Brandon started Karate!

Yesterday Brandon started his first Karate lessons. He has been wanting to take Karate for a long time and he decided that he did not want to play Fall soccer and so we signed him up for Karate instead. He was a little nervous at first because he didn't know what to do but after a few minutes he was having a great time. I don't think I have ever seen him concentrate so hard on something...it was great! He got his uniform (Gi) and he loves it. I had to beg him to take it off last night to go to bed.
Notice his intense face in the picture...Ha Ha Ha

Happy Birthday Brandon

Today Brandon is 7! I can't believe he is already 7 years old. He asked me today how old he has to be to get a cell phone. I asked him who he wanted to call and he said "just my friends mom!" He is growing up into a smart, handsome boy. We didn't really have a big birthday party this year for him. It was Brandon's idea to go to Yellowstone last week for our family vacation and so he thought the vacation was his party. We did do a little dinner party in yellowstone and then this morning he got "candle in a waffle" breakfast. We are taking him out to dinner tonight...his choice... he choose Iggy's and then we are doing some fireworks. The big present for both the boys (since their birhtdays are only 10 days apart) is a swing set. We have been wanting one since we moved into this house 2 years and ago and we are finally getting it. Kev and I found one on KSL for sale and we bought it and Kev is going to paint it and get it ready to play this week. I will post pictures once it is all together. Happy Birthday B-Man! We love you!

Trip to Yellowstone

We just got back from a family trip to yellowstone. The whole Nielson family was able to be together on our trip. We did so much fun stuff it is hard to post it all but enjoy all the fun pictures. We stayed at my Aunts cabin in Island Park. We spent some time there riding 4 wheelers, roasting marshmellows, floating down the river, playing games and getting dirty. We also went to Yellowstone and saw Old Faithful and lots of other cool stuff.

WARNING PICTURE OVERLOAD!


Here is the whole "Nielson Gang"


After our River float trip


Maycee didn't want to get in the cold water


Maycee Swinging


Isaac playing Badmitton (is that spelled right?)


The kids with the glow sticks



The boys liked the camp fire


Big Springs looking for Huge fish


Maycee loved riding with Dad on the 4 wheeler


Cute Kids


THey loved the Rzr


We celebrated Brandon and Isaac's birthday


Brandon could have just sat on the 4 wheeler all weekend...with his helmet on!


Maycee relaxing in the hammocks


Brandon and Isaac playing horseshoes


Playing in the river


Waiting for Old Faithful

Happy Anniversary

(This is a picture of us camping so don't mind the no make up and messy hair...it was the only one of us together without the kids)


Yesterday was our Anniversary. We have been married for 9 wonderful years. It is crazy to think about all the stuff that has happenend the past 9 years. I graduate from USU and taught school for 2 years. Kev graduated from U of U and then from Law School and now has a great job as legal counsel for Zions Bank. We have 3 kids and have moved 12 times! We have had lots of bumps in the road but I can honestly say that I love him more today than I ever thought possible. Yesterday Kevin and I played all day together. My day started out with Kevin suprising me with a massage and then we went to lunch and shopping at Gateway. Kevin bought me some new jeans and shorts at the buckle. Next we went to a movie....all of this without kids....I don't remember the last time that happened. We were like 2 highschool kids holding hands at the mall. It was so much fun and we promised to do it again next year.

Miss Utah and Brandon

While we were at Gateway running through the fountains the other day we ran into a bunch of beauty queens (Miss Utah, Mrs. Utah, Mrs. Alaska, Mrs. Western United States and others I didn't read all the sashes). They were gettting their picture taken in front of the waterfall and after all the little girls watching wanted to get their picture taken with the "princesses". Well after watching for a while Brandon (soaking wet from swimming) said, "do you think I could get my picture taken too?" I didn't really think he would want to but apparently he likes to stand next to beautiful woman. Brandon and his cousin Lincoln posed (is that how you spell that) with Miss. Utah.

Family on 4th of July

My sister-in-law sent me this pictures of my family on the 4th of July waiting for the fireworks.

Frontrunner and Gateway fountains

Today we had a fun little fieldtrip. We packed up and rode the frontrunner into Salt Lake. Next we got onto the trax to take us to the Gateway. So that you can visualize that part of the trip imagine 6 moms...5 stollers...13 kids all getting on and off the frontrunner and trax (hoisting stroller up and down stairs)...do you get the picture? We were a traveling circus! We should have charged for the entertainment we provided for everyone on the train watching us get on, entertain the kids and get off. Did I mention that one time we got everyone seated on the train, then we thought we were on the wrong train so we got off and then realized that is was the right train and got back on...HILLARIOUS! Anyways, once we arrived at Gateway we played in the waterfountains. The kids had so much fun running in the water. Especially when the music played with the fountains.




Maycee even got in the water a little





The kids thought this water mist was totally cool!


Kevin, his boss and work buddies even got to stop in and say hello! Don't worry they didn't run through the fountains.

A little bit of summer

Playing out back on a "boring" summer day. The kids got creative and filled all the buckets and trucks full of water. Yes, Maycee is sporting her "birthday suit"!


Isaac learned how to ride a bike without training wheels...now we can't seem to get him off the bike.



We went to the syracuse parade one week, the centerville parade the next week and this Saturday we will be going to the Farmington parade. My kids have really enjoyed the parades this year. We can't seem to get enough of all the warm taffy candies that we get to take home.


Last and most important...Maycee has entered the Jedi Training Academy. She has succesfully mastered sword fighting and even making little lightsaber noises as she hits swords together with her brothers. Well done my little padawan!