Eller Family 2012

 

 

Meliah loves her dog

 

And of course, Lizzy loves her too!

 

Lizzy just kept posing! 

 

And the kids showing their buffness!

 

This is what we did for our crazy picture!  Wonder why we all

started attacking Christian?

 

I love my family!  So grateful for all of them.

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The Glory of God

This may seem more like a journal entry than a blog post but it had to be posted with this picture because the experience would not mean anything without the picture to go with it.  On Wednesday  at institute I attempted to help the students understand the transfiguration of Jesus Christ and his apostles on the mount of transfiguration.  It was difficult to explain but I felt in my heart that I had gotten a small glimpse of it and understood it as much a I could understand such a spiritual occurrance.  I even called and talked to my mom and Dad about what they thought it meant before I taught the concept.  We read in the Bible dictionary about what transfiguration means and the word "Glory" really stood out in my mind.  I knew that transfiguration involved light and knowledge that was given to Jesus and his apostles but my heart had never really understood the word, Glory.  They were given the priesthood of God and the knowledge and light that they needed to lead the church after Christ's death.  They were changed to a brighter and more glorious state because of the knowledge and power that they were given.  I loved studying that special part of the New Testament  with my students but still felt it lacked because it's so hard to apply that to our lives.

 The next morning as I was driving home from the gym I saw one of the most glorious things I had ever seen in the sky.  I had to pull over because of the tears.  I took this picture, which does not do what I saw justice, but it reminds me of what I saw and felt that morning!  I felt something that cannot be explained through words.  I felt the love, the Glory, the Power, the Eternal nature of Heavenly Father.  The light behind the clouds was so symbolic of what my life has been like.  I do so many things that attempt to keep the spirit and the light out but Heavenly Father is always there trying to light my way and be there for me.  I am so grateful for the fact that I can repeat the same mistakes over and over and still be forgiven and that he is waiting and wanting me to ask for his light  and his glory so that I can experience life in it's fullness.  Like I said, the feelings just can't be explained in words.   I just love it when I am able to catch a glimpse of God's Glory and that motiviates me to be better!

Granny Smith Apples

Elizabeth wrote a story that she was asked to read to the School board.  I was so sad  because I wasn't able to go and Aaron was out of town for a meeting.  I asked my Mom and Dad if they could take her so that she wouldn't miss out on the opportunity.  I felt torn because it was on a Wednesday night when I was supposed to be teaching insitute.  I so wanted to be there!  Things could not have turned out more perfect though.  My parents enjoyed it more that Elizabeth will ever know.  The story was about a Granny Smith Apple that turned into a Grandma.  Titled "Lunch at Grandma's"  it reads, "Last Monday I was going to my Grandma's house to eat lunch.  When I got there I knocked on the door.  No one answered but my mom said to just go in.  When we went in my mom said she would make lunch.  All she saw were apples.  She called me in there to pick out an apple, so, I grabbed the apple and I was about to cut it when it started jumping and saying, "Don't cut me!" (in an old and scratchy voice).  The apple looked like my Grandma's face.  Then the apple said, "I am you Grandma."  I said, "What?"  It said, "I am your Grandma".  "OH!"  Then she hugged me.  Then the apple became herself as my grandma and all the apples became her food.  Then they had lunch.

I didn't even know that the story was about her Grandma!  I loved it and was so grateful that they were able to be there for Lizzy's silly little story.

Color Run

 Kerri, Becky and I did a Color run 5k at the beginning of November!  We had an amazing time!  I love them so much and am so grateful that Aaron's sisters are part of my family.  We were able to go to Time out for women in October together with Aaron's mom... and it was such a bonding experience.  GRATEFUL!!!

This is after the race!  I look pretty happy... I think I've been told that open mouth pictures turn out better from someone???  ha ha!

October and November have been so fun! Pictures from my phone!

This is Christian's 8th grade class.  There were some great costumes this year!

Meliah had this great idea that  she and her dad worked on to make a costume that it looks like a monster carrying her.  It was really hilarious watching the little kids around saying "who is carrying Meliah?"  She was disappointed to have not won the competition because it hurt to walk the way she was walking to make to look like the monsters legs.  Funny girl!

Elizabeth was Princess Leia, Christian a nerd (just to possibly get some candy), and Meliah changed and decided to be more comfortable and to be a vampiress.

Christian and his buddy Calvin (Who dressed up like a college student)

I threw on a wizard costume just for fun at the last minute!  None of the kids recognized me which is always sad because I knew almost all of them. Truck or Treat went very fast... it started to rain so the kids went fast to get out of the rain.

Summer 2012 Ward campout

 It's so nice to be at a point that we can spend some time just Aaron and I.  Sometimes it feels like we are finally getting to know each other.

 My cute hubby!  Better looking everyday. (And our dog, Bridget)

 The girls on the paddle boat!  They went back and got the dog.

 Love this boy!  I could've never hoped for a better teenager!  (keeping my fingers crossed)

 These girls really love to be together!  Meliah is so good to her little sis.

 And had to pose without the life jackets.

 I thought this was a funny one of Lizzy rubbing her eye.

 Aaron wanted me to take a picture of the ladybug on his finger.

 And here it is!

 And since I was using Macro we decided that the girl's new nail polish on my toes would be a great picture.  Turned out that I was shocked how wrinkled and ugly my toes were.  I took the polish off when we got home so as not to draw attention to my ugly feet.

 My sweetheart showing Lizzy how to use a pocket knife.

Christian posing with his marshmellow.

It's been a busy summer so far!  Aaron and I were able to go on trek.  First time for me!  I was expecting a more challenging experience physically.  I didn't expect the overwhelming spirit that I felt the entire time we were there.  Our family of  4 boys and 4 girls exceeded our expectations!  They taught us by their positive attitudes and their willingness to do whatever.

I was also able to go to girls' camp and be a part of the Destiny leaders!  Heavenly father must of have known that I needed a lot of spiritual help this summer.  I was able to make some friends that I consider to be dear eternal friends.  I am so grateful for these opportunities that I have had because I have grown spiritually and strengthened my testimony in ways that I didn't know were possible.  I appreciate Heavenly Father's love for me, that he knows me and has such a wonderful sense of humor.  Each night the destiny ladies (including me) had a diddy to make up and present to the rest of those at camp.  One  night we did a rap, another we did a Haka, and the other few times we did crazy little dances.  The theme of the camp was Peter Pan, so we went off of some of the songs and cute ideas that go with that theme.  One night we even flew around with little fairy wings!  The planning of those diddies was one of the most humorous things I have ever experienced in my life.  5 grown women in a yurt making up a dance together is certainly not what it was when we were little girls... but we had all the experience of many years of new dance moves!  Such good times!

Ivan, Christian and Meliah waiting for their swim events!

After the swim meet in Durham!  Christian's first meet and he did amazing!  This was

Meliah's 3rd meet but her first time doing the backstroke  (Second place is pretty great for her

first year of swimming).  Is this the same girl that cried everyday the first week? :)

Meliah and Grace looking pretty crazy in those goggles!  I must say that getting Meliah's

hair in the swim cap is a bear.

Cutie cousins posing for me!  Love them all so much?

My destiny group at girl's camp. Yes, we have fairy wings on our backs. We enjoyed each

other soooo much. We did a rap, Haka, a silly crocodile song and were probably the

craziest the destiny group has ever been. Love these eternal friends that I made. The girls

were pretty amazing too!

i am a mother of a teenager now!!!!!  nothing has changed really except for the fact that if he ever turns on me, which I can't imagine, he may just be a tad bit stronger than me.  i love my teenager so much!  i know this is what they all say but really wasn't it just yesterday that he was waking up and wanting to get in bed with us because he was scared.  feeling so grateful for a good relationship and a boy that really wants to choose the right!

 I hope to be updating more often. Thank you for your emails, comments and patience during my bit of silence this year.

 my quirky trio!  I love them to pieces!

 stud muffin

can i have some of that hair?? 

 this could be the sweetest girl ever!  momma knows!

 dog pile?  really??... okay!

I have kind of lived in a bubble the last year.  It seems it has all been sort of a daze. I have focused on so many of the things that are required of me instead of the things that I really enjoy or want to do.  Balance has always been a challenge for me.  I look around me and see so many mom's and women that seem to have it all figured out and I wonder how??  This is the first time in my life that I have control over a long period of time everyday because all of my kids are in school.  So why?  I constantly ask myself why am I not keeping up with it all, afterall I only have 3 children.  Somehow I have lost sight of what are the most important things and need to make priorities again.  I have learned recently that it doesn't matter if my kids go out of the house without looking perfect, that I can close doors to cupboards and bedrooms that are a disaster, and that I can pile things up for work saved another day.  Right now I am a mom!  The most important thing I can do is to make sure that my children are saying their prayers at night and that they understand that they can have a personal relationship with God.  I also want to make sure that they know how much we love them.  I want to have this record so they do know that. 

 It has been almost a year since I have updated my blog and I have been feeling the urge to get back on it for a couple weeks.  After some nudging from some family members and friends I will start again and try to do better than I have.  I have so many reasons to be thankful and need to remember some of the things in my life that make me feel so.  #1 is my family who  keeps me in line and loves me unconditionally.