tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74734956258677449782024-02-21T07:46:45.291-07:00Mikey | Alyssa | Charlottealyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.comBlogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-80522372847584920362013-08-17T13:08:00.001-06:002013-08-18T12:06:38.631-06:00Quick trip back "home".Earlier this month Charlotte and I hopped on a plane back to Utah to visit with my brother one last time before he entered the MTC and began his two year mission to Tampico, Mexico. Another Spanish missionary for the Fausett family. So exciting. We'll miss him SO MUCH but it makes it easier to have him go, knowing that he'll return as a better, stronger, happier (&probably even taller) man!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I'm hoping that once Zach gets home we'll all take a family trip to South America because Machu Picchu has always been strong on my bucket list. </span><br />
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A few days later Mike joined us in Utah. Every day of this trip was jam-packed and we didn't get to see everyone we wanted. I'm hoping for a Christmas stay that will be longer, making it possible to catch up with all our close friends.<br />
Charlotte loved the ridiculous amount of attention she got from all four grandparents (+cousins, aunts, uncles and greats).<br />
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Basically Utah is great. We miss it, even though we pretend not to sometimes. Mike and I both consider it "home" still. I wonder if that will always be the case?<br />
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Last goodbyes with Uncle Zach.</div>
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I totally get the Nelson obsession with Jeeps now.</div>
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Charlotte LOVED Park City.. until it poured.</div>
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Grandma Nette</div>
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Grandpa Gary introducing C to the llamas. She had NO IDEA how to handle what she saw.</div>
alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-22709703603481669722013-07-19T12:45:00.001-06:002013-07-19T12:47:14.091-06:00I'm baaaaaack. For now.<br />
And we've relocated -- to Arizona! <br />
Not sure why I stopped blogging for so long. I've had some time on my hands. I guess I'd rather watch Gossip Girl during Charlotte's nap time than do anything meaningful. <br />
Honesty, right?<br />
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I wish I could say that in my absence I've been making our new home beautiful with all sorts of Pinterest creations and decor finds. That I've been baking new things daily. That I've been buying fresh flowers at the local market for our dining table. None of that is true.<br />
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Charlotte and I have been straight chillin'. Our little condo here in Scottsdale is a <strike>hodge-podge</strike> eclectic mix of wicker furniture the landlords left for us, some things from my in laws and a couple items purchased from Ikea during our newlywed years. Seriously. So pictures will have to wait.<br />
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BUT Charlotte and I have been partying a ton.<br />
Partying at the local library during storytime. Partying at the local splash pads and pools. Partying at the bakery, gym and Target. Partying with the few visitors we've had.<br />
I love spending every waking moment with Miss C.<br />
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Now, I present to you some crappy iPhone pictures of my baby.<br />
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eight whole months looks good on you, girl!</div>
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<br />alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-88566903086812598232013-04-02T09:32:00.001-06:002013-04-02T09:32:51.110-06:00five months.<span style="font-size: small;">Ms. Charlotte Rose Nelson is now 5 months.</span><br />
I'm not trying to brag or anything but my daughter is awesome. Pretty sure I won the baby lottery because she is SO fun, full of personality and pretty interactive already. I'm making it a point to soak up every moment with my tiny girl because she certainly isn't staying tiny forever. Today she proved that when she rolled the entire length of our living room. Granted, our living room is pretty small... but I was impressed!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">By the way, Mikey has taken it upon himself to nickname her Char Char Binks (Star Wars joke, I guess?) so if you hear him say that, please do me a favor and do NOT encourage it. Thanks</span></i>.</span><br />
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Don'tcha wanna squeeze those cheeks? </div>
alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-90267998970327211702013-04-01T16:59:00.001-06:002013-04-01T18:18:50.397-06:00our little easter.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The morning started with an epic pancake fail. How does one screw up pancakes? Easily. They tasted disgusting... so I'll just stick to green smoothies and cereal for breakfast. Then we all took a glorious late morning nap. Bless our sweet Charlotte for sleeping well that morning! Church was fantastic. She spent nearly all of it with her Grampa Gary. He's kind of a Charlotte time-hoarder, especially now that we're leaving for Arizona in a month. After church we had family egg hunt with the cousins, a delicious dinner (I love any dinner that includes honey ham and green bean casserole) and ended with a walk along Bountiful Blvd just in time to see the sunset. </div>
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I feel humbled by the love of our Savior. He lived, suffered and died because he knows that I'm not perfect. He never blames me for my wrongs. He knows that I needed someone to atone for all of my mistakes, imperfections & sins so that I might live with my Heavenly Father, Him & my little family forever. How do you adequately express gratitude for that kind of love? I'm not sure. The thought alone continues to bring an abundance of emotion. </div>
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Definitely a perfect Easter Sunday.</div>
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<br />alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-69836937794413151892013-03-25T14:56:00.001-06:002013-03-25T14:56:29.020-06:00not quite there yet.If I told you that feeding Charlotte solids was the funniest thing to date, would you believe me?<br />
Probably not. And honestly, there are funnier things in life than seeing a baby have food forced upon them.... but seriously, we about died laughing at her reaction.<br />
She HATES solids. And yes, we've tried a number of things. We started with spinach and banana blended and she was terrified. It didn't get any better with mashed avocado or rice cereal. This girl just isn't ready to take plunge.<br />
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Personal favorite.</div>
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Letting Grampa and Nana in on the action.</div>
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Fine Charlotte, you don't have to excel at everything.alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-10482474565177640272013-03-06T09:46:00.002-07:002013-03-06T09:50:49.070-07:00starting up again.My poor little blog has been neglected.<br />
I know exactly why. The convenience that Instagram and Facebook offer keep me rather in the loop and so I hardly bother with blogs anymore. I rarely read them. I more rarely update mine. Just yesterday I was thinking how sad it is that I haven't taken the time to document the details.<br />
I take pictures of daily life like it's my job. Like it's my full-time, baby-lovin' job. SO I just need to take it one step further and blog it.<br />
I'm going to start doing that now in hopes that I don't seem quite so pathetic when I am blogging like a madwoman when we move to Arizona. (I'll say it's not due to boredom and unpopularity... but it will be.)<br />
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Anyway,<br />
I won't attempt to let catch up on all the things that I've missed since December but here are the highlights, perchance you only read my blog or haven't looked at Facebook/Instagram in ages.<br />
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-- We're moving to Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ in two months. Mike was offered a job transfer with his company so we are taking the plunge. By our own choice, it may be temporary (a year or so) or it could turn into something more permanent. We'll see...<br />
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-- Umm... pretty much all the Holidays -Christmas/New Years/Valentines Day- came and went. We spent two weeks around Christmas with my family in Pittsburgh. It was fantastic. And a much needed break for Mike. Charlotte finally met her Grampa and Uncle Zach, we went to Kirtland and enjoyed many church history sites, Cleveland and the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame and lots of local dives. Gosh dang it... vacations are the best.<br />
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-- Charlotte is growing fast. Sounds obvious to most but I really wasn't prepared for her changes to happen so rapidly. I swear she learns something new EVERY SINGLE DAY. Before we know it, she'll be borrowing the family car and dating guys that we don't like.<br />
This week we had her 4 month check up and shots. She handled it like a champ. We found out she's 13 lbs 4 oz (40th%) and 25 inches (80th%). Where is she getting this long, lean body?! Not from us. My guess is that she'll be fattening up soon because we're starting on solids this month! Oh, the excitement. Messy food-all-over-the-face pictures to come soon, I'm sure.<br />
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Cute, huh?</div>
alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-29691250693027574152012-12-11T17:29:00.003-07:002012-12-11T20:58:54.503-07:00my new life.It's safe to say that Charlotte IS my life now.<br />
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Just a couple months ago, I was working a full time job, going on dinner dates with Mikey, eating whatever I wanted and sleeping as much as a severely pregnant woman can. Life was good...</div>
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Now, life is great!... but I'm not doing a single thing I just mentioned. Baby Charlotte makes things a little difficult in that regard. These past 40 days have been full of so much emotion. I've learned to sleep in 1-3 hour increments, consider cereal to be dinner often, try to get out of the house every other day (for my own sanity) and do laundry every single day or we will run out of burp cloths. Above all, I have more love than I can put into words. I'm on a <i>love high</i>. </div>
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Since her birth on November 1st, there have been so many baby "milestones" (if you can call them that?) that we've already experienced with C. At the top of the list? Her smiles. In the morning, she smiles like it's going out of style. </div>
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It makes my heart melt. </div>
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I'll try getting around to posting her birth story later this week, but for now... here are some pictures so you can fall a little in love too.</div>
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Day one.</div>
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C's first outing. Headed to the pediatrician at 4 days old. </div>
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One week old. I know... could she have any more shades of pink?</div>
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Girl is throwin' gang signs. </div>
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About a week ago, Charlotte had soaked through her 4th outfit of the day. </div>
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It was decided... Naked does less damage.</div>
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alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-7508821835067536242012-10-23T10:44:00.000-06:002012-10-23T11:24:28.675-06:001 and 70%... that's where I'm at right now, according to my doctor.<br />
At 38 weeks, I was hoping to be a little further along but at least that's some progress. Quite honestly, as great as it would be to go into labor tomorrow (because that means we'd be holding our little girl early), I can't imagine having her right now. My mom gets into town on the 30th and there's something about having her around that will comfort me... and Mike too. He needs her to be there. :)<br />
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Preparing for Charlotte's arrival has been so fun! We've had AMAZING baby showers (thrown by friends, coworkers and family) that have really helped things come together. Mike painted a vintage 1950's dresser and put together her pack 'n play and crib. I've organized all her clothes, ordered a ridiculous number of diapers online and thoroughly deep cleaned our apartment.<br />
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My due date is Election Day. If I were smart, I would've registered for early voting... but I'm not. So on November 6th, regardless of baby status I'm hauling my bum to the local junior high and voting. I'm planning to get lots of looks as I stand in line and I'll try my hardest to ignore them. Those looks are the reason I stopped going to our local gym. Everyone who passed by me would give a sympathetic smile that said, "Good for you, coming here" or "Very impressive". I knew they were thinking <i>Stay home from the gym because you're nearly the size of a whale </i>. So I do now.<br />
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Here are some random pictures over the past few weeks.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">If you have ANY pictures of me while pregnant or of a baby shower... please send them to me.</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">I've been really bad about documenting this pregnancy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> sisters at the Pat Benetar and Journey concert. Almost 7 months along.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Kels and Vanessa threw me a fantastic family shower.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hannah and Candace came to my friend shower.... so fun!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Mike and I on our "babymoon" to Vegas. Sat front row at Cirque's Mystere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Baby clothes in the closet. I love opening up the closet and just staring at these clothes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">With Mike's birthday in two days and still a few small things to get done, I know these next two weeks will fly by. And then, life really changes. The unknown is exciting, thrilling and scary. Eeek!</span></span></div>
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alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-75912740805800814052012-08-10T15:39:00.000-06:002012-08-10T15:39:19.734-06:00Humbling myself.My morning began by throwing up. Seven times. Yes, seven times I hung my head over the toilet, thought it was over and then my body rejected more. I came out of the bathroom wanting nothing more than to burst into tears. My struggle with a severe case of pregnancy induced carpal tunnel, daily back pain, past worries of medical problems and my nausea returning had culminated into despair. I was completely selfish thinking <em>I can't handle much more of this. I'm so sick of feeling this way.</em> I was consumed in how awful my body felt and wanted to simply breakdown on my living room floor. For a few minutes, I stood silently bracing myself with the couch. I let all my negative feelings run wild. <br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-small;">I realize how pathetic this sounds but I feel like need to share moments like these on the blog so I can always remember. </span><br />
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Somehow, something just clicked and the thought came: <em>I have things easy. Yes, this pregnancy has been harder than I expected but not nearly as hard other women have it. I <strong>can</strong> do this, despite what my mind is telling me. My body was meant to handle all of this sickness and weakness... and more. Oh, I have so much more ahead of me. If I buck up now, it'll be an easier 3 months to go.</em><br />
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I have a couple of friends in particular who are going through harder trials right now than my pregnancy. Our problems are not remotely the same. My pain and discomfort will likely be gone in about 12 weeks.... I have it so easy. I have a doctor that I trust and a wonderful husband by my side.... I have it so easy. <br />
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This week I had the opportunity of working as a clinician at a summer stuttering workshop. These kids varied in maturity, age and severity but they all shared the common desire to be heard and be seen as no different than those who don't stutter. "I want to finish my sentences without other people finishing them for me." -- "I want other kids to look at me and not just see a stutterer." -- "I want people to treat me like I'm normal when we talk." These comments got to the core of me because, although I have never struggled socially, I've always felt so connected with those who have. <br />
It's interesting how easily I can talk myself right up to a ledge with how <em>hard</em> things are for me and how quick God is to remind me that my life is a great one, an easy one by comparison.<br />
I am so grateful for these humbling experiences.alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-68507405734064601892012-07-17T09:10:00.000-06:002012-07-17T09:11:42.080-06:00oh baby baby.Wow. Too much to post since the last time I wrote... so I'll break it up. Basically for my own sanity. I'll post about the Texas trip/family visiting/Colorado family reunion later this week but for now.. it's all things baby!!<br />
First and most importantly - IT'S A GIRL!!! We hosted a little gender reveal party and found out the gender by cutting into a cake. Fully expecting to see layers of blue under all that frosting, we couldn't have been more shocked (&excited) to see pink! We are sooooo excited to be having a little girl. Life could not be better, knowing that in less than 4 months we will be a family of three with a little girl to love on and snuggle with.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I had to post this because-even though that's a SUPER unattractive face I have going on- these were our first reactions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>It's so nice to say "<i>she</i>" instead of "it" or "the baby". <i>She</i> makes it more real now. </div>
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<i>She</i> tends to be mild during the day but go crazy with kicks and punches the minute I lay down at night. <i>She</i> still has me throwing up once a week. <i>She</i>'s being shy around her daddy and won't let him feel her kick. He's pretty bummed about it. <i>She</i> makes me go pee a minimum of 10 times a day. Sometimes three times within the same hour. Kind of ridiculous if you ask me. <i>She</i> is already allowing for benefits in public, like today when I was in line for the restroom at City Creek. All the women insisted that I cut to the front of the line. Lovely! <i>She</i> really hates my singing voice (evidenced by several jabs during each hymn I sang on Sunday). <i>Her</i> movements tickle me if I'm the right position where I'm almost leaning forward over my tummy. <i>She</i> loves for me to drink numerous Chick-fil-a milkshakes. So I do.<br />
The only thing I would qualify as a big 'ol pregnancy bummer is that I have developed pregnancy induced carpal tunnel. It's awful. <i>Like a numbness in my hands all day and pain/lack of feeling from my elbow to my fingertips all night kind of awful.</i> The doctor says I have a pretty severe case of carpal tunnel but it should go away completely within 2 to 3 weeks after delivery. Wonderful! The next 18 weeks are sure to be a party.<br />
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24 weeks down. 16 more to go. Bring it on!</div>
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<br />alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-82223146238689308852012-06-08T10:30:00.001-06:002012-06-08T10:34:00.813-06:00My Morning RamblingsIt's barely 10am and I already have so much on my mind. Without thinking, I found myself closing my office door, sitting down and pulling up blogger. Clearly I need to get some thoughts out before I am anymore productive today.<br />
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This morning started with a 7:45am trip to the hospital for a blood draw. I hate blood and I hate needles. I know that most people outgrow that fear by adulthood but I'm still hanging on to it so hospital visits like this terrify me. Somehow this time was different. I was nervous but confident. My eyes didn't fill with tears. The phlebotomist taking my blood said that I have great veins and for some reason that eased the pain.The minute I left the hospital, I called my mom for a victory cheer.<br />
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Speaking of hospitals, my dad is in one right now. Sparing the details, I will say that I've never wanted to be home so badly. The doctors have some answers but not all of them ... and the waiting and wondering is so unsettling. Since my parents don't want me to fly out there, Mike and I did what we could to let my dad know we're thinking of him constantly. That thing is Edible Arrangements and he loves it! He's probably eating a chocolate dipped strawberry as we speak!<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Thats how we let people know we love them in the Fausett family, through food.)</span></div>
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I'd like to give this post a positive spin right now, but I can't yet. I have to tell you one more negative thing... It made my blood boil. When stopped at a light this morning, I looked over to see a young, obviously pregnant woman smoking a cigarette. I debated rolling down my window and giving her a piece of my mind but then I quickly envisioned how that conversation would go.... Not well. So I sat in silence and stared at her. How can you smoke with a little baby growing inside of you? HOW? I don't get it. I had to ask my doctor on three separate occasions if she was <em>sure </em>I could drink one can of Dr. Pepper every 2 or 3 days. She laughed every single time. That's the most I've ever subjected my baby to and yet, I still feel a tinge of guilt. How can this woman on the sidewalk justify her habit? I'm afaid I'll be thinking about it all day.</div>
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Now, let's talk happy stuff, like babies! </div>
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--My friend, Bekah, had her baby Atticus at 4:04 this morning! You bet I'm itching to get off work and go see him. I LOVE newborns and I love the Wightmans so seeing him tonight will be fantastic. </div>
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--I think I may have felt the baby move. Just twice. I can't be positive yet.</div>
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--We set a date for THE ultrasound. June 22nd. TWO. WEEKS. Who's ready to find out?!</div>
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--Mike is back today from his week long business trip to Chicago. I'm anticipating a baby belly comment because I'm pretty sure my tummy has grown twice the size overnight this week. I should probably take a picture.</div>
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Happy Friday, my friends! </div>
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<br /></div>alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-24939688715968952212012-05-21T15:33:00.001-06:002012-05-21T15:46:14.041-06:00Here's the latest.<div style="text-align: center;">
We just got back last night from a quick weekend trip to....</div>
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Rexburg, Idaho.</div>
You're thinking,<em> Alyssa, that's super lame</em> but guess what? It was just what we wanted after a hectic week. We had a Marriott discount and didn't want to travel more than 4 hours. That left three choices: Logan, UT, Vernal, UT or Rexburg, ID. Considering our goal was to "get out of Utah more often", Rexburg won. <br />
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We forgot our camera. Mike's phone takes great pictures but died within the first 3 hours of the trip and mine is ghetto... so we are pictureless. We ate at Maddox on our way up to Idaho, got delicious snow cones, found ourselves lost in Idaho due to my overconfidence and need for <u>no directions</u>, spent some time in the Rexburg temple, visited some friends and family, loved the hotel's king size bed with plush bedding, saw my first college apartment and such.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The only picture we have from the weekend. Taken about 5 minutes before the phone died. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Snow cones have been my first pregnancy "demand".</span></div>
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We've resolved to leave SLC/Bountiful for the weekend as many times as possible over the next few months, before baby comes in late Fall. I'm less worried right now about getting this ready for this baby and more concerned with getting in lots of quality time, just the two of us. We'll get more time together come Thursday; we're headed to Texas for a long weekend. <br />
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I'm really looking forward to June. No travel plans but we will be celebrating our third anniversary and finding out if we're having a boy or a girl! Ah! Crazy, right? Next month we will know! I'm thinking of throwing a gender reveal party and finding out with my family and friends... thoughts?<br />
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Today is my first day wearing maternity pants. Not the kind with a big stretchy panel around the waist but a cute pair of skinny black pants. I love them. They feel like yoga pants and I will wear them every single day of the work week until they no longer fit. Just a minute ago- at 16 weeks- I got my first "that baby's starting to show" type of comment. Actually, that's exactly what she said. "That baby is starting to show!" I have now entered the <em>fat-or-pregnant? </em>stage. I'm sure all the attorneys who haven't caught word that I'm expecting think that I need to dial down on all the snacks in the kitchen. I can't wait until I have a super obvious baby bump and people don't have to wonder anymore. At this rate... that should be in another 2 weeks or so. Seriously.alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-66453242512842986402012-05-04T15:28:00.002-06:002012-05-04T16:30:27.941-06:00It's really happening!<div style="text-align: center;">
The time has come to finally blog it. <strong><span style="font-size: large;">WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!!</span></strong></div>
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We found out in March (crazy story actually.. I'll save it for another post) and Mike wanted to shout it out to the world... but I told him we needed to wait a little bit. Waiting is the worst. Then again, I have another 6 months of waiting on this little one so I better get used to it! Honestly, I knew I'd be writing a post like this someday, it's just so surreal to actually be typing these words now. I'm 3 months along and beginning the second trimester. We feel so lucky to be parents and begin adding to our little family.<br />
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Let me cover the basics here: <strong>My due date is November 6th.</strong> I'm pretty excited about this due date because I'll have a newborn to snuggle during the holidays, I'll have a long Christmas wish list for Baby this year, and by the time summer 2013 rolls around, I'll have a 7 month old who can actually enjoy being outside! I'm choosing to focus on the positives, rather than the fact that Baby will be born at the beginning of RSV season and that we'll spend the entire winter inside. <strong>About a month after deciding that I wanted to be pregnant sometime this year, I got pregnant.</strong> This is in no way meant to be a statement of bragging. It happened faster than we ever could've guessed and at first I was in shock, but now I've come to realize that the Lord's timing is much better than my timing. <strong>I've been really sick, especially in the morning.</strong> I mean really, really sick.(i.e.: I bow to the porcelain god every time I wake up/open the fridge door/walk into a public restroom/take a shower). <strong>The only thing I crave is fruit. </strong>Namely oranges and pineapple. I am yet to have Mike make a midnight run to the grocery store for produce... but he knows his time is coming. <strong>We heard the heartbeat at 9 weeks</strong> and I was told it was a little faster than what is normal. Then I heard the heartbeat again today and it's perfectly normal. Even my doctor couldn't stop smiling and nodding and saying "perfect. it's perfect." <strong>Mike is so giddy and wants to talk to the baby every.single.night.</strong> It's weird for me, but I'm trying to lighten up. <strong>I have NO clue what's in store for me</strong>.... I don't know anything about diapers, strollers, maternity clothes, sleep schedules, breastfeeding, etc. You guys, I'm a little scared. All tips/opinions welcome. <strong>I cry over EVERYTHING.</strong> I cried when I couldn't find my favorite pajamas pants. I cried watching The Voice, Restaurant: Impossible and Dateline. It's really pathetic. <strong>My current bedtime</strong> is anywhere from 8:30 to 10pm. I just can't stay up late for the life of me. <br />
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Things are changin' people! I'm having a baby and I'm going to be a mom soon... a MOM. This is just crazy.<br />
<br />alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-1801235858764170832012-04-12T08:13:00.000-06:002012-04-12T08:13:48.387-06:00Easter weekend.<div style="text-align: center;">Last weekend was such a perfect weekend.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I recapped everything we did with my mom just yesterday and she said,</div><div style="text-align: center;">"You two have such a fun life". It's true, we do. </div><div style="text-align: center;">For now, it's just the two of us with minimal responsibilities and it's pretty nice.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Friday night we went to Red Robin with the Leishmans.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't know what's wrong with me but I obsess over Red Robin's steak fries and campfire sauce. </div><div style="text-align: center;">They are all you can eat and addictive. Here's the catch: you can't get them on their own. </div><div style="text-align: center;">So I ordered the cheapest thing the fries come with, a chicken sandwich. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I ignored the sandwich and stuffed myself with fries and sauce. Totally unhealthy but no regrets.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Saturday we met up with my sister and her boyfriend for lunch.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you love garlic burgers? Do you love bar food? (No, that's not a weird question... I love bar food.)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Go to Busy Bee Bar on State Street and 21st south. Their burgers are delicious </div><div style="text-align: center;">and I'd been raving about them since Kelsey was too young to go. </div><div style="text-align: center;">She's been 21 for several months but we finally made a lunch date.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Again, they did not disappoint.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-S8cDQj_uNOz9cHPENqkGvod1IZquyZyGB0WvG9Oh91Hlk8RnYzEP8zdjSMbi7y2_2QRI1twT-dND19UFmDmlDy6CcVHdS-RkTdfgt087i__Oo_Gt5ccqGXEIH4h_Ch9lrDhYl5AmzU/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-S8cDQj_uNOz9cHPENqkGvod1IZquyZyGB0WvG9Oh91Hlk8RnYzEP8zdjSMbi7y2_2QRI1twT-dND19UFmDmlDy6CcVHdS-RkTdfgt087i__Oo_Gt5ccqGXEIH4h_Ch9lrDhYl5AmzU/s400/028.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhGnbKQQY8RfvXx1IvKy-wJ5khERtHW9Rn2EjowIYmoGtsFfknqivoEmxpNg8sgGtAWP2ssmf4tzLxZZFVBpgpJ_usm6nMNNkLVhbckxeteSSRdjyLnkGqFrw3e30bo_CN2hzk7LIDQU/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhGnbKQQY8RfvXx1IvKy-wJ5khERtHW9Rn2EjowIYmoGtsFfknqivoEmxpNg8sgGtAWP2ssmf4tzLxZZFVBpgpJ_usm6nMNNkLVhbckxeteSSRdjyLnkGqFrw3e30bo_CN2hzk7LIDQU/s400/030.JPG" width="266" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">After lunch, Mike and I ran some errands and then picked up the Kirks for a Real game.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'll be honest though... The guys watched the game but Jade and I didn't. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I hadn't seen her for 7 weeks (who's counting?) while they were basically <i>living</i> in Hawaii </div><div style="text-align: center;">so we had lots to catch up on.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I normally LOVE watching the games so missing both the goals scored </div><div style="text-align: center;">was not a proud moment for me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Easter Sunday was fantastic!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Church could not have been better. We listened to two amazing speakers and then President Eyring decided to fill the last 10 minutes of the meeting. I found myself crying 5 or 6 times at church on Sunday. That's just not right! Actually, who am I kidding? It's pretty right on. I've always been emotional. But the messages delivered on Easter Sunday are especially touching. The holiday has a way of reminding me of the obvious. <br />
I have a Savior who loves me enough to suffer for my sins. He died that I might turned to live with my Father in Heaven and all those I love. I know there was no other way and for that -- I'm completely indebted to Him. </div><div style="text-align: center;">After church, we went to my grandparent's house for an Easter egg hunt and dinner. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's great to have weekends where we can do whatever we'd like and enjoy each other's company. </div><div style="text-align: center;">We live for the weekends because we know it won't be like this forever.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!</div>alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-21547252842454987252012-03-16T17:22:00.001-06:002012-03-16T17:22:26.651-06:00t-minus ten.<div style="text-align: center;">TEN minutes until I shut everything down and bust out of this joint.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Today feels like it has been the longest day to end the long week of my life.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Not sure why. Nothing tramatic, pressing or stressful has happened this week.</div><div style="text-align: center;">... it just crawled.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I made a discovery about myself today.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm pretty obsessive over checking our online bank account about, oh... fifteen times a day.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Anyone else have this problem? Checking it once a day is good. It's healthy... but fifteen?!</div><div style="text-align: center;">I've got to get a hold of myself. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't know why I feel the need to log into wellsfargo.com, like the second (or thirteenth) </div><div style="text-align: center;">time won't reflect the same balance. I think that, subconciously, I'm hoping that the next time </div><div style="text-align: center;">I log in I'm going to see an unpected $500 dollars deposited for no reason at all. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't know... I must be expecting some change in what I see, to be checking it so neurotically.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's a good thing I sit in front of a computer for 9+ hours a day, huh?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Anyway, I'm excited for this weekend. A grilling sesh with some good friends, cheering on a </div><div style="text-align: center;">family friend in the national wagon race tomorrow, annual green dinner with the Nelsons, </div><div style="text-align: center;">a goodbye party for the Stephens and a relaxing Sunday. All is how it should be.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Friday, everyone!</div>alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-30446292618372889142012-03-14T10:06:00.002-06:002012-03-14T11:07:15.112-06:00grateful.<div style="text-align: center;">To say I'm grateful for the abundance of great women around me would be an understatement.</div>I am beyond grateful. The past couple weeks I have taken a good, hard look at my life; namely people I have let into it. I cannot believe my "luck" in the women I have come to associate with throughout my life, especially recently. <br />
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Thanks to two good friends- <a href="http://kirzawa.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #76a5af;">Jade</span></a> and <a href="http://www.kyleerowley.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #76a5af;">Kylee</span></a> -who both individually blogged about their daily experiences with gratitude, I have decided to take on the challenge. For the month of March I will focus daily on a specific thing that God has blessed my life with and to thank Him for it. With every passing day I have had no trouble coming up with a different blessing to express gratitiude for. What I thought of this morning has struck a chord and I feel the need to share it. I am so grateful for the many wonderful women I am lucky to call friends/family. I may not have the pleasure of seeing most of them on a regular basis. I may never have expressed my admiration and thankfulness to them aloud. I may have known them since childhood, met them in Gamma, at church, in class at the U or on a plane. (Okay, maybe not a plane.)<br />
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Thanks to those of you who have commented here at one time or another, I know that nearly every wonderful woman that comes to mind reads my blog. Those women who have influenced me are smart, considerate, educated, funny, opinionated, talkative, driven and giving. I think the qualities that you all embody says something about the woman that I want to be. I surround myself, <em>as I think most people do</em>, with those already possess qualities that I want to develop. I don't mean to leave anyone out of the following comments but these are the quick examples that come to mind: No one makes me laugh and enjoy life quite like Breauna or Candace. Amy, Sammy and Christine are women I look up to as beautiful, bright mothers<span style="font-size: x-small;">(or soon-to-be)</span> who are unwavering in what is right. I stalk Jade and Kylee's blogs on the daily because they are such beautiful writers and deep-thinkers. Bekah and Liz are ambitiuous and opinionated women. Hannah listens to me, really listens. Casey, Amanda and Sarah (individually) are pure entertainment for me with some much witt and personality, those ladies. Missy and Kelsey are probably my soulmates. When I'm with Meagan, Meli, Ashley, Chelsey or Kimberly it's like no time has passed and we could talk forever.<br />
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I am so grateful for you ladies, the ones I publicly recognized attributes of and those whom I have yet to. I feel like I barely touched the surface here. Each one of you makes me better and how can I not somehow acknowledge that? If you're interested, I would encourage you to take this gratitude challenge! It has helped me to envy less, compare less and feel so overwhelmingly loved by our Lord and Savior. I needed this and I'm just disappointed that I didn't do it earlier.alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-28466894690343055022012-03-09T13:55:00.008-07:002012-03-09T14:21:18.636-07:00Our Eats.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This post is devoted to our favorite SLC hole-in-the-wall. Tasty Thai.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I mean, just look at how happy Mike is right here! It has nothing to do with sitting across from the love of his life -after a long work day- and being able to stare into her dark green eyes for endless hours.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MEcL-4evUbjWJ8dtx06_iCFCpVO7lqAR7S-PjuyVmcCNYDub74UxR-71__pCWdnfjwQZnSZZeChScfoOCvlUGacIhEQgq3bTxq1MbTcYhzp5jSE84V4I-Or050svbAnWCk1P6zHdDL8/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MEcL-4evUbjWJ8dtx06_iCFCpVO7lqAR7S-PjuyVmcCNYDub74UxR-71__pCWdnfjwQZnSZZeChScfoOCvlUGacIhEQgq3bTxq1MbTcYhzp5jSE84V4I-Or050svbAnWCk1P6zHdDL8/s400/002.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">No, it's because we just ordered our usual (except, they still don't recognize us </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">so we can't just say <em>"We'll have our usual.")</em> which is the Pad-Kee-Mow and Gang-Dang.</div><div style="text-align: center;">and daaaang, it is good!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-br_4htjReMFWiHJXvcI4qgZA1a_7DvtxiD1TuJh8W4PZ_XzpusmIPmUg6NJUe34vMHV4XDpZk47ovVeyd7q8xHYrYz3We4eX1SPvO3Snc8yE_zKL_gd-11gARYJHYYdSAULZufycy_8/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-br_4htjReMFWiHJXvcI4qgZA1a_7DvtxiD1TuJh8W4PZ_XzpusmIPmUg6NJUe34vMHV4XDpZk47ovVeyd7q8xHYrYz3We4eX1SPvO3Snc8yE_zKL_gd-11gARYJHYYdSAULZufycy_8/s640/003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you love spicy food, sweet curries, sticky rice and veggies... THIS IS THE PLACE.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seriously, it's some of the best thai food we've ever had...and we've tried thai food in nearly a dozen cities.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This most recent trip ended with dessert (we never get dessert there!) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and now we will always end our meals with dessert. Always.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the fresh coconut ice cream with peanut topping. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I die. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This stuff is the best. I give it 6 out of 5 stars! Yes, six! It was<em> that</em> good.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7xhomimGPVkQ1XjFIv9VuDod9WDFutZakhbfRErNcp3-P3nDGnV62zCl_WFb8c_TeljICw2X6syUW1v-rVgwOZWAD2QLHdoh3drqTLppluTM1OMnbWGR619cVD2lxF1xuJHI_2Xghl4/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7xhomimGPVkQ1XjFIv9VuDod9WDFutZakhbfRErNcp3-P3nDGnV62zCl_WFb8c_TeljICw2X6syUW1v-rVgwOZWAD2QLHdoh3drqTLppluTM1OMnbWGR619cVD2lxF1xuJHI_2Xghl4/s640/013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tasty Thai is located in the Liberty Park area, probably one of our favorite parts of SLC. </div><div style="text-align: center;">It's right by Park Cafe (great breakfast joint with beautiful wall art by a new friend of ours), </div><div style="text-align: center;">paddle boating, Cummings Chocolates and Emily Jayne consignment. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Okay, so we wouldn't buy a home in the area because it can be a little sketch. </div><div style="text-align: center;">(note: "sketch" areas in Salt Lake City are not like "sketch" places in, say, the Bronx. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Basically, there are a lot of chain link fences and unkempt yards.)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Five or six blocks east in the Harvard/Yale/13th East area wouldn't be too shabby though.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I've gotta say, from the moment I moved to SLC I told myself I wouldn't be here very long. </div><div style="text-align: center;">But with every year, I love it here more and more. This city offers so much. </div><div style="text-align: center;">We're not considering putting down roots soon. But when we do, this city is on the list now.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Funny how time changes everything, huh?</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cKUVBbbX5If3rePwH0dR8Xm5OYPNVVcZ6DKjCnb-wgODMdnwH2eW6fIGB-FksL7zrG05tfg6Ym3tr8T0QjTgaq5BcIqJWUl3fI9Z0p3C0Z7yLOOZrs6rLfZnEuRyaTEzi_0XCE5sPrg/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cKUVBbbX5If3rePwH0dR8Xm5OYPNVVcZ6DKjCnb-wgODMdnwH2eW6fIGB-FksL7zrG05tfg6Ym3tr8T0QjTgaq5BcIqJWUl3fI9Z0p3C0Z7yLOOZrs6rLfZnEuRyaTEzi_0XCE5sPrg/s640/038.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture taken from Tasty Thai parking lot.</span></div>alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-19135590686321146962012-03-06T10:02:00.001-07:002012-03-06T10:04:26.759-07:00Goodbye October. Yes, October.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We got rid of the pumpkin. Finally.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you came over to our place any time in the past 5 months, you'll know what I'm talking about.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the beginning of October, my grandma and grandpa hosted a halloween/fall party.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The guys decorated pumpkins. Mike got a little creative and ended up with Jesus on his pumpkin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We referred to it as the "Jesus pumpkin" from there on out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Blasphemous? I hope not. Then again, that <em>would</em> be in true <em>Mike fashion</em>.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The pumpkin sat on our porch from October thru February. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Disgusting. I know. But that's how little we open our side door. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally, after a little nagging on my part(hello! I wasn't going to do it.), </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mike rid us of the pumpkin. Yes, it was nasty and Mike was screaming in agony the whole time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I tried to take a good picture but he was running to the trash can. Fast.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUzv-0SkdgjDssPyzLvuncJYI5Dbui5ePYx3Hd_wsNrMzyRT43CNZRdteEJrCsbkUjCfjsIRgscCJ7D-HPwWwkpkKskjYPRQaW7w2wNGTElcnzoiHYrpj1fUxnZs4P4-gJz3HKeySpcQ/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUzv-0SkdgjDssPyzLvuncJYI5Dbui5ePYx3Hd_wsNrMzyRT43CNZRdteEJrCsbkUjCfjsIRgscCJ7D-HPwWwkpkKskjYPRQaW7w2wNGTElcnzoiHYrpj1fUxnZs4P4-gJz3HKeySpcQ/s400/010.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWykH7SVFv9ZbrfcDUSJSVQ26Q21sg7l6Lyj-n3GOJ9Zn7rzQcJdKIYwNp1eaNs8Ta1MH-sawNrnVzTY5NI3HgYlXQS1YVSci1pq-T5WeMr_6wpfYtxnjSQhSHuv7oCjgZEmkNfeUGNs/s1600/031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWykH7SVFv9ZbrfcDUSJSVQ26Q21sg7l6Lyj-n3GOJ9Zn7rzQcJdKIYwNp1eaNs8Ta1MH-sawNrnVzTY5NI3HgYlXQS1YVSci1pq-T5WeMr_6wpfYtxnjSQhSHuv7oCjgZEmkNfeUGNs/s640/031.JPG" width="425" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I coaxed him to stop for 5 seconds so I could snap this. </div><div style="text-align: center;">You're probably not even looking at the pumpkin. Sexy morning hair, huh?</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Glad that's gone. I'm thinking of making a wreath to adorn our porch. </div><div style="text-align: center;">But it will have to fit both spring and summer... because we know it'll be there for at least 5 months.</div>alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-5790319003029690692012-02-29T16:39:00.005-07:002012-02-29T16:46:00.171-07:00Chapstick.Lawyers are funny people. Okay, maybe my beef is just with one in particular.<br />
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He gives me weird looks when he walks by and I'm talking with another staffer about something insignificant, like my apprehension in trying lipstick. I mean I've always been a chapstick girl. I've used it since I was young.. when I played in the sun until my lips burned like fire and nothing but a layer of chapstick every hour could cure it. You could say I'm addicted to chapstick. Most women put a little color on their lips for big occasions, like their prom and wedding day. I didn't though. I want to start wearing lipstick because I look at other friends who have taken the leap. They all look phenomenal but I know they have picked just the right shade. How do I know what shade to get? What brand to get?<br />
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Listen Mr. Lawyer <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(that's what we'll call him for the purpose of this rant), </span>I realize my conversations seem full of things you deem insignificant. I know that your life is filled with only ambitious and elevated (or pompous and pretentious?) thoughts. Allow me to indulge in meaningless girl talk from time to time, without being judged.<br />
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Seeing as the judgmental looks happen at least monthly, I would've ended my rant here, had I posted this one day earlier. But not 20 minutes ago, the aforementioned lawyer totally "geeked out" with another attorney over none other than... Harry Potter! Oh man. I died inside. I laughed. I need to hear him explain how upset he was by the ending, how <em>he thought</em> the series and movie <em>should</em> have ended, his excitement in hearing that J.K. Rowling is creating another book with more of an adult focus. He was totally geeking out, people! And that made me feel vindicated. <br />
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Today served as a reminder that everyone needs to have pointless, trivial communication once in a while.<br />
But especially women.alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-46418150758330913992012-02-24T09:06:00.003-07:002012-02-24T09:39:27.839-07:00keywords to our blogDo you every look under your "stats" section of Blogger to see what google searches lead strangers to your blog? It's sometimes the most odd keywords that land random people here, in our blogworld. <br />
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<strong>directions to brothel pompeii pavement</strong><br />
Now, this one makes sense. They probably found <a href="http://mikeyandalyssa.blogspot.com/2011/06/viva-italia.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #76a5af;">this post</span></a> of our time in Italy this past summer.<br />
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<strong>celebs with mustaches</strong><br />
<strong>sexy mustaches</strong><br />
<strong>hot men with mustaches</strong><br />
Mike is pretty proud that <a href="http://mikeyandalyssa.blogspot.com/2010/09/celebrities-with-mustaches.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #76a5af;">his post</span></a> has driven in tons of random people who are interested in the same important things as him... namely mustaches. <em>sexy, hot men, celebs</em>... all these keywords that led to my husband. It's going straight to his head, y'all.<br />
<br />
<strong>royalty riches</strong><br />
I could only guess that our humble little lives don't fit into what this searcher had in mind BUT they probably were led to <a href="http://mikeyandalyssa.blogspot.com/2010/04/open-house-for-rich-and-famous.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #76a5af;">this blog post</span></a>... which is a dream home of ours, in a dream neighborhood.<br />
<br />
<strong>carnival concession menu</strong><br />
Not a clue. <br />
<br />
<strong>jordie's suits</strong><br />
Now this is kind of creepy. Mike's has a cousin named Jordie. As far as I know, Jordie doesn't wear suits. She's a girl. A beautiful girl.<br />
<br />
<strong>alyssa kelsey</strong><br />
Me+sister. This one is logical.<br />
<br />
<strong>germany chritsmas dusseldorf (aww... someone can't spell Christmas)</strong><br />
I bet they found <a href="http://mikeyandalyssa.blogspot.com/2011/09/now-lets-finish-up-germany-shall-we.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #76a5af;">this post</span></a><span style="color: #76a5af;">.</span> Wow. Just looking past at that post made me jealous of myself. I want to get back to Germany stat. We loved it there, in Rothenberg ob der Tauber. I was giddy for 2 days straight.<br />
<br />
<strong>girls night out</strong><br />
I like my GNOs as much as the next girl.<br />
<br />
<strong>a reason to celebrate</strong><br />
Glad their search led them here. I feel like I'm always looking for a reason to celebrate something.<br />
<br />
<strong>alyssa mike ward las vegas</strong><br />
I hope you find who you're looking for... I really doubt it was us. <br />
<br />
<br />
Post your keywords! I'd be interested to read them. <br />
Happy Friday people. I hope you have fantastic plans for the weekend. What with all the laundry, cleaning and grocery shopping I have planned... it's going to be a riot!alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-62773310486952716772012-02-13T10:51:00.008-07:002012-02-13T16:20:10.294-07:00We'll call this a "filler" post.<div style="text-align: center;">January was a good month for me. I posted a ton on this here blog and I was really proud of myself </div><div style="text-align: center;">for documenting life... but then February hit. I haven't done a thing. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I haven't taken pictures and what's a post without a picture? Exactly. </div><div style="text-align: center;">In the meantime, I give you this "filler" post. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I apologize in advance for the ridiculous number of videos on this post.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yesterday I spent a lot (possibly too much?) time watching music videos of Whitney Houston's on Youtube. I was never a big fan of hers... but it's sad she is gone. What a brilliant voice.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eH3giaIzONA" width="420"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
This has to be my favorite one. Maybe because of her hair. Maybe because it screams the 80's. Maybe because I remember singing along to "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" when I was a few years old. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This kind of childhood reminiscing lead to a whirlwind of music from my younger years. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Mikey and I showed each other the first music videos we ever saw and the first songs we remember</div><div style="text-align: center;"> hearing on the radio. I won't go crazy with all the videos (mostly because I know you won't watch them) </div><div style="text-align: center;">so here are just two of my favorites.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2-TXBniRz1g" width="420"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Don't Take the Girl by Tim McGraw- Did you cry? Tell me you cried.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dcnd55tLCv8" width="420"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel) by Billy Joel- This song is dear to me. My dad often sang me to sleep with this song.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Both are sappy songs. Mike is right... I must like to cry.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Also, has anyone else heard about the Color Run? It's a 5K extravaganza of color (like the Festival of Colors in Spanish Fork but with running/walking) that takes place in cities all over the United States. You run into a different color cloud at each kilometer mark. They somehow skipped Salt Lake City and have one in every other surrounding city. I could be talked into going up to Boise for the weekend in August to do it. Anyone, anyone?</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZWsfHC-0d6A" width="560"></iframe></div>alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-77776332109956770072012-01-31T09:04:00.005-07:002012-01-31T09:09:10.337-07:00'bout time.<div style="text-align: center;">Just yesterday I did something BIG. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I bought ourselves airline tickets to TEXAS in May!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">So maybe we did our taxes on Sunday and maybe we came into a tiny bit of money </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and maybe I spent it before we even got it! But that's okay, right?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mike has never gone to Texas with me and I am so. stinkin'. happy.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The purpose of this trip will be three-fold. </div><div style="text-align: center;">1. Most importantly- See my best friend from Texas, Ashley, and her hubby Jonathan </div><div style="text-align: center;">and their new baby girl due in March. I love it when besties have babies!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjLY_45b6J-zTe4jvcGaNghmuFMDZlbzk4ilyVx1Qxt3LIQX4nOD50IhcVx5U7tW18Z_RMXEK1GL1xcKbEd70IHXzp31uOwocy1u4ezh3tnEbacz6NfwaSpfVhBPLS4iY9gyKpjnKWOc/s1600/ashleywedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjLY_45b6J-zTe4jvcGaNghmuFMDZlbzk4ilyVx1Qxt3LIQX4nOD50IhcVx5U7tW18Z_RMXEK1GL1xcKbEd70IHXzp31uOwocy1u4ezh3tnEbacz6NfwaSpfVhBPLS4iY9gyKpjnKWOc/s320/ashleywedding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-zCRJIvqid97pESEg9ftyK60o-4ow7Z7RWUS3kWZkIozdJ8Tzl9Vc7m6GD7zpY0ak6THBd3BYEJFFuts6Xn1yu9AhwST57qIM7t_IsrQJpvFLQLGf0HUMUwzcK6W7wtCbOp1pFCyuJI/s1600/ashleyprego.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-zCRJIvqid97pESEg9ftyK60o-4ow7Z7RWUS3kWZkIozdJ8Tzl9Vc7m6GD7zpY0ak6THBd3BYEJFFuts6Xn1yu9AhwST57qIM7t_IsrQJpvFLQLGf0HUMUwzcK6W7wtCbOp1pFCyuJI/s320/ashleyprego.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Baby will only be 2 months old when Auntie Lyssa comes to see her. I'm so excited!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
2. Head over to Kingwood(Houston) to show Mike my old stomping grounds: my high school, </div><div style="text-align: center;">my carwash (yep, I worked at a carwash in Texas... don't worry. It was a <em>cool thing</em>.), </div><div style="text-align: center;">my old house, my favorite places to eat, etc. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">3. Check out the business school at University of Texas and possibly </div><div style="text-align: center;">convince Mike to put it higher on his list of applications for next year. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm glad that we're finally taking this little ol' trip... Aren't tax refunds great? </div>alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-2339724316457711772012-01-31T08:10:00.002-07:002012-01-31T08:12:25.439-07:00Mikey lost his cell phone a couple weeks ago. Not sure where or how but it's gone.<br />
He went 8 days without one & then decided life could not progress any further without a phone in his hand.<br />
On Saturday we dropped everything. Found a good deal for a used HTC EVO online. Met up in a slightly sketchy situation. Learned that Mikey has NO bargaining skills whatsoever (zip.zero. zilch.). <br />
I demonstrated my wicked awesome bargaining skills and got the phone for cheap.<br />
<br />
My hubby now has a new toy to obsessed over. Hence, he spent Saturday night glued to that phone while I watched episodes of Dance Moms and Toddlers&Tiaras. I know what you're thinking.<br />
<i>This couple is lamesauce. </i><br />
But ya know what? It was kind of nice to relax in front of the tv and just veg out with a pizza on a Saturday night. We try to keep busy enough and be socialites on the side, that one weekend night with nothing to do ending up being just want we didn't know we wanted. Funny how it can be refreshing to do nothing at all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67alyZiVQo8om8Ze2t6j-lOC4YhholrPHK1EqHv9Bliz0ivPvxzeVGOZIr6oZRX2zFmkxpk-tu-rIR_VEVYdg8m0b0yY6ztgZsf9pyF8TZXm22dOETckrntM7wxucM6eSY3HXKhYRghU/s1600/087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67alyZiVQo8om8Ze2t6j-lOC4YhholrPHK1EqHv9Bliz0ivPvxzeVGOZIr6oZRX2zFmkxpk-tu-rIR_VEVYdg8m0b0yY6ztgZsf9pyF8TZXm22dOETckrntM7wxucM6eSY3HXKhYRghU/s400/087.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-43911957849898610592012-01-17T14:47:00.004-07:002012-01-18T11:14:56.313-07:00The little (good) things.Today's highlights -so far- include:<br />
<br />
-After a 45 minute call with the California State Bar I was finally able to check three things off today's to-do list. <span style="font-size: x-small;">Do you start every day with a list of things you <em>need </em>to get done and a list of things you <em>want</em> to get done? I try to and there is no better feeling than crossing things off the list! Okay... maybe a couple things are better. But really, I love it.</span><br />
<br />
-Mike and I are now proud owners of the beautiful 2006 Nissan Altima that I've been driving around the past 18 months! <span style="font-size: x-small;">When we moved to Bountiful and soon realized my 17 year old BMW couldn't make it up the mountain, my Dad (and financial guru extraordinaire) suggested us getting a different car and paying on a car loan for at least 18 months to build "hard credit". This way it will be much easier when Mike and I want to be approved for a home loan (MUCH further down the road). Yay!</span><br />
<br />
-Mackenzie, the Wells Fargo teller that I see every 2 weeks at the drive thru, knows my name! <span style="font-size: x-small;">I'm not sure why I find this to be so exciting... but I do. She said "Hi Alyssa!" as soon as I pulled up. I'd say we're at the friendship level already. And no, that's not rushing things. (The last time I became friends with my bank teller was back in 2006 and that resulted in being set up on the longest, worst blind date of my life. So I'm a bit hesitant but I feel good about this.)</span><br />
<br />
-I feel like I cheated the Chick-fil-a system when my total was $3.40! <span style="font-size: x-small;">Thank you to a dear coworker who has introduced me to the ways of the Chick-fil-a kids meal! 4 piece chicken nuggets with polynesian sauce, substitute the fries for a fruit cup (because it's free for the "kiddos") and then you can change out the toy for a cup of their delicious vanilla ice cream and a small Diet Dr. Pepper! All for $3.40! I can't stop using exclamation marks!! No more spending $7 at Chick-fil-a for a good meal... it's all kids meals from here!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">-I wrote on my blog! </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you can't tell already, I'm trying to put forth a good effort to update my blog a few times a week. I just know that 20 years from now (since I'm horrible at keeping a journal) I'll want to look back at these things. No matter how silly they are.</span><br />
<br />
With all of these positive moments, I'm chalking up today as a good day.alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473495625867744978.post-66984654430701381862012-01-16T08:48:00.004-07:002012-01-16T08:53:26.578-07:00A Shining Example<div style="text-align: center;">For the past couple weeks I've been thinking, off and on, about my recent interactions with <br />
President Eyring. I'm lucky to share a ward with him.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm sure he doesn't know my name but my favorite thing is that he pretends he does. </div><div style="text-align: center;">"Hey there!" "There she is!" "Good to see you." He acts like we're friends and I love it.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Little does he know that as a young member growing up in Louisiana and Texas, I adored <br />
him more than most youth. When you grow up as a member outside of Utah, <br />
general authorities are almost like celebrities, not your regular people. <br />
We only see them on tv, never in the car next to you or shopping at the same grocery store. <br />
He was the one general authority I sincerely connected with. Every time he spoke. </div><div style="text-align: center;">President Eyring speaks consistently with such compassion and emotion, I find myself relating<br />
to this 80 year old man more and more. </div><div style="text-align: center;">When Mike and I moved to Bountiful, we moved into President Eyring's home ward, and yes, <br />
he attends nearly every Sunday. I've been able to enjoy hearing his personal testimonies <br />
on more than one occasion, <br />
his pure joy when a member of his family speaks in sacrament meeting<br />
and quick greetings in the hallways at church.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The first Sunday in December church was cut short so that the ward could secure the area, as much as possible, for an expected windstorm. As I walked pass President Eyring, he looked at me with a huge smile and said, "Isn't this so exciting?", to which I responded with the first thing that came to mind.<br />
"Yes! Especially when you aren't very prepared for the primary lesson you were going to teach." <br />
I look over at Mike to get a "you know what I'm talking about" look but he is just staring at me with a shocked look on his face. I could tell exactly what he was thinking. <em>Uh.. Did you just tell a general authority- a member of the First Presidency no less- that you didn't prepare your lesson? That you aren't magnifying your calling? For a split second I regretted telling Henry B. the truth. I totally wasn't prepared and I was estactic that I was left off the hook for this one Sunday. </em>To my surprise, President Eyring told me about several experiences in grade school when he hadn't done his homework and he prayed that his teacher wouldn't pick it up. He said there were many times when he was "let off the hook" and said that the Lord hears our prayers. Even the seemingly insignificant ones.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllRNep1AGtEf4NBBAIdzHOPW7jCi6vj4fmClicAAK70B7DVogtIaoS6XO4Ef8Q-DEAd3J-nq7sFuHYS_lnRimU3rkF-ORjAwbBzWtwpHS3xqDJd1RHWC1Z_F1dWMAl7viUiuqoY1hGag/s1600/henry+b..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllRNep1AGtEf4NBBAIdzHOPW7jCi6vj4fmClicAAK70B7DVogtIaoS6XO4Ef8Q-DEAd3J-nq7sFuHYS_lnRimU3rkF-ORjAwbBzWtwpHS3xqDJd1RHWC1Z_F1dWMAl7viUiuqoY1hGag/s320/henry+b..jpg" width="320" /></a></div>He will probably never know how he influences me and that's okay by me.<br />
I simply feel lucky enough to know him.</div>alyssa nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12088219873526930975noreply@blogger.com5