Moving Day

Finally the day has arrived for us to journey to the land of Zarahemla (or roundabout). We will be offline for a while till I get the internet up and running and all the phone lines up. Happy New Year.

NEW POST PLEASE

I know I'm sick of looking at this post too. I've been in a blog rut. With visions of sugar plums dancing in my head it's hard to concentrate on the other things that should get done. We're moving and trying to get Christmas done. Willow had her last day of school and the teacher threw her a surprise farewell party. I'll have to go through the pictures and post one later (she took the camera to school for the party!) Phoenix and Poppy had their last day of preschool too. They too had a party and I supplied cookies. We had the Ward Christmas Party and I (duh) volunteered my mom and I to make tamales for the whole ward. Then if that weren't enough I offered to make beans and rice too. Luckily enough someone else made the rice. You'll have to look at my moms blog to get the scoop on the tamales (Grandma G) she documented it. If I get a chance I'll put some pictures up.

My old BYU roomies have been coming out of the woodwork! It sure is fun to reconnect. We all turned out the same. MOms. Funny ha ha. I have a Masters in Education, Cookie has a Masters in Physical Therapy, Carrie and I went on missions, Amy and I both did Study Abroad. All of us graduated. And all of us have 4 kids that consume most of our lives! When I check out their blogs (except you, Cookie, who still lives in the stone age...) our lives are filled with raising our families. The bikini parties, flag stealing, spying, skinny dipping, hookie bobbin', didn't make us rotten moms it gave us something to look forward to. When I retire and my little ones leave the nest...
I'm gonna have a hobby.
I'm gonna have wild Rootbeer keggers.
I'm gonna rock out to AC^DC on an air guitar until I'm red in the face and pass out.
I'm gonna sleep all night long.
I'm gonna remember what it's like to listen at church.
I'm gonna go to the bathroom ALL BY MYSELF.
I'm gonna have hot dates with my man, and not go home to feed the baby or clean up barf.
I'm gonna go on cruises
I'm gonna take some classes, just for fun.

But for now we are all in this together, and I'm glad youre my villiage. (you know "it takes a villiage to raise a child...)

The Cougars Are Out They're on the way to Fame and GLory Part II

Picture it ...BYU. The Riviera Apartments late one Fall Evening. A celebration party is well underway. Capes are flying in the breeze and the phone rings. Amy answers the phone and her expression immediately reflects that ALL IS NOT WELL IN ZION. After a brief phone conversation, she hangs up, and her color goes from Nephite-white -and -delight- some to down right green. She says, that was Tad's dad and the Campus Police are at their house wanting to search the family station wagon for possible involvement in grand theft. Uh oh.

It seems a "concerned citizen" called with a tip and the license number of the car. Only in Provo are "citizens" this "concerned" with narcing each other off. Anyway, Tad was supposed to report to the MTC (yes for the 2 year mission) the NEXT day... so we could not have him in trouble with the law. Cougarageously, 4 of us decided that we would go down to the nearest campus station to give the flags back and to make things right. It seemed simple enough. Give the flag back apologize perhaps put the flag back in the spot where we found it and all was right with the world... OOOOOH NOOOOO.

We walked through the doorway and there was an officer (I don't think they are POST certified so they actually aren't officers, they are security)at a reception desk. He asked us what we needed and we said that we had taken these flags and that we would like to return them. NO joke, he literally jumped over the desk and told us to drop the flags and not to move. Then he called his superior security specialist ( I shall NOT refer to them as officers but as the SS from here on out. Do get the nuance of what I am saying?) The two SS HANDCUFFED us and put us each in our own cell! Apparently, I was armed with good looks and monkey climbing skills and totally dangerous. Then we were each interrogated individually by the SS. After that the SS allowed us our phone calls. I was too afraid to call home so I went last. The SS charged with GRAND THEFT because in Provo silk screened sheets cost upwards of 500 dollars. That's when the real punishment came. We each had to call our parents and explain the predicament. In addition we each had to pay for the flag. More than 500$ (which we did not get to keep). Since it wasn't the actual police that we turned ourselves in to we don't have records but that would be cool (kinda)Do you think I would be more of a bad-ass?

My dad was not thrilled with me. He only said a few words to me. No yelling, no swearing, no stomping, just this, "If you get kicked out of BYU don't come home." I knew he was serious. I could not be ex pulsed from his Alma mater without the family name being cursed. So when the SS said they could make it all go away if I took this deal, I jumped at it. The deal was: 100 hours of community service, and pay for the flag, and be counselled by STANDARDS, and, and, and, ... I agreed, willingly. It is only now years later I look back and think, what a bunch of overzealous anuses (anii, anos, bumholes, etc).

I served in the Adaptive Aquatics program (I actually did all my hours... trixie, cookie, candy cannot say the same). Every Tuesday and Thursday I held a child who was handicapped and swam with them in the pool. It was nice. I also met with Dr. Ward in the STANDARDS office. He counselled with me about how disappointed the UNIVERSITY was with me, every week for an hour and a half. I went and I pretended to listen, but his office was over run with these little bugs that were black and red (they kinda look like a cross between a spider and a grasshopper). There must have been hundreds and I watched them while he lectured me for a whole semester while I was on "probation". His hair was dark with no grey which was unusual because he had to have been in his 60's. He used some kind of grease in his hair to make it slick back. I think he must have used JUST FOR MEN to color it. The SS knew that there had been more students involved and desperately tried to get us to tattle on them but we really could not remember their names. Our Bishop was informed and the Elders Quorum President (my current boyfriend) was called in order to make sure the home teachers knew we were troubled souls. YOu know keep and eye on THOSE girlies. Ladies, I am here to say that a hot little climbers body and a little "naughty" goes a long way in the date department. It's not only girls who like a little danger in their partner men like it too. We were immediately the "Cool" apartment of chicks and none of us lacked for dates. Even the fuddy duddies who didn't join in on the fun.

Rise and Shout

Dedicated to Cookie who had to call her Uncle to bail her out.

Okay so I have been looking at these pictures for a month now. I haven't really felt like myself since I had the baby.... months ago. This (baby)time has been really hard physically and mentally so I haven't felt very funny. I wanted to wait till I could do this story justice. I can't wait any longer.....

Picture it BYU a "few" years ago (shut up I know that it was more than a "few" but nobody likes a smart-alec) I am a young, vibrant, devastatingly, intelligent, sophomore waiting for my missionary to come home and fulfill my destiny. It is Homecoming Week and all of us are excited about the football game the next day. We have season tickets luckily we got great seats for the game. While laying on my cinder-block stacked bed, listening to Faithfully by JOurney for the gazillionth time, my roomie comes in and says, "Wouldn't it be fun to wear a cape with a giant letter Y on it to the Football Game tomorrow?" HMMMM, I think, the possibilities are endless... face painting, pretend flying, oh what fun. I say "yep I'm in." Then she says that the flags that are flying around campus would be great. Just the right size to do the trick.I think yep she's right. Homecoming Week offered many possible targets. Do you have a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach? Yeah any normal person would. They would know that where our little pea brains were going that night was not good, NOT GOOD at ALL. But away we went anyway. First we walked around campus and around town looking for the "best" flag to kaiph (k-i-f). The plan was to take a flag have our way with it and then return it the next night. Honestly none of us were going to keep the flag we knew THAT would be stealing. I was dating the Elders Quorum President and in the Relief Society Presidency at the time stealing was out of the question. The one I wanted to borrow was was the GIGANTIC one on the front of the Mazor building, but the girls thought that our sleuthing skilz weren't adequate to acquire that one. So we set our sights on one a little lower. It was on a telephone pole that was next to a tree on University Parkway. The poor flag never knew what hit him.

First we dressed up. Anyone knows that you have to get dressed appropriately. Dark colors so no one could see us in the dark. For later expeditions we progressed to camouflage, but I digress. And we needed equipment. Gloves to climb with and rope. NO rope so we tied some very fashionable belts together. That's me on the far left Bunny, Trixie, Candy, then Cookie. Code names for boys who we didn't want to be able to find us in the BYU directory for various reasons.
Once the flag had been located we stood around it looking up at it. I think there were about 8 in our group. NOt conspicuous at all. Then one by one we all tried to climb up the pole. I don't want to sound prideful but I was the only one who could do it. I guess it was all the pole dancing they taught us in those AP classes in high school. I shimmied right up that telephone pole and here's the proof. Those are my varsity soccer sweats from high school. I loved those sweats.
I think I was actually a love child from a Tongan prince that my mom met in the grocery store. That explains the easy climbing of trees and poles.
Then the celebration. Back at the homestead with Tad (he got one by standing on the hood of his car at a different location. He didn't want to be outdone by a girl.
The victory dinner at Hardee's. It was open the latest and had killer fry sauce. That's me to the far left again.
but wait the night is far from over.... I'll finish the post later. But here's a little hint I met Steve Young, Dr. Ward, and got handcuffed.

Finally the election is over. I can only imagine how the candidates feel. I am so sick of Prop 8 stuff! Sorry, I realize that there are lots of people who have lived, ate, and slept Prop 8 for the last several months and I say KUDOS. Thanks to your tireless work the Prop looks like it will win. I will be thrilled to have my email back, I will be thrilled to have lessons in RS again, and most of all I will be thrilled that (at least for a little while) Willow will stop asking questions about same sex- sex. Yeah, try and describe that one. NO picture today the possibilities could get me into trouble.

Halloween

Here's the Trick-or-treating gang. They were the best dressed bunch if I do say so myself. However, WORD TO THE WISE- it is NOT cheaper or easier or faster to make the costumes yourself.

Notice the Snow Queens icy gaze.

Cleopatra (NOw looking back it seems as if all that gold was real)

Hamburger (I bought this costume and did nothing to it $15.00)

lily apparently likes to eat grass, it makes her happy

Lily in a Halloween outfit not her costume (a packet of ketchup)

Girls Have EGGs like Chickens

Note: This may contain some adult chicken language and some chicken parts not suitable for young viewers. A special thanks to Prop 8 for the Chicken talk with my kids. FHE was a blast.

Today in the car with all 4 kids this was the conversation:

• Willow: Why do people steal the Prop 8 signs?



• Mom: They are frustrated that some people want to vote YES. When we vote YES what we are really voting for is that only boys and girls can get married... So two girls can't get married, and two boys can't get married. It hurts their feelings that we don't want that.



• Willow: Why can't they get married?



• MOm: The Prophet said only a boy and a girl should get married. Heavenly Father wants families with a Daddy, Mommy, and little kids.



• Willow: Heavenly Father won't give a baby to two girls that get married?



• Mom: Nope, it takes a boy and a girl to have a baby (Note Mom is becoming more and more uncomfortable with the direction of the converstation)



• Willow: That's why babies look like both their mommy and their daddy, like Lily. How does Heavenly Father decide what parts on the mommy and what parts on the daddy to make on the baby? How does the baby actually get in there?



• Poppy: (Yelled from the back seat) GIRLS HAVE EGGS LIKE CHICKENS

Talk about a sucker punch. I thought I was going to get whiplash my head swung around so fast. Since when did the birds and the bees include chickens? Since when did my 4 year old learn more than the 7 year old? Maybe I ought to rethink how I am going to talk about "IT" with my girls. I wonder how many other parents are explaining the virtues of PROP 8 with their children? After further questioning Poppy did not know that roosters have sperm. Yikes. I explained in Family Home Evening that girls do have eggs but they are very little and don't come out like chickens do. Poppy and Willow seemed relieved. I didn't see the need to point out that a baby comes out instead. We sang Chicken Families Can Be Together Forever to close our eventful FHE. Once again I deliver a most spiritual lesson.

Aarows? What Aarows?

NOte the Prop 8 banner that Samuel is carrying. I think it just about sums up the climate in California right about now. It's time to rent our shirts and make our stands.
Yes, I know that this is Samuel the Lamanite and he did not rent his shirt, but Capitan MOroni did and he surely would vote YES for Prop 8. I tried to get Dave to "rent" his shirt for me this evening but he was too tired.

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

So I was looking through some blogs that I have bookmarked and this is one talented lady. She does dress give-aways and I look at them and admire her talent. This is NOT what my costumes look like. This is what I imagine my costumes to look like and then they come out looking.....well not like that.
When Dave and I get invited to a Halloween Party we dress up. We like it. Dressing up that is. We have some great cosutme ideas I think the funniest was when we were childless and I had long hair, we went as Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski. I wore a blue dress with a nasty "DNA stain" on it and a black beret. He wore a suit and a mask. It was the hit of the night. But for those of you who don't want to be that risque I have others. Anyway I want to be Marie Antionette and King HenryVIII and this is the dress I pictured in my head for me. Wish me luck winning it! Oh yeah, it's a child's dress but I can make Poppy wear it. She can be the Snow Queen any year!

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

I'm starting to get nasty emails again. That must mean it's time to update the blog. I've been getting a ton of Facebook stuff. I'm just not feeling the love. I'm also not feeling very funny lately. I found my BYU box. Dang I was funny. I was also footloose and fancy free. I'll post this weekend. I've got a draft going. Don't despair.

How are we all on costumes? I am making all but one of the kids costumes this year. Let me tell you, it is NOT cheaper to make them yourselves! Willow is going to be Cleaopatra, Poppy is going to be the Snow Queen, Phoeinx a hotdog or hamburger (he hasn't decided), and Lily is going to be a packet of ketchup. I love Halloween. It's my favorite holiday. If I were going to have a party... it would be a killer Annual Halloween Party. But since I don't have parties I guess you'll never know how cool it coulda been. You say Meliss why don't you have parties? Well I'll tell you why:

Picture it, Hemet about 4 years ago,(I miss the Golden Girls) my sister-in-law says lets have a party. I said, "sure" we can do it at my house. It was one of those parties where you go to buy stuff. You know the kind, we mormon women love to have them, where you go to buy something from someone else because they bought what you were selling. Pampered Chef, Southern Living, Cookie Lee, Layers, you name it we sell it. I made out the invitations, I sent out what seemed like a thousand, and I made the calls the day of. I cleaned my house. I STAYED home from teaching school that day to clean my house and set up. I made a spread of goodies to eat both savory and sweet. My sister in law invited her friends from work and we waited. The first hour passes and I thought oh everyone is late, the second hour passed and I thought did I put the wrong date on the invite? Then the third hour passed and I realized I was a looser. Soooo sad. I know you are laughing now and I know that most of you would say you are laughing with me and not at me, but it really wasn't funny. Therefore I avoid having parties. I haven't had anything here in Corona most of the ward hasn't even been in the house. I can count on my hand the number of people who have. Yep I'm a looser it's official.

Fat Lady Store

If you shop at a fat lady store does that mean you're fat? (That was retorical, please don't answer.)I am so tired of trying to find the one 14 that Gap stocks. Or the Large at Banana Republic, I hate that the cut of the clothing is for someone who is a size 2. Do we not know that what works on a 2 will not work on a 14 even if it will button or zip? I am also sick of having two choices: youth-I'm 35 and trying to wear stuff that my 7 year old has on, or women-I'm 80 and think sequin needs to be on everything including t-shirts. So I put myself on a mission... find some stuff that fits, and that is comfortable. Notice I have given up on looking good. You'd think that I could at least find the other two. Nope. For a country that has a lot of obese, over weight people we sure do have a ton of retail stores that don't carry ANYTHING for our GROWING public. (Pun intended)Here's a news flash; the reason the retail market is going into the toilet isn't because of the economy it's because size 2 girls are 14-16yrs old and they can't afford to buy 95$ jeans. I'm 35 and I can... but do you think I can find any? I practically begged for someone to take my money, but alas you can only get size 12 and 14 online. Do they know why? Because the 2 they stocked were bought in the first 10 minutes they were out! I finally decided I was going to a PLUS SIZE STORE. They carry size 12-really big mama. since when is 12 a plus size?
So I went down to Lane Bryant to do my buisiness. You see I much prefer buying clothing for my children. They never look fat in anything. Their crack never hangs out of "super low rise" jeans. (Who wears those anyway?!!!) They never have to unbutton the top button because of bloating. And finally they never need to wear 15 layers underneath to cover or uncover their large white panties. The last time I bought something for myself was at Sam's Club. If you are not familiar with Sam's or Costco please GET OFF MY BLOG. There were some stretchy skirts for a bargain so I bought one in each color. My sister-in-law said aren't you going to try them on? I said, "NOPE".

Anyway heres how it went. I tried on every pair of pants in the store (like 27) I think I finally know what size I am. Between not shopping, babies, and (GOd's gift to women like me) sweat pants, I had no clue what size I should even be looking at. I went to Lane Bryant and was I amazed at what great things they have. All the clothes in there were modest. I didn't have to think about what I could wear under anything to make it "work". The pants cover my large behind without showing 10 inches of crack. I can honestly say I have never been so pleasantly surprised at how many great choices I had...

SO to all you SKINNY girls. Hope that camisole, t-shirt, belly band, and belt work for you... Oh and by the way your G's are still hanging out.

I'm going to have a mint and chocolate chip milkshake so that I can still wear Lane Bryant clothes another day.

Theeeeey're Baaaaack

This is so pathetic. Only those who are VERY intimate with me know this fact. I love dolls. I always have. When I was a little girl I always had one with me. This love has carried on. I look at dolls online all the time, in fact I have a whole folder in "My Favorites" with just dolls in it. My aunt Ione makes porcelain dolls and I made a few. I have made vinyl dolls. Anyway long story longer I have been collecting the Madame Alexander dolls from McDonalds Happy Meals since they came out. I have them all and they are out again. Here they are.

Blah blah

I know that I have not put any interesting blogs up in a while. The family picture is cute but seeing it day after day gets annoying, I know. Here's the deal. I really haven't done anything interesting in the last little while. My kids are all home (off track) and bugging the crap outa me. My mom and dad are home... and Dave is working and resting. That leaves me doing the mom thing.
I have the funniest idea for a blog and I know that you all will peee in your large white panties when you read it, but I need some pictures in a college scrapbook. And well frankly I have no idea where that freakin' box is. It could be at the in-laws in our pile of junk in their garage or it could be hiding somewhere here in our junk. It could have even been canabalized by the other unfinished scrapbooks loaded in the bookshelf. Anyway I need to scan the pictures chronicalling (whatever&@$@!!&^%)the event. Here's a little tid bit. It involves costumes, BYU, the Provo/University police department, and my friend Dr. Ward. Intriguing isn't it? But until then you will have to stare at boring pictures of us.

Davey and Lily (Does this make you nervous or is it just me?)

Here we are. Aren't we cute?

This is the REAL Taylor Family

Okay so Dave posted the other picture and while it's fine for a hallway hanging, home teacher Christmas card, it's not the REAL picture. This is the real picture and actually if you want to be truthfull it's got all the elements. Tim is playing the super hero (he has a superman complex). Aleca looks like she has wings. Dave is trying really hard to forget where he is at the moment, Greg's smiling like he's the only normal one(in your dreams Gardner). Catherine and I look like we are a few sandwiches short of a picnic, and we'll just leave it at that. I love it. It's the only shot where we are all looking at the camera and where we are all enjoying ourselves.

What was Dave thinking when he posted the other one? He has been a little off lately... maybe he forgot who he married and what married into.

The Taylors

My favroite TAYLOR

Dennis and Margene came home this week and all their children were here to welcome them home (Melissa will blog about that). I don't see Tim and Aleca's kids, so I took lots of pictures. Zoey seemed to get in more than others.

She looks like her mom (ha ha ha ha )

Grandma turns 85

The family didn't come through for Grandma so she took matters into her own hands. What kind of grandkids don't throw a big bash for their Grandma's 85th birthday? What a bunch of slackers we are. Grandma decided that she couldn't wait for us so she called about 200 of her closest friends and relatives and had her own PAR-TAY. Tim, Sue, Laurie, and Terry came down for it and the kids and I showed up. She was the belle of the ball. We were all there to pay homage to the elder! Here's some shots of the lady of the hour.

New Dawn(no that's not it) New Eclipse (not that either) Dawn.. something, New Moon, (Crap, no. no . no) BREAKING DAWN (Thanks Rebecca)

This weekend the saga of Edward and Bella will continue. I will be at Barnes and Noble along with all the hords of teenie boppers to get my copy. I will do nothing this weekend except read until I am finished and then I will be disappointed that it is all over with and now I must begin the wait again. I do this with authors that I love. I did it with Patricia Cornwell, I did it with JK Rowling and various others. I thought I would throw out a theory to all who have the courage to read my pontifications. Wordy as they may be...

I am obviously on Team Edward. If you truly think that Bella could be happy with Jacob then stop here. We cannot be friends because you just don't get me...(just kidding, I'm always up for a spirited debate this just isn't it). Ever since they introduced Leah into the mix of the werewolves it has seemed strange to me that Stephanie Meyers (heretofore known as SM) would choose to use Jacob and Leah together as names and not have some deeper meaning. SM is LDS which most of us know, she also graduated from my alma mater BYU. She, therefore, is well versed in the Bible. We all had to take religion classes to gradamacate from the Y. She KNOWS the story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. Jacob is in love with Rachel, and he goes to her father to ask for her in marriage. At the time, the oldest sister Leah had not yet been married off. (I feel your pain Leah... when my younger sibling got married before me I felt like a leper.I digress) Jacob had to work for Rachel's father for 7 years to get Rachel and on the day of the wedding/wedding night Leah dressed up in Rachel's clothes and Jacob married Leah instead. Let's not go into the fact that good ole' Jake couldn't tell them apart... It is no coincidence that SM used Jacob and Leah. She's the wife/lover that he got not the one he wanted! He wanted Bella but in the end he will be with Leah who understands his pain as well as his instincts. SM was leading us into this when she gave us the tidbit with Jacob languishing over Bella and Leah there to help him through it. Bella will NOT end up with Jacob. It is unclear to me whether Jacob imprinted on Bella or if he can still imprint on Leah even though they have already "seen" each other. I know that sometimes you can "see" someone in a totally different way than you have before in certain circumstances. Maybe after his sojourn into his natural/carnal side he will become someone who is more thoughtful and imprint. Maybe he will meet the only other wolf who transfigured and never came back. I can't wait for the saga of Jacob to continue either. There certainly are arguments that he became what Bella needed, but she belongs to Edward.

Fun in the Sun

Every year the Lowes and the Cortes family's get a beach house in Oceanside. This year we decided to invite ourselves and I'm glad we did. It was so much fun the place is right on the beach

Demetri the Boogie Boarder

How cute Matt and Emily Lowe riding a wave together.

Matt with his girls

I took a bunch of shells that we had from Mexico to the beach to build a cool sand castle. everybody who walked by wanted to take the shells. It was fun just watching people walk by.

Poor Phoenix the ladies ran the show... Now that I think about it he should just get used to it.

The Week of Willow

The second week of july is always a big one for our little Willow. She starts school (we're on year 'round school), she has a birthday and sometimes parties for birthdays and the forth of July. This year was no different.

First day of 2nd Grade (the headband was her idea...)





Birthday #7 (again can't believe it)





Cool underwater shot. I love my camera.

Like mother like daughter

There's nothing like little bums to make you smile! This one has so many little rolls.


I love to rub her little body after a bath. sometimes she sqeals when I hit a tickle spot.


She wants to "taste" everything. Even my face.


It looks like her eyes will be green. They are dark and not blue, but not really brown either.


Look at those cheeks! They sag they're so big!


Lily is 5 months old today. (I think, is today the 24th?) She is a joy for me to have. She is happy and content and I have enjoyed her so much. Sometimes I go into her bedroom to wake her up so that I can play with her. Crazy I know.

The Dancin' Queens

The girls had their annual Dance Recital. They did great... well they were cute anyway...People tell me everyday that Poppy looks like my mom. Isn't she pretty. The sparkly makeup is an essential part of the dance mystique.

Pretty Poppy in her "sparkly outfit"


This dance had a doll to go with


Willow giving us some CHeez


Willow got her dancin' skillz from her mom.... POOR THING

I found the funniest video about eBay. I think while I'm at work Melissa is on ebay buying something and I'm at work alot. I can't get her to sell anything just buy buy buy.....

Dave


I don''t know how to post a video so just click on the link


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYokLWfqbaU