Hawaii... a year later

So my amazing in laws decided it was time for a huge Taylor family trip and decided the best place for that was Hawaii. What great parents right?

Well getting 19 people to Hawaii I can imagine was not easy. But we all made it there, even if some were a little exhausted. (Times like that make me glad I don't have kids yet.)

So for Thanksgiving 2011 we were in Hawaii. That was my second time in one year I was there. First for our honeymoon and then as a family vacation. Maui and Kauai. I could live there forever.

 The nieces getting to see their aunts and uncles for the first time in a long time.

 Feeding the fish in front of the hotel.

 Giant seals would come on the beach and just chill. The girls loved it.

 Sweet baby Logie.

Talin and Emma being buried.

 Rach and Spencer

 8 going on 18

 All the Taylor boys. Don't they all look similar.

Snorkling off the Napali Coast on Thanksgiving morning.

Napali Coast

Grandma and Grandpa (aka the In Laws) with all the grandkids 

 Leavitts

 Doesn't he have the best beach hair

The Taylors

 Someone left this rock formation that said "I love you" and it was too perfect to pass up.

 Dad's little girl.

 Zack and Jana

 Sometimes we pretend our nieces are our own kids

Little miss dancer.

Amazing tubing through the old sugar canals.

This little lady would pop her head up during the long flight home.

There is our trip in a nutshell. We enjoyed it so much. Thanks Eric and Carol.

Kaylee

Mom's 50th and Wedding

Way back in August 2011, ya I know forever ago, my siblings and I threw a surprise party for my mom.

She turned the big 50. I know my mom doesn't look a day over 40.

If you know my mom she does NOT like surprises at all. And I do not keep secrets either. So as you can imagine I'm trying not to tell my mom but I want to warn her so she doesn't get mad.

I came in the day before and so I hid out at a family friends house and was trying to avoid my mom and not run into her around town. 

Here is the story of how we got her to the "Surprise House."

Since my mom wanted to "lay low" for her birthday we decided to do a girls trip to the desert and just relax for the weekend.

So since I am the only one in my family that lives out of state I was saying I was coming into town late at night so my mom wouldn't suspect anything. 

My sister, Grandma, and mom were going to the desert on Friday night but my sister said she had to stop by a close family friends house to get a floaty for my Nephew who joined us. (This is where the party was being held. So a perfect excuse to bring my mom to the party house.)

So my mom comes in and sees some friends but it doesn't register that they are there for a party. So she comes around the corner and sees her kids (I like to think she saw me first) and starts to cry with tear of joy. 

It was a really touching moment. Especially since everything my mom has been through in the past few years. To see all these people who love and support her was very special and just what my mother needed.

So the party continued and the girls headed out to the desert for a very relaxing weekend.

My youngest brother Korbin, and the sons and husband of one of my mom's dearest friends, the Mee boys.

My mom's best friend, Carrie (middle), and cousins Terry and Shelley

Beth Sparks, Annette Hairgrove (gracious host/second mom), Paula Ferguson

Sorry I don't have more pictures. I really need to get better at that.

Now on to the next event, another Walton Family Wedding (Seriously we had 3 weddings in one year).

Story:

My oldest brother Kyle and his girlfriend of 4 years tied the knot. It was a gorgeous wedding. 

At one of the most amazing venues every. It was at a private vineyard in Temecula, CA. Kinda hot but not a big deal. I love family weddings. There is so many family members there, music, and always a good time. 

All of my brothers waiting for the bride.

The bride and groom saying their vows.

This is my favorite picture. Right after they were married.

My mom and sister do the most amazing "candy buffets"

Isn't he the cutest? I could literally look at him all day.

My sister with her cute family.

Morgan and me before dinner.

Kim and Ashley

It was a fun wedding. Thanks Meg and Ky. It was great. 

Kaylee

Major Update

Just a warning, there is about to be a major update. 

And by major I mean HUGE. We're talking over a year of updates.

Be prepared for lots of pictures (because I don't like to write/I'm not very good at it) and some words.

Kaylee

Taking Over...HAHAHAHA!!! (Evil Laugh)

So Kaylee and I were watching Julia and Julie earlier this evening, yes I'm admitting that, and it has inspired me to enter the blogosphere once again.  My last attempt lasted a whole 7 posts with my mom being my only follower, go Carol!  So I was trying to think of a general theme for our blog that would result in people actually reading it and the best I could come up with is everyday life with humorous observations, yes very original.  Well I hope you enjoy.

So my humorous observation of the day occurred at school today.  I am currently filling a long-term sub position as a high school marketing teacher.  To answer your first question, yes they now teach marketing in high school.  Answer to your second question, no I do not have any experience in marketing.  I took a personal finance class with my brother in college as well as a basic advertising class, that's it.  Needless to say, I am very much qualified for the job.  Props to Kim (the full time teacher) for hooking me up with an idiot proof lesson plan.  Anyways background information complete, now on to the funny part.

Today I was teaching a lecture on the basics of an economy.  As I began to talk about the GDP, Gross Domestic Product for those who don't watch CNBC, I noticed a student on the back row beginning to crack a smile while looking at his computer screen.  At first I was happy to see he was excited about consumer spending.  As I continued with the lecture, I noticed this same student starting chuckle to himself while looking at the computer screen again.  At this point I knew he was not paying attention, give me a little more credit than that, and was obviously enjoying something very comical on the Internet.  I walked to the back of the room while teaching noticing him scrambling to change his screen back to the notes.  This game continued for another 5 to 10 minutes until I started defining the term depression.  All of a sudden that same student began to laugh out loud hysterically.  I found it ironic he was laughing as I was talking about depressions.  What was funny to me is as I walked back to check his computer, he changed his screen back to the notes, as if I hadn't caught on yet.  I said to him, "I didn't know depressions were so amusing."  His response was priceless.  He responded, "Oh it is, I don't know why but I think people losing jobs is hilarious."

I knew that students would say a lot of things to not get in trouble, but this definitely takes that cake.  My students are awesome, but as all high schoolers in every generation since the beginning of time believe, all teachers were born yesterday.  That is my humorous observation for today, many more to come. 

- Morgan