Secret Agents

I am so lucky to live with two amazing secret agents who will solve any mystery and protect me from bad guys. They make quite the team and they take their job very seriously!

 

Have I mentioned how lucky I am to have these two so close in age? They play together non-stop all day everyday. We could live in the middle of no where and they would be completely content playing together. 

Whenever I talk to moms of twins they tell me how awesome it is because twins are friends for life and always have a buddy. That will be so nice for my chicklets (twins) as they get older. Kaden is a free spirit and independent so I don't think he will have a problem fitting in.

Mama Date

I feel so loved this week. James gave me this note Sunday asking me out on a date.

This was just the first of many more date notes I got from him so far this week and on one of them I had to check yes or no if I would go with him. He's such a cute boy. Marshall better watch out for the competition!

Dresser to Entertainment Center

I always have a list of projects that I want to do but trying to find the time to do them isn't always easy. Now that the holidays are over there is a lot more time to do projects.

I have been wanting to turn a dresser into an entertainment stand. I found this dresser at DI for $10. It had a row of drawers on top but we took them out.

At first I wanted to paint it blue but we couldn't find the right shade to match the curtains so we decided to go with a contrasting color. We chose pumpkin orange. Marshall spray painted it for us. He has been so awesome to help me complete all my projects. It's definitely opposite, bright and bold but I love how it turned out.

Now I just need to find some art work to go on the wall that ties in the blue and orange.

Curve Ball

Our twins got their first present this weekend. It was from our favorite, Aunt Betsy! She is the best and so thoughtful. I can't wait until March when we find out their genders so we can start getting everything ready.

It has been an exciting weekend. We are so excited to be having twins but we are still wrapping our heads around it. Marshall and I could not fall asleep Friday night. I couldn't stop thinking about how much our lives will change in July. Going from 2 kids to 3 kids was difficult for me and I didn't really have a handle on things until Kaden was a year old. After that it has been no big deal having 3 kids. I'm just a little nervous for the jump from 3 to 5 to say the least! I always wanted to live out of state but at this point I couldn't be happier that we live close to both parents and lots of family who want to help out.

Last night I couldn't sleep and so I started reading on the internet about twins. I had an "Ah ha" moment reading one of the articles that said mom's pregnant with twins have more heartburn early on, more nausea, more tired and a more difficult time sleeping early on. It all made sense. This explains exactly how I have been feeling the last 7 weeks. Each of my pregnancies have gotten progressively harder so I just chalked it up to pregnancy number 4. Now I know that this is all normal when carrying twins. Thank goodness the article also said that the symptoms should subside after the first trimester.

We are going to have 5 kids under the age of 6! Ahhh! You never know what curve balls will be thrown your way in life and this is definitely something I didn't see coming. I think God has a sense of humor and also knew I didn't want to be pregnant anymore after this so he decided to slip one more in there. He also has higher expectations for me than I have for myself. At this point I'm just glad it's twins and not triplets.  I'm also relieved that I have until July to prepare.

I can't wait to have two bundles of joy sleeping in a bassinet next to me.

What?!

At the end of November we found out we are expecting. I have such a hard time keeping a secret that it was super hard to be around family and not leak the news. I decided that it would be best to wait until my first ultrasound before sharing the news.

We ended up telling our families over new years but decided to wait until the ultrasound before telling everyone else. I have been looking forward to my appointment all week. I just couldn't wait to see my ultrasound with a baby inside.

I went to the appointment by myself and Marshall stayed home with the kids. It was just a routine appointment so it made sense to go by myself. The doctor started the ultrasound and I was talking away and not even paying attention. The doctor went silent and just stopped what he was doing. It scared me and I said, "What? Is everything ok?" Then he said, "Yes, you are having twins!" I just started laughing and he kept trying to show me but I couldn't stop laughing. He showed me and then tried to get a snap shot but I just kept laughing so finally I stopped long enough for a snap shot which is posted below but it's not the best picture because I wasn't the most cooperative. I was totally in shock and all I could do was laugh.

I laughed the whole way home and couldn't wait to tell Marshall in person. Thank goodness the doctor's office is just a few minutes away. Marshall happened to be in the garage when I pulled up. I got out of the car laughing and couldn't stop laughing to tell him. Instead I handed him the ultrasound picture. He figured it out pretty fast.

We told our kids and James jumped up and down cheering and told us he was excited because his friend has twins in her family. Lynnlee didn't really get it but after awhile she said she is excited although I still don't think she gets it.

We are shocked but we are so happy and excited. It will be one crazy adventure! Five out of the six women in my cul-de-sac are all pregnant and there are a few other pregnant women outside the cul-de-sac so needless to say there will be lots of babies in our neighborhood. It is going to be a party!

18 Months and Growing!

Kaden is 18 months old now. He went to nursery for the first time Sunday and it was like Christmas for me. I haven't been able to go to Sunday School and Relief Society for over 4 months. I either walk in the halls or take him home for a nap. It's so nice to that part of my life back. Kaden loved nursery and walked right in and didn't look back.

Kaden had eye surgery yesterday. This is the second time for him. The specialist only operates in the afternoon so I was a little worried about keeping him happy until "go" time. His surgery was scheduled for 1:45. He at least could have juice until 10:45 that morning. Between that and tender mercies, Kaden was very happy all morning and up until surgery. The doctor was even running an hour behind so he went back at 2:45 and he was still happily playing with toys in the waiting room. I was pleasantly surprised because it was past nap time and he was running on no food. Who knew he could fast so well?! He fasted better than me. I was dying and so hungry. I didn't want to eat in front of Kaden so I kept trying to sneak food throughout the morning. Thank goodness my sister Betsy brought us lunch and spent some time with us at the hospital. We were able to switch off eating without Kaden seeing.

Surgery went well. They placed a tube/stent in his tear duct that will stay in for about a year. It should take care of the problem. He had a hard time waking up after. He was screaming and bleeding from his eye and nose. Thank goodness he finally calmed down. We stayed in recovery for a few hours and then got to come home. It was a long tiring day. I don't know what it is about being at the hospital that just drains the energy right out of you. I went to sleep at 8:00 after I tucked all my kids in bed.


When we first got there he was so mad about the ID bracelet they put on his wrist. 

 

 He loved the fish tank in the first waiting room.

 

 He is the baby in the family for now and he kept climbing in this toy baby cradle.

After his crazy bout in recovery he went to the other end of the spectrum and just laid on Marshall's lap completely calm.

Hang Time

We won a pass to Hang Time which is a huge trampoline park in Orem. We went as a family one night and had so much fun. We started out jumping in to the foam pit. Then we tried out dodge ball and then finished with basketball. It is such a cool place.

If you like to slack line you can practice over the foam pit. Marshall got it down pretty fast.

It's the biggest trampoline park I've been to and definitely the most fun!

Jammie Day

We spent New Year's in Heber at my parent's house. A new tradition is Chinese food for dinner on New Year's Eve. You can't go wrong with Chinese food. We played games and watched a movie waiting to ring in the new year. I put Kaden to bed at his normal bedtime and then told James and Lynnlee they could stay up until midnight if they could make it. James fell asleep during the movie. Lynnlee is my night owl and she made it without a problem. She came outside with us at midnight and we let off two lanterns. One got stuck in a tree and I thought we were going to have to call the fire department but luckily Marshall got the flame out by throwing snow up to it in the tree.

We welcomed in the new year with the best breakfast: Hong Kong Waffles.

It's like a crepe and a waffle combined. We filled them with Nutella and strawberries then whipped cream on top. Mmmm!

Then we had a jammie day. We all stayed in our PJs ALL day. It was very relaxing.

We played Just Dance 3 with these three cuties. They were hilarious to watch.

They really got into it and had so much fun.

Christmas Vacation

I love Christmas vacation! It was nice to have a break from the everyday routine. There were days we stayed in our pajamas all day long. 

I love all the traditions every year. Bowling on Christmas Eve is one of my favorite traditions. This is where is all happens. Basically my aunts and uncles on my dad's side and my siblings all get together at Holiday Lanes. We take up half the lanes between all of us and we bowl, eat lunch, and catch up with each other.

Lynnlee was my buddy. James bowled all on his own and had fun with cousins. Kaden was a daddy's boy the whole time and clung to Marshall. Every time Marshall bowled I had to peel Kaden off of him and then try and hold him while he screamed and cried until he got Marshall back. I helped Lynnlee bowl and she cheered for me when I bowled.

Christmas Eve wouldn't be complete without a party at Grandpa and Grandma Lowry's house and a visit from Charlie. James, Lynnlee and Kaden all received presents from Charlie and they weren't shy about getting them. James looks forward to this all year.

Christmas morning started at 8:00 in our home. James woke up at 7:30 but we made him wait until Kaden and Lynnlee woke up. By 8:00 he was too excited and turned all the lights on so they would wake up.

It was a lovely morning. My kids opened their presents. Marshall's parents visited that morning and had breakfast with us. My kids were so excited to show them all their presents. For breakfast we had French toast made with the chunky cinnamon bread from Kneaders. It was so delicious and will definitely become a tradition.

Andrea invited us on a sleigh ride that afternoon in Midway at her parent's house. It was our first sleigh ride for the year and so fun. Who wouldn't want to go on a sleigh ride on Christmas?!

James and Lynnlee rocked their Christmas jammies. I was suppose to work Christmas night but I want to thank the pregnant women of Utah County for holding off on going into labor Christmas night so I could spend it with my family. We went to dinner at my parents and spent the night, staying up late to watch a movie and play games.

I'm glad we got through all of the sickness before Christmas so we could enjoy a healthy holiday!

Christmas Best

I took the first picture before church and it was crazy stressful and it made us late but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to catch these cuties in their Christmas best.

 

After tithing settlement and church we got this family picture. The kids were done with pictures and Sunday clothes. We bribed them with everything in the book and threatened them with a lump of coal to get them in the picture. Can you tell by James's smile?

 

 

Gingerbread Kids

Normally we decorate gingerbread houses but this year we decorated gingerbread men. It was so great and easy for my kids. It was less labor and time intensive. It worked well for this year. Maybe we won't keep it up next year but it was fun and they got to do it with their friends Camden and Beckham.

Weekend Downtown

We had a free night stay to use at any Marriott. As Christmas approached I decided it would be fun to use it to stay downtown and see the lights on temple square and then stay over instead of having to drive home. Thankfully my kids were all over their sicknesses in time for our stay. We started out the afternoon at Gardner Village.

They have elves around and a scavenger hunt to complete. We had fun walking around but it was so cold so we didn't last very long. Kaden tried on this furry hat outside one of the shops.

That night we met my family at the City Creek food court. We ate dinner and then bundled up in lots of layers. We looked at the candy windows, walked by the reflecting pond, past the fountains and then ended in the Joseph Smith building looking out from the top floor. It was short and sweet and perfect for three little kids on a cold night.

My kids aren't smiling in any of the pictures but don't let that fool you because they really did have a good time.

This was the view from our hotel room. We had fun watching the ice skaters and when the Zamboni cleaned the ice.

Betsy came over and we all went swimming. The pool was a little cold but that didn't stop my kids from jumping in.

It was such a fun weekend I'm hoping it can become a yearly tradition!