Happy 400th post!

I need to redeem myself from my post about Texas. I'm afraid it came across a little bit negatively. Ooops! I was hoping to merely point out the fact that it's definitely different here. But, my friends, different is not bad. In fact, we are really loving our new life here. Instead of 400 things, because who really wants to type or read that many???, I'm going to share 4 things that I LOVE about Texas.


4. Trees. And all things that are green! We are excited to plant a garden this spring.

3. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Southern Hospitality is REAL. It's genuine & comfortable. A friendly smile and wave sure can brighten your day. (As for the accent and use of words like y'all and all y'all... we hear it occasionally from our neighbors, store clerks, etc. But the people in our ward are mostly transplants like us. And I don't mind the accent!)


2. My van. I love the Sienna! Everything about it makes me smile; 8 seats, the lime green rectangle trash can, the fact that I can reach Brooklyn b/c she is slid forward, radio controls on the steering wheel, tinted windows, a sliding door, rear air & vents, and the mini-van mom stigma. It is my mo-jo!


1. I love the..... WEATHER. I may have sounded like I don't like the rain, but I do! I've just been absolutely overwhelmed by the AMOUNT of water that can fall from the sky. And at how dramatic & quickly things change!

Looks Who is 6 Months

Brooklyn is growing up too fast!

Photo is blurry because she is on the move!

Lovin' the swing.

So serious sometimes!

Starting solids

Lip smacking good, I think!

~Constant mosquito bites on her forehead.

~2 bottom teeth, 2nd one came 5 days after 1st.

~Mama's girl!! Sometimes this can be difficult, but I am cherishing every minute of it! I can't get enough of her chubby & kissable cheeks.

~Is easily occupied & entertained for long periods of time. However, recently she has insisted on being held a little more.

~Still good natured & patient with the loves from her sisters.

~Almost sitting up and crawling.... YIKES!

Texas- the way I see it, part 1

*The most impressive thing about this Great State is the DRAMATIC weather. I suppose that I was far too comfortable with the sunny skies in Las Vegas. One minute it's raining, the next minute it's sunny, hot & muggy, a few hours later it may be cold but dry. The changes are sudden and extreme.

{As I type this we are in the midst of a Tornado Warning and a Flood Watch. They have been in effect since noon. It sounds like someone is standing outside our house & squirting it down with their thumb over the nozzle of a hose. The thunder claps last for 3-10 seconds and the lightening lights up the sky.}

{A few weeks ago the thunder was so loud & continuous that it woke me up. Once Bill was awake we opened the blinds and watched the lightening for a while. Then I layed awake for about an hour. It reminded me of the thunderstorm scene from The Sound of Music. I honestly thought the thunder was going to wake up my 2 big girls & they were going to be cuddled up next to me for the night. I pictured us singing "My Favorite Things", as I drifted off to sleep.}

*The roads were definitely not designed by the Mormons (like UT and Las Vegas). There is NO grid system here. In fact there is no rhyme or reason. For example: Exit 73 is called the Rayford/ Sawdust exit because Rayford Rd. is on the east side of the freeway & Sawdust Road is on the west side of the freeway. And sometimes you'll be driving straight down the road & it will change names (Sawdust becomes Grogans Mill). Just because. It's a mean trick to play on newcomers!

*Church is at 8:30 a.m. - next year it will be at 2 p.m. The parking lot is too small for times to overlap.

*There are signs on the side of the road that read, "No parking, except on Sundays and holidays."

*Many stores are closed on Sunday. I love the Bible belt!

*There are many highways which are labeled F.M. I finally asked what it meant. It stands for Farm to Market. Those were the highways people used to use to take them from their farms to the market.

*Ever heard of a feeder road?

*Six year old boys play competitive tackle football- pads, helmets, and all.

*And there are cheerleading clinics for 3 year olds.

*Rain and green trees mean BUG BITES. My kids keep saying, "Mom, we're getting eaten alive."

*My girls planted pinto beans in the front yard and they sprouted up in 1 week.

*Sometimes the humidity fogs up the lens of my camera.

*The street name Kuykendall is pronounced, /kirk-en-doll/.

E-I-E-I-O

Old MacDonald had a farm.... and on his farm he had:

Caitlyn on a horse,

Madisen on a horse,

some hens, Caitlyn & David,

Havana & Madisen,

4 cute kids,

ice cream on a train ride,

Mom & Brooklyn,

a monkey,

and some pumpkins!

{Note: My memory card was full that day, so I swiped most of these pictures from Ruth. I have NO IDEA why they are so small. Get out your magnifying glasses!}

{Double Note: These are our cousin/friends who live in a neighboring city- 45 minutes away. Their 3 youngest children are the exact same ages as our 3. You can see all 6 kids in a priceless photo- the pumpking patch one.}

Pumpkins and Rain

Two weeks ago we promised the girls we would pick & paint pumpkins for FHE. After 4 days of non-stop rain we saw a brief break in the clouds. But we weren't quick enough. Nope, we got to pick pumpkins in the pouring rain. (Do not be deceived by Caitlyn's jacket- it was really quite warm & muggy.)

Caitlyn wasn't so great at staying under the umbrella, she wanted to be one with the elements. I wish my camera was a bit better so you could see how hard it really was raining.

We ran 2 quick errands on the way home & as we pulled in the garage we were surrounded by crystal clear blue skys that lingered for a few hours! But picking in the rain was so much more dramatic.

The girls each chose star eyes and nose plus a mouth with a square tooth. They stayed in the lines pretty well & then got super creative on the back.

We tried an experiment: Madisen left her pumpkin in the house overnight & Caitlyn's sat on the porch. Which one do you think was dry in the morning? Madisen's of course! The pain on Caitlyn's was still wet- she got it all over herself when she went to check on it! Gotta love the humidity!

Fall = Soup

One of my favorite things about fall is making & eating deliciously healthy soups. Last week we tried 2 new ones & they were both met with MMMMMM's from our children.

Broccoli Leek Soup
(Williams Sonoma Soup Cookbook)

2 T. olive oil
2 leeks, including tender green parts, finely chopped
1 1/2 lb. broccoli- florets & stems cut into 1 inch pieces
4 c. chicken broth
salt & freshly ground white pepper

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the leeks and saute until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the broccoli and continue to saute, stirring frequently until slightly softened, about 2 minutes longer.

Add the stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover partially & cook until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth & return the soup to the pan. Return the soup to medium heat and reheat gently. Season to taste with walt & white pepper.

Garnish with sour cream, croutons, and chives.

Review: We didn't garnish ours, just served it straight with peasant bread & it was delicious! The consistency was perfect; not to thick or too runny & no real chunks.

Primary Program

Our new ward did their Primary Program pretty early. It was on our 3rd Sunday here. Luckily, Madisen's class did a group recitation so she wasn't too intimidated to participate. She learned her line quickly and said it with ease. (It was so long ago that I forgot it.) I think it also helped that in addition to mom, dad, Caitlyn, and Brooklyn, grandma, grandpa, G.G., Aunt Carol and Aunt Christy were also in the congregation. It was a special day for us to share with some of Bill's family members who are not members. I think they were able to feel the Spirit of the songs and children's testimonies. It was strong! They were also impressed with the organization & well behaved children.

An unusual pose for Madisen, but I love the genuine smile.

Caitlyn putting her hands on her hips.

Sweet sisters!!!