The Taylor Family

Happy {Heart} Day!

2012-02-14T21:19:00.000-05:00

Where there is love there is life

~Gandhi

However you spent the day today...I hope it was filled with love.

Love is in the Air

2012-02-13T15:20:00.000-05:00

We have been busy preparing for Valentines Day! It's a big school holiday. For teachers and kids. I forget sometimes how big of a deal this day is because being at the middle school love is in the air everyday when you are 13!

This year, Valentines Day is a school day. And a day when Daddy also has school so he won't be home until well after bedtime. Instead we spent Sunday getting ready.

We started our morning with heart shaped pancakes and powered sugar and then moved on to the main event....preparing our Valentine Cards for Sydney's classmates!

Thanks, Pinterest! I have been coveting these cards for weeks and Sydney jumped right on board. After a quick photo shoot, run to Target for tootsie pops, express shipping from Shutterfly, and a borrowed exact o-knife we created these! And I love them! More importantly, Sydney loved them and can not wait to share these with her friends! Aren't they cute??

Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.

~Franklin P. Jones

SUYL---Being a Working Mom

2012-02-12T16:22:00.000-05:00

When I saw Kelly's topic for Show Us Your Life, I knew I wanted link up. It's a topic I have been thinking about a lot lately...being a working momma. It's a topic that few people talk about and many people are divided on. Especially women. So, it's a hard topic to open up about. I recently read this blog post (here)
about how critical we are of each other.

"Dial it down, ladies, dial it down. If you’ve never had a moment of doubt, never thought you were the worst mother in the world, then continue on as you are. But, for those of us who do have doubts and guilt and worries, and I’m pretty sure we all do, then maybe we need to think the next time we offer another mother unsolicited advice. Is it really helping her? Really preventing disaster? Or is it just slumping her shoulders a little further down?"

The truth is whatever your story is...if you stay home or work...you love your child. Every momma does. And we all need each other. Having that support group is so critical for me and for Sydney. It makes all the difference.

I have the perfect career when it comes to being a momma. Being a teacher allows me freedoms that I would have never had. I am (typically) home in the evenings, on the weekends, on all major breaks, and the summer. I feel blessed that I have a job that allows me this type of schedule. After Sydney was born, I always knew I would go back to work. I never considered staying home. Not really. I love my job. I couldn't imagine doing anything else. But, it wasn't easy. Leaving her, trusting someone else was the hardest thing that I have ever had to do. And despite what people think, it never got easier. Never. Even though we had Sydney in the very best of hands and she was so happy...that mommy guilt always raised it's head. As we settled into a routine, life moved forward and I questioned myself less. I am sure that me working has made me a better mother. For that, I am grateful. And I know that working has also afforded our family opportunities that we wouldn't have if I stayed home.

Yet, I am experiencing something new in my working mommy journey.... Sydney has started school. I always thought once she started school things would be better. I would feel better. But, the opposite has happened. For the first time ever I have an overwhelming urgency to stay home. Maybe it's because I know too much. I am to close to it. Some days it's so intense I can barely concentrate at school. The guilt is paralyzing at times. Since she has started school, we are so much busier. Between after school activities, homework, cooking dinner, running errands, and all of the other little things the weeks are just flying by. I barely have time to take it all in.

I want to be the room mother in her class. I want to be able to help with class room parties. I want to volunteer to run copies. I want to be on the PTO. I want to have lunch for her. Be home if she gets sick. Make cookies for when she gets off the bus. I want to be involved in HER education. Instead, I spend all my days educating other peoples children. Which also has extreme honor and worth.

It all comes back to finding balance, doesn't it? Ultimately, all I want is for Sydney to know that she is loved. Every minute of the day. And that she is the most important child in my life.

Walk A Mile

2012-02-11T21:18:00.002-05:00

Yes, it's the middle of winter. Yes, it was only 16 degrees outside. Yes, it was windy and spitting snow. And YES, we walked 2 miles in it. For a great cause.

Today was a good day. Great Day, in fact. We were invited to join Aunt Darbi in Muncie for the annual Walk a Mile in Their Shoes fundraiser for the Muncie Mission. It was very humbling to to see thousands of people joined together in the freezing, windy, snowy weather and raise money for such an important cause. Taking a break in our busy life and walk in the cold on a Saturday morning...an amazing reminder that we have this choice while many others do not. I am so glad Darbi asked us to be a part of this day.

"Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world, when He could so something about it.....but I am afraid he may ask me the same question. " -Anonymous

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

2012-02-08T01:50:00.001-05:00

Dear Diet Coke,

It's not you. It's me. You have done nothing wrong. Well, except for the fact you are incredibly bad for my over all health. But, I was willing to accept you for what you were. In the good times and bad. Together, we have started every single morning for the last 5 years or more. We have built a routine together. One that I have loved very much. Sigh...

You have always been so loyal and consistent. Always being the same every day. The combination of you poured over ice in a Styrofoam cup is shear delight. You have nothing to be embarrassed about, DC. I knew what I was getting into when we got involved. I knew the risks.

After a lot of soul searching, I have decided it's time for you and I to go our separate ways. I know it's the right decision and when I see things like the chart below . It's time for me to move on. It won't be easy but in time we will both move forward. I will start seeing something new and so will you. I will always look back on our time together with fondness.

Love,

Tonya

Super Bowl Sunday

2012-02-07T10:16:00.000-05:00

I am so proud of my city, Indianapolis! They rocked the Super Bowl. Rocked it! I was super excited to watch the game and celebrate the big city. Karla (aka, Mary or Tonya) invited to posse over for some Pre-Game fun. We had yummy treats, delicious drinks, and lots of laughs before we headed home for some serious game watching!

It wouldn't be a photo op without our traditional silly face picture! Emma, Jason, and Sydney did it proud! Love those faces.
Karla made us delicious martini's with her new birthday stuff. Yummy!!

We all wore our Colts gear to show support for the Manning family! If we couldn't cheer Peyton on...we were on the NY Giant bandwagon!! And to our complete delight...the NY Giants are the Super Bowl Champs! Yahoo!!

Vocabulary Parade

2012-02-06T04:00:00.001-05:00

This week Sydney participated in a Vocabulary Parade at school. Weeks ago, she choose her word. Mirth. Yes, Mirth. Leave it to my girl to pick a word that I she had to look up the meaning to. The definition of mirth is amusement or laughter.

She had to design a costume that best displayed the meaning of the word. Perfect assignment for my crafty kid.

Her creation was perfect. She included our famous silly face pictures all over it. Plus, the jester hat just seals the deal.

Up on stage she went. In front of hundreds of parents and kids. I was so proud of her. She was so brave. She had to say her word, part of speech, and definition. And she rocked it!

Proud Pappa!

I love her creativity and love of learning. I am a proud mama. Today and Always. And I will tell you what, mirth is a word we will never forget.

Social Sunday!!

2012-02-05T09:35:00.000-05:00

I am participating in my first Blog Link Up! It's being hosted by {The Kurtz Corner} & {The Sasse Life}. I am so excited to be joining them for Sunday Social. Be sure to head over to their blogs and check these ladies out.

Also, check out their featured blog at live.laugh.row. Kelle is doing a great giveaway via her Etsy shop!

Random {Silly} Fun Facts:
1. I am ~~mildly~~ obsessed with celebrity sightings. However, I don't want to meet them...just admire them for afar! I am officially on overload this week because the Super Bowl is being held here. My tiny suburb is hosting some of the biggest stars...rumor has it Will Smith is in town.

2. Socks. I can't stand them. I have no interested in socks. If I can get away with not wearing them, I will. However, I know there are times when I have to wear them. So, when I do wear them I just grab two socks out of my drawer and go. Rarely do they match. Oops!

3. Everyone in my family has a March birthday. We all 3 celebrate our birthdays within two weeks of each other (the 1st, 10th, 14th). In fact, Sydney was due on my birthday but was born exactly two weeks early giving her a birthday of March 1.

4. I am annoyingly prompt. I always have to be on time for things (and often early). It makes me very anxious just to think about being late to something.

5. My husband and I starting dating on the 21st of July. Every single month since then (almost 16 years ago) we celebrate the 21st with a date night. We also try to be the first one each day to say, "Happy 21st"... I am the reigning champ! I know, we are dorks!

Thanks for stopping by! Leave a comment and say hello.

And I am back...

2012-02-03T08:44:00.000-05:00

The construction project is officially done. Blog re-design complete. And I honestly couldn't be more thrilled. I love the way it turned out and I am so excited for the changes it is going to bring.

I am in LOVE with the new title. It perfectly describes right where I am in my life. Torn between what I am doing and what I want to do. And in the midst of this trying to figure out this assignment called life. More on this topic later.

Here is a sneak peak at some of the things that are going to stay the same and some new things that you will start to see.

Story's about my family, Sydney's milestones, our adventures, and a basic diary of our life....stays the same.
Planning to participate in link up's ...so if you know any good ones, please share.
Sharing a new weekly post ....Understanding the Assignment
Guest Bloggers (if you are interested, let me know)

Also you may have noticed some new features....social media hook ups! I would love it if you were following my Twitter journey and Pinning!

Welcome to Understanding The Assignment!

Under Construction!!

2012-01-31T08:23:00.002-05:00

Our blog is going under construction!! I have finally decided to move forward with something that I have wanted to do for a long time....redesign the blog. Now, for anyone who knows me you realize how difficult this is for me because I am a terrible decision maker. It's so hard for me to commit. I spent hours looking online, looking at fonts, picking through ideas, themes, and layouts.

I knew I couldn't do this on my own so I went on a hunt. I have found a fabulous blog designer to help, Diana of Custom Blog Designs. She's been awesome so far! Together we have come up with an idea that I am super excited about. Check Diana out over here!!
I am so excited to give this blog a new look, new title, new identity, new purpose. Here is a little sneak peak!!

Pretty soon you will be visiting the new and improved Taylor Blog!!

The Super Bowl is in Town!!

2012-01-30T09:08:00.003-05:00

We have been planning a trip down town to enjoy the Super Bowl activities for weeks. The best part was that the Hardy crew was going to be joining us for the day. Unfortunately, even the best laid plans sometimes don't work out. At the last minute tragedy struck and they had to cancel. Oh, how we missed sharing this day with them.

We ended up heading downtown anyway and we are so glad we did. The crowds were minimal. Indianapolis blew me away today. Truly blew me away. The city has never looked better. There was excitement at every street corner. You could just feel it. I am so proud to live in this city! Welcome to town Super Bowl fans!!

The stadium looked amazing!

We decided to splurge and by tickets last minute to the Super Bowl experience. I am so glad that we did. It was a chance of a life time experience. We had such a fun time.

Being a player (even for a second) is such fun! Some say my guy looks a lot like Matt Hasselbeck...

Comparing our hands to the hands of the most famous NFL players. Look how little my girls fingers look!

Warren Moon's hands made mine look so small.

Arm wrestling match! Sydney was a star!

Zip Lining down Capital Ave! Say what?? Right above our heads. So cool to watch! Too bad the wait was 6 hours long. This is the largest temporary zip line ever built. Bring it, Indy!

Colts fun! I especially love this one because the Colts were supporting Breast Cancer awareness with their pink gloves and shoes.

Pro Bowl Uniform

We were able to watch a football being made from scratch. She is inserting the laces here. It was a really interesting process...start to finish!
Sydney got in on the action! She was seeing how high she could jump. She is just getting so big. So grown up!

Burr....it was cold! But, oh so fun.

Indy Car's all painted to represent each NFL team. What a sight to see!!

Oh, I love this sweet face! Sydney was enjoying a real turf field. What a treat!

It's going to be a great week in Indy! As all of the volunteers said (all day long)... have a SUPER day!

Donald Miller's Post

2012-01-22T15:23:00.001-05:00

I like reading Donald Miller's blog. A lot. I have posted about him before. This most recent post really caused me to stop and think. It is a powerful video that pushes you outside of your comfort zone. It makes me think about what I want for Sydney. For our family. It reinforces my obvious hesitation in exposing her to this machine called Religion. Sure, we have talked about God, prayer, heaven, and belief. We do all the time. We pray. We give thanks. We talk about Jesus. And Heaven. A lot.

But, as far as taking her to a giant church, a Sunday social scene, a ritual, money making machine, complete with an "amazing" childrens' program...I am just not sold. It's not to say that we won't ever attend Church. In fact, I am pretty sure we will. It's one of our goals. We just will do it with awareness and caution. I am also aware that people will disagree with me, argue that not all churches are this way and I respect that. I do. I just wish they could respect this...
Why I love Jesus but Hate Religion.

Donald Miller states... "I sure like what this kid has to say. I’m no fan of religion (and I know the definition isn’t all that bad, but in our age the definition and the street understanding of the term are different). But mostly, I’m no fan of people using Jesus or religion or morality or any of that to bring attention to themselves while they secretly live differently. I’m over it. I’d rather sin in the open than sin in private and be a hypocrite. I guess that probably makes me a different kind of self righteous. Regardless, this is worth pondering."

Read more from Miller... HERE .

Disney On Ice--Dare to Dream

2012-01-21T20:46:00.000-05:00

One of Sydney's Christmas gifts was tickets (for her and a friend) to Disney On Ice. She invited Emma to join her. These two little girls were giddy with excitement. They could barely wait to get there and had been counting down the days. It was so fun to see them in matching tee-shirts, tutu's, and boots! Oh, I love having a girl.

Of course, Disney did not disappoint. The performance was fantastic. The entire show led up to welcoming Rapunzel into the princess circle. All of our princess favorites were on hand! What a show!

Hand in hand....

The Tangled Souvenir cup filled with a slushy..a must have!

Isn't she just beautiful?? Love this sweet face. Emma had Sydney have just become the best of friends...and it just fills my heart. I love their sweet friendship.

Precious face! Of course, every princess needs her own crown and wand!

Minnie was even on hand! Looking beautiful as always...

What a show! Fireworks, music, dancing...

Hugs! Love it. They were both so grateful. So sweet. So precious. It was a joy to spend an afternoon with them. Dare to Dream, my girls. And Dream Big!

Tripp Roth

2012-01-17T21:14:00.000-05:00

I have gone back and forth on rather or not to post about this. I don't even know this family. I have never met them. Nor will I ever. But, my heart tells me this story...Tripp's story...is worth telling. It's not an easy story. It's not a pretty story. It's a scary story. It's a sad story. But, it is also an incredible story of love. And because tonight I was able to read a story, kiss, and tuck in my incredibly beautiful and healthy daughter, I give thanks. And I pay tribute to this beautiful love story between a mother and her son.

Over a year ago, I started reading Courtney's blog...

And I haven't stopped. She writes honestly about her journey with her son, Tripp. He had an unimaginable disease, EB. It took his life this week. It's truly the worst disease I have ever heard of. But, the true story here is Courtney herself. I have never seen a greater display of motherly love. I just haven't. Her selfishness, devotion, courage, belief, and commitment to her son is inspiring.

The video below was featured on ABCNews recently. It's an incredible tribute to their journey.

video platform video management video solutions video player

People have asked me, "Why do you watch this stuff? It's so sad and morbid. What's wrong with you?" I don't have an easy answer. For me, watching these story's, following these blogs, understanding others pain ...is beauty and love. It's the reminder that others are fighting harder battles, the reminder that life is good, and the reminder that love is always enough.

Enjoying the Journey

2012-01-17T15:20:00.000-05:00

I am going to work really hard each week to post how I have been enjoying the journey. Although, I am really enjoying the journey...I am thinking about redesign my blog and changing our tag line. I am working on it...and soon the new changes will be reveled. I can't wait! But, it makes me a better person to stop and realizing how much fun I am having...life is good. To stop and say thanks and realize...yeah, I really am having a great time!

This (past) week, I Enjoyed the Journey by....

Spending the weekend away with Jason. Just the two of us. It was the most fun. I love Sydney more than anything and hate being away from her. But, it is so important to Jason and I to have "our" time. We didn't go far or spend much...and it was perfect. (thanks, Mom, for keeping our girl...she had the best time)
Yummy Graters Ice Cream on our weekend away

Talking on the phone with a dear friend for over an hour...good for the soul (thanks, Karla)
Cracker Barrel meals with the Tibbs girls that last way to long and we eat to much...but wouldn't trade it for anything
Watching Sydney kiss and hug Charlotte.....over and over and over
Finishing a really good book and having another one to start

How are you Enjoying the Journey??

Student of the Week

2012-01-13T22:10:00.000-05:00

Finally after weeks and weeks of waiting, Sydney was the Student of the Week in her class. Each day this week something special was planned for her. She loved every minute of it!

First up, a tell all bag. We had to fill it with things that Sydney loved. We put in a stuffed cat, pictures from our trip to Europe, a picture of Charlotte, American Girl stuff, and on and on...

Throughout the week we wrote a special letter to Sydney, Daddy went and surprised her for lunch (with Subway even!), the class wrote a story about her, and she took in her favorite books to share! What a fun week to honor each kiddo and what makes them unique and special. I love it!

It's Party Time!

2012-01-13T21:57:00.001-05:00

Hard to believe but it's time to start planning birthdays in our house. Since we all celebrate birthdays in March, it's busy!

Because it is so busy, this year we are doing things a little different. We are super excited about it too. We are going to celebrate all of our birthdays on one day with our family! Yay! Will be so fun to have everyone together.

Then, Sydney is going to have a small group of friends join her for a fun art project at Ms. Jenny's studio...A Space To Create. For this occasion, I turned to Shutterfly to help with the invites. Love them. I have used Shutterfly for invitations, cards, photo books, etc. Every time they turn out great! Thanks, Shutterfly!

Below is a sneak peak at Sydney's invitation!!

And JUST WAIT until you find out what we are going to do as a family to celebrate each other!! I am SO excited about this. :)

Stationery Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Thanks, Pinterest!

2012-01-09T11:42:00.000-05:00

I joined the Pinterest craze awhile back and I'll admit...I spend way more time on the site than I should. But, I am a sucker for a good idea and Pinterest is flooded with them.

This particular recipe I have been wanting to make for awhile now. (actually every recipe I am making for dinner this week is from Pinterest!)

I finally did and it did not disappoint! These are SO easy and delicious. They are relatively low-calorie and a great snack. My only tweak to the recipe would be to double it...they go fast!!

The Recipe:

No-Bake Energy Bites

(makes 18-20 bites)

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Enjoying the Journey

2012-01-06T21:08:00.000-05:00

A few months ago I came across the phrase, "enjoying the journey" and it has just stuck. In fact, I have added it to our blog header. I have thought about what it means in our life. I have spend countless hours thinking about where our life is headed, where we have been, what we want for our family...that's what I do. I think. And I read. A lot. Blogs, Books, Quotes, Websites, News, ...you name it..I read it.

So, this year I am going to try and write more. Instead of always reading other people's thoughts. I am going to try and write mine. For the most part, I blog about our family life, what we do, where we go...and that's amazing. It will be priceless to have this. But, our life is more than that. It's about who we are. Who I am. And how I am enjoying the journey.

That being said, I came across this excerpt from Donald Miller's Blog right after Christmas and it has a lot to do with enjoying the journey. It struck a chord...as most of his writing does. If you haven't had the chance to experience Donald Miller. Do it. It's worth it.

From Donald Miller's Blog...What Makes Certain People Special? "I confess I have little patience for normality. Oh, I love laying in bed on Sunday morning and watching football on Saturday. I think if you followed me around for a week you’d see a lot of normal. But I can’t live that way for long.

It’s not that I think normal people are boring or not good enough, it’s that normal people often have beauty and strength and abilities they aren’t using. In America, normal means that you are a follower, a consumer, not a creator. I don’t mean to sound judgmental, but I have felt this way for a long time. The truth is I don’t want to live a normal life. I want to homeschool my kids, on a boat in the Jervis Inlet. I want them to know that if they want they can grow up and be Senators, or Opera singers. I want to study Michaelangelo in Rome and Florence, I want them to worship Jesus in a Buddhist temple, befriend famous authors, assist in surgeries in the third world, ride their bikes across Africa and disagree, at thirteen, with columnists in the New York Times. Why? Because they can, and nobody is stopping them.

Many of us are normal because we are afraid. We aren’t taking responsibility for the exceptional opportunities that are laid before us...."

I am not sure yet how this translates into my life. But, I am pretty sure this year it will. This idea that we don't have to be normal....

I have spent this week enjoying the journey by:

Spending unplanned, unscheduled time with Jason, Sydney, and my sweet neighbors
Talking about family with my SIL, Danielle, and realizing love is enough
Seeing Sydney's face light up when she received a surprise package in the mail
50's weather in January. Amazing.

New Years Eve

2012-01-01T12:08:00.001-05:00

Hard to believe that 2011 has come to a close. We celebrated the final day of an amazing year. A year that has brought change, new experiences, growth, travel, laughter, tears, and love. It's funny how much things can change in a year. People change. Life changes. That's part of the journey. And boy, how we have enjoyed the journey.

We had a wonderfully low key New Year's Eve. One spent with friends and filled with laughter. It was perfect after quite a busy holiday it was nice to just relax in our PJ's and hang out.

Our New Year's Eve started off with this....

It is a must see movie for the entire family. It was really, really good. Maybe one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. Go see it...you won't be sorry.

Then after lots of pizza, Oreo balls, and popcorn...we tuned into this. The final minutes of 2012 with Dick Clark in Times Square. The countdown began.....

We sat together and watched, waiting for the ball to drop. This sweet girl was so tired but she hung in there...wanting to be awake for the big moment! And she was. She made it. And I love that!

Love that these two sweet girls who have just become the best of friends were able to welcome 2012 together. I can't wait to see what this new year holds for them. SO excited!! 10...9...8...7...6...

Happy New Year!! Raise your glass for a toast to the new year, new beginnings, and new adventures!(or as Sydney would say..clink your glasses!!)

New Year's hugs and kisses all around!

I love that Abby is always smiling!! Happy New Year, sweet girl! Hugs from Jason....

Group Hugs!! The best. Love these girls!

Happy 2012! Enjoy the Journey...

2012 To Do List

2012-01-01T05:00:00.020-05:00

Happy New Year!! Here we go. Another year of lists. Things we want to intentionally accomplish this year. 2012 is going to be full of surprises. We can feel it. We welcome 2012 with renewed excitement and anticipation. We move into 2012 with finding the balance in our life.

As we said last year, we decided a long time ago to not make New Year's Resolutions because it's just to easy to break them. Instead, we started doing a "To Do" list for the year. Again, we don't include anything on the list that we already have planned (for example, like the fact that Jason has signed up for his 6th mini-marathon!!) There are a couple carry overs from 2011 and we are convinced we will get them done this year...like learning Spanish..which is so important to us. We have come up with a better and more efficient way! (and there are a few things that will continue on into the next year....date night, for example stays on our schedule because it's so important to us)....

Here are the Top 10 things that we want to do in 2012!

1. Ride a Segway
2. Volunteer as a family
3. Go Camping
4. Visit St. Louis
5. 90 Minutes a week "off the grid"
6. Visit Lake Michigan
7. Visit the Big Cat Rescue
8. Exercise together once a week
9. Attend Church as a family
10. Improve our Spanish (speak it at home!)

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."

~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Happy 2012!! May it bless you each day!

2012 Word of the Year

2012-01-01T01:00:00.004-05:00

It's a new year and that means its time to pick a new word. We spend a lot of time talking about words and what we want to focus on for the new year. And I love how the word we pick fits exactly into our life at that moment. I am beginning to wonder if the word is really choosing us and not the other way around. So, after much thought, our 2012 word is... Balance. John Frusciante said, "For me it's important to be in balance. To not let fear get in the way of things, to not worry so much about protecting yourself all the time and follow your dream."

Balance defined: mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calm behavior, judgment, etc.

"Balance is key: I need to be successful in my career to feel fulfilled, be surrounded by people I care about to share it with, and have my health to be able to do the things I love to do!" ~Kiana Tom

In 2012 we will focus on balance in our life. Balance between what we have to do and what we want to do. Seek more opportunities to say yes, be present in the moment, and keep balance with what is really important in our life.

In 2010, we focused on the word Simplify. And we are glad we did. It helped to ground and center us. In 2011, we focused on the word Fearless. And it pushed us to do things we would have never done before. We will continue to simplify our life, be fearless in our decisions, and find balance in our life in 2012.

2011's Top Ten

2011-12-31T05:00:00.011-05:00

Wow, another year has gone by. It's hard to believe. The end of the year means that it's time for our 4th Top Ten blog list. As we look back on 2011, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for this amazing year. We have been blessed with so many opportunities, friendship, and love.

Before we can move on to 2012, we have to take a look back at the amazing and blessed year we've had. But, when I tried to complete a Top Ten list, I just couldn't....too much has happened this year. Our year has just been so full. So, instead of our traditional list, I decided to make this....

When you're happy like a fool
Let it take you over
When everything is out
You gotta take it in

Oh this has gotta be the good life
This has gotta be the good life
This could really be a good life, good life

May 2012 bless you endlessly....live the good life. Everyday.

How'd we do? 2011

2011-12-29T01:19:00.001-05:00

A year ago we set out to do the list below. Overall, we have done well. We didn't get to everything but that's okay because we did a couple of pretty amazing things that weren't on this list. So, we finished out the year at 60% accomplished. Not too shabby!

Here are the Top 10 things that we wanted to do in 2011! And the items in RED are the things that we were able to do!

1. Shoot guns

2. Try 5 new restaurants

3. Have family movie night once a month

4. Volunteer as a family

5. Swim with Dolphins

6. Learn Spanish....Rosetta Stone Style

7. Take a trip with friends

8. Attend Symphony on the Prairie

9. Visit the Louisville Mega Cavern

10.Run/Walk a 5K together

Birthday Celebration

2011-12-27T23:12:00.000-05:00

Happy 50th Birthday, Karla! I know, I know...a lady never tells her age (or the age of her friends..) But, honestly Karla deserves for the world to know how amazing she looks at 50! I wanna be her when I grow up!! She is beautiful inside and out! I was so glad that we were able to celebrate with her on her big day!!

Karla's birthday present from the porch posse...a basket full of all the making of a great chocolate martini.

A toast to the birthday girl! We wished her another 50 years of joy, happiness, love, and laughter. I really believe that the best is still yet to come....

A special shot for the birthday girl! She took it like a champ and chased with with some lime.

Since we were at Abuelo's...Karla had birthday flan.

I was SO very glad that Vicki was there to celebrate with us. Oh, how I have missed seeing her and laughing with her. I just love these two ladies.

The Porch Posse ladies! Boy, it's been a fun ride so far. I love being included amongst these amazing women. (Ann, your sunglasses are rocking!!)

“And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

~Abraham Lincoln

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-27T14:25:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!! What a wonderful day! We were awoken by Sydney who was so excited she was about to burst! Santa had finally come. We headed out to the tree and settled in for a fun time of opening presents, laughing, and sharing.

Merry Christmas to my loves. They are my joy, my heart, and my happy. I am so blessed to spend my life and my Christmas's with them.

A Barbi Styling Head! Say What?? Oh, yes...Thanks to sweet Meg, our girl is lovin her some hair stylin'

Hugs for Aunt Darbi! Sydney loved her special Vet Barbi...complete with a kitten, of course.

Then Sydney took a break opening gifts and got busy helping Charlotte look at her stocking treats.

Big hugs for Ma Ma. The Lalaloopsy was a big favorite! Sydney was very blessed with lots of her favorite things. She is one lucky girl. Plus, the only grandchild..so that doesn't hurt either.

My most favorite gift of the day...this sweet package tucked under the tree. Sydney made this card to go along with it. I just love it.

A handmade ornament for the tree. Sydney made this just for us. She was so very proud as we hung it on the tree. This is what Christmas is all about. Giving from the heart.

After presents, was our breakfast tradition. Aunt Darbi fixes an amazing breakfast for us on Christmas morning! I wouldn't wait. The whole place smelled delicious.

First up, Lemon Poppy-seed Pancakes with strawberry topping. Yummy!! I love Poppy-seed and these pancakes were delicious!

Seriously?? So good!!

Family. Gathered around the table with delicious food. That's the best! We spent the rest of the day playing, watching movies, napping. Then we finished off our Christmas day with a dinner with the Porch Posse! It was perfect.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-26T18:04:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve is a big day in our house. It always has been. Years ago (when we were pregnant with Sydney) we decided that we would no longer travel on Christmas Eve or Day. For those two days we would stay home and create our own traditions. And for the last 7 years we (along with Darbi) have been doing that. We spend the day baking, watching Christmas movies, playing games, and just enjoying out time together. This year we had the blessing of having Ma Ma and Papa join us for the holiday. It's been a long time since they have been with us so we were very glad that they were here.

Although the weather didn't feel like Christmas at all (it was in the 50's and no snowflakes around), we made the most of it. It was just wonderful. We baked. And then baked some more. We watched movies, played games, and enjoyed each other.

We started baking right away. First up, a delicious apple cookie from Ma Ma and Sydney. Of course, Sydney is wearing her very special Christmas apron. It belonged to my Grandma Strahle. I love seeing Sydney in it. Oh, how Grandma would have loved to meet Sydney. I wish they could have had time together.

Sydney and Jason worked together on their annual gingerbread house. I love watching how much the house has changed over the years. It shows how much Sydney has changed and grown up. In the beginning she needed Daddy's help so much and now it's less.

Preparing the house structure.

She worked on this with such focus and detail. She is such a big girl!

Her beautiful house. All done. It turned out perfect. We knew that Santa would love seeing this.

We painted nails and toes...cause a girl's gotta look wonderful for Santa's visit!

We watched one...no two..no three Christmas movies.

And played games in our PJ's. I love the casualness of this scene. The comfort. Family.

We gave lots and lots of hugs!! I love how much my girl loves her Aunt.

Sydney baked and decorated her special cookies to leave on a plate for Santa.

We played and played with this sweet girl. She is just so much fun!! We learned that she now loves to pounce and purrrrr.....

And we didn't leave this girl out either. We played with her too! She has been such a good sport about all of this. Thank goodness.

Sydney got very busy writing a letter to leave for Santa.

Oh, how I love this. Love.

And then finally night time fell. There is just something so magical about Christmas Eve night. It is dark outside and the lights of the tree is glowing. You can just feel the anticipation in the air. Sydney decided to take down her last advent mitten just before bath time and she was in for a surprise.

A letter from Buddy that led her to a special present under the tree!!

A package from Buddy!

Brand new Christmas PJ's compliments of Buddy! They are red and covered in kittens. (of course...)

Before settling in for night Sydney wanted to help fill Charlotte and Relay's stockings. She has such a sweet and generous heart. Always thinking of someone else. As a matter of fact, she didn't think she was getting anything under the tree because Charlotte was her Christmas wish...and as her grandparents brought in presents she said, "Are all those presents for me?" and ma ma replied, "Yes, they are" and Sydney said, "Why? My list wasn't that long".... :) I love that about her.

Traditional Christmas Eve watching of the movie Elf.

All ready for Santa. Cookies and Milk plus reindeer treats.

All through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse....

The Light Show

2011-12-25T22:05:00.000-05:00

We heard about this amazing neighborhood light show near us and wanted to check it out. So, we piled into the car with the Tibbs girls (literally squeezed in with Abby in the way, way back!) and headed over. And it was awesome! There were literally about 12 houses that were synchronized to the same music. We sang at the top of our lungs. It was incredible! Plus, we were greeted by the Grinch, Elves, and Frosty! It doesn't get much better than that.

As we drove in a sign told us what station to tune to for the music show! Awesome!! I can't even imagine how much work this took!!

No way does this do it justice. No picture would. But, we tried to capture it. I just love Christmas lights. Love them!!

After 3 trips around the court, we headed over to Cracker Barrel for a later dinner. And the fun continued. Oh, how I just love break.

A Porch Posse Christmas

2011-12-24T10:34:00.000-05:00

I have learned a lot this year. A lot about friendship, family, relationships, and love. And many of the lessons I have learned I owe to the amazing group of people who we call The Porch Posse. We are a motley crew of sorts. And I love that. Each one of us so different, in different walks of our life, different circumstances yet somehow we come together and have a connection that is like family. We all click. That's why it went without saying that we would celebrate the holidays together.

So, the porch posse gathered at our place for a Christmas celebration. I was so happy to have them all here. In our place. Together. It was an evening of delicious food, wine, laughter, and love. It was a terrific night.

Cheers!! My favorite part of this picture...the little girls pinkies up in the air. No wine glasses just a pinky swear to always be together. (I love Ms. Jean's full smile too...shows the pure fun we were having!)

Pete and Debbie. These two party like a fool...like a fool.

Loved having Karla's kids (Cameron and Anna) here to celebrate with us. They look awesome in their matching socks. I loved being able to give them big hugs and tell them how much I love their mamma. She has done an incredible job in raising such strong, beautiful, loving kids.

Karla, Abby, and Debbie getting in some cuddle time before opening presents.

Thank you porch posse and sweet girls for reminding me of what this season is all about. It's not about who can spend the most money or buy the most extravagant gifts. It's just not. It's actually not about the gifts at all.

I loved the fact that none of us even discussed it yet everyone was on the same page. Sweet meaningful gifts. Appropriate gifts. Each one picked out with a little girl in mind. They were not over the top, expensive, or big. Because we didn't need to go that to show what these girls mean to us and each other. Gifts don't translate that way. What translates is the meaning behind it. And that came through loud and clear with this group. Wow, I am so blessed to have them in my circle.

Best gift of the night?? These mittens. Karla could have bought the girls anything she wanted, spent anything but instead she choose to HAND KNIT a special pair of mittens for each girl. And it was perfect. They squealed and laughed and wore them all night long. They were in awe of this perfectly handmade gift. And I couldn't have asked for more.

Best Friend Hugs are the best!! These two are wearing matching kitten shirts from Ann and Pete. A perfect gift given their intense love for all things kitten. Look at those smiles, the love! I am so glad that Sydney has Emma in her life.

Then we settled in for a night of tickling, playing, talking, planning, laughing...(you know the kind, the deep belly laughing where your sides ache after...yeah, we did that and it was good. really good.)

This was a night I will never forget it. It was the best way to start off our (short! argh) Christmas break.

Porch Posse, Merry Christmas from the Taylor's. We love you. Plain and Simple. You have made our life better by being in it. Thank you. I can't wait to see what the future holds for our group. xoxox

Christmas Piano

2011-12-23T08:31:00.001-05:00

Sydney loves taking piano. Loves it. And her piano teacher, Mrs. Dant, is incredible. She is loving, patient, and supportive. She is exactly what Sydney needs. She has been in lessons for a little over a year and her growth is incredible. Especially since Jason and I do not play the piano! We can rarely help her practice. She has been practicing her Christmas music for weeks. We couldn't wait to go to Mrs. Dant's and listen to her perform.

That's our girl!! Look how her feet do not even touch the ground on that big ol' piano bench! Adorable.

Playing for us. So brave and confident.

Love. Mrs. Dant is a true blessing in our life.

Believe. It's that simple. Just believe.

Done and Done.

2011-12-21T17:00:00.000-05:00

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard

Well, it took longer than I thought. Much longer. But, it's done and that's all that matters. Finally, I have finished our Europe Tab!!

I created a page to journal about our trip this summer and was determined to finish it before the end of the year. Turns out, I squeaked by with a few days to spare.

It feels good. Accomplished. To have this trip written down and documented. All together in one spot so we can always look back and remember. After this trip what I know for sure about me (and our family, I think) is traveling feeds our soul. As cheesy as that sounds, it does. We crave it. We are always planning next trip. And I wouldn't want it any other way. I don't want to dream about a place. I want to see it. With my own eyes and experience it.

I have thought a lot about this trip over the last 6 months. What is meant to me. To us as a family. Many people have asked us about our trip and our travels and questioned if Sydney was old enough to remember, etc.... What I would say is, DO IT. Don't wait. Do it now. Go. Explore. Travel. You will never regret the opportunity to explore the world with your child.

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to experience the world this summer. I was able to see things that have only been in my dreams. It was an experience that I will never forget. And having Jason and Sydney along side me meant everything. We have begun our journey's together. I can't wait to see what the future holds. Where we go from here.

Celebrate the Season

2011-12-18T15:32:00.000-05:00

I have said it before and I will say it again, I love living where we do. This season in our life has led to some of the greatest blessing in our life. One of the best things about being here is the amazing people we have met. Who have become more than neighbors. They are our friends. Our sweet neighbor, Abby, joined the Indianapolis Children's Choir this year and Saturday was her big performance with the ICC; the Celebrate the Season concert. The whole porch crew bought our tickets, got dressed up, had brunch together, and then enjoyed the show. Mostly though, we enjoyed being there to support Abby, Debbie, and Emma.

St. Luke's looked beautiful. So festive. And it was packed full of people.

My sweet girl loves these two ladies. Our life wouldn't be the same without Ms. Ann and Karla.

Abby's regional choir went first. She's there. On the left...grinning from ear to ear. I love that about her. She is always smiling. So beautiful and brave up there. I loved being a part of her big day. And my heart beamed when she looked up and saw us all there...cheering for her....her face just lit up.

Then all of the regional choirs joined together for a few last songs. It was so sweet and festive. And they sounded wonderful.

I love celebrating the season with this sweet girl!

Christmas Zoo Tradition

2011-12-17T22:12:00.000-05:00

Getting all bundled up and heading to the zoo is one of my most favorite holiday traditions. I love everything about it. I suppose it's another holiday freak flag that I love to fly high. The lights are just magnificent. There is something so beautiful about Christmas lights. It never gets old. This year we bundled up with some of our most favorite people and enjoyed a night out. We strolled through the zoo looking at the lights, seeing the animals, exploring Santa's workshop, and enjoying some holiday cheer.

As we headed in, we ran into this sweet reindeer.

The lights are truly amazing. I love walking through them with Christmas music playing. If you live here and haven't done this at the Indianapolis Zoo, you are missing out. Seriously missing out.

These girls loved the new bear and tiger areas. And I don't blame them. The new renovations are amazing. I love how Kaleigh has her arm through Sydney's here and their heads are together. So sweet. These three girls are darling and just mean the world to me.

This sign greeted us as we entered Santa's workshop. We decided to head straight to cookie decorating.

These two got right to it. Decorating away. It's amazing to see how much they have grown up. How big they are!

Ms. Ainsley loved her delicious cookie!!

The moment we had been waiting for. Mrs. Claus!! Sydney is not a huge fan of seeing Santa in person, but Mrs. Claus?? Oh, yeah! She loves this lady. Sydney stopped to talk and have a sweet moment with her. I love that. Oh, I love the magic of this season.

CHEESE!!! I love her. I love her joy. She is always smiling and happy. I am so thankful for that.

I have no idea what our girls are doing in this picture but it's a great picture of Niki and I so on the blog it goes!! :) I love every single minute we spend with these girls (and Marc).

As we headed back to our cars we came upon this sweet surprise. Why, a north pole reindeer of course. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Advent Continues

2011-12-12T04:46:00.000-05:00

Oh, my we love having Buddy in our house! This magical elf is just so much fun. He has left messages on the bathroom mirrors, hid in Barbi cars, climbed into Santa's hat, and lots more. Well, and of course..the big one. He brought us sweet Charlotte. We have been having the most fun this advent season.

Every night Sydney takes down a mitten from our advent calendar and peeks inside to see what Buddy has left for her.

Sometimes Buddy leaves candy, other times he leaves a special present. I love Sydney right after her bath. All sweet, clean, and warm!

And then sometimes Buddy is sneaky and leaves a note for Sydney

Sydney received a very special message from Santa. Direct from the North Pole.

But the best gift of all is still this sweet face. Thanks, Buddy for bringing so much joy into our our life. We love you!

Christmas on the Farm

2011-12-11T20:21:00.000-05:00

Aunt Darbi made a special trip down to see us this weekend. And we were so thankful. It gave us some much needed shopping time and Sydney some priceless aunt time. They headed to Christmas at the Farm over at Traders Point Creamy. It was cold but they had a great time. I am so thankful for every minute they get to spend together.

Love this silly face!

O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree...
I love that Sydney picked out this outfit. She looks adorable.

Who cares if it's 25 degrees out? This ice cream is delicious. Traders Point is an organic farm and everything is made fresh daily. Yum!

Back outside exploring the farm.

A holiday hayride? Why not!!

Love these girls!

Enjoy this season in everything you do.

Holiday Art Class

2011-12-07T04:29:00.000-05:00

I have blogged about it before but I just love Ms. Jenny's studio, A Space to Create. So, when I saw that she was going to be hosting a Mommy/Daughter class I signed Sydney and I up immediately. The class was hosted by Emily, the owner of Jem Notes and we were going to be making cards. I couldn't wait to go and spend the afternoon with my girl. We had the best time! Plus, Sydney made some awesome cards that are going to be great Christmas gifts.

We left with 8 beautiful cards! Aren't they great? What I love is this is something I would never do at home....I don't have the supplies, space, etc. So, we get to go there and have all the supplies provided and a space to work. It's perfect for us. Sydney LOVES crafts so she was in heaven.

She made this!! Isn't it amazing. I am so proud of her.

And she signed the back of every card....

Charlotte Art

2011-12-06T05:00:00.001-05:00

To say that Sydney is excited about having Charlotte is a bit of an understatement. I could barely convince her to leave the house all weekend..even for a second because she didn't want to miss anytime with her new kitten.

Charlotte is still a baby so she sleeps. A lot!! So, today while she was napping, Sydney drew pictures of her. So adorable. Makes my heart so happy.

Sydney age 6. Charlotte age 8 weeks.

Winter Porch Posse

2011-12-05T16:00:00.024-05:00

I have said it before. A lot. But, I love where we live. Love it. It's cold outside, wet, damp...winter. But, that doesn't stop us from being together. We headed down to our favorite spot...the porch...to try out the new fire pit. Yes, it was cold but we just bundled up and gathered around the fire. We sat and talked and laughed and forgot about the cold, wind, and smoke.

I just love this picture. I love the beautiful Christmas tree in the background. Christmas makes everything more magical, more meaningful, more important somehow.

And it would be a true campfire unless we had smores. So, we cut our sticks and loaded up with marshmallows. Delicious. We never made it camping this year so we were really missing this tradition. So glad Sydney was able to do this..even in December!

Charlotte's Story

2011-12-03T17:58:00.000-05:00

Someday Sydney will look back and read this magical story and be reminded of this Christmas story. I want to be sure it's all here for her. Every minute. Of course, most things never go according to plan and this is one of those times. But, in the end...it happened just the way it was supposed to.

You see, Sydney's only Christmas wish a kitten. She had even taken to writing letters to our Christmas Elf, Buddy for this request. Months ago, she began asking for a kitten, reading books about kittens, watching shows about kittens...you get the picture. So, we knew in our hearts that she would be getting her wish.

Now on to the tricky part. Finding Charlotte. We thought this would be easy. Kittens are everywhere, right? Apparently not. Especially at this time of the year. So, parent panic mode set in. What if we can't find one? We called and called, hitting dead ends at every corner. Of course, these places had TONS of cats and many kittens. But, our girls wish was very specific.... a female tabby baby. So, the search was a little more intense. And our only requirement was that this sweet kitten come from a shelter. It was a necessity. There are so many animals (so many)living in shelters that need loving families... plus Relay was an abandoned dog and she is literally the best dog ever. So, I wasn't willing to purchase a kitten from a breeder when thousands of animals a year (at local shelters) are put down because they have no home. If you have never visited a shelter, do it. It will change your heart. Anyway, I digress.....

After days of calling, looking, and searching...I started calling places a little further away and as luck would it I found the kitten at Munice Animal Care and Control...Aunt Darbi's stomping grounds. With an hour till closing I asked Aunt Darbi to go there and look. Make sure it's the right one. Darbi dropped everything and raced over there (even though she was in the middle of packing for a trip to Texas--isn't she the best?). And confirmed yes, it's her. It's the one you want. So, I talked to the staff there and they agreed to stay open late and wait for me. WOW! I jumped into my car with no coat on, no socks, and looking a mess and headed north. I was late. Really late. I am so grateful to the staff for staying open for me because when I walked in and they put that kitten in my arms, I felt it. I knew this was the kitten Sydney would love. Now, the dilemma....It's days before Christmas. Do we give her the kitten now? Do we change our plans? Do we hold her somewhere else until Christmas morning?   After a short talk, the answer was NO. We couldn't wait. Our Christmas Elf would deliver this kitten in the morning. It was the only way. The best way. And it was purrrrfect (sorry, couldn't resist)

Let me say, without some of the best people I know this would not have happened. It really does take a village sometimes....

Darbi, I can't say thank you enough. You were critical in making this happen for Sydney. I love you. I love you for being willing to help at a moments notice, for staying late, filling out paperwork, and writing a check. Thank you.

Ann and Pete, Thank you. Thank you for stepping in and saying what can we do to help? No strings attached. You just said, Just let us help. You were a huge lifesaver that night. For entertaining Sydney and letting her hang out so Daddy could run and grab all the necessity's. Since we weren't planning on having a kitten in our house we needed to stock up and quickly. We love you, Vanhorns.

Debbie, Thank you.   Thank you for answering all of my ridiculous questions. Thank you for showing us the ropes, telling us how to care for her, and the carrier. Without you we wouldn't have been able to pull this off. We love you, Tibbs!

And let me just say the magic of Christmas is alive in our house. This morning Sydney awoke to a box under the tree. Mysteriously delivered by Buddy, the elf. Let me just say....Buddy has been very busy lately. Sydney didn't know what to think when she saw the box.

This was what Buddy left this under the tree for Sydney to wake up too. He kept a watchful eye from the window above.

A very special letter was left on the package for Sydney explaining what was in the box.

Sydney took her time reading the letter aloud to us. She had no idea what was going on. (and we were quietly thinking..hurry up, hurry up!!...I might also mention that the kitten was silent..never making a peep in that box...she must have known not to blow the surprise until the right moment)

Sydney began opening the box...still wondering what was inside.

I wish I had this exact moment on video. It is a moment I will never forget. It is forever etched in my heart. The moment she realizes her Christmas wish has come true...a baby kitten!! She yelled, "Its a kitten!!!" So happy, so full of joy.

Obviously, we needed to show Sydney how to hold a kitten this small. :) She couldn't wait to get her hands on her sweet little kitten.

Once we showed her how to hold her kitten ...pure love. Sydney is looking up at Buddy here. She just kept thanking him over and over....it was the sweetest thing I have ever seen. She was so joyful, so very gracious...oh, our girl is sweet.

Oh, my...how can you resist this face?   Sydney immediately called her Charlotte. A name she had picked out months ago.   In Sydney's arms, we could hear her purring. What a great fit!!

This smile makes it all worth it.

Sydney went with us as we took Charlotte to her first vet visit. Charlotte received a clean bill of health. Whew. So, Christmas has come early at the Taylor house and we couldn't be happier. We have a happy girl (who said Charlotte is the love of her life....)!   For those curious minds.... she and Relay on not quite BFF's yet...but we are working on it. :)

We can't wait for all of the adventures in store for Sydney and Charlotte. I hope this is a Christmas she never forgets. What an awesome way to start off the holiday season!

Welcome Charlotte!!

2011-12-03T08:34:00.000-05:00

The Taylor family is so very proud to introduce our newest member, Charlotte. Charlotte is an 8 week old tabby kitten. And she is just perfect. We are all already in love with her, especially Sydney.

Buddy's Back!!

2011-12-02T13:02:00.000-05:00

Sydney was counting down the days until our magical Christmas elf, Buddy would return to us. And sure enough...there he was on December 1st...as promised. She was enchanted by him. He was tucked away in the Christmas tree and Sydney sat on the floor staring up at him until Daddy had to drag her away to get ready for school. Oh, how I love the magic of this season.

Welcome Back, Buddy! We sure are glad you're here. Can't wait to spend the next 25 days playing with you.

Buddy left behind a few of his favorite treats to start off the month of December. Of course, we re-read his story too! The best part, an official letter from Santa and Buddy's "adoption" certificate from the North Pole. Priceless.

If you haven't experienced the magic of the Elf on the Shelf...do it. It's the best and for me (in the words of Kelle Hampton) it's the best holiday freak flag to fly. And we are flying our as high as possible. Bring it on, Christmas. Bring it on!!

Decking Our Halls.....

2011-11-30T15:01:00.000-05:00

We could not wait to get our home decorated for Christmas. Especially putting up the tree. I remember before we had Sydney we just to wait until mid December to put up the tree...what was the rush? Now, I can barely make it past Thanksgiving Day. Celebrating the holidays with her is just so fun. So, on came the Christmas music and off we went....fa la la la ..la la la

Daddy has the important job of placing our star on top of the tree.

I love looking through the ornaments with my girl. Talking about each one...remembering. We started purchasing one ornament a year for Sydney when she was born. One day she will use those to decorate her own family tree.

She puts them on with such care..making sure they are in just the right spot.

Then we sit back and admire this beautiful tree. There is nothing better than a room being lit by the glow of Christmas lights. It is the most wonderful time of the year...

Then after the tree was complete and the stockings were hung, I had this great idea (thanks to Pinterest)....I would take pictures for our Christmas card. So, I gave Sydney lots of lights to play with and I snapped away...and then I sat back and sighed...it's wasn't going to happen. That moment I wanted. I know better...the best pictures are never the ones you pose for...it's always those moments of real life that you catch..those are the moments that are the most beautiful. So, this won't be our Christmas card this year...instead it will be a beautiful, natural picture. Lesson learned...with no thanks to Pinterest. HA!!

kennedy

2011-11-28T12:35:00.000-05:00

Kennedy Wells Rayburn Rucker 1994-2011

I don't really have the right words to write about this. I have thought over and over what I wanted to say.   How to say something that would be meaningful? How to really put into words what has happened over the last few days. Maybe I can't do it justice but Kennedy was important to us and our family so I will write it anyway....

On that Friday night when the call came in shock was all I felt. How could this be happening? He was so young. So full of life and potential. In the midst of my shock, I realized how deeply sad Jason was. I realized the tremendous grief that was upon the entire family. Michelle had just lost her only child...her son. We were all so heartbroken. Kennedy's story wasn't meant to end this way.

Over 2,000 thousand people said good bye to Kennedy and celebrated his life in a little church. His Uncle Rob gave the most beautiful eulogy. The family was over come with grief and sadness. Of course, we all laughed together that day..sharing stories from the years. And as we left, we hugged a little tighter, lingered a little longer, and said I love you a little more. Because at the end of the day...that's all there is. Connection to each other.

Kennedy, you will forever be missed. Much love to you.   And Michelle, I pray each day for you to have peace in your life.

"For some moments in life there are no words"

~David Seltzer

The Polar Express

2011-11-27T21:12:00.000-05:00

Oh, the magic of Christmas. I just love it. So much. I love that she believes in the magic with her whole heart. It makes the season come alive. We decided this year to get tickets for the Polar Express Train Ride in Connorsville as a family to kick of the season. I had heard good things about it and couldn't wait to go with MawMaw, Papa, Aunt Darbi, Jason and Sydney. It did not disappoint. It was wonderful. Sydney shows me everyday that when you believe in the magic...wonderful things happen.

We headed toward the train station with golden tickets in hand. So excited for the adventure ahead.

As we walked up to the station, we paused at the sign for a great photo op! I was so happy that we were all there together.

We could hear the whistle of the train...Sydney and Aunt Darbi leaned over the railing to catch the first glimpse of the train coming.

As the train pulled into station you could feel the excitement in the air. ALL ABOARD for the North Pole!!

Here we go.....

Once we were aboard the train the conductor came along and punched each of our tickets.

All tucked into our seats and ready for the train ride to begin. Next stop...the North Pole! We settled in for hot chocolate and cookies. Yummy!

We listened to the story on the way. She was so into the book this year..hanging on every single word.

And then ....there we were. At the North Pole.

And when Santa came out of the front door the whole train car cheered. Do you see him there? Walking down the yard?

And when Santa climbed onto our train....our sweet girl did this!! Just so excited about seeing him there.

Santa came and sat with us. Sydney was in awe of having him so close. Santa was teasing Daddy here!! :)

Sydney whispered her Christmas wish to Santa. And it's a big wish this year. Oh, how she wants it.

Santa gave her a bell before he left from Prancer's collar! Pretty amazing, right? She felt so special to be given a little something from the North Pole.

I love this crazy picture. I love this girl.

I love this picture so much. Love.

"Christmas is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas."

~Dale Evans

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T22:02:00.000-05:00

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice."

~Meister Eckhart

I have so much to be thankful for. Not just today ...on this day set aside to give thanks. But everyday. The days leading up to Thanksgiving reminded me of that. For starters, I am thankful for my loving family who traveled to our place to celebrate the holiday together. It means to much to me to have them here. Even when the dog is barking, kitchen is hoping, keys are misplaced, kiddo crying...even then I love every single minute of it because of them.

Family Love. I am so thankful for each one of these people. For their love, support, patience, flexibility and presence in my life.

We raised our glasses around a beautiful table and enjoyed delicious food and each other.

After a great meal, we got busy putting up Sydney's very own tree. She was so excited about this delightful pink tree that Mawmaw bought for her.

We fluffed up the tree and got it all ready for ornaments. I am so thankful to share my life with my best friend. He makes my life better. I am so thankful to Sydney for giving my life meaning..without her...none of this matters.

Sydney picked every single ornament out herself. She was so careful to place them on the tree in just the right spot. I love that she has this little tree to call her own.

It's so beautiful. So special to her.

And it wouldn't be a holiday unless we had some fierce competition on the WII before bedtime.

And then I woke up at 3:30am with these two lovely ladies for a great day of Black Friday shopping. No, we weren't looking for anything in particular. We were just out enjoying the holiday and each other. It's a tradition that I love dearly and look forward to it every year. But, I was exhausted afterwards! :)

Give Thanks. Everyday.

DrumStick Dash

2011-11-26T12:20:00.000-05:00

Jason and Darbi started doing the DrumStick Dash last year. It's a wonderful run/walk in the area. All of the money raised goes to support Wheeler Mission...the largest food bank in the Indianapolis area. Such a great cause and great way to start Thanksgiving. Last year the weather was terrible...it rained and was so cold. But this year, we woke up to warmer temperatures and sunny skies. Great weather for a race.

It's such a fun and festive atmosphere. People are dressed up, with their families, and ready to go.

This year was the biggest yet...15,000 people. Wow!

Up early and ready to go! Next year, Sydney and I are going to join them for the shorter (2.3 mile) walk. I think it is a great tradition to start with Sydney. We have so much to be thankful for. It just feels right to start the day giving back to others.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hardy Weekend!

2011-11-20T13:10:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile between visits. Too long, really. To long to go without cousin love. To long without family time. So, when Danielle said enough...we agreed and put this weekend on the calendar. As the days got closer, the excitement grew. The weekend was planned, full of birthday celebrations, surprises, family time, a boy run, and lots of fun. And we just could not wait to get started.

Of course, nothing ever goes as planned. We found out (on our drive to the Hardy house) that Jason's 17 year old cousin, Kennedy, had tragically died in a car accident on the way home from school. The shock of this news was overwhelming. We arrived at the Hardy's with emotions high and heavy hearts. and plans had to change.   Jason turned around and headed to Madison to be with family. Sydney and I stayed. Adjustments were made and things got back on track once again. Switching gears is hard and this was the first of the weekend.

Friday night continued with a special celebration of Danielle's birthday with her girlfriends. Then Saturday morning began with this.....

Jason, Uncle Jeremy, and Riggs suited up early for the Turkey Trot run. It was cold out and the course was harder than expected but they all 3 finished. They did their best and I was so happy to be at the finish line waiting for them.

Riggs was amazing! He is being interviewed here by the local paper because he WON his age group (and beat quite a few grow up's too!) He was so fast and focused. I loved being able to watch him run.

After the race, we did a quick trip home to change and pick up with girls for the main event of the day...a surprise birthday party for Sarah Kate and Club Tabby.

It was great. She had NO idea and was so surprised!!

Cousins. I love this. These two do not miss a beat. They take off right from where the left off the minute they see other. There is no hesitation.

Happy Birthday, Sarah Kate! You look beautiful here and always. I hope your surprise was all you hoped it would be. This would be the Rainbow Rocker Make-Over! Doesn't the birthday girl look fantastic?

The party girls! They enjoyed yummy cookie cake after singing, dancing, and walking the cat walk.   Club Tabby was super fun. The girls had a fantastic time. So glad Sydney was able to be apart of this.

As the party grew to a close, we experienced our second gear switch of the weekend. We experienced quite a scare in Club Tabby that rattled everyone to their core. In the end, all was fine but in those moments time paused. As we walked away from the wall, I said a silent prayer for the family and for all of us. We are truly blessed each day.

I feel so thankful that Aunt Danielle loves Sydney. She remember those tiny details that make Sydney feel so special and for that I am so thankful. Sydney loves Aunt D with her whole heart.

Even though our weekend was full of highs and lows and our plans had to change, the weekend was not wasted. It was real. And in real life, plans change, people hurt, there is joy, love, and laughter.

Uncle Jason and Lila loving on each other. Laughing and tickling. These are the moments....

PJ's and Hugs! Love it!!

This is my favorite brother/sister signature pose! :) I love them both.

As always, our time with the Hardy's was not long enough. So, we will do better and plan better to be together sooner rather than later. Because it's important. They are important. Love.

Happy Birthday, Danielle!!

2011-11-20T12:27:00.000-05:00

We were so excited to be able to celebrate Danielle's birthday with her! l was especially thrilled to be included in her special girlfriend celebration...PJ's and Pink Panty party (the pink panty is actually a delicious cocktail...who knew?)

The table was adorable! Danielle's BFF Jenna did a great job on the party decorations and food.

Danielle's house of full of her close friends and I was so glad to be included. The night was such fun. It was full of lots of love and laughter.

The birthday celebration continued the next night with a family celebration. It is always such a blessing for us to spend time with the Hardy's extended family. We love seeing Mamaw, Judy, Bonnie, Daryl, Jeff, Heather, and the boys.

I love this picture. Such love between these two. You can just feel like. Mamaw is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. I am so glad that we were able to spend some time with her.

Present Time! Family Time! Perfect.

Happy Birthday, D! We love you and hope that this year continues to bring you much love and happiness.

Celebrating Patrick and Wesley!

2011-11-13T19:28:00.000-05:00

We were thrilled when we got the invitation to Patrick and Wesley's engagement party. We replied YES without hesitation. It's been several months since Jason and I have been "without child" overnight. We headed up to Chicago to stay overnight in the posh Palmer House Hotel. It was so nice to walk the streets together, have lunch, and then get fancy for the main event.

Patrick and Wesley's party was on the 48th floor of the New York Building. It had amazing city views, open bar, food, and a casino theme. Oh, and killer music! We had such a great time meeting lots of their local friends and just spending time with them. It was a great night.

Honestly, I couldn't be happier for any two people. Patrick and Wesley have been together for over 10 years. Their journey hasn't always been easy. So, to see them so joyful and happy just made my heart happy. I can't wait until Vegas in August of 2012 to celebrate their union.

Here we are... all fancy, as Sydney said!

Congratulations, Patrick! We are so happy for you both and felt SO blessed to be included in this special time in your life. Don't these guys look amazing??

I have loved these two guys for as long as I can remember. So glad that they also love each other.

Jason and Wesley! So glad that Wes is in our life. He is such a great guy and a perfect match for Patrick.

33 years. That's how long we have been friends. Amazing, really. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Patrick, I love you. I am honored to be standing next to you as you commit your life to Wesley. There is no other place I would rather be. Vegas, here we come.

Congratulations Patrick and Wesley!!! We can't wait for August!

Eagle Express

2011-11-11T13:07:00.000-05:00

Sydney's school is participating in the Eagle Express this year. Each class has it own unique address and mailbox for special delivery's. What a great idea, right? So, when we received the information I knew we had to be involved. I sent out a quick email to the people in our life we love asking them to consider helping.

Sydney arrived home from school this week with a huge smile on her face and said, "I got mail!!!" She was so very excited. She took time opening each letter, reading it carefully, talking to me about it. It was just the sweetest thing. She felt so loved. Thank you. Thank you for loving our girl. We are blessed.

Mail Call!!! What an amazing day!! Joyful!

Dear Buddy

2011-11-09T19:32:00.000-05:00

Sydney wants a kitten. Very Badly. It has been all things kitten in our house for weeks. Kitten coloring, Kitten books, Kitten movies, and the list goes on. We have had lots of family talks about adding a kitten to our family. However, no decision has been made (yet). So, Sydney has decided to take matters into her own hands and ask who else but, Santa? By way of Buddy, our Christmas Elf.

She worked very hard on this letter asking that Buddy bring a kitten back from the North Pole when he comes to stay with us. She addressed the envelope to the North Pole and off it went.

This is the stuff dreams are made of.

Uncle Bish

2011-11-03T19:16:00.000-04:00

I have posted before (Here) about the dear extended family that Jason loves so much. Today, the world is saying good-bye one of it's finest. Jason's Great Uncle, "Bish", has passed on. I am so glad we made that long trip on a hot summer day so that he could spend time with Jason and meet Sydney. It is a memory we will always cherish.

At 88, still sharp as a tack. Teasing Jason here. :) I love this picture. The grasp in their hands communicates years of history and love.

Uncle Bish and Aunt Helen (who were married for a staggering 65 years...amazing) lived their entire life in the parish of this sweet church.

It meant so much to Jason to be able to take Sydney here. To this spot where he spent so much time as a little boy. To share this with her is forever etched in our hearts. These times, at this place, helped to make Jason who he is today.

Excerpt from his Obituary reads: Bryant, Wilson D. "Bish", 89, of Crestwood, went home to be with the Lord, Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at Baptist Hospital Northeast. He was a member and Elder at South Oldham Christian Church. He was recipient of the Purple Heart with Cluster, having served in the Army 17th Airborne Division during WWII. He worked as superintendant for over 33 years for Duncan Memorial Chapel and Floydsburg Cemetery, as well as Frank Otte Nursery and GE. He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Helen.

Happy Halloween!!

2011-11-01T16:16:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween! What a great night of Trick-or-Treating we had! Of course, it's always tricky when Halloween falls on a school night. There is this mad rush to do homework, have dinner, and get into the costume to head out the door. But, it's worth it. Sydney had been waiting all day for the main event. She could not wait to get started.

I think she was just the best Dorothy around! Sydney looked adorable. She was so proud of her outfit especially little toto and those ruby red slippers.

Oh, yes...I love this sweet face more than anything. And those pig tails are to die for. I love the fact that she picked this out herself. She knew what she wanted to be and we searched until we found just the right costume. Love it!

The 3 cutest girls on the block! Having Abby and Emma along with us was such fun. We love the Tibbs girls and consider them such a blessing in our life.

Off the go..these two sweet besties. I feel so lucky that Sydney has special girls in her life. She and Emma have such a sweet friendship that always keeps us on our toes! :)

With a strategy in place these girls hit the streets! We could hear them all say "Trick-Or-Treat" in unison. Music to this mama's ears.

And after every house we got a full report on the goods. It was priceless.

Our sweet Asian Princess, Dorothy, and Jessie had a wonderful night. We turned for home with full buckets and smiles all around. That's a sign of a great Halloween!

There is no place like home.....

The Great Pumpkin

2011-10-31T09:02:00.000-04:00

It's a tradition in our house to carve pumpkins. I hope that one day Sydney will look back and remember that every Halloween she carved pumpkins with her Daddy. And then she will carry on this tradition with her family. It's why we do this. Each fall we spend lots of time carefully picking out the pumpkins. Then, Jason and Sydney get to work on creating the masterpieces.

Sydney worked hard getting all the guts out of the pumpkin. She seems less grossed out about it this year. :)

Sydney tells daddy what kind of design she wants and he carefully draws it on the pumpkin and begins to carve away.

They work and work until the pumpkins are complete. They make such a great team!

All done and perfect. I love that she still chooses the traditional designs. Maybe one day she will order up something more difficult. But, for now...I love this.

All bright and ready for Halloween!

In the words of Linus.... "Dear Great Pumpkin, I am looking forward to your arrival on Halloween Night"

Sugarland

2011-10-30T20:26:00.000-04:00

We love Sugarland. Love them. We saw them at the State Fair in 2010 and said we would go back again. For some reason, the concert sunk up on us this summer and we didn't get our tickets as planned. (divine intervention, if you will) Then tragedy struck. A terrible weather related disaster occurred and the stage collapsed onto the crowd minutes before the concert was scheduled to begin. People lost their lives, people were injured, lives were changed forever.

So, when we heard that Sugarland was returning to Indy for a free concert we knew we wanted to be a part of it. We were lucky enough to get tickets and thought it was the perfect time for Sydney to experience her first concert. This wasn't just any concert, it was a tribute and all the money raised when to the victims. What a great way to introduce Sydney to live music.

We were lucky enough to be joined by friends for dinner first and then headed over to the show. It was incredible. It was emotional. It was gracious and real. I loved every single minute of it.

Sydney and I put our boots on for the big show! Every girl needs a good pair of cowboy boots. (Thanks, Stacy for helping us out in a pinch)

The gang (minus Jason who was taking the picture). We so enjoyed our time with Sara, Mark, Andy, and Amy. It was such fun. And LOVE was in the air...thanks to the Sugarland message.

Sydney was so excited. When Sugarland took the stage, she was awe struck. She just sat there staring at the stage. It was so cute to watch her experience the show (with her ear plugs in of course...we gotta take care of those sweet baby ears!)

This show was subdued. Less glam and bling than the show we saw last year. And it was perfect. Perfect for this occasion. And let me tell you when Jennifer Nettles came out and performed these lyrics..... well, there were not many dry eyes in the house.

If words could make it real
I'd tell you how I feel
Instead I'm waiting here on my knees love
I know how it feels to breathe
With you beside me
I think about it always...

Tonight, tonight, tonight
I'm waiting for,
Waiting for the night
Tonight, tonight, tonight
I'm waiting for,
Waiting for

Halloween Warm-Up

2011-10-29T21:50:00.000-04:00

The days leading up to Halloween are always packed with fun fall activities. We are very lucky to live in a wonderful town that provides lots of safe events for kids. Plus, it gives Sydney a chance to try out her costume before the big day.

We have been going for years to the Boone Village Trick -or- Treat. It's adorable. All of the shop owners hand out candy, the bands play, and lots of other fun treats.

Isn't she seriously the cutest Dorothy you have ever seen??

Candy from the Fireman. I love that the local law enforcement is so present in our community. They turn up for events, at schools, and in our neighborhoods (in a good way!). It's a blessing.

Yay! Marsh. The shop owners are so great with the kids. It's fun to walk through the shops, see friends, and enjoy the evening.

After fun in the village, we headed to piano for a special Halloween night. Sydney performed her Halloween songs for us, we had cider and cookies, and had a great time!

Happy Halloween Week-end!!!

NYC Day 3

2011-10-27T20:44:00.000-04:00

Our final day in NYC was fantastic. We had a lot of things yet to see and we were busy all day. It was wonderful. Of course, our last day had to include a trip to Liberty Island. We also had plans to spend time in lower Manhattan. Plus, a last visit to Times Square, NY style Pizza, and souvenir shopping.

We could see the Lady from the ferry and the excitement mounted as we got closer and closer. It is truly a must see for everyone. So beautiful. Such an American symbol.

"There she is, There she is" Sydney said as she jumped up and down! She was so excited to finally be there. Being there with her was so special. It was a moment I will never forget.

Of course we had to get one of these!

Sydney took this picture and I just love it. She did such a great job.

After visiting Liberty Island, we headed to Wall Street where we saw the NY Stock Exchange. It was so crowded and busy.

The famous bull statue.

We then stumbled across the Occupy Wall Street demonstration. It wasn't on our list of sights to see but I am glad we did. I am glad because the media coverage of this event has been slanted and seeing it first hand was incredible.


We saw signs like this. We saw middle class, blue collar workers protesting lower wages.   Sure, the OWS movement may lack focus, direction,and even a leader but what an amazing display of the American freedom. To peacefully protest.

We did not see drug using hippies, we saw guys like this. And I can appreciate that. They weren't asking for hand outs. They are just asking for a fair chance.

People will continue to be divided on this topic...it's America. We rarely agree. But, one thing I know for sure....reserve judgment until you actually stand face to face with the movement. Then decide.

Ground Zero. My how things have changed in 10 years. What was once a quiet reflective spot is now a bustling and loud part of the city. 1 WTC is being rebuilt, the memorial now stands, and a museum is about to open. Healing. Moving forward. But, I still had that same feeling of profound sadness as I looked on. And most likely, I always will.

After a very interesting day in South Manhattan, we headed back up to Times Square for one more walk through. We stopped a the wax museum (mostly so we could tell Aunt Darbi we did). Sydney wasn't too crazy about this guy.

We ran into this famous Time Square regular. The naked cowboy. Sydney laughed and laughed. Oh, how I love New York.

Our trip to NYC was magical. Every time you travel somewhere it changes who you are just a little bit. I will never regret introducing Sydney to this amazing place.

We heart you, NYC!!

NYC Day 2

2011-10-27T19:57:00.000-04:00

After a great nights sleep we were ready for Day 2 in NYC. We had lots of plans and things to see. We planned to see the Empire State Building, Central Park, the American Museum of Natural History, and anything else we stumbled upon. We were blessed with amazing weather. It was warm and sunny all day, everyday. It was stunning. We discovered that we really love upper Manhattan. A lot. What a great day we had!

The view is incredible from the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. This was one of our favorite parts of the trip.

I love sharing my life and experiences with these two. They make everything better just by being.

Sydney loved the Empire State Building. She was so happy and all smiles. This made the whole trip worthwhile. She was so interested in everything we saw. I know this is a trip she will always remember.

Yes, we did it. We rode the NYC subway together. The city is so easy to get around it. Makes everything accessible. Plus, it's just plain fun.

After arriving in upper Manhattan, we headed straight for this famous bakery. It was darling and had the most delicious cupcakes, ever!

We made a point to visit Strawberry Fields. Sydney was a bit disappointed to discover that it in fact did not have strawberries. :) But, after we explained what is was she was very interested.

There is no place like Central Park. None. It is absolutely breathtaking.

I loved watching her laugh and play in the park. Pure Joy.

We spent an afternoon at the American Museum of Natural History. It was fabulous! We went through the butterfly exhibit. Such fun! They were flying all over and so beautiful.

We were in awe of the famous dino exhibit. They were massive. It was incredible to see.

Sydney loved being able to dig for her own dinosaur. Our girl just loves to play. Loves it.

And we saw this.....

The space exhibit was incredible!!

After an incredible day in the city, we headed back to the hotel. But, we lingered a little longer and watched the sun set. This view, folks, is worth the trip there.

NYC Day 1

2011-10-27T07:05:00.000-04:00

Jason and I were in NYC together in 2003...hard to believe it has been that long. We have wanted to return to the city for many years. So, as we began thinking about fall break (and the fact that Jason had a break in classes unexpectedly--yahoo!) we just kept going back to the NYC idea. We loaded up the car and hit the road for an amazing road trip. And we are so glad we settled on it. It is such a wonderful city. So full of culture, history, excitement, and fun.

We stayed in the best hotel ever! We stayed in New Jersey and caught the bus to the city each morning right across the street. It was perfect. Sydney loved the fancy robes that were left on our bed.

Stepping onto the streets of NYC we ran into this little paper.

Getting off the bus and walking 2 blocks led us into the heart of the city...Times Square!

Times Square is one of the most unique places in the world. There is nothing like it. Full of lights, signs, stores, action.

At Toys R Us in Time Square. There was a huge carousel inside. It was incredible. Being in the city with Sydney was so fun. We did all sorts of new things thanks to her.

Sydney found candy as big as her at Willie Wonka!

Of course, we had to stop at the famous FAO for some fun! Sydney had a look of pure joy as we wandered the aisles and aisles of toys.

We stumbled across this piece of iconic history...the piano from BIG. Of course, Sydney doesn't know the movie but we did! We were thrilled that she was able to kick off her shoes and play.

A Lego Lady Liberty! Sydney has mastered this pose.

Grand Central Station. Someplace Jason and I have always wanted to see and it did not disappoint. It is such a beautiful building. Elegance. We stood in awe and thought about the millions of people who pass through these walls each year.

A salute to The Don at Trump Towers.

Look who we found wandering the streets of NYC? Minnie!! Sydney was so excited to see her there.

Central Park is beautiful. Just beautiful.

We ended our day with Sydney's first trip to Starbucks! She felt like such a big girl sitting at the counter with her hot chocolate!

It was such a wonderful Day 1. We headed back to the hotel exhausted and sore from all the walking but oh so happy. We couldn't wait to start Day 2!

Private Event

2011-10-18T18:22:00.000-04:00

Meg invited us to join her family at a special private event at the Children's Museum. We jumped at the chance to go. The museum was closed to the public and we were in for a real treat. Sydney got to give her Halloween costume a dress rehearsal for the big night and I can honestly say I have never seen a better Dorthy! We can't wait for the big day! We had such a fun night!

Sydney and Meg. I knew in my gut when we asked her to join our family every morning and get Sydney off to school that I was making the right choice. It has been perfect. Meg is such an incredible blessing in our life.

First up, the haunted house during friendly (lights on) hours. We aren't quite ready for the super scary version yet. This was a blast!!

The haunted house was themed with major city's around the US. New Orleans is one of our most favorites spots...plus, mama and papa are there right now!

MUAH! I love this face!! We were treated to a delicious dinner and dessert. These lips were do die for. Yummy!

Balloon Ghost!

Sydney stopped off to make tootsie pop ghosts!

Bumble Bee! We had to stop when we saw this. We took pictures to share with our sweet friends "across the pond".... we have a feeling Asher would love this!

Trick or Treat, everyone!!

Stuckey Farm Annual Trip

2011-10-09T13:10:00.000-04:00

We have lost track of how many years we have been going to Stuckey Farm to pick pumpkins. It's a tradition in our house. We love everything about this little farm. It marks the beginning of fall for us. The pumpkin patch, apple cider, corn mazes, bee hives, and hay ride. It's just fun. This year, we were thrilled to have Mama and Papa along with us for the day.

We loaded onto the wagon to head out to the pumpkin patch...on search of the perfect pumpkins to bring home.

We passed the apple trees...taking mental notes on where we wanted to come back and pick.

Oh, how I love this spot. Walking among the vines, corn stalks, and dirt to find pumpkins.

Success!! She found her pumpkin. She ran up and down the vines looking for the perfect pumpkin to carve. We brought home a few just to be sure.

Back on the wagon and heading to the next stop.

Apple picking! There is nothing better than picking your own apple of a tree. And, of course, they were delicious.

Great things come from apples....like this apple fritter for instance. Yummy! And the apple cider slushies are to die for.

Best pals, these two. Sydney loves having papa along to play with. He always up for being silly, playing tag, and being with her. Love, I tell ya. Pure love.

Sydney was so proud of herself. She threw this rope and hooked it on with no hands...TWICE!!

Hanging out before lunch at Bubs. So nice to just be.

Thanks, mama and papa for joining us for the day. We love you.

Happy Fall!!

Fall Cheer--Go Eagles!

2011-10-09T12:21:00.000-04:00

Although Sydney took a little break this fall from cheerleading, it is still something that she loves to her core. She was so excited to be a part of the fall high school cheer clinic. The girls spend hours with the high school cheerleaders in preparation of their performance at the high school football game. It's a big deal and Sydney loved every minute of it.

And we love it. We love meeting up with friends, saying hi to kids, and being together. It's incredible to be a part of this community. Where everyone is an Eagle. Where everyone loves their town, schools, and kids. We feel blessed to call Zionsville, home. Go Eagles!

There's our girl, cheering her heart out!

Sydney was able to join up with some old friends and new classmates for this night. She was all smiles. She loves being out on the field with the big girls.

Sydney with her sweet 1st grade friends!

We have a lot of special girls in our life that cheer. This sweet JV cheerleader, Mackenize, I met when she was a 3rd grader. My how she has grown! I couldn't be more proud of her. To watch her out on the field was a pure delight (and one of the most amazing perks of my job...) She was so sweet with Sydney and her friends. Thanks, Kenzie.

Wake Up Call

2011-10-05T20:05:00.000-04:00

Being a parent means to expect the unexpected. Always. So, when Sydney woke up in the middle of the night wheezing and struggling to breath we just kicked it in high gear. It's almost like riding a bike, you just go back to the place where you remember what to do and switch to auto pilot. Sydney has struggled with asthma like issues since she was 2. We thought we were over the worst of it. But, we were wrong.

It literally came out of nowhere. We put to bed a healthy girl and a very sick girl woke up at 1am. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't take a breath without using everything she had to get that O2 in her little lungs. And that is heart wrenching to watch. We quickly did a breathing treatment but no difference so we knew what was next.....

Off to IU North ER we went. We have been there before...sigh. So, we knew the routine. After another breathing treatment and steroids, we settled in for the long observation. Sydney slept, thank goodness. And after 6 hours, they doctors sent us home. We spent the day watching her rest and trying to catch up on some sleep. Here's hoping for a better night tonight.....

Today, I am thankful. I am thankful that this is a blimp in our day and week and overall Sydney is so healthy. I am thankful for the wonderful staff at North who take such good care of us. I am just thankful.

Wine at the Line

2011-10-02T10:04:00.000-04:00

Wine and Walking? At the same time? Yes, please. When we heard that the Mallow Run Winery was hosting a 5K charity run/walk that included wine, we were in! It was a beautiful fall afternoon. The weather was just chilly enough for sweatshirts as we hit the 3.1 mile trail. It was such a pretty walk and knowing we were supporting the Happy Hollows Camp for Kids made it even better.

Sydney and Daddy had a bet on who would cross the finish first. Loser had to buy banana splits. So, today Daddy will pay up!

3.1 miles can be a lot for those little legs...especially when we were moving pretty fast. So, Daddy offered her a ride now and then.

The end of the race included a delicious sack dinner and a yummy glass of wine. Plus, we got to keep the glasses. Such fun.

Picnics are the best. No matter where you are.

We loved having Mama, Papa Jan, and Papa all there walking with us!

T.J.S.

2011-09-25T13:09:00.001-04:00

We shared the same initials. My uncle and I. But we shared a lot more than that, too. We shared the common connection of knowing we are family. Today, my family says good-bye to my dad's oldest brother, T.J. After many years of battling M.S. and other health complications, he is finally pain free and peaceful. Which he deserves. Uncle TJ was one of the nicest, kindest, most loving people I ever had the privilege of knowing.

Uncle T.J., I will miss your deep love of family, your commitment to cheering on the Indiana Hoosiers, your genuine kindness, your knack for tackling a buffet dinner like no other, and your presence in our lives. I hope you know how much you were loved and how much we will miss you. Until we meet again....

“Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.” -Anonymous

Chautauqua

2011-09-25T12:41:00.001-04:00

We love going home to Madison for the Chautauqua. It's our favorite time of year. Each year we head to Madison for the last weekend of September. This year, we asked Ann and Pete to join us. Despite the fact that it rained on and off, we still had a wonderful time. It was great fun to show Ann and Pete our town. We loved having them along with us.

Sydney was thrilled to spend the day with her MaMa. She is in love for sure. They had a fun day together.

Fair Food!! We just couldn't resist. It was delicious!

As we strolled the streets of downtown, we came across this wonderful vendor. Ms. Jeri Landers, an independent childrens' author and illustrator. What a treat!! Sydney was able to talk with the author (and let me tell you, this girl loves books and loves to read so this was a BIG deal!!) Sydney picked out a book and then the author invited her behind the table for a picture and to watch her write a special message to Sydney. The book is just delightful.

First stop, a local winery just for Pete. We tasted and tasted some more. And before the day was over we visited another winery. A Madison best kept secret. We sat out on the deck overlooking the vineyards and enjoyed wine, cheese and crackers. And we laughed. Oh, how we laughed.

Love. Love. Love! I just love every minute we get to spend together. And I love that she still lets us grab and squeeze her anytime we want. I hope those days never end.

I love this view. It always reminds me that I am home. No matter how long we are gone, Madison will always be home.

Thank you, mom, for being such a wonderful host to us. Thank you, Ann and Pete for joining us. We love you all.

Switching Gears....

2011-09-18T16:23:00.000-04:00

Well, things have been busy and interesting around the Taylor house these last few days. Jason started his fall semester at Manchester and things began to slowly unravel. He wasn't impressed with his classes, he was losing ground at work, he was struggling to keep up withe the routine of this commute. But, what to do? We were in this to win it. So, he pushed forward.

Then something happened (one of those light bulb moments). It came in an unexpected way. Jason's boss (at IU Health) opened a door for him that we never thought would be open. An opportunity he has always dreamed about. Now, it was decision time. In order to prepare for this opportunity, Jason had to switch gears and do it fast.

So, in a matter of 24 hours... Jason withdrew from Manchester AND enrolled in Indiana Wesleyan's MBA program with an emphasis in Health Care Management. He starts November 1st. Whew.... and the best part is, it feels like this was the way it was always supposed to be. It's still 2 years of hard work, commitment, and sacrifice. But, Jason is headed in the direction he was always meant for.

In July, when Jason decided to go to graduate school we had no idea a few months later we would end up here. Yet, little did we know everything was really just moving Jason to this spot. This place. It's funny how life works out that way.

We are your biggest fans, honey. You have our support and love during this journey and always. We love you.

One Down, One to Go.

2011-09-17T21:09:00.000-04:00

Sydney literally jumped off the bus on Friday afternoon and ran toward me to show me this.....

Oh, how I love this smile!!

Finally. One of those big ol' font teeth has fallen out. We have been waiting forever. And we were pretty sure it would be the other tooth first but we were wrong. The grey one as we call it is loose but hanging on. When Sydney was 18 months old she fell face first on our driveway and bam....that tooth was killed. We have been watching it for years and visiting a pediatric dentist regularly. We made the decision long ago not to have it pulled because it wasn't hurting her and if we had pulled it she would have went with a space there for years. So, we waited.... As irony would have it, Tuesday is school picture day. So this year will be the year. The year of "that picture"....the one we always look back on and remember when her front teeth were missing. I love her new smile. Just love it.

The tooth fairy made a special visit to our house. Sydney carefully left her tooth under her pillow. She ran into our room early in the morning to share with us her special surprise from the tooth fairy! So fun.

I love these moments....

Fall Festival

2011-09-13T20:06:00.000-04:00

The Fall Festival is the unofficial start of fall here in Zionsville. It starts with a never ending parade through town and the fun goes all weekend. Lions Park is transformed into a carnival of fun for three days. It's exemplifies small town. And I just love it.

We didn't make it down there until Sunday afternoon this year. Turns out that was the perfect time. Smaller groups, seeing friends, visiting with neighbors, wrist bands for rides, and great weather. Sydney met up with her sweet friend Alexandra there. They had such fun together.

They ran from ride to ride. Laughing. Smiling. So fun.

Daddy joined in on the fun on the Scrambler!

The girls were so brave. They wanted to ride everything there and they did! I love the look on Sydney's face in this picture. Pure Joy.

The last ride of the day made me so nervous. But not the kiddo's! The ran up to join in the fun on the Wipe Out.

Such sweet friends. I am so thankful for the girls in Sydney's life.

Happy Fall Y'All!!! Next up...fire pits, smores, apple cider, oh my!

Where were you?

2011-09-11T13:28:00.000-04:00

Where we you 10 years ago today? I was teaching 4th grade. It was the middle of ISTEP+ testing and someone pushed a note under my door that I will never forget. It said, "Please don't alarm the students but our country is under attack. Airplanes have struck in New York and the Pentagon. We don't know details yet but will keep you informed."

We woke up this morning 10 years later with heavy hearts. 10 years ago today life changed forever for us. For All Americans. The news coverage today has been constant. The reminders are everywhere...from flags at half staff to the opening ceremony at the start of the NFL season.

It's been 10 years and in some ways it feels like just yesterday. I didn't know anyone personally impacted by the events of 9/11 yet my heart hurts today. Today I pay respect to the brave heroes of 9/11 and honor the families and victims. I will not forget.

Thank you to the brave men and women of our armed forces who continue to fight our fight every day.

The Porch Posse

2011-09-05T11:05:00.000-04:00

You would think not living in a house would mean you have to give up a lot. And in some ways you do. No garage. No backyard. But, as time moves on so do you. And you find ways to bridge those gaps. And you find blessings in ways you didn't expect. Thanks to Ann and Pete we can now rejoin the world of outdoor living. The porch is done. It's improved. And currently it's our favorite place to be.

We are fairly sure we have outworn our welcome. :) But, we keep going back. It's the perfect spot to relax, have a cup of "coffee", unwind from the day, connect with friends, vent, and laugh. And boy do we laugh. So, we gathered on this night for a minor surgical procedure, food, and a birthday. We are the Porch Posse.

These sweet faces make me smile. I love that Sydney has her girls to play with. I was so worried that moving out of a neighborhood would mean Sydney wouldn't be able to run and play. Boy, have these girls proven me wrong. Nature's playpen has kept them so busy and I love every minute of it.

This may not be a typical picnic activity but I am so glad we have our own nurse in residence, Debbie (who I have officially renamed Nurse Betty) She took out my lingering stitches. It was a group effort, but they are gone and I am thrilled! Thanks, Betty....I owe you.

It was also her 21st birthday!! So, we had to celebrate right. Cake and all.

The original Posse. (Gang, we need a group photo) Ann, Pete, and Karla...we heart you.

PS-- We may need a fire pit to keep the porch posse going into the fall and winter. HINT!

Tis' The Season

2011-09-04T15:08:00.000-04:00

Despite the fact that it still feels like the middle of the summer, football season has arrived! The first IU game of the season just happened to be against Ball State (where at Darbi graduated from), at Lucas Oil Stadium (where the Colts play), when Papa was in town (visiting from Arizona). It was the perfect combination. Our group of 15 had greats seats overlooking the beautiful field. It was a fun night of football and family.

Sydney and Papa get settled into their seats. This girl was all smiles. She almost always is. How could you ever get tired of seeing that face?

We cheered as the Hoosiers took the field. Okay, we also cheered with the Cardinals took the field. This was one game where we cheered for both teams. In the end, the Cardinals had the victory. Chirp, Chirp

Of course, a trip to the stadium must involve a concession stand trip...or two.

Sydney and Aunt Darbi sporting their opposing team loyalty's.

Sydney was having a ball watching the game with these "eyes. She looks so grown up!

And this picture. I don't have any witty football reference. I just love him. And love spending time with him. And really loved that he wore red, subtle nod to the Hoosiers. When I know everything ounce in him wanted to wear blue. Thanks, honey. I love you.

Tis' the season of football. and fall. and we can't wait!

Big Man on Campus

2011-08-31T17:38:00.000-04:00

This was laying on the table when I left for school. All of these thoughts came rushing through my mind. I knew I had to write it about to remember this season in our life. This time.

I didn't realize how many blessing our European trip would continue to bring to us. After coming back, life just hasn't slown down. The summer sped by and before we knew it school was starting. We haven't taken a breath. So, those 14 glorious day where we had nothing to do but be together is now coveted priceless time.

Jason started graduate school in July. At that time we weren't really sure what to expect, what changes were in store, or what sacrifices we were going to have to make. Now, here it is August and he starting his fall semester. We have already experienced a lot through this experience so I can only imagine what the next two years will bring. I want to document this experience for him. For us.

For starters, Jason is doing a 4 hour (round trip) commute at least 3 days a week and once on the weekend.
Jason is taking 15 credit hours this fall (after acing his summer class with a 4.0)
Jason is also the Cross Country (and tennis) intern trainer at a Division 3 college as part of his program
I am pretty sure he is sleeping less than 5 hours a night and driving like 800 miles a week
Did I mention he is still working full time??
Sydney started 1st grade and is taking Spanish class and piano lessons
Me...well, I went back for my 11 year of teaching (and for the first time in 10 years I am not taking any classes).... with different job responsibilities=more work.
We have had to ask for help. Which is hard for us. And because of that, we have strengthened friendships that have changed us. We are so grateful to our porch party for loving us.

And the question we keep hearing over and over is, Why? Why is he doing this? (and over the last few weeks we have asked ourselves this question..is this the right choice? Can he do it?) I can't speak for him but I can tell you my answer to Why.....

I would say, Why not? If you aren't moving forward then you aren't moving, right? I am so stinking proud of him. I can't hardly stand it. Instead of complaining about his life or his job, he is just making a change. He is pursing his dream, taking a risk, and being fearless. Will these next couple of years be easy? Of course not, but oh...they will be worth it. When our daughter watches her daddy walk across that stage and earn his masters degree...it will be worth it.

Jason-- we couldn't be more proud. Sydney and I will be standing on your sideline, cheering you on through out this journey. You have (and always will be) our big man on campus. We love you big.