Randoms

These are fun...

One of our favorite missionaries from church!

Kensy and her friend, Becca

Blind makeovers:

Reaching for the camera

Two kids per class get the Character award each quarter. Cali got one first and Bella was chosen for second. They get them for showing integrity. I love that they teach integrity in school- the choices we make when no one is watching!! Always been a big thing with me.

Cousin Time

We were so happy to learn Monday that Curtis was in Houston this week on business. He came over Wednesday night and spent time with us. The girls ate up all the attention! It was great. I am crazy about him and we were the closest growing up out of all my cousins. I am so thankful for the most opportune visit and for his help this week.

The girls have nicknames for him! Currently they call him "Coconut Head" but he requested that by next visit they have a new name. Braelyn is Furball, Kensy is Rathead (names from a long car trip years and years ago) and I don't think Cali and Bella have one. Or Bentley. :)

Buds. See the similarity??

I love this guy

Thanks Curtis for the laughs, tears, good advice and most importantly for introducing me to Chick-Fil-A's special sauce! I'm hooked!

Angels Among Us

The past couple weeks have been really hard. Emotionally. Financially. It's draining. I am astonished at how the Lord blesses me with his tender mercies every single day. I look back from the separation until now and He has been beside me every step of the way. He has protected me and my family and has provided for us all along. Every step of the way. This week has been a hard week. I am learning a lot about myself and others. I am needy of my friends and family's advice and help. I am buoyed up constantly by their words. They carry me. They fill the void my heart feels. Last night I was able to visit with my cousin, Curtis for a long time. He had good words of advice that sunk in deep to my heart. He helped me to see that often times I see things that aren't reality. Why do I do that? Why does my heart grasp things so often and doesn't choose to see the reality- in relationships. He helped me to learn to run with what I get and not what I want and also to focus on what I need and not what I want. Huh... this tends to center around not getting what I want. Isn't that the hardest thing in life- when we have to deal with disappointment and not getting what we want. Even when what we want is righteous and good. When I was growing up my sister and I were spoiled. I felt like when we moved out into the real world that we didn't know how to deal with disappointment. It was harsh to have the world teach that to me. I have been cautious and mindful of that as I parent my kids. I want them to learn to deal with disappointment while in the home so they can handle it when the world lets them down and life in general. I'm still learning how to deal myself. I can't even express how thankful I am for a loving Heavenly Father who knows me and my situation and has blessed me everyday with friends, family, kind words, truthful words, an awakening of my soul to what is real and what is conjured up by my heart to be some fantasy, the joy of my kids and their unconditional love, our home, the peace that come from only Him, and how he always takes care of us.

Last night I received another anonymous gift from someone who knows me and "loves me" as the card stated. It had cash in it and came at the most opportune time. I am so thankful (and humbled). I am so fortunate for the angels that walk among me and are God's hands. My heart is so full today.

Grocery Shopping with the Twins :D

The other day a lady asked me how I did it with two babies during the day. I was talking to her about how I don't take them out to run many errands during the day and I do my running at nights. I told her I definitely didn't do grocery trips with both babies. Then, I wondered why!?! Today I needed to go to the store and I can't do it tonight so I ventured to the grocery with both babies. This is a picture of how we did it:

Honestly, mothers of twins have to do this so what's the big deal anyway? It was awesome. I felt very pumped when we were done because it was something new.

And I was really happy because when we left I even was fortunate enough to get a few of these yummy bad boys:

(and no Cali, I didn't steal these, I paid for them before putting them in my purse)

Me

Just Us

Brabes

8 months

My Clear Lake best friends.

Angela, Me, Suzanne

Bentley loved the balloon

All of us

My friend made these beanies for the kids and surprised us. She is amazing.

Home for the Holidays

What a rough holiday this proved to be. The girls went to Dallas and we were apart for the first Christmas ever. I count my blessings that I was able to go home to Arizona with Bentley to be with my family for the holidays. It was one of the most emotional Christmases ever.

We got there the 23rd and immediately went to my favorite Tucson restaraunt- Eegees! This was in line.

Angie, Bentley, Destiny

Bentster

Desi with her Aunt Mandy. Can I just say that one of my very favorite things ever is when this little girl looks into my eyes. It's like she is always in awe. What must she see? I adore her and miss her and her brothers when we are away. :(

Oh, and look at our food spread. The best food!!!

He is a happy baby boy. Grandma loved playing with him.

We met Auntie Meg for lunch at... Eegees. That was my fourth trip there. It was about 18 degrees inside Eegees that day. So freaking cold and so worth it. Good food and the BEST, uplifting, conversation with a true friend.

Mom loves Barb. This picture makes my heart happy. Look at how happy momma is and how Barb is smiling at her. So sweet.

Meet Aiden (80) He is always lurking around the corner and is always ready to get into more trouble... this is Classic Aiden

look what he put in the toitey

This was mom and Bent after we ate at AFR (Arizona Family Restaurant). We ate there often growing up. I love this picture.

Some old guy asked if I wanted to be in the pic too. Of course I wanted one of me with my momma. I say old guy respectively- Green Valley is the retirement capital of the nation. :D They do all drive in their own golf cart lane with a maximum speed of 10mph.

Jenny and mom worked at the same place with Barb. Jenny and Bentley. A picture tells a thousand baby babbles

My angel baby on Christmas Eve

... and not so angel baby with Auntie's hairdo

... or in his swing . He's an escape artist, little stinker.

Christmas Morning (like butt crack of dawn early morning). My baby boy looking at the stud muffin in the mirror. Such a sweetie.

Miss Destiny got an easel for Christmas and she liked to play school. This was the "Morning Message" Angie and I found:

Today is Thursday. Destiny's favorite thing is to play baseball.

My favorite part: frabi

Doesn't that melt you.

80. He makes me smile when he talks to me and wants to show me around. He has really come out of his shell and impressed me this visit.

Nolie. This was after he hid inside his shirt to avoid my camera and mad skills

Desi will let me take five thousand pictures of her! She loves me so much. :)

This picture makes me happy. My baby was so happy to be around family. He is my sunshine.

Me and baby boy before church.

Classic! Look at my handsome dad. Leaving him ripped my heart out this trip. I had two heart wrenching good-byes. One at my dad's and the next day at the airport with my sis and mom. :(

HOWEVER, this was taken on a day that will be one of my favorite memories with my dad. He picked me up from my dentist appt and we winged some plans (well I knew I planned it all along) and went to Luke's Deli and had such a fun time with yummy food. Then we went shopping (yes so fun) and Verizon (not so fun but always fun with dad)! I had such a great day.

What do you know- more of us eating! :) One of my favorite things to do, right? Go out to eat! Angie, Me and Bent at BJ's. They have the best pazookies. Leave it to me to know where to get good desserts. They make their own Root Beer too and have yummy Strawberry Lemonades.

Momma with us at BJ's

Get over here Auntie!

The night before the snow came in. It was freezing and dad was grilling out for us. What's a visit home without a night of grilling. Just wouldn't be the same! Just like quad rides and this visit our quad ride was about ten minutes long with frozen popsicle hands and feet. Though I won't forget the sunset and little girl on the back of mine. Life consists of memories that touch your heart and change you for the better.

Snow day. It only stuck on the trampoline so the kids had a blast out there. We stayed in and enjoyed it. Aiden flew right on off this trampoline but it didn't phase him one bit.

Bentley and grandma at her office.

The girls. How can words express how I feel about these two women? We are all one in some unexplainable way. They know me best. We had such a fabulous visit and when it's time to go it feels like it will rip your heart out. I love my family so much and am so grateful for who I am because of them and for all they give to me in way of support and unconditional love and example.

Noah, we love you and your family. Thank you so much for opening your home up to us. I am praying for you in your knee recovery. You are a special man.