A family to love, to hug, and to kiss...life doesn't get much better than this.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Flashback Friday...


December 8, 2004---Abbie Jynnelle. Abbie always liked to have her legs stretched way out! Something she still likes today. She hates to have her legs squished. She was such a sweet little baby. The smallest of all the kiddos at a whopping 7 lbs 12 oz. (I think ;0) )What a pretty baby!
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Arizona Science Center...

Here is a picture of me and Taylor on a funny computer program they have there. You get to take a picture of yourself and rearrange your face. It was really funny! Can you say "buck tooth becky??" Taylor and I laughed for a long time about how this picture makes it look like she has buck teeth. She always does this little thing when she's being silly. She swings her arms and kinda squats her legs and says "buck tooth becky, buck tooth becky!" It is pretty darn funny.

Taylor and I went on a field trip to the Arizona Science Center yesterday with her class. It was a very long day. I worked the night before, so I got off of work at 5 am and had to rush home, take a shower, wake up Taylor, get her ready, make us a sack lunch, gather up some snacks, pack our bag for the day and be to the school by 5:25. Accomplish all that in 25 minutes---i dare you! I thought it would be a peice of cake-I could sleep all the way to Phoenix and all the way home.....ya right! What was I thinking? A bus full of excited 3rd graders---stupid of me to even think about sleeping! I did fall asleep in Bylas on the way there and Taylor woke me up and said, "mom, can you pleeeaaase wake up? People are staring at you and your face is squished when you sleep!" Sorry for embarrasing my poor little Taylor! And did I mention I had to share a tiny little school bus seat with Taylor and another little girl? One adult does not fit comfortably on a bus seat---now imagine sharing that seat with 2 little girls and being so tired you can't even focus your eyes! AHHHHH! But it was a fun trip and I'm glad I got to go with Taylor. I am looking forward to someday taking all of my kids. It was a very fun place to be. I forgot my camera at home - -I swear I put it in my bag, but I left it sitting on the counter at home. So I don't have very many pictures, just the few I took with my phone. A mom of one of Taylor's friends is going to send me some of the pictures she took. One more thing- the good thing about me being tired is it made me really giggly and so everything was pretty silly!

Taylor and "Bob".

Taylor had fun with this exhibit. You are supposed to put different sized balls on the puffs of air to see how the air pressure keeps them in the air. But Taylor thought it would be more fun to stick her face over the air stream instead of the ball!

What a goof ball!

Here is a peice of an eye. We got to watch a them disect an eyeball and then after the disection we got to put on gloves and touch/pick up all the different parts of the eye. It was really interesting.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Groundbreaking-Gila Valley AZ Temple


We got up early this morning and had to leave the house by 6:00 in order to drive 10 minutes and wait 3 hours for the Groundbreaking Ceremony for our new temple! It was freeeeeezing cold! When we got there it was 28 degrees. And so we sat, and sat, and froze, and sat, and froze somemore. When it finally started it was so neat. My Dad gave the opening prayer and then we got to hear from Elder Wilford W. Anderson (of the seventy), Elder William R. Walker (Temple Department Executive Director), and Elder Neil L. Anderson (the Senior Member of the Presidency of the Seventy). It was such a neat experience for me and the kids to be here to witness these great men dedicate the ground where we were sitting. And how proud I was to be sitting in the crowd looking up and seeing my mom and dad among the few sitting on the stand with such wonderful people. I am so thankful for the gospel. I am so thankful for my family! My Mom and Dad were asked to be two of the "official" groundbreakers! So they were the first ones to dig in with the members of the seventy that were present. And then they gave us the opportunity to help with the groundbreaking. I was sad Ryan wasn't able to be there. He had to work. But I was thankful that Mindy and her 2 oldest kids came with us.


Freezing Chloe

Kalee, Camrie, Taylor, and Mindy waiting out the cold morning.

Abbie digging with "Grandpa's golden shovel". That's what she kept calling the shovel. Grandpa got to take home one of the shovels with an engraving on the side that said "Groundbreaking Ceremony, Gila Valley Arizona Temple"
Taylor and Porter digging away. Everytime I turned around to look for Porter he was picking up a shovel and digging. They got to dig where the Celestial Room in the Temple will be.
Great Grandma Merrill



Granny (Great Grandma Post)
Me, Stephanie, and Mindy


Dad being interviewed by a writer for the church news. I don't know how he paid any attention to what she was asking with all those grandkids hanging on him! She also took a picture of us infront of the painting of the temple. (let's hope it doesn't make it in the church news!)

Granny, Great Grandma Merrill, Dad, Mom, Elder and Sister Walker

Me and the kids with Elder and Sister Walker infront of the painting of the new temple!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Flashback Friday...

OHHHHH MY-haven't the boys changed!?!

June 2004-John, Ryan, and Porter

Lunch with Abbie & Chloe...

I decided to spend some time with Abbie (since she was mad at me for taking her to a babysitter for an hour). So I took her and chloe out to eat at Sonic. It was a lot of fun! Chloe tasted her first banana and LOVED it! Abbie had chicken strips and a slushie. And I had a hot dog. Abbie always makes me smile. Sometimes I think she tries to be MY mom---she thinks she is soooooo mature!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Trip to the Safford Post Office...

I got to go with Porters kindergarten class on a field trip to the Safford Post Office today. He learned all the ins and outs of being a mail man. He got to meet the postmaster, play in a mail truck and even post mark and mail his own letter! Here are some pics of us on our trip.
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

Monday, February 9, 2009

I'm old...

For anyone who isn't aware-I decided to go back to college this semester! It has been a whirlwind! I am still trying to find the balance between being a mom, wife, student, and employee. Hopefully soon I will find some organization in my life.

Ryan was one of the 1500 employees who were laid off last week and so he only has a few more months of work left before he is left with out a job. I am taking a full time job in the lab. It is 4 nights a week from 9pm-7am. By taking this job, it will make it easier for us to transition between all the layoffs going on right now in the mine. I am a little nervous to work full time. It will be my first "official" full time job.

All of these changes have made me feel really old lately! College students bug the heck out of me. Their immature conversations drive me absoulutely insane! I go to class, sit and listen, and leave as fast as possible without having to talk to anyone. Today in my lab for anatomy and physiology I had to sit at a table that I had never sat at before because that was the only chair available when I got there. Well, this fugly guy who looked a lot like a blonde haired Skreech from Saved By the Bell kept talking to me. I finally mentioned Ryan's name and he was surprised to find out how old I was, that I had 4 kids, and I definately wasn't interested in carrying on small talk with him. He finally said, "you should be sitting at the OLDER, unavailable table and not with us"! And then he turned around and never said another word to me. I was so glad that he wasn't talking to me anymore, but I had to think...man, I was just insulted by some punk college kid!

I guess from now on I will have to get there a little earlier so that I won't get stuck at some "young" table!

I'm glad that he agreed with the point I am trying to make.....I AM GETTING OLD!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Happy Birthday Princess Angel Birthday girl!


Taylor has always been such a huge blessing in our lives! She is a very caring young lady. She loves her family and we love her! It is hard to believe that she is already 9 years old. It makes me very sad to think that she is growing so fast but I am so proud of the young lady she is becoming. She makes me smile, she makes me laugh, she makes me HAPPY! I love her to pieces! When she was little and hated to sleep in her own bed she would ask me to call her something different every night. I would say "goodnight princess" and then it would repeat the next night. Only each of the nights to follow I would have to add on to what I had said the night before. After awhile she knew what she wanted her name to be. It was "princess angel birthday girl" and so that is what only mommy has called her since she was about 3 years old. Every night I say "goodnight princess angel birthday girl!" And she still giggles every night when she hears me say it. I hope she never gets to old to be my princess angel birthday girl! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

The cutest kids in the world belong to me!


Just some cute pictures of the kids (and Payty Poo)!
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Sleeping Beauty...


Chloe has had a rough time sleeping at night lately. She wants to be held all night but still wants her own space! She wants to be held but she tosses and turns in your arms all night long. So she has been falling asleep in the most akward places like her high chair, the floor, and while I type she just fell asleep on my shoulder. Poor baby---maybe she is finally going to get a tooth???
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Friday, January 23, 2009

Flashback Friday.....

I am so thankful for my mom and dad! The love that they have for each other spans over years and years and years and years and years.....!!!! Weren't they good looking?! I love my mom and dad very much and I am thankful for the wonderful examples they set for me and my family. They are truly 2 of my best friends! I love you mom and dad!


















Hich School Prom
















Graduation 1972













Christmas Pinata 1976
Chloes baby blessing 2008