sweetEEs: 2011

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Monday, December 26, 2011

"It's my bicycle" Evelyn exclaimed as she opened her Christmas gift. Winter weather would have typically kept the tricycle riding to a minimum until April at the earliest, but amazingly Evelyn was able to ride her tricycle outside today, thanks to a nearly 50 degree day (one benefit of the brown Christmas this year). She can just barely reach the pedals, but that didn't discourage her...

Evelyn concentrating while Daddy teaches her how to steer.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas morning surprise

As many of you know, I have been dreaming and planning the perfect play kitchen for Evelyn. I was able to find some step-by-step plans online that seemed easy enough to follow...aside from using a jigsaw and nail gun (both firsts for me) and table saw (which I haven't used since middle school industrial tech class). After many hours of manual labor and several trips to the hardware store, it was complete and ready for the big reveal on Christmas morning. I could not have done it without the support and encouragement from my loving husband, the sewing talents of my Auntie Kris, and borrowed tools from family and friends.

A sweet little play kitchen for a sweet little girl.

Handmade matching accessories thanks to Great Auntie Kris.

Lots of storage for kitchen essentials...food, towels, pans, and dishes.

Evelyn was happy to see the new kitchen and went straight to work...making her daddy some soup.

At the age of 2, Evelyn can already multitask with the best of them...cooking an amazing meal while caring for her two babies.

Evelyn loves her matching apron.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Elf on the Shelf

So if you haven't heard of the Elf on the Shelf, you must check out the link. It is the most adorable story book about a cute little elf.

The Elf on the Shelf Tradition:

Have you ever wondered how Santa knows who is naughty and who is nice? The Elf on the Shelf – A Christmas Tradition is the very special tool that helps Santa know who to put on the Naughty and Nice list. Excellent listeners and even better observers, these scout elves are the eyes and ears of Santa Claus. Although they cannot be touched, or else they may lose their magic, the elf will always listen and relay messages back to Santa. Taking in all the day-to-day activities around the house, no good deed goes unnoticed. Each night, after the family goes to bed, the scout elf uses his magical Christmas powers to fly back to the North Pole. Once there, the elf will make his or her daily report to Santa. Before the family awakes each morning, their special scout elf will fly back to their home from the North Pole. However, since these elves like to play games, don’t expect to find them in the same spot! While some like to hide in the freezer and others prefer hang from the chandelier, these elves love to play hide-and-seek with their families. On Christmas Eve, the scout elf will listen for Santa’s bell and then fly back to the North Pole until the next season, wishing every girl and each boy a Christmas of peace and a year full of joy.

You're supposed to name him first. I wanted a cool name--like Harry, Malcolm, Truman or even Lola. This elf is going to be with us for years, and his name goes down in family history. But when I asked Evelyn what his name should be she said "Keff." I questioned the suggestion at first, unsure if she said Calf or Kev. But she repeated it several times quite clearly..."Keff." I smiled, validated her suggestion and began to cleverly steer her toward other names. Ari was secretly listening in on our conversation and he interjected, "Becca, don't you dare!" I knew he was right. So Keff it is.

Below are some of Keff's adventures at the Olson household.