Reflections of the week.

It was a good week.

Finished!

Well, we're finally done!  Yes, Mike hung the valances for me.  I originally had 2 valances and had to alter them and make a 3rd one (over the kitchen table).

This is the 3rd one I made...dont look too close!

Ahhhh, nothing better than a completed project...now on to making Bryce's costume....fun times;)

Celebrating Sisters

Is there such a thing as "Sisters Day"?  Well, there should be...therefore I deem today "National Sister's Day"!  Just because I want a special day to recognize my sisters.  Today is Linda's birthday and since I already shared stuff about her and how special she is...I want a chance to talk about all my sisters.  See this plate?  When Linda was in the hospital for the last time and I went down to visit her the first thing she said to me is "Lisa, go into my spare bedroom and go into the closet and there are 4 plates I made for you girls for Christmas, please make sure each of the girls get one." So, this really was a good-bye gift from her to each of her sisters....that's us!

So, today I'd like to celebrate these 4 special women in my life, "The Angel", "The Giver", "The Actress" and "The Artist".....My Sister's!

The Angel ....of course is Linda and I know that she is watching over us now that she has passed on and she keeps me in line...I feel her presence and influence in my life....she reminds me to be gentle, loving and forgiving. (she's sitting on my left in this pic, oh, I'm the one in the middle)

The Giver....That's Dorothy, she is the most giving person I know...always always doing for others...when she walks into a room I think the first thing she does is scan the place to see what needs to be done and then she does it.  She is always the first one to play with the kids and do the dishes and just do what needs to be done...she is also the most understanding person I know...and I've never told her this but she reminds me of Jennifer Aniston with her funny quirky kind of sense of humor...that beautiful comedy sort of way... i love her dearly! (she's the next in line and is the one with the longest hair in this pic)

The Actress.....That's Regina, she truly is an actress...always has been since we were young.  I remember going to her in plays in high school.  She is extremely talented in many ways.  She brought great fun into our lives as kids....always acting, dancing and singing....a real "Drama Queen"(remember "Johnny Angel"?go to my playlist and click on song#2) . She was always my protector too when I was young. Whenever she's around you can count on being entertained.  She is a lot of fun and is also a very loving person...love you Regina! (she's sitting on my right in this pic)

The Artisit....That's Theresa, we are 2 years apart and fought like cats and dogs growing up.  Now we are the best of friends! Talk to her at least twice a day.  She got all the creative talent in the family...not fair!  She really is an artist..can make just about anything and turns it all into gold!  She is my baby sister so she is just special because of that....plus I like to pick her brain for ideas as often as I can. She also has the sweetest most sensitive heart! Love you madly! 

(she's the one in the back wearing black)

 

And here we are again...We like to have a good time together, can you tell?   Linda always made sure of that!  We havent had a complete sister's weekend together since she passed on, but we need to make sure we do it again....soon.  So, here's to my wonderful, beautiful, funny, loving, and sweet sisters!  I love you guys!  Happy National Sister's Day!  You guys Rock!!

Just a couple more

Just because I knew you were dieing to see it and I felt so guilty keeping it from you....this one's for you Theresa.  The boy's bathroom where Bryce painted.

And let's not forget that I also painted the hallway, yes, the entire hallway and yes, by my lonesome and yes, I AM quite talented!  LOl!

Couldn't wait

Okay, I couldn't wait any longer to show off my fine painting skills!  Here's a view from the family room area into the kichen dining area. I love the way it makes the crown mold and baseboards pop!

Here's a veiw of the kichen area (dont forget to look up above the cabinets, yep...I did that too!)

Here's the family room area ( you can see my valances just waiting for me to alter and hang them....ugh!)

Here's a close up of what my valances and pillows look like.

And here's the fireplace area.

Okay, so nothing spectacular but, I like the way it all turned out.  I'll like it even more when I finally get my valances hung.

Thank you for visiting..Have a great day!

Happy Birthday Michael William!

Well, guess who's turning 20 today?  Actually, in Australia the 19th was yesterday.  But, in the USA  20 years ago today I went into labor with this cutie-pie!  Funny story.......We were living in Fremont with Mike's folks saving money so Mike could go back to school. It's Monday and it's President's day so Mike just happened to be off of work that day.  I wake up early in the morning with labor pains and after a conversation over the phone with my mother we decide it's time to go to the hospital, well, by the time we leave I am in hard labor.  So, my mother in law decides that she needs to drive us because Mike needs to be there for me and not driving as I am FREAKIN OUT by this time.  So, we all pile into the grey oldsmobile and off we go to the hospital to have Michael.  So, a little while later there is a knock on the door at home and it's the police...my brother in law Jeff answers the door and "say's can I help you"? ...the officer says, "does the owner of a grey oldsmobile live here"?  Jeff says, "yes, that's my mother but she's not here"...the officer says," there has been a reported kid-napping in that car....someone saw a woman driving the car and a man holding another woman down in the back seat and the woman in the back seat was struggling and crying"....Jeff just laughs and says, "oh, that's just my sister in law in labor, they're driving her to the hospital to have a baby"!  LOL! Fun Times!
Michael was born at 11:24 am on February 19, 1990 and has been a blessing in our lives ever since....and today he is just where we hoped and dreamed he would be, doing just what we hoped and dreamed he would be doing when he turned 20...so far so good!

Still at it!

Well, as you can see I'm still at it.   Here I sit on the top of my refridgerator painting the wall above the cabinets.  I tried to tell Mike last night that I couldn't reach but he just looked at me like..."ya right, and I can"...then he proceeded to show me where I could have done a little better...can you believe that....don't even go there Mr. Perfectionist!   So, I guess if he's gonna keep going to work everyday like he does then I guess I'll have to continue to find a way to get all the painting done myself.  I hate painting...but I love the way it is looking.  I have to pat myself on the back for choosing a great color.  Bryce has been helping..here and there..actually he rolled out the bathroom and did a great job.

 But today we decided to take a break and go see that new movie, "The Lightening Theif" and I have to say it was a pretty cool movie.  But then we came back home and I went back to my painting.  I know it's taking me a long time but I guess that's just the way I roll!  I'm almost done now.  I still need to alter my valances that we had made for our last house to fit the windows so hopefully that wont be too big of a projet and I may be able to post pictures this weekend.

Well, keep your fingers crossed!

Making the Pasta with Sophia's help.

Lots of Love today!

A delicious meal!

And a deck of cards (thanks Marty Party)

Makes a very Happy Valentines Day in the Nelson household.

(sending lots of love to Australia today)

5 Phases of Marriage

Through the passage of time, marriage goes through some predictable phases.

PHASE 1 - PASSION

You're head over heels in love and ecstatically happy that you've finally found your soul mate.

PHASE 2 - "WHAT DID I SEE IN HIM/HER?"

This second phase is a really difficult one. This is where reality sets in and you realize your partner has flaws, some of them serious....arguments start and you may find yourself wondering what you ever saw in your partner in the first place. Add to this disillusionment the pressures of daily life and no wonder problems start to develop.

PHASE 3 -"EVERYTHING WOULD BE PERFECT IF MY SPOUSE CHANGED"

You feel that everything would be fine if your spouse changed some annoying behavior or trait. The sad part is that some couples stay suck in the phase forever.

After a while, couples make 1 of 3 choices.

1. give up and decide to divorce

2. give up and decide to stay unhappily married.

3. decide to learn how to have a healthier and happier marriage.

PHASE 4 - ACCEPTANCE

In this phase you realize that you're never going to agree with your partner on every issue. You learn to become more tolerant and forgiving.

PHASE 5-PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE

You find peace and harmony together. You start to genuinely like your spouse and start to focus on your partners virtues rather than continue to be obsessed by his/her faults.

You feel proud of the storms you have weathered together and now have a shared history.

By now the kids are probably older and more independent. You can now focus on your marriage and eachother again.

What once looked like an insurmountable problem could be nothing more than a phase.

(I can honestly say that I have spent time in each one of these stages...Loving Stage 5!)

The Mantle

These little Valentine's bags are for each member of our family to put their valentines treats or cards or whatever they want to share with eachother in.  But what I really wanted to share is the color of the paint we have chosen for our family room and kitchen to be painted.  Ordered the paint, now it's just doing it.....It only took us a week to figure out what color to use (after 10 samples).  Now we'll see how long it takes us to actually DO the project....stay tuned and I'll post the finished project:)

February V.T. Message

Cute idea for Visiting Teaching this month on "Managing finances and staying out of debt" you can go to http://www.sugardoodle.info/joomla to get the pattern. These cute little purses have a message by Elder Robert D. Hales written on the flap along with 5 coins which have 5 key steps to financial freedom printed on them. I also plan to add some candy to these little purses.

Another cute idea is this framed quote by Boyd K. Packer that my sister gave me a while back, it is also fitting for this month.  She just printed up the quote on velum and put it on scrapbook paper and framed it.  "Eat it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Or do Without!"

 

Just some thoughts

So, today was sunday and I was so excited to go to church.  I love the feeling of going to sacrament meeting especially on fast sunday and sitting and listening to all of the testimonies being born and just being spiritually fed.  I loved it as usual and felt very thankful for the wonderful ward I get to be a part of.  Then I got to go to class and teach the 14/15 year olds.  I love this class so much.  These kids feel like my own especially since one of them is Stephen and then of course the rest are kids I feel like I've known forever.  However, I dont feel like a very good teacher.  I always leave there feeling like I need to do better.  The kids these days are so much smarter and inquisitive than I ever was at that age.  They truly will be great leaders of the church someday.  Then last but certainly not least I got to read Michael's email that we get each week.  This is where it all came together for me today.  That boy amazes me.  I am constantly in awe of the young man he has become.  His letters are always so uplifting and inspiring.  He has been very blessed to have wonderful companions and serve in wonderful areas on his mission thus far.  His perspective is always positive in spite of any trials they may be having and he always encourages us to live the gospel more to it's fullest.  I am feeling extremely blessed and yet extremely inadequate at the same time tonight.  I know that the Lord loves me and is aware of me as I have witnessed many of his tender mercies on me especially over the past 6 months or so.  I guess now it's my turn to do my part and exercise my faith in what he says he will do as I put my trust in him.

Goofy in Love

Remember when you were all "Goofy in Love" and you couldn't wait to get married?  Ya, well so do I and this is what we looked like.

A project for Bryce and I

So, whenever Bryce is off track it is always hard to find enough projects to keep him busy and not bored.  I hope this one he likes.  Now it's just choosing a color.

Choosing paint color is the hardest thing to do.  The first time we painted the inside of our house we chose a really bold gold color, kind of like the first one you see here.  We painted the entire living room, family room and kitchen. Then in the middle of the night I woke up in a panic!  What have I done!!  It took some getting used to.  This time I want more color than Mike does, but  then again the finished project always looks so different. It's been a tough decision.  I think we have made our choice but now I am scared to death to go and buy it for fear I will do that panic thing again.  Well, I hope Bryce likes to paint!

Memories of an "Angel Sister"

Today marked 3 years since we lost my sweet sister Linda to cancer.  She was a wonderful daughter, mother, aunt, grandmother, sister and friend.  She was an example of love, tenderness, beauty and sweet spiritual strength.  I will for the rest of this mortal life look forward to the day I will be able to embrace her again in the eternities...I pray I may live my life to earn such a great reward.  I have been blessed with a few tender moments of her presence since she has gone and I know that she is not that far away.  I am thankful for her influence in my life and for the many heart to heart talks we regularly had especially during the last few years before she left this mortal life.  Although I know she would not have chosen to leave her husband, children and grandchildren when she did, she was prepared to do so when the call came, and that is very comforting to know.  I feel honored to have shared a place in the same family she grew up in and for her example, guidance and presence in my life.  I am thankful most of all today for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life that lets me know that Families are Forever!  For the truths of the plan of Salvation that we have today because of the work of a great Prophet of God.  How thankful I am to have been born to a family where the Gospel could be part of my daily life.  I am eternally grateful for the great honor and privilege it is for me to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I am truly blessed! 
I love you Linda and I cant wait to see you again!

Nacho's, Rock Band and a Movie

Stephen asked me if he could have a few friends over on Friday night for Nacho's, Rock Band and a Movie....I reluctantly said yes:)

So, here's Taylor, Andrew, Cummorah, Kaithlyn, Christian, Bryce, Sophia, Stephen (looking a little too cozy with Courtney...hmmm) Seth and Miles or (Gibby)

Bryce just had a good time observing...these crazy creatures called "teenagers".

Everyone took their turn playing rock band...it was sophia's first time and she became obsessed!

This was one of the highlights for me, when Taylor started rocking out like this...that girl knows how to have a good time. 

Every class has a class clown and I have 2 and here they are...Andrew and Seth....HELP!

Movie Time!

Then I asked all the kids who brought a cell phone to raise their hands...what teenager doesnt have a cell phone that's what I want to know.
(Getting ready to paint and put up some window treatments...will post pictures when I'm done)