Todays advise

Please read this post by my fellow blogger! She says what I always want to and try to tell people perfectly! If you only read one thing today, please make it her post.

I recently found a great place to print my blog posts and have been busy on my down time cleaning up the old posts for printing, looking for photography inspiration, and editing some difficult photos. Sorry for the lack of posting and pictures. There are hundreds coming for you to look at as well as a few videos. Maybe Guy can take care of the videos on these next few days off.

Here are a couple more from DC.

Is there anything cuter?


Oh, maybe this little one.

When life happens

Isn't it crazy how the more busy I am the less gets posted on this blog? Because, really, this is when I have the most stuff to put on here.

Also, why do I take pictures of roses when I despise them? lol They come out so cool in photos though!


The twins are super busy making more and more neural connections by the minute. Their brains seriously turned on a week before their first birthday. I have so much to update everyone on regarding their newly acquired talents and skills as well as the one year stats. Poor Blake. He is so 'under' on his growth chart he may only reach six feet as an adult! lol He was my 75% kiddo at this appointment. He is 75% on all of his measurements which are head, height and weight. His height was 30 1/2 inches and weight 26.5 pounds. Madison is our little 100%er. She was over the charts on both her height and weight. Her head came in at 75%. A girl should be petite somewhere! Her height came in at 31 1/2 inches and weight at 27.5 pounds.

At the appointment I remember telling the doctor how Blake has about 30 words and a few 2-3 word sentances with Madison only saying a few words. She must have heard me talking about her, because just this week she learned 14 new words including grama, birdie, bu-bye, paper, book & window. Most of the words she says either start with a B or M or sounds like they start with a B or M. She also took her first steps this week with both Daddy and Grandma around to see it with me. Grandma really gets the credit since she worked with her a lot on trying to walk this week. Poor Blake is so upset by Madison getting attention for her talking and steps not to mention at least one of his molars is coming in.

We have definitely reached the understanding and age for the twins needing more one on one time with each of us. They are starting to fight more over who is with one of us and get pretty upset if they are headed for Guy or I only to be cut off by the other baby. I may start to let them nap seperately for a little more time with me by themselves. More work for me, but is it really more work if the babies are happier? Can I still call them babies?

Madison playing in a pretty garden to work off some energy before getting into the car in DC.


Blake and grandma in the same garden.


Last week all of the flags were half mast in honor of all the fallen police officers. There was a large week long event in Washington DC. We were able to visit the memorial and I have some photos to share with you the next time I post.

My beautiful little sister!

These are some photos we took back in February for my sisters yearly photos. She is 17 & a junior in high school.

A pretty girl with awesome long hair.


This is my favorite from the day. Well, maybe the ones of her with the kiddos are my favorites, but of just her this is the one.


We were messing around doing the hair throw back.


She has the best smile and laugh. Her laugh is surprisingly deep and very infectious!




This is my second favorite shot. It's all about the funny face here.


I love this girl! Maybe she'll want to go to college by us and come live with us for a few years.

Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day to everyone!!!! Because we all have a very personal connection to this holiday!

Yesterday I realized that I still don't really like to celebrate Mother's Day. Did I even say it to my mom who is here visiting? Did I call Judy? Did I cull Mum? Nope. I'm very sorry to all three of you! It wasn't intentional, and I'm only realizing it at this very late in the evening hour when all are asleep! I think my hesitation in not wanting to get into Mother's Day is because of all the women I do and do not know out there who are not able to be a mother at this time. It isn't guilt. It is an awareness of those whose struggles may be similar to mine in trying to become a mother. On Mother's Day I do not think of myself or my mothers & grandmothers, but those who are wanting more then anything to experience the wonder, joy and heartache being a mother brings. I hope you will one day become the mother you so want to be!

Maybe after years of avoiding it I just need to embrace it. All my mothers sure deserve a wonderful tribute each year! They are the very bestest, and I love all three to pieces!

Something to make you laugh

Really? Look at these faces!


And these...


They love looking in or out of the window by the door at each other or us. The only time they don't love it so much is when they watch their daddy walk away on his way to work. When they see him getting ready for work they start to get upset and whinny.

Here are photos from the kids first visit to the strawberry patch. It was a lovely overcast day.
The first bite. I love Blake's hair!




They didn't mind being barefoot. Guy was helping me get out the door to meet some friends and forgot to put their shoes on. I didn't notice until we got there.


Lisa took some shots with me in them and of the kids.


There was crushed strawberries everywhere. Luckily I thought to bring some wipes out into the field.


Great shot, Lisa!! Thanks for getting the goo all over Madison's face.


Blake checking out his messy clothes. Maybe he'll love being clean and having everything clean around him like Guy. That would be nice.


Little man walking in a big field.


He is so done and needed some cuddles.


Lisa was up for the job as long as he was wiped down first! If I had those cute pants on I'd feel the same way.


Then Madison decided she was done.


She doesn't like how dresses hinder her crawling so she posts her legs up like below and crawls with her hands and feet. It is so funny. Hopefully it helps encourage her to walk sooner.


Her very messed up dress floating through the air. It took me quite a few tries to get this shot.


MacKensie picking strawberries.


I set the camera on interval timer to take a shot every 7 seconds for 11 frames. We couldn't count to save our lives and were getting tired of trying to guess. So we decided to jump for a shot. That got us giggling trying to guess when to jump.


Here we are totally giggling. Then Lisa decided she was done after this and walked out.


I walked right up to the camera with Blake to burn the extra frames. This gem is the result.


My cute and dirty kids.


Baby birdie update:

Here is a shot a few days after the first one where they were a couple days old.


All three in the same shot.


Here is the mama bird watching me take photos of the baby birdies.


After only a couple more days they were already this big!


Only a few days later they were all out of the nest. This was the last shot I got before they were all gone.