Happy "6th" Birthday...SADIE

SADIE KATHERINE DEAN =

Nice, Smart, Good Friend, Funny, Great Laugh, Kind, Spunky, Good Dancer, Obedient, Beautiful, Huggable, Awesome, Energetic, Outgoing, Spitfire, Good at Gymnastics, Loving and Most of all...
A GREAT SISTER AND DAUGHTER!
We LOVE you Sadie!!! Thanks for being such a GREAT kid :)

Our BABY is "6"...CRAZY!!! For Sadie's birthday we took "8" of her friends to Build-a-Bear Workshop. What an easy and great place for a BIRTHDAY PARTY. We are so lucky to have so many girls Sadie's age that live in our ward. I think they will be great friends for LIFE.

Back Row: Ashley Jensen, Charlotte Messick, Grace Ellis, Sadie
Front Row: Allie Bruce, Zani Egan, Graice Janke, Brooklyn Davies, Jane Robinson

Sadie is so lucky to have GRANDPARENTS that love her.Shopping with Grandma Judy and Grandpa Roger.Sadie's Birthday Cake

It's a NEW YEAR!!!

One of my RESOLUTIONS for this New Year is to SLOW DOWN and really ENJOY life and especially our kids...because sooner than later they will be gone and onto their own individual life experiences. I was looking through my journal I have on the computer this morning and I came across a talk I gave in our ward when we moved in. It was such a great reminder for me to read and reflect on why it is important for me to slow down.

It’s Monday morning April 17^th 2006. It is a very snowy day, kids are off school for Spring break. Mom says come on guys get in the car we need to get Will to swimming lessons. Hurry because we don’t want to be late. Get your coats and shoes on and be sure to buckle up. Mom makes sure Sadie is in the car and is buckled. It seems Sadie’s coat is kind of tight with the seatbelt so the buckle that goes around the legs is bothering her. Today mom decides to put the lap belt over Sadie as well so she is very secure in the car. Something mom never does. We’re heading up 3900 south. Rachel who is almost 10 and occasionally likes to ride in the front seat says mom I think I should get in the back. OK Rachel just be sure to buckle up. Mom looks in the rear view mirror and notices Jake does not have his seatbelt on. Jake please put your belt on it is very snowy and we are getting on the freeway. We are on the freeway in between 4500 south and 6200 south on I 215 heading South. Mom decides the roads seem kind of slushy so she decides to get in the middle lane to avoid water pockets and slushy sides. When mom changes lanes to get in the middle the car hits something slippery and goes out of control. Mom puts on the breaks and the car gets pulled to the right putting us head on into the right freeway barrier wall. Mom doesn’t panic she holds it together she says oh my gosh we’re going to hit the wall and hopes when we are done everyone is OK. The car hits and bounces off causing the back right side of the car to hit the wall as well. Both airbags go off. Mom looks back and sees 8 big eyes looking at her... how glad she is no body was hurt. The children by now are over the shock and very upset screaming it smells like smoke we better get out. Mom struggles to get her door open so she has to kick it. Rachel helps Sadie out of her car seat and they all walk to the far edge of the freeway away from the car. The children are very upset. Moms purse and phone are in the car but the children don’t want her to go get it and she doesn’t want to leave them unattended on the side of the freeway. The snow is coming down quite hard. A few cars go by and don’t stop. Soon a man in his truck pulls up to the far right side of the freeway and says get in my car I will keep you and the children warm until help can get here. Mom is very upset by now because she realizes how lucky we are. She uses the mans phone and calls dad at work and says Mike I got in an accident on the freeway and I totaled the van. Dad immediately says is everyone OK. Yes we are all fine. How different his news could have been. The kids are quite shaken up but we are fine. The ambulance comes and says is everyone OK. Mom says yes we were all wearing our seatbelts and nobody was hurt. The nice man in the truck keeps telling the children you are OK now look at all the snow outside and you are in my nice warm truck. It is going to be OK. The police and dad come. The car is towed off the road and Dad takes his family home. The end of the story is we did total the car so we had to get a new car....but how lucky we were no one was hurt. How grateful mom is that the children listened and were obedient in putting their seat belts on. I am so grateful that Rachel listened to the Holy Ghost and got out of the front seat because who knows what the impact of the airbags would have done to her.

Sometimes I feel like life is leading us. We need to slow down and just enjoy life and our children. I spoke with a good friend of mine shortly after the accident and I told her how I felt I needed to enjoy life more she just had her fifth child and she said me too. She said if I want to hold my baby today and let the laundry wait until tomorrow than I am going to because soon those precious times will be gone. I know for a fact we were watched out that day because to cross the whole freeway and not be hit by another car was truly a blessing from our heavenly father. I hope this NEW YEAR brings lots of happiness and good things to all my family and friends and may we all ENJOY the little things in our life that bring us JOY.I hope we NEVER have to experience a wreck like that EVER again!!!

CHRISTMAS festivities

It is hard to believe that another Christmas has come and gone. It was so much fun spending lots of time with family these past few weeks the kids have been out of school. Melanie and Brad were here from Illinois and we partied lots.

We were so EXCITED to meet Melanie and Brad's newest addition:
EZRA BRADLEY CHAMBERS...born 11/11/09.
We just couldn't get enough of him :)
Sadie, Me, Mel, Rachel, Ezra, Mandy, Lindsey, Ellsie

The 2 youngest NELSON grandkids.
Ezra and Josh...I think they are going to be great friends.
Girls lunch for Amy's birthday.

Mel, Mom, Mandy, Amy, Me

Amy scheduled a time at the foodbank while Mel was in town. The kids had great fun sorting food and coloring boxes together.After the foodbank Grandma and Grandpa had us over to their house for pizza and a surprise guest :)

Here are my parents with "16" of their "17" grandkids (minus Cylia).

The kids were super excited to get a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Clause. Everyone was able to sit on his lap and give their special request for Christmas.

I think Santa must be a little behind... I am still waiting for my plane tickets to Hawaii.

The original NELSON "6" Pack
This was the first time we have all been together for Christmas in awhile.
Amy, Mel, Mom, Jed, Brett, Dad, Troy, Me CHRISTMAS EVE
We did our annual bowling and lunch on Christmas Eve. It is always a good time bowling with the cousins.

All the grandkids (minus Cylia)
Back Row: Sage, Josh, Jake, Lindsey, Rachel, Annie, Morgan, Ezra
Front Row: Jaxon, James, Will, Alex, Adam, Ellsie, Sadie, Chloe

The whole NELSON Clan (Minus Troy and Cylia)

This was our year to spend Christmas Eve with my family. We had dinner at my parents.

The ADULT table.

We always have a little talent show.
Sadie and Jaxon sang some Christmas songs.

Will played the piano.

Jake and Rachel played a duet.

We ended the evening with the nativity.

Joseph (James) and Mary (Sadie)
Baby Jesus (Ezra)

CHRISTMAS DAY
We go to my house for Breakfast and than Mike's for Lunch.

At the DEANS
Roger and Judy with all of their Grandkids.
Back Row: Rachel, Myla, Taylor, Jake
Front Row: Parker, Abby, Sadie, Will

The Whole DEAN Clan...nice self timed picture.Judy, Me, Michelle, Myla, Tonya

Spence and Michelle's new addition.
MYLA ELIZABETH DEAN...born 8/31/09

HAPPY NEW YEAR...Bring on "2010"

CHRISTMAS CARDS

One thing I am going to miss about December is all of the cards we get in the mail...unfortunately now it is just junk mail and bills. I love, love LOVE Christmas cards. This year we were sent so many and our door was over flowing. I don't know if it is because a lot of people get them printed at Costco and they are a little bigger, or what... but we LOVED them. Thanks to all our friends and family that sent us cards this year. Those that didn't...hopefully we will be on your mailing list next year :)

Mike just set up our new scanner so I decided to go through all our Christmas cards we have sent out since having kids. It has been fun looking at the changes in our family.

"1996""1997"
Love our hair...and the fake fireplace at JCPennys...AWESOME.

"1998"
This year we sent out a birth announcement for Jake since he was born on November 19th.

"1999"

"2000"
Another convenient year for a birth announcement since Will was born on November 27th."2001""2002""2003"
This year we had Rachel draw the cover and the inside of the card. I forgot how cute it was...I think I might need Sadie to do something like that...maybe next year.Love the "comma" after the "e"...so CUTE."2004"

"2005""2006""2007"
This was the only year I couldn't find. I looked up our account at Shutterfly and it was still in our file. I had to take a picture of our card on the computer... I am so glad it was still there. "2008""2009"Here's to MANY more years of CHRISTMAS cards to come!!!