Happy, Happy, Easter!

The biggest drawback about working in a hospital is that it’s open every day of the year, 24 hours a day.  Since Dave and I both have to work on Easter our family celebrated a week early.

Michele and I took the kids to Thomas’ school before church to take some pictures in their Easter outfits in front of their pretty flowers.  Snell’s always has tons of  bright and beautiful flowers.  Except for yesterday!  They did have a few and we got some good shots, I thought.  Michele was a little disappointed that we didn’t get more perfect pictures but I told her it likely had more to do with her subjects than her picture taking ability!

One of my favorite pictures of Troy from when we were young is him wearing a purple shirt.  I was excited to put Thomas in one!

We were rushing to make it to church on time but we made it!  Noelle struggled through Sacrament this week and I even had to take her out for the last portion, it’s never come to that before!  Church during nap time is for the birds!

When it came time for Sunday School, Thomas’ class was without a teacher and Michele and I got recruited to fill in.  We had a good time improvising the lesson.  The kids were really fun and receptive.  Thomas got to give the scripture in primary for the first time this week as well.  He did a fantastic job!

Later, we celebrated at Grandpa’s house with all kinds of activities, I’m sure Michele will have more pictures to share on her blog.

Look at all the eggs we found!  

Noelle checking out her Easter Basket, she has the funniest smile lately!

Thomas celebrating his Easter treasures!

Play Ball!

Thomas started his first year of  T-Ball this month.  We have been having a ton of fun watching the games.  The kids are so little and funny!  It’s fun that he is playing in the same league that Troy and I played in when we were little.  He’s on the Giants so Grandpa is happy about that!

Posing before the game, look at those clean white pants!

Rounding third and headed for home!

He’s the catcher!  So cute!

Only at the Mertz House

When we bought our house last year it had been empty for quite some time.  We were lucky that the previous owners had put in all the cement in the backyard because there is a ton and it would have been way expensive.  Unfortunately, the sod that was there was totally dead and beyond repair.  Last summer we replaced the sod and had the curb a lawn done for the flower beds but they still sit empty because there is so many of them and trees, and bushes and things are so pricey!  This year we have decided to start establishing our backyard so we started by planting the lemon tree that Dave’s mom and step dad gave us.

Here’s Thomas demonstrating how deep the hole that Dave dug is

  Noelle wanted a picture too but wouldn’t stand in the hole, look at how big my belly has gotten!

Now, the reason for the title!  Only at the Mertz house will you find even the 2 year old girl with her shirt off working in the back yard!  At least they were in the back and the neighbors couldn’t see!

Tough Cookie

This is Noelle’s “worm”.  She rides it like a maniac all over the court keeping up with the big kids.  A few weeks ago when the weather was nice Dave took Noelle around the block on the worm while he rode Thomas’ scooter (dangerous!).  It was getting dark and Thomas and I had already come in for the night.

While trying to cross the street and get up on the sidewalk Noelle and her worm met this curb instead.  According to Daddy, she hit at full speed and flipped head over heels a few times.  Noelle could be heard coming home from down the block howling at the top of her lungs.  But, she rode that worm all the way home!  She is one tough cookie!

I wish I had better pictures that actually did this bruise justice!  Her face was black and blue and purple and all sorts of lovely colors for weeks after the “incident”.  Her face was swollen from ear to ear and all the way down to her neck for quite some time.  She had a small cut on the corner of her lip that opened up for a few days and bled occasionally, causing lots of hysteria among the children.  She is all healed now and back on the worm, crazy like always!

Happy Birthday, Auntie!

Michele’s actual birthday was a few days after we got home from our cruise.  With everyone still exhausted and doing mass amounts of laundry and things we decided to just have a small celebration. 

After church, Michele and Dad came over to have dinner and dessert.  Michele has been asking for a Trifle bowl for the last couple of holidays so I finally went out and got her one!  I thought I would surprise her with a delicious trifle dessert but when I looked for a recipe everything seemed so difficult and rich.  I finally found a recipe on the Food Network website that seemed okay, Michele and I made it together…

All ready to put together

First, you make a chocolate sheet cake and cut it up into 1 inch squares

  Then, you add the squares to the trifle bowl

Now, layer with chocolate pudding, cool whip, and crushed Heath candy bars

The finished product!

Thomas and Noelle getting ready to have some dessert!  It did turn out to be a little too rich.  We all ate a little piece that night and then I’m sad to say the rest got thrown away!  We’ll have to keep looking for good trifle recipes, send one if you have one!

Vay-Kay

Dave and I were so lucky to get to go on on a Cruise with Michele and Dad.  I can’t believe all the preparation it takes to leave for five days when you have two little ones at home!  Mom and Chris were awesome and watched Thomas and Noelle the whole time.  Shuffling work, play time, dinner time, and getting up early to get the kids to Miss Tami’s before they had to be to work in the morning!  Melissa helped out by picking Thomas up at school and the Semillo’s were kind enough to go to Dad’s house to feed the dogs.  I’m tired right now just thinking of all the prep work!

We had a great time celebrating everyone’s birthdays and enjoying the food and people watching.  At my doctor’s appt. a few days after we got back he noticed I had gained some weight, I told him I would not take any responsibility for it to call the cruise line!

  This is at the port in Ensanada.

Enjoying some lunch in Mexico.  The poor little kids kept coming up to us every 2 minutes trying to get us to buy their bracelets and gum.  I had read on a poster that said not to buy it because they actually are working for wealthy people who don’t let them keep any of the money they make.  Instead, we wrapped up all of our leftovers and gave it to them.  I’ve never seen a child smile like that for food before.

These are some of the school children from the parade, they were so cute!

Here’s Dad bargaining for his sandals, I think this was his favorite part of the trip!

We had a good time in Mexico, enjoying the sights and sounds.  I even got to use my so-so Spanish with the Taxi driver as we drove 45 minutes back and forth the the Bufadora.  I did leave feeling a little sad about the poor living conditions we saw there.  It make you really grateful for the life we have here in the United States.

One last picture, this is Michele after she got pooped on by the bird while we were trying to get some sun!