A special time with cousins

     On Sunday we had Mike's brother's family over for a special family dinner. We were celebrating the last fast Sunday with our nephew and cousin Jordan Nelson. He's the one in the green shirt.  He stands about 6'2 1/2".  He's a great kid.  He has had a rough road behind him to get where he is today, but he did it!  He is ready to serve a fulltime mission and he's been called to San Jose California.  Since we are all originally from Northern California we think it's pretty great that he is going there. 

But we had a blast Sunday night spending time together as an extended family.  We talked a bit about missions and missionary work and then Jordan spent some time sharing with us his decision to go on this mission and some advice to the younger boys who have not gone yet.  It was a really great time together and a special moment for all of us. 

These kids have grown up together since they were just tiny babies.  They are close in age and close in heart. They are a bunch of fantastic kids and their parents couldn't be prouder of them.

Oh yah, and Adam Hogge (in brown shirt) who has always been a part of the group.

We had a lot of fun taking some updated shots of the kids and of course Coleen and I had to sneak in a picture too.  It's been 23 years of watching our kids grow up together and having fun on vacations

and supporting eachother thru all the ups and downs. 

 We are very blessed to all have eachother!

New Schedule

6:00 Get up and get ready for work
6:45 take Bryce to Seminary
7:15 Leave for work with Michael
7:45 Michael drops me at work and goes to school
5:00 Michael picks me up
6:00-7:00 Make dinner
6:30 pick up Bryce from football
7:15-8:00 WALK
8:00-9:30 Hang out with the boys
9:30 Scriptures and Prayer
10:00 Bed!


Now if I can actually keep up with this schedule it will be a miracle:)!

p.s. Michael really needs a car of his own!

Back Together!

     So, there is just something about having your whole family together in one place.  Just your family and no one else!  There is a peace, a wholeness and a fullness of joy that comes with it.

  So, this past weekend Michael came  home from Alaska and he was excited to be coming home and we were excited to have him back home again.

     With the boys all older now, it is so wonderful to see them show love towards one another and to go out of their way to do things for each other.  Stephen had left earlier on Friday for St. George to play his first football game of the season against Dixie High School.  So, we decided to make a weekend of it and so we made reservations to stay there overnight.  So, after I got off work the rest of us drove to St. George to attend the game and spend the night.

The next morning we got up, had breakfast and headed to the Temple to do baptisms.  It was the first time our whole family had been in the temple together at the same time doing the same thing.  It was really special and just a bonding experience for all of us.  To know that each of us was worthy to be there preforming ordinances  was so rewarding to me.  I pray that this will always be the case.

We headed back for home again after that as Bryce had his first football game again back home that evening.

I am so thankful to have my family back together again!  Life is complete!

Summer is fading

I cant believe the summer is almost over already.  It has been a strange summer for me now that I am working.  I have had just a few days off this summer but they didnt feel very "summerish".  I wished that I had been able to take a trip to California.  That would have felt more like a vacation to me. Hopefully next spring or summer. 

Bryce and Stephen have been keeping busy with football and camps and such.  And Mike of course has been working out of town during the week so it's been a little weird around here.  Mom left for Theresa's the beginning of this month.  She was a huge help around the house and luckily without Mike around to have to cook for, I've been able to keep up on the house even though I am working.

We are all looking forward to Michael coming home from Alaska.  He has had an interesting adventure there.  He is really looking forward to coming home though.  I am excited to talk to him and hear all about what he has learned this summer.  He is my big communicator! I love that about him.  He will be here to stay for the school year anyway.  He is thinking about transferring to another school next year and so I have a feeling this may be his last stretch at home. 

Well, the boys start school in a couple of weeks already!  Stephen will be a senior this year as student body president and a captain on his football team.  Bryce starts his 9th grade year.  I can not believe it.  Before I know it Stephen will be leaving on a mission.  But he needs to get a job and earn some money this summer and then get a year of school in before then.  It's gonna be a busy year.  I am looking forward to our expenses going down with Stephen out of high school.  He is an expensive teenager!

Mike continues to work his butt off.  Always busy doing something productive.  He is such an inspiration to me.  He has always been a man to respect and admire in my eyes.  I am very blessed to have him in my life!

I continue to love my job and am so thankful that it is so uplifting as I serve other people there.  I am also working as an advisor in yw so I get to be around the girls and teach them a couple of times a month.

So, summer is fading and fall is upon us again.  So, much to do and so much to look forward to.  I love my family more than words can say and I can feel the ability to slow down and take it all in these days.  I have truly been blessed with the joy of watching my children grow and walk in righteousness.  Even as I strive to overcome my own personal trials and weakness they continue to give me strength and hope for the future.

What happened?

Okay, so apparently I accidentally deleted my last post!  I'm so mad because it took me months to actually post an update and then I go and delete it!  Oh well.  So, I thought I would drop by and tell you that the Nelson family is doing well.  Hanging in there.  Mike is working now and we are soooooo happy!  In fact it looks like his job is sending him to work in Springdale for a month or so.  He's thankful to be working but not thrilled to be going there since the average temperature is 105 or something like that....at least!  Plus he has to stay down there all week long and come home on the weekends.  Since he has been in his new calling as 2nd counselor in the bishopric, he is usually gone all day Sunday.  So, now when he comes home on the weekends it's basically Saturday and that's about all we get!  However, they are trying to work m-th and come home thursday night.  So, we'll see how that goes. 

Life is busy this summer. Michael is in Alaska (with the only camera we have around here) driving a tour bus.  He is working hard, enjoying the experience and missing home. We are really missing him here too.
Stephen and Bryce are conditoining for football Mon- Thurs.  Stephen has been to a couple of Leadership Conferences already.  Bryce just got back from Scout Camp, his last one I might add.  This week both the boys go to YM Camp for our Stake.  They are having a Mini-MTC experience.  The have each been called on a specific mission.  Stephen has been called to Somoa and Bryce to Australia.  So, that should be fun.  Then we have the 4th of July coming up.  The following week both the boys go to Snow College to Football camp for the week.  Then Bryce will be off to EFY at the U of U the following week.  Whew!  Lots to do, Lots to do! 

If you scratch my back I'll scratch yours!

Today as I sat in church next to my 3 boys, as I was engrosed in listening to the speaker,

I glanced over and saw my boys leaning over eachother, lovingly scratching and rubbing eachother's backs.

I smiled inside and felt a lump form in my throat as I realized that my sweet, fiesty and rugged little boys had all turned into big, strong, loving, and tender men!

My cup is full!

A going away party

We had a going away party for Adam on Monday night.

Sophia made this shirt that says, "I survived the Nelson's"

for him and we all signed it!

We played the "Adverbs" game again.

This one was the best! The word was "seriously"

and the two biggest clowns were asked to act out the word as they were in the Jungle

swinging from the trees with the monkey's!

Oh my gosh! Can I just tell you ....I seriously needed to pee!

The word was "Closterphobically"

My boys!

Don't ask!

Bryce showed us the Hip Hop dance he is learning at Charisma.

Here he was trying to get Sophia to let him flip her.

And here after 3 times of practice with

Michael and Adam to catch her,

she finally let him flip her! It was awesome! I cant wait to see his

performance in May!

Adam and Darcie

Grandma and Sophia

Jeremy, Amy, Jessica and Adam

Grandma and Grandpa

We had a great time!  We're gonna miss you Adam!