6th time (and without reservation)

Well, we did it!

We finished The Book of Mormon again for the 6th time as a family.

Our goal on December 31st 2018 was to read this incredible book

again by October 2019.

We didn't make the October goal, but we finished it

in the car early in the morning on December 23rd.

It's hard to read scriptures as a family.  

It's hard to gather everyone around at the same time when 

everyone has different schedules, but we made it a priority, 

and we made it happen.

We weren't perfect, but we did it!!

To celebrate, Mr. Nielson and I drove the Nies to Charlotte 

about 2 hours away to have breakfast at one of our

 favorite breakfast joints, Snooze.

 Snooze was one of our favorites in Arizona, and we were thrilled they 

opened one in here in North Carolina!  I mean, we love it

enough to drive hours away to eat there.  Yes, it's that good.

(A little birdie told us they will be opening another

 Snooze here in Chapel Hill!!!).

After breakfast and with stuffed tummy's,

we took a commemorative photo outside of the restaurant.

Then our car got booted.

We weren't expecting that and it was kind of a bummer.

But I guess we all had a good laugh after.  I guess.

Then Christian and I reminisced the time when our car got towed

about a year after we were married.  

I had driven the car to grab Christian lunch to drop off 

to him at work.  Jimmy our dog was in the back seat waiting for me

as I carried baby Claire inside to the pick-up line.

I came out minutes later and my car (and dog) were gone.  

It cost us $300 to get it it released.  

$300 bucks, (we had to borrow it from my parents).

One of my favorite quotes about the Book of Mormon is

by the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley:

 “Brothers and sisters, without reservation I promise you that

 if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of 

how many times you previously have read it, there will come

 into your hearts an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord. 

There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to

 his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the 

living reality of the Son of God”

Our first family Book of Mormon completion 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Merry Christmas 2019.

Merry Christmas 2019:

The kids woke up around 8:30.

I was a little surprised they slept in that long,

I am sure Lottie was up hours before begging the bigger kids to wake up.

They all snuggled in the girl's room for the night. 

(I'm actually surprised they slept at all!).

They covered their heads with a blanket and then walked down the

stairs to our bedroom so they wouldn't see the gifts in the living room.

I used to do this with my family in my childhood home.

Mr. Nielson and I started breakfast, 

the usual ebelskivers with every topping you could imagine.

The Nies couldn't wait a single second for me to open up the

gift they all picked out for me.  It was a German Christmas Pyramid.  

I've wanted one of those for a long time. It's so cute!

I lit it the second I opened it up.  In fact, I keep it lit all the time.

 I estimate we've burned through nearly 200 candles this 

autumn/winter season and still going strong.

I found Lottie's note to Santa's "rain deer" upstairs near the window.

I guess Gigs put the apple on the roof...at least, I hope it was Gigs!

 

Favorite gifts:

  Hygge-socks, books, dolls & school, customized belt-buckle

for Mr. Nielson, a Lego train track, and Lottie made me a cute

candle holder in school.  

Once evening came, I made Christmas enchiladas, and we finished

our Mission Impossible movie marathon.

It was a beautiful day, and I am sad it's over.

Christmas Past

On December 22nd Jane played her violin in our church congregation with her
teacher and other violinist friends.

She did amazing, and I love watching her perform.
I look forward to many more concerts and performances...
especially holiday ones!


On December 21st we wrapped last minute gifts, made Hygge-pudding,
and started our family movie marathon (Mission Impossible).





On December 23rd Mr. Nielson and I took our three beautiful daughters
to The Nutcracker in Raleigh.

The ballet always makes me teary.  I love the strength of
the performers, the colorful costumes, and the live orchestra is
quite possibly my favorite part.

 

On December 24th we took the Nies to Star Wars at the movie theater.

My opinion of Star Wars is this: boring.


And as per our Christmas Eve tradition, we stopped by the local

fire station (just a block from The White House) and

dropped off some Christmas cheer (chips and salsa).

We always honor the fireman on Christmas Eve, and
feel so grateful for their service as they are away from
 their loved ones on the most sacred of holidays.


We came home and as per tradition (and practically the entire world),
the Little Nies opened up their new Christmas PJ's, put them on and then
 posed together on the couch for me while I took photos.

This year they included cute little Norwegian elves that my mom gave me
for Christmas.  These elves are family heirlooms and I am so lucky
they are in my possession this year.

(Thanks to the Little Nies for putting up with the
 photo, it truly was a Christmas miracle).

Then we watched Santa on the NORAD tracker get closer and closer

to North Carolina.  Once Santa showed up in Haiti we had

a little family devotional recalling the birth of Christ, reading out

of scripture and reading what

our modern day prophets have said about that holy night.

We prayed then the Little Nies all went to bed.  

Well, not really, they went up the stairs armed with food, card games, 

board games, and a stack of Christmas picture books to read to Lottie.

Mr. Nielson and I popped in the hot tub and ending up staying 

in way too long which put us back (if you know what I mean)

and we didn't get into bed until 3:00 am.

But, Santa delivered!