the good ol' days...

After our great dinner as Casa

before we picked up Ali

Karalee (Lunt) Malaela, Harmony (Andersen) Bryce, Natalia (Jones) Carter, Me, Ali (Liclyter) Lunt, Jaymi (Whiting) Davis, Stacey (Beecroft) Cox

Kennady (Jaymi's baby) and Maci
Me, my kiddos and Karalee, hiding under the t.v. (we just got the cabinets put in on Friday)

This weekend was sooo fun! 6 of my awesome friends from EA came down to visit... It all started when we were in a bunco group when I lived in Mesa. I told the girls I was moving to Thatcher, and since most of them had come to school here and hadn't been back for so long.. they planned to come here for bunco in September... so they did! It was awesome to be around them again, it really was like the good ol' days. The people who came were Harmony, Jaymi, Natalia, Stacey, Karalee, and Ali. They are all so much fun. Jaymi brought her cute baby too! We first went to Casa Manana (everyone except Ali, we met up with her after that)... We ate and had a fun time and then came back to my house and played bunco (we figured we might as well play since that is why they came!:) We all switched prizes and then sayed up and talked FOREVER! We laughed so much. We were up until 3 am!!! It really was like when we were at EA! I love my friends and I am SO thankful they came here to visit. Most of them left the next morning and went home to their families! It was a short trip, but so fun! I would love to have anyone here ANYTIME! Wayne was so great about having everyone here... he was a little out numbered! What could he do!?? Here are some pictures from our fun night...

I've been tagged... My wedding story!

Where did you meet your husband?At my friends Doug Lindblom's house. I was working for Doug and he was good friends with Wayne... We all went out to the desert and watched a movie!

What was the first thing you said to your husband? "So you are Wayne Layton"... I had heard so much about him from his brother Brian and my (now) sister in law Katie (I knew them at EA).

Where was your first date? We went to the Diamond backs game and then swimming. I was SO excited when he called!

Where was your first kiss? In Gilbert, inside his truck, he was dropping my off to meet my roomate.

Did you have a long or short engagement/courtship? SHORT! Met Wayne May 20th... Engaged July 11... Married September 1, 2000.... we knew it was right and there was no use waiting! :)

Where did you get engaged? We got engaged in a cotton field! He was a farmer for his dad.. He took me out to a field and turned on music and we danced (We have only dance a couple of times since! :), I told him he tricked me, because I love to dance... it really was so sweet!) Then he told me to come look at something... He pulled out a huge boquet of daises (my favorite flower) and roses from the cotton and then pulled out the ring and proposed. It was so cute! I couldn't quit smiling or looking at the ring!

How was the honeymoon? So great!! We stayed in Scottsdale the first night, then flew to Vegas and stayed at a resort (the one on the movie "America's Sweethearts") and then stayed on the strip in the Luxor. It was so awesome... I wish we could go on another honeymoon!

I would love to hear your story... you are all tagged!

I love pigtails!!

Maci's hair is just barely long enough to put pigtails in! I love them... except it makes her looks SO much oLder!

Hanna was the Top BaNana at preschool (another name for being the spotlight!) She thought is was pretty cool to write down all her favorites and take some pictures to school!

The 3 girls before taking Haylee to school (Maci has pigtails again.. it's kinda hard to tell!)

Haylee going to gymnastics! She LOVEs it!

update and cute pictures...

Things here in Thatcher are going so well. I love the small town atmosphere, most of the time. I definately and missing the good places to eat and shop, and of course I miss people. But it has been so fun to spend so much time with my family. My two brothers in high school come to my house almost every day for lunch! I love having them here! We have combined Family Home Evening and Fast Sunday dinners once a month. Last night it was at my house. It was so fun!

Haylee is loving school now. I don't know what changed, but she is excited every day now (except today she had a meltdown, I don't know why)... Hanna loves preschool and playing with her cousins..(a little too much... she was caught kissing her 4 year old boy cousin when they were playing HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL!) I had to laugh and then teach her we only kiss when we are mom and dads.. I'm trying to hold her off as long as I can. Her stomach hurt and I told her that's what happens when you kiss! :) Maci is great! She is really getting a fun personality! She always wants to wear shoes and normally a purse or sunglasses! Wayne loves his job too. Life is great and I have loved keeping in touch with so many friends and family through these blogs...


Here are our most recent pictures of our girls...
(I don't know how to make them any bigger!)

Finally.... internet and pictures....

Here is what we have been up to the last couple of months... We love Thatcher buy definaly miss all of our Mesa/Chandler friends and family! Now we are all settled, we are ready for visitors!! :)

Sorry, still no pics!!!

WE ARE IN OUR HOME!! and I love it! It is so beautiful. I have slacked on my blogging duties (as Stacey said!) but I have a good reason... we do not have the internet at our house, so I come to my mom's to use her computer, but my pictures are on my computer at home. We are on a street with new homes and Thatcher is a little slow at getting the electric lines that I need to hook up the internet... I can't wait until I can put some pictures on here. We moved in last Tuesday and I am basically done unpacking and decorating. We moved in to the home already painted... so we could get started on the fun stuff right away. I love it all! Now I have a place for you to stay, so ANY 0f you are welcome to come visit! I will post pics as soon as I can. Hope you are all doing great with school starting and that you have going on. Haylee still cries almost every day when I drop her off for school, but tries really hard to be big! She started gymnastics and looks adorable in her outfit. Hanna loves school and Maci is starting to walk... such exciting times!!

So you think you can dance???

Okay... tonight is the result show and I can't wait. Who do you think is going to win and who do you want to win? I want Neil or Sabra. I like them all right now, but they are my favorites. I really wish Lauren wouldn't have got kicked off last week... So let me know your vote!

Our biggest update is....
Haylee started kindergarten and is having a hard time getting used to it. It breaks my heart to drop her off when she is crying. I went to eat lunch with her today and I think it made it worse. Hanna loved her first day of preschool! That is their personalities in a nutshell! Also... Our house is DONE!!! except our dumb lender is saying that we can't get financed until next week... so we will move in then. I will post pictures of the girls and our house as soon as I can!

Simply Obsessed...

My friend just started this company and I wanted to share!


Simply Obsessed is a monthly kit club company that was created because we found that there were many like us who were obsessed with capturing the fleeting moments in our lives. We strive to offer the newest products available! Best of all...they do all the coordinating for you!!

The website is: www.simplyobsessed.biz
Check it out, it is so cute...

I need some help...

Hey, I am using this blog to my advantage to ask you guys to get the word out! We are selling our home in Mesa (or renting) and I am wondering if any of you know anyone who is looking for a place to live!? It is located on Gilbert and University in Mesa. It is a 3 bed/2 bth home. It has a huge grassy back yard. Our ward is awesome! Let me know if you have anyone who may be interested!! Thanks so much...

great weekend...

I wish I had my computer so I could put some pictures on here! This past weekend was so fun! Wayne and I got to stay in a hotel alone! We wanted to have one last get away before he starts his new job on Wed. It was so fun. I got on priceline and got the Hilton for $40! We took our kids to our good friends house in Mesa and she watched them while we spent the weekend together. (The girls had a great time, they were in good hands!) We went to Macaroni (sp?) Grill for dinner (my favorite)! Then we went to "Live free, or die hard"... I tried to pick a show Wayne would like and it was actually really good! Then we slept at the hotel and actually got to sleep in. It was so nice. We swam together on Sat. morning and had races in the pool and handstand contest, etc! (all the things we can't do with kids there! we were acting like kids instead!)

Then we went and bought Wayne a truck. I hate buying a car/truck, it takes all day! But I'm glad he got a new truck (the truck he has now doesn't even have power windows... but I loved it. I thought he was so cute in it when we started dating!.. he still is! :) Wayne gets grumpy having to make big decisions and spend a lot of money, but we still had so much fun together. He was so nice about the truck he picked! We had a big dilema... he wanted a certain color of toyota tundra with a big engine, and blue tooth, and some other upgrades... BUT they don't have any of those trucks with a bench seat in front (to fit 6 people)... since we know we are going to have at least one more kid, I told him it might be more reasonable to get the same truck, but with the bench seats so our whole family can fit in his truck to go camping... the only problem is that the bench seat trucks only come in white and silver and they don't have the other features he wanted! He was so unselfish and decided on the truck that will fit our family! (It is still an awesome truck, but he gave up the one he really wanted!... He is the best!)

I love to be alone with Wayne for a little while and be reminded why I love my hubby so much and how lucky I am to be married to my best friend. I am always excited to see my girls after leaving them over night! It was such a fun weekend!

We really did it!

We are officially living in THATCHER! I can't believe it is real. I feel like we are just visiting. I have been slacking at my blogging duties :) because of the move. I can't wait to catch up on everyone's blogs. I went to Utah 2 weeks ago and spent a week there with our good friends. We had such a good time! We shopped till we dropped literally for the kids (hanna fell asleep in the cart).... I got so much cool stuff for my new home and can't wait to put it up! When I got home from Utah, we packed all week long. Yesturday we packed up the Uhaul with the help of our awesome friends and family! and got our Mesa home all clean. It was SO hard to say goodbye to friends and family. You are all the best and I can't wait to see you again... I hated to drive aways from our Mesa home, but it will be fun to start a new life here. We got in to Thatcher yesturday afternoon and had more help to unload! It was the first time we have seen our house for a long time! It looks so good! It is still not done (hopefully 3 weeks!) We unloaded into our garage and now are living with my family. This whole week my brother's family is out of town and they said we could live here. It is such an awesome house, with a jetted tub, and pool in the back... It is nice to have our "OWN" place! Then we will live at my parents for the next two weeks. We have already gotten together with my family and are going to my mom's for dinner. It will be fun to be close to this part of my family! I will update pictures when I have a "normal" life again! We went to our new ward today and it should be great.... lots of fun people. Already miss Mesa, but now we start our lives in Thatcher!

Happy 4th of July

We had a great 4th of July. My sister even got the girls nails done cute for the occasion. We had a ward breakfast at 8. Then I took Haylee and Hanna to As you wish, and to a movie (wish I took my camera)! We had fun together. I think the rest of the world decided to go to the movie too, because it was packed! At 3 we had a friend/ward swim party and BBQ. It was a lot of fun. I have such great friends in our ward, it will be hard to leave them! From there, we went straight to Wayne's sister's house in Queen Creek, for more food and fun! We ate, talked about our country, the kids did a cute parade, and played with sparklers. The Laytons are great! We always enjoy being together. We had a perfect day! We love our family, friends, and our country.

THANK YOU!

I think my blog turned out so cute, and I can brag about it, because it wasn't me that designed it! It was my cute cousin, Ami Bethea. She is awesome and so creative. I love it Ami, thanks!

Our Thatcher House!

View from our back yard! ( I know it is desert, but the mountain is beautiful!)

Our house! It's coming along

Our entertainment center that we designed...

Our carpet and tile

It seems like it has been forever since I have been able to sit down and add something new to my blog! We have been busy packing and getting our house ready to have people walk through. Hopefully it will sell soon!


Well I asked everyone's opinion on wood or tile and I wanted to share what we decided. We went with both! :) We ordered tile for the kitchen, laundry, and bathrooms and wood for the entry, hall ways, and formal dining room. I added a picture of the tile and carpet we picked. They didn't give us a sample of the wood to bring home, but I love it all. I hope it all comes together. It is hard to look at little samples of everything and hope that it all comes together. We picked everything from our granite, to faucet fixtures, to flooring. Now I just can't wait to see it done! (which will be the end of July). We will leave in a couple weeks and live with my parents until it is done.... So there is the update on our humble abode!

My baby is one year old!

Maci's b.day was June 22nd. I can't believe a whole year has gone by. She is the sweetest and happiest thing in the whole world. We love having her in our family. She is a daddy girl big time, but also loves her mom just as much! :) We have already had a couple get together's for her b.day and today we are having a couple more. She is so loved. She is a snuggler and always smiling. She has been a huge blessing in our family and I'm so thankful I get to be her mom. Love you Mac!

Wood or Tile??

Okay, most of you know by now that we are moving to Thatcher! I am so excited, and sad, and scared, and happy. Now that Wayne is a CPA, he is going to own his own accounting firm there. It is what he has always wanted to do. It is home for me and I have 5 other siblings there and my parents. It is a great place to raise a family, but I am sad to leave my amazing friends here and leave this convenient lifestyle! Anyway, one exciting thing about Thatcher is that we are having a new home built. We are going down this weekend to pick out our flooring. I love the look of wood floors (we won't get real wood because of the price), but I have heard good and bad about both wood and tile floors. Let me know your opinion. I'm not so good at making decisions, so maybe you can make mine! :)

To the dad's in my life...

Wayne's dad is such a great man. He is so spiritual and dedicated to church and family. He loves to learn about and teach the gospel. He loved his mission and can't wait to go back on another one. I am so thankful for the great son that he raised. He is so hard working too, and has a great love for the farm. We love you Pop!

My dad is so amazing. I feel so blessed to be his daughter. I really think he is perfect. He never gets mad, he is so much fun to be around, he is so spiritual, and such a good grandpa. Anytime I have sharing time, I call my dad and he will tell me anything I need to know. He is so smart in the gospel and so personal and kind to everyone. He always calls me baby. I miss him and love him so much. I'm thankful to have hime as my DAD!

I can't say enough about the perfect dad Wayne is. He is so good with our girls. He is just what they need. When they are so emotional, he is so patient and fun with them. Wayne is so funny and can always make me and the girls laugh. The girls would marry him if they could. Hanna already calls him her boyfriend. Wayne is so unselfish and willing to provide and protect us. He is everything a dad is supposed to be. I LOVE YOU WAYNE!

our perfect weekend!

We just got in from greer. We have gone there almost every year with my family since I was a teenager. We rent private cabins and enjoy the PERFECT weather. 9 of my 10 siblings were there together at one time. It was so fun. We rented 2 cabins this time. We fished, rode the zipline, went on drives to find animals, sat on the porch (alot), did crafts, laughed, karaoke, ate (alot), stayed up late and enjoyed family. On Sunday, we drove to Round valley for sacrament meeting and then went back to the cabin for sunday school with the family and my brothers did primary for the kids outside. It was a great day. My girls were in heaven because they were outside all day and with cousins. It was a perfect weekend. The land there is so beautiful. It takes your breath away! We were there from Sat. until today. Of couse I had to hurry home to check the blogs and see what I had missed! :)

The month of May

I know it's June, but here are some of the fun things we did in May. Haylee and Hanna both took swim lessons and improved so much! On Memorial day, most of the Laytons went to my brother and sister-in-law's house in Tucson and enjoyed the sun and good food and good company! Then the day after memorial day, my sister and I took our kids to the Mesa Cemetery to put flowers on my grandparent's and aunt's grave. We had a great day!

YEAH FOR WAYNE!

Wayne is out of town for 3 days and yesturday he called and asked me to check to mail... sure enough, after a long wait, it was here! ....the result to his final CPA exam! (certified public accountant) For those of you who don't know, you have to pass 4 test to become a CPA and they are supposed to be very challenging! He passed the first 3 test on his first try! (that is pretty unusual!) The fourth he had to take twice.... but he passed! YEAH! He is so excited, and so am I. This is what he has always wanted to do! It is such a huge accomplishment and I'm so proud of him. I really do have an amazing husband! :) This is only our second time in almost 7 years that he has left me at home alone. I really miss him and realize how safe he makes me feel. He is so funny, a family guy, hard worker, so smart, the best dad in the whole world, my best friend, and SOOO Cute!.... I could go on, but you get the point! I'm a luck y girl!