More Fruits and Veggies

Chandra loves cutting up her own fruits and vegetables and creating culinary artwork.  Then she wants me to take her picture before she can eat them. 

We did a food experiment as a family in January, eating Whole30, or mainly eating fruits, veggies, nuts, fats, eggs, and meat. (No sugar, dairy or grains.) Chandra stopped having tummy aches and Kinsey got rid of her face rash, but we're still figuring out exactly what caused them in the first place. It was a struggle for the first while but it really got our family into some healthier eating habits.  Especially eating a lot more veggies and less bread and sugar.  We found lots of new favorite foods, like Swai fish, vegetable-loaded chicken curry, fruity herbal teas and riced sweet potatoes. We discovered sunflower seeds are better than croutons, and the kids inhale salad at a crazy new rate.  I'm glad they also help me chop it up. 

One morning they made breakfast in bed for Daddy. Veggie eggs, grapefruit, strawberries and carrot sticks made into a veggie man. I thought it was pretty cute. 

Dancing with Daddy

Chandra and Daddy. Night time dancing started out with Brian and me, but the kids quickly cut in. 

Christmas 2016

We had a Bethlehem Dinner on Christmas Eve, which was a really fun new experience, I hope we'll do it again!

Bethlehem dinner, then Christmas family home evening, the nativity and singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.  When the cherry cheese cake was brought in with the candles lit, Kinsey got so excited and ran and grabbed the baby doll we'd used for the nativity and said, "Jesus, eat your cake!"

Bedtime stories with Daddy

Christmas morning...they were seriously so much more excited than they look. :)

Ryan, Dallin, and Seth

Grandpa Rudy and Grandma Ginger

Playing with their new toys. 

Kinsey and Chandra were so delighted with their new bikes from Grandpa and Grandma Ellingford.   

Shot Gun Shooting in Richfield

We have a lot of good shots in our family.  It's just fun to hang out with my siblings and their spouses.  They're all awesome!

 Bree and Shaylee

 Dallin, Kira and Dad

 Brian and Kira

 Glade and Shaylee

Bree and Cole

Family Fun in Richfield

Brian had a light rotation load in December and a long break for Christmas.  We are loving 4th year! We made good use of his break spending time as a family in Midvale, then a week in Richfield and a week in Phoenix.  We went to Richfield the week before Christmas so we could spend time with Linsy and Caleb's family before they headed back to AZ after Bree and Cole's wedding. 

 Reading Christmas stories with cousins and Grandma Lisa

 Making Snowmen with Grandma Lisa.  Kylie, Bracken, Chandra and Grandma.

We went 4-Wheel Sledding almost every day in Richfield. It was COLD. We wore as many layers as we could and made sure our faces were covered with handkerchiefs.

Dallin

Brian, Tyson, Kylie and Chandra

 Even though it was frigid we went out in the snow almost every day.  Brian would make the boys skid over the snow and every once in a while they'd barrel roll.  Dallin, Bracken and Tyson's favorite thing was when I'd pull Brian on the tube and they would chuck snowballs at him as he went by. So many laughs!

Kira and Kinsey --- Kinsey loved sledding as long as we didn't go very fast.  

Bree and Cole's Wedding

Cole and Bree were married December 17, 2016 in the Brigham City Temple.  It was bitterly cold, but such a happy day! We are so delighted to have Cole in our family.