The Taylors

Friday, July 3, 2009

Salon BBQ

Steve and I hosted our first BBQ. We had all the salon girls and their families come. We had good food, all the kids had a blast playing and we played a mean game of woofle ball. Nicloe's husband Nate, hit the ball over the rence. Steve decided to save the day and jump over the fence to retrieve the ball, he got a nasty cut while he was at it. I suppose I am the resourceful spouse, or just less adventurous, I found an opening in the fence and came out victorious with the ball and without any battle wounds. I appreciate everyone who came. I'm lucky to work with such a fantastic group.

"keep your eye on the ball and swing early" sam was instructing everyone.

Kyra, Andrea's baby... not so much a baby anymore.

Sophie and her basketball, she loves that thing,

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The Taylors try camping

At the last minute we decided to join Eric and Andrea's family (Steves oldest brother) on a camping adventure. We packed the car, borrowed a tent and were off to Flaming Gorge. It tooks us a good 3 hours. Sam slept a bit, played with his etch-a-sketch and we solved riddles. Steve and I commented off and on how awful it would would be to live in a mobile home on the side of the highway in the middle of nowhere... in Wyoming. Then as we got closer and closer, we saw,

This!! So gorgeous and so... flaming!

Sophie did this, for the last half hour or so

This was Sam's favorite part of camping

This is nature calling... oh to be a boy

This is cutie pie Malia

This is the face of satisfaction when the marshmallow toasts just right.

This is kids dance with glow sticks

This is right before bed, inside the tent, before all hell broke loose. Sophie would NOT settle down and go to sleep. It was honestly like having a colicky newborn.

This is where we ended up for the rest of the night, in a reclined position in the front seat of the car. It was so windy that night, and howling so loud. I kind of freaked myself out thinking of the zodiac killer... if something happened would anyone hear me? I'm a little dramatic at 4 in the morning. When we both finally settled down to sleep, morning came. Andrea was a saint and took our crazy baby on a jaunt with the rest of the kids and let steve and I sleep.

Other than those dreaded 8 hours we really had tons of fun. We camped by a creek, had pinapple upsidedown cake and s'mores. We didnt stay another night, but we will try again next year.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

new niece... can't wait to meet her

Aspen Rose came to town a little earlier than expected. 3 and half weeks to be exact. My sister-in-law Tristan was induced on Friday and the poor girl didn't have her till Monday morning. She was a tiny thing, she weighed under 5 pounds. This is Steve's older brother Greg's, first baby and she has been much anticipated. They have this little princess all tucked away to themselves in Alaska and I won't get to see her til September or so. (when the summer fishing season ends.) What a beauty! We are going to friends I think, I am so happy for Greg and Tristan, You can tell by how they dote on their dogs that they will be great parents.

Monday, June 22, 2009

All about Dad.... in Sammy's eyes

WHAT IS DAD'S FAVORITE THING TO DO: "Go on dates"

WHAT IS DAD'S FAVORITE THING TO EAT: "Meat"

LEAST FAVORITE FOOD: "Tomatoes"

WHAT'S HIS FAVORITE MUSIC: "Punk Rock"

WHAT MAKES DAD HAPPY: "That he loves the bestest boy in the whole world"

SAD: "When he doesn't get to borrow things" (???)

WHAT'S HIS FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A DAD: "I don't know, Duh!"

IF HE COULD BUY ANYTHING IN THE WORLD WHAT WOULD IT BE: "Strawberries"

WHAT'S HIS FAVORITE TV SHOW: "Sports"

WHAT WAS DAD LIKE AS A KID: "The same as me"

WHERE WOULD DAD LOVE TO TAKE A TRIP: "To New York to see da Yankees."

WHAT IS HIS FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A DAD: "This is so many questions, I'm sick of it"

There you have it, Dad in a 4 year old nutshell

Here are some pictures of the kiddos, I thought about staging an all dad photo shoot but that didn't go over very well. :)

Me and Sammo picked out a Tool box for Dad, He is getting really handy latley and needed an upgrade from that carboard box he was using.

Thanks Stevie for being so obsessed with your kids, I think they return the sentiment.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Summerfest for the restofus

It's officially summer when the carnival rolls into town, complete with super classy carnival workers, un-winable games, and somewhat questionable but yummy carnival food. We went with our good friends, the Paxmans. (who so rudley accepted an acceptance to PA school in Vegas without consulting us... already mourning their absence.) We were neighbors till Sam was 2 1/2. They are so great and so easy to be around. Sam and Erika have been good buddies and they had tons of fun together, riding all the rides

He picked a trumpet at the lucky ducks game.... I am already regretting suggesting it, he lovesit but it's a lot annoying

Sammy and Erika

Going down the big slide together.... I actually got a little scared. There was a woman at the top helping the kids with their burlap sacks, she was completly frightening, she may as well have kicked me in the face and said, "Ho, Ho, Ho."

This was Sams crowning moment! He has a really hard time going down the tallest slide at the park and he went all the way up this jungle gym thing. Erika just sped through it like a pro and Sammo just inched his way along and he had this big line of kids behind him. I thought for sure he would stop at the top and want to walk down and not go down the big slide... He did it! little guy is growing up.

Friday, June 12, 2009

good news for tiny bums!

We were strolling home depot today, in search of curtain rods, when Steve said, "Hey let's go check out the toilet seats." I laughed out loud, like you do when someone you love says something humorous... then swallowed my giggle when I realized he was in fact actually interested in toilet seats. I think he was in the market for a nice and squishy one to make his morning throne sit more pleasant. (I think they only have those at retirement communities) Anyway, we stubbled across this gem.... Where have you been for the last year and a half! Sam has been potty trained that long yet still uses a pop on kids seat when he needs to go #2, I have threatened to take it away numerous times. He is so afraid of falling in, and I don't want to be stuck with holding him on while he does his business. This thing is awesome!

It appears to be just the right size for you or I, but....wait....

...what's this so conveniently magnetized to the lid?....

...another toilet seat!... that I'm sure even Goldie Locks would think was just right.

A little lame that I'm THIS excited about a toilet seat but... I am! If you have family members that don't enjoy balancing their little bums above the watery depths, go pick yourself up one at the Home depot for Roughly 30 bucks

Thursday, June 4, 2009

a little bit late

We did have a party for Sophie Jordyn and although I am very very late in posting about it, I will do my best to rock your world and make it worth the wait. The guest list included 3 Grandma's, 2 Grandpa's, one brother 2 aunts, one uncle, parents, and 5 cousins. All there to wish her a happy birthday.... lucky girl! She recieved a Baby Doll from Grandma Barbie, a little pink pony from us, a cutie swimsuit and cover-up from Aunt Schmoo, and some pretty curtains from Grandma Buddy.

She was unbelievably cute when she opened her baby. She grabbed it and immediatley started snuggling it and patting it's back. Great-Grandma Taylor said it was worth the effort of a somewhat a tiring outing for a 93 year old to see Sophie love on that dolly like that.

Notice her little feet perched up, she hates the feel of grass

Little Mama

Big mama (not my official nickname)

Pressing the part that plays music

Little cowgirl

didn't want to have anything to do with the cake after we lit the candle

what are big brothers for?

her very homemade cake

Strawberry banana... it turned out pretty yummy.

at her one year check-up she was

29 inches tall: 25-50%

weighed 18.5 pounds: 10%

head was 45.6 cm: 50-75%

Sammy says

7-2-09 We were talking about how water gets hard when it becomes ice. I told him the difference between gas, liquid and solid. He was naming off all these beverages that were also liquids, like water. I said, "What else is a liquid that we don't drink?"I thought he would say rain, or the pool, he said, "beer?"

6-25-09"Mom, I don't know what heaven looks like." Mom: "I don't either ." Sam: "Let's look it up on the website."

5-2-09 Sam said the prayer at dinner time and after the usual thankyou for's, and please bless's, He said, "...and please bless my little sister not to be so spazzy."

4-29-09 Sam likes to pretend to be a mail man and he had folded up a peice of paper and said I had mail, and that he wanted to read it to me.... "Dear Stacy, You shouldn't watch American Idol so much. I know you yuv American Idol but you should watch da Yankees wiff your husband Steven."

4-27-09 When Steve was running an errand, I asked him to take one kid with him, Sam said, "Dad, would you rather take me, or crazy face?"

4-2o Steve bought him a kids JFK history book and he loves it for a bed time story. Here are some funny comments that have come from that.

"Dad, would JFK still be alive if he didn't get shot in the head?

Dad: "yeah, probably... he would be a Grandpa."

Sam: "But it's okay huh, cause he is in heaven wiff his bruhder Joe. He's probee like, 'hey what's up Joe! I have'nt seen you since the war!"

4-16-08: His response to our random snowy days was, "Mother! What happended to our lovely spring?"

4-15-08 When asked to do something he said, in an overly exuberant voice, "I'd be delighted to!"

2-21-08: Sam: "Mom, I'm so drunk!"

Mom: already laughing "You are? what does Drunk mean? "

Sam: "oh, it dust means dat you drank too much water."

2-19-08:"Is dhere such fing as a real party animal?"

2-7-08: "I know how to say, 'your welcome' to girls...you say, 'your majesty.'"

2-6-08: "When a friend was telling me about her moms lack of memory lately, Sam piped up to join the conversation and said, "Maybe your mom has a concussion."

1-29-08 Sam: "dhere is a girl at my pre-school dat said she wants to marry me!"

Mom:" Really? what did you say to her?"

Sam: "wehw, at first I fought she said she wanted to bury me... I was a yiddow confused."

Mom: "what is her name?"

Sam: "I don't remember"

Mom: "Well if you are going to marry her, you should probably ask her, her name."

Sam: "Yeah, and I should pwohbwee tell her dat I stihw want to yive wiff my parents."

1-15-08 Steve has been bugging me to cut Sam's hair, which I don't want to do. here is a conversation about that.

Mom: "we will cut your hair in a while but not right now"

Sam: "No! I never want to cut my hair."

Mom: "If we never cut your hair it will grow all the way down to your bum!"

Sam: "Whehw, my dad has hair on his bum... right dad?"

1-12-08 He loves to learn new words and I was teaching him a few while we were in the car. we go over the meaning and use it in sentences, after a while he said, "Mom, I have a new word for you! it's "body dawdy, it means, 'what's the news?'"

1-8-09 "Is Jesus afraid of spiders?"

12-25-08 After pretend calling all his favorite people yesterday on his pretend phone, this was his conversation with another favorite person, "Hey Jesus, how are you? Happy Birsday!" and, "Hi Heavnee Fahder, I fink I want anudher baby sister."

12-19-08 He wants to say his prayers entirely by himself and occasionaly he gets all sweet and mixed up, like the other day when he ended his prayer with, "my name is Jesus Christ, Amen."

12-19-08 "Aunt Tristan shoud'nt name her baby 'Bear' cause uncle Greg might shoot it."

12-11-08 "Mom I want a bear from yellowstone for Christmas!"

12-3-08 Sam was sick and throwing up yesterday so like a good mom, I was not allowing him anything to eat besides sips of clear liquid. It broke my heart though because he was just balling and begging for food. After a few hours of no puke, I tested him with a full cup of watered down apple juice... which he threw up right after his pancakes were about to be served. So the crying and begging excalated. "But I'm STARVING!.... You're my mommy, and mommies are supposed to feed dhehre kids!"

11-08-08 I went with the female side of my family to see High School Musical, Sam came with us and at one point during the movie Sam asked where the main girl's Mommy was. I told him that she is all grown up and went to college. Then he said." Mom, Womans don't go to college!" I did my best to put that idea to rest.

11-08-08 as we were walking through a parking lot to our car, I insisted he hold my hand, he pause for a minute and said, "what if you had a kid wiff no ahwms?"

11-1-08: Sam: "What is daddy going to be when he grows up?"

Mom: "Well, he is not quite sure, maybe a teacher, or a writer."

Sam: "will he write our grocery list?"

(Sometimes the Sam speech is hard to type phonetically...You get the idea)

10-31-08: We went outside to play and Sam pointed to the overcast sky and in a very grown up way, said, "I don't yike da yook of doze clouds!"

10-04-08 : He was holding his a pretend gun and pretending to be a cowboy, He got a serious look on his face and aimed his gun at me and in his best man/cowboy voice said, "You miserable old lady!"

10-03-08: Sam is becoming more and more independent but he still wants help on things he is totally capable of. He came up to me after using the potty and wanted help pulling his pants up. I told him to try himself and his response was, "But I fought you were my big helper"

10-01-08 Sam: "Mom, whehw is my maternity belt?"
Mom: "your what?"
Sam: "My maternity belt!"
Mom: "ummmm...?"
Sam: "My batman one what can hohwd woopins (weapons)"
Mom: "Oh... your Utility belt"

9-30-08 This was totally out of the blue
Sam: "People shouldn't kihw (kill) wabbits, dat's mean!"
Mom: "yeah, I guess it is. People used to not have grocery stores to get food so they would eat things like rabbits for food."
Sam: "Yeah and dehy used to kihw spiders and eat dem too!"

9-23-08 After leaving his friend Jacksons house, Jackson was crying because he didn't want us to go. as we were driving home, Sam said, "I wish I had wihwee yong ahrms dat can stwetch all da way to Jacksons house, Den i would open his door, and hold his hand so he won't be sad any mohw."

9-13-08 "We should paint our car black for hayoween so it can be da bat mobile"

9-12-08 (now that it isn't really sandal weather anymore).... "I wish we had a shoe taker offer machine."

8-9-08 "Mom I have good news! I fohgot to bwush my teef yast night, and I din't get any cavities!"

8-8-08 Just some recent phrases.....
"dat's fweakin' awesome"
"Do you know my name?.... It's Batman!"
"Easy Camper!"
"next time I get hurt... I wihw dust suck it up!"
"Mom! I have good/bad news.........!"
"seewiouswee! (seriously)

8-03-08 When explaining to Sam that the reason Dad can't always stay in nursery with him is that he has to go to his church class, He replied, "Do dey teach him to fohwd his ahwms dehre?"