Kayson - 8 1/2

I'm a few days late, but June 25 - Kayson was 8 1/2 officially.  It's kind of one of those things that we actually pay attention to since he's a Christmas kid.  We were busy coming back from Creston, and doing church and just being tired... but I mentioned it to him a couple times. 

Here are some of the quirks that Mr. Kayson does.  I'm sure he's a typical 8 1/2 year old!  

• Sleeps with socks on (like the tall ones)... and no underware now.  (He wants to be like Dad)  ha.
• Ticklish - especially his feet.  I can barely trim his toenails, and putting oils on his feet nightly typically there are several giggles or whines.  :)
• Interested/Worried about weather/storms
• Wednesday we had a storm come through, he was in a panic... all upset, crying, looking at his iPad at the radar.  He was bawling and ran to get his iPad charger, FitBit charger, softie and Wolfie... and said to me (in tears) - "I have everything in case there's a tornado!"  Oh boy.  He hung out in the basement for a bit...  and eventually calmed down.

• Gets bored easily.  (just like me)
• Doesn't untie his shoes, ever, when taking them off.  
• Turns off the bathroom light when he's done, but never, ever does he turn off his bedroom light when he's done in there.  
• Can be so annoyed by Cora, specifically when we pick him up...  but then next minute he can be laughing with and at her!
• Likes "Dude Perfect"
• Doesn't like to brush his teeth, always wants me to.  So I better do a good job!
• Good little singer
• Calls Murphy - "Skippy John Jones", and we have no idea why.  :)
• Gets tired quickly...  heat wears him out, and he likes his routine
• Starting to sleep in really well on weekends, which is nice.

He's such a good kid.  

Essential Oils Update

We are going on about a year of using doTerra essential oils.  I have to say this has been one of the best, and neatest things I've tried in my life.  I feel everything I've used has had some sort of impact, and I've learned a lot, and also just appreciate what an oil can do. 

Over the past 6 months, we've had limited sicknesses (mins Cora's influenza B, but I can say using the oils during that week with her, I feel she stayed pretty steady with that illness and didn't getting any worse)... so I don't know 100% if the oils technically helped, but continuing them through that week, didn't hurt anything.  

These are our 'go-to' oil blends that we use on a daily basis - complete routine now, and I'm a routine person!

Allergy Blend --- lavender, lemon and peppermint

• We use this every morning, and sometimes at night as well.  I haven't taken an Allegra is over 8 months!!!  This is huge for me... especially now with this random (hot, humid, chilly, nice weather that we have!)  I put this on the backs of my ears and sometimes my wrists, depending on if I feel more 'itchy' than normal.  The kids get this behind their ears as well, every morning.  By far the best blend I've found.

Immunity Blend --- OnGuard, oregano, lemon, Frankincense, Breathe, Melaluca

• This is just an overall 'fight germs off' blend/immune boost.  We now use this in a roller - I roll on the bottom of the kids' feet every night before bed, then sometimes I'll roll it on their backs if we are going to have a busy day/be around a lot of people. 

Respiratory Support --- Breathe, Frankincense, and Peppermint

• this is a great blend for when you are stuffed up.  I apply this to chest and back, then also inhale it as well.  Seems to really relax your nostrils!  ha.

Diffuse ---

• This is another thing that is a constant in our home.  Whether I just want to get a 'smell' out, or just have a fresh smell in our home... or fight off some germs or allergies - we almost always have the diffuser going.  The kids have diffusers in their rooms, as well as Ryan and I.  
• Diffuser blends we use often:
• Allergy blend - lavender, lemon and peppermint
• Breathe - just smells so good in my opinion!
• Bergamot & Lavender - GREAT bedtime blend
• Cedarwood & Lavender - another GREAT bedtime blend

Here are the two diffusers we use:

From doTerra

From amazon.com

Let me know if you are interested in anything!  In my opinion, it's worth a shot!

Weekend/Taylor Family Reunion 2017

Monday has arrived already. The weekend went so damn fast.  Grr. 
Friday night we headed down to Creston... pulled in about the same time as Martina and Blair.  We ordered pizza in and just hung out.  The weather was great, so the kiddos played outside a little, and the girls watched a little movie in a lawn chair.  Cute. 

Saturday morning, Ryan and Blair got up and started their reunion day --- golf with the guys.  The weather, again, was perfect for them.  Wow, so lucky.  Not hot!  Meanwhile, us girls, and the kids hung out at the house.  Mike took the big boys up to a baseball field to have them play.  Cora and Lanny played fairly well at the house.  And I snuggled and helped out with Rhett most of the day.  Man, that was nice... feeding him, snuggling... and playing.  He's at a fun age - starting to coo and smile some... makes an Aunt feel good.  :)

It was a pretty good day...  some meltdowns, but overall, not too terrible.  

Saturday late afternoon we headed to the reunion - at a nearby lake/park.  The weather again was nice, but we were up on a hill, so the wind was strong!  Moments where the sun was behind the clouds, we were all shivering, but then the sun would warm us up again.  

Again, kids just played... there's a nice playground there, they tried fishing (no luck), and just enjoyed the fresh air.  By 8:00 we were all wiped out... kids and adults.  

We got the kids to bed late, but super easily...  they crashed, which is awesome.  Our little family got up and at em Sunday morning, so we could get back to church.  We all (minus Cora) had a 'job' to do, and we were having a meeting we felt we needed to be at.  We all yawned like crazy on the way home... quiet ride.  ha.  Church was good... then home to do laundry, groceries, and keep the kids busy.  Kayson went to a friends house for a couple hours, Cora took a great nap, along with Ryan.  I of course couldn't really sit (so frustrating)...  so I kept busy.  

Super nice weekend... good to see everyone.  

8 Months

8 months has passed since Mom's death.  8 months.  I mean - seriously... that's almost a year.  Why does time have to go so damn fast?  
There are so many reasons that I hate this - that she's been gone, that time goes fast and life gets away from us... so quickly.  My kids are almost 9 and 5.  Seriously.  

I feel sad.  I feel mad.  I feel exhausted.  

My tears have lessened.  They have.  I don't cry as much as I used to.  
My heartache however, has increased.  I just ache.  I ache for Dad.  I ache for my sisters and me.  I ache for the kids.  I ache knowing that life can be over in any second.  I hate it.  

People have said to me - "Live life to the fullest".  And I agree.  I wish I could right now.  But I get into a big hole and have a hard time digging myself out of it.  I just get sad.  I just want to be with Ryan and the kids, and that's it.  I want to be at home.  I'm safe there.  

8 months.  I just can't believe it.  It's so hard to grasp.  

I miss you Mom. 

Kayson - Baseball (The End)

The end of the season wrapped up tonight.  We had several make up games (3 to be exact), so we've got all those done now. 

Our Rockies team wasn't the best, but they have improved, which is key.  Kayson did well - he can throw well, he goes after the ball (to catch it), and actually catches it!  His hitting has been off and on.  Some games the kid just stands there, no swings... then the next game he swings... sometimes he makes contact, but most times not.  Definitely need to work on that, if we plan on continuing!  And then the pitching... he's done really well with this.  Sure, he's 8, but man, I really think he does consistently well with that.  

Regardless, it was an ok season.  Lots learned.  

I personally do not like baseball very well... so it made it super hard to watch and be excited (when the team struggled and the coaching was just fair)...  but knowing that K improved and was one of the better kids on the team, makes me happy. 

Pics from the last couple games:

1st Base was his place

and did well at pitching!

Rockies 8U

with friend Caleb

warming up

my babies

Weekend - Father's Day

We had a nice weekend...  
Friday night we had a baseball game... weather was pretty nice, as it's been very hot and humid here in Iowa.  Kayson had hit his limit for tiredness...  a busy week back to BTB, and super hot weather, and 2 baseball games, 2 nights in a row.  He was done for.  Exhausted. 

Saturday, kids slept in... and we started our day.  We hung out at home all day, which was exactly what we (kids) needed.  They stayed inside, played fairly well (besides a few meltdowns from Cora!).  Ryan and I did some seriously cleaning and organizing during the day.  Saturday late afternoon we hosted about 20 people - the young families of our church.  As I've said before, our church is small... and there's a group of 60-70 year olds, then there is a pretty big gap down to our age of families.  So we finally planned an outing... and it went awesome!  Everyone came around 5:00...  kids started playing right away, and adult conversations were great.  We had some 'competitive' basketball games going on with some adults and kiddos, which was hysterical...  The whole night just went really well.  I think everyone had a great time.  I hope to do that again. 

So, with that - the kids got to bed late, but overall, they did well... and were able to sleep in today. 

Sunday:
Father's Day.  Happy Daddy's Day to Ryan.   We did church, then just hung out this afternoon.  Ryan took a little snooze, and I did as well. 

Later in the afternoon we went up to Ames and met my side of the family, and Dad at Hickory Park for a early supper.  Really nice time.

Our #1 guy

Us girls are the lucky ones.

Finally brought a movie for one of the baseball games.  That helped pass the time for Cora.

Snow cones!

Rain was covered by adorable umbrellas.  Sadie & Cora

Adults!!

This & That - Back to Reality

Well, I'm not going to lie...  being back to work stinks!
We really enjoyed our weekend back - it was great having Saturday and Sunday just at home... just us...  catching up... and doing random stuff.  But I think by Monday morning - it had all caught up to us, even the kids.  

I was wiped out, slept terrible, the whole she-bang.  Monday at work was ok...  I was half productive and half asleep!  Monday evening Kayson wasn't feeling well...  saying he was super tired and had a headache.  (he's never had a headache before, so that worried me).  He slept for about an hour after we got home with ice on his head.  No supper for him...  but he perked up a little before bed.  Tuesday morning he woke warm - not a big temp, just about 99, and he said he felt fine... just tired.  I really debated keeping him home, but we sent him to BTB.  I checked on him Tuesday morning, and the supervisor said he was doing well - dabbing and running around the gym at that time.  ha.  

Tuesday night he seemed better...  definitely a pep in his step, he ate supper well, but then got super tired around 7:30.  Again this morning, he just seemed more tired than normal.  He's usually our kid that gets up and eats awesome and talks and just seems happy...  not lately.  So I sure hope he's just fighting off this heat and being tired.  Worries the crap out of me.  ugh. 

Cora is doing well... she was excited to be back to school with her friends.  "I wonder if my friends will remember me" she said.  Ha.  Funny.  Who wouldn't remember you Cora?!?!

Ryan developed a cough the last couple days in Mexico...  that cough that just continues and is rather annoying!  He went to doc yesterday, so hoping meds will kick in fast.  

And myself...  well, still tired.  Yesterday I had a sad day... I'm guessing it started with my worrying about Kayson Tuesday morning.  I know I get like this... and I try really hard to shake it off, but apparently it's hard for me.  But all day, I just felt 'blue'... I really wished I could have talked to Mom yesterday...  which is so odd, because Mom and I didn't really chat a lot...  but for some reason, I just missed her terribly yesterday.  She would have just ooohed and awwed over the kids, and I miss that.  

So, back to reality here.  
It's nice being home, but I do miss those relaxing days in Mexico!

snuggled in with a headache and tired...  :(

feeding time for Baby Kelly

While Mom and Dad are away - the Kids Play!

and pictures from the kids' week without us.  I think they did have a really nice time.
I'm super thankful we have family to help us out...  even though we don't travel often, knowing they would step in, means the world to us.

 

Kayson had a little track and field camp to attend while we were gone.  He really enjoyed himself - did the 100 m dash (including the starting blocks), introduced to the hurdles, long jump and shot put.