Things we do for love...

We are potty trained!

2013-09-25T13:15:00.001-07:00

And when I say we, I mean the girls :) As far as I know Zach and I are doing pretty well on our own ;)

Things I learned when potty training:

The first day is the hardest
Be patient
Then be even more patient
Make a BIG deal EVERYTIME they go in the beginning
Rewards WORK, we did a sticker chart and they LOVED it
Buy panties, LOTS of panties
Ask if they have to go ALL the time
Know that they WILL have accidents and prepare for it
We DID use pull ups for naps and outings at first, but told them it was their big girl diapers and not to pee in them, and for the most part they didn't!

The girls are 3.5 and we finally potty trained them. I am GLAD we waited. We had tried once about 6 months ago and it really went awful. I decided then we would wait until after we went to Florida, because in all honesty I didn't want to stop every 5 minutes and deal with it on the beach, in the car so on and so forth.

Many parents I know have already potty trained their child at 2 and really I had NO desire, and it was totally a convenience factor. I was lazy. I am lazy, really. I am tired all the time. Working on it!

Anyway, I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad I waited. I feel like they understood it alot quicker. Brienna hasn't had an accident since day 2 and is even holding it at night. Being 3.5 we can discuss it, talk about it and they get it. When I told them not to pee in the big girl diaper they didn't!

Breadon took about a full week to go freely and even then it was at the end of the day, she held it ALL day and then would go (maybe) at the end of the day. But within the last week its like she had done it all along and is secretly laughing at us for worrying about her. She does EVERYTHING like that. They were BOTH pooping in the potty by like day 2 or 3 so that really hasn't been a huge issue. I am so proud of them!

We did the no pants thing, as in no bottoms no undies no nothing and it worked great... except for the few accidents! After they went for a full day we put on panties. And now we are wearing pants! It has been less stressful than I had thought and I am SO glad for that!

Home school is going well! They are enjoying it and sometimes ask to do more school! More on that soon!

Homeschooling my Preschoolers

2013-08-20T13:53:00.002-07:00

Here are some family pics Me and Em took :) Enjoy those first! :D

YES, I have chosen to home school the girls for their preschool years! This year we are doing preschool for threes and next year for 4's.

We chose Horizons from a family members personal expierence. She enjoyed the program for the younger ages! The preschool for 3's is new this year and we JUST got our stuff in the mail the other day.

I went through the entire book and MAYBE had to buy 15 dollars worth of supplies at the dollar store for the activities. I know there are other activities that I am sure I will have to get supplies for, but they give you so many options you could pick and choose which activities you want to do based on what you have and if you don't have something you can always come back to it later in the week!

The schedule is super flexible, you can do anywhere from 2-5 days a week. We are going to try 5 days, which is the lesson and one or two activities each day. They start with a bible story and verse and once we go over that, they have a workbook based activity to go with it and then a list of 5 or 6 other activities that touch on all the other subjects like science, math, language, PE, etc... You can do one activity a day or 4 depending on how much time you want to spend on it. So I plan on spending 1- 1.5 hours a day on lessons and activities, but if I wanted we could do all day or half day, and I really like that! Also it will get us into a routine of this is when school is, and this is what we do, and where we go. Even if a parent works you could still do a program like this if you wanted to do it 2 or 3 days a week when you are off. Or even in the evenings! Not that I am pushing it, just saying it is an option.

We haven't started church yet but I am hoping too once we get back from vacation and we start "school"! I really wanted to introduce the girls to God and Jesus and I really think this program will help me do it. Much of the curriculum is faith based and/or based around Bible stories.

I am not really worried about the social aspect of it, I plan on putting them in dance again, we will start church and once they get old enough (if we decide to pursue homeschooling), and do the integration program at the Christian school.

I still havent totally decided on homeschool forever yet, I am still working on that. I don't want to hinder my kids in any way but at the same time I dont feel like you HAVE to go to school, get made fun of, be a football star, nerd or whatever to become a good person. At any rate, this is what is working for me, or rather what MAY work for me and not for others. Thanks everyone! I am so ready for vacation! :)

where did I go?

2013-08-01T06:53:00.001-07:00

I have been neglecting my blog lately :( I have just been so busy with work I haven't had extra internet time to post for a while! I am actually typing this on my phone while sitting with the girls!

We have had a vacation, getting ready for another next month, completely remodeled a bathroom, painted the upstairs, had my mom have eye surgery, had a birthday party and so much more. I think I may have to have a photo dump to get it all out there! But most everything is on my instagram.

I post alot on instagram, I really like to make photo books and it's easiest from instagram. I need to start using my point and shoot more and stop using my phone. It's just way easier haha. Hopefully once this bust streak calms down I can get back to regular blogging again... So much to say, so little time! Thanks for tuning in and stay tuned for more soon!

Shaving cream paint!

2013-05-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

SUPER EASY, SUPER CHEAP, SUPER FUN!

They still talk about it!

Everything can be purchased from the dollar store unless you already have it on hand!
And don't mind the cell phone pics :)

Supplies:
Popsicle sticks (optional, I used them to "mix the paint")
Food coloring
Cheap foaming shaving cream (no gel or liquid)
Muffin tin
Old paint brushes

Everything but the food coloring was from the dollar store :) The shaving cream even smelled great!

I added a few drops of color and stirred it in!

I just added more coloring to make them brighter :)

If I HAD to suggest a change, it would be to not let them get the brushes wet. It kept causing the cream to expand and turn back white, but it still worked anyway and they had a blast! Also, I had read in a few different blogs that this can stain grout. Our upstairs shower is actually a tub that we "enclosed" with shower curtain liners and a fancy claw foot tub surround thing so they got to paint on the shower curtain and I rinsed it off, no stains, no worries! If you do think this activity or others with food coloring are going to stain something, buy a tension rod and a cheap 2 dollar liner and hang that when you are "painting" or doing any other bath activities! :) It can be rinsed and dried and put away for other uses!

Definately something we will be doing again! They had a blast!

things I do because of my dad

2013-05-09T12:47:00.002-07:00

Today is a weird day. It has been 2 years to the day that my Dad has been gone. Sometimes it feels like more, most of the time less. I always had looked to my dad for advice. Most of it was old school, and I like that. Taking some of the past and bringing it to the future is really important to me. I feel like I was brought up in a totally different way because of it, having an older parent, especially someone like my Dad had its setbacks, trust me (teenage me would have alot to say right now), but now that I am older I am so much more thankful for it.

Some things I do or don't do because of my dad (some of it mom too, but they were so much a team, its kind of a given on some of these):
1. I do rub meat tenderizer into bug bites. I even have the original container, with the stuff still in it that he used on us as kids, essentially its salt so it can't go bad!
2. I don't wear or buy anything with a peace sign. That's really an entirely different post but him being in the military in the 60s and 70s has some to do with it.
3. My radio station is ALWAYS at 93.3 even though I don't think he would be listening to it now as they have changed the line up. But every once and while they play a tune that reminds me of being in the car with my Dad.
4. I have yet to cut the girls hair. As silly as it sounds he touched their hair when they were babies and I'm not ready to part with it yet. Silly, I know.
5. I TRY to always eat the whole apple, like everything but the stem. Waste not, want not?!
6. I respect the elderly. Not so much because they are old, but because they have went through so much in their lives and they deserve respect. When I am old I will not have gone through HALF of what they went through in their lifetime.
7. I love tradition.Traditions are what make memories, and I love memories.
8. I will more than likely embarrass my kids, it keeps them grounded.
9. I have nothing but respect for our military and the flag, and I am patriotic. I have a hard time when people disgrace the flag. It happens EVERYDAY. It happens in this town. If you don't know if you are displaying it properly ask someone, if your flag is tore up turn it in to the boy scouts or your UAW hall, they can take care of it and buy a new one. Don't tie it to stuff, be mindful how you wear it.... SEE! It's a little ridiculous. I have had the honor of taking down a flag in ceremony. It's amazing. It makes you fall in love with how this country came to be. People have died for you whether you agree with it or not. And until you sign that dotted line and make the sacrifice yourself, support them.
10. I love my family. Even though we may not always see eye to eye, and hey sometimes we don't talk, they have made me who I am. Even thought he isn't here he influences me almost everyday, he helps me raise my kids. He obviously did something right.

I wish everyone could have had a Dad like mine. I wish the most that my girls could know him. He loved them SOOOOO much. He had so much to teach them. So now it's my job to pass down all of his ways and make sure they know what I know. Even if it isn't today or tomorrow. I haven't let my Dad go, I feel like I deal with his passing in small pieces that are easier to digest. I think I wouldn't have been able to go on had it not been for my girls and family.

I love you Dad, and I miss you every single day. I am not ready to let you go, I like to think of you as here just not here :)

To home school or not home school... that is my question...

2013-04-29T21:27:00.002-07:00

Literally this blog has been sitting in my "too scared to post" file. It's not so much that I am scared but I am still thinking... alot. I know they are 2 years away from school! But I am not going to be scared to post things anymore!

Before you read this, I will warn that this is me and what I think, it isn't meant to be controversial or hurtful to anyone, these are my thoughts and opinions from my crazy brain. I am also definitely NOT saying that if you or your children go to public school that you are any less or any more than someone who doesn't. I am not saying it is wrong or bad or anything else, I am just helping myself make a huge decision and asking for some input.

As you may already know, I am a little bit of a control freak... I am an over worrier, an over planner and an over thinker... All kidding aside, I really am. The girls have just turned three and I am thinking towards their future in a new way.

I have said since the beginning that the real world (okay real school) is too crazy and that I would like to home school them Pre-K thru 12, no questions asked. Have people made fun of me... yes, have people disagreed with me... yes, have people flat out told me my kids would be socially inept and that they would be weird home school kids... YES. Does this make me angry, you may ask... Not at all actually. I am totally all out for people doing things against the grain, being different and taking full advantage of their rights as an American citizen, or as a free human being on this planet... all I ask is that when or if you are ridiculed for such differences that you understand that not everyone is on the same page in this book of life, and its okay. Just as it's okay to be different it's okay for others to not agree with you. I think if people adopted a little of this attitude the world would be a better place, at any rate, NO I am not mad at anyone for thinking I am crazy. They can't think it any more than I can, so to each his own!

Anyway, back to my topic. Home schooling. I want my kids to have faith in their lives and we haven't been the best about getting them there. We are working on it, trust me. At any rate, I wanted them to have a faith based school experience, as well as a social one. You may think Christian school?! Can't afford it. Just can't. Can't. I would have to work full time to afford it, and quit my business and alot of other things, but if push came to shove I would so do, but I am getting to that.

I have talked with a family member about her kids that are home schooled. She has 3 amazingly well rounded children who have tons of friends, activities and are always busy! They wear regular clothes and do regular stuff, they are sweet, nice and smart. Totally normal in every way. Whats wrong with that? They go to church, dance and cheer and all kinds of things. They are not socially inept!

I am attracted to home schooling for the faith factor, the fact that my children would be learning from me, and in our home, the freedom it will give us and so many more things. I want to be there for them however I can, whether they go to school at home or go to school down the street.

Maybe it was because of the way they were born, or maybe I feel like me being here every day is helping them in some weird way? I don't know. You almost can't have this opinion without someone getting their feelings hurt. Moms that have to work for financial reasons, or hey they just like to work, feel offended or hurt that they are not able to even have an option to home school or stay home or that I am looking down on Moms who do stay home and choose not to home school. This is simply not the case. I read alot of blogs and about 75% of the time I feel like I am failing in a NEW way, one I didn't even know about... I should have done this and that... We all struggle and social media is NOT helping. I want this to open myself up for others opinions not to ridicule or hurt anyone! :) Phew, went on a little tangent there, SORRY!

Going back to the Christian school thing, they do offer a dual program where the girls could attend a class or two which is more affordable but still gets them out of the house. They can take Spanish, music and more. That is a huge plus for me! They are also allowed to participate in school sports at the Christian school and at the high school.

I haven't decided 100%, but I am definitely leaning toward the home schooling. We (the husband and I) have decided to try the Pre-K for 3 years and the regular Pre-K and we will start this fall. We will see what we think and if we like it we will continue. I also know that Iowa has rules and reulations so if we do decide to home school, I know that we will have things to do to register them.

Also, Breadon is going to help us make our decision too, of course she doesn't know that! She is still speech delayed and we are working on it. She is still a little socially behind so we want to make an educated decision and we want the best for our kids. In the end that is all that matters to me. If they turn 5 and Breadon is still struggling socially we will make the choice that is best for them at that time.

Before I leave I would like to include, I am able to have my job and stay home most of the time, so this is an option for me. I understand that this is a lifestyle choice and not for everyone, I understand people have to work, moms AND dads, and in no way am I looking down on others. I also understand that not everyone can or wants to home school and that's okay too. I am just putting myself out there and looking for some help! :) Thank you for tuning in!

DANCE DANCE DANCE

2013-04-22T13:37:00.002-07:00

My kids could not have surprised me more, especially Breadon. She went right up there, not tears, no fear happy and smiley. Made my heart happy, and is making me tear up as I am writing it. They are my whole life, I thank God for letting them be a part of my life.

Uncle Chad got to skype from Honduras and see them dance which was amazing, technology is amazing. Zach's parents came and so did a ton of our family and friends. The flowers on our table are HUGE! :) We are loved, my kids are loved.

To have people, doctors and others tell you all the things your kids won't do, can't do or may not do... and then see them up there surpassing all of that! GAH, we are truly blessed. More than anyone can know.

Dress Rehearsal Pics:

They are pretty cool kids, Briennas head piece fell off and she just kept going!!!! Now I think I took like 4 of the rest of photos, but they still came out amazing so thanks to my Mom, Zach and Emily! :)

Getting ready and Daddy's dance pics :) These were mostly taken by my Mom (Brienna getting ready) and Husband (Dance pics. I only had the chance to take a few)

They aren't looking but eh, I don't care! We were a little rushed but adorbs lol :)

Then to the dance! Emily took these so I could enjoy the moment, I only cried a little at the end and then later when we got home. It was a big day for us all. I can't wait until we do it again, it was totally worth it!

Breadon looked for her Dad while dancing, it was cute. Brienna was all over the place but still doing her dance. The second time thru Breadon ran off stage to comfort one of the other little girls who was not going to come out, but came back out and finished it anyway. We went home after that because Breadon was tired and she was showing us by crying all the way to the car, she has never done well with a lot of commotion and I was surprised she hadn't wigged earlier! We were all ready to go home.
It was a fun day and they were amazing! :)

Our Minnie Mouse Ice Cream Shop Birthday Party!

2013-04-04T12:40:00.002-07:00

This was a labor of love, and not so much a labor, I take ideas and run with them. The girls love Minnie! Yes, I went a bit over board but that's what I do! There is nothing wrong with having an over the top crazy party, just as much as there is nothing wrong with having an intimate party with just close family. Its the celebration. There is a little bit down a the bottom and a moment that completely melted my heart so make sure to scroll down! :)

Above: Candy Bar! All containers were from the dollar section at Target!
Below: This was a hula hoop with streamers hung from it! And glittery cardboard flower strands!

Below: I got this sign with a Groupon from Vistaprint, they had a 17 for 70 deal, the banner was practically free after I got my business stuff! And if you can see, my husband and I made a super sweet awning out of PVC pipe and fabric! There is another pic at the bottom :)

Above: My brother is deployed right now, but he was able to hang out at their party, this is him saying 'hi'! :)
Below: ALL balloons were purchased from The Dollar Store... The same amount of mylars (30) would have been well over 150 if purchased from somewhere else!

All the candy was 1 dollar for a package of 8 or more mini bars, and we cut them up ourselves

Below: The bench is from the girls room and we purchased an extra drink thing for 10 dollars at Wal-Mart

Above: These little decals were everywhere! I got the entire set for like 6 bucks online. There was a TON of stickers in it, I saved them!
Below: I got this entire set of plastic hang ups for like 3 bucks online, we hing most of them outside!

Below: Our amazing cupcakes!

Above: YES, we cut the ice cream in the shape of "minnie" heads, I am THAT Mom. Yes, and I am okay with it!

Below: TWIN HUG!!!

Below: Minnie came to our party!!!

Below, a family picture and another sweet pic of our awning!!! :)

The girls 3rd birthday was a ton of fun! We had ice cream and cupcakes. Everyone left on a sugar high! Even Minnie Mouse came! Breadon ran and cried!!! :) All in all, did I got over board, heck yes I did. I LOVE planning parties and there is nothing wrong with that. I am who I am and writing this blog has helped me realize that!

The moment that melted my heart and again made me cry like a baby, was at the end of the day. We were getting the girls ready for bed, Brienna ran up to me and threw her arms around my neck and said "Mommy, I loved my birthday party, Thank you." SERIOUSLY, TEARS... I asked Breadon if she liked the party and I got the BIGGEST head nod I have ever seen, so will they remember it, eh, probably not but I will remember that tiny moment and it will stay with me forever!

My kids are 3... I have two 3 year olds... trip down memory lane

2013-04-03T19:21:00.001-07:00

Before I start I would like to say that there will be one photo from the girls party and I will have a cute blog about their party but this post is more personal. It's more for me to get this off my chest, to decompress the last three years, I think about all of these things every birthday. These experiences will never leave me. And if you get bored or have read the story 100 times skip to tue end for the cute pictures!

I have two, yes two, 3 year olds... The time is flying by. Many of you have heard or read my story about how my girls came to be, but I know I have some new followers so I will try to keep it short :)

A little over 3 years ago I was admitted to Mercy hospital for a bulging bag and I was leaking amniotic fluid. I was 22 weeks pregnant. At first I didn't think much about it, they put me in an ambulance, it was snowing that day, the last snow of the year in 2010. The ambulance was driving 70 MPH down a slick and dark highway... I get goosebumps thinking about it. Blissfully unaware... That book, What to expect when your expecting, it has ONE paragraph about leaking fluid, and not even a good one. I threw that book in the trash mind you. Anyway, earlier that week I had scheduled my 3d ultrasound with a clinic in DSM and was super excited to see their tiny faces in 3d. Little did I know I was going to see them that day. They wouldn't let me walk, they wheeled me up to a room. A nurse came and let me sit in a wheel chair and wheeled me to an ultra sound room. While I was in there I told her about my 3d ultrasound and she smiled sweetly and said she would do one for me. Again, not thinking anything about it I got excited to see my babies. She then started to get less and less talkative and more and more serious. She told me I would be in a trendelenburg position for the remainder of my stay and that the Dr. would be in to talk to me soon. She also told me she would bring in my pictures when they were done.
When I got to the room all of my friends and family were there. There was like 15 people in this tiny room. All these people to be there for us, for my unborn babies. The Dr. was an assistant to my other Dr. Dr. Whang, laugh all you want the man is a genius and he is one of the many who saved my girls' life.
She came in and explained that I was in a very dangerous position and that if my children were born that day or even in the next few weeks they wouldn't make it. I was devastated. We had just suffered a loss the year before and all I could think was why would God give me these babies and take them away too? Was it because I was not a good person, did I say the wrong thing and this is punishment? Alot of crazy things pass through your brain when you think the worst.
The ultrasound technician came in soon after the Dr. left and brought me my pictures.... In all honesty I thought that was one of the last times I would see my babies alive. I broke down in tears. I cried so hard. The room with all my friends and family fell silent. Heads were down and tears were quietly being shed for these precious lives... Almost everyone stayed in my room that night, people were sleeping everywhere. Even though some of those people aren't my friends now or we have went our separate ways it means the world that they were there for me and my family that day. My BFF Em or my Mom and Dad would come stay with me so I wouldn't have to be alone. I could not get out of bed for anything. Bedpan you ask? Yes... yes a bedpan. Em shaved my legs... yes, she loves me. Embarrassing? Yes. Was it worth all of it, HECK YES. I would do it for a year if I had to.
The next day the neonatal Dr. came and told me the same thing, that 24 weeks was the age of viability and if I could make it that far that their chances or survival would increase to 40%.
Skipping ahead a few weeks, after what I thought was a kidney infection, my girls were born. One the old fashioned way and one C-Section. I didn't get to see either of them until later that afternoon. They were of course beautiful. And fighting to stay alive.
I don't want to go thru our whole NICU experience, its long and scary. We had amazing nurses and doctors, like seriously amazing. I held Brienna for the first time after 3 weeks and Breadon was after 4. Yeah, not my favorite, not only did it kill me not to hold them, I just sat there. Feeling helpless is not my forte, but I like to think that just me being there was something. I also learned people will say alot of dumb things when you are in a crisis. Things that seem harmless but they aren't. I also did a lot of talking to doctors about medications, being an advocate (yes, control freak), and its all part of it.
Words and phrases to describe it: scary, angry, reading, learning, loving, holding, worrying, dying, better, I thought I was going to lose her, bath, hearbeat, oxygen levels, ventilator, antibiotics, pumping, she isn't responding, healthy, happy, are you kidding me, gowns and gloves, embarrassing, funny, helpful, spells, blood gas, wash your hands, steroids, blood transfusions, kangaroo, terrifying, car seat test, coming home, pneumonia, spinal taps, cultures and so many more.
Four long months, probably the longest 4 months ever. We lived in the Ronald McDonald house for 2 months of that. I am a control freak by nature so I had to be there everyday for 14 hours or more just to make sure they were okay. Toward the end, after Brienna came home, I could only go for a few hours a day but Breadon came home a short 2 weeks later.
Home was oxygen and monitors, and I am thankful, I probably wouldn't have slept without them. I had tons of help from amazing people when they came home. It is complicated getting two babies hooked to oxygen and monitors, but worth it. Totally worth it. We couldn't go anywhere but doctors appointments for a year. A restaurant here in town closed the restaurant so we could take them to supper once in the fall. They couldn't be around other children for a year. I hardly ever left the house. I felt a duty to be with them everyday all the time. After about a year I was ready to take them places. To show off MY cute kids. Trust me, have twins and then never be able to show them off or take them anywhere... is that a dumb complaint, yes probably, would I change it, no... but its normal, have it taken away from you and then judge me :) Physical therapy, heart specialists, speech therapy and a TON of Doctors appointments. Its all gotten us where we are today.
Why am I reliving this?! Over the last 3 years they have literally defied all odds. They had their 3 year check up yesterday. I love our Doctor. He is amazing. He made me emotional. He is so in awe of how well they are doing. Medically they are miracles. He was singing our praises telling us how well we were doing. I can't take a compliment to save my life so I just cried instead! I don't feel that I have done anything extraordinary. I feel like we live our lives day to day. I do what everyone else does. I take care of my kids. Easy stuff.
To me, every baby is seriously a miracle. It blows my mind. We have had our share of scares and worries, but no matter what the problem, from day one I faced it head on. I always do my research, ask questions and make sure I am getting the best care for my kids. I don't ignore anything. Ask my BFF and Mom, I run everything by them, I am sure they want to smack me. :) I am glad I am a control freak, I think my kids are doing so well because of it. At any rate, this is super long and drawn, they are such cool kids. They are my favorite. They are my life. I have fallen head over heels for my kids. They worked so hard to be here, there must be a plan for them.

On the day of their birth:

Breadon, Born April 1st at 8:27am Weighing 1 pound 4 ounces 12 3/4 inches long

Brienna, Born April 1st at 8:37am Weighing 1 pound 8 ounces 12 3/4 inches long

One week old:

Our first family picture: (Brienna on left and Breadon on right in both pictures)

Our most recent:

They light up my life :) They truly are miracles. Love you girls.

Paint squish bags!!!

2013-03-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

Paint squish bags... Fun... But didn't last as long as I thought they would, not only did the cheap bags tear they just didn't stay interested for very long... Note to self, and my readers, use HEAVY DUTY bags! Seriously, trust me.
Super easy ingredients:
Tape
HEAVY DUTY sealable bags
washable paints

Pour a few colors into each bag and seal them up tight and then tape them to the table and let them have fun squishing the colors around and making new ones!

So as we got bored we played with hats!

Good times. The bags were fun, I think if we had slit the bags and painted afterward they would have enjoyed in more. But that is something to try another time!
PS. This was done around Christmas, so the decorations were still up, right now my living room is full of pink for the girls' birthday this weekend. I can't wait to share that!

Me and my battle with television...

2013-03-25T22:23:00.003-07:00

WARNING: This is a wordy one!!! :)

When I was first pregnant I thought I would be the mom that didn't let her kids watch tv... and at first they didn't. Before they were interested in tv I watched my normal shows being mindful of what I was watching, making sure not to watch anything bloody, gross or with swearing. I ended up watching a lot of the food channel and house hunters. Not too bad.
At about 10 months we let them start watching a little age appropriate stuff (baby einstein) and things like that. For the most part they weren't interested, but as they got a little older they were into it more and more, and honestly it did bother me a little. I knew people were secretly judging me for letting them watch television and then I started to obsess!

I talked to my husband and mom about it, thinking I am the worst parent to let them be watching "so much" tv. Up until recently I still felt super guilty about it. I had been reading blogs and talking to others and keeping quiet about our tv situation. I was sort of in denial. If I had to put a number on it I would like to think maybe they were/are watching and average of 2-3 hours per day, some days more... some days WAY more, other days not at all. And its never a solid 2-3 hours, its broken up by play time, naps, food, and them getting bored with it and wanting Mom and Dad time! They don't cry or scream when I turn it off, they don't miss it when it isn't on. It's not the center of my home. At any rate, my main concern was that tv was the reason Breadon had a speech delay (to which I found out that is NOT why she is speech delayed).
Sometimes they would get so into it they wouldn't hear me I thought. So instead of throwing my hands up, I got on that-and now it’s me calling them no more than 2 times and they are running for me. Its not like they watch mindless cartoons, horror movies and SVU all day, we watch alot on Netflix and Disney Junior. We watch 99% educational programming. They have learned so much from watching tv!

They have learned (with help from us of course) their numbers letters shapes and colors. Not to mention what is dangerous and what is wrong, how to share, how to feel for others and know when someone is sad and so much more about certain aspects of life. They know all their letters by sight, caps and lower case! They can count to twenty. Mostly in part by these shows and us reinforcing them on a daily basis! Breadon actually knows all her letter sounds! I'm not trying to brag by any means, I am just saying I don’t know that without this fun and interesting learning tool that they would have learned as much as fast from flash cards or something else un-tv related.
We play games and make crafts, draw and color, read, flashcards and do all sorts of other things that make them well-rounded kids. We talk about what they watch on tv and use it everyday. I will not feel guilty anymore about them wanting to watch a movie or tv especially if its helping them learn something. There is just no reason for it! No matter what your personal choice you have to do what works, and it just happens that tv works for us! These days I am reading alot more about others and what they do and I have total respect for that, what I think I have the issue with are people who think that their way is the ONLY or RIGHT way, and thats it. They tend to look down on others and it translates into their words... I don't want to be that blogger/mom/friend! Thanks for tuning in! Keep reading below!

We have found these shows the most educational! We don't watch ALL of these but they are a great starting point if you are looking for something!

Numbers and Letters:
ANY of the Leapfrog videos, they have quite a few on Netflix and we love them!
Numbers around the Globe

Exercise or Get moving shows:
Bo on the Go, cute little show about getting on the go
Yo Gabba Gabba

Spanish:
Go Diego Go
Handy Manny

Expressive:
Pingu, they don't use any words so I think it helps kids learn how to see the characters feelings without them saying it!
Doc Mc Stuffins, sympathy and empathy and making someone feel good when they aren't well

The World
Octonauts, under the sea!
Gaspar and Lisa
Little Einstiens

Art and Music:
Little Einstiens
Color Crew

All around, covers alot:
Blues Clues
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Sesame Street

Painting! (picture post!)

2013-03-05T11:43:00.002-08:00

The girls painted for the first (with real paint) the other day! Here are the pictures! Enjoy!

Love the finished product! I am brainstorming ideas on how to display all of their amazing art :)

Thanks for tuning in!

From a mess to YES! My fridge....

2013-03-05T10:11:00.002-08:00

I am about to show you the good, the bad and the UGLY of my fridge. Don't judge me! haha! Everyone has those things that they always seem to put off, my fridge is one of mine... I know its gross, but as long as its covered up, out of site out of mind. But the other day I was trolling pinterest, as I so often do, and I saw a couple pins and wanted to combine them into a new and improved refrigerator for myself! Where did I go to start this endeavor? My local Dollar Tree!!! Seriously the best place ever for cheap containers and place mats! But I am a little ahead of myself, let me share with you the before pictures... be warned, these may get graphic...

I have ALOT of stuff in my fridge, some of it expired, some of it doubles... SO we emptied it! And everyone helped!

Then I saw the nasty, and YES I am sharing it with you!

GROSSSSSS!

My FAVE cleaner is Fantastik, and I am really going to plug them because the cleaners are amazing! Some things just don't get clean enough with the home made cleansers, so I use fantastik! I use the oxy power but they are all great! (Make sure you clean the underside of the glass too! It is just as dirty!)

On to the next topic! CLEANING! I just used hot soapy water and Fantastik and everything came right off! (We did the drawers last!)

Then I used my dollar store place mats! Okay, so I have seen some things about cling wrap and here is my beef with the cling wrap, its sticky and almost impossible to place correctly... and I am not a patient person by any means so it was just not for me. I chose the place mats because they are re-usable and easily removed and cleaned. They won't rip or tear and if I want its a dollar to replace one if I need to!
I didn't cut mine I just laid them in there over lapping, they don't slide around too much and I just set them inside the slight raise of the shelves.

Then we used my dollar store bins to load everything back in!

I put the little stackable stuff in the totes to free up some space, and piled everything else that was still good, back in to the door!

And then we did the drawers!

And ended up with this:

Is it still a little cluttered YES, but it works and is so much cleaner and nicer! I did the whole thing for 12 dollars with the bins and mats. I like the bins (blue is all they had that I thought was fridge friendly!) because if anything leaks its caught by the bin. Fruit is in a bin and so are the little things. I also got a ton of bins for our girls play room. It took maybe 30 minutes and the whole family got involved!

PS, Yes there is a clamato in my fridge... my husband is saving it for my brother who is deployed to Honduras... YUCK :)

Thanks for tuning in! I hope this has inspired you!

XOXO

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Trunk Junk

2013-03-01T14:12:00.002-08:00

As you may NOT know, I am super big on planning ahead, planning for the unexpected and a natural worry wart... So you may NOT be surprised that I have filled my van with about 100 things to accomadate almost any situation, and it has bailed me out more than once! SO here is all what I tote around in my trunk everyday!

This is container 1 of 2... It holds the following, paper towels, water, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, a blanket, extra bags, trash sacks, a canvas tote, facial tissue, screwdrivers, hair ties, sunblock for kids and adults, hair brush, set of children's utensils, and ear phones.

It all fits nicely in this cheap basket we got in the fall, I think they were 4 bucks! Now I could probably get away with just this one and be okay, but WAIT there's more!

Now on to the other container!

Container 2 of 2 holds... bag 1 holds some feminine products, deodorant and wipes, bag two holds cough drops and pocket facial tissue, bag 3 holds ponchos, bag 4 holds diaper sacks and masking tape, then there is an empty canvas bag, umbrellas, bag 5 holds band aids, neosporin and gauze, the diaper wipe container will be listed below :), bag 6 holds a change of clothes for each child, bag 7 holds socks for all of us and chamois, then there are toothbrushes, index cards, granola bars, pens, tape, scissors, more ear buds and aspirin. PHEW that is alot! There are also diapers and wipes but not today! Need to refill!!!

In the wipe container is all kinds of medicines, anti histamine, anti diarrhea, sinus pills, stay awake pills, chap stick, antacids, gas relief, more sanitizer, granola bars.

Is it a little excessive, maybe, but I cannot stand having to purchase things I already have or needing something and never having it! Getting real for a second, how many times have you forgot to put deoderant on or forgotten a lady item and had to buy a whole thing of it?! ANNOYING! LOL
And it happens all the time! Almost everything seen here that wasn't already ours I bought at the dollar store or the dollar section at Wal-Mart. There is no major investment, but I have dipped into it more than once and I am guessing as the girls get older we will be using it more and more. Not to mention we live in Iowa, where you can get stranded and have nothing!

Here is what it looks like in our van :)

Yeah, it kinda takes up some room, I had seen someone post where they kept everything in a shoe organizer on the back seat, but we are constantly putting the seats up and down so this worked better for us!

You certainly would not have to go to this extreme, but I hope that this gives you some ideas, and also here are some other things you could add that I have not :)

Jackets
Juice
DVDs
CDs
First Aid kit
Extension cords (if you tailgate!)
non-perishable items
Collapsible rolling tote (on my list)

If I don't have something I just make a note and pick it up on my next trip to the dollar store. I love that we have stow and go, and even with all of it in there we still have tons of room! You could pick and choose things to carry, these are just ideas! Add your ideas at the bottom! :)

Thanks for tuning in! XOXO

The O Wall!

2013-02-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

So you may of heard of my O wall recently here on my BFF's H wall post! You can also read the back story (and follow her blog too!). It is nice to be able to share an idea with someone! Although I have a little bit of a twist on my O wall :)

We were at the hubbs' parents house last summer and I have been telling them my idea of framing the entire upstairs landing in photos, like EVERYWHERE, floor to ceiling, white frames and black and white photos... well... that kinda went out the window when I found a new and more amazing idea that hopefully we will be posting on here in the next weeks! SOOO they ended up giving me a TON of frames that were left behind the hubbs' grandma after she passed away. Much like my own grandma, Zach's grandma painted. So they had ton of empty canvas frames left. We brought them home and all of the sudden it hit me like a ton of bricks to use them on the O wall! Frame the O's!

We used little tack nails for the frames and stick tack for the corners to keep the frames from palling all the time. Most of the O's are hung up with stick tack too, they have never fallen down, even with the girls messing with them while going up or down the stairs!

Here are some pictures and where they all came from!:

1: Junk Jubilee (the day we thought of the O wall!)
2: West End Salvage (the husband brought me this one)
3: A closing craft mall in Branson. MO
4: My BFF got this one in Texas
5: My BFF also got this one in Texas (it weighs a TON for being so small!)
6: Hobby Lobby
7: Good Will
8: Hobby Lobby
9: Hobby Lobby
10: Wal-Mart
11: Craft Mall in Branson, MO
12: Craft Mall in Branson, MO
13: Wal-Mart
14: Junk Jubilee
15: Craft Show
16: Very Jane

Not every O has sentimental value, but they will forever have a home on this wall as long as we line here, and the friendly reminder of Zach's Grandma is nice too! Here are some more pictures!

And YES this light switch, which you may have noticed is original to the house, and I have to say I don't hate it, it goes with the house and my style I think, so its probably staying!

SUPER easy project, and it's personal. It can be easily removed and it transitions up the stairs nicely, we may add one more to the bottom, just haven't found the right frame yet!

Thanks for tuning in!

The past weeks...

2013-02-23T19:20:00.002-08:00

The past few weeks have been full of ups and downs, as per the usual. Breadon had her first real tantrum, like a real one. I would like to say I knew exactly what to do but I didn't. Luckily my mom was with me to coach me through it. She has tried to have a few more since and I am hoping it is just a phase. I try to be super consistant so lets hope it pays off. As of last week Brienna is completly caught up and functioning as a normal 3 year old in every way! Breadon is SO close with just her speech holding her back. We are now going to be taking her to DSM for an evaluation to see exactly where she is at.

I can't believe they are going to be 3. I am the mom of two 3 year olds...

I have a friend that had twins long before I did and what she said still rings true... see I was kinda freaking about having twins, wondering if I could ever do it. knowing that it would probably be 1 of the hardest things that I would ever have to do. it has not been easy. It is not always been fun. But looking back on the last 3 years I can definitely say it has been the most amazing experiences of my life.what she said was that God would never give you more than you can handle, and that I could do it.

I don't think that 2 is always better than 1 in every situation, but with kids it sure is double the fun. But with that comes double doubts, double the worries and double the laundry. luckily I've been doing baby laundry since before they were born so adding a few extra pairs of pants and shirts isn't a big deal. Because it reminds me of all the times where I prayed to have those extra pants and shirts and how my prayers were answered.

Zach parents came to visit last weekend and we had a great time seeing them. We always do. They call Lynn 'my my my' instead of grandma and I have to admit I love it, they came up with it all on their own!

on the 18th this last week would have been my dad 76th birthday. We bought cupcakes and told the girls about their grandpa Wally showed them pictures and talked about him. I'm pretty sure we're going to start doing that every year. Brienna even recognized him before I had to say anything. It was a little bit easier this year to celebrate, but a little bit harder at the same time. They're going to know who he is someday. I'll make sure of that. I want them to know that he loved them so much and he was so excited when they were born.in fact from day 1 he was the one who told me that I was going to have twins. So he was even more excited before anyone else. So happy birthday to my dad. I miss you. And I love you. And I promise to pass on everything you taught me to the girls, since you won't be here to do it yourself. Confidence, boldness and knowing what is right and wrong and probably some stubbornness too. We all miss you.

Thanks for tuning in.

GAK! :)

2013-02-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

So last week I had decided I wanted to try some things I had seen on Pinterest. This "slime" recipe was up there on my list and I just HAPPENED to have all of the ingredients!

4oz. Elmers Glue (White or Clear)
1 tsp. Borax
1 1/2 cups of water seperated

Add borax powder to 1 cup of water and stir to dissolve. Set aside. Pour glue into a medium mixing bowl and add 1/2 C water. Add a few drops of food coloring until desired color is reached and then stir to mix glue solution until smooth. Pour the borax mixture into the glue mixture and watch the solids start to form. Stir for a few moments and then use your hands to gather the mass. The mixture will be very soft and wet. Keep kneading until it firms up and feels dry. Discard excess liquid in bowl. The more you knead and play with the slime the firmer it will become. Store in a ziplock bag or air tight container and the slime will keep indefinitely.

Worked like a charm and they LOVED it, it was much more messy than I have thought it would be but it rubbed off really easy so it wasn't a big deal, we collected what we had left over and left the container out to "dry" and the left over stuff just fell out the next day! :)

We quickly figured out to remove the pajamas and let them go at it :) It bagged up well too for the next time!

Sitting next to our cloud dough! We will surely do this again! It was easy and alot of fun!!!
Thanks for tuning in!

XOXO

Cloud Dough! :)

2013-01-27T17:29:00.002-08:00

SO we have been cooped up, right! All this crazy hot then cold weather! I like to try new things with the girls every now and then, and the cloud dough was a MUST on my list! It cost about 5 dollars and you can bag it and re-use it OR make a double batch! We made a single batch to try, it worked awesome and was the perfect amount for our tote! The recipe is SO easy!!!

8 cups of flour
1 cup of baby oil

Mix together, the more you kneed the better it meshes... if thats the word for it! It took 3-5 minutes to get it all mixed but that was half the fun!

Picked both of these up at Dollar General!!!

Breadon has an AWESOME cheese face :)

Some old beach toys!

The beach toys were a little large so we switched to some smaller stuff... It was a HUGE hit! We did this on a bath nite too btw!

And it was easily bagged up! I have heard you can use other oils and flours, so experiment and try something new!

Super fun, Super easy and its reusable!!! Much cheaper than play doh and it doesn't dry out!

Thanks for tuning in!

XOXO

Yo Gabba Gabba Live! :) The Good and the Bad

2013-01-16T12:25:00.001-08:00

I could spend DAYS (it will prob feel like that as you are reading) writing about Yo Gabba Gabba Live (YGGL), what went wrong, what went right and after shedding a few tears on the matter I have the following to say:

Yesterday we took the girls to YGGL, and for the first 45 minutes of total time being there, it was awesome! The girls were really into it, they played the games:

And like I say, I am not AOP when I am with my kids, I am too busy enjoying the moment to care what I am getting on my camera, so no they aren't perfect :) Anyway, so then we went in and got to our seats and for the first 20-25 minutes of the show they were LOVING it! Breadon was jumping up and down, yelling YAY and clapping and Brienna was in complete AWE... It was EXACTLY what I had wanted!

And then a man with a saxophone came out, and for Breadon, that was it... She was having no part of the saxophone man. She lost it and started getting really upset and scared.

See Breadon has ALWAYS had issues with loud noises, and you would think that the whole show was loud, which it was, but we had given them ear plugs and until he came out with his loud and squeaky instrument we were fine, right when he started playing she was DONE. I have had one flat out tantrum with her, in the grocery store that's it, we just haven't had to deal with them, not at home or out in public but when we get around any sort of loud instrument, or when we would go to the Dr.s office, its over, she gets scared and intimidated and she still gets over-stimulated which is a huge problem in kids born premature. I am about 99% sure its fear, the Dr. office is a no brainer, pretty much every time she has been to a Dr. it has been painful and horrible, and also loud noises, drills, vacuums etc. At Chad's going away ceremony we got the privilege of sitting by the bag pipe players, and Zach had to take her out of there too, its something I am sure that stems from some memory we don't remember or know about, and I am so sure she will grow out of it...

At first it hurt, YES, I spent, what some would say, is a ridiculous amount of money. Knowing that she may not make it through the whole show, and that she won't remember it anyway, so why bother.

That last sentence is something I have been struggling with. I have ALWAYS gone overboard in everything, and I will not be made to feel bad about what I do for my own children when it comes to making memories.

I am not only making some sort of small memory for them, but it will always be a HUGE memory for me... always. That's what I am doing. I don't care, in any situation, IE: birthdays, shows, parties, activities. If it all goes wrong or bad, if it cost alot of money, if it seems ridiculous, it doesn't phase me, I want the memories too even if they won't remember. I can tell them about it when they are older. Some of my BEST memories are ones I don't remember, they are stories that go with old photos, photos where I am a baby and have no clue. Some of them are with my Dad, who isn't here to re-tell them to me, and they are all I have, pictures and stories.
Back to my story:
The first part of the day, and those first 20 minutes with her were the BEST possible memories I could have asked for, so no, I don't regret it not one bit. I will carry the happy memory of those first precious 20 minutes forever. Listening to her yelling and clapping and being happy... That's what good memories and life are made of, minutes.... Short bursts of time when everything is amazing... and lets be honest, isn't that how most amazing moments are, short and brilliant?

Brienna, LOVED it, she wasn't as much into it as I had thought, but she sang some of the songs and waved by to the characters so yes, again, totally worth hearing her WHOAS and WOWS :) We tried to bring Breadon in a few times and it was already too late, some of it was fake crying, she was still trying to watch here and there, but finally we gave up and my amazing husband took her out to take her to the car to nap.

What I didn't know is that a gentlemen in the YGGL show saw them getting ready to leave and asked if they were leaving and why, Zach explained the situation and the amazing man gave us 'After Party' tickets so that they could go meet the characters after the show where it wasn't so noisy... mind you these 'After Party' tickets were $75 dollars a piece over the largest ticket price... and he got all 5 of us in (my mom came with, and yes she enjoyed the show). When we came out Zach told me about this amazing man and his awesome gift to a scared little girl :) We wouldn't have been able to do this once in a lifetime thing otherwise... So thank you to him!

We went up to the party and while she was still scared and didn't want to go up to them, she waved and named them all, with big smiles and happy... Brienna did go up to them surprisingly and I got some pictures:

Yes my Mom got her picture with Muno....

Brienna and Foofa had a huge hug but I was too busy watching to get a picture... Breadon was totally happy playing with balloons and admiring from afar :) Then the saxophone man came back in... we left :) LOL SO while we were waiting downstairs, DJ LANCE ROCK came out and talked to the girls, again Breadon didn't want to get close but did give him a high five and Brienna got her picture taken

She was really excited to see him, so was Breadon... Just uneasy. I have been telling myself that they are only (almost) 3, these things happen, and that things will get better with time. Sometimes I think I have failed Breadon in some way, that I didn't do enough of something. You want everything to be perfect, you want everything to run smoothly, and for a little while it did, and if it were a 20 minute show it would have been perfect! :) At any rate, I will continue to do what others may think is over the top, or ridiculous, because that's me and that's what I do... And I will look at yesterday as a success and not a failure, because everyone had a good time, maybe frustrating, but a great memory. Something to tell her about when she is older... Hey, I was deathly afraid of clowns and spend my 3rd or 4th birthday running and hiding and also crying about a clown, so hey, I know where she gets it from, and I am okay now!

We went to Red Lobster afterward and I listened to both of them chat about it and being funny and cute like always. So all in all, I know I have great kids, I know that her tantrum was one out of fear and not out defiance... I have two amazing kids, healthy, funny, smart, amazing kids. I cried about it a few times last night... I am huge baby when it comes to my babies.Not that I was let down or that she let me down, but that I put so much pressure on myself and her to make EVERYTHING be awesome, when the little moments are what really matter. Like I said, I will look back on yesterday as a learning experience and an amazing day, one for the memory books. I wouldn't trade a MINUTE with them, good or bad, for anything in this world. Thanks for tuning in...

XOXO

The Girls NEW Room, and how I did it for LESS!

2013-01-08T12:26:00.001-08:00

So we decided to finally finish the girls room, and ALMOST everything we did in the room was re-purposing, bought on sale or freshly re-painted. I don't really have any before pictures, they are here and there on instagram. I didn't really want to decorate their room right when we moved in because I was REALLY on the fence. I have seen some AMAZING little girl bedrooms, ( I have looked at A MILLION!) but I wanted something that was grown up but still fit for a little girl. We do pink in this house, because they like it but they also like blue, so that was also something to figure in! Anyway, I had been on the fence for a long time, I loved the moon and star theme and my Dad had purchased some of the things in the room so I was having a hard time letting it go and moving on to something else, but I also didn't want to have to redecorate in 2 years because it was too baby either. SO we moved ALL of the moons and stars things into their play room that is off of their bedroom (they have 2 closets and one is about half the size of the bedroom!) and it makes me feel good because it is still apart of their room in a way! I talked to some family and friends and finally decided to go with a central theme, loosely based on this box I got from Catos:

It is a cute box that is based around closets and travel, FASHION! So we went with a little fashion theme, I like to call it: The Garden Boutique, because honestly, that's what it reminds me of!

They each have a set of these amazing decals above their beds! I bought them from wallsneedlove.com (AMAZING pricing!) along with the stripes below!

(I will have some better stripe views below!)

The little white set you will see is a shelf and mirror next, with 2 little sconce things, one pictured above! Those were FREE from my mom!!!

We made the little shelf and mirror into a mini dressing table with a cute metal chair we got at hobby lobby!

Here is some of the wall art and little things we have up!

Some of the things have been re-painted from their old room, some are just re-used, some of the stuff (like the bears) are from my room when I was a baby!

Next, one of my favorite things in the room!

YES a CHANDELIER that we got on super clearance at Menards! I love it! The crystals are pink and adorable and it lights the room well!

And my favorite piece that I REALLY wanted to buy at Hobby Lobby but just couldn't afford it, SO my amazing mom went out and got it for the girls:

The little bistro set!!! The girls love it and are always sitting at it when we go up there! And no you can see the cool stripes!
The curtains!!! I am so obsessed with shiny things:

BIG secret about the curtains, they are SHOWER curtains!!! It was cheaper to buy them then fabric or anything I liked!

And some other little details:

I don't have lamps yet, Zach is picking them up this week while he is out of town! Almost every time we go in to their room they say "WOW!" at something else they have seen, I love it.

I don't think that what we spent was a HUGE amount seeing as how we started everything from scratch! We went to sales and re-painted and re-purposed things, we hardly paid full price for anything, even the things I bought on Amazon were on sale! We also went to Menards and took advantage of the "20%-off-of-everything-you-can-put-in-a-bag-sale", and free stuff is awesome too! I am all about re-painting and re-purposing things (wait til you see my kitchen island!) so that is really how we saved a ton, and buying clearance and on sale is KEY!
It took about a week to finish and they love it!

Thanks for tuning in!

XOXO

Snow Play and Christmas Day and more! (PHOTO POST!)

2013-01-07T10:19:00.002-08:00

So to fit everything is some kind of order the pictures are small, but feel free to click on them! This was our December in photos! We also went to Jolly Holiday Lights and saw someone get engaged there, it was pretty cool! Also they got to see Santa so that made my day too! They loved the snow this year and ALMOST got the concept of Santa! :) We were a little rushed on opening gifts, so next year we will slow it down and open presents throughout the day. They had an amazing Christmas and even though more than likely they won't remember it, I will and that is what matters to me, I want to make the memories not only for them but for me, I want the memories too!!! (But that is a whole other topic for some other time) We played in the snow, made a super tiny snowman, and shopped and all of it! Uncle Chad came back to visit for Christmas and we all miss him already! But November will seriously be here before we know it and he will be back!

Breadon is doing amazing in speech and is really excelling in everything she tries, she is less frustrated and more interactive now that she can understand and communicate better!

We are in the process of finishing up the girls new room! :) Really I am just short one curtain but don't want to take pictures until its all complete! We painted on NYE, what better way to ring in the new year, ha ha! Took about a week, and I am super in love with it! We have also done some cool additions to the house but yet another post that will be! Dance is going well, the recital is in April. We are going to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live on the 15th and I know they will love it! YES, it is a bit more than I would like to spend, but it will be worth it, for the looks on their precious faces!

(I see it as a partial birthday present) !

I have started planning their 3rd Birthday party. Also very excited for that!!! All in all it has been a good few months and we are excited for 2013!

Check out the photos, they aren't AOP quality, once I get my point and shoot I am just like everyone else, just snapping away! Grandpa Roger also took some of them too!

It's almost here!!! :)

2012-12-11T12:23:00.002-08:00

Seriously, the time is FLYING! Things are slowing down at AOP and I am kinda happy :) Much needed family time! :) Here are some pictures of what it looks like around here these days!

My AWESOME snow man I got from The Farmers Wife!

My LOVELY smelling REAL greens :)

One of my awesome signs!

And our SUPER traditional Christmas tree!

We also have a sweet Noah's Ark advent calendar that we do every night, but it is in a really dark spot so I didn't get a picture of it.

I am in love with traditional, old school 80's, Christmas tree decorating. I am oober traditional when it comes to Christmas trees :) Maybe some year I will branch out. I decorate everything with snowmen. LOVE them!

I guess I am super eclectic when it comes to decorating of any kind, if I like it, I like it and so I buy it, or do it, no matter what the decorating style.

Back to the tree! We use old and new ornaments, ones we have made, bought or glued back together 100 times. I love seeing certain ornaments and reliving the memories that go with them. I am SO excited for Christmas this year. :)

Thanks for tuning in!

XOXO

Last week of thanks! :)

2012-11-28T07:40:00.000-08:00

I am late again! But we were out of town so that is my excuse... mt 3rd week of thanks and it will actually round it out since Thanksgiving is over!

1: I am thankful for moments like the one below! :) How adorable are they?

2: I am thankful for having family to visit with during the holidays.

3: I am thankful for Elf on the Shelf which we started this year! I think the girls will get into it, they named our Elf GiGi :)

4: I am thankful for apple pie, because sometimes you have had ENOUGH pumpkin!

5: I am thankful for the clothes on my back.

6: I am thankful for the food on our table.

7: I am thankful for these thanks! It reminds you how much there is to be thankful for, and during the holiday season thats what you need, is to remember the little things in life!

I will be posting more about the girls and house projects later this week or early next, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Thank you! :) XOXO

2nd Week of Thanks!

2012-11-19T09:38:00.003-08:00

So I am a day late but I have busy Sundays! :) And I have to make this quick because I am working on 6 Sneak Peeks and finishing some sessions! The time sure does fly on a deadline.

#1 I am thankful for good friends, I know I mentioned friends in last weeks thankful, but things are never easy as you grow up and mature, learn and get married, have kids and move into adulthood. Not everyone stays throughout your whole life, but they do make you realize things about yourself that you never knew before. So thank you to all my friends past and present :)

#2 I am thankful to the elderly gentleman in Fareway the other day. He gave me 2 dollars to buy the girls ice cream because they were being so good. When we were kids people used to give my brother and I money because we were good, reminded me of my dad... makes me think I am doing an okay job because my parents taught us so well. :) So thank you to him for reassuring me that I am doing okay!

#3 I am thankful for words of encouragement. The other day I was having a horrible day and I got some great words of encouragement from a surprise source, made everything change.

#4 I am thankful for jokes... I think that is good enough lol :)

#5 I am thankful for Photoshop! Yes, yes I am! :)

#6 I am thankful for a reliable vehicle...

#7 I am thankful for all of our men and woman out there serving our country, no matter what is going on in the world or what anyone thinks, until you have signed that dotted line and made that commitment to your country and to people you don't even know, make sure you tell them thank you, pay for their meal, shake their hand, and tell them you are thinking of them and their families.

Thanks for tuning in! :)

COLORING!

2012-11-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

The girls are OBSESSED with coloring!!! They would color all day, over everything if I let them... AND I love it, so the other day I broke out the big boy and snapped some pictures of them and here they are :)

Hilarious right?! Breadons favorite color is blue, Brienna is still figuring her colors out but loves them all. They are growing up so fast! :)

Thanks for tuning in!
XOXO

Things we do for love...

We are potty trained!

Homeschooling my Preschoolers

where did I go?

Shaving cream paint!

things I do because of my dad

To home school or not home school... that is my question...

DANCE DANCE DANCE

Our Minnie Mouse Ice Cream Shop Birthday Party!

My kids are 3... I have two 3 year olds... trip down memory lane

Paint squish bags!!!

Me and my battle with television...

Painting! (picture post!)

From a mess to YES! My fridge....

Trunk Junk

The O Wall!

The past weeks...

GAK! :)

Cloud Dough! :)

Yo Gabba Gabba Live! :) The Good and the Bad

The Girls *NEW* Room, and how I did it for LESS!

Snow Play and Christmas Day and more! (PHOTO POST!)

It's almost here!!! :)

Last week of thanks! :)

2nd Week of Thanks!

COLORING!

The Girls NEW Room, and how I did it for LESS!