You know it's cold outside when....

When you have full blown ice on the INSIDE of your windows, not just a little frost.

The other morning, we noticed it was a bit more chilly than normal. We've been having wonderful January weather, up around 50. Not that morning though. Even after the sun came up, it was a whoopin 35 below zero. Nice. Very nice.

(THIS totally describes how we're feeling! click here )

I think we might actually be starting to build!!!!

So Sad

So, yesterday Brinlee was playing in the tub, and kinda had a fight with a brush.

I think the brush won.

After a few tears, and surprisingly little hair loss, she made it out of the tub safely.

Ah ha ha HA!! Looking through my phone pictures...

So, I'll probably get a little crap from my brothers for this, but it's just too funny not to share! (or at least, it was "WAY" funny at two o' clock in the morning when we did it!)
Over the Christmas holiday when I was in Logan, I was cutting out foam to line a bag for my camera gear, and I had a few extra pieces. So, like I said, it was a little late - or early? and we got a little weird. But, that's what usually happens when we get together. What can I say? We haven't really grown up yet?

My brother Brig - with a studly fluffy "beard"......

.... and his 'beak'....

... and then we were chickens.......

(my mom was trying to take the picture)

... both my baby bros,(David & Brig) with their awesome 'beaks'

DANG WE HAVE FUN BEING STUPID!

I have had more requests of doing indoor, studio type photography. This is not something I'm used to doing (or, in my opinion, very good at!). So, today, since it was snowing, I took the opportunity to corner my family, and convince them I needed to practice. I also needed to fill a picture frame that my sweet little brother gave me for Christmas! So... here are the results....

Welcome to the Family Baby Jace!

Jace is my newest little nephew, and a sweet little chub with awesome cheeks to kiss. Congrats to my little brother, and his darling wife, (who looked gorgeous after delivery..NOT FAIR!) Between their blue eyed beauty, and this 'hunk' of a boy, they've got a wonderful little family!!

Love you guys!

Here's my sweet babykins! I kissed him a lot on Saturday, before we had to leave him again. Dang he's still so cute, huh? My mom and dad, on the far left, Cassandra and Max with my darling little bunch of sweetness, then my yucky mug, and oohh la la - next is grandpa! Gosh I wonder where Porter get's his awesome good looks from? Hmmm?

(whew, it's a little warm in here!)

Merry Christmas y'all! Here we are a
couple weeks ago. I finally broke down,
and we got a tree. Then I finally broke down
and put it up. I figured we needed to take a
picture to prove that it happened. It wasn't
just a rumor. =) It will be a quiet Christmas
here on the homestead. The two big kids are
gone to see their dad this year. Maybe that
just means more room under the tree for
two little kids? ha ha ha!

Well, no matter what happens - from our

family to all of you, enjoy your holiday! We love you and wish the best for your families!

There is something seriously wrong with Wyoming weather.

Driving home from Utah yesterday, we went over South Pass and were all in awe at how cold it was. However, when we arrived home last night, it was 20 below zero, and our little house was more like an igloo. Finally at 11:00 this morning, it's comfortable, (that's close to warm!) but outside it's still -12 !!!
This is CRAZY!!???!

So you'll never guess how my day went......

All you have to do is ask Brinlee. She'll tell you all about "pig nuts". Wow the ranch is educational!

I had the Sister Missionaries over for dinner last night, and since we are on a ranch..... and since I happen to have some boots, and a hat available.............

Actually, you might recognize the background. This was just some photo shop practice. It was pitch black when we were outside. They both actually wanted a picture with the horses; but it was too dark to try to go down in the fields to get the horses, and it was a flippin 9 degrees! It's gettin a little frosty here in Wyoming!
So, I put a really nice, warm background in. Those wonderful sunrises come in handy, don't they?!

.... dinner was good too. :)

Thought I'd share my morning with you!

This is what I woke up to this morning........

Actually, it looks like this most mornings, today I just decided to brave the 20 degrees and run out to shoot proof of it. It is one of the perks of living in Wyoming I guess. What a great way to begin the day.

I'm so glad Bryan cooks. We spent Thanksgiving here at home. Bryan ended up having to take call during part of the break (SO unusual, I know!) But we did have plenty of time together, which was wonderful. Especially since I've never cooked a turkey in my life! We've had loads of fun playing games, watching videos, (Lord of the Rings marathon, yahoo!) and of course, eating.

With so much that has happened over the last few months, I have so much to be thankful for this time of year. Our family has been watched over and blessed time and time again. We may joke about our "pioneer" living, with our wood stove, no dishwasher, one bathroom, and living amongst the cows, but we have been so taken care of. We have plenty to eat. We have a warm home. We have dear friends. And we have each other. We have learned so many great lessons because of what our family has been through. How could we not be thankful for our trials? Without them, we would not grow. I have learned to appreciate the strength of my own testimony in Christ. I have been amazed at the strength of my children as they stand up for what they believe in. I'm grateful that no matter where I live, there are those that have a knowledge, as I do, that our Savior provides for us. I'm thankful for those friends. I'm grateful for friends that we had to leave behind, that offered so much support and love. How could we have survived without the strength of those closest to us? I'm grateful for a husband that keeps on trying; that really does love his family enough to do whatever it takes, to keep us together. I am amazed that my Father in Heaven loves me so much, that he has carried us through the last four months with hardly a bump. As crazy as it has been, our lives have moved on with as much abundance as we have ever been blessed with before.

How lucky are we, that we have had a time of reflection to ponder the many things we have been freely given! I hope that all of you have had just as wonderful of a week as I have........

Love you all!! Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's some pictures of our sweet Porter, or as Bryan likes to refer to him- "Stormin". ;)
We enjoyed our weekend visit to meet him and Cassandra.

He's Here!!

This is Porter Norman Nielson - Bryan's grandson! Cassandra delivered (by C-section) at eight o' clock tonight. He's 8 lbs 2 oz. and 20 inches long. Big stinker already, huh? This was the photo they sent us by phone..... no worries though. We're heading down this weekend, and I'm sure we'll get some really great pictures to post. ( I know a GREAT photographer! ha ha!) Yeah! All went well. Both are healthy. Be sure to tell GRANDPA congratulations!!

I just wanted to share my latest favorite photo. I took this a couple of days before we left to go to Utah.

My awesome Sanpete Valley.........

First of all~ can I just say that we had the BEST EVER Halloween! Who else is crazy enough to travel 400 miles just to go trick-of-treating!? Well, of course, US! We took off on Thursday, made the long drive to Ephraim to see all of our friends.......

(This is Maranda after she RAN down the street to see her Sami.. who was TOTALLY caught of guard! Way awesome to see that surprise!)

.....and participate in the Ephraim Elementary Costume Parade.

Halloween fun continued as we went to the 5th Ward's Trunk-r-Treat Friday night. We tossed kids aside at the Hermansen's, (thanks Becki & Todd for shackin' us up!)

(hangin out, so much fun! Stock and Tyra really are the same age. We just grow 'em short)

and Bryan and I went to a much needed trip to the Manti Temple. What a relief and blessing that was. With our closest temple being in Billings Montana, we haven't been able to go since we moved. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to be sitting in our favorite temple again. Ahh the peace.(taken with my sweet little cell phone, gotta love technology, right?)

Bryan was able to head up north and pick up his girls to visit and stay at his mom's house in West Point. Maranda, Taylor and I stayed in Ephraim and hung out some more. We saw friends, and I got to go to the temple one more time. We were able to hit church and see a few more people there as well. BIG thank you to Wayne and Ardith for letting stay Saturday night. (and for sending us home with TWO loaves of the BEST homemade bread ever!)

(take note... rare photo with ME in it, and I actually posted it!)

Sunday afternoon, we all met up together at Cassandra's, (Bryan's oldest daughter) so that we could take the opportunity to compare all of our belly's!

Cassandra is due to have her first
baby, our FIRST
GRANDSON!!! in just
a few short weeks.
So, we wanted to wish her
well, before life totally
changes for her.
Crazy, huh? Bryan is going to be a Grandpa? Ew?! He's actually very
excited and looking forward to little "Porter". (We'll post as soon as he comes!)

We finished up our weekend trip in Logan. By the time we got to Grandma's and Grandpa's, we were SO tired. But do you think that we went to bed early? Of course not. Taylor and Stockton had Uncle Brig and the big screen downstairs, and Randa followed Aunt Millie everywhere. Brin and her cousin Ally had a blast. Two peas in a pod. Both darling, both look so sweet and innocent.... both get dangerous when quiet.

(Brin & Ally, you should see that girl shake her "thing"! And Millie and Grandpa playing games on Millie's cell phone)

Somehow through the whole trip, my kids kept getting a hold of my camera! Dang kids! But I guess it proves that I was actually there.

Overall, it was a great trip. Very much needed. Such a good break, and so much fun to see people we love. Even the road trip wasn't too bad - oh, except the part where Bryan didn't watch the map and we ended up in La Barge instead of Thermopolis coming home. (oh the agony of living in the middle of nowhere!) All said and done, it was GREAT!