"You're my best friend. That's it."

This is on a trip to MI and Jeff is holding Levi...Levi loves that dude! we haven't figured out why though....(peace Jeff)

such a cute little 2.5 year old...so serious!

Never much for a haircut!

Coffee thief! but who could resist?

Mr. Underpants Head


Can you guess what movie this title line is from? (we just watched it to make sure we were correct)


There's really no method to the madness here...just Levi memories from the past 3 years or so!

What a fun, interesting little person he is! I look at these pictures and then at him in the flesh and it amazes me how much he has grown up. (he's actually standing right here with me, gazing up at me. He likes it when my hair is down, so he keeps telling me "Mommy, your hair's down. I like when you have your hair down")...he's such a big boy yet not. He still likes to lay down with me to go to sleep at night. He still wants to lay or sit on me any chance he can get. He is a Gramma and Grampa's boy...content to just lay on one of them!

He's finally 99% potty trained...yes, he's 5.5 years old. Give the kid a break....he crawled at one, walked at 18 months, so he really does nothing fast! but that is what we love about him! mostly.

He has a squeaky, li'l Mickey Mouse voice..."Wanna see my dresser?"...and his latest thing is when he knows a spankin' or some form of discipline is on his horizon, he will ask in the sweetest, squeakiest voice, "But you're my best friend", like that makes him immune from correction. ha. well, he's mostly right. unfortunately. He's a sneaky troublemaker...likes to take his brothers and sister's DS' and hide them.

He can spot an airplane, jet, helicopter when no one else has a clue it's near...he has an respect (fear) for smoke alarms and notices them wherever we go...he also like to sit and drink a cup of coffee with me in the morning. He has a love/hate relationship with a good thunderstorm...he has perfect pitch and memorizes music fast, loves to sing, loves classical music. His tinkering on the piano sounds like music. He's getting quite brave in the pool...

Levi Taylor, you have been a worthy challenge from day one. It's not your birthday but I wanted to give a little shout out to you...We all love you, dude! You are one awesome boy!

Who should I give a shout out to now?

While I'm at it, this one's for you, Mel-Mel (a.k.a "Kate")

Guess who's turning 10 this weekend? May 31, 2008...go Melly, go Melly, it's your birthday, it's your birthday...

July 31, 2004...with your cousin, Piper....you are so gracious with
the younger folks in your life!


"Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion..." can anyone tell me what movie that is from, besides you, Beck? This is Mel's quote to describe her life with 2 older brothers...they constantly pick and harass but she handles it like a champ. mostly.

Six going on sixteen

Princess Leia hair

Sweet sand castle building 7 year old!

Happy 10th Birthday, Miss Melanie Kate!!



Melanie joined us on the last day of May in 1998...I labored all thru the night hours, which, to me, is kinda spooky for some reason, and while David slumbered ever so peacefully next to me on the bed, I prepared to welcome our 3rd child...unbeknownst to us, our first daughter!



For some reason, the 2nd phase and her actual delivery took a while...because her little chin was up. After what seemed like 2 years of pushing and crying...down into the canal she came...bloop, bloop, bloop...when her little head, loaded with lots of dark hair, came forth...the midwives noticed a loop of cord around her neck...yikes. scary yet praising the Lord that she was ok! When she actually came out...and I discovered her female parts, we were in some shock...why? because I just didn't think it would be a girl...I loved my little boys but longed for that little slice of pink heaven! On the videotape that Beck was in the midst of making, she started crying and sniffing while doubting my looksee.



She looked like she had been beat up when she was out and settled...blood shot eyes, herniated belly button, splotches on her skin, which one ended up being a big, bright strawberry birthmark on her arm...but to us, she was the most beautiful little girl and gift from God!



She weighed in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces and was born at 4:06 in the morning...Thank You, God, for such a bright, well-adjusted from the get-go kinda gal! We still aren't sure, to this day, how we ended up with her...if we hadn't been there ourselves, we would definitely wonder. But she is a replica of her father's sister so that does help.



Thanks, Mel-Mel, for your good attitude, sweet, patient spirit, help with the younger sibs...you are invaluable to me anyway but your mothering gift has been such a nice gift to our family! You are intuitive, compassionate, helpful, caring and tender-hearted. Kind, funny, energetic and smiley!



You are one Decade old...double digits...ahhhh. 3 years from teenagedness!

I will try to dig up some earlier shots of Miss Mel-Mel...We are so blessed to have you in our lives, MKY! You da bomb!

Triple C (aka creamy crockpot chicken)

Healthfood in a bowl...(I guess it would be healthy if you didn't add the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, or real butter but everything in moderation, right??)

Recipe is as follows:

keep in mind, you will need to double this batch if you are feeding anymore than 4 peeps as well as eating it for leftovers...this is the small family size version...I always double.

1-8 oz. container of sour cream

2-4 tbsp. butter

1-can of cream of chicken soup

1-packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix (not the dip mix)

4-chicken breasts, cut up, already cooked.

put first four ingredients in your crocky, and it will seem rather icky to you but just wait. once all the stuff mushes together, and the aroma fills your house, you will see what I mean. Unless you don't like that kind of thing...I let it cook, on low, for 2-3 hours...you can add your diced chicky whenever you are ready. We eat it over whole grain rice (which you prepare according to box directions), but I've heard you can eat it with stuffing, or noodles...whatever. experiment. I add the rice about an hour before we eat it, unless we are really hungry and the whole deal, from start to finish, is about 2 hours. If you let it simmer on high, it seems to get crusty faster (again, matter of taste)...

It really is good. When Beck and Scott had Nora, I made it for them, thinking that my rather picky, yet cute, sister wouldn't like it. ha. I think she has made it 4 times since September...

Give this recipe a try, and let me know how your's turns out or what you ate it with but if you hate it, I don't wanna hear about it. K?