Hot Off the Presses: Taylor Family Bulletin

Basically this post started off with me uploading a truck load of pictures, thinking to get you caught up, but not really sure with what. Scary that it's barely 8 oclock at night and my brain already has that fried around the edges feeling.

So, before my Writer's Group gets here and realizes that I made them homemade Strawberry Shortcake as a diversion to the fact that I didn't write this past month...here's the scoop.

Christmas:

Another year, another batch of Christmas cards smiling up at me with that same cynical grin. Almost saying out loud: Dropped the ball again this year huh? We knew you would.

I actually picked the stack of them up off my desk so I could dust underneath them. True.
As Christmas neared, I kept reassuring myself that I could still send them out the day after Christmas...then I started to see them as Happy New Year Cards. Now??...

Well, let's just say your Happy Festivus card should be arriving any month now.

But just in case...here it is. From us to you:) (pictures by Mandy)

As a surprise to everyone, including the weatherman, who said, and I quote, "We definitley won't see any snow this year"; we got our first White Christmas in Texas since 1927. Growing up in the Midwest had made me resentful for the past 10 years of the constant green and mild Texas Christmas season. So ironically enough, I had just been saying that this was the first year that it felt like Christmas to me even without the snow. Now that I know Texas can do it, we're back to square one.

Jackson asked for two things this Christmas. Lego Indiana Jones 2 video game and a Nerf Gun.

That's it.

So, left to my own devices to fill out his loot, er, I mean, in my efforts to help out Santa, I remembered in a fuzzy part of my brain Jackson asking me months ago for a Webkin. No one was prepared for the display of sheer delight upon opening his new online pet. I tried to catch the pictures as fast as I could. He kept jumping from the floor to the couch yelling something about Santa being so awesome.

Our tree, that is, as I type, still up. If you can imagine what a pain it is to put up even with all the Christmas excitement fueling you along, imagine how it is, coming off the sugar highs and trying to gather the enthusiasm to take it all down. With the support of some of my more indulgent friends, I've considered just leaving it up and decorating it seasonally.

Drew didn't exactly get Christmas morning like we'd hoped. Here we see that despite our best efforts to lure him into a sugar induced, gift unwrapping frenzy--he opted to eat a candy cane while watching Dora. Oh well. Being happy on Christmas morning is the point, right?

While we didn't get all the siblings home for Christmas this year, we did get Daniel, Natalie, Caroline and Eric and they introduced us to the game Ticket to Ride. Or sometimes affectionately called the "Don't even think about taking my routes or I will mercilessly sabotage you" game: Europe Edition. While this was so much fun, and we played it constantly, a dormant competitive gene, previously undisturbed for years, was unearthed in me. It's probably best for both my blood pressure and marriage that we don't own this and only play it on special occasions.

"JDog":

Justin is loving life as a Bronco and star Center. And this even despite my cautionary one on one with him back when he first wanted to play.

"I mean, if you really want to try it, I guess that is fine. But you need to realize that it is going to be hot and humid, and those boys are going to be hitting you. Hard. Really really hard. You could easily get a broken bone, not to mention cuts and bruises. The practices are going to be three times a week and you won't have any time to do fun things anymore. Football will own you. Did I already mention it's going to be really hot?

"Yes."

"Okay, because it is gonna be like ridiculously hot. And painful, did I mention all the pain?"

"You did."

"Okay, well, I'm not trying to scare you out of it or anything, I just want you to have all the information. If you don't want to do it now, we'd completely understand....

But Justin has been flourishing in football, and I honestly don't know who gets more excited and anxious before the games: Justin or "Coach Rhett."

"Hannah Banana":

Anyone who has seen Hannah recently makes the comment: "Wow, she is so tall." While I know they mean it as a compliment, or simply a matter of fact, whenever I hear it, it takes me back to my own awkward childhood. Years of being freakishly taller than both my friends and most boys and how I am just now recovering good posture from years of slouching.

Fortunately I know she will do fine with her stature mainly because she possess much more athleticism and coordination and is able to use her height as an advantage in sports, also with time and age she will come to really appreciate her height, and lastly because she is basically much, much cooler than me.


"Jack Attack":

Jackson reminds me a bit of myself. Both him and I share a strong desire to do things, and an equally strong desire to not actually do what's required in order to accomplish said things. For me some of the casualties were ballet, the violin, the clarinet, theater. I knew in my soul that I was already a classically trained violinist or a star ballerina. So why then was I forced to practice them over and over and listen to instruction??

I never appreciated that this train of thought might have been annoying to the people in my life, until my DNA showed up in the form of Jackson who thinks the same way I do.

And while it's slightly quirky and lovable in it's own right; let's be honest. It's mainly annoying. Jackson thought he had a passion for soccer until he realized that other people kicked the ball too and he had to practice working as a team. We spent a season watching him practice his Power Ranger moves at midfield and whining to go to the vending machines.

His latest passion was Tball and we were hopeful. He wanted to play it in the backyard every night and was naturally very good at it.

However, it only took a couple of practices for him to realize that his favorite parts were wearing his uniform, drinking blue Gatorade and the promise of a really cool trophy at the end.

"Drewbie":

Drew continues to astound us with his self sufficiency. As mentioned in an earlier post, he has taken up the job of potty training himself. He'd be just about trained if I'd fully get on board. Most recently he decided not to wait around for someone to fix him something to eat. While he didn't get much further than this, you have to commend his resolve.

He essentially worships Jackson and follows him around everywhere to which Jackson said the other night, "Drew keeps following me and I just need some alone time!" Don't we all buddy. Don't we all.

Life has been busy lately. So much so that I find myself already fantasizing about summer vacation. But many a mom with older kids will always tell me to not wish this time away, so, I'm trying constantly to just enjoy the noise, chaos, messes and running around. And really I don't complain.

It's a good life. :)