Mercado Fam

Halloween 2010.

2010-11-29T10:06:00.000-08:00

Halloween was a ton of fun. The snow held off and the kids were able to enjoy trick-or-treating and enough candy to last their entire childhood!

This year Mariah was a rock star, Shayli was an 80's girl, Colin was a conductor, and Casarah was a princess. As every year, it was so much fun helping them chose a costume and dress up.

Cowgirl Ri.

2010-11-13T18:39:00.000-08:00

The other day she was inspired by Toy Story 3 and I found her doting this hat. Remember when she used to wear it all the time. It was fun to see her walking around in the house with it on, even if it was only for a day.

Lazy Sunday!

2010-09-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

Today is a lazy sunday. I will be reading (Choosing to SEE by Mary Beth Chapman) and Playing with pictures. Here's one, expect more to come. . . .

Photographing any two year old on the move is difficult. Photographing my two year old feels impossible!! In fact we're doing a "Take Two" today.

Little Kid Love.

2010-09-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

Oh to be a little kid in the Mercado home. . .

You can beat on the window, as if it's a drum, and the dog will be your audience. She appreciates a good, loud show. On the other hand, Mom's not such a fan.

Once your show is over, you can make a train out of the Costco boxes, eat snacks, watch a movie, and pick on the dog. Once Mommy tells you to leave the dog alone. . .

You can remember that you are SUPER thirsty. Skip the kitchen, head up to Mom and Dad's room and suck water out of their bathroom sink. When Mom catches you. . .

You can give her your special "I'm not up to NOTHIN' " look. She likes that one.

On any given day you can help Daddy. He loves help. Run outside in your diaper, cause Mom didn't put your pants back on when she changed you. Grab your toy lawn mower and get your feet extra grassy. You'll need grassy feet so you can walk through the house with them. Mom loves to use the vacuum cleaner.

Early in the morning, you can wake up, wear whatever outside (after all you're child 3 &4), and help wash the car! Get extra wet, then make sure you walk through the house. Mom loves to wipe water off of the floors.
Stuff a balloon in your shirt, pretend you're having a baby doll. It'll be fun. Mom will laugh and take a picture of your sassy lil' pants.

When you're at the park step in every mud puddle you find. Mom's never had a boy before, she thinks it's cool. But remember to leave your shoes on for the car ride home. Mom forgets everything, she'll let you out of the car so you can walk through the house. That'll be fun she can use the vacuum and wipe the floors.

You little kids sure know how to show Mom a good time.

Chicken Dance.

2010-09-05T15:05:00.001-07:00

My Gymnast.

2010-09-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Meet Miss Determination. She's been working hard at gymnastics for almost a year. She's moving right along and mastering the skills. She says she wants to be an olympic gymnast. I remember a girl who wanted that same thing.

What is special about Shayli though is that she has possesses a natural talent for gymnastics, while also having a large dose of her Dad's determination. What a gift, a tremendous gift. Because we all know that determination alone can carry you very far.

In the past two weeks, she has mastered both her pullover and back hip circle on her own. Woo hoo! Now onto the glide kip! She almost has her back handspring down. Give her one more year and she will surpass my skill level. My excitement is growing. Although at first, I was hesitant. I didn't want her to do gymnastics just because I did. So I asked her to try soccer?Maybe swim? What about volleyball? Nope. She just wants to be a gymnast! It's no secret I love gymnastics, and I love my little gymnast.

Nearly Two.

2010-09-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

He's nearly two. What to do? What to do?

He has plenty of ideas on the matter.

For example, sit on the coffee table and watch Curious George.

To make certain all needs are met while on the table, line your toy cars up, grab Mommy's book (that your not suppose to have), and bring your breakfast to the table. When you finish your breakfast (toast) you can grind the breadcrumbs in to the table so that Mommy has to vacuum them out.

When finished making the above mess, make sure you show Mommy this face. She'll melt and you won't get in trouble a single bit. She'll just grab the vacuum and suck the breadcrumbs out. No prob!

Charming, just charming!

2010-08-29T15:05:00.001-07:00

A Boy & His Bike.

2010-08-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

"Hello bike! I'm going to ride you one day, all by myself."

Hold Still, I want to take your picture.

2010-08-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

The other day I went out to Colorado College to do a location check for an upcoming shoot. I loaded the kids up in the car after dinner and we headed out. We had so much fun walking the campus. It's a really beautiful college. So I thought, this is a great opportunity to snag a photo of the kids. "Hey kids!" So they all sat down, well, 3 sat down. 1 would not cooperate, can you guess which 1? Hint: He happens to be 1.

But with a some convincing/bribery, I was able to get a little cooperation. Well, for a split second anyhow. The price? A lollipop, of course. ;o)

Train Up A Child

2010-08-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is older he will mow the lawn. We have big plans for this young man ;o)

Phase 1 of training, just prior to 1st birthday:

Phase 2 of training, just prior to 2nd birthday:

To be continued. . . .

Swim Cap Boy III.

2010-08-07T14:21:00.001-07:00

Swim cap boy thought he would make one final appearance before summer's end.

Eight is Great!

2010-07-27T06:33:00.000-07:00

Shutterfly Summer Freedom Contest

2010-07-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

VOTE!VOTE!VOTE!VOTE!

Contest details

Mercado Kids' Pumpkin Patch (in a cup).

2010-07-19T13:24:00.001-07:00

We have high hopes (pupmpkin-pie in the sky hopes!). At the end of the school year, Mariah received a cup and four pumpkin seeds in her school bag. It's July and I just discovered them. After reading the four step directions carefully, I decided to plant them. Three days later we have managed to grow green shoots. Friends,I believe we are in the pumpkin business!

Day #3

Day #6

Of course, should these small green shoots NOT grow into the plump and thriving pumpkins that we hope they'll become, there is always the back up plan~ a pumpkin patch or in our case a supermarket (see last year's post). I am not necessarily the green thumb sort of Mom. So if this turns out the way I hope, then you can be sure that it is fully possible for absolutely ANYONE to grow their own pumpkins. Stay tuned!

The way I see it, this could be my backyard in just a few short months!

The Bunny Song.

2010-07-18T19:30:00.001-07:00

The first words out of Colin's mouth each morning are generally, "Mama juice pease, Mama." Each day I grab him out of his crib and head for the kitchen. I either fill his cup with orange juice or chocolate milk. As you can tell in the picture above, this was a chocolate milk day.

There is a simple rule, I can't serve Nesquik without singing the bunny song. Really, the bunny song has absolutely nothing to do with Nesquik or chocolate milk, and has everything to do with Veggie Tales. As I pour the milk and mix the chocolate powder in, I sing, "The bunny, the bunny, oh I ate the bunny." Since he picks up everything so quick, Colin has taken to singing the song himself as he waits for me to fill his cup.

Patsy's Candies.

2010-07-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

Last week we took a trip to Patsy's Candies.

We went with the Current gang and the Thompson kids.

The Mercado kids w/ the Thompson Boys.

Mariah and Colin sharing a treat.

Of all the yummy candy we saw, it was the Cheese popcorn that won us over.

Go figure.

The Return of Swim Cap Boy!

2010-07-18T18:50:00.001-07:00

See his first appearance HERE!

First Job!!

2010-07-12T12:05:00.000-07:00

They were asked to dog-sit for the neighbors while they were on vacation. They had so much fun and went above and beyond. It was so cute to see them in action, behaving so responsibly. Then, I had to go over and ruin it. Ooops!

I went over with my camera and called them out to the back yard. I just wanted one picture and we all know how I am with my pictures. So they came out and I reached over and shut the back door and. . . . . . locked us out. They probably want to strangle me right now, ooops!

Fortunately, all is well. The dogs are in the backyard where they're supposed to be. The house is locked, the only dilemma the keys are inside the house. Good thing the owner will be home in an hour or so. Way to go Mom!

Another Swim Meet!

2010-07-11T10:10:00.001-07:00

We've paid a babysitter for all her swim meets this far. It has been so fun to go and focus on Mariah. I know she loves the time with her Daddy and I.

Ri swimming a relay. She finished up and the team took 3rd!

Ri swimming the backstroke, these are all 50 yds.

Ri swimming breaststroke.

Her next meet is on Wednesday!!

Ri's Swim Meet!!

2010-07-07T19:50:00.001-07:00

She took 2nd overall in the 25 yd Freestyle! Her time: 19.01 seconds

We'll find out the rest of the results tomorrow.

Ok on the video below, I sort of messed up. I got the wrong girl towards the end. Ooops! That's what I get for trying to cheer and video.

Yea she rocks, if I do say so myself!!

Cupcake Stands!

2010-07-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

Visit my Etsy shop HERE

I am really excited to introduce these 4"x 4" little darlings. They were inspired by my own love for cupcakes. I had been waiting to get the final pieces of the ginormous cake stand order off to their party before I posted these.

Shop my store and invite one of these charming cupcake stands to your next special occasion. They're sure to be a hit!! I'll be posting new designs often so keep checking back.

And for those of you who have your own creative streak, here's one you can create all on your own!

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-05T12:16:00.000-07:00

Ice Cream Boy.

2010-07-03T15:56:00.000-07:00

I scream, You scream, We all scream for ICE CREAM!!

Lil' Skater Dude.

2010-06-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

I bought this skate board months ago for Colin. I thought it would be a cool little prop. What I didn't count on was how much he would love to play with it. So here he is, my little skater dude. Hangin' out with the big boys.

Have A Happy Day.

2010-06-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

Estes Park 2010

2010-06-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

We Love Our Daddy!!

2010-06-20T11:42:00.000-07:00

She's still a little girl.

2010-06-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

Shayli brought these two animals home for Special Person week. We happened to be taking a family trip to Estes Park, so they came along. She had so much fun taking pictures with them and writing about their adventures in a class journal. Come Monday, it was time for Dillie and Dilbert to go back to school (which is home for them). Shayli was so sad that they couldn't stay. She cried throughout the morning.

It was so sweet to watch Sonny listen to her talk about how sad she was. Sonny has a difficult time caring about the living, breathing dog in our house. So you can imagine how he felt about two stuffed animals. He does, however, love his ShayBug so of course he listened and consoled.

Meet Swim Cap Boy!

2010-06-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

If Sonny knew I was posting this one. Ha!!

Colin loves to wear Mariah's swim cap. It cracks me up when he walks through the house wearing it, because as you can see it totally scrunches his face up. You can't leave it on for too long, because it leaves a mark around his head. If you know Colin though, you know he's not very happy when I take it off.

VBS Days

2010-06-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

This year VBS had a western theme. The girls had so much fun dressing up like cowgirls!!

We brought our neighbors/friends Kylie and Logan to VBS. Logan was so sweet, he asked me on the last day if he could come more often! And Kylie blessed me by memorizing her scripture on her own. Each morning we would work on the memory verse on the way to VBS, but on the last day Kylie new hers before she got in the car.

I have such wonderful memories of VBS from when I was kid. I love seeing my own kids enjoy it too!

Two Little Monkeys

2010-06-19T06:45:00.001-07:00

Just Enjoying Summer!

2010-06-19T06:39:00.000-07:00

Colin & Daddy Playing

2010-06-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

Sar~girl.

2010-04-05T21:23:00.001-07:00

I found this sequence of pictures on one of our cameras. Since I know I didn't take these, I'm thinking Mariah might have. I love the way she captured the very preciousness of our Casarah.

I'm blessed to be her Mom. I get the privilege of watching how graciously God helps her

emerge from her past, and into a new life of family, security, and love.

She asks the sweetest thing right now. Whenever she's in trouble and I'm disciplining her, she looks at me with those giants brown eyes and asks:

"Mom, am I still special?"

With my heart melting in a puddle on the floor I answer:

"Sarah, you're always special!"

Little Man.

2010-04-05T20:54:00.001-07:00

Here's a few of Colin I took, before the D80 broke. Broke? Ok, was mindlessly dropped. Poor D80, served me so well. And I just let it fall to the ground, cracking the LCD screen. It's a shame, shame shame.

However. . . . I love the shots of my cutie pie pants. Yes, I have million nicknames for him. Each are sweet little indications of the insane amount of love I have for him.

Growing and exploring the world. I love watching Colin navigate his way around the yard. He find rocks in the yard and brings them to me. He hands them to me like their little presents.

I love rock presents from my little boy!

Happy Easter.

2010-04-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

Easter Morning:

I love the sight of four Easter baskets!

Ri got a new Bible, the big kid kind. I took forever picking it out,

it had to be just the right one for my girl.

Shayli helping Colin look through his Easter goodies.

Casarah was very excited to see the Princess from

The Princess and the Frog in her basket.

We moved onto coloring our Easter eggs. Shayli was

sick with a stomach bug the night before so the coloring

had to wait until Easter morning.

Time for our Easter egg hunt. We took advantage of the nice weather.

Daddy helped Colin find his share.

And even when he found his share, he couldn't resist

helping himself to Mariah's too.

Doesn't Ri look beautiful! She's the sweetest big sister.

Sarah looked high and low. I'm so blessed to see how she

has grown and how special holidays, like Easter, are for her.

I love everything about this little man. . . .

including his little sweetie pie expression.

Bright eyed girl, enjoyed her day.

This how my two favorite men relax after

a busy day full of fun!

Butterfly Boxes.

2010-04-05T14:13:00.001-07:00

We attended our first Home Depot Kid's Workshop.

The girls each made a butterfly box.

It was so cute to see the hammer away while building their boxes.

We took them home where we finished the job properly (as girls must) and added beautiful shades of colorful paint.

What butterfly wouldn't want to make their home here?

Girls' Time.

2010-04-05T13:54:00.001-07:00

This was our Girls' Day Out with Brandy. We had so much fun!!

We indulged, trying on goofy Easter hats at TJ Maxx and

hitting other fun stores. After, we headed over to some

"fine" dining for lunch and then wrapped our day up with a movie.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

2010-03-18T19:57:00.001-07:00

We celebrated St. Patrick's Day with Green Eggs and Ham and Sam I Am.

Kitchen Help.

2010-03-13T11:47:00.001-08:00

I've got great kitchen help! Casarah works hard at

buttering the bread w/ extra, extra butter.

Mariah makes sure the kitchen doesn't burn up.

And Colin is on the clean up crew!

I love my kitchen help!

Chillin' While Mom Takes Care of Me.

2010-03-13T11:41:00.001-08:00

A little popcorn and Yo Gabba Gabba gets Mr. in the mood

to let me trim his overgrown little nails.

His precious face is my "Atta Girl!"

Boys are funny!! They need their Mamas.

2010-03-08T16:44:00.000-08:00

The Fab Four!

2010-03-08T14:12:00.000-08:00

The fab four are back at it!! The girls came home from their California trip.

Look who has a hold of his sisters. He missed them tons, and squealed with excitement when he saw them.

Yup, buddy, it's really them!!

He thinks we were crazy for letting them leave for 10 days.

Shh! Don't tell him they went to Disneyland.

Little Kid Time!

2010-03-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a warm day of 50 degrees and headed over to our neighborhood park. Casarah and Colin had lots of fun playing together. Here's some cute shots I got of them:

Busy Boy.

2010-03-01T19:25:00.000-08:00

Busy boy is getting big. He's got his running shoes on and he's quite something to keep up with. He asked for the bike helmet (in his 1 yr. old way). He wore it while exploring outside on one of our warmer days. Daddy and I were busy cleaning out the garage, but I had to stop snap a picture of my sweet lil' man.

Birthday Girl.

2010-02-22T21:37:00.000-08:00

Happy 10th Birthday, Gracie Girl!

God gave us so much when he gave us you.

1 yr. old on the run. . .

2010-01-29T18:30:00.001-08:00

Colin's a busy boy these days. Playing, exploring, and discovering.

It's fun just to watch him. He loves listening to the ipod shuffle.

He'll walk around with it on, play with his toys, and randomly

stop to dance. His new found independence comes with a few

challenges. . . .

He loves to try to help and wants do things by himself. Here he is

giving Sally dinner. Well, at least, he was attempting to give her

dinner. He tried and tried to scoop her food in the cup w/out

success. Then he decided to pick up the dog food piece by piece,

except he wasn't trying to help Sally at all. He grabbed the piece

and . . . .yup popped it in his own mouth. YUCK!! The camera

went down and I quickly dug it out.

Because nothing keeps him down too long, he was off from the dog

food to the refrigerator, so soon as he heard one of the girls open

the door. There he found lots of condiment bottles to spread around

the kitchen floor after he was off to the next thing that caught his

attention, I'm thinking it might have had something to do w/

Yo! Gabba! Gabba! & DJ Lance. . . of course he took the bottle

of mustard along.

Shayli's Wit.

2009-12-29T11:41:00.000-08:00

Shayli is hands down my wittiest child. She is always saying something clever as clever can be. This morning I asked to her to watch Colin for 5 minutes so I could blow dry my hair. She looked at me with an annoyed look, to which I asked if there was a problem and she quickly clarified that there was not.

I went upstairs, dried my hair and snuck in putting on my makeup. When I came down stairs I found Shayli and Colin in the office with the door closed, here is the conversation that ensued:

Me: (opening office door) Hey, what are you doin'?

Shay: Close the door please.

Me: What??

Shay: I'm running a daycare center, and you owe me a dollar.

Me: (Close the door, shake my head and walk away). ;o) I don't think so.

She's just too much!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T08:24:00.000-08:00

We wish you a Merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year!

We Saw Santa. . .

2009-12-21T17:46:00.000-08:00

Today we went to visit Santa. I haven't done this in a very long time, but with little ones in the house it seemed in order. So off we went to a little area called Old Colorado City. It's a charming and quaint strip of shops, restaurants, and a log cabin which houses Santa. The kids visited with Santa, Casarah gazing up at him in complete adoration.

After our visit we strolled the street looking in shops and stopping for some treats at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Shayli and I indulged in a Toffee Caramel apple which we shared with Colin. Mariah and Casarah devoured a mint n' chip ice cream. Yummy! Then we picked up our picture with Santa and headed home.

How did Colin like Santa?? Well, notice the distance between the two. We tried to sit him in Santa's lap and he cried instantly. This where the experienced Mom of 4 comes in and declares, "Let it go!" Then I turn to Ri with a heart full of gratitude toward the other set of arms that can hold her brother. Snap! Snap! A picture with all 4.

Ok here's the tip for my Colorado Springs friends:

When you visit Santa they snap a picture and give a free 5x7, no strings attached.

How cool is that!!

http://www.shopoldcoloradocity.com/content.php?id=98

High Altitude Baking.

2009-12-18T18:41:00.000-08:00

Baking at our Colorado elevation does not always work in my favor. Sometimes I forget to add the extra flour, thus these peanut butter cookies. . .

I made the best of it, don't ya think!?

Remembering our Thanksgiving. . .

2009-12-18T14:26:00.000-08:00

National Adoption Awareness Month!!

2009-11-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

In honor of children in need of a forever family. A reminder to those of you who have considered adoption and bought into the doubt. Here's encouraging you to step out in faith, trust God and His ways, and give the possibility of adoption a stronger look.

Some recommended places to start:

http://project127.com/

http://www.adoptuskids.org/

http://www.showhope.org/

From my heart to yours, the 2 in my life who have made the journey exceedingly and abundantly worth it:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him and He will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5,6

It's the Great Pumpkin, Mercado Kids!

2009-10-30T18:17:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this posting with: We tried to go to the pumpkin patch this year! But either they were closed, frozen, or our Daddy was working. *Sigh* We waited and waited for the right opportunity to come and it just never did.

So today, October 30th (the day before Halloween) we broke down and headed over to Wal-mart in search of the not-so perfect pumpkin, but instead the "it'll do" pumpkin.

Upon our arrival we quickly learned that there were none left. :(

What to do? What to do? No pumpkins to carve?

The ever confident Mom, I tell them: It's ok guys we'll try Albertson's!

Yes, yes they'll have some (I'm desparately hoping). We walk through the sliding doors, dodge the normal "oh my gosh that girl has 4 kids stares" and head for the pumpkin boxes we've seen from afar.

Oh boy! They have. . . . . . . . . empty pumpkin boxes!?

Actually there's one left and it's mushed in on the side. It will not do!

Wait kids I think I see more! I say this with all the excitement I can muster.

We head over to the corner where the gourds are located and the pie pumpkins

Hmmmm, I think to myself, these just might do.

Ri my ever loyal companion agrees, Yup, these we'll work!

I give into the nagging doubt, Do you think we can carve 'em Ri?

She's sure we can, so I buy the advice of my 9 yr. old, and encourage my 7 yr. old to go along with the fun and pick a pumpkin.

See Shay's face!

She's a good sport and she gets

into the spirit, even if she thinks I'm crazy.

Note:1 yr. olds do not care

where their pumpkin comes from!

4 pumpkins and $8.00 later we are out the door and on our way home to carve pumpkins.

We arrive home and begin the carving. The girls get straight to work:

Gutting!

Cutting!

Carving!

(ooops, Shay don't cut your fingers off)

And then before my very eyes, the cutest thing happens. . . . Colin takes a cue from his big sisters and begins to dig into his pumpkin:

He dug into the slime and pulp of the pumpkin. He leaned over and grabbed a large silver spoon to finish the work.

He's 1, what's the fun of carving a pumpkin if you can't taste it.

My sweet little one year old stood on his own chair, worked on his own pumpkin and melted (once again) his mama's heart.

Before we knew it our pumpkins were carved. We had more fun than you'll know picking out our little pumpkins, bringing them home and carving them into jack-o-laterns. Sometimes things don't have to go as you imagine, they can go better.

Mercado Kids rock! Even when things don't go their way, proving all the more that attitude is everything.

Tonight I, the mama, am tired. I still have Halloween night ahead of me and all the fun/work it will bring. In these moments I honestly wonder was FUN so much WORK for my own Mom?? If it was, then I hope my kids (like me) don't realize it until they are grown and have families of their own.

Trick-or-Treat (but we prefer the treat)

2009-10-30T11:29:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I did it, I took halloween pictures of the kids. Ta Dah! This is no easy task let me tell you. But it was well worth it. I love Halloween, because I have so much fun dressing up the kids. Four means, four times the fun!!

Priness Leia:

Yoda:

Diner Girl:

Aerial:

We hope you have a fun Halloween!

Adoption Article.

2009-09-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

I had said I would post this article awhile back. This is a sign that I am getting caught up on life! I wrote the article for our church's women's newsletter. If you click on the image, it should pull up in a readable size. Love, Darci

American Girl Fun!

2009-08-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

For those of you with American Girl lovin' daughters

here are two fun things you should check out:

1) McDonald's is including American Girl goodies in their Happy Meals.

2) On September 19th Michael's Craft Store is having a free American Girl craft event.

I homeschool.

2009-08-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Imagine me ducking as I say, "I homeschool." You might wonder what I am ducking from. . . . . the suspicious glances, the eye-rolls and the criticism that can come with such a decision. In some ways, I am ducking from myself. I am aware of the negative stigma some have toward homeschooling. While I am personally hesitant in this decision, I am becoming increasingly confident that it is the right one.

Let me first clear the air. . . . .

No, I didn't pull my kids out of public school because I thought they were being contaminated or inundated with an evil agenda.

In fact, the times that the kids did learn things that were contrary to what we believe (which were few)- it really gave a welcomed opportunity to talk about what and why we believe what we do. I believe it is important for my children to know: 1) Not everyone is a Christian 2) Not everyone believes the same thing as we do 3) Their faith has to be their own.

No, Sonny and I are not moving to the "prairie days."

I am not sewing dresses, knitting or making jam (although more power to those of you who do). In fact, as I type Sonny is playing PS3, the girls are setting up their Barbies and well obviously I am blogging. So life as we know it is remaining the same. . . mostly.

No, I am not setting my children up to be social outcasts.

Lol! If you know my kids, you know they are incredibly social. They love being with other kids (chances are they love your kids). They have kind, compassionate hearts. And because of their life's circumstances (our adoptions) they are acutely aware of other people's hurts and needs outside themselves.

How did I figure to address these specific questions? Because honestly they were the topics I wrestled with myself. They were the things Sonny and I had to consider in making such a huge decision. Yes, we prayed about this decision. Yes,we felt that this was the route the Lord would have us take at this point in the girls' education.

Here are some of the concerns we experienced regarding our oldest daughter, and a huge factor in deciding to homeschool her:

"Mariah needs to focus more", "Mariah is distracted too easily","Mariah needs to improve her reading skills", "Mariah needs an ILP", "Mariah needs to stay after school for reading club".

Really, well what does Mariah do right?

Let's see, she brings home all A's and B's, she never has any disciplinary/behavior issues. She gets along with other kids and has lots of friends. No, she's not perfect- and well, I'm ok with that. Sonny and I aren't shooting for perfection anyhow (since it's unattainable). After a couple years of dealing with the meetings with the teachers, the principal and handling a child who begged, "Please don't make me go to school today." Sonny and I decided enough!!

Even with all those negatives, I have no bitter epilogue to give you over public school education. Traditional school simply did not work well for Mariah. However, I am continuing to use a public school program called COVA (which is a K12 program), in California the program is called CAVA. I love that the lessons are organized for me, there is a teacher that works with me and there are lots of organized events and co-ops.

I also love:

* That I can accomplish in about 3-3.5 hrs. what took a 7hr. day to complete away from home.

* That we can focus more on some of Mariah and Shayli's gifts and talents w/out running ourselves ragged over practices, games, rehearsals, etc.

* We can enjoy days off as a family! This a great added benefit. Sonny has never had a standard work week, so it's nice that we can make our days off w/ Daddy.

* The girls are able have more focused learning environment. Sit in a public school classroom for 1/2- and you too will empathize with the reasons Mariah struggled to focus. I needed an Advil after I volunteer for 1/2 an hour.

* Finally, my heart is to strengthen our family. As you know our family dynamic has changed in the past 3 years. The girls have two new siblings! Having the girls home allows us to take a deep breath and readjust as a family.

Two more questions:

So then why Shayli too? Well if you understand the relationship that Mariah and Shayli share - then you understand that it wouldn't be fair to keep one home and send off the other. Neither one would go for that. They love each other very much - and they prefer above all else to be together.

How long are you going to do this for? Not even I know the answer to that question. We're on a year-to-year basis. But my hope is that the girls will be able to go to a private school for Jr. High and/or High School. But we'll continue to pray about it and allow God to open those doors or other ones if He so chooses.

I love our girls! I value their education and I would never make a decision that would compromise their learning. I'll look forward to sharing with you how this new adventure progresses.

Love, Darci

Blujeanmama

2009-08-10T20:24:00.000-07:00

Don't peek yet, BUT:

I'm working on an idea. Every "over-ambitious Darci project" starts with these words, "I have an idea!" This one is no different. I have had the name secured for awhile and finally I found a moment to work on a cool header/logo. At least I think it's cool, you're welcome to leave your comments on the matter.

It's all in the beginning stages, I will give you a heads up when it's time to check over at: blujeanmama.

Q & A Session.

2009-08-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

These Q & A sessions happen in our home frequently. An argument will break out and the girls will yell my name throughout the house (most likely C's sleeping). "What happened Shay?" Why do I even ask? Shayli tells an event in such detail that she loses my attention several times. I try to get her to get to the point, "Shay just tell me the part where you got mad?" She responds, "Mom, I am, but Mom first Ri was. . . . . " Uuuughh. There's no cutting to the facts for her, I need to know what the three barbie dolls involved were wearing and what they were doing for the 20 minutes prior to the argument.

In this particular picture Shay's finally getting around to telling Daddy the part where Mariah did something, Ri is trying to shush her into silence. Shushing Shayli into silence is completely ineffective. Eventually we sort it out and they work it out. Soon they're back to playing until the next argument arises, "Mooooooommmm!" "Sshhhh! C's sleeping, what now Shay?!?!"

Baby Days '09

2009-08-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

We're rounding the final weeks of C's 1st year (sniff, sniff). Too soon the formula cans will no longer line the cupboard, many of the milestone firsts have already passed. It's incredible to think that this little bundle who arrived at a wee three days old is now crawling, sitting, drinking from a sippy cup and thinking mommy can be quite funny.

Our home loves our boy and all the fun, the new, the different that comes with him. The colors of blue, green and brown fill our home. I trip on toy rocket ships, step on hotwheels, and watch my "little man" bang on things with delight, all the while growling. It is so much fun! I look forward to the little toddler he will become in this next year. Oh but I want to savor the remaining baby days. Already the cooing infant is only a memory and before I know it so will be the crawling baby.

As Mom of 4 I now understand what others are trying to say when they see us in the mall with our tiny little infant and they kindly comment, "Enjoy it, it goes by so fast." Aaahh it does. And as my Dad once pointed out, "If you think it goes by fast now, think about it from where I'm standing." Some days I might crave an empy nest- but in the quiet moments I desire the noise more and I know I will one day miss it. But for now, it's time for haircuts, grocery shopping, some whining and lunch! Onto the noise. . . chhhhhaaaaaaarrrgggge!

C's Room.

2009-08-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

I finally fixed my bedroom dilemmas. Everything is progressing quite nicely now. C went in the green room and I was able to incorporate the color into the decor, no painting needed. Shayli and Casarah are in the pink room. I won't need to repaint those walls, but I do still have to paint the bed black.

Here are some pics of C's room in progress. There are still some small details I want to add. The decorations are compliments of TJ Max, Babies R US and Etsy. The FAO dog on the floor is a Mercado kids' bedroom staple. He has found his way into the rooms of all our children. Sonny agonized over spending $100 on a "stuffed animal". But he is more than just a stuffed animal now, 4 kids later he's a cozy, loveable part of the family. And sooooo much cuter than a beanbag chair.

For C's Room.

2009-07-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

Our upstairs is in shambles. I can't decide whether C should stay in the "pink" room and I should repaint the original color; or should I move him into the "green" room and return that room to its original color. Shayli and Casarah are in limbo over their room arrangements as well. Mariah has one wall left to be painted. It's ridiculous. I know, I know it will all come together eventually.

Meanwhile, I've been shopping- on Etsy again. Here are the pics I bought for C's room - now I have to find some cute frames for them.

Back at it??

2009-07-08T21:57:00.001-07:00

Oh Photography!! I'm not sure if I'm quite ready to say that I'm back at it, but I sure love it!!

http://darcimercado.blogspot.com/

Disneyland!

2009-06-09T08:49:00.000-07:00

We made it to Disneyland this trip. Here's a few favorites. Obviously there are many of all of us with C, but those we'll have to be posted at a later date.

Casarah had so much fun. Imagine being 3 and learning for the first time that this is where Mickey Mouse lives. She loves Mickey Mouse, so this day was very special for her.

It had been awhile since Mariah and Shayli had been to Dland. It was a new experience for Mariah, there are a whole new set of rides to experience (the big kid kind). She went on the Matterhorn (spelling?). Shayli's favorite ride of the day was Buzz Lightyear's. Thanks to the McIntire and Berridge family for getting our whole family signed in. We had a great time.

Little Surfer Girl!

2009-06-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

Look at her go! Riding the real waves.

Pictured below: Mariah's Surf Coach (AKA Papa)

She has always loved to be at the beach. Sonny says I spent far too much time there with her when she was little. Lots of kids love the beach, but Mariah's desire to be in that ocean is different. She is in the 60-63 degree water nearly the entire time. She alternates between the bodyboard and longboard the entire time.

Sometimes you jut catch them.

2009-06-08T16:47:00.000-07:00

Usually, you ask for a smile and they give you that "cheese smile", you know the one that's in nearly all the photos you take. But then there's that moment one of them makes the other laugh, and then you get. . . . a definite favorite!

Riding the Waves.

2009-05-18T19:32:00.000-07:00

Casarah was busy hangin' with the kids this day. She keeps up very well and enjoys being outside playing.

This is a great Shay expression. I am going to call it "Sweet Stubborness" =)

Tell me you can't see her Daddy in this expression!

Here Mariah is "riding the waves as she puts it. It's warm and beautiful out and so we're enjoying lots of time outside. The grass is green again, see?!

Bleeding Hearts!

2009-05-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

Aren't these flowers so pretty? They are called bleeding hearts. I never realized they were heart shaped until the other day. I just had to pull out my camera for these pretty little dangling hearts.

Goofin' with the Girls!

2009-05-03T05:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the girls and I laid on my bed and played with photobooth. We laughed so hard putting these pictures together. We had to have a certain rhythm for timing, it went happy-silly-sad-mad. These definitely weren't first takes, we did it over and over and over again laughing all the harder each time.

Shay's 1st Grade Performance!

2009-04-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

Shay had her first grade performance tonight. She was a little nervous

to sing in front of other kids' parents. It was fun to see the show!

I still think the best shows were the ones she did at home for me when she practiced.

Thanks Ri for taking great pictures!

Singing Sensation!

2009-03-03T05:48:00.000-08:00

Mariah got Disney wii singit for her birthday.
Here she is trying it out. I just wish they had
one with Praise/Christian music. She sings those
songs so beautifully.

Shay Sledding!

2009-02-28T19:50:00.000-08:00

Whoa Mama!

Rigirl8

2009-02-07T20:14:00.001-08:00

We have spent the whole year calling her Rigirl8, and now she is just weeks away from turning 9. I am so sad-happy that she is growing up. Sad because she's my baby. Happy because I am so proud of who she is becoming. I finally took the opportunity to capture this picture of her, I have had it in my mind for weeks. It speaks so much to who she is. Her special Rusty hat was given to her by her Papa when he came over Christmas. It was his, she loved it, and he gave it to her. Then he went back to CA and bought another one. She loves to wear it with him when they ichat. Casual clothes make-up her wardrobe; t-shirts and jeans. There's definitely Barron in this kid.

The other day she said: "Mom half my heart is in California and half of it is here in Colorado. But really my whole heart belongs to God." Now that makes her mama's heart melt. She has a love for the Lord that is so sweet and sincere.

In school they are teaching her about how the planet/world came about. She comes home and wants to talk to me about it. She keeps up a good attitude about the whole thing, but she can't quite understand why people don't give God credit for what He did. I think we might run into a problem if they give her a true/false quiz. She'll let you teach it to her, but she's not buying it for one second. Out of her mouth, "That's ridiculous and lame, Mom." I know, I know Gracie keep that thought, there's a whole world of lame out there.

I love my Rigirl8!!

2009-01-18T10:01:00.000-08:00

Shayli brought home the above assignment, and I couldn't help but post it. It cracks me up every time I read it. Living with our witty 1st grader is almost always amusing- minus the times it gets her in a bit of trouble.

2008-12-15T04:57:00.000-08:00

Trick-or-Treat

2008-11-01T07:20:00.000-07:00

(click pic for larger view)

Halloween was a blast. The weather was awesome. It's the 1st Halloween with NO snow.
Yippee!
We were out and about. . . . . no jackets, extra trick-or-treating time, lot's of F-U-N!
Mariah as Nancy Drew
Shayli as Black Kitty
Casarah as Fancy Nancy

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Our family trip to the pumpkin patch was a lot of fun. Ironically, pumpkin patches around here seem to be slim pickins' I am not sure why that is. So we have had a hard time replacing our favorite one at Goldenwest College in California. However, this one seemed to do the trick. Casarah was thrilled - I hope you can see the sheer delight in her eyes, and of course Mariah and Shayli are nowhere near outgrowing the fun! I doubt they ever will. Good, that's what I say.

Palin Rally

2008-10-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

Ok so I don't expect everyone who reads this to be impressed that the girls and I went to a Sarah Palin rally. We respect that, so please in turn respect the fact that we like her very much. This was a great opportunity for the girls to get to be apart of this election firsthand. They have watched the debates, watched the conventions (both of them), and now they have been to a rally. It is so fun to live in a "swing" state. Our vote matters so the candidates come through our state more than once and we get regular calls and visits inquiring about who we'll vote for.

We got up early this past Monday morning and headed for the rally at Sky Sox stadium. We waited and waited in line, getting in just in time to hear her speak. It was a ton of fun. There was a huge turn out to hear her. Her outfit was charming and worth every penny of the $150,000 (joking). Seeing her speak has made the elections even more exciting! C-bear came too. . . but he's currently an "Independent" - hahahahaha.

Our kids will cast their votes at school on the 3rd. Mariah is looking forward to that. And we'll cast our votes on the 4th. . . .wonder who we'll vote for ;-)? Mariah would be happy to tell you.

Minkly and Froggy

2008-10-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

If there is two things our little girl loves right now, it's "minkly" and froggy. Minkly is what she calls her blankie that she sleeps with every night. It's extra special because it was the blanket she had on her bed when she lived with Mary and Larry. She continues to have it on her bed every night.

And well, froggies are something she has come to love all on her own!

One More Pic of Estes Park

2008-10-25T09:58:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of Sonny and I at Estes Park. Mariah took it. And I love it!! So I thought I would share it.

Estes Park

2008-10-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took a family trip to Estes Park. Yes, all six of us. No one gets left out around here. Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park exceeded my expectations. It was beautiful, fun and a bit chilly. The fall colors still lingered, although I believe we arrived 3 weeks passed their prime.

I cannot fail to mention that Estes Park holds one great Starbucks location. The best we've found so far. Of course, a Mercado cannot pass up a cup of Starbucks ever. And our little Casarah did not miss out on her hot chocolate. C-bear slept most the time - although he joined us for a family picture and a fall close up of his own. Otherwise, he remained warm and snug in the car as Sonny and I rotated trips outside in the 37 degree weather.

We definitely plan to make this trip again next year!! We're enjoying Colorado more and more these days. Settling in, finding places and things to do and enjoy. Enjoy the photos.

Shaylisms

2008-10-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

Shayli says the funniest things right now. Actually she always has been quite clever with her words. So being six is bringing on a whole new onset of ideas and wise things to say. Here are few:

"I have hypothesis. . . ." This came out while her Daddy rummaged through the car looking for her missing Nike. Her hypothesis was: Mary & Larry took it, but by accident.

It's early in the morning I am waiting for my beloved pot of coffee to brew. Sonny comes in the kitchen and gives me a hug. Shayli's sitting at the kitchen counter eating her breakfast while random thoughts run through her mind. She comments with sarcasm: "Aaaah! Are you guys having a romantic moment?"

Finally, a little boy at school was picking on her. When she got in the car after school she was ticked (there's no better word for it). She hops in the car, I say, "How was your day?" She responds, "It was the worst day ever. Mom, I know you're not going to like this but I never want to go back to school ever again." So I get to the root of the problem. A little boy teased her saying she liked another little boy in the class. Her anger continues to brew while I figure this all out. It bubbles over and she says, "I just want to knock him to the ground and bury him in the woodchips." Later that evening she relives the story to Grandma, as we do with all major events in our day. Except this time her anger brews over and she says, "I just want to put him in the cement so I can walk on him everyday." Grandma explains, "Now, Shayli, the battle belongs to the Lord." At which point Shayli completely diffuses and understands. . . . .ok maybe not.

School Pictures

2008-10-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

The girls school pictures arrived yesterday. I rarely share these, because I always order the smallest package. I tend to enjoy the more natural pictures we shoot of the girls in everday life. But I can't pass up the order form every year. These are for the memories.

Mariah is in 3rd grade, Mr. Adams' class. He's a great teacher for her. Caring and full of energy. Shayli is in 1st grade, Ms. Hall's class. She hoped that she would get her for her teacher. Ms. Hall was Mariah's first grade teacher.

So we are moving through the school year. I miss the girls being home, and already look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas break.

Baking Girl

2008-09-26T05:39:00.000-07:00

Mariah baked her first cake. Vanilla cake, vanilla frosting and fall sprinkles.
Shay's not a fan of chocolate cake, so like a good big sister
Ri was happy to accommodate.

We plan to eat it tonight while we watch our new netflix arrival: National Treasure 2.
I snuck a taste and it's very good.

It's hard to believe my little girl is big enough to bake on her own.
But it was fun to watch her do it!

First Rockies Game.

2008-09-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

Daddy and his girls.

Yea, they had a ton of fun.

Great nosepicker!

Last Saturday we went to our first Rockies game. They played the Dodgers. As always, Mariah is a great baseball fan. When we tried to leave early, she insisted we stay in case we missed something while we walked to our car. So we stayed and watched the Rockies win in the 10th inning (1-0).

During the game Sonny made a surprise trip to the souvenir stand and brought back foam fingers. We're not big souvenir people so this was extra special for the girls. Ri and Shay made great use of them: cheering, poking little sister, playing guitar and pretend nosepicking. Enjoy the pics!!