Christmas PJ's

Everyone loves getting pajamas for Christmas! I TRY to make everyone pj's every year so that we can have cute new ones for christmas morning.  Our tradition is to put out our stockings and then open one present from under the tree...it is always pajamas!  This year we (Emily helped me) picked a theme for the boys. Go BYU!  We know BYU's football team blew it this year, but we are still die-hard fans.  I even completed the outfits with sleep masks! (just in case you were wondering what the heck is on their heads)

I cannot believe how big my kids are getting.  I think Alec must have grown a foot or two since August because he is now as tall as me!  I have such a sweet, beautiful daughter and look at those handsome boys! I am very blessed to have such a wonderful, healthy family.  Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!!!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

We woke up Christmas morning to snow!!  And it just kept snowing and snowing all day.  We didn't even think we would make it to grandma and grandpa's for christmas breakfast because of the snow, but we piled into the 4-wheel drive and hoped we would make it.  The roads were awful, fire engines wailed past us, we slipped and slid through a foot or two of un-snowplowed roads... but the thought of  eggs benedict and family kept us going.  As we got closer to grandma's, the snow started to stop and the roads got clearer.  This is an event that does not happen very often...the west side gets snow and none on the east side on the benches?  It was funny...a freak of nature that only happens once every few years. 

When we came home from grandma's, this is what our house looked like!  It looks like a gingerbread house.  Sami and Emily's gingerbread house with powdered sugar on it...life sized!

Instead of our usual tradition of skiing on Christmas Day (we thought the canyons would close) we decided to build a snowman.  It was so cute and we had so much fun. 

Cody and Dylan took a break from shoveling the driveway to help us.

Almost finished!  So cute!  We even used coal for the eyes and buttons.  Too bad some stupid kid came by that night and knocked the head off and peed on it.  (I hate our neighborhood.)

A Christmas Story

'Twas two weeks before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds (or so we thought)

While visions of "war games" danced in their heads.

And mama in her kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out in the Excursion there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the front door I flew like a flash,

Grabbed my sweats and a bat, all ready to bash.

When what, to my wondering eyes should appear,

2 little teenagers dressed up in warm gear.

The mischievous elves turned around with fright,

As I rubbed on my eyes to clear such a sight!

Up so late in the night, with fingers so quick

Playing x-box 360 so loud and so slick.

Then I headed inside, while shaking my head,

And laughing so hard while I went back to bed.

Concerts, concerts...and more concerts

This season brings wonderful Christmas music!  So, if your child plays a musical instrument, you are very likely going to be spending the season trudging to all their "gigs".  This saturday Alec played with his orchestra and quartet at the Capitol Theatre where the audience from "The Nutcracker" got to hear them play.  

The quartet played during intermission

The orchestra played before the ballet started while people found their seats, etc.  Then we were off to the Golden Living Center to play with the orchestra again for "the old folks".  For an orchestra filled with mostly children, they sound really good.  His quartet is amazing and he loves it!

Yesterday evening we were able to hear Alec's school orchestra play along with Emily's band. They did great too!  The final number was orchestra and band combined playing a funky version of "Carol of the Bells" and it sounded wonderful!  We are so grateful for our school's music program!  The kids LOVE their teacher and he does a great job.  There were so many band students that the auditorium was standing room only.

So, I guess it is good that during the hustle and bustle of this season, my children force me to sit, listen and enjoy Christmas music.  They have one more performance...church on sunday is a musical number with Alec and Emily playing together.  It will be beautiful!

The Result

The result of all our hard work.  Our beautiful tree.  The holidays have begun and I am in the heart of our busy season (my photography job).  Good luck to all this month in preparation for Christmas.  I hope to be able to pause and appreciate the beauty of the season.

Favorite Traditions

1983:  Cutting down trees in Idaho

 A wonderful, time-honored tradition...cutting down our Christmas tree.  I can't remember a year that we didn't go to Idaho for Thanksgiving and then cut down Christmas trees the next day.  I remember one year taking the whole crew...grandma & grandpa, Uncle Delray and Aunt Lois in the motor home, jumping off the motor home into the snow and coming inside to a hot bowl of mom's homemade chili.  We warmed our frozen hands by sitting by the heater vent. (and then got fresh "squeeky cheese" in Blackfoot at the dairy)

My family has carried on that tradition and we love it.  Cody and I have been together for almost 20 years and we have bought a tree from a lot once (and we will never do that again). We almost always cut one for a friend and for a family in need.  Cody is the best at picking the right tree and we have an amazing one every year.  We love the smell in our home and the look of a real tree.  Cody has taught Dylan how to pick the right tree and chop it down. We carry it to the car and cart it home, ready to help us celebrate the beautiful Christmas season.

Dylan cutting the tree down

This year, Thanksgiving was in Vernal with Cody's family so we went up to the Uinta mountains and got some great trees!

A handsome boy

I guess I should have at least gotten out of the car and taken some pictures.  Cody took these.  I was lazy this year, and sat in the car either crocheting or napping.  The last time I chopped down a tree Cody gave me a saw and put me to work.  Little did I know, I was using a keyhole saw (used to cut drywall and about as easy as cutting a tree down with a steak knife).  But I did it and Cody still can't believe I could cut a tree down using that saw (it was not easy)!  So, I decided to skip this one and leave the tree choppin' to the men!

Time for a Pedicure

On Saturday morning, Emily and Lillie gave themselves a pedicure.  It was so cute!  They are such good friends and have so much fun together.  (Emily will kill me for putting this picture on here, but it was too cute not to share).

Babysitting our little Xadi-bug

Lillie, Xadi and Emily

Ready for the party!  Toga! Toga! Toga!

These things are so hard to walk in.  I look fabulous, though.

We finally had the chance to babysit Xadi.   She was so cute and so much fun...but, I didn't get to see her much.  You see, Emily (who is prime babysitting age, at 12, by the way) and her friend Lillie took the job of entertaining Xadi and she just didn't want anything to do with me.  She had a great time doing "big girl" stuff...including being dressed up.  Sweet!  A real life DOLL! But...a toga?  They did her hair, too.  Cute little ponytail.

quotes for the night....

Lillie:  I want a Xadi at my house!

Matthew:  (after watching Xadi eat an apple)  How can she eat an apple, mom?  She's a vegetarian!

Thanks Dave and Melissa for letting us borrow her for the evening.  She was all the entertainment you promised us! and more!

Happy Halloween!

We had so much fun this Halloween!  We decorated the house for the first time in a long time (maybe ever) and you would have thought we were getting ready for Christmas the way the kids were so excited.  We put spider webs everywhere and on everything!

Emily was the only one who had a costume this year.  Matthew had firmly decided that he HATES Halloween and everything scary, so he has banned Trick-or-Treating.  Sweet!  One less costume and Cody and I don't have to freeze while strolling through the neighborhood.  Emily was very adorable in her devil costume!

We had the greatest time carving pumpkins this year.  We stole some great ideas from "Extreme Pumpkins" and had so much fun!

Mom and Emily's "Cannibal Pumpkin"

Matthew's "Doll Eater" pumpkin

Alec's "Murder Witness" pumpkin(s)

Happy Halloween!!

Pumpkins and Pranks

It's time to pick pumpkins!  We grew them in our garden this year and got 4 huge beautiful ones!

Emily and Matthew choosing which ones they want.

Showing off their harvest.

Three little pumpkins...where is the 4th one?

Cody had to pull the fence away (in our neighbor's garden) from the pumpkin while Matt and I pulled the pumpkin out.  Every year we grow pumpkins, one has to grown down in our little garden "hidey-hole".  This year we were able to get it out.

hmmmm....what will we do with this one?

It's a full moon this Halloween!  Take that, neighbors!

Matthew turns 9

Nothing makes a person feel old like having your baby grow older.  I can't believe Matthew is 9 years old!  Since he already had his birthday party in the summer so he could have a swimming party, we just celebrated at home.

Matthew's favorite dinner...homemade mac & cheese and artichokes.  He was in heaven!

Matthew's presents:  a webkinz bat

...and games for his DS

Happy Birthday to you!  You live in a zoo!  You look like a monkey, and you smell like one too!

I can't believe how grown up he is.  8 1/2 to 9 has been good for him.  He is still really active, but will now obey eventually.  Threaten to take away his playtime with friends and he will do anything.  And this year he practices the piano without a fit, so progress is being made.  He is such a sweetheart!  

Alec's Recital

Family and friends came to gather at my parents house to hear Alec play the cello.  He was accompanied by his teacher, Tamra Baca.  He did amazing!  The songs were so beautiful, and I think everyone enjoyed the evening.  We are happily moving on to Suzuki Book 3!  (since I have heard his songs so many times I could probably play them).  After perfecting and memorizing all the songs in book 2, Alec was able to put on a fabulous performance!

Alec with his friends, Austin and Logan.  

Cody, Bob, Brad and Marcene Taylor enjoying the desserts and conversation after the concert.

Alec's grandma Vickie, great-aunt Lorraine and great-grandma Betts made the trip from Vernal to hear Alec play.  It was so great that they could make it!  We really appreciated that they drove 3 hours just for Alec's recital.

I would love to put a piece of video with him playing on here...so as soon as I learn how to do that...

It's October!

While I mourn the loss of summer...I look forward to October for one thing, and one thing only...MLB playoffs!!!  And Cody would add to that list football, especially college football.  

GO BYU!!!

In October you will likely find us sitting on our couch flipping between a baseball and a football game.  Friday night, saturday night, sunday afternoon, any weekday night...same place.  Well, on thursday nights we add in a family "The Office" night.  You know, I am really not much of a tv watcher.  There really isn't anything good that I am interested in...until baseball season. Then we buy the baseball package!  We try to catch a good Red Sox or Mets game (this year we added the Angels and Dodgers) during the summer and try to go to as many Bee's games as we can, but when October hits, we are ready for couch potato-hood. (I just made up that word, so don't use it on a college paper or anything).  I stock up on yarn so I can crochet (or quilt...that is good, too) and then I park my hiney on the couch and go to town.  Now, don't start thinking I am some "master crochet Martha Stewart" or anything.  My sister holds that title.  No, I can crochet scarves...that's it, just scarves. I am getting quite a collection, too.  Watch out!  They might be next year's birthday presents.

Here we are on a friday night.  We are so cool! (you can't see it, but I have my crocheting scarf in my hands)

This is my prediction, worth about 2 cents...Tampa Bay vs. Dodgers go to the World Series.  I go down in history with it now, no turning back.  (I would love to be right)

Lake Powell in September

As fall approaches and the stores are putting out their pumpkins and Halloween crap, we fight off the "end-of-summer-grouchies" with our last trip to Lake Powell of the summer.  We were blessed with great company (my family) and great weather (which is a crap shoot in september).

Our first day was the only day we had that was cool and windy.  The men are always so good to check the anchors and make sure the boats are secure.  They take great care of us! 

(note the tower on our boat...sadly buried now at the bottom of bullfrog bay...a moment of silence, please...)

The kids found something to do, of course, and they all set out to build some awesome sandcastles.

My sister-in-law Christie.  She is so great to help with the food and cajole me into a tube ride...we had a great time and came away with only a few sore spots and bruises this time.

Grandma and Grandpa Taylor enjoy watching the grandkids during their evening swim.

Matthew and cousin Abby are snuggled up in layers for the boat ride.  It is a little chilly in september and this is the worst part of it...having to wear a sweatshirt and blanket in the boat!  We braved the "cool breeze" though and drove to Escalante.

Sisters!  We haven't been on a Lake Powell trip together in ages.  I really enjoyed spending time with her and her kids, Sami and Danny.  We can't wait until next summer when we can initiate her new hubby, Matt, to the Taylor Family Lake Powell Trip.  And no, Kathee, the gas attendant didn't really care to see your engagement ring (shesh...show off!)  Love ya!

La Gorce arch...one of the beauties of Lake Powell.  The scenery at its finest!

Sisters that pee together, stay together!

We all had to take turns peeing in the still waters of the canyon because it was WAY too chilly to "go for a swim"

Ready for a hike!  Mark (my brother) and his daughter Abby are preparing for a Cody adventure up Explorer Canyon in the Escalante.

An amazing wall of color.  It was gorgeous.  Where is Matthew?

The surviving hikers on what turned out to be the hike from HELL.  We baptized my family with fire with this Cody Adventure and I am not sure we will ever be able to talk them into going on another one.

Well, we did find some petroglyphs!  They were cool, but worth the hike? Get back to me on that one when I recover from dehydration!  Surprisingly enough my dad (who is in his 70's) kicked everyone's butt!  (and also kept us from kicking Cody's).  In Cody's defense though, we always go on these hikes blindly with little information to follow, so they really are adventures, exploring unchartered territory!  Come on guys, give it another chance!

I am usually game for a good Cody Adventure...but you can see that I cast my vote on this one...thumbs down!

Grandma and Grandpa Taylor.  Lake Powell is so much fun with my mom and dad.  Mom plays cards and does activities with the grandkids while Dad entertains us with his great outfits and positive attitude on the hikes.  We love you!

My nephew Jack was booked as this year's entertainment and he did his job very well!  There is just nothing cuter than a 3 1/2 year old boy!

Father and Son...skipping rocks

And, of course, what trip to Lake Powell would be complete without a flat tire? (along with the woes of running out of gas....and our water pump going out on us just as we are putting our boat on the trailer....)  Cody can fix anything and is incredibly handy to have around, especially at times like these.  He had that tire changed in 15 minutes flat!  ooh, and he is sexy, too!

Ahh...the memories!  That was such a great trip!  We were lucky to have my brother Mark, his wife Christie and their kids, Abby and Jack join us from Michigan.  My kids love hanging with their cousins.  When we get together for family gatherings, the tales of Lake Powell are always brought up and laughed about.  I hope my kids have those same memories....