Home

Austin's Home :)

We all went to get him from the airport.. Alexis and I even made posters

Everyone wanted to snuggle with Uncle Austin

Jordan's Belated Birthday Gift: The Doughnut Dash!

I told Jordan I would pay for a race entry for him to do with me for his birthday.. it wasn't until now that his soccer didn't interfere.  Bonus: Austin was home and ran with us even though his lungs weren't used to the high elevation and cold air :)

We started at the state capital and finished at memorial park.

At the halfway mark downing doughnuts to cut time off our time..

Tired, sweaty, and full of doughnuts! :)

Austin was also nice enough to take Ragnar running a few times..

Austin always did this with Dottie..

JeNae just had Elise so her and James couldn't make it.. but we went Go-Karting :)

And the operator guy knew who we were.. that's 2 for 2 in Go-Karting costume shenanigans!

It was great to have Austin home for 2 weeks, we all missed him a lot!



One of "those" people..

True Story..

I've become one of "those" people who make and hang wreaths on their doors to match the seasons.

Here's what I have thus far..

For around March time.. It's only halfway done..

Memorial Day, 4th of July, Veterans Day...

But mainly I had this up while Austin was deployed and took it down when he came home.

Fall :) Although I didn't put it up until the SUU vs WSU football game.. which was after Austin came home..

All Hallows Eve.. although I didn't make it until AFTER the fact.. yes this was up during Thanksgiving and I didn't take it down until last week.

Although it's not a wreath, it is a craft.  Me and some girlfriends have decided to do a craft night and we made these letters.  It was so much fun! We spent the first few hours talking and eating so we were crafting late into the night.. as in Derek beat me home from work! I'm so lucky to have such great friends who have also decided to be one of "those" people and start crafting :)

Month of Cousins!

So.. I realize this is quite a few months late so I'll just do the shortened version..

We were blessed to be able to see so many cousins!

The Christiansen from California..

The whole Larsen/Sorensen clan.

Just about all the Nelsons.. took 2 separate occasions and there were some cousins who weren't able to make it.

Areoflyn and Family

They were here for Chris's family reunion and they stayed at my folks house for a short spell so we got to have dinner and play games with them.

I even got a trade offer from Colton in involving Ragnar..

Yellowstone 2013

Goals to accomplish:

Spend time with family: Check

Visit Quake Lake: Check

Wonder Grand Tetons for temple movie scene we're pretty sure is up there: Check

Picture at Grant Village & Lower Falls: Check

Smuggle home stick: Check

And it won't rotate.. but they're cute no matter which way you look at them!

It was the year of the buffalo but here's an elk close up that we thought was going to attack the car

Quake Lake

The Whole Sorensen Clan! Finally!

2 Years Later at Grant Village :)

Don't disturb the buffalo..

4th of July BBQ with Nelsons

Watch out.. They're serious..

The Thali Monster's "come at me bro" stance

Love Cami!

Now Doug and Eddie believe he's real..

The Nelson Reunion in Rogers, Arkansas..

Grandma wanted this tree down so..

Doug, Arnold, Dad..

Mark broke Grandpa's ax..

Mom, Marj, Kirk not paying attention..

Trip to Pea Ridge Civil War site.. Not that many people wanted to come but it's OK. I was with Arnold, Tawnya and kids who kept singing "a hiking we will go!"

I wanted to go to this mainly to hang out with my dad but we were separated in different cars

Where most of the action happened..

And yes.. I walked a short ways on the trail.. I didn't want to get ticks!

A town once stood here..

Walmart (of course) has paid for all the info signs and plaques as well as the other things around the park.

I wanted to go hiking with Aunt Marj.. do Dad, Doug and Jordan came with.  They also took the time to try to check stuff off Jordan's cub scout book.  Lots of berry tasting..

We also found some pretty cool fossils.. Jordan really like this fungus thou..

Why is there a 10x10 foot section of the Berlin Wall in the middle of the mountains in NW Arkansas? Who knows but it's right next to this giant Christ statue..

Gentry Animal Park.. there's a petting part and a drive through part.

Sonja super happy to pet the animals

Such an impressive art museum! Totally free thanks to Walmart!

Those are legit original pieces of art! Man! It was so amazing!

You can't go to Bentonville without going to the Sam Walton museum!

Eddie after winning a most fun game! However.. her kids have later informed us that the excitement about "finally winning" may not be true..

Grandpa Nelson

Grandma with the great-grand kids!

For us cousins who could make it.. this is how Grandma does "funny photo"!

The girls LOVED Fort Cody..

Yes I did go running at night around Rogers and it didn't take much to get dripping wet in that humidity!

I have TONS more photos.. trust me.. I really do..

I really enjoyed being able to see cousins that I haven't seen in like over 10 years (mainly Mark and Brian)!

Hopefully it won't be that long to wait again!



Mile #9

So I ran my first ever half marathon on May 18, 2013 in the Ogden Half Marathon.

I probably shouldn't have considering the amount of muscle I have lost from surgery

and the pain I am still struggling with in my ankle. 

I didn't do any running what so ever 2 weeks prior.

Yes you read that right.

No. Running. 2 weeks out.

I figured this would be a test of the "Nelson" genes.. considering I have some pretty

awesome cousins who can out run anyone I know!

Race Day Breakdown:

3:30am: Wake up, dress, kiss my love goodbye, go pick up James.

I can't eat that early in the morning- it's like the food just sits in my mouth

and I can't chew..

4am: Meet up with the Clegg boys: Dave, Paul, Phil.

Yup my group was 4 boys to 1 girl.

And it's raining.

4:30-5:30ish head up Ogden Canyon and hang out at the park by the

starting line.  It's nice to be there with Ogden Half Vet Dave who

knew a few tricks- like what honey pots to use that made me

the first person to use it, very important info!

The rain stops..

6:30am: the rain starts again!

6:45am: the gun starts and then about 10 minutes later we start- there was

that many people it was better to wait.

Mile 1& 2

Pretty flat, wet. I stuck with James

Mile 3 & 4

The only "hill" which was covered with meme posters to motivate people.

They were hilarious!

Mile 5

I lost James at the first aid station due to him "skipping to the lou"

I caught up to Paul and then left him at the turn by the lake- it was downhill

and I know how to run hills without wasting energy.  And due to my injuries I needed

all the energy I could save.

Mile 6- 8

Nothing of note occurred (still raining).. I just enjoyed pounding the pavement and dodging

the puddles. Paul caught up to me just in time for me to hide behind

b/c a group of my students where working the aide station.

I don't mind seeing my students outside of work, I just don't like them seeing me..

in hot pink spandex..

Mile 9

F'n Mile 9..

for those first 8 miles I was on pace for completing the Half in under 1:45 (hours).

then the muscle atrophy kicked in with it's less than wonderful

15 minute mile.

I've never ran such a slow mile- even when I was freshly cleared to start running again.

My knee killed.

My ankle hurt even worse- but wasn't swollen- weird.

Mile 10-13

a 5k.. the hardest 5k I had ever ran.

James caught up to me towards the end of mile 12

Mile .1

Well, actually it was the last half mile when I started my kick.

I was in so much pain I was ready for it to be over. I felt bad leaving James

behind but I was done.

Coming down the homestretch I saw Derek waiting with his camera

and cheering for me.

I immediately starting crying.

Words cannot express the vast amounts of pain my right leg was in,

but there was my wonderful husband giving me the motivation I needed to finish.

Then I past the parking garages filled with the Clegg Cheering Squad!

Finish

I finished my first ever half- under trained, and still recovery from ankle surgery

2:28 (hours).

They tried to drag me into the med tent but I told them that unless they

are going to give me a high dose morphine shot there's nothing else they can do.

I grouped up with Dave, Paul, and James, took some pictures,

hugged Derek and headed home to a warm shower and dry clothes.

Conclusion: There is a "Nelson running gene". And I wouldn't have traded

that experience for anything!

I'm so grateful for the love & support I received that day :)

And the free scone from Dave later that day! 

(Although my track team I help coach was at day 2 of the state meet that day as well.)