Susan

Last week, we were lucky enough to spend a couple of hours with my niece, Susan.  

Emileigh and Susan with Joe and Muffy?  I can NEVER remember the dog's name!

Susan is just a few years younger than Kevin, so that makes she and I almost sisters.  But because her dad is the oldest, she has the joy of calling Kevin, "Uncle Kev."  Emileigh thinks it's hilarious.  I just love that she loves Emileigh.

There are a million things I love about Susan.

She is super supportive of my blogging.  Most of the time I post fluff because it's hard for me to hit post on the super personal blog that took me three days to write.  Ya'll would lose your mind if you read some of the stuff I write from the heart.  (Perhaps, someday, I'll share some of it.)

Susan always urges me to write.  She loves the stories from us about the kiddos.  I love that she is consistent.  

Susan lives in New Zealand which is half the world away.  She works with colleges, in Student Life.  You'll have to really ask her what that means, because I get distracted by world travel, oceans, and black sand.  

She is brave.  She's been all over this world.  She has the sweetest little passport with stamps filling the beautiful pages.  She is proud of that little passport, I am proud of it!  I tell her that I live vicariously through her... that is the truth.

She relies on NO ONE.  Strongest gal I know.  I long to have Emileigh have that part of the Taylor blood.  Kevin has that as well.  Me on the other hand can't go to McDonald's and eat dinner by myself.  

She has a tough relationship with her dad.  I can totally relate with her on this one.  

She is kind.  She has a way of talking to me which makes me feel as if I have known her my entire life.  

She has the best Bert and Betty stories.  I wasn't fortunate enough to meet Kevin's parents or 6 of his siblings, but she always is quick to share a story with me.  I get tons of "Kevin was a perfect kid" stories from people, because he pretty much must have been.  But Susan gives me the "Kevin was ornery." 

She has gifted my sweet baby girl a shawl from her grandma Betty that makes me tear up each time I think about it.  

There are some pretty big changes on the horizon with Team Taylor.  We have been seeking information, praying about the calling, and discussing the changes with all of our might.  We have gone from maybe  to plan zone.  

I'm thankful that, even though she didn't know it, she has helped us with some big decisions.  She has given us the encouragement that we needed.  My sweet little Emileigh looks a lot like her cousin, Susan.  It's my dream that she can be much more like her than just a beautiful face.

Susan and Emileigh, 2016  Eskimo Joe's Stillwater, Oklahoma

Unconditional.

There isn't anything that warms my heart more than watching my husband love our daughter unconditionally.

100 Days of School - Kinder Edition

When you were in school, did you celebrate the 100th day of school?  If we did, I don't remember it.  I can tell for certain, that my little won't ever forget it.

EmJ was given a task: Bring something to showcase 100 days of school!  um... okay..  When Boog was in Kinder, we did something with pennies.  But for my baby... my last little presh, that simply wouldn't do.

So- for Em's project, we did 100 faces of Emileigh :)

Gather your craft supplies.  Here is just a snippit of what we used:

* 100 photos.  (I printed 115, because you never know when you'll screw something up)

* 1 Project Display Board (you know, the kind you use for the science fair

* Sharpie Markers

* Glue

* Scrapbooking embellishment stickers 

* Scrapbooking paper for mats

-I chose the 100 pack from the Walmarts.  That way... I KNEW I wouldn't miss a photo :)

* Paper cutter

* TIME. LOTS OF TIME YA'LL lots of time.  

I measured out the board and then we used the maths to determine that I would have to cut my photos down to a 3 x 3 picture in order to mat it, and still have room for a title and larger photo.  

While I do own one of those handy scrapbook paper cutters, I realized super quick that it was going to take me FOR.EV.ER if I measured 100 photos... So, I made a guide:

Tear off the back of that photo mat stack.  I believe in using all of the supplies I purchase!!

Cut your mat the size you want your picture.  This is a 3 x 3 mat that worked PERFECTLY. :)  

*** Sorry- I forgot to add that you MUST have a beautiful made up helper.  This one is a MESS! Who seems to pull all of my creative juices out :)***

Take your guide and a silver sharpie and draw a box around each of the 100 photos you are going to want to use in your project.  

Again, you can use your cutter thingy, but it really is much quicker to do it this way... I mean, unless you have a BigShot.  In that case, use those dies and save yourself a ton of time!  We went the old fashion way.  

It doesn't have to be perfect (which is SUPER hard for me to understand) so allow the little person you have hanging around pitch in!  It is THEIR project, after all :)

After you cut out the little pictures, glue them on the mats.  yeah... I know -  more cutting ahead...  Its super worth it, ya'll!  Promise.

Isn't this picture precious?  LOVE.

We purchased white letters for the poster and then just colored them with Sharpies.  That worked so so good.  I'll show you a finished picture soon...

Daddies are GREAT helpers.  Ours cut the mats with a little helper.

  *notice a couple of things... (1) Em is now showered, THANK YOU JESUS (2) I prefer to drink out of a jar. Any jar will do... pickle jars are the best!*

Grease Live was on by this time... Em was more interested in that and was OVER this project... But isn't it looking ADORABLE?!?!?!?!

Here's the deal, ya'll.  You're probably going to mess up.  I did.  You might have to replace the stickers and move them around.  IT IS OKAY!  

Lay the photos down and get it all situated before you glue ANYTHING, though.  You have to do this step... do NOT skip it.  You'll be angry if you do.

The finished project.  

We added some scrapbook embellishments and washi tape. But other wise, the pictures tell the story alone.  

This was the most amazing, sweet, exhausting project we've tackled last minute.  However, it was so worth it!

Comment below if you have any questions... and if you attempt this, PLEASE leave me a picture.  If anyone will appreciate the hard work, I will !

**OUTTAKE - Em was not having fun about 24 minutes in...

He's always there.

If you are one of my friends, or someone who has known that I've had a blog for 8 years, you will be SUPER shocked to see that I am actually posting, again.  (I'm pretty shocked, myself)

This is a year that I want to explore via my blog posts, though... so I'm committed.

What was your very first memory?

Not something that someone told you about... or you've seen pictures of.   Something you really, really, remember.

My first memory is from a baseball field.  I remember having my little matchbox cars running them up and down the dugout bench.  

My uncle Mike was a Senior the year I was born, so I spent the next five years going to games with my grandparents.  I stayed with them a. lot.  

I've never thought of those young men much before I started thinking about this blog post.  Then, my mind went crazy.

- How many went on to play in the league?  A, AA, AAA, Bigs?  

- How many walked away and never picked up a bat again?  

- How many of those guys were super annoyed by that bratty little girl bugging them?

- How many are coaches, today?

- How many aren't living?

I'm struck tonight with this thought how many times in my own life have I had an impact on someone without being aware.  Those young men had SUCH an impact of my life.  They allowed me to play with them while they were playing the game a lot of us love.  They were patient and kind.

Are there folks that can say the same about me?

I want to be the light.  A person who inspires those around me, young and old.  Those men were Jesus in that moment.  

isn't that cool??   

I love how I can look back at my very first memory...and see my King.  

He's always there.

Day 1

January 1, 2016.


When I logged onto blogger, today, and clicked new post, a nice white sheet of blank screen stared right back at me.

That's what January 1 is all about, though, right?  Fresh starts.  We each have been gifted 364 days ahead of us to make this year The BEST year ever.

I'm going to be participating in that mantra.  With a little difference.  I'm going to be posting each day of this year.  Yep.  Everyday.  I'm going to be writing letters to my children. I'm going to share some pretty personal things, and Im going to post short snippets.

Why?  Because I feel called.

I feel as if Jesus is asking me to be vulnerable.  He is asking me to tell my story, then to tell people why I trust Him.

You see... If you are having a sucky day, you might not know the One who can bring peace that passes all understanding.

Is my life perfect? absolutely not, y'all.

I have stories that need to be told.  I need to tell you about growing up.  That is going to be very hard.
I have stories about marriage that will be hard.
I have stories about being a terrible parent to my children.

I'm going to tell you how I struggle with money and time and exhaustion.  How I long to please everyone, yet fail at that, daily.

Im going to show off two of the most important people in my life.  I'm going to share my dreams, my fears, my faults, and my tears.

I'm about to get real in 2016.

Will you join me?  My email is JenTaylor03@gmail.com  I'd love feedback and comments.  You can add them to the posts, or privately.

It's my prayer that I am able to encourage many of you this year but if it turns out to be just one - Well, that will be okay


Back to the blank white page.

There are some stuff in 2015 that was so hard to walk through. I failed multiple times, but just like January 1st, I've been given an opportunity to start over.  Jesus teaches me, and he FORGIVES me.  I'm so grateful for grace.


I'm also thankful for these two adorable kiddos!
The first picture of 2016- after I gave Blayne a haircut for the very first time.