A week of firsts...

We are well into our big Summer Vacation and are spending a week in California first.

We have had some firsts that I thought I might share:

#1- Yesterday we were able to take swimming floaties off of Connor in the pool and he swims all over even in the deep end ALL BY HIMSELF!! (With us out there with him of course!)

#2- We have a pooper!!! That's right little Macie pooped in the toilet for the first time today!! Might not happen again, but none the less...it happened!

#3- I have used my self control this trip and have not gone to IKEA although it is only 30 minutes away from me. The week isn't over yet.

#4- My little man got his first professional hair cut. I didn't get a chance to cut it before we left and he really needed it. He looks like such a big boy.

#5- I was awoken and serenaded to sleep by my aunt's neighbor....who oddly enough plays the BAGPIPES!!!

We are having too much fun!

Mad fashion skills!

This little" ensemble" just came into my room on this little girl!

Sore...

We spent the day with our friends Spencer and Sarah up at their cabin at Lake of the Woods yesterday. They have this amazing cabin that has been in his family for generations filled with everything you could ever need and it was 6 feet off of the lake. BEAUTIFUL!! We had so much fun on the boat tubing and in the water. The kids favorite thing was to take out one of the row boats...all by themselves...out to the booie and back. Why so sore then?? Because of the ruthlessness of "certain boys" trying to make me crash into the water while water skiing, I now have whiplash and a nasty bruise on my rear! Just sayin.
I love summer!

No, Connor is not peeing into the lake, it's a squirt gun!

Surprise!!

My husband is never really great at hiding something from me, I usually always guess what he has planed. But when he told me on Friday that he was taking me out to diner I was blown away to find out that he had booked us for the night here:

The Pinehurst Inn! If you haven't heard of it before, you should check it out. It's a historic Inn, built in 1925 right outside of Ashland and it has these great old fashion rooms with beautiful claw foot tubs in every room. But the best part is the food and entertainment! The couple that own it are just adorable and will do anything, (like bring you extra desert just to see if you like it), to make you feel welcome and comfortable. For some reason they messed up our reservations so to make up for it they bumped us to the suite. It was awesome.

This is Donnie, the owner, and every evening after dinner he sits at the piano and plays songs that everyone can sing along too, but most just listen to him because he is amazing!! We had a nice quiet stay without kids. It was so needed! A huge thank you to my thoughtful hubby.

So, you got me this time Scottie Potty.... I love you!!

I LOVE 3rd Thursday!

In the summer, on every 3rd Thursday in our little downtown, the main street is blocked off and all sorts of vender's come out and set up shop. The street fills with people and on every other block you hear a different type of live music. I usually have something going on every third Thursday but finally got to go this week. We got our faces painted, made our own bouquet of flowers, ate snow cones and visited with friends. Connor and Macie even got to play instruments in a cool band! So, on that one evening.. our little tiny town seems just a little bit like a big one. We had tonz of fun!

super cute!

So hot!

It has been so hot in my house, around 4:00 we are roasting. Part of the problem is I haven't had any curtains in the kitchen.. so I just made these shades and did my first tutorial of it here! They are made out of mini blinds and require NO SEWING!!

Olsen Family Reunion 09'

Scott's parents rented a beautiful beach house near the California, Oregon boarder in Brookings for our family reunion. It was such a great vacation and I had never been to the Oregon coast and had good weather until this last week.... it was so warm!!

We got to do and see so many fun things! Here are just a few....

Cousins in the house

Scott's sister Niki and her girls got to come stay the night with us before our big trip to the beach. They live in Blackfoot Idaho so we only get to see them a few times a year. We love those girls! Anna, Jillian and Connor in a Fort.

Independence day!

Aside from Christmas, 4th of July is my favorite holiday! We had such a great weekend! The only pictures I got were at the parade cause I forgot my camera at everything else, I was so mad!
Before the parade we went to our ward breakfast for yummy pancakes, the primary kids got to sing God Bless America for the crowd.This has to be my favorite picture of the parade, I love his hand in his Daddy's pocket!
These next pictures are of what kept my kids so occupied at the parade....was it the horses, the police cars, the noisy band......NO.... it was the tree that we were standing next to because it was COVERED with lady bugs!

After the parade we headed to the street fair and fun music. That evening was spent eating the best BBQ food I think I have ever had with friends and family. The kids got to swim in the pool and play all night, the weather was great. Grandpa Evan taught the kids how to catch lizards with a fishing pole by making a little loop in the fishing line and slipping it over their heads. Connor was in heaven. The fireworks were so awesome this year and all of the kids fell asleep to the sound of Whistling Pete's!

We are so grateful for the people in our lives and for all of the selfless men and women who give their time and sometimes their lives for the freedom of others. Hope you all had a wonderful 4th.

Note to self....

ALWAYS open mysterious boxes at garage sales!!!!

169 patterns for $15 bucks!!!

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Birthday Boy!

Connor turned 4 this last week and we went to Medford to celebrate! He had LOTS of his cousins there, even Jackson who lives in Virgina and we don't get to see often. We ate lots of good food (as always when we are with the Olsen women) and played real hard!The kids put on a skit, swam, went fishing and made the famous trip to the dollar store with Grandpa Bud.

This is Gabes body and Kira's legs.

Connor is such a sweet boy, he loves to give you hugs and kisses and never runs out of energy. I can't wait to see the amazing handsome man he is going to be some day!

Happy birthday little stinker.