The Oliveros Family

Best Vacation Ever!

2011-03-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

The highlight of the Wizarding World is the Hogwarts Castle ride called the Forbidden Jorney. We rode it 5 times thanks to Anna and the "Parent Swap"- we got to swap out with the kids so they rode again and again as one of us waited in the Parent Swap room with Anna.

Butter-Beer- oooooh yea! It was actually really good. It tasted like creme soda slurpee

and with the souvenir cup it is hard to pass up!

The hogwarts express!

Olivanders was another greatest feature of the day when they take you in to select a wand from Olivanders wand shop (among other great souvenirs) mr olivander himself selects a kid from the crowd to do a demo where the wand chooses the boy- just like in the book/movie. It was really well done and Olivander never breaks character. "Josh- weve been waiting for you".

Baby Anna did a lot of waiting around there but she still had a fun time.

(I should have taken off those glasses)

This is the entrance to Hogsmead- doesn't it look so authentic?!?

He begged to bring his Harry Potter robes and gear- but I said no and I regret that because there were several kids running around dressed like wizards! It was a fun place to really get into the whole experience.

It really was the best vacation ever! I was probably really in need of a vacation since for the last 8 months we have been living (and gratfully so) with my in-laws. There is never a dull moment here- but anyway- on to the best vacation ever!

Our kids are moderately obsessed with Harry Potter- so we decided to capture the enthusiasm while at its peak and take them to "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" at Universal Studios in Orlando. It was sooooooooo fun! I can't say enough about how cool this place is. From the moment you walk into the Wizarding section of the theme park- it is like you are in Hogsmeade. Harry Potter themed music fills the streets- the little shops and all the workers are in costume and in character and as you make your way through town up on the hill you see Hogwarts. It is an amazing castle that I just couldnt descibe enough to give it justice. Inside the halls are lined with talking moving pictures- just like in the book/movie. When you go to the ladies room- you hear the voice of moaning Myrtle talking about whatever whimsy of the moment.

This was day one of our Disney/ Wizarding World trip and such a great start to the best vacation! More to follow about the Disney portion. . .ugggh tomorrow? Soon anyway! Promise:).

Get with the Times!

2011-03-24T21:18:00.001-07:00

I really do suck! This blog is way outdated. What the heck is my problem???. . . Ok so here's to turning a new leaf for my forgotten blog! Wish me luck and more to come :). Promise!

Cute Boys I Love. . .

2010-01-21T17:10:00.001-08:00

Just a Spoon Full of Sugar. . .

2009-10-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

. . . helps the medicine go down,

in the most delightful way!

Mary Poppins was as *delightful* as ever and I would highly recommend getting out to see this production at the Music Hall at the Dallas Fair Park. We were incredibly lucky to score tickets at a great price with some of Lizzys friends. I took Lizzy and her friend Audrey and we met up with some of her other friends and their moms last night. I got stuck bringing Anna with me at the last minute as Dave (working late as usual- lately) took Josh to his office to get some work done.

The show was amazing and I'm certain I couldn't give it justice with a blog post- but I will say that it may be the best Broadway production I've seen yet. It was very well done. The lighting, music, performers, and special effects were almost magical- as I'm sure they were meant to be since it's Mary Poppins :). Our favorite was the ending when she floats away in perfect form- over almost the entire audience. I would love to see it again with Dave since the first half of the production I was a little distracted trying to get Anna to sleep. She did really well overall, considering it was almost 3 hours in one spot without crying.

The music brought back memories of childhood

and the songs were lovely to hear again.

Love that Girl- Yes I Do!

2009-09-18T07:22:00.001-07:00

First Day of School

2009-09-18T06:53:00.001-07:00

First day of school went MUCH better than I thought! My little Joshy started kinder- and is growing up so fast. I thought he would cry- after all he cried half of the days his first year of pre-school. I thought *I* would cry seeing my little boy so grown up. But to my surprise neither one of us shed a tear!

Here are a few pics to prove it!

Anna is a very well know and well like baby at Lakewood. She's there with me everyday in the bjourn. I like to think that people are looking because she is so cute- but it might be that they are wondering how I stuff that 21 lb baby into the infant carrier:)!

Not sure why its so blurry- but it hides wrinkles so I won't complain. Joshy got Ms. Hamilton- and we are really excited about her. She is a new teacher this year and has a lot of enthusiasm!

My two little Lakewood Stallions. They are growing up so fast!

Lizzy started 4th grade and is in a class with 2 of her best friends. She got a teacher she really likes also. I think its going to be a great year.

Family of Five

2009-05-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

One plus one is two.

Two plus one is sooooooooo much more than three!!!

We've been warned about the third child being the big adjustment, and I have always held my ground that child # one was much more of an adjustment. However, after several weeks like last week, I have considered that it may be true- adding child #3 may be the whopper!

Although I did not have an extensive "to do" list last week, there were just too many times where I found myself asking "since when did I become my mom?" I grew up in a family of 7 kids and always wondered why the house was such a mess and my mom dressed so sloppy and she never got her glasses fixed (she had to balance them on her nose when she drove us to school, because she never found time to go in and get a new pair). Now I get it. The poor woman had 7 kids to care for and her husband worked 2 jobs- which meant she was basically on her own from sun up to sun down.

Last week I got very little sleep. Most of the days I just threw on sweats and pulled my hair back in an elastic. One day that stands out is when I decided to be a good mommy and get my boy all the T ball supplies he needs to be a successful T ball champ. It all started when he was yanked out of practice early by this same good mommy (who was very frustrated at the time). After chilling out about his less than enthusiastic performance at practice, I decided we were going to put in the time and help this boy feel like a champ at T Ball. So to Academy we go.

I got the kids out of the car, strapped baby Anna into her baby bjourn, and in we went. Then we were greeted by Stu, the realtor who sold us our home. Only he was now working as a greeter at Academy, and I greeted him without thinking- actually I guess I was thinking- only I was thinking out loud. I'm too embarrassed to write what I said, and when I told Dave about it, he was embarrassed just hearing about it. Stu is a great guy and I hope he didn't take offense to a tired mom who lost a few brain cells during pregnancy and is still hoping to get them back.

Anyway, we found the isle we needed and started to look T ball stuff. One of the workers approached us just as Josh grabbed the back of his shorts and said, "ughhh mommy, I think I have a problem!" Oh no- I knew this wasnt good, so we rushed to the bathroom and fixed "the problem". This was a first and as I was cleaning things up- I kept thinking that this is something that happens to one of "those" families. We usually have things under control- at least in public- unlike "those" families. Anyway, we managed and went back out to shop. Yep, we should have gone home and called it a day, but who knows when I would get time to go back up there, so we continued our shopping. By the end of our Academy trip, the kids were acting crazy, I had a headache, Anna was crying, we probably stunk, but we got our T ball stuff and made it home! Ahhhh home. Perfectly clean and dinner was in the oven- oops, I mean it was a mess and I hadn't even thought about dinner. Again, I ask myself: "Since when did I become my mom?"

How long will this last? I only have 3 kids- I should be able to manage them and not become my mom, right? I'm sure Dave is hoping it is just a phase, but for now I am just agreeing that three is sooooooo much more than two!

Baby Bananna!

2009-04-06T23:33:00.001-07:00

My little baby bananna!

Day 2

With Lizzy

Great to be Eight!!!

2008-10-04T00:25:00.000-07:00

Lizzy is 8 years old.

Its hard to believe that Dave and I have been married for 10 years,

we have an 8 year old,

and we are in our mid-thirties (ughhhh).

Although I don't really like the fact that we are old enough to have an 8 year old-

I am so glad the 8 year old we have is such a sweetheart.

Lizzy has been so excited to turn 8 so that she could be baptized. We had a really great turn out for her baptism, including my parents from Utah, Dave's parents and some of his siblings from San Antonio. She sang "When I am Baptized" with many of her friends, and got to wear a vintage looking white dress that she picked out herself from Stausberg Children's. I think the pics say it all, but I wanted to add 8 things I love about Lizzy:

She is kind to others.

She has great faith.

She's a great big sister.

She wants to be just like her mom.

She absolutely loves her dad!!!

She is obedient (mostly).

She is ambitious and always wants to be involved.

She's not afraid to do what is right.

A New Post

2007-10-12T22:08:00.000-07:00

I havent posted much in the past few months. During the summer it was mostly due to being busy and out of the house more, but these past couple months have been extremely difficult. I have a hard time letting time pass as each day I wake up and the loss of Melindas husband becomes more real. I know he is my brother-in-law, and that doesnt seem like such a close relationship, but my little sister is the sweet one in our family and has been my best friend many times in my life. I loved her husband as much as I would my own brother - and my parents loved him like a son. While the loss for us is not near as painful as it is for Meilnda, I have had a lot of heartache and a hard time letting time march on. I explain this in order to explain the inability to make a new post. I dont want time to move on. I dont want him to become a memory, and I want what happened to stay recent- so that he isnt part of some past that we remember.

I dont know a lot about grieving and death, but I do know that the saying, "Time heals all wounds" is simply not true. Im not saying that wounds cant be healed- because I am certain that through faith in the Lord we are healed- but time in this case has seemed to make it harder.

This post may sound a bit desperate, but I do want to note that I have had many precious moments of sweetness through this experience. The tender mercies of the Lord have been many, and have had a lasting impression on me and have strengthened my faith. I am grateful for these things.

There, Ive done it. A new post is written.

We Love You Clay!

2007-09-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

Clay with his kids
Melinda and Clay
Clay and his Ah64 Apache
Melinda and Clay
Clay and Cale
Melinda and Clay during R&R from Afghanistan

My sister Melinda recently lost her husband, Clayton, in a helicopter accident. We will remember Clay as one of those guys that everybody loved. He had a love for life and lived it to its fullest. This past Spring his family celebrated his 30th birthday. He accomplished much in those 30 years of his life: including marrying Melinda, the love of his life, in the temple, serving an LDS mission in the Philippines, serving his country by flying AH64 Apache helicopters in Afghanistan, graduating from BYU and getting accepted into dental school, and supporting and loving his wife and 3 kids. It is no wonder why he is so dearly missed. We are heartbroken to lose such a wonderful person, but grateful for the time that we had him with us.

GO Diego GO!!!

2007-09-03T08:52:00.001-07:00

Dave and Josh scored some last minute tickets to see Go Diego GO LIVE!!! OOOOOH Babay! Just what Dave has always wanted to see. They got there a little late, and Josh actually fell asleep on the way there, but when he came home- He was as happy as could be. He brought home a little baby Jaguar mask and showed off to his sister and her friends- who were having a "girl" party that night.

Lizzy and Her Twin

2007-06-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

Lizzy's cousin Brielle came out to see Texas! They had a blast- and even met one of their heroes "Wonder Woman"! They visited San Antonio and went to Fiesta Texas, then met up in Salado at their other cousins house. Lizzy had been looking forward to the visit for 17 days- i know the number because she did a "count down". On the final day- she waited by the window counting down the hours and minutes- it was pretty exhausting being held to my exact phrases such as ; "They'll be here in a few minutes." I better be sure next time or Ill get crossed-examined by my 6-year-old. Their final night was a sleep over where they watched "High School Musical", put on make up, played rock music, colored little love notes, and giggled like 6-year-old girls! I let them stay up as late as they wanted to- I think they finally quieted down about 1 AM. What a week!

So What if Your Kid Isn't Potty-Trained!!!

2007-06-14T04:13:00.000-07:00

Why do people find it to be their buisness if your kids isn't potty-trained in what they perceive to be the appropriate time? My 3 1/2 year old isn't potty trained- big deal! Yet for some reason "seasoned" moms feel that they are experts at such a topic when pediatricians and child psychologists support letting the child be trained when he is ready. "Ready" would mean that he can acctually relax on the toilet to "let it out" and that he has the desire to be toilet-trained. So yes, when I took him to his 3-year-old check-up, I was concerned as any mother would be, but reassured (by a doctor who not only raised 4 kids- but sees hundreds of kids per month) that potty-training should not be forced or rushed. Why? I suppose that a traumatic potty-training experience is not worth the setback it may have or the "guilty" feelings it would create in a child who is faced with this major task prematurely (from a 3-year-olds- veiwpoint) just to get him into underwear a few months earlier. So for all those moms who have their own "theories"- potty-train your own, and don't worry about mine!

Fossil Rim

2007-05-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

Josh and Grandma- Look at those teeth (zebra)!

"I can see the Giraffes- here they come!"

Got any food in there?
Dont mind my drooling tongue.

Josh
Jaxson

Our trip to Fossil Rim was great! Definitely the highlight of the trip was the feeding of the giraffes. "Here they come!" And come they did- right through the sunroof and into the car. One giraffe lowered his head through the sunroof and wouldn't leave until my sis-in-law and I gave him a few handfuls of food. The kids were terrified- and screaming "close it, close it (the sunroof)." The giraffe finally raised his head back through the sunroof leaving behind the most amazing string of drool ever- no kidding, it was about 18 inches long! Definitely the most exciting part of the trip- even though the kids were a bit scared it was pretty hilarious. I definitely recommend the trip- worth the drive and a very unique experience.

Field Day

2007-05-25T19:33:00.001-07:00

First grade Lizzy

"Pull, pull, pull!"

Way to go Mrs Cortes Class!

You are the tug-of-war champs!

Our Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

2007-05-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

Cinco de Mayo was even better when we got to Pappasittos for 1/2 price fajitas- oooh yeah.

We are a tex-mex family (except for Dave) even the kids have become addicted to chips and salsa- and they love fajitas. As my husband, Dave gets his share of chips and salsa and fajitas- in fact he was even selected somehow as a taste tester for On the Border Restaurant. If he actually goes to one of their taste tests sometime, we will get a $60 gift certificate. If only they had selected me- I could get paid to eat the food I love!

Our Lakewood Super-Stallion!

2007-05-25T19:18:00.001-07:00

Way to go Lizzy!!!!

World Aquarium

2007-04-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

Lizzy's class, and every first grade class in Dallas, got to go to the aquarium last week so I volunteered and brought Josh along. I have to hand it to those 1st grade teachers. I had a hard time keeping track of my two, and I wondered how they didn't pull out their hair taking a head count of 22 every ten minutes or so with 6-year-olds wiggling and moving and screaming. It was pure chaos- but the kids sure loved it.

"From the Milky Thing"

2007-04-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

Josh and I were out shopping today at Target, of course. I had to pick up a few things, but as usual I took a detour through the women's section where I buy a lot of my clothes lately. I wanted to see the swimsuit cover-ups to save myself from embarrassment when I put on that suit for the first time this Spring. As I was shopping and halfway keeping track of Josh, I noticed a pretty sexy looking bikini top in my cart!
Mom
"What's this?" -as I picked it up
"Josh where did this come from?"
Josh
"I got it for you." - pushing it back into the cart
Mom
"But where did you get it?" -looking for a place to put it back
Josh
"From the milky thing" -innocently
Mom
"The milky thing? What's that?" - confused and looking around for something "milky"
Josh
"Right here!"
A rack of sexy women's bikini tops! I should have known - this was the "milky thing".
Enough said! He is a sweetheart-totally innocent, and I hope when he's older he doesn't notice the "milky things" too much.

What the. . . . Hail?

2007-04-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

"Just like an Easter Egg hunt, Mom!"

"Mom, can we go inside now? I think we're going to get struck by lightening!"

Not an Easter Egg!

"Can I bring these in to show to Daddy?"

What a storm! I guess we can just call ourselves lucky that we didn't get hit by the accompanying tornado. Despite the panic of golf-ball-sized hail hitting the windows, we did have some fun in the house when the power went out. The kids were a little scared when Dave and I told them we needed to get into a small room and make a "hut" by putting a mattress over us in case we had to "take cover". Luckily, the storm passed quickly. We had barely formulated the plan, and a few minutes later it passed our area. We were also glad that we had our cars in the garage before it even started (by about 60 seconds). I have never seen hail this big before, so I talked the kids into getting some pictures before it all melted. They were scared to go out at first, but warmed up to the idea of going out when Josh said, "Hey, It's just like an Easter egg hunt!" I'm glad we were safe and that it didn't last long. I'm also glad we learned a lesson in preparedness- one flash light and not a single candle is not exactly "prepared".

"Lions and Tigers and Bears- Oh My!"

2007-04-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

" Were off to see the Wizard!"

All but one of them

How cute are these! And how many happy meals do I have to eat to get them all? I am in love with these dolls. I'm not sure if it is because The Wizard of Oz is part of my childhood, or if I am a doll collector at heart. I have almost the whole set for my daughter- who plays with them- but I'm really hoping I can somehow get a set for myself. Was this a marketing technique from Madame Alexander? If so. . . well done! I think these dolls are just darling. I have eaten way too many hamburger happy meals this week, and I'm ready to be done with McDonald for a while, but hopefully we can get that darn wicked witch of the west to complete our set. Despite the madness, I do take comfort in knowing that I am not the only mom who is gladly gagging down a happy meal a day just to get a toy. More than one of my friends have admitted to the same obsession- and yes, they are sick of happy meals, too!

The Egg Hunt

2007-04-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

Josh and Liz before the "hunt"
Go Joshy, Go!
Lizzy shivering in the cold
Nice Hat!

I never thought we would be "snowed out" for an Easter egg hunt in Texas! It actually snowed the day before Easter and we had to change our egg hunt to the church. I was even more surprised- pleasantly surprised- to see hot chocolate being served at the picnic. We had a great time, and sat by Josh's primary teacher. I was working hard to make sure he ate his good food first and that his manners were good for her, and failed to notice that Lizzy- who was sitting right next to me- ate her cookie first, then snuck mine right off my plate and finished it while I was chatting. Those sneaky 6 years olds! The hunt was fun, but I realized that my kids are just not that good at competing for candy filled eggs. Josh ended up with only 3 eggs, so I told him, "Its okay, when we find Lizzy, she will share some of hers." But when we found Lizzy, she was starring sadly into her basket- only one egg! I had to chuckle a little, but all was well after some of the other kids shared and made things a little more even.

Worth Every Penny!

2007-03-30T15:34:00.000-07:00

Mom and Josh on a most special day out with Thomas
Josh and his "Thomas"
Josh and James
All aboard!
The scary Sir Topem Hat!

"A Day Out with Thomas," has got to be one of the greatest ideas ever! I just wish I had bought stock in it or come up with the idea myself. It was just what you would imagine- minivans, strollers, moms and tots- with hundreds of those darling 3ish-year-old boys who have the "fever" for Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. These boys are some of the most loyal fans you'll meet. They know every song, every story, all the trains, and they somehow become mesmerized when they hear that whistle blow and Thomas the Tank Engine pulls into the station. They are partially frozen, neck forward and eyes wide open just waiting for that first glimpse when the anticipation turns to a most exciting event in the life of a 3-year-old! "Thomas, Thomas, Thomas!!!" Josh and his little friends had a great time bouncing in the bounce house, getting "Thomas" tattoos, smiling for mom and the camera, meeting Sir Topem Hat (Josh was scared of him), watching the clowns do tricks (Josh was scared of them, too), mom's trip to the gift shop, and last but not least a 25 minute ride aboard every body's favorite train! (Josh wasn't scared of the train!) A pricey event, but oh the joy. We loved it- seeing the excitement and capturing the moments of childhood that will be gone all too soon was worth every penny! Thank-you Thomas.

A Princess at Heart

2007-03-24T23:06:00.000-07:00

Lizzy and Kyle
Flora Fauna and Merrywheather (I need a better camera)
The lovely Sleeping Beauty and Prince Phillip
Everyone's favorite mice!
Emma, Lizzy, Kyle, and Miranda

I want to be a kid again! The ice show was amazing- I guess we can generally assume. . .

"If it's Disney, it's magic!" I know I've heard and seen these princess fairy-tales hundreds of times, yet it was so exciting and magical- I was captivated the entire show. OK- not the entire show- sorry Mulan, your routine wasn't princessy enough to keep up with Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Arial, but the other princesses more than made up for it. I even looked over at my friend who brought her 3 daughters and she was so enamored she had tears in her eyes. I think these princess stories somehow become a part of who we are as we grow through childhood imagining ourselves as our favorite princess. It seems we each have one that is the most magical of all to us. I remember seeing Cinderella- "my" princess- when I was about 7 years old with my aunt and sister. I treasure the memory and remember how real the story was to me. Lizzy loves Sleeping Beauty and I love that she has been our little "princess" now for over 4 years! I was worried that she was growing out of the stage, but I think at heart she is still a princess- just like her mom.

Mickey Mouse at Midnight

2007-03-12T16:04:00.000-07:00

Princess Lizzy and her Handsome Groom

Lizzy and Josh with their new Pirate Mickey boat from Grandma

Or should I say 3 AM! I know it sounds crazy, but we had a quick weekend trip to San Antonio to visit Dave's family, and had to pull a u-haul trailer back. We drove really slow and ended up not getting home until 2:30am. We thought we were so lucky when we pulled out of San Antonio and both the kids were asleep with in 30 minutes, but we realized when we got home, that after a 6 hour nap, the kids didn't especially want to go to bed. I let them open their new souvenir from their grandma and play for a while. Luckily, they did get tired after about 45 minutes, and came in to go to bed.

A Weekend of Firsts

2007-03-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

Lizzy and Grace Morphis
Lizzy and Grace

Lizzy, Cade and Grace

Lizzy had her very first Sunshine Generation performance this past weekend. We got there a little early so that we could get Lizzy changed into her performance costume. We hurried into the bathroom where my little 6-year-old donned her first pair of nylons! I can't believe how fast these kids grow up. She looked like a little teen wearing 1" heals and nylons. I guess shes getting close to being a "tweener", but I love having a little princess and hope she will be a "little" girl for just a bit longer. The performance was sweet- definitely a first- but sweet. They performed at an assisted living center in Mesquite TX which was an easy crowd to please (filled with parents and senior citizens). It was a really fun experience.

Morning Mischief

2007-03-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

Josh and his friend Max

Josh had a little friend over to play this morning, and it got a little too quiet, so as all moms know that is the time to investigate. I went down the hall and noticed the bathroom door closed, so I checked it and sure enough- it was locked. "Josh open the door,". . ."just a minute- Im playin'" After a few minutes of politely asking, I got a credit card, and forced my way in where I found this! Josh informed me that he was just washing Max's hair. The poor kids had the top of his head covered in hand soap. Josh was working on the rinsing though- using a small glass vase- yikes!

A Day at the Ft Worth Zoo

2007-02-26T07:29:00.000-08:00

Josh and Lizzy with the sharks
Lizzy and Josh

Lizzy was pleasantly surprised when I picked her up from school early for a fun day at the Ft Worth Zoo. We had family in town from San Antonio, and wanted to see a few sites.

Our trip to the Heard Museum

2007-02-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure how boys just somehow know that they are boys and as such, they love dinosaurs! I cant claim to have ever known much about these prehistoric creatures, but I am learning fast. We have started collecting dinosaur figures, books etc., and Josh and I discuss the dinosaur families and species. It has actually been surprisingly fun. Lizzy is even catching on and feeling as though her past three years of barbies, princesses, polly-pockets and dolls has somehow shorted her the thrill of playing with dinosaurs. We are all learning a lot, and recently visited the Heard Museum in McKinney, TX to see the life-size animatronic dinosaur exhibit. Josh's cousin Jaxon was in town and they had a great time "being boys".

Our Family

2007-02-25T21:38:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas 2006 was spent in San Antonio!

We are finally out of law school- Yeah! We found a home we really like after many months of searching. We are almost settled in and really love our new surroundings. We are quite close to where we lived before so we are not completely "new". Moving is always a big adjustment on many levels, so Im glad we are "old" in some ways and "new" in others.