Monday Giveaway

From one of my favorite bloggers Busy Bee Lauren comes this AMAZINGLY awesome cute giveaway!

The Prize-

It's her birthday week and she is being perfect by giving away this great Diana Mini camera with 4 packs of film!

To win:

Be a follower of her blog 

Comment on her post about who your favorite book boyfriend is.

Extra entrees for blogging or tweeting about this giveaway! 

Winner announced Feb 7!  :)

Totally in love with this little camera!  Good luck! 

To You

While everyone in the house is napping, I've been sitting here thinking.

This is what I thought about-

This is for my Birth Mother

If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be where I am or surrounded by so many amazing people today. <3

Thank You

(M)CIO

If none of you know what that stands for, I'm going to tell ya. 

It stands for one of the most difficult things a mom has to do sometimes, in my personal opinion.

Cry it out

I added the M in the title because it felt more like a mommy CIO. =p

No mom wants to make her child do this, we always hope that the day comes where we no longer have to comfort them  to sleep and they just simply understand, it's time to go to the dreamers world.

Well, last night we had to make that unfortunate journey.  

The whole situation in itself seemed ironic.  

The twins generally sleep from 7pm-6am.  Getting up to eat at 6 then if I'm lucky back down for another hour or so.  I suppose last night they thought that the time from 7:40pm-2:30am was a cat nap.  Because at 2:30 they both thought it was time to get up for the day.  No they weren't hungry, no they didn't want help getting back to sleep, they just wanted to be up.  After several failed attempts to comfort pat them to sleep, re-wrap them in hopes of giving the hint it's still WAY too early.  Even resorting to simply sitting in the rocker humming for 45 minutes to see if it would bore them to sleep..I felt like a failure!

Call me a mean mommy, but I refused to feed them at 3am.  Coming up on 9months old our doctor has even told us that at this point they shouldn't be needing a midnight bottle and if they wake up it's generally because they are unable to get back down into the deep sleep.  I figured this was pretty accurate after reading those sleep training books and so on.  Not to mention they weren't making "hungry" noises or cries.  So when 4am rolled around and they still were whining-not crying- and not sleeping.  I was tired, upset, and at a loss.  SO, I tried it.  I closed the door went back to bed and turned down the baby monitor to where it was a dull background noise.

First off, they did not like me leaving the room!  Within moments it was screams of almost terror coming from the other room!  Oh boy did I feel horrible, I lie there in bed fighting myself to go in there and tell them I'm sorry and let them know I'm right there.  

I didn't, I stood my ground and lay there, listening to their cries for their mom.  Here is the ironic part, I couldn't sleep.  Not hearing them in the other room insisting they needed me when I knew they were OK.  So, we all cried a little bit.  Sad, I know...what can I say I feel vulnerable now that I'm a mum.  It's a whole new world where I feel like I'm making small mistakes every step of the way while hoping we make larger leaps to fix those little mix-ups.  

Anyway, back on track.  4:50am came on the clock.  The cries had begun to die down to simply one of the gremlins-Kenzington our normally quiet but once her buttons are pushed she lets you know-and even hers were quieter.  Eventually, it was all quiet.  I waited 10 minutes before I ventured into the lion pit hoping they weren't doing their "Ill pretend I'm asleep then start talking again soon as they are all settled in".  

They weren't, both were snuggled up to their lovies and breathing gently.  It was a success, 50 minutes of cries and they were done and ready to sleep again.  I felt relief, it worked, although it was longer than I had ever wished to have to listen to them cry.  

I know many moms choose not to do this method, I am generally one of those.  Something inside of you just goes off and makes you anxious the entire time they cry, making you feel like you have to do something NOW!   While there are others who have told us "Oh let them cry all night if they have to".  That I could never do.

To be honest I hope to never have to do that again, call me a pansy but I just cannot handle hearing them so upset.  30 minutes has always been a limit for me and them crying.  I really hope it was a fluke and they just had a little mix up in their day, it's never happened like that before.  

Here's what I've learned:

I've become a true softy with the bearing of children.

They have me wrapped around their little fingers.

CIO, worked and seemingly with no damage since they both squealed with joy when they saw me this morning.

Dads are too good at sleeping through the chaos. 

Last but not least- we all need a vacation. Hahaha.  ;)

Dear Mom & Dad

We have something important to tell you.  Now we know you've probably guessed it but, we figured we should come out and tell you anyway!  'Cause anyway, it's important and we only have a few minutes before we take our nap-which is extremely important!  

So here goes-

You're pretty awesome!  Not to mention we love your guts! So keep being crazy and fun, we'll be sure to try and not cry too much. 

Love ❤

K & O

5 fav Friday

1.  If only I could grab my feet and pull them to my face

2. anything ancient is worth learning

3. a little bit of homemade a little bit of classic

4. KAB❤

5. The dreaded Kinono Dragon!

Weekend Goals

I've decided I needed to make some goals for myself this weekend..

With having my first 2 tests behind me, I feel all of a sudden a lot less motivated! 

1.  Clean house

2. Organize twins room

3. do laundry

4. shop for awesome needed things

5. take time to read to myself

6. hug an Auzzie bear

7. design/ draw on tablet

8. send out pictures to NICU/nurses ❤

9. sleep lots

10.  play till we pass out

Wordless Wednesday

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You just gotta ignite

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before.  I love/adore/admire music.  Or as I like to put it (because it sounds even more amazing) J'aime la musique.

Some of the most recent artists I truly admire (Foo Fighters, The Beatles, The Who, The Bee Gees, The Runaways, Katy Rose..etc.  Go without saying) P!nk and Katy Perry.  Both aren't afraid to express their feelings and beliefs through their music.  They don't stop to think about how people might judge them or get in their way.  They let people know that they are loving life no matter what is coming or has come and that we need to see ourselves and enjoy who we are. (Yes I know others have done this but these are my favorites)

Now I've loved P!nk forever, we're talking the beginning of her stardom.  

Katy Perry is my most recent admiration. 

Yes she's adorable, her style is something I wish I could pull off somedays (vintage that is).

So you're probably thinking, "OK, we get it where is this going".  Well, I recently read an article another blogger linked in her recent post, here.

After reading this it made me think of Katy's newer song, "Firework". 

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag 
Drifting through the wind
Wanting to start again

Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin

Like a house of cards

One blow from caving in

Do you ever feel already buried deep

Six feet under scream

But no one seems to hear a thing

Do you know that tehre's still a chance for you

Cause there's a spark in you

You just gotta ignite the light

And let it shine

Just own the night

Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework

Come on show 'em what your worth

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework

Come on let your colors burst

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

You don't have to feel like a waste of space

You're original, cannot be replaced

If you only knew what the future holds

After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed

So you can open one that leads you to the perfect road

Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow

And when it's time, you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light

And let it shine

Just own the night

Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework

Come on show 'em what your worth

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework

Come on slet your colors burst

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

Boom, boom, boom

Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

It's always been inside of you, you, you

And now it's time to let it through

Cause baby you're a firework

Come on show 'em what your worth

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework

Come on slet your colors burst

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

You're gunna leave 'em goin "Oh, oh, oh!"

Boom, boom, boom

Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

Boom, boom, boom

Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

I recently watched her video and really listened to the lyrics, maybe I'm being a little emotional, but I was tearing up a bit. 

Even Pink's recent had some words that really make you wonder/think:

The whole world's scared so I swallow the fear...
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel
Like you're nothing, you're perfect to me
You're perfect, you're perfect!

Now the article focuses on Mormon Mom Bloggers.  How their life seems simply perfect and they put on this "top surface" show if you will of how amazing life is.  How people are drawn to this lifestyle for how fantastic it may seem.  I'm LDS, I'm not active, and I know that it's not all picture perfect. Never the less...the thought is something we all fantasize about. I know I do, I dream of days that we don't have to worry about money, days where I can just focus on us as a family.  

There are so many people around me (not to mention myself) who are going through rough times.  Rough times that everyone goes through in one way or another ranging from heart breaking to a simple fit could fix.  Speaking for myself here I think I've been so stressed with life in general I've felt like a house of cards ready to fall down.  

It seems to be human nature to simply focus on the bad, to second guess ourselves as to why others lives or so much better than our own.  As if we were the only ones handed the losing hand in this giant poker game.  We may not all express is vocally and keep it to ourselves but everyone has those thoughts.  It doesn't help that we have society telling us that every thing is peachy keen and that if it's not then we are doing something wrong.  But why?  Can't we love our flaws?  Not fix them?  

I've had to sit back recently and tell myself, before completely melting down, that I'm doing the best that I can.  That I am a 20 something mom of beautiful perfect twin girls going to school to better my our life and theirs.  I love my mistakes, my subtle stutter (thanks dad ❤), my not so perfect smile, my ADD that causes me to move from activity to activity.  It simply comes down to needing to let myself out, to help others see that they can let themselves go!   To remember that this not so perfect life is perfect for me.  It's what I'm meant to do and who I'm supposed to be.  

I need to ride more rides, look at the stars more often, smile at the imperfections, laugh at the hard situations, go on more walks, paint more, draw more, dance more, play more, and most of all tell my gremlins every day (and myself):

You're Perfect and can/will do amazing things in this life ❤

Missing the warmth

I love winter.  I really do!  The snow, the crisp air, a good afternoon of cuddling on the couch and drinking hot chocolate. 

Not to mention sledding at 2am in the morning of a fresh snow, snowboarding, being all bundled up in the white and the blue!

BUT! I'm kind of getting to that point that I am really missing the warmth.  The summer glow.

Being outside where I'm likely to tan and/or burn a little.

Going camping and spending time by the fire, burning things, roasting dogs and mallows.  

Not to mention being at the lake!  Any lake!  Bear Lake, Strawberry, Lake Powell, I don't even care!  I just miss the lake.

This time in the year you just kind of reach your breaking point.  You're wishing for the sun to beat down and warm you as you step outside.  Sitting in the backyard in the hammock feels like it was SO long ago!  I know we should be taking every day and enjoying it fully but boy I know I would enjoy having some otter pops as I watch the girls and dogs play outside!

With this all of a sudden popping up...

(Sorry a bit blurry but you get the "picture")

I can't help but be itching to get them out into the world playing, crawling(or walking) all over the house and yard.  Get them back in some water to enjoy.  We really want to take them camping, to the beach.  So many things we want to do with the gremlins.  Even things we want to go and do just the two of us.  Which parents need! Every couple needs to get out and enjoy themselves one on one every so often.  

Preparing to get the motorcycles ready, mountain bikes tuned, longboards out, all of the above!  

Oh boy, I guess today is just one of those days that I miss the heat.  I miss being able to walk around in shorts and T.  

What things do you miss about summer?

Or You could just be super lucky and live in a place with summer all year!  (Yes, that's to my brother.)

Soon enough it will be here and like most people I'll probably be missing the snow!  Alas, it's what we do, it's human nature!  Right?!

Content

We have missed a few birthday parties this week due to Ms. K being sick. :(  It's sad we couldn't make it and we really wish and hope everyone had a fun time! 

Today we missed another one at Chuck-E-Cheese. Ms. K and I decided to stick behind and send off her sister with her dad to have some fun without us. 

I don't mind though, because I get to stay home with this..

Milk mustache and all. 

<3 Here's to the week ahead!

My 5 Fav Friday

Happy Friday all!  Have a safe weekend! <3

Black Lung

...OK, maybe not exactly the black lung.  :p

Kenzlee appears to have croup.  Which doesn't really affect the lungs as it mostly affects her upper air ways.  BUT never the less she is sounding horrible and unable to breath often.  

She has had some congestion for some time now and just this Tuesday she began to progress with a cough.   Wednesday she gave her mom a scare and I walk into her gasping for air during her nap.  (which of course she was not napping, she was trying to cry)  So naturally we took her in to be seen.  

We were told it would be a fun while with her having this.  That we need to keep an eye on her.  In case it does progress into bronchitis as croup sometimes can mask it in the early stages.  We were given antibiotics and told if it becomes worse they have a steroid they can give them once that helps open up the passage. 

The first night was horrible, not to mention horrifying!  It was as if we were back in the NICU listening to them struggle for air.  But this felt 10 times worse.  I would have to hold her upright for about 10 minutes then attempt to lay her down (in her now inclined bed).  We tried everything at first: swing, rocker, bouncer, walking with her.  She just would not sleep.  2am finally rolled around and after a few minutes outside in the cold air watching the beautiful full moon and stars, I tried again to lay her down.  This time it worked.  With the humidifier going I sat listening to her breaths slowly go in and out, easily noticing the struggle.  

Most who know me well, know that I don't scare or get too emotional about things that easy.  I mean, I'm this hard skinned motocross, snowboarding, skating, etc chick!  We don't have time to be too emotional.  When you have kids it seems to push a lot of that "hardness" down.  I was in tears sitting there after a while.  It was hard to hear that, when I had absolutely no power in helping her.  I'm not ashamed to say I said a little prayer, asking that she be able to get some rest as I could tell how completely exhausted she was, and that she be watched over that night for comfort. 

I don't know if it was coincidence but she actually was able to sleep till 5:30am, then proceeding to have a coughing fit.  I again picked her up and walked with her a bit as she gasped but yet still was so happy to have me there she was grabbing at my face and smiling cooing to me.  

I finally got her to sleep again even if it did only last till 7am.  I was just so happy she finally was able to get some rest.  

From what I was told the next day while I was at school wasn't too bad, she still couldn't nap and may have had a slight temp.  But like we were told nights would be worse. 

So last night as things began to wind down, both of them began to get very tired a little early.  Kenzlee was ready for bed by 6pm and her cough was beginning to pick up.  The doctor had sent in the prescription for the steroid to give to her in hopes of making her more comfortable.  

I'm weird about medicine, I never want to put it to use unless really necessary and with her seeming to do semi decent that day I wanted to try and see if she'd sleep without giving it to her.  

Unfortunately that didn't work.  She was hacking, coughing, gasping for air within a few minutes of trying to sleep.  

Began the attempt to get the 3tsp of medicine down her throat.  Lets just say, I've never seen such a contorted face of disgust in all my years! Haha.  

Eventually it worked and after some time we were able to get her to sleep, with a few of the normal coughing fits.  

Here's the good part, she slept all night till 7am.  (which is WAY too early for mom on her day off) 

We are happy to say that this morning she is doing a lot better than the last couple days. She is playing, with little coughing and when I picked her up for her crib I could hardly hear the wheezing from her throat.  

We are hoping her sister doesn't get it, but it's a strong possibility.  Still watching her and her sister, trying to keep their environment extra clean for the next couple days.  Our worst fear would be for it to turn into RSV but I have faith that this will not happen or I will have to kick some butt!

So we have more bubble baths, snuggles, and lots of naps ahead of us! Nap?!  Boy am I ready...

Giveaway

Yet another great giveaway I've stumbled upon while doin' my blogness!

Found here at <3 Elycia's Blog 

The prize:

How to enter:  Go to Elycia's Blog Leave a comment telling her your favorite item from m.sartin designs as well as your e-mail address for if you win!

My favorite(s):

Yummy Baby Hat

m.sartin cowl-taupe

LOVE EM! :)

Extra Entries: 

1. Blog or tweet about the giveaway and leave her a link!

2. follow mindy on twitter! 

The winner will be announced Thursday January 27th!  Good luck!

Wordless Wednesday..8months ago today

4 more months

So, I know I say this stuff probably more often than I should but hey I'm still trying to convince myself it's happening.  My girls are getting bigger by the day!  I'm kind of jumping the gun but as of tomorrow they will be 8 months old!  Can you believe that?  4 months away from being a year old....yeah, I'm pretty sure this is all just a crazy dream and I'll wake back up at 19yrs old living in Washington again.  *Pinch*

OK, it's not a dream.  

Just the other day we finally set up their high chairs...sigh...high chairs.  We were excited, proud.  That's a little odd to be proud?

Papa (which I'm starting to think they girls call "baba") setting up the chairs

Even though they seem to slide down they actually enjoyed sitting in them!  

For a bit now they both have been able to sit up on their own un assisted.  Kenzington even bends over and chews on her feet, often.  Although Oakley seems to think her belly gets in her way and fusses more than not.

They both completely love sitting in their "learning chairs".  Spinning, bouncing, chewing on all the toys!  They talk to each other and babble on forever.  

Both are supporting themselves when picked up to stand.  Kenzington more so, when in her chair she doesn't even sit in it.  She simply stands and crouches up and down now and then as if to jump.  When we walk her she actually seems interested in getting going.  We think she may end up like her mother and walk before she crawls!  Which would be scary but makes sense.  She almost never will roll around like her sister and shows really no interest in it.  With all this moving around they are starting to thin out a wee bit in the face, so we're told. 

From what I hear they do great when I'm gone at school and as much as I miss them I'm glad they are doing well with me not around.  I just love coming home and watch as they notice me for the first time that day and just smile huge!  It makes all of the annoying things that may have happened during my school day just go away!  

Although I will say this, it's very nice to get out of the house and be on my own again for so many hours out of the day.  Gives me time to focus on me and life.  I think we all need to think about us once and a while.  It's not selfish by any means, I think it helps build yourself into who you need or want to be.  

I have a goal to not stress as much this year.  It causes wrinkles..and for being in my early 20's I feel I already have too many :(.  (it'd probably help if I got contacts/glasses and didn't "squint" all the time) Besides, stress is bad mojo!

Another goal, be more creative...zAp that brain back into action and get that imagination going!  Hmm...not to work on how I'm going to do that..

Touched

If some of you readers haven't seen this image already circulating the internet and Facebook.  I wanted to share it.  Having premature babies and seen some of the hardships moms go through in the NICU it is always great to see and hear about those cases that end with miracles and happiness.

A picture began circulating in November. It should be "The Picture of
the Year,"... or perhaps, "Picture of the Decade." It won't be. In fact,
unless you obtained a copy of the U.S. paper which published it, you
probably would never have seen it.

The picture is that of a
21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being
operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with
spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb.
Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta.
She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at
Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these
special operations while the baby is still in the womb.

During
the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a
small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr. Bruner completed the
surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed
hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. Dr.
Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was
the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during
the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.

The
photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity. The editors
titled the picture, "Hand of Hope." The text explaining the picture
begins, "The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas
emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph
Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life."

Little
Samuel's mother said they "wept for days" when they saw the picture. She
said, "The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an
illness, it's about a little person" Samuel was born in perfect health,
the operation 100 percent successful. Now see the actual picture, and it
is awesome...incredible....and hey, pass it on! The world needs to see
this one!

Nightmare

Ever have one of those nightmares that really kicks you in the butt, wakes you, makes it so you are unable to go back to sleep because you just lay there thinking about it in fear!?

Well it happen to me last night.  It was is probably the silliest dream ever but it still made me panic!

The dream was simply that all of a sudden it was snowing like crazy, (like it often does here), it snowed so much that by the end of the day we were trapped in our own homes.  Everyone!  Especially us since we live up near the mountain.  Then as I was getting ready to feed the girls their night time bottle, I realized that I was on their last can of formula.  I ran to the window looking outside in panic and couldn't even see outside, the snow had gone as high as the house and there was no exit in site as I listen to the news telling us, "The snow will not be stopping!  Everyone prepare to be trapped for the next year in your homes".

Then, I woke, up.  No this scenario is a bit unlikely, not only that we would have 15ft snow out our front door making it impossible to go anywhere.  But also that it would stick around for a year.  

Still I lay there awake almost having a panic attack as I realize that we really do only have maybe 2 cans of formula left..and what if, just if, we couldn't go to the store and get more!  What would we do?

I almost got up (at 3am) and ran to the store to buy out every can that I could.  

Silly of me I know, but haven't you (if you're a new mom, mom in general, or even if you're NOT a mom) had some dream or all of a sudden think of worst case scenario and wonder to yourself, "What am I going to do if that ever happen to us"?  

*Holds sign, "THE END IS NEAR"*

;)

Favorite

Definitely one of ours and the gremlins favorite things to do is bath time. :)  Watching them play and explore the water is fun for all of us.  

After giving them their nightly bath last night I couldn't help but capture the moment of them sitting together with their "Flower Power" towels (as I call them).  Given to us by an amazing friend, from The Three V's  and if I'm not mistaken they are home made! :)

So adorable. <3

Awesome-est giveaway!

So after finally updating my "Birth Story" page, I was catching up on some of the blogs I follow and came across this really cool giveaway. :)  Because, i don't know about you but  i NEED some decorations for my barren house.   From The Swede Records

The prize:

Well the winner will receive a sign with the color of their choice and can personalize it with anything they like!

How to Enter:

Be a follower of the Swede Records

For Extra Entries:

Follow Jenny may on Twitter

"Like" Signs of Vintage on Facebook 

Blog or Tweet about the giveaway

{Just make sure to include the links in separate comments on her blog}

Winner will be announced Next Friday, January 21st. <3

(US and Canada Only)