Christmas Time is Here...

It has been a busy week. We had a special treat on Friday the 18th (BTW, Happy Birthday Michael Rhymer). It snowed here in RR. Yes, SNOW!! The babies and I have had a cold this past week so I didn't even want to take them out even for a picture, so I have a few pictures of them looking out the window at the snow.

Due to the snow/ice we ended up losing power for a few hours on Saturday morning. It was fun trying to warm up bottles and babies. Below is a picture of me putting blankets on the twins (right before they kicked them off).

Then on Saturday we had a special Christmas between us and the twins. We let them open their gifts from Gram, Pop, Aunt April and Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Amy and Uncle Michael, Mimi and Poppi, Great Aunt Sue, and Great-Great Aunt Madelin.

On Sunday after church, the twins and I all loaded up the car and we headed to Asheboro for the week. We will be here for Christmas and then a couple of more days before going to Castle Hayne and Jacksonville for the New Year. When we got here we took a few pictures of the kids dressed in their Christmas Sunday Best. We then went to watch Mamaw and Papaw's Christmas Cantata.

This week I'm doing some last minute shopping and spending time with the family. Michael has to work up until Thursday so he will be joining us late Christmas Eve and for Christmas day. If I don't get on between now and then... I want to wish everyone a WONDERFUL Christmas. May you be truly blessed. For those loved ones we will not see we love you and we will see you soon!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Well Hello Santa

After our portraits today the twins met Santa. Well, Maddie was asleep the entire time, but Zack was awake. They Got a cute picture with him. Then we were off to get "Our First Christmas" ornaments and then back home. There were a lot of Firsts today!

So busy!

Wow!! Christmas time is exhausting!! It has been a couple of weeks since I have posted anything. Last weekend we had a Gala at church on Friday night. Then Saturday, thanks to Mamaw, Michael and I had a date night. It was WONDERFUL! We went to Olive Garden and then did some Christmas shopping. Mom also helped me do some Christmas projects that I have been working on. I have officially completed 688 scrapbook pages in three weeks and I only have 48 left. Then I have wrapping left to do.

This past week, I was able to attend Michael's work party thanks to Ed for babysitting. Today we took on the task of getting portraits done. I really wanted some Christmas photos and then I also wanted an official family portrait. We went to Sears at 9am this morning and it went wonderfully. Much better than the last trip! Take a look at our portraits.

Sneak Peak...

I'm currently planning a 1st birthday party for my nephew. He LOVES Elmo! My sister said he can be down the hall, but when he hears Elmo's voice, he comes running to watch! So I decided to do a Sesame Street theme and for him there will be lots of focus on Elmo! Here is a copy of the invite! Enjoy!!

FOUR months...

Sorry for the delay of post...we had technical difficulties last night.

Maddie and Zack are now 4 months old. These last four months have just FLOWN by. I am a true believer that once you have kids, time flies faster than it did before. For their 4 month birthday yesterday I fed with a spoon during their lunch meal time. They had cereal, Rice with Fruit to be exact.

Zack did really well with it. Towards the end he started to get a little frustrated because I wasn't giving it to him faster, but for his first time he did really well!







As for Maddie, well....that is a different story. She missed her snack bottle due to not wanting to eat, this girl can be very stubborn (I think she gets it from her dad, LOL) when she doesn't want to do something, she just won't do it. So...when it was time to eat her next bottle she was VERY hungry. I gave her a couple of spoon fulls, but she very quickly got frustrated because she was just so hungry and she didn't want to try anything new.

Today Zack rolled over. Here is a video clip...

Thanksgiving Weekend

Last Wednesday night we headed to Jacksonville for our first stop on Thanksgiving weekend. We arrived at Gram and Pop's house around 9:30pm and the twins immediately ate and went to bed. The next morning everyone was in their Thanksgiving Day best. Maddie and Zack took some really cute pictures with Callie. Thanksgiving we saw Great-Great-Aunt Madelin, Mimi, Great Grandpa Whitey, Aunt April, Uncle Jimmy, Uncle Mitchell, Aunt Amy, Uncle Michael, Cousin Callie, and of Course Gram and Pop. Mommy went shopping around 5pm for about an hour (Michael's had a WONDERFUL sale), but this was the first year I did not go shopping on Friday morning. Instead, after their 2nd bottle we headed to Sneads Ferry to see Great Grandpa Nowell and Great Grandma Nowell. This was the first time they have seen the twins. Poor Maddie was a little cranky (she was exhausted) so everyone kept saying they thought Zack was a "better" baby. Michael and I kept saying "they are both good, but Maddie is tired".
After our short visit to Sneads Ferry we were off to Grampy's and Grandma's house in Castle Hayne. We had a wonderful dinner and then another Thanksgiving meal on Saturday. Oh boy did mommy and daddy pig out!
In this next picture Callie is giving Zack a kiss. She was so sweet. Maddie was taking a nap or she would have received a kiss from Callie as well.
Callie is pulling the wish bone with Grampy!
After their second bottle on Sunday we headed home. Thank you to Pop and Gram and to Grampy and Grandma for their hospitality and helping with the twins!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It has been just over a year since I started this blog. Here lately I have been reading past posts that are public and the ones that are private. 2009 has been such a wonderful year. God has truly blessed our family with not one healthy baby, but two beautiful healthy children! Becoming a mother has been a dream come true and I am just grateful for such a wonderful blessing. Mike and I have become even closer and I can honestly say I have the best husband in the world.

This Thanksgiving we will be spending it with Mike's family. We are so excited to see everyone and have the twins spend time with Grams, Pop, Grampy and Grandma. We are also excited to see Mike's sister, Amy, her husband, Michael, and their beautiful daughter Callie. Since we are so far apart in distance, we don't get to spend as much time as we would like with our niece.

I want to wish everyone a safe and blessed Thanksgiving. Please remember it is not just a day to eat turkey and watch football, but it is a day to return thanks to the Lord for all our wonderful blessings. And for the loved ones we will not see this holiday, we love you and miss you!!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

Busy, Busy, Busy!!!

Sorry it has taken me a few days to write this blog! I am currently swamped with working on Christmas gifts, Birthday party, decorating for Christmas (trying to get it started...since I don't have that much time now with twins, and packing for Thanksgiving.

This past weekend we headed to Asheboro. On our way though we stopped by the hospital in Rocky Mount because our friends here in RR had a little baby girl on Friday! I'm so excited for them!! Then on to A'boro. After feedings dad came in and both Maddie and Zack were just laughing like crazy at dad (aka papaw). This was Maddie's first laugh. It was so cute!! Saturday, mamaw and papaw watched the twins while Mike and I went and got hair cuts. Then we went out to Winston-Salem to celebrate a dear friend's 30th birthday party. Sunday we went to church and sadly after their 2:30pm feeding we hit the road to head home. Ever since then I have been going non stop with all my To Do's.

Thanks Mom and Dad for watching the twins!!

Baby Firsts!

We have had a couple of exciting days!! Yesterday Zack had his first laugh. He actually did it right after Michael and I had just gotten done with dinner. I had him in my lap and I was waving a rattle and he just let out a giggle. At first we weren't really sure it was a laugh, but then he did it again. It was by far the best noise I have ever heard. When we got out the video camera to try and record it, he didn't do it again. So you have to take our word for it.

Then Maddie had a first today and I DID catch this one on film. I have her rolling over. I had just gotten her down and I thought it would be any day now that she would roll over so I grabbed the camera and just in time. This wasn't a fluke, now I can't put her on her stomach for more than a few seconds, because she is constantly rolling over now. I am one proud mommy of both of my babies!!

Hanging out with family...

This past week we were at Mamaw's and Papaw's. Michael had meetings in Greensboro so we loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly...I mean we went to Asheboro. Then on Friday, Kevin, Stacy and Aaden came. It was great seeing the whole gang together (I hate they live so far away). We got to hang out with so many people. Auntie Crystal came over a couple of days, Aunt Sharon helped out a lot, Grandpa Graves came by a couple of times and once with Nettie. Others that came by were Dean, Ann, Chris, Brandon and Jerry.



Zack, Aaden, Maddie
Grandpa Graves and Aaden


Grandpa Graves and Zack

Nettie and Maddie

Aaden (Yep, he's walking)

Zack and Mommy (I was quite tired)

Chris, Brandon and Zack

Mommy, Maddie, Zack, Daddy

Maddie (her hair stands up so we stuck a bow in it)

Stacy, Maddie, Mommy, Zack, Aaden

3 Months

Madelin and Zachary are now 3 months old. My...it just seems like yesterday they were born. They are now enjoying "Your Baby Can Read" and discovering their hands. It won't be much longer and they will be rolling and sitting up on their own.