Well, then let me rewind back to December just one more time because, well, I just had twins 5 months ago and so I get to do things like that. Skip around with my updates, forget things for months at a time, not blog at all and then bombard you with 20 new things at once, all from different months... etc etc. For reals..it's like; in the rulebook of having twins. Volume 1, page 210. :)

Aaaanywho. Just wanted to tell you all that Macy was asked out of her whole preschool, to pray for the start of the Christmas Program. It was really very sweet and so I figured it should be documented on here. I know the pictures aren't great but you can see her standing up there with her teacher Mrs. Ralston who is wooonderful by the way. We love her.


You'll notice she's holding the mic all by herself. Yeah, there's a story there.

See, the first morning the kids went into the auditorium to practice, Macy acted all shy and kept telling Mrs. Ralston she didn't want to do it anymore. So ofcourse she wasn't pushed and they were gonna pick someone else. When I picked Macy up that day and Mrs. Ralston told me what happened, I was really surprised cuz she had been sooo excited about it. I had a feeling something was up and when we got to the car here's how our conversation went:

Me: "Mace, I'm surprised to hear you decided you didn't want to do the prayer. You certainly don't have to but do you know that means you won't get to do it in the performance either, not just today."

Macy: "What?!"

Me: "Yeah Sweetheart, you have to practice it if you want to do it in the performance, Mrs. Ralston is going to ask someone else now because you told her you didn't want to do it."

Macy: (Starting to cry) Oh no! But I DO want to do it, it's just, well, Mrs. Ralston was holding the microphone too and I wanted to hold it all by myself! (ah, logic - btw we're in full blown tears now) Can you tell her Mommy? Please?! I'm so sad I can't do it anymore!

My goodness; this child. The drama she is already able to drum up; it makes me tired just thinking about it.

So we went back to Mrs. Ralston (all three boys in tow , mind you) and Macy explained what happened and that she really did want to do it afterall, she'd just like to please hold the microphone all by herself. Eh hem.

Well, no one else had been asked yet so all was good and happy again. All except that I looked like a TOTAL stage mom..."Oh yes you WILL pray in the Christmas performance!" (can you even imagine?!)

*sigh*



So proud :)

Whadya know?! We were able to take the kids to the snow again before they turned 18 afterall! If you have been following us on here for awhile you know last year when we went I was afraid it may be the last time for quite awhile as the thought of trying to brave a trip with the twins felt waaay too overwhelming. But alas, here we found ourselves, Winter 2010 with the big kids asking constantly if 'today' we could go to the snow? or maybe 'after naps'? Luckily we have wonderful friends, the Berry's who invited us to their cabin for the weekend, which made this first 'trip to the snow' as a family of 6 a total breeze! Thanks Mike and Katie! We love you! :)

2010.

Ryan and I rang in this new decade in a way neither of us ever have before. All. by. Ourselves. Well, all by ourselves being a ‘Party of Six’ but still, just the two of us adults, just our family, at home.

I had to work at Bellybou' during the day so Ryan set to work at home with the kids preparing the evening plans to make our night fun and memorable. First for the kid's portion of the evening:
Mac n Cheese w/ Lil' smokies and a fun appetizer plate of goodies:


smoothies, popcorn:

and Finding Nemo,

while snuggled in PJ's and fuzzy blankets.

Noah and Jude enjoyed their view in the opposite direction of the TV playing with their new little toys from Rellie and Sean and then cooing, smiling and staring at the Christmas lights.



After the movie we celebrated a fake 'countdown' with the kiddos, complete with streamers and everything. (Do you love Carter's footie Pj's...cuz...he does.)



The explanation of what we were actually counting down to, and the concept of a 'new year' however, was completely lost on them though. Which I shouldn't have been surprised about considering that every day when Carter wakes up from his nap he asks if he can have his 'first treat of the day' all over again (they're allowed two treats a day, a rule I developed in desperation after Halloween and now LOATHE because I get asked A MILLION times a day for first or second treats...blerg.) Aaaaanyway...

Then when all the kiddos were tucked in to bed Ryan and I began our evening, starting with some Office re-runs while Ryan made amazing Chicken Chili in bread bowls.

We watched Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, (which has been on at every party I've ever been to over the years yet I've never once actually watched).


And then made the yummiest, richest 'Mini Molten Mocha Chocolate Cakes' (excuse me while I wipe the drool from the keyboard - they were heavenly)


and at midnight we toasted with our Strawberry Champagne Cocktails and just awed at all that had happened in one tiny little year called 2009.


It was such a sweet evening; so fitting for this time in our lives, so symbolic of the chaotic simplicity that promises to paint itself all over this next chapter of our family story.

It's funny, we're only a pinkie toe into the New year and already I am surprised at how I must truly not have believed I would live past Christmas. Way back when I first learned I was having twins, September became this sort of 'D-day' for me. A month I knew I would one day arrive at and when it came it would change everything. forever. I had a ticker on my blog and a growing time bomb in my belly; there was little doubt I would eventually see September 2009. And then I had the next few months planned out to a 'T'. With helper's and friends and family, meals and schedule's and driver's and holiday plans, I could picture living life in December of 2009 and I was practically carried there blindly (thanks to the baby haze). But you take a look at my 'plans' for 2010 and I honestly must have thought either Jesus was coming back, or no one with twins lives past their fourth month, because I did not picture myself here and I am quite literally living each day as it comes with low expectations and a loose hand on any 'plans' more complicated than feeding, clothing, training and enjoying my children, all while loving my husband. For me, this is an odd place to find myself, it's a strange feeling, but a good one. There are still responsibilities,things going on and coming up, and our life still promises to be as busy as ever (hence the word 'chaotic' from my earlier description) but so much also feels so honed in right now; simpler, clearer...quieter.

It's as if after a solid decade (atleast!) of walking, wandering, transitioning, growing, changing, waiting, wondering and adjusting I've just plopped myself down in a very stationary, overstuffed lounge chair. And while I'm still scooching and shifting and (awkwardly) fidgeting; whilst I settle in, I am infact; settling in.

This is my new normal. There is no (forseen) next huge transition around the corner causing me to 'pause' life until we reach it. There are no question marks dangling in the balance; disrupting my focus and blurring my vision of the future. Here is my family before me; here are our roles and our community with whom we will live out a good chunk of our days. Here are four little lives who I will spend the next decade pouring in to, helping to transition into full blown people, with moral compasses, social skills, personalities and decision making capabilities all their own. And here is my husband, who is in the armchair (leather; with matching ottoman) next to me, ready to watch it all unfold with me. (and hopefully make me some more yummy dinners and desserts along the way!)

Here’s to a decade of focus, investment, intentionality and deep enjoyment. Nothing could feel more exciting.

This year we made the mini trek down to Danville again for Christmas morning. We are getting to be quite the crew filling out my parents house when we all sleep there! But it makes it exciting!

Four of the Six in their Christmas PJ's. If Carter looks out numbered don't you dare feel sorry for him, his trouble making partners just happened to be sleeping at the moment, there's an even three on three going on here and next year is going to be quite a show. Oi, I need a nap just thinking about it!

Miss Peyton Jane, sweetest thing.

McKenna Genna, gettin' her glitter on :)

Macy set straight to work with her new Hello Kitty scissors.

And Carter ate all three Pez packages in oh, .2 seconds. Hmm...


Not to toot my own (eh hem, or Santa's own) horn or anything but this gift idea ended up being awesome, Carter now wants to carry every single hot wheel he has in his case, everywhere we go. "No no Mom, it's okay, Ill just bring my special case!" :)

Macy and McKenna got personalized little lap desks, did you have one when you were little, I did and I felt so cool drawing or doing homework while lounging on my bed. This is already a big help with keeping our 'quiet time on our beds' portion of the day going!


I wish I could post a video of Carter opening this one but Ill show a few pics just so you can try to grasp the amount of action and energy occurring at this moment. He was sooo excited about the mysteriously shaped package. A GIANT Triceratops! Score!



And the pictures ended there for the morning as we got swept away in the rest of the day's activities, but it was a wonderful time being down at my parents.

The following Monday we headed back up to Roseville and had Christmas #2 with the MacDiarmid's. It amazes me how it truly can feel exactly like Christmas Eve and Christmas morning even 4 days later just cause everyone is such good sports about it!
This is what our van looked like trying to bring all our luggage, baby equipment plus now new presets back with us. Macy and Carter thought it felt like a cool fort, so we got very few complaints the whole way home even though they were literally squished into their carseats between bags and packages!


Again, kiddos in their PJ's on Christmas Eve, can cousins in PJ's pictures EVER get old? Two things to note: Is Jordan not the cutest lil' thing you've ever laid eyes on? Perfectly poised, sweet little face all attentive and happy. What a good girl. And second, I think Noah got the raw end of the deal in this photo session, but Carter sure was trying his best, poor guy :)

I think we took even fewer pictures this round, but it is no indication of the fun we had or the specialness of the morning. Sometimes life just gets lived, instead of photographed. I'm okay with that :)

Sooo...we're gonna back track a little, close your eyes and pretend we're still in 2009 and it's still Christmas time. Okay now open them or you won't be able to see any of the pictures!

Despite packing too much in (as usual!) December was actually a very enjoyable month! I just looove my December evenings by the fire sipping hot chocolate out of a Christmas mug and looking at my pretty twinkling tree. I could DEFINITELY handle a longer Christmas season. (Which is funny because as a kid I remember those 25 days until Christmas dragging on and on and ON (and on!))

This year we tackled a little Christmas baking so we could deliver goodies to some neighbors. Despite being 190% BOY, Carter is actually Mr. Baker extraordinaire. He really loves to bake and cook and...taste :) So both kiddos were very excited about our morning! After browsing cookie websites and choosing our favorites they headed off to the store with Ryan to gather all the ingredients while Noah, Jude and I stayed behind to set up stations and get everything ready. (N&J were extremely helpful)

Once they were back we set to work.

Noah decided he should not have to nap on such an exciting morning as this, so he observed from his perch. He thought everything looked so good he just kept drooling and drooling.

Later Jude joined in...and was none too happy about any of it.

Just a couple shots of the kiddos peeling hershey kisses and making silly faces.




It was such a fun morning to spend as a family and one I've decided will remain a tradition. Should be a tad more interesting next year considering 1 year old twins may not sit so still in bumbo seats on top of our counters, but we'll figure it out! All in all, we made peanut butter fudge, PB Blossoms, Peppermint bark, and Lemon Icing drops. Mmmmmm, so sad that it has all already been consumed or I'd be pausing my post right this minute to go grab another piece of that fudge!