My "Wild Hair"

Yes, those are two almost-19-month-old-babies sleeping in toddler beds!  I could feel the Wild Hair calling my name - you know, because everyone's hairs calls their names.  Jeremy couldn't think of a reason to hold me back...so he helped.  :)

Look at big that sweet little...er, big...boy is sleeping!

And look at this snuggly little boy here...ahh, so sweet!

And the best part:  I get to go in their rooms at night whilst they slumber and give them all kinds of kisses on those sweet, sleeping faces!

Just for You!

So...I've been on hiatus since April from blogging.  But the benefit of that is that we have a cleaner, more organized house!  Something had to give...and I gave this up. 

But since I've been SO missed (mostly by my wonderful family), and since several of our family members decided to move across the country and globe, I thought I'd do you a favor by blessing you with my blogging presense. 

So...  to YOU...  you're welcome!

Okay, I'm finished tooting my horn.  Promise.

Now, what did they do to blogger while I was gone?  With my limited computer time, it's probably going to take me a while to figure out how to make my blog 'pretty' again (as pretty as it can get on a cost-less budget). 

I could get it done really quickly if I gave up my sleep... 

Ha!  That won't happen!  Promise.

Proving Mom Wrong

Who knows what great lengths my children will go (in the future) to prove me wrong.  It's a family trait. 

(And, no, we're not proud of it.)

As I was sorting baby onesies, I showed Seth a onesie that I loved for him to wear when he was a baby. 

He put the onesie up to himself and said "it still fits!"

I laughed and told him no...he is too big.  He wore that as a baby...it wouldn't fit him now. 

So, to prove my point (see, he comes by it honestly!), I told him to stick his arm in the arm hole of the onesie. 

He did it! 

I laughed it off and said that I didn't think his head would fit through the neck hole. 

He did that too!

So I told him he could just try it on...

Creative Coloring

I am so happy (and relieved) that Seth has started to enjoy coloring and drawing.  I have given him opportunities to color, but until lately, he's not been interested.  I didn't push it because I didn't want him to hate it.  Turns out, my patience payed off! 

Unfortunatley, I hadn't taught him all the 'rules' that go along with coloring. 

I mean, why wouldn't he color on the furniture in the pediatrician's new office?  Why wouldn't he color on the red wagon?  Why wouldn't he color on his table?

Why wouldn't he color on his face....  with a red sharpie?!

Oh yeah, and he colored his finger nails.  Seriously do not know where he got that from...I never have my finger nails painted!

Such a cute kid.  But what a stinker!

What kind of candy?!

Seth: Momma, can I have some of that blue stuff to eat?

Me: What blue stuff?

Seth: You know, that stuff that is blue.

Me: Show me...is it this (pointing to cotton candy)?

Seth: Yes! Rotten Candy! Can I please have some rotten candy??

Look what I did!

Let me just say... I did it!

First I did this (which literally took all day):

They look good (to me anyway) before they went into the oven.  Just look at them after they came out of the oven and got covered in my (too thin) icing.  Yumm!

The Pioneer Woman's food blog is what inspired me.  You know, because it just looked so darn tastey!  Those food blogs are very dangerous.  You can actually see the delicious food while you're reading about it...which just makes you want to start cooking right away! 

It's difficult to cook with little ones at your feet...so I don't try new things too often.  But when I do, I get really excited about it!  I was so excited, that I even let Jack and Ian have a bite (because they ate all of their supper first). 

Here's the link to the recipe.

Ian's Debt

Ugh.  I hate to look at the date of my last post because it was a month ago!  Oh well.  This isn't my career, and I do have a family to take care of.  (That counts for my blogging laziness, right?!)

Anyway, on to the cuties.

I'm not exactly sure how this conversation originally began, but the five of us (...okay, there are only three of us who can speak...) were discussing paying for babies - as in paying the hospital their due amount from their births.

Jeremy told Seth that he was paid for and Jack was paid for.  However, Ian has never been paid for.  Before you jump to conclusions, it's not what you think!  The hospital has yet to send us the bill for his birth and stay during the first few days of his life.  Yes, you are right, he is a year old. 

Sounds like I'm not the only slacker.

At that time, Seth also inquired about Jeremy and myself.  Jeremy told him that our parents paid for us. 

That was over a week ago.  But Seth hasn't forgotten it (kids have brains like elephants!  ...wait, isn't that the animal that can remember everything?).

Getting on with the story... Seth has asked me two times today, "Momma, as daddy paid for Ian yet?"  I finally have started telling him that he's been taken care of.  With all his inquries, I'm afraid he may begin thinking that Ian may have to be taken back. 

Little does he know, Ian will not be going back where he came from.  That ship has sailed.

Torn!

Jack and Ian's first birthday is coming up!

Thankfully, we have to have their party two weeks late. (Which gives me a chance to live in denial.)

I have been planning the party in my head for a couple of months now.  But it's time to get crackin!

My original thoughts were to do a sock monkey themed party.  I have sock monkey birthday stamps that would make adorable invitations, and I purchased two sock monkeys to be cake toppers or decorations.

Then, out of no where, I was sweeping the floor and had a completely different party thought:

What if I make it a little classier?

Don't get me wrong - I have no desire to throw my one year old boys a fancy birthday party.  However, we will be invinting family and many close friends who have loved on our boys throughout their first year.  So the party will be mainly for adults. 

So my new thought is to have an invitation with pictures: sonogram, shortly after birth, and current.  (This will work out great since we never sent out baby announcements.)  And the wording on the invitations will be nice in place of cutesy and rhyming.

I will still make a nice cake and fun smash cakes for the boys.  And we can serve adult snacks and kid-friendly snacks.

Okay, now that I talked it out, I'm really not 'torn' anymore - I've already decided.

Hope it turns out beautifully!

My Big Change

I have wanted to share this with you for a while now, but I wasn't sure how to express the full extent of how life-changing for me this has been.

You know when you ask Jesus into your heart and become one of His how wonderful and peaceful you feel.  You feel like you have to share Him with the world...immediately! 

That's how I feel now (although this is obviously less important and will not last for eternity!).

I feel like a changed woman.  I feel like I need to share it with everybody.  (That right there, that need to share things with everybody, can actually be a character flaw that I have to watch out for....  but you seriously do have to hear this.)

It all started two and a half weeks ago when I was getting ready for a Bunco night at my house.  You know when you have 11 other ladies coming over, your house has to be clean.  (They all say they don't care, but come'on, we all care to some extent.) 

Anyway, Jeremy was sitting on the computer while I was frantically trying to clean the house.  All the while I have three children running a muck and making a mess.  I asked Jeremy what he was thinking and why he wasn't helping when I obviously needed help.

(That lead into another conversation which led me to being upset which led to the beginning of the change.)

I was upset because Jeremy was right (about what we talked about).  I was upset because I knew in my head that I just had to change - I had to stop expecting for my house to be clean and organized if I was willing to put forth the effort to do so. 

I was upset because I didn't want to admit (honestly) that much of my days at home were wasted time on the internet instead of providing for my family.

They say that admitting the problem is the first step.

Step one: check!

Leading up to this, I had been praying for God to give me a different perspecitive on my wifely/motherly/household duties.  They seemed more burdensome than enjoyed and productive.  I didn't feel like I had enough time in a day to complete everything and that I was doing it all wrong. 

I knew there had to be an easier way.

God has a way of humbling you and breaking you down so that He can build you back up better.  I love it!  (Well, I love the building back up part...the breaking down part isn't my favorite.) 

And just for the record, my 'breaking down' part was having to admit that Jeremy was right and I was very wrong.  YUCK!

Now, the building up part was fun!

After realizing that something had to give (and even considering turning the computer completely off for an entire week just to prove that I still couldn't get everything done...ha), I came up with a plan. 

Jeremy and I talked about my problem areas: sleep - wanting too much of it, being on the computer too much in the morning time, being on the computer too much in the evening time, being prepared for the next day, being late to things, etc. 

Since I'm not completely an organization idiot (my house was more organized than my head), I decided to make lists.

My list divided my day and my chores: things to be done in the morning, things to be done during the day, and things to be done in the evening.  Once the things on my list are completed, I'm free to do whatever pleases me - play with my kids, enjoy time with my husband, read a book, get on the computer, talk on the phone, scrapbook, etc. 

The great part about the plan is that I don't feel guilty for doing any of those fun things.  There is a time and a place for everything - including fun...and fun in a clean house (yea!). 

I feel like such a different person! 

No, my new plan doesn't sound so wonderfully life changing (as I'm sure most moms have already figured this out), but I feel like such a more joyful person!  I praise God for changing my perspective! 

My new attitude reflects in my children, also.  Seth's attitude seems to mirror mine (ouch).  But lately it's been wonderful! 

So, for those of you out there who live your wonderful lives stressing about a clean house or what's next on the to-do list - pray for a new perspective!  Or, better yet, let God handle it.

Matthew chapter 11:

25At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

27"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Praise God for letting us rest in him!  For leading our way!  For carrying our burdens!  And for wanting to do so! 

My new daily prayer is to be yoked to Him - for God to lead my ways and help me carrying life's burden.  What peace comes from Him!

Here it is

I have been wanting to write for some time now (it's been too long), but I have so much to say and feel that it would be inadequatley expressed. 

So I'm just going to suck it up and say what I can.

Since I've last written, I've:

• made a huge life change
• had a birthday
• had lot of birthday fun
• read a book
• started a book
• watched the season premier of LOST
• began to understand a little more about the power of prayer and what it means to your relationship with God

Let's start with the birthday.  :)
My birthday was on January 28 and I turned a whopping - wait for it - 26 years old!  No, I don't feel 'old'...because I'm not.  I'm very young.  And the fun thing about having so many friends that are older than you is that I will always be young compared to them!

Since Jeremy had to work on my birthday, we celebrated the week before.  The kids stayed with my parents (thank you!) and he and I went to stay the night in Dallas.  We went to dinner and a movie (in one) and shopped a little (for necessities, not fun stuff) the next day.  It was so nice spending that time together!  (Kind of makes you excited for the day the children leave home.  :))

On my birthday, my parents came over and cooked dinner and brought cake...yummm!

Then last weekend I went back to Dallas with my friends to have some nice girl time.  We went shopping (this time it was the fun kind), ate at The Cheesecake Factory (still such a weakness), got manis and pedis (aboslutely the best one yet)....  Such wonderful times.

Books
I finally read the first book in Nora Roberts bride quartet.  Such fun reading.  The kind that makes you smile (that kind is my favorite). 

I have started a much more meaningful book: A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George.  I am very excited about reading this book as it seems to be perfect for right where I am at in my life.  Will post more on that as I read further. 

LOST
LOST fans, anyone?  There do not seem to be too many of us, but I get very excited when I find one!  The premier was amazing...still left with more questions but maybe possible answers too.  I am very excited to see how everything will wrap up (but I really want the show to just go on forever).

Last night (was the premier), we went to my parents house (since we do not have television here), brought pizza, and had a nice evening (once I put quite chasing the little ones around and put them in bed).  It was a fun night, and I cannot wait until next week!

The Big Change
This will be so long, I'm going to put it in a new post.  You can read it here.

:)

This is what I found...

...in the car this afternoon. 

Of course, I didn't find all the pieces already taped back together - I found each of the 15 pieces seperatly. 

This morning, Seth wanted very badly to bring his wallet with us to the children's museum.  I caved in ...er, I mean...agreed... to let him take his wallet as long as he left it in the car.  So he did.

We had friends go to the museum with us.  On the ride back home, the kids were discussing money.  Seth had his paper money but Clayne didn't have any.

Upon asking Seth why he tore up his money, his answer was simple:

I was sharing with Clayne.

Well of course!  Why didn't I think of that?! 

After that response, I couldn't scold my child for wanting to share something!

Partners in Crime

These two little ones we've got running around this house tend to stay together.

I found them both in the pantry with an opened bag of cheetos - each baby had a cheeto in his hand about to put it in his mouth.

Of course I asked them what they were thinking...they can't have cheetos! 

Crazy babies!

Poor Me (...er, poor Seth?)

While doing the dishes today, I found myself screaming to Seth, "If you break things in our house, you're going to be in BIG trouble!!!!"

A few minutes later it was "Are you trying to break our drawers? You can't do that!!"

(And maybe there was some before that too...I'll chaulk it up to being a blur.)

*And just right this minute, I catch him playing with Thomas the Tank Engine while sitting up on our entertainment center.*

What's the deal?! 

I like to think that I was a more patient, less yelling mother - and I actually believe that I was when...
-I only had one child
-I worked during the day and was estatic to see Seth in the evenings
-I wasn't woken up to screaming at 3 in the morning (which did not settle down until about 4 in the morning)

Excuses, excuses, I know. 

This blog is just to let me re-group for the rest of the day...which I will acheive...after naptime. 

One Step Closer...

My sweet baby boys are just another step closer to becoming toddlers.  Jack is beginning to make walking guestures. 

Last night while we were still sitting at the dinner table, Jack was standing at Jeremy's chair.  He took one had off Jeremy's chair and reached out to my chair, grabbing it and walking to it.  That's a little too close to walking, to me!

This is the footage I got this morning:



It's so fun seeing your kids learn new things and grow up. But these are our last two, so I just want to make sure that I'm enjoying every second out of twinfancy that I can.

Ian's New Trick

This came as a surprise as he has had no practice. It's cute and kind of funny to watch!



We live in a one story house but both sets of grandparents have two story houses. Looks like we'll be watching them just a little closer!

Was it something I said?

Wednesday was Seth's first dentist appointment.  I really like the pediatric dentist we saw and will definitely be going back.  He has no cavities...yea!  We also found out some interesting information while we were there - Seth has an extra baby tooth!  I know you're probably thinking "how in the world did you miss that?!"  Well it's a very easy mistake when you only count half the teeth in his mouth (on the opposite side of the extra one) and multiply that number by 2.  :)

So the point of this blog had nothing to do with Seth, but who can keep from talking about their kids??

While we were out of town at the dentist appointment, we went to the mall (yea again!).  I was pushing the twins around in American Eagle looking for a cute scarf.  On my way out, the two cute, young girls working there stopped me to talk about the twins. 

We went through the usual "aww, they're so cute! they don't look much alike. do twins run in your family? was it a surprise? you look really good - I can't believe you had twins." 

Since they were not busy and seemed to be interested in what I had to say, I, of course, had to stop them on that last comment and elaborate. 

I simply told them 'thank you' and explained that it actually was not a pretty sight. 

Their faces looked a bit curious, so I went on. 

Aside from the stretch marks, I explained that there was 'twin skin' which causes a wrinkled belly and just an overall different appearance.  One girl said that there are ways to fix that in which I replied that a tummy tuck could be a possibility (if that money tree will ever take root in our backyard!).  When I said that, she kind of wrinkled her nose like she didn't understand. 

Then I went on my spill about how nobody ever told me that your body could look like this (and so young!).  I always thought that if you just lost your weight and got back into shape after kids, you would look the same. 

Wrong.

I think the last thing I said kind of made one of the girls nauseas.  She put her hand on her tummy and had concern/fear in her eyes.


I figured that was a good time to leave.  :)

Battery Operated Momma

I feel like I run on batteries these days.

When I'm all charged up, I'm productive, motivated, well organized, I think clearly, I feel good about myself, I get my 'job' done, I have more patience with my children (and husband).  I just overall feel like a great person.  Like I'm on track with what I am supposed to be accomplishing.

But when those batteries run down, I'm tired, unproductive, a piddler (especially on the computer), a procrastinator, easily frustrated, cannot think straight, overwhelmed.  I feel horrible about myself when I get like this.

Now when the batteries die...  well...  let's just say, poor Jeremy.

I'm off to use the last bit of energy left to do the dishes and put myself in bed.

Making Money

Jeremy and I have tried to explain to Seth over the last several months that, even if we don't want him to go, daddy has to go to work to make money so that we can live in our house, drive our cars, buy food, clothes and toys.
This afternoon Seth was talking to daddy about it again.  I chimed in and said, "If daddy doesn't go to work, we won't be able to live in our house or drive our car.  We'll have to live in a box and walk everywhere!"

As Jeremy was walking out the door to go to work and Seth was playing with his toys, Seth says, "Try to make some money daddy so we can drive our car and walk!"

I think he's starting to get it.  :)

Blast From the Past

For Christmas, Seth got a dog that does something.  (We aren't exactly sure what the dog does as we have still not put batteries in him.) 

On the dog's head, right above its eyes, is a sensor thing (I'm quite the descriptor, huh?).  It looks very odd and out of place - don't you think?

Jeremy asked what that odd thing on the dog's head was, and I told him it was probably a sensor for light or something.

When I was younger, I had a stuffed animal that made a giggley sound and flashed it's lighted eyes when the lights were turned out.  So every night when my parents turned my lights out, this stuffed animal did this.

Ringing a bell to anyone?

Me neither. 

So I searched for 1980s toys.  Nothing.

I searched for green hooded stuffed animals.  Nothing.

I searched for light sensor stuffed animals.  Nothing.

(Don't laugh at me.  Does it really matter if my talent isn't internet searching?)

So Jeremy searched...and found it on his first try.  Lucky!  And here it is (mine had a green hood):

It's called Chubbles.  Did any of you have one as a child?  I know I can't be the only one!

In the process of looking for Chubbles, we ran across a list of popular toys in the 1980s.  It was fun looking back on it.  I remembered my glo worm, cabbage patch kids, pillow people, puffalumps, guess who and girl talk games, rainbow brite and pound puppies.  Jeremy remembered He Man, slime pits, smurfs, and several others. 

Just a neat childhood memory!  I wonder what our kids will look back on with fond memories?

Just as a side-note - Jeremy found this on eBay UK and it's entire title is "Vintage Chubbles Chiggles Light Sensitive 1980's Toy."  I'm not quite 26 years old.  How can a toy I played with as a child be entitled vintage?!  Seems like that word is used pretty loosely!

Resolutions Overrated

The thing that most frustrates me about the New Year is everyone's "resolutions." 

What good is it to make a resolution only to forget about it a few weeks into the new year?

Therefore, I resolved many years ago not to make any resolutions for New Years.

Instead of pointless resolutions, whether well-meaning or otherwise, I think it's important to take the New Year as a time to evaluate your life past in order to better your future. 

My life up to this point has been full of blessings!  God has blessed me with a great family, husband, children, friends, church, home, jobs, and so much more.  I am forever thankful for that!

This past year brought our two newest blessings to our family - Jack and Ian.  How we've made it this far into our lives with twinfants, I'll never know.  But what an exciting year it has been!  I am very thankful that I was able to stay at home with our children (even though that "job" is not an easy one!). 

Looking into this next year, I am anxious to see where God takes us in our journey.  It's always amazing to look back on our lives and see such a neat path that He created for us and knowing that we sometimes felt lost in it.  Nonetheless, the path was always perfect!

This year for Seth, we started reading a Bible "story" a night (thanks to Marsha, a twin mom friend :)).  The book has over 200 Bible "stories" from Genesis to Revelations.  Since I forgot about it January 1st (see why I don't do resolutions?!), we started it last night.  I'm excited to begin teaching Seth about the important things in life and he actually 'get' it. 

Will post more pictures later.  Maybe I'll get a really cool camera this year so my pictures can be all sharp and shiny.  :)

Unloading Thoughts

First of all, I cannot believe what a blogger-slacker I've been. I am terribly behind. I constantly think about things I want to blog about but lack of time and knowing there are so many topics just overwhelms me.

So, as I lay in bed typing this short blog from my iPod, I am just going to make a blogging to-do list so that I can finally put my thoughts to rest and go to sleep like everyone else in my house.

Things to blog about (in no specific order):
•Christmas
•new years resolutions/thoughts
•birthdays
•Ian's new trick
•wonderful shoes
•hockey with the honey
•working out
•update on the boys

With all of the technology, I guess just having an old fashioned pencil and paper on the nightstand has been replaced with a mini computer!

I truely hope everyone has had a wonderful year so far!

(please ignore any spelling/grammatical errors as I am typing thison my iPod) :)