2012 Family Pictures - The Many Faces of Eli

We took our yearly family photos in August and we got some pretty darn hilarious shots of Eli (aka Rubberface). Here are some adorable pics of Eli, mixed in with the rejects of the family photos. Watch his face and see how it changes from picture to picture...he can contort that little face in a million different ways. Just for your entertainment :)   

2012 Year In Review

I'm just going to start mid-way through the year, because it's hard to remember farther back...

4th of July -- this was the first year we let the kids stay up to watch fireworks. Since they go to bed so early and never really knew anything about fireworks, we've never brought it up and they never asked, until this year. I guess once they're 7 years old, they start hearing rumors of interesting things kept hidden from them... Anyway, we had a really fun day that day, first enjoying the Boy Scouts' pancake breakfast, and then going over to Balboa Park, where the kids were so excited to ride the carousel and the little train next to the zoo before we headed over to the science museum. They were so cute and so excited. I don't consider myself a huge crier, but I always get really emotional watching my kids bask in the glory of their youth and innocence, and these no-big-deal little things are the biggest deal to me. I probably look very foolish to all of the dry-eyed parents when I'm sitting there tearing up watching my kids ride a merry-go-round or sing in their school programs...especially when it's not even my kid's class up there singing...Anyway, we had a fun afternoon.

Later in the day we had a pretty typical bbq dinner, which we invited Alex to come eat with us (our good family friend and my dance partner). After Eli went to bed Hannah and Joshie stayed up watching a movie while the adults got started on a (still unfinished...) game of Risk. When it was time, we all headed out on our balcony to watch the fireworks from Sea World. Have I mentioned that I love where we live? Love it. I love it love it love it. Not only because we don't have to do our own fireworks or actually go somewhere to see them. They had a great fireworks show this year, and the kids were so enthusiastic every time one exploded. I was standing next to Joshie (sniffling as usual), and I got a very willing little-boy kiss by telling him that it was good luck to kiss someone when you're watching fireworks. I'm sure that's true somewhere. I feel blessed to have people around me to kiss while I watch fireworks. After the show was over, we bedded the kids down for a slumber party in the living room. All in all it was a memorable "Independence Day" as Joshua calls it. (He spends a lot of time with his calendar.)

August brought our now traditional trip to Tahiti Village in Las Vegas, where the kids were thrilled to meet their newest cousins, Brody and Fiona, as well as see Grandma and Grandpa and cousin Sierra, Uncle R.J., and Tiff, Robbie, and Daxton. Eli and Daxton are good buddies, and soooo cute together. Seeing their unclothed toddler bodies standing next to each other is so funny. Eli looks even longer and leaner, and Daxton looks even shorter and stockier. Hannah and Joshie still talk about their trip to the chocolate factory in Las Vegas, and they of course love the swimming pool, the Spice World buffet (I think is the name of it), and Circus Circus. Now that they are older and more observant we also got to have some good conversations about modesty and appropriate ways to display our bodies as we passed all the billboard and nudie-picture vans along the roads. :[  We had a brief but fun visit with our friends the Mosleys on Friday, when we all met up at the Town Square playground and then ate dinner together back at the hotel, where my parents graciously allowed our 6 last-minute guests to join us! We were thankful for the opportunity to spend a little time with our friends.

I think the very, very best part of the trip was when Eli decided to lose his breakfast in a major way just before we got in the car to drive home Saturday morning. It. Was. Awesome. Purple smoothie? Coming right up! We had to call the maintenance guys to come clean the purple puke off the carpets and couch and thought for half the day that we were going to have to pay to get them replaced. That's how awesome it was. We didn't know Eli was sick until that moment, although I remember he was acting odd at times over those few days...but you know, it WAS Eli, so it's hard to tell. Thankfully, however, he did not get sick at all in the car, and that was the only real evidence of illness we ever saw.

Seth also took the kids on their annual daddy-and-kids-who-are-old-enough campout (this is the second year) at a very rugged campground near here. We're talking really rugged...a new playground with a splash park and workout stations along the trail... Even I could handle camping there. Maybe. The kids really do think they're roughing it though, and Daddy does a really good job pretending he knows what he's doing even though he never even camped as a kid except twice as a Scout, I think. And he wasn't in charge of things back then, so I don't know if that really counts. But he gets the tent up, roasts hot dogs and smores and is certainly able enough to figure the rest of it out, so they have a good time. And I only worry a little bit that someone will fall in the fire or something. Really I worry more about myself staying home alone, which I absolutely detest. (With Eli doesn't count. He can't protect me. You should know at this point that I am what Seth calls an "anti-feminist." I definitely believe that women need men to protect them. I am amazed sometimes that my kids aren't terrified when Mommy is the only one at home tending the hearth for the whole night. I'm not sure if that should give me more confidence that they have such faith in me, or if I should pity the poor little fools for putting their whole trust in a total chicken.) Anyway, we were okay. And I'm looking forward to next year when Seth can take Eli too, and I can really be alone for 24 hours! Shucks I just realized that includes the whole night REALLY all alone...

With September came the start of school -- second grade for Miss Hannah and kindergarten for Joshie! He was NOT looking forward to starting school. He never had the desire to go to preschool, and he's always been content at home being my little buddy. Being the possible genius that he is, it's not like he needed it so I was perfectly happy to not spend the time or money. He taught himself how to read over a year ago and at the beginning of the school year was reading at at least a level 28, when they want kids to be at level 3 by the end of kindergarten. (I say at least cause that was the highest level shown as a possibility on the paper, but really I think there's probably no limit to what he can read. He's really, really good at sounding things out and his spelling is fantastic. He also is super quick with mental math.) After going to the kindergarten orientation though, he seemed happier about it and sure enough, once school started he loved it, and he continually impresses his teachers with his abilities, in all subjects including Mandarin.

What made me the happiest about Hannah starting school was seeing just how independent and secure she is in herself. When I was a kid, probably as young as her, we all thought the posting of the class lists was a big deal -- seeing which friends were in your class and knowing right then and there what kind of year it was going to be. She could not care less. She has some good friends that she loves but she just does not care if they are with her. She almost never asks to have a play date with them, she plays with them at recess if she wants to but otherwise is perfectly happy keeping her own company in her own way. She seems to be well-liked by everyone, but she doesn't need anyone but her own imagination. I have never yet seen in her the kind of social aggression I was taught is typical in girls. She is just so happy being herself, and I hope and pray that we can continue to foster that in her, because it truly is a treasure. Her teachers also adore her. She is always absolutely well-behaved, and her teachers tell us often that she is so very smart and clever and she always says funny things that catch them by surprise and make them laugh. Her Chinese teacher was the one who said that most recently, which tells you just how smart she is to be able to say funny and surprising things in Mandarin!

The kids had a great time at Halloween. We had a pretty princess in a costume I used to wear as a child, a sweet and cuddly panda bear, and the handsomest mustachioed waiter you've ever seen. I think I was more enthusiastic about trick-or-treating than the kids were - they loved it but I wanted to keep going and going, because each knock at the door was another chocolate in my mouth! That, I think, is the best reason to live an an apartment complex - extremely good return on your trick-or-treating time! That's also a good reason to have a lot of kids.

Thanksgiving we had Tiff and Rob and the babies here, and we had a great time - lots of food, games, and one very long day at the zoo. :)

Christmas, as always, was highly anticipated and enjoyable. This year we started a new tradition of having a Christmas Eve Nativity Dinner. Instead of a traditional turkey dinner and acting out the nativity, we decided to simplify/combine the two and make a more interactive dinner experience. We let the kids each dress up in a Nativity costume (Hannah wanted to be the angel, Joshie and Eli were both shepherds I think), then the kids were each given a "dinner sack" (a dish towel filled with nuts, dried fruit, pita bread, and cheese) and trekked down the stairs to "Bethlehem", where they ate their dinner on a picnic blanket on the floor next to the Christmas tree and the doll Baby Jesus, and listened to Daddy read about the birth of Christ from the Bible. Upon arriving in Bethlehem Joshua immediately dropped his dinner and picked up baby Jesus and held him so tenderly. It was so sweet. The whole dinner and evening were such a special experience for all of us. We then enjoyed our Christmas morning in SD and then flew up to SF around noon, and spent a nice week up there with the family. It was really nice to be able to have Christmas at home and with family - almost like two Christmases in one day.

We are grateful for all of the blessings we've had this past year and all the cute pictures we have of our cute kids. Here are some photos of the experiences we enjoyed this year!

Watching "Boy Meets World" while Hannah braids Mommy's hair 

Going to the kids' first baseball game

First day of school

Camping with Daddy

Halloween!

Eli doing what he does best . . . making a mess!

Somebody loves Mommy!

Hello, Elder Nielsen!

Joshua's homemade Santa beard

Christmas Eve Nativity Dinner

Joshua's Story

Joshua has been spending all summer drawing and writing with Hannah. Hannah loves to write stories about her baby piggies, so Joshua started doing it too. Here is Joshie's very first story. Nothing has been changed (Well, his letters were a mix of upper and lower case but that would take too much work to copy. But no added punctuation, no change of spelling, it's all completely his own work. He doesn't even ask for help with spelling while he's writing.)  Pretty good for a barely 5-year-old!

The Pigs

The three pigs wanted to g play outside. But dad said no

It was winter

It was cold

And that nhgit it snowd

Evrythig was berryd

And toys had iceicls on them

And wen pigs went outside the pigs got cold

The end.

Pics from Joshua's Birthday

Joshie turned 5 years old on June 19. We had a whole month full of celebrations, which is typical for us this time of year. Joshua wanted to go to the science museum for his birthday, so we took the kids and Joshie's friend Nicolas and enjoyed the day at Balboa. When we got home it was time for his birthday dinner (macaroni and cheese, pizza, and bell peppers), presents, and cake. I was pretty proud of the way his Angry Birds cake turned out :) He liked it too.

 This is my typical snuggly boy. He loves to rub his face all over mine. I didn't know you could snuggle with faces til I had Joshua. He looooves his mama! (Lol...As a side note, Seth recently said that when he sees Joshie snuggling with me he feels like he's watching a Greek play.)

Earlier in the month we took the kids to Ikea for their free monthly bday party for kids having birthdays during the month -- so all the kids got to go, and as birthday boys, Joshie and Eli both got presents. Eli got a stuffed doggy, and Joshie was given a big package of paper and markers with stamps on the end -- perfect since he had just recently gotten on a drawing kick. Hannah and Joshua loved getting their faces painted and watching the magic show, and Eli pretty much ran around the whole store (which is a big, big place!) during the party, and would only sit still when it was time for cake. Of course.  

(I know it doesn't look like it, but I promise they are having fun.)

Debt Free!

We paid off our last debt at the beginning of July, so we are now officially debt free!  It's a great feeling, but we still feel like we have a long way to go.  The next step is to save 3-6 months worth of expenses in an emergency fund which is going to take quite a bit longer (almost 2 years!) than paying off our debts (which took about 4 months).  So before we go all out on saving up for that emergency fund, we're going to use some of our tremendous "debt snowball" next month to go on a mini-shopping spree.  This is mainly just a way of rewarding ourselves for being disciplined for the last 4 months and to recharge our batteries for the next step.

One thing I might have done differently with step 2 is not stop our retirement fund contributions at work.  In order to pay off the debt faster, we put a hold on our retirement fund contributions.  Since I receive a matching contribution from work, we essentially passed on free money for retirement.  Oh well, lessons learned!  On to step 3!

Mother's Day

I love Mother's Day. I am so thankful to have such a great husband who has learned to make Mother's Day a big deal and who works really hard to make it special. He always comes up with something sweet. Hannah decided Friday night that what we really needed was "Mother's Weekend Off"! So yesterday I left for the whole day while Seth and the kids cleaned the house and went grocery shopping and made preparations for today. It was awesome. (I didn't spend the day at the spa or anything, I just went to work on an organizing project at my friend's house, and then had a tango rehearsal. Still, it was freedom to do something I wanted to do!)

This morning I woke up to a delicious breakfast of Belgian waffles and a pile of homemade cards. They are so cute. Joshie made four cards that said:
card #1: I love you Mom.
#2: I like you Mom.
#3: I miss you Mom.
#4: I missed you Mom!

He is so sweet. It's nice to know he missed me while I was gone yesterday. He is definitely my little Casanova...I can hardly do anything during the day for all the kissing he wants from me. (Side story: he loves this old song called "Tonight You Belong to Me". One time, I asked him if he belonged to me that night, and after thinking about it, he said "No...forever!" So the other day I asked him if he would belong to me forever, and he looked at me sadly with those huge blue eyes and said, "I can't when I grow up and get married....but I will miss you!")

Hannah gave me card with a "mystery fake thing" inside it (a fake dollar she had made) and a money riddle to solve (adding up the value of the coins she drew...she's been learning about counting money at school this past week :) She is so creative and I never get tired of the ideas she comes up with. The Mother's Day "card" she brought home from school went like this: "Mom you are as pretty as a rose. You are as ferocious as a lion. That is why I want to be like you. By Hannah." The rose part is just sweet, but the lion? My first reaction was, that can't be good thing...maybe I yell too much? But when I asked her about it she said that if a bad guy came to our door and wanted to kidnap her, I would punch him and push him away and keep her safe, and that's how I would be ferocious. And she's probably right! Then inside the card she made in Primary today she wrote "Wishing you a happy Mother's Day!" Funny to see that formal greeting card message written in her first-grader handwriting. She is so cute.

Eli is just super cute. When I went up with Hannah and Joshie and the other Primary kids for the Mother's Day song in sacrament meeting today, he freaked out and started crying "Mama! Mama!" So I just let Seth hand him over to me while I stood up there. As soon as he reached me he said "Sing!" and everyone laughed. (He was the only one of our kids happy to be up there!) Of course he only let me hold him for a minute and then he wiggled his way down and started wandering around the stand aiming for the organ...luckily the song ended before he managed to get to it!

I'm so thankful to have these wonderful, sweet little people in my life, even though the demands and challenges of mothering as so great. I was recently reminded that we don't always like the things that we are grateful for, and that's definitely true with being a parent. I am very thankful for each of them, but there are many days when I just don't want to be doing it because it's hard! And frustrating! Any mother knows this. The frustration comes from your kids not behaving the way you want them to, or not being the way you want them to be. And my most fundamental job as their mother is to simply teach them how to be. But it is so frustrating when they just don't cooperate with that.

As I thought about this recently, I remembered something. In college part of my major was human development. How kids turn into, well, mature humans -- the process of growing up and making choices and becoming the way they need to be to have success in this life and the life to come. And of course I know how they need to be, and how I need to be, but the part I was overlooking was development. What I need to be doing is guiding them through a process - a very long process that they will continue throughout their whole lives. They don't need to be perfect to still be progressing along the path of self-improvement that we all need to follow. They don't need to cooperate all the time or be nice to each other all the time or be good listeners all the time. Eventually yes, we all need to reach perfection, but we will not get to that point until well after this life. Because even as adults, we are still going through that developmental process -- having experiences and making choices and learning from them, trying to get closer to the way we need to be.

My job, then, as a mother, is not to make sure my kids are perfect right now. It is simply to get them started on the path, so that once they grow up they can continue the process on their own -- a process of trial and error, self-reflection, repentance, and continued determination to keep trying. It is so easy to tell your kids, "Stop doing this or that", or "Why can't you just listen and obey?" The answer is the same for all of us -- because as children of God we are all  still developing and won't reach our potential for being completely Christlike as long as we are on this earth! This perspective makes it so much easier to praise them for the good they do and the potential that they have, recognizing that although they are not doing it all right now, they are developing in the right direction. And the encouragement that I give them as they begin their journey to perfection and salvation is what will give them faith in the hope we receive through the Atonement. They will understand that making mistakes is okay and even expected of us, but we always try again and again and again to do and be better.

I'm very grateful for the example of my mother who has always worked so hard and been so patient and selfless. I can't even imagine the day that I would be able and willing to do what I have seen her do throughout my life. I'm so thankful for the challenges and blessings of mothering my children, and for Seth, without whom I would not be able to do even half of what I do now. He is truly the greatest support and help-meet there could be. I love you!