Summer!

 Our summer has been insane and we are just THRILLED we made it through June.  We are done getting wood already and usually we have not started.  We had 3 different baseball/softball teams this year and they are over (that was insane).  We managed to get 2 camping trips in already and have 4 more to go.  The coolest thing we have done this summer was on May 31.  Grace and Gid turned 8 and were baptized.  It was a very special day and we were so proud of them!  Thanks to the great family we have that came and supported them on this special day!

 Bug told me the other day she wanted "piggy buns" in her hair.  I asked what that was and this is what she told me.  She is so funny.

 Gracie played her first year of softball and loved it.  She got to be an awesome batter and does well in the field when she is not playing with her hair or worrying about how she looks.  She is a girly girl but we love her and she is excited to play next year again.  She loves to just play catch with her mom.  That is about all we can do to get the girl outside and away from tv and books.  I am just glad she loves it and wants to do it again!

 Here she is playing with her hair again!  She hit her first triple this year!  It was so cool!  She was so excited!

 Gracie and Halle did a theatre camp this year.  They had so much fun!  They did 3 numbers.  Halle was Snoopy and had a speaking part!  She did so cute. 

 Halle was so cute as a monkey in the Dr. Seuss number.  The thing I love the most about her is that the girl is ALWAYS smiling!  She is so cute and fun to be around.  This camp was right up her alley!

 Gracie was the Cat in the Hat.  She had several speaking lines.  She did well, she has her mom in her though.  She memorizes really well but when she gets nervous she talks really really fast!

 She also had a poem she had to do by herself.  This was the most nerve wracking for her. 

 The other number was "Your never fully dressed without a smile"  from Annie.  We kinda missed this number since the camera went caput but it was so cute.

 So this year I ended up (by default) coaching Gid's baseball team.  Brian stepped up and pitched to the boys since he did not want me out there with balls flying.  It was fun to spend time with him and Gid.  Gid improved very much once we figured out the poor kid could not see the ball coming at him.  We got him in to the Dr and he was given glasses.  After that the became our best hitter and did so awesome on defense.  He LOVED this season and was sad to see it end. 

 Gracie became our photographer since Bri and I were both occupied.  She did pretty well.  Gid hit 2 triples in one game and was so excited.  He loved hanging out with his friends. 

 Our handsome boy in his glasses.  He almost look weird to me now if he does not have them on but he LOVES them.

 On deck

 He is such a fast runner. 

 Halle also played ball this year and was thrilled to play coach pitch instead of "boring T-ball".  She did awesome.  She had the cutest batting stance.  We had to work with her a bit to "widen it up".  She hit so so good and loved every minute of it.  She got to play with her cousin Chloe and that was so cool to her. 

 That cute stance.

 And then the sass. 

Our News....past and present!

 New recruit to join Team Taylor!  Coming Sept 2014!  (This was how we announced to our family we were having another baby)

 We are excited to be having yet another girl!  Grace and Halle are so excited (this is what they wanted).  Gid is adapting to yet another sister.  His finger and toe crossing was obviously not a success. 

 Our beautiful little "bug".  She has become a lot easier to deal with since she found out she will no longer be "the baby". 

 We had a new member join our family in January (yea, I know I am so slow).  Lisa finally found her soul mate in Trevor.  They are doing great and love being married.  Lisa is having to share being the fav Aunt/Uncle now.  All of the kids typically run to Trevor first for a hug and it does not sit well with Lisa who was the favorite for so long.  Becki and I get a kick out of it and say "welcome to our life".

 Since the kids have already had the end of the year program I thought I would post their Christmas program pictures (no, not a typo).  This is Halle in her first program ever!

 Gid and Gracie in their program

 Christmas pj's from Grandma and Grandpa Taylor

 What the Easter Bunny brought the kids!

 Handsome Gid. 

Beautiful Gracie

 Gracie at the end of the year program.

 Bug, with her rooster doing her song!

 And finally Gid.

 Halle just turned 6 and I am freaking out.  She got her roller skates she wanted so bad and got a "frozen cake".  She is smart as a whip and very sassy.  Her favorite color is still purple since she wants to be like Grandma Blauer.  She is excited to play coach pitch this year for softball instead of T-ball and loves to be outside with her brother.  She had her first birthday party this year with her friends and thought she was so grown up.  We love having this little firecracker in our home.  She does keep things interesting.

 Gracie also got her "monster high roller skates for her birthday and Halle is just glad that Gracie will not use hers all the time now.  She just turned 8 and is so excited to be baptized.  She gets to play softball this year and is excited to play pitching machine.  She loves tumbling and signed up to go to a volleyball camp this year.  She is a sweet heart and such an easy going girl (especially for a red head).  We love her.

 Gid and Gracie both had a party this year and took one friend to the fun park for the day.  They got Monster High and Pirate cupcakes for their birthday and were so excited for them (what can I say I was way lazy on cakes this year.) 

 Gid was shocked and so so so excited when he got a bow and arrow like his daddy.  Anything he can do with his Dad is ok with him.  He loves to hunt, play sports and just be anywhere but in the house.  He loves to mow the lawn especially with the mowing lawn mower.  He is playing coach pitch this year and was way excited to find out that his mom got roped into coaching his team. He is doing a football camp this year.  He is also excited to be baptized.  He is such a good boy and great example to others.

Gracie had her first tumbling recital.  She loves to tumble and says she likes it more than dance.  I got tons of pics of her but lots were blurry (mainly since Gid was our photographer for the evening).  That is our last 6 month in a nutshell.

"creditors"

Halle came home from school today and told me she learned all about penguins!  "Penguins spend most of their time on ice Mom, they only leave and go to land when they need to hatch their babies, but they have to be very careful because creditors will come and try and kill them and their babies".  I totally agree, "creditors" suck. 

Poems

Last year Mrs. Morrison (the best teacher ever) had the kids write poems to describe themselves.  Gid and Grace found them the other day and decided to write a poem on each of our family members.  These are their poems.  

Dad
nice, handsome,
annoying hardworking, hairy
a very playful guy
Daddy

Mom
kind, funny, 
happy, helpful, cute
a very kind friend
Mommy

Gid
cool, nice,
works, cleans, reads
I feel good
Boppy

Grace
pretty, worker
silly, smiley, weird
A very cute girl
Princess

Halle
Loud, playful, 
cute, funny, sassy
she gets her way
Bug

Like his Dad!

Gid told me last night he wanted to dress like his Dad for school today.  Being busy I said "ok" and figured that meant jeans and a t-shirt.  He woke up this morning, got dressed and came out and said "Hey Mom, do I look like a suxy beast like Dad?"  I gotta love that kid but wonder sometimes if we need to take him to get a hearing test!

Good Job Coach!

Our little Halle bug played soccer this year for the first time!  Her coach ended up being a guy that Brian works with.  Yesterday Shane (the coach) shared this story with Brian.

They were doing drills one day at practice.  Halle finished the drill and she ran up behind Shane , slapped him on the butt and said "Good job coach!"  Yup, sounds like our bug.

It is funny moments like this into her cute personality that makes me realize why Shane's 16 year old son asked his parents if they could have Halle come over and play someday!  Lets just say she keeps us hopping!

Our Days...

 Our days have been busy  We are finally done with Soccer.  It was a fun season but since it is so cold we are glad to be done.  Gid loved soccer this year.  His favorite part was playing goalie and he did a great job!

 He was a lot more aggressive this year.  He really got in on some action

 BIG KICK!

 Cute little Reddick riding Halle's pony!  What a cowboy!

 On October 12th I became a aunt again to ADORABLE Dax Layton Mumford.  He is such a cutie, I have a hard time getting any time holding him though with Gracie around.

 Reddick wanted to ride the 4-wheeler with Gid.  First he put the helmet on backwards and could not see anything then could not get it off his head.  This picture makes him look like Toad from Mario Cart.

 Hanging with Cousin Gid.

 Our Halle Bug is growing up so fast.  She went to bed one night and worked her tooth loose for 1 1/2 hours before it came out.  She was so excited I could not even be mad at her for farting around when she was supposed to be sleeping.

 Gracie as Rainbow Bright again at the Halloween Parade!

 Gid and Gracie's fun teacher Miss Transtrum

 Gid finally outgrew his fireman costume and had to find something else this year.  He loved being a cowboy and wearing chaps!

 Doodle Bug was a lady bug again.  It fits her just fine!

 I got to go and do Halle's Kindergarten class party.  It was fun to see them all dressed up and excited for Trick or Treating

 The Taylor Trio!  We have such good kids that see no point in buying a new costume if the old one fits.  I did not even have to ask the girls if they wanted new costumes this year, they just choose to re-dress!

 Brian had to work the USU volleyball game the other night.  He wanted us to come and go so we did.  Halle was chosen as the USU fan of the game!  She had Big Blue come over to her and give her a volleyball signed by the whole Aggie team and then asked her for a kiss.  She was on the Jumbo-tron for all to see.  She was bummed she did not see herself on it since she was busy with Big Blue at the time but way excited when her dad said he saw her on the TV up in the booth.  Now instead of being an "America's got Talent" Judge when she grows up she wants to be a volleyball player!  Since I am one of the rare moms that does not haul a camera around in my purse or have a cel phone this is the best picture we have.  I wish to heck for that one instant I had a phone to get a picture of her kissing Big Blue but then that moment passed and I was back to normal.

Within one weeks Halle lost her 2nd tooth.  This time her teacher Mrs. Koller pulled it out at school!  She whistles when she talks now.