Halloween 2025

We celebrated Halloween.  

Somehow, I pulled off a dinner (I even made chili!)

We had the usual Halloween dinner suspects:

dry ice with root beer

charcuterie board covered with flies and bugs

sourdough bread and

Jane made cookies, which we didn't eat because I think

we were all sugared out.

I must have had 100 Snickers and 100 Tootsie Rolls throughout the day

 not because I wanted to eat treats, but because this pregnancy has made me

have the WORST taste in my mouth ALL THE TIME, and 

so I keep eating sugary stuff.

This pregnancy has been so strange.

After dinner, we drove out of Stillstead country

and into our old neighborhood so Lottie could

find her friends, and we could see the fun decorations and 

watch the kids running around.

I love Halloween.

Earlier this morning, Jane and Lottie (who skipped school)

went to a Barre3 class at the studio, both wearing matching Halloween bows.

I was sad to miss the class, but vigorous exercise physically hurts

my super non-stretchy pregnant skin.  So I'm skipping out.

Next year I WON'T be pregnant and WILL have a little

baby girl whom I get to introduce ALL my favorite 

Halloween everything's!

I get to read ALL my Halloween books to her,

and watch ALL my favorite Halloween cartoons together.

It can't come soon enough!

It's Been Two Months

It's been two months since I last checked in with the NieNiedialogues!  
Every day feels like a battle.  This pregnancy has been complicated.  

Between the 24/7 nausea, loss of energy, a touch of depression, and physical pain 

(burns and pregnancy are really painful), 

I've only been able to do the very, very minimum to survive.
But baby six is growing healthy (and happy- she never stops moving); 

I'm now entering my 6th month.

Christian told me, as I complained and cried to him last night in both pain and frustration, 

to focus on growing baby six right now, and he'll take care of the rest.  

And he will- and does! But for me, while I am incredibly grateful, 

every day, my world moves on without me, and I feel like I miss the train every day.  

This is a feeling that only women can understand, because we

carry guilt alongside our numerous responsibilities anyway.  
I've been in this situation before—sick and bedridden, relying completely on others.

It's not a comfortable place to be, and I sometimes wonder if

 God thought I didn’t learn the lessons I needed from those experiences,

so I'm here again.
I know God doesn't work like that, but I wonder.

I'm going to back-blog and catch up for the last two months. 

So much has happened, and for the sake of posterity, 

I want to document it all.

As I type this, October is displaying its beauty outside my window, and 

that is bringing me so much joy.

So Long, Farewell!

Today, Elder Nielson rehomed most of his beloved critters.  
During his lunch break, he packed them up and drove them to their new homes.  

I know it was painful for him.  But, alas, it had to happen.

In my mind, I'll always see him as the photo above.

Little, adventurous, curious, and into all things critter.

So long, Chino and Candace!

Later in the evening, we all met him at the grocery store, 

where we each split up and then grabbed what we wanted for dinner.

I can't cook. The smells. I can't with the smells.

Honestly, it's so hard to do anything.

But I can manage to get myself a bowl of soup and saltine crackers

at our local grocery store.

Lottie, Christian, and Ollie love the sushi,

and Jane gets a sandwich.

Only a few more days with my Elder Nielson before

he heads to the MTC in Provo!

Back to School Feast 2025

Today was our annual BACK TO SCHOOL FEAST!

One of the most anticipated nights of the year.

Knowing how important this night is for our family, I prayed

so hard that the Lord would give me the energy to get out of bed

and make it memorable for my Nies.

And He did.

And I was so thankful.

Our theme this year was taken

from scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants, 82:3.

"For of him unto whom much is given much is required;"

Our family has been INCREDIBLY blessed this year, and each Nie

has so much to give and share;

Claire, as a young married woman working while going to school,

and starting a new life and family in Arizona.

Jane, who chose to move back to North Carolina, and be in the studio

manager of Barre3, and put off her education at BYU for

a semester to work and help me.

Oliver, who will begin a new life in Idaho and start his education

(and dating!) post-mission.

Nicholas, who will be headed to Slovakia for two years 

to teach people about Jesus in their native Slovak language

And, Lottie, who will start 8th grade after a very

disappointing and rough 7th grade, with friends and social pressures.

We all have been given SO MUCH and can share SO MUCH!

I chose the colors to be pink and blue as a little nod

to baby girl Nielson #6.

Of course, our Piggy & Dirt stars were the main attraction,

and have been for years and years!

We ate:

Caesar salad

Three berry salad with coconut drizzle & lime.

Grilled sesame-crusted miso salmon 

Warm white rolls

 And for dessert, I made a strawberry three-layer cake 

I also had hoodies made for each Nie with our new theme.

Again, the fact that I cooked was a miracle.

I KNOW God was holding my hands the whole time.

A star for baby Nielson girl #6.

Her first one!

...And then I threw up.

Goodbye, J!

Tonight, we met up with our friends to have dinner with

Elder Gigs one last time.

I think Gigs will miss two-year-old J more than anyone- 

even his own Mom!

They were church buddies.

He'd sit on Gigs' lap during Sacrament meeting, and Gigs would

show him pictures of motorcycles and cars on his phone.

When Gigs gets home, J will be a big boy

and baby Nielson #6 will be a big girl!

 

I Can't Help It

 Today was a miracle.

I felt Ok enough to take Lottie to THE MALL

and school shopping.

I am officially old because I think the

style these days is so stupid.

Also, I've been a little cynical lately.

We took lots of breaks, and at one point, I ate 

something from every restaurant at the food court to keep me sane.

But it only made me feel worse.

I am so nauseated, but the constant disgusting taste I have in my mouth is 

worst of all, and I'm dead.

Every single post I will write from here until the baby is born will 

in one way or another, be me complaining about how sick I am.

And I can't help it.

But I did buy baby Nielson #6 a little sweater.

That made me happy.

Hoarderville

 Today, (with my gumballs and blanket), I lay on Gigs' bedroom floor

and helped watched him pack up for the mission moving day.

He would take items from his closet or under his bed, 

and then I would tell him which pile to place them in: 

donate, store, or garbage.

Gigs is a borderline hoarder.

And I feel bad telling him to throw stuff away, because he has

some kind of attachment to nearly everything.

But I also had to keep reminding him that when he gets home

from his mission in two years, the jackalope he got at the

Goodwill will mean nothing to him.

He also hates, HATES, HATES throw-up,

so any sign of me feeling uncomfortable, or coughing,

he'd immediately say,

"Are you going to throw up?" 

then leave the room.

We have so much to do before he leaves.

Claire's Wedding Photos

I am dying a slow death in my bed.

How could something as small as a fig make me so sick?

But here are some of my favorite photos of Claire's wedding:

Thank you, Justin!