Randoms ...

Some of the random pictures after sorting through the last few weeks on iphoto ...

Play-doh is a new favorite activity around here!  Good for rainy days :)

Raking leaves with her daddy

Luke saying, "Whoah!" after his first Christmas tree sighting.  FYI the tree
only lasted a few hours.  2 toddlers + 1 Christmas tree = disaster!

Snuggle time with Auntie and Caroline

Makes my heart happy to see these two together!  Cousins!

Practices of Motherhood

I had to pass on this beautifully written series a writer and blogger named Sarah Bessey.  Her blog was recommended to me by another mama friend and I find that what she writes so often resonates with my own heart.  She puts into words so many of the thoughts I have about parenting.  Here is a link to her series about practices of mothering.  You can find it here.  Amelia told me that she loves me for the first time today and it was one of those amazing moments in parenting where you realize that there is no other way that you'd rather spend your days and your energy and your heart than investing in these precious little people.

Trucks and sneezes!

Yes, sometimes that is how random life with littles seems ... I tried to come up with a better title but that's all I've got :)  Here are two little "normal life" videos from the last few weeks.  My videos aren't as entertaining as Scott's!  Amelia has gotten very interested in things like yawns, sneezes and blowing her nose.  Every time Scott or I sneezed she started imitating us ... So cute!  Luke is basically obsessed with trucks.  From the moment he wakes up it's, "Trucks?  Mama, truck please!"  He would sit and play with these all.day.long. 

Real life ... With toddlers!

So I came across this cartoon the other day on Facebook and it had me laughing all day long ...

Seriously!  Isn't that the truth?!  I gave up day time showers when the kids arrived and now only shower at night after everyone is asleep.  As I was uploading and looking through pictures from the last few weeks I came across a few pictures that portray what our home really looks like most days.  The first is a picture that was taken post-bath one night.  I was feeling ambitious enough to make muffins (we've been making some changes to Amelia's diet, more on that later) so I've been experimenting with recipes.  Scott was picking up after baths and when he found the three of us in the kitchen he starting laughing at the scene.  Luke had pulled out every single ziplock bag he could find and Amelia had emptied the snack shelf of EVERYTHING.  They were content and happy playing so I kept doing my mixing and didn't think anything of it until Scott found us in a state of semi-disaster :)  The second picture is of our living room now that the kids have decided that the couch cushions look better on the floor (and make for easier fort building and jumping!)  After almost two years of motherhood (certainly nowhere near long enough to be offering any advice) I've decided that for us it's all about balance.  Most things in life are.  If I tried to keep everything tidy and orderly I'd make myself crazy and be so much less present with my little ones.  Their childhood is going too fast as it is!  But I'm also a type-A person (like it or not) and it's hard for me to have things in a state of total chaos for too long.  It's a balancing act between what needs to get done and what I need to let go of.  I'll let you know when I figure out how to do that.  Don't expect an update any time soon!
I've been thinking a lot about creating rhythms in our home.  Life with littles is monotonous (which I think parents have more trouble with than kids!) -- most days look pretty much like the day before did and the next one will.  It's easier now that they're getting older to get out more and we've been enjoy trips to the library, park, play dates.  But more often than not, our days and our routines run together in my mind.  I've decided that's okay.  The kids THRIVE on routine -- they crave it, they love it, they need it. What an opportunity for us, as parents, to create rhythms that are sacred.  Rhythms of prayer and worship and relationship.  Okay, enough of my random ramblings and current thoughts on motherhood ...
Happy Thanksgiving!  We went to our annual Sunday-before-Thanksgiving dinner tonight.  My parents have had this dinner every year for 43 years now (speaking of traditions and routines!) They rent a place and have a potluck style dinner with probably 75-100 people.  Yes, my parents have more energy at 60 than I have in my 20's.  No joke!  It was so fun to see the kids racing around and laughing and playing at the same dinner that I grew up going to.  I love how much joy and life children add to gatherings.  I didn't take a single picture there since I was too busy chasing them :)

leashes!

Yes, it's true.  Last night we took the kids to Target and bought them ... leashes!  They love taking walks around the neighborhood but they are definitely not into the stroller anymore since they hate being strapped down.  I reserve stroller time for days when I really want to go jogging and even then I have to bribe them the whole time with Lara Bars and fruit leathers (special sweet snacks!). I just don't feel comfortable waking alone since they both tend to be runners -- usually in opposite directions, of course.  Pretty sure that it's a law of nature that twins will run in opposite directions :)  Our walk this morning went really well until Luke tried to walk Amelia (little Miss Independent) and she was not a happy camper.  We recovered though when the garbage trucks provided a nice distraction!  I got a few funny looks but it's better than the alternative which is being cooped up for days on end (due to the rain) with two toddlers.  Fresh air improves all of our moods!

Halloween!

There are some moments with your kids that you want to make sure you don't forget.  Amelia on Halloween night is one of them.  Oh my, watching her march around in her elephant costume and ladybug boots, holding her daddy's hand and yelling, "Hi!  Hi!" to everyone we passed around the neighborhood (rare for this often more shy girl) was so sweet.  Luke, who is usually in bed by 7pm, was not feeling the whole trick-or-treat thing.  He just wanted me to hold him (he's in a very mama-oriented phase right now, which I'm not complaining about) so we got to snuggle most of the night.  This time of year will always remind me a bit of bed rest and living in room 303 at the hospital.  Since we spent Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years in that room, I think I will always be thankful for holidays not spent in the hospital and more mindful of families that are spending them there for whatever reason.

Who knew?

Who knew that curtains could be so much fun?  I love seeing life through the eyes of my kids and to them most things are seen as an opportunity to explore and a chance to have fun.  When they get restless and are stuck in the house due to the rain, we let them play in our bedroom ... They love it!