Home Church Week 36/Christian's 42nd Birthday

 Today we celebrated Christian, my husband, and the father of our home.  

The Nies ADORE Christian and Christian ADORES them.  

I read this quote by former Prophet, Howard W. Hunter, and thought of Christian:

 "Earn the respect and confidence of your children 

through your loving relationship with them. 

A righteous father protects his children with his time and presence

 in their social, educational, and spiritual activities and responsibilities... 

 Tell your children you love them."

Over Thanksgiving break, the Nies taught us how to play "Among Us"

which is a hot new phone/computer game (I actually don't really...know still).

It's set in space and there are these little space guys and you

can pick the color of your suit and your hat. You're supposed to do tasks,

and not get killed by the imposter.

Other than that, all I know is that I die every single game and that

my kids laugh at me, and I feel super old. 

 But Christian is an Among Us super-slooth and the Nies love it when he plays.

Christian's game name is "INXS" his favorite band, and his character

is a little yellow guy with a cowboy hat.  Claire made him a birthday card today

and painted his character on the cover.  It was pretty cute.

I made him a chocolate (extra dark) cake and we went around the dining room

table sharing our favorite "dad moments".

I told the kids about when we were dating and we rode a horse bareback

 at dusk in the mountains.  It was like out of a storybook.  

I'll never forget it.  Top 10 most romantic moments for sure!

Claire remembered his excited reaction when she received her mission call.

Jane shared about a time when she was about 10 and he

asked her to go to Costco with him before a big snowstorm was

predicted to hit.  Jane said they picked out and bought so many treats

and good foods to hunker down and wait out the Utah snowstorm.

Oliver remembered an epic Uno match while camping in the "hygge-mobile".  

Nicholas told us that everything he's ever learned by 

dad was while driving in the car: "Dad knows everything!".

Lottie told the cutest story about when he had picked her up from school

and she made up a funny word and they said it the whole way home

while laughing about it.  She could barely get the words out 

because she was still laughing about it.

I love Christian for so many reasons, but my favorite reason is that 

he works hard every day to improve as a husband and father.  

The very second he wakes up he reads his scriptures and communes with God.  

I love him and appreciate his example.  

He is kind and gentle, patient, and forgiving.  

I feel beyond blessed that I claim him as mine.  

We have taken some rough roads, been in some discouraging circumstances, 

and felt indescribable pain but we're doing it together and with 

each other connected to the Lord, we know we can manage anything.

Today in Home Church we sang CHRISTMAS SONGS!  I love this time of year!!

 I also read a letter that our Prophet, Russell M. Nelson sent members

of The Church about gratitude and his invitation to be part 

of the Light the World campaign.

We watched the 2020 Light the World intro video and

 discussed how our family can be a part of the light in this

often dark and confusing world. 

I love this time of the year and appreciate my children and their

sweet voices in my home which bring so much light and love.

Happy Thanksgiving 2020/#GiveThanks

 A very Happy Thanksgiving from us here in The White House to you and yours!

Being away from family for all holidays the past three years

 has often felt lonley and yes, of course, we miss being with our people, 

but the memories we are making together and the closeness 

we feel as a little family is beyond memorable

 and honestly, we wouldn't have it any other way!  

We are happy and feel so incredibly blessed.

How grateful I am to the Savior who fills my heart with light and hope,

and how grateful I am that He has blessed me with a beautiful healthy family.

#GiveThanks

#GiveThanks/2020 Christmas Trees.

 Today was a very exciting day for us, Nielsons!   

Together with friends, we picked out our 2020 Christmas trees!

 

We drove to a darling little tree farm in the mountians 

near the North Carolina/Virginia border. 

We were the only three families on the whole farm!!

Growing up, my mom always had our Christmas trees up for Thanksgiving which made everything seem more magical and exciting. 

And the temperature on the farm was just right, 

not too cold and not too hot.

In my opinion, it's no fun looking for a Christmas tree in the heat

...but that's just me, and I'm a cold-weather type of gal. 

 

 We were missing Claire, who was working the

 Black Friday sales at Banana Republic.

I am so thankful for good friends who have become our family, and

with whom we can share these fabulous holiday experiences.

Today the girls and I will be making our Thanksgiving pies 

and preparing the table.

These are the happiest of days!

#GiveThanks

#GiveThanks/Driving with Ollie

 Today I was so thankful for Ollie who drove me around to three 

different grocery stores and my eye appointment

where we had to wait for 45 minutes

to even get in to see the doctor.  He never complained once. 

Then he pushed our 600-pound cart full of Thanksgiving food and ingredients

 around the store (with a wonky wheel too) and all he asked for

 was a box of cookies 'n cream Pop-Tarts for his treat drawer in his room.  Done.

We must have laughed for 10 minutes straight while in Walmart

and I don't even remember why.

I have so much love and gratitude in my heart for my strong teenage son!

We had some really fabulous conversations and all I could think about was

that one day soon he'd up and leave on a mission and then to school, and then

he'd fall in love and get married and so these little moments together

running errands were like nuggets of gold in my life.

On the way home, we listened to Johnny Mathis sing Christmas songs

and talked about his 16th birthday in January and subsequent big first date!

I was also very, VERY grateful for Jane who held down the homeschool fort for

me while I ran these errands!

And now I'm (pretty much) ready for Thanksgiving!  Yay! 

Today on my social media I wrote about how

 grateful for my siblings on both sides and our big families! 

I'm grateful for their perspectives, ideas, 

and the support they've been all my life.

 They've helped shape my childhood and raise me and my own children.

 Families take work and patience, love, and forgiveness. 

I'm so grateful that the Savior helps heal families, 

He blesses relationships, and because of Him,

 I'll see Topher and Christian's sister, Charity again!!!!

(I CAN'T WAIT)

#GiveThanks

Gratitude: a Prophet's Message #GiveThanks

 Last week we heard from our prophet, Russell M. Nelson as

 he shared a special message to the world.  

His message focused on the importance of GRATITUDE.

 President Nelson invited "everyone for the next seven days—to turn social media

into your own personal gratitude journal. Post every day about what you

are grateful for, whom you are grateful for, and why you are grateful.

At the end of seven days, see if you feel happier and more at peace.

Use the hashtag #GiveThanks. Working together, we can flood social

media with a wave of gratitude that reaches the four corners of the

earth...Second, let us unite in thanking God through daily prayer. Jesus Christ

taught His disciples to pray by first expressing gratitude to God and then

petitioning Him for the things we need. Prayer brings forth miracles.

Over my nine and a half decades of life, I have concluded that counting

our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. No matter our

situation, showing gratitude for our privileges is a fast-acting

 and longlasting spiritual prescription.

Does gratitude spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief, and pain? No, but

it does soothe our feelings. It provides us with a greater perspective on

the very purpose and joy of life"

My mind immediately thought about the precious existence of my LIFE!

Never a day goes by that I don't remember how close 

I was to losing it. My heart swells when I think about all

the angels who helped me live and heal.

I love this quote from Elder Jeffery R. Holland:

 "We are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil.

 Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. 

Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods.

 Some of them gave birth to us...Indeed heaven never seems closer

 than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and 

devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the

 only word that comes to mind."

The photo above is my burn team angels surrounding and lifting

 me up from the 

Arizona Burn Center; Deb, Kelly, Connie, and my sister Page.

And I'm also grateful to whoever had the presence

 of mind to keep my toenails painted!

#GiveThanks

First day of 3rd Grade!! (again).

It was a BIG day for Lottie...she finally went to her FIRST DAY of in-person SCHOOL!!!!

She only attends two days a week and will Zoom the other three days.

We'll see how it goes.

She was really nervous- especially about having to wear a mask all day, and

I don't blame her; that would also send me over the edge. 

When I dropped her off, a masked teacher took her forehead temp, gave her the thumbs up, and walked away. She looked at me and said:

 "Mom, I don't know what I'm doing.  

Where do I go? I don't know what I'm doing."

As a strict rule per-covid, parents are not allowed to get out of their cars 

 to help assist children, so I helplessly watched her fumble around

 until we both had tears in our eyes. I yelled out the window to her as the

carpool director waved me on:

 "Just walk into school and ask someone for help!  

You can do it! I love you so much! I'll see you at 3:00!!!"

Then she turned her little head around and timidly walked inside.  

I couldn't wait for 3:00 so I could pick her up.

As I drove away from the carpool lane,

I cried like I did when I dropped Claire off at kindergarten.

But as it turns out, she had a great day but said she didn't want to go back.

I mean, how can school compete with home school?

It's been pretty awesome doing school sitting next to me and everyone

 at the table while listening to music, eating snacks, and drinking tea

with breakfast on the cold mornings.

It sure beats waking up extra early, driving in the cold car, and saying goodbye.

Seriously, how could school possibly compete with that? 

Especially for a family of homebodies!

We'll give you a week, I said.

If I didn't LOVE her teacher, I'd have given it up already.

(I am soooo grateful for teachers!)

* * * * *

Spiritual Enlightenment:

I am SO looking forward to the Prophet's message today!!  

Happy weekend! (Is it time to pull out the Christmas decorations yet??)

Fifteen Years

2020:

2005

Home Church Week #34/Steady.

In Home Church and in our family scripture study, 

we've been talking about the world with

all of its disruptions, heartache, confusion, and mixed messages

and how they can overtake our hearts and minds.

The election was (and still is) enough to make anyone crazy.

I showed the Nies this clip of President Nelson

 steadying the arm and body of 90-year-old Elder Wirthlin

 at a conference message in 2007. (Start at 8:05)

There wasn't a dry eye in our living room as we watched our

 Prophet comfort and sustain.

He held tightly onto Elder Wirthlin so he could finish his conference message.

 Because of my emotions, I could hardly get the words out to

 my children as I told them that while we may not physically feel 

President Nelson's hand on our arm, we can feel him steadying our hearts.

We had a wonderful discussion about what it means to have a living prophet

on the earth today, and how lucky we are that God is still speaking.

We believe that in the commotion of the world, he is reminding us to

 "...be still and know that I am God." (here).

Daylight Savings = Hyggetime.

When daylight saving smacks us and darkness comes to 

 our world around 4:30 pm (which, if I'm being honest, I actually LOVE),

then I pull out our hygge candles and place them

 in every window of The White House.

The dark world outside makes way for light and warmth inside.

I feel a certain energy this time of year that I 

just can't express except to say that I love it so much.

The past few days here have been wet and dark, so

during home school, I've placed several candles at our work table,

 and we've been enjoying Christmas music, 

and I'm not even ashamed to say it.

This Tuesday (11/17), my Barre3 studio in Chapel Hill

 will be hosting a Book Talk where I'll share my book, Heaven is Here.

These women have become my sisters.  I love them.

Happy Weekend!

* * * * *

*I showed this pic to Jane today when she was having

a frustrating zoomathon day (she was on her 5th online class),

and told her that we were weeks away from this:

Spiritual Enlightenment:

"Through the power of the Holy Ghost, Christ will enable

 us to see ourselves and see others as He does."

PS: 

Instagram Accounts Launched for

 Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary General Presidencies!!!!!!

A Bobby

One day Lottie woke up and said, "I think I am ready for a bobby",
 which is slang for "bob" as in, a bob haircut. 
So early last Saturday Lottie and I went to visit 
our favorite hairstylist- who is also Christian's cousin, Emily.

Lottie showed Emily where she wanted the length of her

hair to be then Emily pulled her beautiful auburn hair 

back into two pigtails and tied them in rubber bands.

Then with a few snips, her pigtails were gone exposing her little neck.

Her eyes widened and I could hear a little squeal underneath her mask.

Photos on the Island

 I'm convinced that November is my favorite month here in 

North Carolina.  For one thing, the weather has cooled down and the

humidity is gone and everything is colorful and glorious!

I scheduled family photos with our friend, Melissa

before life gets crazy with Claire's mission prep, the holiday's arrive, 

and the color disappears. 

We decided to take our photos at Firefly Island which is 

just around the corner from The White House. 

(Firefly Island in the Summer and the Fall)

 

In Lottie's 3rd-grade Zoom class they honored Veterans,

and Lottie introduced her class to her great-great Uncle Harold Jones.

I am so thankful for all our Veterans!