It's my first offical tag evah! What a surprise, Gwen! Okay here are the instructions and here's what I gotta do:
I was tagged by Gwen. This is her blog http://www.everythingmia.blogspot.com/ ~ We met Gwen, Jenny and Mia on our pick-up trip and LOVE their little girl, Mia. We're hoping to all reunite at the Grand Tikal again one day soon!
The rules are to link the person who sent this and leave a comment on their blog so their readers can visit yours~Post the rules on your blog~Share 7 strange/weird facts about yourself~Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and link their blog~Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
So, here are 7 wierd/strange facts about myself.
1) I'm a tit for tat girl. I keep a mental score of everything. It's my biggest ball and chain that I would love to change about myself.
2) I was a run away bride at age 26. Well, not really. I called my wedding off about a month before it was to take place.
3) I work Part-time at my church, a far cry away from corpoarte America where I worked for 10 plus years.
4) I was going to be a teacher, but I got kicked out of the program my Junior year of college. They just didn't think I was the teacher type. ;-(
5) I was a Hairband Heavy Metal chick: Def Leopard, Areosmith, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Van Halen...saw them all wearing my own big hair and wearing spandex!
6) I can't stand people making me wait. My red-head temper flares in seconds! I'm not talking about people running late. It's more of, um, well, I'll just make it easy on myself and use my husband as an example! He'll ask me to hand him something or toss something downstairs. So within seconds, I'll grab it and come to the balcony to throw it to him. But he's not there. Gary? Gary? "Yeah, Just a sec hon, I'm re-wiring the surround system, I'll be right there." ??? So I was doing something, he needed something, I stopped what I was doing to assist him, now he's still doing something and I'm just standing there waiting on him. ;-)
7) I don't know how I got here, but I'm about one step away from orthepedic shoes! I love shoes, I collect shoes. Well, at least I used to. But for the last two years, I have gone from 50 various styles of heels to one pair of brown wedges in the summer and one pair of black wedges. In the winter, I have one pair of black shoes, comfy, no heels. And one pair of black shoes. Occassionally, the tennis shoe will make an appearance. I know that comfy pretty shoes are out there, I just can't bring myself to spend more than $25 on a pair of shoes. So, under $25 usually equates to really uncomfortable shoes. sigh
Okay, so that's me! Here are my 7 tags:
Robin at http://www.ggaggle.blogspot.com/
Steph at http://journeytoeli.blogspot.com/
Greta Jo at http://wwwjerseyboy.blogspot.com/
Lisa at http://our-journey-for-sophia.blogspot.com/
Bobbi at http://bobbi-partyoffive.blogspot.com/
Dawn at http://prayingthemhome.blogspot.com/
Beth at http://www.peachesncinnamon.blogspot.com/
Have fun!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tagged!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Our Weekend!
Friends: Yay, we got to spend time with some dear fellow Guatemalan buddies on Friday. We LOVE Mira and Emerson and now we get to watch them all the time because their Mommy finally started their family's blog! Three homegrown boys who are just so handsome and sweet and one boy (3 yrs) and one girl (20 mnths) from Guatemala! Adoption brought many dear friends into our lives. And we are so blessed to have Robin and Jeff and their five beautiful children enriching our lives!
Check out her blog and drop her a line letting her know I sent you over!http://www.ggaggle.blogspot.com/
Remembering and still adjusting: It's been one month since my father passed away. It's only been four weeks, but we can definitely feel the loss and miss his presence and ever smiling face.
This week, my mom got a hand written letter from the president of the University of Richmond where my father worked for over 39 years. They were flying the flag at half-mast in his honor. My father loved U of R, he loved his employees, he loved going to the basketball games (both men and women's) and he was very proud of the longevity of his employment there. As a family, we were very touched and humbled by this gesture from the university.
On Saturday we went to the campus, which is simply beautiful and took some pictures. As we walked up the hill where the flag was, the bell tower started playing music (I got some of it on tape).
Reading the plaque that displays my father's name.
The twins in their Christmas outfits from Grandma and Granda-da-da-da.
After admiring the view for a few minutes, a big breeze came along and started blowing the flag for us. As we walked away, the "breeze" died down and the flag rested again.
Right back atcha Dad, we love ya, too!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
FFF
For my Favorite Foto Friday, I will showcase the boys in more of Great-Grandma's sweaters.
Click here for "full story" http://twoheartsinguatemala.blogspot.com/2007/11/sweet-moments.html
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Head-Butt Black Eye!
Oh, I must be delirious! Enjoy this post while you can, I'm sure I will be deleting it after a good nights sleep! But I was just getting ready to go to bed and saw myself in the bathroom mirror. And I busted out laughing, I've got a shiner from being "head-butted" by Logan yesterday.
As with all toddler head-butts, this one came out of nowhere. Logan reared back with all his might and slammed into my cheek bone. The hit was so hard, I actually thought bone was shattered! I guessed I yelped loud enough that Logan knew I was hurt and he started kissing me right away and "signing" sorry (running his hand across his chest). After a few minutes, the pain subsided and then I sort of forgot about it until a few hours later when I walked by a mirror and thought my mascara had run. I went to wipe it away and yelped again because I realized I was rubbing a bruise.
Gary, Mason and Evan enjoyed teasing me last night and then again this morning when it was much more swollen and purple than it was yesterday. Well, if they could see how purple it is right now, they'd have a whole new round of jokes for me.
How did the only girl in the house end up with the black eye?? LOL
Believe me, the picture doesn't do it justice. My cheek is actually swollen and puffy and the purple bruisin' is much more vibrant in real life! LOL I can hope that tomorrow it's less-purple?
Agh, the perils and dangers of parenting!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
First Piano Recital Invitation!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Blizzards and Brotherly love!
Richmond finally gets snow! Blizzard-like conditions, over 0.0015 inches of accumulation. Surrounding area schools close, local businesses shut down. And Austin and Logan get to play in snow-no-no!
Their first "real" snow. Logan (ever looking for balls) has fun with Grandma's snowball and Austin(in the blue) shows us his "brrr" sign for how cold it is.
Then, as is Richmond's tradition, it all turned to rain and all the snow went away. Seriously, you folks that get snow after snow after snow - stop hogging it all and send us at least ONE good storm this year! Puh-leeze!!
So after the snow was gone, but it was still freezin' here, it was time for some brotherly love~
Logan was eating lots and lots of Grandma's stew and Austin was tired of waiting for him to be done!
Oh, Logan, I'm so glad you're finally done eating!
Thanks for waitin' for me, Austin! You're the best!
Austin continuing to "pat" on Logan. I mean it, I'm SOOO glad you're done! I thought you'ld never finish!
Get away from me, I get it, enuf already!
Oh, just kidding, Austin, I love you, too!
So dang sweet! I love these little guys so much. I cannot even begin to put into words how much joy they give me every single second of the day! I am so thankful to God for blessing me and my family with them. I pray for all those in process to be united soon and we continue to pray that God finds a way to open up adoptions in Guatemala again and that He cares for and watches over all the babies and children caught in the process until then.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Escape artist!
We enjoyed a warm spell here and I was letting the boys play on the deck, with the baby gate up of course. I was at the kitchen sink and this is what I saw!
Then, of course, dishes be gone, it's time to play. So we all hung out and played together for a little while. On the trampoline, you'll notice that Logan is very protective of his ball! And this was right before nap time, so don't be fooled by how "calm" they appear. Truly, this is not an "accurate" snapshot of my children! hee hee hee!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Build-A-Bear
Or better titled: "An Adventure in Total Chaos!"
On a daily basis, the boys entertain themselves. Heck, they even entertain us non-stop. So, I guess because we haven't had to seek much "outside" entertainment, the boys (nor us) haven't had much exposure (okay nil) to things like Chuck-y-cheese, Romp n Roll gyms, Mommy and Me music classes etc.
But we received gift certificates to Build-A-Bear from Grandma and Grandpa Taylor, so we excitedly took the boys there yesterday not having a clue what to expect! When we entered, the store was empty. We explained we were rookies and asked for assistance. The nice little guy told us that Austin and Logan (or rather "we") pick out their bears (minus the stuffing) first. Then head to the sound station (if we wanted to add sound inside the bear), then off to the "stuffing" station, then the "bathing" station and then we pick out outfits and lastly, we make our own birth certificates.
So, off we started. Two bears, similar, but different. Check.
Sound insert. Skip.
Stuffing Station. Oh, here I remember to snap off a few pictures of the big day.
Step on that pedal, boys and fill your bear.
Austin's brown bear is stuffed. Logan's is getting finished. (But note what's in his hands and notice the shelves in the background.)
Okay, throw your bears up here for a "bath."
And step on this pedal to blow air and bathe your bears.
And then, the rest of the adventure was a blur! Very comical, in fact. Apparently, ten minutes was the max of their attention span.
All of the shelves in Build-A-Bear are child level (go back to previous picture for a visual). This translates to Austin and Logan having the ability to sling every item off of their hooks. Like Bear shoes. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, pairs flying off with ease. While we try and grab the shoes (flung at a remarkable distance), Austin and Logan move about the store, flinging items left and right. Gary and I ditch the bathing station, somehow grab a basketball uniform and football outfit while picking up and replacing misc. shoes, purses, inflatable cars and other bear-necessities. The store is now filled with 30 other customers and one of the two employees has gone on break. Between the shelves, counters, other customers and Gary's and my mission to dress the bears, we loose visual contact with Austin and Logan approx 50 times.
Our conversations go like this:
Here's an NBA outfit, can you find something to coordinate or should we go with two NBA outfits?
Oh, here's a football outfit.
Great, do you see Austin?"
No, Logan is throwing hats out of that bin, though.
Got him, where's Austin? (me picking up hats)
Oh, here are some sneaker's for Logan's bear.
Gary, where is Austin?
Right by you, Donna, he's pushing the bear wheelchair
Oh, sorry, well, then where's Logan?
Oh, Gary, Logan, get him. He's running way down there, he's got 4 empty bear skins in his hands.
I scoop up Austin, two bears, one NBA outfit, one Football outfit, one pair of sneakers and head to the Birth Certificate computer area.
Gary, Austin's bear still needs cleats or something.
Logan, honey (think of Barney's song) "clean-up, clean-up, clean-up all the sunglasses."
I start filling out data to obtain our bear's birth certificate. Austin is by my side. Or not? I stand to get visual, I scan the store. nothing.
Gary, do you have Austin? No, but I found cleats and two drawstring sports bag and Logan is now watching a little girl stuff her bear.
Okay, take over the gift certificates, I'll look for Austin.
Two laps around the store and nothing. Panic. Then, I remember the fountain. For some remarkably cruel reason, they keep the doors to Build-A-Bear open. So, I go outside (with a bear still in tow). and Austin is right there. Laughing and running around the malls' fountain.
Oy! Pick him up, and head back in.
Gary, try and get them in the stroller. I'll finish up.
Two birth certificates. check.
Gary loads up the boys. I wait in line, behind the other 30 customers who lapped up and left us in the dust. Clearly they are not first timers.
One hour later.
Two Bears. check. Stuffed and semi-bathed. check.
One NBA outfit. One NFL outfit. check. check.
Two coordinating pairs of shoes. check.
Two sportbag accessories. check.
Two Cute "bear houses." check.
Mini football. check.
Mini basketball. MIA! Must be buried in the hat bin!
Home at last with the bears and the boys. And they LOVE them! Loved dressing them, love hauling them all over the house.
Priceless! Thanks Mom and Dad Taylor!
A New Table!
We just acquired a new table and chairs for the boys. They have one at Grandma's and they love it. So, we thought we would try one at home, too.
Eating breakfast like big boys!
Austin and bed head.
Logan and bed head.
And then, Gary snapped off this picture for me. He calls it "Just like Mom!" LOL!!
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Hodge Podge!
We're slowing getting back to normal these days, albeit a "new" normal. I don't have much to blog about right now, so I thought I'ld just post a bunch of random pictures from the last few months that haven't made it onto the blog!
My brother, Mitch and Logan comparing ears :
And Mitch with Austin
On the trampoline (I know NO safety net, aiyee!!) Logan is the air born one.
I don't get many pictures of them both facing forward...but here's one.
And at the end of the day, just a leetle bit tired! They fell asleep in the middle of eating dinner! Austin (L) still has his hand in the bowl and Logan (R) is still holding his fork!
