Santa brought some cool stuff

The girls could hardly wait to see what Santa brought them. We went to bed around 3 and Lacie woke up around 4 begging to go and see. She didn't go back to sleep. Kiera told her she had to wait till it was light outside. So we had a few hours of scetchy sleep before we finally gave in to Lacie's pettitions.

When Lacie woke up Ashlyn she said, "Is it light outside?"

All the girls got new bikes and Kembri's is an electric scooter that she is scared of.

We had lots of fun7

Baracading the path downstairs

We can't take any chances at seeing Santa. So, we created a barricade with about 5 blankets and the girls dress-up fashion show. We were quite proud of our work.

Our girls are impatiently waiting to break through and see what Santa brought them.

Olson's Christmas Eve Dinner

Paula transformed her garage into an elegant Christmas winter wonderland. Actually, our girls and Amber and Kyle's boys helped also by making the huge snowflakes. Michelle brought the boys to our house and taught us all how to make these cool snowflakes that are hanging from the ceiling.

Dinner was great even if my girls only ate the Mexican rice that Kiera made. I do have to admit that her rice is my favorite.

Conover Christmas Dinner

Kiera decorated and made our Christmas Dinner truly magical. Dinner consisted of:

-Chicken Parmesan
-Corn on the cob
-Salad
-Sparkling Cider
-Brownies

Kiera, you are the best. I love you.

Very big Frosty the Snowman

Pictures in a tree

Using the median properly

These pictures are taken on the median of the entryway into our neighborhood.

Fall is a fun time of year

The girls are having so much fun playing in the leaves with their friends.

Sprinkling reindeer food on the lawn

Ashlyn and Kembri got reindeer food (oatmeal with sugar and glitter mixed in) from nursury. So when we got home they shared with the other girls and sprinkeled the food all over the front yard.

Lacie's cool picture

She made the reindeer and Santa sleigh with her thumbprint. I thought that was pretty cool.

Putting the angel on the tree is always tricky

All of my girls want to be the one to put the angel on the tree, so we have to get creative. Lacie was the peacemaker and said that she would let the other girls do it.

They tried but the tree was too tall, so Lacie got to do the honors after all.

After the angel was up we all sat down around the tree with our hot chocolate; when suddenly half the tree went out. Apparently, we had too many strands of lights connected together.

Shopping is always a blast

Lacie just finished the book of Alma

She is doing awesome with reading the Book of Mormon. She just finished the book of Alma. I am so proud of her, and the best part is that she is understanding it and loving it.

Our huge Christmas tree

Can you believe that we got this big tree for only $30? We can't either, it is our biggest tree we have ever had.

Breakfast with Santa

The girls all sat on Santa's lap and told him what they wanted for Christmas. It was lots of fun and the food was delicious also.

My First Window Painting

I went out with my dad and helped him paint two windows, Aarons furniture and Moki's Hawaiian Grill. This morning I went out on my own and painted my first business. The business is called Hawaiian Sun BBQ located on the NW corner of Baseline and Higley. Here are a few pictures. Not too bad if I do say so myself.

Cessilee Addison Conover was born on 9/19/09 at 3:14 pm

I am so very proud of Kiera, because she went into labor all on her own for the first time. She did not even take any pain kllers or an epidural, she did it 100% natural. She always wanted to see how it would feel to have a natural birth and now she has been there, and done that.

She had beeen contracting all night and almost went in, but dcided to lay down and see how that goes and she fell asleep. Most likely because she was up till 5 am, because we were getting things all ready for the baby and she was exhausted.

We went into the hospital at 11 am and were running late for her 10 am appointment to get induced. They checked her and she was alreasy dialated to a 7 and was 100% efaced. The nurse was shocked and so she set up to break her water. We waited for about an hour or so before they broke her water. After that they monitored her for about an hour and then 15 mins of painful contractions. After that, Kiera said that she needed to push. The nurse came in and said that she needed to wait a little bit longer, but Kiera said no. The doctor came in and 15 mins later Cessilee was born. She is such a cutie. She weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 20 in long. Welcome to our family, now of 5 girls and 1 in heaven.

New Talk on LDS Talks: O Ye My Fair Ones

O Ye My Fair Ones

How is it that ye could have fallen!

The scriptures are full of analogies which at times can be hard to understand. The irony is that although they may be difficult to discern, their meanings are understood only as they are searched and pondered. For this purpose the Savior said, “I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time. Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand” (3 Nephi 17:2-3). I have been vividly taught by my seven year old daughter that something more is needed and that is a personal desire to do the thing. Often it is like pulling teeth to get her to do things, she is so determined to only do those things that are fun and that she wants to do. This is the very topic that I would like to discuss in my paper. I will use The Book of Mormon to uncover a set of keys that can be used to unlock our ability to identify, control and align our desires to those of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To accomplish this we must learn some of the ways and symbols that the scriptures use to teach the children of Christ how to develop a pure desire for righteousness. It is my humble prayer that the conclusion of this paper; will only be the beginning to the divine learning that every one of us will embark, with the Holy Ghost as our guide and exaltation our destiny. Click To Continue Reading

Crossed the Mississippi boarder about 10 mins ago. Look out Disney World, here we come!!!!!

We stopped to get gas in New Orleans and to go to the restroom. I got more than I bargained for, check out this urinal?

We are now in the sin city, New Orleans. Making great time. We should get to Orlando in 2 1/2 days

Now we are crossing the Mississippi River in Louisiana.

We are driving to Orlando, FL right now and I am testing out Blogger's text to blog feature.

New Talk Posted on LDS Talks!!

The Civil War: Fulfillment of Joseph Smith’s Prophecy

On September 1823 Moroni, an ancient Book of Mormon prophet, appeared to young Joseph Smith and gave him many instructions relative to events to come. Joseph quotes Moroni who said, “that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people" (Joseph Smith History 1:30, 33). Partial fulfillment of Moroni’s words is clearly seen by Anti-Mormons who seek to somehow defraud Joseph Smith as a Prophet of God. Likewise, there are some who ignorantly disregard or equivocally discredit history in a failed attempt to disprove the revelation Joseph received on December 25, 1832. History is replete with explicit evidence of the fulfillment of this great prophecy. I will navigate the reader back through time, stopping just prior to December 25, 1832, and from there begin a detailed analysis of the prophecy with its fulfillment in the events that led up to and directly stemmed from the Civil War. From this analysis the reader can walk away with a witness of the literal fulfillment of this prophecy and look forward to the fulfillment of subsequent history majestically scribed, by the Lord himself. Click to Continue Reading

Today's weigh in makes me HAPPY!!!

My family had a contest to see who could loose the most weight and/or work out the most. Kiera and I started a week earlier than the contest and did pretty well through the whole contest. Since we moved to Hawaii I have not worked out once since I do not have a basketball but I kept eating ok. Anyway, this mornig I weighed in at 211.4 lbs. From 260 lbs that is right at 49 lbs lost. I am a happy man this morning!!!!!!

On a funny note, I accidentally posted this on my wife's blog first and luckily I caught it. Can you imagine how much trouble I would of got it. I am a happy man :-)

1st time taking the bus to church

We do not have a car yet and so we had the pleasure of taking the bus to church. It actually was not bad at all, we have been getting used to it over the last two days. It definitely helps seeing the beach and beauty Hawaii the whole way there and back. So I will take you through our journey step by step:

We walked to the bus stop by our house. Our house is two streets behind the 7 Eleven. It is hard to see the beautiful mountain back there will my trusty phone camera but it is gorgeous. Anyway, now we wait and wait...



This is the entrance to BYUH and we actually took this picture on our way back to the bus stop but it really comes first so here it is. BYUH has done a great job making the campus very beautiful.



And now, we walk... The Stake Center is on campus but it is about a 10 minute walk from the beginning of campus and a very fun one with the crazy girls. :-)



These last two pictures were taken at the bus stop just off of campus as we waited to be taken home by our "chauffeur." Ha, Ha, Ha!!

We had to leave the Big AZ with a Bang!

We got a gift card to Amazing Jake's for Christmas from Kiera and so we took the family for one last thrill in the Big AZ. It was really fun but it makes not sense to me why their food is not that good? Well anyway, here is the family. I have to say that all these pictures on from my phone camera which is not the best but it does ok if everyone is holding very still.



Our first ride after dinner...... Are you sick yet. This is how well my camera handles movement. This did look like a fun ride that they went on.



Here they are when the ride finished.



They only had two bumper boats working so Lacie and Alexa just bumped each other until their little hearts were content and then they just spun in circles. I guess you can only bump your sister so many times before even that is looses its fun.



Ashlyn just refused to hold still so this is what she gets. I am really sticking it to her.

Charity is the pure love of Christ

Kiera and I spoke in church a few Sundays ago and I finally posted my talk onto my LDS Talks Blog. I just love speaking with my wife it is just a blast.

Children's love for Mom

Every morning my girls come into our bed and they all want Mom. It is so funny because they all fight because they want to be the lucky one to be touching Mom. If both of Mom's sides are taken then they lay flat on her stomach. It is rather nice for me because I am not crowded but it would be nice to be honored to have such love. But only Mom's have that great honor, that is part of what makes motherhood so special. Here is a picture that tells a thousand words, and remember that Lacie is missing and she is usually one of the first. Also, there was no posing involved, I surprised everyone. They barely got off a smile.

While I was posting the above picture from my phone, Alexa and Ashlyn started fighting because they both had more of Mom than the other. Alexa was on her side and Ashlyn was on top but then Ashlyn put her arm on Mom's side, and Alexa got mad and finally she put her leg up on top of Mom. It was funny so I quickly grabbed this picture:

Again, while I was posting the above picture, Ashlyn got mad at Mom because she was squished. It is so funny, all the girls come in and take up our precious space and then say they are squished. Anyway, here is mad Ashlyn.

I went into the family room and Lacie was in there watching TV. I told her that I had just taken a few pictures of the girls all over Mom like they are every morning. She was sad and said that she did not come in because I had asked her not too. I had told her last night that I was up all night with her and the other girls and asked her not to come in so that I could get some sleep. She obeyed and that makes me very happy, so here is obedient Lacie.