Latest Obsession

Lately I have become totally obsessed with a blog I was introduced to by my good friend Summer. Remember my Shabby Apple post, the dress giveaway? The green dress was made, and designed by this blogger. She has an amazing talent for, not only designing and sewing cute clothes, but crafts and adding onto things that she buys. Here are just a few of her creations: (BTW she also posts amazing things made by people she knows, so not all of these things are made by her)
She has at least 2 daughters, I think, and so she makes a lot of little girl things. Both of these dresses she gave away on her blog.


Other cute girl things, she is constantly giving things away on her blog. She also has links for tutorials on how she makes them.



Megan this pillow totally makes me think of you!

These are my two favorite dresses she's designed and made...


But this one is my all time favorite, the queen of hearts halloween costume she made for her girl...

here her daughter is wearing it, and her other daughter is 'alice' (she also made that costume as well), and I believe that's her husband wearing the rabbit mask.

And other pretty things she's posted.

check out her blog here, and tell/show me if you decide to or made something. :)

We've only just begun...

This last Saturday (November 21st) was a very special day for my parents; it was their 40th wedding anniversary. They've done a lot in forty years. Just to name a few: lived in four different states (Utah, Texas, Nebraska, and California. Did I miss any?) been in the army (they lived on a base camp in Texas where my brother Aaron was born. Did you know his delivery only cost $8?) went to law school AFTER having 7 kids, they have 7 kids (3 boys, 4 girls), one daughter-in-law, 4 son-in-laws, have 4 children that served missions, have 11 granddaughters and 3 grandsons, they've traveled to many different states and countries (the Caribbean, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina) BUT they've only just begun. They just bought a house in Idaho and plan on moving there in March. They would also like to serve a mission together soon, and continue visiting grandkids as they keep coming. They've really been trying to eat healthy and exercise so that they can see all their grandkids' blessings, baptisms, graduations, weddings, and, one day, have kids of their own. What an amazing legacy they have, one that keeps on growing. Happy Anniversary mom and dad, and thanks for not stopping after having 6 kids!

Too Much To Handle

What's too much to handle?

This guy, and these guys...

all at the same time. Being a new mom, cooking, cleaning and working out almost everyday for the last (almost) 2 months now in a feeble attempt to lose the remaining 35 pounds. Surprisingly in all that time I haven't shed a single pound. ARGH! Sugar gliders are actually kind of high maintenance. Why's that? Well unlike cats, dogs, birds, rodents, etc. where you can go to the grocery store and buy a huge bag of food and call it good, sugar gliders have a special diet. They have to eat fresh (or frozen) fruits and vegetables at every feeding(and they need to be different fruits and vegetables rotated for variety to get the appropriate nutrients.), and they are fed 2 times a day. They also need protein, you can buy protein pellets, but they also need other protein like boiled chicken, scrambled/boiled eggs. You can't just give them a huge amount in one feeding because they're small, they can only eat so much, and if it's been sitting out for more than like 10 hours they won't, or can't eat it. We know we tried. They are social animals and need to be handled regularly and because they're nocturnal they come awake at night. Just when I'm totally exhausted and want to go to bed. Plus with all the food that falls down to their poop tray it would rot and smell within one day, not to mention attract soo many fruit flies. I was going crazy!!! So why am I telling you all this? In hopes that no one will judge me when I say that after much thought we decided to give the gliders over to a new owner. Someone who would give them more attention than they've been getting in the last, what 4 months now? They are sooo cute, and maybe someday when we don't have babies and/or toddlers in the house, but right now they are just too much. So here' me saying goodbye to them, because last night someone came to pick them up.


The person that did said they had sugargliders years ago but when they moved into an apartment they couldn't take them. Now they have their own home and can. Plus the guy was giving them to his wife as a birthday present. Isn't that sweet?

On to a lighter note, here's James trying to crawl. He kicks so hard, but his arms aren't strong enough yet. Aw! GOOOO James!



Again Eating his hand.

And Daddy giving him raspberries under his chin.

A Rose in Winter

Fall seems to be officially coming to a close. It makes me sad, Fall is actually my favorite season. I don't really have a favorite holiday, but Fall is my favorite season. It has the most special occasions. My birthday, my anniversary, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. On Friday the Taylor Clan, along with the Taylor Von Trapp (did I spell that right?) decided to appease the snow gods by singing all 25 verses of "Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland". What? There aren't 25 versus you say? Well then some of us invented new ones. Apparently they were appeased because come Saturday we had our first snow storm, although most of the evidence has been devoured by the sun by now. Yesterday I was able to indulge my theatrical side (which has been starving for quite some time) by going to see our stake perform Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.





It was free of course, so that was nice. They actually did a pretty good job. I really wish I could have been in it. It's really ironic but I had been thinking almost a year ago how fun it would be if our stake did a musical, in fact, this exact one. Too bad they decided to do it right after James was born. Later that evening I made dinner for the Harmons and took it over to their place to see their new baby. Here he and the happy parents are.


Chris just got an accounting job in Price, UT so they will be moving soon. Now we are officially the only ones still in Provo. I loved going to school here, but I'm ready to move on now. I hope we get something soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

James' New Friend

Although he's too little to know it, James has a new friend as of today. Some of you know our good friends Chris and Valerie Harmon, and some of you knew Valerie was pregnant. Well...Valerie's water broke in the wee hours of the morningand at 10:14 Leighton Michael Harmon was born. Hurray!!! He was two days early. We all thought he was going to go over, but here he is 2 days ahead of schedule. He weighed 7 lbs 9 oz and was 19.5 inches long. Here the big boy is:


Congratulations you guys! Hurray for families!!

Shabby Apple Dare to Design Lawn Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Shabby Apple Dare to Design Lawn Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

(Sorry Summer, but if by some small miracle I win, I'll let you borrow it every once in a awhile. :)

I am posting this in order to enter a contest to win a dress. For those of you who have never heard of Shabby Apple let me enlighten you. Shabby Apple is a store/website that sells GORGEOUS AND MODEST dresses. They have a wide variety. Nice to know right? Here are just a few of their dresses. (The green one is the one on the giveaway)

Push Up Time

I've been working more lately (aka the last couple of weeks) on giving James some tummy time. The results are as follows:










James is a very happy baby, I can recall 5 times when he cried for absolutely no reason, and for a 3 month old that's not bad.
Stephen took these after making James laugh.




Upside Down Fun




And...getting ready for his interview.


(I did not do this, he fell asleep like this. :)

Next step is to get him to be a supported sitter. How does one do this? We bought him a Bumbo Play Station thing for $15 at a yard sale, but I'm afraid to put him in it. He hunches over and I'm afraid he's not ready for it yet. Any suggestions?