Backyard Pets

Dad's been chasing wildlife today! Thought we'd better get him to put this photo on today since he won't be home much tomorrow.

You'll notice that it's January 31st and there's no snow on the ground here. There hasn't been any snow for a long time. We hope we get some soon....

Nilsson News

I actually did not forget about posting on Sunday but I wanted to have a few pictures to post.  My only camera is Garrett's phone, so I have to wait until he is around before I can use it.  This week has been good.  Addy had her piano recital and did an excellent, flawless job.  She really has an amazing talent and we are hoping to have her start lessons with my friend, Anarie, in the summer or fall.  For Emerson's little playgroup, we went on a tour of a vet clinic that specializes in birds and exotics.  They are the vets who take care of the aviary in Salt Lake, Lagoon, and the Ogden Nature Center.  They told us the most unique animals they have treated have been monkeys and a rare type of lizard.  Eliza's favorite part was seeing the pet parrot and green tree python that were in the lobby.  Eliza is talking like crazy (just ask mom, dad or Emma)!  She discovered her new favorite toy at Grandma's house is the "baby bear" which just so happens to be the honey bear full of honey.  She likes to carry it around cradled in her arms saying, "baby beaw, baby beaw, baby beaw."  This week I completed my projects I had going in the piano room.  I purchased some throw pillows, a new clock, gave the lamps a makeover and built a side table.  The side table was definitely a new experience for me but for now it will serve its purpose.  Sorry that the pictures are a little dark.  What projects have you all been up to?

Black and Blue in Hyde Park

I am a bruised and battered specimen lately. I feel something like a pincushion must feel. Both of my antecubital fossas (area where your arm bends and blood is drawn from) are bruised, both of my ring and middle fingers are very tender, and the entire back of my left hand is purple. The phlebotomy class is brutal! No one ever has a problem finding my veins, but for some reason when they take the needle out of my arm or hand, something happens and I am left with a hematoma (fancy word for bruise). Still, I'd rather be poked than poke other people - although I've had better luck with not bruising anyone else. Only 6 more weeks of torture...

Two babies were born this weekend one boy, one girl - one Friday night, one Saturday morning. All went well. I got to catch both and have now completed all of the required numbers for my national certification. There are other requirements, too, but documentation for that part is finished. I just have to fill out all of the forms, pass off a few more skills, finish my classes, and take the national exam. Hope to complete it all by the end of the year.

Emma went to a stake dance this weekend, which she greatly enjoyed. It's always nice to go with a big group who take dance classes together and like to practice. She was tickled pink when Thomas took her and Lauren on a date Friday night to play racquetball, get a shake, and home to watch a movie. Lauren cut out on them for the movie and took off with Nick, but they forgave her.

The Nilsson's came up on Monday for the "holiday." They went to Willow Park then came here so we could watch the children while Ruth and Garrett went on a lunch date. We went on a walk and had a fun time reading some books and playing.

The highlight of the week was today. Elder Quentin Cook was in Logan to speak at the Spectrum and the YSA Stake Presidents (and wives) were invited to dinner at the institute with him. After eating, he spoke for a few minutes and answered a few questions before going to the Spectrum. Thomas and Emma met us there and we were treated to a wonderful talk with pertinent counsel.

So, what would you ask an apostle if you had the chance? Did you know that Elder Cook was from Logan? (I guess you did if you listened in Conference...) Did you know that he lived in the 18th ward and attended church in the building close to the temple? Did you know that was the same ward and building we attended when we came back from Kansas? That was the same church that Lauren was blessed in and the same ward where Dad was Young Men's president for a short time before we moved to Hyde Park. Now you know what you have in common with Elder Cook!

Flake Fun

25 January 2015 - This week has been a quick one.  Neither of us had to go to work on Monday because of the holiday so we spent the day working on the house and purchasing more supplies.  We now own a miter saw.  Home Depot employees know us by name now...kind of sad.  But, at the same time, it is kind of a rush to be popular like that. 

We got a smattering of snow and the weather has been really chilly but it is supposed to warm up and be in the 50's this week.  We were able to get a load of wood for our new wood stove which was nice.

I can't really think of anything noteworthy that happened this week.  We are just getting organized and trying to finish up the house.  I took the camera to get some pictures of the house the other day but there is such a mess right now that it looks worse than before.  Hopefully we'll get pictures of progress taken soon!

Hart Happenings January 12-18, 2015

I think there are bunches of good things I take for granted in my life.  This week brought one to my attention.  I am really used to having my body be able to keep up with all the things I want to accomplish in a day, and this week, that wasn't the case.  Alex and I both had a mini-relapse of the flu.  You know, the energy-sucking strain that leaves you lethargic and cloudy.  Therefore, this week passed in a rather hazy, slow-motion blur.
We did meet some new sister missionaries when we took them dinner at the Visitor's Center.  Our temple is on schedule for some major remodeling and starting in March will be closed for 18 months! So we are trying to get to the temple as often as possible, which hasn't been very often for the aforementioned reasons.  Anyway......
Alex decided it was time to take the boys rock climbing, which we did on Thursday.  It was a riot!  The boys loved it.  Peter pretended to be Spider Man while we hauled him up and down on the ropes. I always get so nervous when I go (the whole fear of heights thing) but the boys were fearless.  They were puzzled the next day thought when their arms and chests hurt.  It was such a success that we are going to make it a regular activity.
Alex and I accepted a year long reading challenge at the library.  The goal is 52 books in 52 weeks.  There are different categories like: A Book over 500 pages, a book that was published the year you were born, a book you started but never finished, a book you were supposed to read in school but never did, a book by an author whose initials are the same as yours, etc.....If we pull it off we get a hoodie that says Book Nerd on it, but I'm going to petition that they change it to Bibliophile, instead.  Alex has jumped in full force and finished 2 books each in one day!  Unprecedented!
Speaking of books, I enjoyed meeting with my book club on Saturday night.  We discussed Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, which I must highly recommend to anyone who hasn't read it and would like some thought provoking, but very entertaining and accessible reading material.  SO GOOD! This was my second time through it and I found it just as interesting as the first go round.
Ian started up his singing class again this week and Jack is counting down the days for his art class to start.
Alex and I were rejuvenated at church yesterday and can't wait to go forward and actually accomplish something this week!

I remembered!

There are few times when I remember to do something especially when suffering from loss of brain cells because of pregnancy, but this time it was different!  I remembered to post something on time!  This weekend has been very productive.  We had our bishopric dinner and it was fun and successful.  It was a light picnic type meal which had us dreaming of summer time.  Saturday we finished rearranging the kids rooms.  We now have a place to put baby clothes and supplies and a place to put Eliza when she decides she is done sleeping in our bed (will that ever happen?).  I also gave our lamps in the piano room a makeover and they look SO much better.  I have a before picture but not an after one yet.  We just uploaded pictures from Garrett's phone so enjoy some random and somewhat old pics.

Reflections

A tragic thing happened this week in Hyde Park. Some of you know about it already. I've been reflecting on it quite a bit the past few days. Maybe you know Max and Jody Lamb. They were involved with the Special Needs Seminary class at Sky View for a while. They have two children and several grandchildren who live in Hyde Park, as well. The Lambs have been married for over 62 years. Anyway, Brother Lamb was ill and they were going to the pharmacy to pick up some medication for him. He didn't know his wife was behind the car and he ran over her. She didn't survive. It has been a very sad week.
I just keep thinking how quickly things happen that change our lives. I've also been thinking how vital it is for us to be careful about what we say and do so that we don't have regrets when we have these devastating experiences. I don't need to elaborate. You know what I'm talking about.
Please pray for Brother Lamb, who has been in the hospital with pneumonia, and his family. It is a very sad, hard time for them.