Santa knew just what to bring Megan and Melanie...and they loved the horses and cowgirl gear! Megan has been asking for a fake horse/real horse for years...we have probably over 10 play horses and a few of them with broken off legs! So this Christmas was definately a fun Christmas for both the girls! Megan has enjoyed going up and feeding Grey and riding him. We put Meg on one day bare back for a quick ride and she informed me that she likes "driving the horse better" in other words with a saddle and reigns ect... As for Melanie she loves being able to say "Yee-Haw" while riding Grey and making him stop by saying" Whoa There". The roping ropes were also sent by Santa the girls have been using shoe strings as their laso's for their play ponies. So Christmas day they definately felt like real Cowgirls!

Christmas Eve...

Christmas Eve so jam packed full of happenings...

Service Project for Aunt Marilyn!

The Treasure Hunt to find GREY!

Decorating Santa's Cookies!

Mexican Fiesta Dinner!

Hay Ride, singing Christmas Songs!

Recreating the Nativity Scene!

Then Santa Came!
It as a fun day of family, cousins and fun!

Treasure Hunt Finding GREY!

Santa had to drop off a large package Early Christmas Eve, so we created a little treasure hunt with packages and clues that lead them up to Grandma and Grandpa Thomas's where they finally found Grey! Grandma wanted the kids in the right cowboy spirit so they were decked out with cowboy hats, and sherriff badges.The cowboy cousins had a blast and loved finding and riding Grey! Grey is 15 years old and isn't bothered by much he will be perfect for the kids to learn how to ride!

Family Christmas Pictures

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Pete, Brittany, Megan, Melanie,

and baby boy Merrill

*24 weeks prego

REASONS to CELEBRATE...

Early December was a semi-stressful time for the Merrill Family as Pete was studying for
Part III of his Boards, while I was studying for my finals for school.
And now we definately have reasons to celebrate!
Pete successfully completed and PASSED his Part III Boards! Way to go PETE!
And I have successully passed and recieved my AA Degree! Wahoo!
Thank you to all the family and friends that have been so supportive through all of this we love you and appreciate you so much...couldn't have done it with out you!

Wrapping up Fall...

In St. David we enjoy the many tree's that give us shade but unfortunately in the fall we have lots and lots of leaves to clean up! This year the leaves fell kinda late...yet we got them all cleaned up! Here are some fun pictures of the girls and my mom's dog "Allie" having fun getting buried with leaves in the back of old copper. After the leaves piled up the girls thought it would be fun to jump off the top of the truck cab into the back of the truck with the leaves. After a few jumps I realized they were leaving dents in the cab...sorry grandpa Gibson!

Thanksgiving 2008

I am playing catch-up here! This last picture is of my second grader in her Indian gear that she made in class for their "BIG FEAST"!

Thanksgiving this year was in Queen Creek at Jill and John's house. They were fabulous hosts with wonderful food and a table decorated and set for royalty! I was able to go down a day early with the girls and help with some of the baking...it was so much fun! We also dragged Jill and
John out to go "Black Friday" shopping at 3am! We hit some rockin' deals and were back at the house by 7am! It was a great weekend to relax and enjoy family!

IT'S A BOY!!!

We had to wait 45 mins in the doctor's office... it seemed like FOREVER! It was well worth the wait, we are so excited to announce that we are having a BOY!!! I had a feeling it was a boy but wondered if it was just me hoping for a boy. We've waited a long time for this little boy my mom thinks we prayed this little boy here, and I have to agree! What a sweet blessing!
I enjoyed window shopping for crib bedding, car seats, clothes, and blankets! Having a boy in this family is a new adventure and will need lots of fun shopping trips to get ready!

So Thankful for Baby #3!!!

So we are happy to announce that we are finally expecting #3! We have waited so long for this little one, and we are so very grateful for this very, very BIG BLESSING! I am now 20 weeks (half way there) and we will be finding out in a week if it is a BOY or GIRL! The girls are so excited and are very ready to have a new sibling. Pete is very sweet and every day is thrilled to have a wife that has a big belly. Pete took pictures just yesterday of my 20 weeks belly. If you can't tell by my belly, you can sure tell by my cheeks! I am due April 15th 2009, stay tuned next week to hear if its a boy or girl...what do you think it is?

Thankful for my Best Friend

I am so thankful for husband, eternal companion, and best friend! Pete and I will be celebrating our 9th anniversary this December 30th! It has been such an exciting ride through the highs and lows! We have spent these past nine years as students, juggling school, many different jobs, and a large variety of church callings! Pete is such a hard worker getting through school with a family. I appreciate him more than ever and I realize the sacrifices he has made to always make his family a #1 priority. He still makes my heart skip a beat and is my heart throb! He is a wonderful husband, father and my best friend!

Thankful for Meg & Mel

I love these kids so much, I am so thankful that they are apart of our family!

Megan is growing up so much and surprisies me all the time! She lately has been such a big helper ...she willing asks if I need help with dinner, cleaning the house, or laundry! She is so tender hearted and thoughtful and I so thankful for her sweet spirit! Melanie keeps us laughing everyday with her creative ideas. Melanie loves to be with her mom and she is my little buddy during the day. I am thankful for her sweet companionship! I never thought I could be so attached to these little girls!

So Thankful for FAMILY!

A few weekends ago we were in the Pheonix/Mesa/Queen Creek area for a jam packed family fun. We were able to attend the temple with my family and do some sealings, it was so special to have most of my family together in the temple. Saturday afternnoon we met up at Ben and Cheryl's for Brayden's Baptism and a family luncheon. Sunday we were with Pete's family for the blessing of John and Jill's sweet miracle baby Paisley. Afterwards we enjoyed the afternoon visiting with family with a yummy lunch.
I can't express how full my heart was that weekend, to have it so full of sealings, blessings, baptism, and family. The church is such a big part of my life and my families lives! It is such a peaceful feeling to know we are all striving to progress in the same direction to become an eternal family!

Happy Halloween!

We enjoyed the warm Az weather for Halloween...after living in Iowa and Wyoming I am always thankful when I don't have to worry about bundling up my kids on Halloween. Megan begged for "Princess Belle" last year and the costumes were sold out so this year we bought our costumes back in early September! She was thrilled and loved the wig! AS for little Melanie was Tinkerbelle and loved having wings for a night! She kept sprinkling pixie dust on us as well as "Koda" our beloved dog. We had cousin Hailey down and we were able to all go to the Trunk-N-Treat at the school on the football field. I love how safe I feel there with my kids. There were many trunks with games as well as treats and it was a lot of fun for the kids! Pete and I enjoyed visiting with friends and friendly faces we don't see often enough even though we all live in the same town. Neeless to say October came and went way to fast this year ... on with November!

Fall Family Vacation 2008

Lego Land

We enjoyed a break from the craziness of life in SUNNY San Deigo earlier in October. Pete had a podiatry conference scheduled there and so we planned to make it a family get away about 9 months ago. We were able to stay in my Aunts beach house in Coronado and enjoy a 4 day weekend get away! The weather was sunny, warm and perfect! We enjoyed a day at Lego Land with Pete and then the girls and I enjoyed a day at the beach and a day at Sea World! It was fun vacationing in October... all the parks were decorated and had different events for Halloween for the kids. We were also able to see Mark Holly and thier cute boys (friends from DMU), and family, the Goldbergs. The Vacation was well worth the wait, thanks Pete your the best!

Lego Land was so fun and perfect for the girls and their ages. All of the figures were build from original legos...amazing! We went on a weekday and there were no lines and beautiful weather!Thanks Jill for the recomendation, good job!

SPOOKTOBER at Sea World

The girls and I spent a day at Sea World while poor Pete had to be in workshops and lectures all day! We really felt bad yet at the same time it was so much fun! We were there on the kick - off of the October festivities for Sea World which they called Spooktober. The girls were able to go trick or treating at different locations around the park, and the whole place was decorated and ready to go for Halloween. It was so much fun...our favorite was the Sea Lion show...they had a special show where the sea lion's trick or treated and even did thier own version of Micheal Jackson's "THRILLER". It was so entertaining we watched it twice! The girls were so grown-up and good for me. It was wierd to be walking around with my two big girls...NO STROLLER! Thanks Megan and Melanie for a fun day!