Small Town, USA

I know that it's practically Christmas shopping time and I'm just now blogging about the 4th of July, but please cut me some slack...

The Fourth is our all-time-favorite holiday! We spend it with friends (and family) and we have traditions... shocking, I know!

This year we added a new tradition to our day, which is already pretty full. We decided to get up early and walk in the 3K Fun Run/Walk for the National Kidney Foundation. It was two days and two weeks after Matt's big surgery, and he did AWESOME!

Matt's two nephews, brother, sister, and parents came over to join in on the fun! (Please note the amount of red/white/or blue that is being worn in this picture... so proud of them! =)

Matt walked across the start line and the finish line, but may or may not have had help in the middle. =)

Our little family after the race!

Next we moved on to a bar-b-que at the Pynchs' house followed by Stayton's 4th of July Parade!

In all honesty, it was kind of a lame year for the parade, but Madi sure got the idea down...

The clan watching/waiting for the parade!

Madi dancing to some 'tunes!

Sweet baby Michael and Madi sitting on Auntie Krista's lap...

My two faves...

And second-to-last, but certainly not least, we did a little softball watchin'...

No, none of us Olsons played this year, but we had fun watching everyone else get sweaty!

... and eating licorice, of course!

We ended with some *cough* stellar *cough* fireworks, and called it a day!

Until next year Fourth of July... we sure love you!

Ten Years!

I've been dying to blog about this... well, honestly, I've just been dying to finally BLOG again. I'm hoping this will be the beginning to a lot of fun summer posts!

My dad surprised my mom and rented a Limo for my parents' 35th Wedding Anniversary! Yes, 35 years! He did this ten years ago on my parents 25th anniversary and apparently he decided to make it a tradition (what a surprise =)! My mom wasn't/didn't know anything about it until about 15 minutes before the limo got there when my mom received a phone call asking directions to her house. The kind driver said, "Were you expecting a chauffeur tonight?" And of course my mom said, "Well, not that I know of!" Meanwhile, my dad was on the other line with my brother and knew the gig had been blown!

The poor driver felt awful! All was well though, we still had fun and my mom was quite surprised. Now, I'm sure you're all wondering how WE all got to be a part of my parents' anniversary dinner. As tradition stands (please note, I'm now referring to this as a "tradition"), my dad rents the limo to take my mom and him out to dinner and the kids get to have the limo while mom and dad are eating!

So... after dropping them off at some fancy Italian restaurant in Keizer, we cruised around and decided on getting a bite to eat at Red Robin. Red Robin, however, is not tradition. Ten years ago you were allowed to EAT in limos, now it's against the rules! We had a blast, as can be expected, and we loved reminiscing about the "changes" that have occured in the last ten years!

Now for the drum role please....

This is what Matt and I looked like on our last limo ride...

*Please excuse the '90's scrapbooking. It was "in" back then, trust me!*

Total dorks, I know! You'll have to excuse the "accessories". I had to upload this via our scanner from this little scrapbook that I made for Matt when he graduated from high school (9 years ago)... I bet there weren't even scanners ten years ago...

This is the new and improved Olson clan...

*Please excuse the bags under our eyes, obviously I don't know how to edit pictures that well... and that's what ten years will get ya!*

Madi was trying to squirm free to play inside the limo with her cousins.

Just the two of us...

I can't really say we've gained much/any weight, just a walker, I guess!

Another of the whole fam...

And finally, the anniversary couple and their grandbabies - obviously their favorite additions in the last ten years! =)

Here's to ten more years, a whole 'nother litter of children, no walker, and maybe even another brother-in-law/son-in-law?!? (No pressure, we love you single too, J! ;)

P.S. Thanks Mom and Dad for letting us join in/spoil your fun! =)