Questions with Grace, age 6

1. What is your favorite color? Light colors (pink)
2. What is your favorite toy? Legos
3. What is your favorite fruit? Watermelon
4. What is your favorite tv show? Miles from Tomorrowland
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Peanut butter sandwiches
6. What is your favorite outfit? Purple dress
7. What is your favorite game? Monopoly Junior
8. What is your favorite snack? Goldfish
9. What is your favorite animal? Elephant

 
10. What is your favorite song? Jingle Bells
11. What is your favorite book? science books
12. Who is your best friend?  Joe Binns
13. What is your favorite cereal? Honeycombs
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Jump rope
15. What is your favorite drink? lemonade
16. What is your favorite holiday? Trick or Treating
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  Sackie, Blue dog flashlight
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Poppi's oatmeal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza, corn (off the cob), watermelon, carrots with hummus, cake and strawberry ice cream
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Ballerina Teacher
21. What was your favorite thing about being 5? Playing with my friends at co-op

 
22. What are you looking forward to about being 6? Going to school  

Happy Birthday, Grace!

You have found your confidence and are ready to start Kindergarten next week. You love schedules and knowing what is next. Two teeth have fallen out already. You make friends easily and that is what you are looking forward to doing in school. Your sisters are some of your best playmates. You love daddy's made-up stories about "Fruityville." Board games are a favorite past-time. Numbers make sense to you and you are looking forward to learning how to read. 

We love you!

Questions with Elizabeth, age 4

Interview with Elizabeth:

1. What is your favorite color? purple
2. What is your favorite toy? Rock star guitar
3. What is your favorite fruit? Watermelon
4. What is your favorite tv show? Peppa Pig
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Peanut Butter and Jelly
6. What is your favorite outfit? Purple dress
7. What is your favorite game? Uno
8. What is your favorite snack? Raisins
9. What is your favorite animal? Zebra
10. What is your favorite song? Jesus Loves Me

 
11. What is your favorite book? Sophia
12. Who is your best friend? Karis13. What is your favorite cereal? Blue kind
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play tag
15. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas 
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? teddy bear, Elsa, sackie, Sophia, lots of anmalals

 
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Baked Oatmeal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? potato bar, donuts
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Fire hydrant... (fighter)
21. What was your favorite thing about being 3? playing with my sisters
22. What are you looking forward to about being 4? watch something, going to nursery school

Happy Birthday to... Baba, Lizzle, Liz Biz, Biz Boz, Lizzie, Betty, Musk Ox, Crazy Uncle, ...

Elizabeth Anne Olson

We love you!

Saying No

My life is not what I would like it to be right now, but I'm not even really sure what I would like. All I know is that I am not happy with the grumpy, short-tempered woman I find living in this house and wearing my clothes. Actually, she is squeezing into my clothes that not that long ago seemed to fit a little better.

So what is driving me these days? What is causing this overwhelmed woman to put her head down and keep pushing when she simply would like to enjoy the life she has been given?

Well, here is what occupies my time...

• Packing lunches, making breakfasts, making supper
• Groceries
• Co-op: either dropping off/picking up or teaching
• Chauffeuring to speech class (2x week)
• Volunteering in Hannah's classroom
• Shelving books at the school library
• PTO mtgs (1x month, + wrestling with the guilt of not signing up for more, especially after hearing how much everyone else is doing for the school)
• Wednesday Night supper with the kids at church (so parents can participate in home groups or alpha
• Leadership meetings (1x month)
• Weekly staff meetings
• Youth group on Friday nights (3x month)
• Putting together curriculum for Jr. Kingdom Kids
• Teaching Kingdom Kids (3 months+ a year)
• Leading Mentoring program
• Book Club (1 every 6 weeks)
• Laundry
• Organizing/Cleaning/Picking up the house
• Garden*
• Hosting friends of the kids and us*
• Connecting with friends*
• Weekly Bible Study with daily lesson work
• Children's stories
• Advent and Lent services
• Home group organization
• Figuring out a system of discipleship for the church
• Stressing about Christmas gifts
• Reading
• Being on the computer WAY more than is good for me
• Staying up TOO late being on the computer WAY more than is good for me

*Not as much as I would like.

On top of what I am doing, I carry the shoulds around... I should have more quality time with Daryl. I should be in touch with my family more (sorry mom and dad, Jon and Mo, mom and dad Olson, Heidi and Nell).  I should pray more. I should exercise more. I should eat healthier. I should feed my family better. I should avoid buying products produced by enslaving other people around the world. I should have a better heart for missions. I should I should I should.

Yeah, I know, no wonder crazy, angry person is taking over my life.

What would saying "no" look like in my life? I read a blog post tonight over at Ungrind.org that got me thinking a bit. Could my life possibly change? Could the real Dana return and be able to wear the clothes in her closet? Interesting questions to consider...

• Is this something I want to do?
• How will this impact my family?
• Are the expectations of others making me feel like I should do something even when I don’t want to?
• Have I prayed about whether it’s something God wants me to invest in?
• If I say “yes”” to this activity, will I be saying “no” to something else of importance?

 http://ungrind.org/2014/art-saying-no/

I'm not even sure these are the best questions. I want to say the fourth question should be the first question, but I am not sure that I know what it means to hear a "yes" or "no" from God. OR perhaps I'm afraid of what it might be.

To Be Continued...

Daddy Birthday Cakes #14 and #15

Although I posted these on Facebook, here are Hannah's 7th birthday cake and Grace's 5th birthday cake. Way to go, Daddy Daryl!

Hannah wanted an owl for her 7th birthday cake.

The cake designer and his daughter

Quinn and Jenny helped celebrate Hannah's birthday

Grace wanted a butterfly for her 5th birthday.

Tolu, Tito, Karis and Elizabeth celebrated at Gracie's first "real" party.

Mariana and Hannah with the birthday girl.

Mario, Bethany, and Clara with Gracie and Hannah

The cake baker with his middle daughter!

Questions with Grace, age 5

1. What is your favorite color? light colors
2. What is your favorite toy? legos
3. What is your favorite fruit? watermelon
4. What is your favorite tv show? Wild Krats
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? meat sandwich with mayonaise, BBQ chips, apple
6. What is your favorite outfit? white skirt with heart shirt
7. What is your favorite game? Hoot Owl Hoot
8. What is your favorite snack? Popsicle
9. What is your favorite animal? Zebra
10. What is your favorite song? My Lighthouse
11. What is your favorite book? Magic Treehouse books
12. Who is your best friend? Mariana, Bethany, Hannah, Elizabeth
13. What is your favorite cereal? Organic Fruit Os
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Pick blueberries, pick beans
15. What is your favorite drink? Milk, juice, water
16. What is your favorite holiday? Easter
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Blankie, Sackie
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? cereal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? pizza, BBQ chips, corn on the cob, push-up pops
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? ballerina
21. What was your favorite thing about being 4? Going to Storyland
22. What are you looking forward to about being 5? My party, go back to Storyland

Hannah: I like that Grace gives me lots and lots of hugs. I hope that Gracie gets to learn about butterflies this year.

Elizabeth: I like going to Target with Gracie. I hope Gracie loves her birthday.

Mommy: I like the way Grace figures things out, especially on the computer and with games. I hope that Gracie learns lots of neat things in Co-op as she gets ready for Kindergarten next year.

Grace is 5!

12:15 am marks the 5th celebration of Grace's arrival to the Olson family. She grown and changed so much over the last year... intellectually, socially, verbally. As the most introverted of our daughters, Grace has a sensitivity to other people that is such a joy to watch. She is a great little hostess and can make people feel very comfortable if she is on her home turf. She has also shown much leadership, especially as she has taken a step away from home into pre-school. She enjoyed school very much this past year. Although we will wait to send her to kindergarten until next year, there is a part of her that longs to get into big kid school now!

Here is Grace through the year!

August 2013 ~ At Grandma and Grandpa's farm

September 2013 ~ First Day of Pre-school

October 2013 ~ Snow White for Halloween

November 2013 ~ Daddy's Birthday party... snuggling with Auntie Leigh

December 2013 ~ Gracie as Mary with Baby Jesus

December 2013 ~ Cuddles with sister and cousin

January 2014 ~ Celebrating the New Year at Uncle Jon's and Aunt Mo's

February 2014 ~ Sleep over with Elizabeth

April 2014 ~ Mother/Daughter Tea at Pre-school

April 2014 ~ Playing at Patton Park

May 2014 ~ Signs of Spring with Dandelions

June 2014 ~ Graduation Day

June 2014 ~ Gordon-Conwell Pre-school Graduate

August 2014 ~ Sidewalk Days with Olaf

August 2014 ~ Dinner art at the Lakehouse

August 2014 ~ Cinderella in her coach at Storyland

August 2011 ~ Cinderella as a 2 year old!

Questions with Hannah, Age 7

Interview with Hannah:

1. What is your favorite color? light colors
2. What is your favorite thing to play? I like to play outside.
3. What is your favorite fruit? watermelon
4. What is your favorite tv show? Paw Patrol
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? crackers, carrots, yogurt stick, mac n cheese
6. What is your favorite outfit? my polka dot dress
7. What is your favorite game? taboo
8. What is your favorite snack? nuts and dried fruit
9. What is your favorite animal? horse
10. What is your favorite song? church songs
11. What is your favorite book? My World Atlas
12. Who is your best friend? Quinn and Jenny
13. What is your favorite cereal? Life and Oats & More
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play house with my sisters
15. What is your favorite drink? Pink Lemonade
16. What is your favorite holiday? Easter
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Lambie
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? fried eggs, toast with cinnamon and sugar, hot tea
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? hot dogs, corn, fruit salad, cannoli
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? artist, mom, orchestra player
21. What was your favorite thing about being 6? Visiting with Nana and Poppi when they came here
22. What are you looking forward to about being 7? Making new friends


Other topics from the past year:

• Baby sheep
• Mrs. Ganley and Mrs. Rogers
• Art Projects: Lizzle's birthday party decorations, headbands
• Moving to own room
• Visiting Idaho
• Reading more and more books, especially chapter books and history/geography books
• Visiting grandma and grandpa, and Levi