Cupcakes

I've been dabbling in cupcakes. It's more of a hobby and actually quite fun to have a reason to look up a new recipe and try my hand out in decorating. This recipe was fantastic! It's a Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcake with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting. You're supposed to use the blow torch, but the broiler worked out ok. They were delicious!

Natalie decorated and held the shower at her house and Leslie Made the menu and put it together. It was beautiful and I was honored to be a part of putting it together!

Rainbows

I'm sure that in Tyler's Heaven it is full of Rainbow's and White pieces of paper that are just waiting to be painted on.

The Results: McKenna's & Tyler's (Bottom) Rainbows

Tyler's Happy 4-Year Old Birthday

Tyler LeAnn Payne-4 years old as of 2 am this morning.

A little about Tyler: You are such a ray of sunshine in all of our lives. You crack us up with the witty things you say, you are the epitome of sharing, and have one of the kindest heart, although you're also a lil spitfire when you decide to put your foot down. You love music, coloring, painting, and singing! You just entered primary as a Sunbeam and you've already learned the first song of the year, "I Hear My Savior's Voice" and at night when I try to sing it to you at bedtime you often correct me on the words. You love your teacher Sis Johnson, so much you wanted her to come to your birthday dinner celebration.

Your favorite moments of the day are: your morning hot chocolate, playing with Mom during Tate's Naptime, Playing with McKenna after school, and playing "Don't Catch Me" with Dad & Tate in the evenings.

I think you had a great Birthday-and you were so graciously Thankful for each and every moment. Having phone calls from Grandpa, a song from Maddie & Keira, the morning at Jack & Jills jumpy place where her whole sunbeam class and a few other friends all came for a lil party Leslie put together just for her. Several times you came up and told me how much fun you were having and that it was the perfect day! Daddy surprised you by coming home to have lunch and to feed the goats and play. As we were preparing for your dinner celebration the glorious cake I had planned didn't quite work out-after a couple phone calls Sis. McClellan came over to help fix the cake and Leslie brought the crowning jewel. It was better than anything I could have dreamed up-and I know you loved it because you told me as you were going to bed that you liked it better than the first one.

You were thrilled to have your friends come over to and share your night with you.

2/11/10: Thank you friends and family for the wonderful and thoughtful gifts. She's loved each and everyone of them. She loved not only playing with them, but sharing them with her sister-they've had a ball! We're still working on sharing with Tate-and teaching him not to destroy everything he touches. :)

What a weekend...Starting out with the Flu bug-I woke Friday morning feeling well enough when I stepped out of bed, not even 30 minutes later to find my stomach turning and churning. As bad as I felt Tyler and Tate did quite well, cuddling with me on the couch, coloring and letting me just lay and be still. What I found humorous was after McKenna came home I fell asleep on the couch and woke to my children running around with the bag of chips. I have to say that would be the first time my kids have gotten in the food and helped themselves. They really don't mind me being sick to much, back to back movies and chips and cookies, anything to keep'em happy. As the girls went to bed that evening they bid me a sweet "hope you feel better in the morning Mom!" It was really quite sweet!

It was a bad day, but alas 24 hours later it was gone and I was well...sadly the take doesn't end there. Saturday morning McKenna wandered into my room with a sad, "Mommy my tummy doesn't feel good." Yes a little over a month later McKenna came down with the stomach flu again. Poor Girl, although I'm proud of her for handling it so much better than she did the last time. I'm really one for details and I'm fighting the urge to divulge but alas you don't need to read it. Occasionally she called out for the need to have her back rubbed, but twice she asked us, "Does Jesus Love Me?" My heart dropped as I tried to figure out why she would wonder... WE quickly responded with a, "yes, of course he does!"

Many a prayer was said that evening, and by the time they all headed to bed, McKenna seemed to be doing better. She woke up quite happy and although I was planning on staying home with the kids from church, after quick baths, they informed me that we WERE going to church. By a miracle and the Spanish group starting 15 minutes later than the Dnglish we actually made it on time. The kids were great during Sacrament Meeting and afterwards Tyler was excited to head to Primary. She knew the other 2 kids were leaving with me, but with the knowledge that the Primary would be singing "Happy Birthday" to her gave her the courage to stay. Not only stay, but she sat so reverently with her arms folded waiting for her teacher and class to join her in the primary room. It was adorable! She's so excited for her upcoming birthday, she brings it up in each and every prayer she says.

Well this entry is pry long enough-so until the next time...

Ground Hog 2011

We were a little oblivious to Ground Hog's Day until McKenna came home and shared her craft project and song with us. She was cute enough to teach Tyler all about Ground Hog's Day.

Modern Day Couple

It's official-we've entered the 21st century, we're a couple who spend time together on the couch with our laptops watching tv. Aren't we cute?

Happiness Returns to the Farm

I don't know why I named the post this other than there is a part of me that wants to believe I am still a country girl in my heart.

Tonight when I got home from a meeting I was presented with the most wonderful gift...and it's not even Valentine's Day, My Birthday, Mother's Day or Christmas. What could bring such a glow of sunshine into my life...the return of the link into a world beyond the walls of my home. A computer...or rather it's called a Netbook/IdeaPad by lenovo...
I'm feeling overwhelmed and aged as I sit with this little itty bitty thing before me that looks like a miniature laptop one minute and the next a giant phone after being folded up. It's wonderful and so much more than I ever imagined!!!

It's small enough I might even be able to keep it hidden from little hands, fingers and eyes.

Oh Thank You, Thank You giver of this wonderful lil piece of technology. Now if I can overcome my inept ability on a smart computer and find my inner techy teenager once again.

May the Blogging (reading and writing) commence once again!!!

Tate's New Space

At the top of our Stairs lies a little door, half the size of a regular door. It was home to various kitchen things that rarely if ever got used and boxes of picture frames and Cd's. With the girls room upstairs they are often playing there, and Tate wanting the company often goes after them upsetting them and everything in sight as he dumps everything on the ground.

The other day as I was helping to clean up Tate's wake he'd left behind I heard a door open and closing and found Tate in the lil room, on top of a box turning on and of the light and opening and closing the door with a big mischievious grin on his face. Inspired we have decided to turn the little room into a playroom for Tate's toys allowing him to be closer to the action. The room is clean, now if we can figure out where and why there is moisture in the room we can move forward with our plan.

Tate helping Dad assess the situation

Still Painting

With the cold rainy weather and lots of cleaning to be done, well we love to paint.

Tyler is becoming an artistic rainbow expert brightening my day and McKenna's wall.

Tate...well he still loves to paint and I'm still trying to keep him from eating it.

Missionaries-Elder Vincent

John is the Assistant Ward Missionary which also happens to be the Spanish Group Mission Leader. We get to see the missionaries on a pretty regular basis and we've gotten to know a few of them. Elder Vincent who is currently from Hawaii where his parents and 8 brothers and sisters live was with the group for 9 months and was recently transfered to Kent. He was in the area much Longer than most, but we really enjoyed having him and his companions for dinners and Family Home Evenings.

Elder Grua, Elder Vincent and our Goofy Family.

Tidying Up the Nursery

We've been trying to "Tidy Up the Nursery". Clean house and organize making space for all the new things we got for Christmas so we moved the 'Treasure Chest' down to Tate's room to make room to be able to walk. John made this chest a five years ago and Tyler and Tate had a great time playing in it. It serves many purposes in our house Mostly bringing smiles upon our faces.

Dancing Fools

For Christmas my sister Shelly gave me music for my cell phone. I love music-it brightens the gloomiest of days in just a few beats. Since my phone has a speaker we use it quite frequently for background music and chasing away the "crazy" Mom, kid whomever needs it most.

Tate and Tyler have found a few songs they've claimed as their own. As soon at the song starts playing Tate or Tyler (depending on the song) will come running from any room in the house to hold the phone and dance. It's awesome, especially when Tate does his high stepping, arms flailing dance.

Tyler Loves Sugarland's "Stuck like Glue/Stuck on You" and has dubbed it 'Her song'. She's got some really great moves!

Tate is in love with Tim McGraw's "Felt Good on My Lips"

Our Skinny Lil Wild man dancing to "His" song

He actually won't listen to anything else-except Tyler's song.

Slush Sledding

There was an article in the paper about slush sledding in Seattle.

It incorporates the true snow experience in Washington, except when its dry and powedery, but not this weekend.

Our family headed up to Camp Shephard for a little fun in the snow with our friends the McClendon's.

We've been wanting to go sledding since Christmas and looking forward to a little fun in the snow, although we woke up to a warm day and found ice and slush up the mountainside. There's usually a lot of snow up on the "Snowy Mountain Raineer", not so much this time although Luckily there was enough snow/ice to still tube down the hillside the current boy scout troop was using and they were nice enough to let our two families and six kids between the two of us go down a few times.

It was pretty steep!

The McClellans

Top:Nathan, Above: Ben & Andrew, Below: Ava n Jorelle

It was a steep little hill-with a lot of punch. We ALL Loved it! What surprised me was McKenna went down by herself, again and again and again