goodbye 2012 (a look back at our year)

2012 has been a huge year for us

we started the year in Pullman, WA 

with our three little darlings

20 something weeks pregnant with Eleanor

and planning on michael taking a permanant job in Pullman

then a week or two before we had eleanor

we found out michael got accepted to BYU and we'd be moving this summer to Utah for grad school

then nine days late, weighing 9.5 eleanor was born via c-section

michael graduated with his bachelor's in electrical engineering

then around 5 weeks eleanor developed an allergy to milk protein and probably soy

and a few days later had a hospital stay on michael's birthday

we weren't sure what exactly was wrong

possibly a kidney infection..

but she developed roseola
(none of these things helped with my first ever bout of postpartum depression)

then in july we packed our boxes and the day before we moved, olive got stitches

then we moved to utah

and have had fun exploring it and living back in civilization

and enjoying living in and decorating a house

we celebrated halloween

olive got reallllly busy

we got lots of visitors and we hosted thanksgiving 

i wrote my 1000th blogpost and tried my hand at fashion blogging

and we hosted Christmas

phew! i'm tired from just writing this

it was such an eventful year

and a hard one, for me at least

i'm looking forward to 2013 

our only plans we have for the year are

michael and i running a half marathon,

a trip to disneyland with michael's family this summer,

and a family reunion with my family

i'm excited and hopeful that it will be an easier year

i just love this guy

he makes me happier

than i ever imagined possible

bowling and a date

first and foremost

the kids have loved having michael's parents here

i love this picture of the girls playing catch with grandpa 

 we all went bowling today 

and it was fun but we all stunk pretty bad

ok, mostly me and michael's mom did

i love this picture of all four kids

 olive was super independent and bowled all herself

she was so cute carrying her giant ball 

 after bowling we got some lunch

and then michael and i split and went on a date

we saw the movie lincoln

let's just all acknowledge how awesome it is that the provo movie theater

sells real slurpees! 

then we shopped at target

and then hung out at starbucks and drank hot chocolate 

thank you for your fun visit grandma and grandpa olson!!

and for giving us a date!!!

Christmas!!

we started celebrating on Christmas Eve

with michael's family 

normally the big Christmas Eve party is in washington

but so many of us were down in utah, we had one here

it was a lot of fun

but a little scary driving there

 we ate lots of good food, and acted out the nativity twice

we also did the traditional white elephant gift exchange

it's always so much fun

then we came home

and michael and i stayed up wrapping presents

between us and michael's family

the kids were spoiled!

i don't even know where we'll put all their new toys

 opening stockings

 and their presents from santa

somehow our kids believe in santa this year despite me telling them he's not real every year before this

if they want to believe, they can

i just didn't want to lie to them or confuse them

i love this face

 hazel and olive got a couple new barbies

and lots of barbie clothes for the clothes-less barbies i bought them at DI

 grandpa olson opening a gift

 eleanor has been pretty fussy with a cold

but she did enjoy her new presents

 new pjs!!

noah got a little cuddly and tired and then suddenly had a fever over 102 degrees

kind of a bummer

but he still had a good day

a nap and tylenol seemed to help a lot

 uncle kyle even came down to spend Christmas with us

and spoiled us like usual 

he got us an xbox 360 with kinect 

we're still trying to figure it out..

we had a really nice dinner at our house

and had lots of fun playing cards

we hope you all had a very merry Christmas, too!

a few sunday pictures

we only have one o'clock church for a couple more weeks

so i guess michael made the most of it

and took a pre-church nap

(i asked him if he minded me posting this picture of him and he said he'd be offended if i didn't)

 we tried to take a quick picture of the kids all dressed up

but olive wouldn't let go of me

so i'm in it too

 our poor girls have had this gross cold/cough

for a week or two

but it seems to be really bothering eleanor lately

she's not sleeping well and was super grumpy at church

the end

happy Christmas eve eve

Merry Christmas

We hope you all have happy and safe holidays.
Merry Christmas!!
Love, The Olsons

eleanor says hi and waves

noah's first play

tonight was noah's first play

it was the little engine that could

by all the first graders

 his line was "cheer up, maybe another train will come along and help us" 

normally noah hates these sorts of things

and protests singing with grumpy faces

but tonight he was all smiles and sang his little heart out

i guess he's growing up

a typical tuesday

this morning i ran/walked for thirty minutes

and olive stood by with her thumbs up

such a sweet cheerleader

then we went to mcdonalds for breakfast (shhh don't tell noah)

because it's how we bribed hazel to take medicine last night

for the fever she had

then eleanor found a piece licorice on the kitchen floor

and instead of taking it from her, i took pictures of her

she's our fourth, what can i say? 

at the same age (8 months) my dad gave noah a candy cane

and i almost had a heart attack but eleanor got to enjoy her treat

i figure, if she's not allergic to it, it's fair game 

michael and i played lots of cards today

and during one of our games he dared himself to jump on the trampoline

barefoot in the snow for a kiss

 oh, and we made lots of messes

legos, nativity, coloring

you know, the usual

 and while the messes happen daily

i suppose it wasn't all that typical of a tuesday

we don't normally take kids to mcdonalds for breakfast

eleanor doesn't normally get such sweet treats

and michael doesn't normally stay home and play all day

it was way better than a typical tuesday

so sad

i am heartbroken over the shooting in connecticut this week

we are praying for those who have lost loved ones
and had to live through such a horrible event
i wish we could do more
i hate that this year has brought fear in going to malls, movie theaters,
and now elementary school

it's so sad and hard to understand
i especially can't imagine as a mother
losing one of my children this way
it's all so sad
i know we can lose loved ones at any time
and it is all in God's time
but this hits hard to think of your child not being safe at school
especially hearing about it
while noah was away at school for the day
it took all i had to let him stay there
and finish the day up
it's so senseless

 i am so grateful for my family
i love them so much

and i am grateful for every moment i have with them

yikes!

it started with the bottom step

and then the bottom landing

but now she has gone up all 14 stairs

we need a baby gate stat!