Birthday Party Fun

Last weekend Ryan and Evan celebrated their friend Sterling's fifth birthday at Kids U. I had to do a bit  of prep work beforehand to remind them that this was not their birthday party. The minute they heard that we were going to a party they were so excited! They kept talking about having a superhero party and seeing all of their friends. Lately they've had their birthday on the brain! That conversation was a stark reminder of two things: 1. My babies are growing up...fast! 2. My days of choosing the birthday bash theme are officially over. R & E want a superhero party this year; this is all they talk about. Well, if it's a superhero party they want, it's a superhero party they'll get! Let the party planning begin :)

Notice who refused to be a part of the picture! 

Kid's U is a pretty cool. It's a gymnasium for kids and the kids had a really good time. Ryan and Evan don't eat pizza, so for them the food was a bust. At least they enjoyed the cupcakes!

Hi!

Two Things

There were two things that I wanted to do in this new year. First, I wanted to create one a memory jar that I pinned to my Pinterest board a few months ago. The idea is that you keep a jar and write down your memorable moments all year long. On New Year's Eve you empty your jar and reflect upon all those special moments. I think it's an excellent way to be reminded of all your many blessings. I can only speak for myself, so I confess that I get so caught up in day-to-day life sometimes that I sometimes forget to take life in. I wanted to do better this year. I'm so glad that I remembered that I had this pin. I washed a pasta sauce jar, fancied it up a bit with some scrapbook paper, ribbon, chipboard, stickers, and mod podge. I keep it in my kitchen and I have been intentional about writing down things that happen that I want to remember.

Next, I wanted to journal for Ryan and Evan. These years are going by so, so quickly! Our boys are growing and changing so much. They say and do the most outrageous, funny, sweet, scary, and shocking things and I want to remember these times. I want to bottle them up and have them for always. Plus, I want them to know about their lives when they were young. I want to give them this journal one day and share with them these funny and embarrassing stories.  Most of all, I want them to know how loved they are; that's what really matters. Life is so precious. It's also fleeting and can change at any moment. There's nothing like the tragedy that happened in our little state just a few weeks ago to remind us of this.

I think everyone needs a memory jar. It's a great visual reminder of how blessed we are. And our jar? It's filling up fast. Bring on 2013!

Riding Their Bicycles

Ryan and Evan learned how to ride their bicycles a few days after Christmas. Looks like they'll be riding in the house for the next couple of months. It's cold up here, y'all! R & E would like to thank their grandparents for the awesome bikes. They are really enjoying them. :)



disclaimer: I have three year old twin boys...we are in their play room...the play room is PLAYED in...a lot...yep, it's messy! 

Introducing....

The Parkers singing their latest hit, 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Some of My Favorite Things

As we get ready to close out another year, and we prepare to get back to our daily grind I'm reflecting on some of my favorite things from the holiday season. This was truly the best holiday I've ever had. Spending time with my family was much needed, especially after the events from two weeks ago. The boys stayed home with me every single day and Daddy P was even home a lot this holiday. I am going to miss our lazy days together. I'll also miss things like:

• Ryan and Evan hamming it up and making us laugh
• Looking at my Christmas card tree and being reminded of my family and friends each day
• Having my kitchen smelling like cinnamon and vanilla
• My favorite Christmas tree ornaments
• Making crafts with my Peas (thanks Pinterest and MK's mama!)
• Cooking dinner and looking out into the family room and seeing my fellas  (who am I kidding, I do this nearly every single day, but it felt different this past week!)
• Smiling each time I opened the fridge because I saw more Christmas cards and R & E's Christmas projects from school
• Having Evan, the keeper of the tree, turn on the Christmas lights first thing in the morning and then demand breakfast

It's been a great break. I can go even further...it's been a great year. We've had our ups and downs of course. Each day isn't easy; we've had our challenges. But, through it all we're still standing. God has never left us. We've been blessed tremendously with new opportunities. We have each other...it's been a great year indeed. 

First & Last Snow Storm of 2012

We had our first significant snow storm on Saturday. It snowed all day, so we spent the entire day inside lounging around. It was great! We were able to get outside later that evening for a little snowy work and fun. I am not an outside kinda girl, but I must say that playing in the snow with my Peas was pretty awesome!