Snow Day

The kids' first day off of school for Winter Break was snowy, so they spent the morning outside taking advantage of it!


Don't be fooled by those innocent looking faces, they invented a snow game played with garden shovels called, "Find The Frozen Dog Poo".

HAPPY 40TH, BRADLEY KYLE!

Brad's 40th birthday was on the 17th so the kids and I put something special together for him.

Christmas Programs 2010

I think Brad and I set a personal record for 'Number Of School Christmas Programs Attended' this year. Amber and Haley each participated in their schools' Christmas band concerts (both fantastic, by the way) and this year the elementary school decided to divide their Christmas programs: one for kindergarten & 1st grade, one for 2nd & 3rd and one for 4th & 5th. Of course, the Nielsons have kids in each category, so we got to spend a day and a half at the elementary school watching Christmas programs!












Each of the 3 youngest kids had a special role in their program. Jacob got to be a jingle-bell-jingler during the Kindergarten's rendition of Jingle Bells and Danny got to play the drums with the 2nd grade. Alyssa was Mrs. Claus in her program and was also excited that she got the solo part she auditioned for in her school holiday choir. Here she is, in full Mrs. Claus costume, singing her solo.

Shining Star

Jacob got the Shining Star Award for Kindergarten in November! Brad and I got to attend a special assembly where the Shining Star recipients were honored. He was pretty pleased with himself...and we were very proud of him also!

Here he is about to receive his award from his teacher and the school principal.
And here he is proudly displaying his certificate and his Shining Star necklace (he'd want me to point out that it's a very masculine necklace).

GOOD JOB, JAKEY!

Thanksgiving 2010

This was our year to spend Thanksgiving in Canada, eating turkey with Nana Barb and Papa Brent, playing with cousins and watching Brad play in his highschool alumni basketball tournament.

We came upon quite the snow-blowing windstorm on our drive up and ended up having to stay the night in a hotel in Pincher Creek, Alberta (probably the hotel in Pincher Creek, Alberta!) Thankfully, the hotel was equipped with a waterslide, so the kids were all happy about our little detour.

Here's a little taste of the visibility (or lack thereof) we were dealing with.

Here are the kids checking out the pool! Notice the white-out in the window behind them.

And this would be the waterslide that made it all worth while.

There was plenty of cousin time, which is always a highlight of any trip! Here they all are watching Brad play ball...

And after sledding...

And watching a movie in G&G's basement...

And just generally up to no good!

We had a great trip and have much to be Thankful for this (and every) Thanksgiving!

Tooth Fairy

Gotta post this note Danny left under his pillow a while back for the tooth fairy. It's old, but I scanned and saved it.


"Tooth Fairy - I lost my tooth, can I still have a dollar? I've had such a bad day."

2010 School Pictures

Mrs. Claus

The cast list for our elementary school's Christmas program came out last week and guess who got the starring role of Mrs. Claus?

Halloween 2010

Dorothy, Anakin Skywalker and Spock (and Mabel). I noticed that Spock is pinching his own shoulder/neck in every picture I have ("spocking" himself).

The middle school kids were supposed to go to school dressed as superheroes for Halloween. Haley and her friend decided to invent their own - "The Duck Duo".

And the high school Drama Club put on a trunk-or-treat/haunted house. Amber and her cousin, Kyli, dressed as characters from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Busy Fall

We've had an extra busy Fall this year and, unfortunately, I didn't get enough of it captured on film. Here's what I do have...

AMBER GETS HER DRIVING PERMIT!

Frightening, but true! She also completed a 6-week driver's training course that was a way bigger time commitment than any of us realized it would be. In the future, we'll have our kids take driver's training in the summer so it doesn't compete with homework. Now that she's successfully passed her class, she just needs to get a certain number of driving hours under her belt, turn 16 (March) and take the test!

ALYSSA, DANNY AND JACOB PLAY SOCCER!

It was Alyssa's 5th year, Danny's 3rd and Jacob's 1st. They all loved it, of course. Lots of fun and great exercise. Here are some pictures of the kids at their last games of the season (Lyssie's to come later...my camera was out of batteries so I had another parent take her pics for me)

Danny plays with gusto and always give 100%.

Jacob started out shaky (shaky = ran off the field crying about 10 seconds after his first game started because the whole thing was too much for him!) but ended up deciding that he LOVES soccer and can't wait a whole year to play again.

Here's Jacob in action at his last game. I'm pretty sure right after I snapped this photo, he stole the ball and scored a goal. Yeah, that's the ticket.

HALEY PLAYS VOLLEYBALL!

So this one I have no pictures of at all! But I did go to every home game and I was the washer of the uniform and the packer of the water bottle, so maybe that makes up for forgetting my camera every time she played. She had a great season and did really well. She has decided that volleyball and basketball are her favorite sports - the fact that she's 13, 5'9 and still growing won't hurt!

Nielsons Got Talent

Amber, Haley and two friends signed up to perform at our Stake's youth talent show. Unfortuntately, Haley came down with the stomach flu the day of the show and the girls all thought they'd have to drop out of the competition. Enter Lyssie! She had been watching their rehearsals all along and said that she knew Haley's part and could be the understudy. So without further ado, here are McKelle, Courtney, Alyssa and Amber performing, "A Tribute To John Williams" (master movie score composer, in case you didn't know).



A funny side note: When Amber threw the plastic severed hand into the audience, it hit a lady's iphone and sent it flying! Iphone survived...and Haley is all better. All's well that ends well.

Danny's Baptism

Danny was baptized on Sunday - lots of family milestones lately! It's a day he has been preparing for and looking forward to for a long time. Both sets of grandparents were able to be there, which meant so much to him and to us, along with the Humphreys and lots of our ward family. It was a very special day and one Danny will remember all his life.

First Day of Kindergarten

Today I took our "baby" to Kindergarten. It went well. Only one of us cried...and she was smart enough not to wear mascara.

Jacob, who has been hesitant about starting Kindergarten, seemed genuinely excited and only slightly apprehensive. Here he is just before loading into the car for school.

And here he is by his classroom door...

And here he is saying the Pledge of Allegiance...

I also have pictures of him waiting in the Kindergarten line, sitting in "circle time", and getting the "welcome song" sung to him by his teachers, but I am not going to blog all those, as it makes me seem neurotic. The truth is, Jacob and I both did pretty well this morning. I have a feeling he is going to love Kindergarten and I am going to learn to love this new stage of life...eventually :)

First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school for everybody but Jacob (kindergartners start Friday). Here they are on their way out the door.


Amber the 10th grader

Haley the 8th grader

Alyssa the 4th grader

Danny the 2nd grader

Happy Birthday, Danny!

Yesterday was Danny's 8th birthday! The day began with a note for Brad and I (can you tell he's really into notes these days?)

SIDE 1:


SIDE 2:So for those of you still trying to learn to read "Danny", that's:

Side 1:
"List of things I want. Turn it around, Dad."

Side 2:
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (a Wii game)
DS (Nintendo hand-held gaming system)
DSi (fancier Nintendo hand-held gaming system)
Hot Wheels
Guys
Star Wars Movies
Thanks

I don't know what was more funny, the fact that he actually thought we'd get him a DS and a DSI or the cursory "thanks" at the bottom of the note. Pretty cute. In the end, he did get a few things off his list and he was a happy boy!

Here's the birthday boy pre-present-opening with Little Jake (cousin), Big Jake and Lyssie. The Humphreys came over for a little family birthday party, which was so nice of them because it's was the night before the first day of school - a busy evening for everybody.

And here he is blowing out his candles with a very focused "Little Jake" looking on.


WE SURE LOVE OUR DANNY BOY!

Canada 2010

A few weeks ago we made the trek to the Great White North for our annual Waterton camping trip. It was, as always, a lot of fun!

Brad fished every day - usually with "helpers".


We swam with cousins...


...in freezing glacial water!


We flew kites.


We hiked...


...and were rewarded with THIS gorgeous view!


We hosted a 'Cousin Sleepover' at our campsite.


These guys crashed the party...


...but at least it wasn't THIS guy!

Belated Fathers' Day

I found this note the other day that Danny gave to Brad for Father's Day.

SIDE 1:

SIDE 2:

For those of you who need translation, it says:
"Dear Dad, I love you because...you are six foot four. And you wrestle with me on the trampoline at the end of the day. And you play my video games. You rock Dad. You smile a lot I'm not kidding. You love my mom and family. You're also awesome because you have black hair. From Danny, To Daddy"

Olive's Blessing

While we were in Utah we got to attend little Olive's baby blessing! Here are some pics of her special day: