Winter fun

Jake teaching Eli how to make a snow angel.

Eli was so excited to try "sledding" (down a little tiny hill the kids built)

Making a snow angel

Going down the "hill"

Eating snow of course!

Ava had to try the hill out too.

While I was at my hair appointment, Jake and Ava dressed Eli into his winter gear and took him outside in the snow. They made snow angels and made their own little hill to sled down. It was so cute to see these pictures when I got home. Jake was busy downloading these photos he and Ava took of their fun activities with little Bro.

Papa Noodle turns 43!

Instead of his traditional eclair, Dennis had a German chocolate brownie this year. (Kneaders was out of eclairs). Little bub was more than anxious to help his Daddy blow out the candles:)

And of course, Dennis had to get some work done. Even on his birthday, the boy can not sit and relax for long!

Snapshots of Mission Life

Elder Merritt, Caylynn, her Dad, Elder Ralph

I was sent this photo but I'm not sure what meeting it is.

Glad to see he's wearing his helmet!

Ethan was so excited to be a part of his first baptism. He and his former companion had been working with Caylynn's father to help him be worthy to baptize her and it finally happened! It makes me a little emotional to hear the excitement in my boy as he talked of feeling the spirit so strongly as Caylynn was confirmed by her Dad and Ethan was able to be in the circle. I hope he has many more beautiful experiences of helping others on their journey here on earth!

Staycation 2015

At City Creek
Front row: Dennis, Ava
Back row: Nichole, Jake, Brad with Eli, Reagan, Whitney, Nick, Jill, Don

Wish we had our nice camera for this fun staycation. We went off and left it on the couch.

Whitney, Nick, Eli, Jake, Brad, Reagan, and Ava

Coolest gingerbread house. It was made from like 800 lbs of sugar etc. Pretty neat that the whole thing was made from edible ingredients.

Ava and Jake lacing up for ice skating

Reagan and Ava. These two teased and had fun with each other the whole time!

Ava girl posing with a cute Santa figure.

Eli tried to "freeze" just like the statue.

Reagan (8) and Whitney (10)

Nick (13)

Reagan, Ava, Whitney, Jake, and Nick

Cutest couple award goes to these two! 

Jake, Nick, Reagan, Ava, Whitney, Eli, and Brad looking at one of the window displays at the Grand America Hotel.

Dennis, Jake, Don holding Eli, Brad, Nick laying across Whitney, Reagan, and Ava

Our little tree hugger.

Grand America Hotel

This was the most fun "staycation" ever. Don and Jill have done this in the past with their kids and this year invited us to join them. We are so glad they did. We stayed at the Marriott in Downtown Salt Lake City. There was an ice skating rink right outside the hotel. Brad decided he didn't want to ice skate so he hung out with me by the warmers. Jake has roller-bladed quite a bit so he caught on pretty quickly. Ava girl fell a lot but stuck with it and had a great time. And Mr. Eli couldn't quite decide if he liked it or not. He'd fuss to go out with Daddy and then fuss to get off the ice and have Mom hold him by the fire.
After ice skating, we went to Hire's Big H and then to see the lights at temple square. After that, we went back to the hotel and the boys (Dennis and Don) took the kids swimming for a bit, minus Brad. He didn't want to swim right before bed so he went to sleep while Jill and I visited.
The next morning the boys took the kids swimming again while Jill and I packed up our rooms, we then checked out and went to the Grand America Hotel to see the window displays and the huge gingerbread house. It was so much fun to hang out and just have fun with the kids.
Nick had a piano recital in the afternoon so we said goodbye to the Don Ralph clan and went to lunch with our Daddy for his birthday. He chose Rumbi grill. We then went home and he painted the doors for the downstairs. I went to Kneaders to get him his favorite-eclairs but they were out since it was later on Saturday so he got birthday brownies instead (German chocolate). He was just as happy with those. He's an easy man to please!!
Hopefully we'll be able to do this again! The kids had a blast and it was so fun to actually DO something for the Holidays:)

Decorating the tree-2015

Eli (3). Hanging the special blown glass ornaments.

Jake (13)

Brad (14)

Our three boys left at home.

Dennis putting Ethan's special blown glass ornament on the tree.

Fixing the star

Brad (14)

Eli (3)

Ava (8)

Getting the tree of 2015

Brad (14), Eli (3), Me (almost 43), Ava (8), Jake (13), Dennis (almost 43). I only have two kids who are shorter than me now!

Eli had a blast running around the lot.

Jake's pick for 2015

Jake was supposed to pick out the tree last year but let Ethan since it was Ethan's last year before his mission. Sooooooo, this year Jake picked the tree and he really did pick a beautiful one! And it smells divine:)

Ava Girl's Baptism (December 5th, 2015) 11 am

Dennis' only little girl to baptize!

In the church hallway before the baptism

A bit too bright for an outside photo

Cutest little 8 year old around!

Front row: Cassandra (Ryan and Whitney's oldest), Eli
Second row: Ava, Reagan
Third row: Autumn, Eden, Summer, Hunter, Whitney, Savannah
Back row: Nick, Whitney (Ryan's wife) holding April, Morgan, Lexi, Brad choking Jesse, Dillan, Savanna, Jake, Andrew

First row: Ava, Eli, Eden, Reagan, Whitney
Middle row: Jesse, Cassandra, Whitney holding April, Summer, Autumn, Hunter, Jake , Savannah
Back row: Nick, Brad, Dillan, Andrew, Morgan, Lexi, Savanna, 

My Sentimental Boy

Jake, my decorator and lover of all things Christmas

Jake, donning his new haircut, hanging our picture of Santa

I bought this when I was in college before I married Dennis (from Smith's grocery store no less) and it still works good as new!

Our Nativity that we've had for years. Each child has played with the characters without breaking any. Eli is totally wrapped up in them this year. Hopefully they can make it another year!

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Our talking Santa advent calendar (My kids are going to die when he stops working. We've had him since Ethan was a little guy! We hold our breath every year when we turn him on and try him out). And our homemade decorations from Grandma and Grandpa Merrill!

Our buffet full of some of our favorites.

Penguins (from Grandma Merrill) and Santa (from Grandma Ralph)

New centerpiece for 2015!

Santa nesting boxes