Christmas day Debbie began to be sick. She seemed to get a little worse on Wednesday. She was feverish at times and some congestion. Thursday she seemed to be getting better but on Friday I finally tracked down a clinic that was open. Listening to her breath and checking her oxygen saturation they sent us to the hospital. We spent that night in the hospital with oxygen and also began antibiotics. It was decided that she may have RSV and then pnuemonia. We were able to bring her home with the promise of home health care and oxygen. We came home Saturday night in time to prepare for a big Sunday. Sunday Natalie reported in church about her mission in the NYNY South mission, and Emily received her Young Womanhood Recognition award. We had lots of support from family and enjoyed dinner together after church. That night Dane was ordained by his father to the Aaronic priesthood. Debbie continues to be on oxygen but is getting better, more vocal, playing, and complaining with the oxygen tube isn't folloing her (it gets caught on things--its like being on a leash). We will continue to enjoy our blessings and help Debbie to get better. We would love to start the new year without doctors bills but that doesn't seem to be our style.

Dane's Birthday

Dane had a great 12th birthday. He had Crepes for breakfast with presents and invited some friends over for games and a movie that night.

Life is busy

Life for us continues to be busy. Christmas was just one step in the whole scheme of things. It seems to me that even when life is busy there is always room for one more event. December 26 was the Olsen party at our home. Actually it began with sleigh riding and shooting contest. John tried to convince us that everyone had to assume the last name of the winner. Well, John did win but we are still the Olsen's. He won king of the redneck shooting club and Annaleigh won queen (her last name is Curtis so we would have become the Van Orman/Curtis family). We had dinner, shared Christmas stories, exchanged gifts and were entertained with big exercise balls and new tricks on them. Great fun. Thanks for being such a great family!

Christmas Day

Christmas day was a great success. We enjoyed sleeping in until 6am even though Dane was hoping for 4am. All the kids slept upstairs and lined up on the stairs-youngest to oldest- to go done and see what Santa brought. Santa filled the stockings, we watched the Joy to the World and moved on to present opening. Debbie loved her small chairs and hair bows, Simeon and Isaac got the John Deer and rode it all day, Dane got Lego mindstorm, Peter got a reloader thing? and snowboard boots (that are already too small, oops), Emily-an ipod, Elise and John took good care of each other, Natalie's updating her wardrobe, mom and dad got a happy family. We enjoyed a yummy breakfast casserole, sweet rolls and grapefruit and then an early turkey dinner with lots of snacking throughout the day. We played games, watched old tv shows (we got Cosby, Home Improvement, and Andy Griffith shows) and had visits from family. Debbie did end up quite sick and spent her Christmas napping and being held. Hopefully today will go better and no one else will get sick.

Christmas Eve

This is Christmas Eve at our house. We had a lot of fun acting out the nativity and getting new pj's. It was just us for the evening. We had homemade Cafe Rio for dinner. Elise and John were at John's families house but joined us Christmas morning.

Check out my Slide Show!

My family is so wonderful. Tomorrow Natalie comes home and I have a list of things I was hoping to do today and places to be but I am sick. I have a headache and throwing up--no fun and I can't seem to get anything done. Well, my wonderful family have taken care of each other and cleaned the house and offered to run errands. To me it is a great big "I love you, mom" and boy do I appreciate it. Thank you kids!

His hands

A friend shared this link with me. I so enjoyed it that I want to share it with all of you. There is probably a better way but for now her is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di_QyPqlM64 Merry Christmas.

it's snow fun!

Dane after a ride on the hood.

We finally got some of the snow that Salt Lake has been getting all day. Ours came in the evening and fast. Of course the kids couldn't resist playing in it. They got the 4 wheeler out and used an old car hood to drag kids around on. Dad and Isaac were the drivers, Simeon lasted only a little but the rest of them went for quite a while.

Those of us smart enough to just sit on the porch and stay warm. The night with all the freshly fallen snow was gorgeous. Simeon got cold so we but the tree skirt around him. For those that wanted to ride, they had to dress very warmly as they were dragged around on an old car hood. This is just starting with Emily and Peter (sorry that picture is sidewise. I'm to lazy to change it now)

and then the after when they are sufficiently covered in snow. Dane, Peter, and Emily all loved being dragged around and can't wait for the next snow storm.
Sunday morning with our seven deer in the backyard. No wonder Peter didn't get a deer this year, they are all in town. We love watching them.

Peter pins

Debbie loves to color. She uses pencils, crayons or markers and has done quite well to stay on paper. Peter was doing his homework when Debbie joined him and he couldn't resist taking pictures.
Peter had his first home wrestling match during our ward party. It was the first match I have been invited to and he did great. He was almost pinned when he did a reversal and pinned his opponent in the first round. Short, sweet, and the winner. It was great. I didn't even have time to stress much and made it back to the party to eat the leftovers. (Peter is in the red - on top, doing the pinning.)

Ward Christmas Party

Our kids got to visit Santa at the ward Christmas party. It was great fun. Debbie just scowled at Santa, Isaac asked for a truck his size to drive and Simeon asked for a r/c truck or car.

preschool lesson

Simeon attends a once a week preschool. He came home yesterday with a polar bear picture he made by gluing on cotton balls. He said he learned that polar bears are the only ones that lay babies. There you go, now you know too!

Just a quick thought from President Hinckley, "Be not faithless, but believing. Believe in your capacity to do some good in this world. God sent us here for a purpose and that was to improve the world in which we live. The wonderful thing is that we can do it" What a great time of year as we see Believe all over that we believe in God and his love and our capacity to do good with his help. What a great time to be doing good!

First Snow fall

We finally got out first snowfall last night. Emily was playing Christmas songs on the piano with Evan singing when Dane threw open the door and shouted, "It's Snowing!" Everyone went running out to enjoy it. Isaac shared his hopes, "I hope Chloe (our dog) goes out and goes to the bathroom a whole bunch and then by morning it will be buried with snow and I won't have to pick it up". As far as we know it worked because we got 4-5 inches of snow and we can't see any doggy dodo.

stuffed animals

Debbie cooperated quite well with Isaac's ideas of how to play with stuffed animals. She also continues to love shoes and is slowly getting better at walking

eye doctor

Emily went for an eye appointment and we couldn't resist the need to document her visit for her posterity (or we were just bored). Debbie enjoyed trying on the glasses and seemed to be content to keep them on. She did get any but Emily got a cute pair of glasses and more contacts.

more tree decorating

Family night we finely got our basement tree decorated also. Debbie loved the beads and wearing my slippers. We got more help this time and the tree turned out great. We might need to get some new ornaments some day but for now they bring back memories. I am still using the braided wheat ornaments that Louise helped me make in Cincinnati when I only had 2 kids (that would be 19 years old, wow). Dad put on the lights and then disappeared but everyone else stuck around and it was fun. Peter mostly graced us with his presence as he had homework. He did receive the office of priest last Sunday, is finishing up his Duty to God, and this weekend he is at a wrestling meet in Panguitch for 2 days.

He loves wrestling and is doing better this year. He is also still working out at the farm almost every day. Dane has given up crutches and feels so free, he is not allowed to run yet but that will come.