Category: memories

Christmas Stockings…finally finished…

 

Well….it only took about a year, but I finally finished everyone’s Christmas stockings….with the help of my mom.  Tuesday, Quinn and River all had stockings that my mom made.  Then, two years ago, Tuesday lost hers.  I don’t know how it happened…but I guess, somehow it got thrown away with all the Christmas wrapping paper.  I was convinced that it was lost somewhere in Tuesday’s room.  But, when we switched her room with River’s we took everything out and there was no stocking.  I was so sad that she wouldn’t have a stocking that my mom had made for her.  Then, Escher and Gray came along and they needed stockings.  I rummaged through my parents Christmas decorations and I found two stockings my mom had made for decorations…so they became Escher and Greys.  Then, I found something else she had cross stitched.  I was nervous to try to make it into a stocking….because if I messed up….there was nothing else to use.  But, after some thought and a lot of waiting, I finally did it.  It turned out pretty well.  What didn’t turn out well was my cross stitching with the names.  Oh well…I’m just not a cross stitcher!!

The Color Run….

I completely forgot to write a post about the Color Run 2012 in Philadelphia.  We had so much fun running it! It was my first 5k.  I wasn’t able to run the entire time..but I did a pretty good job..considering I hadn’t ran in over a year.  The first color station wasn’t impressive…but then we got to the next one and it was incredible!  you could barely see anything.  There were so many runners, but it didn’t feel crowded.  And the atmosphere was so much fun.  I can’t wait to do it next year, and I think I’ll bring my 5 year old along this time!  I highly recommend doing it if it is coming to your city or town.

Afterwards, we walked to Starbucks to get a bite to eat.  It was so much fun walking around the city seeing people in their colors!  People were everywhere covered in color!  We took the high speed line home and walked all the way home..which my children weren’t happy about…but I figured it was a good ending to a 5k.

The toughest part was cleaning up…..trying not to get the color everywhere in the house.  Even after washing and scrubbing…it was still a bit in our hair and on our skin.  There is also some still on the carpet, outside the bathroom!

Embrace the Camera….

Last week River and I made homemade tortillas. They were delicious.  I took lots of photos, but then never posted any of them.  Sometimes having twins takes up ALL of my time!  Things get crazy and each day goes by so quickly.  They are almost ten months old…that is crazy!

Three years ago today….my mother died.  I was looking for a nice photo of she and I…..and I can’t find one..at least one that is recent at all.  Another reason why I love the idea of embracing the camera!  I found one from my wedding….but I really wish I had one from my wedding…that was just she and I!!

California….

Did I mention that I went on a trip last week?  To California!  And did I mention that I left behind the babies and River????  For my birthday, my husband surprised me with a trip to California, to visit my brother.  It was just me, Tuesday and Quinn.  Christopher took the week off and stayed home with River and the babies.  Though, I was sad that they didn’t come….we had a great time.  And I had a great time sleeping through the night!

We had a wonderful time in Long Beach, Palos Verdes, Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs, Hollywood and so many other places!!  The weather and views were incredible!

And the food was delicious!!  Every place my brother took us to was so good.  The weather was incredible……sun, snow, rainbows, rain..you name it..we encountered it.  Also,  we saw tons wild life….skunks, raccoons, parrots, hummingbirds, possum….and that was just in my brother’s backyard!!

I’ve been spending so much time with River and the babies…..it was great having time with Quinn and Tuesday!  My niece flew out with us and stayed for one day!!  We loved having her with us and we were so sad when she had to leave.

It rained in Palm Springs and we saw a rainbow!!  Then we took the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in Chino Canyon.  After the 10 minute ride the elevation at the Mountain Station is 8,516 ft…and it was a blizzard!  So fun!!  It was a great trip…but I was so happy to get home to my little ones!  I pumped the whole time I was gone…and it just isn’t the same as nursing!!

 

Life with twins….

Now that I have twins, it seems that everywhere I go, there are twins.  So many people seem to have twins.  Yet raising twins seems such a daunting task..I often wonder how so many people have survived!  Every day I feel like I am running a marathon…..yet, at the end..there is no rest period.  You just get up and do it all over again.  I’ve never felt so many different emotions within a 24 hour period.  It has been the best experience and the worst experience.  I’ve learned so much and regretted so much.  I want to cherish every moment and I’m afraid to miss a moment.  I want to hug them every second, yet sometimes I just want to get away for hours.

Every day brings new challenges and new insights.  I’ve learned to be patient and yet, my patience is wearing thin.  Whenever I am out and about, so many people say…”how do you do it?”  I think that is a funny question…you just do what you have to do…sometimes without really thinking about it and other times, it is all I think about!

The first seven months just flew by and yet it the time seemed to last forever.  My life has become a bunch of contradictions…it seems crazy, yet normal…all at the same time.  I want to savor each and every day….yet, I just want to sleep.

I want to give them every minute of my day, yet I want to make sure I give just as much of myself to my other children.  It is all so daunting, yet so simple.  These little creatures have already taught me so much.

These moments are precious and I will treasure them….after I get a nap!

Embrace the Camera….Christmas Tree Shots

Every year we do our Christmas tree shots…as always…I forget about it til the last minute.  By the time we took them this year..the tree was so dry and droopy.  Right after the photos..I ripped the tree down and dragged it outside…..all the decorations are finally put away!!

Embrace the Camera….

Today’s Embrace the Camera is all about…..relaxing….breathing…..not an easy thing to do for me…….especially now that I have two 7 week old babies!  Somebody is always needing something…and I never get to get anything done…completely….I’m always being interrupted…….but I’m learning…that it is okay…not to finish everything..when I want to…..Normally I want to get everything done right away..I don’t like waiting!  I like to have everything neat and tidy!!!

I’m also trying to move around a bit more..literally….I have everything I need set up in the bedroom…and that was great for the first few weeks…..and it is easy to spend the day there…..squirreled away….but I get bored..River gets bored…and the babies get bored…so I am trying to learn to bring the babies with me..as I do things around the house.  This makes things a lot harder, and it makes things take longer, and it doesn’t always have the outcome I’m hoping for…but I think it makes everyone a bit happier….

I’m also trying to learn that it is okay if a baby cries for a minute or two….just so I can go to the bathroom or throw some clothes into the laundry!  It seems that as soon as I leave their side..someone starts crying…VERY LOUDLY…..as though I’ve left them for hours and hours!  Hearing a baby cry cuts right through me….

Anyway..that is what today’s Embrace the Camera is about….hanging out in the kitchen..with the babies…..when I haven’t showered and so many things need to be done……(and for once holding Escher….you can barely see little Grey..in her bouncy seat..)

New Years Eve…..

Well..it is New Year’s Eve….and it has been a quiet day around here..which is fine with me!  After I took pictures for this post…I realized it was connected to my New Year’s Eve post from last year…..strange how things work out….

One of my favorite gifts that I gave this year…..was taking some of my mom’s drawings and watercolors..and getting them framed and giving them to my children, my aunt and one of my brothers.  It is something I had been meaning to do for awhile now….and after I took the photos..I noticed that I had ended the year, last year, with a drawing my mom had done.

So, as I look back and reflect on the past year…..I think it was a nice year, a quiet year….a more gentle year…..the year before I had so been waiting for it to end…..so this year was calmer…but every year is a wonderful year…with my family….and with loved ones….so Happy New Year…..to everyone…..enjoy……love……live…..