BIG BLOG

This could potentially be my longest blog ever. Don't worry though, it's mostly pictures!~ First of all, here is a picture of me and the girls in our winter coats. I thought that since I live here in STL...where there is actually a "winter" we would need winter coats. But...putting little babies in those super cute, but suffocating winter coats, and then trying to put them in carseats is not very much fun. Even though they are cute, they've not worn them very much. Good thing they are big enough to possibly wear next year too...

The girls are sick. Everyone is sick! They have a cold. Times two is not very much fun. REALLY runny noses, and cranky, clingy babies. Needless to say after 3 days of them clinging to me, and wiping snot all over me, I'm getting sick too. Here is my "go to" table during the day. Tylenol, saline, nose "plunger", thermometer, and LOTS of kleenex.

Ok, now for the fun part. We recently (or maybe a year ago...) discovered mold in our bathroom carpet. Who installs carpet in a bathroom anyway.... So we had been planning on tiling it for quite some time now. As we worked on this project, we also did little projects all throughout the house. I felt like it was time to update all of you who never get to see my house with some pictures. So I started at the front door. When you walk is this is what you see.... and yes we will make you sign the guestbook :) Here is the new master bath! So fresh and so clean.
A different view. Phillip installed the faucets all by himself! He is such a handyman :) Around the tub. This is my favorite part :)
We also tiled the floor in the guest bath. We got a new shower curtain and rug, and left everything else the same.
I just thought I would update you on a picture of the girl's room. It is pretty much the same. You can see that we had to take out half of their bumper pads because they were standing on top of them, and pulling the ties off. Still such a sweet room:) Here is our living room. We painted the fire place black (it used to be gold). Here is our bedroom. LOVE our bed:)
A wall in our room....
The guest bedroom.


New and improved basement! We got rid of our blue/white striped couches and cleared out a lot of clutter. Now it is even better, and such a fun place to watch movies. We also love it because the girls' can't hear us down here when they are sleeping...even with the loud movies.
In the back we've made a place for the girls to play. Thanks to all our family who have greatly contributed to the toys in this area!!
In Missouri we have basements, which also means more storage! Here is a picture of some of my attempt to organize storage.... Here is another side of our basement. This part is still in the works.... Here is where I spend most of my time. I've made drawers with things the girls can play with in here. They like to be wherever I am, and I'm almost always in here:)
Last but not least....my gold mini. Just to complete my jump into mommihood, and attempt to organize my life around twins on the move.
I actually have more pictures and updates to write about. I'll save that for another day soon. I hope you all enjoyed seeing a little glimpse into my life and feel a little closer too. (for all my Texas readers). We are off to the chiropractor and whole foods. We are going to beat the cold this week!

Love to you all, Shelly

coming soon....

Coming soon I will post pictures of our latest projects...but until then you'll have to wait.
We are still working :)

A little Lasik

Last Thursday Phillip had Lasik surgery.
He's a new man! 20/20 vision, and no more glasses!
I thought I'd take a few pictures to document his new look...

Here he is about to go into surgery. I got to stand outside the room and watch through the window. The entire thing took 20 minutes, and the actual laser was only 5-6 seconds each eye! It was pretty icky when they had to clamp open his eye and they pulled off the flap over his pupil. Phillip did a great job, considering his Valium never kicked in...:)
About to go to sleep. He has to wear these for 5 nights so that he doesn't accidentally rub or scratch his eyes while he is sleeping. He also has to put eye drops in his eyes many times throughout the day.


During the day Phillip has to wear these super cool sunglasses (given to him by Clarkson Eyecare) anytime he is outside, even if it's cloudy.
He has to do this for two weeks.


Here he is tonight watching TV WITHOUT GLASSES! Yeah! He has been waiting for this for so long.

We got our light bulb in for the projector in the basement and now we can watch TV and movies down there again! We also cleaned up the basement, painted a little, and re-organized. I'll take more pictures when we get it all completed.
But for now, we are enjoying having this space back!
(For those of you who don't know...our light bulb burned out in our projector. It costs $400 to fix so we had to wait. A couple of months later, a sweet couple sent us a surprise "blessing" in the form of a check, and a few weeks later...we had our light bulb. Thank you sweet couple...you know who you are!)

Tonight in the basement

One Year Ago Yesterday

Yesterday was January 16th, 2008. Last year on January 16th we took Atley and Avery home from the hospital!

What an amazing journey we've had.
I remember being so overjoyed that I finally got to bring my babies home. It seems like a very fast year, and I can't imagine what it will be like a year from now. 2 year olds!
Here are some pictures of our journey home and first pictures at home. Then I'll add some pictures of what life is like now :)
Thank you for all of your prayers along the way!

Here is Atley in her "going home" outfitAvery in her "going home" outfit....I LOVED these little froggie outfits!
Family picture before we hit the road...
actually they had to wheel each of us out, while we were holding the carrier on our laps.
Nice ride:)
Look how little they are in there!
First time in their crib!
We were so happy to just hold them with no monitors or wires hanging from them. We walked all over the house.
Today...one year later! Now they are so much bigger, and more vocal, and MORE fun!

Happy Birthday...again!

Happy Birthday...again!
We celebrated yesterday with Phillip's family and we had a great time. Look at their super cute rocking chairs Grammi made them! They each have their own table that matches, and got a tea set to go with it. Happy Birthday to you!
Yes, they each got a little ice cream...and loved it!We got new carseats! I bought these a few months back and we put them in last week. We were possibly more excited than the girls because there is much more room to get them in and out now...and they can see us. It is very fun. And now they actually fit in them with their winter coats on.
Avery wearing her daddy's hat
Atley wearing it also....this view was too cute not to post.
Since the girls have been playing with each other a little before they go down for their naps, they end up falling asleep in funny positions. Here is Atley with her head on the bumper pad, facing Avery's crib...asleep. EVERY DAY, it is a funny, new position. I laugh each time I go in there.

more new shoes

We picked these out in Dallas and had them shipped to our house. We are so excited to have another new pair of shoes. We really needed shoes :)
Thanks Nana and Pops!

I just thought I'd share a few things the girls are doing.
They play so much in their cribs now. When they aren't tired for a nap, they just play until they fall asleep! (How perfect for me!) Then I go check on them because they are usually both in some crazy positions, like sitting up asleep:)
They like to share their paci's with each other. When I go in to check on them, their paci's are on the floor between their cribs, like they were trying to pass them to each other. It is fun to see them playing together more every day. I remember when I would dream about this happening, and now it's here! They both put things in their mouth ALL the time. And it is no longer just toys. (Avery....)
I had told my mom and sister that I love Christmas so much I was going to leave my decorations up until Jan.14 But once I got home and saw how dusty and cluttered my house felt...I went to work. Yesterday I got all of Christmas put up. I left out the snowmen because we actually have a REAL winter here (it was 9 degrees yesterday!). My theme for this next year will be "simplicity". I had to really be careful what I put up because the girls are into so much now. I moved their play mat next to the bay window just to change things up. And this way they can get a little sunlight this winter:) I also moved more toys downstairs and we go down there more often to play now.
While I am writing, Avery is laughing as she grabs the computer and stands by my leg. And Atley is staring at herself in the fireplace glass. She is now standing up on the fireplace.
Just a glimpse into our life at 3:30pm.!

First Birthday and Ruth Christmas

So much has happened since I last wrote. The girls had their first birthday and experienced their first Christmas. They received so many presents we had to bring a second bag home on the plane. We had a great time with my family and got to spend 10 whole days there. My sister's baby, Brenley, is getting bigger everyday and beginning to smile. Angie just made a blog too.
Here are some pictures from our trip:

Pops reading to both girls. They are really into reading right now, and love books. Happy Birthday! They were about to open their presents.
Of course, Avery still loves the bows the best.
Birthday Cake! It was so good too....
Atley likes to turn sideways just in case we try to steal her cake. She wants it all for herself.
This was less than a minute after we gave her the cupcake. She went crazy...again!

Wow! Little One year olds! The day after their birthday it hit me that they were not little babies anymore. I feel like one day I wanted to have a baby, then the next day I woke up with Twin One Year Olds!!! On their birthday it was like they were bigger somehow, and a little more gown up. Maybe for the first time I actually saw them as One year olds instead of my little babies. Avery has started crawling up on all fours and she is into everything just like her sister. Atley likes to crawl everywhere and explore all the different rooms. Both girls like to be in the same place for the most part...which is nice for me right now. They are talking up a storm, in baby language. They woke me up this morning laughing in their cribs. They play together and switch toys between the cribs. They must also have a game of "who can throw the paci the farthest." Because when I go in there I never know where I'll find it. I just got 6 more because we are using them and losing them like crazy. Here is a picture of the girls and us when they were devouring their birthday cupcakes.
Christmas Morning eating a banana with Nana.
My brother Danny's girlfriend has a rabbit named Pancakes. The girls loved him.
Pops and his 3 granddaughters.
Avery on Christmas morning, getting excited about more presents!
Me and my niece Brenley.
Avery with her birthday balloons.
Betsy, Lauren and I with the girls.
Aunt Angie and her sweet baby moo moo , Brenley.
After we got home yesterday we received a package with 4 new pairs of shoes. Cute little black and white shoes and pink UGGS! (THANKS MIKEA!) Here are some pictures of their winter boots and cloth diapers:)