Liesel's 14-Year Trip

Hi everyone! This is Liesel.

When we were little, my parents decided that they were going to take each of us on 3 trips. One trip with our mom to Utah, one trip with our dad to Palmyra, and then our senior trip with both of them.

Here is my trip to Palmyra (and upstate New York in general) with my dad.

While driving around we found a random state park that we decided to explore. there were a lot of little waterfalls and cool cliffs everywhere and I really glad we decided to take a look.

Throughout the trip, I wore outfits from my closet that gave me fall vibes so on this day I wore a white shirt and my brown shrug along with jeans. You can't see it super well in this photo but the staircase in the cave is pretty cool!

We also went to visit Niagara Falls and we went on the "Maid of the Mist" boat tour, where we proceeded to get drenched in water. Here are some photos I took while we were there before I had to put the phone away so that it didn't get soaked.. 

 

And a picture of the falls afterwards once we were off the boat.

Here is a picture some nice ladies took of us in the Sacred Grove

And a picture of us near the temple.

This is a picture of us when we went to the E.B. Grandin Building and tried to find my Aunt Whitney's testimony from when she served there, we weren't able to find it but we had a good time anyways.

These two pictures are from a restaurant where we ordered buffalo wings. They were spicier than I expected but sooo good!

There were a lot of adventures on this trip that couldn't be shown through the photos on this blog post such as the many songs and playlists we played, the gas station snacks, the many sisters and strangers we bonded with while we were there, all the places we ate, and finally the orange, red, brown, and yellow leaves everywhere. I had a great time and I really enjoyed the trip and the memories that I made! I can't wait to make more on my senior trip in 4 years.

Sincerely, Liesel

Little Road Warrior

Liesel was the most delightful travel companion. She's old enough to take off her own shoes at security, she's potty trained enough to "hold it" if need be, and she has an innocent and child-like wonder at the whole experience. Because we live relatively close to O'Hare there are often planes flying by overhead. After months of pointing them out to Liesel, she was jumping at the chance to ride on one herself.

I've never seen anyone so intently interested in the safety information!

At security they asked her for her name so she told them her first name. Then she gave her full name. Then she spelled her full name. Then seeing I provided ID, she asked for her "credit card" so I gave her the American Airline frequent flyer card. She very seriously gave this to the TSA worker who obligingly furrowed his brow as he reviewed it. Once she walked through security she ran back through it to hold Ireland's hand and help her through.

No really, she was very very interested!

During boarding I warned to her watch her step getting onto the plane. When it was our turn she loudly announced, "Okay Mom, watch your step! We don't wanna fall! Be careful, okay?" The pace of her chatter only increased as we took off. I tried to prep her beforehand by explaining we'd go fast, fast, fast and then the plane would tip up and we'd be in the air. As the plane sped up she said over and over, "We're going fast, fast, fast! Fast, fast, fast! Fast, Fast, Fast! Fast, FAST, FAST!!! HEEERE WEEE GOOO!!!" Everyone around us laughed and one man looked back at her and smiled. When you think about it, flying really is an incredible experience! I so wish I could have recorded her reaction to flying but ya know.. "all electronic devices must be turned off and stowed..."

It was almost better than a Dr. Seuss book!

I similarly prepared her for landing and warned her there might be a bump. Sometimes those can be more of a violent jolt than a bump but we got lucky on both flights. Of her own volition she wildly clapped upon landing. From what I understand, that used to be standard practice on any flight. Don't you think we should bring it back? I think one of the biggest thrills for Liesel was seeing other planes so up close from her little window.

I would fly with Liesel any day, she truly was a delight. Ireland was much more of a challenge. She's in the midst of teething and sitting on Mom's lap is only fun for about 20 min. For the flight home I kept her up all day and then gave her some Benadryl so she'd be nice and tired. She was indeed crazy tired the ENTIRE flight! She finally gave in to her exhaustion during landing and fell asleep. *sigh* Give her a couple more years and I'm sure she'll be a pro just like her big sister.

Cousins

Once a month I feel a strong desire to move to the mountain west. That impulse always occurs around the time my siblings have family dinner together. Usually I get pix messages of the cousins together with some witty comment. Nielsen humor is kind of unique, and we all think we're totally hilarious. Occasionally an outsider appreciates it too but for the most part we all just GET each other and it's always a good time. The cousins love spending time together. Liesel and Ireland are no exception. They thoroughly enjoyed their Utah cousins and it warmed the cockles of my heart to see them all interact. All my siblings have different parenting techniques but somehow there is a connective tissue.

Ireland and her cohort Isaiah. They aren't really on each
other's radar yet... this is the best pic of them together before
Ireland ran for my legs and Isaiah ran for Katrina.

Liesel and her cohort Sam. They are somewhat on each
other's radar and bond over candy (in the sacks).

I was fortunate that the Utah relatives had a family dinner while we were in town. Nothing big or fancy but then again, not much is needed for us to have a good time. Brent was really bummed to miss out but hey, he had to go back to work sometime! 

Initially I just wanted a picture of Abigail and Eli (who are best friends). When I
made the request Abigail noticed Noah standing nearby and said, "That's fine,
but then can we get a picture with all of us?" I thought that was so sweet that she
wanted to make sure he wasn't left out. When I got to the picnic Noah ran up and
gave me a hug. We'd just dropped Brent off at the airport and I actually needed a
hug pretty badly. What a great kid.

Piper is "surfing" on the teeter totter. The two boys weighed enough to bounce
Liesel a bit which made her laugh heartily.

I already can't wait to see these guys again and I know my girls feel the same!

Temple Square

For Brent's last day in town we decided to head up to Salt Lake City to see Temple Square and squeeze in a little family time. We didn't make it to see a taping of Music and the Spoken Word but didn't mind just walking around the grounds. Unfortunately Ireland and I came down with some kind of bug. We stopped at just about every bench we came across to rest. Poor Ireland didn't get much out of Temple Square.

Liesel on the other hand was thrilled to "go to the temple and meet Jesus." Yeah, I perhaps set up some expectations I shouldn't have. I thought she would be happy with taking pictures outside the temple and seeing the Christus. Nope! She firmly believed we were going IN the temple to MEET Jesus. As we headed towards the car she sadly said, "But Mom, I'm wearing my dress." As if I wasn't feeling crappy enough! Her simple faith really stunned me. I'm happy to report she has since bounced back and is determined to get married in the temple... so she can "meet Jesus."

As soon as we got to the Christus, Brent asked if we were going to get a photo. I hung out on the benches for a little while, waiting to spot someone with a large-ish camera that would do a good job. I finally spied a very friendly lady with said large camera. I had to laugh when I realized she had cut off Jesus' head while leaving plenty of carpet at our feet! It's still a good photo though and I'm glad we have it.

I don't know how long this has been on display but I absolutely love it. It's a cross-section of the temple so visitors can see what the inside looks like. Completely brilliant!

We sadly took Brent to the airport and said our goodbyes. I'm happy I was able to spend more time with my family and friends and the girls loved the time with their cousins. Still, our family just isn't the same when we aren't together and we all missed Dad quite a bit.

Tolman Family Reunion

Months ago we heard about plans for a family reunion on Brent's mother's side of the family. Due to a change in the timing of the reunion, we were able to tie it in with our trip out west. We caravaned with the California Wuehlers up to Twin Falls, ID. The 4 1/2 hour trip flew by for Liesel who rode in the minivan (complete with dvd player).

Upon arrival, the girls were eager to work out the kinks out in the hotel pool and hot tub.

Aunt Jennifer seemed to have a really special connection with Liesel while Aunt Julie toted Ireland around most of the time.

The reunion itself was really wonderful. It was incredibly well-planned with lots of activities for all ages. Brent stayed up late into the night playing games and chatting with family. I got to know lots of people I'd only seen in passing during our wedding reception. It was nice to put names with faces after years of stories from Brent. Somehow I managed to forget the charger to my camera and the battery died not long after we arrived. Sad!

We had a picnic at Shoshone Falls which is really beautiful. Because Brent was flying out on Sunday, we could only make it for 2 days of the reunion. Before heading back to SLC, we were able to see the graves of his grandparents and the home where they lived. I know getting family together was extremely important to Grandpa Tolman so I'm happy we could make it!

Bear Lake

Old friends are the greatest gifts in this life. Brent and I are fortunate to have a group of college friends we vacation with every couple of years. The core group is made up of Brent's roommates and a few others (like myself) who were in the same ward. A couple of spouses round out the crowd. We call ourselves the SNCP: Solid Nucleus of Cool People. It's a great group of friends to have. Over the years whenever the topic of a trip with the SNCP has come up, our response has been unanimous-- we're going. Whatever the location, whatever the cost, come hell or high water we are making it a priority to be with these people. We've never regretted it.

Liesel and Ella singing "Happy Birthday" and then jumping onto the ground in a gale of laughter.

Ireland loved climbing up and down the stairs at the condo, on the chairs and on the tables.
Life has had some funny twists and turns for each of us. Somehow in spite of changes, we're all perfectly comfortable chatting in pjs over cereal. We joke about the past, talk about the future and thoroughly enjoy being together. Even when we haven't seen them for years, Brent and I miss them as soon as we say goodbye. We admire their marriages, the way they raise their children, their commitment to their faith, and the kind of people they are becoming. It's almost like I'm hoping all of that will come to me by osmosis if I just rub shoulders with them. The time we spend with these guys always has me laughing, thinking, and inspired. They are indeed the very best kind of friends.

Steve and Sara with little Ellie. These two are the most relaxed new parents I've ever seen. I was dying to hold that sweet baby and they graciously obliged.
Blair and Katrina. If we were pioneers I would seriously want Katrina in my wagon train. She's adorable but tough as nails when you get down to it.
This year's vacation was to Bear Lake in northern Utah. I got to ride a wave runner for the first time in my life. My teacher was a bit of a speed demon and my introduction to it left me screaming for my life. Once I was in control I started out a bit slow but worked my way up to 50 mph. Whenever a wake rolled towards me I tried to mentally attack it but chickened out every time. Regardless, that is definitely something I'm doing again! I wonder if you can rent a wave runner on Lake Michigan... We were repeatedly told to try the amazing raspberry shakes. They were quite tasty but the REAL find were the chocolate covered raspberries. I seriously ate 6 in one sitting without remorse.

On our last day there I got up to watch the sunrise over the lake. There had been a huge storm the night before so the quite calm was even more profound. My first attempt at a panoramic photo!

Who knows when and where our next SNCP trip will be, but I can promise it's not soon enough.

Logan Temple

On our way back from Bear Lake we stopped in Logan. A friend of mine told me about a museum done by the Daughters of the Mormon Pioneers (something like that). Apparently it has some sleigh bells given to/from the prophet Joseph Smith to/from Orrin Porter Rockwell. Rockwell is definitely one of my favorite people from church history. If we had a little boy I'd love to name him Porter but it sounds really strange with Wuehler. Obviously I don't have the detail down on those sleigh bells so while we were in the area I wanted to check it out. Turns out the museum was closed on Mondays. I was totally bummed.

Both Brent and I have family histories linking us to the Logan area. My grandparents lived in Logan for quite some time. Brent's parents were married in the Logan temple. After the disappointment of the museum, we couldn't resist a quick stop.

Gorgeous temple, gorgeous grounds!

The girls were thrilled to be out of their carseats for a bit.

Show Liesel a fountain, I will show you a happy girl.

A family snapshot. One of my favorites actually.

Afterwards we headed to Cafe Rio for lunch. Oh Cafe Rio, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: one...two...three...four... no it's FIVE! I went to Cafe Rio five times during our vacation out west. I'm sure if one opened right around the corner from us here in Chicago I'd go maybe twice a year. Until then, I have to get as much of their insanely delicious food as I can when we're in the area.

The Wisconsin Wuehlers

We were SO thrilled when Brent's brother accepted a job near Madison, WI! Not only do we love visiting with Jim and Vanessa, but the close proximity means the cousins will get to know each other. Now that they're settled, they invited us up for the weekend to celebrate Elizabeth's 2nd birthday. I'd never met Elizabeth and they had yet to meet Ireland. Isaac was so excited he was watching for us out the front window.

Isaac and Liesel hit it off immediately. After a lot of late evening play, they slept next to each other in sleeping bags.

They swung on the tire swing at the nearby park.

Played with cars.

Gave hugs (at Vanessa's encouragement).

Both girls rather enjoyed the accessories found around the house.
The food at Jim and Vanessa's was phenomenal! They had a fire stoked in the BBQ pit so we could make s'mores as soon as we got in. The kids got to make their own pizzas for dinner. In conversation I mentioned to Vanessa how much I love lime so they made a lime drink that was SO delicious!

These kids are definitely cousins! They all have the same blond hair with touches of strawberry in it. The same cowlick (a Wuehler trait). They all have light colored eyes and a bit of mischievousness in their personality. I tried to get a photo of them all together just before we left and it was a complete fail. This is the best one with the little girls looking at each other and the two oldest also looking at each other. Vanessa apparently doesn't whip out her camera every two seconds like I do because Isaac was SO tired of getting his photo taken! We're excited for more get-togethers with the Wisconsin Wuehlers. Happy Birthday to the adorable little Elizabeth!

Girlfriends

I once read an article about how our selection of friends changes over time. As kids, we look for others who are very similar to ourselves. They dress the same and have the same interests. It's only with age and maturity that we begin to see the value in having friends who are different. Luckily for me, my mission gave me the opportunity to become friends with people that perhaps I wouldn't have sought out myself.

Me and Hermana Collette in front of the Christus at the Mesa, AZ Temple Visitor's Center.

The stresses of a mission (and OUR mission in particular) led me to be very emotionally raw with these ladies. They have seen the best of me, the worst of me, and lots of in between. Somehow, they all still completely and wholly accept me for who I am, flaws and all. Whenever I see them, I don't care if I've gained weight, or if I'm having a bad hair day, and we pick up where we left off. Chatting with them is like the best kind of therapy.

Me and Hermana McBride with her little boy Carter. I knew my time in AZ would be pretty tight with the wedding in Sedona but I'm SO happy I was able to drop in on these ladies! Of course, I wish I'd had more time with them but I always feel that way. They are amazing women and I'm profoundly grateful they are a part of my life.

Me and Hermana Payne just minutes before I headed to the airport.

Sedona, AZ Wedding

When my mission trainer Paula told me she was engaged, I immediately knew I was going to figure out a way to make it to the wedding. I was honored when she asked me to be a bridesmaid! As an added bonus, she asked a mutual companion to be one as well... the same girl that was my last companion. So in mission terms, Paula and Laney are my alpha and omega if you will. One welcomed me into the mission while the other bid me goodbye from it.

Paula treated all her bridesmaids to a morning at the salon. I was spinning around in my chair while my hairdresser got some supplies. You can see Laney in the mirror laughing at me and taking the picture.

The finished product! I LOVED my hair! I actually liked it better than the updo I had when I was married. My hairdresser tied it into knots and then pinned it. Maybe I can recreate it... maybe.

Laney and I in hair and makeup. Our hotel was in Scottsdale so we had a bit of a drive to get to Sedona. In the rush to get out the door on time I forgot my camera! I had to hijack Laney's for the day. I'm wearing the necklace she made for me. Laney also made 3 mix cd's for the long drive. She has an incredible talent for making mixes; she's her own playlist on my iPod!

Photo shoot. I love, Love, LOVE my dress!!! Paula just gave us color, fabric, length guidlines and we were free to find something we liked. Mine is from Totally Modest and I love everything from the laced up back to the petal sleeves. This is a bridesmaid dress I will definitely be wearing again! The slight color variations went really well with the pink rose bouquets.

We had a lot of time between the photo shoot and the wedding so I actually got to spend time with the bride. I've been to other weddings where I've barely had time to say hi to either the bride or the groom. It was SO nice to chat with Paula and her family for a while! I think we all walked down the aisle feeling happy and relaxed rather than rushed and stressed.
Paula looked tan, freshly highlighted and happier than I've ever seen her. At the reception I danced with her father and looked over just in time to see her put her head on Rob's shoulder in utter contentment. It was a sweet moment I'll never forget. I can't wait to see the professional photos!