Taylored Expressions Birthday Bash!

You know how much I love doing the cupcake challenges when I get a chance to stamp on Friday, or Sunday, or Thursday just before midnight. So when I saw the post that Taylor is celebrating the first birthday of the release of her first three stamp sets I was SOOOO excited! (I think it helps that she has the same name as my daughter)

Unfortunately I will be busy enjoying the holiday weekend and won't be able to participate in all the stamping fun until Tuesday night, but maybe I can play super fast catch up. For all my fellow stampers... stay tuned to Taylor's site to see the release of lots of new goodies and for all the fun challenges that start soon. Plus she is giving away chances to win gift certificates to spend in her store! Can't wait to see what everyone creates!

New Car

Chris and I have been searching for a new car for me for over a month now and finally made a decision.  I was so excited going into this process, but I think between the Texas heat, too many options, not the right options, and that one typical salesman I started to get frustrated.  We narrowed it down to two cars and would of been happy to drive either one, but one dealership just came in cheaper.  And we all know that a smaller car payment each month makes a BIG difference! 

This is my first brand ‘new’ car and I am so excited!!!  I have loved all my previous cars, but needed something that would last us many years, kiddos(one now and more someday), and a black puppy dog.  Here’s a photo of me with my new car.  Take note the small fuzzy Taylor ponytail in the corner of the picture as she was going to get Dada.

 

Taylor was ready to go for a ride in Mommy’s new ride.

Wanna ride?

Taylor Tuesday Book

When Taylor was born I swore I would keep up with scrapbooking all those great photos I was taking. About a month before her first birthday I got an email from Shutterfly for a free 20 page 8x8 photo book. This was a blessing in disguise because I still hadn't even done anything with the photos of her birth. I used the coupon and created the coolest book about her birth! It even has the option for a hard copy. Well I knew I wanted to create another book about the Taylor Tuesdays for her first year but it was WAAAYYY down on my to-do list. Then I got another email coupon for a free(wo-hoo!!!) 20 page photo book and took that as my lists way of pushing me. Thought I would share this with any of the other mommies that want to scrapbook but don't have the time. Unfortunately I can't share my coupon, but you can sign up for your own account and hope for one. Have fun creating your own photo book!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Taylor Tuesday

I’m not sure how the toothbrush ended up downstairs, but at least she’s working on dental hygiene on her own!

Just a look back at how our little girl has changed in the past year.  At least the drool part is the same, but after much hoping and praying her hair finally grew in.  Now I need a manual on how to style little girl hair.  I couldn’t resist adding this since I see the folder of pics from last year everytime I go to the August 09 folder.

  Happy Taylor Tuesday!

Cupcake Challenge #79

I love when I get all the stuff done around the house, Taylor takes a long nap, and I have time to stamp! What a great way to spend a Friday afternoon! Time for another Friday Cupcake Challenge.

I struggle every time I go to make a masculine card, but never remember to buy more masculine stamp sets. I got the Boys set from Taylored Expressions, but none of the stamps really fit Chris’ brother. Then I remembered this monkey that I bought a while back. Not sure how a monkey fits with a graduation card, but it’ll work. I really like the background paper and just realized it’s a bit floral for a male card. There was a red polka dot paper that goes with it, but I couldn’t figure out how to make it work with the card. I added some liquid pearls to the circle for a touch of yellow(don’t look at my smudge) and learned a technique to tap the card from the back to get rid of the peaks in your pearls. Works like a charm!

I liked the layout I had just used, so I did a similar layout for this next card. I am going to a wedding shower tomorrow but the couple likes more untraditional wedding colors. I thought the funkyness of the background paper would do the trick. I just love this stamp set from Stampin’ Up and try to use it whenever possible. You can’t tell in the picture, but I added hints of sparkle pen to the flowers for just that hint of something.

Once again my desk is now clean, so hopefully I will get to stamp some more this weekend while Taylor naps!

29

I started to get a little bummed that I turned 29 last week. That only left me with one more year until I turned 30 and that’s kind of scary. I know it’s not old compared to my 83 year old grandmother who can out walk me, but I remember when I was younger thinking that I could never imagine what my life would be like at 30. So in honor of the BIG 29, here are 29 things I hope to accomplish before 30:

1. Travel out of state again

2. Take Taylor to a Tech football game

3. Master the art of snow cone making at home

4. Finally get my craft room organized(it’s been a bit scary in here lately)

5. Lie on the beach

6. Try to read at least a book a month

7. Paint my dining room purple(I have to convince Chris this is a good idea first)

8. Take tons of pictures of Taylor

9. Take Taylor to the Trail of Lights

10. Start holiday traditions with Taylor

11. Eat at Hula Hut(yes I know I’m a bad Austinite for living here for 6 1/2 yrs and never visiting)

12. Rub it in to Chris that I’m still in my 20’s while he is in his 30’s

13. Blog more

14. Create at least 12(one for each month) scrapbook pages for 2009

15. Knit or crochet a blanket for our living room

16. Finish Taylor’s alphabet book(and blog about it)

17. Truly clean out my closet

18. Organize all my holiday decorations and get rid of the stuff I haven’t used the past two years

19. Volunteer with the church

20. Sew a pillowcase dress for Taylor

21. Go on more date nights with the hubby

22. Own a brand new car

23. Recycle more

24. Spend a few days with Tay where we never get out of our PJ’s

25. Go to New York with my Mom and best friend

26. Have a spa day(hint hint honey)

27. Update my cookbook and create a list of our favorites for a quick reference

28. Take a cooking class

29. Blog about each of these items as I complete them

What is on your list?

Taylor Tuesday

We are finishing up our stay(in Texas)cation and I thought you might enjoy one of Taylor's new discoveries.  She loved playing on the bellboy cart!  Watch my blog later this week for more pics from our wonderful staycation.
Love,
Wendy

 

Taylor Tuesday

I was trying to get this post done before midnight so that I could officially say it was done on Tuesday, but that didn’t happen. Here’s a picture from Monday night of our cutie. She was being a ham and was a bit hyped up on chocolate cake and ice cream.

Temporarily Distracted

 

A few weeks ago I noticed that Taylor would actually pay attention to TV when Elmo came on, so I bought her a DVD in attempts to facebook or twitter in peace get the dishwasher unloaded without ‘help’. 

The other day I caught her in an Elmo trance and was able to catch a quick picture.  Of course she had to have Bunny and Charlie with her!  Elmo is referred to as ‘Mo’ and Taylor has figured out that he is also on her diapers. 

Is it too early for me to already be tired of this DVD????

Taylor Tuesday

For a while I really worked on putting the camera down and just playing with Taylor rather than chasing her, but I missed having those goofy random shots of her.  Plus she is much better at stopping to smile for me.  I’m working on the word ‘cheese’.  I had a hard time picking between a couple of photos this week, but the one I picked for you explains what we have been doing during the day lately.  Taylor LOVES necklaces right now and her love from her bunny ears continued over to the flower headband Ya-Ya got her.  I never quite know what our little girl is going to come around the corner wearing or carrying. 

Hope this brings a smile to your Tuesday!

Carry You

I follow LOTS of blogs. Mom blogs, stamping blogs, frugal/coupon blogs, stamping blogs, friend’s blogs, stamping blogs. You get the picture. Well one of the coupon blogs I follow is Steals & Deals. They post about all kind of great deals they find and giveaway great stuff all the time. To be fair to all other blog followers, I only enter the contests for items th

at I would use and not just to win something. The other day they did a review of Carry You ‘s awesome line of jogging/umbrella stroller cup holders. I love our umbrella stroller because it is so much easier to pull in and out of the car, but I miss all the storage and most of all the cup holders from our full size stroller. I entered their contest to win one and then a few days later when I was thinking that I needed to order that stroller cup holder thingy, I won one! As soon as it came in the mail today, Taylor and I had to test it out! Chris asked if it passed the Sonic cup test(boy he knows me too well) and ….

The center part is not supposed to be a cup holder, but it fits in there nicely and I still have a mesh area in front of it to hold paci, key, phone, or mp3 player. Taylor had to help me get it ready to go.

Taylor and I did a couple laps around the block and I didn’t have to worry about trying to hold onto a cup while pushing her. Boy I wish I had this when we were in Fredericksburg a few weeks ago!!!

Thank you Steals & Deals and Carry You!

Words

I part of me is still a little kid that never grew up because I have several comic strips that I still read daily and I love reading the funny pages on Sunday.  Before Taylor I found Baby Blues funny, but it’s even funnier as Chris and I can relate on to almost every strip.  Taylor hasn’t repeated any of our bad words yet, but it’s only time.  Just some humor for your day.