My Lil Pumpkins

A time honored tradition at our house (at least in my mind) is a yearly trip to the pumpkin patch as the leaves begin to turn. I love fall. I love all things that go with fall...so hayrides and pumpkin patches are on the top of the list.

When Evy was a baby, we (me and my friend Kay) carved the insides out of a pumpkin, lined it with plastic wrap and put her inside the pumpkin and took pictures. These pictures are some of my favorites. However, she was only about 3 months old at the time.

Last Friday evening, Michael and I (and Evy) took the babies to the pumpkin patch. It was fun for Evy to pick out pumpkins and we took several pictures. It wasn't the awesome photo shoot I was aiming for, but it was fun non the less.
/>
/>
/>
/>

A long time coming...

For those of you who are caring followers of my blog, I want to apologize for being a bad blogger. Once school started, I sort of lost my mojo. I have been busy teaching, raising three kids, cleaning and seeking the Lord. I have spent many days exhausted, but SO very blessed by these kids.

It is still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that we have three kids. Twins aren't easy and I have felt frustrated at how difficult it is to accomplish simple tasks with two babies. I have simply had to give it up and focus on what is important- the family. I have so much to tell, but not enough hours in the day to get everything done.

So...the twins are 6 months old and we just had Evy's first parent-teacher conference of kindergarten last week.

Madelyn now weighs 17lbs 2oz and is 26 3/4 inches long. Jackson slightly behind her (for the first time ever at 16lbs 13 oz and 26 1/2 inches long. Their head are both 17cm.

Tonight I hope to take them to the pumpkin path and get their 6 month pictures.

I also hope to start taking time to blog more...it is my release and I have been ignoring it for the last 75 days.

Starting to really try...

After the babies were born, I dropped an impressive 47lbs. I was at my lowest weight in years. Then I broke the foot. Coupled with the high fat, high calcium milk and lack of exercise, I have gained back about 10lbs. I plan to really try to lose that 10lbs before kids start school. I have 24 days to do it. This will be done by eating right (counting points with WW) and working out. I plan to walk at the mall, plus add in some at home workout videos. Michael is going to do it with me, he just doesn't know it yet. I had started this endevour a couple weeks ago- we were walking almost ever night. It is much easier to go to the mall then to the gym and put the kids in daycare with people we don't know...plus I think we are dropping our membership to save some cash. So, I plan to start tomorrow. I have a new blog...Drop that Cupcake for those of you interested in my food journals, exercise log and general feeling about my goal. In a few short weeks the twins will start eating foods. I want to be making better choices, so they can follow in my footsteps and eat good-for-them-foods.

True Story!

For the past few days I have been working very hard to rid my house of clutter and clean. Truthfully, it was bad since I hadn't cleaned well since I was pregnant. There are plenty of excuses- 1st trimester- didn't want to touch the chemicals or smell them. 2nd trimester- too tired, 3rd trimester- to sick and big to even consider it...also super tired. So now the babies are a little more self soothing, so I have been able to get it down. My house (may I brag a bit) looks pretty good.

Yesterday, I borrowed a few more tools to aid in the cleaning. A Hoover Floormate from my friend MZ (and yes, I may be in love with this floor cleaner) and a carpet shampooer from AM. I was hoping to get the floors spotless before Evy's party on Sat. So these ladies offered to drop off their cleaning tools and I was happy that I didn't have to get the kids out in the heat. So, both happened to be here at the same time...we all work together (and mom too) so we were catching up a bit.

Evy was playing with AM's daughter and nephew and having a loud amount of fun. When she came trotting out of her room with a dead mouse dangling from her fingers. "Look, Mom! I found a rat" she said. I was absolutely mortified...I mean beyond embarrassment. I asked her to drop it and wash her hands. I then proceeded to pick it up with some towels. Awesome, just awesome!! I had worked my tail off cleaning only for my oldest to find a dead mouse in her bedroom closet. We leave near a creek/drainage ditch and always fight a few mice each year.
I however would prefer that we discover them when company is NOT present.

It feels like Saturday

This Monday morning feels much like a Saturday to me. You see, I spent my Saturday morning rushing around to get out of town- spent a hot day with my family~ AWESOME!!!!~ and then came home to get semi-night sleep and head to church in the morning. I was asked to read and for some reason was a little nervous. I read a passage very close to my heart- Psalm 91- and talked a little about Michael and I's will of God. It seemed disconnected to me, but hopefully others thought it was put together.

So now my husband is laying in bed- not at work this fine Monday- because he fed the children while I slept...so today feels like a Saturday. I have enough work around here for it to be a Saturday and so I think I will get started.

I happened upon flylady's website again. She is a cleaning master and I might just strive to be like her. So...here is the plan for the next few days. It's all about baby steps...a little everyday. Hopefully, Michael and I can work together and get it accomplished faster.

I got a late start on the "zone" cleaning...but I am going to start with Zone 1 and do the 15 minutes a day of decluttering.

FlyLady's Detailed Cleaning List - Zone 1: The
Entrance, Front Porch, and Dining Room
This is my detailed cleaning list for Zone 1. Ensure you adapt it to fit your
home and family. If you are still decluttering, you are not ready for this
whole list, concentrate on decluttering only! BabySteps! - FlyLady
Entrance Detailed Cleaning List:
Start at the ceiling and work your way down to the floor.
1. Clean cobwebs
2. Dust window sills and front door
3. Clean switch plate of hand prints and walls if needed
4. Put plants in to the shower and give them a good rinse. Let me set
there until you are finished.
5. Dust furniture
6. Dust baseboards
7. Straighten the coat closest
8. Sweep vacuum or mop the floor
9. Put back the plants. You would hate for DH to walk into a jungle
tomorrow morning. LOL
10. Add your own personal touches to make it more welcoming.

Dining Room Detailed Cleaning List
Start at the ceiling and work your way down to the floor.
1. Clean the cobwebs
2. Dust window sills
3. Clean the window
4. Clean doors of china cabinet after you straighten dishes if they
need done. Dust
5. Clean and straighten any drawer
6. Clean off top of Dining table and Polish
7. Rinse plants in the shower
8. Dust the bottoms of the chairs.
9. Dust the baseboards
10. Move furniture and vacuum underneath (except the china cabinet)
I turned mine over one time. It was not funny.
11. Add your own personal touches to the table (table cloth, pretty
bowl, flowers)

Front Porch Detailed cleaning.
1. Sweep down cobweb and spider webs (In the summer, I leave
them. I feed the spiders too LOL.)
2. Sweep off porch furniture.
3. Sweep the porch.
4. Throw away any dead plants.
5. Prune back unruly bushes from the entrance.
6. Repot planters if necessary (in summer)
7. Refill bird feeders.
8. Wipe off tables, banisters, and light fixtures.
9. Get rid of unwanted items.
10. Add your own personal touches to welcome friends and family
(wreath, welcome mat, bell)

3 months.... already????

Madelyn is at least 12lbs now. She is smiling but is withholding laughter- guess she hasn't found anything too funny yet. She can lift her head but is a little lazy during tummy time--not many mini-push ups for her. She puts everything in her mouth and likes toys. She has several she likes to hold and will bat at them in the bouncy chair. She is a mommy's girl and is usually the one crying. She recognizes faces and will make a sweet "ahh" sound when I walk near her. She is starting to "talk" by cooing and gurgling. She makes bubbles with her mouth. She is constantly spitting up and spends most of her day in a bib (or several) and takes Zantac twice a day.

Jackson has finally found his voice. He has learned the crying usually equals being held. He was the first to sleep through the night and does it almost 90% of the time. He definitely likes to talk and has made sounds similar to "hi" and "mama" He also mimics mouth movement when someone is talking to him. He likes to sit up and look around. During tummy time he tries to scoot around on the mat. He isn't too into toys but will kick at toys in the bouncer chair. He seems to be cutting some teeth. He can roll from tummy to back and sleeps on his tummy. He likes to bear weight on his feet and will take "steps".

The Fourth...a few days later.

It seems like my life runs a few days late. We have things that we are on time for, but most of the time I am running late and picking up behind me. So...in honor of my lateness let me say....
THANK YOU to the men and women who are in, were or will be in the military to fight for our freedoms...thank you to those who braved the high seas to establish the land we now call the USA. Your journey was dangerous, scary and allows us to be FREE.




Thank You!!!