Fall is HERE!

Is there such things are perfect days?! I mean really- this fall I am having so much fun with these girls! Not that the summer wasn't fun, but with both girls walking it's amazingly fun to watch them explore. & to all of you who said "just wait until they walk". We freaking LOVE it over here! Plus it's so much easier leaving the house by yourself!! 

So, besides the beautiful cool/warm fall days of fun... 

We've been able to attend a fall festival at our local elementary school! 

We did our first trunk or treat!! & no lie!!! The girls KNEW what to do!!! Bria took the candy and put it in their bucket! It was precious!!!!!!! 

My best friend Megan and I made their costumes and a friend from work helped me do the bones (she made the template) which I was thankful for! I freaking love how they turned out!!!! I ordered the club from Amazon and that little girl carried it around the whole time!!!!!!!!

I am freaking in love!! Can I use that work too much?! I mean- come on! Everyone loved them and I was so happy that they all knew Ella was a girl!!!!!!!! She can be wearing hot pink pants at Walmart and they always say he or a boy! I was so glad! It was a tad unorganized but I'm sure as the years go by it will be much better! 

Then we went to the Pumpkin Patch at Richs Farm! I know the girls had so much fun and so did I!  It was a picture perfect day of parenting! We left at 9am so the girls would sleep. 945 we arrive and the girls wake up. 10am it opens! 

We start by stopping by the pumpkin patch on our way to paint pumpkins 

Of course Ella won't look. But Bria! Oh my goodness! 

Then we paint pumpkins. That lasted a whole 2 minutes. 

Ironic Ella is the big sister and picked the big pumpkin! We tried to take pictures before the day got too crazy 

Then we played in the bounce houses 

I'm obsessed with the black and white ones between the cords! 

Ella was such a daredevil as usual!

Then their favorite part! & my fav too! They looked like such big girls! Hello they are only 14 months. I saw and heard parents of 2 year olds say their kid couldn't ride on there because they were too little and would never sit still and MY girls loved it! 

We then rode the hayride! 

Swoon! 

Here you can see Ella's boo boo from falling in the pumpkin patch. 

Next year will be even better- mid hair die they stop and there is a playground and pond! It will be so much fun for them! Wedecided  against it- it was a tad cold and 20 minutes waiting for another hayride we didn't know how well they would do. 

It was such a great day! The girls slept on the way home and Kayleigh and Lylah came over to play that evening! 

This week is trick or treat and I'm EXCiTeD!!!!!!!!! 

These are THE days!!! 

Happy 14 Months Baby Girls!

Well I'm only a tad behind ;) 

14 Months seems SO UNREAL. 

Ella Faith, 

You are getting sweeter by the minute. (Not to say you don't still throw your infamous fits). You absolutely love all babies and little kids and you immediately want to "love" on them and kiss them all over (with your forehead of course). You love your sister so much and are actually very sweet to her even if she pushes you away. You constantly bring Bria her binky or monkey or give her one of your snacks. It's really too cute! You always want to love on her and lay your head on her but she isn't convinced you won't steal whatever she has yet! 

You girls are even more challenging but even more fun! You definitely have your own opinion and you aren't afraid to let us know when you didn't get what you wanted. In the form of a fit! :) 

You love snacks, food, shoes, your binky and monkey, being outside, going for walks, pushing all the toys, babies-especially your cousin Lylah! , you love the kitty, mommy and daddy, the rocking horse. Your favorite snacks are cheesies, little crunchies, string cheese, bananas, Rice Krispies and bread. 

You don't like being told what to do, getting in your car seat, changing your diapers and clothes, waiting for your milk in the mornings, watching mommy leave and being stuck inside all day. 

You are getting great at running, screaming, talking back, no real crazy words this month, you can point to your head when we ask, dance around in circles when we sing round and round and round. You recognize familiar places and what you have previously done there. You can meow when we ask what a kitty says, and you know to look for a puppy when we ask. 

We are going full force with utensils and you sometimes get it- sometimes you don't. You have a new love for ketchup and want to dip everything in it. And you just lick the ketchup off. 

You are strong, independent, beautiful, oh so sweet, raspy voiced, a mommas girl, cuddly, monkey loving, blonde hair and blue eyed baby girl! 

I love you more than you will ever know and I can't wait to see what these holidays have in store for us!! 

Bri Bri, 

Gosh how much you have changed recently!! You are full time walking and doing it SO SO well!!! We couldn't be more proud! I feel like you have a new found freedom and your sister has found a new love for you. Seriously seeing you two together is so much fun. You laugh and giggle and run from each other. On the hard days, it makes everything that much sweeter. 

You, girlfriend, are an eater. You eat anything and everything. There's truly not much that you don't like. Initially it was cotton candy and now you've decided it's okay. You snack all day, everyday. Our grocery bill has went up 50$ atleast each month because of you two! But watching you eat and love new things is so much fun! When you see found you immediately say "mmmmmmmmmm" and want a bite of whatever it is! Your favorite snacks are cheesies, veggie straws, string cheese, Rice Krispies, cereal, little crunchies, bananas, and just about everything else! 

So far, you are still pretty hesitant about Ella affection for you. She is getting tone a good sharer and shares her monkey, binky or snacks with you- all important things to a 14 month old. You, however, don't like to share, especially if you are cuddling mommy. If Ella tried to cuddle mommy at the same time, you hit and push her away. And cry. We are still working on that. 

You are so smart. You walk in circles when we say "round and round and round and round". You dance when we say dance. You sign for all done, all gone and more. As soon as you see a puppy you make a barking, woof noise! You get so excited when you see animals! So cute! You look for a kitty when we say kitty. You know where your head is if we ask and sometimes your nose. 

You love your monkey, cuddling, your binky, sissy, Mickey Mouse clubhouse, country music, snacks, track the kitty, being outside, and you now love ketchup! It's so fun to see you discover new things and you live dipping your fries, etc in ketchup and to lick it off! 

You hate being woken up, when momy or daddy doesn't hold or cuddle you, clothes or diaper changes, milk in a sippy, when your sleepy and watching mommy leave. 

You are sweet, loving, beautiful, talkative, smart, high pitched voice, a monkey loving, cuddling, dark blonde haired, blue eyed mommas girl! 

I love you more than you will ever know. It's been so much fun lately. I cannot wait for the read of the holiday season with you baby girl! Love you to the moon and back!  

& That is life Folks!

I don't know why I haven't been posting. Life is seriously so busy! 

We are officially over hand foot and mouth. Well basically. The girls feet are peeling SO bad! I feel awful. It doesn't seem to bother them though! 

There's so many things around the house that need done/I want to do- plus school work. I'm finally done with their dumb English assignments and I'm onto Biochem! PTL! Never thought I would be happy to say that! It was just getting monotonous to learn about stuff so simple and have people critique your work and not be able to respond back. Anyways. I'm a month ahead of schedule but would like to be 3-4 months ahead so I still need to kick it into hear, but I'm pleased that I'm 33% done and only 2 months in! 

At the house, I have cleaned out the other side of the basement. Scrubbing carpets, cleaning up everything we have stored on that side. All I have left is to pack up our stone coffee tables and wrap each stone individually so it doesn't get damaged until we can use it again in a few years. 

I have finished their height charts! & I'm super pleased with how it turned out! The only thing I needed to purchase was the boards and one paint brush since I can never seem to find one. I made my own arrow template. Taped the boards off (after initially painting them white) and then mixed my own colors. The gray I had. I had bright orange and I wanted it to be more subdued so I mixed it with a lot of white and it's perfect! Andrew helped me marking the inches and foot lines and I painted over all of our pencil markings! I am SO in love! 

That's finally done! 

Next downstairs is painting the back wall.   I'm still at a loss about how I want it done. At first I wanted to stripe it, but I think I want to do something different. Like circles in a long swirl line? Silver? Gold? I don't know yet. I have an idea but it's just getting the idea from my head to the wall! Which sometimes is a challenge. However- my last few home improvement ideas have worked out perfect.

 The girls crib wall. Striped - LOVED it! 

The cabinets downstairs and countertop. Best decision ever. 

The height charts- almost better than I imagined. I initially was going to do gray and light purple. Love the peach more! 

Also downstairs I want to create a chalkboard wall. 

And a dress up corner then on the remaining walls- get wooden letters that say Dress Up or Princess, etc. 

For the other walls I'm not planning on painting-  Find some free Printables from Pinterest or make my own on GIMP which is what I may end up doing because it will probably be about being twins and best friends. I'm super excited for it! 

Then, I want to paint my wall in my "dining room", or dining space I should say. To brighten it up and probably push the kitchen table up to the wall to give us all more room! 

That's it in the home improvement front. I mean. It took us 2 years to buy cabinets for downstairs and after they were installed almost one year to buy a countertop for it! Decisions decisions! 

I'll post about it soon! But we officially have TWO walkers!!!!!!!! Whhhhat?! 

Day In the Life: 13 months

4:00 am- Ella whines for her binky- she's clearly asleep but usually can't find her binky on her own.

540am- Ella whines for her binky again. Pop it back in. Bria immediately starts crying. Sometimes she will fall back asleep, sometimes not. 

Today she didn't. Andrew brought her in. Usually they both just wake up, but Ella was pretty sleepy still. We play in bed until 6am and then it's up for everyone and diaper changes! (If it were a day I worked I would be up at 5:30)

6:10 warm up their morning bottle. Andrew is in the shower, I feed the girls their bottle. Ella is in my lap, Bria is on the boppy. Watching Octonauts. After they are done, Ella runs around the upstairs. Andrew made breakfast for himself so we go downstairs around 6:30. 

Downstairs, the girls help him eat his pop tarts. He goes upstairs to finish getting his things ready for work, packing his lunch, etc- then he makes three girls breakfast. 

715- Today it was bananas and chocolate chip waffles which I'm beginning to think they don't like. Daddy has left and it's just us girls! 

A lot of playing or keeping the girls occupied happens. 

800am- change diapers and a small snack. Bria left me her morning surprise. Ella hasn't yet. 

Craziness ensues. 

830- Bria starts to get fussy. We start the trek upstairs. I ask if they want to take a nap, they crawl to the baby gate and crawl up the stairs! 

835- everyone is in bed and quiet! 

This is the time I usually should eat but I don't. I need to get everything ready for the day. We usually try to get out once a day. Especially since it will be winter here in a few short months. This is imperative. I pack my backpack. Sippys, diapers, wipes, snacks. Oops! Out out a lot of snacks today so a little trip to Walmart is in order. 

I fix the flyaways on my pony tail, out on fresh make up, contacts and try to decide what to wear. I recently dyed my hair. Terrrrrible idea. It looks awful and my hairdresser can't fit me in until Wednesday. So I've been living with pony tails for the past week. Only a few more days left! Like 5 ugh! 

920- Finally- I can sit down for a minute. 

This is the time I can pay bills, work on my photography or do homework. I just submitted an exam last night so I don't want to start a new lesson and only have a few minutes to work on it and all the bills are paid, so I get to relax. I drink my usual diet coke (yes I know- im not a coffee drinker and this is a must to get through the day!) 

10:00am girls are awake like clockwork! 

She hides her face until she can see me! 

1005: Diapers changed and clothes changed too! 

We play upstairs for a little while. 

1010-1030 trying to fold laundry with a leech attached to my side 

1030: We went down the stairs and everyone put on their shoes. Both girls can say shoe and Ella usually backs up and will sit on My lap. We count shoes. I say one and they say two. I carry Bria out and Ella walks out the door. Strap Bria in and run to get Ella who has walked behind the car out of my sight. Luckily she is still in the driveway and not in the main road. 

By 1037 we are in the car and ready to go! 

1050- We go to Walmart for cheesies, string cheese, snacks for the girls and a gift for my Papaw who turned 81 yesterday. Mums and cookies! I forgot my disposable shopping bag again so I had to buy a new one. 

1122:  We are in the drive through, once a week we go to Burger King and visit my Mamaw and eat lunch there. Today we have to take Papaws birthday gift to him. 

Papaw does see me pull in so he helps and grabs Ella, thankfully since I have our lunch, his gifts and Bria already in my hands. 

The girls LOVE playing there! After they eat their lunch- it's PLAY time! 

Chicken fingers still in hand. These girls could eat all day long. They usually do.

My favorites. 

1:00 pm- change diapers Bria first,  Ella has ran into the kitchen and found the cat food and water and spilled the water everywhere. Grrreeeeaaat. 

I clean that up and drag Ella into the living room to change her diaper. 

Clean up the mess we made while the girls are in the kitchen with Mamaw and Papaw. I grab the shoes, bag and trash and go to the kitchen.  Sit down, Ella comes over to put her shoes on. Done. 

Bria crawls over. I put her shoes on only to realize I smell poop. It's 115 at this point.

Change Bria's diaper in the hallway. Ella comes over to see what's going on, makes a face and walks away. 

Finally ready to go. 

1:20pm - Packed and in the car. 

We literally live one minute away. 

122: Home and inside! We push a few stools around. 

Watch a minute of Doc Mcstuffins and it's naptime! 

133: Girls are in bed! 

I plug in my camera battery remembering I'm taking some pictures tonight. 

135-205- finish folding laundry, putting it away and hanging It up. Track has not moved since we left at 1030! Must be nice. I'm over here sweating. AC on please! 

205: My sister calls to FaceTime. Forgetting the girls are napping. I entertain Lylah for a few. I think I'm her favorite. 

210- start a new load of laundry that I'm sure I will forget to put in the dryer (mom brain I guess??)  even though the load only takes 57 minutes. 

220- frantically searching for my favorite loaded baked potato recipie. Of course I'm certain the one I pinned on Pinterest wasn't it. Search and search. Looks like that's the only one without sour cream and heavy whipping cream. Must be it!

230- Start dinner (loaded baked potaoe soup, grilled cheese)- by cutting up potatoes. I had just enough!  Whew! 

242- Start unloading the dishwasher. It NeVER fails when I do dishes someone wakes up. So at this point they have had 1 hour and 15 minutes of sleep so if one wakes up they should be good to go. 

245: Bria wakes up! I knew it!!! I desperately need to get a 2nd sound machine. I bring her out and realize I left the girls snacks in the car. We walk to the car, get snacks and leave Bria with the entire bag of cheesies, so I can finish the dishes and she feels like a big girl for eating out of the bag! 

Dishes are  being washed in the dish washer. Of course the pan I need is in there. I pause the cycle. Take it out. Wash by hand. 

3:00pm- Ella is awake. Go get her bring her out. She starts to throw a mini fit until she sees cheesies. All is well. 

Fresh water and ice In their sippys.  

Potato Soup on the stove

 

325- Girls are playing on the couch and reading 

330- Andrew calls. I put it on speaker. Ella immediately takes the phone and runs away. I year him yell I'll see you when I get home. 

345- Daddy is home! Momma is trying tofinish  the potato soup and the girls are trying to open every drawer possible!

They start getting fussy so dad brings up the walkers so I can finish. 

400: he takes over doing grilled cheese so I can change diapers. I was going to change them earlier but Ella kept squatting every few minutes so I knew she was working up a big poo. 

I chase her into thebedroom and change her stinky diaper. 

I come back out and grab Bria to change her diaper. 

422: We are all outside eating dinner. Its a little early dinner for us but since I have to take pictures later this will have to do. Plus I had an early lunch. 

 

450- we are changed and playing on the porch. 

I want to get a few pics of the girls too when we are there,,, they want no part of that. Dad walks Ella back home during the session. 

515: photo session. Daddy on duty 

620: photos done & we are playing in the yard. 

The girls are helping pushing the stroller.

650: we stop at the neighbors and drop off some baby food my grandma had for their granddaughter. 

7:00: String cheese as a snack before bed. 

705:bath - I bathe the girls, I already set out a towel, 2 diapers, desitin and monkey pjs. Andrew warms the bottles. I've gotten really fast at bathtime. Makes me laugh being afraid to bathe them by myself. 

715: Bottle- the girls both down 6 ounces of whole milk. 

720: Bed. I take Ella into bed and Andrew carries Bria. 

I immediately start cleaning up the upstairs. Then I Grab my camera and hard drive and head down stairs. I like to edit on my desktop because I prefer Lightroom version 3 and my laptop has the newest one. I connect my camera and start transfering all 389 pictures. 

In the meantime, while that's loading I throw the clothes in the dryer!! Yay! Only 5ish hours later! & I start cleaning the downstairs. Pick up all their toys, put them in their places, etc. 

735- Time to start editing. 

935- Finally done. Time to head upstairs and get ready for bed! 

Clothes changed. Contacts out. Melatonin taken. All lights off. In bed under two blankets! 

Thank goodness it's my turn to sleep in tomorrow! :)