tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53884878873380713612012-02-11T11:52:59.181-08:00If there's some lovin' on the offspring, reminiscing on the childhood, and growin' into some country air...then just presume, it's Mrs. Olsen.Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.comBlogger2621100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-39701659308229896872012-02-02T09:36:00.001-08:002012-02-02T11:02:10.630-08:00

Even though we had a brown/gray Christmas- there has still been a winter hibernation going on. Nursing the boy has been good for hibernation, but bad for my hygiene and sense of accomplishment.This week I attempted to stretch and yawn out of my cave. I must have an aversion to stupid rip-apart valentines that are just commercials for Nickelodeon and are just a paper trail harvest for a tiny

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-73126949250596165512012-01-09T12:46:00.000-08:002012-01-09T14:54:06.283-08:00

"When the first baby laughed for the first time, it's laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies."JM Barrie

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-63440290298191603012011-11-01T12:08:00.001-07:002011-11-01T12:08:52.177-07:00

Why are we counting down already?I saw this great idea on Pinterest, and decided we needed to ration our Halloween candy. Plastic wrap twisted around 3 pieces of candy, in 65 bubbles as we count down to our favorite Holiday.

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-46354213805847230522011-10-20T23:51:00.000-07:002011-10-21T00:27:57.889-07:00

This past Monday, seven (Count them seven!), friends and neighbors that don't live in my house saw me:*Bed-Headed*shuffling in my nightgown*viewing my very personal and triumphant competition with The Mister of the House as to who could get the hairiest legs (that would be me) as my nightgown stops about the middle of my shins.On Sunday, I was literally on my back with insane lower lumbar spasms

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-30016303134350358462011-10-12T00:11:00.001-07:002011-10-12T00:11:54.547-07:00

I'm not an amazing photographer, but I do enjoy it. In the past I have enjoyed the editing tricks with google's free picasa software. It was free and good, but lacked a lot of professional photoshop tools. However, I did just bite the bullet in the form of 25 big ones to pay for an annual subscription to Picnik. They also offer free editing options, but their premium tools looked like they

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-81571047378032114162011-09-21T12:42:00.001-07:002011-09-21T14:11:59.125-07:00

This summer while the chickens snuck into the garden,and Rainbow Girl and I milked Betty the Goat,on the milk stand built by The Mister of the House,where if you kept a watchful eye you would catch frequent summer accidents averted by toddlers-with-initiative;and even wobbly-headed newborns became bright-eyed infants before your very eyes (although you're not quite sure how),...well while all of

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-45009963230807699322011-08-25T22:54:00.000-07:002011-08-26T10:02:22.923-07:00

How can school shoot a hole through summer's official tide while still being in the 90's outside? I'm still thinking of garden ideas, feeling like I just had a baby and it's still spring. Does this time-space formula get worse with each passing year? So, in order to maintain the chaos of information I am needing to record for my own sake and that of my family, I'll just pull up some snippets

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-84693080818080316852011-07-31T21:10:00.000-07:002011-07-31T21:52:37.675-07:00

July 31: Tomorrow is the month of August. The month of family birthdays, end of summers, the cringing at school supplies stocked in every store. It's the last moment to squeeze in our last late-night affairs with outdoor movies and popsicles, all the while dreading what the months of farm chores and play have done to our math skills AND our morning skills.The Mister and I are on different body

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-88499437171889609752011-07-18T22:35:00.000-07:002011-07-18T23:09:06.295-07:00

As a girl who has loved having a blog because it helps sorting out my head, the recent silence of my tapping fingers was surprising. I thought I would need to sort out my lessons and thoughts, but instead it has been a quiet period of reflection. For now I have a little perspective, and the thick summer air still holds the posts about all of the women who helped me overprepare my home, kitchen,

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-18419208682151379442011-06-23T00:10:00.000-07:002011-06-23T00:27:10.744-07:00

There's so much I NEED to update on the blog, mostly for my brain's sake. But first off, no transition jealousy! In fact, we might have a little too much love going around here. Here's Buddha Boy loving on baby...

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-58073346729530582532011-06-20T02:15:00.001-07:002011-06-20T02:15:29.418-07:00

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-48043298269805727202011-05-13T09:58:00.000-07:002011-05-13T10:04:59.231-07:00

Coming home from the NICU and with the little guy on oxygen meant that for the first 3 weeks of his life, Gideon had a tube across his face and was connected to a machine. While the weather has evolved from spring to winter, and back to spring again; while the earth has celebrated royal weddings and hunted down number one terrorists; while Japan has recovered from tsunamis and nuclear meltdowns

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-11331835067136583902011-05-04T10:11:00.000-07:002011-05-04T11:10:21.978-07:00

...the pigs and chickens got some new neighbors!Last week, while still detoxing from hospital baby trauma, we had some exciting developments on the farm. Betty, our miserably pregnant goat, surprised us all by birthing triplet baby kids. Unlike last year's birthing, we didn't even aid (or even cheerlead) the birth. The Mister went in the back to check on the animals, and 3 little baby goats

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-89037159517925949582011-04-22T10:33:00.000-07:002011-04-22T10:35:32.748-07:00

I'm sooo tired. And I just realized that Easter is just around the corner. I wanted to repost a favorite Easter recipe in case you are looking for a meaningful activity to do with your kids this weekend. This was originally posted in 2009. Please enjoy!This Easter Weekend we made Resurrection Rolls with the kids.   With young and curious kids, I find myself walking a fine line between creative

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-66734026789983481932011-04-12T22:03:00.000-07:002011-04-12T22:35:23.301-07:00

Late last night, almost a full week after delivering this little guy, we actually got to come home! While the infection in the lungs is gone, one of the resulting symptoms of the infection lingers: hypertension. So with a prescription for oxygen to help alleviate work on his heart until the hypertension drops down, we headed home. It was the first time Rainbow Girl was able to see her brother in

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-70991819485792828782011-04-09T19:46:00.000-07:002011-04-12T12:08:36.079-07:00

Today is Saturday, and my last post was just a few short days ago. It feels like it was forever ago. The trial and pain of being a ripe-for-the-harvest pregnant woman left me reflecting on "pain" and how that mini-trial, and its grouchy self-imposed symptoms, left me suspecting that should I really endure a major trial like cancer, there was a risk I might be in the bitter category (as opposed

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-43660229507486115692011-04-04T22:17:00.000-07:002011-04-04T22:26:12.180-07:00

So much has been happening here that it's almost a relief to have them done before the baby is here. Correction: it's a relief that The Mister has these projects done so Mrs. Olsen has him for few days after kiddo arrives to boss him around, change all the diapers, and get pampered.Check out all our beautiful eggs! The speckled egg is from our blue slate turkey, who takes forever to become

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-2121917693138195342011-04-04T21:26:00.000-07:002011-04-04T22:16:46.796-07:00

Today marks the first time I have ever been over my due date. I cannot believe I'm still pregnant. This conversation sums up my existence right now:Friend arrives to my house last week to pick up eggs. I haven't seen her in two weeks:Friend: (freezes in her tracks and stares) Oh. My. Gosh. You have gotten so much bigger just since I saw you two weeks ago.Mrs. Olsen: Oh. Yeah?Friend: Yes. How

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-71157923916461234452011-03-28T21:18:00.000-07:002011-03-28T21:56:49.982-07:00

With the anxiety of A) getting this pregnancy over; and B) seeing this gestating kid and whether or not your DNA lapped The Mister's in the gene pool, means that you can get sidetracked from the actual moment of things. The state of your family unit. Right now, I have two little boys that are just over 2 years apart (a pregnancy milestone for me, but pretty standard for most Mormon Mommies).

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-72856792948630431322011-03-22T00:05:00.001-07:002011-03-22T00:31:18.816-07:00

This past Christmas, my mother-in-law gave me a full-length, embroidered on the edges, flowing nightgown.To be honest, I had NEVER worn a nightgown. I'm more of a workout pants and t-shirt kindof girl when it comes to bedtime. But I noticed the tag had a Dillard's sticker, and felt the soft brushed cotton, and took it home to wear to bed.Enter Mrs. Olsen in nightgown. Rainbow Girl stops and

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-72171743595395823542011-03-21T21:57:00.000-07:002011-03-22T00:24:31.596-07:00

Back in December, before I became an inflatable raft, The Olsen Gals had a little beebee party for the expecting Olsen Mommies. We ate great food, had a contest to see who could suck the water out of a bottle the fastest, and pretended to be fortune tellers stringing crystals above Mandy's belly to find out if she's having a boy or girl.It was at this party that my creative sister-in-law talked

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-41736300459823963812011-03-21T20:59:00.000-07:002011-03-21T21:52:39.198-07:00

Rainbow Girl and I recently scored when Grandma & Grandpa Cozy called up and informed us that they were taking us to see The 5 Brown's in concert at the local, beautifully restored downtown theatre. Having a peripheral knowledge of "The 5 Brown's", my eyes and ears perked up to their story.All siblings from Utah. Nifty!All classical pianists. That should help with piano lessons...All trained at

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-16550436331589776482011-03-10T21:18:00.000-08:002011-03-10T22:26:30.008-08:00

What with my beached whale status, and the fact that for $7.99 a month I can watch Netflix episodes without even needing a disc...means that I have been in an Apache Avenue Time Warp the past couple of weeks. The Cosby Show People! It was the sitcom of my childhood, and according to some, the sitcom of the century. But mostly, it's a sitcom about my dad. I have been watching episodes while

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-15109953860374940692011-03-08T20:27:00.000-08:002011-03-22T00:24:44.335-07:00

Because we chose to hire a Certified Nurse Midwife with a Birthing Center over 100 miles from my little valley, I have taken lots of little day trips to The Great Salt Lake. One of the bonuses of these trips, and because I rarely leave home otherwise, has been reconnecting with old friends.Here's Paula with her latest offspring {insert longing female sigh here}. When I called my old high school

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-75598726038838514432011-03-07T15:52:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:25:22.275-08:00

There's something to be said about using your childhood years, even into college, to developing your talents. There's no other time to be quite so focused, and even a little selfish. My ma and pa paid for me to take lessons in piano, clogging, gymnastics, and skiing. Later when I played athletics, they paid for volleyball and basketball camps, which weren't cheap. They also watched every

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-2121259997359538912011-03-04T11:03:00.000-08:002011-03-04T11:42:47.687-08:00

So apart from having occasional neighbors that hardly know you think you're a freak for posting your life on the interweb, there is a draw to blogging that keeps you coming back (amidst possible scorn?). It is this: you learn so much about family and friends that you thought you already knew.In the case of little brother of The Mister of the House, all I knew was that he and his lovely wife were

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-63467574148689938592011-02-28T10:02:00.000-08:002011-02-28T10:13:15.289-08:00

With February nearly to a close, I had to document a couple things I actually accomplished, instead of just talked about or thought about.Remember my kissing pictures series? Basically I am horrible at printing and framing pictures on my wall. I didn't have hardly any pictures of family, and wanted my kids to know who was who. So I decided I would take a picture of every auntie and uncle in our

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-14831239405595213092011-02-28T09:15:00.000-08:002011-02-28T10:02:30.380-08:00

This week I am 35 weeks prego. This new kid is coming up, and I have the energy level of a sloth. Which brings me to this: women are the fabric of communities. They reach out, connect, remember, and cook 10 pans of food when you are a sloth.If you are a true woman, when you stop being a sloth and become a honeybee, you return the favor with a smile. Here's a honeybee from high school, Tonya.

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-83101107138891331662011-02-22T08:30:00.000-08:002011-02-22T09:07:10.417-08:00

Believe it or not, my December soup series is still ongoing. I have actually made LOTS of soup. I've also taken LOTS of naps. We had a taste of spring, and to be honest, I wasn't ready for it. The dirty gray yard begged to be worked on, but I've lost my moxie. I just prayed that my apricots wouldn't start blooming only to be denied their delicious fruit with a late storm. But then it

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-91227094242478258092011-02-16T21:02:00.000-08:002011-02-16T22:08:15.804-08:00

For over 20 years, and throughout my entire childhood, my dad was on the coaching staff of just about every sport at the Mormon-Church owned Ricks College. Most of my conscious childhood he was the assistant coach of the sport he loved the most...basketball. Every winter, I spent school nights and weekend nights heading to The Hart Building to support my dad's team, The Vikings. My mom always

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-45551461097424906872011-02-09T19:45:00.000-08:002011-02-09T20:35:55.869-08:00

Considering the fact that it has taken me almost 4 years to get pictures of our extended family on the wall, and since I was on a roll, I decided I would work on the kids valentines this week.First of all, I hate rip-me-apart Dora the Explorer crap valentines. Second of all, I'm way too cheap to make over-the-top crafty Valentine's for 45 kids this year.So inspired by last year's cards, I

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-21494899754289555372011-01-21T22:08:00.000-08:002011-01-21T23:27:41.996-08:00

A couple weeks ago my one and only female child walked up to me while I was doing dishes and commented that she had a little bump in her shirt. Just one side, right on her chest. She thought it was funny. My eyes turned to googly-pies and I remembered the horror of coming onto puberty unawares. Jumping on the trampoline one minute, finding a surprise in my pants and quietly telling my mom...

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-68632581724088574732011-01-13T22:01:00.000-08:002011-01-13T22:19:13.748-08:00

So much for my December soup series, huh? The snow is still falling however, and it's still a good season to cozy up with a bowl of warm soup. So we're back at it! This recipe comes from my sister Monica. Among many things, she is an amazing cook. The reason I love this soup is that it is the perfect blend of creamy and brothy, plus wholesome veggies and wild rice do a dance in your mouth.

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-37345498402103358692011-01-05T08:26:00.000-08:002011-01-05T08:47:31.470-08:00

Dear Nerds,Having a Julliard-trained brother-in-law exercising his training in the production of the upcoming HBO series "Game of Thrones" means that Mrs. Olsen and The Mister of the House received a tour of the set that you have tried to sneak onto via fake job interviews, ninja methods, or pure open nerdiness that makes you feel like a legitimate consultant for the series.Mandy & Bryan

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-82940256914822153202011-01-04T22:52:00.000-08:002011-01-04T23:08:07.846-08:00

Dear Cool People,(Mrs. Olsen 2010 Halloween Awards go to...)Where were you this past year when I went to the company Halloween Party? Just wondering why nobody "got" this heee-larious themed costume from my sister-and-brother-in-law. Am I really that old and out of touch with younguns these days? And do you think you could sit down and enjoy one of the old "classics"?Please tell me there are

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-90749099352553103022011-01-04T22:43:00.000-08:002011-01-04T22:51:05.560-08:00

Gwendolyn's Dead!Her injuries were too severe this time. There were pieces of her all over the porch. My camera was on the fritz. I put her in recycling because she was resin and I wanted her to live forever.But she was looking rather ghetto. So until I get a proper country porch 8 feet deep and hugging 3 sides of my house...C'est La Vie!In Remembrance (too bad you didn't see her cute turkey

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-20998335704709613332011-01-04T21:57:00.000-08:002011-01-04T22:26:02.288-08:00

Back in August, I got some birthday moo-la to get my hair done. For a slob like me, going to a salon and actually spending money on my hair is an annual pilgrimage. Not surprisingly, I didn't actually make the appointment and get it done until December. I decided to visit a specific hairdresser, get a "wash-n-go" hairstyle that will fit with my needs, and decided to fork over the big bucks for

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-71332144508085372242011-01-03T13:07:00.001-08:002011-01-03T13:07:49.260-08:00

4 deliciously blended ingredients:ButterSweet onionSliced pear(skillet loved until browned)Bed of spinachYum!

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-35718686253086913412011-01-02T13:28:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:29:16.038-08:00

My mouth tastes like the pits of hell because I had a tooth pulled this week. No roughage to get caught with beautiful green smoothies yo.

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-32235338535161609852011-01-01T22:37:00.001-08:002011-01-01T22:41:26.024-08:00

Last year's reckoning was depressing. This year I'm not deep cleaning under my stove as a consolation prize. That is good.My salad a day for 2010 was a positive arc. I'm feeling good! I got my cheekbones back in June and then promptly got pregnant.My goal: try to keep my cheekbones until this kid arrives. With holiday goodies and a resurge of sugar cravings distracting me, it could be a task

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-32736482955680958992010-12-22T17:37:00.000-08:002010-12-22T19:13:58.664-08:00

Being involved in a local non-profit had its perks this week. With one of the missions to "improve quality of life on a local level" along with some extra funds needing to be allocated this year, we decided to do some shopping for some families in need from the a local community center.I'll be honest, after reading this story of a family wanting to help do a sub-for-Santa, I was leery of helping

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-42790447397799469202010-12-15T23:58:00.000-08:002010-12-16T00:17:27.922-08:00

I am shocked! shocked I tell you...that Christmas is 9 days away. I'm still in the middle of my learning curve of being the mom with the magic at Christmas-time, and every year it creeps up on me earlier and earlier. But fortunately for my sake, I married into the family whose mother made Christmas a science. She teaches classes for crying out loud! And so we're still sponging off of her

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-53298643979784660032010-12-14T08:36:00.000-08:002010-12-14T10:45:25.297-08:00

There's something so comforting and (practically) fail-safe about chili. Throw in some meat, some beans, some spices and your set. But then you taste that bowl of chili that reaches perfection. The one that wins the chili cook-off. The one that makes you realize great chili's aren't just a dump-fest of ingredients, but are instead a controlled science experiment guaranteeing the chemistry of

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-81125297263424044042010-12-10T10:25:00.000-08:002010-12-10T10:40:20.122-08:00

Hello December! With parties, shopping, decorating, serving, caroling, and sledding going on this month, I decided to post some favorite Olsen Family soup recipes. There's nothing easier than a big pot of soup to munch on all-day. And there's nothing better than coming in from the cold and warming up with a bowl of comfort. Here's our first soup recipe this month, Creamy Curry Carrot Soup:You

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-83529958433108896322010-12-02T20:19:00.000-08:002010-12-02T21:00:34.245-08:00

The evening of Thanksgiving, just after dinner, turkey nap, and a movie night with the whole family...my husband left on a 12 day trip to Asia. This with school and schedules just around the corner, and bitter below-zero temperatures, winter storm warnings and a little farm...and me. Alone. In charge.Gone is my morning person, who wakes up and gets Rainbow Girl to practice the piano before

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-63052940676489442492010-11-29T21:27:00.000-08:002010-11-29T22:11:24.395-08:00

It's that time again! Over the past few weeks, our turkeys have been wandering all over the place. Flying over the fence and visiting on the deck was a recent treat. This is a heritage breed called "Blue Slate", and we had a batch of four. They are a beautiful grayish-blue color, and unlike Butterball, they take a good 7-8 months to get full-grown. Because our first spring batch died (turkeys

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-62602132453799141632010-11-26T23:52:00.000-08:002010-11-27T00:52:07.148-08:00

For me, 3 years feels like nothin' special. It takes me just about that long to put the names with the faces with the houses of all my neighbors. There are some projects that I've been meaning to finish for that long. There are some friends I haven't seen in over three years, who, upon reunion would pick up old jokes and memories as if they happened yesterday.But 3 years is a big deal when it

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-80303491149349411682010-11-16T20:27:00.000-08:002010-11-16T20:50:45.844-08:00

Over the weekend I ske-daddled to Idaho for 2 root canals. Lame. I stayed at my parents house, retreated to my old bedroom, and climbed into the giant bed I use to share with my sister. I had a sad revelation. Here is why this picture is lame (and in a class of lame-ness way beyond 2 root canals if that is even possible):A) My folks house lay on a bluff above those famous Idaho potato fields (

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-57801882331856887662010-11-11T21:43:00.000-08:002010-11-12T05:36:15.963-08:00

I think it's somewhat inevitable, what with the merging of your life to another through marriage, the puffing of pregnancy, the retreat from the single life into one of quiet service to your kids...well it's inevitable not to take those kids your investing lessons and dinners into and not live through them a little bit. They are a piece of you after all.As for my childhood...apart from being

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-6520687087674098682010-11-09T16:55:00.000-08:002010-11-09T17:02:48.249-08:00

Today I drove 100+ miles to my chosen Birth Center to get my single appointed ultrasound for the offspring growing in my gutt. The argument for moms that wait until the birth to find out the gender applies to those who get their 20 week ultrasound as well. It's still Christmas morning with a glittering mystery unveiled beneath the tree. Except now I get to paint, clean, organize clothes, and

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-18351764266125545342010-10-31T20:04:00.001-07:002010-10-31T21:06:37.421-07:00

Having been a church-going Mormon most of my life, marrying the boy, having the kids, raising the mutts, and soon comes my favorite holiday of the year: Halloween. (It's now a very close second to Christmas). For years I would revel in the delight of this season, the shower of free candy, and the crazy dress-ups encouraged and sometimes participated with adults.I looked forward to the parade of

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-75283734189029644292010-10-26T20:34:00.000-07:002010-10-26T20:58:58.550-07:00

Please tell me you still have one big fat zucchini on your counter that you've been wondering whether or not to throw away? Well don't! Here's another garden recipe sent to save the day! (do I still have good karma Tonya?)These are ingredients for a full-size cookie sheet full of fiber-rich brownies. Start with that zucchini. Grate it. We need 4 cups!Next we have our oil substitute: Great

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-87009635961893392812010-10-26T20:31:00.000-07:002010-10-26T20:34:08.542-07:00

1) Little boys that get a cut the size of a pin-hole taking care of it themselves.2) Baby boys developing curls! Curly-headed boys getting into mom's mascara (that darn stain is still on that shirt).3) Big girls and Halloween just around the corner.

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-10348605664386968952010-10-21T08:19:00.000-07:002010-11-12T05:38:26.756-08:00

This recipe is great for when you have a glut of tomatoes. And anyone who has ever escorted tomatoes through a salsa recipe requiring you to blanch, peel, core, and then de-seed the tomatoes will hopefully find a return of motivation to process their own food. No more wondering where half the tomato went, and no burning hands! I haven't tweaked around with it to see if it can be canned, so for

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-87724470722202204282010-10-18T21:15:00.000-07:002010-10-19T10:21:32.402-07:00

The Olsen's biggest, funnest, newest summer project happened around July. It ends up the hole in the backyard, which used to serve as a retention pond prior to city-wide gutters, still has a purpose. For some blessed holy reason, underground spring water flows into it during a few precious summer months. Usually, by the beginning of summer (and the end of spring) it's a soggy mess, but this

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-21553928646741997442010-10-14T08:37:00.001-07:002010-10-14T09:03:58.241-07:00

There's so many garden recipes I have been cooking up lately to use up our fresh garden produce, but I have hardly had a second to post them on the blog. For now? Here's a new family favorite: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna. It's adapted from some magazine pullout from long ago, but you can really just fly on the cuff with this one. I recommend cooking option 2, simply because it cooks more

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-11476770952660286762010-10-14T07:35:00.000-07:002010-10-14T08:08:58.276-07:00

I am currently in my harvest paralysis. In the corner of the kitchen lies a basket of corn, picked 5 days ago, still waiting to be shucked, boiled, cooled, cut, bagged, and frozen. I'm signing it off as a starchy mess to be sent to the chickens.However! Celebrations are in order partly because I actually got most of my corn into my freezer, and it was still tender, delicious, and sweet.I'm not

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-46255042877609355572010-10-14T07:29:00.001-07:002010-10-14T07:33:57.820-07:00

It's a harvest moon, and for the very first time...and it was delicious!

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-83483904243499388752010-10-06T08:50:00.000-07:002010-10-06T09:00:10.593-07:00

Good eye Jenna. I did not in fact prove my greens for my Derry Day, but I definitely did eat, and it definitely was amazing. Thanks for noticing, now here's my proof.I'm funny right? When we got back to Belfast, we followed the "locals recommendation" for fish and chips and this was the honking plate that was placed before me. They didn't ask if I wanted ketchup. They didn't ask if I wanted

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-6454092028783101502010-09-29T23:33:00.000-07:002010-10-04T20:18:16.686-07:00

The last full touring day of our trip we headed to....hmmm, what should I call it? Legally known as Londonderry, historically known as Derry, and from what I can tell, you can remain somewhat neutral as long as you simply refer to it as "The City of Derry". This is the place where Bloody Sunday occurred decades ago, and has been a porting city and immigration stepping stone for centuries. Such

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-90914287845451898452010-09-27T16:25:00.000-07:002010-09-27T17:32:16.096-07:00

My salad for Thursday, September 16th was a cute little guy from an Italian Cafe inside the London-Stansted Airport. By the way, if you ever fly into London and you see 3 airports available, just be aware that Stansted is an hour and half bus ride away from the actual London. By the time I was eating this salad, we had had a very uneventful day "tourist-wise", but I had already experienced a

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-901969186566313162010-09-23T13:41:00.000-07:002010-09-23T13:56:30.931-07:00

Wednesday, September 15th marked our only full day in London. Could we tackle it all in one day? Would we feel like we had a handle on the sights, the history, or even the food? So in order to digest it all, we paid for an open-bus-tour. There were several routes throughout the city that we could hop on or off with our ticket, so it was a good way to digest the city in a day.There's was so

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-76817433642588168872010-09-20T11:24:00.000-07:002010-09-20T13:29:04.050-07:00

On Tuesday, September 14th, we caught a flight from Ireland to London for a 2-night stay (thank you Andy & Erin!). The salad for this day was eaten standing up, in-a-hurry to get out the door from Mandy's apartment.After our flight, and a long bus ride, we arrived in the heart of London in the early evening. It was here, in the train station, that I had to actually pay to use a toilet for the

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-88065531132384101622010-09-16T23:53:00.000-07:002010-09-17T00:00:31.411-07:00

On Monday we hit the coast and headed to the Giant's Causeway. On the way, we went across a rope bridge across to a lush, soft, green, coast rock thingie. Looking down from the bridge was....um....exciting.Mandy the Mom, our hostess with the mostest, tapped the locals to find an eating place fitting for the coast. After winding down a road, we came to this beautiful shack, where I had a wee

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-77613966784170157302010-09-13T15:24:00.000-07:002010-09-14T04:11:16.926-07:00

Over the weekend, we took a ferry from Ireland to Scotland and headed to the capital of Edinburgh. Just about the entire weekend we practiced our pronunciation: which is to say {Eh-din-burr-eh} (try to roll those r's just a bit) instead of Edinberrr-g. I have to admit, Edinburgh could be my favorite stop so far. There really is only one word to describe the town, towering with high rise stone

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-33020788471629156922010-09-10T13:47:00.001-07:002010-09-10T14:34:20.401-07:00

Today I caught a more gritty perspective of Ireland. The idyllic rolling hills, leprechauns, and pots of gold took a backseat on my black cab tour through Belfast. Evidently, this town in Northern Ireland was not, should we say, "tourist friendly" ten years ago. We are here after a concerted effort at peace and new beginnings. It has worked to the point that we walked a couple miles to the

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-78131793130303082452010-09-10T06:18:00.000-07:002010-09-10T11:25:55.876-07:00

Gift One: Hostess with the Mostest. Beautiful Mandy....in a tree.But lives in a hip post-modern apartment with a spare bedroom (wahoo!)Gift two: A raw salad on day two of the trip!Gift three: We visited a castle, and followed a trail to a cave on the hillside. Wouldn't you know that growing wild and free all along the trail were some blackberries. They were delicious with my cereal this

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-17488788557518093892010-09-09T13:58:00.001-07:002010-09-09T14:48:05.778-07:00

Yesterday, I was "en-route" to my European Vacation for just over 24 hours. Ugh. What time is it? One of my fears on this trip has been: Will I be able to get my salad a day? Well yesterday, during our 7-hour layover in New York, I put these fears to the test. Check out my little mini New York adventure below:Upon emerging from the swarthy subway tunnels, I emerged into the cliched version of New

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-84016195921980204092010-08-30T11:28:00.000-07:002010-08-30T11:51:40.038-07:00

Remember this view from Bok Bok Cottage recently?This was one of the three "hens" our neighbor gave to us, of which all turned out to be roosters. So this rooster was pretty young, not yet fully grown and born in April. Since we decided to raise all of our meat this year, we raised up some "broilers" and processed them this month. Much to the pleasure of

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-71240327991674802232010-08-19T07:57:00.000-07:002010-08-20T08:27:56.789-07:00

What do you do when your husband's sister has red hair, lives in Ireland, and has a spare bedroom? Which is just what we did. After months of stalking, Orbitz finally delivered a good price on our tickets. We leave in less than a month!What do you do when your brother-in-law is an up and coming Hollywood writer on an HBO series (currently filming in Ireland)? You decide to peruse the book series

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-26179901765126216872010-08-04T16:42:00.001-07:002010-08-04T16:43:11.231-07:00

Anybody remember my New Year's Goal to eat a salad every day in 2010?   It appears I almost forgot.  3 days I missed in July!  It's called: camp, funeral, and Lagoon. I made up for it today with a HUGE salad with smoked turkey from Smokin' Blues Barbecue (where I also tried a fried pickle. It actually wasn't bad by the way) Check it out.  I still have leftovers in my fridge.  I rate this salad

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-64913701383422573062010-07-26T13:37:00.000-07:002010-08-17T12:19:52.205-07:00

In 2008, we left our little Victorian house with neighbors 20 feet away on two sides. We opted for a change of scenery and a steadier, more rooted, pace to life. We felt so blessed to find a home in a nice neighborhood that already had a finished basement apartment. Mortgage eater built in--awesome!My baby was 7 months old, and I was just picking myself up from some annoying and dangerous

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-50062723430571643692010-07-19T23:03:00.000-07:002010-07-19T23:43:13.658-07:00

So I'm here to give a shout out to all amateur gardeners. The ones who love the pretty yards in Better Homes & Gardens but then get their water bill, have a newborn, or become temporarily addicted to saving the princess. I want to have a pretty garden, I want self-reliance, but I have always become burned out in July. But I am hanging in there this year! My garden still totally sucks when

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-7424695389779933032010-07-14T10:07:00.000-07:002010-07-14T13:27:31.429-07:00

There was a time in my life-my skinnier, single life, that I was a proficient nightswimmer. Large bodies of natural water: lakes, oceans, sometimes the eddies of a river, would unwittingly accept my sweaty armpits and oily hair as I checked the swim off as my daily shower. I'm pretty sure my sister Niki contributed her urine upstream from me a few times as well, bless her little heart. The

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-11743188714762745472010-07-08T16:46:00.000-07:002010-07-08T17:46:12.258-07:00

So once in a while, I wake up and say: Be Monica! Monica is my older, wiser, crafting-er sister. So last month, it happened! I actually conceived a project and then!...I actually started it. I didn't finish it mind you (we'll save that for 3 years later), but I'm happy with the progress so far. Plus I'm cheap. For 30 bucks here's the makeover taking place in the back.Here's our outdoor

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-79009492813809805022010-07-08T16:03:00.000-07:002010-07-08T16:34:13.912-07:00

While I desperately try to become a competent gardener, my flower beds have gone to...the seeds. And last year, they sensuously conceived hollyhock seeds and now I'm waiting for these pillars of color to explode.These little devils are waiting too. In the meantime, they are having an outdoor picnic every day in my flowerbeds.I'm a little slow to the draw. Here we are in our 3rd summer out in a

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-57960088292517890212010-07-03T21:52:00.000-07:002010-07-03T21:55:45.483-07:00

Overheard recently here at Mrs. Olsen's house...Mrs. Olsen: Where are we taking the kids this year on vacation? We never go anywhere! I need some Oregon Coast. Do you realize our boys have NEVER seen the Oregon Coast? We need to make some memories for our kids and we never....After poking and prodding, The Mister of the House reminded me that we have a big yard with lots of chickens, and that

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-3124409757164033242010-06-23T11:55:00.000-07:002010-06-23T16:34:57.936-07:00

As a born and bred Idaho Girl, I was excited for a recent reunion away from the farm, over the river and through the woods to Island Park. Driving through southeast Idaho, the valleys are wide and plain. Plod further north and you get to beautiful Ashton, and right on the border of that town, you see the impending rise of the land, a major geologic shift forcing your transmission to growl.

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-16251227063927096172010-06-18T08:33:00.000-07:002010-06-18T09:04:47.234-07:00

Because I've already made it to the ten year mark in my marriage, and I want another ten (or fifty): I'm a fighter.Because my kids will eventually grow up and have an email account, and will possibly get solicited by perves inviting them to get enlarged: I'm a fighter.*gosh I hope that never happensBecause sex is a beautiful symbol of marital unity: I'm a fighter.Because I was a business owner

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-79627091356533924102010-06-16T15:00:00.000-07:002010-06-16T17:00:53.775-07:00

My garden life typifies the battle between flesh and spirit. Late winter and early spring I think about how I need to plan out my garden, I marvel when I hear that people planted lettuce and onions in March, and I am certain! to have the beautiful, blossoming, tamed wilderness in my own backyard. Then July hits. I wither in the heat. I crawl into my basement and dream of dewey, windy,

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-67593205102212797712010-06-03T14:00:00.001-07:002010-06-04T07:41:52.976-07:00

In our kitchen, we picked up the pace around March. Picking up the pace meant that we tried to avoid processed foods containing high fructose corn syrup as well as other ingredients that you can't read or understand. So one March Morning the mutts woke up and our standard honey-nut cheerios was out. The kids sat at the table with empty bowls and excited smiles after The Mister of the House

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-77268209619679741652010-05-25T09:35:00.000-07:002010-05-25T11:07:40.962-07:00

Last week our two goats had their kids. During the month prior, The Mister of the House purchased a goat care book, watched disturbing YouTube videos, and checked on the expectant mothers several times a day. When some experienced farmer friends indicated that the goats could go any day now, The Mister of the House officially shifted into hyperdrive. He turned to me after they left and stated

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-20017488656935688812010-05-19T12:37:00.000-07:002010-05-19T13:02:00.603-07:00

Remember this post and my little boy's obsession with all things pink? Well, here's his new shoes, which he lovingly refers to as "my pinks".Some bonus chubby cheek action below:

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-61902033447575624082010-05-08T21:21:00.000-07:002010-05-08T22:14:14.641-07:00

When I see this picture, I am 9 years old. In the laundry room are all the plastic bins with clean folded clothes. I check them every few days, and take them to my room. When I say goodbye to my favorite shirt in the hamper, it quickly reappears in my bin. I wear it the next day and start the cycle over. I wonder why my little sister Niki has the name "Nicole" written on her bin.When I see

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-33109132142660080892010-05-06T20:27:00.000-07:002010-05-08T17:41:29.257-07:00

Since Mrs. Olsen has been yapping SaladThis and SaladThat I thought I should try to lighten up a little. Although I think it's an excellent idea, I am not completely off of sugar. My family is enjoying our little food revolution with whole foods and fruits & veggies, and so I'm feeling good about the occasional splurge. When my co-op baskets included avocados and limes recently, I decided to

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-37480895164423093952010-05-06T15:30:00.000-07:002010-05-06T15:46:53.151-07:00

This recipe title includes "side" in it because it is a perfect compliment to a meal. It is flavorful and doesn't require heavy sauces. Yet it is mild enough to marry lots of flavors on your plate. Last night we ate it with salmon and mango relish, and it blended all the flavors wonderfully. I keep cold leftovers and use them other ways as well: with stir-fry veggies rolled up in tortillas,

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-364650496106546842010-05-05T13:01:00.000-07:002010-05-06T15:30:12.076-07:00

Limes take the stage for our first citrus week recipe. This is the first official home-made salad dressing I've made this year, and I say It's about dang time. So here's the deal with this recipe, it came from a book of recipes beloved by my sister Monica. I wish you could come and eat at her house, because it would be healthy, delicious, and from scratch. She's also a wizard cause she

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-82402479488540385282010-05-04T11:17:00.001-07:002010-05-04T11:19:33.153-07:00

So with all these food co-ops, I have been swimming in citrus. From that, I have created, looked up, or resurrected delicious citrus recipes using lime, lemon, or oranges. I'm excited to post these throughout the week (never mind that it is already Tuesday afternoon....the week is still young).Adios!

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-66259000355414624682010-05-03T15:42:00.000-07:002010-05-03T16:05:21.279-07:00

How much salad can this blog take before it's left in forgotten no-man's land? (hint: please take my survey on the sidebar if you have a moment). In case you're new around here, when that crappy New Year rolled around I decided to simplify my resolution list and just try to eat a raw green salad every day in 2010. My new routine entails many breakfasts where I drink my favorite spinach

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-74361572768584462142010-04-30T13:00:00.000-07:002010-04-30T15:54:06.802-07:00

Now that I've established that my son is a Jedi-in-training (see previous post), and that he's sure to dominate the galaxy someday with his testosterone, acting talent, and handsome good looks, then I can make my confession.Let me start here: I throw some cold cereal in one of my colorful Ikea bowls, and the monkey throws a fit unless it's in his favorite color.Next clue: the kid wears the same

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-89686156216928294902010-04-30T08:03:00.001-07:002010-04-30T08:06:19.345-07:00

I can't believe how fast these little people are becoming bigger people. Here's a recent trick we taught to our puppy.If you live in a cave, click here.

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-53824719392958779872010-04-25T15:32:00.000-07:002010-04-27T06:45:40.219-07:00

A couple of months ago I posted a hasty review of two food co-ops operating in my region of the west. That comparison dealt mostly with ease of ordering (one totally dominates over the other) and value (both seemed a pretty good deal on paper, although I had only tried one of them). Since that time, I have ordered multiple baskets from both entities in question and am here to give a more

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-5553026484075334812010-04-16T12:21:00.000-07:002010-04-16T13:27:17.741-07:00

When I was a little mutt, I ate school lunch every day. My favorite food was pigs in a blanket, and on the rare occasions that we got chocolate milk, it made the highlight of the day. Now that I have kids of my own, I get to look at school lunch in a different light. A mother's light. For instance, a couple of years ago our school district decided to make a nutritional difference during the

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-59992342486569202462010-04-15T11:12:00.001-07:002010-04-15T11:31:52.284-07:00

The eternal laws of porch loving requires me to sustain a resin goose as the keeper of my gate. It gives me common ground with the grannies. Here's Gwendolyn's view recently:Wouldn't you know that I finally got rid of my winter wreath upon donning Gwendolyn in her Easter threads. I jinxed the valley into getting a six inch dump of snow on Easter Weekend. Sorry everybody!There is our recent

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-49928628414270010992010-04-14T12:50:00.000-07:002010-04-14T14:09:35.590-07:00

Late last year we made a farm addition that has yet to be announced on this blog. You see, after reading about cows and how they trash the land, we wondered what animal we could raise that would be cleaner on the land, and also require a little less maintenance. After asking around, The Mister of the House made the executive decision to get some goats. Their breed is called : Boer Goats. What

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-40622819436437560262010-04-07T03:59:00.000-07:002010-04-07T08:24:03.451-07:00

One year ago this April, we celebrated the 90th birthday of my last living grandparent: Geneal Call Cooper. Although her birthday was in January, she had a hip replacement in that month, my folks were in Hawaii, so we pushed her party until spring-time. The family encouraged her to get the hip replacement because she was still so healthy and young. Just look at her, and you will see: This

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-26720570196146429292010-04-02T10:54:00.000-07:002010-04-02T11:17:32.287-07:00

We are slowly increasing our self-sufficiency on our little hobby farm. After watching Food Inc. recently, we decided we would try our best to wean ourselves from the "Industrial Meat Complex". We're not vegetarians mind you, but we're not barbarians either.These pigs were just purchased so Rainbow Girl could start her 4-H experience, and so friends and family could have some fresh and healthy

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-17844187534979209592010-03-30T21:15:00.000-07:002010-04-01T17:14:52.186-07:00

By the time Vanilla Wafer was born, my womb had been dry for four years previous. We were so excited to have that perfect mix of one boy and one girl. We reached deep into our Scandanavian heritage and gave him a Viking name. It was only a matter of time until he would pillage the neighborhood and wreak havoc on the nay-sayers. Would. You. Just. Look. At. That. Face! That was way back in

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-83157262091620247192010-03-26T14:48:00.000-07:002010-03-26T15:00:41.383-07:00

Spring has found its embodiment of life, innocence, promise, and soft fluffy feel-good-ness with some new baby chicks. Check it out!Last year our baby chicks lived in a cardboard box lined with newspaper. With a heat lamp above them, food and water inside, it was sufficient to get them big and strong enough until they could hold their own at Bok Bok Cottage.This year, The Mister of the House

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5388487887338071361.post-20019875266215256942010-03-24T12:30:00.000-07:002010-03-24T18:14:54.850-07:00

Dear Snowbird,When I came to your mountain as a hotel clerk back in the last century, I expected a whirlwind adventure in the interim of getting residency status for the true blue Aggies. I was fresh from Idaho, with two years under my belt at the religious still-sweet-as-elementary Ricks College.What I did not expect, because your "little" canyon provided granite for the Salt Lake Mormon Temple

Mrs. Olsennoreply@blogger.com10