One Awesome Week

(said with a southern accent) Livin' out in the middle of west Texas makes it kinda rough to see my folks 'n kin, and makes me feel lack I'm in a whole diff'ernt world sometimes. :)

However, my brother Brady flew into the DFW airport last week, for a work conference, so I took the opportunity to go see him with the girls (B had to work). On the other side of Texas, my sister Camille had the same idea with her family. So, we both drove to the Payne's (thanks Mom & Dad for hosting us all), and commuted to the hotel where Brady's conference was--he was staying there. I took a ton of pictures, so here's just 20 of them to make ya'll jealous. :) It was so fun to see my siblings...

Here's my curly-girlies with Uncle Brady, pointing to his room at the Gaylord Texan Hotel (it's HUGE!!)...

The Cox clan arrived, and we got to refresh relationships and meet our new little cousin--Aisha. Sean & Camille adopted Aisha, who was born April 3rd. She was 4 weeks old when we met her, and such a tiny, adorable little bundle of heaven...

My camera was foggy from the cold rain we had, but Liz adores babies to no end...

Here's the cousins (minus Aisha) at the Hotel, in front of a train display: (from left to right) Jacob, Daisy, Tyler, Chloe (in front), Zetta, Faye, & Lizzy...

The Gaylord Texan had a huge conference center (to match the hotel). One night, we found a nice, quiet area where we could play, chat, and enjoy each other...at least it was quiet, until we got there. The carpet was fun to look at and very Texan...

There were so many fountains everywhere inside the hotel. Daisy just couldn't contain herself. Here she is flapping her wet jacket sleeves and watching the water fly off...

...and Daisy is a bit of a clutz when there's too many distractions (don't tell her I said that), and she won't watch where she's walking. After smacking into a rock-post on the way into the hotel, running into a hallway wall leading to Brady's room, and getting her arm stuck in the rotating doors, she figured "why stop there" and almost took down this big sign. It was very comical, but I was nervous she was going to brake something (including on herself)...

I love this shot of little Chloe. She is such an observer and thinker, and here she is observing a big guyser-fountain...

I never did get a good shot of all the kids on the rocks...

There was a riverwalk inside the hotel--this was the very high ceiling...

There were hand-sanatizing stations placed all over, and I think we hit just about every one...multiple times...

The Cox's had to leave a little early, so us girlies went and had a slumber party one of the nights. Early the next morning, Brady ran in a 5K run they had at the hotel (the Conference hosted the run). We got to watch him start from the hotel room, but I didn't get the camera out quick enough, so I just took a picture before we went down...

Look at that time!! ...and that's AFTER eating Pappasitos, Blue Bell ice cream, and the hotel's giant cookies all week, plus he's not use to all the humidity!!! That's my bro (nice run, Brady)! We especially liked watching the steam come off the top of your head when you were done :)...

I was grateful for the opportunity to see some of my family, especially because it's not an opportunity that happens very often. Thanks for coming to Texas, Brady, and thanks for taking the trip up, Cox Family. It was a wonderful week!!

Easter 2011

For Easter, we like to put the focus on Christ, so on Sunday, we have a good, somewhat peaceful Easter day, with the FHE lesson on the resurrection of our Savior. Then, on Monday, the Easter bunny comes (it's also cheaper for the Easter bunny, that way :)...

We had to wake the girls up Monday morning, cuz B had to go to work. Here is the "before" hunt (they all snuck a few along the way outside)...

The hunt...

And here's the "after" hunt, with happy girls who have sugar in their grasp...

Other Hap'nins

April has been a crazy, busy, stressful, fast, furious, but also fun month. I managed to get a few pictures...

The ABC Rodeo, at Texas Tech. Here's the girls with the Sandhills Rodeo Princess...

And the Lubbock Prepardeness Fair. I am SOOOO glad that is over!! Brian was the chairman, and I was asked to be the co-chair. It was most (if not all) of the reason April was stressful. :) Brian was interviewed by 3 different TV news reporters at the fair, and he had a lot of people congradulate him--from work & even our neighbors. It was neat to be able share the Gospel with so much of the Lubbock community (I'm just glad it wasn't me they interviewed) :)...

For the fair, I was in charge of and helped out with a few different booths. One of them was dehydrated foods. Luckily I visit teach a wonderful sister who is very good at this, and delegated that one to her. :) I did help dehydrate a whole bunch of samples, and I had a little helper myself. Faye loves to decorate and arrange things. It's a little blurry, but she arranged bananas, pears, and mangos...

After the very-stressful weekend of the fair was over, we took a short vacation to the Payne's in Weatherford, where my wonderful hubby completely surprised me with a camping trip (kid-free!!). A few weeks before my birthday, B asked me what I wanted for my birthday. Knowing he would be post-call on my birthday, and then on-call again the day after, I jokingly told him I wanted to go camping. We both gave a curtesy laugh, knowing it was impossible, but wishing it were possible, and then I thought nothing of it... until we actually went camping. He told me it was a belated birthday present. It was a surprise, because I thought we were just going out to Walmart (our usual date-night) and then maybe to buy a frozen-yogurt to share. I had no idea he had all our camping gear, fishing gear, and grub in the trunk. Then, we went to a bait shop, and the surprise began...

(Thanks, Dad, for letting us use your fishing gear and helping arrange the location. And thanks, Mom, for watching the kiddo's)!!


Here are the girls at our favorite place to go here in Lubbock (the Ranching Heritage). They had a special event and brought in a giant map of South America, that people could walk on and look at. It was impressive. I especially liked finding all the inlets/outlets to the Amazon River--that is one amazing river system!! Lizzy liked jumping in the oceans. Daisy liked looking for mountains and grasslands. Faye liked looking at the different countries...

Faye lost her first tooth last night. Yesturday morning she woke up wiggling it, and then last night she asked me if I would pull it out. I pulled for a while and couldn't get it. She wanted it out really bad and let me pull some more, which surprised me (she won't even let me pull out a sticker that she's got stuck in the bottom of her foot). After pulling again, I got it, and that thing bled quite a bit, but she has been so excited about loosing it...

She has asked me to take so many pictures of that thing. She looks so cute without her tooth...

And here's Daisy-dog with her apprentice. Such fun puppies (except when Lizzy came up and licked my foot today). Daisy has always been good at sharing her talents with others...

Daisy Dog Blue's Clues Payne

Daisy turned 5 years old on April 21st!! It wasn't that long ago that I had a 5-year old. Her birthday was a good day, but I think Daisy's interest in dogs is officially an obsession, now. Here's her "doggie" cake--it has a toy dog (that I grabbed from her toy box) on top. She also requested "green," "strawberries," and "grapes." I aimed to please... ...and she wanted me to point out that Fetch (her dog) is helping blow out the candles. "Fetch is turning 4 when I is turning 5," Daisy clarified.

Normally, I don't take this many pix at present-opening time, but she was so funny to watch. Here she is happily staring at the "bow" Faye put on her present (it's a dog toy)...

...and she has loved her life-size book on Sharks. I was able to find these others in the series really cheap. Daisy has also loved them. She spends every night (and much of every day), laying on her new bed (see following photos), reading these books...

The one thing Daisy requested for her birthday was.... a dog-bed. I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I am glad I found one on sale...

My silly Dais is sure glad I found it on sale, and it has been a big part of her life every day since her birthday (and every night). I'm just glad she puts it on her bed at night. :)

Happy Birthday to Me!!

April 2nd was a great day this year!! I turned 29, but I also got to coach an amazing little 6 year old (that's right--Coach T is back). Faye not only played really well, but she scored her very first goal...EVER....ON MY BIRTHDAY!! So, it was an amazing birthday present, and I lost my voice over it, too. Now let me explain the goal to you: Faye was working very hard. She is still learning how to play soccer (and so am I), and she still hesitates whenver she gets "bumped" on the field. So, back to the game--she was running, working hard to get around the players, when the ball broke loose, and she took it. Down the field she dribbled, ahead of everyone else, sprinting with that ball. It was awesome. She reached the goal about 15 feet in front of everyone else. Then, she goes to shoot the ball...misses, trips, and does a nice big belly-flop on top of the ball and right in front of the goal line (literally about a foot away). She quickly stands up, very imbarrassed, looks back at the other players running at her, and she sorta side kicks the ball into the goal. After she scored, she started walking back to the middle of the field, not sure whether or not to be happy or imbarrassed. This is when I lost my voice. Then she grinned and started running, and that grin was one awesome birthday present. We sure made--and still make--a big deal out of her goal, but I always make sure to leave the belly-flop part out of the picture. :):)...

Daisy is still her same silly self--that kid is so funny to watch on the soccer field. She sure performs, but maybe not the way her coach wants. :) This photo is Daisy Payne with Daisy Payne. Daisy's teammate's cousin (got it?) has the exact same name...kinda fun. Brian and I talked with their parents to try to figure out if we were related. We are pretty sure we are somehow, but we weren't able to figure out how...

And today, Faye did my left-over birthday dishes for me. She wanted me to take a picture of her "dishes collage." I thought it was very creative, and I liked it even better that they were clean dishes. :) Thank you, my little Faye-lett.

I had a very good birthday--thank you all who made it so special. I had soccer games in the morning, we went to a rodeo between Conference sessions (I hope to get pics later), and I especially enjoyed coming home to General Conference. I absolutely LOVE it when Conference falls on my birthday. I got pampered temporally and spiritually!!

Funny Words...

I wish I would write down more of what my darlin' kidos say. But for now, I'll savor what I have written and try to do better in the future:

FAYE

1) One night at dinner: "Mmmmm... I'm so hungry, I can eat all my food. (Normally, it's not that easy to get my girls to eat "all" their food).

2) Randomly, one day: "My nose is hot."

3) My conversation with Faye:

Faye: Mom, should I love Heavenly Father and Jesus the most?

Me: What do you think?

Faye: Yes.

Me: Why?

Faye: Because they work the hardest. They work harder than Dad!!

DAISY

1) Daisy was working on a craft in the other room. She came in and asked: "Mommy, how do you spell CTR?"

2) My kids want another baby (and so do I :), so I asked Daisy: "When are we going to have our next baby?" Daisy said, "Maybe on Wednesday." (If it were only that easy...)

3) One morning I was getting breakfast ready, and Faye & Liz were still asleep. Daisy walked into the kitchen, sat down for a few minutes, took a sigh, and said, "I love it when it's quiet" (then sighed again).

4) I was looking for some items the girls had lost (I don't remember what they were), so I told them:

Me: Girls, use your good eyes and go find them.

Daisy: Ok. I'll use my cock-eyes!!

Me: Do you mean your "hawk"-eyes?

Daisy: Yeah.

LIZ

She's grown out of a lot of these saying, but I started my list a few months ago and included here, cuz it's soooo cute!!

1) After washing her hands: "You mell my hans?" (Will you smell my hands?)

2) While on the potty: "I mell kinky yike a kunk." (I smell stinky like a skunk)

3) When B was on his way home from work (the girls like to hide from him): "I yant hide fwom-ee Daddy in hewe." (I want to hide from my Daddy in here)

4) After I poured applesauce in a bowl, it peaked at the top: "Oh-ho-oh (squeals)!!! A Temple!" (and she pointed to the peak)

5) While making a mad dash to the bathroom, she stopped to take her socks off. I asked her what she was doing, and she said, "I need me socksies off to poop."

6) (Another potty story!) Liz had called me to wipe her. I was diligently doing my job, when she decided to give me an education: "Boys stand up, Mommy."

7) Once Liz woke up in the middle of the night screaming!! I was so scared and thought for sure something was wrong. I jumped out of bed and went running into her room. I turned the light on, and her body was hanging down the slide with her hands clinging to the top--just like she would be clinging to the top of a cliff--for dear life!! I wondered what she dreaming, and whenever I remember the scene, it makes me laugh. I thoroughly enjoyed "saving her life" and then cuddling with her, especially since B was working, and I needed a cuddle-buddy.

Faye & Liz Conversation:

I had made cupcakes and was getting them ready for the girls. Faye was sick that day, but they were all lined up on the counter, watching me frost the cupcakes, anyway:

Faye: "I just want a little bit, cuz I'm sick."

Liz: (looks at Faye, then back at the cupcakes) "I want a BIG bit!"

Children Need Books...and so do I

FAYE
Faye has been a very good reader, lately. I love listening to her read stories to her sisters!! She has no idea how much I love it. She thinks I'm just "captured" by the story like her sisters. :) And although they are cute stories, they can only hold my attention for so long, but watching my 6-year old read--that I can do all day. It's amazing to see her little mind do big things.

DAISY
She CAN clean...my little Daisy Dog not only can clean, but she can clean fast!! I just discovered this tonight. Normally, she goes to clean, and--it's like magic--the first item she picks up instantly takes her to another world. She's gone. Just Faye and I left in this world to clean (and Lizzy's pretty good, too). No distant world tonight, though. And, what was her motivation, you may be wondering? I told the girls I would read them a book if we hurried and cleaned after bathtime. She was the first in the tub (unusual), the first in her pj's (very unusual), and the first to start cleaning (what!!--she knows how to clean?!!?). This house (not just a room) was picked up in less than 5 minutes (and today was even and extra "creative" day of learning and play!!). The book was a cute book that our neighbor let us borrow (Bubba, the Cowboy Prince), and I guess Daisy got excited (and stayed excited) about reading it. We all cuddled up on the couch, in a nice clean house, with sweet & clean smelling children, and read books. Liz fell asleep on my lap; Faye & Daisy gave kisses good night after the last book and then went to their room, said their prayers, and are now sleeping blissfully. Ahhh...I love nights like this (except my hubby is working!!!).

LIZ
Liz has been saying two phrases a lot, lately:
1) "Chicken Pluck" (which I'm not sure where it originated from)
2) "Dogerella, Fluff My Tail!!!"
For school, Faye has a little reader book we checked-out from the library, called Dogerella (It's another take on Cinderella). Faye has read it quite a few times to Liz, who seems to ask for it every day. It is a fun book, where the evil step-dog mother orders Dogerella to "fluff my tail." Liz goes around calling all her doggie stuffed-animals "Dogerella" and demanding them to "fluff her tail." Should I be worried? Nahh... it's cute--as long as she doesn't demand me to fluff her tail. :)

Doctor Daisy

Faye had a rough morning during this last week. She woke up with a tummy ache, and after six bouts of throwing up, she got whatever it was out of her system and was fine. Brian had just gotten home from working all night, and plopped his gear down. In between one of Faye's bouts, Daisy found B's white coat, put it on, and told me she was going to "play doctoring." She then went over to Faye and asked, "Daddy, what do you do when you have a sick children come to you?" Here's what he said:

Brian: "How are you feeling today?"
Daisy: (repeats to Faye)
Brian: "Let me take your temperature."
Daisy: (repeats & touches Faye's head)
Brian: "Get plenty of rest."
Daisy: (repeats)
Brian: "Drink lots of fluids."
Daisy: (repeats)
Brian: "That will be 100 dollars."
Daisy: (repeats)
Ha, ha. You're sooooooooo funny, Dr. Payne!! (said with a little sarcasm) :)

Ruidoso, New Mexico

Last weekend, Brian had a work retreat in Ruidoso, NM. It was about a 4 hour drive to get there--not too bad. They had a large cabin, where we stayed with 2 other families (B's co-workers). It was very nice to get away, and even nicer to have my hubby!! And there were mountains!! We went on a little hike with the girls, took a lunch, and had snowball fights when we found a nice snow patch or two. I was so excited to see, and play on, and carry home some :) mountain!! So fun...

We drove up a winding road to the top of a mountain, where there was a beautiful (and windy) view. It was pretty chilly up there, but we got a few photos (some with Faye's help)...
Daisy was our little guide. She carried this green map, looking for trails to hike...

I Love them kisses!!...

We ate a lot of junk food and candy at the cabin. I think it hit my girls on the way home. They sorta-kinda went a little crazy for a while :). I love this one of Liz...

...and then this is what happened when we crossed the state line into Texas. I was just glad B asked me to drive so he could "study" (watch the kids :)...