Home Project

We've lived in our house for 5 years this month and have never really done much with the inside of it since living here.  We've always focused on our yard or thought the way the house is, is fine.  But there is one wall we never really knew what to do with.  When the people who built the house did their plans, we aren't sure what they were thinking with this wall.  We priced putting built in bookcases in but didn't ever come to an agreement what to do.  Then the wiring was all weird with some outlets and cables on top and other stuff on the bottom of the wall. 

So Shane finally decided to do something about it.  We always wanted to mount our TV and lately the girls have been grabbing it and trying to shake it, making me nervous.  So seeing as I'm 8 months pregnant, I can't say I helped much except for keeping the girls away from it while it was in progress.

Shane cut some holes in the walls and ran all the wiring to the right place.  He then patched the wall, painted it and mounted our TV.  I love the color that we chose.  At first it was so shocking because it's very different and darker then I thought it would be but now I love it.  It gives some depth to that area and is a fun little change then the same color we have throughout the house.

Here's some pictures.  Don't mind the mess, I guess I should've picked up before I took the pictures.

Picture taking with Twins

This is the perfect example of trying to take a cute picture of both girls at the same time.

You can follow the sequence of events perfectly:

They see me pull out my phone to take a picture and they both turn away.
Then Shane turns around and Siena turns her head.
Then they think it's funny and both are shaking their head back and forth.
Then I call Siena's name and right as she looks I snap a picture.
Then I call Aria's name hoping Siena will keep looking, Aria looks, Siena turns away.
Finally I get them both to look, but they will not smile for me.

ahh, the joys of taking pictures at this age!

Summer Fun

Despite the super hot weather we’ve been having lately (which is about to be the death of me at 8 ½ months pregnant!) we’ve been having a great summer.


Cousin Abbey decided she had out grown her play kitchen and gave it to the girls. The girls were in Heaven to say the least. They still love it and spend lots of time putting things in the stove, microwave, etc. and pretending to cook. And for the most part they play pretty well together. A lot of toys they fight over or isn’t really a 2 person toy but this has been great.

They've learned to swing on the 'big girl' swings and are so proud of themselves.  I LOVE when I get a picture of them both smiling at the same time.  Doesn't happen very often.

We bought a water table. One reason was seeing how much fun they had at my parents playing with theirs. The other was purely selfish. It’s self entertaining. They love their swing set but I got sick of standing in the sun pushing them on swings. This way I can put up our shade screen and sit on a chair while they play. Win win I say! They’ve really enjoyed it and we’ve now learned to either just take their clothes off or put them in their swim suits.

The grocery store I usually go to doesn’t have these fun little carts, so when we went to a different store the other night and I put them in this, you would’ve thought they were at Disneyland. They ‘steered’ the car, honked the horn and had a permanent smile on their face the entire time. Maybe I need to change where I shop!

Our 4th of July was lots of fun. We went to a neighborhood breakfast and then after naps went to my parents for a BBQ. We opted out of Fireworks this year because we’ve been having to re-train the girls to fall asleep on their own and stay asleep. So we’re sticking to a strict schedule for the next little while. Instead we put them to bed and painted an accent wall in our family room. Pictures and details coming when it’s finished and put back together.

See how hard and rare it is to get both of them to smile in the same picture.  I have to post them both.

34 Weeks - Pregnancy Update

I've been wanting to do this for a while now....take a picture of me pregnant with this little boy and me pregnant with the girls.  Well it just so happened I was wearing the same shirt last night and was the same amount of weeks as one of the pictures I had when I was pregnant with the girls.  So here you go....

Hopefully you can tell which picture is with the twins and which one is now.  So for all those who keep telling me I look the same pregnant with one as I do with 2...now you have proof that I really was bigger with twins.

This pregnancy is still going really well.  I had a little scare of contractions on Monday morning.  Bad enough that I needed to leave work and go lay down for a while and it still took a little while to get them under control.  Since then I've been fine.

We're down to about 5 1/2 weeks and the girls remind me daily that I am really pregnant and don't have the energy and strength that I used to have.  Walking up stairs is hard enough being pregnant but when 2 little girls want me to carry them upstairs it gets really exhausting.

We're trying to get rooms and stuff organized for when he gets here and yes we're still trying to decide on a name.  I have most stuff bought that we need...except for newborn diapers.  Note to self...buy Newborn diapers.

5 1/2 weeks seems so close and yet still so far away.

FHE at the Aquarium

Tonight for Family Home Evening we decided to take the girls to the aquarium.  They are now open until 8pm for the summer and it was so hot and windy outside that this ended up being a perfect activity.  The aquarium was pretty much empty which was so nice. 

The girls ran from tank to tank looking at all the fish.  Each time we go they get more and more excited and interested in the exhibits.  They're favorite pat of the night was the little play area they have.  They discovered the tunnels and ran through them over and over again. 

We were just getting ready to leave when Siena tripped and skinned her knee up.  She didn't really cry that much but it was bleeding enough that we had to ask for a band-aid.  Well who knew that we would get individual attention from 3 employees.  Not only did we get a band-aid but then they had to fill out a whole incident report.  Then an employee came up and gave both Siena and Aria a sticker, badge, and a light up Sea Horse.  It was kind of comical all the attention we got just for a band-aid.  The Sea Horse was a total hit and both girls didn't care about one other thing.  In fact they both went to bed holding it tonight.  Hopefully they didn't keep it lit up too long and went to sleep.

Quite the fun but eventful evening we had.

Cousin Week

The girls have enjoyed quite a bit of cousin time this last week.

Tuesday evening we met at the park and had a cousin party for Darienne who turned 5. It was fun to get together and enjoy pizza, swings and good company. The girls still really aren't into eating cake...although Aria loves to eat the ice cream off of my spoon.

Earlier that day on Tuesday they went to my sister Michelle's for the entire day. Michelle easily managed my 2 girls and her 4 kids and a dog.  

Wednesday they went to Jennifer's for the afternoon.  They love 'the puppy' (at least that's what we call Milo even though he is far from a puppy these days.)  I love that my sisters both have dogs and that the girls aren't scared of the big or small dogs. They love them both, I hope it stays that way since we don't have a dog.

 

Thursday afternoon they went to Whitney and Max's to play for the afternoon.  Whitney was so nice to watch the girls for us.  

Friday we returned the favor to Whitney and Max came over and spent the night.  It was the first cousin sleepover even though they all slept in separate rooms.  It was fun to see all 3 kids running around together.  They ran from one end of the house to the other.  Max was so well behaved and didn't give us any problems.  

Saturday we had a family birthday party celebrating 5 birthdays.  Once again, more cousin time.  I wish I had a picture of Siena practically giving Allie the dog a kiss at one point.  

Sunday we stayed home!!!

Cousins are so much fun and we really took advantage of all the cousin time this week.  And a special thanks for my sisters and sister in law for watching the girls for us this week.  We were in a crunch and they are always so willing to step up and help so thank you!!

Mothers Day 2013

While I was in St. George I had a great Mother's day.  It was fun that all my sisters and my mom were all together.

And it was great because with all the men together they were able to join forces and make a great day for all of us.  It started out with my dad making us all omelets and Hash browns and eggs (my fav.)  I had both actually.  All the girls were able to sit together and eat with no kids interrupting us.  Most my family went to church in the morning and we stayed home and watched the kids that didn't go.  Then that afternoon we put the girls down for a nap and just Shane and I went to church.  It was nice to go to church and actually be able to listen and not wrestle 2 little toddlers.  I do admit, my head might have nodded once or twice (remember I hadn't gotten a lot of sleep.)

Then that evening all the guys cooked dinner again and we all got to sit together for another meal without kids.  We were spoiled.  Can you see Aria trying to sneak her way into the fun?

That night we all opened up gifts and the Happiness books and it was fun to see everyone's book and all the presents the kids made for their moms.

My girls were actually in pretty good moods all day so I was happy to have my 2 sweet girls to hang out with all day.

I'm so grateful I could spend Mother's day with my mom as well.  She does so much for me and my girls all the time and I'm so glad we live close.  After 1 1/2 years of raising my 2 girls, I don't know how she raised all 6 of us and stayed sane...she is my hero.

I'm so lucky to be a mom.  My girls bring me more happiness and love than I could ever imagine.  It's not the easiest job but I love it all the same.  I still look at my girls and think, how did I get so lucky?  I can't believe their mine!