Happy Birthday, Cindy!

Today is Cindy's birthday. Happy Birthday, daughter!

Here's my favorite birthday picture, Cindy at age one, defending her cake from one of her older brothers.

Here she is at age 4 celebrating with her very best friend, Summer Schoenrock.

Now she's all grown up, with a baby of her own. And here he is, Elmer Kai.

For more pictures and stories about Cindy, go here.

Happy Birthday, Bradley

Two young pups

"Anything you guys can do, I can do, too!"


Brad took it upon himself to guard the snacks at his older brothers soccer games. Here he is keeping a close watch on a cookie.

Brad's first birthday present.

I came home from work and took my hat off, and Brad grabbed it and put it on and struck this pose. I grabbed my camera and snapped this shot, one of my favorite.

Brad the Crush guzzler
First birthday cake

Brad on the slide at the city park.
Bradley recharging at Lagoon Day.

Pinewood Space Derby winners!

Brad's Birthday Bike

Bulldog 64


Fall 2000

Petersen Family All Grown Up

Brad is married to Jodi and they have two boys of their own, with another baby on the way.

When Bradley was a youngster it was pretty hard to miss him because he was not quiet and shy. He had so much enthusiasm that it seemed like whenever he went somewhere, it was on the dead run, and every time he said anything, it was at the top of his lungs. If Brad was unhappy, he was usually pretty quiet, but if he was happy, you knew it because he was loud.

Since he's grown up, Brad's personality hasn't changed very much. He's enthusiastic, gregarious and loves life. He's a grill chef at Carabba's Restuarant in Orem, and the people there love him because he works hard and loves his job. If you want a good meal, go there some week night and sit at the pasta bar and watch him work. It's a double treat.

Happy Birthday, Brad, and many more.

Happy Birthday Cindy!!!

Here she is on her first birthday defending her birthday cake from her brothers.

Here she is getting all pretty for Church.

Here she is playing in the dishwasher. No, she wasn't supposed to do that. She's also got a bottle of her mother's nail polish. No, she wasn't supposed to be playing with it. No matter what kind of mischief she got into, she always figured she could charm her way out of trouble. We hope she grows out of it.

Little charmer.

Tiny Dancer.

Pre-school picture.

Easter girls.

Here we are at birthday number four. Summer Schoenrock waits patiently for all the rigamarole to get over with so she can have a piece of cake.

Disneyland, summer '89

Mommy and Cindy at Disneyland.

Cindy and Daddy, 1990.

The Petersens, all grown up.

Cindy and some old guy.

I have to tell this story. I think it’s funny. Others might not.

When we got the news that we were expecting our fifth child, we were thrilled. I was even more thrilled to learn that the due date was Nov 10th, the Marine Corps birthday.

This was back in the "olden days", (23 years ago) before ultrasounds were commonly available for the masses, so we had no way of knowing if our child would be a boy or a girl. I told Kathy that if we had a little girl, and she was born on Nov 10th, we would name her Marina Cora, in honor of the Marine Corps birthday. She didn’t like it at all, and told me so. (I didn’t like it either, but I had fun teasing my wife.) I convinced her that I was serious, but it would only happen if we had a little girl, and she was born on Nov 10th. Then, just to spite me, Kathy gave birth to Cindy Kaye Petersen on Nov. 8th 1984.

So, happy birthday, Marina...er, Cindy. And many more.

Izac's Birthday Party

As mentioned in an earlier post, yesterday was Izac's birthday, and they had his party last night.



I asked him how old he was now, and he said seven. I asked if he could hold up that many fingers, and it took him a couple of tries, but he managed it. He should have asked me if I could have held up 60 fingers, but neither one of us thought of that.

Izac is always happy to receive birthday presents, as is Jake. But when Izac get presents and he doesn't, well, then he's not so thrilled.

Oh, yea, Pokemon, my favorite thing in the whole world!

And if it wasn't Pokemon related, Isac wasn't quite as interested, but Jorgen Dansie was...

...and so was Jake.

Oh, yeah! You can never have too much Pokemon stuff!

Lessee, what's this, Play-doh?

I think so. What else have we got here?

Let's see, a card from Grandpa that says "Read, read, happy, happy."

Huh?

Posing for obligatory photos with a cheesey smile.

Jake pulls his hat on and gets ready for action. What mischief can I get into now?

Posing for more mandatory photos...

...while Mom records it for posterity.

Let's get these Pokemon cards organized!

Izac and his Mom check out the mood ring he got for his birthday.

And back to my organizing.

While Jake and Jorgen check out the toy dragon.

Jake was fascinated by this "fiber-optic" toy.

Izac swung it for an interesting effect.

Ah, the cake!

And the lighting of the seven candle.

The singing of "Happy Birthday".

And the big blow!

Hattie arrived "fashionably late", with her entourage of doting parents. And of course she was her usual adorably charming self. Here she shows off her watch and bracelet, which her mother says she refuses to leave the house without.

She warmed right up to Nanna, who had an attractive plate of cake and icecream on her lap.

Notice that she's using the international sign for "That looks delicious. Can I have some?"

And of course, she could. And did.

Who could say no to such a charmer?

As the party wound down, Jake entertained himself by beating up on the party balloons.

Later, Brad served fajitas, and they were delicious. I didn't take any pictures of them because I was too busy snarfing them down. Thanks, Brad!