It's not about the Uggs.

Lottie really wants a purple glitter dragon that she saw

online, and I said she could

 could earn the dragon if she did five things every day for two weeks:

1. say her prayers when she wakes up

2. make her bed

3. get dressed

4. brush her teeth

5. read with me for at least 30 minutes.

So far, so good (we only started this yesterday).

Today in the 100 degrees (plus humidity), Lottie and I walked to the secret park

because she wanted to play- specifically on the monkey bars.

She decided today would be perfect for wearing long pants, a black shirt,

and Uggs. Then my phone rang, and it was my mom.

Before you knew it, mom and I chatted for over an hour with

Lottie asking me the whole time to help her on the slide,

 push her on the swing, and so forth.

I did my best while on the phone, but Lottie got really impatient and 

then without saying anything, she just left.

I finished my call and caught up to Lottie, who was beet

red with sweat dripping from her face.

Then she said something like, 

"how would you like it if I was on the phone

the whole time you were playing at the park?".

Then I said, 

"honey, next time, maybe let's not wear your Uggs

I think it's making you really hot."

Then she said, 

"It's not about Ugg's mom."

She's right about that.

If you are studying your Come, Follow Me manual,

you know then that we are learning about Paul.

It's been so neat to see photos strewn throughout the manual 

of my brother Topher, who plays Paul as an actor.

His videos are beautiful and will be a treasure for our family and me

forever.   I love you, Topher (happy birthday yesterday!).

I'm getting ready

I have been preparing for our Back to School Feast!  

Can you believe it? Already!

Mr. Nielson and I have prayerfully selected our theme 

and are really excited to share it, and then implement 

it in our family life for the 2019-2020 school year.

This year is really important since it's Claire's last

 (yes, I said LAST) year in school, (I'm dead).

It's also Oliver's first year in high school.

I've also planned and picked out the decorations, colors, and menu.

I'm ready for the party, I'm just not ready for school to begin.

I think we all went to bed last night after midnight. 

 I'm trying to suck up every last summer second with my children.

At dinner this evening,

I asked Mr. Nielson and my boys to design and build

stools to sit in front of the inside windows in The White House.

I want to be able to sit pumpkins on them for Halloween.

They spent the evening on some engineering designing computer program

sketching them up for me.

I think the boys are secretly excited for Halloween

 just as much as me.

I mean, aren't you?

The Beard

I took Angus to his monthly grooming appointment a few weeks ago.

I planned this appointment perfect so that the day we

 returned home from the beach with the Joneses, he would be picked

up from the sitters house and straight to the salon.

I got a phone call shortly after drop-off from his groomer who

 informed me that his beard was so matted and disgusting,

I believe "pirate dreads" were the words she said, and

she had no choice but to shave it off.  

SHAVE OFF HIS BEARD?  

All I could think about was the part in book, 

The Lion, Witch, And The Wardrobe 

when Aslan is captured by the evil witch and his mane is

 shaved off in an act of shame and humiliation.  

I thought Angus would be broken.

His beard is the cutest part about him!  

When we picked Angus up at the groomers I didn't even recognize him.  

Who was this strange goofy looking dog?  

We laughed for hours (and I cried a little too).

We all have those stories of horrible haircuts- I've had so many bang cuts

 where I've wanted to hide in a ditch for 7-10 days.

Then we had a family counsel where Mr. Nielson and I 

 committed each child to a day where they would 

use the special wire-combed brush to groom Angus beard,

because I am never letting this happen again.

It's just hair and it will grow back.

He just might not make it in this years Christmas photo.

Sentimental.

When I was 16, I used to run errands for my mom all the time.

Today I felt like my mom as I sent Clane out with a list of things 

I needed to do but didn't have the time to do it.

Enter Clane.

It was awesome!  

The girls drove around town to pick up the dry-cleaning,  the post office,

 grabbed a few groceries, returned some items, 

and then made it to the craft store to get supplies for a project.

The best part about it is they actually like running errands for me.

Having teenagers is so wonderful!!

Today Claire carried Lottie around on her shoulders while we were at the park.

I couldn't help but think that in ten years, Lottie will be Claire's age (17), and

Claire will be 27!!  Lottie will probably be carrying Claire's kids

on her shoulders at the park!!

I've been feeling so sentimental lately!

Happy weekend!

Spiritual Enlightenment:

 Build a Fortress of Spirituality and Protection

Dirty Feet

Across the street from The White House is a 

playground that is hidden among thick trees.

We call it the secret playground.  In fact we didn't know it even 

existed until after we were good and moved in, 

 then a neighbor told us about it.  It's truly a secret gem!

Lottie loves it there, (except that one time when she jumped into 

the tire swing and into a wasps nest).

Tonight while Mr. Nielson and the other Little Nies were at mutual,

Lottie and I walked over to play.

I pushed her in the swings (she loves underdogs),

I attempted the zip line contraption (I am a wimp),

we ran around, then I sat and watched her slide down the slide

over and over again.  She was so happy.

I reflected back earlier in the day when she had asked me to take her

to the secret playground, and I said

 "later", and "in a minute", and "ask one of your siblings".

I was feeling guilty.

I am trying to cherish her age and do these simple things with her, and

my heart sinks every time I think about her going into 2nd grade.

When the sun was setting, we came home and I made her a peanut butter

and jelly sandwich (per her request), then put her in the tub where I  

sat on the edge talking to her and scrubbed her dirty feet.

I wish I could mother little kids forever and ever.

Giant Piles

At 4:45 in morning, Mr Nielson and I drove

the Jones family to the airport to catch their 7:00 am flight.

It was kind of a somber sleepy drive.

After a tearful goodbye at the airport, we came home in the pouring rain

 to a house full of sleeping children.

 I jumped back into bed for a few more hours of sleep, and

after a nice little morning-nap,

 I was ready to catch up with the housework.

Around 10:00 I asked Ollie to run Angus.

When Ollie runs Angus, he doesn't actually run himself.

Instead he hops on his motorcycle and rides the back roads while Angus

speeds along.  It's really good for both of them.

About 20 minutes after they left, the rain turned into classic

North Carolina rain (pouring), and when Ollie didn't come back after a while

 I got worried so I jumped in the car 

and drove the neighborhood roads looking for them.

It was raining so hard my windshield wipers couldn't even keep up.

 Then I found Ollie huddled under a abandoned tree-fort in the woods with Angus.

I was amazed that I spotted them.

Ollie thought the rain would pass, which it didn't.

In fact, it poured all day and the power kept turning on and off.

It was fun and super cozy, and I would have normally LOVED it, 

except I needed power for all the dang laundry 

I had in giant piles on the floor.

While cleaning up, I occasionally would find

 little reminders of the Jones family,

like socks and toys, and wrappers, and soap left in the shower.

It made me feel homesick.

I also found these amazing signs written by 

our 1st graders, Lottie and Riggs in their "juice cafe" 

in the dining room:

"NO SMOING  ULARMS ON" 

(no smoking alarms on)

"No awkahol Bad for You"

(no alcohol bad for you)

* * * *

A very Happy Pioneer Day to one and all!

I am so grateful for my pioneer heritage and the

sacrifices and hardships they made and conquered for me

and my posterity!

Jonesons Day 9, The End

Jonesons = the end.

The Jonesons have adjourned until next time. 

This morning Lindsay washed my hair in the kitchen sink,

then she helped me clean up, sweep the floors,

 and put laundry and dishes away. 

What am I going to do without her when I wake up and she's gone?!

My favorite part was in the day was in the evening

 when we waltzed around

UNC campus admiring the giant ancient trees

and amazing architecture.

We also drank the water at the magic fountain on the UNC campus.

This 100 plus-year-old legend promises one sip from this

 magical fountain will guarantee

straight A's!!  Here's to hoping!

We finished off the night strong with a

 epic lightning and thunder show.
Can't beat a North Carolina summer storm!

We also let off some pretty amazing fireworks as a goodbye send-off, too.

I hate saying goodbye!

My heart will be heavy, and I fear I might feel a little depressed

without this family in my home- especially Linds.

 I think the saying absence makes the heart grow fonder 

can apply to anyone! 

Until next time, 

the Jonesons signing off...

XXXXX

Jonesons Day 7 & 8

Today is our last full day with the Jones family.

My heart is breaking as I type this.  

Having them here- especially Lindsay

has been the best week we've had in a long time.

We left the beach on Saturday afternoon, bound for The White House.

Probably my favorite part of the week together was on Saturday night.

 Our older kids were at a movie, our younger kids were in bed, and 

Lindsay and I stayed up late doing laundry and unpacking

from the beach.

The house was quiet, and we talked for hours about everything.

Lindsay and I can have fun no matter where we are or what we are doing.

That's how I know Lindsay and I are friend-sisters forever. 

2014

 2012

 2019