Family & Fireworks

july 4, 2013

beautiful summer morning

decided to start our day with our church freedom breakfast

never been before because we like to sleep in

two kids later, we have been forced to become early risers

always love a good pancake and eggs breakfast; my favorite

got the family dressed in our red, white and blue

so cliché, but what else are you supposed to wear?

enjoyed conversing with our fellow ward members


 

spent a leisurely afternoon at home as a family

 

later that evening, our good friends (hertz and shelton families) came over for a barbecue

 

erik cooked up some delicious burgers and thanks to julie hertz, her rolls made the perfect buns

 

never again am I going to by regular hamburger buns; these were so much better

 

after dinner, we headed outside for pop-its and "sprinklers" as claire would say

 

 
once it was dark, we woke ethan up and headed over to a school in olympus cove to watch the fireworks

of course we had to do more "sprinklers" for claire

by this time, it was very late but the kids were great

i'm sure ethan was a little confused as to why he was up at ten o'clock at night
 

 
we had a wonderful time being together as a family and celebrating our country's independence

love you all ~ the olafsson fam
 

Claire's Birthday Party

A week before Claire's third birthday, seven of her closest friends and cousins joined together with an art themed party.

Claire absolutely loves to do art projects so this was the perfect theme for our little bear.

She was so excited for her birthday party and told me many times that she had to have purple cake. Too cute!

I had a small lapse in judgment when I decided that the parents could drop their kids off at the party and we would basically do it on our own. With the help of Erik's parents, I figured that two kids per adult would totally be doable and this way, I didn't have to feed the adults or make the party look amazing.  I have no idea what I was thinking.

By the time it was over, the four of us were exhausted! Thank goodness, the kids successfully made a few crafts, played games, and seemed to have a lot of fun.

As the children arrived, they were instructed to find the coloring page with their face on it. I think they thought it was pretty cool that it was their face on the paper. I know Claire enjoyed it!

 
Once everyone arrived, we broke them into pairs and sent them "crafting". First, was splatter art. It was very cool, quick, and extremely easy.

 

Next, was a paint drip pot. The kids drizzled paint over a small pot and watched as it covered the entire thing. I just realized I never took photos of the finished products; oops. For a look at the pot, see the photo above with Claire's face coloring. The pot turned out pretty neat.

 

 
Third, were shrinky-dink necklaces. Each child was given a small, clear square to color. Then, we baked them for a couple of minutes and watched as they shrank to a third of the original size. The kids were amazed at the transformation.

 
Somehow, I forgot to photograph the darling tote bags the kids colored. Each child was given a canvas bag with their name ironed on to it. Each letter of their name was also the first letter of a goal oriented/artistic word. For instance, on Claire's bag it read:

  CREATE

LEARN

   ACHIEVE

   IMAGINE

REACH

   EXPLORE

 

In order to clean up some of the crafts and put together their gift bags, we sent the kids outside and had them play "Claire's Rainbow Scavenger Hunt". On Claire's favorite television show, Max & Ruby, Ruby has a scavenger hunt and Claire insisted on having one at her party. Six shapes were placed around our front yard with color coordinating ribbons placed at each location. The kids ran around and gathered a ribbon for each color of the rainbow. Once they had all six colors, we tied them on a dowel with a bell. Then we sang a few songs as they waved their "rainbow wands".

 

 

While we were outside, each child was given a small lunch, which included a blueberry muffin, grapes, string cheese, fish crackers, and chocolate milk. It was a very hot day and after all of the crafts and games, it was nice to have a ten minute break.

 

 
Next, came presents. Claire loved opening up the gifts. She got some great toys and of course, a few adorable outfits. She was definitely spoiled.

 
To cap off the afternoon, we sang "Happy Birthday" and Claire blew out her candle. We actually sang twice, because she blew out the candle before I could get a picture of it. :) She was given a personal-size purple cake (it looks brown in the photo) and then everyone enjoyed a multi-colored cake pop (photo near the beginning). The cake pops were perfect for the little kids and were almost entirely mess-free. Yay!

 
It was quite an afternoon! We literally fell to the floor once all of the kids were gone. I thought I was going to have way too many crafts, but with their short attention spans, the kids completed everything. Claire loved having all of her friends over and really enjoyed each of the art projects. It was the perfect day for our little Claire Bear.

The next day, Erik and I presented Claire with our gift to her. She was very excited to open it and was thrilled to find her own set of golf clubs. It took Erik and I a while to locate the perfect set for her (which needed to be left handed), but I think it was a success. She loves putting with Erik on our deck and hitting the golf balls outside on our lawn. 

All in all, the birthday party went great and I was very glad it was over. I was so enthusiastic about planning her first party, but each subsequent year, the excitement has dwindled dramatically. Oh well. :) She had fun and that's all that matters.

*Children in attendance: Soren Moffat, Vivian Moffat, Emma Lane, Amelia Rich,

Liam Turcanski, Owen Turcanski, Sienna Hertz

Love Them!

Claire: 3 years old

Ethan: 5 months old

 

Photo taken by myself at Temple Square

Claire Bear Update - 3 Years Old

It's hard to believe that our little baby is three years old now. Here is a little summary of how Claire has developed over the past year:

• loves to draw circles
• sings in the car
• favorite shows are Caillou, Blues Clues, and Max and Ruby
• prefers to have bare feet
• has an extreme dislike for anything tight: first it was pants, then shorts, and now she prefers to wear skirts and dresses
• loves the color purple
• always puts her books away with the spine showing; just how mommy likes
• likes to grab Erik's facial hair when messing around together
• was potty trained just before Memorial Day 2013
• favorite cereal is Fruit Loops ("red cereal" according to Claire)
• the polar bear is her favorite animal
• has an adorable lisp
• is a great helper with Ethan; she loves to give him hugs and kisses
• gets very angry if you don't close her bedroom door softly
• likes to sit on our lap and drive from our neighborhood entrance to the garage
• if something doesn't fit together, or will not fit inside something, it doesn't "magatize" (this initially started with reference to her train set)
• enjoys getting little trinkets from my orthodontist office
• frequently says she needs to get ready for the prince; however this has nothing to do with looking beautiful as one might think
• likes to "decorate" things, which means she gets everything out and places each item next to or on top of one another
• favorite things to eat are macaroni, blueberries, grapes, and goldfish crackers
• copies Mommy all the time and says she is breastfeeding "O'muria" (her doll); she even lifts up her shirt and places the doll near her chest, however she told me once that she feeds her out of her belly button ;)
• loves to ride her four-wheeler and bike outside
• doesn't like anything spicy (in reference to drinks; any drink other than chocolate milk and ice water are spicy)

 

Claire has become quite the comedian. She frequently cracks me up with the random things she comes up with. Here is a short sampling:

• "My jammies are on freaking backwards!"
• "I'm so mad at you!"
• "How you doing today?"
• Claire: "what's that?" Me: "A cemetery. It's where your body goes when you die and your spirit goes to heaven." Claire: "And your belly button too!" (Another time we drove by a cemetery she said your hair goes to the trees.)
• "Pasick" = Chapstick
• "What you say?"
• "....Remember?" (She ends every statement or question with "remember?".)
• "I can't how!"
• "Okay...but..." (If you ask her to do something she will say this every time)
• "Uh" = "For"

I can't wait to see what this next year brings our little Claire Bear. She definitely throws tantrums (thanks to not wanting to nap everyday), but is such a joy to be around most of the time. Her smile lights up my world. Happy belated birthday Claire! Mommy, Daddy, Ethan, and Khloe love you.



Claire's 3 Year Bear Picture

All in the Family

Claire is so lucky to be able to spend so much time with her cousins.

These kids have been loving summer.

Wheeler Farm play dates and ice cream at Farmor's.

What could be better?

 

Out on the Lake

Last month we went boating at Jordanelle with some good friends (Spiers and Pearson families) of ours. Boating is one of my favorite things to do and I'm lucky if I get to do it once a year. Our friends are all avid skiers, wake boarders, tubers; they're the adventurous type. I prefer to relax, stay out of the cold water, and enjoy the wind in my hair. :) To each their own, right?

 

 

This was Claire and Ethan's first time on a boat. Earlier in the day, we told Claire what we were doing and she was very excited (even though she had no idea what going on a boat actually entailed). By the time we got on the boat, I could tell she was a little nervous. Once it started moving, she was quiet and calm, yet very frightened since she'd never been on one before. As the evening progressed, she really enjoyed herself and loved watching everyone/everything around her.

Ethan was a pretty good sport. For obvious safety reasons, he had to stay in a lifejacket the entire time. This did not make him very happy. The poor guy was stuffed inside of the thing for quite a while. He was very content while the boat was moving, but once it stopped, he was not a happy camper.

 
After we spent a few hours at Jordanelle, we drove to a nearby campground and ate s'mores. It was such a fun way to spend our afternoon/night. I wish I could go boating more often, because it is so much fun. We all can't wait for the next time the Spiers' family invites us out on the lake.

"All About My Daddy"

This year, for Father's Day, I asked Claire to answer some questions in regards to Erik.

The responses were pretty funny to say the least.

Our Little Guy - Month 5

A look back at Ethan's fifth month:

• loves to smile
• very squirmy (I call him "my little squirmy pants")
• enjoys "flying" in the air
• starting to become interested in toys
• likes to chew on his fingers
• drools like crazy
• sleeps very well
• shows no interest in a pacifier
• likes to sit in his Bumbo
• rolls over more often
• giggles
• no longer sleeps with his wrap or positioner

(How I found Ethan when I came home after Erik "babysat")

(Family dinner at Outback Steakhouse - our favorite restaurant)

Our little guy keeps growing and growing. He's continued to fill out and I can't get enough of all of his "chub". As always, he is very easy going and we love having him around.

Ethan's 5 Month Bear Picture

An Afternoon Stroll

family weekend activity

mid-june walk/bike ride along jordan river in murray

beautiful (but hot) sunny afternoon



So Much Work!

Earlier this summer, we had wonderful weather. Currently, it is TOO HOT! When it first warmed up, we frequented the local swimming pools once or twice a week. Claire loved it! Everyday she'd ask if she could learn how to swim, which meant she wanted to go swimming. My thoughts? Going to the swimming pool is way too much work. If I didn't feel so sorry for my baby girl, we would have stayed home. No longer a relaxing activity, I'd come home exhausted after spending a couple of hours at the pool.


 

Our first outing was to Cottonwood Heights. Claire loved going down the frog slide. She probably went down a hundred times, while I rocked Ethan to sleep nearby. I was thrilled with how much fun Claire was having, but I needed to get her a life jacket ASAP. Keeping my eyes on her constantly was mentally draining.

 

 

Thankfully, getting Ethan to sleep during didn't take too much work and I was able to play with my little Claire Bear. Between watching Claire on the slide and taking her into the bathroom about five times, I was relieved to see that Ethan was still sound asleep in his stroller and that no one stole him while I was tending to Claire.

 

I almost forgot the most thrilling part of that particular afternoon. Ethan had diarrhea all over me. It covered the bottom of my swimsuit and almost my entire thigh. Disgusting! Thanks little guy!

 

 
On another occasion, I brought our new sun shade (so nice to have with the kids...people constantly asked me where I got it) and had our friends Julie and her daughter Sienna join us for the afternoon. It was so much more enjoyable with another set of adult hands nearby.

 
A couple of weeks later, we went swimming at the Zermatt Resort pool in Midway. Claire's life jacket still hadn't arrived, but I borrowed a friend's and it was....a life saver! :) Claire could safely jump in the pool when I wasn't by her side and I knew she was safe. During this outing, Erik was with us, so he entertained Claire while I sunbathed with my little guy. It was sort of relaxing this time around.

I hope the weather cools down soon so we can go swimming again and not be so miserable in the heat. I'm glad Claire enjoys it so much and that I am still willing to take her despite what a major effort it always is. 

Young and Younger

June 11th

 

Celebrated Farmor's 94th birthday!

 

This woman seriously has nine lives. She keeps

hanging on and we are so grateful.

 

Love spending time together and watching

her interact with our kids.

 

Took a snapshot of Ethan with his two newest cousins,

Roman Moffat and Evelyn Lane.

 

He always looks like a giant next to these two. Two months

makes such a difference at this age.

 

Looking forward to celebrating Farmor's

95th birthday next year.

Third Time's a Charm

Between February 3rd and May 21st, it was all about Ethan. Poor Claire kind of got pushed to the side; until it was potty training time.

Monday, May 21st - I realized that if I was going to try round three of potty training, now was the time. I tried round one when she was only 18 months, which ended up being way too early. I had gotten my hopes up when I heard of a few people trying that early and being successful. Round two took place about three months after Claire turned two years old. She took to it okay, but figured out that if she held her pee and poo until nap/bedtime, she could go in her pull-up. Smart little girl. Her pediatrician said I needed to put her back in diapers because she didn't learn to go in the potty, she just learned to hold it. Ugh! Very frustrating.

Then came round three. Mentally, I wanted to get her potty trained before she was three. I also wanted it to be done before one of our summer vacations, and it needed to be done before the end of August so she could go to preschool. The deadlines were looming and the next day was going to have to be day one. I was terrified.

Claire and I went to the store and picked out her prizes. Because I was not going to except failure this time around, the prizes were pretty big. At this point, I didn't care. I just wanted it to work.

Tuesday, May 21st - Day one began. Claire barely ever goes to the bathroom so I knew we weren't going to have very many chances to get it right. I had her practice running to the potty and sitting down even if it was just for a second. For that, she got a yogurt covered raisin. She held it all morning and finally had an accident around 1:45pm. A few hours later, she needed to go number two. Claire was so scared. As she sat on the little potty, crying, I gave her hugs and sang her a few songs. Eventually, she went. Thank goodness!

Day one and day two she had a few accidents, but she was willing to sit on the potty, which was a major improvement. I could tell that she was finally ready and that this was going to work. Besides her being "ready" this time, we also took her out of her crib and had her "big girl bed" on the floor next to a potty. During nap time, she had to hold it or go in the potty. Pull-ups were only for night time.

On day three I could see the light. :) After one accident in the morning, she was incredible. It was like it finally clicked. Hallelujah! I felt like we had just accomplished the hardest thing in the world. We were so happy for her. She did wonderfully the next four days and rarely had an accident. Each time she went, she'd pick out a prize from off of the ping pong table. Her favorites were lip gloss, a treasure chest, and a pink camera. She was loving it! The grand prize was a ride on the Thomas the Train - Heber Valley Railroad. She was so excited and we were thrilled that diapers were gone forever.

 

 

Funny note - for the pictures in front of Claire's potty chart, I let her pick what she wanted to wear.

She put the oddest outfit together and then insisted on about eight barrettes/clips in her hair. Silly girl.

 

That weekend (Memorial weekend), we spent the night in Heber at a friend's cabin. It worked out perfectly as the Thomas Train was the next day.

 

 
This year, Erik took Claire on the train ride (I took her last year). From what I hear, she had a lot of fun.

 

 

 

Once the train ride was over, we enjoyed some yummy kettle corn (I am not a kettle corn fan, but this stuff was amazing), a magic show, Claire got some face tattoos and a fun balloon hat. Ethan spent the afternoon in the stroller hanging out. He was a trooper.

 

 

It was quite a week for our little Claire Bear. Honestly, I can't believe she is finally potty trained. It is such a relief. She loves wearing big girl undies and still enjoys playing with the prizes she earned.

 

You did it Claire!!!!