We thank thee oh God for a prophet...

I know this is a little late, but I wanted to pay tribute to my favorite prophet! I love and adore him and think he was perfect! I am so thankful to have lived in these days and to have had him at the head of our church. I want to be like him! I have so many of his words in my home and heart! Some of my favorites are:

*Try a little harder to be a little better!

*In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.

*Be Grateful, Be Smart, Be Clean, Be True, Be Humble, Be Prayerful, Be Still, Be Involved, Be Positive

I want to be all of these things like he is! I am thankful for his optimism and faith in each of us! I am so happy to think of him, a beloved prophet, entering the spirit world and being with his wife and all who have passed before him that love him like we do! What a sweet picture that would be! President Hinckley, you will be greatly missed!!

More fun pics...

On California Screamin'.. ONE of our favorite rides.. wayne would make a different face everytime we passed a camera on our rides.. :)

Hanna's 4 yr. old picture

Haylee... 6

Maci.. 18 months

DiSnEyLaNd (with out the kids!!)

Yeah, you read it right... Wayne and I went to Disneyland last weekend without kids! It was SO much fun! We wanted to get away and spend some time together before he gets swamped with tax season.. so we flew to California from Thurs. night to Sun. morning! We stayed in a hotel accross the street from disneyland and spent two days there and at California adventures! It was a perfect trip! It was so great to sleep in ... play all day... eat when we want... take a nap... hold hands... and be with my best friend! It was a trip I will never forget! (My mom was so kind and watched the girls.. she said they did great!) We are thank ful for her and my dad and brothers! We will take the girls ... next time, probably! They were too scared last time.. so we will wait a little while longer! We missed them lots.. but still enjoyed ourselves ALOT!

The big 6 year old!!

FIRST of all, I want to thank my cousin AMI BETHEA for re-doing my blog! She is so talented and I LOVE IT! Yesterday was HAYLEE's 6th b.day. I can not believe I have a 6 year old! She is so beautiful and fun! She always wants to help, especially with Maci! She loves to learn and do anything girly! She carries a purse everywhere she goes! It's so cute (I didn't carry a purse until I got married!:) We were in Mesa last weekend for my sister in law's baby's blessed. Sat. night we went to Amazing Jakes with the Farnsworths and my brother Phil's family. It was a lot of fun. Haylee picked where she wanted to go. On her b.day, we had my family over for a pizza party! It was wierd to think back to 6 years ago when she was born, our first child, and the amazing experience it was! We are SO blessed to have her in our family forever!

Amazing Jakes party

Family party (do you think she has enough chapstick!?)

My sister in law Kristy and her kids with Haylee

Our cheap b.day cake! :)

Amazing Jakes...

The tea cups!

Alex Farnsworth and his girlfriend with Maci and Haylee. Haylee used to have the biggest crush on Alex!

Holiday fun!

Christmas was so fun this year! I was SO proud of Haylee and Hanna in their school programs! They are both shy, so I was a little worried, but they both did AWESOME! We delivered plates of goodies to some friends and family. The girls loved helping! We acted out the Nativity story at my parents house. Haylee was Mary and Hanna and Mac were angels! All of my family came to town except one brother (who we missed)... 9 out of 10 kids isn't bad! It was so fun and made for some late nights!! :) My mom's gift (besides my AWESOME temple pic) was a book of bedtime stories that she wrote and illustrated. It was so awesome to have all her stories of when she was younger to read to our kids!
My kids loved Christmas morning.. I made them eat an orange before we went to our gifts... because I had to eat one when I was growing up! They got everything they wanted! It was a great year. We also had a baby shower for my cute sister in law Kami, due in March. It was fun to be together.

The only bad part of the holidays was a very sad death. Wayne's first cousin (becky) lost her baby boy. He was one year old and died on Christmas morning. She is about our age and has two other kids. She is an awesome mom. We droved down to Mesa for the funeral and we were so glad we could be there. Becky and her husband were amazing. They were so strong. The funeral really inspired me and made me want to be a better person. It is amazing that one sweet boy could make such a difference. I was thankful to be a part of the family and attend the funeral. My heart aches for Becky and Graham. I can't begin to imagine how they feel. This experience made me re evaluate what is important in life and remind me of the plan of Salvation. I am so grateful that the Lord made it possible to be with our families FOREVER... there is no where else I would rather be!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!!

I know this is lame... but here is our Christmas card and pic.... I don't have everyone's address and I figure this is better than nothing... So now it is like you got a card from us! :) I know I am taking the easy way out! but, I hope you all have a very great holiday season. I am thankful for my awesome friends and family... like you! Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Tag

Christmas Tag
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? a little of both!
2. Tree--Real or Artificial?Artificial!! Two of them (one with homemade ornaments, and one decorated a little nicer!)
3. When do you put Christmas tree up? Either the day before or after Thanksgiving... one year I even put it up on Thanksgiving day!
4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime in January
5. Like egg nog? Yes ... but I like hot cocoa a lot more!
6. Do you have a nativity scene? I think I have about 20 of them! I collect them and get at least one new one every year! I love them!
7. Favorite gift received as a child? Cabbage patch doll
8. Hardest person to buy for? Wayne... he never wants anything!
9. Easiest person to buy for? My girls
10. Worst Christmas gift? ?? I don't remember
11. Mail or email a Christmas Card? I love getting everyones christmas cards .. and I love to make mine every year!
12. Favorite Christmas movie? The Santa Clause movie (with Tim Allen) ... me and my best friend (Camille) used to watch it every Christmas with Candy canes and Hot Cocoa!!... good memories!
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? In November.. it feels good to get the shopping done early and enjoy the holidays...
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I remember...
15. Favorite food to eat on Christmas? CANDY
16. Clear or colored tree lights? Clear on my nice tree... colored outside and on the kids tree
17. Favorite Christmas Song? "Oh come all ye Faithful" and "Christmas Shoes"
18. Travel during Christmas or Stay home? We travel throughout the holidays. We used to come to my mom's to sleep on Christmas eve... but it is fun to have our own Christmas at home with our girls now!
19. Can you name Santa's reindeer? dasher, dancer prancer, vixen, comet, cupit, donner, blitzen, and do you recall? the most famous reindeer of all... rudolph
20. Angel or Star on Tree top? Silver star
21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Always PJs on Christmas eve
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? crowded stores (even in Thatcher) and long lines!

Happy birthday Hanna BABA!

Hanna always tell us her name is not Hanna, it is Hanna "BABA"! I can't believe she is 4! She is such a fun girl! She loves High School Musical, Hannah Montana, barbies and books! We were in Gilbert for her b.day and it was a great day. We opened presents in the morning at Wayne's parents house, then in the afternoon we had a party at Peter Piper. That night we went to the temple lights. It was fun to be with Deanne's family and see our good friends the Farnsworths. They always make b.days so fun and get enough presents for Christmas and birthdays!! We had a fun weekend seeing Wayne's family too! WHen we are in Gilbert/Mesa... we never have enough time to see everyone and do everything we want... but it was a great weekend!

Peter piper...

Temple lights with Deanne's family!

All bundle up!

The BIRTHDAY girl!! :)

YEAH! Hannah Montana barbie!

We miss our cousin JoAnn!!

I love this picture of Haylee. When we straighten her hair she looks so grown up!

This is my cute neice (Wayne's sister's baby) Maci was very cute with her and didn't want to ever let her go!

PoLaR eXpReSs

The whole Layton family went to Williams, AZ to ride the POLAR EXPRESS train. We all wore red pj bottoms and our matching family shirts... we had a quite a few people looking at our HUGE group in matching clothes! IT was SO cold.. but fun to bundle up! It was such a fun experience. The girls loved every minute of it. On the train, we had hot cocoa, cookies, and sang songs... Then at the "north pole" Santa come aboard the train and brought all the kids a bell. It was the perfect amount of time and fun! We all stayed in the same hotel.. got in trouble for being so loud... but it was an awesome trip! The girls loved the indoor pool at the hotel. There was TONS of rain, so we missed going to the deer farm.. but everything else was great! I definately want to do it again!





CUTE kids!

Maci getting a bell. I was so suprised she didn't cry!

All the grandkids (except one newborn) with Grandma and Pop

The indoor pool at the hotel. The kids have been asking to swim a lot lately and I keep telling them they have to wait until summer... so they LOVED getting to swim!

YUCK!

I love this time of year... except the sickness. I don't have time to be sick but... I am . I have strep throat and a sinus infection, Hanna has an ear infection and strep throat, and Maci has a double ear infection... Luckily Haylee and Wayne are good! I have had strep too many times... I think I just want my tonsils out! It just isn't good timing. I have sharing time this weekend (I got put in as 2nd counslor in primary... for my 4th time!:)... I have to put on Wayne's work party with my sister in law... We are going to Gilbert this weekend for the party, a baptism, and Hanna's b.day... I will be fine when my meds kick in... Sorry about the complaining... What else is there to do when you are home sick (I already had my nap!)... Hope everyone is feeling well!

I am thankful for...

FAMILY: My family is the most important thing to me! Wayne and my girls are my life and I am also thankful for the family I married in to and the family I was born in to! They are both the greatest!
GOSPEL: is the reason I am here. I am thankful for the Lord's plan. It all makes so much sense and fills my life with happiness.
THATCHER: I really am thankful to live in this great town. I really feel that we were supposed to be here... and I'm glad we are!
FRIENDS: I have the greatest friends in the whole world...thanks to all of you! Thanks for all the good times!
MY HOME, MY COUNTRY, CANDY, MODERN DAY TECHNOLOGY, (I can't imagine not having a washing machine, oven, etc.) ... the list goes on!!!


Thanksgiving was awesome this year. We stayed at Wayne's parents along with Wayne's brother's family and had Thanksgiving there. We stayed the whole day and just spent time with family. We really miss being away from all of them. The kids jumped right back into things with their cousins. I shopped on Friday, but not too early... Now I am DONE with my shopping and cards... I can relax and enjoy the holidays! This weekend, we are off to enjoy the polar express!! :)

Me and my sister in law, Katie... cheering on our hubbys. We were friends in college too! It is so fun!

Most of my sister in laws... looking through the ads for black out Friday

Haylee playing with her cousins on the tramp

Wayne and his bros playing 3 flys up... wayne is the one jumping the highest!! :)

ALMOST all of our family...

Haylee, Hanna, Jace, and Annie (Brad and Amber's kids)

Grandma and Pop singing the gobble, gobble song with some of the grandkids...

Yummy dinner. It was SO hot that day!

Cute kids table

matching outfits... Hanna and Maci

Sisters are the BEST!

Haylee loves to do Hanna's hair

... and Hanna just sits there and lets her!

This is a common scene after Haylee comes home from school. She has to read a book everyday, and Hanna is normally right there ready for a story!

This is the best!! Maci loves to be read to, so Hanna puts her on her lap and "reads" stories to her! I love it! These are the joys of being a mom! I am so lucky!

Piano

Wayne and I want to get a piano. We both play a little bit, but want our kids to learn! and I actually wouldn't mind taking lessons even now. I was looking on craigslist and saw some good prices, but I'm wondering if it matters the "brand" of piano. ... or is a piano just a piano?

For Veteran's Day, we went to the Tucson zoo with some of Wayne's family. It was so much fun! I had never been, but we all loved it. It is alot smaller than Phoenix zoo, so it wasn't as much walking. The weather was perfect and the animals were so close. We enjoyed being with Wayne's brother's family, his sister's family, and his parents! It was a great day!

We are not zooming the camera in... the animals are so close!

Haylee, Hanna and some cousins

More cousins

The three girls...

Grandma, Pop, and the girls! They are awesome grandparents!