By the way...

We tried to keep it quiet for as long as possible, but my belly is beginning to betray me. I am due on May 6th and we find out if it is a boy or girl on December 16th!

So far so good. I have been sick, but I don't feel like I can really complain. There are so many people that get REALLY sick, so I don't feel like it has been that bad. Its headaches that have had me down. I get about 3-4 BIG ones per week. **Sigh*** The things they don't tell you about...

Did I mention that we are VERY EXCITED!?

What I've Been Working on

Sooo... I know its been a while since my last post but I have been busy. A friend of mine asked if I would make a Blessing Dress for her new baby girl. I was super nervous to experiment on something so important and meaningful, but I did my best and I hope it is what she had in mind. I think it turned out pretty good for a beginner. (The pictures don't do it justice, if I say so myself...)

These cute little shoes were Zak's contribution. I love that he sews with me!

All boxed up and ready to go to its new home!

Roommates!

So, I'm pretty sure I have put this picture on here before, but now I have an update! These are the ladies of Robison Hall in all of our Freshman glory, right after surviving our first semester at BYU. And this...

...is is all of us, reunited after about 5 years. Proof that you can and will survive college!
Four of us have graduated, three of us are married, two have served missions, and all six of us are living our dreams.

DISNEYLAND

Last week we went to the most wonderful place on earth! The Payne Family went on a trip to California to celebrate Graduation... Graduation from College, from a Mission, from High School, from having kids at home.... My favorite part was the firework show when Tinkerbell flies over the Castle. It was fun to be together as a family.
Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Gross

I met my first cockroach today. It was nasty. Apparently they are everywhere here in the summer time.

Grrreeeeaaaat.

Enjoy

Heather's Graduation

All three of us have successfully navigated our way through Alta High School (4 if you count Zak, but he couldn't be there).
Congrats Heather! I'm so proud.

In Other News

This movie is funny. It will never stop being funny.
"Be excellent to each other. Party on Dudes!"

Homesick

Stuff I miss about Utah:

• Rain
• Mountains
• Cozy
  
• The Y on the Mountain
• Billboards advertising "Modest Formal Wear"
• Billboards advertising " Modest Lingerie"
• Family
• Friends
• Ikea
• Fabric Stores- I know there are some here, but I have yet to find a close one.
  
• My long hair (I know that this doesn't really have anything to do with UT, but when we made the decision to move I was in no emotional state to get a hair cut but I did anyway and I am now stuck with this weird shaggy mop on top of my head. I blame Vegas.)

Stuff that I like in Las Vegas:

• 90 degrees and sunny.
• Swimming in the pool.
• Palm trees
• Our new apartment
  
• H&M
  
• Family
• New Friends
• The fact that things really aren't that different.
  

Dave's Wedding

My good friend Dave got married a couple of weeks ago. I was honored to be one of his Groomsmen, along with my brother Mason and our friends Adam and Peter. In High school, I had always been friends with the guys, and as a result, I have never been a bridesmaid. Dave and Sinda were so thoughtful to think of inviting me to be part of their wedding party!

"Groomsman" and her hubby.

Dave and his groomsmen at the Temple.

Congrats guys! What a cute couple!

Drivers Wanted

We are getting settled in to life here, and things have been going pretty well.

In our quest to become citizens of Nevada, we headed down to the DMV to get our licenses. According to Nevada State Law anyone under the age of 25 has to take the written exam. So, after waiting in line for 45 minutes I dutifully stepped up to the testing booth, swiftly failed and was invited to retake the test tomorrow after studying up on the Drivers' Ed Manual. Apparently it is important to know how many days you can spend in Juvi for underage drinking.

Awesome.

Zak made it up to the eye exam before failing miserably. The lady behind the counter silently shook her head in disbelief as he tried to dictate the top row of numbers. Now we have to find his glasses that are still packed in one of the many boxes around our apartment.

Look out for us people!! We are a couple of crazy drivers. Even the crazy haired tattoo guy down the street can get a driver's license, but not us...

We laughed for like 20 minutes and then went home to drown our sorrows in chocolate milk.

Now Broadcasting from a New Location

We're here and getting settled! A thousand thanks to all of you who helped to get us here. We could not have done it without you. Mostly thanks for still being my friends after seeing all of the stuff that I have accumulated and for cleaning my dirty apartment. Thanks for helping us move into our new home and for offering tips for finding a job. I know that we will be in good hands with our Las Vegas family members.

I feel a little bit like I went on vacation with my family and they forgot to take me home with them. But I know that we are supposed to be here right now and that we will be just fine once we get everything worked out. I told Zak that he had better get straight A's in school for making me leave my family and friends, so he will be busy studying for the next three years.

We're IN!

Orientation is in 12 days, and we move in a week. We don't mind the short notice, we are just excited to be going to Physical Therapy School!

He's Home!

Welcome Home Mason!
Here is the cool jacket I made for him.

Elder Mason!

My darling baby brother comes home from his mission in ONE WEEK! I am so excited to see him and to fill each other in on the past 2 years. He has been such a great missionary! I can tell from his emails that he has been working so hard.

A couple of people have asked me if we are going to pick him up. No. We are not. He has been serving in Montreal and this is what it looks like up there right now:

No thanks. I will be just fine with him coming home to us.

For anyone that is interested he will be speaking in church on Sunday, Feb 22 at 11:00 in Draper. Pass it on. Call me if you need directions.