What a Lovely Christmas Vacation in Washington!

I love the holidays. I love to be around family. I love not having to work. Here is a glimpse of our Christmas vacation to Washington. The weather was not suitable for appropriate training outdoors and I now have a massive head cold but hey, it was a fun trip. So this may seem like a looooong blog but really we didn't take very many pictures. These were basically all we had. We relied on the other family members to properly document the holiday festivities. So go look on their blogs!

Our bus ride from the airport to Lakewood.


Gingerbread houses! Clark and I couldn't agree on an idea so we created our own ideas :)


Playing with Charlie


Attempt at a self portrait amidst the snow.

Off on a walk to a nearby park.

Awwww!

Photo of the brothers with their children. Apparently Jeff is playing "daddy" to Charlie.




I love this picture of the brothers (minus Jake). Clark and Chad are the only ones with their right hand on the brother in front. Love it!


Clark sure did love the karaoke machine!

Cookie decorating frenzy!


Holding precious baby Greta.


Kyle directed the Tobler version of the Living Nativity on Christmas Eve. Too fun!



The reason we risked driving the Snoqualmie Pass: to see Scott and Dagmara, who flew into WA from Germany for Christmas!



My parents held an 'open house' for Scott to thank him for his military service. Neigbors and friends were invited. Notice the Chinook helicopter at the top right of the cake! He's an amazing man, that Scott Ellison!



Cute Chase

Chase helped Dad play Santa during the Ellison Christmas morning gift giving session.


The next day Clark, Cedar and Rachel joined the Ellison celebration. Clark opening a funny gift from Mom Ellison...


Little Cole.

No luck. An Ellison tradition at trying our luck on Christmas with scratch cards.


This present was labeled to both Dagmara and Rachel. We had to 'fight' over who got to keep it.


The official Ellison family photo of 2008. So glad everyone could be together!


I had to add this picture. Too cute of Cole!

Home Decor Decisions

This really isn't that big of a decision, but I want opinions if you have any to offer. I am trying to decide upon 6 pictures from our 2006 summer Tour de Europe to blow up and hang on our walls. Our theme for the living room/kitchen is going to be 'travel' in a sense. I don't know, I'm not too good with themes. But I wanted to get an old world map print for the living area so I thought travel pics would be cool, too. So, if you have a second, please tell me which 6 are the best. I will number all of them so just comment on your six favorites. I would really appreciate it!

#1


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6


#7


#8


#9


#10


#11


#12


#13


So if there aren't even six you like just tell me the numbers of the ones that you do like. Thanks!

The Heavenly "Cloud"

We have FINALLY upgraded from a full size bed (sad, I know) to a Cal King! We have dubbed our bed the "cloud" because it's heavenly and often times hard to get up from. We are pleased with our purchase, to say the least.

Awesome Recipe

I just have to post this since I forgot to give the recipe to Mom Tobler while she was here visiting over Thanksgiving. So, I thought I would share it with ALL of you! It is such a tasty and delicious treat. My Mom always makes it for Thanksgiving and Christmas, hence the name of the recipe:

Mom's Thanksgiving Green Jello

ingredients:
1 15 oz can pears
1 small box lime jello
8 oz cream cheese- softened to room temp
cool whip

Heat the drained pear juice over low heat and dissolve the lime jello into it. Set pears aside to mash. Remove pear juice and jello from heat and add cream cheese beating it with an electric mixer (be careful of splattering). Let it cool. When the mixture has cooled down, fold in the cool whip and mashed pears. Chill to set.

Prep time: 10 min Serves 6 people

(Be sure to use the whole container of cool whip)

You should all try this. It is sooooo unbelievably easy! Enjoy!

Feeling Quite Blessed and Thankful!

I just want to start off this post by saying that Clark made me feel bad about the last post. He said I might have offended people and so if any of you belong to PETA, I apologize for wanting pigeons to die. But they don't pay my mortgage and I want my house to last and look nice and if it means shooting a couple of birds, so be it.


Well...Thanksgiving came and went much too quickly. But it was sooooooo WONDERFUL! Aside from having to work the night before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving, it was so nice to catch up with family and share a warm, delicious meal with some of the most important people in my life. Mom and Dad Tobler drove down from Vegas. I had prepared some things the night before: Mom's Thanksgiving Green Jello and Pumpkin Cheesecake and I had purchased most of the major food staples in advance to make cooking on Thanksgiving day very simple. Since I had to rest my old bones in order to prepare for another night of work, Clark and Mom and Dad Tobler prepared the rest of the meal.

Thank you all so much! I loved every bite of everything that was prepared!

Clark prepared his famous mashed potatoes and the green bean casserole. Mom Tobler brought some pre-made homemade rolls, a pumpkin pie, and cooked the turkey to perfection. Then (and I think this was a joint effort) Clark and the parentals determined how to best cook the ham I bought. I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention what else we had but everything was so delicious!

At 8 am on Black Friday I came home from work and went directly to bed. While I was sleeping, Clark and the parentals started doing some much anticipated house work! Shrubs out front were pruned, knobs and pulls were added to cabinets in the kitchen and- since we're cheap and don't want to invest in a new oven yet- Dad Tobler painted our oven to match the rest of the appliances! And all I had to do was wake up in the afternoon and enjoy the work that I didn't have to do. Thanks for all your help Mom and Dad! And Clark, thank you for making sure the pulls were properly aligned. I love you!

Man, do I feel so blessed. I was out on a run Saturday afternoon just counting my blessings- literally. I was thinking how since Thanksgiving dinner I had not felt one once of hunger. Sure, I was still opening the fridge and eating but had I been hungry at all for food? Absolutely not. There was such an abundance I just kept eating. How lucky are we to live in such a prosperous country? Sure there may be a recession and times may not be as good as they were but do we every truly hurt for the essentials? Food, shelter, clothing? I am just so thankful for all of the blessings that Heavenly Father has bestowed upon me. Thankful to have been able to share the holiday with my husband and our parents. Thankful for helping hands and joyful memories. Thankful to be employed and able to provide for my family. Thankful for the free country in which we live.

Ok, that's my two cents. I'll post the pics now.

Everyone working hard. I am proud of myself for not running on Thanksgiving. One day off won't kill me, right?






Clark truly makes some mean mashed potatoes.



Clark bought a screen door...and tied it to the roof of the Lumina :)



Dad Tobler went to town on our shrubs and bushes. Thanks a bunch!





Oh my gosh. These ice scrapers and snow ball thrower are ridiculous. Especially here in AZ and especially if the person who buys one doesn't go up to the mountains.



This was the best copy I had. Mom and Dad Tobler, you better post a different one!



I can't believe how good knobs and pulls can make a kitchen look.



And our lovely now black oven.



I hope all you Toblers are getting serious about the talent show at Christmas. Clark and I plan on performing a mean rendition of....something. We'll think of it soon enough.

Dang Pigeons, We Really Hate You!

Get Those Birds GONE!!!






we invested in a BB gun to fix our pigeon problem. Clark took a shot at one on our roof and, though the bird flew away, there was a huge cloud of feathers. So we hope it died a horrible, painfully slow death.

We're Both Creepin' Up There!

So November 13th I turned a quarter of a century old! I worked the night before so I actually had to sleep most of the day BUT....when I woke up I went running, and then Clark got home from clinicals and took me to get a manicure! I was going to get a pedicure too but I didn't want him to wait too long. Then we went and walked around an outdoor shopping center 3 miles away from our house (which turned out to be way bigger than we thought)and I found the perfect black blouse! I have been on a hunt for a black button up blouse for a while now and found it at NY and Company. I used to underestimate that store. But it turns out I really like their apparel.

Then we went to dinner at Pita Jungle and we each got a gyro and split the amazing blue corn nachos! YUM!

Since Pita Jungle was right near a Kohl's we had to stop by and surf their clearance racks because they always have unbelievable clearances. Clark found two pair of linen-type pants for $5! And all clearance was actually 30% off so it was only like $3 per pair of pants! And then I found a little sun dress for the swimsuit season (since that is likely to start in April or so)for $2.70! I was so pumped.

Then we went home and celebrated with a homemade cake Clark had made. He is so resourceful. He used the leftover frosting from his birthday cake to write a message on my cake...



I just had to try on the little dress when I got home. and the cake is so cute. I love how he was too lazy to walk to the grocery store (which is literally a 5 min walk from our house) to get some more frosting.



Ahhhh, it is always so nice to get a manicure





Our baby girl. She looks terrified. But I promise she is starting to be really friendly.

Gretchen: Going To Town

"craaaaazy 8's"

Ohhhh sweet Janet. My beautiful sister-in-law Janet tagged me so here it goes...


8 Things I am obsessed about right now (in no particular order):

1. The Office (I will seriously be devastated if Pam and Jim break up)
2. Running, running and preparing myself to run 2 hours and 20 min this weekend
3. Spending time with my wonderful husband
4. getting new curtains and blinds for the home
5. Whole Milk (yum yum!)
6. Getting a manicure and pedicure on my birthday
7. Finding the perfect black, classy blouse (any suggestions on where to look???)
8. Finishing my current novel "The Perfect Mile"

8 Words or Phrases I use:

1. Claaaark
2. I love you!
3. stoked
4. sweet
5. really?
6. Hi my name is Rachel, I'll be your nurse tonight :)
7. whatever
9 Good night
8. ok

8 TV shows I love to watch:

1. The Office
2. Arrested Development seasons on DVD
3. There
4. are
5. no
6. other
7. shows I
8. watch!

8 Things I did yesterday:
1. worked and prepared yet another patient for a CABG
2. came home at 8 am and slept until 2:30
3. Ran
4. played with Gretchen and threw her kitty treats to win her love
5. walked to the store for some groceries and then called Clark to have him pick me up on his way home from the gym ;)
6. watched an episode of The Office (season 3, Benjamin Franklin)
7. looked at blogs
8. talked to my awesome coach Jenna Benna

8 Favorite Places to Eat:
1. Pita Jungle
2. In and Out
3. Thai Basil
4. Costco- can't ever go wrong with a sausage dog!
5. Mesa Frozen Yogurt
6. Quick Trip orange cream slushy
7. My Mom's kitchen when she makes lamb meatballs or taco casserole
8. Mom Tobler's kitchen (especially when she makes- or lets me help make- cinnamon rolls!)

I tag:

Mom Tobler (I'm with you on this one Janet!)
Amy (Again I back Janet up on this one!)
Whitina

Our 'Little' Girl

Gretchen doesn't like to pose. She seems to know when we are about to snap a picture and she turns her head or runs away. She is so frustrating! I think Clark and I are both back to feeling like we need to 'exchange' her...we'll give her another good week.

And She Shall be Called Gretchen

So we have officially decided to keep Gretchen the Birthday Kitty (Gretchen for short). We didn't think the name Josie fit her well.

Gretchen is warming up to us slowly. She doesn't hide all the time now- just some of the time. And she purrs a lot... so we know her "purr box" is intact, as my mother would eloquently put it. We will post pictures later when we get the new computer.