I have recently become slightly obsessed with the Nielson Family (picture above) of the Nie Nie Dialogues (Wow, I finally figured out how to create a link!).

Long story short…
Christian and Stephanie Nielson, parents of 4 children, were in a private plane crash. The flight instructor died in the crash. Christian and Stephanie survived but are in a burn unit in AZ recovering. Stephanie is in a drug induced coma and has had multiple skin graph surgeries. Christian is a bit farther along in the recovery, just waking up last week.

“Sad” (you’re thinking) “but why are you obsessed with them KN?”
Well, thank you for asking!
What makes their story so compelling is Stephanie as a mother.
“Huh?” (you’re thinking)
Well, thank you for asking!
After reading her blog you just fall in love with her and her family. If you are a mom or wife you can see a bit of yourself in her. She is able to pull you into her little family moments through her simple photographs. Plus, she has a simple classic style that is just so hip.

I was first introduced to the Nielson Family through my friend Donna at Blessed Nest who was donating her AWESOME nesting (nursing) pillows to a Nie Nie Benefit auction.
Wait a minute (the thought dawns on me a month into my obsession) I have a business! I can donate too!

Thankfully Morgan of ‘One More Moore’ is ramrodding an Etsy Benefit for Nie Nie.
Thankfully I was able to be one of the hundreds to donate items for sale.
Thankfully you get to shop it!!!

7:00 am:
I’m awake! I’m excited because Eli’s Lids is going to participate in the Susan G Komen Race For The CureGee… my eyes are watering…

9:20am:
I’m sill searching for parking… this is not fun… I start to cry and almost leave. Ouch, my eyes burn when I cry! Found parking. All Right… ready to walk.

9:30am:
Meet up with the group. Those of us bound by strollers will walk and the brave few will run the 5K (you go Adam, Ken, Alan and Bryan!!). Of course I would run if I didn’t have a stroller… ha!!!
Sun glasses are a must! My eyes hurt in the light 🙁

9:30-10:40 am:
Enjoy chatting with my buddies (you go Jami, Lynne and Donna!). I am unexpectedly moved by all the people walking. Their shirts are covered in names of family and friends who have won or lost the battle with breast cancer. The survivors wear pink shirts. Donna wears a pink shirt.
Gee… it isn’t sunny… why are my eyes burning?

10:48am:
I have been pushing 70+ pounds for over 3 hilly miles… I’m tired, sweaty and kinda depressed seeing the names of mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts and grandmothers who have been taken from their families.
We cross the finish line!!! They announce all the survivors names over the loud speaker as they finish the Race. Their group cheers for life. This is JOY!
Ouch… oh yeah I can’t cry… my eyes hurt.

11:00am:
What do you do when you get a group together for anything??? EAT!! Me and my burning eyes get our food at Red Robin….mmmm. Eli puts all his oranges in his hamburger then proceeds to eat only the oranges.
“Gee, KN, are you OK? We can get this food to-go.”
“Oh no no, I’m fine…(wincing in pain).”

12:00pm:
Time to drive home. “Umm… I really can’t see to drive, can someone give me a ride?”
Writhing in pain the long ride home. I’m just sure I have some disease…

1:30-3:00pm:
Waiting at urgent care with my hot hubby and my adorable children. Too bad I can’t see anything. I’m just sure I’m going blind… I’ll never see Cora grow up or Eli play tee ball… pity party of one…

3:15pm:
PINK EYE!!!!!! You have got to be kidding! This hurts like… and I have been through natural child birth.

5:00pm:
Home. Hot Hubby lovingly puts drops in my eyes. I disinfect EVERYTHING in the house.

My mom (Suzie Says) describes Pink Eye the best. “It feels like someone lifted up your eyelid and blows a handful of dry sand up there and smashes it back down”

Eli slept and ate through the whole Race. Yes, I bribed him with fruit snacks. And No, I’m not ashamed.

Cora cried about 85% of the time. Is 7 months too young for fruit snacks?

Oh my dear husband! I’m about to share a story about my man that could be considered somewhat male bashing… but it isn’t… it is just a typical husband story (we all have them). Before I share the story, just to be sure it isn’t taken the wrong way I’m going to use one of tools we learn our premarital class: “It takes 5 positive comments to cancel out one negative comment.”

We pretend that the tiny duplo blocks are people even though they don’t look like people… till today…
You can’t color on blocks!! Wait a minute… I’m the mom. I have fun. It is good to be “Mom!”

I have the great luxury of a bit of one-on-one time with each of my kiddos because of their napping schedule. While I have this precious time, I try to do something special everyday with each of my beautiful children. Nothing major… bringing out the markers with Eli or splashing in the sink with Cora. Something that is hard to “regulate” with two kids, but just right for one. Today Eli and I were playing choo choos and he started to jump (a newly acquired skill). I fished out the dress-up bunny ears and flower from Easter and we hopped around the house for about 20 minutes.
“Hop hop hop hop” we would shout as we hopped throughout every room.
“Hop hop hop hop” we would whisper as we hopped in front of sleeping Cora’s door.
And I felt JOY!!!

I don’t know about you, but this week has left me worn-out, drained, & weary. I’m looking forward to the weekend when my Knight in Shining Armor will be home with me all day!! Maybe I can request to be pushed around in an extra large stroller over the weekend.

I don’t usually watch Oprah, but I heard about today’s topic and I switched it on. I was… wow… completely floored. Whether or not you are a mom your heart would just break hearing the stories of children being groomed, taught or drugged by sexual predators. Following is one way to take action on behalf of the thousands of children being abused every day…

Help Pass Senate Bill 1738—The PROTECT Our Children Act
Hundreds of thousands of children are victims of sexual abuse each year. Due to the sheer lack of resources, law enforcement is unable to follow up on the majority of leads they have.The PROTECT Our Children Act will:
Authorize over $320 million over the next five years in desperately needed funding for law enforcement to investigate child exploitation.
Mandate that child rescue be a top priority for law enforcement receiving federal funding.
Allocate funds for high-tech computer software that can track down Internet predators.
Act Now! Your U.S. senators will be voting on the bill soon, so it is crucial you contact them immediately.Go to http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm to find contact information for the senators in your state. Search for your senator by name or state by clicking on the arrow from either dropdown menu. Contact information is provided here. To send an e-mail, click on “Web Form” below his or her name, and e-mail your letter to make a difference! Call Your SenatorsIf you choose to contact your senators by phone, be sure to tell them, “Vote yes on Senate Bill 1738—The PROTECT Our Children Act.”Write to Your SenatorsIf you choose to write a letter, fax, telegram or e-mail, you may use the following sample letter—and modify it how you see fit.

Dear Senator:I know that you believe, like I do, that we must do everything possible to protect children from sexual predators. That is why I am asking for your help.Last year alone, U.S. law enforcement identified over 300,000 criminals who were trafficking in movies and pictures of young children being raped and tortured. Experts say that one in every three of these criminals has local child victims. Child pornography trafficking over the Internet has given us a trail of evidence that leads straight to their doorsteps, but the vast majority of these children will never be rescued because investigators are overwhelmed, outnumbered and underfunded.As your constituent, I urge you to do everything in your power to pass the PROTECT Our Children Act (S. 1738, Biden-Hatch). This bipartisan legislation passed the House 415-2, but it is now the victim of petty partisan politics.Now that we know where these children are and how to protect them, there is no excuse for the Senate to fail to take action this session.
(Your name here)

Eli was about a year old when he discovered that he didn’t have to share his toys. You know, that pivotal moment when they loudly and clearly shout “MINE!” What a shock… surely I didn’t teach him that… he learned it from that neighbor kid! Mmmmm…. wait a minute… “that’s my cell phone… don’t touch the laptop, it’s mine“…. oops!!! Reality check. He is listening. This was also a pivotal moment for mommy. I started to really think about how I phrased requests toward him.

Scenario A:
Eli: MINE!!!
Mommy: Eli, you share that toy right now!! Eli! If you don’t share right now you will have a time out. Give her that toy…. Eli…. !?!?!!!
= Time out. Tears. And a general loathing for sharing (well loathing might be a bit extreme… but only a bit).

Scenario B:
Eli: MINE!!!
Mommy: Oh, Eli… your buddy is playing with you too. You get to share with her. You are so lucky that you have a friend over to share with. We are so blessed to have such fun friends to share this toy with.
= A fun perspective on sharing. Fun playdates filled with sharing bliss (well, bliss might be a bit extreme).

A picture of Eli and his “Bu-Dee” Iris SHARING a moment at the Eli’s Lids photo shoot…