Dorothy and Nacho

Happy Post Halloween!  We had a pretty low key Halloween this year. It was pouring rain all day and so we weren't even sure if we were going to be able to go trick-or-treating. However, the rains stopped about 4pm so we were able to go! Unfortunately, most of our neighborhood was banking on there not being any trick-or-treaters due to poor weather, so the number of houses that were passing out candy was slim.
So this year Charlotte and I read "The Wizard of Oz" together. She 's wanted to be Dorothy for Halloween ever since then. Don't judge her costume too harshly. I have little time these days for costume making and that tutu got finished about 30 minutes before we had to leave for the trunk-or-treat the weekend before Halloween. Did I mention that Joanne's was out of the blue tulle I needed and had already made half the tutu out of? So, I had to improvise with the white tulle I had in my closet. Not what I was envisioning, but hey...it's dark when they go trick-or-treating, right?

C has a bit of a flair for the dramatics. She insisted I take a few pictures of her "posing." Here is here "scared" face.

J was Nacho Libre this year. Adam and I went to Cozumel and found the mask while we were there. I did not even get a picture with the mask though because he never wanted to wear it.

Picture of the kids with their cousins and friends right before they went out for the night.

Run or Dye

Adam and I did our first 5K on Saturday morning. We went with his dad and sister. We did a color run and it was a lot of fun.

 Waiting around before the run. My father-in-law couldn't wait to get us all with dye.

We had a blast and only one regret (we didn't bring our kids). Next year we plan on doing it again just to bring them. The atmosphere was very family friendly...there were lots of kids there and mostly everyone was walking. 

 Adam had a sweet dye line when he took of his "sweatband." That pink dye on his head also didn't come out very well. Many people have gotten a good laugh over his pink head for the past two days.

Becoming "Free," I mean "Three"

J turned three this past week. He pronounces three as "free." He has been so excited to get bigger so that he can walk beside the cart at the store instead of ride in it. When he woke up on his birthday morning the first thing he asked me was,"Can I walk now?" I couldn't say no. Too bad turning three doesn't make him magically stay right next to me the entire time we're at the store. I have a feeling I will be giving him lots of reminders.
We had a little family party for him on Saturday night. He chose hot dogs, salad and chips for his birthday dinner.

 Daddy made J's birthday cake this year. For months he has been asking for a new Lightning McQueen car. He has lost the 5 other ones that he's owned. He is obsessed with the Cars movies and toys. He plays with his cars all of the time, but it's just not the same without Lightning McQueen. I'm not sure what happened to the other ones he has had because we never let him take his toys anywhere. I keep waiting for the day we find a Lightning burial ground. Anyhow...Daddy made him a race track cake to put his new car on.

 There was no theme to the party, but there probably should have been since almost all the presents he got were Jake and the Pirates toys (another favorite of his). He loved getting all the new characters to play with.

It was a fun birthday for him. This kid brings so much joy into my life as well as adventure. Like when he swallowed a penny last night! He never ceases to amaze me with the things he says and what he does!

One-on-One

With Charlotte being back in school, I have gotten in some good "Mommy and Jonas" time which I am extremely grateful for. I have to confess that the night before Charlotte went to Kindergarten I had a little"life didn't turn out quite as I planned" breakdown. It was really teeny-tiny with just a few tears falling...no sobs or anything. After Jonas was born when I was in the throes of hormones and sleepless nights I announced that I was done having children. Two was all I could handle to be a sane mom. As life settled down, and I got into the groove of two kids I thought, "I'll have another one right before Charlotte goes to Kindergarten." I figured that would give me no more than two kids at home during the day, and I could handle that. that had been my plan for a few years.

So, here it was the night before kindergarten, and I realized that it was just going to be me and Jonas at home all day. I love Jonas, and it wasn't disappointment about spending time with him that I was feeling. It was more just disappointment that I don't have another child yet.

During the past few days of us at home together, I have become grateful for this time that I have alone with him. I still want more children, but it has been neat to have the kind of one-on-one time with him that I had with Charlotte when she was a baby. I never really had that with him before. Charlotte was in pre-k last year, but it was always during the busiest part of my day and not really long enough to do anything with him.

It has been fun doing activities together (like playing with shaving cream) that we normally don't do because he is playing with his sister.

I am so grateful that Heavenly Father sent me this boy, and that he has given me some special time just with him! I know that I am always going to look back on this time with joy and gratitude for the lessons he has taught me and the memories we've made.

Hello Kindergarten!

Charlotte started Kindergarten today. She was "a little bit excited and a little bit nervous. Excited to go, but nervous because it's all day." She wasn't sure she'd be okay away from me for that long. (I wonder if we feel the same way before we come to Earth...Anyway...)
She is going to the same elementary school that her daddy went to, and I think that is pretty neat.  All of his siblings went there too. When I was standing at the school waiting to pick her up afterward with Jonas and a girl I babysit sitting in a stroller a man said, "Well, you're going to be doing your part to keep this school busy over the next few years aren't you?" Instead of telling him that only one of the kids was mine I thought about how Charlotte is the 6th Nelson to go to this school and that if her cousins don't move in the next two years then there will be a total of 9 children from our family to have attended that school. I think that is kind of cool.
The report that came back from her at the end of the day was a positive one. She loved school, and she was so busy that she didn't even notice that she was gone from me all day.

Become as Little Children

In Matthew 18:3-4 Jesus says,"Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." I have been pondering this a lot lately and looking for examples from the children around me and here are some of the things I have learned.

Children are quick to sincerely forgive.

Jonas has taught me a lot about forgiveness. He is a pretty independent and curious little guy which frequently lands him in trouble. Some days I handle it well. Others, not so much. There have been a couple times where I have lost my temper. I always feel awful after I do this. Every time I have approached him to apologize he greets me with a big hug and "You are happy now?" Never does he turn me away, ignore my apology or bring up past offenses. His concern is always with how I am doing, not how he is feeling or doing. I think there is a lesson to be learned there about forgiveness. When someone offends or wrongs us, are we concerned with their happiness and healing the hurt?

Children are humble.

When my children need help with something, they are always quick to ask for my assistance our guidance. They enjoy to learn how to do things for themselves and like to try accomplishing things on their own, but once they realize they cannot do it alone they ask for help. Sometimes I think I don't go to my own Father in Heaven for help quickly enough. I sometimes exhaust ever other resource before turning to him for help. I need to remember his counsel that "ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless be of good cheer, for I will lead you along"(Doctrine and Covenants 78:18) and follow my children's example to turn to him and let him lead me along.

Children are loving.

Anyone ever notice how kids want to be around other people most of the time? Very rarely do I hear either of my children say,"I just need some me time" or "I just want to be by myself." Instead they are begging, "Can I help you with the dishes? Will you read me a book? Can I come with you? Will you play with me? I can help you wash the windows." Children want to spend time with those they love. My kids roam around the house just looking for whatever person will let them join them in what they are doing. They frequently don't care what the activity is, but who they are with.  How important to let those we love know we love them by choosing to spend time with them.

I am so grateful for children. Not just my own, but all children. I know that there is much we can learn from their examples and that they are precious to our Heavenly Father.

These are just a few of the ways my children have taught me. What have your children's examples taught you?

C's 5th Birthday - Part 2

A Little Family Get Together on Her Birthday

We have a tradition that the birthday person gets to pick what they want for dinner on their birthday.  Doesn't everyone have that tradition?  This year Charlotte asked for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and mashed potatoes...so that's what we had.

We then opened up some gifts.

 Happy to get a glove and ball to play with Daddy.

 Pink boots...a dream come true!

For the past few months Adam and I have been building a Barbie dollhouse for Charlotte.  We gave it to her on her birthday, and she was pretty excited.

 This is how it looked when we gave it to her.

 After she placed all her Barbie furniture in it.

I think her 5th birthday treated her pretty well!  It's so hard to believe that she's been a part of our family for so long.  She is so helpful and happy.

C's 5th Birthday - Part 1

Charlotte's Web Birthday Party

Charlotte wanted to have a Charlotte's Web themed birthday party this year. A few of her friends came over the Saturday before her birthday to celebrate with her.

They ate some yummy pig and spider web treats.

Charlotte sitting next to "Charlotte."

This girl was happy to pose for the camera all morning.

The birthday girl with her party guests.

Make a silly face!

What the Samaritan Woman at the Well Taught Me

     During the time of Christ's ministry on the Earth, there was much animosity between the Jews and Samaritans.  The Samaritans were a mixed people that were decedents of "foreign colonists placed there by the kings of Assyria and Babylonia and Israelites who escaped at the time of the captivity" (Bible Dictionary).  Due to this their religion was also mixed.  The Samaritans had claimed a share in the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, but this was denied them and they became bitter opponents of the Jews.  The hatred between the two people grew so intense that Jews would take a longer route when traveling between Judea and Galilee to avoid the Samaritans who were considered "more unclean than a Gentile of any other nationality"(Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 172).  

      However, Jesus Christ traveled through Samaria and stopped at a well where he met and spoke to a Samaritan woman.  Due to the relations between Jews and Samaritans she was surprised and I imagine a bit confused that Jesus spoke to her.  She responded that "the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans" (John 4:9), yet Jesus continued to speak with her and share personal things he knew about her and her life. He then invites her to partake of his living water which is symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ and his teachings and how it is necessary for us to obtain eternal life, just as water is essential for physical life.

  This teaches me two things about Jesus Christ and how he feels about me.  First, Jesus does not care whether I am a man or a woman, where I was born, my age, or what color my skin is.  What he does care about is whether or not I choose to follow him and live his gospel.  This is how he feels about all of God's children. "And he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile"(2 Nephi 26:33).  This scriptural account of the Samaritan woman also helps me to better understand that Jesus Christ knows me.  Just as he knew of the woman's five husbands (John 4:18), he knows that I have a husband and two children, that I worry about balancing all my responsibilities and still giving enough attention to my children to ensure that they know that I love them and that Heavenly Father loves them too, that I have a strong desire to be obedient, that I also have a weakness of caring too much for having a space of my own to spend lots of money decorating it.

     Which brings me to my next point, in Jeremiah 2:13 it says, "they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water." These broken cisterns represent all the things we may fill our lives with trying to fill what can only be filled by the Savior Jesus Christ.  But like the broken cistern, no matter how much of these things we add to our life they will always leak out eventually leaving us feeling thirsty.  I haven't shared much on this blog since Adam lost his residency position a little over a year ago.  It's been a difficult experience and one that is hard to share.  The experience left us often feeling vulnerable and worried about how others may be judging us, and it is not easy to give out details about the biggest trial of our life. I hope that what I do share, you will accept with kindness and understanding since this is my life I am talking about. Perhaps as I begin to write on this blog again I will be able to share more over time, but tonight I want to share a bit of what I am learning from this experience about broken cisterns. A year ago our lives (or what we had imagined our life would become) was ripped out from under our feet. We spent months trying to figure out what the new plan would be, what career Adam would pursue if podiatry did not present itself as an option any longer (a story for another day), where we would live, how we would pay of student loans on a non-doctor salary, would we be able to afford more children, would I have to work full time, the list was endless.  We've figured out somethings and are still working on others (boy have I had to learn patience with the Lord's timing).  When everything fell apart, the one thing I could hold onto was knowing that Heavenly Father loved me and had a plan for me and my family. I knew that as long as I held onto the covenants I had made to do what God asked me to do, that in the end me and my family would be okay.  Suddenly, it didn't matter what color we painted the walls in our home, whether or not I should put Charlotte in swim lessons, or whether Jonas's comforter matched the room's color scheme.  

    Some days I forget. I get angry that this has happened. On those days I sometimes pull out my broken cistern and think that if I buy some new clothes for the kids, or could just have my own place (We're living with my generous in-laws), or go on a fun vacation I will feel better.  These things would help for a few hours or days, but that cistern sure does leak, and I find myself still just as empty or angry as I was before.  However, at times like these I try to remember the Samaritan woman at the well. As she came to know the Savior better, she was filled and was able to share that knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Savior with those around her.  I know that the only way to truly feel filled in this life is by coming to know Christ and live his teachings.

Halloween

You know what's nice?  Being able to go trick-or-treating without coats.  That's what we did this year!

So last November we read a book called Little Bo Peep Can't Get to Sleep.  It was a few days after Halloween and C informed me that she wanted to be Little Bo Peep for Halloween next year.  I thought for sure she would forget about it and want to be something else by the time October came around, but I was wrong. 

J still didn't quite get the whole dressing up thing so I decided to milk the themed costumes one more year before he was an opinion about it.  I made him a sheep costume, but he kept taking off the ears so lots of people thought he was a cloud.

We went around the neighborhood with the cousins.  All the kids were so excited and ready to go get some candy!

Time Out For Women - 2012

I'm entering my second week of taking care of sick kids.  Last week Jonas and I both came down with a stomach bug.  I was a little concerned because I had tickets for Time Out For Women and did not want to miss it!  Luckily we were both recovered by Friday, and Charlotte was showing no symptoms.  Well, she tossed her cookies 15 minutes after getting to school this morning so I turned my car back around to go get her and here we go again!  I am however very grateful that all was well over the weekend and it truly was a "time out" from all the sickies!  :)  The timing couldn't have been any better.  Oh, and I'm not a bad mother neglecting my sick daughter.  She's sleeping quite soundly to her recovery on the couch right now.
So last year at the end of Time Out for Women they showed a schedule for the upcoming year.  One in Houston AND one in Atlanta.  I thought, "Wouldn't it be so nice if I had enough money to fly down to one of those places and go to TOFW with either my mom or my mother and sister-in-law?"  But, alas, I know that would never happen so I gave up the dream...
Little did I know that my world was going to turn upside down in the next year putting me in Houston right during TOFW!  So, this year I went with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law.  And can I just say that I hate writing the "in-law" part because I feel much more connected to them than just through law.

I was also fortunate to catch up with my dear friend, Shalon, from Cleveland.  Before I even moved to Houston she had planned a trip there with her mother.  It was so wonderful to see her again.  She brought a card with her made and signed by my wonderful friends from Ohio that just made my heart want to burst with joy and gratitude.

As I was sitting there with all these wonderful women beside me and thinking about all the wonderful women I know I felt a strength from and unity to all these amazing women who have touched my life.  They have all helped create who I am in different ways and are imprinted somewhere on my heart.  I also thought about my mother and all of her that is in me.  Then I wondered how much of that came from her mother, and her mother's mother.  What things do I do or stand for that come from generations of mothering?  What do I experience that those who passed on before have experienced as well and how much of their angelic legacy gives me strength to do the things I do each day?  I couldn't help but envision how a net is made from the connection of all these women flowing to and from me in different directions.  We are creating a net that "seeks the good" and catches the falling tears and broken hearts in the world.  It is a net of nurturing and mothering that I believe is one of Heavenly Father's greatest protections for mankind!  I am so greatful for this and more determined than ever to be a little better and do a little more for others.

It was an inspiring and fun weekend. The speakers were funny and encouraging.  I saw friends that I hadn't seen in years!  I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to go and for what I learned this year.  The theme was "Seek the Good," and it was such a blessing to remember all that is good in my life and to make a new committment to seek the good in all that I do!

The Boy's Birthday Bash

Jonas turned 2 last week.  We had a little birthday celebration here at home with the family.  I made him a dirt cake with some construction trucks on it.  He was so excited to play with his trucks that he didn't even finish eating his cake.

I don't know what it is about little boys and things that go, but this birthday celebration had a very specific theme without being planned.  All the gifts he recieved were cars,trains, tractors or trucks or had something of the kind on it...except the shoes that Aunt Lippy gave him.  When he opened that present he just replied, "No" and moved onto something else. 

I just love this little boy.  He is so full of life and energy.  He's beginning to talk like crazy, and it's been fun to hear him articulate the thoughts that are in his head.

First Day of School

Charlotte had her first day of school on Monday.  The preschool we were going to send her to in Ohio was only 3 days a week.  The one I was able to get her in here is every morning and at the elementary school.  It was a little hard for me.  I felt like I was sending her to elementary school an entire year earlier than I had planned.  She absolutly loves it though!  She was so excited the first day.  She picked out her clothes (a pink shirt to match her back pack).

We call her hair style "Micky Mouse Ears."  That morning she insisted I do them to match her Minnie Mouse backpack! I love her!

Second 4th Birthday Celebration

When we got back from Georgia, all our Texas family wanted to celebrate little girl's birthday as well.  C loves the Fancy Nancy books.  Anyone read them?  They're really cute and VERY Charlotte. 

Mimi and Poppie had the brilliant idea to have our own little Fancy Nancy Party.  In the first book Nancy gives her family lessons on "how to be fancy," and they they dress up to go out to dinner at a not so fancy restaurant.  So, we all dressed up fancy and went to celebrate her birthday at Cici's Pizza.  We were the fanciest people there...and I'm sure they thought we were movie stars!

Charlotte and Hailey were the fanciest of all!

 The fancy girls with Mimi.

 We're so fancy...especially Poppie (he remembered to eat with his pinkie up).

They're practically as famous at Brangelina.

I learned from Fancy Nancy that sunglasses are always "fancy."

Now, if anyone knows Charlotte, they are well aware that she wants to be a ballerina when she grows up.  I was thrilled when I captured her facial expression as she opened up her present from Mimi!  She was so very excited!

 

 

Can't have ballet shoes and not show off your "tippy-toes" skills.

Happy Birthday sweet Charlotte!