Is it fall already?!

With the cool weather thus last weekend korey couldn't help but get his decoys out :)

Aren't these just the cutest little kiddos?? I just love Maelle's face in this picture- she's just too cute :) I don't think she's happy riding her little goose :)

Our newest addition....

Or should I say "additions"?! I've been working on korey- trying to talk him into a cat for a while now and he finally said yes :) hailey is beyond excited and I'm just hoping to not have to use the HUGE bucket of mouse traps that the previous owners left! We already have found 2 mice and 1 chipmunk in our garage and 4 mice have fallen into our little drain by the driveway...kinda creeps me out! 

Meet Ariel and Truck! (Can you tell who named them?!) Our 2 new babies :) and hopefully 2 really good mousers! If we can just keep the eagles, hawks and other predators from eating them before they get big enough to fend for themselves :) 

20 months!

We're out of the "teens", now! Maysen & Maelle are 20 months old. They're looking more and more like toddlers and less and less like babies. I'm not even sure when that happened...seems like just yesterday that they didn't have any hair and the nuks took up most of their face! 

I've learned a few things in the past 20 months as a mommy to twins...2 big things that stand out, though. The first is that after having a lap full of twins, nursing them both, watching them interact & seeing their sweet bond- having just 1 baby seems a little sad and lonely. (No, this isn't an announcement) ;) I find myself actually feeling kind of bad for hailey and jack, since they don't have a built in buddy. It's amazing how before they were born I sort of felt bad for them- thinking they'd always have to share and never get their own mommy time or their own special birthday, but I never worry about that anymore. They manage to sneak in their own snuggles and cuddles, but mostly they just seem content to share. They don't necessarily like sharing my lap with hailey or jack, but they definitely don't seem to mind sharing with each other. The 2nd thing I've learned about ID twins is that sharing DNA does not equal similar personality. I don't understand it, I really don't "get it" but it's 100% true- Macy and Elli couldn't be more different. They definitely look similar, but in actions they are very different! I always kind of thought it would be surprising to see them act similar, but its actually more surprising to me when they don't! 

I love these 2 girls! I feel so blessed that 20 months ago they were born into our little family! I don't know if it'll ever change, but for now, to me- they're still the tiny little babies their daddy held- 1 in each hand- in the nicu. No matter how big or how old they get I think I just may always view them as 4lb 13oz babies :) (sorry girls) :)

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

My dear grandmother turns 89 tomorrow! I can hardly believe it! She seems so young and spry and in such good health and spirits. It used to be that 89 seemed so old, yet, she makes it seem so young! 

I have always loved my grandma. I'm honestly not entirely sure why. Not that there's not much to love about her- just that I've always had a special love for her! Maybe it's because so many people have told me I was like her or maybe they're right and we are so much alike, so it's easy to love her. But, regardless of the reason I love thus dear lady and have always, always, always wanted to be like her. She's the toughest woman I know. I will never forget the day my aunt brought her home after she had broken her shoulder while on a bus trip- she endured hours long drive with her arm in a sling, in the backseat of a truck and got out w/ barely a whimper, or the day she got out of surgery and couldn't even sit up without throwing up, but was determined to head for home anyways(good thing the nurses intervened, because God knows I'm not tougher than her& probably would have given in) :) She's also one of the most energetic women I know. I so want to be like her! She took great care if my grandpa when he was sick and still she found time to make treats and cookies, do my uncles laundry, clean her house and his, and have her numerous grand kids over to visit. I never felt unwelcome at my grandma's house. I never felt like I was imposing. I never even felt like an annoying little burden (which I'm sure I was at times) :) my grandma always welcomed us into her home, fed us snacks and treats and let us hang out! I loved her house. I loved being there and I pray that I get many more years of visiting her house :) happy birthday, grandma, I love you!! 

twins here, twins there...

there are twins everywhere...we're surrounded ;)

aren't these two cute?! I love the one of them eating its so precious!!

Korey got these on his deer cam in our woods the other day. 

I am so in love with the place we live!

how to...

carry twins- buy a 31 large utility tote & stick them inside ;) 

mission accomplished- cute & functional!!

whee!

My kiddos love the swings & I love watching them :) We spend hours on these swings & enjoying our swingset!! (& I mean lots and lots of hours) :)  We've been blessed again & again by our friends who gave it to us! 

Happy Independence Day

we enjoyed our day of celebrating, but best of all was that daddy was home all day!

Hailey said, "I miss daddy when he works, I wish he could stay home all the time"

 We sang this song in church on Sunday & I have been singing it around the house since then 

My country tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died!
Land of the Pilgrim's pride!
From every mountain side,
Let freedom ring!

Our Pastor then penned these words to take the place of the last 2 stanzas and I couldn't agree more 

"This nation turned from Thee, And has found misery, as our reward

We need Thy Word and grace, Flowing in every place,
Our lives Thy truth embrace, We need Thee Lord."

"Lord please rebuild this land, Work now thru Thy strong hand, Thy banner raise.
Cause us to hear Thy voice, May Thy truth guide our choice,
Our hearts again rejoice, Thy name we praise."

splish splash

I brought along an extra set of hands, took the kids, met some friends & enjoyed a little downtime at the splash pad :) It was so fun!! (the extra set of hands may have been my favorite part)

 my new favorite pictures of all time:

not sure you can get cuter than this :)

hailey is gone

what do the rest of us do for fun -with our entertainer gone??

we:

make "sticky joey jo" (or came up w/ silly names for playdoh)

read books 

wear potty seats on our head 

cleaned the house 

colored 

missed Hailey, who fell asleep on the chair, during dinner 

we sure are glad to be back to a family of 4, regardless of how easy 3 seemed for a time ;)