Summer Dinner Party

 Tonight, Jane threw the most magical, romantic summer dinner party.

Everything was mostly homemade, including all the sauces,

drinks, bread, pasta, and the fresh peach pie for dessert.

It was SUCH a fun night!

Does anyone need/want a personal chef?

Call JANE!  (Seriously).

Meanwhile, THE KITTENS!

I Testify...

This morning at church, 

a man in the ward said at the pulpit as he was sharing

his testimony, 

"I testify that Minnie Nielson is the cutest baby in the ward."

We all had a good chuckle.

But, like, really, she is.

After church, we stopped by the studio to get a few treats

that we keep in the office.

It's actually a regular Sunday activity.

Welcome Home, Kids!

Last night, these three arrived from 

Arizona for a week of Nielson fun.

I AM IN HEAVEN! 

This morning, Jane and I both taught class at Barre3,

 then we all went out to lunch together.

Claire wanted Chopt- one of our favorite restaurants,

that she misses living away.

Later, Jane made cookies, and we grazed on garden-grown veggies

and Jane's homemade Baba ghanoush.

I love having all these hands, arms, and smiles for Minnie.

She's LOVING it too!

Someone ALWAYS wants to hold and mug on her.

Or feed, change, dress, and bathe her.

It's incredible.

This little girl is the luckiest, most loved baby in the world.

Oh my gosh, having my kids home is heaven for me.

But I miss Gigs so much.

We all do.

We usually sit around and tell funny stories about him,

like when his Ball Python snake, Candace, bit his ear, 

and he had to come down to 

our room like at 1:00 am and have Christian help pull her off.

This is the best way to welcome August!

Zombies

 Christian made it home from his week-long camping trip 

with the young men at church.

He said it was a really good time, with the most beautiful views 

in the Smoky Mountains.  

On the last day, his air mattress popped, and so he came home with a

super sore back.  And then we both decided we're just old.

Meanwhile at Stillestead, somehow Angus escaped our fence last night

and was locked out of our gate.

I woke up around 1:00 am to feed Minnie and heard him barking, and he

didn't stop until 6:00 am when I found him at the gate waiting

to be let in.

I wasn't about to get up in the creepy dark to walk the long journey to

our driveway gate to let him back in.  Heck no.  

We have coyotes that howl, and it sounds like a pack of zombies

 are headed my way.

Glad he's home; I missed him.

Kewpie

 Today, my brother Topher would have turned 53.  

I miss him and think about him every single day.

Topher loved babies, and loved my babies because they were, as Toph

would say, "super fat".  

He'd have ADORED Minnie.  

If he were here, I'd text him this amazing photo of Minnie

side by side with a Kewpie doll, because they are basically the same

and that would make him laugh.

Sometimes I wonder where he is and what he is doing.

I can't believe he's gone to the place we all talk and wonder about.

Head Full Of Projects

 

Jane and I spent the morning working in the loft bedroom, painting both nooks

a shade of green that, I think, perfectly represents North Carolina.

It's called 'Garden Spot'.  (chef's kiss).

I forgot how hard it is having a 6-month-old and a head full of projects.

I had to beg Lottie to take Minnie for a walk down to the pasture

to see the cows.  While she was gone, I got a considerable amount of work done.

I have to admit, I'm pretty efficient- something my girls haven't learned yet.

They mosey around, check their phones, mosey around more, and then

before I know it, they are lying on the ground watching me work.

Jane and Lottie went to the studio for Jane's class, 

while I stayed home and tried to accomplish something.

The struggle is real.

In August, I am going to get serious about helping Minnie (and me)

with a legit schedule for nap and bedtime.

Woof.  

Not my strong suit.

Jane came home and got Minnie to sleep while I made burritos.

We Nielsons eat burritos probably 2 times a week.

Seven Minutes

Today, after Jane got home from the studio, she and I started a project.

We've wanted to paint the nooks in the upstairs loft for years.

I don't think that Minnie likes it when I do anything other than

hold, play, feed, or snuggle with her.

I put her in her swing right in front of the TV and put on Baby Einstein.

She liked it, and she lasted for about seven minutes.

That's seven minutes, though, and I got the wall taped!

I hope we finish the project tomorrow.

Christian has been with the church young men in the mountains camping

since Monday.

He gets home Thursday.

 I'm finishing (and starting) projects because

on Friday Claire, Nate & Ollie come to visit!

I AM SO EXCITED!

 

Kittens And Babies

Three weeks ago, Kitty had kitties.  

Two adorable little boy kitties who look almost 

identical to her.  We still haven't nailed down names yet.

Kitty has been the best mama, and I am so touched every time I go outside

on our back porch and see her curled up in her bed with the two 

kitties snuggled up to her nursing.

Maybe it's because I'm in the same boat, but man, it really just gets me.

Today I took Minnie outside with me as I checked on the kitties

and filled up water and food.

We played for a minute.

The kittens are so curious and SO ADORABLE.

Oh my goodness, I could just watch them all day.

I love them and am so worried I'll never want to find homes for

them in September when it's safe for them to wean. 

But for now, we will just enjoy, cuddle, and take the cutest pictures

of them with Minnie.

Seriously though, is there anything cuter than

 kittens and chubby babies?

Here We Are

. 

This afternoon, Christian, Minnie, 

and I went to REI in Raleigh to get camping gear

and food for his upcoming campout with the Young Men in the ward

next week.  He's been on many a Campout with a big group of boys,

except this will be the first time he's going without a boy of his own.

We used to talk about the day when he'd go on these trips

without Ollie or Gigs, thinking it would be so far off.

But here we are.

My Little Diva

 Without fail, Minnie ends up in my bed in the morning.

I'm on autopilot and usually don't remember getting up to 

take her out of her crib in the middle of the night.

But last night we had a major lightning/thunder storm, and one of

the booms was so loud it even woke me up.

Immediately, Minnie screamed out.

I jumped right up.

I ran and got her, and snuggled her in my bed with me.

It's amazing how quickly she calms down.

OoOoOoOhhhhh I love her so much!

I also LOVE taking morning photos of her.

This was today.

What a little diva.

Playing Catch-Up For Gigs

This morning, I received a message from Elder Nielson, 

who was transferred from Slovakia to Olomouc, Czechia, 

where he continues to serve the people and teach them about Jesus.

He asked me to PLEASE update my blog so he can read it.  
I felt so sad that I have gotten so far behind, especially since 

Gigs has never in his whole life before now even looked at my blog,

AND he has a new baby sister who he's dying to know.

So, here we go.  

I'm trying to keep up with everything going forward

AND go back to February of this year, when I stopped blogging

and got so behind (for obvious reasons) and play catch-up. 

It's hard to sit down at a computer and 

 blog with a 6-month-old who only likes to be held.

But I'll do my best!

Hey, cute Elder Nielson, enjoy!

Tonight, we watched the World Cup final.  

Minnie wore her blue & white and rooted for Messi and Argentina.

They lost.

We've LOVED watching the teams play in America, but

CRINGED at how dramatic the players can be.