tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12253044030401393422010-03-11T17:57:38.957-08:00Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.comBlogger401125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-25421511476063211672010-03-11T17:33:00.000-08:002010-03-11T17:57:39.065-08:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2914-753501.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2914-753480.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As I was finally going through my pictures (mom, not Yetta) I realized that I had not taken care of posting Yetta's birthday! She does such a great job of recording events for our family. </div><div style="text-align: center;">We all appreciate Yetta's sweet personality and smile, her enthusiasm, her help and participation in the many and varied family events, her photography and computer skills, her cheerful spunk, and most of all her love for the Lord!</div><div style="text-align: center;">We all love you Yetta very much!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2970-753542.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2970-753531.JPG" /></a> </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Seth also had a birthday in February. He turned 13 this year, which is a momentous time in our home. We celebrate it as the beginning of the journey into adulthood. Mark and I enjoyed our time with Seth very much. One look at his smile is a great glimpse into who Seth is!</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN3018-753600.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN3018-753582.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Moving into March brought another change in our lives, the sweet and sour type. We are happy for Eli to be able to head out East to work with with Aaron, but sad to see him go. Joel made the sacrifice to drive out with Eli in his (Eli's) new truck and spend a week with his brothers and sister in law.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Saying good bye is always hard. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Strange how a house still so full of people can feel so empty and lonely when someone leaves.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We miss you boys!</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN3029-753678.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN3029-753640.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear:both; text-align:CENTER"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-2542151147606321167?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09262671913737383473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-21552406652569616192010-03-06T08:01:00.000-08:002010-03-07T06:15:53.066-08:00<object width="500" height="245"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KeFFnQsjQek&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KeFFnQsjQek&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="245"></embed></object><br />The music choice was Sylvia's... she and Asher love Petula Clark,<br />especially Downtown. Anytime Petula Clark turns on,<br />Sylvia gets all excited and does her little "happy dance"!!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-2155240665256961619?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-28401304608596433912010-03-03T17:51:00.000-08:002010-03-03T18:16:15.806-08:00<div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/tovala-skating7-786021.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 367px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/tovala-skating7-785121.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">On Sunday we went ice skating! The ice was rapidly melting - YAY!! Tovala is practicing to be in the Olympics ;) -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">not really</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/talia3-771300.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/talia3-770664.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Talia, who apparently looks kind of like me- from what I have heard anyways... :D</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia10-710775.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia10-709959.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">this picture is actaully from a trip to Stillwater on Saturday to get ice cream cones...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/asher-skating2-772269.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/asher-skating2-771572.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Asher, living up to his name as always HAPPY!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/hannah-eli4-739824.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/hannah-eli4-738757.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Later in the day on Sunday, Hannah, Eli, Joel and I went for a hike... took a different hike than we have done before, it was a lot of fun.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/hannah33-780401.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/hannah33-779624.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">It is nice to have the weather finally a little warmer!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/behn3-712755.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/behn3-712058.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Behn won't stop growing! He is also pretty good at the game Risk... As I type he is working hard to dominate the world! ;)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy March!!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-2840130460859643391?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-42405926049438884832010-02-23T21:04:00.000-08:002010-02-25T10:20:12.631-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/hannahGrad'06101-760305.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;">Dear Abram, several days ago as I was looking at pictures and digging through some old cards and some other things (that I will mention later)... I decided to tell you about some of my favorite things about you! The more I thought about all of the things I like about you the more I wanted to tell anyone that reads this blog about you too!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram-yetta-copy-790710.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;">As I mentioned, I dug up a whole bunch of cards and notes that you had written for me.... letters that you hand wrote to me while you were in college!! As I remembered how busy you were while going to school and working, I was feeling kind of special having received such nice long emails and letters! You are very thoughtful! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram-sylvia-748318.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not only do you make me feel special, but some how you manage to let each one of us know that you are thinking about us and that you miss us!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 204px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram-yetta4-copy-755319.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you recognize these pages? I can still remember you helping teach me my ABCs and creating my first little math book. I have very fond memeories of my kindergarten year!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/AMO-WN-07-(19)-755565.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I felt like I should post this picture- you could almost be in the olympics! ;P</div><div style="text-align: center;">This day was a fun one! I got to spend much of this skiing day with just you... I don't remember where everyone else was, but I sure had fun! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0044-1-757850.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You are so good at making special memories with each of us! I have so many great memories- from re-roofing the house with you a few summers back to spending time in VA with you last spring... to that walk we took around the Lake of the Dalles 2 summers back....going Christmas shopping with you way back(before you had a cell phone) you forgot your wallet... you took me out for chinese on one of the first breaks that you came home from school for... painting the upstairs ceilings while listening to David Meece lol.... the list goes on!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and those are just some of my favorite times you spent with me... I know that everyone else could come up with just as many great memories as I have!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I love you Abram and hope you have a wonderful birthday!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Your Sister, Yetta ;)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 300px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/yetta-abram6-785326.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-4240592604943888483?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-27541749841762458462010-02-21T20:29:00.000-08:002010-02-21T20:47:02.074-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-playground3-759140.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-playground3-758620.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">After church today, it was such a beautiful afternoon... we were pretty unanimous about wanting to spend some time outside! So, we went on one of our favorite hikes... across the river above the Lions park. Sylvia was SO excited to see the swings and slides!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/hannah-playground-709917.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/hannah-playground-709490.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I have been trying to figure out what this face means... ;)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/asher-playground-773803.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/asher-playground-773323.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I don't think the slide worked too well... pretty sticky with the wet snow pants, but it didn't matter! A slide can always be fun!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-playground-717282.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-playground-716848.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I am thinking that Sylvia will have a lot of fun this summer at the park, judging by her excitement today in seeing the playground.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/behn-sled-766088.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/behn-sled-765602.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/walk-snow-733314.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;">We had a great walk!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">-----</div><div style="text-align: center;">These are just a couple of photos I took of some of the playing that was happening in our little yard:</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-joel-777811.jpg"></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-joel-777811.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-joel-777301.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/snowball-fight-796729.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 262px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/snowball-fight-796266.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">LOTs</span> of snowball fights- all the time! One good rule to remember when you start a snowball fight is: be on Eli's team- he has really good aim and if he wants to hit you, he will. ;)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-2754174984176245846?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-40187230308979699642010-02-14T20:31:00.000-08:002010-02-15T06:42:43.855-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 313px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/valentines-day-704963.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; ">Nathan, Abram and Aaron don't miss anything! These are our beautiful Valentines flowers! If you can't read the tag, they are "from Virginia and Germany" to all of us girls!</div><div style="text-align: center; ">Thank you!! We love you all and miss you lots!</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia2-703265.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;"> Sylvia does a good job of making everyone feel very loved! Just when I think I am so special because she came up to my room first thing in the morning to give me a "big bear hug", I find out that she has already/ or is on her way to visit almost everyone else in the house and give them a "big bear hug" too! I guess we are all special! ;)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/st.-paul2-750389.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/st.-paul2-749467.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Yesterday(Saturday) Dad and Mom took us all to the Landmark Building in St. Paul to a Scottish Festival. It was a fun outing!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/scottish-festival-sylvia-788189.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/scottish-festival-sylvia-787540.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia readily volunteered to help "play" the shakers! She had a lotof fun!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/st.-paul5-705471.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/st.-paul5-704838.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">After being at the Scottish festival we did a little shopping... lol one might think that shopping as a family of 13 might be a little hard, but we had fun.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/frost-SCF-730459.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/frost-SCF-729885.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">On Saturday we woke up to a world covered in frost, it was amazing!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/frost8-785157.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/frost8-784574.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Our town on a beautiful Saturday morning... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/ice-skating-733615.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/ice-skating-732885.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Last week Hannah, Talia, a couple of dear friends and I went ice skating!! It was so fun- can't wait to do it again!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/katie-emily-skating4-b&amp;w-794215.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/katie-emily-skating4-b&amp;w-793675.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We went to a place that we haven't been before, it was beautiful! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/talia-yetta-skating2-722168.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/talia-yetta-skating2-721671.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">and... a gorgeous day for skating!</div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-4018723030897969964?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-79924685777651996192010-02-13T20:24:00.000-08:002010-02-13T20:54:46.089-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/grandma-sarah-briggs-737973.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/grandma-sarah-briggs-737211.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Recently a relative sent us my great, great Grandma Sarah Briggs' wedding dress, who was married to George Briggs on May 28, 1901.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sarah Helena Matilda (Porth) Briggs died when she was 79 - in 1960. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Below are a few pictures of her wedding dress:</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/G-Briggs3-721728.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/G-Briggs3-721160.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/G-Briggs-743069.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/G-Briggs-742501.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/G-Briggs2-792311.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/G-Briggs2-791680.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/G-Briggs4-715933.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/G-Briggs4-715394.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you Amy, for sending this to us! </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-7992468577765199619?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-91441108787201564502010-01-31T17:28:00.000-08:002010-01-31T18:17:30.756-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2857-772368.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 329px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2857-771939.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Today we enjoyed a nice quiet Sunday afternoon. A nap, ice skating, good food, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and a game of farkle.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My dear sweet daughter in law kindly got my computer all set up with her favorite menu blogs. They come to my home page every day. I had great plans of looking at them and gaining new ideas to feed the family</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2773-792060.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2773-791719.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, I confess that I haven't spent much time on them, but the good news is that Yetta is really enjoying the blogs! She frequently asks if she can make dinner!! This makes me very happy needless to say. She made this fantastic tomato basil soup with tortellini.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2770-703891.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2770-703520.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">So... Jennifer, thank you for your inspiration and thank you to Yetta for putting it into action. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Keep up the good work!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2755-772337.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2755-771855.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Last weekend we enjoyed a spur-of-the-moment-decision trip to head up to Big Sandy Camp with our church.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2759-748741.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2759-748304.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The weather was nice and mild. The family enjoyed broom ball, snowmen building, climbing, chapel, board games, volleyball, late nights, naps, and lots of visiting.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2762-787294.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2762-786856.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-9144110878720156450?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09262671913737383473noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-86824262410317738282010-01-17T16:43:00.000-08:002010-01-17T16:44:30.057-08:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/January-20101-732515.jpg"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/January-20101-732505.jpg" /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-8682426241031773828?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09262671913737383473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-50250339546270829542010-01-17T16:30:00.000-08:002010-01-17T16:46:57.870-08:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2678-720458.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2678-720448.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2689-720497.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2689-720489.JPG" /></a> </div>At 7 years old in the Olmstead house you become "of age." I am proud to announce our newest bread maker...Tovala Olmstead. She made her first batch of bread during Christmas vacation.<br />Thank you Tovala for your much appreciated help in the kitchen!<div style="clear:both; text-align:CENTER"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-5025033954627082954?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09262671913737383473noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-39583220520159257752010-01-17T16:20:00.000-08:002010-01-17T16:20:18.339-08:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/January-2010-716621.jpg"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/January-2010-716610.jpg" /></a> </div><br />Mark and I enjoyed a wonderful day out with Behn and Asher. Nathan got to come along as a special guest and tour guide. We went to the Twin City Model Railroad Museum. We enjoyed the treasure hunt at the museum as we looked for a list of replica scenic items<br />throughout the museum. Before hand we had lunch at the"The Rail Station" in Mpls then a stop at Starbucks afterward for a little hot chocolate. Behn and Asher are a bundle of fun to be with. Thank you Nathan for helping to make the day a special one!<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-3958322052015925775?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09262671913737383473noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-71139543174731861892010-01-16T11:04:00.000-08:002010-01-16T12:16:33.803-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/painting-785752.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/painting-785094.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">There is a ceramics shop down the street where people can go and paint ceramic plates, vases and what not... I always thought it would be fun to go do it with some of the kids, but today while I was picking up some craft paper, I found these and thought that it would be fun to paint them! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/0116_1-730904.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/0116_1-730289.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Asher painted the tiger, Sylvia painted the hippo, Seth painted the lion, Behn painted the parot, Talia painted the Zebra and Tovala painted the elephant.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/seth-talia-painting-723584.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/seth-talia-painting-723002.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Seth and Talia were both good at adding lots of detail!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/seth-talia-painting_1-776075.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/seth-talia-painting_1-775525.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Tovala and Sylvia both <i>had </i>to find a place to add some pink paint on their hippos and elephants... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-painting-739815.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-painting-739245.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">While painting, we were talking about each animal and Sylvia asked me if hippopotamuses go in water and I told her that, yes Hippos love the water... a little later Talia informed me that Sylvia was trying to put her Hippo in the sink, with water.... oops. (the little figurines are made out of clay and are not finished)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/011610-742680.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;">Why are all of the extra-FUN activities so messy?? I mean, what could be more exciting than sticking your feet in cold wet paint and then running up and down a long paper mat with pink, red, yellow, blue and purple- painted feet!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/0116-790397.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia LOVED it! She thought it was pretty fun that I let her stick her feet in the pink paint!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/broomball_4-706189.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/broomball_4-705537.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">needless to say, we made quite the mess and it took a while to get our 10 feet cleaned off and then to get the bath tub cleaned out again too! ;)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/broomball_3-774806.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><br /></a></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/broomball_1-729098.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/broomball_1-728535.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A couple of nights ago some friends had us over to play broomball! The Olmstead team won! </div><div style="text-align: center;">I am convinced it was all of the extra help from Tovala, Asher and Sylvia!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/broomball-787485.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/broomball-786905.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">It was a fun evening AND no one got hurt!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/broomball_2-734943.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/broomball_2-734391.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">They had even built a little fire to warm up by!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-7113954317473186189?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-28778673934653415252010-01-01T09:57:00.000-08:002010-01-01T10:40:30.256-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/family-christmas_small-718733"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/family-christmas_small-718640" alt="" border="0" /></a>This was taken the first day that everyone was home! Talk about a big group- what a great way to start a family visit!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram-jane-richard_small-753549"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram-jane-richard_small-753461" alt="" border="0" /></a>Abram drove home with some of his "Virginia Family" who quickly became our "Virginia Family" too! It was such a pleasure to have them here for just over a week! They were a blessing to us all!<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/reading-by-the-fire-asher,-behn-sylvia_small-778583"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/reading-by-the-fire-asher,-behn-sylvia_small-778496" alt="" border="0" /></a>With all of the late nights this is how we found the little ones in the morning... their "waking" time doesn't seem to change no matter how late we stay up!<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/nathan-and-kids_small-749510"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/nathan-and-kids_small-749412" alt="" border="0" /></a>We are all very happy to have Nathan home from Germany!!<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/jane-richard-sylvia_small-720139"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/jane-richard-sylvia_small-720049" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sylvia LOVED to read stories with Mr. &amp; Mrs. Hannah!<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/jane-sylvia_small-792699"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/jane-sylvia_small-792504" alt="" border="0" /></a>making some puppets with Mrs. Hannah...<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/jennifer-talia-tovala-hannah-yetta_small-752041"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/jennifer-talia-tovala-hannah-yetta_small-751879" alt="" border="0" /></a>We did lots of playing in the snow and went for several hikes!<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/nathan-aaron-hannah-abram_small-715071"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/nathan-aaron-hannah-abram_small-714966" alt="" border="0" /></a>Goofing off with the big brothers...<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0225_small-772999"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0225_small-772901" alt="" border="0" /></a>On Christmas Eve we did our family Christmas gift exchange.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/christmas5_small-786268"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/christmas5_small-786172" alt="" border="0" /></a>Grandpa Neal and Grandma Judy came for Christmas Eve also and Mom made the traditional Swedish Meatballs and mashed potatoes. The boys did well too... Aaron, Eli, Joel and Noah each ate something like 23-26 meatballs out of the 175 total!<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/christmas8_small-795081"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/christmas8_small-794987" alt="" border="0" /></a>Christmas Day was a lot of fun like always! LOTs of food, family and fun!<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/christmas6_small-715744"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/christmas6_small-715490" alt="" border="0" /></a>We had our Happy Birthday Jesus party along with Christmas carols, scripture reading and message from Uncle Mike.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/dad-sylvia_small-728167"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/dad-sylvia_small-728077" alt="" border="0" /></a>and thanks to Dad, Sylvia didn't miss her nap ;)<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram_small-756071"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram_small-755886" alt="" border="0" /></a>Abram, Hannah and Eli all practiced up on their violin and played a little for us! :D<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/nathan-tovala-behn-iceskating_small-797226"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/nathan-tovala-behn-iceskating_small-797130" alt="" border="0" /></a>We went ice skating, sledding, made snowmen, had snowball fights... and so on.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/iceskating_small-759733"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/iceskating_small-759640" alt="" border="0" /></a>It was a great day to go Ice Skating...<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/aaron-talia-behn-iceskating_small-725140"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/aaron-talia-behn-iceskating_small-725041" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/nathan_small-799908"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/nathan_small-799823" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/aaron-jennifer2_small-767045"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/aaron-jennifer2_small-766850" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram-noah-behn_small-713642.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram-noah-behn_small-713637.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>We went for a hike and these crazy guys decided to test out how tough they were... Behn won... he did a snow angle w/o his shirt.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram-sylvia_small-781811"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/abram-sylvia_small-781635" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sylvia loves her big brothers!!<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/yetta-tovala-behn-abram-noah-talia_small-740034"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/yetta-tovala-behn-abram-noah-talia_small-739921" alt="" border="0" /></a>another hike in the park...<br /><br />I could post lots more pictures, but since I want to leave some room for imagination... ;)<br /><br />We had a great family visit! It was hard to say good bye to Abram, Aaron, Jennifer, Mr&amp; Mrs Hannah, but we feel very blessed to have been able to spend a whole week with them all! ...and we still get to have Nathan for a whole week longer!<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-2877867393465341525?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-33139370992671316842009-12-30T09:34:00.000-08:002009-12-30T20:04:07.702-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'courier new';">(click on photo to enlarge)</span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/olmstead-family5-772669.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/olmstead-family5-771973.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you had as wonderful a time as we did! Abram, Aaron and Jennifer, and Nathan were all home for Christmas, as well as some of our new "Virginia Family". It was great fun to have such a full house!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(I will post pictures from the past two weeks!) ;)</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-3313937099267131684?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-86144492200565198242009-12-18T16:26:00.000-08:002009-12-18T16:42:22.913-08:00<div>Dad and Mom,</div><div>ok... we miss you. I think we are all ready for you to come home! We had a good day- since nobody had to leave first thing for work, we slept in...Behn, Tovala, Asher, Sylvia and I came down, sat by the fire and watched Frosty the Snowman until everyone else got up (other than Hannah, who still doesn't know how to sleep in). Then Behn made potato pancakes (with a little help).</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/cookies-727817.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/cookies-727248.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I had a meeting to go to, but Hannah made Christmas cookies with everyone!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0400-739676.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0400-739188.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">They made spritz cookies, Russian tea cookies, ginger snaps, and lemon sugar cookies. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0402-705282.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0402-704747.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">When I got home they were still in the thick of several batches of cookies!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0408-757594.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0408-757043.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is when you guys called today, I think Sylvia liked talking to you over the speaker phone!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0403-709526.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0403-708962.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia and I weren't being much help, so we decided to run and get milk....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0452-771120.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0452-770529.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">when we got back all the kids were sledding, so Hannah and I cleaned up the kitchen - then everyone came in and we had milk and cookies!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0442-720529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0442-719876.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">:D we had a fun time!! Being quite tired of the kitchen, Hannah and I went for a walk and left Joel in charge of deciding what was for dinner... 15 minutes later we got back and he had ordered pizza. To tell you the truth, we were both very happy! NO MESS!!! ;) Thanks Joel and Eli!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now we are sitting in the livingroom, about to watch Miracle on 34th Street... then, I am not sure, but I think we are going to play hide and seek in the dark! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Drive safely! We can't wait to see you tomorrow! Love you!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-8614449220056519824?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-18870691104809088302009-12-17T19:56:00.000-08:002009-12-18T06:54:07.307-08:00<div>Mom and Dad,</div><div>We enjoyed talking to you today! We had a pretty relaxing day... this afternoon most of the kids played outside in the snow for a while, working on their snow forts:</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0335-762466.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0335-761842.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">It being a little warmer today, made it easier for them to stay out longer...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0336-758558.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0336-757920.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">They ran out of snow on the patio and now are hauling snow from the back yard and anywhere they can find it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0331-722022.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0331-721414.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">After Sylvia's nap, she put on her tutu. She and Tovala were having fun playing dress ups and blocks... they were pretty fun to watch!! (btw, this doesn't take any posing... I took a dozen photos just this cute)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0321-779416.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0321-778836.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">It was another great day, but we miss you!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-1887069110480908830?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-5132353766681752012009-12-16T20:14:00.000-08:002009-12-16T20:29:41.280-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">Dad and Mom,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for the post!! It is fun to see what you have been up to! Today several of us went shopping. Joel, Seth, Talia, Behn, Tovala and I still had a little Christmas shopping to do, so we went to Stillwater. It was fun! Thank you Grandpa &amp; Grandma for letting us stop in to say hi! It was good to see you both!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0512-725867.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0512-725362.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This evening Tovala, Asher, Sylvia and I played a game of dominos!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0519-792544.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSC_0519-791956.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">They are pretty good at matching up the dominos with eachother and making fun designs! :D After our game, they went to bed and the rest of us played nertz and then boggle! It was a good game night!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love you guys! Hope you enjoy the second half of the Newseum tomorrow! </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-513235376668175201?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-56226470051742298152009-12-16T18:50:00.000-08:002009-12-16T20:14:06.035-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Dad and Mom,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yesterday, was a great day! Hannah and Eli went to work. I cleaned in the morning (not our house). When I got home, Joel had made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches - with one hand. ;) The afternoon was spent doing school and the kids did go outside despite the ridiculously cold Dec. weather!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/gingerbreadhouse-713267.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/gingerbreadhouse-712717.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:medium;">Noah made the gingerbread house with everyone! I think they had fun! :D</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-5622647005174229815?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-50573143497903964312009-12-16T18:04:00.000-08:002009-12-16T18:07:50.289-08:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2487-708854.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2487-708846.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Abram gave us a tour of the Chamber of Commerce.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It was nice to meet many of the people that he works with.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2431-708896.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2431-708887.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Aaron recommended that we go see the Newseum. What a lot to see! </div><div style="text-align: center;">We only got through half of it. I think we will head back tomorrow to see the rest.</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2458-708931.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2458-708923.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">What a view from the top floor!</div><div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2463-708969.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2463-708960.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">These are the front pages from newspapers all over the world. </div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">It is a museum worth spending some time at.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for the recommendation Aaron!</div><div style="clear:both; text-align:CENTER"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-5057314349790396431?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09262671913737383473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-90210885037253771472009-12-16T17:20:00.000-08:002009-12-16T17:24:51.885-08:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2425-758267.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2425-758257.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">I thought all of you at home might like seeing some pictures of the rest of the family.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We have enjoyed being at Aaron and Jennifer's home very much! Jennifer is a fantastic cook and has created one wonderful meal after another!</div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2418-758303.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2418-758295.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">They make a wonderful home together, with a warm fire in the fireplace and all. </div><div style="text-align: center;">(Thank you Aaron)</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2419-758332.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2419-758326.JPG" /></a><br />I think they are a happy couple!<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-9021088503725377147?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09262671913737383473noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-80521013685859531882009-12-14T18:36:00.000-08:002009-12-14T20:20:15.078-08:00<div>Dear Dad and Mom,</div><div> Today was a good day! We work up and had oatmeal for breakfast. Then Hannah and Eli went to work. We started school and then the kids sent out to shovel the fresh snow from the drive way!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/joel-754130.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/joel-753400.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Joel is being good. ;) Being a one handed guy, he has a tendency to drop his computer. :P</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/math-it-798279.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/math-it-797734.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Tovala and I worked on her Addition. She is doing a great job!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/christmas-cookies-761599.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/christmas-cookies-760938.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Eli made venison stroganoff and mashed potatoes for dinner... and then we made snowmen for desert- they didn't turn out quite right, but it was fun anyways!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-720811.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-720277.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(photo by Hannah)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">After dinner, Sylvia and Tovala folded some laundry, Hannah read stories to the little ones and then they went to bed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hope you guys had a good day! We love you!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">P.S. We all got your hug, Thanks! :)</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-8052101368585953188?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-64481465517813792642009-12-13T18:01:00.000-08:002009-12-13T18:17:55.852-08:00<div>Dear Dad and Mom, We had a good day. Hannah made breakfast of waffles, eggs and bacon, with the help of everyone here... and I did nursery with Seth. Church was great, I think that Talia and Behn took notes for you. ;) We came home from church, the boys watched the football game, I put Sylvia down for a nap- she wanted to sleep on your bed "Because, Momma lets her sleep on Momma's bed on Sundays". Then after we finished quiet time we packed up some food and dressed up nice and warm and went out into the cooooollllddd.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/group-cabin-755376.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/group-cabin-754802.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We made a fire in the cabin and cooked the egg rolls that you got for us over the fire and had hot rice too. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-cabin-704126.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-cabin-703482.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We played around for a while, sledding, climbing, walking.... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/hannah-cabin3-744201.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/hannah-cabin3-743636.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">and then eating some more egg rolls... and Joel brought his ipod and little speaker and we listened to Christmas music, while trying to keep warm by the fire.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/seth-cabin-754411.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/seth-cabin-753863.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We had a fun time!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">While we were gone Sylvia asked if when we got home, if we could watch a princess movie.... So, we got back and cuddled up on the couch and watched Enchanted. She was happy: "This is the movie that I wanted to watch!".</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We enjoyed talking to you all over the webcam!! We all agreed that we can't wait until you guys are all home! All the youngest kids are in bed; Eli and Behn are playing ping pong; Talia is making cards and Hannah is back to school. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hope you enjoyed your evening!! Love you lots! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-6448146551781379264?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-41297981767700033662009-12-12T17:12:00.000-08:002009-12-12T17:25:12.208-08:00<div> Dear Dad and Mom, just have to let you know that the little ones are in bed. They got their baths and we didn't forget to feed them dinner. ;) Hannah made me breakfast this morning before I left... it was a good day! I got home safely, and Hannah had made some very tasty soup and Tovala made biscuits. Since I was gone all day, I didn't get to take pictures of anything else that happened, but I did hear that Joel took them all sledding - although Sylvia got to go sledding too, she is mostly excited to go sledding with Nathan and will tell everyone about it!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/asher-sylvia-bathroom-750857.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/asher-sylvia-bathroom-750213.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I read Thunder Cake to Tovala, Asher and Sylvia and sent them into brush their teeth... this is how I found them, when I came in to help. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-sleep-715048.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/sylvia-sleep-714375.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">They were tucked in with love, however Sylvia told me that she missed Mommy and Daddy... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/tovala-sleep-773909.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/tovala-sleep-773315.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Of course they made sure that we turned on music and left the "door open just a little bit".</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We love you and hope that you enjoy the evening with Nathan, Abram, Aaron and Jennifer.... there is a chance a few of us may be a little jealous! ;) Good night!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-4129798176770003366?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-6491658764299691042009-12-06T12:50:00.000-08:002009-12-06T13:28:47.976-08:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2247-780369.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2247-780351.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">This year we went to a different place to get our Christmas</div><div style="text-align: center;">tree. The temperature was ten degrees and very cold!!</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2281-780406.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2281-780400.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">In the barn there were stairs that went all the way to</div><div style="text-align: center;">the roof where there was a little dwarf house!!</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2289-780433.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2289-780429.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">And outside there was an amazing playground maze!!</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2305-780478.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/DSCN2305-780467.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">When we got back we drank hot apple cider, decorated</div><div style="text-align: center;">our Christmas tree, had pizza, and watched a movie.</div><div style="clear:both; text-align:CENTER"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-649165876429969104?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Taliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15451828820555062862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1225304403040139342.post-57500588079120390322009-11-29T21:08:00.000-08:002009-11-29T21:21:02.498-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">click on the photo to view larger</span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/just-jump-722519.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 100px; height: 400px;" src="http://clanolmstead.com/uploaded_images/just-jump-722270.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1225304403040139342-5750058807912039032?l=clanolmstead.com' alt='' /></div>Yettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991404067879965362noreply@blogger.com0