Oh Dumpsters.

"Oh dumpsters!" That's my newest favorite phrase. It's synonymous with "oh fiddlesticks" or "oh dernitall" but way cuter when it comes out of my little mouth. And it kinda sums up how we feel around here about blogging. Cuz here's the deal people...we've tried and tried and tried again to get back at it, but it's just not happening. So I guess...well...what I'm trying to say is...I think this is goodbye. Or maybe just "see ya later alligator". We're going to let Mom take over the job of sharing pictures with all you out there that are interested. She already does a good job of it on facebook, but we know there are some out there who haven't been sucked into that realm. She's been trying to figure out Picasa Web Albums but has yet to master that process (sad, since she's actually pretty smart with that stuff...apparently she's busy and tired and whatnot).

So enjoy some pictures here from the last few months. Adios amigos.

Leighton (no, these are not old pictures of me!) in dire need of a haircut:

Me helping Mom put together a new bookshelf in my room. I love using the tools that Grandma Trish gave me. Cuz I'm a Fixer Girl, just like Grandma!

In the latest phase of my skating skills development (a.k.a. The Road to Taylor Being Such a Great Hockey Player that She Gets a Full Ride to College Someday) led to the purchase of full hockey gear for me. Leighton was so excited that he decided to try on my breezers:

Grandma Trish made Leighton and I some super cute cat hats for Valentine's Day. Leighton calls his "Meow".

Leighton is such a trooper! He gets drug to the hockey rink every Saturday morning while I have skating lessons. He really really really wants to get out on the ice himself, but he'll have to be patient for a couple more years.

Yes, there is a girl under here:

Leighton and I are the best of friends, and he's always there with a hug for me:

On a recent trip to the zoo, Leighton and I stopped to pose on the turtle statue. I think it's becoming a tradition.

And for our farewell, here are some fancy pictures of Lil Buddy and me.

TTFN,

Taylor and Leighton

Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

So a while back, we made some promises to get this blog updated and then keep it rolling. Well...we lied? Not so much lied as we made empty promises. Hmm...that didn't sound all that much better did it?

Now we're here to say that we really really really want to get back to this blogging thing so our people out there can see pictures of us and know what we're up to and all that other stuff. But we're a little overwhelmed with the "catching you up" part so as sorry as we are to say it, that's just not going to happen. Consider this our New Year's Resolution and a re-launching of our blog.

Disclaimer: Donations of caffeinated products are greatly appreciated as they will be necessary for blogging to occur.

With Extreme Gratitude and Sincere Apologies,

Taylor and Leighton

Oster Christmas 2010

Shiny Happy Smiles Christmas

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Next Came October

In October, Leighton continued in his quest to become "The Toddler that Drove His Parents Stark Raving Mad with His Shenanigans and Boyness". In other words, Leighton is a trouble maker. He likes to stand on tables, knock people over, give headbutts and bite. His body is in constant motion unless he's asleep. Aside from the two times his antics landed him in the hands of medical staff who were sewing his face back together, his antics are generally harmless. One particular antic got him in a bit of a pickle, but he was fine once Mom figured out where he was. See, it was a daycare day and Leighton slipped into the laundry room behind Mom. She never saw him come in, and closed the door behind her when she came back out. Not more than a minute later, she discovered he was missing and turned to ask the rest of us kids where he was. None of us knew, but we could hear noises coming from the laundry room. When Mom went in there to check it out, she found Leighton had climbed up onto a plastic storage tote so that he could climb into an exersaucer. Despite having lodged both legs into a hole designed for one leg, he was happy as a clam.

When Leighton isn't getting into trouble (because there are rare moments when that happens) he makes Mom and Dad forget all about it by being adorable and snuggly and loving and stuff.

In October, it became apparent to my family that my trike just wasn't giving me the challenge I needed. So Grandma Jan was kind enough to buy me this beautiful princess big girl bike. Everyone was amazed at how quickly and easily I was able to master riding it. I love my bike and really miss riding it now that we have snow.

Well, October meant Halloween, and that meant we needed to carve pumpkins. But poor Leighton wasn't able to help me and Dad. Mom and Dad were afraid he would just put all the pumpkin guts in his mouth, so they strapped him into his highchair and gave him a cookie to eat. He missed the pumpkin carving fun, but seemed to enjoy the cookie eating.

Dad and I are the pumpkin carving crew. After two years at the job, we're getting pretty good. I really wish I could show you just how good our pumpkins were this year, but I can't find the pictures anywhere. Mom swears she took pictures of them, but they aren't anywhere on her computer or on Dad's. I guess you'll just have to take my word on it.

I got to wear my costume quite a few times. To my preschool, to daycare, to Trunk or Treating at our church and on Halloween day. Here I am standing in front of my locker at school. (With a sucker in my mouth even though Mom asked me to take it out.)

Leighton got to wear his costume alsmost as much as me, but didn't have a preschool to wear it to. Too bad, it was a dern cute tiger costume!

(See this look on my face? That's sweet anticipation of the loot of candy I was about to score.)

My brother and I had a fantastically fun time celebrating Halloween with friends and family. We can't wait to see what Halloween 2011 will bring.

And that my freinds, is October.

Peace out,

Taylor and Leighton

Month by Month

So Leightion and I have been talking and we really want to get back to blogging but in all honesty, we don't even remember HOW. It' s been soooo long. So we'll give it a try here and see how we do.

(OH BUT GOOD GRAVY WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS FOR LIKE FIVE MONTHS AND THERE'S A LOT OF PICTURES AND EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS AND MILESTONES BETWEEN THEN AND NOW AND DO WE HAVE TO PUT IT ALL IN HERE?!?!?)

Wow. Sorry about that. So Lil Buddy and I just put our heads together (actually, he gave me a head butt, but whatever, it worked) and came up with this plan. We'll do one month at a time, starting with September since we at least got pictures out on the internet over on flickr up to that point.

So here is September...

Mom finally gave in to the pressure (mostly Grandma Jan and Papa Steve) had been putting on her for months and took Leighton to get his first haircut. "Amy" at Kids Hair did a hack job and cut off all his curls despite Mom's specific instructions to "PLEASE leave the curls PLEASE and just clean it up a little PLEASE like where you just a little bit off the ends PLEASE so you don't cut off all the curls PLEASE". Mom left fighting back tears and plotting revenge. It's grown back by this point, but the curls aren't the same. (Watch out Amy...)

My big event for September was starting preschool. Mom and Dad weren't going to send me to preschool this year since Mom does a preschool curriculum here at our daycare. But a couple weeks into daycare (i.e. a couple weeks into this new life of ours where Mom and I are together ALL. THE. TIME.) Grandma Jan suggested to Mom that I be enrolled in preschool so I could get otu of the house a couple days a week and have another outlet for some of my special energy. Turns out I love preschool and Mom doesn't mind the break it gives her so it's a win-win situation. Go preschool!

(Disclaimer: This picture was not actually taken on my first day of preschool as is the tradition in most American households. It was taken on my second day of preschool because my mom's a bit frazzled sometimes and things she intends to do don't always get done. It's how she rolls.)

There's no doubt that Leighton is Daddy's boy. The proof is in the pudding. And the pudding is all over Leighton's face in the next pictures. You'll notice he's not wearing a shirt. That's because my mom is super smart and took his shirt so it wouldn't get messy.

And that folks, is September. I know, weak effort. Sorry. We just don't seem to take as many pictures around here as we used to. Now it's time to get some shuteye before we start working on our October entry.

Goodnightsleeptightdontletthebedbugsbite,

Taylor and Leighton

Someday.

We'll blog again.

For now, you'll just have to deal with this teaser.

And if you're really hard up for pics of us and haven't been there yet, head over to flickr. We threw some stuff up there last week.

Love,

The Absentees (a.k.a. Taylor and Leighton)

Haircuts and Headcuts

Some cuts happen on purpose. Like Taylor's haircut. Mom was tired of fighting with Taylor to get her hair into ponytails and equally tired of her hair getting in her food and being messy all the time. So Mom whisked her off to Whitney, Mom's stylist at the fancy salon and paid way more than she should have so she would have the moral support of her own stylist to get through such a big event.

BEFORE:


AFTER:
It turns out everyone, including Mom, loves the new do. Mom can brush Tay's hair real easy and it doesn't hang in her food. Winner winner chicken dinner.

Some cuts happen on accident. Like when I cut my head wide upen when chasing Taylor through the house. We were just having fun, being the super brother and sister that we are, when *BAM*, that wall just jumped out in front of me and attacked my forehead.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Two internal stitches, five external stitches. Ouch. Mom and Dad tried to take me to Urgent Care for stitches, but were told by the nurse there that the cut was so deep they needed to take me to the Emergency Room. Ay yi yi. Well, an hour and a half wait later, I was all sewn up and sent on my way.

Tomorrow I'm off to have my stitches removed. Dad told Mom to ask the doctor if I need to start wearing a helmet at all times. Seems valid.

Stay Safe,

Crash (a.k.a. Leighton) (and Taylor)