Just Some of my Favorite Photos (and notsofavorite, but Odd)

Self Portrait of D - I'm not sure what he's going for - Investigator? Studious? Skeptical?
B in his most disgusting face - the twins used to cry when he did this. I think I might cry too.
So this is last year's halloween costume - but I am most proud because of Captain Hook - Doesn't he look just like Dustin Hoffman's Hook just shrunken?
Lelu finishing the Moab 5 miler in 2nd place - under 45 minutes - look at her go!

This week is Thanksgiving. By far it is my most favorite holiday. I love to turn on Christmas music the day before, clean my house and bake rolls & pies. And then I just love to go to movies and hang out with my family - ahhhh, music, food, movies & family - the best holiday ever!

Hope you all enjoy it too.

The Real Birthday Day

Holding their favorite gifts-cuddly pillows-barbie laptop-and below a huge Pirates of the Caribbean Boat "the black pearl"(from D and Lelu). We went to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner with Michelle T. which was so nice to see her after her trip to Italy and back to New Mexico. Big B is in Florida at back to back conventions. It was a nice mellow day....and my favorite part: they were all in bed by 8:30.

THE FINAL GAME...a little boohoo and a little woohoo

D is number 27 going in for the tackle - he got the guy in purple on the left. While I was handling the party - D and Big B were at D's playoff game. They lost which was a total bummer for D because it's the last game of the last year he will play football. He could play once more in Little League - but he wants to run track and the seasons overlap. I made it for the second half and snapped a few final photos. But I must say, D is very very very happy to not ever deal with Coach Evil again.

The "Bee Movie" Birthday Party

Boy/Girl twin parties are a problem - I have to invite the same amount of boys & girls - in order to get an even number I had to invite their whole school class and primary class (School - Boys 17 Girls 7) and (Primary - Girls 10 Boys 3) So we had 32 show up to see the Bee Movie. What a fun crowd;) They polarized into the boy row & the girl row - with the boys glued to the movie and the girls wiggly and needed potty breaks. One girl asked to go 3 times until I figured out she was pocketing the peppermints from a bowl on the counter-she must REALLY like them.

I have a new rule: Parties only on even birthdays. I am off the hook for 2 years because they all have evens and odds the same year. WooHoo The photo in the top middle is Kenzie (Cherie's daughter) Ari and Trey (her boyfriend). They start dating younger and younger! I think Kenzie doesn't approve.

The Good News - I Still Have My Hearing!

Lelu & "bff" Morgan got tickets for Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus for their birthday's last August - it sold out in 3 minutes! We were very lucky to get these tickets. So Sharon (Morgan's mom) and I took the girls and literally plugged our ears 90% of the time. Just imagine 20,000+ little girls between 6 and 13 screaming their heads off for an hour and a half. Lelu thought it was awesome and jumped up and down the whole time. All in all, a great first concert for two 10 year olds. And I really hope Miley Cyrus stays wholesome and doesn't go down the Brittany road.

We're Off To See The Wizard.............

I have a lot to post for the last couple weeks, but I'm waiting on some photos of D's big stage performance from the drama teacher. (We videoed, but since I was on my deathbed, I forgot the camera) So coming soon..... "Sludge Slyskull"

Okay, so I live in the past with movie characters - most kids didn't even know who Edward Scissorhands was! How sad! I think it's one of Johnny Depp's best. And yes I had a little say in 3 of the costumes this year. Okay I had all the say in the twins costumes BUT AREN'T THEY THE CUTEST!!! D's was a little persuasion - but all the teenagers at school loved it and what a cool wig to add to our ever expanding collection. Lelu was the hugely popular for all tweens "Hannah Montana" (If you don't know who she is - watch Disney Channel and she's on there like 12 hours a day) So we are loaded up on candy - B originally offered to give them a dollar a piece (not so he could eat it;), but they've each got about 80 pieces. So we may be dipping in to the college funds to prevent future dental costs. Mr. T asked when he gets to pick his own costume and I explained to him that until mom has got her fill of fun that she paid for in NO SLEEP for 18 months taking care of twins - mom gets to choose. I get sooooo much fun out of it. So far we've had "Twin Pumpkins", "A bee & flower", "football player & cheerleader", "Tinkerbell & Captain Hook" and now "Dorothy & The Tin Man". I could go on for years!!!!! I seriously doubt they will accept that excuse much longer :( cry a tear for me.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.........

I remember when Aub was in preschool in CA and they took field trips to the pumpkin patch and I thought, "why on earth would you spend a field trip at a pumpkin patch?" Over the years as I've become wiser and more observant: It's like searching for the Holy Grail. Which one is the perfect one? And there has to be hundreds of them to inspect and to make such an important decision takes TIME!!! To add to the fun, this year the owner (who must be about 100) sat grumpily telling the kids "don't pick them up, if you drop it, you pay for it", "don't pull those wagons too fast or down that little incline", "don't step on them" and other encouraging phrases. In past years, there's been teenagers sitting bored and not even acknowledging our existence until it's time to pay. I prefer the teenagers myself. We are now officially decorated for Halloween. And we look forward to the marathon carving and decision making for the perfect Jack O'lantern face.

Mountain Shack Fun

Last Saturday after B and I thawed from our exposure to the elements in separate sides of Northern Utah - we thought we'd spend a snowy weekend up at the shack. It was very bizarre weather. It snowed all the way up to Parley's summit and then as we drove down into Park City it stopped. As you can see, Lelu and Mr. T were able to scrape up enough snow to make mini snowmen, the twins enjoyed a movie in the "electronic free zone" or at least that was the original idea (sorry Big B), and we had a little visit from our friendly neighborhood Bullwinkle. He walked right past our front door and mosied down into our meadow. It was very exciting. The leaves were beautiful - okay Utah has one plus - I really do LOVE 3 out of the 4 seasons. And for snippets of time I enjoy the fourth season. We actually did listen to conference on the radio too. I liked the "Good, Better and Best" talk, I think by Dallin Oaks?? D was there texting (his new obsession), torturing the twins and listening to his ipod (those are all habits I'm not too thrilled to preserve on film). Aub was MIA working hard at Babies R us, studying, volunteering at the homeless shelter, having gospel discussions with return missionaries, finding the cure for cancer, running a marathon and writing the talks for the General Authorities. (or maybe one or two of those activities???)

Sorry Mom & Dad, next time give me the heads up in advance when you need a ride and I'll be happy to shuttle you.

I was sad to miss Brecklyn's wedding and I've heard NOTHING about it - please Peg, Becca, Sherisse share - and a big fat Congratulations to the happy couple! I still need their address ;)

The Soccer Uniform for UTAH! And still cold :(

Well, the soccer season is over. At least outdoor soccer (thank heavens). For those of you who don't live in this great state - it has rained or snowed the last 4 Saturdays in a row! The weather is nice and fall-like all week and then the weekend it says "I don't think I like all of you people enjoying the outdoors" - punishing all of us who have kids in football and/or soccer. Lelu's last game was kind of a bummer because they've won every game until this one. The other team only scored one goal - but the last time we played that team we beat them 8 to 0. Looking at it from a positive perspective, I was secretly a little happy for the other team because it really meant a lot to them. Lelu has informed me she wants to play indoor soccer now (just when I thought I could convince her to go back to gymnastics with Arielle, so that I could drive two birds with one destination).

I missed D's football game again, which I understand was a good one. D got in some time on the offensive position that he loves, so he was happy. D also brought to my attention that I needed to make a retraction - his team has lost 2 games (ones I missed and somehow assumed was won).

One spiritual blip.

Last night I went to the General Women's broadcast with Cherie and family at the conference center. I had a few observations to share - Pres Hinckley can still move pretty quickly for 96 yrs. old - I really love the spirit of a bunch of women with the same values filling a huge auditorium and really feeling the power of unity - Pres. Monson had 3 goals for us: 1. study diligently 2. pray earnestly 3. Serve willingly Which I heard as SAVE willingly and wrote it down that way until Cherie brought it to my attention that it was "serve" (you can analyze that one with a good laugh) . I had one of those "I am in the right place, doing the right things, and heading the right direction" moments. A Gratitude Moment ( not to be cliches') (sp??)

A small illness and football update. Sorry no photo:(

Lelu's sore throat was upgraded to strep throat - which D followed 3 days later putting him out of commission to play in his game. Although he was required to wear his jersey and stand on the sidelines in the rain - and Big B still filmed. And the cold I thought I missed caught up to me on my flight home. Everyone is now on the mend. D is done being punished for his parents sins questioning Evil King Coach E. He played an awesome game yesterday in the SNOW Brrrrrrrrrr and can I just emphasize Brrrr? We all came home soaked to the bone with mild frostbite, but happy to enjoy the game again. They are now 5-0.

Big B is a Genius

What is this you are probably saying? It's my dream come true!

Last weekend my friend and I went to downtown LA and shopped for children's girl's clothes for 3 days. My friend last spring and fall has had a boutique in her home selling jewelry, purses, clothes and belts that she travels to NY and LA to purchase with a wholesale license in the fashion districts. She does this with another one of her friends. So I was talking to her and asked if she ever thought about doing kids clothes. She thought it was a great idea, since she has two little darling girls herself. Big B thought it a great idea too and I wondered why he was so agreeable. So we took off last Thursday, stayed in downtown LA right across the street from the law firm I used to work at. And I remembered flawlessly how to get around (maybe my alzheimers is at bay after all). My friend is also fluent in spanish (but blond like me) so she listened to these mostly spanish speaking sellers down there discussing prices and negotiated like a pro. After we shopped we went up to Beverly Hills to see a movie ( I sat right next to Larry King and his wife), then we went into to Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Ave. to check out the kids clothes. We were so excited because everything we bought, something extremely similar were in these stores for 6 or 7 times the price we paid. Thus why Big B is a genius - I have a whole new (miserly) perspective on shopping for my kids clothes (my biggest guilty pleasure). And my girls each got a fall/winter wardrobe for hardly anything. The rest of the stuff we'll sell at Kelly's boutique in November and make back the cost of our trip plus some X-mas money. Win-win! Big B in the meantime, kept down the fort getting kids to games, practices etc.

Lelu the Soccer Forward (on the right)

This is the first year Lelu has played soccer since she was 6. That's when we realized that she was a really fast runner because she could reach the ball before anyone else - but she was afraid of

the ball.

She is no longer afraid of the ball and has become the super soccer player. She tells me they play at school at recess every day. Her team is boy/girl and they play at school with the boys, so there's some good competition. This may be where we'll see the true meaning of her name "Fiery". Yesterday her game was cancelled because it was SNOWING - yes you AZ and CA residents - I said SNOWING. There hasn't been a year we've been here that it hasn't jumped to winter at least once in September.

She has a really great team, so far they are undefeated.

THE TAYLOR FAMILY THEATRE ROOM FOR THE INFIRMED

Our bed has become the official "sick bed". Lelu and B are suffering, the twins are just magnetized to the TV. Poor Lelu missed her first day of soccer yesterday - and D's game because of a sore throat, achy bones and a really runny nose. I missed this cold, thank heavens - I loaded up on Cold Ease at the first sign of a sniffle. I swear that stuff works. The twins started it last Monday, but didn't seem to suffer as much as Ay and B.

D. Taylor as "Sludge Slyskull" in "The paper bag bandit". Playing October 23rd.

Okay, so the photo has nothing to do with the title. Isn't he just the cutest player? I like this photo that we are supposed to wear around our neck at the game, so I took a picture of it. D also this week got the biggest part in the school melodrama - the evil guy - and he's got the evil laugh down to almost chilling!

Every one of D's plays he got his man! So there!

I promised a football update.....so here goes in a politically correct narrative: D has been selected and frozen by the same coach for the past 5 years. His coaching methods include intimidation and negative reinforcement, relegating a player to his 10 play minimum if he gets wind that the player's parents tried to get the player off of his team and raising his voice to an extreme volume when passing on the negative reinforcement to his players. So this was one of D"s 12 plays of the game. Which they did win, but I am a selfish parent who doesn't care who wins or loses, just how much my son likes and plays in the game - so B and myself didn't care. D was disappointed further because Grandma & Grandpa, Aunt Michelle and a cute girl named Demi came to watch him play. ( I don't think Demi had any idea how much D played, she just had a big smile on her face.) They say bless those who hurt you......so I bless and praise Coach E that what goes around, will not come back around - I'd just like to see it if it does;)

Just a small clarification: We are the parents that tried to get D switched off of his team - so the coach hardly played D, there is a 10 play minimum and D did get 12, so I guess he was generous. Usually D plays 1st string Defense & 2nd string offense - which is a whole lot more than 12 plays.

THE BIRTHDAY THAT NEVER ENDS - ENDED. Phew

While Big B and Mr. T were watching D, Lelu completed her birthday with the glamorous friend party. They all got updo's, makeup and nail polish at the beauty school and then came back to our house to take photos, play games, eat cake and ice cream, play more games .........the party was supposed to end at 5:00 - but the last girl left around 9:00. I got a good glimpse into the future of Lelu's teenage peers, with the obnoxious, the I'm all that, the gluttons, the nice ones, the brainiac and the performer (like a little Bette Midler -she was my favorite). Also a little glimpse into how much Arielle is going to want to hang out with Lelu and her friends - I hope Lelu doesn't get too annoyed.

Big B is videotaping every moment of D's football season - so I am very lacking in the football photos. I will repent and bring my camera to the next game, so tune in to a football post coming soon.

Lelu does not have a future in Rodeo bull riding!

We joined Big B at Snowbird for a quick night's stay on Friday after he finished his TazWorks User group conference. We had some fun on their summer activities - Bull riding for Lelu - Alpine slide all of us, with Mr. T being tall enough to ride by himself. In his excitement, he flew down the hill at the top speed and promptly flipped himself over in a sharp turn(he's a true Taylor, I seem to recall Jeff having the same problem).

But he just tipped his sled back up and flew down the rest of the mountain. He said it didn't even hurt, with a few scrapes to his cheek, ear and elbow. I wish I had a picture of his wipeout.

Saturday we had to rush back down for D to get to his football game. His team won. They are 2-0 now.

No bond greater than those who shared the womb!

Lelu took this picture and I just thought it was so memorable! Look how tightly they are hugging. I hope they stay this close to each other throughout teens. If they can last through the teens together - they'll be close like this forever!

A week full of Landmark moments.

Lelu turned a decade old
this week. We celebrated again with a trip to Joe's crab shack & the cake below

I really like the twins teacher & Ayden's teacher! They are both young and enthusiastic women who have great attitudes about kids and teaching! Reminds me of Michele and how could we get any better than that?

First Day of Kindergarten SOOO CUTE!! There's always a theme with these photos: B in his workout clothes on the front porch.

It's presentation leaves something to be desired, but it is yummy and chocolatey!