getting a sister

Happiest news of the week, the boys get another sister. Who looks the most excited?

Look Up!

Paria's beauty was not shown in my last post. Please enjoy the scenery that we continually marvelled over for three days as we passed through it. Sometimes because we were looking down, our breath was taken away as we looked up.








Isn't it stunningly beautiful? And for a better play by play account, please read Alyson's blog at nielson6forever.blogspot.com or just click on Nielson's on this blog. Seriously, you'll feel like you went with us. Maybe you are the one carrying the poo bag. Just look up!

Every Day is Mother's Day

Mel got me an early Mother's Day gift. It was a new down filled sleeping bag. Then for an early Mother's Day expedition, we hiked and camped in Paria Canyon and I carried it for three days and used it for two nights.
We had heard that you had to pack everything out that you took in, so we shouldn't have been surprised by the human solid waste bags. We were happy to get rid of those. The entertainment was never ending and it seemed that the cold mud wasn't either.
Purifying water races are amusing, and thank you Jared for being the water boy. Kirk could scale any cliff. He's nearly a mountain goat.
Mel called this the rock scramble.
It was amazing that after setting our clothes out to dry, that Chris' pants could stand up by themselves and Jared's socks stood at attention but couldn't be cracked open.
Jared was a joy to have along. He owned the canyon or visa versa!I am so proud of Alyson for being such a wilderness woman and remaining beautiful through the entire backpacing adventure.I felt like every day is Mother's Day as Chris and Kirk helped me over and through every tight spot. Kevin carried my heavy pack (including the human solid waste bag) the last part of the last day. Mel, bless his heart, took care of me by packing my pack, setting up the tent every night, including putting out my air matress and sleeping bag, rolling it all up in the mornings and then cooking our meals. He took care of my every need. Kevin doing push-ups on a tire (who knows how it got there)was just part of the never ending entertainment - you would have had to been there.
I truly feel blessed to be a mother as I watch my children interact with their spouses and raise their own families. See what I mean, every day is Mother's Day.

April's Random Review

We love April! It is such a green and growing month. The last day of it part of our family took a day trip to the Gila Valley temple open house. We highly recommend it. It is a beautiful building inside and out. If you have ever wanted to know about what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have going on in their temples, here's your chance to see. This temple seemed tiny to us, but it has amazing local artwork. We had a wonderful day. Here's a pictoral recap of our visit to "the valley" with a few random other April treats. Because when I upload the pictures a digital explanation of each photo appears instead of the picture, I have no idea which is where, so please excuse my captions if they have nothing to do with the pictures until I figure out which tabs or keys I pushed to make my post options so difficult. If anyone would care to help me out on this I'd thank you.


Okay, so this wasn't at the temple. Like I said there are a few random ones here. We've got a talented group who all love this pastime.


We all love Nami. She and Kev were the only ones to have food left for their next meal.
Oh and when they are together, Oakley and Brynn are a pair...
a cute pair.
Scamps!
Mel and Dona. Aren't they the cutest siblings?
I think this is what Kev wishes his yard looked like. He has an obsession with making his yard beautiful, and who sees it besides Bruce? That's okay Kev. I appreciate it.
Lots of old people like to go to the temple too.
Is this not the cutest thing a little boy can do?
Our little garden has a hard time competing with Dona's but we're not all bull.

Marsha--Marsha--Marsha

Marsha is the feeding and speech therapist who is trying to teach me sign language so that I can use it as I interact with the boys, thus creating better learning. Can you say, old dog, new tricks? But as I say that I am thinking, pat the leg and snap the fingers, the sign for dog. What is this world coming to? I personally think that Philip would do a much better job as he is obviously adored.

Hippity Hop Hop

So here we were just minding our own business and coloring eggs as part of our Easter traditional activities...
you know, everyone using their most creative juices to make amazing creations...
Nate eating his first sucker and tossing chex down to Reese...

a very proud young woman showing off her hard earned treasure, when a knock came on the door and my oh my, the Easter Bunny was standing at our door. Hippity Hop Hop!!! Everyone out on the grass...
Happy Easter.