We don't really blog anymore, but a friend of ours recently said this annual post really meant something to her and that she hoped we would continue the tradition (surprise, she made the honorable mention list!) And so here it is, for all three of us to enjoy: the Top 10 stories/events from the Casa de Olsen in the year of our Lord two thousand and eighteen.
1. New England Road Trip
For
our Spring Break this year, we decided to embark on an epic journey of more
than 2,000 miles to the outer reaches of New England and Southern Canada. It
started in Newport, Rhode Island, where we stayed next to the harbor and spent
a day ogling at the famous Newport Mansions, which are basically homes that could be used in the filming of Downton Abbey.
We then turned north and made it
to a small cabin just outside of Acadia National Park, where we spent 3 days
hiking along the rugged Maine coastline.
If you look close, you'll see a small wooden bridge nestled up against the cliff wall. That is the trail.
We then turned west and drove to
Montreal, a beautiful city that makes you feel like you’re in Europe, not an
hour north of the American border. We ate crepes, learned (and promptly forgot) some French, and
toured the Notre Dame Bascilica, one of the most impressive cathedrals we’ve ever seen.
We then
turned south and spent a night in Burlington, Vermont. It was a short stay, but
Burlington quickly endears itself to anyone who passes through it, and we found
ourselves wanting to stay longer in its charming streets, quaint restaurants,
and friendly people, not to mention their many flannel fashion boutiques.
Our
final stop on this mammoth road trip was to Highland, New York, where we
reconnected with Celeste’s aunt, uncle, and cousins. It was great to be in
familiar company for the Easter holiday, and even greater to watch Valencia
lose her mind over an Easter egg hunt on their expansive wooded property.
Vali finding eggs with her adoring fans in the background.
2. Baby Olsen
I
think it’s pretty public knowledge at this point that Celeste and I cannot have
kids in the traditional sense. We discovered this back in 2012, and after
recovering from the devastation that accompanies such news, we set out to make
modern medicine our partner in the endeavor. It took us 4 attempts through in-utero
insemination (IUI) before Valencia was conceived. Our second round of attempts,
however, was much harder and never resulted in success, even after 5 attempts.
At the recommendation of our doctors, we then decided to take the leap to
in-vitro insemination (IVF), a procedure that has a much higher price tag, but
a much higher success rate. We made our first IVF attempt in the Spring, but it
was unsuccessful. Happily, our second attempt came back positive, and we now
await with great joy and anticipation the arrival of our son, who will be born
in early March, 2019.
Celeste following one of the IVF procedures.
Baby Boy
People ask us all the time what names we're considering. I'll just say that I have submitted several good names to Celeste (Boulder, Blitz, Raider, Rifle, to name a few), but so far they have all been roundly rejected.
3. Asheville, NC
Because
our school is year-round, our summer vacations are shorter than most. As such,
we weren’t able to make it out to Utah to visit family, so instead we decided
to drive 4 hours west to the mountains of North Carolina. We rented a cabin in
beautiful Asheville, and from there embarked on several adventures. The first
was to Dupont State Forest, home to beautiful mountain hikes and gorgeous
waterfalls. We then spent a day at Gorges State Park, where we found our favorite hike
of the trip, Rainbow Falls.
Rainbow Falls
The
trip also included a quick jaunt to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, a
hike to the top of Mount Mitchell (the highest peak east of the Mississippi
River), and Valencia’s first trip to a movie theater.
6-mile hike to the top. I only encountered 4 other people on the entire trail over the course of 3 hours.
4. Sugar 'N Spice
Valencia
started Pre-K this year at a new school called Sugar ‘N Spice. It took some
adjusting after being at her other school for 2 years, but she has grown to
love it. Valencia loves to count, add and subtract numbers, and has learned her
letters well enough to write her name and read very simple stories. We are incredibly
proud of her and her naturally inquisitive mind.
Sometimes learning to write letters can be a dangerous undertaking. Helmets help.
Pretty excited after completing her 50th reading lesson.
5. Utah in Autumn
Utah
in the Fall is becoming one of our favorite traditions. The colors are
stunning, the weather is crisp but not cold, and we get to reunite with family
and friends during a special time of year. This year was similar to last: we
took Valencia to Cornbelly’s (a corn theme park of sorts), took her hiking, horseback riding with her Uncle Terry, and had her very first cousins sleepover. We also went to
the Utah State Homecoming Parade and football game where the Aggies dominated
the UNLV Rebels.
Celeste with her father and sister. Her dad discovered a new dinosaur this year. See the honorable mention section for more!
Vali leading Diamond the horse with the Bear River Mountains in the background.
My hard-nosed cowboy Uncle Terry and the sweet little Vali girl. It's amazing how much they love each other.
The face she makes when she realizes she's got a bag full of candy in her possession.
6. Grand Teton National Park
To
cap of our trip out west in the fall, we decided to spend a couple of days in
Grand Teton National Park near Jackson Hole. It was a quick trip, but quite
memorable. The Tetons are rugged, majestic, and nothing if not memorable. We
hiked to Jenny and Taggart Lakes and saw a host of wildlife, including huge
elk, caribou, and a red fox.
Rugged mountaineer after the arduous journey to Taggart Lake.
7. Hamilton
We
saw it. It was amazing.
8. Henderson Collegiate High School
It’s
been an exciting year for Jackson’s school. They will graduate their first
class of seniors in June. But as they prepare for graduation, they have been
steeped in the process of applying to college. As of the end of 2018 (which is
still early in the process), we have…
·
100%
of seniors on track to graduate
·
100%
of seniors who have submitted applications to college
·
62%
of seniors who have been accepted to a 4-year college or university (to date)
·
$1.5
million dollars of scholarship dollars awarded to our senior class
·
1
National Merit Scholar Semifinalist
·
1
QuestBridge Scholar
More
good news to report in the coming months, but so far, we’re off to a great
start!
Several students embracing and congratulating Victor Clifton after he was accepted to Duke University with a full-ride scholarship.
9. Zion
Zion National Park is one of Mother Earth’s most spectacular offerings. We highly
recommend it. The park is miles and miles of winding canyons surrounded by red
rock cathedrals and cliff walls that will cause your jaw to hit the floor and
your heart to skip a beat. It was even better in December when the weather was
still pleasant but the swarm of crowds was non-existent. We rented a house just
outside of the park and were joined by Jackson’s cousin, Jo, and his wife, Tiana,
as well as two of Celeste’s siblings and their spouses.
Angel's Landing
10. Christmas in Utah
We
have loved being in Utah for the holiday season. We spent the first week of our
break in Orem with Celeste’s family, where all of the Britt siblings were reunited
for the first time in at least 2 years. The week consisted of a crab boil, sledding,
sugary sweets, and cousin sleepovers. Then we drove 2 hours north to Logan to
visit the Olsen side of the family, where there were more cousin sleepovers,
game nights, and horseback riding. We also went to a Utah State basketball game
where not only did the Aggies win, but Valencia got to take a picture with Big
Blue!
Crab boil!
Craft time with Grandma Dino and cousins.
Just moments before this was taken, Vali was in tears because she didn't think she would get to meet Big Blue. It was a Christmas miracle.
Honorable
Mentions
The Freshman Retreat
For 3 straight years, Jackson has taken his 9th graders to the mountains at the end of the year. They do this to commemorate the completion of their Freshman Year, to have students reflect on themselves as students and individuals, and to unplug from society and embrace mother nature.
Jo’s Wedding
Jackson’s
cousin Jo got married in June. Jo is an amazing guy who, when he lets his hair
down, kind of looks like Yanni.
Steph’s Wedding
Celeste
got to take Valencia to Grand Junction, Colorado for the wedding of her best
friend, Steph. One of the many downers of living so far from home is the fact
that Jackson had to stay behind, while Celeste stayed behind for Jo and Tiana’s
wedding.
The Avett Brothers at Red Rocks Amphitheater
Every music lover - from aficionado to casual listener - owes it to themselves to see a live show at Red Rocks. I just happened to be in Denver over the summer when one of my favorite bands, The Avett Brothers, were scheduled to play. I made a call to my buddy Tron who was an 8-hour drive away and before you knew it we were there and witnessed an unforgettable show.
Caelestiventus Hanseni - The Newest Dino in Town
Celeste's father, a renowned paleontologist, discovered a new species of dinosaur this year and named it after the one and only Celeste! The story was covered across the globe and by dozens of major media outlets.
Dissertation Proposal/Progress
Jackson
wrote and defended the first 3 chapters of his dissertation in May, and has
spent the last 7 months conducting research on teacher retention. The process is
slow and arduous, but he hopes to finish writing in March before the baby
comes, defend the dissertation in April, and graduate in May.
11th Wedding Anniversary
We
celebrated our 11th anniversary in August with our traditional weekend in Chapel Hill. Turns out we kind of like each other.
New Bike and Very Sparkly Helmet
No,
not for Jackson. Valencia got her first real bike and has been learning how to
ride it. She has good days and bad days, but is often buoyed by her sparkly
helmet, her purple bike bell, and the 3 rules of bike riding:
1. It’s going to be a little bit hard
2. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and...
3. We got this together!
Ashley Johnson
Ashley
Johnson is one of our dearest friends. She makes the list this year for being
our most passionate blog-reader and for her undying devotion to Hallmark Christmas movies.
