wow. I'm blogging!

So. When a gal gets off Facebook....she suddenly realizes that she once used to keep a blog. I see it's been a while, Given the fact that Greyson is listed here as one...and he's now 3 1/2!!!

It's Geoff's birthday. I went to Sam's Club and got a TON of cupcakes and chocolate and brought it to the hospital to surprise/humiliate him. (hehe) Greyson had a hard time reconciling Dr. Taylor with daddy...as Geoff was dolled up in his scrubs with a surgical hat on and a mask around his neck. Cute! He was significantly embarassed, but I honestly think I was even more so as I can't recall a time when I've felt more stared at.. weird! Even Brooks felt shy which is unusual for that boy.

Happy Birthday, Dear GEoffrey!!! 38! I remember when you turned 18!

BAsement Afters.

Well...wouldn't it be nice if I would post some?? I'm going to figure out how to upload my pics from my new camera. (besides, I still don't have all the furniture figured out down there...kinda tricky with the limited...I mean, LIMITED furniture shopping in this fine uh,....town.) :) j/k...we love it here..just a tremendous lack of shopping!
HaPPY Friday! My folks will be here this weekend and we're going to Glacier and I'm totally excited!! I LOVE my mom and dad and having everyone together (the kids LOVE it, too!)

Saw our first snake in the yard last night. I was pulling in the driveway and was certain I had finally come across my first rattler (several neighbors have killed a few already this summer) I didn't spy a 'rattle' at the end of his tail so it must be a bull snake. (Which looks just like a rattler, but obviously doesn't have said rattle) ick!! I soooo hate snakes! This ends my 'running in the evenings' ventures!

Loving it here!

What an amazing and almost unexpected blessing it's been to be living in Great Falls. We moved into our new home in May and have really enjoyed being 'country folk'. Geoff has almost elimated the gopher population (is that ever really accomplished?). We have laid 22,000 square feet of sod, finished the basement (including a theatre room:) and had several rooms painted. Aside from it taking twenty minutes to get just about anywhere (minimum) we LOVE it!!!

hey.

I almost forgot to ramble for a couple of days here. We're still here on Whispering Ridge.
Our awesome Iowa friends will be here tomorrow and I"m soooo excited to see them/squeeze their guts out!

Reagan and Brooks are enjoying school and in the 'swing of things'. I love it. Today was 'meet me at the pole' day and I got a lump in my throat just thinking of the 3 million kids expected to gather around their various school flag poles to worship and pray for our nation. What an honor!

I had the DELIGHT of having a sitter come stay with Greyson this morning so I could be my nails done. It was THE most frivilous thing I've done in lord knows how long...but it was sheer joy! (and I can once again talk with my hands...which is useful) Greyson cried when 'Miss Debra' left. I think he enjoyed it, too!

Time's flitting along like mad. I can scarcely believe that October is just around the corner. We have an awesome little ladies luncheon shaping up for the 3rd and I'm getting really excited to see the details come together!!! We even got some cool chicks to sing/lead worship! Awesome!!!

Geoff's 2nd call tonight...which means he just may be there a stinkin' long time, but will be the first to leave tomorrow...so should be home by noon! I heart his new job, and so does he. What a blessin'.

I guess I best go wake up the little mister so we can get the big kids from their schoolio.





that's all.

Squash and heat

You should know that I played Squash today at the gym . Oh my, oh my!!! What fun is that?? (Thanks for the recommendation, Ann...I'm certain I wouldn't have tried it w/o your prodding:)

OH...and it's remarkably warm here....this the last week of summer. (is that right?)

OH...and I'm now ''co-leading' a "ministry for women" at my new church! (www.harvestspringschurch.com ) I think :)

I trust you all with send me your greatest and best ideas...and speakers, and schedules, and other cool things like that. Oh...and PRAY...because you know me...and me no is a leader. I'm anxious to see God work through me...cause mama knows it ain't going to be ME!

Welcome Back, Me

The message in church just today spoke so close to my heart. The transition of moving from Iowa to Great Falls has been just that. Transition. And transition is tough.

I'm making a concerted effort to focus on what's really important this week. We've been challenged to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the areas that we need to give over to Him each day this week to assist in doing this. "Fasting (giving something up for an intended purpose and time frame for an intended result) has been the challenge.

I'm 'fasting' Facebook. How dumb does that sound? I've let updates, conversations, 'likes', snooping, picture lookin', commenting, joking, thumbs upping, friend accepting, group joining, poll taking, quiz matching, and photo uploading take away from what is and should be first and foremost on my priority list. Time with the Saviour. Time in the Word. Prayer. Fulfilling my purpose here on Earth to be a whole-hearted follower of Christ.

Time for a refocus, Me!

check in

We're still alive. We close on the house on May 29th...also known as Brooks last day of school. :) We're very blessed that this house is sold. I notice its not nearly as clean lately!

Just trying to cram everyone and everything in before we leave!

sold......we think!

Yes, we accepted an offer on the house! It was a great offer...so we didn't even counter!!!
Now we're just praying everything keeps sailing along like this in the house category!!!
The van's not starting like it should (despite it's lovely new battery and brakes from last week)

It's a money pit we're in!!! Not the kind that's FULL of money....but the kind that TAKES money! :) Oh well...still counting my blessings!

sold......we think!

Yes, we accepted an offer on the house! It was a great offer...so we didn't even counter!!!
Now we're just praying everything keeps sailing along like this in the house category!!!
The van's not starting like it should (despite it's lovely new battery and brakes from last week)

It's a money pit we're in!!! Not the kind that's FULL of money....but the kind that TAKES money! :) Oh well...still counting my blessings!

Flashback Friday...

just for fun. Baby Reagan, in Feb....2004, Brooks as a baby, and Sydney in Feb 2006 (just after she was born....duh) and Brooks at his kindergarten Valentine's party!

my little Valentine's

Here's the kiddos all charged up and ready for the big Valentine's goings on at school today. Greyson got to go to the gym with me instead...much to his dismay.

do you see the heart in Reago's hair?? Who's the coolest mom you know??

Still Alive.

Me.
I am.


Another showing today. thought I'd pop my head out because I'm certainly NOT sleeping!

Here's a funny:

Yesterday Reagan grabbed my chest....two handed....full on, looked me dead in the eye and exclaimed, "Mom, these are your lungs.....they're attached to your heart." Apparently they've been learning some anatomy (albeit simple...and apparently a little messed up in her mind) in preschool.

Brooks passed 'Level One' swimming! Yes, that does mean that he submerged his face!!! Such progress for the boy...he's always really feared the water! I"m soo glad for him!!!

Greyson is BUSY. I really mean that......everyone who sees him comments on how huge he is. His most recent loves are DOGS! He goes crazy and just really can't stop talking (well, yelling) whenever he sees them! sooo cute! Same with balloons, which actually are around way more than you'd think. I don't think I ever realized that there were five or six locations in the mall with balloons in them....he goes nuts whenever he sees one and points enthusiastically gabbering like a fool. Really cute.

Sure do like my little family. Even Geoff. :) He's the dude who gets to keep the 'code pager' the next two weeks. (not the guy you want to have to show up for you if you're in the hospital) He puts the breathing tube in people that are 'coding'...among other things....and it can be a pretty stressful assignment. He also doesn't get home til almost seven....and I guess I've really gotten spoiled, because that's about three hours toooo late!

Let's pray this house sells soon so I can sleep...or at least worry about something else for a while!

House for Sale

Mine, actually. Never have I felt so violated! Those of you who know me well, know that I am no fan of clutter....on the 'outside'. I am the woman whose home you walk into and think..'how does she keep it this clean with three small children?" (ok, it's not that clean looking most of the time, actually) but here's my secret: JAM-PACKED CLOSETS! Really. It's that simple. In fact I am so disorganized that all my boys (Geoffrey included, much to his dismay) have some obnoxiously long and hideous fingernails currently because I simply don't know where our fingernail clippers are! (why can't they just bite them like the rest of us?) (yes..we DO have more than one pair!) Did I stash them in some drawer? Toss them in the trash?? More than likely yes to both! Yikes! this is confession time here I'm feeling 'freer' already!

so...that's where I've been, lately. Decluttering those closets and searching for nail clippers. I refuse to buy another pair because just after buying another pair of scissors I have found NINE pair of scissors and scissor type product around here in the last week.

Scary stuff, I know. Sorry, ma.

Happy New Year

We rang in the New Year at the Grady household. (thanks, Gradys) The Rotzoll's and the Kochan's were also there for some 'fellowship'. It was a great time...despite the fact that Geoff was post-call, and spent alot of the time asleep on the couch upstairs. (the guy knows

how to party..what can we say?) NO party is complete without some Kung Fu Panda, Guitar Hero, toe painting..and perhaps some Dance, Dance Revolution! (sorry there's no photographic evidence of that one...) Good times!

My Sweet Reagan

Reagan's really gotten into getting her picture taken lately. She, however, just likes to make some crazy faces for them! Here's a taste.

Christmas....2008

We had a pretty good Christmas around here. Christmas Eve was a bit of a downer because Geoffrey is working in the SICU...which means 30 hour shifts. (They're supposed to be 24 hour shifts....but it never really works out that way...let's just call them what they really are, k?) Anyways. He was gone all day Christmas Eve, and I spent most of the day CLEANING CUPBOARDS while Brooks, Reagan, and Greyson played unusually well together for most of the day. We were suprised that Geoff was able to come home at 9 am instead of the 2pm that we thought he'd return..so that was pretty cool. I must say I made a pretty good turkey dinner...with all the fixin's!

Here's some photos of the children opening their gifts and just being the goofy/lovable Taylors that they are!

Home Again, Home again....

Well, we're back. If I hadn't lost our really good camera (along with my iPod) a couple of days before Thanksgiving you'd see pictures of my awesome family and maybe even a few mountains!!!
Iowa's COLD to come home to! No offense, Iowa...but..seriously! This is a mean way to welcome a gal!

Attention!!

It has come to my attention that I haven't really let you in on the fact that we're moving to Montana ...probably in June! Geoff has accepted a job at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, Montana.

Can you say, 'light at the end of the tunnel???" woohoo!!! We're super blessed and excited for this job, but also feeling the sting of saying goodbye to Iowa and the awesome friendships we've formed here over the past nearly ten years!!!

So...that's the announcement...officially...finally! :) I guess I tell you just the details and not the big points, huh?

somehow my blogsite is in Spanish for my sign in...just so you know. I'm not exactly sure how that happened, or how to change it back, but I'm thinkin' those four years of Spanish in highschool have finally shown to be useful a little.

but..that's not why we're here.


Why ARE we here???



I don't know..but...I wish I had some cool pics to post or something interesting to say. I feel super ANXIOUS for the upcoming move to Montana...and have soOOO much to do....right this very second, like.....take showering for instance....that would be one of them...before Reagan's out of school..and Mrs. Vahle sees me AGAIN looking the fright.

Anyways, Happy Birthday Athena....I love ya!!!
and....

I miss you, Geoffrey...tons!


and...

I can't wait to head to Montana this Friday!!!!

and....

that's all for now.

Geoff's home for the weekend, so...that's pretty cool.

Pukey all doney

Big hoorays for that. We just have 'colds' to deal with here. Reagan and Greyson, mostly..but I think they'll make it. Especially since Reagan just got results from the immunologist and has a completely (almost) NORMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM!!!!!!!

That's somethin' to dance about!

yuck

Geoff's in Des Moines. Greyson's puking...and Reagan's a sicky, too. I hope she doesn't commence puke factory, too! ick.
just ick.

So Thankful.

Brooks and I had quite a clash yesterday morning before school. He was VERY angry with me and did something that was very disrespectful/not allowed in the Taylor house.
He was sent to his room.

For the first time that I can remember, when I went into his room to talk about what had happened, and retrieve my apology, Brooks was crying. (ok, not weird that he was crying, but this wasn't 'mad cry'..this was....genuinely sad cry) He was so very upset with the whole situation. He told me that he had done something very bad, and was going to have to go to hell! What?? I quickly explained to him that he had been forgiven..he didn't need to worry about going to hell. He rebutted with, "but it was REALLY bad what I did, mom!". I quickly pointed out to him that there were people sitting in prison right now that had killed someone, but because they had repented of their sin, they would one day be in heaven, with Jesus.....just because they genuinely asked him for forgiveness. He was amazed. We've been talking about this ever since he was teeny,...but it's awesome to see him learning soo much through the Holy Spirit. Geoff got home from work right at this same time...and quicky reiterated all that we had spoken about.

Grace.

Tough stuff to wrap your mind around....even for adults!

So Thankful.

terrible.

wow.
I'm really a neglectful blogger lately. It just seems like there's no TIME lately! Geoff's been working nights last week...and this weekend I mentioned to him that I was sure feel 'disconnected' from him lately. He quickly pointed out that he worked 90 hours last week! Think that might have had something to do with it??? He's working nights again this week...and then Sunday leaves for Des Moines for a month to get more 'cardio-thoracic' experience. While I'm grateful that he'll be able to get some more heart cases under his belt before being out on his own very soon...it's gonna be lonesome. Anyone wanna come visit???