Jelly Belly, Camping, and Surfing Oh my!

My mom and my cousin Sydnie came to visit us after our fast trip to OC. While they were here we went to the Jelly Belly Factory, the girls camped in the backyard and they went to "Dream Extreme" which is an indoor wave machine.

Swimming at the Lee's house

Our friends Katherine and Steve Lee live in Bakersfield, and on this trip to OC we stopped to visit them so that we could break the drive up. Here are some pictures of the girls swimming in their pool.

Trip to OC/July 2009

Here are some random pictures of the kids playing in the backyard at my sister Jennifer's house.

Avery and Brendon playing tag.

This is little Logan. So cute!

Avery and Brendon playing in the little pool.

All the grandkids on the "Nowack" side of the family. Savannah 11, Brendon 4, Avery 3 and Logan 5mo.

Avery's new haircut

I was getting tired of Avery taking her out of her ponytail everyday because it's summer and she loves to go swim. So I made a comment one Sunday afternoon that I would like to cut her hair because it looks so "ratty" when she pulls it out. Next thing I knew she was upstairs and brought down my haircutting box and said, "Here is the stuff to cut my hair." So, here is the finished product.

Avery playing with her cousin Brendon

Grandma, Grandpa and cousin Brendon all came in town from Utah for Savannah's 6th grade promotion. Here are some pictures of Avery and her cousin playing. They have so much fun together. I wish they lived closer.

The trash man came while we were out playing and he got out of his truck and brought the kids lollipops.

Savannah's 6th grade Promotion

Where has the time gone. Savannah is 11 now almost turning 12 and has promoted from 6th grade and will be moving on to Junior High. Scary!

Savannah gets award for 4.0 grade average

This is Mr. Sutter, Savannah's 6th grade teacher.

Here are some of Savannah's other classmates that got a 4.0 grade average also. To the left in turquoise is her good friend Hannah Montgomery.

While the cats away.................

The rat came out to play...........

I'm sure the cannery can't wait to have his busy little body back there working.

The Fair.

A massage.

My sister in law Amanda sent me these pictures with that exact caption. I am glad my husband worked so hard while the girls and I were gone in Utah. :)

2009 Fun Run

This year at Savannah's Elementary school, all the Fun Run proceeds when to "Locks of Love."

This was a charity that was very near and dear to the school this year as the Secretary of attendance for the school was diagnosed with cancer and has missed most of the school year. The kids love Mrs. Rohlfing and she is greatly missed on campus.

Every year the kids are the ones to design the shirts for the Fun Run. This year Savannah's design won and was placed on all the kids t-shirs. She was so proud.

Our trip to Orange County

We went down for a quick trip to OC in February for Eric's sister, Jessica, who was graduating from Sargeants school in the Marine Corps.

After the Graduation we spent a few days with Aunt Kathy at her house in Fallbrook. The girls loved the horses AND Savannah especially loved being able to drive the golf cart around the property. A kids dream!

Jennifer's baby Logan

My sister Jennifer had her baby in February when we went there to visit. Here a couple pictures of him in the hospital with the girls, and another one my sister sent. So cute!
His name is Logan Charles Adams

Avery my little "Fashion Diva"

This is the cute little outfit she finally decided upon after trying on about 6 other outfits and throwing them all on her floor.

Avery's first day of preschool

The Prophets B's

Here is Avery being Savannah's little helper as she gives the FHE lesson President Hinckley's B's.

First day of Gymnastics class

This was the first day of Avery's gymnastics class. We had a really fun time sitting and doing nothing but watch all the other little girls have fun for 6 weeks. Poor Avery! Just too shy to participate.

Ducks with cousins

Avery loves to feed to ducks, or all animals for that matter. Anyways this day we went with Cousins. Notice the duck with the red eyes. They nicknamed him the "Evil duck"

Gratitude for my life although not perfect

It has been along time since I have posted, and I do have pictures and things to post about, but for right now, I wanted to just write about this blog that I read.

It is about a family from Arizona. (Although they have since sold their house and have moved to Utah) The mom and dad were in a near fatal plane crash. The dad has done really well recovering from his wounds, but the mother has had a rougher time as she was burned more severely. She has 4 young kids and now she uses her blog to update everyone on her recovery.

Anyways, she is an excellent writer and many of her posts are so heartfelt. This morning I was catching up on some of her posts as I have not read anything for almost a month. I spent the morning crying and felt so grateful for my life even though there are always things you wish were different.

You have to read these posts. April 6, March 31, and March 23.

I think the one from the 23rd made me cry the most, but they were all touching. Start with the April one and go back. In her post on the 23rd, she writes about Lucy, who her kids call mom. This is a family member who has helped raise the kids while she was in the hospital fighting for her life.
http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/

Try to imagine being in her shoes, and being her young children. Heartbreaking. I was so full of love and gratitude this morning. I was grateful for the small things like being able to pick up my little one and hold her.

Then, I went out the garage to vacuum out my car and clean it out and my little one let the dog out and our dog runs the street when she get's out. I found myself losing all of the feelings of gratitude I felt this morning and reverting back to my old self.

I came in, re read Nie Nie's posts, cried all over again, and realized that I am so thankful to be a mother and I don't want to take any of that for granted. BTW my little one is sitting here at my side trying to bang on the keyboard while I type and she is whining she is hungry. I have a smile and I am loving it!

Stephanie Nielsons posts:

Monday, April 06, 2009

Nie: on being alone
Lying on my bed tonight I type to the sound of the dryer pounding away. My room is musty. Mr. Nielson just bathed Jimmy tonight and he is now curled up near my side of the bed drying.He stinks.I returned home from another day at the hospital. My burn therapists and doctor examined my body like it were a piece of meat. Jabbing poking, peeling and smelling my wounds. My doctor spoke of my upcoming surgery in two weeks.That news hurts my ears.During the examination my eyes would sneak from my doctor to Mr. Nielson sitting near the bed I was laying on. He was there and that was all that mattered. I felt comfort in knowing he was there to help me make hard decisions and care for me the way I needed. I would never be alone with him near by. You know how sometimes you can be in a room with a million people and yet feel so alone. Never with My Mr. Nielson. And that is how it should be.We are really good for eachother.Sometimes we say the exact same things at the same time, like today we both said mouthwatering at the same exact time. Who says that word (besides a commercial for shrimp or something like that) let alone at the same time!?It's awesome.I got a plate of homemade oreo cookies today. It was a beautiful treat and they were delicious. My cousin Katie brought her famous chocolate/chocolate cookies yesterday. Another beautiful moment. But best of all, I got a hand-written note from her and him...my favorite second cousin and one of my beloved friends announced their engagement. Very exciting. I hope I am invited to the wedding(I'll come to NYC, I will!! on a train though)Now, the children are in bed. It's my turn.My mind will now reflect on life before me as I lay in the dark. I will think about my upcoming surgery. I will think about how I may be down for weeks. Burns are a very difficult balance. Just when you think you are making steps forward you take some back while you are at it. It makes me nervous thinking that all this progress I have made will have been for nothing being laid up with more surgery. But I am reminded and tenderly assured that I am not alone.That is truth beyond measure.I remember as our plane violently crashed to the ground, I tucked my head down on my knees and prayed. I was not alone then. I felt rather calm in a very troubled moment which seemed to last forever. The plane whistled fast downward and in my head I saw my children. I saw them laughing and smiling. It was touching in such a dramatic time yet another peaceful reminder that I was not alone then, and certainly not now.I am grateful for my relationship with my Maker. He has preserved my life, given me a second chance and presented me with new challenges that I am ready to face here on this beautiful earth. All that I am is for my children and for my husband but espcially to my Father in heaven. I am trying to live selfless in a selfish world and it is hard, espcially when I'm the one with the problems.I feel your thoughts and prayers and I certainly know I am never, ever alone.Thank you.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Feeling good.
Its been awhile since I posted. I should post more often since I've been feeling good these past couple days. By feeling good, I mean eating some good quality chocolate, spectacular Mexican food, and love e-mails from so many people. It helps.But what really has helped has been my faith (that I am trying to muster up everyday) in my recovery process.It is the prayers on my behalf and the solid love my family, particularly Mr. Nielson has given me everyday. I will now happily name a few reasons why I am feeling good. They are also called "second firsts" to me- like, I have been able to wipe myself (and everything that entails). Showers are becoming easier, preparing food-well, OK like pouring the milk in the cereal seems doable enough. I am definitely getting better.This past weekend, we were invited to "5 guys burgers and fries" family/friend party. I invited my brother Andrew, his wife Megan and their children. Boy was it hopping. They just opened up in Orem. The fries were endless. A dinner dream come true. Everyone was so kind and that place is very kid-friendly, another dream come true. Andrew said the burger was "awesome". Since I don't eat meat I had to get an opinion. When you go, (because you should) ask for "Jeff".A delightful piece of chocolate cake was shared after hours at another restaurant with Andrew and Meg while their oldest babysat the gang. (thanks chick!)This evening, Mr. Nielson finished up our wallpaper in the entry-way. It looks fantastic. As he was working a whiny Nicholas pulled on his pant leg repeating something over and over again. I could tell my sweet husband was getting frustrated and Nicholas sensed it as well. He started crying and that's when I came in. I told the little man to follow me to the couch where he climbed up and I gently PICKED HIM UP!! Folks, did you hear that!It was another personal wonder in my recovery book.It is a detail in a mothers life that seems very everyday, but for me, it kept me up at night after the accident. I couldn't see myself ever being able to do that again.He lay his head down on my bony shoulder as I walked around the house once.(maybe twice next week?!)After I couldn't hold the little cherub anymore, I sat down holding him. My heart nearly jumped out of my skin. I was so privately pleased with myself (and also because Nic is a very heavy kid).I helped the girls do homework and Oliver asked me to itch his back-I think we all need a good itchin' now and then don't you?Spiritual Enlightenment...go here.Everything is going to be OK. I know it.

Monday, March 23, 2009

A mother.
Last week was hard. I mean like every breath was painful with sadness and depression and I was feeling slightly misunderstood.When the sun fades my heart sinks. Nights are hard.One night in particular was hard. Looking in the mirror gives me instant frustration because the questions begin in my head like: Who am I? Is this what I will look like forever? Will I ever truly love the way I look again? Do I love myself? Then I cry. Then Mr. Nielson holds me tight and repeats loving and calming words that slowly work their way in.A cry downstairs. Must be Nicholas. I look at Mr. Nielson and tell him I really want to go and put him back to dreamland. My boys devour Christian all day long like he were a ice cream cone. They can never get enough. I used to be that ice cream cone. The accident changed that. Getting Ollie to hug me is like pulling teeth. Nicholas wont have anything to do with me so when he began to cry I jumped at the opportunity to lay beside him.Tears dropped as I walked down the stairs to the boys room- anything could happen. He could scream for his Dad or mom (lucy) and push me away. Inside Nicholas sat up next to a sleeping brother (who by the way was wearing a Zorro mask) I lay beside him on he bed repeating soft words to him just as Mr. Nielson had done for me moments earlier.Nicholas cuddled up to me. He stopped crying. I was shocked. For a moment I felt like myself-a mother. I think that cured our relationship.Just today he asked for his mommy then curled up on my lap, rubbed my scar filled face and said to me:"bites mommy...ouch"Now he likes me. Just like that. It just takes one day at a time.Saturday I woke up and I was happy. My body felt like it was full of sunshine. No pain. I got up early and said my prayers then I turned on my music and opened the blinds. I ate breakfast with Nicholas while the other sleepy-heads slowly walked up the stairs for their morning nutrients.Again it happened, I felt like a mother. It's coming back.

Valentines Day

The girls at the breakfast table.

Daddy dancing to his card.."You're simple the best. Better than all the rest."

My gift from Savannah. This was rolled up and wrapped in about 9 seperate pieces of tissue paper.