We took the kids to the mall for some last minute shopping and Z fell in love with this phone cover.  She was hot to spend a little of her own money and it was so perfect.  Her latest love is zebra print.

 B asked for an animal hat.  She has been wearing this since the moment she opened it. 

 Rugby fell in love with darts this summer after being introduced to them on a family trip.  I wasn't bold enough to trust him with the real deal so we went magnet.  He's been honing his skills for the sharp kind.  (maybe next year)

 Goob still has the mad monkey love.  These jammies are just his speed.

Baden got another Bobo Honky and named it Christmas Lights. 

It was a wonderful Christmas season with lots of friends and family.  We feel so blessed to be here starting new traditions and enjoying our new neighborhood. 

Merry Christmas!

Rugby had his ballroom dance recital this past week.  He is a little sensitive about being in dance but his teacher says he catches on really fast.  I could barely believe my eyes when I saw it.  My son-- dancing, with girls non the less!  He is such a stud!

There is Breckyn on the bottom row in her Christmas concert.  We were too far back to get pictures of the other kids.  It was no Mrs. Bice, but they did a great job.  We were in and out in about an hour.  Now that's a Christmas concert I can get on board with.

 Last night we went to Temple Square to see the lights.  It was magical.  I think I could go there every night and never get tired of looking.  They do such a great job.

 The kids thought they did almost as good of a job as their Dad does.  :)

 The Temple was a perfect picture of the season.

The trees looked like they were on fire.  It was breath taking.  If you've never seen it, you have to come.  It's amazing. 

 We let Thanksgiving pass and dove right into our Christmas cheer.  We've got Grandma at the stove making fudge for the masses.

 Aunt Cheri rolling out the dough with Em.

 Em was really into it-- literally.  Check out that flour fluff.

 These little stinks snuck the bowl into the closet for some "cleaning."

 Some of us were very precise.  (inheriting that from their mommy)

 We had a little creativity...

 Some fun...

 We had a hair dying party for the girlies.  Ok, and a few older girlies too.  B went with a blue stripe.

 Z decided on purple. 

 Mr. Muscles here.  He is always eager to show off his goods. 

 We did a little family ice skating last weekend.  It was the kids' first time.  It was a little touch and go at first but by the end they were loving it.

 OK, maybe not just for the kids.

 We've explored some new places to eat out.

 Rugby's class put on a first Thanksgiving play.  He rocked his lines!

 Zoey put together an important person biography and chose Oprah.  She had a lot of fun putting it together.  On presentation day her class set up in the gym for all the other grades to come and see.  She was supposed to dress up like her person-- but that proved difficult with the skin difference.  We went with a cut out of Oprah's head on a stick.  It was pretty great.   

We also spent a little time in the bowling alley and the lazer tag ring.  It turns out, our new favorite family activity is lazer tag.  I think each of the kids has a little pinch of their dad in them. 

We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 She was insistent on a wig because everyone knows that Cleopatra didn't have blonde hair-- duh. 

 Em wanted to be a ninja soooooo badly!  He looks pretty tough.  I wouldn't mess with this guy.

 OK, maybe not that tough.  He's so cute. 

Zoey had to be Hermione after a year of solid dedication to Harry Potter.  It was meant to be.

 Tim and I had a little too much fun dressing like punks for our Halloween party.  He looks pretty comfortable doesn't he. (Tats compliments of Alice.)

Zoey was so into my pink hair. The next morning she stole all my stuff and punked out.  She was loving it.

It's pumpkin carving season at the Taylor house.  This year the kids were finally old enough to do all of it themselves.  (sigh)

Rugby was very serious about his carving.  He searched the Internet for the perfect angry bird design.

 Emerson spent most of his time playing with the "guts."

 Brecky drew, drew, and redrew her design until it was just right.

 Zoey and her Daddy had big plans.

 From back to front, Emerson's bat, Tim's spider, and Breckyn's face.

 Zoey's with the big "Z" on the side.

 I went for a ghost this year.  I thought I need to change it up from my usual triangle special.

 Rugby's angry birds with an R and angry birds written on the side.

 Zoey's is actually Two Face.  She thought Cooper would appreciate it.

 Em's is super batty just like him.

Happy Halloween!