Taylor turns 8- Angry Bird Style

Full Swing

We are in full school mode now that Lauren has started. Next year, she doesn’t want to wait a week after Taylor before she starts. Taylor is in 2nd grade and has everything down. No problem. He has lots of advice for Lauren. She had a great first day of Kindergarten. She wanted to go on the big playground with Taylor, but instead she gave him a big hug. So cute. She was thrilled when she saw her little friend as soon as she got to the kindergarten playground. Everyone got hugs that morning!

In our library basket right now

Tomorrow is the big day for Taylor! 2nd grade. Super excited for him! We’ve had a great summer. But we are also ready for a new routine. A change of pace is good.

Giddy

I get giddy when I see this book on my bed. It’s a book just for Taylor and I. It’s a book where we write about anything and everything to each other. It’s a book where I get to connect with Taylor in a fun, unique way. It’s a book where Taylor gets to practice his writing- but don’t tell him that. It’s a book we both love to sneak on each other’s bed and surprise the other. Sometimes we write every day, or once a week. This summer it’s been more like once a month. But we still do it. And I hope we always still do it.

It’s fun to see his writings and pictures. Whatever is going on with him at the time, reflects in his writing. When he was into reading the “Weird School Series” they would put an asterisk on a word and then tell about that word at the bottom of the page. Taylor did that too in our book. Makes me smile!

Piano Recital and 1st Grade Program

Lauren is in her 2nd year of Let’s Play Music and started the piano this year. She has loved learning how to play the piano and is doing great. We both love the program. It’s been a really fun thing for her. In the top picture, they are doing a puppet show to a classical song. The puppet shows are her favorite and as you can see- she gets her groove on. Taylor sees what we do at home and knows all the songs on the CD’s so he and I have been doing it at home as well.

Taylor had his 1st Grade program which was really cute. The boys were suppose to wear their Dad’s shirts and tie and the girls wore their foo fooiest dress. They sang a ton of songs and did a great job. It’s fun to have grandparents come to the kid’s activities too!

Another Soccer Season

And this is the smile you get after you just scored your 2nd goal in one game. Or in any games for that matter. Lauren decided she wanted to try soccer this year.  She had one other girl on her team and had a great time.

Taylor’s coach went above and beyond and made certificates for the kids and handed out candy bars. Taylor got the “Whatchamacallit Moves” award for having moves that they didn’t even know existed and got a Whatchamacallit candy bar. He thought that was so cool! And it’s true. We saw a lot of karate kicks during a soccer game.

Some things never change

This kid can always make me laugh!

Fun Books

Lauren has discovered the Rainbow Magic Series and is loving having Greg and I read her “Chapter” books. What’s great about these books is there are like 20 different series lines. Party, music, animals, holidays, etc. You name it- there is a fairy book out there.

And we also found a new (to us) series for Taylor. The Magic Tree House series kept him busy for awhile. Then we went to The Little's which he liked as well. He also read most of the Ready Freedy books. But now he is hooked on the Weird School series. Taylor still likes Greg and I to read to him at night so he will read a chapter and then we will read a chapter. However, he finishes these books so fast that I haven’t had a chance to read them very much. However, I do hear Taylor laughing out loud when he is reading them so they must be pretty funny.

Leprechaun Day

No matter how many times we reminded Taylor- he still called it Leprechaun Day. And at our house, Leprechaun Day is all about the food.

We also played LUCKY Bingo and the kids went on a treasure hunt to find these GREEN desserts in the fridge with gold coins on the bottom. They spent lots of time making a trap for the Leprechaun and tried really hard to catch one.  The Leprechaun left the toilet water green, put green ribbon around the toilet paper. Lindsey who is potty training right now thought that was SO funny. He also left green pieces of fabric on the lamp and up the blinds. Guess he was trying to escape quickly.

Holidays are “kinda” a big deal around here

We had a fun night at home with the kids. We had Shrimp Alfredo w/ sun dried tomatoes, heart shaped red lobster biscuits, red jell-o, pink milk and for dessert pink love potion floats and pink lemonade cookies. I thought the floats would be a huge hit. Umm, they wanted just ice cream in a bowl. Oh well. Since I did Joy School with Lauren last year, this was her first school party. I got to go to her preschool and help out. She loved making her gumball Valentines for her friends. Taylor made Star Wars Valentines for his class party. Last year we started writing Valentine’s for each person in our family.  We got our pails out again this year.  Greg won hands down for writing the most Valentine’s to all of us. We had so much fun reading them. (Click on the pics to make them bigger)

Will I miss this?

More times than not, I have toys in my bathtub or on my couch in my bedroom.  It’s just what they do. Every few days I get sick of it, and put everything in the hallway and they have to come get it all. Then a few days goes by and sure enough they are all back in my bathtub. Kinda like these pictures. I know one day I will miss the imaginative play and their cute voices and ideas. But I’m pretty sure, I will not miss the toys- even though Lindsey does have these very organized!!

Sooo Taylor

It’s pretty common for Taylor to put things on the counter for me. On this day, Taylor is saying, “Mom, it’s been a few days since we’ve had Jell-O and  it’s time”. And he knows if Gma Pence has been to our house recently, there is breakfast bread in the freezer made especially for him. So he will get that out as well.  He makes my day!

Taylor LOVES to read. I can’t keep up with him. The librarians knew us before, and now they really know us.  (I am really missing my Arizona library drive up window to pick up books- SO nice.) Taylor is so much like Greg when it comes to reading. They both like to read their books cover to cover in one sitting.

Karate Promotions

Way back when… Taylor had karate promotions and got his orange belt.  The whole karate promotions ceremony is one of his favorite things about karate.  This is him running his victory lap after his name was called.  Then he has to do 3 kicks before he is awarded his new belt.  Pretty exciting stuff!

A new milestone!

I came home from my morning walk to see Taylor reading on the couch.  He loves when Greg and I read chapter books to him before bed.  He's like his Dad in that he would much rather read a book from cover to cover than 1-2 chapters at a time.  So with this particular Scooby Doo book- he just couldn't wait.  He has entered that fun stage of reading chapter books on his own.  I love it!

Kindergarten

Taylor is almost done with Kindergarten.  He had his class program at school and it was so dang cute.  All the kids are so innocent and fun.  All the kids are friends.  All the kids get excited to see each other around the community. I got to volunteer in Taylor's class this year and it was a great thing for both of us.  I just love kindergarteners.  Especially Taylor Gardner!

Taylor and Mrs. MacIntosh

First grade... here comes Taylor!

Karate and Taylor go well together

 Taylor has been in Karate for about a year now.  For 30 min. a few days a week he is required to run, show respect, punch, remember, jump, focus, kick, take turns, yell, pay attention and many other things.  It is so perfect for him!

Ironman

The Ironman comes to St. George and as part of that they have a kids Fun Run the night before.  So Taylor and Lauren ran their first 1 mile race. They did great!  They got to run through the same finish line as the Ironman athletes.  Once Lauren saw the cheering crowd, she sprinted through the finish line.  Taylor was a little surprised by it all and actually slowed down to take it all in.  Taylor is still not sure why they call it a Fun Run!

Spring Soccer

 Taylor played Spring Soccer this year and had a lot of fun.

 It was a lot of great firsts for him.  First time not knowing other kids on his team.  First time having girls on his team. First time he didn't already know his coach.  First time playing in Ivins. It was a good experience for him.

 And the girls loved that there was a park right next to his games and practices.

 Go Crocodiles!