Happy New Year!

This is  my family ringing in the New Year!  We are party animals and that is how I like it.  I guess I am boring because if someone offered me a free babysitter and free night of painting the town, then I would rather have my soft PJ's and a good book with these people.  Weird?  I do look forward to when the kids are older and we can have friends over with their kids until exactly 12:02am because then I need to clean up and go to bed;).  

2012 was a great year and I am looking forward to 2013.

I stole this off of Kelly's Korner blog.  I would love to hear what other people say.

1. What are you most thankful for?

2. What were the highlights of 2012 for you?

3. What are you hoping for in 2013?

4. What were some of your favorites of 2012? (Clothes, movies, songs, TV shows, )

5. Who was God to you in 2012?


For me...
1. I am most thankful for family, friends, our church, Stephen's job, and His grace.
2.  The highlights of 2012 for me were Drew potty training, running the half marathon, going to Grand Cayman with the kids and them experiencing the beach, and hearing my kids ask more spiritual questions and share songs and Bible stories they know.
3.  In 2013 I am hoping Charis will finally use the toilet, that I will have patience and model that for the kids, to work out regularly, make healthy food for my family, and be a good financial steward.
4.  I enjoyed The Hunger Games series, Duck Dynasty, all things burlap and chevron, emeals, and Pinterest.
5.  God was my Provider, Refuge, and Peace this year.

An update

Pops and Honey had all of our pictures taken a few weeks ago.  The photographer, Maleigh Cannon, is great.  She lives in the cutest barn house that they built.  It is gorgeous and she has such a gift for decorating.  I wish I could put pictures here but I don't have permission.  So just imagine metal ceilings and wood plank ceilings and sliding barn doors.  Ahhh.

Drew and Charis turned three yesterday!  I don't have any more babies:(.  Do you want to hear the saddest thing ever?  My son has decided this week to give up his nap.  AHHHH.  I am so sad!!  I love nap time.  It is sacred.  But he takes a coon's age to go to sleep at night and the same amount of time to finally fall asleep for a nap.  I am teaching him to rest in his room for an hour and with prayers I hope he catches on quickly.  Charis still naps which is great but it is easier to have them on the same schedule.  

At three years old the kids are really funny and into lots of stuff.  Charis LOVES her babies.  She dresses, feeds, changes, and loves them all day.  Drew loves Buzz Lightyear and Cars, neither which has he seen, but he is a marketer's dream and wants every item with those pictures on it.  He also into tools.  Drew has been potty trained for a while and does great.  Charis is fully capable but completely unwilling.  She stays clean and dry at home but asks for a diaper when she needs to go and throws a fit when I try to persuade her to the toilet.  I have tried lots of incentives but nothing strikes her fancy.  I am not worried about it.  She is fine and I trust she will go when she is ready.  

In other exciting news besides our babies' birthday and Jesus' birthday this week Stephen and I will be celebrating 10 years of marriage!  Also exciting is that Pops and Honey will traveling to Israel this week!  Please pray for their safe travel and a wonderful experience.  That trip is on my bucket list.  I can't wait to hear about it.

13.1

This Summer Stephen did the couch to 5K program and then said he wanted us to run a half marathon. We started training this Fall.  We would take turns running at night or in the morning.

On December 9th we ran the BCS Half Marathon in College Station.  It was fun.  People were there cheering us all on with signs and yelling.  A few of my favorite signs were "Worst Parade Ever", "Beat Oprah", and "I am proud of you, random stranger".  The race was organized perfectly!  The drink stations and cold towels were perfect.  It was 70 degrees which is hot for a long run but, it was great.

I am glad that Stephen got us to do this but, it has felt great to not HAVE to run this week.  Especially since the temperatures have dropped.

Here are our before/ after pictures.  I spilled water on myself running so don't worry I didn't sweat THAT much.

No Way In A Manger

This week the kids had their Sonshine Christmas program.  It was so sweet and you could tell how hard the teachers had worked with them.  All the kids were precious!  Charis and Drew had been serenading us for weeks with their songs.  Charis sings "No way in a manger".  I don't correct her because it is too cute.

My Pumpkins

 Happy Fall!  We have enjoyed this fall.  We went to the Pumpkin Patch several times.  The kids really enjoyed the hay ride and feeding donkeys and cows.  When I put that flowered dress on Charis to go to the Pumpkin Patch Drew looked at her said, "Charis, do you have a baby Reese in your tummy?".  Poor Drew... someone needs to teach him what NOT to say to a girl.  After a large lunch of Mexican food one day he asked me if I had a baby in my tummy.  Rude.  I just pray he doesn't ask a stranger one day.

Drew was a fireman!  He believes this is true.  He puts a backpack on and tells me it is his oxygen.

 Charis was a princess.  A PINK princess to clarify.  She also believes this to be true.

Isn't that THE cutest tree frog ever?  My nephew, Wes, and Aunt Lauren went with us to Trunk or Treat.  He loved dancing and the dressed up giant monkey costume.  He also just started sleeping in a BIG BOY BED.  He is growing so fast and is so sweet.

C's BFF, Katie as a ballerina.  Cute!  Colson was an airplane!

The kids had a parade in their costumes at Sonshine.  It has been a fun October.  Now on to even more Holiday fun!

What I am learning

As I  jog I have been listening to this really good pastor I know named Chris Osborne.  I have been listening to him go through the Psalms.  I love the Psalms and love learning more about David.  Anyone called "a man after God's own heart" is worth sinking into.  Through these sermons and in my own life God has been teaching me about confession.

One day I was driving and thinking about why confession is important.  I mean God knows what you did and your heart so why do I need to tell him I am sorry and repent after I become a Christian.  I realized that the confession restores the relationship.  If Stephen and I disagree (we did one time-ha)  and we don't ask for forgiveness and acknowledge that we hurt the other, then we will still go on and be married but there is a hardness or wall still in our relationship.  God showed me that He still loves me and I am still His but when I don't take confession seriously my relationship with Him is hindered.  That is motivation to confess.

David made some doozie of sins.  He was still a man after God's heart.  How?  David understood true repentance and then lived in the freedom of God's forgiveness.

I know sin has consequences.  David had consequences, we all do.  I give my kids consequences for their disobedience because I want them to learn to be under God's authority.  In this phase of my life I deal out consequences quite often.  I feel consequences for my own sin.

However, God has shown me recently that confession is so important.  I know I can't make my kids repent, just like I can't make them obey.  But, I can teach them to confess and ask for forgiveness.  I can try to teach and pray that God will give them hearts that are like David's and that hurt over sin and respond by confession and then live in Christ's freedom of forgiveness.  This is what I am working on.  Consequences are still important but I want to model and teach my children about confession as well.
I by no means have anything figured out.  If you have any tips for teaching this please leave them for me!

And THAT'S the Gospel!

I wish Stephen and I could take credit for this but we had absolutlely nothing to do with it.  Our SUPER church taught all the preschoolers the Gospel and it is so cute and wonderful.  Here is Drew preaching the Word!  I will translate for you...  He is saying "Jesus came to Earth as a baby and lived a perfect life. He died on the cross for our sins and was buried in the tomb for three days.  He rose again and that is the Gospel."

Big Boy and Girl Rooms

This weekend the kids went to stay with Honey and Pops so that we could work on their rooms.  It was so nice of them to offer and we used every second up (except for when we ate out EVERY night).  It was so nice to be able to work on everything and have dinner and TALK.  We love our little people but it is great to have some spouse time.

The kids had a blast with Honey and Pops.  They fed goats, rode a train, went swimming, and saw peacocks.  They loved every second of it.

We painted walls, furniture, and frames.  We moved closets and decorated.  We are so blessed by our family.  Everyone had a hand in this.  My Dad's Christmas gift purchased beds, Honey and Pops kept the kids, my uncle made Drew's bed,  my Mom helped me on Friday and delivered a dresser for me, and my dear friend Dina helped me pick paint.

Drew has done great with the transition.  Charis has not.  We tried letting her sleep in Drew's room to ease the blow and she still cried, so we are trying to use some positive reinforcement to get her to sleep.  Tonight was better than last night but, only because I laid down with her.  I know I am starting something not good, but it helps her now.  I never got to rock my babies to sleep because they were twins so this is our time to make habits that we have to break later;).

Falling apart

I am a hot mess!  It all started about 5 weeks ago when I dropped two Coke bottles on my big toe and broke it.  It hurt to walk and so I walked with a swagger/limp and pulled my sciatic nerve from walking funny.  Then since my back was already weak I strained it about a month ago by leaning into the cribs to kiss the kids 800 times one night.  So I had a broke toe and strained back.  Then I got a mouth FULL of canker sores.  My lips are swollen out like a duck and I can barely eat or talk.  Then I accidently tore half of my other big toenail off.  And, not that you want to know this but, when I push on the broken toe juice comes out from under the nail.  I am one nice duck that walks like an 80 year old!
You can laugh... it is ridiculous.

Big beds

Two posts in one day?  What do I do all day?  But, this is HUGE so I have to post.

My baby girl is in a BIG GIRL bed and my baby boy is sleeping alone in their room.

Today their mattresses were delivered right before nap and I put the bedding on Charis' (Drew's is not put together yet).  I told her to get in her crib for a nap and she said that she wanted to sleep in her big girl bed.  I asked if she was sure and she was adamant.  She had a little of a rough patch settling down (big beds are exciting) but then slept 2 hours!

Stephen was sad about it and wanted her sleep in her crib tonight so we agreed to just see what Charis did and she went straight to her big girl bed when it was time.  It is a lot harder to tuck 2 kids in 2 different rooms.  I felt like a pinball.  Stephen and I weren't ready for this until next week and  so we didn't have closure to them being in the same room.  It is bittersweet.  I told Stephen that she isn't getting married just moving into a bed in another room, but it is still a big rite of passage.

I am so proud of them both!  Tomorrow we will see if Drew wants his bed put together.  Next weekend we are painting and decorating both rooms while the kids go stay with grandparents.

Getch ya

My daughter is a paradox.  She would run out into the ocean and swim to Cuba if we let her and not be afraid at all but, other seemingly innocent things scare her.  Last night Stephen was watering and showed her two rainbows that the water hose made.  She was terrified.  Even after we explained rainbows are good and that they God's promise she kept saying, "No rainbows getch ya?"  No baby, and no ice cream cones, bubble gum, or pictures of soft, sweet puppies will getch ya either...

Family Fun

I am so thankful for all our family.  We are very blessed to have family that loves and supports us.  They are very giving and helpful as well.  This past week we have been super blessed by family.

We were able to go to Grand Cayman with Stephen's parents, sister, and our nephew for a whole week.  It was wonderful!  The kids loved the beach and it was great to make memories.  We all stayed in a great condo and could walk directly out on the beach.  Drew woke us up early every morning saying, "I go beach".  We enjoyed wonderful food and the sun.  The guys went diving in the morning and the kids and girls stayed on the beach.  Pops took some great pictures that I need to post and somehow I didn't get a picture of them so I hope I can get some of their pictures.

My Dad blessed us (he said it was for Drew and Charis) with some spending money while we were there and we were able to take the kids to see the dolphins.  It was so neat.  We were in the water with the dolphin and able to kiss, dance with, and pet the dolphin.  Both kids stayed in the pool and watched but Charis was willing to kiss the dolphin.  Unfortunately we didn't get a picture of the actual kiss but it was very cute!

When we came back the kids had another surprise.  My Mom and Larry had got a swing set off Craigslist and put lots of time into painting it and putting it in our yard while we were gone.  The kids were able to see it Tuesday morning.  They have been enjoying it all day.  They will enjoy it for a long time.  It is perfect timing right before summer.  

We are very thankful for our family.  I am so thankful that our kids are loved.  We have been very blessed by their generosity as I stay home with the kids and money can be tight but, we are even more blessed by their love, prayers, and support.  In order to pay them back they are all welcome to live with us when they are old.  ;)

Conversations

I usually have one conversation explaining my twins everyday.  I know it will happen less as the twins get older and it kind of makes me sad because I do love having twins.  Most of time I don't even notice how funny these conversations are until later.  Today I had a funny conversation on the playground.

Random lady: "Are they brother and sister?'
Me: "Yes, they are twins."
RL: "Why is her hair blonde?"
Me: thinking- Huh? Because God made it that way but say, "Her Daddy had really blonde hair when he was little, too."
RL: "Oh, I guess if I look real hard at their faces I could tell they were twins."
Me:  then I realize she thinks twins should look alike so I say "Yes, they both have blue eyes but my son is a little bigger."
RL:  "Is he older?"
Me: "No, actually my daughter is one minute older."
RL: "One minute!  How did that happen so fast?"
Me:  "I had a C-section"
RL: "Oh, I had nine kids."

At this point I want to turn the tables because I am FASCINATED by large families.  I want to know all sorts of stuff, mainly like how they do it.  I refrained though.  I am so intrigued by the logistics of a large family.  That is why I love those Duggars.

Softly Call the Muster

At Texas A&M one of the great traditions we celebrate is Muster.  Muster is April 21st and is a time to remember all the Aggies who have passed in the last year, current and 'Ol Ags.  On the A&M campus it is a very solemn ceremony with a speaker and a candle is lit for former Aggies.  As those who have passed names are read a family member or fellow Aggie answers "here" in their memory.  It is a special time on campus.  However, for all Aggies that are not in College Station you are encouraged to find  an Aggie within 100 miles to eat a little and talk about your years at A&M.  These informal Musters are held worldwide on April 21st.

This year Stephen and I decided to have a small Muster with some Aggies from church.  It was a great time.  I think we will have to make a new tradition.  We had a Burn Bevo Bar BQ and invited some friends and their sweet kids over.  My kids were so excited and for days kept saying, "Aggies are coming, Whoop".  We train 'em up in the way they should go here;).  We were going to pin the tail on Bevo but the kids had fun riding the Jeep so we gave a Charis a beard with the stickers instead.

Have I mentioned I love A&M?  I don't want to be annoying but GIG 'EM!

* by the way... Josh was being funny to Stephen.  These guys are all happily married;)

Thoughts of a two year old

I love the randomness of my two year olds. This evening in one breath Charis told me "Jesus in heaven I want chicken nuggets". Drew is the king of random. He will be talking about one thing and throw random words in all the time. He also confuses concept/ words that sound alike. He told me he wanted more "Pops" with his breakfast and I was confused until I realized he wanted honey. Stephen's parents are Pops and Honey and Drew was thrown off by that. It is fun to see them try to figure stuff out and express themselves.

My Twins

Kelly's Korner is linking Mom's of multiples. I am so glad she is doing this because it always helps to hear from other M.O.M's. I don't belong to a multiple club or anything but, sometimes I wish I did.

Our boy/ girl twins are 27 months old (yes, they are fraternal;)). My pregnancy was great, especially for a twin pregnancy. I did have to be on home rest, then bed rest and was admitted to the hospital for a short time and then released with daily visits from a nurse. All that was due to Charis being small and it was extremely difficult to feel her move. Both babies were breech and standing up in me. Drew moved constantly and I never really worried about him but, even from in the womb Charis was making me worry. My doctor is AmAziNg and didn't want to take chances. We thought Charis was going to be scary little but, at birth she was 4 lbs 11 oz and Drew was 5 lbs 9 oz. I know those are little babies but it was bigger than anticipated. I got preeclampsia and delivered a few days early. They were healthy and able to go home 3 days later.

I think motherhood is the great equalizer. No matter how many kids you have moms always have something to talk about. I do love talking to other twin moms though. It is fun to relate to trying to football hold two babies to eat at the same time, guilty feelings that you can't soothe them both like you want to at the same time, the disciplining starts earlier because they have someone to annoy and fight with right away, the sweet kisses or hand holding between the two, or sleep in general.

My fabulous OB told me right away... "get on schedule, no matter what other people say, and it is okay if they cry". Those two tips were all I really needed to know about twins. I didn't want to let them cry but, if I had to in order to take care of another it was okay.

I never thought about having twins. Ever. That was something other people did. Then when we went through infertility all I wanted was ONE baby, ever. So the twin thing is still wild to me. Also, have a boy and girl I don't really think of them as twins. It is really special though and I love seeing them together. I am thankful for them and can't imagine life without these crazy twins.

Things about Charis:

1. She is strong willed ( a blessing and a curse at times)

2. When she tries to say more than 4 words at a time her little eyes get big and she stammers to get it out.

3. She loves to pray , sing, and wear pigtails

4. She is a quick learner but says her name is "Charis Apples"

5. She puts her own shoes on and sometimes they are on the wrong feet

Things about Drew:

1. He refers to himself as "Drewby"

2. He says "Don't fall down, Drewby" about 8 times a day

3. He cuddles

4. He eats (that is a blessing to me)

5. He has dimples when he smiles