BEST of 2016

Happy New Year from me to you!
Welcome 2017
Enjoy my review of the top events and posts in 2016.

January:

Rebuilding 

February:

Parents celebrate 50 years of marriage

and Jane becomes a teenager

March:

Claire becomes a Dr.

April:

Spring Break at the Ranch

May:

Ranching business

June:

Summer!

July:

A Birthday Celebration for Topher

August:

Back To School Feast 2016

September:

A Visit Back

October:

Halloween (my favorite holiday)

November:

Thanksgiving 

December:

16 Years of marriage

Best of 2015

Best of 2014

Best of 2013

Unfailing help

During our Christmas break, we usually lounge around in the living room 

and watch a lot of movies.

It's a highlight of the season.  Tonight Claire popped in a few home videos.

We watched a video in 2004.  Christian was graduating from BYU.  

Claire was just almost three and Jane was one.

I am young and pretty and Mr. Nielson's smile seems larger than life, 

(and he talks like he's 18).

I couldn't help but long for those days.  They were simple and easy,

and my body was vibrant and healthy.

My neck was slender and long, my lips were plump and had a beautiful shape!

My fingers moved normally and I had great fingernails.

For some reason tonight I watched these videos and longed.  

I longed for my carefree easy days, 

I was relatively stress-free and my body functioned perfectly. 

Life is harder now, it's much more complicated, moody, 

stressful, frustrating, and much more expensive. 

Someday's I think I get it.  I see the vision and can move forward

confidently, and other days I feel lost and worried.

I put Lottie to bed tonight and knelt down at her bedside 

looking into her beautiful brown eyes.

Then just like I always do, I promised her that tomorrow 

was going to be a wonderful day.

Then I walked into my room, climbed into my bed and 

prayed for a better day in the morning.

I lay my head on my pillow and the hopeful words of Jeffery R. Holland came to me.

May a loving Father in Heaven bless us tomorrow....

knowing that His divine love and 

unfailing help will be with us even when we struggle-no, will be with us 

especially when we struggle."

I think that was God promising me a wonderful day tomorrow too.

Christmas 2016 #2

Yesterday, I posted about our Christmas morning.  

Today, I will post about the rest of the day.

After we all got home from church, the Little Nies changed out of their

 Sunday best as quickly as possible and back into their Christmas PJs.  

Mr. Nielson and I took a little mid-afternoon nap because

 somebody(s) went to bed at 2:00 a.m.

After a lovely Christmas nap, Mr. Nielson and I got up to start Christmas dinner.

I planned a menu with traditional Scandinavian foods; 

 pickled cucumber salad, fingerling potatoes, salmon, dill rolls, 

and, of course, Risalamande- rice pudding with cherry sauce.

I told my parents that we were eating at 5:30 and said to them

 that Mr. Nielson would come pick them up since 

I wasn't sure if they felt comfortable driving up our scary death-way (driveway).  

My dad insisted he could do it, so we waited by the window watching for them. 

 Sure enough, they came up the driveway, slid a little, and came to a stop.  

My Mom hopped out of the car and walked up our icy hill.

 I yelled for the boys to run out and hold on to her.

My dad decided to park the car below the house and walk up.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner, and for dessert, 

Jane passed out the rice puddings. 

 Inside one lucky bowl was an almond.  

Whoever gets the almond gets good luck all year.

My dad got the almond, and we all clapped and cheered! 

 After dinner and conversation, it was getting late, so Mr. Nielson

 and I walked my parents down the icy death-way to their car.

 They drove off, and we walked back up to our house, holding 

each other as the snow lightly fell.

What a gorgeous day and an even more magnificent night.

 Then, to end the Christmas night, we all changed

 into our swimming suits to enjoy one 

last Christmas activity--soaking in our new Hot Tub!  Yay!

 Merry Christmas!

***

I am chatting today.  Come join me!

Christmas Morning 2016

I've decided to break up my Christmas day into two posts 

since the day was so full.

We woke up to 7" of snow on Christmas morning.  

I know we joke about

 "Christmas miracles," but that seriously was a Christmas miracle! 

The Little Nies woke up at 6:30, walked down the stairs with 

a blanket over their heads 

(since they have to pass through the living room,

where all their gifts are to get to our room).

Mr. Nielson and I left the Little Nies on our bed while

 we went into the living room to make a cozy fire 

and put on some Christmas music.  

After we gave them permission, The Little Nies rushed into 

the living room to check out their gifts from Santa. 

We spent the rest of the morning relaxing, exchanging presents, 

and watching the snow fall harder and faster.

Church began at 11:00, so we all went outside and

 made a good family effort to shovel the Fox Hill driveway.

What a job.  We quickly realized that we were going to be late for church, so

we decided that I would help the Little Nies shower and get dressed while

Mr. Nielson finished shoveling our long driveway.

And he did!

We jumped in our car and said a prayer that 

we'd safely get down the driveway.

And we did!

Talk about a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE...and we got to church on time!

What a gorgeous service we attended.

We sang songs of praise to honor Christ and His birth.

Despite what others said, I liked having Christmas fall on a Sunday. 

It was peaceful and worshipful.

I couldn't get enough of the gorgeous snowy scenes 

out my window.  

 Christmas 2015 or Christmas 2007

Christmas Eve 2016

Christmas 2016 at the Nielson home was a beautiful success!

On Christmas Eve morning, my brother Jesse invited my 

siblings to his house for breakfast.

He made waffles and eggs, and we speculated on the upcoming winter storm--

 (that we all hoped we'd see that night!).

After we delivered a few Christmas gifts to neighbors, we came 

home and made marshmallows. 

The girls were begging me to try them again this year.

It was really easy and delicious!

The rain began outside, and we drove to Sweet Tooth Fairy. 

Owner Megan generously donated ten boxes of her delicious treats, 

which we distributed to five fire stations in Provo.

We thanked them for their service and dedication, 

especially for their sacrifice on Christmas Eve. 

We truly appreciate it!

It warms my heart to think that some families might visit the firehouse. 

These treats would surely make their visit all the more delightful. 

Beginning this tradition was a very special moment for me, 

and I must confess that tears would well up every time we handed over the boxes. 

I was once on the receiving end of their service, 

and I will always be grateful to them for that.

We met up with more of my sibling's families for dinner,

and then Mr. Nielson and I took the kids to a movie.  

This is another Nielson tradition.  

This time, we brought our fleece Cinemark blankets and 

snuggled up together on row 6.

We traveled back home through the heavy rain, hoping for a change to snow. 

The Little Nies excitedly unwrapped their Christmas PJs 

while we gathered around the fire and the lit tree to read Luke 2. 

Mr. Nielson and I expressed our deep love and gratitude for the Savior 

and His gospel, then said our prayers and tucked the little ones into bed.

Then we wrapped presents together and had to 

tell the Little Nies to go to bed probably about 40 times.  

Around 12:30, we noticed the rain had turned into gorgeous snow!

And it didn't stop for 24 hours!

Talk about a Christmas miracle!!

 Enjoy: Christmas Eve 2015

 

Glory to God!

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, 

good will toward men.

Luke 2:14

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2016

Happy Christmas Eve!

DO NOT ENTER

Yesterday, I caught Lottie in my closet, where I keep the Christmas presents.

She was going through all of her gifts.

I felt like crying.

I was a little mad and told her so.

She knows my closet (and room) is off-limits at this time of year.

She pointed to the sign I had taped on my door that says:

"Santa's Workshop DO NOT ENTER."

And then told me: "Mom, I can't read that sign, so I didn't know."

The girls and I finished up last-minute decorations for our traditional 

Scandinavian Christmas dinner on Sunday.

All the shopping is done, and we are supposed to have a nice snowstorm moving

in today, lasting until Monday.  BRING IT ON.

These next few days will be spent with my little family, enjoying

our traditions, our love, Christmas music, peace,

movies around the fireplace, 

and the light we feel only at the time of year.

Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Spiritual Enlightenment: Gifts of Peace