The Cuteness Came to Town

The twins came for another visit Sunday afternoon!  I cooked some Chicken Tortellini and we just hung out and enjoyed being a fam.  We had lots of family togetherness- which we love!

Mercy

Chloe

The girls were in matching outfits when they arrived, but Mercy decided she wanted to be her own person :)

Lily Kate would hold her cousins all night if we let her!

Aubrey bopping Unca on the head

All tuckered out

Chloe striking a pose

Canvasing the Neighborhood

I have always enjoyed painting, but I don't do it often enough.  

This time I had an excuse:  Two precious nieces!!  

So I borrowed their bedspread for a week and set to work.  Here is the finished product:

Their Nursery Bedding

Here are a few others I have done this year:

A canvas I made for a dear friend's little girl

Pottery Barn Coco Dot Bedding

Canvas for Lily Kate's Big Girl Room

Her Bedding (and her tiny little self)

I really enjoy doing it, and after I made Chloe & Mercy's, Stephen said I should start a business.  I don't know if I'm quite ready to set up an Etsy page :),  but if you have a need, let me know. If you aren't sold on buying one from a store, I'd be happy to try to make something cute and customized for you for a good price.

Daddy Daughter Date

On their way to Storytime with Daddy at the Library- Yep, I married a good one!

Wordless Wednesday

A Simple Valentine's Craft

I love to do crafts and activities with the girls, but haven't done much lately.  I needed something for them to do yesterday morning and found this idea on Pinterest.  All it required was watercolors, a white crayon and a heart template (I was lazy & printed one off, but could just as easily have drawn some on paper).

The girls really enjoyed painting

and I think they turned out really cute!

I'm Going to Disney World!

A typical 3 year old, Lily Kate is really into crazy about princesses.  So it was an easy decision for us to plan a trip to Disney World this spring.

Poofing her Belle gown on the heat vent 

Trying on her Tangled Build-A-Bear Wig

Silly Snow White

Tink with the flowers Daddy brought her!

I overheard Lily Kate telling Aubrey all about Disney World at breakfast the other day.  I ran to get the camera, but I missed the sweetest "unscripted" portion.  Regardless- here is the video I captured :)

The Little Gymnast

This spring we signed Lily Kate up for a gymnastics class at The Little Gym.  We go on Fridays and she is loving it!  Here are some pictures from her first two weeks.

The second week she was the only student!  She loved the extra one-on-one attention!

Here's a short video I made:

One of a Kind

We truly are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).  I love to see that exhibited in the personality traits of my girls.  Aubrey has always been our "wild child" but she lives up to that nickname on a daily basis as she attempts things that Lily Kate never dreamed of doing.

 She loves trying on shoes and trying to walk around the house in them.

 "Helping" with Reese's dog food.  Lily Kate's chore is to pick up all the pieces around the bowl and put them back in.  Aubrey decided to make her a little extra work this day.

 Aubrey wanted to test the washability of Crayola Markers.  She got ahold of her big sister's markers and drew on the wall and table leg.  Thankfully they truly are washable!

Supercute Superbowl Party

Rachie & Unca and Chloe & Mercy joined us to watch the Superbowl.  I loved getting to love on those babies-we hadn't seen them in a month!  Lily Kate is a wonderful cousin.  She was very attentive to the girls and loved holding them.

Holding Mercy

Sweet sleeping Chloe

Holding Hands on the placemat :)

Eleven

My sister-in-law tagged me in a post on 11 random things. Here are the rules:

Rules:

1. Post these rules

2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

5. Go to their blog and tell them you've tagged them.

6. Tag up to 11 people.

So here are my 11 random things:

1.  I would love to grow my own herb garden- but I have a brown thumb.  I love cooking with fresh basil and cilantro- just can't grow it to save my life!
2.  I forgot to brush my teeth this morning and was half way to Bible Study before I realized it.  I had to get my MIL to bring my toothbrush to Community Bible Study. She saved the day!
3.  I'm a sucker for a good chick-flick: I love ABC family and Hallmark movies- the cheesier the better :)  Another Cinderella Story is definitely on my DVR :)  My favorite movie is While You Were Sleeping.  I have so many of the lines in it memorized.  Do I like Jell-o?  and These potatoes are so creamy- Mary mashed them.  
4. I am tone deaf in my left ear- so if you speak to me and I don't answer- I wasn't being rude, I probably didn't hear you!  It happened when I was 11, so I'm used to it and usually try to sit people (like in the movie theatre or church) on my "good side."
5.  Couponing has become an obsession for me.  I'm not an "Extreme Couponer", but I love getting a good bargain and hearing the Harris Teeter employee tell me how much I saved :)  I really try not to buy things full price!  Consignment sales also make me very happy!
6.  I talk to my mom on the phone almost every day.  I'm not a momma's girl- my mom and I have become really good friends and since she lives in Iowa it is a great way for us to stay connected.
7.  Some items on my Leap List are Being in a flash mob, Writing and illustrating a children's book and Visiting the Eiffel Tower
8.  I drive a minivan and I'm proud of it.
9.  Things I hate: brussel sprouts (i tried to like them but I just don't), driving with the windshield wipers on when it's stopped raining, and when there is no toilet paper on the roll in the bathroom!
10.  I record and watch TLC's Say Yes to the Dress every week- I'm not sure why, I won't be needing another wedding dress.  It's just my weekly treat.
11.  I have broken my nose 6 times.  Five of them were in one year.  The sixth time was last year in San Francisco I walked into a glass door while texting.  To say I am accident prone is an understatement :)


Rachel's 11 Questions:
1. Did you dress up for Halloween as a kid? If so, what was your favorite costume of all time?
 My family dressed up every year, though Halloween is my least favorite holiday- had a bad run in with a witch when I was 4 years old.  It was just one of our neighbors, but it scared me to death.  Anyways, back to the question: 

Rainbow Brite

2. What is one thing you wish you could go back and tell the high school version of yourself?
  True contentment only comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ.

3. What are you most scared of?
  Cockroaches.  I know it's completely irrational, but they give me the willys.  Even after I know one is dead it makes my heart race to get rid of it.  YUCK!
4. Which food do you wish could be calorie-free for all time? 
Definitely a dessert- I guess ice cream- favorite flavors are dark chocolate peppermint, cookies & cream, cookie dough and peanut butter banana.
5. If you could write a children's book, what would it be about?A little girl who lives across the ocean and what life is like for her.
6. What do you consider to be one of your greatest accomplishments?
Giving birth to two precious little girls.  Being their mommy is one of the greatest privileges.

7. What's one of your favorite stories in the Bible and why?

I love the story of Esther and how God placed her in her position for such a time as this.  It is so awesome to look back in life and see those moments that are God orchestrated. 
8. What is one item you feel you couldn't live without?
Answer I know I should put: My Bible- another item: DVR- Both are true :)
9. Who was your childhood celebrity crush?
I didn't really have one- I guess Tony Danza from Who's the Boss or Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell

10. What is your dream vacation?
Relaxing on the beach with my toes in the sand and a good book.  My husband and the girls would be back at the beach house napping- I couldn't go anywhere without them!!

11. If you could be a contestant on any game show, which would you pick?
Double Dare- it was the best game show of all time!  If it had to be one that is currently on the air it would be Let's Make a Deal- I am terrible at any sort of Trivia, but could have held my own on Win, Lose or Draw.


Okay, here are my questions:

1. What is your favorite way to spend a Saturday
2. Which food do you wish could be calorie-free for all time?
3. What is your favorite Christmas gift from childhood?
4. If you could be the parent of as many children as you wanted, how many would you have?
5. Who is your favorite Disney princess?
6. What's one of your favorite stories in the Bible and why?
7. What is one item you feel you couldn't live without?
8. What did you want to be when you grew up and do you think  you will ever be it?
9. What is the worst/most embarassing CD/Album you've ever owned and do you still have it?
10. What would you call yourself if you could choose your own name?
11. What is your favorite item of clothing and why?

I will tag: 
1. Adrienne at Weir in PNG - 
2. Amy at Hear the Bells
3. Ashley at The Rest is Still Unwritten
4. Beth at Mommy of 2 and counting
5. Candi at Moments with the Mannings
6. Renn at Roger, Renn & Baker
7. Sarah at The VanHeeswyk News
8. Casey at Kickin It


Please no hard feelings if I didn't choose you and no judgements will be made if you choose not to participate!  Warning it did take longer than I anticipated, but it was fun!