Puppy Love

October 20th Piper became a mommy to 2 little puppies, a boy and a girl. The boy we "nicked named Chunk" was 6.5 oz, the girl we "nicked named Pearl" was 4.5 oz.

The boy is the top puppy and that makes the girl the the bottom puppy.

Piper  and puppies napping (boy on the left, girl on the right).

We spent the next ten weeks loving and caring for these cute little fluffballs, Olivia especially. It is like watching a baby grow up in a short few weeks. First they scooted around with there eyes closed, then their eyes opened and it was such a big deal in our house. Next was their first steps, and just like any baby, trying to keep them out of everything, and keeping everything out of their mouths.

We found good homes for both the puppies right before Christmas. I thought I would have a harder time letting them go, I mean it was fun, but puppies are a lot of work. Unfortunately Olivia has had a VERY hard time with no puppies. You can't even mention "the puppies" without putting her in tears. And mommy??? She is back to her hyper little self.

Christmas 2012

Bradley is holding the boy puppy. Olivia is holding the girl puppy.

Lynlee, Bradley, Kelsey and Olivia

All the Haroldsen grandkids

School Pictures 2012-2013

Halloween 2012

This year Bradley decided he wanted to be something dead. Such a boy! Olivia is a girly girl, she wanted to be Tangled (Disney's Rapunzel).  For Bradley we decided on a generic Zombie, not very bloody though because school wouldn't allow it (Thank you school). For Olivia we got a bit creative, Rapunzel has loooong blond hair. We did the wig thing last year, and I didn't really want to do it again, so I convinced Olivia that it she should be Rapunzel from the end of the movie, after her hair is cut and magically changes brown. Problem solved, Olivia has short brown hair.



Scary!



Olivia and Pascal

This year the kids trick or treated at my work (they have done this every year for awhile because my mom works in the same building). They got so much candy it was ridiculous!

Bradley - Zombie; Kelsey - Elmo; Olivia - Tangled; Brooklyn - Michael Jackson;
Jacob - Football player; Heather (in the back right corner) - Parrot

Heather's parrot costume. My mom made this, how creative.

Jeff, Ivy and Kelsey

Ivy made her and Kelsey's costume.

First Day of School 2012

This year Bradley is in 4th grade. WOW! He is also on the student council this year, which consist of weekly meetings collecting the recycling for the school every week, helping with the morning announcements and assemblies coordinating a service projects and I am sure there will be other things through out the year. I am so proud of my not so little guy, he is so responsible and growing up way too fast.  

Bradley in his school clothes

 Bradley needed to wear his student council shirt for the beginning part of the day because the student council did a flag raising ceremony.

Bradley in his student council shirt.

If Bradley is growing up way too fast than Olivia is growing up ten times faster. She is in 1st grade, this year was her first full day of school. All summer she was telling how scared and nervous she was. I made sure I was able to take part of the day off so I was able to take her to school and pick her up. You know to make sure she was comfortable and not too nervous or scared. When we were walking to line up for school, she pulled her hand out of mine and said "I can walk ALL by myself!" Really.... Then we were waiting where she lines up and she is with her friends creeping further and further away from me. Then she tells me "You don't need to stay mom!" Wow... in 1st grade she doesn't need me or is it want me, (I really can't wait until she is a teenager). So yeah I left, I didn't want to upset or embarrass her on her first day.

Oh and to top the day off both Bradley and Olivia were upset that I picked them up after school instead of letting them walk home from school.

But those are my first day of school memories, not theirs. If you ask them they say school was awesome (that's about it). When prodded further, Olivia says school was not too long. What was the best part of Olivia's day??? Pizza.... Yep the lunch ladies know how to start the year off right.

Next year I think I will just go to work and let the kids have the school memories.