The Pepiot's

Guest Post: Gracie tells it like it is....

2011-12-12T19:04:00.002-07:00

This is what our family has been doing lately.

Joe-He has been doing a lot of nightshift and dealing with all kinds of situations. His step Dad passed away in October and it has been hard for the whole family, especially my Dad. He wants to get another job so we can get more money.

Shannon- She has been real busy getting presents wrapped and working. My mom is always so excited for the Knights because they come every year for New Years Eve. My mom has been dealing with a lot of drama lately.

Jackie- She is now in college. She has the best boyfriend named Dale BigSam. They have been dating for 2 months now. She has been coming home every month so it is kind of nice to have her only 5 hours away. Jackie has also been dealing with some mean girls at college. I am not going to say names.

Alissa- She is a sophomore in high school and also has a boyfriend named Jayson Anderson. She is constantly fighting with her sister Gracie. She is also dealing with drama.

Gracie- I have been in volleyball for 2 weeks now and been busy in school. I have been having a hard time dealing with my Grandpa’s death. I have been hanging out with my bffl (best friends for life) Emily and Paige. I have also been missing Jackie.

That is what the Pepiot life has been like so far.

Love,

Gracie

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T20:14:00.001-07:00

She's a Dawg!

2011-09-01T17:38:00.006-06:00

Well, Jackie has officially entered the college world. Gracie and I drove with Jackie to Dillon on Thursday, August 25. My mom and Steve came down on Saturday to bring us home on Sunday. It will be on my list of "hardest days of my life" forever. I know I will have a few more :), but it was a very sad day. I didn't sleep at all Saturday night, I just layed in bed and cried. Then, I didn't stop until Wednesday afternoon. She was about the same way. We are feeling a little stronger as each day goes on. Jackie is becoming more comfortable each day. She doesn't really know what to do with her free time, as Dillon is a pretty small town. But, once she gets busy with work study, I think that her free time will not really be free anymore!

One of my favorite things about Western is the buildings. There are some really old, really pretty buildings.

Here is Jack on our last day! She wasn't feeling very happy, but I made her smile!

This picture was taken from our hotel room. During orientation, the new freshman took buses to the other side of the "mountain" and hiked up to the W. Then, they had them all outline it for a picture! Kinda cool to see from below!

While Jackie was at orientation, I took Gracie to Clark's Lookout. Clark being the Clark of Lewis and Clark...Here is Gracie on Clark's Compass...one arm pointed South where Jack will be, and one NW where we will be!

Pretending to be Clark...

I wish that we could have talked Alissa into coming to Dillon with us. But, she just did NOT want to! Therefore, no pics of Alissa! She is such a party pooper!

That's my girl!

2011-08-14T09:54:00.006-06:00

Alissa decided that she would "humor me" and try and read a book. I had been telling her that I really thought she would enjoy this trilogy and she should just give it a shot. Well, she did it! She read all three of them, and loved them. As a bonus to reading and loving it...she gets extra credit in her English class for it. Sweet! Not a bad way to start the school year, huh? She has also commented that she may just want a Kindle for her Sweet Sixteen next month. That way she doesn't have to borrow Gracie's!

Here is what she has been reading:

A teen series by Amanda Hocking. They aren't Stephanie Meyer, BUT, they were pretty easy reads. Good enough to keep you up until 2:30 in the morning reading! Now, what can I convince her to read next? Any ideas?

Swimming with Eagles

2011-08-03T19:12:00.008-06:00

Summertime is fading way too fast. I am actually a little bit bored (aka depressed?) and I am going to work harder at making the rest of summer fun before we head back to school. I am NOT ready to go back to work, but I am ready to have something to do...and get paid. That stinking no paycheck during the summer is just a bummer (didn't rhyme on purpose). It seems like June was just loaded with fun....with our trips to Seattle and Dillon, plus we added a few hikes and picnics. Then, other than the 4th, we didn't do too much in July. So, now, it is August 3rd. Jackie leaves home in 22 days. She will not have a car to take with her, so I probably won't see her again until October. I have heard a few mixed dates for when I go back to work, but it will be no later than August 29...maybe sooner. Then, Gracie and Alissa start school on the 31st. So, summer is really wrapping up quickly. I am so sad that I haven't been able to go to Kaysville, but the money just wasn't there. I am also disappointed in myself for not having more fun things planned for my family. We may still try and slip in an overnight trip to Glacier Park, but we will have to see. Gracie and I will go to Dillon on the 25 (Thursday) and come home on Sunday to help Jackie get settled, too. That will be very bittersweet.

My Mom rented a summer lake lot for the month of August. We have already been out there 3 or 4 times (we cheated and started a little bit early). It is very relaxing and quiet. The lot needs some clean up done before we can picnic much or camp, so we are going to be doing that this week too. It is nice to know that we have a place to go when we have nothing else going on...The lot is about 14 miles up the Bull Lake road, so not too far for a little cooling off!

Also, shortly after we got to the lake, the girls spotted this Bald Eagle eating a fish right above where we were sitting. I was able to get a few pictures taken before he soared off.

Birthday lunch with the Commissioner

2011-07-14T13:27:00.003-06:00

Today, July 14, is my Dad's birthday. Sheree and I called him to see if we could take him to lunch, and then decided the night before that we would also bring the kiddo's and have a picnic in the park. I don't get to spend much time with my Dad, so today was pretty special. We had a great visit and a little photo-shoot to wrap it up!

Pepiot's and Daisies

2011-07-08T13:05:00.002-06:00

Since returning from Seattle, our summer has slowed down considerably. I am, in fact, getting very stir crazy. I may start a fundraiser to earn a trip to Kaysville....

The 4th was a fun day. We started out meeting at my Aunt's house for a pre-parade breakfast. We had scones, fruit and french toast casserole. It was delicioso! Our small town parade normally consists of every firetruck and ambulance from the county, followed by a few "cool cars", followed by a few horses and then, just for more excitement, some 4-wheelers. I seriously miss the Kaysville parade.

This year we had a huge bonus. We had two jets fly over our little town.

THAT. WAS. AWESOME. Definetly the highlight of the parade.

After the parade we headed down to the park. This is the place to be on the 4th of July...it was packed with people and a few booths. Gracie got her face painted and that was about a 1 1/2 hour wait in line. Then, we watched a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. It was great fun until I was fortunate enough to have a severe allergy attack that took me and Gracie home for some benedry and a nap. After said nap, we all congregated back at my Aunt's house for hotdogs and s'mores. Mom, Steve, Justin, Sheree, CJ and Carsyn met us there. It was a great dinner with lots of fun converstation. I think that we were all thinking about Grandma Elsie a lot that day. The 4th was one of the only days that Grandma would get out of her house and come to a gathering.

Then it was home for a bit and then back to the park for the fireworks. Troy actually puts on a pretty good firework display...Gracie loved them, so I suppose that is what is important.

Other than our fun day on the 4th...we haven't been doing much. The girls had a little photo shoot outside. They took my camera and got some shots of each other and the flowers. They are all turning into be great photographers! And, this was a very rare occurance...no one was fighting!

Other than that, I have done a little crafting and card making. Carsyn is very infatuated with owls these days, so I promised her a little sign for her bedroom door. I thought it turned out pretty darn cute!

Bieber and Cars and a little bit of UMW

2011-06-27T10:39:00.006-06:00

I was lucky enough to spend my weekend with two of my favorite people! Friday we were off for registration for Jackie's college classes in Dillon, MT. That was a very overwhelming process. We didn't really have much say in what classes Jackie could start with. It was mostly what was available for the block that we needed it. There were a lot of meetings, but they were all short and crammed with so much information that we could NEVER have processed it all.

I did leave sure of one thing though....Jackie will be safe here. It is a very small campus and the employers of the college have a genuine interest in my child. More than once, I heard someone tell Jackie that if they needed ANYTHING at all, please come and see them. I feel like Jackie made a great choice in her college and I really am excited for her to start this new adventure. Not for a minute though, do I think it is going to be an easy transition for any of us. Here is a picture of the main building on the university. It is a beautiful campus...

Lucky for me, Natalie was able to meet us in Dillon for the weekend. We actually stayed in Butte, because there were no hotels available in Dillon. Butte has a lot of museums and stuff like that to see, but we weren't in the "museum mood", so we shopped a little, ate a lot, and went to see Cars 2 in 3d. It was a great movie and I think that we all pulled off the 3d glasses pretty well!

While shopping, we ran into Justin Beiber. Jackie was so stinking excited that we decided to have a little photo shoot with the guy. Yes, people thought we were wierd. But, OH WELL! Jackie loves Justin!

It is always hard to leave Natalie, because I never know when I will see here again. I miss her to pieces. She loves my family and that say's enough!! I am so thankful for all the BFF time I get.

Now, back to reality. We have a lot of work to do to get this cute girl ready for August! To begin with, I think we both need to find summer jobs...

Around Seattle...

2011-06-18T17:51:00.012-06:00

We were lucky enough to get to hang out in Seattle for a few days! Mom and Steve rented a house on Dumas Bay (in Federal Way) for us to all stay in. The Jellesed's, the Beard's and the Pepiot's all headed out on Monday the 13th and picked up Joni at the airport Monday afternoon. We do not get to spend a lot of time with Joni, so it was great that she was able to fly in and see us.

During the week we did a lot of sight-seeing. We were able to visit the Woodland Park Zoo, the Seattle Aquarium, the Space Needle, and the Pacific Science Center. We were able to walk around and experience some of the waterfront and Pike Street. We were able to go on a harbor cruise (which was a favorite for most of us). Also, half of the group was able to go to the Experience Music Project, where they recorded their very own music video (the other half of us had to get Joni back to the airport!) Here is an overload of pictures for your viewing pleasure!

The building in the center of the picture is the hospital that is used for scenes from Grey's Anatomy. All the scenes with actors are filmed in LA, but this hospital is used for aerial shots, ,etc.

The "world headquarters" for Starbucks. From where I was standing when I took this picture, there were 108 Starbucks stores within a 5 mile radius. It was a dream come true for me!

Pike's Place Market was CRA-Z! We were not there for long. There were so many people that is wasn't a lot of fun. We had a pretty big group and it was too hard for us to all stay together. I would love to go back there someday when I can walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. Gracie was loving it, and was more than a little disappointed when we left so quickly. :(

My favorite part of Pike Place Market: The first Starbucks store EVER! I was really hoping that I could get a coffee and sit down and soak up the fun, but not enough time...

We spent some time walking and exploring the waterfront in Des Moines... It was pretty cool there and the kiddo's loved the starfish that were EVERYWHERE! Each of them picked one up out of the water. They were pretty awesome and lots of different colors.

On the boardwalk in Des Moines...

Alissa got a little crazy with the camera at the Space Needle...I like this shot that she got of some Space Needle statues in the gift shop.

So, if you know me AT ALL, you know that I am severely afraid of heights. BUT, I was determined to go to the top of the Space Needle. It was by far, the worst elevator ride I have ever experienced in my entire life. I knew for sure it was going to shoot us right out the top of the thing. But, I made it, and I actually went outside to the viewing area, but I stayed right there. I couldn't get away from the wall....and I wasn't alone. There were two other scaredy cats with me. Also, anyone that says you can't feel that sucker move is a stinkin' liar. It sways. A lot.

It was just a "few" steps down to the water from our house. This picture shows about 1/2 of the steps. Ok going down, but you were tired after coming up!

Also from our house, we watched a lot of "traffic" like this all week. It was fun to see what was coming and going.

We have been to the beach a lot, and never before have we found sand dollars. The first night that we were there, the tide wasn't real low when we went down, and the kids found a few. The next day we went out when the tide was lower, and it was sand dollar heaven! We brought home our fair share!

We also wanted to steal the crabs out of this crabpot! Of course, we didn't, but they sure would have been yummy for dinner!

Woodland Park Zoo. Not my favorite zoo. There were a lot of empty exhibits and a lot of exhibits that supposedly had something in them, but we sure couldn't find them! The zoo map wasn't very helpful in navigating us through the zoo, either. But, the kids enjoyed it, and we did see a few of our favorite things! The Grizzly Bears were awesome and the Giraffe's were too cute.

Grouse Lake Hike

2011-06-09T23:15:00.010-06:00

These first two pictures are of a man-made waterfall that we went to after the hike. Last summer when Jackie was working with the YCC, her group planted a bunch of trees around here, so she wanted to come up and "check on them". They were doing just fine.

Two hikes in one week! I hope this is an ongoing thing. Today's hike was about 4 miles round trip, and a little harder than the last. It was pretty steep in some areas, but the payoff was a beautiful mountain lake. I should have taken a picture of Gracie all by herself, because she was the toughest girl EVER! It was a tough hike and she did awesome.

Yes, out of 5 pictures....this one was the best. UGH.

The Beautiful Grouse Lake.....very green and quiet.

Montana hikes are not complete without a pistol....Sheree wasn't the one packin' today, but I thought she looked pretty good with it!

Photo credits: Jackie Pepiot, Shannon Pepiot, Sheree Beard

Callahan Historic Trail

2011-06-08T09:17:00.006-06:00

The Pepiot's and the Beard's headed out for a little hike. The hike was about 3.8 miles, I think. Pretty perfect. Gracie got a little tired towards the end, but she didn't give up. It was a nice trail and not many obstacles...just some mud here and there. The views were awesome, everything was green and it didn't rain! 6-7-2011

Graduation...

2011-06-02T21:26:00.004-06:00

Our great friends, Heidi and Michelle, get the award for traveling the furthest for Jack's graduation. They came from Kaysville, and we couldn't have been more excited for them to come and be a part of Jack's special day (weekend actually). Besides the graduation party and graduation, we were able to take them to the Swinging Bridge and Kootenai Falls. Neither of them were brave enough to go across the bridge, but it was a fun field trip anyway! Gracie got extra brave this time and crossed with Jackie and Sheree. She was so proud of herself. I was worried that she would get over there, and not want to come back!

Hard to tell, but this picture is of Jackie receiving her diploma. You may not recognize him because of the tie, but that is Joe on the left side of the stage, shaking hands with the graduates and representing the school board. He was worried about being emotional up there when Jackie hugged him...but when she went in to hug him, her cap poked him in the eye, so he was actually in pain! Oops!

I was kind of proud of our little table display that we had! Pink, black and white everything! We were so stressed for months about this dang party, and things just really went together great! I was so happy with how everything worked out. Lots of food, guests, gifts...and rain. I should have taken a picture of our tent that we had set up. That was the best $50 spent on the party...the tent rental.

She did it! We were all so proud of her....even Alissa (but I won't tell you that Alissa was the one that actually cried the most at graduation...hehe). We knew you loved her all along, Alissa!!

Prom 2011

2011-04-30T17:58:00.003-06:00

$200 for dress, nails, hair and jewels...

$5 for dinner. At Zips. Fries with fry sauce.

Our Lady Trojans

2011-04-16T20:43:00.005-06:00

Tennis season is here!! I am so thankful for this tennis season. I love that Jackie and Alissa get to have this sport together. They don't play together, so there is no competition. They are both playing on Varsity, so they are on the same team. Jackie is really helpful to Alissa and "coaches" her when she has matches and they both cheer each other on! I have been really proud of both of them. They both play doubles and singles. Their coaches are very good about getting them comfortable with both, so that they have a better chance at getting to State. I have a feeling the season will go by fast...

Graduation Announcements...

2011-03-28T21:11:00.004-06:00

It's not just me...

2011-03-08T08:21:00.011-07:00

Last night I couldn't sleep. May 29, 2011 is creeping up on us. I am so excited for my girl to graduate and move on in life. I am excited to see what comes in the next few years for her. I am so excited to see her thrive at college.

But...I can't help but think of the "void" that is going to be left in our home. Jackie brings so much to our family, that it is hard to imagine it being "home" without her. I realize that she will only be 5 hours away, and I know that daily phone calls and hourly texts are going to be in our future...but it will be so different.

Last night, I was laying in bed and thinking about all of this and wondering if anyone else in the house was feeling this way. When I got to work this morning and checked my emails, my question was answered. Gracie's facebook is linked to my work email so I get all of her messages. This is what was there this morning:

March 7, 2011 at 7:11pm

Re: please stay home from college

Oh Gracie! How I love you! I have to go to college so that I can get a job later and buy us a bunch of food. I'll visit a lot and I will call you EVERY night!

I don't know what the content was in Gracie's message to Jackie, but this is Jackie's response to Gracie. I know that it confirms what I was wondering....it's not just me.

**UPDATE** - After investigating a little more....this is the message that Gracie had sent to Jackie:

jackie why are u going to college there is much better things to do in life like hang out with your little sis please stay home

I think it is safe to say that Gracie will miss her just as much as I will!

Happy December!!

2010-12-12T21:21:00.006-07:00

Wow...it has been a long time since I have posted. A lot has happened. Nothing that is so important it is worth a post though, I guess. School started (Gracie, 3rd. Alissa, Freshman. Jackie, Senior). Shannon got a new job (High School Computer Lab Aide). Jackie went to Divisionals in volleyball (and got an honorable mention from the state of MT). Alissa was asked out on a date (Tomorrow night. Harry Potter. Don't tell her Dad. She isn't getting picked up. I am dropping her off. And picking her up.) Jackie and Alissa started basketball. Jackie was mentioned as being one of the best basketball players in the league. Wow. Gracie had a holiday program. Joe got a $500 Christmas bonus from his employer. I spent it. On Christmas presents for our girls. We MIGHT have special visitors for New Years Eve. My Dad was elected County Commissioner for Lincoln County, MT. Alissa is a superstar in art. Gracie was a tennis coach for Halloween. Jackie had a Letter to the Editor published in the local paper about bullying. She was kinda bullied for it. Long story. Happy ending. Gracie got an EZBake oven. Is VERY allergic to the mixes. Had a rash for a week. Alissa had no D's or F's on her report card. Awesome for Alissa. Jackie earned the Academic Excellence Award. Big achievement for Jack. Gracie earned the Academic Excellence Award. Straight A's. No problem. Alissa has started to enjoy photography. Makes mom happy. We moved to a new house in July. With 7 cats. Only have one. Possible mountian lion. Racin' got fixed. He chases deer. Our neighbor feeds deer. Not fair. Joe shot an elk and a buck. Alissa only hunted twice. Shot nothing. Freezer is full. I failed at a picture a day. Contemplating trying it again. Hmm...

Week 28

2010-08-13T08:44:00.002-06:00

Week 27

2010-08-13T08:10:00.002-06:00

Week 26

2010-08-12T20:21:00.002-06:00

Week 25

2010-08-12T19:52:00.003-06:00

Week 24

2010-08-12T18:43:00.003-06:00

Week 23

2010-08-12T18:24:00.003-06:00

Week 22

2010-08-11T22:03:00.002-06:00

Week 21

2010-08-07T22:36:00.002-06:00

Jack's "Golden" Birthday!

2010-07-29T17:50:00.007-06:00

Jackie's "golden" birthday started out with breakfast in bed....compliments of Gracie. She went out in the morning and picked flowers and then had her Dad help her with a breakfast sandwich.

Since it was her "golden" birthday, she got 17 presents today! Here they are with the fabulous cupcakes that Aunt Sheree made.

So cute, and super yummy! The flip flop suckers were perfect!

And, one of Jackie's favorite gifts....her new Slanket! But, we like to call it her Skankee!

Happy Birthday Jackie!

Week 20

2010-06-24T10:31:00.003-06:00

Week 19

2010-06-24T09:55:00.002-06:00

Week 18

2010-06-24T00:43:00.002-06:00

Week 17

2010-06-24T00:13:00.002-06:00

Week 16

2010-06-22T23:13:00.002-06:00

Week 15

2010-06-22T23:09:00.002-06:00

New baby kittens...

2010-06-21T22:31:00.004-06:00

Millie's five kittens were born on Wednesday...so cute!

Hummingbirds at Grandma's House...

2010-06-19T15:35:00.004-06:00

I messed up the order...but Mom found this little hummingbird nest one day. It is less than 2 inches in diameter. We kept track of it for a couple of weeks, and this is what we saw...

Oops...Sunday update!

2010-05-05T20:58:00.002-06:00

Well, I realized that this post didn't publish. But, decided to go along with it!

Jackie made it home safe and sound!!! She arrived home 2 hours late, at about 7:30 pm. She was happy to get here after a long day of traveling, but still was saying that she is really sad its over!

Saturday...

2010-05-01T19:20:00.007-06:00

Well, this seems like a great way to wrap up a trip to NYC!!! This text picture isn't that pretty, but I'll bet Jackie's view was unbelievable! This is the view from the top of Rockefeller Center.

Alissa, Rachel, Jackie and Nastassja @ the Statue of Liberty...

The Statue of Liberty!!

Ground Zero...where there is a Memorial Wall and Fountain being built.

Jack: We took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty this morning. It was cool, but not as big as I thought it would be. We didn't get to go up inside it, but her nose is like 4 1/2 feet long! Then we took the ferry to Ellis Island. Ellis Island is where all the immigrants went to and had to pass inspections to get into our country. It was fun to walk around and check it out. Then we took the ferry back and went to Battery Park. At Battery park there is a big globe/sphere thing that was in the World Trade Center and they dug it out of the rubble and moved it to this park for a memorial...Then we walked around. We went to Ground Zero and saw the Firefighter Memorial.
It was really sad to be there. Then we went to dinner...Then we went to Rockefeller Center. We went to the top to see the skyline of New York City. Tonight when we returned to the hotel, ,we had to say our goodbyes to our new friends that we made. I will really miss some of them but will definetly stay in touch! We have to leave the hotel at 6:15 am., but I am really freaking excited to see my Mom (and I really want to stay in New York is actually what she said)...

Well, I am thrilled to say that JACK IS COMING HOME!!! I know she doesn't feel ready. What an experience for a 16 year old girl. She has had the time of her life. She has seen things that I may never even see. She knows that she is lucky and has taken advantage of every second that she could...but, I get her back tomorrow! Here is her day and flights for ya:

6:30 am Depart from Hotel

7:00 am Check in at LaGuardia Airport

9:00 am United flight 0661 from LaGuardia to Chicago

10:39 am arrive in Chicago

11:55 am United Flight 5861 to Spokane

1:51 pm Arrive in Spokane

5:30 pm Arrive in Troy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday wrap up...

2010-05-01T08:12:00.004-06:00

Well, this is Jack's text for the day? No Jackie...but that is ok...

Up for Saturday: Ellis Island

I didn't get to talk to Jackie until 12:30 am her time. That is when they got to the hotel from Mamma Mia. She also wasn't very chatty, because it was 12:30 am her time. So, what I got out of her is this....she saw Harlem. Not very impressed. Very dirty. There was an old man running around trying to give all the CloseUp kids condoms (she didn't take one). Then, he kept asking the leaders a bunch of wierd questions, so they weren't in Harlem for long. Then they walked thru Central Park and hung out at the fountain for a bit. Then they went to the Planetarium, where she enjoyed the movie in the "dome" theater. Then dinner and Mamma Mia. She loved Mamma Mia, but started feeling sick towards the end. We decided that it is exhaustion (sp?). So then this am they ur up and running and 7:15 am. I will post tonight and tell you about her day.

Mom's note: Jackie doesn't want to come home. Hmm.

Clarification?

2010-04-30T11:44:00.001-06:00

It was brought to my attention that my posts are a little confusing. So, to clarify...I am posting two pictures every day. One picture is a text picture from Jackie of something that she has seen or done that day. The other picture is one that I downloaded from the internet on something she will be seeing the next day. Sorry, it was kinda confuzzling.

Thursday wrap up...and look out New York City!

2010-04-29T17:08:00.010-06:00

Jackie at Arlington National Cemetary...

Duh...the Statue of Liberty...

A quick note from Jack: We did A LOT of walking today...It was free day, so we were with all of the Troy people. We didn't make it to the Smithsonian because we ran out of time. But, we saw Arlington Cemetary. I thought this was really cool, and we got to watch the "wreath ceremony" with the changing of the guards (I am sure this is supposed to be capitalized, but I don't know what to capatalize). Then we went to the Basilica. It was pretty sweet...the mozaics are incredible. Then we went to lunch, shopping and then the Holocaust Museum. The Holocaust Museum was good, but really sad. There were sad pictures and real shoes from people and their belongings. They had the actual gas masks that they used from the gas chambers. Tonight we had our final workshop, our banquet dinner and our "formal" dance. The dance was so much fun. Tomorrow we head to New York City with our Close-Up group. We are leaving really early and it is a 4-5 hours to get there...

Up for tomorrow....

Jackie is super excited to be going to New York City tomorrow. She is excited to see Mama Mia and shopping in Times Square! Here is the agenda for Friday AND Saturday. In those two days they will accomplish:

Lunch at South Street Seaport

Walking tour of Ground Zero and Wall Street

United Nations Tour

Shopping in Times Square

Dinner and a Broadway Play

Ellis Island and Liberty Island

Neighborhood Visits - SoHo

Central Park

Dinner in Little Italy

"Top of the Rock" - Rockefeller Center for Skyline View

Wow....BUSY!!!

Wednesday wrap up...

2010-04-28T17:26:00.007-06:00

Arlington National Cemetary

Jackie with Derek Winslow at US Botanic Gardens (see what I mean about CUTE dress?)

A word from Jackie: Well we had to leave the hotel at 7:45am. We took a Metro (subway) to the Library of Congress. Then we had a tour of the Capital Bldg. And then we ate lunch (at the Library of Congress cafeteria). Then we missed Congressman Rehberg. We went to visit with Senator Tester (for like 2 minutes) and then Senator Baucas (for about 1/2 hour). He was really nice and funny. He made fun of us living near the "yaak" and was telling the group hippie stories from his campaigning days. Then we went to the Japanese-American War Memorial. It was a fountain that had rocks that were in the form of the 4 islands in Hawaii...It was cool. Then we went to the Botanic Garden. It was really pretty. Then we went to the play Shear Madness, which was awesome. It was a murder mystery that we got to help solve. I was right on who I picked. I didn't think that I was going to do good here because I am shy to meet new people, but I have done really well with meeting new people. I have had the best time ever. Tomorrow I am looking forward to shopping and the Holocaust Museum and the Arlington Cemetary. Actually, I think that tomorrow is going to be great...I miss you guys and Cody, but I don't feel homesick. I don't feel tired either!!!

Up for tomorrow:

Close Up Free Day - before 9/11, this was the day that they let the kids do WHATEVER they want, WHEREVER they want, with WHOEVER...on their own, no supervision. I'm not thankful for 9/11, but I'm thankful for the changes it brought to the Close-Up program. So, with Ms. Randall they will:

7:00 Breakfast at hotel

7:30 Leave the hotel for a BIG day!

8:00 Arlington national Cemetary

10:00 US Holocaust Museum

12:00 Old Post Office: Observation Deck, shopping and early lunch

1:30 Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

3:30 Smithsonian of Natural History, Sculpture Garden and/or Archives

5:30 Return to hotel

Actually, I don't think that sounds like a long day at all...The last 3 days they have been going until almost 11:00 every night. I can't wait to see Jackie's pictures when she gets back though...she should have a lot to talk about too. BECAUSE SHE IS NOT TALKING TO HER MOM ABOUT ANYTHING.

Tuesday wrap up...

2010-04-27T19:45:00.004-06:00

The United States Botanic Gardens

Jackie's text of the day...once again, she is NOT in it! But, she was really excited to see the White House, and no, she did not see the Obamas...

"Jackie" report for the day: We went to the Airforce Memorial and then we went to the White House. We had to stay on the fence...but I got some good pictures of it. We went to the Capital and the House of Rep. bldg. We came back to the hotel and did another workshop/debate. Then we had a meeting with Ms. Randall (the Close-Up advisor from Troy). It was a slower day today, but tomorrow will be crazy. We have to leave the hotel at 7:45, and won't get home until late. They haven't been able to shop much either. Their roommates are kinda wierd, and they don't like her and Nastassja to talk much. Her and Nastassja were playing a game last night and they just shut the lights out! I have to go because Nastassja is waiting for at the elevators...

Up for Wednesday....Capital Hill Day!!!

(we are excited for this day because Jack has a really cute dress to wear!!)

Today can not be on a schedule because they have to base their entire day around meeting the Senators and a Representative from Montana. But, these are the other things that they will be seeing during the day:

Library of Congress Tour
United States Supreme Court walk through
Capital Tour
Lunch at Union Station
Japanese-American War Memorial
United States Botanic Garden

7:00 pm Theatre Night at Kennedy Center: Shear Madness

So, tonight I am the pouty Mom. I miss Jackie a lot, but more than that, I do not get much of a chance to talk to her. She sends me a "hey mom" text every once in awhile, but that is not doing it for me. By the time she calls me at night, she is ready for bed (understandably, because of all her busy days), but I just miss talking to her...

Gracie is trying her hardest to give me extra hugs though!! And that helps lots.

Monday wrap-up...

2010-04-26T20:31:00.002-06:00

Well, I was hoping that Jackie's text pics of the day would all include a picture of her, but thats ok. She was really excited to see the Lincoln Memorial. She said it was awesome in her text that she sent. It is right now, 10:40 pm in Washington DC, and I am still waiting to talk to her. She is in the middle of a "Domestic Issue Debate". My girl is going to need a week off just to get some rest on her vacation!!!

Finally...9:08 pm and she called. She said...."Oh my gosh, we did so much today. We saw the Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, WWII-Korean-and Vietanam Memorials, Lincoln Memorial. Then we came back to the hotel for dinner and then had to have a Domestic Issue workshop and debate. It was really interesting and our leader was really awesome. It was a fun workshop. After the debate, me and Nastassja went on elevator rides and ditched people on the 16th floor....Tomorrow we are going to visit some Neighborhood and another memorial and an Inside Washington Seminar. We also found out today that we get to see Mama Mia (sp) when we go to New York. Also, I love my Mom."

Goodnight, and I will be back with another update tomorrow...

Sunday wrap up...

2010-04-25T09:55:00.007-06:00

Today: Jackie and Nastassja with their crab hats...

Tomorrow: Lincoln Memorial

I talked to Jack tonight and she was pretty tired...not a lot of sleep in the last few days. But, she had a great day. They went to the National Aquarium, USS Constellation, Fort McHenry and the WWII Memorial (at night). She will go to it again tomorrow in the daylight. The dolphin show was her favorite part of the day. They did arrive in Washington DC late, and so they didn't get dinner? I am wondering why they didn't try and take them somewhere, considering we did pay $2800 to get her there. But, a couple of them were trying to get some pizza ordered when I talked to her. Once in Washington DC, they were put in their "groups" and she really likes her leaders. Her roommates weren't really talking to them yet, she said they were really wierd...hmm. I think that Jack needs food and sleep!

The itinerary that we received has Monday and Tuesday activities posted together, so this is what she will do with the Close-up program over the next 2 days:

Jefferson, Lincoln and FDR Memorials

Smithsonian visits

The Vietnam, Korean War and WWII Memorials

Neighborhood Study Visits

Walking Workshops

Domestic Issue Debate

Onsites or Embassy visits

Mock Congress Activity

I was able to catch up on my sleep a little bit, too. I could have slept a bit longer but Jack gave me a 7:00 am wake-up call to see what size t-shirt Gracie wears. TWO HOUR TIME DIFFERENCE JACKIE...I told her about that before she left. I guess that she needs a reminder!

Saturday wrap up...

2010-04-24T19:36:00.007-06:00

Jackie, Nastassja and Rachel at Hard Rock Cafe.

USS Constellation at Inner Harbor......

"So, I pulled an all nighter until 2:45 am. Then I went to the bus and left at 3:00am. We made it to Spokane and got on our flight. We layed over in Minneapolis. Then we got on our other flight to Baltimore. I got yelled at by the security lady for having lotion in my bag, but I didn't have it in my bag. But, other than that...no problems at the airport. When we arrived in Baltimore we shuttled to our hotel. We checked in and went and ate dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. We then walked down to a water fountain and then we walked back to the hotel. In between Hard Rock Cafe and the fountain is where I almost hooked up with a cute guy in a black sweatshirt with red lettering. Can I have a boyfriend in every town? Now, I am going for elevator rides, and then to bed. I will check in with you tomorrow."

~Jackie

Up for tomorrow:

7:45 am Breakfast and Check-out

8:45 am Head out for the day!

9:00 am National Aquarium in Baltimore

11:30 am Dolphin Show at aquarium

12:00 pm Lunch in the Inner Harbor

1:00 pm Self-guided audio tour of the USS Constellation

2:00 pm Taxi to Ft. McHenry

3:00 pm Arrive at Ft. McHenry, film at 3:20 & tour at 3:40

4:00 pm Taxi back to Inner Harbor

5:00 pm Back to the hotel for shuttle to DC

5:30 pm Shuttle to Washington DC

6:30 pm Check in and go On Program with Close Up

I felt a lot better after Jackie landed in Baltimore today...I stressed about that alot. But, Jackie is having fun and is excited for everything that she is going to see and do in the next week! Tonight Gracie is staying at Grandma Earlene's and Alissa is staying at Aunt Sheree's, so I know I will get caught up on my sleep!

She's off! Washington DC, here she comes...

2010-04-23T21:58:00.004-06:00

We we are counting down...the hours. We have worked so hard for almost a year for this dang trip. Jackie is super excited, and very nervous about leaving her family for that long. It will be a great experience and I have to say, I am very jealous that I am not going, too. I thought that a few of you would enjoy tracking her and hearing about her trip, so I will post a daily (well I will do my best) itinerary and a brief "wrap up" of the day. So for today...here is Jack's tomorrow!

2:45 am - arrive at THS parking lot with 1 suitcase and 1 carry on (YIKES)

3:00 am - Depart for Spokane International Airport

7:20 am - WA time, Delta #2200 to Minneapolis-St. Paul Intl.

12:10 pm - arrive at Minneapolis-St. Paul Int.

1:10 pm - Delta #2490 to Baltimore-Washington Intl.

4:37 pm - Arrive in Baltimore, MD. Catch Shuttle to hotel.

Dinner, swim and bed because Sunday is going to be a BIG day!!

Side note - for those of you (MOM) that anticipate my weekly page, I will be completing and catching up with those this weekend...sorry for the delay.

Week 14

2010-04-12T19:38:00.002-06:00

Some weeks these picture-a-day things are hard. My life is just not that exciting!!

Ugh...Week 13!

2010-04-06T21:44:00.003-06:00

Finally, Week 12!

2010-03-30T22:41:00.004-06:00

I don't know how I ended up with a another week without Alissa...I hate that. This picture-a-day thing is stressful at times. I promise Alissa is already on the books for next week.

Week 11

2010-03-22T21:27:00.001-06:00

Prom 2010

2010-03-20T22:12:00.003-06:00

Well, we survived. We got the dress, the nails, the hair....holy smokes what an ordeal. But, Jackie looked so darn cute it was worth every penny. Cody was a little uncomfortable in his tux, but he did say that he was going to sleep in it (to get his money's worth!!). We'll see! They started out their night at a dinner that me and 4 other ladies (plus one husband, not mine) put together. We rented a very nice someday-to-be restaurant, and cooked dinner for 30 people. They had their choice of Filet Mignon, Shrimp Alfredo or Chicken Teriyaki...We started at 3:00 and finished at 8:00, just in time to go to the Grand March at the dance.

We also had the best server EVER! Alissa was the only "waitress" for the night, and she did super. She showed all the kids to their seats, took their drink orders, and their salad dressing of choice, then took them their meals, kept their drinks filled, and cleaned off their tables. She never once showed how nervous she was. I was so proud of her!

And, once again, Grandma Earlene pulled thru for Gracie May! Gracie went to Grandma's for a sleepover and precious "Grandma/Gracie" time!

Week 10

2010-03-14T10:20:00.001-06:00

Week 9

2010-03-07T19:45:00.002-07:00

Not at all happy with this weeks layout....it very well may change...but this is it for now.

Week 8

2010-02-27T21:24:00.003-07:00

Defeated...and heartbroken.

2010-02-27T16:41:00.002-07:00

This is what I found while looking at our local newspaper online the other night. My poor Jack worked so hard this basketball season. Their team had many letdowns this year...they lost 2 starters throughout the season and ended the season 0-20. That is hard. But, I am so proud of Jack, the only time she really let things get to her was in the final minutes of their final game. Her emotions totally took over and this is what the photographer captured....

Week 7

2010-02-22T21:31:00.002-07:00

Week 6

2010-02-12T23:16:00.002-07:00

Week 5

2010-02-06T21:47:00.002-07:00

Week 4....

2010-01-28T22:53:00.000-07:00

Week 3

2010-01-23T13:46:00.005-07:00

Happy Birthday CJ! It's official...he's a teenager...now he has an excuse for being terribly annoying!

Week 2 in the Life of the Pepiot's...

2010-01-16T11:47:00.002-07:00

Project 365, Week 1

2010-01-09T11:07:00.004-07:00

It is this studdly guys birthday today. This is what cool, city guys look like packin' heat in Montana - chasing away all the grizzley bears! Happy Birthday JVK!

Project 365 is a project where you take a picture-a-day, for a year. I am trying it out this year, but involving the whole fam. We are all taking pictures and decided what the pic of the day should be. That way, if I fail at this, its not just my fault! Anyway, my goal is to post the weekly page for you all to see. If I stop posting them, you will know that I stopped doing it, that I failed, that I let my girls down, that I let myself down....you get the picture!

Homemade What?

2009-12-29T17:48:00.003-07:00

Well if you know me at all, you know that I am not known for my domestic abilities. I can made a mean pan of Hamburger Helper and I am not too bad at whipping up a batch of Otis Spunkmeyer pre-formed cookies. But, I surprised my whole family today (including my mother!). Homemade chicken noodle soup. Cooked my own whole chicken, deboned it and everything. Made my own homemade noodles, rolled 'em, cut 'em, dried 'em. Then mixed it and cooked it all together. Voila'! Call me Martha Freakin' Stewart!! Oh, and it even tasted good!!

Winter Freakin' Wonderland!

2009-12-13T18:41:00.004-07:00

We went out today to take some pics of the girlies. Thought that I would share a few with you. It decided to start snowing yesterday and didn't stop until today. YUCK. I hate snow and there is just to much of it. We are still working on getting our house into the Christmas Spirit. Seems like we never have enough time. You have to start with a clean house, and by golly, I just don't have one! SO, who the heck knows when the tree will get up. I guess when everyone decides to help me clean house!!

Mighty Hunters

2009-11-30T21:17:00.004-07:00

Here is a pic of Joe and Alissa's hunting success. Alissa got hers on Thanksgiving Day and Joe got his on the following Saturday morning.

Oops!

2009-08-20T21:08:00.003-06:00

It was just brought to my attention that I forgot to download a page that I had done on Gracie May, my favorite daughter.....

What I've been up to...

2009-08-19T10:49:00.009-06:00

Natalie and I spent a little bit of time (hehe) learning how to digiscrap while she was here. Here are a few of the pages that I completed (with a lot of help from Jessica Sprague)....

ONLY POSITIVE COMMENTS ARE EXCEPTED!!

Our Biggest Blog Fan

2009-08-16T09:46:00.003-06:00

This post is for Grandma Earlene....who is definetly our biggest blog fan. If Natalie or I haven't updated our blogs in awhile...she makes a phone call to let me know! I am so excited to know that at least one person looks at our blogs!!

A little drive...

2009-07-08T23:44:00.007-06:00

Joe and I decided to take a little drive tonight hoping to see a bear...and didn't. But, I did take a couple of pictures that I thought turned out ok, so I figured that I might as well share! No matter how much I hate living in Troy, I still can appreciate what is here.

Fundraiser Clarification

2009-06-26T23:52:00.003-06:00

OOPS! We forgot to mention what the raffle was for...silly us...I am blaming that on Jackie because she proofread it. Anywho...1st place is $500, 2nd place is $250, 3rd place $150. So, actually, this may be considered gambling...so some of you may not be comfortable with this life choice.

CTR - Shan and Jack

Close Up Fundraiser...number uno...

2009-06-25T18:54:00.000-06:00

OK, so I kinda warmed you all up on the whole Close-Up thing...Here are some of the places that Jack will visit...the National Aquarium, Fort McHenry, USS Constellation, the Basilica, the Newseum...along with the normal sights to see in the Washington DC/New York area. They will have small group workshops, large group workshops, monument study visits, seminars with diplomats, judiciary and media....7 busy, busy days. The program costs $3000 per student, and they will raise that entirely by doing fundraisers throughout the year.

So, that brings us to this...Jackie's first fundraiser. A cash raffle...3 chances to win, tickets are $5 for one or $20 for 5. The drawing will be on July 19th. There are few fundraisers that we can solicit to our "out of town" friends and family, so when we can, we will!! So if you would like to support Jack e-mail us at peppy07@frontiernet.net or send us a check written out to UCTHS. Thank you so much!

PS: I am terribly sorry about my HORRIBLE picture of myself. I didnt look too hot that day so i send out my sincere appologies! Love Jackie Oh and also, Thanks for the support! :)

Oregon Coast

2009-06-24T09:46:00.006-06:00

We survived another trip to the Oregon Coast. We had so much fun just hangin' out at the beach, eating great food (maybe enjoyed that too much!), whale watching and visiting. Last time when we came home from the beach, we all felt like we didn't get enough beach time amongst all the touristy stuff, so this time, we did NONE! We really spent all the time we could on the beach. The weather was great one day, and very cooperative the others. Our beach house that we rented was beautiful, and had everything that we needed. The kids all got along great, playing games and giggling most of the time. The trip was very relaxing...never felt rushed to do anything or be anywhere. It was also great to have Bob and Sue with us...Bob is always great entertainment, and Susie is so fun to visit with.

Of course, we are already planning our next trip...we can never get enough of the Oregon Coast!

My First Digital Layout

2009-06-15T16:19:00.008-06:00

Well, I have got to say that I didn't think that I did too bad for this being my first attempt. I did a very short tutorial on Jessica Sprague's website, and that gave me enough info to get me started. I am looking forward to a few more tutorials to learn some more simple techniques. Anyway, I was proud of me, and wanted to share.

I guess that I will also give a quick family update for everyone. We were all very happy to have June 4th come and get started on our summer vacation. However, things are still pretty busy for us.

Jackie has joined a group through school called "CloseUp". Some of you may have heard of it, if not...it is a national organization that takes Juniors to tour the Washington DC/New York areas. They will be touring all of the "famous" landmarks. This is not only sightseeing, it is also a learning experience (blah, blah, blah). I will be writing about this more in a blog all by itself...

So, along with that, Jackie is helping to coach the Jr High and Elementary summer tennis program for three weeks. Also, she is continuing tennis practice with her tennis coach every Tuesday and Thursday.

Alissa is once again taking summer school. It was OUR choice for her to take it this summer, and we thought that it would perhaps be a form of punishment for her low grades this school year. But, no...she loves it and actually wants to skip out on a trip to the beach so that she doesn't miss summer school...go figure! Along with 3 weeks of summer school, she is taking 3 weeks of tennis...

Gracie is enjoying summer the most, I would say. She is not a morning person, so she is loving the late nights and sleeping in every morning. She has already had a few sleepovers with her Grandma's, and already counting the days until the next. She is also taking the 3 weeks of tennis and really enjoying it. Jackie has been really great about taking Gracie down to the park to ride her new bike, too!

Joe has been getting his fly-fishing gear in order and is ready to hit the water with it! I am really excited for him to get out and do some fishing and not feel like he has to be home all the time! He also is thinking about doing some big hikes into the cabinet mountains...he will be doing these alone, because that is serious GRIZZLY COUNTRY!

Me, I have been a little obsessed with my new laptop that I received for a Mothers Day/Birthday gift. I also have been enjoying some reading, card making and late night phone calls with my BFF!!

Also, my girls and I are heading to the beach/coast in Oregon for some R&R! Can't wait...the weather is not supposed to be very warm, but no rain, so I'll take it!! There is just something about the beach that is so calming and relaxing...the girls are happy, the mom is happy and there is a local Starbucks!!! We will not be alone...we are going along with Sheree, CJ and Carsyn, my Mom and Steve, and some great family friends Bob & Sue, with their Grandaughter, Maizy. Maizy and Gracie were in the same class this year, so Gracie is very excited about her being there! So, I'll be posting a pic or two for ya later on that!!

Love and Hugs to everyone!!

For my Mom...

2009-05-28T17:43:00.004-06:00

We met in CdA for a dinner in the park, and wrapped things up with a photoshoot. Our goal was to get a new grandchild picture for my mom, cuz it had been awhile since we had one of those. I believe that CJ was about 2 when the last one was taken. So, anyway...this is what we came up with. It had been a long day for the kids, especially the babies, so everyone really did pretty well.

Jackie, Angelina, Malia, Zack, Carsyn, Jerry, Alissa, Treven, Gracie, CJ, Tiffany and Olivia

Too bad that I don't know how to photoshop, then it wouldn't be half bad!

Mom & Bert - BFF's

2009-05-05T07:41:00.004-06:00

My Mom's dear friend passed away last night. Bert fought lung cancer for over a year, only to lose her life to brain cancer. Please keep my Mom in your thoughts...this has been a very hard loss for her. This picture is from my Mom's 60th birthday party last August. They have been through a lot together as friends...loss of parents, loss of children, weddings, antique and upholstery businesses, drinking red beers and wine, family vacations, divorces, and most special to both...the birth of their grandbabies! Remember to always tell your loved ones how much you care for them...especially your BFF's!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T18:15:00.003-06:00

I can't even believe that it is April 12. The months are flying by. I know that many of you are thinking the same, but I am SO ready for warm weather!!

Things are well...Jackie has had two tennis matches and won both....yeah!!! Alissa has been reading...and enjoying it (I never thought that this day would come)!!! Gracie has apparently been a very good math student because her report card showed an "A" for advanced!!

Other than school and work, we have not been up to much...

We hope that you all had a great Easter weekend!!

Miss Olivia

2009-03-22T16:39:00.005-06:00

My niece, Tiffiany, brought her cute baby over to Troy this weekend for a photoshoot. I thought that I would share since the picture turned out so darn cute. Olivia is 8 months old and just starting to stand while holding on to things. SOOO CUTE!

Our Adventure with Flat Stanley

2009-03-12T08:48:00.006-06:00

We were lucky enough to receive a Flat Stanley in the mail from one of our very best friends from Utah, Carson Knight. I happen to love Flat Stanley adventures, so I was very happy to help out Carson's class and take him on a "field trip" in Troy, MT. One of our favorite places to go in Troy is to the "swinging bridge" and "Kootenai Falls". We found a postcard with both of the sights on it, so that is where we took Flat Stanley!

Normally, when we visit the falls, it is not 10 degrees outside, but we decided that for Carson, we could do anything!! So, here are my favorite Montana girls with Flat Stanley, showing him the sights. The swinging bridge is a walking bridge that crosses the Kootenai River...and it moves a lot, and is very scary to most (including Gracie and myself!).

Sorry, my pics aren't the best, but I am not really a great photographer. I am working on it though. I will update again soon with news on the girls and how they are coping with day-to-day life!!

Shaylee and David Update

2009-01-22T14:17:00.004-07:00

Shaylee and David went back to their Mom yesterday. Joe and I tried like heck for the last three months to get them in our home...but the state does things way differently than what you would hope.

Shaylee has made great strides in her life since she has been taken from her Mom. She has gained a sense of stability, and a sense of normalcy, with great Thanks to her foster family - The Footes. David, has started Head Start and although he is young and VERY resilient, he, too, has done super the last few months.

Although LeeAnn has not found a home or a job, all we can do is hope that she can maintain a lifestyle of no drugs or alcohol. She has the sweetest, smartest, silliest kids...and it is NOT too late for her to be a good Mom. Hopefully, her kids will be enough to keep her healthy.

However, if things do not work out, we will once again, fight like heck to get them in our home!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T19:51:00.002-07:00

I can't believe that Christmas Break is almost over...it went by so fast. Everyone got just what they wanted from Santa. Gracie recieved a Fancy Nancy doll and was so surprised to see that Santa also left her the Posh Puppy, Frenchy, that goes with her. Alissa scored Guitar Hero for her Nintendo DS and Disney Sing It. Now, she can sing at the top of her lungs and get scored for it! Jackie got a new digital camera, so she can take pictures of herself all day long!

We were lucky enough to travel to Utah (minus Joseph) and see all our friends that we miss so much! A special thanks to the Knights for letting us crash at their house...we had the best time and can't wait to go again (hopefully in the spring). We got to shop, eat at our favorite restaurant and hold that cute baby boy for 3 whole days! It really doesn't get any better than that!

Now, back to reality....basketball, school, dentist appts., paying bills, homework, house cleaning...and snow shoveling (if you didn't notice in the picture)!

Gracie's Visit with Santa

2008-12-24T17:02:00.005-07:00

Well, we missed seeing Santa in Troy, so we had to head to Coeur d'Alene to see him. The day was long (6 hours of driving), but successful. Gracie was so excited to see him, but was very shy. She wanted to keep moving to the end of the line...so cute! But, she sat on his lap and made one last plea for a Fancy Nancy doll and that was it. Six hours of driving for 3 minutes with Santa...

My new errand girl...

2008-12-10T11:14:00.004-07:00

The roads of Troy, MT will never be the same!!!

Basketball & Toothfairy updates

2008-12-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

Well, as you can see, Jackie and Gracie are both really proud of themselves this week. Jackie made the Varsity basketball team and Gracie filled up her piggy bank with the $3 that the toothfairy left. Just to clarify, no trading of racoon pelts or swingin' bridge sandwiches took place!

The Toothfairy's Coming to Town!

2008-12-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

Gracie lost her very first tooth tonight. It was just hangin' there, and we convinced her to let us pull it out with tooth floss. She was so brave and didn't cry at all. She is so excited to go to school on Monday to write her name on the "tooth" in her classroom! She wants to thank all her fans for supporting her for her 6 years of having that tooth, and is looking forward to having 40 bucks, because that is how much money Alissa told her the tooth fairy will bring! Oh, life can be so disappointing sometimes.....

Thanksgiving Blessings

2008-11-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

How lucky we are (in Southern Canada) to have our Thanksgiving dinner waiting right outside our door for us Thanksgiving morning. No waiting for it to go on sale at the local IGA, no waiting for the bird to thaw, no worrying about salmonella because someone didn't raise 'er right...NOPE, not us, not the Pepiot's...we are so blessed to have the ability to step right off the porch and gather dinner for the entire family! Guess who's invited to Thanksgiving dinner in the Back Woods next year?

Booked! and Bears..

2008-11-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

Well, Joe and I got our fingerprints done...holy cow that was wierd. We had to go to the Sheriff's office. We got there, and they took us DOWN TO THE JAIL. We were right there with all the cells and the holding rooms and the booking rooms. The "jailer" was the man that did them, and he was packin' lots of heat and talking all rough and tough. I am so glad that Joe and I went to get them done together, because I would have been crying if it was just me! The jailer did tell me to never do anything naughty in my lifetime, because my fingerprints are "definite" and I would be easily caught...(mental note taken!)

I turned all our fingerprints and paperwork in today and was told that it could possibly be a month before we hear anything. He said that he would keep us posted on the process....

I also wanted to show you the pics of "our" bear cubs that we had for the month of October! I know that the pictures are bad, but I had my zoom lens on my camera, and had about 10 seconds to take the pic out of a bedroom window. The bears were really cute until the night that we discovered THE MOMMA! She wasn't so cute! But, they ate all the apples and disappeared.

I finally figured it out (kinda)!!

2008-11-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is - Post number Uno!! Nat - you should be so proud of me!! I now have to figure out how to change my background and stuff....cuz I don't like it...
Anyway, I will start off with a bang and inform everyone that it looks like we will soon be a family of 7. Now, everyone BREATH...we are not pregnant with twins...we will be a foster home for Joe's sisters' two kids. Shaylee is 6, same as Gracie, and David is 3. Holy Hannah, huh! We have to go to the Sheriff's Office on Monday and get background checks and fingerprints (super scary) and 1-3 weeks after that, we will have a housefull! Christmas morning will be a little different this year, mostly for my girls. We will try our best to make it special for everyone...but there will surely be less presents. Of course, Santa will make up for some of that!! The timeline is on a day-by-day basis, but it looks like we could have them for 3-6 months.
Here's a quick update on my girls:
Jackie just wrapped up volleyball. She was the only one chosen (out of the C-team and JV team) to be part of the Varsity traveling team for tournaments. She even had some playing time!! SO EXCITING! She also finished up the first quarter with a 3.7 gpa, so we are very proud of her for that. She now has a week off before basketball practice and tryouts start. Whew....one week off...I know that you can all relate to how great that feeling is...no running to and from practices or games! She really has her heart set on Varsity this year and has worked really hard to get in shape and also did some campaigning to her bball coach! I'll let you know...
Alissa is clunkin' along! She has been hunting with her Dad, and that has been really fun for her. She also finally convinced me to let her start the Twilight series, so she has been reading (yeah!!). I am not sure what her gpa was, but for Alissa she did really well...we are working on math (always working on math), but she earned a 98% in Reading! SO GREAT!! She is still missing her Timber (we thought that a puppy would help, but no) and fighting with her sisters (mostly Gracie). She mostly enjoys tormenting Jackie by bugging her and her friends at school!
Gracie is just enjoying life. She is the top math student (she already knows what 2 x 1 is, and is so proud of that) in her class and is reading on a 2.5 grade level. She loves her teacher and loves her friends and loves her family! Her favorite things to do are hanging out with Grandma Earlene and reading...and a really great day is when she gets to READ TO GRANDMA EARLENE!
Well, I will let you know any updates as they come! For my friends in Utah...I miss you all lots and hopefully I can work in a trip amongst all our christmas chaos!