Holidays 2013

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas with friends and family!

For us, this Christmas was the best yet.  It couldn't have been more perfect.  The month of December started with me accepting a promotion at my job.  It's a BIG promotion with a lot more responsibility and some traveling involved.  Hubby and I discussed it and decided it was the best thing for our family - the initial increase in workload and time away from the family (only a few times per year) will be worth it in the long run.  I start my new responsibilities next week.

The kids' Pre-K class did a Christmas musical this year and it was a big production.  They practiced for weeks.  I can already tell that I'm going to be one of those mom's who gets teary eyed over everything.  I just can't help it.  As soon as I saw them walk in, my eyes got all watery.  I'm just so proud of them.

My parents came up from North Carolina on Christmas Eve and stayed with us through Friday (12/27).  It was just so great having them here and really made it feel like Christmas.  I have such fond memories of my mom's parents coming for 2 weeks over Christmas and it makes me so happy to create those memories for my kids.

We all went to my SIL house for Christmas Eve - our yearly tradition.  We had fun catching up with everyone and the twins had a blast playing with their cousins.  We got home around 10:30 and started playing Santa.  Luckily, I was organized this year and already had the twins' gifts wrapped and there was nothing to put together so we got off easy.

The kids truly understood the whole Santa concept this year and it just made it SO much fun.  Their excitement was so contagious.  I just love Christmas.

Christmas morning, the kids woke up around 7:00 am.  I tried an overnight crock pot breakfast casserole recipe that I found on Pinterest so we came downstairs to wonderful smells and no pressure to cook breakfast right away.  The kids opened their presents while the adults sat back and enjoyed coffee.

Oh, and cocktails.

Christmas afternoon, we went over to my BIL's mother's house to spend time with my sister and her family. They drove up from Nashville on the 23rd and were busy visiting with my BIL's side of the family.  By the end of dinner, I think we were all feeling the effects of the day and we came home around 8:30.

I coordinated a happy hour on the 26th so local friends could visit with my sister and that was a great time. My sister and BIL stayed the night with me that night so it gave us some extra time to catch up.

I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for us!

It's All About Family

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I know many of us are pondering the year and thinking of things we are thankful for.

When I think back over the year, there are many things that come to mind.  It was a pretty crappy year.

My husband lost his job.  Twice.
We needed expensive and unexpected car repairs.  Three times.
My entire family moved out of state, leaving me "alone" for the first time.  Ever.
My job has been unrewarding and there were many mornings where I hated to get out of bed.

And, as I type this list of crappy things that happened, I'm also reminded that some pretty good things happened too.

My husband found a job.  Twice.
Our cars are still running and for the time being, we have avoided taking on new car payments.
I've adjusted to my family moving away and surprisingly, I talk to my mom more now than when she lived close by.
While I'm still stuck in a dead-end job, at least I have a job.  Right?

Of course I'm thankful for my children.  They are my true purpose in life.  If we could afford it, I would love nothing more than to be home with them.  Thinking ahead, I'm hoping to have some flexibility with my work hours so I can be home after school when they start kindergarten.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't thank the Lord for my babies.  It's so funny how perspective changes. Before kids, I was very career-driven.   I wanted to take on more and didn't care what I had to do.
Now, my job doesn't seem to matter.  Don't get me wrong.  I still work hard and I'm dedicated to what I do. But, I'm not willing to travel or relocate like I used to be.  I just want the day to end so I can see my babies and snuggle with them on the couch.

Oh, those snuggles.  They never get old, do they?   No matter how stressed I feel, it all goes away as soon as I feel their body relax into mine.  I still rest my head on theirs and take in their smell just like when they were babies.

That's not weird, right?

So, let's talk about Thanksgiving dinner.  In the first time EVER, we didn't have plans.  I was happy and sad.  Maybe it would be fun to have a small dinner with just my little family?  But, Thanksgiving is about family and I was a little bummed that we wouldn't be seeing anyone.

My sister-in-law is now hosting and to put this in perspective, I'll just call her Hoity and my brother-in-law Toity.  They are very odd.  They live in a million dollar house but they act like they are poor.  Until they want to buy Pottery Barn furniture.  She hosted last year and I think it's pretty standard that people bring different dishes to share.  Last year, I brought mashed potatoes and a broccoli side dish.

Now, my SIL is very nice but she's not always the brightest bulb in the pack.  As I was preparing my dishes, it occurred to me that she might not think to make gravy.  And, how horrible would that be to have to eat mashed potatoes without gravy?!

So, me being the planner, I rolled up in there with my mashed potatoes and gravy packets in my purse.  Just in case.

This year, I again offered to bring a dish or two.  I again got mashed potatoes and this time, green bean casserole.  She told me her mom was bringing dessert and that my MIL was bringing the meat.

Um, what?

Isn't it standard that the host typically makes the main course?  Who the hell asks a guest to bring MEAT?

Oh!  It gets better!  My MIL came over last weekend to visit the kids and said she needed to leave by 3:00 so she could make it to the Honey Baked Ham store.

OK, stupid question.  Do they sell...... turkey?  Because the last time I checked, T-U-R-K-E-Y was the meat of choice for Thanksgiving.

I asked her about it and she said she was planning to buy a turkey breast.  Doesn't that feed like, 3 people?

So, now I'm gonna to have to roll up in there with mashed potatoes, gravy packets and turkey legs in my purse!

But hey - at least we'll be with family.

Bye Bye Blog?

I, like many of the bloggers I follow, have had a difficult time finding the time and energy to keep up with my blog. 

I've given it some thought and I keep asking one question:   Are blogs a thing of the past?

I originally started this blog back in 2008.  It was an outlet to help me grieve the loss of a pregnancy and I found great friends and comfort over the years.  As the kids have grown, the blog has moved away from me and is now more about the kids and what they are doing. 

It's not that I have less downtime than I did before.  If anything, I probably have more.  The kids are able to play by themselves now, requiring less supervision.  In the evenings when I do sit down to relax, I find myself grabbing my iPhone.  Not my laptop.

I use my phone WAY more than I ever thought I would.  I do almost everything with it, including reading other people's blogs.  (I miss you guys when you haven't written in awhile).

If I want to browse Pinterest, I do it on my phone.
Email?   Phone.
Facebook?   Phone.
Instagram?  Phone.

But, when it comes to writing a blog post, my phone isn't very convenient.  And, OMG.   What a pain to wait an extra 30 seconds while my laptop boots up, right?

I think we all go for the "quick fix" these days.  It's so much easier to write a quick blurb on Facebook or to post a picture on Instagram.  You're done in less than a minute and still able to effectively communicate with friends and family.

I'm wondering if this is happening with some of you too? 

This blog will always have a special place in my heart.  I still go back and read some of my older posts and I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye quite yet. 

So, in the meantime, I'll continue to keep my little piece of the blogosphere.

Fall, 2013

The twins' birthday always kicks off fall for us.   We've had some wacky weather here but I think it's finally taking a turn for colder temperatures now.  The leaves are turning and falling to the ground.

Making for PERFECT piles.

The last 2 years, we went to my sister's neighborhood for Halloween.  Since they moved, we got to see our neighborhood this year.  The kids had a Halloween parade and Trunk or Treat event that afternoon at school.  When I picked them up, they were already ahead of the game with 2 bags full of candy.

We ate pizza for dinner and they were so anxious to get their costumes back on.

It's always that fine line of waiting for people to finish dinner and getting out so we have enough time to get home for bedtime.  We started out about 6:45 pm and within 5 minutes, it started sprinkling and then turned into a very light rain.

No stopping us!  I grabbed an umbrella and off we went!   It's just water, right?   I had to leave my good camera at home so I only got a few photos with my phone.

We also received the kids' school pictures this week.  Such a difference over the last few years.  We've gone from dreading them because the kids would never smile to dreading them because we can't decide on which ones to buy!

The did 3 poses of each child individually and then 3 poses of them together.  
LOVE the larger black and white photo and the one of them hugging each other.  They look so grown up, don't they?

For the first time in FOREVER, we don't have plans for Thanksgiving.  I'm so conflicted about it.  Part of me is happy that we'll get to spend the day together as just our small little family.  And then the other part of me is sad because it's supposed to be a day to spend with family, meaning everyone.  Creating new memories, I guess.

And, before we know it,  Christmas will be here!  We received a catalog from Target last week that was all about toys.  I caught the kids looking through it and their sheer innocence and excitement was so contagious.  It brought back such great memories from my own childhood. 

I can't wait for the fun to begin!

Happy Ectopiversary

I'm fairly certain Hallmark doesn't make a card for Ectopiversaries.  

Roses are red
Violets are blue
You almost had a baby
But, we fooled you!

October 29, 2007 is the day I had the surgery to remove the baby that was growing in my left fallopian tube.  It had a heartbeat and aside from it's poor sense of direction, it was a healthy baby. 

I'm not proud of where I went after that "event".   I blogged about it so if you are so inclined, just take a gander through oh, almost all of 2008 and you'll get a pretty good sense of where I was. 

The words ANGRY and BITTER pretty much sum it up. 

But, as they say, things happen for a reason, right?

That event also gave me a kick in the ass and once I was lifted out of that dark hole, I was more determined than ever to have a child. 

Or, children.   LOL!   What can I say?   I'm an overachiever. 

October 29th will always be a reminder of the sacrifice to be where we are today.  So very thankful. 

The Evil that Lurks in the Shadows

Last year, my husband and I got hooked on the TV series, "The Walking Dead".  If you haven't seen it, it's a show about zombies.  This season, it has taken a new twist and there is now a hemorrhagic plaque circulating around the survivor's compound.

Like some evil being, it lurks in the shadows and no one knows when or who it will choose as its next victim.
I've begun to think of cancer as this evil.  We all go about our lives not knowing that cancer is lurking in the shadows.  Will it choose me?  You?  Your son or daughter?   Your best friend?

Over the last year, I've learned of several young children (ages 2-10) who have been struck by this horrible disease.  They all live within 10 minutes of my house and I learned about all of them through the miracle of social media.

I've often asked myself, "Are there more cases of childhood cancer now or am I just hearing about it more because of social media's prevalence in our everyday lives"?

After learning about every single one of the children, I have followed their stories.  Some are still battling that dark evil and some, sadly, have lost.

And, with every story, the heaviness of sorrow and fear weighs on my heart.

Last month, I attended a fundraiser for a little boy who has battled 3 different cancers in his short 10 years of life. He is now partially paralyzed but he's alive.  At the event, the mother of a remarkable young girl got up and spoke to the crowd.  Her 10-year old daughter was scheduled to speak and the mother apologized that Gabby recently had a treatment and was exhausted after attending a Girl Scouts' retreat the day before.

I learned yesterday that Gabriella passed away Saturday night. I never met her and for all intents and purposes, her life had no link to mine.  Yet, I can't stop thinking about her.

Now that I have 2 children of my own, the thought of that evil choosing one of them scares me to pieces.  I can't imagine being a parent and watching your child have to endure the horrors of chemo, radiation and endless drugs.  And, then watching your child take his/her last breaths on this earth.

Part of me wishes that I never learned about those children and their stories.  Part of me would rather live in a world of oblivion where nothing bad happens to children.

And, the other part of me is glad that I got to "know" them.  Without their stories, there would be no research, no awareness, no purpose for their lives.

Life is so precious.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted. Things have been crazy busy.

The twins turned 4 years old on October 4th and we had their Carnival Party on the 5th. My parents drove up from North Carolina and my sister and her family drove all the way from Nashville to help us celebrate! We had a full  house Saturday night and it was so great to have all of us together again.

The party turned out fabulous but it was A LOT of work. I took their birthday off from work to do party prep and was literally non-stop from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm.

(when I start to post about their birthday party next year, y'all remind me how much work it is!  Deal?)

At 3:00 pm, I took a break and took some treats to the kids' classroom (cookies, pretzels and juice). I think I could have only done that and the kids would have been happy. Christopher thanked me at least 5 times for coming.

Friday evening, the kids opened their presents from us and they made out like bandits. Chris is currently into anything super hero (Iron Man, Spider Man, Batman).  He also wanted some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle stuff.  Kendall's favorite show right now is Little Einsteins and wouldn't you know?  It's out of production and they no longer make new toys.  After some searching on Amazon, I found a set that was decently priced and not considered a "Collector's Item".  She also received some Bubble Guppies and Team Umizoomi stuff.

Are they spoiled?  YES! 
These kids are a true blessing and I just have to spoil my babies on their special day!  :)

I tried to make their party as carnival-like as possible, considering we were really just in our front yard. LOL!  Thankfully it didn't rain but it was unseasonably warm and turned out to be a 90 degree day! Everyone accepted the invitation and we had almost 40 people attend.  Quite a crowd!

For food, I made cupcakes that looked like popcorn, funnel cakes, cookies that looked like corn dogs, popcorn, soft pretzels, cotton candy, peanuts, hot dogs, chili and sausage & peppers. Oh, and we had a nacho bar too. Phew!

For games, we played ring toss, corn hole, basketball, beanbag toss (knock the cans over) and I found a really cool Duck Arcade game where you shoot the ducks and bells ring and music plays. We also had face painting, a Photo Booth (which was the hit of the party, by the way), a "Kissing" booth, a "Fortune teller" (Magic 8 ball and Fortune cookies) and Spin Art. Do you guys remember doing Spin Art on the boardwalk at the beach?  Sooooo much fun!

I had planned to make these really cute goldfish soap favors but after just one, I quickly realized that 1) I didn't buy enough supplies to make 12 of those suckers and 2) it was WAY too time consuming.  So, I made one and bailed on the idea.  But, it is cute!

On the big day, I was so busy that I completely forgot to take pictures. Duh!

Here's a few taken by some of our guests.  You can get a little bit of an idea of the decorations.  We had 6 tables set up across the parking lot.  The games were set up to the right and you can sort of see the food table all the way in the back.

The next morning, we woke up and I suddenly remembered that we completely forgot to give the kids their BIG birthday present.  I couldn't believe we forgot!  Pop Pop and Daddy sneaked down to the basement to put them together and then we surprised the kids.

It was an exhausting weekend but I know the kids' will have such fond memories and that's all that matters!

Step Right Up!

I'm having so much fun planning the twins' birthday party.  I just finished creating their invitation. 
(personal info has been blocked).

So happy with it!

Blogging Accident

Who knew that blogging could be dangerous?!

I dropped my laptop computer on my foot and broke my toe.  I never got it x-rayed because they can't do anything any way but I'm pretty sure it's broken. 

It's been 2 weeks and it does look a lot better than the last picture that I posted although it's still bruised and swells by the end of the day. 

Other than that, we're winding down our summer.  The kids will transition to their new classrooms next week and start Pre-K. 

PRE-K!  Where has the time gone?

I'm also in full planning mode for their birthday.  If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you know how I love to plan parties!  This year, I decided to do a carnival theme.  We live in a townhouse development so we don't have a lot of outdoor space but luckily, I have the best neighbors in the whole wide world!  They have agreed to move their cars so I can set up the carnival in the parking lot and have a "real" carnival setting. 

Now, if I could only control the weather!  Praying it cooperates and it's a nice, sunny fall day.  'Cuz I don't have a Plan B!

We've also decided it's time to put the kids in big kid beds.  They've been in toddler beds for 2 years but they are starting to look like giants with their feet almost touching the footboard.  Their cribs convert into full-size beds so they should have plenty of room.  

Am I weird that I was happy to pull their cribs out of storage?!

I've had fun picking out new bedding and finishing the decorating that I started earlier this year when we moved Christopher into his own room.  The mattresses will be delivered on Friday so I'll try to post pics after I get everything together.

Oh, and can I just say that it's a lot of fun buying 2 sets of mattresses at the same time?

Yeah, not so much.  Cha-ching!

Wordless Wednesday: OUCH!

I've been dealing with this the last 2 weeks

Vacation and Proof that Miracles Do Exist

We took a mini vacation to my mom's last week and had some much needed relaxation and fun in the sun.

We got on the road by 7:00 am and started on our 5-hour trek to North Carolina.  The car was loaded with movies, games and did I mention movies? 

Oh, and one of these.

It was our first road trip since the kids have been fully potty trained and one can never be too careful, right?

We made great time and only had one short pit stop.  I was really excited to get there because my sister and her family drove in from Nashville and it was the first time my family has been together since Christmas. 

Friday, we stayed at my mom's and visited with some other family that lives nearby.  She has an awesome salt water pool so it was a lot of fun for the kids.

Saturday, we got up and headed to the beach.  My mom's house is about 20 minutes north of Kitty Hawk and we got an early start to avoid the incoming OBX traffic.  We were set up and sitting on the beach by 8:30 am. 

I wasn't sure how the kids would be this year with the ocean and sand.  Last year, they had a great time but as many of you know, kids' opinions change as frequently as the weather.

Chris was super excited to jump in the waves again this year.  His only problem was trying to convince one of the adults to go down with him because the water was nippy!  Kendall was still afraid so we stayed near camp and had a great time digging and playing in the sand.

We packed up around noon and headed to our favorite local restaurant, Awful Arthur's. 

I'm not too proud to admit that I ate a pound of steamed shrimp by myself.  It was soooooo good!

After a quick stop for ice cream, we headed back to my mom's for naptime.  The rest of the afternoon was spent at the pool and was fairly uneventful.

Around 9:30 pm, Chris came into the living room and said his tummy hurt.  He ate 2 tacos for dinner so I thought maybe he had some indigestion and I gave him a Children's Pepto.  At 10:00, we started heading to bed and that's when all hell broke loose.

Chris vomited EVERYWHERE.   At that point, I thought it would be a "one and done" so we got everything cleaned up and put them to bed.  I decided to sleep on an air mattress in their room, just in case.

About 30 minutes later, he got sick again.  And, proceeded to throw up every hour until 5:00 am.

At 2:30 am, Kendall sat straight up in bed, started crying and vomited all over her blankets.   And, she proceeded to get sick every hour until 12:00 pm Sunday afternoon.

I was completely exhausted and was literally up all night - I never went to sleep.  Hubby came in from 2-4 am to help but who can sleep when 2 kids are vomiting?

Around 5:00 am, my stomach started feeling a little funny but I thought it was just in my head.  Psychosomatic stomach flu.

But, as the morning went on, I started feeling worse and worse.  I napped for most of the day with horrible stomach cramps and waves of hot and then chills.  You KNOW it's bad when you are praying to vomit. I finally got sick at 6:30 pm.

By Monday, we were "on the mend" but stayed close to home, just to be safe.  Thankfully no one else in the house got it.  My niece had something similar the Saturday before they left and I'm convinced we caught it from her!

We headed home Tuesday and as always, it's good to be home.

The rest of last week was spent getting back into routine with school and work.  Friday night, I missed a call from my friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer in March.  She left a voice mail that just said she had something exciting to tell me.  I texted her as soon as I woke up yesterday morning but she didn't reply right away.  Finally, around 5:30 pm, she posted in her Caring Bridge journal.  I couldn't believe what I was reading.

2 weeks ago, she had surgery to remove the tumor.  While the chemo did it's job to stop the cancer from spreading, the tumor didn't shrink significantly.  While removing the tumor, they also took tissue samples from the lymph nodes.

Friday, she received the biopsy results. 

THE CANCER IS GONE!

As in, no cancerous cells in the tumor, the nearby tissue or the lymph nodes.  It is truly a miracle.

In March, she was told she would have a year to live if treatment didn't work and to be told the cancer is gone is truly God's work. 

I cry every time I think about it. 

Truly the highlight of my week.  Ah, hell.  My year!

{WINNER} - Grace Adele Giveaway

Congratulations to HOPE IN VIRGINIA! 

You were randomly selected to receive ONE Grace Adele bag and ONE Grace Adele clutch of YOUR CHOICE!
(see exclusions below). 

I just know you are going to LOVE the stylish and organized bags of Grace Adele. 

You can start shopping at https://suzannebanks.graceadele.us.   Just email me with your choices or if you have any questions.  My email is located under the "Contact Me" section on the website. 

P.S. - It's great timing because the NEW Fall/Winter products will be available starting tomorrow, August 1st!  Spring/Summer items are available as supplies last.

Giveaway prize excludes the following items from the Spring/Summer catalog:  Laney and Bella leather bags and clutches.  And, the following items from the Fall/Winter catalog:  Carly and Taylor leather bags and Paige and Quinn leather clutches.  Total prize amount limited to $120. 

I'm Raising Magic Mike

My husband and I like music.  We aren't die hard concert go'ers but we do like a good diddy now and then. 

When the kids were babies and as they moved into toddlerhood, we started having Dance Parties in our living room.  At first, it was songs that my husband and I like because the kids didn't know any better.  As they've gotten older, they suddenly have musical prowess and recognize "good" songs from "bad" songs.

They have inherited my old 3G iPhone and have mastered how to turn on the songs they like.

You know, the "REALLY" good songs like.....

Mambo #5. 

Oh yes.  Mambo #5 is Chris' jam. 

The other night, he turned it on and at first, he started doing the typical toddleresque dance of jumping, waving his hands and generally just being off beat.

And, then something happened.  He became the male version of Elaine Benis. 

You know what I'm talkin' 'bout, right?

Body parts were moving at times they didn't need to be moving and he started throwing his leg out and rolling his fists in circles.

And, then it happened.  He pulled down his pants and started spanking his ass.

I was so torn.  I laughed and then I didn't want to.  It was funny yet completely inappropriate. 

And, then he danced over to me and asked, "Do you like that"?

I went to my wallet and gave him a dollar bill.

Taking Credit Where Credit is Doo {Doo}

I've been meaning to post this story for awhile but I think the comic value far outweighs the timeliness. 

Back in the late winter months, the kids were well on their way to potty training.  They had the "pee pee" part down, at least.  They were at the point of wearing underwear during the day but we still had some work to do in the "poopy" department. 

One evening, Christopher announced he needed to go.  This was a BIG deal because we caught him stealing Pull Ups so he could hide, take OFF his underwear, put a Pull Up on and proceed with his biz-ness.  And, then he would announce that he went potty.  Nice, kid.  Real nice.

Anyway, I stayed nearby in the kitchen and he announced he was done and hopped off the potty.  I quickly walked in, saw he did a little somethin' somethin' and proceeded to reward him with 2 M&M's. 

Kendall then decided she wanted to try and quickly hopped on the potty.

A few minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom and announced that she too had gone poopy.  This was a BIG deal because she had yet to successfully "do the deed".

I proudly walked in and inspected the potty.  Now, I'm no Super Detective but it did not appear to me that any extra kids had been dropped in the pool, if ya know what I mean.

"Kendall, did you go poopy"?
"Yes, mommy".
"So, what you're tellin' me is that this poopy right here is your poopy"?
"Yep.  Can I have my treats"?

Seriously?!  She just took credit for Chris' shit!

Yep, my girl has a bright future in the corporate world.

A Larger Plan

Every once in awhile the past creeps in like the fog on a cool autumn night.  Things are clear and bright and then all of the sudden, it turns gray and blurred.

I think about the What If's on our journey to parenthood.  If you've followed my blog for any period of time, you know I had an ectopic pregnancy in October, 2007.   .

There are still a lot of "What If's" that float around in my head. 

What If that pregnancy had been viable?
Was it a boy or girl?
What would he/she have become?
Would he/she be an only child?

The loss of that pregnancy left a scar from the surgery that healed but the scar on my heart has taken much, much longer. My life would be much different now if that path was the road we stayed on

In the end, it lit a fire that caused me to push the pursuit of IVF.  I sometimes ask my husband if he thinks about the ectopic pregnancy and how different our lives might have been.  He always replies, "Yes, but we wouldn't have the twins if it didn't happen".

And, I guess that's true.  The IVF testing revealed an underactive thyroid, which was partially responsible for our difficulties in getting pregnant to begin with. 

Regulating my TSH levels was required before we could begin IVF.  That 6 months provided time for me to obtain coverage through my health insurance.  We couldn't have afforded it otherwise.

It took 3 tries to get pregnant with the twins.  And, then we were blessed with not only twins but a boy AND a girl. 

And, then just like that, my ability to have more children was taken away during their delivery.  Emergency hysterectomy. 

What If I had a normal delivery?   Would we have tried for more kids?

I remember when we were going through everything, I thought to myself that none of it made sense.  I kept asking why God would bless us with a child only to take it away.

When the underactive thyroid was diagnosed, I wasn't relieved.  It was one more thing that was wrong with me.

When the first 2 IVF cycles failed, it seemed like more torture and the loss of the ectopic stung even more.   Would that be my only experience with pregnancy?  Would that be the closest that I ever get?

And then we were blessed with a pregnancy.  Twins. 

And, suddenly it made sense.  All of it made sense. 

God Has A Great Plan For You.  Trust Him.

Settling into Summer

Now that all of the sickies have gone away, we're settling into summer quite nicely. 

The weather in our area has been up and down.  Rain for several days so we're nice and soggy and then sunny and hot, like summer should be. 

This year, I decided to expand our outdoor living space and we purchased a gazebo for our deck.  The deck gets full sun from morning to night and it's impossible to sit out there without shade.  We had a nice table with an umbrella but it just didn't do the trick. 

We have loved having "picnics" at dinnertime and just enjoying some family time in the evenings. 

We've taken a few trips to our neighborhood pool.  It's within walking distance so it's nice because the kids always get bored after an hour anyway. 

We've stayed cool in our blow up pool.  Sometimes, it's just easier. 

We've planted some flowers and watched them grow.  We have basil and rosemary this year as well. 

We spent a quiet 4th of July at home and relaxed with neighbors and friends. 

We have our beach trip planned for the end of July.  Due to my husband's lack of employment for that period of time, we couldn't splurge on a beach house this year so we're just spending an extended weekend at my mom's.  I'm really looking forward to it because it's the first time my side of the family will be together since my sister moved back in January. 

Looking forward to making many more summertime memories with the kids!

All My {Sick} Children

What a two weeks this has been!   Oy!

Last Wednesday, I heard Kendall crying and heading toward my room at 3:30 am.  She proclaimed, "My throat is coming out".

Thinking she had vomited,  I went into her room but couldn't find anything.  I let her crawl into bed with me (Daddy fell asleep on the couch, thankfully).  Kendall used to get croup when she was smaller and that cough had also started to kick in.  About an hour later, she sat up and started gagging.  I had nothing close by so I cupped my hands.

(The things a mother does, right?   Is it bad that I thought, "Oh my gosh.  Please don't ruin my Pottery Barn duvet cover")?  

That time was only a little bit of spit up but I promptly went downstairs and grabbed "The Vomit Bowl". 

Does everyone have one of those, or something similar?  I remember the Pink Bucket when I was growing up.  

She vomited one last time about an hour later and then the fever kicked in.  It hung around 100-101 for 2 days and then Friday morning, it spiked to 103.  Time for a doctor's visit.

My poor baby had strep AND bronchitis. 

Her fever was gone by Saturday (the miracles of antibiotics) so we ventured to our local pool. We had the place to ourselves.

The next day, we went to my niece's 2nd birthday party.  My sister-in-law did an outdoor beach theme with a blow-up moonbouce water slide, a slip 'n slide, baby pool and tons of snacks.  It was perfect.  And, as you can see, the kids had a fantastic time.

We've been watching Christopher and sure enough, he woke up this past Wednesday morning with a cough and complaining of his stomach hurting.  I took him to the doctor yesterday and we have more strep and bronchitis.

I'm so thankful I have a flexible company that allows me to work from  home.  I've been in the office 2 times in the last 2 weeks. 

Today is the first day in 2 weeks that they are both in school.  And, wouldn't you know that I woke up with a stuffy head and sore throat?  I'm praying it's just allergies and that I didn't catch it. 

Seriously?  I don't think the grocery store has enough bleach to disinfect this place.  I might have to torch it.

I have GIANT infants who know psychology

My twins are going to be 4 years old in a few months. 

Until recently, I did pick up from pre-school in the afternoons.  Kendall always spots me, yells "Mommmmyyyyyyy", gives me a huge hug and (most times) walks happily to Chris' classroom so we can pick him up.

Chris, on the other hand, has started requesting to be carried to the car because "his legs hurt" and he doesn't "have any energy". 

Seriously.  Those are direct quotes.  He wants to be picked up and carried to the car like a 40 pound baby. 

Now, back when the twins were still in their car seats, I developed some pretty nice arms. 

(if I say so myself).

But, now?   Ah, hell no!  Now, I have "flabby, my kids are bigger so I shouldn't be lifting them anymore" arms.

At home, Kendall has to hold my hand whenever we walk anywhere together.  That includes going on that HUGE trip up the stairs to her bedroom OR downstairs to the laundry room or their play room. 

It's, like 10 steps!

And then Chris has to get in on the act and sometimes he wants to hold my hand too.  Climbing the steps becomes a feat not unlike that of climbing Mt. Everest. 

While playing Twister.

If I try to go ahead of either of them, they have recently started crying accusing me of leaving them.

"Oooooohhhhhhh, yooouuuuuuu leeffffttttttt meeeeeeeeeeee".

Now, I get they are now old enough to lay on the ole' guilt trip.  And, clearly they have both learned the fine art of manipulation.

Admittedly, sometimes I cave and I do pick them up.  And, I'm sure it's quite a spectacle. 

The twins are 41 inches tall.  When I'm holding one of them, I wonder how many people think I'm a Siamese twin at first glance?


Anyone else out there having this problem? 

(and, please.  If your child is now 15, I really, really don't want to know).

{GIVEAWAY} - How to Stay Organized with Grace Adele!

As many of you, I struggle to stay organized. There are some days when I swear I put the same item away 10 times. Since having my twins, I’ve learned that I won’t have a perfect house. It will never look like those pictures on Pinterest or Pottery Barn. Sure, they look inviting enough but c’mon. Does anyone’s house really look like that 24/7?

Trying to stay organized is a battle. Even with my purse. Before the kids, I used to carry a cute little Coach purse. It was all I needed to carry my wallet, cell phone and maybe a mirror. When I got pregnant, I remember a co-worker laughing and telling me when the kids came, that purse wouldn’t last me a week. I laughed back and thought, “How much stuff could I possibly need”?

You guys are laughing too, right?

As my “thanks for birthin’ my babies” gift, my husband bought me a new Coach purse and I loved it. But, over the years, it began to lose its appeal. I’m constantly on the go and if I have the kids with me, it’s all I can do to get through the check out line in one piece. The receipts and any other miscellaneous papers, juice cups, snacks, etc. get shoved in the bag to be dealt with later.

Several weeks go by and then all of the sudden, I have wads of paper in the bottom of my purse. Or, better yet, I can’t find my sunglasses. Or, better yet, I find broken sunglasses because I hastily shoved my wallet in my purse and broke the hinge.

Yep. $200 Ray Ban sunglasses down the pooper. True story.

Enter Grace Adele.

I purchased my first Grace Adele bag a few months ago when I became a Scentsy consultant.  I thought they were attractive but I honestly didn't give much thought to the functionality of it.  A purse is a purse, right?

(I know I've mentioned it before and the purpose of this post is NOT to sell you a purse.  Us mom's need to stick together and if I find something that helps me, you're darn tootin' I'll share it with ya)!

I now have 3 Grace Adele purses of different sizes.  I've used them every day and within one week, I noticed I no longer had wads of paper laying in the bottom of my purse.  I noticed that my car keys were actually at my finger tips.

And, my NEW sunglasses?  Tucked into their own little pocket away from that big, bad wallet. 

It wasn't until my latest trip to Nashville that I truly understood what a gem Grace Adele is.  I travelled with the Shelby bag and it had plenty of space for my wallet, makeup bag, 2 magazines, a bottle of water and a few other necessities.  My boarding pass, drivers' license and cell phone were easily accessible.

The top picture shows the clutch interior.  Lots of pockets and storage!  And, did I mention TWO shoulder straps?



My pink Shelby and Shae clutch. 




Adding my "bling".  Grace Adele has TONS of accessories so you can customzie your own bag!




Shelby bag interior.  Check out all of those pockets!  And, how cute is that lining?



I started feeling bad for other women in the airport as I watched them fumbling through their purses searching for their ID.

We took a few trips to downtown Nashville during my visit and I didn't want to carry the larger bag with me.  No problem!

I took the clutch out of the front pocket and wha la!  Instant small bag that was perfect for carrying a credit card, ID, cell phone, sunglasses and makeup bag.

And, huge surprise!  The clutch came with TWO shoulder straps so I could coordinate the color with my outfit. 

As I was walking down the street past a restaurant, I overheard a woman say, "She has a cute purse".  Yay!

Even thought I no longer have a use for a diaper bag, I've heard the Mary bag can double as one.  It has 2 side pockets that can easily hold a bottle and the interior pockets can fit wipes, bibs, pacifiers and any other thing you might need. 

Grace Adele has a simple, smart system.  First, choose your color.  Next, choose your bag style.  Pick your accessories and you're good to go. 

Oh!  Did I forget to mention they also have matching jewelry so you can complete your look?

It's like Charming Charlie's for purses! 

And, so.  This takes me to my GIVEAWAY!   Leave me a comment on why you think Grace Adele would be helpful to you.  I'll choose a winner on July 31st to receive:

A Grace Adele Style System that includes a bag and clutch of YOUR CHOICE!*
*excludes the Laney and Bella Leather bags and clutches
* offer only valid for residents of the US and Canada

Start picking out your bag and clutch now!  There's a cool "Build Your Look" tool so you can create your fav!

Website:  https://suzannebanks.graceadele.us


Good luck! 
(You can thank me later)    ;)

What We've Been Up To

I don't know where the days have gone.  I keep thinking about writing a post and then before I know it, another day has passed. 

I am happy to report that I have GOOD NEWS to report!

First, hubby found a job!  He had an interview with a recruiter 2 weeks ago.  They set up a phone interview with a company 15 minutes from our house and he started last Tuesday!  It's a temp to perm position, which is OK.  Everyone is on my health insurance so it's not a big deal.  Once the temp contracts expires in about 3-4 months, they can hire him as a permanent employee. 

Can we all do a collective sigh of relief? 

And.... inhale.  Aaaaannd, exhale.

I also went to visit my sister in Nashville last week.  I flew out May 31st and returned last Tuesday, 6/04.  It was a nice trip but I was missing my babies and ready to come home.  My sister's mother in law was also visiting so we got to see the town on Saturday night while she watched my niece and nephew. 

My overall impression of Nashville?  Eh. 

I don't know what I was expecting but I was fairly underwhelmed.  Everything was smaller than I imagined.  Granted, I live in a populated area so maybe my view is skewed?  I grew up here and I guess I never thought I lived in "the big city". 

My sister's house was really nice and they live in a great neighborhood.  I think they are enjoying the move overall but they are definitely home sick when it comes to socializing.  They just haven't met anyone and they haven't been able to make any friends.  My brother in law is still searching for a job and he seemed a little depressed.  I think he's OK with everything but he just doesn't have anyone to socialize with.  My sister at least gets to go to an office everyday. 

Let's see.  What else?

The kids' got their school pictures done last month.   They were pretty good so I bought one of the packages.  The following week, I saw a flyer posted by the front desk that said they were having a company called Portrait Café come in for a fundraising event.  It said there was no pressure to buy and no need to dress up the kids for another picture day.  They provided all of the costumes. 

I didn't really give it much thought and forgot about it.  As I was picking up the kids one afternoon, the principal approached me and told me I just HAD to look at the photos that were taken that day.

OH.  MY.  GOSH.

They turned out sooooooooo good!   I couldn't make up my mind so I ended up buying the CD of all 24 shots.  It was a splurge but I figured the chances of getting photos this good again would be near impossible.  Here's a few of my favs:

Super adorable, right?!

I hope you are having a fantastic start to the summer.  We haven't hit our neighborhood pool yet but I see that in our future.  The kids don't miss a beat.  They already noticed that it's open.  I figure we'll have to go at least once in the next month.  We have plans to go to my mom's beach house at the end of July and she has a pool. Last year, the kids both loved it.  I'm excited to be going this year.  We're timing it so we'll be down there the same week that my sister is there with her mother in law.  We'll both stay at my mom's for a few days and then my sister and her family will head down to a beach house they rented for the rest of the week. 


That's it for now!