Halloween Extravaganza

Never wanting to miss an opportunity to let the girls experience new things, see their faces light up, & spend precious time with friends, we began the Halloween festivities bright and early! We had a full day planned for the kiddos including, but not limited to....trick or treating, donuts, lunch, library time, Halloween parties, and running free! We wore them completely out! =0)

1st Stop: Emmett O'Neal Mother Goose Halloween Party! Complete with songs, rhymes, cute children in their costumes + a Halloween snack of marshmallows and juice boxes! Does life get more fun as a 1 1/2  year old? Probably not! The girls love Ms. Eve tremendously and are mesmerized by her way with children.They sit so still and watch her every move and now it is so much fun to see them interact and participate in the songs and dance! 

2nd Stop: Krispy Kreme (2nd visit if you're counting!) Who can turn down free donuts when wearing a costume? Not these girls =) Sprinkled donuts and chocolate milk= not a bad snack! The four kids did great sitting in their high chairs and sporting their Kripy Kreme hats for the photo op! From there we headed to...

3rd Stop: Hoover Library! They offer trick or treating at each circulation desk so the girls had an absolute ball being unstrapped from their stroller and being given free reign to walk quietly run wild through the library! These two little pumpkins caught on rather quickly to the idea of walk up, hold out your bucket, sign please and candy is dropped in. Baby B would sprint to the next stop while Baby A would stop to smell the flowers (or examine how the bookshelves are made). They did fabulous and it was such a joy to see them enjoying themselves so much and experience a little independence!

4th Stop: Lunch at the Schilder's House! Let's just say lunch on the floor of a new house with nothing containing them was not a huge success. But we can safely say they had a great time testing out some new toys and running every which way with two of their library friends! We decided it was probably best to get at least a short nap in before a night of trick or treating so we headed home. And we had not been gone for more than 3 minutes before I turned around to see two babies, fast asleep!

We continued the fun festivities with several families later that night! We couldn't have asked for better weather as we made our rounds up and down the streets of Ross Bridge, letting the girls trick or treat. If there was a "stick" (aka lollipop), then that was the girls obvious pick! And unbeknownst to me, Makenzie had bitten through quite a few wrappers to get to the sucker :) Too funny, but rather sticky!! All in all, the day was such a memory & our Halloween was quite happy! All four of us slept rather soundly from all the fun that was had!

Introducing the Girls to Krispy Kreme...

I'd like to say that I never let my 1 1/2 year olds eat unhealthy things, but that would not be the truth. I'm all about making memories, even if it means a full of saturated fat kinda memory from Krispy Kreme! The way I see it is we eat healthy all throughout the week for three meals a day so if we want to splurge on an ice cream cone, popsicle, or donut, they'll be ok! =) They definitely get their fill of fruits and veggies so letting their little palates taste a Chocolate Glazed Covered in Sprinkles donut was quite a change for them! :) We went with one of their favorite little friends, Mac and his mom because the hubbies were out of town! All five of us had a blast, that is, until our sweet Maddie Grace face planted out of the chair into the tile wall. All was going well until then...but we survived, managed to snap a few pics of our cutie pies sporting their Krispy Kreme hats, and enjoyed watching them lick the chocolate off the donut! I'm certain this won't be our last trip to this sweet little spot!

Trip Back Home...

Anyone who has small children knows that it takes being very intentional to get any "projects" or other things done around the house. Or at least it does for us with having two littles the same age! If Kendall is home, he is helping me take care of and play with the girls. So to carve out time for the hubby to work on anything means I either give up his help (which I'm rarely eager to do! =) or we leave town! We decided to head to Atlanta to see my whole family so Kendall could have an entire, uninterrupted weekend to work on building the girls a kitchen for Christmas. Amazing what you can get done in that amount of time! We missed him being there with us terribly, but it was a great time to see my siblings and parents and make a few memories along the way! We love our families and we love spending time with them which we count as such a blessing!

Here are my two precious girls after arriving to Atlanta! They look like little toddlers to me rather than babies! =(

On Saturday, we decided to hit the ground running! And to get this kind of crowd anywhere requires a little planning! We had the best time going to Berry Patch Farms and enjoying their pumpkin patch, hayrides, farm animals, and some homemade ice cream! Such fun to take the 3 cousins on an outing and watch them interact be in their independent worlds. =) And I do believe ALMOST everyone is looking in the right direction for this family pic!

The kiddos were so cute investigating all the mini pumkins and ghourds. If only we could have taken a few home to create a nice centerpiece, ha! The weather couldn't have been prettier and after the girls "tested" out each and every pumpkin by sitting on them, we made our way back to the hayride!

Probably the highlihgt for them was eating homemade ice cream at 10:30ish....life is good girls! Enjoy the little things that can bring so much joy!

All 3 munchkins took great naps for us and woke up just in time to watch the 2nd half of the Auburn game. We might not look good out there on the field, but we sure do have three cutie pies sportin' their Auburn gear! We're still working on their WAR EAGLE before they make their way to the loveliest village on the plains in a few weeks...

And last but not least, we couldn't miss a chance to enjoya  mini ice cream cone treat from Bruster's while we were home! The girls love, love, love ice cream and usually devour the entire thing =) Just like their mommy! We headed to the park at FBC to run off some energy before heading home and had the BEST time chasing our rambunctious, lively little things all over the place! I sure was thankful for extra eyes and hands to assist in catching them flying down the slide or climbing the rock wall! Not easy to be in two places at once...

We loved our time as a family and soak up the memories we make each time we're all together in one place! Such sweet, special time that we know we are certainly not guaranteed! So we Praise God for His mercy in sustaining our lives and allowing us to experience such joy through relationships here on earth, but more than that, a relationship with Him! 

Our Two Pumpkins at the Patch!

A lot has changed in a year. A WHOLE lot. Starting with the size of these two lil pumpkins:

We can hardly believe our eyes when we think about how much they have grown! We give God all the honor, praise, and glory due His name for the way He has sustained their lives and by His grace, allowed them to grow and develop so well over this past year!

We ventured back to a new pumpkin patch for our family this year after church on Sunday. We knew with them missing both their morning and afternoon nap, we might be in for it, but if you know anything about our parenting style, this probably doesn't surprise you :) So to Old Bakers Farm we went! Started out with a few rides on the mini tractors...took turns "driving" and then we headed to the..

Cotton Bounce (aka:trailer full of cotton to jump on!) 

Maddie Grace loved it. Makenzie hated it. Usually the way it goes with our two :) Total opposite reactions! We should probably have been more sensitive to our daughter who was petrified but we couldn't stop laughing at the fact that she was trembling over some soft, white cotton! =)

After calming Baby B down, we attempted a family pic in front of the corn maze and then we made our way to see the hay bales! Usually this would be right up Makenzie's alley to climb all over them, but we think she was still recovering from the cotton bounce. =)

Love my sweet, slobbery kisses from my babies!!

It's not ever an easy task for us to get them smiling when they are rested and happy, much less tired and a tad fussy. Nevertheless, we gave it our best shot and this is what we got. Plus their reward was getting to go see all the animals in the petting zoo area afterwards. Maddie Grace is so content when she is looking at or touching animals. She truly loves them and seems so in awe of them. Makenzie likes them from a distance just fine, but if they move towards her, she quickly signs all done and reaches up to be held!

Next up: a quick little snack break to breathe new life into these famished, exhausted babes!

Clearly gave them the fuel they needed to muster up a tad more fun at the actual pumpkin patch. A first not only for them, but their mommy as well! We literally "picked" our own pumpkins! Such a neat experience and even better now that we're done carrying two toddlers, two pumpkins, two snack cups, blanket, loveys and pacis along with us! What were we thinking bringing anything but the babies on the hayride!?! That's a lot to carry!

The girls did great out there in the patch and enjoyed sitting on their pumpkins and sat perfectly still there and back on the hayride! Once we returned, the girls discovered their love for hay bale mazes! They LOVED sneaking up on each other and chasing one another through the "path!" Their squeals of delight were music to our ears and we so loved watching them have so much fun together out there!

We literally had to drag them out of the maze and back into their stroller to make it home before dinnertime! Our last stops were to munch on a few snacks: bbq sandwich, roasted corn, hot chocolate and chips! Mommy and Daddy were rather hungry for a late, late lunch and the girls enjoyed climbing all over the picnic tables and making new friends. They took one last ride on the tractors before we called it a day!

A day full of family memories were well enjoyed and well documented! AND before we could even exit the parking lot, we turned around to find this tired little pumpkin fast asleep!

Maddie Grace's Camping Date with Daddy!

So this sweet 18 month old doesn't know just how blessed she is yet. That is... to have the daddy she does. He loves her and her sister so much. He wants them to know that deeply and fully. He wants them to understand the love of their Heavenly Father from the way he loves them here on earth. And boy does he do an incredible job. The sacrifices are plentiful for them on a daily basis and as his wife I can say that things for himself come AFTER things for them. 

 And so the daddy/daughter dates have begun. The girls first date was to the Birmingham Zoo together, but now we want to be diligent and intentional with them having one-on-one time with just daddy to themselves. Good time for them and good time for daddy to love on just one baby! And this sweet little toddler got to go camping with her daddy! Yep, an overnight with her favorite person. Complete with hotdogs, a fire, movies, books, and love and kisses! We'll keep good details and pictures so one day she can look back and maybe, just maybe recall some of these super fun memories!

Arriving to their campsite at Tannehill on Friday night (Oct.5, 2012)...beginning the setup process! And in the dark no less...brave daddy!

The tent is up, dinner is cooking, and Maddie Grace is exploring this whole 'tent' thing!

Maddie Grace was a little unsure about going to sleep. Daddy said she was tired, but didn't understand that this was where she would sleep. =) But, believe or not, she fell asleep and slept soundly from 10:45 (yes, way past her bedtime!) until 7am! Great job Maddie Grace!

A beautiful, fall Saturday morning. Maddie Grace enjoying the cool, crisp weather her sippy cup of milk while daddy breaks down the tent & loads everything up!

Loving her alone time with daddy, exploring the woods, and not having to eat breakfast in her highchair :)

A leisurely stroll around the campgrounds, a breakfast snack in the rocking chair, and ALL SMILES from the memories she just made with her incredible daddy!! 

Daddy daughter camping date complete and successful. Next up is Makenzie's 2nd date! 

Thanks daddy for taking me camping. I hope you never forget my sweet smile, playful ways, and adorable disposition I possess at this age! I love you to the moon and back!

Love, Maddie Grace

18 Months! Savoring their "littleness" =)

18 MONTH STATS:

• Height: Mak-30 in (9%); MG- 30 ¼ in (15%)
• Weight: Mak- 21 lbs 12 oz. (13%); MG- 25 lbs 10 oz. (67%)
• Diapers: Mak-Size 3; MG- size 4
• Clothes: Mak-12 months, some 12-18 mo; MG- mostly 18 mo/ some 12-18 mo
• Shoes: Mak-size 3; MG size 4
• Teeth count: Mak-5 with 1 on the way; MG-8

Waiting at the doctor...still happy little campers for now...

To my sweet little pumpkins!

Today you are 1 ½ years old which mommy and daddy knew would come oh so soon! And it is here. We have mixed emotions as we watch you grow into toddlers and real people with real personalities! We are so humbled by God’s provision for our family and how he has provided for us in such real and tangible ways. We are more than blessed. You girls are more than adorable and you just bubble over with such personality these days. We love you girls more than we can adequately express and we count it such a privilege and a joy that the Lord has entrusted us with the task of raising you two up to fear Him. We pray for your hearts and your souls very regularly and long and hope with anticipation when you might begin to seek the things of God. You both have just begun putting your little hands together at prayer time and that makes our hearts melt already. It is beyond precious and just shows us how truly moldable you are at such a young age. We are doing our best to pour into you girls spiritual truths that we hope you grow into. We don’t want you to grow up with a watered down version of the Gospel. We trust that the Lord will indeed open your eyes and that you both will see a magnificent Creator who is all powerful, all sovereign, and all worthy of your praise! You continue to make us laugh, fill our hearts with joy, and give us an immeasurable amount of happiness from your sweet lives. Savoring you two at this age is what we are praying for amidst the busyness, the messes, the temper tantrums, and the beginning stages of disobedience. We pray for God’s grace as we strive to be vessels and tools in your lives that ultimately lead you back to the cross and back to Christ, your only hope in this life. Our love for you girls is, and always will be, unconditional. And the depth of that love only grows with time. We love you Maddie Grace and Makenzie!!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

 What new things you girls have done this month!? (from 17-18mo)

-play with your baby dolls-LOVE to feed, rock, sway, wipe, & burp your babies; also love to put them in the stroller or high chair! (really began right after turning 17 mo!)

-They both put their hands together to “pray” but Maddie Grace has just begun saying her own prayers!!! (she bows her head and puts her hand together, mumbles a decently long prayer and then ends with an exclamation as she pops her head up J beyond precious!)

-tackle each other, hug and kiss each other

-“Help” each other by giving paci/blankie/a hug if sad J

-wave hi and bye to everyone in sight! (esp Mak!)

-Makenzie still loves to be wild-esp in her crib-loves to bounce like crazy and then fall down

-love to wrestle with each other in their cribs

-love singing songs and reading books still! Know the correct motions for If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands!

-MG still an avid thumbsucker and Mak is still obsessed with her paci and loves to have extras to put her pointer finger in (although we’ve cut down on the paci usage to bedtime and naps)

-OBSESSED with books still-will bring after book to you and will both plop down in your lap to be read to & MG will put the book at your face to get your attention J-don’t love long stories; prefer ones where mommy can have them identify objects/animals or touch different textures or lift flaps; attention span is quite short

-Makenzie is very shy/bashful around new people when we are out and about and can often tear up

-love tossing the diapers over the gate and watching them tumble down the stairs

-enjoy putting things in the trash, even things that don’t need to be in there!

-MG is still our little organizer, she concentrates so hard lining things up, stacking things, collecting and emptying and filling things; Makenzie is a lot more careless in this area =)

-MG is very very observant and picks up tiny details and small little nooks, crannies, screws….she is so her daddy! J detail oriented already!

-both are getting more territorial and possessive over toys/space J

-favorite foods AT THE MOMENT (which changes daily, if not more like each meal!)- For Mak- mac n cheese, broccoli, hummus, avocadoes, watermelon, cheese sticks, veggie straws, Buddy Fruit gummies, bagels with cream cheese, grilled cheese, turkey/cheese melt on wheat tortilla, diced turkey/cheese snack lunchable (terrible I know!) banana pancakes, English muffins, toast, & nutri-grain bars; For MG- just about ANY fruit, this girl will gobble it up-especially loves kiwi, pears, peaches, watermelon and raspberries!, broccoli, corn, peas, chicken nuggets, grilled cheese, diced turkey/cheese snack lunchable (terrible I know!), hummus, yogurt, applesauce

-Maddie Grace is generally a much better eater and loves her fruits and veggies! Makenzie makes mealtime a battle quite often L but other times she will eat a good meal-it’s just hit or miss trying to figure out what she likes today, at THIS particular meal =)

Who Needs Mommy & Daddy to Have Fun!?!

So the previous post was about all the memories that Kendall and I made while we were in Mexico, so now it's time to recap their fun-filled, loved on, week with Nana & Granddad! We are so thankful for both sets of parents who love our girls so much and are not only willing to watch our girls, but delight in having them all to themselves! We know they were in great hands and made millions of special memories! So win/win for everyone involved...great chance to spend one-on-one time with the hubby and great opportunity for the girls to spend one-on-one time with their grandparents! A big thank you to Kendall's parents for keeping the twins for 6 full days...not an easy task folks! And let me tell you..they didn't just survive! They played with them every waking minute and wore them out so much so that they slept 12 hours every night all night! Our girls are well loved....and this set of parents is so thankful!

4 Year Anniversary...3 months later!

Well I can't say enough about how blessed I am to be married to this man I call my husband! In God's infinite wisdom, He hand-picked the perfect man who would best compliment me and in the process of living life together refine my character, lead me closer to the Lord, share my joys and sorrows, and glorify God through this momentary marriage we have here on earth. I could never put into words how grateful I am for Kendall. The man of integrity he is, the way he loves his family well, how he speaks words of wisdom, how he lives a humble life, how he puts others first, and how he loves his Savior! I am so thankful for 4 years of marriage to this incredible husband and daddy to our girls and pray God grants us many more if it be His will! He planned a delayed anniversary trip for us (June 21st is our actual anniversary!) in September for several reasons. 1. We needed babysitters for a week for our girls and 2. We got an incredible deal because it is their off-season. Those 2 reasons led us back to the same place we celebrated our 3rd anniversary!

Back to the Fairmont Mayakoba we went and boy was it even better than last year! (no pumping around the clock/waking up in the middle of the night to ensure a good milk supply!!) Needless to say, we felt sooo free on this trip and were able to just relax, enjoy spending time as husband and wife, re-evaluate where the Lord has us in life right now & discuss where we hope to be in the coming year. Such a great time for us to reflect on God's goodness and grace in our lives and plan out how we can be intentional with the time he has given us in this season in our parenting, in serving others, and being involved in our local church body through our small group! No distractions, great sleep, delicious food, fun excursions, and a break from our normal take care of two babies day in and day out routine! To say we had a fantastic time would be an understatement! Of course we missed our girls like crazy, but what a blessing for us to have time for just the two of us! We are so thankful for the resources God has given us to make this possible & grandparents who were willing to keep TWINS for 6 full days!

First night back at the Fairmont! Enjoying a nice dinner out at La Laguna! (And catching up on how our girls are doing in our absence :)

Our second day in Playa Del Carmen-enjoyed sleeping in late, lounging by the pool, and watching the sun set before dinner by the beach!

Enjoying a 5-course meal, courtesy of our food credit that came with our fantastic deal! =) (I've never met someone who could find such amazing travel deals at such extravagant places no less than my sweet hubby!)

We arrived to Mayakoba on Tuesday and since we had until Sunday there, I agreed to serve my hsuband by accompanying him on a little day trip to Chichen Itza, one of the seven wonders of the world (at least on some lists!) Definitely wasn't my idea of the perfect day, but the hubby got exactly the pictures he wanted and can not check this off his bucket list! (it's quite a long list he has by the way :)

A few snapshots of our beautiful resort! We love how big it is and yet how exclusive and quiet it has been during both of our visits! Helps to go during their slow season! The service is incredible and you feel like you have the whole resort to yourself :) Not bad for staying five nights for the price of ONE!

Enjoying the property! + chilling in our suite upgrade (another perk from our recent Fairmont credit card=)

Another enjoyable dinner at Las Brisas down by the beach! We had a little visitor join us at the end of our meal which was good or I may not have wanted to finish eating :)

 SPA day! What a fun birthday treat for both of us! Not to mention we had the whole facility for just the two of us! So much fun!

 One of our favorite things to do on vacation is have dinner at other nice resorts! We know we can't afford to stay there but we can manage a dinner out mixed with drinking tap water :) So here we are at the Rosewood in Mayakoba-what a fantastic resort and romantic dinner!

 a little photoshoot on the green after dinner...testing out camera settings =)

 and again back in our suite!

Kendall enjoyed his two for one golf deal and I rode with him on his 2nd round to enjoy the immaculate landscape and gorgeous views along the way! And to share in one of his passions =)

One of our favorite things here at the resort is riding the bikes all over!

 Another dinner at a very unique and beautiful resort! Ate dinner at the Viceroy and the view was just incredible! These memories we made will stay with us forever, that's for sure! Too hard to describe how neat these places are to anyone!

 Last lunch on the property! Grilled grouper sandwich and chicken quesadilla to fill us up before the journey home! Sure will miss this place, but even more than that, time together for just US!