Pinewood Derby 2011

Ethan Anderson & Bailey

Last night was the annual Pinewood Derby for all the cubscouts.  Bailey was so excited to make his car with his dad.  He decided on a shape and went to the neighbors to cut it out.  He then sanded it for a really long time. He picked out all the paint colors that he wanted and asked Court if he wanted to help him paint it.  He even let me help him put a thin white stripe down the middle.  The weights and wheels were finally put in a few hours before the race.  Weigh-ins were at 5:30 at the church and the races were scheduled for 6:30.  What a fun night!  Bailey's car came in 3rd on most of the runs and he was thrilled.  There were some pretty decked out cars there and there was not one car that was a like.



Ethan, Carson, Bailey & Michael



Officer Coleman's Award

 Coleman received a "Medal of Valor" today from the Las Vegas Police Department.  He has been with Metro for 15 months now.  He's been on the news at least three times already.  He loves what he does!  He loves the action and adventure.  Me? ... not so much!  We are proud of him and his dedication to his job.  We love him and support him in his dreams.

CALICO BASIN HIKE

On Martin Luther King Day a few of us went hiking up at Redrock.  It was a beautiful day and perfect for hiking.  Christian brought his best friend Andi.  They climbed to the top of this mountain!

"Cooking Day"

Today is Wednesday and I'm in the mood to cook and create! I love Wednesdays! I get to stay home all day. I usually clean a little, do laundry & ironing, organize things and cook. Today I'm making a big batch of homemade Spaghetti Sauce with onions, garlic, sausage, spinach etc. My whole house smells good and I love the feeling of creating something yummy for my family. I might even make some homemade Roasted Butternut Squash soup. Soups, Stews, and Chili are probably my favorite foods to make. I love to be home! I feel blessed to be able to be home with my kids. It has been a joy for the most part. I really enjoy those breaks away from home without the kids as well. Motherhood is busy and hard, yet... fun and rewarding!
It's a little different now with Coleman living in his new house and Tally living there with him. Macey is in Hawaii attending college at BYUH full-time. Slowly our children are moving on and it's a little different. We still have a full house with Court returning home from his mission and one of Tally's friends moving into the small room upstairs. Anna still has another year of High School and Bailey & Christian are still in Elementary School.

I try and enjoy every stage of life and keep my health good so I have energy to accomplish all that a family requires. As for Gary.......he's awesome! He is a wonderful father and provider. He loves me and supports me in all my dreams. He is a great example and lives a great life! I love him.

ANNA IS "17"..........

We had a fun family dinner over at Dale & Laurie's house. A lot of whip cream games, good food and family time made for a fun evening. Christian is always trying to get in the photos. Happy "17th" birthday Anna!

Anna is a big "17" today! Michelle & Karli made her a cake and brought it to school. Anna and all her friends are going to Applebees for dinner tonight and we will celebrate as a family on Sunday with the cousins. Anna has been a joy to have and has been blessed with so many artistic talents like her brothers and sisters. "LoVE heR"

Snow in Las Vegas......

A week ago this is what we woke up to! It was beautiful and white!

It doesn't happen very often here in Las Vegas, but when it does it creates a lot of excitement. Both Bailey and Christian got these fun hats for Christmas. Too bad it waited until a week after Christmas to let the white flakes fall. It was a super fun day!

Christmas Shopping with my girls.......

We had a great day at the Fashion Show Mall after Christmas.  It's always fun to be with my girls!  They were so embarressed that I would even bring my camera to the mall. They just don't realize my secret goal this year. 

SUNDAY ACTIVITES....

BAILEY & CHRISTIAN

Now that we have church at 2:00pm each Sunday, we have to be very creative to keep the boys busy and quiet while all the teenagers sleep in!  Today it was playdough bakers as well as builders.  Gary has been gone to meetings all morning and I am trying to go over my Sunday School lesson.  This new schedule makes for a really long day at home.

A New Beginning.......

This is a New Year and great time for me to dedicate a part of my life to sharing my thoughts, feelings and tesimony to those who I love most!  A time to share memories and photographs of all that we share as a family of Oswalds.  There will be good times, learning experiences, times of growth, funny stories, service opportunities, sad moments, love towards my children, and wonderful gifts and talents received.  May I as a mother of 7 and a partner to a wonderful spouse dedicate this blog to my family!

GARY 54  &  HOLLY 48

COLEMAN 24..TALLY 22.. COURT 20.. MACEY 18.. ANNA 16.. BAILEY 9.. CHRISTIAN 6