Christmas Morning 2008

Kelsie and Brooke were all about Twilight and electric blankets!

Santa brought Cade a video rocker chair and an xBox game

Dillon was a very good boy and so Santa brought him the electric guitar 

that he'd had on his Christmas list since July!  Now he needs lessons.

Paige was happy with the puppy stroller set she got from Santa, but especially liked the candy and nuts!  She wasn't too excited about Santa before Christmas, but decided Christmas morning that he was okay.

Here is the cute bunch anticipating finding out what Santa brought the good Mercer kids!

We were very blessed to have many nice gifts under our tree thanks to the generosity of many family members.  We were grateful for each one!  Thank you!

Christmas Eve 2008

We acted out the nativity story with our family at Grandma and Grandpa Mercer's house.  Jeff and I played Mary and Joseph, Kelsie was the shepherd, Paige the angel, and Brooke, Cade, and Dillon were the three wisemen.  So cute. . .except for mom.

Posing with Santa

Here we are with Santa!  You can see how happy Paige was to be within 10 feet of Santa.  What a cute bunch of kids. . .hope they're on Santa's good list!!

We Got A Job!!!

What a blessing to be employed again, especially in this economy where people we know and love are being laid off every week!  Jeff will never again take his employment for granted!  Unemployment is a trial that is very stressful, faith trying, and yet a blessing in disguise.  Every time we have been through it we are humbled to see the Lord's hand in blessing us.  We don't even try to add up the numbers to find out why we still have money in savings and how our one month's salary lasted for 5 months and through Christmas.  I will ALWAYS pay my tithing first, avoid debt, and live frugally because you never know when you will have to live on very little.  All of a sudden, our 10 year old Suburban is looking pretty fine when I know it is paid for and we don't have to worry about making a payment every month.  We are blessed that it keeps running, along with our 12 year old Honda.  I know that with the Lord's help we CAN do hard things.  With a little effort and faith on our part, he will make up the difference for our weakness.

I am sooo blessed! 

By the way, Jeff is working for a company called Language Access Network selling video interpretation services to hospitals.  It is similar to a job he had a couple years ago and so he has a jump start on his sales with the contacts he has maintained.  We are hoping his hard work pays off soon!  Right now he is traveling 3-4 days a week trying to cover his 15 state territory as the mid-west sales VP.  Go Jeff!!

Christmas in Nauvoo

Jeff and I were asked to play Joseph and Emma Smith in a little play at our ward Christmas party.  It was more work than I expected, but ended up being pretty fun.  Jeff was thrilled to finally be on stage with me.  I think people called me "Emma" for a few weeks after that.  It was a bit tricky to figure out how to curl my hair like that!  I could never be a pioneer!

Papa's 62nd Birthday

We celebrated Papa's birthday over Thanksgiving weekend while several of us were there from out of town!  Wow was there a lot of smoke from those candles!  We love you Papa!

Homemade Rootbeer

Jeff has carried on the tradition of making homemade rootbeer from his childhood.  Our kids love doing it each holiday season.  Everyone has their own special job.  Kelsie and Dillon fill the jars, Cade carries the jar to Jeff to be capped, Brooke rinses off the bottle, and then Paige dries it and puts it on the table.  We usually make it right before Thanksgiving so that it can "brew" for a week or so and then we can enjoy it for the month of December.  I think I am the only one that has not converted to the yeast taste, but everyone else loves it.

There's a Monster in My Closet

Brooke played the "Dream  Queen" in her play and did a great job portraying a crazy, bipolar  queen.  We enjoyed watching her at her best.

Halloween Candy 2008

Well, we hit another record trick or treating last night.  Jeff stayed out until 9:30 trick or treating with four of the kids and collected 32 lbs of candy.  Then Kelsie came home from her friend's house this morning with over 18 lbs of candy.  That totals 50 lbs.  Well, we couldn't stop there.  Columbine High School had their annual "Trick or Treat Street" the day after Halloween this year and so candy donations hit a record high.  Four of our kids went and that run totaled another 18 lbs.  So we now have candy, candy, and more candy. . . 68 lbs.!!!  We gave away two big bags, filled  a big bowl and then bagged the rest in gallon ziplocks and filled the freezer.  Jeff says that if he doesn't get a job, we can live off candy.  I'm already sick of it.  I shouldn't have eaten any and now have eaten more than my share.  Hershey's chocolate and Swedish fish are my weakness.  Here are some photos of Jeff in his glory.  Good grief.  You can see we had to "sort" the candy.  That is the fun part.

Halloween 2008

Paige the "Witch", Brooke "Sally"(from the Nightmare Before Christmas), Kelsie the "prisoner", Dillon "The Cat in the Hat", Cade the "Power Ranger."

For those of you who know Jeff, you know that acquiring candy is the name of the game.  In his words, "Time is Candy!"  He has been known to "make" the kids continue to trick or treat in the cold because "we have to beat last year's record."  I think we usually end up with a ridiculous amount like between 30-40 lbs. of candy.  Tonight Kelsie did not trick or treat with us.  She went with a friend and Jeff said, "You better come home with 20 lbs. of candy, or don't come home."  She just rolls her eyes and says, "Whatever!"  Tonight it all started with Jeff putting Cade and Paige in the double stroller and running full speed down the street from house to house.  Luckily Dillon can run fast enough to keep up!  We'll see how much they come up with after 3 hours of trick or treating.  I have to make him come home by 9:00.  Here are a few photos of the kiddos in their costumes.  By the way, it was still over 70 degrees when we started out.  That is a record for Denver!

Pumpkin Carving - 2008

These are the Crazy pumpkin carvers:  Brooke, Cade, Paige, and Dillon

These are the cute pumpkin carvers!

This is the pumpkin carved by the crazy/cute pumpkin carvers!

These are the cuties that picked out the pumpkin to be carved.

Paige's 4th Birthday - 10/18/08

Paige had two of her best friends come over, Sawyer and Rachel, for a "Fairy Party"

Paige LOVES Hannah Montana!

Good thing cake tastes good, no matter how ugly. . .ha, ha.

Kelsie Turns 12!!

It is hard to believe that 12 years ago, on Friday the 13th of September, our little Kelsie was born.  Now she is a real-live pre-teen, complete with attitude.  Just ask her.  She is all about social events with her friends, her cell phone, and experimenting with hair styles and makeup.  She is also VERY excited to join the Young Women at church.  We sure love having her in our family!

Way Out West In A Dress--Jeff's Show 10/08

Jeff played the characters, Clarence, and Lady Clare Rawl.  I'm not sure it was his favorite thing to wear makeup, heels, a dress, and a wig.  He did a great job and everyone got a good laugh!

Jeff as Lady Clare Rawl

Carrie O'Key, Rogain, Lady Clare Rawl, and Melody Plunkett

Lady Clare Rawl with his/her adopted family: 

Donna, Dillon, Caden, and Paige.

The Story of the Velveteen Rabbit

Kelsie, Dillon, and Cade opened their first night of  "The Velveteen Rabbit" last night. Kelsie played the Skin Horse (with lots of lines and several solos), a toy doll, and a tree.  Dillon played the main little boy, Andrew, a clown toy, and the gardner Peavey.  Caden was Raggedy Andy, the Doctor, and a bunny.  In all, I put together 10 costumes for this show!!!  Ugh.  That is my contribution.  They did all the hard work of memorizing lines (I think Dillon had almost 100), learning dances, and acting.  They did a great job and it was a very cute show.  Paige loved watching with Mom, Dad, and Brooke.  Here are a few pictures of them.

Cade as Raggedy Andy with the China Doll and Raggedy Ann

Kelsie as a Southern Belle Doll

Dillon as a Toy Clown

Cade as a bunny

Cade as Raggedy Andy

Dillon as "Andrew" with mother and Uncle Brad

Kelsie as the Skin Horse with the Velveteen Rabbit

Dillon as "Andrew" with his rabbit

Cade as the Doctor, with Mother and Uncle Brad