James' Blessing Weekend Sept. 23-24, 2017

With the timing of James' birth and the harvest, only the Merrill's were able to make it to James' baby blessing. Mom, Dad, Wilford, Jenni, Daniel, and Emily were all able to make it over for a fun filled weekend.

On Saturday we headed up to the backside of the Sandia mountains and went to the top of the crest to catch the view. It ended up being a bit of a chilly day but the view was good.

We headed down the mountain a little bit and stopped at a picnic ground to have a little BBQ.

Our next stop was at quirky Tinkertown. Mom was able to impress the people there and sing the "Fifty Nifty United States" song...too bad their prize was just a lame sticker. Scott and Sterling didn't mind ;)

We headed home and had a relaxing afternoon. Us girls all headed to the Women's Broadcast that evening. It was so fun to be with my sisters and mom at such a beautiful meeting.

Sunday, Stan gave James a beautiful blessing. We are grateful for the priesthood and the active roll it plays in and blesses our lives.

Driving to church couldn't be more fun!

Snoozing on Aunt Em

I love the buddies these two little guys are

Post church pictures

We headed home to have a yummy dinner!

Stan's masterpiece. It was as delicious as it looks

Sterling LOVES Uncle Wilford

I love that these boys love my sisters

Post church snuggles

Sterling likes these two more than his face shows...

This was the best picture of all of us...sorry I cropped you out Mom and Dad

Sadly, the party had to end. We planned for Mom to say for an extra day and help me get the house back in order after. We loved having a few extra days with her!

Shady Lakes Fishing #2 9-16-17

Stan was so wonderful and took Scott AND Sterling fishing one Saturday. His plan was to just take Scott, but it had been a really rough night with James the night before and he decided to take both so I could sleep. So sweet! The boys picked out their clothes themselves (an important note so that we don't question Stan's matching abilities), and off they went!

Sterling actually caught this lunker.

I love Sterling's expression in this picture.

Scott and Sterling both caught fish.

Quemado Lake Camping Sept. 8-9, 2017

Post by Stan. Scott and I went out for one last camping trip with just us for the year. I had wanted to go to Quemado lake for a long time, and finally made it this trip. We camped at a huge campground, but we were the only ones there, probably because it was so late in the season.

We cooked monkey bread in the dutch oven that night. Over the campfire, we made up a story about a rabbit that tried to grab a piece of monkey bread out of the dutch oven, but burned his foot and ran to the lake, where a fish bit him. In the morning Mel and I tried to talk on the ham radios, but didn't have much luck, probably because it was too late in the morning for NVIS. It also wasn't so important since we had 3G cell service...

Scott tried a little fishing in the lake but didn't have any success. Scott learned to wear pants due to all of the stickery plants near the lake. It rained really hard in the afternoon. We went on a beautiful/semi-crazy drive out to the road. A great trip, glad I got to spend some one on one time with Scott!

Our camp. There was a stack of awesome wood already split that we used.

The nice camp host gave Scott a bunch of Smokey the Bear coloring books.

Around August 2017

With waiting for James to come we did a lot of hanging out.

The tall tree on the right: Scott said, "look Mom! It's a witch's hat tree." Sure enough, it does look like a witch's hat.

When your mom is really, really pregnant and you wish she would hold you while you were making dinner.

Sterling's chillaxin' pose

Dad and Jeff made a stop by on their way to move Jeff and Jessie out to Washington D.C. It always does my heart good to see my boys playing with family.

Scott picked up this ladybug at a "garage sale" (where they didn't really charge us for the things) and it has been a close friend ever since.

We made a monkey pull apart bundt cake, yum!!

My roommate from many years ago moved here while he husband is stationed here for training. She brought her girls up for a visit and we went for a walk.

We had a picnic at the park, yum!

We bought these pool noodles to try and keep the boys on the mattress while camping. (we took them once and they didn't work. Good thing I got them on super clearance.)

Stan made a brownie in a dutch oven.

So into the show.

I came upon this cute scene of the boys playing the piano together

Scott's tower he was so proud of. I love his stance in this picture

Sweet baby smiles.

Mom came to help the week after James was born and we couldn't have done it without her. She was so helpful with the boys and around the house. Stan and she not only made a bunch of freezer meals but took care of the yummy produce in our garden and keeping the house put together while I rested tons.

Love watching the boys with Grandma

And Stan with his boys.

Found Sterling like this one morning.

He's such a happy fun-loving boy

These two are so cute together. Scott has been so helpful with Sterling and loves to help him/teach him to do things.

James' old man look.

This is one of my favorite baby poses

He was so proud of putting on Dad's hat

The second week of James' life, Stan had to go to a conference in Santa Fe and so Dad drove Mom over from Arizona and she stayed for a few days to help.

Tum a lum- I remember playing this on my Grandpa Andersen's knee when I was young.

Sterling LOVES James. He always asks to hold him.

Eating ice with Grandma.

Stan up at his conference

Scott taught him how to climb up there....now just to get down.