Sweet Sisters...

Usually each night after the kids have been in bed for a while and right before I go to sleep, I do one last round and make sure everyone is tucked in. One particular night last week, I went in the girls' room to find Sarah's empty bed and both girls sprawled out in Raegan's bed. It was totally dark by the way, but the flash made it look as light as day. I asked the girls the next morning how they ended up in the same bed and Raegan said, "Sarah was having a bad dream about a witch so she came to snuggle with me!" I thought it was so great that she felt like her sister could keep her safe. I love that they're practically naked...they always take off their pj's after we tuck them in for the night!

The 'PAYNE on my thumb...

Tonight was the annual Cox family luau. We do this every year to kick off the new school year. We eat delicious Hawaiian haystacks and sweet and sour pork...mmm! The above picture is of all of the kids that live in town that started kindergarten this year. Blake is on the far right (the shortest one). My grandma, Mutti, used to make each kid a bookmark that was starting kindergarten. This year they each got a really great laminated and personalized one. I love that my mom and her siblings work so hard to keep

such simple traditions alive through the generations. There were 18 kids that started kindergarten this year!

At the luau there is also a variety show of sorts where any and all are welcome to participate.

This year, my siblings and I did the return of the fountains or Fountains II.

If you are lucky, it should be uploaded on to you-tube shortly.

We had a lot of fun, even more fun than the viewers who were aching with laughter...

that's right, the Layton family is one FUNNY bunch. This year it was Owen, Janee, Me, Matt, my Dad, Sherry (KC's fiance), KC , Kimball, and Ben that participated...and Owen held Smoochie. It was HILARIOUS!

This is a rare picture of my mom (with the sling) and all of her siblings in order from oldest to youngest. Usually there is at least one of them serving a mission at any given time.

One of the hi lites of the night was a surprise guest...my 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Payne. Actually, Mrs. Viola Hiroko Kaliko Wehi Wehi Kawahigoshi Payne! This is a picture of my arm and the stamp of her name. We used to get a stamp every Friday if we could say her whole name. Then, while the ink was still dry, we would press our thumb on the Payne part . Hence, the 'Payne on my thumb' joke was born. I was so excited that she was there. We got to sit on the stage and play our ukulele's just like the third grade. She was such an amazing teacher and I honestly thought that I wouldn't ever see her again. It was a great night and I'm a loser for not getting a picture with her...she hasn't aged a bit!

JUST WONDERING....?

WILL THIS BACKGROUND

MAKE ANYONE CRAZY

IF I KEEP IT UNTIL

HALLOWEEN?

FYI:

Yay for today!

our LAZY daddy...

Last night before bed, Jake was talking to Blake and said,

"While I'm at work I look at your picture and think about how much I miss you."

Blake responded, "Dad, why don't you do any work?"

They're so innocent!

Toby Keith and a Sunday drive...

This is me with Kristin Jansen from my ward. She called me on Friday and said she had 8 vouchers fore the lawn seats at Cricket Pavilion. Our husbands didn't want to go, so we made it a girls' night out!

I invited my adorable niece Nikki and we had a really great time! Miranda Lambert opened for Toby and it was

a FUN show! I thought this was cool. I cut off the bottom of the picture, but it was the actual Toby on stage. This was the huge monitor right above him! He played all his patriotic songs right at the very end and showed an amazing clip of soldiers serving over seas. It was neat to see right before the anniversary of 9/11 My kids made cars out of boxes before church on Sunday morning. They 'drove' them all over the house and had

a blast. However, they did make a lot of noise doing it... Maybe not the best Sunday activity?

Asleep at the wheel already! I'll have to watch out for this one...

UPDATE!!

READ THE PREVIOUS POST FIRST! To prove my point that I was trying to make earlier, I just took a picture of Rae's hair. It's still Friday, the same day that it was in the last post where her hair was CURLY! She just wasn't meant to have curly locks! So sad... And to make matters worse, it's only 3:30 and she already wants the curlers back in! So Cute!

"I want to be Dripsy"

After trying for the last couple of days to decipher Raegan's latest request, we have finally done it! Last weekend we had watched the Hunchback of Notre Dame and she was trying to tell us that she wanted to be the Gypsy or Esmerelda. By that, she meant she wanted curly hair. I was a little worried because her hair is SO straight and does NOT curl. So, while Jake was giving baths last night, I went to Albertson's and bought the old school pink curlers that I used to get put in my hair every Saturday night. I put 10 curlers in Rae's hair and then Sarah, of course, wanted some too. I humored her, thinking that they would just be pulled out sometime during the night. Enjoy the pictures...they're some of my favorite!

A case of amnesia...

I had a lot of fun tonight with the beehives at mutual. We met at the Temple where we took a bunch of black and white pictures of them. It's like pulling teeth to get some of these girls to pose! I seriously don't remember being like that. Somebody holds up a camera, I pose...usually it turns out way too cheeser, but it's a pose none the less. One of the young women(Sarah Done) decided to throw her house key over one of the planters and it landed in a plant! After an hour or so of searching, trampling, and uprooting the beautiful Temple landscaping, we decided to call it quits. Mostly because she and I were both so itchy, our hands and shoes were green, and the sun was going down! We never did find those dang keys and I'm sure we'll be justly punished for the damage to the Temple grounds...if not here, then there. After we finished up at the Temple, the 3 other leaders and I decided to treat the girls to swirl cones at Mccy D's. Who would have guessed it would bring out a side of them that even girls camp couldn't do? It was astounding to see all the different things an ice cream cone could do...war paint, clown noses, etc. Call me crazy, I just don't remember those days as a beehive. Thank goodness! I love those girls, but I love that I've forgotten the specifics of myself in that stage.

I need help!

I need your input...

I'm looking to join a gym because it's way too hot outside

and I am dying to get active!

Preferably one that offers personal training included in the membership

and isn't too far from my home...

any ideas?