The Faces of Christmas

These are mostly self explanatory, and some are pretty funny. Enjoy!

Mmmm... Gingerbread Houses!

Everyone minus Sam loving Daddy.

The Cuz's in their cute jammies!

Baby Nellie's first Christmas Eve at the Ely's

Just being silly.

They can see the presents and are dying to get to them, but nicely pose so mom can get a picture. Torture!

"Won't you PLEASE open it for me? Please?"

Still not quite awake.

I love to catch that moment of shock and utter joy when they open up a gift they didn't think they were going to get, but REALLY wanted. I love giving and even more so love watching my kids enjoy giving. They were all quite generous this year with their sibling gift buying. We tell them we will match what ever $ they are willing to spend to buy for the person they drew for Christmas, it makes $3 or some other small $ amount (but large personal sacrifice) feel more exciting. Their were a couple of the older kids that were willing to spend more of their own $ than I could afford to match, so I had to talk them into being a little less giving. I love that they are dying to have their brother or sister open the gift they bought for them more than they want to open their own gifts. It brings joy to my heart! The greed was minimal and the love tremendous!

A couple of my other favorite Christmas traditions... letting the kids fall asleep listening to the dramatized biblical Christmas story on CD in their bedroom. We did this as kids growing up. We always called it "You have deft hands carpenter", the first line of the story. It really brings the focus back to the Savior. We also love to listen to "The Forgotten Carols" on CD, the story not just the music, as we drive to see the temple lights. It also brings a sweet spirit to the season. I love Christmas! I love my family! And I love my Savior!

Daddy Daughter Dance

Our school has an annual Daddy Daughter Dance. Sara looks forward to it every year. It is fun for her to go on a date and feel like the princess. She loves to see all her friends with their dads too. He bought her a gorgeous red rose to top off the night. It was such an enchanted evening.

I know I am the wife and mother, but aren't they pretty.

Nate and Drew's Baptism

Nate and Drew

I can't believe they are already 8! It seems like yesterday that they were just tiny little babies snuggling in the same bassinet. They still snuggle every chance they get, but they are so big now.

It was a beautiful day. I am proud of them for making such good choices and for loving the Lord so much. They were thrilled to get their own nice set of scriptures, little hymn books and new fancy CTR rings. We are thankful for all the friends and family who came to support them.

Nate, Nathan and Drew

The real deal

Nate, Sara and Drew

Again showing their true colors.

Nate and Drew with Uncle Ben and kiddos

With the lovely Young girls

With Uncle Jon and his pretty girls

With Grandma and Grandpa Alger

With Gram and Papa Ely.

Sara and little Ella

Zuzu Zanna

Richard with his dad and brother Jon

Daniel's Cast Is Gone

I don't think I ever posted how Daniel broke his leg, it was just too sad at the time. He was trying to be cool like his big brother Tim and jump off the porch roof onto the ground in the back yard. He broke his tibia in his right leg. He had to wait 6 days to have it set, after the swelling went down. He was in excruciating pain and so little and sweet. It broke my heart, as well as anyone who saw him. Once he was cast, he was soooo much happier and comfortable. He got a wheelchair because he couldn't put any weight on his leg. He has really never complained about having a broken leg. He has been a trouper.

Anyhow, he has been in two different casts over the last 8 weeks. The doc gave him the ok to carefully use his leg, it is still quite fragile and looks broken and crooked to me in the x-rays. The doctor said it is healing well but that he has to be gentle with it. HE'S 5!!! How do you keep a 5 year old off the jungle gym or the trampoline or away from wrestling brothers? So far it hasn't been a problem because he has to rebuild his muscles and gain control of them again. He limps along slowly at this point.

We also, through this experience, discovered the cure for baldness. Put a cast on it and it grows hair, at least it did for Daniel. He has one ape-man leg and one sweet boy leg. The picture doesn't do it justice, but the one leg is almost smooth and the broken leg is super hairy.

Crazy Timing

We went to Sea World twice this year, once in June and again just a week ago. So, 2 days out of 365 in a year... and they happened to be the same 2 days that the Turley family chose. Chad told Shelly he could see the Algers. She didn't believe him since they had seen us the last time they were there in June. Surprise! We have hardly seen them since our ward split 4 years ago. I guess we have to go to Sea World to see them.

Crazy!

Our California Trip

Walking to the gates from the Sea World parking lot. Love those twinners! It was cold and had been raining and snowing/slushing on us on our drive there from Phoenix that morning.


Having a great time doing as many indoor things as we could. The shark exhibit is warm and musty. It was great to defrost a bit. It poured on us about an hour before the park closed. We called it a day and headed to the Spaghetti Factory for the twins early birthday dinner. They love that place, and we only go when we are in California, never in Phoenix. It's tradition you know.

This was in the light house at Point Loma. A great place to stop if you are ever in San Diego. The kids loved the museum and light house, but especially the tide pools. They loved seeing the see creatures in their natural habitat. We spent most of one of our days there.

We spent the twins birthday at Disneyland, since you get in free on your birthday this year. It was great to get 2 in free! It wasn't too crowded, but it was still great to have Daniel in a wheelchair. We scored big on a couple of long lines. Thanks, Daniel, for sacrificing his leg so we could get on rides faster.

At the end of the day one of the boys said that he didn't get to go on one of the rides that he had really wanted to ride. We asked which one, we had done almost all of them. He said he wanted to go on the wheel chair ride. We were all tired, but I guess riding in a wheel chair having everyone wait on your every need can be exhausting. Daniel was asleep before we got out the gates.

It was a whirlwind 4 day trip, but SO much fun. The kids behaved wonderfully until about the last hour and half in the car. They were pretty squished and tired. And best of all, no one got lost the whole trip!

Surprise!

We had a surprise 40th Wedding Anniversary party for my parents this last Friday. They ran off to the courthouse to get married 40 years ago and never had a wedding reception or any of the traditional wedding fun.

We got them to my sister Jessi's house under false pretenses and they were surprised to see us kids there all dressed up. We told them more lies and said we were going out to a fancy dinner together. Meanwhile, my mom's sister Kathy, who had flown in secretly from Arlington, VA, was sneaking around the corner to get in line while my mom and dad were going around giving everyone hugs. My mom took a good 3 or 4 seconds to even register that Kathy was standing in front of her. She was so shocked and surprised. Kathy handed Mom the veil and bouquet that we had gotten for her; she had never gotten to be a proper bride before. There were tears of joy and excitement.

Not a great picture with my dad's arm sticking out, but you get the idea of her popping around the corner.

Next, we told them there was one more small surprise out back before we headed out for dinner. We had them close their eyes while we turned on the canopy of lights for the real surprise.

I love this next picture. It really caught the emotion and surprise of the moment.

It turned out so well. It was beautiful and felt so magical.

We got thoughts and memories from all the family and many friends and compiled it with tons of old photos into a memory book for them. It turned out to be such a treasure. I always knew I had amazing parents, but it is wonderful to hear all the stories and thoughts of the times they touched and changed others' lives for the good. They are always serving and reaching out to others, creating family where ever they go.

Cousin Wendy made a gorgeous wedding cake for them, another thing they hadn't had before.
It was a stunning cake!

We had them cut the cake and feed it to each other. They did it very nicely, none of the mashing in the face stuff.

We had them give a little toast and hook arms to sip their fancy 7-Up.

They both looked beautiful. My mom especially glowed. She looked like an angel.

Here's one of all the girls

Not a bad looking bunch! I think my folks did pretty well.

It was a great night. One of the best for all of us I think. I felt like the mother of the bride, not the daughter. It was superbly fun to be able to work together and give them this night. I am glad to have my life back from all the planning and hard work, but I would never change a thing. It was amazing to have so many friends and family come to honor them. They deserved every bit and more.

It was also hilarious to tell them all the lies we had told them for the last few months and all the things we had stolen from their house in preparation for the big night.

I love you Mom and Dad! XXOO