Special Talents

Yesterday while cleaning the garage, we ran across some old Army gear. Baleigh asked me if I would ever go back in the Army and I told her "no". She then said she knew why and I asked her to elaborate. She said that I needed to be home so that I could say bedtime prayers with them and make dinner. I told her that daddy could help with that so I didn't really need to be there. She shook her little head and said, "no, that wouldn't work. Daddy isn't so great at teaching bedtime prayers. His special talent is squishy hugs and carrying me to bed. So we need you here."

Its good to be needed. But I especially liked that she thinks her dad's special talent is squishy hugs.

Now that I am thinking about hugs, it makes me think of something else that the little Bean does. Whenever she sees Jake give me a hug or vise-a-versa, she runs up to us and yells "SANDWHICH HUG!" She then gets in between us and wait for us to squeeze her until she squeals. lol

She is quite the little thinker. She comes up with some of the funniest things and   will randomly break out a big word that cracks my co-workers up. The other day she came in to the office and announced, "Apparently my snow pants are NOT waterproof. Because my pants got soaked at recess and Mr Blakely INSISTED that I change into dry clothes" Seriously? What 6 year old do you know who reads the dictionary for fun while waiting for bedtime? Mine does. Its amazing to see the differences between a boy obsessed with animals and a girl obsessed with learning everything about everything.  She is a voracious reader and is very into the show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

Puppy Love....and Dictators

Today while driving to the grocery store an interesting conversation occurred in the car. The song "Wrecking Ball" came on the radio and Baleigh asked me what the girl was talking about when she said "All I wanted to do was for you to let me in". I told her that the girl was looking for the person she loved to love her back and they didn't. Comedy ensued. Thor chimed in by saying he knew exactly what she meant. Last summer Abby (a girl from his class) wanted to try and kiss him and put a ring on him (try not to laugh when he says this with a dead serious face). He said he told her he was too young to have a girlfriend and they could be just friends. She didn't stop and chased him around the playground - since she wasn't very good at the monkey bars he would run there and climb them so she couldn't get to him. I tried my best to keep the smiles under wraps but I was so proud of my little guy realizing that girlfriends can wait, and he was honest with her.

While putting groceries away Baleigh asked me what a dictator was? I asked why and she said she had just heard the word somewhere. So we discussed the Holocaust and how Hitler came into power. They were both horrified to learn that someone could take power over a country and their people and send them to camps and even kill them. It was a good half hour conversation about the things that can happen when the people are no longer in control of their government. Not sure if this was an age appropriate conversation but they kept asking questions and as long as they were curious I was going to answer them.

Christmas 2013

The kids and Peepaw on Christmas Eve when they came up for a quick visit. This was the first time since 4th of July that Meemaw and Peepaw had been here. It is always nice to have family come for a short visit. These little guys sure do love their grandpa.

Flying hugs for Uncle Caleb!

Opening gifts from grandma and grandpa!

New drawing books from grandpa and grandma Nielsen! So excited!

 After our Christmas eve gathering with the Nielsen side we had a relaxing Christmas Eve at home. This was only the 2nd Christmas Eve that we have had in our own home since Jake and I got married. It was one of the most relaxing low stress holiday's that we have ever had.

Christmas morning was reserved for Santa gifts and enjoying some quiet family time in our own living room. Baleigh had not really made a list this year and our standard is that Santa will bring you one thing - the thing that you want the most - as long as it is reasonable (no pony requests). Baleigh got a set of My Little Ponies because she has recently really gotten into the cartoon show based on them. She loved them! She also got a couple new outfits from Grandma Diane and Aunt Debbie and Uncle Hugh. In her stocking she found a Kaleidoscope, candy and some gum. Thor had is heart set on another guy from Ben Ten. Last year he was SO excited to receive Gravitack. This year he was looking forward to Articguana. After a few months of searching on Ebay "santa" finally found it! He was thrilled to open it and after opening his lava lamp and mini lego mantis he retreated to his room for the next two hour and played with his Ben Ten guys. 

Playing with his new Ben Ten guy and all his ones from years past. He is amassing quite a little collection. :)

 After a quiet morning at home we jumped in the car and headed the 2 miles down the road to my oldest brother's place for the big family get together. This is the first year since before I joined the Army that our whole family has been under the same roof for Christmas. Usually someone is off somewhere with their spouse's family. But the stars aligned and we were all present. 26 of us in all this year - by 4th of July there will be 28. I brought all the "gingerbread" houses, and everyone brought a bag of candy to decorate them with. My sister-in-law Tracie had decorated their home beautifully and my other SIL Emily provided trivia and games for the adults and children to play during the children's gift exchange. We had a wonderful time hanging out with everyone!

Thor starting his house

Emily and her daughter Ivy with their house~

Baleigh was so proud that she had completed her house all by herself this year!

My baby brother Caleb and his girlfriend Rachel working on their masterpiece. It turned out really great!

Our completed village! Some of us have some mad decorating skills.

Jake "helping" Baligh while she was playing BINGO with cousins

My favorite kid in the family at the moment. Ryan is a 2 year old ham that ran around taking "pictures" of everyone all day. This kids could seriously not be any cuter. His parents are doing a great job, raising a polite, sweethearted little man. Love him to death!

Group picture of the cousins.

Family gift for my parents. My dad is a riot. He can still make my mom laugh like no one else.

Blessed

I am blessed. In so many ways. I was blessed the day I met my husband. We only knew each other for 3 short months before our first separation, and we both knew, deep down that we were meant for one another. 5 years later we finally stopped being separated long enough to get married. We have said more good-byes and had more reunions that many couples. We spent years separated by continents and oceans, and the military in general. The biggest blessing that we could have asked for(or not ask for). In those years of separation we developed deep, loving relationship through letters, and emails, and (in the pre cell phone years) the VERY occasional phone call. Homecomings were sacred. You have not experienced true passion until you have been separated from your true love for over a year. When your eyes lock, in that moment,  nothing else even matters. You don't care if your hair is perfect, or your outfit looks right, you don't care if people stare. All you care about it jumping into that person's arms and never letting go again. 

I thought when Jake came home from an 18 month deployment that I would never be happier. I was wrong. Fast forward 3 1/2 years to March of 2009. I had finally completed 3 1/2 months of  Army Basic Combat Training and was allowed to see my husband and my two babies. Thor was just 2 1/2 and Baleigh was not quite 1 1/2 yrs old. I vividly remember walking across the parking lot, and then running, then crouching down and my chubby little boy running towards me. He had  a tiny dinosaur clutched in his fat little paw, and he launched himself into my arms. I could not have been happier than I was at that very moment. I was blessed. There was a moment (ok, maybe a little more than a moment) when Baleigh did not recognize me and was hysterical when I picked her up. It crushed me that she did not recognize me or want me to touch her. We eventually warmed up to each other again when I was able to be home with them again every night - 6 months later. But I was blessed to realize how much my family means to me, because I have been without them so many times. Very few will ever be able to know what it is like to be without their family and then be re-united with them. Jake and I have a unique perspective on love and family-togetherness.

Elf on the Shelf 2013

I know many of my friends have taken on the Elf on the Shelf tradition, while still others have decided against it. Several years ago, my best friend in the world brought this little guy into our lives. The kids look forward to his arrival every Black Friday and are sad to see him go on Christmas Eve. This year, after weeks of prayers, We had a little girl elf join our family. I know some people don't take the time to do something extensive with their elves, having them just move from one location in the house to the next...however, I really get a kick out of finding fun and exciting projects for our elf to do. It makes me smile to hear the kids get up early in the day and look for him (them). 

 

 

Arrival!

I think a little baking is in order

We had magical double duty in the house this night. Our resident tooth fairy gave our little elf a kiss on the cheek and folded the dollar into a peacock. Quite talented!

Countdown to Christmas is on. Chilling in his bath robe, reading this naughty and nice list.

Remembering Pearl Harbor Day with a little friendly competition

Why take the bull by the horns when you can take the ram?

Snowball fight with a snowman! Sure, why not?

Keeping company with princesses. Even elves get lonely at night.

Our artistic little guy

Tonight, after many prayers for an elf of her own, Baleigh's elf "Violet" showed up to keep Leif company on the long winter nights.

Date Night

Cirque De Soleil

Playing Dress up

Come on ride the train.....

More acrobatics

Packing peanut igloo, made for 2.

Leif taking good care of Violet when she was sick.

Cookie thieves! 

Leif came to visit at mommy's office. Minds were blown on this stunt.

Candy Throne!

Gingerbread village. They assembled all the houses for the annual gingerbread decorating contest. Such fun.

Dry run for Santa - needed to make sure the chimney was clear!

Yay! Baby Jesus is here!!!!

Saying goodby to our little elf friends. Tonight Santa will take them home with him, so they didn't need their magic.

Nielsen Kids 2006-2013

                                                     Thor's First Christmas! Ft. Carson, CO 2006

                                          Baleigh's first Christmas New Lenox, IL 2007

                                              Christmas in Indianapolis, IN 2008

                                              Christmas at Ft. Leonardwood, MO 2009

                                             

                                                Christmas at Ft Hood, TX 2010 (Pershing Park Community Center)
                 

                                          Christmas at Killeen Power Sports 2011

                                        Christmas in Lena, IL 2012

      

                                                Christmas in Lena IL 2013

2nd Thanksgiving

After our early Thanksgiving with Grandma Diane, we had our big Zimmerman family get together at my parents house. We all take a side dish, but my dad still cooks up the turkeys (yes, we have several with a crowd as large as ours is), and makes his delicious stuffing, and amazing never to be rivaled gravy. We all crowd around the tables and have a wonderful dinner together.

After we have cleaned  the tables and the dads have succumbed to their respective food comas, the kids take seat at the kitchen table and we bust out the bingo game. My aunt Judy calls for us and there is a mound of dollar store prizes to be won sitting in the center of the table. You would think it was a pile of gold with how excited they get....ok, I get excited about a box of mike and ikes too.

In the late afternoon we headed home and spent the remainder of the day watching Christmas movies.

This year I opted out of going with my sisters and sister-in-laws for Black Friday shopping. We have recently started at no spend 30 days where we only buy things that are absolutely essential to daily life. Its amazing how creative one can get when just cooking out of the pantry and freezer. We have bought some fresh fruit and veggies as well as bread and milk. However, that is pretty much the extent of our expenditures lately.

Instead on Friday we did some yard work, and Baleigh and I went over to my mom and dad's to pick up some reclaimed barn boards for a few projects I have in the works. She really loves working with me on projects involving power tools and paint. I am so proud and happy that she likes working with me on things. These will be valuable skills as she gets older.

Saturday we had a lazy day of hanging out in our cozy house. It was nice to have a long weekend with Jake home. We so rarely get the opportunity to have a long weekend together and it was just what we needed. We watched TV and snuggled on the couch and baked cookies and loved every second of it.

Saturday evening was my mom's extended family gathering. We went to the potluck and I got to catch up with cousins I have not seen in a few years. I really love some of the people my cousins have chosen for their spouses. Not to mention the delightful children that they have created and are raising. Some days it is fun to be part of such a big clan.

Sunday we lamented the fact that our "vacation" from real life was coming to an end. I put a roast in the crock pot in the morning and we had a giant sunday dinner that turned into leftovers for the lunch the next day. Overall it was a wonderful 4 day weekend and now we are looking forward to a fun filled Christmas season.