Nate's Girls

He Made their Day

2011-06-05T16:24:00.000-06:00

Julia, Findlay and Elsie were playing in the yard. Their favorite spot is the gate next to Stephens' so they can see Mira the dog. Well, Brett Stephens heard the girls calling out to Mira, so he leashed her up, and brought her over. He held her while the girls petted, loved, ran from, and squealed at Mira. Thanks Brett! You made their day!!

I not Tired!

2011-06-04T16:10:00.000-06:00

Can you believe this picture, cause I can't! Elsie "not tired" and "onna cuddle with gamma". The end result is above.

If they were awake, I would call this double trouble.

This picture really makes Elsie a minnie me. My favorite thing in the world, is getting my back scratched. She is really eating it up, and gets so relaxed that she just finally falls asleep. And so does my dad, during the whole process. Pretty cute!

May Fun

2011-06-03T15:55:00.005-06:00

Singing in the rain :) Finny and her friend Julia won't let the stormy weather stop them from having fun!

Should I mention that Elsie goes down this slide head first? Fun with friends! Liza, Julia, Findlay and Elsie have some girl time :)

Clancey is loving the one on one attention she gets when Craig and Kelsey come around.

Clancey and Grandpa spending some quality time during a RARE May 2011 sunny day.

Big Enough

2011-06-02T15:48:00.001-06:00

Clancey is big enough for the "neglector"!

She loves to grab the toys and make noise. When she is sick of that...

she chills on her favorite bouncey seat. Its insane fast they grow!

Happy Birthday Grandpa

2011-06-01T12:38:00.003-06:00

My dad had another Happy Birthday! The girls helped him open all of his presents...

Frost his birthday cake and eat the extra icing...

and finally play on/with his favorite toy!!

Happy Birthday Dad! We love you!!

The Vacation

2011-05-31T15:38:00.000-06:00

I went to visit Nate in the Bahamas. Oh it was fun! The first night we were there, we went to the port and hung out til 1:30a. Wow, took me back to my college days. Around 10p I kept looking at my watch, like when are we leaving cause I am tired!! It was so fun though. Needless to say, I crashed when we got back to the apartment. Nate has some good friends down there, so it was fun to meet them and just relax!

Day 2 we headed to a private resort,courtesy of Ross University. All the students loaded in buses and partied all day long. We went kayaking, swam in the water, played sand volleyball, and just enjoyed the sun. Not to mention, all you can eat food!

Sunday was so fun. We went to the Branch where Nate has officially been called to Sunday School Teacher. That day, he spoke in church, so I got to hear him. The Branch is mostly one family with a bunch of converts, so its very small. I got to teach sharing time. The branch president and his family are amazing!!! I was able to spend lots of time with his wife, I just love her! She is primary president and what ever else she needs to be that day. Pretty amazing! Little Kurtis is their 2 year old, who just loves Nate. So he gets to hold him a lot, which helps him cause he misses his babies!!

Sadly, the trip had to come to an end. It was back to reality. I went home to our girls, and Nate stayed to keep on studying. We both just wanted me to head home, get the girls, and come on back. It's time to be a family again!

Special thanks to Lindsay, my Mom, and Robin for helping us with our babies. They had so much fun with you guys and Nate and I never worried about them at all. It was a much needed vacation!

My First ...

2011-05-05T21:10:00.000-06:00

Ponytail and Bow!!

Clancey has some hair!! This is a first for me, because the other 2 girls didn't get hair until they were 2 years old! I had to try the ponytail and it worked :). Clance is gooing more each day and just eats up any attention she gets, especially from her older sisters. It is pretty cute. I just love my little 3 musketeers!

Fun with Friends

2011-04-27T16:22:00.000-06:00

It was too wet to go outside and play today, so we had a little party inside. Findlay and Elsie had Molly and Julia come over to play. It was so much fun! We had a picnic - toasted cheese, pears, and bananas and some tootsie rolls on the family room floor. Thank heavens for picnic blankets! Lucky for me, Clancey slept the entire time, so it was a fun easy morning!

Melt Your Heart!

2011-04-26T12:05:00.007-06:00

I told Findlay today that Mommy was going to go on an airplane to see Daddy and that she was going to sleep and Molly’s house. She looked at me and said, “You go get my Daddy and bring him back home!?!” Ya, tear jerker! I told Nate and it just melted his heart. What a sweet little girl!

Party, Party, Party!

2011-04-25T12:01:00.026-06:00

Party 1 - The Buckalews

Can I just say how much I LOVE my old neighborhood!?! If you ever want to buy a house, live in Woods Cross! I miss my friends! Well, those friends invited us back for a little Easter egg hunt. It was so fun! Probably around 100 eggs were hidden outside for about 8 kids to have a tons of fun finding. It was pretty cute. Then it was good food and games. My little girls ate their candy until I put it well above reach. The other kids ate a few pieces then went and played. My girls noticed they left and Mom took their candy so they started to finish their little friends treats off. Soon those went above reach and it was off to play. That worked until Elsie discovered the swedish fish bowl on the game table. She shoved an entire handful in her mouth, then a second. One of the Dad pointed her out to me, and Els new her time was short, so she grabbed a 3rd handful and tried to shove that in her mouth. This all happened in about 20 seconds. You should have seen her mouthful of fish! Too funny! Thank you Buckalews!! We had so much fun!

Party 2 - Payne Family

This party was lots of fun, and bittersweet at the same time. This is Nate's side of the family and we just miss our Daddy! Luckily Nate was able to skype ... the bittersweet part. It made it so he was apart of Easter, but we all got a little bit homesick for Daddy and Daddy was homesick for his girls!! The fun started with an easter egg hunt. Findlay found purple eggs and Elsie found yellow ones. They just loved it, and Daddy chased them around on the computer watching them the entire time. Next was dying eggs. By the time we were done, Findlay had purple hands and Elsie was covered in yellow. Luckily google suggested to was your hands in vinegar, then soap. That made is so by the end of the day their hands were stain free :) Clancey enjoyed being held by Grammy and Papa. Grammy got her to laugh harder than I have ever seen. Lots of smiles and giggles!! And finally a Payne family party would not be complete without games. Grammy did an egg race for adults, it was pretty funny to watch. Hope you enjoy the pictures. I didn't participate because it was a team effort and my other half was gone...I figured someone needed to take these glorious pictures and I firmly believe I had more fun watching them kill/swat their eggs. By the end of the 3 lap race a portion of the yoke was all that was left. Its always a fun adventure with the Paynes.

Party 3 - The Extended Cook Family

This party is always a fun one. Grandpa started out with a great story, he always has the best teaching stories (see my Easter Post). Then it was off to their back yard where everyone young, and young at heart (everyone else except my parents, aunts and uncles and me), searched for the Egg with their name on it. Grandma said she figured I had my hands full with the 3 girls so they didn't want to put me through an egg hunt. Thank you!! Although I do love to find the egg, my girls didn't want to watch me hunt for my Easter egg :) Findlay and Elsie's eggs were hidden in front of a bush. The eggs had princess cell phones (a total hit), princess lip gloss (another hit), and a chocolate bunny. Can you tell my girls like anything "Princess?" Go Disney! After some delicious food, it was play time. There was not a shortage of little bodies running around outside and jumping on the tramp. Grandma says the best part of a Cook party is that everyone whether they are there or not, wants to be there. That is the total truth! Everyone loves to be together. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! What an example they are to all of us on how to raise a family!

Easter Sunday

2011-04-24T22:01:00.000-06:00

I have to say, a few thoughts touched me today in church.

1. Everyone needs to start doing/being their best sometime and it might as well be now.
2. Our Savior Jesus Christ will take you as you are. (He just wants the best you!)
3. He is Risen!

At the Cook family Easter Egg hunt, Grandpa also shared a great story that one of his friend's had shared with him. This friend of Grandpa's was traveling on a bus to the airport one morning heading off on a business trip. Sitting in front of him was another well dressed business man. As the bus pulled up to the airport, the business man stood up, turned around and announced to the crowd ,"Have you heard the news?" The crowd waited to hear what had happened. The man replied, "The Savior Jesus Christ is Risen and has atoned for our sins! Just something to think about on this wonderful morning." The business man smiled, then got off the bus.

What a wonderful morning each morning is! Just something to think about.

This morning was also full of Easter Egg Basket hunting. The Easter bunny hid Elsie's basket under the table and Findlay's on speaker behind Grandpa's chair. Both spots are favorite playing places for the girls. Elsie found her blanket pretty quick, but Findlay just couldn't see the basket right in front of her eyes. She kept going behind the couch then turning the corner instead of looking straight in front of her where the basket was. Too funny. The girls also kept asking if they could go outside to find more eggs. We had 3 easter egg hunts in the last 2 days and they couldn't get enough of the eggs full of treats. They looked adorable in their easter dresses, and we had a low key fun Easter Sunday.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-04-22T12:24:00.004-06:00

So this happened back during Halloween time, but I have to share. Growing up, one of my favorite memories was the pumpkin patch. Every year in the spring time all my Cook cousins and I would go to Grandpa's huge garden and plant corn and pumpkins. We ended up eating the corn all summer and come fall time we'd pick the pumpkins. There would be lots of pumpkins so we'd set up shop and sell to all of our neighbors. It was so fun. Oh the memories!! Well, Great Grandpa Cook has kept up this tradition with his great grandkids. This year he planted enough pumpkins for every great grandkid. Findlay and Elsie had so much fun romping around his garden picking out their pumpkins for Halloween. I'm so glad my girls are able to see that fun tradition.

Funny Little Girls

2011-04-21T22:17:00.000-06:00

Elsie became my little helper today. I was trying to get my hair done and Clancey needed a bottle, so like a good mom, I propped it :). Elsie scooted over on the couch and grabbed the bottle and fed Clancey. Talk about cute!! A few minutes into the feeding Clancey started to fuss. Pretty soon I heard "Ssh, Ssh. It okay little darlin'. It okay." She was totally soothing and feeding her! ADORABLE!

Findlay has decided to have a reason for everything. Today she told me, "I need a drink of water cause I'n cold." I also heard, "I can't have a pickle cause I'n sick." Another line lately is "I have to have my medicine!" That line is used as she gets the candy, "Reisens", out of the candy drawer that she is not supposed to get into. :)

Cute Things

2011-04-13T21:02:00.000-06:00

I thought I would post some cute things the girls have done as of late

Findlay:

Findlay prays for her Daddy to be a doctor every night, meal, and in between. She also prays about her dreams and things that happen. She has been playing with a friend that has a huge cat named fat cat, and he isn't the nicest. I bet you are wondering how these are related...yesterday in a prayer for lunch, Findlay said "Bless Daddy to be a doctor and bless mCAT be nice and fat cat be nice." She totally thought the MCAT was another cat. It was cute!! Findlay also blesses "Uncle Nate's bottom feel better" in every prayer, with out fail! My bro was having "issues" last weekend and told his 3 year old so she understood that Daddy didn't feel good. Well, Molly told Finny that her "Daddy has a sore Bum Bum" and now he is blessed! Watch what you tell your kids!

I just have to say Finny has turned into such a little helper and is so thoughtful. Yesterday we were trying to leave and she had been playing with her castle in the basement. Without me even asking, she cleaned it up then said "Look mommy I cleaned my castle up. It looks good Mommy? You like it?" I just gave her a big hug. She also tattles on Elsie who scales anything and everything that she shouldn't scale. That means I now have eyes in the back of my head :) Finny will also give you an ego boost whenever you need it. All day today, she kept saying "Mommy your hair is so beautiful." She said it at least 4 times, and today my hairs was in pig tails. It was a good boost :) Finny also gives grandpa hugs on demand which he just loves.

Elsie:

Els Bells loves her sister Finny. She copies anything and everything Findlay does, and wants to be with her every second. Every nap and night time, I tuck Elsie in first. Without fail she says "Go get Finwee" then shoves her blanket in her mouth.

Another cute girls moment is when I will be driving somewhere and Elsie will say "Hol' my hand Finwee?". I'll look back and sure enough, there's my girls holding hands in their car seats. That happens almost every time we drive somewhere. I am so glad they have each other! Gotta love it!

One of Elsie's favorite things to do is drink pop. She knows exactly who will give her some (grandpa) and right where he keeps it. The other day Bells decided to go to his mini fridge and turn Grandpa's drink to really cold. Well that really cold turned to frozen and to about a dozen cans of pop exploding inside. Lucky for her it was just full of Elsie's pop. My dad had already drank most of the kinds that he liked. All that was left was Sprite Zero and a crappy form of diet Gingerale. He lets the girls have and play house with those cans of pop.

Did I mention the girls have the cutest playhouse in the garage? Its a kitchen with a table and chairs that sits inside an empty crate, which my mom used for work. That is Elsie's favorite place to play. She loves to get Elsie's pop and play house with her babies in the garage. Its pretty funny.

Clancey:

My baby rolled over!!! She is growing up too fast. The day Nate left for the Bahamas (April 4), was when the big event occurred. I was changing our other 2 girls into their clothes for the day and Clancey decided to roll over on the bed. The best part was that all 3 of us saw, and the girls noticed that she moved. They cheered for her too. It was really adorable.

Another cute thing is that my baby is getting bigger. I changed her in the middle of the night 2 nights ago, and I swear she had grown. The next morning I weighed her, and I did it again the next day. Clancey put on .5 lbs in 2 days! Insane! She smiles on demand and gets mobbed by her sisters. The best part is that she just grins every time they give her lots of love.

What can I say, girls are the best!!

Go, Go, Go Kelsey!

2011-04-12T20:52:00.000-06:00

After taking the extra long way to get to Kelsey's soccer game, we finally made it! UVU played the U of U at the U in this field that was tucked deep inside the middle of campus. We unloaded, then loaded the kids back into the car after we realized a walk way was closed, drove around some more, then we found it. Here are the girls, just happy to be there!

It was a gorgeous day to play soccer! The weather was great and the girls enjoyed eating their treats on the bleachers and yelling at the top of their lungs "Go, Go, Go Kelsey!!" It was pretty cute! Then the girls heard people in the crowd yelling "Go UV" so they periodically changed their chant. It's amazing what kids pick up.

Kelsey hustled her tail off, but unfortunately they lost 2-1. She fought hard though! Did I mention she was just named team Captain for the next 2 years? Shout out to Capt'n Kelsey! Way to go!!

Clancey Tayte Payne

2011-04-07T21:36:00.002-06:00

Meet Clancey Tayte Payne. She was born just in time for that tax deduction...Good Girl! Clancey weighed in at 7 pounds 1 ounce and was 19 inches long. Her sisters adore her. Finny calls her "oh a little darling", and to Elsie she is our "Clance, Clance" or "cah Lancey." Elsie really likes to pronounce that "L". It makes here Daddy real proud (Nate had issues saying L's when he was little). She gives us smiles all day long, and is our best behaved child. Nate keeps telling me its just because she can't move or talk back yet :). We love our little "Fancy Clancey"!

Missing Her Daddy

2011-04-07T15:23:00.004-06:00

Nate left for the Bahamas to start his medical school journey. He is gone for 4 months, then will come back to get the rest of us and we'll all move to Dominica. He has been gone 4 days and already his girls are missing him like crazy!! I finally was able to get the girls down to bed after what seemed like an extra long day. Our plans at the library failed due to a combined story time that was not for toddlers. So I packed a lunch for all of us and played at McDonald's play land due to the weather...Don't worry McDonald's I will buy something next time we come! Anyway, I got the kids into the bath, then dressed and it was time for bed. We brushed teeth, said prayers and lights out. Then it was my time, which was so needed. Nate skyped me at just that instant, another much needed thing. We started talking, and then all I heard was "DADDY, DADDY, DADDY, DADDY!!!" Nate ended up hearing about Fat Cat climbing up a tree, going to the library, jumping, the color of their blankets, and watching them touch their noses. Finally he was able to read them a story, say prayers, and tuck them in bed. They each blew their daddy a kiss and he blew them a big on right back.

Then it was Nate and Kelly time. We talked a for a little while, then I saw little eyes peering into my bedroom. It was Elsie. She came running up to my bed and climbed in. She looked so tired. Nate asked her if she was tired and all she did was nod. She was so tired, but she didn't want to go to her bed. He asked her if she wanted to stay and talked to dad and again she nodded. Elsie just curled up on my lap and would stare at the computer. The sound of Nate's voice and seeing his picture was all she wanted. It about made Nate and I cry. It was the cutest thing! Little Elsie just misses her Daddy! Here is a picture of that moment. This poor babe was so tired but was not about to go to bed while her Daddy was on the "puter". :)

Bear Lake

2009-07-24T21:50:00.000-06:00

Bear Lake was so fun!

Elsie's Blessing

2009-07-24T21:41:00.004-06:00

Nate blessed Elsie on June 28, 2009 at our house. It was really neat. We had grandmas and grandpas and greats on both sides. Not to mention her aunts, uncles and cousins. My mom was teasing us for along time saying Elsie didn't have a name. Well, finally at almost 4 months old, we gave her a name. Elsie Ann Payne. She is one of the best things to happen to our family! Just as a side note. Elsie was blessed in the blessing dress that was made from my Grandma Wood's wedding dress. I was blessed in that same dress, and so was Findlay. It is a special gift we still have from Grandma.

Tara Day

2009-07-24T21:27:00.006-06:00

Tara Day is a fundraiser at Swan Lake that my family goes to every year. It is in memory of Tara Carr who died March 1, 1999. She was 18. Her family throws Tara Day every year. It is a fundraiser with 9 hole golf tournament, 18 hole mini golf, and silent auction with all the proceeds going to VHS's Special ED deptartment. Tara Day is so much fun! This year we had both of our girls with us. On the way there, we stopped at Walmart and bought Findlay some clubs. Nate, Findlay and I played 18 holes on the putting course. Findlay putted all 18 holes and walked the entire course!! That baby girl is amazing! Towards the end of the holes she would just pick up her ball and put it in the hole. She knew that the ball in the hole was a good thing. Afterward, she would clap for herself. It was really fun. Elsie slept the whole time. There were drinks at certain holes so we could take a quick break. Findlay loved that too. We can't wait for next year!

Memorial Day

2009-07-24T21:21:00.005-06:00

Memorial day was fun. We went to the park with Nate's family after we visited his Grandpa's grave. His mom brought a bunch of outdoor games. I was terrible at them. Nate was decent, but his sister Laurel pretty much kicked trash. It was fun. Findlay loved the playground, and Elsie just slept.

Father's Day

2009-07-24T21:16:00.003-06:00

For father's day we went to my parents house. My mom has these icecream cone/popsicle holders she was dying to have a grandkid use one. She ended up making Findlay an icecream cone and Findlay went crazy. It was pretty fun.

Mother's Day

2009-07-24T20:59:00.006-06:00

For Mother's Day this year, we headed to the zoo with the Payne clan. It was really fun. The highlight of the trip for Nate was the cheetah. Findlay just loves the turkeys, monkeys, cheetah and elephant and pretty much anything else she can see. It was really fun day, hot, but very fun.

PRIVATE

2009-04-30T23:56:00.001-06:00

Hey All!

We are going to a private blog soon. So if you would like to keep in touch, please leave your email and I'll add you.

Thanks!

Nate and Kelly

Discovery at the Gateway

2009-04-28T16:27:00.009-06:00

Today was so much fun!! I met up with my friend Cheri and her two kids Bode and Ellie, at the Discovery at the Gateway Mall. That place is so much fun! I had Findlay (13 mos), Elsie (8 weeks) and Libby (21 months)with me. My friend Rachel just moved into a new house, so I took Libby so she could get her house set up without having to worry about her. I ended up with Finny and Libby in the double stroller and Elsie in the Bjorn. It was so funny to see the looks people were giving me. I have to say, it was so much fun having all 3 of them there. I got them to and from the car to Discovery without any help too! We met up with Cheri inside and just let the kids run. Last night I purchased a leash for Findlay from Wal-Mart. It was the best $10 I ever spent! It's this cute little monkey that I strap on her back. I let Libby roam as long as I could see her, and was able to keep Findlay close cause of the leash. Most of the time they played right next to each other. We climbed to the balls and threw them around. Then the girls headed for the water area where they can play with balls and splash around. Findlay kept a stuffed dog with her most of the time. She found them when we played house there. The girls went grocery shopping and climbed in a tree house. We stayed and played for about 2 hours. Findlay was crying when it was time to leave. She just wanted to play there all day. Bode and Ellie were into the water and loved to climb on the toy animals. I love that place!! Elsie just slept the whole time. The funniest part of the whole thing was when Bode grabbed Findlay's leash from Me and started pulling her around. Cheri and I were laughing so hard. Lucky for us, I caught that one on video. Hope you enjoy the pics!! It was fun having 3 kids there, and really funny watching the reaction from everyone seeing how far apart they thought my 3 kids were :)

Tracy Aviary

2009-04-28T16:22:00.002-06:00

Last week was too nice to stay home, so I took the girls to the Tracy Aviary. We love to go with Cheri and her two kids Bode (1) and Ellie (3). It was so fun! There were all kinds of birds. Finny loved to feed the Ducks especially the Ducklings. She was just fascinated watching them. There were some Pelicans mixed in with the Ducks that came super close to us, but Finny could have cared less. She loved the ducklings. We also saw Flamingos and a Condor. Findlay also learned that a Condor says "Caw". Ask her that next time you see her. It's pretty funny. What kid knows a Condor says that right?!? She's a genius :)

The Big Sister

2009-04-28T16:15:00.004-06:00

Findlay is the best little big sister! She LOVES Elsie! Anytime Elsie cries, Finny heads straight for her to make her happy. She's even tried to feed her with a bottle turned upside down. :) One of her favorite things is to hold Elsie. She comes up to me and sticks her arms straight out which means "I want to hold Elsie". So I stick Fin on the couch where Elsie will can be steadied and I let her hold her little sister. It's so cute!! She'll sit there and give her kisses and loves. What can I say!?! I have the cutest girls!!

Picnic with Daddy

2009-04-28T16:02:00.009-06:00

Nate works right across the street from Temple Square so every now and then I take the girls to have a picnic with him on his lunch break. It was so fun!! Last week was so dang nice outside so we headed out. As soon as Finny saw her Dad walking toward us by the reflection pond, she started getting so excited. Her little legs where just a going in the stroller and arms were reaching. It made his day! She loves her daddy! The tulips were in bloom and the sun was shining. Finny had a hey day with the reflection pool and smelling the flowers. Nate just loves his girls!! It was a fun break for all of us!

Elsie Smiles!!

2009-04-28T15:59:00.002-06:00

Elsie started smiling at about the 6 week mark. It's adorable!! She smiles all the time now. It's the best when I go to get her from a nap or out of the baby carrier and she just gives me a big grin! Ahhh! Nothing beats a smile from your baby girl!

Little Miss Independant

2009-04-28T15:49:00.005-06:00

Little miss independant is learning to use silverware all by herself! I was so proud of her! Fin picked up "stab the eggs, then put it in your mouth" really quick. About 15 minutes later I realized I was going to pay! She was taking forever to feed herself (which is normal for a 13 month old) so I decided to finish feeding her myself. I tried to take the fork. She freaked out. She wanted to finish it herself, and she did. Findlay didn't even use her hands. Little Miss Independant was determined to eat her scrambled eggs all gone with her fork. She did it. It just took an hour. My mom told me "She is her mother's daughter." I think I am in for it!

Tractor Time

2009-04-28T15:33:00.003-06:00

One of Findlay's most favorite things to do is to work on the tractor with Grandpa Cook. My dad is the type who loves to work on tractors, so he likes to redo his yard every few years. In between those years he tears out his concrete and redo's that. It's pretty funny. Fin loves to watch and ride with him. Grandpa with a Tractor even beats out chocolate--Which says a lot!

My Little Irish Twins

2009-04-01T13:03:00.000-06:00

Nate always told me he wanted twins, well he got them...just the Irish way :) Our girls are officially 362 days apart. And they are too much fun! I can't imagine life without either one of them! We went and got Findlay's one year pics and Elsie's one month pics done at the same time. I couldn't choose which pics I liked the best, so I posted them all. Enjoy!

Kisses

2009-04-01T12:52:00.001-06:00

Findlay LOVES Elsie!! She loves to give her kisses and hugs all the time. This little video was taken on a spur of the moment thing when Elsie was about a week old. Finny just kept kissing Elsie for like 10 minutes. It was adorable!! We love our girls!!

Welcome To The World Elsie

2009-04-01T12:42:00.004-06:00

Elsie Ann Payne was born at 10:23 am on March 3, 2009. Nate got his wish at 3:30am that morning when I woke him up saying "It's time!" He was so excited! It was pretty cute! I have to say the second baby is a way easier labor than the first. After she was born I told my doctor had I known it would be that easy I would have gotten ready for the day. I serioulsy felt like I could go home that day. It was awesome! Elsie is so cute! She looked like Findlay cloan with a tinge of red hair (she is a total blonde now). Findlay couldn't take her eyes away from her. It was pretty cute! We love you Elsie!!

Happy First Birthday Findlay!!

2009-04-01T12:32:00.001-06:00

Findlay turned 1 on March 6, 2009. We had her party on March 1 because I was hugely prego and due any sec. I figured why not have the party when I feel good and don't have a new baby. Findlay will never know the difference. And she didn't. Thanks to everyone for the killer toys and outfits that have her set for the summer! She loved them all! The fun part was seeing her dive into her birthday cake. I set it on her high chair for her to just dig in. The funny thing was that she didn't know what to do with it. She was waiting for me to give her bites with a fork cause I never let her get messy. It was pretty funny!

Nate's Favorite Thing (Feb 2009)

2009-04-01T12:27:00.002-06:00

Nate's favorite thing is to rock Findlay when she is sad or going to sleep. Findlay obviously loves it too. Lots of times it ends with them both asleep.

Welcome Home Phil

2009-04-01T12:18:00.002-06:00

The Day after Christmas Phil was out playing with Nate in the snow and took off. That isn't unusual for him, but then he never came back. We searched every where for him, and couldn't find him. About three weeks later a lady at the Brittany Spaniel rescue saw my lost dog add on Ksl.com and called me saying she was pretty sure she had my dog. Turns out, it was phil!! Some people found him in a shop in an industrial area about a mile from my house. They took him in for two weeks, named him Kahlua and loved him. Their landlord found out they had a dog and kicked Phil out. So the couple gave him to the rescue while they looked for new place to live cause they loved him so much. The shelter lady kept thinking this dog is too old and in too good of shape to not have an owner that loved it. Then she checked Ksl and saw my ad. I called Nate and work just after I heard from her. He left work, picked Fin and I up and we headed to get our dog. Findlay was so excited! She kept panting like when she saw him (a trick learned from Phil). It was pretty exciting.

Phil officially moved out of our house the first of march and back home with my parents. He needed to be in an area that he wouldn't get lost in if he took off again. Since he lived with them for the last 12 of the 13 years of his life...he moved back home. And I have to say, it's nice not cleaning up after his muddy feet!

Findlay and Maganzines (Jan 2009)

2009-04-01T12:13:00.000-06:00

Fin has a thing for magazines. She loves. She loves to hold them, read them, then tear them apart, especially the Ensign.

Cook Christmas Party

2009-04-01T12:03:00.000-06:00

Christmas morning we headed to my parents' house to open presents. It was so much fun! We opened more presents and ate breakfast. It was quite the party. As you can tell by the one pic...we Cooks are big picture takers :)

Christmas Morning 2008

2009-04-01T11:57:00.000-06:00

Findlay's first Christmas! It was so fun! Santa brought her a tent full of balls. It was a hit. She loved to climb in and out of the tent, and the balls are now all over my house.

Payne Christmas Party

2009-04-01T11:39:00.000-06:00

About a week or two before Christmas, the Payne fam got together for a Christmas party. We went from house to house seeing each others decorations and having a progressive dinner. It was fun! Uncle Dallin posed as Santa. You can see by the pics Findlay, Sienna (screaming in fear) and Savanna weren't so sure about the Jolley Fellow.

Annual Wood Family Paint Day

2009-01-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this day was funny. Every year the Wood cousins (there are a lot of us) get together for Paint Day in November. All the cousins make some sort of a craft and neighbor gifts for Christmas. It is really fun. Food is also a hit. All the husbands show up at lunch time to eat. Nate came at lunch time and took Fin. Instead of heading home, he went with her over to the corner where we had a movie playing for all the little kids. He totally sat there and watched the majority of the movie with all the little girls! It was so funny. Seriously, this picture is priceless!

Another Halloween Party AND The Baby Who Hates To Cuddle

2009-01-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

Here are Fin and I at Gardner Village. The Payne girls all get together and went to lunch and browsed through the witches. It was lots of fun! Then we got together for a Halloween scavenger hunt. As you can see by the picture of Papa and Finny, she hates to cuddle, no matter how tired she is. So Papa held her like that, (laying on the favorite blanket) while she slept. It was pretty cute! This last picture is Sienna, Savanna and Findlay in pj's after the family Halloween party. October was quite the month!!

Happy Halloween

2009-01-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

The Payne fam had a halloween party at Kendal and Alissa's just after Dallin's Lacrosse game. It was really fun. Nate and I were very proud of our costumes. Nate was "The Maker", I was "The Bun Cooker", and Findlay was "The Well Done Bun." In case you didn't get the joke by the picture, I am pregnant with another baby girl, due March 8th. And yes, Findlay was born March 6th. I don't know what we were thinking! But it's going to be a really fun adventure! Fin and baby will be the best of friends....atleast they better be, cause they are sharing a room! Nate really needs his weight room :)

Lacrosse

2009-01-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

Gotta love Lacrosse! The whole fam went to Uncle Dallin's lacrosse game at UVSC. He plays for Utah State. Unfortunately he lost that day, but he was one of the guys who scored! And the week before his team took a tournament up in Boise (I think). It was such a beautiful fall day!!

Bear Lake Bike Ride

2008-12-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

These are more pictures of Bear Lake in October. We went for a bike ride to the park. Findlay loved the swing. She had so much fun! I think we are going to have to invest in a swing set come spring.

Bear Lake Climber

2008-12-03T20:40:00.000-07:00

So Fin crawled before she was 6 months old. These pictures are of her in October when we were at Bear Lake. She loves to climb and do anything else that is active. She really thinks about how to get places and will move boxes or baskets around so she can climb higher. I pretty much am in for it!!

Eating

2008-12-03T20:39:00.001-07:00

Findlay loves to eat!! Her favorite is Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, and anything Grandpa Cook gives her (which translates into sugar). She says "mmmm" everytime she really loves something. It's pretty dang cute!

Midway

2008-12-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

We spent a weekend in September with the Cheney Fam at their cabin in Midway. It was so much fun! They have all boys, a 3 year old, and 18 month old twins. Those boys loved Fin, and she's a pretty big flirt. She totally coaxed Alex the 3 year old, pretty much the whole weekend. We went bug hunting, swimming and played on a pool table. Alex told his mom and dad when he got home that he wanted to go back to the fun house and play with Nate and Finnigan.

Pineview on Labor Day

2008-12-03T20:34:00.000-07:00

The Payne family got together for a beach day at Pineview. It was really fun. Fin thought the water was a little too cold. She got really tired too, and so did her dad. It's pretty funny how they can just sleep anywhere.

Ryan and Meagan's Wedding

2008-12-03T20:31:00.001-07:00

My brother Ryan married Meagan Wood on the beautiful shores of Bear Lake in the end of June. It was a really fun wedding complete with Princess Bride Music, Shish Kabobs, and water skiing. Welcome to the family Meagan!

Bear Lake in June

2008-12-03T20:27:00.000-07:00

We went to Bear Lake in June. While we were there, Findlay's favorite thing was to eat her foot. Especially her big toe...it's extra big thanks to Great Grandma Cook's genes :)

Yard Work

2008-06-16T15:21:00.000-06:00

Today we went outside to weed. Let's just say my flower beds were actually morning glory beds. They needed help! Anyway, Findlay just played in her bebe pod while I weeded. It was fun!

Watermelon Smile

2008-05-29T11:41:00.000-06:00

My dad finally got his wish, a grandbaby that smiles all the time. Findlay is so much fun! She smiles and laughs all the time with out requiring entertainment. She is the happiest baby with the biggest watermelon smile! She even has really, really cute dimples! I know I am totally biast, but I think she is just the cutest baby!

Mommy's Cast

2008-05-29T11:35:00.000-06:00

Yes, its true. My two week old baby hurt my arm so bad, that I had to get a cast. She was so big right off the bat, so my hands weren't used to picking up that much weight all the time. Anyway, I hurt some tendon in my wrist which apparently needed a cast. Dr. Huish (an orthopedic doc) casted it for me then gave me a paper that proved to everyone I had a real problem. My thumb kept popping out of the socket everytime I would pick her up. Dr. Huish said that if the problem doesn't get fixed then people have been known to have surgert to correct the problem. Funny huh! Well, 2 weeks after my cast was put on, Findlay so graciously spit up (that was an under statement). It was more like emptied her tummy after a big meal all down the inside of my cast, and all over the bed, in the middle of the night. So I woke Nate up, he took Fin, and I cleaned up the bed and soaked my cast off. I think she did me a favor!

Findlay's Firsts and Favs

2008-05-29T11:24:00.000-06:00

I thought I had to include her first bath and some funny naptime pics. I accidently trained her to sleep in her carrier during naptime. These little naps really helped me during the move, but now I am retraining her to take naps in her bed. The shot of her sleeping in her bed was her first time sleeping through the night! YAY! She slept from 10pm until 7:30am. It was awesome!

Cheesecake Factory

2008-05-29T11:06:00.000-06:00

Yes, I finally took Findlay to her favorite (or soon to be favorite) restraunt. She loved it! It was the best nap she'd ever had ... and I loved the timing of that nap. I thoroughly enjoyed my stuffed chicken tortillas and my very own piece of chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake!

Gone in 60 seconds

2008-05-29T10:59:00.001-06:00

These are some of my most favorite pics of Findlay. This is how fast she goes to sleep. It's pretty funny!

One Month Pics

2008-05-29T10:52:00.000-06:00

You don't see any pictures...ya, me neither. I am still waiting for my one month old pictures from Target for my now 3 month old baby. My advice, go to Kiddie Kandids.

Daddy's Favorite Thing

2008-05-29T10:49:00.001-06:00

Nate's favorite thing to do is come home from work and take a nap with his new girl. Yes, I have been replaced, but as long as its Findlay, I am okay with that :) ...She loves her daddy!

Findlay's Blessing

2008-05-29T10:36:00.000-06:00

Findlay Helen Payne was blessed on April 27, 2008 by her daddy. Just before the blessing Nate was like "Maybe I will bless her that her name will be F-i-n-d-l-e-y" I told him ha ha funny and that it was a family name...Men! :) He did a great job and she was quiet the whole time! When Nate was done he came back just sweating. The poor guy! I didn't realize he was so nervous, then again, I didn't blame him - Our ward is Huge!

Nate Graduated

2008-05-29T10:27:00.000-06:00

Nate Graduated from BYU. YAY! He graduated with a degree in corporate finance. You'd think he was finished with school, but he's not. He just started again taking a few extra night classes. Who knows where that will take us! Right now he is working for a company in Salt Lake and loves his commute!

Moving

2008-05-29T10:20:00.001-06:00

Just a couple days after Fin was born we found a house in Woods Cross, so we moved the first part of April. My advice is don't move with a newborn. Findlay was an Angel though and slept tons! It really helped. In our house we have this finished crawl space that Nate has turned into his study/guy room. It's pretty funny. Anyway, it has surround sound built in and a huge TV thanks to Nate and Dallin. After they got the tv into Nate's room, they decided that it would be the TV's final resting space. They almost broke their backs getting it into that room!

Findlay's Here

2008-05-28T10:05:00.001-06:00

Okay... Here are some Newborn pics of Findlay. She was born March 6, 2008. Fin weighed in at 10 lbs 9 oz (which explains my 3am feedings before she came out) and was 21 inches long. She was actually pretty preportional and doesn't look huge. Fin also came out holding her head, and doing crunches. It's pretty funny! Needless to say, she is a daddy's girl and pretty much owns him. Nate will do anything for that little girl!

We are now Bloggers :)

2008-03-16T23:10:00.000-06:00

It's official....we have a blog!!