how we are affected by our enviorment.

lesson #1

because there are less than 5% african americans

in Mesquite + Saint George combined...

My children are amazed

when we run into one elsewhere.

because our dentist is down in Las Vegas,

we have to make trips down there to see him.

[or else I would stay as far from that place as possible.]

And as Grady gets older he opens his mouth more

and speaks without thinking.

Example:

I sent him into the Target Womens bathroom

while I stood outside the door with Bentley in the cart

(I knew if i got bentley out of the cart,

getting him back in would be a losing battle.)

Seconds later he comes out and exclaims

"Mom! There was some brown people in the bathroom!

There were 3 brown people in there!"

He sounded delighted, amused really

like he had just had the pleasure of peeing

with a handful of disney characters

or found an endless supply of hot wheels cars

taped to the bathroom door.

And as I whisked him away

I told him how awesome and rare that was

and then tried to avoid anymore

"rare brown people"

for the rest of the day.

...

While were on the subject of Grady commments...

later that day we were eating at Olive Garden

(now usually I try not to take my kids to yummy sit down resturants)

but we had received a gift card from Christmas

and decided to take a gamble

(hey. we were in Vegas. right?)

They stuck us in a corner with old people behind us

and 2 young possible gay men to the side of us.

and Grady was having trouble using his inside voice

"We'd like more salad please!"

"I need more chocolate milk please!"

"Check please!"

I kept reminding him

"Grady, you need to talk quietly in here."

and he replied in his loudest voice possible

"But those old ones are talking,

and there not talking quiet."

My eyes got as big as saucers

and I looked at Wyatt for some kind of help.

We both just about died,

and he took both kids out to the car

before we got jumped.

(hey. we were in vegas. right?)

Hiking with dad.

Today we went on a picnic to Marilynn Redd Park

Yes we go there alot.

We have to have swings

so its either there or bunkerville

but if we went to bunkerville...

I couldn't give mean stares to all the people

walking there pooches who don't pick up there poopsies.

After swinging,

inwhich Mr. O had to do most the pushing

because the smell of the metal chains

were making me sick to my stomach.

Wyatt took Grady hiking up one of the hills.

He was so proud of himself when he reached the top.

and as Bentley looked up and saw them

he was feeling pretty left out.

"I gooooooo. I goooooooo."

(bentleys words are always draaaawn ouuuuuut)

and as Grady came running down the other side

you would have thought it had been years

since he and Betty had seen eachother.

It was like a slow motion long embracing movie.

Christmas Party
December 23,2011





New Scooter
December 25,2011

My parents bought the boys scooters for Christmas this year

So after we had our eggs benedict breakfast

we took them out for a spin.

Bentley caught on real fast,

but didn't go very fast...

and got tired of ending up 20 feet behind Grady

So he preferred to just stick both feet on the scooter

and let his momma pull him.

the procrastinating self.

I told myself

"self. before you start blogging in the new year...

you MUST get all of the pictures from 2011

in the appropriate 2011 spot."

Then I argued with myself for a day or two.

things like, "but you really should do laundry,

you're kids are running out of undies..."

and then Mr. Oliver joined in on the fight...

"hey snookums? wanna go to Vegas today?"

and because myself is a procrastinating self.

I've left myself one last day.

Way to go self.

But anyway.

onward. ever onward.

Happy Saturday before Veterans day.

November 05,2011

Half of our parading-clan was missing this year.

We usually go to any and all Mesquite Parades

with the Rowley family

(sometimes with, sometimes without bowls of cereal)

but because they were out of town, and wyatt was working

I had to brave the veterans day parade alone...

We started out watching things from the Panda Garden.

Planes flew over from the Nellis Air Force Base.

Grady was in heaven...

Bentley thought Russia was attacking us.

Which would explain why his face stayed like this

for the entire rest of the parade.

It was touching as a mother to watch my little boy

wave to all the veterans in the parade and tell them

"thank you for your service"

He loved his little flag more than

his overflowing backpack of candy.

and it was a great opportunity to teach my boys

about the many men + women who have made

great sacrifices for our country.

because as we all know

Freedom isn't free.

kisses from tegan.

We had Tegan over to play the other day

She sure took a liking to Bentley.

They were so very cute together.

Everytime she would lean in for a kiss

Betty would laugh and quickly turn his head.

I told him thats not the way to a ladies heart...

but I guess he's got a few more years of practice

until I really have to worry about it.

Shop with a cop

One thing we look forward to each year at Christmas
is the PDs shop with a cop.
Unfortunately this year I was unable to
sneakishly follow behind Wyatt.
So I gave him strict instructions
A. take some pictures
B. find out as much as he can about
his boy/girl so we can play santa later.
As tough + ogreish as Mr. Oliver looks

he really is like a big teddy bear

(don't tell him I told you that.)

He was so very excited to tell me all about

the two kids he got to take around.

Both the kids were so very sweet.

They'd gather a few items

and then couldn't believe their ears

when Wy told them they could get some more things.

He had such a great time shopping with these kids,

and I had a great time hearing about it.

because, it truly is what Christmas is all about.

baseballs + tumbling

We took the boys on a picnic the other day to

"the park by daddys work"

Afterwards we went on an adventure

trying to find sticks for ywie.

But instead the boys found a baseball

and some dirt.

Wyatt would throw the ball

Grady would say

"wow dad! youre really good!"

and

"go get it betty."

and Bentley would chase after it and bring it back.

While Bentley stayed and played in the dirt

Wy and Grady hiked up the hill

and then tumbled down a few hundred times.

(look at Mr. Olivers perfect form)

I'd also like to point out gradys fabulous outfit

He looks slightly homeless.

Partly because he hates long sleeve shirts and pants,

(and partly because his moms been so sick,

she hasn't done much laundry.)

He doesn't mind though

As long as he has his "airwalks"

and a clean star wars shirt

hes good to go.

As we were getting ready to leave

Grady said

"Mom, we can't take this baseball,

because it isn't ours...

and someone might come back to get it."

I smiled and thank'd the heavens

for such a sweet, honest little boy.

a night of dragon slaying.

Mommy, there are alot of dragons

coming out of yer bedroom...

shouting words of encouragement

"GO GET EM SON! SAVE YOUR BROTHER!"

slightly irritated

"mom, i'm still talking.

i'm gonna take this gun with 12 bullets

and kill the dragons."

gasps!

"do you have enough ammo?"

smells of motor oil and determination

"yeah this is gun makes magic bullets."

completely out of breath

"wow. mom I got twenty dragons! but I think theres more."

comes running back in...

"there were"

*thinking*

"five-ty...seven...sixty...i dunno...hunder[100] dragons"

concerned.

"what are we going to do with all these dragons? eat them?"

appalled at the thought

"no...were going to bring them to the doctor

so....so....they can still be dead."

enter little brother with paper punch

muttering

"paper...paper...paper..."

and then finally as he reaches moms paper stash

"paper!!"

"The dragons I shot were colorful.

Dragons are called "oskees"

thats spanish for dragons.

The dragons are at the hospital

so they can be alive at heaven.

but not alive here."

The end? nope not yet...

"dragons breath fire too."

The end.

....

"Thats not the end....

burps

excuse me...write this down mom.

then you bring them to the water

and drop them in the water."

mommy @9801 days old.

love love love

being a mommy

[dishes not so much]

favorite planet is neptune

wish i lived somewhere cold.

and preferably snowing

wears earrings at all times

my sisters are my best friends

favorite movie is the music man

addicted to windex + downy unstoppables

favorite food is kettle corn.

loves sleeping in teepees

believes I am the luckiest gal in the world.

[and sometimes i wish neverland + mary poppins were real.]

Bennyboo @ 704 days old

loves

bubble guppies.

counts to 10

+ sings ABC's with grady

is obsessed with

windex spray bottles

wants chalk + chocolate for christmas

[and a "bebe" doll]

loves to snuggle with mommy

calls his Aunt Mandy at least once a day

Says please, Thank you, and welcome

loves bathtime

Grady is his

best friend

[he cries everytime he leaves for preschool]

favorite foods are bananas + yogurt

has the cutest crinkle nose smile.

loves helping with the dishes

is the best little brother anyone could ask for

Grady Mckay @ 1578 days old

loves his little brother more than anything else

Can write his first name

(working hard on writing last name too)

loves taking pictures and going on walks...

favorite color is blue

wants a real doggie for christmas

loves playing games with daddy

wants to be a policeman

wishes he could marry olivia

in the SLC temple

favorite movie is Cars 2

gives plenty of kisses + hugs

favorite song is Praise to the man

loves preschool

+ mrs. perkins

is the best big brother anyone could ask for

Soccer park with dad.

My awesome husband took the boys

to play at the "soccerball" park

[cause its too cold for bees]

so i could get some Christmas shopping done.

They had a blast playing,

and I had a blast not ending up with

thousands of random items in my cart.

Daddys [awesome] little helper.

"Mom! I helped Daddy fix his tire today! it was way fun!"

How did we get so lucky to have you for a son?

RANDOM acts of kindness

For fhe monday we decided to do some
Random acts of Christmas kindness.

Heres what I learned about random acts...

they can't be planned.

it takes away the randomness of it all

and it doesn't work.

First I ran into walmart to print off some of these buggers

to drop off with our acts...

ordered 10 of em actually.

but silly me I placed my order at 7:56 pm

and if you do that it takes the HP instant prints kiosk

12 hours to print anything.

and my prints were going to be ready for me at 8:00 am.

FAIL.

thats okay...who needs cute little cards anyway? right?

we headed off to McDonalds

our plan was to pay for the person in line behind us

so we waited...and waited...and waited...

for someone to pull up behind us.

until Bentley started shouting.

"Go! go! go! [ya crazies!] Go!"

So we decided to get some hot chocolate. (yum!)

and drive to the other McDonalds in town

hoping it would be a more happin' place.

Same thing.

But McDonalds hot cocoa always makes me think of one person

(and shes awesome. and her hubbys awesome.)

So as we sipped our Exit 122 McDonalds hot cocoa

we RANDOMLY ordered two more from Exit 120 McDonalds

[and some cookies for the girls.]

(i have no idea why i'm sideways)

The little men thought we were insane

but wyatt and I had so much fun knocking

(and then hiding behind their trash can mwhaha)

I thought we we're being sneaky...

but somehow she knew it was us.

...perhaps the ghetto durango gave us away...

...or the chubby white girl running across the street....

It was the perfect end to a perfect fhe.

(though next time, were totally dressing in our ninja suits.)

Bubbles + glowsticks.

This was one of those

"why the crap didn't I think of that"

ideas I saw on pinterest.

because oh holy cow. the boys loooved it.

The glow sticks immediately turned into swords (of course)

but after the gruesome duel

the boys had fun

dropping them in the bubbles

and counting them over and over again.

And Mr. Oliver and I were surprised to learn

Bentley can count to 7.

[thank you jake and the neverland pirates]

why the iphones great.

I have a love/hate relationship with the iphone4
I don't have one, Mr. Oliver does.
He got it for freeeeeeee
from his good ol' buddy Shiloh.
(Shiloh, I curse you and bless you at the same time.)

I will say that it does come in handy sometimes (love)

but its become like an extension of Wyatts arm (hate)

but he showed me the other day that

any pictures it takes will be sent

directly to a folder on my computer (sweet! holy technology!)

So imagine my terror, which turned into amusement.

when I came across these two lovely photos.

of some of Mesquite finest.

Good job boys.

Lucky for me and you,

Mr. Oliver + pictured lover/coworker

don't read my blog

so I'm sure I'll come across many more

scary/entertaining photos.

the broken head

I really should create a post saying "the cut eyelid"
before I tell you about the "the broken head"

Let me 'splain.
No, there is too much. Let me sum up...

The second week in November
as I was getting ready for our YW activity...
the boys were playing the backyard.

when suddenly
When Bentley started crying,
Wy went outside to check on them.
He brought Bentley back in
with blood running down his cheek.

I asked Grady what happend, he replied...
"I was digging for treasure,
and he got in my way...so I hit him with this."
['this' being his bright red shovel]

I told him because he told me the truth
I wouldn't throw his shovel away...
but he had shown me he wasn't old enough
for a shovel and would have to wait until
his fifth birthday to get it back.
(and in four year old time thats an eternity, so he had a meltdown.)

Back to one eyed Bentley...

Thanks to the power of the priesthood

his eye is still there + full of sight.

...

Now...fast forward a week after that.

but roughly around the same YW time.

I was on my way home and

because it had been more than 2 hours since I had talked to wy

I called him on the phone.

when suddenly

i heard crying and wy said

"I have to go- Grady just fell"

I didn't hink much of it...my boys are always falling.

[its a family trait]

but when i got home and grady was

still complaining about his head hurting.

I called the night light clinic...

'blah blah blah,

if he throws up three times...get to the ER'

...

I tried to walk Grady into our bedroom

but right as he got into bed

he puked (yuck. sorry.)

and that was enough for me.

We loaded him up and took him to Mesa View ER.

...

We sat in the ER waiting for the results of the CAT scan

for what seemed like an eternity...

but looking back

I might have waited a little longer to hear the results

"Well, hes got a fractured skull...."

and I know he talked for about 4 or 5 or maybe 25

minutes after that but I can't tell you another thing he said.

Wyatt kept looking over at me, I think he could tell

I was about to lose my lunch or hit the floor. or both.

I feel bad now, but at the time it was all I could do

to cut the poor doctor off by asking for some apple juice

and telling him I'll be right back..."I need fresh air."

...

After I apologized and asked Dr. Johnson to repeat

everything he had just said we learned

that Grady would have to be taken

to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas.

And since he would have to be going by Pediatric Bus

I would be a good 2 hours before they would

be in Mesquite to get us.

So Wy took Bentley home and waited

for mandy + my mom to come stay with him.

So Wyatt could follow us down.

Grady sleeps like a rock. NOTHING wakes him up.

which was their concern in the first place...

they thought it had something to do with his broken head,

I keep telling them, "No- this is just Grady."

So they came and got us

and they were wonderful!

Grady thought it was awesome being inside an ambulance

(even if he wasn't the one driving)

It was four in the morning when we arrived at Sunrise.

I dare say we had about 3 different doctors and 5 nurses

in and out of Gradys room in the next hour.

The first gal that walked in looked to me to be about 12

and I thought for sure she was the CNA.

"I'm Dr. Choo." she introduced herself...

and I about died.

"What??? You're like ten!" I thought to myself...

then that thought turned into a soul searching

of what I've really done in my 26 years of life.

[and Mr. Oliver decided I'm going to be one of those old people.

The ones who chew out the young doctors

and ask for the doctors older then them, who died the previous year.]

The many doctors would ask Grady many questions

and he would just stare at them.

and again I had to explain,

"I'm terribly sorry,

no, this has nothing to do with his head

my son is just impolite."

Actually I used the word shy most times

So they didn't think he was a total bumhead.

After everyone left and we got an hour + half of sleep.

things got better...

then he got worse in the afternoon

(and mommy had a meltdown)

...I would have so much guilt and feel so bad for Grady

then I would walk down the halls, hearing tiny babies cry

so then I would thank my lucky stars

Grady was doing so well...

It was quite the rollercoaster of emotions.

But he was able to keep dinner down,

So they released us at 8:30ish that night.

Grady was so happy when he learned he could

take his red booties home with him...

he then asked the nurses station if he could

take home "his watch"

(a little GPS device they attach to each child)

She told him that he couldn't because

"if he got in the elevator with it on it would set of the alarm"

he nodded politely and we headed back to the room

as we were out of view of the nurses desk

he looked up at me and said

"I think shes lying."

"I think shes not." i replied.

"I think she is" he came back with

(in a singsongy voice) of course.

and it was then that I knew

Grady was completely back to normal.

So instead of a watch she gave him a present.

a cool "Cars" car of finn mcmissile.

He was thrilled, but I dont think the nurse has any little kids

because she kept apologizing to Grady

That it was the "girl car"

he looked at her like she had lost her marbles

and it took everything Mr. Oliver had to not correct her.

We all missed Bentley like crazy
so after stopping for some orange chicken
we headed home.

They told us it'd be four to six weeks
before Gradys head was completely healed.
And thank heavens- other than the mood swings
hes been completely normal.

I'm so grateful for a loving husband who honors his priesthood,
a wonderful family (and some wonderful friends)

who are there anytime we need them
and most of all I'm grateful for two special little boys.
If there is anything I learned in that crazy 24 hours

(besides they are letting ten year olds into med school now)
it was to never ever take the time
I have with them for granted.

Thanksgiving Menu

Please don't think my Thanksgiving Menu is
more important to me than my childs broken head...
but I haven't uploaded the photos for our lovely week yet.
but I did make these!
and because they were making me so excited/hungry
I thought I'd share.

Flag Football.

Geez, maybe I've been away longer than I thought.
You will notice some of my pictures are upside down.
I DO think they are kinda funny that way,
but the real reason I'm not changing it is because
I'm not quite sure how.

Anyway, this was Gradys first season of Football,
and the last game....
and the first time he wanted to touch the ball.

In true Oliver fashion were doing things backwards,
we'll start at the end, then we'll tell ya about the beginning
[and thats mainly because the first 4 games,
i took pictures with my fancy shmancy camera...
this last game was taken with wyatts phone
then emailed to me the same night.
isnt technology amazing?]

a little game of catch up.

Whilst I'm waiting for Bertha
to download some program, to let me on picnik.

I'll give a little sneekapeek of things to come...
I think its been about a month
that we've been computer less.
It's crazy how computer dependent I've become!
and I've realized some things,
number one:
I have no orginial ideas
I've always considered myself to be the crafty type...
organized? not really. physically fit? not at all. good cook? eh. no.
My only other option was to be creative.
but here in lies the problem,
trying to be crafty without everyone elses crafty ideas
doesnt work for me.
[just ask my YW and they can tell you all about my hand drawn handout. yikes.]
number two:
a broken computer, doesn't necessarily equal a spotless house.
I was trying to find the silver lining in having no internet access.
no pinterest. no hostess blog. no photoshop....more time...clean house?
not true. I was really good at keep up on laundry though.
(thank you downy unstoppables.)
(oh! and a big thank you to whoever left a $2.00 off coopin next to said lovely goodness)

Anyway, eventhough my dishes still aren't done,
its sure is nice to once again have an excuse for using paper plates.

hello bertha.

2 laptops + 2 toddlers = no worky.

So this time around,
after the unexpected fall of "howie" aka Laptop #2
I told Mr. Oliver that I want to go back to a
big ol' hard to pull of any surface desktop.
So we got one and we affectionaly named it bertha.
Welcome to the family, big girl.

being a better mum.

Do you ever have those days where you think
"Oh holy cow. No one ever told me parenting was this hard!"
and if you're me you add "...and boy do I suck at it."

I love reading "self help" books and articles...
Dr. Laura is my swift kick in the rear...
kidshealth.org is my quick fix...
and anything by Sherri Dew is my encouragement...

but no matter how much I try to learn
I seem to always do things "text book wrong"
and I usually end up trying to read through my tears
and then eventually on my knees asking for help.

So this week, and hopefully from here on out
I'm going to try a little harder to be a little better
at being a mom.
because its the most important
role/calling/position i have.

We have years after our kids are gone and married
to paint, watch Nascar, or waste hours on pinterest.
(curse you and your lovely/crafty images.)
because what they really want is our time.
and sadly, twenty years from now,
thats all we'll want (and miss) from them.

So if you'll excuse me,
I'm off to bed
We've got a big day tomorrow,
full reading, cuddling and playing.
(and maybe some cookie baking.)

fall bucket list.

Mr. Oliver pokes fun at me,
he says whichever season is coming up- I say,
"that one is my most favorite!"

But fall really is my favorite.
I love pumpkins, and sweaters, and caramel apples...
...and...football?...(go redskins.)

and because Grady and I were feeling fall-ish
we make a fall bucket list!
We can't wait!

the preschool thats not a preschool its a house.

Grady had his first day of preschool last Tuesday.
Thankfully he had accepted
that his preschool is IN a house.

dialouge from the previous Thursday:
"kay mom, lets go to my preschool now."
"sweetcheeks. that was your preschool."
laughing "no-ooo-oo that was a house..!"

He was so very excited!
and couldn't stop talking about the swings
and the garden, and his green scissors.
(cause "greens his favorite color cause it means go.")

I apologize for the craptastic photo
I DID charge the batteries in my camera
however, I failed to look under the couch cushion for my compact flash.
so i had to use the silly phone camera.
The backdrop I don't take credit for
thats just how ugly mesquite is...
nothing I can do about that.

He sported his *new* PB star wars backpack
that his mom spent 2 hours the night before
taking out the embroidered "Nicholas"
cause we have Pottery Barn taste on a Down East budget.

I also made his monkey shirt
[i know what you're thinking,
"oh geez, shes one of those moms- whose kids get
teased because of their puff paint homemade dinosaur shirts]
...yep i am.
and yep he will be.

When we came back after two hours
our little four year old
came running out of the house preschool
wearing his backpack upside down
and shouting all the exciting things he did that day.

I'm so very happy he loves school.

letters to "cousin-friends."

Tonight we made letters to send to our cousins in VA
We miss them so very much!

Right in the middle of coloring, Grady gasps:
"MOM! We should make a card for Evie!"

(Awhile back Grady was quite annoyed
when Bentley kept ruining his tracks.
He asked "Can we take Bentley back to the doctor?
and get a different baby?"
That led to conversations about a baby sister.
And eventhough we were keeping Bentley
maybe we could save our pennies and get two babies!
And if this baby sister ever makes it to our home...
We'd name her Evaline, and call her Evie.)
So we did, and we decided we'll tie a balloon to it
and send it to heaven tomorrow.
Hope she likes it, because her big brother
spent alot of time on it.

...

This is much later, after much glueing + coloring
Lately Grady is obsessed with
his new school scissors...
they red (his favorite color, along with green + yellow)
and their "his sizes"
and his new big glue
eventhough he doesn't like to touch it,
because it gets him sticky.

Its been awhile since I crafted,
and apparently I was really getting into it...

"Mom! Listen to me or I'm going to cut your hair off."
"What Grad?
and by then the idea became to alluring...
"Mom- you're hair is getting too long..."
slowly the scissors inch towards my pony tail...
"I don't like it this long... its gonna scare me when it gets longer."
SNIP!
"Ahhh! GRADY!"

Luckily it was only a little portion that got whacked off.
He still got his "favorite" scissors taken away.
and hes convinced hes not going to
graduate preschool without them.

Now lets all pray I make it to the post office.
I don't know what it is about that place.
I avoid it like the plague.
but not on purpose.