: wanna help someone:

Of course you do!

 This is my knitta, Tana!

She is super awesome!

Tana is raising money for children with cancer.

And on March 15th 2012, she is going to shave her head!

Quite the commitment for a lady, we love our hair!

Read more details from Tana here & donate here

: happy everything :

: rilo bones nelson :

is 2! 

Happy birthday to our lil bear, sonny bono, son, 

buddy, mister, bones, bones jones, turkey burger { he's organic},

rise, rise against, cutest boy I ever saw, ri to the lo...

I'm obsessed with you.  

You are so funny, just like your dad

and you cuddle all the time, 

 just like your mama. 

 I thank heavenly father for you every day. 

LOVE you, big time....

love,

mama 

: our first family vacation, Palm Springs 10.25.11 :

: Remembering :

My favorite Veteran. 

miss you dad...

:my huz:

is 29!

I have been lucky enough

to spend 13 birthdays

 with Gareth!

but this one was my favorite...

We vacationed at our favorite spot,

with a few of our favorite people!

Just when we thought

it couldn't get any better,

we had a Mad Men party

with a few MORE of our favorite people!

Most importantly,

I got to be with Gareth,

 who is my very favorite part of life....

Happy birthday, buzz!

I am so glad you were born

 and made just for me!

Love you...

: best moment, ever:

The lift. 

there are no words. 

: my 20's:

are over.

 are over?

 weird.  

a decade that I entered with complete uncertainty,

 ended with certainty. 

certainty that I could navigate my way thru this life of mine .   

In my 20's:

I loved Gareth Andrew Nelson.

I moved to St. Louis, MO. 

Made life long friends. 

Kept life long friends.

Built a career.  

Became a wife.

Loved Gareth Andrew Nelson even more. 

Earned my dream job. 

Moved my western heart back home. 

Loved Gareth Andrew Nelson some more. 

Worked hard at said dream job.  

Watched our dad go to heaven.

ached.

alot. 

Adopted the best dog ever,

Rilo Bones Nelson. 

Became a doula. 

And, in between all the majors, 

there was ALOT of laughing. 

and diet coke. 

oh... and dresses. 

oh yeah... and headbands. 

With all of this,

 a vacation was in order. 

And I can say with certainty, 

as 30 yr. olds can, 

it was my favorite vacation yet. 

When my lighting bolts a glowin, I can see where I'm going. from starlyn  Nelson on Vimeo.

:surprise:

and surprised I was! 

My huz, whom I think hung the moon, 

threw me a surprise party 

for the big 3-0! 

I cannot believe he could keep a secret from me, 

or for that matter,

 I cannot believe anyone in attendance,

could keep a secret from me 

because I am the nosiest person on this earth. 

But, they did!

 And, I love everyone last one of them. 

oh and remember this, 

turns out I'm not too old for headbands. 

phew. 

:30:

: dear ACE hotel :

We will be seeing in one short week from today.

While we are there we will catch some rays

and ring in my 30th birthday.

Also known as threat level midnight,

around the Nelson Nest. 

all images from tiny water