Kennedy's 6th Birthday Party: The Invites

Things are very busy around the Taylor house as we prepare for Kennedy and Conner's Birthday's and Conner's First Communion!  Invitations are finally ready to be mailed for the first event:  Kennedy's 6th Birthday Party!  She is soooo excited to be having her bowling party at the bowling alley.  We can't wait to share all the other party details but that will have to wait until after the big day...we don't want to spoil any surprises!  (oh and in case you were wondering the broken arm has NOT slowed her down one bit!!!!)

Kennedy's BIG break!

My heart was pounding when I got the call that my sweet Kennedy had had a fall on the playground on Thursday!  I raced to her school ( think I made it there in like 5 minutes) to find my little girl calm as can be with a smile on her face and a makeshift magazine splint in place on her left arm. 

her makeshift magazine splint...still smiling

headed to surgery...still smiling

finally home after a long day with a purple cast for her and her bear...sill smiling

The next 9 hours were a blur we went from the imaging center,to the doctors office, to the ortho office and then strait to the hospital for surgery.  I could not have been more proud of how brave my little girl was through it all...she never shed a tear!

Conner's First Reconciliation

Conner and Grancy

Conner and Mrs. Bradley his WONDERFUL 2nd grade teacher!

Conner and Father Chuck

Today was a VERY special day for Conner he made his First Reconciliation at St. James Catholic Church!  We are so very proud of the young little gentleman he is becoming!  Next up....we are preparing for his First Communion!

Happy 6th Birthday Kennedy (a little early)

 In a little over a month my sweet Kennedy with be turning SIX years old!  Birthday party plans are well under way (details to come)!  Of course another year means another birthday letter.  Even though I am a little early I actually had a few minutes to myself today so I figured I better go ahead and post her letter!  As I put this post together my heart is overflowing with joy...how LUCKY I am to have such a precious little girl in my life that I am fortunate enough to call my DAUGHTER!!!!

 
My precious Kennedy Grace,
I can hardly believe that six glorious years have already gone by since the day I first held you in my arms! These past six years seem to have gone by like the blink of an eye.  You've gone from a newborn baby cradled in my arms to an independent young lady.  When I recall the momentous day you were born, I became the happiest mother on earth. Your Daddy and I marveled at the angel kisses on your cheeks, your tiny, wrinkled fingers and your intense eyes.  I'm not embarrassed to admit it, but I cried, deep tears of joy, buckets of tears. All my life the one thing I always knew was I wanted to be a mother.  Other than that I was often rudderless, trying to navigate the ocean of life and figure out what my path in life was to be.  I never wavered in my hope to be a mother.  When you were born you gave me the experience of a lifetime.  One of the three greatest experiences in my life that hold the deepest most treasured place in my heart.
When it comes to the people who have influenced my life the most I would declare, without a moment's hesitation, that you are at the very top of my list.  You have profoundly affected who I am today.  Being a mother grounded me, gave me a purpose and set my life's course.  It became more important than ever for me to discover my own potential, to realize my own talents, in order to show you by example how I want you to live your life, and for that I thank you.

You are the girliest of girly girls. You LOVE pink and princesses. You are dressed up in princess gowns and high heel shoes 90% of the time. You love to dance. You love to sing, although, if that's the profession you're hoping to embark on, we just might need to get you some lessons!  I love the way that you could care less what you sound like or what you look like. You can have the most ridiculous outfit on and be dancing your heart out without even an ounce of rhythm, and you'll stop and look up at me and say, "Mom, God sure made me beautiful, didn't He!" Yes, my sweet girl, He sure did!   I pray with all my heart that that's the way your heart will always be. I pray that you will never forget that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Sweet girl, I love the thousands of ways that the Lord has blessed me in giving me you. I love the way your sparkly brown eyes light up a room, the way your joy is so contagious.  I hope you always know how incredibly proud I am to be your Mommy!

You'll always be my beautiful baby girl with the angel kisses on her cheeks.

I LOVE YOU, my most precious six-year daughter!

I love you always,
Mommy

Christmas Memories

The Taylor Tribe...I think Papaw Tony is going to have to get bigger couch next year!!!

The Padgett Grands with Grancy.  Everyone loves our family tradition of wearing our jammies to Grancy's house on Christmas Eve for breakfast.  It makes it even more special to have matching jammies every year made with lots of love by Grancy!!!

 

This picture screams "EXCITED!!!"  Conner was soooo excited to get his camo Carrhartt jacket for Christmas!

Little Miss Claire could barely contain her excitement on Christmas morning...she especially LOVED her Beauty and the Beast tea set!  I think we have probably watched that movie 1,000 times!!!

Sweet, Sweet Kennedy it was love at first sight when she saw her i pod on Christmas morning!!! 

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year!!! All of our kids are at such a fun age...the magic of Christmas is still alive in our house!!!  I wish I could keep that forever!!!

The Clone of a Cinnabon...a Family Tradition

For as long as I can remember Mom always made the most WONDERFUL homemade cinnamon rolls at Christmas time to give to family and friends. Of course we always made sure there was enough for us to enjoy as well! It is a long process...really and all day event to make them but the end result is SOOOO worth it. If you have every eaten a Cinnabon cinnamon roll then you know exactly what I am talking about! The entire house smells of cinnamon while they are baking. I always have plenty of volunteers around the house to taste test the warm cinnamon rolls as they come out of the oven and to eat the leftover cream cheese icing...one of life's pleasures! What a wonderful day...making memories!

December 2011

Last Sunday our "pocket" for the day was making gigerbread houses with our good friends, the Boggs family! They kids created 2 houses (a little short of masterpieces) but they had a blast doing it!!! We ended the wonderful evening by going to the live nativity in Elizabethtown. Claire's favorite part was the canimal (aka the camel)! Oh and I almost forgot we also went through Christmas in the park for like the 3rd time already this year...they kids so enjoy the lights and I do too!


Double Trouble "the two Claires"








Claire petting the "canimal" aka camel
Oh I almost forgot to mention...as we were getting ready to leave for the live nativity here comes Claire out of her room dressed in her rain coat. I asked her why she was wearing a rain coat and she quickly replied "Conner said the Canimals (camels) will spit on you and I don't want to get wet!" She keeps us laughing...love those sweet babies of mine..so blessed beyond measure to have all 3 of them!