brother fausett and sister fausett

i have to savor these pictures, because i think it is the most reverent i have ever seen kenyon. he really got into his halloween costume. for our ward halloween party, we went as a nun and a monk (with four kids). kenyon gave himself a mustache (does anyone like mustaches?....nasty) we were running a little late, and satch was taking his sweet time...kenyon started getting mad at him, telling him to hurry up, i about died laughing. he looked hilarious trying to be serious in his ridiculousness. we were a big hit with the sister missionaries...pictures all around. i told them they could tell their families they baptized us.

so many pictures...so little time

busiest summer yet...but i'm still sad school started.

Spring Break 09

A "Willy-Nap" on the road.

For Spring Break this year, we decided to take a rode trip around our historically and geolically packed state. We went with two of our favorite families in ABQ. Thanks Snells and Lows, we had a great time.

Although Carlsbad Caverns are the first pictures...they were our last stop. The twins have been talking about going there for over a year, so they were really excited.

It was about 45 degrees and really windy at White Sands. Luckily Kenyon brought some kites...he's a thinker...they were a hit. The kids figured out that if they wore goggles, the sand wouldn't get in their eyes while they were sledding.

The Catwalk was one of the most incredable hikes I have ever been on. It was first built as a pipe-line for a mining town in the mountains, and then the CCC rebuilt is as a State Park. It is a canyon full of giant bolders with a large stream running through it. There are tons a waterfalls that are crossed by metal bridges. Some of them hug the canyon wall and some of them cross over the waterfalls. The kids loved it.

Just about my favorite part of the trip was this little ghost town named Mogollon. It was an old gold and silver mining town in the late 1800's to early 1900's. To get there we had to cross over a mountain. Very steep switch-backs up and back down the other side of the mountain on a one lane road with no guard rails, and very steep drop-offs. We went with two other families from ABQ. If you were afraid of heights...this was a tense drive. Adam...a friend of Satch and Em's was actually in tears and shouted out "save me Jesus!"

Stop for lunch...it was tornado-like conditions most of the trip. Good old NM in the spring.

This picture with the antelope in it is the VLA or Very Large Array....very straightforward. If any of you have seen contact, these are the radio satellites in that movie. There is a huge prairie basin where they are located. The satellites themselves are around 90 ft in diameter. They are huge. And it is a little "otherwordly" to come over a hill and see all of these big white dishes in rows. On our way back to the main road from the visitors center this herd of antelope crossed the road in front of us (most of them had antlers...is that what they are called on antelope?)Although I came inches from slamming into a cow... I was very careful around the antelope. Last year I ran full force into a deer, and although I thought I would be traumatized, it was actually kind of exhilarating (is that sick or what....i know.) So now when I see an animal on the road I have to stop myself...except for animals smaller than a dog...I still swerve for them. What is wrong with me? Just a little side note:)

i've been wanting to take my parents to this awesome volcano west of here for two years now. it takes about 1 1/2 hours to get there so i always felt like our company had driven far enough....but mom and dad were good sports. while it was nice and 70 degrees at home, the volcano was a little cooler and super windy. the view is one of a kind though...hopefully mom and dad thought it was worth it too.

a friend of mine came to take pictures of Wren...the first pictures I've had done of her and she is 9 months....she is destined to be the typical last child. I here is the link to her website for anyone who wants to take a look. http://www.moniquedukephotography.blogspot.com/

Wolf Creek

Some friends of ours invited us to go skiing in Colorado over the weekend. I havn't skiied since I was in grade school. I remember two teenage boys called me a pink marshmellow because of my giant pink snowsuit...it was devastating. Anywho, we had a great time, thanks Burrups! Wren was such a good sport...hanging out at the wolf pup ski school lodge all day. She ventured out a few times on the back pack but was a little blinded by all the whiteness.

Satch and Em head down the slopes. In this picture their instructer told them to howl like wolves. I of course was the helicopter parent there to catch the moment.

Willy was too young for ski school, so Kenyon harnessed him in and spent all day with him. Will was a mini-me of Kenyon and loved spending time with him. I told Ken I wished he could see Will's perma-grin every time I saw him coming down the hill. He would bend over, hold his knees (as directed by Kenyon) and every once in a while jump up. You know Will can't just go straight down the hill...he's got to make it exciting. Kenyon said Will would try to fall because he thought it was funny when Kenyon would pull him up with the harness.

Will enjoys a little lunch he put together himself. Hot chocolate soup with teddy grahams and goldfish...yummy?

Catching snowflakes. Willy laughed his head off everytime they got on the lift.

I don't think Willy realized Kenyon was behind him keeping him from face planting in the snow. He definately thought he was awesome.

white sands

kenyon had to travel for work over the holidays so i talked him into taking us with him. we were able to see our old houses in el paso and las cruces. we built our home in las cruces, and kenyon and i slaved over the backyard for weeks. it was the middle of summer when we moved in, and super hot. so after we got the twins to bed at night we would start digging trenches, hauling rocks, and laying down slaps of flagstone. a lot of my plants survived...i'm so proud...and even grew. these pictures are at white sands, nm. it is one of the most amazing places i have ever been...including europe. if you havn't been, it needs to be on your 'to do before i die' list.