Easter Sunday Family Photo 2013

Easter Sunday my Dad (Randy Nelson) took this picture of us.  I'm surprised I remember how to access my blog it's been so long since I posted.  Just checking to see if I remember how.   

Maren's Birthday Gift

For Maren's birthday we gave her some horseback riding lessons.  She was allowed to pick a friend to go with her and she picked Sidney both times.  I'm so thankful they have such a good relationship and hope it stays that way for the rest of their lives.

No way!  Dean's first post is found below.  I guess some people get started blogging super young!!

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Tournament of Kings in Las Vegas!

Every year we spend Thanksgiving in Las Vegas. Jon's Aunt Judy and Uncle Terry always have a delicious Thanksgiving meal and we usually catch a movie and try to get a live show while in Vegas. This year we attended the King's Tournament at the Excaliber. They offer a show with horses, fighting, fire, dancers, etc. You watch it while sipping tomato soup, then eating a whole roasted chicken, potatoes, broccoli and dessert. All of this you eat with your hands just like in the medieval times. The kids had a great time, especially Dean sipping his huge Sprite. :)

My Blog is Going Private

Please email me or message me on Facebook with the address you want me to use to access our blog. Sound good? Until then . . . .

P.S. - Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!!! :)

Soccer Mania

This weekend concluded our family's soccer season. Sidney, Maren, Wells and Coach Jon all had another enjoyable and successful season.

Sidney has been a player on the "Pink Panthers" for the last 5 years. She has enjoyed the friendships and wonderful soccer knowledge she has gained from Coach Daniel and Assistant Coach's Christine and Sam. This is their final year together and they really went out with a bang taking 1st place in the U11 Girls championship tournament. Go Pink Panthers!! It was such a wonderful experience to see those girls so giddy after the game was over. We will miss this special group of girls and parents at the soccer games. Pink Panthers Rock!!!!

Jon coached Wells' team the Grizzlies again this year and had some great assistant coaches to help share the experience.

Maren had her 2nd year with WC Sol. Last year she was offense and this year she has decided she enjoys being a defender better.

Fort

I let my kids make a fort tonight, they had so much fun. I tried to not think about the mess they were making. I've certainly gotten more fun haven't I?

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my little stinker

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We got an egg!

My kids (Maren especially) love pets. They have been asking for various types of pets for most of their lives. We have a few small pets but they still want more. Jon and I thought we would see what it was like to have chickens. Why not have a pet that gives back to you. So these chickens have entered our lives. We have Tweeters (Ancona), Blackberry (Plymouth Rock), Pineapple (Buff Orpington), Peanut (Auraucana) and Cookie Dough (Rhode Island Red). They came into our lives in May and yesterday we found our first egg. Yay! Now we just need to figure out how to get them to lay them in the nesting box. :)

This coop Jon and I made ourselves. We had a youtube.com instructional video we followed and made some adjustments as needed. We also received some feedback from a few friends. Many thanks to all who encouraged us. :)

Peanut on the left, Pineapple in the back and Tweeters in front of Pineapple. Blackberry and Cookie Dough were not in the picture.

Maren was quite pleased to show off our first egg. Now we will have to see what they taste like.

Showteam

In May, Sidney dislocated her radius during a gymnastics Showteam practice. Showteam is a choreographed gymnastics group that performs together. My girls really enjoy it. We took some time off from gymnastics this summer for her to heal. Before we took some time off, Sidney was able to be involved in a National Universal Studios event. The amazing Coach Caroline rearranged the group routine so Sidney could stay safe, yet still be involved while her injury healed. We all had a great time.

Dean & Hayden Saying Farewell

Hey world! I think I'm going to try to start posting again. Did you miss me? I took some serious time off after getting a new computer and not being familiar with it. I'm now learning how to operate in the Mac world.

Here is my first post after an entire summer. Dean & Hayden said farewell to one another. Hayden came over the day they left and brought a special framed picture of the two of them. They have been the best of friends. We were luck enough to be able to visit them in Utah for a short while this summer. It was nice to see them again and we certainly hope they love their new adventures in Utah.

Yum

Today I took the kids to get their first chocolate dipped ice cream cone. I think Wells may have liked his the most.

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Introducing.......

Our new family members, Peanut, Tweeters, Cookie Dough, Pineapple and Blackberry.

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My Beautiful Mother

You make being a Mom look easy.

These words reflect what I have come to know and love in my Mother:

Beautiful, resourceful,

encouraging, accepting,

makes me feel special,

role model, resilient,

motivating, spiritual,

recognized in many ways,

teacher, leader,

fun,

enjoyable,

appreciative,

as a child and to this day I love to see her with the wind blowing through her hair when going on a boat ride at Lake Minchumina,

talented,

she makes herself available to me, for which I am thankful, in this busy world,

helper, cook,

kind, giving,

but most of all,

My Mother.

Thank you ,Mom, for caring for me these many years

I love you.

Lake Minchumina by Sidney Isom (Age 10)

There are lynx,

their paws padding on the forest floor.

Black bears towering above me.

Mosquitos humming,

buzzing by my ear.

The chirping of the young fledglings,

like a song of peace.

The fresh toasty waffles,

and the juicy, mouth watering spam,

like they are more,

than the best thing in the world.

I smell the silent burning firewood,

It's smoke drifting upward.

I walk outside and feel the dew dipped grass,

wave between my toes.

And those crackling leaves that crunch beneath my feet.

There,

in Minchumina,

I am very happy.

Small World Isn't It?

This Saturday we took the kids to clean the church. It was our turn on the cleaning rotation and we had one of Maren's friends along who may have thought she was on a (lame) playdate". The kids were helpful enough so after we were done cleaning we decided to let her (Maren's friend) pick the place where we would treat the kids to some lunch for a job well done. She decided on Burger King. (We distinctly got the impression she does not eat fast food and sadly, our kids can name 4 fast food places. I should probably include this parantheses in my FAILURES post a few posts back.) :)

So! We (5 kids/2 adults) are sitting in Burger King, which was not very busy, eating our food. My seat was facing the counter and across the table from Jon and I glance up and see somebody sitting in the chair to the left of Jon.

NO WAY!!!! It was "The Store Who Shall Not Be Named Stalker". Do you remember that post a few posts back?

How could it be? I'm certain he had no idea he was sitting by us. I was amazed he was so close in proximity to us. At first I thought I would pretend I didn't notice him. Then I started to think, I wonder what he was thinking? Why did he behave that way? This could be my only chance to find out what his take on the experience was.

So I let him finish his burger and planned to talk with him as soon as he was done. He got up to leave incredibly fast so I ran after him outside into the rain and asked him to please explain his behavior. He said he was sorry and that he thought I was so beautiful. He said he considered writing a letter to me saying he was sorry. I told him it is uncomfortable to be followed around and I hope that is not how he normally conducts himself. I told him the manager at the store said he had no prior incidences which was a positive thing and I told him I hoped his job wasn't in jeopardy because of me. I just wasn't sure how handle that circumstance. After the conversation I felt I had found resolution.

Today I decide to go to the store and see him immediately as I walk in. He is busy and turned the other way so I zoom right by. I'm pretty sure he didn't see me. I am in a tall aisle and see him walk by. He doesn't notice me and then realizes who I am and he turns and comes over and says "Thanks for caring about me losing my job." I said "Your welcome, I didn't want to mess with your life but I did want you to know that behavior is not OK." He says goodbye and I say "See you around".

I think this chapter of my life shopping experience is now over. Do you think the lesson I am supposed to learn from this is that I need to be more assertive? Maybe it would have helped me if I had dealt with the experience right then and there. What would you have done?

Yay! Free Chuck E. Cheese Tickets

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Chucky E. Cheese Continued...

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Dean, Hayden & Chuck E. Cheese

Little guys singing and dancing.

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