February 2012

I have been seriously slacking on taking pictures and updating the blog. Where does the time go! One of my friends from work is getting ready to have a baby, and I helped co-host a shower for her. We also gathered some money from some of the servers and were able to get her the swing she wanted, the baby bath, and some bottles. Here were some of the stuff I made her.

One of my neighbors from Utah ended up moving to Gilbert, about 10 minutes away from our house! We have been able to go to the train park, Discovery Park to have the boys ride the bikes, and have had a chance for our boys (Easton and Jack) to have a couple play dates. I'm so glad she moved close by! Here are some of the pictures of us at the train park in Scottsdale.

I found a growth chart on Pinterest that Doug (and Jack) are helping me make. Jack went and got his construction hat and is taking a stab at sanding our future masterpiece.

Just some brotherly love

We don't get much time together... the four of us. Saturday mornings is one of the rare times where we can do something together. We went to the Chandler mall yesterday where Jack got his new (and much needed) Crocs. He LOVES how they change color in the sun. We had a quick lunch after a little shopping, and then went out by the fountains for some beautiful 70's weather.

This was right before they got splashed!

Doug and I didn't get much of a Valentine's Day this year. I had to work 6 days that week (would have been 7 since they called me to come in on the Sunday before, but I said no.) But my work did pay for a full meal for 2 since I came in and helped out the day before. My boys gave me a "heart attack" in bed. They cut out a bunch of heart shapes from construction paper and threw them on me. Then they made me breakfast. So cute!

We all planned on going to the Goldfield Ghost Town on President's Day, since both Doug and I had the day off. That almost never happens where we both have a whole day off together. Unfortunately, we both came down with the stomach flu the Sunday night before. We're thinking Lincoln shared this with us, since he had had it the Wednesday before all day. P.S. That was AWFUL because even if he has to throw up, he doesn't tell you about it, so you have to watch him like a hawk to make sure you can get him to the toilet in time. That poor kid threw up in the car twice (taking Jack to school, then picking him up)! Poor kid. Anyway, so Doug slept downstairs and I slept upstairs, both feeling horrible. The next morning, Jack threw up once, and was over it. It was so funny because right after he threw up, the first thing he said was, "Does this mean we can't go to Ghost Town now?" Not like we were going to go anyway with Doug and I still sick all day. Anyway, so we'll have to wait and go a different day when we both have a day off again.

Thanks to Groupon, I have started doing hot yoga and am absolutely loving it! Not looking forward to seeing how much it normally is. And also thanks to Groupon, the boys have started their 4 weeks of swim lessons! Jack is loving them, and Lincoln... well, not so much. He didn't want to let go of me either week, and the second one, he was crying through the first half of the class. That boy really needs to get more comfortable in the water!

Doug started his last class at school on Thursday, and so he'll be done in 8 weeks with EVERYTHING! We are so proud of him and are looking forward to a change. He's already looking for better jobs and has already had an interview in Scottsdale. If anyone hears about or knows of a senior analyst job, we'd LOVE to hear about it!

Christmas

It seems that I'm a little behind the times with my blog posts! We have been busy. I don't have any pictures of our Thanksgiving this year. But we had some of our neighbors over and had a great feast! Earlier in the day, we went and saw Arthur Christmas, which we all liked.

Here's Jack and Lincoln snuggling in Lincoln's old room (the boys now share a room, and Lincoln's room is now the play room)

Jack is helping me make sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies

At our ward Christmas party, we celebrated the "Three Levels of Christmas." Here's level one, where there were lots of games. Jack was pinning the nose on Rudolph.

Driving around afterwards, looking at Christmas lights

Jack and daddy dozing

Here we are in cold Colorado! Lincoln felt right at home with the plethora and quantity of cars that he had!

At first I thought I forgot my contacts because they weren't in my case. Turns out, they were in my case, and were stuck to the lids! I tried soaking them overnight, but they were both torn! I had to wear my glasses the entire trip. Bummer!

We had a white Christmas! Here's daddy and Jack in Grammy and Papa's backyard, making his first snowman.

Grammy and Lincoln

Papa with his patriotic cast and Lincoln by the trains.

Alex and Lincoln

Jack and his best bud, Cody

"Say what?"

Lincoln stood here for a long time and refused to go out in the snow with Jack!

Lincoln's first time sledding! He didn't want to at first, but once we forced him down the first time, they couldn't get enough of it!

Doug and I got tired dragging the sled, AND THE BOYS, back up the hill

Lincoln's handy work with the trains

Aunt Eliza and Lincoln got along MUCH better this time around. Lincoln is warming up to people much faster now, which is nicer for everyone.

Christmas morning! Jack got a new Hot Wheels track!

Lincoln got a new jeep and trailer. Their big present was a keyboard that Santa brought before we went to Colorado. He must have known we wouldn't have been able to fit it back on the plane with us.

Some of the highlighted presents
Doug: Call of Duty: Black Ops for xbox, football jerseys
Toni: Family Tree Maker computer software, new steam mop
Jack: Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7, Star Wars camping chair
Lincoln: Lightning McQueen suitcase, camping chair, and GeoTrax car

We went through the Loveland/Fort Collins airport on the way home, and we had to stand in line for like a half hour just to check our bags! It was ridiculous. We had a great time in Colorado! Thanks, family. Utah family, we missed you!

Happy 4th Birthday, Jack!

Jack turned 4 on the second of November. I can hardly believe it!

Here's Lincoln and uncle Kolton trying to figure out how to get Lincoln's new police car out of the package. Lincoln sleeps with a police car every night, and it's completely falling apart! All the plastic sirens have fallen off, some of the rubber wheels have fallen off, and it's off track now. This was our attempt of a replacement, but it's not working out so well.

Grammy and Papa got Jack a Spiderman helmet (and horn) to go with...

His new bike!

The Nelson boys

Jack just being silly

Jack wanted to go to Bounce U (a bounce house) for his birthday. We let him invite 3 friends. This turned out perfect because Groupon had a half off deal the day before we went, and so it only cost us half the regular price. Score!

Lincoln, Ryan, Jack, Izzy, and Darren

Jack and his church buddies, Ryan and Darren

Lincoln snuggling into Grandpa while watching Caillou

Here's the best picture I (I mean, Doug) got of the awesome birthday cake that Gwen made him. Jack wanted a Batman party, if you can't already tell.

Grandma and Grandpa totally spoiled both boys! Lincoln got a new Usborne Trucks & Diggers magnet book, a Toy Story cape, and they got the boys Cars 2!

She got Jack and Lincoln some new clothes, too. Jack got a "Let's Go Fishing" game, an Usborne game called Pirate Snap, a couple capes, and this mask. It's pretty cool because you can velcro the cape around your wrists, like you see in this picture.

We were so sad when Grandma, Grandpa and Kolton left. We had so much fun with them!

So glad that Jack and Lincoln are getting along so much better now!

Grandma Came to Town

First, a picture of the progress on the Gilbert temple, which is only a few blocks from our current home! I took my activity day girls to the visitor's center here a few weeks ago. Pretty awesome.
Gwen came to visit us and stayed for almost two weeks! It was so great having her here to help me with the boys. I felt like I was on vacation! She was amazing. We took the boys and her to Scnhepf farms for our annual October trip. We went on a Thursday, and it was so dead! It was awesome not having to wait in any lines. Here she is with the boys on the train.

Beautiful farm

The four of them went on this bike. Their ride was so fast because the boys kept telling them to go faster.

This slide was SOOOO long

We took her to Discovery Park with the boys and their bikes. Lincoln is fearless when it comes to going down hills. We fed the ducks and saw some turtles. Fun times!

HALLOWEEN!!! Here's Doug (a.k.a. Joe Dirt), Lincoln the firefighter (having SO much fun!) and Jack as Darth Vader. They were so funny trick or treating! Jack would ring the doorbell and run behind us, because he thought something scary was going to jump out at him. Lincoln would linger in front of the door after getting his candy, half expecting to be invited in by someone.