Christmas Card 2011

Postage is so darn expensive!  So, for those of you who want the summary of what we've been up to this year, here is the card we sent to a select few that don't have Facebook and don't get on the internet to read our blog.  The rest of you will have to enjoy it here.

Top Events - 2011

January - Trevin played city league basketball, Sean hosted a most awesome Elder’s Quorum activity shooting machine guns and shot guns at the dump,  Lori hosted a digital scrapbook retreat with Heidi in Orem

February -  Steelers make it to the SuperBowl, we host party at our house, unfortunately, the Steelers lose.

March - Tyrel turns 16 and is now old enough to drive and date and is ordained a Priest, Trevin turns 12 and receives the Aaronic Priesthood (ordained by his Dad)

April - Tyrel goes on his first date to Prom, weather is warming up so Sean is getting busy with work

May - Trevin graduates from elementary school, Lori takes a long awaited photography class and loves it!

June - Travis turns 18, Lori gets released from Cub Scouts and gets a new calling in nursery (sweatiest calling in the church)

July - Quick trip to Denver for Great Grandma Evers funeral, Sean and Lori attend Lori’s 25 year class reunion (man we are getting old), Travis works lots and lots of hours at the movie theater

August - Sean and Lori celebrate their 20 year wedding anniversary,  we spend the month bottling tons of tomatoes, Travis has his last first day of school, Trevin begins Jr. High, Tyrel is a junior

September - We attend the Onion Days parade and don’t know what to do with ourselves with Grandpa Nielsen not there as the parade announcer, Sean and the boys attend Father and Son’s outing

October - Sean and Lori get to attend the Payson Temple ground breaking in the freezing cold while boys enjoy it in the comfort of the warm Stake Center,  Tyrel has a blast as McPins of the Bowl Dozers (bowling club), Lori opens her very own digital scrapbook store with her sister

November - Travis and his friends get a special request to perform in the ManHawk Dance Off (Make a Wish fundraiser), they are awesome and get requested to perform again during the Skyhawk Gorge, Lori manages to pull off her very first Thanksgiving dinner, Sean starts plowing snow

December -- We wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope you remember the real Reason for the Season! 

Nielsen Family Christmas Party

Sharlynn planned the Nielsen Family Christmas party yet again this year and might I add she did an outstanding job, yet again.  I guess we should give her a break next year since she has planned all of them so far.  We met at our house for a brunch that actually didn't happen until more like lunch time because of a few technical difficulties with food assignments, but never fear, the food was great and we were all well fed.  After we ate we decorated giant snowman sugar cookies that I made for the party.  The kids (young and old) had a blast!

Bokeh - Do You Have Room?

So, the resident photographer at one of the scrapbooking forums I frequent did a little tutorial on how to get the Bokeh effect with Christmas lights.  In fact, she said Christmas lights beg for this effect.  So one evening this last week, when everyone was off doing other things, I set up the Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus from my nativity and gave it a try.  I have to admit, it took me several shots to get it exactly right, but Ashley will be proud of me, I shot this in my house, with the manual setting on my camera, and I love how it looks.  I love my nativity and I think it looks so cool with the tree in the background.

Then there was another challenge at our forum to scraplift a layout and I thought it would work great for this photo.  I also finally found the Shawna Edwards YouTube video of her song "Do You Have Room For The Savior" and added the lyrics to the song to my layout.  Here is a link to the video too.

Tyrel was super excited to get to play church basketball for the first time ever this year.  Our stake has had girls basketball for years, but this is the first year they have done it for the boys.  Unfortunately, they only scheduled two games.  But, since he is also playing city league ball this year, he got some new shoes that were part of his Christmas present even though he got them early.  Trevin had a Christmas concert the same night as the 2nd game, but I made it for the 2nd half to take some pictures.  Unfortunately again, Tyrel twisted his ankle about 10 minutes after I got there.  Not sure if it was not being used to the new shoes or not.  Hopefully it will heal in time for city league ball to start.

Christmas Concert and Church Ball

Trevin's Christmas choir concert was tonight.  It was awesome!  Choir concerts always get me in the Christmas mood every year.  He says it is his favorite class this year and his teacher seems like so much fun.  He says if she goes to the new Jr. High next year, he will probably continue on with choir, so I hope she goes to the new Jr. High!  The most fun number was "Grandma's Killer Fruitcake", but they sang so many good songs with the girl's choir singing one of my favorites "Breath of Heaven".  Loved it!

pictures to follow

After the concert, I rushed to Tyrel's church basketball game and was able to catch the last half.  They were playing the Mountain View ward and stomping them.  Tyrel ended up rolling the same ankle he sprained playing volleyball a couple months ago in co-ed team sports, but I did get to see him play for a bit before that.  Their team played pretty well together and seemed to be having fun.

pictures to follow

Tree Trimming

We usually set up the tree the day after Thanksgiving, but this year we were a little late.  We were about a week into December before finally dragging it out.  Sean's aversion to hanging lights (even though he is excellent at it) has rubbed off on the boys, so it's a good thing we now have a pre-lit tree.  It took us a total of about 15 minutes to unpack, set up, light, and decorate the tree (start to finish).  Yes, I know, we are amazing!  It looked beautiful when they were done.

Gingerbread Houses 2011

The boys have at least one tradition they will still participate in.  This is their favorite one I guess.  Trevin was pretty psyched that he didn't have to give his to his teacher this year since he isn't in elementary anymore.  They have let the traditional houses go by the wayside though.  This year Travis, our future missionary, made a temple gingerbread house filled with lots and lots of gumdrops. 

 Trevin started out making a rocket ship, but that didn't quite work as planned, so he just stuffed it with as many mint m&ms as he could. 

 Tyrel made an architectural wonder that I'm amazed could stand on it's own.