Taylor at the Aquarium

Taylor's First Yule

Taylor's Gift
High School Musical 2 2-Disc Set
Justin Timberlake CD
Tinker Bell Purse full of Beauty Products
Lots of Tinker Bell Jewelry from Jimmy
$20 from Nani & Poppa
Tinker Bell Calendar
Sony Playstation 2
PS2 Sonic the Hedgehog
Lots of Fingernail Polish
Lots of Lip Gloss

4th Grade Schedule

Here are the classes Taylor's attending this year:

1. Paganism (15 minutes)
2. Spelling/Vocabulary/Poetry (30 minutes)
3. History of Our United States (45 minutes once a week)
4. Understanding God's World (45 minutes once a week)
5. Developing Good Health (45 minutes once a week)
6. Reading (consists of several chapter books and a Read & Think workbook) (30 minutes)
7. Arithmetic and Speed Drills (1 hour)
8. Language Arts (15-30 minutes)
9. Penmanship (15 minutes)
10. Art (30 minutes once a week)

History/science/health are done Monday through Wednesday and art is Friday. Thursdays are the days we do any quizzes and Fridays are test days. We started this last year and it really worked for us. The once a week classes and actually only semester classes so we make this last all year by doing the once a week thing, it works out really well for us. Home school does not last as long as going to a public or private school but the children learn just as much if not more.

The 4th Grader

I cannot believe my first baby is already in fourth grade but she has been doing excellent in her schooling. Taylor has always done great in school and this year is no exception, she works hard everyday and completes all her work to the fullest. She really seems to enjoy her reading class this year and I have to admit, she is really becoming a great reader. She reads very loud and fast and makes sure she is understood. I haven't really found anything she is struggling in this year, she seems to catch on to everything.

Taylor is finally accepting homeschooling as her educational path. She was feeling left out last year by not attending public school until she realized she still has a life and friends outside school time. I have explained to her several times that school is a place to learn not socialize and the friends you have are the ones after school. Taylor is a very bright little girl and works very hard, she hates bad grades and pushes herself to achieve only the best. Great Job Tay, Mommy is very proud of you!

Meet My Cousin Vinney

Letter to Uncle Mike

On September 14th, my Uncle Mike passed away. I really miss him, he always made you laugh all the time. When I was little I made almost $100 from him, okay it was $80, but it is better than nothing. You are the best Uncle Mike and you have a big piece of my heart that no one will ever take. On the 25th you kept turning on the T.V., I had to tell you to stop but it was so funny. You are the best and I love you so much.

P.S. I will tell my kids how good you were. I wish I would have told you how much you meant to me. If I knew that this was the last time I would've seen you, I would have told you how much I loved you, it might have stopped you. Your dad is so horrible for saying that but you had a family, us!

Love,

Taylor

Tay's Blonde Highlights

Aunt Ste dolled up Chip's hair one night with blonde paint and she was sure proud of her new look!

Taylor's New Friend

Taylor decided to play a game of "Treasure Hunt" with Jimmy in Nani's front yard. Mom and I kept Jimmy on the back porch with us while she hid his toys around the yard. Taylor came running around the house yelling that there was a bird in the front yard that was letting her pet it and of course I freaked out thinking that something must be wrong with it and ran to the front yard to check it out. Nothing was wrong with it and it loved human companionship and let everyone hold it and would even perch on your finger. My guess is that someone took care of it while it was a baby and then let it go when it became bigger because it was not scared of people whatsoever. I was able to take pictures and movies of this once in a lifetime experience.

Taylor and Jordan

The girls were finally reunited last night and they were so excited to see each other. Renee and I took the kids to McDonald's to eat and play and everyone had a great evening.

Taylor with Kam

Taylor fell in love with little Kam right away, he was the first baby she had ever given a bottle and she played mommy all night. I don't think she ever left his side. I was very proud of her when she held him for us and she was able to calm him down and before we knew it she had a baby asleep on her chest. She got up with me at 5:30 A.M. and helped me out and later in the morning he fell asleep on her again. When I asked if she wanted me to put him in bed she looked me like I was crazy and shook her head, she loved him.

Taylor spent the first part of the week with her friend, Emily and they seemed to really have a good time. Taylor has been really a big help to me this week when I wasn't feeling good, she helped me keep the house in tip-top shape and has even been cleaning her room that fell into a bad spot when Em spent the night---Girls Gone Wild! I really appreciate all that she does, she is really a good girl, her mouth just gets in the way sometimes, but her intentions are good. I know how it is to be a "tween" and I try to remember that time in my life when your world revolves around your friends and boys (man, is she boy crazy)!

I surprised her the other day with a Maroon 5 CD that she had been wanting and I think I about won the Mother of the Year Award. I love doing things for her because she shows so much gratitude. I know I don't spend the money on her like I used to and she has really been very understanding, that shows how great she really is. I am so proud of her and my heart is filled with joy every time I look at her beautiful face, she is very special. Even at this point in her life (when you know everything and parents know nothing) she still loves to sit next to me on the couch and lay her head on my shoulder, I love that and hope it never changes.

Best Friends

Taylor's best friend, Emily, came to spend the night Friday and she is still blessing us with her presence. I have wanted her to stay with us before we leave for KC and it just so happened to be that weekend. Taylor and Emily have been hiding out in the bedroom the whole time Em has been here and I have had to keep Jimmy pretty entertained since the girls really didn't want him to be around. We love having you, Emily, we have missed you.

Tater Chip

Taylor is always playing her Harvest Moon and when she isn't I am LOL. Taylor is doing great and enjoying her time with friends. She has been doing her math and language in the morning and then it's outside with her friends. I finally took her out last weekend for some new Crocs flip flops and she is so proud of those. She has been on me for almost a year to buy her some and I finally broke down and did it and I am glad I did, she loves them and tells me thank you all the time.

Chip is getting so excited to get back to KC and says Auntie Ste said she can spend the night at her new apartment and she can't wait. Tay and Jim are always asking me to take them back home, so when these trips come up, they are so excited.

Sneak Attack Pictures

Just a couple pics of Taylor that I was able to get and of course she was surprised about both. It's pretty bad when I have to sneek pictures of her instead of her just letting me take them.

Summer Break Begins

School was offically over last Friday and we are starting our summer break! Taylor is thrilled and can't wait for what is in store and all the activities we have planned starting at the end of the month. It has been nice being able to relax and not stress about school and what has to be done, but in a way I really miss it as well. Taylor is now a fourth grader...good job!

She's Growing Up

My first baby is growing up and has taken the step towards young adulthood and it makes me so sad. She has decided she doesn't need toys anymore and has decided to hold an auction on Ebay to get rid of them so she can buy some clothes and shoes...yes, I said it, clothes and shoes. When did this happen? She is not even ten and would rather spend her time laying on her bed listening to music and designing new outfits for her future career. I knew this was coming but I didn't realize it was going to be so soon!

She has made it through her first week of grounding, only 1 week and 2 days to go before it's over. I have never had to ground her this long and I hated doing it but I had no other choice. She was pretty upset last night since Grey's Anatomy was on and she had to miss it, but I think she has finally started getting the picture because she hasn't raised her voice to us in a few days.

Well, next Friday is our last day of school and she is so excited. We have finished a lot of our subjects already but we have all final tests next Friday. Taylor and Jimmy will start their homeschooling group in August and I believe Isaiah will be joining as well, but he is still in pre-school so I doubt he will be able to stay with Jimmy. The kids will have field trips once a month and various activities weekly as well such as: hands on science class, P.E. I look foward to this and they do as well. Like I have mentioned before, Taylor will continue with math through the summer, maybe a page or so a day, just to keep her mind fresh. She got great grades this year and I will be posting them at the end of next week when everything is said and done.

Happy Easter

Taylor really loved her Easter, but hey, she loves every Holiday. After being sick for the last few days she was very glad to be over it by Easter. She joined in the egg hunt and even helped the little kids out. Taylor enjoyed a nice bike ride around the neighborhood and spent most of the time cracking jokes and making all of us laugh.

Brad Paisley~The World

Every time I hear this song I think of my beautiful little girl and all the things we go through when we hit adolescents and even adulthood. Taylor, I love you very, very much and I want you to know you mean "The World" to me!

New Pictures

Daddy & Taylor

Taylor Reporting

Girls Day Out

Taylor and I spent yesterday together, just us girls. First, we stopped and had lunch at Crisper's and then off to the mall where we shopped till we dropped. Taylor got a wide assortment of clothes and a Tinkerbell jewelry box with Tinkerbell earrings and necklace and then we finished with Dip-N-Dots ice cream. I have to say, we had a great day and I love spending it with her.

Taylor is almost finished with school, so subjects only have two more days while a few others will run into the 2nd/3rd week of April. I am so proud of her and how well she has done this year and cannot wait to start the next year. She is so ready to be done so she can get back to KC to spend her time with Nani and Grandpa Ky-Ky. Eric and I are driving them out there and then Mom will fly them back. We will probably stay in KC a couple days before heading back, the kids don't want us to stay very long, they are excited to have their very own vacation. Mom and Kyle are planning a canoe trip for the kids and of course, a trip to the go-cart track. Mom, they are so excited to see you and can't wait for school to get out so they can be back in KC with their family!

Photographer Taylor

Taylor decided to take my camera and pose for her own pictures. As you can tell, her arms are extended with the camera on the other end.

Tay is feeling so much better today now that she has been taking her medication. Her and Aunt Ste have spent the last few days laying around watching movies, that may be the best medicine for both of them.