Walking in a winter wonderland!

Lizzy opening a gift from Meliah

Aaron opening his gift (a temple bag)

Christian opening a gift (his excitement wasn't the same as when he was younger but I must say he was pretty excited about his paintball gun and our family gift - a wii)

Meliah and Taylor got necklaces from Grandma and Grandpa Eller

Lizzy opening her tea set.

Fondue on Christmas Eve

Lizzy and Bella

The Nativity that Aaron's Mom made for us several years ago. We all still love it!

This jar showed up on our doorstep on Christmas Eve. I had just finished reading the Christmas Jars a couple of nights previous. The jar has so much meaning to me personally and we will be reading it as a family the next couple of weeks. Thank you to the person that dropped it off, it is a great blessing to our family

I still haven't gotten used to the "no snow" on Christmas. It just never feels like Christmas until we have a little fall on the ground. For me, it represents my childhood, the cold reminds me of my hometown and some pretty vicious snowball fights that I endured. My brother Martin could really throw a stinger. I found out later that he would make his snowballs icy before he'd throw them, ouch! But more importantly, I remember the white, pure glory and amazing brightness of the outdoors. The beauty of it, of course, is out of my vocabulary in the English language. The only perfect man who has lived on this earth was so pure and glorious, it reminds me of what snow does to the earth. I am so grateful for a loving Savior, who came, lived and gave all he had to others and to his Father then died for all of us. Just as I am in awe of the snow the morning of the first snowfall, I am in awe of that one perfect man and his tender mercies! Most of the time we take a trip up to the mountains so that we can at least see it before the Holidays come, it gets me in the mood and the true spirit of Christmas. This year, maybe I will just have to remember those wonderful feelings and keep them in my heart all year round. I will post some pictures after our trip to the snow.

I want more curls!

Last night, I put curlers in Elizabeth's hair. Her hair is very straight and doesn't hold a curl very well. It only holds a curl with the spiral curlers and still only lasts for half of the day. When she woke up this morning I took out the curlers and it looked adorable. After she looked in the mirror, she started to cry and just be terrible. She kept saying she wanted more curls up higher on her head (you know when they get delirious and keep repeating themselves over and over again). She was throwing a complete temper tantrum! I had a ton to do this morning and really didn't have time to help her and satisfy her at all, so I just got impatient with her. She said "I just won't go to church today then!" I said, "fine!" I went out to the car well-knowing that I wouldn't be able to leave her at home alone at 4 years old. I went back in the house and she was sitting in the same place I had left her. I looked at her face which didn't seem upset anymore and I said, "I can't leave you at home Lizzy, but you can choose to go to church happy or you can go to church sad". She stomped to the car while muttering, "I'll go to church sad". I realized later, when I had more time to talk to her, that she wants hair like Meliah (who has a ton of hair that has a lot of natural curl). Do I already need to deal with a little teenager? This is ridiculous!

Elizabeth with her straight hair (taken a couple of nights ago)
Elizabeth today after church (she got so many compliments on her hair at church :))

Christian, Meliah, and Elizabeth after church (Meliah tried to flatten her hair on top so that Elizabeth would be okay with her hair)

I couldn't resist posting the latest pictures taken of our kids! I absolutely love them, the pictures and the kids!

Elizabeth 4 1/2


Meliah 8 1/2


Christian 10 1/2

Meliah finally got that tooth out!

One of Meliah's teeth has been loose forever! She finally got it out! It wasn't even that loose but we told her that she had to get it out before her dentist appointment last week, or the dentist would have to pull it out. She was getting more and more frustrated as the day came closer and would ask for orajel to numb it before we all worked on it. She was thrilled to get it out all by herself the night before her appointment.

Before the tooth came out

After she pulled it out herself

Thanksgiving and getting ready for Christmas!

Elizabeth is the perfect age for Christmas. She is so thrilled with our Christmas tree and loved putting all of her ornaments on the tree. The squeals that come from her make me want to squeal too and be a little kid again! Why not, I think I'll have to sit on Santa's lap this year!

We have continued a tradition that Aaron's family has that I love. All the kids have their own boxes of ornaments and we add to them every year. They aren't done decorating the tree until they've emptied their boxes of ornaments. Aaron has a ton of ornaments that he has been given through the years and they are all dated. Many of them he made himself. The kids always laugh and enjoy looking at all of his old ornaments. We also have a bunch of ornaments that my parents have given to us since we first got married. One of my priced possessions is a set of handmade ornaments that my mother made for our family tree years ago. It seems that little by little they are dwindling (I think my siblings are swiping them).

Thanksgiving day! This was not a part of our plans on Thanksgiving. We were packed and ready to go to Salem, Oregon to spend a few days up there with Aaron's side of the family. When the flu bug hit our house, we decided it wasn't a very good idea... so we stayed at home. This is my parents with most of their grandchildren.

This is a picture of all 8 of us siblings. We haven't all been together for many years, so it was really nice to be able to snap a picture.

Christian's scouts!

Christian has an amazing scout leader! We as a family have been able to enjoy so many fun activities that have been planned by her. Saturday we were able to attend the Gateway Museum by Bidwell mansion in Chico, the Satuday before that they went on a 3-mile hike and last month we went to Durham to the Wildlife refuge (I forgot the exact name of it).

GATEWAY MUSEUM
Meliah showing all the different kinds of pinecones.

This is a picture of all the kids looking at the different types of scat (poo) of animals in our area. (pretty gross)

Christian loved the telescopes!

BIDWELL PARK - 3 MILE HIKE

The 3 scouts!


WILDLIFE REFUGE IN DURHAM

Christian, Meliah and Lizzy checking out all the animals

The whole group at the Wild Life refuge. A really great place in Durham that takes in animals that need extra care and treatments, or that just can't go back on their own because they are too used to being with humans.

Christian petting a snake.

The Bengal tiger right as she sprayed us. I was getting ready to take a picture of her face but it shocked me so bad I took this picture right before running. Not many people can say that a tiger has peed on them. YUCK!

Friday Date Night!

Aaron and I had all the kids take pictures of us before our date night last Friday night. This was the best one... Lizzy was the photographer! Yeah Lizzy! I do love my husband... he is such a great man.

NBA Fit Challenge!

Elizabeth waiting in line to jump rope

Christian and his cousin, Becca

Meliah racing her cousin, Sierra


The kids had a really great time on Saturday at the NBAFit Challenge at the school. There were several stations that they were tested and timed. It was so cute to watch them be competitive and do their best! Lizzy was the youngest there but really showed some determination. Christian placed 1st in his age group and Meliah placed 2nd. Christian gets to move on to the next level.

Halloween weather! WHAT?

Yesterday was a really nice day. I could not believe the perfect weather! Aaron and I were able to go play sand volleyball for a couple of hours in the middle of the day... may I add that Will and I smoked Aaron and Brian! Okay, well, maybe not smoked but that sounds a ton better than barely beating them. We only played 3 matches and it took us almost 2 hours. One of the games went all the way to 30, so it was a pretty good match up! I'd much rather get my exercise in doing something fun, and I love volleyball! Playing 2 on 2 in the sand is exhausting but it's so much fun.

We were able to take the kids to trunk or treat last night. They got so much candy it's ridiculous! I only have 3 kids... what do you all do with all that candy, expecially if you have 4, 5, 6, 7 kids? I'm really debating on whether to just have them eat it all until they get sick of it (I think that may shut down their immune systems though) or just put it in a ziplock bag and put it up in the cupboard (but I get so tired of the begging for candy). I read in family fun magazine that you can do scientific experiments with some of it. I think I may have to try it. Any other suggestions?

Lizzy(purple fairy) with her friend, Maddie (cinderella)

Aaron, as a nerd, with part of Christian's target costume too

My mom with the girls! She came by to give the kids a special treat.

Meliah with her friend Samie. (They both dressed as Mulan) They must have called each other... ha ha!

All of us at the trunk-or-treat

My friend Becky and her husband Jon came by to help us give out candy

I did dress up, it was just a couple of weeks ago for a get together

Happy halloween!

Meliah and Christian getting the guts out


Lizzy's Mr Pumpkin Head

Lizzy with one of her crazy creations

The kids with their final projects!

We carved pumpkins last night at the last minute. I really didn't want to, it was a canning day and I was exhausted! But it ended up really much more relaxed than former years. I always have felt really rushed and panicy when we carve pumpkins and feel like I've carved at least one before I can even think of carving my own. This year we got some of those poke through pieces (kind of like Mr potato head) for pumpkins and gave them to Elizabeth hoping that she would enjoy that instead of wanting to use a knife. She did! Yeah! She loves it too and has changed the face of her pumpkin several times and giggled like you've never heard before. Right before she was supposed to be in bed she came out with her Mr Potato Head pieces and wanted to try some of those too. The parts didn't have glasses and feet like the Mr. Potato set does. She started that back up this morning before preschool and has absolutely loved it! Christian and Meliah carved some simple faces without a whole lot of detail and were really happy with the results! Aaron did Frankenstein and worked on it long after the kids went to bed, and frankly, I was happy just taking pictures and enjoying watching them. I roasted the pumpkins seeds for a snack after FHE which I've never felt like I could do before.

The kids on the pumpkin train



We went to the pumpkin patch last week and really had a great time. It was during the week and after school, so it wasn't busy at all. The favorite spots were the gold panning for marbles and the petting Zoo. The weather was perfect and Aaron and I were able to sit together and get caught up on some visiting during the middle of the week (which is very unusual).

Meliah loved all the different shapes of pumpkins

Boy has time flown! Christian looked so huge in the petting area, he looked like a giant compared to most of the kids in there. I think I have a picture of him when he was 4 in this same spot!

The kids all really enjoyed mining for marbles. Christian got soaked trying reach all the way to the bottom of the water with a long sleeved shirt.