odds and ends

What happened to spring? Is weather confusion a sign of climate change?

Not much happening in the Olson house these days. Here are a few highlights:

-Olivia tried to eat a dog biscuit intended for our friends dog. Thankfully Andrew stepped in and kept that item off the list of gross things she has eaten.

-I overslept yesterday but that is not what is interesting about this story. Usually I am on the road to preschool around 8:30 but yesterday we got a later start. Turns out there was a police shooting around 8:30 at the on ramp to the highway---right where I would usually be if I hadn't overslept! Some guy robbed something, carjacked a lady and then stabbed a lady and then got killed by the police right here in my lovely town. Crazy! Not that anything would've happened to us but I definitely wouldn't have wanted my kids to see it go down. I did see the body covered with a sheet on my way back home but didn't bother mentioning this to the kids.

-Olivia and I have really hit our stride as mom and daughter. It started with a mani/pedi while the boys were at a baseball game. Anyone that talks to me regularly knows that Olivia is a delightful yet challenging child. I think I might have figured her out, at least for now. She just wants more one-on-one attention than I was giving her and she doesn't respond to me raising my voice. Now I challenge her to do stuff like, "Bet you can't get those shoes on all by yourself" and then give her tons of praise and high-fives (which she ADORES for some reason). I haven't had to yell at her at all for the last two weeks. I'm happier and I think she is too.

-I got new sneakers and they feel like heaven!

-I conducted a brief experiment with gel nails. Too fancy for me so I got them off after about a month. I am amazed at how wrecked my natural nails are after such a short time! Hopefully they grow back to what they were like before--I used to have to use toenail clippers because they were so thick. Not so right now.

-I am planning to hike the Grand Canyon again in September! Two years ago I hiked it and it darn near beat me so last year I performed the role of hiker wrangler, which was a ton of fun. But this year I've decided to try the hike again; however, I intend to actually prepare for it this time. Maybe by training I will actually be able to walk the day after--anyone care to place a bet? :)