Welcome Home To Us

We're back Tokyo! 

It was super fun, and definitely a place we'll go back to!  Imagine Manhattan, and then imagine 7 more Manhattan's encircling that Manhattan and you'll have a small Tokyo.  It is MASSIVE. There's around 14 million people in the city, and it's crazy because like 6 of them speak english..... We jus toured all the big touristy spots and ate a whole bunch of food!  The sushi we had was yummy but the best food was definitely ramen, and the treats and sweets. 

I could try and describe everything, but it's a little easier to just show you. 

Flake Fun

This past week was a blur but that seems to be the norm now.  I don't know how it can go by so fast when I feel like all I do is feed babies!  Speaking of whom; they are getting so big and Rand now outweighs Robin!  Who would have imagined! For those of you who have met them, they will look so big to you.  For those of you who haven't, they will look like normal sized newborns who are just very advanced!  They love sticking their tongues out at anyone who will play along and Robin is becoming a little chatterbox.  Rand is still a bit more reserved than his sister but also has his chatty moments.

We went on an overnight trip to Mesa to see how they would do on a short trip. It went fairly well but we learned that Robin isn't timid about letting us know when she is tired of being in her car seat!

Our tomatoes are finally starting to ripen which is fun.  I think that may be all of the harvest that we'll get this year.

We are trying out a new sleep routine and schedule that seems to be going really well so hopefully that will continue.

We are excited to see some of you this weekend! Can't wait to see the rest of you in a couple of months.

 All dolled up on a Sunday afternoon

Looking suave

Hart Happenings

So, so, so fun to see all the pictures being posted!  I'm with Mom; I think this was such a good idea Jenn, all those years ago to get this blog up and running.  I know we've gone back and looked through years past and were so grateful to have those memories.

Fun to hear from Thomas and Victoria also.  We got a picture from them in a Pokemon restaurant this week.  Looks like fun in Tokyo!  Hard to keep track of all their adventures but nice to know they are living life to the fullest!

And the Flake babies are still the cutest ever!  Glad their first week of church was such a success.  Can't wait to see them soon!

The past couple of weeks have been a blur at the Hart house.  We're back into our more academic season and the kids are loving it.  It is amazing to watch how quickly they are able to learn new concepts when they tackle it a few minutes a day.  It's an invigorating environment to be in as their mom.  We are loving our homeschool group and the kids are having a good time in all their classes there.

Ruth alluded to the Harvest Fest that wrapped up our gardening classes.  It was a huge success and I think everyone had a good time.  Dad came up which was a really nice gesture and I appreciated having him there even though I was a little distracted by all the goings-on.  It is nice to have that over for another season.

Jack and Peter both scored 3 goals at their respective soccer games yesterday.  It was COLD!  The boys who are playing don't seem to mind, but the poor parents standing on the sidelines just shiver for an hour or so.  Not my favorite, but I love watching them play, so the price must be paid.  Jack actually sprained his ankle pretty badly during half time at his game and has been on crutches (thanks to Emma) for the past day and a half.  Hopefully, we can get it healed up so he can play before the season is over.

I attended a homeschool moms conference on Thursday and Friday this week.  It was quite the eclectic gathering of people.  My eyes were opened a little better to what it is to me a minority among and vocal majority.  Rather uncomfortable at times.  But also, interesting to note how little we need to have in common to enjoy one another's company.  It was a lovely getaway.

The boys are loving their parkour class and are quite agile and good at scrambling over all kinds of obstacles that are put in their way.  They got trained at their last class by a guy who know Mark Petersen (of Joe's podcast) and has done Agoge events with him.  It was rigorous and left the boys pretty wiped out.

Alex and I decided that we want to start sleeping without our phones by our beds and so we ordered this alarm clock that mimics the sun and slowly starts emitting more and more light as it approaches the time you set as the time you want to wake up.  When it reaches, say, 6:30 it is full-on bright and you can choose if you want to hear birds, the ocean, or any other nature sound, even music as the alarm part.  This morning was the first time we had used it and it was a lovely way to wake up.  It kind of wakes you up gradually instead of so abruptly.  I really enjoyed it.

Ian is still practicing intensely for Matilda.  It is fun to see him engage in it so enthusiastically, but then, that's Ian.  Engaged enthusiastically.

The Parade of Homes was this weekend.  Ruth, Addy, Ian, and I got to see a couple of houses together and then had to squeeze the rest into our individual schedules.  It's always so inspiring!  Some people are so creative and some have such great taste and still others are nuts.  But it's all inspiring!

That's about it for the Harts.  Love y'all!  Hope to see you soon!

Smithfield Scoop

Thanks for posting the darling pictures of babies, school, chicks, gardens and all of the adventures you are having! I LOVE having this history that we are making as we post the daily goings-on of our lives. I think it will become ever more precious as time passes.

Last Sunday, toward the end of Sunday School, I got a text from a mom to the effect that "something might be happening..." She had a very short labor two years ago, that I nearly missed (30 minutes from first contraction to birth), so I left immediately and headed over to her house. Fortunately, things progressed a little more slowly this time so I had time to get there and set up before baby came about 4 hours later. As usual, we stayed for a while to make sure all was well with mom and baby before leaving. I drove in the driveway and as soon as the garage door was up, I got another call... "something might be happening..." So, out I went again. That baby came more quickly, within a couple of hours, but had a few issues so we ended up staying quite a while. I got home about 2:00 in the morning. Needless to say, our blog post didn't happen last week....

But, we did have a good week. Dad spoiled me on my birthday with a shopping spree and temple session and dinner at the temple. This week, we enjoyed Dad's birthday with a long hike up the Highline Trail that goes along the face of the mountain where the canal runs out of Logan Canyon. I think some of you may have floated the canal there, just above First Dam. Anyway, it's been covered now and there is a trail that is very fun to hike. We'll take you on it if you'd like, sometime!

We have been spending our time planning temple and family history activities for the youth in our ward. Our next big effort will be to meet with the youth and their families at their homes to discuss what they've already done on Family Search and in family history. We think it will be a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with people in the ward and to encourage them to seek the "Spirit of Elijah" and the "Spirit of the Temple." We were set apart for our callings today, so hopefully we'll experience some increased inspiration for what we should be doing!

Here are some photos that highlight a few activities at the very delightful surprise birthday party you all so kindly planned and participated in. We loved it and would gladly grow another year older just to have you come again!!

For your viewing enjoyment, here are some of Dad's favorite recent photo selections...

Chet and his dinner.

A sweet ride....

Well, I tried.

Perplexed Millie

Ready to rock and roll!

Nilsson News

Mom's birthday surprise was definitely a highlight of the past week and we wished that the Texas T's and the Flakes could have been there.  It was a great time and we sure have a great family!
Yesterday, we enjoyed going to the annual harvestfest that Elise is in charge of.  All the food that is served is from the produce that the kids grew throughout the summer.  Delicious veggie soup, bread made with wheat they grew and ground, pizza made in the clay pizza oven they built, and of course an array of fresh melons and vegetables.  It was tasty! 
We started school and canning and yard projects all at the same time!  Fall is such a busy time but it is a good time.  It has been nice to start a school routine again and the kids have been excited about learning.  They've also started back up with clogging, piano and gumnastics.  This year Eliza is taking fiddle lessons and the three older kids are all doing choir.  I can't pin-point where I know the director from but he is so familiar; Ben Watson.  If you recognize the name, please let me know!  The choir will be making a couple music videos and Jenny Oaks Baker and family four will be performing with them for their Christmas concert.  We are really excited about it!
The chicks keep hatching.  We added number nine to the little flock this morning.  Cute as can be!

 The first day of school is like Christmas!

 Poetry tea time!

Hope all is well with everyone and we can't wait to hang out with all of you again!

Flake Fun

This has been a good week. The weather has cooled down. We haven't gotten the rain that I was hoping for but I'll take the cooler temps.

We "took courage" and went to church today.  It went much better than I expected.  Everyone looked but no one touched! They were both well behaved and it felt good to go back.  Although I can't tell you what was talked about or what the lesson was on!

Both Robin and Rand have gotten a lot more smiley which is fun. And they are staring to mimicking people.  The other day Robin was sleeping and making some noises (she is the noisiest sleeper!) and Rand started copying her! I really think that he thought it was a game!

In garden news, we have a tomato that is turning red and we found 2 cantaloupes and a watermelon!

Hope that you all have a great week!

Flake Fun

We were so glad (and jealous) to hear that the party was a huge success.  We wish that we could have been there.

Things here are going fairly well.  The weather was quite hot this last week but the forecast is saying more manageable temps this coming week so we are excited about that.

I have been catching up on some family stuff while I sit and feed babies all day. I just want to say that Joe's podcast is incredible but Joe is even more incredible. And Ruth's blog is awesome! My siblings never cease to amaze.

Baby update of the week is that Robin and Rand are now both smiling. Rand reserves a his for mom and dad but Robin will usually smile at anyone who will talk to her.  She is developing quite a personality.

8

Smithfield Scoop

A Million Thanks!!!

How can I ever express how delighted, surprised and grateful I was to have all of you come so far yesterday just to say Happy Birthday to me? What a blessing you all are to me! I have a confession to make: On Friday night, when we were with some friends in Salt Lake for President Nelson's birthday celebration, I said to my friend, Barb, "We finally have a home big enough for our family to gather in and no one comes to visit!" Now, I will have to eat my words! Thank you so, so much for your  thoughtfulness. It means so much to me. I know what a sacrifice it is to come with your families when you have so many other things you could/should be doing. I do hope to repay your kindness in some way, someday. It was the second best day of this whole year (July 16 was the best day this year, when Jenn's twins were born)!

Thank you for the fun "midwifery conference!" I learned so much about helping moms prepare for motherhood, how to relax, and how to draw blood with my eyes closed! Every activity was so fun and funny! I loved the music, of course, and the food was heavenly! We are still savoring every morsel of Ruth's delectable watermelon. We still have some..... anyone tempted to return? Chet? Thank you for your effort to make it all happen and for staying and visiting for a while after you should have been on the road home. Dad and I had a blast after you left, reminiscing about funny things the children did and said, going down the path downhill, the activities, the food, and the video - which was definitely the highlight! I want to send copies of it to Jenn, Thomas and Emma! We laughed as we wiped watermelon juice off the floor, and the windows, and the light switches, and the walls, and the couch, and the..... :) Please come again!!

We will post pictures as soon as Dad can get them off the camera....

Bringing the Texas Heat........But also, go Utes

WHATTTTTTTTTTTTS UP!?!?!

It's been a minute since Tori and I updated... Sorry!  Things have been going great here in the sweat bowl called Houston.  Literally, a sweat bowl.  Like 80% humidity at 102 degrees.  Yup, so enjoy y'alls harvest and cooling weather, we'll just be drowning in heat down here, it's cool. 

Anyway!  Tori's been traveling all over for work, mostly in Texas, with a few jobs in other states.  But she enjoys being able to see fun places and connect with people that she's communicated with via social media.  She leaves this week for Tokyo to work on a cruise ship there for 8 days, and I get to join her after, to explore the city for a week!  I know nothing of Japan other than they love anime, and Disney, so it will be quite the adventure I'm sure...

The job at Barry's has been going wonderfully, and we've been growing and doing so well in the community!  Last week I had a couple of former NFL players in class, which was super fun/intimidating!  They are GINORMOUS human beings.  But it's fun to see them dying along with everyone else in the room.  Quite satisfying, if I do say so myself. 

I think that just about covers how things are going here.  Work hard, play hard.  But mostly work. 
Oooooooooooooooh, I did find a fantastic quote that I use in class all the time, and I think everyone needs to read it.  This really smart dude named Socrates said, "No man [woman] has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man [woman] to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which [their] body is capable." 

You go Socrates.

Flake Fun

Well, unlike all of you we are not enjoying a bountiful harvest. Our garden was a bust this year but we have had some yummy cherry tomatoes, a few at a time. 

Other than no fresh produce, things are going well in Arizona. It has been extremely hot so the babies have been bare all week. I think that it distresses some people who want to see them in cute outfits but oh well. 

Nilsson News

Happy Labor Day ya'll!  Amen to all the previous posts.  This is definitely the lucious harvest season and we have been enjoying a few tastey things- mostly watermelon.  It is really SO good!  Last week we set up our watermelon stand.  Emerson had some kale to sell, Addy made watermelon themed cupcakes and I helped Eliza make a delicious watermelon limeade slushie.  We had about fifteen melons and we had all but four sold in the first hour and a half.  We shut down early because the wind was picking up pretty bad.  It was a fun adventure!  We have over twenty melons ready to sell again.

The excitement as of late, has been with our chickens.  We had one hen who decided to go broody (sits constantly on the eggs).  Origianlly, she was sitting on 7 eggs but the rest of the hens continued to lay eggs on top of her so she ended up with 22 eggs.  We kept track on the calendar and after 21 days we were really watching her.  One evening, I went out to check on her and discovered that a chick had hatched but it had been killed by the chickens.  Evidence was on the mom's beak so I made a rash decision and removed all the eggs from the nest.  We had borrowed an incubator from a friend and placed all the eggs inside.  After about four days, one hatched!  We were so excited but worried because it was a pretty lonely chick, peeping quite noisily.  Last night, right before going to bed, we got to watch a second chick hatch!  So cool!

Tomorrow we will be canning peaches and enjoying the last day of summer.  School starts up for us the following day.  It has been a fun but oh too short of a summer!

Hart Happenings

  Such cute babies!  Glad to hear they are growing and so fun to get the occasional photo update.  Hoping to see them in person again soon!
  This time of year it is all about what is going on in the garden.  Well, that and soccer, and play practice, oh and school starting up again, and (Alex will be disappointed if I don't include this) college football season.  Right.  All of the things, but mostly the garden.  It is glorious!  We are reveling in juicy blackberries, a plethora of crispy cucumbers, bean by the bag, cabbage, potatoes, a few tenacious peas, and the intermittent tomato.  So fun!
  We went to the zoo this week and caught the animals at a very active, awake time.  I don't think there was a single exhibit that didn't have the animals up and around in it.  So fun to see it all!
  Our friends, the Cronins (I think some of you know them) came over for s'mores on Friday night and it was so nice to visit with them and enjoy their company.  They have 4 girls to our 3 boys and its nice to have that cosmic balance restored when we are together!  Angela tuned into Joe's podcast the next day and texted to say how much she enjoyed it.  They are such good friends.
  We kicked off college football season with the BYU/Utah game on Thursday night.  That is all the mention it deserves.
  It was fun to see Ruth's watermelon stand over the weekend.  She is hustling up some great business with her great product.  She had a Hispanic couple stop by even before they got the sign up and they wanted to trade tamales for watermelon.  An excellent trade!  I was kicking myself for the rest of the day that I didn't buy some while they were there.  So Ruth ended up with a dozen hot tamales and it wasn't until after they left that I realized we could've had tamales all day if I had been on the ball. It'll be interesting to see how this project evolves over the next few years.....
  Ian is enjoying getting to know his new Young Men's presidency.  They seem really great and they enjoyed a fun marshmallow war activity this week.
  We were doing some yardwork yesterday and some black crawling through our lawn caught my eye.  Upon closer inspection it was a salamander!  I wish I had gotten a picture of it because it was HUGE!  It is the third one we have found on our property, all in different places, but this one was, by far, the biggest.  We were worried that it would get run over by the lawn mower so the kids relocated it to the pavilion area.  Hopefully it can feel at home there.
  Hope you all have fun plans for Labor Day weekend and hope to see you soon!