Kate's field trip to the zoo

Kate has had a wonderful year in preschool! She goes to Ms. Lorie's preschool on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and once a month, they get to go on a field trip. Yesterday, they went to the zoo. I love and admire the moms who help by going on nearly every field trip - as I was only able to go on one. It's great knowing that Kate was well taken care of and that she had a great time!

Ava is Kate's friend and they do preschool and dance together, as well as play with each other. Ava's mom took these great pictures of them at the zoo. Thank you Emily for taking such great care of her!!

Ava, Kate & Josie (Kate's friend too!)

Emily's Science Experiment

The 4th grade just concluded a science experiment section and Emily did a great job on hers. She decided to plant seeds in different types of soil and see which one did the best. She used regular garden dirt, dirt with turkey fertilizer, dirt with Miracle Grow, dirt with fertilizer & Miracle Grow, sand and plain turkey fertilizer. Interestingly, the sand and the dirt with Miracle Grow did the best.

For a several weeks, she'd water them and we'd take some pictures of them. My mom helped us too by watching them when we went to Oregon for Easter. Then, the 4th graders set up their posters at school and the parents and students could come and see them. Good work Emily!!

Richard & Misty's family wedding shower

A couple of weeks ago, my Aunt Pat Olsen and her girls (Jill, Jennifer, Emily, Areli & Kelsi), put together a wonderful family wedding shower for Richard and Misty. They put in so much time and made it so nice. The tables looked like this:

A little bag of hershey kisses with wedding stickers on the bottom & a pencil in it that said "Richard & Misty -2010", a vase with little paper flowers in it that we could write advice on, a fun wedding quiz, a frame they painted with Richard & Misty's picture in it and a little bottle of

water that also had their picture on it.

We ate a yummy dinner of spaghetti, breads & salads, completed by a delicious selection of desserts. Richard's best friend is John Olsen and he was a great MC of the event. Richard and Misty opened their gifts and read each person's advice as that gift was opened.

The cute couple

Emily & Lindsey helping hand them their gifts. Richard is reading some advice.

The summer wall hanging

At every opportunity possible, people would start chanting "kiss! kiss! kiss!" and Richard & Misty would do it.

My mom made them this beautiful fall quilt.

They got some wonderful gifts - I didn't get very good pictures, but some other homemade beautiful things and great gifts for their house. Thanks again to the Olsen families - we love you all so, so much!

More Quilting Projects

Today was the first day that I quilted in a couple of weeks, and it was great! Life just gets so busy and there seems to always be a child to be taken somewhere, or one who needs a drink, or one who wants his mom to play Super Mario on the Wii with him and I hadn't gotten my machine out.

But nevertheless...I did recently finish a few projects and it's fun to show them off. This one was so fast! Seriously, these little wall hangings take a couple of hours and they are done! I will probably hang this up for the month of May.


This was a fun project....my friend, Becky Larson, gave me this cute pattern & charm pack when we moved from Ohio last summer. I made it in the fall and gave it to my mom for her birthday. It's been at the quilter's for awhile, but thankfully it's done and now it's on my mom's table. Thanks again Becky! I love it! (Please excuse it being side-ways).

This is the what the back looks like.

And this fun wall hanging, I did for my new sister-in-law, Misty. Just a few more weeks until their wedding and it was fun to make something for her to hang in their new little house.

Coming up next: BABY QUILTS!!!! I've literally made 5 of them, but can't post them until I give them to their recipients!!

Kate & her friend, Denny

We have been really blessed with some of the best neighbors - Denny & Jessica. They live in the house right next door and they have been so good to us. Denny is always willing to answer our house or yard questions, they give the kid's candy for holidays and on Valentine's Day, they brought over a Dairy Queen ice cream cake!

Denny has become one of Kate's best friends. She loves going to Denny's house and helping him take care of his dog, Rosko. He let's Kate brush him and throw the ball to him. There have been a couple of times that I've been looking for Kate and found her over on Denny's doorstep. Or, she'll color pictures on post-it notes and take them to his door. Denny cracks up over her high squeaky voice and that the more excited she gets, the more high her voice becomes. We're just hoping that we don't drive them too crazy!

A Perfect Day & The Ending of an Era

Today was a day that we will remember for a long, long time! My dad has been serving as Stake President for our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) for over 8 years and he was released today. Jon worked overnight, so he wasn't able to come, but the kids and I got up and ready early and headed to Salt Lake for their Stake Conference. They get to have their Stake Conference in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square and we were able to sit near the front.

Elder Donald L. Hallstrom & Samuel Clark were the visiting authorities and it was a fabulous meeting. It was a great feeling to see my dad and know what an incredible job he did and how many hours of service he rendered on behalf of the people in the Salt Lake Stake. And my mom.....what a great support and strength she is!!

They figured that in their 36 years & 3 months of marriage, my dad has been gone on Tuesday nights for church meetings 31 years & 9 months of that! Incredible!!!

The new Stake Presidency will be great too, but this release made my parent's mission to Russia seem that much closer! We are all so excited for them and they will be such a blessing to the city and people of Moscow, but it's hard not to dread them leaving and having to say goodbye! We're being brave though, and we know it's the right thing for them to do!

After the Conference, we spent the entire day at my parent's house! We had lunch, took naps, watched movies, played games, played outside, visited and just had a wonderful time. It was a great break for me from housework (I just can't seem to keep up on it these days!) and it was fun to just be together. We also celebrated Becky's upcoming birthday!! She chose to have a cereal bar for her birthday dinner, with donuts for dessert. It was great!

We bathed the kids and finally tore ourselves away from their house at 9:15 - we just didn't want the day to end!! (Thankfully Jon got there about 7:15, so it was fun to have him there for the last couple of hours). Anyway, what a great day! My cup was filled and it's a great way to start another week!

My mom and dad arriving home from their release. (Sorry about the splotches on the side of my dad's face! It was a weird shadow from the tree).

Have you ever seen a happier group?

Kate having grandpa read "Just Grandpa and Me" to her.

When my dad was called as Stake President, we took a picture of him with Emily and Lindsey. Emily had just turned 2 and Lindsey was 4 months old. This is how much they have changed in the 8 years!

Becky and her cereal bar!

Kate insisted on sitting on Candy's lap for dinner. Candy was such a good sport and let her do it!!

Hannah - typical spilled cereal & milk

blowing out the 24 candles!! (My dad, Kate, Meg & Becky's mother-in-law - Betty in the background).

Hannah and her donut

Good thing she has such a cute face to make up for all those messes she makes!

John & Jack

Becky, me, Hannah & Meg

Easter in Eastern Oregon

We were able to drive to Oregon to be with Jon's parents for Easter and we had a great time. We hadn't been there for Easter for about 8 years. Jon's sister Sarah and her family were there and Jon's brother Tom, also drove up. We left on Thursday morning and then came home on Monday morning.

Unfortunately, the weather was windy, cold & snowy (when we left), but we still had a fun time doing indoor things. We brought our Wii, so that entertained the kids for hours and hours. We played "Ticket to Ride" (our favorite!), I brought my mom's sewing machine (mine was in the shop being fixed - so I did a little sewing), watched movies and just enjoyed being together.

On Friday morning, the ward had a Primary activity, so we went to that and it was great. The Primary Presidency did a great job with games for the younger & older kids, letting them have an Easter egg hunt, explaining why we celebrate Easter and feeding them hollow rolls and cheese puffs - in the shape of a carrot.

Hannah getting ready to color

Lindsey and an easter egg roll

Grandma and Hannah

Kate coloring an easter basket to collect eggs in

All the listening to egg hunt instructions

I apologize for this picture, but I had to put it in. This poor girl can never ever keep her pants up!

This is Bridget - she married Jon's cousin and she's just the cutest mom! She was explaining to the kids about the meaning of Easter.

Snacks

On Saturday, we let the kids dye eggs. They all loved it! Gracie (Sarah's daughter loved cracking them and eating them more than coloring them.) The kids then did their own hunt in the backyard.

Emily & Kate

Gracie

Danny (Sarah's little boy) & Jack

Grandma & Hannah (Can you tell that Hannah just loves her so much?)

Lindsey

Kate

Danny

On Easter morning, the kids were excited to find their baskets. When the Easter Bunny goes to Oregon, he hids the baskets well. The older the child, the harder it is to find. Jack's was hidden in the oven, Lindsey's was in the coat closet underneath and jacket and Emily's was in the piano!

Hannah knew right what to do with the candy

All the kids waiting to search

Gracie

Kate

Jack

Emily finding her basket

After the first session of General Conference, we went over to Jon's aunt and uncles (Don & Joyce's) for lunch and another easter basket hunt. We had yummy chili and homemade bread and enjoyed time with Jon's extended family. Then, the dad's hide all the baskets - again, the older you are the harder it is to find. The dad's always go way out - they have literally been known to put them high in trees, underneath bridges and one year they even buried one!

Hannah finding an egg

Emily's basket was attached to the branch, over the creek

Kate's basket

Jack's basket

And poor Lindsey - her basket is on top of the flag pole.

Jon making her think she has to climb the pole.

The best basket was for Jon's cousin, Kara. Her loving brothers hid it underneath this bridge and Kara had to go in the water to get it. The wind was blowing so hard that day and it was freezing! She was a really good sport!

We hope you all had a great Easter too!