Micah playing with Anika Lynn Taylor

Spending time with Old Friends

The Taylor Klan were on their way home from Montana and spent sometime at our house! So Sunday morning we all bundled up and headed over to Syracuse High School to go sledding. Just want to point it out that it was Micah and Jason who took special note of the sign stating No Sledding, however, they decided to be law breaker!

We had a great time as always and the time of course is never enough. . . See you guys again Christmas 2010, right?

Neighborhood Christmas Party 2008

It was that time of year were all of the neighborhood couples come together for our Annual Christmas Party . . .

The above photo is the results of a family game Terryn's mom shared this holiday season. The object of the game was to decorate your husband in an outfit out of Christmas paper gift wrap. Left to Right: Mike the Framer, Blake the Santa, Darin the Conga Dancer, Micah the Beauty Queen and Nick the High Fashion Model. Great job ladies!

Christmas 2008

Micah and I had a great Christmas, we were back home in California. Micah drove out a few days beforehand, and I had been there for a week helping my parents get ready to move into their new house.

As always Micah and I were extremely spoiled this year. Micah's parents visited the week of Thanksgiving and had an early Christmas with them. Micah received a dream come true; he got the reloading equipment he wanted to go shooting. Needless to say any spare time he has he spends in the garage with his reloading stuff.

I too was spoiled . . My in Laws got me the game Partini that I had been wanting, as well as, a griddle so I can make pancakes and french toast. (I got to use it last weekend when we had guests - It was awesome!) My father in law has to be one of thee best guys ever, he kept asking me for odds and ends in my kitchen that I did not have and the next day I would notice a new gadget.

It was also during that two weeks that Micah and I were adopted by a stray cat. For the last four weeks, your truly has not had the heart to leave the poor guy outside in the snow. So the cat has been making it's self at home eating and sleeping.

As I mentioned I was in California a week before Micah spending time my my parents. They just purchased their first home and so they had lots to do!

Micah and I were once again spoiled by my folks for the Christmas holiday with a new Kitchen Aid Food Processor ( I love Kitchen Aid and the color Red), new clothes, and being an only child at home for the holiday I got this very cool new scrapbook shelf to hang on the wall for some of my scrap booking goodies. :)

Christmas 2008 Surprise

Micah and I were able to spend the Christmas holiday back home in California - So we were able to surprise Micah's nieces Rebecka, McKayla and Hailey Christmas morning.

Before Micah and I moved to Utah we lived just next door to the girls - So going from seeing them everyday to seeing them every six months took quite an adjustment. They have grown up so much since we have been gone, but they are becoming the most beautiful young ladies and we are both so very proud all three of them.

Lots of love and hugs Becky, Kayla and Hailey - We miss you always!

Blog Update!

Now that Micah and I have the house back to ourselves and there hasn't been much to blog about, but I will slowly catch everyone up to date as events happen.

Mia's Walking!!

I am a proud Auntie, Mia started walking last week. Last night I was finally able to figure out how to use my digital camera to record a video. I guess when you don't have kids those features never seem that important to you.

As you will see she makes her rounds.

The next video I have of her is just the cutest thing ever. She reminds me of the baby monkeys when they have their arms waving above there head. And then she she falls rather then being frustrated or upset she just giggles. Rolls over on her back and reminds me of those beetle bugs that kick their legs around trying to roll over. (I will post that once I get back home!)

Pumpkin Craving Results

Kenneth and RJ's pumpkin to the left, was a devilish character and Micah, Carlos and I had the clown. Once you saw the 'carvers' with their pumpkins it seems like they were almost self portraits.

Good job boys!

Halloween 2008 Syracuse, Utah

Here is the size 2T, Incredible Hulk! Poor little guy the mask was bigger than his head, but I was able to get on photo of him wearing his costume. I just think he is so stinking cute with those hazel eyes!

He was so cute walking around going "Arrrrgggghhhhhh!"


Pretty Scary huh? As you can see Carlos was the creature from the Scream movies. It was a pretty cool costume, he had a tube filled with what appeared to be blood and a pump that make it come flowing down his masks.



And here is the pretty pretty princess, Snow White Mia.

Carving Pumpkins for Halloween

Here is another great idea by yours truly! I thought it would be a great idea the night before Halloween to let the boys crave two of the four pumpkins we got. I also thought it was a great idea to use one of those handy tandy booklets that have pictures to trace, you know the ones that come with a knife that can barely cut the pumkpin without bending in half!

Needless to say after five minutes I was done so I turned over the pumpkin Carols and I were working on to Micah to finish. Kenneth was working on one for him and RJ. As you can see how much fun the boys were having. RJ was craving the lid to my pumpkin and I had given Carlos the task to pull out the seeds to make pumpkin seeds.

Oh joy to another one of my bright ideas!

Mia's 1st Birthday

Mia celebrated her first birthday, it was a simple celebration with Mom, Dad, brothers, Uncle Micah and Aunt Natonja.

Since it was not only her first birthday, but the first birthday celebration I was able to attend I went a little over board. Everything was pink that day, pink napkins, pink plates, pink cups, pink balloons, pink streamers . . . it was a pink day! Uncle Micah and the boys put up all the streamers while I blew up the balloons.

Afterwards, we took the boys to do some birthday shopping for Mia. All I have to say is, What do you buy for a little girl who is one years old? While the boys picked out the toys I headed over to the clothes. :)

Once again the day was simple yet special. We barbecued some hamburgers and had cupcakes for dessert.

Kids will be Kids, Right?

Just before we left on the Annual Syracuse City Pumpkin Walk, where I believe the Stagge Family was holding up the line admiring each pumpkin, Thanks Parker :)

The boys decided, Carlos and RJ that was that it was be a good idea to get out some of the excitement and before we knew it they turned on Uncle Micah. As you can see Micah was beat up by both the boys, and received a wet willie from RJ!

GO RJ!!

October Outings . . .

Micah and I took the boys, Carlos and RJ over to the Pumpkin Farm just down the road from us.

We were able to go play over in the pumpkin field where they had super large slides, paintballing, and a kids maze.

They had several slides that were made out of hay bales. Then we went on a hay wagon ride in search of the BIGGEST and the ROUNDEST pumpkin we each could find.

Here's the scope . . . .

For those of you that don't already know my brother, Kenneth, his wife, Megan and their three kids Carlos (6), RJ (2) and Mia (1) moved in with Micah and I.

They decided to move to Utah in search of a better place to raise their kids! And luckily for me, I live in Utah and I get the joys of seeing my nephews and niece daily . . . so for the time being this blog will be all about them!

Surprise surprise . . look at me!

Okay, so for those of you that know me I have a strong dislike for guns. . . over the years I have told Micah I have a strict no gun policy in my house.

I bent a few years ago and it was a fun trick to play on a friend of ours. See I sent Micah shopping for his shot gun with a friend from CA who knew I disliked guns. Needless to say when he told Jason that he bought the gun no matter what I thought - the joke was on Jason since I told Micah to go buy it with Jason. Shortly thereafter, he bought a gun to go hunting with, then for his birthday my mom bought him a hand gun. Just a few weeks ago Micah bought a 22 rfile.

Well this weekend, my borther and sister in law went to Idaho for a job interview and made their first trip to Utah. So while I was off working Friday afternoon, Micah took Kenneth shooting for the first time. So the plan the next morning was that the four of us would go back up to the shoting range. Oh what fun!?!? Yea, I was thinking I would rather spend countless hours having my hands dipped in hot wax.

I went along with the plan - at least I was spending time with my brother and sister in law! To make a long story short and after having been there for a few hours I let them talk me into shooting Micah's 22 rifle. Afterall, I had just watched Megan pop off with Micah's 40 cal. handgun and made it look like another day at the range with the boys.

Peer preasure is an awful thing. I was done after the bullets ran out!

I can't say I will be back again . . . or that I want to venture out to the hot sun, in 100 degree weather, aiming a gun at a target two miles away and hope that I hit something. You know to make it feel like it wasn't a wasted trip - - - - -> and I will never get back that three hours of my life that I just lost!?!?!?!?

It's Finally Done . . .

Doesn't it look great!?!?

Micah was able to complete the bed this weekend, and good thing . . . our metal bedframe broke and the center of the bed was becoming a a meeting place for anyone or anything that entered.

So with my help and Micah's patiecenes we were able to move the bed into the house this afternoon. Of course as you can see the rest of the funiture is not complete, but it is a project in the making!

I can hear it already, "NICE PICTURE MICAH", but here is my thinking on that . . if he is silly enough to pose and silly enough to ask for his picture to be taken like this then I am smart enough to know to post it for the world to see! His response: "I dig it!"

Micah's Project!

I nearly forgot why I was online today . . . Micah's latest project? Several months ago Micah came to me with this idea in his head to build me a bedframe for our new matresses we got a few months ago.

Of course, I added that to the list of projects he would start and not be able to finish for one reason or another . . . we are 50% completed in our Family Room in the basement, he is working on building me a larger desk/table for the computer and scrapbooking, the deck still needs to be sealed, and the last of the dirt in our backyard is screaming out for pavers or flagstone. (The list goes on, but I only named the few items I am concerned with at this moment.)

So when he came to me with this drawing and idea I just nodded my head and said ok sure thing. I was shocked when I came home to the pile of wood in the garage a few days later. Then a few weeks later I had my accident and then we were on the go for so many weeks.

I am proud to say this weekend Micah has made some real progress. We have a very talented neighbor, Jared who has been assiting Micah along the way and has encouraged Micah with this project. This weekend the bed came to life and hopefully by weeks end we will be able to paint, finish and assemble the bedframe in our room.

Just a few details of the project, Micah mande the bed out of pine, the head board and foot board have a decorative bead board, the cap of the posts were made by Micah and Jared out of 1 x 8's and Micah's newest power tool; the DeWalt 3-piece combo Router kit ($279.00 at your local Home Depot, if you don't know the local DeWalt Sales Rep.).

I was not able to get a good picture of the posts, there is a very nice groove along the posts to give it a more finished or polished look. It is amazing to see in person and I am so very proud of Micah. I am also looking forward to being able to check out the Masterbedroom as a completed project. :)

Once I am able to get it painted, sanded and finished I will post the finished project. Just a note to those of you who would like one; he said buy the lumber and send your husband over - he would be thrilled to show them how he did it.

It's Already July . . . .

Here is it the first week of July . . . Micah and I had a great 4th of July.

Well, if you ask Micah spending the 4th of July painting our bedroom was not that great. However, the next morning when he woke up he dd comment that it was a nice thing to wake up to.

Earlier that morning the neighborhood started the first 4th of July - Annual Breakfast. Several of the neighbors got together to start the morning with a nice potluck breakfast. While the kids were enjoying the morning the adults sat around around chatting.

The afternoon was suppose to be around 102, but it ended up being in the mid-90's with hot breeze. I figured if it was going to be so hot Micah and my time would be better spent inside painting our bedroom. After all, I have had the paint for nearly a year and a half. It took us about 5 hours to finish the project; more like that was the only time Micah was going to give me before he was done! I still need to paint the doors and the trim along the baseboards, ceiling and door ways.

Later that evening around 9:30 we ventured outside with Micah's friend Nick and his wife, Candi for the neighborhood firework display. For those of that you recall . . Micah is slowly working his way through the fireworks he brought home from his Mission in 2001!

The following afternoon Micah and I enjoyed the quite time in the neighborhood. Micah went outside to work on his latest project in the garage - while I was inside with the air conditioning. Later that evening we joined several of the neighbors for a summer get together. After eating dinner we played a game Boys vs. Girls - the object? To throw six sticks and knock over the five large pegs something like 20 feet away standing in the grass.

We ended the night with the first neighborhood fire of the season. This went on until 12:30 the next morning. There is something about sitting among friends in a simple setting, talking about ideas, events, movies or just listening to the silences of the night. It is times like that that Micah and I miss our friends and family back home in California, but are soooo grateful for the neighborhood and friends we have gained here in Utah.

Just in case your wondering, the photos are from our yard. Micah and I thought it would be a great expermient to plant seeds this year rather then spending $100's of dollars on flowers at the Home Depot.

So along the back yard and the back of the house I planted several types of sunflowers, zinnia, cosmos, and wildflowers.

It is a nice surprise each day to see what has come to life.

Meet the Newest Additions to the Family . . .

This young lady is one of the older nieces I have. Alexis is my brothers second oldest. The last time I saw her, well she was just a sweet little girl. Now she is a beautiful young lady. When she stands next to me she nearly towers over me. I was waiting for her to come to my brothers house that morning and when she finally woke up she walked by the bedroom door I was sitting at three times before she figured out I was there! Alexis was just a few weeks shy of turning 11 years old. It is hard to belive that she is the same little girl who use to run around with her crazy wild blonde curls, a tweety bink and following her dad everywhere he went. Next thing I know she will be telling me about some cute boy at school . . .

Yes, I know she does not look like a newborn, but this was the first time I had the chance to meet her. This is my youngest niece Mia, she was born in October 2007. What a happy little girl she was to let me tell you! While I was visiting with her mom in the kitchen she sat so nicely with us in her chair. She has the biggest blue eyes with dark curly hair.

This cute little guy is my youngest nephew, RJ! He turned two in June 2008. He could just make me smiley all day! We had to show Micah and I each of his new toys he got for his birthday that weekend, I think there was some bubble machine, some trucks, and a Mr Potato head. Then he would move over to the toy room. . . . showing us each toy her shared with his siblings!

This handsome young man is my oldest nephew, Kenneth Dwayne Hill III. He turned six in April 2008. Of course the last time I saw him he was learning to walk and talk. . . . He is so diffrent from the rest of the bunch very shy, polite and keeps to himself.

Here is Carlos and RJ. Carlos also celebrated his brithday the day before we arrived. He is also six years old. If I remeber correctly my sister in law has both JR and Carlos in the same class since they are the same age. ( Jr is just a few weeks older then Carlos) Funny thing the morning we are getting ready toleave to come back home - Carlos tell his mom that he wants to come home with Micah and I. We all met for the first time the afternoon before.

We had a good visit with the kids, and I always enjoy spend time with my brother. This was also the first time I had a chance to sit down and get to know my new sister in law, Megan. Ok so she's not a new new sister is law they have been married for nearly two years! Sorry the picture is so small, no matter how many times I tell them I need a family photo . . . .

Finally Mr and Mrs McDermott!

So Micah and I went to California the first week of June for my friend Danielle's wedding . . . Oh what a pretty day 06/07/08 turned out to to in sunny California too!

Danielle and Neil were married at the Monday Club in San Luis Obispo and were married out in the garden patio under a gazebo that Neil's grand mother decorated with bells of Ireland, star gazer lilies, German status and roses . . the smell was memorizing.

The groom was handsome as ever,and the Bride was breathtaking . . . Danielle was so funny while she as getting ready she looked around at everyone and asked "Why am I not nervous yet? I am about to get married!" Anyone that knows - knows that this match was meant to be!

Back when Danielle and I were roommates in Grover Beach she mention several times this guy named Neil that she thought was just so cute! And for whatever reasons back then and for the next few years the two of them always ran into one another.

So after I moved to Utah; I get a call from Danielle asking me if I ever remembered her mentioning a guy named Neil. Oh but of course I did! So a few months later Danielle came out to Utah for a visit and the moment I saw her eyes when she talked about him I knew that this one was a keeper!

Since that time I had the pleasure of meeting Neil when I came to town for a visit and Danielle, Neil, Micah and I would get together whenver possible!

The most exciting news came last February when Danielle called to tell me THEY WERE ENGAGED and planning to be married the following summer. :)

To make a long story even shorter there are some of the pictures from the wedding of the newly married Mr and Mrs Neil McDermott!

The Happy couple honeymooned in Hawaii

Rolled my Tahoe 05/01/08

For those of you that have not already heard I rolled my Tahoe on May 1st in downtown Salt Lake City.

I had left work and was driving downtown at North and West Temple when I realized I was going to go through a red light. (Yes, the accident is my own fault! I was on my cell phone talking with my Mom when I realized what was about to happen.)

Once the car coming South bound made contact with the passanger side doors the next thing I recall is the truck tipping on the driver side and slide . . . all I could hear was what reminded me of a soda can being crushed bare handed. Just about the time I thought I was dreaming I started to open my eyes and that is about the time the truck tipped on it's top and slide somemore.

When the truck came to a stop I openned my eyes and within a few mintues I had an off duty Firefighter talking to me through the passenger side door. I know this is an an awful thing to thing of first hand after having this accident, but my first reactions was to tell the Firefighter to please call my mom. All I could image is the thoughts going through her head during, after or perhaps at the time of the accident.

Considering what I had done to myself, to the other people in the near by automoblies . . . I did not worry about myself or the injuries I could of caused myself. Maybe that is why it took me a few moments before I realized that I was bleeding so heavily from the left arm. (This photo was taken the following day, I had ten stiched in the the elbow and another 5 in a small cut just above the elbow.)

I guess I was still in a stage of shock that when I heard the firefighters who arrived within mintues of the accident tell me that they were going to have to cut me out of the truck; my first reaction was selfish! I thought to myself "No, you can't do that! I worked so hard for this truck, it's my baby!" This was my FIRST accident, what would be my FIRST ambulance ride, my FIRST trip into an emergency room and hear I am hanging up side down in my truck thinking please don't cut the truck! I am more embrassed to say is that the following moments once I realized no one was hurt including myself was that my arm was going to be ugly for Danielle's wedding in June!

I know I didn't touch on all the details, but in all fairness I have been working on putting it behind me. The first three of four days I was not able to sleep, anytime I spent alone or was unable to keep my mind of what happend sent me into uncontrolable crying. The one thing I refused to do since I had put myself into this situation was to to sit around and feel sorry for myself. I next day I put myself together with the help of Micah to brush my hair and I went to the holding lot to view the damage; that was the most difficult thing for me. Not only was this 'my baby' but I was able to look at it and say "you were able to walk away, ALIVE . . and the worst thing to happen to you was some stiches and bruises . . . be grateful you are ALIVE today!"