Multiple Nelsons

We had the everyone over for Tapoica Night! This is a tradition in our family, my dad used to make a HUGE batch of tapoica and everyone took turns sturring the pot. Then the quadruple batch always gotten eaten. Les made the batch and it was really good. I ususally don't like it but I had some of Marissa's bowl. After dinner and dessert we did the famous Robison (Mom's side of the family) Indian Leg wrestling. I beat Colette! Yeah. Daniel (Colette's boyfriend) was creamed by Les. Annie and I leg wrestled each other, we couldn't tell who won b/c we couldn't flip each other. I finally gave in and let her flip me. Grant tried to go up against Les and lost. Elise and Tessa did it too!

Can you believe at one years old, Marissa is wanting to dust. How awesome! :) Of course she wouldn't have wanted to dust without Troy and I's influence. hehehe!

On Christmas Eve we went to the Hall's house and opened gifts. Since I was a child, our tradition has always been this: Reenact the Nativity Story and open up gifts from family on Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas morning Santa's gift would be there with our stockings stuffed! It was nice watching the kids reenact the nativity story. It was quite cute! Christmas morning we headed over to the Nelson's house and spent Christmas night with them. We played games, ate and watched movies!

Last night the we ventured over to the Halls to have a Gingerbread house contest. It was great and differently interesting. The theme this year in the Gingerbread contest was, "Remembering Grandma Loanne and Grandpa Paul in Australia". Among all of the entries there was really only two houses. The first entry was Elise and me. Elise had the idea of doing a home with lots of landscaping around it. It reminded her of Grandma Loanne's landscaping creativity. Annie's entry was a lovely quilted graham cracker with log cabin designs. What a colorful quilt. The next entry was Colette and Daniel. It took a while b/c they wanted to build mom and dad's house but it ended up being a huge compounded looking graham cracker fortress . So after considerable discussions the plan was changed and ended being a lovely little romantic Cottage with lots of snow around it. Another entry was Les and Grant's, a skyscraper with a pond and they used the most candy out of all...

Since I am home with a bad cold I thought I would snap a couple of pictures. As I was putting some of Marissa's clothes away, low and behold she wanted to get on the bouncy. With her feet dangling out and shaking the entire bouncy, you think she would be too big for this!

On Saturday December 15th as a family we trekked to the NCState vs SCState Basketball game. It was great and exciting. We encountered expensive parking costs and food, but we endured and survived. Thanks Rachel (my sister) for putting this together. I think the Halls, Colette, Daniel and the Nelsons all had a good time. I felt bad for little Evan (Ewan, as Rachel says) b/c he wasn't feeling good. We were all "decked" out in our Red (too bad for Troy and Les being other fans for other schools) and it was awesome!

So we had an YW/YM activity at the house and one of the YW drop their gloves in the driveway. We thought they might fit Marissa. Well I guess they don't. :)

In the first picture Marissa & Owen (Friend's little boy, 15 months) are trying to hug. I don't if it is a choke hold or just a friendly hug.:) I think he likes her. In the bottom two pictures the friends are: 1st picture-Amber Ogarek Taylor (9 months pregnant) & Owen, 2nd picture - Helen Starritt Durrant (8 months pregnant), Alana Ogarek Hutchins (6.5 months pregnant), Gabriel Hutchins and Angie Gandolph Waldorf. We had the shower for my friend Amber and it was a blast. She is having a girl and her kids will be 16 months apart.

Posing while climbing the dishwasher Marissa has figured out how to climb the rocking chair. Marissa is trying to climb again!

Jean Leavitt tagged me this past week and I know I was tagged by someone else way back (I think by one of my cousins). I usually don't do these "tagged things" b/c I don't. Anyway to answer the tagged, I am thankful for EVERYTHING!!! hehehe:) But on the serious side here are the 3 top things I am thankful for: 1. My family, Troy, Marissa and our extended families 2. The Gospel - temples, callings, activities, the prophets (past and present) and etc... 3. How fortunate we are in this day in age to live. The conveniences, luxuries, hardships, our country and whatever else I can't think of now. (I am really tired from playing basketball tonight)

We invited the Halls & Nelsons over for Marissa's first birthday. She loved the cake and got many gifts from Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, mom and dad. Getting undressed to get messy! "Hum... let me get this." I think this is worth it. Yummmm!

Troy and Colette working together. Daddy and Marissa (she was getting tired) Mommy and Marissa The Finished Product!

We have the Purcells (Matt and Dawn) and the Nelsons (Travis and Lisa) staying with us. We are playing games, eating too much food, watching movies and relaxing. I didn't get any pictures from the Turkey Bowl, Dawn took some. I will have to get those from her. Enjoy!

Almost one-year old with pretty Pig Tails. Another Popcorn Lover!

  Here is another outfit I tested for Sherrie's website. I love sewing the cute outfits Marissa will wear this spring. While I was taking these pictures she kept moving and was on the go. She will be walking soon. Already taking 3 & 4 steps at a time. AHH! I not ready for that yet. I just gated off the stairs. Enjoy!

 

Happy Halloween! We took Marissa Trick or Treating to 2-3 houses in the Hall's neighborhood. It was fun but after about 20 minutes pulling her in the big wagon she and I were done. I still am sick and have been since Wednesday the 24th of October (Laryngitis, runny nose and cough). I thought I was better but nope. We went back to Hall's to take some pictures with Daddy, Colette and Evan. It was a good night (except for me still being sick).

Mischevious Marissa was silently playing in the bathroom. We already put the toilet brush, trash can and other stuff up. "Low and behold" the toilet paper roll was discovered and she started eating. I had to capture the moment!   These next two pictures are of an outfit I tested for my sister, Sherrie. Sherrie makes e-books and handles the testing of new books. I am one of the tester's e-books and thought this outfit turned out great! Here is the website: www.youcanmakethis.com    

We went to the fair as a family and it was great. That day we were supposed to have rain and severe thunderstorms. Well it rained in the morning and one storm came through that afternoon in 10 minutes. We were at the fair for the afternoon and had a gorgeous day!!!! We missed all the rainy mess. Troy didn't try every kind of fried food like he usually does, actually I ate more fair food than he did. He did try a fried cheeseburger, it was that or either a fried peanut-butter and jelly sandwich. Tyler Nelson, Troy's nephew also tagged along with us and rode a couple of rides. We went and saw all the animals, sewing exhibits and etc.. Enjoy the pictures!