Fernando Alonzo

We did it again - we got a dog. Ava has been begging for another dog since we had to re-home Tato. I kept saying I wanted to wait until the girls were all older, but I felt bad not letting Ava have a dog. She's an animal lover like me and I remember how that felt begging, wishing, and praying every day of my life for a dog of my own. I also noticed Lilly starting to get nervous around animals, which is so not how I wanted to raise my girls.

When we saw this sweet, scared puppy at the shelter I almost brought him home right then and there, but we decided to wait a week, think about it, and if he was still there, go get him.

Tyler agreed with the whole thing on one condition - we name the dog after a race car driver. Welcome Fernando Alonso!

The girls LOVE him and he is devoted to the girls. He lets them carry him around and treat him like a stuffed animal. He had no training whatsoever, but he's starting to pick up on things. I really wanted to adopt an older dog that was housetrained, but everyone at the shelter recommended going with a puppy, so that it is raised totally used to the kids.

The shelter's best guess for Fernando is that he is a Scottish terrier/dachshund mix. It's a ton of work having a puppy, but I'm thrilled for the relationship the girls are developing with him.

How a Bread Machine/Avocado & Tomato Season Made Me Excited for Lunch Again

I've been trying to make some healthy changes for our family this summer. In an effort to eat more fruits and vegetables, cook at home, and eliminate processed foods, I signed us up for a CSA, planted a small garden, and bought a bread machine. We are now eating more organic, whole foods, spending less on eating out and groceries, and being good to the environment. There is nothing like a BLTA made with homemade bread, heirloom tomatoes from the backyard, and lettuce from a local farm. I've got a LONG way to go in learning how to prepare and consume all those vegetables (parsley root anyone???) but it's a good change for us.

If you are wondering what a CSA is, it stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically you buy into shares of a local farm, that goes on to deliver fresh organic fruits, vegetables, and flowers to you once a week. It supports small local farmers and eliminates environmental damage from pesticides and the energy it takes to transport out of season produce around the world. It's a small thing that we can do to help and it encourages healthier eating on the part of our family.

Road Trip 2010 Tahoe

Our last stop on the road trip was Tahoe. We swam in Sand Harbor, ate popsicles on the dock, played at Squaw Village, and decorated birdhouses (that the girls put to use when they found an injured bird).

Road Trip 2010 Salt Lake City

We had serious fun with the cousins in Salt Lake City. The Ludwigs were visiting from Dallas so all of the Nielson cousins had a week together. We went to museums, boated on the lake, swam at Fred and Sue's house, ran through rain storms, and stayed up late.

Road Trip 2010 Zion National Park

We LOVED our trip to Zion National Park. The canyon was beautiful, the air smelled amazing, and we had fun adventures. We stayed at the Desert Pearl Inn, which I highly recommend, just outside the park. We took the shuttle to the end of the canyon and hiked along the river to the beginning of the narrows. The girls found walking sticks, chased squirrels, watched tadpoles, ate picnic lunches and waded in the cool river. We headed back to our hotel for one last swim before driving to SLC, but a huge thunderstorm chased us out. We were sorry to miss the swim after a hot, dusty hike, but glad we weren't in the canyon with lightning and pouring rain.

Road Trip 2010 St. George

We stopped in St. George on the way to Zion National Park. We drove by the hotel that Tyler managed for a summer in college. We also went to the temple and played on the cool grass and saw an art exhibit about pioneers. Very appropriate, since it was the day before Pioneer Day.

Road Trip 2010 Vegas

We took a two-week road trip this summer. First stop - Vegas. We got a deal at TheHotel at Mandalay Bay which turned into a HUGE upgraded suite with a view of the Strip. It was scorching (think 110+ degrees) so we floated in the endless river, went to the aquarium, shopped at the magic shop, hit up the M&M store, ate great food, and took long naps. Of course, one day is more than enough on the strip, so we were happy to head to Zion National Park the next day. Vegas was more of a fun stop on the way to the park.

July 4th

We spent the 4th of July in Tahoe, complete with boating, fireworks, and a bike parade.

Twi-Hard

In late June I attended the latest Twilight movie. My friends all dressed up in a color representing their Twilight man of choice. Almost everyone was blue, as in ice-cold Edward. There were a handful of purples (undecided). I'm proud to say that I was the solitary one in red. As in red-hot Jacob. I think I'm too old for these things. Especially when it requires staying up until 3 in the morning. But it was a load of fun.

"A" You're Adorable

Lilly had her dance recital in June. She was adorable and really enjoyed performing. We sure love her.