Dump Fire 2012

On Thursday at around 11:30 am a fire was started by two men target shooting up Israel Canyon. This little spark from a gun changed everything for me. The spark started a HUGE wildfire in Eagle Mountain and quickly spread south to Saratoga Springs. I saw the fire coming home from helping my mom paint my sister-in-law's house. It didn't look too bad. The next morning, I woke up. Eric never called about the fire so I thought it was Ok. I decided to check it out for myself. I went outside and could not believe what I saw. I felt my heart sick and fear and panic swept over me. All I could see is BLACK smoke that was covering everything beyond a few houses behind mine. I called Eric crying and he asked me to send him some pictures. I did and he called back and said he was on his way home. I turned on the news and called my Dad crying and asked what I needed to do. He calmed me down and asked me to take pictures of everything and every room, even the landscaping. He told me to start packing things up that were most important. I did. Amber and Josh, my Mom, and my Aunt Carleen and her girls arrived to help. So grateful to them. We loaded things up and Carleen took the girls so I didn't have to worry about them. Soon after they left, we went outside and a police car drove by and told us to evacuate. This was the worst feeling in the world, being told to leave your home and not knowing when you could return. We all left. Eric and I went to eat lunch at Firehouse Subs (Ironic) and then went to sign papers to refinance our home. Then we went to Amber's apartment in Orem. And we spent the night there. Eric and I didn't sleep well. I was worried. In the morning, we spent time watching the news and then left by 9:30 am to head to the Condie Pool for a family swimming party. Then we headed back to Amber's. After the meeting that was held at 5:00 pm the evacuations were lifted and we could go back home. So relieved!! Eric and I rushed and packed up the car and the girls and headed home! Everything was like a ghost town. No life. We were happy to come back and see everything was Ok. No ash or smoke around. We unpacked everything and put everything back.We were still worried cause there was a fire still burning towards the top that we were keeping our eyes on. We woke up this morning (Sunday) and blue skies and no smoke!! Finally! It burned over 6,000 acres and evacuated over 1000 people and their homes. Crazy little spark... caused all that. Needless to say, I am getting PREPARED!!!!!!! 7

Fathers Day

Fathers Day this year was a lot of fun. I surprised Eric with a SuperDad party. We had decorations with red, blue, and yellow balloons and streamers. I also made Superman T-shirts for all of us. We had so much fun. Eric really enjoyed it. Avery and Remi were sick that day though. Fevers over 102!! Needless to say we had lots of naps and just relaxation which is what Dad wanted! We love you Eric and all you do for us!

Elggren Easter 2012

Another Easter has come and gone at our home. We had so much fun this year. Last night we went to a friend's house ( The Kidmans) who live up the road and did a Glow-in-the-Dark Egg hunt. Avery loved it! Then this morning, we all woke up and let the girls find their baskets that the Easter Bunny hid from them. Clever rabbit. Avery found hers within minutes but Remi was throwing a fit that she didn't have one and in the middle of it, she noticed her basket and stopped crying and ran straight to it. They loved what the Bunny left them. Then we all got ready for church and the girls had their new Easter dresses to display. And did they display :) Avery just kept posing for the camera. Remi not so much. After church, we did our own family egg hunt in the backyard , had a delicious roast dinner, and then dyed and decorated eggs! Remi dipped the egg and licked it right after. When Eric gave the egg to her all peeled, she took one bite and gagged. She doesn't like them at the moment so Eric, the eggs are all yours buddy!!

Avery and the Dentist

Avery had her FIRST visit ever to the dentist the other day. I took her to the office I work at (Hammond and Ellis) and she was excited. She got inside and met Neena. Neena is the child specialist at our office. She took Ave back all by herself because I had a cleaning myself. She had her picture taken and even let Neena take x-rays of her teeth. I was impressed with that one. She had her teeth checked, counted, cleaned, and even had a fluoride treatment. Dr. Ellis came in to do her exam. Then he came in to see me and said that Avery was very nervous when he came in the room but still let him look at her teeth. That made me laugh. When she was a baby, she really liked Dr. Ellis and would just smile at him. She even made the NO CAVITY CLUB. Way to go Avery! Can't say the same for your mom... Here are a few photos of her experience.Oh and Remi fell asleep in Paula's arms while waiting for us to finish.

Meet Jacob and Sara

So Avery got a new toy from Grandma Beckstrand last week and I am now just posting about it. It is her new bath toy that she loves! It is Fisher Price Little People. It came with two people. A boy and a girl. While bathing her and Remi, I asked Avery what their names were. " Jacob and Sara," she said. I laughed and told her those were good names. Then the next time it was tub time, she played with them and kept those same names. So they are KNOWN as Jacob and Sara. I just had to post this. So please meet Jacob and Sara everyone!!

Catching Fire or Catching Up??

Eric and I have decided to be better at this blogging world and try to compete with our lovely brother and sister's blog (Jacob and Sara). I don't know if we can but we can sure try! Bring it on Sara... :) So Eric and I have been reading together lately. It has been a blast. But I should clarify that by reading I mean listening to books on the I-pod. We are into the Hunger Game series and we are so EXCITED for the movie. It has been fun to have something that Eric and I can enjoy together like that. We play games and watch movies, but no hobbies until now. We are in the middle of Catching Fire. We only listen when we are in the same car traveling together. So this may take some time.
I am heading out to the Dominican Republic again in two weeks. I am really excited to go back and serve those people. The most humble and loving people ever. I also have a few projects I am working on. I am finishing my new bedroom, catching up and scrapbooking, being a better blogger, finishing a quilt for Eric for a belated birthday gift, and I have started to do these family history books which are awesome!! They will take some time but well worth it in the end. This spring we will add a fence around the house and finish the trees, shrubs, and curbing. And maybe do the new deck. Buying a new home that no one lived in has been great, but we are finding all these little things that keep popping up.
The girls are doing great! I just got Avery signed up for preschool today! That is so crazy. It really makes me sad how fast she is growing up. She likes to be a little Diva too. Sometimes it is funny and other times it is not so funny. She loves Sunbeams too. Remi is going to be our little comedian of the family. She likes to make everyone laugh. We just need to start helping her with her words...
More posts to come... Stay tuned

October Already?? And now GONE....

Where did the time go? I can not believe it is already Halloween! I have not been good at this whole blogging thing since Remi came to stay :) Shame on me! So bear with me and enjoy the long awaited update and tons of photos... So, Eric is finished with his MBA and totally done with school and we could not be a happier household! Remi is going to be 11 months soon and has 3 teeth with 3 more on the way and is crawling like crazy. She is so fun. And Miss Avery has the BEST personality ever! She is the funniest little girl. She is really getting into the Holidays too! The backyard is now complete but will be totally finished next summer. My little sister, Amber, was married on Oct. 11th to a great guy named Josh. I could not be happier for her. I am still working and doing photography on the side and hopefully that will pick up once I get more time on my hands :) Below are pictures from the Pumpkin Patch we went to as a little family, Trunk or Treat for our ward, and we started a new little tradition today. We are doing our own family Halloween party. We carved our pumpkins, made Halloween cupcakes, and watched a Halloween movie. In time, it will get better for sure.

I loved this sign!

Remi LOVED the ride she was getting, but once Dad stopped you got...

Avery loves to pose!

Our family pumpkins... they turned out awesome- Vampire Mickey, a Ghost Trick-or-Treating, Jack Skelington, and a Big Scared face.