Tomorrow I'm getting injections in my back, we wanted to do procedure where we fry the nerves, but we changed insurance this year and so there needs to be a few more hoops to jump through first and I'm just in too much pain to wait any longer. we did get the new insurance to agree to let us use the doctor I have used in the past for everything, but it is a much bigger pain in the rear than it would have been in 2011. Oh well, that's how it goes. I am just looking forward to a few weeks of relief.
Stupid back.
This weekend we got a few things ready for the Disney trip we'll be taking at an undisclosed on this public blog date. :)
With 9 of us going we are doing everything we can to not make this trip a complete budget buster.
One thing we will be saving money on is T-shirts and autograph books.
Autograph books range anywhere from $7-$25 bucks in the park. Shirts, if I remember right, were $15-$50 bucks, depending on the shirt.
Multiply that by nine.......Ouch.
Why pay that when we can do cute and custom for much less if we just plan ahead and get a little crafty?
I bought some 2 dollar photo albums at Joann's and a pack of Disney paper and some stickers. The kids made covers for them and we slipped 4X5 cards in the photo pockets. When they meet the characters, they can pull out the card and have them sign that and slip it back into the photo sleeve. When we get home, we can use the leftover Disney paper and frame the cards and they will have cute autograph albums for just a couple of bucks a kid.
We know from experience that once you get into Disneyland, you feel as though you simply MUST be wearing Disney attire, so we had each person choose a favorite Disney Character and we made a shirt for each person.
Here are the designs up close:
Everyone was able to choose just what character they wanted. Some chose common characters while others chose more obscure ones, but each person gets to sport their favorite.
I think they turned out pretty cute, and they ended up costing us about 4 bucks each.
One more book in this series and then I am all caught up.
The series isn't over, but I have to wait until Jim Butcher gives us more Harry Dresden.
I'm also reading this
It's a quick read, I think there are 6 books in the series so far.
Greyson is reading:
(I read this book to the kids last summer, but Grey wasn't listening. )
Romy wants to read this:
We're repainting the library/family room so our copy is buried somewhere under a drop cloth. I have it on my Kindle and I plan to start reading it to her at night to help her get into the story.
I remember how much I cried when I read it as a kid, this book never gets old.
When we take our trip, I plan to read to the kids as we drive.
I'm going to read this:
I've had it on my Kindle forever, it should be a fun read with the kids.
We cannot wait for this book to come out:
March 13th...hurry and get here.
I have pre-ordered this book:
It comes out in April.
Stephanie's journey continues to me amazing.
Did you know she's pregnant?
She wasn't expected to live and certainly never be strong enough to carry children again and yet she is expecting a little girl this year. What is extra cool about that is that the skin her tummy has made to carry that little miracle will be re-used for skin grafts.
It is amazing how God works.
We're still pulling for you, Sweet Girl.
Thanks for the daily reminders that what matters most is time together with those we love. I think this year I need to take some of her other words to heart more, her statement that "I am not my body" is one I need to embrace more and find peace with.
And when I'm not reading, I have become completely addicted to this stupid game:
I know, you hoped I'd kicked the habit, but you were wrong.
I've been busy taking care of this:
And going to half a dozen doctor's appointments to deal with this:
(Don't get me started, it's so bad)
So that everyone can be all fixed up and ready for this:
Woohaaaa!
The Olsons are going to Disneyland!
One summer my stepdad broke his hand. It was kicked by a cow, I'm not even kidding.
A cow kicked him and broke his hand, he wore a funny cast on it that looked like a flipper.
It was mesh so we couldn't sign it, but we tried.
Not my point.
Since it was hurt on the job, he had the summer to "vacation" while it healed. With Dad as a milker by trade, there wasn't any money to spend on trips. A few times a year we'd go to Utah and we knew we were blessed to be able to do that.
My siblings, on vacation
So, that summer we drove from Boise to Sandy, UT while he healed up to stay with Grandma and Grandpa Smith.
Lots of cousin visits and we even did some fancy vacation things like visit the Hogle Zoo with Kent and Allison Bath (They have a nephew in our ward- Hi Renee and Justin!) and we went to a dinosaur museum, just dad and the kids. In my memories, it was like a dream vacation- we saw and did so much. I remember how cool it was that we did some new things and saw some new places.
I remember how much it meant to me years later when we were moving to Arizona from Boise, that my dad got off the freeway and drove down the LV strip so I could see thee lights.It added an hour to our trip and we looked nuts driving through in our minivan and utility trailer, but my eyes were as big as the moon and I knew he did that just so I could see it.
(Olsons in LV many many years later)
My mother was mad that it made the long drive longer, but I remember feeling good about myself because it was important to my dad that I get to see that new thing.
I wanted to be a parent that took the longer route if it meant the kids could see something new.
While taking trips is death to our pocketbooks sometimes, it mattered to me that my kids and I have those experiences, that the world outside of their window becomes real to them.
I knew that we needed to make it a point to have vacations be about more than just bonding with and seeing family, there needed to be something new to experience. Even though we probably shouldn't go on them, if we were going to really make this blended family work, we needed to create new experiences. Experiences that didn't have to be compared to "before" or "the other house." Experiences that were 100% Olson-y and us. We needed to share our values with the kids and one thing Matt and I both valued was exploring new places.
So we take trips whenever we can.
Sometimes with the kids, sometimes without. Grey and Roe have traveled the most because their other dad lives in DC and I love that they got to watch fireworks at the Washington Monument last summer. I love that Emma got to take an orchestra trip to California and she took pictures of those things that were different and new, not just 300 pictures of her friends doing the duck face for facebook. I love that our kids have seen the Sears tower, works of art by the actual artists, that we've seen beautiful things made by man and by God. The journey and what we see matters and I am so thankful to have a husband who values that journey as much as I do.
Yes, the responsible thing is to pay off the credit card, but we make our monthly payments just fine and the kids are growing up. I don't expect Parker will be living at home much longer and we're running out of days to load up the car and run away together.
One more time before one of the birds leaves the nest.... let's grab the Dramamine, Mom will read us a book while we drive, and Grey , Jane, and Romy can all squabble about who is breathing on who.
The Olson Bunch will have one more great big adventure.
The boys want to go to the beach, the girls want to see the Hollywood sign, Mom and Dad want to ride Soarin' Over California and look at the faces on our children as they fly. I want to take Jane to see the princesses and laugh at Parker when he gets a mouth full of seawater at the beach. We'll take the kids to Pink's for hot dogs and finish the whole trip off with a day in Vegas so Dad and Zane can go to the World Rugby event.
One more time with all of us together.
Thankfully, Parker is no longer like this--although he was acting pretty close after his wisdom teeth came out...
I love love love my nieces and nephews like crazy.
Each one of them makes me just smile from ear to ear and I could just gobble up their unique and amazing personalities. Watching them grow and being a part of their lives is one of the biggest joys.
This weekend, having the B &P Olson kiddos was wonderful.
We played and sang songs and snuggled and read stories.
We attempted to frost cookies, but Lilly just wanted to play with the frosting.
We attempted to play with play dough, but Lilly just wanted to eat the playdough.
We doted on them and fussed over making sure everything was just right for the kids and had a great time with them both.
And when they went home, Matt and I fell into a pile on the sofa and conked out.
We were fully in bed by 8pm and out for the night by 9.
OLD.
I think when the answer to expand our family came as a loving, but clear "no" from Heavenly Father, I am sure he knew that not only was I going to get some health issues that affected me, but that I was going to want to be able to give the other little ones in my family 100% of my attention when they were around.
I am so thankful that I am able to know my nieces and nephews and see them grow up, to hear them call for "Auntie" and "Uncle Map" and to know that we're the ones that sneak them dollars, they know we think everything they do is simply precious, never naughty and we feel downright lucky to be a couple of nuts on their family tree.
I like that.
It makes me feel like I'm in the right place.
I hope that all of my brothers and sisters know that I think each one of you are doing such an amazing job. You have healthy, brilliant children and I am thankful that you let us be part of their lives. You are such awesome parents and it shows in the eyes of your amazing kids. Thank you for letting me hold your babies and talk endlessly about how great they smell, thank you for letting them walk on Matt's crippled old man back and thank you for all of the happy things you and your children bring into our lives.
Today we went out to American Fork to wish Miss Abbie a happy birthday.
She is completely adorable, she really is.
Caleb and Marshell threw a great party with the cutest treats--Rice Krispie Treat Sushi rolls.
The kids got pretty wild as Matt sprawled across the living room floor and had the kids attack him.
Grandpa managed to escape the chaos for awhile and went out to the yard area and flew his helicopter for the kids while they ran around and threw grass at each other.
Every time Rocco would get an arm full of grass he'd throw it and yell "POW!" and then laugh his head off as he ran to get more grass. Nate and Roe chased each other and played swords with sticks and Lilly realized she could keep up with Rocco and they joined forces in their quest to throw grass at everyone else.
