Easter and Texas

Get ready for a large amount of pictures! You'll be seeing Covey's face behind your eyelids all day!

This was Covey's birthday visit from his Grandma and Grandpa Nelson (and Aunt Deb). They came all the way down from Mantua and brought him shirts and 'Mater's Tall Tales' which he loves.


My niece, Kaitlin, was baptized on her birthday (March 26). She looked beautiful and it was so fun to see her baptized. She's the oldest out of the 'grandkids' so it was a new experience for us. Covey was irreverant and had to be taken out to the lobby and I was coughing like a maniac so we may not be invited to the next one.

It's like twins, am I right?

I'm so glad our ward did an Easter Egg Hunt the week before Easter so I could be there. First, all the kids were hoarded into the Primary room. After a while of struggling to get him to leave the nursery toys alone and join the other kids, they started a movie... The Lamb of God. A bit intense for young children? Maybe? We thought so too. Matt was sitting in front facing the kids so he could keep Covey from playing with the tv stand so he got to see the movie through the contorted and shocked faces of the children. But other than a few kids covering their eyes and a few running to their moms and dads, they kept it together well enough. This was the short minute that Covey watched the screen, but he did sit with all the kids a lot longer than I thought he would. He mostly had fun putting Kayson's basket on his head.
When it was time to start the hunt Covey had to be convinced that finding eggs is funner than running around the church.

Best part for Covey: the giant cookie he got afterwards!

Decorating Easter Eggs!

These three were Covey's creations! I thought he did a great job. He loves the 'paint on paint' look.

On April 23rd, I headed off to Texas. Originally the trip was planned to see my new nephew, Nixon. But it took on a lot more purpose after Faye's diagnosis. I was able to take care of the house and both boys (Mitchell and Nixon) during the week while my brother Nick was at work and Stacey was at the hospital with Faye. It was such a wonderful time and was really hard to leave them when it was over. This is when Matt and Covey dropped me off at the airport that Saturday morning. This was my first time flying by myself (other than to St. George when I was working). But it was easy and I made myself busy with 'Where the Red Fern Grows'.
NIXON! It was SO fun seeing him for the first time. I brought him these sunglasses and he totally rocked them.
My sister, Katie sent me with this Phineas and Ferb joke book for Mitchell. He and Faye love jokes. And they're really good at making them up, like "Knock Knock. Who's there? Duck. Duck who? You're a duck! Haa Haa Hah!" But slightly more impressive was when Mitchell (who's in Kindergarten) opened up the book and read the whole thing to us! It was amazing. While I was there I kept hearing from different people how awesome the Texas school system is. They have all day Kindergarten and apparently have a very rich curriculum. Stacey said that Mitchell has been reading really well since halfway through the school year. At night when they read scriptures he even reads his way through a verse! Hearing Mitchell read was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

My beautiful sister-in-law!

The next day, we all headed down to the hospital so they could spend Easter as a family.
Seeing Faye for the first time in the hospital was crazy. She was wearing her hospital mask and had her new short hair do. She seemed so different.

When we got back to her room I gave her the presents I had brought for her from myself, Katie and my friend Amber. This is the floppy hat and bracelet I brought her. When I went back on Friday to the hospital and Faye wore this hat on her trike rides in the halls all the nurses would say, "Aw Miss Faye! Is that for the Royal Weddin'?" (think Texan accent)

When I got some time with her she was the same old sweet Faye with her cute little voice and loving to be silly.

Man! I love that Nixon so much!Mitchell and Faye being goofballs.

Stacey's friend made a bunch of these cute little hospital outfits for Faye because whenever they wanted to change her shirt they'd have to ask a nurse to come in and unhook her IV leads. These ones just tie lickety split so she can change them whenever she wants. And she does like changing her clothes multiple times a day.
A nice family put on an Easter Egg Hunt for all the kids on the 9th floor. The eggs were just hidden in the hallways. But just because those kids are sick doesn't mean we didn't encounter the usual egg hunt mentality of every man for himself! It was funny. Luckily, Faye had Mitchell finding eggs for her and she made out alright.

I'd always heard everything was bigger in Texas, but nobody said anything about classier. That Easter Bunny is red carpet ready!

Faye zonked out right before we all left. I wanted another picture and Nick made me wear one of Faye's hats. I felt ridiculous but I know Nick loves seeing me in awkward situations and who am I to deny him of any enjoyment? (It wouldn't matter anyway. He can get me to do anything he wants. Are all big brothers like that?)
One of my responsibilities was taking Mitchell to and from school. It was so fun! We parked down a side road and walked up to the school where he made sure to tell me I leave him at the flag pole and he goes the rest of the way himself. I loved watching him run into the school so excited. And the crossing guard just loves him so much. She's nice to everybody but makes a special effort with Mitchell and enjoys hearing his friendly "Bye! Have a good day!".

Mitchell had 2 T-ball games while I was there. He's really good! He had the best batter's stance on the whole team and when he's out in the field, he's in his ready position with hands on his knees and watching the whole time. He's going to be a killer baseball player like his dad! I can't wait to see Covey doing this!

Their house.

On a walk with Nixon. Let me set the scene for you. Super humid. Like a rainforest. Birds constantly singing and squawking, not like Utah birds they're louder and more exotic sounding. But you can't really see them in all the foliage all around you. It makes you feel like there are hidden creatures everywhere. On this bridge there was a little creek with strange lumpy things that I thought for sure were alligators. I was a little scared. People from Texas would think I'm a huge dork, I know, but I felt like I was in Jurassic Park a little.

Bird house hotel in someone's yard!

This was the "spicy nacho" place I've heard Nick talk about. It's called "FreeBirds". It was pretty stinkin' delicious. I thought the Statue of Liberty on a hog holding a burrito was a nice touch. They also let people make things out of the burrito tinfoil and display them around the restaurant. I wish we had this place in Utah!

Playing Game Cube. You can see our Team Faye bracelets my mom bought. (Mitchell has to wear his on his ankle.)

Later in the week I was so shocked it wasn't humid! So, we set out on that same trail to go to the park. Mitchell was so cool on his little sister's bike. He didn't even give it a second thought! (psst! I think he gets it from his Dad)

When we got back to the house, Nick had just gotten home from work and had a surprise for Mitchell. A Razor scooter for him to use at the hospital when Faye rides her trike through the halls. What a nice dad!

My last day of picking Mitchell up from school. :( He got to go on 2 field trips that week. To the theater to see Disney Cats and to an Oil Ranch.

This is the vehicle I drove down to Houston by myself! It doesn't look too bad actually, but it's a strange-feeling stick shift (not like my old car) and I was a little scared to drive it. Luckily, I got the hang of it and made it to and from Houston without an incident!
Friday when Stacey was back home with the boys, I got to spend the whole day with Faye and Nick.
We colored, played Pretty Pretty Princess, went on 4 walks/trike rides, looked out the window, played with the iPad. For not being able to do very much, the days still go by too quickly. I kept putting off leaving because I knew I wouldn't see her or Nick for awhile and I hate not being with them.
Mitchell's an awesome big brother... but his arms get tired quickly from holding him and doesn't like it when he cries. He's good about putting the binky back in his mouth when he's crying but if that doesn't work he says "Why are you doing that? Just calm down!"
Nixon's belly button "thing" fell off while I was there and Stacey gave him his first bath.

I had been thinking about how cute Stacey's bangs are and on my last morning there I said "Should we cut my bangs?" So we did. They didn't look exactly like hers but it was a fun thing to do. While we were in the bathroom and Stacey was cutting them, Mitchell said "Are you guys friends?" We laughed and said yes. She is an awesome friend and I love her and the whole family.
I miss them so much and can't wait until I go back in August (unless they need me sooner!)

When I got back home Covey looked like a giant! It was totally weird. His head looked almost as big as an adult's and changing his diaper... Whoa!. I keep telling him what a big boy he is and now he's always saying, "Covey big. Big boy!" He started doing all sorts of new things while I was gone, too. He's singing along to songs. Our friends burned some cds for Covey and one of them is a 'Cars' cd. He sings along to "Mack song" ("Life is.. highway. Wanna ride..all way home") and "Sixty Six song" ("Get kicks..Route Sixty Six!" He's saying "sixty six" in that funny picture below on the right). He also started giving you a kiss when he hurts you (on the lips not the owie) and then says "Happy now?"
His comprehension just seems to have made some leaps. One day when he woke up from a nap he asked to go to the big park and I said "Oh, I don't know it's cloudy outside it might rain." And he said "Wear sweater and hat." I was impressed! I didn't even say "cold". Then the other night when I was putting him to bed I told him that the next day we needed to go shopping and buy daddy some new clothes. I asked him if Covey needed any new clothes and he said "Mmmmm... Toys!" He is so stinking funny! He also says "bye" to everything. "Bye house." "Bye show." "Bye park. Come back." When we're at the store he says "Go home now." He's a full blown big kid!