Trick Or Treat...

Oh! The kids had SOO much fun!!! We went to our awesome friends the Grady's for some quick pizza and then off to trick or treat! The weather was perfect..almost eerie :) Now.. I just need this candy outta my house!!! That's the true scary part!

We finished off the night with s'mores around the firepit..what fun!!! Thanks, Gradys, and Rotzoll's...SOO fun to hang with you guys!

Reagan Prayers

"Dear Lord,
Sorry that you had to die on the cross so much for our five senses."

How do I NOT crack up??

Me Moron.

Okay...you'll look below at the pictures and see that they're not in any sort of order and there are several repeats!!! Greyson is wiping his nose on my leg as I type..and Brooks is trying to fanagle ( I don't even know at all how to spell fanagle) anyways, Brooks is trying to persuade me to write his book report for him.
The marathon...
It was LONG. Really LONG. Did I say that earlier??? Cause I honestly thought my time would have been alot better, and was worried that it wouldn't be. And I really can't get myself to care! (mainly because I'm afraid I'd have to do it again to try for a better time!). It's long. The first half was okay. I had trained up to mile 20.09 three weeks ago, and had been 'tapering' back the past couple of weeks. I have a greater respect for people who run these things in general....and I'll cowtow to (is it kowtow?) to anyone who runs them with any sort of speed! In one of the photos you can see my arms swinging...but my feet look like they're barely in front of each other! For the last couple of miles...my legs really just literallly wouldn't go. any. faster! We rounded a corner with 0.3 miles to the finish. It's like just down your street probably....you could SMELL the finish line....and I gave it everything I had...........and a tall man was walking next to me.. Yes! WALKING!! I was afraid someone would get us in a picture together....here'd be me running (or at least attempting to) and then RIGHT next to me would be joe bloe walky man. Yikes. So.....decided to give a full throttle.......nada. It's tough. I'm not doing it again. I'm thankful for the experience...or at least to have it checked off my list! What have I learned???



I really CAN do ALL things through Christ...who gives me strength.

Photographic Proof

Des Moines Marathon

It's over. I'm still alive. And I'm never doing it again. Ever.
Remind me, k?? Pics to follow when I'm more awaker:) Thanks for the prayers! It was a far cry...and I think I'll just drive it next time.

Picture Catch up...Hawkeye Game

Here's the Hawkeye converts for a day. Brooks would be sooo 100% Hawkeye supporter if he could have Geoff's blessing. Our awesome friend, Matthew, treated the fellahs to a Hawkeye game. They had an absolute BLAST!!! You rock, Gradys!!!

We're back....

Actually, we got back on Sunday afternoon. I can't even tell ya how grateful we are to Bev (Aunt B) for driving all the stink over here to watch our kids!!! They had a blast with her, as always! Thank you, Aunt B!!! You're the greatest!!!

And so now....we wait. It's what we do! Kinda getting used to it. It's a little overwhelming to think of all the things that need to be done between now and the end of June! For now..I'm concentrating on panicking about the marathon that's coming up the WEEKEND AFTER NEXT!!!! are you kidding me?? Where'd the time go???

We had a great time in Great Falls with our great friends, The Oettels, from med school. Dave's stationed at Malstrom Air Force base there in Great Falls..and we're encouraged by how much they like it there. Again....we'll see!!! But for now...we're just grateful for the opportunity to have gone on a FREE vacation together...check out a great job....and see some great friends and mountains!!! (okay..I am stressing some...but I've only had a FEW M&M's today...not the whole bag kind of stressin'...yet)

going to montana...

TODAY!!! woohoo!! just Geoff and I!!! He's interviewing in Great Falls, and my LOVELY and brave and wonderful sister, Bev, aka 'Aunt B' will be here watching the hoodlums! Be back Sunday!

Decoratious!!

Reagan and I pulled a few Fall decorations out of the "closet of terror and doom" (aka storage closet..but if you saw it...you'd know how it got it's name!) She was sooo excited to be placing some pumpkins and acorns on the living room shelves. "This is soo cute, and soo decoratious!" she said to me. I just love that girl!

STAR OF THE WEEK

That would be...one Brooks Taylor! :) He's really excited to be the "star of the week" at Heritage this week. We got to make this dandy poster and I got to go eat lunch with him on Monday. This tent is where I found the classroom READING when I arrived for lunch on Monday. How fun is that?? We never did such fun things when I was in second grade!!! go Miss Early! :) (we love her and our new school!! Tons!!!)

Football and what not

Brooks is quite the football player and is really loving being a part of the Redskins this year.

Mad House

That kinda sums it up around here. I had an email asking if we were doing okay (thanks, Makila :) And yes, we are!!! Just been busy..as I'm sure you all are, too!

Poor Greyson doesn't have a nap schedule anymore.....my fault! Feels like we're either coming or going most of the day as of late. Perhaps we need less extra curricular?

"Itchy, Bitchy Spider"

Went up the water spout......



That's what Reagan was singing tonight while she was in the tub.


Love that!

The Baby...

The Baby...

gettin' big, huh? oh....he's SOO sweet!

She loved it-loved it!!!

So glad Reagan has a girly thing of her own!!! She keeps asking when she gets to wear make-up!! kinda bribed her by telling her they get to wear make-up to the recital)

Hannah Montana.

Reagan's all about her now.

How'd this happen? What happened to Dora? Winnie the Pooh? Clifford??

Hannah Montana?? That's big kid stuff.


Reagan starts dance tomorrow night.

She's got her 'tap shoes....ballet slippers..and leotard all revved up!!!

oh...there'll be pictures!

Tah Down!

Greyson says that now. Often. Cute! He runs around the living room with a ball (any kind will do..even a superball!) and hollers out "Tah-Down!!" I'll try to get it 'caught on tape!'.

I love him.

Brooks has made an announcement.

It's sad, really. Brooks announced from the back of the van yesterday that he no longer is a fan of NASCAR. Will I miss NASCAR? well, no..not at all. I had noticed that he really hasn't asked to watch it for quite some time....but it was rather neat that it was soo him (Geoff and I both pretty much despise NASCAR). So..the NASCAR era is behind us.

He DID say a few weeks ago...that he was entirely unable to sleep during the night because he was 'just too pumped for football season!"

He really IS a Taylor! :)

24 hour shifts.

They're just too long. I've decided that. Too long. Bad idea.

Sarah Palin...

I heart her! I can't help myself!

"Grace to grace..."

lately I have felt soo 'icky'. Needy, desperate....ICKY! Just simply, icky. I stumbled across Beth Moore this morning on tv...talking about grace. She was reminding me how MUCH I've been forgiven, and how when we don't live under grace, that we got back to trying to live under the law...and when we live under the law...we try to hold others to the 'law'. Does anyone get this??:) I haven't been living/receiving/remembering grace! She also said something totally cool to me..that's an awesome reminder...cause I've been feeling like an empty tank. PEOPLE TREAT US THE WAY THEY FEEL about THEMSELVES! Does that help you like it does me? Do you love to be liked as much as I do???


When we walk under grace, remember how much we've been forgiven..and how much the creator of the universe is in love with us.....we're covered with a double dose of 'non-stick' coating! I love that. I know I need that. Butter flavor would be preferable! When we walk in grace....we GIVE grace...cause He'll fill us to overflowing. I"m the worst at putting that into words..and probably even worse at living it...but I wanted to write it, before I forgot it!

Here's to hoping to live that today..if even for a second. What an awesome reminder!

Just had a scary thought....

If it's September now.....that makes my marathon in ONE MONTH!!!!! October used to be soo far away! Yikes!!