Merry Christmas 2007!!!

Merry Christmas 2007!



Nephi Nathanael Peterson
9 Months Old

Nephi is our jolly Santa Helper this year. He is such a wonderful baby! It must be something about the third child. :) I happen to be the third child too. He is such a cutey. He loves to be active and explore things, but he has yet to start crawling! This has actually been nice for me, so that I can have a little time to get rid of the chokables hanging around. He is a good little eater. He is my biggest little baby so far and is only a head shorter than his older brother Sunny. He loves to smile, laugh, and is cheerful as long as his needs are met. He does get squished and pushed over sometimes by Sunny, and this hurts his feelings. But Sunny is learning to be softer. He takes many of his naps in the car as we drive Jonathan to school. (Jonathan's school is 20 to 30 minutes away so this is a long time!)

Sunny Stefan Peterson
2 1/2 Years Old

Sunny is just the cutest little kid ever. He looks lots like his Uncle Jake, who he just adores. He plays the role of a 2-year-old very well and is extremely independent. He likes to scoot his chair all over the kitchen to reach the sink, the fridge, the counter, etc. He likes to make his own peanut butter sandwiches and get dressed himself and put his own seat belt on. He gets REALLY frustrated when he doesn't get it right away, so it takes lots of patience and encouragement from us! It is challenging for me, because I have a personality of a 2-year-old. So I guess it is good for me :) He loves nursery, cooking class, and being with kids. He loves his brothers, and still wants me to hold him a lot. He loves to lock all the doors in the house, tear things apart, and sing. His pronunciation is still not very good, so it is challenging for every one involved in the conversation. We are starting to focus on specific sounds and words and will keep up on that. He is very smart and loves counting and singing the ABC's. (All things he learned without me I might add.)

Jonathan Jeffrey Peterson
5 3/4 Years Old

Jonathan has LOVED his school. It has been such a wonderful experience to watch him learn in such a nurturing environment. He goes to a charter montessori school in Chandler. His hours are 8:30 to 2:30. He has about 30 kids in his class and 4 teachers. The children (ages 4-6) work on hands-on learning activities and progress at an individualized pace. There aren't tests and pressure to be like the others. It is about playing and learning in an organized, respectful, and nurturing environment. They also have group activities, circle time, and recess. He often sings adorable songs with actions. He has always LOVED books, and is excited now that he can read some simple fun ones. His school is extremely international, so I love this. It is important for me that he have that type of environment. It helps him to feel natural among different types of people and languages. He does extremely well with a schedule! (The drive isn't always easy on the whole family though! It is worth it though. Sometimes Jon can help which is VERY appreciated!) We still love going to the playground and hanging out with cousins and grandma and grampa! He is a very good big brother and Jon and I are impressed with how patient he has become with Sunny and Sunny's tantrums. He loves playing computer games on funbrain.com.

Jonathan Jeffrey Peterson Senior
30 (almost 31) Years Old

Jon has had an amazing year! Dr. Healer has had a very crazy trail of events that have also affected the family as I am sure you can all imagine! He works with a chiropractic group called the Wellness Associates. They train him and give him a clinic to work in, then after 3 years Jon buys it from them. He started in Goodyear, which is about an hour away. It was challenging with a lot of hours and the commute didn't help much. It was gradually growing, and Jon was doing his best out there. But then the Wellness Associates decided they couldn't keep the clinic so they sold it and said that they would let Jon have a clinic right here in Gilbert! Yeah! We were so pumped! This made us feel fine about leaving Goodyear. But then after a week of working in the Gilbert office with another doctor, the Wellness Associates decided the two doctors were both "take charge" kind of guys and so they decided that they couldn't both be there. Then they told them he could have the Glendale Clinic, which is also an hour away. Well, we didn't have much choice so off he went to start ALL over again for the THIRD time this year!!! I guess the third time is the charm. (fyi: Jon and I were each other's third kiss.) He took over a Korean Doctor's office in an area with a lot of Spanish speakers. The office is not as nice as the Goodyear or Gilbert offices, but their office manager is AMAZING! Sonia Perez! She is a wonderful gal. We love her. The people in Glendale are very kind and Jon is doing an amazing job with all of his marketing efforts. He has been speaking to groups and doing spinal screenings and massages all over. (i.e. offices, schools, gyms, fairs, etc.) It is extremely challenging to come in and take over another Doctor's patients, and I am very impressed with Jon because he has done it twice now! Talk about stress! He doesn't speak Korean or Spanish, but he makes it work! We look forward to the time when he can start using BioEnergetic Synchronization Technique much more, because that really is so effective and lasting. It is just too hard to start out with this technique if you are changing over from another doctor. Jon works all day every day with healing and marketing, and then comes home and (without eating all day sometimes) starts helping me put the boys to bed or plays with them. He'll be so tired, but he still finds the time to talk and visit with me and tell me about his patients. Then he'll help with the baby at night every single night. He is very patient with the boys and I am so happy that my 3 muskateers have such a wonderful daddy to look up to. I could keep on going, but I guess that is because I am his wife.

Stephanie Peterson
31 (almost 32) Years Old

Well, what can I say that I haven't said already? Hmmmmm. I am VERY busy with my boys! Adding a third child to the mix really makes it a lot of fun, but also leaves very little extra flexible time. To make ends meet I have created and taught 8 kids classes this year at our Power Ranch Community club house. Most of them have been kids cooking classes. The last 3 were Santa Helper classes. I had students from ages almost 2 to almost 13. It was extremely fun and also very stressful. There are a ton of details involved when it comes to cooking, ingredients, and kids. I want to thank my Mom, Melissa, and my kids who have helped me accomplish this. I literally could not have done it without them. If I forgot an ingredient, you were there for me. If I needed a helper in the class you were there for me. If I needed a babysitter you watched my kids. You even made me and my family meals and supported me the whole time. If there is something I have learned this year it has been that there is no way I can do it alone. But even better, I learned that I don't want to do it alone. I am so glad I live near family and wonderful friends. I loved the chance I had this year to visit with every single one of my siblings! They are so special and I love them so much. It is so amazing to learn about their lives and see what an amazing life they are creating. As a mom, especially as you get more children, you really realize how much you need the Savior and the gospel. I am so inadequate for such a special calling as the mother of these special boys. Christ makes me whole and complete and this gives me a ton of peace as I go about my days as perfectly imperfect as I am :)

We all love you so much! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

-HAPPY BIRYTHDAY JESUS-

The Peterson Family