Boys Jeepin', Girls Chattin', Cousins Playin'

For President's Day the guys had planned a Jeepin trip in Tucson. So the girls decided that we would have some fun too! So everyone met down in SD for a day full of "Country Fun". After Megan read "Country Mouse & City Mouse" she informed us that her cousins were the "City Mice" and she was the "Country Mouse". How cute! She really does love the country livin'.

We had lunch, and visited while the Merrill cousins enjoyed the weather and played outside and even rode Gray and chased the sheep up at Grandpa T's.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The week before Valentine's Day was fun for the girls and I...

Megan and Melanie were into the Valentine Spirit and reminded me of all the people we love and needed to show that we loved them! So we made Valentines packages for all the cousins and grandma and grandpa's and even a few friends we miss from Iowa! Then we baked up goodies so we could fill jars full of love to give to our home teaching and visiting teaching families within our ward family here in SD. It was a busy week but we had fun doing it!

On V-day Feb. 14th was also the Gila Valley Temple Ground Breaking Ceremony! We woke up and took the girls to the satilite broadcast at the stake center. What a sweet way to spend Valentine's day...with my eternal family whom I love, while witnessing a temple come to southern Arizona and closer to us! We enjoyed the ceremony and felt the sweet spirit and excitement of having a temple closer ... what an amazing answer to so many prayers!

The next day was Stake Conference where I had been asked to share my testimony and speak on the importance of temples and families. I am grateful for parents who taught me and showed me by example the importance of temples while I was young. I pray that I might be able to do the same for my children so that we too can become an eternal family. I am grateful for the opportunity (as tramatic as it was) to gain a stronger testimony of these eternal truths.

Peyton's Baby Blessing!

February 1st was my sister Brianna's daughter's baby blessing! Peyton Ella Hatch! We drove to Safford for the big event and enjoyed witnessing Peyton's sweet blessing given by her dad Tyler! Afterwards we enjoyed a fun family lunch and visited...it was a fun afternoon! Peyton is a sweet addition to the little Hatch family and Brianna is now having fun dressing her little girlies up!

28 weeks & January

Well here I am at 28 weeks!
January flew by! I took advantage of my free time and rested and relaxed from the Holidays!
I curled up on the couch and finally dove into the "Twilight" series everyone has been talking about. It was nice to be reading for fun and not as an assignment... 3 weeks later I finished up all 4 books! I am embarrassed to admit that I have been "bitten" and enjoyed the books.
Other January tasks have included:
*Getting the baby's room ready!
*Quilting a baby quilt!
* Primary, Primary, Primary!
* Ordering Track equipment!
* Working on Track workouts & meets!
Time is going by too fast and I am trying to get ready for the busy spring!

It does snow in Arizona!!!

The girls were able to enjoy fresh snow of almost 3 feet up in Pinetop at Grandma Merrill's in December. We were up for Pete's Grandma Beverly's funeral and stayed to spend time with family for a few days and ring in the new year. Meg and Mel enjoyed building snowmen, snow sled ramps and everything else that had to do with snow ...with their cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandma and grandpa. It was a good visit.

Big Time SLEDDING!

Megan and Melanie loved sledding on the BIG MOUNTIAN! They were fearless and loved every minute of it! The girls couldn't get enough of the snow while we were in Pinetop!

Grandma Beverly's Funeral

Pete's Grandma Beverly passed away a few days before Christmas. It was sad to see her go so suddenly yet good to know she was at peace free from pain and with her sweetheart again Grandpa Gib. Beverly was such a sweetheart that always tried to keep family ties close as an important priority. I will also remember her for her yummy fruit salad and her love for shopping and flare for fashion! She will be missed greatly and we will have her Christmas ornaments that she gave us each year as a treasure to remember her spirit of giving at Christmas time.
We didn't get any pictures at the funeral but we went out to eat that night, and spent the rest of the week in Pinetop to be with family and ring in the new year!

Cowgirl Christmas!

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?