Our NOON Year's Eve Party!

What a great New Year's Eve! Today we packed up early and went to Lowry Park for an awesome "NOON Year's Eve" party. It was so fun! The kids got to take part in a Radio Disney Dance Party (which Kirsten LOVED), see and pet some animals, and take part in a great countdown to 2009 at noon! We celebrated with noisemakers and an apple juice toast. The perfect way to take part in the New Year's festivities and not start off the new year cranky from staying up late!

Here is K. Grace petting a llama

K. Grace hangin' with an ant (The boys were NOT going near this guy!)

This is the only shot I was able to get of the boys in their party hats...

Matty D... My party dude

...This girl knows how to celebrate!

Happy Noon Year's Eve!!

Our Early Christamas (A Little Late...)

Our Christmas celebration with the Taylor family was a little early this year (the weekend BEFORE Christmas). Somehow, I wasn't able to get my act together early... so I didn't have my camera with me (that's my excuse for posting these pictures so late). Luckily Grandpa Don is great with a camera and copies everything for us! (So I really don't have much of an excuse at all...)

We started the day with a family photo... It is not easy to get everyone in one shot but we did it!! Matt looks a little crazy... but other than that I think it's a good shot!

Here is Kirsten and her Uncle Jeff. To say that Kirsten idolizes Jeff is a HUGE understatement! Uncle Jeff is the coolest, greatest guy around! (Uncle Greg is awesome too... but not quite as good at winding the kids up!)

The kiddos got way too many toys... and they were all awesome!

Kirsten aka Hannah Montana

Have you read about how natural redheads are going to be extinct in the next 50 years? Well, the Taylors are certainly doing our part to make sure that doesn't happen! Allison (K, M, &D's cousin) has the exact same shade of red hair as the twins!

It was the perfect start to our Christmas celebrations... even though I didn't get pictures up until New Year's :)

2008 Wrap-Up

3,640 Diapers..............................................$910.00
145 Gallons of Milk........................................$565.00
20 Extra Large Containers of Baby Formula.................$415.00
32 Doctor's Appointments...................................$950.00
48 Prescriptions...........................................$640.00
28 Swimming Lessons, 5 Swim Meets, 32 Gymnastics Classes....$720.00
28 Toddler Music Lessons.................................. $168.00
365 Days with my beautiful children........................Priceless!

2008 was a wonderful year for Team Taylor. I still think it's all going too fast... but I'm trying to enjoy every moment with my little ones! Here are a few memories from our year!

January


February


March


April


May


June


July



August


September


October


November


December


Happy New Year!

Puppy Love

My silly boys are quite afraid of dogs... but that doesn't stop them from LOVING doggie toys and characters. "Blue's Clues" is a resident favorite around here. The boys love to imitate dogs by panting and barking, and they LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their new stuffed puppies! The Hamiltons (Mrs. Cindy and Dr. Bob) have once again spoiled our little ones... and they are loving every second of it!



Kirsten loves the puppies too!

Here is Matt giving his puppy a kiss on the nose.

Danny loving his doggie

...These are the softest, cuddliest stuffed animals I've ever seen... Danny agrees :)

Here is a shot of Kirsten with her American Girl dolls (Kirsten and Bitty Baby)... Mrs. Cindy has made sure that these dolls have a much better wardrobe than I do! (Thanks again!!)

I am SO not happy about this...

I've mentioned before that Matt is part monkey right?

I am really, really not happy about this. Everyone says this means he is ready for a toddler bed. Well, he may be ready but I absolutley am NOT ready for that. Ugh.

Baby Bucs

I had to share how cute my guys look watching the game today :)


(Thanks again for the jersies Jason!)

Santa Came!

Well, the little members of Team Taylor were very good this year... and Santa certainly noticed! Danny and Matt are BIG Blue's Clues fans. They were very excited to each get a stuffed "Blue" that sings and dances! Our little ones checkin' everything out (at dawn of course!) Kirsten (our little musician) wanted an electric guitar and a violin for Christmas... it seemed like a lot to me... so I asked her to chose one instrument to receive now and to wait until her birthday for the other... Well, Grammy and Grandpa got her the violin and Santa brought a guitar!!! (An electric Hello Kitty guitar!) ...so much for my plan :) Our real life little Hannah Montana ...You've heard parents joke about how kids always prefer the box to the toys that come in them right? Here's the proof! After a busy morning of playing with new toys, we went to Grammy and Grandpa's house for Christmas dinner. Here is Aunt Maureen loving Danny Here is a fun picture of "Crazy Uncle Jason" ... resembles the Santa pics right? Jason (Matt's Godfather) bought the boys Bucs jerseys... they are SO CUTE. The boys loved wearing their new shirts and yelling "Touchdown!" ...They just didn't love being forced to sit in his lap for the picture! ...I hope I can get this to work... This is my first attempt at loading a video. IF you are able to watch this video (that's a big "if") You'll see Matt riding his new roller coaster from Santa... it is so cool!

Christmas Eve

Wow!! What an action packed week! We have been soooooo busy! Yesterday was a marathon Christmas Eve :) After bike rides and outdoor playtime, Kirsten and I spent a lot of time baking yesterday. We made delicious "monkey bread" for Christmas morning (a new tradition!) and a beautiful Birthday Cake for Jesus. I am so sorry that I didn't take pictures of it. Kirsten did a great job of decorating it (she decided our Savior would really appreciate lots of sprinkles). Before church Kirsten and Brian made reindeer food to sprinkle in the yard.

The boys needed a little help getting started... but these guys catch on fast! After a few tastes :) they did a great job of sprinkling snacks for our flying friends!

Kirsten was a beautiful angel in the Christmas pageant at the children's mass. She took her position as part of the "Heavenly Host" very seriously and did an AWESOME job!

After mass we came home to celebrate the holiday with Grammy, Grandpa, Aunt Maureen, and Ryan. This year we did things a little differently. Instead of going out to dinner and then home to open gifts (as we've always done in the past)... we had some appetizers, opened gifts, and then ate dinner AFTER the kiddos were in bed. The kids were all spoiled rotten :) and loved every moment of it.

Danny kissed his new puppy as soon as he opened it!

Aunt Maureen gave Kirsten a beautiful new "Hannah Montana" comforter... here are my little fakers hamming it up on the new blankie. (TOTAL fakers!)

Kirsten was really hoping for a violin for Christmas. She has been very anxious to join the violin club at school. She was VERY excited and a little emotional (the grateful little angel :) to open her gift from Grammy and Grandpa!


My poor baby boys were begging to go to bed! Promptly at 6:45 the boys started waving and calling "Night, night!" to everyone... we were able to stretch them until 7:30 but they were very happy when it was time to cuddle up. Here is the whole family getting ready for Santa.

Santa's Little Helpers

Tonight we decided to keep the kids up past their bedtimes (we almost NEVER do that on purpose!) and go downtown to enjoy some Christmas festivities. There is a really pretty lights display set up, along with visits with Santa, Christmas music, skating and more! We are all exhausted... but it was really fun!

Kirsten has her letter for Santa ready to go!

This Christmas tree is so huge! I think the main reason I wanted to go tonight was to hear Danny whisper "WOW..." as he looked at it. So cute.

This is not the best picture of Kirsten... but I love the naughty little elf in the background :) Matt wiggled his way into every display!



Kirsten had a really good time "Glice Skating". All the fun of ice skating... Florida style! No mittens required!



When you look at this next picture you are going to ask yourself "Why does this seemingly good mother keep torturing her children?"





It's just SO FUNNY! (Mean Mommy... I know). But the entire time we were waiting in the line the boys were smiling and "ho ho hoing". They just aren't fans of being dropped in the Big Guy's lap... I promise they only cry for 2 seconds... and it is just so cute :)