Happy 1st Birday to Little Bear

Pictures for my Daddy!

Little Baron Bryce Taylor had his first birthday at Grandma and Grandpa Taylor's in America.  Daddy had to stay in Germany with Smith so Mommy could come to Utah for her sister Megan's wedding.  I wish I had a picture of Grandpa and Grandma Smailes too, they were there and lots of their family.  It was so fun, but I missed my daddy so this post is for him.

 

Thanks for sending a beautiful double rainbow daddy!  I love you!

 

Happy Ever Birthday.....

Turning 30 was the best.
Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving!
I have been saying that all day.
For those of my friends and family who are about to turn 30, it is the best.  Such a powerful and beautiful age to be.  And such a fun birthday!
So my fairytale 30th birthday went like so...
I woke up and my husband made me a small breakfast because he knew I would be treated to a delicious lunch out with a beautiful sister in law.  Tasia came over at about 11:00 and we went out.  No kids, no husbands.  Just girls.  It was perfect.  We traveled around and ran into a beautiful little cafe on the corner of a beautiful street.  I ordered grilled chicken wings with a balsamic salad, Tasia got the Gnocci with parmesan and tomato sauce.  We then discussed the book Jane Eyer, wich I am currently reading (for the second time, yes, it is THAT good).  I love Jane's passionate personality and her love for what she believes is her soul mate, I can relate with Jane, she is my fictional hero I believe.  While discussing Jane Eyer, someone at a near by chocolate shop was playing piano music out it's window panes.  Could I be any more blessed. Thank you Tasia for watching my kids all day and taking me out to an unforgetable afternoon.
Bryce took me over the "old bridge" and he gave me my birthday letter which is my favorite part of any gift he gives me.  I read the letter with tears in my eyes and just felt sooo overwhelmed with gratitude from my Heavenly Father for giving me such an amazing husband.  Bryce asked me three questions, (which I love questions), one of the questions he asked me was, "How have you been able to stay in love with me for this long?"  I thought about it and answered."I decide to look at you how God looks at you, everyday."  I get overwhelmed with how much God loves my husband, that it makes my heart melt and my sould swell. 
We then walked over to the Castle and WOW!  I loved it.  I felt like a midevil princess walking through the castle gardens and walls.  The view was breathtaking. 
Afterwards we went to a restaurant called La Enchilada.  I really wanted some mexican food,  it wasn't the best, but being in a country where it is scarce, it was delicious and fun.  We got gelato afterwards and it was delicious.  Let's just say that lemon basil gelato has my heart.  MMMM.....  There were fireworks over the bridge and love in the air.  Oh and I can't forget, we watched master chef and he bought me a bike and a double bike trailer.  Pretty big presents. 
30 Years on this earth and I can't wait for the next 30.
Birthdays are the best.

Easter and the Boys

We visited one of the four castles just down the road from us. Wunderbar!

Signs of spring and some reminents of winter. Boy Germany is beautiful.

The Stare down....very intimidating.

Hi Bear. You want me to sing twinkle twinkle little star again. You got it buddy. You are just too cute.

My Smithy. There is not enough love in my body for this boy. This is Smith on Easter Sunday holding his "basket" (I looked for a basket and couldn't find one). Yep, he got ingredients to make his favorite Spegghetti. Yumm... And he did get into his school! Hip Hip Hurray!

Fancy FRANCY!

Beautiful Isn't it?


Beauty around every corner


My kind of place





We ran into an Easter Flea Market, the streets were buzzing with people and fun little booths like these.



Hi Sarah!


Churros dipped in melting hot chocolate...ummm, this is an experience.


Standing down the street from the beautiful cathedral. I love my family.


Ummm... Megan. THIS is a wedding dress.


Eating at a delicious restaraunt.


Byrce holding our sweet little niece Zinnia.


Our hotel room...yep. Dear Germany, thank you for warm ATM rooms.


Mike sleeping. Probably 3:00 in the morning.


We're lucky to have a 4 year old who will still sleep on our tummies.

We went to France!

Everything they say about France is true.
It is beautiful.
It is enchanting.
They have delicious food.
Everything is Fancier in France.
And if you don't make your train that leaves at 9:45 at night to get back to Heidelberg, you will have to spend the night in an ATM room in a random German town unil 5:30 in the morning. Yep, Pretty exciting!
Luckily everyone in our group had a good time and our kids were all safe and sound, warm and cozy.
Never a dull moment in this beautiful European nation!
Loved every minute of it.

a fun street performer outside the cathedral

Paul and Hal Concert

We have had a fabulous time hosting dinners for the Heidelberg sister missionaries since we have lived here. I have loved every second of it. Tonight Paul and Hal made an appearance! They rocked it. I especially loved listening to the accordian solos by Paul. Anyway, we had a good time.

Oh yeah, I forgot that I harmonize a few times during their lovely song and I must say I do a really good job!!!

SPEYER...(sh-pie-er)!!

So my Bryce and I decided for this week to be vacation week. Bryce has technically been out of school since Feburary but he has been busy working on papers still. He finally finished his last paper and I was able to convince him to put his pencils and papers away (really his laptop), and wisk his family away to some wonderful place like hmmmm... Heidelberg? We have been joking all week about it, Bryce will say to me, "Hey guess what?" really excitely, than I reply really inquisitively, "What?" Then he says really excitedly, "Surprise! I got us a cute cottage up in the mountains in Heidelberg Germany, it's going to be so fun." It has been a great vacation week, we went hiking up in the mountains, which is only two bus stops away from our house, then today we went to Speyer! A very cute little town outside of Heidelberg. We ate at a Cafe and Bryce got gelato! Germany is such a beautiful place, I am grateful that he is furthering his education out here. There are some essentials that I have learned since living out here. And I will list a few.

1. How to make my own chicken broth

2. How to use public transportation.

3. How to say "thank you".

4. How to love and be loved. ( not just by my husband)

1. Chicken broth is very important to me, do not under estimate the importance of numer 1. I use it a lot in my cooking and learning how to make it myself is just so liberating.

2. I really enjoy using public transportation and here is why. You don't have to strap your kids into seats with seatbelts, you can hold them the whole way, and just roll them in and out of the bus or bahn with out having to find a parking spot, take out your stroller, take them out of their seats and do it all over and over and over again. It is quite nice.

3.We have been given so much and been served so amazingly since we have arrived here. The church TRULY works miricles temporaly and spiritually. I could just tell these people, "no it's okay, we don't need you to do that." Instead I have to swallow my pride and just simply say, "thankyou." It is harder than you think. Especially when you feel spoiled by all these amazing friends and family who have helped us SO SO SO much. Heavenly Father truley does carry us in our toughest times. I used to jear at the poem "footprints", but I can't anymore, it is true, we have felt him carry us so many times, and it is during these times we need to reckognize and it and say thank you. Especially to our Heavenly Father.

4. How to love and be loved. I have felt so honered being these two darling boys' mother. Really? I passed the job interview for this? I am qualified for this position? How did that happen? But it did. They have changed me forever. Especially Smith. There are no words I have to describe the feeling I have when I hold him and look into his shining eyes and he smiles SO BIG from ear to ear. I don't wonder what he smiling about as much as I used to, now I think, " I must be doing something right." I still do A LOT of things wrong, but when you have a child with disabilities, especially one that cannot speak, you wonder if you are raising him right. It is in those moments when he is smiling in your arms that you get the answer. He is so much deeper than words can explain.

My rock, my passion, my best friend, the one who does it all. My Bryce. He rescues me. My wish is his command. I love him. I feel like we are millionaires every day waking up next to him.

I have so many things to live for.

And I thank Heavenly Father for allowing me a beautiful day like today to spend with my best friends. Bryce, Smith and Baron.

Segnungs, Pustablume, and Exzema.

Segnung=Blessing in German.

Bear got his baby blessing and I loved it. Short and sweet. In the blessing my Bryce gave, he said that he will be loved by those who know him. And that is already true. I have loved having a little bundle of joy around the house. There are times when I am so deleriously tired that I will just be holding Bear and looking into outerspace and be totally blank...wait, I did that anyway before, so never mind.

Yesterday Bryce and I went to the school for special needs children called Pustablume. I was in shock of how amazing it was. We walked in and there was a teacher riding on the back of this special toy with a girl who couldn't walk. I just thought it was great that she wasn't pulling it or pushing it, she was actually riding on it with her. We had our interview with the head mistress and she took us on a tour. If I could design a school just for Smith, this is the school I would have in mind! It has an indoor pool, physical therapy room with a big trampoline, a big cafeteria, speech therapy, and 3 teachers per 6 students a class. I loved the tour. Smith and I even got to attend one of the classes for an hour. The teacher was the nicest person in the world. she was teaching the kids about what goes on in a bauernhof (farm) and making all the animal sounds for the kids. I think I love the idea of a swimming pool for SMith. He loves the water, so if he got to go to the pool during school, I think that would make him so happy! The school goes from 7:30-3:30 M-Th and on fridays till 11:30. I thought about that time frame and I was surprised how long he will be there for. I mean, going from all day everyday to afternoon and nights will be hard for me I think. I love my Smithy. Now that we have him on a schedual it is more predictable and we have a lot of time to play (which means physical therapy) but he doesn't know that, He just laughs the whole time. I get teary eyed just thinking about it. I know it will be the beast thing for SMith though. I remember on my mission in the Canary Islands, In my first area our service was to feed children with special needs and I was terrible at it, but my companion was amazing with these children. She talked with them, laughed with them and made them feel special. I hope there are people like that working witth Smith at this school, and I am sure there will be. As for my little Bear.

He has Exzema! I hate it! Smith had it too. It has been so stressful and hard to deal with, mostly because he wants to itch his face all the time. Nobody wants there baby to be in pain, it's just hard, and I know it will go away. I am nursing him so I have been on a restrictive diet no citrus (that one is a hard one for me, no chocolate, no cow dairy, no peanuts, no eggs. NOw, since these are doctors orders, I thought I would be suffering. But I have discovered sheep's cheese and I am in love. I am just fine, I still get to put cheese on things and eat cheese, so I am okay. I do have an unhealthy relationship to cheese, not a love/hate relationship, a pure addictive love relationship....that is what makes it unhealthy. Thank goodness for those goats and sheep out there. And I think I actually prefer the sheep cheese to cow cheese, right now anyway. These are little updates for now, I will be more creative the next time I write. Love yall.