Monsoon Rains

Why was she naked?! I honestly cannot remember... and it was only last week. It rained almost every afternoon which was so nice and refreshing! I think Rachel must have gotten out of a bath but when she saw the rain (notice the splashing drops in the pool) and her ball she could NOT be contained.

In other news, we figured out what was getting into our garden. No it was not the children who picked my nicely growing watermelon. It was a squirrel. So Jason bought a live trap and we set it up. Within 24 hours we had her! Unfortunately... she did not make it. Our intention was to catch her alive and then let her out somewhere else. I don't know if she died of fright or what did her in but she was no longer moving when the kids and dad loaded her into the back of the truck to drop her off in the woods somewhere. She did die full and happy though. The bate was completely eaten. And what did we bate her with?

Watermelon.

Payne Family Reunion 2012

Presenting...


Oh where to begin?! The J&P Payne clan met in Monticello, UT for our annual family gathering this year. We stayed in an old grist mill that was converted into a Bed & Breakfast with a bunch of rooms. And oh did we have fun! Why Monticello? Well first of all it was fairly central in regards to where everyone lives, but second- there is SO MUCH TO DO around there! Like Canyon Lands!
Notice the flip-flops we all wore? The couple who got out of their Subaru with their hiking clothes, hiking poles, and appropriate hiking boots and wool socks with sufficient wide brimmed hats for their heads looked at us a little crazy as we piled out of our mini van in sandals were off. Yep, we LIVE in a dessert.
This sandy soft stuff in nothin'.
Oh there was so much to see and do and not enough time.

Guess who we met on Sunday while walking to church?!
Give me a kiss!
Come on, just one little kiss?!
After all the millions of times of driving past this jail cell (the first one in the county) we finally stopped and took a picture. I wonder where I could order one of these...

THE END

P.S. Not pictured- so much! The Kid Olympics, the fun meals and late night laughs, the Minute to Win It games, the pool, the family photo shoot of EVERYONE!

P.P.S. Also not pictured- the nearly 2 weeks prior spent at Grandma and Grandpa Jackson's where I did not pull out the camera even once. :(