FINALLY some snow.

We really still didn't get much but it is only the 2nd time this Winter, that I recall, we have had any. Neither were REAL snows. If this sounds AT ALL like I am complaining, I am NOT. There is a sweet little boy though who has been waiting and waiting for that glorious white stuff to fall from the sky.

 

Eli and I were driving to OT yesterday and the weather guy said that they were calling for snow. I said "ELI! DID YOU HEAR THAT? Their is supposed to be snow tomorrow!!" He chimed in from the backseat in his excited little voice "Was he talking to US?!!!"




Needless to say he was really excited and like I said we got a little bit. Enough to appease him for a little while at least.

It has been a nice day home with my kids. One of the things I like about Winter in Michigan is the slower pace. The pace is not always slow, that is for sure, but there are days like this one when it is just me and my babies home together. I love it.

So much to blog about

I'm a little behind in my blogging.  There is just always so much to blog about and so little time.  The holidays are SO fast approaching.  We keep things low-key but it is still busy.  Honestly the busyness right now seems to be appointments and a baby who is cutting four teeth and STILL has a cough.  The kids OT, PT, Neurosurgery appointments have all gone SO well but they have kept us hopping and working with them on these various treatments plans.  I will dedicate a whole post to that this weekend assuming I have time to catch up on my blogging.

For now here are the pics from last weekend when the boys and I made sugar cookies with what was on hand.  So if you are thinking they are not very "Christmas-y" it is because I only had leftover sprinkles from previous cookie endeavors.
 
Pre-bath


Post bath and time to decorate.
Eli dumped the entire contents of the container on each cookie every time. Thankfully most of the jars were almost empty.


This was there first time licking the beaters.  What kind of mother am I?  They are almost 5.  :)  Seriously thought this was just frosting so I didn't have to worry about salmonella.  As a kid on the other hand we ate raw batter often and lived to tell about it.  I have great memories of my Mom or Grandma yelling "Who wants to lick the beaters??"  I am pretty sure I won that race every time.  Should I admit that??? :)


Have a great weekend!!!

Checking in.

We have been SO busy and there are lots of pictures to post. We have gone to the pumpkin patch, the village, had a garage sale, played soccer, had appointments with specialist and on and on the list goes. I have lots of uploading to flickr to do but in the mean time here is a favorite picture that I took today.

I hope you are all enjoying fall as much as we are. I love fall in Michigan and all the traditions that go along with it.

Spring, are you there?

Spring may never come to Michigan to stay but we have had some nice "teaser" days thrown in to the rain and snow. I hear a rumor that this weekend is supposed to be nice. I am hoping it is true.

I am up because a sweet little girl woke me. That was 2 hours ago and she has been back to sleep for about 2 hours. :) Don't you love how kids can do that. Anyways, I am up and thought I'd post some pics from a warm spring day a few weeks ago. I think Alex was praising Jesus in the first pic. I know I was. :)

On a TOTALLY unrelated topic...my camera arrived and I am feeling a bit clueless. Can anyone recommend a good beginners photography book and websites or blogs. Thanks.

I am off to bed. Goodnight.

A Big Snow

We got snow this past week and the boys responses, as usual, were quite different. One morning we got a good amount of snow after Jared had already shoveled and left for work. I decided it would be good exercise and good fun for them to get out there and use their new snow shovels. Alex decided he did not want to. He held his resolve until Eli was in his full snow gear including his "sergeant" pants (snow pants? not sure why, but whatever)with shovel in hand. Suddenly Alex wanted to go too. They had a great time and so did I.

This past weekend Jared went out to shovel again and I geared the boys up to join him except Alex wasn't into it. Luckily, for him he would get the luxury of staying in today because Mom and Dad were home. You see twins rarely want to do the same thing but often they have to in order to accomodate the other. I am sure it is the same with all sibling relationships. Anyways, it is nice when they get to be their own little person and decide which activity they prefer.

Everyone was happy!

A Simpler Holiday

Ah, the elusive family Christmas picture. I would love to get a perfect holiday picture and I have this (probably false) belief that as the kids get a bit older and actually look at the camera it could be possible. Our first Christmas with twins I didn't even attempt to do a Christmas photo. I was reeling from twin infants and it didn't happen.

But, oh, how sweet are these cheeks. Yum!

The second year this was what we got so I didn't send one out but probably should have because in retrospect it was pretty cute.

Finally last year we got this one and even though they didn't look at the camera I appreciated it for what it was and sent it out with the following message: "May your holidays be more joyful than Alex and Eli are in this picture".

This year in honor of not freezing our butts off and not wanting my entire family (mainly Jared) wishing me ill I may do this (see below) so that we don't have to get that "perfect" picture and we can just make a collage and call it a day. Simple, right??

Family Wall Red

We will see though because if I could get my precious little ones to smile perfectly and look at the camera (and we all looked like supermodels) as shown below I would definitely choose this one.

Peppermint Gift Wrap

These two options along with all of these other ones are available at Shutterfly AND because they are feeling "gifty" they are giving me 50 free holiday cards for writing this post. YAY!

They also have calendars which I've always thought would be great Christmas gifts for family AND they have holiday cards if you like to write a personal message to each recipient. I on the other hand know that that is not the most practical option for us since we have a newborn, twin 3 yr olds AND are most likely moving in mid-December.

Although I have never ordered holiday photos from Shutterfly I have ordered a lot of prints from them and they always arrive promptly and on quality paper. They also e-mail you all of their promotions which often involves free prints and I love FREE.

Fall

I always love Fall each year but this year it was extra special. The whole time I was on bed rest and in the hospital and visiting my little preemie I would tell myself that by Fall things would be back to normal. A new normal, of course, but our normal. It gave me a light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes we need a reminder that "this too shall pass", "joy comes in the morning" so that we can face the trial and not let it overtake us.

I laid in my hospital bed missing Jared and the boys and dreamed of the day when I could take walks outside with them. At that point my biggest walk of the day was to the end of the hall to fill my water. I almost always did this just to have an excuse to walk. Sad, I know but I love my walks.

This fall Addie and the boys and I have taken a lot of walks. I enjoyed them all. The boys are even at the point where they can walk and we can get around the block without hours passing. They love exploring the neighborhood and all that it offers and they love the play scape at the end of the neighborhood.

This Fall has been far from easy but I am pleased to say things are getting back to "normal". The busiest craziest normal that I have ever experienced that involves a family of five and a big move etc., etc., but I'll take it. :)

The boys always beg to go to the "Halloween house" which ironically doesn't scare them a bit yet the Wildcat mascot terrifies them.

Now there is a turkey to visit.

A Warm Fall Day

The boys and I (oh yeah and Addie) spent this particular morning with Mindy and her girls (oh yeah and her new son, Ryan) :). We went to the library and then to feed the ducks. Alex didn't enjoy the duck feeding part so much nor the people walking by with their dogs. Poor guy, I am hoping he outgrows some of these fears he has been having lately. Regardless it has been a beautiful fall in Michigan and has been in the 60's all week.

Apple Orchard 2010

So In Love

So many people are so thrilled for us that we "got our girl" and I am thrilled also but I have to tell you I am so in love with these boys. We had such a nice day at the apple orchard today. I took a million photos that I will post but here are a few.

Happy Autumn to all!

Goodbye Summer

This is a little late because things were a little crazy for us this Summer but I had to post this when I saw the pictures of the boys in Summers past. I cannot believe how much they have changed and grown.

2010

2009

2008