Birthday Weekend

It was an eventful weekend filled with lots of birhtday celebrations. My mother-in-law and my stepmom both have the same birthday (Nov. 14) just a few years apart. So on Friday I cooked my mother-in-laws favorite dinner and Isaiah and I baked a "carnival" (marble) cake and we took it to their house. We had a great dinner and watched Kung Fu Panda on their new blue-ray player. I must say it was amazing! Of course, I forgot the camera so we didn't get to capture any of the fun memories. Isaiah loved baking the cake and then "helping" nana blow out the candles. We were all so busy talking that we will definetly have to watch Kung Fu Panda again...but it was a little freaky that a Kung Fu snake beat up a Kung Fu Panda! I of course got on my mother-in-law's good side by telling her "Well you may not be 50, but you are living your 50th year!" Just an FYI...Mother-in-laws really don't want to hear how old they are. However I think making the dinner made up for it! Next time I will have to bring the camera.
Then on Sunday we went to my Dad's house to celebrate my stepmom's bday and my dad's bday(Nov. 19th)! We had a delicious meal cooked by Cindy (my stepmom), enjoyed some homemade salsa by muah, some pomegrant jelly made by Craig & Beth, and black bottom pie a la Cindy, and of course some Costco Apple pie (I'm not into the pie makin thing yet, I barely know how to cook dinner)! It was a fun-filled evening with lots of awesome company! It was pretty funny watching Mark get the dog's tennis ball out of the tree with the end of the broom and listening to Hope's Shrilly screams everytime she saw the dogs! But I did remember the camera, so here are a few pics.

My brother, Mark and nepehew, Alex


Cindy sporting the new hat, gloves, and scarf we bought her.....we decided it was better for everyone if she didn't wear the hat!!!


Birthday woman waitin for her turn to open the presents


Dad sportin the Scarf and Hat we gave him


Dad opening his presents


So in conclusion, I think November is an awesome month because there are some pretty amazing people born in November. And we love all of them so much and are so very grateful and Thankful for everything the continually do for us. They are a blessing to everyone they encounter!

Happy Halloween!!!!

We had a GREAT halloween! We dressed up Hope as Minnie Mouse and Isaiah as a red Power Ranger. They looked adorable. We started off the day getting the kids dressed up (including Alex, my nephew, as Shrek). Then we headed to the doctors office, where they were just in love with all the kiddos costumes. We then went to my mom's work, cause she likes to show off her grandkids. The girls at her office were especially in love with Shrek! We then came home to take a little hour break before we were off again to the Fall Festival at the church. It was awesome and when Ryan went to pay for Isaiah's wristband the lady told him,"the last person in line left $5 for the next person and you are the next person, you've been blessed!" That made the night...God is so Awesome! They had like a million jumpers for the kids to go in and they gave each kid a bag of candy...not Alex, too little, or Hope, allergic to the world! They had games to play and Isaiah got so many prizes. He had a blast! It was so awesome to see everyone's costumes...even the adults dressed up...I went as MOM, Ryan went as DAD. Funny we wake up in our costumes every morning!!! We then went to my mom's to pass out candy and trick-or-treat a little. This is Isaiah's first trick-or-treating experience and it went VERY VERY VERY well. So Well that he would like to go trick-or-treating everyday. At his first house he was afraid to ring the doorbell, then when they answered his arms went flappin and he very excitedly said "trick ooooo treat". It was the best! We couldn't take him all around the neighborhood because they had this very grusome car crash scene set up and a mannicane hanging from the light post!!!! I later went with my brother to check it out. It was very hauntily halloweeny, but one disturbing thing....they had a pumpkin eating a BABY!!! What in the world, HELLO, that is NOT OK! But at the end of the night I got to snuggle with my kiddos and I asked Isaiah "what was your favorite part?" He said, "the jumpy things mom, we should get one!" Can't wait to see what next year will be like!


This jumper was huge. Isaiah lost his boot while climbing to the top and he was in tears at the bottom..."but DAD I NEED MY BOOT." We had a very kind man who went up the jumper with his son and found Isaiah's boot and brought it down! Thank goodness, we could not have survived without it!


This was Isaiah and Ryan waiting in line for the Noah's ark Jumper!


Isaiah hit it right on the Bullseye


I think the golf club was a little big for him....or maybe his 'muscles' were in the way!


"Yea, look at me I'm flyin high"


He loved the jumpers. I think he went in at least 10 of them!


My nephew, Alex, dressed as Shrek


The RED Power Ranger!!!! Look at those muscles


Minnie Mouse....look at that little smile, So cute!

Family Pictures

We took family pictures today! It was a little difficult because Hope was not the best smiler and my back was killing me (I have two bulging disks), but they turned out really good. Here is a little recap:


My BROTHER, NICOLE, & ALEX


THE THREE GRANDKIDS


Isaiah


Hope


THE WHOLE FAMILY


MY MOM AND MEME


MEME AND GRANDPA


ISAIAH


HOPE


OUR FAMILY


THE FOUR GENERATIONS

Isaiah's Birthday Party

We had an absolutely beautiful party for Isaiah on Sunday. Nana graciously offered up her home for us to have the party. She made a wonderful spread of food. We had BBQ Briskit sandwiches and some awesome potatoe soup. It was a beautiful day so we got to enjoy their backyard which backs up right next to the foothills of the mountains. The whole family was able to make it and also Grandma and Grandpa Merkel from Nebraska were here visiting. It was just a wonderful day filled with great food, family, and a very excited Isaiah. Here are a few pictures to help capture the day!


So excited about his presents....He is spoiled rotten!


More presents!!!


Poppy and Alex....My Dad really hates being a Poppy, can you tell?


Four Generations...Grandpa Merkel, Papa Merkel, Ryan, and Isaiah


Grandma Merkel sharing a special walk with Hope, Hope doesn't just walk with anybody...she really must like Grandma Merkel


Hope and Alex....Who do you think would win in a fight?


Time to blow out the candles


"I am so excited!" His bird flappin wings came out quite a bit that day!!!

Happy 5th Birthday Isaiah!!!!!

So it's my precious Isaiah John's 5th birthday today! Ahhhh-I have a 5yr old! Isaiah is so excited that he is "a whole hand old." So here is a little update. He is getting taller by the day and he weighs 40lbs. He loves doing school, especially learning bible verses, and loves to play soccer. He is my little snuggle bug. He loves to tease his sister, help cook in the kitchen, and play outside with daddy! He makes the cutest expressions (his cheesy grin, his "bird wings", his 'i da know' look, and many more) and he uses his hands when he really wants to get his point accross. He is very into power rangers, mickey mouse, and board games. Each year gets more fun (and sometimes challenging) with my little guy. I am so blessed to have such a beautiful, kind, caring, and imaginative son. This morning we made a birthday cake and he was so excited. We planned a family party for Sunday, so more pics to come soon. For now this is him with his cake!




Of course, we had to take him to chuckie cheese to play games tonight. We first tried Peter Piper Pizza which is much better pizza than chuckie cheese, but they were having some sort of YAFL picture thingy, so it was pure caos! Anyway he had a blast playing games. Then we went to grammy's to open presents and blow out candles.

Hope had a blast on these little rides. She would just laugh and laugh!

Ready to play some games!

Blowin out the candles!

I love dominos!!!

Pumpkin Patch

We took the kids to McCall's pumpkin patch on Sunday. It was so much fun! They had so much to do. They have a petting zoo, a pumpkin launch, a giant tube slide, a pillow jump, a cow train, duck races, a hayride, and of course pumpkin picking. It was awesome. Isaiah had so much fun! He had the most fun picking out his pumpkin. He was so proud. Now everyday he walks outside to make sure the pumpkins are ok. So after all the disappointment on Saturday, it was so nice to see him so excited and have so much fun. We are going to make it our yearly tradition. Here is a little slide show! I had so many pics that it was just easier to create a slideshow.

Disappointment But FUN too!

So we attempted to take Jenn to the Balloon fiesta on Saturday morning, but it was a no-go. The weather did not permit. The attempted to blow up the HUGE stagecoach, but it did not even get up, but Isaiah enjoyed watching them try. We did eat some fantastic breakfast burritos. Then we came home to take a nap before Isaiah's soccer game. We drove to the soccer field only to find out that the came was to be canceled. They canceled it just in time for us to get drenched by the pouring rain and a little windblown. So after seeing Isaiah's disappointing face at the balloon fiesta and mommy wanting to cry because he looked so sad, I had to explain to him why he was all dressed and ready for a game he was not going to get to play. I felt like crying because he was so sad. However, his frown turned upside down when Poppy and Grandma took us out for chocolate cake!!! We were then driving home through knee deep water to find a little old man walking in the pouring rain with his walker. So of course we stopped to pick him up. We took him home and he told us that he just wanted to get a haircut but his daughter wouldn't take him, so he thought he would walk. It was a VERY long walk! Long for me and I don't even have a walker! So we got home and changed out of our drenched clothing and played a little wii mario cart. Then Jenn and I went out to dinner with my mom. Jenn had to have her green chili and real mexican food. So here are a few pictures. I love my BFF (or sister from another mother)! We had so much fun!




Jenn And Me

I love my BFF!

Silly ladies! We love our green chili!

Balloon Glow

So my Bff came from Utah to visit me and see the balloon fiesta. She came in on Thursday and we went to the Special Shapes glowdeo. It was so fun! The kids loved it. Well Hope just sat back and observed, but Isaiah was soooo excited. He loved counting down to the Glow and he was constantly saying, "Mom did you see that one, oh and that one." It was a blast. This was the best year so far. It was a good thing we went to the glow to because that was the last one of the balloon fiesta. The weather was too windy and cold for them to glow or for the mass assencion on Sat. and Sun. Personally I think they should move it to the end of September because every year this happens. Well here is a little slide show of the glow.

Soccer Pics

Here are some pics of Isaiah's soccer games! 4yr old soccer is very entertaining! They run in heards and score in whatever goal they can, and they get so distracted! It is very entertaining! Isaiah loves it so much though and all week he talks about it and "Who's coming to my game this weekend mom?"

Bad Blogger

Ok so I know I have been horrible blogger girl lately, but life has got the best of me. I had every intention of posting pics of Isaiah's first soccer game, but We lost the camera. Well it is now found and I will post pics soon. It has been an eventful week. I started getting a little cold last Tuesday and then it caused an asthma exacerbation, which caused me a trip to the urgent care, only to be diagnaosed with a severe asthma exacerbation brought on by pneumonia. I guess I waited a little too long to go to urgent care for that "little cold" I thought I had. Ryan was traveling for work and I thought I could wait till friday, but my mama insisted I go to the Urgent care while she watched the kiddos on thursday night. And thank God she did or I would have ended up in the hospital. I have suffered from Asthma for 17 years, but this is the worst exacerbation I have had in years. I am now on round two of prednisone and some serious doses of antibiotics. I have only had to do the nebulizer twice today, so I am improving. It is so hard to be "down" when you are use to running like a mad woman to take care of the house and kids. However, I wouldn't miss my little guys soccer game on Saturday. I dragged myself to the field with 101 fever and coughing up a lung. I couldn't even walk accross the field without taking my inhaler, but hey I got to see the game. And it was worth it when we got in the car and Isaiah said, "mama, thanks for coming to see me play even though you don't feel good." Yes-he does notice! I just started to cry...he is the sweetest boy ever. Hope finally got her third tooth on top and now she has a fourth one on top coming in too. She has two on bottom also. So poor Ryan had to deal with a cranky girl this weekend. He was so awesome. He went and got me movies and made multiple trips to the store to get my medicine and tea and whatever else I needed. He is amazing! So we have been busy bees around here, but I promise I will post pics soon!