Happy Easter!

Our Easter Sunday began with waking early to get the pork loin stuffed and ready to go (well Jason did that) and getting everyone showered and dressed in their Sunday best so we could get to church on time for breakfast. Due to hair issues we arrived at church at 8:35 and by the time we got through the breakfast line, we had about 10 minutes to slam down some scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage and OJ. Remarkably we did it and made into the service with 5 minutes to spare! The service was wonderful. Our church doesn't often sing hymns, but there's something wonderful about Easter and singing the good 'ol favorites.

We got home from church around 10:45 and Jason began cooking the most AMAZING meal ever! I can only take credit for picking out the recipe, he was the master at cooking it...pork loin stuffed with hazelnut stuffing with a wild blueberry sauce, sweet potatoes and veggies in Alfredo sauce (I actually made those). Our dear friends, Paul and Linda, joined us for lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon with us. It was wonderful to be able to spend the day with them.

We took advantage of having them here to take a family picture. Jason's earlier attempt at it left us with a picture of chopped off heads and chins. I gave us a great laugh though! I guess his arms aren't as long as we thought...hee, hee, hee!

The Family Shot

Paul & Linda with the boys
For dessert Linda thought it would be fun for the boys to make bunny cakes so she came prepared with the directions and all of the fixin's. They had a blast. Here's some shots of their little projects...

Kory & Paul's Bunny

Kyle & Linda's Bunny

The finished products!

All-in-all we had a wonderful Easter celebrating our Savior's death, burial and resurrection. What joy we have in the gift of salvation God gave to us through the death of His son!

This week is the boys' spring break so we have been hanging out here at the house. They have put in many hours of PS2 already. Today we joined Jason at his office for lunch and then made the dreaded trip to Wal-Mart for a few groceries...ugh...I hate Wal-Mart, but it's just too convenient! The boys were happy as they were able to spend some of their money on a Star Wars Lego ship and some other Star Wars ship. It's kept them entertained (and off of all electronic devices) for 4 hours so far!

Tomorrow Kory is going over to a friend's house for a couple of hours. On Thursday, Jason and Kyle are taking off for South Dakota for pheasant hunting. (I personally think they are crazy!) Their plans are to be gone Thursday through late Saturday. I'm thinking that it will most likely be Sunday before Kory and I see their faces again. It's a pretty long haul from here to South Dakota! Hopefully they will be rewarded with many pheasants to bring home! Kory and I will keep up the homestead while they are away. We plan to go bowling with another one of Kory's friends on Thursday afternoon. Friday and Saturday's plans are still up in the air, but I'm sure we'll find something to do to make the time go by faster.

I hope you all had a blessed Easter. Have a great week!

Oscars Anyone?

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD!

Jason's company is building the new Women's Community Center here in Wausau so on Friday evening we were invited to the kick-off to the project...their fundraiser "Hooray for Hollywood" dinner with a live/silent auction. There were around 200 people that attended from several businesses all decked out in "Oscar Attire" or dressed as their favorite Hollywood actor/actress. Jack Sparrow made an appearance, as did characters from Alfred Hitchcock's movie "The Birds"...with birds and all! Some of the people were very creative. Every table had it's own movie theme...we were seated at the "Wizard of Oz" table. Wish I would have known that, I would have gone as Dorothy. We had a wonderful time. It was fun to reach back into the depths of my closet for the "elegant" dresses and be regal and sophisticated for an evening. I'm not sure how well the fundraiser went but when we left the auction items were going for a pretty penny so I'm sure they did quite well. My dad and his wife came into town on Friday and took the boys bowling while Jason and I were attending the fundraiser. We had a relaxing Saturday with them and so far a hectic Sunday...church, a birthday party and a seminar back at church this evening. I'm looking forward to a relatively slow week this week. Take care and God bless!

A little of this and a little of that...

a sock hop, snow storms, influenza, snow tubing, and an ear infection, just to name a few. We'll start with the sock hop. Our church had a Valentine's banquet sock hop. So Jason and I got all decked out in or 50's gear and joined our friends for an evening of stuffing our faces with cheeseburgers, soda from the soda fountain and malts. Then we all busted out our moves on the dance floor. So much fun!



The next week Kory came down with influenza and battled a 102-103 temp for 6 days. So I got a week off of work and Kory and I spent most of our days lying on the couch watching TV and taking afternoon naps! We both definitely missed our afternoon naps the next week. Kory was better just in time to go snow tubing at Sylvan Hills (our church rents the tubing hill for an evening). The same hill that Jason met with his face last year! Thankfully history didn't repeat itself! Kory was so happy to be able to get out of the house and have some fun, but he was beat and crashed hard on the way home.

We have had a couple of snow storms in the last couple of weeks, I just don't remember when. All I know is we have 4 feet of snow covering the ground in most places. Great...we'll be looking at that until May!

Kory had a good week last week, back to normal except for some head congestion. Well, the cycle has started again. Saturday night he had a fever of 103.5 and yesterday morning it was 104. So he and Jason headed off to the walk-in clinic and it was determined that he has an ear infection and was given antibiotics. So he and I are spending another Monday together at home. Hopefully, he will be able to go back to school tomorrow.

In between the sickness and snow, we have managed to fill our days with things...a meeting here and there, hanging out with friends, etc. This week we have small group, cub scouts, youth group, and company coming for the weekend. And, I am hoping to get some painting done in between all of it.

Last week Kyle decided that he was going to write a story so he sat down at the computer and began typing away. It's almost finished, just a little more editing. Once it is finished I will post his work. But here is just a taste of what's to come....

Kevin is a 13-year old, 5 foot 8 inch South African boy with brown, curly hair and big brown eyes. He is very kind and generous. He offers to clean the house, clean dirty dishes, wash clothes, and get water from the river. But there is still one problem in his life… he was separated from his twin sister when he was 4 and a half months old. It all started off when a couple named Monica, 26 and Martin, 27 had twins, a boy and a girl. They named them Kevin and Yoki. Unfortunately two hours after their birth Monica died and Martin was left to raise Kevin and Yoki alone.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day...what a day! Well, this is what typically happens on Valentine's Day in our house...I have purchased a card for Jason a week in advance and have to patiently wait to give it to him and well, he usually stops on his way home from work to find that perfect gift (usually a card and roses). Well, this year Jason completely surprised me. He came home with nothing but a story of how the cards were picked over and he couldn't find the right one for me so he would just have to make his own. This was all fine with me because honestly I think Valentine's Day if over-rated. Well, the evening went on and after the boys were in bed, Jason so cleverly confesses to me that he lied and he does in fact have something to give me...he hands me a little box and here is what was inside....

How sweet is he!

As great as my Valentine's Day was for me, I can't help but think of what this day means for so many. It makes my heart weep. Everywhere there are broken hearts as people grieve a love they can't have, a love that they tried to hold onto and lost, a love that remains just beyond their grasp. A love that is never quite what they desire it to be. Human love as it is designed will always disappoint us. The love that they seek, the forgiveness and grace that they long for, a love that remains and reaches through time and space, past all hurt and rejection is held in the scared hands our our Savior, Jesus Christ. So I pray for those that are looking for love in all the wrong places as the old song states. I pray that their song can be turned from one of sadness to one of joy...

Jesus, Lover of my soul,

Jesus, I will never let you go

You’ve taken me from the miry clay

You've set my feet upon the Rock, and now I know

I love you, I need you,

Though my world may fall, I’ll never let you go

My Saviour, my closest friend,

I will worship you until the very end.

May you make Jesus the lover of your soul.

Welcome Baby Aric!

We have a new little nephew! Jason's brother and his wife, Sarah, had their baby...

Aric Jude Rieth

7# 1oz. ~ 21"

January 21, 2008

Davin, the proud big brother

Jesse, the proud daddy, called us on Monday about an hour after Aric was born to tell us the news. Aric was screaming in the background, what a precious sound :-) We have talked to Sarah through e-mail and everything is going well. She says that Aric is a very good, quiet baby. Jesse is able to take two weeks off of work to help at home and Davin seems to be adjusting well. We are so happy for them!

Best Bear

Kory is Best Bear this week at school, which means that he gets to sit is a special chair and be the line leader. Benjamin Bear came home on Monday for a sleepover (Benjamin Bear is the classroom bear that goes from house to house throughout the year.) Then Benjamin has to write about his adventures in his journal. Or shall I say that I had to become one with the bear and write in his journal :-) Jason, Kyle and I visited Kory's class to tell them all about Kory and then read one of his favorite stories..."A Bad Case of Stripes". Kory was stoked to have us all there. The kids were quite interested in what Jason does for a living. They thought it was pretty cool that there are people that figure out how buildings stand up and don't cave in on us. We also had the privilege of having a "delicious" lunch with Kory...the school's finest BBQ on a bun and salad. Thankfully, it tasted better than it smelled! All-in-all Kory has had a great week as Best Bear.

What Boys Do When They Get A Hold of the Camera

CAHHHH-RAAAAAZY!

Well as I write this we are under a winter storm warning. It has already snowed about 4 inches and we are suppose to get about 4 more before it stops. The snow is fine, but the below zero temps that are coming with it...not so fun. I believe the high on Saturday is suppose to be -11 with about the same degree windchill. Also due to the weather the Pampered Chef party that I had scheduled for this evening has been cancelled, BUT a friend of ours is taking the boys snow tubing...so Jason and I have the evening to ourselves...what are we to do?!

Anyway, nothing else new. I hope you all are having splendid weeks.

Happy New Year!

Oh my goodness! It has been a month since I last posted...shame on me. Anyway, the month was filled with Christmas parties, Christmas, family visiting, sickness, New Years and a weekend in Green Bay with 3200 teenagers. Whew!

Christmas

This is how Jason and the boys spent a good portion of the day Christmas Eve...

We got around 10-12 inches of freshly fallen snow between Dec. 23 & 24, which made for a beautiful white Christmas.

After having to stare at the huge presents under the tree, the boys were finally able to rip into them at around 7pm on Christmas Eve and here are the results...

Kory and his drums

Kory has mastered the "We will rock you" beat quite well. He is still a closet drummer...he will not perform with anyone watching him. But, we are blessed with his "music" quite often. Little does he know that just because he is in his room with the door closed, we can still hear him :)

Kyle's new guitar

Kyle was pumped! Since neither Jason and I play the guitar or know anything about them, Kyle had to wait for Grandpa Harlan to come the next weekend to show him the basic chords. He has slowly been practicing learning the chords, but has decided he needs to find a way to toughen up his fingers, not realizing that if he just sticks with it, it will happen on its own. It's my job this week to get him lined up with lessons. Jason is also contemplating purchasing a guitar for himself and taking lessons with Kyle.

Christmas Day we did nothing but lie around. Well, Jason and I did. After receiving Star Wars Lego's, Epidoe II PS2 game from Uncle Jess and Aunt Sarah, they proceeded to play 10 hours straight. What horrible parents we are!

My dad and his wife visited on New Year's weekend. They intended on staying Friday through Sunday, but a nasty form of virus decided to invade my body and needless to say, I wasn't very hospitable. They left on Saturday night, but before leaving they, together with Jason were able to build walls in our storage room in the basement making one huge room into three smaller ones.

Like I said, I was in bed all day Saturday with 101 temp, body aches, head congestion, cough and to top it off, the virus decided to throw in the stomach flu with it. Outstanding! Thankfully, the stomach flu portion was very short-lived.

Sunday I was feeling much better so my mom and her husband decided to come for a visit. They got here Sunday afternoon and after being here for about an hour, my step-dad was in bed with the stomach flu. Could I possibly get anymore germs in my house?! However, between all of the sicknesses we were able to finish opening all of the presents and the boys were quite excited when one of the unwrappings revealed a Wii. So the rest of the day was filled with playing numerous games of bowling, baseball, tennis and boxing. Jason and I have discovered just how out of shape we are. I seriously pulled a muscle in my butt bowling...honestly...how ridiculous is that!

My mom and step-dad left in the afternoon on New Year's Eve and then we met up with some friends for dinner. After dinner we went and saw Alvin and the Chipmunks. Then rang in the new year at their place.

Are you still with me? I am just about wrapped up with the month.

This last weekend Jason and I went with our youth group to Green Bay for Districts Youth Conference. 3200 youth filled 5 hotels in Green Bay for 3 days. It was an awesome, sleep-deprived weekend. By the Tree lead worship each day and God moved in powerful ways through our speaker, Jeff Kline.

So...here we are at the present. We are back into our routine and I am slowly getting through my Monday. So I must end this much overdue post so I can go get groceries so that we do not starve this week. It's bad when you don't even have eggs and bread left. And, I don't want to go through another morning of battling with Kory over which cereal he wants for breakfast, Cornflakes or Rice Krispies. This is the conversation I have had with him every morning since last Friday..."Kory do you want Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies?"..."I want toast."..."We don't have any bread...Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies?"..."But I don't like those cereals. I will have eggs"..."We don't have any eggs. Your choices are Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies"..."But I don't like them"..."Sorry, but that is all we have, you have to choose one"..."Oh, alright! I'll have Rice Krispies, but only with sugar on them." Then I have to sit and watch his pathetic attempts at eating the unwanted cereal. With each bite there comes a new facial expression emphasizing his disgust and displeasure of having to eat this horrible cereal! What drama--he should win an Oscar!

Well, have a great week. Oh, thanks to all of you who sent us Christmas cards, I love hearing about your lives and seeing the new pictures.

Ugh...Winter!

Winter has arrived much to my dismay. Yep, you got it, not a speck of green grass showing anywhere anymore. Oh how I hate winter...the cold and having to get bundled up just to step outside; adding snow pants, boots, hats and gloves into our morning routine and hoping no one forgets to throw their shoes in their backpacks and listening to Kory grumble because his hat is going to mess up his hair (what drama); finding places to hang all of the wet snow clothes to dry before another day begins; constantly mopping up wet floors which are left because little (and big) shoes carry in the snow...But, the boys are lovin' it.



The only good thing about the winter season is that it brings along with it Christmas. A wonderful time of year...families gathering together to share in the celebration of our Savior's birth. I love the Christmas light displays (some people are so creative, we are not among those people). Each house decorated in its own special way. I am not crazy about the hustle and bustle between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but the anticipation of Christmas subsides the irritation.

We are starting a new "tradition" this year...we are going to cut down our own Christmas tree. I know that this is not a new thing, it's just one that we haven't done yet. The boys are so excited to go "hunt" for that perfect tree.

We have already begun the Christmas festivities as Jason's office had a party for the Big Brother/Big Sister program here in Wausau. The kids came up to the office where they met their mentors for the day and were able to do several activities (i.e. picture with Santa, crafts, cookie decorating). The best part of the day was sitting around the Christmas tree and letting all those kids rip into their pile of presents and seeing the joy on their faces and sending each family home with two laundry baskets full of food. What an honor it was to have a part in blessing these children and their families.

We are joining in the "hustle and bustle" of the season as we have a weekend packed with Christmas programs and parties. Starting with the boys' Christmas program on the 13th, one office party on the 14th (and Jason's birthday), another on the 15th and the youth groups' on the 16th (at our house). Whew! Speaking of parties...who ever came up with the "White Elephant" gift exchange? I am not a big fan. This is an event where you grab a present with high hopes it's not someone else's garbage and to either be elated that is not or left with the thought of "What in the world am I going to do with this?". And to throw a little wrench in the festivities, your "gift" can be stolen only for you to repeat the process again. Have I mentioned how much I dislike this "gift exchange"?

I apologize that this post doesn't warrant warm fuzzies, I am truly thankful for the blessing God has given to me and by family...winter just rubs me the wrong way!

Here's hoping that you and your families are staying warm and "enjoying" this winter season :)

Happy 10th Birthday, Kyle

Kyle William

November 13, 1997, at 2:00 p.m.

6# 11 oz. ~ 19" long

Now look at him!

We had a party with Kyle's friends on Sunday afternoon. Based on the noise they created, they had a good time. Let's just put it this way, the dart guns will never be the same!

It's hard to believe that my sweet boy is already 10. I think about how quickly 10 years went by and eight short years from now he will be graduating from high school. Six years he'll be driving. Now that is a scary thought...hopefully, his attention span will increase somewhat before then. He's so easily distracted. I don't know what's harder to come to grips with the fact that Kyle is approaching another stage in his life or that I am getting older...nearer and nearer to 40!

Well off to finish up our crazy, busy week.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Man!

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY!

Kory Douglas came into this world Friday, November 9, 2001 at 5:55 a.m. It's hard to believe that six years have gone by already. My sweet boy is growing up too fast. He came into this world in his own sweet time and still does everything by his schedule. However, he is still full of mercy, joy, determination, humor and spunk.

He came walking into the kitchen yesterday morning with the biggest smile on his face saying, "I'm 6 today!" In my opinion, he is the cutest six year old around, but I am a little bias :)

He had his first "official" birthday party -- 5 of his friends over for games, pizza, cake and ice cream. I think I must have been delirious when I said, "yes" to having 5 additional 6-year olds in my house. All-in-all it went very well and all the boys had fun. After all the boys left, we cleaned up the house before Grandma and Grandpa Olson arrived. Then Kory wanted to watch "Spiderman 3". However, only Kyle and I made it to the end, the rest were watching the insides of the their eyelids.

Today we are celebrating with Grandma and Grandpa, which I'm not sure how much longer Kory will stand looking at the present sitting in the living room. He had to double-check with me this morning to make sure he can open that present today. And also had to clarify one thing... "We can open presents, but you don't have to sing Happy Birthday to me because I'm already six and it's not really my birthday anymore". We must have sounded horrible last night!

Well, one birthday down, one more to go...Kyle's party on Sunday and actual birthday on Tuesday.

Can you say "Yee-haw?"

Last night all of us youth leaders got together for a meal at Texas Roadhouse (new restaurant in town). Some thought it would be fun to go dressed in western wear (I was not one) so here we all are in our gidup! Some went all the way and some, like myself, went with the fashionable cowboy.

Here I am, sporting my cowgirl attire :)

Steve

Ali

Emily (what a nut!)

Gus, nice banana

Jerrick, he's the new sheriff in town!

Rachel

Unfortunately, I did not get everyone's individual picture. Anyway, the food was delicious. In fact, I just finished eating my leftovers...yum! After dinner, most of the gang went onto a local bar to ride the mechanical bull. Jas and I decided to opt out of that one. I haven't spoken to anyone yet today to see how that went :)

The boys stayed with some friends of ours who took them to The Pizza Factory for dinner. They played their share of arcade games and had a blast. When we went to pick them up, they were hard at work painting piggy banks. Well, they were up early today to finish them; however, they ended up recruiting me in this process to finish them up. Here are the finished products.

Kory's

Kyle's

Today we are enjoying a lazy Saturday...we haven't had one of those for awhile. Enjoy your weekend and week to come. Drop us a line if you have a chance.