Memorial Day Weekend

After a relaxing week at the beach we came home to WORK for the Memorial Day weekend...does anyone see something wrong with that sentence? After a long weekend of cutting the grass, trimming bushes, planting spring flowers, painting a shed and power washing our patio and furniture...Keith and I were EXHAUSTED by Memorial Day on Monday! We didn't mind the hard work though because after we were finished we kind of took a second look at our house (which we are always seeming to be complaining about...that's its not big enough or needs updating or needs work done here and there) and actually started to appreciate what we have. After all our hard work, we enjoyed a nice Memorial Day dinner on our newly power washed patio which Merrin seemed to really enjoy! We have big landscaping plans for our yard which no doubt will be a work in progress but in the fall we are planning on ripping up some old and dying scrubs in the front and also landscaping around our new shed to make room for a nice playhouse for Merrin one day. I feel that our house work is never done and by the time we finally get our house the way we want it, it will be time to move! I have no doubts that all of you out there feel the exact same way!

Its amazing though to step back and take a few seconds to appreciate what God has given you...isn't it?! We by no means have the grandest home or the fanciest of cars but the Lord has definitely provided and I stand in amazement as to why?! I feel that I fail him almost daily, especially now that I am a parent. Don't even get me started on parenting! I daily question how we are raising Merrin and if we are doing the right thing and if she'll turn out to be "ok" and if she'll love the Lord like she should...all these worries can make your head spin! But then...I just have to remind myself that God is the one in the drivers seat and that my "worrying" is really getting me nowhere. I must admit that after having Merrin my relationship with God has changed. Before Merrin, I think I was, in fact I know I was, a luke-warm Christian which isn't that the worst kind?!! God has certainly been working on my heart lately and I'm so HAPPY that I am actually "listening" again! I know that this "blog" is not my typical happy-go-lucky blog but I just sat down and this is what came out, so I'll end this blog by asking for your prayers, as I will do the same for you and your families. I also ask for your forgiveness as I KNOW I have not been the Christian wife, daughter, sister or friend to any of you as I should have been. I pray that God is working in all of your lives as I know He is in ours!

As always,
Love from the Gunter's!

Hilton Head Vacation

If you've been wondering why the Gunter family has been MIA, its because we were on vacation!! The Jimison's annual trip to Hilton Head Island was last week and I think we can safely say that the whole family thoroughly enjoyed themselves! Although it was not Merrin's first beach trip, it was her first trip to Hilton Head as well as her very first BIKE RIDE!! Here are some highlights from our trip...

1. Merrin slept in a closet (are we awful parents or what??). She was actually quite fond of her "room" and it allowed Keith and I to watch TV before bed without waking her up!












2. We met BATMAN (oh no wait, that's Noah!)...no explanation needed, what 4 year old doesn't like a good super hero?












3. Bike Rides can be medicinal! I didn't think it would be possible to fall asleep in one of these but both Ethan and Merrin fell asleep after an extremely long bike ride thanks to their moms... Jill and I got lost and took the "scenic route" making the bike ride an extra 30 minutes longer than it should have been!












4. Honda Accord trunks can be quite spacious...big enough to change diapers in! I know, typical first time mom, but I'd prefer the trunk of my car over a public restroom any day!
5. We all scream for ICE CREAM!!!











6. Merrin wondering why someone is in her bathtub...Ethan doesn't seem to mind :)

7. Random dogs on the beach can be a good thing! This doggie belonged to a local on the island and would become friends with ANYONE who would throw the tennis ball for him. Merrin and I became instant friends with the little fellow.


8. Merrin's favorite activity - being dunked in a swimming pool! Merrin has become quite the little pool lover but won't go within 10 feet of the ocean!


9. Kids are just plain cute...especially while trying to eat onion rings! We are happy to report that neither Ethan nor Merrin seem to be allergic to anything...they ate just about everything down at the beach, including peanut butter and fish!

10. Nothing beats a good Ma maw & Papaw!!!!! Merrin has become so attached to her Ma maw, she actually prefers her over ME, her own MAMA!

Beach Pics

We are currently down at Hilton Head on my family's annual HHI vacation and we decided to have our pictures made on the beach by a local photographer. All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!! You can check out our proofs at http://www.carolinaportraitshhi.com where you can "enter site", click on "proofing" and then enter gunter in all lowercase. Once the pictures pull up you can pause the slideshow to view the pictures individually and also you can click on the right arrow to scroll to the next page where you will find some individual shots of miss Merrin. The very last one is of her standing by a tree stump which is my favorite!

We are having so much fun on our vacation and once we get back home I am sure I will have lots of new posts with tons of pictures!! Hope everyone is well and enjoying this summer weather!!

Love from the Gunters!

ALL GIRL...

Not that we ever doubted Merrin was ALL GIRL but yesterday was proof in fact that she is certainly a girly girl!!!!! Merrin has become obsessed with SHOES...and for all of you who knew Grandma Gert then you know where Merrin gets this from!! If Merrin's shoes are laying around, she will bring them to me so that I can put them on her (sometimes she tries to do this herself but with little success but its adorable to watch her try)! She also loves pocket books, which again is a trait from Grandma Gert no doubt! Yesterday was one of my favorite days with Merrin BY FAR!! We stayed at home and the furthest we ventured out was the neighborhood park but we had blast. Merrin started the day out wanting to try on her new pool shoes and proceeded to run around in them. Then she got her trusty pocket book and paraded around with that on her arm, so cute!! Later in the afternoon when our neighbors' Blair and Ellie were home, we went outside to play and Merrin immediately took a liking to Ellie's toy baby stroller and started pushing it around...MY BABY IS NOT OLD ENOUGH FOR THIS, IS SHE??!! I feel like Merrin is no longer my little baby but now a full blown toddler who loves all things pink and girly and how do they know to put pocket books on their arms and to push babies in strollers??!! Her mind absolutely amazes me and I fall in love with her more and more every minute. I wonder what she'll do today...

Uncle Newell

Although Merrin was extremely sweet this past weekend, we had an unusually sad Mother's Day. Merrin's great uncle and my uncle Newell passed away early Saturday morning and had his funeral on Monday. It was sad to see him go and even more sad to see those he left behind but the good news is that he is in no more pain and sitting up in Heaven smiling down on all of us! Merrin enjoyed seeing all the family this past weekend. She was her usual friendly self and walked up to just about anyone who would talk to her (I'm beginning to think she LOVES strangers which I'm not too crazy about!!). She especially loved seeing her Uncle Carl who kept giving her eskimo kisses (Uncle Carl is the one in the neck brace due to a recent surgery he had)!



On a much happier note, Alex (4) and Claire (10 months) came to visit Miss Merrin last night and they came barring gifts!! Alex and Claire couldn't come to Merrin's birthday party and due to an ear infection Merrin missed Alex's recent birthday party so the girls got together last night and exchanged their birthday gifts. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY GIRLS!!! Your mama's are so proud of you!
Also, I wanted everyone to see this GORGEOUS homemade smocked dress that Merrin wore on Mother's Day. My sister-n-law's mother, Julia, made it for Merrin and it is precious on her!! Notice the sleeves, they are actual old handkerchiefs that were in Julia's family. THANKS JULIA!!

Unfamiliar Territory

Well this is certainly UNFAMILIAR territory!! I have NEVER "blogged" before but after several of my friends joined the "blogging world" and also after my inspiring sister-n-law, Laura, showed me how easy this was then I decided to join the race! Not only did Laura start on her own blog about my niece, Emory, a few months ago but she diligently updates it!!
My blog will of course be mainly about my precious Merrin Grace but I'm sure I'll throw some stuff in about my wonderful husband and Mayzi dog as well. I'll keep this first entry short and sweet (I'd hate to overwhelm myself on my very first blog!).

Right after the April 15th tax deadline, Keith and I took Miss Merrin down to the beach for a few days. She had a ball!
Last week Merrin had a play date with her friends Pierce (3) & Holt (15 months). Aren't they cute??!!









That's all for now and I will certainly try to update our new blog regularly but I make no promises :)