Current conditions in Bangkok Thailand as of 7:00 am ICT
Mostly Cloudy
Feels Like:
65°
Barometer:
29.91 in
Humidity:
91%
Visibility:
6.21 mi
Dewpoint:
63°
Wind:
CALM
Sunrise:
6:30 am
Sunset:
5:50 pm
High: 85 degrees
Low: 65 degrees
Kids' conversation this morning:
Kambren says, "Ambrian go outside & feel the air."
Ambrian excitedly shivers, "It feels like America!"
Ambrian calls to Rhees, "Rhees! Come here! Go feel outside."
Rhees squeals with delight, "Oh yay! It's just like America!!"
Aybrielle suggests to Ambrian, with an excited grin, "You better put on warm clothes today! It's as cold as it is in America!"
We must be having one of the coolest years yet since we have been here. Probably not, but we think it every year as we are thrilled to have some cool weather during the holidays. (And a lower electricity bill from using less air conditioning...) The air in the morning & in the evening is perfect. Cool temperatures, lower humidity than normal, & the smell of smoke from fires burning all through the neighborhood from people trying to keep warm, brings back lots of memories of Utah/Idaho weather. (Okay, well maybe that is an exaggeration. At least April/May weather.) But it is still very cool to us, & the Thais must be absolutely freezing!
Bring on the hot chocolate!
'Tis the Season!!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Baby It's Cold Outside!!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Has it been 5 Months???
I really can't believe that it has been so long since I have posted anything. I took my computer to America with me this past summer so that I could do a really great Father's Day blog for Devin with pictures from the computer, but to no avail, didn't get anything done - ever. The entire summer flew by & I didn't login to Blogger 1 single time. Sorry, to all you "Thai Nielsons" diehards out there. Ha ha. I know there really aren't that many of you, so I didn't feel like I had let that many people down. I have meant to start up again & get some really fun blogs up about our fun summer & also some things that have been going on since we came back, but since I left the cord to my camera at Mom's house, I have been unable to download any pictures; which would have made any potential post really boring. So, I have totally put blogging on the back burner. However, I finally got the bug to at least write something, & give a little shout out to Crys since she has commented on the lack of new posts. This one is for you!
So, we arrived back home safe & sound & have many wonderful memories of our 2+ months in Utah, Idaho, & Wyoming. Lots of awesome future posts when I figure out how to get pictures to my computer without the cord... For now you'll have to settle for a boring, picture-less post, but informative nonetheless.
Rhees is enjoying 6th grade, or should I say, tolerating 6th grade. The only thing that I really know he is enjoying, is his 2 hours of writing/composition tutoring from our Bishop's wife, & the "after school" time with his friends. Does "after school" count as part of school??? He does love science & looks forward to our science projects. He also really enjoys reading. He turned 12 on September 4th & was ordained a deacon on the 7th. He has really loved passing the Sacrament & going to Young Men's. Except for the week that he broke his foot (5th metatarcil bone) while he was AT Young Mens. He said that he just stepped back & turned & then heard a snap & fell to the ground. I didn't think that it could really be broken since he didn't fall on it or anything, so I let him crawl around the house for 2 days before I was convinced that I should take him to have an x-ray. That earned me the "Mother of the Year" award. Who doesn't rush their child immediately to the ER? It is probably a lucky thing that I'm living here in Thailand, since if I would have been in America & waited 2 days before seeking medical help, I most likely would have been arrested on suspicion of child abuse. Anyway, he is in a walking boot & is getting along fine. It turned out that the bone wasn't actually completely broken. It is broken only about 3/4 of the way through the bone. But it has still been very painful & will take the same amount of time to heal as a complete fracture. He has been a really great sport & has honestly hardly complained. He is still waiting for me to buy him a guitar so that he can begin guitar lessons. That really is on my "to do" list this next week.
Ambrian is having a great year so far in 4th grade. She loves math & writing stories. She started gymnastics 2 days a week at a different gym & is having the time of her life. Her favorite part is the tumbling, but she is also learning the beam & the bars. She has nearly got her round off back handspring un-aided, & can do a back tuck & whip on the trampoline or off the mat into the pit. She can do a front tuck on the mat & is working on mastering front & back walk-overs. She is also really loving learning to play the violin. I'm just kicking myself that I didn't end up starting her last year, since her AWESOME teacher is moving back to Utah in December. Mindy Hillman is a fabulous violinist/fiddler & used to play for the Orchestra at Temple Square. From what I understand, she will play with them again once they get settled back in West Jordan. Anyway, Ambi seems to be doing great with her violin. She is also doing really well with piano. It has all of a sudden started to click for her & she is always playing & wanting to learn new songs. Yes, that is "music" to my ears!!
Aybrielle is loving being in 1st grade. It just sounds so much funner to say that you are in 1st grade than Kindergarten. Or at least she thinks so. She is a diligent, little student & is doing really well. She LOVES books & could sit & read books all day. She enjoys math as well, & has even started to memorize some Times Tables. She loves to draw & is actually quite good. Aybrielle started to learn violin with Ambrian, but changed her mind a few weeks into it & decided to wait a little while to continue. She is having fun learning to play the piano though & seems to have a little knack for it. YaY!! She is loving going to ballet & looks so darling in her little pink ballet suit. What little girl doesn't look cute in a pink ballet suit, tights, & shoes?!! It is fun for her that her friend Molly Bunker is in her class too. She does gymnastics once a week with Ambrian & is working on her standing back bend & round off. She also wanted to do Girl Scouts again this year (surprise! surprise!) & is in the Bluebird troop.
Kambren is always busy!! He loves riding his bike & has just figured out that he can ride Aybrielle's bigger bike. He loves swimming & always wants to be in the water - without his floaty suit on. He's a little daredevil. He loves to be with the kids while they are doing their schoolwork. We bought him a little desk like each of the kids have so that he could have a place to do his coloring & cutting. I transformed the extra room that we had a bed in when Mom & Lynn, & Mom & Jim were here to be a school room. We took the bed out & put the 4 desks & chairs in there. I also borrowed an extra cupboard from the neighborhood store room so that I could have an extra place to keep all the books & things. We have hung posters of all kinds; multiplication, colors, ABCs, hundred chart, senses, & numbers. It really does look like a school room. We even have a calendar that the kids put numbers on each day. Okay, it is a little bit juvenile for Rhees & Ambrian, but they still like taking turns putting the day up. So, back to Kambren, sometimes all he does is sit & play Magnetix at his desk, but he is having fun. I did start the "Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons" & he seems to be doing well at it. It's a good thing that the lessons are short, only about 15 minutes, or he would be long gone before we finished. Maybe he will end up being my 1 child who is reading going into Kindergarten. (Not that I really think it makes any difference though. They all catch up.)
Kalen! Oh what a giggly, silly, scrumptious, active, ball of lovable 18 month old. When he isn't charming us all with his absolutely adorable laugh or attempts to mimick everything we say, he is playing cat or dog on the floor - literally. He will purposely spill his food out of his bowl & then put his face down to lick it up. Okay, you will never believe this, but the other day at gymnastics he was sitting on the floor reading books & there happened to be some ants crawling on the floor. So, he looked at them for a second & then he got up on all 4s & put his face down with his tongue out & tried to lick up the ants. I nearly died! If I wasn't laughing so hard, I would have gotten to him quicker before he actually licked the floor. I didn't really think he would do it. And it probably won't be the last time he proves me wrong either..... What a little joy. And I might add, that although most of the time he is simply adorable, he has shown signs of early entrance into the Terrible Twos. He can be seen throwing himself back on his head on the floor when he doesn't get his own way. Oh the Dr. Jekyl & Baby Hyde days are here.
I have been released from my job as Primary Secretary & sustained as Primary Pianist. I am loving every second of it. This really is one of my very favorite callings in the church. I love being in Primary with all the kids. I started teaching piano again this year & am enjoying that as well. I wasn't going to, but had some beggers that I just couldn't turn down. I am teaching Rachel Gygi, Kai Poulson, Annabel Maskovich, & Joe Maskovich, along with Ambrian & Aybrielle, of course. It has been fun to be teaching a little bit again. I also went & did something rash. I know that you are all going to be laughing your heads off at this, but it just looked too fun. I enrolled in a gymnastics class with the girls. The only classes they had for the girls were 3:45 on Tuesdays & 5:30 on Thursdays. The Tuesday class wasn't so bad, but the Thursday class was horrible. The class is 1 1/2 hours long & so they didn't finish until 7:00, which means that we didn't get home until 8:00. I just told them that I wasn't going to continue that. I asked the teachers if they would consider doing another class during the day & they told me if I could find at least 3 people, then they would do another class. So one day I started thinking, "What if the 3rd person was me?". I asked them if they would let me take with the girls, just the 3 of us, & after a few laughs & several "Are you kidding?" stares, they agreed. So, okay after the 1st class I was about dead, & the next day felt like I had been run over by a semi truck. I think that I used some muscles I didn't even know I had, in my attempts to do backbends & front walk overs that 1st day. But it hasn't been bad since & is actually quite fun. I was worried that Ambrian might be embarassed about me doing gymnastics with her & Aybrielle, but when I asked her if she was she said, "No way! Maybe some other girls would, but not me.". What a sweetheart. The 3 of us are having such a great time doing this together. I do have to confess that part of my rationale in doing the class was that I remember Mom taking Clogging when Jill, Suz, & Crys were taking. So, thanks Mom for the motivation!
Devin hasn't been traveling as much lately & that has been nice. He is doing more work at home & going to the factory less. We enjoy seeing him around the house during the day when he isn't in the office & we aren't down in the school room. He is still golfing a few times a week & has alot of movie & rock star friends who he goes with. That is fun for him.
Well, I have written 5 months worth of family info. I guess I have made up for all the time that I haven't posted anything. If any of you are still reading after the novel above, I promise that I will get a CD made from my memory card & then I can download pics to the computer & won't need the cord. Then I can start writing about some of our fun this summer. I also have a couple of fun posts that I'm already planning from pictures that I have taken since we returned. Until then, we miss you all so so so much!! We had a great time seeing you & spending time with you. In a way, it has made it harder to come back. The kids are always talking about when we move back. In fact, the other day Kambren told me that he wanted to move back to live with Grammy. He said that he wanted to pack all his stuff & all his toys & move to Grammy's house. Lots of Love to All!!!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
THE TIME HAS COME!!!!!
Well, after nearly 2 years of basking in the Thailand sun, going to sleep with the hum of the air conditioner, conversing with family & friends via e-mail, Skype, or telephone, relishing in the memories of when Grandmas & Grandpas visited, & wishing that our families could see & be a part of our lives more frequently, we are only 3 hours away from leaving to go to the airport to board our much awaited, long anticipated flight back home for the summer. (Was that the longest run on sentence ever?!)
It is midnight, May 21, & it seemed like this day would never arrive. And then, the past 2 weeks have absolutely flown by, although the kids might have a different opinion. I still have my suitcase & Kalen's stuff to pack, do a run through of the kids' carry ons, get the snacks in a bag, & get the stuff out to the car, but we are nearly ready!
We'll be thinking of you as we fly along in that big bird in the sky! Take care, & we'll see you in just a few days!!
Love, Hugs, & Kisses!!!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Happy Mother's Day!!!!
Bridals with my beautiful, wonderful Mom!!
Special Lady "Grand" ma Monson!
The happy couple! My 2nd Mom, Regena.
Sneaking a kiss with my Eternal Sweetheart!
My happy family! I'm so so blessed!!!
Rhees & mommy at his final Blue & Gold Banquet.
Ambrian & Mommy at her LittleBird celebration.
I sure do miss those "Baby" Ellie loves!
Mommy & Kambren on his 1st birthday!
Mommy & Kalen posing for baby pictures.
I think that Mother's Day means more to me every year as it applies to my gratitude for my own mother. The more I experience the joys, the challenges, the triumphs, & the failures of my attempt at mothering, the more I appreciate the mom who gave birth to me & who raised me. The scripture is true which says, "...there must needs be opposition in all things..." . But sometimes I expect that it won't apply in my life. I always want everything to be happy & easy & perfect. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times". Oh how true that is in the life of a mother. I didn't expect motherhood to be difficult at all. I suppose that as a little child, I thought that because Mom tried to make everything so pleasant & perfect for me, her life as a mom was just that, pleasant & perfect. With age increases knowledge, & so as I grew & matured I came to know that Mom experienced or was experiencing her own joys, sadnesses, challenges, & triumphs in her own experience as a mother.
Teach me the Gospel
Let me see you kneeling in prayer
Love me unconditionally
Keep me safe
Prepare delicious, healthy meals for me every day
Give me siblings to play with & love
Love my dad unconditionally
Accept my mistakes & the mistakes of others
Keep our house clean with little or no effort from anybody else
Help me see the importance of an education
Gain an appreciation for flower & vegetable gardens
Help me understand the importance of hard work
Ensure that I had opportunities to develop my talents
Let me see you enjoy serving others & serving me
Control your frustration or anger
Make every holiday wonderful & fun
Find time to sit & play sewing cards with me
Teach me to make babies in the cradle out of your hankies
Maintain a happy & positive attitude
Teach me to love myself
Showed me how to enjoy the blessings of extended family
Sacrifice all that was required of you for our family
As I reflect back on your age at different times in my life & then think of myself at the same age, I am truly in awe of ALL that you did. I see myself falling short in so many ways of being as capable of a mother as you were/are. Thank you so much for everything that you are & do. You truly are an inspiration to me. You have been more than just a mom to me, you are one of my very best friends. Thank you for the amazing Grandma that you are to my kids. It means so much to me that you care about & love them. I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father sent me to you!!!!! I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day! I love you so much!!
Mother's Day wouldn't be complete without my thoughts turning to other mother's who have etched in my life, influence for good. Young Women leaders, Primary Teachers, Neighbors, Mother's of Friends, Aunts, Cousins, Friends, Grandmas, & Sisters. Too many to personally name, I will only mention a few. But, if you are reading this, you are most likely one of those mothers who I learn from, look up to, try to emulate, & love!
My Grandma Monson is one of those mother's that I always think of on Mother's Day. She was the ultimately perfect Grandma. Memories of her playing "Annie I Over" with us in the back yard, sitting on the front porch in the evenings eating grapes & listening to the ball game over at the 4th Street ball park, her tickling my arm, eating her yummy Frog Eye Salad on many trips in the motor home, sleepovers, playing jacks or play doh on her breakfast table, watching Sesame Street & Mr. Rogers at her house, picking strawberries from her garden, & smelling her gorgeous roses every summer & cutting some to take home, flood my mind every time I think of this sweet lady. She became more than a Grandma to me during the 2 years that we "roomed together" while I was going to Weber State. She always told me that she was the best roommate I would ever have because she would never steal my boyfriends. We talked & laughed together just like any 2 friends would. She always had my "Singers" dresses pressed & ready to wear, she helped me make cakes for Bake Sales, she waited up for me to tell her about my dates, she made breakfast for me, we knelt together for prayer at the table just like she & Grandpa used to, she Always took MY side no matter what I was complaining about, & she always told me how beautiful I was. I love her so so much & miss her more than anything!! I can't wait to see her again!! Happy Mother's Day, Grandma!
I have been blessed with a wonderful 2nd mother. Devin's mom has in so many ways become a mother to me, & not just through marriage. From the first time I met Regena I could feel her love for me. Through the years she has supported me in every way. She has an amazing ability to compliment people & make them feel good about themselves. I have been the unworthy recipient of her sweet words on more occasions than I can name. She has a beautiful testimony of the gospel from which I have gained much strength & truth. I love how she always finds the positive traits in my children & mentions them. She is a great cook, seamstress, teacher, gardener, singer, aunt, Grandma, & friend. She has wiped away many of my tears & listened quietly while I have shared my struggles. She has had her own set of trials & challenges at many different times in her life. Yet through it all, she emerged smiling & stronger because of it. I will always appreciate her goodness & love to me & my little family!! I love you, Mom!
This Mother's Day tribute would also not be complete without a mention of the wind beneath my wings. The reason I am a mother & the reason I keep going every day, no matter how stressful things can be. Devin is the most wonderful husband! I don't think he believes this, & I probably don't ever show him very well, but each day, I can't wait for him to come through the door from work, & it isn't so that I can just have an extra hand with the kids. He has sacrificed many things in order for us to be parents. He would never look at it that way though, because our lives have been so blessed because of our wonderful children. He has known how important it is for me to be a mother & so he has done everything possible for me to be able to achieve my dream. He has let me nurse all of our babies even though he would have liked to have held a bottle for them. He has let me keep them in bed with us even though it meant he didn't get any sleep either. He has watched as I folded piles of blankets, burp cloths, & baby clothes while his own clothes took the back seat. He has given up steak & baked potato dinners for Ramen noodles & chicken nuggets so that I didn't have to prepare 2 meals. He has washed his own silverware when I got behind on dishes without saying anything to make me feel bad. He has slept with crumbs in the bed & sat on crumbs on the couch because I let the kids sit & eat snacks while they watched a movie so I could get something done. He has missed more Priesthood & Sunday School lessons than he has heard, to hold babies so that I could do my Sunday callings without a baby in my arms. He has made dinner & bathed kids when I have been having a bad day, even though he just put in a full days work outside our home. He has been willing to share our Anniversary so that I can have 2 Mother's Days (Our anniversary is on Thai Mother's Day). He has given up lipstick kisses from his girl, for slobbery kisses from 5 little kids. He is willing to be alone here for more than a month & a half so that I can be with our kids letting them visit family in the States. I could never be 1/2 the mommy that I am were it not for such a great husband. He really is the wind beneath my wings. I hope that I will be able to make up to him all that he has given for me to get to be a mother. Devin, I really love you!! Thanks for the beautiful flowers & vases, & for celebrating me getting to be a mother.
Last but certainly not least, there wouldn't be a Mother's Day without the 5 precious blessings who Heavenly Father has sent me. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was celebrating my first Mother's Day, & now here I am blessed with 5 of the cutest, most wonderful children ever! I am so grateful to our Father in Heaven for allowing me to have the experience of being a mommy. So many times I feel like I don't deserve this calling or these beautiful children. They are definately are the better teachers. I learn more from them & their pure examples, than they will ever learn from me. They have made me a better person than I could have ever been without them. Among many other things,
Rhees teaches me to be spiritual.
Ambrian teaches me to be responsible.
Aybrielle teaches me to love all things.
Kambren teaches me to be forgiving.
Kalen teaches me to be happy.
Thank you, my little dollies, for letting me be your Mommy!! I love you more than you could possibly know!!
To all the mothers who have made an impact on my life, I hope that you had a beautiful Mother's Day! Thank you for your love, friendship, & examples to me in every way!!!
Happy Mother's Day!!!!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
2 WEEKS FROM TODAY!!! take 3
So I just figured out another way to open & view the pictures that I attached from the internet. There is a red X up in the top left hand corner of the picture. If you just click on the red X it will take you directly to the picture. That is easier than right clicking & then clicking on the open link button. See, I'm learning little by little. All you Blog pros out there need to give me some lessons while I'm home this summer.
Enjoy!
2 WEEKS FROM TODAY!!! take 2
I tried to download some pictures from the internet to add to my post today but for some reason the pictures aren't displaying. In order to view the pictures that I downloaded, you will need to right click on each of the pictures & then click on "open link". After you view the picture you'll need to click your "Back" button to return to the blog & either select another picture or read the post. I have no idea why the pictures aren't showing except that I really don't have any idea what I'm doing. It is all trial & error for me.
