Dorothy and Nacho

Happy Post Halloween!  We had a pretty low key Halloween this year. It was pouring rain all day and so we weren't even sure if we were going to be able to go trick-or-treating. However, the rains stopped about 4pm so we were able to go! Unfortunately, most of our neighborhood was banking on there not being any trick-or-treaters due to poor weather, so the number of houses that were passing out candy was slim.
So this year Charlotte and I read "The Wizard of Oz" together. She 's wanted to be Dorothy for Halloween ever since then. Don't judge her costume too harshly. I have little time these days for costume making and that tutu got finished about 30 minutes before we had to leave for the trunk-or-treat the weekend before Halloween. Did I mention that Joanne's was out of the blue tulle I needed and had already made half the tutu out of? So, I had to improvise with the white tulle I had in my closet. Not what I was envisioning, but hey...it's dark when they go trick-or-treating, right?

C has a bit of a flair for the dramatics. She insisted I take a few pictures of her "posing." Here is here "scared" face.

J was Nacho Libre this year. Adam and I went to Cozumel and found the mask while we were there. I did not even get a picture with the mask though because he never wanted to wear it.

Picture of the kids with their cousins and friends right before they went out for the night.

Run or Dye

Adam and I did our first 5K on Saturday morning. We went with his dad and sister. We did a color run and it was a lot of fun.

 Waiting around before the run. My father-in-law couldn't wait to get us all with dye.

We had a blast and only one regret (we didn't bring our kids). Next year we plan on doing it again just to bring them. The atmosphere was very family friendly...there were lots of kids there and mostly everyone was walking. 

 Adam had a sweet dye line when he took of his "sweatband." That pink dye on his head also didn't come out very well. Many people have gotten a good laugh over his pink head for the past two days.

Becoming "Free," I mean "Three"

J turned three this past week. He pronounces three as "free." He has been so excited to get bigger so that he can walk beside the cart at the store instead of ride in it. When he woke up on his birthday morning the first thing he asked me was,"Can I walk now?" I couldn't say no. Too bad turning three doesn't make him magically stay right next to me the entire time we're at the store. I have a feeling I will be giving him lots of reminders.
We had a little family party for him on Saturday night. He chose hot dogs, salad and chips for his birthday dinner.

 Daddy made J's birthday cake this year. For months he has been asking for a new Lightning McQueen car. He has lost the 5 other ones that he's owned. He is obsessed with the Cars movies and toys. He plays with his cars all of the time, but it's just not the same without Lightning McQueen. I'm not sure what happened to the other ones he has had because we never let him take his toys anywhere. I keep waiting for the day we find a Lightning burial ground. Anyhow...Daddy made him a race track cake to put his new car on.

 There was no theme to the party, but there probably should have been since almost all the presents he got were Jake and the Pirates toys (another favorite of his). He loved getting all the new characters to play with.

It was a fun birthday for him. This kid brings so much joy into my life as well as adventure. Like when he swallowed a penny last night! He never ceases to amaze me with the things he says and what he does!

One-on-One

With Charlotte being back in school, I have gotten in some good "Mommy and Jonas" time which I am extremely grateful for. I have to confess that the night before Charlotte went to Kindergarten I had a little"life didn't turn out quite as I planned" breakdown. It was really teeny-tiny with just a few tears falling...no sobs or anything. After Jonas was born when I was in the throes of hormones and sleepless nights I announced that I was done having children. Two was all I could handle to be a sane mom. As life settled down, and I got into the groove of two kids I thought, "I'll have another one right before Charlotte goes to Kindergarten." I figured that would give me no more than two kids at home during the day, and I could handle that. that had been my plan for a few years.

So, here it was the night before kindergarten, and I realized that it was just going to be me and Jonas at home all day. I love Jonas, and it wasn't disappointment about spending time with him that I was feeling. It was more just disappointment that I don't have another child yet.

During the past few days of us at home together, I have become grateful for this time that I have alone with him. I still want more children, but it has been neat to have the kind of one-on-one time with him that I had with Charlotte when she was a baby. I never really had that with him before. Charlotte was in pre-k last year, but it was always during the busiest part of my day and not really long enough to do anything with him.

It has been fun doing activities together (like playing with shaving cream) that we normally don't do because he is playing with his sister.

I am so grateful that Heavenly Father sent me this boy, and that he has given me some special time just with him! I know that I am always going to look back on this time with joy and gratitude for the lessons he has taught me and the memories we've made.

Hello Kindergarten!

Charlotte started Kindergarten today. She was "a little bit excited and a little bit nervous. Excited to go, but nervous because it's all day." She wasn't sure she'd be okay away from me for that long. (I wonder if we feel the same way before we come to Earth...Anyway...)
She is going to the same elementary school that her daddy went to, and I think that is pretty neat.  All of his siblings went there too. When I was standing at the school waiting to pick her up afterward with Jonas and a girl I babysit sitting in a stroller a man said, "Well, you're going to be doing your part to keep this school busy over the next few years aren't you?" Instead of telling him that only one of the kids was mine I thought about how Charlotte is the 6th Nelson to go to this school and that if her cousins don't move in the next two years then there will be a total of 9 children from our family to have attended that school. I think that is kind of cool.
The report that came back from her at the end of the day was a positive one. She loved school, and she was so busy that she didn't even notice that she was gone from me all day.

Become as Little Children

In Matthew 18:3-4 Jesus says,"Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." I have been pondering this a lot lately and looking for examples from the children around me and here are some of the things I have learned.

Children are quick to sincerely forgive.

Jonas has taught me a lot about forgiveness. He is a pretty independent and curious little guy which frequently lands him in trouble. Some days I handle it well. Others, not so much. There have been a couple times where I have lost my temper. I always feel awful after I do this. Every time I have approached him to apologize he greets me with a big hug and "You are happy now?" Never does he turn me away, ignore my apology or bring up past offenses. His concern is always with how I am doing, not how he is feeling or doing. I think there is a lesson to be learned there about forgiveness. When someone offends or wrongs us, are we concerned with their happiness and healing the hurt?

Children are humble.

When my children need help with something, they are always quick to ask for my assistance our guidance. They enjoy to learn how to do things for themselves and like to try accomplishing things on their own, but once they realize they cannot do it alone they ask for help. Sometimes I think I don't go to my own Father in Heaven for help quickly enough. I sometimes exhaust ever other resource before turning to him for help. I need to remember his counsel that "ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless be of good cheer, for I will lead you along"(Doctrine and Covenants 78:18) and follow my children's example to turn to him and let him lead me along.

Children are loving.

Anyone ever notice how kids want to be around other people most of the time? Very rarely do I hear either of my children say,"I just need some me time" or "I just want to be by myself." Instead they are begging, "Can I help you with the dishes? Will you read me a book? Can I come with you? Will you play with me? I can help you wash the windows." Children want to spend time with those they love. My kids roam around the house just looking for whatever person will let them join them in what they are doing. They frequently don't care what the activity is, but who they are with.  How important to let those we love know we love them by choosing to spend time with them.

I am so grateful for children. Not just my own, but all children. I know that there is much we can learn from their examples and that they are precious to our Heavenly Father.

These are just a few of the ways my children have taught me. What have your children's examples taught you?

C's 5th Birthday - Part 2

A Little Family Get Together on Her Birthday

We have a tradition that the birthday person gets to pick what they want for dinner on their birthday.  Doesn't everyone have that tradition?  This year Charlotte asked for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and mashed potatoes...so that's what we had.

We then opened up some gifts.

 Happy to get a glove and ball to play with Daddy.

 Pink boots...a dream come true!

For the past few months Adam and I have been building a Barbie dollhouse for Charlotte.  We gave it to her on her birthday, and she was pretty excited.

 This is how it looked when we gave it to her.

 After she placed all her Barbie furniture in it.

I think her 5th birthday treated her pretty well!  It's so hard to believe that she's been a part of our family for so long.  She is so helpful and happy.

C's 5th Birthday - Part 1

Charlotte's Web Birthday Party

Charlotte wanted to have a Charlotte's Web themed birthday party this year. A few of her friends came over the Saturday before her birthday to celebrate with her.

They ate some yummy pig and spider web treats.

Charlotte sitting next to "Charlotte."

This girl was happy to pose for the camera all morning.

The birthday girl with her party guests.

Make a silly face!