Sister Olsen

It takes a certain determination and faith to make certain sacrifices. Sam's little sister, made the decision to sacrifice a year and a half of her time to serve a mission. We have all been so excited for her, knowing that by her example and testimony she will be able to touch the lives of many people in a very special way. On Sunday Most of our family got together to wish her well and see her off before she flew out to the MTC on Monday. It was so great to have so many people gathered together showing her their support. Wednesday marked her first day in the MTC, and we just can't wait to hear how she is doing.

Congrats Sister Katie Olsen.... you are going to take the Washington DC-South Mission by storm!!

Lime Light

I always enjoy witnessing my siblings talents. There is always something special about seeing the ones you love accomplish something they feel is important.

My youngest brother has (in the past few years) developed a knack for acting. It started with Lip Sync contests, and now has moved to school plays. Lovell Middle School put on a mini production of the Fairest Flower of the South, where Cole played the demented, yet charming Col. Cullpepper. It was so much fun watching his character come to life as he swaggered around the set voicing monologues traced with a well done southern accent. The crowd was small, but the laughter and applause that Col. Cullpepper received was not.

Take a bow little brother!

Dinysaurs!

A few weekends ago, Sam and I were visiting his family in Thermopolis when we started talking about the museums in town and how I had never been to any of them. There was one particular museum that I was dying to see. I have always had a soft spot for paleontology. With my Mother being a geologist, I have always enjoyed minerals, rocks, and the occasional fossil.

Sam treated me with a visit to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center.

 


There were so many neat things to see.
I had no idea that such a great collection existed so close to home!

My favorite exhibit.... Mommy and her hatchlings.





Of course I couldn't help but show this guy who was boss....





Eagle Scouts

There is a lot to be said about a boy who earns his Eagle Scout award. There is a lot of dedication and hard work that goes in to the process of achieving such a feat. It is a special thanks that goes to the leaders and family of a boy who receives such an honor, but how about when you multiply that scout times two?

My younger brothers (twins if you haven't caught on) both achieved their Eagle Scout award this year. It was truly amazing to see the support that came from the community and church leaders who helped Peter and Kenneth along their way.

As it goes with Eagle Scouts, a special project must be completed. Peter chose to add an archery range at the local shooting club's existing rifle range. This entailed creating targets that could easily be moved to desired distances, and constructing bow hangers for the shooters to store equipment. Peter used recycled resources and good leadership to accomplish his goal. Now as you drive past the shooting range, you can see his idea in use.

Kenneth chose to update the Church grounds by tearing out overgrown old shrubbery and replacing it with something clean cut. This turned out to be quite the task as he and his fellow scouts worked around the existing sprinkler system to design the new beds and plant the new shrubs. the finished product was a great show of team work and care for the Church's property.

The Twin's court of honor was held on the 16th and was a great turnout! Thanks to all those who made this happen, our family is very grateful for all your support and hard work.

Congratulations Peter and Kenneth... now fly like an "Eagle"!

Changes

I love Fall. There is a feeling in the air that is different from any other time of year. Take a walk outside, close your eyes, and let your senses take over. The air has become crisp as if preparing for the coming winter chill, warning us that this fresh new feeling won't last long. There is a certain sweet smell in the air as the leaves turn back to the soil, and the first puffs of smoke can be caught coming from wood stoves around town. Fall is the time to celebrate a successful growing season, time to can produce, and bake pies, and if that isn't enough to make you feel warm, open your eyes and take in the color. Is there anything prettier than a tree that has become golden yellow with just a hint of green left to contrast?

Along with the seasonal changes, Sam and I have welcomed a couple new changes in our lives. Sam was just recently called as the Young Men's 1st Councilor for our ward. We always joked that we would probably not be here long enough to have callings, but the good ol' Basin Ward beat us to it. Sam has only two boys in his class and will be helping with a very.... VERY small scouting troop.

As for me, I have started my first nursing position. I am working at the Wyoming Retirement Center as an RN. This last week was orientation for me, and four twelve hour shifts in a row was a little much to take in as a first timer! I survived and am very excited to continue. I love the staff and residents, they have all been great and helpful.

Happy Days are Here!!

Okay so this is just a quick announcement (because I can't contain myself)... drum roll please....

I passed!!!

Lauren Olsen, RN at your service. I just want to tell everyone who has backed me up: THANK YOU!

I couldn't have done it without all the kind words, wisdom, and "snap out of it"s I got... you are all pretty special.



Just Thinking of You

Sitting on my couch yesterday afternoon, I got to thinking about all the people that I have lost touch with. There is a lady living in Powell that I rented from my second year of college, and I felt impressed to send her a card. Not any old card though...

What to do?

Paper.... scissors... ribbon... markers... glue....

Tada!

Another card creation... I am having fun with this...



Fresh From the Farmers Market

NCLEX round two was on Saturday. There was a large portion of my class (and classes at other schools) that did not pass on the first time. It has been nerve racking preparing for the retake, but I have had the BIGGEST support group backing me the whole way.

My Mother took me to Billings because Sam had to work and couldn't. We stayed over night Friday and then my test started at 8:00 the next morning. After the testing terror was over, Mom took me to see the Yellowstone Valley Farmer's Market that was just around the corner from my testing center.

What a blast! There were so many things to see, and the people... it was just fun to see all the different life styles and personalities.

Our main purpose for looking around was to make a visit to the McCormick Caffe' for a fresh crepe... yummmm!



















 

Lemon and Chocolate;
Chocolate and Berries...
are you drooling yet?

And just so the little kiddos could enjoy the festivities.... a CLOWN with BALLOON ANIMALS!!



The market has two more weeks, so check it out!

Our farmer's booty: jalapeno tortillas (I know, I know...), fresh cranberry bread, garlic, and fond memories.

New crafts...

I have never been much of a scrapbooker, but I just love the supplies. I have always been a sucker for office supplies, and the scrapbooking variety are even more tantalizing. All the cute paper, markers, stamps, and ideas! Well, since I am partial to digital scrapbooking (less time and space); I decided to try my hand at card making. I have always liked homemade cards. I think there is something special and much more personal about them.

So, I dug out some of my cute paper, pens, and other supplies..... and out came my first ever thank you card!

 

I think this could be a fun endeavor!

What a Weekend

I have always enjoyed Labor Day weekend... mostly because it houses my birthday, and of course because it means everyone has work off and much fun and relaxation can be had.

This year my fun started on Friday with a trip to Lovell to make jalapeno jam, and Chow-Chow (a type of relish that my family uses on hamburgers and such). You see, Sam and I cam across a jar of jalapeno jelly in our local grocery store and fell in love. It was the perfect situation... my Mother had a bumper crop of peppers and I was dying for some Jam!

We had a blast trying our skills at this new canning recipe. the end result was great, except the last two batches we ran out of liquid pectin and resorted to Surejell... the taste was still wonderful, but the consistency was much like honey and the jam needed warmed before it would spread. No worries; though, I am still thrilled to have my jalapeno jam!

On the 4th (my birthday) Sam took me to Billings early in the morning for a session at the Temple. I am so glad we went, the visit was looooong over due. He then took me to lunch at Apple Bee's, where we discovered another food favorite... buffalo chicken wings (mild for me of course). The rest of the day we found the tools that Sam needed for his work. We ended the day with a stop in Lovell to celebrate with my family. It was a wonderful birthday and I am very grateful for my thoughtful Husband and all he does for me.

Labor Day its self was spent in Thermop visiting Sam's family. It is always a good week when we can spend time with both families, and it was great to find a fellow jalapeno jam lover in Sam's Dad!

I hope you all had an eventful and enjoyable holiday!

Here Fishy Fishy Fishy....

Saturday was beautiful. The sun was diffused by just the right layer of clouds to cool the day down without chilling it too much. Sam got off work early, so we set out on a fishing expedition. I was so excited to spend a day in the mountains with my favorite person, and bring home some fish to grill up!

We drove up through Shell and into the Bighorns. We found a great part of the river and set up camp, ate lunch, and cast out. After a while it became obvious that if there were any fish in the water, they were not interested in lunch. So... we packed up and tried a stream we found a little way up the road. Finally we found fish.... the size of my hand! That just was not going to work. Some of the little fishies were not even big enough to bite my hook! Five streams and a dried up beaver pond later we ended up throwing all our fish back in and headed home.

Sounds like a bummer trip, but it was no such thing. We spent a great day enjoying nature in all its beauty; escaped from everyday stress; and enjoyed each other's company. What more can you ask for in today's busy world?

Confectioning

A very good friend of mine is getting married in September. As a bridesmaid I helped in putting together her bridal shower, which happened today. I have been following some different baking and confection blogs and found some cute ideas that I had to try out for her shower.

My first idea came from Bakerella. These are the Cupcake Pops I created for the shower.

Me wondering what I have gotten myself into...

The finished product turned out good enough for a first-timers try.

And guess what... they were a HIT!

The second treat is an idea I got from a show on TLC called DC Cupcakes.

Aren't they cute!

Mine of course have a twist on the ice cream cone theme, and I chose to make decorative chocolate pieces to top them off.

Nothing like a "sweet" display for a Saturday afternoon.

Packing and Moving in 90 Degree Weather... Can it Get Better?

Good news everyone! Sam has been hired for a construction job. And we have made our very first move together. We are happy for this new development, it will be nice to have a steady income now that one of us is done with school. We would have liked a more official welding position, but any experience he can get will be good experience.

The job is in Greybull, so after some searching we found a nice new apartment in Basin that puts us closer to the job. Basin is much smaller than Powell, and it might take some adjusting.

I plan to continue on with my BSN degree and as soon as I am licensed find my first nursing position. For now, however; my plans consist of a lot of unpacking and decorating of my very first apartment! Now that sounds like it could be fun.

I must say I am very excited for a double sink in my kitchen :).

Simple Pleasures

Sam and I spent a week in Thermop with his parents. They recently ran a water line across the road to their house so they could have extra well power for their yard. Of course as the ground settles and the rain falls we end up with some pretty good sized puddles. Clair, the family pooch, found a nice shady spot in a puddle and was quite content to spend the hours of the hot afternoon soaking up the cold, wet goodness.

If only my life were as simple!

Happy 4th

July is always full of fun and surprises. Family fun, Fireworks, and fabulous ways to celebrate the freedom we enjoy in our country today. We started out the month with our first camping trip of the summer. The Olsen bunch went out to Sunshine reservoir outside Metetsee for some long awaited water fun, camp-out cooking, and fishing.

We had a blast the first day, the water was perfect, the weather was perfect, and we had plenty of fun campfire treats... Tinfoil Dinners Hawaiian style (corned beef, cabbage, coconut milk, and sea salt), Bananna Split Smores, and of course no camping trip would be complete without roasted Starburst candies.

The un-cooked banana stuffed with chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and the finishing touch is to crumble grahm crackers on top.

Day two of camping was a bit of a bummer; the wind came up and it stayed too cold to swim. We did make out with a bundle of fish, that tasted wonderful grilled up.

My catch of the day.


The Family.

The 4th came and we went to watch the firworks show put on by the Powell Fire Dept. It was great, we had front "row" seats, popcorn, and left in good patriotic spirits.

We are so lucky to live in a place where we are free to celebrate with our loved ones.

A special thanks to all those men and women who have sacrificed in service for our country and freedom!

Breakfast With Ginger

Today started out with sunshine and a chance of staying that way ( that is if you are ignorant to the weather report ). Sometime after lunch the clouds rolled in, the rain came down, and the office just got gloomy. A good friend of mine received a video clip in her e-mail, and I must share it because it brightened my day.

We all remember those silly Sesame Street dogs that were dressed up and had a human acting as their arms... I used to love watching that when I was a kid, so maybe that is why this clip appealed to me so much.

It is simple, sort of silly, but made me smile.

I hope you enjoy!

Small Town Carnival and Mini Golf

Remember the smell of cotton candy, the foam on the harnesses, and that wonderful spinning feeling you get after you step off the zipper? Carnivals are definitely an experience that takes you back to your childhood.

This last week, Sam and I were listening to the radio and heard an advertisement for a carnival in Cody. We got a group together and headed up there. There was a grand total of six rides... if you didn't consider the children's specials. The size of the whole affair was quite humorous. Despite our initial impression, the over all experience was memorable.

Word to the wise... don't go on carnival rides and expect to do well at mini golf afterward...

13!

It is official... the last of the Moncur kids is finally a teenager. Cole turned the big ONE THREE on May 27. Birthday parties have become very informal in our family, but it turned out to be a nice get together.

I just want Cole to know how much he is loved and appreciated, and that even though he is getting older, he will always be my baby brother.