I didn't want to blog this until I knew that he had called everyone himself. I didn't want someone to read this and be sad and say "why didn't he tell me?"

Anyways Carter is moving. He moving up north to live with Alexshuman. I am both happy for him and also incredibly sad. He is the first one in the Taylor family to move out of this state. I don't know how to react or what to say. I actually feel a little numb whenever it is brought up. I want to support him but this feeling won't go away.

I know that we are four years apart in age but somehow we were always close. When we were kids he would hold me down and do the loogie thing where you spit and then suck it up before it would hit your face. As soon as we heard mom in the driveway, he would pick me up and immediately start apologizing and say "I am so sorry, I love you." (only to repeat this again after mom would leave us alone again) In Junior High I would sneak in his room after he left for school and borrow is clothes without asking. ( don't know if he knows about that one)

When I was a freshman in high school, he was a senior. Everyone said I looked exactly like him and called me "little carter". It took 2 1/2 years for that nickname to wear off, even after he left highschool. But because I was little carter, I never got thrown into the trash like the rest of the freshmen.

At one point when I was going to ASU, Carter was my room mate. Not for very long but it was entertaining. At the Fiesta Bowl parade, I gave him one of my trumpets and showed him how to play a couple notes so I could sneak him into the Play It Again Band. No one new he was faking except me and the old band director from CHS.

He is always the first to know big news when it comes from me. He was the first to know that I was getting married. He was the first to know that I was pregnant for both boys.

Collin loves Carter. Every day he asks if we are going to see him or call him. Carter was also the first person to make Quintin laugh.

I hope he finds whatever it is he is looking for and be happy. I know that his current residence and job are weighing down on him. Carter if you read this, know that I support your decision and I love you, even though I haven't been acting like it.

Please try this one!!!

I found this on Amie's(?) blog. I don't think she knows who I am but I couldn't resist this one.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)
Putty Durango

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
Cherry Garcia Samoas

3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
E-SIM

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Blue Dragon

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Genevieve Tucson

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
Sim-El (sounds spanish :) )

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The" at the front of it)
The Green Dr. Pepper

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
Max Lynn

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy)
Obsession Mounds (Ha Ha!!! I was laughing so hard when I wrote this!!!!)

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother's & father's middle names )
Marie Lee

Mamasaysom: respect

My mom raised three boys all of them almost exactly 2 years apart. (and she raised me but I didn't come til the end and four years after the last boy) How did she do this? Right now I have two boys. Two very high maintenance, intelligent, energetic, drive me crazy boys. And they aren't even old enough to gang up on me yet. I highly respect my mother on her ability to get along so well with kids. My boys love being with her. Again I ask though, how did she do this with out losing her mind?
(pics are of mom with Collin and Quintin)

oh dear

Friday was the CHS homecoming. I took the boys to watch the parade. Collin loved the fire trucks and he kept yelling at the passerbys whether they had phones or not. He is so weird.
Later that night I let the geek in my free and joined a group of old band nerds at the football game. My band director rog was there, wow except for greying hair he hasn't changed at all. About 20 alumni showed up to support the CHS mini band (this year there is maybe 30, when I was in highschool there was about 120!!) Only about 5 of the alumni brought their horns to play....oh well it was still a good time.

I need advise about something. Collin found his big bird stuffed animal a couple of days ago. I was sitting on the couch feeding Quintin, and Collin sits next to me, lifts up his shirt and began to attempt to breastfeed big bird!! I told him that only mommies do that but he doesn't have a clue about gender roles. Should I worry about fixing this or just let it pass (or maybe hide big bird, since it is the only toy he has ever tried with?)

So much to Blog, so little time.

Wow, it has been a while and so much has happened.
On the 29th of August the power in Coolidge went out. We were one of the lucky houses and had power back within a couple hours while everyone else had to wait a couple days. I housed Grandma C and she sat and worked on Christmas decorations while Collin jumped all over her. She keeps offering to babysit him but I just don't feel safe doing it. I left him alone with her for about 20 minutes while I ran to the store and Joe had to rescue her because he was throwing things at Quintin and her! Uhhhgg, I have a naughty child. Polly and Craig also spent the night and we had a little slumber party.

On Friday, the power slowly started turning back on for people. Our little family needed to leave to go to the Whiting Homestead for Collin's birthday, so we left Grandma a key to the house til her power was on. Note to self: don't let grandma do your dishes while you are gone, can't find anything now.

For Collin's third birthday we went to the Whiting Homestead up by Show Low. Sooo pretty, lots of sunflowers. We stayed in the Simper cabin with most of our family so Collin had the nieces to run around with. We went exploring and found a neat cave and also a dead cow....very exciting. Sunday night we had a BBQ and birthday cake. Collin actually blew out candles this year. On Monday we had to drive back to the hot so we chose to take the long way home. We followed my parents East towards New Mexico and got to hike most of the Catwalk. Unfortunately we didn't get home til about 10:30PM and we had some seriously cranky kids by then. Collin was crying for "collin's house" right when we left Safford and there is still about 2-3 hours from home. Oh well, it was still a nice drive.

Baby Quintin is growing like a weed. He is about 1 inch shorter than his cousin max who is now almost 11 months old while my baby lumpy is only 4. It's not that he is fat, he is just really big. Collin on the other hand, we found out is actually tiny. He in the 48% on weight and 25% on height. Poor kid, I was hoping he was going to get his daddy's height 6'6, not mine 5'1 (on a tall day!)

Here are some random pics from the trip.