Pumpkin Picking

For Family Home Evening last week, we went to the Stahli Farm to pick out a family pumpkin and play on the farm. The kids all loved being outside and running around and playing in dirt. Tristan would try picking the pumpkins up. They danced like crazy to some music and saw animals in the petting zoo. they especially loved the tractor rides to and from the pumpkin patch and seeing all the cows. It was a great night.

Dog Lovers

Clifford's brother and sister-in-law came to town for a visit this month and brought their dog and all the kids love him. He is such a calm dog and let them love all over him. Bella loves him the most and would follow him everywhere. And Jake the dog loved to sit under their high chairs to eat their left overs that fell and the babies loved to feed him. Almost makes me consider getting a dog, if it weren't for the hair everywhere, the clean-up and the cost. Someday, maybe. I think every kid deserves a pet to love. We had a wonderful visit (though I didn't take any pictures) and we love having a house full of loved ones. Thanks for the great week Aaron and Ruth.

Tristan Loves to Sing

My Cutie Patooties are Walking

They are walking everywhere. They have never been happier than when they learned to walk. They are so proud of themselves for accomplishing something new. And they look darn cute doing it!

End of Summer

Before my sister's kids and Clifford had to go back to school, I wanted to do some fun things to take advantage of summer break. We've been camping, swimming, to the fair, hiking and to splash pad water parks. We all had a great time with each other. This was a really great summer for me.

One Year Old Tristan

Our Tristan is a whole lotta fun and mischief. He loves to play and tease us. If we go towards him to pick him up out of his crib, he will run to the other side and laugh. He will continue to do this till I decide to snatch him up. He also loves to hand me blankets out of his crib when I reach for him instead of coming to my arms. I love to hear him squeal with joy when I chase him around the house. His laughter is so infectious that I have to get him to laugh as much as possible. Tristan looks big and tough, but his is a bit of a wimp. His feelings get hurt easily and the tears stream down his face. He is also a bully and grabs toys out of both his sisters hands and cries when they take them back, so he kind of deserves it. He definitely tries to talk more than Bella, he says baby and Daddy and uh uh for uh oh, when he drops stuff. He also gabbers a lot more. He is already trying to climb things and climb out of the play pen. I have to keep my eyes on that. He is starting to walk all over the place. He is more daring than Bella and is even trying to run when I chase him. Tristan also loves to sing. He will be swaying and babbling to a tune and so content. He is such a good and happy boy (except sometimes when he is teething). He is fun to be around a brightens up my day. Some say I am brave to be raising twins and that they could never do it, but I say I am BLESSED and lucky and if I was given a choice to do it all over, I would not change a thing. They are two totally different people and I am privileged to have them both in my family. It was surely not always easy and I know I have a lot ahead of me, but I am taking it one step at a time.

One Year Old Bella

Our Bella is such a sweet, angel faced, little girl. She is so quiet and a little picked on by her much bigger brother, but she is learning to stand up for herself. And when she gets mad, she lets you hear it. She plays nicely with Tristan, but when he tries to take a toy from her, she has been wrestling him for it. They love to throw all their toys out of the play pen and then just tackle each other and laugh so hard until someone gets hurt and then the fun is over. Bella has recently taken a few steps if I hold her hand and get her some momentum, but she is really nervous and shaky. She loves to wave and say hi to people. I love her smile. I love to watch her dance to music. She has so much fun rocking on their rocking giraffe and is content for a while on it. She tries to sneak around and go place I don't like her to go. She is my petite little girl and I sometimes feel she is fragile. But the doctor isn't concerned, I'm just not used to it after holding Tristan or Lilly. Bella is so sweet and loving and a joy to raise. I don't know what I ever did to deserve such great kids, but I am going to enjoy my blessings of good and healthy children and thank our Heavenly Father for them.

Bella & Tristan Turn One!!

Last month Bella and Tristan had their first birthday and we had a party to celebrate. I did an under the sea theme at a park with a big splash pad. But, sadly the splash pad wasn't working that day. We had fun anyway, though. We invited family and friends. We played with bubbles and on the playground and had hot dogs and chips. They opened their presents and then we went to our house for cake and ice cream. I enjoyed making them a sand castle cupcake, cake. The sand was made of their favorite treat, Nilla wafers. So, they really enjoyed smashing into their cakes. Bella devoured hers so fast. We had a great time celebrating our wonderful, happy twins, and we are so glad to have had this last year with them and look forward to many more fun and entertaining years.

4th of July

4th of July was a blast with my family. We went to a town breakfast in the morning and the kids played games, got faces painted, jumped around and did races. Tristan won the baby race, but before you get too impressed, he was only against Bella and one other baby. But if there were more, I am confident he would have beaten them, too. He was quite speedy and all he had to see was me on the other end. My sister held him and he was already moving before she put him down. He needs no other motivation but Mommy. Bella, however, didn't like the grass and only moved halfway while crying, before the race was called because the other baby wasn't moving and she was crying. So, she got 2nd place.

We had a BBQ at my mom's house that night and had smores and set off fire crackers and sparklers. Then, we went to a park to see the fire works. It was a fun holiday with my family.

My Big Sister

My oldest sister, Melodie, moved here in June. We have been spending so much time playing with all her kids and Lilly is really loving having cousins so close by. I am really enjoying getting to know my sister better as an adult. She moved away when I was five and I only saw her when she visited. I've only seen her a few times as an adult and the last time was my wedding five years ago. This is a special time for me and I just want her to feel as much at home here as possible. And I really love getting to know her great kids.