So I pretty much failed at blogging in 2011...

Here are a few highlights from last year:

I spent January organizing my house and February to July destroying it with remodel until I finally quit so I could spend more time with my kids on summer vacation.  We have yet to regain the initiative to finish our projects.

MAY
      - Hailey joined her siblings in the world of glasses.

 

  - Savannah turned 7 and we gained a new member of the family "Bobo"

 

  - Dan, I, Danny, Amber, Jacob, Hailey, Amanda (cousin) & Caleb met Dan & Penny in Durango, CO or the Iron Horse.  Danny and Amanda rode the 50 miles uphill from Durango, CO to Silverton, CO and did Awesome.  Dan did the quarter horse which was 25 miles to Purgatory from Durango.  They were beast!!

Mandy was kind enough to keep Savannah and Katie at her house for the weekend.

 

- June 27th  Hailey and I were driving home from gymnastics (on a little street in Heber) and were t-boned by a guy in a Ford F150 when he did a rolling stop through a stop sign.  The Yukon was totalled.

 

JULY

  - I started biking!!  Watching the boys ride in Durango gave me the motivation to try a new sport.  Dan got me a bike as a late bday present.  

  - Keri and Ryan stopped by for a visit!  We loved seeing them and wished it would have been longer.  The cousins don't get to see each other enough.

 - We had a Higham Family reunion over the 4th.  It was so fun to see extended family that we rarely get to see.  We played minute to win it and Amber did pretty well as you can tell.

  - July 26th - some ladies from church and I started taking tennis lessons from a friend.  I'm not sure if we improved our skills over the course of the summer but we sure had fun!

AUGUST

  - My nephew Tyler got married so we followed him to AZ where we were able to go to their reception there too.  The kids LOVED dancing and goofing off at the reception with their cousins.

 - We were able to spend the first two weeks of the month in one of our favorite places - Greer, AZ

 

 - 16th We got home from the cabin and learned that my Grandpa Olsen's health was declining rapidly.  I spent every day of the week down there visiting him and brought the family on the 16th to say their goodbye's.  While we were there, kids will be kids and they were playing on the exercise equipment in Grandpa's house, Amber fell off one of the machines and the legs swung around and whacked her in the head.  Luckily, Maynard is a doctor and was able to fix her up quick.

Two days later on the 18th Grandpa Olsen passed away.

Grandpa's Obituary 

 

School Starts!!  The kids are always so excited to go back to school.

Hailey 4th Grade          Savannah 2nd Grade

Jacob 6th Grade

Amber 8th Grade              Danny 9th Grade FRESHMAN!!

 SEPTEMBER
    - Kindergarten started later than the other grades and Katie was so excited to join her older siblings!

Katie Kindergarten

 - September 17th - Wonder Woman

    - Amber, Amanda & I rode in an all woman's ride.  We did the 30 mile loop and had a blast!

 

Amanda     Amber      Alisa

The next weekend my friend Renee and I rode in the Heber Valley Century ride.  We signed up for the 50 mile route but felt so good we kept going and rode the 66 mile route.  Yay us!!!

 

Danny and 2 of his cousins rode the full century!!  I didn't get any pictures though.  :(

OCTOBER

 -- Dan's parents were able to come in town for conference.  We always love seeing them and visiting!! Jacob was able to go to his first Priesthood session of Conference. He was a couple months early but it's all good.

Penny and I were able to enjoy a session together. We could actually listen without all the kids around.

  While the kids were in school we made sure to drive up and see some of the fall colors.  AMAZING!

We packed up the kiddos and drove to St. George, UT for a couple of days and then on to California to go to Six Flags.  We all had a blast!

 

So  I know I haven't completely finished out the year but you get the idea.  We had a great year!!!

November - Danny turned 15 and got a permit.  We spent Thanksgiving in AZ and LOVED the family and weather!!

December - CHRISTMAS!!!!!