A Story About the Garifuna: Trailer

Some of you already know this, but Ben is making a documentary. It was going to be a senior project but then after receiving funding he was told he couldn't get school credit for it. Despite that, we decided he should do it. Why that was our decision is beyond both of us at this point.  On one side, it's been a nightmare. Who knew making a documentary could take up so much time? And money? And be so much work?

But the upside is it's helped Ben hone in on what he wants to do as a career. When I married Ben he had the dream of becoming a documentary film maker. Surprisingly, making a documentary has made Ben... not want to make documentaries for a living. So it's a blessing he made the discovery now, instead of ten years down the road.

So without further adieu, here is the trailer of the movie we wish we'd never started, but that we're happy we're going to finish.

Daddy Daughter Time

I've been debating whether to retaliate after Ben's last post/expose about me... but I've decided to be the bigger person (insert halo glimmer here). Because when it comes down to it,  Ben is such a great dad.  Ever since Nayeli was born he and she have formed a bond and she loves being with him. It's so fun to watch. Allow  me to share some pictures to illustrate my point:

 

The day we brought Nayeli home from the hospital. He just wanted to hold her, and eventually they took a nap together. It was so sweet I had to get a picture.

The first time we took Nayeli out when she was only a week or so old. When she was young we often went on walks and took her in the Baby Bjorn.

Ben's favorite thing was when Nayeli would fall asleep on his chest and he could get a nap after work. She seldom does this anymore.

One day I asked Ben to hold Nayeli while I got something done, and when I returned I found him like this. Yes, those are her socks on his ears. Oh how Ben makes me laugh.

In June Ben had to go on a business trip to Atlanta. He felt a little guilty for leaving me alone with a newborn, so he left little notes for me to find around the house. This one was my favorite. One day I pulled a diaper out of the diaper bag and surprise! there was a note from Ben. Can you see it?

This is how I found Ben carrying Nayeli in the sleepy wrap one day as he was making phone calls for church. In his defense, she was still asleep and she could still breathe :)

Daddy daughter computer time

Frequently Ben will play with Nayeli so I can get something done... and almost any game he invents sends Nayeli's laughter pealing throughout the apartment. In this case, he was throwing her stuffed animal up so it would hit her on the way down. She loved it. It was precious.

Celery, fetchin' hussies and the other things Athena says while asleep (and awake)

It's Ben here with another post full of intrigue and excitement.  Let's begin at this: Athena is a very intelligent individual. She is a fast thinking, high performance go-getter that runs circles around me.  I love her very much.  It's important for me to preface this post with that information. That said, let us now dive into the wonderful intricacies of the things Athena says when she's awake, then continue on with a follow-up on a previous post about the things Athena says in her sleep.

Things Athena says when she's awake
Like I said, Athena is very smart. However, her brain will sometimes run so fast and furious that her tongue trips and hilariously exudes gems that I promptly write down for the entertainment of our posterity.

 First, let's begin with the butchered idioms category. I've forgotten most of the context behind each of these Athena-isms, but I feel like the material is sufficiently incriminating to stand without explanation:
 -- It was like a hand on a chalkboard.
-- You read me like a glove.
-- No caution to the wind.
-- I'm burping a storm up.
-- I was so mad, she sent me over the roof.

---

 Next, a fine conversation we had:
 A: That's not even clausible.
B: Did you just say "clausible?"
A: No, I said "plausible," but it came out "clausible."
B: (laughing)

---

One night, Athena was hungry as we were about to go to bed. In order to make me feel like I wasn't being abandoned, she kindly asked:
A: Do you mind if I go out and scowage?
B: Scowage?
A: Yeah, you know... uhh...
"Scowaging"... it's like scouring and scavenging combined in one late-night jaunt to the fridge.

---

 And lastly in the awake category... pronunciation:

As I've taken a new job and Athena has quit her job at the hospital, we've had to discuss money and how much we are/aren't making. It appears when Athena learned to speak, there were several word connections that were wired to the wrong places. Here's a conversation that may or may not have happened:
 B: How much were you making at the hospital?
A: Well, my celery was pretty decent there.
B: You mean your salary?
A: Yeah, my celery.
B: Celery, like the food?
A: No, celery.
B: Do you mean salary?
A: Yes, Ben! Celery!

Bullying is a common theme in the media these days, and we've discussed it together several times recently. Here is a hypothetical conversation about bullying at our house:
 B: Wow, I can't believe how many kids pick on each other.
A: I know, bowling is a huge problem everywhere now.
B: Are we talking about bullying or bowling?
A: Bowling.
B: Pins? Strikes? Spares?
A: No, bowling when kids pick on each other at school.
B: That's bullying, not bowling.
A: I know, bowling!

 I think I've tried to correct Athena's pronunciation several times, but I think it's so darn cute, I'll probably just let it go and chuckle to myself when we discuss "celeries" and "bowling."

---

And we're into the asleep category:
I don't have as many juicy sleep-talking quotes as I did in the first post about the topic, but these ones are gems that need inclusion.  I think this one came after a long night of work in the ER:
A: "Your sister ended up hitting her head with even smaller heads. OK?"

I think she was dreaming about a disagreement with her mother in this one.
A: "No it's not. It's like I'm a fetchin' hussy. Like I don't know how to do makeup. It's stupid!"

This one was completely random:

A: "Premothering.  I don't claim to be an expert in that category.  Did you get the good tasting ones?"

---

Well, there you have it.  This is a just a small glimpse into what happens at the Petersen house. We thoroughly enjoy our time together and I especially enjoy my life married to Athena. She always keeps it interesting.

Quote of the day

"Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for." Elder Neal L. Anderson

Thanks to my friend Vindie for sharing this on her latest post about motherhood. I needed this today. 

Random Summer Happenings

This summer has been so fun... and I have all sorts of random pictures of what we've done. So here they are, all meshed together.

This summer I quit my job in the ER at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. This was the picture one of nurses took of me saying goodbye. It's been bittersweet- I miss the people and adult work environment a lot. However I don't miss the night shifts or the drunks and psychotic patients. I think I'd had enough of those.

When Ben's brother Sammy came home from his mission we hiked with the Petersens up above Snowbasin. It was really beautiful.

However Nayeli got really hot and we ended up having to strip her down to her diaper.

This wasn't technically summer but I'll include it in here. We went to plant flowers in my Nana's yard for Mother's Day. She is 95 years old and still lives independent. She's one of my heroes.

A first for Nayeli- we took her swimming in her great-grandparents' pool.

She actually really seemed to like it. Maybe we have a little swimmer on our hands.

The fourth of July

When people see Nayeli there are two things they comment on: her big eyes and her big cheeks. This picture makes it obvious why those are the first two things they notice.

Nayeli's personality

Just a few weeks ago Nayeli turned four months. Time is flying. I remember when she was born thinking, "If I can survive the first three months of her life, I can do anything". I survived, and I'm so glad I did. It's so fun to see her grow and watch her personality develop.

She has the sweetest disposition, but also the strongest will. If I'm not doing something right, she'll let me know it :) My sister and I often discuss that Heavenly Father is sending spirits with a strong-will to the world in these latter days because they have to be strong to stand up for what they believe.

For example, here she is at  telling us she does not like the sunglasses we put on her. She was too funny- we had to snap a picture before we took them off.

This picture cracks me up. We got together with her Petersen cousins Andelin and Adelaide. She was not interested in being touched.

In fact, she didn't really want to be in the picture at all.

Her two month old photo shoot. She was so sad about something.

When she gets sad she sticks out her bottom lip. It's so so cute.

But of course a few minutes later she was just fine. What was once a crisis now is forgotten.  But we love her dynamic personality and being her parents. She is a joy, strong-willed and all :)

 

 

 

Blog Under Construction

Pardon our clashing colors as we update the blog. Soon to come: the Petersen Palooza in 3D! Just kidding. But something equally as cool.

Ben's Triathlon

On July 14th Ben and his mom Jane did the Echo sprint Triathlon in Coalville, Utah. Ben trained for nearly seven months, waking up at 5am to swim, bike, and run. On a side note, for those of you who know me well and just read that, it's a miracle we ever ended up together isn't it? :) Anyway, they both did great. Nayeli and I cheered loud as we watched them...

swim about 1/2 mile (Ben got kicked and punched a few times)...

run from the swim...

finish the 12 mile bike ride...

and transition to the 5k (3.2 mile) run.

 Jane (left) and Ben (right)) both finished super strong! We were cheering so loud!

Except Nayeli. She couldn't miss her morning nap.

Ben did great! He finished 66th out of 280! I was so proud!

With our friend Parker Woody who also did the triathlon

This is the second time Jane has raced one of her sons in a triathlon. It's almost like a tradition now. And to Liesl my sister-in-law, the tradition of breastfeeding in the dirt lives on.

Final Times:      Ben       01:27:27.8    

                       Jane      01:41:14.4

Our family at the finish line

I am so in love with Ben. Sorry for the mushy picture.