Announcing ......

Here is the first glimpse of our newest addition. March 21st is the baby's official due date. Ella is really cute and keeps hugging and kissing my bulge and is really hoping for a little sister. Grant thinks it should definitely be another boy. In fact he thinks it would be great if we had 10 boys and then another girl. Dallin seemed to like the picture, but really doesn't get it. I am 12 weeks and 2 days along according to the ultrasound, so in 8 more weeks we we find out (if the baby cooperates, that is). I will keep you posted.
So, does this mean that I get a little slack for not updating my blog for the past couple of months? I can always use a good excuse.

Boring Blog

Every time I go to our blogspot (not very often really, just to check the 2 links that are private), I think to myself, "our blog is so boring". I think that is because I rarely update. Maybe our family comes off as mysterious, because nobody ever gets to know what we are up to. No real mysteries here, just busy trying to keep up with the 'essential's - food, clothes, house ...' I already feel guilt from not keeping up with my expectations (which, honestly, seems pretty meager right now). When I take time to blog, I feel even greater guilt. Some of those 'not-so-good-at-blogging-bloggers' will understand what I am going through. Without delay, I will breifly tell you what we have been up to:

1. Our house in St. Louis has almost sold - hopefully by this time next week we will be the happy owners of just 1 mortgage.

2. We have had lots of company - 1 live-in family guests and several overnighters. Two or three of my sisters and my mom are coming this weekend. (Here's the guilt setting in again as I remember the list I have made to prepare).

3. I have been battling a sinus/chest infection since December, my doctor tells me 'less stress'.

4. Grant is now reading chapter books and loves riding his bike. He even crashes, a lot and doesn't seem to mind. He will finish the 1st grade on June 3rd. Tomorrow will be his first field trip and yesterday, he informed me 'it will be the best day of his life'. (They will be touring a creamery and eating icecream before lunch).

5. Ella is attending a preschool/playgroup put on by 5 different moms in my neighborhood. When she comes home, I always ask her what they did and the first thing she reports on (without fail) is the snacks. She is always asking to have friends over. She has a collection of 'treasures' that she found up the canyon and is going to open a museum. Children will cost 1 penny and adults will cost 2 dollars. Ella has an explanation for almost everything, it's cute to hear her tell me why something scientific happens without using any actual science. She has cut the hair off a stick horse and a string to her blinds - yes, this is in addition to cutting her hair a couple of months back.

6. Dallin is a very determined sweetheart (most of the time - lately, he's been going through a taking away phase that is not so sweet). He refuses to eat most actual food. He will always eat candy and snacks and juice. He mostly eats yogurt, provolone cheese, milk, cereal, pancakes, waffles, and peanut butter (on the spoon). He sometimes eats noodles, bread, string cheese, and granola bars. That's about it. He's not really talking much. He loves to play outside and with other people. He loves to watch movies. He loves to eat other peoples toothbrushes and put on everyone else shoes. He loves little cars and plastic animals. He loves to be tickled and danced with. And he loves his bath time.

7. Paul is getting up early every single morning (quite a feat, if you know how much he likes to sleep in) to commute for an hour to work and an hour home. He gets home at 5ish and tries to get to bed before 10. He's already been awarded 3 different bonuses for his outstanding work. He worked really hard at making a memorable mothers day for me (breakfast, presents, dinner, flowers - the works). Our kiddo's love him. We take a few minutes to cuddle with Grant and Ella each night and they always fight over who gets to cuddle with him. (Of course, he doesn't really cuddle and talk about their day - you know, calming them down just before bed - he plays keep away with their blankets or wrestle. Sometimes our time is done and they complain that they didn't actually get to cuddle with daddy.)

8. We are attempting to grow a garden, get rid of a zillion wasps and a zillion weeds. We love living a mile from the canyon and Paul has taken the kids on several bike rides. We have a horse pasture in the lot behind us. We feed them carrots and apples. Paul and I have been to the Temple more than once and we have the sweetest little babysitter who lives 2 blocks away and whom my children adore.

By the way, our family picture was taken at Christmas time by my sister Jessi. We originally planned on using them for late Christmas cards and then 'we have moved' cards. I guess, I should just post it here so it gets some viewers. Thanks Jess, if I remember right, we all froze our booties off that day - you most of all, since you were taking the pictures.

Fun with Hair

Ella donated 10 iches to locks of love. She has been talking about getting her hair cut ever since I showed her a picture of her friend Abby who got her hair cut. I do love her long hair, but I wanted her to decide. For a long time, I would say, "If you cut your hair, you can't have any ponytails on the side of your head." (Her favorite style for a while was ponies.) Well, one day, she decided to cut off part of her 'pony'. Miraculously, her cut ended up being close to her face and just looked like a cute layer. However, I expained how ugly (yes, I used the word 'ugly' - mostly for shock value) her hair would be if she cut off her ponytails. Then I forbade her from using sissors again until she was 6. Meanwhile, I read my friend's post (Melanie) about her little girl chopping off her hair. Also, I realized that it would really be to her benefit to practice using sissors. Waal-a!!! A new 'short cut'.




Ella absolutely loves her new 'short cut' and has never muttered a word of regret. Admittedly, I too, love how fast washing and doing her hair is. Plus, I think she is adorable. At the grocery store she kept trying to hide and when I asked her why, she said, "I don't want anyone seeing how cute I am because they might want to take me." (A couple of weeks prior, she was doing full body poses whenever people walked by because, "I want them to say that I'm the cutest girl in the store.")




I was way overdo for a haircut and decided to pick a style that was easy. Lori and I both agree that my hair looks even better in person, but here it is.

New Home

What I wish I had done was take pictures before the boxes arrived, because, yes, my house looked better bare rather than cluttered (its' current state). So, rather than embarrass myself with current pictures, I am posting pictures that the appraiser took.

New Home Pics

This is the Front



This is the basement




This is the Kitchen





This is a layout of the basement





This is a layout of the main floor

Excitement at the Nelson Place

First off, we bought a home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I put lots of exclamation points to show just how excited we all are about that. Our home in St. Louis is still looking for an owner. We have high hopes that it will sell soon.

Second, many children, grandchildren and even a few great-grandchildren will be meeting in Boise to celebrate my grandmothers 75th birthday this weekend (Ella and me included). All of my sisters and two of their brand new babies will be there.

Third, my sister Lori is moving to Logan in two weeks. I'm still trying to convince her to stay with us for a bit.

Forth, (not really exciting, as in hooray; but emotions did flare) Ella has been particularly sneakily naughty (and is actually on probation to attend the party this weekend). In the past 4 days she has: bit Grant 3 times, put on a diaper and Dallin's clothes, drawn on herself with a pen to make herself look like a kitty (whiskers, stripes, paws, claws ....), put the white sugar in her closet and ate spoonfuls of it (she is currently off sweets for the week after her biting episodes), smeared bum cream all over her legs (said she thought it was my lotion). It seems that she is out of sorts.

4 Weeks in Transition (and counting)

I usually use my blog to keep family and friends updated on how my kiddo's have grown and mostly use pictures. Our camera has been sent in for repairs and so I have decided to just let you use your imaginations. (I do have a lot of old pictures to post, but will work on that later.) Wednesday marks 4 weeks that we have been in Logan. We have been finding our groove and enjoying new things. Last night Paul came home and shared a song he heard on the radio that day during his 2 hour commute (1 hour each way). We listened and danced and my heart melted (as well as my eyes - a rare moment). Here is the youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN7_qbOpuWs&feature=related

Dancing has always been a passion of mine and somehow it has been passed on to Ella - so, I totally relate to the song. The part I found most touching was the reality that these moments with my children would become distant memories one day. Well, actually, the part I really found most touching was that this song impacted my sweet husband. I love watching him love my children and seeing how they adore him. Yes, I do find it a little hard to swallow that they all love Paul more than me - but, mostly, I am complimented in my choice of finding them a great father.

So, on the note of memories, I thought I would post a few of ours. I think I will just list them for sake of time.

New things:

1. Cute little Zoo 10 minutes from our house - our whole family got in for $3.50 and we parked 10 feet from the entrance.
2. Grant's school allows kissing (but, luckily, Grant has entered the 'girls are yucky' stage.)
3. Living close to Paul's cousin and trading babysitting. We even got to celebrate Thanksgiving with them and Paul's Aunt Sara and Uncle Des.
4. Gossners dairy factory. They make milk that can sit on the shelf for a year in all different flavors (evcn rootbeer). I am lactose intolerant, so I think it made me a little sick but my kids liked it.
5. Providence library. Just think of a small town library and you get the picture. I would estimate that it is no larger than 1500 square feet. The librarian's are very friendly and one even pulled out 15 different 'LDS culture' videos for me to pick from when I asked what they had available.
6. The canyon. I've only really seen it in the car, it's even pretty when it's covered in bare trees.
7. Parks. On the warm days we have ventured to several parks in Logan.
8. Carpooling to Grants school each day. We only started this yesterday, but it has been a life saver. Getting the kids all ready, down 3 flights of stairs and to Grants school by 8:45 proved challenging. Now, I just pick up in the afternoon.
9. Dream Dinners. A local make and freeze dinners store. They actually were sweet enough to compile the dinners for me and they are pretty tasty but more work than I anticipated. Also, I tend to set of the fire alarms whenever I broil. (Paul's work is paying for our food this month, so I decided to try something more healthy than eating out.)
10. Paul and I have new callings in our new ward ... joint Sunday School teachers (15-18 years).
11. Dallin has been to the nursery 3 times and only got upset on his first visit.
12. Apartment living and trying to keep our little herd from annoying the tenant underneath us. He is very tolerant and understanding - we apologise whenever we see him and he never complains.
13. Grant and Dallin share a room and do wonderfully. We tried to let Ella share with Grant and she kept him up (and us) for hours - this is a much better arrangement.
14. Great Harvest Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread. Yum!
15. I have joined the masses and have my very own Cell phone, but not a lot of minutes so I've really only used it on the weekend when minutes were free.

I think that is enough for the new stuff. Another fun list I would like to document is the injuries (and potential injuries) we have sustained in such a short time:

1. I rolled my ankle on the bottom of the stairs. Seriously thought I had broken it because of pain (I know, I am a wimp). This doesn't sound so terrible until you think of the 3 flights of stairs I had to get Dallin up and down twice a day (before we started the glorious carpool).
2. Dallin had a serious case of 'bottom burning diahrrea' flu. It lasted 5 days. We spent a lot of time in the bath and watching Baby Einstien movies while his bottom dried out. Needless to say, he is now a movie addict and requests them all day long.
3. Ella punctured her eardrum with a Q-tip. If you want all the details, she would be more than willing to tell you. Basically, she convinced me she was old enough and obviously wasn't.
4. Grant has a cough that doesn't want to leave.
5. Paul has been perfectly healthy.
6. Okay now for the potential injuries - Ella has eaten and fed chewable vitamins to Dallin (only 2 for Ella and one for Dallin but he had two in hand). Ella has also been caught with one knee up on our balcony (remember that we are 3 stories up) with cement patio awaiting her fall. Also, she was trying to climb our balcony a second time - just feet on the wall, but still. And a few days later, Ella was kneeling on her window seal with the window open and touching the screen (still 3 stories up but with bushes awaiting her plummet).

On with the adventure!