Grandpa Payne

Easter weekend, we said goodbye to my Grandpa Payne. It was such a bittersweet weekend. Of course, we are sad to lose him - but happy for him that he is finally where he wants to be. My grandma has been gone for 7 or 8 years and grandpa has not been shy about letting everyone know he wanted to join her. He was diagnosed with cancer just a few short weeks ago and when the doctor wanted to discuss treatment, his reply was "I finally got my golden ticket! I'm not selling that!" He always had a sense of humor about it. So, while we will miss him, we know he is so happy to be with my grandma again.



The funeral was amazing - if funerals can be. It was very uplifting and having it easter weekend gave it even more meaning. My grandpa was and will continue to be a great example to many, many people. Here is a man - who is maybe insignificant by the worlds standards. He was a farmer from a tiny town in new mexico. But there were tons of people at the funeral who were touched by his life - especially all of his family: 5 kids (1 deceased) 24 grandkids, and 20 something great-grands! My mom, aunt marla, and aunt arlene gave the life story and I learnes so many things I didn't know about him! Some of his lessons and sayings I want to remember:

"People are more important than things"

He and grandma were very frugal, he said "Some women can spoon the money out the back door faster than the man can shovel it in the front" (or something like that) But they were also generous when deemed a good cause - "peel another leaf off the ole cabbage"

Two things I loved and want to implement with my kids - my mom said he was a strict and diciplined them, but always took the time after a confrontation to teach his child the lesson and end with a prayer. The other is he insisted his kids thank their mother for dinner and ask to be excused from the table - love that!

He and my grandma were always so sweet with each other. I never heard them say a harsh word to each other - great example for us grandchildren to follow with our spouses.

My uncle Dwight gave the sermon and did an amazing job - talked about how we handle trials and obstacles in our lives. Do we grumble through until its over, or do we use it to actively strengthen our testimony? Grandpa was such a good example of this.

Overall, the funeral was so good. What a great thing to know he was ready, even eager, to die. That he could go to the afterlife with no regrets? I hope I can get to that point - cause I'm definitely not there yet!

In addition to the whole funeral thing, I read an article the other day that's been on my mind. It was talking about making positive and lasting changes to your personality. I know everyone is born with a personality, but I also think you can become the kind of person you want to be. Anyway. . . the article gave a challenge to write your own obituary. Sounds kind of morbid, I know. But the point is, what do you want people to remember you for?

So that got me thinking . . . what would I want in mine? What kind of person do I want to be remembered as? Ambitious, a go-getter, changing the world, doing exciting things? No, I really don't care about those. Mine are really kinda boring - being loyal; being kind; quietly doing the things I'm supposed to; being a good mom, wife, daughter, sister, and friend; being stable and dependable; being a good example; living the gospel. Just like grandpa - who did his best to live the gospel and love those around him.

Well, the saddest part of the weekend was sunday afternoon. We all met one more time at grandma and grandpas house in Virden to have easter dinner and say goodbye. It was so hard see the house, the farm, and know it may be the last time I am there (I can't even type this without tearing up). I have so many, many memories there!

Virden Sign

Grandma and Grandpa Payne's House

Easter Sunday

The Wall of Pictures - they had a picture for every grandkid and great-grandkid. All 50+ of us!

We loved marking our height on this door! And comparing it with how tall mom and her siblings were!

4th of July 1990

(Mindy, Misty, Heather, Tara)

"The Nancy Drew Crew" with our Hannah's Angels shirts

(Liz, Misty, Heather, Mindy)

April 2009

December 1987

Grandma and Grandpa's fireplace (which I just learned grandpa built himself)

Our family - minus Nick on his mission

24 of the 27 grandkids were able to come! - minus the 3 on missions

Even though it was a funeral - we still had a great time seeing everyone again! It was a big family reunion!

The Art and Laura Payne Family - 1993

We always took pictures in the front yard in front of these bushes.

Easter 1986

Easter 1992 (big bangs era)

Easter 2009

This easter weekend was a whirlwind - viewing, funeral, dinner, church, easter dinner, visiting with family, etc. We actually didn't do anything easter-ish - so egg hunt, coloring eggs, not even baskets from the easter bunny. Luckily my kids are young enough they don't care. Kaden was upset we didn't do an egg hunt - but we did one a few days later. So he was happy. Anyway, I was feeling pretty guilty for awhile. But the more I thought about it I realized it's the best easter I've probably ever had. I got to really focus on the resurrection and all that easter means!

Best Blog Ever!

This has become my favorite blog of all times: http://themeanestmom.blogspot.com/

And there's tons of giveaways this week - so get your name in!

Finally . . .

. . . we have a backyard! I am so sick of having just dirt - it all gets tracked into the house, blown in with the slightest breeze, you get the idea. Plus I feel like a jerk when I tell my kids to go play outside and all they have is a bunch of dirt and some old, broken toys. So we finally got started on our backyard. A HUGE thanks to my brothers Lane and Logan for helping so much. Lane is basically the mastermind behind the whole thing and even drew up our plans in autocad (sp?) which was awesome! Logan and Shayla came up two different weekends to visit and help with the yard. Thanks again, Lane and Log! And all they wanted in exchange was a steady supply of Mt. Dew (which is ALOT with those two!) Kaden was excited that I let him have a "dewski" too.

Kaden helping uncle Logan with the trencher

The trenches were open a couple weeks before we got all the piping in. Sometime during those 2 weeks, my darling children thought it would be a great idea to walk all along the dirt piles - which effectively filled the trenches with dirt! Apparently they have amnesia and forgot the 14 million times I told them not to. So Matt got to spend a whole day digging the dirt back out! I should have got a picture of that - he was not happy, to say the least!

Bailey was willing to help, but only if she could wear her pink skirt!

Filling in the trenches (they were supposed to this time!)


From this . . .

. . . to this. . .

. . . and finally done! we have plans for a sidewalk, extended patio, retaining wall, etc, etc. But all that can wait. Slip-n-slide, here we come!

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of course the project wouldn't be complete without giving Lex her first dewski! thanks lane - just what my baby needs!

Are we sure that's milk in those bottles?

Spring Break

Things have been crazy and drama around here lately. Now that things have calmed down a bit - hopefully I can update more often.

Spring break this year was so fun - Matt had time off from ASU and took the whole week off of work! Kaden's spring break was the same week - which worked out great. Matt found a good deal at a resort up in scottsdale - so we took a mini vacation for a couple nights! We had fun swimming, canoeing (is that a word?), going to chucky cheese, the train park, bowling, and just relaxing. Well, maybe not so much relaxing (5 people in one hotel room is a little cramped). And Bailey was maybe the whiniest kid on earth - but we had fun in spite of her:)!

We decided kaden is part fish - he would swim for hours if he could.


Bailey on the other hand just whined and cried that she was cold.

Riding the train

As many of you know - Kaden is weird about his clothes. He has all these made up rules about what he can wear with what - no polo shirts with shorts, only certain things to soccer practice, etc. We had a 30 min fit that morning that I only packed shorts for him. Anyway, this particular day he insisted on wearing his hood all day! And it was pretty warm! Matt and I secretly made fun of him because he looked like the creepy kid on the playground - does that make us bad parents? :)

I made him take the hood off so I could see his face in the picture. He was thrilled as you can see.

Hard to see, but Matt took the kids on a canoe. The hotel backed up to a lake - the kids loved it.

Kaden was hard core - sliding on his knees when he threw the ball!

This was our first time taking the kids bowling - they LOVED it! We will definitely go again! (but maybe leave Lex home next time! she was a little butt!)

It was a fun little vacation - but always good to get home. The kids didn't act too particularly excited while we were there - but apparently loved it. They have talked about it non-stop for the past month. I guess we need to get out more:)!

Lex is One!

Lex turned one more than a month ago - but I never got around to posting pics. So here they are:

Her new outfit from Jodi!

with Nana at bubba's basketball game

Playing with cousin Neva

Lexie was not very excited about the blowing out the candle. She is becoming very timid and scared of anything new.

She didn't even want to eat her cupcake - until Bailey "helped" her out by shoving it in her face!

Once she decided she like the cupcake - she slowly and quietly ate it! And with relatively little mess. That is so Lex.

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Here are some highlights of Lexie at 12 months:

• Loves to eat - but doesn't like crackers, cheerios, etc. She's all about meat or cheese.
• Waves bye and blows kisses
• Walking very well, but takes her time. She is happy to simply roam around.
• She is pretty timid and unsure about things. She still hasn't even tried going up our stairs, just sits at the bottom and "talks" to the kids upstairs.
• Becoming very clingy and attached to mom.
• She loves to dance - her latest is to shake her hips side to side.
• I love her chubby thighs with the permanent rolls, her chubby hands, chubby cheeks, feet - you get the idea. Just love her chubbiness. Somehow not so cute on adults :)
• She is very sensitive. She gets upset when we raise our voices and are getting after Kaden or Bailey. Which hardly ever happens . . . yeah right! She even gets upset when Kaden is being loud and crazy.
• Can say - mama, dada, bubba, uh-oh, byebye
• She is very concerned about others feeling - or as much as a 1 year old can be. When someones upset she will come over, lay her head on them, and say "ahhhhhh" - which is her loving sound. She loves to give hugs and loves and always makes that sound.
• She still hates the car and screams more often than not when we are in there.
• Still have redish hair, which I hope she keeps. I just love her red hair, blue eyes, and chubbies! Oh, just love that girl!

Your Kids Give the Answers

(Saw this on a friends blog and wanted to copy it - thanks teri)

Answered by Kaden:

1. What is something mom always says to you? to be good

2. What makes mom happy? to do something your mom was going to say but you did it before she said it

3. What makes mom sad? to be bad

4. How does your mom make you laugh? (no answer, kaden just made a funny face. I laughed and he said, "told you")

5. What was your mom like as a child? like me

6. How old is your mom? 29

7. How tall is your mom? Um, I don't know - how many feet are you?

8. What is her favorite thing to do? shopping (this is actually funny because I go shopping about once every 3 months)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? i dont know because i'm not around. that's a hard question!

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? juggling

11. What is your mom really good at? taking care of kids

12. What is your mom not very good at? juggling

13. What does your mom do for a job? clean the house with the kids

14.What is your mom's favorite food? pizza

15.What makes you proud of your mom? when we get to have movie night

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? the snake in kung fu panda (what the?)

17. What do you and your mom do together? serve lunch

18. How are you and your mom the same? we both have short hair (I did just got a haircut yesterday - rest assured that mine is not a buzz cut like his)

19. How are you and your mom different? I'm little and she's big

(Kaden exclaims "I'm good at this!" And breaks into dance, chanting "smarty pants, smarty pants!")

20. How do you know your mom loves you? Because we are in the same family

21. What does your mom like most about your dad? you just like him because you help each other (that's nice and vague! - seems be be a theme)

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? Nana's

Basketball

Kaden just finished with his basketball season. This was his first time playing and he did ok. He didn't seem to enjoy it as much as he does some other sports - but it was pretty fun anyway.

Some of the Nuggets

Dressed and ready for the game

Sorry - kinda blurry

End of season party at Native

Kaden and his good buddy Micah - Kaden insisted on wearing his jersey to the party:)

It was a fun for Kaden to learn a little about basketball - but I am so glad to have the season be over! I was sick of dragging all three kids to 2 practices and 1 game every week! Plus our coach was . . . how should I say it. . . a little intense for these kids. But we made it and we are glad to be done!

So True!

I got this quote in an email . . . just thought I would share:

"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

~~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931 - 2005 ~~~~~