I realize that I am a really lousy blogger and for any one that might possibly be interested in getting up-dates on the Nielsons day to day....you won't be able to do it here! Hopefully the changes that we will be making will give me some time to be able to stop, and breathe/blog every once in a while. Pictures will come later, as time goes on, I find myself not blogging because I want to post pictures but can't because I'm blogging from work or my phone. The entries are more important...for me.
Christmas was actually pretty good! We had a great time skyping with the Greenstreets and Hillary while exchanging family gifts. I so love to have the family together and if it can only happen via the world wide web, so be it! The experience did inspire me to buy a web cam so....soon there will be a Nielson skype account! Damen and Athan got some good gifts! I just couldn't top the trampoline that they got last year or the DSI from the year before but they both seemed pleased with their gifts. Damen doesn't seem like he buys the whole Santa bit which is actually OK with me! One down, two to go. I would be very relieved if Santa ceased to exist. he belief that he has no "budget" for Christmas stresses me out! We did attempt to take the boys to the North Pole via the Polar Express to help them buy into the Santa delusion but.... I'm not sure they bought it. We did have a BLAST on the train! It was the very first train ride for everyone but me! Calvin even enjoyed it until he fell asleep anyway.
New Years was a good one for the Nielson family. We had a couple friends over and stayed up past midnight. I rang in the New Year with a whole lotta kisses and a whole lotta resolutions.
I feel as if I must post these resolutions so that all that follow me can help me keep them.... These are in no certain order of importance.
1. Pay off Debt, establish Credit. Unfortunately for us, this entails filling bankruptcy. It's OK though we need a fresh start!
2. Save Money! Like in a savings account! - We are terrible at this! Terrible!
3. Visit Virginia! This is something I need to do. I need to see my sisters! SOON.
4. Disney Land! The clock is ticking....Damen and Athan are the PERFECT ages to take a summer vacation to Disneyland.
5. Loose 20 pounds.
6. Run a half marathon. This should help me accomplish #5.
7. Grow an herb garden. (I'm starting out small) Keeping one plant alive is barely an ability at this time.
8. Find more spiritual awareness. This is not a discussion topic. I have strange beliefs and negative religious feelings....I'm working on it.
9. Establish chores, allowance, and rewards system with my family.
10. Blog at least once a month.
I have high expectations for myself this year. What can I say? I do not know what I would do if I didn't.
This is sadly the same tea cup planter that I curled little 4 pound Calvin into for his newborn pictures. He doesn't mind sitting in it still but it is a painful reminder of how fast he is growing. He is crawling everywhere with the speed of light. Also, we got him a walker (new experience to us, never had one before.) and he is the funniest little guy in that thing. Full speed, runs where he wants to go and crashes into furniture like that is what it is there for. He is giving us grief with saying "dada". We have heard him say it before but he insists on calling Colt "bob". He refers to the boys as "braber" and me as "mama" even says "papa" appropriately but Colt remains "bob". It is really strange. No teeth. Who needs em? Not Calvin. He is perfectly happy gumming through life. We all adore this child! He still manages to put a smile on any one's face and light up the darkest room. Such a blessing. 
I have no Idea how to rotate these pictures. UGH. Mobile blogging is not all it's cracked up to be.
Too many times, I see a sweet photo op, and it gets crashed by these boys that don't understand why I want to take their picture. If you look in the background on my poorly uploaded picture you may spy the actual culprit of the photo bombing gene.
I can always crop a sweet picture, photo bombed or not.
