Merrell Mayhem

39...and counting

2011-10-06T18:22:00.001-07:00

No I am not talking about my age. 39 days until Elder JJ Merrell returns!!! It was confirmed today that he will be coming home on November 14th. I can hardly believe it. We are all so incredibly excited.

On a side note, he was transferred to his last area. He spent 13 months in the SEATAC ward this past year. He was in other locations for 3 transfers and was just transferred back to SEATAC. So yes, he will have spent over 14 months in one location. What are the odds? He loves the people he has met there and they will always be in his life because of this. I can not wait to meet them...especially his second mom and dad. I will be forever grateful for the love that they have shown my son.

Prom 2011 - Kaitlyn

2011-05-09T16:16:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn went to prom the past 2 weekends. Saturday was the Spring Formal or "Mormon Prom". The theme was "Putting On The Ritz". She had a blast with her group. She has such good friends. She is beautiful and is an amazing daughter. It was fun doing her hair and getting ready. It was also bittersweet because it is her last prom.

Two weeks ago was school prom. It was held at the Phoenix zoo and she had a good time.

request for help

2011-04-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

JJ emailed me last week and said that they are having a dry spell. He is wanting to know what all of you RMs (or anyone else that has done any missionary work) did to find investigators. So leave a comment telling me what the best things you have done to find people that are looking for the gospel.

Thanks so much!!

Almost 1 year

2011-03-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

We just received a call from Sister Wie where JJ and his companion have a basement apartment. He is staying for another transfer. He has been there for 10 1/2 months. I love that I know she is watching over him and it does my heart good. I have talked to Sister Wie a few times and I can not wait to meet her when we go back for a mission tour.

Life Happens....

2011-02-08T15:20:00.001-07:00

Well a little update....life has a way of taking an occasional unexpected turn. This month has had one of said turns. John is now working nights Monday through Friday (which I absolutely hate!) from 3 pm to 11pm. I am working 6:30 am to 2:30 pm (I get home at 2:45). Yep...do the math...that's a total of 15 minutes a day that I am able to see him. Why the change you might ask? because out of necessity. As a parent, there are times that you do things you do not enjoy or want to do. This is definitely one of those times. We are now homeschooling one of our children and with such, someone needs to be home during the day. Since I am no longer at home during the day, John changed his schedule. The things you do out of love for a child. As such, time is a very precious thing. Every minute counts when we are all together as a family. Time is very limited. The lesson I have learned is as a parent, you have to follow through and make the most of a tough situation.

JJ Update

2011-02-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

We got this picture from JJ in an email today. This was a convert that was baptized this past weekend. He really love his mission and is doing well. He has gained quite a bit of weight because he and his companion live in the basement of an couple. Brother Smith and Sister Wie feed them all of the time and non stop. We spoke with them at Christmas and Brother Smith said that Sister Wie will probably relocate to AZ when JJ comes home. It does this mom's heart good to know that he is being taken care of and looked after. He also gave us a date for his return home....11/14/11...9 months 7 days...but whose counting?

Way Past Time to Update

2011-01-18T21:57:00.000-07:00

I have been very negligent of my blog - like a year past due. I am not even going to try to update...way past due and I don't have a good enough memory for that. So for now...where are we? We live for emails from JJ. It is funny to me how it can either make my day and send me into a bubble of happiness or the depths of despair. If there is a zone conference, Monday holiday, or change in their schedule, we have to wait a day for his email. We are surviving the rat race called life can.

I have been busy on my days off to do room makeovers for the girls and I will post pictures when they are complete. Hopefully before much longer.

20 Years Together

2009-11-21T16:09:00.005-07:00

John and I had our 20th Wedding Anniversary on the 18th. It was kind of strange because we both were working. He did impress everyone at the school when he sent me flowers. The students too. We got our first email from JJ that day along with a list of things he had forgotten, so to celebrate we went to dinner and shopping for Elder Merrell. I know what you're thinking "How romantic", but we plan on going on a trip just the two of us during Spring Break. I have two weeks and the kids only have one so we will go my first week. Can't wait.

I really have been blessed with a GREAT husband. He is my best friend and I would rather do something with him than anything else. It doesn't matter what, as long as we are together. He has supported me in everything I have ever wanted to do or try. So here's to an AMAZING 20 years and ETERNITY to go. Love you!!!

My Son Is Officially A Missionary

2009-11-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

JJ left on his mission on November 11th. It was John's birthday and he said it was one of the best birthday presents a father could receive - sending a son on his mission. He is in Provo at the MTC and will be there until December 1st and then he will go to the Washington Seattle mission. We got his first letter this past week and he is doing GREAT! Life around our house is definitely different. With just the girls, it is a totally different atmosphere. We all miss him dearly, but couldn't be prouder of him. We are adjusting quite well.

I have made a blog for you to follow JJ's mission if you want to. It is http://jjisamissionary.blogspot.com
I am also sending out an email that JJ sends me. If you want to be added to the list to receive the email, just send me your email address and I will add you.

I Love to See the Temple...

2009-10-25T13:52:00.004-07:00

J.J. went through the temple on October 17th. He went through on his birthday. 11 years ago, he was baptized on his birthday too. Needless to say, October 17th has been a GREAT day for me as a mother. Words can not describe the feelings of having your child go through the temple. Being in the celestial room with him, family, and friends has definitely been one of the top events of my life. I am so proud of you J.J. Thanks for the example you are to everyone.

Happy Birthday J.J.!!!

2009-10-25T13:32:00.009-07:00

I haven't posted anything about J.J.'s birthday. He turned 19 on October 17th. Time is so hard to come by since I have been working. Time also seems to be on fast forward. He is the most amazing son. He brings so much to our family. When he goes on his mission (16 days) our home is going to be so much different. With just girls living at home (wish me luck) the atmosphere of the home is Definitely going to change.

This is one of my favorite pictures of him. He was such a cute boy.

J.J. is really one of the BEST big brothers I have ever seen. I can truly see the love he has for them. Yes, he does his duty of pestering, teasing, and driving them nuts, but he is never out right mean to them.

I'm not sure why, but I really like this picture too. It makes me smile every time I see it. It was taken at EFY one year.

This picture says so much to me lately. It was taken for graduation last year, but it has more meaning for me now. It goes without saying that he is embarking on a new adventure. I am thrilled and so proud with his decisions and the choices he has made in his life. He has been a blessing to our family and I am extremely lucky to have the privilege of having the title of being J.J's mom.

Happy Birthday J.J. We love you so much.

Homecoming 2009

2009-10-06T12:46:00.007-07:00

Kaitlyn went to Homecoming on September 26th. The first step....the perfect dress. Oh the hours we spent shopping. Friday - 4 hours...to no avail. Saturday - 7 hours...finally!!!! THE DRESS!!!!!

Next hurdle....Kaitlyn had a golf tournament the same day as homecoming. Dinner/Pictures were scheduled for 7:00. She didn't get home until 6:40. 20 minutes to get ready for her first school dance. The results...

MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER

She had so much fun. She was in a great group, but the best part was that she was in the same group as her BFF....Aubrey McKee

Her group ended up being a bunch of friends. They are all great friends and have a lot of fun together. I am so happy she has such great friends.

Her date...Trey Reed

Mission Call

2009-10-05T18:56:00.003-07:00

J.J. received his mission call; I know...I am really late in writing about it. He is going to Seattle Washington. We are so excited. It was a great experience for all. He reports November 11th (just happens to be John's birthday). He has just over a month now. Time is going so fast, but we are thrilled...it truly is bitter sweet.

Happy Birthday Mikenna !!!!

2009-06-26T13:52:00.015-07:00

I can hardly believe that Mikenna is 9 years old. She has brought so much laughter and joy into our family. She is so funny and keeps all of us laughing.

Mikenna wouldn't wait for the doctor (more like the nurse wouldn't listen and call the doctor), but from that moment she has been full of life and couldn't wait for what the world had to offer.

She was born with so much hair that was streaked with blond highlights. My nurse made the comment "People pay big bucks to get hair like that." and it really did look like it had been highlighted. It had 3 or 4 different color of highlights. I wish there was a picture that showed it, but it was amazing.

The other thing that Mikenna has loved since she was barely walking is shoes. I have never seen someone so young have an affinity to shoes. When she was 2 or 3, I could walk through the toy section with her in the cart without a single reaction. When I would pass the shoe section of a store, she would beg to go try on shoes. If she ever got any extra money of her own, 9 times out of 10 she bought shoes. She still does.

Then

Now

Happy Birthday Mikenna !!!! You are such a beautiful girl inside and out and so much fun. You bring so much happiness to our family. Everyone enjoys being with you. Keep making such great choices. We love you.

Prom '09

2009-05-27T16:25:00.014-07:00

J.J. went to Prom on May 9th.

Not with him...

With her!!!!!
(Bow-chicka-wow-wow!!!)

Their group is Rachelle Lee, J.J., Ashley Lindblom, Brady Garrard, Brittanylynn Hipps, and Eric Mullenaux. They had a great time.

The group met early (5 am) and the guys made breakfast for the girls. Then they went to the lake for the day. They came back around 1 pm for the girls to start getting ready. They guys took naps...where's the justice in that?

They guys picked up the girls and met for pictures at 5:30 pm. THANK YOU Shalisa. John was committed to do a wedding so Shalisa stepped in and did a great job of taking pictures.

After pictures they went to dinner at Brady's dad's house. He is a caterer. The dance was at Villa Sienna. After the dance the couples came back to our house for dessert and to watch a movie. I love the fact that all of the girls are modest and the dresses are BEAUTIFUL!!!! They all are incredibly pretty and J.J. said he had a GREAT time.

J.J Senior Pics

2009-05-07T14:27:00.010-07:00

I can't believe my little boy (or not so little any more...but to me he will always be my little boy) is about to graduate. We have been taking his graduation pictures, getting his announcements done, and getting ready for graduation/prom etc. Time is flying by. Here are just a couple of his pictures I'll post a link to view all of his pictures when all of them are done, but John only had time to edit the pics we needed to get his announcement done. They turned out so good if I do say so myself. It is a bittersweet time for me right now.

His only request was to get his picture taken with our '31 model A truck that was my Dad's. I have to say that they turned out to be my favorites. I love seeing him by it.

This has to be one of my favorites....it is so hard. They were all so good.

Another side note....J.J. was sustained to be an Elder last Sunday at Stake Conference. The kids have not let me live it down because yes I got teary eyed. Surprise. Surprise. He is going to be ordained either Monday or Tuesday...their volleyball team are REGION CHAMPS (go knights) and their first playoff game is Monday...so we are playing it by ear. He will be starting his mission papers soon too. Like I said it is bittersweet. He is such an amazing son. I am so proud of him...if you couldn't tell.

Student Teaching

2009-05-04T14:16:00.004-07:00

YAY!!!!!!! I did it!!! I am done with my student teaching, certification tests, and everything, just waiting for my University recommendation to come in the mail and I will get my official certicate...and as a reward...I have had a lazy day. I did apply online for a few jobs, but when J.J. came home for lunch, he asked me if I was going to just be lazy all day. My response...YEP!!!! I am giving myself one day. Tomorrow, I am going out to schools and dropping off resumes and going for an observation. I will officially graduate on Saturday, but we are not going up to Flagstaff for me to walk. I would much rather stay here and see J.J. get ready and send him off for his senior Prom. I know my time with him is short until he leaves, so it is definitely more important.

My next step...FIND A JOB in this wonderful economy and hope and pray that the legislature will hurry and find out where they stand so that the districts will be able to finish their hiring processes. My saving grace is that I am looking to teach in special education. I feel so bad for general ed teachers right now who are without jobs. There needs to be some re-prioritizing going on in the legislature. OK I'll get off my soap box.

New Look...

2009-04-02T08:56:00.013-07:00

Mikenna has been asking to get her hair cut for a very long time. I took her with me yesterday when I was getting mine done and she got hers cut while mine was processing. It looks so cute. It made it a late night for her...We didn't leave until 9:00, but she LOVES it. I just don't have time to cut it myself right now. I feel like I don't have time for much of anything, but it turned out very cute.

She cut 10 inches off and donated it to locks of love. This is the second time she has done this.

She was so excited while she was getting it cut, she couldn't hold her feet still. It was really cute.

They cut the 10 inches off and then shampooed her hair and started the haircut.

She thought she was so cool and really had a good time. It was a fun time for us. We needed this girl time since I have been so busy.

She wouldn't keep her hands out of it. She just kept wanting to touch it.

She is one happy girl!!!!

John told her he was going to have to send her to school with a stick. He had to explain it was to beat off the boys and she just told him that she would run into the girls bathroom (with a big smile on her face). Tell me it isn't starting already PLEASE!!!!

Spring Break!

2009-04-02T08:25:00.004-07:00

Our spring break didn't include a lot of fun according to the kids, but it was a necessary evil. I could not handle it anymore so we cleaned our rooms and rearranged rooms and moved rooms. We painted, moved furniture, decorated, etc. We are still not finished...I'll post pictures when I have the girl's rooms finished. So far, I am really liking it. It is getting harder to do their rooms because they have definite opinions and finding a compromise is sometimes like pulling teeth.

This is what we did when we emptied a box or got bored. just a side note...She Loved It and kept asking for us to put her back in. We teased her that this was going to be her new bed.

This is not a very large box. I don't have any idea how she can squeeze her body in it.

Happy 13th Birthday Danielle!!!!

2009-03-20T13:28:00.015-07:00

Danielle has been such a delight since she was born. She slept through the night from day 1. I had to wake her up to eat after 6 hours. She was actually Ashlyn Danielle for the first 3 days of her life...John wanted Danielle and didn't care how I used it, so I was going to use it as her middle name. On the 3rd day, I was rocking and nursing her and looked down at her and the thought came to me that she is Danielle. If she was going to be called Danielle, I wanted that to be her name so I called the hospital and asked if they still had my paperwork and they had her birth certificate ready to send out on her desk. She changed it as we spoke on the phone. Her name became Danielle Larae. She was born with a VSD or small hole in the heart where the valves did not completely close and we had to go to a few doctor appointments. Last year I recieved a call about Ashlyn Merrell and it took me a while to figure out what it was about. Their files had never been closed out.

Anyway....Here are 13 reasons why we LOVE Danielle:
1. Her spunk. She is always been so fun and looking to have fun.

2. Her love of family. She loves her family and always enjoys playing games or anything else.

3. Her love of Christ and the gospel. She loves learning his teachings.

4. Her willingness to stand up for others. She is not afraid to stand up for herself or others even if it means getting in a fight with a boy. She is TOUGH and will protect those who need it.

5. She is the brother J.J. never had. She will wrestle with him, loves sports, doesn't care if she gets dirty, but she better look good doing it.

6. Her sense of style. I have always said that she is my oxymoron. She is such a girly girl and will be so dressed up or change her clothes 2-3 times a day, but she is such a tom boy too. She loves sports and lives to play them.

7. She loves sports. It has been so much fun to watch her games.

8. Her determination. She will leave school ball and go directly to club ball so she will have practice for 5 hours straight. She does not quit. If she is in a fight at home, I literally will have to pull her off.

9. Her smile. She has such a contagious smile. It makes me happy to see it.

10. She is helpful. She will come and ask what she can do or will ask if she can make cookies or whatever else that needs done (when she wants).

11. She is modest in her dress. I don't have to try to disuade her in what she is wearing. She will modify what she likes or is stylish to be modest.

12. She loves children. She is always willing to help watch other children - even Mikenna.

13. She is an example to others. She is living the Young Women Values and working on getting her medallion.

Thanks Danielle for being the young woman you are. You are a great daughter and our family wouldn't be the same without you. You are so much fun. We may tease and joke, but seriously, you are an AMAZING young woman that I admire. I look at you and see so much potential. I see your strength and the way you stand up for yourself at your age and I wish that I would have been able to when I was your age. Stay the way you are. WE LOVE YOU and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Kaitlyn's 16th Birthday Party - Sort of

2009-02-06T16:19:00.013-07:00

Kaitlyn did not want to have a birthday party. I asked her why and she said that if it is her party she feels like she has to make sure that everyone is having a good time and she doesn't like the stress of it all. She asked if she could just have some friends over next weekend to hang out and have a party when it wasn't her birthday. I know we are a lot alike, but this is something I would say. It was kind of eerie.

Any way, we took her out to the restaurant of her choice on Monday because it was the only day that the whole family would be home on the same night. She chose to go to TEXAS ROADHOUSE. She should have known that she was going to be in trouble, but she is still an innocent. We also had the waitress that you can hear yell from across the entire place. Here is Kaitlyn in all her glory on the birthday saddle.

Waiting for our table.

The Birthday Party! We had to sit at two tables that were across the aisle from each other. : (
JJ, Danielle, Kia (Shalisa's roommate), and Kia's brother Austin were at one table and John, Kaitlyn, Shalisa, Mikenna, and Shalisa (Kaitlyn's prima favorita), and I were at another table.

Opening her present. Yes it is a little blue bag!!

Leaving the restaurant and the fun-filled night.

This was one of my favorite things she got. She received a text from Shalisa the weekend before her birthday.

"Enjoy your last weekend without the heatbreak and hassle of boys."

Happy Sweet 16 Kaitlyn!!!!

2009-02-05T22:25:00.012-07:00

I can't believe Kaitlyn is 16. She is such a sweet(usually) addition to our family. I must say that it is totally different having a daughter turn 16 and be able to date than a son. So many more worries. This is going to have to be a quick post because I have a paper that is due and I have to get up at 5:00 tomorrow. UGHHH! I'll post more tomorrow with pictures.

Here are 16 reasons we LOVE Kaitlyn!

1. She is kind.

2. She wants to do what is right.

3. She can keep a secret. J/K But we love you anyway.

4. She is a great student.

5. She lives the young women values.

6. She is confident in who she is and loves it.

7. She is talented - plays the piano and sings.

8. She loves her siblings - most of the time.

9. She is an example to others.

10. She'll watch old movies with me.

11. She is a great help for me. I really couldn't be in school without her.

12. She is incredibly smart.

13. She likes to have fun.

14. She likes to play games with the family.

15. She has good friends.

16. She talks to us and tells us ALL about her day and what is going on in her life.

2/6/09 Here is a little more and some pictures to reminisce with.

I love this picture of her. She still makes this pouting face, but it's not quite as cute and doesn't have the same effect. It also shows off how chubby she was.

I love the fact that through their entire life, J.J. and Kaitlyn (for the most part) have been friends. There have been ups and downs, but they have always played games, watched TV, and now that they are in high school together, they still hang out occasionally. They have friends in common.

Proof that Danielle and Kaitlyn did get along at one time. I keep reminding them of this. Actually they still do for the most part, but I just don't understand the whole sister relationship. One of my sisters is 10 yrs older than me and the other is 19 yrs older so I didn't really grow up with a sister in the house per se. These two are either fighting like cats and dogs or they are sweeter than honey. It's hot and cold for them. They are getting better and they are trying and working on it.

Kaitlyn is a great example for her sisters. She is helping so much with Mikenna right now. They get along and have fun going to piano lessons together.

We really love you Kaitlyn. We couldn't ask for more in a daughter.

What A Week!!!

2009-01-29T22:02:00.004-07:00

This week I will be 1/2 way done with my first placement. Therefore, Monday, I received an email from my supervisor telling me that my observation for student teaching is on Tuesday (yes I was given 24 hours notice) for my midterm evaluation. I don't teach a regular lesson at 1:00, so I was scrambling to come up with something and changing the students' schedules. Long story short, it went well : 0 The only thing I could have done better was that when I make a request of the students, I need to be firmer. Imagine that. Me - needing to be more stern with my voice.

Two days later (today) I had to lead my first IEP. For those of you who do not know what this is, it is a meeting to determine if a student will be placed into special education or to evaluate their placement. I was scared spitless. Try talking and explaining how a student is doing when you mouth is dry. I also had to write this IEP. It was a good learning experience, but scared me.

On a more humorous side, the teacher I am with is from Pittsburgh. Yes she is a Steelers fan. UGH!! She was wearing a Steelers hat and one student with autism asked her what was on her hat and she said it was a Steelers hat. The student then asked her if she stole it. This is how my day goes all of the time. These guys are quite humorous. But GO CARDINALS!!!!

1st Week Student Teaching

2009-01-10T07:31:00.004-07:00

My first week of student teaching went great. I have really enjoyed the kiddos. I even got a hug from one them. Of course there were the overwhelming moments, the times of what am I doing, but I loved it. I laughed so much with them. It really is true - Kids say the darndest things.

I haven't talked about it much, so I want to now, before I forget how lucky I am. As many of you know I want to go into special education. I was very anxious about doing my student teaching in Apache Junction because I didn't know the district, but I didn't have a choice because AJ helps pay for our faculty adviser so in return we have to student teach out there. They do this in hopes that we will teach out there. We can choose our school we student teach at, but not our teacher, well let me tell you I had divine help getting my placements. My prayers were answered.

My ultimate goal is to work with students with autism so I wanted to get some more experience. I have two classes I will do my teaching in because it is a dual major - special ed and reg. ed. I also want to work with the younger grades or preschool. When I got my letter for my placements it was in a K-3 communication skills class (autism and speech delays) and kindergarten. It couldn't have been better. The communication skills class teacher said that she was not going to take any student teachers, but she did. She is amazing. She knows her stuff and will teach me tons. I am loving it. Granted it has only been one week, but I have laughed so much. These guys have such a funny sense of humor. I have also met and worked with the kindergarten teacher and she is very nice too. I feel very fortunate.

Back to Reality : (

2009-01-04T15:17:00.002-07:00

I am extremely sad that the kids go back to school tomorrow. I always enjoy having them home. We never really do much, but I like having them around. We usually just play board games and watch movies. I feel like the break was not very long at all.

I also will be starting my student teaching so I will be gone every day 7-4:30 so this is adding to my dread because I will not see them as much. The good news is that I will be home at night. NO MORE NIGHT CLASSES!!! I worry about who is going to take them their homework or projects when they forget it, who will pick them up when they are sick, how am I going to meet with their teachers or counselors when needed. I can only miss 4 days the entire time of student teaching and I don't like not being there for my kids. My heart really goes out to mothers who have had to work all of time. I just wish I had a little more time at home before this begins.

The Authority

2008-12-23T08:50:00.003-07:00

Yesterday at breakfast, Mikenna was yelling at Danielle and Kaitlyn. She tends to jump in whenever she can, but lately she has been instigating and being very ornery. She was talking back to me (I wonder where she has learned that) so I was done. I told her that she was being a total brat and that she needed to remember that Santa Clause was watching. There was only 3 days to prove that she could be good or she was going to get coal for Christmas.

Later Mikenna and Kaitlyn were in their room cleaning and Mikenna told Kaitlyn that she had a feeling she was going to get coal for Christmas. Kaitlyn asked why and Mikenna said "Remember Mom said I have been a total brat lately. And she has the authority." Just for the record I normally don't call my kids brats, but I was at my wits end.

Later that night Mikenna was telling John the story and afterward she said that Dad's have the authority too.

I really wish I had this kind of authority with all of my children. I miss this kind of innocence.

The Month of December

2008-12-22T14:27:00.006-07:00

I have been soooo busy this year. I can't believe Christmas is in 3 days. A lot has happened this month, but I haven't been had time to blog it.

December 6th: Winter Formal

Chelsea Davies asked J.J. to Winter Formal and they went with another couple. He agreed to let her pay for the date if he could pay for dinner. He decided to have dinner at our home and had my niece and her roommate cook. They had Italian food and a menu that they could pick from 2 different salads, a choice of 3 entrees, and 4 different desserts. The guys wanted a tour of Italy so they could have a little of everything. There was the best lemon chicken alfredo. Thanks Shalisa and Kia. We moved the living room furniture into the dining room and the dining room table into the kitchen. It turned out really pretty with all of the Christmas lights and candles.

It has been really hard for me to get into the Christmas spirit this year. I have been very melancholy. It has helped going to the parties this weekend. Thanks everyone. I haven't decorated very much at all, which I usually do. I am usually completely done with everything at least a week before Christmas and I am not even close to being done. It hit me at Thanksgiving that this is probably J.J.'s last holidays with us before his mission. I don't know if subconsciously I am postponing it or what, but I am really struggling with it this year. When we think of it, my girls get weepy, I get weepy, and we are a mess. I am trying to bring in the true spirit of Christmas and this has helped.

Going to Sacrament meeting yesterday helped. We had our Christmas program and the Dutton's song really touched me. John had to go to another ward after sacrament and after church, he said that someone's home in another ward in our stake burned down Saturday night. This really brought things into perspective for me. I have my family here and what else matters.

We are late doing some of our traditions because of my school, but we are still doing them. Here is a picture of our gingerbread house. It is usually done a few weeks ago, but we did it last week.
Another tradition that I love is the 25 days of Christmas. We sing a Christmas carol, read a scripture, and read a Christmas story each night with the birth of Jesus in the scriptures the last night. We modified it this year and are doing the 12 days of Christmas. This really helps us focus on the meaning of Christmas each day.

There are 3 days until Christmas and I am barely getting into it, but at least I am.

December Activites

2008-12-22T08:31:00.005-07:00

Since I have been so late in posting anything on my blog, I am going to do a recap of the month's activities.

Mikenna has been playing soccer. She loved it and had a good time. Her last game was Saturday.

Danielle had a Christmas choir concert. I missed this one because I was sick. :( I have been battling bronchitis. They are actually good they don't last long. She is also playing Volleyball. She has had a couple of games for the school and she is doing club volleyball too. Their first concert is the end of the month.

Kaitlyn also had a choir concert. She is in a Jazz choir and has fun in the class. Choir and Seminary are her only classes that are not honors. I loved this concert. It was the best one I have ever been to. There were intermission acts as the next choir set up and we knew the performers. The songs they sang were "Mary Let Me Hold Her Baby", "His Hands", and there was a piano solo "Silent Night". The choirs are incredible. It was nice to hear music that has a religious tone to it, but there were the fun ones too.

"Are You A Teacher Yet?"

2008-12-12T20:39:00.003-07:00

This is what Mikenna asked me on Monday night as soon as I walked through the door. I got out of class early on Monday because it was our last class. When I got home at 7:30 she was still up. As soon as I walked through the door, this was our conversation:

Mikenna - "Are you a teacher yet?"
Me - "What?"
Mikenna - "Are you a teacher yet?"
Me - "Ummm" me stalling trying to figure out what she is wanting to know when all of a sudden the light bulb goes on. "Oh, yes I did pass my tests." which I recieved a huge hug for.

To explain this I need to go back a month. I took 2 of my 3 required AEPA teacher certification tests on November 8th. When I got home that day after 8 hours of testing, Mikenna asked me if I was a teacher. I told her that I would not find out if I passed until December 8th and then I still had to do my student teaching in January. She does not care about that part, just the testing. We haven't discussed this anymore except for me telling John that I really didn't think I passed. I felt totally unprepared and so did the other 8 people from my class, but when I came home on Monday night - December 8th - she knew it was THE day.

So after my light bulb going on, I was amazed that my little 8 year old would remember this. She amazes me sometimes with what she can remember. She may struggle in some areas, but when it is important to her, she remembers it. Case inpoint: last week, she told me that on March 11th it will be 1 year and 1/2 year since Grandpa died. After I did my mental math I told her that she was right. Where does she come up with some of this stuff? We don't talk about it.

With her asking me if I was a teacher yet, and more importantly remembering the date, it made me realize how important it is to her, but how much she has missed me. She views it as the end of me being gone at night more often than not.

I also finished classes this week. So it has been a GREAT week. I am done with classes. What a huge stress relief both of these have been.

Kaitlyn's YW Medallion

2008-11-22T11:23:00.006-07:00

On November 19, Kaitlyn received her young women's personal progress medallion. She worked hard to be able to get it this year. I was scheduled to teach a lesson in my class that night, so I had to email my teacher to see if I could postpone it until the next class. She is a good teacher and is really nice about things like this. Some of my teachers don't seem to think that the 3/4 of us are that are married with families have lives outside of school, but fortunately, this one is flexible and accommodating. Anyway, I was able to go. Her adviser told her that she was going to video tape it if I couldn't be there.

Here is Kaitlyn getting her medallion with me putting it on her.

The leaders also had the mothers choose a flower that represented their daughter and they bought the flower . The mothers then went up and presented them to their daughter and explained why they choose it.I choose a lily for Kaitlyn because it's buds are tight and closed, but as they open they are beautiful. Kaitlyn is shy if you don't know her. When you do know her she is very open and is a beautiful girl. She talks to me about everything and tells me things that her friends can't believe.

I choose a Gerber daisy for Danielle. It was supposed to be hot pink, but they couldn't find a hot pink one. I choose a Gerber daisy because of all of the layers it has. Danielle is very complicated and has many layers to her. You look at her and she looks like a complete girly girl. She is always dressed up. On the other side she is the biggest tomboy. She loves sports, wrestling with her brother, and doesn't care if she gets dirty...as long as her hair doesn't get messed up : )

It was a great evening. The leaders did a great job. I know how much work and effort you guys put into it so thanks. Thanks especially to you leaders for being there for my daughters. I really appreciate it. Oh and there were really yummy treats too.

Achievement Recognition

2008-11-22T10:47:00.005-07:00

On November 11th, I was able to go with Mikenna to a Mother/Daughter activity day recognition. She had fun with her peeps and it was nice to be there as a Mom and not have to have Dad go or a surrogate mom go. Although I greatly appreciate it all the help I have received from family in being surrogate mothers when I am at school, it is nice to be there. Thanks Shalisa and Kia for going to the mother/daughter mutual night. I HATE (I usually don't use that word) missing their events. It has been one of the hardest things about being in school. Three more weeks of classes, but who's counting. Anyway, through all the ramblings I was glad I had the opportunity to go with Mikenna. She has been missing her mom time so it was nice to spend some time with her. They had the mothers fill out a form for the daughters and the daughters fill out a form for the mothers. My favorite ones that Mikenna filled out were:

What does your mom do when you are gone? School work.

If your mom became famous what would it be for? A singing star (I need to find that hidden talent)

How tall is your mom? 10 ft

What is something that makes you and your mom the same? Our toes.

Mikenna is so much fun. I love having her in our family. We are constantly laughing at something that she has said or done. Thanks for a great night.

19 years down - Eternity to go!

2008-11-18T09:59:00.011-07:00

John and I have been married for 19 years today. It's hard to believe. Time has gone by so fast. When he asked me to marry him, I told him I was scared because of all of the divorce I had seen in my family and his response was that "I'm not a quitter." It was the perfect thing to say. I didn't have a response because that is what it is all about. I have never written this down before, but it took me about seven years of marriage to completely trust that when we would argue he would not walk out. I suddenly realized that he is a man of his word and he honors his priesthood. He is not going to walk out because I don't agree with him. Sometimes he probably wishes I was still a little more like I was in the first seven years when I was afraid to voice my opinion, but he is the one that has given me the strength to do say what I feel.

The best times of my life being married to John. He is my best friend. When someone asks if you could do something with anyone in the world who would I do it with, I always want to do it with John. He spoils me and treats me like a princess. We can laugh and tease each other too. Thank you John for the best 19 years of my life. I love you more than words can say.

Lucky 7 Tag

2008-11-13T21:06:00.007-07:00

My niece and sister both tagged me. My first ever - I'm not sure I like this, but here goes. It definitely got me thinking.

7 Things I can do:
1. I can sew and make crafts. I used to sew dresses and skirts for the girls quite often, but not so much since school has taken over my life. I even made my shower curtain. I love to make crafts and create them. I will go to a store and see something I like and then go home and make it on my own.
2. I can cliff jump like no other. Before John and I started dating I was the first one to jump off the cliff at a singles activity. My highest is 100+ ft.
3. I can write an entire paper an hour before it is due and get an A on it. Just don't ask me what I learned from it.
4. I can cut my family's hair. I have my cosmetology license, but have never worked in a salon.
5. I can drive a stick shift without grinding the gears. (Better than John)
6. I can get lost in a book and not surface until I am finished with it. I have to finish it before I can do anything else.
7. I can play board games with the best of them. I win most of the time too. : ) Ask Kaitlyn or J.J.

7 Things I can't do:
1. I can't stand contention. It completely stresses me out.
2. I can't hold a grudge. Even if I am still mad, I will put it aside and get along.
3. I can't watch scary movies. I HATE them and will not watch them at all - even really intense ones.
4. I can't look over my left shoulder. I was in a car accident and had double whiplash and now I have permanent damage.
5. I can't balance on one foot. I have horrible balance.
6. I can't back down when I know that I am right - which I usually am. : )
7. I can't stand my children fighting.

7 Things that attracted me to John:
1. I could talk to him about anything. I told him all about my family before we started dating - He still asked me out too.
2. He would stop on the freeway and help ladies change flat tires. He did this twice while we were dating.
3. He would leave notes and flowers for me.
4. We would joke and laugh about everything.
5. His kindness he shows to women and children. He thought I had a baby the first time he met me and he was trying to figure out how to include me in the single adult activities. I was holding a friend's baby.
6. The way he made me feel like the most important person in the world - and still does.
7. The way he honored his priesthood - again and most importantly still does.

7 Things I most often say:
1. Let's go girls..oops sorry J.J. - I think it is self explanatory.
2. Go get a quarter. - We have a jar that the older kids have to put a quarter in for language, fighting, etc.
3. Did you ask to wear that? - Two teenage girls that wear the same size clothes.
4. I don't want to go to school. - Every Monday and Wednesday night before I leave for class.
5. Control yourself. - Ask Kaitlyn
6. Want to watch another? - We are addicted to tivo so we watch recorded TV at night and I will always ask John to watch one more.
7. Be quiet. I'm studying.

7 Celebrity Admiration
1. Audrey Hepburn - I love old movies. I have two A&E movie collections I watch when John is working nights.
2. Journey - I still love their music after all these years. Now my kids like them too and not because of me.
3. Andy Griffith - Quirky I know but he's just a good ol' guy. I love that he is in Brad Paisley's video "Waiting On a Woman".
4. Josh Groban - I love his voice.
5. Tim McGraw & Faith Hill - I think it's great that they are both famous and are still married to each other. This is important to me. It really bugs me when celebrities (or anyone) divorce so casually
6. Enya - I know. I know. I can relax and calm down when I listen to her music, but I really do like it.
7. Sandra Bullock - I'm not sure why, but I really like her movies and her acting.

7 Favorite Foods
1. Homemade Bread
2. Rodizzios - best restaurant ever. It's Brazilian style grill and in Utah.
3. Fresh Pineapple
4. King Crab
5. Cheesecake
6. Macayo's Green Corn Tamales
7. Coconut Cream Fruit Dip

7 People I Tag
1. Cheryl
2. Mari
3. Sarah Pace
4. Natalie (improvize)
5. Anne
6. Kelly
7. Lashelle

Happy Birthday John

2008-11-11T17:52:00.008-07:00

Here is J.J.'s song he made up for John.

"Happy Birthday to you.
Your house is a zoo.
Your children are monkeys
And they smell like it too."

Sometimes I'm sure he feels like we live in a zoo right now with everything that is going on, but he is great at accepting it. We have crazy schedules and he does most of the taxiing of the kids. He is a great dad. We had a dinner for him in between his work and volleyball for Danielle and activity days for Mikenna. J.J. made a German chocolate cake - one of his favorites - with vanilla ice cream - of course. We saw him for a total of 4 hours today. What a typical day.

John is a great provider for the family, (a quality that always was of most importance to my dad) a great dad, and an awesome husband that has always given me support in whatever endeavor that I have set my heart on. Like Marjorie Hinkley said "I am very grateful for a husband who always lets me do my own thing. . . . He never insists that I do anything his way, or any way for that matter. From the very beginning he gave me space and let me fly. What a man!" This has always summed up how I felt about our relationship. Thanks for all you do for me and our family.

Happy Birthday John!!!!

We love You!

Mixed feelings this morning - mourning?

2008-11-05T06:34:00.005-07:00

I seriously am saddened that McCain did not win. More specifically Palin. However, J.J. and Kaitlyn are wearing black to school today to mourn. There is a text going around to wear black to school if you are in mourning. Funny. I am tempted. : 0

I am overjoyed that Prop 102 won. Similar propositions won in Florida and it is ahead in California (but no official count). I think that this is huge.

Another First - Sort of

2008-11-04T18:33:00.002-07:00

I started work today. This is the first time I have worked since I have been married, but I did work a little for my Dad. I am working at EMECEC - East Mesa Early Childhood Education Center. What a mouthful. It is a special education pre-school and I work on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons as an aide and will sub for other aids as needed. I had so much fun today. They are a blast. I would love to teach in a classroom like this next year. This will only be until December because I also received my student teaching placement. I will start student teaching in January. I will be in a Kindergarten class for 8 weeks and a Communication Skills class for 8 weeks at Gold Canyon Elementary. I only have 4 more weeks of Classes... but who is counting.

First Vote

2008-11-04T18:19:00.003-07:00

J.J voted for the first time this year. What a time for him to vote too with so many firsts and the importance of Prop 102. I remember the first time I voted. J.J was already born. It is kind of surreal.

Now it is kind of fun with the excitement at home waiting and watching to see. Even Mikenna who voted in school is watching the news.

Halloween 2008

2008-11-02T10:40:00.018-07:00

I missed the ward trunk or treat because I was in school. They forgot to take picture so I made the older kids dress up again. As soon as the pictures were taken, they took of their costumes and then took Mikenna around. They were cute though. We had to modify the costumes because they are in the adult sizes and are short dresses. We made them shirts instead. I think they are cuter this way.

Mikenna was Supergirl although J.J. tried to convince her to be a gangsta with all the bling.

Danielle was a cute and sassy witch.

Kaitlyn was a twister go-go girl. We found the costume at Wal-mart and it went from there. She loved the boots and so did Mikenna.

For the first time in my life, I saw my mom dress up for Halloween. She looked good and said she had fun at the party they went to. When J.J. first glanced at the picture he asked who got their picture taken with Alice Cooper. This is my mom and step-dad Lonnie. Thanks guys my kids thought it was fun to see you like this.

Fall Festival

2008-11-02T10:02:00.008-07:00

We went to the school's fall festival and Mikenna loved it. Her favorite thing was the cart races. Sorry about the bad pictures. All I had was my phone.

Danielle is on student council and they put on a haunted house. They worked several days creating it and this is how she looked that night. For those of you that know me I don't like the scary stuff on Halloween. This is probably the only time that she has dressed scary.

At the end, we were able to go on a hay ride. It was one of the best Fall festivals that I have ever been to.

Excitement !!

2008-11-01T20:13:00.003-07:00

Kaitlyn and I just found a countdown calendar. We are both giggling like crazy teenagers. I wish I could record her just laughing. We had so much fun just watching the minutes. We seriously sat and watched the minutes go by. She is still laughing 5 minutes later. We had so much fun. We all can't wait. Tee Hee.

Twilight Anonymous

2008-10-21T08:29:00.004-07:00

I am a huge fan of Twilight. J.J. and Kaitlyn have read all of the books too. I am so excited for the movie to come out. If there is a midnight showing, I just may have to go. It would be the first one I would have gone to. J.J and Kaitlyn have gone to a couple at AMC when John has been working it.

Anyway, I was on my friend Cheryl's blog and took my first online quiz at Twilight Anonymous. I couldn't resist because it was Twilight. I found out I am most like.....

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

Happy 18th Birthday J J !!!

2008-10-17T08:21:00.039-07:00

I can hardly believe my baby is 18. I am in denial. It has gone by so fast.

I remember being so scared having you in ICU when you were born and now look at you 6'4". You were a 9lb baby with all of the premies that weighed 3 & 4 lbs. You looked so big. You were a fighter from the beginning.

I feel fortunate to be your mom and to watch you grow and come into your own. You have made us proud and have been such a joy to our family. I love you more than you can ever know, J.J. Thanks for being who you are. It wouldn't be the same without you -just girls. : )

I remember when he was three and I was feeding Kaitlyn in her high chair. J.J. asked me "Did Kaitlyn choose you?" and I didn't understand so I asked him what. I had to ask him twice what he meant and he was getting frustrated as he often does at my lack of comprehension. He finally asked "Did Heavenly Father let Kaitlyn choose you like he let me choose you?" I am still in awe over this event. I am honored and privileged. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I am forever glad that you chose me.

So here are 18 reasons why I choose you for the BEST son ever.

18. You have always been a good brother.

17. You love the gospel.

16. You have a good sense of humor and always make us laugh.

15. You are the only one with nicknames for everyone - Pops, Ma, Goose, Sasquatch, & Pork chop and you are the only one who can get away with using them.

14. You are honest.

13. You protect your sisters.

12. You let Pops beat you at Settlers.

11. You are almost as Good - Lookin as your Pops.

10. You run errands for us - even when you don't want to.

9. You want to do what is right.

8. You are a good example to others including me.

7. You are not ashamed to take your sisters places or do things with them.

6. You do what you are asked without complaining - even if you do not like it.

5. You honor your priesthood.

4. You are slow to anger.

3. You give us joy when we watch your sports and activities.

2. You are responsible.

1. You show your love to your family.

Happy Birthday J.J.
We love you!!!

Homecoming

2008-09-27T19:21:00.005-07:00

J.J. went to homecoming last weekend. He seemed to have a good time. A group of friends went to dinner and then to the dance. They had their big date the weekend before because there was a volleyball tournament the day of homecoming. The theme was "Game Over". I haven't quite figured it out, but their group all got jerseys and went to the dance. They are all good friends and hang out on a regular basis.

Forever Strong

2008-09-27T14:01:00.006-07:00

We just went to see a good movie as a family. Excel films - the producers of Saints and Soldiers - put out this movie. We received notice from an email about 6 weeks ago about it and encouraged us to go to it opening weekend so that it would stay in theaters. We also received an email from Deseret Book about it saying that although it is not affiliated with them they are supporting it so that more movies like this can be made. The more support they get the longer it can stay in theaters. They are trying to send a message to Hollywood that there is a need for good family films. We all really enjoyed it. It is based on a true story about a rugby coach that used to be a seminary teacher in Utah.

Here is the link to watch the trailer.

http://www.foreverstrongmovie.com/

We saw it at AMC 24 on Stapley and the Freeway. It isn't at very many theaters so you have to look for it. If you watch the trailer, there is a link there that will show the theaters that are showing it, but check first. It is worth watching.

Cousin's Reception

2008-09-18T09:42:00.016-07:00

On August 30, John had an niece (Kyia) and a nephew (Justin) that had a double reception. Justin married Kendra in California on the 20th (I think) and Kyia and Kyle were married on the 30th. To make things easier, they had a double reception in Glendale. Here are a few pics that I thought were cute.

Here are the Sisters dancing. J.J. didn't go because he thinks he has a social life and was at a party.

Uncle Orson (Father of the Justin & Kyia and John's brother) dancing with Mikenna. He always has so much fun with the kids and they love it.

Uncle Orson and Mikenna doing the twist.

Mikenna and Natalie (a cousin) dancing it up.

But this is my personal favorite. Thanks Natalie for another glamour shot. This is why she loves you so much though. You are so much fun.

All of the pictures are compliments of John. He was their photographer. If you want to see the rest of the wedding and reception pictures they are on his website.

Mikenna's Baptism

2008-09-18T09:02:00.006-07:00

I can't believe that Mikenna is old enough to be baptized. What a special day it was. I'm sorry to those that we should have invited. I am horrible at playing the host. I wanted to share with those of you that wanted to come and I didn't invite. Sorry.

I teach Mikenna's primary class and back in February, we had a lesson on baptism. In the lesson it was discussed that you only had to be a priest to baptize, but an elder to confirm. I also told how my brother baptized me and my dad confirmed me. From then on Mikenna wanted J.J. to baptize her and John to confirm her. J.J and Mikenna have a special relationship. There may be ten years difference, but they are buds. He is the only one that can call her "Goose".

On July 19, 2008, Mikenna was baptized by J.J. and confirmed by her dad. It is a special experience for a mother to watch her son baptize her daughter. It's what I like to call a "Mother Payday". There is always a special spirit at baptisms. It was a great day.

We had a little get together at our home afterwards. Thanks to all that came and to those that have said that they would have come if they would have known about it. I'll try to do better in the future.

Danielle's First Game

2008-09-16T14:20:00.003-07:00

The hardest part about being in school is missing the kid's activities. I was able to go to the first part of Danielle's first game but had to leave becuase I had to go to school. The score at the end of the inning was 10-10. They switch batting at 10. I texted John during class to find out how it turned out and I recieved this text from John

"Danielle hit the ball with two on base trailing 15-13. The second baseman over threw the first base man. Danielle ran to third as the other two scored. She passed third and went half way home challenging the catcher to throw it. The catcher finally threw it and Danielle ran home to score the winning run."

I asked if she pitched and she replied that "I came in the middle of the second inning I tagged a girl out at home and struck another out."

Sorry I missed it Danielle. Way to go. I'll be there Wednesday!

Our Life Right Now

2008-09-16T13:11:00.004-07:00

I started my last semester of school. It is a tough one, but at least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. They have played with my schedule and I had to go to school 3 days a week. One class ended last week so now I only have class 2 days a week. I also have to put in 60 hours of intern. I will student teach in January and graduate in May YAHHYYY!!! I think my family will be more excited than I will.

J.J. is a Senior at Higley High School. I can't believe he is graduating. Time sure flies. He is doing well and is taking Aviation through EVIT. It is actually through Chandler-Gilbert Community College and will receive 12 college credits.

Kaitlyn is a sophomore at Higley. She is doing good and is in several clubs including the Internal Club. Almost all of her classes are honors. She is doing well academically and of course socially. She loves music and is taking piano lessons too.

Danielle is in 7th grade. She is doing good at Chaparral. She is so social. She is spirit advisor for the school and is busy there. She is also busy with sports.

Mikenna is so fun. She is in 3rd grade and is doing good. She enjoys her teacher (she is a good one) and has just started girl scouts. She is taking piano lessons. She keeps us laughing and we never know where she comes up with her stuff.

John is busy at work. He is the senior detective at work. His photography has been going good. He is so good. If you want to check out his website it is www.johnmerrellphotography.com . It's nice for me to be able to get great pictures for such a great price. : )

9/11

2008-09-14T17:56:00.006-07:00

9/11 is such an important date for me on so many levels.

Well I can’t believe it has been one year. It has probably been of the hardest year of my life. 9/11 brings so many emotions for me and especially this entire week. I re-lived John receiving the call about my dad having a stroke and him just wrapping his arms around me when he hung up. I knew it was not good. I re-lived seeing my dad in the hospital. I re-lived saying goodbye. Going through all of this has been an emotional roller coaster this week, but I am eternally grateful for my testimony of the plan of salvation. I know I will see him again and will get that last hug that I never got. I know he is still up there looking out for me and as I have been told in blessings I now have two Fathers in Heaven looking out for me. There is a song I have found called “You Can Let Go” and it reminds me of this past year so much. I have the strength now that I feel like I can tell my Dad that he can let go and I will be okay. It still is hard and it hurts at times, but he needs to carry on with the work that he needs to do there. I still miss him immensely and probably always will.

9/11 brings back the surreal feeling of watching the twin towers and the pentagon. I will never forget the way that changed my life. I realized in that moment that if something was to happen closer to home, John could be called away. My heart will forever go out to the families that lost loved ones that day.

9/11 does have a shining star of meaning that I cling to. Nineteen years ago John asked me to marry him. September 11, 1989. I am grateful for him and that I can glean a bit of happiness from a day that has so much other meaning to it. He has brought so much into my life and I love him for it. Thanks John. I Love You!

I know it is not just me that this day affects. Kaitlyn had been talking to the seminary teachers how this one-day has so much meaning to our family. Mikenna is so affected by it that when she did a memorial project for school this past week, it was called “Kenna’s Remembrance Park”. It was dedicated to all who have lost their lives on 9/11. There is a playground etc. with a bench dedicated to Dewey Foutz. She has remembered the date all on her own. A few weeks ago she asked if we were going to Farmington on the 11th. The last sentence of her paragraph she had to write says I miss my grandpa. This pretty much sums up the past year.