1st Day Of School! Sept. 6, 2011

Hi All!

I am going to be doing a little working backwards here... these are photos of the 1st day of school and I wanted to post them because they are current. I will then go back in a day or so and catch you up on the happenings in the Olson clan over the summer.

My creative Mr. Wonderful took most of these photos which is why they are artistic and fun. I took the ones of the kids standing in front of the door. I did it because its what i do every year. I completely ignored the beautiful geraniums right next to me, that would have been a much more suitable background. When my husband tried to graciously point out that I was missing out on this most beautiful backdrop I of course snapped at him and said I need to do what I always do because its tradition. I'm kind like that. Well as you will see in a moment, he was right, as usual. One would think that after almost 11 years of marriage I would just concede to the fact that he is pretty much always right. But I can guarantee you that this will not happen anytime soon. I have to keep fighting for that one moment in our marriage when I might actually be right. Good thing he is stuck forever so I have lots of time to practice....

Enough about me, here are my offspring on their 1st day of school...

 Yes... I left the all important door wide open...

 Brand new cowboy boots... My boy is proud!

 In true mommy fashion Bridger can't keep his mouth shut and is presently telling daddy what to do...

 Don't know what this is... and yes it worries me a little... thank goodness for the plaid, the boots and the wranglers!

 Camo is big this year...

 Those beautiful curls? Lots o sweat and tears people! Lots o sweat and tears...

 Notice how her smile is just a little pasted on? I think she is still mad over the curls. But in my defense she begged for days for those curls! It was not my idea, and believe me half way through I was truly regretting saying yes.

 Bridge on the other hand still thinks I'm cool. I'm cherishing every moment cause I know his time is a comin...

 Daddy was tickling Nat to get her to smile... he knows all the tricks...

 Beautiful background huh?

 Perfect for my beautiful girl!

Cause when she is not mad at you she is pure delight...

 Bridgy... mommy and daddy r great! Sissy... mommy and daddy r soo lame!

 Daddy's artistic shots... 

 Nat still thinks were lame... at least daddy is lame too...

 There she is! We are at the beginning stages of only getting glimpses of this but man o man do I love that 

girl! And when she truly grins it melts your world...

 She's gettin good at silly as well...

 Our best buddy Ian!

 The Three Amigos....

 Besties! They dressed exactly alike on the 1st day of school! It wasn't even planned...

Besties just know these things...

Here's to a great Kindergarden and Second grade year! I love you all my precious little people!

My letter to Aimee, read by Mr.Wonderful on Saturday July, 16 2011

Aimee

How do I put into words all that you and our friendship has meant to me? At Mom’s group you were this beautiful, quiet, sweet girl who I thought would never be friends with someone such as myself, who doesn’t even know the definition of the word, quiet. We did eventually get the chance to hang out and I remember being nervous that I wouldn’t be able to keep the conversation going… we ended up sitting on my back deck and talking for three hours! It was a really great time and it was the catalyst to one of the most beautiful friendships I have ever had. This is the public vs. private quality of yours and it is the one I love the most… in public you are smiley, sweet and very quiet, in private you are open, honest and quite funny. Oh, the sweetness and the smiles are always around but it’s your wit, sarcasm, strength and determination that I most admire and only those who are really close to you ever get to see you in that light.

Aimee, you call it like it is, you don’t mince words and you say what you mean. Like last year when I went a little nutso with the hair coloring kit and ended up with black hair. You took one look at me and said “I love you way to much to tell you that your hair looks good! You need to wear a hat until you can get it fixed.” Then you smiled that wonderful smile of yours, shook your head and laughed at me! Mind you, we were sitting in church when this conversation took place, so you pretty much sat there for the next hour and half, glancing at me, shaking your head and chuckling. The sermon seemed to last FOREVER that day!!

The seven of us or Olson2 as we have called ourselves has been the perfect combination of friendships. We have shared Holidays, Birthdays and Friday Nite Pizza Nites. In fact for the most part, there hasn’t been a day or two in the last 2 1/2 years that I haven’t seen your beautiful face. Its been a week now and I miss it soo much already.

          I have asked you several times in the last few years how you were holding up and your response to me was always the same. “God has given me great grace to walk through this, I have peace and I trust Him.”

          Personally I was really trusting Him for an earthly healing, one where you and I would spend our futures traveling around and telling people about your miraculous cancer survival story. When God’s plan and mine turned out to be different, I realized that I get to be the one who tells the story of your healing. The complete and whole kind of healing that can only be found in heaven. Selfishly, I have to admit I was way more in favor of the earthly healing and one day when I can stop being mad that I didn’t get my way, I will tell your story and I will tell people about and His grace and peace that were given to you in abundance when you were here.

          The only time I ever heard you cry about your situation was that Thursday evening about 6 weeks ago. You were in Portland so we were talking on the phone. You didn’t cry when you told me what was going to happen, you cried when you thanked me for being such a good friend to you and told me how much you loved me. You, my dear Aimee are the precious friend, you have taught me how to live, to love, how to be gracious, determined and strong. I have loved every single minute of Olson2 and I am the one who is thankful and grateful to God that He moved both our families to Coos Bay and the same time so that we could be friends.

I will love you forever,

Tiffany

Aimee Marie Olson

July 10, 1980 – July 8, 2011

Bridger The Craig!

This is our sweet boy Bridger... He is five years old and has more personality than we can handle at times. He refers to himself as Bridger The Craig. 

This photo of him was taken just before he started wearing glasses.

(photo courtesy of Rachel Diane Photography)

This was a few weeks later... He was sooo proud to be wearing his new suit!  We have recently become a little concerned with Bridger's in ability to express himself...

He can in a space of 30 seconds make you so mad you want to pull all your hair out and then have you laughing so hard that you almost pee your pants.

(I know, tmi, but these are the facts people!)

The other day he was supposed to be takinga nap... about and hour in he comes to the top of the stairs and says "Mommy? Um I've been trying with all my heart, with all my strength, with all my soul and all my might to take a nap. But I just can't do it!" I did not have a comeback for this soo, naptime was over.

Bridge is all boy ... all the time...

And I wouldn't change a thing...