A Walk Down Memory Lane Starring Taysom

Taysom's Top Ten

Top Ten Things About Taysom (according to her mother):

10. Her dimples and twinkling eyes

9. How she can still rationalize pushing the snooze for the 15th time even though she knows there is no way she can get ready in under 40 minutes. (okay, that is really something that drives me nuts, however, I know that in the future when she is no longer sleeping here, I will miss that... Right?)

8. Fantastic vocab: "Eperdermal"

7. Knowing how to laugh at herself ("this stays in the intermediate family!")

6. Knowing the power of prayer and being our constant reminder to pray and bless the food

5. Her "geeky" uniqueness (our little turkey vulture)

4. Her motivation and drive esp. with academics

3. Being steadfast and immovable (a.k.a. stubborness, in a good way)

2. Deep abiding faith/awesome scripture study habit!

1. Her competitive, fiesty nature - WE LOVE IT!!!!

Happy 15th! You are beautiful inside and out and the best big sister/daughter in the world!

As Grandma Hinckley would say, "Stay as sweet as you are." I love you so much :)

Sonic Cards Available Here

Taysom is priviledged to help out with fundraising this year for Speech and Debate. Right now she is selling Sonic cards for $5. These cards have $15 in savings. "And it's really yummy food. Please buy one today :)"

Mmmmm - Should I buy one???????

Yes, I should! Yay!!!!

My Favorite Things

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go with my dear friends, Leslie and Melanie to Time Out for Women in St. Louis. It was a much needed break/lift. I loved every minute of it and esp. the Gladys Knight concert later that night at a local stake center - incredible! (That's a whole other blog entry for another time.) While at Time Out, Hilary Weeks sang her version of "My Favorite Things" that I adored. I thought it would be a great writing activity for my class since we were about to finish The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles written by Julie Edwards (Andrews). So Monday we started brainstorming ideas for our favorite things songs. Some students didn't want to use that melody, but I did. (I LOVE musicals!) Yesterday I was frantically tying to finish my song before my writing class. As I sat at the table mumbling away, Henry came and joined me at the kitchen table. He pulled out his math homework, but soon became a co-author of my song. He added 3 fantastic lines. I had so much fun writing my "song" and working with Henry that I thought I'd share it on our blog.

McDonalds ice cream cones,
And crisp autumn mornings,
Hot bubble baths
While my husband is snoring.

Warm apple crisp
And fresh peaches with cream,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Tennis and good books,
A freshly cleaned bathroom,
Playing piano,
My fav-or-ite perfume

Taysom and Tucker
Ilah and Henry
These are a few of my favorite things.

*Chorus*
Children laughing
Hot Tamales
Ultimate fighting
An episode of The Amazing Race
And finishing all my grading!

Bed time and nap time
And bed time and nap time...
Bed time and nap time
And bed time and nap time
(stolen from Hilary's version... couldn't resist... they are some of my favorite things :))

Sundays because of
Family Home Evening,
Reading about my family and blogging

The ocean-
The mountains-
Sheets smelling like Downey,
Phone calls from good friends,
A joke that is funny.

Blossoms in springtime,
A freshly cut lawn,
3 pm on Friday
The students are gone!

Chorus

Family Night Talent...The Haircut... Duh... Duh...DAH! (scream in the background)

Henry was all too thrilled to get a haircut. Little did he know that his siblings would be doing it!

Everyone got a turn...

After Henry saw himself in the mirror, he demanded that Dad fix it.

Master at Work

He took "a little off the top."
Ta-dah

FHE

This is the night we've waited for,

Always a treat we have in store...

We love each other more and more

With every family night!

Stories and games for everyone

Learning the gospel can be fun

Father and Mother - Daughter Son

Together on Family Night!

My Fish

Yesterday while we were at Wal mart, I got a fish and named him Rascal Debata Wallace. So once I got home from Wal mart I had to wait about 4 hours before putting the fish in because we didn't have that special cleaner for the water. So what I did was basically watch TV and slowly do my chores. Once it was time I was so excited. I quickly asked my mom to help me pour the water in the tank. Once the fish was in I had to wait until supper time to bring the fish up to my room. So me and Henry carefully took the fish up to my room and set it on my vanity. I plugged it in and went to sleep. The next morning I looked at my fish, and it was dead. I ran to my brother and my mom. My mom told me I could take it back to the store since it hasn't even been 24 hours. And that's the story of my fish.

By Ilah