Halloween

We went to Roseville/Rocklin for Halloween weekend. We stopped at Kim's on Friday night because the last time we went to Kim's on a Friday night it took us almost 5 hours to get there and I knew we couldn't go the whole way that night (my 18mo still doesn't LOVE the car like my other 2). But I move slow in the mornings and Saturday was no exception, plus the boys run and run there and I rarely see them, so it was a challenge to get them in the car too (excuses, excuses right). So needless to say we didn't get up there until after 5pm.

We got kids in costumes and took them trick-or-treating after Beebe took photos of the kids in their costumes. It was still light out but the kids were so excited that we couldn't tell them "no" anymore. We did a practice round at Beebe's and then when only 4 people opened their door, we went again to Beebe's.

We went to Chipotle for dinner. I love Chipotle these days. Honestly, if they had a drive-thru I would have a problem. Then some adults went with the "older" kids for more trick-or-treating in Ann's neighborhood. I stayed behind with the babies and was appalled by some of the costumes knocking on the door. It was just a reminder of why we usually go to Disneyland on Halloween, no teenagers or adults dressed in inappropriate costumes asking for candy.

This was a great first time trick-or-treating experience for my boys. Maybe they will get to do it again sometime.

**I stole these photos from Beebe's blog and this was my comment on her post:

I am sad I missed the later Trick o' treating but really someone needed to be responsible for the "babies." Joanna took a photo of Mike with Mike's camera.
I really loved all the costumes. But that little bat has won my heart, maybe I need a hard copy of that to put up at my house and on those days where I have said "No" too many times to count and ready to give him to the first person who wants him, I can look at that photo of that sweet bat who said "leeassseee" to strangers for those nasty, sticky suckers.

crazy sleeper

Bryan had me check on the boys after he had to see this.

Lil A is a crazy sleeper but usually not this crazy. It makes me wonder what they were doing before they fell asleep. They have a tendency to play until move one of them out but apparently this night the fell asleep before we separated.

Another Trip to Utah

My lack of photo taking is ridiculous. I only took photos on the way home after we had been in the car for hours and had been stuck in traffic for over an hour (look at Bryan's photo). I wish I had taken at least one photo of Bryan and Dave giddy like you cannot imagine. We did a lot of Provo things this trip, normally we just go to the game and maybe make it to the bookstore for the annual t-shirt and the creamery for ice cream. We had Brick Oven, where we met our friend's (from Texas) sister, and Cafe Rio. Katie, the boys and I drove around looking for ponchos while the guys went around campus and to the stadium early. Katie is fabulous (again) and took the boys bowling in the Wilkinson Center and dinner and then back to bowling, while we were at the game.
We made pretty good time until 25 miles before Yermo. I have decided how the state of California can have more money every year, CLOSE DOWN YERMO. I cannot remember the last time we were actually stopped there. Bryan and Katie are tired of hearing it but think about it and I think you will agree with me.

toddler i with licorice on his face. He seriously looked homeless for 3 days.

the boys were so good to play video games for most of the trip

Bryan was done being in the car. We were excited when we were going over 20 miles an hour at this point.
Katie tried to read but, again, fabulous to entertain toddler i with food, movies or what else she thought would help him not to scream.
Ryan just finished watching Cinderella Man, that is why he has a smile on his face, not because he liked that the rest of us were SO DONE being in the car.

Disneyland (no photos) and SDSU

Bryan's sister, Laura, and her family came to DLand for a couple days and then to Sea World and then the game. We met up with them at DLand on Thursday and then they spent the night before heading down to San Diego. I can't believe I didn't take one photo of them. I didn't really take very many, I only took a few more at the game and they didn't turn out very well. We met up with them at the game. Met up with Kelly and John at the game, my older boys and their little boy ran and ran- they had a great time. After the game we went to Lolita's. I think that will be the place we go to down that way, it was so good.

nauvoo

I was able to go to Nauvoo with my mom's family. I was a kid again. To say to it was fabulous is an understatement. We flew to St Louis, stayed the night there because it was midnight when my parents landed. Woke up "early" (2 hours ahead of my time zone and ready to leave before 9am) and headed leisurely to Nauvoo- we met up with Ann and Scott at the hotel. We had some great pizza on our way up. We did a tour given by the Community of Christ Church. Our tour guide was very knowledgable. We had dinner in Port something (I can't remember). We did a session before the sealing and then got to look at so many things in the temple. We went shopping in some of the stores before dinner. Dinner was at the hotel that we stayed at, again good food. That is a thing I can count on with the Nielsons, good food. That night I went with Amanda and Kathy to take photos of the temple at night, well I was the driver and Amanda was the photographer- it was freezing and she was out there for a while. The next day was Sunday and we went on the Trail of Hope and then went to Carthage (Mom, Dad, Grandma, Ann and Scott were my traveling buddies back to St Louis). There is something about being there that is very humbling. I can't wait for July 2012 to take Bryan and the boys to all the places we visited. We headed back to St Louis to meet up with the others for dinner. I had the earliest flight at 6am Monday morning. I don't think I will choose to have a flight that early again, it was tough. I got up at 2am PST and then had to be a mom when I landed. Luckily, the older boys let me rest while Toddler i was napping. I am grateful that Katie was able to watch the boys and be me for a couple days and that Bryan is willing and able to let me get away for a few days- he even took all 3 boys to church by himself. I really am lucky, I didn't want to miss this for anything. That is 4 sealings in 5 months (one of those months being August when we were Germany- that would have been tough to squeeze in).

Nauvoo July 2012! I can't wait.

This was a drive-by photo shoot of this but I thought it was funny because my uncle said something about the last train. Can you see the train tracks?

There were 9 of us shopping for breakfast and dessert. It was a good time.

After the sealing and it was freezing.

All of the Nielsons, again freezing.

First Field Trip

I was lucky enough to be able to join Big A and his class on their first field trip. We went to Centennial Farms at the OC Fairgrounds. It was fun to be able to see him interact with his friends to be excited about the animals, especially the cows- he kept telling me Grandpa has cows like these. He did not want to touch the baby chick but really, I don't blame him, I didn't either.

Other Things

I don't have photos of some of the things we have done but this is my journal, so deal.

One Thursday was a little busier than I am used to. We dropped Big A off at school, went VT at the park for 40 min where a friend was dropped off to play for the afternoon, went to speech, went to CostCo, picked up Big A from school, made rolls and went to a shower. It doesn't seem like that much but include a crazy, active, opinionated 17 month old.

We had a weekend at home in September, my dad came down for ribs and to watch the game. I want more weekends like that.

The next weekend was Conference weekend and Bryan's mom's birthday, so we went to Bakersfield to celebrate with Bryan's parents and sister and her family. I honestly see very little of my boys when we are there, they are constantly busy. I just wish they didn't live so far away (it took us over 4 hours to get there when it normally takes 2 1/2).