Sunday, October 2, 2011

9 months later...

So apparently the lag time on blog posts is 9 months when you have 7 kids 9 and under. (yes, I've been researching this first-hand.)

I promise at least a few good catch-up posts full of all our summer exploits (for all 5 of my readers - hi, guys).

For now, here are a few pics of Emma, who is now NINE months old! It's like a before and after photo fest. Also she's just too precious. (in our totally unbiased opinion. Also I seem to love parenthesis.)

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Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos


Needless to say, we all love her!

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Christmas Delivery

Emma Lynne Merrill
born December 18, 2010
7 pounds 11 ounces
20 inches
pure sweetness!

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Her siblings are so excited to finally meet her!
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Grandma got to be here for her birth
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Our nativity was extra meaningful with our own newborn to love and celebrate
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Of course Christmas was fun
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but our new little Emma is the best Christmas gift our family has ever had!
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Saturday, July 24, 2010

Summer (mostly) fun

The past few months have been busy, just for a change of pace..
We packed up the house and moved 35 miles north, wondering the whole time if this was really worth it. (drive 80 miles in traffic on I-15 for a few days in a row and I think you'd reach the same conclusion we did!)

So we're now settled in our cozy little spot in the salt lake valley, with a great big view and a tiny little backyard. We unpacked the important stuff and then strangely ran out of motivation and left the nonessentials in boxes in the storage unit, I mean, garage.

Otherwise, the summer has been full of kiddie fun. Grandma came to visit for a week and we loved having her here! Lots of swimming, bbqs, and family time.

Here's a pic-loaded rundown of our latest adventures!

Micaela and Rachel have taken up a restaurant game, and I'm usually the beneficiary! We like to encourage service.. :)
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Lizzie turned 7 and had a lowkey mid-move birthday party..
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We squeezed a 12 foot trampoline in the backyard - it barely fit wall to wall! (thanks, Grandma!)
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Lots of swimming and splashing, of course
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We got to see our good friends the Kemps for a bit as they came through Utah!
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And of course, the summer basics - we visited Mars
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And held a 15 foot snake
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We've been enjoying the view from our patio:
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and the view from up high
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Since this is utah and pioneer day is as big as the 4th of July, we had to make a stop at the pioneer park - the kids had a blast, and then we spent the night recovering from heat stroke. :) It was 103 that day - good planning on our part!
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Joseph had to ride in the handcart
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All in all, a successful summer so far!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Happy Birthday Joseph

Look at this face

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Can't you just feel the joy that radiates from this sweet little guy? He has brought so much extra love and happiness to our family this year. Even the older kids all agree - Jojo is the sweetest babe ever. We're so happy he's part of our family.

He had a great first birthday - the kids blew up about 50 balloons and surrounded him in a baby balloon pit.. we let him destroy all the magazines.. and the crayon boxes.. good baby times. He loved this play table! (ok, we got it out of storage - by the 6th kid you end up recycling some toys! hey, it's new to him..)

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He liked the candle more than the cake. We had a semi-dangerous moment here. Absent minded mommy + one year old baby + burning flame = not a good plan.

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Nice one.

He made a respectable one year old mess

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And he had some help with his presents

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We love you, Joseph! Happy 1st Birthday!

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He's done!

I've gotten a little behind with the blog lately (not that that's anything new), but the fact that we have these pictures forces my hand..
Congratulations on finishing business school, Jason!

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That fifth degree is quite an accomplishment! ;) Let's play unscramble Jason's initials... BABEMEMMSMBA

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A few more family pics from the same day

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It's been quite an interesting 2 years for our family, but I'm sure we'll look back with fondness on this, um, wonderful student-family experience. Then again, it may just become a blur with all the.. other.. student-family experiences we've had! :)
Congrats, Jason!

Welcome to Alaska

I mean Utah in the spring...

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April 30th sledding anyone?

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Day!

Micaela was baptized last week!

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It was a very happy day. We were all so excited for her, and she was just beaming the whole time. We're so proud of her choices and the girl she is becoming.

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I can't believe our oldest is 8. Time really does fly.
Congratulations, Micaela!