Elys 2015

We hope this year has been a happy one with lots of good health for you and your family.

Grant loves his job at *******. He enjoyed being a dad by doing things like entering a fishing derby with the boys, and swimming and biking with the kids. #AlwaysWearYourHelmet

Niki had a baby, which means my time was spent well this year. And I also think that it gives me an excuse for not coming up with a list of things that I did this year! #SomedayI’llSleepThroughTheNight

Ben (14) decided to go back to public school before high school started, and he enjoys it (except for the part that so much time is spent in school!). He also has enjoyed being part of a mountain biking club. #ThisTeenagerIsFunToHaveAround

Trevor (11) is still doing taekwondo and is progressing right along. He got to meet the Gonzaga basketball team at one of his infusions. He loves scouts and going camping. #TheBestPoetEver

Karmin (9) started taekwondo this year too. She is ready to start sparring! She got her ears pierced this summer and was over-the-top excited about that. #NothingGetsThisGirlDown

Lydia (6) loves math and loves being in 1^st grade. She loves her teacher. The highlight of her year was getting to be a flower girl in her cousin’s wedding. #NeverEnoughTimeForMath

Piper (4) started preschool this year. We are doing a co-op with some of her friends from church. She is so happy and is always up for snuggling. If you ever want your ears rubbed—she’s your gal. #LovesToTouch

Lucy (9 months) came into this world on February 11^th. She is the center of our world. Everyone dotes on her and she is quite possibly our class clown. She loves to laugh, smile, and growl. #It’sAlwaysARaceToSeeWhoGetsToHoldHer 

Cousins

Infusion Day Buddies

Karmin is becoming Trevor's sidekick at his infusions. Grant has been taking Trevor to his infusions since I've needed to stay home with Lucy, who is too mobile to go to the hospital these days. 

Christmas Day

Piper gave Grant a bag of screws and wall anchors (that she found with his tools). 

I have been so excited for this day! I have been so excited to give the kids their gifts. Lucy was the only one who got a toy. We just thought about things that made each child happy, and that's what we go them. Ben loves music so he got new speakers for his iPod. Trevor loves to snuggle and read so he got a bean bag. Karmin loves to garden so we got her a lemon tree. Lydia loves to paint so we found paint cups that allow her to keep her paints out permanently. Piper is always filling up the bathroom sink with water and playing in there, so we got her a sensory table so that she can do that without messing up the bathroom. And Lucy got bath toys.

Karmin bought me a beautiful necklace!

This moment has to be documented!! Ben told Trevor that for Christmas, Trevor could play with Ben's legos whenever he wanted. 

Our Leaning Tower of a Christmas Tree

I loved how happy the kids were and so appreciative of the things they got. It was such a great happy fun day. 

Christmas Eve

Grant went out with Trevor and Karmin and built a snow fort with a fire--because it wouldn't be a fort without a fire. 

I came down with a stomach bug last night, so I kind of feel short-changed as far as tonight went. We planned an amazing dinner with Grant's parents. And I only felt like eating toast. Blah. So we rescheduled our dinner for Sunday night, so I can have a second chance. They are so sweet to me.

As tradition would have it, we watched a movie. This year's choice was the new movie, "Pan." And I even watched it.It got so late that half the kids the fell asleep, so only Karmin and Trevor were up to leaving cookies and egg nog for Santa. It was a fun  night. I love this time of year. I love it with my kids.

This Crew

These guys are so ready for Santa!

Wrapped Around Their Fingers

Didn't I say I was going to give eviction notices?It's Christmastime--what can I say?

Why We've Been MIA

On October 23rd, Grant got in a mountain biking accident. I think it is a day that we probably won't ever forget.

The kids and Grant went outside to do PE. They went outside to ride their mountain bikes, but got into building a jump. A pretty large jump. Once they were finished Grant told the kids that he was going to go on it first to make sure it was safe. Grant was the first and last person down the jump!

I was inside (and had no idea they were building a jump) when Ben came in the house. He told me to not to worry. He told me dad got in an accident. I asked him if he was okay. Instead of giving me an answer, he went on to tell me how it happened. I didn't really listen and started running out the door. He tried to reassure me, but I told him that I was going to worry until he told me that Dad was okay.

The next thing I knew, I saw Grant laying on the ground. I ran up to him, He told me he was okay, but he just needed a minute before he could get up. The rest is kind of a blur.

He didn't break anything, but was very stiff and sore for several days. He did get a concussion though. And that was hard. So hard. At times I yearned to go back a few weeks and tell Grant what was going to happen, and ask his advice on what to do and how to get through it. It was so hard to see Grant the way he was. And it was scary. Our time has been filled with doctor appointments and doing everything we can to have Grant rest (by doing nothing).

He's making progress. We have appreciated all the outpouring of love and help we have been given. All the people who have said that they are praying for Grant and out family has been humbling.

Here is Grant's helmet. Notice the cracks, the part hanging off, and all the rocks embedded in the helmet. The black thing hanging out on the left side is actually supposed to be inside the helmet. We are so thankful for this helmet. It could have been so much worse.

Christmas at Grandma Emmalae's

The Force Awakens

Grant wanted to go see Star Wars. The first day of ticket pre-sales he asked me if I wanted to go on opening day. Usually I would do anything to spend more time with Grant. BUUUUUT.....this time I thought it would be a great experience for the boys to go. Such a sacrifice on my part! They had so much fun! 

Teardrops

These moments of holding Lucy while she is sleeping are becoming fewer and farther between. And it makes me want to cry. I'm trying so hard to savor every single moment, but I know I will still miss it horribly. 

Our Snow Angels

While at the bus stop this morning, Lydia and Piper had fun waiting.

At The Same Time

Ben's "Walk to Bethlehem" was at the same time as Karmin's choir concert, so Piper, Lucy and I got to go with her. She was so excited and even had a solo. She loves her class and all of her friends that she has at Northside.

Walk to Bethlehem

Our ward at church partnered up with our city to do a tree lighting event and a "walk to Bethlehem." The city did the tree lighting and had hot chocolate for everyone. Santa came and we got to sing Christmas songs. Afterwards, we had the walk to Bethlehem event. The 12 and 13 year old girls at church did a large amount of the planning for it, but the effort was completed by all the youth and their leaders.
Everyone walked from city hall over to the park. Along the way, they stopped and sang a couple of Christmas hymns. Then when they got to the park, they reenacted the story of Jesus's birth. Ben was asked to be Joseph. I didn't get to see the whole event live because Karmin had a choir concert that night, but Grant took a video. It brought me to tears watching Ben be so loving in his role. I heard reports of upwards of 300 people there. It was a special night. 

Peek-a-Boo

Miss Lu doesn't necessarily like her carseat. But lately she has found that she can talk to me and get me to laugh when I look behind and see this cute little lady looking back up at me, and that makes the experience more tolerable. How she loves to make people laugh!

Christmas with Santa

Tonight we had the annual Ely family Christmas party. It is always so much fun. The kids love it when Papa disappears and suddenly Santa comes. We are all so glad when we get to do this!

Queen of Cheese

This girl loves to laugh. She loves to smile. And she loves to make others laugh. Her happiness is so infectious! Look: the progression of a smile:

Arrow of Light

Trevor earned his Arrow of Light almost a year ago, but because of leader changes, etc. it wasn't until tonight that he was recognized for it.

Christmastime Tradition

Each year, Aunt Kim and Uncle Chris take the cousins 4 years old and up and do something at Christmas time. Often it is going to the movies, but this year it was going bowling. It is such a fun tradition for the kids. Kim and Chris are awesome!

Father and Son Outing

I have been helping a lady from our ward with her family history. She has a fascinating history! Her grandfather was in the mafia with Lucky Luciano. He was one of Luciano's top drug dealers. Fascinating. Her other grandparents were from Mexico. So interesting how they all ended up together! She wanted their temple work done as soon as possible--especially her grandfather's. She understands the blessings that come from doing temple work for our ancestors. We know that our ancestors have the ability to choose whether they want to accept the work that is done for them, or not. But being able to give them the choice is a tender opportunity. We asked Grant and Ben to go to the temple for her male relatives. I'm so excited for her and her family. 

Christmas Time

We have all of our stockings! I feel complete!

We were without power for about 5 1/2 days because of a storm that came through. Luckily we had a generator so we still got to live pretty normal, but it did make us take pause on what we used. So this year we are really late decorating for Christmas. The kids had a lot of fun and are getting so good at organizing the decorations and making the place look festive.