Easter Activities

Well we started with coloring Easter eggs on Thursday...

Tiff and her kids got to go see their dad so it was just the two boys and Taylee, but they sure had a good time...

Conner and Taylee

Taylee's finished product... She got all her eggs died and then discovered she could paint them and she made sure she got every one nice and painted.

Even Lacey got into it!!

Then in between Conference on Saturday, we went to Lacey's for an Easter Egg hunt...

There was some healthy competition, but with only three kids going after tons of eggs, they each got plenty!

Uncle Andy helping Taylee get the high ones...

Showing off her full, full basket...

She had lots of fun and there were plenty of us to help her eat all that candy...

Easter morning...

Playing with her Easter surprises...
Bonnie and Andy brought her an Easter basket too, with good candy and some fun toys and bunny ears. She has such a good aunt and uncle that just spoil her...

We went back to Lacey's for Easter dinner and then Ryker and Conner had prepared an Easter play for us and Taylee joined in. She said she was the "singing guy". They were hilarious! Brad videotaped them and we were all just dying laughing!

Don't they look so cool? Now you probably could guess that this play was about bugs right?!

Easter Dress

So since we have Conference instead of church on Easter, Taylee wore her Easter dress last Sunday. Grama picked it out and I must say she looked pretty adorable!

Ok, no kidding, she came up with this pose all on her own...

I actually had to ask her to just stand there and smile because she kept coming up with the cheesiest poses! Thanks grama for the dress, we both loved it!

Taylee's First Hike

So last Saturday I was itching to get out of the house so we decided to go for a hike. There is a trail my sisters told me about called Cress Creek so we packed some snacks and headed out...

I wasn't sure how long Taylee would last cause as soon as she gets bored she decides she is done walking, but surprisingly, she walked almost the entire way!

The first half of the trail is nice and paved with lots of places to stop and sit or look out...

She was loving this and was so happy and funny the whole time...

Checking out the waterfall...

...and the view

She did need a little shoulder time with dad...

This tough girl carried her backpack full of our snacks the entire time...

Aaron had to stop to read all the signs (isn't that totally a dad thing?) so every time Taylee saw one she decided she needed to read it too...

Just like her dad!

We had a lot of fun. The weather was so nice and it was just what I needed!

On the Countdown

When the Make-a-Wish ladies came over they suggested having some way to help count down till it was time for our trip. This is Taylee's countdown!

She helped me make the whole thing... even the sign...

We have 40 days till we go so it drags a little on the floor, but the way time has been flyin, we will be there in no time...

I put on one extra so she could tear one today. I am so looking forward to this trip and feel a little overwhelmed with all there is to do and with how much miss Tay will be spoiled. She does deserve it though!

Taylee's Books

I don't know how to even begin to thank my mom for putting these books together for Taylee. She documented Taylee's time in Washington while she had cancer and an entire year after so we could show her her recovery. I know these will mean so much to Taylee someday when she won't really remember this and can see how many people love her and prayed for her and how strong she is for surviving something like that. Mom, it really means a lot that you put so much time and effort into making something that is so special for our entire family.

Plus, they are totally cute...

Every page is scrapbooked to the max and every page is just perfect!

You can see for yourself!

Thanks again mom and to all our family that contributed the sweetest and most touching notes to Taylee. Love you all!

Trip to Washington

So this post has lots of pictures, but we had lots of fun visiting in Washington! Another three months went by so fast and so we headed back to Seattle for a check-up. Taylee is doing great and is growing and gaining and has no signs of any problems for now so we were happy to get that out of the way so we could play the rest of the week!

Aaron could only stay like 2 days so he worked on Friday and Saturday we played at the Alldredge's and did a little late celebrating for his birthday. It was fun to get outside for a boat ride and for Taylee to play with cousins!

Monday we got to spend the day at Dan and Jenni's...

We went out to get Jacey off the bus and played outside till dinner... Taylee was in heaven to be outside and not freezing!

As you can guess, she thought she was pretty cool!

Playing with Broden...

This is Dan "teaching" Jacey to ride with out training wheels. She really just needed him for confidence cause she was doing it no problem!

And of course I got to hold my little neice Sadie! I was loving it and she is such a good baby girl!!

It was grandpa's birthday while we were there so we went out to celebrate his 62nd!

We spent Thursday with Alldredge cousins and we went to the Point Defiance Zoo. The animals were pretty active so we got lots of good shows...

Checking out the elephants...

I think there were monkeys in here...

Taylee and Mommy

Because of the peacock at grama Sillito's, Taylee has no fear. But hey, she got it to open its feathers!

Taylee and Gram

Isaac, Makay and Addi

Taylee and Addi on the slides

Isaac, Ammon, Taylee and Addi
Rachel and Ammon

Taylee reading books with grama the night before we left. Thanks for having us mom it was nice to spend some time at home.

Shots

It was time to start getting caught up on immunizations today and I have been dreading it and dreading it. Hasn't my poor little girl been poked enough in her short life? But we are going to Washington this week-end for another check-up and I know her doctor there will ask if we have started her immunizations again and I do want to be honest so we went today. It was awful...

They barely even came in the room and Taylee started screaming and crying and her face was bright red and I just felt like the worst mom ever... they poked her skinny little legs six times...

I tried to make up for it by taking her to McDonalds and letting her pick out a new movie, but I feel bad that we have more doctor visits this week-end and more immunizations next month...

Make-a-Wish!!

Most of you know that Taylee was eligible for a wish from the Make-a-Wish foundation because she had a life threatening illness. We have been in touch with them off and on for months and they finally came to meet Taylee last Thursday!

This morning I got a phone call telling us that we would be going to Disney World from May 1st to May 7th!! We are so excited to get to do this and really celebrate that Tay is done with all this cancer business! Make-a-Wish is so amazing and so generous to these kids and really do so much to make them feel so special and happy. They are providing us with airline tickets to Orlando, a rental car, a really cool hotel called "Give Kids the World" where each family gets their own apartment like place and the entire place is geared toward kids. They have train rides, carousels, 24 hr pizza and ice cream. They leave presents on Taylee's bed every night and provide all meals too. The ladies that came over said there is so much to do there you could just not leave the hotel! Then they give you tickets to Disney World for 5 days and spending money... we are still waiting to hear cause they might also provide a day at Sea World! They also give you special hats to wear so you can go to the front of every line... it is overwhelming and amazing, all the stuff they do for these kids and Aaron and I are so excited that we can be a part of it too and watch how much fun Taylee is going to have!

Preschool

So Taylee started preschool in January, but was not in the mood to take pictures the first couple of times so when she finally warmed up to it we took some "first day of preschool" pictures.

Cheesy

Crazy

She still is a little nervous at the beginning of each day... she makes me go with her to hang her coat up, put her nametag on and then walk her to the sinks to wash her hands before I can go. After that, she does just fine. She is going to the preschool at BYU-I that I went through for my degree so it is kind of fun to go and watch! She goes M W and F and is gone long enough for me to go work out and get a shower before it is time to pick her up. She is having a great time!

I just have to post it...

Ok when you get a picture as adorable as this... sorry I just had to post it!

I am so glad Taylee has such a great dad!

Random Posts from January

Wow, January has come and gone already.... I just have a couple random things to blog about. First, Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Andy came to visit earlier this month and we had lots of fun with them. Well, we were being lazy one morning and Tay was just playing off by herself. I got up from our couch and was walking to the kitchen and this is what I saw...

This would normally be a pretty scary sight to find in your house... a noose with a chair under it, but I called Andy and Bonnie over and we had a good laugh, took some pictures and then quickly took down the suicide scene.Taylee, inocent as can be, was just playing and has been very interested in tying things. I should have been watching better because earlier she had tried to tie herself to that rope so she could swing. Crazy girl!!A couple weeks later Tay's Gram came to visit and I am bummed I didn't get any pictures of them together. They had such a good time playing and of course her Gram spoiled her with a present every day! A couple days later Aaron's brother Nathan and his family joined us and it is always so fun to have an excuse to go play. We went shotgun shooting and sledding and out to dinner. Above is Taylee playing with her cousin Ammom.

Then this last week Taylee and Aaron and myself have all been sick with colds. The kind that make you feel just wiped out so one night Tiffany was so sweet to me and brought a totally yummy dinner- complete with things that feel good on your throat... mashed potatoes, ice cream and of course, JELLO!! Thanks again for doing that Tiff, and as you can see the Jello was thoroughly enjoyed!

Isn't this what dad's do... teach their kids all the cool tricks they know! I watched in disgust, but had to take a picture!