The Nelson Family Smorgasbord

Listen to Kristins Tunes

2010-12-22T19:41:00.001-08:00

from my front porch looking in

2010-03-18T11:39:00.001-07:00

"There's a carrot-top that can barely walk, with a sippy cup 'o' milk; a little blue-eyed blonde with shoes on wrong, 'cause she likes to dress herself..."

Well with the exception of the following line, this song epitomizes our little family!! Ha! Our little carrot-top is now 8 months old(okay, so he may not be walking quite yet, but his frequent yoga moves on the floor are hinting that he will be walking in no time! He has the downward facing dog DOWN!;-))

I can attribute my extended blogging hiatus to this little monkey and his stubborn little body that has given him trouble since the day we brought him home! Today he does nothing but smile and yoga around the room! Oh, how we love him!
My little "blue-eyed blonde".....well, would anyone like to throw me a good word to describe her? She is simply breathtaking....this meaning she both takes my breath away (literally!!) by her bottomless tank of energy as well as her deliciously contagious enthusiasm for life. We cover MANY miles in a day!
Last November we were blessed far beyond our wildest dreams (thank you, Pedro!) with a beautiful home and two horses. We are richly blessed with the dearest of friends and family in our lives. From my front porch looking in, life is beautiful!

Dear Friends!
Happy Birthday, Jenna!

Making Baby Cradles out of Napkins!

Great Grandma Dahlquist

You guessed it! Charly was indeed a "Charly Horse" for Halloween!

My Sweet Baby Boy at Primary's

Labors of Love

2009-07-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months prior to our baby's arrival, Jordan has been talking about "making a bassinet". With nothing much under his belt but an honorary PhD in New Yankee Workshop, This Old House and Home Town program-viewing, I had my reasons for doubt. Well, the months passed by and soon there were only two weeks left with nothing started and the doubts started to simmer. I had already picked out a 'back-up' online, just in case. We decided over the 4th of July weekend, that we would retreat to our family cabin, just our little family, for one last vacation before Baby arrived. Jordan was determined to devote the entire weekend to making this bassinet. Around the clock, he hammered away. He finished the bassinet the day after returning home from the cabin. The time, energy, faith and commitment he put into this project left me speechless. Jordan is a dreamer, just like my father. They have such insurmountable faith in achieving their goals...and they always do! What a timeless treasure he has created for our little family.

A few days before our little one arrived, I found a little playhouse listed on KSL that I have always wanted for my Charly! It had a doorbell, little tables, a phone, a fireplace, a clock...the works! It would keep her entertained when the baby arrived and feed that incredible imagination of hers! After talking it over with Jordan, we both decided not to afford it. My heart was broken, but I knew we needed to focus on our savings as our home is being built. Charly and I left for a while to run some errands and came home about an hour and a half later. I went to take the garbage out through the back door and nearly collapsed when I saw this:

Jordan must have left work immediately and driven all the way down town to pick this up for his girls. I will never forget that moment I opened the door, falling to my knees and weeping while a confused two-year old gleefully welcomed herself into her new little home.:-) Of course, we had to have the "sometimes we cry when we are happy" talk.:-) Such a labor of love I will never forget!

weottababyitsaboy

2009-07-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

I sure hope we all remember this commercial! It's a classic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flP-o0ydkvo

It's true, after 9 long months of not knowing what we were having, the curtain was finally drawn on July 16, 2009. Our little Spencer Winston Nelson is here and we have been doing cartwheels ever since. As my dear cousin, Marilyn Williams shared with me after our first, "Having children is like letting your heart walk around outside of your body, experiencing true unconditional love for the first time." I am simply lost in love with this little boy and my angel daughter, Charly Wynn. Oh, how I love them.

Coming home from the hospital is always so difficult, as you leave behind you that "security blanket", where your baby is being cared for and sheltered from the world, to suddenly walking back into the world and feeling more afraid and vulnerable than ever before. How blessed we are to have the Gospel as our eternal "cushion", to offer the peace and reassurance that the world otherwise defies.

So here he is, after four popcycles and one push, Charly Wynn's baby brother made his big premiere.....and he has red hair!!! It's actually the most beautiful copper-tone color. We are so happy! He is named after his Dad, Jordan Spencer, and his Grandpa and Great-Grandpa, Charles Winston.

Oma Dahlquist and her Babies
Opa Charles Winston

Our Family Uncle "Boo" and Bubba (Alex)
Here's Our Boy!
Aunt Jillsie and Charly Uncle Dallas, Ashley, and Halley

Grandma Nelson
Grandpa Nelson

My sweet angel baby boy

Friends, Tyler, Aubrey and Quentin Herd

Chris and Scott

I love this man!! (Dr. Gregory Tanner)

Our Dinner for Two!! (provided by Alta View Hospital!!)

Dave and Jalene Hale

Luvs!!

My Best Friend, Jenna!

At Last...Our "Livvy-Lou" Has Arrived!

2009-06-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Waiting and waiting with Opa

Charly's new baby cousin, Olivia Sue

Hello, Everybody!! I am back from my blogging hiatus, although I am sure I have lost all of my followers...not that I expected to have any before anyway!

Oh my, where has all the time gone?! We are just a few weeks away from welcoming our little "surprise" into the world!! Yesterday, my dear sister, Julie, gave birth to her 4th little baby angel, Olivia Sue. This makes for 11 Grandchildren for the Dahlquist's and one more on the way! "Livvy" is absolutely the most beautiful little baby I have ever seen! I am so happy for my sister and her family!

Tickle Tickle!!

In the Doghouse

2009-06-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

The other day, Jordan and I were having a "disagreement" in the kitchen. It clearly effected our little girl because no sooner than 30 seconds into it she came into the kitchen and sternly shouted, "HEY!! YOU STOP BARKING!!!" This just put into total perspective what we must sound like to our kids when they overhear us in the middle of a "disagreement". What would we do without our little mediators?

P.S- NEXT MONTH we'll add another little "mediator" to the fold!!:-) We can hardly wait!!:-)

Hmmmm....

2009-04-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting my blog lately, mainly due to the glorious change in the weather, keeping us extra busy outside in the sun! I have less than 3 months to go with this pregnancy and I am getting more and more anxious to find out what this one is! If it is a boy, we are starting from scratch and he will just have to be fine with dresses and pink bows for a while until we stock up on boy stuff!

Charly is the absolute joy of my life! She is all SPUNK and keeps me smiling all day long! She lives and breathes for the outdoors! I promised not to make my Blog into a "Brag", but I am amazed everyday with how quickly Charly is learning and growing! Oh, how I love her!!!

As far as our "home building" goes, I think that if we all take a minute to hold our breath and cross our fingers, we might get a hole dug by the beginning of next month. It is slowly, but surely falling into place. We are so grateful!

My signing clinics are going wonderful and I will go into more detail later. I am also currently interpreting for the Draper Temple Youth Churchwide Celebration at the Conference Center in May. Right now I'm interpreting for the dance portion (rehearsals) and it is so much fun. Piano lessons are also keeping me busy and I absolutely love every minute of it.

Jordan is training for the Spudman Triathlon with my dad and brother-in-law. The race is the day after our baby is due! Yikes! He wakes up at 5am every morning for training. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays he runs, Tuesdays he swims and Fridays he plays basketball...(he is still trying to figure out how to fit in the biking!) He also plays soccer Tuesday nights. He has always been such a diligent, committed athlete!

So hooray for sunnier days! I hope you are all out there soakin' up some vitamin D!!

High On the Mountain Top

2009-03-26T14:35:00.001-07:00

Truly an experience I shall never forget. My father spoke at the dedication at 11:30 Sunday morning and every one of us, including his angel mother, were able to join him and the Prophet in the Celestial Room of the Draper Temple. Five of my nieces and nephews were also able to attend. I simply can't think of a more beautiful gift than to have my entire family with me in the House of the Lord. Sitting there, nearly 6 months pregnant, I couldn't stop thinking about where our little yet-to-be-born baby was and how I felt at that moment that we were all together in a very celestial place. What a day it will be when we will once again all be united in His glorious Kingdom on high. I am so grateful!

The Dahlquist Family

Oops...

2009-03-22T21:04:00.000-07:00

So we drove by the balloons today and I realized they were actually for the neighbor of H&R Block, a new little Used Book Store that had just opened. That actually makes more sense considering H&R Block is apparently a multi-million dollar tax prep industry who I doubt needs the balloons for business! Anyway, I will find out more about this little Book Store on 7th East in Sandy and then maybe we can ALL take a minute and visit this nice old man who took the time to put out balloons for a hopeful day of customers.
Have a wonderful week and find someone out there who needs a little slice of happy!!! :-)

On My Mind

2009-03-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

1- I wish I could give business to anybody who goes to the trouble of putting balloons out to attract customers' attention. I always feel so bad when I drive by and see balloons or dancing employees holding up signs by the intersections, with nothing to show for it but an empty parking lot and a bad sunburn. Today I was wishing I had a reason to go into an H&R Block when I saw an older man out struggling to tie his "grand opening" balloons together outside and keep them from blowing away in the wind. To be honest, the only thing I know about H&R Block is that it was the answer Ken Jennings missed on his Jeopardy million-dollar streak. But today, I wanted so badly to go in and pretend I was interested in what they had to offer. *sigh*

2- People amaze me. People who can knit, people who sacrifice their lives for their country, people who do travel shows on TV and are seldom recognized for all their tiresome efforts, people who work graveyard shifts and still raise their families during the daytime, teachers who devote every hour of their day to their job, people who make amazing things out of their home, people who know about every spice at the supermarket and when to use it, people who do nice things without even being asked, and oh, my list could go on and on. Every day I am amazed by the people around me.

Anyway, those are just a few things on my mind today. :-) Enjoy the sunshine!

Footprints

2009-03-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

I am sure we have all heard the well-loved quote:

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others stay awhile, leaving footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same."

My extension to this quote:

And then there are those who come into our lives for a short while

and still leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same.

A year and a half ago, our little family of three was expanded by four when Matt, Jenna, Gracie, and Easton Johnson moved across the street. Little did we know that these neighbors would become our closest, dearest friends in such a short amount of time. From vacationing to Lake Powell, to Oakley Rodeos and horseback riding, to both eating out and eating in (dinners at each other's homes), to sharing custody of each others' kids :-), to sharing the Church pew in Sacrament meeting while our kids devour each others' snacks, to shopping trips with my "partner in crime", we have become lifetime friends and the memories just go on and on.

Thanks to them, our Charly has grown up with siblings and we have been forever blessed by their friendship and examples in our lives. They are the first in Charly's prayers for whom she is "thankful for" and not a day goes by that they do not see each other at one point of the day.

In two days they will be moving to Idaho where Matt will begin a new job with Hospice, a wonderful opportunity for their family and their future. Jenna's family also lives there, so they will be close to "home".

Gracie is my little princess. We have Princess Sparkle parties, we play sick (she plays dead, but me being the optimist tries to shift the game to playing "sick" instead! Ha!), we twirl in our dresses, we "order" pizzas with extra princess sprinkles, we dress up in sparkly headbands, and we play and play outside no matter the weather! Last week her brother asked her to open a bag of fruit snacks for her with which she fervently replied, "I can't, I am going on a mission!"...and with that, she started valiantly marching up my stairs with a bouncy ball in one hand and a princess phone in the other once again exclaiming, "Goodbye! I am going on my mission!" So small, and yet so determined! How I will my miss my Gracie!

Easton is my little man. He is ALL boy from head to toe, although he does enjoy a little nail polish and eye liner every now and then (or guy-liner, I should say!). His favorite phrases are "Booh-Yeah!", "Bow, chicka, Bow-wow!", "Boom, shaka-laka-shaka, Boom!" among many others! I will miss his hugs and kisses the most! My heart breaks every time I think of Charly going up to their door to play and I will have to tell her they are not there anymore. I will miss both my Gracie and Easton yelling and waving from their front window and then the few times they made it over to our house and up the stairs without Matt and Jenna knowing. Those little weasels!

Catching some serious air in Charly's crib!

I love the saying, "A true friend is the one who is already there doing it when everyone else is saying, "Is there anything I can do?" This is Jenna to a T! I am not used to being the recipient of service, and was therefore completely humbled and overcome with speechless gratitude by her frequent and spontaneous "doorstep service" which might have included taking Charly for an afternoon, dropping off a meal without even asking, just coming over to talk or bring the kids over for a hug, and the list goes on and on. She is the perfect definition of a "true friend".

Jordan was out of town one night when I heard a knock at the door

(Jenna's knock is very distinct) and this is what she brought me.

Matt, how can I ever thank you enough for introducing me to "the blue dart" while on the house boat in Lake Powell. That is a moment and an image I shall never forget. You have been such an amazing example to us! There is never a dull moment when we are together with you and Jenna!!

Matt and Jenna, we will be forever blessed to have had touched shoulders with you!

We Miss You Already!

Touching Shoulders

There’s a comforting thought at the close of the day,
That’s weary and lonely and sad.
That sort of grips hold of my crusty old heart
And bids it be merry and glad.
It gets in my soul and drives out the blues.
And finally thrills through and through.
It is just a sweet memory that chants the refrain:
“I’m glad I touch shoulders with you!”
***
Did you know you were brave, did you know you were strong?
Did you know there was one leaning hard?
Did you know that I waited and listened and prayed,
And was cheered by your simplest word?
Did you know that I longed for that smile on your face,
For the sound of your voice ringing true?
Did you know I grew stronger and better because
I had merely touched shoulders with you?
***
I am glad that I live, that I battle and strive
For the place that I know I must fill;
I’m thankful for sorrows, I’ll meet with a grin
What fortune may send, good or ill.
I may not have wealth, I may not be great,
But I know I shall always be true,
For I have in my life that courage you gave
When once I touched shoulders with you.

Zipadee-ZOO DAY!!

2009-03-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago Charly and I headed out to FREE DAY at the Zoo! If you ever need a serious work-out, head out to Hogle's! By the way, thank you all for your GREAT ideas to keep my little monkey busy! Maridyn, I bought some fun puzzles and she LOVES them! Chelle, she LOVED Dino Playland, other than the other bully kids that kept pushing her down.

We were the first ones of the day on the train!

(all I recall that we saw was some sheep, but the ride was still fun!)

Ahh, Alas! Charly finally found the rest of her family!
"Who Who's That Charly?"

Not loving the monster elephant so much

I threw in one from Dino Playland at South Towne

Oh What Do You Do In The Wintertime?

2009-02-24T10:53:00.000-08:00

I know we are on the brink of a new season (HAPPY DAY!!!), but there are still many indoor days to endure and I have EXHAUSTED every last one of my super-mom creative ideas to keep Charly entertained for 12 hours of the day.

Here is our daily time span for each activity:
Coloring: 3 minutes
Quick Wagon Ride(brrrr!)and visit the sheep and geese up the street: 15-20 minutes
Learning Time(singing songs and practicing colors, letters, numbers): 1 hour
Nap Time: 45 minutes

Make Cookies and Make a Mess: 30 minutes

Clean Up the Mess: 1 hour
Go walk to the mailbox up the street: 7 minutes
Signing Time Videos: 45 minutes

Play independently with toys: 20 minutes

And that leaves me with only EIGHT hours left of the day for,

"HELP ME! WHAT DO I DO NOW???"

Sure, we go on occasional trips to the library (which is actually a nightmare), to the store (another nightmare), to the Aquarium (not the lame one you pay for to occasionally see a fish or two, but the shop by our house on 7th and about 92nd South...it's the BEST!...and it's FREE!) I LOVE the Discovery Gateway Museum downtown, but that's just it...it is DOWNTOWN and it also costs.

So, what do YOU do in the wintertime?? I would love to hear some of your fun ideas! Charly is now 2 and one BUSY little girl! Just for the record, I do not care for the Fast Food Playlands, although I do know it is at times a lifesaver for many parents...but not for me.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!...and Happy Birthday, Charly Wynn!

2009-02-19T12:45:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was all sorts of fun! I love doing "Girls' Nights Out" with my nieces a couple times a year and last Friday we booked a room at a hotel, just me and the three oldest girls on the Dahlquist side....of course, Charly tagged along until Daddy came and picked her up after work! We had a blast! I love these girls SO much! The pictures tell all! Enjoy!

A few little surprises I left on the bed for when the girls arrived! This hotel was awesome! They gave each of the girls a fun mesh backpack with all kinds of goodies, gifts and coupons inside!

I found these edible Love Notes at Walmart. They tasted like Cherry Cardboard...yummy! Even the ink is edible!

Celebrating Charly's birthday with a Little Debbie's Strawberry Shortcake treat!

Okay, I DID bring apples and healthy popcorn! They are just not pictured!

Charly was in HEAVEN!

Warming up in the bath after a freezing cold walk back to our room!

Pizza! Pizza!

Our cute little pooches!..they each gave them names

(from L to R: Lola, Undecided (it was Nicole for a while), Lily)

Pedicures!

Oh, Baby's Got BACK! Her swim diaper literally EXPLODED!

Look at those Toots!

Good Morning Sunshines!

A Yummy Continental Breakfast and then Beauty Parlor by Whitney!
A Surprise from Oma on Charly's birthday (Sunday, February 15)
Ooooh, she LOVES her Opa!

My Baby Girl is TWO! I love you, Charly Wynn!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2009-02-12T13:26:00.000-08:00

Charlie’s Lil' Angels

Tricycles and training wheels

And family trees to climb,

Mom and Dad began their walk

One angel at a time.

Up the road and ‘round the bend

They welcomed one and two;

Three was on her way

While four and five came shining through.

Who’d have known that dancing shoes,

Pigtails, pink, and pearls,

Would captivate the tender hearts

Of Charlie’s little girls.

Music ‘round the ivories,

Stories by the fire;

A batch of homemade cookies

Would become their hearts’ desire.

Now further down this pathway,

Gentle mothers they will be

And more tiny little angels will

Climb up their family tree.

While autumn winds and winter storms

May blow upon their path,

The Lord provides the sunshine

In the blissful aftermath.

One by one they’ve planted seeds

To help their tree to grow;

Today with branches full of leaves

They’ve so much love to show.

Little did they really know

What treasures they would find

When Mom and Dad began their walk

One angel at a time.

By Kristin Dahlquist Nelson

Blackout

2009-02-04T19:12:00.000-08:00

Oh boy, am I really sharing this story?? I'm afraid nobody will take me seriously after this, but hey, how dull and boring is a life that is all seriousness anyway?!

I am always cold. My husband says I am "chronically chilly" . At night, Jordan sets the temp at 60 degrees and I feel like I am in an icebox. Well, the other night, I woke up all shivers and hopped out of bed to grab my snuggy warm Cotton Bowl sweatshirt (thanks, Matt and Jenna!). I always keep a few little lights on throughout the house during the night....well, just because I feel safer. So, I went in the bathroom and put my sweater on when all of a sudden the lights all went out. I panicked thinking it was some kind of a blackout or maybe someone was in the house and coming after me....cut me a little slack, guys, it was like 3:00am in the morning!

I walked around a little, trying to feel for the door to wake Jordan up, when I suddenly realized the shameful cause of the blackout....the picture says it all, folks. I had put my sweatshirt on backwards with the hoodie over my face.

*sigh* Life is good.

Hey-O? Hey-O, Dave?

2009-01-18T21:32:00.000-08:00

Charly's Conversation on her Elmo Phone Yesterday

******************

"Hey-o?(hello) Hey-o, Dave?(I have no idea where she came up with Dave!)

How's it goin'?

I know! Ya, I know!... Ya, I know!

Oh, dang it, dang it, dang it Dave,

I pomiss! (promise) I pomiss, Dave!

I pomiss I take a bath!

Oh, Sanks! (thanks) Sanks, Dave!

I yuv you!....Cha-ee tooted!"

Move Your Boogie Body!

2009-01-15T11:26:00.000-08:00

My sister, Heather is a huge advocate for the new revolutionary style of exercise, JAZZERCISE! Of course, it's been around forever, but has changed significantly since the day its founder, Judi Sheppard Misset (in the middle) first hit the floor in 1982 with her boogie-jammin' moves! This is truly hilarious! Enjoy!!...and Move Your Boogie Body, Girls!

These Are a Few of my Favorite Things!

2009-01-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! Oh, how I love new beginnings! As we embark upon a brand new year, I thought it would be fun for me to share just a few of my favorite things....Now just to clarify, these are not the "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens" kinds of favorite things (although I do love those too!), but rather tangible/edible products that Kristin has put her stamp of "I love it!, I Love It, I LOVE It!" on! It's like Oprah's Favorite Things Show!

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer

Oh my...if you have never experienced a delicious, glossy blanket of HEAVEN across your lips,

THIS is the product for you! I use Burt's Bees for both lip hydration, chapped lips, AND my

lipstick! My favorites are Radiance which is just a clear, yummy shimmer and

Toffee which is my "out the door" shade that doubles as both a lipstick AND a

chapstick!

Goosie Cards

I love Goosie Cards!! I use them to compile custom-made family history cards for Charly that she can look through during Church or really any time of the day! I have pictures of Great-Grandmothers/fathers who have passed away, extended family members that she does not see very often, and then the family she DOES see every day! If she ever sees these people, she knows exactly who they are! They also do ALL kinds of awesome, educational, custom-made flashcards for any topic you want! Love it, love it, love it! Check them out at

http://www.goosiecards.com/

Hempz Body Butter

Oh my goodness, whether your skin needs a delicious drink to rehydrate those dry patches, or you just want to smell yummy, HEMPZ body butter is the answer! I was first introduced to this from a friend at Lake Powell this past summer. Yes, it is derived from the marijuana plant...NO, your skin cells do not sluff the marijuana into your blood stream....Oh, sometimes I wish I was not so gullible!!! You can get this at any salon!

Black Angus Mountain Fudge Double Chocolate Cake

This one actually has a very tragic ending...this was and will always be my favorite chocolate divinity of all time, but sadly, there are no longer any Black Angus Restaurants in Utah. They are all over the Western Region, but no longer here. I didn't really like anything there other than their delicious honey wheat bread and their cake. *sigh* I suppose all good things must come to an end! (PS-I am not an ice cream person...I just eat the cake!:-))

Tribal Jewelry

I love handmade jewelry! Tribal Jewelry is by far my favorite jewelry line, along with my dear friend, Donna's jewelry line, "DonnaNicole". These jewelry pieces are so unique! Diamonds are no longer a girl's best friend!

https://tribaljewelry.securesites.com/

Real Life Broadway Nails

Ooohh, my secret is out! I do NOT like fake nails, but as an interpreter, the presentation of your hands is so important. We cannot wear nail polish and our nails cannot be long. So, I discovered the perfect compromise! You can alter these nails however you would like, but I buy the "Super Short" set, that have a beautiful, clean, natural look that you simply glue on! They last for about two weeks and cost about $4.50 for a set of 24 nails.

Suave Exhale Alluring Sandalwood & Cinnamon Body and Hand Lotion

Oh, you have just got to try this! I love to moisturize several times a day, and THIS is a delicious, refreshing new delivery from Suave that just tickles my fancy!...did I just say that?!? This bottle is actually the body wash, but the moisturizer comes in a pump.

MultiGrain Cheerios....or Heaven in a Box!

Although my sister, Kim would disagree completely with me and claims these taste like cardboard, you simply must trust my endorsement of this product!! Here is my testimonial...

"I have been a faithful customer of General Mill's Multi-Grain Cheerios for over 16 years. Whenever I indulge myself with a bowl, I am enlightened, uplifted, rejuvenated, energized and infused with pure joy. This is hands-down, the best General Mills product I have ever devoured. In short, they have completely changed my life."

So there you have it!! Now, I want to know, what are a few of YOUR favorite things???

Together Forever

2009-01-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

Many of you may remember last June when my brother-in-law Derek's little brother, David, passed away suddenly. He left behind his dear wife and soulmate, Kelli, his 2 year old daughter, Kennedy, and an unborn angel who was to be born 6 months later. On December 20th, Kelli gave birth to their little girl, London Wright. As my sister said, what a sweet thing to think that just moments before she was cradled in her Daddy's arms and then passed through the veil into her mother's. We miss David so much, but know he will be walking alongside his girls every day of their lives until one day when they shall once again be reunited.

Welcome Home, London! David, Kelli, and Kennedy, We Love You!

A Winter Wonderland

2008-12-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone! We Love You So Much!

Beautiful

2008-12-18T02:34:00.000-08:00

There is simply nothing more genuinely rewarding than listening to your child sing for their first time, "I am a child of God". Even more priceless is to hear her belt out this tender melody as a source of comfort from her crib after exhausting the phrase, "Mommy, open the door...Mommy, OPEN THE DOOR!..." And then, after several verses, realizing still that Mommy is not coming to rescue her, I hear, "Ga-ma! Gaaaaaaa-ma! I wanna see Ga-ma!" How could I resist a brief phone call to "Ga-ma" after listening to my 22 month old exemplify such faith and courage from the dark, quiet corner of her room. After a brief chat from her crib with her Grandma and another verse of "I am a Child of God" through the phone, I lay my sweet baby down and while on my way out I hear, "Thank you Mommy".

"Come What May, and Love It"

2008-12-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

Oh, how I have drawn much comfort in these sweet, reassuring words from Elder Wirthlin from his final General Conference talk in October. We sold our home in a matter of about 30 minutes and were given one week to move. We have two more days left. This home has become such a treasure to me. We have been here five years since Jordan and I took our first steps together as husband and wife. Then we were here to watch our first little angel take her first steps. We survived the natural disasters that inevitably blew through our walls; the multiple floods and then our ceiling caving in; somehow these disasters only made our foundation stronger.

We are moving across the street temporarily while our home is being built. We have already had to fix leaks, dysfunctional heaters and swamp coolers, and whitewash the place from top to bottom. I can feel myself on heavenly surveillance right at this moment. Two days ago I went to get Charly up from her nap, only to find an entire white wall, crib, changing table, sheets, blankets, stuffed animals and a little innocent girl COVERED in permanent green marker. While I thought she was napping away, she was really playing Picasso all over the nursery. Where she came up with the marker?? Only heaven knows!

Then, about 20 minutes ago, I was lifting a heavy box of my nice dishes from our wedding and lowering them into a wagon I have been using to cart everything back and forth. On my way into the living room, the bottom of the box broke and my dishes shattered everywhere!!

Just to give you an idea of where my emotions are at right now: Yesterday, it was a pretty breezy day and while I was walking back and forth from house to house, I noticed a bird's nest that had been blown from the tree. I started sobbing and sobbing uncontrollably at the heartbroken reality that they had lost their home. I knew how they felt because WE were losing our home too and so I cried and cried some more.

So there is a big pile of shattered dishes downstairs and a nursery covered in the finest work of art from a 22 month old. But you know what, I am okay. I know that the Lord blesses us with these great trials, which oftentimes come at us all at once ("When it rains, it pours!"), but then He showers us with His sweet tender mercies if we endure through it well. I know that the Lord will look after this little family of robins as He will also look after us.

So, today I am taking on as my new motto for life, the blessed words from Elder Wirthlin,

"Come What May, and Love It!"

....Yes, there are TWO little birds in that nest! We will soon be adding another little one to the flock!...which may also explain my extra tank of tears!!

Idaho Studs!

2008-11-20T10:55:00.000-08:00

For my birthday, I wanted so much to go visit my Grandma Dahlquist and cousins in Boise, Idaho. My wish was granted and oh, what a time we had!! Since pictures speak much louder than words, here is how we spent our heavenly weekend with all those Idaho Studs!;-)

Mmmm...baking the yummiest Oat and Wheat Bread with the Champ!

...we also made Grandma's famous peanut brittle...yummy!

Mmmm...the finished product!!

Oooooh! I love the Boise Mall! They have the BEST pet shop!!

This was my favorite!

Ohhhh, luvs!
The best little pooch EVER!..even Jordan LOVED Grandma's new dog, Peek-a-boo

(just look at Jordan's expression!)

Giddy-up Peek-a-boo!

Watching the pro put on her "face" to see how it's done!;-)

Playing beauty parlor with the pooch!

Uncle Craig and little Maggie

Me and my Baby Cousin, Rachael...not much of a baby anymore...in fact, she'll be having HER first baby in June!!

Ahhh...it just runs in the entire family!

Charly's BEST friend of the night, Uncle Craig!

(she's got her cowgirl boots on JUST for him!)

Uncle Craig and Aunt Jan live on an 18 acre farm in

Middleton, Idaho....he is a TRUE cowboy and wears his

cowboy hat and boots faithfully!...except that day he wore a ball cap!:-)

(Digressing slightly...) Jordan took me to the Roof on the day of my birthday!

My Birthday Prize...a Toaster!! Can you believe, in the 5 years

of our marriage, we have deprived ourselves of having a toaster!?!

Going to the Boise Philharmonic Dress Rehearsal...fascinating!

The Crew

The absolute best part of our trip!

My Grandma, Afton Dahlquist

Isn't she lovely!?

Thank you so much for all your heartfelt birthday wishes! It was truly wonderful!

A Brand New Day

2008-11-16T20:43:00.000-08:00

Every one of my sisters have overcome something truly remarkable. Today I want to share my sister, Julie's inspiring story with you. She recently posted an entry about her long, grueling journey to a brand new day. I look at her and my other sisters and see what they have achieved in their lifetimes and I am overcome with renewed feelings of hope and faith in enduring well through my own Gethsemanes.

http://www.bradysbunch5.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Pulsie, for making the choice to make a change. You are truly one of my greatest heroes! It has been SO GOOD to have you back!! I love you!

My sisters, Jill and Julie in their singing group, Illuminata

I Have Learned

2008-11-07T04:46:00.000-08:00

"Cha-ee pay in da yeaves"

Today is my 28th birthday. It is 5:30am in the morning and I feel the same anticipation and excitement as I do Christmas morning. I feel this way every year on my birthday. I am always sad to hear people say, "Oh well, it's just another day"... because your birthday is what you make of it!! I am a firm believer in doing all you can to celebrate your big day, whether that means sending yourself a bouquet of flowers at your work desk or taking a birthday walk JUST for you, where you can pretend that all the birds are planning a surprise party with fancy flight formations and the ants are collecting every granule of dirt leftover after the snow to make you a most delicious mud pie. If we expect to be showered with extravagant gifts and parties, we are only setting ourselves up for disappointment. BUT, if you simply take pleasure in the little things, you can turn a very ordinary day into something EXTRAORDINARY! Remember,

"Today You are You

That is Truer Than True!

There is No One Alive

Who is YOU-ER Than YOU!"

-Dr. Seuss

Now, there's something to celebrate!!

My mother has always lived by the motto,

"Life is not always what you want, but it's all that you have,

so I say HAVE IT!,

Stick a geranium in your hat and BE HAPPY!

So today looking back on my past 28 years, I have learned many things, five things in particular. I have learned that:

1. We cannot take life too literally...but rather we need to keep our eternal perspective in focus and remember that this life is only temporary. We are on heavenly surveillance 24-7, as our Heavenly Father is watching how we react to our earthly trials and daily situations placed before us. Humility is key. We are simply away at school, working on our Ph.D.'s...Prayer, Happiness and Dedication.

2. It does absolutely nothing to think ill of another person. All it does is strip you of the energy you could be investing in finding something good about that person....and once again, "Smile! You are on heavenly surveillance!"

3. You are never too old to lean on your parents. Oftentimes, I feel like a 13 year old girl in a 28 year old body! I think to myself, "What am I doing?!? I don't have the slightest clue how to do this?!" But they did it, so I guess I can too.:-)

4. There is nothing on this earth that can adequately measure up to the unconditional love you feel for your children. My cousin, Marilyn Williams told me shortly before Charly was born, "To have a child is to consent to having your heart walk outside your body for the rest of your life"

5. Life is too short. We simply MUST embrace every moment we have here; to learn and to grow, to teach others through our experiences and learn from others' experiences, to be steadfast and true to what we believe. Look around and find joy in the little things! Be grateful for what you DO have! If our home is sufficiently stocked with Toilet paper, Tide, and Tasteful Treats, well then, what more could we possibly need?! We are Together, and that's all that matters. We only have one shot at this journey...we might as well live it up!!

So, if I may, for my birthday this year, I would love for you to share with me what YOU have learned! Truly the greatest gift to me is having each of YOU!!! Thank you, for blessing my life!

Hugs All Around!

2008-10-27T18:54:00.001-07:00

I have never been a "huggy" person (my friends and family can attest to that!)...that is until I married into a "huggy" family! I am notorious for my whimpy little "one armed 'pat-pat-pat'" hug. As an EFY counselor, I learned that there is much more to life that the "one armed pat". EFY was like one ginormous hug fest! Then when I married into Jordan's family, I was introduced into a whole new world of hugging! Whenever we see each other, we make the "hugging rounds", making sure not to forget anyone. Whenever we leave, we do another round of hugs. It was very foreign and uncomfortable to me at first, but now, I must say, I love it, I absolutely love it!!
I really feel the whole world needs more hugs!! When I was growing up, there were times my dad would just hug me out of the blue and I would just melt into his embrace, completely overcome by the most insurmountable joy and a kind of peace and rejuvenation that is indescribable.

Now I hug as many people as I can everyday! Today I hugged someone that felt like I was hugging a block of ice. I think it took her completely off guard.

Do you remember that guy in New York who carried a sign all around the city which read
"Free Hugs", soliciting an actual embrace for anyone who needed it? Well there were people LINED UP around the corner for a very much needed squeeze! We truly underestimate the power of a warm embrace.

In Germany, where I lived for three years, it is natural for people to greet each other with a big hug and a kiss on both cheeks. Oh, how I love that beautiful custom.
One of my favorite poets, Shel Silverstein got it right on the nose when he so profoundly wrote:

Just think...how different this world would be if hugs were as frequent as "high fives" or "hellos". Today is not here for very long, in fact, it's almost over! If you can't find someone to hug, hug a tree! Find people to hug who normally go everyday unnoticed or unappreciated...the janitor, the lunch ladies, the church members who serve in the library, the crossing guard, the mailman, the school teachers, the people who slice all the cheese at Harmons, the neighbor up the street who nobody knows, the sweet grandmas at Costco who serve the samples, and the people at Farnsworth Orchard who make fresh cider daily from a cider press and then sit for hours and hours before someone comes in to buy it.
Then keep on hugging those you see everyday and don't let a single day slip through your fingers where you have not given your loved ones their daily squeezes...or as my sister, Heather calls them, their "SQUATCHES"! Thanks Babo!

Happy Pumpkins!

2008-10-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

I must admit, the actual holiday of Halloween has never been a favorite of mine. I do, however, love the autumn-like ambiance that accompanies this otherwise frightful holiday. Those of you who know me, know that I am a "happy pumpkin" person, decorating my home with joyful jack-o-lanterns and witty witches that give sweets instead of spells! Do you remember, back in the day when we were able to just go out trick-or-treating on our own, foot-loose and fancy free! Today is such a different day where we would never dream of sending our kids out unaccompanied by an adult. I'd much rather steer away from the ghouls and goblins of today and focus on the delicious sights and smells of the season! One of my greatest thrills in life is crunching a freshly fallen autumn leaf! Oh, what joy! :-)
PS- Don't you love this awesome picture of Charly, spoiled by a typical stream of chocolate drooling down her chin! HA!

***********************

Isn't family just wonderful! In the Dahlquist family, we have a family party every month, celebrating the birthdays for that month. We also get together often on Sunday evenings and when we hold our adult Family Home Evenings. We just can't get enough of each other! Last night, my mom made my same delicious birthday dinner I have had every year for as long as I can remember!...Cornflake porkchops, half potatoes (or funeral potatoes), and my yummy strawberry banana jello. Oh yum!! Thank you so much, Mom!

Birthday Kiddos for Oct./Nov (Heather's friend, Kate, Me, Seneca, and Chas)

Charly LOVES her cousin, Taylor!

What would we ever do without Aunt Kimbo!?

Skeleton "Mummy"
My cute friend, Kim is making these adorable, trendy maternity shirts for the "mummies" to be! It can be tricky to find a costume when you are "scaring for two"! :-)
(*Black Maternity shirt with glow in the dark print. Great way to tell family and friends the good news! Call with your size you'll be a hit! You can contact Kim at 492-9981.* )

Unplugged

2008-10-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

I was just "tagged" by my good friend, Jill (Porter) Harkness! I'll have you know I took these pictures yesterday after she tagged me and today my house is MUCH cleaner!! Anyway, presenting the Nelson abode, right here, right now! Enjoy! :-)...PS-For those of you who don't know, you are supposed to take pictures of certain rooms/objects around the house exactly how they are at that moment, UNTOUCHED!...uh oh!

Voila! The Living Room/Family Room!

Thanks to Jenna for the awesome pumpkin canvas paintings! Charly spends half her day playing with this "Chichen"(kitchen)!

*Thank you Shkapich's!*

...And the kitchen! Notice my dining table doubles as a handy

gathering place for laundry!

My least favorite feature of our home...the laundry "room" is IN the kitchen

Is it weird for me to say this would be my favorite room? This room is my quiet sanctuary away from my noisy world! I go in here to pray, to meditate and to catch up on my pile of archived "Good Housekeeping" magazines that go unread for weeks before I'm finally able to catch a minute to endulge myself!

Okay, so we're on an all time LOW as far as groceries go! Do you see that tupperware in there with the blue lid? Those are leftover Spaghettios I randomly bought, just to see if Charly liked them. Well, she loved them, but I will not buy them again because sadly I think they taste and smell like vomit!

ME!
This just seemed like a fitting look for this post...I look like I have a bruise over my right eye.

Here she is, folks!...by the way, any tips on how to keep those naps rollin'? She's down to 30 minutes a day instead of 2 hours and I don't know what to do!!

Cruel Irony

2008-10-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

Today I unwrapped a Dove's milk chocolate piece of heaven and popped it in my mouth while ironing out the creases of the wrapper in order to read the message on the inside. It read,

"Kick a bad habit for today"

My bad habit?....eating too much chocolate.

September Spotlight

2008-09-20T21:05:00.000-07:00

I love this picture. I love it because it captures my mother-in-law's true character. When the curtain is closed and the stage lights shut down, you will undoubtedly find her in some way or form out on an errand for the Lord, or simply taking in every brushstroke of God's breathtaking murals surrounding us everyday.
She never desires to be in the limelight, and yet it is her luminous countenance that radiates so brightly, you can almost feel an electric charge standing near to her!
She inspires me everyday to be a better, more optimistic person. She is a listener and a comforter. She has wept with me many times when heartache and adversity stood at our door.
I am simply at a loss for words when it comes to my gratitude and unconditional love for the mother of my eternal sweetheart and the grandmother of our little angel. How blessed I am to have a mother who is following so faithfully in the footsteps of the Savior. She truly is a sweet and humble handmaiden of the Lord. I am so blessed to have her in my life!

The Nelson Grandchildren all flock to their Grandma Nelson!

She really does GLOW, doesn't she!!

These two are constantly at battle with who gets to sit on Grandma's lap!

We Will Stand

2008-09-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

"Pioneers exemplified great determination and sacrifice. They had the persistence of ocean tides, which led them on; the strength of virgin forests, which braced their minds; the quiet of prairie vastness, which stilled their souls; the majesty of mountains, which gave them inspiration. These indomitable spirits faced the unknown with eyes upward, and footsteps forward. There are men in this world who are made of adobe with a thin veneer carrying a high polish; but these men of the pioneer companies were of granite through and through. They did not shrink at difficult situations...They went forth to conquer and conquer they must and would and did."-President Spencer W. Kimball

With Faith in Every Footstep

"We cannot add to their glory. We can only look back with reverence,
appreciation, respect and resolution to build on what they have done. The time
has now come to turn about and face the future. This is a season of a thousand
opportunities. It is ours to grasp and move forward. What a wonderful time it is
for each of us to do his or her small part in moving the work of the Lord on to
its magnificent destiny."-President Gordon B. Hinckley
"I see a wonderful
future in a very uncertain world. If we will cling to our values, if we will
build on our inheritance, if we will walk in obedience before the Lord, if we
will simply live the Gospel, we will be blessed in a magnificent and wonderful
way. In essence, whichever way we are thrown, we will
stand."-President Hinckley

Monday night for Family Home Evening, we hiked Ensign Peak (a pretty leisurely, though uphill hike) with Mom and Dad Nelson and Makayla. For those of you who have not yet had the opportunity to do so, I strongly recommend it!....and if you go on a Monday night, you will most likely run into a Single's Ward at the top who are always prepared with a devotional and if you are lucky, they will share their refreshments!!...we lucked out on popsicles!

As I stood at the top of this spectacular peak, overlooking the monumental rooftops scattered across the Salt Lake Valley, I realized that just as our stalwart pioneers left behind for us a legacy of faith, hope, sacrifice and determination, so are we pioneers of Latter Day, called upon to leave behind for our posterity a firm foundation and a living legacy that will only continue to go forward from generation to generation. As Pres. Hinckley said, "We cannot add to their glory."...but we can "turn about and face the future. This is a season of a thousand opportunities. It is ours to grasp and move forward. What a wonderful time it is for each of us to do his or her small part in moving the work of the Lord on to its magnificent destiny."

So, let's start moving! :-) Onward, ever Onward!!

Family Matters

2008-09-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder how I would fill my summer days without my family....or any days for that matter! My family is my lifeline and I simply cannot imagine my life without them.

BTW...My picture commentaries are way off whack...I can't figure out how to fix it so have fun decoding!

Bear Lake 2008

Charlie's Angels (minus me and Kim...I was in the pool!)

Charly's music class! 2008
I consider these "family", Charly and her best friends, Easton and Gracie
Jordan and Baby Dillon

Charlie and Charlie's Angels (we went out with the girls and Dad showed up with a box of Sees Chocolates for each of us!! It was especially a fun surprise since he left that day for three weeks to the South Pacific...he is still there!)

Another Marathon! Way to Go, Jordan!! (Spanish Fork Half-Marathon)

Woah kids, give Grandma some air!!!

I also consider these girls to be "family"...two of my Young Women, Danielle and Demi

Giddyup Coalville Rodeo, here we come!!!

Reading our fave, "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!" with Grandma Nelson at Bear Lake!

Travis and Peggy

Bear Lake 2008

My adorable niece, McKaylee

First Day of Nursery!! Yippeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Beautiful Grandma Afton Dahlquist with the girls (Dahlquist Family Reunion 2008)
Aunt "Kimbo"....the child "charmer"!

She LOVES her "Opa" Dahlquist!!

Uncle Craig!!

I Have Never...

2008-09-03T01:21:00.000-07:00

1. Mowed a lawn

2. Been on a cruise

3. Eaten cow tongue

4. Broken a limb

5. Read the "Twilight Series"...I know, GASP!

6. Enjoyed unpacking

7. Milked a cow

8. Understood why we can't all just get along!

9. Had a nintendo, trampoline or Barbie doll

10. Learned to play the accordian...*sigh*, someday!;-)

11. Figured out a Rubix Cube

12. Been on the roof

13. Had a professional pedicure

14. Canned peaches

15. Loved Mexican food...Exception: Cafe Rio

16. Colored my hair

17. Owned an elliptical....Santa, are you reading this?

18. Had an Ipod, Palm Pilot, or access to Texting on my phone

19. Loved any other season more than I love the Fall!

20. Learned to french braid

21. Had a root canal

22. Picked my nose and consumed the innards...I seriously will never understand that inborn tendancy in kids!! Yucka!

23. Had a pair of Doc Martins....until last month! (I bought a pair for $2 at a Garage Sale!!)

24. Needed glasses or contacts (although my astigmatism in my left eye drove me at the young age of 11 to secretly memorize the eye chart at the doctor's because I was sick of having to go in to be checked and never walking out with a classy new pair of specs!.....my roommates will attest to my obsession with glasses-In college I bought some non-prescription personality frames and would wear them like they were just part of the outfit!! I would even get them out when I needed to read something in public! HAHA!)...Never had braces either!

25. Loved life more than I do now! How could I possibly ask for more!....although an elliptical would be nice...;-)

Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford!

2008-08-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

http://consumerist.com/consumer/clips/snl-skit-dont-buy-stuff-you-cant-afford-252491.php

Amen! :-)....ahh, this is funny and SO true!...Thanks for sharing, Linda!!:-)

Kristin Throughout the Years...

2008-08-25T21:22:00.000-07:00

With all of the reunions that have taken place this summer, I thought it would be fun to dust off all the mothballs from my high school yearbooks and share a little of "Kristin Throughout the Years"...Enjoy!!...don't mind my occasional facial hair or my disproportional features...bad lighting.
Thanks, Ashley, for being my inspiration for this post! HaHa! By the way, my final picture actually looks extremely close to how I looked when I graduated!! Barrel Roll bangs and all!!

1952

1958

1966

1968

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

Pulsie, don't you think 1990 looks just like you??...1994 a little too!
In 1992 I think I look like Jeanne Green! :-)
*1982 looks like I'm holding my face up on a lollipop stick!*

Mmmm, a Date!!...What is a Date???

2008-08-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Do we all remember this line from the Disney Classic, "Enchanted"? Well, I must admit after a year and a half of motherhood (and pure bliss, may I add!), I find myself asking the same question!!

Tonight Jordan's mom offered to take Charly so we could go on a date! Now while Jordan and I do plenty of things together, very few of them consist of just your old fashioned Malt Shop date nights! Usually they are penciled-in outings or activities on the calendar where I am rushing to fulfil my food assignments or make sure my home is viewer-friendly! :-) Tonight was one of those "Sky's the Limit" nights where it was just the two of us and Charly's car tunes which Jordan and I now have completely memorized. "Vroom, Vroom, Driving in the Car, Here we go, Here we go, Here we go, Here we go...." I have completely forgotten what it is like to listen to the radio!

Jordan surprised me first with a delicious dinner at the Rodizio Grill, one of our favorite places! We only go there once a year which makes it all the more enjoyable!...and affordable!;-)

Afterwards we went to another of our favorite places, the Salt Lake City Cemetary, where hundreds of the Prophets, Church Leaders, and incredible historic figures are buried. We were fortunate enough to run into a sweet gal, Wendy, who knew absolutely everything about this cemetary and took us on an hour and a half tour where each grave was accompanied by a fascinating history lesson! Among the many we were fortunate enough to see were President Gordon B. Hinckley, President Wilford Woodruff, President George Albert Smith, President Joseph Fielding Smith, President Joseph F. Smith, President Spencer W. Kimball, President Howard W. Hunter, President David O. McKay, Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Porter Rockwell, Orson Pratt, W.W. Phelps and many, many more! As you walk through this beautiful place, there is a Spirit that settles upon you that is almost tangible as the testimonies of these stalwart leaders seem to rest upon the stones which bear their names.

Oh, what a wonderful date we had! Charly had an absolutely wonderful time with her Grandma and Grandpa Nelson. Tonight I feel rejuvenated and uplifted as I am reminded of the great importance of "Date Night". I suppose sometimes we forget and just need that little "refresher's course"!

A Kiss to Build a Dream On

2008-08-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

Woah, you two!!! This looks a little too much

like the real deal!
You Go, Bubba!! He's even got his eyes closed!!

My nephew, Alex (who we call Bubba) and Charly

sharing a sweet

(though rather passionate-looking) smoocheroo

on the lips!

*****************

A double-take! Okay, maybe you don't think so, but in real person, this little boy we met at Chuckie-Cheeses named Blake looked exactly like our Alex!
Take a look!

My beautiful niece, McKaylee, proving that you cannot eat 6 Saltine Crackers in a row in under a minute without drinking water....try it!...it's impossible!

Hickory, Dickory, Dock!..Brinley went up the clock!...and down and up and down and up!

Baby's Got BACK!

2008-08-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Some SERIOUS Junk in the Trunk!!

So here is our little Chub 'o' Burnin' Love! Just today someone that doesn't even know us very well said, "Man, she is a TANK!" All I can say to that is, "Yeah! Isn't she awesome?!" I think I cash in a million smooches all over her chubby cheeks and "sweet rolls" every day!! I love it, love it, love it!

Just chillin' at Uncle Derek and Aunt Jillsie's! She had a blast in their pool!

I never knew diapers could explode...until today! Charly's bum looked like Driselda's dress in Cinderella when we put a swim diaper over her regular diaper for the Ashby's summer splash party...not the best idea!!!

One thing's for sure, this little girl LOVES her "Opa"!!

....Thanks for the title, Pulsie and Babo!...and the pics!

we're all in this together!

2008-08-09T15:08:00.000-07:00

A week ago Charlie's Angels hit the Theatre to see High School Musical on Broadway...Mom's treat!! I don't think we stopped smiling ONCE throughout this toe-tappin', hip-hoppin', boogie-jammin' production!! What a blast!! In the middle of the show, my sweet niece, McKaylee, who has never been to the Theatre before, was looking at the program when she turned around and asked, "Do we get to stay for Act II too?" HaHa! How cute is that !

Following the show, I made a new friend named Lily, who is currently at Primary Children's Hospital after being in a terrible accident on the 4th of July. She is now permanently confined to a wheelchair. I will be visiting her often if anybody wants to come with me!

Luv you Mom!

Me and my sister Jill

I simply cannot express how much I love these girls! They are my lifeline! Thank you, Mom, for such a magical night! What a sweet thought it is to know that no matter what, through thick and through thin, we really are all in this together!

My gorgeous nieces, McKaylee, Whitney, and Brinley

And now, I leave you with this....(don't ask...just look at the second picture where my sister caught the spoon mid air-it looks like it's part of my necklace!)

Thanks so much, Babo, for this awesome slide show!!

Charly Knows Her Letters!

2008-07-30T14:44:00.001-07:00

I am so truly amazed by my Charly's most recent milestone of recognizing and repeating all 26 letters of the alphabet, both written and signed....I couldn't resist sharing this with you!...Don't let this picture fool you-Yes, she looks much more interested in the banana otterpop drizzling down her chin, but in between bites she managed to squeak out each of the letters of the alphabet.

It all really started one day when she was in the back seat of the car playing with her letters in a basket. She kept saying "O-S", "O-S"...I didn't think much of it until I looked back and low and behold she was holding the letters O and S!! I had no idea that she was actually absorbing the captions and letters from her ABC Signing Time videos!

For those of you who don't know, I have signed to Charly since the day she was born and feel so blessed today for such a beautiful gift of communication that has enabled her to express her feelings, desires, and identify objects of all shapes, sizes and colors! I am a huge advocate of using ASL as a teaching supplement, in conjunction with speech.

Anyway, HOORAY for YOU, Charly Wynn! I L-O-V-E Y-O-U!

thank you osmond family and more summer lovin'!

2008-07-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

Jordan and I feel so fortunate to be able to accompany my parents to several wonderful events for the Church. Last night was the Pioneer Commemoration concert at the Conference Center featuring the entire Osmond family with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra. It was outstanding! Though their lives have not been without hardship and struggle, I am so amazed at how they have all pulled together and stuck together as a family. If you take a peek at other Hollywood families, you will most often see how their families have been torn apart and their reputations shattered by the media and worldly temptations. (example-The Jackson 5 who were the Osmond's contending family during the 60s and 70s)
For their concluding number, the Osmond Family were once again joined with the Choir and Orchestra singing, "Come Come Ye Saints", while the two oldest brothers who are profoundly Deaf signed the hymn so beautifully! What a spectacular evening it was!

It was so wonderful to be with my parents. My Dad's calling requires extensive traveling and so we truly cherish every moment we are able to spend with them! He just returned home from Korea and will be setting out for the South Pacific in a few weeks.

Thursday evening we headed up to Oakley, Utah for food, four-wheeling, fireworks and FUN with our awesome friends, Matt and Jenna. Matt's parents live in an absolutely gorgeous country home with 6.5 acres of horse property! Jordan, my "wannabe a cowboy" husband, took advantage of the open invitation to ride! Matt's dad coached him for about an hour while Jordan took their beautiful horse, Ebb, up and down the open trails, sporting his brand new Cabela cowboy boots! He was in heaven! Later that night they took us to the Summit County Rodeo! What a blast! Once Charly woke up, she had a blast! She and Easton played off each other the whole night, planting a million kisses on eachother, one after the other!...must've been the fireworks!!

Here's a few shots of our awesome time with the Johnson family!!

Matt's awesome brother, Mike taking the kids for a ride!

Move Over Mini-Van!...Jenna's got THREE on the Four-Wheeler!

Ride On, Cowboy!....Jordan just "horsin' around"!

All that hardcore play put her out for about an hour!

Cutey-pants Easton in his snazzy yellow fireman hat!

"all done! thank you! ba-bye!"

2008-07-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

The other night I was putting Charly down to sleep and instinctly started tickling her. She was laughing hysterically and so naturally I continued my little tickle-fest. Sometimes as parents we get so into that irresistible laugh of a child that we go overboard with our delivery, which was exactly my case. After a full 60-second tickle session, my Charly let out an exasperated sigh, grabbed her bottle, and in one breath said, "All Done! Thank You! Ba-Bye!" 17 months old and she already knows when "enough is enough"! She definitely put her mother in her place!

I love summer because it is a time to listen to all the voices of nature while letting your bare feet get reacquainted with the many nationalities of ground cover. (Grass being my favorite; Charly's-Dirt) As the wise author Kahil so eloquently said,

"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play in your hair"

Well we have had many opportunities to do just that this summer and I thought I'd just share a few of those memories and milestones with you! Enjoy!

4th of July Ward Breakfast

I went in to check on Charly one day during her nap and found that she had taken the changing pad off the changing table and conveniently pulled it into her crib for a much softer, snuggier sleep!

Me 'n' My Girls! Danielle and Demi Shkapich (two of my Young Women)

Charly LOVES dogs! Here she is with Hannah, our friends' 170 pound St. Bernard who we watched for a week while they were out of town.

Sweet Great Grandma Nelson with our newest Nelson addition, Baby Dillon

Mom Nelson and Makayla

A roommate splash!- Here are the 2nd generation D3/Mapleview kids! I had a fun get-together with my dear roommates, Tawni and Rachelle with all of our kids

Just chillin' with "Grandma and Grandpa Elg"...yet another of Charly's many adopted Grandparents in our ward!-Stake Campout

Splashing around at the Gateway fountains

Nelson Family Picnic-Tanner's Flat

Oh, I have so many more! I better break it up a little! Here's a little summer starter-kit!

Kimberly Tucker Carlile

2008-07-15T03:20:00.000-07:00

Today just seemed appropriate to begin my monthly spotlighting as it is my dear friend and roommate, Kimberly "Anne"'s Birthday today!!
Kim and I went to High School together, but did not really get to know each other until we were roommates up at Utah State University. May I share with you a few memories and gemstones of this beautiful and one-of-a-kind gal, Kim Carlile....

*Whenever any of us were having a bad day, our hearts were immediately lifted by a handmade, heartfelt note and treat left on our beds. These were no ordinary notes either, but rather one of Kim's crafty creations with every scrapbooking delicacy you can imagine! Kim is the Queen of Cute!!

*My Journal Entry, October 13, 2000:
Would you ever believe, Friday, the 13th would end up being one of the funnest days I've had in a long time?? We awoke this morning to more rainy, foggy weather, but for some reason, it did not dampen our dispositions in the slightest, but rather gave us even more reason to get into the spirit of our favorite holiday...Christmas!! After a soothing cup of sweet hot apple cider, Rachelle, Kim, and I took our place on "stage" (aka-the living room), picked out a suitable microphone (mine was the iron), and then sang our hearts out and danced to Barry Manilow's Christmas tape! If only Holly wood could have seen us! We hummed Christmas songs for the rest of the day! Kim and I sang all the way to Walmart, by way of the Scrapbooking Store!.....(later that day) When I arrived home from the Service Center, I could hear "The Wizard of Oz" soundtrack blasting from Kim's room. I went up to go spy on my roomie...silly mistake! For the next 1/2 hour, Kim and I put on our "wild 'n' wacky" caps, dancing and singing to the Wiz of Oz and Beauty and the Beast. It was a total Kodak moment!...(PS-At this time, our other roomie, Tawni was out in Nauvoo for a Semester! We missed you, Tawni!!)

*If you could look through my Gratitude journal in college, you would discover pages and pages that include how incredibly grateful I was (and am!) for Kim. (i.e-#6. Cute Kimberly Anne!...she drove me to Smithfield to drop off Anne's coat today and then on the way back treated me to 2 prizes...a hamburger at Mickey Dee's and then pictures of us from the photo booth at Kmart!)

*When my dad was in town, he'd take Kim and I out to lunch to talk politics...for reals! We both had no idea who to vote for, so Dad would give us his tactful, non-bias opinion on each candidate and proposition.(often with our BRASC kids as well-We all worked at a disability employment center and often had our dear little kiddos with us)....Name that BRASC girl!.."Alright, Good Job, Whooo!"

*Going up to "our bench" that oversees beautiful Logan and our breathtaking Temple!...(okay, it was Kim's bench, but can I claim it too?)...remember going up to watch the sunrise with our journals, Frosted Flakes, and milk we bought from the gas station?...Kim is a Children's Book Queen of America! As we sat and watched the sunrise, Kim read one of our favorite's, "Fanny's Dream" while I held the flashlight.

*Kneeling in prayer together after a friend of ours was killed in a tragic car accident.

*Making peach cobbler in the dutch oven out on our front porch!

*A few other things I picked up from living with Kimberly Anne:
*You never EVER pick the first thing at the front of the shelf at the store. It is most likely covered in germs or dented, so you fish to the back for a more clean and properly packaged item!...Yes, Kim, now you've got ME doing that!

*Never EVER run your finger under the water while you are filling up the pitcher...GROSS!! I can't believe I did that one time and Kim rightfully gave me the "What For!"

*I admit I have been one to occasionally be a "bed kneeler" when I am already snuggled in my bed and my evening prayers are calling out to me! Kim taught me that it is the least we can do to show our respect to our Heavenly Father to get out of bed and kneel by our bedside. I will never forget that!

How blessed I am to have my Kimberly Anne in my life who has become a permanent piece of my heart! Today she is a beautiful mother of precious Abe and is currently living in North Carolina with her sweetheart, Ken. (Kim and Ken Carlile...how cute is that!) She graduated in Special Education and taught school for children with Autism until her baby Abe was born.

*As a tribute and gift to Kim, for all those who know her, please leave a special memory you have with her! If you don't know her, feel free to comment anyway!! You are special too!!!

In The Spotlight: Starring YOU!

2008-07-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

Each one of you have had such an impact on my life and I often feel inadequate as our lives sometimes do not allow us to express that sincere gratitude on a daily basis. If I could, I would send Thank You notes and a Big Bouquet of Daisies to each of you every day!! At the beginning of each month, I want to spotlight one of you on my blog, but of course want to make sure I have your permission! Also, if you do not want me to borrow a picture from your blog, let me know!

How blessed I am, to have touched shoulders with each one of you!

What You Might Not Know About Me.....

2008-06-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

A Little Bit of Random!
(I thought I might change gears a little and throw in something light after the past few weeks that have been so difficult....I am so grateful to each of you for your thoughts and prayers for our family.)

1- I love to think and wonder. Growing up, I had a "thinking chair" in our living room where I could just sit and think for hours and hours.

2- In college, when writing essays about our classmates in a Literature course, one student wrote about me, "Her hair BURNS like fire, in that it is red, of course." (exact wording! HA!HA!)...maybe I should start carrying an extinguisher around with me...just in case!!

3- I have a hole in my face. When I was nine years old, my sister chased me around the house, desperately wanting to "pop" what looked like a pimple on my cheek. She won the battle and I took the beating as a prompt doctor's visit indicated that "pimple" was actually a broken blood vessel that would now leave a permanent scar after being brutally mutilated by my sister.

4- My first kiss was with my neighbor, D.J. Sinclair when we were 5 years old...in a box.

5- It is my dream to one day open a dance studio for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing intermingled with Hearing children and adolescents.

6- I am a dreamer, just like my dad.

7- In 3rd grade, I ran outside in my birthday suit during a fire drill while I was in the bathroom changing into my Ronald McDonald Halloween costume. The fire alarm sounded and I bolted to the door, half dressed in my whitey-tighties with my arms across my chest. All I could think about was my teacher saying, "When you hear a fire alarm, you STOP wherever you are and walk immediately to our class line at the top of the hill." So there I was, eight years old, bare feet and topless, sporting my rainbow brite undies....what could be worse, right? Well, it happened to be snowing outside, however I was determined to obey my teacher's commands and so off I went, trudging across the parking lot and up the hill, only to be greeted by the entire third grade staff with their mouths wide open in absolute shock and disbelief.
The next morning I received a "Panther Pride" award from the principal. See?...it always pays off to be obedient!

8- Any time I see a Strawberry Shortcake character, the little girl in me leaps out and wants to indulge in every little delicious thing on the shelf! Keep in mind, however, I own very few of her merchandise, maybe two or three things. It's kind of a secret passion, and I would never want to become one of those older women who still collect Barbies or Beanie Babies. *sigh* I just love her, that's all!!

9- I get the biggest kick out of little kids. Sometimes I just love them so much I feel like my heart could just burst!

10- I love exclamation points and smiley faces! Wouldn't it just be wonderful if we punctuated all of our comments with exclamations and a big smile! :-)

Our Precious Kuni, Home at Last

2008-06-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

Many of you may remember my post a few months ago when my family planted flowers for our precious little Kuni Jackson, our lifelong friend and my mother's "sister" (as we have called her for years!). On Thursday, sweet Kuni returned home to her Heavenly Father after several years battling with her failing health. My first memories of Kuni are when I was a very young girl and she would come over to our house as our little "Avon Lady", taking her shoes off at the door as a Japanese custom and then leaving Japanese treats on the doorknob for us to discover when we left the house.
A few years ago, we captured her sweet voice on tape as Jordan and I put together a Dahlquist family "Book of Mormon" on CD set with about 50 voices of close family and friends reading the entire Book of Mormon. We also had her read her verse in Japanese which was so special to our family. What a priceless treasure to be able to listen to that sweet, soft little voice of Kuni Jackson. She may be away from us for a time, but her flowers will always be in bloom as she will always be in our hearts!
We are forever blessed, Kuni, to have touched shoulders with you!

(Obituary written by my sweet mother)

KUNI HARADA JACKSON

Kuni Harada Jackson 1944 ~ 2008 Kuni passed away peacefully at her home, Thursday, June 19th, 2008, after a long but courageous struggle with illness.She was born, Nov. 4th, 1944, in Hiroshima, Japan, the daughter of Heiichi and Masa Harada. She grew up in Japan loving the beaches, oceans and mountain climbing. She won prizes in intellectual competitions. Kuni had teaching certificates in Japanese tea ceremony and flower arranging. She has had Haiku poetry published in a Japanese language newspaper in the United States. As a young woman, she loved working as a tour guide, sharing the beauty of her native Japan with others. In 1971, she met and married Brian Charles Jackson, who was serving in the armed forces there in Japan. They moved back to the Salt Lake area, where their son, Travis was born. Kuni had a deep love for her family, friends and neighbors, the Temple and the gospel of Jesus Christ. She served everyone-children, the sick, the lonely, the needy and the aged. She knew and lived the meaning of "Love One Another." In turn, her family would like to thank the many friends, neighbors, doctors and nurses who assisted her during her illness. Kuni is survived by the family that she treasured- her husband, Brian and son, Travis. She was preceded in death by parents, her sister, Nichiko and brother, Rikuich, all of Japan.

Kuni holding our Charly at the Hospital-Feb. 2007

Together Forever

2008-06-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

"When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance (see 1 Ne. 1:20)."
“The Tender Mercies of the Lord”
Elder David A. Bednar
Liahona May 2005

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you; And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours."- D&C 78:17-18

“The Gospel has been given to heal our pain, not to prevent it.”
Marie K. Hafen
“Celebrating Womanhood”
Ensign June 1992

"Faith in God includes faith in His timing, faith in His purposes as well as in His timing. We cannot fully accept Him while rejecting His schedule. We cannot worship Him but insist on our plans." -Elder Neal A. Maxwell

"How fragile life, how certain death. We do not know when we will be required to leave this mortal existence. And so I ask, “What are we doing with today?” If we live only for tomorrow, we’ll have a lot of empty yesterdays today. Have we been guilty of declaring, “I’ve been thinking about making some course corrections in my life. I plan to take the first step—tomorrow”? With such thinking, tomorrow is forever. Such tomorrows rarely come unless we do something about them today. As the familiar hymn teaches:

There are chances for work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying, “Sometime I’ll try,”
But go and do something today.

Let us ask ourselves the questions: “Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?” What a formula for happiness! What a prescription for contentment, for inner peace—to have inspired gratitude in another human being. Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.
President Monson
“Now Is The Time”
Liahona January 2002"

*In honor of David, Kelli, Kennedy, and Baby Wright*
*You are forever in our hearts*

Till We Meet Again

2008-06-13T07:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we received the devastating news that our brother-in-law's brother, David Wright, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday evening. Dave and his wife, Kelli, have a little 3 year old girl and she is 10 weeks pregnant with their second child. We are extremely close to the Wright family and cannot even fathom what they must be going through right now. We are all still trying to grasp the reality of what has happened. It is through experiences like these that truly hit home that you realize how very fragile life is. How blessed we are to know for a surety that we will be together again. We never know when the Lord will be calling us home. I am realizing more and more the essentials in our lives that truly matter and those that don't. I want to embrace every moment in my life, never passing up the opportunity to blow bubbles with my little girl, even if it is for the 148th time that day. When my husband walks through the door, I want to throw my arms around him and tell him how much I love him, even on those crazy days when the laundry's piled a mile high and the spaghetti is boiling over on the stove. Life is too precious to put these moments on hold. So for today, hold your little ones for just a little longer, give a call to your loved ones and tell them just how much you love them, and remember to take the spaghetti off the stove. :-)

DAVID R. WRIGHT
David R. Wright 1979 ~ 2008 Our beloved husband, father, son, brother, and uncle, David R. Wright, returned home, suddenly, to his Heavenly Father on Wednesday, June 11, 2008.David was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 10, 1979 to Rex C. and Marilyn Jameson Wright. He married his best friend and sweetheart, Kelli Ann Bell, on August 8, 2001 in the Salt Lake Temple. He enjoyed seven years of Heaven on Earth with her and celebrated the day that his little angel, Kennedy, joined their family. David will be remembered for his fun-loving personality, unstoppable humor and quick wit. He was a man of great integrity, who honored his Priesthood and loved to have fun with his many friends. David graduated with straight A's from Alta High School, and enjoyed playing golf and basketball during his time as a Hawk. He was honored to be an Eagle Scout, and was awarded the Governor's High School Business Entrepreneur Award as a senior. David graduated from UVSC in Business, Finance, and was a distinguished partner of Wright Homes. From 1998 to 2000 he grew to love the people of Chile during his service as an LDS missionary in the Santiago North Mission. The joy of his life was his love, Kelli, and his princess, Kennedy. Golfing and hunting with his brothers and dad were favorite pastimes, as well as family gatherings and going to movies with Kelli. He continually strived to strengthen his relationship with his Savior. Dave surrounded himself with great people whom he admired and respected. David is survived by his beloved wife: Kelli Ann; daughter: Kennedy; parents: Rex C. and Marilyn Jameson Wright; siblings, Derek (Jill), Nicole (Ryan), Kris Ann (Sky) and Travis (Jenalyn); parents-in-law: Michael E. and Teresa Moser Bell; Tyler (Whitney), Courtney; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted in the name of Kelli and Kennedy at Zion's Bank, in the name of David R. Wright. Funeral services will be held Mon., June 16, 2008, 12:00 noon at the Herriman West Stake Center, 13768 South Rose Canyon Road (6400 W.). Family and friends may call Sunday from 7-8:30 p.m. at Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary, 1950 E. 10600 So., and Monday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Stake Center. Online condolences at www.larkincares.com

"Cheer Up Charly"

2008-06-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 6th day of Charly's ongoing croup. After a week straight of terrible coughing, throwing up, wheezing, runny nose and diarrhea, Charly's nose started to bleed uncontrollably just the past two days. I was going to let this nasty cold just run its course, but when her nose started bleeding, I knew there was more to it than this crummy croup. So, this morning I took her in to the doctor's and came out with the following diagnosis:
*Croup
*Bacterial Nasal Infection (never heard of that!)
*Sinus Infection
*Left Ear Infection
It took me nearly an hour to study the prescription instructions as each one requires various dose amounts and directions extremely specific to each one. Currently she is asleep on an incline with a cool-air humidifier that makes you feel like you've walked into a swamp. I've lathered Vicks Baby Rub all over her chest and am hoping my concoction of "at home" remedies along with prescription medicine will finally do the trick!

PS-A batch of cookies if you know where the title of this post is from! :-)

Memorial Day

2008-06-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, every year on Memorial Day, my family has gone to the Provo Cemetary to lay flowers and share stories of our many ancestors and family members we visit. Afterwards, in honor of our Great-Grandfather, Joseph Ahlander, who began the great tradition, we head out to the Chuck-a-Rama for lunch!...yep, it's been around a LONG time! Here are a few fun pics of our special day together.

The Dahlquist Cousins..ranging from 1 year old to 14 years old!

Derek and Tay- Like Father, Like Son!

Our good friends, the Christofferson's-Elder Christofferson is the newest Apostle of the Quorum of the Twelve

Planting Flowers for Kuni

2008-05-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Every year, the Saturday before Mother's Day, my sisters and my mom get together for a wonderful service project. This year it was my mother's turn to choose and so we all headed over to our dear friend, Kuni Jackson's home to plant flowers in her garden. Kuni Jackson is my mom's Japanese "sister" and dear friend of 25 years. Kuni has suffered severe health problems all throughout her life, having to endure through years and years of Dialysis due to early kidney failure. She stands about 4 ft 10 inches tall and weighs about 80 pounds. We are not sure how long we will have our sweet Kuni here with us, but we pray it will be long enough for her to see her flowers bloom.

Here is my sweet Kuni holding our little baby Charly in the hospital the day after she was born. *This picture is truly priceless*

Charlie's Angels

My Angel Nieces

Dahlquist Cousins

PS- We are going to Lake Powell this Wednesday for a week on a house boat with Jordan's family...We are taking Charly and I admit I'm a little apprehensive about it! (the 6+ hour drive there, the sleeping schedule, keeping an oversized lifejacket on an already oversized child, the sleeping schedule, the confined space shared between 20 other people, the sleeping schedule...you get the picture!) I welcome any tokens of reassurance or comforting thoughts to easen my anxiety!

Quirks!

2008-05-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if these would be considered "quirks" or "ridiculous confessions", but I've seen a couple of you post these, including my sister who has made some of the CUTEST "quirky" books for herself and some of her friends. (thanks for the pic, Babo!) I think we should all EMBRACE our quirkiness and realize that even when someone looks normal on the outside...they aren't fooling anyone! We are all a perfect concoction of quirky and normal (yes, some are little more off-balance than others, but hey, that's what makes us all so SPECIAL!) So, here are a few of Kristin's Quirks (hey, that's fun to say!):

1. Eating to me is for enjoyment purposes only. If I cannot enjoy my food, I refuse to eat it, or I will save it for later. (i.e.-Our play group Easter egg hunt party...some of you may have noticed I stowed away my plate of "preschool delights" and hid it in the stroller to eat for later. If the atmosphere is not conducive to eating, I feel it's a total waste of consumption! Who wants to wolf down a meal when you can't even enjoy it!

2. When I wake up, I have to make my bed immediately or I feel completely out of order! When the bed's made, I feel refreshed and ready to tackle my morning errands!

3. I never put a sandwich or a cookie up to my mouth. I break off bite sizes and pop them in one by one...it drives Jordan crazy.

4. I still love putting both of my legs behind my head. When I was little, my mom would come into my room to find me on the bed reading with my legs perfectly pretzled behind my head.

5. Ever since I was a little girl, I've been terrified of getting a double chin (I know!!...this is probably the quirkiest of all!), so you will often see me doing my "neck stretch and veiny ostrich exercise" (honestly, I don't know what else to call it!) It's pretty gross and my veins will pop out of my neck and you can touch them..ewww!

Yikes...Fortunately, I think most of you already know about all of Kristin's Quirks, and you still love me in spite!

Oh, just a little bit of this and that!

2008-04-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd just insert a few fun pics! This first one- All of you who know this family will get a kick out of this picture!! It looks like poor Demi, Devin, and Dalyn got the boot and Charly and I are now official members of the Shkapich family! We've got the family photo to prove it! Ask me later and I'll fill ya in! Ha!

Here are my awesome roommates from Utah State. Recently we had a fun little reunion at my parent's house (minus one-We missed you, Rachelle!). It was a blast! For those of you who know Donna Shkapich, you have probably been a recipient of her neverending thoughtfulness and friendship...not to mention her homemade sweet rolls. Anyway, I had called to ask if I could borrow her gorgeous beverage dispenser for my little gathering. That night she was at my door with not just the dispenser, but a platter of homemade cookies, a homemade raspberry cheesecake, and six pair of handmade earrings in AGGIE BLUE for each one of my roommates. You seldom come across someone like Donna Shkapich who truly devotes every moment of her life to serving others.

Here is Charly eating string cheese in her sleep...(Chelle, I thought of Andrew when Charly was doing this! It is too funny!)

For all of you with little girls, you know what a big feat it is to finally be able to put their hair up!!

I just love this picture! I took this right out in our front yard as we were headed out to an Eagle Court of Honor.

Charly's Daddy has a serious fetish with Ketchup...not all ketchup, HEINZ ketchup! Charly surprised her Daddy with this one of a kind Nelson's Ketchup Halloween costume made with love by our dear friend, Kathy Larsson-

Just a reaffirmation of Jordan's love for Ketchup- The finishing touches on a sleek Heinz Ketchup bottle for the ward Pine Wood Derby!

The finished product!

Oh, You Little Cheesecake!

Happy Birthday Mom and Charly!

2008-04-24T16:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Mom and Charly!..2 months ago!

Two months ago we celebrated two major milestones in the Dahlquist family!...My mom's 60th birthday and Charly's 1st! On the day of my mom's birthday, she had asked my dad if they could go to Ikea together, since she'd never been there before and thought it would be a fun birthday date! To make the day extra special, my dad arranged to have the whole family there to surprise her! To make it even more of a surprise, we all stood at the top of the second floor in the Food Court as "Charlie's Angels" sang our jazzy rendition of "Happy Birthday" while Mom and Dad rode up the escalator. She was so surprised!! Any of you who know my mom know that she will cry when a new supermarket opens.(as quoted by Dad!)...and we ALL take after our mother!! I am so grateful for my mother! I stand with Abe Lincoln in his beautiful tribute and declaration, "All that I am and all that I ever hope to be I owe to my angel mother."

Charly's 1st Birthday was wonderful. The day was simply spent together with her mommy and then in the evening with the Dahlquist fam. We sang her favorite songs all day, ate her favorite snacks and jammed to some fun tunes. Her favorite gift was a tissue box, with which she could make as big of a mess as she wanted pulling out every tissue and then stuffing them all back in and starting all over again. Ah, the sweet simple pleasures of a child! Eating the cake was a hit!...Every time she saw "Opa" (Grandpa in German), she would sign it on her head with her sticky fingers until her head was covered in whipped cream and strawberry frosting...you'll see in the slide show!

My sister, Heather put together this cute slide show of our family party together...Thanks Babo!!!

"Sweet Nothing in My Ear"

2008-04-22T10:13:00.001-07:00

Many of you know of my passion and great love for the Deaf culture and community. A few nights ago, Hallmark aired a new movie entitled, "Sweet Nothing in My Ear" with Deaf actress, Marlee Matlin and actor, Jeff Daniels. I have never seen a movie that offers more Deaf education, awareness and exposure to the Deaf community than this incredibly powerful production.

(from Deseret News Column)
Multiple Golden Globe Award winner Jeff Daniels and Academy Award and Golden Globe Award winner Marlee Matlin star in Sweet Nothing In My Ear, a new "Hallmark Hall of Fame" presentation about a married couple dealing with separate realities when their only child loses his ability to hear. Multiple Emmy Award-winner Joseph Sargent ("Miss Rose White," "Caroline" "Love Is Never Silent" all "Hallmark Hall of Fame" presentations) is the director.

Laura and Dan Miller (Matlin, Daniels) have been happily married, as well as best friends, for many years, but their relationship begins to change when their only son, Adam (Noah Valencia), loses his hearing at the age of four. Laura, who is deaf herself, sees this occurrence as a minor problem, something that she has dealt with her whole life. Dan, on the other hand, at first agrees with her but starts to realize that, with surgery, his son could regain his hearing and live a more normal life.

Tempers flare and frustrations mount as Dan investigates the surgery and its pros and cons. Laura is dead set against it and makes that very clear, even as Dan begins to favor the procedure for his child. Locked in their own worlds, the couple must find a way to mend their differences and make the best decision for Adam's future.

For those of you who are unaware, the Cochlear Implant procedure is incredibly controversial amongst the Deaf community. A cochlear implant is a device that can be surgically implanted into a person's cochlea to stimulate it to possibly perceive hearing. The Deaf are very proud to be Deaf(the majority prefer
to be called Deaf, not Hard of Hearing) and consider it an act of betrayal when someone decides to "cross over" to the hearing side. In my experience interpreting, the students I have worked with who have had Cochlears have had very little success hearing. In fact, when a cochlear is implanted when they are too young, it often damages whatever hearing they had in the first place. This doesn't necessarily mean that it is an uneffective procedure, but rather it takes a "perfect" candidate for it
to actually work somewhat successfully. It also costs anywhere from $75,000-$200,000for the surgery to be done.

When hearing parents give birth to a child who is born Deaf or soon becomes Deaf, it is only natural for the majority to desire that their children have the "gift" of hearing. I can truly understand this perspective, particularly for parents who are not educated about the benefits of Sign Language and Deaf Cultural Immersion. However, almost any audiologist will make the option of "Cochlear Implants" the only option and the only way they will have a chance of being "normal" in life and obtaining a proper education. Without being too blunt, may I simply interject here.."THIS IS NOT TRUE!" There are Deaf scholars all over the world who have succeeded above and beyond the "hearing expectation", earning Masters and Doctorate Degrees from both Deaf and Mainstream Universities. In Washington D.C. there is an incredible Deaf University, Gallaudet University with thousands of successful scholars and teachers.

The Deaf community would argue that when placed between two worlds, this only creates major identity battles and communication barriers. They also argue that parents should not be able to make a decision for their child until that child is old enough to make that decision themselves. Once a cochlear is implanted, it begins a lifetime of strenuous oral therapy and for some, a sudden and frightening world of sound.

With that being said, I will leave my personal opinion out, but if you ever have
any questions about the Deaf community and culture, I would be more than happy to
answer them! In this film, you can see several different sides and the struggles
that this culture faces every day. It will be out on DVD May 15 in every Hallmark store!

Way To Go Jordan!

2008-04-19T09:28:00.000-07:00

We just returned from the Salt Lake Marathon after watching Jordan cross that finish line for the 6th time! His first four full Marathons were in St. George and then the past two years his half marathons have been here and in Park City. He's already gearing up for his next Half in a few months. While I try and refrain from "boasting" too much on my blog, I just felt this needed to be an exception because I am so incredibly proud of him! For any of you who have tasted that same sweet victory of crossing the finish line, you are truly amazing!! I do love to run, but my real "marathons" consist of loading and unloading the dishwasher, climbing up and down the stairs and changing diapers 26.2 times a week! I haven't seen the finish line yet...let me know if you see it!
(I confess...these pics are from last year's Marathon. In all the hustle and bustle of taking off this morning, I left my camera, but thanks to Mom Nelson, I'll soon have many from her camera to post!! Thanks Mom!!)

"Lifting, Twisting, and Bending"

2008-04-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

This past Conference I was truly humbled and engulfed in gratitude for Elder Ballard's inspired message, followed by President Monson's powerful closing remarks. As mothers, we seldom receive accolades for the endless "lifting, twisting, and bending" we do day after day after day....nor do we dare ask for a sense of recognition from those around us who simply do not understand. For this reason, I was truly grateful for Elder Ballard who "opened a window" for us all to peer through and see a day in the life of a mother.
To all of you mothers, I am so grateful for you! The rewards and blessings of our endless toiling are tenfold!! I remember my dear friend, Rachelle counseling me on motherhood saying, "It never really gets easier...you just become stronger!"
As President Monson said, "Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it."

Elder M. Russell Ballard
"Daughters of God"
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-851-37,00.html

President Monson
"Abundantly Blessed"
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-851-38,00.html

Charly!

2008-04-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

(SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM AND PUSH PAUSE ON THE MUSIC)
You may have already seen this, but I literally cried TEARS from laughing so hard!...This is a little British family on YouTube....Now we can't say "Charly" without reenacting this whole scene!! The funniest is the "reenactment" of these two guys who quite obviously had a LOT of time on their hands! ENJOY!

"Emma Smith: My Story"

2008-03-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

(Scroll down and push the pause button on the music)

Tonight I feel my heart is too full to adequately express my thoughts in writing. The Church had a private premiere for the Brethren and their families and all the General Auxiliary leaders at the Jordan Commons Theater to see the film, "Emma Smith, My Story". It may be the first time a Prophet has had a congregation stand for him in a Movie Theater!

Emma Hale Smith endured more hardships, anguish, and trial in her lifetime, never once leaving Joseph's side. Many people do not know her story, and therefore judge her for falling away from the Church after the Martyrdom at Carthage Jail. When the prophet, Joseph Smith was martyred, six of 11 children had already been buried and four and half months later David Hyrum was born. During a segment when Joseph is reassuring his mother, Luck Mack Smith (another strong woman) that "Emma is a strong woman", Lucy responds, "But being strong can be a very lonely thing." I am truly amazed that Emma endured as much as she did. She truly was and is "an elect woman of God".

Present at the premiere, were about 20 of the descendants of the Smith family, none of which are members of the Church. Recently, President Hinckley and each of the Brethren asked each of us to pray for the Smith Family descendants all over the world that "they can be gathered in, brought within the power and inspiration and covenant of baptism, to participate in those sacred ordinances that were revealed to us, and to the world, by the prophet Joseph Smith."(Pres. Boyd K. Packer)

According to the producers, Mike Kennedy and Paul Savage, the main purpose in producing the film is to bring the Smith's heritage to a knowledge of their legacy. One third of Joseph and Emma's descendants live in Australia. (I never knew that!) While they had documents and diaries from Emma (some never before seen in Utah), they don't fully comprehend their place in history. Kennedy said this film is meant to help fulfill the promises made in the Doctrine and Covenants Section 109: 68-70. He is the first male descendant of Emma and Joseph's to join the LDS church.

The entire cast of the production (the same cast from "Joseph Smith, The Prophet") was in attendance. At the conclusion of this powerful production, we made our way to the exit, though I felt compelled and prompted to thank "Emma" (Katherine Nelson-Thompson). Before expressing my gratitude to her, I found myself looking up at "Joseph", shaking his hand, managing only to utter the words "Thank You" amidst the stream of tears running down my cheeks. I immediately looked over at Katherine who had separated herself momentarily from the crowd, also overcome by the incredible Spirit present. I could have let her be, but I felt so strongly I needed to thank her. As if the Spirit was moving my feet in her direction, she came towards me as well and it was though our hearts spoke to each other and we hugged for several moments, tears streaming down both of our faces. I simply whispered, "Thank You" in her ear and then turned and walked away.
I hope each of you will take the opportunity to go see this production. When I returned home tonight, I visited the darkened room of my baby girl, peacefully sleeping away in her crib, kneeling by her bedside and with heavy heart, thanking my Heavenly Father for this beautiful life I have been given.

How blessed we are to know: To know that this Church is true and that is was restored by a true Prophet of God. As mothers, we can look to Emma as a powerful example of faith unwavering, endless endurance, and immeasurable strength. Today, 13 million strong, the
Church goes forward...and so does she.

I've Been Tagged...:-)

2008-03-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

What were you doing 10 years ago?

Hard to believe ten years ago I was a Junior in High School, when the biggest decisions of my life included how I was going to ask that cute boy to Sweethearts and which color of eye-shadow to wear for the day! Many of you know I was head over HEELS for that boy we all know as "Superman".:-) I worked as a Matridee at the Crosslands Retirement Center all three years of high school and absolutely loved it!

5 things on my to-do list today:
1.Bring the eggs over to Natalie's house
2.Distribute handouts for Mingo Branch(Nursing Home ward in our stake)to each ward
3.Divvy out assignments for Family History Fair
4.Finish Easter baskets for piano students
5.Practice song with YW and YM at 7PM

5 snacks that I enjoy:
1.Multi Grain Cheerios
2.Chocolate Chip Cookies...do they qualify as a snack?
3.String Cheese
4.Frozen Yogurt
5.Apples and peanut butter

3 bad habits:
1.Lying in bed for hours just thinking about stuff before actually falling asleep
2.Snacking on chocolate chips all day long!!
3.Losing stuff...including my mind!...I feel like my brain is in a million places at once, so I put stuff places while I'm doing a ton of other things and then I can never find them! (classic lost items: keys, shoes, sunglasses)

What would you do if you were instantly a billionaire?

Do you guys remember the movie, "Sabrina"? Honestly, if we became instantly rich, I would buy a modest house with a nice yard to play in, putting the money away until the kids were grown up, using it only for practical purposes. Would I squeeze in a little time to splurge here and there?...You Bet!, but only in moderation.:-)-I've been "eyeing" a sofa set at "Audrie's Designs" in Murray for months now, but would have to forfeit about 6 years of our milk money to ever afford it!

5 places I've lived:
1.Sandy Utah
2.Hamburg, Germany
3.Logan, Utah
4.Sandy, Utah
5.Sandy, Utah
(Ha!..."One of these things just doesn't belong...")

5 things people don't know about me:
1. I am learning Swedish. I speak two other languages proficiently, German and American Sign Language and figured it's about time I learned to speak the language of my family's heritage!
2. I love to be around people, but there are many days, especially now, that I long to just be home with my family with my phone shut off and the "To Do" list tucked away for the evening.
3. I am passionate about the Deaf Culture and Deaf Education. If you ever have any questions at all, I'm your gal! You'd be surprised how many people believe that Deaf people read Braille and that Sign Language is an international language....don't worry if you are one of those people!...now you know!:-)
4. I can put both of my legs behind my head!...I know, such a gifted trait!
5. I love windows! I love to look out them and see the beautiful world just smiling back at me!

After only TWO dance lessons!

2008-03-16T21:06:00.001-07:00

Don't send a lame Valentine's Day eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

>...PS-I love how you can see my head floating and how Jordan's head is two sizes larger than mine!...I didn't really feel like taking the time to fix that!

Johnny the Bagger

2008-03-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we wonder amidst the hustle and bustle of things if we are really making a difference. May I share with you a story that I hope will inspire us all to look around at the little things we can do to make our place better than we found it...because it is truly the little things that really make a difference. Have a wonderful day...and pass it on!

http://www.stservicemovie.com/

"Jump On It!"

2008-03-07T19:20:00.000-08:00

If anybody wants a FUN idea for an FHE activity or an ANY day activity, I discovered an awesome place in Lindon near Orem called, "Jump On It!". This past week we've been watching our awesome little cousins in Alpine and took them there for Family Home Evening and just had a blast! The entire gym is wall to wall trampolines, including vertical ones on the walls! There are basketball hoops to play a game of jump-ball as well as a "Kiddy-Jump" area just for kids. They even have a free Mommy/Baby jump time during the week! Your "ticket" lasts one hour and believe me, you are all "jumped out" by then!

For FHE that night we had a lesson on "Patience" and for our treat we made Zip Loc Ice Cream where you throw all the ingredients into a zip-loc bag and then "patiently" shake it until it turns to yummy ice cream! I must forwarn you, if you want to try it yourself, it does take about 30 good minutes for it to churn into ice cream. I admit, we did get a little impatient(so much for the lesson!), but it was well worth the wait! Here are a couple fun pictures of our week with the kids! (Tanner, Lizzie, and Zack) Here is the yummy ice cream recipe!:

Zip Loc Ice Cream:

Give each member a STURDY sandwich size zip loc bag. Put in the bag 1 cup whole, chocolate, or strawberry milk, 1 T. sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Seal bag. In a large one gallon zip lock bag, put 3-4 cups of ice and 6 T. Rock Salt. Add 1-2 of the smaller zip loc bags filled with ice cream ingredients. Seal the bigger bag and take turns shaking/kneading the bags and wait "patiently" for it to turn into ice cream. Enjoy!

FYI- I am a faithful "Western Family" shopper, however for this particular recipe, you do need good sturdy "Zip Loc" bags, otherwise they break open and the salt leaks into the smaller bag.

Website for "Jump On It"-http://jumponitparty.com/

Boulders, Thorns and Tumbleweeds...and a Few Mud Puddles

2008-03-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

Alright, I must've missed the warning section in the instruction booklet that 'while you're "walkin' on sunshine", look out for the boulders, thorns and tumbleweeds that will inevitably impede your walking rhythm'!! I think I may have done the celebration dance WAY too soon, because now nearly every day this past week, Charly has had MAJOR pitfalls, beginning with a gigantical (yep-that's a word in my dictionary) goose egg on her forehead, then followed by another terrible fall, resulting in a mouth full of blood, swollen gums and two purple and blue scars on both cheeks, and to ice the cake...jammed little fingers from her 4th cousin (yep...4th) slamming them in his underwear drawer. *sigh* So, we're still walkin' on sunshine, but we're just running into a few mud puddles here and there.

"I'm Walkin' On Sunshine!"

2008-03-01T12:59:00.000-08:00

This morning before Jordan and I headed up to Alpine for the week to watch our cousins, Charly took her FIRST REAL STEPS! I will most certainly post pictures when we get home next week! She's actually had the potential for nearly a month now, but our place is so "snug", she has so many things by her to use as a "crutch". She just needed a little confidence, that's all! Hooray for you, Charly! We're ALL walkin' on sunshine today!

Thank You Babo!!

2008-02-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

..alright, for those of you who now think I'm just fishing for compliments because my Blog border looks so dang stinking cute!!...think again! I am not at all the one to be given the credit for "renovating" my page. My wonderful sister, Heather (Babo) snuck into our account and surprised me with THIS! Thank You Babo! Maybe this "Blog Business" won't be so bad after all! Love you!

Nelson's On Board

2008-02-27T10:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have officially caved in! I put this off forever because I have been trying to take out as many extra elements in my life as possible, not ADD on! However, I thought this might actually be somewhat therapeutic for me and I do enjoy catching up on other's lives and family updates. Last Sunday I was released as the YW President in our ward after 2 1/2 years and feel like perhaps this might help to fill the void and give me something fun to do in my spare time...funny choice of words- "spare time". I think as mothers we never actually have "spare time", we just have to dig deep to create it for ourselves, though it tends to take the place of the millions of other things on our "to do" list, waiting to be fulfilled. I do believe this time to ourselves is crucial and can be justified as necessary "productive me time" rather than "selfish wasted time".
By the way, can anyone explain to me why our picture is GINORMOUS?? I promise I had no vain intentions, I just have no idea how to format a blog!

The Nelson Family Smorgasbord

Listen to Kristins Tunes

*from my front porch looking in*

*Labors of Love*

*weottababyitsaboy*

At Last...Our "Livvy-Lou" Has Arrived!

In the Doghouse

Hmmmm....

High On the Mountain Top

Oops...

On My Mind

Footprints

Zipadee-ZOO DAY!!

Oh What Do You Do In The Wintertime?

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!...and Happy Birthday, Charly Wynn!

Happy Birthday Mom!

*Blackout*

Hey-O? Hey-O, Dave?

Move Your Boogie Body!

These Are a Few of my Favorite Things!

Together Forever

*A Winter Wonderland*

*Beautiful*

"Come What May, and Love It"

Idaho Studs!

A Brand New Day

I Have Learned

Hugs All Around!

Happy Pumpkins!

Unplugged

Cruel Irony

September Spotlight

We Will Stand

Family Matters

I Have Never...

Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford!

Kristin Throughout the Years...

Mmmm, a Date!!...What is a Date???

A Kiss to Build a Dream On

Baby's Got BACK!

*we're all in this together!*

Charly Knows Her Letters!

*thank you osmond family and more summer lovin'!*

"all done! thank you! ba-bye!"

Kimberly Tucker Carlile

In The Spotlight: Starring YOU!

What You Might Not Know About Me.....

Our Precious Kuni, Home at Last

Together Forever

Till We Meet Again

"Cheer Up Charly"

Memorial Day

Planting Flowers for Kuni

Quirks!

Oh, just a little bit of this and that!

Happy Birthday Mom and Charly!

"Sweet Nothing in My Ear"

Way To Go Jordan!

"Lifting, Twisting, and Bending"

Charly!

"Emma Smith: My Story"

I've Been Tagged...:-)

After only TWO dance lessons!

Johnny the Bagger

"Jump On It!"

Boulders, Thorns and Tumbleweeds...and a Few Mud Puddles

"I'm Walkin' On Sunshine!"

Thank You Babo!!

Nelson's On Board

from my front porch looking in

Labors of Love

weottababyitsaboy

Blackout

A Winter Wonderland

Beautiful

we're all in this together!

thank you osmond family and more summer lovin'!