Visitors

Our laptop was out for the count for several weeks so I was functioning solely on the tablet. Now that the laptop is back in working order, I hope to get back into posting more regularly.

Headline in the news:  Visitors! Mom and Dad Briggs came out the last week of March and Kyndal came the first week of April. GLOR-I-OUS. Both weeks have been so much fun! I still need to work on being better at taking pictures, but we've just had a grand old time having people out here to Texas. If you'd like to come, let us know and we'll find a date on the calendar!

Highlights from Mom and Dad being here:

• Texas Motor Speedway. Dad will be back later to capitalize on the opportunity to drive a race car at speeds well over 120. You too, can experience the thrill for a mere $100. Or, if you'd rather, you can have a veteran race car driver drive you around the track at speeds over $150. Now there's something I could go for. Save your pennies, folks.
• Touring BNSF. We met up with Blake for lunch and then took a tour of BNSF. We got to go inside a fancy-pants rail car that they've turned into conference rooms for VIPs. Pretty neat!
• A photo shoot for Eliza at Target. Still didn't capture the essence of Eliza, but there were definitely some cute ones! Pictures coming soon.
• Simply coexisting. Just being together is priceless. That was certainly my favorite part and Eliza's favorite part. Eliza started crying as we dropped them off at the airport and it about ripped my heart out. It took her several days to get over it, and I told Mom that the next time they come, they need to overstay their welcome so I can cope with them leaving. :)

Highlights of Kyndal being here:

• I have two words for you:  GIRL. CHAT. Seriously, guys don't know what they're missing! That's got to be one of my top 10 favorite things of being a girl, made even more so by chatting with sisters. :)
• Conference in Sherman with Aunt Shirlene, Uncle Alan, and Reese. Getting together with family is the best. Delicious lunch, games, and words from the prophets. Makes for a great Sunday.
• Trying new recipes together. Overnight Baked Strawberry and Cream French Toast with Strawberry Syrup. Tasty, but the better part was making it together while Blake was at priesthood session. 
• Venturing to Wat Buddharatanaram, a big Buddhist temple in our area. We didn't get to see any ceremonies or rituals and have a chance to practice all of the Buddhist etiquette that we researched, but we saw some monks and the buildings were really neat.
• Playing with Eliza. Eliza pretty much adores Kyndal now. It made me so happy that Kyndal got to see the magic that I witness (and try to capture and share) all the time. Eliza's cute little babble, the way she reacts to an offer to read stories or go on adventures or put on her shoes... So much fun.
• Meeting up with Blake for lunch. Kyndal will probably get me in trouble for posting this to the world, but the cashier at Five Guys was totally hitting on her. Time to start cleaning the shotgun, Dad...
• The Hobbit 1 and 2. Waiting for #3 is going to be a killer!

Thanks for coming, guys. "Let's not wait till the next family reunion!"