St. Louis Cardinals

Many of you are probably aware that I am a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. From the flag flying outside my house during baseball season, the rug just inside my house, the sheets on my bed, the clothes I buy for me and my family, the collection of memorabilia in my family room and the family picture where everyone is wearing cardinals shirts, I am a big supporter of the Cardinals baseball franchise.




What many of you may not know is how I became I St. Louis fan. It all started when I was 5 years old. My first little league team was the St. Louis Cardinals, which my helped coach. This was the first time I ever cared or aligned my self with any sort of team in any sport.

That next summer my family took a trip back to the Midwest to see my grandparents who were serving a mission in Nauvoo IL. Along the way we stopped in St. Louis to see some of the sights. My Dad took my brother Tyler and I to a game in St. Louis, it was my first major league game. We watched the Cardinals drop a game to the pirates 3-2 at old Busch Stadium. I was still really excited to watch the Cardinals play, my Dad bought me a pennant which I still have today (in the picture of my collection it's on the top left), I wore my Cardinals shirt from little league and Dad had to buy Tyler a Cardinals shirt because he was worried that nobody would know he was cheering for the Cardinals.

On my way out to South Carolina for my mission we had a lay over in the St. Louis airport just after Mark McGuire brooke the home run record.


The Cardinals have had a very rich and excellent history. The Cardinals were founded in 1882 as the St. Louis Brown Stockings; they joined the National League in 1892 and have been known as the Cardinals since 1900. The Cardinals have won a National League record 10 World Series championships, second only to the New York yankees.

St. Louis has had many famous players on their team.

There was the Gas House Gang of 1934 a group of underdogs that won the World Series.
Stan Musial (Stan the Man) 1941- 1963. Three time MVP

Lou Brock, 1964-1979. Second all-time in stolen bases with 938
Currently they have Albert Pujols, also a three time MVP

But my favorite player growing up was the Cardinals short stop Ozzie Smith. He’s a hall of fame member who won 13 gold glove awards and appeared in 15 all-star games. He was even on an episode of the Simpsons.

The Cardinals have won two World Series Championships during my lifetime. The first was in 1982, when I was 3 and didn’t care about baseball. Finally in 2006 they won the whole thing and I was ecstatic. Much like these players were.

I certainly am lucky that my first little league team was the Cardinals. I could only imagine how miserable my life would be if I had begun my baseball days with the Kansas City Royals.

Manute Bol

This last week the NBA lost a legend. No not Michael Jordan, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson. Manute Bol a 7’7” center from Sudan died Saturday from a kidney disease. He was 47 years old
Manute entered the NBA in 1985. He played for Washington, Golden State, Philadelphia and Miami during his 10 year career.
As a kid I always thought that Manute was really a site to behold when I saw him play on TV. At least half a foot taller then the next tallest guy on the floor and probably weighed about as much as the shortest guy on the floor.

I will miss you Manute. The NBA was not the same with out you, though they did have Shawn Bradley for a while who fit the same mold as Manute only he was white. Perhaps some day he can be honored with a spot in the basket ball hall fame, though that seems unlikely since he wasn’t really that great of a player. His numbers weren't that great and really the only thing he was famous for was being the second tallest player in the NBA.

Manute the world seems empty with out you.
October 16, 1962 – June 19, 2010
Please chech out the link, it's funny
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6ba60c4136/manute-bol-cruises?rel=player

Kansas City, 2010

Last week I took Ariane out to Kansas to meet my brother Tyler and his family. My parents also came with us.
We had a really good time and it was fun to spend some time with Tylers family. We had some famous Kansas City BBQ a couple of nights and it was great.

Ariane and I visited several museums during our trip. Like the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City. No photos were allowed inside.
Out side they had a memorial to Charlie Parker a famous saxophonist from Kansas City.

Also located near by was the Negro League Baseball Museum.
This museum didn't allow any photos inside either but I did manage to get picture of Ariane in a Kansas City Monarchs hat.


There were museums where we could take pictures, like the National World War I museum in Kansas City.

I also got Ariane to try on another hat.

We went with my patents to the Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence MO this museum also allowed pictures to be taken.


We also visited the church sites in Independence, like the temple sit.


Tyler, Brooke and the boys joined all of us for a trip to Liberty MO to see the jail.


Ariane and I had a great time getting know Tyler's family. This was this first time I had met Braden, or as Britain calls him Mr. Braffey. He is a fun little guy.


Britain had his third birthday while we were out there. He had big party with presents, dinosaur cake and a pinata.





Ariane and I took in a couple of Kansas City Royals game while we there. We went with my parents to watch them play Angels, the roylas fell behind early but were able to mount a come back, unfortunatly they fell one run short.

A couple of nights later we went with Tyler and Brooke to watch the Royals take on the Detroit Tigers. The Royals ended up falling to the tigers 4-2.

In keeping with the museum theme of this trip the Royals have their own museum.

Full of all kinds of awards won by Royals players. The 1985 world series trophy

Cy Young Awards

Gold glove awards

A tribute to George Brett, considered the best player in Royals history

And George Bretts bat from the famous "Pine Tar" bat.

For those who don't know what this is check out this link it should explain it. Don't worry, they ended up giving him the home run and played the rest of the game a few days later and the Royals won. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrFzGbM_g4Y

South Carolina

This weekend is my Cousin Neil’s mission farewell. Neil has the privilege of serving in the Columbia South Carolina Mission, the same mission I served in ten years ago. You might think that’s amazing that my cousin is going to the same mission I did and it is but it gets more amazing.
Neil isn’t the first cousin of mine to go to South Carolina. I have two other cousins who were called to serve there as well. I know; what are the odds that three of my cousins would all have served in South Carolina? The odds are probably not very good. But wait it gets more amazing.
All three of these cousins will be in South Carolina at the same time. Now that’s amazing. You may not believe it but it’s gonna get more amazing. Two of these cousins are brother and sister; Sadie and Dylan. How crazy is that a brother and sister in the same mission at the same time? As always it gets more amazing.
All three are from the same ward in Pinedale Wyoming. When was the last time you heard of three missionaries from the same ward in the same mission at the same time?
So to recap three of my cousins, two of which are brother and sister, from the same ward all going to my old mission in Columbia South Carolina at the same time. Pretty amazing isn’t it?
I have pulled my old mission photo albums out three times now and shown each them pictures of South Carolina, retold stories, told them about the food and the wonderful people there and tried to teach them all a little bit of the southern language. I’ve gotten pretty good at giving my presentation on South Carolina.
I guess the Nelson family is just blessed to place so many of us in the greatest mission in the world. Maybe I won’t put my old mission photo albums away just yet. You never know when the next Nelson is going to get called to the Columbia South Carolina. Maybe with the Nelson families help the south will rise again.

Flags

As the seasons change several of my neighbors (I assume it’s the women who are doing this) like to acknowledge this by placing flags out in front of their houses. Feeling the need to fit in a little I decided to follow suit but being a single man though I felt the need to maybe do this a little differently.

This beautiful flag has been flying out side my house since January. About the time the Denver Broncos season came to an end.



Once the Utah Jazz were out of the playoffs I put up my St. Louis Cardinals flag, the one that started it all, to show everybody that it was baseball season.It will remain there until the Cardinals season comes to end, which will hopefully be in late October or early November.

Once the Cardinals are done playing baseball the Denver Broncos flag will return out side my house.The same flag that was stolen off my house last November was returned to me. It was taken by a fellow Kaysville fire fighter and neighbor James Wade, who thinks he’s pretty funny.

Maybe it’s not the same way my neighbors would do it but I try to fit in as best I can.

Class of 2010

Last week Ariane received her Masters Degree in Music from the University of Utah. It caps off two years of hard work studying music and working with the band up at the U. I made the trip up to the campus for graduation along with Arianes parents, grandma, sister and niece and nephew. Ambassador John Huntsman Jr. was the speaker and it was a nice ceremony. Ariane conducted the band for a piece during the prelude.

What does one receive for getting her masters degree? You get a diploma with a red cover, a new gown that has some sort of fancy sleeves, a new hat, a brown tassel which is the color for degrees in fine arts and a hood (that’s the red and white thing hanging on Ariane’s back).

I am so proud of her for all her hard work and her passion for learning. She is a great example for my daughter.

Mothers Day 2010

Mothers Day will always be a bitter sweet holiday for me. It was a year ago today that Lariann passed away. Watching my sweet wife pass away and knowing my daughter Lucy will never really know her Mother are two very painful thoughts for me. Lariann was such a sweet caring mother who loved her little girl so much. Every Mothers Day will probably be a little difficult for me.

As I said before it is a bitter sweet holiday. There is also a lot sweet to celebrate on this Mothers Day. There are many women who have become like mothers to Lucy and me. Like the women who have loved a cared for my daughter like a mother. My Aunts Jean, Louise and Jenifer who bring Lucy into their homes every week and look after her and love her as if she were one of their own daughters. Who also have us over to eat with them as if we were part of their own family.

Lucy’s aunts Liz, Rachelle, Stacey and Alison who like my aunt’s care for Lucy and love her like their own daughter. They also make personal sacrifices to help take care of Lucy. And do such a good job of doing Lucy’s hair.

Lucy’s Grandmothers, who Lucy loves so much she would rather spend time with them then me. I guess I don’t spoil her as much as they do. They come and spend the night with Lucy and sometimes she goes to their houses so I can go to work. They take her during the day so I can sleep. They are people I can call at the last minute to come and help. They are two of the most caring women I know.

My soon to be wife Ariane and her family who have accepted Lucy as one of their own. Arianes mom and sister are so wonderful with Lucy. They play with her and look after her, Lucy loves going to their house. And we are so blessed to have Araine in our lives. She loves Lucy like her own daughter and I am so grateful to have found a woman like her.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the women out there who have helped fill the void of mother in Lucy’s life and my life this last year. We wouldn’t have been able to make it through this year without you.