Sissy's new found talents..

Standing on her own.

Sissy "head-banging" and bouncing to the music.

Random Ramblings

What we have been doing lately....

Lots of drawing

Sissy's been doing lots of climbing. I have to really watch her.

Lots of jumping...Will has a thing right now about jumping. He thinks it is really cool.

Opening Christmas cards which I love.

Searching high and low for soft soled, black, dressy shoes, size 3.5 Wide and finally found them!!!

And the best part...they were 50% off. For all of you moms out there who know what it is like to pay dearly for wide shoes, this was a steal. One pair left, Abby's size, 50% off. Whew Hew!!

Just thought I would share...

Happenings...

Ok...now to give some time attention my poor, neglected blog. I would much rather my blog be neglected though than my family. :)
Let's see--I am officially done nursing Abby. She..yes..SHE just decided that she was through with it. I couldn't believe it. She wanted nothing more to do with being nursed or even drinking out of a bottle. I couldn't have been more unprepared. I tried to get her to do both at least one more time so I could say "this was the last time" but nope. All she wants is her sippy cup. I was thankful it was so easy but also sad at the same time. My baby is growing up.
We are celebrating Christmas with my family this weekend. We are all really looking forward to it. Mom and Dad are stock piling the pantry, fixing all of our favorite foods, and have got some really fun gifts for us to open. I can't wait. Another thing to look forward to is Brian's vacation time. He is taking two weeks off and we are all super excited. I love Christmas. Will is also super excited about Christmas this year. We have picked out Jesus' birthday cake and will be having an all out birthday celebration Christmas morning. He keeps asking what we are getting Jesus for His birthday. Any ideas?? I am not quite sure how to answer that one.
Not much else to report so I will just end this post by writing that I am so very thankful for all that God has given me in my life...for the sacrifice of His son, for the grace that I live under, for a husband that loves me so dearly and is so committed to me and our family, for my sweet, sweet babies, for my wonderful extended families, and for all the kind, generous people in my life. I am undeserving of God's favour but so very grateful. So, tonight and every night I celebrate all that I have in Jesus Christ who is my redeemer and savior. I am so blessed.

Christmas Picture

Cancelled the picture appointment with Portrait Innovations and decided on this one instead...

Merry Christmas.

Look at this...

Will's first word. I guess after watching the movie, he remembered how to spell it (because we don't own it). Pretty impressive.

Poor little blog..

My blog is in definite need of some TLC so I thought I would spend a few minutes typing while my e-bay auctions are ending and the pictures from Sissy's birthday are downloading.

Yes...my little girl is officially one year old. We had her birthday party on Saturday and had such a nice time. It is such a treat to have everyone in our home and cook for them. They all do so much for us it is nice being able to give back a little bit. Brian got his chef's hat on and prepared a terrific cheesy potato soup and I made Santa Fe Soup...served it with some little sandwiches...and voila. I think everything went really well (minus the fact that my brother and sister-in-law weren't able to come). Will had a BIG time with his cousins and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves.

With the Christmas season upon us, things have been super hectic. We have had lots of play dates, social activities, shopping, and....unfortunately...sickness. I feel like the kids have been sick all winter and "winter" just started. Abby is cutting ALL FOUR molars at the same time (so needless to say...she is a mess) plus she is getting over a cold. Will is finally over his cold but is suffering from a case of the rottens since he's been sick...so it has been a lot of fun. :))))) I hope we are on the upswing for a while and the kids will stay well.

Not much to report on our end. I have been doing a little shopping and a little e-baying to make up for the shopping (which I learned I just broke even) and Brian (after some changes at work) has been enjoying his job so much more. He is not in meetings all day every day and the stress level has greatly improved. I am thankful that he is more at peace. Now--we just need to get him over his cold. (Oh yeah...did I mention Brian has been sick too....and since I've been typing...Will has coughed 3 times...grrrrr).

I think that about sums it up. Shopping, sickness, birthday. Oh...I got our Christmas cards addressed and ready to be mailed out. Though not the best picture of any of us....it will certainly do.

Happy Holiday!

Christmas card photo

So I gave it my best shot. I got the kids all dressed up and ready for their at-home-photo-shoot and it didn't quite go as I had planned. In fact, the kids just weren't having it. After about 10 shots, I gave up. Portrait Innovations here we come!

And one cute one of Sissy....finally.

The door

Here is the finished product. 3 weeks of work and Brian can finally put away all the scraping, staining, and sealing supplies. YEA!!

Weekly Happenings...

Let's see if I can get you all caught up on the Taylor family. I'll start with Brian.
My hubby has done a most excellent job staining the front door. It has been quite a job for him. For two weeks now he has been stripping, sanding, and staining and his hard work is paying off. He will put the finishing touches on the door this weekend and then I will take a picture so you can see the finished product. It sure looks good.
I know I have said this a million times already but Brian really is a one-of-a-kind dad. He is so loving, attentive, and patient with Will and Abby. I watch and listen to other dads and they don't hold a candle to Brian. Will and Abby are so very lucky...and at such a young age..they know it too.
Not much to report about me...just taking care of the kiddos. I was finally able to attend my bible study this week (no kid sickness to contend with) and I have MOPS this morning. I also joined a new play group through MOPS that will be lots of fun for both me and the kids. I will take pictures each time we meet so you can see all the kids in action.

Will is still doing super with his potty training. He struggles a little bit with giving me enough time to get him to the bathroom but all in all...I couldn't be more pleased or surprised at how well he had done. I am sure the "urgency" will lessen with thime as gets more and more comfortable. When I picked him up from bible study yesterday, his teacher told me that he even used the potty at church. I almost cried. I couldn't believe he went in the bathroom with all the other kids (and with out me) and just took care of his business. I guess he really can survive with out me. :) Will is also super excited about Christmas. We have really been trying to emphasize the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, rather than Santa Claus and the gifts...and what an impact it has had on him. He has talked nonstop about Jesus' birthday and even picked out His birthday cake at Kroger so we can have a "birthday party" Christmas day. It is so heart warming to hear him talk about how the Christmas tree, the stockings, and presents are all for Jesus' birthday. He is even telling his friends. There are few times as parents when you feel like you are getting it right...and on this one...we feel like we are doing just that.

Abby is doing great. She is cruising around everywhere, learning how to eat with a fork (which is a total mess), and is as feisty as ever.
And lastly..Brady. We learned this week that Brady has diabetes so we have put him on a strict diet and exercise regimen. It has bothered us immensely since the vet told us about his diabetes because we feel and are responsible for what goes in his body. Needless to say, there has been way too much people food and junk.

I think that about wraps it up. Hope all is well with you.

Movin' and Groovin'

What would we do with out good ol' Chris Montez and "Let's Dance"???? :)

Happenings...

Ok..so obviously I am not doing so good about updating my blog. I don't know where the time goes. All I do know is that I haven't adjusted so well to the new time change which has really thrown me off this week. I've been getting up at 5:00 or 5:15 and wanting to go to bed at 8:00. It has been harder on me than the kids. A sure sign I'm getting older.

Ok...let's see...family news.....Will is almost nearly potty trained and I write that with such enthusiasm and disbelief. Once he finally used the potty (both #1 and #2), he realized it really wasn't so bad after all and has done it ever since. We have had very few accidents and not even one night time accident. He has done so super and has received lots of kudos for it. Hugs, kisses, stickers, a Transformer, an art easel, and some candy every now and then. Way to go Will.

Brian is on the verge of buying a new car (2006 Altima). He brought it home today and even took it to the mechanic (which checked out great except it needs two new tires) but has yet to make a final decision. My gut says he is going to do it. We'll just have to wait and see. We are still looking at mini-vans for me but just can't seem to find one for the right price...and we may never..which is ok too. My vehicle works.

Abby is cruising around everywhere and enjoying her new found independence. She is such a cutie and has become so much fun. What a gift it is to be a mom. A true blessing.

That is about all for now as I hear a thud, Sissy crying, and Will saying,"Sorry pretty gurl." Gotta run.

Around here...

There's not much going on around here. The kids are getting over their colds, still working on potty training with Will (he is doing great), and mom will be arriving today for a few days. I am so looking forward to the company and help. Brian has been working on the front door--stripping the old stain and getting ready for the new. It has been quite a job.

Will is super excited about Halloween and so are we. I do love those small boxes of Milk Duds. :)

More to come later.

Team Taylor

is what we affectionately call one another and I kinda like it. The name (which Brian coined) couldn't be more fitting because because...well....we are a team...in every sense of the word and I couldn't be more grateful. I love my family and my support system.

I thought I would post some pictures of our trip to the Newport Aquarium. We had a great time. Will thought the sharks and alligators were so neat and I couldn't agree more. We also hit the Gap Distribution Center where I found a couple pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of pants for Abby, 3 pairs of Robeez (that I just listed on e-bay), and for Brian..a new shirt and pair of jeans. It was a bit chaotic trying to shop with two little kids but I think we did pretty good. All in all, a great day and a great time.

The rest of the weekend was spent around here. Abby has a pretty bad cold so the trip to Cincinnati was about all she could stand. We just tried to keep her happy and rested for the remainder of the weekend. Bless her heart, I hope she gets feeling better fast. Hope your week is a good one.

Happenings...or lack there of :)

Let's see--weekend recap. Saturday we spent all day in Brian's hometown for his dad's birthday. We had such a nice time. We spent the first part of the day with his mom, ate some super yummy homemade vegetable soup (that we ate again tonight....I just can't seem to get enough soup right now), and then spent the evening with his dad. "E" fixed a terrific birthday dinner and his sister fixed an artichoke dip that was out of sight. Good company, good food,...an all around great day.

Sunday, we just took it easy...grocery, whole sale shopping, cooking, mowing grass. Brian treated me to my all time favorite soup (did I mention I am on a soup kick).....Don Pablos White Chicken Chili. He completely out did himself. It tasted just like the real thing. Eating it brought back so many memories (isn't it funny how food or smells can do that). We use to go to Don Pablos all the time when we were first married. Poor Brian, I made him go there every chance I could get. So, for him to recreate one of my favorites, was so sweet and thoughtful. I have eaten a bowl every day since Sunday and probably won't stop until it's gone (minus a bowl we are saving for Ney). It is soooo, soooo good.

Yesterday, I took the kids to the mall to order Brian some work pants and cruise the sale rack at Macy's. It was a lot of fun to get out with the kids and even more fun when I saw Brian (unexpectedly) walking towards us. I snearly squealed out loud. I think Will and Abby were just as excited as I was. What a nice surprise. He even watched the kids while I picked out a pair of jeans. I still smile (even as I am typing this) just thinking about him walking towards us.

Off to bed I go. After volunteering at church this morning in the infant room, I am beat. God love those women that do it every week.

Here is my prayer that I am praying right now continually through out the day. Perhaps you could pray for me too. "Lord, may others see You in me rather than me in me. " It is a daily struggle.

This week in pictures...

Daddy and the kids watching Wipe Out.

Will got a funky rash on his face. It is much better now.

Will brought this over to me and said,"I drew a picture of you." Though I don't look so great, I thought he did a great job.

Another fun day in Lexington...

Here are some pictures from our trip to Lexington today. In the pictures are Vicky's boys (A.J. and Zach), Tracy's daughter (Sadie) and of course...the Taylor Tots. It is always so nice spending time with them. A true treat for me and the kids. Love you girls.

I see the light...

What an end to the week. It started off with a bang and ended with a bang. Poor Will got a bad virus that showed its ugly head Wednesday and didn't get better until today. It gave him really bad ulcers on his tongue and let me tell you...he was miserable. Up 4 and 5 times a night, not able to eat or drink anything, crying, fussing,....it was the pitts...for everyone. By Thursday night, I didn't think I could do it one more day so I called in some reinforcements...Brian's dad. I just needed an extra pair of hands to help me with Will and/or Abby not to mention get a little sleep and I got all the above. His help was such a blessing. Thank you Big Jul!
With Will not feeling well, we had a pretty low key weekend. No church (because he couldn't be in child care), no eating out, and no going anywhere. We did go pick up a pizza Saturday night just to get out which by the way..was very yummy. We hadn't had Domino's in about..oh...6 years and we were quite impressed. Brian (aka Nick Burns) was very impressed with their website and we were both impressed with the taste. It is even quite a bit cheaper than the "Papa".
By the looks of my calendar, this week won't be too busy. I may try and make a trip to Lexington if Will is up to it and we've got Big Jul's birthday on Friday. Other than that, we'll probably play around here. Mom and Dad are in Florida and Brian's mom and sister just got back so there are lots of beach bums around here...but not in this house...unfortunately :( Hopefully, next year!

Blog updates..

Lets see--I will start with the weekend. Brian got home on Friday (Yea!!) after having been gone all week and I can't tell you how much we all missed him. It was the longest we have been away from him since Abby's birth and boy we were ready for him to come home. It was a happy reunion.

Saturday was such a nice day. My parents came up to keep the kids so we could go on a "real" date. A date that started at 5:30 and didn't end until nearly 11:00. We got to eat dinner at a reasonable time (no waiting around to put Abby to bed), walk around down town, and even go see Peter Cetera sing with the Louisville Orchestra. I am not kidding when I say we were one of the youngest couples there but we couldn't care less. Peter Cetera put on a GREAT show and we had such a great time. He sings, looks, and acts much younger than he really is. We both said it was our favorite date thus far.

Sunday, we spent relaxing and recuperating from all the excitement. We even went to the mall....which proved to be more excitement than we were wanting. :)

This week has been a week filled with lots of friends. We had a play date with Jennifer, Houston, and Edie on Monday, a play date with the neighbors Tuesday, and another play date today with the neighbors today. The socialization has been welcomed and fun. However, I think the socialization has come to an end for a few days. I took Will to the dr. today (after a couple sleepless nights) and found out he has a virus that is leaving ulcers on his tongue. He is in quite a bit of pain so hopefully with some strong Tylenol in his system, he will sleep well tonight. I felt so bad for not taking him to the dr. sooner but I really thought it was just some typical 3 year old behavior (scared of the dark, not liking the things I was fixing for dinner, etc.... ) Oh the things we do as parents. Those poor first born children.

Hope the rest of your week is a good one.

Here are a couple pics of us goofing around

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To Ney

Hope you have a wonderful time in Florida. Here is a sweet message from Master Will before you go. As you can see, he took "Ratchet" to bed with him tonight. Be safe, be careful, and eat lots of crab legs for us. Thanks again for all the goodies. We love you.

Just goofing around...

My friends...the steam cleaner and Dual Power.

Brian, Will, and Big Jule went to the balloon glow last night thus giving me the perfect opportunity to.......can you guess it.....read a book.....do my nails......watch a chick flick....relax on the couch......nope....STEAM CLEAN! Believe it or not, I was thrilled to have the chance to do it because our living room carpet needed it desperately and typically, by the time Will goes to bed, I am just too tired. So, I worked for a couple hours and I couldn't be more pleased with how everything looks. I had to take a picture so I could savor the moment after all my hard work was done. I even did the steps too. Who needs the professionals when you have me around. :) (Just kidding)

Oh...and I wanted to mention something about this stuff...Spray-n-Wash Dual Power. It is the BEST and I mean the BEST stain remover. You name it...this stuff can make it disappear. It may take several washes (on the really stubborn stains) but it eventually gets them out. Just remember not to put the clothes in the dryer if they need to be treated again because the heat will set the stain in. Also, you can't leave it on your clothes too long or it will bleach them. Try it and let me know what you think.