This Easter we traveled to Las Vegas. One of my best friends from Vegas, Kellie, got married. You won't see any pictures because I forgot my camera! oops! It was nice to spend the holiday with my mom. The kids had fun spending time with cousins.

Kellie married a guy from California. His name is Brandon Hoke. They met through a friend. He seems to be a really nice guy. When they met she was going through the process of adopting her new son, Joey. He has special needs, a real sweetie. Dustin and I got a kick out of him at the sealing. Kellie opened her home as a foster home, and that's how she got Joey. She didn't want to see him get lost in the system, so she decided to adopt him. When she me Brandon she said he really didn't understand why she was doing what she was doing. He changed his mind once he met the little guy. Because Kellie adopted him as a single parent, right after they were married they were able to have Joey sealed to them. It was so sweet. After he was saying, "Hey we got married!" He was so excited. Later that night we went to the reception. It was in this huge million dollar home in Seven Hills. I felt out of my element! Then to make things worse, I got 50 ft from the door and Becca threw up all over me and all over her. Talk about feeling weird! Becca felt better! She kept saying her belly hurt in the car. I thought she just probably needed to poo, I was wrong. I waited outside while my mom, Robyn, Dustin, and kids went to say Hi. I was sad, so Dustin and I ran to the local K-mart and bought a shirt. Her reception was beautiful. It would have been nice to have had a chance to talk to her, but I remeber my wedding day too.

After, we met our friends the Serratas. They used to be our next door neighbors, but they moved to Vegas. It was fun to see them! We wish we could've had more time, but sometimes it just goes that way.

I changed my mind about posting the tubing pictures. They turned out better than I thought.
We had a blast, like I said earlier. It was snowing, so it slowed the hills down. Next year we know
not to go on a snowy day.


Dustin is in the back, in the orange coat. Because of the snow, he had to pull the tubes at a certain
point.



This is the lift that took the tubes up to the hills. (Off to the left)




They had to wait in line to get to the lift, but it sure beats walking up the hill!



Dust and the kids!

Kate on the tubing carousal at Fort Frosty.

Becca on the snow slide! She loved this!

I remembered why we have been so busy! We have been redoing our house. We have finished our front room! Almost, above the shelf I am putting a vinyl saying by Gordon B. hinckley. "Be
true to who you are, and the family name you bear." Then on the shel I am putting a big M for

Merritt.

Bay window- I am putting those decorative balls in the three baskets.

I made the Family Home Evening board. I was so proud of myself. I don't consider myself a crafty person.

I took out all the flowered pillows to make a differnt style. Dustin painted the shelf for me, and antiqued the edges. He did A LOT! He painted the room, and repainted all the frames, they were cream. I accented with black, but thought it needed a splash of color, that's why I got the berry garland. I didn't want someone to walk in and think we puked black. Once it is all done we plan on starting the kitchen. My sister-in-law, Taryn, helped with the colors and how to hang things on the wall. She's extremly talented at that.

Okay, sorry we haven't updated this in a while. We have been running around with our heads cut off! Dustin started back to school. He is going to the University of Phoenix. He is gone only one night a week, unless they have to meet with their group. I don't know why it has been so crazy, but it feels like we have had a lot going on.

The boys have decided to play flag football this year. I'm glad. Baseball was a lot. If you have one in, it's not so bad, but two was terrible! They end up on different teams, so you have 4 games and 2-3 practices during the week total. As you can see, that almost something everyday.

Grace decided she wants to swim. I keep telling her we'll get her signed up, but then I forget. So I will for sure. I think I'll sign Kate up as well. We will have a lot going on, but it's fun to see them trying new things.

I was able to attend our Stake Enrichment this past Saturday. Julie De Azevedo- Hanks came and spoke about ways to avoid emotional burn-out. It was great. She talked on depression and mental wellness, very eye-opening. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker(LCSW). She put her music in it as well, I always liked her music. After leaving, I felt like I needed a good hour in her therapy room. I know I have suffered a little from depression, but lately it has been getting worse. I do find that if I read my scriptures, pray for help, and exercise I do better. I think that is why Dustin made sure I went to this. He can tell when I am getting burned out, 5 kids will do that to you.

We were able to take the kids to a fun place on the 22nd. In Park City there is a tubing park. We had a blast!! They have a tube lift that takes you up the mountain. They were BIG hills. I have pictures, but they are hard to make out, because of the distance. I wasn't able to go down the big hills. I got to stay with Kate and Becca at Fort Frosty. It was cute, and they loved it. There was a huge slide made out of snow and a carousal that pulled them on little tubes. They were able to build with giant snow blocks too. Next year we will all be able to go down the big slides.