A Year at a Glance

Happy Anniversary to us!! Lowell and I have been married for 1 year now, and married life comes highly recommended by both of us. It’s only been a year, but it’s been a SUPER year, and we’ve managed to squeeze a lot of things in. Things such as…

Getting married (obviously…we had to start this marriage thing somehow!)

(Pictures courtesy of [6:8] Photography)

Enjoying a beautiful Hawaiian honeymoon


Taking advantage of the local River Valley (during all seasons!)


Setting up (and taking down!) our first home together


Sharing Christmas with the G fam


Sharing Christmas with the T fam which includes the cutest nieces of all time (wearing Christmas aprons from us)!


Dressing up like dorks for special occasions (hhmmmm…can you guess this particular occasion?)


Conducting various experiments (such as making our own butter)


Attending races together (mostly Lowell as the racer and Julie as the spectator- main reasons for this is a story for another day)


Rocking guitar hero and other such randomness


Being dorks in general (this particular action took up approximately 94% of our year, but this is one of the few pictures that actually document it)


Participating in an awesome Bible Study


Having ridiculous firetruck scenarios


Spectating various sporting events (featuring WAYNE GRETZKY (coach below) and DAVID BECKHAM among other sports stars)


Babysitting kiddies (we love babysitting kids)

(PS- there are 2 different boys in these pictures- they're identical twins!)

Meeting celebrities!


And welcoming a brand spankin new niece.


It’s been a fantastic year, and we hope to repeat general fantasticness during our next year in New Zealand (it shouldn’t be too difficult).

Yeay for marriage!

Capital Ex

Edmonton is such a hip hop happenin place to be during the summer. One of the events currently running is Capital Ex- which Lowell and I participated in with family friends on Monday.

The fair grounds

I don't know if Lowell comes across as a giant special needs child (as the morning was focused on special needs kids), or if people just perceive him as a fun, friendly, joker of a guy, but he was continually approached and treated as a child- a special needs child. He received stickers from clowns, and hugs from mascots, and I never got a second glance from them despite often being confused as a 12 to 15-year old. Innnnnnteresting.

Lowell was also hit on by a cheerleader though, so he obviously didn't look too young or special needs. He was on a kids ride with one of our little friends, and the cheerleader looked him directly in the eye and said with a suggestive tone "If you need a partner, I'll be yours."

Apparently she's not in the habit of checking for wedding rings! Is it inappropriate that I'm entirely amused when girls hit on or check out Lowell? It happens sooooo often and it's sooooooo obvious. Hee hee:)

Anyhoo, generally the Edmonton Eskimos and Edmonton Oilers are there to assist the kids on and off the rides, but apparently they mostly had other commitments this year. Being me (a little ridiculously obsessed with celebrity connections), I was a tad disappointed that scads of (somewhat creepy) clowns were substitutes for celebrity athletes. BUT, it was all about the kids and not me (apparently), so I won't curl up in the fetal position and cry about it. Look how happy it made the kids (actually, J in the back does look a little frightened)!

We did, however, spot a couple of celebrity-type folk which we (I) took immediate advantage of. Here's a picture with Ed Hervey (a former Eskimo). *Ahem* for the kids, of course.

And also with Georges Laraque. This time I KNOW it was him, and I even have the picture to prove it.

Chock up more celebrity connections for Julie! And also a little heat stroke.

Spontaneous Stagette

It wasn't your traditional stagette: no alcohol, no scandalous attire, no sketchy activities... & no other people. Just Carlynne and I.

After a day of wedding preparation while watching the classic Sister Act I & II movies last week, Carlynne and I made a spur of the moment decision- at 7pm- to par-tay. After all, Dan and Lowell had been having a good time since 3pm at Dan's Go-Kartin, Bungee Jumpin, BBQin bachelor party!

Carlynne is excited!!
So, we took a jaunt to the Sugarbowl- a trendy and quaint local restaurant.

Here we had *gasp* veggie burgers!

And *wait for it* a DECAF COFFEE! (Oooo... naughty!)

During this impromptu meal, we decided to treat ourselves to dessert next at a Taste of Edmonton. This is an annual festival in Edmonton- and I think it's my favourite. There are rows of tents, and each tent houses a mini "restaurant". There are 2 food options per tent, and the required amount of tickets varies.

Carlynne and I are stocked up and ready to taste!

We tried baileys mocha mud pie, a dessert crepe, chocolate/peanut butter chunks, strawberry cheesecake, and green onion cakes.

Carlynne is violently polishing off the crepe!

All were good choices...minus the green onion cakes. That was Carlynne's choice, and it wasn't really going along with the whole 'dessert' theme we were going for now was it Carlynne.

Sooooo, green onion cakes before:

Green onion cakes after. Ba-bye!


Another great thing about a Taste of Edmonton is the people watching. It's super! You really do get to see it all: tall, short; large, thin; tan, pale; excessive make-up, no make-up; butt cracks, cleavage... the whole 9 yards, and gosh is it ever entertaining.

And that, friends, was the wild party that releases Carlynne from singlehood!

It's a girl!

Yesterday morning at 9:30, Lowell's sister and brother-in-law, Dave and Janelle, had a leetle baby girl! Her name is Emily Jane Ella, and she's teeny tiny for a Taylor baby- only 8 lbs 12 oz!

Lowell and I are the lucky siblings who live in the same city as them, so we already got to spend time with them and take pictures!

First of all, here are the proud parents. MAN, Janelle does not look like she just gave birth a few hours before hey? Lucky gal!

Then, of course, Lowell and I had to pretend she was ours.

And then we just kept holding her...




Fun fact: I'm the youngest (with Carlynne) of 4 siblings, and I'm the only one who has any niece/nephew-type relations (Emily is niece #4). Craaazzzzyyy.

And he does it again!

Lowell completed yet another race this summer. This time it was a half marathon (something I prefer to be a spectator at due to my not-so-exsistent attention span).

He's all ready to go:


On your mark, get set...GO


Wait a sec...where's Lowell? Oh right, he's trying in get in his PRP (race lingo- figure it out:)

Ah, there he is. Quick Lowell. Catch up. THEY STARTED WITHOUT YOU!!!


Almost finished:


And DONE!
Wahoo. Now we can enjoy the much-deserved post-race big fat juicy smokeys!!