Tax Season Blues and Babies in Twos

So I have to say that tax season feels like it has been here for months already.  I just wish I could fast forward a couple months, but at the same time I would miss so much of the things I have to be grateful for.
The Blues are minimal...

• Nate gone from 4:30 am to 6:30/7pm on a daily bases, including Saturdays with slightly shorter hours. (okay Nate wakes up at 4:30 and works more like 5/5:30, he corrected me! Guess it still feels the same)
• Winter winds and just less than favorable weather.
• Loneliness...the weather seems to lock us in the house and we need company and a change of scenery.

Babies in Twos...

• They definitely keep me busy all day long...feedings, diapers, playing, reading, naps, toys, you name it, but it helps some days go by faster.
• Learning and Growing. Everyday they smile and laugh and seem to be learning and doing new things. I wouldn't fast forward  minute of it, but I would wish daddy was here to witness it first hand.
• Crawling, biting, pulling oneself onto things.

I found Claire just like this after walking into the kitchen to grab my breakfast...she just turned and smiled when I called her name!  They truly are so fun and such a blessing in our lives.  I have discovered how difficult parenting can be, but I'm learning one day at a time to look for the positive and be grateful. Now although that hasn't made it easy, it has helped me through the tough times and most especially a very loving husband who is extremely supportive and positive.  I love my family so much and couldn't think of a better way to spend Valentines Day than with them!  

Happy Valentines Day!

Winter Happenings

Cade and Claire are now 7 1/2 months and lots of fun. These are a few things they have accomplished and love to do (Disclaimer: I hope we don't bore you with all these things our kids are doing.)

• Claire has officially advanced from extreme army rolls to crawling. She love to follow Mommy everywhere and explore the house. 
• Claire loves to hold her own bottle and feed herself. With two babies to feed, I have no objections!
• Claire and Cade are doing great at eating solids. They both love sweet potatoes and pears.
• They both love to feel textures. You can always hear them scratching and rubbing different surfaces.
• Cade's favorite song is "I Love to See the Temple." It immediately calms him down and puts a smile on his face. 
• Cade is getting really close to crawling. He gets in the crawling positions and rocks violently back and forth. From the noises he makes when he sees his sister crawl, I can tell he is going to be competitive like his Dad and it won't be too long before he's crawling too. 

We've been really blessed to have such happy, loving, good-natured babies. They always seem to have a smile on their face and don't get grumpy very often. We are definitely always busy having two babies to care for, but we can't imagine not having both of them. Heavenly Father has blessed us so much!

I can't believe how much babies grow and change in such a short amount of time! Here are a couple of recent photos:

We love the Holidays!

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year.  We love getting to celebrate the birth of our Savior with our families.  This year we went all the way up to Kendrick where Nate's family lives.  We had such a relaxing and fun time.  The babies traveled well and were big fans of the wrapping paper and bows this year.  

 Grandmas got them all matching pajamas!

 Santa came to Cooper Norman where Nate works.

Babies definitely keep us on our toes during the day and wiped out at night, but they are such a joy.  Celebrating Christmas had so much more meaning for me this year as I pondered the birth of my Savior and the blessings his life, death, and resurrection have granted me.  I am so grateful for eternal families!

New hats!

Cade and Claire were not only so excited to get their first package in the mail just for them, they love their new hats Mama Sue and Papa Terry mailed them.  They fit perfect and will be great for the cold winter months here in Idaho!  I just love them.  (They are still struggling on maintaining a sitting position, even with the help of the bumbo...they are getting there though!)

Thanksgiving Break

I was lucky enough to spend the week with my family in Boise while Nate had to stay behind and work. Our week was eventful, but by eventful I really mean baby busy.... it was not quite as easy to accomplish our to do list of activities this year.

We did manage a baking day and Cade and Claire were our little helpers.  They made sure we had plenty of breaks.  I got to have my very first massage, real massage (it had been a gift from Nate almost a year ago), and I got to go to lunch with some of my friends from high school.  I think the restaurant would have loved to have kicked us out after chatting for at least 2 hours, but it was so great to catch up.  We also made sure to take part in the Black Friday shopping.  Nate and I both scoped out a gift for each other and hit the stores.  We can say that we got what we went for but the real question is... was it worth it?

Our adventures began at 11:30 pm.  After my 3 hour nap I woke up rearing to go. we got in line for a half hour and got our intended purchases and were done about 1 or 1:30.  Now that was perfect, but foolishly we didn't stop there.  We thought we could handle more. So we browsed, ate at Sharis at 2:30 in the morning and then decided to stand in line for who knows what at Sports Authority for 2 hours for a silly gift card that we did get, but 2 hours!  We stood in line for 2 hours for no particular purchase except the mere experience of standing in line with a whole bunch of people doing the same crazy thing as we were. And all the while our children were sleeping at grandmas with their aunt Sarah.  Let's just say it was the day after, sleeplessly caring for the babies, that I was rethinking our decision for an all nighter!!!

 Cade hanging out with his cousin Hudson and Grandma.

 Grandma bought all the grandchildren matching turkey day outfits!

 We had such a good Thanksgiving with family, and I just love Boise, but it was good to be home.  We even got to put up our Christmas tree and decorations for family night.  I just love how cozy a Christmas tree makes our house feel.  I just never want to leave!

Growing like weeds

The babies are growing like weeds and changing everyday!  It has been really fun to witness those changes recently and listen to them coo and giggle and blow bubbles while they play with their toys.  Claire has also discovered her feet and will grab them and then pound them on the ground!

 Today the two of them put a huge smile on both of their parent's faces...

After Nate got home from work we were watching them play and noticed Cade had rolled over and was rolling back and forth.

 Then later that night we were getting them ready for bed and we both walked in the kitchen to get her bottle and Nate walked back to check on Claire and there she was on her stomach, head held high, smiling.  She too had rolled over.  They both rolled over on the same day!  You think they will be competitive with each other?

                           

                                       Before                             After

We also gave Cade his first haircut!  He looks so grown up (especially in person)!  I gave him the haircut so it is not flawless but he looks adorable.  I just can't believe they are five months old this week!

Happy Birthday Nate 11.11.11

Nate's last year in his 20's...

 Nate celebrated his birthday this year by getting the day off from work and hanging out with the family.  Considering Nate is extremely difficult to shop for since he never asks for anything or really gives any hints for that matter...he got a new hat for his collection and an itunes gift card for his new iphone.  (it is hard enough for me to hold off opening presents until the day of his birthday so naturally we opened them first thing in the morning.

 I definitely made him a birthday cake that I'm not proud to say we almost ate the entire thing between the two of us! ...in one day.

The babies watching daddy open his presents!

We got to play all day and in the evening we were lucky enough to get babysitters and Nate and I got to go out to a movie!