My baby turns nine, and other weekend goods.

It is Claire's 9th birthday!!! My little darling is old. I mean, for me to have a 9 year old means,
I am old too. I will always be exactly 20 years older than her.
Yes, that does mean I had Claire when I was just 20.

The day Claire was born, was the most beautiful, stormy autumn day.
That night I lay in the hospital with my new little "toad" I remember praying to God thanking him over and over again for this beautiful present in my hands.
I couldn't believe I was lucky enough to have her.
Such a beautiful, perfect creature.
Now that beautiful, perfect creature still is becoming more beautiful and learning many of life's lessons. Actually we are doing it together, and I have loved every step of the way.
Happy birthday to my toad.

Also, a few other mentionables:
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1. Jordan Ferney at Oh Happy Day is offering her husband's talents to you.
Paul Ferney, is an amazing artist. He paints breath-taking scene's with glorious color.
Now he is offering his artwork for you. Go here for more information.

Here is Nicholas this past summer. I love it so much. I kind of want a portrait of every child. Except a little birdie told me that if you want this, you have to act NOW,
his calender is filling up.

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The Lower Lights.
If you love calm gospel themed music, then you NEED one of these discs, better yet you NEED to rent out this beautiful band to play at your next big party, or something. (Christmas work party). With names like Mindy Gledhill, Sarah Sample, and Scott Wiley, and sooo many more all involved in the band, it will knock your socks off.
When I first heard the Lower Lights sing at a private family concert this past July,
I cried through the whole thing. It was inspiring and beautiful.
Check out here to see a video.
(Jed Wells amazing work)
Click here for your own button.
And here for more information.

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Kurt Knudsen's beautiful star giveaway on his etsy shop.
Well, Mr. Knudsen himself has picked a winner.
Amer5b- You are the winner!! Congrats!
Kurt picked you becuase of your amazing e-mail here:

Kurt told me about her response: "More than her comment, the fact she has 5 boys age 9 and under is reason enough to give her a gold star (or red or green or purple or...)"

Thank you to everyone who purchased a star in October, 20% of the proceeds will go to the Maricopa Burn Center in Phoenix. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
By the way, there is still a few days left in October, go buy your own star now. Here.

(Amy, go to the Kurts esty site and convo him your information)

Last, but not least,

Another call for the Matthew Mead calender featuring yours truly.
I am so excited about this new magazine, I can barely stand it. Go here to buy your own.
And check out here to read a little holiday question and answer I had with one of the editors.

Happy Halloween!!!!!

polygamy and such.

(Nicholas, asleep in the car)

This morning I woke up to snow. Yep, the white stuff.
In fact, Mr. Nielson woke me up at 3:00 to tell me the news. We sat in bed looking out our window over and under the street light. Large flakes floated down under the orange light. (Someday when I create my own world, street lights won't be that ugly orange color, they will be a warm and cozy yellow color.)

I drove the children to school in my unmentionables, uggs and a sweater.
I wonder when my kids will ask me not to do that anymore.

I ran a few errands this afternoon, and was dropping Nicholas off at a cousins house to play just up the street. He had fallen asleep in the car upon arrival.
He looked just like I wanted to feel at that moment.
Safe, warm, and sleeping.

Claire and I took a trip to Anthropologie in Salt Lake City, for some browsing and a few buys.
She made me swear that everything I bought I would keep for her for her post-puberty years.
I also mentioned how much I loved the store and wished I could live in it.
Claire promised me that her house was going to look just like Anthropologie when she was a Mom. I looked at her like I was looking at a tiny me.
I love my children. They make me laugh, smile, and cry and above all:
they make me think.


Your kids are doing this for you everyday, and if they are not, then its your fault.
Children come with this to bless our lives.
We need to listen to them, so they can share them with us.

For me, to just think about what I'd be missing out on had I died in the airplane crash is unthinkable. I would totally miss the little chats Claire and I have,
like today it was all about Polygamy.
And that would have been sad.

Do you want to know what I think about that?
Or just about any other question?
Go here.

***Speaking of Claire, she will turn 9 tomorrow. I have actually had her for 9 years.***

feeding the sick.

I had three bad dream-ers in my bed last night and one sick child. That is five people in a bed (just in case you needed help with the math). Then I spent a few hours on a hard cold bathroom floor rubbing Jane's back while she contemplated throwing up.
I guess Jane was really sick after all. Like, kind of really, sick.
She stayed home from school and sat on the couch with red eyes watching the Disney channel.

Ollie has been "suspended" from school since we are lazy parents and haven't taken care of his immunizations. Honestly, these past 2 days home from school has been bliss.
Just to have a buddy for Nicholas to play with longer during the day.
Sadly, he is headed back to kindie-garten tomorrow.

I worked a few more hours on my "special project" and I can't wait to unveil this long-waited project.

Now, my body is exhausted. Seriously. I hope I don't come down with anything funky. But I believe that we can learn from almost every situation from life, and hopefully for the first time too. Leaning "it" the first time means we don't have to do it again with pain. But we will still have to endure it. (like being sick, or stressed or whatever).
Now when I get sick, it is just another awful learning experience and I have to believe,
that something will come of it.
Like right now, its telling me that it's time for bed...yes, at 8:00 p.m.
Now, that is a great lesson.

(me, really tired glued to my computer)

Busy.

(Ollie and Mr. Nielson's camping boots)

Another long day today. I was so busy working on my new special project. So busy in fact, that someone actually rang my doorbell and I sat there and kept on working. I am pretty sure I yelled a child's name to answer the door. That child was downstairs watching a movie and didn't hear me. But, I was so busy, that I didn't even get up because I actually forgot.

Over lunch, Mr. Nielson told me the goings on at the annual "boys deerhunt campout" with Oliver and some of my brothers and nephews. It sounded in one word: miserable.
Rain, snow and mud caked their gear (which is still on my front porch). But Mr. Nielson was so proud of Oliver. My sweet little boy hiked with the big boys up about 5 miles to the camp, and back down. In horrible weather.

Mr. Nielson said that Ollie never cried, except when he slept with bubble gum in his mouth and woke up with it all over his face and hair.
He also cried the whole hike home because he missed me. He missed me!
I thought that was the sweetest thing ever.

(The boys on their way up)

Then Claire called me from school to tell me that she wasn't feeling so good.
Actually she called me like 4 times to tell me. Each time I would tell her to call me in one hour and if she still felt gross to call me. And of course she always did.
So, I went to pick her up and she and Jane ran outside with backpacks and coats on.
They were coming home no matter what I said.
To be fair, Jane actually did look pretty sick.
Claire-well not so much.

I took the girls to Jamba Juice to help them "feel better".
Boy, do I remember those days of pretending to call my own Mom to come pick me up from school because I was "sick". She would tell me to put my PJ's on, lie on the couch. She put on classic movies and let me play with my paper dolls.
Then she offered a little sprite and popsicles to help the upset stomach.

She was never too busy for me. NEVER. I don't ever want to be too busy for any of my children or those I love. So, I am sorry, to whoever came to my door. I was too busy, but that is no excuse. (assuming I knew and loved you).

What should I be...

I found all of these pictures on my phone last night and laughed out loud really hard.

A good way to start a Halloween week!

*****
NieNie asks on Blogher
Question today:
Do you have you or your children's Halloween costumes yet?

I am going to be Sally from Tim Burtons Nightmare before Christmas".
That way, I dont even need to dress up- I have the scars and it will be easy from there
Go here to answer!!

Weekend strength

(fyi, the nie and you e-mail address is now working)


(My view)

As of right now, I think I did 300 loads of laundry today, and I just heard it beep- signaling to me that my duvet cover is clean and warm, and ready. I am so ready for some good shut-eye.
I planted spring bulbs all afternoon. I kept looking up at the towering mountains behind my home. They are filled with autumn color and absolutely stunning. I love where I live.
I do. I can't get over it.

I am getting the courage back up to hike the "Y" again. After the crash, which scraped me up pretty bad (new skin grafts?). I am ready to get back to the mountain that makes me happy.
I also want to hike again because my tummy has some "excessive" skin. I don't like it.
I also want to hike again because my sister Page came over today while I was planted bulbs.
She swung in our tree swing and asked if I was up to hiking again. I said yes, I thought so.
She suggested we go hiking together, but looked at me with a pity face and said:
"I'll go my speed and you go yours".
For a minute I thought; I am faster than you. I am the unstoppable one.
I had so much energy and desire to move before the accident,
that nothing could have stopped me.
"Wait, what" I asked her. "I can keep up, that is not the problem, its just..."
Then Page cut me off and told me that there was no way I could keep up with her.

After she left I was so mad. Not at my sweet sister, but at the fact that I wasn't able to keep up or be at her level. Wherever that is. But I secretly think I can anyway.
You should see how well I can bend down, my knees are starting to bend and I am able to sit down on the floor without help.
Tomorrow is yoga. I am so excited. I want to push it and work it as hard as I can, to be at the level I was before the crash-and even better. I have different knowledge this time around. I know that bodies are incredible no matter what they can do.
They can heal us if we truly listen and let them,
so I am going to listen and then beat Page up to the "Y".

***************H A P P Y W E E K E N D***************
Some weekend goodness coming your way.
For your weekend reading, may I suggest:

(Here is a picture of me holding "my family" in my hands)

1. Vintage Pearl made me the most charming necklaces. I got this one with all the first name letters in my family. It turned out just adorable, and I have already had 8 comments on it- at Costco alone. VP is having a few giveaways on her blog. 5 winners win $50.00 gift certs. Comment on her blog to enter.

2. Hey Arizona Peeps: (or whoever really): Have you ever wanted to be in a music video? Now is your chance! Mindy Gledhill needs women of all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, religious and cultural backgrounds to run with her in the 5K of the "Shun the Sun Race" in Mesa on Saturday, November 13th. She will be filming part of the music video for her song "Whole Wide World." All proceeds from the race will be donated to build covered playground structures for elementary schools in Arizona. The race info can all be found at www.shunthesun.org, where you can sign up as well. Once you have signed up, email Krista Maurer at kristaqm@gmail.com to let her know that you want to be in the music video. All people who run with Mindy will be put on a list to get a FREE ticket to her concert at Westwood High on Thursday, Nov. 11th (see poster for concert info). So grab a friend! Come as a mother/daughter duo! Sisters? Of course!"
And yes, I will be there with my 2 beautiful daughters.
Cool new video. I like this one too ;)

(The Teemant family photo taken this summer)

3. Help the Teemants!!! Read the information here.
This has broken my heart, and yet has given me hope because so many has come together for this sweet family.

4. Calling all "Nie and You" readers. Looking for a new "you" for my 2011 project next year. If you are interested e-mail me a nieandyou@yahoo.com

My projects.

Yesterday I found out that a storm is brewing and that it will dump on us this weekend.
So, I decided that I needed to:

a: Plant my tulips and bulbs for Spring flowers
b: Pick fresh-looking apples on my tree for Holiday pies and also my favorite snack:
sour apples and cheese
c: Clean out the garage and winterize the car.

So I did that. (Except for winterizing the car. I think I'll give that job to Mr. Nielson.)
And now...
I am working on a special Christmas project. If it turns out the way I want, it will be an adorable addition to your home. Are you so excited yet? I am!!