All Hail the Graduate!

8:44 PM Edit This 9 Comments »
So this is kinda an exciting post for me. In 2002 I graduated from Lehi High school... then went on to...
After Mark and I were married we moved to Salt Lake County and I enrolled at...
8 years, one husband, and two kids later... I WILL GET MY ASSOCIATES DEGREE! It is in general studies (I couldn't decide!) from SLCC and has been a long journey and taking one or two classes at at time in between life. It has been great. I feel pretty darn good about myself and I even bought a hoodie to commemorate the accomplishment. I will get my diploma in the mail in a few months... that will be cool too.
Anyway - I am proud of myself and just wanted to tell the world!


Christmas Card

7:14 PM Edit This 3 Comments »
We sent out our own Christmas card this year... but I wanted to share this too!

Temple Square Fun

7:08 PM Edit This 1 Comment »
On Monday, December 6th we took the kids up to Temple Square to see the lights...


They didn't seem to care too much about the lights, but the highlight of the evening was when I took Merrill up tot the doors of the temple and Merrill started to tell me about the temple... he is so sweet and it is so nice to SOMETHING is sinking in!!!

My boys are cute!

8:01 AM Edit This 1 Comment »
Mark and Merrill tweaking our TV settings...
On a side note - I LOVE MY CUTE BOYS!!!

Sick, Sick, Sick!

12:07 PM Edit This 1 Comment »
So, right after Thanksgiving Mark and I got the flu, a week later, I got food poisoning, then Merrill got a runny nose and a cough - now Nora got it and can't breath at night without being sucked out and having a humidifier going full blast... The kids got flu shots, I clean my house... I guess "Tis the Season!"
This is not a pity post... I think it is just an excuse to tell the blog world why I haven't blogged!

Happy Birthday Nora!

2:51 PM Edit This 3 Comments »
On November 3rd my little Eleanor turned 1!!!!!! Unfortunately there are not any pictures of her party because we were all running videos!! I might be able to get one later! We had her party on the 1st because on the 3rd and 4th we were swamped with her Uncle Adam's Wedding to Jamie! YEAH!!! But I am so happy for my darling little girl! She is getting so old and more adorable every day!
She continues to be my little miracle baby - after 6 weeks and 3 antibiotics -after a blessing her nasty ear infections cleared up right before we were going to have to put tubes in her ears!
Yeah for Nora!

I love you sweetie!!!


Halloweenies!

12:35 PM Edit This 1 Comment »

With my parent's out of town I took over the family tradition of Halloweenies for the Merrill clan! I had a lot of fun!


Merrill was Buzz Lightyear thanks to my sister-in-law having the perfect costume to borrow!
I dressed as Jill
And here is my poor Jack... he broke his crown... : (
Nora - the Punk Rock Princess - you can't tell but she let me put purple eye shadow on her!
My older brother Adam
Adam's kids
My sister Sarah with her daughter, daughter's friend and two boys. My favorite costume of the night was Bryce (on the right) his costume was "new clothes!"
Besides our traditional "Halloweenies" (Hot dogs) and "Boo Beans" (Baked beans) we had... "Ghoul Goodies"
"Ghost's Goo with "Spider's Nest Veggies"
And what is Halloween with out the famous "Frog Eye Salad?" We also had "Monster's Slim" (Sherbet in Sprite.)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Birthday Merrill!

12:23 PM Edit This 2 Comments »

October also yield my birthday on the 23rd with no real pictures because it was just a nice day for me to not do anything. Mark took me shopping and then to our friend's Halloween party. It was great. The boys did make me an awesome breakfast with my favorites! Mark's eggs, cinnamon rolls, turkey bacon and hot chocolate. MMMMMMMM!
Merrill's birthday was celebrated a day early due to the Halloween on Sunday thing. So on Friday the 29th, we had a Buzz Lightyear Birthday!

Merrill helped with the cupcakes for everyone else and Aunt Mary brought him his own #3 Birthday cake form Dippidee - yummy!
Although my parents are in St. George, they got him some awesome Cars headphones for his ipod. (Mark picked them out.)
Grandma and Grandpa Nott gave Merrill waffle blocks in this awesome Buzz Lightyear bag!
Mark and I got him his own Buzz Lightyear with a flashlight. Happy Birthday Merrill. WE LOVE YOU BIG BOY!!!

Bear Lake

11:13 AM Edit This 2 Comments »
October was a great month for us! On the weekend of the 8th we headed to Bear Lake with the extended Nott clan. We had so much fun we are going to make it a tradition! It was great to just hang around. We spend most of the time just in the cabin and relaxed together. But we did venture out a bit...
We took some family photos right by the lake... brrr!
Merrill and Zoey helping Grandma Nott bake cupcakes
We also hit a local park to get the kids out for a bit when it was a little warmer.
Nora loves to swing!
What is a trip to Bear Lake without Raspberry Shakes? Yes it was cold and we were eating ice cream!

Merrill asked us to take this one and then posed! What a ham!

Mega Post

8:20 PM Edit This 4 Comments »
There has been so much going on - most of which includes runny noses and the wonderful discovery of children's Advil... however - here are some of the Nott's happenings:
Nora loved Iceburg!

She is growing up so fast!

Merrill is having more and more fun being silly and developing a fun sense of humor.

We took our annual trip to the Healing Field and it was great.

My Grandparent planted peach trees years ago and I am loving discovering new ways to reap the benefits!

I just thought this would make for a cute Mommy and Nora moment...

Our long lost friends Danny and Heather came to Utah from Denver for a visit - they even braved the germs to see us with their adorable kids - Brookie and brand new Tanner!

This is what happens while I vacuumed the other day - Merrill wanted to help with the dishes. He used the last of my dish soap, but was a sweetie.

Life goes on, school for me, work for Mark, and two adorable kids for us both to love.
Life is good!

Girl's Retreat

8:58 AM Edit This 2 Comments »
This weekend was awesome!!! I went on a Girl's Retreat with my sisters! (Well most of the them are sisters-in-law, but honestly in my family we don't really count that!) One of our sisters was stuck in St. George with a sick family and we really missed her!

We started with dinner at Texas Roadhouse and the waiter flirted shamelessly with all of us! (Especially my single sister Sarah that it turned out he new from the gym!)
(Left: Julie, Jen, Sarah. Right: Me, Jenae, Cathy)

Then we found a great deal at a hotel in Sandy and did pedicures, talked and hung out in the hot tub!
After the best night's sleep I have had in a long time we hung out at the pool all morning, played games over pizza and then those of us that didn't have to get back right away went to the dollar movie.

We totally have to make this an annual tradition!!!!

$2 Tuedsays

7:24 PM Edit This 3 Comments »
Thanksgiving Point is a fun place in August! $2 admission for any venue! We took the kids to the Dinosaur Museum. The mostly didn't care and Merrill ran around like crazy, but we all enjoyed the ice cream after!

Nora got her own cone (minus the ice cream) and yes that is a pony tail in her hair! It is long enough and I think she looks so cute and girly!
This was the best picture I could get of Merrill, as I mentioned he was running around like a hyper madman! But fit right in with the creepy skeletons try to take down the wooly mammoth!

Merrill's Haircut

8:21 PM Edit This 2 Comments »
My sister-in-law Jen does hair and she is great! Mark and I have been going to her for years for perfect do's. Yesterday we gave it a shot with Merrill. Normally we plop him in front of the TV and Mark buzzes it all off. Merrill hates it - squirms fusses and goes nuts. This time was so different! He has watched us at her house for a long time and knew just what to do. He was so excited!
He held so still!

And.... YES! This is the first time Merrill has really smiled for a picture! Isn't he handsome???? (Yes I am prejudiced!)

Sarcoma Awareness 5K

7:59 PM Edit This 7 Comments »
I did another 5K today in Sugarhouse. It was for Sarcoma Awareness so my money went to a good cause! I actually ran/jogged almost half this time and I met my goal of not finishing last - I am getting better!
Group shot of 70 participates that helped raise over $1600

Fixing my hair before the race

Merrill ran out to meet me right before the finish line and clapped for me! We crossed together!

Collapsing after

I did it!