The Bare Necessities

Music makes me happy. I got quite a gift for V-Day this year. Yes, my very own itouch. I've been dying for one for a loooong time, and it finally happened. It's a super fun gizmo... it's got games, scriptures, weather, scheduler, wi-fi, and most important- MUSIC! I love it. I take it running with me, in the car, out in the garden, in the kitchen while I'm fixing dinner, I listen to it while I'm feeding Maggie... and the list goes on. It has become pretty handy, and I haven't even facetimed with my Mommy yet. ;)

Anyway, while we were making the trek to Weatherford from Houston I put all the songs on shuffle. I love shuffle, there's so much suspense has to what song is coming next... it could be anything from "Enter Sandman"- Metalica to "Just a Spoon full of Sugar"-Mary Poppins. AHHHH!!!! I love it. I don't know how to emphasize how much I love it on the dang computer! Seriously, as excited as a dog getting a biscuit.

Well, it was one o'clock in the morning and my babies were both sound alseep while Tyler was driving the truck in front of me. It had been a long day, long week I'd say, and I just felt like I was at the end of my rope. My head was clouded with negative thoughts and indecision that I just couldn't seem to shake. I couldn't stop thinking about what I wanted; what other people had that I didn't. I felt like we were driving our little family into a black abyss not knowing how or if things will ever work out. In summation, I was pouting. Better yet, murmuring.
And then this song started to play: "The Bare Necessities" from The Jungle Book. In a heartbeat, my sad disposition turned into a happy one. Particularly at this part:
                                                   And don't spend your time lookin' around

For something you want that can't be found

When you find out you can live without it

And go along not thinkin' about it

I'll tell you something true

The bare necessities of life will come to you

Just what I needed to hear. Thanks Baloo.

To my amazing Parents:

Thank you so much for everything.  I love you both so much.
   

crocheted

I ran across my sleeping babe while sweeping the floor yesterday morning. 

    

what a sweetheart...

then I took a closer look... 

Yep, I think crocheted baby blankets are my favorite now. :)

Oh, the small things that make being a Mommy a treasure... I just can't get enough. 

as natural as the blink of a eye...

 Last night I went out to dinner with my parents and my Aunt Tricia. It was a great evening filled with good conversation and some laughs. I love talking with my Aunt Tricia. As we were waiting for a table a familiar face caught my eye. It was a face that I recognized from high school... oh dear.  She was a person I was never close with. She was one of  "those" girls. You know the ones; the popular girls. Not that I wasn't popular or anything... Ha! :) I don't know why but as soon as I saw her I pretended that I hadn't seen her. It felt as natural and involuntary to me as blinking an eye.  I saw her trendy outfit, her long silky hair, and cute skinny body and I automatically felt embarrassed. All my insecurities began to fill my head.  How would I look to her?  I was in my normal getup of jeans, t-shirt, and chucks with about 20 lbs. to lose and spit-up residue on my shoulder.  I had a disobedient 2 year old that I had to take outside for a "talkin to", and a brand new baby with no husband around (Tyler left for Drill this weekend). I straightened my jacket and redid my ponytail, and finally our name got called. Whew. 

I had forgotten all about it as we sat down and ordered our food. Then, of course Maggie got hungry as soon as the food arrived. Nursing in public is still something I am uncomfortable doing, especially in the middle of a crowded room, but nevertheless I got out my nursing cover and proceeded to get Maggie situated when I saw her again.  She was sitting at the table across from ours.  Right as those insecurities began to rush back into my mind, they suddenly came to a halting stop. I looked over at my messy toddler and then down at my sweet baby and suddenly remembered something.  I am JESS PAYNE gosh dang it. I thought of how happy my life is.  I thought about how much I love being a wife and mother, and of all the things that I have accomplished since I has 17 years old. All of the sudden I felt like I didn't have to prove anything to anybody. I felt my Saviors love. Those feelings rushed into me as quickly has the previous ones.  They felt as natural and involuntary to me as the blink of an eye. 

It made me think of something Sister Hinckley said:

"We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives.  We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something. We have to learn to be content with what we are."

I just love Sister Hinckley.  She makes me feel as if she is my oldest and dearest friend.  I think she tends to have that effect on people. I still have a lot learn when it comes to simplifying, but I'm getting better. All I want is to be content with what I am.  Don't we all? 

baby steps. 

  

District Champ

We finally got to go and see Tyler's little brother, Joseph, wrestle. Wrestling is our thing, so we were pretty excited about it.  Especially since Joseph is such a beast!  He did awesome, and is the new District Champ. WAY TO GO JOSEPH! 

One thing I don't miss about High School wrestling is the waiting!  Jeez, it's like torture, especially for the person wrestling. It was for me anyway...

 But we managed to make the best out of it...
   

Thank Goodness for this little girl who entertained Rachel for a little while. Rachel adored her. 

Miss Mags certainly didn't mind the wait...

Finally, He's UP!   cool, calm, collected.. 


skadoosh! already to the ground...

He had complete control the whole match.  Like I said... A BEAST. 

The poor sucker never stood a chance. 

And I just found out... Joseph placed 3rd at Regionals!  

HE IS GOING TO STATE!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS JOSEPH! Knock 'em Dead in Austin!

How we do snow...

IN TEXAS!

It got super duper cold last week.  I mean... really cold.  I'm not exactly sure how cold, but it was definitely in the single digits.  There was ice all over the roads, and the kids even got to stay home from school for 4 WHOLE DAYS! I know  all you northerners out there are rolling your eyes at me right about now...but seriously for us Texans... it was cold.  We enjoyed the the snow days (aka lazy days).  We did nothing except snack, watch psych and monk episodes, do some indoor crossfit, and play Mom Paynes new dancing Wii game.  Yup, pretty awesome. I am still trying to recover from it.  

And on Friday morning we all woke up to a surprise!  I looked out the window, and there were huge snow flurries falling out of the sky.  It was gorgeous. That is until we destroyed it with our footprints and a huge plastic tarp.  We had some fun.

  

Bouncing on the snow...  

Rachel LOVES Glory the Horse... She followed her everywhere... 


Must follow the tracks... I love the look Glory is giving Rachel, "Is she seriously still following me?"


Gearing up for a little Redneck Sledding...


Yeehaw!




Wait for it... wait for it...


WIPEOUT! 


 Look who got to stay warm and cuddly inside...

Ranger School Graduation

Yup, he did it.  Tyler is officially Ranger Qualified. I am so proud of him.

The trip to Georgia was a long one.  As you can imagine, traveling with a toddler and a newborn is a challenge.  My poor parents had to endure it as well... not to mention their annoying daughter in the back seat giving them the "death look" every time they stopped for a break.  I mean, come on people I need to go and kiss my husband! haha.  But, we all made it.  And the graduation was well worth the trip.  I'm so glad that we were able to go.
There were explosions, guns going off, people jumping out of helicopters, people dangling from helicopters, rafts, repelling, combative demonstrations... and of course... PINNING ON THAT RANGER TAB! So worth it. Although it was crazy cold outside, Rachel still enjoyed the demonstrations for the most part. They definitely made us all jump!  I especially loved Rachel's reaction to the combative demonstrations... every time someone got thrown down she would yell, "UH-O!!".  Everyone around us couldn't help but laugh.  


 KABOOM!
 This guy ran off the platform into this position... impressive.
My favorite picture... don't they look like little toy soliders?
This guy had to touch the ranger tab and then fall down into the lake... I felt so bad for him.  It was miserable cold outside! I mean miserable!  Every time anyone had to jump in the water, you'd hear all the graduates go "oooooooo" and then laugh.  haha. I guess it was pay back time. 
There he goes... "oooooo"  
Tyler's company... sorry about these pictures... it was crazy bright outside! But, you get what you get I suppose.

The moment we've all been waiting for...
My Ranger Man
Johnny Carino's celebration/birthday lunch! Yep, it was both Tyler's and his Dad's birthday!  What a great day for a birthday! And although that picture of Tyler and Rach is awful... I just LOVE it! She was giving her Daddy googoo eyes all day long.  She is such a Daddy's girl.
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