Playtime

 Playtime at our house is all of the time when these boys aren't napping.  They are so fun and playful and giggly, it's so dang cute.  They just giggle all of the time.

Our living room now looks like a playroom.  Our actual playroom is downstairs but since the boys don't go down there much we had to bring some of the toys upstairs.

 Chandler

 Chayce

 Now that the weather is warming up these two buddies love to be outside but when they can't be they love to look out the front door.  I have to keep it locked all of the time because Chandler has figure out how to open it and helps himself to the front yard...YIKES!!!

 Chandler is starting to walk more, it's so cute.

(notice the massive bag of diapers by the door, that is just from today and yesterday afternoon)

 Chayce is a much stronger walker, though he walks with his legs far apart and is so proud of himself.  Giggling the whole way.

 They also like to do tricks, this is Chayce's favorite.

 Partners in Crime! Here they are going through the diaper bag pulling everything out.

And this has been Nicholas as of late.  The babies drive him CRAZY!!  He is not super patient with them and is having a hard time sharing his mommy.  

Chayce and Chandler are now:

*Walking (Chayce is much better at this than Chandler right now, because Chandler is all about speed and he is a much faster crawler than walker)

*Saying a few words: night night, mom, dad, ball

*loves eggs, wheat toast with honey butter, oatmeal and fruit, spaghetti, cinnamon toast crunch

*Sleeping at night between 12-14 hours.  Napping 3-4 hours

*Since they were sick all last month, Chandler lost some weight so now Chayce is bigger and heavier than Chandler.

*LOVES to be outside

*Loves to snuggle with mom (I LOVE this too) 

*Chandler is busier than Chayce, makes a run for the door if it even looks like it's open, he also crawls as fast as he can in the direction of the phone when it rings (as if he is going to beat me to it and answer it)  Chayce is happy to just kind of hang out and watch his brother go go go.

*Happy little guys getting busier and busier every day.  

So Handsome, So Big

 Look at this crazy, curly, shaggy hair!! So cute but so girly...

 Chandler was first.

 Look at that hair!!! 

It was hard to get it cut, my babies NEVER have hair before age 2 and I haven't had any curly headed kids.

 My friend Stacy cut it for us, the boys did great!  Just a little whimpering was all we heard.

 Chayce was next and wasn't too sure he was ok with this...

 After Chandler's haircut and just before Chayce's haircut.

 Look at those beautiful locks...sniff sniff

 Oh this look broke my heart, never crying just sad

What handsome little boys!!

Attitude of Gratitude

Since my last post I have received an abundance of help.  I am blessed and so grateful for good people.  I am surrounded by the best people.  I am in awe at the compassion and the dedication to "easing one another's burdens".  

I had a "handy man" come to my rescue and install a new garbage disposal, fix a broken (stinky) toilet and replace a battery in a chirping fire alarm. Before he left he told me to please let him know if there is ever a problem and I am in need of a handy man.  I have had neighbors drop by and request laundry to wash and fold while my washing machine was broken.  Speaking of the washing machine my Visiting Teacher and friend took it upon herself to take apart (with help from another friend) my washing machine, take the broken part to a repairman and then brought it back that same day and installed the new part.  I now have a washing machine that works!  With 11 people in our home a working washing machine is pretty big priority. I've had flowers dropped by. We had dinner brought in  one night by a wonderful lady who volunteered to babysit my kids so I could attend the Temple, I had to turn her offer to babysit down because of my sick babies.  So she brought over dinner without even letting me know, it was a huge blessing since I hadn't started preparing dinner. I've been able to drop kids off at a neighbor's house in a hurry when I had to get the babies lab sample to the hospital within an hour.  I am truly blessed and surrounded by generous, kind people.  It's overwhelming to think about the service our family has received in the last few years...

WE ARE BLESSED and WE ARE GRATEFUL!  

Update on babies is that they both have bronchitis and are on Antibiotics as well as 3-4 breathing treatments a day. I cover them in Vicks and put drops of eucalyptus oil in their vaporizer so my bedroom pretty much smells like a rest home.  They are still so sweet and try to smile as much as possible even though they are feeling like poo and still pretty much just want mommy.

  I am grateful for our doctor and for medicine!  I am in hopes that March will be a month of well babies and Sunshine! 

Chayce not feeling very well

Chandler getting a breathing treatment

Other News:  We just found out yesterday that Chad's job is being eliminated.  We are hopeful that he will find something bigger and better really soon.  He is not worried, he looks forward to the future. (I wish I had his same optimism, I am worried) but the Lord provides and has never left us alone.  We are blessed and will continue to be blessed I know it!  This is just another "learning experience" that I am excited to see how it ends.  Never a dull moment at our house.  I just pray that we can learn whatever the Lord is trying to teach us very quickly!!!

LIFE IS GOOD!

So Sick and Tired

Warning: Random post with occasional whining and venting

(I am posting this so someday when I am an empty nester, I will look back, laugh and REMEMBER these days with a great feeling of accomplishment...I made it and so did they!)

This month has not been a good one for the boys.  They were sick for about three weeks of February.  First with Diarreha and Throwing Up then they finished up with croup.  Poor little guys.  And poor mom! There were a few days I was changing up to 12 diapers a day!!! It is hard handeling one sick baby but two?  Oh my heck, there were days where all I did was sit on the floor and hold babies because they didn't want to play just to be held by mom.  Then Nicholas decided that he was NOT having that.  He has a hard time when I hold the babies, he makes sure he squeezes in between them and lets them know that I am HIS Mommy!!  Oh the joy!  There were many days the tears would flow from all four of us.  I just didn't feel like there was enough of this mommy to go around.  I felt like my older kids were not getting any attention from me because all I have done is care for and hold sick, tired babies.  But in my mind I kept telling myself "this too shall pass, enjoy the holding and cuddling now because soon enough they won't want to cuddle any more" so I just sat and cuddled and cried. 

(In the middle of the "sickness" our 15 year old washing machine decided to quit working correctly. So we have had to head over to my mom's house to wash clothes while we wait for a part to be shipped so Chad can attempt to fix our washing machine, while he is at it he needs to fix the downstairs toilet, the garbage disposil, fix the deck and the kitchen faucet. "Handiness" doesn't come easy for Chad.  Neither does the time to do it right now.  He has been so slammed at work and Bishoping he just hasn't been around as much as he or I wishes.)

Have I told you I want to redo my house?  Yup!  Doesn't that sound like fun in the midst of my mess and babies?  ( I can see my mom cringing right now) I think it sounds like a project...I like projects.  I want to paint my kitchen cabinets. I want to brick my island, I want to paint my walls and get rid of everything outdated (so everything).  I want my walls to look clean and new.  I want my house to feel clean and new.  But this sounds almost impossible right now.   I know, I know right now my life is all about the babies.  I love that.  I really do, I just wish I didn't feel so outdated and closterphopic in my own home.   So I sit, hold babies, reread my "Life is Good" sign and look at PINTEREST for all sorts of fun ideas for my future home. I just have to remind myself...Time and Season. 

Not only does my house need updating but it needs to be cleaned...DEEP CLEANED.  There is not enough hours in the day to care for three babies, make dinner, bandage bloody knees, run carpools, take kids to swim lessons, horseback, scouts, Young Womens, basketball or whatever the sport may be at the moment.  Make sure kids are dressed (appropriately), clean, teeth brushed, homework done, hugged and kissed, scouts, clothes washed (now I didn't say folded or put away), shoes and socks found and happy and listened too.  Where in the world am I supposed to fit in deep cleaning??  I barely fit in a shower for me and sometimes I get dressed.  Saturday cleaning happens every week by the kids but I am talking DEEP CLEANING.  Sigh.   I need a cleaning lady.  I deserve a cleaning lady.  Not to do the kids jobs, no they need those to grow up and become responsible adults (work in progress) but for MY jobs!  I am really hoping someday soon Chad can make a little more moolah and a cleaning lady can be put in my budget...please pray for that! 

I know I am.  I know my mom is.

LIFE IS GOOD

it really is!

"You do not find the Happy life, You make it"

-Camille Eyring Kimball

February Happenings

We are always getting cute girls from our neighborhood coming over to play with the babies.  I love it!  They usually show up right about the time I am starting dinner 

so it helps me out a ton and the babies are getting some attention which I love too!

 This day we had cute Amber McBee and Kennedee Bodily come over to play.

 February is a birthday month for our house.  Both Raegan and Tyler celebrate their birthdays this month.  Chayce and Chadler love their brother and sister.

 Chayce and Ty

 Raegan and Chandler

 These two are getting so big!  It's funny because every picture they are in they are in their footie jammies.  During the winter months that is all I put them in.  It makes life easy and comfy for them.  We don't have to worry about lost socks.  Plus we never go anywhere unless its to church, so on Sundays we dress them up a bit more.  They continue to be happy, content and sweet little guys.

Growing Bigger

 I have been meaning to post about the boys one year

 old check up. 

 They are growing to big too fast. 

Weight: Chayce 24.4 pounds 
              Chandler 23.6 pounds


Height: Chayce 29.6 inches
              Chandler 29.5 inches

Birthday cake x 2

Chayce and Chandler

WE MADE IT!!  

WE survived the first year of twins and it was WONDERFUL!!

 They got a fun blow up ball pit.  They dove right in and loved it!

 Gotta love that static hair!

 Birthday Cake time!  

Chocolate of course, not the prettiest but it was so good.  I made the Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Sheet cake recipe, definitively one of my favorites!

Silly Sisters

Chayce was very careful and not sure about diving in.

 Chandler scooped up a huge piece and shoved it in his mouth. So funny and so perfect for their personalities.

 After a bath it was time to open presents from Grandma.  Nicholas had a hard time thinking that these presents were not for him.

Look at those curls!  I love it.  

What a great day and a great year.  

Happy Birthday Little Buddies!

Happy 1st Birthday Buddies!!!

 I can't believe that a year has come and gone!  

Chayce and Chandler are ONE Year old today!

 They are "big" boys now.  Drinking out of sippy

 cups instead of bottles and are done with formula! We now go through one gallon of whole milk every 24 hours.

 They love to tackle and wrestle their big brothers and their big brothers like it too!

 Chayce taking a step

 They are happy happy little guys!

 Rub a Dub Dub...Three Boys in a Tub

*Chayce is the more quiet reseved kid, tends to watch and observe.

*Chandler is all giggles, loves to be chased and is easier to smile.

*Chayce is standing on his own and has taken one almost two steps.

*Chandler is content to crawl really fast.

*They both LOVE pasta and Oatmeal with applesauce or bananas.

We originally moved them out of our closet and into Nicholas room but they were waking up at 3:30 every morning.  So we moved them back into my closet (sigh) and now they sleep in till 9:00.  (Little stinkers)

*Church is getting much more difficult.  They want to crawl around and are no longer content to sit in their car seats. 

*They are so busy! Whatever they do they do it fast and furious.  

Now as for me I am 

*Exhausted

*Happy

*Overwhelmed

*Close to Tears

*Frustrated with my house

*Concerned with my future and my ability to raise 9 Smart, Hard Working, Loving, Honest, Testimony bearing, Mission serving, Kind kids.

*Grateful

*In LOVE with my kids

*LOVE being a mom