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!

Eventful Weekend

I can't believe it's already Monday. The weekend flew by. We started the weekend by spending all day looking for a homeschool desk for Isaiah. We couldn't find one ('the one') we liked. Well we were headed to church and while driving there Hope let out a massive scream and started to cry hysterically. So I told Ryan 'pull over the car something isn't right.' Well when I went to the backseat I discovered a little baby girl with the left side of her face covered in hives and red bloches! Isaiah had been drinking a carton of chocolate milk and must have flung the straw or something at her. So I went to get her out of the carseat and she was burning up. I gave her benadryl (to prevent the anaphylaxis) and just held her for awhile till she calmed down and the hives went away. We obviously weren't going to church now, so we headed home while I sat in the backseat with Hope to make sure she didn't stop breathing or something from all her lovely allergies! So when we got home she was still burning up, so I told Ryan off to Urgent Care we go. My dad and stepmom were so nice to watch Isaiah over night for us, so we didn't have to drag him to urgent care. Well by the time we got there she had 101 degree fever and was covered in snot!!! Well we, suprisingly, were not there for long. Her official diagnosis was a Very Bad Ear Infection, With lots of fluid and LOTS of congestion. So off to walgreens to fill the prescription and finally to bed at almost midnight....only to wake up every hour for the rest of the night with Hope. My poor little girl! Then I woke up Sunday and I had to go grocery shopping because it was the only day I had and we were left eating crumbs if not! After grocery shopping we headed to my dad's house in the mountains for some R&R and to pick up Isaiah of course! We were sitting outside and I gave Hope some crackers and she stuck one on the table and then back in her mouth and then my brother says, "did she have those red spots on her face before?" Yes, ladies and gentleman another allergic reaction. There was dried yogurt on the table and Hope stuck her cracker in it right before she put it in her mouth. So we watched her for a little bit because I didn't want to give her anymore drugs. She was already on motrin and antibiotics. So her spots went away and we ate dinner. We were cleaning up and Ryan brings Hope in and she is getting hives again all over her face. So I thought we will watch her.....nope, within seconds her face started to swell and very quickly get covered in red bloches and hives. So she got a little dose of Benadryl and then was slowly back to normal. My gosh people....three reactions in 24hrs. AHHHH! Well we ended the night playing some Wii Mario Kart and Hope crashed out in my arms! My poor baby girl, Please pray she outgrows this! So I put a few pics of the weekend.
~Isaiah wanted to eat by himself in this chair, he was exhausted from being spoiled rotten all weekend!~
~My dad finally got to hold and play with Hope after it took her forever to warm up to him~
~Take two of the cuteness~
~The boys(Ryan, Craig, and Mark) playing Mario Kart on the Wii~
~This is how Hope woke up Sunday morning...Her left eye stuck half shut and her nose was covered/closed with boogies....But she is still smiling! One day she will kill me for posting this pic!~
Here's to a week of no more allergic reactions and healthy kiddos!

First Day of Kindergarten

So the Homeschooling began! Yesterday was our first day of Kindergarten! I was a nervous wreck...I know Kindergarten how tough can it be....I guess I am just worried about failing. It went very well though. It took us only 40min and Isaiah was a great student. We learned about the bible, the letter 'I' and the sound it makes, colors, and the numbers 1-3. He already knows the colors and numbers so that was a piece of cake! I am sure it will get tougher, but by God's grace I will succeed! I am just really looking forward to the field trips! J/K Here are a few pictures of Isaiah today at his "desk" (temporarily until we get him a new one). I was a bad mom and forgot to take a picture of him yesterday...the official first day of kindergarten. Please forgive me!

Watching Alex

So I started watching my nephew Alex last week. Let me tell you getting up at 6am every morning is not fun, but he is a joy to watch. Hope had a LITTLE adjustment, getting use to Alex getting Mama's attention. They are so cute together. She watches his every move, she has to always see him. And for her naps...she waits till she exhausts herself from watching his every move before she falls asleep! Isaiah has been a great big help too! It's actually been a lot easier than I thought, however I am sure that will change when Alex becomes mobile! I took them out last week because I had a DR appt and then to meet my dad...let me tell you how people looked at me and the things they said to me. Their jaws dropped when I said "their 9 1/2 mos apart". Then I would wait a minute and then tell them that he's not mine. All around it is a "fun and yes challenging-at-times experience." Here is a little picture of how difficult Alex is to take care of!

Saturday August 16th

So this weekend Ryan's brother Kenny and his family were in town. We went to see Nana and Papa's new house and visit with Kenny and the fam. The new house is absolutely beautiful. So much room for the kids to run around and a beautiful backyard for Isaiah to exhaust himself in. It is just magnificent! We had a delicious meal of steak, baked potatoe, rolls, salad, and the most delicious sauteed mushrooms (and I don't like mushrooms). Nana and Julie always outdo themselves cooking. It's always delicious. I really should come over earlier, so they can teach me their secrets! (I was too busy sleeping from working the night before...really who needs sleep) Ryan's mom found the boys' old Heman and thundercat toys, so Isaiah and Nana had fun washing them off in the backyard and then we ALL played with them. Brings back so many memories! To think Isaiah is playing with Ryan's old action figures!!!! Oh and they also found the boys' old baseball cards, so Isaiah will get those later too. I think their was a little controversy on where exactly some of them went. We are convinced that Nana and Papa sold them to buy the new house......Just Kidding! Jackson and Hope loved talking to each other....of course that was after Hope stopped screaming....she really needs to learn how to make a better impression! J/K And of course we ended the night watching Michael Phelps swim for his eighth Gold Medal....It was so awesome. I think all of us were on the edge of our seats! All around we had an awesome time. Of course, that's how it is at The Merkel Fam! But we did miss Ted and Cassie :( I think we may need to go on a road trip to visit OKC, OK!

Ryan holding his handsome nephew/godson Jackson
My beautiful girl, Hope, crawling all over the floor! She took four steps for the first time Sat. !!!
Julie holding Jackson who is chewing on an Old School BatMan toy!
Isaiah (in Kenny's old Nebraska Huskers sweater) cleaning off the toys with Nana
Papa and "the boys" playing with the old action figures. BTW...Check out Jackson's slippers...Love em'
Can't wait to see Kenny, Julie and Jackson again. Miss you already!