Baby Beats now Available

The first volume of Baby Beats is finally complete. Well, it has been for a few months now, and selling quite well on iTunes and Amazon.

Baby Beats is designed to stimulate infants and toddlers in a fun way. The unique rhythms and beats provide a fun and calming way for your children to listen to music.

Both Suede and Ellis love the sounds and rhythms that this cd has. Whether it's getting them to calm down on a long car ride or providing music to dance around to, Baby Beats does it all.

You can get your own Audio CD or MP3 Download by clicking any of the following links.

iTunes, Amazon MP3, Amazon CD

It Serves Craig Right for Not Posting

The truth is, who knows what has happened in the last 6 months. I'm not even sure. But, as I look at the pictures on my phone (as that is all I have access to at the moment), I guess I have a few things I can whip up.

First of all, a vent (with a joking tone of course). Why the H E double hockey stick is it my responsibility to do all the blogging anyway? It's not like I'm a medical student with 2 kids... that's also getting her MBA in her spare time or anything. But, I must follow the counsel of my dear husband. On the brighter side, I will have some sort of record (though few and far stretched) for future reference.

We had some pretty nice snow storms this winter. I enjoyed them, but was more than a little bit put out the time that our power was out for 2 days. We now own a generator and will not be freezing to death again.



All the sleds were sold out, so we improvised a bit.



And redefined an animal drawn sleigh.


We love, love, love living in the mountains 5 minutes from a free National Park with some fun trails. One of us is in the mountains everyday (with the dog EQ of course).



Suede is all girl and pictures of her Alice in Wonderland tea birthday party will have to come another time.



To my much dismay, my baby is no longer a baby. Ellis Craig turned 1 year old on May 23rd. No, there are no messy cake pictures, as I couldn't get the kid to eat the cake at all! One of my professors (a Dr. of course) was present and called me out on trying to get my kid addicted to sugar as I forced the cake down his throat, so hence, I gave up the effort and ate the cake myself. He is his daddy's son, and we have to keep a weary eye out to make sure he's not climbing something he shouldn't be.

Notice the blur. Yes, he was jumping while I sat back and took a picture. Sometimes there is only so much you can do.


Yes we are good at these photo ops that question our parenting skills.

Lastly, I would like to make a tribute to Craig as the post title suggests.

Here is my mother's day present for 2010.

Yes indeed that is a right handed putter (I'm a lefty). Just what I always wanted.

Rumor has it, it goes along with his latest project (that I remember being against and somehow....)


Yes, that is AstroTurf in our enclosed porch, which now has 2 holes cut in either side for a soon to be completed practice putting green.

This Father's Day I'm sure I can find something "wonderful" (and sparkly) that he will find great joy in.

Taralyn is Granted a Blog-Update-Time-Extension Due to "Not Getting on the Ball'

Unnoficial Blog Update

Official update to come from Taralyn in less than a week.

Obligatory Christmas Picture

Here it is, our official Top 10 of 2009 list and card.

Some people I know have eschewed the traditional card and gone with an e-card, but not us. Taralyn won't let me embrace the digital age fully, although she is making me post it in digital form. I guess some people really like the Postal Service to make more money. I prefer to inconvenience a few electrons in a digital transfer over the interwebs.

If you are among the chosen few, you will also see this in your snail mail box between Dec 26 and Dec 29. If not, we may not like you enough, so you can print this one out and display it on the cold-food-keeping device in your kitchen.

Fall Fling

Fall is my favorite season. For some reason it always seems the most romantic of all. My good friend is featuring Fall in her "Fall Fling" so I decided to participate (see her blog Because Babies Grow Up)

One of my most favorite things to do during the Fall is to camp (in the mountains or the forest. Anywhere with trees.) and wake up to a crisp morning where we can drink hot chocolate and sit by the fire. Those of you who knew me pre-Utah know that this is somewhat new and was in fact adopted in my college years. Craig has turned me into more of an outdoor girl (although he would still argue the opposite). I never thought I would, but I actually enjoy sleeping out with no tent. That is...if there is an absence of mosquitoes. Suede had her first camping experience a couple weeks ago, and (I am told) really enjoyed it. We'll have to go again soon before it gets too cold for the kiddies.

Here are a couple pics of the campout with her Daddy a couple weeks ago. Of course I was stuck at home studying, studying, studying.

Repentance

So I promised myself I would post today as I have been telling myself for months I would catch up. It's the catching up that's so daunting you know. Months of change and where to begin. Also, there is the fact that we always forget to document things with pictures, so what do I have to show! Well here goes....

Brief Update
We left Virginia full of tears in July as we embarked on our new journey in Tennessee/Kentucky (I'm sure Zac and Gina were rejoicing as they now have their basement back).

We have a new house....let me rephrase that, we have a house built in 1929 that is new to us that we love. It's a funhouse, literally, with slanted floors and doors and all.

Craig has once again taken over the house with his recording equipment and drums. Glad he feels at home now.

Craig's commentary: And what's left over, Taralyn has scattered with her dozens of school books and supplies.

I started medical school on July 28th and am LOVING IT! I just don't know how I'm going to remember all the awesome stuff.

Our new ward is awesome and Craig finally has a big boy calling (he's gotten off the hook since we've been married). He's the assistant ward clerk over finance. I laughed at first, and then this morning realized it adds work for me as I have to get the kids ready for church by myself and bring them home by myself. Why oh why did I wish this upon him (and me)? :)

Phew, that wasn't too bad.

Now for a funny story.

As we were bringing a load out here (we moved in stages), we stopped for some food at Wendy's and a feeding/ changing of Ellis. Well, I fed and left the changing to Craig (dun, dun, dun). He had the van door open with Ellis on the seat and forgot the cardinal rule of diapering the child RIGHT AWAY! Needless to say, it was not the pee party you are thinking. It was quite the opposite. A powerful opposite at that. He just so happened to be bending down right at the moment Ellis decides to have one of his amazing squirty rocket poops. Outcome = poor Craig's face (and Taralyn laughing so hard she can't even hand him the wipes). Let me tell you, this was some power. We measured the distance that this rocket traveled, 8 ft!

This one's for you Craig!



Craig's commentary: Speaking of things on people's faces. Here's what Taralyn had on hers recently. All from a little plant called poison sumac.






Back to Taralyn: It was SO HORRIBLE! I became a believer in homeopathy this last week. My face is back to normal. Our Bishop (also a teacher at the medical school so he's a genius Dr) gave me a remedy b/c I can't take steroids while breastfeeding. Miracle stuff! Works better than steroids!

Well, that's all for now folks. Hopefully I won't wait 3 more months before I post another one.