Our First Family Photos

Okay, so I have to give a 'Picture Overload' disclaimer. I had such a hard time narrowing down my favorites because there were so many great photos. Thanks again, Heather!!

Tagged: 8 Things

I've been tagged for the first time since entering the blogging world over a year ago! Here goes:

8 things I'm passionate about:
1. My hubby
2. Taylor
3. The Gospel of Jesus Christ
4. Interior Design
5. Photography
6. Nature
7. Laughing
8. Creativity

8 words/phrases I use often:
1. Where's my Mr. Man? (referring to Taylor, not Sean)
2. What do you want? (again, referring to Tay)
3. Should we change your bum? (I agree with Christine - I say this WAY too much)
4. I love you
5. I'm so tired
6. Hey babe, can you do me a favor?
7. Want some food?
8. My house is such a mess... (I seriously say this at least five times a day)

8 things I want to do before I die:
1. Travel to Europe
2. Go to Sea World
3. Skydive
4. See the Northern Lights
5. Get a Masters Degree
6. Run a marathon
7. Watch my kids get married in the temple
8. Go on a mission

8 things I've learned in the past:
1. Life's too short to hold grudges
2. Ask for help when you need it
3. Let go of all the little things that don't matter
4. Shopping and chocolate solve any problem
5. Life takes risks, sacrifice, and lots of hard work
6. Laugh as much, as loud, and as often as you can
7. True love conquers all (the fairy tales are right!)
8. You're never to old to do anything

8 things I currently want/need:
1. M-O-N-E-Y
2. A shower
3. To lose another 10 pounds
4. A craft room
5. Time to work on my zillions of projects I have
6. A personal chef
7. A gym membership
8. A heaping helping of self-esteem

8 places I want to see/visit:
1. Greece (to do my husband's family history)
2. Paris
3. Ireland
4. England
5. Australia
6. Seattle
7. Cape Cod
8. Massachusetts

8 people I tag:
1. Annalee C.
2. Sarah B.
3. Jodee H.
4. Jacob H.
5. Holly R.
6. Temaire E.
7. Nicole W.
8. Whitney U.

One year ago...

I've been journaling on a pretty regular basis since early 2002, and one of the things I love to do after writing an entry is to then go back exactly one year (or as close as possible) and read that entry. It helps me see how far I've really come, even if I feel like I've made no progress.

So, with that in mind, I was going through my iPhoto library and thought I'd go back exactly one year to see what Taylor looked like.

September 2007:


September 2008:

What a difference a year makes, eh?

Family Picture Preview

A couple weeks ago we had family pictures taken up at Sundance by Heather Mildenstein, a very talented photographer in our ward. She's still in the process of editing the photos, but gave us a little preview. I'm so excited to see the rest of them!

(Click to see larger images)

The Big 26

Today is Sean's 26th birthday, which means (at least in my world) that the most amazing, loving, devoted man was born exactly 26 years ago today.

Sean, you are such a good man. You've been through an awful lot this past year, but through it all you've always made Taylor and I your number one priority. You are incredibly selfless and are always giving to your family and friends without ever expecting anything in return. I admire your strength and your ability to always see the positive side of any situation, no matter how hard it is. You have always balanced me out so well - helping me relax when I'm having a nervous breakdown about something silly. You are the most amazing father to Tay and I love watching the two of you play and wrestle and run around together. He absolutely adores you, and so do I. I love you more and more every day and I wouldn't want to go through this chaotic, stressful, overwhelming life with anyone but you.

Happy birthday, babe!

I will never do this again.

Tay desperately needed a haircut but we've been desperately short on funds lately, so I decided to cut his hair myself. I've given him haircuts before, but the older and more mobile he gets the harder it is to keep him contained and happy. I put him in the Bumbo on the kitchen floor and gave him a big cup of apple juice to keep him preoccupied. After plugging in the hair clippers and letting Taylor touch it to see that it wouldn't hurt him, I ran them once across the top of his head.

That's when he lost it. He started kicking and screaming at the top of his lungs and there was nothing I could do but finish the task. I clipped away while he tried to smack my hands away with big puppy dog tears running down his face. When I finally finished he was absolutely hysterical; he continued crying all through his bath and was still whining after he was dry and had warm clothes on.

So to make a long story short - yes, his haircut turned out great and he's a dang cute kid, but I will never NEVER cut his hair again.

Boys will be boys

Boy |boi| (noun) : a young man who spends all his time playing with dirt, rocks, trucks, and gardening tools; has a keen interest in all modes of transportation (i.e. planes, trucks, motorcycles) and especially loves any kind of heavy machinery or anything that has a siren. Also loves making animal and car sounds, and gets overly excited when playing with anything that has a steering wheel.

If this was the dictionary definition of "boy," Taylor would definitely fit it. I think there are so many things about boys and girls that are just naturally inborn in them. Every time we go outside he runs right for his shovel and plops himself down on the nearest patch of dirt, looking up only to "ooh" and "ahh" at a UPS truck driving down the street or an airplane flying overhead. When we're hanging out indoors his toys of choice are always cars, trucks, and his big digger.

I love watching Taylor be Taylor. I know that must sound kind of funny, but it's true. When we found out we were having a boy I have to admit I was a little nervous. I didn't really know anything about boys and all I could think about was worms, mud, and broken bones. My perspective has totally changed over the last year though; Tay is so much fun! I love watching him exude his independence and enjoy all things boy. He's such a great kid and I'm so lucky to be his mommy!

Why hike the Y?

Because it's fun! And painful! But mostly fun (and painful)!

Saturday morning Sean and I got up at the crack of dawn (like we had a choice) and got ready to go for an early morning hike. My mom came over to watch Tay and Sean and I headed up to the 'Y' trailhead. Since moving here over a year and a half ago and seeing that giant white letter 'Y' on the mountain out our front windows every single day, we've wanted to hike to it. Our plan was to go "some time this summer," but alas the summer is over and hiking season is coming to an abrupt close. Basically it was now or never... at least for this year.

It wasn't too long of a hike - maybe an hour up and an hour back - but MAN is it steeeeeep. It's pretty much the equivalent of being on a Stairmaster for an hour straight, something I would never normally do. However, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking and it was so clear we could see from American Fork all the way to point of the mountain.

Reaching the 'Y' was awesome; you don't realize how big it really is until you're standing on top of it. I couldn't get a really good picture of it but you get the idea.

Hiking down was almost as bad as going up - just working different muscles. It was great to spend some time together though, and the sun didn't even hit us until we were almost back at the car which was great.

Sean and I learned two very valuable lessons on our little (steep) hike: 1) We should hike more (a conclusion we reach only at the END of hiking season), and 2) We are grossly and disgustingly out of shape. Seriously.

Out on the town with Aunt Kristi

Kristi came out to visit last night and we took her to Spaghetti Factory (can you believe she'd never been??). Taylor is a bit of a show-off when we have visitors, and he loved all the attention he got from his favorite auntie. We had a great time and LOTS of great food, and Kristi took some pictures of her and Tay on the way home. I think they're so cute!

Also, here's a little family pic Kristi took before we piled in the car to head home:

Thanks for coming out sis! Love you!!!

Sooo busy!

I haven't been able to post lately because I've been super busy, but I thought I'd pop on really quick and post a few pictures and tell y'all what's been going on in the epic adventures of Mr. Taylor.

Taylor is now walking around all over the place and is enjoying getting into anything and everything. It's great that he has mastered the art of locomotion, and he loves playing with bigger kids now that he can at least attempt to keep up with them.

He's also been enjoying the outdoors more than ever, which has made me very nervous for the quickly-approaching cold weather. I think Tay and I are going to go bonkers in the winter time when we'll be cooped up in the house for the majority of the day.

Taylor especially loves being outside because that's where the trucks, motorcycles, airplanes, and helicopters are. If he hears or sees a plane in the sky he'll point up to it until long after it's passed overhead. I was thinking it would be cute to decorate his room with vintage model planes and old maps. Maybe some day...

Our little tyke has also loved the recent onslaught of rain, oohing and ahhing at the window every time thunder rumbles. He also tried on the raincoat Grandpa gave him earlier this year. It was so darn cute on him and I can't wait to get him some galoshes to match.


That pretty much sums up what's been happening in Mr. Tay's world. Here are a couple more cute pictures - one of him in the bath and the other of him eating one of his very favorite summertime foods.


As for me, I've been insanely busy and I'm surprised I've been able to manage so many things at once. On top of trying to keep my house clean, dishes washed, and laundry done, and kid happy, I've been working on starting an online business selling vintage clothes, continuing Irish dance, giving plasma twice a week, and trying to maintain a social life by going to playgroups, playdates, and hanging out with my neighbor. It seems like a lot to handle - and it is - but honestly I've never been happier. I love not being anti-social anymore, and it also feels good to be contributing financially to our family.

Despite the crazy state my life is in at the moment (in more ways than one), I'm so thankful for everything I have been given. Lately I've been going to bed at night with my face hurting from smiling so much. My hubby and I have so much fun together, and I absolutely adore my son and all the sweet and funny things he does all day. I also love that I can spend so much time with my mom and my great friends and neighbors. I feel so blessed!