Vow

So, I'm taking a vow to be better at blogging (as soon as I get my PC up and running properly). I have so much going on in my life/head right now and need to put it down somewhere! :)
In the meantime, I need some help from my super creative friends: I need a name for my etsy store. I'm finally going to do it. For real this time. Here are a few things in my head right now:

-wonderland
-gwen
-hmmmm... well that's it, really. So you can see why I need some help! :)

Thanks! Be back soon.

-gwendolyn

blah, blah

So, I've been super bad at this blogging thing. Not a whole lot going on with the Merrill family and we stay so crazy busy with work and school and just living life.

Karter went to his last day of 2nd grade on Friday and he's so excited for summer. They both love that they get to go on a ton of field trips with their daycare. And Zachary is excited to be able to go to school with his brother this fall. I can't believe my baby's going to be in Kindergarten! Where does the time go? Seriously.

Rich and I finally got our housing credit back and paid off ALL our credit cards! It felt so good to be debt free (well, except the house and the car's almost done). We had all these plans for our extra money and then I took a little visit to the chiropractor. He wants me to come twice a week for 8 weeks which is really going to eat up lots of that extra cash but hopefully it'll be worth it. 

We also spent a bunch of money today on these spectacular Memorial Day sales. We got a new toilet (yay!), paint for the kids' bathroom and the living room (finally!! no more orange and gray blocks on my walls), a freezer (so we actually have room for ice and popsicles! hello!! it's summer, you have to have popsicles) AND new couches!! I'm so excited to replace this tacky red thing in my living room. Not so excited about putting them (and the freezer) on our credit card :( but we got a killer deal!

Anyway, that's it. Nothing super exciting or blog-worthy. But I'll be back soon with pics of our new living room and bathroom soon! So get ready! :)

all about moi

It seems like all I blog about anymore is my kids. And while that's not a bad thing by any means, I decided to do a me post. I was going to post a nice picture of the now me but most of you know that I do not like to be in front of the camera and I don't have any recent pics (and I'm in my jammies right now and probably will be all day so I won't be taking one today either..). Anyhoo, here goes.

Right now, I am:

reading  the Autobiography of Henry VIII (trying to, I'm in a lull) and A People's History of the United States (recommended by Deb), I'm only about 30 pages in but it's pretty interesting so far.

watching gLee. I am LOVING this show so much! At first I thought it was super cheesy but the more I watched the more I got hooked. The funny parts are so random and I actually like the singing and dancing that happens unexpectedly when the kids are walking down the school halls. I know it sounds lame, but it’s my feel-good, make-me-happy show right now. LOVE. IT.

anticipating GNO to see Water For Elephants, SUMMER!, getting our housing credit back and having all our credit cards paid off, and the Hunger Games movie (it's become an obsession of mine that's bordering on crazy).

wanting oh so many things. I know I’m not supposed to covet but I would really like: thick hair, good eyesight, straight teeth, smooth skin, a smaller waist and bigger boobs, a new car and a garage to put it in, a clothes-shopping spree, a new computer, a really nice camera, an i-slice, an old-fashion type writer, and a VACATION (somewhere tropical and/or the Mediterranean). Oh, and world peace. :)

thinking that I would like to be able to be a SAHM very, very soon. And that as frustrated as I get with my husband’s “schemes”, it would be pretty freaking awesome if one went through and I truly hope that it happens for him. And me, of course. :)

disliking people who lie outright, those who refuse to take responsibility for their own actions, music on blogs, my job (though right now, I'm very grateful that I have one), and the COLD!

listening to songs by the glee cast, paramore, muse, britney spears and florence and the machine (it’s a weird combo, I know).

splurging on new makeup, cheap jewelry, brightly-colored shoes, and lots of scrapbook supplies.

saving for our cruise! And a new microwave.

trying to be more grateful for what I have, eat better/healthier/less (ha!), yell less (at cars and my kids :), wean myself off dr. pepper, and get toned up.

looking for cute black boots, an old typewriter, cool picture frames, comfy slippers, and a new hairstyle.

loving scrapbooking galleries and blogs, pinterest, paper tape and mists, netflix, the color gray, vintage stuff (but the fake, new vintage stuff :), “boyfriend” cardigans, chocolate milk, my silly kids, and gLee!

Well, there you have it- a small glimpse of me at this moment. Thanks for stopping by and have a happy Sunday!

frogs, snails, and puppy dog tails

The other night as I climbed into bed, I was surprised with a snake under my pillow! It was meant to scare but it made me laugh. It also made me think of all the little things like this that make me love having boys.

As frustrated as I get constantly tripping over bikes, skateboards, pirate ships, nerf guns, superheroes, etc, etc, these are the things I love and will certainly miss one day.

I love reaching in my purse and pulling out bouncy balls, silly bandz, hotwheels and random happy meal toys.

I love pulling clothes out of the washer and finding rocks, pennies and whatever else my boys think they need to put in their pockets.

These are the little things make me smile.

As much as I would love to do cute pigtails and bows, it's nice not having to do hair in the morning. Every once in a while when bed-head attacks, a quick spray and comb-through is all it takes.

As much as I would love to buy pink and lace and princess things, I love buying camo pants, tony hawk belts, skater shoes, and supercool boy shirts.

As much as I would love to get down on the floor and play barbies and my little pony, I love to get down and play pirates, batman, and legos. (And they do come down and craft with me once in a while!)

As much as I would love having my little princess to dress up, spoil and paint her toenails, I LOVE having my two rambunctious, sometimes out-of-control boys and couldn't imagine it any other way.

(my green boys on st. patty's day)

Kindergarten checkup

I can't believe my baby is getting ready to start Kindergarten!

On Friday, I took him in for his Kindergarten checkup. Here are his stats:

*46.5 inches tall! (95th percentile)

*48 pounds (80th percentile) he's a bean pole.

*20/20 vision in both eyes (I'm crossing my fingers that neither of our kids get my vision, 'cause it sucks!)

Here are a few development recommendations from the pediatrician for 5 year olds:

-skips, can walk on tiptoes and jumps forward

Zach definitely does this and more! He's a wild child.

-throws a ball overhand

Holy crap can he do this. I've said before he's amazing at almost every sport!

-washes and dries hands and brushes teeth unassisted

He usually dries his hands on his shirt but I guess I'm glad he's washing them.

-can state his age

If you ask him, he will tell you he's 5 and a quarter. :)

-has a vocabulary of six to eight word sentences

I LOVE the way he talks. He's definitely developed his vocabulary and he's still got that young kid sound that I just love.

-can copy a triangle from a picture

He does okay here. He's a lefty so I think it'll take a little longer to get this one perfected.

-draws a person with a head, body, arms and legs

He drew the cutest little skateboarder with a body, arms, legs and even a hat. I'll have to dig that one up, it's super cute.

-understands right and wrong, fair and unfair

Understands? Yes. Practices? Not all the time. :) This is the kid that is constantly saying "that's way no fair!" to which I keep reminding him that life isn't always fair.

-understands that games have rules

Understands them but isn't always happy about them. What kid is when he's not winning? :)

It also says that their appetite should be much better. His appetite for sweets is ginormous! But he's a super picky eater right now like his mom. :) And he's always been a sugar addict. Also, like his mom. :)

And he's been limping around for the last three days (when it's convenient for him) because he got 4 shots to update his immunizations. He was so brave and didn't even cry (the 4 suckers afterward helped). I carried him around for a bit on Friday and that really set myself up for him milking it for 3 days. I think we're good now though.

He is so excited to finally get to go to school! And luckily, he gets to go with his brother. (We were worried about not being able to get him in too because apparently, we aren't the only ones around here that aren't comfortable with the local elementary.) And I think he's gonna be one cool kindergartener..

love notes

Oh, my boy is growing up!! In the past Karter has always been embarrassed if a girl liked him or we teased him about liking girls. But TODAY he told me he has a girlfriend! She's a cutie named Cassidy and she wrote him some love notes:

-I love you boyfriend you are so good to me

-I stil Love you Karter vere much Karter

-Dont tall Kalbe (Kaleb)

-or I can tell Kalbe that i stile Love you. Katerte shoud I?

I was so proud to see that he is good to her. I asked him about it and he said "well, she's my girlfriend." Well, duh. He also told me they kissed on the lips today. I'm not sure what to say to that. Is 7 too young for that?! I'm sure the answer is yes but I just think it's so cute!

it's Karter's turn

Last week, Rich’s parents took the boys to the Union Station in Ogden for little train expo thing. I didn’t go but I can tell from the pictures that they had the most fun!

When they got home I asked Karter if he had fun and he replied in a very matter-of-fact tone “of course I did, mom.” When I laughed at him he said “well, you know I like trains.”


And boy does he! At 7 ½ this kid still LOVES Thomas the Tank and any other type of train. He has a documentary on trains that he will watch over and over. He can tell you little nit-noid facts about trains that even surprise the guys giving the tours at these expos.


At times, he IS a train. He props his little arms and a 90 degree angle by his sides and off he goes, making chugging noises along the way. This will attract some weird looks sometimes but it is hilarious.


He is the most imaginative kid around. And that’s what I love most about him.


He’s also into elephants (still! since before age 2 he’s been obsessed!), pirates, dinosaurs, Scooby Doo and Phineas & Ferb.


THESE are the things he pretends to be most of the time. He alternates, but he is usually acting like one (sometimes two) of these things. And he’s good at it! I’m convinced he’ll be an actor one day.


He’s also an amazing little artist. He LOVES to draw and craft.


He really is very good at drawing- his teacher tells us all the time. She gets to see this on his school work- he draws everywhere!


He will cut out bunches of tiny pieces of paper (much to my dismay since most of them end up on the floor..) and five minutes later he has glued, stapled or taped them together to create the coolest things.

(Shaggy is pieced together from paper and look at the rabbit's leg- that kid pays attention to detail!)

I really cannot believe this super creative kid is mine. He is absolutely amazing!


And I love that he can entertain himself for hours!


He is very tender-hearted. He tears up easily and always says the sweetest things.


He still gives me hugs and kisses when I drop him off in the morning and is always happy to see me. I’m so happy that he’s not embarrassed of his mom- yet…


He likes to snuggle on the couch and watch 30 Rock, American Idol and Glee with me. He actually asks to watch these shows and one day he told me he wanted hair “like Jack Donaghy’s.”


He likes to shop (now that he gets from me!). He asks me often if we can go to the mall to “buy some stuff.” Last fall I took him to buy some stuff and he picked out the coolest outfit for school pictures.

Most days he’ll just throw on jeans and a t-shirt but when he puts a little effort into it, he’s got style. :)


He’s such a friendly kid- he makes good friends wherever he goes. But he has told me a few times that I am his best friend. Doesn’t get much sweeter than that!