winter / Nelson Notes

winter

Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts

Our Nine Fluffy Blind Teddy Bears

2.25.2022

^^Just a living teddy bear^^

We moved the puppies and their whelping box outside onto the back porch because Misty insists on being in and out of the house 29 times a day. But then the weather turned bitter cold, so I moved them back inside again. For now, the puppies are living in the kitchen all snuggled up on the dog bed... that I've already washed once. The ways these puppies sleep -- on their backs, upside down, dog piled under and over one another -- makes me laugh.

They're two weeks old and have just begun opening their eyes! I had no idea that all dogs' eyes are blue for the first few weeks. I hope a few of these puppies get to keep their blue eyes. The puppies are also starting to crawl. It really is the cutest thing watching them scoot their way across the floor.

Last but not least, we're getting to know these puppies well enough to name them! They each have little personalities already and distinct markings that set each apart. The whole family collaborated on the project. I cannot wait to share with you what names we chose. It was a lot of fun.

2.21.2022

The Rock Creek Ward took the young women night skiing at Pomerelle on Saturday. Since there were a handful of newbies and we managed to get the bunny hill open for our group, as the young women's president, I made the executive decision to also turn the evening into a family adventure and take Conrad skiing for the very first time.

The little stud was such a hoot! In typical Conrad fashion, he never stopped talking. "I'm a natural!" "Never give up!" "I'm a really good skiier!" "Watch out below!" *Lots of singing* By the end of the night, Conrad was skiing on his own with remarkable control for a first timer. Bron and I are so proud of our little man. He really does bring us so much joy for so many incredible reasons.

2.18.2022

Puppy fever! Our dog Misty gave birth to 9 puppies Wednesday night February 9th. Bron and I had just left the house to run into Kimberly when we got a phone call from the boys. "I found a puppy!" It was an exciting evening for all.

Misty birthed two puppies out on the back porch and the rest in the whelping box in the garage that Bron and the boys made. A few hours later we moved Misty and the puppies all inside to the office to keep them dry and warm and they've been there ever since! We did find what must have been a stillborn puppy in the hallway the next morning. It made us all sad.

It's been so fun and eye opening to watch Misty become a mother. She's a natural nurterer and becomes an anxious basket case if she's separated from her babies for more than a few minutes. I totally understand that. Nursing and keeping nine babies clean is a full time job! Misty hears their cries and comes running. I'm so proud of her. She's also very protective and doesn't like anyone taking the puppies away from the box.

Now that we're ten days in, Misty is ready to be outside; I think she's bored inside the house. It means she's in and out the door about 19 times every day, tracking dirt all through the kitchen. It's driving me a bit nuts, so we will probably move the whole box with the puppies out to the back porch where it's protected from the weather with a heating pad.

The puppies are so cute and sweet. I love hearing their little whines and purrs. They're also therapeutic to snuggle with! In fact, if I cannot find Ezra, there's a 90% chance he's visiting the puppies in their box. We're all anxiously awaiting the day the puppies open their eyes and become extra super cute!

For now, pictures from the puppies' first week on earth. A litter of puppies is a whole new experience for our entire family!

2.01.2022

About a week into the new year, I realized I'd taken a photo nearly every day. The thought of doing a 365 project (shooting a picture every day in 2022) crossed my mind, but that just felt like I was setting myself up for failure. So instead, I committed to shooting everyday through the month of January! It was harder than I thought, but it kept my mind occupied through one of the coldest winters we've had in quite a while. Of course, I wasn't perfect at it. I may have skipped a day or two. And other days, I couldn't possibly narrow it down to just one photo! So here is my little photo project, all summed up into one post.

Rainy day play. Also, see Thomas the Train, there? A certain child ran him through my hair the other day and I had to cut it to get the train out!

1.26.2022

Our backyard hot tub. Check back here for more redneck things to do to pass time in the winter.

In all honesty, I saw someone post pictures of a similar thing with her kids and I just knew Conrad and Ezra would love it... and they did! So not only a great memory made but funny pictures made too. My husband saw me filling five gallon buckets with hot water and thought I'd lost my mind. 🤪 Worth it.

1.07.2022

We welcomed the New Year with so much snow, ice, and wind, that the boys had two extra days off from school to play! They went to school Monday (the roads were terrible) but then school was canceled Tuesday and Wednesday. They played hard outside both days doing what boys do best: making precarious sledding choices (i.e. running into a pile of logs or sage brush) and getting soaking wet. But I prefer that over dealing with their pent up obnoxious energy inside the house. There was also a lot of Nintendo those two days too.

While they played at the neighbor's house one afternoon, I strapped Ezra into the hiking backpack and we went snowshoeing down in Little Cottonwood Creek. I was the first to make tracks and thoroughly enjoyed watching the dogs bound through the snow ahead me. It was so quiet! Everything was blanketed in a soft thick layer of snow as snowflakes drifted down from the sky. A true winter wonderland! I often stopped to just listen to the birds and Ezra's soft breathing behind my ear; he was mesmerized too.

12.28.2021

We celebrated our first Christmas in our new home! And it was nothing short of a combination of chaos and magic. Bron and I weren't sure if Levi still believed in Santa Clause, but when he came out soon after going to bed saying that we forgot to leave cookies and milk for the big guy, we exchanged knowing smiles. As per tradition, we read the second chapter of Luke and watched It's a Wonderful Life after the kids went to bed. It's always a favorite.

Bron and I were up before 7AM to turn on the lights and music and *fireplace*. Then we ushered in three very excited boys plus one who was just happy to be a part of whatever was taking place.

3.10.2021

^^Ezra got through his nasty stomach bug with a lot of warm baths!^^

The stomach bug hit our family. It took down Ezra first. He threw up four nights straight! Poor baby. I slept (well, more like napped through the night) on a mattress in his room just so I could help him out. Then Jed came down with the bug on Monday. I picked him up from school and he slept on the couch for the majority of the afternoon. Finally, Levi threw up in the car on the way home from swim team. He said he felt fine... up until the moment he suddenly didn't. Fortunately, he threw up in a bag. Good boy! I was so relieved to find out that I didn't have to clean out the back of my car. So far, the rest of us have been lucky enough to avoid it. I'm crossing my fingers it stays that way. The even better news is that Jed and Levi are bulletproof. They bounced back quickly and are back in school.

Anyway, Monday was a day where I felt inspired to get out my camera a bunch. I love how much variety I can get just in a day -- even if it was a very imperfect, slightly derailed and messy day.

3.05.2021

2.26.2021

^^Moobs = Man + Boobs^^

2.15.2021

Goodness, these photos were taken on a Saturday afternoon following a really rough week. Parenting is HARD. It is constant round the clock work. I feel overwhelmed with people to help and listen to and things to do. This entire year has felt chaotic and defeating. Was it worth it to build a new home and add a brother to the family? Absolutely. But I feel like I try only to fail. I pick myself up again just to get knocked down, over and over and over. I make plans only to have them derailed. I'm talking about simple things from getting enough sleep to eating better to exercising to getting that one thing ticked off the to do list. And what about my efforts to teach the boys how to properly clean their own bathroom or turn off the light or behave like thoughtful human beings? Over and over again I teach. I hand out consequences. Sometimes I yell. Nothing seems to work; I am not seeing any changes or progress. I am swimming against the current. Stagnant. Frustrated. Miserable.

And then there's this one successful afternoon when everything felt okay! Getting out with my crew of boys always leaves me feeling happier and lighter. This afternoon of snowshoeing was just what we needed as a family. The snow was fresh and beautiful! The air brisk and cold. We laughed and played and explored a new trail. Conrad is such a stud. It was his first time wearing snowshoes and he rocked it! Kid is capable of anything. And it was Ezra's first time riding in the hiking backpack. He seemed to enjoy his perch and the views.

I love them.

2.21.2020

We took the boys on a short snowshoe adventure over the long weekend! I admit, the idea was initially met with resistance. A pair of certain boys did not want to get dressed and would have rather watched tv all afternoon. Bron and I insisted they come anyway and the afternoon wound up ending in exclamations of, "That was fun!" and "Let's do that again!"

I am always blown away by how much snow there is in the South Hills even though there is none down in the valley where we live. Driving up there, it's like entering into a whole new magical world!

It's just another gentle reminder to myself that getting outside to burn energy and enjoy some beauty (I mean, look at all that POWDER!) is always worth the effort.

I've gotten quite a few questions about how difficult it is to snowshoe and how I outfit my kids for these adventures. I'm answering as many of those questions as I can below. So read on!

2.10.2020

It's another month and time for a pregnancy update!

How far along: 24 weeks, but I'm measuring about 10 days ahead according to my doctor.

Size of Baby Boy: According to the books and averages, he's over a foot long and weighs about 1.5 pounds. Woot! Grow, Baby, grow!

Stretch Marks: Pretty sure I've gained a couple of new ones. I popped so fast this time around it was quite disconcerting!

Weight Gain: Let's not talk about it in too much detail because it's a source of guilt/worry for me. I mean, what did I do wrong this time around to gain so much so fast?!? I weigh nearly as much now as I did when I delivered Jed. Given, I did start out 10 pounds heavier, so hopefully I'll manage to only gain 10-15 pounds more from here on out? Ugh. I have the biggest appetite! But I'm trying to (operative word: "trying") cut down on sugar and move my body more -- which is actually really hard to do in the winter.

1.17.2020

A giant THANK YOU to all of you out there who trusted me to take your photos this last year. I was able to invest that money into a brand new mirrorless camera and I am over the moon excited in its capabilities! This is one of my first "test shots" straight out of the box.

My trusty Canon 6D is now five years old and the focus seems to be soft with all of my lenses. I have loved that camera and taken it everywhere with me. In fact, I'm kind of sentimentally attached. It hasn't been abused, but it has definitely been a work horse. I've been eyeing some new cameras for months though -- researching and drooling over their specs online -- but I just couldn't bring myself to make a decision or pull the trigger... until the Canon EOS R went on sale the last week of December. I made the plunge and am so happy I did! This camera was definitely the right choice for me. I cannot wait to see the pictures I can create with it this year.

I'll be honest though. The new autofocus capabilities are overwhelming. I feel like I'm learning how to use a camera all over again! But it's exciting because my pictures are tack sharp and I know that eventually handling this camera will feel like second nature... just as my old trusty 6D did. So here's a few pictures from my learning curve.

1.10.2020

It's felt like a long and lonely winter so far... and it's only beginning! Really, I blame pregnancy for these feelings. I just don't have the energy (or the body, let's face it) to do all the things I want to do! Plus, there are a handful of things I really should not be doing. (See ya later, skis!) I miss the old me. I know I'll see her again in a year or so, but still, pregnancy is a sacrifice.

I guess it also feels lonely because all of my closest friends have been done having babies for years! Many of their oldest children are entering the youth program at church and their babies have started school. They are so busy and involved with their families. My children are just all around younger; we're not quite as busy yet. Remember those days when we used to get together with our little ones during the day just because we were bored and needed one another? Yeah, I'm still in that phase.

It means I need to reach out and add some more friends into my circle. But remember what I said in a previous post? Pregnancy makes me feel more introverted. So while I crave friendship and adventure outside (Oh, how I want to be outside in the sunshine!), I also crave just staying at home looking like a granny in my house dress, wool socks, and cardigan. True story. I need to post a picture of that outfit. It is soo comfortable! Lol. I'm a conundrum right now and I know it.

Sooo... anyone want to come over in their pajamas with a carton of ice cream and act boring and pregnant with me? Wait. I might actually know a couple of pregnant people. ;)

Anyway, I finally got the little man and myself out of the house today. He's been sick and I've been in a funk. A little sunshine, exploration, and some perfectly imperfect freelensed photos were just what we needed! Plus, we stopped for some donuts on the way home.

^^Potty break!^^

^^That LIGHT!^^

12.26.2019

You guys, the magic of Christmas is REAL! The lights, the treats, the anticipation. It's all so much fun! I can't believe another Christmas has already come and gone. It was another happy/crazy one at the Nelson home with three little believers. Bron and I intended to keep this Christmas simple and low key, but the boys somehow wound up spoiled rotten anyway! The living room was littered in boxes and wrapping and more toys and games than the kids knew what to do with. I am so grateful we get to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and all that He did for us in this way.

This December, we followed the study guide in the 25 Days of Christ, a gift my sister gave us last year. I think our whole family enjoyed studying and discussing Christ's life in bits and pieces throughout the entire month. Jed was the one who actually instigated our family devotional each evening. I know these almost nightly studies turned my thoughts more towards Christ this season and made Christmas just that much more meaningful!

Anyway, here are pictures from our messy but joyful Christmas morning. I love capturing the looks on my boys' faces as they open up something that makes them happy!

12.21.2019

^^Just happy to play in a big box.^^

12.15.2019

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!! Look at that beautiful winter wonderland.

We enjoyed our first big snowfall this weekend: inches where we live and a couple of feet up in the mountains! The best part is that it's cold enough to stick around for a while. I love going up into the South Hills after a fresh layer of snow has fallen. The snow hanging on the evergreen branches just feels magical. It makes me giddy with happiness... until about February. Haha. But for now, I'm soaking it in for all it's worth.

After a few chores around the house yesterday, Bron and I loaded the boys up into the truck to take them sledding for the first time this season. The hill was surprisingly uncrowded. Bron helped the boys cut some brand new tracks in the snow and they careened down the hill over and over again. I'm pretty sure they all got a face full of powder at one time or another!

Conrad would not keep his gloves on. He complained that his hands were cold, so he'd take his gloves off only to stick his hands in the snow. That routine was obviously not working for him, but a couple of cups of hot chocolate seemed to reverse the damage. Conrad is such a happy kid. He really had a good time overall and chatted my ear off about it.

After our snowy sledding adventure, we returned home for some dry clothes and then took the boys into town for dinner and some Christmas shopping. We really wore them out! Sunday morning I felt so stupid walking into their room after 8am to wake them for church. Who wakes three sleeping boys?!?

Good memories I hope we'll get to repeat a few more times this winter.

3.03.2019

Conrad snuggling with Teddy Bear and his blanket on the couch to watch his favorite show: Curious George! He has now moved on to binge watching Mickey Mouse Club House, which he delightfully calls, "Mickey Mouse House House!" We are officially in new parenting territory now: the tv can be used as a babysitter while I shower or get something done. Yippee!

SLIDER