Brandy Taylor

Dean and I met when I was 16 and he was 19. We dated for a little while and then Dean decided to join the Air Force. He had signed up to serve for 6 years. When you're 17 years old 6 years seems like an eternity away so I wasn't really sure what the future held.

Over the 6 years we did keep in contact with each other. Dean was stationed in Florida for 2 years. I would see him when he came to Birmingham and I also had drove down to Florida to see him some. Then he went to Korea for a year. While he was over seas we would just talk through emails. When he was finished with Korea he moved out to Las Vegas where he finished his term in the military. While in Las Vegas I only made it out there once to celebrate our birthdays (his is the day before mine) Then of course would still hang out with him when ever he made it home.

Finally March 2007 his 6 years in the Air Force was over and back to Alabama he came to start a career as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Webb Payroll. I was so excited for him to be coming home. I couldn't wait to see Dean again, and to know that now I could see him when ever I wanted - so to say the least I was thrilled.

Lots of things were changing, but changing in a good way. When Dean had last been home I was still in high school. Now I was 23 and fixing to buy my first house.

8 months after moving back home Dean and I were married. I couldn't have been any happier. It felt like I had been waiting so long for that day to come. I really think that we have the Air Force to thank for our marriage. During the time that he was in there we both dated other people, but we also stayed in touch with each and had a really good friendship. The friendship that developed between us over the time that we were apart has been a good foundation for our marriage. I married my best friend.

This past November we celebrated our 2nd anniversary and I know that we have many more to come.

My daughter, Lexi, is 6 years old. She is at the perfect age where she can be involved in many different activities like ballet, Karate, and softball. Her favorite out of everything is ballet. She loves to dance and is now in her 3rd year of taking ballet.

My son, Bronson, will turn 2 in July. I still have a few more years before he will be playing sports like his big sister. Right now he just loves motorcycles. Playing with them and riding them. Every time Daddy brings out the motorcycle Bronson has to get on it. He is still to small to ride with his daddy but he loves just sitting on it making all the motorcycle sounds.

Growing up, my mother was a stay at home mom. Now that her children are grown she is a stay at home wife. Since her days are no longer spent raising my sister and I, she spends her time making quilts. They are all beautiful hand made quilts.

Right now she is working on 8 different memory quilts. Two sisters came to her and asked my mom to make quilts for both of them and their children using clothes from their mother who has passed away. This was a great idea for them to be able to keep apart their mother and grandmother with them always.

I have an aunt and a cousin who sings in the oldies acapella group "Blast From The Past". If you enjoy doo-wop from the fifties, or the bubble gum sounds of the sixties you'll love the unique touch the acappella format places on these timeless classic songs. Let the "Blast From The Past" group take you back to a time when music was a carefree and fun activity.

Feb. 2009 one of my cousins had a birthday party at Art After Hours. There we all got to paint a picture with directions and tips from an instructor. It was a lot of fun! My very first picture "Funky Tree".

A few months later I went back to paint another picture. I really enjoyed it and knew I could be doing this stuff at home on my own. So I went home and started painting.

I was introduced to Michael Godard's art work by my husband. Michael Godard is my husband's favorite artist and after seeing all his work, he quickly became my favorite also.

I find Michael Godard's art to be very unique with his Rock Star paintings. They are fun and very exciting with a combination of imagination and subtle humor. Godard redefines art as we know it with a new definition and of course a punch line.

Since painting is my new thing I'm going to have to try painting wine glasses as one of my next projects.

This year the Crimson Tide got their very first Heisman Trophy winner, Mark Ingram. They also won their 13th National Championship by defeated Texas 37-21.

My husband and I started watching True Blood one day. I was hooked immediately. I found out that True Blood was going along with the Sookie Stackhouse Novels pretty well. (You know how some movies and shows are way off line from the book it was based off of.) When season 2 of True Blood was over, I couldn't wait for season 3 to come out. So I started reading the books. I LOVE them also. It has gotten me so anxious for season 3 of True Blood to start.

I love parties. Whether it be a birthday party, baby shower, or just a get together they are so much fun. Here are some of my lenses about different parties.

Who likes to clean house?

Yeah, I don't either. But it's something that has to be done so why not make it easier and cheaper by making your own cleaning products. Whether you are cleaning colors off the wall or a mess your cat made on your bed, I'm sure you can find exactly what you need to clean with already in you cabinet.

The is so much that goes into Christmas. It seems it last for two months instead of just one day with all of the holiday shopping, Christmas parties, decorating the house, and everything else that goes along with Christmas.

Here is my journey of the Christmas Holiday as I show you how to make Christmas stockings, then what to fill the stockings with, favorite Christmas movies, Holiday recipes and more!