Camping and Rockets

We wanted to update everyone on a a couple of recent activities that the boys and their scout troop have been up to.

The boys really enjoy scouting. It is a great chance for them to see some of their friends outside of school and to make new friends. Not to mention all of the priceless learning opportunities. I believe that scouting is a great way for young boys to learn how to become good upright citizens.

The fall camping trip was back on October 21st. You know the saying that the trip is half of the adventure or something like that? Well, in this case it held true. We made it about half way to the camp on Friday night, but had to turn back when Jared's stomach turned on him, and the rest of the back seat. We did eventually make it to the camp on Saturday around lunch time and had an excellent time. The boys enjoyed helping dad pitch the tent and get our area all set. It was then time for a game of football in the nearby field. We hiked, star gazed, cooked, cleaned and told stories. The boys and their den also put on a campfire skit that was very well received.

The following morning was dedicated to our Pack meeting in their dress uniforms and a flag ceremony. We were also fortunate enough to watch a flag retirement ceremony.

***REMEMBER TO SEE LARGER PHOTOS, CLICK ON THE SLIDESHOW A FEW TIMES***



Back in November the scouts had their annual rocket build and launch. We had a week to build their rockets from the provided kits and decorate them. The boys took a lot of pride in their rockets and were more than excited to get a chance to launch them several times that Saturday morning. This year was the first time our den got to have a payload section of their rockets. The boys loaded theirs with star-wars lego figures and live crickets. Ah to be 8.

H-A-Double L-O-W-Double E-N Spells HALLOWEEN!

Halloween is one of those holidays that you love as a kid, forget about for a while, and then try to recapture your youth, living vicariously through your sugar-crazed, wide-eyed little ones.

This year was no different, we went out for about an hour, and left a bowl of candy on the front porch for the other neighborhood kids. (The sign read: "Take a small hand full, and ma-woooove along, lest your be cursed!)

Jared was dressed as the Human Torch from the Fantastic Four, and Brady was the Red Power Ranger. Jen, well I am not sure what her costume was supposed to be but she sure was cute! I do not know who the freak in the mask is supposed to be either, but there are some possibilities. (hey, that's two posts in a row with an unnamed, masked man.)

Its a girl!

The last visit to the doctor revealed that we are in fact having a baby girl! The entire family is very excited to welcome our new addition this spring. There are not any great photos from that visit so I won't bore you with uninterpretable ultrasound images. She did not want to be photographed as she was face and belly down and in a breach position, it took nearly 10 minutes to get the verdict, very nerve-racking!We are still working on a name, so feel free to leave your suggestions below!

Long awaited update

Hi everyone, sorry for the long time between posts. It has been a very busy month. Jen has been working very hard with her PTA duties, and keeping us all on time and on track. The boys are working very hard with their school work and cub scouts. (camping trip next weekend!). They also have joined back up with the choir at our church. They love to sing, and share their mom's gift of a lovely voice!

I have been looking for a hobby lately, and helping out with the PTA is very rewarding, as can be seen in the slide show below. Can you guess who that might be in the giant cow costume?

Jen is 17 weeks along, and the baby is doing great. We had a sonogram two weeks ago, and more tests, all is well. We will be finding out if the baby will be in pink or blue on Oct 29th!

Three-D-Baby

I don't know how long this 3D ultrasound technology has been around, but I was blown away to see our little peanut in-the-round. The doctor was able to flip the image around and inspect everything, and said all was perfect. The heart beat is still right at 158Bpm, same as the first ultrasound. We are not scheduled for another photo shoot for another two months, so this will have to hold us over for now. I think he/she looks pretty lumpy, but I am told that that is normal, and the body and head are still forming at 11 and 1/2 weeks.

Popcorn Time!

It is that time of year again, when scouts across the country put on their Class-A uniforms and hit the streets to sell popcorn! Last year was our first year, and let me tell you, if you haven't had Trails-End popcorn before, you are missing out. If you are interested, the product sheet is below (click for a larger image), just email the quantity of each item you want along with your mailing address. We will need the money upfront, so we will email you back with the total and address to send the check.

Approximately 70% of all proceeds go to our local scouting program, which funds all of our functions, including camping, activities, and all of our necessary equipment.

Please direct your orders and or questions to naslundfamily@gmail.com

Change is the theme

Jen is nearing the end of her first trimester, and we will be heading back to the Dr. for a checkup next week. She has started wearing maternity clothes, and is really getting back into the whole, being pregnant swing of things. I am working really hard on understanding what she is going through, but sometimes I am just a dumb guy and have to be reminded...


Jared and Brady still have to be reminded that they will be having a new brother or sister soon, but I suspect "next year" sounds like forever to them. The Cub Scout event year started this past weekend with the Scout picnic. The boys are now Bear Cubs, and will begin gearing up for their fall campout coming up. I recently attended the first of what will likely be many training events so that I can continue to be a leader in their Pack. It is a lot of fun for all of us, and the boys seem to get a big kick out of the fact that their Dad is their cub scout leader, and he wears a uniform too!


Cocoa is almost 1 year old, and is starting to leave most of her puppy ways behind her. She still makes mistakes now and then but they are fewer and farther between. She has really started listening much better and by the time the baby arrives, she will be fully trained!

Waning Summer Days

The end of Summer is approaching and Fall is around the corner (Saying this helps me cope with the 100 + degree temperatures) and it is in this "between times" that we welcome back.... SCHOOL! It seems like yesterday when we sent them off on their first day of Kindergarten, but yesterday marked the start of their second week of third grade.

Jared and Brady both are truly excited about school, and are working very hard. There are downsides of course, early bed times (I'm OK with this one :-), more homework and third grade is "a bit tougher" than second were told. But the positives of friends and learning far outweigh these minor inconveniences. They are excited every morning to get there and get to class! I hope this feverish love of academics stays with them both for a long, long time.

Here are a few pictures of Jared and Brady in the car rider line from this morning, enjoy!

(You can watch the slide show in small form here, or click the slide show a couple of times and see the pictures in a larger format)

Bundle Of Joy

So the first post should be a good one right? I cannot think of a better way to start off than to say...

We are so happy to share the very first pictures of our new baby. These were taken on August 7th, at which time the doctor estimated Jen to be 7 weeks pregnant. The delivery date is estimated at March 22nd.

The baby is barely over 1 cm long, amazing! Hearing the heartbeat was a real tear jerker. The baby's heart was beating at 158 bpm, which we are told is right where it should be. You can see the EKG at the bottom of the last picture.

We are thrilled, and blessed and everything is going well. Jen is tired, but her spirits are high and we are so happy.