Hair cut

There's no denying that Jared is the fun parent. Both the kids just adore him. Which I love. Jared is always willing to do fun things like this

Yes, Jared let Ayden cut his hair. Ayden did not know how to properly the clippers, but it was a great attempt :o)

Dinosaur Museum

The other night we went to the a dinosaur museum. Honestly, we don't get to do things like this often. I'm hoping we can start since the kiddos are getting older now. Anyway~ here's a few pictures from our outing.

Ayden was a lot of fun and starting to get interested in things like this. If anyone comes to see us, we'll have to take you!! Love to all!!!

Tayla

So, many of you know I am a huge dog lover. Jared, not so much. But he was awesome and let me get Buddy. I think that was because I warned him even before we were engaged, that when I get married I will have at least a dog. Anyway~ so when I was in my last semester of nursing school, I was having a really hard time sticking with it. I just felt like I couldn't do it anymore. Jared told me that if I could stick it out and graduate he'd let me get another dog. Well, that didn't happen because... well, we got Bree about a week after I graduated. So... fast forward to a week ago. Jared dropped Buddy off at the local PetSmart to be groomed. I pulled in a few hours later to get Buddy, they were doing an adoption drive!!! Of course I couldn't help but look!!! Well, I then found this cutie.

She had been a stray. After talking to Jared, she came home with me!!

Jared named her Tayla after the Stargate character. I think it's a cute name too. Tayla is such a sweet heart. And the kids just love her!!

She definitely needs some working with (ie, staying off my furniture, out of the trash, and a bit of potty training). But overall she's been so fun to have!!!!

Buddy's still getting use to her. lol overall he likes her, but I know he wishes she'd play more. maybe once she settles in more. Buddy is actually very submissive to Tayla. The dog pillow in the pic. below... yeah, frequently Tayla's on it and Buddys on the carpet... even though the pillow is Buddy's.

Anyway~ there's a bit of an intro. to our newest family member :o) Hope this finds everyone well. Love to all!!

Las Vegas

Just because of how things work in our family, we don't get to escape town much. But this month, Ayden escaped twice, Jared and I escaped once. It was so so so so nice. I took Ayden we went down to Las Vegas to see everyone, meet my incredibly tiny, cute little new nephew. Here's so pictures of the things we did.

playing in rice with Grandma Shell

ate lots of yummy food

snuggled this angel --- love older bros. look in the back :P

Ayden playing with his cousin

telling Grandma Shell the color of the M&M and then eating it

Uncle Josh's pet

tractor ride with Grandma Shell

Tractor ride with cousin

Stealing cousin's donut 

I did get to see my high school best friend too!! Unfortunately, Ayden wasn't being nice when we saw her and we didn't take any pics. It was so so good to see her though. Anyway~ It was a sort of quick, but fun trip. Here are the pics. Jared sent me.

yes, she is passed out

By the last pic., I should have known something wasn't right with Bree. She never passes out in the middle of the floor like that. The night Jared took that pic., she ended up getting admitted for fever. Turned out to be another virus. Her 4th different one this winter. We were coming home the next day anyway... we just got on the road sooner then originally planned. When I got to the hospital to see Bree, she looked shocked! lol Like I had come back from the dead or something. She was definitely happy to see her momma.

I know this isn't an exciting post, but it was kind of a low key trip. It was really nice and just what I needed. Love to all!!!!

A couple of videos

Just trying to catch up on blog post :o) Here's a couple of videos of Bree. Enjoy! :o)

Oh my!

So... I temporarily didn't have a great way to upload pics, but now I do again! So, now I feel like I can update on the happenings in the Payne family.

Jared is still lovin' his job at Domo. He's doing little odds and ends callings type thing. He's just the same, lovable, amazing Jared. He took Ayden and the two of them went to TX for about 5 days. Hence our nephew being in this pic :o) I will see if I can talk Jared into writing a blog post about what they did there.

Me? Well, I finally did it! I finally passed state boards. I am officially a RN!!! I just can't believe it's a dream finally come true. A lot of people ask if I'll find a job at a facility now. Naw, my kiddos need me home right now. Hopefully one day I can work outside the home with it, but for now... my job is at home. Another new thing--- after a year of no church calling, I got one! I am now a visiting teaching supervisor. So far I'm loving it! But then again, I always have been good at nagging at people to do stuff ;o) Other then that... Ayden and I got to go spend about 2 or 3 days in Las Vegas, seeing my parents. I will do a blog post on that soon. But I think that's about it for me. Exciting changes!!!

 This little dude is awesome! He got ear tubes for the second time about a month ago now. His speech has definitely improved. Definitely some work to go, but it's coming along and I'm not worried anymore. At least right now :oP He's just a ball full of energy, loves life, and is anxiously waiting for it to get warm again. This photo of him was actually taken by Grandma Payne while the guys were in TX this last week. Ayden is still tiny tiny. We have an appointment with his pediatrician in about 2 or 3 weeks. We'll see what happens then.

Now this little angel is growing up too fast! She's getting quite the vocabulary and is getting better and letting her needs/wants known. She's also starting to finally take steps. She's scared about it still, but I can normally bribe (yes, I will go to bribing) her into take 2 or 3 steps at a time. Hopefully that means she'll take off walking full time soon. As far as her eating... she has actually started doing tons tons better about drinking her formula. I also started trying to get her to take a little solid once a day. Normally it's about a tablespoon worth of chocolate pudding. Its pre-made, made with almond milk. It actually is pretty tasty too. We have started working with feeding therapy so hopefully that will help too. Bree has caught like almost every single virus out there this winter... okay, she's had at least 4 different ones... but seems to remain happy through it all.

This is a pic one of my cousins took for us. I will post more of them later too. Anyway~ that about sums it up for us. Hope all of you are having a wonderful start to 2014! Love to all!!

The happenings

Been a while... thought I'd give a briefing on what we're all up to.

Bree has been sick ... pretty much since just before Thanksgiving. Thankfully not with line infections. She has been getting virus' that go around. Other then that, she's doing good overall. Still refusing to walk. She's scared. So we're working on trying to build that confidence. Hopefully it'll come soon. She's mimicking sounds, words. That part is way fun. I was thinking today... she's definitely more of a little girl then a baby now.

 Ayden is 2 lol Unless he's pretty much constantly entertained, he's into everything. His speech is taking off, in its own way. He's trying and loves to talk. Due to some problems with his ears ... I'll go into that in a bit... he isn't quite saying things right. For example, "doo dah" is snowman. He loves snowmen, mickey mouse, trucks, school buses, and trains. He loves singing  "Once there was a snowman" and "Wheels on the bus". He's still tiny, but has finally broken 20 pounds! i just hope he stays above and keeps gaining :oP So about his ears... in the last post I wrote, i mentioned both of his ear tubes has stuff building up in it, he failed his left ear hearing test, and his left ear drum has something going on with it. So, long story short... both of Ayden's tubes have fallen out and he has major fluid build up behind his ear drums. Because of this fluid, his ear drums can't move. With the ear drums not moving, he can't hear us properly. Mid- January, he's going to have tubes put back in and he'll have his adenoid removed. Really hoping that helps this little man and his speech.

With Bree being sick, I've been doing a lot of cuddling... even more laundry... and trying to stay on top of life, getting ready for Christmas. Short, sweet, but that's my life lately :oP

Jared is still as amazing as ever. He's been swamped at work. He still manages to come home on time almost every night. He has had an occasional later night but not often. Other then that, he comes home to be a fun, loving dad and an incredible hubby. :o)

So that about sums us up. Hope this finds everyone well :o) Love to all.