And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where Team Taylor is set to recap and AWESOME, incredible end of the 2019 year. Plenty to cover, so let's get amongst it, shall we?
12/1 - I got to teach the lesson in Arrows today (actually got to share a Leadership principle at the Saturday and Sunday huddle as well!), and I did something I very rarely do - picked Kaitlyn to play the game! Here's the deal - she is always so, so, so, SO well behaved, but I often pass over her because she's my daughter. Today, however, I decided that was not going to be the case. We always say that we pick kids who are sitting back, being polite, and paying attention, and today I picked her. She LOVED it...and the girls one!
She did't get an "attention," and after church she said, "Dada, I want to practice 'Attention' with you." Too cute! Oh, and she got a coin for answering a question correctly. Proud of you, kiddo!
The afternoon was a lot of fun. The weather was great but super windy. And while that might have been cause for concern, it didn't slow us down. In fact, we went...kiting, baby!!!!! It was funny, as I did NOT want to do this. However, the girls really were keen on it, and by the time I got out of the house, Jenny already had the Dory kite unfurled. The good news - after several rocky starts, we got it up in the air! I was really impressed, as I gave us ZERO shot. Kaitlyn was too cute, as she was running around with the kite to generate her own wind. So fun!
Cora was pretty good about running around as well, but she was much more into her Calico Critters than the kite. It's actually been fascinating to watch - if Jenny takes her ponies away (due to potty accidents), then Cora immediately gravitates to the Calico Critters. The tough part - suddenly Kaitlyn (who now has free reign with those ponies) doesn't want to play with the ponies anymore. Instead, she wants to play with the Calico Critter set that she HASN'T TOUCHED IN MONTHS UNTIL BEAR IS ALL ABOUT IT. Gotta love it! 
12/3 - Can I just say how much the girls are LOVING Pearl? It's just adorable. First thing they do when they come downstairs is look for her. And I must confess - I'm enjoying hiding her, as I just love the excitement they exude when they find her. Oh, and they are also LOVING their morning chocolate and little Advent calendar present. I mean...these girls live the GOOD life. Kaitlyn had a dentist appointment today, and everything checked out good! They want to seal her molars, which feels odd to me since they are baby teeth. However, as she will have them for awhile AND it's free with insurance...well...hard to pass that up. :-)
12/4 - So a cute moment today: We were signing Sam's birthday card (our Goddaughter), and we asked Kaitlyn if she wanted to "sign Sam's card." She said yes and went to work at a fever pitch. Now this is how she normally goes about things like this, so I thought nothing of it...until she handed me the card. She thought the "Sam" in question was me, and she wrote it to me! Honestly, it was SO SWEET, and rest assured I intend to keep it forever. She talked about how much she loved "Kaitlyn - Dad" time. Too cute! And props to Wife Muffin, as she already had a second card on standby in the event anything went sideways. Always thinking! Love that woman!
On the Cora front, she is LOVING the books "Finger plays and songs" right now. So cute! Seriously - she loves the songs, and it's so much fun to sing with her and tickle her. That book has all the classics: Itsy Bitsy, Open/Shut them, Wheels on the Bus - you name it. And it's cute when she picks it up and says, "Fingerplays and Songs!" Love that kid!
On thing to note for Cora - poor girl has little red scabs at both corners of her mouth at the moment. She's licking them constantly, which is only making things worse. We started putting aquaphor on there tonight, so hopefully that will help some.
12/5 - So I pull into the neighborhood after work tonight and notice that ALL the power is out. I call JT, and sure enough - the power died 10 minutes before I arrived. JT was just starting to cook, but obviously cooking in the dark with no power wasn't really on our list of "must do's" for the holidays. More to the point: Kaitlyn was scared, and Bear was getting scared because K was upset. I walked in and Cora said, "Creepy House!" However, I am pleased to report that Team Taylor rallied!
Funniest line of the night: Cora hasn't peed in HOURS but has been drinking water steadily. I ask, "Bear, do you need to go potty?" She stands up in the booth, spreads her legs, and yells, "FEEL MINE PANTIES!!!!!"
My response was simple: "I'm the only man you're ever allowed to say that to."
Oh, and can I just say to Vol Nana - these Advent gifts are AWESOME! Seriously - they are just the right size, and all of them are practical - hair clips, hair ties, bracelets, necklaces, etc. The girls are LOVING them!
12/6 - Today was an AWESOME day for the girls, as it was the arrival of....VOL NANA!!!!! We didn't tell them she was coming until about 2 hours before, so as you can expect they were over the moon. That night was just a chill evening of eating chili, playing games, and relaxing by the fire. It was so fun!
12/7 - Today was a great one all around. Wife Muffin headed down to South Park for a 5K (oddly enough, it was the first ever official 5K she'd ever done - all other runs had been longer distances!) and then showered over at Megan's before meeting me uptown for our Freedom House Leaders Christmas Lunch. Vol Nana had the girls, and they had an EPIC day! Their mission was simple - SEE SANTA. I am happy to report they crushed it. :-)
It was the annual "Meet Santa" at the clubhouse, and mom got to go over there with the girls and see all the fun firsthand. They posed with Santa and Mrs. Claus, had their peppermint sticks, drank their hot cocoa (with marshmallows!), had cookies, posed for pictures, rode the train, and got some REALLY cute face paintings done! They even got balloon animals (a polar bear for K, a unicorn for Bear). Seriously - the face painting was incredible - K got the reindeer again, and Bear even got in on the action in earnest for the first time. Her unicorn face was amazing! The horn was so cool!
It was back home for cookies and presents, which the girls weren't expecting. It was cute - K said, "You mean we get to open them now?" I actually loved it, as space it out makes life much easier (and makes them more appreciative for sure). The gifts were great, and the highlight was this AWESOME Frozen Palace that Steve and Mom put together. The girls LOVE it! Seriously - Cora can't stay away from that thing - it's too cute.
One interesting note - the girls were starting to show out a bit and just act petulant and spoiled as the day wore on. Christmas is always tough for stuff like this, but it was especially prevalent that afternoon. Kaitlyn was manageable, but Bear was insufferable. And finally, after multiple warnings - AND after she sassed my mom, I gave her a HARD pop on the tail. She cried, but man did she fall in line quickly. Oddly enough - so did Kaitlyn. :-) They were angels the rest of the day!
The sweetest moment was that evening when mom was tucking K in. Kaitlyn said, "I feel like I'm gonna do a happy cry. I've never done a happy cry." Love. That. Kid.
12/8 - We hit the early service at church before lunch at the Sweet Spot - SO GUUUUUUUUD! We then returned home, where Jenny, Kaitlyn, and mom went to see Frozen II. They said it wasn't as good as the first one, but it was still really good and had amazing effects. Plus, there was candy consumed, so all was not lost. Oh, and I think cookies or ice cream might have been consumed (I know they were yesterday at CFA after visiting Santa! :-))
The girls snuck out while Cora was playing with the Frozen castle, but she did round the corner at one point with her shoes on (just after they'd left) and said, "I'm ready to go to the store!" I managed to distract her by saying, "Do you want to play princesses?", to which she immediately acquiesced and headed back to the house.
Bear was GREAT all afternoon - we played quite a bit together, but when I needed a break, so was super content to go and play by herself. The girls got home probably 5:30-6ish, and we had yummy pizza for dinner before calling it a night.Oh, and Kaitlyn completed a THREE HUNDRED PIECE CAT PUZZLE ALMOST COMPLETELY ON HER OWN THIS WEEKEND. Seriously - mom and I watched her in action, and it was amazing. Much like with art - that girl has GOT THE GIFT. It's amazing to see how she works things out - fascinating really. Also - she's started saying phrases backwards to see if she can get the word order right. Really interesting. I think both of our girls are quite intelligent, and that is a GREAT feeling, as I know it will make their lives so much easier on the journey ahead. THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!
We went to bed that night with full bellies and grateful hearts. It was a PERFECT weekend - one of the best I've had in awhile. Thank you, momma, for everything! It was so great. My cup runneth over. 12/11 - Today was crazy for me at work once again. I got home about 6:10, and it's just so tough! It's honestly tough for the whole family, as I'm home over an hour later than normal. That means I miss dinner, and I miss the after dinner playtime because I'm trying to scarf down food before bath and bed. It's hard for all of us because the girls want my attention, but they are in the living room or hallway (I'm at the table), and the net result is them both wild with energy and shouting nonstop. That means JT and I get to say about .000000001 words to each other in that window.
Jenny and I have actually had a chat about this - lately it feels like the girls are saying "Mommy watch me" with increasing volume and frequency. It's been tough, as they've started interrupting again and just generally refusing to let us rest and chat. We are going to monitor it through Christmas (as obviously excitement, sugar, and my limited availability play a role), but in the new year we may have to lay down some new ground rules. Watch this space! :-)
K had piano tonight, and I think they said she learned Frosty the Snowman! I know she's playing jingle bells really good - so exciting to see her progressing!
Oh, and Rex the X update - we seem to be leaking an increased amount of oil, and the smell is noticeably worse. In a word...suboptimal. More to come!
Bear was wonderful during quiet time as well - she actually slept from 2:45-4. I woke her up (she was sleeping on the floor under her blanket!), and she was DEEP in sleep. It took her a good while to come out of it. And the good news - NO PEE PEE ACCIDENTS!!!! She even told me she needed to potty and peed successfully all day. YAY!!!!! Turnin' the corner, baby!!!The girls were great tonight. Work was nuts, so Kaitlyn read to Cora (it was so sweet). They are both so cute in their long sleeve flannel night gowns. LOVE!
Oh, and Bear was actually the one who found Pearl today. Full Marks, Cora!
12/13 - Happy Birthday, Granddaddy! 72 today! We love you so much and hope it's a GREAT day.
Let me brag on Cora - she was SO MATURE today! Once again she had no accidents at preschool, but even more than that - she peed 3x and pooped once at home in the afternoon - all on her own! She told me she needed to go the first time, but after that she just went! She can get up on the toilet now, wipe some, and wash her own hands! It was amazing - I was trying to do something with work and had a big call when she announced she was pooping. I had to dial in, and so she finished, wiped, and hopped off - I checked her bum, and it was almost totally clean! So proud of you kid! And get this - when she got home from pre-school, she had a HUGE smile on her face. She even gave JP a high five! I mean, this NEVER happens with Lindsey - it was amazing! I instantly wrote L-Dub and gave her the news. :-) Too funny!Also, I think we are turning a corner in the tooth brushing world, as Cora is now able to put her toothpaste on the brush and is actively brushing. YAY! I mean, I wasn't sure if this day would EVER come, so this is a big deal for me. :-)
Speaking of work - I did have a dad fail today. Let me just say it: work has been insanely busy and downright tough/frustrating the past few weeks. The hours have been long, a lot of head-butting has
Taken place, and today was particularly difficult. Add in the fact that it's the end of a long week, it's pouring, and I've got two girls who want to play, and it's a tough thing to manage. They really were great - Cora played in her room for TWO HOURS, and Kaitlyn came home in really good spirits from school. However, I was at my wits end, and when K wouldn't do piano on her own and argued with me a little when I tried to help, it rubbed me the wrong way. Still, my attitude wasn't her fault, as it was more work (and the fact that Cora had been poking me, covering me in stickers, and babbling for the last hour while I tried to work - but again, I can't be upset with her, as she was just excited to play with me!) than anything. Then when K learned that Cora had a treat for no accidents, she got huffy and said that wasn't fair (I reminded her she got to see Frozen but Bear didn't - she didn't like that). And then even after I promised that both of them could watch a show on separate devices, they were still complaining about not wanting to watch each other's show. I lost it at that point and slammed my hands on the table. Instantly, both of them went silent and started crying. I did apologize, but I had to let them work through it and cry it out, so I went and did some dishes. It was, in a word...suboptimal. 
We did really, but you could tell they knew to tread lightly the rest of the night. When we were playing the ball toss, K started throwing it wildly and hit the light. She could tell I wasn't best pleased and said, "I don't want to play this anymore because I might hit the light again and you'll be mad at me." We opted for soccer instead. :-)
But we ended strong with snuggles, reading, prayers, and kisses...as well as a few tickles to Twinkle, Twinkle. All's well that ends well. And let me tell you - the girls LOVE the Lidl chicken strips. Who knew, right?
12/14 - Today was a really good and productive one overall (albeit not without its challenges)...even if I didn't actually leave the house! The girls slept in - Bear actually slept later than K for a change. That should have been a first sign indicator that something wasn't right (more to come on that), but everyone was in good spirits in the AM.
Kaitlyn was GREAT on piano - that girl is really, really picking it up! Her finger position is good, her strokes and finger control is great, and she can FLY through Jingle Bells! And best of all - when she makes a mistake, she's starting to immediately correct it without looking at the sheet. That suggests she's starting to learn the notes, the tones, and the rhythms. YAY! I think she already has better command of harmonies than her father. :-) This week was the first time she's ever had to play 2 notes at the same time with the same hand, and she's getting it! She's still rushing tempos a bit, but I'll take that any day of the week!The morning passed quickly - dishes, clothes, chores, and TV. It was then time for lunch before Kaitlyn headed off for her featured activity - Carowinds Winterfest with the Girl Scout troop! Now y'all, I have NO IDEA what the plan or schedule was. All I know is that I was supposed to send her out the door and entrust her to Ellie and Ms. Alexis, saddled with $30 and a backpack full of clothes and snacks. They departed at 12:30 and didn't get back her until after 8! And let me tell you - based on the pics and the stories...it. Was. EPIC.
That girl hit the petting zoo, played some game and won ANOTHER plush (this one named Snowball), tried a caramel covered funnel cake, had some Cinnabon, ate dinner at Wendy's rode some rides, watched some shows, hugged Snoopy, and by all accounts had a day for the ages! I mean...they must have done it all! I asked K what her favorite part was and she said, "I don't know. It was all the best!" I mean, that's a good problem to have. :-)The news back at Regal Court, however, wasn't as great. I'd noticed that Bear was pretty lethargic after breakfast, and by lunch she was basically just staring into space. She said she was cold (which NEVER happens), yet she felt warm. When I asked her if she felt bad, she just nodded. It was true - she had zero energy, and she actually asked to take a nap. I didn't take her temp, but I did give her ibuprofen. I rocked her for a bit, and she slept for almost 2 hours. Girl had yellow snot just pouring down from her nose, and she looked miserable.
Fast forward to dinner - she didn't eat much (but did drink a lot) and said that her mouth hurt (she was very specific). A kid in her class did have HFM last week or the week before, and by bath time she was very sluggish and didn't want to move. That being said, she didn't complain when I brushed her teeth. She did, however, post a 102.3 temp! I gave her some more meds, and she sacked out about 7:30. Praying that she sleeps through the night!
And lastly, we MUST MUST MUST congratulate Wife Muffin on completing her 5th half marathon down in Kiawah! CONGRATS, MUFFIN PUFFIN!!!! SO PROUD OF YOU! I love you!!!!!!! Way to lead by example and show our kiddos GIRL POWER!!!!!
12/15 - WOW! What a night! So it all started at 3:18 AM, when Cora woke up screaming like a banshee. And keep in mind - I had the monitor on thinking this could happen, but I still hadn't figured out how to turn it down, and so it was basically at full volume. Yes, so translation - I had Cora screaming in surround sound. I went in with ibuprofen, and I found the poor girl laying in bed and completely disheveled. I managed to get her to sit up and take the medicine, but then she laid right back down. It was really wild - I asked her if she wanted me to rock her, and she just shook her head and rolled back over. That girl knows what she wants! And get this - she went RIGHT to sleep and stayed out until 9:30!
I went back into my room and managed to get back to sleep...until 4:37. That was the moment when I heard "DAD" whispered very loudly beside me. I looked over and saw K about 2 inches from my face. That woke me up! She told me she needed to pee and didn't want to use her room for fear that it might wake Cora. It was a noble sentiment, so I said okay. She then headed back to her room.
4:56: "Dad" - same thing, right by my bed. This time she told me her tummy hurt, but I just wrote it off to the fact that she'd eaten so much trash the night before. I told her to try to lay down or poop, and she chose the former, and then she went back to bed.
5:42: "Dad" - I rolled over, more awake this time. She said, "I just threw up." Poor thing! THAT got my attention! I went into her room, and sure enough, she had vomited. The good news - it wasn't a ton, and she said that she felt better afterwards. The bad news - it had managed to land on her top sheet, bottom sheet, comforter, and the carpet. I thought she had it all out of her system, so I mad the rookie dad error of saying, "It's okay, just come into our room and lay down while I change the sheets." To my credit, I did put a trash can down. To Kaitlyn's credit, when she did throw up the second time, almost all of it got in there. However, some still hit the floor...on Jenny's side of the bed. :-)
We were downstairs by 6:30, and at 7 poor thing was pooping and vomiting at the same time! Needless to say that was the clincher, and I had to tell Pastor Michael that I couldn't teach in Arrows. I really hated it for everyone, but we were in no shape to go anywhere (credit to Pastor Michael for convincing me to not try and bring them in). We laid low the whole day, and by the time JT got back from Kiawah, both girls were a mess. We got them to bed early, and they ate decent that night. Consequently, we were hopeful they were both on the mend.
12/16 - So again, Cora woke up screaming at 3 AM, but before that - Kaitlyn puked both in her bed and in our room (she was running in to tell us when an ocean of red vomit hit the carpet - thank goodness for Resolve!). Needless to say, JT and I slept in that morning! No working out! Kaitlyn had a temperature, so she didn't go to school. It actually hit 103.4 that morning, which was the highest for her I'd ever seen. Bear was in better spirits, but she had bumps EVERYWHERE.
We went to the doctor thinking it was strep, but she was negative. K had no energy and no appetite, but she did have a 104.1 fever. 105 is ER time, so needless to say I was getting a little antsy. JT gave her meds, but even medicated she was 102.1! Jenny even took her to Cookout for a milkshake as a treat for getting through the strep testing, but the poor girl couldn't even eat it! She said the peanut butter hurt her throat. :-(12/17 - Kaitlyn was better today, but the fever was still there, and both her energy and appetite were gone. It was a quiet day of puzzles, board games, and tv for the girls. My wife muffin is a saint and a trooper!
12/18 - BIG NEWS - finally, K's fever has broken. Bear seems totally back to normal (angry as ever), and K is getting some pep back in her step. If all goes well, they'll be back at school tomorrow. Fingers crossed! Gotta get those girls well in time for Christmas!
Funniest note of the night - as you know, Cora has ZERO qualms about telling us EXACTLY how she feels. Also, she has the gift of making very matter of fact statements. Well, tonight she was running around the corner toward the breakfast nook to tell me and Jenny something, and she just tripped on her own feet and fell. She instantly was NOT happy, and so I tried to lighten the mood by saying "Did that floor just jump up and trip you?" Cora turned in a huff and yelled, "No, Gag! The floor doesn't move!" Priceless! 
12/19 - We got both girls back off to school today, and that was SUCH a blessing. Everyone in the house actually got out and breathed fresh air - a veritable Christmas miracle. Oh, and full disclosure - we are now starting to use Cora as a meme. She is sticking that lip out all the time (now oftentimes as a joke), but I have taken to sending said pics to Lindsey and Jenny with the caption: "Yay. (insert the event description). Joy." Some of them have been priceless!12/20 - Today was a FUN day all around. For starters, the girls both felt SO much better! Kaitlyn only had a half day, but she had fun playing with and seeing all her friends. Cora had a full day, but it was PARTY DAY AT UCUMC! Jenny attended the party, where Cora got a donut and a slice of pizza! Oh, and did I mention she also had 2 cookies AND had cupcakes because it was someone's birthday? I mean...for crying out loud! We actually brought in donut holes to celebrate Cora's birthday, so needless to say she had all the sugar her little body could handle that day! Oh, and both girls brought home cute little gifts - commemorative Christmas decorations leveraging their thumb and finger prints to make the designs. Very cute! I love the schools these girls are enrolled in. So blessed!
The girls took it easy in the afternoon, hanging out and baking cookies for the cookie exchange. I wasn't there to assist with baking, but I WILL take credit for convincing Jenny to NOT use a 1 year old bag of cookie dough from Aldi! In her defense, she didn't know it had expired (but this guy was pretty sure it had - CHECK). Things kicked up a notch in the evening with the arrival of...Granddaddy, Granny A, AND Aunt Pattie! What followed was a PERFECT weekend of family time - we had SO much fun. 12/21 - The girls were in Heaven today. They started the day curled up with Granny A in her bed watching TV on her tablet, and what followed was a mixture of fun, sugar, screen time, and presents. I mean...who's gonna argue with that?
We had breakfast (danishes and eggs) before getting straight into it and celebrating Christmas. We all received some truly WONDERFUL gifts (the Cokesbury hymnal for me was just amazing), and can I just say how amazing each set of parents has done this year? All of the presents have been different but really unique, and the girls have loved each and every one of them. And let me also thank you all for not going overboard. :-)After that, Kaitlyn, Jenny, and Pattie decorated cookies, and then Kaitlyn went to the annual Highland Creek cookie exchange. This is something that always fills up, but we actually managed to snag a spot this year. Yay! Kaitlyn came back with a veritable treasure trove of cookies, and they are goooooooooood. And I got lucky, as she had 2 pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and I'm the only one in the house that liked it!
I took Pattie, Dad, and Alice on a brewery tour, and the afternoon was just awesome. We had a BLAST at Yancey, and then we walked over to OMB. It was cold, but we made it count by walking the German Christmas market, petting doggies, and stuffing ourselves full of pretzels, cheese sauce, and grilled Cheese sandwiches. Talk about body is a temple!
We then wandered over to Sugar Creek Brewing, where there was a bluegrass band picking. We hung out there for a bit, and then it was back home, where we just played, watched TV, and lounged around. Everyone was in bed early - talk about a full day!
12/22 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY CORA BEAR!!!!!!! How in the WORLD are you three years old!??!?!?!?!?!? But let me tell you, today was...AWESOME!!!! You were SO happy and so wonderful all day. It was the happiest, smiliest I have ever seen you. So fun!
The girls hung out with Granddaddy and company while we went to church, and then we came back in time for gifts and this Italian Cream Cake that was DIVINE. Seriously - I am not a cake person, but it was AWESOME.
Dad & Company then left, and so we had lunch before giving Cora our gifts (and Vol Nana's gifts). And while they were playing with those, Nole Nana and Grandpa showed up, and THEY brought both Christmas AND birthday presents! The funniest part - it was DEFINITELY a My Little Pony theme for Bear, as almost every present she got centered around that. Too cute!
One cool thing I must share - Kaitlyn received 6 one hundred piece puzzles from Bob and Jan (6 Wizard of Oz puzzles they bought while in Kansas). She put ALL SIX of them together that night - 4 of them with ZERO help. Now y'all, let me just tell you - these puzzles were NOT easy...and. She. CRUSHED. Them. Seriously - I told her, "Kaitlyn, what you are doing right now is something that daddy really can't do. I am well and truly impressed." She was a machine! Such focus! Such discipline! It was a really, really cool thing to see. We went to bed LATE that night, but MAN was it fun. The girls were so much fun - laughing and playing and giggling. Cora even fell at one point and busted her lip (blood was flowing), but that didn't stop her from laughing for more than 2 minutes. If anything, she's been happier since that fat lip than at any point in the previous 6 months!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CORA BEAR!!!!!! Mommy and Daddy love you SO much and honestly cannot BELIEVE how quickly you are growing. Know that you are a good and perfect gift. Know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Know that you are the daughter of a King. Know that you. Are. Loved. 12/24 - HOW IN THE WORLD IS IT CHRISTMAS EVE!?!?!?! I had to work in the morning but signed off by noon, as it was a FLAT OUT day (I mean, parents of the world...you can relate, right?). The girls went straight to Central Campus for our annual Merry Queen City Christmas service. They said that it was great - complete with a petting zoo, hot cocoa, wagon rides, sweets, carolers, and the best part for the kiddos - a 3-D experience inside the worship center featuring snow, "magic glasses," and the Polar Express!
For the record, I was not with my girls for the first time ever at service, as this guy had a fun activity of his own...I was the conductor for the Polar Express at our Lake Norman campus! There were 2 services, and it was just SO COOL to be part of it. The snow, the lights, the sound, the costume...it was all fantastic. It was an answered prayer for me - but you'll have to cross reference the Encounter log to get more of those details. :-)
I left church after my part in the 6 PM service and drove back to HC, where I got the chance to hang with Team Williams for a bit at their annual Christmas Eve Italian Christmas party. Jenny and the girls had been there since 4 or so, and they had a BLAST! The kids played great (even if Kaitlyn fell into the mud and completely SOAKED her Christmas outfit...details...) and had a blast, and luckily there was plenty of food left for me still at the end of the night. The funniest part - Kaitlyn found some "donut holes" and took a bite. She stopped mid-bite and said, "I don't think I am supposed to eat these, Mommy. I think they have alcohol in them." Um...WHAT!?!?!? Insert a group of adults suddenly looking at Jenny and wondering "Why does Kaitlyn know what alcohol tastes like?" Too funny!
And for the record, she knew the taste because it was the same one as the banana pudding at Yancey on Memorial Day - great memory TT!It was then home for reindeer food, setting out cookies for Santa, and a quick bath. We got the girls in bed about 8:30, and I am SHOCKED they went to sleep given how much sugar was coursing through their veins. We are due a MEGA detox in January!
12/25 - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! What a GREAT day! Honestly, I just want to thank God and our family for this December, because it just all seemed to flow and work out PERFECTLY - especially compared to last year. Not sure if you remember, but last year Jenny and I were a little upset by how quickly Kaitlyn discarded what her mom and I had purchased for her. In retrospect, we realized that it had just been present overload in a short period of time, and so this year we were both so grateful for how much more evenly spaced the gift giving was (I know, I know - first world problems to be sure!). Between mom the first weekend, dad the third weekend, and then Bob & Jan here on Bear's birthday, it was the right amount of spacing to allow for a really fun Christmas with gifts from us, Santa, the McLaren's, and Aunt Kim & Uncle Matt (plus a pajama gram from Vol Nana and Grand Pooh!).
The girls actually slept in until after 7 - BLISS!!!! We had a lie in as well, and it was GLORIOUS - especially after all the craziness we'd contended with over the previous few days (I had been sending work emails at 9:30 PM on Christmas Eve - first time in my life I'd ever done that). We opened the gifts, had breakfast casserole, and then settled in on our collectively favorite gift from Santa - Disney Plus! Seriously - it is AMAZING (for everyone!). Kaitlyn was really, really excited about her gifts, which made us very happy. The same was true for Bear - she was in my little pony Heaven! The biggest gift for each girl (something you want) was a scooter, complete with an age appropriate helmet (something you need). Kaitlyn got a Razor, which she loved and is already showing some clear mastery of - very cool! Bear has a radio flyer, and she really enjoys it! It obviously moves slower, but that's by design, as this is her first real "balance apparatus."
Jenny and I did manage to get workouts and 5K's in over the course of the afternoon, and get this - Kaitlyn made it 1.5 miles with JT! They did the Fairvista loop! I was well and truly impressed (needless to say K was exhausted when she got home - it's a tough loop for little legs, and it was pretty hot & humid out there!).
About 4 PM we rolled over to Clan McLaren for Christmas Dinner, which was just perfect. The girls played downstairs GREAT together for about 4 hours, and we ate like CHAMPS. The food was great, the company was wonderful, and it was just a perfect, happy way to spend Christmas. Truly, we are so blessed beyond measure to have such wonderful friends (and for the girls to have such wonderful friends as well). THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!
12/26 - Disney plus has dominated the TV and Team Taylor's activity since Christmas morning. We've watched 4 movies in 2 days, but can I say it again - IT. IS. INCREDIBLE. Seriously - I am absolutely loving it, and the girls are as well. EVERYTHING is on there! Kaitlyn watched The Little Mermaid (which is such a treat since finding it on DVD is impossible and the Library copy is totally jacked), and then afterwards she found Little Mermaid II, which she has LOVED. She's watched it 3x already!
One thing we will have to watch during all this holiday laziness - K has started to suck her thumb again. We obviously let that slide when she's sick, as we know how much comfort it gives her (when comfort is hard to find). However, we are having to call it out when we see it anywhere but the bedroom. The good news - we can already tell it's diminishing.We were pretty lazy most of the day, but we did get outside for about 3 hours - including 2 at the park with Team Burch. Kaitlyn and Jenny rode bikes to and from the park, and while there K and Taylie played great together. Cora played right along with them most of the time - either hide and seek or tag. The girls were great to include her, and she was really good about being bold and mixing it up with them. The highlight for me was the teeter-totter, as I was basically bouncing all three girls (it was cute, and they had a blast).
12/27 - It was a GREAT day! I had breakfast with Olan from church, and the girls took it easy. We honestly didn't do much at all, but we did get over to the Greenway for about an hour and a half. Kaitlyn only rode about 4 miles, but it is AMAZING how much stronger she is and how much her balance has improved. She actually wanted to do the little stretch to the "Softball Girl" statue, and she made it to the statue without stopping for the first time ever! Also, she's getting much, much faster when we "race." Lastly, we started riding up and down the hill to the football stadium, and I was SHOCKED by a) how confident and brave K was moving at high speed down the walkways and b) how far up the hill she was able to climb in a single speed bike! Seriously - that girls was really using her quads. Proud of you, kid!12/28 - Today was a fun day for everyone, albeit for different reasons. For me, today was the culmination of a 3 year dream - an answered prayer. Today, I stood on the platform at Freedom House and was given 5 minutes to share a bit of the word and a bit of my personal story/testimony. It was a truly AWESOME, humbling, incredible experience, and I'm so thankful for the church leadership giving me the opportunity.
12/29 - Today was "Pajama and Movie Day" at FH Kids - pop tarts and the Grinch all around! Get this - when Kaitlyn woke up, she actually messed her hair up further to promote bed head ("Dada, I look like Anna on Elsa's coronation day!"). Add in some slippers and the eye mask, and you've got a girl that won BEST PJ'S AND BED HEAD at service! And get this - for winning, she got a blanket AND a $15 gift card to Fandango! How cool is that?Today was a dream come true and answered prayer for me, as I got to speak twice on the platform at Freedom House. Several folks got to watch the livestream, which was really, really cool! It was just an amazing experience, as were hearing other people's stories and praying for 3 different sets of folks during prayer time.
A funny moment after service - were were talking about watching the same movie at each service, and here was the conversation:
Me: "Cora, did you watch the Grinch?"
Bear: "No, we watched Mickey Mouse."
K: "Did you watch it twice?"
Bear: "No, we watched it two times."
K: "So you watched it twice?"
Bear: "NO - we watched it TWO times."
Me: "Cora, it's the same thing. Twice and Two times are the same. So you did watch it twice."
Bear: "NO! We watched it TWO TIMES!"
K: "But Cora, it means the same thing. Dada's right - you did watch it twice."
Bear (exasperated at this point because clearly K and I are morons): "NO! WE WATCHED IT TWO TIMES!!!!!"
Chuckling, I just let it go (Frozen style).
The afternoon was good - we stayed in, watched Hercules, and relaxed as a family. Kaitlyn has rediscovered the light board she can draw on, and she's made some AMAZING pictures lately! Seriously - her drawing of the elephant on the box is really, really good! She has such a talent that I NEVER had. And of course, after drawing said awesome elephant, she said, "It looks terrible." I then had to explain what being your "own worst critic" meant.
Two other tough things to note - the calls for Mama and Dada to watch from both girls (but especially K) have reached a fever pitch lately, and interrupting when Jenny and I are speaking has spiked to levels not seen in some time. I am trying to ferret this one out, and I think it may tie to the other observation I've had.
For the last few nights, K hasn't wanted to read. If she does read, she just mumbles almost inaudibly and quickly, missing words and flying through the book. We bought her some chapter books for Christmas, and I've been stunned at the fact that she's not even looked at either of them - same was true on all the library books Jenny got her a few weeks back.
It's hard to know if she's just feeling overwhelmed by the next level of reading or what, but it's been very noticeable. What's also been noticeable - she is reading younger, much simpler books that she basically has memorized. And when she turns each page (board books in some cases she aged out of 3 years ago), she wants to show each of us something about the page.I am wondering if, as we start to praise Cora more or we start to have more conversations with Cora (now that she's getting older), she is watching to see what we praise Cora and then trying to emulate it. Honestly, I don't know, and I'm obviously not going to overthink it. We did, however, mandate that she read a new book this evening at bedtime. :-) Watch this space!
12/30 - Today has been an AWESOME day (I'm finally current as I type this). You don't realize how much you miss/need/thrive on a schedule until you don't have it, and it was just SO GREAT to get up and have quiet time and workout time to start the day. The last 24 hours have just been a torrent of emotion, but God came through in a MAJOR way this morning (as He often does!). I had been struggling with how to juggle my personal priorities, family, work, church, etc - and so God just stepped in and said "I've got this." I have had such a peace all day - a thankfulness for my job, a good workout, great quiet time, steady progress on personal and work to-do's, and great time with the girls and JT this morning. God is really helping me to manage the here and now vs. my plan, and that is a GREAT feeling. I got to hug and tell the girls how much I loved them this morning, and that made all the difference and set the tone for the day. I also wore a cross around my neck to remind me of the example I need to set and how I need to monitor my words, thoughts, and deeds. That too, helped set a tone.
The girls hit Mallard Creek Rec Center in the morning (JT said it was BEDLAM) and then hit the Greenway with Team Burch in the afternoon. While Cora wasn't super happy out of the gate (JT sent me a photo of her on the scooter that was priceless), she rallied a bit later. Kaitlyn and Taylie played great together as always - so blessed that they are friends and live so close! And get this - they did THREE MILES on their scooters on the Greenway today!
12/31 - I mean....how in the WORLD is it the last day of the year already? Man, this year has FLOWN by - hard to believe it's over and 2020 is here. What I will say - Team Taylor ended the decade with a bang and made this day count, and all the props go to Jenny "Mommy of the Year" Taylor for her efforts there.
The morning was good, with chores getting knocked off and Christmas decorations slowly coming down. Kaitlyn read for 10 minutes, and she was SO. MUCH. BETTER. Seriously - she was back to reading with inflection and expression, and she nailed some big words (construction was my favorite). Back on track, baby! But we have kept the focus on it, as we want to ensure she understands how important it is (especially while school isn't in session). Jenny told the girls that we had a little "party" planned in the afternoon, and the girls were very excited. Sure enough, at 4 PM, I shut down the work laptop, and the festivities began! Jenny had created this AMAZING platter to snack on - 3 kinds of crackers, 3 kinds of cheese, and fruit. We HOOVERED that thing as a family. We then ran around and played for a bit before the next highlight - poppers, baby!!!! So this was SO great - Jenny found poppers (noise and confetti poppers) at Publix, and the girls LOVED them! Cora couldn't really pull them without help, but she did enjoy chasing the streamers as they blasted out. Kaitlyn, however, was ALL ABOUT IT, and it was just so fun to watch them in action.
They loved blowing the streamers (Bear could really do those good!), blowing the horns (K was blowing 2 at a time), wearing the blinking glasses, and wearing the party hats & tiaras. SO FUN! Jenny then served the girls mac 'n cheese (and chocolate, of course). After that we broke out the jam box and had a dance party! The girls weren't over impressed with our musical selections, but I personally thought the Black Eyed Peas were a perfect choice. Dancing and spinning with them was such a hoot - especially when we danced to "the Git up."
We then logged onto netflix with our bubbly at the ready...and by bubbly we mean Red Wine for the adults and Capri Sun poured into plastic, disposable glasses for the girls. We did a couple of short countdown snippets, toasted, and then headed up for bed. What a great night!
Seriously, JT - SO IMPRESSED! Good job you making it fun for the girls and having so many fun activities for them. As always, you knocked it out of the park.
The girls were up for bed by 8, and we hit the sack around 10:30-11. As I turned off the TV and then the Christmas tree, I was just shocked by how fast this year went - how fast all the years are going for that matter. The decade that saw us move abroad, live on 3 continents, buy a home, change jobs, and have 2 children was suddenly in our rear view mirror - just hard to process. The words just keep ringing in my head - "The inexorable march of time."It was the best year of the best decade of my life, and I am SO GRATEFUL to God the Father for everything he's blessed us with and all we were able to see/do/live/experience this year. This year has shown us SO much - what the kids are capable of, where we over-extended, what we really enjoyed, what the future could look like, how we're tracking for retirement, etc, and I am so grateful for every single second of it. And it is with that lens that I have already started thinking about my 2020 vision & goals:
1. Fix my eyes onto the future and start thinking about 2020 - our vision, our goals, our hopes, our dreams, and our plans. Jenny and I actually have date night on 1/3 and are going to spend some time discussing that, and I am also planning to print and frame the vision statement so we can start keeping it front and center in our lives. Some goals I already have front and center:
1. Prepare yourself so that, if asked to do more at Freedom House, you are trained and ready. Always count the cost, but be brave enough to "say yes" when asked.
2. Focus more time on Jenny - rebalance the way your time is distributed in the house so that she knows how much she's loved and valued. Case in point - the kids shouldn't be the only ones getting back rubs. :-)
3. Narrow the focus - spend less, eat less, drink less. Make a conscious effort to dial everything back and then see what you miss once margin is created.
4. Make marathons feel as easy as half marathons - find a way to train smarter to enjoy longer distances.
Lastly, when I used to do the travel blogs, I would always type up the "Top 20 memories" of the year. In the spirit of transforming this blog into a family history, I wanted to resurrect that tradition. And so, without further ado, here they are:
1. Mom moving the night light in Nanny's coffin and then asking me what I thought about the different spots.
2. The girls chasing fireflies in mom's backyard while visiting in July.3. My May 15 (the bridge and falls) and July 10 runs (9+ miles) in Minneapolis along the river, observing the raw power of nature and further attaching myself to that place.
4. Kaitlyn's laughter on the tire swing in GC's front yard.
5. The last run down Nanny's hallway (June 30).
6. Watching Mace pray with mom on Mother's Day weekend.
7. K biking for the first time on the greenway!
8. The Smile on K's face when she looked back at Archer at the UNC tailgate - the big UNC bow in her hair.
9. Bear's left hand on my leg at Disney while watching Finding Nemo the Musical
10. K's face after her first time riding Dinosaur (when she came running around the corner)
11. The shock on K's face at Chef Mickey when I told her to eat whatever she wanted
12. The girls' unbridled joy at the Contemporary Splash Pad - the picture of pure happiness
13. K's smile on Avatar: Flights of Passage
14. The Look on Dad's face when I rounded the corner at the gym dedication
15. Freedom House Podium weekend - the green room, the bottle of Voss, the platform, and the sign that stated what a privilege it was to be there.
16. Baptizing Kaitlyn on September 22nd
17. Praying the prayer of salvation with Shelton in August (in the FHC parking lot)
18. Bear asking me to hit the love hug button (right after calling me a swamp donkey)
19. Me apologizing to the girls after the TN and back trip, only to hear K respond: "Why, dada? I had a GREAT day."
20. Prettiest Christmas Tree. EVER.
Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print. Chat with you in the next decade!
Love,
Sam and Jenny
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