T-ball

This Spring, H & J have been playing T-ball and loving it!  Our awesome friend Kelli graciously offered to hold practices for free for anyone who wanted to come and play.  It was a super fun season and today they had their first and final game.  Last night when we reminded the girls that their game was in the morning, they suddenly became very anxious about the rules of the game and how to score points.  We explained to them about touching the bases and where to throw the ball if they catch it.  I think they went to bed feeling a lot of pressure until they remembered they got Otter Pops at the end of the game.

JoLynn up to bat!  She makes it to 1st and then comments

 to the first baseman, "Wow, I can't believe I just did that!"

Hailey up to bat!  She loved playing an actual game.  While she was playing right field I heard her say, "I hope we play until noon because I've realized that playing a real game is way funner than the practices!"

Here's the team with Coach Kelli.  She is so good with the kids and did a great job teaching them the basics of hitting, catching, and throwing, and of course good sportsmanship!

This was Shae's favorite part of the game.

I love these words

As I was doing the dishes this morning, these words came to mind an made me feel happy:

The errand of Angels is given to Women;

and this is a gift that, as sisters, we claim:

To do whatsoever is gentle and human,

to cheer and to bless in humanity's name.

How vast is our purpose, how broad is our mission,

if we but fulfill it in spirit and deed.

Oh, naught but the Spirit's divinest tuition

can give us the wisdom to truly succeed.

I am so thankful for all the women/girls in my life who have cheered and blessed my life, and who have shown me how to invite the divine tuition of the Spirit through gentleness, compassion, and good works.

Easter Dresses

I know it's lame to make my girls still wear matching dresses these days, but I couldn't help myself!

                           

At one point during this day they had matching flowers in their hair and Shae was sporting darling pig tails instead of her wispy baby mullet, but this was after church so I had to take what I could get.

Self Portrait

I laugh every time I unload my camera because 9 times out of 10, JoLynn leaves a surprise picture or two of herself for me to find.  She most likely sneaks the camera when she thinks she's looking extra lovely.  Oh I can't wait to show her these pictures of herself 10 years down the road!  I just think it's funny that she loves taking pictures of herself.

awesome hair day

introducing JoLynn's brains

finally the mysterious pink and blue finger prints on my bathroom wall make sense

perfecting the double chin pose

JoLynn turned on her baby video and took pictures of that too.

(wasn't she cute!?)

Looking back

Last night at my parents' house we pulled out the old photo albums and laughed and cried and laughed at the way we looked 15+ years ago.  I'm glad to know that my family are not the only ones who suffered through the 80's and 90's. 

Enjoy: 

Don't make this guy angry.  Don't.

Mom and Dad are always watching.

Lapping it up

Did you know we got a new pool?

Mom always knows best.

This family has nothing to hide.

These photos were lovingly copied from

awkwardfamilyphotos.com

Want to be a Queen For A Day?  If you live in the Queen Creek area, now you can!  

To help raise big bucks for girls camp, my Young Women are hosting an entire day of pampering where you (if you are a woman) or the women in your lives can come to be treated like Royalty!  Morning services include a Spa Day for Yourself, Mom, Grandma, Sister, Aunt, or Friend, and a Princess Party for Daughter, Granddaughter, Niece, or Friend.  Then that evening, the Young Women will turn their spa into a Child Care center where you can drop your kiddies off while you go out for a night on the town with your Prince Charming (or just stay home and enjoy some peace and quiet! :))

Saturday February 27th

Spa Day:
(includes relaxing atmosphere with music and twinkle lights, hot-rock foot massage, sweet & savory treats, and your very own pedicure kit to take home)
Manicure $10.00
Pedicure $15.00
Mani/Pedi combo $22.00
Available time slots: 9:00, 9:30, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30am


Princess Party:  
(includes mini manicure, dress ups, games, crafts, tea party, and treats!  Moms and daughters can coordinate Spa & Princess Party times and come together. For girls ages 2 - 9)
$8.00 per Princess
Available time slots: 9:00, 9:30, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30am


Babysitting 5:00-8:00pm
(Includes dinner for the kids, games, crafts, and a movie. For ages 6 months - 11 yrs.  This will all be highly supervised with adults.)
1 child $12.50
2 children $17.50
3 children $22.50
4 + children $27.50


Help send our Young Women to camp and treat yourself or the women in your life like Royalty!  Leave a comment (or call me) and I'll reserve you a time slot!  All money is due Feb 23 (but seriously... don't wait that long!  You don't want to miss this!)

I've child-proofed the house, but they're still getting in!

S.O.S.

Think she looks so sweet and innocent?  Don't be fooled.  This little master of disaster is turning into a serious climber!  I feel like we've entered into a whole new phase of parenting.  Not that we ever really had things totally under control (don't tell the kids!) but now I feel like I spend my days just chasing after Shae in a flustered, defeated panic.  Here are just a few of the places I've found her on top of lately:

from the floor, to the couch, up to the ledge

from the piano chair, to the piano keys, up to the top of the piano

from the kitchen chairs, to the table, up to the chandelier... makes a great swing!

We now have to keep all chairs OUTSIDE and then move one in every time we want to sit down.

from the bottom drawer, to the door handle, then she grabs the burners and hoists herself up on top.  Yesterday the door opened on her and she came crashing down.  The oven was on.  Bruised but not burned.  Hope CPS doesn't blog surf.

from the toilet, up to the vanity sink for a nice foot soak

from the dishwasher, to the counter, up to the breakfast bar

Yikes!  Can't leave these windows by the changing table (on the 2nd floor) open any more! And yes, the big girls' beds always look this messy even before Shae gets to the top.

She is so fast and so sneaky, every day she finds new places and new ways to climb on top of or into things.  And she is a buckle freak - she is determined to buckle anything she comes across, and yesterday after wrestling with a fellow ward member's baby car seat for the entire sacrament meeting, she figured out how to UNbuckle the raved-about 5-point safety harness.  Great!  No more confidently driving down the free way with this monkey 

unsupervised in the back seat.

Whatever happened to these calm days?  How did they disappear so fast?




.....I guess those days were crazy too, just in a less life-threatening way.







(p.s.- no I didn't clean my house just for these pictures.  Joel took most of these pictures one time long ago when the house was clean - he wanted to capture the rare moment.  It never looks this clean!)

Aren't these the cutest Valentine's Day cards!?

Okay, so who wants to try it and make one for me?

Rolls

Have you ever done something with good intentions and then realized after it was too late that you shouldn't have done it? 
I just did.  
I spent this entire day slaving away in the kitchen making a butt-load of mouth-watering cinnamon rolls for all 41 of my Young Women to highlight the lesson I'm teaching tomorrow, and I just realized tomorrow is Fast Sunday.  
Dang.

It's like my dad says, "Nothing is as sad as doing something well that should have never been done at all."

It is true.  And sad.

Have I done any good in the world today?

I loved this talk!  I thought it was so good!  Often people ask "why does God allow bad things to happen to good innocent people?"  I don't know all the answers, but I think one reason why is to allow others the opportunity to help their brothers and sisters.  

Awkward Family Photos

I found a great idea for next year's family pictures.

It's out of this world!

taken from the most awesome website ever: awkwardfamilyphotos.com

Fortune Cookies

After a very romantic and exotic date night out to Panda Express, Joel and I decided to try making home made fortune cookies.  It was pretty fun and super easy!  I thought it would make a super cute Valentines Day gift to dye them red/pink and put love notes inside.  Here's the cheesy video we watched to learn how.

Sisters do as sisters should...

All the way from the Finger Lakes, 

please welcome the Merrell sisters!

to turn the audio on, mouse over to the lower right hand corner and click on the speaker symbol

And all the way from Arizona, the other Merrell sisters.  

Good thing our parents didn't have a fourth daughter :)

This picture was take in December when we did our family pictures.  

I love my two beautiful, funny sisters!

Free Vinyl

My sister's BFF Raylene has a new website called Everything Vinyl. She can do pretty much anything vinyl you want. Check out her website and take a look! Also, she is offering a chance to win a free $25 vinyl give away. Post about her website on your blog or facebook and let her know by commenting on her website and you're in- it's that easy! P.S.- she also has an adorable website called BowzieBaby. She makes the cutest things. Check that one out too.

Dear GMC Driver,

I almost knocked myself unconscious on your side mirror after squeezing past your over sized vehicle at the mall to buckle my babies in. Please be considerate of others and park inside the lines next time.

Sincerely,

Black Eye

Home made

Every Christmas my mom makes a Ragedy Anne and Andy doll set for her Grandbabies. This year she had 3 sets to make. Each doll takes about 6 hours. They are perfect in every way. All 3 of my girls have a set now and I know they will treasure them forever. What a special keep sake to remember their Grandma Merrell by!

Thank you Mom!

Any Smarty Pants out there?

Anyone know how to put that gadget on my blog that tells me when my fellow bloggers have updated their blog? You know like it would say "Bob & Betty 2 days ago" or whenever their last post was. How do I put that on here so I don't have to keep checking you lame-o's blogs only to find you haven't posted since 5 months ago?

Christmas Morning Review

Santa made it

And he delivered

The girls were so excited!

JoLynn got her paint set which was first on her list

And she got "If You Give A Cat A Cupcake" with the cat to boot! Every time we went to Kohls last month (which was like 20 times) she would stand and look at this with longing in her eyes. She didn't ask Santa for it because she had already sent her letter to him, so Joel and I got it for her. She was so surprised she cried. Full on tears streaming down her fluffy cheeks. It was the cutest thing ever.

Shae rocking out ...get it?

This little puppy was the highlight of the day. Shae LoVeD it!

Hailey got a load of art supplies that should last her a year, but will probably only get her through the week since she draws and crafts the whole day through!

And giant Littlest Pet Shops

And of course we all got new Christmas jammies.

In short, "It was the best Christmas ever!" as Hailey put it.