League Champs four years in a row! We are going to Vegas!

 Querida hermana Nielsen,

Hola, como esta?  Espero que todo ande bien con usted.  I hope you had a great week.  This week went by super fast.  Monday was President's day, so I had the day off and tried to make some jerky before Amber went back to College.  I have been suffering from a cold these past 10 days, and it is not getting any better.  I can hardly talk now.  My throat hurts and I have not been sleeping well these past few days.  We had Pal practice on Tuesday and a game on Thursday.  On Thursday, we played a pretty good team and only lost by 6 points or something like that.  Summer had 2 long jumpers that she made, near the 3-point line.  They are playing a little better, but we need to keep improving.  One poor girl on our team broke her nose last week in our game.   On Thursday, I had to go to West Wendover high school for FAFSA day.  I enjoy going to that high school as most of the parents speak spanish and I get to use my spanish a lot. 

But I was feeling pretty badly with my cold.  I could hardly yell in the game.  On Friday, I worked 1/2 day and we had to get a rental car and headed to Fallon, NV.  The rental car was a van and it had a DVD player in it, so Addie and the kids could watch scubby dubby doo and Frozen videos the entire way.  She loved it.  We played Fallon in Fallon on Friday night.  Fallon came out extremely hot and hit 5 3-pointers in the first half.  They were up by 1 point and Nate hit a 3 right at the end of the half to put us up by 2 points.  That was a big momentum changer.  We came out in the 2nd half and Cody guarded their best player and shut him down the entire half.  He played really well and only sat out for about 2 minutes.  When they need a big win or good defense, Cody is always on the court.  They only made 4 points in the 3rd and we pulled ahead by about 20 points.  We ended up wining by 25 points or so.  Elko girls also beat Fallon girls, so they are going to state as well.  Both girls and boys played Lowry in the regional championship game.  The elko girls played well and hard and lost to Lowry by 4 or 5 points.  In the boys game, we came out a little flat and did not make many buckets and they were hanging with us.  Cody was guarding their 3-point shooter and shut him out when ever Cody was on him.  He had some points, but never when Cody was guarding him.  It was a close game in the 1st half and in the 3rd, Elko blew it open again and won by 25 points or something.  Cody had 5 points in both games.  He made 2 threes, and went 4 for 4 from the line.  So that is the 4th straight league and regional championship for Elko boys.  We stayed in a best western motel their on Friday night and went to a museum on Sat. morning.  On the way home, we decided to take highway 50 (the loneliest highway in america) home through Austin, NV and Eureka so mom could see that part of the state.  My voice was gone the entire weekend, so every time I would try to yell at the refs or players, nothing would come out.  But it was a good weekend and we are heading to Vegas to play Desert Pines again in the 1st round.  Same as last year.  Clark will play Lowry, just as they did last year.

We got home around 8 and I took the rental van back.  I was tired as I have not slept very well these past few nights.  On the way home we ran over a badger and Cody skinned it and wants to make a hat out of it.  The weather turned cold this weekend again, and we are struggling as it was in the 60's for the past few weeks.

We had a good Sunday, nothing too special.  We did not have any one over for dinner as mom did not have time to plan a meal and we just had left-overs.

This will also be a short week, but it should be fun.  Cody and the team will leave on Wed. to go to Vegas.  We will leave Friday morning.

Have a super week, we love you and pray for you every day.  Keep working hard as this special time you have to be a full time missionary will be over soon.  Enjoy every minute you have as a special representative of the Savior.

Love

Dad

What a wonderful Valentine's Day weekend

Hola Hermana Nielsen,

We were sad to think that you and Hermana Bott are not companions any more.  We love her through you.  Last week was a good week.  We had PAL practice and games almost everyday.  We had a PAL game on Wed. and won that game, that was our 1st win.  But we got blown out on Thursday and Sat.  The girls kind of drive me nuts.  We had 2 twins on the team that are lazy and goof around all the time.  We can't have a serious practice, but I try to remember that it is PAL and it is suppose to be fun for everyone.  So I let a lot of things go that I would otherwise nip in the bud.

Elko played spring creek on Tuesday and won but 20-30 points. We also played Lowry on Sat. and won by 21 points.  Cody had 4 points in that games.  So Elko went 16-0 in league play and beat every team by 21 points or more.  Klekas said he has never had a team that beat every league game by more than 21 points.  They had a few really nice write ups for the fab 5 this past week and with it being senior night on saturday.  We are going to miss watching those boys play as we have watched them for many years.  We play Fallon in Fallon this Friday in REgionals.  In fact, both the spring creek teams, boys and girls play Lowry and both Elko teams play Fallon this Friday in Regionals.  So we will be heading to Fallon this weekend.  

I took the suburban in and it would cost $7,200 to get it fixed.  So we are waiting for the insurance companies to do their thing so we can get it fixed.

Amber surprised us and came home Friday night for the 3-day weekend.  She told mom she might come home, but was not sure.  But we had a good relaxing day on Sat. Valentines day, went to the basketball games, and then afterwards, we all went to Costa Vida for our Valentines dinner.  It was good, but it was fun to be together as a family.  We have been enjoying some wonderful weather.  Mid 60's, this past week. We are loving it.

Well have a super week.  Today is President's day, so I had the day off work.  I will work on taxes and make Amber some jerky to take back to school.  We love you and pray for you daily.  

Love Dad

Happy Valentines Day!

Hola Elder Nielsen,

How was your week. Here I sit writing another letter. It seems like I blink and another week passes by us. I was working the books and clock with Mr. Marc Suyematsu and he asked about you and how you were doing and told me to make sure I tell you hello from him. So that promise is completed. He said he really like your group of kids that they were all good kids.

Monday we had PAL practice, Tuesday we had a PAL game. Mom had to coach as I had to do the books and clock for the Elko Lowry bball games that same night. The JV girls game went into double over time, so all the games were delayed and pushed back. Elko varsity girls got crushed by Lowry girls by about 30 points. That game would determine who would take 2nd in league and get a bye for the 1st round. So Elko girls will take 3rd in league. Elko boys beat Lowry handedly. They played with us for the 1st half, but we opened it up in the 2nd half and won by about 20 points. And that game was to determine who would win league.  Out PAL team won 14-13. Summer had 6 points. So mom is 2-0 in coaching. We did not get home until around 10 pm.

On Wednesday, I had to go to Wendover to West Wendover high school for the FAFSA. Usually I go and talk about financial aid and then help them fill out the FAFSA. But they had a new counselor and she scheduled me from 10 am to 4 pm. And students and parents would come and go as they pleased during that time frame.  But I did not leave until around 5 pm. So I hurried home and we had another PAL game. We lost to a Spring Creek team 16 -4 or something. We could not make any baskets and they made some lucky baskets.  So mom is 2-0 and I am 0-2.  I better turn over the reins to mom to coach.

We had PAL practice on Thursday night and then Summer and I had YMYW. But 2 of our girls were waiting for their grandpa to come pick them up and we waited with them for 40 minutes. Finally, I said, I will take you 2 home. And they lived close to the church, so Carly ended up going with us to mutual as mom had left earlier to take Summer to a Presidency meeting.

On Friday, Elko played Dayton and both boys and girls won. I did the clock and books for those games. On Saturday, we had a PAL bball game in Spring Creek at 11 am, so we went out there and we beat a team from West wendover. My 1st win of the year. Both Carly and Summer scored in that game. The other team was not very good and we only had 7 players, so we could play every one a lot. Then mom dropped me off at the high school and I did the books for both varsity games. Both teams won, we beat South Tahoe.  It was senior day. Eric had 6 3s and 28 points and Baumer had 3 or 4 3s and 20 points. So Elko went undefeated in League again for the 2nd straight year. Regionals is this week in North Valleys this year. The Elko boys JV team went undefeated again this year at 22-0, so Dennis D has gone undefeated in 2 out of the last 3 years. We did not get home until after 4. That was a long day. Mom and I were going to go to the adult bi-stake dance, but we had been gone all day and decided to stay home and relax. I worked on taxes Sat. evening.

The weather has still been very cold, barely getting above freezing.  However, today, it was 47 degrees. It felt nice and the snow was melting quickly. Your snowman's head fell off. But it has lasted since December and hardly melted at all. I have started doing a lot of taxes and will enjoy Monday to get caught up on all of them since it is President's day and we all have the day off.

We had our ward conference today and Maddie Esplin gave her fair well talk. She is going in the MTC on Wednesday, then to Vancouver Canada. We are going over to the Esplins tonight for a little get together for her.

Keep working hard.  We love you and are happy you are serving a mission. Brother Reid Smith told me that you were on a billboard on Idaho street today. So we drove downtown to see it. It is that picture of Nate and Sam Klekas in warm ups for a bball game from Pace Coalition and you were standing there with your back to the camera with number 12 and Nielsen on the back. We took a picture, but it did not turn out too well. We will have to take another and send it to you.

Brandon Jenkins is doing very well on his mission in Arizona and seems to really be enjoying it.  Have a great week, humble yourself as a child and serve the Lord the best you can. Have a happy Valentines day today. We love you and are well pleased with you. Do they celebrate that in the Philippines?

Love,

Dad

Blessed and Protected Once Again

     Hola Hermana Nielsen,

 
So, did Hermana Bott get transferred?  We are sorry to see you two serparated.  We feel the love you two have for each other and we love her for that.  Hopefully you two can stay in contact after the mission.  This was a busy crazy week. I had my accounting class on Monday night, then we had PAL bball practice Tuesday, Wed. and Thursday.  Young men and women on Thursday night and traveled to Reno on Friday.  We we did not have a free evening all week.  Cody took the ACT test at Reed high school on Sat. so we had to drive down to get him to the test and to the game on Saturday in Truckee, CA.
 
I worked 1/2 day on Friday and we planned on leaving around 1 pm.  I went out to start putting things in the suburban and the doors would not unlock.  We had a dead battery.  So I thought I do not want to be fighting a dead battery all weekend, so I had mom go buy a new one and we will check the old one when we get back.  But, the Battery is in a very difficult place to get to.  So it took me about 2 hours to get the old one out and the new one in.  So we left at 3 pm instead of 1 and we missed all the girls game which we were trying to make to watch.  There was a big storm moving in, mom said on the news they called it the Pineapple express, I guess it was coming it from Hawaii.  But the wind was blowing head on really hard the entire way to Reno.  I guess they cancelled a few of the other bball games in Reno due to weather and wind.  But we made it there just in time for the boys games.  We played Sparks and we won by 30 to 40, I can't remember.  They only had 16 points, I know that.  Cody did not have any points and only shot 2 or 3 3-pointers.  We took Cody back to our hotel to stay with us as he thought he could get a better rest as the other teammates stay up late.  We brought a cot and he slept on the cot.  We stayed at the Baymont Inn where we had stayed before.  The motel is not much, but the have a could continental breakfast.  Biscuits and gravy, yogurt, bagels, cereal, eggs, sausages, etc.  Cody and I got up at 5:45 to shower and eat breatfast and I took him to the ACT test at 7:30 am.  It was a beautiful sunny morning, 58 degrees.  We have been have some record warm temperatures.  It got up to 64 degrees a couple of times last week. 
 
Then I went back the the hotel and we watched TV until we checked out of the Hotel and went to Costco.  We went to pick Cody up at noon and he said he was frustrated as he could not finish any of the sections.  He felt like he could have done really well if he had more time.  He was studying hard for that test for 2 weeks.  We were going to go to Cabelas after on our way up to Truckee for the game.  I thought we could take some side streets in Reno and they would be safer than the highway as the roads were wet from the rain.  We were on McCarren Blvd where the speed limit is 50 mph, and we were going straight through an intersection about 2 lights away from the highway to head to cabelas and a guy coming the opposite way turned left right into us.  We had the green light, so I don't know what he was doing, but he was not stopping.  I tried to swerve to the right and accelerate to avoid him and he smashed in to the back rear side on the passenger's side.  I thought we might have cleared it and them boom.  He hit us so hard I thought it was going to roll the suburban, so I was trying to turn and keep the car on all 4 wheels.  I finally got control of the car and stopped it on the side of the road.  I looked back in my rear view and side mirror and all I could see were parts and pieces of cars all over the road.  My first thought was oh no, we will never get Cody to his game now.  So I got out of the car and saw the guys cars who hit us and it was smashed to pieces, (Totaled).  I was expecting our back rear side to be smashed into pieces as well and I looked and there were a few dents and scrathes on the rear side of our car and the tire was leaking air as it had bolts and part of his front grill stuck in our tire.  We check on the guy, he was an elderly guy from California and I asked him if he was ok, and he said no.  He was not moving.  The police and fire trucks, and ambulance came and they thing he had a broken arm and jaw.  They took him in the ambulance to the hospital and had to tow his car.  We had 2 women witnesses that said I had the green light and he ran the red light.  So that was good.  We were there for 2 hours filing out reports, etc.  I thought while we are doing that, Cody can put on the spear tire so we can make it to his game.  But we could not figure out how to get the spare tire off from under the suburban.  We don't have a manual.  And right on the corner of the accident was  Big O Tire, so we drove in there and they put the spare on and charged us $6 and we were on our way.  Every thing appeared to be moving ok, we don't know if there is any kind of frame or other damage underneath that we can't see.  But the whole thing was a miracle.  The guy missed hitting Carlys door by 2 inches.  If he would have t-boned us on her side, she might night have survived.  But we were all perfect.  No scratches, bruises, neck injuries, nothing.  The parmedics made us all sign waivers that we were ok, and no one was hurt.  I told them we had 6 in the car, and they were wondering if they were all ours.  I said of course.  The police asked me for my cell number and I told him I did not have one, and he could not believe it.  They must of thought we were a bunch of hicks from Elko.  Any way, we made it to Truckee, just in time for Cody to do the chant before the game and he started and had 5 points, missed 0-3 from the free throw line.  We won 40-11.  So only 27 points were scored against them all weekend.  I believe they are 22-2 now. 
 
We play Spring Creek and Lowry at home this week.  The will be the end of the regular season and then we have regionals and state.  Cody is counting down the number of practices he has left.  He only has 12 practices left.  He does not like the practices as Klekas is always in a bad mode and runs them alot.
 
After TRuckee, we drove over the hill to Grandma and Grandpa Crofts.  It was mostly raining very hard all the way over.  We had a good short visit with them. We went to all 3 hours of church there and had dinner after church and came back to Elko at 3 pm.  IT was raining extremely hard, coming down in buckets.  We were a little nervous driving over the pass, but then after 170 miles, the rain stopped and we made it back to Elko at about 9 pm.  The suburban drove just fine back.  I will take it in and have them check it today.
 
Well Have a great week and work hard and be obedient.  We love you and pray for you daily.  A little over 4 months left, we can't believe it.  Happy Valentines Day on Saturday from all of us.
 
Love Dad

Happy Groundhog Day!

Hola hermana Nielsen,

This was an exciting week for the Goulding family.  They moved out of our ward and into the 1st ward on Wednesday and then Romney got her mission call on Friday.  We all went over there after Cody's game but she had just opened it.  She is going to Russia, the same mission as Preston Coppinger is in.  She is really excited and nervous all at the same time.  Her parents feel the same way.

We had PAL bball practice Monday through Wednesday and then a game on Thursday.  But on Wednesday evening I had to go to Spring Creek high school for their FAFSA night.  So mom had to run practice on Wednesday.  On Thursday, I had to go to Jackpot High school and Wells high school for FAFSA day and nights.  Mom and Summer had New Beginnings so we all missed the game. I heard later that we lost.  

On Friday, Cody played South Tahoe and they won by 20 or 30 and Cody did not have any points, but he only shot twice.  They played Dayton and beat them by 50 and mercy ruled them.  Cody had 9 points on Friday.  So there are 4 regular season games left and then Regionals in Fallon and state in Las Vegas.  The girls won both of their games as well.  We are planning on going to Reno this weekend as Cody plays Sparks and Truckee.  Cody will re-take the ACT test on Sat. at Reed high school and then we will go to the game and drive over the hill to see Grandma and grandpa Croft.

The Super bowl was yesterday and new england Patriots beat the Seattle seahawks.  I was hoping Seattle would have won, and they should have but made a bad coaching decision with less than a minute to go in the game and they were on the 1 yard line and they threw a pass instead of running it in and the pass was intercepted.

Yesterday was a good day at church, and we spent the day here at home eating soup for super bowl sunday.  Please tell Hermana Bott that we appreciate receiving her emails as we get 2 perspectives on your week. We love her like we love Sister Wright. 

We love you and hope you two have a super week.  Keep working hard, the time is flying by very quickly.  We need to schedule an appointment for Cody to get his wisdom teeth out in Utah.

I enjoyed your family history memories.  They were funny, but we will need to do some editing on them.  It is funny to hear what you liked and remembered... little things that I thought were no big deal. What do you need us to send you with Hermana Bott's father in a package?  Is there any thing you are craving or need?

Love

Dad