Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Well Christmas always seems to come and go too quickly for me! I spend months and months shopping and preparing for one glorious day!

Christmas time is always fun at my mom's house!
We go all out with two trees and decorations all over the house! The kids and I had fun putting up the tree. Macy had fun climbing the tree and toppling it over on herself!

(She alright ladies and Gentlemen!!! The tree survived as well!)
It was so funny after we knew that Macy was fine.



I have watched shows like AFV where other people knock over their trees but have never experienced it first hand... everyone should have that experience at least once in their life.
Okay enough about the tree. (sorry)





Christmas was so much fun!
One of the best parts about our Christmas was that we got to talk to my little brother Will who is serving a mission in Brazil!
We did the traditional running down the stairs and peeking around the corner picture! Then yelling at the top of our lungs "Merry Christmas" opened all the gifts! There were clothes, ipod's and dolls as well as a Handy Manny tool set and a CD player! We were spoiled this year! It was so fun to see the kids eyes pop as they unwrapped the gifts!
Macy held here doll for at least an hour!!! Parker knows who Santa really is so there was a big hug for me when he got his ipod. What a sweet heart! Logan was so excited about his tool set that we had to get it out of the box before he would open any more gifts.



Brylea has wanted a CD player for months and was so excited to see that it was a Disney princess CD player.
Now she dances all over her room with the tunes cranked as loud as it will go!!!
The kids all got new Sunday clothes for Christmas.
Parker has wanted a suite for awhile so when he saw it he went upstairs and changed into it.
Then found my dad's old mission name tag and put that on as well.
He said he want to go to Fiji on his mission.



We had special lesson on the birth of Jesus and we each gave a gift to him.
(something we would give up or try to do better on in the next year)
The kids seem to really like the lesson and wrote something
on their paper and put it in the star box! We open it next Christmas!
So all in all Christmas was so much fun!
It was fun to be together with family and eat and play!



Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year!
We hope it's a great one!!!

We hope ya"ll had a great Thanksgiving!!!

We sure did...

Mer and her Mom made 5 pies 2 pumpkin 1 cherry 1 peach 1 apple
(apple so yummy Mer's fav!) We had a great old time cookin' it up in the kitchen!!!

Laura and Mer & some of the pies

As for the kids they had a great time with their dad. Then came to party it up at their Great Grandma Jan's with there mama! There were about 60 people to dinner!
Wow now that's a lot of mouths to feed!
There were also the days actives of a game of football and a hike that the kids went on with their Grandpa Chuck!

The beloved Football game!
So cool that we don't have to leave our yard!!!

Macy was feeding Logan his jello before we started dinner! It was so funny! Logan didn't seem to mind at all! It was pretty cute!!! Macy is such a little mother just like Brylea!!!

Macy feeding Logan!
Kids dancing it up with Papa Chuck!!!

So after we stuffed our faces, we had the traditional dance to work off the turkey and pies! Mer had so much fun making a fool of herself out on the dance floor with her aunties and cousins! Brylea showed us he dance that she is learning in her dance class. Parker showed us all up with some of his famous break dancing!!! He really is very good!
We had so much fun!

The turkey dance team!!!

We had a great time and wanted to share the good times with all!!!
Love ya all!!!

Just so grateful!!!

Just to give everyone an update on Macy!!! Sorry my spelling is really really horrible!!!
Prayers work!!!
I took Macy to instacare on Sunday morning with a temp of 103 and not eating or drinking since Saturday! Kinda scary!!! She was very very sick! That night her temp shot up! She was convulsing and crying most of the night! I was freaked out! She was given a beautiful blessing by my Dad.
Then on Monday morning we went back to the clinic. The doctor took blood samples. Then orally re hydrated her. They sent us home saying it was the flu until the test results came back in.

Macy continued to not hold anything down. Not even water!!! I was so scared! I took Macy and another sample that the doctor has requested back to the clinic. The blood came back positive for a kidney infection and the other sample started to grow a bacteria. So Macy and I stayed at the clinic all day Monday! We went home with a oral antibiotic. Macy got worse she would lay in my arms almost lifeless. I prayed so hard I thought that my head would explode!!!
So back to the clinic we went on Monday night! They tried to place an IV 6 times before they could get a vain that wouldn't collapse. Poor baby she was in so much pain!
The nurses said that she was so dehydrated! They got an IV in her foot and gave her 2 bags of fluid. I guess that's quite a bit for a baby? They also gave her IV antibiotics. We were at the clinic until 10:00 pm or 10:30 pm. She slept that night on and off. Then it was back to the clinic this morning for more fluid and another round of antibiotics and test results... Ecoli and kidney infection!!! Poor baby!
She has shown improvement, and as of tonight, The IV is out and she is walking and eating and drinking! What an answer to prayers!!!
I am so humbled that my Heavenly Father loves me so much! He is so aware of little me and my wonderful children! I also feel so grateful for amazing friends like you! Thank you for all your prayers, calls and thoughts. It picks me up and carries me when I have no strength to even stand. I love you all and am so eternally grateful for you!
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy the Holiday season!
Forever your friend,
Merrilea

Well things have been just a little crazy the last few months!

We are so so so blessed!
I don't know where to begin the blessings seem to be poring on my kids and I in buckets and buckets!!! Thanks to all who have been there for us! You all are incredible!!! We love you all so much!

Parker and Brylea started school at Bluffdale Elem. They are doing very well!!!
I went to Brylea's PTC on Thurs. she is doing so well in kindergarten class! Her teacher was very impressed that she can count so high and that her handwriting is getting better and better! She also started dance lessons! She is so excited because her 2 cousins are in her dance class! She is still singing all over the house and making up her own songs! That's my girl! I'm so proud!

Parker turned in 2 Reflection entries! One was an amazing photo of a dandelion and the other was an awesome drawing! I'm so proud of him! He is one darn good photographer!!! Maybe I need to invest in a camera and some lessons??? He has also picked up the piano again!!! (Wow he's strong!) He loves to play football with all the neighborhood boys! He wants to try to make the Riverton team next year!

Logan is so much fun to have around! We are little buddies! He helps me with cooking and cleaning etc. He loves to play with his shake 'n' go race car track and all the little people toys we have in his room! Parker and Logan share a huge room with a walkin' closet that doubles as a mini playroom for them! They also have a loft for reading!!! They can't decide if they want to paint their room BYU blue or Utes Red! They think they will wait to see what happens in the big rival game on Sat.

Macy is still trying to potty train!!! It's kinda driving me a little loopy! She is so much fun she loves to talk and talk and talk! She loves her dollies and loves to play house with Brylea in their playroom! She loves to help clean up after her big messes! She is so 2 but I love every mess and every tantrum! She is so yummy!!!


Mer is working for a flower company. It's a temp job to help out for Christmas! It is so much fun!!! We make flower arrangements for all the Alberton's and other stores in Utah! I love being creative and working with flowers is almost like dieing and going to heaven! It smells so wonderful! I really like everyone who I work with!
I've started to run with my dad every sat morning in the mountains! I love it! The views are amazing!
I'm looking into school at UVU. I would like to go into dental hygiene. I'm going to be one busy little lady come spring!!!

Well no news is good new right??? We are so thankful and blessed!!!

We love you all you amazing,wonderful, talented, fun loving friends!!!

The reason I get up!

I love being a mother!

I can't even begin to tell you how many times my children have saved my life!!! They are the reason I get up every morning until I snuggle up with one of them at night!I love to hear my children call for me all over the house!
I love to hear them say "mom" a little thrill of happiness and joy shoots out of my heart!



I love when I'm the only person or thing my children want!
I've waited all my life to be called mommy! My life is for my children!



There is nothing so; hard, exciting, frustrating, rewarding, over whelming, tiring and motivating as doing what I'm doing right now, and ya know what?
I wouldn't have it any other way!

To the zoo!!! To the zoo!!!

To the Zoo... and so much more!!!

We went to the Zoo in Salt Lake City over Labor Day weekend and we had a blast!!!
It was Macy's first time! When she saw the monkeys she flipped out! She yelled and screamed in pure delight!!! It was so much fun to watch!!!
It was such a fun day!



Parker had his first football game two Saturday's ago! He made a touchdown and this last Saturday he made 2 more! I hate to brag but he is very talented when it comes to sports!!! He is also playing soccer. He loves and dominates the forward position! His first game he scored 2 of the 3 goals in the poring rain it was awesome!!!
His third grade class started writing in cursive this week hes stoked that he can write his name. They also take typing classes in the library. He came home the other day and typed a note to his teacher. It said Mrs. C rocks then he wrote rocks about 15 more times! He so funny! He has very nice handwriting and is doing very well in math as usual!!
(he didn't get it from me that's for sure!)
Dang he is smart!!!


Just to explain these pics! She found the camera in the car at the almost rained out soccer game!
She had a good time!!!
Brylea is a dancer! Just in the two weeks she has been attending classes I have seen a huge improvement! She is pointing her toes and is almost in middle splits! She is much more graceful and she can feel the beat of the music! Dance has always been a passion of mine. It is so much fun to see her take an interest in it and do so well! She makes her mama proud! She is doing well in school to! The kids are learning the letters and their phonic sounds. I thought that this might be a little tough for her since we have been working with her all summer long! She surprises me everyday and is doing great!
It's so wonderful what a summer will do for a child's comprehension!
She is so smart!


stuck in the car at the rainy soccer game!
Logan is how do I say this... smart! He is also very kind! He still loves technology better than people you see! (tribute to Napoleon Dynamite. I love that show!) He is got computer skills! I know who I'm going to go to for computer repairs later on! he he he! He is learning to ride a two wheeler with training wheels. I have a feeling that he will have them off by next spring! He loves to sing and sing all over the house. The latest song he sings is Hey Oh Let's Go by the Ramones! Just sing the first line and he"ll sing you the whole song! It's hilarious!
He is very funny and loves to tease!



Macy is the ham of the family lately!
She runs around the house saying "don't touch". Then she runs and touches everything that you have told her not to touch! Like the paints!!! Can you tell she's almost 2? She has been sick with the stomach flu the last few days again!!! I hate the barfs! She is our little sunshine girl! She make everyone smile and talk baby talk when she's around! It's pretty pathetic when her dad gets around her! You can't understand a word of what he's saying to her!!!


Brian's soccer team!
Brian is busy with school, coaching soccer, football and fatherhood as usual! He starts finals next week! The other day we went on a family walk. As we were walking he heard a rattling noise. He looked down and to his surprise he watched a baby rattle snake slither just inches away from where he had stepped! Pretty scary! The neighbor came out and killed it! It was just so crazy that it was in the middle of a busy neighborhood!!!
Brian is also taking a business trip to Reno the day after my B-day! Bummer! We'll survive he's taken care of all the practices and games for next week. So I'm off the hook as far as that goes! He's such a good guy!

For me I'm trying to find more time to read and play the piano! Staying up all hours of the night is really starting to take it's toll! My life right now is so crazy with the kids, laundry, church callings, blogs, games and lessons I swear!
(well I try really hard not to)
I need a good "staying sane" plan anyone have any good... (No it has to be better than good. More like solve word hunger or bring world peace. that kind of good plan) If you find one please please please pass it on!

Well have a great week ya'll!
(Well everyone that reads my blog! Everyone else can have a crappy one!)
J/K

10 years went way too fast!

Bingham High School Class of 1998!

Soooo...

I just went to my high school ten year reunion! I can't believe how many people I had a hard time recognizing! It was way fun to see some people from the past and get caught up with everyone! The night was even better because Brian went with me! There was a nice dinner and a fun movie of our class. Then there was Q&A trivia on how much we remembered of high school and some fun facts. Can you believe that gas was only $1.03 ten years ago. Kinda makes ya sick hu?


We also celebrated Parkers 9th birthday, he only wanted one thing... a Wii! We spent the day at Classic Water park with some of Brian's family and most of mine it was a blast!!!

Parker now in third grade school started last week. He's now old enough to start flag football! He's all signed up lovin' it the schedule is killin' me! He is one crazy kid because he's also starting soccer this week! Brian is coaching his soccer team and helping out with football as well. I don't think he knows how to say no!!! I went to back to school night last night and was really excited to meet Parker's teacher as well as Brylea's teacher! They both have very good teachers and are going to be doing a lot of fun things this year!

Brylea's first day of school was, to quote her, "AWESOME!!!" She was so funny she wanted her dad to take her to school and for me to pick her up! Both Parker and Brylea had there clothes and back packs all ready to go the night before! Brylea also started dance this week. She loves to dance and can't stop talking about it! She had to get new dance shoes her old ones were just too small! Her teachers are very talented. I feel they will be able to help Brylea go a long way with dance!



I tried getting Logan into a preschool here but ya snooze ya loose! So he's just going to preschool with Mommy and Macy! He is so smart that I think He's going to be board to tears in kindergarten! He's so sweet today he told me after I got back from the store "I miss you ma ma" He tells me that he misses me all the time. We talked about Brylea going to kindergarten and he said "I go with Brylea I miss her!"

Macy is now speaking in two word sentences like "don't touch" and "my bah bah". She got her first big girl hair cut the other day! I showed her later after a good long nap and she said "cheese" meaning that she wants her picture to be taken! So I guess she liked it! She's something else, with all her talking and running around. She makes me tired!!! The other day Brian was tending her. He went in the house to grab something and when he came back out he had lost her. He found her after checking (the house. backyard. neighbors homes. etc.) across the street on our neighbors front porch! It was a good thing I wasn't home!

Brian started another nine week school schedule. He is going to the University of Pheniox and is a little stressed out by work, school. soccer and football right now. He is doing great though! He's really excited that we finally got "The Mountain" (Utah's sports channel for those who care.) on our cable TV. He loves BYU football almost as much as he loves his family. I really don't have a clue when he'll be able to watch any football though!!!

As for me I finished the last book in the Twilight Series by Stephanie Myers. She is an amazing writer! I love books! I have found a new love for reading! Other than that I try to workout everyday and not eat like a pig! Beleive me that is really had for me to do! I love my husband and my kids! I couldn't ask for anything better!!!