Bear Lake

The whole family joined us at the condos at Bear Lake for a week-long stay. We filled out days with crafts, videos, snow shoeing and good food. Here are three of the grandkids making mosaic pictures.


Brooke loved to help Krista make rag quilts for baby gifts.


"Help, DaKoda is in jail!" ....fun with grandkids.



Plenty of room for playing with the Bristle Blocks and climbing in the container.

More Adventures at Bear Lake

Krista had lots of space to piece together the rag quilts.

Time was filled with browsing the internet, getting the pop gun ready to shoot Grandpa, crafts, snacking and just "goofing around."
Springtime on the beaches of Bear Lake was chilly, but beautiful.
DeVon is enjoying the view of the lake, while Judi (with her camera in hand) is capturing the view of the condos at Bear Lake.
Brea, Derek and daughter DaKoda are checking out the view from the loft.
This is the whole family crowded into the loft for a family picture. Who took the picture?? One of J.D. and Melissa's foster boys who came along for the trip.

Family members in order above: JD, Melissa, Kyle, Brittney, Brooke, Derek, DaKoda, Brea, JoLyn, Andrew, DeVon, Judi, and Krista.

This is our second year to spend spring break at Bear Lake, and couldn't be better!

Easter Sunday

We were given guest tickets to the Sunday afternoon session of LDS General Conference. Since this would be our last chance to attend conference for a year and a half, we decided to attend rather than just watch on TV. WOW! What an opportunity. Just the two of us drove down to about four blocks from the Conference Center, ate our sack lunch, and walked over to attend Conference. It was a special day for both of us. We couldn't help but realize that those in Australia, where we will soon be, would give anything for this same experience!

Fingerprints, fingerprints, fingerprints!!!!

WOW! What frustration! The FBI has tried to read my fingerprints again, and found them unreadable! The first time took five weeks, while DeVon passed with "flying colors" and they found NO arrest record. But mine, which were taken with ink, were unreadable. We got that notice the day before Christmas and hustled around trying to find another police agency that could take my prints that day. Weber County Sheriff's Dept. did a digital set of prints for me and we sent them off the day after Christmas. Then on Thursday, March 11th, after 10 1/2 weeks of waiting, I phoned the FBI to find out they were unreadable again! I found out that I could send in up to five sets of prints this third time. The Mission Department in SLC suggested we go to the BCI in Taylorsville and they used Corn Huskers Lotion on my hands to build the ridges for better prints. They took three digital sets and 2 with ink. We mailed them off the next day. They have now had them 1 week today, and they tell us the current wait time is 13 weeks! UG! We are hoping to have this third request expedited so we can start out mission. Tentatively we are to leave for training on May 10th. Wish us luck!

Christmas at the Nielsen's -- 2009

The entire family gathered at our home early evening on Christmas Day. We were all thrilled to be together for this holiday before Mom and Dad leave for Australia in March. We were all excited, but also a little teary over our gifts, which often centered around Australia -- like Australian money, web cams, Australian movies, etc.


This entire group picture was taken for the cover page of our 2010 family calendar. "Aren't we a handsome group!"

It seems impossible that our five kids have grown and matured SO MUCH and are each priceless to us.

J.D. and Melissa, Kyle, Brittney, and Matt. We got to steal Brittney and Kyle for a longer visit and had a super time. Matt had to be back to work at WalMart since he is earning money for his upcoming mission.

Brea, Derek, Brooke and DaKoda. Christmas is SO special when enjoyed with little ones! We loved their excitement over even the smallest thing. We will always remember DaKoda running up to others and in a low voice, saying "I'm Santa, Ho,Ho,Ho!" But the dress-up trunk was also a highlight, with Brooke dressing up in her wedding dress and inviting each of us individually to her wedding!

Grandma and Grandpa with all the grandkids. WOW -- we hope they don't forget us while we are gone!

Deck the Halls

Brooke and DaKoda had fun decorating Grandma and Grandpa's new Christmas tree. And most of the decorations would not fit on the smaller tree! But Brooke got to put the angel on the top of the tree with Grandpa's help.

Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert

On Friday, December 11th, the Front Runner hustled us down to SLC. We had four tickets to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert -- but wait -- JoLyn, Krista, Mom, Dad and Andy add up to five people! We were going to take our chances on getting an extra ticket.

Following dinner at Jason's Deli at the Gateway, we took Trax over to Temple Square. The lights were gorgeous, and Andy even captured a picture of the temple with its special spotlights.


Then over to the Conference Center early. The four with tickets proceeded in to find seats, leaving Andy to find out where to go for standbye tickets. But WHAT LUCK! Just after we separated, Andy was offered a ticket and entered the Conference Center just minutes after us. He sat just below us on the terrace, with us in the balcony. What a fabulous evening! But"I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams" brought visions of next Christmas when that's the only way we can share Christmas with our kids and grandkids....