3.18.2010

All work and no play...

Here are some videos of Mark and I playing with our new hammer after taking out the shelves in the pantry and removing the chimney. After all that work it was nice to just mess around.



Don't mind the bandana. I was trying to keep my hair from getting too dusty.




Nailed it!

2.22.2010

Valentine's Day

We have been traveling a lot lately, so for Valentine's Day we finally had a weekend that we could spend at home. For the most part we just ran errands, but we did go to Outback for a late lunch. Mark did the dishes for me all weekend as my gift, and I made Mark delicious treats, cream puffs and heart-shaped cookies.



The biggest news of the weekend had nothing to do with V-Day, but did cause quite a stir at church.


Mark Shaved!



Mark has been growing his beard since the middle of the summer, so no one at church had ever seen him clean shaven. All of the young men passing the sacrament stared at him while we sat waiting for the meeting to start. We caused quite a commotion.

2.15.2010

Birthday Celebration: Part 2

Before we experienced the Stockshow I was actually able to celebrate a couple of times. My good friend, Angie, shares my birthday. Every year we try to do something to celebrate. This year we went to the Dushanbe Tea House in Boulder. It is an Indian building that was actually brought over from Tajikistan in the late 1980's. The food ranged from Italian to Thai and was delicious.



Everything was handcrafted.


As my birthday gift, Angie gave me tickets to a little improv club called Madcap Theatre. So Mark and I went to Good Times, and discovered they no longer serve wild fries. I seriously thought about going somewhere else but we were boxed in the drive thru. Then we went to the Theatre. It was so much fun. Mark and I laughed so hard and it became more and more funny when Mark would laugh at something.

Finally, when we came home from our adventures in Colorado it was actually my birthday. Mark and I went to Five Guys and had some delicious food. Then we went to the movies to see Avatar 3D. It was awesome, and I was glad we didn't wait until it was out on Netflix.

My beautiful new birthday sweater and necklace.





We had so much fun celebrating my birthday. Next up, our one year anniversary in March!

2.11.2010

Birthday Celebration: Part 1

For two weeks in January, the National Western Stockshow and Rodeo comes to Denver. Skyler and I both have birthdays in January, so growing up we would go to celebrate. Thankfully, we have been able to keep this tradition going all of these years. Last year we actually ventured out to the stockyards for the first time and discovered the best kept secret of the Stockshow...YAKS!



Who knew you could ride a Texas Longhorn?


We were trying to just get close to take a picture, but the guy reached out and grabbed my hand with such force that I thought I was going for a ride. Thankfully he just put it one the horn.


They were moving these huge Bison into an auction arena.


Mark likes this one because...well it looks like I sneezed a buffalo out of my nose.




Olivia was all ready for the rodeo with her fur vest and cowgirl boots.


Watching the Cart and Horse Pull Show


Finally the Rodeo


The clown on the barrel is actually a little boy. They brought out the barrel for the mutton busting competition, and the little clown would hide inside the barrel when the sheep ran past. It was B-Awesome!


Olivia and Abe's first National Western Stockshow and Rodeo!




Abe also had cowboy boots on for the Rodeo. There were matching chaps, but he was too warm in the Baby Bjorn.


Every year during the rodeo they have a fun show in addition to the bulls and horses. Last year was a one-armed man that rode a horse around the arena and then on top of a horse trailer all the while accompanied by three bison. This year we saw the Ghost Riders...Those are monkeys riding dogs that were herding goats. The monkeys wore chaps and rode in little saddles while holding themselves on with their tails. Yeah, now you're jealous you weren't there.


Sadly the night ended, and Mark and I had to leave for Idaho the next morning...
But not without getting this goodbye from Olivia!

Big


Bigger


Notice the tongue




It was all a great start to my birthday celebrations!

1.27.2010

Holiday Season

We have fallen behind on our blog postings...so these are some pictures of the last few holidays.

Maddie made pumpkin shaped sugar cookies to give to the neighbors to introduce ourselves.


In our effort to become primary teachers, which failed miserably, we participated in the Trunk or Treat. Mark sat in the bed of the truck while the kids "fished" for their treat. It was a huge hit.


We didn't get any pictures of our Thanksgiving in Idaho, so here is a picture of the food in Colorado.


We went to Colorado for Christmas and had so much fun. It was the first time in two years that we had all been together. This time their were quite a few additions...

Carter Isaac Olson...He couldn't fit his thumbs in the mittens so he was giving constant thumbs up.


Abraham Joseph Snell...His hair would look very red in the light and then blonde. Hope he is a redhead.


Mark Allen Fitch...Ok, so he is not very "new" but this was his first Christmas actually part of the family.


Miss Olivia Terry...She was the angel in the nativity and was actually pointing towards baby Jesus, Carter.


Here are some of the nativity actors:

Two shepherds and a sheep


Baby Jesus and Joseph


Another shepherd and sheep...with Mark's beard he was definitely the most realistic looking of everyone.


Christmas morning, lining up on the stairs


Olivia does the cutest things with her hands. Can you say Dr. Evil?


The boys went skiing one day and had such a great time.



We have started a new tradition. Every year for Christmas we will get a new puzzle that the entire family can put together. This year we bought our farm, so the puzzle obviously corresponds...There weren't any wedding puzzles.