Totally great to Be Eight

 Lizzy is 8!  My baby is 8?  She is truly one of most hilarious people in this world.  She is quiet to those who don't know her well.  Those who know her well have a rare opportunity to see randomness like you've never seen before.  Aaron says she gets it from me, and I do admit I am a total weirdo when I feel comfortable.  Lizzy and I are often random together.  Yesterday, for some strange reason, when brought Lizzy home from Activity Days, I looked at the clock and said, "Daddy's gonna be home soon!"  Just then we looked and Aaron pulled around the corner in his little white truck.  We then flapped one of our arms like a chicken and kept saying, "Soon, Soon, Soon!"  No reason for any of it, we are just random.  Aaron seems to like it though! :)  We have made up our own hand clapping routine called, "Giggle" to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (I know, not very original, but still very weird).  She was baptized exactly one month from her birthday.  For her birthday she had a ton of family and a few friends come to Bangor to the Ranch to fly kites.  Unfortunately it wasn't a perfect day for flying kites but the beauty made up for it.  Bangor is so beautiful in the spring.  As soon as I find Lizzy's baptism pictures, I will post those too.

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.