Playing catch up

 Some pictures from the past year:

Danny & Alex played soccer Fall 2012

Alex & Danny's birthday party at Jack & Jill's

Alex's & Dan's super powa!

Isaac playing football for Timpview 5th grade

Michaela before Sweethearts Dance

Up on "Y" Mountain- 2012

Rock & Mineral Show 2013

Failed Easter egg hunt at BYU

About to go swimming, Spring Break, Las Vegas -2013

Red Rock Canyon, West Las Vegas

Danny finds a crevice

No! It's my turn!!

Old Fort Las Vegas

Ranch House built by Mormon settlers

Isaac receives Arrow of Light-2012

Tess- Las Vegas Temple

M&M factory (we bought cheaper candy at the grocery store after- $13/lb????)

Trey and his pal Alex

December 2010

We had a good December. I wanted to do more activities to feel the Christmas Spirit. One of the first things we did was go to the Nativity at the Provo Tabernacle on the first weekend in December. My brother Mike called and asked us if we wanted to go with them about five minutes before we left the house. So we decided to meet there. There were sheep, a miniature donkey and cow and a camel! The little ones sure liked petting the animals that one might have seen in the stable. We went inside and watched a presentation about the Savior's birth. It was beautiful. We really enjoyed the night and came home to drink hot chocolate, eat treats and have fun with my brother's family. Sadly, not too much later the Provo Tabernacle burned so badly it is now just a husk of a building. We were very grateful to get this last opportunity to be in the building.

I was able to finish up two more stockings with the help of a good friend in Pleasant Grove. When I first had the opportunity to make them I figured I would only need eight. At the time that was one extra for the amount of family members. Well, we now have ten which meant I needed 2 more. Luckily Karen saves every scrap of fabric and there was just enough to match the original stockings. It felt great to have these completed.

We attended a wonderful family Christmas party and enjoyed everyone's company but sorely missed those who weren't able to be there.

We also went to a work party where we were able to have pizza and play laser tag and a game of bowling. The kids really enjoyed that, even the littlest ones.

Christmas Eve we had a great time eating yummy treats, acting out the Christmas story, going to the cemetery to leave a candle and opening up new pajamas. We also opened up the last present from the 24 days of Christmas my sister Alison put together. Many of the days in December we would tell a Christmas story, sing a song and open a gift. The kids really looked forward to that time.

Christmas day was nice to be together and enjoy the excitement from the children. We went to Grandmas for dinner. I will never bring punch again as it cause too much stress. : ) Michaela and I played our flutes together and we listened to John play his cello. We had a fun break from school and are enjoying the new year.

Thanksgiving

We took a trip up to Washington this year for Thanksgiving to visit Paul's family. The trip up there was pretty decent. We had farmed the three oldest kids over to Uncle Jerry and they rode up in his van. We must have brought the snow with us because there was a decent snowstorm which had the Washingtonians in a dither.
We enjoyed a nice visit at Grandma's house playing games, watching movies and eating yummy treats. We had Thanksgiving dinner at Uncle David's house and had amazing food provide by Aunt Claire. We went up to Fort Worden on a very chilly day, but had great fun exploring the bunkers and walking the beach in the blustery bone-chilling breeze.
We had to extend our trip by one day because of the snowstorm in Id but we had a great time and it was fun to see the family.

August

I have to say entering the month of August, it got a bit more crazy 'round here.

Michaela and Trey attended Marching Band Camp for two weeks. Bryce, Isaac, Tessa and Ronny went to 2 sessions of swimming classes. We started soccer season for Trey, Bryce, Isaac and Tessa. School started last Tuesday and I got called to be in Primary as second counselor (over Cub Scouts).

I haven't been to see the horses very often although I had good intentions of having my colt green broke this year. Guess we shall see if that happens. . .

Paul and the kids went up to their cousins and went wave running. Hopefully there isn't too big of a bill attached to that activity, heh.

Ronny will be starting Kindergarten in another week. He seems really excited. I am hoping he is not like Trey who said on the 3rd day of school that he didn't like it so much and he'd rather stay home.

I am looking forward to some quieter afternoons when the lil' boys are napping: )

oh Mama!

just calculated that we have changed 40,000 diapers since becoming parents. . .

We've had some fun things going on at the Nelsonranch. Bryce, Isaac and Tessa enjoyed basketball and Spring soccer. Most of the soccer games were freezing cold though. Isaac was excited to sign up for baseball because then he would be playing three sports!!
Bryce has moved up to 11 yr old scouts and received his Arrow of Light for cub scouts. I will miss having him in Webelos.
Trey made the percussion line at Timpview and will be playing cymbals. He seems pretty excited about that.
It seems really crazy that school is almost out and that we have lived here in Provo for almost a year. It seems longer. Maybe because everything is so familiar and the people here are great.
The horses have shoes on and I am looking forward to wearing them out this summer. Any of you who are able are more then welcome to come ride with us- just give me a jingle.

Random mumblings

It has been a looong winter. Thankfully, I haven't thought about it until the last few weeks. But now I am ready for it to be sunny and warm, so that we can do more things outside and Michaela and I can go ride the horses and go to the park and get sunburned and chase the little boys out of the street and swat a million flies because the door was left open and plant a garden so the dogs can rip it up and mow the grass!!!

We've just been surviving. We had a few birthday parties in the last couple months. Danny and Alex got WALL-E's from Grandma N and PJ's from Grandma A and lots of cars from Grandpa A and Patti.

We are looking forward to Spring Break- hoping we do some fun things together.

Trey and Michaela have had some band concerts. Trey is totally hyped about percussion. He plays the piano everyday.

Bryce is doing an after-school program building robots with a group. He and his cousin Ryan are on the same soccer team. Isaac cheered when he was signed up for baseball while he was playing basketball and soccer (Paul finally has his all-around sports kid).

Tess is loving school and passed off her third grade words list (she is in 1st grade still :P)

Ronny continues to torment the lil boys and vie for mum's time.

Sledding time!!

I am shocked! It has actually snowed in Provo enough to go sledding a couple times. I hear this much snow has been a bit unusual though, we must have brought it from Elk Ridge:D

Christmas 2009

We had an enjoyable Holiday time, relaxing from school, work and the regular routine. Paul and I went to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert with Natalie Cole as guest singer. Mike and Lauren came with us (after a practice run the week before-lol). It was beautiful!
We were able to walk through Temple square and see the lights.

We enjoyed our ward Christmas party and Danny proved to be the bravest in the family going to sit on Santa's lap.
We made Christmas cookies for the neighbors and decorated a gingerbread house. Paul took the kids to a movie. The kids enjoyed bonding together as I finished up the shopping. We had a great Christmas Eve get-together at Mike and Lauren's. We ate yummy food, opened some presents and enjoyed a rendition of the Christmas story by all the little ones. Too bad Paul missed that, as he was rounding up our lost dogs from the police station:/
We had a nice Christmas morning, opening gifts and eating some tasty sausage casserole and buttermilk pancakes. Later that day, all of the family came for dinner. More good food!! Danny popping in a DVD!

Finally to conclude the wonderful Holidays, we had everyone over for New Year's Eve where we played fun games, laugh to Brian Regen and you guessed it. . .ate more yummy food! We yelled in the new year and sang a beautiful version of Happy Birthday to my sis, Rebecca. Good times!

Twin tornadoes

Danny & Alex

So, my sister Sarah, says to me: "Which one is more of a troublemaker?" I replied that they don't really get into much. . . and then after a bit I said, "Okay, maybe Danny."
I must have been feeling a little delusional after all the Christmas candy!
The next day this is what I enjoyed.

Trip to WA

Michaela and I decided to stay home from the annual trip to WA state for Thanksgiving, but since there was a cameraman on duty I can document the trip a bit.

(During my week off, Michaela and I went to ride the horses FIVE times and I was able to sit on Comet for a bit twice. We also had fun hanging out with each other doing miscellaneous things).

While in WA, Paul and the kids enjoyed Thanksgiving at Grandma's, going to a few museums, the park, the beach and seeing some live reindeer (again).

I couldn't resist posting this cute kid
Alex and Danny were sure this was real food and were trying to eat it.

How would you like to sleep here?!?

Hmm- a navy shipman- I always knew he wanted to be in the military. . .
"Ka- BOOOM"
Umm- the boys are "panking" this poor statue . . . some one gave them a bit of encouragement
- sigh-

Ronnie passed out on the way home

Isaac is leading the boys in an entertaining version of "Popcorn"

Grandma Myrtle Tingey Andrews Johnson

My grandmother passed away this morning around 4:30 AM. She was a strong woman all the way to the end. This picture was taken a month ago when we all went to see her. We will miss her. She is a great woman and I am thankful that she was my grandmother. I will miss all the stories she told about Mike and I. Love you forever Grammy!

Summer flew by faster than a zephyr

I guess August has been pretty busy. Summer wrapped up rather quickly with the start of soccer practice, band camp, registering at three schools, preparing for school and sending the kiddos off to school.

Tessa is now officially going to school full time. She is in first grade this year. Isaac and Bryce apparently got their mug in the newspaper. The article was about how budget cuts in the schools were affecting bus transportation. The bus wasn't going to pick my kids up here, (and I was going to drive them to another school instead) but some moms threw down and we have a bus after all.
Tessa, Isaac, Bryce, and Trey are playing on the rec. soccer teams. Michaela is playing on the freshman soccer team at school. Tessa scrums right in there with girls two head's taller.

I didn't think I take an Isaac incarnate picture but. . .. . .here is Danny after he got into Michaela's make-up. I have a picture of Isaac after he got into Grandma's lipstick at about the same age.


So three weeks after we moved here, I thought to myself: "I need to tell Mic and Trey to quit feeding Ginger so much. She's getting fat!" Well. . .it wasn't long before I realized Ginger was pregnant. . .again! The roving Alaskan Malamute couldnt stay out of her pen in Elk Ridge and well, the rest is history. Last night Ginger had six puppies.
Any takers??

Day at the park and Ronnie's couple stings

We took a little trip to an old favorite place- Rock canyon park. We had fun playing on the slides, rolling down the big hill, and soaking up the sun. Tess and Ronnie found a little snake. It was fun listening to their little squeals as they tried to capture the beast.
I got this picture right as my batteries died. I was trying to get the boys to look at me but they were watching another vehicle pull into the park.

We visited the Dodson's on Sun evening. While we were there, Ronnie found some new friends, a yellow jacket nest. He got 7 stings. His poor little hand is swollen from the stinger that had gotten left in his skin. He has been fairly tough only waking up last night crying because it hurt.
It's pretty crazy that summer is winding down and we are starting to prepare for school. Michaela is attending Band camp at the school for the next two weeks. I can't believe I am a band parent. . .I am so excited for her and I hope she enjoys the opportunity to be a part of such an awesome group.