Randoms ...

A few random pictures and a video from recently.  Grammy supplies the babies with some pretty awesome outfits so I got a few pictures :)  This video reminds me of how my friend Elizabeth says that it's awfully hard to clean when you have little people un-cleaning at the same time ... pretty sure this clean laundry wasn't so clean anymore ... oh well, I definitely wasn't going to re-wash it!  Our little helpers were hard at work!  It's amazing/scary to realize how much they imitate every move we make.  The other day Amelia pulled out wipes (she often does this to hand me wipes while I'm changing her brother) but she starting wiping up the floor under the highchairs like she sees me do after they eat.  It was one of those "ah-ha" parenting moments where you realize that they really get it now (obviously they've been paying attention for months and you know that they watch everything you do but you don't always realize it).  It's humbling and overwhelming and just a huge responsibility to realize that we are modeling behaviors, responses and LIFE for them ... on good days and on hard days, in all sorts of situations.  Nothing has shown me my selfishness or impatience as clearly as parenting has (it's a very. humbling. experience), but I pray that they see in us the love of Christ being demonstrated to them in very real ways.  I hope that they see and experience grace lived out.

Love this sweet girl!  She is looking so old to me these days.

Handsome boy!  His smile is amazing.  His new PJs say "New Sheriff in Town" on the back -- haha!

Helping dad in the yard ... decked out in U of A gear, of course :)

Tulips!!

It was an amazingly beautiful weekend in Portland and we took full advantage of the sunshine!  I think we've officially worn out the kids (and the grown-ups!) with trips to the park and the tulip festival and lots of time in the yard.  I think Scott will have plenty of "help" with yard work in the coming years (until they get a bit older and don't consider it fun to be helpers anymore!)  This was our first trip to the tulip festival but I think it might be an annual event.  Scott loves anything to do with flowers, landscaping and being outside.  I can't say yard work is my favorite, but I enjoy the benefits of being married to someone who does :)
It's going to be a fun and busy week around here.  Last week the trim work and doors went on the new bedroom in the basement.  Bring on the paint cans!  I'll post some pictures soon.  I'm also leaving the kids for the first time which is definitely going to be harder on me than on them.  I'm heading to Seattle for the weekend for some girl time with some of my favorite people in the world!  One of my college roomies is getting married in May so we're meeting up to celebrate Miss Allie.  There is so much letting go that happens when you're a parent and this milestone feels like a big one.  I've been with them every day of their existence and it's good but strange to realize that they'll be just fine without me.  In fact, they'll have a great time with grandma and grandpa!  Better leave my parents some good coffee :)

Spring Resale!!

This weekend is the spring resale put on by Full House Moms and Dads (a multiples support group in town).  If you live in the Portland area and need ANYTHING baby (maternity clothes, toys, cribs, bobby pillows, baby clothes, etc) it's a great way to get what you need in an economic way.  Sales like these have made it possible to buy almost nothing new for the twins ... when you're buying two of everything it adds up!  Here are the monkeys enjoying their new trucks :)  The sale is at the Double Tree by Lloyd Center today from 11am-7pm and tomorrow from 11am-2pm (half price day!)  Enjoy the beautiful SUNSHINE this weekend!

Your children want YOU!

Several of my friends re-posted on facebook an interesting article recently.  You can read it here.  As someone who most definitely does NOT have alphabetized spice racks (ha!) I appreciated the author's insight into what children really want and need ... our presence.  Sounds obvious, right?  But it's tricky in the digital age.  I've become very mindful of how much time I spend on the phone, computer, etc while the kids are awake.  It's very possible to be with them but totally not present with them.  My sister complained to me recently that we don't get to talk on the phone nearly as much as we used to (maybe it was both of us complaining?) ... but we both understand that we just have different and very demanding (and rewarding!) priorities right now.  Speaking of which, nap time will be over soon ... better get on with the chores!

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy birthday to my love!!  33 years today ... Couldn't ask for a more amazing man to do life with!

Happy Easter!

Every girl needs an Easter dress, right?  But her dress shoes wouldn't stay on :)

This is how I found the boys outside after dinner ... I guess Lukey had too much to eat?

Hope you all had a blessed Easter!!

And so it begins ...

The fighting that is!  This week Luke and Amelia had their first fight.  I know it was the first of many!  They were both standing up at their chairs, trying to find any missed food items.  Amelia (maybe because Luke usually takes her snacks? :) ) put her hand in the middle of his chest and shoved him ... hard.  He fell back and hit his head but quickly stood up to bite her.  I didn't even know how to react ... Better break out the books on discipline!  On the up side, they're also playing together so much and it's very sweet to watch.  After I put them down for naps I usually hear at least 15 minutes of laughing, peek-a-boo and playing before they fall asleep.  I added a video (sorry, the lighting in their bedroom is terrible) of some pre-nap antics.  This week I've thought many times about how much our siblings teach us about how to interact with people -- how to fight, forgive, play and exist together. 

Construction is underway on our basement which we're really excited about.  We're adding a third bedroom which we'll use for now as a playroom/guest room.  Hopefully it'll be done in the next week or two.  The worst part was when they cut through the concrete for the windows -- there was some serious dust.  For the millionth time in the last year I was so very thankful that my parents live nearby so we could pack up the kids and head to their house!

Now a few recent pictures ...

A recent trip to the park to feed the ducks

Hard to believe that one day he'll probably need size 14 shoes too!