Join me...

Please join me in praying for my long-time-friend, Ellen.  She is a beautiful Mommy-To-Be.  Ellen is pregnant with twin boys.  Her doctors discovered through a sonogram last week that her two babies have Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome.   She blogged about it here.  I know that Ellen and her husband, Kellen, would appreciate prayers lifted up on their behalf.  Right now, they are waiting for more information and another sonogram on Wednesday.

He said, "I am the LORD, who heals you.”
Exodus 15:26

Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases
Psalm 103:3


Our God is a healing God.  Ellen's little baby boys are in the hands of their Maker right now...I can not imagine a better being to be in charge than the One who formed these babies in their mother's womb.  What an encouragement it is to know that we have faith in our Creator!
 
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Psalm 139:13,14
 
Ellen and Kellen are scared and uncertain as they wait for another sonogram on Wednesday.  Let's gather together and lift them up so they can feel that peace that passes understanding.
 
Much love and a heavy heart tonight,

A Typical Week In Our House

Yesterday morning before I left for school...

• I pressed snooze til 5:40...that would be 30 minutes too long.
• Nathan and Jordan BOTH woke up at 6:00...that would be one hour early.
• Nathan and Jordan were BOTH wet because their diaper leaked and their sheets needed to be changed too.  This has not happened since they were like 5 months old.
• After cleaning up that mess, Cooper puked on the ottoman in the living room.  REALLY?!

Yesterday at school...

• I got an email from Bryan that said he had gone for a run during his lunch break at school and he was greeted in the middle of his jog by his coworker/coaching friends driving in the back of a pick-up truck, holding out a corn dog attached to a golf club, all while yelling funny stuff to Bryan on the megaphone.  I thought it was hilarious.  Here is a picture Bryan snapped with his iphone...

Last night...

• I went to THREE stores after the boys went to bed to find white t-shirts for the boys with no luck.  Thanks to my sweet Mama for finding some today.  The boys have 50's day at school tomorrow!

Tonight...

• Bryan had a track meet so I tackled bedtime/bathtime on my own.  Jordan tinkled all over the chair and pillow in their room before I got his diaper on him.  That was totally fun to clean up.   

So, now I am sitting in my chair with my laptop and American Idol on Tivo and it makes me really happy.  :) 

Party Time!

We finally had the boys' birthday party this weekend...just two weeks after their birthday.  Bryan had a basketball tournament the weekend of their birthday and the party location was booked last weekend.  So, this has been quite a long celebration for our little guys! 

For boys that love cars, trucks, and things that go, this was a great party!  We had a cars and trucks theme so I used Nathan and Jordan's toy cars, trucks, tractors, and airplanes as centerpieces. 

Cupcakes for everyone.  :)

Matchbox cars, fruit snacks, and M&Ms for party favors!

Nathan and Jordan loved playing in "The Treehouse."  Oh, by the way, does this party location look familiar?  I did host this birthday party at the same place as the boys' first birthday.  Yes, I am THAT creative.  HA!  Maybe next year we will branch out.  This just happens to be such a fun place and makes for super easy party planning.  :)

Nater-Tot

Jordy

Time to blow out the candles!  I could hardly keep Nathan's hands away from the cupcake while we were singing Happy Birthday. 

YUM!  Ice cream!

Jordan beat us to the gifts! What a little stinker!

Thank you so much to all of our friends and family that came together to celebrate my two little miracles.  It was a special day for my boys.  My sister's girls have been hit by the flu bug this weekend.  We were so bummed that Vivi and Georgia couldn't make it to the party.  It just wasn't the same without my little princess nieces!  Aunt Libby, Uncle Brad, and Aunt Morgan came in town for the party...so special!  Nater-Tot and Jordy were thrilled to see them.  :) 

Two Birthday Boys!

Monday was Nathan and Jordan's SECOND birthday!  My babies are two years old.  We have done our best to make these boys feel so special on their birthday.  They woke up on Monday morning to balloons of their favorite characters and new placemats at the table.    By the way, the placemats might not have been the best idea.  Nathan keeps pushing his plate away at the supper table so that he can study and talk about the Toy Story characters on his placemat.  It has just added one more obstacle to our supper table battles.  ;)

We took them to Chuck E. Cheese with Gram, PaPa, MeMe, and Grandad on Monday night for some pizza and fun.  Nathan and Jordan had so much fun!

Would you  believe we had another ice day today?!  This would be Ice Day #5.  We baked Valentine cookies this morning.  It was just a little bit of a mess! 

Nathan thought it would help to wear his sunglasses.  :)

Now for the sappy stuff...

At two years old, the boys are the light of our lives!  They provide so much energy, love, and laughs to our home.  They are both saying so many words and phrases.  Today, Nathan would put on the birthday crown he got from school and sing "to you."  So, we sang the "Happy Birthday To You Song" several times today.  Jordan likes to tell us to "look" at everything.  The boys are in love with Buzz, Woody, Rex, and Bull's Eye from Toy Story and Lighting McQueen, Sally, and Mac from Cars.  They have started to play with their imaginations and we oftentimes catch them having conversations with their toys... so cute!   

The boys have started to bow their little heads, fold their hands, and close their eyes (they usually just close one eye...ha!) to say the blessing with us at supper.  Nathan and Jordan will fold their hands like a church, show us the steeple, open the doors, and see all the people.  So fun!  I can see their little hearts beginning to form into children that love the Lord and they are beginning to understand that Jesus loves them too. 

They love to eat chicken nuggets, rotisserie chicken, maceroni and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, green beans, fruit, green peas, carrots, corn, cookies, M&Ms and much more!  At two years old, they play with cars, trucks, blocks, trains, tents, tunnels, and balls.  The boys' favorite bedtime story is Goodnight Gorilla.  Bryan and I don't even have to read the words anymore.  Nathan and Jordan are great narrarators of the story.  :)  Jordan and Nathan like to play outside, wrestle with Daddy, go to their grandparents' houses, play with cousins, eat chips with salsa and rice at El Fenix and read books.  What fun it is to live life right along side two darling two-year-old boys! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATER-TOT AND JORDY!  I love you to pieces!

Snowman Time!!

Today was Ice/Snow day #4...yep!  Never ever have we ever seen 4 snow days in this part of Texas!  Would you even believe they have brought in snowplows from Amarillo to help clear streets?!  This is crazy.   We actually had a beautiful snowfall this morning with several inches of fluffy white snow.  We took the boys outside to build a snowman. It was a blast!  The sweet Lord knew we needed some fresh air.  :)

How do you like the grocery bags held around their shoes with rubberbands?  It's just a little ghetto.  Remember, this is TEXAS! We don't own snowboots!  I didn't want their feet to get all wet and cold.  In fact, the boys didn't own gloves until Bryan bought them some at Walgreens this morning.

We have made lots of special family memories this week.  What a blessing!

Snow/Ice Day #3

Had to get even more creative today to keep these ice days fun!  We have literally been stuck inside our house (all four of us + Cooper) since Monday night.  The family time has been priceless.  We have already been notified that school is closed tomorrow too.  Our back patio is still frozen like an ice skating rink.  I'm pretty sure you could play ice hockey on it.  Are we still in Texas?

Today, we made valentines!

Bryan created a picture scavenger hunt for the boys this afternoon.  They loved it!

The scavenger hunt ended with a great prize!  Heart shaped marshmallows in a McQueen ziplock baggie!

We made noodle necklaces!  Thanks to Jenn (my sister) for the noodle necklace idea.  Bryan had the idea to dye the noodles with food coloring.  It was super easy.  1/2 cup of warm water with 1 tsp. vinegar and about 20 drops of food coloring.  Soak the noodles for abour 2 minutes and lay them out in a single layer to dry.  So fun!

Tomorrow we might just depend on Toy Story and Cars to entertain us! 

ICE Day #2

Yep, that's right!  Today we were home for ICE/SNOW day #2.  Tomorrow we will be home for ICE/SNOW day #3.  This is a crazy few days for us Texans!  The high today was a whoppin' 19 degrees.  All of Texas is experiencing "rolling black-outs" to conserve energy.  We only had one rolling blackout today for about thirty minutes.  Whew!  We have been stuck inside the house for three days doing our best to keep Nater-Tot and Jordy entertained.  Bryan ventured down our icy street to Walgreens for some treats.  Thank goodness!  He came back with Cherry Coke, cookie dough, and Play-doh...perfect. 

We built forts in the living room.

We watched movies under the fort.

We baked cookies.

We played basketball.

The boys raced around the house on their firetrucks.  They are FAST!  You would not believe how they can maneuver around all the furniture without slowing down!

We played in the tent and tunnel.

We played with Play-doh.

So, what are we going to do tomorrow?  And, would you believe that I just saw an article on Yahoo that there is snow in the forecast for Dallas again this weekend.  REALLY?!