Pigtails and Chef Daddy!

We've been wanting to try and do pigtails in the girls' hair lately, so I finally bought some rubber bands small enough - and - yeah, it was adorable!  We knew that Naomi's hair was thick enough to try it and we've been doing one "waterfall" in Evelyn's hair to keep it out of her face.  

Here are some pics of the cuteness.  Yes, my Christmas tree is STILL up!  We've been sick and busy and just haven't had time to take it down - hopefully today since Patrick is off work - we'll see!  

The last picture is of Naomi looking out the window.  The girls stand and look out all the time.  I always wonder what they're thinking.

Patrick made an excellent meal last night - fried potatoes and turkey kielbasa and a spinach salad.  He's been sick, so it was really great that he was feeling well enough to cook for us.  

We have gotten so much better at being in the kitchen together (well, maybe I am the one who has gotten better...).  I used to be really uptight when we cooked together.  I would hurt his feelings because I'd be so focused on what I was doing that I wouldn't engage with him at all.  I have really learned to enjoy this time together, and I really appreciate how patient he's been with me on this issue!  Here is the chef and his masterpiece!

He Leadeth Me

The past couple of weeks have been pretty difficult for our family.  It seems like Patrick and at least one of the babies has been sick for that amount of time.  Thankfully I have not gotten sick, but that means that most of the family and household responsibilities have fallen on me. 


I have had good days (days where I am able to be prayerful and patient), and bad days (well, the opposite of the good ones :)).  


I was up last night with Naomi from 1:30 - 2:30 a.m., so this morning I was dragging.  I honestly don't know how I lived my life with so little sleep when the girls were newborns.  It seems like now that they sleep through the night, whenever they don't for some reason, I cannot handle the lack of sleep.  It makes me very cranky!


We had to go to Target this morning to pick up a birthday present, and on the way home I was thinking about a lot of overwhelming things:


1.  Finances
2.  I need a hair cut.
3.  If everyone keeps being sick I will never have a clean house again!
4.  I need a pedicure.
5.  My Mom's health.
6.  I hope the birthday girl doesn't get a duplicate of what I got her at Target.
7.  I need a nap.
8.  Why didn't I eat breakfast?


Okay, so, maybe some of those don't seem that overwhelming!  But when they add up and are swirling around in your head, it can take you to some very dark and doubting places.  


I had flipped on the radio and turned it up to try and keep the girls from falling asleep in the car (I wanted them to nap at home and if they fall asleep in the car, the nap will not happen!).  


It was on the Christian radio station, which is not my favorite, but they LOVE it and I don't have to worry about questionable themes and lyrics for the most part.


So, I am just driving along trying to keep my children awake, wallowing in some pretty overwhelming thoughts, and the old hymn "He Leadeth Me" comes on.  

1. He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
   O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
   Whate’er I do, where’er I be
   Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
   • Refrain:
     He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
     By His own hand He leadeth me;
     His faithful foll’wer I would be,
     For by His hand He leadeth me.
2. Sometimes ’mid scenes of deepest gloom,
   Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
   By waters still, o’er troubled sea,
   Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.
3. Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
   Nor ever murmur nor repine;
   Content, whatever lot I see,
   Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
4. And when my task on earth is done,
   When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
   E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
   Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

Such beautiful words and a beautiful reminder that I am being lead by my Father in Heaven.  The illnesses, extra responsibilities, sleepless nights, squeaky tight budget, and unkempt toe nails - well, those are just for a season. 

"Content, whatever lot I see, Since ’tis my God that leadeth me."  

I just drove and cried and let the tears fall hot on my face.  


We made it through the rest of our day.  I kissed and snuggled my babies, I hugged my husband tight. I thanked God for leading us to this place and time.


I found peace just in the nick of time today, and for that I am grateful.

Caped Crusaders!

Don't be fooled by their pink towels and paci's, these super twins are ready for adventure and fighting bad guys everywhere!

I Declare you a Baby Genius!!

The girls have been so fun over the past few weeks and have been trying to repeat what we say.  I love to show them something like their cup of yogurt and to say "yogurt" and hear them say "go-gui"!  Too cute!  Sometimes they don't just repeat a word, but they actually recognize an object and say the word.  They'll see a rubber ducky and then say "quack quack"!


So, yesterday, I was at the grocery store with Evelyn in the canned goods aisle and she started saying "bapple, bapple" - which means apple.  I looked around, and said, "Yeah, buddy, I don't see any apples on this aisle" - yes, sometimes I call my girls buddy, whatever!  


After stocking my cart up with like 75 cans of black beans, we turned around and I looked up to see a giant poster hanging from the ceiling with a bushel of bapples on it!  I got so excited, I was like, "Oh my goodness, give me a high five!"  "You are a baby genius!", "Oh my goodness, I really believe you are gifted!".  


I am pretty sure that the older lady standing next to us thought I was crazy, but I really was so impressed with my little bapple girl!

Staying on My Toes

15 month olds are no joke people!  These girls have so much energy and some days I feel like I can't keep up.  They are always going in different directions, someone is always falling and getting hurt, and the teething - oh help us - the teething!!


There are so many wonderful things about this stage too, tons of giggling, imitating words and sounds, dancing, jumping - so much fun.  I guess I am learning that I really have to stay on my toes and keep the girls engaged in whatever we're doing.  I really cannot just zone out and let them wreak havoc all day.  I need a plan, I need toddler activities!


I have found some great resources from other blogs I read and from pinterest.  Here are a couple I've been looking at:  Toddler Boredom Busters and Activities for Toddlers.  Otherwise, we just sing lots of songs, read tons of books, do flashcards, and read from the Jesus Storybook Bible.  The Bible reading is probably my favorite activity of the day.  The book was a 1st birthday present from our sweet friends the Ketcherside's, and I am so blessed every day to read from it and to teach Naomi and Evelyn about our great God!


I guess that there are days that I struggle to be selfless with my time with the girls.  I want to sit them down with an activity and then I want to do what I want (or feel that I need) to do.  But here's the thing:  My role, my calling right now is to be a mother to these girls.  All I can do is look to God to give me the energy and the creativity to live up to that calling.  So, if that means that I put down the dirty dishes, the phone, the laptop, etc. in order to sit on the floor and sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider for the 58th time, that is what I will do.  And really, Itsy Bitsy is waaay more fun than doing dishes!! 


Here is a video of the girls dancing to their favorite song - sorry for my singing and sorry for the poor quality, it was taken on my phone.

Happy New Year!

I feel a real sense of excitement about beginning this new year! 


I am praying that 2012 will be a year marked with wonderful memories with our little family, our extended family, and our wonderful friends.  


I am looking forward to learning new things, meeting new people, and experiencing some firsts. 


I pray for the wisdom and grace to see things in my life that need to be changed and to allow God to work miracles in my heart and mind.  I can be thankful for what lies ahead because I know how far we've already come.