2015

I thought I would start off the year giving a little bit of an update

Over the holidays we went to Vegas first

Lots of matching pajamas with E and his cousin 

Lots of Frozen 

Lots of kisses

We then headed up to Utah

to take our only family picture of the season... I am the worst with pictures!

It was great to see family

E had a blast in the snow

until he had to touch it!

So we went Vegas-Utah-Vegas-California (Disney)- Vegas- Columbus

It was quite a trip

I have mixed feeling about being back here but will make the best of it

Year started out with all of us catching the flu (hence the time to blog)

I have spent the majority of this past year feeling "off"

I've had lots of weight gain, anxiety (a move doesn't help- hello social anxiety. I am the worst at making new friends), spouts of depression, fatigue and just feelings of blah.
I was starting to think I was crazy and it was all in my head

BUT

I found a doctor who ran some tests and confirmed what I had been searching for a while

I have Hypothyroid (which we knew) but severe adrenal fatigue

luckily I found some great medicines and herbs to go along with a new diet that will hopefully help

I am not writing this for the "woe is me" factor

but if you have experienced any of this stuff 

go see your doctor- they are easy tests (saliva and blood tests)

then do some research!

Anyway I am trying to be positive about 2015 here in Columbus

but there are lots of good things to come

Olsens in Ohio

Sorry for my leave of absence!

 Here is a quick update 

We are here in Columbus, Ohio

Trent is loving his PhD program in Art History

I am learning to love my life as a SAHM

We moved from Provo in May 

Moved to Highland with my inlaws

Went on some fun trips

Moved to Ohio in August

and here we are

E is as cute and energetic as ever at 17 months old

although daily someone asks me if he is 2-3

nope, just huge

the kid eats like crazy and is just tall

thank you Foutz gene

He loves to play with other kids, read and slide on slides

We have discovered some fun places here

and am still on the lookout for places to keep me sane during winter months

Outside our home

A typical morning around here

T in front of his hall on campus

Love having a temple close

took a trip up to Kirtland in August

Great splash pads all around, I will miss summer days

Trying out an indoor play place

aka: Germ City

I die a little inside each time he touches one of those things

We spend lots of time at parks

E LOVES his football

Trip to the zoo

Apple picking

Funny boy- he would spit out every bite

He thinks everything is a ball

I'd say this kid is ready for Halloween

now what should he be!?

Blogitude of Gratidue

I know Blogitude doesn't really rhyme with "attitude," but I'm writing for the first time in probably a year so y'all should just be happy that I'm ending the silence. And naturally the person to spur me back into blogging is dear sweet L. Lets start with two pictures.

So on Monday I defended my thesis, and Tuesday I handed in and presented my last seminar paper. The work that went in to them each required dozens of hours and loads of late nights. But that is all that I had to focus on. Do you know why? It's because L literally held EVERYTHING down around the home, and continued working her full time job so that I could just focus on getting through the rest of these requirements. I can't even list off everything, but over the last week (and some of these are throughout the semester in general) she: 

-cleaned the entire house, top to bottom including bleaching the kitchen floor-

-she cooked all meals and did all the dishes after

-made cookies for my students for the last class activity

-took care of E almost exclusively through thick and thin, giggles and screams

-came home from work at 12 each day so that I could work on my paper's, while in the middle of training, and just dealt with the stress of things that she needed to get done in a tiny time window without complaining or making me feel guilty about it

-made me this super thoughtful conglomorate of "good luck" phrases in different languages the morning of my thesis defense just as an added step of showing her support and being incredibly thoughtful

-and in continuing that train of thoughtfulness, got me this SUPER legit parker BYU pen. While I was on my mission, these parker pens were the envy of all missionaries not willing to fork out for one. And she got me one so that as I go on to my PhD and become a professor, I would have a professional pen from my alma mater

Sometimes other grad students ask how on Earth you can be married at this stage or age, let alone have kids. Well if it weren't for Lauren and E keeping me sane and supporting me so that I can get through school, I have NO IDEA how I would manage. So really the question isn't how I do it, it's how they do it with out being married to the most amazing, supportive, and selfless person ever. Thank you so much L, I love love you!

Easter

Easter was so fun this year.

All E's first holidays are the best

 He had his first egg hunt with cousins on Saturday

If you think he looks huge in this picture-

well he is

 I always told myself before kids 

that when I had kids they would only get ONE thing for holidays

especially when they are young

well- I am THAT parent

E got a ball (his favorite), two books, weird yogurt puff thingies and bath toys

yeah well I he is only getting 2 gifts for his birthday- probably... maybe

 The Easter bunny was good to Trent too

 I got a Virginia Woolf book

and a coupon for a date

hooray!

Do yourself a favor and DON'T blow this picture up full screen

 I put E in the cutest Janie and Jack romper

T- it's a romper, not a dress

E looked darling 

Thank goodness for our neighbor

 E was so hungry and cranky before he came around

His cheesy/ excited face

We went to stake conference for Easter

let me tell you, stake conference with an almost 1 year old is rough

especially during nap time

We made it home and were able to spend the afternoon with great friends.

We watched the lds.org video on Christ and reflected on what Easter truly is about

it was a great day

and lots of exciting things are happening this week

I'll update once I have pictures:)

Early Morning Workouts

So E's sleeping schedule has been

less than awesome

WAY less than awesome

more like AWFUL

So I usually work out when he goes to sleep at 7-7:30pm 

welp- he figured me out 

and has decided to go to sleep at 7

 and wake up screaming 50 minute- an hour later

adios night workouts

I need to figure out how to get up at 6am, run, shower and get ready by 7:45am to get to work.

I am the Queen of Excuses when it comes to waking up early

So let me hear it people- 

I need all of your advice on getting up early

and let's just keep it at that

no sleep training advice for E

because no mom REALLY wants unsolicited advice

I'll say what they are all thinking:)

Update

As most of you have probably already seen 

our family has finally added some red to our wardrobe

Don't worry- it will never be THAT red.

Trent has accepted OSU's offer 

and will be earning his PhD in Art History from their amazing faculty. 

We are in the middle of searching for housing and will be flying out in a few weeks to decide.

In the meantime-

I will end my job at BYU's Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology in May. 

It is a bittersweet feeling

I am so excited to stay at home with E 

but also will miss all the amazing people I have met 

and the incredible opportunities I have been given the last few years.

I will also start a job at the end of May working for a contact I met while at the Entrepreneurship Center.

I will get to work from home on some amazing projects that I am excited about.

T defends his thesis in 10 days and graduates in 14.

I am SO proud of him-

you guys

 I can never even begin to explain how much he has helped our family

He has been working, writing a thesis, taking classes

 ALL while watching E the majority of the week.

He will defend

take a breather and then start the formatting part of the thesis stuff

which I obviously don't understand fully

then will be a TA and research assistant for professors at BYU and Harvard

yeah- THAT Harvard

the Harvard guy had been searching high and low for an amazing writer 

read some of T's stuff

and obviously fell over in his chair and hired him

Oh and we move in with my in laws in June

hello AC during the summer

So I think I have covered everything

Any suggestions on
housing in Columbus
 things to do in Columbus
 tips on moving across country
 buying a second car
 how to transition to staying at home full time from a full time job
or how to really accept change and not freak out

let me know...

Thanks:)

Brazil

We were lucky enough to head to Brazil for my job this year

It was pretty surreal

We went on Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas

the ship was... awful

most people got sick with either food poisoning or the Norovirus

so that made my week more stressful then in years past

but we still had plenty of fun

This was what I wanted to see in Brazil

Everyone talked about the views we would see

well- stepped off the tram and into a wall of fog

It is huge

way bigger than I thought

even as we were pulling way in the ship 

we could see this statue looking over all of Rio

Trent on Copacabana beach

it was super windy but really gorgeous

After a day at sea we stopped at Salvador

This city was the hottest of them all

but had the most culture

it's where the African slaves were brought into

so there is lots of African influence in the town

Loved this church- the entire gate around the church was full of these ribbons

Each ribbon color means something different 

and that's all I know

There are healers walking all the church

you pay? you get healed with some leaves

We then went downtown 

here we are at the top of the elevator (left)

proof I was there with my dorky excursion sticker

The streets in this town were cobblestone

and the buildings were all different colors

tons of hills like San Francisco

Went inside this gorgeous church

Formal night

My favorite port Ilheus

We went to Millionaires beach

warm water

perfect sand

it was such a fun day

Then the last day was in Buzios

this beach was HOT

and FREEZING water

but still so much fun!

So grateful we got to see this beautiful country