thankful...

These last couple of days have been soooo nice! Devin finished school around noon on Wednesday and doesn't have to go back until Monday. His professor told the class that their only assignment for the weekend was to, 'forget about school'. So that is what we have been doing!

Wednesday we trekked up to Salem to go to Olive Garden. The usual 40 minute drive took us over an hour due to a semi truck running itself off the road, but other then that it was a great little outing!

SJ really enjoyed the marinara sauce...

I can't get over SJ's face in this picture. Apparently he doesn't like kisses all that much!

On Thursday, Thanksgiving, we went over to our friends, Billy and Allison's, apartment for dinner. We made the jell-o salad, mashed potatoes and candied yams and they did the rest. We had a great time and I'm sad I forgot my camera so I couldn't take pictures.

Today we have: gone to Wal-Mart, continued our Harry Potter marathon that we started on Wednesday (we just finished the 6th one), re-arranged our family room, got out our Christmas tree and decorated for Christmas, and enjoyed lounging around as a family!

Our newly re-arranged family room! I'm glad we finally figured out a way to put the bookshelf up without

fear of SJ pulling it over.

SJ in front of our tree!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

our life in bullet points

Because I'm such a consistent blogger, I will be summing up our last couple of months through lots of pictures and bullet points. Bare with me!!

• A couple of weeks ago Devin had a Monday off from school. So, we decided to pack up our little family and spend the day in Portland! It was our first time really exploring the city, and we loved it!

SJ getting ready to take on the city.

Possibly my new favorite place, Powell's Books. A HUGE bookstore!

 The inside of Powell's Books looked like a warehouse. They sell new and used books.

 An entire shelf dedicated to my childhood favorite, Nancy Drew. (The Hardy Boys were just across the way)

 My favorites

 Eating ice cream at Ben and Jerry's

• About a month ago, Devin's parents and brother's family came and visited us! That weekend BYU played OSU and we were all able to go. It was a little weird going to a BYU 'away' game 15 minutes away from our home.

SJ was super excited for his first BYU game, ever!

 Due to so much excitement, SJ fell asleep at about half time

... and slept for almost the rest of the game.

• SJ was a puppy for halloween. We went to a Halloween party at Devins school and also one that our ward put on. I may be a little biased, but I think SJ was the cutest puppy there.
  
  

(No more bullet points because my formatter just started being funky...)

SJ has started crawling and 'cruising'. One of his favorite places to 'cruise' is Macy's kennel.

 The only movie that SJ will actually 'watch' is Tangled. This means I have seen it at least twice everyday for the last couple of weeks. I could probably quote any scene of the movie line by line.

 SJ isn't a huge fan of the 'baby food'. I am also not a huge fan of waiting patiently for him to eat it. Dev is better at that than I am.

 SJ has also started throwing - everything. Devin and SJ will play a game where SJ throw something, Devin picks it up and gives it back to him saying, "Good throw," and, for some reason, this makes SJ laugh really hard. So cute.

 Macy got a bath and hair trimming today. She doesn't look quite as homeless.

That's about it for us. I look forward to doing another massive picture/update blog in May. Ha. Kidding - sorta.

things learned, people met and everything in between

A few things I have learned about Oregon:
-You can't pump your own gas. Literally. They will get mad at you if you even try. They do it for you, and no one really has a good explanation as to why.

-The summers are HOT. We're talking 90+ degrees with humidity. Gross. Who knew I would actually be looking forward to the rain. On the plus side, I think I am losing weight from sweating so much.

- Oregon is gorgeous! And the people are so nice. Well, for the most part.

I love our ward. All of them.
I don't really love my neighbors, but I'm working on that. Today, as I was parking, I looked into my rearview mirror and a lady across the way was giving me serious stink eye. I had to resist the urge to hop out of my car, stalk over to her and demand to know who had peed in her fruit loops. It was hard but I refrained. Also, have I mentioned the crazy lady downstairs? (aka CLD) I listen to CLD yell at her kids.all.day.long. Poor kids! Somedays I wish I could open my door and yell back at her, but what good would that do? She also smokes in front of our building multiple times a day, which isn't a crime- I know, just annoying.

A few things I've learned about myself in Oregon:

- I really like Camp Rock 2. (Don't judge. I have way too much time on my hands.)

- I can actually cook. This is a tiny miracle.

- I really stink at Wii Tennis. I'm serious. I'm really really really bad.

Ok, so maybe the things that I have learned about me aren't all that introspective. But really, what more could you expect from someone who changes poopy diapers all day.

This is basically 'Our Adventures in Oregon, the abridged version.'

I promise, eventually I will actually post something important, with pictures. That will happen after I actually remember to take our camera with us. :)

There are about a million and one reasons that I need to blog.
1. We moved to Oregon
2. SJ is GROWING
3. Devin has started Medical School at Western University here in Lebanon
4. Did I mention that we moved to Oregon?

I will be getting to all those things in other posts (that will hopefully be posted soon... ish.) But right now I wanted to share a journal entry that I did the other night with you guys.

**

Sunday August 14, 2011

A couple months ago I started following a blog by a girl who lives in Calirfornia, with her husband and 2 daughters. The youngest daughter, Ruby Jane, was born a little over a month before SJ. Back in March (or so) Ruby was diagnosed with some type of liver disease. The blog explains the disease, but honestly, I can't remember the details. All I really remember, and what I can't get out of my mind, are the pictures of Ruby as she kept getting sicker and sicker, and all the beautifully worded posts by a mom who desperately wanted her little baby to get better. Unfortunateley, they weren't able to get a liver transplant in time, and Ruby Jane died on Thursday night.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about Ruby and her mother, Ani, all weekend. It has made me stop and consider how precious life really is. I have definitely been holding SJ a little tighter, and have been giving him extra kisses everyday. I have been making sure that SJ and Devin know how much I love them - because I do, with all my heart. This isn't something that I should do just this weekend though, it is something that I should be doing all the time. Hopefully I remember this lesson that beautiful baby Ruby, and her wonderful mother, Ani, have taught me, even though I have never met either of them.

I am so grateful for my little family. For Devin, who is a wonderful husband and always puts me first in his life, for that I am truly thankful.  For SJ, who is seriously the light of my life. He brightens my day, everyday.

**

If you want to get the full story on Ruby you can visit Ani's blog at aniandmatttaylor.blogspot.com
Also, on Facebook they are having an auction to help the Taylors pay the extensive medical bills they are being bombarded with. The group is called "Bows for Ruby".

I've been thinking a lot about the 'little things' lately. I think that is inevitable when you have a baby who seems to be changing every day. SJ is now rolling over (well, mostly), teething (we think), sitting in his bumbo chair and interacting with people (giggling, cooing, 'talking back' when spoken to, etc). I love watching him develop and become a 'baby'. He is definitely not a newborn anymore. But it also makes me a little sad. He is growing up too fast! Before I know it he is going to be asking for the keys to our car!

Obviously I am getting a little ahead of myself. Whenever this happens I have to remind myself to, "Slow down and enjoy the little things in life," because if I don't I may end up going crazy. *Though, the 'going crazy' may also be inevitable.

if you haven't seen this you must be living under a rock...

and if you aren't excited for this, well, I don't think we can be friends!

SJ's blessing day

On May 1st we finally blessed SJ. It was a great day! We had about 50 people there and had to use the basement of The Derm (Dev's work) for our luncheon. We are so blessed to have so many people who support us! We are so grateful that SJ was able to be born in to the Gospel.

Here are a few pictures from his wonderful day!

We unfortunatley did not get a picture of Dev's parents with SJ on his blessing day but we made sure to get one the next Saturday! 

my boy

Let me tell you a story. It begins in February of 2008 when I met a boy. One day he came over to my apartment with his roommate to introduce themselves as my home teachers. I didn't know it at the time but that boy was going to change my life forever.

Fast forward 3 years and I am now married to said boy and we have an adorable little family together. This boy means the world to me!

Today is my boys birthday! 26!

 

Happy Birthday sweetheart! I figured I would give you a list of the top ten things I love about you!

1. You are such an amazing dad and husband! I don't know what SJ and  I would do without you!

2. You always make me smile. I think you are hilarious! It is amazing how many times you can make me laugh out loud! 

3. How strong your testimony is. I know that with you our family will always be strong in the gospel.

4. How compassionate of a person you are. You go out of your way for everyone else. It makes me want to be a better person - more like you.

5. How much you go out of your way to help me and make me feel comfortable, no matter the situation.

6. Your freckles on your lips :)

7. How handsome you are!

8. How you are always willing to help out. (You do the laundry a lot more than I do!!)

9. You are so responsible and hard working.  I am so proud of you for getting into medical school! I am looking forward to our wonderful adventure!

10. How much you love me!

I love you babe! Happy happy happy birthday!!

Problem Averted

Good news! I found my camera. 

Well, actually, my mom found my camera... but I will still take the credit! 

Highlights of our last couple of weeks:

Last weekend we went down to Salina on Saturday for the annual 'eat in the garage' Easter tradition. It was a lot of fun and it was great that SJ was finally able to meet his great grandparents on Devin's side.

We spent the weekend before at my parents house 'house-sitting' and 'puppy sitting'. It was nice to have a little more space! 

Harry Potter 7 part 1 came out. Nuff' said.

It seems our family is really good at passing around a cold bug. We all have taken our turns being sick for the last couple weeks. SJ has had it the worst. We have definitely taken more trips to the pediatrician than I ever thought we would! I think he knows us by name :)

SJ has been growing like crazy! At his two month appointment last week he was almost 13 pounds and 23" long. Pretty soon he is going to double his birth weight! We have moved up to the size 3 month clothes. SJ has the cutest double chin and chubby cheeks! He is also a 'daddys boy' and I love it!!

We have been taking lots of pictures!

My boys getting ready to give SJ a bath

My sleeping angel :)

SJ and his cousin, Audrey!

Naked bum!!