Tractor Show

As some of you know My dad and I are both members of an antique tractor club. Actually right now I am serving on the board of directors as the Public relations director.

We had a show this weekend. I had the boys for most of the day to give Julie a little alone time.
The first thing John did when he got to the show was find this survey flag on the ground. He picked it up and declared it his "tractor flag". Since we have all orange tractors I cold not bring my self to take it from him.


There was a booth selling "shaved Ice". I wanted to get all snooty and tell them "look pal, I've been to Hawaii and it's called 'shave Ice'. Your in the business, you should know better." But then I thought better of my kids eating spit. That, and I'm really not very confrontational.


John and Will. I think those are like 5 year old gang signs.





Brinley and Brianna climbing on grandpas crawler. If you are saying to your self "wow, that is a pretty tractor." You must know I painted it, applied the decals and shook my head disapprovingly every time My dad wanted to cut corners in it's restoration.


By the way. I know this is an annoying song and it will not be here for very long.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

In June Jana Chad and Owen came to visit on there way to Cali. We got to spend a few days with them and even took in a D-back game.I love my picture taken. Is that what this look says? I think John finished that whole drink himself. I swear, the boy has the bladder of a Clydesdale.

The boys were so exited to be able to play with cousin Owen. However, we now know that the time limit before Will and Owen start to impose dominance on each other is about 26 hours.

If some is good, more is better.

I got a request for another picture.

J and D Merrell.

I could not resist putting this one on here. It is my favorite.

What's next?

First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes.....what comes next? Yeah it took us awhile to get with the program. After nearly ten years of trying we were blessed with twin boys. John and will.

We were only a small part of the Merrell baby Storm. Within a few years 5 grand babies took over.

The beginning

I'll start at the beginning. For me, that is the year Julie and I met. We were both going to Rick's college in Rexburg, Id. One of my roommates was stalking...er I mean infatuated with one of Julies roommates. He would drag me over to their apartment complex at least once a day. Let me back up a little.

When I applied to Rick's College I heard that the boy to girl ratio was 1/12. In my crude understanding I thought " Great, 12 ducks for every hunter". I was wrong. It was 12 hunters for every duck. After a few encounters with...shall we say "aggressive women" I decided love was not for me, and to forgo this part of the college experience until after I served a mission.

So here I am being drug around as a stalkers wing man and hang out all day in an all girls apartment. Okay, so I guess it wasn't all bad. So Julie and I started to spend a lot of time together. After a while Julie asked me to a preference dance. The dance was not for a few weeks but I thought maybe I should get to know her a little better. After all, we will have to slow dance together. We went on a couple double dates with stalker and Martha. We saw Dances with wolves and had some Ice cream. Any ways a few days before I thought that maybe I should hold her hand at the dance. That was it just "hold her hand".

All I have to say now is we have not let go. I went on a mission to Mississippi. She waited for me and we got married 2 months after I got home.
November 19, 1994 we were married in the Seattle, Washington Temple.

Introduction

Well, with the inspiration of Karen Hyde I decided to start our own blog. I'll start off first with a couple pictures to prove that I was young and thin once. From now on, you will mostly see my family. It's better for both of us this way. A better ,more formal introduction of me and my beautiful family will come soon.