Best of May.

Welcome, June!

Farewell May!

Here are our best days in May:

* * * * * * * *

I fly to Utah to be inducted into my high school's Hall of Fame

along with my brother Topher!

Lottie loses her cookies in the car on a fun family outing:

I fly back to Utah with my three girls.

This time for PROM!

While in Utah, we get a grand tour of the new UVU 

Performing Arts Center with Topher (and some siblings):

PROM with Clane & Prom Primping:

The story of Heir and my rings:

The Nielson's MOVE to a more roomy home in NC.

We name it "The White House":

My Future Farmer Daughters:

* * * * 

The best of January:

The best of February:

The best of March:

The best of April:

FFA.

Last week Mr. Nielson and I attended 

Claire and Jane's FFA end-of-the-year banquet.

I am so proud of my future farmer daughters!!

Claire received THIRD in livestock judging with the highest

 score in her group for dairy judging.

Jane received FIRST in the region and THIRD in the whole state

 of North Carolina for dairy judging.

Jane is considering doing an animal science major in college,

and FFA has opened up many possibilities for that goal.

(Jane for FFA Prez 2021)

When the banquet was over and around 8:30,

Mr. Nielson and I took them out for pizza.

The restaurant closed at 9:00, so we were basically the only

ones in the whole joint which was wonderful because
 we talked about goals and the future.
Gosh, I love my girls!

The four of us sat out on the restaurant's back patio

watching the fireflies dance with the humidity as thick as pea soup.

My girls are bright, strong, and confident; FFA 

has been a huge part of that.


.....Meanwhile, back at The White House, progress is coming.....
DAY ONE:

DAY TWO:

DAY THREE:

Slobby

(Day ONE)

 (Day TWO)

I woke up at the crack of dawn, took the Little Nies to school,

ran with Angus, then got serious about the house.

I worked exclusively in the kitchen.

My goal was to have the kitchen presentable so I could
 make and serve dinner on proper dishes...(it's been awhile).

I didn't quite make that,

instead we had veggie burgers and dogs on paper towels.

There is always TOMORROW!

I also took a break out of my organizing day to take Lottie's

 bird "Peep" to school so she could show her classmates

 how to feed and care for birds.

Before I came to her class she told me that she announced to her 

classmates that Peep has a really tiny heart, and if you make sudden 

movements or become loud, Peep will have a heart attack and die.

When I walked into her classroom, I was surprised that the students hushed

 way down and whispered whenever they wanted to talk.

It was the cutest thing ever!
  I actually don't know if that little factoid is true--

she must have heard that from one of her brothers.

It was really nice to break up my day and get dressed!
I mean in cute clothes!

I haven't put on "real" clothes for almost a week (besides church), 

and yesterday it started to wear me down.  I start feeling bad 

about myself and what I look like since I always feel slobby.

I feel it is essential for my mood to get dressed and feel presentable,
(hair and mascara too!).

I know not everyone feels that way, but I do.

And I also really love getting in my work clothes and working

 the day away too- just not everyday.

Progress(ish)

I am making progress(ish) in The White House.

Since it was Memorial Day yesterday, 

all the Little Nies were home from school.

They have just two more weeks left until school is officially OUT!

They are all burned out especially the older girls and me, too!

Mr. Nielson took us out to lunch since we have 

zero food in our kitchen.

On the way home, we stopped by the Harlow

 house to pick up some last moving boxes

but instead took a nap in the car.

We are all dead with exhaustion.

Claire and Jane have been spending hours in their room

organizing and cleaning.

The boys have been super annoying, and Lottie asks me every

 five seconds when she can have her new friends over.

(The way things are moving, probably not for five more months).

Then I was on the edge of tears because I wasn't getting any progress

done, and feeling pressure (and some guilt)

to be mom, unpack-er, the cook, fun mom, planner, and the organizer,

and all I really wanted to do was unpack the kitchen

so we can at least eat normal food!

Mr. Nielson could sense my frustration and took the kids

to the river on canoes.

It was a giant relief knowing they were having fun on this 

holiday and I had nothing to do with it.

Also while they were gone, I got most of the kitchen done.

Win Win!

Happy Memorial Day (yesterday).

We LOVE PAT!

Box, Lift, Load, Drive, Unload, Repeat

Box, lift, load, drive, carry, unload, repeat 100,000,0000 times.

We must have done that 50 times just last weekend alone! 

We've successfully moved to a new location in a more

 rural area of town closer to our property, and a bigger home for our family.

We are happy about the house (except the broken AC...it was 98 in Chapel Hill!).

Our first night in our home was Saturday.

We are still boxing, carrying, loading, driving, (and repeating),
from the Harlow House to the new house
(which we are calling The White House).

I pretty much see us doing all of that again tomorrow too.

I feel like I am sinking.

I am so thankful for helpful kids, good friends and neighbors,

and especially a happy, positive husband who told the Little Nies

in a family counsel yesterday:

"If you're making mom happy, you will be happy."

Right he is!

I was sooo thankful for the Sabbath day yesterday when 

I could relax and rest from my labors.

We spent the day ministering to new friends, and 

Mr. Nielson and I had a family meeting with the kids.

 We took a little nap, and recharged.

Then we finished the night at a friends home having dinner.

It was nice to let the burden of moving and all the piles

in every single room of my house go.

I am ready to take on my Memorial Day Monday

refreshed and renewed.

Prom: The End

Today is my last post about Prom for Clane.

Umi is soooo excited!

The gang

I tried to pin the boutonniere on...

Still trying.....

Failing...

Calling in reinforcements from Andrew

I love this photo of David talking to Mr. Nielson,
who called from North Carolina
before the two of them left for the night.

"She'll be home by midnight, I swear."

-DF

 About 30 minutes after David picked up Claire, 

Jane's date, Philip, arrived, but sadly Justin had left.

I don't have the super high-quality photos for Jane's 

pick-up experience as I do, Claire.

But they are still adorable!

Again, Andrew comes to the rescue and attached Philip's
boutonniere to his lapel.

The End!

Oh yeah, Lottie was there too.

I'm not sure where she was exactly, but she was 

definitely in Provo with us.

Spiritual Enlightenment: The Joy of Womanhood