tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46162387774770877752024-03-14T11:49:05.832-07:00The Mierins Family ChroniclesWelcome to the Mierins Family Chronicles, our attempt at keeping our family and friends up to date on our goings on.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.comBlogger214125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-81579577730386167372012-04-08T07:47:00.002-07:002012-04-08T07:55:17.817-07:00Everyone has returned safe and sound from the trip to Idaho. Andy was quite lonely while Gail, Matthew and Nikolas were gone, but it gave him time to get caught up on various things at work. He stayed at the office late each night. The boys reported they had a great time. They played with their cousins, went to the movies and investigated an Army/Navy Store. Gail enjoyed doing some shopping. We are all glad to be reunited.<br /><br />Andy's week was busy with work. It ended on a sour note with him developing an infection in his leg. He has kept off the leg as best he can and the combination of a priesthood blessing and some antibiotics seems to be working.<br /><br />We hope all is well with you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-34448761472076188132012-04-01T06:57:00.002-07:002012-04-01T07:10:21.557-07:00What a quick week this has been. The boys are on spring break this upcoming week. Gail, Matthew and Nikolas are visiting Gail's family in Idaho, leaving Andy home for part of this next week. He has quite a busy month ahead so it will give him time to focus on getting prepared for a jury trial in two weeks. Andy had this last week off from teaching as the college was on its spring break, so he goes back to teaching this next week. He is looking forward to the semester ending as it has been quite a bit of work this semester.<br /><br />We had a quick trip into Utah Friday to attend Bernice Greene's funeral, a family friend we knew from our days living in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Weare</span>. It was a great service and wonderful to see many of our NH friends who relocated to Utah.<br /><br />We would also be remiss if we did not mention how blessed we were to participate in General Conference again. We are looking forward to hearing the words of our living prophets and apostles again today.<br /><br />Otherwise, all is well with the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mierins</span> family. We hope the same for you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-82565763425068227442012-03-25T06:58:00.002-07:002012-03-25T07:05:35.177-07:00Another interesting week has come and gone. This last one came in like a lion (we had snowy, 30 degree weather) and went out like a lamb, with sunshine and 60's. Not complaining, just amazed at what a difference a week can make. We all continue to do quite well. <br /><br />Nikolas is getting ready to start baseball practice on Monday. He is on the Durham Bulls and excited to begin. Matthew continues to defend the world against alien invasion and other mythical creatures. He has a creative imagination and love him for it.<br /><br />Gail and Andy are busy as always. Andy was in Las Vegas from Thursday until Sunday attending a conference on forensic science. He reports the conference was help at the Cosmopolitan and he reports it was fascinating. He said they got started by 8am and went to 6:30 each day, so it did not leave much time for anything else. He was hoping to get to the temple while in LV, but did not make it.<br /><br />That about sums up our week. We hope all is well with you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-13815649944072893662012-03-18T15:11:00.002-07:002012-03-18T15:16:50.005-07:00This was an excellent week. We received the most amount of snow we had this winter over the last two days. Thankfully it is a spring snow so it should melt in the next few days. Everyone is also home safe and sound.<br /><br />Andy was in Las Vegas Friday to Sunday to attend a board meeting for Nevada Legal Services. While there he met up with his Uncle Charlie and had a great visit. He said it was one of those visits you did not want to end and was sad when over. Andy was able to record some family history, particularly the journey taken when Andy's Father's family left Latvia. He was glad to have spent the time.<br /><br />Nikolas had baseball tryouts on Saturday and is waiting to find out which team he will be on. All else is great, we hope the same for you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-19047462404803483302012-03-11T14:23:00.002-07:002012-03-11T14:35:17.474-07:00What a wonderful past week this has been. Gail's sister Janelle, her husband and daughter were here for a visit. We enjoyed the time we spent with them, especially having Kailee with us. She is a wonderful addition to our family. Otherwise it was a fairly typical week in the Mierins' household. Nikolas is getting ready to play baseball and the rest of us carry on with our normal routines. We are all healthy, happy and doing great. We hope the same for you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-62451334404626519132012-03-04T07:26:00.004-08:002012-03-04T07:32:31.919-08:00We had a wintry week like many of you. It snowed on and off from Tuesday to Thursday, but once it stopped it all melted. The good thing is the snow in the mountains which is what we need. Other than a bit of an inconvenience, it was not that bad.<br /><br />All of us continue to do well. The boys are getting ready for spring. Nikolas is ready to play some baseball and he got the basketball inflated and has been outside shooting hoops. Matthew is ready to start collecting bugs. We are happy that both are doing well.<br /><br />Gail and Andy are pretty much the same. Andy went into SLC with some friends Friday to be in the temple as someone he knows went through the temple and was sealed to his wife and children. He said it was fantastic.<br /><br />We hope all is well with you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-28653951404116065512012-02-26T06:31:00.002-08:002012-02-26T06:35:26.336-08:00We continue to do quite well here in the Nevada desert. Matthew and Nikolas have shown great progress this year in school. Progress reports were sent this week and Nikolas has moved back inside from the dog house, Matthew gets to keep his place inside. We are proud of both of them. Nikolas is gearing up for baseball.<br /><br />Andy and Gail continue to be busy as always. We were glad to have a day off Monday. We enjoy the time we can be together. Not much else to report. Hope all is well with you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-5779986246838799572012-02-18T07:51:00.001-08:002012-02-18T07:55:42.801-08:00What a fast week this has been. We are amazed how mild of a winter we have had. We did get some snow this week, but like previous snowfalls, it melted by the end of the day. We are not complaining, just amazed at how lucky we have been.<br /><br />Gail got to have some fun this week. She and a friend traveled to Utah to see a play, shop and have a break. Andy missed her. He left Thursday for Wendover, she left Friday and will be back together this evening. <br /><br />The boys continue to do well. All is great in the Mierins' home and we hope the same for you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-44977625097752827842012-02-11T12:47:00.001-08:002012-02-11T12:50:25.309-08:00We had a wonderful week. Nikolas finished his science fair project. His project involved whether sand or gravel would hold more weight. He used tubes filed with both and then placed weight on top until the tubes collapsed. We are quite proud of his research.<br /><br />Matthew was off to a merit badge pow-wow this week and accomplished several requirements. He is showing improvement in school and doing well. <br /><br />Andy and Gail are busy as always. We hope all is well with you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-44439720682657649902012-02-05T14:42:00.000-08:002012-02-05T14:46:12.795-08:00The biggest news this week was Matthew participating in the Klondike Derby. Andy went along (although he did not camp). He and Matthew Saturday morning built a shelter and learned how to build fires without using matches. Andy even admitted it was fun. Other than the Klondike nothing out of the ordinary occurred. The boys went to school and Andy and Gail worked. We are all glad the coldest part of winter is past and we are starting to look forward to spring, although we understand from the forecast is for 6 more weeks of winter. We hope you are well.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-51901382981533793932012-01-29T06:34:00.000-08:002012-01-29T06:37:46.460-08:00No sooner had I commented on the fact we had no snow on the ground, than we received a storm that as of today most has melted. The snow was welcomed though because it provides water in the mountains. The boys thought maybe snow day, but it was not that good of a storm.<br /><br />Not much else happened this week out of the normal routine of school and work. So not much else to report. We hope all is well.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-27462934542097451922012-01-22T15:56:00.001-08:002012-01-22T16:00:58.013-08:00We finally got a bit of snow this week, but mostly rain. We are happy about this because the mountains got the snow which is good for our water supply, but we do not have to deal with the shoveling and poorly plowed roads. We may actually go the whole winter without any sustained snow on the ground.<br /><br />The week was fairly typical with nothing spectacular. We enjoyed being home together on Monday with the holiday. The boys went to school and Andy and Gail worked the remainder of the week. Andy did go to Wendover on Friday, otherwise it was a typical week.<br /><br />We hope all is well.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-30807251116046176632012-01-15T15:46:00.000-08:002012-01-15T15:49:25.802-08:00Another great week has gone by in the Mierins's family. Much the same as most weeks. The boys were in school, Gail and Andy worked. The most exciting thing to occur this week was Matthew starting guitar lessons. He says the first was great. Not much else to report. Hope all is well wherever you may be.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-20641043074818546902012-01-08T06:09:00.000-08:002012-01-08T06:15:23.157-08:00It was back to our normal routine this week and the transition went smooth. Tuesday the boys went back to school, Andy went back to work and Gail threw a party Christmas break was over. We enjoyed the time we had together.<br /><br />On Monday we went as a family to see "War Horse." We all thought it excellent. We are glad there are still good family movies being made. Everyone, but Gail, is excited we finally have morning church. The first two months we were here we had 9 am church, then either due to chnages or moving we had 11 am or 1pm, starting last week we now start at 9 am.<br /><br />Not much else to report. We hope all is well.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-37454538760890096442012-01-01T06:13:00.001-08:002012-01-01T06:23:05.763-08:00Happy New Year to all our friends and family. We hope 2012 is great for you.<br /><br />The Mierins family had a great week. We were all home and enjoyed each others company. Matthew and Nikolas essentially played their respective video games all week, but did put them down long enough to go on an overnight trip to SLC with Andy. Gail relished in her time at home with peace and quiet. The boys went to the Clark Planetarium, did some shopping, ate sushi and spent the night at a friend's home we know from law school. They left Tuesday morning and came back Wednesday night.<br /><br />We pretty much spent the week playing games, watching movies and spending time together. School starts again Tuesday and then it is back to the grind. Gail thinks Tuesday will not come soon enough and the boys think they were robbed by such a short vacation.<br /><br />Friday evening we had the Mierins' Family Holiday Festival. It was great to gather with some of our friends. Andy spent the day cooking which he enjoyed and everyone seem to have a good time. We have plenty of left overs, so we are set for lunch and dinner for the next several days.<br /><br />Saturday was clean up day and we managed to get all the decorations down, cleaned up and boxed up for next year. This has been a great Christmas. We hope all is well with you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-62675509880739449642011-12-24T11:56:00.000-08:002011-12-24T12:39:09.365-08:00Merry Christmas to all of our friends and family.<br /><br /> I have had an incredibly difficult time sleeping this week, mostly because I have been so excited for Christmas. There is nothing particular that will happen like some cool present or surprise I have planned. I just have been so excited for this entire Christmas season. This morning when I awoke ( 4am, yikes) I had some time to reflect on how thankful I am for all I have been blessed. The first and foremost is my abiding and solid knowledge that Jesus is the Christ. He is my personal Savior and the Savior of the entire world. Perhaps this ever growing knowledge is contributing to my insomnia, as we are just one day from when we celebrate his birth into mortality. The much anticipated event to insure our ability to return to the father of our spirits. <br /><br />Next I thought about the wonderful family I have, both that I have come from and the one I am working on. My father was a hard working man who came from a very difficult and trying childhood, something I neither can relate or understand. I thank him for the legacy of work he instilled into me. He passed away 14 years ago and not a day goes by I do not miss him. My mother is my role model. I have always felt great support from her, even when I know I disappointed her and did not live up to the potential she saw within me. I appreciate my near weekly time I have to talk with her. It makes me joyous to see how happy she is and am glad because she deserves to be. My sister is an incredibly bright person who I have always known was smarter and more talented. She provided great support to us when we adopted Matthew and I can never thank her enough for the kindness and hospitality she showed. Then there is my extended family which has been always a part of the fond memories I have of the holidays.<br /><br /> I cannot write about Gail without becoming emotional. I found the perfect partner for eternity. I love to hear her sing and she has helped me make my dreams come true with every "new" idea I have. My sons are my pride and joy. Matthew is a compassionate person who provides balance and grounding for what is most important. Nikolas brings me great joy when I hear him sing, play his flute or he shares his art with me. I am truly an blessed man with much to be thankful for.<br /><br />Now on to our weekly report. Gail survived the week home with the boys, she is glad school starts up again in a week. Andy was home a bit more due to the semester being over freeing up his evenings. He did make one trip into Wendover to meet with clients. Overall is was a great week, although we were saddened by the passing Wednesday of Andy's uncle, Laimonis, whose art work graces the walls of our living room. <br /><br />We hope you have a wonderful and enjoyable Christmas.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-70614085736303752192011-12-17T07:38:00.001-08:002011-12-17T07:45:15.767-08:00Our tree is up and we will finish our decorating of the house today, just in time for Christmas. The boys are quite excited for they are out of school until January 3rd. Gail and Andy do not share in the enthusiasm, but are looking forward to Christmas.<br /><br />This past week was fairly typical, we all went about our routines. Matthew was not feeling well so he missed a few days of school. Twice he went in and twice he was sent home by the school nurse. The nurse did not share with Gail and Andy the same level of sickness one must experience before becoming ineligible to be at school. The bar is much lower then what existed when we were in school. Andy was in Wendover one day this week. He was also notified he will argue a case at the Nevada Supreme Court in January. Gail is recovering from all of her signing.<br /><br />We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope during this next week you have opportunity to pause and reflect on the blessing the birth of Jesus Christ is for each of us. Have a great week.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-51546909163222515932011-12-11T07:27:00.001-08:002011-12-11T07:31:35.352-08:00Wow what a busy week we have had. This was the week of "The Forgotten Carols." Gail and Matthew did a fantastic job. Each gave every spare minute this week. The show was a great success. We are now ready to get ourselves prepared for Christmas and we are looking forward to the time together with each other. <br /><br />There is not much else to report. Hopefully this week our tree will go up, our house decorated and the annual letter composed. We are looking forward to entertaining and celebrating one of the best times of the year.<br /><br />We hope you all have a great week.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-9369363493413518022011-12-03T07:21:00.000-08:002011-12-03T07:32:01.014-08:00Yesterday evening was the debut of "An Uncommon Bond" the trio Gail started with two other excellent singers in Elko. They sang last night at the Creche Festival and did a spectacular job. In the five years our family has attended the festival, last night was the first time we have ever seen a group get a standing ovation. The world will never be the same.<br /><br />We were also glad to see some friends from Idaho and Utah come to hear Gail sing. It was a great evening.<br /><br />Otherwise, all is the same at the Mierins' home. We hope you are enjoying this Christmas season. Have a wonderful week.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-32828172769961211092011-11-26T08:04:00.000-08:002011-11-26T08:21:51.345-08:00We all hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We certainly did. Andy was in his prime being able to cook. He spent Tuesday and Wednesday evening and Thursday morning in the kitchen and managed to be able to put together quite a meal. We had 10 people. Gail's parents and sister, brother-in-law and nephew joined us, as well as a member of our ward. We were regaled with a thanksgiving poem which was quite entertaining. We had a wonderful day and considering all the wonderful things which have happened to us we have quite a bit to be thankful for.<br /><br />We are also glad for a few days with nothing on our schedule the remainder of the week. It gave us time to catch up on a few things. Andy was quite excited because his birthday present arrived Friday, his Kindle Fire. He is enjoying it immensely.<br /><br />We hope you all have a great week.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-82435126911426632122011-11-20T08:37:00.000-08:002011-11-20T08:49:54.134-08:00We have all overcome the sickness as a family and are <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">grateful</span> to be healthy once again. This has been an incredibly busy week as we prepare for Thanksgiving next week. Matthew and Nikolas are doing well in school and keeping themselves busy; Matthew with his animals and science club, Nikolas with band.<br /><br />Gail continues to build quite a reputation as a voice teacher and has more students than she has time. "The Forgotten Carols" is getting closer and Gail will be happy when the production is over. Additionally, her singing group is getting ready for some performances coming up in December. Gail has found her niche.<br /><br />Andy was gone to Reno Tuesday and Wednesday attending a training for a Family Drug Court program. He was back home Thursday working in the office. Friday he was involved in the selection process for the two District Court judge positions in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Elko</span>. He found it to be a fascinating process and was honored to serve on the commission.<br /><br />Saturday was a special day. Andy and Gail joined some friends from the ward in attending the Temple. It was wonderful.<br /><br />We hope you have a wonderful week and wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-4201785002221253622011-11-12T10:57:00.000-08:002011-11-12T11:01:53.757-08:00We all spoke to soon last week. No sooner had last week's post gone up, then Gail began to feel the sickness Matthew and Andy dealt with. By Monday Nikolas was home from school, so we all ended up being sick. Thankfully, we are all healthy and better.<br /><br />Once we all recovered things are going well. Nikolas is continuing with his band participation and enjoying the private flute lessons he is taking. Matthew continues to do well. He and Andy went on a youth temple trip to Salt Lake City on Friday and had a great time. Gail is busy as always with the "Forgotten Carols" and her musical group.<br /><br />We are grateful for our many blessings and thankful for those who have served this nation in our military. We hope you all have a great week.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-39799797177791836952011-11-06T08:07:00.000-08:002011-11-06T08:16:00.817-08:00This has been a rough week in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mierins</span>' household, all due to sickness. The plague began with Andy who woke up last Sunday not feeling particularly well. He made it to sacrament meeting, but after went home and got into bed. We did not see him again until 6 the next morning. Monday his fever had broken, but still had an upset stomach. He did go to work, but came home for a nap during the day. Tuesday he was feeling better, but then it began with Matthew. Thankfully, he is feeling much better as well. He spent Thursday afternoon until yesterday in bed. Nikolas seems to have been spared. Gail stayed as far away from Andy and Matthew as possible in hopes she does not get sick. Not much more to report on.<br /><br />After a very late warm autumn, winter is beginning for us. We had snow Friday and this morning we are getting some flurries. Andy went to get our firewood yesterday so we had a fire last night in our newly cleaned <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">wood stove</span>. It was a great way to greet one of our coldest nights.<br /><br />We hope all is well with you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-14674627306082902922011-10-29T06:13:00.000-07:002011-10-29T06:23:10.194-07:00The last two weeks have been quite busy. We are all doing well. The gerbils are still with us, but Salem is having a hard time understanding why every time he puts his paw on the glass he is unable to get the gerbil. We watched him several times last night bat the glass and I could swear each time the gerbil flexed one of its digits on the front paw.<br /><br />Matthew and Nikolas survived parent teacher conferences. Matthew is doing so much better this year and we are glad. He has 2 A's so far, one of which is in PE, which is amazing in of itself. Nikolas has shown some improvements as well. We are proud of both of the boys. Nikolas continues to enjoy band and is showing improvement every day.<br /><br />Gail remains busy with her students, singing and "The Forgotten Carols" all of which keep her busy. Andy is the same. He returned from a conference in Seattle last week and reported it was a beautiful place.<br /><br />The big trip was a trip to Salt Lake City. It was a boys trip. Matthew had a doctor's appointment and Friday was Nevada Day, so Thursday after school the boys left. They went to a movie, did some shopping, had sushi for lunch (yes, Nikolas admitted he likes it) and spent several hours at the Clark Planetarium. All were exhausted when they got home.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616238777477087775.post-19858382123767344682011-10-15T05:58:00.000-07:002011-10-15T06:09:30.854-07:00This weeks update begins with a report on the animals of the Mierins' Zoo. Vanilla and Garlic are still with us. Salem as assumed nearly all the "security" detail, diligently posting up on top of the cage. He reports no unusual activity, but seems quite confused by the gestures the gerbils give him. He was unaware gerbils have a middle digit on their paws.<br /><br />The boys continue to do well in their activities and school, which keeps Andy and Gail happy. Parent/Teacher Conferences are in two weeks. Hopefully the reports match the increased effort we have seen at home.<br /><br />Andy continues to be busy as always. He was appointed by the State Bar of Nevada as a temporary member of the Commission on Judicial Selection. This is the group which nominates candidates to the governor for vacant judicial positions. Elko County has two vacancies to fill. He is excited to serve. <br /><br />Gail continues with the busy schedule she has. She and Andy are excited to celebrate their 18th anniversary tomorrow. How grateful both are for temple ordinances.<br /><br />Overall, things are great in Nevada. We enjoyed some summer like weather the past few days. We are thankful for all our friends and family and hope all is well with you.Mierins Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01529901999993972559noreply@blogger.com0