So the summer has come and almost gone and I havn't been posting, so here are a couple of recent happenings.
Naomi turned 3!!
When she saw a butterfly cake pan at the store, she decided that was what she wanted! So that was what she got...my decorating skills are a little lacking, but she loved it!! We had party with all of our wonderful family! Actually she got to have 2! We did one the day before her actual Birthday with the Floyd side, then as per Olsen tradition we celebrate everyone's Birthday for the month on the first Sunday of the month, all cousins, aunts, uncles, etc...come! Its a great tradition!
On her Birthday, we told her she could choose where she wanted to go for lunch, thinking that we were going to be eating at McDonald's, we braced ourselves. Then she announced she wanted to eat at RED LOBSTER!! Whahoo!! We were so happy!
She really just wants to watch the lobsters and get to touch one! She got her birthday wish!!
Travis took Swimming Lessons!
Now, normally this should be a regular summer event in a 5 year old's life, but for Trav, it was a major accomplishment! He had an "incident" a couple of years ago at the Water Park that was a little tramatizing so we had to take it slow! He did awesome and we got the perfect teacher. I was a little late in getting him talked into taking the lessons, so there weren't any opening until later in the summer where I wanted to take him. We decided to chance it at the local pool and it worked out great. He is excited to start the next session, but he keeps telling me he is already an "expert" at swimming so he doesn't need any more lessons!
The Spring has been somewhat dismal, weather wise, with a lot of rain. We have managed to have some fun times, though. One of the warmer Sunday afternoons we spent at Grandma and Grandpa Olsen's riding the 4-Wheeler that Grandpa got for Travis...for Travis, remember that detail, it will become important! Grandpa has had the 4-Wheeler in the garage since before Christmas and honestly we all almost forgot about it I think! The first time Travis rode around on it, it was still winter, but he stayed on the thing until his little fingers about froze off! Travis is a little on the cautious side and so I wasn't really worried about how he was going to preform the first time on. He stayed true, and was quite cautious. The machine is made for kids and so it doesn't go very fast by design, so I was a little more comfortable than I though I would be. This time, however, he went screaming around ever corner as fast as he could with almost no use of the brakes at all!! He loves the matching helmet and is constantly hinting that he needs the matching "whole suit of it" to wear while riding! I am sure that the pictures he has seen of Uncle Tyson and Uncle Tanner on their toys have had no influence on that demand at all!! Thanks guys!
Of course John had to make sure that the machine was working correctly.
Naomi wanted her turn so Mom decided it was her turn to take it for a spin. Everyone had to have their turn, so Luke got his turn with his mom, who is 5 months prego! Oh, yeah! Travis got a turn, too!
Easter
Now an Easter picture or two. We had a fun Easter dying eggs and hunting for them. Both Travis and Naomi were excited about the holiday and I have to say that I was quite proud when I picked Travis up from his Primary class at church and the teacher said that he was the only one who knew the whole Easter Story. I really can't take much credit, thank you Living Scriptures Movies!
For Easter dinner we went over to Grandma and Grandpa Floyd's. Grandma loves every excuse to get the kids a little gift, so she didn't pass this one up! Of course they both got candy, but she also got them each a little outfit, Travis a really cute Nike one, with shorts and a t-shirt. So cute I haven't taken a picture of it :( I will get right on that!
Naomi on the other hand put hers on immediately so a of course a picture was taken. I really need to make sure I am more fair with my picture taking!
Then they had another Easter Egg Hunt.
Lets Go Fly a Kite!
For some reason it is very important that we go fly kites every year. This year, when we went to buy our kites, I found these new kites that you blow up and thought, this has to be better. John wasn't quite as enthusiastic, but indulged me.
Well, John took the kids to the park to fly them while I was at the eye doctor. They didn't work so well. He immediately went straight back to the store to buy the good old regular kites! I came home to find them flying high!
One particularly crazy windstorm hit in the middle of the night earlier this spring. I woke up to what sounded like someone breaking in our house. What I heard, was the sound of our grill being blown over. Thats happened before, so I wasn't too surprised. When we woke up and went out to see the damage, we saw our grill had blown across the yard! It usually sits on the far right side of the patio, and as you can see, it didn't just get blown over!
Last week when another huge storm rolled through with mostly cloud bursts left a beautiful rainbow! The kids ran outside with the umbrella to see it, I couldn't miss this photo op!
So I have still not been able to convince the hubby to sit down and try to fix whatever setting is wrong with my blog...if anyone else has had the issue of the html (I think thats what its called) link thing show up when I try to put a picture in a post instead of actually seeing the picture, let me know what do to, I can't find anything on the web!! I have, however, been VERY busy being a Krazy Coupon Lady. For those of you who don't know what that is, click on the button on the right. I have decided that while JOhn is hard at work, I will do everything I can to make the money he earns go the furthest it can by couponing. There are several websites that make this very doable. Not to say that it doesn't take some time, but it is doable. So, if you come in to my house, you will see newspapers strewn out everywhere and coupons flying around. I have been able to cut our grocery costs dramatically. There is a learning curve and classes you can go to to get all the details. Go to Krazy Coupon Lady,, or Live on Coupons for details about classes or for some great deals Attention Target Shoppers or another one of my favs, Pinchingyourpennies.com gives some great tips!
I somehow have some spyware on my computer, you may have noticed some issues with my last post, and so I will have to take a leave of absence from blogging world until I get it taken care of. I may try to get a post or two done from the laptop, but that will mean no Pics and only when John is home since he takes it to work. Since it is up to John to get it taken care of, who knows when it will get done! So sorry and hopefully I will be back soon!
Not a Jazz Concert, I would have enjoyed that, too. John took Travis down to a Jazz game last week with a friend and his two boys, Jeremy, Parker and Spencer. It was a whirlwind of a trip. I had to help at New Beginnings on Wednesday the 18th, so they waited until I got home and then left at about 10pm to stay in Twin Falls with Jeremy's Mom. They drove down to Salt Lake the next morning and went to Temple Square and a tour of the Conference Center.
John and Travis in the Conference Center
Salt Lake Temple a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_T3Mg0Xd2Lmw/SabMg0kZXoI/AAAAAAAAAfg/_ckqFQuYVcQ/s1600-h/SLC+2-09+036.jpg"> Travis watching a short video of our Prophet, President Monson. John said he wondered off by himself and this was where he found him.
All the boys in the Tabernacle
John and Travis by the reflection pond on Temple Square...of all the times to pull a face, Trav!
The game didn't start until 8:30, so by the time they got to the game Travis was VERY excited, but VERY tired... Their seats were literally on the very top row of the Delta Center so they walked down lower before the game started to watch the greats warm up.
Travis with the headband and wristbands they handed out at the game...he loves to wear them all the time now!
Travis at the end of the 3rd quarter...he was out!
And Now The Concert! We went to the Rascal Flatts concert last night. Jessica Simpson opened for them. I am not a fan of Jessica as a person, but she is phenomenally talented and has some songs with good messages. Loved hearing her sing, but as soon as she opened her mouth to talk in between songs, it was all over...she is just so out of touch with reality and never thinks about what something may sound like when it comes out. On Monday John found out that they were releasing seats 4 for $99 so we bought some. John's little sister, Laura and her friend Kayla came with us. We had a blast! John is a little boring at concerts, doesn't like to stand and dance AT ALL, so it was nice to have a couple of young girls there to be silly with! The stage was amazing and so was the music!
Travis as he hangs up the play phone: "Everybody in Africa and California and Alabama, I live in a restaurant, keep calling us because they want to eat in our restaurant and they have our menu and they want to eat in our restaurant because it is the best restaurant in the whole world!" I had to laugh! It also makes me think...do we eat out too much? If you know me at all, you know the answer to that is yes, I hate to cook! I do, however, watch cooking shows to try to motivate myself and maybe he thinks that our house is the best restaurant in the whole world! That is what I am going to believe.
Dancelike there's nobody watching; Sing like there's nobody listening; Livelike it's heaven on earth.
Photo by Cama Cathrae Photography
About Me
John and Danielle
John and I have been married since June of 2001 and have lived in Nampa, ID for 6 years. I have been blessed to always stay at home with our children and John has the gift of gab which enables him to sell anything to anyone! We have been blessed by our kids in many ways; Travis, 4, keeps me laughing and Naomi, 2, keeps me running!
