blessed

You know that feeling...

...when the dishes are done and the diapers are drying. 

You can feel the warmth of the oven after cooking banana bread on a chilly night. 

The babies are sleeping.  

Christmas lights are glowing. 

And you just feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Blessed far beyond what you deserve.

That's how I feel tonight. 

cg and lo lately

These babies are just getting out of control. Out of control. But in a good way. 

These two turned one and decided it was time to up the antics and turn on the silliness. I can't imagine a more fun stage but I've said that about every stage. {Including the time when all they did was lay on their backs and bat at toys. But, golly, that was SO fun. It really was.}

 Now they're answering cell phones like they're 16, jabbering away to 'dadada' on the other side, and walking around waiting on the next important phone call.

I tell you what, these girls LOVE these cell phones. One of Paul's coworkers got  them each one for their birthday and they would barely put them down for days. Sometimes they answer each other's phone, sometimes they answerGrammie's phone, sometimes it's 'for me,' sometimes they answer it with their faces. All good things.

They've started to blow kisses to people when they leave. What it actually looks like is them smacking the side of their head with open palm and smiling really big. But we know what they mean. {Oddly, this is also what 'peek-a-boo' looks like if there is no blanket, jacket, apron, etc. for them to hide behind.}

 

Speaking of peek-a-boo. Does this game ever get old?? I submit, no. 

I also submit that there is practically nothing cuter in the world than babies in leg warmers. Who wants to wear pants anyway?

Shortly after turning one, Charleigh finally figured out how to steer her beloved walker. Before that, she would get stuck in corners, against the wall, between the couch and the ottoman and just ram it back and forth until she got too frustrated to even think about it anymore. Basically, she looked like me when I attempt to play any video game. But she finally figured out how to turn and...watch out world, she is a mad woman. This new skill led to this new game...

...which was fun and hilarious to both of them until Logan realized that, when she got 'caught,' she got ran over. And that's not nearly so much fun.

 

Lola, in the mean time, is obsessed with bears and buckles. Bears, buckles, Battle Star Galactica.{Name that reference. Anyone?}  That child could sit at her car seat and try to buckle it for an hour and not get bored or frustrated. Any stuffed bear {dog} immediately needs to be tackled and given a big hug. Lucky bears {dogs}.

Charleigh has never been attached to a lovey or a toy but Logan has her monkey lovey and her soft baby dolls. {These little babies were ours growing up to play with during church. As much as I've given my mom a hard time for saving too many things, the girls' favorite toys are, without a doubt,  little gems from my childhood. They just don't make toys like they used to, eh?} 

When I say she is 'attached' to these dolls, I mean she crawls around one in each hand, sits and watches her sister ram things with her walker while holding one in each hand, and then tries to figure out how she can eat or drink while still holding one in each hand. I love it. Charleigh will play with them for awhile and move on but Logan never really moves on. She likes to have them near wherever she is.

While Lo is infatuated with her dolls, CG has taken to the thrill of tearing and eating any paper in sight. It's a gross obsession. One I highly frown upon. It's just so hard to keep her away from it.

Oh, and Charleigh did it. She started walking first. Back when she was sitting still, watching her sister crawl around for almost two full months before she decided to, I never would have believed she would be our walker. But she is. Right around Thanksgiving this girl got her sea legs under her and hasn't slowed down since. Sea legs, I feel, is an appropriate term, because she still looks like a little drunken sailor wandering around--especially when she gets excited. Logan, on the other hand, is happy to crawl wherever she needs to and will take two or three rigid steps with arms straight out in front of her like a tiny Frankenstien. Our little monster.

 

It seems any interest she had in walking has now been directed to the ever-intriguing task of putting on socks and shoes. It's nothing short of entertaining to watch her do it. She puts the shoe or sock down on the floor and then picks her foot up to try to put it in. Oh my gosh. I think we should all put our shoes and socks on that way.

Oh and they're both still in love with Howard. But who wouldn't be, right? 

 

 

 

pumpkin patch

After reading my last post my mom said, 'I don't care what you think (thanks, mom). I just want to see pictures of those babies!' So, to make up for that, this post has a ridiculous amount of pictures. Just ridiculous. 

This weekend we went to the pumpkin patch. Why in the world would we go to the pumpkin patch after October 31st?! Maybe because we had first birthdays and Halloween and family in town and we ran out of weekends. And because I do everything late. Plus we were practically the only ones there and the weather was gorgeous. So, had we already been to the pumpkin patch,  we might have just gone again because it was that beautiful out. {We also might just celebrate every holiday a few days late.} 

We saw animals...

I promise my children had fun. They LOVED all the animals but were very serious about all these new things. They pointed at each animal as they named it...'dog.' {Anything that has fur and four legs is considered a dog around here.}

 We watched the chickens while our cousins got their faces painted...

...had rubber ducky races...

...shot 'maters out of giant sling shots...

...went on slides...

...they weren't that impressed...

...rode tricycles...

...and a horse tire swing...

{Again, not that impressed.}

...went on a hay ride...

{Definitely the favorite thing of the day.}

Finally, pumpkins!! 

And, boy, is that scarecrow scary!!

A great day full of sweet memories. 

{And I promise my kids are normally wearing shoes. The boots came off early because it got so warm!}

Paul's sister and her family. Minus Kaite...because, whatdya know, but almost-thirteen-year-olds are too cool for the pumpkin patch. I, on the other hand, will never be too cool for the pumpkin patch. Never, ever. Ever. {Also, not too cool to love Taylor Swift. }

hope

  I used to fancy myself a little politician. Way back in highschool, I would debate and research and protest and debate and lose my mind over things I was passionate about. My red-headed temperament (not necessarily temper...well, maybe sometimes), came out in full force if I felt I needed to (and could) defend my position or persuade someone to think twice about their view of things. I can remember my civics class with a very young teacher who also fancied himself a little politician {He told us he was planning to run for president in the year 2020 with the slogan 'A Vision for America.' Genius.} and finding all things politics extremely fascinating. 

In college, when I felt I just could not bear another el ed class, I even toyed with the idea of changing my major to poli sci. But, somewhere along the way, life happened and my priorities shifted. It's not that I don't have opinions. It's not that I don't care. Because I do. But I just don't lose my mind over it anymore. I do my reasearch. And I make my choice while avoiding any and all heated discussions on Facebook. Which is why I'm suprised that I'm even writing this now.

But my heart has been heavy since the DNC came to Charlotte and everyone and his brother, mother, and cockatoo started throwing insults and jabs--saying things that, sometimes, I'm positive the person didn't really mean but in the heat of the moment said carelessly. I think that sometimes people forget that these are human beings we are talking about and not merely a platform or an opposing view point.  

My heart was heavier this morning as some people predicted the utter destruction of our nation as we know it while others touted the outcome as the saving grace of a floundering state. Some slept soundly last night resting on the laurels of a mere man while others, in their discouragement, called the future hopeless. Hopeless. And that's what really got me. Christians calling this situation hopeless. Calling anything hopeless. 

 As Paul and I were discussing the candidates this morning, watching the girls wreak havoc on anything in their destructive paths, he said, 'It's just a good thing our hope isn't really in either one of them.' Yes, the president's job is important. Yes, we should vote. And, yes, we should make sure we  vote for the person whose beliefs align with our morals and convictions. But, really, we don't need Obama or Romney. We don't need someone who's black or white or purple or blue. We don't need a woman or a young person or a more experienced person. We need Jesus. We need a collective heart as a nation to help the poor and needy, to hold ourselves to high standards, to love others. 

 

Hopeless? I don't think so. That's putting limits on a God who has no limitations. That's putting our trust in mere flesh. That's cheapening our faith and letting Satan win. Those two men are not our Savior. And, regardless of  who you voted for, if you have faith--you have hope. 

 

So don't be discouraged. Be passionate. Debate. Research. Pray. But don't lose your mind over it. And don't lose your testimony. I heard a man on the news today say that just because we have the right to do something, doesn't mean we should do it. And just because we have the right to say something, doesn't mean we should say it. Weigh your words. Measure your speech. Whichever camp you hail from, show grace. But most importantly, be hopeful. We serve an amazing God who is not bound by our fears or failures or carefully laid plans. And I am more thankful for that than ever. 

 

In other news, Election Day was a landmark day for many reasons. A record number of women holding seats in the Senate, the president's record breaking tweet { Sorry, Beiber.}, and my children learning how to drink from a straw. Groundbreaking, y'all.  

{Also...as far as I've heard, that particular teacher will not be seeking the presidency after all, just so you know.}

one year {not even two weeks late which means i must be almost on top of this twin thing}

Dear babies,

 

It's been one year since we first met you. One year since that first glimpse of tiny, shriveled newborn babies turned our world upside down. And we can honestly say we have loved every minute of it. You have been pure joy and light this past year. You've reminded us to slow down. You've showed us what matters. You've multiplied our joy and taught us a tremendous amount. You've pointed us to our Heavenly Father in completely new ways.  And you've ushered in a new appreciation of a solid night's sleep.

 I remember looking at you in that operating room...tiny little strangers...and feeling such an intense love for you that it took my breath away. I couldn't imagine loving anything any more than I loved you two at that moment. Yet, here I am a year later. You aren't strangers to me anymore. I know your smile, your laugh, your scent, your hungry cry, your frustrated grunt, the feel of your tiny body curled up next to me, your favorite toy, your determination. And I love you a million times more than I did in that chilly room surrounded by nurses and doctors and beeping machines. I am so thankful for you. I am so blessed by you.

 

Your daddy and I have soaked up every second we could of this first year. We truly enjoyed every stage you've been through. There have been many times where other people may have gotten some work done around the house or caught up on emails but, instead,  we've sat and watched you play and laugh for hours. You are just that entertaining to us. We think you're hilarious. We think you are geniuses. We think you're the most wonderful idea God ever came up with.

 

It's amazing how much you've changed in a year. And sometimes I feel like I need to stop time. Just so my heart can take this all in a little more. But I can't. And, honestly, I'm so excited to see the tiny people you are becoming. You two won't be stopped. You're already taking year two by storm. And I can't wait.

 

So happy birthday, sweet girls. We love you to the moon and back 50 times. Or more.

eleven months

eleven months...

CG

Lamlam

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