Star Wars

When we went to Disney and figured out that our kids have never watched Star Wars.... or even know what it was.... when we got home Ryan was so excited to get to watch them ALL with the girls.  So for a week or so we would watch them together as a family.  It was a lot of fun and the girls LOVED them all.  Ever since they have been planning who they get to dress up like for Halloween, and also playing a lot of pretend Star Wars games.  Elizabeth really wants to get a light saber for her birthday and she wants to be Darth Vater for Halloween.  The other night while I was saying prayers with Brytlee she said, "please don't let anyone one go to the dark side."  I had a very hard time not laughing out loud. 

Big Girl

I have not wanted to talk about this much because I was afraid of jinxing it or didn't want to look like I was bragging..... But my little baby Adison is potty trained!   She has not liked to be dirty for a long time and would come to us as soon as she went to the bathroom and would want her diaper changed right away.  Then she started to take her diaper off by herself.... so I really had no other choice but to start putting her in panties.  I was really dragging my feet and didn't want to do it at all.  I just remember all to well how much work it is and how long it takes and how messy it can be.  I was being a lazy bum I know.....  But she did great and did it on her own almost.  She runs to me and tells me when she needs to go and has been such a big girl.  Now when she sees the girls going potty she will go to them and start to clap and say "Good Job"  She is so funny and just melts my heart.

Adison

While we were at the tire store waiting in the waiting room a guy walked in with long hair in a pony tail, and a beard and Adison points at him and said, "Jesus"  over and over.  I just started to laugh, and then he comes over and sits by us and she starts talking to him and still calling him Jesus.  So I had to explain and he told us that he gets called "Jesus" all the time.  I had to laugh and was a little proud that she was at least knows what he looks like a little.

Stake Conference

We were so lucky this year to have Elder Holland come and speak to us for our Stake conference.   He did a Priesthood session Saturday afternoon, and then a Adult meeting Saturday night.  I LOVED the meeting.  It was a meeting so good that you wished everyone you know could have been there, and felt bad that they were not.  He has such a funny sense of humor and was so fun to listen to.  He spoke for a hour and it flew by.  I would have loved it if he would have gone on and on. 
Sunday we were thinking about just going so we could really listen again and leave Alexis home to babysit the other kids..... but then my guilt got to me so I said we really need our kids to listen to him also....  The older two were great and I think they really listened, but the younger two made me feel a lot CRAZY.  Adison is potty training so we went to the bathroom four times, and she just wanted to run all over the place and wouldn't sit down.  And Brytlee was not listening, wouldn't sit still, had to sit on laps and was climbing on me and made me feel a little like a jungle gym..... by the time it was over... I was ready for it to be over.  Two hours is a long time to sit with little kids.  After he was done speaking he asked for the kids to come up and shake his hands.  I was really glad I had taken them for that, and I hope that they did get something out.  It is so funny how a great meeting like that can make you feel so great and so excited about the gospel.  I love our Church and it is so amazing.  I know it is true, and I love our leaders. 

Christmas Day

 wow... you would think our girls were angels this year with all the goodies they got!  We had a fantastic Christmas this year and I loved watching the girls open their presents and get so excited!  They were really spoiled this year....

 This picture looks like something exploded at our house....  I loved Christmas day so much this year.  In the past we have opened presents and then left to go and see people.  But this year we just stayed home all day long and let the kids play with their new things.  It was such a nice relaxing fun day. 

 WE have snow this year.  Last year we got a bunch of sleds and then never even used them because there wasn't enough snow.  But this year we have a ton of snow so we are having fun with them.  Adison wants to be outside so bad, but she has not figured out how to leave her gloves on yet.  So her hands freeze and she gets really sad and has to go in the house.

I think the girls could stay out all day and be pulled on the sleds!  They LOVE it

Kids

 What is that all over your face????

 Ohhhhhhhhhhhh,  you found out how to get into the Sugar drawer..... Oh I see!   What a little stinker! 

 Adison is such a funny girl, She can be a little trouble maker but she knows how to melt my heart or make me laugh so it is really hard to get mad at her.  She loves to get into EVERYTHING and it is almost impossible to get anything done while having to keep up with her....

 I was able to go and help with Brytlee's Christmas party in her class this year.  We made these cute little marshmallow and pretzel snowmen.  They also read stories, decorated cookies, and colored a picture. 

 This is Elizabeth after her little program she had for her Class.  It was really cute, and they did a fantastic job with all the songs! 

 Elizabeth is one of the tallest kids in the class so she was in the center and in the very back so it was hard to see her to get a good picture.....

For Alexis's Christmas party at school, they had crazy hair, and pajama day.  She looked fantastic and she had a lot of fun!

Mueller Christmas Party

 I love our Mueller Christmas party!  It is so sad that this is really the only time that I get to see this side of the family anymore.  When I was young we were hooked to the hip with most of this side of the family.  I am always so happy to get to spend time with them,  and had such a great time this year.

 My Grandma is such a wonderful women.  I think she is just so beautiful and she is the sweetest, and happiest person I know.  I hope that when I am her age I can be as active and beautiful as her.  Every year so goes to so much work so we can all be together, and she always makes our family tradition.... (Grits-mas scolver pole.) (I have no clue how you spell it... but it is a dish from Norway)

 Love my grandpa!  He is also a wonderful man and can always make me laugh!

 We always do a Nativity play and Alexis is just warming up.....

 Adison was even excited to be dressing up

 Our little Angel! 

 Alexis is always Mary, and Elizabeth wanted to be the donkey....

 My cousin Kylee that I used to babysit a lot when we were little.  She is so funny and i love to hang out with her and her sister Jaquel.  They are such great girls!

Adison was really cute to watch in the program.  She sat for the whole thing and smiled.  After that my grandma really wanted to do some dancing so we did the hokey pokey, and then the bunny hop.  The girls all loved that.  Elizabeth had a really cute song that she sang for her Christmas program called "Santa got a cold on Christmas Eve"  that she got up and sang for everyone.  I was so proud of her for not being scared.  She did a great job.  Adison loved watching her sing the song, and she now will start singing it and will do the sneeze and then laugh.... it is so cute!

Christmas at the Merrill's house

 My girls love to go and sneak into bed with my parents.  I always tell them to leave them a lone and let them sleep in, but somehow they always end up with all of them in bed with them.  (not all night, just in the morning)  But I know that my mom and dad like it so I can't get mad at them.

 We love opening presents with the cousins. 

We played so hard and had so much fun it wore these little girls out!  It was such a great time spending time with my family and seeing my girls play with their cousins that they love so much.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family!  We were able to go and help Chris at his shop on this trip because he was so swamped he was working crazy hours and making tons and tons of candy each day.  I had a lot of fun hanging out with them their and seeing how hard he works.  (and eating lots of the yummy treats on the side also)

getting ready for Christmas

 We went to Church the week before Christmas and the girls all looked so cute in their Christmas dresses that I wanted to get a picture of them by the tree... For SOME reason I am still trying to figure out, Brytlee was not happy about anything and would not have her picture taken.  And every picture we did take just made her more upset.  She sat on the couch and cried instead.....

 Ryan tried really hard to get her to smile and come in the picture but she was not having it.

 So when he took this picture, he made sure she was in it.... even though she is crying very hard..... poor little girl.  I think she was tired.

 We had a great ward Christmas party as always, and the girls all sat on Santa's lap!  Adison was so fun this year and just got so into it. 

 This is her reaction to seeing the candy that Santa gave her! 

rainbow

I was trying to get Elizabeth to try a bite of dinner tonight and she wouldn't even open her mouth.. so frustrating, but then Brytlee say's.
Elizabeth, just try it, It tastes just like a rainbow