I realized I haven't blogged about the biggest change in our life lately...Pat's back in school. West Metro Fire Department puts all of their firefighters through Paramedic School. It's incredibly INTENSE because it's normally a 2 year course they complete in 6 months. He goes to school everyday, all day, and spends the evenings and weekends hiding in our room studying. I'm so proud of him! I can't imagine having to learn everything they have to know so fast! I never realized everything Paramedic's are required to know. They are basically ER doctors on wheels. They spend countless hours learning cardiology, they have to know every possible drug and med known to man and every way to treat ANYTHING all in the back for a car! He's working incredibly hard and has done very well thus far!

Well....

It is well known, really throughout the world, that we have beautiful children! My uncle Brad took these amazing pictures over Christmas that I thought I would share.

I love this one! It just cracks me up! It shows his personality so well.

Our little darling Karma! She's so beautiful...definitely didn't get that from her mom!









And....introducing....the tadpole! Yes I'm pregnant! I'm still not sure how I feel about this whole thing since I've been so sick I can't hardly get off the couch each day. I'm almost 9 weeks and due August 28. No...we're very excited and just can't believe we're doing this again. Lets pray our other two aren't so gorgeous that took all of the options for cuteness already.
Pregnancy...bring it on!

Yee Haw Stock Show Time!

The Stock Show is in town and Joslin had the FABULOUS idea that I take Merik on a date. Since Pat's gone at school all the time now I really felt like Merik could use some individual attention so we went on a date! It was wonderful! He got to pick what we ate for lunch, which direction we walked, and how long we stayed in each area, and he LOVED it!
I just love this picture!

The rodeo bulls were kept just outside the Stock Show and Merik loved watching them. They were so calm but huge! He thought he'd be really funny (and yes I tried to upload this too but it wouldn't work) and make this goofy face at the bull that was laying just beyond the fence. The bull had a trick of his own...he got up and walked right up to the fence! Merik quickly backed away almost in tears. I was in tears also because I was laughing so hard! That bull got the best of him!

Merik begged me to ride this pony and he thought it was hilarious that it's name was Cowboy!
Merik LOVED the petting zoo full of pigs and goats! But he fell IN love with this black and white goat! We sat with it for at least 10 minutes while Merik talked to it, tried to feed it, let it wear his hat, and cuddled! It was so cute!
We had an incredible time just to two of us! The stock show is so fun! Yee Haw!!!

Christmas!...yeah I know i'm beind

So yes I'm a little behind on my blogging, but I promise I have a good excuse (it will follow in a blog). Christmas this year was awesome! A little backwards because of Pat's schedule but wonderful. It's so fun to have kids old enough to know what happens.

To get in the Christmas mood we picked out a tree took the kids to see Santa (fun as you can tell) and invited the Welling's over to decorate ginger bread houses.



Every year that I can remember we spend Christmas Eve at my grandparents house. As a tradition my grandpa reads the story of the Nativity from the scriptures and in goofy absolutely amateur costumes the grand kids (obviously no matter how old) act it out.



Merik was a Shepard and a darn cute one at that! I love this picture my Uncle Brad took. He just looks like an angel!


Christmas day was great! I tried really hard to upload the video of the kids Christmas morning but I haven't been able to figure it out so I gave up. Merik ran down the stairs with a giant fire truck sitting in front of the tree and picked up a little page of stickers out of his stocking and just yelled "Mom! I got stickers!!" Well dosen't take much to please him! The kids got a "stage" for Christmas. In our basement there's a mostrous finished opening for a TV I assume even though I know they don't make TV's that big anymore. They kids love to do shows in there so we hung a curtain up and, with the help of my wonderful mother, bought all the left over halloween costumes for them. They love it! It's so cute to see them dress up in all the silly outfits and dance on their stage.
The kids were absolutely spoiled, not that I'm surprised, by their grandparents. It was a wonderful holiday and we are so blessed!