We're Going to Nationals!

This is going to be a pretty short post, but I just wanted to share some really exciting news:

Rich won his race at regionals today, which means he is going to nationals in two weeks! (Oh yeah, I get to go, too!) He ran a time of 8:47.98, his personal best. I don't know much about the race, except that both of us were crazy nervous for it. This is so exciting for us! We will hopefully fill you in with some more details soon.

Rock Band

We gave in. We got a Playstation 2 and Rock Band. We found a good deal on them, so now we have a new guitar and drum set gracing our apartment. We just started our first family band, at least Rock Band band. I wonder how long until our neighbors tell us that our band is too loud.

Conference Championships

Last weekend (May 14-16), Rich raced in the Mountain West Conference Championships in beautiful (well, maybe to someone...) Laramie, Wyoming. The best part, for me at least, was that I got to see the race! This was my first time seeing Rich race his race, the steeplechase. It was a long process for me to get there, but things really worked out well. I am so thankful to our family for all that they did in the long process to help me see it! To Pops Nelson for getting me to Denver. To the Kidds for letting me stay with them in Denver and then driving me up to Laramie for the race. To the Topeka Nelsons for taking me from Laramie to Salt Lake. And finally to my brother Skyler for the ride from Salt Lake to Provo. A long process, like I said, truly a family affair, and all well worth it!

Rich ran really well in the race, despite windy Wyoming conditions. He placed 2nd and got a pretty good time. Because of this, he was named to the 1st team, All-Conference. Another really cool part about the race was that BYU runners placed 1st (Kyle Perry), 2nd (Rich), and 3rd (Reagan Frey) in the race, sweeping the medals. The BYU men's team easily won the conference championship title.

Up next for Rich are Regional Chamionships in Eugene, Oregon, this weekend. Rich's parents and sisters Cami and Carolyn are going to be able to see that race, so he'll have more family support. Hopefully, Rich will make it to Nationals at this meet, which I get to go to if Rich makes it. I'll be cheering hard for him from Provo!

It's Become an Addiction

Rich and I borrowed our friend's copy of 24, Season 1. Bad idea. Of course we're addicted. We watched an entire disc yesterday (only possible because both of us are on our summer break and now have the time to do things like this). But now we're stuck. Disc 4 is missing from our friend's copy, and we can't watch anymore until we somehow get our hands those episodes (12 PM to 4 PM). If you can help us, please let us know. We have to finish now that we've started! 

Our Newest Addition

Finally, Rich and I have a TV stand. If you have been a visitor to our apartment between January and April, I am sure that you noticed our TV sitting on the floor, with the speakers next to it and messy wires and cords showing from behind. It's not how we wanted it, but we had no choice. In all of Utah we could not find a TV stand that we liked (or could afford). We seriously looked for four months, and all of our options were either too expensive or falling apart (we diligently, and perhaps desperately, searched the DI). We did not think one of our hardest decisions in the first year of our marriage would be choosing a TV stand.

Well, we got lucky. About a week ago, Rich was looking online to see what he could find. He came across a promising candidate and phoned the owner. Lo and behold, the owner was moving to Oregon that day and needed to get rid of his TV stand ASAP. He volunteered to drive Rich to his apartment to look at it because the car was with me. Rich felt a little guilty for having this guy that he's never met pick him up, so he sort of felt he had to say yes to the stand. We got lucky that it was a pretty good one. It even matches our bedroom set.

So, we got a TV stand. Which means even better news - our TV is not on the floor anymore! No more messy cords showing. No more moving the coffee table out of the way to see the bottom of the screen. This is the life. Our apartment looks a little more civilized. Four months of searching finally paid off.

(Yes, that is Seinfeld on our TV screen. A gift to us from the Easter Bunny.)

Shara's New Look!

Shara got a new haircut and she looks adorable!!! She didn't even tell me that she was going to do it today. She had talked about getting a haircut and we agreed that it would be fun to get a short cut, but then today I came home and she opened the door and...BAM! Shara was there with her new haircut looking better than ever! :)

Happy Easter

Here are some pictures from our Easter. At my parents' house, we had an Easter egg hunt, or a booty hunt (think pirate) according to my brother. Rich and I did quite well because there was money hidden in most of the eggs. Except for in the eggs with the melted chocolate that leaked out the sides of the eggs. Thanks to my mom for the egg hunt!

Rich and I also made sure the Easter Bunny had visited us when we got home. Our baskets were waiting for us when we got home from Ogden. We love Easter!

(I think you have to click on the "fullscreen" button to view the slideshow.)

Oops

I just want to tell about a little accident that happened in the school newspaper this week, The Daily Universe. Since this is BYU, the paper usually gives a report on things like General Conference. Well, maybe they shouldn't have done it this week. In Monday's newspaper, there was a picture of the 12 apostles, one of your typical conference pictures. But, it wasn't your regular caption. Underneath the picture, the caption called them, not the 12 Apostles, but the 12 Apostates. Woopsie... That's quite a mistake to make. I really don't know how they missed it.

And So It Begins...

Baseball season (which of course means the Mariners season) has begun. We just wanted to give you a little preview on how we will be watching the Mariners games the next several months. Rich on his computer, because none of the games are on TV in Provo, and me reading a book.

Good News from Siblings!

About a month ago, Rich and I found that my brother Tyson and his wonderful wife Krsytle are going to have a baby in October! Awesome news! The Fredrickson clan is starting to grow! Max will have no excuse to be the only spoiled little grandchild with a cousin on the way (sorry, Carrie and Ryan)! It was funny how Tyson and Krysle told us because they said they had a "snowboard video" that Tyson had been working on. I didn't think much of it because Tyson snowboards almost everday since he teaches lessons. Well, the family was watching a BYU basketball game, and Tyson said that it was time to watch his video. I was a little frustrated because, I mean, it's BYU. The snowboard video could wait. But he put it in anyway, and, behold, there was an ultrasound on the screen! I said, "That's not a snowboard video...." So, that's how they tricked us. Congrats, Tyson and Krystle! They might be finding out whether it's a boy or a girl this week! Can't wait!

Well, even more news. This Thursday Rich and I were with the family at Grandma Farnsworth's 85th birthday party, and there was a slideshow of pictures of her children and all of their families. It came time to show pictures of Scott, Karolyn, and Skyler, and an unltrasound shows up on the slideshow! It took a while for it to sink in, I think, but then everyone in the room started to cheer. I think the only people in on the joke were Rich's Uncle Jeff's family, so it surprised almost everyone in the room. So, another Topeka Nelson is on the way, due in Spetember! (We found out later that the ultrasound was actually of Skyler, but it got the message across just the same.)

Two new nieces and/or nephews coming in the fall! We're so excited!