2010

Happy New Year!!

(I hope you can stay up to greet it!)

Updates

To see who won the awesome HP TouchSmart go here.

AND,

To those of you who requested a copy of my favorite book.
They are signed sealed and almost delivered. Thanks for being patient!

Behold!

Behold,
the Opera wig.

Cjane shows Jane how its done.

Behold!
The family army
(Thanks G!!)

Behold!
Claire and her new doll in matching pajamas.

Behold!
A robot.

Behold!
Nicholas is playing with his clay.


Behold!
The house after the damage was done.

Christmas Around the House.

Here is my Christmas house:

Claire's nativity.

My paperwhites (Narcissus ) that I planted in October.

I am home.

Santa did in fact come.

Santa did in fact bring Jane her opera wig (or Oprah...however you look at it)

Santa brought Claire her army outfit.

Santa brought Nicholas a rocket ship and Max from Where the Wild Things are
(and also a record of the soundtrack)

Santa brought Oliver a wooden castle.

...and...
Mr. Nielson got me a beautiful bread machine.

I got Mr. Nielson that exact same beautiful bread machine.
Neither of us asked for one.
We both thought we'd be sneaky.
Now we have two beautiful bread machines.
A complete surprise to the both of us.
It's fun to be on the same page....(right hon?)

Santa is tired (or so I bet)

Christmas Eve, at exactly 12:47 am I got a text.
It read:

"anyone still up?"

It was from Jesse.
Pretty soon texts from almost every one of my siblings came in.
We were all up. We were all making magic at home for our children.
I sent pictures of Mr. Nielson assembling presents.
Some of us were wrapping gifts and some eating Santa's cookies and drinking his milk.
I am so happy to be home. I am happy to be here.
I am happy that I got to play charades with my family tonight
and laugh and drink "black death" (as my Nana called it...aka Coke.)
It was a joy to watch my brothers wrestle eachother
and throw their kids in dog-piles on my parents
family room floor.
Dad kept the fire stoked.
Mom passed out sugar cookies.
I am home.

This truly is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

-Nie.

Visions of Opera wigs danced in her head.

This is Jane sleeping on Christmas Eve.
This is Jane's self portrait she drew at school.
Jane is dreaming that Santa Claus will bring her a opera wig,
except sometimes she gets confused and says she wants a Oprah wig.
Big difference.

Spread Christmas Cheer

If you are looking for a chance to help someone this Christmas-
please visit the Sweet Tooth Fairy and see what you can do.

Go here.
And it may include a free cupcake.

ME: in a series of photos and thoughts.

Here I am.
It is 11:43 on a stormy wet night in Provo.

Now I am thinking.
About my pain. My leg hurts tonight, and there is
nothing I can do about it.

And that is depressing.

Then I unfold my bandages to find this (if you dare look).

Then I remember my big surgery in January.
And I want to cry.
It will be hard.

But then I remember, that I am home for Christmas.
And I am instantly happy.

Then I think about Mr. Nielson in the next room all bundled up with
Oliver and Nicholas.
And I melt.

And forget about my leg.

And that's what happens when you are a mother.

Oh what fun!

This is what it looks like Christmas shopping.
At a bookstore.
With Oliver.

Nine years.

I can't help but think about last year.
I was in a hospital bed watching Christmas movies with my husband of 8 years.
I was miserable-haunted by my life before our airplane crashed.
Each anniversary we would carry on the same tradition-
A overnighter, Anthropologie shopping for latte bowls and Victoria Secret.
Last year was far from that.
I was getting heparin shots 2 times a day.
I was throwing up because of all my medication.
I was cold because I had no skin.
I was bald.
I was sad.
And I was just learning to use a fork again.
Last year, the nurses put a 'do NOT disturb' note on my hospital door so
Mr. Nielson and I could have a few hours to talk and connect.

We just cried though.

Mr. Nielson was in a back brace because of his broken back and leaving to Arizona the next day to make final preparations to move our stuff to Utah.
****

This year, Mr. Nielson and I reflected on life last year,
and in gratitude celebrated another year on earth together.
Mr. Nielson took me to the temple where we were married.
We went inside and reminded each other of that special day.

Then he surprised me with a trip to a darling bed and breakfast at the quaint town of Park City.
We had the best time together.
Large flakes of snow fell outside our window, and we were together, happy and in each others arms...the way it should be.

We stayed in room 204 named "Miss Nielson" it was perfect!

We drove home- back to our chickens.

We had dinner then I got in the tub.
Tubs are hard for me, but I was extra cold so I got in.
As I lay in the tub I thought about my trip, my life and then about states with 5 syllables.
I came up with three, Louisiana, South and North Carolina.
Then I called Mr. Nielson in and he sat on the tub's edge
and I gave him 60 seconds to come up with the three.

It took him about 5 minutes.


Thanks to Lucky Blue for helping us out!

On the 9th day of Christmas...

My true love married me!

Mr. Nielson and I were married 9 years ago today!
Its been on wild ride.
but-
I wouldn't have missed it for anything.
I GET to enjoy life with the man I love forever.

Death could never have stopped that-
never.

I love you darling.

Whats going on at my house today