Ready for Change

So...three weeks ago I packed up our SUV and strapped Kendall in her seatbelt, and drove to Chandler, Arizona. I have been really wanting to move back to Arizona, finally Brett said..."if there is a time in our lives to move, it's now!" The first week I felt really discouraged. I was applying for positions and kept my phone close by and no calls at all for interviews. I started missing Brett, Taylor and little Buzzy. Then started thinking whether this was the right choice for our family. Brett and I prayed and fasted and just didn't get that answer to go, but we also didn't get an answer not to go, either. I started wondering how many moms would do this, I am so fly by the seat of my pants that I am just like, whhhaaatttt am I doing and how come I never think things thru.....I decided to give myself to the 1st of Ocober. If I was unable to get a job, well I can honestly say I tried.



So I kept trekking, kept applying for those positions. Then my phone started ringing for interviews. My very first interview I left the house like 2 hours early, I wanted to make sure nothing went wrong. After 2 hours of interviewing with several management, I left feeling very positive. Nine am the next morning, I received the job offer! Yay and they decided to pay me a little more than they originally promised...yay again. I am very excited to move back to Arizona and be close to my family again. We are also very grateful for the family we have been able to see and spend time with since we have come back from Alaska!

Off to Kindergarden

This year Brett and I
decided to put Fenix in
the special education
Kindergarden due to
some of the difficulties
he's had. I am very
greatful for this class,
since the other classes
have 40 kids to one
teacher and I could
very easily see Fenix
fall through the cracks.
The class we put him in
has 8 students! His
teacher is Mrs. Perez and
and he's so excited about
school and learning.

We love our buzz man.

Our life in Vegas

Two years ago, Brett decided he needed to walk away from the military life. When he came home from Iraq, he had a great opportunity to join CID (Criminal Investigation Department) but was afraid he would be sent back to war territory. We felt the best decision was to move back to Las Vegas, where Brett would get into the car business just like his dad. I have always been impressed with how much Brett knows about cars, so I figured... put all that knowledge to use. Brett did extremely well until the economy took a turn for the worst....This was a very difficult time because Brett was dealing with major financial strains and he was having panic attacks due to PTSD. (Post traumatic stress syndrome) Brett applied for Metro PD and everything looked promising....Brett had his psych evaluation left, and he was in....We received a letter advising Brett had not been selected due to him being a high risk because of his PTSD. This was a huge blow and left us wondering what do we do now. I am a firm beleiver that we made it through only because of Heavenly Father. We were given blessings that only our Heavenly Father knew we needed. Brett is now working for one of the MGM Casinos as a Surveilance Investigator. We are thinking very seriously about moving back to Arizona. The job economy is horrible out here, unless you want to work in a casino, and thats not exactly my choice of employment. I have always wanted to move back to Arizona so maybe we will have that opportunity soon. Just thought I would update everyone with what our family has been going thru since we moved back...

Taylor and her new specs

So with school starting August 24th, I am registering Taylor and Fenix for school of course last minute. I realize Taylor needs to get three shots before we can get her schedule. Sooooo, we get a quick doctors appointment, when we go in they check weight, height, blood pressure and then ask Taylor if she has had a eye test lately. She says yah....Luckily they check anyway and wow she cannot see!!! (I have asked her a million times if she can see the board okay, and the answer is yes everytime) So Taylor now wears glasses....She picked out a trendy pair and looks super cute in them.....

Our family is expanding!!!

So you're thinking we are having another baby...Sorry to dissapoint but we found ourselves a puppy! We found him on Craigslist of all places, his owners could no longer keep him because they were moving. He is 4 years old and his name is Rufus, we call him Rufie and he is a pure bread boxer. Fenix loves animals and has such a special little bff bond with Rufie. He's such a great dog and we were so lucky to find him.

Temporarily Bidding Farewell

On July 6th, 2009 our family celebrated the life of E. Taylor Petersen. Grandma did an awesome job preparing for Pa Ta's services and everything was wonderful, I know he is so proud in heaven. The service at the church was very emotional for everyone and then we proceeded to his grave dedication in Springdale, Utah. Since Pa Ta was retired Air Force, the Americam Legion provided a 21 gun salute in honor of his military service. They then folded the United States flag that draped his coffin and presented it to grandma Norma Petersen. Matthew Walden played Taps as the American legion prepared for the 21 gun salute. It was a beautiful and well deserved service.

IN HONOR OF A SPIRITUAL GIANT

On July 3oth, 2009 E. Taylor Petersen peacefully passed away. We all were able to prepare for his passing so we did get to say goodbye and give him air hugs, as Taylor (Harris) called them. However, it still was not easy to say our final goodbye's at his memorial service and gravesite dedication service.

Grandpa Petersen or Pa Ta, as the grandchildren and great grandchildren called him, led an accomplished life. He was a convert to the church and dedicated his life to living the gospel of Jesus Christ. He served and retired in the United States Air Force, then he went on to becomming an institute director, retiring again and then serving an LDS mission with his wife Norma in Hawaii. He was a great father to five beatiful children, and a loving grandfather to 14 grandchildren and 16 great grand children.



Brett was the first grandson and has many wonderful memories with his pa ta. Brett speaks of a time when he was in high school, he took a trip with pa ta to Helper. Pa ta told stories of when he worked in the coal mine, and about his dad getting black lung from working in the coal mine. There was coal in the hills that was on fire underground, the heat would escape thru cracks in the ground and the deer would bed on the cracks to stay warm in the winter. He also had great memories, of stories of Ivan Triphones the scarey man of Helper Utah. Brett also recalls the great support pa ta and grandma gave him on his mission and as he served in Iraq. Brett is proud to have served in the military during wartime, as his grandfather Harris, grandpa Petersen and dad have.



Last Thanksgiving when we visited with grandma and grandpa Petersen, I had a lovely conversation with grandpa. One I will remember always. He mentioned to me that he had lived in Helper, which I then answered that my mom grew up in Helper as well. I had never been there so I had no idea how big or small the town was. He mentioned that Helper was very small and asked the names of my grandparents. I explained that my grandfather had passed away when my mom was very young due to a heart attack in the mines and my grandma was killed when I was very young by a drunk driver. I gave him their names and he immediately knew who they were. I never knew anything about my mothers family and he was able to tell me a little bit about them. This was so neat for me to hear and I left that day feeling closer to grandpa because he was able to tell me things, I never knew.

We will all miss our Pa ta so much, however it's such a comfort knowing he is with his mom and dad and little sister, in heaven. He's no longer in pain and depending on his family to care for him. The gospel is so wonderful because it gives us this strength to keep going, to continue living our lives to follow the great example of the legacy that our beloved Pa ta left behind.

We love you Pa Ta and we will miss you.

In loving memory of a loving husband, father, grandparent, friend and true Latter Day Saint.

As I sit here by the ocean,

My thoughts are of my loved ones, so very far away.

My heart is filled with deep emotion,

I feel moved apon to pray.



May God bless them in my absense,

And protect them each passing day.

Until they are once again in my presence,

Of these things I do pray.



May life's trials and tribulations

Always continue to pass them by.

That only love, honor and adoration

Will be given to God on high.



Let them know how I love them,

More than anything I know.

Not showing my love is the problem,

When in their presence I go.



Time goes by, however, so slowly,

And soon I shall be with them again.

May I return to them kindly

Master of all that I am.



That this life may be one of happiness,

And joy as life can be.

That we may rise together, as

A close eternal family.



(Poem was dedicated from Taylor Petersen to his loving wife, Norma and Teri Lyn, Linda, Michelle, Mark and Pamela)

Inside a childs mind...

Most of you know that Brett has recently gone through a few career changes. He served the military, he then transitioned into the car business, now he is working as a surveilance investigator for the Excalibur casino. The kids loved the car business because they got to get huge balloons when they visited daddy. Recently, we tried to explain about dads new job at Casino that looks like a castle....The minute Kendall heard the word castle, her green eyes got wide and she says....."Oh my gosh daddy, Do you make sparkleys and rainbows!"

Yes kids say the cutest things....

My BFF....a tube!

This week a member from our ward, graciously let us swim in her pool whenever we wanted because she was going out of town. We definitely took advantage! Fenix really didn't want anything to do with it, he freaked out when I took him to the shallow end....Kendall on the other hand, well lets say her new BFF is this Strawberry Shortcake tube! Check it out

Harris BELATED 4th of July!

So I know I am a little late to posting our 4th but better late than never ........ My brother left that morning so we kinda were super lazy for the 4th of July. Brett had to work so we really didn't make plans. We actually bar-b-qued the night before so we really weren't feeling the whole 4th of July bar-b-que scene so we ordered Chinese and it was yum yum. Brett and Fenix went and bought some fireworks so I could light them with the kids when it got darker! We had a blast!Fenix and Kendall insisted on sitting together on the chair right behind the fireworks!

My brothers visit!

My older brother Stephen who lives in Texas with his wife and 5 children is currently serving in the United States Air Force. Is about to be stationed in Maui, Hawaii. His family decided to spend a couple weeks visiting family in Arizona, Nevada and Utah. I haven't seen him in about three years so it was definitely nice to hang out again and catch up. We had a blast in the time we visited....See you guys in Maui for our 10th wedding anniversary in 2011!

Janae and Brigham waiting in line.

Kendall and Adam were born 1 day apart, she wanted a hug and he wanted to run!

Stephen and Bretts Mini Mee's hanging out

Stephen hanging out with girls, Ali and Sarah.

They all wanted to touch the sting ray.

We do not know the kid in the red shirt.

Uncle Stephen doesn't know that kendall is a daredevil


Steve and his boys concentrating hard.

Kendall got to touch a sting ray!

Another one bites the dust

So we were looking at Fenix's teeth, Brett noticed buzzys other front bottom tooth was slightly loose, however Fenix yanked his head back just as brett was trying to wiggle it....and knocked his tooth right on out! Stay tuned for his top choppers, they are loose too!

Fearless Kendall

So the weather has been awesome! I decided to take all three kids to the swimming pool Rec Center @ Black Mountain. Fenix nor Kendall had any swimming floaties so I literally showed them where the water starts getting deep. I actually dunked them so they could touch the bottom and see how deep it was....After freaking out and screaming, I figured they understood their quick lesson in which part of the pool to stay in...This is where we need extra patience with Kendall....I was sitting back trying to keep my eye on both kids when I started to panic that I couldn't find Kendall. Taylor was there to help stay with them in the water so I searched for Tay, found her and Fenix but no Kendall. My eyes quickly scanned the pool...all of a sudden before I could say anything, I see little Kendall jumping off the side into the 4 feet deep end! Did I mention she CAN'T SWIM... saw her go up and down once, twice and the lifeguard was looking at another area of the pool. I yelled HELP HER like a freako, she can't swim and I ran towards her as fast as I could, you know the whole slo-mo going on... The lifeguard jumped in and pulled her up. Gosh it was such a blessing that I saw Kendall at just the right moment because the lifeguard might have been too late since he was not aware of her jumping. About 5 minutes later a 10 year old girl comes up to me and says totally sweetly mam I just saw your daughter drown...what do I say to that, uh thankyou....Needless to say, we packed right up, went home and haven't returned.....