pieces of me

shame on me!

so i decided that i would take a peek at the blog and realized that it has been one year since i last updated.  that is sooooo bad!  i will not say that i am recommitted because just a couple of post down i said i was going to try improve and recommit - well that didn't work so i guess i will just try my best to work toward being better.  isn't that what life is about? - always trying to be better.  

this last year has flown by - we have been busy with a major renovation of the house, trip to disney world, one child being baptized, enduring a whole summer of every 3 day call schedule, the death of one of my superheros (my uncle) just to name a few.  i will just have to do some different post to catch everyone up.

in the meantime i will leave you with a picture of the kids i took this weekend.

 

cutie pies, i know!! i love them dearly!
 
 
 
 
 

tradition

each year shortly after thanksgiving we decorate our tree and each year there are new ornaments.  when we got married candy began the annual tradition of giving each child a christmas ornament that was representative of the past year.  it might be related to an activity that they had a great time participating in or related to a book that had caught their attention.  today she sometimes regrets starting that tradition because it can sometimes be very hard to decide what is the best ornament to get or, even worse, decide what would be perfect then be unable to find it. 

but each year she comes through.  and each year i think the kids are more excited than the last to see what was chosen for them.  it is an exciting kick off for our christmas season celebrations. 

after each new ornament is opened we then place them on the tree first.  then it becomes a wonderful stroll down memory lane as we unpack and hang up each ornament for each child from the previous years.  our tree has few decorations that are not related to a childhood memory.  as christmas, at least the tree, presents and santa, is really for kids it is a deep pleasure to open ornaments from years past and talk about what was going on in each child's life at the time the gift was given.  if you asked any one of them what they got for christmas last year or any year for that matter they would be hard pressed to give you and answer.  but if you asked them what ornaments are their's and what is the meaning and memory behind that they can talk and laugh for hours. 

tradition.  it binds us together by reminding us that we have a shared past, shared memories, shared love.

it's july, it must be another birthday

july is birthday month.  yesterday was will today is mg tomorrow is... well we do get a little break before the next round of b'days.  mary grace, mg, mar-mar, mrs. taylor (that still sounds a little weird to me) she answers to them all.  as she has grown she has taken on many identities and roles but she will always be my baby girl.  i just don't want to get this look that she gave ben the other day.

too bad dad or candy always has a camera handy, huh?  anyway she is an accomplished young woman now, having gained tenure at her teaching job, about to finish her master's degree, and many other things.  but in this family she will always be mar-mar or mg, big sister and daughter.

we love you,
dads and candy
ps remember to smile when the camera is out

my baby

turned 3 today!  i can't believe he is already 3!  it just seems like yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital.  time is going by sooo very fast.  i really wish i could stop time and keep him a baby a little longer.  it really hurts my heart to see him grow up so fast.  will is so proud of becoming a "big boy".  he tells me everyday that he is a big boy now and is growing up as high as benny.  he will be on his tippy toes reaching up for the sky as he says, "as high as benny".  he is such a joy in our lives and really completes our family.  he is loved by everyone that knows him.  he is spoiled rotten and loves all the attention he gets. 

here are some of the things he is doing right now at 3:

1. can count to 5.
2. can sing his abc's.  which he only gets to c. 
3. he knows about a quarter of the alphabet and can name the letters.
4. he loves to play ball and can hit a baseball off of a tee.
5. he loves to go to the park with his big sister laura.  he loves to go in her car.
6. he is totally potty trained and trained within a week.
7. he can throw a ball with a lot of force.
8. he fights off "bad guys" with any stick he finds outside.
9. he loves to play cars.
10. he loves to aggravate his older sister especially emily.
11. he loves to watch the backyardigans.
12. he will point his laser at you and shoot.  (learned that from buzz lightyear who he loves)
13. he favorite blankies are blue dots and little blue which he still calls them mmmm, mmmms.
14. yum yums are candy and his favorites are skittles and mints.
15, favorite saying is "i don't really know".
16. asks why about 1000 times a day.
17. loves to eat: strawberries, corn on the cob, tomatoes, fruit snacks, cold hot dogs, peaches, oranges.
18. is saying "i love you too."

and we love you, will!
happy birthday, mommy and daddy.

Ready for School

So Candy goes out of town for a "girls weekend" Thursday through Sunday I might add.  Before she leaves she laid out clothes for the girls and instructed Laura to do their hair. 

Ok so I know that I am not the best at matching clothes or fixing hair but come on, you be the judge, these kids look very cute.  They both helped pick out their clothes and decided to decorate their hair.  Personally I think it looks good.  And if it doesn't then maybe Candy will think twice about abandoning me and the kids just to have a few days of relaxation and fun without having to cut up someone's meat or wipe a nose that isn't hers or any of the thousands of things she does every day to make sure we all get out the door on time and dressed appropriately  for the day. 

Well I guess this will also teach her to leave her passwords around where I can find them.

Have a great day and remember, cute is in the eyes of the beholder.

Pat

i boy

will is becoming such a little independent boy these days.  he gets very upset when he is not allowed to do things himself.  he now considers himself a "big boy".  one thing that he does not like is to be called anything but boy.  i will walk into his room to get him up from his nap and say "hey sugar".  he promptly says "no i boy".  it is so funny.  no matter what you say to him he comes back with "i boy".  he is always very funny about telling me when there is a "big mess" as relation to my past post.  when we are driving down the road and he sees something that he considers to be a "big mess" he will tell me.  so when other people in public comment on how cute he is, i usually will say "yes, and he is a mess".  he will always turn to me and say "i not mess" as he is pointing to his clothes to show me he indeed has not made a mess.  so sweet!  other sayings he has right now:
- lots (as he is waving his hands in the air in circles) this is when he wants a lot of something. 
- big one...meaning this is big.
- one more...asking for another one.
- b r b r b r....this is his name & the alphabet.   hannah will often times spell his name, so if you ask him his name he will not say will but spell it for you. also, when he sees a  letters on something, he will say b.
- much...i love you too. 
- yes, yes....he has gotten into when you tell him no about something he will say yes-yes in return trying to convince you his is right and knows what he is talking about. (wow - wonder where he learned this???)

just in case you are wondering......he is definitely spoiled rotten.  but when you are this cute -- how can you not be????

7 years old

yep...our baby girl is 7.  can you believe it?  emily is a very sweet and compassionate child.  she likes to help others and is always wanting to please everyone around her.  she will usually think about others before herself.  anytime she has her own money to spend she will buy something for hannah and will before she will look for herself.  she loves school. she is often put in leadership roles at school.   she loves to dance and sing.  she is all into picking out the perfect outfit and often can be found in front of the mirror fixing her hair.  her daddy says she is becoming more and more like her mother everyday.  she is not a baby anymore and that makes me so sad.  daddy loves to have them grow up and i would love to freeze this time and keep them little forever.  but i guess if they do have to grow up, i am glad she is growing into the person she is. 

our sweet emmy.  we love you and you make us very proud. 

big mess

the other day after school the kids wanted a snack, so hannah and emily sat down to eat jello.  of course, will had to have some as well.  thinking everything was under control because hannah was still in the kitchen i walked away to go check emails.  well apparently hannah had walked away shortly after i did.  when hannan did go back into the kitchen she found this and started calling for me
"i make big mess, mom".  yes he sure did!  gotta love these days! :)