Justin and Elise/Scott and Angela and families
Hey there family! Well, Marci has convinced me that I needed to send afew adorable pictures from the "northerners" of the state and give youa little update on our lives. Things are going well for Ang and Scott,who are very excited about being in the process of finishing theirbasement. Scott and Ang framed it over the last 6 months, and now theyhave contractors finishing the rest so that we can do Christmas therethis year with all the Bruce and Marilyn clan. Andrew is likingpreschool and doing great. He's made a few friends and it's fun to seehim growing up more and more. He was pretty stoked about being Batmanfor Halloween and having a cape AND a belt. It just doesn't get betterthan that! (Oh, and the picture on my stomach is an ultrasound pictureof our little baby, with a clown nose and a little clown wig and thewords "Clowning Around" above and below. My co-workers and I had alittle time on our hands Halloween morning and had some fun.) Katie isas cute as ever and has the most expressive little faces. She was acow for Halloween, and she's definintely got the moo down. She's beingpretty picky about what she will and will not eat these days, whichmakes dinner an adventure for Ang & Scott to say the least. She's asocial little girl though and knows how to win everyone over with hercute little smile. She's continuously flirting with Justin when we'rethere and just can't get enough of him. It is also really cute whenScott comes home from work and she runs out to him saying "Daddy DaddyDaddy!" As for life for me and Justin - I am working and loving my job andJustin's studying his little heart out for school and medical schoolinterviews. We are starting to hear back from some of the schools he'sapplied to, which is really exciting. He had an interview at EasternVirginia Medical School in Norfolk and absolutely loved it there. Hehad a great interview and will know in then next four weeks whetherhe's been accepted there or not. He's got a few other interviews linedup in the next couple of months at West Virginia University, U of U,and possibly Virginia Commonwealth University. (No, we don't have anobsession with Virginia, that just happens to be the state that we'veheard the most from at this point.)We are both dying that we only have one more month until this littlebaby of ours is due! Where did the last nine months go? This wholethings has ust flown by and we aren't sure whether we're really readyfor this baby to come, but ready or not he's coming! It'll be anadventure, trying out this whole parenting thing! Wish us luck. Onsecond thought, forgo the wishing and go driectly to praying, becauseI'm sure we'll need it! :) And thanks so much everyone for the babyshower and gifts. It was great to get together and you all helped usout so much! You've all given us so much support and love and we loveyou all to death! We're excited to see everyone at Thanksgiving(assuming the baby doesn't decide to come early)! Love ya!Elise & Justin ps- I'm not sure if the family has my updated e-mail address or not,but it is epeters55@gmail.com, and Justin's isjustin.peterson@aggiemail.usu.edu. We also have a blog that I try tokeep pretty updated, which is justinandelise.blogspot.com. There aresome beautiful pictures of Norfolk, VA on there that Justin took whilehe was there.
Angela and Katie the Cow
Katie, Elise, Baby Petersen, and Andrew
Andrew as Batman
Katie and Justin
The Peacocks
You can get a full update on us by clicking on the link on the right and seeing our family blog, but just a quick update on us:
Rob and I are still recovering from the dual car accidents that occured on Oct 1. Rob now has a new car and I just got mine back from the body shop after over $5000 damage. Rob's shoulder is still really bothering him. He will be getting an MRI soon. I have a herniated disc in my lower back, whiplash, and something else in my upper back/neck including complete numbness at the back of my neck. I go in for my MRI this week. I am supposed to be going to physical therapy three times a week...ha...nanny anyone?
We had our primary program this month. Thanks so much to mom for coming, the kids loved having you there! I was in charge of the program which is always a little nervewracking, but overall it went great! We had a surprise visitor, Sister Stevens, from the general Primary board in Salt Lake. Her comment was, "I have NEVER seen SO many children on the stand before!!"
Cayden is excited for his upcoming birthday and his advancement into Bears in scouts. He is doing great at school and has a million friends and all of his teachers love him! He was Anakin Skywalker for Halloween and looked sharp! He is very excited for his birthday party coming up.
Ashlee is doing amazingly well at school! We are so grateful for her progress. She did a great report on Edward Jenner, the inventor of the smallpox vaccination. She is also loving math and knows all of her doubles. She was the cutest little clown for Halloween! She did great on her part for the primary program, even improving a bit when she got to the microphone.
McKell is also doing great in school. We are SO glad we put the girls in separate classes this year. They are both flourishing in their own ways. McKell has a lot of new friends and is quite the little social butterfly. She was a cheerleader for Halloween, although we told her she was going to be a jack-o-lantern at the rate her teeth have been coming out lately! She is such a smart girl and is also doing great at piano and dance.
Sadie is growing like a little weed and has loved all of the fun events surrounding fall/Halloween. Although, she didn't quite know what to think of all of the costumes and craziness at the Halloween party. She is getting close to walking. She will take a few steps and then chicken out and crawl where she needs to go. She is our official alarm clock and bedtime fairy to get the kids up in the morning and to bed at night. She is getting quite a little attitude lately and is very LOUD! That is about it from us. We hope everyone is doing well! We look forward to a great holiday season!
Cayden's Big Mouth Pumpkin
Ashlee's Kitty Cat Pumpkin
McKell's princess pumpkin
Dad and Mom and their masterpiece
Sadie's first pumpkin carving experience
Looking at the autumn leaves up Butterfield Canyon
Rob and Sadie enjoying the beautiful leaves
Sister's Retreat 2008
Sadie picking pumpkins at Hee Haw Farms
Dad and Mom
Dear Family,
The month started out wrong! First Marci and Rob's accidents which were bummers the same day and then on the 2nd, Dad had to go to the dentist to have a bridge removed, a root canal on one of the teeth holding the bridge and a crown on the other side of the bridge. We counld have bought the Brooklyn bridge for the same price.
We had a decision the make on the 4th--General Conference or the beginning of the elk hunt. We opted for Conference and on Monday we went up on the Mirror Lake Highway just above Kamas and spent three days among the fauna and flora, but not among the elk. Only saw two elk---both dead---shot by someone else. Enjoyed being with Shawn, although he and Mom are lousy spotters. We traveled on roads that a tank would he hard-pressed to navigate, but to no avail. Had an enjoyable time.
Also enjoyed being with Scott in Utah/Wyoming for the opening of the deer hunt. Spent an enjoyable day with the same results as the elk hunt, except we did see a big three point and a smaller two point that were alive---right next to the road just before we crossed from the Wyoming line into Utah. We might have been tempted to stretch the law a little bit, but it seems that we had a Wyoming law enforcement officer with us. Would have hated to see his badge taken away from him.
Congratulations to Nathan Glade Neilson on his being blessed and given a name. And thanks to Scott and Tiffany for their hospitality and for the enjoyable time that we had in their home.
Enjoyed the visit with Marilyn. It was just too short. Hope to spend more time in the near future.
Dad enjoyed the day with Jay at the BYU-UNLV football game. It was a good game. Seems as though someone forgot to put on the sunscreen. Ouch!
Thanks Marci and Rob for the Halloween party! It was fun and we missed those of you that weren't there.
On the 26th, Mom and Dad divided forces. Mom went to Marci's ward for their Primary Program and Dad went up to Paul and Miriam's for Jakob's receiving the Aaronic Priesthood and being ordained a Deacon. Congrulations Jakob! And thanks Miriam for dinner.
It's not fun getting a little older. Mom went to Dr. Jack and has had some tests for heart fibulation and low blood pressure, while keeping it low enough so that it doesn't get into the lungs. Waiting for the results of the test. Dad had surgery by his dermatolagist to remove a cancerous basal cell. Mor lead in the golden years.
All is going well at the Temple. They asked for volunteers to work at the Nauvoo and Palmyra from April through October and we were thinking of volunteering, but thought that we had better stay around and protect our interests while Redwood is being widened.
Mom and Kaye went down to spend the Halloween weekend with Vicki. They had a great time. Dad had one Halloween "Trick or Treater" come to the door. Halloween "ain't" like it used to be.
Hope that all is well with you and yours. Thanksgiving next.
Love,
Mom and Dad
Photos of Madi from the "Monster Mash" 
The Monsons
Hello Everyone!! It's been a few months...my how time flies!! Ourbiggest news is our recent trip to Sweden, Denmark, & Finland!! Wehad an amazing time & would love to go back! Anyone want to go??!!It was great to see Brian in his short-term home & country (Solna &Stockholm, Sweden), & he was able to be with us in all our travels.He's doing research at the Royal Instititute of Technology, which ispart of a large & beautiful campus. He's having a great experiencethere. Sweden is beautiful, & from the moment we arrived in StockholmI felt we had stepped back into a Charles Dickens novel!! We wereable to visit amazing & beautiful cathedrals, palaces, & museums; weacutally ate Swedish meatballs; & visited the Stockholm Temple! InDenmark we were able to do some great touristy things inKobenhavn/Copenhagen. We saw the original Christus in the Church ofOur Lady, the famous Little Mermaid statue, & once again appreciatedthe amazing architecture of old statues & buildings. We also got tosee the Copenhagen Temple. But the highlight for me was the time wespent in Skamstrup - a small village where Gr. Gma Parry was born &lived until her father died - as well as going to Holbaek - the townwhere the family moved after escaping the Work House & where Gma.Parry's mom got remarried. The photo of the white church is inSkamstrup & was built in the 1100's. The windmill was built inmid-1800's. Both would have been there at the time Gma's family livedthere. The other church is in Holbaek, & was likely the one GmaParry's mother was re-married in. It was a very humbling experienceto be in the same country Gma came from, & to stand in these placeswhere she would likely have been. I can see why she loved & missedher homeland so much! It was also a great experience to go to Finland& be there with Bruce - his 1st time back to his mission! The peoplewere so kind to us & it's also a beautiful country! We were able toattend a session at the new Helsinki Temple; see more beautifulcathedrals & buildings; drive to Lahti (where Bruce served part of hismission); & eat Pulla from it's native land (which Brian wasespecially excited about!)! Of course our time wasn't nearly longenough, but it was truly amazing!! And I felt like I came full circlerecently when I was in UT & went to the Riverton Cemetery with Dad &saw where Gr. Gma Parry's mother & 2 of her half-brothers are buried.Gr. Gr. Gma Andersen/Pedersen was the 1st member of the Church in thatline of our ancestory & truly sacrificed a lot for all of us. It wasall an experience I'll appreciate & never forget!!! This past month also brought a great trip to UT, which included timefor a fun Sister Retreat, a wonderful baby shower for Elise (thanks toALL!), & a great time with family! It was good to see so many of you& share the endless pile of photos! Finally, on the home front, the leaves have turned here & are abeautiful contrast with the deep green pines. And...we had a BEAR inour yard last week!! True!! We didn't actually see it but others inour neighborhood did. He enjoyed throwing our garbage around, & leftus a gift on the lawn in the form of a big pile of his digested food(i.e. POOP)!! Evidently it's a black bear & there is currently a"bear alert" warning sign in our neighborhood. I haven't totallygiven up my daily walk, but I'm certainly not about to "go into thewoods today...for a big surprise!!" That's about it! Happy Fall & love to all!!
Bruce & Marilyn
Madi and Sadie - Madi is Sadie's self proclaimed Godmother. Poor Sadie was exhausted at this point! She really does love Madi.
Bubbling Witch's Brew - Homemade Root Beer...YUM!
Spooky fingers coming out of the Guacamole!
Eyeballs! (Really mini cheeseballs) McKell & Ashlee had SO much fun making these with me. They especially loved it when I applied the "blood" and they applied the olive "pupils"
The Quists (minus Heidi and Warren who we missed so much!)
The Peacocks
Our resident Cheerleaders - Anna, Juliann, and McKell. We officially adopted Juliann and her family to come to our family party. We are so glad they came!
Juliann, Anna, and Andrew
Derek (aka Captain BYU) and Melanie (sorry the picture is so dark!)
Our 2 hulks - Grandpa Hulk and Mini Hulk - Dad and Andrew
Wow, now THAT is scary! Dad and Mom
