Hollywood Glitz

This week at school they had a Mother/Son Dance. Tyler was so excited for his first date! The dance started at 6:30pm but he was dress and ready at 5pm. The theme was Hollywood Glitz! So we dressed up like we were going on the red carpet.
They had a red carpet all the way into the dance and a nice yellow car for people to take pictures with. Inside the dance they had drinks, cupcakes, popcorn and other yummy treats. We also got our picture taken together. It was so fun to watch all the little boys out there on the dance floor. At home we usually turn the radio on in the evenings and let the boys dance. It is the perfect time for us to relax and just have fun. So Tyler was excited to go and dance at his school. It was mostly just all the boys dancing and then us moms dancing together. We had a lot of fun. I am glad that Tyler is enjoying his first year of school and learning new things. It is fun to watch him grow. Tyler had some good moves out there on the dance floor!

He Did It!

YES, He actually did it. It took him the whole season but he scored two goals. Tyler started soccer this year and loved it! The social part that is. He loved going to practices and playing with his friends but actually playing the game was another story. There were 3 others on the team from our ward. So he had fun with his friends. He would be out there on the field picking grass and just walking along and not paying attention to what he should be doing. If the ball came by him he would kick it, even if it was in the wrong direction. It was quite funny to watch him. We kept telling him to kick the ball in the goal and he didn't want to. He was just out there having fun running around.
Carter is his #1 fan. He would be out there yelling "Kick ball Ty, kick ball. Go, Go, Go Ty" Everyone loved to hear Carter yelling out there. He is our quiet one and keeps to himself. If someone comes up to him he gets all bashful and either drops to the floor and buries his face or stays standing and covers his face with his hands. It is so cute. People think that he doesn't talk but he does once he gets warmed up to you.
Anyways, It was really hard on Matt to have Tyler not be so interesting in the game. Matt would practice with him at home and get him excited for the game but Tyler just didn't care about scoring a goal. Then came the last game, Matt told Tyler that he would take him to the store to get a new toy if he scored a goal. So there were several times out there on the field that he could of scored but it got knocked out. Then he finally scored a goal. The crowd went wild! We were all excited that he finally scored. Tyler couldn't believe it, he ran across the field and told his coach and then came over to parents too (This was while the game was still going on). He was floating on cloud nine. Then at the end of the game he scored another goal. We were all so happy for him. After the game Tyler was telling everyone "I scored two goals!" His coaches said "Yeah, Tyler we have been waiting all season for that, Good Job!" We were so proud of him.
I am so glad that the season is over. It is nice to have my evenings back and I don't have to worry about getting him to practices or games. Now we get a little break before he starts Basketball. We will see how he does with that sport!

#1 Fan

Fall festivities

I love the fall time. I am one to decorate for the holidays. I love decorations! I remember putting stuff up when I was growing up, so I wanted my kids to have fun with it too. My boys love getting out the boxes and getting things ready for the holidays. Fall is when we get out the Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and of course comes Christmas (My husbands favorite, he would play Christmas music year round if I let him.)
So this month has been fun filled with PUMPKINS , PUMPKINS, and more PUMPKINS! We went to a corn maze/pumpkin patch with some friends. The kids loved getting lost in the maze and looking at the pumpkins. They also had a big hay stack for them to climb on, bounce house and a tractor ride around the farm. The boys loved it and had fun with their friends. The best part was we got it for a really good deal. I am all about saving money!
Tyler and I also got to go to the pumpkin patch for school this week. He was so excited because it was his first time on a bus. Those big yellow school buses are so cool! The kids got to decorate a little pumpkin when we got there and then they headed through the maze to the pumpkins. They got to play around and have fun. Plus one of the little girls Dad is a Firefighter so he brought the Fire Truck and they all had a blast. We had a little snack and then they each got to pick out a pumpkin. It was crazy with so many little kids running around.
That is just the beginning. We still have our ward Halloween party and Halloween night. More fun to come!

Tractor ride

1 2 3 4......

5. That is how old Tyler turned last month. (I know I am behind and slow at getting these posts in!) He took cookies to school to share and came home with a crown, sticker, and pencil. He was so excited and happy. That afternoon we had our first friend party. All of his primary class came and we played some games. Tyler wanted a sports party so we played pin the basketball
on the hoop, hit the basketball pinata, and a sports obsticle course. They had so much fun and all loved it. Then we had pizza, ice cream and a basketball cake.
Of course came the presents which Tyler loved! It was crazy with seven 5 years unwrapping the presents. The Legos were last and they got all over the floor. No one wanted to go home after that. Legos sure do entertain kids for hours. Tyler also got a big boy bike that he loves and rides everyday. He is growing up so fast and loving Kindergarten. We love you Ty!
Happy Birthday :)

Fun in the Sun

The last weekend before school started we decided to take off and head to the beach. The boys had never been before so we thought it was about time. We went to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It was not sunny at all and was actually freezing cold. We were not prepared so we had to buy some warm clothes.
Tyler is my fish in the water so he loved it. Carter not so much. It was too cold for him. I sat on the beach and nursed most of the time all bundled up.(So much fun!) Matt had fun with the boys in the water and playing in the sand. We got tickets for the rides on the boardwalk. They sure did enjoy themselves. It was so fun to watch their faces and hear them giggling on the rides. We were there all day and wore them out. It was our little family vacation that we celebrated our anniversary and Tyler's birthday all in one. One last big fling before school started.
Next time we will have to go when it is a little bit warmer. It was still fun though and we all had a blast!

Dragon ride (it is like the Dumbo one at Disneyland)

Hayden's Day

About a month ago we blessed Hayden. Both grandparents came to celebrate with us. It was a special day for our family. Hayden is our smallest baby and had a hard time gaining weight. Mommy is glad that we don't have to go get weight checks weekly anymore. He is now almost 10 lbs. and going on 3 months. We love you Hayden!

Mergenthaler Family

Carr Family

First Day

Tyler started Kindergarten this week. Yeah, I can't believe it. I actually have a kid old enough to go to school. He is so ready and very excited to be a big boy. I was proud of myself for not losing it, (I just bawled the night before.) I think that it hasn't really hit me yet. I feel like I am just dropping him off at a friends.
He loves it and wants to go back everyday. I put him in the afternoon class with 5 other friends from the ward. So he knows several of the kids already. Plus it is nice for me because I still have two at home that nap. That way I can get things done in the afternoon. So, I fell asleep the first day with the boys. Boy did I get a lot done! I look forward to my quiet time.
I am so excited for him to learn new things and have fun!

Toy Story Back pack

Carter wanted to go to school too. So he is carrying Tyler's lunchbox since Tyler doesn't need it this year.

Emma, Tyler, Wyatt, Kaden. We seem to have missed the memo that we were to wear RED the first day!

Families are Forever

I am so thankful that families are eternal. I am very close with my extended family on my mom's side. I love them so much! We have always made our yearly trip to Idaho every summer. Ever since I was a little girl we have had our family reunions up at Lodge in Idaho. This year I was in charge of the food for 70 people. My mother and I decided the menu and she stressed about it! It's a Tolman thing!
Matt and I loaded up the kids in our new van drove FOREVER. It sure is long and hard with two little boys and a nursing newborn. We made it okay. Except for the little hold ups: CONSTRUCTION, forgot cell phone at hotel; had to drive 15 miles back, someone sick and in the bathroom all morning, a nail in the tire, screaming kids, etc. I sure was glad when we got to Gma's house.
The next couple of days I went food shopping with Mom (stressed). I thought it was fun shopping for a large group! We had lots of help and coolers to take everthing up to the Lodge. It is tradition to stop at the corner ice cream shop by the Lodge. They are known for their sqaure ice cream. So of course we stopped and ran into 6 of my cousins and their families. The party has started!
We were driving up the driveway to the Lodge when a flood of memories rushed through my mind of all the fun times I have had here growing up. Now I am here with my own little family, it was exciting. The Lodge has 6 private rooms and two big rooms with beds in them. There is a big great room where we eat and play games. The kitchen has two stoves, and two fridges. Of course there are bathrooms and showers too. It is a nice big place for our large family. Outside is where the fun is. There is a long slide that goes down the mountain which everyone loves. Down below there is a little stream, large grass area, bowling, baseball diamond, frisbe golf, etc. It is so big and beautiful.
I was a little scared to let the boys go down the slide but Matt took them and they loved it. Especially Carter he would laugh and giggle the whole way down. They kept asking to go over and over again. I was with Hayden the whole time (Nursing mostly). I did enjoying seeing all of my cousins and catching up on their lives. We played games and had fun. Things have changed since I was little. I am now the mom with the kids running around so I have more to worry about. The other thing that was different was Gma Tolman wasn't there. She isn't doing so good and couldn't come up. My Aunt and Uncle stayed home with her so we could all go. I don't know how much longer she will be around so I made sure I got to visit with her and my boys got a picture with her. I want them to always remember who she is. She is a very special lady!
The food turned at great and we had more then enough. Everyone kept telling me what a good job I did. It really was all my mom. Thanks mom, I love you!
I had a great time and loved seeing everyone. I love them all and miss them a lot. I look forward to the next reunion.

My Three Sons

Hayden Dean Mergenthaler
June 11, 2011
2:09pm
7 lbs. 9 oz. 20 in.






Roses & Chocolate Raspberry Cake for all my hard work :) ( I love anything chocolate or raspberry so put together it is even better!)

My Three Musketeers!

Choose to Become

That is what the theme is this year for Time Out for Women. They came to Fresno back in April and big group of us went together. It was so much fun to be with friends, and sisters in Zion. "Choose to Become; All things are possible to him that believeth." -Mark 9:23
I feel like this was so meant for me. I have been struggling for several months and needed to hear the words and songs that were at Time Out. It was a time where we all laughed and cried together. It was so nice to go with a big group of friends and enjoy it together. Our ward is really close and always there for each other. I love them all. They have been helping me through my tough times lately and I am very thankful for them.
I am slowly getting back to my normal self. Now I feel that I can do what the Lord had planned for me and it is possible! I am a daughter of God and I choose to become the best mother and wife that I can be.
Trials come and go and I hope and pray that I will be able to make it through this one okay.


Where is Debbie? Can you find me?!

Fruits of our labor

So every year we plant a garden and usually get a few yummy things. We have strawberries, zucchini, tomatoes, yellow squash, and boysenberries this year. We have been reaping from our labors. The boys love the strawberries and are asking everyday if there are any ready. We have been looking forward to the boysenberries. This will be our first year to eat those. Tonight we got a little basket full of them and ate them at dinner. They were so good and we all enjoyed them. The boys went out after dinner and kept picking more. I had to drag them away before they ate too many and so we would have some for another time.
It is so nice to just go outside and get some fresh fruit/veggies from our garden. We are enjoying it!


Don't they look so YUMMY!


Boysenberries


Strawberries


Tomatoes and Squash. The white stuff in the corner is rose pedals.

Our Newest Arrival!

Made you look. No, it isn't a baby. Not Yet! We just bought a brand new 2011 Honda Odyssey. It is amazing. It is silver with gray leather interior. It has 8 seats and a huge trunk. There is a DVD player, sunroof, trunk and side doors open by themselves, ice cooler, etc. Do I need to go on? This was my birthday/mother's day present. The BEST Ever!
Matt and I have been saving money for a long time for this purchase. We wanted to be able to pay cash for it. We have been looking at different vans for months and this is what we both loved and decided was best for our family. Matt went up to WA state last weekend and picked it up for us. It was a long 3 days apart but we made it. The boys and I were outside waiting for him when he pulled up in our new car. We were so excited. I am still trying to get use to driving it and knowing what all the buttons do. So many gadgets I don't want to press the wrong one. It is also big and longer then my car so that is something else I have to get use too.
I am so happy and excited about our new addition to the family. It was a good deal and we will have this van for a long time!


Middle seat

Back row

Huge trunk/where the third row goes flat.

I TWO!

That is what Carter has been saying the past couple of weeks. "I TWO" Which really sounds like Achoo! It is the cutest thing ever to see him walking around the house holding up his hand saying I TWO and really showing all 5 fingers instead of 2. We celebrated his birthday a couple of weeks ago and can't believe that he really is two years old. Time sure does fly by. He is talking a lot more and it is so much fun to watch him learn and grow at this age. When he walks into my room in the morning he will say Hi Mom! It just melts your heart.

On his birthday we went to Toys R Us with some friends that also have the same birthday. The boys got their birthday crowns and balloons. They were excited. We then walked around the store to see what he wanted to get with his coupon that he got in the mail. We found a few things but once he saw the cars he was hooked. They were in the dollar section of all places so of course I let him get a couple of them. That boy loves cars and balls. It was too funny to watch him in the store lineing the cars all up and playing with them. Car is one of his favorite words and he even calls himself car. "I Car" is what he says and I say yes you are Carter!

After we got him some new birthday toys we headed to McDonalds and had lunch. The kids had fun and so did the mommy's. Gma and Gpa Carr came a few days later and we had a his little family party. He was so excited to open presents and play with everything. He got a soccer ball, Handy Mandy mat and play cars, a little rabbit and remote control car, McQueen comforter & McQueen lights to put up in his room. He was happy.

Then came the cake. I decided to make some dirt (Death by Chocolate, Thanks Missy) and put it in the bucket of a digger. Then I made a big pile of dirt and put worms in it. I was surprised how good it turned out. Carter of course loved the worms and only ate those!

We had a good day and he enjoyed his birthday. We love you Carter!

Carter with his birthday crown on.


Carter lineing up the cars in the store!

Tyler helping Carter look at the camera and saying "Cheese".

Carter and his soccer ball.

The digger/dirt cake.