A CANNON BALL ANYONE?

I AM GOING ON A FUN VACATION AFTER I FINISH AT THE TEMPLE ON SATURDAY.   I WILL BE GOING TO UTAH TO HITCH ALONG WITH HEATH AND EMILY AND THE KIDS TO ST. GEORGE, UTAH.  HEATH HAS TO GO WORK THERE FOR A WEEK SO WE ARE GOING ALONG TO ENJOY THE SUN AND THE POOL.  I PLAN ON HAVING A GOOD TAN WHEN I GET HOME.  AFTER I GET HOME IT WILL BE BUSY, BUSY, BUSY UNTIL THE BIG WEDDING DAY FOR JUS AND AMBER.  WOO HOO, I CAN'T WAIT TO CANNON BALL INTO THE POOL.

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY KAMDON

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR LITTLE KAM "DOG".   HE IS THE CUTEST KID.   HE IS IN LOVE WITH MOTORCYCLES AND WANTS TO OWN HIS OWN.   HE WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT HIS BIRTHDAY TODAY.  HE COULD NOT WAIT TO HAVE HIS CYCLE PARTY.   GRANDMA AND PAPA LOVE YOU KAM.  YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!    

THIS GIRL MUST "LOVE" MY BOY!

THESE TWO JUST STOPPED BY AFTER HAVING THEIR ENGAGEMENT PICTURES TAKEN.  THEY ARE OFF TO THE DESERT TO HUNT BUNNIES.   AMBER MUST LOVE THIS GUY... SHE LOVES TO GO BUNNY HUNTING WITH HIM.  (PS... THEY DID CHANGE THEIR CLOTHES, THIS IS NOT WHAT THEY WORE FOR PICTURES:)

"VARMITS" ARE EVIDENTALLY NOT WELCOME AT THE MERRILL'S

WE WERE EATING OUR SUNDAY DINNER AND I HAPPEN TO NOTICE THIS LITTLE VARMIT IN THE BACK YARD.  I MENTIONED IT TO THE BOYS AND THEN THE FUN BEGAN!!!
MIKE GETS HIS SHOT GUN OUT AND HE IS GOING TO GET HIM.  HE TAKES A SHOT AND THE VARMIT IS STILL MOVING, SO THEN ....
JUSTIN HAS HIS GUN OUT AND HE TAKES A SHOT!!!!!!
THE VARMIT STANDS UP AND SEEMS TO SAY "YOU ARE BAD SHOTS FELLAS!" WELL THE BOYS DIDN'T TAKE THAT WELL SO NOW THE LITTLE GUY IS REALLY IN TROUBLE.
HEATH HAS A HOCKEY STICK TO HIT IT ON THE HEAD WITH AND JUSTIN IS REAL SERIOUS NOW.  HE HAS ADORNED HIS BUNNY HUNTING HAT AND HE IS GOING TO SHOOT THE VARMIT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.   SO NOW....
THE HOCKEY STICK MAN AND THE GUY WITH THE FUNNY HAT AND GUN....THEY ARE HIDING BEHIND THE RASPBERRY BUSHS WHILE CHAD GETS A BETTER LOOK FOR THEM.   AH HAH, JUSTIN TAKES ANOTHER SHOT AND THE LITTLE GUY IS A GONER.
HEATH, BEING THE MORTICIAN AND ALL PICKS IT UP WITH HIS HOCKEY STICK TO GIVE US ALL A LOOK. YOU CAN SEE THAT MIKE HAS JOINED THEM WITH HIS HIGH POWERED WEAPON AND EAR COVERS.  
NOW THEY ARE BRINGING HIM UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL TO THOSE OF US TAKING PICTURES ON THE DECK AND LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY.
JUSTIN IS VERY PROUD OF HIS KILL.
HEATH, AND THE KIDS TAKE IT TO THE RIVER FOR A PROPER BURIAL.   MORAL OF THIS STORY...... DON'T DIG HOLES IN SANDY'S FLOWER GARDENS CAUSE SHE WILL SEND THE TROOPS OUT!!!!!  ( THEY REALLY ARE NASTY GOPHER LIKE THINGS)

FUN AT GRANDMA & PAPAS ON THE 4TH OF JULY

KYLER HAVING FUN PLAYING OUTSIDE.

TAYLOR COMING DOWN THE SLIDE.
TAY TAY COMING DOWN NEXT.
TYDON- KAMDON-KYLER AND TAYLOR COMING DOWN AND CRASHING AT THE BOTTOM.  THEY SPENT LOADS OF TIME PLAYING ON THIS LITTLE JUMPING TOY.  IT WAS FUN FOR ALL OF THEM.
BRTAXTON TOOK THIS CHAIR TO THE TOP OF THE HILL AND WAS JUST WATCHING EVERYONE.  WHEN HE SAW I WAS TAKING A PICTURE HE MOVED HIS CHAIR.  HE IS SUCH A GUY WITH AN ATTITUDE.  I LOVE HIM.
TAYLEE AFTER SHE GOT HER HAIR DONE.  SHE IS READY FOR THE FIREWORKS.
TAYLOR RIDING ON MOMMYS SHOULDERS.
CHAD PLAYING WITH HIS FIRECRACKERS.
MIKE TAKING KAMDON FOR A CYCLE RIDE.  THE LOOK ON HIS FACE IS BECAUSE CHAD THREW A FIRECRACKER IN THE POOL AS HE PASSED BY.  
EMILY, TAYLEE AND TYDON PLAYING A GAME OF "SORRY".
TYDON GOING FOR THE CATCH.
GRANDMA KIESLING ENJOYING ALL THE NOISE AND THE ACTION???????
SANDY-TAYLEE-TYDON-AND KAMDON.  WE HAD FUN JUMPING ON THE TRAMP.

KYLER ENJOYING HIS CHEETO. IT WAS A FUN DAY.  WE WENT TO THE PARADE AND THEN CAME BACK TO MY BACKYARD.  THE KIDS SWAM AND JUMPED ON THE TRAMP AND PLAYED GAMES, UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO BAR- B -Q.  JESS' FAMILY WAS HERE FROM OREGON SO THEY CAME OVER TOO.  IT WAS A FUN DAY.  I ALWAYS LOVE THE 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!! UNTIL NEXT YEAR-- BANG!

4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS IDAHO FALLS STYLE

WE BRAVED THE CROWDS AND WENT DOWN BY THE RIVER FOR THE FIRE WORKS THIS YEAR.  JUSTIN AND AMBER SAVED US A SPOT IN A GREAT LOCATION.  WE WERE SITTING RIGHT UNDER THE FIREWORKS.  THEY WERE AWESOME.
WE HAD TO WAIT A COUPLE OF HOURS SO THE KIDS PLAYED AND HAD SOME FUN.

GRANDMA SANDY AND KYLER ALL WRAPPED UP WAITING FOR THE SHOW.
GRANDMA KIESLING JOINED US ALSO.
THE KIDS PLAYED A FEW GAMES OF CHECKERS WITH AMBER.
THE HOLVERSON FAMILY.  HEATH WAS ON CALL BACK IN UTAH.  WE MISSED HIM.
KAMDON FELL ASLEEP ON THE WAY TO THE FIREWORKS, BUT HE WOKE UP IN TIME TO SEE THEM.  HE KEPT TELLING ME THEY WERE HUGE.
LITTLE KYLER IS ALWAYS HAPPY WITH WHAT EVER IT IS WE ARE DOING.
EMILY CAUGHT THIS PICTURE.  IT IS COOL.

JUSTIN & AMBER ARE ENGAGED!!!!!

YES, FIVE WEEKS HOME FROM THE UKRAINE AND THE BOY IS ENGAGED!!!!   HE WAITED AT LEAST 4 WEEKS TOO LONG! :) :) :)    HE AND AMBER WERE OFFICIALLY ENGAGED LAST NIGHT, (JULY 2, 2009).  THEY MAKE A GREAT COUPLE.  THEY ARE REALLY MADE FOR EACH OTHER.   THE DATE WE GOT LAST NIGHT IS AUGUST 20TH.

SEVEN WEEKS IS PLENTY LONG ENOUGH TO PLAN A RECEPTION. ( AMBER'S MOM HAS A LOT TO DO)    :) :)  THE WEDDING WILL BE IN THE IDAHO FALLS TEMPLE AND A RECEPTION LATER IN THE DAY.     WE LOVED AMBER BEFORE JUSTIN LEFT ON HIS MISSION AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL SHE LOVES OUR SON NOW.   I FEEL A LITTLE TEARY EYED ONLY BECAUSE I KNOW HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES MY SON, AND HE IS GETTING ONE GREAT GIRL THAT IS SO SPECIAL.  THE LORD HAD BLESSED EACH OF MY CHILDREN WITH WONDERFUL SPOUSES.    AMBER WILL ADD SO MUCH JOY AND HAPPINESS TO JUSTIN'S LIFE AND THE WHOLE MERRILL FAMILY AS WELL!!!!!!

TWO GIRLS WILL BE PERFECT!!!

I WENT WITH ASHLEY TO HER ULTRASOUND APPOINTMENT.  WHEN THE LADY SAID BABY A WAS A GIRL, I KNEW BABY B WOULD BE A GIRL TOO.  IF YOU KNOW ME WELL YOU KNOW WE IMMEDIATELY WENT SHOPPING AND GOT THOSE BABY GIRLS PINK PAJAMAS AND SOME DARLING OUTFITS.  I CAN'T HELP MYSELF. IT WAS SO FUN HOW ASHELY SURPRISED JUSTIN WITH TWO PINK BALLOONS.  HE WAS VERY EXCITED TO BE GETTING LITTLE GIRLS.  THEY WILL WRAP HIM AROUND HIS LITTLE FINGERS SO FAST.

NOW MY TOTAL GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE TEN.  FIVE GIRLS, AND FIVE BOYS!!!   IT IS THE BEST.

HEAT AND DIRT= MOTORCYCLE RACES

WE WENT TO THE RACES JUST OUTSIDE  OF PRESTON ON SATURDAY.  IT WAS HOT AND DIRTY AND THAT ALWAYS MAKES FOR A GOOD DAY OF RACING.  THERE ARE AN OVERLOAD OF PHOTOS HERE BUT I TOOK OVER 200 SO I HAD TO POST SOME OF MY FAVORITES.  IT WAS JUSTIN'S FIRST RACE AFTER HIS MISSION AND CHAD HAD A BRUISED HEAL SO THAT IS THE EXCUSE FOR THEIR SLOW RACES.  I KIND OF LIKE IT WHEN THEY TAKE IT SLOW BECAUSE THEN MY HEART DOESN'T SKIP SO MANY BEATS. THIS FIRST PICTURE IS JUSTIN.

CHAD 
BRAXTON PLUGGING HIS EARS WHEN THE CYCLES WENT BY.   SO FUNNY.
JESS CATCHING RAYS ON HER LEGS.
OK, THIS PAIR WORKED THE HARDEST.  THEY DO ALL THE PIT CREW WORK (MAKING SURE THE RACERS ARE AT THE GATE ON TIME, GIVING REASSURANCE, AND ANY OTHER THING THE RACERS WOULD LIKE THEM TO DO)  KAMDON AND HEATH ARE TRUE FANS OF MOTO CROSS AND TRUE FANS OF JUS AND CHAD.
JUSTIN ADDED THIS DECAL TO HIS BIKE THIS YEAR.  HE LOST ONE OF HIS BEST BUDDIES WHILE IN THE MISSION FIELD.  JUSTIN NEVER WANTS TO FORGET JOSH, AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS PRETTY AWESOME.
AMBER AND HER MAN!!!!!!!   YAH HOO!!!!!
THE FENCE LINE FILLED WITH THE FAN CLUB.

THIS PICTURE OF ASHLEY AND TAYLOR AND BRAXTON IS SO FUN.  I GOT CHAD JUMPING RIGHT BEHIND THEM.
JUSTIN AND CHAD WAITING FOR THEIR RACE TO START WITH KAMDON SITTING ON THE CYCLE WITH CHAD.   IT WAS A FUN DAY AT THE RACES.