Monday, December 17, 2012

Play date with Ward and Elsie!

Remember my friends Laura and Kendra?
Our babies have been friends since they were in our bellies! :) (This pic was taken at the end of July at my baby shower). So fun!
And here we are at our first play date!
L to R: Laura and Ward, Me with Harmony and Charity and Kendra and Elsie.

 All the babies playing together.
 We woke Ward up from his nap for this pic. We let Elsie sleep through it however. I can't wait for more play dates! (On a side note since I'm really blogging this in March: Laura is moving away to Seattle. Sad day! We're going to fit in one more play date with all of us before they go. We're excited for them but sad they're moving SO far away!)
I didn't take pics of Laura's three older kids and Kendra's one. The big kids had a lot of fun playing too. It was such a fun day!
I LOVE how many of my very close friends were pregnant when I was. I already blogged about my friend Jane and her baby Maren born 4 weeks after the girls. Kendra's baby, Elsie, was born only 2 days before the girls. She wins the prize for being closest in age. Ward was born 2 months before the girls. We have a bunch of other friends too. I can't wait to blog about those play dates as well!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Visit coming to an end

My parents visit is coming to an end. While my dad came into town for a long weekend my mom has been here for 10 weeks. They'll be missed. Why can they not live closer??? It's hard to live so far away from my family.
While my dad was in town we spent most of the time at home snuggling babies.
Charity and I
 Chuck and Harmony. I thought it was so cute how she just kept staring at him. Melt my heart!
 My mom feeding Harmony
 Harmony. She's NOT too big of a fan of the bouncy seat.
 Mom snuggling Charity. So cute!
 Sometimes you have to improvise. haha
 Dad and Chuck
 Mom snuggling babies for the last time!
Chuck and I have such great families. We feel so truly blessed. Chuck and I would NOT have been able to get through the first ten weeks without my mom. Thank you, mom, for everything! I love you guys!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Baby Blessing

When my mom first flew out to be here for the birth of the girls she only planned on staying for four weeks. After two weeks I had a minor freak out. I knew how fast those two weeks went by and I knew how fast the next two weeks would go by. I spent nearly the entire day feeding the babies. My mom did the dishes, made meals, etc. She never judged me for how I wanted to parent. She never over stepped her boundaries. She always asked how I wanted things done almost to a fault. She was such an enormous help! I KNEW I needed all the help I could get in the early weeks when the babies were so dependent. I prayed and prayed my mom would stay for as long as I needed her and it WORKED. :)
It came as such a blessing in more ways than one when Chuck's brother Andy and his family decided to move to Utah. He was going to be laid off from his job at the end of November and move her in the first of December. My mom wanted to stay to see the baby blessing and we wanted to wait to have the blessing until they were here. It meant my mom stayed for 10 weeks instead of four. Thank you Andy! I know it wasn't what you planned but we're happy you're here and living so close! Chuck's so excited his best bud is in Utah again.
My dad was so excited to come out for the baby blessing as well. He didn't have too much time off of work since it was right before finals (he's a professor). It all worked out though and we were able to have all of our immediate family, and some friends as well, present for our sweet girls special day!
My niece Phoebe (Andy and Janeen's daughter)
 My nephew Seth (Chuck's sister Amber and Aaron's son)
 My friend Dayna, her husband Blake and his two sons
 My cousin Sherrie and her daughter Natalie. Her son Doug was sick. Doug is Chuck's mini me. It's hilarious to see them together.
 Chuck's mom and sister Amber and my nephew David
 Our friend Kevin
 Janeen, Andy, Aaron and Chuck's dad Gordon
 The Miller family: Brian, Iiley, Melissa, Ambri, David and Ethan.
 Quincey Miller playing with Phoebe
 All the food! Thanks everyone for bringing such yummy dishes. It's such a great help for everyone to contribute with having such a large group.
 David feeding Harmony. He is such a good cousin. Our girls are so blessed to have such a wonderful family who loves them so, so much.
 Grandpa Gordon, Natalie, Sherrie and Ainsley with Charity
 Austin, Amber, Andy, Janeen and Aaron
 My mom, me and Austin
 My niece Ambri, my mom and I
 My Aunt Ellen, my dad and mom
 Melissa reading to Iiley, Quincey and David
 Janeen, Aaron, Chuck, Ainsley, Andy and Seth
 Amber and Harmony
 The craziness. Our office/guest bedroom/play room. It was pretty nuts in there.
 as you can see
 The kids table. Grant and Iiley and Ainsley all about the same age hanging out with Kevin
 Natalie and Harmony
 Harmony getting ready with Alyssa in the background




 Aunt Rosanne and Harmony
 Chuck and I
 Grandma Kristy with Harmony
 Dayna feeding Charity
 Charity getting ready


 The MOTAB sent us these hand crocheted beautiful booties. They are so beautiful!
 Grandpa Marlow holding Harmony
 Charity getting her booties on. I love her big eyes.
 Almost ready
 Me with my babies all dressed and ready!
 My folks and I
 My sweet friend AnneMarie who came over after she finished with the MOTAB. She couldn't stay for the entire sacrament meeting so she's not pictured in the huge group shot.
 Huge group shot!
Very back row L to R: Dennis, Maggie, Andy, Janeen, Melissa, Brian, Amber, Ainsley, Aaron, Daniel, Kevin, Natalie, Grant, Rodney and Debbie
Other back row L to R: Sarah, Dayna (her husband and step kids were in the car), David, Ambri, Sherrie, Ellen, Natalie, Nadine, Savannah, Danielle, Chuck's Aunt Carol, Uncle Wayne, Alexa, Chuck's uncle Rodney and Aunt Debbie.
Seated: My dad and mom Marlow, Kristy, Me, Charity, Chuck, Harmony, Chucks' grandma Ruth, and Chuck's parents Gordon and Carol.
Seated on the floor: Ethan, Iiley, Quincey, Seth, Sam, Ben and Phoebe.
Our happy family.

Harmony on the quilt my mom made for her
Charity on her own quilt. My mom put so much work into these quilts. I'm afraid to use them. So much time and effort was invested in these. I love how fun and colorful they are.
Little feet. The MOTAB choir gave the girls these booties. They are absolutely perfect for their blessing dress.



Chuck gave the girls beautiful blessings. He is such an amazing father and priesthood holder. I LOVE our little family. Life could not be more perfect right now. We feel so blessed so many of our friends and family were able to attend the blessing as well. I'm sure I forgot to invite some friends who I'm sure would have loved to have come. If so, I apologize.
It was such a beautiful day.