Taylor Trio

Moving...

2010-01-18T16:20:00.000-08:00

Well, in honor of moving to Idaho I am also moving blogs too... you can check out the details at my new home: http://lovejoylane.blogspot.com. All new posts will be there! Sorry if this totally complicates your day :)

Empty...

2010-01-13T16:22:00.000-08:00

My house is empty... it echoes, smells like way too many cleaning products, and has nothing left to prove that we were ever here.

We came to Mesa with NOTHING. I swear everything we owned - including our clunker car - was a hand-me-down. This home was like a mansion compared to the apartments that we were in at BYU. It made a good home - it welcomed our first two children to this world, hosted numerous YW and YM activities, and was perfect for dinner and games with friends.

Ten years from now, I wonder how much we will remember about living in AZ. Will only the sweaty summers and unfortunate run-ins with cactus come to mind? I hope not. I am glad I have this blog to always remember the moments that made this house our home... it was a pretty good home and I never thought I would be this sad to say goodbye.

More tricks!

2010-01-12T14:01:00.000-08:00

I guess Cosette didn't want Paisley getting all the attention for "growing up" - so she decided to unleash a few tricks of her own today!

First, we were outside blowing bubbles and she said "Bubble!" This is definitely her first word - fun to finally hear what she has to say instead of her just yelling at me.

Second, she is still super wobbly and always holds on to whatever she can when standing; but today she got distracted by the paper she was ripping up and she stood on her own for a good minute. She has always been happy just being a baby, so it is fun watching her grow up!

Movers coming tomorrow - AGGGHHHH! Back to work!

Hallelujah!

2010-01-11T19:41:00.000-08:00

When Paisley came out of her room this morning it hit me how BIG she has gotten. Just one of those "who is this kid and where did my baby go?" moments. She proved just how big she was today too!

First, we had to go her final appointment for her tubes to make sure they were still in place before we left. She hates going to the doctor and I could tell she was super nervous when I told her that we had to go have her ears looked at. She usually screams bloody murder the second we walk into the exam room - but today she tried so hard to be brave. I could tell she hated every minute of it but she didn't cry AT ALL. I was way impressed - this is huge for her!

Second, we had our first successful trip to the potty. She HATES the potty - has some serious phobia of it. It took months of stickers and treats just to get her to sit on the thing. Since last May, she has sat on it over 100 times with nothing. So you can only imagine how ecstatic I was when after dinner, we went - we sat - and she peed! Only a Mom would ever be this happy over urine! I know we got a long ways to go but glad we at least are on our way now!

Here she is with her "blue ice cream cone" - her treat of choice for being such a big girl! Oh Paisley - you made me so proud today!

Ole!

2010-01-07T14:34:00.001-08:00

Blake and I have always been surrounded by generous people in our lives and we are grateful for this. This time we were given two tickets to the Fiesta Bowl by Blake's old boss and a night of babysitting from Diane Durfee. It was Boise State versus TCU - since Boise is going to be our new home we cheered the Broncos on to a victory. It was a fun night... good game, free chips and salsa at our seats, and another date (we are out of control!).

So long '09...

2010-01-05T14:51:00.000-08:00

Didn't post much about our holidays - here is a quick re-cap!

*Blake got lots of time off work in which he filled with eating treats, playing video games, and hanging out with his girls.

*Cyndi savoured all the extra time with Blake - we went on 3 dates in two weeks... wow! Also, put in a personal record for distance with a run of 15 miles on New Year's Day.

*Paisley discovered the gloriousness of hot chocolate. Loved seeing the Christmas decorations and spending lots of time outside in the amazing AZ weather.

*Cosette is trying to learn how to talk so she can express her displeasure in her parents since all she got for Christmas is socks.

Upcycled!

2009-12-31T07:29:00.000-08:00

Before:

After:

You know how people always say "I am just going to give my kid a cardboard box for Christmas because they play with that more than the toy." Well, I took that to the next level and made Paisley the cutest kitchen with a bunch of junk. The only thing that I didn't have laying around was the contact paper that I covered the box with. I had fun figuring out how to put it together, making the felt food, and watching Paisley open this giant present on Christmas morning. I would like to say that it entertains all day long, but that is just impossible. The only thing that keeps Paisley entertained is having someONE to play with instead of something. So, I have her make me soup, we pretend to wash our hands (she keeps asking for water to come out), and Cosette enjoys ripping off all the velcro'd on food. It is a fun addition to the house and the best part is when we (meaning me) get sick of it - I can throw it away.

P.S. The faucet and handles turn - kind of proud of the engineering on that part.

5 Years!

2009-12-29T10:02:00.000-08:00

Blake and I enjoyed a "real" date of dinner and a movie to celebrate our 5 year anniversary yesterday! We went and saw Avatar 3D which we also saw opening day and I would go back and see it right now. It is amazing! Go watch it - it is worth the $20+ for tickets and $20 for the babysitter... which I never thought was possible.

Anyways, last night I told Blake "You make being married easy." Which he replied "You make being married... um, fun." I know I don't make it easy but I am glad that he at least considers it fun!

This is probably the most random picture but here is the story of it... I was in my BYU Beginner Ceramics class and we were assigned to make a bust of an important person in our lives. Being a newly married lovebird, of course I made Blake. We had to include symbolism in our project - so if you look closely you can see that he is coming out of a book because he is always reading. The tie has a lightening blot, the planet Dune, and a ring on it to represent some of his favorite books. His top button is fastened because he always wore his shirts buttoned to the top and it made him mad when I would unbutton it. His nose looks huge and broken because I have a weird obsession with "manly-looking" noses and I love his. His eyes are closed to represent his lack of emotion and his mouth is in the signature half-smile that he always gave me and my roommates when we were being goofy. Anyways, this lovely piece of art didn't make the cut for the move so I had to document it since even though Blake never really cared for it - I liked it!

P.S. Lots of people confused it with a depiction of Joesph Smith - haha

Merry Christmas from The Taylors!

2009-12-26T10:31:00.000-08:00

Here is our Christmas letter that we sent out this year!

No time to write a fancy Christmas letter this year so we are just passing along our grocery list so you get an idea of what we are up to:

*Diapers (Twice as many as last year since we got twice the kiddos)

*Sparkling Cider (To celebrates Blake’s MBA Graduation)

*Ice Cream (Just because we are The Taylors!)

*Hot Dogs (For all the scout campouts Blake goes on)

*Snacks (To keep us alert on long drives to Idaho to visit family)

*Tylenol (For Blake after running his 6^th and HARDEST marathon)

*Baby food (That is just sitting in the pantry, Cosette hates it)

*Jumbo sized Sunscreen (For the hot AZ hikes, swims, and park days)

*Laundry detergent (Paisley +food or crafts or dirt =Laundry)

*Candy (To bribe Cyndi’s Young Women to do Personal Progress)

*Milk (Paisley could drink a gallon a day if allowed)

We feel blessed to call you friends and up this finds you well.

Love The Taylors

Blake, Cyndi, Paisley (2) and Cosette (almost 1)

Paisley-face!

2009-12-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

Check out this face that Paisley drew - she is getting so big. She mastered drawing circles last month and now she adds eyes and a mouth. This is the first one that really looks like a face - I am glad I took a picture when I did because that next thing she did was scribble all over it. She gets embarrassed when I comment on what she draws and tries to "hide" it.

Another fun Paisley fact is that she has a phobia of lions. Every night (or when she hears a loud noise or looks into a dark place) she asks me "Lions stuck in a cage at the zoo?" I say "Yes the lions are stuck." to which she replies "They no get my Paisley?" and I say "No they can't get my Paisley!" It is a cute little conversation. Also, when she is playing with her dolls and bears I often hear her say "Quick - the lions are coming." Funny girl!

Blabbering...

2009-12-18T22:48:00.000-08:00

It is pretty clear when Blake has a Scout campout because there will be some random and very wordy post on here that was published between the hours of 12am and 8am...

Something I will definitely not miss about AZ is the Scout campouts. Sometimes I think people mistake this for me hating Blake's calling as Scoutmaster - which is totally false. I love that Blake gets to work with the young men at church - he is great at it. I would love it if they called him to the exact same position in our new ward... because then I have family to hang out with while he treks off on his monthly camping trip; whereas, now these Friday nights consist of me keeping Paisley up way past her bedtime, eating a whole pan of brownies by myself, and avoiding bedtime at all costs.

But this got me thinking of what will and won't be missed in AZ...

Things I will miss about AZ:

*Swimming

*Sunsets

*Hiking to Indian ruins

*The Adobe Ward YW and Leaders - past and present

*Running at 6am in DECEMBER in shorts and a t-shirt

*CVS

*Wearing Halloween costumes without coats over them

*The smell of orange blossoms

*45 MPH speed limit on surface roads

*Fossil Springs

*FRIENDS

*The metal giraffe that I pass on the corner of Val-Vista and Main

*When the wind blows and it rains all angry-like

*Superstition Ranch Market

*The gym

*Feeding the ducks after we visit the library

*Tempe town lake

*Kokopellis

Things I won't miss about AZ:

*Flat roofs

*Scalding hot slides

*Rock yards

*Christmas time - As a non-native, the holidays just aren't the same

*Blake's 45 minute commute

*Shopping at Fry's when it is Seniors Day

*The neighbor's dogs

*Mesa water

The Boxcar Children

2009-12-18T21:04:00.001-08:00

Week 1 after finding out we are moving in 4 weeks equated to me packing over 50 boxes of junk. I call it junk because we made a rating system of #4 = get rid of it, #3 = storage for the couple of months we are staying at Blake's parents, #2 = if there is room keep it with us, and #1 = we need it around. All 50 of the boxes I packed were #3 which just blows my mind that we have so much stuff we could live without yet can't seem to part with. I also threw a TON of stuff away and have taken two trips to the Goodwill already.

The girls didn't enjoy being home way more than we normally are but they made good use of the boxes for entertainment.

Gingerbread houses...

2009-12-17T14:57:00.000-08:00

We had some friends over for FHE to make Gingerbread houses!

Paisley loved decorating hers - I thought she would just want to eat the treats but she caught on to the whole idea of making your house look cute!

I had read somewhere the best way to keep the crackers together is to just hot glue them - I totally recommend this!

Big Moves...

2009-12-13T05:49:00.000-08:00

"Nothing endures but change."

Blake has accepted a position at Micron in Boise so this January we will be moving to the great state of Idaho. It has ultimately been our goal to get back up north closer to family so we are excited about this new endeavor. We feel very blessed that Blake was able to find this employment opportunity with our economy as it is.

It will be sad to leave the life we have made for ourselves the last four years here in Arizona - it will always hold the memories of our first children being born, a ward that became our family, and friends that will never be forgotten.

Cosie - pie!

2009-12-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

Cosette is at a fun age - she is easy to get smiles out of and is getting less stingy with her giggles. She is totally content with being a baby - no crawling, no talking, no walking... she is just fine to hang out on mom's hip and watch instead of interact. Here are some good pics of her from the last couple of weeks.

Watching Dora on top of Paisley. Notice the drool... we have two new teeth on top and I am hoping more on the way - let's get teething over with.

Hanging out at Grandma Taylor's for Thanksgiving.

My girls don't fall asleep in our arms very often so I always think it is sweet when they do!

Getting ready to go swimming in cold Idaho - thankfully the pool was heated!

This is a common occurrence - she is always scooting out of her pants.

Lucky girl with the long skinny legs.

Right before she crashed - she is such a weeble-wobble still!

I gave her one of these pretzels to keep her happy on the way home from mutual -

she got so messy in the three minutes that it took to get from there to here.

We are so grateful her birthmark has stopped growing and is looking smaller as her face fills out.

She is turning into such a cutie - even with those favorite fingers in her mouth!

R is for Rice...

2009-12-10T07:31:00.000-08:00

Is your toddler going stir-crazy?

Buy a bag of rice, throw in some spoons and cups and they should be good for an hour or so.

(Hint: Don't give them the whole bag at once unless you are outside.)

I am not the hugest fan of dollar stores - but they definitely have some things that are worth stopping in for. Their toys are what I call disposable toys that I usually pick up for our road trips and just throw them away as we go. However, here are a few things that I often buy because they really are great at entertaining a two-year old:

*Balloonies - those little tubes of plastic that you blow with the straws to make bubbles.

*Silly string

*Glow sticks

*Laser pointers

*Bags of rice or beans

*Shaving cream

*Craft things

*Birdseed - Paisley loves watching the birds eat off her pine cone birdfeeder.

Dollar stores are also great for sunglasses (they usually have Wal-marts old ones), pregnancy tests, those tiny batteries in talking books and toys, holiday items, and picture frames.

Pick-pocket!

2009-12-02T20:47:00.000-08:00

I love long-sleeves-under-short-sleeves weather!
I love the hands in the pockets, I love the grin, I love the sassy leg twist.
I love that I get to kiss this little spunky-thing every single day!

Ode to the road...

2009-11-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

Successfully made it to and from Idaho for a wonderful double Thanksgiving!

First stop was the Taylors in Boise. I had my first paint-balling experience (sorry no pictures - I should just take one of the nasty bruise on my leg), the girls loved spending time with their grandparents especially with the added bonus of Grandma Nay being there, and we enjoyed a pre-Thanksgiving feast.

We then headed to Idaho Falls, where 34 of us crazy Anderson's where all cooped up in the same house - luckily it was a BIG house.

There we played in the snow.

Went swimming.

Fell in love with Aunt Christy all over again - especially since she let Paisley hold Baby Tyden a ton!

Had a Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot!

Ate way too much sugar...

Smashed open a pinata - which had to be re-taped shut after the cousins had earlier found it and cracked into it to get the candy out.

Met our new niece and nephew.

Had a surprise visit from Sunny and Cher at the Family Talent show (really wishing I got a better picture)!

And just made a whole lot of noise with all the cousins!

We also headed to Provo where the girls wasted time while Blake went to the BYU V. Utah game with the boys (Go Cougars - WOO HOO!)!

There is so much more to say but we will just sum it up with we didn't get much sleep, did a ton of driving, girls both came home sick, and the laundry resembles Mount Doom - but it was 100% WORTH IT!!!

But I do have to include this story - on the way home a deer totally rammed our car. It ran strait at us, lowered it's head, and bam... luckily Blake didn't brake and it just clipped the back of our car with one of its horns. I had just fallen asleep and I woke up to a big thump, followed by Blake laughing as he said "a deer just hit us." I had no idea why he was laughing until he told me how it happened. It didn't do much damage to us but we are pretty sure there is deer wondering around between Panguitch and Kanab with some serious whiplash.

Also honorable mention to Blake who waited in the 19 degree weather on the sidewalk of Best Buy from 10pm to 5am to score us a new laptop - Black Friday is way more hardcore in places where it is actually cold in November!

Hi-dee-ho!

2009-11-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

According to Paisley we are going to Hi-dee-ho - AKA Idaho!

Thanksgiving with the families - YEAH!
Twenty-plus hours in the car each way - BOO!
Gotta go finish packing but click on the collage to see some more fun family photos.
We call these "choose your own adventure" photos since none of us are looking in the same place twice!

Monday Moms!

2009-11-16T14:15:00.000-08:00

"Yes I love technology
But not as much as you, you see
But I still love technology
Always and forever" - Kip

Somebody asked me if I was going to switch over from "real" scrapbooking to digital and I really had to think about it. I like the way that digital looks so cute without all the mess. I like that I wouldn't always have to be printing off prints. I like that there are lots of ready-made things that can speed up the process. BUT I hate looking at computer screens and I already do it way more than I should - so I think I am going to stick with the old-school way.

But this got me thinking...

I totally have a love/hate relationship with the computer. I love it because it is how I do most everything - keep up with family and friends, pay bills, do my church calling, find recipes, get directions, find awesome deals, renew library books, watch videos with Blake, find craft ideas, stalk people, store photos, self-diagnose ailments, get baby advice, hear music, etc...

But I also hate that I am so computer-dependent. I don't like when I have to get on the computer when Paisley is awake because I don't want her to grow up thinking life should be spent sitting in front of a screen. I really try not to ever "piddle" around on the computer since I am already on it so much with the above listed activities. The only "piddling" I allow myself is during nap time - and since there are a million other things I should be doing the "piddling" usually doesn't last long.

Anyways, totally random thoughts - but I just get overwhelmed with how "connected" we have to be in this world and it is only going to be worse for my kiddos. I just hope they don't forget to unplug themselves every now and then.

Kiss and tell...

2009-11-13T13:32:00.000-08:00

Atleast once a day - Paisley asks "Where did Daddy go?" She knows the answer is "work" but I think she just likes to check to make sure she knows that daddy is coming back.

Jamma Time...

2009-11-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

Too soon to break out the Christmas Pajamas? Probably... but couldn't resist.

Besides Paisley loves to match Cosette and we have very few outfits that actually do. Everyday Paisley asks to wear the same as baby and I have to say "We don't have the same for you but these kinda match... Cosette's are pink and yours has a little pink here on the tag."
So these made Paisley super happy!

P.S. I asked Paisley what she wanted for Christmas (I thought she wouldn't even know what I was saying) and she replied in the most enthusiastic voice ever "A Puppy!" Ummm... sorry but no.

Children's Art Museum!

2009-11-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

Blake usually misses all the story-times, kids clubs, zoo visits, etc... so Friday, the girls and I drug him along to the Children's art museum. I loved it - I want to make duplicates of all the exhibits in the girl's room. This was probably the best place I have ever taken Paisley - she couldn't get enough. Each picture I looked at, I was like "oh that was her favorite thing" until I looked at the next picture and said "No - that was her favorite." When asked what her favorite was she said the slide (the one thing I didn't take a picture of)!

I made this sling a month ago - best thing I ever made! I hold my girls too much (if that is possible) and this keeps Cozy Cosette perfectly content when we go grocery shopping, on walks, and even when it is time to make dinner.

The first Friday night of each month is free - so we will probably be back over and over again - if I can talk Blake into it :)

P.S. I am not trying to give Blake a bad rep - he is rarely home so when he gets a free night, he usually just wants to veg... I can't blame him. He is a good sport about my "go-er" personality!

DIY

2009-11-04T08:01:00.001-08:00

Trying to re-decorate some rooms in the house without spending a whole lot of $$$.

Our master bedroom resembled a college dorm so we repainted it, replaced the nasty mauve ceiling fan, and are slowly updating the furnishings.

Rescued the world's ugliest and biggest headboard out of a dumpster - cut it down, painted, and mod-podged scrapbook paper to make it look like this. Now the hard task of motivating the hubby to hang it...

Started sanding and painting the old dressers that were handed down from Blake's room when we got married - got the little one done...

Lots of little projects to make the girls room less baby and more kiddish... it all started because I got the best deal ever on craigslist for the bunkbed.

My office has basically looked like this for the past two months. I just decided to embrace the mess and realize that it is the only way I can scrapbook, craft, and sew. My projects don't turn out perfect because usually Paisley is sitting on my lap cutting and pasting and Cosette is trying to eat the paper - but at least it calms my need to create.

There are so many on-line craft ideas that my 'I want to make this' list is way out of control.

Trick or Treat...

2009-11-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

We took the girls out trick-or-treating for a bit after we got back from Nevada. Paisley loved it - "One more house?" she kept asking. `Holidays are becoming so fun since Paisley is all into it. Cosette is still just along for the ride - but she got lots of attention for being the cutest gnome ever!

Hoover Dam Marathon!

2009-11-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

Our Halloween consisted of a drive over to Boulder City, Nevada to cheer Blake on for his 6th Marathon.

We got into town and were on a mission to find a place that Blake could 'Carbo-load.' We settled on Tony's Pizza and wow - what a group of locals hang around that place!

We stayed at a Hotel and Paisley was in love... in love with the crazy long hallway, in love with the two beds to jump on, and in love with the telephone - luckily we didn't end up with any long distance fees.

While Blake was running, the girls and I hiked around Lake Mead - we collected seashells and threw rocks in the water.

As for the run, it was good to see that Blake really is human. This marathon killed him. He did awesome the first half so I was expecting him to come speeding in at his goal time... however - there were lots of hills and they got the best of him. I was starting to think that I would have to go find him at the local hospital instead of the finish line - but he eventually came across. Glad he finished - I still consider him an ALL-STAR!!!

Blake enjoying the sweet reward of cornbread and chili and mostly just enjoying the fact that he no longer is running.

You don't gnome me...

2009-10-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

Had our first Halloween costume event - went to a family party with our friends (always grateful when people adopt us into their family functions). The girls had a great time and it was fun to see them in their costumes... even if they only left their hats on for a few minutes. They were not in the mood for pictures so I am hoping I can get some better ones - but you get the idea.

The Toadstool:

The Garden Gnome:

At the party - Paisley loved the entertainment. She went down this slide about 50 times and enjoyed popping the smoke-filled bubbles!

Cosette loved the food - She filled up on enough cheesy potatoes that she slept all night when we got home... yeah!

I didn't get a picture of all us but to go along with the "forest-friends theme" - Blake was a tree and I was a tree-hugger!

I love Halloween - so fun to be something new for a day!

Pumpkin guts...

2009-10-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

Carved our pumpkins last week - they have already died... but they were cute/scary while they lasted.

Blake and I carved pumpkins for our first date 6 years ago today - fun stuff!

Scroungy Loungy Pants!

2009-10-21T17:15:00.000-07:00

Two OLD Tees +
Two fun tutorials +
http://kojodesigns.blogspot.com/2009/09/kojo-tutorial-refashion-tshirt-into.html
http://www.dana-made-it.com/2008/07/tutorial-knee-pad-pants.html

Two hours of this=
Too cute and totally comfy pants!

Monday Moms!

2009-10-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

Today I attended the funeral of a friend who lost a battle to cancer. I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and that there is comfort in knowing that she has passed on to a better home. Even with this, I can not stop thinking about her husband and their sweet children. They lost their mom and will not be able to talk, laugh, or be with her for awhile. My heart aches for her family and pray that they can be comforted.

The funeral offered a sweet reminder that life should be lived with joy, hard work, and service to others. It put life back into perspective and as I came home I hugged my girls a little tighter, thought more lovingly of my husband, and pondered about how to make this brief time on earth more meaningful. Carla set a wonderful example of making her life a happy one even when circumstances were so tough. I will miss her unfailing ability to draw out a laugh whenever she talked - it was her talent.

I am grateful for eternal families... it really is what this life is all about.

Vlog...

2009-10-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

Copy cat...

2009-10-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

Look what I found when I went to get the vacuum. Paisley had parked her play vacuum next to mom's all by herself...
It's a small thing but it made me smile!

It's one AM...

2009-10-10T01:08:00.001-07:00

...so feel free to disregard this post. Just bored, tired, and in the need to blog.

Do you have things that bug you way more then they should? Like when you think about it - you think "Ughhh.. it is not that big of deal but at the same time it kind of makes me want to gouge my eyes out." Well - I have lots of these, wanna know a few?

*'Artistic' yet very much naked pictures when pregnant

*CFLs - as in the light bulbs that are going to save our planet

*Sushi

*Skinny jeans - especially brightly-colored skinny jeans

*Peoples hatred of Wal-mart

*Ellipticals

*The kids menu at sit-down restaurants: $5.50 for a hot dog?!?

*The Disney Princess Movement

*Organic Mac and Cheese

*Twilight - not so much the book just all the mania that goes along with it

*Political-post on Facebook

*Cookie plates with multiple types of cookies on them

Now it is two AM - tell me to go to bed!

Monday Moms!

2009-10-05T08:51:00.001-07:00

I was going to only put this image up and let it do the talking, but as I stared at it I knew I needed to say something. Yesterday, my oldest sister Christy gave birth to her sixth child. In this print I see my sister and all the good that is in her. She is an exemplary mother - one who has spent her life giving countless acts of service. She knows how to work hard and play hard - her life is always lived to it's fullest. She is joyous, spiritual, and nurturing - just one of those beautiful souls that you feel privileged to know.

Baby Legs

2009-10-03T08:10:00.000-07:00

Cosette is on my favorite kid list right now... even though she is ultra clingy, cries if I am not holding her, and is impossible to feed solids too - all of these offenses can be forgiven since she now is SLEEPING!!! She sleeps from 8pm to 8am usually waking for a snack around 4am - this is much improved from her tri-wake cycle she was on a few weeks ago. She also has started napping the same time as Paisley and sleeping for a good two hours - which is nothing short of a miracle. Nothing helps this mom more than a few solid hours of sleep - Ahhhhh!

When we were doing our pictures I wanted to have Cosette standing because this is her favorite position. She is a super weeble-wooble but still loves to hold your fingers as she tests her balance and tries to unfold her legs (she always crosses her ankles).

I love her little legs.

Fruity!

2009-10-01T10:35:00.000-07:00

Ever since my baby shower for Paisley and I saw the "Edible Arrangement" that my friend Mikelle had made - I always wanted to try it. If you want a fresh, fun, and healthy alternative to that plate of cookies you take to your friends - you should try this. It was pretty easy and thanks to the Ranch Market fairly cheap! Just google "Fruit Bouquet" and you will get lots of step-by-step instructions! Basically take a basket (got mine at the dollar store), put a head of iceberg lettuce in the bottom, skewer fruit into flowers or other shapes, add Parsley as foliage, and Ta-Da! YUMMY!!!

P.S. It turned out cuter than the picture captured - I promise!

Monday Moms!

2009-09-28T14:04:00.001-07:00

How often do we put off our "happy life" thinking it will be better when some future event occurs? Here are some true statements from me where I was putting off my happy life.

"Oh - it will be so much better when Blake is done with school."
"It would be so much easier if I lived by family."
"I can't wait until my kids are older so they can at least wipe their bums without my help."

Although there is some truth to these statements - it does no good to have them keep me from being happy today. Being happy is not so much based on outside events but more on your attitude toward the event. For instance, being a stay at home mom - there are some great things that come along with the title, but there are also a lot of "chores" too. Today, laundry needs to be cleaned, meals must be prepared, a teething baby needs to soothed, diapers must be changed, the list could go on and on... and I am the one who has to do them. So I am going to TRY to not moan and groan - but instead get done what I can and realize this is my life...

And since I don't want a sad life - I better be happy!

Paisley Poo!

2009-09-24T15:53:00.001-07:00

Paisley has been cracking me up since we got back from Washington - I think lots of time with older cousins made her just grow up even faster. She talks ALL the time! Blake is not a talker at all and I have been termed a "low-talker" so between the two of us - I have no clue where she gets her LOUD and never-ending talking skills (well, I do have a clue - Aunt Christy, my mom, Aunt Kara...)

Some of my favorite things that she says now are:

"Why ya sad, babes?"
As she is pulling Cosette into a semi-sitting, totally smashed position on her lap.

"Paisley do it herself", "Paisley's turn", "Paisley go first"
She only talks in third person. Between the two of us I think the word Paisley is said about 500 times a day.

"Paisley loooooooves Grandma (or Grandpa, or Breeana, or Baby, or whoever)"
We also sing the "I love daddy, he loves me" song about 500 times a day filling in every name, toy, or object she can think of.

"1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9..."
She can count to twenty but always skips 4 and 5, this has her mathematician father a little concerned.

"Baby got the hips!"
She means Hic-cups but I stopped correcting her because it always makes me smile when she says it this way.

P.S. I can not tell you how much I love this picture of Paisley!
It captured the way that I see her - Big eyes, teasing smile, wispy-nothingness of hair!

Alphabet Soup!

2009-09-21T20:16:00.000-07:00

A is for Aunties!
B is for Birthdays!

C is for Cookies!

D is for Dirt!

E is for Eating!

F is for Friends!
G is for Grumpy!
H is for Hugs!
I is for Introductions!
J is for Jungle Gym!
K is for Kiddos!
L is for Lick!
M is for Monkey!
N is for Naked!
O is for Oops!
P is for Pinata!
Q is for Quiet!
R is for Rocks!
S is for Snuggles!
T is for Tower!
U is for Up-and-Down!
V is for Victory!
W is for Water!
X is for eXcited!
Y is for Yum!
Z is for ZZZzzz!

B + C

2009-09-16T21:46:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I get really bummed that I found the guy I want to spend the rest of my life with and then never end up being able to see him... But then I remember we got eternity to make up for lost time!

Totally missing you - Blake!

Monday Moms!

2009-09-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies.

~Rudolph Giuliani

It has been confirmed... I'd move next doot to Grandma/Grandpa's in a heartbeat!

You've got mail!

2009-09-01T04:37:00.000-07:00

You should totally read this and do it - no one actually gets 'fun' mail anymore, so make someone's day and send them a card. It is way easy and they turn out super cute and of course - are free!

P.S. Been up since 3am for no reason except waiting to leave for the airport - which isn't happening until 6:30 - ugh, gonna be a long day!

Bye!

2009-08-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

So we got some new family pictures taken - you might have already seen them on Facebook. I am so excited to have pictures of the whole family - it has been a while since I have seen Blake and I look so good together! Instead of using them all up with a post just of them - I am going to incorporate them into my future posts, make the thrill of showing them off last longer....

So anyways here we are saying "'Bye" to the hot and sweaty photo shoot - this works because we get to say "Bye" to Arizona for awhile. I am off to a three-week stay in Washington and Idaho and Blake is in and out of town with work trips. I am feeling spoiled with all the visits we have been able to make lately - YEAH for family face time!

Monday Moms!

2009-08-31T15:15:00.001-07:00

Basically sums things up around here... Paisley picks up Cosette - Mommy jumps to the rescue, Paisley drags Cosette from one room to the next - Mommy jumps to the rescue, Paisley helps Cosette stand up - Mommy jumps to the rescue... repeat about 4 times a day!

Happy Birthday Daddy- O!

2009-08-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

I got the next installment of the home videos done just in time for your Birthday - YAY! Sorry that it is slow going with these videos (you can blame it on my two distractions AKA your grand-girls). But we will eventually have them done... I hope! This is the highlight reel - it was twice as long but the file was too big so you will have to see the other footage at Thanksgiving... we will have some good entertainment for the BIG family get-together!

Lots of love and birthday wishes headed your way today!

Disclaimer: The captions are messed up and the quality is poor on this itty-bitty screen - but you get the idea.

Monday Moms!

2009-08-24T20:57:00.001-07:00

" A first child lives in an adult world, but a second child lives in a child's world."
-Harvey Karp

I have always felt a little guilt that no matter how hard I try - Cosette just won't have the same 100% of me that Paisley was able to enjoy for the first 20 months of her life. Now my time, energy, and stamina has to be shared between two little kiddos. Well, I was reading a book and came across across this passage that has put all my fretting aside. The author, Dr. Karp, talked about how even though your oldest child will have received more attention from you - what the second one doesn't get from you he will receive five times over from the older sibling. As he says "No one will make your baby laugh or learn as much as their superhero big brother or sister!" And it is so true - Paisley is a way more fun than boring ol' mom.

Besides mom would never teach you how to use an entire Jumbo-sized tube of diaper rash cream as body lotion...

Fast Forward...

2009-08-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

Then: April 2008

Now: August 2009 It really does go by fast! I remember when we first introduced Daddy's scout-box as a swimming pool, now it is a common form of entertainment... although I think we are outgrowing it!

Idaho!

2009-08-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

Another ALL-NIGHTER drive - Another FUN trip! Here is what we did...

Lots and Lots of playing outside!

Paisley is lucky enough that both her Grandma's have "Big Babies!" Here she is napping with all her friends.

Stayed at a cabin in Cascade - it was absolutely beautiful! Hiked to a "lake" that we never found.

Played on the beach front at Lake Cascade.

Cosette got to meet her Uncles and Aunt Jennette.

Floated the Boise River and hung out on the Greenbelt.

Just stared at the glorious, lush green grass - they don't make it like this in AZ.

Already missing the family, the cool weather, the games of Settlers, the food, the trees, and just being together!

Seven Month Snip-its!

2009-08-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

Cosette has hated any and all food since we started trying to get her to eat two months ago. This week she finally decided rice cereal was not going to kill her and will now eat it but still has to give her signature "this is disgusting" face. Here is her first introduction to french fries - not so sure about those either.

I did not think anyone could beat Paisley's horrible sleeping habits - but we might have a winner. Paisley at least took two decent naps a day - Cosette only catnaps all day long with no regularity to them. This was her sleeping position of choice the other day... silly girl!

Cosette loves Paisley - thinks she is the coolest thing since disposable diapers! She is way patient as Paisley lifts, rolls, pulls, hugs, mauls, and plays with her. A very frequent phrase around here is "Be soft." Paisley can get Cosette laughing like no one else - oh, that is another thing... I HAVE to get Cosette's laugh on video. She makes this "Arrrrggghhhh" sound with the back of her throat that is super load and makes me smile every time (sounds kinda like a seal).

She is army-crawling fairly good, has no interest in sitting up (she rarely bends her knees), and loves to mouth EVERYTHING! So there you have it - Cosette in a nutshell!

Beach Bums!

2009-08-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

How to have a day at the beach:
Pick Daddy up from work at 5pm
Drive to Los Angelos
Arrive at friend's house at 12am to crash on the floor
(to your wonderful surprise they have air-bed already set up)
Wake up at 7am
Eat delicious breakfast!
Put on swimsuit
Arrive at Huntington beach around 10am
PLAY!!!
Leave beach at 5pm
Grab some IN-N-OUT
Arrive back home at 11pm
Wake up for church with a KILLER sunburn - oops!

Birthday Freebies!

2009-07-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

Do you have a birthday? Do you like free food? I don't know anyone who doesn't! Well, you really should sign up for all these b-day clubs... Blake and I seriously eat out more in the two weeks around our b-days than we do all year because it is FREEEEEEEEEEEE!

Baskin Robbins - get a free scoop
Black Angus Steakhouse - get a free steak dinner
Cold Stone Creamery - get a free like-it creation
Del Taco - get a free shake
Fuddruckers - get a free shake
Genghis Grill - get a free bowl (these are big enough to share :)
Lonestar - get a free steak dinner (the e-club is located at the bottom of the homepage)
Red Robin - get a free burger with all you can eat fries
(Blake and I usually split the burger and fill up on fries - they will also bring you a birthday sundae too. We end up only paying the tip. Cheapskates - yes. Worth it - Oh yeah!!!)
Rubios - get a free entree platter
Ruby Tuesday - get a free burger with all you can eat fries
Tropical Smoothie Cafe - get a free smoothie

They usually give you a two week time frame to use these. They also send you random stuff every now and then - like free shakes on holidays or buy1get1 deals. I love it!!! If you know of any more b-day freebies, please let me know!

Monday Moms!

2009-07-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

Today you and your kids should:

*Go on a bike ride
*Make homemade ice cream
*Find a good climbing tree
*Jump on a trampoline with a sprinkler underneath
*Make homemade play-doh
*Have a treasure hunt
*Weed the garden or pick berries
*Dance
*Make a bird-feeder
*Build a house of cards, Legos, Lincoln-logs, whatever
*Go tour where "Daddy" works
*Visit a pet store
*Jump rope
*Take someone flowers
*Wash the car
*Make a robot, spaceship, castle, etc. out of boxes
*Finger paint with pudding
*Have a water balloon fight
*Make sock puppets with all the mis-matchies
*Play in a bucket full of rice
*Walk to the school and play at the playground
*Play hide-and-seek
*Have a hula-hoop contest
*Look for falling stars
*Read books outside
*Play a game of baseball
*Swing
*Have a picnic
*Play with cornstarch and water
*Make a pinata
*Build a fort
*Sleep in a tent
*Find a stream and build a dam
*Explore the forest
*Make paper airplanes

These are a few favorite activities from my childhood along with some things that Paisley and I enjoying doing! Today as I sit in my Air Conditioned house with Dora and Boots singing about their recent adventure - I just feel sorry for kids today. I want my kids to have the childhood that I had - full of freedom to play outside whenever, wherever! I want them to know how to dig holes, collect rocks, and chase butterflies. I want them to feel all old and grown-up the first time they walk to the corner-store to buy candy with their big brothers. I want them to know how to use their imagination to escape "lava-monsters" and how to turn couch-cushions into castles.

I read an article that confirmed that children now spend more time in front of the T.V. than they do outside... I find that sad - even in stinking 110 degree Arizona I vow to find a way to get my girls outside (It might have to be at 8am and I guarantee it will involve water but we will do it). So I am off to check at least one of these activities off the list - so Paisley will know that there is more to life than "Swipper - no swiping."

Paradise...

2009-07-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

There is a little piece of Hawaii right here in Arizona. It is called Fossil Springs and the place is unbeatable during the heat of the summer!

The Walkers invited us to tag-a-long with some of their family on a camping trip and we are glad we took them up on it! We went to a different part of the creek than we normally do and are excited to know of a new swimming hole.

Paisley and Logan played together great - they enjoyed sharing Logan's camp-chair, throwing sticks in the water, and killing the bees (ants).

This was Cosette's first camping trip and she was a trooper. She slept better than she does at home so I am considering setting up the tent and throwing her in it tonight :)

Paisley was a good little hiker like always. This girl is just meant to be out and about - she loves it!

Whenever I take a picture wearing my front-pack, I always feel like I am pregnant all over again - for some reason I can't help but pose holding "my belly."

Fossil Springs always gives me my "green" fix - it is so lush... I could just park it under the trees and read a book there all day!

Tempe Town Lake

2009-07-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

In a perfect world - every park in Arizona would be a "splash park." Met up with two of my freshmen BYU roomies for a fun playdate at Tempe Beach Park - my favorite park in AZ!

Paisley loves playing in the water - when it is on her own terms. She prefers splash parks over swimming pools.

From left to right: Luke - way too cool for pictures, Paisley - loving on the "cute baby" (what she kept calling her), Ella - "Ummm... please stop touching me", and Taggert admiring some treasure he found.

We changed our plans like 5 times - but glad we could eventually end up hanging out! Hope to see you girls and your cute kiddos again... soon!

Monday Moms!

2009-07-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

Yes - you read that right... Monday Moms! But wait, you are saying, "You haven't posted one of these in like months and hello - it's Tuesday." I know - a day late (well more like 4 months late) but I got good reason, well not good reason... just a reason - being a mom. Good enough right? Anyways, ALL day yesterday I tried to get on here to post some of my recent "mom thoughts" - but it just wasn't happening. Today both girls went down for a nap at the same time (miracle?!?) so we will see how far we get.

...for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.
-Mosiah 4:26

There was a recent article in the Ensign that really struck me - a young mom was becoming frustrated in her life because she felt that she lacked the time/energy to give meaningful service to others. As she was contemplating this and reading her scriptures she came across this verse in Mosiah. At first it frustrated her more - how did she have time to do service for others, when she was barely managing to care for her own family? But that night as she reflected back on her day - she realized she was already doing those things that this scripture taught. Each day she bathed and clothed her children, planned and prepared meals for the family, and cared for every ailment from knee scratches to pnuemonia.

I think as moms we often feel that we are not contributing enough. This is SO not the case - it is one of the many lies that Satan uses to make women feel worthless. He wants moms to question why they are having children and if they are doing any good staying home with them. He wants us to feel that we need to have the salary, job title, or educational degrees to measure our successes by. He doesn't want us to see the future rewards we are reaping by our daily efforts in caring for the temporal and physical needs of our spouses and children.

My example of "feeding the hungry" some chocolate-covered strawberries - can't beat that!

Wishy - washy...

2009-07-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

She begs me to let her wash the dishes... when did the thrill fade away?

The EverGREEN state!

2009-07-15T13:08:00.000-07:00

The girls and I headed to Washington since Blake spent the week off at Scout Camp. I love going "home" - we enjoyed the rain, the "not-seen-too-often" friends, and the family.

The highlights:Cousins, Cousins, and more Cousins!

Fun playdate with friends!

Lots of eating - I am still full from all the Tillamook Brown Cow Ice Cream and Otis Spunkmeyer cookies.

Helping in the garden.

Lots of playing - on the slide, at the park, with "Big Baby".... But most of all just playing with Grandma and Grandpa!

The lowlight:The traditional "traveling" ear infection for Paisley and all the crying, not sleeping, and miserableness that it entails.

Certainly - the good outweighed the bad!

Thanks for a great trip Mom and Dad - always looking forward to more!!!

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

Blake has the day off, the high for the day is only 101 degrees, and the girls and I are ready for some fun! I love the fourth - the food, the fireworks, the family, the freedom... lots of good things that start with F... including some 'fotos' of these two little sparklers...

(I know this one is blurry - of course the only one with both of them smiling doesn't turn out)

Homeo-Stacey!

2009-06-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

My roommate Stacey (yes - I still call her my roommate) and her husband Jason came to town - we LOVE visitors!!!

My favorite part of their visit was our hike - the weather actually was very kind to us that weekend... unlike today!

Paisley's favorite part was the yummy Cheesecake Factory that they treated us to - thanks guys!

Cosette enjoyed sleeping at the pool and always loves more hands to hold her!

And Blake - well his favorite part by far was having a buddy to stay up with until 3am in the man-cave playing video games!

Thanks guys for coming - we loved it and we hope to see you soon... back at the beach!!!

Lost and Found

2009-06-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

I am going to write a book about finding things you lose. It is only going to contain one chapter and it will be entitled "Look where you think they would be... 5 times."

I lost my keys today - gone from 8am to 8pm - it pushed me to the verge of insanity because I knew they were somewhere between the car and the kitchen and that there is not too many spots to hide between these two points. I hate, hate, HATE losing things - I am an organized person so that I won't lose things! I hate the sick feeling in my gut when I lose things! I hate that I can't stop thinking about it and it grates on me and I turn into a mean mom and impatient wife.

Needless to say, I found them... in my diaper bag - of course. I looked through it twice and completely dumped and shook it out upside down. I kept thinking they have to be in there - but they weren't! Well, tonight I went to an enrichment thing (thanks to Blake's keys) and as I was standing there to go, I thought - look by the changing pad. I reached in, felt the changing pad and sure enough there they were all safe and sound tucked into the thing. I swear I had checked it twice before. So I come home - much happier than I had been all day and told Blake the good news. The cool part was that when I got home, Blake said "I seriously prayed 5 minutes ago that you would find them." The not-cool part was that I had prayed at 11am to find them - obvisouly you see who has more faith in this family :) I guess Heavenly Father really wanted me to appreciate my car and the ability for me to go wherever I want whenever I want - trust me... I do!

To Dad! (and mom too!)

2009-06-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

I am late on your Father's Day gift - sorry... it was a crazy past week... But here it is! I told you that from now on all gifts from me will be my efforts in transferring your VHS to DVD... so here is the first little movie I made for you. It even got an upgrade with some music - since 8mm have no sound. It really makes my heart happy to see the footage of you and mom starting your life together - so much good has come from this day (especially the birth of your youngest child - right?) Thanks for being a great husband to mom, father to me, and example to all. I hope you enjoy the memories. I love you!

P.S.The new and somewhat-improved version!

Proof!

2009-06-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

We kept telling everyone in Utah that she knew her ABC's - maybe now they will believe us :) The lisp isn't normally - she wouldn't open her mouth, being silly...

Utah...

2009-06-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

Blake's Grandpa Nay passed away last week, so we made a very last minute trip to Utah... Left Monday at 5pm arriving at 5am, stayed Tuesday, left Wednesday at 5pm arriving home just in time to see the sun coming up over Superstition... if I hadn't thrown my contacts out the window at mile 500 (don't worry Blake was driving), it probably would have been a pretty sight - But not nearly as pretty as my bed. Good thing Blake had the following day off so he could help with the girls since both of us were in only a semi-coherent state.

Even though the cirumstances were not the best - it was still nice to see family. Paisley enjoyed the Grandparents, Uncle Jake, and some cousin fun. We also enjoyed attending the funeral of Grandpa Nay - it was a nice celebration of his joke/story/song-filled life.

Comfy Cozy...

2009-06-12T20:19:00.000-07:00

Cosette is all about being comfortable. She will not sleep if her bed is the least bit hard, lumpy, too warm or too cold - and sleeping on her back is 100% out of the question. She hates if her diaper is wet or poopy or if her shirt is damp from "oh-uh pukey." And she thinks that her carseat is some kind of torture device designed to make her life miserable.

This was her make-shift bed for a few weeks - she was anti-crib for who knows why. There are 4 THICK blankets here... can you say "Princess and the Pea."

But then she started doing this - she is underneath our bed in the very middle - so she got trapped back in the crib. She is getting super mobile - army crawls/rolls all over the floor.

We thought that introducing some rice cereal - might help her to sleep... so far no luck and she HATES the stuff. So funny how kids are different - the first time I feed Paisley rice cereal she loved it. For Cosette, it is just another form of torture.

"This seat is kinda fun."

"What are they putting in my mouth?"

"Ugh... this is disgusting!"

"Why mom? Why?!?"

And here is a final "yummy" picture. She loves her exersaucer - however this playtime was cut short thanks to the puddle that began to form underneath her. Sometimes the integrity of the diapers just has to be tested...

What will you want to Remember?

2009-06-08T15:13:00.001-07:00

Yikes - stripes!

2009-06-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

Anyone else have a strong fetish for stripy-tights? Even with 100 degree weather I made Cosette wear these the other day just because they finally fit. They are by far my favorite addition to any outfit... the brighter - the better!

Cosette totally watches the TV which is unbelievable to me seeing that Paisley is just barely starting to be somewhat entertained by movies. Here they both are engrossed in "Yo Gabba Gabba" - Paisley's favorite video (besides her own self). Paisley was holding Cosette's hand and playing so nice with her fingers for a good 10 minutes... just one of those moments that melts this mommy's heart! Not to mention I was able to get the kitchen cleaned during this Kodak moment - yeah!

Silly...

2009-06-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

2009-05-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Blake,

When you asked me to help you get ready for your campout, this is what I wanted to do:

But instead, being the AWESOME wife that I am, I slaved over the 425 degree oven on a 100+ degree day, to make you and your little scoutie-boys the biscuits you asked for. I hope that your breakfast is delicious. Paisley, Cosette, and I might just have to do a Krispy Kreme run when we get up... all frugalness is out-the-window when I am in "my husband is camping, I need something yummy" mode.

Maybe if I spend enough money you will reconsider bringing me along next time. The young women always have to have the priesthood around when we are camping - don't you need a feminine influence when you are? I mean who is going to make sure the boy's tents are set up in a color-coordinating order? Who is going to make sure that all the boys receive at least one ribbon-enhanced handout per day with an uplifting quote and/or scripture? Who is going to determine which matching shirts you are going to wear on which day? Or who is going to make sure that you all put on sunscreen, or drink enough water, or be nice to the nerdy kids? Aren't these things important to you guys?!?

Anyways, it is time to go lay in bed and stare at the ceiling in hopes that I can drift off to sleep sometime tonight. You do know that I hate sleeping without you, right?

All guilt-trips aside, I do hope you have fun and don't forget the sunscreen.

Love,
Your wifey

P.S. Tell the boys not to worry.... the green flecks in the biscuits isn't some kind of mean mom trick to get them to eat veggies, somehow a little of Paisley's Playdoh found it's way into the batter :)

NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY

2009-05-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

We thought we would enjoy a Memorial day dip in the pool... it took 15 minutes before Paisley would go in the water. It was quite refreshing after we got over the whole " No Daddy swimming" drama!

Little memories...

2009-05-24T20:45:00.001-07:00

My sister and I were talking awhile back about why we love to blog... we decided that the best part of it is that while you are just going about the mundane parts of your day - you will see your kids do something that will just make you stop and take a picture. I feel that my blog is a great tool for me to see the good in each day - because I am trying to keep it positive and fun for grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends who check on our life - I am always trying to capture those little moments that show our everyday joys. It makes me happy and grateful for what I have as re-read past posts - my life really isn't all that bad!!! Here are some of those "stop and take a picture" moments:

Paisley loves to lick the beater - she tries to double-dip the beater once she has licked the first helping off.

Cosette is enjoying her bouncer - she has perfected the "social-smile."

Paisley trying to mix sleep and play - I wonder how much of nighttime is actually spent asleep.

Cosette tries so hard to be patient as Paisley mauls her. I swear it stresses Cosette out when she sees Paisley get in her face. Paisley is just always trying to play with her - kinda stresses me out too ;)

Rain - sweet, glorious rain!!! Best weather ever this week - love, love, love the rain and the small fact that even in the rain it is warm enough for Paisley to wear a tank-top!

Wild child...

2009-05-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

“A two-year old is kind of like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it.”
-Jerry Seinfield

Paisley has always been busy, messy, and full of energy - but lately she has just been flat-out wild. She has learned how to run and dump, crash and jump, scream and bump! She is super fun when I am in right mood ;) We chase, dance, and laugh! I wish I could say that I always enjoyed the crazies, but that would be a lie. I try to let her "it is GREAT that every item in the house is out-of-place" attitude wear off on me - some days I do better than others! Happy kid versus immaculate house - I will take the happy kid!

DONE!!!

2009-05-16T13:35:00.001-07:00

Finally - Blake is MBA'd! I never thought it was going to end, but it did. Now I got my husband back, P & C got their daddy back, and the scouts got their leader back. Life is good!

Quick bragging right: Blake recieved his Masters with a 4.0 (actually it would have been a 4.15 if the scale went that high).
He worked so hard. I am so proud. We are so happy!!!

Matchmaker...

2009-05-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

What is the fun of having two consecutive kids the same gender if you are don't dress them the same every now and again!

Date Night...

2009-05-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

Do you know how MUCH going to a movie cost these days? It is so ridiculous!

Blake and I are not so good at having date nights (this is hopefully going to change now that Blake is DONE with school) but we had a total bust of an attempt Saturday night. We (and by we, I mean me) got the babysitter lined up and then spent all day trying to figure out what to do... hiking - too hot, movie theater - too expensive, red box - nothing good, etc... We tried all day to justify going to the movies, first Blake would be OK with it and I was hesitant and than an hour later I would be OK with it and Blake would no longer want to... finally we decided we would just save a small fortune and rent a movie. We reserved our Redbox on-line and right when we are leaving to drop the girls off- we realize it has some questionable parts and decide we better not. So our reserved movie sat in the Redbox all night long. We were also going to go eat some free chicken at KFC but KFC was completly sold-out of food. By now I am hungry (which = grumpy) and in no mood for a date. Blake was trying real hard to cheer me up so we splurge for some In-and-Out, yes In-and-Out is a splurge for us... the only time we eat out is if we have a gift card. So after some good food, we head to Wal-mart to get some groceries and end up buying a movie (which is a third of the price of going to the movies). So we get the girls and watch our movie with Paisley crawling all over us and Cosette nursing half the time.

What a HOT date - huh?

Here we are back in the day looking all awkward on a date (I was trying all night to get Blake to hold my hand, notice the arms right next to each other - but he is the KING of self-control and wouldn't give in... just yet) - haha, glad those days are over!

Sunday Moms!

2009-05-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

Where mother is - our home is.

A home that our feet may leave,
but never our hearts.

Oh - Happy Mother's Day to all you moms! Especially these two special ladies...

Today I am trying hard not to be bitter and jealous that I don't get to show any love to my mom or mom-in-law in person. I find it a real bummer that by the time you truly understand how awesome your mom is - you have to move out of the house and be on your own. I wish I would have cherished the time that I was living under the same roof as my mom more. I wish I could see her everyday now and we could go bumming at the D.I. until I get all grumpy and quiet from too much shopping. I wish my girls could have their Grandmas around to smother them with kisses and give them too much candy. I wish that somehow I will be able to express how much I appreciate my own mother and Blake's mom and my sisters who make moms #3,#4, and #5, and my sister-in-laws who are also GREAT moms, and Diana Durfee for being my girl's honorary grand-mom here in AZ. Oh - I am so blessed to have many awesome moms in my life!!!

Today was also the first day that I got a fun homemade gift from Paisley. They did handprints with a poem in nursery - what made it even more special was that I just so happened to be walking by when Paisley was doing hers. She was screaming bloody murder as one nursery leader was holding her down as the other was dipping her hands in the paint and forcing her clenched fists to the paper to make a handprint. That is so my daughter - so cautious of the dirty, squishy paint!

Playing favorites

2009-05-06T22:10:00.000-07:00

Too many Paisley posts - got to be fair to my second born... although Paisley still did find a way to weasel her way into the video.

Sing it...

2009-05-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful rendition of the "Happy Birthday" song -

which reminds me of a funny story...

Andersons (my maiden name) have not, nor never will be known for our singing capability. Our B-day songs were more of a combination of yelling the words and laughing than actual singing. I was under the misconception that this was how the birthday song was SUPPOSED to be sung. The first Sunday that I was in opening exercises with the young women it was one of the girl's b-days. As the birthday song started - me yelling it at the tops of my lungs while the rest of the girls broke out into this beautiful melodic (is that the right word?) version - I realized "Oh - some people actually do 'sing' this song to make it sound pretty." I almost cried it sounded so good... thanks to the fact that I stopped singing halfway through as to not ruin it.

Dang it...

2009-05-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

Why does Paisley always have to look so darn cute in her free birthday picture from Kiddie Kandids - one of these times it is going to make me give into the temptation and buy more...

Monday Moms!

2009-05-04T21:20:00.001-07:00

I am so JEALOUS of Blake's (and anyone else's out there) ability to fall asleep in less than 2 seconds. I can be dead-tired-exhausted and it still takes a good twenty minutes for my head to unwind and my body to stop fidgeting. It is the worse when I wake up to help one of the kiddos at 3am and I have to repeat the process all over - grrrrr... it really infuriates me. Just another joy of Mommy-hood! Thank gooodness we (and when I say we, I mean Blake) finally broke Paisley of her sleeping issues and that Cosette is a rockstar (90% of the time) at sleeping!

Look who is TU-TU?!?

2009-05-02T09:27:00.001-07:00

Happy 2nd Birthday Paisley!
Thanks for another year of laughs and loves - you always brighten my day!

Low Maintenance.

2009-05-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

So - I hate paying to get my hair done, or my nails done, or my eyebrows done, or whatever else it is that girls "get done." So without my mom or any daring roommates around, I had to take matters into my own hands... today I cut and colored my own hair. The parts I can see turned out alright - who knows what the back looks like!

So if you have never cut hair and always wanted to - I would totally let you the next time I need a chop - it's pretty fun! (As long as you don't charge me ;)

On a whole different note, Blake walked though the door at 2pm today with half of a Cold Stone cake. It was the best surprise ever - husband off early for the weekend and free ice cream... what more could this girl want!

Food Diary!

2009-04-28T23:22:00.000-07:00

Today Paisley ate:
-A banana
-1 and 1/2 pieces of french toast
-3 clementines
-32 goldfish
-Cheese quesidilla
-Half a pound of Strawberries
-Nutri-grain bar (well, the cheap-o knock-off version)
-A string cheese
-Cup of Rice
-Handful of animal crackers
-Small Box of Raisins
-Applesauce
-3 Cups of Milk
-5 cups of Water

I swear she has a tapeworm or something. I can not get her full... And just like her mama:
A hungry Paisley = grumpy Paisley!

Monday Moms!

2009-04-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

http://hip2save.blogspot.com/

My new favorite blog - I have spent every free minute I have on it after finding it last week... what mom doesn't want to save a buck or two? As I told Blake "Out of all the hobbies I could have - trying to find free stuff isn't all that bad?" I am especially drawn to "Rolling your Extra Bucks" at CVS and Walgreens - lots of free stuff just waiting for you take it home each week... read all about it in the store guides found on the right-hand side of the screen a few scrolls down!

Strawberries and more...

2009-04-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

I have debated if this should be posted here or just keep to myself... but I thought maybe somebody could relate so here goes.

When Cosette was first born I thought she was so beautiful - in my opinion all newborns are. I love how wrinkly and squished up they are - I even think their "cone heads" are pretty darn cute (trust me - Paisley had the biggest cone head ever). During her first couple of weeks, Cosette slowly unwrinkled and began to chunk up. At three weeks, her birthmark began to appear. It started as just a dot but each day I could almost see it getting bigger - I started to freak out a little. I Googled it (which was a bad idea) and began to worry about the unknown. How big would it become? Would it affect her eyesight? What if she needs surgery? I read so many other moms stories and saw numerous photos of children whose perfect faces were hidden by disfiguring birthmarks. I was so scared that Cosette's would do the same. As a mom, I could look past the birthmark and see my precious daughter but I was afraid that her "Strawberry" was all other people would see. I noticed I did something I never thought I would do - I tried to "hide" her... not because I was embarrassed but for some reason I felt like I needed to protect her. I was scared of the comments she would get - instead of "What a beautiful baby!" it was "Is that a birthmark?" I was scared of what others thought. I was scared that for the rest of her life she would have to deal with this.

(I know most of you are probably thinking I am making too much of this, that it is just a little birthmark - But at this point in the story, I had no idea when it would stop growing. I did not know how big it would get and what complications it would cause. As a mom, I just wanted her to be perfect and it was hard to accept.)

Fast forward.

A little while back I was uploading some of Cosette's photos and I was curious how she would look without her "Strawberry Patch." So I used Picassa and basically "Photo-shopped" her birthmark away. I posted the picture on our Easter post and as you can tell without her birthmark, Cosette just doesn't quite look the same. It is funny how much I have embraced it and love that it is what makes her her. I hardly even notice it now and don't even worry about showing her off - because she still is one cute kid. I am glad that eventually it will fade away for her sake, but honestly I will kind of miss it when it is gone. For now it is just part of her and I love her.

So the point of this... the point is I learned a few lessons.

1 - Never take you health for granted. Out of all the complications that can occur, I will take a blemish anyday of the week. Coestte is healthy and strong and I am grateful for that.

2 - Don't ever believe that looks are everything. So much of what makes a person who they are is deep below the surface (I tell my young women girls this about once a week - when will I start applying it to myself? Ughhhh - stinking beauty magazines always shouting you aren't pretty enough as you check out at the grocery store).

3 - Don't be afraid to pray - there is nothing too small for the Lord to know about.

Hand, Hand, Finger, Thumb...

2009-04-21T15:28:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh... the joy of a finger sucker! She sleeps 6-8 hours a night (a feat I did not know was possible for a three month old), calms herself when in the dreaded car seat, and just looks so darn cute with half her fist shoved in her mouth.
As Paisley would say "Silly Baby - sucking hand!"

Checked out!

2009-04-17T07:34:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned before that I am a "finisher"... well this is probably most evident when it comes to reading. If I start a book, I have to finish it - like that day! Seriously, it does not matter how lame the book is - if I picked it up I want to finish it. Most books I read in less than 48 hours, there have been a few that have stretched out longer but not many. I do love to read but because of having to finish it immediately and the repercussions it has (i.e. dirty home, lack of sleep, inattentive wife) I find myself avoiding it. Especially since lately I noticed that when Blake asks me "How's your book?" more often than not my response is something to the effect of "Cheesy", "Boring", or "Mmmmhhhh" - YET, my nose is still pressed between the pages. If I don't like the book - why the heck can I not put it down?

So when I find a good clean book it makes my life complete! So to all of you who read... read this!

It is written SO well that I could cry...

Monday Moms!

2009-04-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

"Sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Pick one or two things that you would like to learn or do that will enrich your life, and make time for them. Water cannot be drawn from an empty well and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children. Avoid any kind of substance abuse, mistakenly thinking that it will help you accomplish more. And don't allow yourself to be caught up in the time-wasting, mind-numbing things like television soap operas or surfing the Internet. Turn to the Lord in faith, and you will know what to do and how to do it." - Elder Ballard

My mother-in-law sent me this and it was very fitting right now. I vowed that I would never pay money to belong to a gym. I used to always say "Who would pay to workout, when you could go outside to run?" Well, I have to take this all back because I joined the local club and I love it. For "X amount of dollars" a month, I get the joy of dropping my two kidlins off at the child care (which Paisley thinks is a glorified playgroup), putting on some tennis shoes, and sweating away all my cares. It is so good for me and a great way to fill some of my day with worthwhile "me-time." Oh and the best part is the child care is for two hours - so I work out for an hour and then I get the honor of showering and getting ready without any interruptions... I probably would have joined A LONG time ago based on this perk alone!

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail...

2009-04-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

Oh - and one with Peter.

These pictures make my heart happy! Look what a little bribary can do... Paisley was promised a popsicle if she smiled pretty for mommy! Cosette was still practicing her serious face - oh well... what can you do? Hope you have an Egg-cellent Easter!

First smiles...

2009-04-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

Peace begins with a smile.
~Mother Teresa

Aunts are good at making...

2009-04-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

...Bubbles a Blast!

...Sleeping more Snuggly!

...Ice cubes Incredible!

...Painting Possible!
(Yes - that is Cosette in the front pack - you do what you have to do!)

...Shopping way more Simple!

...Freezing water Fun!

...and Fridges Full!
(My sisters fell in love with the cheap produce and had to stock up to take some home!)

We are so grateful Christy and Jaci endured the 14 hour drive (each way) to come see us. It was so much fun for Paisley to get to know her aunts better and extra hands always help with my sanity levels. We bummed around and it is not hard to entertain two Idaho girls... They soaked up the sun (still got snow in Idaho), ate good food (thanks Mom :), and tried not to think too much about the choas back home (their husbands were in charge for a week). I think their favorite part was going to the Produce Market and owwwing and awwing at the cheap prices - I guess frugality runs in the family. Thanks guys for coming - Paisley, Cosette, and I want you back already!

P + C

2009-03-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

Paisley has been way into Cosette lately. I can't wait for Cosette to interact more with her because I know Paisley will love it!

This picture is a "do what I say, not as I do" picture. I came into the room and Paisley had her finger in Cosette's mouth and Cosette was loving to suck on it. Cosette is not a big fan of the Binky but will sometimes take my finger to suck on. I always tell Paisley to not put her fingers in her mouth, but I guess she just saw me do it one too many times. Of course by the time I got the camera she had pulled her finger out.

Cosette is not safe anywhere - Paisley always finds her and usually does this. I like the guilty look Paisley has when she decides to "kick baby."

Paisley decided Cosette was bored and needed to hear a story. I love that Paisley is book-crazy and hope she stays that way! P.S. Paisley looks HUGE in this picture!

Paisley tries to get Cosette to play with her all the time... She already loves when I am holding Cosette and baby's legs hit her - she says "Baby kick Paisley." Cosette has also started to smile and Paisley thinks that it is pretty cool. And whenever Cosette is crying in her carseat (which is whenever she is in it) Paisley says "Baby no cry" trying to comfort her - it is cute to see Paisley turning into such a proud Big Sister!

Monday Moms!

2009-03-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

"For parents to take a newborn infant, who is then only a bundle of potentialities, and love and guide and develop that child until a fully functional human being emerges is the grandest miracle of science, and the greatest of all arts. When the Lord created parents, he created something breathtakingly close to what he is. We who have borne children innately know that this is the highest of callings, the holiest of assignments—and that is why the slightest failure can cause us crippling despair" - Patricia Holland

Blake and I have often joked that I am omni-phobic (all fearing). I have a million little fears that I dwell on way too much - when I became a mom these fears quadroupled. I remember calling my mom after Paisley was born and through the tears asking her "Do you ever stop worrying about your kids?" She instantly said "No - you don't." and then asked me what I was worrying about. I didn't even know where to start... that someone would take her, that she would stop breathing, that she would choke, that she would have an incurable diesease, that someone would hurt her, that she would grow up to hate me, that she would make poor decisions in her life, that I would lose her... I felt like my head was going to explode with all the new fears added to it. Somewhere in our conversation, my Mom said something to the effect of "Sometimes you just have to have faith in your heart and not think too much with your head otherwise you will never sleep at night." I have to remind myself of this alot - when my head starts spinning with all the responsibilities of being a parent, I turn to my heart and know that faith in my Saviour can replace the fear.

Happy Green Day!

2009-03-17T14:20:00.000-07:00

Monday Moms!

2009-03-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in. - Rachel Carson

I got caught in "the rut." For the past while, I was so focused on getting things done that I forgot to enjoy the doing. With Cosette around, it was getting hard to find the energy to chase, laugh, and play with Paisley. I was always looking for quick entertainment for her that required little participation on my part. Then my big sis Kara came to town and reminded me of all the joy that can be had when you engage with your kids. Paisley fell in love with Kara as they swung for hours at a time, blew bubbles until they were lightheaded, and had nightly conversations with the moon. Kara taught me once more how to play with my kid - how there is still a sparkle in their eye after the 10th round of "peek-a-boo" and to just enjoy that! I wish Kara lived closer so that when I start taking myself too seriously, the girls and I could tromp over there and remember the excitement of life as we get lost in sidewalk-chalk murals and eating popsicles.

P.S. Sorry Kara! I know you hate this picture because I snuck and took it through the window and you had just got done running - but I love it because when Paisley sees it she says "KA-KA - play?" as in a question like "Can Kara come play?"

Life before this...

2009-03-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't give up these two little buggers for the world - but there are a few things I do miss about being kid-free:

*When I could wake up and be out the door in 15 minutes

*Typing with both hands (you probably don't want to know that most blog updates are done while nursing)
*A clean house
*Choosing when I wanted to pull an "all-nighter"
*Taking long, luxurious showers
*When I thought Colic was a type of dog
*Getting in and out of a car in a matter of seconds
*Being able to hear myself think
*Less laundry
*Falling asleep with my hubby (Cosette likes to party from 11pm to 1am each night)
*Not having to worry about "Is she eating enough?","Is she eating too much?", "How do I get her to take a bottle?", "How do I get her off the bottle?", "Is she getting sick?" , "Is she getting a tooth?", "How do I get her to sleep at night?" , "How do I get myself to sleep at night?" , "Should I let her cry?" , "Should I feed her?" , "Should I call the the doctor?" , ETC...

Mama - get you!

2009-03-13T14:45:00.000-07:00

Our sprinklers broke (like two years ago - we're a little slow when it comes to home improvement) so I water the lawn with the hose. Paisley loves to help but I usually try to maintain control of the hose so she/me don't end up soaked. However, yesterday I stripped her down and just let her go for it. She LOVED it, especially at the end when she decided to "Mama - get you" and chased me around the yard trying to spray me. We were both laughing so hard as she would pull the hose (that weighs more than her) trying to get me but usually ending up spraying herself in the face due to lack of control. I love fun moments like this when I remember what it is like to be a kid!

Papago Park!

2009-03-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

With all the family in town (my sister Kara and her husband Larry, Grandma and Grandpa Taylor, and Grandma and Grandpa Anderson) we had a GREAT weekend. We ate a ton of good food, played lots of Settlers, and went hiking. This is the crew at Papago Park - it was a beautiful day, especially for the visitors who came from the rain and snow!

Paisley was pretty sleepy, but still enjoyed seeing the "hop-hops" (jack rabbits) and "bees" (bugs).

Cosette enjoyed her first hiking experience by sleeping the whole time.

Yeah for a fun family-filled weekend!

Good day...

2009-03-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was just one of those good days. It was Cosette's blessing day and because of family arrangements we ended up blessing her at home. It was so special to feel the spirit in our home as Blake took Cosette in his arms and gave her a name and a blessing. We also had a family testimony meeting where once more the spirit bore witness to me of the truth contained in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was one of those days that just make you sigh as you think "This is what it is all about."

Kiddos!

2009-03-05T14:38:00.001-08:00

What happened to the days when Blake and I actually took pictures of each other - now each time I upload the photos they all go into a folder titled "kiddos." Which I guess would officially make me the grown-up... darn it. It is just lots more fun to look at Paisley being goofy or Cosette being sweet - then photos of me paying bills or folding laundry (the two tasks that have seemed to overtake any kid-free-moment in my day.

Kiddo #1: Kiddo #2:

Taylor Trio

Moving...

Empty...

More tricks!

Hallelujah!

Ole!

So long '09...

Upcycled!

5 Years!

Merry Christmas from The Taylors!

Paisley-face!

Blabbering...

The Boxcar Children

Gingerbread houses...

Big Moves...

Cosie - pie!

R is for Rice...

Pick-pocket!

Ode to the road...

Hi-dee-ho!

Monday Moms!

Kiss and tell...

Jamma Time...

Children's Art Museum!

DIY

Trick or Treat...

Hoover Dam Marathon!

You don't gnome me...

Pumpkin guts...

Scroungy Loungy Pants!

Monday Moms!

Vlog...

Copy cat...

It's one AM...

Monday Moms!

Baby Legs

Fruity!

Monday Moms!

Paisley Poo!

Alphabet Soup!

B + C

Monday Moms!

You've got mail!

Bye!

Monday Moms!

Happy Birthday Daddy- O!

Monday Moms!

Fast Forward...

Idaho!

Seven Month Snip-its!

Beach Bums!

Birthday Freebies!

Monday Moms!

Paradise...

Tempe Town Lake

Monday Moms!

Wishy - washy...

The EverGREEN state!

Happy 4th of July!

More Home Videos!!!

Homeo-Stacey!

Lost and Found

To Dad! (and mom too!)

Proof!

Utah...

Comfy Cozy...

What will you want to Remember?

Yikes - stripes!

Silly...

NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY

Little memories...

Wild child...

DONE!!!

Matchmaker...

Date Night...

Sunday Moms!

Playing favorites

Sing it...

Dang it...

Monday Moms!