Sunday, July 17, 2011

Our time at Fishhook - Camping

We had a great time camping this year at Fishhook. Usually Pam's whole family goes with us, but this year she had a surgery and after only a week of recovery, didn't feel up to going.   I was super bummed, but I remember how much I hurt after my surgery.  Yuck!  So Jeremy brought his friend, Max, and we had 2 of Pam's kids come anyhow, Devin and Rachel.  There were 8 of us all together.
We drove up on Wed afternoon and put up the tents while Mike was still at work.  I was way impressed with myself.  With just a little help from Briggy, we put up my tent faster than those three boys put up theirs.  Silly boys!  It's because they can't read directions you know.
We only forgot a few things and were happy that dad was still coming up later so he could help us out.  We did forget forks for our tin foil dinners, but Max, being the super outgoing guy that he is, wrangled us up some forks from another camping group.  Max was awesome.
Grama Anderson came up on Friday and hung out with us all day.  We had a Boat Club boat on both Thursday and Friday so we had a great time on the water.  Thursday was a little windy, but still most of the people got in the water (not me, someone needs to man the camera!)  Friday was perfect.  There was tubing and wakeboarding.  Here is some video for your viewing pleasure!

4th of July

So we spent the 4th relaxing and visiting friends.  At 2 we went to see Jared Peterson who just returned from his mission.  He was having a little backyard get together.  It was good to talk with him and his dad, Jay.  After sitting with the big people for a while, Brigam was bored and asked if he could swing on the swing set.  Of course!  So he and another girl started swinging along on the Costco, wooden swingset.  Pretty soon we hear a loud crack and as I look over, I see Brigam who looks like he is pinned under this metal beam that was hold the swings up.  The whole thing broke and the kids both fell to the ground.  I think the beam did hit him in the head, but with the way it landed and was still attached to another piece of support, it probably hit pretty softly considaring the size of the whole thing.  Shortly after that we high-tailed it out of there since Brigam had "brought the roof down", we assumed our work there was done.
After a good, 4th of July nap, we headed down to Pam's where we BBQ'd with their family and the Jensens.  Mike spent "the best $5.00 he ever spent" on dry ice and proceeded to make dry ice bombs.  Their poor dog, Zack, thought the world was about to end and was DYING to get in the house.  That was funny.  Here's some video of our epic night:


After that, we just stayed at Pam's as she moved into a new house and the previous owners said you could see all the fireworks from their house.  You could see them if you were in the middle of their street, looking though the neighbor's side yard, and cocking your head to the side.  But we did see them.  We couldn't hear them too well.  I told her next time we are going down to the river!  :)

Monday, May 16, 2011

My Surgery

So for months now I have been dealing with a true "pain in the ankle".  This isn't even the ankle that I did a wicked number to on the tennis courts last year.  This is the other one.  It's been bothering me not so much when I do my Group Ride class in the mornings, not a ton when I do BOSU, but when I just do plain walking, that's when it starts to burn like crazy.  Every night it swells up like a balloon too.  So I visited the Dr., got an xray - the doc sees nothing.  So I go to Dr. Murdock, a podiatrist and he orders an MRI - a spendy deal, but I needed to have something done!  So on we went.  Dr. Murdock found a bone chip and surgery was scheduled.  Last Thursday was the big day.  I set up my life for everyone else to run for the next two weeks since I will be laid up. 
It's been interesting living my life with basically one working leg.  Amazing, really, how difficult it is to take a shower on one leg.  And shaving on one leg?  It's a talent I am really working on. 
Today I went into Dr. Murdock for the post surgery check up.  He uncovered the incision - this was the first time I'd seen it - I wasn't going to look at it myself - ick!

 Mike just says he'll call me ZORRO from now on.  Lucky me!  :)
I'll keep you posted!

Mother's Day 2011

What a great day Mother's Day was!  My family treated me like a Queen!  I had a great homemade breakfast that I didn't have to make.  We all know what that means - it was delicious! 

Brigam made me an awesome bookmark and a magnet.  He was the only one that got to make a bookmark.  The other kids made two magnets, but he told me that he asked the teacher if he could make me a bookmark because he knew I loved to read.  Wasn't that thoughtful?
Then he made me this I heart U magnet.  See the little lines around the heart?  He told me that he made his magnet complete with "sound effects".  So dang cute!!!


Jeremy worked his little fingers to the bone (with a little help from Brigam) digging this hole and putting this pond form in for me.  Now I just need to get a ton of flat rocks, landscaping plants, water plants, an electrical cord running....blah, blah, blah....  It's something I've wanted for a long time and I was so happy that he did it.

Mykalyn made me this cute as heck box at young women's and filled it full of chocolate covered fortune cookies complete with my own "fortunes".  Very sweet.

Mother's Day was great. Oh, and one more present I got was a long ol' phone call from this incredible guy.....

It was great that all my kids made me feel so special (an my wonderful hubby too).  They are great!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Daddy Daughter Dance

So Mike and Mykalyn's professional photo came in the mail from their dance.  It looks so nice.  We've had it for a while, but Mike has now chagrined me into putting it on my blog.  He was disappointed it wasn't already there!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Our trip to Silver Mountain

So, because Mike misses Tyler so much, he couldn't stand the thought of doing the annual General Conference/Snowboarding trip to Utah. He decided that it would be better for our family to take a trip to Kellogg, Idaho and visit Silver Mountain for a little ski & swim. At the resort there they have a big indoor water park complete with 3 tubular slides, a lazy river, a surf station, a kiddies' play area and a couple of hot tubs and more. We showed up on Thursday in the late afternoon. After check-in, Mike and the boys went down to the water park while Mykalyn and I had to make a "stuff forgotten" trip to the nearest Wally World. We came back, made up Jordan River Mud Cake and threw it in the crock pot to cook while we hit the water park too. It was fun. Mike was brave enough to do the surf station and he wasn't half bad! We stayed and played for a while, but then it seemed to be a little stuffy in there and we went to the outside hot tub. It is amazing that a 15 minute gondola ride away there is a whole mountain for them to snowboard on because the weather down in the resort was pretty dang mild.

After playing we sat down to watch Tangled which was a pretty cute movie. I am glad that the kids still like Disney movies. I'll be bummed when I have no one left to buy them for but me. Maybe by the time that Brigam thinks that they are ridiculous, I will have grandkids to buy them for and watch with. It could happen, Brigam is 9, Jeremy is 16 and still watches them. I wonder what Tyler will be doing in 7 years.........

The next day was April 1st. Better known as April Fool's Day. For breakfast the kids had cereal with milk and these great bacon and egg concoctions. It was great to call them to the table for this little "surprise" and start their day off with a sugar high!

The 4 of them were so happy to come back on the gondola at lunch and eat their lunch in this great room we got. It was super nice with a full kitchen, bedroom with a king sized bed and a couch that pulled out for a queen sized bed. They were toasty and the lunch made them refuel for another round on the mountain.

When they came home for dinner, I had a crock pot chicken dish cooking all day and they said they could smell the deliciousness of that smell all the way down the hall. Their tummies were going to be happy. Little did they know that I had another April Fool's food choice on the menu. It was fish sticks (rectangular wafers covered in peanut butter and corn flakes), peas (made from Laffy Taffy) and potatoes and gravy (made from a scoop of vanilla ice cream and hard shell chocolate topping). This type of meal is a traditional April Fool's Day happening in the Nelson household.

Last year Mykalyn helped out by making a sugar cookie "pizza" with candy toppings. She was very creative. But this year she made my day when she said,  "Mom, I didn't even see the April Fool's breakfast coming. I thought, 'Maybe she'll do the dinner', but then I was like 'we're on vacation. She's not going to pack all that stuff.' Mom you are so cool." Ok, forming all 120 peas from Laffy Taffy just got "worth it" with that comment.

After dinner, we went to the hot tub again. Then they played in the water park some more.

You know, I enjoy going on vacation with everyone, but the kind of vacations that Mike likes to take - well they aren't really for me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being with them, I just enjoy my vacations to include at least one or more books, shopping (which includes buying stuff - not food), classes and stuff like that. Mike likes total ACTION and MOVEMENT. I enjoyed my time with all of them, but they are concerned that I didn't have fun. I did! I just like to do my own thing.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

A little bit of catch up from January 2011 to the end of March 2011

 So this is a picture of Me and Jeremy up in Walla Walla where Jeremy FINALLY got his drivers license.  It took an extra week to get because he failed the first time, but the second time was the charm. 
Jeremy finally gets his license on January 25. 2011
 This is one of our great elders that we were privileged to get to know.  Elder Joseph (Seph) Smith (I am not kidding) was so green, but had the strongest  testimony and was so courageous.  He was the one that asked Kim if she would take the discussions.  He was awesome!  And had the same birthday as our Tyler, so it was fate.  He spent his birthday with us.  We had turkey dinner, cake and his parents sent a video of them singing Happy Birthday and a bunch of letters.  He was so happy.
Elder Smith in the middle of birthday wishes

Elder (Seph) Smith and Elder Boren celebrating Elder Smith's birthday - same day as Tyler's!
 This is part of our downstairs.  I bought us a game table for fun in the fun "Broncos" room.  It will be a lot of fun in the future!
New game table downstairs
 
So this was the Southridge Rock on Jeremy's birthday.  His friends got together to put their birthday wishes on the painted rock.  Unfortunately for someone else whose birthday wishes were on the rock first, Jeremy's name got placed over theirs.  Bad boys!  But happy Jeremy.
Jeremy and the rock of birthday wishes

Jeremy and the back side of the rock
Jeremy's friends love him

Valentines Stuff!

Valentine's Day for Brigam's teacher

My Valentine's Day gifts from Mike.  Beautiful Roses (yes, Mike broke down and gave me dead flowers for the special day) and a Cricut Cake cutter.

Valentine's gifts.  Brigam's valentines - Dum Dum suckers as crutches.  Water as Love Potion.  Sugar cookie hearts, yummy!

Valentine's Day gifts

Valentine's Day gifts.  Pop the top in case of a chocolate emergency.
Mykalyn's first Softball Tourney March 2011.  She was having some fun there!
Mykalyn working on pitching, I mean posing.

Mykalyn as shortstop and Sara as pitcher at their first softball game.


Mykalyn's Diamond Buster Team singing the taco bell song?


Mykalyn at bat
 In January, a local church put on a Daddy/Daughter Ball that Mykalyn attended with her dad and two other girls and their fathers.  They went out for dinner and had photos and everything.  It was to teach the girls just how they should be treated on a date.
  
Mykalyn all ready for the Daddy/Daughter Ball


Mykalyn and Dad ready for the Daddy/Daughter Ball



Sara and Brea at the Father/Daughter Ball

Mykalyn and Sara at the Ball



Mike's prepared for snowboarding.  Yes, I am serious.


Jeremy placing his very first wrist corsage on Emmy Vaughn
Did you know those run $20 a wrist?  I think I'll be making the next one!
Emmy and Jeremy ready for the Priest/Laurel dance



My kids LOVE Cool Whip!



I told Brigam to go get a spoon for a spoonful of Cool Whip - this is what he came back with.  Smart boy.

I had a free Saturday (yes, odd I know) so Mykie and I made crown cookies.  We wanted to stress the importance of the upcoming Young Women's General Broadcast.  It brought back great memories of last year when a group of us were lucky enough to attend the broadcast in person.  LOVED IT!
Crowns packaged for my Young Women as an invite to the YW General Broadcast


Sugar Cookie crowns for the Young Women.  Yummy