Brooke, Beckie & Brule

Mike & I went out on a double date with Dave & Brooke Sampson.
At dinner we were discussing how Mike & his college roommates had contests to see who could get the most "free stuff" using only their charm... their booty included a "welcome to Denny's" sign, autographed menus & even someone's unmentionables.

After a fabulous meal at Brio we were on a tight schedule to catch our movie, but Brooke & I really REALLY wanted some Creme Brule.
Brooke & I were so charming (yeah, you heard me) that our waitress said we could just take our adorable little cups & spoons with us & eat our Creme Brule en route to the theatre. (I felt a little sneaky going out the back way... WHY is everyone staring at us?)

What a delightful evening and... FREE STUFF !

hello my darling little creme brule cup... come to mama.

Friday Flashback

December 2004
DIG IT, uh oh oh, DIG IT

We had just built a pool in our backyard & were in the process of landscaping it.
13 tons of rock had just been dumped in front of our driveway, so we had the boys round of some friends to help us DIG IT.
Can I Pause Here a Moment to Say We Have The Best
Friends & Neighbors ?
In no time at all we had upwards of 15 kids, shovels in hand, ready to DIG IT.
Mike & Scott directed traffic & ran the wheelbarrows.
We put on the appropriate tunes and...




In no time flat our 13 tons of rock had dwindled to a small pile of loose stones.

We gave each boy a $1 bill and a can of rootbeer...
you would have thought they won the lottery.

Thank you fellas !
Mike Taylor
Scott Carroll
Jon Taylor
McKay Taylor
Aaron Webb
Daniel Webb
Doug Gillette
Dallin Gillette
Christian Martinez
Grant Greenhalgh
Archer Greenhalgh
Ian Greenhalgh
Chase Carroll
Bennett Carroll
Devon Crapse
Devin Dayley
Kolby Dayley
Chance Bohenek
Jake Bohenek
Maddie Bohenek
Tyler Halliday
and anyone that my mother-of-5-kids-mind has forgotten...
You ROCK... i mean, i really DIG IT... i mean, DIG You.

#2 is number one in my book...

As we say a final farewell to this football season, I would like to say a few things...

McKay, You Did Good.

You Worked Hard.

You Made a Choice to Hang in There when the Going got Tough.

You supported your Teammates, lifted them Up.

You Kicked some Butt.

You made us Proud.

!!!!!! GO MAC-DADDY !!!!!!

ps - thanks for not minding while your dad & I cheered for you like maniacs on the sidelines.

brawn & beauty

One night as we were getting ready for family prayer, the kids decided to have an

Impromptu Push-up Contest...

i think Tony's got this one in the bag

Happy, Happy Birthday Mother Dear...

Today is my mom's birthday!!
Hip-hip hooray!
I know I've said it before, BUT... isn't she beautiful?

Mom, if I was there I would...
Have a PARTY with your 30 closest friends.

Make you an amazing homemade BUNNY cake, or castle cake, or butterfly cake, or hamburger cake (complete with sesame seeds).

and
Give you the GIFT that you had been wishing for... just to see the joy on your face.

Of course your special day would end with out-of-control
!@!@!@! FIREWORKS !@!@!@!

and the traditional pinata on the head.

But... since I am here, instead I spent the day thinking of you... making your famous Popcorn Balls for my Young Women's Evening in Excellence, which I know would make you happy.

Happy, Happy Birthday Mother Dear.

I know, I know... she's beautiful.

Good Morning Moon(shine)

5:30 am everyday...
waking up BEFORE it is light outside

it's just not right

And why would I get up?
I get up because I love my son.
I love my son because he makes good decisions (among many other things).
His good decisions mean that he has class at 6:30 in the morning.
Having class at 6:30 in the morning allows him to fit seminary into his schedule.
Jon, I enjoy seeing you first thing in the morning...
even if it is still DARK outside.
You're a good son.
and a stone-cold fox.
with a gorgeous tan.

The Blanket Pile

First there were two...

until the party grew...

Mr. Happy joined the crew.

and then Jon got buried.

Friday Flashback

Daddy-Daughter Date 2005

Courtney (3) was so excited when our church hosted a daddy-daughter date night. She contemplated all day what she would wear for her special night.

I took her shopping & she picked out a pink sparkly dress for the evening... her auntie V gave her the perfect white gloves... yet, something was missing...

Oh Yes !

A girl must have fancy high-heeled shoes to perfect the outfit. So off to my closet she went & emerged...

Ready for her date

(with her "Prince", she informed me)

A daughter's adoration.


Yes Courtney, you were right, your daddy is a "Prince"... charming, I might add.

Marilyn's Mighty 7

THIS was how our day began... sick baby, breathing treatments, lots of kleenex... cross our fingers.
So we sadly left McKay home with little Tony (Jon had left at 5:30 am for an all-day volleyball tournament) and off we went to fight
Multiple Sclerosis.

I got butterflies in my stomach as we joined the long line of cars waiting to get into the parking lot.
I was in tears before we got out of the car.
How can you NOT shed tears when this is the scene that greets you?
Thousands of people, excited to be here, passionate about this cause, walking for themselves, walking for those they love.

The girls were thrilled to be a part... they understood why we were walking (or in their case, riding for the most part) & WHO we were walking for.

Marilyn's Mighty 7 team ready to roll...
with grandma's pink leopard blankie as a reminder.
My right-hand man

16,000 (or so) steps later...
Mike does a jig as the finish line is in sight.

It was an exhilarating day.
It felt victorious.
We dedicate this victory to you, MoM.
And a HUGE Thank You HUG to all those who donated
We Love You !!!!

p.s. - Imagine our surprise when a group of storm troopers passed us by, followed by Princess Leia, Boba Fett, Queen Amidala, Obi Wan Kenobi... and many more.
May the force be with you as the Rebel Alliance fights to defeat the MS empire.

p.s.s. - THIS is my unofficial shout-out to all those PEEPS out there who want to do something good... and feel good in return (and get a free pass to the zoo... and free lunch).
The Phoenix MS Walk On The Wild Side 2009 is only 359 (or so) days away...
and i have BIG PLANS people

stay tuned

p.s.s.s. - It is still not Too Late to donate...
click here !

Excerpt from my personal page:

"Having multiple sclerosis means that you may not be able to walk when you wake up. Or that you may suddenly have impaired vision. Or that your memory will fail you for no apparent reason. The symptoms of MS are different, and devastating, for everyone - the only certainty is that it will affect yet another person every hour of every day."

My Mom Likes to Party all the Time ... (where's the licorice?)

I have struggled to put into words how I feel about this cause. My mom has been living with MS for over 35 years. She has faced her struggles head-on with a Fight, Fight, Fight attitude. She raised 7 children (and can I say my childhood was nothing less than magical), was a bishop's wife, was a ward's "mother", was a peacemaker, was a champion of all causes, great and small... and all of this while living with MS. She is my hero. She is my wonder woman. She is the most thoughtful, compassionate person I know. She is a perfect example of what I hope to be one day.

i love you mom.
Beckie

Friday Flashback... digging deep into the archives

In anticipation of my MS walk, I have been thinking a lot about my mom lately.
First I have to ask myself, "how did I get so lucky?"
Second I have to ask myself, "HOW DID SHE DO IT????!!!"
So without further ado, here is a glimpse into my childhood... under the direction of my AMAZING mother.
isn't she beautiful

So many memories of the family CAMPING, swimming, fighting over who got to sleep on the pop-out bed, the camp kitchen (which in between camping trips held a goldmine of Little Debbie treats AND had a combination lock on it), rope swings, campfires, "going" on a tripod porta-potty, catching bugs, owl lanterns, swimming like fish, being filthy for days... you know, all the good camping stuff

Yes, that IS me & my siblings (including those in strollers) in the annual school TALENT SHOW , and YES we were in it nearly every year... with handmade costumes, wicked dance routines (ok, dorky) and funky music... and we loved every minute of it.

My mom has a talent for finding COOL THINGS. One year a local theater was getting rid of their old costumes, so my mother went & picked up the lot (not sure if any money was involved... she is also a fabulous bargain shopper... my kind of gal).
Needless to say, Halloween at our house was nothing short of spectacular.

Have I told you how much FUN she is? Growing up in the PRICE family included fireworks, pinatas, over-the-top-to-die-for birthday parties, selling pumpkins from our very own garden (and thinking we hit the mother load when a kindergarten teacher bought our whole wagon full), lots of laughter (with and at each other) and of course pie fights. Not to mention the fact that we all owned roller skates and skated our way to fitness around the neighborhood each morning as a family... wish I had a photo...

see below...
THIS was more often than not how our photos looked.
DAD, I'm so glad you & mom found each other.

Our family is rich in TRADITION... oh I love tradition, especially our Christmas traditions.
* ALL of the kids sleeping in our homemade fort on Christmas Eve (until a brawl broke out & we had to kick someone out for bad behavior)
* Cinnamon Walnuts & Peanut Butter Balls (I think you know what I'm talking about)
* making a jazillion treats to take to friends & family, and caroling our way through Midland
* making the most amazing & FUN treats to take to our teachers at school (which the teachers began to anticipate, hope for and maybe even expect) after having 7 Price kids attend Chestnut Hill Elementary.
* our jolly old st. nick that adorned our front porch... love that guy! (so much that I went out & found one to adorn MY front entry)
* AND of course acting out the nativity every Christmas Eve, scriptures in hand, where dad usually got the good fortune of playing the donkey.

There are days when I ask myself, is it possible for ALL of my children to be FRIENDS , to enjoy each others' company and WANT to spend time together?
If you ask any one of my siblings, the answer will be a resounding YES!!!

(Greg, Jon, Beckie, Cyndi, Lori, Mike, Dave)

So on the eve of my walk, I stop to reflect upon the woman I walk for, my mother who nurtured, who taught, who loved, who struggled and fell down... and jumped right back up, who played, who laughed, who swore on the rarest of occasions (when we knew we were REALLY in trouble), who made childhood magical as it should be.

Thank you does not seem adequate, but
THANK YOU MOM.

i told you it would be deep

I must be DELUSIONAL

One night Mike & I were putting the kids to bed. He was struggling with Tony, who DID NOT want to go to bed.

Enter: SuperBeck, aka SuperMom

"Here Mike, let me put Tony down... I have a METHOD"

so in all my mothering glory I scooped up sweet Tony & began to hum in his ear.

It was at this point that he SMACKED me right in the face (the force was enough to knock my hair right out of my ponytail)

Instant remorse...

I love you Tony... but don't EVER do that again.


So much for my METHOD.

Rock the VOTE !

What does voting do for you ??

I can't tell you what it does for us...