5 and 2 year pics

Last week the boys had their pictures taken at Infinite Image Design.  Rose has been taking their pictures since Landon was a baby and does such a fantastic job.  To see the rest of the photos, click here, after clicking on the Merrill boys, use the password Stacy. 

A weekend away

This past weekend, Jeremy and I took some time away to reconnect and reflect on the past 10 years.  Our destination:  Galena, IL.

Jer did all the planning and did a fantastic job.  We stayed at the Irish Cottage Boutique Hotel and it was awesome!  We had a suite with cheese and champagne waiting upon our arrival.  The hotel was super comfortable and quiet, we never really felt like we were in a hotel. 

 We spent our days eating, sipping local wines and craft beers, shopping and site seeing.  It was the perfect weekend away.  If you haven't been to Galena, I would encourage you to plan a trip there soon. 

Happy anniversary my love...

Happy {10} years

Today, Jer and I celebrate 10 years of marriage.  We're celebrating by a little weekend away to reflect and reconnect.  Happy anniversary my love...

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

First haircut

I said I wasn't going to cut Asher's hair until he was two, but I brought Landon in for a haircut the other night, and well...things happened.  I was talking to Jenny about the boys' upcoming pictures and wondered if Asher might need a little trim.  I'm not going to say Jenny talked me into it, but Asher walked out with a little less hair than he walked in with.  :) 

Since I wasn't planning on this, I didn't bring my camera and had to use my phone, sorry for the bad photos.

It seriously wasn't much, and it definitely wasn't enough that people will stop calling him a girl {seriously, does he look at all like a girl to you?}.  It was a little trim.  Just for a little reference, this is what his hair looked like before.  Mind you, this was right after nap time, but a little scary.

Big brother cut his haircut as well.  In the words of Asher, 'pretty.'

 

Father's Day 2013

Father's Day was also about one of the coolest Dad's I know - my hubby and the father to two pretty amazing kiddos.  We love him to pieces and were excited to celebrated his awesomeness!

We actually gave Jer his present the day before so he had spent some time Sunday morning messing around with his new camera.  We got him a GoPro camera that does still shots and video.  This will be perfecting for his jeeping as it is waterproof and just plain old cool.  He loved it and we're so glad for that!

After a little breakfast, the boys headed out to wash the jeep. 

I joined them for a bit and then headed back inside to get a picnic lunch ready. We packed up the jeep and headed to Lake Meyer (Landon insists on calling it Meyer Lake). 

 

The boys burned off a little energy on the playground before our next adventure...

Fishing! 

This was a first and let me just say, Landon did fantastic!  Seriously, it came totally natural to him.

Of course at the same time Landon got his line stuck in the tree, Jer caught a fish, and I'm scrambling for the camera.  We were all a little frazzled, but we got a quick picture of the little fishy and threw him back in. :)

Landon was such a good sport about not catching any fish.  It would have helped if we would have remembered the worms.  Landon is already talking about the next time we go! 

Happy Father's Day to one of the best!

Happy Father's Day

Here's to two pretty amazing father's we've had in our lives. 

My Dad, who continues to be the foundation for our family.  He is caring, compassionate, loving and one of the hardest workers I know.  Cheers to you Dad!

And Jeremy's Dad.  Although he left this earth far too soon, and my heart breaks thinking of how proud he would be and how much he would love his grandsons, we continue to pass along to the boys what a wonderful man Grandpa Tim was.  In the few short years that I knew Tim, he was whitty, intelligent and would do anything for his family.  Cheers to Grandpa Tim as we know he is constantly watching over us. 

Ouch...

This super hero proved to be pretty tough after a recent encounter with the cement.  Very few tears and even less fear...

Farm it maybe

This is a new favorite in the Merrill house.  Landon had been talking about this song he heard in school and after a quick youtube search at home, we found it.  I think I heard it about 782 times this weekend, not that I'm counting or anything.  Have I mentioned that our almost two year old seems to be obsessed with tractors lately?  Anyway, enjoy!

Flip flops

While I occasionally wear flip flops myself, I've avoided purchasing any {up until now} for the boys.  I know they're easy to slip on in the summer, but I also think they can be dangerous for kids who spend a lot of time running around while they're outside.

Landon has caught on that a lot of kids wear them and has been begging politely asking for a pair.  So, I caved, {mostly to prove him wrong because I don't think he'll like them}, and bought him a pair. 

In the last two weeks, he wore them once, and in the garden of all places.  He told me he didn't like how they felt between his toes.  Ahem...

Our garden 2013

We finally got the garden planted this past weekend.  And by we, I really mean Jer.  Jer started the seeds in what feels like forever ago, wait, maybe it was...seriously, the seeds were started a couple months ago and have been busting in their little trays these past few weeks.

The boys were a big help...

So the garden is all planted it's been raining for a few days (surprise, surprise), now let's see some sun so this garden can grow!