"Daddy...Real Loud"

I realize my camera phone does not take the best pictures, but it is always handy, and often used to capture little moments. Good morning Taylor!
When Taylor wakes up, Daddy is usually at work. She says, "Daddy at work." A couple of weekends ago, I told her daddy is home. Call daddy, real loud. Taylor said, "Daddy...real loud."

This morning when she woke up. She said, "real loud...daddy, real loud." I should not be surprised by the things she remembers...she amazes me.
We often praise her for all her efforts. I know she hears us when I hear her praising herself. She climbed up to reach her little coloring book. Then she said, "got it...good job." Or, when she tells herself not to do something, "Tay-or...not in your mouth." She still puts things into her mouth that she shouldn't, but she tells herself not to. I appreciate that she knows better and tries to be good.
This has been the least excited I have ever seen Ben for hunting season. No secret as to why. All week, he kept asking if Taylor and I would be coming up to camp. We would talk about it and decide it may not be as much fun for us. Then, he would ask again. See, he likes us there, but he worries about us the entire time he's away from us hunting, while we are back at camp. I finally told him to just go and enjoy himself.

Taylor did help him get ready for hunting. Here she is bugling...Ben was impressed that she actually made the elk bugle sound.

A Visit with Holly and the Little Goats

We went over to Holly and Brandon's to visit. They have Pygmy goats. Holly took me and Taylor to meet the little pygmy goats. Taylor loved this! She was so brave. She walked right up to them, "oh, how sweet...come here baby goat."
You can see the little goat they call Seven. This little goat was very friendly.
Well, they were all pretty friendly. Taylor had to move slowly so she wouldn't make them run away.
Holly pulled out some treats, so Taylor could feed them. She kept their snacks in a Vanilla Ice Cream tub. I said it looks like they are getting ice cream. After that, Taylor thought that's what she was feeding them. She would say, "more ice cream."
These cute little, friendly goats help keep their property eaten down. I think I see goats in my future. How fun!

"Jesus Songs"...

Taylor and I listen to chidren's music in the car. Lately, we have been listening to Psalty the Song book quite a bit. Taylor knows how many of the songs go and we sing along together. Well, she sings some of the words...she doesn't know them all. She will repeat some of the quotes too. One evening she said, "daddy, sing with us." Daddy doesn't usually sing in the car like us and he doesn't know the words. Last night as we were driving home, Taylor's CD was ending so she started saying, "more Jesus songs, more Jesus songs." Ben let the next CD start to see if she would be okay with it. Taylor said, "that not Jesus song." She's so smart...I'm so proud.

Picking "Green" Apples with Daddy

As any good wife of a mighty hunter knows, Bow season is fast approaching. We went out to Grandma and Grandpa's so Ben could practice shooting his bow. Taylor brought her new kitty that her Grandma Judy bought her earlier when we went shopping. While Ben was shooting, Grandma and I took Taylor on a little walk, which she loves. Duke the dog was there too, which thrilled Taylor. She would giggle and call after him, "Duke...Duke, wait, come back."Taylor stopped to smell some clover. Grandma told Taylor it was called clover and that you can eat it. Taylor said, "ok" then leaned over like she was going to take a bite. We quickly stopped her. As we were leaving, Grandma took Taylor down to see the horses. I heard them down in the orchard picking apples. I'm glad I went down with my camera!

Daddy is helping Taylor pick an apple...these apples are not quite as ripe as many people may prefer, but that is how Ben likes them...



Taylor enjoying the apple and not wanting her daddy to take it away....and my mighty hunter says "poopy"...

Taylor loved that apple! She thought it was so yummy and did not want to give it up. You can see how pleased Ben is with Taylor's appreciation of that "green" apple...she definitely has her daddy's taste in fruit...
And as we were leaving we saw some deer...just taunting us since they know they are safe for a few more days...silly deer...

BBQ at cousin Vince and Maria's

It was a great day for a BBQ! It was so nice of Vince and Maria to open there home for us all to gather and visit. Ben likes to visit with my Uncle Doug. While he was visiting, I came up behind him for some pictures. My Uncle Mike takes great pictures. If anyone knows Ben, you know how much he appreciated this...Taylor had a great time! She got to go on lots of walks...even my cousin Cindy took her on a little walk around the property...
Here's Taylor enjoying a sucker. She thought that was yummy...Taylor and Anissa ran around, chased chickens, and visited the horse...they had so much fun!Aunt Yolanda had her Hannah dog with her and Uncle Mike. Taylor loved touching Hannah and giggling...

The County Fair

This was the first year Ben was actually excited to go to the County Fair. He was excited to take Taylor to see all the animals and get her an elephant ear.
She liked to see all the anmials...above llama and below a Budweiser Clydesdale...a big horse...
Taylor liked the animals, but seemed more excited about a large vacuum being used to clean up after some cows. As we were leaving the cows and pigs Taylor said, "bye vacuum."
Here is Taylor with her elephant ear...yum...and her balloon...also very exciting.

Camping...

Ben took Taylor to start the generator. Taylor liked to say generator. Taylor really enjoyed camping. She could run in the field and kick her ball...she loves to be outside.
This was Taylor's second 4-wheeler ride. She was excited about it this time. She stood between me and Ben and hung onto the back of his shirt. She would say "weee"....
Taylor really enjoyed the ride, and apparently found it very relaxing....
Ben pulled the 4-wheeler into a stream, where it was nice and cool.
When Taylor woke up from her nap, she played in the stream...splashing and throwing rocks...eventually getting very wet...


Ben picked some huckleberry's for us....yum....
Taylor was collecting pine cones...as many as she could carry...
Here Ben is blowing bubbles for Taylor. She loves bubbles! I wish I didn't stop my little video when I did because she went around and popped them all.

Taylor knows where the phone goes...

Shopping with Mommy

Since we bought the new truck daddy has been driving mommy's car to work. Today me and Taylor had the car so we drove downtown to River Park Square to go shopping. That was a treat for us. With gas prices so high, we plan these outings.

Taylor was so much fun! I love this age. She is 22 months and doesn't miss much. I had to take these pictures when I realized she was copying me.
We went to a book store and I ended up reading a couple of stories to Taylor and a little 3yr old named Olivia who pulled up a couple of chairs for her and Taylor to sit on.
Taylor loved this bear. She had to give him a big hug when we left...

New shoes

When Taylor was a baby I got her the little, soft, leather Robeez. When she started walking, I got her some See Kai Run shoes. They are also soft leather, but have the rubber soles for walking outside. They are great little shoes, but the soft leather got all scuffed on the toes. So, I ordered her these little pink Old Navy canvas sneakers with the rubber on the toes. She was so excited! I heard her telling her giraffe...look nice shoes.
She didn't want to take them off. Here she is reading one of her favorite books..."Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots?" Now, she wants to go bye-bye.

Idaho beach....

When I was little, my cousins would say, come on let's go to the beach. I said, really, are there waves there? They said yes. Humm...not the same waves as at Huntington, Newport, and Balboa...
...but, clearly...these are waves. After living here for 10 years, I am going through a little beach withdrawal. These waves do actually seem bigger to me than they did 10 years ago. Taylor likes them. She did enjoy getting her toes sandy.
And, I never really did like how the salty air made my hair feel, so this is nice....and very pretty.
Maybe next summer we will get to the coast and see some bigger waves.