Hallelujah! Let Heaven and Angels Sing!

We are FINALLY finished with fall semester. Along with my last post, I absolutely HATE finals week. Brett has been so absolutely focused on school he has been quite a bear to be around. I’m just thankful he is not really that bad to be around when he’s cranky. There was a LOT riding on one of the finals that he was taking this year and so finals were extra stressful this year. However, I am so relieved and happy to report that he got the points that he needed and the dark black cloud that has been hovering over our house for the past couple weeks has finally lifted. Thanks for all of your prayers in our time of need. We just need your prayers that someone will like Brett and will accept him into their PT program. Keep your fingers crossed.
With the darkness lifting and the heaven and angels singing at our house we were finally able to celebrate our 3rd anniversary (a few days late). Our anniversary was on Wednesday, December 15th but because of school, and doing therapy, we were unable to celebrate on the actual anniversary. Brett surprised me after work on Friday by taking me night skiing at the Beav! We haven’t been skiing at the Beav in a few years, because we’ve usually headed down to Deer Valley to ski with Brett’s brother and sister-in-law, Brain and Sher. We have thoroughly enjoyed going down there but it was fun to go up to the Beav again. Brett had also arranged to have Dustin and his girlfriend, Kate, to go with us. It was a blast to be able to ski with them. I always love hearing the boy’s stories about ‘the good ‘ol days’. They are always a good for a laugh. Unfortunately, no pictures of the glorious event but maybe next time.
Saturday we were able to spend a good portion of the day doing absolutely nothing! It was a much much needed break. Then we headed to Logan Lanes for the Petersen Family Christmas Party. We usually have it at the church but this year, because of a few people not being able to attend, we headed to the bowling ally. Brett’s cousin-in-law owns the bowling ally and got things all set up for us to hang out there for a few hours. It sure was fun! I completely forgot about taking pictures at the wonderful event so you;ll just have to take my word about how much fun we had.
After a few hours at the bowling ally we headed to an ugly sweater Christmas party with my sister’s in-laws (hope you can catch the connection). We met at Village Inn for dinner and then headed to Alene and Chris’s house to play some games. It was a fun evening, full of LOTS of laughs. Here are a few pictures to document our awesome sweaters. I do have to give kudos to my mother-in-law for the awesome sweater I got to wear. She’s a 3rd grade school teacher and has been for years so she has quite the collection of sweet sweaters. I stole the bow in my hair off my parent’s Christmas tree. It matched quite well with the bows on my sweater. Oh what a night!
This is just the beginning of the joy and laughter that is and will be happening around our house this Christmas break. Coming up is our niece’s birthday party at Chuckie Cheese, Christmas, more skiing, more games nights and probably more ugly sweaters.  I sure do LOVE Christmas time and the excuse to eat and sleep and hang out with good friends and family.

Hatred

I know this is the time of year that you are supposed to be grateful for what you have and boy, are we ever! However, I just need to vent about how much I absolutely HATE applying to grad school. It consists of so much time, effort, and money that it is emotionally and physically exhausting! I am one who likes to be in control of things (thanks Mom) and not being able to control all of the if's, when's, how's, and such of graduate school is NOT my idea of fun.
It breaks my heart to see Brett working so hard to get into grad school and just because he doesn't have stellar grades he might not get in. There are so many variables that come with applying to a graduate program and we have done our very best to pick the schools that are a good fit for him and us but what if we picked all the wrong schools? What if we spend $1,000s just to apply to all of these blasted schools and then we don't get in? Then what? Where do we go from there? Do we do it all over again next year or do we look for opportunities elsewhere? There are so many things resting on whether or not we get in that i can't even begin to list them or I just might start to cry. We HAVE to get in this year - we NEED to get in this year.
If only....
I know many of you who read our blog have been through this same process and can attest that it is NOT fun. Today I'm just being a my worry-wart self and needed to vent then I thought "why not do it on the blog since you haven't updated in over a month...." So this is me, venting on the blog, and putting all of these lame questions down in writing so I can let go of them and STOP worrying about them. Can I just run away to the hills and trap for beaver pelts and never have to be worried about money or jobs or anything! Who's with me?

Not dead YET....

Seems like all I have time for these days is making one post about once a season.... That's unfortunate! Oh well... I guess that tells you just how busy I am, I don't even have time for the blog! Gasp!
This fall has been marvelous! It got really cold during a few weeks of September and I got really scared that winter was going to come far too early this year. However, today's high was near 68 and tomorrow it's supposed to be 70 degrees! HOT DOG!
This fall hasn't been too eventful - besides late nights, very little sleep, constant running, feeling very inadequate that people are coming me (Chelsea) to find answers on directions for their lives, studying, reading nearly 500 pages per week, writing lots of papers, grading papers, Brett's grad school applications: resumes, essays, GRE studying, reading and re-reading and editing and more editing on his essay (thanks to EVERYONE for their help!), and staying on top of our church callings. Let's just say I will be very glad when spring comes!
Brett is officially applying to Physical Therapy schools all over the western United States. He is going to be applying to 2 schools in Georgia (Atlanta and Savannah) - back to the mission area (maybe)! Some of the applications are due on November 1st and some aren't due until later but he is planning on having all of his applications in by November 1st. He has been working super hard to get everything done. It's amazing that I ever get to see the guy! Everyone pray really, really, really hard that we get in this coming year - I don't even care where, just somewhere! We need all the prayers and help that we can get!
I have been swamped with clients and school work. I'm not sure which one is more exhausting yet - the verdict is still out on that one. But I am LOVE LOVE LOVING what I am doing. I know that I made a great decision when I made the choice to get my master's in Marriage and Family Therapy. I couldn't be happier - or busier, take your pick. There are days that I feel SO inadequate, who am I and what do I know about helping people make the changes in their lives that are necessary for them to be happy. But some how I always find the words to say and things to discuss. My clients are really working hard to make the changes for themselves and I am so moved by their diligence. I am humbled every day. It truly has been extremely rewarding to see clients create change for themselves in their lives. I have had the privilege of working with a few couples lately that have come so far since the first time I have seen them. It makes me so happy for them. I can not even imagine the joy the Savior must feel when we are trying to hard to head in the right direction and we finally make the changes necessary to be with him again. It just makes me want to try harder and harder every day to be make the changes in my life so I can be more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.
It's been the elk/deer hunt for the past 3 weeks and we've been back and forth but when I have been up there my camera was dead. :( so I have to wait to post some pictures until it's all over and the camera that's up there gets brought back down and I can steal some pictures from it. So far Brett has been unsuccessful but maybe his luck will turn around shortly - and the pheasant hunt is in a few weeks so I'm sure I'll have some pictures to share of the pretty birds that I shoot and hopefully, can out-shoot Brett again. :) So hopefully i will have time for another update shortly.
We took family pictures on Conference weekend and here is how they turned out! What a great looking family, if I don't say so myself...!

Summer in UTAH

As most of you know the last 2 summers Brett and I have been in Juneau, Alaska. We loved our time up there but unfortunately because we have been up there we have not been able to have a Utah Summer together, doing the things that we did when we were growing up. So this summer has been different for us. Unfortunately, it has not been as "lively" as we would have liked it to be because both of us have been in school the entire summer. School just drains us and we haven’t had as much time for all of the adventures we would have liked to go on.
With summer winding to a close and the first day of school just around the corner, we were able to escape school and work for a few days to get away together. This past week was the Cache County Fair and Rodeo! I have missed the rodeo for the last 3 years, first because I was in New Jersey and the last two because of Alaska. I can not tell you how much I absolutely love! love! love! the fair and rodeo. When I was younger, my family practically lived at the fairgrounds the entire week. Sadly, as we have all grown up, we haven’t had any reason to be at the fairgrounds and it makes me quite sad. Luckily, this past week Brett and I had the chance to go to the rodeo all 3 nights! YEEHAW! I loved every minute of it! There is just something about the smell of dirt that has been freshly raked, the excitement of the crowd, and the jitters of the cowboys and cowgirls that just get me. Being able to spend some time down there took me back down memory lane and boy was it a great trip. I have many many memories of the fairgrounds, not just of the fair but of growing up riding horses and being involved in 4-H. Just a few of the memories I have that I will spare the details but just to name a few:
*my very first kiss
*getting chased down and thrown in the creek after a long, hot day at horsecamp
*horsecamp dances
*getting bucked up
*riding exhibition for barrels at the rodeo
*late nights being scared that someone was following me
*meeting my first ‘love’
*winning lots of trophies on my pony Flicka
*making life-long friendships
*beating Blue with an American flag until he decided that he liked it and would let me carry it around the arena
*spending the night at the fairgrounds during the fair with the Mitton brothers
The list could go on and on and on but those are just a few of my favorites. What can I say… I love the fairgrounds.
a bareback rider
bull poker - SCARY!
Bull rider
On Saturday, I played in a co-ed 6v6 soccer tournament. We had our first game at 8 am and played our last game at 5:15 pm. It was a long day of soccer but I had a blast playing. Our team was actually really good and we lost in the championship game, so we took 2nd. I had so much fun playing. I keep telling Brett that this is the most fun I have had in a long time. It was so fun to play with people that I haven’t been able to play with since high school, to visit with them during the breaks, and remember how much I loved hanging out with the people I did in high school. They were sure to bring up some of my “blonder” moments and we had a great time laughing and joking together. It really was a blast and I can’t wait for next year! Thanks everyone for playing!
Back row from left to right: James, Tyler, Tim, Burt, Jeff (aka Dahmer)
Fron row from left to right: Lataya, Me, Taylor, Kilee, and Jenny
This is a great picture that Brett got of my scoring! If you look close, I'm the one on the ground under the keeper and the ball is just past the right post, headed for the side net! I got 2 goals in this game and I NEVER score so it was fun!
During our 2nd game (we played 6 games total) I got slide tackled by a guy from the other team. He totally took out my ankle with his cleats and I have an awesome bruise to show for it! It hurt really bad at first but I played all of the other 4 games. It was only sore when I stopped playing and I let all of the tendons and muscles get tight. As weird as it sounds it actually felt good to get hurt again playing soccer – another trip down memory lane for Chelsea.
It doesn't hurt as bad as it looks....
Monday, Brett and I went backpacking. We started at Tony Grove Lake and hiked to the highest point in the Bear River Range, Mount Naomi and then down to High Creek Lake. It was so beautiful! The views from the peak were gorgeous and the hike was not too bad. High Creek Lake is great – it sits up on these cliffs and from down below you would have no idea there was a lake there. It was absolutely beautiful. Our original plan was to hike back the way we came and pick up our car at Tony Grove, however, when we got to High Creek Lake we had cell phone reception and thought we would call home and see if someone could pick us up at the top of Richmond Canyon at High Creek Trailhead. Sure enough, Greg and Nat saved the day! They picked us up at about 11:15. We hiked out 5.3 miles in under 2 hours with packs on! That night, my parents took us back up to our car and stopped to get some KFC on the way up for a picnic. The lake was beautiful and it was good to get to chat with the parents on the way up.The only damage done from the hike was blisters on the back of Brett's heels, a blister on the bottom of my heel - from a stinking rock, and sore muscles just because we are out of shape...
On our way to the top... Are we there yet?!?
Awesome picture of Brett standing on the cliffs at the top of Noami. He looks so small!
We made it to the top!
Top of Naomi, over Smithfield Canyon
Looking back toward Logan Canyon
View from the top lookin out of Smithfield
View from top of Naomi
Coming up over the ridge and seeing the lake in was a beautiful sight both to look at and for my tired legs.
The reflection of the cliffs on the water.
We thought it might rain on us but we got luckily...
The clouds were amazing that night.
Brett glassing for deer with a gorgeous view!
Look up at High Creek Lake. The lake is below the cliffs but above the pine trees on the left-hand side of the picture. You don't know there is a lake there unless you are looking for it.
Brett terrible blisters... Poor guy!
Tony Grove
Wednesday, Brett and I were able to join my dad for a cattle drive. I had the opportunity to do this several times when I was younger but this was only Brett’s second time! He did great! Some people that live by my parents have cows up Logan Canyon and were pushing them from the Spring range (Right Hand fork area) to the Fall range (Twin Creeks area). This push requires us to gather all of the cows from the range (huge area) and then push them up the canyon via the road for about 2.5 miles. So yes, if you were traveling through the canyon yesterday around noon, you were cussing us for slowing down your trip… and yes, and sorry about that cow poop on the road that just got your clean Lexus dirty. There were lots of people who were taking pictures, it was like they didn’t know cattle still existed in the world or something. It was a long 12 hour day of riding but it sure was fun! Here are some pictures of the area and our cattle drive adventures.
Brett walking through the range with a beautiful view
Me holdin' the cattle in place

What a week!

Last Saturday we had the chance to go to the REAL Soccer game with my parents. It was so much fun! They won 3 - 0 again DC United. It was their 20th win in a row at home! Go REAL!



However, while we were at the game Brett's brother-in-law, Greg, went into emergency surgery to get his gall bladder removed. He had been sick for about 2 months, in and out of the hospital and doctor's offices; no one was able to figure out what exactly was the matter with him. If you are really interested in whole story got to Nat and Greg's blog in my family blog. Needless to say, he was an extremely sick guy, who had, what felt like, a near-death experience. They also have two adorable kids, who frequently appear on my blog, that have needed to be taken care of. Natalie has had her hands full trying to take care of her poor husband, her 2-year old who doesn't understand why he can't play with Dad anymore, and nursing a baby who is a mama's girl. And if you remember, poor Nat broke her leg three Sunday's ago and has been walking around in a boot ever since. The only bit of good news they have received in the past few weeks, was the Natalie foot was healing great and she no longer has to wear the boot, just a small brace.
The past couple of nights we have stayed to help out with putting the kids to bed and getting them up in the morning. We are so grateful that we are able to live so close and be able to help out as much as we can. Greg is currently on the mend. He got his staples out yesterday and has been able to get outside for a few minutes every now and again. All seems to be going well, but poor Nat still has her hands very full.
Here's a picture of the cute Phillip's Family (Abby's still in Nat's tummy)

What summer is all about...

Many of you know that last weekend the Petersen family participated in The Relay for life. Our family raised the most of any family coming in at over $7,000! Thank you SO much to all of you how helped to support our cause! We had an absolute blast at the Relay and I already can't wait for next year! Here are some picture of the big event.

Jan (Brett's Cousin) and Karen (Jan's Best Friend) - 2 survivors of Cancer!

Uncle Bruce (also a survivor) and Aunt Claundia

Garrett pulled his wagon everywhere!

The G-man I just loved this picture and had to add it to my post

The kids LOVED being pulled in the wagon

The WHOLE Gang! What an Awesome family!

The luminaries are decorated by family and friends for people who have lost the battle to cancer. They are placed around the entire track and lite at night to burn throughout the night as a reminder of those who have suffered from this terrible fight.

They also light luminaries on the bleaches that spell HOPE.

That Saturday and Sunday I also played in a soccer tournament. A real 11 v 11 soccer game! It has been nearly 3 years since that happened and boy and boy did i have a blast! Unfortunately, we forgot the camera so no pictures. Let's just say that I am not as young as I used to be. While playing soccer my mind knows that I need to be at a certain place at a certain time in order to do what I need to do and my body is just so out of shape that it often did not happen quite like it used to. Despite the oldness, I had a lot of fun and our team did fairly well. We got out in the semi-finals. Can't wait for next year all ready!

This past weekend Brett and I made a last minute decision to go camping on Friday night. We left Newton at about 8 pm so we go up to Steep Hollow just in time to set our tent up before it got dark. We were thinking of going backpacking but due to lack of time to get ready we just did a walk-in camp site. It was a very nice area, secluded from the thousands of other campers. It was a nice little retreat for the two of us and I really enjoyed spending some time outdoors. We stayed up late just talking and having a good time with just the two of us. Here are a few pics of the site/us.

Looking out over Franklin Basin

Brett and me

This is the little creek that ran by our camp site

Yesterday morning we got a call at about 7:30 am from our brother-in-law, Greg. He informed us that Natalie had fallen down the stairs and hurt her ankle and that we were needed to tend the kids while he took her into the doctor. After being at the doctor for about an hour Natalie stayed feeling like she was an idiot for going in and that it was really just a sprain and she'd be just fine in a few days. X-rays proved otherwise! She got a small fracture in her ankle! We spent the Sunday nursing the Phillips family back to health. Poor Nat! I'm just glad we were around to help them out!
This morning we woke up and heard on the radio that there is a fire up Logan Canyon! Unfortunately for Brett, today is a test day for him. He has to spend the morning studying and is not able to watch the fire. Meanwhile, I headed up the canyon to check things out but like an idiot I forgot my good camera and all i had was my stupid camera on my phone. None of the pictures that I took turned out good enough to put them on the blog but I was able to watch the Helicopter go to upper 2nd dam, fill up the bucket, and drop the water on the fire. Th fire isn't huge and will probably be contained by tonight but if not, we will for sure get some pictures of it on here.

4th of July!

This year was the first year that Brett and I have been "home" in Utah for the 4th of July together. When we were dating I was in New Jersey during the 4th and Brett was working on a fire. The past 2 years we have been in Juneau. This year we got to spend a few days at Brett's family's cabin in Bear Lake. It was so much fun to just relax and enjoy everyone's company. I feel like all I did was eat and eat and eat. Good food and good times. Thanks for making it so much fun everyone! Unfortunately, I was super lame and didn't get any pictures while we were there... DANG IT! You'll just have to take my word that a great time was had by all.
We came home Sunday afternoon and went for a horse ride with my dad, brother-in-law Greg, my dad's co-worker's daughter, Emily, me and Brett. We were supposed to be at my dad's house at 7 A.M. Well, both Brett and I turned off our alarms without knowing and didn't make it on time. We jumped out of bed and headed down to Greg's to get the horses ready. When we got there we found out he had been struggling with all 3 horses. All of them had hung back at the trailer and Millie even broke the lead rope and took up through the neighborhood. He had just got them put back in the corral when we got there. We headed up the canyon about 45 minutes after we had originally planned. Oops! We wanted to go on a shorter ride, maybe 4 hours MAX. However, we got riding and were close to a lake and decided to head to the lake, adding about an hour to the ride. White Pine Lake was beautiful and the entire ride was gorgeous scenery! So we all had a blast. Unfortunately, when we headed back, we took another trail, thinking that it would lead us home as well. BAD IDEA! We ended up about 3 canyons over from where we were supposed to be and had to trail blaze through 2 or 3 canyons to get back to the draw that would lead us back to the trailer. This little mis-hap ended up adding about 2 hours to the already longer ride, making our ride about 7 hours of actually riding! Needless to say, when we got back to the truck and trailer we were POOPED and today I'm a little bit sore.
Here are a few pictures of the ride/White Pine Lake. We should have had the camera out taking pictures of the rest of the beautiful scenery but alas, we didn't. I guess we'll just have to go again...