Spring Break:Day 2

Ray decide to go buy him and I new mountain bikes today.  Yeah!  I was in full support. George's Bike shop should be pleased.  We have spent the last 2 weekends buying bikes from them.  Now the whole family has bikes or a way to ride.  I never realized how long it would take to buy a bike. You have to be fitted and have a test drive etc.  Yikes.  3 hours later, we were off on our ride. Everyone did great and it was so much fun.  Can't wait to hit the foothills trails.  

Spring Break:Day 1

It didn't take us long to start our Spring Break.  The bell rang, the kids came and off we went to the Library.  Carlee wanted to get some books on dinosaurs and Parker wanted to get a new library card.  They have undated their cards with cute pictures on the front for the kids.  After the library, we treated ourselves to some ice cream at Baskin Robbins.  Each day we plan to do something fun.  We will create our list Sunday night for FHE and play all week.  (We have FHE on Sunday nights due to Parker's baseball season has begun.)

Aloha!!

Parker had his Spring Music Program yesterday at school.  Let's go to Hawaii!!  I'm with them. The gym was decorated with whales, the islands of Hawaii and Hawaiian flowers.  They did a great job.  The kids all got to dress up in their Hawaiian clothes.  They learned how to hula, sing in Hawaiian and play instruments.  75 kids tried out to play the Ukulele and Parker was one of the 4 kids chosen to play it in the program.  We were so proud of him.  He found this Ukulele at his Uncle Loren's house and conned Uncle Loren out of it.  I think Uncle Loren got it at the five and dime store, but Parker's music teacher got it to work.  He played it great.  

Happy Birthday Carlee!!!

Happy Birthday to my Carlee Joy!!!  She is 9 years old.  Hard to believe. Where does the time go. She is halfway to 18 eeekkkkk!! We are so proud of her and all that she is doing.  She had a great day today celebrating her birthday with all her Cousins, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncle and family. She got a new bike and has already had a wreck. That's how it goes.  She received lots of great presents and had a Hawaiian Theme Party.  We love her so much.  Happy  Birthday Carlee!!!

I Have Given In To My Age

Please no more birthdays.  Just send presents often.  Turning 46 hasn't been the most joyous occasion. Everything is starting to fall apart. More grey hairs, sagging skin under my arms and other places we won't mention, slower time when I go for a run, more wrinkles, can't hear - please repeat and finally I need more light when I read or longer arms. Yucky Yuck!!!  I only thought older people got old not me.  So for my latest purchase from Target this week I bought some reading glasses. At least I am just a +1.00 for now.  The really bad thing is when you need some styling reading glasses to make yourself look cool in spite of the fact they are reading glasses, I can't find any.   I was told to buy from the $1.00 store because you just end up losing them anyway. Though I hate to admit it they really do help.  Shot, dang and fiddle sticks!!

Portland

Just got back from Portland.  I love that place.  Great shopping too.  We went there for Parker's basketball tournament.  Thanks Parker.  He played great.  They were 2-2.  We left a couple of days before the tournament so we could play and enjoy the sights of Portland.  We stayed in Lake Oswego which was central for all we did.  We hit the OMSI, Nike Employee Store, McDonald's for breakfast, Washington Square Mall for shopping and Multnomah Falls.

OMSI  

Laney did not like the hike up to the top of the falls.  She chewed us out all the way up and all the way back down the trail.  You can see in this picture that she is tuckered out and not very happy.  The rest of us are happy and had a lot of fun and had a great workout too.

Just Life!!

Hard to believe that it is February already.  It seems like we just finished Christmas as it shows on my blog.  I have been buying Valentine gifts, birthday gifts and I just placed an order to today for Easter.  Life has a way of always moving forward. We just take a deep breath and hold on. We don't always know what lies ahead and what will refine us to bring us closer to our Heavenly Father. We just keep keep'in on!!!  I am so looking forward to our little family going to Portland next weekend and to St. George in March. Yes, all trips are sports related and of course a little shopping. What else is there is life.  Shopping and a good ball game.   Though nothing is better than being with my kids and Ray.  Family is everything.

Christmas 2009

What a great Christmas we had, though I wish I could have slowed things down.  It seems that once the festivities start, the night and day just fly by.  We always start by having Christmas Eve with the Chattertons.  We go to Kristi's house for Christmas Eve.  We eat, play, sing and give the kids their Christmas pajamas.  We usually are home by 9:00 or 9:30 so that the kids can get to bed and Santa can come.  Yeah!!  Then we are up bright and early the next morning.  This year it was 6:30.  Actually not bad.  We had fun with the kids and they all said it was the best Christmas ever!!  Santa did a good job.  Then we went to Ray's parents house and opened gifts. We got an extra special gift.  Ray's brother and wife had their baby Dec. 24th.  Little Haden finally came. We opened gifts with the Olsons and then headed over to my mom's for the end of the day.  More presents and food.  It was a great day and we all had a blast.  It was nice to have the 26th to play with all our toys and lounge around in our PJ's.  It really was the best Christmas EVER!!!

Bracelets On Her Teeth

Poor Carlee.  She has a mouth full of metal and sores inside to got with it.  She is a tough cookie though and doesn't complain.  She looks cute with them.  She picked multicolored bands. I think that was her favorite part picking the colored rubber bands.  Hopefully everything in her mouth will toughen up soon so she can eat some Christmas goodies.

Twinkle Toes

Laney had her dance class yesterday and then a break for the holiday till we start up again in January.  She danced a Christmas jig to "All I Want For Christmas Is A Hippopotumus".  She did a great job and really knows her stuff.  Then a surprise visitor came - Santa Claus.  She was excited. We are so ready for Christmas.  It will be fun.

Santa Claus Came

The kids started singing, the bells started ringing and in came Santa Claus at our Ward Christmas Party.  Laney was not scared at all and was ready to talk to Santa.  She was the first to sit on his lap.  My old high School Chemistry teacher Royce Garner has played Santa for us the last couple of years.  His is so sweet and patient with the kids.  They all love Santa.

Traditions Traditions

It is tradition at our house that on the first Monday of the Month for FHE we put up our Christmas Tree.  So this past Monday, our tree went up.  When Parker was a baby I  put a tree in his room too.   Then Carlee and now Laney.  They all have a tree.  They each have made ornaments at school or church, so that put those on their tree.  Plus they have some special ones that were Ray's when he was a kid and other ones too.  It is fun to watch them decorate our tree and then turn to their own.  They all have their own special touches.  Laney's has crashed more than once.  Hopefully hers will make it.  

I love you Grandma!!!

This post is dedicated to my Grandmother Blanche Maxine Williams who passed away last Thursday.  There are lots of great memories with Grandmother.  Cooking with her, having her visit, stopping to see her on the way to Salt Lake, (it was always our pit stop and I never remember a time that we didn't stop.  That's just what we did), shopping with her, Richfield, Shoshone by train, Thanksgiving, purses, talking, taking her arm as we walked, Featherville and the list goes on.  My girls say they will remember her stories.  She lived a long wonderful life and saw many things in her life time.  She was born in 1908.  Can't imagine all she experienced. How lucky she was to have such a great life.  We will all miss her.  I will miss just sitting and talking to her.  Her laugh, giggle and and her smile.  Love you grandma.

 

Gobble Gobble Yum!!

We had a great Thanksgiving even though we were small in numbers this year.  The kids had such a wonderful time playing together.  The girls even put a show together for us.  Just like old times. Though they didn't charge any money for it like Gayla, Lisa and I use to do.  Parker did try to get everyone to pay $5 for parking.  Didn't happen.  Like his enthusiam though.  And all the food was done on time and hot except the rolls.  I need another oven.  Good team effort by Kristi and I.   We sure missed my mom. Hope everyone had a  yummy Thanksgiving. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2008

Once again I prepare for Thanksgiving at my house.  I am so excited and feel like I am organized, but we shall see.  If not oh well.  It will be fun anyway.  The cousins are so excited to get together and play.  My niece Riley asked if Thanksgiving was going to be at my house this year and I told her yes.  She said ALRIGHT!! It made me feel good.  I am so grateful for a beautiful home that allows all of us to gather and make memories.  Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

New Hairdoos

Every time Grandpa Olson comes over, Carlee and Laney love to do his hair.  Recently when I was at the dollar store I purchased some spray bottles for when Grandpa Olson was ready to have his hair done again.  So last night was the night.  They were so anxious to mostly spray him and then do his hair.  We however learned that warm water would be better rather than chilly cold water. We also were able to con Parker into getting his hair done too.  Future hair dressers.  

Auntie Carma

I am an Aunt once again.  Ray's sister Kamile and her husband Will added Finnegan Dee Pigott to their family.  We will all call him Finn for short.  This is their 4th Boy.  His is so cute.  8 lbs 3 oz. Baby and Mommy are doing well.  We will have another arrival in December.  Ray's brother and wife are due Dec. 23rd.   Total Olsons Cousins 10/Chatterton Cousins 10 

Trick or Treat Smell My Feet

Yummy Treat

We had a great night trick or treating.  The weather couldn't have been better.  We didn't have to bundled up at all.  We were able to wear our costumes and show them off.  It was fun to see all the kids in the neighborhood and to see all of our neighbors.  We started off with homemade donuts at one end of the neighborhood and finish on the other side with scones and hot chocolate.  The kids had a great time and we are loaded with candy once again.  It's so fun to watch your kids having a good time.  They were tired when they crawled into bed, but that didn't stop them from waking up at their normal time 7:00 am.  Even with the time change saying 8:00 am.  Happy Halloween to all.  It is Sunday morning and my kids are still in their costumes.  Parker slept in his last night.  I guess they loved their costumes.  Yeah!!

Zombie

Good Deed Witch

Gabriella - High School Musical (Dad and Parker were Troy)

The Loot and Parent Tax