Merry Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas to everyone!

We are fast approaching our second Christmas in Enoch. It is amazing how quickly time flies when you don't stop to breathe. We hope all of our friends and family are doing well.

Here is a quick update on what we are all doing now...

Skyler has adjusted to life as a high schooler. He is looking forward to having his braces removed in 2010 (the doctor promised, again). His favorite classes are Men's Choir and Seminary. They have their second choir concert this week. Skyler is looking forward to turning 16 so he can date and drive (in that order apparently). It appears that girls no longer carry cooties.

Sydney is looking forward to being in the state honor choir in Salt Lake, doing an internship at the hospital, and driving again (she killed the car she was driving). She is in two choir classes, a number of honor classes and some medical classes to keep her busy. Surviving pre-calculus is a high priority for the rest of the year. She also is now living in the basement because her new room is finished.

Vicki said yes one too many times (new young women's president). She is still enjoying working at the courthouse in Parowan in the human resources department. Vicki now gets ready for bed in record time since getting her eyes fixed via Lasik surgery. Merry Christmas to her.

Rich hasn't been fired yet from Canyon View High School. He works with some great people and still enjoys showing up each day. November is the off month for Rich because it is in between sports seasons. He enjoyed not eating at Subway or In-N-Out Burger 3 times a week. The doctor reported he is a walking heart-attack and to quit eating at In-N-Out Burger. He is serving as an assistant in the local old-fart group that meets each Sunday.

Smokey, our 11 year old cat, is still alive. Barely. He manages to outrun us when we are chasing him after puking on the carpet or jumping up on the counters to eat our scraps (which he then throws up).

We are trying to plan a trip to Nauvoo in the summer (it is really a disguise to get to go to Cedar Pointe Amusement Park in Sandusky Ohio, but don't let Vicki know). Other than that we don't have any grand plans coming up. Well, Vicki and Rich are going to Las Vegas to celebrate their wedding anniversary by watching Donny and Marie Osmond. Maybe he will dance and show off his trophy he won last month?

Merry Christmas to everyone. We hope you are well and know of our love for all of our fiends and family.

The Nielsen's (Rich, Vicki, Sydney, Skyler and Smokey - at least this week)

Oh, I forgot I had a blog...

So this past week I picked up Sydney from girls camp in Salt Lake City (she went with our old ward). While I was up there, a friend (Josh DeMoux) reminded me that I hadn't updated our blog since Christmas. My initial thought was, "I have a blog?"
So here it is, 8 moths or so after our last post and I am finally updating the blog...

Let's see what a quick recap would entail.
January: Vicki worked (started full-time with the county). Rich went to basketball games and wrestling matches. Sydney and Skyler went to school. Skyler went snowboarding with the middle school up to Brian Head and had a blast.

February: Vicki worked and hurt her knee again (cleaning toilets and playing church basketball are hazardous to your health!). Rich went to basketball games, wrestling matches, state basketball, state wrestling with Sydney, state drill team with Vicki, and kicked some kids out of school. Sydney and Skyler went to school.

March: Vicki worked and got called as the ward Relief Society secretary. Rich had a couple of weeks of down time between sports seasons and got called to serve in the ward old man group as the first assistant. Vicki's presidency meetings were twice as long as Rich's (go figure). Sydney turned 16 and got her drivers license. Rich and Vicki took turns fainting. Skyler went to school and received his Deacon's Duty to God award.

April: Vicki worked. Rich went to boys soccer, boys baseball, boys tennis, track, and girls softball. Sydney and Skyler went to school. Sydney received her young woman recognition award/medallion.



May: Vicki worked. Rich went to boys soccer, boys baseball, boys tennis, track, and girls softball. The family took a trip to Roosevelt to watch state softball. Rich went to state tournaments for all of the above sports in Provo and Spanish Fork. School ended and Skyler and Sydney started sleeping in. Rich and Skyler went on a father's and son's campout using 4 wheel drive up a muddy mountain to get there while pulling a trailer.

June: Vicki worked. Rich and Skyler fished. Sydney slept in, ate Doritos and hung out with friends claiming she was job hunting by networking with friends. We went up to Matt Brown's farewell in the old ward (he is a freakin stud by the way). We took a 10 day trip with Dave and Karon's family (Rich's brother) up to Oregon and the Redwoods in California. Had a wonderful time horseback riding on the beach, in the trees, up the river (without a paddle), and hanging out with 50 billion mosquitoes at Crater Lake. Winemucca we could have done without, but other than that it was awesome!









July: Vicki worked. Rich and Skyler fished. Sydney slept in, ate Doritos and hung out with friends claiming she was job hunting by networking with friends. Sydney also went to girls camp and helped work on her new room in the basement. Rich and Vicki went to George Strait at USANA in Salt Lake (that was a "died and gone to heaven" moment for Rich).

August: Vicki worked (see a recurring theme yet?). Rich and Skyler fished (you saw that one coming too right?). Sydney slept in, ate Doritos and hung out with friends claiming she was job hunting by networking with friends. Sydney also went to girls camp in Salt Lake with the old ward and helped work on her new room in the basement. The room is now officially finished and she is loving life in her ginormous room. We all went camping at Panguitch Lake with Dave and Karon's family. Rich and Skyler caught 0 fish. Kyle (10 year old cousin) caught 4. Ryan (12 year old cousin) caught 1. Sierra (6 year old cousin) caught 1. Kory (4 year old cousin) caught 1. Dave (40+ year old brother caught 1). Sydney ran away anytime someone caught a fish as part of her fish-o-phobia. Vicki is now working with the 14-16 year old girls in young women's. Less meetings but more activities.

Now Rich can be seen moping around the house as he is officially employed again. Vicki can be seen working (still). Sydney and Skyler are hanging out waiting for school to start so there is something to do...

Hope all is well with everyone!