Last Minute Gifts

I thought that I was all done with my shopping, when I went to pick up my daughter from work at   The Cannery Center  I saw the cutest little chair!  I had to buy it!  One of the vendors goes around and buys old furniture and makes them over.  I am a big fan of the blog "BetterAfter" and love all of the before and after shots.  I only paid $49 for the already re-finished chair and LOVE IT!

CUTE chair under the tree

Like any new piece of furniture, the cat claims it as his own

Not so calm cat after playing with his bag of catnip

Still Growing

We went out to lunch yesterday with my in-laws to celebrate my two younger childrens birthday and after they came home and we sat around and chatted.  After sitting for a while Paul wanted to move into the kitchen/family room area of our home that we are remodeling and show his parents the progress that we are making.  Our son Erik was standing close to his dad and we noticed that he looked taller.  It was funny, because he was shorter than Paul just a few weeks ago.

Erik passed up Paul

I was kind of expecting it, however, because I had to buy him new bigger shoes just more than a month ago.

Top 10 2011

Here is our Annual Christmas Card.  The kids are all getting so big and doing so much.  I love being a Mom and watching them grow!

Click to make bigger

Dating these days

There is something clearly different about teenage dating these days.  Don't get me wrong, it's not all bad.  Many LDS  teenagers are trying so hard to live good lives in today's world and follow the council given in the "For the Strength of Youth" and I applaud them for that.  It is good to see that high standards are important.  However, In talking with my teens, the very way that relationships begin may be changing drastically from my days as a teenager and generations before me.
  I was talking with my teenagers the other night over dinner. Kids don't pass notes in classes or Hallways at school. Texting on Phones or chatting online has done away with that for sure. Although part of the fun of passing notes was the possibility that you might get caught and have your note read in front of the class. A dangerous venture, for sure that many adolescents have tried just because actually TALKING to the person was too hard to let them know that you thought that they were cute. Remember those days?
You would think that with all of the advances in technology that getting to know and communicate the opposite gender would be easier, but one restaurant owner in our neighborhood lamented that many kids these days just don't know how to communicate outside of the digital or virtual world. He has seen teens come in on dates for a dance and text each other while sitting across from the table.
Personally I used to love talking on the phone, but if you ask a teenager to call one of their friends, they just give you "the look" and say that you are weird.
Then there is the problem of general apathy towards dating in among our youth. Many high school boys do not feel like they should waste their money taking a girl to a dance, movie, or other activity that involves spending money, and inexpensive creative dates are too "cheesy".
  Dances have changed drastically as well. This is because many of those that do attend formal dances have come to expect such extravagant extremes as a limo ride and a $600 dress.  Many local parents are willing to subsidize this lifestyle in order to give their children such experiences and keep up with the "Joneses".  Really... Prom does not have to turn into a $1,000 affair. Hence the apathy. Too many unrealistic expectations.  Unfortunately it seems as though ALL of the dances at the local high school have morphed into formal dances and it can get very expensive to have a "prom" dress every few months.
  Many girls I have talked to feel that dating is weird and awkward.  There is allot of confusion as to what the rules are in regards to who pays etc.  Many girls feel very independent and do not think they should date and are annoyed by boys who try to be chivalrous.  They are busy pursuing their education and careers.  It is just easier to "hang out" with friends than to pair off when they are in college.  Some more traditional girls feel embarrassed when they assume that since the boy asked and picked her up that he would also pay and then it turns out that she needed to pay.
  My oldest is still in High school, and I can only hope that by the time she gets into college that there are boys out there that have figured that gaming isn't nearly as much fun as an evening spent with a pretty girl.
  I guess I am just old school and a hopeless romantic.


Paul and I on one of many of our fun "cheap"dates involving just a camera and a roll of film... and us!

Flooded

More than a week ago it rained.  Allot. The new Patio that we had poured last month did NOT divert the water away from the house as promised, but directed water IN to the house.  Fortunately, we were in the process of pulling up flooring anyway, but the shop under the Family room  was taking in more water than before we poured the new patio.  Like 100 times more.  We started to move totes and boxes out to clean up and put sealant where the water was coming in.  It looks like we will be putting in a nice patio cover eventually, but for the time being our efforts to stop water from entering in have worked.
  We have cleaned up that flooding, but now I am dealing with a whole different sort of flooding.  Emotional flooding.  One of the Totes had all of my letters and notes from everyone except  my husband Paul from Jr high all the way into College.  I keep Paul and my letters together in their own tote, and get them out once in a while, but this one I have not gotten out and gone through in the 15 years that we have lived here.  I vaguely remember transferring  them from a cardboard box to a plastic tote about 10 years ago, but they have remained  tucked away in the corner of the shop and out of my thoughts until last week.
  I took a day and sat down and pulled out some of the boxes of letters and my journals and spent a rainy afternoon being a teenager again.  I would occasionally read some of the funny things aloud, which really annoyed some of my kids, but I wanted them to know some of the things that happened to me when I was their age.  I laughed, I cried, but most of all I was flooded with gratitude for my life and for those who came into it and touched it for the better. I counted more than 300 hand written letters, notes, greeting cards and postcards total. How touching it was to see physical evidence of the friendships that I had.

A lost art?

 
  To sum things up. Girls love letters.  They cherish them.... even the heartbreaking ones.  Write someone a handwritten letter, card, note or postcard today.  Everyone loves to get mail.

Remodeling the Remuddled

... I wonder how many building codes this one corner broke

This weekend we finished gutting our TV room and Kitchen.  Both of these rooms had MAJOR Remuddling issues.  The main original walls were well built and intact, but somewhere along the way things went wrong..... horribly wrong. Most of it looked like they went around to construction sights and gathered up all of the leftover wiring and used that to "claim" that our home had all new wiring (it was something that sold us on buying the house... knowing that we could sleep at night)   HA!

...Lets see... 1, 2, 3, 4, oh and lets put a few gallons of joint compound up just for good measure

.....I don't even want to know

This wall wasn't doing anyone any good so it is gone now  The older one behind it doesn't look like a two year old made it

Clothes as insulation... or hidden "evidence?  Hmmmmmmm

SCARY!!!!!!!!

Knowing that this was BEHIND a layer of sheetrock doesn't help.

Remodeling isn't for the Faint of heart

As many of you know, we are in the middle of adding on to our home.  Last Fall we dug and poured the foundation, hired a framing crew, had my Brother-in-Law do the siding, windows, and roof, and it pretty much looks like we are done........ from the outside.

The inside is a different story.  We can't park in the garage because it is more convenient to have that be the shop while working on the addition... Plus it's full of lumber and building supplies.  All the interior framing is done (finally), and some of the wiring, but that is just about it.  This is what happens when  your super busy husband knows that he can do the wiring better than the pros... it will be perfectly planned out and we will be able to sleep at night knowing that the house will not burn down in an electrical fire..... it.... just.. takes........ time.

It's OK, though since I am patient about such things and have no expectations of getting done with that in the next six months.  However here is where I think I step off the brink of sanity.  We decided to gut and remodel the kitchen and family room AT THE SAME TIME.  Yes, I believe that I am now completely INSANE!!!!   
I suppose that my thinking behind this is ." Lets just make a huge mess of Everything and then it will all be nice.... someday."

When we moved in
1996

Just before gutting

What it looks like this week.  Walls knocked down and beams added.

 As you can see it's a real mess.  We even had to take the floor all the way out in the Family room and down to the old 1X12's that run diagonally in the Kitchen.  I can't believe how much taking down just two walls has opened up the space.  I can't wait to spend time in my new space!!!  We decided to re-use many of the existing cabinets and paint them (because we are still working on the addition and need money for things like sheet rockers)  My Dad is building me this awesome little island to house the microwave and trash cans.  We took out this massive cabinet on the left wall and turned the hall closet into a pantry in the Kitchen.  I am thrilled that someday the new appliances , some of which have been in my front room for a year and a half will soon move into the kitchen and I will have a living room again Hooray!!!!

So what are we doing about meals and things?  Don't worry... we thought this one out.  Our home was one of those where the Government would give you enough money to build a basement so that you could save up and later put a main floor.  There are a few houses in the area where they never put the main floor on and it is rather odd to see a roof right on the ground.  last year we put in a kitchenette in the basement and things are working great down there.  It's a bit cozy for all six of us, but we did even manage to have Natalie's birthday party down there.  The cabinets are from IKEA and the kids are the dishwasher.  I cook on a portable induction cook top and we have a convection microwave so I can bake too!  We have been down there for nearly a month and I am actually enjoying the simplicity.

The basement Kitchenette

Why Take Family Photos?

I have this out of control hobby of Photography.  I've got a nice camera, lighting equipment, and editing programs.  However, it is somewhat ironic that I do not have an overabundance of photographs of all the members of my family.
  I do try once a year to get my family out for a family portrait sitting.  Of, course there is some murmuring and complaining, and alot of time spent in the bathroom getting people picture perfect, but I insist on making time to capture a moment in time together as a family.
Why?  Because I always want to be able to look back on the photographs and see how my family has changed.   I consider it an important part of documenting our families history visually.

What does this picture say about us this year?  Nicole is growing into a beautiful and confident young woman.  I look a little frazzled from running back and forth between the camera to set the timer (my old Canon had a wireless remote that was handy, but this one doesn't) I am wishing that I had lost just a few more pounds, but am happy to get this done.  Paul is working hard and has the grey hairs to show it.  It was funny that his Ralph Lauren shirt did not have buttonholes on the tabs at the sleeves... we didn't know this since this was the first time wearing this shirt.  Erik has braces and is proud of the fact that at 14 he is taller than his older sister and about to pass up his Dad.  Natalie is just starting Young Womens... and who knows if she will get much taller. Karl is as he has always been, just a little camera shy.

After we took the one that I knew I wanted on the wall we did this one.  I tried to capture everyone doing something that represented them.  Karl is holding a spyglass because he is always interested in looking at things and learning.  Natalie is writing notes in a book and being observant.  I am taking pictures, Nicole is sitting on a suitcase because she went to Europe this summer and loves travel and adventure.  Erik is wearing Boy Scout pants and shirt because he worked at a scout camp this past summer.  Paul is in the back looking at a map because he gives our family stability and direction.  I was very happy that everyone cooperated for this one.

I think the kids are smirking in the background :)

I encourage everyone to get together as a family often to capture what your family is like at a particular time.  Don't wait for you to lose that few extra pounds, or for it to be convenient, because it will never happen if you are waiting on things like that.  Capture your family in a moment of time so you can remember years from now what they were like.

It's Conference time again

This year the Neilson's are especially excited to watch LDS General Conference.  Our Natalie will be singing in the Primary choir during the Saturday afternoon session.  We got to go down last Saturday to the dress rehearsal and listen to them practice.  What a great oportunity it is for her!
  Those of you who know Natalie know that she loves to sing.  We could even pick out her beautiful strong voice among the approx. 200 other children.

We feel especially grateful, because a few years ago Natalie had to undergo numerous surguries to her ears and we are grateful that she is able to hear well enough now that she can stay on pitch with her beautiful singing voice. 
She turns 12 on Monday and is so excited to get to perform one more time as a member of the Primary before she moves on to Young Womens.

Crossing the Line

This morning my kids started school.    Everyone was very excited for their first day back from summer break. This year is different, though, we didn't pre-pay for the year's school lunches as we usually do.  Why?  Because the Government has decided  to step in and say what my child can and cannot eat in it's attempt to solve the obesity epidemic.  Well, that may be fine and good, but my kids are all underweight and need as many calories that they can get. I do have to state, that I am not a health food nut, I just think that there should be moderation... If we have soda in the house it is usually for floats.  If there are Chips, then we are probably having hamburgers or something.  I haven't banned white bread, but I do make my kids eat their veggies, and try to have balanced home cooked meals.

 I talked about the school lunch situation with my kids over the summer.  My youngest was very sad that the school would no longer be having the chocolate cake that he loved, (despite the rumors that it contained broccoli) and had vowed to bring his own chocolate cake to school.  My Oldest that spent some time in Europe this summer, said that Lunch should taste good, have fresh fruits and veggies, Artisan breads, meat,cheese and some sort of delectable dessert (a small piece) .  She is right, though, There is something in your brain that  NEEDS nutritious filling food that tastes good and satisfies.  There is nothing like eating something that tastes good and being able to say to yourself, "Mmmmmm that was good... now I can get back to my day."

Off to school with lunch bags and water bottles

I found an article that lets me know that I'm the only one that doesn't like this new plan.  TIME article: Parents, Principals Don't like School Lunch Rules

Personally, in schools around here I don't see an obesity epidemic. It would appear that most parents are doing their jobs and teaching their kids how to eat right and stay active.  I think that if school lunch tastes bad that kids are more likely to pick at their lunch, throw most of it away,  and then by the time they get home they are so hungry that they will reach for any easily available food that there is.  If there are chips, sodas, and sweets at home this is what will be consumed rapidly, in large quantities, because they are so famished.  So in my opinion, this plan of the governments to make kids healthy will backfire.  Me?  I will let my kids choose if they want to eat a home packed lunch, or  eat school lunch, but it sure is sad ther there is no more dessert.

Silver Lining

My brother gave me this frame a few years ago and I finally descided to do something with it.  It was very dated bright gold with flecks of red, so I descided to tone it down with a can of silver spray paint, a can of hammered brown spray paint, and some brown shoe polish.  Horray for spray paint!

Much too dated

A little silver added

Here is a $2.99 clock I made over with spray paint and a digital scrapbooking clock face Designer Digitals that I printed out.  It was for an "on time" award for girls camp, but I'm thinking I should make one for my house.

IKEA  clock makeover using Digital Scrapbook clock face

Here is another spray paint makeover:  I needed a chair for photography, and my kids had pretty much beaten up and abandoned this one.

beat up old chair

small scaled and perfect match to my background



Country Time

Dusk at the rodeo

I took my girls (and friends) to the Famous Preston Rodeo.  It was great fun to dress the part and be cowgirls for a day.


Horray For Smith&Edwards.. we look like cowgirls



Check out our boots!

Go Go Gadgets

I really like how you can have "Gadgets" on your desktop in Windows 7.  I love the Facebook Gadget that lets me see what all the new posts are without having to log in all of the time, and I can quickly "like" and comment on things without having to log in.  I also LOVE the Pandora gadget as I like to have a variety of music available at my fingertips.  The clock one is practical, and for some reason someone put the CPU usage one up and I never took it down.  The kids thought it was hilarious when they downloaded the "HAL" Gadget and like to randomly push the Hal button and get the Computer from the movie " 2010 a Space Odyssey" to say random things from the movie.
  I recently purchased a number of wireless Sony S-air speakers and have placed them throughout my home so that I may enjoy music, Recorded books and such throughout my home.  My younger two kids had the idea that I should play what we refer to as "sleepy time music" when it was time to go to bed.  New age and instrumental stuff that is relaxing.  This worked pretty well, except I thought it would be great to find a gadget that was a timer that turned off the computer.  It was a good idea in theory.  It was pretty easy to find a gadget online, download and install it.  I entered the countdown  and selected the sleepy station I had set up in Pandora.  This was going to be great.  I could slip into bed, relax and the computer would turn itself off in half an hour.  Soon I was drifting off to sleep in a calm and soothing musical environment breathing deeply and being nearly engulfed in waves of sleep.

BWEEP BWEEP BWEEP BWEEP BWEEP!!!!! Sirens like something from a star Trek episode made me jump out of bed looking for attacking Klingon's.  The darn timer had an alarm to warn that it was about ready to shut down It was about three times the volume of the music playing.  So much for drifting off to a sound slumber.
 

Seeing Clearly Again

I finally took Natalie in to the eye doctor last month (she had been squinting alot) and her glasses came today.  Horray!!! she wanted these new ones that you can turn the sides to show a different design.  What will they think of next!

Click photo to see what the other design is 

I think it is good to get a clear perspective on the world once in a while and see things as they really are.

Toys in the Yard



My yard is under construction... it has been for the last 40 years, I suppose, judging from an ariel photo taken in the '70's. that it has never really been all landscaped.  It's OK we kind of live in the country, but for a photographer who dreams of being able to take portraits in her back yard there is allot of work to do before we get there.  That said, we just put in a pond in our back yard, and I have been having a great time playing back there.  I pulled out some of my Old-School toys  and went out back to play.



Pond with reflection



With Polarizing Filter You can see the fish and rocks



You can also use a polarizing filter like a ND filter to slow your shutter speed





Normal shot

What the sky does with a polarized filter

close up of water lily



favorite front yard flower



Had to mess around with the aperture to get the focus right



Burn Barbie, Burn

There are those days that I find myself wondering if my children are normal, or if they just take the art of learning and exploring the world around them a little too far.  A few years ago when my oldest son was in Webelos (scouts) they had a ceremony where they got his neckerchief wet with water and rubbing alcohol and lit it on fire.  There were lots of ooohs and aahhhhs and I thought that was the end of that.  Fast foreword a few years and one day I overheard my children discussing doing their own experiment using water, rubbing alcohol, and fire. (They are all either little scientists or Pyromaniacs... or both)  First they talked about using a stuffed animal and decided that they couldn't part with one...because our beloved Neighbor is the one that gives them stuffed animals (beanie babies).
Next was a long discussion about the material that different objects were made of and whether or not they would ignite since they don't absorb water.
They all came to the conclusion that Barbie would make a good test subject, and that it would be especially exciting if her hair started on fire.  Natalie didn't want to part with any of her Barbie dolls, so when we were at the store today she found a knock-off Barbie for $1.
Here is the note that she left for her sister:

click to enlarge

...All in the name of Scientific learning.

FHE Ideas

I'm always looking for new ideas for activities and lessons for Family Home Evening.  Most of the time we try to do something on Monday night, or another night of the week as a family.  Many times we simply watch something on TV as an activity, which is really kind of lame.  Here are some of the fun things that we have done:

• Family Fun center (mini-golf/laser tag etc)
• Launching model rockets/air compressor rockets
• Engineering night
• Playing Wii as a family (I like 100 pin bowling)
• Board games
• Cooking some tasty treats... and sharing with our neighbors
• Family Home Depot ... this is one we do allot since we are always in the middle of some sort of home improvement project ( Trip to Home Depot to buy building supplies with a gospel discussion in the truck and then a treat after)

• Another thing that we have done, which is new, is to read Missionary Blogs.  It's a new thing that some Missions in the church are doing.  Check out some of them Here:  Official Missionary Blogs  It's really neat to see what these young Missionaries have to say about their service and the Gospel.  Besides the teenagers don't mind learning about gospel things, especially when they involve computers (...we're kind of nerdy at our house)

What fun things have you done for FHE?

I hear a voice, but I don't recognize it

I have a 14 year-old son.  Last summer he was about 5'6".  This summer he is 6'1" and still growing.  There is an additional change that I am getting used to.  His voice.  When I am in the other room and he is talking I don't recognize it.  It is so deep that I often have to tell him to speak louder because I can't understand him.  His sisters have the same problem too!  Sometimes I mistake his voice for his Dads, and then things get really confusing.  I'm sure that  with time we will all get used to it (and he will get used to his own voice).  In the mean time I will find myself wondering, on occasion, who the grown man in the other room is....oh wait... that's my teenage son!

Letting them Fly

Tomorrow I put my oldest baby on a plane.  She is going on a whirlwind tour of Europe on one of those school trips (with her cousin, Aunt, and Uncle) I think that is the one big reason that we are letting her go.  She will be surrounded by people that care about her when her parents can't be there for her.  We found out this week that her phone that we bought (for this trip) will not work in Europe, and It will be a little harder to communicate, but I am so excited for her to go.  I have never been to Europe, but I think this is a great opportunity to help her descide what direction her life should go.  She has always loved to travel and learn about things.  (She is the only person that I know that can name every country on the planet)  She will try to update her blog when she gets to a hotel with a computer and you can  get there by clicking on her Photo on the right. or following this link

Nicole's Blog

  Good Luck Nicole.  Your Parents Love You Very Much!

Couldn't Find What I Was Looking For...So I Made It Myself

click photo to enlarge

My Neighbor, My Sister, My Friend

My Neighbor Donette and I at a DUP Jubilee

I have to say that I live in a pretty great place.  One of the things that I love is the really great women that live around me.  I have learned so much from them, just by their example.  Nearly everything that I have had struggles with, one of my older associates has had to deal with too.  I am nowhere near being perfect, but someday I hope to follow the great examples that I have around me.  Here are just some of the greatest lessons that these amazing women whom I associate with have taught me:

• Listen to others.  Sometimes someone just needs a listening ear
• Make a fuss over a young mothers children.  It makes them feel so good and realize how precious this time in their life is and that it really is worth all the late night feedings, piles of laundry, and fatigue that comes with the job.
• Keep something in the freezer you can share. You never know when someone may need it
• Volunteer....well... somebody has to
• Speak up.   Right wrongs.  Help others.
• Get together and have fun.  Most of the time this needs to include good food.
• Love your Neighbor

Our Neighbor Donette invited us to her property

My neighbor Donette, in particular has shown me the kind of person that I want to become.  Someone that truly loves those around her and blesses the lives of many.

The highlight of summer is going  down the neighbors 100 ft slip and slide

Donette takes us all out for ice cream

Going on a hike with Donette near her Property in Idaho

We came home to an easter suprise on our steps

This year everyone got bunny goodie bags

We just love all of the ladies in our ward, and especially our dear neighbor.  I hope that as I get older that I can be a great neighbor, sister, and friend, because I have had the best example of what that should be.