Piano Recital

This year's piano recital was pretty exciting.  Not only were Grandma Linda and Grandpa Tim there plus Aunt Allie but it was right before Tanner's baptism.  We raced to the baptism with minutes to spare after the recital.  Despite all the crazy excitement the kids did great.  The boys looked handsome and Taylor looked beautiful.  They played very well and worked so hard to get ready for this special day.  I am a little embarrassed to say but I don't always get to hear them practice because the boys practice at 6:30 in the morning before I am awake.  When I do wake up to their music I have to say it is the best way to wake up.  Another beauty of being a Mom instead of an alarm clock I get toddler kisses, 6 year old giggles and mini concerts every morning.  Nothing is better than that.

The program - I want the kids to remember what they played over the years

I love uniforms.  Whether they are Military, athletic, or service oriented.  I have to say one of my favorite uniforms is seeing little boys dressed up in shirt and ties.  You see their potential as men, missionaries and professionals.  You see two pictures at once, the little boy side by side with the young man.  I love having all my boys including my biggest boy Travis all dressed up for church in their shirts and ties.  Boy does it tug at my heart strings.  Especially since I seem to be prone to surrounding myself with boys.

Tanner was all ready for his recital and his baptism immediately following.  He specifically picked out his green tie from Tonya and Adam's wedding because it's his favorite color and because he likes his chameleon eyes to change from blue to green while wearing it.

   Dapper Dan

Taylor is starting to get to the point where she shuns pictures (and I thought I trained her better).  She either will only pose with completely silly faces or she won't pose at all.  Today was one of those days.  At least we got to hear her amazing talents.  She constantly amazes me with how 

musically talented she is!

Taylor is trying to act nonchalant at being recognized for her Certificate of Merit that she earned.  She and Kaden both participated in it this year and worked really hard to pass.  It is going above and beyond having typical piano lessons.  They have to take 2 separate tests and pass both.  It is a great type of pressure and I will not lie and say that they love it but it is very valuable in a lot of ways and I keep telling them that one day (possibly in 20 years) they will thank me for gently making them do it.

Happy Birthday Taylor!

Taylor is 13.  I can't believe that she is a teenager.  My firstborn is getting so old!  She is aging beautifully and makes us proud on a daily basis.

I keep wondering when this birthday breakfast will get old but the kids clamor for it every birthday!

Taylor is our Queen of faces.  She cracks me up with the different faces she makes

I can think of a million reasons why we love Taylor but if we had to narrow it down to a few this is what stands out the most in the 13th year of her life:

*I love how she comes and kisses me every night before bed

*I love her sense of humor

*I love her funny faces

*I love how she has to paint her nails every other day (at least)

*I love her character.  She is one strong girl

*I love her sense of fairness

*I love her zest for life

* I love that she doesn't like to be far from home

*I love how tenacious she is

* I love that she has a very strong sense of right and wrong

* I love how she tries to make things work in her favor as much as possible

*I love how she reads her scriptures every night without fail

* I love that she is hard on herself and holds herself to a high standard

* I love when she plays with her siblings

* I love how musically talented she is

*I love what a good helper she is

* I love her cute texts that she sends me with the cute smiley faces or sad faces when she is sad

*I love her smile and her cute dimples

* I love how brave she is and how unique her personality is

*I love how she keeps us on our toes and keeps us in line

*I love that there is not another girl like her on the planet and that she is our forever

* I love Taylor!

A Christmas Carol

 

I have these 2 girls in my life that astound me on a daily basis.  As a Mom and a sister you want those in your life to be better and do better than you did and yet these girls exceed even those expectations.  When Taylor came to me a few months ago and said that she wanted to try out for a play.  My first thought was how that commitment would change my life and I have to be honest I tried to discourage her a little.  She had so much going on and so did I and I didn't know how we would do it all.  Then she made it and we got a little boost.  Then she would walk around the house singing and look forward to practices.  Another boost.  Then Natalie broke her ankle.  Down a boost.  Then their costumes were done (thank you Mom!) and they were fabulous - another boost.  Then came tech week where they had practice every day, hair make-up the whole 9 yards.  The boosts quickly faded but I had some fabulous carpool helpers that made the week work.  Through it all Taylor and Natalie were amazing.  They still had all of their responsibilites and this crazy tech week on top of that.  Then came the night of the play and I was blown away.  The girls were amazing!  They had such stage presence and poise.  You couldn't even tell that Natalie was dancing on a boot.  I have to admit that I got a little (A LOT) weepy in all the parts where no tears are required.  I finally understood where the term "bursting with pride" came from.  I am so proud of my girls!

There was a whole fan club to see the girls and
Justin McBeth was even in the
play with them.  It was a family affair!

Taylor's First Temple Trip

We went to the temple for the first time with Taylor last week. It was a really neat experience for us. Travis was able to do the baptisms and my Dad and Trevor were the witnesses (I was the towel lady :). We did family names which was really special. My mom put together a lot of our ancestors names just for that special night. I helped the girls get their special white clothes on and get ready. Taylor and Natalie looked so pure and sweet in all white. As we were waiting for Taylor and Natalie to come into the font, a woman needed to be baptized for one name, her sister who had passed away a year before. She was going through and doing all the work for her sister that night. She asked Travis to do her baptism first. I was already in an emotional state but when she stepped into the water and Travis raised his arm to the square I felt such a confirmation of what this temple ordinance means. That we can in some way bring the light of Christ to our ancestors who have passed on and didn't have the chance to be baptized in their lifetime is such a blessing. When it was Taylor's turn the water works immediatly turned on full force all over my face. With my Dad and Trevor looking on, Trav doing the baptisms and me standing by it felt really special. She really enjoyed the experience and we hit another rmilestone in our lives as parents. I know it will feel like minutess and not years when we take her to the temple again, this time to be sealed to her future husband (hopefully not for at least 10 years!). I will do my best to make every moment between now and then count and appreciate the great gift we have been given in having Taylor as a daughter.