THE TAYLORS

Halloween 2011

2011-11-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

A day filled with Halloween parties at school and then a Carnival at the Rec Center that night. I was surprised at how many people go to this. If you live in Vernal, apparently this is the place to be.

It's uncanny how much she looks like her Aunt Mariah did as a little girl! Ha, ha!!!

First Day of Kindergarten 2011

2011-09-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

Taylor Reunion 2011

2011-09-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

...stay tuned...

MOAB 2011

2011-08-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

We went and visited Henry and Diana before they moved. So glad we did. It was a fun Mother's Day weekend in Moab.

It was the perfect temperature for a hike around Dead Horse Point.

I love this picture. Zane and Kamryn are the same age with the same blond hair and yummy cheeks. Jette Lynn and Logan are the same age with darker hair and longer faces. All glued to the movie.

Easter 2011

2011-08-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

Santa 2010

2011-05-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

This was as good a picture as we could get that day...

The Christmas Card That Never Got Sent

2011-05-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

May your bosom be filled with joy and happiness at this holiday season.
Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!!!!

Halloween 2010

2011-05-20T17:21:00.001-07:00

Jette Lynn celebrated her 5th birthday a week before Halloween.

The kids helped me make this candy corn wreath compliments of Grandma Lol.

Bear Lake June 2010

2010-09-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

In June we went up to Bear Lake for Grandma Taylor's Birthday weekend and stayed at The Inn at the Lake. One of the activities was a photo scavenger hunt which was just a tricky way to get pictures of everyone. Clever. Very clever. Here are just a few...

Trading hats...

Love...

Longest hair and shortest hair...Ha, ha.

$2 FOR ALL THIS

2010-08-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, I need to create a separate blog for my deals....will add it to my list of things to do someday. But this one I had to post! At Smiths I got the Sobes FREE and at Target I got the other stuff for just $2!!! LOVE IT!!!

Waiting to go Camping

2010-08-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

She waited all day to go camping in our backyard. She built this campfire ring when I told her Rory would be bringing home a square of metal to have a campfire on.

Art Work

2010-08-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

Mostly I've just found the only way Jette Lynn will let me take a picture of her. Ha, ha. Whatever works.

3 YEARS OLD!!!

2010-08-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

Zane turned 3 a couple weeks ago and is such a big boy...so he tells everyone. And that he's handsome. He's our exasperating, cute, little man. Happy Birthday Zane!!!

Apricots

2010-08-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks Grandma LOL for teaching me how to can...again.
This picture's for you!!!

Hiding Places

2010-07-30T14:18:00.001-07:00

I heard some giggles and found these two hiding in here.

This is just a little nook hidden inside Zane's closet. Never was sure what to do with it. Apparently you can fit more than just a few books in here. Who'd have thought?

Summer Days

2010-07-28T19:31:00.000-07:00

And yes there's Zane almost to the top. Without me. He was just about to go down when I grabbed him. This kid has no fear. Amazingly Jette Lynn goes down it all by herself as long as I catch her at the bottom. But still brave for her. It's a fast curving ride!

Happy Mothers Day

2010-05-11T19:28:00.000-07:00

Even though she made it for me I guess it's HERS. Along with the flowers she picked out for me. And the card and flower pen she made at church. Sigh. Today, though, she said we could share. Ha, ha.

Belated Easter

2010-05-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

Spring is HERE!!!

2010-04-19T16:09:00.000-07:00

Cousins

2010-04-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

We miss our Logan and Kamryn cuzzis. Here is the last time we saw them for Sunday dinner up in Heber City.

Pool Party

2010-04-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

During the snowy days we still like to party it up over here.

Mama's Boy

2010-03-25T13:26:00.001-07:00

Got the cast off on Monday. Love how Zane's still smiling even though he had a cold AND a cast on. He's still crawling because he says his foot hurts. Still. Hmmm...Anyway, here we are in the waiting room keeping busy by drawing on it and saying good-bye.

Favorite Deals

2010-03-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

Last week at K-Mart if you bought The Princess and the Frog DVD and the doll you got $10 off. So the doll ended up being $1. Plus I had a $10 off the movie coupon and a $10 off K-Mart coupon. I did this 2 times for a grand total of $5 for 2 movies and 2 dolls!!!! Wish I would've done this deal a few more times but they were out of dolls. I did get 3 rain checks, but the K-Mart coupon expired. Still will be a great deal with $5 rebates.

Without coupons at Smiths the Powerades were 25 cents each and Apple Juice was buy 8 for 99 cents each. Total was $10.25!

At Smiths I got all the brown boxed pasta for 25 cents each. The purple boxes and tuna pouches were free. Buying the beef got me the sauces free. So $7.26 for the meat and $6 for the pasta and sauce. Normally I spend $1 on a box of noodles so this was great! 30 pastas and 6 sauces for the price of 6 pasta.

Last week this is what I got in the mail. FREEBIES ROCK! Mail is a little more exciting now! Some items to note: I ordered some Victoria Secrets sanitizing hand wipes for $2.15 total. With it came a $10 or more gift card. When I use it next month it will have at least ten dollars on it, but maybe $25, $50, or $500. Either way, $2 for $12 worth of product is GREAT! Also, my All You magazine had a coupon for a FREE Rimmel make-up up to $5. Also, Check out my HUGE freebie bottle of Pantene. Nice!

At Target the cereal cost 50 cents each. Everything else was free with coupons. I just paid tax. Of course I did spend a few dollars on ebay buying some coupons, but still a great deal for stuff we need.

Girl Just Wanna Have FUN!

2010-03-12T22:05:00.001-08:00

Deals, Deals, Deals

2010-03-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

FREE ice-cream, yogurt, shampoo and conditioner, liners, fish food, and Herbal Essences styling cream at Wal-Mart. Just paid tax.

Walgreens trip. Diapers were $2.29 each. Puffs and Purex were FREE. Tilex and Nyquil was $1 each. Vicks cough drops were 25 cents each.

All this was FREE at Smiths and Walmart. The lip stuff cost $1.

From Start To Finish

2010-03-04T15:13:00.000-08:00

It's always exciting to hear the doorbell ring, but it's the best when there's a package along with it. Nevermind that the kids have taken to running around without any clothes on these days...life goes on. Thank you Garrett and Kaylee for the citrus from Texas.

Deals Of The Week

2010-03-04T14:44:00.000-08:00

Okay so I am addicted to couponing. It has been fun to try new products and create a stockpile at a fraction of the cost for about a year now. I am hooked.

At Target this cost me around $4. With the $5 rebate for the Glade candles I make $1.

All this was free with coupons.

At Walgreens this cost me $2.70 TOTAL.

Last week at Smith I got all this as part of the buy 10 and save three dollars. With coupons and a $5 rebate, I spent $3.

Like Father Like Son

2010-03-04T14:28:00.000-08:00

Oddly enough Zane broke his foot in the exact spot that Rory broke his a little over a year ago. Stranger things have happened.

Rory crushed his foot at work and almost lost his toes. Zane took a tumble down the stairs. Zane was actually so happy to go to the doctor so he could ride in Rory's truck and have all the attention. He's been great. He sleeps through the night (thanks to Childrens Motrin) and crawls everywhere. The only trouble is keeping the cast clean. I have to give him sponge baths and wrap it in a plastic bag when he crawls around in the backyard.
Here's his little blue cast. It's the length of my hand. He has to wear it for 3 weeks. And so the countdown begins.

Valentines 2010

2010-02-26T17:22:00.001-08:00

I tried my hand at pink heart shaped pancakes for breakfast. Luckily the kids don't know I'm no gourmet cook. They were so excited, especially to eat heart candies for breakfast. Love those little bed head kids!
Thanks to Grandma Pam and Grandpa Tom for watching the kids for us on Saturday so we could go out for a nice Valentines lunch at Rodizio Grill. Then on Sunday Rory grilled lobster tails and bacon wrapped fillet minon with asparagus and mango on the side. Forget flowers and chocolates. I'm all about the food! Ha, ha.
(And those who know me best know I'm all about getting the deals! We have to be. We've been living the student life until only recently) We only spent $25 for the WHOLE weekend! Thanks Grandma LOL for the plates, napkins, and doilies.

Mermaids!!!

2010-02-26T17:08:00.000-08:00

Who cares that it's freezing outside! Jette Lynn and her friend Ashlyn randomly had matching Little Mermaid costumes! Jette Lynn lives in hers, along with other Princess costumes. Fun stuff to be four years old.

Favorite Deals From Last Week

2010-02-26T14:13:00.000-08:00

45 bags of cookies for $7.10 total at Target.

FREE + a $14 moneymaker

Buy 3 Venus Razors $6.99 each = $20.97
Buy 1 Fusion Razor $6.99
Buy 3 Olay Total Effects Body Wash $5.49 each = $16.47
Total = $44.43
Use 3 of the $2/1 Venus Coupons from the 2/7 PG
Use 1 of the $4/1 Fusion Coupons from the 2/7 PG
Use 3 of the Buy a Venus Razor, Get a Body Wash FREE Coupons from the 2/7 PG
Pay $17.96
Get back two $5 gift cards for the Razors and one $5 gift card for 3 Body Wash
Your cost now is just $0.96
AND then you’ll be able to submit for the $15 Olay Rebate
Final cost all of the above FREE + a $14 moneymaker!

Happy 4th Birthday!!!

2009-11-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

Jette Lynn was excited to have a fairy party. They got fairy wings and fairy dust, made magic wands and fairy necklaces, decorated fairy cakes, and played fairy games. When the party was over the cousins and Jette Lynn and Zane went outside to play in the first snow of the season.

All By Herself

2009-10-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

Jette Lynn can spell a lot of 3 letter words just by sounding them out. I don't really know where she's figured all this out. Needless to say I was a little surprised since she's not in preschool and I haven't really sat down with her and taught her. Go Jette Lynn!

Oct Bikini Week...One Last Time in 09

2009-10-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't feel how warm it was 2 weeks ago, Jette Lynn and Zane demanded that I let them wear their swimming suits ALL WEEK. Why not. Sigh and head shaking. One last time this year. They really wanted me to get our their swimming pool, too, but it wasn't THAT warm. Well good-bye summer....my kids run on their own time clocks.

Murder Mystery Dinner

2009-09-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

Super fun and Rory turned out to be the murderer. His Australian accent and Tom's pirate accent were the highlights of the night. Can't wait to do it again!

The Zoo

2009-09-17T15:03:00.001-07:00

It was a great day at the zoo. Hardly anyone was there since school started. It was a cool morning. The bears were swimming, the baby giraffe was running around, and the baby tigers were napping where we could see. Grandma passes are the best! Thanks Grandma Lol. It was fun to see cousins Logan and Kamryn and Aunt Di.

.

Pure Joy

2009-08-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

Utah Lake

2009-08-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

Our House

2009-08-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

I love our new house. From the blue door to the decorative vase and plants, brand new carpet, vaulted ceilings, jetted tub, etc. We feel so blessed.

This vase came with the house.

Wish this TV came with the house. We sure loved having such a clear picture. It was fun to have it for a couple weeks before our dear landlady found her TV a new home. Here are the sentinels keeping guard. Guess THAT didn't work.

Jette Lynn loved being my model in the pictures. She thought I was taking pictures just of her. Heh, heh.

I just realized that all the furniture and plants and decor in these pics are not ours. But we'll enjoy it for as long as it's here. More pics to come...

Imagination

2009-08-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

Jette Lynn in her candy wrapper. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next...

New House

2009-08-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

We've settled in quickly and love the new house and neighborhood. Of course the kids had to try out the "swimming pool."

Moving...AGAIN

2009-07-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

I think we've moved every year since we've been married. It only gets harder the more stuff we collect and with each child. At least it's always been an upgrade. Wish we could pack up the kids and unpack them in a few decades....

July 4th

2009-07-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day! We had a fun afternoon with Rory's brother Henry and his family up in the mountains.

Hoggle Zoo

2009-07-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

Youth Conference 09

2009-06-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

The theme was SOLID AS A ROCK, hence the building of a rock wall at Heritage Park after our hike up to Ensign Peak. It was a fun weekend. Love my Mia Maids! You guys ROCK! Ha, ha.

Trying out for the Blue Man Group?

Happy Earth Day

2009-04-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

Time to go green. In celebration of Earth Day we went shopping today and bought these reusable bags. I used my $5 off coupon (minimum $5 purchase from signing up at kohls.com) to snag 3 of these for $1 total. Oh, did I mention I'm an obsessed bargain shopper? I really like Aveeno's bags and am looking into how to get some of those. I also like the brown ones at Kohls and I have a few from Old Navy. But I really like these as they can fold up and snap shut. Then when you open them you can snap them to the side. They are pretty sturdy, too. Now that I've advertised for Kohls, GO GREEN and get yours!!!

What are your favorite reusable totes?

Happiest People in the U.S.

2009-03-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

By KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press Writer Kevin Freking, Associated Press Writer – Wed Mar 11, 7:40 am ET WASHINGTON –

Looking for happiness — it's family-friendly communities for some, tropical paradise or the rugged West for others. A survey of Americans' well-being, conducted by Gallup in partnership with Healthways and America's Health Insurance Plans, gives high marks to Utah, which boasts lots of outdoor recreation for its youthful population.

Speaking of outdoor recreation, the islands of Hawaii took second place and Wyoming was third in the poll that rated such variables as mental, physical and economic health.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090311/ap_on_re_us/states_of_happiness

Friends Since '93

2009-02-22T19:58:00.000-08:00

Thanks Brooke for a fabulous dinner. Glad to know you live just a few miles away. It was fun to catch up with you, Torrey and Mark. Love you girls. Let's do it again soon.

2 Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed

2009-02-15T19:58:00.000-08:00

Mr. Man

2009-02-06T07:23:00.000-08:00

Zane is 18 months old and definitely a miniature Rory. He thinks he's so big. He loves his daddy and his favorite word is "Jeep." Yes, he is ALL BOY and is as active as he can be. He climbs on everything, opens, bangs and throws everything, etc. Sigh. He is also a great mess maker. He keeps me busy. He tries to help me unload the dishwasher, loves to take his diaper to the trash, and feeds himself. He loves to wrestle his dad and torment his sister. He makes us laugh we love our little Mr. Man.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-30T09:38:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. Thanks for the cards, gifts and love from all. It made our little Christmas so special. Notice the ornaments only on the top of the tree. Zane proof.

Jette Lynn Dances

2008-12-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

In this rare moment, I caught Jette Lynn dancing...and on video! What a nut!

Happy Birthday

2008-11-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

Jette Lynn turned 3 a few weeks ago.

Her favorites include:
Talking
Asking why
Nemo
Pink and yellow
Going to The Cree-um (Aquarium)

Halloween

2008-11-10T13:49:00.000-08:00

Mystery Bug

2008-10-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

Is this a bug from your worst nightmare or what? This picture is not for the faint of heart. But it's kind of interesting don't you think? In a scary sort of way. And what IS it anyway? Anybody know? Someone found it in the dogs water bowl in Heber. Yikes.
I posted these pics on BugGuide.net and found out it's a harmless Jerusalem Cricket. They're seem awfully big and scary for a cricket. Yuck. Read all about them at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_cricket

Petting Zoo at Thanksgiving Point

2008-09-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

Jette Lynn loves the pony ride and feeding the goats.

The calves came close to getting Zane's bottle.

Thanks Darby for introducing us to this place. Here's Jette Lynn with Abby and Lucy.

Just last week we went with Diana, Logan, and baby Kamryn. Good times!

Bear Lake

2008-09-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

A month ago the kids and I went up to Bear Lake. It was so fun to have a little beach closer to us than California. Jette Lynn mostly played in the sand while our fearless Zane was all over the place dunking his head in the water, drinking the water, splashing in the water, etc. It was a lot of fun.

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A Shout Out To My Girls

2008-08-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

Ann Marie, Brooke, Liz, Monique, and Torrey: Here's to over 14 years of friendship! I'm sad I was the only one who didn't get to come to our little reunion in Colorado Springs...Ya, Ya Sisterhood Traveling Pants Thing...Okay that was Ann Marie's line. Thanks for the cheezy message. I miss you all and love you more than you'll know. I'll see you at the next one FOR SURE!

THEN
(coming soon)

NOW

Taylor Reunion

2008-07-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

Our first annual Taylor Family Reunion was a success! We stayed at the Northgate Mansion in Provo. It was beautiful and roomy for over 30 of us. It was fun to see everyone. Some of the highlights included eating, smimming, movies in the theatre room, girl talk til 2am, jewelry making, kareoke, a Chinese feast made by Rachie, water balloons, treats, lunch at Tucanos Brazilian Grill, a hike around Cascade Springs, etc. Thanks everyone, especially Lol and Gompy. We can't wait for next year.

The view from the front door.

I love this picture of Grandma LOL surrounded by SOME of her grandchildren.

Our walk to the park

Zane and Elijah calmed right down for their wagon ride. They loved it. Such boys!

Molly and her dolly. (Niece Kamryn)

The Grill Master at work!

Cousins Cousins and MORE Cousins!

2008-07-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

Jette Lynn had so much fun seeing all her cousins at the reunion. Tessy, Logan, and Glen are all her age. Fun times!

Happy First Birthday Zane!

2008-07-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Living Planet Aquarium

2008-06-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

It was fun to get together with some of the cousins and tour the local aquarium back at the end of May when we first moved here. It's nice to have it so close to us so we can go often.

Jette Lynn was so excited she found Nemo.

Home Sweet Home (The First 5 Weeks)

2008-06-20T08:12:00.000-07:00

We're settling in to our new house and neighborhood just fine. It's such a beautiful area right up against the mountains and we're grateful for all the trees and nice landscaping. It's been so nice to be able to take the stroller and go for walks. We don't know how time passes so quickly now, but Rory working 6 days a week might have something to do with it.

I keep busy with my favorite new books, the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. I'm already rereading them. You just can't beat a good love story. I can't wait for the 4th book to come out in August and then the movie in December. I'm addicted.

Jette Lynn had a really bad cold for a week and then passed it on to Zane and I. We have all been pretty miserable for a couple weeks. Then a rock flew out from the lawn mower and sent Jette Lynn to Children's Hospital in Salt Lake to check out the eye damage. It was a long night and very traumatic for a 2 year old to have doctors poking her sore eys and strapping her down for scans and tests. Her cornea suffered a scratch and we are grateful it wasn't any worse. She was on Lortab and eyedrops for a couple days, but she's already up and acting like nothing happened. The morning after it happened our little drama queen Helen Keller wouldn't open her eyes...not even to eat. It was almost comical.

Leaving Las Vegas

2008-04-26T09:32:00.000-07:00

I have less than 2 weeks to pack up the place and then the kids and I are outta here. Rory will finish up finals and come up the following week. He has secured a great job driving truck in the South Jordan area with future management opportunities and possible help getting his Land Architecture Licensure. We've been waiting for Rory to be done with school for years now and couldn't be more ready to get on with our lives and get out of Vegas.

SOME OF THE THINGS I WILL MISS:
-a variety of restaurants
-the outlet malls
-nearby friends
-Jette Lynn's friends (o:
-spring in Feb
-fall in Nov
-sunshine 360 days of the year
-every show and concert you could want

AND I WON'T MISS:
-UNLV (there's something about never having money or a husband that makes you hate a place)
-apartment living
-concrete and gravel...I need some green
-windy 350 days of the year
-only two seasons...hot/windy, chilly/windy
-overpriced theatres and shows
-wicked hot summers
-being far from family

Everything and Nothing

2008-04-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

That sums up what we do on a daily basis here at home. We're very busy all day doing what feels like nothing.

One of our daily activities is multiple trips to the bathroom. Jette Lynn is now potty trained!!!! She just decided one morning (a few months after I gave up on potty training) that she wanted to wear big girl underwear. That was the end of diapers. Yeah! It's been 3 weeks now and I'm loving it. We're working on her not being scared of the shadows so she can be in there by herself. She tells me when she has to go and can do everything by herself. It's been nice to have only one baby in diapers.

As for "Zane the Pain" he's a good protestor. He yells or cries very loudly when something isn't going his way. Another top tooth has started to appear for a grand total of 3 top, 4 bottom. And his body is finally catching up with his head. Being the busybody he is, he gets into everything he shouldn't which has made it almost impossible to pack. (Yep, less than 3 weeks now and I am in full panic mode) He's starting to get more mobile in the standing up position and it won't be long before he's walking. He wakes up every morning before Jette Lynn and I want to be...so sometimes the girls have a cranky morning and start to fully wake up when Zane decides he's ready for his morning nap. Sigh.

Notice the makeshift baby gate. The gate we want isn't in stores and would take too long to order. We decided to wing it until we move. It's proving to be more trouble than its worth.

Their first bath together. Another activity that takes up some of the day and leaves me wondering where the morning or afternoon went. Jette Lynn can spend all day in there if I let her. On this day when I was giving Zane a bath Jette Lynn noticed there was some room for her so now they take all their baths together.

Jette Lynn put a washcloth on her boat and demanded that I take a "peechure" of what she has named her Little Einsteins Sailboat.

And that's what we're up to everyday besides meals, naps, tantrums, timeouts, mess making, diaper changes, banging, yelling, laughing, crying, jumping, skipping, dancing, whining, scolding, praising, dressing up, etc. Everything and nothing.

Copycat Jette Lynn

2008-04-05T13:02:00.001-07:00

Small Reminders

2008-04-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

Everywhere are small reminders of my two beautiful babies. This picture makes me laugh because it reminds me of how busy Jette Lynn is. I'm sure she has a great story to tell about how this toy (or scarf warming the door or door necklace) got on our door. She has an incredible imagination.

Whether the spit up stains on ALL my clothes or the toys left in every nook and cranny, I'm constantly reminded of my little ones. They're teaching me love, patience, humilty, selflessness, joy, etc.

Summer Is Here!

2008-04-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

It's our last chance to enjoy the warm weather before it gets too hot, so we've been going to the park, having picnics, flying kites, blowing bubbles, etc. Soon we'll have to turn on the AC, but until then we're loving the fresh air. We're excited to be moving in 6 weeks so we won't have to be here when the heat is scorching.

Family Friends Food

2008-03-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

My three favorite things. And it was fun to have them all on Chrissy (Duck Duck) and Edith's last night of their 10 day visit. That was about a week before Easter. We went to Claim Jumper (Garrett's favorite) where the portions are HUGE. It fit the stereotype for my Asian friends. Everything is HUGE in the United States. The people, houses, food portions, etc. Ha, ha.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

Zaney

2008-03-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

He always has silly little toes curled. Always.

He can't quite figure out how to get food into his mouth yet, but there's nothing like a good finger.

Chrissy (Duck Duck) feeding him breakfast.

Here he is showing off his 4 pearly whites. No top teeth yet. Reminds me of a piranha.

Ni Hao!

2008-03-11T16:15:00.000-07:00

12 years ago I started writing a girl from Hong Kong who went by Duck Duck (Her Chinese name Tak Yuk sounds very similar). It was the year of the rat, signifying a new beginning. This year the cycle brings us full circle to the year of the rat again and we finally meet!!!

It has been fun to have her and her sister come visit us. Zane has decided to start crawling just for them. Jette Lynn laughs with them all day. And they even got her to say, "Ni hao." (Hi)

Here we are at The Venetian doing the tourist thing.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T11:40:00.000-08:00

My New Favorite Song

2008-02-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

I can't get it out of my head.

We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet

2008-02-10T10:13:00.000-08:00

President Gordon B. Hinckley
1910-2008

Crazy Kids!

2008-02-05T11:41:00.001-08:00

Jette Lynn puts everything on her head.
Zane puts everything in his mouth.

Weather Forecast

2008-02-05T08:13:00.000-08:00

Rory's forecast for Vegas:
Sunny, windy, dusty.

I'm not envious of most of our family who are receiving a TON of snow this week. In fact, I'm almost nauseous that we are moving from one extreme to the other. I could probably write up a list of the pros and cons of living in the heat or the cold and get an even list.

But we'll take the snow, autumn colors, mild summers, and fresh air over the 8 months of extreme heat and 4 months of wind and dust here in Vegas.

Just 3 1/2 months!!!

This is the park next door to my dad's house in Utah.

Translations

2008-02-01T09:26:00.001-08:00

I've noticed most 2 year olds need their parents around to help others decipher what they're saying. Jette Lynn's no different. In fact, sometimes I don't even know what she's saying. After several attempts she helps me guess what word she's saying. Ha, ha. Some examples are:

fiffet=different, diddle=little, fuh-fun-doh=marshmellow, timing=climbing, musimuc=music,

I was singing "Row Your Boat" and she lowered her head and sadly said, "My tan't whoa." (I can't row) HA!

Here she is "timing."

All Myself

2008-02-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

A big fan of the swing, here Jette Lynn shows off her latest "all myself." She put her shoes on, obviously. Ha, ha.

First Tooth!

2008-01-30T21:55:00.000-08:00

After 3 days with a fever and lots of crying Zane's left bottom tooth has broken through. Whew! What an ordeal. We're NOT looking forward to the rest of them coming in. Sigh. His new thing is sticking his tongue out and blowing bubbles. Anything to make a mess.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

2008-01-18T10:49:00.000-08:00

We like holiday treats even after the holidays.

2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

NOTE: I only did half the recipe for my trifle dish (pictured above) I know it's not the prettiest, but I'm learning.

The Children's Museum

2008-01-14T19:58:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we took Jette Lynn to The Children's Museum. She's a little too young for most of the activities, but with daddy showing her around she had lots of fun. Have you ever wondered what a million pennies looked like? Me neither, but here's a picture of it.

6 month Zane

2008-01-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

Next week Zane will be six months! He weighs in now at 19.2 lbs. His pediatrician says he's the size of a nine month old. Our little Chubba Bubba.

Christmas Wish...

2008-01-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

All Jette Lynn really wanted for Christmas was a
snowman. She got her wish even if it was a tiny one.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2008-01-04T12:02:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying the new year.

One Down One To Go

2007-12-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

Rory had his last final today! Somehow with 2 kids, no sleep, work, church, homework, projects and whatever else he passed all his classes with A's and B's. I'm so proud of him. We are SO happy he is done with his last fall semester at UNLV. One semester down, one to go.

Sundays

2007-12-06T19:09:00.000-08:00

It's always fun dressing up the tiny ones for church. Thanks Grandma LOL for the cute dress and boots.

After a mad dash to try and get the four of us to church by 9am, we are usually pretty exhausted when we get home. On this particular Sunday we just crashed in between visits and apppointments rather than honor our usual afternoon of "family nap time." Aren't Sundays great?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-12-03T09:04:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like homemade pies. Rory made an apple pie and a peach pear pie and I made the rolls for Thanksgiving at my brother's place. We weren't too sad that everyone was full from dinner. More for us!

I found a 20 lb. turkey for five bucks the other day and we were able to have a Thanksgiving feast for dinner Friday night and again last night complete with homemade stuffing baked IN the turkey, rolls, candied sweet potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy. We made everything from scratch. We still have SO much turkey left. I guess we'll be having turkey enchiladas, turkey soup, etc. YUM!!!! I love to eat! It's a cruel enjoyment as I'm STILL trying to lose baby weight. Oh who am I kidding. I'm not really trying. The story of my life as said best by the Gap Girls on SNL, "Diet starts Monday!"

Debate

2007-11-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

Hey all,
If you watch CNN between 5pm and 7pm Pacific you may see me partying with Hellary Clinton and Obama Bin Laden. I got randomly selected as 1 of 100 UNLV students to attend the Democratic Presidential Debate which is at UNLV tonight. No, I'm not converting to the dark side, but I thought it will probably be interesting to attend. I'll be the one in the background making faces at the camera and getting tackled by a 300 pound Secret Service Agent. Should be fun.

See you in TV land,
Rory

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-29T16:05:00.001-07:00

Rory's Online Portfolio

2007-10-27T13:45:00.001-07:00

We're excited Rory's down to his last 7 months in the 5 year Landscape Architecture Program here at UNLV. He's already applied to some Architect Firms in Utah and overseas in the UK. We're excited to see where the next phase of life takes us. Here is the link to his online portfolio. Check it out.

http://www.rbtaylorportfolio.com

Jette Lynn and Zane

2007-10-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

Jette Lynn loves to make silly faces and we thought we'd share some with you. We've been teaching her how many fingers to hold up when asked how old she is. She's been busy practicing. She always has need for a diaper wipe to soothe an owie or clean up a mess (real or invisible). I got out a jacket for fun the other day and she loved putting her hands in the pockets and having the hood on. Since the weather has been in the high 70's we're still wearing summer clothes. In other baby news Zane has started holding his head up. He has lost his newborn voice and now gurgles and cries with more of a baby boy voice. Did I mention he cries? A LOT. He also gets to use whatever blanket is nearest, sometimes a nice pink one...poor kid.

3 month old Zane

2007-10-24T14:41:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Jette Lynn

2007-10-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

A Shout Out to Jake and Erin

2007-10-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

The Thursday before General Conference, Jake and Erin were in town. We met them at The Hard Rock Cafe for lunch (sorry guys, the food was overpriced and not so good). Then they came over later and as always we talked, laughed, and cried (just kidding) until someone looked at the clock and noticed it was close to midnight. What? That only happens with the best of friends. As we always say, "Why can't they live closer?" We miss you guys!

Company Picnic

2007-10-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was Rory's company picnic. There was food, a bounce house, face painting, balloon animals, a water balloon toss, etc. All Jette Lynn wanted to do was play on the slide. When we tried to get her to come eat with us she said, "No sanks" (no thanks) and went back to playing. We had to drag her away, kicking and screaming, until she realized there were cookies involved with lunch. Then she forgot all about the slide and was just fine the rest of the day. Later she had fun playing at the mall.

Are We Ready For This?

2007-09-25T15:32:00.001-07:00

Well, she seems to be
so here goes...

Day 1:
Loves the attention
and thinks it's a fun
pretend game

2 Months Old

2007-09-25T15:21:00.001-07:00

Height:
22 inches

Weight:
12 lbs. 11 oz.

Head:
40 cm.

My Annual Haircut

2007-09-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

So I finally dragged myself to the salon after being disgusted with pictures of myself for the last few months. I don't know why it takes me a year between visits. They cut off 6 inches and it feels so much better!

2007-09-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

For Labor Day weekend we went up to Utah. We stayed with my dad in Syracuse and got to see his beautiful 6 bedroom home. On Sunday we blessed Zane in my mom's ward in Holladay and then had a small luncheon afterward. It was so special to have Rory's family and my family all there. On our way home we got to stop and see Henry and Di's new place. It was a whirlwind trip and we're exhausted, but we're glad we got to see everyone.