He just is.

Texting with my siblings is always funny, 

but when my brother Topher chimes in

our text threads are SUPER funny.

He is hilarious with incredible insight and humor, and that is  

especially amazing since he is living with the stupid disease ALS.   

I am constantly amazed at how upbeat and positive he is

even though he is constrained to a wheelchair, can't eat, walk, 

or even talk for crying out loud!

He is still Topher 100% and his texts prove it.

Sometimes his texts are about what people say to him

even though he can't talk back.

Or when they kiss his bald head, 

or kiss his cheek with stinky breath or with lipstick on.

It's pretty funny.

My oldest brother Steve is the tight ends football coach at BYU, and a few weeks

ago the team honored Topher as their "true blue hero".

BYU put together a great video of the team highlighting Topher, and 

I must have watched the video 200 times, smiling right along

with him (and crying too).  

(How I wished I could have been there with some of my other siblings).

Topher said after in a tweet after that

 his only regret was that he wasn't wearing his Thor costume.

I don't think he needs a Thor costume to prove

 how strong and amazing he is.

He just is.

18 with a new set of bowls.

When Claire turned 18 and became an adult last month, 

I had a hard time "making" her go to school on her birthday.  

She is 18 after-all and a real life adult, so we compromised

 and she went to her Chemistry class then came home.

Christian and I met her for lunch where we played a 

good game of MASH and talked about her future.

Earlier Christian had gifted Claire her own tool-kit that he put together.

Everything she needs and should know how to use for future projects,

and just for her good know-how skills.

Then, Claire and I went shopping.

It was one of the most fun days in my life.

Being with Claire is like being with my best friend.  

We laugh at the same things, love the same clothes, 

and sniff and like the same smells.

We feel the same about almost everything.

 I bought Claire her first colorful latte bowls at Anthropologie.  

I bought my first bowls when I was 19 and engaged to Christian.

I decided to make this latte bowl buying a new tradition in my life.

And every year for nearly 20 years Christian and I go to Anthroplogie

to buy a new set of colorful latte bowls on our anniversary.

Now you're probably thinking that that is A LOT of Latte bowls,

and it is- or wound be, except we break several throughout the year,

so replenishing them each December 16th works great.

One year I thought it would be really cute to put our then dog, Jimmy's

food and water in them.  They broke like the second day.

  Claire wants to adopt the same tradition for her future family,

and I was so excited to buy her first six.

We finished of the day doing what we LOVE together: a Barre3 class.

After we went home and had double chocolate cake with the family.

Happy 18th darling girl!

Best of October

Welcome November!
So long October (sniff, sniff).

I am so sad to see this beautiful magnificent month go--I'm not ready yet!

October in North Carolina is gorgeous and so colorful, and
full of family traditions, birthdays, and of course: Halloween!!

Here were our favorite days in October:

* 

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Nicholas "Gigs" Nielson becomes a verified teenager:

* 

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General Conference weekend with missionaries, blow-up beds,

food, food, knitting, spiritual insight, and all the fixin's:

*

*

Lottie runs her heart out on her second annual "fun run":

*
*
We experience the glory and majesty of the new 

Raleigh, North Carolina temple:

*

*

We tour North Carolina State University campus

with Claire, Jane, and Oliver:

*

*

Oliver has a near-death motorcycle incident, 

but walked away smiling:

*

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We travel to the beautiful Beehive State: UTAH:

* 

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More Utah, and mountains, and family

(and Cafe Rio):

*

*

We schedule Nicholas's tonsil removal, and all rejoice!:

*

*

Claire turns EIGHTEEN!!!!!!  

(Slow down baby-girl!):

*

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The best for last: HALLOWEEN 2019

* * * * *

Enjoy the Best of:
January

February

March 

April

May

June

July

August

September


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