~VISITING GRANDMA AND GRANDPA ELKINGTON~
After a quick trip to Featherville, we ventured a visit to Grandma and Grandpa Elkington's. Our kids continued to get spoiled by a showering of gifts, and they played their little hearts out! We had an amazing Christmas Break! Too bad it couldn't have been longer!

DAY 1: GRANDMA's and GRANDPA's and GIFTS

Grandma and Grandpa gave Amber skates, and she absolutely loves them! She has been skating since she first set eyes on them! My hardwood floors are feeling the pain of the new skates...a few dings here and there... I did pick "rustic" floors for a reason--right? At any rate, Amber's joy is evident as she twirls and glides through our home. Perhaps, with a few more falls, she will catch on that the carpet is more forgiving on her bottom, and on my wood floors. Wishful thinking? Maybe I will start praying for spring to arrive sooner...Does Heavenly Father grant special requests like that? Again,...wishful thinking...He's probably praying for a longer winter, so I will benefit from gaining patience : )?

DAY 2: NEW YEAR's at MICHELLE's CABIN

~Snowmobiling at Aunt Michelle's Cabin~
(Easton and Jake)
Easton was so kind to Jacob-he took him on several rides!

~Amber Drove a Snowmobile for the First Time~

~Amber pulling Jacob and Cooper with the Snowmobile~

~Riding Snowmobiles~

~Sisters Holding Hands~
These two are the best of friends! They are always looking out for one another, and it isn't uncommon to see them holding on to each other. At night, I often walk into their room, and see my two sweet dears holding hands while they sleep. I hope it never changes!

~The BIGGEST ICICLE KNOWN TO MAN-Photo Shoot Take 1~
(I love that Amber is licking it rather than smiling for a picture!)

~ICICLE Take 2~

~ICICLE Take 3...Amber eating it again...~

FAMILY FUN IN FEATHERVILLE
We love Featherville!!! We love the outdoors, the cabin, the family, the memories... This year after Christmas we were able to spend a few days in Featherville playing with the Miller Clan! We had so much fun sledding, drinking hot chocolate, and sledding some more!

~Jake found the chocolate, and I thought it was so funny, I had to take a picture!~

~Cute Aunt Andrea, and Zachary~

~Uncle Jeff, and Little Adam on the Small Hill~

~Dad and Jake~
Jacob had so much fun sledding! He was just as crazy as his dad! I have many years of worry ahead of me with this boy!

Once while no one was watching, Jake positioned himself on top of dead man's drop without a sled. When I turned around, I freaked out! I wasn't fast enough to catch him! When he got to the bottom, he hopped up, and was ready to go again! Against my better judgement--I let him, and after that, he started a new trend...

~The kids went down the hill in so many ways...on sleds, on stomachs, on backs, on bums...we have a few holes in snow gear, but they sure had a lot of fun!~

~INTRODUCING THE SLED TRAIN~
(Drew, Hailey, Nathan & Tanner, Truman & Aunt Michelle, & Jacob & Me)
We had so much fun barrelling down the hill! Good family fun for all ages! And what could be better than riding down the hill, and then...

...riding back up the hill too?

CHRISTMAS 2009

Christmas was a quiet day shared in the company of our little family--it was perfect!

The Christmas season seemed too short to me. I love the lights, the shopping, the anticipation, the pure excitement, but more importantly, I also love the giving! This year for Christmas, I tried to make our holiday mean something more than receiving. Sometimes it is so hard to teach my children the true meaning of Christmas when there is so much focus on receiving. President Monson (Latter-day prophet) said we should change the question of "What did you get for Christmas?" to "What did you give for Christmas?" By changing "get" to "give" the whole meaning of that all too common question changes. This year for Christmas, I wanted my children to be able to answer, "What did you give for Christmas?" And so with that question in mind, we started several traditions in the hopes of retaining the true meaning of Christmas. Some traditions started: the Giving Jar, the 12 Days of Christmas, the Last Straw, and Christ by Candle Light. Each tradition added an element of giving, and I am grateful for the experience. As a result, our home was filled with a bit of Heaven.
TRADITIONS:
THE CHRISTMAS JAR-Inspired by a book called, "The Christmas Jar", our family collected loose change throughout the year to give to another family in need. This tradition kept the spirit of giving in our home even after Christmas had passed. By the end of the year, my children worked to fill the jar. Not only was it being filled with loose change, but love too!
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS-I love this tradition! I love that for 12 days my children fill the spirit of giving in their hearts. I love the pure joy that accompanies this activity!
THE LAST STRAW-A dear friend gave this tradition to me as a gift, and we loved it! The tradition reenacts a story about a family secretly giving to one another in the hopes of filling a manger with straw. Each time a kind act is administered-a straw is placed in a manger. And, each piece of straw cushions the manger for the baby Jesus. So, with each kind act, the family prepares the manger for the baby Jesus, and with each kind deed, the family prepares their hearts to receive Him. I am so grateful to my friend, for giving us such a fun tradition! I love that this tradition gift that keeps giving throughout the month!
THE LIGHT OF CHRIST BY CANDLELIGHT-We turned off all the lights in the house, and each person was given a candle. As we sat in a circle, one candle was lit. By the light of the one candle, we read some quotes on Christ being the light of the World. We talked about our role in sharing the light of Christ. Then we began passing the light to each candle while stating how we were going to share Christ's light this year. At the end of the devotional, all the candles were lit, and the room was illuminated by the light. We then talked about how each time we share the light of Christ by being obedient to the commandments, reading our scriptures, showing kindness to others..., we make an impact, and our little light contributes to lighting the world...just like the one light helped in illuminating our room. ~I got this idea on-line, but I can't find the blog to give credit. I thought it was truly an inspired idea!

CHRISTMAS EVE 2009

Every year we celebrate Christ's birth by acting out Samual the Lamanite (the account in the Book of Mormon), and Luke 2. This year was no different than year's past except...perhaps...my expectations of how the night should run. In year's past, I had always hoped for peace, tranquility, and an amazing spiritual experience shared by my entire family. I have come to realize that all of those things are not logical when the family equation is: kid+kid+kid+daddy (which also can symbolize "kid")+mom. No, with this kind of equation, our yearly ritual is very much disorganized, and some what disjointed. My expectations of this sacred night have changed immensely, and my new perspective of our jumbled mayhem, is perfectly wonderful. I am not sure how I expected anything different, or for that matter, wanted anything different. This year I found joy at each new turn of impromptu magic. Joy in Jacob throwing crayons symbolizing the arrows that were thrown at Samuel, joy in Bryan being the "chosen" donkey, and joy as the kids insisted upon leading him to the stable. The night was filled with these moments as we joined together to reenact the Savior's birth--no matter how disjointed or fragmented the reenaction might have been, in reality--it was perfect! As I watched my children exhibit child-like faith, and as I came to realize that our family equation kid+kid+kid+daddy+mommy truly does = an amazing spiritual experience, all was well! It may not be the way I had first envisioned our experience, but these are the moments to remember...not the moments to change. And so with a new and improved perspective, our mayhem now symbolizes a piece of Heaven here on Earth as we celebrate the single most important event in all of history--our Savior's birth!!

~Daddy as the Donkey~

~ALL DRESSED UP!~

KIDS GIVING TO KIDS...

Every year we participate in a charity where we donate a toy for a craft, and money for a Santa picture. Everything goes to a local charity! I absolutely love it! Here are our Santa pictures for 2009!

THANKSGIVING...at the cabin
We spent Thanksgiving at the cabin. We had so much fun playing in the snow, eating good food, and spending time with family. Several moments amounted into one great trip...

HERE ARE OUR MOMENTS...~ Four-Wheeling in the Snow...~
Jacob loves to ride the four-wheeler. Right from the moment we arrive at the cabin, Jacob is begging for a four-wheeler ride. Thankfully there wasn't too much snow, and we were still able to appease him.

~Hailey Sledding~
We spent huge amounts of time on a small hill right outside the back door. The kids loved it!! (...and maybe some adults too!)

~ Jacob and Daddy Sledding~

~Jacob and Amber~

Trying to snowboard on a sled, isn't always the smartest plan... (Especially when the sled you are attempting to ride, continually slides out from under you.) However, the sense of accomplishment makes it worth it!

~Amber and Daddy~

As the day wore on, simply sliding down a small hill wasn't enough... Our moments picked up intensity, and I have come to a conclusion...
Snow+Ice=Danger Crazed Games with The Miller's

Danger Game #1 Slide on Ice While Doing All Kinds of Tricks
~Jeff~

~Hailey, Matt, and Bryan~

Danger Game #2 Build a Jump
The boys thought it would be fun to build a jump at the bottom of the sledding hill... As I walked out on the porch to check on my family, my husband said, "It's completely safe...I promise!"

Danger #3 Jumping Multiple people while Flying off the Jump!

~Jeff jumping Matthew, Evan, and Bryan~
When I asked Bryan how many people got hurt, or landed on while jumping, he said that no one got hurt...and, only Jeff received the brunt of a bad landing. However, for the next couple of days, Bryan had sores on both legs from pushing so hard off the jump in order to catch enough air to soar over the helpless people underneath.

What is it with boys and high intensity games? ...I sure do love those boys though, and as long as no one gets hurt, I wouldn't change them for the world!

~Jacob loves Uncle Danny!!~

Early Thanksgiving
Every year Bryan's family meets for an early Thanksgiving. Bryan's mom, Jolene, always tries to be accommodating to the in-law's, so she works around holidays by celebrating early. Everyone comes to enjoy the games, food, and company. From riding the tractor, playing a bit of football, and shooting guns in the desert...fun was had by all!

Bryan trying to kill the children...
(Amber, Ava, Carly, Truman, Logan, & Tim)

More scary action...
(Amber, Ava, & Tim)

~Father and Son~

~Football~
(Jeff and Evan)

Hailey played football with the boys this year, and had a fabulous time! I think she will be a definite participant in the years to come!

Somehow eating turkey always makes me tired...and...eveything else (or so Bryan says).

I have a friend that is like a sister to me! She is amazing in every way. I am blessed by many of her talents...one of which is her ability to take amazing pictures...

FAMILY PICTURES 2009

Thanks, PAM!!!