Charli Kate Nelson {Blessing Day 2/15/15}

It was finally here! The morning of Charli's blessing. Kelly stayed up late with me the night before to get things ready for the luncheon. We had a late night run to Walmart. Charli was way done with being in her carseat and wasn't feeling the best since she has been fighting a cold for the last week. 

I was so happy when I woke up that we were finally going to take this little one to church to get a blessing from her dad and for all the great men who would stand in that circle holding her. Since we have 9 am church it has always been hard for me to get ready for everything and be on time but for some reason everything was calm and we were able to get to the church early. 

Seriously... my heart is a puddle!

Charli was fabulous during her blessing. When we first got to the church she was fussy and was still waking up and trying to eat. But by the time Kelly took her she was an angel just quite and calm. Not only was Charli great but so was Kelly. Kelly did an awesome job at blessing little Charli. From the second he started the blessing I started to cry. (Go figure! Right?). He was totally led by the spirit and I am so thankful for such a great man in my life and such a great dad for Charli to constantly look up to for the rest of her life. 

 This dress that Charli wore was the same dress that my mom was blessed in. Making it over 50 years old. Also to add to it my sisters and me were blessed in it. My niece Aria was blessed in it and now Charli. Its so nice having something that we have in the family that means so much. My Great Grandma bought the dress and blanket for when my mom was blessed. Thank you Great Grandma Bybee for the heirloom.

Charli with Great Grandma West!
{Dear Charli, I hope that you will look up to this woman just like you are in this picture!}

Great Grandma & Grandpa West! Love these two people so much!

Friends!

Nelson Family!

Preece Family, Malone's & Great Gramdma & Grandpa West

Auntie M

      

       

I love her headband.. so glad I bought this when we first found out we were having a girl!

A big thank you to Grandma Malone for helping me with everything for the luncheon! 

Retirement Party!

This last Friday we finally were able to celebrate Deb and the 19 years she has spent teaching in Davis School District.

After we finally got her on ball to have a party because she really didn't want to have one. Typical. But, we persuaded her with some Chocolate and she was totally okay with it.

Sheri and I took on the planning and setting everything up for it. It was a fun evening and I think everyone was full after the chocolate fountain, cookies, cake & lime sherbert drink.

I made a funny gift for Deb!

The Bucket List that beats all the others..

                     

You could become a race car driver

You could be a princess

You could do the mamba

You could chase and catch butterflies

You could indulge in yummy things

You could scrub down the bathroom

You could go on multiple cruises

You could have a water balloon fight

I didn't get any pictures of the tables and people that came but we had a great turn out of faculty, district members and of course all the family! It was so fun to celebrate her years and to send her out with a bang!

We even had bubble wrap because she will never be able to forget the 'bubble'!

Happy Birthday Mom!

I have never really talked much about Kelly's parents. I can't tell you how much I adore these two people! They both have such great personalities. They are caring, happy, welcoming & charitable.
I knew that they were awesome when I met & dated Kelly; just because he was such a wonderful guy. But, to be honest I didn't really get to learn much about his parents individually.. I still don't know them completely. But, I wasn't wrong they are awesome parents. Heck raising 7 kids & surviving. (That should be a book title!)

This last summer when we went to Virden, New Mexico to see Kelly's grandparents. I realized how awesome of a family I married into. I knew that before I set foot into his grandparents home & even before I met some of his Aunts & Uncles for his cousins wedding. But, it was so fun to be on vacation with Kelly's parents and with his sister Kimmy. I learned & experienced where Don grew up or should I say Grant? Since we are talking about Virden.

A few months after we were married I was trying to find a part-time job and something that would work with my dance schedule. Nothing, was really working and I was more than willing to work. One night Kelly's mom called and said that there may be a position open at her elementary school for Resource. I started to get excited! Working at a school sounded like so much fun! It was an instant flashback to when I would play school with my friends. I was happy because I wouldn't have to work weird weekend hours. Sundays would be open and free.

The next couple days I went in and met Cara. Who is now my 'boss'. I didn't even know that the position wasn't really opened. But, after a five minute meeting with the principal I walked out hired. Ever since then I got to learn first hand about Kelly's mom. Some say that must be hard or weird to work with your Mother in Law? And to you I say you are high in the night. I absolutely love it.

I can walk into her classroom and grab a handful of M&M's, some lotion & back at work I go. I love the small chatting we get and the times we eat lunch together. I honestly feel so lucky that I get to see her 5 days out of the week. I love her laugh, there are times I try to impersonate it & I just can't do it justice. I love the jokes we share about going on trips together but that our husbands are too cheap.

Okay... So you are probably wondering why I titled this post "Happy Birthday Mom!"
Today is Deb's birthday! She is turning 62.. oops. I mean 26!
I was so excited when her birthday was getting close! Cara & I would sit and talk about what we should do! Cara finally said lets do a Cruise theme since Deb is always talking about going on a cruise. Done & Done!

This year could possibly be her last year teaching. For that I am bummed and in a way wish I could still work with her. But, she needs to go on and do better things. So we wanted to make this a big celebration. I will truly miss her & the atmosphere at work will change quickly if she leaves. It bums me out to think about not having her there. But then as being part of the family I am excited for them to go on a couples mission, go on cruises & enjoy life together. Man, I am torn!

I went to the dollar store Monday and picked up anything Hawaiian, I was getting so excited because I knew her students would love the theme & it would be so fun for these dragging winter days.
Tuesday, Deb wasn't at work she had some district meetings. Perfect! I got to decorate her room & let her students help. I made a candy gram poster & got some balloons. Cara got the cake & we were ready to rumble. I couldn't wait for Wednesday!

The day started out with getting the kids their leis & giving Deb balloons and the candy gram from 'the bubble'. Krystal & Kishell stopped by with Ash, Jessie & Hailey. They gave Grandma some candy, a balloon and hung out for a little bit.

Kelly has been working nights this week so I told him to come eat lunch with us & invite his dad. Once Kelly came we went to Costa Vida and picked up everyone's lunch. We sat and ate and enjoyed each others company for awhile. It was fun to have Kelly at work as a bonus!

The kids in Deb's classroom made a karaoke machine and they were singing songs off of Youtube. It is so funny to me that they are so good at singing and dancing. It was a fun day at work & I think everyone enjoyed it.

I am so happy I get to spend so much time with Kelly's Mom. I love her. I can't imagine if I would have got a different job or married into a different family. I hope she had a wonderful birthday even if it wasn't on Royal Carribean, Carnival or Princess Cruise Lines because today it came to Sunset Elementary.

Happy Birthday My Awesome Second Mom!
(I will post pictures tomorrow)

Christmas 2013

Before I get started on this Christmas festive post, I have to share my love for these stamps.
They are alphabetical and look like a typewriter. I bought them for Makenzie's scrapbook, I have continued to find excuses to use them. I bought them at Hobby Lobby for $5

Christmas Eve!

Kelly had to work half the day, I spent most of the day at my mom's house hanging out with the old parentals. I needed to wrap everything & get a few other things. My dad had to get somethings for my mom & so that meant me going with him! We went to Brigham City and Smith & Edwards. (Jealous right?!) While we were at Smith & Edwards I found an awesome White Elephant gift for later that night! I also made a pasta salad for the party as well.

Kelly went shopping after work, I only say this because he didn't tell me when he would be home nor did he call to see why I wasn't home.

My family has a tradition of going to get Chinese on Christmas Eve @ Lucky China. My dad started it when we were little & believe me we threw a fit, we hadn't been around Chinese much and it just didn't sound appealing to us. But, now you can only eat at Lucky China only on Christmas Eve. Its a big deal!

Kelly's family always has a white-elephant party at his Grandma Smith's house. It's filled with laughter, food & occasionally some bad toots that no one admits to doing. Its always a great time & his grandma enjoys having everyone over!

This year we went to Grandma Smith's. It was a joyous time, it started with the White Elephant exchange. The hot topic of the year was New Moon DVD (stupid Twilight). Kelly's Aunt Carol bought 8 of them from Blockbuster since they are going out of business. So of course every gift from their family contained New Moon.

At Smith & Edwards I found a Duck Dynasty Chia Willie (Willie Robertson). You can grow Willie's beard. Awesome right?! I haven't really watched the show but I instantly thought of some people who would totally want it. Was I right!? You bet. After it going around with its few steals, it ended up with Kelly's mom!

Some gifts were a little crazy. Krystal & Chris brought a plastic desk & chair set, an old popcorn maker. That popcorn maker we were going to pick up from them since my air popper went out a while ago. We never made it over there so of course they made us 'fight' for it. Although we didn't end up getting it. It was much funnier to see the look on Kelly's siblings who ended up with both of those items because they didn't really want it!

We shoved our faces with Peppermint Trifle & Pumpkin Cheesecake. Then, it was time to head home... I will be honest I was so excited, Kelly thought I was nuts. I just love Christmas & I am glad that I still get little butterflies of excitement for it.

We put up our lights earlier this year but Kelly didn't connect the top parts to extension cords, then it snowed, he had a cold & we only had the garage ones on for awhile. He finally got back on the roof and hooked them up. The one section above the door didn't work.. bummer. Some of the ice fell off and took the lights with it & we are pretty sure that damaged the lights.

But anyways, we have lights on our house.. Candy Canes, Frosty & Penguin. It made me happy!

Especially that it was Christmas Eve & they finally were mostly on!

Day 24.

Kelly had to take Day 24 to the party tonight to open it... I bet you can't guess what it is.
After a lovey dovey message, he ripped it open and it was new pajamas. Of course I had to get some cute bottoms for myself.

We got home, put them on & turned on the Grinch!

Finally something underneath the tree!

I had to wrap Kelly's last and final day of his Christmas Countdown!

This one made me so excited! I had to set it by the tree & snap a picture of it!

The countdown was totally based off what was inside this box. I bought the item in October not having a clue that I would be crazy enough to do a whole countdown but here we are... the final day!

Christmas Morning!

We woke up at 7am & I was completely fine with that...

I am only a morning person on Christmas!

We started with the very first gift.... DAY 25!

What was it?! The Piston Cup! Best Husband!

He even got a certificate!

I think he enjoyed it!

Then it was stocking time.

I did mine first, there was chocolate. (shocking? nope!)

Then at the very bottom was something a little bigger. I pulled it out...

a iPod Touch.

I was happy happy happy. I have wanted one for all of my music!

I have tons & tons.

Kelly even picked out a bright blue one & 32 GB.. YAY!

Kelly's Stocking:

I didn't know that you have to put a real orange in his stocking so the ones that he had stuck in mine, I put into his before giving it to him. (That was a Nelson Family tradition I didn't know about ooopss.)

Socks, Jelly Belly's, Chocolate & chapstick...tons of candy.



A new shirt, Santa knew what he would like...

Nala was in the middle of everything... as you can tell!





Santa brought a few cool things to us... He did well this year!

Monopoly, Wireless Blu-ray player, movies, gun cleaning kit, boots, coat & shirts.

This year's gifts for Kelly's family:

I found these cute Milk jugs on Pick your Plum. I bought a ton of them.

A few candy canes, red & white jute...ta-da!

Kelly's Parents... I had this idea since the summer.

They have a huge garden.. I mean HUGE!

Its where you find Kelly's dad through the months of May to September

So... I made this with Kelly's help of staining, screwing, color picking.

I had to share this... Kelly's mom is constantly finding things that I will love!

A Coca-Cola snack jar. Its so old fashion vintage.. I was so happy for this & of course my Lip Smackers flavored Coca Cola as well!

Already Grounded?!

Yup.

Kelly got this Mustang RC Car for Day 23 of his Countdown.

After we got the batteries, he was driving it around scaring Nala.

She hates this and his helicopter from last year!

Kelly wanted to start cleaning the house, I was perfectly okay with that.

I was putting things away when I heard the car start & Nala barking..

So he ended up grounded!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

We sure did!