New Year's Eve

No long winded "Boo Hooing" about Arizona today - just wanted to show a cute picture of Zachery and Olivia and what they did on Dec 31, 2008. Digging for worms!

I call this NYE in the Sun! lol No sledding here on New Year's Day!

Merry Christmas 2008

This is our Holiday Newsletter - Enjoy!

Taylor’s 2008
16989 W Bradford WaySurprise, AZ 85374

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! We have survived another year in the Desert & see no end in site!
Dean – still employed! As you know this is big news in the construction field! He is 1 of 2 designers left at his company, & we are sooo grateful! We did begin an out of state job search early this year – however nothing “felt” right. On Dean’s birthday in September, he was called to be the new Bishop of the Willow Canyon Ward in the Surprise, Arizona Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! What a humbling calling…yes, we see him a few less hours, however we feel the strength of the Lord in our lives more than ever. – Humbling
Jenni – All clear! In January I headed to my hip surgeon seeking approval on several activities our kids deemed “Iffy” – Jogging–No! (whew) DDR–Yes! (Ha) Walking-Yes! Cartwheels- we decided to hold off on that, although I was his first patient to ever ask if I could do them! I took up a few new things this year, I read the Twilight series, loved it – that’s all I’m going to say about that. I also began a Taylor Family Blog – so go check it out @ taylortots5.blogspot.com – it has been a learning experience & fun keeping up with some of you! I am still running to & fro with the kid’s activities, but love it (most of the time) I get to play in the 18mo old nursery on Sundays. I wonder how I ever survived a Mid-west winter - Believe it or not – I freeze in the AZ winter – Go figure!
Dowlin – Turned 18! Along with his Right to Vote in the Presidential Election in November, came ATTITUDE! Who knew? Dowlin played Tight End, & Linebacker for Willow Canyon Wildcats Football team this year. He was #1 in sacks in our 5A Division, & received an Honorable Mention Award in the NW Region 5A Division. Pretty cool! He also scored, blocked & tackled his guts out all year! He works at Paradise Bakery. Dowlin is taking AP classes & looking at his final semester of his Sr yr of HS! He is teaching the CTR 8 Primary class at church, in preparation for his Mission. His future plans include a mission for the Church, & college. Not sure where yet, anywhere but AZ.
Mercedes – Turned 16! She is a Sophomore, grade 10. She has been enjoying her HS career so far. Band, Volleyball & Softball are her sports of choice. If you’re thinking band’s not a sport – I dare you to come train with this band director! Mercedes band is headed to San Diego, CA to perform in the Holiday Bowl half-time show, and Parade.(Dec 27-31) Not to mention they were the half-time show lights and flags tunnels for the Super Bowl in 2008! She is also taking AP classes. Mercedes got her Learners Permit & began driving eagerly…however she thinks it’s over rated, why drive when others could drive you? She is so quick witted, she keeps us crackin’ up! What a girl!
Brittney –Turned 12! LOVES the Young Women’s program at church! Just this month she got to go to the Temple in Mesa & perform baptisms for the dead, & see the beautiful Temple lights! She is in the 6th grade. She played the Trumpet last school year, & Soccer & Volleyball, but gave it all up to join the school choir this year & is enduring the rigorous daily rehearsals. She loves to sing & that makes it worth it. She’s going to the State competition in March! Brittney also enjoys swimming & dancing. She makes friends easily, & thinks babysitting is an awesome job…She has enjoyed several additions to her wardrobe with her own earnings. She’s always asking to go shopping – I think we’ve created a monster!
Zachery – Turned 10! He is in 4th grade, & just moved up to Webelos in Cub Scouts. Zachery played Soccer, Basketball (coached by Dean & Dowlin) & Baseball last year. He also chose to join the school choir this yr instead of fall sports. Dowlin pitched a fit! Zachery was asked to perform with a District Honors Choir last month. (1 of 6 students from our school) He is still just a quiet, shy guy. He likes to play computer and video games when he gets a chance. Loves to swim & makes sure nobody walks away dry! He likes to go grocery shopping with me. He has a crazy infectious laugh – He is still snuggly & Loveable!
Olivia – Turned 3! She started Preschool & loves it! She is the only girl in her little class, but I imagine she keeps the boys in line! She is personality plus! She just never stops. She loves to read, do “homework” & puzzles. She fights for her turn on the computer & is “not a baby!’ Loves movies, Barbie, pink, dress-up, babies & Chap Stick! Olivia loved going to the football games! She danced with the band & copied the cheerleader’s moves to perfection! She thinks everything revolves around her! She is going to be a Sunbeam in Primary at church in January & is very excited! Olivia is very loving & she amazes us all daily!
We enjoyed a family vacation to CA in May & spent some time with Great Grandma Dowlin. Moved across the street-note the new house number! We have 4 Missionaries serving from our extended family – Deans Parents are in South Africa, they will be home in February! Taylor Gilbert is in Toronto, Canada. & Dustin Wilson is still in the MTC headed for Czech Republic-Prague.
As we close this year, we feel so very grateful for the birth of Jesus Christ, for His Gospel in our lives. We have been so blessed throughout our lives – Family, friends, health, happiness, Love - I could go on & on…
That is our wish for you as well! May 2009 bring you Health, Happiness & Love!

-Dean, Jenni, Dowlin, Mercedes, Brittney, Zachery & Olivia

Picking the Taylor Family Tree

Twenty-one years ago, when our family began, we vowed to carry on a Wilson Family Tradition. To search, find, cut & bring a live Christmas Tree into our home for the season. Although this tradition seems silly to some of you "Fake Tree" owners - This is where we see the true feelings of family companionship & bonding...out on the wide open Christmas Tree farms of the Kansas plains. Our family has been tested & strengthened! It is the place you find out who is "worthy" to own one of these majestic beauties!
In years past, we have braved every element nature had to throw at us! Wind, sleet, snow, rain & ice, I've got to say the ice was the worst! But we did it! So, with a fresh viewing of National Lampoons "Christmas Vacation" under our belts, we set out on Grandpa Wilson's birthday to find

"The Taylor Family Christmas Tree".

Here is Mercedes displaying her winter boots for the occasion.

Everyone else wore jeans or shorts and sandals.

We piled into the van, and crossed busy Bell Road and entered the Safeway Parking lot. You're probably wondering if we were refueling before our journey... sadly, No! "We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto!" We're in Arizona - the Valley of the Sun - so adjustments had to be made. As we searched for the perfect tree, you know the one - it's lit from Heaven - we walked the lot of 40-50 trees once, let Dowlin pick the tree, waved down the guy with the dolley, paid, and were back home all with in 15 minutes! No joke!

The good news is we were happy with the tree - and quickly began the rest of the tradition - sorry Dad, we didn't soak it in warm water in the garage over night so the branches would "fall".

Everyone had a chance to Trim the tree in one way or another

We needed a hole for the back side of the tree anyway, Lol

Dowlin topped it off with the Traditional Angel

Then the wait for Santa began! We had a very nice Christmas and enjoyed our time together, we played games and ate way too many goodies.

I only tell you this tale to keep from crying, we have learned to adjust to the weather here, but we still enjoy reminiscing about the fun days we spent in search of the perfect tree. The wagon rides and cocoa, and candy canes, the torpedo tree, and the ice! These are the family memories that will carry from one generation to the next, even our 2008, 15 minute hunt! lol

Merry Christmas to you all - May you pass on a tradition to your children as well!

Honorable Mention

Well, it's finally over! Dowlin's High School Football Career has closed! We couldn't have been more proud of his success if he had started every game!
We have often felt like we moved him at such a critical time in his sporting years, he has had to fight tooth and nail to prove himself and earn his starting position.
He gave up HS Basketball, when he broke his back his Sophomore year, and never connected with that group of guys. He still plays and knocks around the "weekend warrior" married men on Saturday mornings though and totally enjoys feeding them "crow". Actually broke our last Bishops foot one time, and poor Brother Sasaki left for his new job at BYU-H with something broken in his hand - it was swollen - still sorry Randy!
Dow has considered giving up HS Baseball too. He can still knock the ball out of the park when he wants, throws a mean pitch, and runs like the wind, but - he has other things on his mind.

Back to Football - We attended his Varsity banquet, and not only did he lead our 5A division in QB Sacks - but he received an Honorable Mention in the NW Region 5A Division. The way I understand this is after watching endless hours of tape on the season, all coaches in the region(?) vote on these awards. (There are other awards as well) anyway, we were very proud of Dowlin and that he was recognized.
This is Coach Hudnutt - as with every coach he says another 15-20 pounds would do Dowlin good. I laugh - Ha ha ha ha! Where does he think he's gonna find that?

Ever since he was young, his Coaches have nothing but nice things to say about him. He always gives 110%. He works hard. Will there be football in college? I have no idea! We're not sure his route right now - He's looking at his options. Mission and College are there, just not sure which order right now. As always, we stress it is HIS choice.

We love this kid! He has been honest and trustworthy since birth, never in trouble - well, there was that one time he tore a piece of Grandma Taylor's pretty wall paper off the wall, but he was like 2, so that shouldn't count!

We look forward to many years of great things from Dowlin Jared Taylor - remember the name...you'll see it attached to many great things in the future!

Twilight -

For the record I have to say the books are 1000X better than the movie! Once upon a time, in September of 2007, I was dropping Zachery off at a Harry Potter themed birthday party. I stood by the door making small talk for a few minutes with Amy, when she suddenly said, "You have to read this!" Magically Jamie appeared with a book, titled 'Twilight'. I looked at it, Amy said, "It's a vampire love story, but it's really good." I left with the book in hand, placing it in the console of the van, where it sat for a week.

When I saw it again, I thought, 'Either take it in and read it or give it back! It's a signed copy for heaven sakes.' - I took it in!

The next day, as I closed the book on the final chapter...(yes, less than 24 hours) I thought, 'W O W! That was good', I turned the book over and started it again! I knew there was going to be a sequel called New Moon, the 1st chapter was in the back of Twilight...as I closed the book one day, I saw a website on the back, I went there only to discover the next 2 BOOKS WERE OUT!

I called Jamie, the source of the books, and borrowed the next 2 books. And so the cycle began, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, etc, etc, etc...

I am going to spare you a lot of detail here, but I began talking to friends about "The Series" and next think you know I was recommending it... Taleen read it, Doreen read it, Katie was reading it to Kyle - Hilarious! I'm not going into detail about the story, if you have been in a cave or something for the last 3 years, go to a book store and pick up all 4 books now, might as well get the movie sound track, although if you're like me the music was not my style.

As I said I spent the better part of the year reading on the 3 book loop, waiting for book #4, Breaking Dawn, to be released in August. One day, another friend, Malie, said, "Have you been to the Fan fiction sites?" that's right, add a new element - It's CRAZY. I totally blame Amy, Jamie, and Malie for my obsession! Actually Malie and I have decided we"re not "Obsessed" were "Passionate"

So in like Feb or March, they started filming Twilight the movie...Talk about sensory overload!!!

Well, the book came out in August, and the movie came out Nov 21. I refused to go to the Breaking Dawn midnight release party, however I took several calls to answer trivia questions for friends. Although I predicted several plot happenings in the new book, it wasn't really how I saw it in my head. I kept saying, 'This is weird". I read it and shelved it, thinking I was cured of my cycle. Well I decided to read it at the beginning of Nov. It took about 2 weeks, and I enjoyed it so much more!

This brings us to today! November 21, 2008. THE day...I was pressured into (LOL) going to the Midnight showing of Twilight...You know the saying "The book is always better than the movie" - really true here. I hate to say, I was kinda disappointed...Could have been sooo good. So many things left out, so not how I pictured it...Well, another friend, Lori, had tickets and asked me to go with her. So again at 7PM we hit the theater - amazingly, I liked it a lot better the 2nd time! I think the expectation and anxiety I had for the first showing was gone and I could just enjoy it and look at the movie, rather than look for what I was wishing for...Does that even make sense? Anyway, If you saw it and felt disappointed like I did, I recommend you see it again. (and again and again...) Can you believe it made $70.55 Million opening weekend? Whoa!

Probably the funnest Twilight experience I have had was the 21 days before Breaking Dawn came out, they put quotes from the book on Stephenie Meyer's website. (that's the author) Malie lives in Hawaii, she and I texted back and forth our predictions about the quotes, I kept track of them, and in the end sent her a copy. As we found the actual quote in the book, we did pretty well. getting more than 1/2 close, or dead on. It was fun.

Mercedes and I made shirts for the Midnight showing -

We decided there was no reason to do a Midnight showing of New Moon which by the way will start filming early next year, with a bigger budget!

Funny UPDATE - No secret that Dean and Dowlin dislike these books...Dean tries to be a good sport, but it gets on his nerves easily. Dowlin says he's just tired of going without decent meals. (K, that only happens the first time through a book!) Anyway, Dowlin's announces that Maritza thinks the books are stupid. That he's found the only girl who hates Edward. (one of the main characters) Well, Maritza was over the day I was making our shirts, she asked what they were for, Mercedes and I looked sideways at each other, I plopped the book down in front of her, Dow freaked out - she didn't even know anything about them! She thinks her aunt told her she should read them... Mercedes and I busted out laughing at Dowlin - she said, "No Dow, you didn't find the only girl who hates Twilight...You found the only girl who hasn't read Twilight". So Hilarious!

Zachery turns 10

Well FINALLY! That's Zachery's thoughts on waiting the entire year for his birthday! :)

Zachery is a great guy! He is in 4th grade and doing very well. He and Brittney joined the school choir at the beginning of the year and despite the early hours of daily practice, they are enjoying it. Zach was chosen as one of 6 4-5 graders from our school to go to the District Honors Choir. It was a long day but he had a good time and we were very proud of him. (Brittney was receintly chosen for State in March)

Zachery will move up to the Webelos den in Cub Scouts, he's just plugging along. He loves to play computer games and we watch a lot of movies. Probably one of the funniest things lately was a little brotherly bonding! Dowlin and Zachery were playing something on the PS2 - for some reason Zachery kept saying "Arg" like a pirate - It was driving Dowlin up the wall. Dow said, "You say that again I'm going to..." a few minutes later I hear Zachery start making cracks like, "Why didn't you watch that movie? Was it rated 'Arg'?" I couldn't help but bust up. He had others but that was my favorite. He is a funny boy.

Zachery is also learning to mow our massive yard. (Takes longer to start the mower than actually cut the grass) he was pretty funny - concentration was high!

You would never believe this skinny boy - 70 pounds soaking wet, started out at 9lbs 15.5oz. He's just a carbon copy of Dean and Dowlin...Thank goodness for the adjustable waistband in pants!

All in all I think he had a pretty good day - not too busy, but Olivia and I went to the school and ate Holiday lunch with him and Brittney.

Happy Birthday Z-man. Thanks for keeping things light hearted!

Olivia's 1st haircut

What was I thinking? I have given both Mercedes and Brittney many haircuts and the boys monthly! So why was I sooo stressed out with this little one?

Olivia has such curly hair, I thought (and consulted with the girl who does mine) it's so long, if I give her some layers, the top will be lighter and able to curl better. Problem was I couldn't bring myself to give her the shorter layers! I think I took about 5 inches off in attempt...but really it looks the same. She got a sucker and I got a huge headache and had to go take a nap!
K, it's not crooked, she's just sitting funny, LOL