Silly Family Home Evening Snacks

This past Christmas we received a really fun book called, "Silly Snacks", and the girls have been so excited to create some simple, tasty, and yes, silly snacks for our Family Home Evening refreshments.
Tonight, we finally had all the ingredients for the cover snack, the Ice Cream Mouse. We had a lot of fun, though the challenge was getting all the sprinkles just so before the ice cream started to melt!
If you'd like to make it at home, the recipe follows.

Ice Cream Mouse

One scoop of vanilla ice cream
Oreo Cookies
M&M's or large circle sprinkles
Small sprinkles

Insert cookies into the ice cream for the "ears".
Place M&M's into the ice cream for the "eyes" and "nose".
And finally, use the sprinkles for the "whiskers".

Enjoy!

Amazing Steelhead!

If you've never visited the Nimbus Fish Hatchery you have to go! They have areas where you can view maturing steel head, and even feed them for 5 cents a pop. They have a wonderful museum with the best movie about the steel heads life cycle (I've seen it twice and would love to watch it again). And they also have a giant fish for the kids to climb, and a spectacular path along the river to enjoy.

True, right now there's not a lot of fish to see that have returned from the Pacific to spawn, but the one's you do see jumping up the ladder take your breath away. They bear the marks of surviving the ocean and look absolutely beat up, but here they return to where they were born for the next generation's sake. It's really incredible.

If you have even just 15 minutes, take the time to check it out.
It's free, informative, and the kids love it EVERYTIME!

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Hatcheries/Nimbus/VisitorInfo_Center.asp

Baptism Preview...already?

A few Sundays ago I had the opportunity to attend a Baptism Preview for Isabella and other primary children her age who will also be turning eight this year. I can hardly believe that this year she will be baptized. It seems as though we've been talking about it forever-but that it was always years and years away! She is growing...so, so fast. And I am so happy to see her bright testimony growing as well. Last night in the scriptures, we read in Alma about what is required to enter the waters of baptism. It reads:

Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism.

And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him, yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which testifieth in me.

Alma 7: 15-16

She said to me,
"Mom, I'm a little nervous [about the water], but I can do it!"

And inside my heart wrenched.
I'm amazed by her...and her sweet, sweet desire to do what is right.

The Sacramento Temple

Last Saturday we had an early morning appointment in Folsom, and before we headed home we stopped to walk the grounds of the Sacramento Temple. When we pulled into the parking lot I was having second thoughts because of the chilly weather, but as soon as we set out on our walk I was so glad we came. Even on a cold day the temple warms your heart the way no other place on earth can. We saw a newly sealed couple taking photos out front, we saw fat worms wriggling on the path, and the sight of the temple spire though the trees took our breath away. But best of all was hearing the girls exclaim, "I'm going to the temple someday!"

Everyone lost in their own thoughts.

Examining the wildlife!

Samuel and I love to come to the temple as a couple, but it's so wonderful to bring the kids up for a visit too. We all had the best time.

Our Superman

One of my favorite pieces of artwork at the Deseret Bookstore is of a dad walking next to his son whose dressed in a super hero costume. The idea is that the real hero is this wonderful father, whose holding his son's hand as they walk down the street. This picture of Sam and Owen reminded me of that work: Two sons of God, one of whom was sent here 29 years earlier to raise and prepare the other, only 19 months old.

A Father Is Many Things

“Brethren, noble fatherhood gives us a glimpse of the divine attributes of our Father in Heaven. A father should be many things. He should magnify his priesthood and be an example of righteousness. In companionship with his wife, he should be the source of stability and strength for the whole family. He should be the protector and the provider and the champion of the members of his family. Much of his love for his children should flow from his example of love, concern, and fidelity for their mother. By his uncompromising example he should instill character into his children.”

James E. Faust, “ ‘Them That Honour Me I Will Honour,’ ” Ensign, May 2001, 46

My Big Babies!

Something I often tell my kids is that no matter how old they are, they will always be my babies. I even go so far as to try and finangle my 7-year old daughter on my lap so I can try and rock her to sleep. I'll chase Ava and Iris around the house so I can "change their diaper". They think it's wildly funny and run all over the place trying to get away from "crazy mom". I can't do that to Owen though, because odds are he does need a diaper change and then it's not that funny any more! The point is, no matter how old they grow or what size shoe they wear, they will, always and forever, be MY babies. And I will love them as much, if not more, than the first day I knew of their existence.

Good Day Sunshine!

As I'm writing this, I can look out the window and see how drizzly the weather is. I am so grateful for the rain that has come, and pray that it continues, but judging from the weather forecast you would never know that only days before we were enjoying several days in succession of balmy warm weather! We had the wonderful fortune of having Abby, my niece, overnight, and the next day was spent where good weather is not wasted: The park!

Who doesn't love a good slide?

Or swing?

Or how about a good ol' fashioned cartwheel?

Waiting your turn is NOT fun!

Eating salami IS fun!

And so is a picnic on the lawn!

Sam is the Man

I love this man! He is my everything and I am so grateful to be at his side. He gives so much of himself to see that his family has all that they require. He works, he plays, he loves, laughs, and cries with us. What more could a woman ask for, than a man who will sit down and fold and put away loads and loads of laundry without even being asked? Or someone who always and without fail reaches out to hold your hand? Or someone who willingly gets up in the night to care for a crying baby? I am so humbled to be blessed with such a wonderful man to be the head of our family, who honors his priesthood, and always tries to do what is best.

He recently went on a late night trip to Walmart to pick up a few things. He told he me rocked out to "Play that Funky Music White Boy!" and was dancing in the car. More and more we see that we are not the spring chickens we used to be, and sometimes it comes as a surprise to us to see that we have 4 -going on 5-children and that our 30th birthdays are rapidly approaching. And then we do something silly, and realize, life is fun and funny...and together, it's a blast!

Costco vs. Sam's Club

I love "Buy-in-Bulk" stores! Unfortunately, the annual fees keep us from purchasing two memberships since the stores are pretty similar. When we lived in Marysville, we let our Costco membership expire and opted for a Sam's Club membership, and immediately fell in love with their "Click N' Pull" service, which allows you to purchase your items on-line (the "click"), and then schedule a day to pick up your "pulled" items. Shopping was a breeze, and we had so much time to browse the fun stuff in the middle of the store. Now that we're in Roseville, we let our Sam's club membership expire and have resumed our Costco membership. We love Costco, but alas, that they don't offer "Click N' Pull"! I miss looking at the socks, dvd's, and garden hoses! They do however offer the best bargain meal in town, as seen above!

The Money Shot!

Most of you know that when we received Owen's ultrasound they declared that the sex of the baby was a girl. Well, we all know how that turned out! This time around, the results are clear as seen from the photo above. This is our son from the bottom up, and yes, that's his...you know.
His pictures are absolutely beautiful, and our kiddies are all excited and have adamant views on what we should name him. Isabella proposes Max, Ava likes Dash, Soldier, & Mantis, while Iris is dead-set on naming him Sabrina! Owen has yet to express his opinion on a name, though he loves to give his new brother kisses, and always ends with a gentle bite! As for Sam & I, we'll continue the tradition of keeping the name under wraps until he's born. To be honest though, we have no ideas yet!

Thank you for all the best wishes!

Ultrasound Results!

We had quite possibly the best ultrasound experience ever! Our technician, Annette, was amazing and she even became teary as she watched our little baby moving around on the monitor. I think my favorite part of the whole experience, is watching Samuel's face. He has the luxury of seeing the screen the entire time, and I love his expressions as he watches what our little one is up too.

We'll enough is enough!

The Elmer Family's 5th child is...

a...

BOY!

We are all thrilled!
With love,
The Sam Elmers

P.S. I'll post photos soon but we left them at my grandma's house!

New Kaiser Women & Children Center

On Saturday, Kaiser held an open house for their new Women and Children Center in Roseville. Among other things, we were able to tour the Labor and Delivery rooms and the Recovery floor. As we walked through the halls I started to cry...and I was so grateful to be able to deliver our baby in such a beautiful building!

The kids were invited to have their face painted, and as we were thumbing through the book I saw this kid whose face was all red to the tune of Spiderman. I tried to turn the page really fast because I did not want that much paint on Ava, but of course she saw it and that's the one the she wanted. The lady was great though, and left Ava's mouth area clean so she could still function for the rest of the activities.

They also had a fun area for the kids to enjoy, with a bounce house, music, healthy snacks, and other entertainment. We had a great time, and enjoyed the beautiful and unseasonably warm weather.

Ava and Jacob LIVE

Well, the kids aren't really "angry" per se, but the passionate way they're belting it out reminds me of a singers angst. This is Ava and her cousin Jacob...letting it ALL hang out.

New Years Brunch

I love New Years Brunch! This year, Sam and I crawled into bed at 4:30 AM from the New Years Eve Party, and family started rolling in for another round at 8:30 AM New Years Day. What I love best about this post-party celebration, is that it's another chance to be with family, but in a more relaxed setting. And who doesn't love relaxing over a nice plate of ham, bacon, egg bake, strawberry crepes, french toast, hash browns, & English muffins!

Owen at the breakfast table.

Yes, this picture is a little dark. But I thought it captured the overall lethargy of the moment. After breakfast, we played some more, talked some more, and then slowly people trickled home. What made this day especially nice was that the Green Beans, Sam's older sister Rachel and her family, were present after being out of town the previous week in Utah. We're so glad they made it home safely.

Samuel's up to bat. You'll see that Owen's close by, and yes, several kids did get cracked in the head! Everyone's fine, but thank goodness for the gel covers on the remotes!

New Years Eve Extravaganza

It's become a beloved tradition for Sam and I to host a New Years Eve Party and New Years Day Brunch every year with Samuel's family and we love it! Actually, I use the term "host" lightly, because it really is a family affair, with everyone helping out.

Around 7 PM aunts & uncles, cousins & grandparents come pouring through the door bearing yummy appetizers and treats to last through the night.

This year, was the year of the Wii, and all ages had a chance to play some really fun games! Most notable was Grandma & Grandpa who boxed several times just before midnight. This is huge, especially considering "Big Gar" usually heads to bed at about 8:30 pm!

Every year we always almost miss the countdown to the New Year. We never keep the T.V. on until those few moments when the ball drops, but when it does the air is littered with party popper streamers.

Here's a photo of Elizabeth, Sam's baby sister, her husband Houston, and their new baby, Veronica-only weeks old. Houston is Owen's favorite, favorite uncle. And Veronica is my most favorite new baby!


And last but not least, the kids party pretty hard right along with the adults. This year they started falling asleep at about 2:30 PM and they just kind of passed out all over. This little guy is Mason, he's the son of Sam's sister Leah, and he took a fancy to our Sleeping Beauty dress and wouldn't take it off. Now this is a photo to keep and share with his future fiance!

Happy New Year everyone!
We love you!

Nerf Guns...2 Grown Men...Need I say more?

This year Santa brought Nerf guns to our home. Was this to the delight of our children? Of course, but I think Sam was even more excited. And when his brother's family came to visit, one thing led to another, and then there was all out war!

Cha-Ching!

Yes, my Ava is missing some teeth now, and it made me a little sad to know that my baby is not so much a baby anymore...at least, she doesn't have as many of her baby teeth. Several weeks ago, when her tooth was getting increasingly loose, Sam tried to convince her that we should pull it out on Christmas Eve so we could get the Toothfairy and Santa to visit on the same night. Ava agreed to let him try, until she realized that "pulling it out" means "pulling it out!"-and she made him stop. We did miss the Christmas Eve deadline, but two days later it popped out, and then several days later another one came out too! Cha-Ching!

Christmas Night Appetizers with the Elmer Clan

Christmas Night we gather with Samuel's family for some wonderful appetizers, more gift-opening, and just plain ol' visiting. Samuel's brother Joe played Santa this year, and soon the living room was a mass of wiggling kids and crunchy wrapping paper.

Here is my mother-in-law, Clista, holding the newest grand-baby, little Veronica Wyllie. We joke that all the babies love to take snooze on Grandma, or the "Serta Perfect Sleeper".

The crowning glory for the night, was when Samuel's mom presented each of the families with blankets featuring our Alma Mater, "The Highlands Highschool Scots"! Go Highlands!

Christmas Dinner at Mom's

It looks a little crazy, but Christmas dinner at my mom's was actually a peaceful and relaxed affair. There was lot's of wonderful food, my mom always make tri-tip, and family. How can you go wrong?

Sam's Nightmare

One of Sam's greatest pet peeve's is to see grown men in one-size too small sweat pants with elastic at the ankles. Throw in sports socks, Velcro sneakers, and a fannie pack, and he has to look away. So of course, I always tease him that when he's too old to care for himself that's the first thing I'm going to stick him in. And when I saw these bad boys for sale at Walmart...well, I had to have them!