'm not complaining at all cuz I know this winter I will be very happy with each one of those tomatoes. Next week I'm going to can them for soups, etc. Right now my projects have been picking apples. Our 5 trees are loaded so I'm going to get as many down as I can for cider and I may even dry some. We're making cider on Saturday. It's going to be a little chilly so it should be perfect. Tonight Christopher is coming over to help Steve get the slats out of the remaining super. Tomorrow (and next week) I'll be draining the honey. I hope we get another 20+ pounds from it. We're also celebrating Jaron's birthday Sunday. How do these kids keep getting older? So anyway....it's been a busy September and will continue to be so through the rest of the month. I'm pooped!!

Losing it?

Sometimes I worry about myself and my brain. For example......I went to Walmart to pick up a few things. Emily has been sick so I needed to get more sudafed for her. I went to the pharmacy to get it, showed my license, paid for it and went to do my other shopping. I get everything I needed and went to check out. As I was paying for it I noticed my license was gone. So I'm thinking, "holy crap, I didn't get it back from the pharmacist." So I go back there and she said she didn't have it. So I'm mentally freaking out a little digging through my purse and pouring things out of it. After 10 minute, still at the pharmacy, I look through my wallet one more time. And I find it. I put it in the wrong place. So I wonder.....am I losing it? Or is my brain getting old? Or is there too much in my life that I cannot remember one more thing? Hmmm....

Nathan's email

Hey mommers!

Hey so haven't gotten that package yet but hopefully in the next couple of days :) SO things here are going pretty well. not to much happened this week. My comp and I got sick for a couple of day's and weren't really able to do a whole lot but we're now feeling a lot better so that's really good. Dang... I swear somethings really funny happened this last week but I don't remember at all what the heck it could have been... but... hmm...... oh well... it probably didn't happen then. Anyway things are good.. not too much going on here. We've got change calls coming up this Saturday so next week I'll let you know if I'm staying or going. so that's pretty exciting... Welp thats really about it but I hope you have a great week!! I love and miss you a ton!!!

Rakkaudella

Vanhin Nate Peck

Hey Pops,

So we haven't gotten the CD's yet but hopefully soon we'll get them. Things here are going pretty well. We don't really have a whole lot going on right now but we've got a couple potential investigators that seem like they could be really good so we'll see how that goes this week. I think if everything goes through this week could have a really good week here so I'm really pretty excited about it.

Well that's really about everything. Sorry its kinda a shorter email but I hope you have a great week!! I love and miss you a ton!!

Rakkaudella,

Vanhin Peck

Happy Birthday Timothy!!!

It's so hard to believe that my baby is 27. I don't care how old they get they will ALWAYS be your baby. When Timothy was little he loved his Teddy and his blanket. He was such a happy little guy packed full of energy. :) He could run laps around us.






Timothy also loved VW bug cars, playing in the water and taking things apart. Even things that weren't suppose to come apart he would find a way. The trick was trying to get them to go back together after they were apart. Timothy has always loved working with his hands.





























Happy Birthday Timothy!! We're so proud of you and we love you so much!!

Extraction of honey

Today was the day to rob the honey from the bees. I don't know what we were thinking that we could do it all in one day. We did take the slats from the top super. I stayed in and took pictures through the screen.....me and bees don't go together. Steve was down getting the slats first but he kept getting stung that Christopher went down to take his place. Jaron would grab the slats from him and take them into the garage.






After all 10 were out they'd scrape the wax off and get the honey. It was too cold to use the extractor so we have the combs over buckets dripping the honey. So far we have around 15 pints and still not done. We still have another super to do. But that will be another week.














I'm so glad Darrell and Dyann could come. It was great seeing them.



BTW....I think Christopher got 3 stings, Steve got 4 and Jaron 0.

More salsa

I canned 3 1/2 batches more of salsa which equals 13 quarts and 2 pints. I think I'm done. It's so much work. I know it's appreciated but man, do my feet hurt!!. They all sealed. I think what tomatoes I get from the garden I'm just gonna can. They're great in chili and spaghetti.

This morning I had to take the car in cuz I was told our alternator was dying which ended up not being the alternator but the battery so it was lots cheaper. But anyway, I walked home from the shop. It's about 3.5 miles and it was great. It was about 8 am and the air was still cool. I need to do more of this!!

Half handstand

Emily is taking a Hip Hop class once a week on Wednesdays. I went to pick her up about 5 minutes early just to watch her. (I have to say....she is so fun to watch dancing. She has tons of spunk!!!) But the teacher was teaching them these half handstands where they stick their hiney's out. When we got home I was trying to explain it to Emily so I finally just showed her. She ran and got the camera and took a picture. So we are going to keep working on it and she'll get it soon!! :)

Epi-pens

This morning I got into the Dr. at 8:45. I checked in and went to go sit down and never made it to the chair.....they called me back before I could even sit down. That has NEVER happened before but not complaining!! I told the Dr. what happened Saturday and I got a prescription for 2 epi-pens with 5 refills. :) I told him we have a beehive in the backyard and that we're going to try and process the honey this Saturday. He said to stay inside or be fully geared up. I have never felt so vulnerable before. It's weird to think that a little insect, a bee, can do you in. I'm glad I have the epi-pens for protection now but it really made me think that I should probably take better care of myself. Hmmm... But Steve and I decided that we still want to do bees but we're going to try and find some orchard or property where we can put the hives so they're not in the backyard anymore. It's kinda sad but what can you do? So we're looking for places now for them.

nathan's email

Hey mommers,

Hey so before I forget you can go ahead and send the package to the appartment! that would be great!! Thanks a ton!!! So things here are going pretty good. not too much is going on right now but life is good. We had a really weird week with a school presentation on Tuesday that went pretty good. i don't really like those cuz it doesn't really feel like we do anything but waste our time.. but oh well its over now so that's nice. Then on Friday we had a meeting in Helsinki with the mission president and Elder Texiara from the 70. So that was pretty cool. we learned a lot of cool things and hopefully the work will got even better here in Jyväskylä. Then at the end of the meeting they told us that every companionship was going to be getting a mini-dvd player... yeah weird as crap... But we've now got a mini dvd player and can watch church movies whenever we want... pretty crazy if you ask me. But anything things here are good.. not a whole lot going on right now but we've got a good amount of teaches set up for today... so that should be cool.. Welp that's about all but I love and miss you and I hope you have a great week!!!

Rakkaudella,

Vanhin Peck

Hey Pops,

Hey so how is everything going? were you able to send you Podcast? I'm really excited to listen to it, and so is my companion!! Welp things here are going good. we had a pretty crazy week. we had a school presentation on Tuesday and then on Thursday we went down to Helsinki for a meeting on Friday, so it was a pretty crazy week. However it was pretty good I really enjoyed it. We got a lot done and I think we found so good people so we'll see how this next week goes, I'm pretty excited!

Well I hope all is going well there! Thanks for all your love and support and I hope you have a great week!!

Rakkaudella,

Vanhin Peck

Bee sting

Yesterday I got stung twice while getting into the hive. I was stung on my foot and leg. It started swelling more and more last night. I felt ok during the day until last night. I had been taking antihistamines but it still itched like crazy. I went to go lay down and watch the news. I started freezing and I couldn't stop shaking. This lasted around 3 hours and my neck hurt real bad too. At about 2am I finally started warming up and was able to get some sleep. Then at 9 this morning I started getting cold and shaking again. My leg is really swollen and so is my foot. I don't have an ankle cuz of the swelling. I guess I'm officially allergic to bees. I just can't believe how painful bee stings are.

Beehive

This morning Steve and I checked on the beehive. I got to wear the head gear and the bee gloves to check on them......first time for me. It was so cool taking off the lid and seeing the bees buzz around and all the honey comb and honey oozing out of the top. Steve and I tasted some of the honey and it was so clear and sweet and delicious!! The bees started to get agitated so we started closing it up. But not before I scraped off some of the honey comb to taste. Then they really started getting mad. Hopped out of there with 2 bee stings. One on my leg and foot.....forgot to cover them up. But I saved the honey comb I snatched and it was yummy!! And I did take some antihistamine for the swelling. We're hoping to process some of the honey on Monday!!! :)

August coupons

I tallied up all my receipts of how much I saved in coupons. August was a great month because there a lot of sales with store coupons and then you could piggy back them with the manufacture ones. So I really stocked up on a lot of stuff like cereal, granola bars, fruit snacks (for Maddox), cookies and that kind of stuff. I also sent quite a bit of it up with Jaron to school. I also did some of the double coupons at Walmart. Not too many cuz I always feel like I'm inconveniencing them so I only do about a handful with them. So my grand total of saving with coupons for August is....$186.72. Cool huh?

Butterfly Bush + one.

My butterfly bush that is growing in the patio is now 3 feet tall and around 2 feet wide. It has lots of pretty purple flowers and is growing so fast. And what was next to it growing?......another butterfly bush. It's still really little but it's definitely another one. I'm kinda confused how they can grow in such a stony area but they do and they're thriving. Both of them will be transplanted this fall