Brytlee

Brytlee's great grandma Mueller bought her this cute Halloween outfit, and I loved the color on her and had to take a couple of pictures of her.
She has been so fun lately, and we just laugh at her all the time. She loves to do the sign for cold because she knows it is funny, and loves it when we laugh at her. She has picked up on 'ring around the rosies' and wants to do it ALL day long. But if it is just Brytlee and I, she will scream for "Zizzy" and won't go until "Zizzy" joins in.
One bad thing that she is doing now.... she figured out how to open up the doors and is always sneaking outside. I try to keep the doors locked, but her sisters will unlock them for her..... So we have been running after her a lot because she loves to be chased!
I also love when Ryan is going to work, she will not let him go with out a MMMMAAA (kiss) and a hug. She does it to me and the girls before she goes to bed, and they are the best hugs and kisses ever. She is such a sweet heart.

A half an hour after I did this post wet LOST Brytlee. My heart was in my stomach and made me feel so sick. She was missing for about 20 minutes..... So hear is the story about what happened. I was watching a friends little girl today (Sydney), and so the girls all went outside to play. I was making cookies so I was in and out of the house making sure I wasn't burning the cookies. I asked the girls to keep an eye on Brytlee while I ran in fast to check the timer. Two minutes later when I looked Brytlee was gone and the girls didn't know where she was.
Ryan had just gotten home and so we both started to look everywhere. We asked all the neighbors if they had seen her, (NO) and they all started to help us look for her. I got on my bike to look for her and when I got to the other side of the block, I noticed a little old lady holding Brytlee's hand and asking her where she came from..... I was so glad that she was found by someone nice and nothing bad happened. When I arrived home, there was two police officers at our house and they were looking for her also..... (Ryan had saw one driving by and asked for help) we were both so scared!!! I am so thankful that she was found!

SLC

Ryan and I were able to go to Salt Lake City yesterday and it was so nice. He went to a soccer game with his friend John Hyde, and I went to Tye Pan (spelling?), the gateway, and then met up with Shalee and Chet for dinner. It was so fun to see Shalee, and I was able to go and see her cute house. It is so weird that we are all grown up, and have houses, and family's now. Time goes way to fast.
It was a great FAST trip, and I really needed to get away for a minute.

this weekend

So much has happened so I wanted to write it all down before I forget most of it. A update on Chris and Cindy's baby.... Tessa stopped breathing the night after she was born for 15 seconds and someone had to go and reposition her to get her breathing again. It is pretty normal for a new born to do that, but they are going to keep her in the ICU for five day's until they feel like she is ready to be on her own.


I was able to go and see her, and hold her, and she is so beautiful. Words can't even describe how sweet, and precious she really is. It made me really want another baby....
Alexis is really loving soccer. She chose going to her game this weekend over a sleep over with her cousins and Grandma and Grandpa Merrill...( which really shocked me) They won their last game, and then tied this week.
Elizabeth, Brytlee and I had a lot of fun this weekend with my family. We were able to see most of my family, and I think all of the grand kids. I stayed at my parents for one night, and then when it started to SNOW I was talked into staying a extra night at my sister Annette's house and then leaving Sunday afternoon.
While we were at Annette's we tried to act like kids as much as we could. We put some twin beds going down the stairs and then would slide down them. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard.... Annette just jumped onto her bottom without any thought and her leg got caught on one of the stairs and she didn't land very gracefully...... It was something you would have had to see to know how funny it was. I know if we would have got it on camera we could have sent it in and made a load of money$$$
I also have to write down something that is kinda gross, but it made me laugh. (It is a funny thing Elizabeth said). She came to me with no pants on or undies and said "mom, I did a pee fart". So I asked her what a pee fart was.... "I farted and pee came out of my bum". Ewwwww that is so gross but I still think it is funny coming from her.

Brytlee has started to want to take her diaper off before she goes to the bathroom, so if I catch her doing it, I can sit her on the toilet and have her go potty. She has not done the number two yet, but she has done the tinkle a few times, and then when she flushes she waves" bye bye pee pee".

Elizabeth's favorite place to eat had a big fire in it and she was so sad. It didn't burn all the way down, but it will have to have a lot of work done and all the inside has to be redone. So she will not get to eat out for a couple of months. (Dang it)

Tessa Helen Merrill

My brother Chris and his Wife Cindy had their baby today. It did not go as planned and they had a little bit of trouble getting her here. Cindy was started on pit this morning and later found out that the baby's cord had dropped into the birth canal and was being pinched so the baby was not getting enough oxygen. They had a great nurse who pushed the baby's head up to help get her the oxygen she needed while they did an emergency c-section. They went in so fast that Chris did not get to go in at all. I feel so bad that they didn't have a normal delivery for their first baby, but I am so glad that little Tessa is here and she is safe and sound. She is 6 lbs. and 12 oz. and 21 inches long and looks just like her mom.

Conference Weekend

During conference I decided to crimp my girls' hair while they did the packets that we printed for them. Lizzy had a great time finding the speakers and matching them to their pictures then coloring the ties to match them. She did not want them to look the same... she wanted them to be really colorful and cute. Oh yea, I wanted to be a twinner so I crimped my hair also.








It is so nice to have a little warm weather still. I cannot believe that we still have flowers and it is October. It was kinda cold this weekend and it rained a lot but I am crossing my fingers that it will get warm again.


I planted a lot of my flowers from seeds and bulbs this year so it was fun to see what they would look like and if they would really come up. I can't wait to see them next year, I hope they fill out and get a little bigger.
Alexis has been wanting to get the Halloween decorations out for a while so we did it for family home evening last week. She wanted it to look spooky.... so we will have to find something to add to it.
Brytlee loves the big pumpkin. She is doing the sign for cold!
Brrrrrr.... Cold

I loved conference and it went by really fast. It was hard to hear all of it with little kids but I hope that they know that is important to listen to it and maybe got something out of it for themselves. I have to say my favorite talk was by our Prophet when he talked about not looking for things in the future, but just enjoy the little things now. There were so many talks that I feel like I needed and will hopefully help me to be a better mother and person.

Tagged

I am: a mom, a wife, and many other things
I think: way to deep
I know: that everything happens for a reason
I want: a baby soon
I have: everything I have ever dreamed about
I dislike: chocolate
I miss: my mom and dad, and brothers and sisters grandparents and the rest of my family.
I fear: everything
I feel: happy
I hear: my girls playing
I smell: my yummy friendship bread that my Aunt Becky gave to me!
I crave: PF Changs lettuce wraps
I cry: hardly ever.... I don't know why
I usually: stay up way to late
I search: for the best deal ever
I wonder: how my kids are going to be when they grow up
I regret: eating all the friendship bread
I love: my wonderful husband, my three girls, and all my friends and family!
I care: about when my kids go to bed, what they eat, how they look, what they say...... a lot
I always: need a hug
I worry: about my kids, about my family, and anything you could worry about
I am not: good at remembering names
I remember: the good ole' days:) and good times
I believe: in santa.... I wish! Where did he go?
I dance: the only way I know how.... kinda wild looking....
I sing: really bad, but I love to sing with my girls
I don't always: say the right thing, I need to send everyone I know a sorry card I am sure!
I argue: with Alexis a lot more than I should
I write: more than I talk on the phone these days
I win: when I play volleyball! Yea baby
I lose: patience when my kids whine!!!
I wish: I had a horse
I listen to: my kids music, (twinkle twinkle little star, and all that stuff)
I don't understand: why gas is so expensive
I can usually be found: with my husband and girls
I am scared: of anything happening to the people I love
I need: to start exercising more
I forget: call people back
I am happy: most of the time!!!

I tag Shalee, Tiffany, Aubri, Deja, Jessica, and who ever else wants to join in

Monkey

My little monkey Alexis can go all the way across the monkey bars! It has been something that she has wanted to be able to do for a long time and now she is doing it!



I thought this was a cute picture of the girls washing there hands at the school. I remember having a sink like this back in the day when I was in school.
Alexis is doing really well in school, and is having so much fun. If you ask her what her favorite thing about school is it is hard for her to name just one thing. She might say recess and lunch first, but she also loves her teacher, and learning. She is reading books all by herself now, and can sound out most words. It is so hard to let her go every morning and wonder if she is doing everything she should be doing, and I can't wait to talk to her after she gets home, and see who she played with, and what she learned about in class. There has been a few days that she has had someone be mean to her, and it is so hard for me. I want to go and protect her, and make them be nice to her.
I have a little video at the bottom of Alexis going across the monkey bars, and it is so cute!

Injun Joe's Cave

This Sunday we went out to see grandma and grandpa. Grandpa wanted to take all the grand kids to see Indian Joe's Cave.... (we had all the grand kids but two) The kids were so excited to see the Cave!


We had to hike a little ways up the mountain but all the kids did great!
Grandpa said that the cave used to be a lot taller, and that it has caved in in some places. They climbed into a smaller cave and most of the kids liked that.
I forgot to get Brytlee some shoes, so I held her for most of the trip, but some how she still got sooo dirty.

There were a few holes that people are digging to find arrow heads and who knows what else.... they were kinda deep

such a pretty view!
There was a ton of pigeons living in the cave, and the kids picked up there feathers and thought they were Indian feathers. Alexis has them in her hair!
By the time we were done, and home... we looked at how dirty the kids were and told them to go and play out in the sand pile to try and get cleaned off....

Thanks grandpa for taking ALL the kids! You are the best!

Mary Kay Party

Today one of my bff's from high school, Sharie came to see me and brought her Mary Kay bags!!!! Yea!
Tiffany M. Vail was able to make it also, and it was so fun to see her and catch up. We also went to school together, and have not seen each other sense our Jr year in high school.
After our facial and makeover we went to lunch and had some yummy pork salads. Then made a trip to the mall and bought some boots for ourselves.... (the same pair) and then back to my house for a nap. (what a great day) If you have the chance to have a party with Mary Kay for Sharie, you should for sure do it!!! It was a lot of fun, and she has a lot of great tips for putting on your makeup and making you feel beautiful.
Thank you Sharie for making the trip to see me and hanging out with me. I had such a great time and think that you are so so so beautiful, and you are so perfect for Mary Kay. 143
And thank you Ryan for being such a great husband and dad and taking the girls ALL day.

My Buddy

Elizabeth and Brytlee have had a lot of time together now that Alexis is at school all day, and they are really starting to play together and like each other a little better. Elizabeth is always wanting to play with Alexis and is always doing things that she didn't think Brytlee was big enough for. But now that it is just the two of them... things are starting to change.

Elizabeth was so happy that she could be twiners with her sister. They are playing in an apple tree that has a bunch of apples that are ready, and I love it. The girls will eat so many apples when they can just go outside and pick one themselves.
I love how the sun beams are shinning down on Brytlee while she is in deep thought.
Our garden this year has been so great! I love having a garden and our kids love it just as much as we do. It is so neat for them to be apart of it, and they love to watch it grow. They have helped out with all the watering, and pulling weeds, and they love to pick the corn of and shuck it, and same with the pea's and any thing else that is ready to eat.
Our corn this year has been soooooooooooooooo yummy! We have been cooking almost a dozen every night, and I can eat so much of it. The girls all eat two or three themselves. I don't think we could ever get sick of it. It is so so so good!
Brytlee really likes the pumpkins. She started to say PUNKIN a couple of weeks ago, and it is the cutest thing you have ever heard.
I am so excited to decorate our front porch with all of our pumpkins... we have three huge ones that I doubt we can even lift, and then several others. Alexis calls the big ones "Big Bessy's"
We have some watermelons that are just about ready to eat. I don't know what it is about food fresh from a garden, but it just always seems to taste so much better. Last year we had a couple of watermelons that were the best that I have ever had in my life. Same with our strawberries and raspberries. They are sooooooooooo sweet and yummy! We have picked a ton of raspberries this year and I was able to make jam with it, ( Ryan and Alexis are going through it very fast)!
We also were able to pick our first batch of pea's and freeze all of them, and then pull them out and plant fall peas. They should be ready soon I hope.