The Taylor Mailer

I have to tell you how cool my sister is. First of all, a little background: my younger sister was previously afraid of EVERYTHING…losing my mom in the grocery store, going down the drain — you name it, she was probably terrified of it. But, last week, she went rafting in the Nile River! I hope to post a video of her excursion on Facebook soon. Checkout those currents below.

Sarah and her husband continue to serve as missionaries in Madagascar…for more info on their ministry, visit: http://www.missionmadagascar.blogspot.com/

Maddox KNOWS he can dance…he’s got rhythm and dances to any beat. In this pic, he’s dancing with dad

Photo 1) Family picture at Disney’s California Adventure; Photo 2) Maddox tuckered out; Photo 3) Baby Alexandria at 20 weeks. *We have an ultrasound this Friday to confirm if she is in fact a girl. Will keep you posted on this…

Maddox does not understand there’s a baby coming. But he does show amazing interest in tiny infants and babies…he will reach out to touch their hands and cuddle them. So, I think he’ll be a gentle big brother. Maddox started off month 14 with a new love: giant trucks! He’s been playing with his little cars on our tile floor, but nothing compares to the big trucks older boys have at the park. They’ve been nice and loan him their wheels.

Maddox also likes to scoop water – his baths are extraordinarily long, now that he has cups and teaspoons from the kitchen. His words “Done” and “Dog” are clearer. So is “nigh-nigh”. When he’s tired, he holds his nose so it’s really nasally and yells, “Nigh-nigh”. Marcus and I just laugh. We’ve had several beach and park playdates…it’s been 70-ish here and warmer in the afternoon. Today, we woke up at 7 am to an earthquake. No, we were not scared and went about our day. We even headed down to the beach around 9 am for a run. We looked at birds, saw some dolphins, played in the sand – all normal occurrences – until Maddox spotted not one helicopter but FOUR circling the beach. Then a coastguard boat whizzed across the ocean, and I began to panic. “Tsunami” filled my mind, and I took off in a “mad-woman” sprint to the car. We made the two miles in record time, and I’m still not sure what all the commotion was? But, rest assured, we’ve made it through three earthquakes and one fire this week…totally unscathed. Even a 5.3, which sounds scary, barely moves us…it’s really nothing [and dear God, thank you for that and for keeping us safe].

Maddox still loves his trains…he puts his hand in a fist, makes the breaking gesture, and says: “choo-choo”. He no longer uses his “belly laugh” to get attention on the beach trail…he’s found waving to be more effective. In fact, he will frantically wave at [women and dogs especially] who are yards away. When we reach them, they’re usually laughing and flattered and say: “Awe, what a flirt” and cover him in coos and attention. Maddox, of course, smiles and laughs and eats it up! He’s a little Marcus for sure.

There’s a new girl in town…two-year-old Meredith. Marcus and I caught the two of them holding hands at the Disney production of Aladdin. Meredith has just as many curls as Mads, and she wears the cutest little bows in her hair. The two of them have a blast together, especially at Disneyland. Maddox sat on my lap [and literally did not move] for the whole production. He absorbed every note and clapped to the music. He was fascinated by the flying carpet ride…you could just see the wonder in his eyes.

Maddox loves to do whatever chore his daddy happens to be preoccupied with. On Saturday, it was washing the car. A determined little 14-month-old, Maddox wants to do it HIS way [like father, like son]. He took very little direction from his dad and ended up wearing most of the soapy water.

Don’t ask me why, but Maddox and I visited 4 parks today. Located within five miles of each other, it’s surprising that each park totes a different subculture. We visited what I coined the “Coffee Mom Park”…for early-risers, dog-lovers, and people who enjoy a really great view. You’re sure to find lots of grandpas and dads on vacation at this park.

Next, Maddox and I visited what I labeled the “Hard Play Park”. Kids bring their big trucks, throw objects down the slides, and roll down the hill.  It’s an older/badder crowd and fun to watch, but I keep a close eye on Maddox to avoid any injuries. This is the pre-nap park. Moms are not there to talk; they’re there to referee. You can see the looks of determination as all mommies have ONE GOAL: to physically exhaust their children for a good, long nap.

The third park we visited was “Gift of Gab Park”. Near the beach, a group of “regulars” congregate to devour adult conversation, and believe me – these moms are hungry for full sentences. Fearful of losing or wasting this adult interaction, no one pays any attention to their children. These are the die-hard, stay-at-home moms who do activities galore until they break – and need adult convo ASAP.

Lastly I took Maddox to “Eclectic Park” where one is sure to see a bum laying in the sand, senior citizens painting beach scenes, a couple kissing, and some teenagers looking depressed or something. This is probably my favorite park because there’s always something interesting to look at…but you don’t have to look…and can instead, just watch the birds and the ocean rolling in.

So, there you have it, Abby’s Park Culture 101. If you’re a new mom to San Clemente, I can direct you to a park that will suit your needs. Maybe I’ll try to make money off this idea – start a website or personality inventory to help moms unlock their inner-park needs. Regardless of subculture, a park is always good for playing…play on, playah!!!!

[And, yes, I am really bored because my husband is still traveling. Call me for a park playdate or something!!!!]

It’s no coincidence that I’ve added three clients to Facebook just this past month. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8

A FUN new campaign in progress…I wanted branding for the new Iowa Hospice Foundation to match the existing “volunteer materials”. However, I wanted to differentiate the campaign because the foundation is a separate entity and will have it’s own website, etc. And, of course, it needed to be vibrant as a stand-alone piece too. Since I emphasized teal with the volunteer campaign, I decided to utilize Iowa Hospice’s other color – pink – for the foundation materials. I altered the logo by adding a new yellow flower and bumped the font size on FOUNDATION. The volunteer package subliminally stated “Volunteer with a purpose” on the front cover, while this brochure says: “Give with a purpose” in “barely there”, light lettering.

The campaign slogan is:
Every donation creates a story.
Give hope.
Share peace.
Show love.

The brochure highlights stories from actual beneficiaries of foundation money. Matching newsletter below. Website coming soon!

My sister and her husband Daniel went to Paris to visit their inlaws [a halfway point between Madagascar and the States]. Most of you know, Sarah and Daniel have been serving as missionaries in Mada. I fell in love with this photo of her…A Rainy Day in Paris.