Nelson News: 2011

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Back to School

Brooklyn was so excited for first grade! She is so proud of her new backpack with her matching lunch box. She gets to eat lunch at school and be gone all day! She is big like her brothers. Mom is excited to just have one at home now.

Alec looking handome with his backpack on ready for 5th grade! Stop growning so fast!

I can't believe I officially have a child in Middle School. Zach will be in 7th grade this year and will get to have 7 different classes. Zach is excited to be out of elementary school finally! His cousins were able to go to Middle School in 6th grade.

Draper Days

The kids look forward to draper days with the cousins every year. We often have matching outfits with their cousins to celebrate the holidays for July. Pretty soon they will be too old to think that is fun anymore.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

American Girl

My sisters and I decided it would be fun to take a girls trip to the American girl store with the girls. Grandma also came along and we had such a great time. We thought it would be fun to go to the store in Los Angelos and then we could spend a day at the beach as well since it was July. However, the weather was a little cool for this time of year so we went to get pedicures instead of the beach.

Brooklyn had a hard time deciding which doll she wanted to get. So many cute dolls to choose from. She ended up with Kit which was a great choice!

Grandma with Ashlyn, Maddie, and Brooklyn

We afternoon tea in the Restaurant. The girls enjoyed the experience but we all decided the food wasn't that great.

My brother was able to get us some tickets to Disneyland and so we surprised the girls and took them there. They had a blast with just their cousins and no brothers or sisters. They felt special for the day. The weather was perfect for a day at disneyland, we couldn't believe we kept our jackets on most of the day and it was July! It was great not standing in line without the heat.

Winnie the Pooh ride

The 3 girls

Gotta have a picture with mickey!

Lagoon Day June 2010

For the past several years we go to Lagoon for Darren's work party. This year was so stormy and cold that Lagoon let us come back with our tickets sometime by the end of the month. We played a few games, rode a couple of rides and then we went home. Brrrr it was freezing!!!

Soccer

Darren coached Alec's soccer team this. They did really well and had a lot of fun. These are 2 of the neighborhood boys.

Alec, Kyle and Cole

Tonsillectomy

Zach had HUGE tonsils, choked often, and would get sick for weeks so we planned to remove his tonsils with Makenna who also had large tonsils. Unfortunately, Makenna got hand, foot, and mouth disease and was unable to get hers out. Zach was a real trooper and did really well. We love Dr. Kelly, his recovery was perfect! Zach ate hamburgers, and all kinds of food right after surgery!

Graduation!

Zach has officially graduated from Elementary School. He had an interesting year with 3 different teachers. We decided to move out of Alps where he had been for the last 5 years and move to our neighborhood school. We are so happy with our decision and Zach met some great friends to start Middle School with. This was Zach's 3rd teacher Miss Chatterton who ended up being the favorite.

Zach with Brennan, Dallin and Carter

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

HAWAII 2010

We decided Kauaii would be a great island to take the kids to because the condo has such a great beach and pools that everyone could enjoy. It ended up being such a fun and relaxing vacation.

The beach was so ideal in Poipu, not huge waves so the kids could have fun playing and doing a little body surfing.

Building sandcastles is always fun and entertains the kids for awhile

Zach was truly on vacation and read lots of books!

The pool has lots of fun waterfalls

Darren and I escaped for a night alone for a relaxing and Yummy dinner at Tide Pools Restaurant

The kids loved to go check to see if any of the Hawaiian Monk Seals had come up on the beach. We were lucky enough to see several while we were there.

Makenna was so happy building sandcastles and playing on the beach and swimming

The weather was a little rainy so we decided to take a drive to the Waimea Canyons. When we got there we were disappointed that we couldn't see the canyons because it was so hazy. A little lower down we stopped to look out and it wasn't much better.

Here is the view from the top! (nothing) Maybe next time kids!

This is a picture of Spouting Horn. As the waves hit the rocks it shoots water high into the air.

There is nothing like a Puka Dog in Hawaii! The kids loved trying the different sauces that they put inside the buns like mango and pineapple.

The first night we stayed in the Lihue Marriott, then we moved to the Waiohai Marriott where we could have a little more room. We loved this little Beach Hut that we ate dinner and breakfast there!

We loved the weather forecast sign! Gotta always love the weather in Hawaii!!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Big Sur Marathon

Angie and Darren ran the marathon. This is listed as one of the top 3 marathons to run so Darren was anxious to cross this off his list!

Here is the start. Also, very pretty, it begins in the Redwood forest.

Darren feeling pretty good along the course

Monterey, California

Darren and I went to Monterey the Last part of April 2010 so Darren could run the Big Sur Marathon! This is Cannery Row where there are some little shops. We shopped around and had to get a little yogurt! Although the whether was a little colder than we expected! I never took off my jackets, and I soon learned why all the stores sell sweatshirts! Northern Cali is a little cooler especially near the water!

Many of the restaurants had samples of clam chowder as you walked by. After 3 or 4 we ended up here at the Old Fishermans Grotto for some seafood and pasta for the runners.