Nilsson News

We are here and alive and well!!!!  I don't know why the blog has been giving me so much grief.  I have tried to post many times but with no success until today!  I don't even know where to start.  The weather has been beautiful, especially the evenings.  We kind of sound like the Flakes, in that we are also in the ripping things out phase and I don't know when we will get it all put back together.  Garrett got a chainsaw for Father's Day and was able to use it for 10 minutes and then it bit the dust.  They are really high maintenance machines we are discovering.  Our neighbor took out three huge and hideous elm trees on the side of our yard so now we have two more left, six more lilacs, two pine trees, and three stumps.  Not to mention the three burning bush shrubs and bed of junipers in the front.  We're getting there.  Demo work on our unique sunroom is to begin this coming Friday so that will be exciting.
It has been such a neat change for us coming up here.  The kids rarely ask to watch movies or play on the computer.  Instead they are out exploring in our pasture, bringing home all sorts of interesting objects, playing with the goats, climbing trees, swinging on the tire swing, picking weeds and calling them flowers and putting them in a cup of water for me.  It is how life should be!  We have enjoyed going to the farmer's market and library and playing with the Hart cousins.
Today was our Stake Conference which was most inspiring.  The theme that seemed to be throughout the entire meeting was developing a personal relationship with Heavenly Father.  We do this through our prayers, temple attendance, scripture reading, Sabbath observance, the Sunday school answers.  What struck me was what our Stake President spoke for twenty minutes about, that being making our bedrooms a sacred place.  Having them clean so we don't have to kick our clothes out of the way before kneeling down to pray.  Make it an atmosphere that we can develop a relationship with God in. And, teach this principle to our children.
Now for some photos of our house...

 This is the before photo of our living room...

 The monstrous fireplace

 The in between bathroom.  We have an itty-bitty one in the master and our 

nicest one is actually in the garage.

 The grand master

 The kitchen

 The garden does have plants growing now and that is the greenhouse in the distance.  Our property ends where the sky meets the trees in the background.

This is the after of our living room!  I had to have at least one room in the house that didn't drive me crazy.
This home is a fixer upper but we are loving every minute of it!  Can't wait to have you come for the family gathering!