UT/ID 2014

We made it another year. So we rewarded ourselves with a trip West.

First thing on bucket list: trains with Grandpa.

Next: a bridal shower for Tammy and Ashley. You might be asking where are they? Well, I didn't take any pictures of them! No, apparently this is where my priorities are:  

I had fun planning the shower with Jessica and Dana. Jessica had everything decorated so cute. The truth is, I didn't get any pictures taken during the shower because I was too busy enjoying the chance to be with everyone again. 

Tammy's wedding was beautiful. No camera at the temple though. (I'm seeing a pattern here. Check Dana's blog, she thinks ahead.) 

One of the highlights at the reception was the boys razzing her with their orange "tuxedos". Tammy really didn't take the bait though. I think she knows them all too well.

It did make for memorable wedding line. And not the least bit tacky. 

Beautiful cake. Don't you think, Mom? You did good. 

Our sweet Addie was baptized. It was such a special baptism, due in part to the sacrifices these great people made to be there (and all those who wished her well and who would have been there if they could). 

 With Grandma and Grandpa Nelson:

And Grandma and Grandpa Rimington:

If it wouldn't be a violation of her privacy, I would transcribe some of Adelaide's touching journal entry on this blog. But it would be so I will not. Let me just say, she really felt the Spirit on her baptism day and I am so grateful for the experience she had. I am so blessed to have her as my daughter. She is one amazing kid! 

After all this and more, we said goodbye to Utah/Idaho...

 for another year. Sniff, sniff.

I realize this last picture is a bit of a duplicate, but I'm trying something new--to actually have pictures with me in them. It's going to be hard, but it's time to do it. 

Also, there is an amazing lack of pictures of our time spent in Idaho. Why?! Why?! Why?!

Suffice it to say, we ran them ragged up there too. And we had a great time doing it! :)

PS--Congratulations, Tammy and Conley and Ashley and Tony! And to the parents of the brides, as well!

PSS--Congratulations, Annisa and Lindsey. We look forward to meeting your new little ones next year!

Current Events

Summer is nearly here. We can't wait! It would have come a lot sooner had we not had so many snow days this year. But we're making the best of it by cracking out the sandbox. Owen loves playing in the sand, and the kids are good sports squeezing themselves into it to play with him. 

Addie hit a big milestone. She decided to have her ears pierced. I found a pediatrician that would do it which made me feel a whole lot better about the potential outcome.

Wah-la! Done! And she was thrilled. (Yes that is two more Nanny McPhee teeth hanging on for dear life there. I wish she'd approach those with the same bravery she did her ears.)

Here she is admiring her new earrings after the big event:

This is Ethan with his very tall piano teacher, Jane, at his recital. I told her he will probably pass her up in no time given his Nelson genes. He really is quite a talent at the piano. He made it through two rounds of school talent show auditions playing the theme song to Lord of the Rings blindfolded.  

And here is Owen patiently waiting for me to figure out how to put his new ride-along car together. This is the kind of job usually left to Randal. But with his travels, I wore the handyman hat this time. And, well, it took me forever, but I did it! And with only one part left over. No joke. It seems structurally sound without it though, so score one point for me.  

And score one point for you too for checking in on us from time to time and seeing what we're up to. We love you all!

First Quarter

Well, Karen called me out on my absence. And since she has managed a few posts while planning a wedding, I really can find no worthy excuse any longer.

However, this little project in the living room had me tied up for a while:

We added a little pizzazz to an otherwise plain room. We cheaped out and did it the more time-consuming way to save some $$$. It meant more cutting, sanding and priming, but we had a good helper:

Owen prides himself on being a hands-on foreman and was underfoot every step of the way, from sanding to choosing paint color.

All that hard work deserved some chocolate frosting.

And then we moved on to the dining room for some more of this same kind of special torture. 

At this point, Owen gave up helping and capitalized on the obvious lack of parental supervision with candy... or a marker. Who knows? I wasn't watching.

At first he loved having his parents so preoccupied. It gave him the freedom to do things like this:

But even he got tired of being ignored. He tried calling Grandma to come save him.

When he didn't get though, he tried a conference call.  

The other kids you ask? They've been busy too.

Ethan played Rooster in the 5th grade production of the musical "Annie." He was awesome! It was one of the best moments of the past few months.

The kids did a really cute job. We were so proud of him!

He was also very busy with basketball and earning his Webelo in Cub Scouts (Pictures of neither. Boo on me.)  

Adelaide played basketball this year too. It was hard for her, but she never gave up and tried her little heart out. It's not easy being the only girl on your team. We were so proud of her for giving it her very best.

The most exciting thing for her was turning eight. And she will gladly attest that being eight is GREAT!

She had a Nancy Drew birthday party with friends. A lot of friends. It just kinda worked out that way. And although I was exhausted afterward, she had a wonderful time. 

She has been slowly loosing her teeth. It has been traumatic. She is s tough girl so I have been surprised at the anxiety she has been feeling over her teeth. She doesn't trust Randal or I to take care of it, so most of the time she has been walking around like Nanny McPhee with a some tooth hanging by a thread. 

But as you can see, she is a darling regardless of a nasty tooth flapping in her mouth.

Let's see, this quarter brought a few holidays. Like St. Patrick's Day. I put this in only as a cautionary tale to young parents out there. If you begin one of these crazy, bonus traditions because all those perfect people on Facebook make the extra work seem easy, just remember: YOU MUST HAVE STAMINA because you will need to do it year in, and year out from that point on.

Case in point: the Leprechauns began to visit our house a few years ago. Oh, it's really no big. A few tricks, some messed up furniture, Rolos and some Lucky Charms cereal.

Well, this year St. Patrick's landed on a Monday. Sunday night I hadn't remembered and had neither Rolos nor Lucky Charms on hand. So I thought of the best trick of all, I'd leave the kids guessing. The "Leprechauns" left a poem (it rhymed and everything) telling them things were going to get changed up this year when they least expected it. Later that evening, after having a chance to get to the store, I sneakily blocked the front door with a balloon avalanche. (Which, by the way, nearly gave me an brain aneurism trying to blow up all those dang balloons.) 

Long story short, the kids were surprised. However, I heard them say to one another going up the stairs that they wondered what the Leprechauns meant in the letter when they said they were going to play an exciting and different trick this year and maybe that trick would come when they went to sleep. Even Ethan who doesn't believe in Leprechauns didn't get that that WAS the big trick. 

Now this little trick I played on April Fool's was far more successful. The kids got a kick out of it.

And then there was Easter. 

Our friends from church invited us to an Easter Egg hunt and picnic that weekend. The kids also looked so cute in their Easter clothes, but they stripped them off before I got a picture. I'll try again another Sunday. 

Lastly, I have a prize for anyone who can name the item Owen has here: 

Good luck guessing!

Have a great day!

Little Man

Over the Christmas break, Owen lost his locks. 

He was called a girl one too many times for Randal's liking.

Me, I didn't care who thought he was a girl. I liked his curls and hated to see them go.

But when you have an amazing hair stylist visiting for a week...

Now just look at him.

He is no longer a baby.

He's cute for sure.

But I miss his curls.

Christmas 2013

December?

What happened to it?

We were so busy, it feels like a blur now.

Thank goodness there's pictures!

So we can remember Adelaide in her super cute, 2nd grade concert. 

And remember just how excited we were waiting for our cousins to come. We squeezed in hair treatments for all. No dry, itchy scalp for the holidays!

Jordan's family came from Houston, TX. Christmas Eve we continued the tradition of "Minute to Win It" games with them. (Hey, I have no idea what you mean with that innuendo! I'm apalled!)

Our family was schooled by Team Houston.

So I stepped in to show us how it's done...

Then Kendra won.

This is my cute niece, the clear winner of this game: 

Then came the tradition of trying to attempt a peaceful nativity scene with a bunch of kids worked up into a sugared frenzy. 

(Jordan was a good sport.)

Ahhh, Christmas morning.

The kids were happy.

Especially Owen with this ball-pop toy. He was interested in nothing more.

But then nobody was happier than Ethan, the beneficiary of Santa's clear lapse in sanity, evidenced by the gift of a hamster. Ethan named him Jack. 

We decorated cookies.

(I bet you're thinking, "Why don't these people have blinds yet?")

It's laziness.

Amy and Rich came from Virginia.

We played on a gigantic Orange tree. The "unofficial" oldest and largest in the US. It is great for climbing.

And for looking cute and adorable with your cousin.

We decorated "gingerbread" houses.

And played lots of games. 

In spite of ear infections, colds and chaos we had a wonderful Christmas. We hope you and your family did too! 

Here's to an even better 2014!