The Holiday Season

feel terrible for not posting before now, but I did try a couple weeks ago! I wrote an entire post about Halloween, with pictures and everything and then my internet connection went down and I lost the whole post. I was too annoyed and frustrated to take the time to rewrite the entire thing so....sorry. My consolation prize to you is that I will post the pics I had uploaded for that post, at least. The tale of the night will be kind of stale at this point since we're merely two weeks from Christmas, but you can at least enjoy the pics!

I hope you enjoyed the way late Halloween pics!

When I started blogging my children were doing all kinds of funny things; it seemed like the blog was filled with entertaining anecdotes and stories of their toddler-hood. Now they are like little adults and they require so much more 'parenting' and less opportunity for 'entertainment' arises these days. Not to mention that I seem to be a whole lot busier than I was then, I"m really not sure why. No matter the reason, I struggle to keep up with this blog. However, I'm not giving up on it and all of you who look forward to hearing about all things VonTaylor--all three of you. hahahaha

So let's start with Thanksgiving! It was not quite the holiday feast one would imagine the VonTaylors being a part of, but it was two days of good quality time with our families that included hours--and I do mean HOURS--of card playing.

We went to lunch at....wait for it.....Cracker Barrel on Thanksgiving Day. Mamaw and Poppy have had their hands full this year so we wanted to make it a lot easier for them so we proposed going 'out' to lunch. As you can imagine, the pickins' are pretty slim in Richmond on turkey day so the Barrel was the destination of choice. I did manage to cook a turkey breast so we could have sandwiches for dinner that night after all the gnip gnop and Swish games this family could handle. It was so nice, though, just to be together and not have any dishes waiting in the sink for us when the day was done!

The next day we went to my sister's house for some delicious eats of the homemade variety and more--you guessed it--card playing. We are some game-playing fools and I love it. We had a fantastic Thanksgiving and when the weekend was over, it was time to get in the mood for the even bigger holiday season.

This year has been pretty awesomely filled with Christmas spirit so far. Last year it seemed to just loom ahead of us and I couldn't quite get my head right about the celebratory season. But things are different this year and I am loving all the things in preparation for Christmas. Our trees are up, my shopping is nearly done already and we have all kinds of fun stuff ahead of us. Don't hold your breath that I will post about them in a timely manner but I will try-lol.

I can at least come through with what cool stuff we've done so far which consists of a hilarious Christmas play starring my phenomenally dramatic niece, Sophie and a holiday get together with my favorite residents of Louisville!

Sophie played 'Alice Wendleken' in the play, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and I nearly fell out of my seat laughing.  Seriously, the script is hysterical but even funnier were all the sweet little girls we know delivering all the comical lines. They were fantastic and I thought I would share just a little snippet of the comedy.

The other wonderful thing I have gotten to do this Christmas season is share some quality time with my girls in the Ville. It seems like life just gets more hectic as we get older and it is so nice to take a little break and catch up with people we don't get to see day to day.

The Shuckster is mere days away from delivering her first child, one that she and her husband have prayed for for a very long time. It was so nice to share some Christmas cheer in her home before her world is turned upside down! lol.  The funny thing is that the most traumatic part of her birthing experience will definitely be when the other four girls in the picture gang rush the hospital for the delivery. Just kidding, ladies, you know I love you!

I'm having a wonderful holiday season so far and I truly hope all of you are too! I'm not making any promises, but if you feel like checking back in next week I might be on the ball and have pics posted from this coming weekend's festivities!

Catch Up

Where have I been, I know...I have not adjusted well to summer's end and all the things that seem to fill our schedule come fall. Seriously, we have guitar on Mondays, dance on Tuesdays, church on Wednesdays, homework, cleaning, half-day Kindergarten, Barre class, volunteering at church, sign painting.....and now there's softball! Plus we have to eat in there somewhere!

Yes, people, Katherine has picked up yet another activity and that is softball. I know your jaws are wide open in disbelief that Princess Katherine would have anything to do with any kind of activity in which she might get dirt on her or one that doesn't allow her to express her fashion sense she is, and she's doing really well! So, blogging has had to be a very last priority but I have found a few minutes this morning to tell you about Katherine's new hobby and update you on all things VonTaylor.

So, Katherine says she wants to play softball. After several minutes of explaining there is hard work and dirt involved, she still insisted she play so we signed her up and Daddy started throwing the ball around in the yard. She throws like a true girl, but is slowly improving as the games go by. She had one last night and I was able to snatch some pics.

They rotate positions every couple innings, so she went from outfielder to catcher last night. She was so funny--she could stop the ball really well, but when she rears back that arm and lets it "fly" it is pure comedy.

What I'm most surprised and impressed with is her hitting skills. Until a month ago she had never even picked up a bat; last game she hit a double (which she proudly called a 'double run' which we quickly corrected with laughter) and last night she got a single but was tagged out on the next hit at third.

I suppose the most shocking of all is how much fun she is having. She has always made friends easy, so I knew the social part of the team sport would be a cinch for her, but I genuinely thought she would struggle more with the athleticism. However, she is getting better each time she takes the field and she is listening to her coaches, and even her Daddy when they give her advice.

No surprise, though, that the thing she does best out there? Screaming cheers from the dugout. I assure you it is worth sitting in the sun to here them shout their 'booty' cheer at the top of their lungs while hanging on the metal fencing.

All of us, with the exception of Natalie have enjoyed our time at the ball field lately. She is a little bored of it, but lucky for her the games cease at the end of October and we haven't decided yet if there will be Spring ball or not..lol.

Aside from softball, we have been super busy with all the simple things a family of four get into these days. Since I last posted, the entire VonTaylor clan did take Pigeon Forge by storm again. This time we stayed at the indoor waterpark--if I rode the Storm Chaser once, I rode it 50 times. But we had such a blast and it was worth climbing those stairs over and over again to see the smiles on the kids faces. Plus, we tricked Ashley into getting on the big slide and watching her reaction was priceless--we love our Aunt Ashley and know she will forgive us for it. I wish I had pictures to share, but all of them are on Mamaw's camera, with the exception of one I managed to snap while we were walking around Gatlinburg of an interesting little eatery called "The Beef Jerky Outlet." I couldn't resist at the ridiculousness.

I know I've promised before to be better at blogging and have failed to keep that promise, so I won't make one again. But I will surely try to get on here before my favorite holiday of the year has come and gone!

Ten Years and Counting

That picture was taken over a year ago, which makes it hard to believe time has passed that quickly. However, what is more difficult to believe is that today marks ten years since those two old fogies in that picture made it official and said "we do."

At half past six o'clock on this day ten years ago, I married my best friend and the most loyal and honorable man I had ever met. Today I can say without hesitation that he is still my very best friend and still the most loyal and honorable man I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and loving. Its no secret to me that the perception is that he is the prize and I am the lucky winner. What is so comforting and amazing to me, however, is that he makes sure every day that I feel like he's the lucky one and that I am the gift God brought to him over ten years ago; a gift that he still cherishes today.

When I watch our wedding video (which we do on occasion, just for giggles) I can hardly recognize the two babies standing at the altar professing their love for one another. It was a beautiful and remarkable day in my life, but it seems like a different person in the video. We seemed so young and so innocent. Which, I guess we were! When we take a step back and look at our life and our love now, there is so much more depth to it, so much more 'love' there in the meshing of our hearts. We've experienced so much life, love, birth and death together; we have been overly blessed with gift of raising two extraordinary little girls. It makes these ten years feel so full, as if the number alone didn't make it so.

I joked with my mother this morning telling her that when we arrived home from our honeymoon ten years ago, we swore that on our tenth anniversary we would return to the majestic Hawaii; how naive were we to think we'd be able to do that??? Apparently then we had no idea where life would take us in ten years and how when we reached this milestone we would be so far from traveling across the world and be so far from disappointed to not be doing it. We feel like the best anniversary gift of ten years has already been bestowed upon us; though Maui would be a sweet cherry on top (as long as they gave me horse tranquilizers to get on the plane) we are perfectly happy celebrating our ten years together by simply spending time with each other in our warm home with our beautiful family. Praise God for these ten years and all that has been given to us within it.

To my Hubby of ten years, happy anniversary!! I am confident you know how very special you are to me, but in the slight chance that you have any shred of doubt please let me tell you now. You are every bit of the man I dreamed of and prayed for as a husband and father. Your children and I adore you, and although there are many in the club, we are by far your biggest fans. I can only hope that the next ten years is as wonderful and blessed as you have made the last ten. I love you dearly and forever. XOXO, Kelly

Back to School ALREADY

As you can tell by the title of this post, I am NOT ready for school to be in session and my summer to be over. I am also not ready for my baby girl to be in Kindergarten. But school IS in session, our summer IS over and my baby girl IS A KINDERGARTENER!

Believe me, she was feeling it as much as I was on Monday morning when I had to wake her up at 6:45. Katherine is an early bird like her Daddy; she pops right out of bed and is rearing to go. Natalie, not so much. This child is used to sleeping until at least 9 so 6:45 comes a bit early for her. But I'll have to say, she did really good--and Mommy didn't do too bad either. I actually showered and everthing! lol I even managed to get them ready and get them at the table for breakfast instead of the usual PopTart in the car on the way to school.

They got their teeth brushed and were in the truck by 7:25. Daddy and I both did drop off duty on the first day so that we could walk our little one down to her first day of Kindergarten.

Of course our cousins wanted in on the first day excitement so they joined us on the ride in and posed for a picture in the parking lot(next to the lovely dumpster). Its crazy because we snapped a similar picture in the gas station parking lot two years ago when Katherine started school. Seems like just yesterday.

They all had a great first day. And a great second one as well. Natalie's teacher tells me she actually spoke yesterday, so that's progress! On the first day they could barely get her to say "here" when they called roll--hahahaha. They were expecting this one to be like the other Taylor child they had two years ago and were surprised at the difference!

I know that as each day goes by I will get used to the routine again and fall right back in rhythm. However, right now I am terribly sad and sentimental about another year already upon us and my baby starting school. Not to mention that my first born is now in the third grade and learning to write in cursive! I treasure so much the time that I have been blessed to spend with them as toddlers, and am so lucky to still have so much freedom to be a part of their school experience. That being said, it makes it so hard to be so engulfed in it because my emotions and my routines and my every day life is wrapped up in theirs and it is all going by way too quickly. They'll be headed off to prom before I know and I'll be an old lady! ACK!

I just have to keep reminding myself to just be in the moment and enjoy every one that I get to experience. From one cliche to another...though life is short, it is also a gift and I hope to cherish it to the fullest.

Birthday Girls

As usual, I am a little behind on my blogging. But I know you are all patient(all three of you that faithfully read, hehehe) and like I always say, 'better late than never.'

My last post was dedicated to my little princess on her 8th birthday. I meant to post the following day with pictures from the now infamous slumber party, but due to what made the party so infamous, I was unable to do so.

I've peaked your curiosity, I know. I will get to the drama, I promise. But let's start at the beginning.

So this year, the 8, going on 16-year-old wanted to switch things up and just have a small slumber party instead of the usual bash. I figured that would be easier anyways, so I agreed.

And it would have been. Getting there, I promise.

Several of her friends and her best cousin, Sophie came over for some girl time fun. We started out with pizza and cupcakes and the usual happy birthday serenade. Then we got down to business: friendship bracelets at the kitchen table.

We were mid-knotting when a little summer storm popped up outside. Daddy opened the porch door so we could hear the rumbling of the thunder and the pitter patter of the rain. Several minutes later, we heard a much louder rumble of thunder and then suddenly we heard an enormous-sounding "CRACK" and the entire house shook like a quake had hit. All the eyes at the table got very big and looked to us for what just happened. Amidst all the shock and noise you could hear a tiny little 'click' come from the thermostat in the hallway.

That frightening "CRACK" was lightning striking on or around our house. That little "click" was our air conditioning responding to the sudden power surge and going kaput.

It got hot, quick. It didn't seem to effect the party-goers, though. They just pranced around in their underwear all night and stayed in the basement where it was marginally cooler.

With the help of every fan in the house we managed to sleep through the night. However, the next day was not so pleasant. We were planning for 40 people to show up at 5:30 for a choir fellowship dinner and the house needed to be cleaned. You can imagine how excited I was to clean house in 90 degree temps. One word, 'sweaty.'

Thanks to Jones Heating and Air, however, we were repaired and on our way to a cool house by 2pm.

Both parties were a success, despite the heat and it will be a story to tell for the ages. It was one that had to wait until now, however, because in addition to our HVAC, our modem and phone line also blew from the strike of lightning so I was without internet for a week or so. Sorry!

I'm back online, though and can catch you up on another birthday as well today.

Last weekend we celebrated the birthday milestone of my dear friend, Hope Burchett. She turned the ripe old age of 30(which makes me so happy, cuz I hate being old alone) and her sweet Hubby came up with a very unique way to celebrate that I was honored to be a part of.

With the help of her sister, Jessie, and my ever so practiced writing skills, we came up with a 'Scavenger Hunt' that led Hope to her surprise birthday party.

The first clue told her she was to begin a hunt and told her someone would be waiting for her at a certain location. That location was Harry's and that person was ME!

She was instructed to take me with her to find her next 'guest' who would hold her next 'clue.' That next locale was BW-3's and the next party guest was Jessie.

Jessie was holding yet another clue that took us to--where else?--Casa Fiesta! Hope was excited to be at one of her favorite spots and she was even more excited to see her friend Sara Beth waiting there for us. However, she was not so thrilled at the thought of us sharing the news that it was her birthday and the establishment celebrating it with her by making her wear the narsty sombrero. lol

She's smiling on the outside but I promise you, she's cursing us on the inside.

The last clue directed her to her sister's house, which she assumed meant we were picking up her sibling to join the hunt. Instead, there were more friends and family waiting on us there to start the real celebration.

Tons of food and cupcakes and love surrounded her on that night and it was so great to be a part of it! She is such a lovable person and friend and we had such fun celebrating her special day!

Sugar and Spice

That's what little girls are made of right? Sugar and spice are two perfect words to describe my first born, Katherine, who happens to be turning the ripe old age of eight years old today. So, this post is dedicated to my sweet and sassy little girl.

It is almost impossible to believe that it has been 8 years since Katherine came into our world. She was a surprise, but the timing ended up perfect. I was fortunate to have friends who were pregnant at the same time as I was, and Katherine ended up lucky as well. She had instant friends! We thought it was so funny to pose her, Victoria and Kennedy together that winter after they were born.

Being first time parents is a totally overwhelming experience in both wonderful and frightening ways. You have absolutely no idea what you are doing, yet this little creature that is one part you and one part your spouse is making you smile with every turn.

We snapped picture upon picture of all the tiny little moments in the life of baby Katherine, from the time we caught her sleeping with her feet in the crib rails to the time we ended up in the hospital with her after a terrifying 3am bout of febrile seizures.

We thought just about everything she did was adorable. We captured her climbing in the pantry for a 'pop'(which she has never been allowed to drink except on occasion), pooping in her diaper underneath a nightstand, climbing in my suitcase before I left for a trip to NYC and just about every bath she ever took.

We turned around one day and she was half grown before our eyes. Maybe it was our preoccupation with getting pregnant with Natalie that kept us from noticing it, but literally she went from infant to toddler overnight.

She went from having no hair to having locks of it as long as my arm. We celebrated her first words and couldn't get her to stop talking after that.

She became a fearless little bug. By the time she was four she was jumping off the diving board and stepping out on stage to perform guitar solos in front of a crowd of strangers.

She reveled at any opportunity to party--her birthday celebrations were by far her favorite days(she gets that honestly). Check out baby Natalie in the corner of the next picture.

When she turned 5 and then a week later she entered Kindergarten, I was devastated. Funny to say that seeing as in a week or so she'll be in 3rd grader. I have a third grader--yikes!

She is my prima ballerina. My top notch drama queen.

All of the things that I wish I could change about myself are manifested in her personality so we butt heads A LOT. She's mouthy, stubborn, painfully independent and demanding as all get out. She is also super smart, artistic, musical, sensitive to others needs; she is a fabulous older sister and already everything I dreamed my little girl would be. Though it is surreal to look through pictures and reconcile that my little crazy-haired, wide-eyed baby girl is now 8 years old, it also fills me with great pride.

I love you, Katherine and your Daddy and I wish you a very happy birthday!!!

Gone Fishin'

well believe it or not, I went fishing tonight with my fam! I did a lot more swatting bugs and wiping sweat off my brow than actual fishing but I was there, people and that's all that counts.

We were there barely 20 minutes and Natalie started giving me down the road saying, "you made me wear these long jeans and now I'm hot and sweaty." I told her to get in line and get over it(secretly I agreed with her and was ready to go myself). But we both stuck it out and stayed for as long as we could stand it.

Katherine and Sophie, on the other hand were all about it.

They were all enthralled with the worms for bait. You would think that any child of mine would be a bit squeamish with those creepy crawly things, but Katherine was right down in that bowl of dirt and worms diggin' for her own bait.

Sophie was the first of the children to catch a fish. She was so excited (and a little freaked out too as you can tell by her face). Before she would even put her line in the water she asked if there were any 'piranhas' in the pond, to which Reagan responded in his best impression of the monkey on Tarzan, "Piranhas??!!??"

Of course, once Sophie caught one, Katherine's desire to catch one intensified exponentially. By that time, however, my little one had about had it, so I left with her to come home and left Reagan and Tim there to wait it out with the older girls.

Katherine insisted that she use this fake worm bait to catch her fish, so Reagan helped her get her line out in the water and waited for a bite.

They waited. And waited. and waited some more. Apparently the fish would nibble on the bottom of that pretty worm, leaving the hook untouched. Somehow, though, they got a bite and Reagan handed the pole to Katherine to reel it in.

Unfortunately, her enthusiasm got the best of her and instead of turning the reel, she high-tailed it up the bank in her cowboy boots at top speed, dragging the line with her.

Reagan quickly reminded her how to 'reel it in' and she successfully pulled in her first fish!

Can you see the excitement on her face? She called to tell me she caught it--let's be honest, its Katherine, so she screamed it through the phone at me--she was thrilled to share her big news. And I was very proud of her. For all of it; for playing with the worms, fighting off the heat and bugs, hanging in there for a bite and finally for 'reeling' in her first catch.

Supposedly Reagan and Tim have been inspired to take the kids for an extended stay next time and actually 'camp out.' I'll let you know if that ever happens.