Wednesday, February 05, 2025

BUT, WAIT!

 Gigs had his final interview with President Bingham,
and now he can officially send in his mission application!

GO GIGS!

BUT, wait!! 
Aren't my kids this age?:
Didn't we have omelets in our green kitchen in 
New Brunswick, New Jersey, yesterday?
Wasn't I just pregnant with Gigs?
 Wasn't Ollie still eating from the highchair?
(where is that highchair?)
How is all this happening?
(Breakfast in New Jersey, 2006)

Tuesday, February 04, 2025

Truck Meetings

I've started teaching community classes at the church gym twice a week. 
It's been awesome.
I'm learning so much about myself 
as I plan and prepare for these weekly classes like,
 I still have so far to go.
In my head, I'm so good at instructing; I remember how to set up the 
postures and say the cueing and benefits that go along with them.
And then, in reality, I forget stuff.  Sometimes, my mouth opens, 
but words don't come out.
I hate that.
But I am so excited for the studio to be finished.  
It will be much easier teaching there than in the church gym. 
But I am beyond grateful for the church gym and all the 
friends and strangers who are supporting this,
including my children, especially Lottie, who spends more time
doing her homeschool lessons in a classroom in the church, than 
she does at home.
Later, Christian and I had a "meeting" in his truck while he watered the cows.
We ordered some props that will spice things up
and make classes more challenging and fun.
I am so glad we're doing this together, 
and I love truck meetings with him.




Monday, February 03, 2025

1-Star

Today, Lottie and Gigs ran errands with me where we visited
BBW to get Ollie some
welcome-back-to-the-world smells, soaps, sprays, and lotions. 
Gigs helped me choose. 
I told Gigs I'd buy him some if he took a girl out on a date this week.
He said he would. I asked who he was going to ask out, 
and he said his motorcycle.
After our final stop, at the pet store for crickets
for Gigs' critters, we decided to have dinner.
We chose a pizza place that our family
 regulars and loves, except this time, it was the worst.  
Do businesses not train employees anymore?  
I ordered our pizza from a girl who looked 
like she was about to kill and bury me herself.  
After we paid, I was notified that 
 they were out of tomatoes, basil, and salad.  
Because I am an introverted-non-confrontational chicken, 
I wrote a 1-star Google review.
I had my big-girl-boss pants on when I wrote it.
But, you know that time after the lights are out and you are laying 
your head on the pillow, ready with your first-class ticket to dreamland
 but all you think are ALL the things
you did wrong, or you didn't do, where you dropped the ball, 
who you didn't talk to, the e-mails you ignored, the child you didn't
connect with, and the dishwasher you forgot to start.
Or is that just me?
Anyway, I felt terrible about the 1-star review I wrote and SENT.

*UPDATE, Pizza join reached out:











Sunday, February 02, 2025

Dwelling

It must be the end,
this happened today:

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the 
leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion
 and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."
Isaiah 11:6



Saturday, February 01, 2025

I Slayed

Tonight, I held my first legit community Barre3 class. 
I’ve taught many classes for friends and family, 
but this one was open to anyone from our community.
And I had over 14 people come!  
 And, I slayed.  
Well, you know, I mean, I did fine, considering.
Maybe I didn't slay, but Christian told me 
I did, but he loves me so much, so of course
he's going to say that!
Whatever it was, I left feeling empowered 
about myself and my progress
 and all the hard work I've put in so far to be here.
After, Christian and I took Gigs and Lottie to the grill next to our
future Barre3 studio and watched the UNC vs Duke basketball game
where Duke slayed.

Friday, January 31, 2025

4 Lessons Learned

After 2008, I thought my life was over-
especially my physical life. 
I was so wrong.
Since then, I've learned four hard-won lessons about life:
1. God is everywhere.  He is my comforter,
my peace, my calm, my healer, and my light.
2. Challenges strengthen and stretch us
and we can become stronger because of them.
3. A healthy body is such a precious gift.
4. 83% is just a number that won't and can't define me.

Today, I am a proud owner and instructor of 
Check out Barre3


Thursday, January 30, 2025

Farewell, January!

 I can't believe January is over.

Where did the time go?
Honestly, I've been pushing January out the door
because February holds so much goodness for my little family.
And I can barely sleep; I'm so excited!



Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Sleeping Turtle

 The weather was a lovely 65 degrees today! 
After work and school,
 Lottie and I explored the pasture and the pond behind Stillestead.
We found several turtles sleeping peacefully under the pond ice
Unfortunately, it's still M.I.A.
This warmer weather is sure lovely!
But I must admit, I'm not quite done with winter and cold weather.
Christian promised me we still have some colder weather
to enjoy.  I trust that's true.
 February is usually one of NC's coldest months.
I have a giant list on my fridge in the kitchen that
has all the things we need to have done before
 Ollie comes home in 15 days.
We are a little behind schedule.
Today, however,  Christian and Gigs managed to change my cars
oil and fiddle with my tires.
Check!
Later, we all jumped in the car and drove to St. Bart's church
where Christian was able to drop off and donate some of Homestead Beef
It's a privilege for us to share the blessings God gave to us with our community.

Life is so busy right now.
I've thought back to the sleeping turtle in the pond
and sometimes, I wished that were me.

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Inspiring, Of Course

 This afternoon, Christian and I had the pleasure of doing an interview 
with our full-time social media missionaries.  
They are delightful, and I love them so much!
I wasn't feeling very "inspiring" since literally three minutes
before the missionaries arrived, I was yelling at Gigs, who I had
asked to tie up Angus, who had just taken himself on a lengthy walk
around the pastures and in the pond.
His beard was caked with giant sticky burrs, and he was wet and stinky.
 And Gigs, of course, didn't do it, and Angus, of course, 
jumped up on the missionaries, barked loudly, and was just generally annoying.
I HATE when he does that.
But I composed myself, and we said a lovely prayer
before we started the interview.  That, of course, helped.
 They will use this interview to post on their social media outlets
to spread faith, love, joy, peace, and the light of the Savior 
to our community and local area.
Christian and I talked about having faith in Jesus and believing in 
Him even when hard things happen. 
Of course, hardship is not new for anyone.
Because everyone deals with something complex and challenging.
  But of course, I was so grateful to share my feelings and experiences 
related to the accident and beyond.  
Then, of course, I let them browse 
my impressive drink refrigerator outside on the porch
before they moved on to their next inspiring assignment.

Now, of course, it's time to give Angus a bath.


Monday, January 27, 2025

Snoozing With Kitty

 Early morning seminary, staying up late, working, 
working out, school, assignments, 
and working on projects have this boy exhausted and out of gas
around 2:00.
Gigs' favorite thing to do is to find the most uncomfortable place
in the house and fall asleep there.
He's been doing it since 2006.



Sunday, January 26, 2025

Oliver in Brazil: January 2025

 It's birthday month for Elder Nielson! 
Happy 20th Birthday, Ollie!!
It's also his LAST FULL month on this 2-year mission! 
Here is what January was like for my boy:

Birthday celebrations: (January 2nd)

Temple:


Friends:

Eating/Food (pizza):

Companions:

Teaching:

All together, now!

Brazil (it's hot!!)

Next month, I'll see him in PERSON!!!

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