FHE

Does anyone have any good ideas for Family Home Evening with a 15 month old????? I want to involve Maija, but I don't know how, any help will be welcomed

Olson update and family portraits

This is not a New Years resolutions, but I thought it would be fun to update all our friends out there on what is happening with our little family. Maija is almost 15 months! and doing great, she is a great eater, she sleeps well (although we did have our ups and downs there for a little while), honestly we have very little to complain about, even through her teething she is mostly a cheerful little girl. She is learning all kinds of skills...just like her daddy 'she got skillz" like Yoga (downward dog), and Kickboxing (she has a mean front kick ;) Maija is also a big reader, well at least when it comes to books like Dr. Seuss' ABC, and Hand Hand Fingers Thum. It is great to see her grow, one of my favorite moments in watching her grow up, has been to see her learn how to pray. When we all sit down to eat and she hears the word 'Prayer" or 'Oración" she quickly folds her arms, and she even says "men" at the end, it is adorable! Here is Maija this past summer sitting in Winchester bridge

Wyatt is still with the same company, which by the way had a really fun Christmas party, it was a treat to go away just the two of us, and hang out in Banff with his co-workers, thanks to Ama (that's what Maija calls Grandma Olson, for always helping us with Maija, and letting her have sleep overs so Wyatt and I can hang out on our own)
Wyatt has been working VERY hard on our belated Christmas present, we got a wonderful new bathroom for Christmas, and we are really looking forward to it, once it is done I will try to post some pictures. I am really proud of how little by little our house is becoming more our own. I was not too convinced on the idea of buying an 'older' home, but I think it is neat to see it improve....Although if you had asked Wyatt about that while he was trying to replace the Flange in our bathroom his reply would not be a positive one. In the topic of Skillz Wyatt has had to learn how to put lino, do some plumbing work, put up drywall, etc, I'm very proud of all the hard work that he has put into our place.
Wyatt is also really getting into his photography, here is his web page. He mostly specializes in outdoor photos, and he is working on his outdoor portraits now. All the photos in this post were taken by Wyatt.
Here is one of Maija in Fish Creek Park

I usually don't like to post pictures of me, but I think Wyatt did a good job on this photo

As for me, I too am getting some new Skillz, in Sep 2008 I started taking Oil Painting classes with Chris Jordan, you can check out his page here, he has an art studio near by, and I have learn a lot. He is a really good artist, and mostly works with realism, which in my opinion is the best form of art. I have finished one painting, and I'm very close to finishing my second. Also in Sep I started working part time at Southland Leisure Center, as a babysitter, it is very different from Intuit, which I do miss at times, but I can bring Maija to work, and she gets to play with other kids, and I can also use their gym, pool, etc, so it is not a bad deal. Well guys I hope this message finds you well, Happy 2009!

Happy 2009

OK, so it is finally time to set up those New Years resolutions: So here they go...I hope I can do it
1) Reading 5 Classics (Don Quijote, Les Miserables, Crime & Punishment, Christmas Carol, Sense and Sensibility)
I am currently working on Don Quijote, we will see...this is about it for my reading goals, I know it sounds like a little bit, but I am somewhat of a slow reader.
2) Exercising at least 3 times per week.
3) Continue my Oil Painting from 2008
4) Read the Book of Mormon in English, French, and Spanish at least once this year, and the Doctrine and Covenants.

Well wish me luck!
Happy New Year!