What's Going On...

So... attempting to do the #febphotoaday thing has made me a slacker in the actual posting department.  Although there's really not a whole lot to report...

We're just kind of hunkered down here at home, playing the waiting game.  As of last Friday I am 34 weeks and they officially won't stop my labor if it starts, nor have to send me to Seattle.  So yay for that!  I've been waking up some nights to contractions, which makes me extra tired the next day.

Add to that a puking toddler (last Thursday and then again today) and I'm just not really that into blogging right now!  Although he is awfully cute... he likes to climb up the back of my chair and kiss me.  He's really into the kissing thing lately.

You can also see that we've painted half the room yellow (the other half will get painted later when we have to move the rest of the stuff out - like in 6 months) and are sorting out baby stuff.

Basically, I would love to have these babies tomorrow because I am so freakishly uncomfortable.  But I also want them to have the best chance at being healthy and not needing any extra care so I know they really should stay in another week or two!  What a dilemma!

That's my life, how's yours?

Wordless Wednesday: Mini Me

Someone has figured out (more or less) how to use big brother's camera and enjoys taking pictures of everything!

Favorite Photo of Me - #febphotoaday

From our anniversary in July.  And yes, I use it as my profile picture for everything at the moment!

Handwriting - #febphotoaday

I do love to write notes!

On Baby Showers and Sad News

No, the two aren't really related except that they happened on the same day.  I had a really nice baby shower last night, but it was dampened with the knowledge that my brother and sister-in-law lost three friends in an avalanche just after noon.  I only met one of them once (at their wedding), but it doesn't matter.  It's still sad and hard for everyone.

So, my sister-in-law planned a lovely shower and then didn't end up coming.  My mom took over and it was still fun.

I got lots of diapers and a few cute outfits as well.  I'm am sure this will not be enough diapers, but it's a start!

The cupcakes were amazing and just hanging out with friends was good.

Since the boys couldn't have the leftover pizza or cupcakes they've been enjoying the balloons... and they don't know that I came home with a whole bag of chocolate either!

This is the last "official" thing I have on my calendar.  For the girls sake they need to stay in a couple more weeks, but other than doctor's appointments (which obviously would be moot) I don't have to go anywhere or do anything more... other than keep my house clean hopefully!

Something I Hate to Do - #febphotoaday

Dusting.  I should have taken a picture of the top of my dresser before I cleaned it off... I don't think it had been cleaned since we moved in 2 years ago.  Yuck.

Drink - #febphotoaday

My favorite tea in one of my favorite mugs...

Time - #febphotoaday

The trains that go by our house... only the Amtrak is on a schedule and even then it doesn't keep it well.  Time is relative.

Something New - #febphotoaday

Lots of new things in our house lately... this is one of the letters for the girls' room that I decorated last night.  And then Noah undecorated them this morning and I had to redecorate them... oy, toddlers!

Phone - #febphotoaday

Some days this may be the most used phone around our house!

Heart - #febphotoaday

Have a heart... or two!

Blue - #febphotoaday

My favorite...

Inside My Closet - #febphotoaday

Laundry, my scarf/wrap from Saudi, my ducky slippers from college that the boys love to wear, my saxophone from high school and the one year I played in jazz band, my favorite blankies for napping under!

Makes Me Happy - #febphotoaday

This guy and his brother!  But I have a hard time getting both of them in a picture at once...

Trust...

I think I could probably write for hours on Trust... which makes it really hard to quantify everything in five minutes...

I have a tattoo (shocking, I know) on my back that comes from a time in my life when I really had to learn how to trust.  Trust in God.  To learn to let go.  That I don't really have any control over things anyway.

And that the outcome of trust is perfect peace.  When you don't have to control things, you don't worry about the outcome.  Oh sure, I still worry, plenty.  I think that's a family trait.  But when things start to get really crazy I try to remember that I really don't have any control over it anyway.  And if I did... whoo boy, it might not be the outcome I want!  I think I'd really rather God be in control!

I have to trust that God knew what He was doing with this pregnancy* giving me/us twins!  He must think I can handle it... even if I think I'm gonna go a little crazy!  But I guess it's easier to believe that He gave them to us so therefore we will be able to handle it.  Something like light at the end of the tunnel?

Trust must go hand in hand with hope.  If I didn't trust that He was in control I'd have no hope for how things would turn out.  Funny the way that works!

Now, trusting people on the other hand, that takes me awhile... my poor husband.  But that's a post for another day!

*I found out yesterday that at my current 32 weeks I'm measuring 40 weeks and that each baby weighs almost 4 pounds.  I'm kinda depressed over the fact that I have at least 4 more weeks to go and maybe/sorta hopefully more.

This is a post prompt from The Gypsy Mama. Join in?

Self Portrait - #febphotoaday

This picture is very indicative of my mood today.  After finding out yesterday that I'm basically as pregnant as a full term woman and I'm only at 32 weeks... I'm kinda down.

Front Door - #febphotoaday

Thinking outside the box again... this what hangs out by my front door.

Boy Quotes #8

Cory calls dental floss "tooth floss".

Cory playing with marbles and picked up one with a swirl inside: Mom, this one is called Hot Fire Toast. We also have Jump Marble (which doesn't really jump), Blast Marble, Blue Shell, and Green Booger.

Noah used to say "Hah-nee" for Thank you, but lately he's switched it to "Ha-tu". Still cute, either way!

He's also picked up from brother that I am "Mom". I'm not sure I'm ready to let go of Mama, but it's pretty cute coming from this little tiny guy, "nigh nigh, Mom". :)

I'm having ham and cheese on crackers and Cory tells me, "Mom, I want an open lid sandwich too!"

Playing with a set of stacking cups that have animals on them:
Me: Noah, what does a mouse say?
Noah: Hello, Noah!

Cory: Do you remember what these are Noah? (pointing to a walrus' tusks)
Noah: looks at him
Cory: Ribazuba! (which is the scientific term and we learned this on NPR)
Noah (with much feeling): Wooooow!

Sun - #febphotoaday

After being lovely the last few days the sun did not come out to play today... so I found another favorite sun!

Button - #febphotoaday

From my favorite long sweater.

DIY: Valentine's Wall Hanging

Soooo, how many of you have heard of Pinterest? :)  Well, in the last few weeks I think I've finally figured out how to use it and I've found lots of cool things there.  I found this conversation hearts pin and thought I would try it.  I ended up modifying it a bit, but here is my result!

The main reason I ended up modifying it is because just 3 weeks ago the local craft store had NO Valentine's stuff in yet so I couldn't find the bigger wooden hearts.  But they did have these small ones already painted red so I decided to go with that.  Want to know how I did it???

• Add a second layer of red paint so it matched what I had at home already in case of mistakes
• Print out my family's names on the computer - I used Cupid font at 120pt with a size 11 space between each letter
• Place the name on the heart and trace the outline with a ball point pen.  This leaves you with a faint indent in the wood that you then fill in with paint! (works best in daylight)
• Paint names white - and now I know why the pin I saw didn't have any red hearts... it took me at least 4 coats to cover the red and it's still not great.
• Use some kind of glossy finish - I have an acrylic spray to seal the hearts
• Glue onto ribbon at intervals
• Fold the top over and glue for a loop.  Glue three toothpicks together with a white piece of string in the middle to create a hanger. 
• Glue bow together and to the top
• Hang and enjoy!

The best part about this project is that you could easily modify it to match any decor or any season.  Change paint colors, use a different shape of wood, etc!  And beyond the paint and brushes I already owned, the supplies cost me about $6!

And yes, there are 2 extra hearts at the bottom for the girls, but even if you come to my house you won't see them, they're in hiding until the girls are born!

So do you Pinterest? (that's me!) Leave a comment with a link to your profile so I can follow you! I always need more inspiration!

Dinner - #febphotoaday

A little stir-fry action!  We have this frequently, usually with the same ingredients, but different sauces.

31 Weeks and moving slow...

I am now officially 31 weeks... and have at least 5 more before the girls are considered term and probably it would be best for them if they could go a week or 2 more than that...  For the sake of not being able to move around well I kinda hope they come early, but for their sake I hope they stay in.  I'm stuck!

For a little frame of reference here's my 35 weeks picture with Noah.  And yes, I wore the same shirt on purpose for comparison.  And no, I don't know why I thought that much height was good for my hair, sheesh!

At my last appointment (2 weeks ago) I was actually measuring 35 weeks and if these babies are growing at the normal rate they are just over 3 pounds... each!  I'll get another ultrasound on Friday so we'll see if they are still measuring each as a singleton or if they've slowed down 'cuz they're getting kinda cramped in there!

On the home front I've got the newborn clothes all washed and in the dresser, just waiting for some wall decorations to come in the mail so we can put them up and then the crib in place of Brian's desk.  I've gotten a ton of little projects done in the last week and aim to do a bit more organizing and purging.  I think the nesting has set in!

10am - #febphotoaday

Time for church!

Stranger - #febphotoaday

The idea was good, the execution, not so much.  Today was mostly taken up by a funeral so I'm giving myself a pass...

Hands - #febphotoaday

The first thing that came to mind...

Real...

When I think about "Real" the first thing that comes to mind is the Velveteen Rabbit.  I loved that story as a kid, but it always made me sad that the rabbit was so threadbare.  I think I get it a little bit more now...

Real childbirth is messy, it's not pretty nor usually fun, but it's real.

Raising children is not always fun or easy, but it is real.

A real marriage is not like the movies.

All these things we see in the media and online aren't real.  They're pictures of what some people think is ideal.  The problem is, I bet if we could actually live like that we wouldn't be happy either.

Real life requires highs and lows.  Can you really understand joy and happiness if you've never known hurt and sorrow?  Can you be grateful for what you have unless you know what it is to not have? (not that I know much about not having, living here)

It's not easy, and sometimes I wish I could live in a fairy tale, but in the end I think that would be boring.  Real life is exciting, hard, messy, but it is also full of surprises, bright spots that shine, and things to remember and treasure for years to come.

And real life leaves it's mark along the way, leaving us just a little bit more threadbare than the pictures we see.

This is a post prompt from The Gypsy Mama. Join in?

Words - #febphotoaday

 

The card from my sister-in-law I got for my birthday.

My View Today - #febphotoaday

So I decided on a whim to join a photography challenge for the month of February... one photo a day on a theme listed with Fat Mum Slim.  I joined Project 12 (one photo a month) and then couldn't come up with anything for January (resolution).  Maybe I can do this one...

This is my view today, boys playing with their toys... that were mine when I was a kid!

Wordless Wednesday: Brothers

Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em!