Mario Party Extravaganza!

Dallin is 7!!! We planned a Mario Party birthday party this year and had so much fun! It was a beautiful day which was great because we had the whole party outside and through our neighborhood. Each year I regret that I didn't have enough pictures of his birthday because I'm running around like a crazy woman, but thanks to Brooke the Mangificant (*see picture below), I had tons and then some!!

These are some of the things we did:
- Roll the gigantic dice to decide which mini game we would play
-Yoshi's Egg Hunt
-Get the Goomba balloon pop
-Save Princess Peach treasure hunt
-Koopa Troopa Bank ball toss
-Mario Madness bubble gum chew/bubble race
-Chain Chomp piniata
-Super Mushroom Cupcakes
-Collect coins from each game where they could trade in for a Bonus Star necklace

After the festivities were over the kids were playing with the dice and ball toss.  One of the boys said, "Man, this is the best party I've ever been to...and I've been to a lot!"  That was the best compliment of all time!
We did have a fun time but the very best is to see the smile on Dallin's face. I love you buddy!

* Brooke the Magnificant

Credits:

Brooke - Someone that understand my insane need to plan a party and awesome photographer!
Darlene - for all the awesome help the day before the party and hooking us up with some awesome $10 bubble gum!
Riley (Luigi) - For making the games run so smoothly!
Haley (Princess Peach) - for being the cutest Princess Peach in a Cinderella costume ever!!
Joe, Jeff, and Brandon - for being patient as we go overboard!

The Plants of the Desert

We took a tour of a Chocolate factory here in Vegas in August. Let's just say...it was nothing compared to Charlie's! But the grounds around the factory were very interesting.  Here we are melting in the 120 degree weather learning about the indigenous plants of Southern Nevada.  I think October would have been a better time to do this.  Note to self...

 

Retro back...Valentines Box for this year

Two years ago we did a dog valentines box, go check it out in last years posts.
Well, this year we got even more creative and did a Captain Underpants Valentine Box (Dallin, and Joe, love these books). We had a fun time! Dallin helped me put the glue and paper around the balloon, and then he and Kiera painted it the flesh color. I made the under pants out of two pairs of Fruit of the Loom underwear as his waist was a lot bigger than his rump. We were all very proud of it!!! And he won first place for his grade!! Yeah, Dallin!!!

Building a Palace

I just read this quote on a friends blog and was impressed to include it on mine.  As I glance over at my new wing (Lauren) and actually (literally) getting a new house here soon, I feel very uncomfortable and unsettled.  It's nice to know that if I keep standing tall and strong, I will be more than I am now.  You've got to love progression even though it hurts a little at times.

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first perhaps, you can understnd what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of- throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself."
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Lauren Taylor!

We are so excited she is here!!!

Lauren Taylor

Born: March 5, 2010

Time: 4:58a.m.

Weight: 9 lbs. 1 oz.

Height: 19 1/2 inches long

She came out round and pink all over!  The first night home we wondered if we could handle her because she was up every 15 minutes until morning came and then slept all day.  The next night my milk came in and we realized that she was just starving.  She slept 6 hours that night and we instantly fell back in love with her!!  Since then there is very few nights that she doesn't wake only once.

She is loved by her brother and sister and they are constantly wanting to hold her.  Kiera anticipates her needs and gets whatever I need before I even ask her to help.  The other day I was talking to Lauren and saying, "I think you are getting hungry."  Kiera instantly jumped up and ran in the other room.  She came running in with the nursing pillow, my Newman's Ointment, and a burp rag.  I was amazed and how in tune she is!!  And feel so blessed to have such a great helper.

We hope that you enjoy some of the moments we have captured throughout the last couple of weeks.

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Gavin the Eagle

I had to share this with you. This is my oldest nephew, Gavin. Two weeks ago he valiantly received his Eagle Scout Award, he had his 16th birthday, advanced to a Priest in our church's Young Men organization, and received his Driver's Licence. It was a big weekend for him!!!
I just wanted him to know that, one, I'm so proud of him, and two, he's just a great kid and I love him!!

Gavin Eagle Award from Jayson Kunzler on Vimeo.

Mom, Can I Help?

A couple of weeks ago, I lay on the couch wondering if I was actually going to be normal again. Dallin and Kiera being the troopers that they are played very well together with a few comments here and there from Dallin such as "Kiera, we have to play nice together because Mommy isn't feeling well." and "Kiera, let's be friends today so Mommy doesn't have to get mad at us, cuz she's sick." Each time he commented, I would chuckle to myself and be grateful for my kids!

Anyway, every hour or so, Dallin would come to me and ask me if I wanted a pillow or a drink of water, or crackers, etc. I would thank him and tell him I was such a lucky mom to have him looking after me. Kiera decided that she wanted in on some action. She came to me and asked me if I wanted any candy, where I quickly replied with a shutter, that no, I didn't need any candy. She came up to me again and asked me if I wanted medicine to make me feel better. I told her again that I was okay and didn't need anything right now. She looked at me and said, "I want to help too, Mom! I'm a nice lucky girl!" After a slight chuckle inside, I asked her if she would get me another cracker and told her thank you.

The day progressed about the same and before I knew it, it was night. Joe was still at school and wouldn't be home for another 2 hours and my kids had spent the whole day looking after themselves and had done a GREAT job! However, I was feeling like a complete and utter failure as a mother! Guilt struck and thought to myself I better get them to bed. Dallin comes up to me and puts his hand on my cheek and says, "Mom, I think Kiera is tired, do you want me to put her to bed?" Man, why stop there, he had done such a great job all day, I should let him finish the day out, right? Oh, boy, what is happing to me! In desperation, I let him. He was so excited to do it!

This is what I hear from the other room:
"Okay, Kiera, it's time to say your prayers. Ready? [Dallin prompting her] Dear...bless mommy to get better...bless daddy to get home fast...amen. Okay, now let's sing songs. I'll sing you 3 songs. Which one first? Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star... Rock-a-bye Baby, in the Treetops... I Am a Child of God... Alright, it's time to go to sleep, okay? I love you Kiera! I love you, Dallin! Good night! Good night!"

Dallin ran in the room, I was moderately existing in, and told me that he was going to go to sleep, gave me a kiss on the cheek and left. He said his prayers and went right to sleep.

I have no doubt that even though I was feeling depressed and didn't feel like facing the world through this last month that this was God's hand helping me to hold on and see the love and the light that each new day holds. I have been truly blessed.

New Taylor Addition coming soon!

Well, I've been very absent in my bloggin' for quite a few months. With Little Entertainers performing in June and then the rest of the summer has been consummed with my reflection in the toilet bowl. All-in-all, we are so excited to get ready for our new addition to our family!! I am 12 weeks pregnant and starting to feel like a human being again. My Midwife says that it's a good thing I'm sick, this means there is a baby growing and progressing normally. There you go...
Dallin and Kiera are so very excited. Kiera comes up to me and rubs my belly and says with a big grin, "That's where my baby is!" Which Dallin quickly says in response, "Kiera, it's just not your baby, it's all of our baby! Huh, Mom!"



We told our immediate family this weekend and Joe, being the cake-lover that he is (ha ha), wanted to print a picture of the ultrasound on a cake.

Easter 2009

Easter has come and gone and I forgotten to post. I make it a tradition to make Kiera's dress every year. This year was so much fun and I'm so grateful to have been taught by the Smocking Wiz, Edna. Thank you for taking the time to teach me 3 long years ago! My first project was Kiera's blessing dress. Joe won't let me smock Dallin a shirt or outfit. I just don't know why. :-)

One of the Happiest Pictures of Me!

Giveawaytoday.blogspot.com is giving away a photography book that I desparately want! For three entries I have to find a picture of myself that shows me happy. So, after looking through all our pictures I realized that I either don't smile in pictures or I dodge having my picture taken too much! It's made me realize that my kids are going to feel 'gypt' when they don't have any pictures of me when they are older. It's taught me a valuable lesson and maybe I'll change my ways. But not today!
In this picture, Kiera was about 3 months old and my mom, grandmother and I had just spent the day together. We were all dressed similar and so my Uncle Matt took pictures of us. It will always remind me of that wonderful day with my wonderful Grandma! I love her so very much!

Dallin's First Valentine's Box

With Dallin in Preschool, it gives us as parents a lot of "firsts". First day of school, first show and tell, first halloween parade, etc. Well, he had to make a Valentine's Box for school and his teacher asked that it be a family activity. So last Family Home Evening, we started working on this Box! Well, Daddy didn't think we should just do some ordinary box and suggested we do a dog somehow. We found a 3 liter Shasta bottle, some fur left over from the sheep costume I made, paint, and a glue gun. It was a little shakey at times but this is what we came up with! It was the hit of the classroom. Dallin said he was going to keep his Valentine Dog for next year and every year after that! He loves it, we did it as a family, and had fun. That's all that matters!

Family Pictures...Finally!

Yesterday we had our first family pictures taken after 4 years! Yes, Kiera is now a part of the family! We were pleased with how they turned out. It will be good to not have Kiera ask me everytime she sees our family picture, "Where is Keira? She is not here."