Keep Calm and Take Pictures

I was cleaning the kitchen and listening to my "Hilary Weeks" Pandora station. 

You know I'm desperate when I turn on Sunday music when it isn't Sunday. 

Don't get me wrong, Hilary Weeks is great. But I'm more of a George Strait, Alan Jackson, or Alabama Pandora station kind of gal. 

I was scrubbing and a little voice in my head told me to stop and take pictures. 

So I did.

Look what I found? 

Maggie doing something that she's not supposed to be doing. 

Surprise, surprise. 

With her hair tie ripped out yet again...

I felt so sneeky spying on the girls from the living room.

I'm so grateful they have eachother. 

And then Rachel caught me and said, "Mom, take a picture of me!"

I took the picture, then walked back inside to finish up the kitchen when I scrolled through my pictures to see if I got anything "blog worthy". Then I saw this one and almost started to cry. Dang hormones. 

This picture took my breath away. 

Thanks Rachel. ;)

So when you're listening to Sunday music on a Wednesday night, or feel as if the day will never end...

Keep Calm and Take Pictures.

Works for me. 

"A Few of the Things I Love About My Man"

Dear Tyler, 

Happy 7th Anniversary! I am so happy that we get to spend it together. I know you love blog posts so here goes one- just for you. It's mushy, but you'll get over it. ;) 

"A Few of the Things I Love About My Man"

• I love that you would do absolutely anything to make me happy. You have proven that statement time and time again.
• I love your big lips. I hope our son gets them too!
• I love your powerful testimony.
• I love that you are my Airborne Ranger.
• I love that you wrote me every day of Ranger School. I know there's no way you had time or even the sanity.
• I love that you sent me roses on June 22 a few years back forgetting that my birthday is really July 22. I couldn't stop laughing. You are such a boy.
• I love how you fight and wrestle your babies every single day and they love you for it.
• I love how if I ask for a foot massage, you always deliver.
• I love how you learned how to make the BEST biscuits just because you know how much I love biscuits and honey on Sunday mornings. I look forward to it every.single.week.
• I love how Rachel punched you in the mouth the other day and when your lip started bleeding you looked at Rachel and said, "AWESOME! You made my lip bleed! That was a great punch!". A flood of relief just swept over her face! haha!
• I also love how Rachel walked up to you the other day, hit you in the stomach and said, "I love you Dad." You are rough with your girls and they are rough with you, and you all love it. 
• I love how you looked at me in the Celestial room before bringing me into the sealing room to get married for time and all eternity. I was so terrified, but that look made me remember that I was marrying the perfect man for me. 
• I love how you hold onto my belly at night and chuckle every time you feel our boy kick. 
• I love how you think I'm beautiful and tell me every day. Even if I am 9 months pregnant. 
• I love how you've built storage cubbies, shelves, our beautiful kitchen table and benches, lockers, and gorgeous bunk-beds for the girls. You are the ultimate build-it, fix-it man.
• I love how Maggie shows you her dress when you gets home and you always make a big deal about how beautiful it is. Even if it's inside out and has peanut butter and applesauce smeared all over it. :)
• I love you how you think my job of being a Mommy is the best thing in the world. You provide a wonderful life for us girls so I can be at home with them. You've taught me how important it is, and you treat it we such respect. This makes my heart feel so full! What an amazing man you are!
• I love how sexy you are. Did I just say that? Yes- yes I did. 
• I love that I can send you off to training or across the world to fight a war and I know you'll come home the faithful, honorable husband I married. 
• I love that you make all my dreams come true. Sounds silly, but it's completely true. Its a wonderful world to make up in and realize that anything is possible with your best friend. 
• I love that we make stinkin' adorable BABIES.

And those are just a few of the MANY things I love about you. 

Love, 

Your Woman- Jess Payne

While She Sleeps

Before I begin let me make a few things completely clear. I absolutely and wholeheartedly love my crazy, spunky, determined, beauitful, happy children! I know that I am making the right desicion for my family by staying home with my kids. Each and every day I thank the Lord for two (almost three!) beautiful children. I know that they are children of God! And being a Mom is FUN and REWARDING in so many ways!

 

Okay, now that all that has been said I also want to say just how challenging being a mother can be. In particular knowing what is best for my children. I remember quite clearly scoffing at young women that "couldn't wait" to be mothers thinking, "why are they in such a hurry? what in the world is so great about looking after kids all day?". I also remember sitting in sacrament meeting watching what I thought were "terrible, misbehaved" kids thinking, "why are those parents not spanking those little terrors for behaving that way?" Quite frankly, I was wrong. Dead wrong about a lot things. The older I get the more I realize just how wrong I am! haha!

Truthfully though when looking back at what I thought about parenting, and thinking of all I have learned up to this point I've realized that it will never get easier. Sounds awful, but it's the truth. Another happy truth is that although it will never get easier, I will get better and stronger at being a Mother. And that is a wonderful thing.

Something my Dad taught me long ago was to not worry about what other people think. "Red sock, Blue sock" he'd say, informing me that even if I had two different colors of socks on that I should rock the look and simply not let what people say get to me. This is a lesson that I am always learning, relearning, and learning some more. Recently in regards to Motherhood this has been challenging. One of the worst things I do is not only compare myself to other Mommies, but compare my children with theirs. It is the worst! And it never leaves me with happy thoughts about myself or my children!

 

I talk that I turn to for peace on the subject in from Elder Ballards conference talk entitled, "Daughters of God" from 2008. He says,

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children.What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."

That quote has always resonated in my heart inparticularly when I see other Mothers with their kiddos and think that I'm just not good enough, that my kids just aren't well behaved enough, and that I am failing at this whole "nurturing" mother bit. Because all of those things simply aren't true. All of us Mother's get judged by how are children are. Whether if it's during a boxing match in one of those race-car carts at HEB or if it's bringing our children out to the foyer for a little "talkin-to" during church. People notice and people judge. Red sock, blue sock.

Yep, Red sock blue sock.

 

After a hard day at church I took this picture of Rachel while she slept.

As I stared at her sleeping, I could only think of all the good I've done as her Mother. And for a moment I remembered just why she was sent to me. After all, we are practically the same person. ;)
Then I plopped myself down next to her a grabbed a little nap.
After all, every mother needs a good nap.

Dahlia Cafe- A Hill Country Treasure

Daddy took his girls out to dinner a couple of weekends ago. It was ah-mazing!

I discovered this place called "Dahlia's Cafe" while Tyler was gone and just HAD to show him how awesome it is! 

It's got kind of a small, down-home, even "redneck" sort of atmosphere with live music and the most amazing heart clogging food and even a playground for the kids.

Rachel, the climber...

What a goof-ball!

The cutest goof-ball I know!

Just a pretty picture... love the light and that sweet smile...

While Mommy was sitting outside listening to music and drinking a well deserved Coke, Maggie found the lipgloss. That girl and lipgloss! I let her put it on herself... we're still working on staying on the lips...

Yep, she's definitely Maggalious!!!

Of course the girls took center stage and danced the night away. There had to be at least fifty people sitting around and no-one else on the dance floor. For Rachel that is like heaven! All eyes on her! haha!

Daddy went out there and spun his little Rachel around a bit too! 

I love being a family.

The End.