Piano Concert

Rachel and Eric had their first concert with their new piano teacher. They both did awesome. I got a bit scolded from Wendy because I took this picture of Rachel while playing. Eric's picture is posed after the concert was over.

Chocolate Truffle Layered Cheesecake

For Christmas Wendy got me a Hershey's Dessert Cookbook so every Monday we find an awesome dessert from it and make it for an after FHE treat.

2010 Winter Olympics

So we headed up to Vancouver, BC for this extended weekend to take in the Olympics. Although we were never able to get a hold of tickets to get in because they were either too expensive or sold out, we still had a lot of fun. We stayed at a "host family" that were so hospitable. Their daughter is one of the nurses that I work with in the OR. It made for a very fun trip.

We of course went and saw the Torch, but I was surprised how far away they put up the beautiful chain link fence to keep everyone out.

We went to the Royal Canadian Mint where they make the Olympic medals. There was a huge line to wait in, but it was worth it.

They gave us special gloves to handle the medals. No one was to touch them as they would be awarded later to the athletes. Of course Brian was able to sneak in a couple of bear handed grabs.

Here is the Gold

Andrew's got the silver

Rachel's got the bronze

Oddly enough, the silver metal, if melted down, would be worth about $250. The Gold medal is also silver with a little gold plating so it's not worth much more. Why the cant just make a pure gold medal was beyond me. The bronze, if melted down, is only worth about $3.50

Here are the children with their favorite Olympic Mascot

A pose next to the torch. Can't go to Canada without curling. . . still not sure its a sport, but apparently they have programs in their schools to introduce it at an early age.

We went sledding without snow. Very clever those Canadians.We also went ice skating without ice. It was the first time for R, A, and B on skates and it was hilarious. This is one of the only times Andrew wasn't either on his rump or in the act of falling.They didn't have any skates Brian's size so he ran around an looked cute. . .but when Andrew was done, we put his skates on Brian, and as you can see below, it was a family affair getting him to skate.
We also went to see the Vancouver, BC temple. It was beautiful.

I'm so glad that families can be together forever. We had a blast!

2010 Nelson Family Home Evening Day Photo Scavenger Hunt

A serendipitous turn of events on the Monday commemorating MLK. I was on call all weekend which meant I got Monday off to rest. The kids had the day off as well. So before Wendy and I hit the sack Sunday night, we planned a scavenger hunt hoping I wouldn't have to go back in that night. I got lucky and so Monday morning we were off with the four children in tow with the following scavenger hunt list:

-Eat Lunch with a troll under a bridge

-At "Ye Olde Curiosity Shop" find a tarantula, viking hat and a mummy

-Try a new fruit of vegetable that you've never tasted at the Market

-Have your palm read at the Magic Store

-Find Old fashioned lunch boxes at the Toy Store

-Find a flying fish

-Ride a pig that doesn't move

-Make a Penny Press

-Buy some Bubble Gum, chew it and put it on the Bubble Gum Wall

-Give Lunch to a homeless person

-Have Fun!!!

We headed off to Seattle, and below are some of the pictures from the Hunt.

Above and below is the giant troll under the Fremont Bridge who is eating a VW Bug. We thought we should join him. The children also climbed all over him but Wendy and I didn't want to stay too long as it was our first stop and much dirtier than we expected.Here is the piggy back ride, right in front of the "flying fish" market.Did you know that there is more than one bronze pig in the Pike's Market? I didn't either but we happened upon a second that was much larger and taller so Andrew decided to put the smooch on the pig as pictured below.
For the new fruit or vegetable, we tried one of both. The first picture is the children trying a blood orange, very tasty. They look just like a regular orange. The peel has a slight difference being that it has some maroon coloring on it. Brian started getting a little anxious once the peel came off and he saw the dark color of pulp.. We got him to take a bite but when the juices hit his tongue, it was immediately rejected. Andrew later asked some interesting questions. The first, how do they get the dark color in? and second - - is it real blood? It was good for a little laugh. This is Eric trying a new vegetable, kind of. We got a bushel of multicolored carrots. Interestingly, the dark purple carrots had more flavor than the other yellow and orange ones.Next is "Ye Olde Curiosity Shop" that some of our friends showed us when we came up with them. Rachel has the tarantula, Eric has the viking hat on, and the Mummy, Sylvester, is pickled/preserved and standing behind. This shop has a whole bunch of curious things to look at.
Here is Brian and Wendy getting their palm read at the Magic Shop. We prefer the electric palm readers. We all gave it a spin since the shop clerk so kindly uncovered it from the plastic and plugged it in just for us (they were under construction at the time but still open). Brian's reading was "Nasty Relatives" as was Rachel's. Eric's reading was "Lucky in Love," we are still probing into its meaning but Eric isn't saying a thing. Wendy was also "Lucky in Love." Andrew's was "Free Spirit." My reading was "Happiness is Yours" of which I couldn't agree more. It was beautiful day in the mid 50's, sunny and pleasant, and we had a very successful outing with four beautiful, lovely children that we couldn't adore more. I think they are the best children ever, but I could be biased.The consensus favorite was the bubble gum wall. If you've never seen this wall or one like it, come and visit us (free room and board), and we'll take you up to see this spectacle. I don't consider myself a "germ-a-phobe," or even anything close, but this wall gives you that swelling of heebeejeebees into your stomach like none other. You don't want touch it or even get close to it, but you definitely want to see it to believe it. And we even had bubble gum that we all stuck on it which was still creepy in that germ-a-phobe sort of way.

Click on these pictures if you really want to get your share of heebeejeebes, it's something else.
And finally, here is Rachel with that "should I really be touching this even if I only touch my own gum because this is really grossing me out. . . Mom, hurry up and take the picture!"

Family at Ricks College

Wendy got me this new scanner for Christmas so now I can get all my old pictures from the negatives on the computer. This happen to be one of the photos that I pulled up and had to send out for my sister and cousins. This was about 15 years ago. Boy don't we all look so young.

Below is probably one of the first pictures of Wendy and me together. Again this is 15 years ago in the frozen tundra that is Rexburg, Idaho.

Oh to be so young and carefree . . .

Photo Catch Up/ Update

Rachel's Birthday

"Heavy-Heavy Hang Over"

Rachel's Ice Cream Birthday Cake

Eric's Birthday More "HHH"

I love all the boys expressions in this one. Moment capturing
His Lego present
High powered "HHH"

So imagine being a week out from taking the most important test of your life and then while your daughter is learning how to sew from her awesome mother, she cuts the whole end of her finger off!! Very traumatic.

Nothing like children to help you keep an eternal perspective

The New York Trip for the Big Test. My parents joined up with us afterward and turned a sour moment into a cheerful one. We went all over Manhattan, and had lots of fun.

At a restaurant called Serendipity 3 where they serve "Frozen Hot Chocolate". Somewhat of an oxymoron, but you've got to try it to understand. It was the best hot chocolate I have ever had

On top of the Empire State Building

To Chuck E. Cheese for Andrew's Birthday

...of course there was HHH but pictured below.

Then to Oregon for some Portland Beaver Baseball and hiking with the Gibbons and G'ma & G'pa

Eric even participated in one of their on field events and scored a sweet ball cap from it.

Always ready to strike a pose.

"Dad, take our picture!"

I provide the humor on this trip with a very up close a personal meeting with the swamp.

The ol' Heavy-Heavy Hangover!

Andrew turned 6 this year and was long overdue for me to teach him how to ride a bike

My Father's Day Dinner - - Ribeye Steak, bake potato, asparagus, and fresh fruit. One of the best ever

And of course the Best Family ever too!!!

Eric's New Passion
Cutthroat Trout caught on a fishing trip with Grandpa!

but it is getting late, I'll hopefully post more later.

Wendy's Recent update to MyFamily. com

So let me catch you up on life at the nelsons.We recently went to Central CA for our other family reunion. It was a lot of fun. We visited San Fran a few times, and did a Pleasenton version of "The Amazing Race" which was very hard but very fun. We got to visit Modesto for the weekend and hang out with all the Ricks family except for Gail, who was with mom, and Brent, who dosn't live there. Any way. We got to see Aaron's sweet house, and Bryan's huge house, and we got to visit with Uncle tons, and we got to see the girls and Adam and hear their plans for the future...they scare me a bit.

Anyway, we visited our old house, and actually went up the hill! We think it was much more open and beautiful they way mom and dad had done it. There are so many huge things taking up all the space, a tracter, boat, RV and a big barn, and they put up a big fence around the front of the house that closes it up so much. It was very cluttered. The driveway center planter area was still the same, same olive tree. The rose garden is halfway still there, and the little statue in the rose garden is still there. The orange trees are still there and the garages are still there. The house looks the same on the outside, but they put in a new front door and painted the house a dark tan color. It was weird but really fun to see again.

We are finally remodleing our master bath. Everything in it is broken, so we thought it was time. The shower plumbing broke and caused a lot of leaking under the lanolium and that all looks really bad, or toilet is broken, our cabinets door on our bathroom cabinate is unfixable, and there are so many weird things going on with that room, so we are finally doing something about it. We will have to take pictures of before and after.

We went out on the boat on monday and I had a little acident on the inertube. I caugt a big wave and the inertube bounced up really hard and hit my neck and did a litte damage to my vocal cords, and neck. I can't talk really well, so if you call I sound kinda weird. I went to an ENT doc yesterday to make sure there wasn't anything really bad going on and I should heal up fine on my own. My vocals are brused, and have a blood blister on them, and they are swollen, that is why talking has been so hard. So, with all this we have had 100 degree weather here and we don't have AC so life has been a bit uncomfortable, but we are trying to stay positive. It is 12:30 right now and my thermostat is at 82 ! Our house is at it's hottest at about 5-6 at night so we have a long day ahead of us. This is record high for here. Last year I think we had 1 or 2 days in the low 80s.

On a more positive note, Scott is not studying for the boards!!!! My kids are wonderful, and healthy, I did a french manicure on myself yesterday, and I loved seeing the Harry Potter Movie! Thanks to Audrey, I saved 6 dollars on Monday when I went grociery shopping (She has great coupon sites she sent me) and Heidi is coming on Saturday! I am excited to have her. I hope all is well with you all. Love, Wendy

Angels

Children, no doubt, are some of the most frustrating things to live with at times. Juxtaposing that frustration on a scale with the amount of joy and happiness that they also bring, the scale not only tips to the side of joy and happiness, but it comes crashing down at the very attempt of trying to compare the two. And with that I give you some more "Ribbits" as they have been come to be know or in other words "Nelson Nickels" from E, R, A, or B.

Our always charismatic Andrew who often can have a flare for the dramatics when he is trying to get what he wants was in the middle of throwing a loud, high-pitched, self pity-party tantrum that just gouges the last nerve. What it was over evades me at this point, but in my attempt to handle the situation by obfuscation and distraction, the following conversation took place:

Dad: Andrew, if I told that I would give you five dollars to stop screaming and crying, would you stop.

Andrew: (in his whimpering fallen sparrow voice, tears still dripping): what dad?

D: I am asking you if you would stop screaming and crying If I told you I was going to give you five dollars for stopping

. . . ( a very measured pause of silence)

A: I'll take twenty

At this point I lost all expressions of seriousness from my face and walked away throwing my arms up in air, holding in the laughter, befuddled at how to counter what Andrew had just said.


Andrew, upon realizing that there would be no greenbacks coming his way, continued his whining and crying.

Not that the other children don't say anything quote-worthy but Andrew had another insightful 'ribbit' that must be told as its implications of what goes on in his head is staggering.

Last night he was eating his well earned otter-pop after dinner out on the deck as usual to keep the kitchen clean. I was cleaning up the grill after having successfully cooked pork chops when I hear some excitement from behind me. He comes running over with a hole in his smile and a tooth in hand. "Dad!" he exclaimed "my first loose tooth." I can not adequately express his exuberance that he had just lost his first tooth. You see, during kindergarten this last school year, each child had there name on a paper laminated tooth cut-out in the classroom. Each time someone lost a tooth, they would get to put a star on their paper tooth for everyone to see. Andrews remained empty the whole year despite other classmates teeth filling up with stars. He was so intent on being able to put up stars that he brought his tooth home and has adorned our refrigerator since getting out of school in June. He was so excited about putting up a star on his tooth, the whole tooth fairy concept had somehow passed him by. So Wendy and I were educating him on the ins-and-out of the how the tooth fairy works. Well Eric couldn't help but add that sometimes it takes a while for the tooth fairy to get around to coming which in turn made Andrew very concerned. We explained that the tooth fairy never misses the first tooth, and her timely response is all based on whether or not the child who lost their tooth believes in the tooth fairy.

Andrew took it all in stride and then asked "Mom, what if the the tooth fairy goes bankrupt?"

Can you believe a six year old is concerned that a tooth fairy might be bankrupt and he may not get his money. It must have something to do with our increased frequency of playing Monopoly as of late.

Another one from yesterday occured while I was teaching in my new calling as a Deacons quorum advisor. Present in the lesson were three deacons including the our oldest Eric, and two other leaders, Brother Sean Stout and Brother Jeff Nelson. My topic was Christ-centered repentance. The nice thing about this deacons quorum is there willingness to participate in lesson. Eric is no exception.
As we are going along, I notice that Eric is starting to race to answer the questions before any of the other boys. So I remind the whole class to raise there hands before speaking. The other two oblige my request, but Eric continues to more or less blurt out the answers before raising his hand. So being his Dad and deacons quorum advisor, I am conflicted about how to approach singling him out to get him to be more polite. I don't say anything at first, continuing on with the lesson, since he is the only not raising his hand. Meanwhile I am pondering how to effectively get the point across to him. Finally, after once again blurting out answers while my back was turned to the class writing on the chalk board, I just call him out "Eric , you need to wait to talk until you have raised your hand, and I have called on you." To which he quickly replied in his quieted whimpering voice as if I had just asked him to do impossible chore "I'm trying, its just sooo hard when I know all the answers." Brother Stout and Nelson couldn't hold back the laughter while I just kept my back turned and rolled my eyes.

Anyway, gotta love these angels that Wendy and I have been blessed with.

Wendy's Take

This is Wendy's perspective of all the recent events that have been occuring in the Nelson household. I cut and paste this from her myfamily.com posting.


I know most of you know this, but I wanted it on the family sight, incase other family members that didn't hear would know. We are happy, excited, and all good things. Thank you to everyone for many years of fasting and prayer.

I thought it was interesting that for two of Scott and my most exciting times, poor dad was not feeling very well. Our wedding, if you all can recall, dad was sick in bed, and our house was for sale. Well, dad, I am happy to say, Scott and I are not anticipating any really exciting things in our future for a while, so I think your health will be fine.

We have had such a good time with Brent recently. He has been in Tacoma for 2 weeks and he spent Mother's day with us and he got to follow Scott around for a bit at the surgery center. Brent is also going with us this weekend to see Star Trek and I am taking him to church again with us on sunday. He is so fun to be with. He is always so funny.

Eric gave his first talk in Sacrament Meeting on Mother's day. He did such a good job, and luckily Susan Nelson was able to help him write it, because they were in town to celebrate Board passing, and to help me with the LDS Prom. He looked nervous, but he did really well.

New York was really fun. We went to the Statue of Liberty, the top of the Empire State building(my least favorite). We saw Shrek the Musical, and Wicked. Wicked was my favorite. We are seeing it again in Sept. with Eric and Rachel, when it comes to Seattle. We went to a restraunt where Bobby Flay did a "Throwdown" and lost. It was a cheesecake throwdown, and let me tell you that cheescake rocked! We also went to Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay's resturant) and had Scott's Birthday dinner there. The food was so good, but the resturant was small, packed and very loud. You had to shout to have a conversation. But at least we got to taste his creations. We went to central Park and ate at Tavern on the Green!, Yum! We rode in taxi's, subways, and boats. We went to the Chineese district and bargan shopped for knock-off purses. Scott got mine for 15 bucks. We got to visit FAO Shuarts the biggest Toy store. It was so amazing! They had lots of Harry Potter stuff there. We walked everywhere and saw an Indian parade, pretty cool. We ate a hot dog at one of those hot dog stands and had an ice cream at Serendipidy 3, where the most expensive sunday is. (We got the normal priced icecream)We did all that in 2 and a half days! Pretty impressive huh. Oh, our hotel was right next to where the twin towers were, so we got to see the two big holes that they are still working on.
Wendy

BOARD CERTIFIED !!!!

A very heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported me through these oral board exams. Your prayers and sacrifice have payed off. I passed the oral board examination and am now a full fledged Diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology. Wendy and I found out last night when one of my good friends from medical school called to congratulate me. The weight and yoke of passing has finally been lifted and it feels fantastic. Thank you again to all who offered prayers and fasting in my behalf. The Lord has truly blessed us with this trial, and made us stronger throughout the process. His outstretched hand of love has supported us and we have more to be thankful for than we can ever repay.

The TEST is over . . . at least for a while

So I have finally taken my oral boards for the third time. Unfortunately I think I failed yet again. As such I will have to take the writtens again, pass them and then on to the oral boards again. I actually don't get the results until late May, but my feeling afterward was that I didn't do so great. The test was in New York, right in Times Square to be exact. Wendy came with me and then my parents flew out that day. We all met up afterwards (Thursday) and spent the rest of the weekend in Manhattan. It was a lot of fun riding the subways and just adventuring through the Big Apple. My birthday was the next day so we celebrated by going to the Mesa Grill - -chef Bobby Flay's restaurant. They have some very tasty food. I got the Rib eye steak, my Dad got the New York Steak, Wendy got the Tuna, and Mom got the Mahi Mahi. All were very good. The desserts were great as well. I took pictures of all of it and will have to post them when I am at home.
Wendy and I also saw Wicked, a new musical, the next day. It lived up to all the hype that we heard about from our family members that had already seen it. We got really good seats which made it that much more enjoyable, front and center. We want to take Eric and Rachel when it comes to Seattle so Wendy is working out how to do that.
Other thing that we did were of course Liberty Island and the Empire State building. We also saw Shrek the Musical. It was fun too but not as good as Wicked. The subways and taxis made the experience a lot of fun too. Our first cab driver was downright fast. At one point it seemed as thought we were topping 50mph on the street so I peeked up to see the speedometer - - of course it was broken and reading 0mph.
One of my favorite destinations from the subway was Chinatown. The first visit, we just went to have some authentic Chinese food. The second trip we did some wheeling and dealing. I was able to get a really nice purse for Wendy for only $15! It was fun to speak in mandarin again and use it to my advantage for getting the price lower.
Part of the fun there was the great places to eat. We also ate at Tavern on the Green which is in Central Park. We had some "Frozen Chocolate Cocoa" at Serendipity3 that was delicious and huge.
Overall it was great fun. We flew back on Sunday, but due to the fact that I was preparing for the test and it was in Manhattan, so it seemed like one of those vacations that you need a vacation(or maybe staycation) afterwards.