A Ty Weekend

A few weeks ago, we were able to spend the weekend with Tyler. It was a lot of fun! We started out at BYU, but apparently all of the cool things don't open until 10am. As we were waiting, we wandered around the library. We went to the map room and looked at a few different globes and maps. Then we stumbled on the 3-D printer and got to watch it print a simple piece. I can't wait to have a 3-D printer! I already have some ideas of what to print!

After the library, we headed to the Erying Science building to look at the crystals they have on display. Ty loved reading the names of them and telling us about which ones he has at home. We also went to the Bean Life Science Museum. He had to look at all of the animals and didn't believe us when we told him they have a liger. The in face do have a liger and it is not a mystical creature that Napoleon Dynamite would have you believe. It is an animal that's father is a lion and mother is a tiger.

Tyler liked knowing what all of the animals names are and he read every single plaque to us.

For being 8 years old, Ty doesn't always act like it. Even when he was a toddler, he preferred eating off of the adult menu rather than the kids menu when we would go out. As an eight year old, one of his favorite things to eat is ribs. He licks the bones clean! 

On Sunday, Tyler came with me to nursery. At first he was pretty bored because I was focused on getting out toys for the kids. After awhile, we started playing catch and some of the kids got really excited and wanted to join in. I had the kids take turns throwing the ball to Tyler. Ty was so patient with them and made sure that anyone who wanted a turn got one. After church, we went to the park so he could really throw the ball.

The thing that I was most excited about was seeing Tyler get interested in our family history. He was so excited to learn about all the famous people we are related to. That is a great place to start! Unfortunately, the weekend went by quickly, but I am so glad that we were able to spend some time with him.

Independence Day

It has become our tradition to spend our Independence Day up in Idaho with my brother's family. This year, my parents and Garrett started their trip in Orem with us. Then we made the drive up to Idaho Falls a few days before the best holiday of the year!

Ruby enjoyed her time in the pool with the big kids, until they started splashing too much.

The morning of the fourth, we headed up to the farm to play and shoot some guns. It was so cute watching the kids drive around. Clara enjoyed being driven around by the boys.

Then the guns came out.

I was very happy that I was able to hit one, especially since I wasn't wearing my glasses! Jonathan fell in love with the 

The kids had to do some more swimming, but this time they could slide into the pool.

We got to our spot to watch the fireworks a bit early, so the kids pretended they were Jedis with glow stick light sabers.

We had great seats for the show, as usual!

I am so grateful for this country and all the wonderful freedoms that so many have sacrificed their lives for.

Clip Board Wall

I have a problem with loose papers taking over my desk. It drives me absolutely crazy! Thanks to browsing on Pinterest, I got the idea of hanging clipboards on the wall to organize the mess.

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 Before the company I work for moved, they were getting rid of various supplies including clipboards. I grabbed 8 and hung them up on my wall.

I love them! I have everything I need without it being a mess all over my desk.

Manti Temple Pageant

A couple of months ago, Jonathan and I made our way back to Manti. The Manti Temple is by far my favorite pioneer temple. We started our day in the temple. I love how well the interior has been preserved. It truly feels like you are stepping into a different era. Though this time we went into the office and the computers and printers felt out of place. Even though we spent about 3 hours in the temple, we still had a lot of time before the pageant. So, we just enjoyed spending some time together wandering through town.

We still had time, so we got some dinner and got seats. It was so beautiful watching the color of the temple change as the sun was setting.

As it got darker, many of the cast members were wandering through the crowd. One of them stopped and shared a little of his experience of being part of the pageant. He was from the Jordan area, but his grandparents live in Manti. He told us about how amazing was that thousands of people pull together a few weeks every year to do the pageant. There is so much to be done and yet it always gets done. He also told us that the sets they use are also used in the Hill Comorah Pageant in New York.

Finally it was dark enough for the pageant to begin! It was powerful to see so many of the stories that I had heard throughout my life. From Joseph Smith's first vision to the stories in the Book of Mormon to the pioneers making their way to Utah. I am so glad that we took the opportunity to go to the pageant. It was a unique way to experience the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

A Whole New Blog!

Jonathan and I started a new blog! No need to fear, we are continuing with this one.

I was talking to Jonathan about updating his resume to include his hobby of 3-D animation with the URL of where they can be viewed. I realized after I said that, the bulk of his animations are just on the hard drive and wouldn't be accessible to really anyone but the two of us. I suggested we start a new blog for him to get his work out there for the world (and future employers) to see. I realized that I wanted to be able to share some of my more artistic projects there as well and so that is how Nelson Creations came about.

I'm going to keep a link to it in the side bar for anyone that is interested in our posts there. Honestly, I have no idea of how often there will be new posts there.

What's In A Name?

I want to share the inspiration for the name of our blog, Tea For Two. In middle school and high school I listened to a lot of big band music. Some of my favorite artists are Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. One of my absolute songs is Tea For Two.

It seriously sounds like Jonathan and me. We are both homebodies and aren't particularly social. (With exception of when we were in the Singles Ward, because you aren't going to meet people if you don't go to the activities.)

One of my favorite stanzas is:

Nobody near us to see us or hear us
No friends or relations on weekend vacations
We won't have it known, dear
That we own a telephone, dear

I treasure our time together and the adventures we are able to share as the two of us.

The stanza that sealed the deal for naming our blog after this song is: 

We will raise a family
A boy for you and a girl for me
Can't you see how happy we will be?

Before we were married, we shared the desire to have a family. I started the blog a few months after we were married and so I felt like this fit perfectly except I love little boys and so the boy is for me and the girl can be for Jonathan. (That's what happens when you have 5 nephews in a row I guess!) Anyway, that's why our blog is named Tea For Two.

My People

These are my people. They are my ancestors that Jonathan and I have taken to the temple.

There are more I have to take and others that I've shared with my parents and siblings. They are very much alive and supporting me. I love the quote they are surrounding. It says "Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. 'Be still' they say. 'Watch and listen you are the result of the love of thousands.'" My mom saw it and knew that I needed it. I won't let them be forgotten and in turn they are watching over me. Sure, they don't change what's going on in my life, but they are cheering me on. They don't forget me.

Tuesdays

Sometimes Tuesdays can be as rough as Mondays...

So take a break and smell the {giant} flowers!

Answers to Life's Questions

Early on in our marriage, Jonathan and I had some big decisions to make. We weren't really sure how to find the answer, so we met with our Bishop. He didn't give us the answer, but he counseled us to go to the temple because we would get our answer there. Sure enough, we got our answer. It was crystal clear and I know it didn't come from me because it wasn't the answer I wanted.

Our first temple.

"Temples are places of personal revelation. When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. The answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways."

—Ezra Taft Benson

Our current temple.

We take just about everything to the temple. There is nothing too insignificant that Heavenly Father won't offer guidance. Jonathan regularly takes some time to ponder about his homework and typically he gets insight on something he wasn't totally understanding. There is a clarity in the temple that makes it much easier for us to recognize the answer to whatever questions we have. It truly is the House of the Lord.

A Quick Project

A few months ago, I was organizing my jewelry box and noticed two things. I hadn't worn most of them in months and that they were tangled like crazy! I wasn't wearing them because I didn't see them. I decided to make my own necklace organizer.

I had an extra piece of wood from a previous project and lots of finishing nails. I painted the board and hammered in the nails. Now I can see my necklaces and have started wearing them again!

Fireflies in Utah

Last month, Jonathan and I went to the Goshen area to see fireflies. I know that most people think that fireflies really only live in the Eastern United States, I did too. Last year, I saw a video produced by BYU talking about fireflies living here in Utah.

I have wanted to see fireflies for years and years and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see them. I did some research to figure out where they were in Goshen.

Luckily, there is a marshland that the state has preserved right next to an abandoned railroad line. We got there over an hour before sunset to scope out the area and see where the fireflies were likely to be.

We were unfortunately unprepared for the hundreds of ravenous mosquitoes. Thankfully, we were prepared for it to be cold and so we wore our jackets and hoods to protect ourselves from some of the mosquitoes. Jonathan ended up with at least a dozen bites on one of his hands from taking pictures.

Right around ten o'clock though, the fireflies started lighting up! We only saw about 8 or 9 fireflies, but it was still magical! Jonathan admitted that the mosquito bites were worth seeing them. We weren't able to get any pictures of them because the camera couldn't focus on them. After about 10 or so minutes of not seeing any more fireflies, we headed back to the car. As we were walking along the railroad tracks, a firefly flew between us and lit up! It was equally amazing and terrifying because we were not expecting it at all!

It was so awesome to see fireflies! This will hold me over until we can travel back east and see hundreds of them lighting up all at once.

A Special Witness

On the same day we went to the Masonic Temple, Jonathan and I went to the Salt Lake Temple. We were able to squeeze in and do a few sealings for my family members. It was a very busy day with 36 couples being sealed, so we weren't able to do all of the family names I brought. I was still very happy that we were able to get any done. Afterward, Jonathan and I spent a few hours talking about some of our challenges in the Celestial room.

Before we could leave, we needed to stop by the sealer's office to get my family's ordinances recorded. When we entered the office there were two men at the far end of the table and a sister sitting close by the door. One of the men was sitting down at the table and I thought he kind of looked like President Hinkley. When you live in Utah there are a lot of people that are related to General Authorities and so they look similar. The other man was leaning over the table and his voice sounded a little familiar. He was excited because he had just done some sealings for his family. We asked the sister if we could get our names recorded and she said she would in just a moment. She then walked over to the two men and the man leaning over the table stood up straight and I quickly recognized him. It was Elder Dallin H. Oaks, one of the men I just sustained the month before as a prophet, seer, and revelator for our church. I couldn't believe it! Jonathan and I went to see him speak last year at a symposium, but I never expected to just bump into him in my everyday life. As soon as I recognized him, the spirit in the room changed.

This is how we normally see him.
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Jonathan thought it was him, but when the sister walked past us to get to the computer he asked her if it really was Elder Oaks. She told us it was him. The man with Elder Oaks led him to the computer and the sister scanned in his family cards that he just did the sealings for. He was so excited just like I am each time I take my family to the temple. After his family was recorded, he went back to the far end of the table and thanked the man who helped get his family recorded. Elder Oaks then looked at us and asked if he could "shake this young couples' hands?" We were already planning on not letting him out of the room until he shook our hands, so it was nice that he noticed us or it could have gotten awkward.

As he shook our hands and patted our backs, he asked if we were getting married and I told him that we already were and that we were doing sealings for our family. He was excited and said that he had just done the sealings for some of his family. After Elder Oaks left, the man he was talking to came over and told us that he is in the same ward as Elder Oaks. Oh, life in Salt Lake!

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I know without a doubt that this man is truly an Apostle of Jesus Christ. I have seen him interacting with others and his excitement from participating in the ordinances of the temple for his family. From our little interaction, I feel like I am old friends with him and I will treasure this memory.

Founding Fathers

Since Saturday is Independence Day, I decided to share a few quotes from some of the Founding Fathers that are also my cousins!

Abraham Clark - My 12th cousin 11 times removed.

As to my Title, I know not yet whether it will be honourable or dishonourable, the issue of the War must Settle it. Perhaps our Congress will be Exalted on a high Gallows

- Abraham Clark

Joseph Hewes -  My 11th cousin 10 times removed.

Were I to suffer in the cause of American liberty, should I not be translated immediately to heaven as Enoch was of old?

- Joseph Hewes

Thomas McKean - My 10th cousin 17 times removed.

Our cause is good, our army in health and high spirits, and more numerous that that of the enemy. May the divine Disposer of all events crown our victuous endeavors with success and save our country; of this we may be confident, "for he delights in virtue, and that which he delights in must be happy."

- Thomas McKean

Charles Carroll - My 10th cousin 8 times removed.

Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure (and) which insures to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.

- Charles Carroll

There are certain unalienable and fundamental rights, which informing the social compact, out to be explicitly ascertained and fixed - a free and enlightened people, in forming this compact, will not resign all their rights to those who govern, and they will fix limits to their legislators and rulers, which will soon be plainly seen by those who are governed, as well as by those who govern: and the latter will know they cannot be passed unperceived by the former, and without giving a general alarm.

- Richard Henry Lee

Roger Sherman - My 3rd cousin 9 times removed.

The only real security that you can have for all your important rights must be in the nature of your government. If you suffer any man to govern you who is not strongly interested in supporting your privileges, you will certainly lose them.

- Roger Sherman

These men recognized that they were part of something that was so much bigger than anything that had been attempted before. I love how Abraham Clark freely acknowledged that they didn't know if they would be successful or not, but that was not going to stop them. They knew that what they were doing was right and many saw the hand of the Lord throughout the formation of this independent nation. They also saw how these freedoms and rights could be taken from us. It is vital for us to educate ourselves on the candidates and remove them from office if necessary for limiting our freedoms. There is still so much we can learn from our Founding Fathers if we would take the time to study them.

If you want to find out what Founding Fathers you are related to go to www.relativefinder.org.
Here's some more patriotic thoughts for this Independence Day.