A few blogs in one!!!

Okay... so I know everyone has been just waiting for us to update our blog. It's not that we haven't had anything to Blog about. I don't know where the last 2 months have gone?!?! I feel like since school has started the months have just been a big blur. A few great things that have happened... Dustin just received a promotion at work and is a Branch Manager 3 and is working in Eagle with me. Tyler and Tanner have both received Student Of The Month and we are SO proud of them. Here is a few pictures from the last couple of months.

Tyler is done with Cheer and Tanner is done with football.... We spent every Saturday this fall watching Tyler cheer and then racing across town to watch Tanner play football.

This year for Halloween we let the kids have a Halloween party. It was so much fun! We spent 2 days decorating the garage and had 30 kids over. It was crazy but the kids had blast and I think it will have to be a Ford-Olson tradition.

What is Tanner doing.....

After Tanner's haircut and shower tonight Grammy and Crappa called to ask him a question..... I was busy picking up toys, doing laundry, and the usual routine to get the kids ready for the next day and every time I walked back into the room this is what I saw.....

Tanner telling them about his flu shot....

Now he is talking about his new toy he earned for his touch down.....

This is when he was telling them that he learned 5+5=10......

BEAN BOOZLED.....

Tonight we had Brad and Vanessa over for dinner to plan the kid's Halloween Party. We started to tell them about the new Olson family game "BEAN BOOZLED" but unfortunately this is not a game that you can describe you must play it to truly enjoy.....

Dustin's Birthday Weekend.....

This year Dustin didn't just have a birthday.... he had a whole birthday weekend! The weekend started off with a small birthday dinner Friday night with his family. Mike and Ellen were in town for a few days and were able to celebrate with us. Of course his dinner request was porcupine meatballs, cheesy potatoes, and black forest cake.

Next the kids had a HUGE surprise for him..... They blind folded him and we drove to Wahooz to ride go carts and play video games. Dustin obviously knew where we were going because Tanner "accidentally" told him a couple of times but then tried to cover it up. Dustin was such a good sport and played along with it even when we drove around in circles to try and trick him.

Saturday afternoon we met some friends at Tacano's for lunch.... I think Dustin is the only person I know who likes when the staff sings "Happy Birthday" to him.

We finished up the birthday weekend with a birthday dinner with my family. It was the usual Sunday night dinner..... sitting around talking, smelling all the new Scensty, watching the cousins play, Tanner showing us all the bugs he found in Grammy's backyard and then trying to get the boys to leave during the middle of a football game.

Aauuuughhhh...... What a great weekend!!!

Labor Day

We had such a great day today! Dustin actually had a 3 day weekend after working 6 days a week and 10 hour days because he is so busy and short handed. Not only did we get everything done around the house but we took the kids down to Julia Davis park for a picnic and then the Marshalls met up with us to play and feed the ducks. It has been so long since I have been there and the kids had a blast!

Back To School

Today is the first day of school and I can't believe it. Where did the summer go? The kids were up and ready before I even went in to wake them up this morning. We did our usual first day routine where we walk Tyler to the bus stop so we can take pictures there and then all 4 of us parents drive to school so we can take pictures of her getting off the bus..... and then we do it again with Tanner. I wonder how many more years we will be able to do this before they are embarrassed of us??? Tyler could have done everything with out us this morning and been totally fine. She found her line right away and even had time to help the other kids find their classes. She was more worried about finding her friends. Tanner was anxious ALL morning! By 10:00 he was asking for lunch so that he could get ready for the bus. I don't think I have ever seen Tanner so excited. I thought I would make it..... but I had a little bit of a melt down on the way to school. I don't know if I am having a difficult time this year because Tyler is in 2nd grade.... or Tanner is starting kindergarten? My babies are growing up.......

Tanner waiving to sister as she leaves for school.....

Tyler and some of her girlfriends.....

This is when Tyler was ready for us to leave.....

Tanner waiting on the couch for the bus..... an hour before pick up......

Tanner waiting for the bus outside..... half an hour before pickup........

FINALLY..... He was jumping up and down and SO excited when he saw the bus......

Tanner in his new class looking for his cubby.....

Football.....

The last 2 weeks we have been crazy busy with football and cheer practice EVERY night. Yesterday all the hard work paid off when Tyler and Tanner had Jamboree. It's a kick off to the season and they had their first game. I think Tanner is meant to play football.... we all know he's a pretty big boy and it's hard to keep his attention in most sports. I worked so hard to get him on a team after we missed registration. So after we finally found a team and paid the fee I was so excited to tell him that he will play this year...... he told me he didn't want to play football, he wants to "play karate" I was so bummed. We made him try it out and go to at least one practice and of course he loves it! YAY! Tyler on the other hand has been ready for months to start, she could have cheer practice every night and be perfectly fine with that. She has a great squad and an awesome coach this year. I am just glad the kids both have something they love to do because this is going to be our lives for the next 8 weeks.......

2 Year Anniversary

WOW! I can not believe Dustin and I have been married 2 years already. We have done so many things and the time has gone by so fast. I have loved seeing the changes in the kids and watching them experience so many things since Dustin has been in our lives. He has shown me new places and taught me so much. These are a few of my favorite memories .....

Of course my first and my most favorite memory is our trip to Mexico

Dustin taking me to Denver to see my favorite band O.A.R.

Movie Marathons on a Saturday afternoon

First family vacation to Lagoon

Dustin teaching me to snowboard... then teaching the kids

Our Trip to Reno to watch a Boise State game

Our weekly date nights to Costa Vida or Panda Express and a Redbox

Our trip to Jackpot that Dustin planned the day before

Riding the kid's scooters late at night around the neighborhood with the dogs

Visiting my grandparents at the Oregon Coast

Our weekend get away to Sun Valley

Checking off the list of all the Ben & Jerry's ice cream's we have tried

And just last night, Dustin teaching Tanner to wake surf

I am looking forward to the many years ahead.........

Weekend Getway....

The end of July we had our first Rupe family vacation (Since we were kids) in Sun Valley. My parents rented a condo in Ketchum for all 8 of us!!! I don't remember the last time I laughed... or exercised this much in one weekend. Since it was a weekend planned by my parents it was obviously a "biking" weekend. It was so beautiful up there and nice to just get out on the bikes and enjoy the outdoors... Yes... even I enjoyed the outdoors. Oh and the memories that came back when Jacki and I shared a room.... trundle beds and staying up late giggling. What a weekend!!!

4th Of July

This year for the 4th we had a BBQ and watched the fireworks with The Marshalls. Tyler and Tanner have known the boys since they were born so we try and get the kids together anytime we can. My favorite was watching the kids hudled around the "dead fireworks" with their little sparklers trying to "re-light" them.... oh AND watching Dustin trying to "jump" the fountain fireworks...... I don't know what it is about boys and fireworks???

Oregon Coast

This year for our family vacation we went to the Oregon Coast to visit my grandparents. We had the BEST vacation ever. We stayed with my Grandpa and Grandma Clark in their beach home in Rockaway Beach. I have not been to the Coast since I was a kid and I was amazed at how many things we had to do and how many things we did not even have time to do. It was so much fun to watch the kids experience so many new things. They had a blast! I have so many pictures and it was hard to pick out some of my favorites. We already have a list of things we want to do when we visit next year. Here are some of the things we did.........

We rode bikes on the beach, and Yes.... with Captain Jack and Miko on our laps.

We watched the sunset every night... this is what I miss the most
We flew kites on windy days.....

We took a tour of one of the oldest light houses. We even climbed the 114 steps to the top!

Dustin's favorite part of the whole trip was the tour of the Tillamook Cheese factory.... I have never heard of Tillamook cheese until Dustin and I were married. He LOVES the cheese, ice creme, food AND the new cheese slicer he bought for his father's day present. I never thought anyone could take 30 minutes picking out a cheese slicer....but I will admit.... it is AMAZING!!!

Of course Tanner's favorite part of the trip was the train ride.

We spent a couple days in Cannon Beach, it was so nice out and the kids were able to play all day in the ocean. Miko and Captain Jack even met some new friends....

The kids thought it would be fun to have a mud fight. Let me tell you, that was fun to clean them off afterwards...... Sand was EVERYWHERE!

Something the kids have never done before is Frisbee, I was so surprised at how good they were.

We buried Daddy Dustin in the sand......

Then Tyler and Tanner......

We made a fire pit on the beach and made smores..... YUMMY!!!

Grandpa showed us how to feed the seagulls. You wouldn't see one for miles and then as soon as you pulled out some bread they were EVERYWHERE......

One of our big outings was the Newport Aquarium. It was so BIG and there were so many things to see. We were sad that we never saw the Octopus.

My sister Kathryn and Grandparents even threw a surprise birthday party for me!This is Tanner's shell collection he started while out there. Actually..... Tanner even taught Grandpa what the different types of clams are.