Another Nelson Drum Major

You’re looking at the new Junior Drum Major for the Hopewell High School Marching Band! Last night was the Band Banquet and it was fun celebrating all these cool kids and their hard work this year. Band is a big part of our lives and we’re grateful for the things it teaches our boys. Landon will be following in Dean and Tanner’s footsteps and we’re excited to see him step up to help lead the band next year. Go Vikings! 💛💙💛

Landon will be the Junior Drum Major and Carter Weber will be the Senior Drum Major making another Weber/Nelson Duo.

The Band Sophomores

Clay, Michael, Joe, Landon, William, and Braden

We somehow won all sorts of raffle prizes.  Landon was especially excited to get an air fryer he can take to college.

After sitting for hours at the banquet my back and stomach were SORE.  We're slowly but surely healing, but man it's not easy.  But forever grateful not to miss out on this big night.
 

RoboSumo

Today Landon, Braddock, and Bridger all got to participate in the Beaver County RoboSumo competition. They have worked all year designing and coding their robots and were so excited that all three of them could go together this year, and were just a little bummed that if Tanner hadn't have graduated a year early he would have been there too! Braddock(and Jack) got 2nd place, Landon(and William) got 3rd, and Bridger did awesome and made it to the finals on his first year participating. He just started building his robot a couple months ago and was all new to coding so we're super impressed.  Proud of these boys and all their hard work and that they were each other’s biggest cheerleaders today!

Jack and Braddock making some quick fixes between competitions.

Braddock's Robot

Landon's Robot

Bridger's Robot

William and Landon accepting their award

Jack and Braddock excepting their award

And they all got to stop at the mall on the way home for lunch.  China Max for the win! And Braddock and Bridger even rode the little mall train.

NHS Induction

FaceTiming into Landon’s NHS Induction Ceremony from my hospital bed wasn’t in my plans, but appendicitis doesn’t always come at a convenient time. It’s been a ROUGH few days and I’m still not sure when I’ll be heading home, but grateful for help (my in-laws are the best and Dean’s been incredible!) and awesome boys who are being troopers while Mom’s under the weather! Easter will be a memorable one this year and not one I would ever want to repeat! SO proud of Landon, even if it’s from afar! Thank heavens for technology that allowed me to still be a part of things tonight.

Landon was pinned by Mr. Hyland, his chemistry teacher.

An Unconventional Easter

This is the only photo we took on actual Easter.  We woke up and enjoyed a slow morning until Conference started at noon.  We went to Grandma and Grandpa Nelson's for our traditional spaghetti and meatball dinner and then came back home for the last session of Conference.  But as I sat watching Conference I started getting a bad stomach ache.  It proceeded to get worse and worse until I decided to try and force some throw up to try and relieve the pain.  It really didn't help and I just went to bed for the night by early evening.  Dean fielded family chat and bedtime for the boys, and then I proceeded to experience one of the worst nights of my life.  I couldn't even lay still in bed or hardly sleep because of how bad my stomach hurt.  Every once in awhile I'd get up the energy to run into the bathroom to throw up and pass diarrhea, but eventually I just moved to a bowl in bed because I could hardly even stand.  By about 6am I felt awful and could no longer sleep, but I didn't want to wake anyone so I sat in bed just writhing in pain.  By about 8am I finally stopped throwing up/dry heaving, but my body was so sore from the LONG night of endless puking and shaking in pain.  I was hopeful that the worst was over and that it was just a 24 hour bug and I could just rest for our last day of spring break.  But by about noon I started fevering really bad and felt HORRIBLE.  The Spirit told me this was more than just a stomach bug and that it was time to head to the hospital.  We called Dad Nelson to come help Dean give me a blessing and then Dean took me to the ER.  I'll never forget just laying on the hard hospital bench for 3.5 hours before I was ever seen.  It was the last place I felt like being in that condition, but there wasn't much else I could do and the place was packed.  Not sure I've ever been so miserable in my whole life.  They FINALLY called us back and took me in for a CT scan.  Eventually the doctor came in with the news that I had appendicitis and I would be going in for surgery the next day.  I wasn't thrilled, but I was so relieved to know what was wrong and was looking forward to getting this all behind me.  I wasn't happy to spend another night in pain, but at least at the hospital I had pain management to get through the night.  And looking back there were SO many tender mercies along the way, like the fact that we chose to stay home for Spring Break instead of go on a little trip like we had considered.  I could have been stuck at a hospital in another state.  Grateful I listened to the Spirit, not even realizing why, or how important that would end up being.  God is Good!

Backyard Fun

We spent Saturday evening after Conference out in the backyard playing yard games and having a fire.  Judging by Keaton's dirty smile in the tub at the end of the night it was a success!

 

Easter Egg Hunt 2026

Saturday morning we woke up and headed downstairs for our traditional Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Baskets.  Keaton sure helps keep the magic and wonder alive around here.  After finding all the eggs the boys dove into their baskets.  We all got a lego flower to build with a vase to put them all in.  It was a fun extra treat this year.  

I love that Bridger was more excited to help Keaton discover his basket than looking at his own.  Keaton will never know just how lucky he is to have these big brothers of his.

Keaton couldn't wait to peel and eat some eggs!  Hahaha!  He's very independent.

 This kid thinks he's a robot when he puts the 3D print cover on his head.  Hahaha!