Olivia's First Day of Kindergarten

Olivia started kindergarten today. She had a great day!

She was so excited to ride the bus!
Waiting for the bus

Why is this blurry?

Perfect Blogging Day!

It is cool and wet today so it's a perfect day to catch up on some blogging. Olivia graduated from preschool on Thursday, May 21st. We were so impressed with everything about her preschool and a little sad that she is all done! I am already looking forward to Joseph starting there in a few more years.

Getting her diploma

The Class of 2009

Olivia with her diploma. It was also her last day of preschool.

Babies

Today I heard the words no mother of an unmarried daughter wants to hear. This is how a convesation went with Olivia tonight during her bath time....

Olivia: Mom, I have a baby in my tummy.

Me: Oh....um.....how did it get there?

Olivia: From my throat!

Me: Oh...so...you ate it?

Olivia: No, Jesus put it there.

Me: (So, is it immaculate conception?")

Once we finished up with her bath she said she had the baby and as I type this she is pushing her doll, Chloe, around in her stroller.

Speaking of babies, this is a picture of Olivia as a baby. She was 5 months old in this picture and was such a cute, good baby! She continues to be such a good girl and we are so blessed to have her in our lives.

We've Joined the Masses...

We are now officially parents who have joined the "Parents of Videotaping Kids' Events Club". Last night was our first (of many, I'm sure) Christmas program that we videotaped. Olivia's preschool had been faithfully practicing their play for weeks. Olivia was one of the angels and knew her line down pat, "Praising God for all to hear", and actually said it during the program. (It could have been a little louder and a little less rushed, but what the hay, she's only four!) It was fun to get together too with the other parents, some of which I work with. The kids and staff did a great job and I appreciated that it was the real Christmas story, glorifying Jesus' birth!

Olivia and Haylee F.
Olivia is the angel right next to the brown sheppard boy.

My Two Pumpkins

I had a couple of extra days off for MEA so took the kids to a pumpkin patch on Thursday afternoon. We enjoyed a tractor ride through the woods and playing on their playground. A special treat was holding a baby bunny. It was so soft! Joseph thought so too and tried to pully the bunnies leg off. Thankfully I was right there and able to get his iron clad grip off the poor thing.

Old Friends/New Friends

Yes, it has been awhile since I've blogged. What have I been up to you may ask? Well, the usual.....kids, family, work, and cleaning house. I was fortunate to have my old college "roomie", Anna, and her family up last weekend though. It was so fun to connect with her again! There are just some people that even though you don't see them for awhile the minute you see one another again, it's like no time has passed at all. That is what it is like with Anna. In fact, I felt like we talked so much Friday night that my voice became hoarse. This picture is of Olivia and Anna's daughter, Greta, who is the same age as Olivia, playing dress-up. They, and Greta's brother Louie, had lots of fun playing together. There is just something satisfying about seeing your child play with an old friend's children and seeing them connect in that way that you had.

The Kids

Olivia is 4 1/2

Joseph is 11 months old

Enjoying Fall

The kids spend a lot of time on our swing set.

A Great Hand-Me-Down!

Our friends' kids out-grew this battery operated car (thank you Wade's) and gave it to Olivia and Joseph! What a nice hand-me-down! Rich and I have been wanting to buy one of these for the kids but couldn't justify spending the money. Olivia is having so much fun driving it all around the yard. Actually it is the second car given to us this month. Our friends Monica and Alexis (Thanks you two) gave us Alexis' old Barbie Jeep except Olivia can't drive it yet as it needs a new battery and the Gator battery is not compatible with it. We will have to buy one that works for the Barbie Jeep. Talk about a lucky girl! Two cars! I would have loved to have had something like this as a child....

Olivia's First Day of Pre-School

Olivia had her first day of preschool today. She is going up to Blackduck with me two days a week to an all day preschool a few blocks from my school. After some tears last night about going and a few more this morning when she first woke up, she got dressed and put her new Barbie backpack on and was then eager to be off. When dropping Joey off at day-care she sounded just like me as she told Joey that he 'd be OK and that we'd pick him up at the end of the day. At the end of her day, Olivia's teacher said, "Olivia was a tiny bit reserved - just taking in all the new kids and activities - but seemed to enjoy everything we did. She worked hard, followed directions, and played with many of the kids." That was so good to hear and it was nice to see her at the end of the day with a big smile on her face and ready to go back in two more days. Uff dah, but all these "firsts" are such big milestones in her life..... and in our lives!

Oh how we love summer!

Some friends invited the kids and I over to their lake home yesterday for some swimming and tubing. It was a beautiful day to be out on the lake.
Olivia, Joseph, and Savannah enjoyed the tubes even when they weren't being pulled behind the boat.

What fun it is to jump off the dock!

Joseph is finally pretty brave in the water! He loved swimming yesterday. He would have dove right in and underwater if I would have let him!

Fun at the Fair

This past weekend was the Beltrami County Fair. Rich and Olivia rode a bunch of rides Wednesday night and then Olivia rode rides again Sunday afternoon. Olivia's friend's Dad works at the radio station in town and had gotten two free arm bands for the rides at the fair and they invited Olivia to go along. We also ran into my friend Anna with her daughter, Cora, so she got to go on rides with her too. It was such a treat for Olivia to ride all the rides and to do them with a few friends. Olivia is sad that we have to wait another whole year for the fair! It's a good thing they are only once a year though as they are hard on the pocketbook!

My friend Anna with her daughter, Cora, ride the "horsies". You can see Olivia in the background.

Before and After Four Wheeling Pictures

Joseph loves to ride on the four wheeler like Olivia does but seems to fall asleep on each and every ride!

Swimming Lessons

We enrolled Olivia in her first swimming lessons this summer. It's amazing to see the progress she has made in only three days! She is not nearly as timid in the water and only complains a little bit about the water being too cold.

Bathing in the Mud

Rich definitely lets Olivia do way more than I do! I glanced outside last night and saw Olivia, with Rich observing, swimming in a mud puddle in the driveway. When she came inside later on I told her that we'd have to head upstairs for a bath. Her reply was, "But I just took a bath in the mud puddle!" These pictures are of her fun in the mud. I once had a friend tell me that playing in the mud is good for a person - your body obtains some needed vitamins or something that we can get from mud.....hmmmm......

Ehlen/Storck/Zahl Family Reunion

Yesterday was the annual Ehlen/Storck/Zahl family reunion on my Dad's side of the family - mostly my Dad's cousins. It is always fun to see and visit with the extended relatives and even meet new family!

Olivia was disappointed that there weren't any kids her age to play with but she adopted a new Grandma, Del Swanson, my Dad's double second cousin. (Del's Grandpa and my Dad's Grandpa were half-brothers and their Grandma's were sisters.)

Olivia's Fourth Birthday

My baby girl turned 4 on the 19th. Where have the years flown? Seems like just yesterday we brought her home from the hospital. We celebrated with friends on the 18th at our home. Highlights for her were the pinata, playing with her friends, and the presents, of course! We love you, Olivia!

Olivia's First Perch Fishing Derby

Rich entered Olivia in Bemidji's Annual Perch Fishing Derby today. Although they didn't catch a thing, or win one of the many bikes being given away, they had fun being together in the great outdoors. (I got to stay home with Joseph and take a much coveted nap.)

Our Precious Pooch...

Who knows what the dog is after.......hmmmm......He had fun digging and Olivia had fun watching. We finally got some mild temps here - hopefully we are done with the -20 below temps until next year. The outdoors and sun have felt so good to all of us. (Although it would feel even better if we were laying on a beach in Mexico............)

The Loehleins Love Brownies

Rich made brownies tonight after supper. Can you guess who got to lick the bowl? (The Christmas cookies are about gone! - I think they're all on my hips!)