If these pictures seem a little out of order.. that is because I never published our Christmas pictures... I was very surprised to seem them there without being published.. I am sure I started this and then just never got back to it...so my sequence will be a little jumbled to begin with when I start sharing pictures.... but I will try and keep the story line going.. have a great day!!! Jill

Baden opening Play Station Game present. Tina helping with game titles- future player looking on..

Merry Christmas to Everyone!!!

                                                          Keaton with his Skylanders video game!!! Yee-Haw!!!

Leah is having a blast!!!!

Baden  with his Walkie Talkies....Oh Happy Day!!!

Lisa and Erik with his new School Bus!!! Alphabet and Numbers!!!

Luke and Leah opening her first present... a new book!!!

Rylee and Shelby with their American Girl Dolls- New Outfits!!! They look Great!!!

Luke reading the Lil Critter book to Erik!!

Rylee with her Eye Shade on that she received with her new PJ's.....

Al is smoking a turkey breast today for the Olson Christmas here in Britt. He was up a little after 1 this morning getting it started. So needless to say.. we have all been up and down as every time we get up.. the cats get up.. this goes on and on and on....So about 6:00 I finally decided to get up as I was ready for a cup of coffee. My tree is lit.. my fireplace is lit and my outside lights are on.. I feel very festive today!!! We had a great day with the kids and grandkids on Saturday at Ryan's in Plainview. From the looks of all the smiles while opening presents.. everyone loved what they got!!! The 2 older girls were playing with their American Girl dolls- putting on the new outfits... The older boys were playing  videogames in Baden's room.. Erik tried to join in.. but lacks the experience for that level of play.. so he played with his school bus and read the Critter book with his dad. Leah was moving from lap to lap playing with everyone and being such a good girl!!!  Later in the afternoon Ryan and Tina took the 5 oldest ones sledding and they enjoyed that very much. Cori and Lisa got food ready for their return as they were STARVING!!! So we had a great day spending time with family... it is tough to get everyone together in one place..so we did a good job this year!!! Take a look at the pics.. you will see what I mean...

SURGERY!!!

I can't believe that I have let this go so long without updating. It was a great idea to start sharing photos and events with friends.. but then the time got away and I have not been back to share things or post pictures. My family has totally grown and changed since these last pictures were taken at Ann's for Darrell's funeral. Face it.. EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED!!! Mom is now gone too.. so the complete family impact has changed. Al and I are still doing the same things... fishing and camping. We still enjoy Okoboji as much as possible whenever we can.. but we also try and get with the grandkids as much as we can... 2 in Ames and 4 up north Rochester way.. soon to be 5 up Rochester way. I have been home recovering from a nasty surgery... my eyelids were drooping..so time to pull them up.. only  not just the eyelid... but the brow line too.. which made it many times worse!!! Pain.. swelling.. problems with anesthesia and pain medications... I ran out of that hospital to avoid any more drugs they wanted to give me to HELP me.. OMG.... that was not the kind of help I needed!!! Can you imagine taking pain pills/any kind of pill on an empty stomach?? Needless to say.. I had to go home and NOW!!! So Al loaded me up and we left Roch not under the best weather conditions but the sun was shining and we could see the ice on the road just fine and the cars in the ditch... it took us awhile but we finally got home!! Believe you me...."There's no place like home... there's no place like home.... there's no place like home!"

 

I took a picture of my eyes and forehead before the surgery without my glasses so I can see the difference.

This is what I looked like when I got back home...the day after surgery. I was miserable..it was going to get worse shortly!!!

This was Wednesday and I was miserable!!! All I wanted to do was cry...no appetite... hard to sleep in any  position.. especially elevated...my lower lids were so swollen... 

 ice packs on my face for as long as I could stand it...

This is close to what I look like now... the swelling has gone quite a bit..only real puffy in the morning..my left eyebrow is really high.. but that is also still very swollen and frozen in place.. my cheeks have opened up... the swelling in my nose has gone down... the top of my head is coming back to me thanks heavens as my hair just feels dead on the top of my head!! Bruising was limited actually.. unless there is more to come.  So that is my life for the last two weeks.. I don't wish it on anyone and I sure do hope it was worth it when things return to normal for me!!!