Awake by Mrs. Taylor

What if you just realized, you were living the life you always wanted, instead of just liking it? You look at beautiful things, and dang, you have beautiful things too. You take beautiful pictures. You think beautiful thoughts. You can make beautiful things, and your about to spray paint all your shabby chic, white furniture plum purple and hot pink (my husband really loves me). And you just bought a fabulous, purple love seat to with it all. Time for a little shake up at my house. It's going to rule.

Monster Breath by Mrs. Talyor

I told my kids if they didn't start brushing their teeth better, they were going to get periodontal disease. The thought of having monster breath just doesn't scare these kids anymore. They think it's funny! So, I straight up told 'em:  you will get bacteria in the-between-your-gums-and-your-teeth-part that will eat away your teeth, and then they'll have to rip 'em, right out of your head.  I then, put my finger, in my mouth, made a pop sound, hung my head and shook it. That got an immediate "ewwww" from both girls, and then, Alyssa, who was "done" brushing by this point, brushed her teeth again! For real! No joke.  The truth just might work better than asking nicely a bazillion times.  No more fooling around.

And I hope you don't either by Mrs. Taylor

Happy Mother's Day.

Especially to my mom (who I love with all my heart).

Just sayin' by Mrs. Taylor

I have guts...by Mrs. Taylor

Let me tell you how much guts it takes to share this. 

I've had a rough year and a half, but I survived! 

I wrote this last month, and decided to share it...without a pen name.  Go me, again!  It's been over a year since I've written.  If I can help even one person by posting this, it was all worth it (because what if God called you to do something, would you do it?  Of course!).  Please enjoy:


April 22, 2012


Have you ever decided to be totally honest…about yourself?

Have you ever decided to wake yourself up from psych meds? What if the things that have been holding you down...were over? And you simply weren’t feeling better because of the meds, you truly were feeling better…in your heart? I’m weaning off my evening pill. Today is day six. I’m writing again; spending time with my husband; I didn't even take a nap today!  I can see a world around me that is full of ideas. I have a million plans again that I'm going to do. I am ready. I’m used to sharing my life with everyone through writing:  I wonder if I’ll share this. So, write (get it…write) now, I’m thinking of a pen name. So, there.

(And yes, it was under my doctor's supervision.)

Also, be sure to visit my new family picture blog: http://www.holdstillwhileitakeyourpicture.tumblr.com/.

The day see-through became normal by Mrs. Taylor

Has your reality become so un-shocking that you have to watch someone else's normal?  You used to be able to watch movies that shocked you, read news stories that shocked you,  heard @$$ on television and were so shocked that you almost fell out of your seat, BUT now, all you have to do is turn on reality TV and holly smokes!  Somebody else's reality, real life, is shocking!  We don't even have to script this stuff anymore, people live it!  And then we talk about it the next day.  We can't wait to tune-in next week.  What's so interesting about the socially inept that they can't even find a spouse without America helping them?  Who cares that New Jersey and it's shore really stinks and it's not because they put the freeway through the stinky parts?  What's so fun about watching rich people have bonfires on the beach?  I can do that living comfortably.  Can you believe these are real people's lives?  Their real stories?  Their real feelings?  Their real business?  And we're all in it.  How shocking.

Pressing Roses by Mrs. C

Ever wonder if you're living your life 50 pages ahead of where you actually are in life? I try so hard not to live for the future, and to live for the now, yet I find myself always wondering what's coming. Tonight, I felt almost somber, as I pondered over sweet memories of my pregnancy and entrance into motherhood, nearly 5 years ago. I remember, when I was pregnant with my sweet Jadyn, I couldn't wait to deliver her, hold her, love her, know her. And now, I am so bittersweet over her upcoming 5th birthday next month. Where did my baby go? I remember holding and cuddling her, but I also remember being so excited for her to smile, roll over, sit up, crawl, walk, talk. I couldn't wait for her to make these milestones, to watch her bloom. Yet, here I am, getting ready to send her into the world of school and growing up and friend circles, fads, peer pressure... I'm excited, but just wanting to slow down. I'm excited for her to start school, but I want to keep her home. I'm excited for her to branch out and make friends, but I want to just cuddle her and hold her. I just want to go back to page 3 for a moment and relive it, not through memory, but in real time. I just wish I could slow down and smell the roses at my leisure. And I want to be able to pick up my book at whatever page I want and live it for that moment, even if rereading.

Opportunities by Mrs. Taylor

I have a problem with people who have a problem with things.  Don't you have enough of your own problems, to make someone else's problem, your problem?  My house is messy; the dishes aren't done; my laundry pile is this big; my jeans are fitting tight; my kids won't stop saying fart and won't listen to anything I say; my mind's on my money and my money's on my mind; the voucher to get Hershey neutered appears to of come a little too late..; my car needs water in the radiator; I have a zit, and the list goes on and on.  I have way too many of my own problems, to have problems, with other people's problems.  If people who say, "I have a problem with that," spent as much time thinking about their own problems, as they do thinking about other people's problems, we'd have a lot more opportunities.  Now say that five times fast!

In memory: Branson Holm by Mrs. Taylor

Do you have anyone in your life that you don't personally know, but they are a part of your daily life, no, your daily routine? I do. His name was Branson Holm. And I will never forget him.

Dear "Boy,"

I always blame my Dutch Bros. coffee addiction on Elena, my four year old daughter, who had the BIGGEST crush on you.  Every day, she'd say, "I wanna go see "Boy."  How could I resist?  When you saw her, you'd yell, "Girl!" and tell her how pretty her lip gloss was. You always ignored my request of "just a little whip cream on (her) straw," and she loved you for it.  As special as you were to us, I can only imagine how extremely special you were to those who were close to you.  We'll  miss seeing you almost every day and thanks again for the extra chocolate you put in my favorite drink.  God bless your soul, and your family.

Love always,
~b

The legacy of one by Mrs. Taylor

Time to do a personal inventory.  Is it time for you to do one too?

I've been thinking about my legacy lately.  My legacy.  That's pretty big.  That's actually totally freaky if you ask me.  What gift of mine will I pass on to people, that'll make me live on f-o-r-e-v-e-r?  My incredible wit?  The way I nurture my children?  A speck of the glow from my radiant beauty?  My occasional *whisper* short fuse? My impeccable insert-foot-in-mouth capabilities?  In reality, what I pass on is not really up to me.  I can only be the best person I can be and be thoughtful about everyone and everything.  Every single person I know will take something different from me when I'm gone. But if you think your getting my grandma's blue diamond ring, your wrong!

New year's normal by Mrs. Taylor

Do you have a normal life?  Do you do normal things?  Go normal places?  Dream normal dreams?  Do you blend in?  Go with the flow?  Travel the most beaten path?  Are you always in the box?  A wallflower?  Blowing with the sands of time?  Are you on stand by in this life or are you living it?  Could you possibly be on the verge of ...hmmm... something way out in left field?  I am, and I bet you are too.  This year,  I'm going to live extraordinary, abnormally.  I'm going to be me, amplified.  I'm going to stop trying to be everything I want to be and just be it.  And it's going to be awesome. 

Seeing is seeing by Mrs. Taylor

I wish I could spend a day seeing the world through someone else's eyes.   I wonder if people see colors, shapes, or dimensions similar to me. In my car, I nonchalantly look at people sitting at red lights.  I notice where they're looking, how their face looks, and I wonder, out of the millions things around us, what the heck are they focused on?  I want to see, when they catch me peeking at them, how they see me?  Have you ever had someone look at you kinda funny (for me, at least once daily) and wondered what they saw, that you didn't, the last time you looked in the mirror?  Do they see a fuzzy in your hair or are they trying to "get" you?  I would love to be able to see through the eyes of the woman who wears caked on blue shadow or the man who gets ready in the morning fixing his comb-over just right.  Told ya I got a lot of things I wonder about...

Beggars can be choosers...I guess by Mrs. C

So, today, I called the Mission (our homeless shelter) offering VERY gently used toys to donate. I figured that the kids at the homeless shelter could get some great use out of these toys, and with Christmas coming around, maybe they could get a little something. I'm not talking about donating toys that are not usable or so overused that they're really garbage; these are toys that I had set aside to sell in the consignment sale myself, but I figured that others could benefit instead. I was a little sad when they told me they would only accept new toys.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think it's nice to have a new toy. But in these times, I think it's more difficult to get people to do the angel tree more than once. We've already done the angel tree twice now. Not to brag, but two times is really all we can afford. BUT I can definitely afford to share the love of really nice toys that have been gently used. They're clean, they're not missing parts, and they are definitely not garbage. So why can't they accept these and give them to the sweet little kids at the shelter? Would they rather the kids get nothing as opposed to something used? I don't mean to sound like a miser, but when did beggars become choosers?

Holly jolly by Mrs. Taylor

Merry Christmas!  Ho ho ho!  He he he!  Ha ha ha!  Has the Christmas spirit hit you yet?  It's starting to creep up on me.  The tree is decorated.  The lights are up.  The stockings are hung.  Our Santa doll is dancin'.  Reindeer cookies are bakin'.  Christmas tree crafts we're makin'.  Hot coco in the mornin'.  My three children are screamin'  "Mom, hurry, I want that!!!!"  during every commercial break on television...

Kiss my grits by Mrs. Taylor

Do you ever wonder about people who have crossed your path in the past?  Whether they were in your life for a day or for years, wouldn't you like to know what happened to them?  Some people you hope the best for and some people can, in the nicest way, kiss your hiney?  I have a list about t--h--i--s long of people who can kiss my hiney, but my list of people I hope are happy is much, much longer.  I used to be a preschool teacher and I wonder what happened to some of those kids.  There was one mom there who was going to school to be a doctor and I wonder if she made it.  There are also people from grade school I wonder about.  Like my best friend in first grade, Beatrice.  We called each other "b."  Or this other girl, Anita, who followed me around the playground in about fourth grade 'cause she wanted to beat me up!  Lol!  Bring it!  Through Facebook, I was able to find most people I actually liked in high school, so not much guessing there.  So ya, the more I write this blog, the more people I wonder about....

Goodgrief by Mrs. Taylor

A Goodwill store opened by my house a few months ago and it looks so busy!  It brought a dead strip mall back to life, but can I just say how much I hate thrift stores?   I hate thrift stores!  They smell funny.  They sell used underwear.  No, I don't want a lamp from the 1950's, stretched-out-neck t-shirts, worn out bath mats, odd cups or silverware.  No thanks, to not gently-worn shoes, somebody else's socks,  jewelery no one else likes either, musty coats or clearance rack regrets.  Maybe I'm insensitive, but I don't think so.  I do realize the necessity of thrift stores and I actually have to admit, I have bought a Barbie house there and a pair of A&F jeans that were so worn, they looked like they had a good story to tell.  But if you want good, cheap things, just go to Ross.

Favorite bathroom by Mrs. Taylor

Do you have a favorite bathroom?  A best throne?  A place where you plan your day and reflect on your life for a few secs? Do you get mad when you go to use it and someone else is in it??  I do!  Other than my home bathroom, I have a favorite at work.  My favorite bathroom is clean and usually has air freshener in it.  I always leave the light for the next time I use it.  It is out of the way, so I am rarely interrupted by knockers.  I often wonder if my favorite bathroom is anyone else's favorite bathroom.  I am actually afraid to say where it is, because I work with a few people who read my blog.  Hopefully, they don't know about this spectacular bathroom and I want to keep it that way!

Old fashioned by Mrs. Taylor

Out and about the other day, I noticed a tree limb chipper with a huge pile of limbs stacked in front of it, waiting to be thrown into be chipped and thought, dang!  That would so suck if that thing broke right now, which led me into thinking about how much it sucked before even call waiting was invented.  It is amazing when you think about all the things that make life easier.  Flat irons replaced ironing your hair, which I have actually done.  Cell phones replaced landlines.  Electric razors replaced straight.  Clothes dryers replaced the line, ever worn crunchy jeans? Email replaced handwriting.  Online bill pay is the bomb-diggity!  We have a dog water thing that holds water for the dogs for like a week!  There is so much more.  I can't wait to see what gets replaced next!

And I just have to know, how many times did you call people back until the busy signal was replaced with the ring, only to find out your friend wasn't home?  I'll never tell ('cause it was like a million!)...

Forget the lemonade, pass me the hot chocolate by Mrs. Taylor

Hello fall!  I have missed you!  It is has been so long since I've worn my favorite outfit, shorts and a sweatshirt.  My hoodies have hanger marks, but that's ok, I forgive you! I drove with the windows open the other morning and the heater on my feet.  I have not seen the a/c in my house set above 76 degrees and been comfortable in like four months.  My three hour park adventures with my kids are no longer a thing of the past.  I love the excitement that's in the air this time of year!  Oh fall, welcome back!

Chicks have needs too by Mrs. Taylor

There are so many things I need right now:  a break, a drink, a million dollars, a nap, a bubble bath, a foo-foo coffee drink, me time, me and he time, some cookie dough, a maid, a massage, an extended vacation, a favorite tv show, hair that takes a shorter time to do, less stress, less fuss, less muss, less laundry, less puppy poop, less drama, more smiles, more giggles, more snuggles, more hugs, more parties, more desserts.

And I don't think it is at all to much to ask....