Happy New Year 2017

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Season's Greetings 2015

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Merry Christmas 2013 and Happy New Year 2014!

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Happy New Year 2013

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Merry Christmas 2011

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Nelson Christmas Card - year in photo review

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July thru mid-October, 2010

Lots of changes in the last few months. We moved into our home in July, which is a great excuse for not doing a blog for a while! Here are some photos of the fun things we've done lately. To summarize, my sister Lindsay and brother-in-law Clark moved in with us while they closed on a house in Vail, AZ (also know as "Vale" in some un-educated circles!). We did lots of little day hikes with them on Saturdays. We visited Ryan and Catlin and the kids in Vegas for the Fourth of July. We love seeing them and always have lots of fun. We've been able to see the Pettinger and Nelson Families a lot. This has been the best part about moving back to Arizona. Danielle loves seeing her cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. Gwen doesn't remember what it was like to live far away, but I love how she recognizes everybody now!

Our most recent adventure worth noting was a "Brent and I" weekend vacation to Sedona, AZ. Mom and Dad babysat the girls. Thanks Mom and Dad!!!!! Brent and I had plans of hiking and fly fishing. But when we got to Sedona we got an offer we couldn't refuse - spend 90 minutes listening to a realtor try to convince us to spend "fun money" that we haven't earned the right to spend yet at this stage in our lives, then take a free helicopter tour of Sedona and a practically-free three hour jeep tour around the Sedona/Flagstaff area! The helicopter ride was not as scary as I thought it might be. It felt strange to fly sideways and hover. Very cool! The jeep ride was fun and the cool fall weather felt nice. The next day we did an easy 5 mile walk/hide called Western Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon. We started the day with about an hour of fly fishing. No trout were caught, but it was fun being there in such a beautiful place. At that elevation the leaves were starting to change, so we had a great fall experience. On the way home to the girls, Brent's 2008 Jeep Liberty decided it would rather live in Northern Arizona than go back to commuting to work each day, so it took action! An 80 mile tow down I-17, a new belt, and a new water pump later (all under warrantee thankfully), the Jeep is back in business! Thanks to Lindsay and Clark for picking us up in Tempe. Gotta love adventures. Peace out!

Getting Settled In Arizona

Hi All,

As tends to happen, it has been a few weeks since I last reported our family activities. So, I'll let most of the pictures do the story telling. Most recently, we did a Saturday mini-hike. I say mini, because with a four-year-old, every hike is mini. We went to Ramsey Canyon near Sierra Vista, AZ, where they have one of the greatest concentrations of humming birds in the world. We were a little late in the morning getting there, but we saw lots of humming birds, an acorn woodpecker, and a mexican jay. I'm sure we saw other things, but Brent, who is the birding expert in this family of four, isn't here right now to whisper in my ear what else we saw. It was really nice being outside, walking around together exploring. I didn't expect there to be a stream, so that was a pleasant surprise too.




























In other updates, we are living at my parent's home in Benson, AZ. Brent commutes 45 minutes into Tucson for work. His employers are very good attorneys, and they are treating him well. We hope to close on our house in the next week or two, which has been our statement for the last month or so. A few weeks ago the home was vandalized during the middle of the day, by "youths with baseball bats", and witnesses called the realtor instead of 911. Two other foreclosed homes in our neighborhood were also hit. So, the bank is paying to have the repairs done currently.






















Brent started work just after the Memorial Day Holiday. He and his brother Paul drove our car and Pearl-the-dog from DC to Arizona in two days! Wow, crazy, huh! We are grateful to family for all their help in the move. My parents came to visit us in DC before we left and helped me fly to Tucson with the girls. And now they are letting us live at their place and eat their food, etc. In exchange, I water the fruit trees and watch over the place.























We've been swimming a lot here at Mom and Dad's. Danielle plays with her cousin Deagon a lot too. Brent and I both love that he has no homework in the evenings or on the weekend. And Benson summers haven't been that hot yet.













We miss our DC friends and the ward. Here are some photos of our last day trip in the District. We mostly walked around, saw the National History Museum and the White House, and decided we'd need to come back many times in the future and visit.














So, until next time! Love, The Nelson's

School's Out for Summer. School's Out FOREVER!

We have done a lot of fun things since last Monday night when Brent finished his last law school final ever! On Wednesday, Danielle went to our friend's the Palmer's to play, while Brent and Gwen and I went to see the Holocaust Museum in DC. We only had about two hours total, so we just got a glimpse. The museum is well done. It is a very different experience from other DC museums, but it needs to be experienced. After the museum we got caught in the rain, feeling very stupid for living in the area for almost a year and not being smart enough to bring umbrellas or rain coats. That's like me forgetting to put kleenex in my pockets! We should just know better at this point, so we had a good laugh about it as we ran through the rain to the metro. We had a nice dinner, which can be rare with kids, to celebrate graduation, at a yummy urban/uptown pizza bistro called Matchstick or Matchbox. For some reason, I just can't remember the name. We've been trying to go there for a few months, but it is always busy, and this time we got in right away because of the rain. Good deal!
On Thursday we left Pearl-girl at home to fend for herself, and Brent and the girls and I were off to the Orioles vs. Marines baseball game in Baltimore. Danielle LOVED the mascots, Brent LOVED the stadium, Gwen LOVED her nap, and I LOVED the BBQ hot dog and funnel cake.... Oh yeah, and the game was great. After being behind most of the game, Baltimore was up by one run at the top of the 9th, and they got their man out at home base, which was the third out, and game over and won! Ok, my baseball lingo may not be the best, but I have to say, for a bunch of guys who look like they are good at standing around and kicking their toes around in the dirt when not much is going on, pro baseball players sure can move it and deliver when it counts.
It was back to DC that night, since we had to give Pearl the dog some attention. The next morning, on Friday, we all, including Pearl, headed out early to visit our friends the Crider's in Philadelphia. We met the Crider's at church in Lubbock our first year there, and then part of the second, and all of the third year, they baby sat Danielle the two days a week I worked. They feel more like aunt, uncle, and cousins than just friends. It was a wonderful combination of seeing good friends and visiting a new place. For the glimpse of Philly we saw, Brent and I agree it is a great city. A lot of history, mix of ethnicities, great public transportation, clean, and the food was great!
This coming week we've got a lot of packing to do and finalizing moving details. So, until next time!

School is History!

Our little family, and I know our extended family and friends as well, are very proud of Brent. This past Monday he took his last law school final EVER! Wow, we still can't believe it is over. I think between getting ready to move, just taking a breather and spending time together, and the crazy weather (the high was 60 degrees yesterday), we aren't even sure what time of year it is, let alone have time to register that Brent is done with formal education.

Well, the girls are good. Gwen cut two bottom teeth about 10 days ago when we girls were in Arizona looking for a house. Danielle loves playing with her friends, helping me, dressing up, and is really looking forward to preschool in Arizona a few days a week (me too!). We are in the process of closing on a single level, 4 bedroom, 2 bath house in northwest Tucson. Hopefully all will go well. We are set to move in around mid-June, and will stay at my parents' until then. Brent starts work at the beginning of June. And, I'm tired from the fun of the day, so that's it for now. Oh yeah, and after years of not doing much to my hair, it was time to, as my Dad would say:

"Cut It, Curl It, and Put Some Blonde In It!"

Another Day

It's getting late in the evening, and I don't really have much to say, I just wanted to have a reason to put up some cute Easter pictures. We were proud of Danielle for holding onto Gwen long enough to take the picture. This was the first of three taken, and by the last one, Gwen was slipping pretty far to the side, but Danielle was determined to be a good sister and HOLD ON! In the other Easter photo posted, Gwen is obviously working very hard at tummy time. Very cute.

Official Countdown: 27 days left of Brent's academic career! Then it's off to the NBA, the Tour, the Major leagues.... you name the fantasy. Needless to say, we are excited.

Tucson Here We Come

Well folks, it is official. Brent got a job in Tucson, AZ. So, a few more weeks of school, a few more weeks of some fun in DC, some goodbyes and some packing, and it's back across the country we go. Brent and I are very excited about his job. The people at the firm are very nice, and they live very active/normal lifestyles outside of the office. In fact, one of Brent's bosses is a PADI scuba instructor, and he has offered to get us certified when we are ready. We'll have to save up for the equipment, but he will provide all the training, so you can bet we will be trying to start diving in the not-to-distant future.

Besides looking forward to hobbies and time with our little family and extended family, we have kept busy this semester. Danielle is becoming more independent (which can be good and not as good at times), but overall she is very happy and helpful. She loves her Gwen-E. Pearl the dog also loves her Gwen-E. Ok, we all really love our Gwen-E. Gwen has started to roll from back to tummy, at which time she smiles proudly until she realizes she is stuck. Not so easy getting back!

Spring time in DC is lovely. A cold day now is rain and 40 degrees, but a nice day is upper 60's to lower 80's, and with the humidity, it feels a little warmer. Yesterday we met Brent on the metro and went to the tidal basin to see the cherry blossoms. They were at peak bloom. Very pretty. It is fun to be outside, after a cold winter, and see so many other people out enjoying the day too. Yes, it was crowded, but in a good, cheerful way. That said, a friend and I were going to take the train to the zoo today, but decided to do it next week after the Easter crowds have died down. Instead we went to a local park and the kids rode a little train, and Danielle rode the carrousel by herself! She told Daddy how brave she was. And on that note of being "brave", one of her new games is to play super heros. The little boys her age had this game mastered a year ago I'm sure, but she just picked up on it. She still likes to pretend Princess or Bride, but lately she likes to be Ice Girl, and she gives the rest of us super powers too. Occasionally Daddy and her "fight" on the bed, usually ending in her asking me how to wake up Bubble Boy, or Speedy Man, or Power Guy, or whatever other name she has given him. One day he was in-fact Bubble Boy, and he told me later they were bouncing on the bed play fighting, and all the sudden she stuck out her finger, poking at the air, and said "Pop!". Game over Daddy; you lose!

This week we have been getting over colds and settling into the semester. Gwen is having her 3 month growth spurt, so the "fourth trimester" should almost be over. It is really fun to see how she laughs and smiles with all of us. Lately Danielle has been doing a lot of ballerina dancing around the apartment, and Gwen really gets a kick out of it. Gwen also likes to watch Danielle and Pearl chase each other. Last night we relaxed flipping back and forth between Man vs. Wild and the State of the Union Address. In a weird way, being sick makes me slow down and appreciate the simple things in each day a little more, like snuggling on the couch together, or playing with the girls here at home.

Fun In The Sun

After another semester of law school, we were rewarded with a month break. There was lots of sleeping in, playing, and eating of holiday goodies. Some of the highlights were visiting the Smithsonian Museums after the DC snow storm, where lots of great amateur snow sculptures were all over the Mall. Also, Danielle ice skating for the first time with her Daddy. She loved it and could go on for hours. We loved watching her excitement. We had Christmas here in DC. For the past few months Danielle just hoped and hoped she would get a ballerina music box. Her wish was granted! Thanks to the Grandmas and Grandpas and Aunts and Uncles, Brent, Gwen, and I also had a very fruitful Christmas! Thanks everyone!

After Christmas, it was off for a two and a half week vacation to the sunshine! Wow, we loved the weather! We stayed a few days in Benson with my whole family, took walks, watched movies, "jacoozed" (my Dad's word for going in the jacuzzi), and ate good food. Then it was on to Yuma to see our other side of the family, with more GREAT food (wow, we miss good Mexican food), playing games, movies, walks, and shopping. We went with Grandma, Aunt Lindsey, and cousin Tanner to a feeding zoo one day, and Danielle and Tanner made good friends with a chicken who got loose from it's pen. Then it was off to Mesa to stay with my sister Lindsay. She and I watched New Moon at the theater, we played more in the sunshine, and Brent had an interview with a tax law firm and two meetings with other firms. We hope something good comes out of this in the form of a tax law job in Arizona. Last but not least, it was off to Las Vegas where we spent a few days with our friends the Reed's. We had a great time with them too, and hope moving back to Arizona would allow us to see them more, as well as see family. In Vegas we did some easy walks/hikes, ate, rested, shopped, and the best part - just visited with friends!

The next and last semester officially began yesterday for Brent. He and Danielle have colds. We'll try to get them better without getting Gwen or I sick. Gwen is 2 1/2 months old, and had a check-up yesterday to get her 2 month shots. She is really responsive now, laughing, smiling and cooing. She loves her family, getting a big smile for Daddy, Mommy, Danielle or Pearl! Danielle is cheerful in-spite of her cold. I think it helps that I got her a ballerina outfit and slippers at Target the other day. She wants to prance around in them all day long! And yes, she has asked, and I have let her take nap in them too!

Week in Review: One year older and a foot of snow deeper

What an exciting week:
* Brent finished tax finals for the semester
* Brent turned 28 years old on Dec. 17 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
* Gwen gets really good at smiling and attempts to laugh
* Danielle thinks it's Christmas because we got 15+ inches of snow in DC
* Nicole and Brent go on a quick dinner date!
* Pearl is thankful for her winter jacket Nicole got her
* Church is cancelled due to snow - yes, family in Denver can make fun of us
* Danielle is counting down until Christmas, visiting Arizona, and seeing her friends Aspen and Taven in Vegas

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

A National Christmas

      Merry Christmas!  This year, we will be having "a national Christmas", which means we will be staying in the nation's capital for the holiday.  Since Gwen is still so young, we will avoid the crowds.  Our plans involve rest and relaxation, especially after Brent's semester ends.  

      Danielle is finding new ways to occupy herself while I rest or help Gwen.  The other morning I turned the TV on to Disney channel and told Danielle I was going to rest in my room for a little while.  When I came out about 45 minutes later, she had her safety scissors and had given most of her My Little Ponies very eccentric haircuts!  At least it wasn't her own hair!  So, needless to say, we are having more structured time in the mornings these last few days, and we've been having fun together.  I got her an uppercase letters workbook, and we are having a fun time doing a little "preschool" each morning.  

      I think/hope Gwen has made it through her 6-week growth spurt.  Sometimes she eats every two hours, and other times she'll go 4 1/2 to 5 hours.  Either way, she is getting pretty good at falling sleep quickly after eating at night, so I appreciate that.  Like her older sister, we think Gwen is quite the cutie!  She began smiling at us about two weeks ago when we play games with her, and she is almost laughing at times.  

      Brent and I are really looking forward to Christmas vacation.  We are going to Arizona for New Year's to see the Pettinger's and the Nelson's.  Then we are off to Las Vegas for a few days to visit our friends the Reed's.  That's what Christmas time is about for us - spending time with family and friends.

Thankful For...

        Wow, 29 years old and I'm finally posting my first message on our blog without my husband's help!  Brent will be so proud of me.  As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday, I feel reflective of the life changing events that have taken place for our family over the past few months.  We said goodbye to wonderful friends and a comfortable home in Lubbock, TX when Brent finished law school.  Brent studied hard through the summer to take the Arizona Bar exam, and this October we found out the great news that he passed!  And, the icing on top was finding out in the weeks to follow that all of our friends that took a bar exam this summer also passed.  What a relief!  With the help of parents and support of extended family, we moved across the country to a suburb of Washington D.C. for one more year of school for Brent.  Then, on November 2, Danielle got a little sister, Gwen Elizabeth.

         We have had lots of challenges these past few months, but the blessings have been grand.  I am grateful Brent is excited about tax law, am thrilled to be at home with Danielle to teach and lover her, and am just so touched and overcome with love to hold little Gwen in my arms and think about where she came from and that she chose us.  As we move further away from our extended family I am also often reminded of how much we enjoy their friendship, and how much we also need their love and support.  Have a wonderful reflective Thanksgiving!

"Danielle's Daily Drop of Cuteness":  While talking to Brent and I this morning in the living room, in reference to my being willing to do Danielle's hair for church so Brent wouldn't have to, Danielle exclaimed, "Mom, you are the best!".  Like any good mother, I gave her a kiss and hold her she could have ANYTHING she wanted.  Danielle perked-up proudly and said without missing a beat, "I want vegetables!".  Wow, that was a surprise.  I guess her Uncle Paul must be her hero, as she is well aware of what his line of work is!

August 31, 2008

Hmmm...what does one say on their blog?  Is it a journal entry, is it a family news letter like those that get sent out once a year at Christmas time?  I guess it is whatever I want it to be.  Well, since I am 20 weeks pregnant with one or more, male or female, baby(s), I will use my pregnancy as a starting point.  Yes, we are having a little one.  We'll keep you posted on what it's gender is/how many there are.

Danielle is a potty training girl.  She is very polite when I ask her if she needs to go "potty", and she replies", No thanks, I no need it."  After going about her business for a few moments, I as Mother rethink my approach and state, "Come on Danielle-ee, lets go pee-pee!"  She happily follows, and I know it's a good sign of upcoming success when Danielle responds with, "Hurry Mommy!"

Brent is a law school training boy.  Reading, writing, and whatever else they make you do in law school is what his days consist of.  His pursuits of a career in tax law, while mocked by friends and family, bring him happy thoughts while slumbering.  Well, something like that.

Some of the best news of this past week: we got on state maternity insurance so this baby should be covered, Brent kept his scholarship so no worries this year, and my Mom has decided to be baptized into the LDS church on Sept 13 - my Dad is very supportive, and she says she felt an urgency to be and a peace about being baptized.

Hope you like the blog, but only enough to not expect a new entry every day! :)

This one's for you Steph!

Nicole (and Brent, Danielle, puppy Pearl, and fetus Nelson)

Feb. 24, 2008

Danielle had her birthday on the 20th, and she was going to have friends over the next day, but she got sick.  So now she has had a birth-week, and her party is tonight.