Taylor Family Tidbits

Here's a big shout out to all the awesome students I teach! We had our Christmas recital tonight and enjoyed 18 superb performances! It made me grateful that I get to be a part of these kids' lives and also thankful for the gift of music-- a little piece of heaven on earth! I have to share just a few choice moments with you. One little boy forgot his piece about halfway through. He tried a couple of times and it just wasn't coming. Finally he cried out, "I just can't remember it!" and his sister (who was all the way across the room) yelled, "You just don't do that at a recital!" Everyone was a little uncomfortable at that point, not least of all the little boy! So I quickly ran over and whispered to him to start over and that I knew he could do it. He tenaciously began again and sure enough, he pulled it off without a wrinkle! (There's nothing like a little sisterly encouragement!) So here's to everyone who's brave enough to share their talents, even when they're not perfect yet!

On Monday Sarah officially learned her first song all the way through. "Happy birthday, Mommy!" She was like a little radio wishing me a happy birthday over and over all day-- it was so cute! My amazing husband made it one of the best days ever! Since it was his day off, we got to be together all day-- french toast breakfast, trip to see Gram and Grandpa Ivan and Betty, perfect presents, lots of ice cream, dinner at Tucanos, and a fun celebration with my parents and siblings. It doesn't get much better!

So last Monday I decided to do laundry. . . and it was a good thing! I noticed some water leaking into the drain next to the water heater. "No way is our water heater leaking again," I think, "we just replaced it!" Sure enough, it wasn't our water heater. The water was leaking in through the opposite wall of one of the bedrooms-- and apparently had been for a couple of days. The stop & waste valve (which happens to be inconveniently located just a few feet from the house) broke. So we've been busy. And grateful to know some very smart people. After tearing out a couple of feet of drywall, we discovered that the electrical work in those rooms was done very poorly and we are lucky that it was a few inches of water instead of a fire! So. . . moral of the story? Turn off your sprinklers before your home warranty expires. . . or, (more seasonally appropriate) just count your blessings!

I just thought a little log of what Sarah has been eating for breakfast (in one sitting) might be interesting.

Yesterday:
nine grain cereal (2 servings)
half of a large pear
a large avocado
a bowl of applesauce
apples and peanut butter
milk

Today:
2 eggs, scrambled
milk
cottage cheese
canned peaches
2 servings of life/wheat chex with milk

Go Sarah baby!

"Trick or Treat!" and "Happy Halloween!" were two of the new phrases of last weekend. Sarah couldn't have been more excited about the ward's "trunk or treat" and made a very convincing leopard! "raarr!" We've also been enjoying the unseasonably warm weather and trying to keep up with the raking. Sarah is an incredible little helper-- she specializes in smashing the leaves down in the garbage can. :)

A couple of weeks ago Sarah and I traveled to upstate New York with my mom and grandma for the 100th birthday of my great grandma Cockram! We had so much fun visiting with her, with my other great grandma Florence Gillett, and meeting so many wonderful relatives! Sarah met so many grandmas and aunties that she's started applying those titles to anyone who looks like they might fit the bill!

In Grandma Louise's apartment--100 years old and she still has her own place! She's amazing!
Five generations!
With charming Grandma Florence
Playing with Quinton, Sarah's new best friend! The awesome Wetzels!Letting go of 100 balloons outside the First Presbyterian ChurchWith Grandpa Bob, Grandma Shirley, Lee, and Grandma JeanCooper is only 10 months but an amazing walker. He decided he loved giving Sarah hugs, but in reality they turned out to be more like tackles! Jeremy, Leslie, and Cooper Uncle Loren was a big hit!With lovely Aunt Helen (Grandma Jean's sister) in front of her house In the sacred grove
At the Hill Cumorah

Just got back from a visit to Jerry's parents in Idaho, where we enjoyed playing with Grammy and Papa (and Aubree and Sean), canning millions of peaches, and watching the Cougars take home victory!

Tonight I asked Sarah what bedtime song she wanted to sing. "Twinkle Twinkle?" I asked. She started waving her fist and saying "Go Coug!" So we sang the fight song.

Okay, so I was working on this post ages ago and the computer freaked out right as I was finishing-- oops! Anyway, some cute pictures of the wedding! It was wonderful to have all of the family together, and Sarah enjoyed her cousins, aunties and uncles VERY much! She still talks about them all the time! She even named her baby dolls Anna! :)

So last night we had chips and salsa for dinner. (Did I mention I'm pregnant? Last night was a pretty good night compared to what I have been cooking. . . nothing.) But Sarah thought it was fabulous. She started out scooping with the chips. . .

But then she opted for a more expedient method-- a spoon. She always has had a high tolerance for spicy foods!

But that didn't last long either. . . .

Mmm! Not the tidiest of meals, but hey! It definitely made her happy!


Come on, for that smile? Maybe I'll go for chocolate fondue tonight. :)

We had a great time celebrating the fourth-- Sarah loved the parade (minus the sirens, plus the dog that walked by) and got to stay up way past bedtime to see the fireworks! We finished off the weekend with a speedy trip to the Fish Lake cabin to see Grandma and Grandpa Tuttle. Grandpa and I still take the 500 trophy! :) Bring it!

We love this country and hope we can be a force for good in defending the liberties that so many have sacrificed to provide us.

While Aunt Paige was visiting from Spokane, we drove to Nephi to join Gram and Grandpa for a game of golf! We decided Sarah might enjoy watching Daddy and her great grandparents whacking away at a little ball, so Paige, Sarah and I got an extra cart and tagged along for a few holes. It was pretty much the coolest thing since the beach, and Sarah got her first lesson in putting. (As her paternal genetics would imply, of course she's a natural.)

I've been enjoying following the blogs of friends and family, but alas! have not made a post on ours for a year. (oops!) So I thought I should at least post a few pictures of the baby girl who has been growing up in the meantime. Her favorite games are "ashes" (ring-around-the-rosies) and "dumbo" (being swung in a blanket--there's also a song about Dumbo that goes with it). She can't wait to see all her cousins at Meme and Sean's wedding and now can count them off on one hand! (She says "Anna" and "Joe" really well, but she's working hard on the others, too!)