December

Ward Christmas Party - Graham Cracker house making contest.  Brooke, David, Gabe worked together on this one.

Nicholas being a Wise Man in the nativity (right of Mary and Joseph)

Christmas tree hunting - we found the biggest tree ever!

David gets a turn to cut it down.

Mike rigging up this huge tree.

Ta-da!

Happy boy found a puddle for his boots.

Tradition of going with Grandma to see the Portland Christian Choir.  Very impressive.

And the graham cracker "ginger bread" houses begin!
With Ellen and Carolyn

Pretty cute

What to do when the power goes out.
Zach, Gabe, Nicholas

I finally get around to making Gabe's stocking! He's only 3...

We got caught in a downpour on our walk!

HOORAY!! Look at all these merit badges Nicholas has earned! He is DONE!
And I'm DONE sewing them on!

The backside with his rank advancements.

Gabe is whooping me at Thomas Memory, again.

David and the 2nd graders singing Frosty the Snowman.

Time for a little Star Wars Trivia Pursuit!

Mike and I went on his birthday getaway to Portland.  At the mall, he tried out this Intel display.

Mike is 45!
Ice cream pie, of course.

Get off your phone, daddy! It's time or presents!

Christmas morning stockings.

Kids and the tree.

Brooke got a turtle for Christmas!

Zach, David, Gabe, and Brooke watching in awe.

Yoda butter lettuce and bananas.
Sadly, the turtle died after 3 months.

Dec 27 - First Snow! Quick! Play in it before it melts!

Nanee and Papa gave us cash for Christmas and the kids decided to go to dinner and Wunderland for arcade games.

Zach's New Year's Eve party with Beau Podwys, Ryan Klingler, Gabe, Peng Odil, Dante Podwys and Blake Kelley.

Nerf gun wars, Star Wars Trivia, junk food, and a Star Wars movie.

November 2015

Gabe learning about firefighters at preschool.  Do you like his paper sack boots?

And a field trip to the fire station.

With a demo of a firefighter in full gear.

Kylah, Sophia, Eleanor, Gabe, Kinsley, Sadie, Hyrum

Trying out the old fashioned fire truck that's now on display at the fire station.

Brooke (green sweatshirt on the right) sold 18 items for the school fundraiser, which earned her a limo ride with these other kids.  It took them from school to Godfather's Pizza for lunch and back to school.  

Zach and Beau painting over graffiti in the neighborhood.

Brooke pointing to the art she made of herself at school.

Over Veteran's Day weekend, we rented a cabin north of Seaside at the KOA and swam a lot in the pool.
Brooke, Mike, Gabe, David

Brooke, Mike, Nicholas, Zach, David

Lots of rain and cold, but we climbed up the Astoria Column and flew airplanes off it.

And went to the new Peanuts movie.

To wet for a campfire, so we tried to roast marshmallows over the toaster.
Just putting them in the microwave worked better.

Dumping Knex out on a Sunday.

It took me 6 1/2 years to fill up the first blood donor card, I wonder how long it will take me to fill up the next?

Zach got to wear reverse head gear for a few months.  Not fun for him at all, but he only had to wear it at bedtime.
It was supposed to pull his top teeth forward to fix the underbite.

Put Gabe to work! 

Thanks to the summer reading program, we got "free" tickets to see a Portland Trailblazer basketball game.
You don't get any more nosebleed than this!

Go Blazers!

Thanksgiving with ALL the Nelsons! We love Tom's deep fried turkey!

Nicholas had a little problem with the flour while trying to make chocolate chip cookies one Sunday.

Last few minutes of Brooke with her braces on...

And they are OFF!