Honey!...and I don't mean Brian (this time)

If there are two foods we cannot live without, it would be milk and honey. When we moved here, we bought a small container (the biggest they had at Walmart) of honey, and it lasted about a week. I was not willing to keep buying it at that price, so we cut budget in other areas, and saved up for this super-mega-awesome 60 POUNDS of honey. The girls have been asking and asking when the honey would come. We have been tracking it. Faye told her sisters in a very excited voice yesturday, "Guess who's coming tomorrow?!?!....HONEY!!" They all squealed and began dancing.

So when we came home from the store today and saw "the box" sitting on our porch, Faye couldn't contain herself and I had to make serious threats to stop her from jumping out of the moving vehicle. I had no idea she could unbuckle herself, climb accross her sister and open the car door in less than 2 seconds. After I parked, all 3 ran to the honey, and I brought our groceries in the house. As I was putting the food away, I heard the 3 of them grunting, analyzing, Faye directing, more grunting, shuffling, more directing, and I was curious how they thought they were going to get a 60-pound box in the house. They got it about 3 feet, and I was impressed.

As we opened the honey, it reminded me of Christmas for some reason...

Honey is a BIG deal, appearantly...:):)

Lubbock Happenings

Lubbock has had record rainfall the last couple of weeks, including the 4th of July. I think water is attracted to our family. In Galveston, record water fall results in 4 feet of it in our house. In Lubbock, it's just really good for this desert land. Our girls sure love to play in the rain...

I was looking at old photos with Faye, and she saw me doing this "trick" when I was younger. She wanted to do it, too...

I caught Liz enjoying her morning with a good book and, of course, her blanky...

A typical lunch at the Payne homestead...

Faye wanted me to take a picture of her with her sisters "in front of the pretty flowere, cuz they smell so good." I was getting frustrated because she has recently been closing her eyes whenever I snap the picture, so I told her...

to open her dad-gum eyes...

Beatrix Potter Fans

While we were first exploring our yard, our girls found this amazing plastic owl, and came running to me shouting, "Look Mommy, it's Mr. Brown!!" This comes from the children's story "The Tale of Squirel Nutkin" by Beatrix Potter. It is Faye' second favorite book, her first being "The Tale of Miss Tiggywinkle" also by Beatrix Potter. After the excitement of the find wore off, Faye asked me if she could cut a door in the tree and make it "hollow." I told her that she couldnot cut the tree, because it could hurt the tree and it is not our tree. I suggested finding a door and leaning it next to the tree. They discovered a pile of un-used brick in the corner, under another tree. They became the door and they played with Mr. Brown until past bedtime when I made them put the bricks back in the pile (Daisy didn't want to go to bed)...
The excitement of Mr. Brown carried on to the next day (and many others since)...

And here is Mr. Brown with Squirel Nutkin (before he was taught his lesson)...

Bragging Rights...

Brian's fetish with wood-working is something I encourage him in. He is so talented, and I get to reap the benefits on a daily basis (with his finished products). Watching Brian work in his little shop (the garage) takes me back to my child-hood years of when I would watch my Dad work in his shop. They are some of my favorite memories, and I absolutely love that smell of fresh-cut wood. I am amazed at how quickly B can complete a project. He thinks of a design in his head, makes a few sloppy-but accurate measurments (doctors write everything sloppy), and then starts cutting and drilling away...then poof, he's done. So, I am taking bragging rights on my hubby's handy and beautiful work...


The famous ping-pong ball gun. Brian made over 50 of these welt-making (on a good shot) toys. They are a lot of fun, but it's amazing how many ping-pong balls can disappear...

I have been wanting a bookshelf since we lost ours in Hurricane Ike. Now, I'm glad we got rid of the old to make room for "this" new...

2 kitchen table benches. Yes, those are dried-and some wet-cheerios on the floor (I was going for the "real" effect, although I did wash the table off)...

A plant/picture holder...

Frame for my painting from Galveston...

Children's benches and table (in use)...

A very fun bunkbed...

A very Texan shoe-rack...

The dog-door (no,we do NOT have a dog--we have a Daisy)...

And last, but definitely not least (according to Daisy), the dog-house. Any time you ask Daisy her name, she will ask back, "My full name?" When you say yes, she will answer proudly, "Daisy Dog Payne." So, I guess, maybe we do have a dog. At least, we will be prepared if we ever do get a dog. Daisy might get jealous, though...

Daisy Dog Payne, and her apprentice...

And I'm sure there will be more to come...

Look What's Growing in My Yard...

Yes, Lizzy is growing too. No matter how hard I beg and plead, she just won't stop...

Our little garden-tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, and cantelope. Mr. Brown is "keeping it safe" (according to Faye). We moved here pretty late in the season for planting. We'll see if we actually get to harvest anything...

I was pretty excited about this find--peaches are one of my favorites!! Yumm...

Doctor Payne

Brian graduated from UTMB-Galveston on June 5, 2010, and is now Doctor Payne! It has been a long road for us, filled with many challenges, but it has all been worth it. Brian is amazing with his knowledge, with his leadership skills in the medical field, and with his ablitly to heal. I love that doctor of mine!!

Doctor and daughters...
Look at them boots!!
It was great to have Mom and Dad Payne come for the graduation, and especially for their support over the years. Thanks Mom and Dad!!