Twins 1st Birthday

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Love Books...Check out Paperback Swap

Have you guys heard about this club? I have been using this site for about a year and I love it. I know some of you guys love books at your house too and I thought you would be interested. I have recieved books on parenting, spiritual growth, cookbooks, fiction, etc. If you decide to sign up pls click the link in this blog or put down my nickname (taychambers) as the referrer...I'll get another book credit!

Some of my Faves!

I've been spending so much time reading other people's blogs that I haven't taken time to write on my own! Planning our meals and cooking them has brought me so much joy lately. I have a few sites that I browse around daily for inspiration. Here are some of my faves (in no particular order).

Joy In My Kitchen

SnoWhite is the chef of this blog. She has great pictures to go along with her made from scratch recipes. I find that her food is easy to make, tasty, and full of ingredients that normal people use. I have made several of her dishes including Penne with chicken and spinach and Smothered Aussie Chicken I've also tried two of her bread recipes. This whole wheat bread is delicious and I'm sure I won't be trying a new recipe for wheat bread as I've found "the one." This breadstick recipe was fun to make and reminded me of the breadsticks from the Olive Garden.

Life As Mom


Jessica is the Mom of this blog. One of my favorite features is the Ultimate Recipe Swap that's held on Thursdays. Each week, bloggers from around the country join this blogging carnival with their recipes that goes along with the theme for the week. Jessica also has another blog called, "Good and Cheap Eats." This is where she posts all of her recipes and tips for eating on a budget. Jessica has 6 kids, so her meals are very family friendly and full of variety. Recently, she has started a freezer cooking day at the beginning of the month. You can read about it here. Tomorrow is the twins 1st birthday! We're having a party and I'm serving pizza using Jessica's homemade pizza dough. We had it a few weeks ago and it is very good.

Lynn's Kitchen Adventures



I haven't tried any of Lynn's recipes yet, but I've spent a lot of time drooling over her pictures. Her recipes look healthy, tasty, and easy to make. I'm looking forward to trying some of her easy cheesy bread and mexican pizza.

Some websites and blogs that have great recipe indexes are Kraft Foods, Taste Of Home, Food Network (check out Paula Deen, The Neely's and Rachael Ray), Amy's Finer Things, Tammy's Recipes, and The Sister's Cafe.

Those links should keep you busy for awhile! What are your favorite sites for recipes?

An Early Christmas Present

I have been wanting a breadmaker for a long time. Thanks to my sister, Joy, I now have one! I'm so happy and grateful. I couldn't get a picture of the one that she brought me to post at the top of the page, but here it is. This morning I made my 1st loaf of bread. It was ok...but I'm not giving up. I found another recipe thanks to SnoWhite. This is the one that I'm going to try next. My plan is to start making pizza dough for Family Pizza Night on Saturdays and to make bread for us to eat throughout the week!

Thanks Baby Girl...you've made me a happy woman!

Menu Plan Monday...or Tuesday!

Well, I've had our menu done for quite some time...I'm just a little late posting it. I tried something new this month and made out our menu for the entire month, instead of just for one week. It's so hard to get to the grocery store, so while my Mom was in town I stocked up for the entire month.

As I'm writing, I have a 10 lb. turkey in the oven! I'm going to use the meat throughout the month for a few meals. I brined it...you can read more about that here. From what I hear, once you brine a turkey, you will never want it any other way. It should be very juicy and flavorful. I'll be sure to let you know!

Here's our meal plan for the week.

Monday- Shepherd's Pie remix (I changed it up a bit)
Tuesday- Turkey, Collard Greens, Mac and Cheese, Homemade Bread (more to come on that!)
Wednesday- Turkey Pockets (kinda like this, but a little different)
Thursday- Turkey Divan (substituting turkey for chicken), Rolls
Friday- Fried Fish, Fries (we've been having fried fish on Fridays for several months. I love family traditions!)
Saturday- Homemade Pizza (trying to start a new tradition of Homemade Pizza with my own dough on Saturdays)

Check out orgjunkie.com for more menu plans!

My Helper

Halley continues to be a great helper. She loves all things domestic and is really good at it, as you can see. I just hope she keeps this enthusiasm for cleaning forever!

Macky's Marine Crawl

My Macky Boy has been doing the marine crawl for several months now. Isn't it cute? When I lay him down at night, there is a huge streak of gray down the front of his onesie! I've been wanting to get it on video for awhile, so I'm so glad I did. As you can see, he's starting to crawl on his hands and knees now. Before I know it, he'll be walking.

Bath Time

The twins have graduated from the infant tub and now take baths with their big sister. It's quite a feat to keep them from slipping and sliding all over the place, but is such a joy to watch. They enjoy "swimming" in the tub and splashing around. I have to keep my eyes peeled when I bathe them, but the joy that fills my heart as I hear them squeal is more than worth it!

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Dr. Seuss for Nursing Moms

(I'm not sure who wrote this poem)

Would you nurse her in the park?
Would you nurse him in the dark?
Would you nurse him with a Boppy?
And when your boobs are feeling floppy?

I would nurse him in the park,
I would nurse her in the dark.
I'd nurse with or without a Boppy.
Floppy boobs will never stop me.

Can you nurse with your seat belt on?
Can you nurse from dusk till dawn?
Though she may pinch me, bite me, pull,
I will nurse her `till she's full!

Can you nurse and make some soup?
Can you nurse and feed the group?
It makes her healthy strong and smart,
Mommy's milk is the best start!




Would you nurse him at the game?
Would you nurse her in the rain?
In front of those who dare complain?
I would nurse him at the game.
I would nurse her in the rain.

As for those who protest lactation,
I have the perfect explanation.
Mommy's milk is tailor made
It's the perfect food, you need no aid.

Some may scoff and some may wriggle,
Avert their eyes or even giggle.
To those who can be cruel and rude,
Remind them breast's the perfect food!

I would never scoff or giggle,
Roll my eyes or even wiggle!
I would not be so crass or crude,
I KNOW that this milk's the perfect food!




We make the amount we need
The perfect temp for every feed.
There's no compare to milk from breast-
The perfect food, above the rest.

Those nursing smiles are oh so sweet,
Mommy's milk is such a treat.
Human milk just can't be beat.




I will nurse, in any case,
On the street or in your face.
I will not let my baby cry,
I'll meet her needs, I'll always try.
It's not about what's good for you,
It's best for babies, through and through.

I will nurse her in my home,
I will nurse her when I roam.
Leave me be lads and ma'am.
I will nurse her, Mom I am


Nursing our children has been such a joy and a blessing. I wish more people could experience it. I love it for many reasons and some are: b/c it creates such a special bond with the baby, is oh so convenient, and is FREE!!! Before having the twins, I thought that I would nurse and bottlefeed b/c afterall nobody is crazy enough to nurse twins! LOL. I purchased bottles with gift cards from my showers and thought they would be used. I have to say however that the bottles have been used maybe about 4 times. Sounds crazy and unbelievable, I know! With Halley, I pumped milk, but b/c we didn't give her a bottle early on, she never really learned how to use one. My supply of frozen milk was mixed with her cereal and given to her around 9 months when she started on a sippy cup. I pumped a few times when the twins were born, but didn't keep up with it b/c I really don't have time to pump. With the twins it has just been easier to pop my breast in their mouths and keep on truckin'. They are 7 months now and I still nurse them simultaneously sometimes as it saves time. I would love to be a lactation consultant and encourage women to nurse their babies...the benefits are GREAT!!!

Twins - 7 months

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First Fight

I'm sure this is the first of many fights to come! And it looks like Rae Rae will be walking in her sister's shoes with all that biting she's doing...Lord, help!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

Macky Boy's Thoughts on Girls

That's My Girl!

Breezy continues to be such a blessing to our family. She is the greatest helper ever and has such a servant's heart! She LOVES the twins so much and will do anything for them (except share her beloved blanket). I want to fill you in on a few of the cute things she has been doing and saying lately.
1. "Where Daddy are?"
2. She uses Baby Talk with the twins which is oh-so-cute! The only thing is that her speech is already hard to understand, so she could talk in her regular voice and it would sound like Baby Talk!
3. Her dad lets her change the twin's diapers...and she does a pretty good job at it! She even squeezes the diaper beforehand to see if it's wet!
4. She asks to hold hands when we pray over our food. We don't usually hold hands except on Thursday's when we have our Life Group with church members. I guess she likes it, b/c she always asks to hold hands now.
5. She went to Atlanta to stay w/ my parents for a couple of days. My dad let her mop the kitchen floor...and he says he has a video of it.
6. Tonight she told me to leave the bathroom while she did her thing and "close da door...close it hard!"
7. "Mommy, hold you." Translation: "Mommy, hold me." Isn't that cute
8. "Wanna watch hatha birfday." Meaning: She loves to watch the videos of herself on my blog...especially this one of her 2nd birthday and this one where she teaches her baby to use the potty.
9. Everytime I want to take a picture of her with her siblings, she grabs the babies' hands. Why? I don't know...she just does! And here is the proof:


8. I have to admit that I let Breezy feed the babies sometimes, too! She does a pretty good job, dontcha think?

Mama Always Said, "You have not because you ask not!"

The other day, I decided to go out with the kiddies to cash in on the free KFC. I packed up all the kids up and off we went. When I got to the drive thru, I was told that I had to get a raincheck for the chicken b/c of the "overwhelming response." What did they think was going to happen...after all they advertised on Oprah!

I got the raincheck and had to put it in the mail that day. But alas, I had no stamps! Since the post office was close by, I decided to go. However, there was no way I was going to get the double stroller out, unload Halley, snap in the twins, run inside for 1 stamp, push the stroller back outside while getting Halley to hold onto the stroller, buckle Halley back in, lift the twins back into their seats, put the double stroller away, and get back in the car! Aren't you tired just thinking about how much energy that would take?

So here was my solution: I backed the truck up from where I was parked to get closer to the door and asked a complete stranger something like this, "Excuse me ma'am, I have 3 very cute but hard to transport children in my car. Would you please find it in yourself to help a sista out?" Of course she obliged. I even got express service b/c her son was with her and ran the stamps and my change out to me! Like mama said, "You have not because you ask not!"

Twins - 5 months!

Dear Rae Rae,
Today you are 5 months old. You are such a sweetheart and full of personality. It seems to me that you are growing out of your nickname of Baby Set It Off. You have mellowed out some and aren't quite as demanding. It's easier to soothe you and meet your demands these days. In the past 2 months you started rolling over (you accomplished this feat about 3 weeks after Max). Most people say it's because you have so much baby fat on you that it's harder for you to roll over! However, you were able to bear weight on your legs before your brother. I attached a mirror to your crib and it keeps you occupied and cooing for good lengths of time. You can clasp your hands together like you are praying and push up on your arms. Your hair is very curly and I adorn it with one or two barrettes to add to your cuteness factor! You are an excellent napper and night time sleeper. At your last Dr's appointment you weighed 13 lbs 1 oz. You had to get 3 shots and you were quite the trooper...barely cried at all. Your skin is still so soft and I love rubbing my face against your cheeks. I wish I could bottle something to keep you a baby forever! However, I know that you will get even sweeter and more precious to me with time...so, I guess I'll let you grow up!
Rae Rae, Mommy loves you!





Macky Boy,
What a sweet little boy you are! It is amazing how much you look like your Daddy. This month, I put a baseball cap on you for the first time and I absolutely love it. You look so cute in it. I think wearing a hat will be your signature look. You are very active and quite a squirmer. You are a very happy baby and full of sweet laughter and cooing sounds. You and Rae Rae both started sucking your thumbs last month. I had vowed not to let anymore of our kids be thumbsuckers b/c Halley's thumb is in terrible shape. However, I let you and Rae Rae have your way! You can bear weight on your legs, push up on your arms, and recognize familiar voices. On Mother's Day, Auntie Erika and Oma gave you your first taste of rice cereal. After about a week, you were keeping most of it in your mouth and not pushing the majority of it out. You are still pretty laid back, but not hesitant to let out your high pitched shrill to let me know how you are really feeling! Most nights you sleep all night and wake up around 6:30. At your last Dr's appointment you weighed 13 lbs. Even though you are only 1 oz. behind Mariah, she is in the 45th percentile and you are in the 15th b/c the boys growth curve is different from the girls. I am really proud of your progress and I think you will be bigger than Mariah in no time! But, oh what I wouldn't do to keep you little forever!
I love you Macky Boy!

There's More Than One Way To Skin A Cat...or Swing a Swing

Still Saving

Bruno's had triple coupons up to $0.55 this weekend. That means that all coupons were worth 3X their face value (a coupon for $0.55 was worth $1.65...which is great!). I'm so glad that I was able to go. I had to be careful though, b/c Bruno's is very high! Even w/ triple coupons some of their deals were not as good as I could get w/ BOGO deals at Publix. I had in mind only to buy things that were $2 or less, so that w/ the Q they would cost me less than $0.50 or so. Here is what I purchased:




Regular Price: $36.57
- $20.83 (sales and coupons)
Total OOP: $17.78 (w/ tax)

Total Savings: 52%

To put this shopping trip into perspective, I'll tell you that the Gain Detergent was $13.98 by itself before the sale! I spent about $4 more and recieved everything else! Can you believe that? I'm telling you, couponing is definetly worth it. Yes, it took time to clip the qs and research different blogs for great deals, but in the end it was certainly worth it!

Publix Super Savers

Wow! I'm back into the savings game! After church (and a much needed nap) Halley and I headed out to Bruno's (I will post about this trip in a separate post) and Publix. My Publix trip was GREAT. Here is what I purchased:



The picture is cloudy, so I will list what I purchased along with the price after the Q
4- 12 pack A&W and 7 Up $5.99
2- Digiorno Pizza $3.75 each
1 - 96 count Huggies $11.50
1- Huggies Soft Skin Wipes - FREE w/ *Publix Promise*
2- Cashew Sandies $1 each
1- Publix Cocoa Butter - FREE
1- Huggies Natural Wipes - FREE
1- Publix Alcohol - FREE
1- Publix Iced Tea - $.01
2- 3 lb bags Fuji Apples - $1.50 each
1- 24 bottles Aquafina $3.99

Regular Price: $86.41
-$11.38 (sales)
-$30.67 (coupons)
Total OOP: $37.39

Total Savings: 57%


*B/C of the Publix Promise I recieved the Huggies wipes for free! They rang up for $6.99 instead of $5.99, so my money was refunded.


I had lots of savings highlights which made me very happy! For instance, the big box of Huggies were on sale for $19.99. I had a Publix Q for $5, a Target Q for $1.50, and a Manufacturer's Q for $2. That means I paid $12 for the Huggies. If you have a child that is under 2, you should definetly sign up for the Publix Baby Club. This week, I recieved several great coupons in the mail for joining the club. I also recieved the cocoa butter, alcohol, small pack of Huggies wipes free with Baby Club Qs. I had a coupon for every item that I purchased except for the Aquafina water, but it was on sale...of course!

Once I got home, I checked over my reciept and found a few mistakes, so I returned to the store and got credit for a few items. I will try to make a practice of checking my reciept before I leave the store.


I really enjoyed my trip to Publix and I'm looking forward to more great deals!

For more Publix deals, check out Publix Super Savers at Fiddledeedee!

CVS Superstars

Halley was out of pull-ups (she wears them at night, for naps, and for mother's morning out twice a week) so when my parents got in town I went to CVS to buy some. Good thing for me, CVS was offering a great deal. With a purchase of $25 of certain baby items, I could recieve $10 in ECBs. The first night, this is what I purchased:


2- 29 count Pull-ups, reg. price $12.99 on sale for $10

Total:$22

-Qs used:
$3/$15 CVS internet q
$2 Huggies

OOP: $16.50

I would have done the entire deal that night, but I wanted to go home and get another $2 Huggies Q.

On Saturday night, I went back to CVS and completed the deal. Here is what I purchased:




Charmin toilet paper- reg. price 12.99 sale price $9.99
Huggies Pull-ups- reg. price 12.99 sale price $10
2 Colgate toothpaste reg. price 3.29 sale price $2.99

Total: $28.57

-Qs used:
$5/$25 CVS q
2- $0.75 Colgate q
$2 Huggies q
$0.50 ECB

Total OOP: 19.02
ECB recieved $10 for Huggies
$2 Colgate

Since my mom was with me and I need LOTS of diapers for the twins, I had her do the deal too. Here's what she got:



2- 40 ct Huggies diapers reg. price $12.49 sale price $10
2- Johnsons Head to Toe Body Wash reg price $4.49 sale price $3
1- Big Red Gum

Total $29.90

Qs used
2- $1.50 off Huggies
1- $1 off Johnson's
1- Free Big Red

OOP: 24.72
ECB's earned: $10 for Huggies, $0.50- Winter Spending Earnings

Now I have $22.50 in ECB's. What deals will I snatch up next?

Twins- 3 months

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On March 19th, the twins turned 3 months old. I have a goal to write them a letter each month. Here are their letters for this month.


Dear Macky,
You are such a sweet boy! Thinking of how sweet you are really makes me smile. I love seeing your toothless grin and wide smile. Your creamy dark brown skin is so beautiful and I truly love you. This month you have learned to hold your paci in your mouth for much longer periods. I love that because I don't have to rush to your room as often to give you your beloved paci. You have a very high pitched cry and sometimes sound like a squealing pig (albeit a very cute little pig)! You are very easy going and laid back. Nothing really bothers you which is great since your sisters can be a little more demanding. I think you are being a gentleman and letting the ladies go first! When I change your diaper, I sing to you..."Macky Boy, Macky Boy, I love my Macky Wacky Boy! I love my Macky, I love my Macky, I love my Macky Wacky Boy!" When I sing, you shoot me that winning grin that melts my heart! The day before you turned 3 months, you rolled over from your stomach to your back. I was so impressed. I sent text messages to Daddy and close friends and family. You did it two times in a row. I ran to get the camera and when I came back, you wouldn't do it anymore...oh well. You can also push up on your arms to hold your head up and look around. You love the swing and watching the mobile that's attached to it. Halley adores you and enjoys hugging and kissing you. At your last Dr's appointment you were only 1/2 lb behind Mariah. You are catching up to your big sister!
Macky, I love you,
Mommy

Dear Rae Rae,
You are such a delight and joy! Your facial expressions make me laugh. I love your round, puffy cheeks and toothless grin. Your thighs are pleasantly plump with rolls of fat. I like to say that you have 4 rolls of sexy bread on each leg! You are quite demanding and will scream until you get your way. Unlike your brother who takes a paci to go to sleep, you typically cry for 5-7 minutes and then go to sleep. You have been sleeping through the night since you were 8 weeks old. You look like such a big girl laying on your stomach peacefully asleep in your bed. You have started to laugh and coo, and it sounds so cute. Rae Rae, you are a very good nurser and sometimes help Macky at meal times. Macky gets upset when the milk doesn't come down fast enough, so sometimes I put him on the breast that you were on so that he can get what he wants. In that way, you are being a big sister to him and helping him with his meals! What a sweet girl you are. This month I started dressing you in some of Halley's baby clothes. It has brought back so many fond memories of Halley. You look just like her and sometimes I tell you that I had the same child twice. The only difference between the two of you is that your hair is curlier and you don't have a dimple. I hope that you two will be very close to each other. Even as I write this letter, Halley is "reading" to you...how cute!
Rae Rae, I love you,
Mommy

Wheelin' and Dealin' at Walgreen's

There's a hot new coupon out for $5 off a Huggies gentle care product. The wipes that I bought say gentle care and therefore qualify for the deal even though they are priced at $3. I used 2 coupons and got "paid" to purchase the items. I used the overage to buy some much needed boxes of tissue. I wanted to use the q on diapers, but of course they were out of stock. Anyway, I got all of this stuff for $1.61.

CVS Superstars

Since having the twins, I've put couponing on the back burner. Since my parents are here for the weekend, I had some time to get back to the savings. Here is what I purchased at CVS.



Huggies Pull-ups on sale for $9.88 reg. price $12.99
4 Johnson's Buddies soaps $4.76

Total $15.81

Qs used:
-$3/$15 CVS q sent via email
-$2 Huggies pull-ups
-2 $2/2 Johnson's Buddies

Total OOP $6.81

Savings of 62%!
What a great trip!

For more CVS deals, check out the Centsible Sawyer's CVS Superstars

Jesus Saves!

I love this song. The first time I heard it, I shouted...you'll know which part elicited this response when you get there!

My Firstborn

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Halley is growing so much. It's hard to believe what a big girl she is. Some of her favorite things to do are reading, playing with dolls, pushing her stroller, buckling herself in her carseat, changing her clothes, taking baths, helping with the babies, kissing the babies, wrestling her dad, and helping me with chores around the house. She can be so sweet but also a huge challenge. She is potty trained and uses the phrase, "I gotta hotty (potty)" as an excuse to get out the bed! It's so sweet to see her interact with the babies. In the morning she comes in the babies' room while I'm nursing and gives each of them a hug and a kiss. When I put them in the swing or baby chair she likes to buckle them in. This past weekend she went to a skating birthday party. For fun, I put a pair of skates on her. After helping her skate on the carpet for a little while, she was ready to be on her own. She did really well balancing and walking with the skates on. My baby is really growing up.

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Twins - 2 months

Menu Plan Monday

Since having the twins, I've really had to focus on time management. I haven't taken the twins out much and we certainly aren't going to the grocery together anytime soon. One baby would have to ride in the front and one in the back and Halley would have to walk beside me while holding on to the cart. With all that going on, where would I put the groceries?!!! The thought of doing that makes me anxious! So, the solution has been going to the commissary with my mom twice a month. I try to plan out our meals and keep a list of things that we have run out of.
Anyway, here's our menu for this week:

Sunday- turkey drumettes (cooked in an oven bag), turnip greens (frozen), and leftover hashbrown casserole

Monday- pork chops, potatos au gratin, corn

Tuesday- Meals on Wheels (a friend is bringing us dinner)

Wednesday- chicken over dried beef, rice, broccoli

Thursday- baked ziti, salad, bread

Friday- fried fish!! spinach, jiffy corn bread

For more menu plans, click here to visit www.orgjunkie.com

Frequently Asked Questions

The twins have brought on much curiosity from people. Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions:




1. How do you do it?
Well, I just do what I have to do! When I had Halley, I always wondered how people with multiples made it through the day. Now that I have a set myself, I see that it's possible to make it through the day and stay sane! As God promised, He has given me grace for each moment of the day. I didn't need grace to raise 3 children when I only had 1...He gives us what we need as the situation requires.


2. Are you getting any sleep?
Actually, I am. The first 6 weeks were pretty rough. But herein is God's grace again. I did not sleep much during my pregnancy and I think that just prepared me for being up at night with the twins. My body was already used to a small amount of sleep so that helped a lot. For the last week, Mariah has been sleeping 8 hours at night! Wow! Max had a few nights where he did 6 hours, but in the last couple of days he has been getting up once a night after his 11 o clock feeding. He's a fast nurser, so I'm back in bed within 15 minutes.
I used a plan called Baby Wise with Halley and the twins. It teaches parents how to put their babies on a schedule. With this method, most babies are sleeping through the night by 12 weeks of age. This way, I guide their eating and sleeping schedule, instead of the babies ruling me. I highly recommend it.

3. How is Halley handling the babies?
Well, she loves them a lot. She gives lots of hugs and kisses. Sometimes, she is overly eager to help and I have to watch her closely. She calls both of the babies Mac! One day she will learn that each have their own name.
Her behavior has not been so good, so we are having to discipline and instruct her a lot. I'm sure this has to do with not getting as much attention and the fact that she is 2. Being 2 is not an excuse, but we are definetly seeing some behavioral problems. Please pray that she will obey and that God will give us wisdom in training her.


The babies still sleep together. When one cries, it does not wake the other. That's amazing. I don't know how that works, but it does! We pretty much stay in the house, all day, everyday! This past weekend we had great weather, so I took all the kiddies to the park. If you know me, you know I love warm weather and walks at the park. It took me 4 hours (including bathing, eating lunch, and putting the stroller together) to get myself and everyone ready, but we eventually made it out and enjoyed the sunshine! The babies went to the doctor on Feb. 2 for a check up. Mariah weighed 9.5 lbs and Max was 8 lbs. 10 oz.! They have changed so much since birth. I'm trying to soak in the baby days, because they go by way too fast!

I've set a goal to blog atleast once a week. Hold me to it, ok?

25 Random Things

I posted this list on Facebook, but wanted to share it with you all too!

1. I went to 3 different High Schools (one each for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade)
2. I was not sick for even one day during my pregnancies. No morning sickness, no heartburn, no cravings.
3. I had 3 children in 2 years.
4. I lived in Germany for 8 years.
5. My husband and I are complete opposites (He is a risk taker, I'm cautious. He's an extrovert, I'm an introvert. He likes meat, I'm more into veggies and side items. He's outside the box, I'm a rule follower. I could go on and on!)
6. My mom is one of my best friends. I talk to her at least 3 times a day.
7. When I was in 12th grade, my Freshman sister was much more popular than I was. I was referred to as Joy's sister b/c everyone knew her.
8. I love ice cream (esp. from Bruster's...with a waffle bowl)!
9. I worked as a RN for 3 years before quitting to be a stay at home wife and mom.
10. I had an outtie belly button until I was 9 when I had surgery to repair it.
11. When I was a nurse, I loved drawing blood and starting IV's.
12. I taught myself to crochet when I was pregnant with Halley using a book from Wal Mart.
13. I didn't learn how to swim until I was 23.
14. In college, I made straight A's several times and graduated cum laude.
15. I took piano lessons for 5 years and clarinet for 2.
16. I can only eat cereal if the milk is ice cold…literally. I place a cup of milk in the freezer for an hour to let it get super cold and then I use it in my cereal.
17. If I ever had to go back to work as a nurse I would like to be a lactation consultant.
18. I played soccer in High School and made the all conference team twice.
19. I like to watch Jon and Kate plus 8. However, I think that Kate’s attitude toward her husband is terrible. She talks to him like he’s one of the children.
20. I wish I were not such a procrastinator. For example, I’m writing this list instead of doing something much more productive.
21. I love taking pictures of my children. I only wish I would get them printed out more often.
22. I would love to own a Honda Odyssey…shucks, all of my friend’s drive them and I want to be cool too!
23. I started taking sewing lessons when I was pregnant with Halley. I have made a couple of quilts, curtains, and pillows amongst other things.
24. Macy’s is my favorite store. My sister and mom pick out most of my clothes, because my sense of style is not that great. If I have on something cute, it’s because they helped me put it together!
25. I love nicknames. I think they are very endearing. My dad calls me Candy and has never called me Shaunta’ (when he says Shaunta’ when introducing me to people I think it sounds weird). I call Halley, “Brie Brie” and “Sweet Love”, Max is “Macky Wacky” or “Buddy”, Mariah is “Fat Mama Lucy” or “Rae Rae”, Eddie is “Baby.”

An Inaugural Prayer

I was so encouraged by Rick Warren's prayer. It was God exalting and glorifying. I am grateful that he prayed in the name of Jesus without apology. He used the words of Jesus in his prayer and in doing so honored our Lord. Thank you, Brother Rick for standing up for truth and not giving in to those who would want you to pray to "the god of our understanding" as this is such nonsense!
Here is the prayer:


Let us pray.

Almighty God, our Father, everything we see and everything we can’t see exists because of you alone. It all comes from you. It all belongs to you. It all exists for your glory.

History is your story. The Scripture tells us, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God. The Lord is One.” And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made.

Now, today, we rejoice not only in America’s peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time. We celebrate a hingepoint of history with the inauguration of our first African American president of the United States. We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility, where the son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven.

Give to our new President, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity. Bless and protect him, his family, Vice President Biden, the cabinet, and every one of our freely elected leaders.

Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans, united not by race, or religion, or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all. When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us. When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us. And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes, even when we differ.

Help us to share, to serve and to seek the common good of all. May all people of goodwill today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy and a more prosperous nation and a peaceful planet. And may we never forget that one day all nations and all people will stand accountable before you. We now commit our new president and his wife, Michelle and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care.

I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa, Jesus [Spanish pronunciation], Jesus, who taught us to pray:

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

My Sweet Love!

Halley is quite the character these days. I put her in bed about an hour and a half ago and she has gotten out the bed twice because she "gotta hotty" (that's potty for all of you who don't speak her language!) The second time she got out the bed she had on a totally different pair of pajamas than I put her to bed in...and she had on sandals! Obviously, she had been out of bed playing dress up! I put her back in bed and about 15 minutes later walked past her room to put one of the twins to bed. Guess what, under the crack of her door I could see that the light was on! I opened the door and she was sitting on the floor trying to fix her stepstool. Oh my...am I raising a 2 year old or a teenager?! A couple of months ago we were having trouble with Halley taking off her soiled diaper and throwing it out of her bed onto the floor (and it wasn't always just a #1 diaper). When she would visit my parents, my dad would tape up her diaper with electrical tape! Well, the other day, Halley brought me a stuffed animal the other day to put a diaper on it. I did as she told me. Later on I turned around and saw that she was playing with a roll of tape. I tore the tape off for her and she started putting it on the animal's diaper. Guess where she got that from? Halley, is becoming much more verbal. Sometimes, it still sounds like she's speaking French, but she's trying! I speak her language, so oftentimes I'm asked to translate. Here she is saying her ABC's.

The Twins are One Month Old

In some ways it's hard to believe that the twins are 30 days old! But when I think about all the sleepless nights, it definetly feels like 30 days have gone by! Our Mariah and Max are such a blessing and have brought joy to our lives. When Halley was born, it was hard for me to tell what her personality was like. I had nothing to compare her too, so I just thought she was a typical baby. This is not the case with the twins. I can see huge differences between them.

Max is VERY laid back and easy going. He loves his paci. Though we were told throughout the entire pregnancy that he was the bigger twin, this was not the case. He is about 7 pounds now, which is great, but he still has some work to do to catch up with his big sister! Max snorts when he cries which can be so funny. We love our sweet Max and are so glad to have him in our family.

Mariah is a typical girl...full of drama! She screams bloody murder to get your attention. As soon as she is picked up, peace comes over her and her emergency is over. Mariah has a double chin and full cheeks. She continues to put on the weight and love, love, loves to eat. She is not into the paci or bottles...she wants the real deal! Mariah looks just like Halley looked as a baby. She likes to swing and definetly wants to be held. Our 2nd born gives us lots to smile about.

The twins are sharing a crib for now. The amazing thing is that they don't wake each other up when they cry. The sleeping twin is not phased by the screams of the other...that just amazes me. We are working on getting them on the same schedule. This is easier said than done. It's only been a month, so I trust that with time things will get better.