Monday, April 30, 2012

Seven Hundred and Thirty

That is how many days I have been married to my favorite honeybunches. Best 730 days of my life. We took the whole week to celebrate (mixed in with finals and finishing up projects and packing . . .).

Day 1 Monday April 23

Charles and I went to see the lactation consultant at BABS (wonderful place). We learned about nursing and eating solid foods (as soon as he can sit up we can just give him whatever we want- not even pureed!) and we learned that he is still tongue-tied. We think maybe it grew back from the last TWO times he got it clipped. Poor kid. And his upper lip was really tied down. So, she got us an appointment to see the ear, nose, throat doctor for Wednesday.

Day 2 Tuesday April 24

Day of actual anniversary. Joshua spent all day and evening at school. :) What can you do . . . Oh, but we did sleep in 'til like 11! The three of us just snuggled in bed (thank you, Baby C!) all morning until we finally got up and made a yummy waffle brunch.

PJ brunch


Kissy-kissy!

Day 3 Wednesday April 25

This day we planned to go out to dinner at a secret place only known to Joshua. But then I got all freaked out that the missionaries were coming and I had forgotten about it. I texted Joshua and told him to come home asap and so he did. When he got home he asked, "So, did you sign up to have them over on Wednesday or Thursday?" It was really Thursday. So we just ate some food at home. At least I bitz cleaned the house! Oh, and we ate some chocolate and watched our wedding video. Best wedding video in the whole world of the best wedding celebration in the whole world. Let me know if you would like to order a copy for your DVD collection:

Click here to watch movie.  It will make you smile all day.

Earlier that day I took Charles to the ENT (ear, nose, throat...). He was a big hit with all the lady nurses. They just loved his hair. Dr said yep, it will probably help his nursing to have his tongue and lip clipped. I hate to make him go through the ordeal again, but I hope it makes eating time more enjoyable for all parties involved.


He likes banana Mum Mum rice crackers.


Day 4 Thursday April 26

This is the day when the missionaries really did come over for dinner. We felt like grown-ups having the elders to our house. Charles enjoyed hearing all about missionary work. When he grows up, he wants to be a missionary too.

Elder Santy is Charles' first missionary friend. They hit it off well.


Elder Santy, Elder Wheatley, Elder Floyd

Day 5 Friday April 27


Drive-in movies! Ok, but let's back up to 3:45 am when I had to wake little Charles up. He could not eat for 4 hours before his surgery and I wanted to make sure he didn't go 12 hours without food! The procedure was early, but fast, and Baby C Did well. He was a little cuddly the rest of the day, but otherwise he was a trooper. I have to be really good this time at stretching out and massaging his lip/tongue/mouth (it's a little gross . . .).


He's in the jailhouse now . . . .
(actually he is just playing and waiting to be wheeled to surgery . . . )



We heard the "flower power song of the day" 
on the radio station and picked up these free 
carnations on our way home from picking up 
Joshua and getting 25-cent donuts 
during Donut Happy Hour.


That evening we took our Rally's burgers and seasoned fries to the Starlite Drive-in Movie Theater. I was thinking I was going to see a Snow White movie, but appearantly it had been swapped out for the Three Stooges. I was pretty dissappointed. But Joshua was immediately 10 times more excited to be at the movies, so I guess it was worth it. :)


 




Day 6 Saturday April 28




Joshua made a delicious gourmet lunch for us.
Quinoa strawberry mushroom salad, topped with caramelized
walnuts and lemon yogurt salad dressing

We went to dinner at a restaurant called Falafels.  Josh ate Shukshuuk (chunky tomato sauce with sunnyside eggs and falafels on top) while Erica had the Shawarfel (shawarma i.e. chicken roasted on a vertical spit combined with falafel, dipped in tzazhiki which is yogurt saurce).  We saw this cool abstract painting of Jerusalem on the wall above our table.  It made us think of Christina.


This is sounding like the food channel.  We do like good food. And good friend [sic] and good times.


We had  a great week. We will top off the blog post with a movie of cute Baby C playing with his toys.




Saturday, April 21, 2012

My heart cried.


                                                 Joshua, Erica, Starks, Norman and Buddy


Sad news from back at the Nelson Homestead/Zion house: Farmer Jonathan reported earlier that the blue aragona, Sharp, passed away today from unknown causes. She is joining her good friend Thisbe (left us a few months previous) and Buddy the Rabbit (bless his heart).  Oh, how we will miss our dear little hens, some of whom we raised from little chicks. My heart cried.


Raccoons, but not in the garden

Last night we heard scary noises on our rooftop. If it were Christmas Eve, we wouldn't have been so worried. Turns out it was just this little guy:


 Wonder how he got up there; wonder how he was planning on getting down. Good thing our veggies are growing in the community garden plot instead of on our balcony . . .



Workin' hard. . .


Hardly working. 


Just like in Peru

Walnut tree!


Don't eat our plants, baby bunny!


Nice having a portable heater on my back.


It was supposed to be warmer today.


Uh-oh, mealy worm!



Jo went to sleep tonight crying, "Charles! Charles!" We had a good day together at the garden.



Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Our house.

Welcome.





Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our ...

Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our ...

Father wears his Sunday best
Mother's tired she needs a rest
The kids are playing up downstairs
Sister's sighing in her sleep
Brother's got a date to keep
He can't hang around

Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our ...

Our house it has a crowd
There's always something happening
And it's usually quite loud
Our mum she's so house-proud
Nothing ever slows her down
And a mess is not allowed

Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our...

Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our...
Something tells you that you've got to get away from it

Father gets up late for work
Mother has to iron his shirt
Then she sends the kids to school
Sees them off with a small kiss
She's the one they're going to miss
In lots of ways

Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our...

I remember way back then when everything was true and when
We would have such a very good time such a fine time
Such a happy time
And I remember how we'd play simply waste the day away
Then we'd say nothing would come between us two dreamers

Father wears his Sunday best
Mother's tired she needs a rest
The kids are playing up downstairs
Sister's sighing in her sleep
Brother's got a date to keep
He can't hang around

Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our street

Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our ...

Our house, was our castle and our keep
Our house, in the middle of our street

Our house, that was where we used to sleep
Our house, in the middle of our street

Our house, in the middle of our street

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Louisville Sluggers

First at-bat


Baby and the Babe


As time wore on, I was more excited than baby Charles


Reading all about bats. There was a tour of the bat factory but we weren't allowed to take pictures during it, for fear that we would reveal all of their bat-making secrets

Giant Glove


Giant Bat
I learned to bat left-handed



Batfight



Broken window



The girls marched off to war




By dinnertime, we were egg-zausted


The best fire-breathing chicken in all of Kentucky



Worst movie of Louisville ever. Even Erica isn't sure what it is. Submit your best guess to the comments section, and if we ever figure out what this movie was attempting to depict, and you happened to guess it right, we'll send you a prize. 

But we were sure glad to get back to the Hoosier State




{this post by visiting blogger Joshua}

Dasvidania, Aunt Sister Nelson!!

Dear Aunt Sister Nelson,

Remember all the good times we had together so far? 
I had a lot of fun playing with you in California and in 
Bloomington. 


Hang on Baby Charles! I miss pulling her long hair . . .


Mohawk on the way home from Louisville 

Long day visiting IU campus


Chilaxin.

Then, last month you went into the MTC. To learn about spiritual things and how to teach people about Jesus Christ, and how to speak the Russian language. You are a good example for me and my family. We are trying to be good missionaries, too.



When you drop off a missionary at the MTC, you can no longer take pictures in front of the MTC sign (it doesn't exist anymore and the drop of is basically a kiss-n-kick). So, the day before, Grandpa took her to get a picture anyway. Sneaky. Someday mommy will photoshop the sign in. 


Sister Nelson (she stole mommy's missionary name, btw . . . mommy says she misses it) singing in General Conference. How famous! She said all the general authorities were so cute - turning around and smiling and giving them thumbs ups. :)
In the same choir as David Archuleta. Wow. 


 Today we got to talk to you at the airport in-route to Russia. I loved staring at the phone - it was nice to hear your voice. Good thing we only have to wait a few weeks until we can talk to you on Mother's Day!!! Maybe even Skype, then you can see my cute face and fluffy hair.


Mommy and I made you this really cool letter pouch so you can save all our letters and keep track of when to write us back:




Look, my easter outfit matches your letter holder!



Dasvidania, cectpa HelcoH, dasvidania. Until next year . . .

Love, Baby Charles.