Let's Bowl!! ...& later we'll eat Cake!

* * * * MERRIK HAD A BIRTHDAY!!!!!! * * * *

Yeah! High-5! :)
We went bowling to celebrate (Merrik's choice).
Here Jonah is watching for the inevitable crash while M works on his dancing moves!

And - the next evening was cake time!

Happy 4th, Merrik! We love you!!!!

Looks like a repeat from the family gathering we did just one month ago for Jonah's birthday! Thanks for coming out again, everyone! :)

...To The BatCave!!!

(OK, so he's wearing Superman. They're all friends, right?)

Our Young Women Olympians!

Last month we had our Young Women New Beginnings program at the church.

Did an Olympic theme. Above all the girls have their olympic medals on, which we inscribed with our annual scripture theme. It was a great night!

If you want more details, I'm happy to share! Just let me know. :)

Our Olympic cupcakes! :)

Beauty & the Boys

Just a beautiful picture of the lovely area where we live. :)

This was on our hike at Buffumville Lake

Merrik & Jonah just finished sliding down this grassy hill about 27 times on their bums.
Thank heaven for good laundry soap. :)

It's Birthday #6 for Jonah!!

Mixing his birthday cake. He LOVES to help in the kitchen.
Ah, here's the happy birthday boy!
This is after learning that there was one more present that he wasn't expecting & didn't know what was inside of it. He really wanted to open it. He just could no longer handle the stress of having to W.A.I.T. for the rest of our guests to arrive.
"It's So Hard To Waaaaait!!"

Lighting & counting the cancles on the cake.

A proud papa with a smiley little brother to help bring the cake.

"Make a wish!"

And it looks like Merrik's helping blow the candles out. :)

A cool remote control 4-wheeler with rider.

"Thank you Auntie Michelle (in back) & Uncle Paul!"

Aww - even Merrik got some art/crafts stuff from G'ma & G'pa Cowden.

To which he exclaimed, "Aww-it's just what I wanted!" So cute & so grateful. :)

Gift giving would not be complete at our house without a super hero in there somewhere.

Jonah bought this w/ his birthday money sent from Grandma & Grandpa Burton!

"The green car" - a cool, all-terrain remote control car.

And ... Jonah has always had the best smile!!
(and there's Grandpa Cowden & Auntie Michelle in back)

"Oh, that flash is bright!" - but nothing can diminish the joy of receiving cool arts/crafts stuff!

"Thank you Grandma & Grandpa Cowden!"

A boy & his S.l.i.n.k.y.!

"Thank you Great Grammy & Grandpa Pooh!"

This is Merrik hiding in the new black Spidey costume.

He's got all the moves!

...and then he flipped the mask on top of his head so he could see. Looks like a pioneer bonnet. LOL!

One of the rare moments when Jonah's actually eating cake. This might be the first birthday he's actually eaten some of his own bday cake! Go figure. (isn't he CUTE?!)

Oooh, Daddy & Jonah with his new wild west pistol. And Jared has his serious "Come on, let's draw!" face on.

Merrik's giving the Slinky a GO on the stairs. Works good!

Mommy & her birthday boy! 6 years old, I can't believe it.

"I love you, Jonah!!"

April 2004 - baby Jonah's blessing day!

The past 6 six years have gone in a blink.

We Love You Jonah!!

"Horsin' Around!"

Merrik atop one of Ed Paro's beautiful horses.

(I'll have to get the name of it & update this page)

In order to get M onto this horse's back, my arms were literally stretched up straight above my head, as high as I could reach.

M wandered down the corridor of horse stalls. So curious. So cute.

This was more Jonah's speed!
He named this "horse" - JACK. :)

Merrik & "the girls"! Sarah, Hannah & Katrina - some of our ward's Young Women.

We were at Brother Paro's horse ranch to do service! The boys were very into it! It was an amazing place with beautiful horses. Very fun!

Merrik with Hannah, helping brush the horses.

No trick photography here. These horses were HUGE. This is probably M's perspective, since I was squatting down to his level. I'm amazed he was brave enough to get up on this horse.

Jonah - feeling brave.

And with this horse, as well, I had to lift my arms straight up as high as I could reach just to get Jonah on top of it.

"Giddy-up!" M on top of White Stallion. (not his actual name)

"Ahh... nothin' like a good scratch!"

Merrik & Mommy (Alli) getting those hard to reach areas!

And here's the work crew! Some of our North Brookfield branch Young Women plus some boys, too! (siblings, a cousin & my boys) What a good group of kids!

Left to right: Charity, Brayden, Joseph, Hannah, "Oreo", Alana, Hyrum, Comfort, Jonah, Sarah, Merrik & Katrina.

Valentine Aliens!

These were their teacher cards. Turned out SO cute!

All dressed up & nowhere to go!

I had to document a classic Merrik/Jonah moment.

These two were all dressed for church & decided to start striking a pose!

(don't ask me what Jonah's doing w/ his hands above - I have no idea!) :)

The Fonz! "Ehhh."

He looks innocent enough, don't he? :) What a sweetie!

OK, I managed to get ONE without a pose. Just cheddar! :)

What handsome guys - if I do say so myself!

Jonah's eyes are a little crazy in this last photo because whenever I would get the camera closer to him, the flash would make him blink his eyes. So I probably said something about trying really hard to keep your eyes open (to Jonah) and this is what I got. LOL.