Picture update

We had a couple mommy and daddy photo shoots the other day, so I thought I would share some of our favorites! Tristan and Scarlett are smiling and laughing all the time and it is so fun! They continue to keep us on our toes and we are always wondering what's going to come next haha






And no, she is not wearing blush haha

Arts and crafts

Remember when you could sit and draw for hours and it would seem as though minutes had passed? Oh to be young again! Lauren Loves to draw and create just about anything. She has quite the imagination and creative mind! We were looking through a Land of Nod catalog the other day and she decided we needed to make something to hang from her ceiling. So, I took her back to the paper chain days and we made some to hang in her room. We were up until about 9:30 cutting and pasting and then requested the help of Tim to hang them up. Lauren was so proud of them-it's the first thing she shows everyone when they come over, so I thought it would be fun to share with everyone who doesn't get to come over to our crazy house! I also included the latest sign she has made on how to get in her room. These tend to rotate every few weeks. She makes a new sign every time she decides who can come in and how they need to enter haha so funny!



That is a self portrait she drew of herself in the background.





I personally Love the green duck tape used to hold the pieces of paper together.

Dinner at the Childers

The Childers were the first to brave the Meter Circus last Friday and invited us over for dinner! Let's just say the night went as smoothly as it could have considering it was our first 'outing' and Tristan and Scarlett got their shots that day and hadn't taken very good naps!

We took turns holding our precious little ones while we ate amazing barbecue chicken, potatoes and yummy salad! Jeff makes barbecue chicken to die for, so I have to say, I ate enough for myself and the two little ones I am feeding haha

Luke, Sarah, Lucas and Lauren all had a blast playing and wondered why we had to leave when "we had just gotten there" three hours before. They all get along great and I think Lucas and Lauren enjoy the fact we are joining our social life again...slowly but surely.

Having the twins definitely makes social outings a bit more difficult, but just as enjoyable...especially when we have great friends who understand and welcome our every day crazy into their home!









Our attempts at getting a picture of all 4 older kids was a little challenging as they had much better things to be doing, so we will take what we get. Fake smiles and all!

Feeling Blessed

So, I find myself sitting here ruminating on where I am in my life and realize I am smiling. I have experienced my share of 'Love' scars, but now know that they are not Love scars at all, yet small and large stepping stones that have helped me reach this place. The place where I stand right now. My destiny. Feeling truly proud of this family I am creating and the life I am building with my true best friend and partner. I often forget to take the time to tell Tim how honored I am to have been fatefully chosen to be his lifelong partner, wife and best friend. True Love seems to be a rarity these days, so I feel fortunate beyond words to experience such a pure and honest Love each and every day. Never in my life have I felt so adored and Loved for the woman I have been and the woman I strive to be every day. My imperfections, my quirks and my neurotic tendencies are the things I would most like to bury in a deep dark hole never to be found, but yet it would seem as though it is all those things that Tim Loves most about me. How is it, that the things we wish we could change the most are the things that somehow make us more beautiful? Those imperfections are my reminders that I am human. My quirks and neurotic tendencies are the guardians of the one and only me. And although I don't see them that way every day, Tim somehow does. I think back to that moment the stars decided our hearts were meant to find and protect one another and not only feel thankful, but feel honored.

Tim your heart is my most precious treasure that I promise to protect always! Thank you for being the man, the husband and the father you are as our lives would not be the same without you! Ti Amo mi Principe...Per Sempre!

Then there is Tristan and Scarlett. An extension of this Love we have found in one another. Being a mom has opened my eyes to the possibilities of what my heart is truly capable of. Every day I think I couldn't Love them any more, but yet every day I do. They can smile a million times and every smile feels different from the last. We share a new moment every time we sit in the exact same spot. And I hear something new, something different every time they laugh as if I'm hearing it for the first time. The discoveries that accompany motherhood are endless and they teach you something new about yourself you probably never would have uncovered. I have learned I am capable of a lot more than I ever thought possible and I have our precious twins to thank for that.

My life is enriched with Love, laughter and unforgettable moments and I thank everyone who shares in that!

We're 4 months old!

We took Tristan and Scarlett for their 4 month check-up yesterday and are proud to be parents of two healthy beautiful babies! Tristan now weighs 11 pounds 14 ounces and is 24 inches long and Scarlett is not too far behind at 10 pounds 5 ounces and 23 inches long! They also finally made it on the curve (on the growth chart), which was an exciting moment for us all haha

They unfortunately had to each get 3 shots, which mom and dad hate just as much as they do, but they are tough little babies and survived the needle torture this time around! Fevers and fussiness have followed, but luckily that doesn't last long either at double the fun haha

Tim and I continue to sit and ponder on how we got so lucky to bring the most beautiful precious twins into this world, and are constantly reminded just how special these children are...all 4 of them! It is truly an amazing experience to be a mom, and although not every day starts with a smile, every day certainly ends with one and comes with a lot of Love!!!





This is how our photo shoot started...





Then mommy started dancing!







Now it's time to have a little chat...very important topics were discussed haha


Just a couple more for fun...aren't sleeping babies just the sweetest?

Slip-n-slide!

Happy Summer! We are enjoying the sunny days and warm weather whenever we get the chance. Two 4 month olds is proving this a little difficult, but the shade is serving us well and will become our new favorite hangout I'm sure!

Lauren and her friends' Lucy and Sophie enjoyed the hot summer day with our slip-n-slide, which Tristan and Scarlett found entertaining to watch. The girls had a blast and I think the babies were just happy to look at something other than the walls to our house. Lucas continues to be just too cool to hang out with dad and Erica...so we consider ourselves lucky to experience a 'Lucas viewing' haha He has been enjoying his summer and taking full advantage of no school or bed time!

We hope everyone is doing well!

Picture fun

It was modeling day today so I could play with my picture editing app...we ended up with some sweet photos, so I thought I would share them!




Lauren is doing her own hair now...inventory includes pony tails, pig tails and side ponies haha she is quite proud of this and so are we!!!




Sweet Scarlett










Little man Tate

4th of July

Happy 4th Everyone! We hope you all enjoyed freworks and yummy barbecue! We had a laid back day filled with lemonade selling, barbecuing and babies! Lucas and Lauren decided to fill their piggy banks by selling fresh homeade lemonade to the neighborhood, which turned out to be quite successful bringing in over sixteen dollars...I think I am going to go into the lemonade business, although the major enticement that really brought customers to the stand were the free rocks with purchase haha.

The babies and I spent the day inside enjoying the sunshine from the window as they are not quite old enough for sunscreen. Tim barbecued tasty turkey burgers and hot dogs for dinner. The kids then ran wild outside with neighborhood friends enjoying evening fireworks. The babies went to sleep despite the constant booming although it did take some extra rocking and shushing. Then I enjoyed our family firework show from the front door. Overall our 4th was funfilled despite being calmer this year.

We look forward to next year when the sweet babies are walking, talking and causing all kinds of trouble with their older brother and sister!

And so cloth diapering begins!

Day 1: Well this certainly is interesting, that's for sure! Scarlett leaked in her first cloth diaper, which at that point I figured this was not going to be fun or functional. But, after multiple diapers we have yet to leak again and Tristan seems to be handling his without any mishaps. They are a little smellier when changing, but surprisingly, the wet bag really does its job with no smell at all between wash days. I am also quite surprised how well they wash up! I washed our first load and you wouldn't even believe they had been used! We have not yet decided if we are ready to commit to full cloth diapering, but we are certainly willing to give it a test drive with the 4 FuzziBunz we invested in. I would call day 1 a success, so we shall carry on with this mini cloth diaper venture! Plus they look so cute in them too!