Happy Thanksgiving...

Ok, so it isn't quite Thanksgiving, but I really liked this background, so we will just be thankful a little early! I guess this can be an early reminder to remember all we have to be thankful for on a daily basis!

I'll start...I am thankful for a wonderful husband, a beautiful and happy daughter, amazing family and the best friends I could ever hope for!

I hope you all like the background...it could be around for awhile!

"Icecone"

Taylor has become very interested as she calls them, in "icecones". Yesterday at church while she was running around outside she found a few "icecones" and wouldn't let one of them go! We watched a show recently where they made it into a bird feeder and she loved it, so we decided instead of keeping the pinecone in the house, we'd do that and she could look at it from afar! I had a meeting yesterday so daddy and Taylor did the craft together...I am not sure if birds like popcorn (that was daddy's idea) , but I guess we'll find out!

When I got home last night it was dark out so she wasn't able to show me. This morning the first thing she said when we came down the stairs was "mommy, icecone, outside!". Her memory never ceases to amaze me! It was too hot and sunny already this morning to get a good shot of her looking at the camera, so I just included one of her showing you where the "icecone" is located!

Fall in Arizona

I love seeing everyone's pictures from back in the midwest and I have to admit I am insanely jealous to see you in jeans and sometimes in long sleeve shirts! I thought I'd share a little of fall in Arizona with you! Let's see, we are on day 1 of temps under 100, so we have that going for us...and well, it was cloudy all day, but alas NO RAIN...so pretty much we just have the temps under 100! Our tree (which is huge) has lost almost all of its leaves, I cannot say if it is because it is "fall" or because they fried in the heat...but never the less, we have leaves in the yard and we are pretending it means it is fall!

Now it is my turn to make you insanely jealous with this video...I mean, have you ever jumped in a leaf pile THIS BIG! It's HUGE!

A visit from Aunt Erin

My younger sister Erin came out to visit us over Labor Day weekend. We were so happy to have her (and our soon to be nephew) here for a few days!

She is very lucky I even let her in my car when I picked her up at the airport. For the sports fans out there...she showed up in a Notre Dame t-shirt on Saturday, and as you know I am a Purdue fan. For non sports fans...Notre Dame had just beat Purdue! We went to dinner shortly after her arrival, both wearing our ND and Purdue shirts, the waiter asked Derek if we were still speaking, given the outcome of the game! She is lucky I love her haha!

We went to the Olive Oil Mill in Queen Creek another day. We had fun tasting some of the different Olive Oils they had and enjoyed a yummy lunch!

Taylor, Aunt Erin and I had a pool party one day, we demonstrated how fun the "Moon Waterpark" can be with the pool and slip n slide!

Thank you so much for coming to visit Erin! We all had a great time with you! We love you!

A visit with Mamaw and a very happy bird!

Taylor and I stopped in to see her Great Grandma (Derek's Mamaw) yesterday at her retirement home. They have a pet bird and it is always a highlight for Taylor when we go. When we were walking up I asked Taylor where we were going, she said "Mamaw house, birdie!!". I am always amazed at her memory! Normally the bird is pretty quiet, probably scared of our loud little girl, however, yesterday the bird had a LOT to say and Taylor loved talking to it....so much she kept opening the little windows, trying to let it out (this would be why I cut the video so short)! The residents had so much fun talking to Taylor and watching her, especially with the bird, it was just so neat seeing her interact with all of them! We always love visits with Mamaw and I am thinking the bird enjoyed our visit this time too!

First day of Sunday School

This year Taylor is old enough to attend Sunday School! We were so excited for her to begin Sunday School and wanted to make sure we got her there every week...so we signed up to teach! That's right, Derek and I are the Kindergarten/1st Grade Sunday School teachers! I'd call week 1 a success! Taylor had a lot of fun and continues to tell us she did a lot of singing when we ask her what she did at Sunday School! I feel so silly for feeling so excited for this little milestone, but I had to be "that mom" and take pictures of her and cousin Bea on their first day!

Birthday Party/Grandma and Grandpa Visit

We've had a lot going on lately, I guess that is why I haven't posted in a while! I'll do a few today to catch up on what we've been up to!

We had a small Birthday party to celebrate Taylor's 2nd Birthday! She had a great time and I have to admit, I am loving having new toys around here! I actually cleaned out her toy bins today (shhh don't tell her!), several toys have been retired and I couldn't be more happy to have less toys in our living room!

Here is a cute video of us singing Happy Birthday...she accompanied us....

Thanks to everyone who made Taylor's Birthday so special! She is having such a great time with all of her new presents and I know she loved spending time with everyone! And a special Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Megan for flying out for the special day!