My Sweet Baby Boy

My sis-in law, Amanda, took these fantastic pic of my little guy at the Union Station in Ogden. I am just in love with every single one of them!

Go Big Green!

It's Fall, and our Friday nights are now spent cheering on the Clearfield Falcons. Jon's little brother, Daniel, is playing, and we just love watching, yelling, jumping, and screaming for him. Last week was homecoming, so we all had fun dressing in our Falcon Green and Tag sported a special message for his Uncle.

We jumped on the reading rainbow

Yesterday was rainy and I cannot think of a better time to visit the library, so off we went. Being that it was Tag’s first trip, my camera came along with us. My mom always read to me, so I’ve been very excited to have kids of my own to read to.

Tag was beginning to tire of his same ole’ books we’ve been reading…Are You My Mother, I Do Not Like Green Eggs and Ham, Good Night Moon, etc. etc…I know this because one night he yelled out, “the dog is not your freaking mother, and how many times do you have to ask the guy if he likes his eggs green, and just go to sleep already the items in your room can’t really hear you!!” (ok, maybe that was me) Either way we were glad to add to our collection for a few weeks.

Thanks Aunts Amanda & Nikki

Tag got this cool bouncer from my family. He kind of likes it.

What?! I've been doing this for 12 years just to be more sexually-dimorphic?

A few days ago, I was preparing to shower and grumbling to myself about the need to shave. I have been genetically cursed with fast growing, dark, ugly, leg/armpit hair. I began wondering, "Why do we do this? Who began this crazy standard that women must remove every last strand of hair that does not grow on either their head, lashes, or perfectly trimmed eyebrows?" Being in the feministic mood I was (this comes and goes for me, the elections seem to bring it out) , I begin thinking, "I'm certain it was some man who owned a brothel and forced his, well "women" to shave. Then the scandalous men who patroned these brothels went home and convinced their unsuspecting wives to do the same, and now here we are decades later shaving, plucking, waxing, and now lasering our bodies to become free of our natural, God-given hair!"

Well, of course, I went to our trusty Wikipedia to search out my theory on shaving. Their theories aren't quite as colorful as mine, but here's what it says:

For women, the practice of shaving the legs derives from a current cultural standard in the West that deems leg hair on women unattractive. This standard emerged during the early twentieth century, as women's legs became more visible owing to shorter hemlines, and when the safety razor made the practice of leg shaving practical. The reasons for this cultural standard are debated, but it is sometimes seen as an example of a cultural mechanism for increasing sexual dimorphism. Others have suggested that it was promoted as a means of selling razors to a broader segment of the populace.

Ok, so let me now give the definition for sexual dimorphism:

Sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species. Examples include size, color, and the presence or absence of parts of the body used in courtship displays or fights, such as ornamental feathers, horns, antlers or tusks.

So, we've pretty much been doing this to increase our already mountainous differences with our male counterparts, in hopes that they will desire to impregnate us, right? Isn't it enough that we already morph into huge pregnant beings to carry their offspring? Well, that won me over....I will certainly continue to shave.

Here are some more great tidbits from Wikipedia:

Some women, despite the social pressures that favor hairless legs in certain Western countries, never shave at all. While some refrain out of lack of concern, others consider leg and armpit shaving an unnatural and repressive societal double standard. Still others refrain in an effort to be less environmentally wasteful (anyone see "Without a Paddle?"). Research also suggests that women who do not shave their body hair are "characterized by higher global self-esteem." [1] Scholars suggest that this is because women with lower levels of self-esteem are less likely to be satisfied with their natural bodies, and thus more likely to alter them. [2] (Well, these Scholars can shove it.)
Most women begin the practice of leg-shaving at some point during adolescence. It can serve as an unofficial "rite of passage" in some countries. Yes, rite of passage. I almost forgot about my big 12 year birthday party where all my friends came and watched as I shaved my legs for the first time. Some of you were there, right?

And finally, here's a favorite:

Many women of East Asian descent have completely lost the ability to grow visible hair on their legs and thus have no need of leg shaving. What?! It's an ability? I'm pretty freaking talented then because my leg-hair-growing-ability is out of this world.

So, you're probably wondering, with all this ranting and raving, if I am going on strike with my leg shaving. No, I just can't do it. I couldn't handle it, and I really do want to be sexually dimorphic for the husband. Be honest, isn't this everyone's goal? I just wish, a long time ago, that the whole women shaving thing had never started and we and the males would not know any different. Who knows though, maybe hairy limbs will have a comeback along with beehive hair? I can only hope.

Oh, and just in case you're curious, those are my sexy, smooth legs in the top, right corner;) I had Jon take the pic.

Welcome to Cody, Yee Haw!!!!

If you think you've visited what would be considered a cowboy town, you haven't seen anything until you've been to Cody, Wyoming. This city is home to a Buffalo Bill museum, and even more interesting, is chuck full of Taggart history, as some of the Taggarts were sent by Brigham Young to settle this city. We traveled to our neighboring state for the Taggart family reunion in August, with Jon's parents. It was a short trip, but we did a ton with the time!

Tag did excellent with the LONG drive! He was just glad to have mom and dad sitting on either side of him.

We took a couple of pit stops as driving through Yellowstone.


Our stay in Island Park.

We got absolutely soaked when we stopped to see a waterfall in Yellowstone, but it was well worth it!

We square danced the night away in Cody.

Jon and his Grandma Taggart. Notice the man in white with the mic behind them. This guy is the Derek Jeter of square dancing.

Bath time took place in the sinks.

Tag got loads of attention.

We cowboyed up for a Rodeo in Cody. I enjoyed some of it, but the calf roping made me cry:( I would only cheer if they got away.

Tag and his Grandma Bush at the Rodeo.